Silicones, solar cells to boost ferrosilicon market

摘要

The markets for silicon and ferrosilicon were enjoying an unprecedented rate of growth last year, due to increased demand for silicones and solar cells in the case of silicon, and to rapid expansion in global steel making in the case of ferrosilicon. Although supplied to very different markets, the prices of silicon and ferrosilicon follow very similar trends because of the similarity in production processes, and the importance of the supply and cost of power in their production. With demand for silicon in silicones expected to grow at some 10 per cent in coming years, as well as robust demand for aluminium-silicon alloys, overall demand should expand at about eight per cent up to 2011.