Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert – March 2017

The purpose of this blog is to identify chemical and metal shortages reported on the Internet.  The sources of the information reported here are primarily news releases issued on the Internet.  The issue period of the news releases is March 2017.

Section I below lists those chemicals and metals that were on the previous month’s Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list and continue to have news releases indicating they are in short supply.  Click here to read the February 2017 Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list.

Section II lists the new chemicals and metals (not on the February alert).  Also provided is some explanation for the shortage and geographical information.  This blog attempts to list only actual shortage situations – those shortages that are being experienced during the period covered by the news releases.  Chemicals and metals identified in news releases as only being in danger of being in short supply status are not listed.

Section I.   none

      

Section II.   Shortages Reported in March not found on the Previous Month’s List

Cobalt: global; mining not keeping up with demand

Copper concentrate: China; mining not keeping up with demand

Ferrous scrap: Taiwan; insufficient imports

Titanium dioxide: global; production not keeping up with demand

Waste paper: India; insufficient imports

Reasons for Section II shortages can be broadly categorized as: 

1.  Mining not keeping up with demand: cobalt; copper concentrate

2.  Production not keeping up with demand:  titanium dioxide

3.  Government regulations: none

4.  Sources no longer available: none

5.  Insufficient imports:  ferrous scrap; waste paper

6.  Supply not keeping up with demand:  none