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Bismuth
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Bismuth is a brittle, silvery-white metal with a pinkish hue and low toxicity. It is primarily sourced from lead, copper, and tin mining byproducts. The leading producers of bismuth are China, Mexico, and Peru. Bismuth is used in pharmaceuticals, low-melting alloys, and cosmetics, making it valuable in various industries for its unique properties, including non-toxicity and density.
What bismuth types are frequently traded on Metalshub?
Sub-Category | Abbreviation | Core Content Range | Size Range |
Bismuth Granules | Bi Granules | Bi 99.9-100% | 0.5-2 mm |
Please note that the above listed sub-categories including its core content and size ranges are just a snapshot of Metalshub’s currently traded raw materials. We are adding new sub-categories on a monthly basis and would be happy to assess your specific requirements to this category.
How can Metalshub help in buying and selling bismuth?
Metalshub provides producers and consumers of bismuth with a software solution to improve the way they buy or sell it. Our software connects over 2,000 companies in a joint trading network. This allows sellers to discover new buyers of bismuth and buyers to discover new suppliers of bismuth.
For buyers, Metalshub’s Procurement Solution allows steel mills, foundries, and other consumers to digitalise their procurement process in order to increase sourcing efficiency, ensure compliant buying, and take data-driven decisions. For sellers, Metalshub’s Sales Solution allows miners, traders, and other sellers to digitalise their sales process, manage inventory, and optimise their sales book.
What is the price of bismuth?
Bismuth prices are provided by several key platforms:
- Fastmarkets: Fastmarkets tracks journalistic bismuth prices, including assessments for 99.99% pure bismuth, primarily focused on the Chinese market, which is the world’s largest producer (Fastmarkets).
- Argus Media: Argus provides journalistic price assessments for bismuth across different regions, such as China or in Europe. Their platform offers detailed reports on price trends and market dynamics for bismuth, along with insights into its use in minor metals markets (Argus Media).
- Shanghai Metals Market (SMM): SMM provides journalistic updates on bismuth prices, including high-purity bismuth (4N, 5N, 6N) and regular bismuth ingots, across various global markets like China and Europe (Shanghai Metals Market).
Beyond these three examples, other providers may also provide prices.
Bismuth prices are influenced by its purity and whether it is traded as metal or granules. Its unique use in pharmaceuticals, low-melting alloys, and eco-friendly products creates demand that can affect market prices.
What are the key countries of origin for bismuth?
The leading bismuth-producing countries are:
- China – ~80% of global production, supplying the bulk of the world’s bismuth
- Mexico – ~5%, producing bismuth as a byproduct of lead and copper mining
- Peru – ~5%, focused on bismuth extraction from mining byproducts
- Bolivia – ~<5%, contributing smaller quantities to global markets
- Canada – ~<5%, producing bismuth through lead refining
Who are some of the key producers of bismuth?
Some of the key producers of bismuth include:
- Hunan Nonferrous Metals (China) – ~35% of global bismuth production
- Minera Bismark (Mexico) – ~5% of global bismuth production
- Doe Run Company (USA) – ~5% of global bismuth production
- Volcan Compañía Minera (Peru) – ~5% of global bismuth production
- Bolivia’s State Mining Corporation – ~<5% of global bismuth production
How is bismuth mined and produced?
Bismuth is typically produced as a byproduct of lead, tin, and copper mining. The extracted metal is refined and purified through a process involving roasting and reduction to obtain high-purity bismuth. Bismuth granules are often created for industrial applications where small quantities are required.
What is bismuth used for?
Bismuth is primarily used in pharmaceuticals (~30%), low-melting-point alloys (~25%), and cosmetics (~10%). It is also used as an environmentally friendly substitute for lead in various applications. Bismuth granules are essential in medical and industrial products due to their non-toxicity.