Mitsui Mining & Smelting Hikes Zinc Sulfate by 25%

Mitsui Mining & Smelting announced on Wednesday the firm increases the selling price of zinc sulfate by around 25% effective for shipment after July 1. The firm decided to increase the price by around 25,000 yen from current just more than 100,000 yen per tonne including freight to pass higher cost of crude oil and zinc after the firm has kept the price since 1986. The users started to accept the higher price in ongoing negotiations. Zinc sulfate is made with zinc residue. Japanese official zinc ingot price is estimated to be averaged 426,800 yen per tonne in July, which is 1.5 times of 283,500 yen in January. However, the zinc sulfate price is based on around 200,000 yen of zinc ingot price. The firm tries to increase the selling price of zinc sulfate to the level based on 300,000 yen of zinc ingot price. The price of potassium permanganate, which is used to remove iron in refining process, is 240 yen per kilogram compared with 120 yen 20 years ago. The price of fuel oil C, which is used to crystallize zinc sulfate for better purify, doubled. The firm tries to cover the higher cost. Mitsui Mining & Smelting produces annual 7,000 tonnes of zinc sulfate at Hikoshima Smelting in Yamaguchi. The firm supplies the products for industry applications including medicine, fodder, metallic soap, material of paper and chemical fiber.