Resumen de China's refractories market: : Managed decline
Dashiqiao, known as the Capital of Magnesium, in Liaoning province, northeast China, is home to around 800 magnesium-related companies and has a total magnesium production capacity of more than 10m tpa and with sales of approximately Rmb 850m ($128.1m). Around 60% of Dashiqiao magnesium is exported and 40% is sold domestically.
The area around Dashiqiao city has a long history of magnesite mining ( See pp48-55 ). Like other resource-reliant cities in China, Dashiqiao is facing the need to transition its traditional raw materials industry to a modern one. Demand for magnesium and magnesia in China is slowing, prices are low and there is fierce competition among suppliers.
According Dianhui, producers of traditional magnesia refractories have successfully developed new technologies, including a process for using low grade magnesite to produce fused magnesia (FM). The technique, engineered by Dongji Group, claims to reduce unit consumption of energy in standard furnaces from 2,900 kWh/tonne to 2,500 kWh/tonne. Other Dashiqiao-based refractories companies, including Fenghua Industrial Group, Xinwei Refractory Co. and Yingkou Jinlong Refractories Group, have also launched new techniques for making magnesia refractories which they say use up to 35% less energy and emit less pollution.
