No Mas

DIATOMITE


|Sergio Luiz Klein – DNPM/RN - Telephone: (84) 4006-4700 - Fax: (84) 3206-6084 – E-mail: sergio.klein@dnpm.gov.br |



I - WORLD SUPPLY – 2006

|The volume of the estimated world production of diatomite did not feature significant changes vis-à-vis the previous year, having remained at circa 2.020 thousand |
|tonnes. The United Statesstill lead the world producer and consumer market of diatomite, with an estimated production of around 655 thousand t/year. This |
|corresponds to approximately 32.4% of the world production. China increased a little its participation, with an estimated production of 420 thousand t/year for |
|2006, corresponding to circa 20.8% of the world production. Seven American companies accountedfor over 25% of the world production (78% of the production in the |
|United States). Among the four American states that produce diatomite, California and Nevada remained as the main producers. The extraction of American diatomite |
|is totally made in open-pit mines. The estimated value of the commercialisation of processed diatomite in that country was of about US$ 179 million (FOB).|
|Filtration (including the purification of beer, wine, liqueurs, oils, greases etc.) still is the major final use of diatomite. The final use of diatomite in the |
|United States was distributed as follows: filtration 75%; fillers 11%; absorbents 7% and others (particularly cement factories and thermal insulation) 7%. |
|In terms of reserves, the existing resources of diatomite aresufficient to supply the world market in the case of future needs. The United States and China are |
|deemed the main holders of the resources of diatomite. Their measured reserves put together amount to million tonnes (910 million tonnes if one considers measured |
|+ indicated). In Brazil, in terms of official reserves (measured + indicated), including re-assessed reserves, one estimatesthat they are of about 2.5 million |
|tonnes. The Brazilian reserves are distributed as follows: Bahia, 1.165 thousand t (44%), in the municipalities of Ibicoara, Medeiros Neto, Mucugê and Vitória da |
|Conquista; Rio Grande do Norte, 993 thousand t (37.4%), in the municipalities of Ceará-Mirim, Extremoz, Macaíba, Maxaranguape, Rio do Fogo, Nísia Floresta and |
|Touros; Ceará, 439thousand t (16.5%), in the municipalities of Aquiraz, Aracati, Camocim, Horizonte, Itapipoca and Maranguape; Rio de Janeiro, 38 thousand t |
|(1.4%), in the municipality of Campos dos Goitacazes; São Paulo, 19 thousand t (0.7%), in the municipality of Porto Ferreira. |


Wold Reserve and Production


||Reserves (1) (103 t) | |
|Specification | |Production (103 t) |
|Countries |2005(r) |% |2005(r) |2006(p)|% |
|Brazil |


III – IMPORTS


| |
|Only the Brazilianimports of primary diatomite (fossil siliceous meals and other siliceous earths) underwent growth in 2006. The increase in volume was of |
|nearly 16.5% when compared to the previous year (7.030 tonnes in 2005 to 8.184 in 2006). In terms of value, the increment reached nearly 32% (US$ 2.521 thousand |
|in 2005 to US$ 3.321 thousand in 2006). Imports of manufactured goods underwent a reduction...