Brazil: Silicon Metal Statistics

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000376 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE PASS USITC FOR L.M.SCHLITT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD ECON BR SUBJECT: Brazil: Silicon Metal Statistics Reference: State 4821 ¶1. (U) Note: Since there is no central repository in Brazil for retention of data on this industry, Post has not been able to obtain information in all categories requested for the period covering January 1999 - September 2002. In several other categories requested in reftel, information was completely unavailable. Information presented in this cable was sourced primarily from data maintained by Brazilian Association of Iron and Silicon Metal (ABRAFE). End note. ¶2. (U) As of 2006, Brazil had six companies involved in the export of silicon metal: Camargo Correa Metais, Companhia Brasileira Carbureto de Calcio, ITAL Magnesio Nordeste S/A, Ligas de Aluminio S/A - Liasa, MinasLigas, and Rima Industrial S/A. ¶3. (U) Information on production and home market shipments for calendar years 1999 - 2002 is presented below. No monthly figures were available. Production capacity and capacity utilization figures requested were unavailable for this period. Production (quantity): 1999 = 136,572 tons 2000 = 166,344 tons 2001 = 112,123 tons 2002 = 133,390 tons Home Market Shipments 1999 = 13,170 tons 2000 = 18,643 tons 2001 = 11,483 tons 2002 = 17,459 tons ¶4. (U) Information on quantity and value of total exports for calendar years 1999 - 2002 is presented below. No monthly figures were available. Figures requested by reftel on specific export destinations were unavailable. Export Quantity/Value (millions of US dollars): 1999 = 123,219 tons/ $136.717 2000 = 154,009 tons/ $167.156 2001 = 105,538 tons/ $113.339 2002 = 148,040 tons/ $155.989 ¶5. (U) No information was found on finished inventories. ¶6. (U) The projected 2002 production change was 40 percent; for 2003 it was 25 percent. Data on when these projections were released is not available. ¶7. (U) Projections of Brazilian exports are detailed below. Information relating to a specific country is not available. Data on when these projections were released was not found. 2002 = 16.8 percent 2003 = 22.2 percent ¶8. (U) Energy shortages in 2001 led to a reduction in Brazilian exports of silicon metal. This was compounded by high taxes assessed by the GOB on producers, which accounted for approximately 47 percent of the retail price of the product. ¶9. (U) The below companies were producing silicon metal in Brazil during the period January 1999 - September 2002. Companies that entered production in 2002 are so noted. Camargo Correa Metais Companhia Brasileira Carbureto de Calcio (3/2002) ITAL Magnesio Nordeste S/A (2002) Ligas de Aluminio S/A - Liasa Sibra MinasLigas (2002) Rima Industrial S/A Sobel