Distinction and relation between ferrosilicon and manganese silicon

Ferrosilicon is an iron alloy composed of iron and silicon, with coke, steel chips, quartz (or silica) as raw material, smelting with electric furnace. Widely used in steelmaking industry, casting industry and ferroalloy industry, used as deoxidizer and alloying agent in steelmaking, used as inoculant and spheroidizing agent in cast iron, used as reducing agent in ferroalloy production. At present domestic ferrosilicon is mainly used in steelmaking and production of magnesium metal.

Manganese silicon is a wide range of uses, large yield of iron alloy, manganese ore (including manganese rich slag), coke, silica as raw materials, the most important use is steel, steel is mainly used as a composite deoxidizer and alloy agent, in addition to a certain extent as a desulfurizer.

Ferrosilicon and manganese silicon are the most widely used ferroalloys in the process of steel making. The biggest difference lies in that, first, the production materials are different. Second, the use is different, ferrosilicon is only used as a deoxidizer, silicommanganese has the effect of deoxidization and desulfurization, in addition, silicommanganese can also effectively purify liquid steel. Third, the distribution of producing areas is different. The producing areas of ferrosilicon are mainly distributed in northwest China and flow direction is mainly from northwest to southeast China, hebei, Liaoning, Jiangsu and other major steel-producing provinces. Manganese and silicon production areas are distributed in the north and south, showing a pattern of transportation from south to north.

The cost of

(1) Cost composition of ferrosilicon

The main raw materials for the production of ferrosilicon are silica, carbon and iron oxide. Among them, silica is the main source of silicon element (Si) in ferrosilicon. Orchid carbon is mainly used as a carbon reducing agent to reduce the silicon element in silica; Iron oxide sheet is mainly used as iron containing material to adjust the composition of ferrosilicon, especially the content of iron element, in addition to promote the reduction of silicon dioxide in silica.

(2) Cost composition of manganese silicon

The main production materials of mg-Si alloy are manganese ore (including manganese rich slag), coke, silica, etc., in which the cost of manganese ore accounts for about 60% of the production cost of mG-Si.

Analysis of price difference between ferrosilicon and manganese silicon

When it was listed in 2014, the price of manganese silicon was 650 yuan/ton higher than that of ferrosilicon, while the thermal coal price was 480 yuan/ton at that time. From 2018 to November 2020, the price of manganese silicon has been higher than that of ferrosilicon, with the average price difference of -1130 yuan/ton. It can be understood that the price of manganese silicon is 1000 yuan/ton higher than that of ferrosilicon as a whole.

Since 2021, especially around the National Day, due to the rise in power prices, the cost of ferrosilicon has risen, and the price of ferrosilicon has risen continuously, rising more than that of manganese silicon. The maximum price difference appeared on October 12, 2021, with a difference of 5026 yuan/ton. The average price difference between January and December is 850 yuan/ton.

The current price of ferrosilicon is 900 yuan/ton higher than that of manganese silicon. On the one hand, the cost of ferrosilicon power is relatively high, which supports the high price of ferrosilicon under the background of high coal price and coal power shortage. On the other hand, the current orchid carbon price is affected by regional production restrictions, high raw materials and other factors than before also appeared double growth, while the price of manganese ore has been relatively stable, the price center even appeared a small drop in recent years.

Therefore, considering from the cost side, the price difference between ferrosilicon and manganese silicon should be maintained at about 1000 yuan. In the case of little fluctuation of other factors, the price of ferrosilicon is higher than that of manganese silicon for a long time. Of course, when due to regional supply and demand factors change, it should be another matter.