/Rusmet.ru, Avdeeva Irina / According to Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, in the I quarter. 2010 Japan produced 10.009 th. Tons of nickel, which is 60.9% more than in the corresponding period of 2009 (6,222 th. Tons). The issue, according to preliminary data, ferronickel (based on metal) amounted to 17.742 ths. Tons, which is 57% higher than in I quarter. 2009 (11.303 thousand. T).

Such a high nickel and ferronickel production growth is largely due to the extremely low level of output in the I quarter. last year. It should be noted that the increase in production of nickel and ferronickel in comparison with I quarter was recorded in the first quarter of this year. 2008

Favorable situation for nickel exports. Deliveries are made in China, Yu Korea, Taiwan. In I quarter. 2010 Japan exported nearly 36.82 ths. Tons of ferronickel (7.36 ths. Tons in terms of nickel) and 3,213 thousand. T of processed nickel. Thus, Japan is in the I quarter. 2010 supplied to the world market a third of the total volume of nickel.

There is a growing demand for nickel in the domestic market by the Japanese stainless steel producers to increase production volumes. At the same time decreased the collection of scrap nickel, which also led to an increase in nickel consumption.

Nickel consumption in Japan in the I quarter. 2010 amounted to 11,652 thousand. Tons, which is 96.8% higher than in I quarter of last year (5,921 thousand. T). The sharp decline in nickel consumption was observed in the I quarter of last year due to the financial and economic crisis, when production and consumption of stainless steel in the country has declined sharply. Now the situation has changed dramatically.

In the first quarter of 2010, consumption of nickel for the production of special steel amounted to 9.278 ths. Tons (an increase of 2.27 times compared to the first quarter of 2009).