DIRECT CASTING WITH RARE EARTHS
In addition to affecting melt additive pricing, rare earth metals may fi nd their way onto their own line of your metalcaster’s surcharge breakdown. According to the technical department of the American Foundry Society, Schaumburg, Ill., most stan- dard magnesium casting alloys have low high-temperature strength. For example, in some automo- tive applications, magnesium castings will show creep, meaning the metal will shift as temperatures increase. Rare earths elevate high tempera- ture strength and combat the effects of creep.
What about some of the other
materials used in a sand casting plant? On the nonferrous side, olivine sand has recently hit a signifi cant stumbling block that could make the mate- rial scarce and drive prices sky-high. According to sources close to the transaction, a major North American
processor of olivine is planning to exit the business in the fall. While another company could be in line to purchase the processing plant, an interruption in the sands fl owing from the site is pos- sible, and long-term prospects are in limbo. Reports indicate the company is currently servicing all its existing met-
alcasting accounts, but it is not seeking additional customers. Consumption of zircon, a type of sand used in complex casting applica- tions, also is on the rise, which stands to drive prices higher, according to metals and minerals research fi rm Roskill Information Services. Roskill said in a recent report demand for the sand rebounded in 2010 after a down year and is projected to grow 5.4% an- nually in the near future. Use of zircon sand in metalcasting
applications has not grown over the past decade, according to Roskill, but as with silica sand, growth in other markets like ceramics and chemicals have pushed the demand higher (2.6% growth per year in those sectors). Capacity for zircon production is projected to rise by only 2.3% per year through 2015.
This tightening of supply stands
to continue to make zircon expen- sive for metalcasters. But Roskill
24 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | Sept/Oct 2011
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