DLA sales drop in first half on W, FeCr

The US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) sold 7pc less ferro-chrome, chrome metal and tungsten ores and concentrates by value in the first half of 2018 compared with a year earlier.

The US defense department's procurement agency sold $32.2mn worth of tungsten ores and chrome metal and alloy, down from $34.6mn in the same prior-year period.

Aggregate sales of low-carbon ferro-chrome and high-carbon ferro-chrome declined by 40pc to 4,873 short tons. Sales of high-carbon alloy were down by 38.5pc to 4,000st, while low-carbon alloy sales dropped by 48pc to 873st.

DLA sales of chrome metal fell by 74pc to 13st in the first six month of the year from a year earlier.

Sales of tungsten ore declined by 29pc to 1.52mn lbs by content.

Sales in June fell by 10pc to $4.8mn, driven mostly by lower tungsten volumes. The agency sold 146,000lbs of tungsten ores, more than halved from 302,000lbs a year earlier. High-carbon ferro-chrome volumes declined by one-third to 1,000st, while sales of low-carbon alloy totaled 291st, up from none a year earlier.

The names of the buyers were withheld for all sales during the month.