South Africa's largest ferrochrome producer Merafe Resources has announced its production report for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a five percent year-on-year decrease in its ferrochrome production due to furnace refurbishment programs being extended in response to soft market conditions.
Meanwhile, Merafe's ferrochrome production volumes in the first nine months of 2012 were 15 percent lower than the same period of 2011 mainly due to power buy-back deals with Eskom, the South African electricity supplier, to counter electricity shortages.
The company statement also noted that Merafe's Tswelopele pelletizing and sintering plant was commissioned in early October 2012 and that the plant will reach full capacity of approximately 600,000 mt of sintered pellets in early 2013.