Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert – May 2017

The purpose of this blog is to identify chemical and metal shortages reported on the Internet.  The sources of the information reported here are primarily news releases issued on the Internet.  The issue period of the news releases is May 2017.

Section I below lists those chemicals and metals that were on the previous month’s Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list and continue to have news releases indicating they are in short supply.  Click here to read the April 2017 Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list.

Section II lists the new chemicals and metals (not on the April alert).  Also provided is some explanation for the shortage and geographical information.  This blog attempts to list only actual shortage situations – those shortages that are being experienced during the period covered by the news releases.  Chemicals and metals identified in news releases as only being in danger of being in short supply status are not listed.

Section I. 

Cobalt:  global; mining not keeping up with demand

Sand/gravel/cement:  India; supply not keeping up with demand

      

Section II.   Shortages Reported in May not found on the Previous Month’s List

Cobalt:  global; mining not keeping up with demand

Copper foil:  global; production not keeping up with demand

Methyl methacrylate (MMA):  global; production not keeping up with demand

Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI):  Ireland; production not keeping up with                                                                                  demand

Reasons for Section II shortages can be broadly categorized as: 

1.  Mining not keeping up with demand: cobalt

2.  Production not keeping up with demand:  copper foil; MMA; MDI

3.  Government regulations: none

4.  Sources no longer available: none

5.  Insufficient imports:  none

6.  Supply not keeping up with demand:  none