Price

Arsenic Pricing and Market Data

Arsenic pricing is bifurcated between low-value arsenic trioxide (used in industrial applications, priced around $1-1.50/lb) and extremely high-value high-purity arsenic for semiconductor applications (priced at $500-2,000/kg depending on purity grade). The industrial arsenic market has been in secular decline due to environmental restrictions on CCA wood preservatives and pesticides. The semiconductor-grade market, however, has grown steadily with demand for gallium arsenide wafers in 5G, solar cells, and defense electronics.

Pricing Mechanisms

Arsenic is priced using benchmarks from Fastmarkets. Arsenic pricing operates through a combination of exchange-based benchmarks, price reporting agency assessments, bilateral negotiation, and long-term offtake contracts. The specific mechanism depends on product form, grade, and the buyer-seller relationship.

Price History and Notable Market Events

The Arsenic market has been shaped by the following key events:

Price Drivers

Key factors influencing Arsenic prices include production levels in China (50% of global supply), demand from semiconductors (gallium arsenide) and wood preservatives, inventory levels, energy costs, and government policy actions such as export restrictions or strategic stockpiling.

Spot vs. Contract Pricing

The Arsenic market features both spot transactions and longer-term contracts. Spot prices reflect current conditions and are more volatile, while multi-year offtake agreements provide supply security for both producers and consumers. Current spot pricing is in the range of 1.20-1.80 $/lb.