TRENDS IN USAGE OF CADMIUM.
Abstract
The report is an analysis of the consumption of cadmium in the United States by individual end uses. It was determined that electroplating accounts for roughly 50% of the total consumption. Over the past several years, a new use of cadmium as a constituent in stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride has become of importance, accounting for roughly 20% of consumption, and is increasing. Pigment consumption remains high and it also accounts for approximately 20% of consumption. Most of the remaining cadmium is used in batteries and various metallurgical applications. Several general conclusions concerning the production and consumption pattern are possible. First, cadmium is a by-product of zinc production, which is only slowly growing, and therefore the supply of cadmium is not very elastic. Second, the uses of cadmium are varied and except for electroplating, the cost of cadmium is a small to modest fraction of the total cost of the end item, therefore, large areas of demand are not closely coupled to cost and as a consequence, modest changes in demand for even a single end use could have a profound impact on the cost of the metal. Third, as a metal used in small amounts in numerous applications, its consumption pattern is subject to changing technology and therefore, forecasting changes in the type of a consumption pattern for long periods of time is hazardous, if not impossible. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0700744