Ulbinskiy metallurgic plant raised prices for beryllium and goods made of it

/INTERFAX-KAZAKHSTAN, Ust-Kamenogorsk, July 30, 07/ - Ulbinskiy metallurgic plant (UMP, in the East-Kazakhstan oblast) raised prices for metallic beryllium and goods made of it, is said in the announcement of the company spread on Monday. Thus, since July 15, a new price of metallic beryllium ingot, with a weight of one kilo, has been set. It is $490. In the announcement, the former price of a similar ingot is not mentioned. At the same time, the prices for goods made of beryllium have grown on average by 30% from before since the middle of July. The final prices for beryllium goods will be set depending on the sort of beryllium used and on the complexity of the product, - is noticed in the press- release. The rise of prices does not apply to the currently valid contracts. In all new contracts, the new cost of beryllium and goods made of it will be defined. "The rise of prices for beryllium and goods made of it is caused by the objective reality. The inflationary processes in the economy, that are related to the continuous increase of prices for energy resources, the raise of wages, and to the other relevant factors, reflected on the cost of principal and auxiliary materials, and reagents, purchased for production, resulted in operational expenses of the company. As a result, UMP JSC had to take the decision of raising prices for the products", - is explained in the preass- release. Beryllium and its compounds are used in the production of aviation and space techniques, equipment for nuclear power engineering and for defense industry. UMP was founded in 1949 as a company that produces goods for defense of the former USSR. By the beginning of 1970-s, UMP became one of the biggest producers of goods made of uranium, beryllium and tantalum in the world. Today, UMP occupies a territory of more than 520 hectares, and has more than hundred buildings and constructions, in which uranium, beryllium and tantalum productions are placed, and also the departments of engineering industry, scientific research institute, and of other infrastructure of supplementary productions. UMP is a part of the national nuclear company of Kazakhstan, Kazatomprom. [2007-07-30]