Datamonitor's Metals & Mining: Global Industry Guide is an essential resource for top-level data and analysis covering the metals & mining industry. It includes detailed data on market size and segmentation, textual analysis of the key trends and competitive landscape, and profiles of the leading companies. This incisive report provides expert analysis on a global, regional and country basis.

Scope of the Report

* Contains an executive summary and data on value and segmentation

* Provides textual analysis of the industry's prospects, competitive landscape and profiles of the leading companies

* Covers Global, European, Asia-Pacific & 11 individual country markets

* Includes a five-year forecast of the industry

Highlights

Progressively stronger rates of growth were experienced over the 2001-2005 period, peaking in 2004, with a phenomenal increase of 42.2% over 2003.

Research and development expenditure is a hefty but necessary cost in the industry, especially as firms seek to increase efficiencies continually, and face increasing pressure to conduct business in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.

The rapid development of the Chinese economy is currently drawing on global steel resources.

Why you should buy this report:

* Spot future trends and developments

* Inform your business decisions

* Add weight to presentations and marketing materials

* Save time carrying out entry-level research

Definition

The metals & mining industry consists of the aluminum, iron & steel, precious metals & minerals, coal and base metal markets.

In the aluminum market, only production of primary aluminum is considered. Recycled aluminum is not included within this report. The market is valued at manufacturer's selling price (MSP).

The iron & steel market consists of the production of crude steel, blast furnace (pig) iron and direct reduced iron. Market values have been calculated using annual average steel and iron prices.

The precious metals & minerals market includes gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium and industrial and gem-quality diamonds. The market is valued using total annual mining production volumes and annual average prices.

The coal market consists of just primary coal (anthracite, bituminous and lignite). Secondary coal (metallurgical coke, anthracite and bituminous briquets, and lignite briquets) is not included in this report. The market has been valued as total mine production at annual average minemouth prices and does not include any transportation costs.

The base metals market consists of lead, zinc, copper, nickel and tin. The market has been valued as total mine production at annual average prices.

Any currency conversions used in this report have been calculated using constant 2004 annual average exchange rates.