Regulation has been an important driver for the push toward clean energy technologies but industry has accelerated this mindset, the chief executive officer of Nth Cycle said.According to Megan O'Connor, the past several administrations in the United States have prioritized establishing a domestic supply of critical minerals used to power the energy transition. "Whether rare earths for critical de...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday October 14 that are worth another look.Rio Tinto will test the use of biomass in place of coking coal in the steelmaking process in a small-scale pilot plant, in an attempt to cut the industry's carbon emissions through the use of...Read More
Indian hot-rolled coil export prices have increased by about $15-25 per tonne in the week to Thursday October 14 because of strong domestic demand, Fastmarkets has heard.Mills this week have concluded HRC export bookings at prices in the range of $860-870 per tonne fob, mainly to destinations in the Middle East. This was about $15-25 per tonne higher compared with previous bookings in the range of...Read More
Brazil-based multi-metal producer Nexa Resources has received an operating license for its Aripuan?? zinc-lead-copper project in Brazil, with commercial output scheduled to start next year, the company said on Wednesday October 13.According to Nexa, the license was granted by the Mato Grosso state environmental secretariat, Sema, on October 7. Mato Grosso is a state in the Brazilian midwestern reg...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were up at the 5pm close of trading on Thursday October 14 on a weaker US Dollar Index, and continuing power supply issues that were squeezing metal supply."Chinese factory-gate pricing in September may have grown at its fastest pace in 26 years, adding to the 'stagflation' growth threats moving down the line. But in the here and now, power and suppl...Read More
Diversified miner South32 is to buy a 45% interest in the Sierra Gorda copper mine in Chile from Sumitomo Metal Mining, the Australian company said on Thursday October 14.The acquisition is consistent with its strategy to reshape South32's portfolio for a low-carbon future, it said, producing materials critical for global decarbonization and the energy transition.Sierra Gorda, located in the Antof...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices rose on Thursday October 14 amid active trading activity in the spot market and at Chinese ports because of a slight increase in buying interest, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $125.91 per tonne, up by $1.74 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $127.60 per tonne, up by $2.51 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premiu...Read More
The EU and its member states must do more to assist domestic metals producers after the European Commission this week issued its "toolbox" to tackle a surge in energy prices that was forecast to last through the coming winter, according to regional non-ferrous metals industry body Eurometaux.The EC on Wednesday October 13 proposed short-term national measures that would include state aid for compa...Read More
Mexican integrated steelmaker Altos Hornos de M?(C)xico (Ahmsa) has announced measures intended to reduce its consumption of natural gas after an increase in global prices.The company did not say whether the measure would affect its steel production, but it planned to gradually replace natural gas with gas generated in the steelmaking process.Ahmsa is a major steel producer and ferrous scrap consu...Read More
Regulation has been an important driver for the push toward clean energy technologies but industry has accelerated this mindset, the chief executive officer of Nth Cycle said.According to Megan O'Connor, the past several administrations in the United States have prioritized establishing a domestic supply of critical minerals used to power the energy transition. "Whether rare earths for critical de...Read More
The EU and its member states must do more to assist domestic metals producers after the European Commission this week issued its "toolbox" to tackle a surge in energy prices that was forecast to last through the coming winter, according to regional non-ferrous metals industry body Eurometaux.The EC on Wednesday October 13 proposed short-term national measures that would include state aid for compa...Read More
Turkish steel mills are continuing to book deep-sea scrap at higher prices, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday October 14.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a US cargo at $486 per tonne cfr on an HMS 1&2 (80:20) basis. However, the cargo composition was not clear at the time of publication.The previous deep-sea transactions, on Wednesday October 13, were concluded at $480 p...Read More
Chile will allow companies to bid for licenses for the extraction of 400,000 tonnes of lithium, the country's mining ministry said on Thursday October 14.Prospective bidders have until December 21 to submit their proposals to extract the critical battery mineral.The tender opened on Thursday to both national and international bidding. It will "tender and award Special Operation Contracts (CEOL) by...Read More
Discounts for some copper scrap grades fell this week while demand remained robust, whereas some red brass scrap prices softened over the week.The copper scrap market is "in balance," a seller said. A second seller said he is yet to see the impact of Malaysia's scrap import regulation changes in the domestic flow of material."Malaysia has enough material in the ports to last them months," the seco...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe and Italy remained fairly stable on Thursday October 14 due to limited trading activity, sources have told Fastmarkets.European mills have been trading reduced volumes of coil and mainly holding back from making big deals. Prices have been under downward pressure from weak automotive sector demand, high stock levels at distributors and substan...Read More
Bullish sentiment on Thursday October 14, driven by Nyrstar's announcement of production cuts, has pushed the zinc price on the Shanghai Futures Exchange to its highest level since 2019.The SHFE November zinc price surged to its daily upward limit (4%) and finally closed at 25,700 yuan ($3,994) per tonne on Thursday.The surge came after the major zinc producer Nyrstar announced that it would be cu...Read More
There was a mixed outcome in settlement negotiations for domestic steel scrap deliveries to UK steelmakers in October, with suppliers resisting downward pressure from consumers because of firm export markets, trade sources said on Thursday October 14.Scrap suppliers won increases across the board for low residual and clean grades of scrap, with rollovers agreed in contracts for other grades assess...Read More
The European Commission (EC) has extended anti-dumping duties on imports of wire rod from China until 2026, the Official Journal of the European Union said on October 13.The EC concluded that dumping would likely recur if the current measures were allowed to lapse. This followed an expiry review lodged by the European steel association, Eurofer, in July 2020 on behalf of...Read More
Brazil-based multi-metal producer Nexa Resources has received an operating license for its Aripuan?? zinc-lead-copper project in Brazil, with commercial output scheduled to start next year, the company said on Wednesday October 13.According to Nexa, the license was granted by the Mato Grosso state environmental secretariat, Sema, on October 7. Mato Grosso is a state in the Brazilian midwestern reg...Read More
Diversified miner South32 is to buy a 45% interest in the Sierra Gorda copper mine in Chile from Sumitomo Metal Mining, the Australian company said on Thursday October 14.The acquisition is consistent with its strategy to reshape South32's portfolio for a low-carbon future, it said, producing materials critical for global decarbonization and the energy transition.Sierra Gorda, located in the Antof...Read More