Hydro has declared force majeure at its Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil's northern state of Par?? following an order by the country's authorities to cut output by 50%. The Norwegian company said it had issued the notice due to the production cut as well as a lack of clarity into what measures it would take to return Alunorte to normal. "Contingency plans are being implemented, and Alunorte is...Read More
Brazil's aluminium industry is concerned about a potential surge of Chinese sheet and foil shipments into the country following US President Donald Trump's decision to enact a 10% tariff on US aluminium imports under Section 232."The biggest question is what China will do now... The idea of China looking for new destinations for its aluminium products is very concerning to us," Milton Rego, presid...Read More
Refining charges (RCs) on blister copper imported into China stayed at high levels in February, with buyers snapping up tonnages on the well-supplied domestic spot market.China purchased several thousand tonnes of 98-99% blister copper, mainly from African producers, at RCs of $200-210 per tonne cif last month, according to Metal Bulletin's assessment.Metal Bulletin introduced its monthly RC asses...Read More
The Kamoa-Kakula copper project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has increased its mineral resource estimate by 50%, which could bring around 21.5 billion lb (9.8 million tonnes) of copper into the market, Ivanhoe Mines said earlier this week. Research conducted in 2017 revealed Kakula's mineral resources at the Kamoa-Kakula mine stand at an estimated 174 million tonnes of which 5.62% is...Read More
The European aluminium market still faces many unknown influences following US President Donald Trump's latest announcement on the imposition of trade tariffs under Section 232.Trump announced on Thursday March 1 that he would impose tariffs of 25% on steel imports and 10% on aluminium imports into the US for an indefinite period. Section 232 allows him to take such action when he believes that na...Read More
Spain, Europe's third largest zinc consumer, used almost a third less zinc last year compared with 2016, according to the World Bureau of Metal Statistics (WBMS). In 2017, the country's annual consumption dropped 28% to 203,900 tonnes, versus 283,400 tonnes a year earlier, the data released on Wednesday February 28 showed. Spanish demand was affected in large part due to the bankruptcy of Agalsa,...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Friday March 2.Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were little changed during morning trading with the complex restricted by thin liquidity and a firmer dollar.Here's how base metals prices look at 12.19pm London time: Read our live futures report here.In other exchange news, deliverable copper stocks at S...Read More
The export price assessment of Brazilian slab remained unchanged this week, but sparse offers of material for May shipment were heard at soaring prices. Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment of Brazilian export slab was $540-545 per tonne fob on Friday March 2, unchanged from the previous week. After the assessment was closed, sources confirmed that at least one booking of slab was made to the...Read More
Turkish steel exports to the United States will not be seriously affected by trade sanctions under Section 232 as long as the 25% tariff is applied equally to all countries, the Turkish Steel Exporters Assn (??IB) said on Friday March 2.US President Donald Trump announced his much-anticipated decision on whether to impose trade sanctions under Section 232 before the deadline of April 11, bowing to...Read More
South American flat steel import prices increased significantly this week, with mills in China returning to the market with high-priced offers after the Chinese New Year holiday."On Thursday and Friday last week, the market seemed to open weakly in China, so all mills held their offers," a South America-focused trader said. "Then on Monday, the market opened very strongly, and mills applied strong...Read More
Russia's Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) may increase its supply of hot-rolled coil (HRC) to the spot market if it restarts the melting shop at MMK Metalurji in Turkey, Metal Bulletin has heard."If they [restart the melting shop and the strip mill], then they will sell more [HRC] in the Middle East-North Africa market and maybe in Asia," a trader who works with MMK told Metal Bulletin.He add...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil, hot-dipped galvanized coil, pre-painted galvanized iron, steel plate, steel sheet and other flat steel products. Latest transactions: HRC, CRC, HDG, PPGIHot-rolled coilTurkey, domestic, hot-rolled coil, offered at $660-670 per tonne ex-works, May production.Turkey, domestic, hot-rolled coil, traded at $6...Read More
Some coated coil producers in Turkey have raised their prices this week, but market participants were expecting prices to increase further.Domestic pricesOne Northern Turkish producer was offering hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) coil in 0.50mm gauge at $830 per tonne ex-works this week, while a second producer in the same region was fully booked until late May and did not offer any price.https://www.m...Read More
Flat steel prices in Turkey's domestic, import and export markets kept increasing this week amid strong demand, market participants told Metal Bulletin on Friday March 2.Local producers were fully booked until the middle of May, and were not giving discounts.Domestic pricesHot-rolled coil (HRC) producers in Turkey have been offering material at $660-670 per tonne ex-works for May production, up fr...Read More
Indian local secondary billet prices rose by 100 rupees ($2) per tonne week on week on Friday March 2, after recovering from significant fall on Monday and Tuesday. Metal Bulletin's price assessment for domestic billet in India, which is mainly produced through the induction furnace route, ended the week at 33,100-33,700 rupees per tonne ex-mill, up 100 rupees compared with&nbs...Read More
The following Metal Bulletin noble alloys, bulk alloys and ores prices changed on Friday March 2:Noble alloys Molybdenum Europe drummed molybdic oxide, $/lb: $13.00-13.20 per lb from $12.80-12.85 Molybdenum US canned molybdic oxide, $/Ib $12.90-13.10 per Ib from $12.60-12.75 Ferro-molybdenum basis 65% min, in-warehouse Rotterdam, $/kg Mo: $31.00-31.30 per kg from $30.60-30.75 Ferro-molybdenum US 6...Read More
A manganese ore price ceiling agreed by Chinese alloy smelters has collapsed a day after representatives agreed not to pay more than $8 per dry metric tonne unit for low-grade ore, Metal Bulletin understands. Representatives from manganese alloy smelters met on Thursday March 1 and agreed a price ceiling for 37% manganese ore after prices for the raw material continued to soar, several market sour...Read More
Taiyuan Iron & Steel (Tisco), Tsingshan Group and Baosteel have all raised their high-carbon ferro-chrome tender prices month on month for March due to tight supply of the stainless steel raw material, higher chrome ore prices and rand appreciation. Tisco has bid 7,750 yuan ($1,221.42) per tonne for high-carbon ferro-chrome for March delivery,100 yuan higher than its February tender price. The day...Read More
Shipping rates for mineral commodities are expected to increase through to 2020 as stringent regulatory frameworks force ship owners' costs upwards, delegates heard at the 24th Bauxite & Alumina conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica this week. Despite two challenging years for the global shipping industry, dogged by overcapacity and financial issues on the part of some of its main players, the near-t...Read More
Strengthening export demand from Europe to key destinations such as Turkey and the Indian subcontinent has pulled up prices for light iron, grade-5C steel scrap in the United Kingdom this week, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday March 2.The UK light iron scrap market has now moved up for three weeks in a row. Metal Bulletin's price assessment for UK grade-5C ferrous scrap on an inter-merchant b...Read More