Atlantic Nickel, a Brazil-based nickel producer owned by private-equity fund manager Appian Capital Advisory, plans to develop its Santa Rita operation into an underground mine in the next eight years, with an economic feasibility study to be run in 2021.The move would increase production capacity from the current 20,000-25,000 tonnes per year (tpy) in nickel content to 40,000-45,000 tpy, accordin...Read More

Brazilian flat steel producers have announced a price increase of at least 10% on all their products, because of a lack of material at a time of steady demand, Fastmarkets heard on Monday September 14.While most market participants expected increases in the range of 10-13% for October, some have reported price increases of 15%. The latest price changes add to a series of rises that started in July...Read More

Domestic prices for ferrous scrap in Italy have increased month on month in September, with prices moving in line with international market trends, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday September 14.Fastmarkets' monthly price assessment for steel scrap, No E3 (old thick scrap), domestic, delivered mill, Italy, was ?,?220-240 ($261-284) per tonne on September 14, up by ?,?10-15 per tonne month on mont...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday September 14 that are worth another look.Brazilian flat steel producers have announced a price increase of at least 10% on all their products, because of a lack of material at a time of steady demand, Fastmarkets heard on...Read More

China's reserve authority has finally approved fresh stockpiling of cobalt metal, casting some hope for the pandemic-weathered market, especially for cut cathode amid aerospace negativity. In the evening of Wednesday September 9, Chinese cobalt producers successively received invitations from the country's State Reserve Bureau (SRB) informing them to collect the tender document the next day -...Read More

Where may the silver price be heading over the next few weeks? by Steve St Angelo of SRSrocco ReportIn today's update, I discuss where the silver price may be heading over the next few weeks. Of course, this is only a short-term horizon, but if individuals are going to watch silver price quotes every day, then it essential to know what the technicals are showing. How the silver price trades o...Read More

The three-month aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange surpassed nearby resistance at the close of trading on Monday September 14, closing just above $1,800 per tonne after today's fresh cancellation of 41,325 tonnes triggered afternoon buying, while lead futures rose by 1.7% in the US trading session to push beyond $1,900 per tonne. Aluminium's outright price on the LME closed at $1,800.50...Read More

Iron ore prices gained again on Monday September 14, with market sources expecting mills to replenish their iron ore inventory before the Golden Week holiday in October in China, which resulted in active trading at ports and a rise in prices.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $130.17 per tonne, up $1.80 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $130.22 per tonne, up...Read More

A correction has been issued for this article.The...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.Sentiment surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19) has dominated markets and copper price movements so far in 2020.  As a result of the virus, near-term global demand is softening, and the copper market is facing oversupply as a period...Read More

RAPAPORT... The novel coronavirus has put the brakes on every aspect of gem trading around the globe, and the limit on international travel is one of the most notable setbacks. Miners, geologists and suppliers usually must make their way from remote mining sites to manufacturers, keeping the flow of goods moving toward the end user. What are they doing now while this crisis plays out? And what is...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The French luxury conglomerate LVMH says it will vigorously defend itself against legal action after the collapse of its planned $16.2bn acquisition of Tiffany & Co.In a strongly-worded press release it said the lawsuit was "totally unfounded" and accused the New York-based jeweler of "dishonesty" and misleading its shareholders."The long preparation of this assignment (the law...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Diamond polishing is returning to near-normal in Surat, say Indian trade bosses, as factories re-open and the spread of COVID-19 appear to have been limited.An estimated 5,000 of the city's 7,000 cutting and polishing units (70 per cent) are now functioning again, and government rules now allow 70 per cent of staff to work, rather than 50 per cent, as previously.The Gem and Je...Read More

(IDEX Online) -  The body of Jaysukh Gajera, president of Surat Diamond Polishers' Association, has been found on the bank of a river in Surat district.He headed the trade body for 15 years but went missing last Wednesday.Local police were quoted as saying Mr Gajera, 53, had been facing financial crisis during lockdown. They said they were exploring a number of possibilities.  ...Read More

Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe were fairly stable day on day on Monday September 14, although steelmakers were continuing to seek higher prices, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was calculated at ?,?476.45 ($564.32) per tonne on Monday, up by ?,?0.44 per tonne from ?,?476.01 per tonne on September 11.The...Read More

The three-month aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange surpassed nearby resistance at the close of trading on Monday September 14, closing just above $1,800 per tonne after today's fresh cancellation of 41,325 tonnes triggered afternoon buying, while lead futures rose by 1.7% in the US trading session to push beyond $1,900 per tonne. Aluminium's outright price on the LME closed at $1,800.50...Read More

Vedanta Resources will divest its Mount Lyell copper mine in Tasmania, Australia, after aborting a plan to restart the mine due to restrictions related to Covid-19, Australian media reported.The original plan to bring the Queenstown mine back on line from February 2020 has been shelved, with the Indian company deciding last week to put the mine up for sale, Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) repor...Read More

The Singapore High Court has published a notice stating that commodities trader ZenRock filed a winding-up application on August 25 this year, while another commodities trader, Hontop, has been put under judicial management.The notice was published in the Singaporean government's electronic Government Gazette on Friday September 11.ZenRock's winding-up application will be heard on September 28, th...Read More

Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill Resources (TRQ) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to fund the completion of the Oyu Tolgoi underground copper project in Mongolia, Rio Tinto said on Thursday September 10.The MOU seeks to raise up to $500 million in additional lending from selected international financial institutions. Rio Tinto owns approximately 50.8% of shares in TRQ, which owns a 66%...Read More

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aluminium industry has led many smelters to diversify their operating strategy and production levels, and Alvance Aluminium's Dunkerque smelter was no exception, its managing director Am?(C)lie Hennion told Fastmarkets.Hennion explained that flexibility was key for the Dunkerque smelter in France and that there was still a high level of market uncertainty...Read More