Chilean mined copper output reached 425,500 tonnes in February, down by 5.02% from 448,000 tonnes in the same month last year, amid significant drops reported by Escondida and Los Pelambres, data from national copper commission Cochilco showed.This was the eighth consecutive month in which Chile recorded a year-on-year drop in production. In January-February, the country produced 882,700 tonn...Read More

Brazilian iron ore exports grew 33.97% in March, compared with the corresponding month of 2020, according to data that the economy ministry published on Thursday April 1.The country exported 28.42 million tonnes of iron ore in March, up from 21.21 million tonnes the year before. Daily average exports also rose 28.14% to 1.24 million tonnes from 964,215 tonnes in the same comparisonExport revenues...Read More

Fastmarkets is proposing amendments to the specifications of its weekly price assessment for steel billet, import, cfr China.Since the launch of the price on February 26, the market has been highly liquid, with Fastmarkets reporting 17 deals involving blast furnace (BF) 3sp billet sold into China.Of these, over 80% have been from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region produced b...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday April 5 that are worth another look.Prices for seaborne iron ore pellets and concentrate rose in the week ended Thursday April 1 amid ongoing steelmaking restrictions to cut emissions in China's Tangshan region,...Read More

Import prices for hot-rolled coil in Asia could exceed $1,000 per tonne in the coming months, key market sources in the region told Fastmarkets."Given the rate at which prices are increasing, I won't be surprised if prices exceed or rise close to $1,000 per tonne in the remaining months of the second quarter," a flat steel trader in Southeast Asia told Fastmarkets.East Asian cargoes could be the f...Read More

There was little liquidity in the iron ore market on Monday April 5, with markets in China closed for a public holiday.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $168.48 per tonne, up $0.88 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $169.00 per tonne, up $0.48 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $152.34 per tonne, up...Read More

When the Silver Manipulation ENDS...the Banks Collapse. But what's going to happen when...by Bix Weir of Road to RootaWhen the Silver Manipulation ENDS...the Banks Collapse. But what's going to happen when that HUGE banking derivative MONSTER finally collapses taking down all other financial institutions? Truthfully, I don't know...and NOBODY DOES!! But I do know that Litecoin will be READY as the...Read More

We're swirling around in a weird, high-tech inflationary race to the bottom, and if one wants to come out on top after the economic collapse...(by Half Dollar) In a weird way, we're all in one great big giant inflationary race to the bottom.Let me give just one example: The washing machine.THE ORIGINALAbout 20 years ago, Wifey and I purchased our first washing machine. I don't remember the specifi...Read More

Unlike gold stocks which have ground lower on balance since their last bull upleg peaked in early August, the silver stocks have been consolidating high. Do their...by Adam Hamilton of Zeal LLCThe silver miners' stocks have mostly consolidated high over the past half-year or so, mirroring resilient price action in the metal they produce. But this relative strength has been overshadowed by the ex...Read More

There was little liquidity in the iron ore market on Monday April 5, with markets in China closed for a public holiday.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $168.48 per tonne, up $0.88 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $169.00 per tonne, up $0.48 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $152.34 per tonne, up...Read More

Following extensive market engagement, Fastmarkets will change specifications of its daily price assessment for steel billet, import, cfr Southeast Asia from Monday April 12.Fastmarkets asked market participants if specifications of the MB-STE-0141-steel billet import, cfr Southeast Asia, $/tonne price assessment should be changed in its grade or location to better capture trade in the market.Feed...Read More

RAPAPORT... Three countries - including India - face heavy tariffs on certain jewelry exports to the US after Washington, DC, threatened punitive action in response to taxes on digital retailers.The US Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed retaliatory duties of up to 25% on six nations that have introduced e-commerce taxes targeting companies such as Amazon.Jewelry products from India, Tur...Read More

RAPAPORT... Alrosa has promoted Sergey Pavlenko to head of its Udachny mining division, replacing Roman Deniskin, who had been in charge since 2019.Pavlenko has been with Alrosa since 2000, when he started as a metalworking and repair specialist, the miner said last week. In 2010, he became supervisor of the mine's mechanized section, and chief engineer of Udachny's maintenance department. The com...Read More

RAPAPORT... Mumbai's Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) is closing until further notice after the regional government imposed a statewide lockdown because of rising coronavirus infections.The Indian state of Maharashtra has introduced a night curfew and a full weekend lockdown in response to the virus's rapid spread. The restrictions go into effect at 8 p.m. local time Monday.The BDB has asked membe...Read More

RAPAPORT... India-based jewelry chain Malabar Gold & Diamonds is expanding its store network to include an additional 56 locations globally.The company will invest $220 million over the next two years to broaden its offering, creating 1,750 new jobs, it said last week. A total of 40 news shops will open in India, while 16 will open overseas - in Singapore, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and th...Read More

RAPAPORT... Trans Atlantic Gem Sales (TAGS) registered proceeds of $60 million at its March tender in Dubai amid a steady market for larger rough diamonds.The company sold just over 49,000 carats to 63 companies, with individual invoices ranging from $6,000 to several million dollars, the tender house reported last week. It offered a total of 60,000 carats of production from South Africa, Nam...Read More

An overview of the new energy materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Sybil Pan and...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Government officials in Canada have declared a coronavirus outbreak at the remote Diavik Diamond Mine, close to the Arctic Circle.Two workers at the facility (pictured), managed by Rio Tinto, have tested positive for the British variant of the virus, the first on 29 March, followed by a second, linked, case on 3 April.They are the first two confirmed cases of the British B.1.1.7 Co...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Award-winning jewelry designer Alex Woo has died of cancer, aged 47.She was best known for her Little Icons brand of personalized premium fine jewelry charms,  made of silver and gold, which were sold at department and fine jewelry stores throughout the U.S.The New York-based designer and entrepreneur also produced all the jewelry for Major League Baseball, and was named one o...Read More

(IDEX Online) - India's diamond trade is bracing itself for further Covid turmoil as Maharashtra state imposes a coronavirus lockdown and Mumbai's Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) - the world's biggest - closes.The country is suffering an unprecedented spike in Covid infections with 103,558 positive tests yesterday, the highest total for any day since the start of the pandemic.More than...Read More