Advanced Metallurgical Group (AMG) has reported a 56% decrease in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) for the first quarter of 2020 amid a decline in metal prices across its entire portfolio and depressed market conditions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.The Amsterdam-listed group generated Ebitda of $22.3 million in January-March, a drop from $50.4 million...Read More

Broader markets were generally weaker this morning, Tuesday May 12, amid concerns about clusters of new Covid-19 infections in the Chinese city of Wuhan and in South Korea, while China’s consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI) data releases were weaker than expected. Asian-Pacific and pre-market major western equity indices were mainly weaker this morning. Base metals Three-...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 7 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures responded to news that the Federal Reserve is starting a program to purchase corporate bond Exchange Traded Funds. Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of the April Consumer Price Index at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus was a decline of 0.8% versus a drop of 0.4%...Read More

Turkish steel producers have continued to book deep-sea market scrap for late-June shipments at steady prices, sources said on Tuesday May 12.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 15,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $251 per tonne, 6,000 tonnes of shredded at $256 per tonne and 6,000 tonnes of bonus at $261 per tonne cfr. ...Read More

The seaborne iron ore market remained resilient on Tuesday May 12, with the prices for Brazilian fines rising significantly due to concerns over supply. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $91.67 per tonne, up $3.06 per tonne. 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $94.20 per tonne, up $3.02 per tonne. 58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $78.38 per tonne, up $1.97 per...Read More

Seaborne premium hard coking coal prices went up slightly on Tuesday May 12, following a rebound the previous day, when there was active trading.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $115.06 per tonne, up by $1.09 per tonne.Premium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $121.01 per tonne, up by $0.14 per tonne.Hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $87.16 per tonne, down by $0.90 per tonne.Hard cok...Read More

Mining major BHP and China's Baowu Steel Group are exploring new approaches of conducting iron ore transactions, including the adoption of payments in renminbi and blockchain technology.BHP expects to be able to complete its first blockchain iron ore transaction with the Chinese steel group's subsidiary, Baosteel, soon, the Melbourne-headquartered miner said on Tuesday May 12.This follows the comp...Read More

Over the past four weeks, a large amount of copper inventory has left London Metal Exchange warehouses in the two Asian cities to enter China to tap arbitrage profits, industry sources told Fastmarkets.Combined LME copper stock at South Korea's Busan and Taiwan's Kaohsiung dropped by 28% or 31,750 tonnes from April 14 to May 12. During the period, LME copper inventory in Busan and Kaohsiung shrank...Read More

The London Metal Exchange three-month nickel price was lower during morning trading on Tuesday May 12, with selling pressure mounting across Asian trading hours, while fresh outflows did little to bolster a weaker LME copper price. LME nickel's outright price was recently at $12,255 per tonne, slipping by more than 1.2% from Monday's closing price of $12,354 per tonne, while turnover was minimal a...Read More

China's domestic rebar prices were flat on Tuesday May 12 with most market participants taking a wait-and-see approach.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,480-3,510 yuan ($491-495) per tonne, unchangedMonday's price drop after last week's increases led many market participants to suspend trading to wait for further cues to emerge.The lower trading activity kept spot prices steady despite a streng...Read More

Broader markets were generally weaker this morning, Tuesday May 12, amid concerns about clusters of new Covid-19 infections in the Chinese city of Wuhan and in South Korea, while China's consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI) data releases were weaker than expected. Asian-Pacific and pre-market major western equity indices were mainly weaker this morning. Base metals Three-month...Read More

Zambia has temporarily closed its border crossing with Tanzania at Nakonde to all but essential goods in an effort to curb an increase in Covid-19 cases in the area, according to a notice from the Zambia Revenue Authority.The crossing forms part of a key trucking route for copper and cobalt being shipped out of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, much more so recently since the lockdown in South Afric...Read More

The production of cobalt may need to increase by 460% from 2018 levels over the next three decades to meet the growing demand for clean energy technologies, according to a report by the World Bank. Cobalt demand in clean energy technologies is seen rising from 140,000 tonnes to 644,000 tonnes by 2050, the report estimated. This is based on the wind, solar and geothermal power, as well as energy st...Read More

Great Bear Resources (TSXV: GBR) is raising $33 million in an upsized (from $20 million previously) bought deal private placement. The syndicate of underwriters is led by Canaccord Genuity, with Great Bear issuing 1.47 million flow-through shares at $17 per share and 725,000 common shares at $11.04 each.Gross proceeds from the flow-through portion of the offering will be allocated towards eligible...Read More

Canada-based ferro-titanium producer Metalliage has restarted ferro-titanium production at its Quebec-based plant, almost seven weeks after it shut operations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The company is reopening after local authorities in the Canadian province on April 5 extended its original shutdown of all non-essential businesses to May 4. The plant has been shut since the provincial governme...Read More

RNC Minerals (TSX: RNX) is making its status as a gold-focused company official, announcing the acquisition of a third gold project in Australia, and proposing a name change to Karora Resources.RNC already operates the Beta Hunt and Higginsville gold operations in Western Australia, and holds a 28% stake in the advanced Dumont nickel project in Quebec. Now, it's signed an agreement to purchase the...Read More

NexGen Energy (TSX: NXE; NYSE: NXE) has signed a US$30 million financing agreement with Queen's Road Capital Investment (TSXV: QRC) and plans to use the funds to advance work at its flagship Arrow deposit, part of the company's Rook 1 project in Saskatchewan."Warren Gilman, chairman and chief executive officer of Queen's Road Capital, is a long-time shareholder and supporter of NexGen and also joi...Read More

Adriatic Metals (LSE: ADT1; ASX: ADT), which until now has focused its efforts in Bosnia-Herzegovina, is diversifying into neighbouring Serbia, with the acquisition of Tethyan Resource (TSXV: TETH) in an all-share deal worth US$10 million.Tethyan has two brownfield projects in southwestern Serbia: the Kizevak zinc-lead-silver project, which consists of two past-producing open-pit mines, and the Ru...Read More

This episode features excerpts from Newmont's May 5, 2020, conference call. Newmont president and CEO Tom Palmer discusses how the company is dealing with the coronavirus and its impact on mining operations. He also explains how the company's "long-term value proposition remains unchanged," with plans for further dividend increases and stock buybacks. Also, COO Rob Atkinson describes how the compa...Read More

Russia's Alrosa, the world's top diamond producer by output, saw sales for rough and polished diamonds fall to US$15.6 million in April, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hit demand.The figure compares to the US$152.8 million the diamond miner fetched in March and the US$405 million in January.Deputy CEO, Evgeny Agureev, said restrictions to slow down the spread of the virus and falling dem...Read More