The seaborne iron ore market continued to soften on Wednesday January 31 amid a subdued steel market in China. Key drivers Trading activity in China's steel market remained thin amid snow and freezing temperatures in many parts of the country, which have shaken market confidence.Many sources said that Hebei province could extend its restrictions on steel production - implemented for the winter hea...Read More

Buying activity in the seaborne coking coal market continued to pick up with the transaction price of a premium category fob Australia cargo moving up this week. The cargo was heard traded on an online trading platform at $215 per tonne fob Australia late on Tuesday January 30. The deal followed a transaction involving a higher-ranked cargo last week at $213 per tonne fob Australia.Market particip...Read More

Rio Tinto (ASX, LON, NYSE: RIO), the world's second largest mining company, denied Wednesday a report released by a Dutch non-profit organization claiming it had dodged $700 million in taxes to Mongolian and Canadian authorities relating to its Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine.According to the Dutch Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), Rio and its Canadian subsidiary Turquoise...Read More

Egypt-focused gold miner Centamin (TSX:CEE) (LON:CEY) delivered good news to its shareholders on Wednesdays, announcing it would pay a final dividend of 10 US cents per share, or a total of $144 million, as it vowed to return all of its excess cash to investors.The payment, on top of 2.5 cents given at the half-year, follows an $111 million compensation to Egypt in 2017, the first year of Centami...Read More

To thrive in the mining industry's historical boom and bust cycle and capitalize on new opportunities, companies must rethink the traditional mining model. (Image: PlusONE| Shutterstock.)In the last 10 years, the mining industry has been on a roller-coaster, with commodity prices reaching both historic highs and lows, as well as operational realities shifting irrevocably in the face of a digital...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were back in positive territory across the board during morning trading on Wednesday January 31, with the complex recovering from recent price weakness. Nickel prices were worst affected by the complex's overall weakness yesterday, closing 3.3% lower, but dip buying has supported the metal price to recover by $210 per tonne this morning. "High price...Read More

Mass market electric-vehicle (EV) production will ultimately focus on shorter-range batteries, allowing automakers to manage their exposure to cobalt prices, according to Masato Origuchi, electrical storage system expert at Renault. By equipping mass-market EVs with smaller batteries, carmakers can keep their requirement for cobalt - and exposure to rallying prices - in check, Origuchi said, speak...Read More

Commodities fund Tiberius is seeking to underpin a new world of digital currency transactions with a bullish future for industrial and precious metals, by launching a physical metals-backed cryptocurrency called Tiberius Coin.The fund, based in Zug in Switzerland, has more than $300 million of assets under management. In March, it will allow initial investment in the currency ahead of an ICO, or I...Read More

An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More

The following Metal Bulletin minor metals prices changed on Wednesday January 31:Minor metals Antimony MB free market regulus, $/tonne: $8,250-8,500 per tonne from $8,200-8,500 Antimony MMTA standard grade II, $/tonne: $8,250-8,500 per tonne from $8,200-8,500 Cobalt MB free...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange are for the most part firmer this morning, Wednesday January 31, the exceptions being aluminium (-0.3%) and lead that is little changed, while the rest of the complex is up by an average of 0.6% - ranged between tin (0.4%) and nickel (0.7%), with copper prices up by 0.5% at $7,117 per tonne. Volume has been average with 8,535 lots traded as of 07.08...Read More

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/MARIKANA (miningweekly.com) - Platinum-group metals (PGMs) and chrome coproducer Tharisa Minerals CEO Phoevos Pouroulis on Tuesday forecast a chrome ore deficit of up to a million tonnes in the short to medium term, driven by burgeoning stainless steel demand.Chrome ore is fundamental to the manufacture of stainless steel, demand for which is growing by 3% to 5% a...Read More

China's crude stainless steel output rose 4.7% to a new high in 2017.The country produced 25.77 million tonnes of crude stainless steel, up 1.17 million tonnes from an adjusted output of 24.6 million tonnes in 2016, according to data released by the China Stainless Steel Council on Monday January 29. Of the total, 300-series crude stainless steel accounted for 52%, at 13.42 million tonnes. Product...Read More

Klaus Hauschulte, the former chief operating officer of Siemens' wind power division, has been appointed chief executive officer of German recycling company Scholz, the company said on Wednesday January 31.Hauschulte replaces Henry Qin in the position, who remains both managing director of the Scholz group and CEO of Chiho Environmental Group...Read More

The following Metal Bulletin UK non-ferrous scrap and foundry ingot prices changed on Wednesday January 31:Aluminium ingot LM24 pressure diecasting ingot: ?1,620-1,670 per tonne from ?1,615-1,665 LM6/LM25 gravity diecasting ingot:...Read More

Peter Schiff is an internationally recognized economist specializing in the foreign equity, currency and gold markets. Mr. Schiff made his name as President and Chief Global Strategist of Euro Pacific Capital. He frequently delivers lectures at major economic and investment conferences, and is quoted often in the print media, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Barron's, BusinessWee...Read More

The single most important bond in the world is the US 10-Year Treasury bond.According to modern financial theory, this bond, with a duration that is meant to cover a full economic cycle, is generally considered the "risk free" rate of the return for the entire financial system. Corporate debt, mortgage rates, auto loans, even stock dividends are all perceived in terms of their value/risk relative...Read More

I know the Federal Reserve doesn't effectively create money or directly monetize. I know this because then Fed chief, Ben Continue...Read More

Three trends I've been forecasting have been happening in the last year:The strong Trump rally.Rising 10-year Treasury bond yields.And rising gold prices.Continue...Read More

RAPAPORT... US market research company NPD Group has hired ReginaldBrack (pictured) as its analyst for the watch and luxury industry."We are delighted to have Reg join our team, and excited forthe added depth of insight into the watch and luxury markets that he willprovide to our clients and retail partners," said Lori Monaco, president of US fashionfootwear, accessories, luxury watches and j...Read More