Battery Global Market Mining Nornickel Prices Recycling Rio Tinto Rusal Trading

Lara Browne

Editor-in-Chief
Throughout her 15-year career in financial journalism, Lara has built extensive expertise in global metals markets. Working across multiple continents has given her unique insights into market dynamics, investment patterns, and the financial complexities of metal mining and production. As Editor-in-Chief at Metals Wire, she ensures our coverage delivers both immediate value and deeper market understanding. Lara excels at breaking down intricate market developments, making them clear and relevant for both industry professionals and general readers.
  • First Atlantic Nickel Partners with Colorado School of Mines to Explore Geologic Hydrogen in Newfoundland

    First Atlantic Nickel has formed a research partnership with the Colorado School of Mines to evaluate the potential of geologic hydrogen in two ophiolite complexes in Newfoundland, Canada: the St. Anthony Ophiolite Complex (Atlantis Project, 103 km²) and the Pipestone Ophiolite Complex (Atlantic Nickel Project, 71 km²). Both sites are 100% owned by First Atlantic...
    READ MORE
  • Global Ferronickel Sees 52% Drop in 2024 Net Income on Lower Prices, Higher Costs

    Global Ferronickel Holdings reported a 51.82% decline in attributable net income in 2024, falling to PHP 743.9 million (USD 13.2 million) from PHP 1.54 billion (USD 27.3 million) the previous year. The company cited weaker nickel ore prices and rising costs as the primary reasons for the downturn. Revenue from contracts with customers dropped 13.37%...
    READ MORE
  • JSW Plans $1.45 Billion Copper Smelter in India to Meet Soaring Demand

    India’s JSW Group is preparing to establish a major copper smelter in the eastern state of Odisha, aiming for an initial capacity of 500,000 metric tons by 2028/29, with plans to double output to 1 million metric tons by 2033/34, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. The facility is expected to be fed...
    READ MORE
  • Iran’s Aluminium Production Declines Despite Gains in Raw Material Output

    Iran’s aluminium production declined in the first 11 months of the Persian calendar year (ending February 18), totaling 552,185 tonnes, down from 582,200 tonnes a year earlier. The drop, representing a 5% year-on-year decline, comes even as the country’s bauxite and alumina production increased, according to data from state-owned holding company IMIDRO. The country’s four...
    READ MORE
  • Norsk Hydro Breaks Ground on Aluminium Recycling Plant in Spain

    On March 17, Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new recycling plant in Torija, Spain. The EUR 180 million project is a key component of Hydro’s circular economy strategy, aiming to increase the use of post-consumer aluminium scrap while expanding its low-carbon aluminium offerings in Europe. The...
    READ MORE
  • Zijin Mining Accelerates Global Expansion with Focus on Copper, Gold, and Lithium

    Zijin Mining is ramping up its global expansion with plans to significantly increase copper, gold, and lithium production over the next five years. The China-based company, with a market capitalization of approximately $60 billion, aims to produce 1.5 million tons of copper and 3.2 million ounces of gold annually by 2028. At the 2025 Prospectors...
    READ MORE
  • Russia’s Potanin Confirms China Copper Project as Moscow Backs Overseas Investments 

    Vladimir Potanin, president and co-owner of Russian mining giant Nornickel, confirmed on Tuesday that negotiations for a joint copper smelting venture with Chinese partners were progressing, with a Chinese government-approved concept expected to take clearer shape by the summer. His remarks came during the congress by the powerful business lobby group Russian Union of Industrialists...
    READ MORE
  • Vale Base Metals Targets Doubling Copper Production by 2035

    Vale Base Metals, a privately held entity spun out from Brazilian mining giant Vale S.A., is aiming to double its copper production to approximately 700,000 tons per year by 2035, according to CEO Shaun Usmar. Speaking at the 2025 BMO Global Metals, Mining & Critical Minerals Conference, Usmar emphasized the company’s strategic focus on battery...
    READ MORE
  • U.S. to Expand Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum, and Copper, Says Commerce Secretary

    U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that President Donald Trump’s expanded 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum will remain in place until domestic production is significantly strengthened. Lutnick also revealed that Trump plans to include copper in his trade protections, marking a further escalation in U.S. trade policy. Speaking to Fox Business Network, Lutnick said...
    READ MORE
  • Electra Battery Materials Seeks Funding to Complete North America’s Only Cobalt Refinery

    Electra Battery Materials, poised to become the only cobalt sulfate refinery in North America, is navigating financial hurdles as it works to complete its Temiskaming Shores facility in Northern Ontario. Construction at the site stalled in 2023 due to funding shortages, but the company remains optimistic about securing the remaining capital needed to resume operations....
    READ MORE
  • Boliden Proposes Victoire de Margerie for Board of Directors

    Mining company Boliden’s Nomination Committee has proposed Victoire de Margerie as a new member of the Board of Directors. The proposal will be presented at the company’s Annual General Meeting on April 23. Alongside de Margerie’s nomination, all current board members have been proposed for re-election, with Karl-Henrik Sundström recommended to continue as Chairman of...
    READ MORE
  • Bolivia Faces Public Backlash Over Lithium Contracts with China and Russia

    Bolivia is facing growing public opposition to contracts signed with Chinese and Russian firms to exploit its vast lithium reserves, with local communities arguing the deals provide little benefit to the country. The controversy has led the Bolivian Chamber of Deputies to suspend parliamentary discussions on the agreements, pending further consultations with civil society groups....
    READ MORE
  • Weekly Metals News Digest – March 10-14

    Platinum Deficit Forecast to Widen Global platinum production is expected to decline by 5% in 2025 to 5.5 million ounces, according to the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC). South Africa, the world’s largest producer, is projected to see a 6% drop in output to 3.9 million ounces. North American production is set to decrease by...
    READ MORE
  • Glencore to Cut Costs at Canadian Copper and Zinc Plants Amid Global Review

    Glencore PLC is set to further reduce costs at its copper and zinc plants in Canada as part of a broader review of its global smelting operations, prompted by declining processing margins. According to an internal memo cited by Bloomberg News on March 14, the company is restructuring its operations to improve efficiency. As part...
    READ MORE
  • Scatec Signs 25-Year Solar PPA with Egypt Aluminium for 1.1 GW Project

    Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Egypt Aluminium to develop a 1.1 GW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and a 100 MW/200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Egypt. The project, valued at approximately $650 million, aims to support the decarbonization of Egypt Aluminium’s operations and align...
    READ MORE
  • Revex Technologies Secures $145 Million DOE Grant for REV Nickel Project

    Revex Technologies has been awarded a $145 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) to advance the REV Nickel Project. The funding, issued on January 15 but delayed due to administration changes, will support sustainable nickel concentrate production from metal-bearing waste streams, including mine tailings and...
    READ MORE
  • Rhodium Prices Surge to Highest Levels Since 2023 Amid Supply Constraints

    Spot rhodium prices have climbed to their highest levels in 20 months, driven by increased buying interest from Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and tight first-quarter supply from South Africa. Prices have risen 20% this month, breaking above $5,000 per troy ounce before reaching $6,040 on Tuesday—the highest since June 2023—before retreating to $5,640 on Wednesday....
    READ MORE
  • Global Cobalt and Lithium Production Capacity Set to Double by 2030

    The world’s capacity to produce cobalt and lithium—two essential elements for batteries used in mobile devices, tools, and electric vehicles—is expected to double over the next five years, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) inaugural World Minerals Outlook. Meanwhile, production capacity for gallium, palladium, platinum, and helium is expected to remain stable. “The USGS...
    READ MORE
  • Germany’s Lithium Reserves Could Meet Domestic Demand for Decades

    Germany’s subsoil contains up to 26.51 million metric tons of lithium, according to findings from the Li+Fluid project, a research initiative examining lithium-rich fluids in the North German Plain and Thuringian Basin. Researchers detected lithium concentrations of up to 66 mg/l in fluids, particularly in water sourced from Rotliegend sandstones, the Zechstein carbonate, and the...
    READ MORE
  • MMG Halts Cobalt Processing in DRC Amid Market Downturn

    Chinese mining group MMG has suspended operations at its cobalt processing plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to weakening demand and lower prices. Cobalt, a key battery metal used in electric vehicles (EVs), is one of the DRC’s major exports. The decision comes just 15 months after MMG launched the plant at...
    READ MORE
  • Global Copper Market to Face Deficit in 2025, Aluminium and Zinc Trends Shift

    Following a surplus in 2024, the global copper market is projected to enter a deficit in 2025 due to demand outpacing production growth, according to India Ratings and Research. Prior to 2024, the copper market experienced a five-year deficit. Shradha Saraogi, associate director at India Ratings and Research, highlighted that rising demand for copper and...
    READ MORE
  • Russia’s Rare Earth Industry Faces Challenges in Achieving Self-Sufficiency

    Russia must establish a full production chain for rare earth metals (REM) to achieve technological sovereignty, according to Andrey Trenin, head of the company developing the Afrikand deposit. The country remains heavily reliant on China for its REM supply, despite possessing significant reserves. The topic of REM has gained attention due to the global deglobalization...
    READ MORE
  • Taiwan’s Alformer Industrial to Invest $31.6M in New Aluminum Factory

    Taiwanese aluminum extrusion manufacturer Alformer Industrial Co. will invest nearly NT$1 billion ($31.6 million) to establish a new factory in Beidou, Changhua. The facility will focus on producing high-strength aluminum alloy formwork, integrating smart manufacturing and automation technologies, and adopting MES warehouse management and robotic arm welding systems. Initially specializing in aluminum doors and windows,...
    READ MORE
  • Magna Mining Completes Acquisition of Sudbury Basin Base Metal Assets

    Magna Mining has finalized the acquisition of a portfolio of base metals assets in the Sudbury Basin from an affiliate of KGHM International. The acquisition includes the operating McCreedy West copper mine, as well as the past-producing Levack, Podolsky, and Kirkwood mines. The deal, completed under a share purchase agreement dated September 11, 2024, also...
    READ MORE