Global refined copper production increased by 3.7% year-on-year to 25.11 million tonnes from January to November 2024, while consumption rose by 2.6% to 24.94 million tonnes, according to the International Copper Study Group’s latest report. This resulted in a surplus of 168,000 tonnes of refined copper during the period, a significant turnaround from a deficit...
READ MOREChina’s aluminium production rose by 4.2% year-on-year to 3.77 million metric tons in December, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday. However, daily output in December averaged 121,612 tons, marking a 1.7% decline from November’s daily average of 123,667 tons, based on Reuters’ calculations. The increase in monthly production was...
READ MOREHeraeus Precious Metals has completed the acquisition of Umicore’s Platinum Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) business outside of South America. The move bolsters Heraeus’s position in the platinum API sector, enhancing its product offerings while maintaining a commitment to competitive pricing and high-quality standards. Effective immediately, the business will be integrated into Heraeus Precious Metals, the...
READ MOREChina’s imports of unwrought copper and copper products surged to a 13-month high in December, reaching 559,000 metric tons, a 17.8% increase compared to the same period last year, according to customs data released on Monday. This marks a 5.87% rise from November, attributed partly to sellers meeting remaining obligations under annual contracts. For the...
READ MOREChina’s aluminum production for December 2024 increased by 4.13% year-on-year (YoY), with cumulative production for the year up 3.89% YoY, according to statistics from SMM. Despite the annual growth, regional production cuts impacted specific areas due to high costs and technological transformations. In December, smelters in Sichuan and Guangxi reduced production. High alumina and electricity...
READ MOREMarket analyst BMI has maintained its zinc price forecast for 2025 at $2,650 per tonne, citing weaker supply and demand dynamics. Zinc prices began the year at $2,888 per tonne but are projected to drop by 5.8% compared to the 2024 average of $2,812 per tonne. Tightening market fundamentals, including a shortage in zinc concentrate,...
READ MOREAnglo American Platinum (ANGPY) has emerged as a standout player in the global platinum-group metals (PGM) mining industry. Despite market volatility and a downturn in PGM prices, the company has consistently maintained profitability, distinguishing itself from competitors. ANGPY holds the largest PGM mineral resources worldwide, operates cost-efficient facilities, and has demonstrated prudent management in navigating...
READ MORELithium prices are forecasted to stabilize in 2025 after two years of sharp declines driven by a global oversupply. A nearly 86% drop in prices since their peak in November 2022 forced the closure of numerous mines worldwide. However, analysts and traders anticipate that strong electric vehicle (EV) sales in China and reductions in lithium...
READ MOREChinese nickel producer GEM has completed its annual 30,000-ton high-nickel ternary precursor material project for power batteries in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The project, named PT Indonesia Qingmei Energy Materials (Qingmei), is part of the company’s broader strategy to support the growing demand for battery materials. GEM has also announced plans to expand the facility’s capacity...
READ MORETreatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) for copper concentrate are expected to remain low throughout 2025 due to a tightening global supply, according to a new report by Fastmarkets. Analyst Andrew Cole forecasts the annual average spot TC at $10.7 per tonne for 2025, with monthly averages potentially reaching $20 per tonne by the end of...
READ MOREAsturiana de Zinc (AZSA) reported a molten zinc cathode production of 538,625 tons in 2024 at its San Juan de Nieva plant in Avilés. This figure marks the second-highest annual output since the plant’s inception in the 1960s but falls short of the 2023 record of 544,192 tons by 5,567 tons. The decline was primarily...
READ MOREGlobal alumina production dropped by 3.4% month-on-month to 12.21 million tonnes in November, according to data from the International Aluminium Institute. Despite the monthly decline, alumina output was still 1.9% higher compared to 11.98 million tonnes produced in November 2023. Average daily global alumina production decreased to 407,000 tonnes in November, down from a revised...
READ MORESumitomo Metal Mining, along with its subsidiary Hyuga Smelting, announced plans to construct a new production facility at Hyuga Smelting to manufacture nickel matte using ferronickel and other raw materials. Construction is set to begin in 2025, with completion targeted for fiscal 2027. Once operational, the facility will enable Hyuga Smelting to produce both nickel...
READ MOREAfrica produced 1.44 million tonnes of primary aluminium during the first eleven months of 2024, a 1.5% decline compared to the 1.462 million tonnes recorded in the same period in 2023. This contrasts with a 2.87% increase in global primary aluminium production during the same timeframe, reducing Africa’s contribution to global output from 2.26% to...
READ MOREVedanta announced achieving its highest-ever quarterly and half-yearly aluminium production, reaching 1,205 kilotonnes (kt) in the first half of the financial year. Alumina production also surged 21% year-on-year (YoY). Following this update, the company’s stock dipped 2%, reaching a low of Rs 501 ($6.03) on the BSE. The company’s Zinc India operations also recorded a...
READ MORERusal is set to commence the design phase for a major alumina refinery in the Lomonosov district of Russia’s Leningrad region. The project includes surveying land for a port terminal and road infrastructure, paving the way for the construction of the Leningrad Alumina Plant (LAP). In 2022, Rusal established LLC ‘Leningrad Alumina Plant’ with an...
READ MOREChina’s leading copper smelters have agreed on reduced price guidance for copper concentrate processing and refining charges (TC/RCs) for the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a continued shortage of copper concentrates. The new rates, agreed upon at a meeting of the China Smelters Purchase Team in Shanghai, are set at $25 per metric ton and...
READ MORERusal, Russia’s primary aluminum producer, has allegedly taken steps to disrupt several key investment projects by Nornickel, one of the world’s leading producers of non-ferrous and precious metals. According to a source close to Interros, Nornickel’s majority shareholder, Rusal’s actions have targeted initiatives critical to Nornickel’s growth and environmental goals. Among these is Nornickel’s ambitious...
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