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  • Finland to Build €800 Million Battery Materials Plant in Kotka with Chinese Partner

    BY John Davis
    Finland’s state-owned Finnish Minerals Group will co-develop a battery materials factory in Kotka valued at €800 million (approximately $872 million), the company announced. The plant will be constructed by Easpring Finland New Materials, a joint venture in which China’s Beijing Easpring Material Technology holds a 70% stake and the Finnish Minerals Group owns the remaining...
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  • Global Ferronickel Sees 52% Drop in 2024 Net Income on Lower Prices, Higher Costs

    BY Lara Browne
    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%...
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  • Elementos and Atlantic Copper to Test Smelting Potential for Spanish Tin Project

    BY John Davis
    Elementos has entered into an industrial testwork partnership with Atlantic Copper to explore the potential for processing tin concentrate from the Oropesa Tin Project in southern Spain. The collaboration will focus on evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of smelting lower-grade tin ore into refined tin products at Atlantic’s CirCular Plant, located 245 kilometers from...
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  • JSW Plans $1.45 Billion Copper Smelter in India to Meet Soaring Demand

    BY Lara Browne
    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...
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  • Germany’s Rheinwerk Plant Shifts to Recycled Aluminium as EU Faces Industry Crossroads

    BY Lars Jensen
    The Rheinwerk aluminium plant in Neuss, Germany—once one of Europe’s largest producers of primary aluminium—has fully transitioned to recycled production after shutting down its energy-intensive smelter operations in 2023 due to soaring electricity costs. While its towering chimneys now stand dormant, the facility is active around the clock, processing scrap metal into new aluminium products...
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  • China’s Aluminium Output Rises 2.6% Amid Improved Smelter Profitability

    BY Lars Jensen
    China’s aluminium production increased by 2.6% year-on-year in January and February, reaching 7.32 million metric tons, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The rise in output was driven by improved profitability at smelters, largely due to easing alumina supply constraints and falling raw material costs. Total production of ten nonferrous metals,...
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  • Russia to Launch Lithium Production by 2030, Aiming for 60,000 Tonnes Annually

    BY John Davis
    Russia plans to begin industrial lithium production by 2030, targeting an output of at least 60,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate annually as part of its strategy to reduce reliance on imports and expand domestic battery production, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The move aligns with directives from President Vladimir Putin,...
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  • LME Zinc Prices Surge as Nyrstar Cuts Production, Market Eyes $3,000 Mark

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    London Metal Exchange (LME) zinc futures climbed nearly 3% last week, closing at $2,972.5 per metric ton, as supply concerns intensified following a planned production cut by Nyrstar, one of the world’s largest zinc smelters. Nyrstar announced it will reduce output at its Hobart zinc smelter in Australia by 25% starting in April 2025. The...
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  • China’s Aluminium Imports Drop 24.3% in January, While Bauxite Imports Rise

    BY Lars Jensen
    China’s imports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products fell by 24.3% year-on-year in January, reaching 290,000 metric tons, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs. The decline comes amid shifting market dynamics in the world’s largest aluminium-consuming nation. The reported figures include primary aluminium and unwrought, alloyed aluminium. While aluminium imports declined,...
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  • Philippines Seeks to Supply India with Nickel to Reduce Reliance on China

    BY John Davis
    The Philippines has invited India to source nickel for battery production, aiming to diversify its export markets and reduce dependence on China, which currently accounts for 98% of its nickel exports. Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo emphasized the need for stronger trade partnerships, highlighting the opportunity for greater economic collaboration between Manila and New Delhi. Speaking...
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  • Russia’s Potanin Confirms China Copper Project as Moscow Backs Overseas Investments 

    BY Lara Browne
    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...
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  • Rusal Acquires Stake in Indian Alumina Producer Pioneer Aluminium

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Rusal has reached an agreement with Indian firms Pioneer and KCap to acquire a stake in Pioneer Aluminium Industries, an alumina producer. The deal will see Rusal’s subsidiary purchase up to 50% of the company’s shares in three stages. According to a filing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Rusal will acquire an initial 26%...
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  • Acid Spill at Chinese-Owned Mine in Zambia Causes Widespread Contamination

    BY John Davis
    Authorities and environmental groups in Zambia are assessing the long-term impact of an acid spill from a Chinese-owned copper mine that has polluted a major river and threatens millions of people. Contamination has been detected at least 100 kilometers downstream from the site of the spill, raising concerns about water safety and ecosystem damage. The...
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  • U.S. Copper Mine Production Falls 12% Year-Over-Year in November 2024

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    According to the latest update from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. mines produced 84,100 metric tons of recoverable copper in November 2024. Average daily mine production remained at 2,800 metric tons, unchanged from October but 12% lower than in November 2023. Year-to-date mine output of recoverable copper through November 2024 totaled 948,000 metric tons,...
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  • China’s Lithium Carbonate Production Rises Slightly in February

    BY John Davis
    China’s lithium carbonate production reached 64,100 tonnes in February, marking a 0.8% increase from the previous month, according to Mysteel’s updated survey, which covers 68 companies and 83 production bases. The slight monthly increase was driven by ramped-up output from new production capacities and steady operations at major refineries optimizing costs. Additionally, refineries processing outsourced...
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  • Peru Aims to Boost Copper Production to Four Million Tons Annually

    BY Lars Jensen
    Peru’s copper production could rise from nearly three million metric tons per year to four million in the coming years, according to Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Montero. “Just with the northern mining corridor, primarily in the Cajamarca region, we could increase annual copper production by one million fine metric tons, bringing total output from...
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  • Germany’s Lithium Reserves Could Meet Domestic Demand for Decades

    BY Lara Browne
    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...
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  • MMG Halts Cobalt Processing in DRC Amid Market Downturn

    BY Lara Browne
    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...
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  • Shanghai Copper Prices Rise Amid Strong Demand Outlook

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Shanghai copper prices outperformed other base metals on Wednesday, driven by expectations of increasing demand from China’s power and construction sectors. The most-active copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) closed 2.08% higher at 79,410 yuan ($10,962) per metric ton, reaching an intraday high of 79,470 yuan—its highest level since September 30. According to...
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  • BHP Invests in Cobre’s Copper Exploration in Botswana

    BY Lars Jensen
    Mining giant BHP has acquired a stake in Australian company Cobre’s Kitlanya copper projects in Botswana, committing up to $25 million in funding for exploration of copper-silver deposits in the region. BHP’s investment will focus on Cobre’s East and West Kitlanya projects on the Kalahari Copper Belt margins. The company has pledged a minimum of...
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  • China’s Electrolytic Cobalt Production Rises 5.85% in February

    BY John Davis
    China’s electrolytic cobalt production reached 5,370 tonnes in February, reflecting a 5.85% month-on-month increase and a substantial 120.99% surge compared to the previous year. The rise was driven by major cobalt manufacturers resuming normal operations after the Chinese New Year holiday to fulfill long-term orders. However, raw material price fluctuations, influenced by export control policies...
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  • Russia’s Rare Earth Industry Faces Challenges in Achieving Self-Sufficiency

    BY Lara Browne
    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...
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  • Taiwan’s Alformer Industrial to Invest $31.6M in New Aluminum Factory

    BY Lara Browne
    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,...
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  • Indonesia Considers Mining Tax Hike Amid Fiscal Challenges

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is weighing an increase in mining taxes across various minerals, including copper and coal, as part of a shift from fixed-rate royalties to a price-dependent structure. The proposal, outlined in a public consultation document released over the weekend, comes as the government seeks additional revenue to fund major...
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