The aluminium premium for shipments to Japanese buyers for the first quarter of 2025 has been set at $228 per metric ton, marking the highest level in nearly a decade. This represents a significant increase from the $175 per metric ton premium in the previous quarter and marks the fourth consecutive quarterly rise, according to...
READ MORETaural India, an integrated aluminum foundry, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra to expand its advanced manufacturing operations in Supa, Ahilya Nagar. The agreement, finalized during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, underscores Maharashtra’s dedication to fostering industrial growth in Tier II regions. Currently operating a 300,000 sq....
READ MOREKorea’s major aluminum flat producers—Novelis Korea, Choil Aluminum, and Daeho Al—achieved a combined shipment of 865,148 tons in 2024, a 5.5% increase from 820,228 tons in 2023. However, domestic shipments fell by 7.2%, dropping from 329,363 tons to 305,616 tons, as the local market faced significant challenges. In contrast, export demand rose sharply, climbing from...
READ MOREIndonesia has approved a 2025 nickel mining quota of 298.5 million wet metric tons, up from 271.89 million tons in 2024, according to the country’s nickel miners’ association (APNI). This announcement contradicts earlier reports of a potential production cut, with APNI Secretary General Meidy Katrin Lengkey confirming the figure during a parliamentary hearing. Earlier in...
READ MOREAn expert panel of senior civil servants, industry specialists, and media professionals has called for immediate policy measures to support domestic aluminium manufacturers and encourage investment in India’s aluminium industry. The discussion, organized by Bureaucrats India, focused on the challenges faced by the sector, including increasing import reliance and substandard aluminium flooding the domestic market....
READ MOREChina’s ferro-nickel imports rose to 8.98 million tonnes in 2024, reflecting a 6.24% year-on-year increase, according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) released on January 20. The growth was primarily fueled by higher shipments from Indonesia, which supplied 8.67 million tonnes of ferro-nickel, up 9.48% from the previous year. The majority of...
READ MOREAs the Chinese New Year nears, trading activity in the nickel sulfate market has slowed, with most companies having already completed their procurement. Only a few downstream enterprises continue to make purchases. Amid margin inversions, producers have started to reduce production while holding prices and stockpiling. Additionally, Indonesia’s recently announced nickel ore quota has restricted...
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 MOREACE Green Recycling, a US-based company, has signed a lease agreement to establish India’s largest battery recycling plant in Mundra, Gujarat. The new facility will expand on ACE’s existing Indian operations and is part of its strategic growth plans ahead of a proposed IPO through a merger with Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. II, a special-purpose...
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 MOREThe Singapore-based Abaxx Commodities Exchange is set to introduce the first physically deliverable lithium carbonate futures contract outside China, company executives announced. The move follows the recent launch of its nickel sulphate futures, marking another milestone in its battery metals product lineup. The new lithium carbonate contract addresses a gap in the market, as current...
READ MOREResearchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created nanostructured surfaces that exhibit strong antibacterial properties while allowing healthy cells to grow unimpeded. The findings, published in the journal Langmuir, could have significant implications for regenerative medicine and laboratory applications. The scientists utilized anodic porous aluminum oxide, created through electrochemical processes in concentrated sulfuric acid. When polished...
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 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 MOREIran’s copper cathode production grew by 3.2% during the first nine months of the Iranian calendar year (March 20 to December 21, 2024), reaching 216,732 tons compared to 209,956 tons in the same period last year. The data, released by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), highlights the increasing output...
READ MOREThe nickel market is expected to remain oversupplied in 2025, with a projected surplus of 156,000 metric tons as production in Indonesia and China continues to expand. According to Jason Sappor, senior analyst at S&P Global Commodity Insights, the surplus is driven by increased output and slowing demand from the stainless steel and battery materials...
READ MOREAluminum prices edged higher as the European Union considers restrictions on imports of Russian metal, while Chinese production growth is expected to slow. On the London Metal Exchange (LME), aluminum climbed as much as 0.7% toward $2,600 per ton, trading 0.2% higher at $2,564 per ton by mid-morning in Shanghai. The EU is weighing new...
READ MORESaudi Arabia’s state oil giant Aramco and the country’s mining company Ma’aden have signed a non-binding term sheet to explore a joint venture focused on minerals exploration and mining. Announced during the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, the venture would prioritize energy transition minerals, particularly lithium, and advance cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. Commercial...
READ MOREChina’s Ministry of Natural Resources announced a substantial increase in the country’s measured and indicated lithium reserves, now accounting for 16.5% of global resources, up from 6%. This surge positions China as the world’s second-largest holder of lithium reserves, trailing only Chile. The significant rise stems from extensive discoveries along the 2,800-kilometer West Kunlun-Songpan-Ganzi lithium...
READ MOREKorea Zinc is in early discussions with U.S. entities to supply antimony following China’s export ban, which has disrupted the market for the critical mineral used in semiconductors. Chairman Yun B. Choi confirmed the company is pursuing long-term contracts with U.S. traders and other partners, though specific entities were not disclosed. Antimony prices are poised...
READ MOREChina’s Zijin Mining Group Co. is advancing its presence in the global lithium market with ongoing talks to acquire a stake in Zangge Mining Co. Ltd., a move that could lead to a full takeover. Zijin disclosed the potential deal in a statement to the Hong Kong Exchange, signaling its continued expansion strategy beyond copper...
READ MOREThe Indonesian government is considering allowing mining giant Freeport Indonesia to resume copper concentrate exports this year after its permit expired on January 1. Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia confirmed that Freeport has formally requested a renewal of its export license, and the government is currently processing the application. “We are discussing this matter with the...
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