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,...
READ MOREIran’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 MOREPure Lithium Corporation, a vertically integrated lithium metal battery technology company, has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technology Office to scale the production of lithium metal anodes using recycled lithium metal. The initiative is being carried out in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory. The project focuses on recovering lithium metal waste...
READ MORELondon 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...
READ MOREChina’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,...
READ MOREThe 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...
READ MOREU.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 MOREBolivia 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 MOREAuthorities 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...
READ MOREGlencore 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 MOREIndonesia’s proposed increase in mineral royalties is sending ripples through the mining sector, with analysts warning of potential pressure on profit margins, investor confidence, and the country’s downstream processing ambitions. A public consultation paper released by the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry under President Prabowo Subianto details plans to raise royalties on key commodities, including...
READ MOREChina’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...
READ MOREPremiums for aluminum buyers in the U.S. physical market surged to record highs on Tuesday following President Donald Trump’s announcement that tariffs on Canadian aluminum would double to 50%. The increase, set to take effect Wednesday, comes in response to Ontario imposing a 25% tariff on electricity exports to the U.S. Physical aluminum transactions typically...
READ MOREPeru’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...
READ MOREThe 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 MOREGermany’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 MOREChinese 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 MOREFollowing 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 MOREShanghai 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...
READ MORESpot gold experienced a sharp drop in early Asian trading on March 7, falling from a session high of $2,914 per ounce to an intraday low of $2,896.40 per ounce. Analysts attribute the decline to profit-taking ahead of the U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls report and rising U.S. Treasury yields, which reduced the appeal of the non-yielding...
READ MOREChina’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...
READ MORELithium Americas has announced a strategic investment of $250 million from Orion Resource Partners LP to support the development and construction of Phase 1 of the Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada. Orion has committed to purchasing senior unsecured convertible notes totaling $195 million and entering into a Production Payment Agreement (PPA) worth $25 million,...
READ MOREIndonesia’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...
READ MOREResearchers at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering are leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance metal 3D printing, optimizing the production of high-performance titanium alloy components. Their AI-driven approach accelerates the manufacturing process for Ti-6Al-4V, a widely used titanium alloy valued for its strength and low weight. “The...
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