Tina Litzinger has been appointed as Vale's head of nickel sales west.Litzinger will be responsible for the company's sales of nickel and cobalt...Read More
Tantalum concentrate continues to gain price support amid pressing demand for consumer electronics goods and the global extent of shipping delays, which have incentivized primary tantalum producers in Central Africa to raise their output over the past month, Fastmarkets heard on Monday July 5.Fastmarkets assessed the price of tantalite, basis 25% min Ta2O5, cif China, at $87-90 per lb on June 2, i...Read More
European buyers were insisting on lower domestic prices for hot-rolled coil although the availability of the material remained short, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday July 5.Buyers were reluctant to continue paying high prices for coil, and have been limiting their purchases in terms of both number and volumes, market sources said.Long lead times from domestic producers, sufficient stocks among...Read More
Nearby lead spreads are again in backwardation, with the metal's futures continuing to trade at a discount to cash prices on the London Metal Exchange on July 5.The LME's cash-three month spread is currently backwardated at $19 per tonne although cash-July and cash-August remain in small contangos.The LME three-month lead price has gained $12 from Friday's 5pm close to $2,312 per tonne."It's causi...Read More
Russia-origin aluminium will carry an export duty of 15% with a minimum rate of $254 per tonne from August 1 until December 31 this year, according to the Russian government.Export duties have been approved on 340 non-ferrous and steel products, after Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed an official decree on Friday June 25.Primary aluminium, under harmonized system code 760110, will al...Read More
Base metals production in Peru increased significantly year-on-year during May due to the strong effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, but figures were also up on a monthly basis on better performances by the largest mines, the country's ministry of energy and mines, Minem, said on Friday July 2.Copper output totaled 195,999 tonnes in May, up by 52.63% from 128,412 tonnes in the corresponding...Read More
Gerald Group's subsidiary SL Mining resumed loading iron ore for export in the Port of Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, on Sunday July 4 2021, the London-based metals trader said this week.The company's first exports since June 2019, the "Marampa Blue" brand iron ore concentrate being shipped is more than 65% iron content and the unspecified volumes being transported will be taken from SL Mini...Read More
Gerald Group's subsidiary SL Mining resumed loading iron ore for export in the Port of Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, on Sunday July 4 2021, the London-based metals trader said this week.The company's first exports since June 2019, the "Marampa Blue" brand iron ore concentrate being shipped is more than 65% iron content and the unspecified volumes being transported will be taken from SL Mini...Read More
Base metals price movements on the London Metal Exchange were mixed during trading on Monday July 5, with copper and tin making the best showings among the complex.Copper's three-month price rallied upward by more than $130 per tonne during Monday's trading, to $9,511 per tonne at the 5pm close, from $9,376.50 per tonne on Friday, despite only 12,404 lots being traded during the day.While the stro...Read More
The bullish momentum in China's stainless steel market in the first half of 2021 will likely extend into the third quarter, which would underpin prices for upstream products such as nickel pig iron (NPI) and ferro-chrome, market participants say.But several mills' plan to put new capacity into operation could weigh on prices in the fourth quarter, which would affect the upstream market for these r...Read More
Vale has completed maintenance on its ship loader CN6 at its Ponta da Madeira port terminal in the northern Brazilian state of Maranh??o, which caught fire in January, it said on Friday July 2.The miner has started the commissioning of the ship loader after a five-month maintenance, in line with its schedule announced earlier this year.It has replaced more than 60% of the components of the ship lo...Read More
The domestic market for flat steel in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow was broadly stable during the week to Monday July 5, with trading remaining slow amid expectations that prices will decline in July due to the effects of export duties, sources told Fastmarkets.Hot-rolled sheetFastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled sheet, domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia was 105,00...Read More
Base metals production in Peru increased significantly year-on-year during May due to the strong effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, but figures were also up on a monthly basis on better performances by the largest mines, the country's ministry of energy and mines, Minem, said on Friday July 2.Copper output totaled 195,999 tonnes in May, up by 52.63% from 128,412 tonnes in the corresponding...Read More
Stainless steel prices continue to register new highs around the end of the first half of 2021 and steelmakers continue to enjoy outsized margins.They have responded in recent months by increasing their output, which has now pushed above pre-pandemic levels and will eventually restore balance to the market.For now, though, supply gaps are still being filled and buyers find themselves competing aga...Read More
Domestic prices for steel rebar in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow were largely stable in the week to Monday July 5, aided by solid demand from construction.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia was 72,500-75,000 ($990-1,024) roubles per tonne on Monday, including 20% value-added tax, unchanged from last week.High const...Read More
Tantalum concentrate continues to gain price support amid pressing demand for consumer electronics goods and the global extent of shipping delays, which have incentivized primary tantalum producers in Central Africa to raise their output over the past month, Fastmarkets heard on Monday July 5.Fastmarkets assessed the price of tantalite, basis 25% min Ta2O5, cif China, at $87-90 per lb on June 2, i...Read More
Prices for seaborne iron ore pellets and concentrate rose in the week ended Friday July 2, albeit at a slower pace than a week earlier amid temporary restrictions on sintering and blast furnace operations in certain parts of China.Fastmarkets iron ore indicesIron ore pellet premium over 65% Fe fines, cfr China: $62 per tonne, unchanged65% Fe blast furnace pellet, cfr Qingdao: $301.21 per tonne, up...Read More
Domestic prices for steel rebar in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow were largely stable in the week to Monday July 5, aided by solid demand from construction.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia was 72,500-75,000 ($990-1,024) roubles per tonne on Monday, including 20% value-added tax, unchanged from last week.High const...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe and Italy declined in the week to Friday July 2, with buyers reluctant to continue paying high prices.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?,?1,149.50 ($1,363.72) per tonne on July 2, down by ?,?41.64 per tonne week on week and down by ?,?0.50 per tonne month on month.The index was bas...Read More
Seaborne high-grade manganese ore prices rallied for a third consecutive week on Friday July 2 with deals concluded at higher levels, while the seaborne low-grade market held amid thin liquidity ahead of a new round of offers from miners in South Africa.The high-grade manganese ore market rose as a result of buyers booking August-shipment material at higher prices compared with the previous month....Read More