Getting the right timeframe and adopting the correct investment planning approach are key differentiators between good and bad mining, according to Alcoa Corp's top executive. Companies have different approaches to mining, with some having very positive results and others relatively poor ones, Alcoa chief executive officer Roy Harvey said. "It gets back to how you think about those timescales invo...Read More
Shares in Australian zinc tailings processor New Century Resources halted trading on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) on Monday February 5, with the company set to announce offtake partners for the next three years of production.New Century has reduced the number of potential backers of the project to just a handful of international trading houses, several sources with knowledge of the matter s...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly higher at the 5pm close on Monday February 5 although lead again bucked the trend.The three-month copper price rallied to a high of $7,220 per tonne earlier, hitting a fresh three-week peak. Despite retreating slightly this afternoon, the metal still closed $125 per tonne higher than Friday's close. "A previously strong flow of material i...Read More
Tungsten prices have climbed higher in both Europe and China in the past week on tightening availability of raw material ahead of the week-long national holiday in China beginning on February 15. China's tungsten prices rebound amid low availability European APT, ferro-tungsten prices increase on tightening raw material supply, currency fluctuations The approaching Chinese New Year is...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Monday February 5.Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were largely consolidating during morning trading today after a broadly negative performance at the end of last week.Here is how the LME...Read More
Good morning from Metal Bulletin's offices in Shanghai as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Monday February 5.Base metals prices, with the exception of tin, on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were lower during Asian morning trading on Monday February 5 amid weak investor appetite and a firmer dollar.Nickel prices led on the downside, with follow-through weakness evident in Asia thi...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 5 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals futures saw mixed trading today with rising SHFE tin and zinc. Nickel dropped close to 2% while lead was down 0.79%. Aluminium and copper also edged down.Ferrous futures prices, however, rose across the board with coke almost 5% higher. Coking coal was up over 4% and iron ore was up 2.5%. Both rebar and hot-rolled coil registered small gains.Copper:...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 5 (SMM) – The operating rates of zinc smelters in January was up 1 percentage point from levels in December as output resumed at Shenzhen Zhongjin Lingnan Nonfemet, an SMM survey showed.For February, no new maintenance work has been planned so far but zinc production is set to be lower due to the Chinese New Year holiday. SMM expects the affected output would amount to ove...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 5 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals futures saw mixed trading today with rising SHFE tin and zinc. Nickel dropped close to 2% while lead was down 0.79%. Aluminium and copper also edged down.Ferrous futures prices, however, rose across the board with coke almost 5% higher. Coking coal was up over 4% and iron ore was up 2.5%. Both rebar and hot-rolled coil registered small gains.Copper:...Read More
Next report is scheduled to be released on Monday February 12thThe Bottom LineU.S. equity indices finally started moving lower last week from intermediate overbought levels. Short term technical indicators (momentum, 20 day moving average) turned sharply lower. Intermediate technical indicators remain overbought despite their decline last week, but have yet to show signs of bottoming. Lots of "sel...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 5 (SMM) – Copper scrap spot prices fell 100 yuan/mt on Monday February 5 as demand remained sluggish ahead of Chinese New Year.The 1# bare bright copper in Guangdong province traded at 46,400-46,700 yuan/mt, down from 46,500-46,800 yuan/mt last Wednesday, SMM learned. Some sellers had to let go of their cargoes at lower prices due to cashflow requirements before Chinese New Yea...Read More
Base metals traded on the London Metal Exchange are off to a slightly negative start this week, posting an average loss of 0.4% this morning, Monday February 2. Nickel (-0.8%) is down the most, while tin (+0.3%) is the only base metal showing a gain.Volume has been fairly low with 4,947 lots traded as of 05.01 am London time.The downward pressure across the complex seems to be driven by a further...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly higher at the 5pm close on Monday February 5 although lead again bucked the trend.The three-month copper price rallied to a high of $7,220 per tonne earlier, hitting a fresh three-week peak. Despite retreating slightly this afternoon, the metal still closed $125 per tonne higher than Friday's close. "A previously strong flow of material i...Read More
Comex copper prices diverged from equity markets and returned to positive territory on Monday February 5, with the global environment remaining solid for the base metals group. Copper for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 3.75 cents or 1.2% to $3.2250 per lb. The red metal dipped to a one-week low on Friday following a heavy selloff in equity markets...Read More
Physical iron ore was traded at higher prices on Monday February 5 in line with further increases in China's steel and futures markets.Key driversChinese ferrous futures advanced across the board during the day, with the benchmark contract for iron ore rising 2.5% from the settlement price last Friday, while those for coke and coking coal posted more-impressive gains of 4.2-4.7%.The general uptren...Read More
The downward trend in the CIS export steel billet market slowed down in the week ended Monday February 5 with deal prices remaining largely unchanged week-on-week.Metal Bulletin's weekly export CIS Billet Index was stable at $492 per tonne fob Black Sea on February 5.Ukrainian steelmaker Metinvest offered billet at $490 per tonne fob Black Sea late last week, sources told Metal Bulletin.Market par...Read More
State-owned Steel Authority of India (Sail) will increase its steel production capacity 2.8 million tonnes per year after the commissioning of blast furnace No.8 in Bhilai, central India, the company said. Once the new furnace starts producing, the Bhilai site will have an overall liquid steel production capacity of 7.5 million tpy, Sail said on Saturday February 3. Just the same as compatriot ste...Read More
Peru's largest copper producer, Cerro Verde, reported a surge in fourth-quarter 2017 net profits, with higher copper prices offsetting a decline in sales volumes.The mine, operated by Freeport-McMoRan, recorded a net profit of $217.6 million in the last three months of 2017, up by 89.4% from $114.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2016, the company said.This was attributed mostly to high...Read More
The majority shareholder of Vedanta Resources intends to remain an investor in Anglo American and backs the mining company's continued presence in Africa, according to Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal. The Agarwal family trust, Volcan Investments Ltd, acquired a 21% stake in Anglo in two stages last year, but Agarwal has always been quick to stress the investment was made in a personal capacity and i...Read More
South Africa urgently needs to get investment back on the agenda, according to the deputy chairman of Anglo American South Africa. Speaking during the annual Mining Indaba in Cape Town, Norman Mbazima said that while South Africa may have one of the world's most endowed mining jurisdictions, it has not been able to bring this endowment to account. "We need to attract capital for South Africa's min...Read More