Mining operations at Rusal's 2.3 million-tonne-per-year Bauxite Co of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) have been suspended for 14 days due to strike action, with no timeline for the return of workers. "Operations of the BCGI have been suspended since February 15, 2019, due to an unannounced protest of workers demanding a salary increase," a Rusal spokesperson told Fastmarkets on Friday March 1. "As of t...Read More

An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves from the past week. Read More

An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More

* Nickel hits six-month peak, helped by China ferrous rally * GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns: (Updates with closing prices)By Eric OnstadLONDON, March 1 (Reuters) - Zinc rose on Friday on concernabout shortages after inventories slid, but some otherindustrial metals were softer after factory activity in topmetals consumer China contracted.Zinc mines have been ramping up, but smelters have not beenable...Read More

Gold COT Report - Futures Large SpeculatorsCommercialTotal LongShortSpreadingLongShortLongShort 254,086108,43953,521146,161312,638453,768474,598 Change from Prior Reporting Period 39,916-857133-13,51526,85126,53426,127 Traders 21872684755291173 Small Speculators LongShortOpen Interest 50,87130,041504,639 2,0222,42928,556 non reportable positionsChan...Read More

By: IRA EPSTEINBig volatility can create no volatility for a while, everyone worn out. Gold in a correction phase, nothing bearish looking on the weekly chart.Read More

* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019* Graphic: Trade-weighted sterling since Brexit vote (Updates prices)By Saikat ChatterjeeLONDON, March 1 (Reuters) - The pound slipped on Fridayafter survey data showed British factories slashed jobs inFebruary, but still enjoyed its biggest weekly rise in a monthon receding fears that Britain will leave the European Unionwithout a deal.The British currency surged...Read More

Global steel scrap prices began to edge up in Turkey this week while other key markets continued to lose ground, Fastmarkets heard during the week ended Friday March 1.Turkey succeeded in recovering some of its recent losses in new bookings, but these remained sparse and mills were still reluctant to enter the market. The US market continued to stagnate while prices in Asia edged down further due...Read More

The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India fell by $11 per tonne this week following deals done at lower prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday March 1.Fastmarkets' weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India was $328.33 per tonne cfr on March 1, down $11.11 per tonne from $339.44 per tonne cfr on February 22.Deals were heard for shredded material into...Read More

Turkish scrap import prices recovered at the end of the week on Friday March 1 with news of a fresh deep-sea cargo, sources told Fastmarkets.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $310.50 per tonne and 5,000 tonnes of bonus at $320.50...Read More

Oscar Gonzalez Rocha, CEO of Southern Copper Corp. Source: Southern Copper Corp.Southern Copper Corp. [SCCO-NYSE, Lima] is expected to soon receive a construction license for its long delayed US$1.4 billion Tia Maria copper project in Peru.Reuters news service is reporting that Peru is expected to grant the license ahead of the lapse of the project's environmental permit in August 2019.Companies i...Read More

South Star Mining's Santa Cruz graphite project in Bahia State, Brazil. Source South Star Mining Corp.South Star Mining Corp. [STS-TSXV; STSBF-OTCQB] said Friday March 1 that it has completed the first tranche of a previously announced $500,000 private placement that will be used to advance the company's flagship Santa Cruz graphite project in Brazil.South Star shares were active on the news, risi...Read More

Table 1: Composite of Reverse Circulation (“RC”) Drill Results at Portal 3060To view an enhanced version of Table 1, Click HereFigure 1: Map of Reverse Circulation ("RC") drill locations proximal to the 3060 Portal.Figure 2: Map of completed RC Drill Program (Phase 1 and Phase 2) on historic terraces.Results on the Phase 1 and Phase 2 targets of the historic terraces will be released i...Read More

Gold prices settled at a two-week low Thursday, giving up earlier gains in the wake of an abrupt end to the U.S.-North Korea denuclearization talks, with a stronger-than-expected reading on the U.S. economy contributing to the metal's loss for the month. U.S. President Donald Trump cut short a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after failing to reach an agreement on curbing North Korea's...Read More

An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves from the past week. Read More

Ontario's government is working for the people of Northern Ontario by supporting tourism and economic development in Sault Ste. Marie with an investment in the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, creating three new jobs.Today, Ross Romano, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, announced an investment of $507,600 to help the Bushplane Centre develop new...Read More

Ahead of Fastmarkets' Battery Materials 2019 conference in Shanghai, Fastmarkets looks at use of lithium in next-generation vehicles and other battery uses, as well as soaring prices, which have spurred interest in lithium and boosted its importance in recent years as a battery material. In June 2016, the spot price in China peaked at $27 per kg, more than three times the global contract price, ac...Read More

The Chinese domestic lithium hydroxide price fell by 1.5% on Thursday February 28 due to unimproved downstream demand while the lithium carbonate market was steady week on week after most producers stood firm on offer prices. The Chinese battery-grade lithium carbonate price was unchanged on steady producer offers. Lithium hydroxide prices drifted lower in China on thin buying activities.&nbs...Read More

Indian flat steel producers were likely to increase their prices for March sales of hot-rolled coil (HRC) in line with rising international prices for the commodity, Fastmarkets heard on Friday March 1.Officials from at least two Indian mills confirmed that domestic HRC prices will be raised for March sales, estimating the increase to be in the range of 1,000-1,500 rupees ($14-21) per tonne."We wi...Read More

Mexico faces a hurdle that's bigger than any wall Donald Trump could ever build...Our southern neighbors have a gas problem - a natural gas problem, to be exact.It's pretty simple: Mexico already consumes much more natural gas than the country can possibly produce. And it's gonna need much more of the fossil fuel over the next several decades.Anyone can see the dilemma. But while Mexico has the pr...Read More