Arctic Star Exploration of Vancouver has begun this year's exploration program at the 40% owned Diagras joint venture diamond property near Lac des Gras, NWT. Margaret Lake Diamonds holds the remaining 60% and is the project operator.The Diagras property covers 22,595 hectares with a total of 23 known kimberlites on trend with the Diavik mine. This year's work will include gravity, magnetic and el...Read More

Conventional wisdom has it that increased diamond recycling results in downward price pressure, owing to the theoretical increase in supply, diamond analyst Paul Zimnisky notes in a release published earlier this month. However, he suggests that the contrary may be true, and, “in fact, a more prevalent diamond recycling market could . . . be the natural-diamond industry’s saving grace&...Read More

Baselworld runs until March 26, 2019. And while the show has been and still is heavily criticized, there is also some good news. At the opening press conference, it was announced that in 2018, the Swiss Watch industry recorded a 6.3 percent increase in exports, and had reported a turnover of CHF 21.2 billion.  But some already had made up their mind about this year's edition of the...Read More

Fastmarkets published its CIS export billet index later than scheduled on Monday March 25 but it is now appearing as normal.Fastmarkets' CIS export billet index, fob Black Sea, was published in the Fastmarkets price book later than scheduled. The price book has been updated.To provide feedback on the delayed publication of these calculations, please contact Vlada Novokreshchenova by email at: pric...Read More

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-based flat steel re-roller and galvanizer Al Ghurair Iron & Steel increased its hot-dipped galvanized coil prices by $20 per tonne with immediate effect on Monday, March 25.The company is offering 1mm thick HDG with 275 grams per square meter zinc coating at $824 per tonne ex-works for June production from Monday, up from the previous $804 per tonne ex-works.Th...Read More

Turkish steel mills added two more cargoes to round off last week's activity before going quiet in the deep-sea scrap markets after the government's response to Donald Trump's Golan Heights comments. A steel producer in the Marmara region booked a US cargo, comprising 35,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $323 per tonne cfr and 5,000 tonnes of bonus at $333 per tonne late on Friday March 22.The same...Read More

Turkish domestic auto-bundle scrap prices have gone up over the past seven days, while ship scrap prices fell because the country's lira has weakened against the US dollar, sources said on Monday March 25.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic auto-bundle (DKP-grade) scrap in Turkey was TRY1,700-1,870 ($295-324) per tonne delivered on Monday, widening upward from last week's TRY1,700-1,...Read More

Vale's Brucutu iron ore mine in Brazil will not resume normal operations as early as was intended, the Brazilian miner said on Monday March 25.A civil court ruled on March 22 that operations should halt at several tailings dams, one of which is used by the mine, in the south-eastern state of Minas Gerais.The dams affected by the decision were Paracatu, Lavra Azul, Dic??o Leste, Mosquito, Cobras, B...Read More

The London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices ran into follow-through selling on the morning of Monday March 25 following the weak economic data points released at the end of last week.Flash manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) data from the United States and Eurozone were disappointingly soft and underscored weakening global economic growth. The three-month nickel p...Read More

Physical iron ore prices were rangebound on Monday March 25 amid mixed news about Australian and Brazilian supplies.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $85.81 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.15 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $84.93 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.15 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $87.40 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.95 per tonne. MB 58% Fe Premium Index: $7...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices fell across the board on Monday March 25 after lower offers emerged in the market.A cargo of premium mid-vol hard coking coal was offered at $209 per tonne fob Australia, while two shipments of lower-ranked brands in the same category were offered around $201-203 per tonne cfr China, according to various sources.In the meantime, a cargo of lower-ranked second-tier hard...Read More

Prices for seaborne iron ore concentrate and pellets weakened further last week in the absence of any improvement in demand from China.Concentrate The weekly Fastmarkets MB 66% Fe Iron Ore Concentrate Index stood at $97.63 per tonne cfr China last Friday March 22, down by $2.92 per tonne from a week earlier.In comparison, the daily Fastmarkets MB 65% Fe Iron Ore Index averaged $96.64 per tonne cfr...Read More

Western Atlas drill-ready in NunavutSPONSOREDwestern atlas resourcesSocial opposition remains key industry hurdle in ColombiaSPONSOREDverisk maplecroft"Tshisekedi would be a relatively positive figure for mining investment"SPONSOREDverisk maplecroftGlobal Atomic's 'transformational discovery' changes everythingSPONSOREDglobal atomic corpRed Mountain contains the Dry Creek and...Read More

Western Atlas drill-ready in NunavutSPONSOREDwestern atlas resourcesSocial opposition remains key industry hurdle in ColombiaSPONSOREDverisk maplecroft"Tshisekedi would be a relatively positive figure for mining investment"SPONSOREDverisk maplecroftGlobal Atomic's 'transformational discovery' changes everythingSPONSOREDglobal atomic corpIt is looking to raise funds in the com...Read More

China's domestic rebar prices were flat on Monday March 25, though but export offers edged up amid a positive outlook for demand in the next couple of months. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,840-3,880 yuan ($572-578) per tonne, unchanged Northern China (Beijing): 3,840-3,870 yuan per tonne, unchangedWeakening futures led to a slowdown in procurement rates in the spot rebar market.But sellers...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 3 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures are responding partially to a 3% drop by the Nikkei Average and a 2% drop by the Hang Sang Index and Shanghai Composite Index.Biogen (BIIB $216.71) is expected to open higher after setting a new $5 billion share buyback program.Viacom added $1.29 to 26.63 after reaching an...Read More

China's hot-rolled coil prices were largely steady on Monday March 25 amid sparse trading due to stagnant demand in both the domestic and export markets.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,850-3,870 yuan ($573-576) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,800-3,820 yuan per tonne, widening upward 10 yuan per tonneThin trading kept domestic prices stable during the day.While products sold at...Read More

The London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices ran into follow-through selling on the morning of Monday March 25 following the weak economic data points released at the end of last week.Flash manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) data from the United States and Eurozone were disappointingly soft and underscored weakening global economic growth. The three-month nickel price was t...Read More

Key data from the pricing sessions in London and Shanghai on Friday March 22. China Key drivers The Chinese grade 553 silicon export price was steady week on week at $1,560-1,620 per tonne on March 22. Chinese traders refused aggressive bids from overseas buyers, heard below $1,500 per tonne, citing prices below $1,560 per tonne as far below than their cost line. Steady domestic demand...Read More

The Chinese antimony price continued to trend down for the fourth consecutive week amid persistently weak demand and abundant supply in the latest assessment period ended Wednesday March 20. Fastmarkets' price assessment for MMTA standard-grade II antimony, delivered duty-paid in China, fell 1.6% week on week to 45,000-46,000 yuan ($6,723-6,872) per tonne on Wednesday March 20, from 46,000-46,500...Read More