The world will need more than twice the amount of copper that it used in past three decades if it is to hit Paris Climate Agreement targets in the next 30 years, BHP's chief executive officer, Mike Henry said this week.Speaking at the Bank of America Metals, Mining & Steel conference on Tuesday May 18, Henry said demand for nickel will quadruple over the same timeframe.He added that meet...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday May 18 that are worth another look.Sales volumes of flat-rolled steel by Brazilian distributors were up 106.69% in April from the corresponding period of 2020, amid a lower comparison basis and stronger end-user demand, national...Read More

China's domestic magnesium price jumped by around 21% last week after producers in the country were forced to raise their offers due to increased production costs owing to a rapid rise in coal prices.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for magnesium 99.9%, exw China was 20,000-22,000 yuan ($3,105-3,416) per tonne on Friday May 14, an increase of 2,700-4,600 yuan per tonne from 17,300-17,400 yuan...Read More

Zinc and tin futures prices on the London Metal Exchange reached new year-to-date peaks on Tuesday May 18, with the dollar index at its lowest since late February and recent developments in Latin America boosting other base metals prices as well. Zinc's three-month price reached $3,108.50 per tonne on Tuesday during early trading, the most since June 15, 2018. It was also up 1.4% at the 5pm close...Read More

China's will strengthen the exploration and development of its domestic iron ore resources and work to ensure that steel capacity cuts are fully observed, according to it economic planner. "Domestically, we will intensify the exploration and development of iron ore resources, accelerate the construction of new and ongoing iron ore projects, and improve consumption of recycled iron-steel materials,...Read More

The zinc price set a new year-to-date high in the morning of Tuesday May 18 on the London Metal Exchange, with worries about the recent political developments in Peru creeping into investor sentiment, while a dollar at its weakest since the end of February pushed most metals prices up too. Zinc's three-month price reached $3,108.50 per tonne on Tuesday during early trading, the most since June 15,...Read More

If you wanted advance warning before the paper silver scheme unravels, here ya go!by Chris Marcus of Arcadia EconomicsIf you wanted advance warning before the paper #silver scheme unravels, here ya go!While I don't have a date or know the timeline, in this conversation with gold and silver legends Bill Holter and Jim Sinclair we discuss why the paper silver scheme is unraveling now!FULL SHOW NOTES...Read More

How long can they keep this derivatives charade going?by Harvey Organ of Harvey Organ BlogMAY 17/SILVER BREAKS THROUGH $28.00 TO CLOSE AT $28.14//GOLD ALSO HAS A GOOD DAY UP $29.95 TO $1867.05//TONNAGE TONNAGE AT THE COMEX: UP TO 4.75 TONNES//SILVER OZ STANDING: 36 MILLION OZ//JUNE OI FOR 2021 HAS A HUGE 273,300 CONTRACTS REMAIN OPEN: WE WILL HAVE A DANDY JUNE 2021 GOLD TONNAGE STANDING FOR DELIVE...Read More

Could we see a correction first? by Steve St Angelo of SRSrocco ReportCould we see a correction first?FULL SHOW NOTES AND LINKS HERE Read More

Zinc and tin futures prices on the London Metal Exchange reached new year-to-date peaks on Tuesday May 18, with the dollar index at its lowest since late February and recent developments in Latin America boosting other base metals prices as well. Zinc's three-month price reached $3,108.50 per tonne on Tuesday during early trading, the most since June 15, 2018. It was also up 1.4% at the 5pm close...Read More

German steelmaker Salzgitter has started construction on a demonstration plant for the production of direct reduced iron (DRI) as part of its Salzgitter Low-CO2Steelmaking project, known as Salcos, the company said on Monday May 17. The plant will be supplied by equipment manufacturer Tenova, and is the first iron ore direct reduction plant designed to operate flexibly with natural gas and hydroge...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.The steady climb in copper prices since mid-2020 – and the more recent launch into the stratosphere – puts me in mind of Senator Gracchus in the film Gladiator. Specifically, his observation that fear and wonderment is a p...Read More

A summary of the first-quarter 2021 performance report for the Ramu Nickel-Cobalt integrated operation in Papua New Guinea, released on Tuesday May 18 by Canada's Nickel 28, which holds an 8.56% joint-venture interest in the project.In brief High cobalt and London Metal Exchange nickel prices, combined with stronger demand for mixed hydroxide product (MHP), positively impacted cash generation...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.We enter 2021 with many mined commodity prices riding high after recovering from a dramatic pandemic-induced slump in H1 2020. But far from marking a new atmosphere of positivity, the new year brings new questions. How will Chinese po...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.As the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic began to bite, many observers confidently predicted that the end was nigh for global economic activity. Governments around the world closed their economies as the only tool available to li...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.The U.S has increased tariffs on $200bn of Chinese goods to 25%, from 10%, impacting a number of metals. Commentary below comes from the Wood Mackenzie metals team:Copper By Wood Mackenzie Senior Consultant, Yanting Zhou"Previous...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.Read More

RAPAPORT... A 204.36-carat, fancy-intense-yellow diamond with a high estimate of $5.5 million is set to lead the New York sale at Christie's next month.The cushion modified brilliant-cut, VVS2-clarity stone, called The Dancing Sun, is the largest polished diamond originating in North America, having been cut from a 552.74-carat rough unearthed at the Diavik mine in Canada, Christie's said last wee...Read More

RAPAPORT... The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has seen a rise in submissions of lab-grown diamonds with counterfeit inscriptions that make the stones appear natural.Clients using the GIA's update or verification services are increasingly sending in goods that prove to be synthetic, the organization said Monday. These stones have falsified girdle engravings that reference a genuine na...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.The coronavirus pandemic has had a massive impact on every part of the global economic system. In response, unprecedented stimulus measures have boosted many countries’ debt-to-GDP ratios to levels not seen since WWII. But even...Read More