Import prices for steel slab in Southeast Asia and East Asia fell over the past week amid a downtrend in the regional hot-rolled coil market.The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China continued to weigh on prices for flat steel despite Chinese President Xi Jinping urging local businesses to gradually return to work. Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel slab imports, cfr Southeast Asia...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Indian manufacturer and exporter Star Rays has pledged to become the country's first carbon-neutral diamond company.It will encourage staff to save energy, cut down on single-use plastics and use public transport to get to and from work.The firm, a De Beers Sightholder, says it's working with consultants Carbon Expert to implement processes and best practices.Emissions an...Read More

The 2020 Kimberley Diamond Symposium and Trade Show will take place in Kimberley, in the Northern Cape, in early September, the South African Diamond Producers Organisation (Sadpo) has confirmed.New technologies and geological interpretations have revived activity in mid-size and small-scale diamond mining in the Northern Cape and North West provinces, and technological advances are driving greate...Read More

(IDEX Online) -  Petra Diamonds blamed a weak market for its $10 million loss in the six months to December 2019.The firm saw its revenue down 6 percent to US$193.9 million (compared with H1 FY 2019: US$207.1 million) due to a decline in rough diamond prices, despite increased production at its mines in South Africa and Tanzania.It reported a net loss after tax of $10 million, compared with a...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Retail sales in January increased 0.2 percent seasonally adjusted over December and were up 2.7 percent unadjusted year-over-year, according to the National Retail Federation. During the month, online and other non-store sales were up 7 percent year-over-year and up 0.3 percent month-over-month seasonally adjusted."The strength of consumer spending continues to be the anchor o...Read More

RAPAPORT... Italian luxury brand Bulgari has confirmed it will not be participating in the 2020 edition of Baselworld, a little over a week after Gucci announced it was exiting this year's show.The reasons behind Bulgari's departure were not specified in a statement Baselworld released Tuesday. However, the LVMH-owned brand "remains open" to a return next year, it noted. "We will take our dec...Read More

Turkish domestic scrap prices have rebounded over the past week following an upturn in imported scrap values, sources said on Monday February 17.In the middle of last week, imported scrap prices increased sharply in response to improved demand from Turkish steel producers.Fastmarkets' daily index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), US origin, cfr Turkey, was $274.82 per tonne on February 14, up...Read More

Fastmarkets proposes to launch four new ferrous scrap import prices, further bolstering our coverage of Asian scrap markets.The new prices include two prices on a cfr South Korea basis and two on a cfr Bangladesh basis.South Korea is one of Asia's largest ferrous scrap importers, buying large volumes of scrap from origins such as Japan and the US West Coast. Bangladesh, a rapidly growing scrap imp...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices were up on Monday February 17 amid the gradual return of workers after the extended Lunar New Year holiday in China.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $90.48 per tonne, up $1.81 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $89.81 per tonne, up $1.81 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $91.84 per tonne, up $2.05 per tonn...Read More

Anglo-Australian iron ore miner Rio Tinto has lowered its iron ore shipment guidance following infrastructure damage across its Pilbara operations in Western Australia. The miner now expects shipments of 324-334 million tonnes in 2020, down from a previous guidance of 330-343 million tonnes, it said on Monday February 17. "Rio Tinto's iron ore operations in Pilbara, Western Australia, are pro...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices were steady on Monday February 17 amid a muted market.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $155.43 per tonne, unchangedPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $161.28 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $127.01 per...Read More

Seaborne iron ore concentrate and pellet demand were dragged down by the reduced appetite for steel products amid the ongoing novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.ConcentrateThe weekly Fastmarkets index for iron ore 66% Fe concentrate, cfr Qingdao stood at $102.70 per tonne on Friday February 14, up by $3.63 per tonne from oa week earlier.Fastmarkets' daily index for iron ore 65% Fe Br...Read More

China’s race to contain the coronavirus (2019-nCov), combined with its financial stimulus, are providing the markets with more than enough hope, with risk-on being seen across most of the metals and many equity indices, especially in western markets, this morning, Monday February 17. But this apparent confidence is likely to be fragile as there is still much uncertainty surrounding the virus...Read More

Artemis all set thanks to unique approachSPONSOREDartemis resources"This is the coiled spring in mining," it said, indicating it believes the copper price will move significantly higher as a result.Read More

Demand for rebar in China's domestic market remained weak on Monday due to a lack of manpower in downstream sectors, which continued to put pressure on prices for the long steel product.Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,370-3,400 yuan ($482-487) per tonne, unchanged Northern China (Beijing): 3,370-3,400 yuan per tonne, down 50 yuan per tonneSellers in eastern China kept their offers flat amid weak deman...Read More

China's hot-rolled coil prices were unchanged on Monday February 17 amid thin trading, with tight cash flow making it hard for traders to place orders with mills.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,460-3,480 yuan ($495-498) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,230 yuan per tonne, unchangedA Shanghai-based trader said he had to stop buying from mills recently due to cash flow issues.Thi...Read More

Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia and Europe in the week to Friday February 14. ChinaKey driversFastmarkets' price assessment of antimony, MMTA standard grade II, ddp China, increased in the latest assessment period after some suppliers raised offer prices amid growing buying interest and limited cargoes. Most producers in central China's Lengshuijiang city, a major production hub, were h...Read More

Key data from the pricing session in Asia and Europe for the week ended Friday February 14. Europe Key drivers  The prices for both grades jumped due to difficulties obtaining material from China because of transportation restrictions caused by policies to contain the coronavirus (2019-nCov).  Some suppliers reported receiving inquiries from customers who normally buy from China, such as...Read More

With the continuing shift to renewable energy sources and lower carbon emissions, global demand for copper is rising. Some analysts predict that demand could increase by as much as 43% over the next 15 years.But there are concerns about the sector, with sizeable deficits forecast as existing mines face reduced capacity and slowing production. For instance, producers in Chile and Peru - the two mai...Read More

Cardinal heading down familiar gold roadSPONSOREDcardinal resourcesSarama right in the middle of big exploration, corporate build-upSPONSOREDsarama resources Exore excels in Cote d'IvoireSPONSOREDexore resourcesCase study: platform financeSPONSOREDminexiaOf those events, it is only the departure of Glasenberg that is a certainty, but for one of the world's biggest mining and commodity-trading...Read More