The World Diamond Council (WDC) is asking stakeholders to review its System of Warranties (SoW) Toolkit, following its unanimous adoption as a working draft by the WDC board of directors and members.Stakeholders have until March 31 to submit comments to WDC.AdvertisementThe SoW toolkit was designed to assist members of the diamond trade to comply with the revised WDC SoW that was approved in 2018...Read More

The Turkish steel mills continued to hold back from deep-sea scrap purchases on Monday February 3, expecting lower prices to emerge, sources told Fastmarkets.The daily scrap indices went down by almost $10 per tonne on January 29, when a US cargo was heard sold at $275 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2 (90:10).That was the sole cargo sold last week, with mills seeking even lower prices because they were s...Read More

Domestic auto bundle scrap prices in the Turkish market have weakened further, although slightly, over the past week in response to the fall in imported scrap values, sources said on Monday February 3.Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices have declined by around $10 per tonne, after a deal heard on January 29 for a United States cargo containing 30,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (90:10) at $275 per tonne cf...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices were down on Monday February 3, although trading activity was relatively muted with participants awaiting Chinese buyers' next moves to gauge market direction.Fastmarkets' indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $150.79 per tonne, down $1.50 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $162.73 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $127.01 per tonne, unc...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices fell on Monday February 3 amid fears of weakened demand caused by an expected slowdown in China's construction sector.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $80.38 per tonne, down $4.56 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $79.42 per tonne, down $4.56 per tonne. 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $81.61 per tonne, down $4.94 per tonne.58%...Read More

The direct-reduced (DR) iron pellet premium has reduced in contracts for shipments in the first quarter 2020 mainly on a weak scrap market and pessimistic buyer mood, sources told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets' assessment of the iron ore DR-grade pellet premium, Middle East reference was $31 per tonne on Friday January 31, down from $39 per tonne on December 31."The scrap market's weak again...Read More

Sellers of Turkish rebar tested the Singapore market over the past week by issuing lower offers to the republic after the Lunar New Year holiday.They offered cargoes at $450-455 per tonne cfr to the Southeast Asian country. No other offers for cargoes of other origin were heard.Participants were largely just returning to the spot market during the week and were not actively looking to purchase mat...Read More

Global scrap prices fell last week due to weak downstream demand and market jitters following the outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus in China. Turkish import prices slide on weak downstream demandUnited States' ferrous scrap export prices tumble in latest dealsTaiwan import prices dip on virus jittersIndian import prices dip in line with international pricesTurkeyTurkish imported ferrous scrap pric...Read More

While markets in China catch up after more than a week of holiday, most base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange are rebounding because China’s sell-off has not been as severe as feared.SHFE copper price fell 7%, which was limit down, but were recently quoted off by 6.5%, suggesting some buying has started to emerge. Gold prices also pulled back from Friday's highs.China’s CSI 300...Read More

Artemis all set thanks to unique approachSPONSOREDartemis resourcesThe company estimates a plant will cost more than US$400 million, which will also produce potable water for human consumption as a means to obtain social approval for the project.Read More

China's hot-rolled coil sellers lowered their offers significantly on Monday February 3, the first day after the country's Chinese New Year break, amid bearish sentiment triggered by a virus outbreak.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,630-3,650 yuan ($523-526) per tonne, down 230 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,300 yuan per tonne, down 290 yuan per tonneA Shanghai-based trader told Fas...Read More

Rebar offers in eastern China dropped sharply on Monday February 3, the first day of work after the Chinese New Year for some market participants, amid sustained fears over the novel coronavirus in the country.Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,400-3,450 yuan ($490-497) per tonne, down 220-240 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,540-3,560 yuan per tonne, unchangedA handful of sellers in the eastern...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures advanced 21 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures responded to news that the Chinese central bank injected monetary stimulus into the Chinese economy valued at $173 billion.The Shanghai Composite Index plunged 229.92 to 2746.61 on its first day of trade following the Chinese New Year holiday. The 7.72% drop implies a reco...Read More

Base metals prices have reacted quite aggressively to the spread of the coronavirus, more so than most equity markets, leaving markets sending out different signals. While it is too early to say how this will unfold, here are some early concerns and observations.Once the outbreak of the coronavirus became widely reported in mid-January, various markets reacted differently and continue to do so. Ba...Read More

The impact of the coronavirus outbreak from Wuhan city, China, is positively affecting antimony prices in Europe, with low stocks in Rotterdam and the market heavily dependent on supply from China.The East Asian country accounts for 78% of global antimony output, according to the United States Geologic Survey (USGS). Fastmarkets assessed the price for antimony max 100 ppm Bi, in-whs Rotterdam at $...Read More

Cobalt prices held on to their recent gains on Monday February 3, finding support because of the limited supplies of readily available material.Fastmarkets' inaugural daily price assessments on February 3 for cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, and cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam, were unchanged at $16.50-16.90 per lb and $17.40-17.80 per lb respectively. The previous assessments were on...Read More

Fastmarkets MB today launched daily publication for its benchmark price assessments for standard and alloy-grade cobalt, in-whs Rotterdam. Folllowing a consultation period in 2019, Fastmarkets has launched daily price assessments for cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb and cobalt alloy grade, in whs Rotterdam $/lb. The increase in frequency is intended to provide greater transparenc...Read More

Revival Gold (TSXV: RVG; US-OTC: RVLGF) has released an updated resource for the 51-sq.-km Beartrack-Arnett project in Idaho with substantial growth in the inferred resource category.The latest estimate features updated numbers for the Beartrack portion as well as an initial estimate for Arnett.Indicated resources now stand at 36.4 million tonnes grading 1.16 grams gold per tonne for a total of 1....Read More

Centerra Gold (TSX: CG) has poured the first gold from its Oksut mine in Turkey.Oksut will be the company's third operating gold mine, joining Kumtor and Mount Milligan.A 2015 feasibility study for the project outlines an operation producing an average of 110,000 oz. gold per year at all-in sustaining costs (AISCs) of US$490 per oz., with a development capital cost of US$200 million.Reserves for O...Read More

The mining and metals sector is facing greater scrutiny from communities in host countries, consumers and society at large, demanding transparent, ethical supply chains, as well as a lower carbon footprint, a new study from Deloitte shows.Rather than declining any time soon, the pressure to meet those expectations will force resource companies to redefine the way they do business, shaping the sect...Read More