Three-month base metals traded on the London Metal Exchange mostly failed to make gains in the morning session on Wednesday October 30 amid low volumes traded across the complex, with a weaker dollar index, down by 0.04% at 97.65, failing to stimulate investors' appetites.The global macro picture continues to exert a hold over the metals market while United States-China trade tensions rumble on, a...Read More

Japanese copper producer Pan Pacific Copper (PPC) has offered its Chinese customers copper cathode supply in 2020 at a premium of $83 per tonne cif Shanghai, $3 per tonne lower than 2019's level, two sources familiar with the matter told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 30.The lower offer comes after the Japanese copper producer raised its 2019 benchmark by $14 per tonne or 19% year on year to $86...Read More

RAPAPORT... Gem Diamonds has recovered a diamond weighing 161carats from its Let??eng mine in Lesotho. The miner found the "high-quality" white, type IIa stone onOctober 28, it said. Including this rough, Gem Diamonds has retrieved five white stones over 100 carats this year. It also produced a further three of that size in other colors. In 2018, the mine, known for its large, high-quality st...Read More

RAPAPORT... The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has appointedMark Buntz senior vice president and chief marketing officer, to drive thefuture of the organization's brand. A marketing veteran with more than 20 years of experience inglobal brand marketing, advertising, communications, sales and broadcasting,Buntz is tasked with supporting the expansion of the GIA's education,laboratory s...Read More

(IDEX Online) - According to The Knot 2019 Jewelry & Engagement Study, 45 percent of engagement rings include custom-designed elements. The majority (86 percent) purchase a new ring; 45 percent incorporate customized details into the ring, whether by custom-designing it in its entirety (31 percent) or taking an existing ring design and adding personal touches (51 percent).The survey also...Read More

Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were largely up but overall little changed during the morning trading session on Wednesday October 30, with investors adopting a cautious approach ahead of an expected interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve.That said, the SHFE base metals continued to find some support from slight optimism stemming from ongoing trade negotiations between Chi...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Sarine Technologies Ltd is working with Tiffany & Co. to adapt its automated artificial intelligence- (AI) based grading technology to meet Tiffany's grading guidelines and criteria for color and clarity.Sarine explained in a release that the basis for its automated grading technology, which was introduced in early 2018, was the GIA grading system. However, to meet Tiffany...Read More

China's lead usage will fall by 1.1% in 2019 due to declining automotive production and increased use of lithium-ion batteries in motorcycle and e-bike sectors as well in uninterruptable power supply stationary backup systems, according to the International Lead & Zinc Study Group (ILZSG).Additionally, a further 0.5% reduction in Chinese demand is anticipated in 2020, ILZSG said on Monday October...Read More

De Beers Canada has started preliminary drilling at properties near the town of Cobalt, in Ontario.De Beers is drilling at TSX-V-listed Tri Origin’s Nipissing Cobalt and South Abitibi project, near Cobalt. This will be the first time that these targets will be tested, the junior said on Tuesday.AdvertisementThe initial target will be evaluated and the Nipissing Cobalt property and the drill...Read More

Prices for hollow steel sections in Northern and Southern Europe were unchanged this week even as feedstock costs continued to fall, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 30.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?560-580 ($621-644) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week. "We have adjusted our pri...Read More

Prices for hollow steel sections in Northern and Southern Europe were unchanged this week despite pressure from imports and recent feedstock costs, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 23. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?560-580 ($623-646) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week. Costs for the feeds...Read More

POLOKWANE, LIMPOPO (miningweekly.com) – Diversifed miners Anglo American and Exxaro have, alongside the Council for Scientific and industrial Research (CSIR) and World Vision International announced their collaborative partnership to work with the government of the Limpopo province to drive sustainable economic development in the province through a multisector initiative called, the Impact C...Read More

Third-quarter steel shipments from Ternium's operations in Mexico improved on an annual basis in 2019, the company said this week, while the volumes dispatched from its facilities in Argentina fell in the same comparison. Shipments from Ternium's Mexican plants reached 1.63 million tonnes in June-September, up by 7% from the same period in 2018, with sales amounting to 1.53 million tonne...Read More

Brazilian steelmaker Gerdau is expecting domestic steel prices to remain unchanged until year-end, but an improvement could be seen at the beginning of 2020 if demand recovers, chief executive officer Gustavo Werneck said.Although foreign exchange rates have been volatile in Brazil, and domestic price premiums were seen in negative territory at some times, current dynamics suggest stability for th...Read More

Golden Mile goes back to the futureSPONSOREDgolden mile resourcesThe company has had "visual confirmations" of mineralisation in two recent diamond core holes as well as assays from another hole recording 264m at 0.4% copper and 0.Read More

Golden Mile goes back to the futureSPONSOREDgolden mile resourcesThe company had slammed what it described as an "unprecedented" court decision in July which effectively blocked construction at the project. At the time it said it would appeal, believing the court had misinterpreted federal mining and forestry regulations for the project, which was opposed by four conservation groups.However i...Read More

Prices for steel H-beams in Europe were unchanged again this week, as risingfeedstock costs offset lackluster demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 30Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel beams, domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was unchanged at ?,?540-570 ($599-633) per tonne on October 30."It is the end year business period, nobody will buy material if it's not really...Read More

U.S. equity indices were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 2 point in pre-opening trade. Investors are waiting for news from the Federal Reserve on the Fed Fund rate to be released at 2:00 PM EDT. Consensus is that the Federal Reserve will lower the Fed Fund rate by another 0.25%.Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of economic news prior to opening. Consensus fo...Read More

Prices of mid-grade Brazilian fines were up on Wednesday October 30, with a Brazilian Blend fines (BRBF) cargo fetching $85.60 per tonne, although market participants saw little scope for any major correction in mid-grade iron ore prices.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $87.13 per tonne, up $0.49 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $86.95 per tonne, up $0....Read More

Dear Rich Lifer,Every year at this time, millions of Americans age 65 and older have to make a choice:Do I sign up for a new Medicare Advantage plan, shop around for another provider, or return to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B)?Medicare Open Enrollment Period for 2020 coverage runs from October 15 – December 7. This year the government also added a second open enrollment period for Me...Read More