Global manganese alloy and ore markets were broadly stable last week, with trading activity remaining subdued following the Lunar New Year holiday. Chinese manganese markets rangebound on thin trading due to holiday period EU alloys continue to be supported by strong ore markets US manganese alloys hold firm on consolidated suppliesManganese ore prices little changed amid thin tradingManganese ore...Read More

Vale's earnings fell by 12.92% year on year in the fourth quarter of 2017, the Brazilian miner said late on Tuesday February 27, due to lower prices and reduced shipments amid margin optimization strategies.The company's fourth-quarter adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) amounted to $4.11 billion, against $4.72 billion a year before. But fourth-qua...Read More

Scotland will soon have its first commercial gold and silver mine after authorities unanimously approved Tuesday Scotgold Resources' (LON: SGZ) application for the development of its Cononish project.The asset produced first gold in August 2016 following the launch of an ore processing trial, but after the approval by the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, the plan is now to bu...Read More

Worldwide output of direct-reduced iron (DRI) increased by 7.60% year-on-year in January 2018, driven by higher production from India, according to the World Steel Assn (Worldsteel).DRI output was 6.47 million tonnes in January 2018, compared with 6.02 million tonnes one year before, Worldsteel said on Monday February 26.India's DRI output jumped by 114.62% year-on-year to 2.15 million tonnes in t...Read More

Zambia, Africa's second largest copper producer, will begin enforcing a law that requires miners to transport 30% of their cargo by train, in a move aimed at boosting the country's rail sector.Mining companies have expressed their concerns about the rail system capacity, warning that the government has not properly considered the potential impact on the network.Transport Minister Brian Mushimba sa...Read More

The Turkish import scrap market is likely to swap the volatility seen in the first two months of 2018 for a more stable market environment during the remainder of the first half of the year, according to the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR).The prediction was among the market comments and observations in the BIR's latest quarterly report, published on Thursday February 22.Turkish import scr...Read More

Shares in Mexico-focused precious metals miner Fresnillo (LON:FRES) took a hit Tuesday after the company posted full year profit that missed expectations and anticipated higher costs.The miner, which is the world's largest primary silver producer and Mexico's second largest gold company, said that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization increased by 2.7% to $1.06 billion in 2...Read More

Iron ore prices softened slightly but stayed above $79 per tonne cfr China on Tuesday February 27 after a jump a day earlier. Metal Bulletin's 62% Fe Iron Ore Index Today: $79.15 per tonne cfr Qingdao Daily change: down by $0.21 per tonne Month-to-date average: $77.29 per tonne Metal Bulletin's 58% Fe Premium Index Today: $61.87 per tonne cfr...Read More

POSCO, South Korea's largest steel producer, has inked a deal to buy up to 240,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate per year from Australia's Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS), securing this way a constant supply of the key material used in the making of electric vehicle batteries.As part of the agreement, the Australian unit of POSCO will pay A$79.6 million (about $62.5 million) for a 4.8% stake in Pilbara...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices remain firm, with market participants expecting the resurgence of Chinese demand to set direction in the coming weeks. Premium category cargoes were heard offered at around $235 per tonne cfr China on Tuesday February 27, with offers on second-tier materials at around $200 per tonne cfr China. Bids on fob Australia premium hard coking coal moved up to $230 per tonne on...Read More

Almost exactly two years ago, the Venezuelan government signed a decree creating the Mining Arc of the Orinoco River National Development Strategic Zone, a project that outlined a 111,843 Sq.Km concession area (12.2 per cent of the country's landmass) for mining gold, diamond, iron ore, copper, bauxite, coltan, among other resources.Twenty-four months later, environmentalists say that the idea of...Read More

Prices for seaborne iron ore were rangebound on Tuesday February 27 after they rose close to the $80-per-tonne level a day earlier. Key drivers Premiums for March-delivery cargoes of Pilbara Blend fines and Newman fines continued to weaken during the day amid an increase in the number of such cargoes being offered on the market and thin buying interest among mills. Several trading sources pegged t...Read More

The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials. ...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly firmer during morning trading on Tuesday February 27, but no significant movements are taking place.The three-month aluminium price was $20 higher as it pushed back above $2,150 per tonne after further cancellations at LME-listed warehouses. 24,900 tonnes was cancelled in Port Klang, this morning, with an additional 9,900 delivered out of...Read More

Arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel imported into China on Tuesday February 27*Copper -$74.05 (-468.17 yuan) Aluminium -$442.25 (-2,796.06 yuan) Zinc -$165.51 (-1,046.38 yuan) Nickel -$598.95 (-3,786.72 yuan) * Metal Bulletin calculates the...Read More

http://magazine.cim.org/Access to water is a growing global humanitarian and environmental challenge. In the latest World Economic Forum Global Risks Report, water crises ranked fifth in terms of global impact. Competing demands for water will result in food crises, large-scale involuntary migration and environmental degradation.According to the World Bank, 70 per cent of fresh water worldwide is...Read More

Ferroglobe plc reported improved revenues for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2017, which the company attributed to higher prices for silicon metal. London-based Ferroglobe reported revenue of $468.2 million in the fourth quarter, up 3.7% from $451.6 million in the third quarter. Meanwhile, revenue for the year 2017 was $1.7 billion, up 10.5% from $1.6 billion the previous year. The ferro-alloy...Read More

Cobalt prices made further gains last week, but the rally was kept in check by buyers able to satisfy some of their requirements by purchasing scrap and pulling forward contracted volumes. Metal Bulletin's benchmark price assessment for low-grade cobalt was $38.50-39.30 per lb, in-warehouse, on Friday February 23, up from $38.15-39.30 per lb midweek, and $38-39.30 a week earlier. High-gr...Read More

Base metals traded on the London Metal Exchange are up across the board by an average of 0.4% this morning, Tuesday February 27.Aluminium prices lead the way with a gain of 0.7%, while the rest are up between 0.1% for zinc and 0.4% for tin, with copper prices up by 0.3% at $7,136 per tonne. Volume has been average with 6,677 lots traded as of 07.12 am London time. This follows a day of general str...Read More

Import prices for steel billet in Southeast Asia edged up over the past week while those for slab in the wider region including East Asia experienced sharp gains amid limited offers.Metal Bulletin's assessment of import prices for billet in Southeast Asia was $540-555 per tonne cfr for the week ended Monday February 26, up $5 per tonne from a week earlier.Prices increased after trading activity pi...Read More