Zinc was the best performer on the London Metal Exchange at the close on Monday January 29, while the other metals diverged.Zinc's three-month price was up $72, or 2%, to $3,550 per tonne, mostly on the back of supply-side factors. Tighter stocks on the LME and adverse weather in zinc-producing provinces of Northwestern China, which makes it difficult to transport zinc out of the region, have...Read More

Trading activity in the market for CIS-origin hot-rolled coil (HRC) and cold-rolled coil (CRC) has remained low over the past seven days because there have been few offers of March-rolled material."Mills have sold out their February-rolled material and now they are cautious, because there is a threat that the market will turn around," a trader told Metal Bulletin on Monday January 29.He added that...Read More

India's JSW has launched a bid to purchase steelmaker Monnet Ispat Steel, representatives of both companies confirmed to Metal Bulletin on Monday January 29.If successful, the acquisition would give JSW a stronger presence in the Indian domestic plate and bar sectors, where it currently trails competitors including Essar Steel and Jindal Steel and Power (JSPL). Monnet Ispat owns an integrated stee...Read More

RAPAPORT... Petra Diamonds' sales fell in the first fiscal half afterthe Tanzanian government confiscated a parcel of rough stones from itsWilliamson mine. Authorities seized 71,654 carats destined for Antwerp inSeptember, claiming that Petra had undervalued thegoods, according to reports. While production at Williamson has resumed following a four-day closure immediatelyafter the incident, the go...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The first India Diamond Week will be held at the Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) in Mumbai, India, from April 25-27.   The event will see 200-250 Indian companies displaying polished diamonds to buyers from across the world.   Bharat Diamond Bourse Vice-President Mehul Shah, who is heading the India Diamond Week project, said that the BDB will be booking around 100-200 compl...Read More

CIS export rebar and wire rod prices lost $10-15 per tonne over the past week, with a lack of buying activity compounded by a downturn in sentiment in the billet and scrap markets. Prices fell despite reduced availability in the export market after Russia's NLMK focused on selling to the domestic market and fellow Russian steelmaker Abinsk Steel Mill remained out...Read More

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – After a two-year procrastination, the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has approved 16 prospecting licence applications submitted by De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM).The licences are all in the Kimberley area of the Northern Cape, where DBCM began mining diamonds 130 years ago. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video. At the time of the video intervi...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Organizers of the Carat+ fair report that feedback from visitors in 2017 has encouraged the specialist loose diamond and diamond jewelry event to hold a curated Colored Gemstones Sector at this year's show.   "This carefully curated new show feature will host world-renowned exhibitors, offering a vast array of loose colored gemstones, gemstone sets, fantasy cuts, carvings...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Petra Diamonds reports production up 10 percent to 2,208,056 carats for the half-year 2018 (H1 FY 2017: 2,015,087 carats), in line with H1 guidance of 2.2 - 2.3 Mcts (million carats). This represents record production for any six month period for the company, it added.   Petra is guiding for a lower grade at Cullinan, largely offset by a higher average diamond price, resulting...Read More

European non-ferrous metals industry association Eurometaux has welcomed the release of new details about EU controls on the dumping of cheap metal and ore on the trading bloc's markets."We commend EU institutions for reaching a long-awaited agreement on trade defense modernization," Eurometaux director general Guy Thiran told Metal Bulletin."Overall, the new measures will strengthen the anti-dump...Read More

(IDEX Online) - ALROSA is holding a "She said "YES!" contest for the most creative marriage proposal.   The competition started in December 2017 and will last until February 14, with the winner receiving a diamond ring to translate the idea into reality.   To date, about 40 have been received. The most original proposal scenario will be followed by the video with participation of real c...Read More

The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Monday January 29.Base metals on the London Metal Exchange began the week in positive territory during London morning trading on Monday January 29, with nickel up over 2%.Nickel was the best performer, up $305 per tonne, or 2.2%, while zinc was also strong, up $59.50 or 1.7%.Here is how the LME base metals complex...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The Diamond Dealers Club (DDC) of New York, in conjunction with the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), hosted over 60 exhibitors and several hundred buyers at its seventh India Diamond Week on the DDC's new, state-of-the-art trading floor at the International Gem Tower in Manhattan.   "We are so proud to inaugurate our brand-new trading floor with the fulfi...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The ALROSA Group's diamond production last year totaled 39.6 million carats, up by 6% year-on-year.   "Despite the shutdown of the Mir underground mine in view of the accident in August 2017, the company delivered on the annual diamond production plan," said Igor Sobolev, First Vice President of ALROSA. "The key drivers for diamond production growth were higher output at...Read More

SHANGHAI, Jan 29 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals futures remained strong on Monday January 29 as SHFE zinc led the gains with over 3% rise. While SHFE tin and nickel were up some 2%, lead rose 1.5%. Aluminium, however, edged down slightly in the afternoon.The ferrous complex was weaker with coking coal down almost 2%. Both iron ore and coke were down some 1% while hot-rolled coil edged up.Copper:...Read More

SHANGHAI, Jan 29 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals futures remained strong on Monday January 29 as SHFE zinc led the gains with over 3% rise. While SHFE tin and nickel were up some 2%, lead rose 1.5%. Aluminium, however, edged down slightly in the afternoon.The ferrous complex was weaker with coking coal down almost 2%. Both iron ore and coke were down some 1% while hot-rolled coil edged up.Copper:...Read More

U.S. equity index futures are lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 7 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of economic news at 8:30 AM EST. Consensus for December Personal Income was a gain of 0.3% versus an increase of 0.3% in November. Actual was a gain of 0.4%. Consensus for December Personal Spending was an increase of 0.5% versus a...Read More

SHANGHAI, Jan 29 (SMM) – SMM’s assessment of imported copper concentrate treatment charges (TCs) stood at $74-86/mt as of Friday January 26, down $1/mt from a week ago.We expect spot TCs to remain stable at the $80/mt level ahead of Chinese New Year with sluggish trading activity as smelters have mostly finished their restocking.The malfunction of Pasar and Birla smelters saw some long...Read More

SHANGHAI, Jan 29 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals futures remained strong on Monday January 29 as SHFE zinc led the gains with over 3% rise. While SHFE tin and nickel were up some 2%, lead rose 1.5%. Aluminium, however, edged down slightly in the afternoon.The ferrous complex was weaker with coking coal down almost 2%. Both iron ore and coke were down some 1% while hot-rolled coil edged up.Copper:...Read More

There is more to excite the metals industry than the batteries boom, argues Lord Copper, with the global economy's gradual emergence from the 2008 recession boding well for metal demand. Talk to anybody about metals these days and they are almost guaranteed to turn the conversation to batteries, electric vehicles and the metals that produce the motive power. Tesla's Elon Musk certainly garners far...Read More