The Windhoek Observer reported that the Namibian government is in talks with its eastern neighbour Botswana on the possibility of Namibia becoming a center of diamond polishing in an effort to promote regional industrial integration and development, Mines and Energy Minister, Tom Alweendo was quoted. Namibia has observed how the arrival of De Beers in Gabarone and the resulting job creation have...Read More

Turkish steel mills continued to book deep-sea scrap at a slow pace at the end of last week and prices remained largely steady at the start of this week, sources said on Monday March 4.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a European cargo, comprising 17,500 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (75:25) and 17,500 tonnes of bonus at an average price of $314.50 per tonne cfr on late Friday or Saturday.The cargo...Read More

Turkish domestic scrap prices have remained largely stable over the past week on moderate demand, sources said on Monday March 4.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment on Monday for domestic auto bundle (DKP-grade) scrap in Turkey was TRY1,650-1,820 ($307-338) per tonne delivered, narrowing upward from the TRY1,630-1,820 per tonne of last week.This...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.Latest transaction: iron oreIron oreVale, Global Ore, 70,000 tonnes of 65% Fe Iron Ore Carajas, traded at $98.30 per tonne cfr China, bill of lading...Read More

Physical iron ore trading was lackluster on Monday March 4 amid declines in the futures markets.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $87.69 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.23 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $87.09 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.23 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $89.88 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.22 per tonne. MB 58% Fe Premium Index: $76.11 per tonne cfr Q...Read More

Seaborne iron ore concentrate and pellet markets continued to face low liquidity and falling prices in the week to Friday March 1, given limited demand from China for high-grade materials.Concentrates The weekly Fastmarkets MB 66% Fe Iron Ore Concentrate Index stood at $96.94 per tonne cfr China last Friday, down by $6.03 per tonne from February 22.The daily Fastmarkets MB 65% Fe Iron Or...Read More

The seaborne coking coal market came under some downward pressure on Monday March 4, with transactions for premium products being concluded below prevailing levels.A March-loading cargo of a top Australian brand was sold at $216.50 per tonne cfr China to an end user in northern China. The same brand of material had traded at $217.38 per tonne cfr China last Friday.An April-loading cargo of premium...Read More

Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were for the most part stronger on the morning of Monday March 4, with all but tin in positive territory. The complex recorded an average gain of 0.4%, while tin was down by 0.1% at $21,630 per tonne. Nickel led on the upside with a 1% gain to $13,305 per tonne, having closed last Friday at $13,175 per tonne, and copper was up by 0.3% at...Read More

The Chinese government is in talks with local companies, including Minmetals, to sell the ammonium paratungstate (APT) stocks it holds in Fanya Metal Exchange warehouses, sources told Fastmarkets at an industry conference in London last week.Some 29,651 tonnes of APT are still held by the collapsed Fanya - equivalent to almost three months' output in China. No agreement has been reached so far but...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly lower during morning trading on Monday March 4, with progress in the US-China trade talks and a continued downtrend in LME inventories doing little to spur strong buying. The three-month copper price is down by 1% and trading around $6,400 per tonne after reaching levels above $6,500 per tonne last week. Volumes traded in the metal...Read More

Eastern promise for PolarXSPONSOREDpolarxAltech ticks boxes on path to production SPONSOREDaltech chemicalsHe said the company was ready to kick off development of its $1.Read More

Eastern promise for PolarXSPONSOREDpolarxAltech ticks boxes on path to production SPONSOREDaltech chemicalsHe said the country had US$59.Read More

U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 10 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures responded to an additional 1.12% increase in the Shanghai Composite Index in overnight trading on expectation of an imminent U.S./China trade deal.Amazon added $16.27 to $1688.00 after Evercore raised its target price on the stock to $1965 from $1800.Bed Bath & Beyond (...Read More

The latest selenium transactions, bids, offers and assessments in Europe reported to Fastmarkets.Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per lb and on an in-warehouse Rotterdam basis. Delivered prices are netted back.To view the latest price assessment, click here.To see all...Read More

The benchmark standard-grade cobalt price slumped to two-year lows in February amid a surplus of metal, leaving the market to shrug off longer-term bull signs on the supply and demand side. Price moves Cobalt metal prices continued to tumble in February, with concerns of further declines deterring consumers from making large spot purchases. Where possible, buyers have opted to procure cobalt hydro...Read More

"Tshisekedi would be a relatively positive figure for mining investment"SPONSOREDverisk maplecroftAlkane maps own path to world-class critical metals producerSPONSOREDalkane resourcesWestern Atlas drill-ready in NunavutSPONSOREDwestern atlas resourcesGlobal Atomic's 'transformational discovery' changes everythingSPONSOREDglobal atomic corp"We identified the target after revie...Read More

Key data from the pricing sessions in London and Shanghai on Friday March 1.China Key drivers Most Chinese traders insisted offering at higher prices due to increased material costs and the quick appreciation of the yuan, but no spot deals were concluded. The final prices for some Japanese tenders were heard to have closed in range of $1,480-1,520 per tonne fob. Yet market participants downplayed...Read More

The Chinese antimony price trended down in the latest assessment period ended on Wednesday February 27 amid persistently thin buying interest and suppliers' cutting prices to encourage sales.Fastmarkets' price assessment for MMTA standard-grade II antimony, delivered duty-paid in China stood at 47,500-48,500 yuan ($7,100-7,250) per tonne on February 27, down 2% from 48,500-49,500 yuan per tonne a...Read More

Key data from the Thursday February 28 pricing session in Europe. Key drivers Cobalt hydroxide payables rose steadily over January and February while metal prices plummeted; lower metal prices are understood to have pushed some artisanal supply out of the market, generating greater interest in traceable units. In real terms, paid prices for cobalt hydroxide continued to slide in February due...Read More

Fastmarkets launched two reference prices for the cobalt hydroxide market on Thursday February 28: a cobalt hydroxide payable indicator, and a cobalt hydroxide index, both min 30% Co, cif China. Fastmarkets launched two reference prices for the cobalt hydroxide market on Thursday February 28: a cobalt hydroxide payable indicator and a cobalt hydroxide index, both min 30% Co, cif China. After a con...Read More