The Turkish billet import market was very quiet this week, with demand for imported material still soft and the export and domestic markets also slow, sources said on Thursday April 4.The suppliers in the CIS region decreased their offers to $455-465 per tonne cfr because of the poor demand and weakening scrap prices.Fastmarkets' daily index for Northern Europe-origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) scrap, the fe...Read More
A Peruvian judge on Wednesday ordered three years of jail time for three lawyers representing indigenous villagers who have blockaded shipments from a massive copper mine operated by Chinese miner MMG Ltd.The ruling, which a lead prosecutor confirmed on television news channels, promises to further polarize a dispute between MMG and the Quechua-speaking village of Fuerabamba, in Peru's southern co...Read More
An incident at Freeport-McMoran's Grasberg mine in Indonesia injured two workers on Wednesday while two other missing, a company spokesman said on Thursday.The injured workers have been hospitalised while rescue team continues to search for the missing. Mining operation is running normally despite the incident, spokesman Riza Pratama said.According to Bambang Gatot Ariyono, Indonesia's director ge...Read More
A mix of political populism, higher commodity prices and the expectation electrification will spur demand for some raw materials has led resource-holding governments to change the rules for miners operating in their countries.In most cases, governments are seeking to increase their share of profits, rather than all-out resource nationalism, although Mongolia has been trying to nationalise a stake...Read More
Australia's largest gold producer, Newcrest Mining (ASX: NCM), has committed to sole fund all of the 2019 exploration programs with junior Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR), covering the highly sought after gold regions of Tanami and West Arunta in Western Australia.Newcrest, which has five joint ventures (JVs) with Encounter in the area, covering a total of 5,900 km2, will have the right to increase...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday April 4 that are worth another look.Fastmarkets launched seven new aluminium price assessments on Thursday April 4 - including calcined pet coke, extrusion and flat-rolled products - to expand coverage of the aluminium market from upstream to downstream. With the annual Minor Metals Trade Association conference kicking off...Read More
The US copper and brass scrap market maintained a mostly steady footing this week, although red brass scrap prices nudged higher - supported by Comex gains - while uncertainty over looming scrap restrictions in China has remained a weight on the market."Nobody knows where spreads are going to go in the next few months. China is holding all the cards. All the recent purchases I have made are from s...Read More
Comex copper prices failed to hold onto Wednesday's increase with a stronger US dollar weighing on the base metals complex on Thursday April 4. The copper price for May settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 3.85 cents to $2.9100 per lb. Hopes of an imminent trade deal between the United States and China boosted sentiment across commodities markets, including t...Read More
Fastmarkets is launching seven new aluminium price assessments today, Thursday April 4 - including calcined pet coke, extrusion and flat-rolled products - to expand our coverage of the aluminium market from upstream to downstream.Following a month-long industry consultation, the new prices will be published at 3-4pm UK time on the first Thursday of the month, starting from April 4. They ...Read More
Fastmarkets is extending the consultation period for its proposal to revise the frequency and specification of its copper concentrate treatment & refining charges (TC/RC) index until April 19.With regard to the frequency, responses to the original consultation agreed that the market is in need of a weekly index.In terms of the specification, the consultation on the base and range of concentra...Read More
Nickel stocks held in Shanghai Futures Exchange-approved warehouses dropped by 10.3% week on week as of Thursday April 4, despite domestic demand from the major downstream consumption sector of stainless steel still being sluggish. Deliverable nickel stocks at SHFE-approved warehouses have fallen by 1,128 tonnes since March 29 to 9,794 tonnes as of this Thursday, which marks the third consecu...Read More
Brazilian automakers produced 695,730 light vehicles, trucks and buses during the first quarter of 2019, down by 0.6% compared with 699,754 units in the same period of 2018, national car manufacturers association Anfavea said on Thursday April 4.March had a weaker performance on an annual basis because of late Carnival festivities in 2019, but the data also showed a year-on-year output decrease in...Read More
US import offers for flat-rolled steel have not gained traction, with broadly stable prices abroad colliding with lower pricing in the domestic market - a trend that narrowed spreads between foreign and US product, market participants said.And in some cases - notably hot-rolled coil - US prices have moved below foreign offers, an inversion of normal market dynamics.Hot-rolled coilFastmar...Read More
Prices for steel rebar in the United States were steady for the moment, but market sentiment has become more mixed on reports that seasonal spring demand had yet to be heard or to provide a widespread boost to marketplace activity.Fastmarkets' assessment of the price of US domestic rebar remained at $35.25-36.50 per hundredweight ($705-730 per short ton) fob mill on Wednesday April 3.At the same t...Read More
Brazilian flat and long steel import volumes dropped year on year in March 2019, mainly due to reduced shipments from China, according to figures released this week by Brazil's foreign trade ministry, MDIC.Imports of flat steel products into the country declined by 5.05% year-on-year in March, to 121,515 tonnes, from 127,981 tonnes.China was the largest provider of flat steel to Brazil, with 93,91...Read More
Prices for domestic rebar and wire rod in Turkey were unchanged over the past seven days, with demand remaining weak, sources said on Thursday April 4. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Turkey was TRY3,200-3,250 ($615-625) per tonne ex-works, unchanged week on week. Mayoral elections were held across Turkey on March 31, and buyers waiting...Read More
Polished market slow, with stableUS demand supporting the trade. Dealers under pressure as polished prices continueto soften. 1 ct. RAPI -0.5% in 1Q. Rough-market sentiment weak amid reports DeBeers is reducing 2019 supply. Manufacturers hoping reduced rough sales willease liquidity concerns. Signet 2018 sales -0.1% to $6.3B, loss of $690M vs.profit of $486M. Chow Sang Sang 2018 revenue +13% to $2...Read More
The story of how two prospectors, down to their last nickels, discovered diamonds in Canada's frozen north is the stuff of legend.Back in 1982, Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson laid low in a pup tent by day while their competitor De Beers hauled 45-gallon drums of rock samples to a nearby outpost for transport to South Africa. Using the long hours of summer sunlight north of the 65th parallel, the...Read More
Sentiment subdued amid reducedbank credit and tight rough-to-polished profit margins. Manufacturers loweringproduction in an effort to deplete inflated inventories and in anticipation oflower De Beers rough offerings. Good demand for nice-quality SIs, which are inshort supply. Buyers sensing midstream pressures and pushing for deeperdiscounts. Dealers focused on US, hoping for stronger 2Q restocki...Read More
Botswana Diamonds (LON:BOD) said Thursday it had concluded drilling on the Frischgewaagt and Hartbeesfontein farms, which form part of its Thorny River diamond project in South Africa.The next step, the miner said, is to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals to start the bulk sampling program, which is expected during the second quarter of the year.Botswana Diamonds has also finished refurbis...Read More