Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.Demand for copper — already on a rising trend — is arguably set to explode as the energy transition takes hold. In order to prevent structural deficits, unsustainably high prices and demand destruction, miners will have to...Read More

Work is under way in Fredrikstad, Norway, to build a plant that will be key to electric vehicle (EV) transportation in Europe.The final touches are being made to Fredrikstad's Hydrovolt factory, a joint venture between aluminium producer Norsk Hydro and battery producer Northvolt that will recycle 8,000 tonnes of EV batteries per year when ramped up - making it one of Europe's top p...Read More

RAPAPORT... Diacore has revealed that it was the buyer of a 204.36-carat, yellow diamond that sold for $5 million at Christie's New York earlier this month.Known as the Dancing Sun, the VVS2-clarity stone is the largest polished diamond of North American origin, the dealer and manufacturer said last week. It was cut from a 552.74-carat rough unearthed at the Diavik mine in Canada in 2018. Chr...Read More

RAPAPORT... Sotheby's will auction a massive flawless diamond valued at up to $15 million next month, making the rare move of accepting payment in cryptocurrency. The pear-shaped, 101.38-carat, D-color diamond, known as The Key 10138, will feature in a single-lot live auction in Hong Kong on July 9, Sotheby's said Monday. The diamond is the first jewelry piece for which the company is accepting di...Read More

RAPAPORT... Alrosa's shareholders elected a new supervisory board last week, with independent directors now accounting for a third of the team.The number of independent members in the 15-person board grew to five from three following a vote at an annual general meeting on June 16, the miner said Thursday.At its next meeting, the board will select the new chairman and appoint members to compan...Read More

The domestic market for flat steel in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow was largely stable in the week to Monday June 21, with most sources expecting either a rollover or even a downward correction in the short term, Fastmarkets heard.Buying activity in the region slowed, partially affected by a weaker export market and unclear sentiment.A new spike in the numbers of Covid-19 cases i...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Two friends of an illegal diamond panner in Zimbabwe have admitted murdering him 12 years ago - after being haunted by his "avenging spirit".They have finally revealed that Welldone Mutangabende was not the crushed in a mineshaft collapse in the Marange diamond fields, as it had appeared at the time.John Muchinganwa and Willard Kushanya have now admitted staging the "accident" afte...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The stones that triggered a "diamond rush" last week in South Africa are nothing more than worthless quartz, say officials.An estimated 3,000 fortune seekers converged on fields outside KwaHlathi, in KwaZulu-Natal province, armed with picks, shovels and forks after word spread on social media.A team of geoscientists and mining experts confirmed yesterday that the stones were quartz...Read More

(IDEX Online) - It started as an April Fool's joke - but Tiffany & Co really is replacing its iconic robin-egg blue with a bright yellow house color. At least in some locations, and for a limited period.The Rodeo Drive store, in Beverly Hills (pictured) has had a (temporary) yellow makeover and selected outlets globally will follow suit.Tiffany & Co fooled some of its Instagram f...Read More

The refined zinc and lead markets were in relative balance over January to April, with both metals notching small surpluses, the International Lead and Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) said on June 21.Supply exceeded demand for refined zinc by 31,000 tonnes in the first four months of 2021, while lead's surplus...Read More

Russian based mining company Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) will begin to ship the first batches of carbon-neutral nickel to customers in the coming weeks, the company said on Monday June 21.The company announced that they are taking steps to mitigate their carbon footprint, which includes efforts to cut CO2 emissions across the whole production chain as well as upgrading and investing in energy moder...Read More

Lundin Mining has cut its expectation for copper produced at its Candalaria mine in Chile by 13.8%, and output may be affected for years to come, the company said on June 21.Candalaria's copper output will be 150,000-155,000 tonnes in 2021, down from a previous forecast of 172,000-182,000 tonnes, the company said. At 85,000-90,000 ounces, gold production will be down by 10.3%.Taking the high-end o...Read More

Nickel was the only metal to show a slight increase in morning trading on the London Metal Exchange on Monday June 21, with all other base metals prices continuing to decline.Nickel's price was$17,285 per tonne at 9am on Monday, up 0.8% from Friday's closing price of$17,154 per tonne.On Friday, however, the nickel price was down 7.2% from last Monday's close of $18,480 per tonne, with only co...Read More

The price of nickel sulfate in China widened downward in the week to Friday June 18, amid falling nickel prices on the London Metal Exchange, leaving market sentiment cautious, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for nickel sulfate min 21%, max 22.5%, cobalt 10ppm max, exw China, was 33,000-34,000 yuan ($5,102-5,256) per tonne on June 18, down by 500 yuan per tonne (0.7%) from 3...Read More

Special bar quality (SBQ) steel prices increased in the United States in June on higher mill base prices and increased surcharges while some mills continued to sell forward production for a number of SBQ products to the end of the year, according to market participants.Fastmarkets' assessment for steel bar hot-rolled special bar quality 1-inch round 1000 series (carbon), fob mill US was at $61.50...Read More

Domestic prices for steel rebar in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow remained firm in the week to June 21 with good demand from construction, sources told Fastmarkets.July rebar offers to traders from local mills ranged from 69,500-71,000 roubles ($954-975) per tonne cpt in the week to June 21, largely unchanged from June offers, sources said.Tula Steel...Read More

China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices fell sharply on Monday June 21, after iron ore futures led a tumble across the ferrous complex following Beijing's latest attempt to keep markets stable.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,360-5,430 yuan ($829-840) per tonne, down by 100-140 yuan per tonne.Ferrous futures losses accelerated in the afternoon trading session after market participants reacted t...Read More

World manganese ore production will increase by 7.60 million tonnes (13%) in 2021, reflecting a post-pandemic recovery in production and new mining projects mainly in Africa and Australia, according to Eva Yang, China representative at the International Manganese Institute (IMnI). Speaking at the International Ferro-alloys and Mineral Products Summit held by Ferroalloy.net on Friday June 18, Yang...Read More

Turkish steel producers started the week with no new bookings on Monday June 21 amid limited finished steel demand, especially in the export markets, sources told Fastmarkets.The most recent deals were heard on Tuesday June 15 when two United States cargoes were sold.A mill in the Marmara region bought those cargoes, which comprised heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20) at $500 and $501 per tonne, plus...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices increased in the cfr market on Monday July 21 after more coal mines in China shut until July 1 or July 15, while the fob market stayed largely stable, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $177.28 per tonne, down $0.56 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $288.66 per tonne, up $3.62 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBC...Read More