With around seven years of experience, Lars has quickly become known for his sharp analysis of metals markets and emerging industry trends. He started his career in economic research, where he learned to simplify complex data into workable insights. Since then, Lars has contributed significantly to market forecasting, helping investors and industry leaders understand the often volatile metals markets. At Metals Wire, his focus is on clarifying the rapid changes in the industry, from regulatory updates to technological innovations.
Copper prices held steady on Thursday, bolstered by anticipation of improved demand from China and a larger-than-expected interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve in September. The three-month copper contract on the London Metal Exchange (LME) fell slightly by 0.1% to $8,760 per metric ton at 1029 GMT, having dipped earlier to $8,716, just...
Alcoa, the American multinational, has reiterated its position that the aluminum and alumina production complex at San Cibrao in Spain remains unfeasible under current and projected energy market conditions. Despite its efforts to find a buyer for the facility, the company has been clear in its communications that the complex is not profitable, and is...
Nornickel has successfully completed a large-scale overhaul project at its Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant, resulting in the first batch of matte being smelted in a newly refurbished weighted smelting furnace. The Nadezhda plant is a key component of Nornickel’s operations, processing concentrates from the Talnakh and Norilsk Concentrators to produce matte for copper and nickel smelting...
Novelis Inc, a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Ltd, announced a 2% increase in net sales for the first quarter, reaching $4.2 billion. This growth was mainly attributed to higher average aluminum prices and an 8% rise in total flat-rolled product shipments, which hit 951 kilotonnes. The increase in shipments was primarily driven by normalized demand...
Revolver Resources Holdings has announced the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the China Copper Industry Investment Alliance (CCIIA) for the complete offtake of copper cathode production from the Dianne Copper Mine. This agreement sets the stage for Revolver to source and supply additional copper cathode products and includes provisions for development and...
Vulcan Energy Resources, a Perth-based company supported by Gina Rinehart, has commenced the commissioning of its lithium hydroxide testing plant in central Germany. The plant, located near Frankfurt, represents a key step in Vulcan’s plans to establish a commercial-scale facility aimed at enhancing Europe’s electric vehicle supply chain. The testing plant will convert lithium chloride...
Echelon Resources, a Wellington-headquartered oil and gas exploration firm listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), has signed a significant contract to supply gas for rare earth mining projects in Western Australia. The deal, inked with the Northern Territory Government, enables Echelon to provide gas from its Mereenie joint venture field until 2030. This agreement...
Zambia’s new Minerals Regulation Commission Bill has sparked concerns among key mining industry groups, who warn that it could deter investment and harm the country’s objective to increase annual copper production to 3 million metric tons. As Africa’s second-largest copper producer, Zambia’s move to reform its mining laws has drawn significant attention. The proposed legislation...
Ken Brinsden, a key figure in the lithium industry, has proposed the introduction of a strategic pricing system akin to Australia’s former wheat desk to aid the critical minerals sector and help it compete with China’s market dominance. Speaking at the Diggers and Dealers conference, Brinsden suggested that setting a stable price for lithium and...
Impala Platinum has reported significant production and operational achievements for the fiscal year 2024, despite facing a challenging operating environment. The company successfully navigated various obstacles to deliver guided production volumes and maintain cost controls. The group’s total 6E production increased by 13% to 3.65 million ounces compared to 3.25 million ounces in FY2023. Excluding...
Hecla Mining Company has announced its financial and operational results for the second quarter of 2024, marking significant achievements in silver and gold production. Hecla reported the production of 4.5 million ounces of silver, the second-highest in the company’s history. Lucky Friday Mine achieved its highest silver production since 2000, with 1.3 million ounces, supported...
Arcadium Lithium has announced a review of its operations at Mount Cattlin in Western Australia, joining a growing number of lithium producers reassessing their strategies due to plummeting prices for the battery raw material. The lithium market has been shaken by a rapid increase in supply that has outpaced demand projections from several years ago,...
Century Lithium has announced the successful integration of a lithium carbonate production stage at its Lithium Extraction Facility, also known as the Pilot Plant, located in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. This development is part of the company’s 100%-owned Angel Island Mine project. Prior to this addition, concentrated lithium solutions from the Pilot Plant were sent to...
When South Korea’s SK Group sought to expand its copper foil production, Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia emerged as an unexpected but strategic choice. Facilitated by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida), the SK Group partnered with Sabah’s government to establish SK Nexilis, the world’s largest copper foil factory, at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park. SK...
On Monday, the global stock market turmoil significantly impacted gold prices, resulting in volatility of nearly $95 in a single day, an exceptionally rare occurrence. During the Asian market session, spot gold reached a high of $2,458.78 per ounce before sharply declining to $2,364.19 per ounce in the European session. The gold price then rebounded,...
A potential rare earth mining project in Tasmania is progressing following a successful exploration drilling campaign conducted south-east of Devonport. The 37-hole program targeted an area northwest of ABx Group’s high-grade Deep Leads discovery near Westbury, indicating significant promise for rare earth elements in the region. ABx Group, chaired by former Labor premier Paul Lennon,...
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has completed the world’s first bauxite shipment using a liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel. This milestone marks a significant step in the company’s efforts to achieve climate neutrality. The shipment originated from EGA’s Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC) in the Republic of Guinea and was transported to a customer in China. LNG-powered...
Glencore International has announced that the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has concluded its criminal investigation against the company. The investigation was closed with a summary penalty order and an abandonment order. The summary penalty order found GIAG criminally liable for not implementing all necessary and reasonable organizational measures to prevent the...
China’s CMOC, along with other mining companies, has applied to register copper from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for delivery against London Metal Exchange (LME) contracts. This move could see large volumes of copper from the DRC, the world’s second-largest copper producer, entering LME-approved warehouses as soon as next year, according to sources familiar...
Copper 360 has commenced underground mining operations at its Rietberg Mine in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. This marks the first time in over 40 years that copper is being mined in the O’Kiep Copper District, an area with a rich mining history dating back to 1661. The reopening of Rietberg Mine is...
Arcadium Lithium has announced the acquisition of Li-Metal’s lithium metal business for $11 million in an all-cash deal. The acquisition includes the intellectual property and physical assets associated with lithium metal production, including a pilot production facility located in Ontario, Canada. Key personnel from Li-Metal’s lithium metal operations will transition to Arcadium Lithium as part...
In a volatile trading session on Thursday, August 1, spot gold prices experienced significant fluctuations during the New York session. Prices initially dropped sharply from above $2,460 per ounce to below $2,435 per ounce. Earlier in the day, during the European session, gold prices reached an intraday low of $2,430.12 per ounce. The New York...
Dundee Precious Metals has released its operating and financial results for the second quarter and the first half of 2024, showcasing record achievements in free cash flow and adjusted net earnings. All figures are reported in U.S. dollars and pertain to continuing operations. During Q2 2024, DPM generated a record $82.4 million in free cash...
Asturiana de Zinc has announced plans for a new heat recovery facility at its San Juan de Nieva plant in Avilés, which is expected to produce around 33,000 MWh annually. This initiative aims to reduce the plant’s carbon footprint by approximately 6,000 tons of CO2 per year. The facility will feature a new steam turbogenerator,...
