A team of researchers at MIT, in collaboration with ATI Specialty Materials, has developed a new method for creating titanium alloys that surpass traditional trade-offs between strength and ductility. This breakthrough could revolutionize materials used in industries like aerospace, where both high strength and flexibility are essential. Titanium alloys are critical in a range of applications, from aerospace to biomedical...
Lars Jensen
Baosteel, Baowu, and Kobelco Form Joint Venture for Automotive Aluminium Sheets
Baoshan Iron & Steel (Baosteel), Baowu Aluminum, and Japan’s Kobelco have received approval from the European Commission to establish a joint venture focusing on the production of automotive aluminium sheets. The transaction, reviewed under the EU Merger Regulation, raised no competition concerns within the European Economic Area, as confirmed by the Commission’s simplified merger review procedure. Kobelco will hold a...
Australian Company Perfect Metals Develops Low-Temperature Process for Tin Production
Perfect Metals, an Australian company, has developed a new low-temperature electrolytic process to convert cassiterite directly into high-purity tin powder. This innovative process could revolutionize tin production by reducing energy inputs and enhancing sustainability. Electrolytic processes are widely used for metal purification and electroplating, and Perfect Metals has previously applied these technologies to chrome powder production in 2023. Now, they...
Europe Aims to Reduce Reliance on China with New Lithium Mines by 2030
Europe is gearing up to launch several lithium mines over the next few years, as the European Union seeks to diversify its lithium supply and reduce dependence on China. Lithium, a critical component for electric vehicle batteries, plays a pivotal role in the energy transition and the push towards reducing carbon emissions. According to Fastmarkets, a commodity research firm, European...
Gold Rises to $2,500 on Weak U.S. Job Data, Fed Rate Cut Speculation
Gold prices surged on Wednesday following weaker-than-expected U.S. job vacancies data, pushing the metal to briefly touch $2,500 per ounce. The decline in job openings, reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, increased speculation of a significant Federal Reserve interest rate cut in September, weakening the U.S. dollar and bond yields. Spot gold initially fell to $2,471.69 per ounce...
Lithium Prices Drop Over 20% in 2024 but Slowdown in Decline Offers Stability Hopes
Lithium prices, crucial for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, have seen a sharp decline of more than 20% so far in 2024, but analysts suggest the market may stabilize due to the demand-supply balance. As of Monday, lithium carbonate prices on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange (Gfex) closed at 75,200 yuan ($10,571.5) per tonne, down by 3,050 yuan. This marks a significant...
Korea Zinc Leads $18 Million Project to Create Sustainable Nickel for Batteries
Korea Zinc has announced its involvement in a government-backed project aimed at developing high-purity nickel sulfate for secondary batteries by 2028. The initiative, part of the “2024 Materials and Components Technology Development Project,” will focus on manufacturing nickel materials from low-purity nickel oxide ore for use in battery production. Korea Zinc will collaborate with 10 academic and research institutions on...
Aurubis Sells US Copper Processing Site to Wieland Group
Aurubis, a major copper processor, has announced the sale of its Buffalo, New York, site to the Germany-based Wieland Group. The Buffalo facility employs around 500 workers and specializes in producing copper and copper alloy strips and sheets used across various product lines. While the sales price remains undisclosed, this move aligns with Aurubis’ strategy to concentrate on primary copper...
Eurasian Resources Group Secures $150 Million Pre-Export Financing for Copper Supply from Congo
Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) has finalized a pre-export financing agreement with the London branch of Bank of China Limited and Glencore International AG for the supply of copper from its Metalkol enterprise in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The agreement will allow ERG to raise up to $150 million to bolster its working capital and finance general corporate expenses, according...
Avalon Advanced Materials Completes Positive Preliminary Economic Assessment for Thunder Bay Lithium Project
Avalon Advanced Materials has announced the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for its Lithium Hydroxide Processing Facility, known as the Lake Superior Lithium Project, located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. The PEA, conducted by DRA Americas Inc., highlights the project’s strong economic potential, with plans for an annual production capacity of 30,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium hydroxide (LiOH)....