The global copper market is poised for a volatile year in 2025, with a mix of positive and negative factors shaping price, demand, and supply dynamics. Despite the bullish momentum seen in 2024, driven by the emerging artificial intelligence (AI) sector and increased demand for data centers, several uncertainties are clouding the outlook. At the...
READ MOREOn December 11, NATO released a list of 12 defence-critical raw materials deemed essential for the Allied defence industry. These materials play a crucial role in the production of advanced defence systems and equipment, underpinning NATO’s technological edge and operational readiness. The materials identified include aluminum, graphite, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements, among others....
READ MOREJapanese buyers have agreed on a premium of $228 per tonne for aluminium imports in Q1 2025, marking a 0.87% to 12% decline from the previously offered range of $230-$260 per tonne. Despite the drop, the agreed premium is the highest since 2015 and represents a 30% increase compared to the ongoing quarter’s premium of...
READ MOREYuma County, Arizona, may soon host a groundbreaking solar-powered cobalt production facility. EVelution Energy, a local company, has announced receiving a non-binding letter of interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States for a potential $200 million loan. This funding would support the construction and operation of the facility, which aims to bolster domestic...
READ MORELundin Mining Corporation has announced a definitive agreement to sell its Neves-Corvo operation in Portugal and Zinkgruvan operation in Sweden to Boliden AB for up to $1.52 billion. The transaction includes an upfront cash payment of $1.37 billion and up to $150 million in contingent payments based on future copper and zinc prices. The deal...
READ MOREThe United States Geological Survey (USGS) has reported domestic primary aluminum production of 54,600 metric tons (t) in September 2024. The average daily production for the month was 1,820 t, remaining consistent with August 2024 but showing a 9% decline compared to September 2023 and a 10% drop from September 2022. Total aluminum recovered from...
READ MOREThe US government is evaluating a proposal to provide a loan of up to $550 million to support the development of the Piauí Nickel project in Brazil’s Northeast. This initiative, led by Brazilian Nickel, aims to secure critical minerals for the energy transition and reduce dependency on China’s dominant supply chains for key metals. Brazilian...
READ MORECopper production in Chile, the world’s largest copper producer, is forecasted to reach between 5.4 and 5.6 million tons in 2025, according to the National Mining Association (Sonami). This projection reflects continued optimism about the sector’s stability and growth. Chilean mining companies anticipate copper prices to range between $4.20 and $4.50 per pound next year,...
READ MOREBank of America (BofA) has revised its copper and lithium price forecasts for 2025, pointing to economic uncertainties and trade tensions that could weigh on procyclical commodities. The bank has lowered its 2025 copper price projection by 12%, from $4.88 per pound to $4.28, and its 2026 forecast by 20%, from $5.44 to $4.88. These...
READ MOREToronto-based metals recycling company Cyclic Materials Inc. has secured a multiyear agreement with Glencore PLC to supply copper extracted from electronic scrap. The Swiss-based mining giant will process the recycled copper at its Horne Smelter and Canadian Copper Refinery in Quebec, converting it into copper cathode for use in new products. The financial terms of...
READ MOREU.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a finding against Kingtom Aluminio S.R.L., a Chinese-owned entity in the Dominican Republic, based on evidence suggesting the use of forced labor in the production of its aluminum extrusion and profile products. Effective immediately, CBP personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will seize any such products...
READ MORECalgary-based nanotechnology company Litus has announced that its lithium extraction pilot is now operational, marking a significant milestone in the lithium market. The successful scale-up is expected to unlock vast, untapped energy resources in North America and Europe, according to the company. This achievement follows the opening of its patented nanomaterial production facility in Calgary...
READ MORETechnology initially designed to chart other worlds is now helping reveal critical minerals in the American West, crucial to the United States’ renewable energy future. A NASA ER-2 research aircraft recently took to the skies above the desert, scanning the ground for essential minerals as part of the Geological Earth Mapping Experiment (GEMx). The project,...
READ MOREFortum, serving as the energy partner, will support a feasibility study to explore opportunities for low-carbon aluminium manufacturing in Kokkola and Kronoby, Finland. Leveraging its decades of expertise in the Nordic energy market, Fortum’s role will focus on supporting long-term hedging strategies related to the potential facility and sourcing electricity from both existing and new...
READ MOREThe cobalt market is currently under pressure, with supply outpacing demand and prices reflecting the shift. Cobalt sulfate prices have been gradually declining, suggesting a slowdown in demand, especially from China’s passenger electric vehicle (PEV) sector. This shift is attributed to the growing preference for lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, which do not require cobalt. According to...
READ MOREGlobal aluminium producers have offered Japanese buyers premiums of $230 to $260 per metric ton for primary metal shipments in the January-March quarter, reflecting an increase of 31% to 49% from the current quarter, according to three sources directly involved in the quarterly pricing negotiations. Japan, a key Asian importer of aluminium, plays a significant...
READ MORENorway has decided to suspend plans to issue licences for deep-sea mining in 2024, following opposition from environmental groups and international institutions. This decision was announced by the Socialist Left Party, a key ally of the centre-left minority government, on Sunday. The suspension was agreed upon in exchange for the party’s support of the government’s...
READ MOREChina has announced a ban on exports to the United States of minerals related to gallium, germanium, and antimony that could have military applications, according to a statement by its commerce ministry on Tuesday. This announcement comes a day after the United States took steps to further restrict China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology. Beijing’s...
READ MOREThe Cell Recycling Competence Centre (CRCC), which BMW is constructing in the Straubing-Bogen district of Lower Bavaria, will introduce direct recycling—a process allowing the mechanical dismantling of residual battery production materials and entire battery cells into their valuable components, which can then be used for pilot production of new battery cells. “The new Cell Recycling...
READ MORETrafigura Group has ordered the withdrawal of thousands of tons of zinc from London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses, contributing to a significant rally in zinc prices, according to sources familiar with the matter. Over the past two days, orders to withdraw zinc from LME-supervised warehouses have surged by 97,225 tons, marking the largest jump in...
READ MOREPosco-Pilbara Lithium Solution, the joint venture between Korean steelmaker Posco and Australian lithium mining company Pilbara Minerals, has completed construction of its second lithium hydroxide plant in South Jeolla, South Korea. The new facility, which was finalized on Friday, adds to the joint venture’s first plant, established last year, increasing its production capacity to 43,000...
READ MOREStarting December 1, 2024, China will cancel export tax rebates for certain aluminum and copper products, effectively increasing export costs for these materials. In the short term, this policy change is expected to drive up production costs for aluminum and copper processing companies, potentially leading to export losses and forcing companies to adjust their product...
READ MOREU.S. mining giant Newmont has agreed to sell its large gold mine in northern Canada for $795 million (123 billion yen) in cash. This move is part of the company’s broader strategy to sell off non-core assets following its acquisition of Australia’s Newcrest Mining, the largest-ever merger and acquisition (M&A) in the gold mining sector....
READ MORESaudi Arabia has signed nine investment deals in the metals and mining sector worth over 35 billion riyals ($9.32 billion) with various international companies, including India’s Vedanta and China’s Zijin Group. The deals were announced during the World Investment Conference in Riyadh, as part of the Global Supply Chain Resilience Initiative, a program under Saudi...
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