News

  • Platinum deficit could cause palladium shortage

    BY Leonid Khazanov
    The world platinum market is expected to swing to a big deficit this year, close to 1 million troy ounces. Here is why this is happening and what implications this may have for the sister metal palladium. World Platinum Investment Council forecasts a platinum deficit of 983,000 troy ounces this year, according to the latest...
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  • Top 10 underground mines in former Soviet Union produce coal, copper – report

    BY Staff Writer
    Of the ten biggest underground mines in the Former Soviet Union by the amount of raw ores extracted, six are producing coal and the remaining four copper, the Mining Technology said, citing GlobalData’s mining database. The largest mine is the DTEK Pavlogradugol Mining Complex in Ukraine’s Dnipro (Dnepropetrovsk), owned by DTEK Energy. The mine, due...
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  • Group 6 Metals raises funds to begin operations at Tasmania tungsten mine

    BY Lara Browne
    The raised funds will be used by Group 6 Metals to start operations at the Dolphin tungsten mine in Tasmania. Australian miner Group 6 Metals has unveiled plans to raise A$30m through a share placement and share purchase plan (SPP) to begin operations at its Dolphin tungsten mine on King Island, Tasmania. It secured commitments...
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  • Global company to invest in Williamsport manufacturing

    BY Lara Browne
    Empty factories and warehouses haunt and remind small communities daily of Pennsylvania’s past contributions. Now, a global company hopes to bring back some of that economic vitality to Williamsport. On Wednesday, Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) approved a $3 million loan for Chance Aluminum Corporation in Williamsport. Chance Aluminum, branch of AA Metals is expected...
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  • Shortage of copper will push copper prices up

    BY Leonid Khazanov
    The International Copper Study Group made a curious forecast: according to it, production of copper on the planet in the current year will increase by 2.6% to 26.317 million tons, its consumption will grow by 1.4% to 26.431 million tons. Thus, by the end of 2023, the global market is expected to be short of...
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  • Rusal intends to build a plant for the production of auto disks in Uzbekistan

    BY Lara Browne
    The Russian company Rusal plans to build a plant for the production of car wheels in Uzbekistan, Vladislav Vasilyev, director of the department of metallurgy and materials of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, said at a panel session of the Innoprom. Central Asia in Tashkent. According to Vasiliev, Rusal Group...
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  • Palladium: A story of ups and downs

    BY Leonid Khazanov
    The global palladium market is at a turning point: it’s becoming cheaper, but there are also conditions that point to a possible increase in its price. The structure of palladium consumption is changing, preparing the market for a significant transformation. Unnecessary negativity The price of palladium is dropping, which is making investors nervous. In January...
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  • Japan’s ban on aluminium exports to Russia makes no sense

    BY Leonid Khazanov
    A new package of sanctions adopted by the Japanese government against Russia is due to come into force on 7 April. The measures it envisages include, among other things, a ban on aluminium shipments. To all appearances, the Japanese government expects it to deal a devastating blow to consumption of the winged metal in Russia....
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  • Russian tycoon Deripaska cleared of contempt of court in London

    BY Lara Browne
    Russian aluminium tycoon Oleg Deripaska was cleared of contempt of court by London’s High Court on Wednesday in a long-running legal battle with his former business partner. The founder of aluminium giant Rusal (RUAL.MM) was alleged to have breached an undertaking to the court in a lawsuit brought by former Russian finance minister Vladimir Chernukhin...
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  • MMK’S Turkish plant launches hot rolling complex

    BY Lara Browne
    MMK Metalurji, part of MMK Group, has resumed operation of its hot rolling production complex. The plant was forced to suspend operations for several months due to the earthquakes in southeast Turkey and unfavourable economic conditions. The plant’s specialists launched an electric steelmaking shop with a casting and rolling module at the Dörtyol production site...
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  • France sets sights on ‘lithium club’

    BY Leonid Khazanov
    Lithium de France has successfully completed its latest funding round, raising EUR 44 million after equity was allotted to institutional buyers including Arverne Group, Equinor Ventures and Hydro. It is worth nothing that Arverne Group, the main investor in Lithium de France, implements geothermal projects in France, Equinor Ventures is a subsidiary of Norwegian oil...
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  • Top miner vows to use sulfur neutralization byproduct as construction material

    BY Staff Writer
    Russian diversified metals producer Nornickel announced on Tuesday it had successfully tested gypsum — a byproduct of its flagship environmental project, the Sulfur Programme — for its use in making construction materials. To conduct lab tests, the miner joined forces with Russian producer of mortars and drywall materials Volma. Now, only formal environmental impact assessment...
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  • Steel Dynamics bets on aluminium

    BY Leonid Khazanov
    US-based Steel Dynamics has begun construction on a flat-rolled aluminium plant in Mississippi. The project cost is estimated at USD 2.2 billion, with operations expected to get underway in Q1 2025. The site will have an output of 650,000 tons of low-carbon aluminium sheets per year. The move has been received as an extraordinary event...
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  • US slaps new tariffs on over 100 Russian commodities, including aluminum

    BY Staff Writer
    The White House announced on Friday a new round of Russia sanctions, which included tariffs on imports of more than 100 commodities from Russia to the United States. “Today’s action will result in increased tariffs on more than 100 Russian metals, minerals, and chemical products worth approximately $2.8 billion to Russia. It will also significantly...
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  • Russian scientists develop multilayer material for parts’ impact resistance

    BY Staff Writer
    Scientists from the Institute of Laser and Welding Technologies of the St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University (SMTU, or ‘Korabelka’) developed a multilayer material using direct laser growth, which will allow parts to withstand dynamic loads longer. The study was published in the International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. Why it matters The new material...
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  • US scientists develop 3D-printed 6-metal superalloy to improve turbines’ efficiency

    BY Staff Writer
    Scientists at the US-based Sandia National Laboratory, in collaboration with the Ames National Laboratory, the Iowa State University, and Bruker Corp. used a 3D printer to create a high-performance metal superalloy with an unusual composition that makes it stronger and lighter than modern materials currently used in gas turbine equipment, the Sandia lab announced. Experiments...
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  • Rio Tinto agrees to supply BMW with low-carbon aluminum

    BY Staff Writer
    Anglo-Australian diversified miner Rio Tinto announced on Tuesday it would supply carmaker BMW with responsibly sourced aluminum to help the latter lower its carbon footprint. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), agreeing that the aluminum produced by Rio in Canada will be delivered to BMW’s production plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, starting in...
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  • Teck Resources spins off steelmaking coal unit to focus on energy transition metals, takes new name

    BY Staff Writer
    Canadian diversified miner Teck Resources announced on Tuesday it would spin off its steelmaking coal business into a new company, called Elk Valley Resources (EVR), to focus on energy transition metals. The remaining business will take a new name, Teck Metals, and retain steelmaking coal cash flows for the transition period. The deal will be...
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  • Aluminium, copper, nickel, lithium: highlights of 2022 and forecasts for 2023

    BY Leonid Khazanov
    Forecasts for 2023 – full infographics available here. Aluminium: For the aluminium sector, 2022 was a year defined by pessimism. The price of natural gas, coal and electricity in Europe, North America and Asia was relatively high and refused to come down. The European Union in particular suffered as a result, so it was no...
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  • Glencore puts 23% stake in Peruvian zinc, silver miner Volcan for sale

    BY Staff Writer
    Swiss miner and trader Glencore said in its annual report it had put up for sale its 23% stake in Peruvian zinc and silver miner Volcan. “In Q4 2022, Glencore commenced a process exploring the possible disposal of its 23.3% economic interest in Volcan. As a result, the carrying amounts of Volcan assets and liabilities...
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  • Freeport-McMoran suspends world’s second-largest copper mine in Indonesia after heavy rains

    BY Staff Writer
    Mining company Freeport-McMoran announced suspension of operations at Grasberg, the world’s second-largest copper mine in Indonesia, after heavy rainfalls caused landslides in the area. “PT Freeport Indonesia’s (PT-FI) Grasberg operations have been temporarily disrupted because of significant rainfall and landslides in the area of its milling operations in Papua, Indonesia,” the company said. Infrastructure near...
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  • Reuters: Polymetal in talks to maintain London listing as GDRs after moving to Kazakhstan

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Russia’s top gold and silver miner Polymetal is in negotiations with British authorities to keep its London listing in the form of global depositary receipts (GDR) after it moves to Kazakhstan, Reuters has reported. The transition to Kazakhstan would allow the company to spin off its Kazakh business, which accounts for about 38% of revenue...
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  • Nornickel renews contracts with the bulk of its customers for 2023

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Photo courtesy of Norilsk Nickel Press Service Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest producer of nickel and palladium, has extended contracts with the majority of its customers for 2023. This news comes straight from the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Sergey Malyshev, who shared the details with journalists. “We are not giving our clients the runaround,” said...
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  • Commodity Trader Traxys Acquired by Management, Pool of Investors

    BY Staff Writer
    Large metals and commodities trader Traxys announced on Monday that its management and a pool of investment firms would acquire 100% of its shares. The deal is expected to be closed in May after regulatory approvals, its value is undisclosed. The company’s сurrent owners include funds managed by global investment firm Carlyle and affiliates of...
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