Production

  • Shanghai Nickel Prices Surge on Supply Disruptions

    BY John Davis
    Shanghai nickel prices jumped nearly 6% on Tuesday, reaching a three-month high as trading resumed following a week-long holiday. The most-traded November nickel contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) rose 3.4% to 135,470 yuan ($19,304 per metric ton) after peaking at 138,800 yuan, the highest since July 9. Meanwhile, three-month nickel on the London...
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  • Rusal Plans Expansion of Boguchansk Smelter to Double Capacity

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Rusal plans to start construction of the second stage of the Boguchansk aluminium smelter in 2025, according to Renaissance Capital. This expansion will double the smelter’s production capacity to 596,000 tonnes per year, with the start-up complexes being commissioned in stages until 2030. The total investment in the project will be updated by the end...
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  • Nickel Production Halt at Ambatovy Mine Threatens Madagascar’s Economy

    BY Lars Jensen
    Nickel, which accounted for 25% of Madagascar’s export value in 2022, faces a significant disruption following an incident at the Ambatovy nickel mine. Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation, which operates the mine, reported damage to the pipeline transporting ore to the processing plant, leading to a suspension of production. The halt at Madagascar’s largest nickel mine comes...
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  • Vedanta Reports 3% Rise in Aluminium Production for July-September Quarter

    BY Lars Jensen
    Vedanta announced that its aluminium production for the July-September period totaled 609,000 tonnes, marking a 3% increase compared to the same period last year. The company’s total aluminium production in the first half of the current financial year reached 1.21 million tonnes, also reflecting a 3% year-on-year growth. During the September quarter, alumina production from...
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  • Barrick Gold Begins $500 Million Expansion of Lumwana Copper Mine in Zambia

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Barrick Gold has initiated the expansion of its Lumwana copper mine in Zambia’s Kalumbila District, with an investment of USD 500 million earmarked for the project’s first phase. The expansion will focus on infrastructure upgrades, operational improvements, and the introduction of advanced mining technologies. The total cost of the project is expected to reach USD...
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  • Vale Plans to Triple Copper Production as New CEO Gustavo Pimenta Takes the Helm

    BY John Davis
    Vale is considering opportunities to significantly increase its copper output, potentially tripling production, as it seeks to catch up with industry competitors, according to the company’s newly appointed president, Gustavo Pimenta. In a statement made on Wednesday, Pimenta highlighted that Vale currently produces 350,000 tonnes of copper annually, while the largest global producers generate around...
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  • Aluminium Duffel Launches New Logo and Commissions New Milling Installation

    BY Lars Jensen
    Aluminium Duffel has officially commissioned its new €26 million milling installation, capable of processing up to 400,000 tonnes of aluminium annually. This investment marks a significant step for the company, allowing it to handle the milling of its aluminium slabs in-house, particularly those required by the automotive sector. Previously, some of the slabs were processed...
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  • Gold Prices Surge to Historic Highs Amid Strong Investment Demand and Fed Rate Cuts

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Gold prices have hit historic highs this year, driven by robust demand for the precious metal as investors seek safer assets amidst global economic uncertainty. The surge comes as geopolitical tensions, US Federal Reserve rate cuts, and increased gold purchases by central banks fuel demand. On September 25, spot gold prices reached a record $2,670...
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  • Vale Temporarily Halts Operations at Onça Puma Nickel Plant After Storm

    BY John Davis
    Operations at Vale’s Onça Puma nickel plant in Ourilândia do Norte, Pará, have been temporarily suspended following damage to the local power transmission network caused by a severe windstorm on Saturday, October 5. According to Vale, the network is expected to be fully restored by October 15. Vale estimates that this interruption will reduce nickel...
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  • South Korea’s Solus to Build Canada’s First Copper Foil Plant for EV Batteries

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Solus Advanced Materials, a South Korean company specializing in copper foil, has announced that its subsidiary, Volta Energy Solutions Canada, has finalized an agreement with Investissement Québec. The agreement secures financial incentives for the construction of the first copper foil plant in Canada, located in Quebec, to support the electric vehicle (EV) battery industry. The...
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