Production

  • Monel Market Faces Downward Pressure Amid Nickel Surplus and Industrial Challenges

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    The Monel market is experiencing significant downward pressure at the start of Q4 2024, driven primarily by declining nickel prices and challenges within the manufacturing sector of major economies. Monel, a nickel-copper alloy known for its exceptional corrosion resistance and strength in marine and chemical processing applications, is being impacted by changing market dynamics shaped...
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  • Chinese Copper Smelters Face Pressure Amid Overcapacity and Declining Profitability

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Chinese copper smelters are under mounting pressure to scale back their rapid expansion, which is impacting profitability across the global industry. China, the world’s largest consumer of copper, is on course to produce about half of the world’s refined copper this year after an aggressive wave of smelter construction aimed at securing essential supplies for...
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  • China’s LFP Production Increases Amid Steady Automotive and Energy Storage Demand

    BY Lara Browne
    In October, China’s production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) rose by 7.8% month-on-month (MoM), reaching a total of 251,700 tonnes. This growth was supported by stable demand from the automotive market and expanding energy storage needs both domestically and internationally. LFP batteries are increasingly used in electric vehicles (EVs) and large-scale energy storage solutions, driving...
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  • China’s Cobalt Sulfate Production Declines Amid Sluggish Demand and High Costs

    BY Lars Jensen
    In October, China’s cobalt sulfate production totaled 19,527 tonnes, representing a decline of 1.04% month-on-month (MoM) and 10.13% year-on-year (YoY). The cumulative production from January to October reached 228,121 tonnes, with a decrease of 7.28% YoY. The market faced sluggish downstream demand, and end-side users showed limited interest in building up stocks. Additionally, cobalt sulfate...
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  • Jubilee Metals Reports Strong First Quarter Results for 2025, Boosted by Chrome and Copper Expansion

    BY John Davis
    Jubilee Metals has begun its 2025 financial year on a positive note, reporting strong operational results for the first quarter, driven by organic growth in its South African operations and key milestones in its Zambian copper expansion. The diversified metals miner highlighted increased production at its South African chrome and platinum group metals (PGM) mines,...
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  • Emirates Global Aluminium Extends Solar-Powered Aluminium Supply Deal with BMW

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the world’s largest producer of premium aluminium, has extended its CelestiAL-R supply agreement with the BMW Group for the coming years. CelestiAL-R is notable for being the world’s first aluminium blend made using solar power and recycled metal, aligning with the growing industry demand for sustainable materials. The BMW Group utilizes...
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  • Jiangxi Copper Forecasts Processed Nonferrous Metal Sales to Reach \$47.06 Billion in Five Years

    BY Lars Jensen
    Jiangxi Copper Company Limited, a prominent copper producer, has forecasted that its sales from processed nonferrous metals will reach \$47.06 billion over the next five years. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Nanchang, China, the company is involved in the exploration, mining, milling, smelting, and refining of copper and related products across Mainland China, Hong...
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  • Vulcan Energy Begins Lithium Production in Germany Amid Financing Delays

    BY Lara Browne
    Vulcan Energy, an Australian start-up, has taken a major step towards lithium production for electric vehicle batteries in Germany. The company commissioned a demonstration plant on November 8 at the Frankfurt-Höchst industrial park, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to produce lithium hydroxide locally for European industry. The lithium hydroxide, a key component required...
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  • Iran Reports Decline in Aluminum Output for Seven-Month Period

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Iran has reported a slight decline in aluminum output during the seven months to late October. According to figures released by the state-run metals and mining company IMIDRO, aluminum ingot production from the country’s four major smelters reached 352,423 metric tons (mt) by October 21, down from 367,091 mt during the same period last year....
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  • Ampco Metal Acquires Schmelzmetall Group to Expand Aerospace and Defense Offerings

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Swiss copper alloy producer Ampco Metal has acquired the Schmelzmetall Group, a move aimed at enhancing its position within the industry and expanding its product offerings to the aerospace, defense, and other advanced technology sectors. According to a press release from Ampco Metal, the integration of Schmelzmetall’s sales department is expected to be finalized by...
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  • China’s Cobalt Powder Production Sees Modest Growth in October

    BY Lars Jensen
    China’s cobalt powder production increased by 3.97% month-on-month in October, reaching 773.5 tonnes, while also rising 7.28% compared to the same period last year. From January to October, total production reached 7,978 tonnes, marking a year-on-year growth of 12.29%. In October, overall demand for cobalt powder was moderate, and the market saw the presence of...
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  • Vulcan Energy Begins Lithium Hydroxide Production at German Plant

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Vulcan Energy has commenced production of lithium hydroxide at its Central Lithium Electrolysis Optimisation Plant in Frankfurt, Germany. The first lithium hydroxide has been successfully produced from high-purity lithium chloride, which is extracted from brines at Vulcan’s direct lithium extraction optimisation plant. This milestone marks the first sustainable production of lithium hydroxide fully domestically produced...
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  • Jiaxin New Materials Conducts Trial Production of High-End Aluminium Alloy

    BY Lara Browne
    Jiaxin New Materials Company has successfully conducted a trial production of its new 7-series high-end aluminium alloy round ingot product. This development marks a major milestone for the China-based company as it expands its product line with a high-strength aluminium alloy designed for demanding applications. The newly developed alloy primarily uses zinc as its main...
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  • Zhejiang Huayou Seeks $2.7 Billion for Indonesia Nickel Plant Backed by Ford

    BY John Davis
    Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, among the largest nickel producers globally, is in discussions with banks for $2.7 billion in financing for its Ford-backed battery-grade nickel project in Indonesia, sources familiar with the matter have indicated. The project aims to boost nickel production for electric vehicles. HSBC and Standard Chartered are arranging the loan and inviting additional...
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  • Norsk Titanium Secures Funding to Advance Nickel Superalloy Component Production for US Defense

    BY Lars Jensen
    Norsk Titanium has received continued funding to develop and refine its production process for nickel superalloy components aimed at US Department of Defense (DoD) applications. The company’s patented Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) technology is being used to create aerospace-grade structural titanium and is now expanding its capabilities to produce nickel superalloys. The funding supports Norsk...
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  • Inner Mongolia Weiwang’s Aluminium Alloy Project Enters Trial Production

    BY Lars Jensen
    On October 15th, Inner Mongolia Weiwang Aluminum Products Processing officially began the trial production phase of its aluminium alloy ingot project. With an investment of RMB 100 million (approximately $13.7 million USD), the facility is set to produce 60,000 tonnes of aluminium alloy ingots annually, using 70,000 tons of recycled aluminium. The project began construction...
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  • China’s Zinc Smelter Purchasing Team Sets Processing Fees Amid Profit Challenges

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    China’s Zinc Smelter Purchasing Team (CZSPT) has set the domestic processing fees for zinc concentrate at between 2,000 yuan ($281.57) and 2,500 yuan per metric ton for the first quarter of 2025, according to media reports. The new fees reflect the industry’s ongoing difficulties, including tight ore supplies and declining smelting margins. For imported zinc...
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  • Barrick Gold Reports Strong Q3 Progress Amid Ongoing Challenges

    BY John Davis
    Barrick Gold made significant strides in the third quarter of the year, despite ongoing challenges, ensuring that its annual production and cost targets remain within reach due to an anticipated strong performance in the fourth quarter. Gold production remained steady compared to the previous quarter, while copper production saw a 12% increase quarter-on-quarter. The company...
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  • China Sets New Zinc Processing Fees Amid Industry Concerns

    BY John Davis
    China Zinc Smelters Purchasing Team (CZSPT) has established new processing fees for domestic zinc concentrate for the first quarter of 2025, ranging between 2,000 and 2,500 yuan per metric ton (approximately $281.57 to $352 USD), according to a statement from state-backed research firm Antaike on Tuesday. The fees for imported zinc concentrate have also been...
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  • Battery Cell Production Beats Expectations, Driven by Energy Storage Demand

    BY Lars Jensen
    According to a survey conducted by Mysteel, battery cell production schedules for November and December have surpassed market expectations, particularly among top-tier manufacturers. This increase is largely driven by strong momentum in the energy storage sector, along with higher-than-anticipated power battery demand in Europe and a stable electric vehicle market in China. Unlike the situation...
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  • Alumetal Completes Environmental Product Declaration for Recycled Aluminum Products

    BY John Davis
    Poland-based aluminum producer Alumetal has finalized an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) that documents the environmental impact of its recycled foundry alloy aluminum products. The EPD, based on an independent third-party assessment, offers detailed transparency regarding the mix of scrap qualities used in production at Alumetal’s plants. Alumetal, acquired by Norway’s Norsk Hydro ASA last year,...
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  • Novelis Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Results

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Novelis, based in Atlanta, has released its financial results for Q2 FY2025. The company reported a net income of \$128 million, down 18% year-over-year. Excluding special items, net income was \$179 million, a 1% drop from the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA was \$462 million, down 5%, but up 1% excluding the \$25 million impact from...
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  • Glencore Reports Decline in Copper, Zinc, and Cobalt Production for 2024

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Swiss resource giant Glencore reported a 4% year-on-year decline in copper production to 705,200 tons for the period from January to September 2024. The decrease was primarily attributed to the sale of its Cobar mine in Australia in June. Zinc production also fell by 4%, reaching 643,600 tons, mainly due to reduced output at the...
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  • L&F Company to Begin Production of High Nickel NCM Cathodes for BEV Batteries

    BY John Davis
    South Korean battery materials producer L&F Company announced plans to begin production of nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) cathodes for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by the end of 2024. The new cathodes will feature 95% nickel content, the highest used so far in BEV battery cathodes. The company made the announcement during its third-quarter earnings presentation, revealing a...
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