Regions

  • Vale Restores Power Supply to Onça Puma Plant, Begins Ramp-Up of Operations

    BY Lars Jensen
    Vale announced on Wednesday, October 16, in a statement to the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM), that the power supply to the Onça Puma plant was re-established on Tuesday night, October 15, as anticipated. According to the mining company, ramp-up of operations has now begun, with normalization of activities expected over the next few...
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  • Alcoa and Ignis Equity Move Toward Strategic Partnership for San Cibrao Operations

    BY John Davis
    Alcoa Corporation and Ignis Equity Holdings, the majority shareholder of Ignis Business Group, a vertically integrated energy company, announced that they are moving toward signing a strategic cooperation agreement to support the continued operations of Alcoa’s San Cibrao plant. Under the proposed agreement, Alcoa would provide €75 million, while Ignis would make an initial investment...
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  • Eramet Lowers 2024 Manganese and Nickel Production Targets, Shares Plunge

    BY John Davis
    Eramet, the mining group, announced that it will not meet its 2024 manganese and nickel production targets. This news caused a sharp decline in the company’s stock price, which fell by 14% on Wednesday, October 16, reaching €56.7 and making it the biggest decliner in the SBF 120 index. Eramet revised its manganese production forecast...
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  • Rusal-Sual Dispute Over Buyback Reflects Growing Tensions Among Shareholders

    BY Lars Jensen
    The board of Russian aluminum major Rusal is considering a share buyback of RUB 15 billion ($155 million), representing approximately 2.8% of its share capital. The company argues that the buyback could be beneficial for shareholders. However, coal major Sual Partners, controlled by sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, intends to block the share buyback. Sual...
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  • BHP’s Nickel Production Surprises with Strong Q1 Performance

    BY Lars Jensen
    The only surprising aspect of Australian resources giant BHP’s July-September (Q1) production results was better-than-expected nickel production, according to Citi analysts. BHP’s currently shuttered nickel operations produced 19,600 tonnes, 35% more than Citi had expected. Other than that, the company stated that its performance was “broadly in line with expectations” and that “there are no...
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  • Opposition Leader Calls for Protests Against Rio Tinto’s Jadar Project

    BY Lars Jensen
    Following a meeting involving opposition members and representatives of the associations We Won’t Give Jadar Up and the Alliance of Serbia’s Environmental Organizations (SEOS), Ecological Uprising leader Aleksandar Cuta Jovanovic announced on the evening of October 14 his support for a “nationwide people’s uprising against miner Rio Tinto.” Jovanovic called on citizens to organize blockades...
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  • European Aluminum Industry Calls for Urgent Support Amid High Energy Costs

    BY Lars Jensen
    The European aluminum industry needs urgent support to remain competitive in the face of high energy and raw material prices, according to Paul Voss, CEO of the European Aluminium Association, in an interview with S&P Global Commodity Insights. Voss highlighted that European aluminum producers face significantly higher electricity costs compared to their counterparts in other...
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  • Copper Prices Dip Amid Dollar Strength and Uncertainty Over China’s Economic Plans

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Copper prices fell on Tuesday as the dollar strengthened, and uncertainty loomed over China’s economic recovery following weak economic data and a lack of details regarding Beijing’s stimulus efforts. The three-month copper contract on the London Metal Exchange (LME) declined by 1.2%, trading at $9,547 per metric ton by 0722 GMT, marking its lowest point...
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  • Posco Future M Begins NCA Cathode Production Ahead of Schedule

    BY Lars Jensen
    South Korea-based Posco Future M has announced the production of nickel, cobalt, and aluminium (NCA) cathode materials at its Pohang factory, three months ahead of schedule. On October 12, the company successfully manufactured high-nickel materials with a nickel content of 88%, which enhances energy density and output, making them ideal for high-performance electric vehicle batteries....
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  • Freeport Indonesia Investigates Fire at Manyar Smelter, Halts Copper Output

    BY Lars Jensen
    Freeport Indonesia has suspended copper cathode production at its Manyar smelter following a fire that broke out on Monday, the company’s chief executive confirmed in an interview with Kompas TV on Tuesday. Chief Executive Tony Wenas stated that the duration of the production halt will depend on the outcome of an ongoing investigation into the...
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  • US Zinc Production Remains Steady in July 2024

    BY Lars Jensen
    According to a recent update from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. domestic mine production of recoverable zinc in July 2024 amounted to 66,300 metric tons (t). Year-to-date mine production through July reached 442,000 t, up from 436,000 t during the same period in 2023. The average daily recoverable mine production in July was...
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  • Savannah’s Partners Eye Portugal for New Lithium Refinery

    BY Lars Jensen
    Savannah’s partners in the Boticas lithium project, located in the Vila Real district, have set their sights on Portugal as a potential site for a new lithium refinery. AMG, the German company, recently opened a refinery in Germany, but its CEO has hinted at the possibility of establishing another refinery in Portugal. “Portugal has the...
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  • ENTISE Project to Develop Environmentally Friendly, Cost-Effective Sodium-Ion Batteries Kicks Off

    BY Lars Jensen
    The ENTISE project, focused on developing sodium-ion batteries for scalable industrial energy storage, has successfully commenced. Sodium-ion batteries are seen as a promising solution for a sustainable, resource-efficient future in energy storage. Sodium is not only inexpensive and abundant but also safe and easy to recycle. However, the challenge lies in translating this technology into...
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  • BHP Group Eyes Botswana Copper After Failed Anglo American Bid

    BY John Davis
    Global mining giant BHP Group has turned its attention to Botswana’s copper resources following a failed £38.6 billion bid for Anglo American. Reports indicate that the primary motivation behind the bid was BHP’s desire to acquire Anglo’s copper mines, highlighting copper’s growing importance as the world shifts away from fossil fuels. BHP has stated on...
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  • Posco Future M Begins NCA Cathode Production Ahead of Schedule

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    South Korea-based Posco Future M Co. has announced the production of nickel, cobalt, and aluminium (NCA) cathode materials at its Pohang factory, three months ahead of schedule. On October 12, the company successfully manufactured high-nickel materials with a nickel content of 88%, enhancing energy density and output, making them ideal for high-performance electric vehicle batteries....
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  • China’s Copper Imports Rise in September Amid Improved Demand

    BY Lars Jensen
    China’s imports of unwrought copper increased in September compared to the previous month, driven by seasonal demand improvements and a positive consumption outlook for the industrial metal, according to customs data released on Monday. Imports of unwrought copper and related products reached 479,000 metric tons last month, marking a 15.4% rise from August, data from...
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  • Ivanhoe Mines Sets New Production Records at Kamoa-Kakula and Kipushi Mines in Q3 2024

    BY John Davis
    Ivanhoe Mines, Inc. has reported record production figures for the third quarter of 2024 at its Kamoa-Kakula copper mine and Kipushi ultra-high-grade zinc mine, both located in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Kamoa-Kakula mine, one of Ivanhoe Mines’ flagship projects, achieved a new milestone in the third quarter of 2024, producing a record...
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  • Aurubis Invests €16 Million to Boost Production and Efficiency at Stolberg Copper Rolling Mill

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Stolberg copper producer Aurubis has invested approximately €16 million in two new core units for its copper rolling mill in Stolberg. The Hamburg-based company aims to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions while increasing production capacity. With around 400 employees, Aurubis Stolberg specializes in producing high-precision copper and copper alloy strips and wires. The newly...
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  • China’s Aluminium Consumption Growth Expected to Slow Amid Economic Uncertainty

    BY Lars Jensen
    China’s aluminium consumption growth is expected to slow to slightly below 5% this year, compared to a 6% gain in 2023, as demand cooled during the third quarter amid economic challenges, despite robust growth from the energy and transportation sectors, local analysts reported to MNI. Gu Fengda, chief nonferrous metals analyst at Guoxin Futures, noted...
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  • Rural Community Pushes Back Against Lithium Mining in Northern Portugal

    BY Lars Jensen
    Paulo Pires, a 50-year-old shepherd, enjoys spending his time in the meadows around Covas do Barroso in northern Portugal. Accompanied by his nine-year-old son Gonçalo, Pires tends to his flock of 190 sheep while enjoying the serene landscape of pastures, forests, and the sparsely populated hills. However, this tranquil way of life is under threat,...
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  • Shanghai Alumina Futures Reach Record Levels Amid Supply Disruptions

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Shanghai alumina futures soared to record highs on Friday, driven by ongoing global supply disruptions and strong Chinese demand, according to Bloomberg News. Alumina prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange surged 6.4%, reaching 4,630 yuan per ton—the highest level since the contract’s debut in June 2023. The price spike was partly attributed to potential supply...
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  • Zijin Mining Acquires Akyem Gold Mine in Ghana for $1 Billion

    BY John Davis
    Zijin Mining has announced its acquisition of 100% ownership of the Akyem Gold Mine in Ghana, previously owned by Newmont, for $1 billion. Akyem, one of Ghana’s largest gold mines, began commercial production in October 2013 and has an annual processing capacity of 8.5 million tonnes. Over the past three years, gold output at Akyem...
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  • Metals Acquisition Walks Away from $1 Billion Neves Corvo Mine, Plans $140 Million Capital Raise

    BY John Davis
    Metals Acquisition, which was believed to have considered acquiring the $1 billion Neves Corvo copper and zinc mine in Portugal, has decided not to proceed. Instead, the company announced plans to raise $140 million to reduce debt and “pursue strategic inorganic growth opportunities.” Sources also indicated that South32 had looked at the Neves Corvo asset...
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  • ReElement Expands Rare Earth Oxide Production to Meet Customer Demand

    BY Lars Jensen
    American Resources Corporation’s subsidiary, ReElement, is expanding its production capabilities to produce rare earth oxides on a daily basis at its Noblesville Customer Qualification Plant, in addition to its ongoing lithium carbonate production. This expansion coincides with the company’s build-out phase of its large-scale Advanced Technology Center in Marion, Indiana. ReElement will produce both light...
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