Metal

In August, China experienced a significant increase in antimony exports, driven by supply concerns following the government’s announcement of export limits on this critical mineral. Antimony, essential for various applications including fire retardants, military uses, and batteries, saw shipments rise to 4,075 metric tons, marking a 12% increase from July. The surge in exports is […]

The U.S. Energy Department announced plans to allocate $3 billion to 25 projects in the battery manufacturing sector across 14 states. This initiative aims to enhance domestic production of advanced batteries and battery materials, as part of the Biden administration’s strategy to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals and battery components. The funding will […]

Plans for two new nickel trading platforms aimed at challenging the London Metal Exchange (LME) have been derailed by BHP’s planned suspension of its nickel operations in Western Australia. This decision has hindered BHP from committing its nickel volumes to these new platforms, which were crucial for their launch and competitiveness against the LME. The […]

China’s imports of antimony ore are projected to face challenges in the fourth quarter due to supply constraints, as reported by the state-backed research firm Antaike. While imports surged by 37.6% in the first seven months of the year, largely driven by increased production in Thailand, this trend is not expected to be sustainable. Thailand, […]

Barrick Gold has temporarily suspended operations at its Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea following violent tribal clashes that have resulted in at least 20 deaths. The violence, primarily between illegal settlers and local landowners, has prompted the government to grant police emergency powers, including the authority to use lethal force to restore order. […]

The U.S. national security panel reviewing Nippon Steel’s $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel has allowed the companies to refile their application, postponing a decision on the politically sensitive merger until after the November 5 presidential election. This decision comes after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) raised concerns about potential […]

London’s High Court has ruled that the approval of the UK’s first new deep coal mine in decades was unlawful, following a legal challenge by environmental groups Friends of the Earth and South Lakeland Action on Climate Change. The court’s decision stems from the Conservative government’s 2022 approval of a coking coal mine in northwest […]

Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel sent a letter to President Joe Biden regarding their proposed $15 billion merger, amid reports that the Biden administration is preparing to block the deal. The letter, signed by executives including Nippon Steel’s CEO Eiji Hashimoto and U.S. Steel’s CEO David Burritt, did not disclose specific details of its contents. […]

Peru, the world’s third-largest copper producer, is projected to fall short of its government target of 3 million metric tons of copper production this year, with estimates now at about 2.8 million tons, according to Deputy Mining Minister Henry Luna. Luna noted that while some mining companies might increase their production estimates due to a […]

Vedanta, the Indian metals-to-oil conglomerate, aims to increase its production of nickel and nickel sulphate in response to growing demand for electric vehicle (EV) battery materials in northeast Asia. The company, under its business unit Vedanta Nico, announced plans for this expansion but did not disclose specific production figures or investment amounts. While India’s electric […]