-
March 2021
08 March 2021
Refractories maker RHI Magnesita forecasts rising demand in 2021, after a “challenging year,” it said in a financial statement published on Monday March 8.
-
08 March 2021
With demand for lithium continuing to recover in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Chile’s Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) and other major lithium miners have announced plans to expand production while highlighting their commitments to sustainable lithium extraction.
-
08 March 2021
China’s fluorspar acidspar market remained firm last week, with most producers giving higher domestic offers, supported by bullish sentiment and low operation rates, while overseas demand remained slow with scarce new orders.
-
05 March 2021
Prices of brown fused alumina (BFA) were firm during the two weeks to Thursday March 4, with market participants' views differing on the market's performance. White fused alumina (WFA), meanwhile, slipped and bauxite was stable.
-
05 March 2021
US uranium producer Energy Fuels has signed a deal to ship mixed rare earth carbonate for processing in Estonia.
-
05 March 2021
China’s domestic battery-grade lithium hydroxide price surged by 19.8% to a 19-month high on Thursday March 4, driven by tight spot supply and higher offering prices from most producers - conditions that have supported bullish market sentiment across the other global regions.
-
04 March 2021
UK-registered refractory producer Vesuvius reported a sharp drop in demand for its products in 2020, driven by a slowdown in global economic activity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
-
04 March 2021
Key data from the graphite pricing sessions in Asia and Europe for the week ended Thursday March 4.
-
04 March 2021
A summary of results for the lithium division of Chilean producer Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) for the fourth quarter of 2020, as shown in its quarterly update published on Wednesday March 3.
-
04 March 2021
China will actively promote the development of offshore wind power as part of its effort to build clean energy infrastructure across the country, according to a carbon neutrality action plan issued by State Grid Corp of China on Monday March 1.
-
03 March 2021
Fastmarkets rounds up the latest logistical issues affecting supplies of metal, ores and alloys from African countries, in the period ended Friday February 26.
-
03 March 2021
Inner Mongolia will be the first region to start China's drive to reduce energy-hungry industrial projects such as coking coal from 2021 onward, a draft notice seen by Fastmarkets said.
-
02 March 2021
Junior miner Lithium Americas will start production of lithium at its Cauchari-Olaroz site in north-west Argentina in mid-2022, it announced on Tuesday March 2.
-
02 March 2021
Fastmarkets proposes to discontinue its assessment of the price for antimony trioxide 99.5% Sb2O3 min, cif US East Coast, and to change the publication day of its other antimony trioxide price assessments.
-
01 March 2021
The iodine market has reported its first signs of recovery, with some market sectors experiencing a return in demand, although this has not yet been reflected in prices while stocks remain high.
-
01 March 2021
Higher logistics costs and a steadier flow of inquiries have supported the andalusite market in the three months to Thursday February 25.
-
01 March 2021
United States-based lithium producer Livent will supply battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide to German carmaker BMW.
-
01 March 2021
China’s export prices for fluorspar acidspar narrowed upward last week with support from increasing domestic prices, while overseas demand remained slow.
-
01 March 2021
Global crude steel output increased by 4.8% year on year to 162.9 million tonnes in January 2021, the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) said on February 26, marking the third monthly consecutive increase.
-
February 2021
26 February 2021
Graphite company Syrah Resources plans to ramp up its flake output to 15,000 tonnes per month when it re-emerges in the next two or three months with a more flexible approach to production, chief executive officer Shaun Verner told Fastmarkets on Thursday February 25.
-
26 February 2021
Consumers of graphite electrodes have been concerned by a European Commission anti-dumping investigation into materials produced in China, although the producers have downplayed the potential consequences and have launched a counter-claim, sources told Fastmarkets.
-
26 February 2021
United States President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Wednesday February 24 intended to secure his nation’s supply chains through a review of critical products, which will include computer chips and batteries.
-
26 February 2021
Chinese domestic lithium prices continued to rise in the week to Thursday February 25, supported by continued tight spot supply, and most producers are targeting even higher prices in March.
-
26 February 2021
Solvay is to “carve out” its soda ash business unit and form a new independently-run entity, it said in its full-year results report on Wednesday February 24.
-
25 February 2021
German specialty alumina supplier Nabaltec AG expects single-digit revenue growth in 2021 after achieving an increase in the fourth quarter of last year, according to preliminary results released on Thursday February 25.
-
25 February 2021
Key data from the graphite pricing sessions in Asia and Europe for the week ended Thursday February 25.
-
24 February 2021
NextSource Materials has ramped up its phased graphite production plans following requests from offtake partners, and following an investment from future chairman Mick Davis, NextSource Materials executive vice president Brent Nykoliation told Fastmarkets on Friday February 19.
-
24 February 2021
Prices for antimony trioxide in Europe and the United States were buoyed by tight availability of feedstock antimony metal and firm demand in the seven days to Tuesday February 23.
-
24 February 2021
At least $14 trillion must be invested in the electricity grid worldwide by 2050 to support new energy usages, research consultancy BloombergNEF reported on Tuesday February 23.
-
24 February 2021
The Chinese government has announced record high rare earth output quotas for the first half of 2021.
-
24 February 2021
China’s magnesia market was still recovering after the Lunar New Year holiday, showing soft demand from overseas buyers in the week to Tuesday February 23, putting pressure on previously bullish offer prices.
-
23 February 2021
Manganese ore prices edged higher on Friday February 19 due to soaring freight rates and a stronger rand pushing up production costs.
-
22 February 2021
Chile’s Corfo on Friday February 19 filed an arbitration process with the International Chamber of Commerce against United States-based lithium miner Albemarle for allegedly underpaying royalties on its lithium sales, Corfo confirmed to Fastmarkets on Monday February 22.
-
22 February 2021
Titanium dioxide producer Tronox forecast a double-digit percentage increase in titanium dioxide sales in the early part of 2021 thanks to “significantly improved market conditions,” in a performance statement published on February 18.
-
22 February 2021
Export prices for Chinese fluorspar, both acidspar and metspar, have remained stable after the Lunar New Year holiday with activity in the sector subdued because most market participants were still restarting.
-
22 February 2021
Mineral sand miner Base Resources has reported a net loss for the second half of 2020 in a results statement released on Monday February 22, although the price of mineral sand products showed strength in the period.
-
22 February 2021
Australian graphite producer Syrah Resources will restart graphite production at its Balama site in Mozambique, the company announced on Monday February 22.
-
19 February 2021
New structures to lithium contracts will provide more flexibility to raise prices in response to improving market conditions, United States-based lithium producer Albemarle said during an earnings call on Thursday February 18.
-
19 February 2021
China’s domestic lithium carbonate price increased by 4.4% over the week to Thursday February 18 supported by tight supply in the spot market, while the Asian seaborne lithium hydroxide market moved up for the first time in five months influenced by China’s price upturn.
-
19 February 2021
Refractory-grade bauxite prices showed a reduction this week from previously wider spreads, with China gradually returning to the market after the Lunar New Year holiday, while white fused alumina (WFA) ticked upward on higher operational costs and brown fused alumina (BFA) held firm.
-
18 February 2021
A summary of United States-based lithium producer Albemarle’s results for the fourth quarter of 2020, as stated in a quarterly report published on Wednesday February 17.
-
18 February 2021
Refractories and industrial mineral group Imerys reported a sharp drop in revenues over 2020 before making a modest recovery over its fourth quarter, it said in its earning report.
-
18 February 2021
Tirupati Graphite has begun the second phase of its plan to ramp up graphite flake production from its Vatomina and Sahamamy projects in Madagascar, the company said on Thursday February 18.
-
18 February 2021
Key data from the graphite pricing sessions in Asia and Europe for the week ended Thursday February 18.
-
18 February 2021
Chinese state media has attempted to calm fears of a long-anticipated squeeze on rare earth supplies to the US defense industry.
-
18 February 2021
All future new-build vessels to be owned by shipping operator Maersk will have dual-fuel technology installed, allowing either carbon-neutral operations or the use of standard very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO), the company said on Wednesday February 17.
-
18 February 2021
Sales of passenger cars in the EU dropped by 24.04% year-on-year in January 2021, the European Automotive Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on Wednesday February 17.
-
17 February 2021
United States-based minerals producer Westwater Resources expects to begin commercial production of battery-grade graphite in 2023 to meet anticipated demand for the product from the transportation sector, which the company estimates will grow by 23% annually over the next 10 years.
-
17 February 2021
The European Commission has begun anti-dumping proceedings against some graphite electrode products from China.
-
17 February 2021
The board of Chilean lithium producer Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) has approved the company’s investment in the Mount Holland lithium project in Western Australia, it said on Wednesday February 17.
-
17 February 2021
After a consultation period, Fastmarkets has decided to reduce the frequency of two of its amorphous graphite price assessments to monthly from weekly.
-
16 February 2021
Ford Motor Co is the first United States-based automaker to join the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), with plans to increasingly rely on mined minerals while it expands its investment in the electrification of its fleet, the company said on Monday February 15.
-
16 February 2021
Startup Italvolt will build the first lithium-ion battery gigafactory in Italy with an initial capacity of 45 GWh, it announced on Monday February 15.
-
16 February 2021
Fastmarkets proposes to discontinue its assessment of the price for Wyoming bentonite due to low volatility and the grade’s lack of relevance to the global drilling mud market.
-
15 February 2021
US-based titanium dioxide producer Chemours has forecast double-digit-percentage volume growth in 2021, with the company regaining market share.
-
15 February 2021
Demand for steel in the European Union is expected to rebound by 13.3% year on year in 2021 after a 13% slump in 2020, the European steel association Eurofer said last week.
-
15 February 2021
The prospects for the global long steel market in 2021 remain rather optimistic despite some fluctuations, the International Rebar Producers & Exporters Association (Irepas) said on Wednesday February 10.
-
12 February 2021
Northern Minerals will raise $20 million of new capital to fast-track its commercial rare earth production.
-
12 February 2021
Key data from Fastmarkets’ pricing session in Europe on Thursday February 11.
-
11 February 2021
Fastmarkets rounds up the latest logistical issues affecting supplies of metal, ores and alloys from African countries, in the period ended Thursday February 11.
-
11 February 2021
Canadian junior Nouveau Monde Graphite has won approval to build what it has described as "the western world’s biggest graphite mine" in Québec.
-
11 February 2021
Key industrial groups in Spain have set up Battchain, a consortium created to respond to surging demand for batteries in Europe at a time when the region is transitioning to greener mobility, junior miner Infinity Lithium announced on Wednesday February 10.
-
11 February 2021
Key data from the graphite pricing sessions in Asia and Europe
for the week ended Thursday February 11.
-
11 February 2021
A steady stream of unfunded yet highly prospective opportunities in the battery minerals space led Sir Mick Davis to form investment company Vision Blue Resources (VBR) earlier this year - after raising $60 million in the first few weeks, it’s already made its first investment and more will soon follow, Davis told Fastmarkets.
-
11 February 2021
Decreased availability of graphite products from China due to strong domestic consumption, coupled with increased transportation costs, has fostered interest in material from other sources, with producers reporting increased demand for material ranging from large sizes to amorphous flake.
-
11 February 2021
A shortage of containers to ship commodities around the world and the consequent soaring in associated freight rates have led to a revival of interest in breakbulk cargoes.
-
10 February 2021
Fastmarkets is seeking feedback on its proposal to discontinue the andalusite fob South Africa price assessment because liquidity is concentrated on the cif Europe assessment.
-
10 February 2021
Spot market prices for non-metallurgical chromite edged up in the week to Tuesday February 9 after suppliers sought to follow the rally in met grade chrome ore and ferro-chrome.
-
10 February 2021
South Korean president Moon Jae-in unveiled plans on Friday February 5 for a $48.5 billion project to construct the world’s largest wind power plant.
-
09 February 2021
Sir Mick Davis, former chief executive officer of Xstrata, has launched an investment company focused on battery minerals and has made its first strategic financing move in a graphite mine in Madagascar.
-
09 February 2021
Fastmarkets proposes to reduce the frequency of two of its titanium dioxide price assessments to monthly from weekly.
-
09 February 2021
The rate of oilfield activity in the United States continues to rise, with the markets recovering from the sharp decline in prices resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
-
08 February 2021
Refractory producer RHI Magnesita has sold two of its European magnesia businesses.
-
05 February 2021
US paintmaker PPG will purchase Finnish company Tikkurila after winning a bidding war with rival AkzoNobel.
-
05 February 2021
Graphite and gold explorer and developer Volt Resources is proposing to acquire 70% of Zavalievsky Graphite in the Ukraine, the company said on Friday February 5.
-
05 February 2021
Prices spread for certain grades of bauxite widened in the fortnight to Thursday February 4 on differing availability options from suppliers, while the price of white fused alumina (WFA) moved up on higher costs and brown fused alumina (BFA) held firm on bullish sentiment.
-
05 February 2021
Junior miner Bacanora Lithium has signed a new joint venture agreement with offtake partner Ganfeng Lithium after the latter exercised the option to increase its stake in the Sonora lithium project to 50%, it said on February 1.
-
05 February 2021
Michael Lillja will join Outokumpu as senior sales director in March, Fastmarkets understands.
-
05 February 2021
China’s acidspar export price was stable in the week to Thursday February 4 amid slow overseas downstream buying activity, and market participants did not expect any improvement ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday on February 11-17.
-
05 February 2021
Lithium carbonate prices in Europe and the United States as well as the seaborne Asia market rose in the week to Thursday February 4, supported by the continued uptrend in China’s domestic market.
-
04 February 2021
Key data from the graphite pricing sessions in Asia and Europe for the week ended Thursday February 4.
-
04 February 2021
The change in direction on the part of the new United States administration with a higher focus on domestic manufacturing and local supply chains will benefit both established and developing minerals and metals sectors, including steel, rare earths, graphite and lithium.
-
03 February 2021
New energy companies are turning to the soaring equity markets to fund their future expansion.
-
03 February 2021
Firming sentiment across the chrome supply chain supported prices for chemical- and foundry-grade chromite this past week despite limited overall liquidity.
-
03 February 2021
After a year of weak demand for soda ash, "excess" spot cargoes have been offered out of Europe to as far afield as South Africa, market participants told Fastmarkets.
-
03 February 2021
China’s magnesia market was stagnant ahead of China’s Lunar New Year holiday (February 11-17), with buyers in no hurry to purchase more material in anticipation of lower prices post-holiday.
-
03 February 2021
Zimbabwe emerged as the most likely beneficiary of South Africa’s proposed chrome ore export tax in a recent Fastmarkets’ poll. Fastmarkets examines the investment prospects for Zimbabwe’s chrome sector and some of the hurdles the domestic industry faces, and why participants showed particular confidence in the country.
-
02 February 2021
Mineral sand miner Base Resources has reported a recovery in ilmenite demand, after demand for pigment stayed resilient through 2020.
-
01 February 2021
US President Joe Biden’s first moves to reshape the country’s energy industry could have been a lot worse for the fracking sector, but the devil may be in the details.
-
01 February 2021
The spodumene price cif China posted a sharp month-on-month increase at the end of January after a pick-up in customer inquiries, and market participants expect further rises against a backdrop of bullish supply-demand for the raw material and rising lithium chemical prices in China.
-
01 February 2021
The latest coronavirus lockdown declared in Peru by local authorities will not affect andalusite mining operations in the country, Fastmarkets has learned.
-
01 February 2021
China’s imports of fluorspar increased year on year in 2020 on increased buying appetite due to cheaper prices compared with the domestic market, with fluorspar imports outstripping exports for the third consecutive year.