CMX to reopen Colonial copper foundry

Spanish Market: Metals
06/02/19

California Metal-X (CMX) plans to reopen in May the Pennsylvania copper foundry it recently acquired from Colonial Metals, marking the company's first foray into the east coast.

CMX will produce high-quality copper casting alloys at the Columbia, Pennsylvania, facility. In addition to acquiring Colonial's assets, CMX paid the company's remaining debts to allow the company to avoid bankruptcy, president Tim Strelitz told Argus.

Colonial Metals shuttered in June 2018 because of financial difficulties. Its Columbia foundry is the only brass and bronze manufacturing facility with a submerged electric arc furnace, which was used to recover low-grade copper scrap.

At the time of its closure, the facility was processing an estimated 90mn lbs of scrap metal per year.

CMX is the largest red metal, brass and bronze ingot manufacturer on the west coast, with an annual production capacity of more than 36mn lbs.

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13/11/24

Cop: Argentina pulls delegation from Baku

Montevideo, 13 November (Argus) — Argentina's government today withdrew its delegation from the UN Cop 29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. The country's foreign affairs ministry confirmed to Argus that the delegation had been told to leave the event, which began on 11 November and will run through 22 November. No reason was given for the decision, but it fits the general policies of President Javier Milei, who has expressed skepticism about climate change. Milei eliminated the country's environment ministry shortly after taking office in December 2023. He is also pursuing investment to monetize oil and gas reserves, with a focus on the Vaca Muerta unconventional formation. Vaca Muerta has an estimated 308 trillion cf of natural gas and 16bn bl of oil, according to the US Energy Information Administration. In October, the government created the Argentina LNG division with a plan to involve private companies and the state-owned YPF to produce and export up to 30mn metric tonnes (t)/yr of LNG by 2030. It wants to export 1mn bl of crude. The plans are closely linked to a new investment framework, known as RIGI, that will provide incentives for large-scale investments. The administration is also pushing hard for investment in critical minerals, including copper and lithium. Argentina has the world's second-largest lithium resources, estimated at 22mn t by the US Geological Survey. It has copper potential that the RIGI would help tap. The government has not specified if pulling out of Cop 29 means Argentina will withdraw from the Paris Agreement, which Argentina ratified in 2016. The country's nationally determined contribution calls for net emissions not to exceed 359mn t of CO2 by 2030. This represents a 21pc reduction of emissions from the maximum reached in 2007. By Lucien Chauvin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US inflation rises in October to 2.6pc

13/11/24

US inflation rises in October to 2.6pc

Houston, 13 November (Argus) — US inflation ticked higher in October, led by monthly gains in shelter, a reminder that the last lap in the Federal Reserve's marathon to bring inflation to its long-term target remains a challenge. The consumer price index (CPI) accelerated to an annual 2.6pc in October, in line with analysts' forecasts in a survey by Trading Economics, from 2.4pc in September, which was the lowest since February 2021, the Labor Department reported today. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose at a 3.3pc rate, unchanged on the month. The energy index contracted by 4.9pc over the 12 months, slowing from a decline of 6.8pc through September. The gasoline index fell by 12.2pc, slowing from a 15.3pc decrease the prior month. The fuel oil index fell by 20.8pc. Federal Reserve policymakers last week cut the target rate by a quarter point, following a half-point cut in September that kicked off an easing cycle from then-23-year highs. Inflation has slowed to near the Fed's 2pc target from highs above 9pc in mid-2022 that proved to be a major impetus behind president-elect Donald Trump's victory at the ballot box on 5 November. The CME's FedWatch tool today gives near-80pc odds of another quarter-point cut in December. "The economy can develop in a way that would cause us to go faster or slower" in adjusting rates lower, Fed chair Jerome Powell told reporters last week after the Fed decision. The food index rose by an annual 2.1pc, slowing from a 2.3pc gain through September. Shelter rose by an annual 4.9pc, unchanged. Transportation services rose by 8.2pc. New vehicles fell by 1.3pc while used vehicle prices fell by 3.4pc. Services less energy services, viewed as core services, rose by 4.8pc. On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.2pc in October, a fourth month of such gains after falling by 0.1pc in June. Core inflation rose by 0.3pc for a third month. Shelter accelerated to a 0.4pc monthly gain, accounting for over half of the monthly all-items increase, after a 0.2pc gain. Energy was unchanged in October after falling by 1.9pc in September from the prior month. Food rose by 0.2pc on the month, following a 0.4pc gain. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Five factors to watch for in the tungsten market

13/11/24

Five factors to watch for in the tungsten market

Barcelona, 13 November (Argus) — The tungsten market is evolving quickly and Argus has identified five key developments to watch out for in the market, following the International Tungsten Industry Association (ITIA) conference in Barcelona last week. Increasing demand for tungsten concentrate Tungsten scrap availability is declining, which has increased global consumption of tungsten concentrate. China in particular has a growing appetite for tungsten, and tungsten concentrate prices in the country are rising significantly. Between January and August this year, China's tungsten concentrate imports rose by 95pc, driven by strong domestic demand for raw material feedstock which has faced tight supply for the past two years. Furthermore, production costs in the Chinese tungsten market have risen rapidly. According to a panellist, only a few new projects are expected to be operational this year. Argus' European tungsten concentrate price stood at $260-270/kg on 13 November, up by 8pc on the year. Mergers and acquisitions activity intensifies The industry is experiencing an uptick in mergers and acquisitions, with more expected in the near term. This aligns with broader trends in the global mining sector. Market sources indicated that they expect one or two acquisitions annually in the tungsten sector, with increased activity projected by next year. Over the next decade, industry consolidation is expected, especially in the US where the market remains fragmented. "Companies have the option to grow organically or through acquiring smaller firms, for instance, in the tooling market," a supplier stated. This consolidation trend is already under way in China, leading to more integrated tungsten supply chains. Due diligence requirements evolve There is growing pressure for improved due diligence across the supply chain, although challenges remain. Some downstream consumers are adopting risk-avoidance strategies rather than risk mitigation, asking their entire supply chains to stop sourcing materials from "suspended countries." Disputes regarding due diligence mechanisms amid conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo add complexity in this area. Additionally, with the US increasing tariffs on Chinese tungsten products, Chinese smelters may shift from the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) to their own guidelines, recently introduced in 2023 by the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals and Chemicals Importers and Exporters (CCCMC). This shift could enhance their negotiating leverage and may require cross-recognition between the RMAP and CCCMC, potentially benefiting downstream companies. Diversification of supply chains Concerns about a trade war between the US and China and over-reliance on one supplier are driving efforts for supply chain diversification in western countries. The US already charges a 25pc duty on imported Chinese tungsten products. This could escalate under president-elect Donald Trump, who proposed tariffs of up to 60pc on imports from China during his campaign. Notably, China accounts for over 80pc of global tungsten production. Initiatives to diversify sources are under way, such as the Sangdong mine in South Korea, which is expected on line next year. In the US, the Department of Defense is providing funding opportunities for the development of domestic mining. At the moment, Guardian Metals in Nevada is the only project that could come into production in the US in the next three years. Defence, energy and mining could partially offset auto demand decline The tungsten industry is exploring new sector applications to address demand shortfalls in the automotive industry. Electric vehicles utilise less metal than gasoline and diesel vehicles. But there is increasing demand from the mining, oil and gas sectors, as well as military applications and aircraft. Market sources have high expectations for tungsten's use in nuclear fusion engines, which are expected to become a reality potentially within three years. In China, demand for tungsten wire in the solar industry has grown owing to the country's decarbonisation targets, although overcapacity in solar glass could affect this demand. And there have been developments in semiconductors, with chipmakers like Nvidia and TSMC using tungsten wires for chip and panel production. By Cristina Belda Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

CNGR’s NNI produces high-grade Ni matte in Indonesia

13/11/24

CNGR’s NNI produces high-grade Ni matte in Indonesia

Singapore, 13 November (Argus) — Nadesico Nickel Industry (NNI), the Indonesian subsidiary of major Chinese lithium-ion battery cathode active material (CAM) precursor manufacturer CNGR, produced its first batch of high-grade nickel matte (HGNM) on 6 November. NNI has the capacity to produce nickel pig iron (NPI), low-grade nickel matte (LGNM) or HGNM, depending on market conditions and profitability. The company is ramping up six production lines in north Morowali, Central Sulawesi, while simultaneously constructing another two lines. LGNM production capacity stands at around 80,000 t/yr in nickel metal equivalent, while the full ramp-up of all production lines could yield up to 40,000t of nickel metal equivalent in HGNM, according to CNGR. But market participants anticipate that the NNI project will primarily focus on NPI production, with each production line having a capacity of around 12,000 t/yr in nickel metal equivalent in NPI. HGNM is used in the production of nickel sulphate, a feedstock for lithium-nickel-cobalt-manganese oxide CAM battery or nickel production. CNGR operates another HGNM project in Indonesia with a production capacity of 60,000 t/yr in nickel metal equivalent, along with two other projects producing LGNM, with a combined nameplate capacity of 55,000 t/yr. CNGR, from its Indonesian operations, produced approximately 60,000t in nickel metal equivalent from January to September. This figure excludes output from its first and only class I nickel Indonesian refinery, ZWDX, which commenced production in June 2023 and has a nameplate capacity of 50,000 t/yr. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

EU steelmakers ask for scrap export curbs

12/11/24

EU steelmakers ask for scrap export curbs

London, 12 November (Argus) — European steel producers association Eurofer continues to lobby the European Commission to curb scrap exports as the industry looks to decarbonise. On 12 November, Eurofer reiterated its view that the commission "recognise steel scrap as a strategic secondary raw material under the critical Raw Material Act, ensure the robust implementation and effective enforcement of the revised EU Waste Shipment Regulation to ensure compliance with the EU environmental standards in third countries and avoid circumvention, while securing a sustainable and diversified raw materials supply by leveraging bilateral Free Trade Agreements, granting reciprocal market access and eliminating illegal export bans and other distortions." EU scrap consumption is due to increase significantly in the coming years. "Scrap exports to third countries without comparable environmental and social standards [therefore] need to be restricted to ensure that the use of ferrous scrap generated in the EU contributes to sustainability objectives aligned with the EU ones," Eurofer said. The EU has long been a net exporter of ferrous scrap, with outflows of the material standing just shy of 11mn t in the first eight months of this year, customs figures show. Last year the EU exported 17.67mn t of ferrous scrap, a 5pc rise on the year. The bloc's trade has always been heavily focused on Turkey, the world's largest importer of ferrous scrap, with annual trade ranging from over half to two-thirds of total exported volumes in the past five years. Turkey, with around three-quarters of steel production based on electric arc furnace route, is heavily reliant on European-origin material. Turkey's share of EU exports increased in recent years after the UK left the EU, but the share of shipments from the bloc started rising from the second half of the mid-2010s, when Russia, another major ferrous scrap supplier to Turkey, started restricting exports. Russian exports of scrap to Turkey fell from around 2.5mn t in 2018, to 1.9mn t in 2019 and 2021 and to just over 400,000t in 2022-24. The EU's major trading partners for scrap include Egypt, India and Pakistan, all of which are third countries to the EU and non-OECD countries whose import volumes have been increasing as Asia continued to grow its steelmaking capacities, mostly through the IF (induction furnace) route. The EU's intention to restrict scrap exports has been deeply unsettling for the many developing markets' representatives, as much as its movement towards the implementation of CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), which will reduce the possibility of exports to the EU from countries where steelmaking processes and carbon emissions are not compliant with the EU's stricter standards. By Corey Aunger and Katya Ourakova Annual EU-27 ferrous scrap exports metric tonnes Country 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Turkey 11,247,281.0 12,676,091.0 10,327,403.0 10,088,491.0 6,826,876.0 Egypt 1,076,930.0 1,810,866.0 1,431,831.0 1,570,352.0 1,237,722.0 India 443,130.0 294,994.0 1,108,881.0 1,906,608.0 576,008.0 Pakistan 853,178.0 727,466.0 700,879.0 731,182.0 371,943.0 Switzerland 455,034.0 511,098.0 463,440.0 339,894.0 355,709.0 Norway 314,627.0 294,956.0 396,933.0 451,873.0 309,299.0 Morocco 197,803.0 329,901.0 556,417.0 442,498.0 258,630.0 UK 361,741.0 307,281.0 307,173.0 275,125.0 203,786.0 US 622,523.0 574,264.0 316,077.0 694,507.0 182,064.0 Moldova (Rep. of) 251,184.0 344,609.0 79,788.0 192,964.0 179,579.0 Republic of North Macedonia 74,951.0 106,400.0 112,176.0 165,404.0 115,626.0 Bangladesh 107,611.0 149,570.0 700,108.0 388,936.0 91,410.0 Total 16,371,459 18,542,680 16,843,989 17,674,602 10,822,245 2024 data for January to August — Customs and Eurostat data Turkey's total and European scrap imports, 2010-24 Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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