Vale sees higher iron ore production in 2024

: Metals
24/09/11

Brazilian mining company Vale has increased its iron ore output projection but lowered its nickel output forecast for 2024.

The company expects to produce 323mn-330mn t of iron ore this year, up from the 310mn-320mn t projected in the second quarter of this year.

But it expects to produce less nickel this year, putting production at 153,000-168,000t, down from the 160,000-175,000t previously projected.

The reduction in Vale's nickel output forecast follows the completion of its partial divestment in PT Vale Indonesia (PTVI), it said today.

By Carolina Pulice

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25/05/09

Ford pauses production at Chicago plant

Houston, 9 May (Argus) — Automaker Ford temporarily shut down production at its Chicago, Illinois, assembly plant following a supply chain disruption. The company said it moved a planned downtime week ahead of schedule and expects to resume production by 19 May. Congressman Frank Mrvan (D-Indiana) in a US House appropriations hearing on 7 May said the shutdown was due to a shortage of critical minerals needed to produce the company's braking systems. The company did not respond to the specific elements driving the shutdown. The plant manufactures the Ford Explorer, Police Interceptor Utility and Lincoln Aviator. By Jenna Baer Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil's CSN expects flat steel, upside ahead

25/05/09

Brazil's CSN expects flat steel, upside ahead

Sao Paulo, 9 May (Argus) — Brazil's mining and steel firm CSN expects strong domestic demand to keep steel prices flat in 2025, with the potential for an uptrend in the coming months. Sales to the agricultural machinery and automotive industries should continue to trend upward , the company said. Civil construction sales have been solid and could tick up as the rainy season ends in Brazil. "Demand is good," executive director Luis Fernando Martinez said, adding that the firm will hold back price gains "to maintain profitability." The price of CSN's overall steel products increased by 5pc in the first quarter from a year earlier thanks to a 7pc increase in demand. Average steel prices hit a two-year high at R5,252 ($928)/metric tonne from R5,008/t a year earlier. Steel consumption has been climbing in Brazil and sales could have been stronger if not for growing competition from imports, the company said. Brazil's import penetration hit 27pc of the domestic market in the quarter, outstripping CSN's domestic market share. "I've never seen this in the [23 years] I've been in the company," Martinez said, calling the situation "unsustainable." Despite what he described as an inefficient tariff policy against imports, prices are expected to remain at current levels. Brazil implemented a 25pc tariff on 11 steel products from China in June 2024. The policy is set to expire by the end of May. Results Shipments reached 1.14mn t in the period, up 5pc from 1.08mn t a year earlier, driven by 8pc growth in domestic market sales. Slab production fell by 16pc to 812,000t because of a stoppage at the Rio de Janeiro-based Blast Furnace 2 in January. The company expects the asset to remain under maintenance for at least three more months. CSN produced 775,000t of flat-rolled steel in the quarter, 11pc less than a year prior. Long steel output increased by 12pc to 58,000t from a year earlier. The company registered a R732mn loss in the first quarter, 53pc higher than the R480mn loss a year before. By Isabel Filgueiras Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil's inflation accelerates to 5.53pc in April

25/05/09

Brazil's inflation accelerates to 5.53pc in April

Sao Paulo, 9 May (Argus) — Brazil's annualized inflation rate rose to 5.53pc in April, accelerating for a third month despite six central bank rate hikes since September aimed at cooling the economy. The country's annualized inflation accelerated from 5.48pc in March and 5.06pc in February, according to government statistics agency IBGE. Food and beverages rose by an annual 7.81pc, up from 7.68pc in March. Ground coffee increased at an annual 80.2pc, accelerating from 77.78pc in the month prior. Still, soybean oil prices decelerated to 22.83pc in April from 24.36pc in March. Domestic power consumption costs rose to 0.71pc from 0.33pc a month earlier. Transportation costs decelerated to 5.49pc from 6.05pc in March. Gasoline prices slowed to a 8.86pc gain from 10.89pc a month earlier. The increase in ethanol and diesel prices decelerated as well to 13.9pc and 6.42pc in April from 20.08pc and 8.13pc in March, respectively. The hike in compressed natural gas prices (CNG) fell to 3.5pc from 3.92pc a month prior. Inflation posted the seventh consecutive monthly increase above the central bank's goal of 3pc, with tolerance of 1.5 percentage point above or below. Brazil's central bank increased its target interest rate for the sixth time in a row to 14.75pc on 7 May. The bank has been trying to counter soaring inflation as it has recently changed the way it tracks its goal. Monthly cooldown But Brazil's monthly inflation decelerated to 0.43pc in April from a 0.56pc gain in March. Food and beverages decelerated on a monthly basis to 0.82pc in April from a 1.17pc increase a month earlier, according to IBGE. Housing costs also decelerated to 0.24pc from 0.14pc in March. Transportation costs contracted by 0.38pc and posted the largest monthly contraction in April. Diesel prices posted the largest contraction at 1.27pc in April. Petrobras made three diesel price readjustments in April-May. By Maria Frazatto Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Q&A: US' ACE Green bets on LFP batteries

25/05/09

Q&A: US' ACE Green bets on LFP batteries

Singapore, 9 May (Argus) — US-based battery recycler ACE Green Recycling has been focusing on the US market, particularly its upcoming Texas recycling site, and plans to run its lead-acid and lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery recycling operations alongside each other in Texas. Argus spoke with ACE Green Recycling's vice-president of investments and strategy, Aaron Wee, about their Texas site, battery recycling gate fees in Europe and the black mass market. The interview is split into two parts and part two's edited highlights follow: What's your view on the US market? The US market for lead is [one of] the most attractive market in the world. It's where you can find possibly some of the cheapest scrap batteries for lead, and also get some of the highest premiums on refined and alloyed lead. In terms of lithium, obviously the US is either the second- or the third-largest economy for [electric vehicles] and lithium batteries in general. Nowadays, with the improvements in LFP battery technology, the range and energy density problems of the past are now not really an issue. We sort of predicted the shift towards LFP quite some time ago. Back when the recyclers were concerned about nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) because we're going to get nickel, we're going to get cobalt. That was a relatively easy win for a lot of recyclers. But for us, LFP was always going to be the battery of the future. In fact, in our Texas project, we've already [begun the process of acquiring] the land and the facilities to combine both our battery recycling technology stacks and to co-locate them in a single location. But lead will start first because lead is going to make money tomorrow. LFP might take a little bit of time before feedstock actually comes in. What does ACE think of gate fees, especially in Europe? Does it distort the long-term consideration when setting up battery recycling operations? From a commercial point of view, I think depending on the battery type, that would be €500-800/t of batteries for gate fees in Europe. This may or may not hold over the next couple of years as more recycling capabilities are deployed in Europe. We won't say no to just getting money to recycle them. But our ultimate goal is not to rely on gate fees as a commercial strategy. Moving forward, I don't think any company can rely on gate fees as a strategy. It just won't be tenable. Eventually, somebody's going to be able to do it cheaper and better than you. And if you rely on gate fees, that's the end game right there. Gate fees are usually correlated with the price of lithium. [If] the price of lithium goes up, then recyclers won't [need to] rely on [gate fees]. Chances are we're going to be looking at maybe $12,000/t of lithium carbonate, [or] maybe $11,000 by the end of this year. What does ACE feel about the current pricing mechanism of black mass, battery scrap or even lithium? The correlation between lithium prices and black mass is very strong. But black mass as a commodity is a little bit trickier to export to China because of the regulations. Once they accept black mass [imports], especially LFP black mass, that will have a significant change. There will also perhaps be a fall in prices in the rest of the world because now they can sell to China, not just internally in their own domestic markets. Depending on how trade barriers may or may not come up over the next couple of months, we should see a shift in how black mass is priced. By Joseph Ho Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

EU consults on tariffs for €95bn US imports

25/05/09

EU consults on tariffs for €95bn US imports

Brussels, 9 May (Argus) — The European Commission is consulting on an extensive list, worth €95bn ($107bn), of US industrial, agricultural and other imports that could be subject to tariff countermeasures. The long list includes extends from livestock, biofuels, wood pellets to metals, aircraft, tankers and polymers . The consultation runs until midday on 10 June. It is aimed at stakeholders affected by US measures and possible EU rebalancing measures. Also considered for possible countermeasures are restrictions, worth €4.4bn, on EU exports to the US of steel, iron and aluminium scrap, as well as toluidines, alcoholic solutions and enzymes (CN codes 7204, 7602, 292143, 330210 and 350790). The commission linked the possible new measures to US universal tariffs and to Washington's specific tariffs on cars and car parts. The commission said the public consultation is a necessary procedural step. It does not automatically result in countermeasures. The EU also launched a WTO dispute procedure against the US for Washington's universal tariffs, set at 20pc for EU goods and currently paused at 10pc, and at 25pc on all imports of vehicles and car parts. The commission will need approval by EU governments under a simplified legislative procedure. Officials say this will complete a legal act for the countermeasures, making them "ready to use" if talks with the US do not produce a "satisfactory" result. The list of products potentially targeted includes livestock, along with items ranging from spectacles to antiques. The 218-page list includes a range of agricultural and food products including oats, maize, and cereal pellets. Also included are biodiesel and wood pellets (CN codes 38260010, 44013100), as well as paper and cotton products. Aluminium, iron, steel are listed together with a wide range of other goods from gas turbines, ships propellers and blades, aircraft, sea-going tankers and other vessels. Polymers, copolymers, polyesters and other products are not spared (CN codes 39039090 and more). On 10 April, the EU paused its reciprocal tariffs against the US for 90 days, responding to a US pause. The EU notes that €379bn, or 70pc, of the bloc's exports to the US are currently subject to new or paused tariffs. By Dafydd ab Iago Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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