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Down 45% so far this year, palladium is on course for its worst year of losses since 2008, when the financial crash hit demand. Top producer Russia's Nornickel expects the palladium market to swing to a surplus of 300,000 ounces in 2024 from a 200,000-ounce deficit in 2023 due to supplies, boosted by recycling, outpacing demand. Consultancy Metals Focus forecasts above-ground palladium stocks of about 11.64 million ounces in 2023, compared with 12.35 million in 2022 and 12.89 million in 2021 - meaning ample supplies. In March 2022, palladium was trading at more than double the price of platinum, prompting a switch by automakers. However, longer-term Metals Focus is quite bearish on palladium," said Nikos Kavalis, managing director at Metals Focus.

Persons: Alexander Manzyuk, hastening, Russia's Nornickel, John Meyer, Edward Meir, Nikos Kavalis, Brijesh Patel, Harshit Verma, Ashitha, Anjana Anil, Anushree Mukherjee, Abhijith, Arpan Varghese, Pratima Desai, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, Russia, ICE, International Energy, Consultancy, Metals, Thomson Locations: Siberian, Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Ukraine, Bengaluru

The project to revamp the LME's electronic system was due to go live in June this year. Sources said the front-end trading platform developed by U.S.-based Trading Technologies does not work for the complicated structure of contracts on the LME. In response to a request for comment, Trading Technologies said: "We would defer to the LME on this." The problem comes from the LME's unique date structure which allows trading for any day between the cash contract and the benchmark three-month forward. One important aspect, the LME said, is aligning its platform with other exchanges.

Persons: Peter Nicholls, Pratima Desai, David Evans Organizations: London Metal Exchange, City of, REUTERS, Companies Hong Kong Exchanges, Trust, Hong Kong Exchanges, HK, U.S, Technologies, Trading Technologies, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain

☆ Codelco says reassessing mine costs, will maintain capex
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Pratima Desai | Julian Luk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON (Reuters) - Chile’s Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, is reassessing the cost structure at its mine projects, its chairman said on Friday, given recent overruns. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, is seen at their headquarters in downtown Santiago, Chile March 29, 2018. The company, which has some of the highest input costs for miners in Chile, said in July direct production costs during the first six months of the year jumped 41.3% to hit about $2.12 per pound, from $1.506 the year before. In response, Codelco said it had a solid financial position and broad access to financial markets. The South American country has the world’s largest lithium reserves.

Persons: Codelco, Ivan Alvarado, Maximo Pacheco, Pacheco, ” Pacheco, Alejandro Rivera, Rivera’s, Rodrigues, Blaine J, Maximo Pacheco’s Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, London Metal Exchange, for Copper, Mining Studies, Moody’s Investor Services Locations: Santiago, Chile, London, China

☆ Prices tumble for cobalt used for electric vehicle batteries
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Pratima Desai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Vincent West Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Prices of the cobalt hydroxide used to make chemicals for electric vehicle batteries have plummeted due to an upsurge of supplies from top producer Democratic Republic of Congo. Cobalt hydroxide is produced in Congo, where it is a byproduct of copper. According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI), payables in August dropped to 46% of the cobalt metal price compared with around 90% in late 2021 and early 2022 when cobalt metal traded around $60,000 a metric ton. "These developments pose long-term challenges to cobalt demand," analysts at Morgan Stanley said in a note. "We see cobalt prices remaining under pressure as supply growth and CMOC destocking come through."

Persons: Vincent West, Roman Aubry, Tenke, Morgan Stanley, destocking, Pratima Desai, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Democratic, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, BMI, China's CMOC, Thomson Locations: Bilbao, Spain, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, payables, Indonesia, DRC

☆ Codelco ends long-term mined copper deals to China clients from 2025 -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Julian Luk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Codelco El Teniente copper mine, the world's largest underground copper mine is shown near Rancagua, Chile August 13, 2020. Output at the world's largest copper producer has been dropping despite $15 billion invested in flagship mines including El Teniente and Chuquicamata where costs have overrun significantly, according to an influential industry body. Codelco accounts for 29% of Chile's copper production. The world's largest consumer of industrial metals bought 25.3 million tonnes of copper concentrates last year, according to International Copper Study Group. The global copper concentrate market is expected to see a steep deficit during 2025-2027 as Asian and African smelters ramp up capacity, outpacing mine supply.

Persons: Fabian Cambero, Codelco, Julian Luk, Pratima Desai, Veronica Brown, David Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Codelco, Evergreen, Copper Study, Thomson Locations: Rancagua, Chile, Chilean, Codelco, China

A company logo of Shanghai Futures Exchange is displayed at a booth during LME Week Asia in Hong Kong, China June 14, 2016. REUTERS/Bobby Yip Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING/LONDON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The Shanghai Futures Exchange (ShFE) is looking into the possible launch of nickel futures for international use, a potential challenge to the London Metal Exchange's (LME) contract, five sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Average daily LME nickel volumes plunged because of the crisis. CME Group (CME.O) is also looking to launch a nickel contract that would settle against prices gathered from a platform to be launched by British-based Global Commodities Holdings (GCH). CME did not respond to a request for an update on its plans for a nickel contract.

Persons: Bobby Yip, ShFE, Nickel, GCH, Pratima Desai, Siyi Liu, Julian Luk, Veronica Brown, Alexander Smith Organizations: Shanghai Futures, REUTERS, Rights, Shanghai Futures Exchange, London, Reuters, International Energy Exchange, CME, Global Commodities Holdings, Thomson Locations: Asia, Hong Kong, China, Rights BEIJING, LONDON, British, Singapore, Abaxx

☆ As Apple launches new phone, key facts on titanium
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A man check his phone near an Apple logo outside its store in Shanghai, China September 13, 2023. China's titanium producers said they expect stronger demand after the launch of the new Apple models. Titanium minerals are used to make titanium sponge which can be turned into metal for industrial applications. China was the second largest importer of titanium sponge with more than 13,000 tons last year, followed by South Korea with 9,000 tons, according to TDM. WHAT IS TITANIUM USED FOR?

Persons: Aly, Pratima Desai, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Apple, REUTERS, United States Geological Survey, WHO, Trade Data Monitor, Titans, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Japan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, United States, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, vaping

☆ Chile's Codelco at risk of insolvency as debt grows, CESCO report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Julian Luk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Chile's Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, is at risk of insolvency due to rising costs and a growing debt pile stemming from projects that missed output targets, Chile’s Centre for Copper and Mining Studies (CESCO) said in a report seen by Reuters. At the heart of Chile's mining industry, Codelco needs to revive it's copper production from a 25-year low. "Codelco has explained...it will not redirect its focus from copper production or divert resources from other areas," Codelco said in an emailed response. Codelco's production in the first half of 2023 was 633,000 metric tons of copper, the lowest in 25 years. Over the past five years, its copper production has dropped 17% and is expected to keep falling until 2025.

Persons: Ivan Alvarado, Codelco, Andre Sougarret, Sougarret, CESCO, Julian Luk, Fabian Cambero, Pratima Desai, Veronica Brown, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, for Copper, Mining Studies, Reuters, Codelco, Thomson Locations: Santiago, Chile

☆ Exclusive: China's Nanfang to open major copper smelter ahead of expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Julian Luk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The 400,000 metric ton-per-year smelter, located in Chongzuo city of Guangxi prefecture, will start processing copper concentrates within three months - compared with market expectations for the first half of 2024. "It came as a surprise," one major copper concentrates supplier said, adding that Nanfang had been buying more raw copper materials on the spot market over the past two weeks. Purchasing copper concentrates requires access to liquidity and cash, particularly given relatively high copper prices around $8,400 a metric ton. "It is easier to finance copper projects, credit lines are sufficient to kick-start the second smelting line. Rising domestic copper smelting capacity in China will mean growing demand for copper concentrates and less appetite for buying refined copper from foreign companies.

Persons: Nanfang Nonferrous, Nanfang, COVID, Tongling, Julian Luk, Pratima Desai, Veronica Brown, David Evans Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: China, Chongzuo, Guangxi prefecture

An employee of a private security company stands in front of the logo of commodities trader Glencore during the company's annual shareholder meeting in Cham, Switzerland May 24, 2017. Analysts at Deutsche Bank had expected half-year earnings of $9.9 billion, while Citi's estimate was $11.4 billion. The company announced additional returns of around $2.2 billion, including a $1 billion special dividend and a $1.2 billion share buyback programme that will run until February 2024. Glencore in June offered to buy Teck's coal business as a standalone unit, having been rebuffed twice in its $22.5 billon bid to combine the two companies. As part of the deal, Glencore would spin-off and merge its thermal coal business with Teck's steelmaking coal one to form a separate New York-listed company.

Persons: Arnd, Glencore, Gary Nagle, Nagle, MARA, didn't, Bunge, Clara Denina, Pratima Desai, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Canada's, Canada's Teck Resources, Tinto, Teck Resources, Deutsche Bank, Citi, U.S, Thomson Locations: Cham, Switzerland, Canada's Teck, Teck, China, New York, London, U.S

While there are no international sanctions on Russian metal, many consumers are shunning aluminium produced by Rusal (RUAL.MM), which accounts for 6% of global supplies. U.S. import tariffs on Russian aluminium and products are also prompting some consumers to "self-sanction". Some analysts estimate the discount for Russian aluminium at $100-$300 per metric ton, Norsk Hydro said. As LME aluminium prices are referenced in contracts between consumers, producers and traders, the dominance of Russian aluminium in the system is a problem, said Norsk Hydro's Chief Financial Officer Paal Kildemo. "There is still a risk that even more Russian aluminium will be delivered to LME further weighing on the reference price...

Persons: Paal Kildemo, Kildemo, Rusal, Pratima Desai, Polina Devitt, Eric Onstad, Veronica Brown, Jason Neely Organizations: London Metal Exchange, Norsk Hydro, Reuters, Britain's Financial, Authority, Norsk, Shanghai Futures Exchange, CME, Hydro, FCA, Thomson Locations: Norwegian

LONDON/BEIJING, July 13 (Reuters) - The Shanghai Futures Exchange (ShFE) is looking to expand its commodities warehousing network outside China, and is examining systems and regulations in the sector overseas, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. China, the world's largest consumer and producer of industrial metals such as copper, wants domestic players to be able to exert more influence over prices, the sources said. To achieve that, two of the sources said, it launched an international copper futures contract in November 2020 on the Shanghai International Energy Exchange (INE). KEY DIFFERENCESSources say there are a couple of major differences between the way warehousing works in China and the rest of the world. Outside China, metal is insured by its owner and the warehouse company is typically only liable if it was proved negligent.

Persons: ShFE, Pratima Desai, Veronica Brown, Jan Harvey Organizations: LONDON, Shanghai Futures Exchange, Reuters, bourse, London Metal Exchange, Shanghai International Energy Exchange, Hong Kong Exchanges, HK, South East, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, United States, Europe, Asia, The London, LME, Singapore, Thailand, South East Asia

☆ IEA says critical minerals supply could pull close to demand by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Eric Onstad | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But after investment in critical minerals production jumped 30% last year to $41 billion, having gained 20% in 2021, that picture is looking brighter, the IEA said. In key battery mineral lithium, the IEA forecasts supply by 2030 will reach 420,000 metric tons - only a touch short of demand estimated at 443,000 to meet government pledges, though well below the 702,000 required for net zero. Critical mineral start-up firms raised a record $1.6 billion in 2022, up 160% from the previous year, the IEA said. Demand for critical minerals has surged over the past five years, including a tripling in consumption of lithium and a jump of 70% for cobalt, with the total critical mineral market now worth $320 billion, it said. Mining companies needed to make more progress in curbing greenhouse gas emissions and water use, the IEA said.

Persons: Fatih Birol, Pratima Desai Organizations: Miners, International Energy Agency, Consultants, Reuters, . Mining, Thomson Locations: Paris, China, Indonesia, Congo

☆ What are Gallium and Germanium and which countries are producers?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Germanium ores are rare and most germanium is a by-product of zinc production and from coal fly ash. Gallium is found in trace amounts in zinc ores and in bauxite, and gallium metal is produced when processing bauxite to make aluminium. U.S. imports of gallium metal and gallium arsenide (GaAs) wafers in 2022 were worth about $3 million and $200 million, respectively, according to USGS. U.S.-based Indium Corporation also produces germanium, while Belgium's Umicore (UMI.BR) makes both germanium and gallium. "Zinc selenide and germanium glass substitute for germanium metal in infrared applications systems, but often at the expense of performance."

Persons: Belgium's, Eikon, Dominique Patton, Mai Nguyen, Melanie Burton, Pratima Desai, Tom Hogue, Himani Sarkar, Catherine Evans, David Evans Organizations: Alliance, . Geological Survey, WHO, Teck Resources, Shanghai Metal Exchange, Thomson Locations: China, Canada, Finland, Russia, United States, Europe, Japan, U.S, South Korea, Germany, Kazakhstan, Teck, North America, British Columbia, Beijing

LONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - Newmont (NEM.N) has declared force majeure on deliveries of some metal products from its Peñasquito mine in Mexico, the U.S.-listed miner told Reuters, citing strike action as a constraint on output. Peñasquito is a major producer of zinc and lead, as well as gold. In a February outlook, Newmont said Peñasquito was expected to produce between 190,510 and 208,654420 metric tons of zinc this year and 77,111 and 86,183 tons of lead. Companies declare force majeure when unexpected circumstances prevent them from meeting contract obligations. "Due to interruptions in production caused by the union strike at Newmont's Peñasquito mine in Mexico, force majeure has been declared with certain customers for some of the mine's products," Newmont said in an emailed statement.

Persons: Newmont, Peñasquito, majeure, Boliden, Pratima Desai, Clara Denina, Kirsten Donovan, Jane Merriman Organizations: Companies, National Union of Mine, Metal Workers, London Metal Exchange, Thomson Locations: Mexico, U.S, Mexican Republic, Ireland, Sweden

☆ Exclusive: Gerald Group's 'tin concentrate' bought in Brazil revealed to be sand
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Pratima Desai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The trader supplies tin concentrate to the Thai smelter Thaisarco, which does not price or pay for the material until after it has arrived and been authenticated. Fifty containers would hold 1,250 metric tonnes of tin concentrate and Brazilian concentrate would yield 875 tonnes of metal. In addition to selling tin to Thaisarco, Gerald typically sends tin concentrate to Malaysia Smelting Corp (MSCB.KL) to turn into metal in a process known as tolling. Tin concentrate from Brazil typically contains about 70% metal. With regional variations, tin concentrate also contains byproducts or impurities such as iron, antimony, bismuth, lead and silver.

Persons: Gerald Group, Gerald, Andrew Davies, Pratima Desai, Veronica Brown, Barbara Lewis, Catherine Evans Organizations: Reuters, London Metal Exchange, Malaysia Smelting Corp, Geological Survey, Thomson Locations: Brazil, Asia, London, Thaisarco

☆ Buying Teck's coal unit as a standalone a 'distant second' for Glencore - CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, May 16 (Reuters) - Buying Teck Resources' (TECKb.TO) coal business as a standalone unit is a "distant second" for Glencore (GLEN.L) and Teck should not leave out the Swiss miner if it keeps pursuing its separation plan, boss Gary Nagle told the Bank of America conference in Barcelona on Tuesday. Teck has rebuffed the Swiss miner and trader's $22.5 billon offer to combine the two companies, instead pursuing plans to separate its copper and coal business. Glencore's plan would combine and spin off its thermal coal unit and Teck's steelmaking coal business. As part of its proposal, Glencore has offered up to $8.2 billion in cash to Teck shareholders who may not want exposure to thermal coal, the most polluting fossil fuel. Reporting by Clara Denina, additional reporting by Pratima Desai; editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Big copper deals to take centerstage in Santiago as demand heats up
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Lundin Mining Corp (LUN.TO) is paying nearly $1 billion for control of Chile's Caserones copper mine despite ongoing political uncertainty in the country. "The green transformation theme remains a strong tailwind for copper, the king of green metals," Saxo Bank strategist Ole Hansen told Reuters. Global copper demand expected to reach 53 million tonnes annually by 2053 - more than double current levels - but supply is still expected to fall short, according an S&P Global (SPGI.N) study. And Hudbay Minerals Inc (HBM.TO) last week said it would pay $439 million for rival Copper Mountain Mining Corp (CMMC.TO). Neighboring Peru, the world's second-largest copper producer, also expects to boost production this year.

A shareholder vote on Teck's plan is scheduled for April 26. "A vote against the separation is a vote to maintain the status quo at Teck, and there is no path that includes Glencore acquiring Teck," Price said. Teck said its board has rejected the offer as Glencore did not present a coherent plan for its proposed coal company. Analysts had last week seen room for an higher offer from Glencore to sway Teck shareholders in its favour. "This is not just about price," Price said on Monday.

April 10 (Reuters) - Canada's Teck Resources (TECKb.TO) on Monday reinforced its rejection of an unsolicited $22.5 billion bid from Glencore (GLEN.L), calling it "an illusion" and telling shareholders that its proposed restructuring is the only option on the table. "A vote against the separation is a vote to maintain the status quo at Teck, and there is no path that includes Glencore acquiring Teck," Price said. Analysts had last week seen room for an higher offer from Glencore to sway Teck shareholders in its favour. "This is not just about price," Price said on Monday. Price also said that Teck is open to partnering with Glencore and other companies on "the creation of ...joint venture to unlock regional synergies."

☆ Gupta seeks extension to challenge freezing order in Trafigura case
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 5 (Reuters) - Prateek Gupta's lawyers are seeking an extension of a deadline to challenge a $625 million global freezing order imposed by a London Court on the Indian businessman and his firms until June, a spokesperson said on Wednesday. Freezing orders are injunctions granted by the English courts to restrain individuals or businesses from disposing of or dealing with assets on a worldwide basis. Gupta previously aimed to prepare "a robust response" to the allegations and file the application to remove the freezing order by April 6. A London court imposed the freezing order, dated Feb. 8, on bank accounts and other assets tied to Gupta and seven companies Trafigura said are controlled by him, including those in Britain, Singapore, Malaysia and Switzerland. Reporting by Pratima Desai, Eric Onstad and Polina Devitt; editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Traders work on the floor of the London Metal Exchange, in London, Britain September 27, 2018. The world's largest and oldest metals market annulled all nickel trades in March last year after chaotic price action and suspended trading for the first time since 1988. "It does look from the statement that the FCA is not going to look at the cancelled trades," said a regulation lawyer. The LME faces lawsuits from U.S. hedge fund Elliott Associates and Jane Street Global Trading, which are suing the exchange for $456 million and $15.3 million, respectively, for the cancelled nickel trades. "Neither the Bank of England or the FCA have been clear about whether the LME should have cancelled the trades," said Harold de Boer, managing director at investment firm Transtrend.

The world's largest and oldest metals market annulled all nickel trades in March last year after chaotic price action and suspended trading for the first time since 1988. "That the FCA has decided to investigate means it considers there are circumstances suggesting that LME may have committed serious misconduct. ACTIVE STEPSThe 146-year-old LME said it had taken active steps to enhance nickel market liquidity and transparency, including 15% daily price limits and over the counter (OTC) position reporting for all physically delivered metals. The FCA and Bank of England began a review last April into the trading halt by the LME, owned by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (0388.HK). In January management consultants Oliver Wyman released an independent review of the nickel trading debacle and the exchange said it would set out an implementation plan for the report's recommendations by the end of March.

☆ Exclusive: CME to launch nickel contract using prices from new platform -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Pratima Desai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

CME want a nickel contract, they are planning to base it on traded prices on GCH's physical platform," one of the sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. In response to a request for comment, CME said: "We cannot comment on whether we are developing any particular product." Nickel industry sources said illiquidity meant LME nickel prices often did not represent the fundamentals of the market. "There aren't really any alternatives to the LME contract at the moment and the market needs a liquid contract. Using ShFE's nickel contract is difficult for non-Chinese firms as they need to be affiliated with a local entity and because it is priced in yuan.

☆ Gold prices seen rising towards record highs as rate rises near end
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Peter Hobson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Fast-rising interest rates hammered gold prices last year, kicking them as low as $1,613.60 in September from a high of $2,069.89 in March - just shy of a record peak in 2020. ,Charting gold prices, the U.S. dollar index and U.S. inflation-adjusted 10-year bond yields. The weakening U.S. currency and bond yields "will become macro tailwinds for the yellow metal, pushing gold above $2,000/oz in the coming months," said analysts at Bank of America. Speculators who in November were betting gold prices would fall have amassed a net long position in COMEX futures of 8.3 million ounces of gold, worth $16 billion, helping push up prices. Charting gold prices and technical indicatorsReporting by Peter Hobson; Editing by Pratima Desai and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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