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☆ China export curbs choke off shipments of gallium, germanium for second month
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

China's exports of wrought germanium products stood at 1 kilogram, versus zero in August after a flurry of buying prior to the restrictions saw shipments of wrought products surge to 8.63 metric tons in July. China exported no wrought gallium products in August and September. Exporters of germanium and gallium products now need to obtain an export licence for dual-use items and technologies, meaning those with potential military and civilian applications. Some Chinese companies have obtained export licences for gallium and germanium products, the Ministry of Commerce said in September. China's exports of wrought germanium totaled 36.49 tons in the first nine months of 2023, up 47.4% on the year, while shipments of wrought gallium fell 61.9% on the year to 22.72 tons over the same period.

Persons: Amy Lv, Dominique Patton Organizations: cnsphoto, REUTERS, Rights, Ministry of Commerce, Shanghai Metals, Thomson Locations: Ningbo Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China, Rights BEIJING, Beijing, Washington

☆ Chinese gallium prices hit 7-month high as demand improves, shipments resume
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Chinese prices of chip-making metal gallium hit their highest since February this week on stronger domestic demand and growing hopes of recovering exports, analysts and suppliers said. The spot price of gallium metal reached 1,975 yuan ($269.95) per kg on Oct. 18, up 18% since the start of July and up 8% since Aug. 1, data from consultancy Shanghai Metals Market showed. The Ministry of Commerce said last month that some Chinese companies have obtained export licences for gallium and germanium products. European prices of gallium metal surged by 68% from early July to $475 per kg on Oct. 18 and was up 23% from August, data from information provider Fastmarkets showed. ($1 = 7.3162 Chinese yuan)Reporting by Amy Lv and Dominique Patton in Beijing; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Florence Lo, Li Yilan, Antaike, Amy Lv, Dominique Patton, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, . Geological Survey, Shanghai Metals, Beijing, Commerce, Fastmarkets, Thomson Locations: China, Rights BEIJING, Beijing

☆ China exported no germanium, gallium in Aug due to export curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s exports of germanium and gallium products in August plunged to zero，customs data showed on Wednesday, due to new export controls on the two chipmaking metals. There were also no exports of wrought gallium products in August. In July, China announced restrictions on the export of eight gallium and six germanium products starting Aug. 1, the latest salvo in an escalating war between Beijing and Washington over access to materials used in making high-tech microchips. Under the new rules, exporters of germanium and gallium products now need to obtain an export licence for dual-use items and technologies, meaning those with potential military and civilian applications. Chinese spot gallium prices slid last month as stocks piled up in the domestic market due to the export controls and subdued demand.

Persons: Florence Lo Organizations: REUTERS, Beijing, Shanghai Metals Locations: BEIJING, China, Beijing, Washington, Shanghai

☆ Chinese rare earth prices hit 20-month high on Myanmar supply worry
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING/HANOI (Reuters) -Chinese rare earth prices jumped to their highest in 20 months, as mining suspension in major producer Myanmar sparked stockpiling ahead of the peak consumption season, analysts said on Thursday. A mining machine is seen at the Bayan Obo mine containing rare earth minerals, in Inner Mongolia, China July 16, 2011. Rare earth is a prized group of 17 minerals used in consumer electronics and military equipment. Myanmar accounted for 38% of rare earth imports into China in January-July, Chinese trade data showed, while the Southeast Asian country was the fourth biggest source of rare earth mining in 2022, data by the U.S. Geological Survey showed. ($1 = 7.3275 Chinese yuan renminbi)

Persons: Stringer, Eikon, SMM, “, ”, Yang Jiawen, David Merriman, Merriman, ” Merriman, SMM’s Yang Organizations: REUTERS, Shanghai Metals, Mines, U.S . Geological Survey, Reuters Locations: BEIJING, HANOI, Myanmar, Bayan, Inner Mongolia, China, Myanmar’s Pangwa, Kachin State, Chipwi, Pangwa, Kachin, Southern China, Laos, Jiangxi province

China has stepped up domestic output of refined zinc this year, but the Shanghai market continues to be plagued by low inventory and tight time-spreads. China's imports, exports and net trade in refined zincRETURN TO THE IMPORT MARKETChina was a consistent net importer of refined zinc over the last decade, but that changed in 2022. Shanghai zinc stocks seasonal patterns over 2020-2023LOW INVENTORYShFE registered stocks stand at a modest 43,181 tons. Sentiment, however, holds the real key to the Shanghai premium. The country's trade in refined zinc may prove a useful mirror on that question over the next few months.

Persons: Cash, It's, Jan Harvey Organizations: Share, Shanghai Futures Exchange, London Metal Exchange, Shanghai Metal, Citi, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Eritrea's, Asmara, Eritrea, China, Shanghai, Europe, Turkey, U.S, Antwerp, Singapore, Malaysia's Port Klang, Kaohsiung, Guangdong, London

☆ Some Chinese steel mills ordered to cap output this year - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, July 25 (Reuters) - Several Chinese steel mills have received instructions to cap this year's output at the same level as 2022, five people familiar with the matter and analyst reports said on Tuesday, potentially curbing iron ore demand in the world's top steel market. China has mandated zero output growth in its steel sector for the last two years as it seeks to limit carbon emissions by one of its most polluting industries. China's state planner did not respond to a fax seeking comment on the caps issued at some steel mills. Some mills in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin were notified to keep steel output below the 2022 level, according to reports by local consultancies Mysteel and Fubao on Tuesday, which did not specify the number of mills. However, a dozen mills in northern Chinese cities including Tianjin and Handan contacted by Reuters said they had not yet received any instructions to cap their output.

Persons: Dominique Patton, Chizu Organizations: China Baowu Steel Group, Shanghai Metals, Reuters, Shanghai Futures Exchange, National Bureau, Statistics, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Tianjin, Fubao, Shanghai, Handan, Beijing

Expressed in terms of annualised run-rates, China's output of 39.9 million tonnes last month was the lowest in a year and down by 1.6 million tonnes from August's record 41.5 million. China's aluminium production is now highly dependent on weather patterns in the south of the country. China's average daily aluminium output and monthly annualised changePRAYING FOR RAINYunnan province accounts for around 12% of China's aluminium capacity and produced 4.2 million tonnes in 2022. WESTERN PRODUCTION FLAT-LINESPrimary aluminium production outside of China was flat year-on-year in the first quarter. WEATHER WATCHHowever, China's dominant position in the global aluminium picture means that it holds the key to future production patterns.

Maike's absence has encouraged some direct trade between sellers and buyers in the market but they face challenges. Fitch Solutions expects China's copper consumption to rise 4.4% this year, after just 1.5% growth in 2022. Anti-pandemic restrictions had also prolonged smelter maintenance and curtailed copper production growth last year, especially in the Guangdong area. Some smelters there have hiked their offers for 2023 copper premiums to 300 yuan a tonne, up from 200 yuan a tonne last year, a Shanghai-based trader said. While Maike's disappearance from the import market has been blamed for disrupting supplies and pricing, China's refined copper imports increased 6.6% in 2022, according to customs data.

China's net refined copper imports and year-on-year changeBOOMING IMPORTSThe strength of last year's imports was even more surprising given the financial problems at privately-owned Maike Group. But it has clearly had minimal impact on the overall flow of refined copper into China. But China's imports of Russian copper actually fell by 20% to 324,000 tonnes in 2022. China's net imports of refined copper were running below year-earlier levels through May but steadily accelerated over the second part of the year. Goldman suggests that a sign of restocking by China's copper sector would be net refined imports being consistently higher than 280,000 tonnes per month.

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