ASIAN MORNING BRIEF 25/04: Copper up while other base metals fall; alumina prices hit fresh high; Freeport’s Indonesian unit faces permitting issue

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Wednesday April 25.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were broadly lower at the close of trading on Tuesday April 24, with aluminium and nickel continuing to drop while copper bucked the trend. Read more in our live futures report.

Here are how prices looked at Tuesday’s close:

Alumina prices set a fresh multiyear high on April 24, consolidating above $700 per tonne with no immediate respite in supply restrictions in the cards.

A new permitting issue has emerged at Freeport-McMoRan’s Indonesian unit following the introduction of new environmental requirements in April, the copper producer said on Tuesday.

Here are 10 key takeaways from Metal Bulletin’s and Industrial Minerals’ first Battery Materials conference in Shanghai on April 18-19.

Russian steelmaker Evraz has appointed Denis Novozhenov as vice president and head of the company’s Urals division.

Russia’s largest steelmaker, Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), recorded a 31% year-on-year increase in first-quarter earnings due to favorable pricing conditions and higher export volumes.

What to read next
Fastmarkets has launched MB-AL-0424 Aluminium P1020A premium, fob Indonesia, $/tonne on July 9 due to an expected increase in Indonesia-origin aluminium exports. MB-AL-0424 Aluminium P1020A premium, fob Indonesia, $/tonneQuality: P1020A or 99.7 % Minimum Al purity (Si 0.10% max, Fe 0.20% max) in line with LME specifications. Ingot, T-bar, sowQuantity: Min 500 tonnesLocation: FOB IndonesiaTiming: […]
To increase the transparency of our methodology, Fastmarkets clarifies that the quotation period of the MHP nickel payable indicator is the month of delivery, or the month M. Any data points Fastmarkets received otherwise will be normalized to the M month based on the monthly spreads of the prevailing exchange-traded Class-1 nickel reference price, or […]
'Probably miscalculated’ assumptions at Kakula mine force Ivanhoe to overhaul entire Kamoa-Kakula complex, explains CEO Marna Cloete.
Following an initial consultation with the market, Fastmarkets is proposing to:  The new specifications would be as follows, with amendments in italics: MB-CU-0002 Copper grade 1 cathode premium, ddp Midwest US, US cents/lb Quality: Grade A 99.9935% min copper cathode conforming to LME specifications BS EN 1978:2022 – Cu-CATH-1 or Grade 1 Electrolytic Copper Cathode ATSM B1115-10 Quantity: Min […]
Fastmarkets’ 2025 outlook for key raw materials and ingredients used in the production and distribution of fast-moving consumer goods.
Vale Base Metals plans to boost annual copper production to 700,000 tonnes by 2035, aiming to become a top-five global producer of nickel and copper. CEO Shaun Usmar highlights a focus on productivity, cost optimization and sustainable growth. With strong assets in Canada and Brazil, Vale is well-positioned to meet rising global demand.