IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from August 15

The world’s biggest copper consumer could be getting ready to start spending, analysts told Fastmarkets. Analysts expect China’s State Grid Corp of China, whose budget comprises 50% of the country’s annual copper demand, to come good on promises to increase investment on the nation’s electronic grid by 5% this year.

China’s alumina market is showing signs of a recovery following the emergence of higher offer prices by domestic producers this week due to a number of production cuts in the country, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 14.

International inquiries for cobalt metal from China picked up quickly over the past week after the premium that the Chinese metal price holds against the European price narrowed sharply on August 14.

Southwestern China’s Kunming Intermediate People’s Court will auction all of the 18,661 tonnes of antimony ingots held by the collapsed Fanya Metal Exchange in late August, according to an official notice seen by Fastmarkets on August 15.

Chilean state-owned copper producer Codelco began operations at Chuquicamata’s subterranean phase on August 14, with an aim to increase mine life by 40 years and to improve the division’s productivity, the company said.