IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from April 6

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday April 6 that are worth another look.

Italian stainless steelmaker Acciai Speciali Terni (AST) has resumed production, following a week of downtime in response to the coronavirus pandemic, sources told Fastmarkets on April 6.

The Covid-19 pandemic may have just sealed the fate of already-struggling aluminium smelting capacity.

Chile’s state copper commission, Cochilco, has lowered its estimate for the average copper price in 2020 to $2.40 per lb amid a significant downturn in demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Seaborne manganese ore prices in China soared in the week ended Friday April 3, driven by strength in the portside market following supply concerns after South Africa’s nationwide lockdown permeated the seaborne market.

Canada-based ferro-titanium producer Metalliage is considering its options after local authorities in Canada said on Sunday April 5 that all non-essential business will be closed until May 4, extending its earlier order by three weeks.

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Until now, aluminium has been hard to move, not hard to find. Global aluminium supply had remained technically intact, even as output was curtailed in parts of the Gulf, inventory buffers were drawn down or repositioned, and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was severely disrupted.
Global aluminium producers face heightened uncertainty over power supplies, with oil and gas prices elevated by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) flows, sources told Fastmarkets.
Fastmarkets is extending the consultation period for the methodology of several of its black mass payables indicators and prices, and is also proposing changes to the names of CIF South Korea and EWX Europe black mass prices.
Rio Tinto Aluminium is expanding its footprint beyond its historic hydro-powered Canadian base, targeting Europe, Asia and Latin America as part of a deliberate diversification strategy, according to the unit’s chief executive officer.
Fastmarkets has corrected its copper concentrates treatment and refinement charge indices, which were published incorrectly on March 20 2026 due to a technical error.
Fastmarkets has corrected its copper concentrates treatment and refinement charge indices, which were published incorrectly on February 27 2026 due to a backend calculation error. Fastmarkets has also corrected the indices' rationale and all related inferred indices.