Fastmarkets is inviting feedback from the industry on the pricing methodologies for North America Timber and Biomass Markets which include Log Lines and Woodfiber & Biomass Markets as part of its announced annual methodology review process.

The ongoing US government shutdown is reshaping the steel industry as stalled federal projects, delayed contracts and budget uncertainty ripple through domestic supply chains. With infrastructure spending on hold, producers are confronting weaker demand and rising pressure across the broader manufacturing sector.

Harena Resources is staking a claim in Madagascar’s rare earths sector, intending to supply the US amid rising global demand and the continued dominance of Chinese producers, the company’s chairman has told Fastmarkets.

The US tungsten supply chain is entering a period of transformation as defense-related funding, new domestic projects, and global trade restrictions reshape market dynamics. The growing focus on national security and critical minerals is driving fresh momentum in US tungsten production.

In this Fast Forward episode, Major General Alberto Rosende, CEO of M2I Global, joins Andrea Hotter with William Adams and Alex Cook to unpack the next generation of the US critical minerals stockpile strategy – and its impact.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will undergo a formal review starting in July 2026 as the Aluminum Association seeks tariff harmonization and import monitoring across the North American market.

Fastmarkets wishes to clarify details around the following aspects of the pricing methodology for MB-BMS-0014 Black mass, NCM/NCA, payable indicator, cobalt, max 5% moisture, exw USA, % payable Fastmarkets’ standard-grade cobalt price (low-end) and MB-BMS-0015 Black mass, NCM/NCA, payable indicator, nickel, max 5% moisture, exw USA, % payable LME Nickel cash official price.

Fastmarkets will apply moisture limits of maximum 5% on its black mass payables indicators across several of its markets following a one-month consultation period.

Xerion Advanced Battery Corp. is about to commission a 50-tonne cobalt production unit in Dayton, Ohio, part of its strategy to scale early annual output to 2,000 tonnes.

Rising energy costs and policy decisions are shaping the future of US aluminium smelting. Domestic production, investment and competitiveness depend on low-cost power, tariff impacts and the transition to renewable and nuclear energy sources.