The US is launching its first Strategic Minerals Reserve at Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada, designed as a platform for storage, refining and recycling to strengthen supply chain security.

The DRC cobalt export ban has continued to reduce China’s cobalt intermediate imports in July 2025, driving tighter supply and higher prices. Meanwhile, Chinese cobalt metal exports remained stable despite ongoing market disruptions.

In the ever-evolving landscape of the US housing market, recent trends reveal a complex interplay between lumber prices, construction activity and broader economic indicators

The US is confronting a copper supply shortfall, but one company believes that it already holds the key to unlocking hundreds of thousands of tonnes of refined copper – right here, right now.

When the US opted not to impose Section 232 tariffs on copper cathode imports last month, the market breathed a sigh of relief.

New steelmakers in Southeast Asia are embracing hydrogen-based DRI, electric arc furnaces and renewable energy to advance green steel production and counter oversupply pressures, reshaping both market competition and raw material demand.

The SGX 65% Fe iron ore futures contract reached record trading volumes as Chinese steelmakers sought high-grade ores amid tighter production restrictions. This surge underscores the growing role of premium-grade iron ore derivatives in global steel and raw materials markets.

Chile’s energy transition is reshaping its mining sector, renewable energy mix, and climate strategy, with lithium and copper production at the centre of global supply chains. Policy reforms, infrastructure expansion and green technologies are positioning the country as a leader in sustainable energy development.

Steel prices in the US would be weaker if not artificially propped up by trade tariff pressures as underlying demand is depressed, several market participants told Fastmarkets on Friday August 8.

What factors are driving the significant downturn in US housing starts, accompanied by a decrease in building permits?