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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.

April 7, 2020
By Generic people page
Base metals Copper

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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Capital is flowing back into junior mining, but selectively. Investment is increasingly favouring development‑stage assets with clearer paths to production, supported by government funding and strategic partnerships. While demand for critical minerals underpins the cycle, early‑stage explorers continue to struggle for capital as investors prioritise discipline, ESG alignment and near‑term cash flow.
April 30, 2026
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By Andrea Hotter
Copper smelter close up
Kamoa-Kakula Q1 copper concentrate output falls 54% year on year, Ivanhoe weighs third-party purchases
Copper in concentrate production from Ivanhoe Mines' Kamoa-Kakula complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fell to 61,906 tonnes in the first quarter, down by 54% from 133,120 tonnes a year earlier, with the company now evaluating local third-party concentrate purchases to advance the ramp-up of its on-site smelter, according to an April 13 production release as the market focused its attention on the impact of global sulfuric acid shortages during CESCO Week in Chile from April 13-17.
April 20, 2026
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By Julienne Raboca
CESCO Week 2026
10 topics in focus at CESCO Week 2026 as sulfuric acid upends the copper market
China's planned sulfuric acid export ban from May 1, historic lows for copper concentrates treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) and a fragmenting 2026 benchmark system dominated CESCO Week 2026 in Santiago from April 13-17.
April 17, 2026
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By Julienne Raboca
Fastmarkets proposes changes to Asia copper concentrates index weighting, seeks feedback on normalization of gold and silver
The proposal would align the index more closely with physically traded volumes in the region, and enable it to adjust to evolving market conditions. This proposal follows an observed widening of the spread between trader and smelter purchase components of the index and is aligned with a majority of market feedback. Additionally, Fastmarkets seeks feedback […]
April 8, 2026
 · 
By Fastmarkets pricing team
Steel
Aluminium’s challenge now beyond moving the metal | Hotter Commodities
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.
April 2, 2026
 · 
By Andrea Hotter
Water, Waterfront, Port
Aluminium in energy crossfire as Hormuz uncertainty drags on
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.
April 1, 2026
 · 
By Madeline Morgan