IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from February 22

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday February 22 that are worth another look.

Coal trading has become too risky, a trader said on Thursday February 21 following news that customs authorities in Dalian, a major city in northeastern China, had slashed the yearly coal import quota for ports under their jurisdiction by 25%.

Zinc smelters have submitted bids for treatment charges (TCs) of up to $280 per tonne for annual contracts, kicking off concentrate supply negotiations ahead of the International Zinc Association (IZA) conference to be held in Scottsdale, Arizona, February 24-27.

Aluminium scrap exports from the United States surged to a five-year high in November, putting 2018 on track to be the highest-volume export year for the metal since 2014, while copper scrap shipments retreated.

The domestic Chinese battery-grade lithium hydroxide spot price fell by more than 3% in the week to Thursday February 21 although the carbonate assessment held firm – a pattern that was reversed in the seaborne market, where the carbonate price dropped week on week and the hydroxide price was steady.

Brazil’s apparent consumption of steel totaled 1.54 million tonnes in January, down 5.6% from 1.63 million tonnes during the same month in 2018, national steel association Instituto Aço Brasil said on Friday February 22.

What to read next
Aluminium market participants in the US anticipate stable business supported by continued tariffs and potential interest rate cuts, while industry sources in Europe and Latin America are watchful of potential new trade restrictions.
Chinese authorities officially announced that they will be expanding the range of permitted recycled copper and aluminium imports from mid-November, but market participants Fastmarkets spoke to at a conference this week are not convinced that this will mean more material will be imported into the country in the short run.
Li-Cycle announced on Thursday October 31 that it had entered an agreement with Glencore to sell 100% of the premium nickel-cobalt mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) production at its stalled hub in Rochester, New York – a step that could support Li-Cycle’s efforts to finalize a loan with the US Department of Energy (DOE).
Unprecedented supply tightness and record low treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) are likely to challenge copper smelters in 2025 – even more than in 2024, sources told Fastmarkets.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ MB-PB-0086 lead 99.99% ingot premium, cif India and MB-PB-0087 lead 99.97% ingot premium, cif India assessments for Tuesday November 5 were delayed due to a reporter error.
Quarterly figures released by global miner Glencore on Wednesday October 30 showed that zinc concentrate output was dropping in a tight market while overall nickel output was down despite an increase in briquettes.