IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from January 9

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday January 9 that are worth another look.

The World Trade Organization has made a final ruling that the Moroccan authorities violated parts of the WTO’s Anti-Dumping Agreement in its imposition of tariffs on hot-rolled coil imports from Turkey.

Mining and trading company Mitsui is ceasing copper concentrate blending in South Korea, an indication that grades and arsenic levels are improving at copper mines where it holds stakes, Fastmarkets understands.

Canadian spodumene producer Nemaska Lithium’s filing for bankruptcy protection could be a bellwether moment for spodumene producers searching for capital while lithium prices continue to fall, making upstream investment seem unattractive, market sources have told Fastmarkets.

Last year appeared to be a challenging period for Chinese exporters of ferro-silicon, with China-origin shipments in the first eleven months declining sharply amid strong competition from Russian and Malaysian suppliers.

A second auction for the 3,609.5 tonnes of indium once held by the defunct Fanya Metal Exchange has been scheduled for January 17, according to an official notice published via the Alibaba judicial online platform on January 9.

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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.