IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from July 8

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Monday July 8 that are worth another look.

Major miner Antofagasta has broken away from decades-long tradition to sign copper concentrates supply contracts for the first half of 2020 with China’s two biggest copper smelters in June, Fastmarkets understands. 

A higher tender price for silico-manganese in China for July improved sentiment and increased prices for low-grade manganese ore in the week ended on Friday July 5. 

Cobalt metal prices have slipped to 32-month low amid slow summer demand and cheaper offers from sellers. 

The Queensland Resources Council will hold discussions with the Australian government, mining unions and workers this week regarding action that can be taken to increase safety across the sector following a fatal accident over the weekend at the Baralaba North mine. The mine ships coking coal through the Port of Gladstone.

Some Egyptian steel mills have appealed a decision by the country’s Administrative Court last week to suspend safeguard duties on steel billet and rebar, Fastmarkets understands.

What to read next
Market reactions to the soon-to-be-implemented US copper tariff are driving short-term volatility and supply imbalances while fuelling long-term efforts to expand domestic production, recycling and infrastructure.
US export controls on recycled copper would have unintended consequences that could weaken the country’s domestic recycling and manufacturing ecosystems, the president of the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) said.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ assessments for nickel 4x4 cathode, nickel briquette and nickel uncut cathode premiums in-whs Rotterdam was delayed on Tuesday July 16 because of a reporter error.
Fastmarkets has corrected its alumina index inferred prices, which were published incorrectly on Tuesday July 15.
The United States' copper recycling industry is ramping up pressure on policymakers to impose some form of export controls on high-purity copper scrap, arguing that current trade dynamics – particularly with China – are distorting prices, weakening domestic capacity and undermining national security goals.
Fastmarkets launched two new price assessments for Indonesia’s domestic trade in nickel ore on Tuesday July 15. The two price assessments are for domestic trades of Indonesian laterite ores with 1.6% and 1.2% nickel content. Indonesia now accounts for 60% of the global nickel supplies and while there is an official government reference price, known […]