IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from June 10

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday June 10 that are worth another look.

US sanctions against Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its Shanghai-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping Co, are unlikely to have an impact on steel freight costs, sources told Fastmarkets on June 10.

Carmakers Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Company have signed agreements that strengthen their global alliance in producing electric vehicles (EVs) and other commercial vehicles for customers in Europe and elsewhere, the companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday June 10.

Scrap metal cargoes shipped into China will be subject to a new set of inspection procedures from 2021, Fastmarkets has learned.

Chilean copper output rose by 2.6% year on year in April, with the country’s three top producers all reporting growth despite restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Vietnam’s Masan Resources has completed the acquisition of Germany’s HC Starck Group tungsten business, the tungsten miner confirmed to Fastmarkets on June 10.

What to read next
The Mexican aluminium market might be strongly affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with supply constraints and consequently higher premiums, market participants told Fastmarkets on Tuesday March 10.
Lundin Mining and BHP published a preliminary economic assessment on February 16 for their Vicuña joint venture, projecting average annual copper production of 395,000 tonnes over the first 25 years of operation as Argentina’s copper concentrate pipeline continues to build. PSJ Cobre Mendocino separately confirmed on February 14 that its feasibility study was under way.
Chinese lead smelters turned more bearish on the procurement of raw materials in the week to Friday February 13, amid heightened price volatility in silver, which is often contained in lead ores as an important by-product and contributor to smelter profits, sources told Fastmarkets.
Roughly 40,000 tonnes per month of copper cathode that once flowed smoothly into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through Jebel Ali had few options to reroute after the Strait of Hormuz officially closed on Monday March 2, with the only alternative entry points — Khor Fakkan and Fujairah — already straining under the weight of diverted cargo, market sources told Fastmarkets.
Navigating market volatility with data-driven strategies for resilient mining operations
The publication of several of Fastmarkets' copper concentrates indices was delayed on Friday February 27 because of a technical error. Fastmarkets' pricing database has been updated.