IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from June 2

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) has initiated an inquiry as to whether imports of heavy steel plate from four nations and the island of Taiwan cause injury to domestic producers.

Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has signed a provisional power supply agreement with Zambian state-owned utility Zesco Ltd after a long-term supply contract between the copper producer and the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) expired.

The International Tin Association (ITA) has echoed “emergency calls” to protect vulnerable artisanal miners during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is said to jeopardize a decade of progress in responsibly sourcing metals and minerals.

The EU’s plan to make electric vehicles a centerpiece of the continent’s economic recovery has injected significant confidence into the global cobalt market, and has also renewed momentum for responsible sourcing across the whole supply chain, according to the head of Eurasian Resources Group (ERG).

Bulk alloys markets in Europe are coming under sustained pressure from weak demand, with prices for manganese alloys dropping through May, while ferro-silicon prices have been falling since April, sources said.