The Democratic Republic of the Congo, the world’s top producer of cobalt and a key copper producer, has re-enacted an export ban on copper and cobalt concentrates, official documents obtained by Fastmarkets show.
China’s strict restrictions on scrap metal imports from the United States have posed significant challenges, according to an executive at Metal Exchange Corp, which recently announced it was targeting other markets in Asia for growth.
The US ferrous scrap export market has continued to show resilience, with some docks raising buying prices along the East and West Coasts while container prices held steady.
Operations at Mopani Copper Mines’ Nkana mine South Ore Body Shaft in Zambia were suspended on Tuesday March 19 following an explosive incident.
Chinese silicon market participants have downplayed the effect of a planned 10% reduction in electricity prices on silicon pricing despite electricity accounting for around 40% of silicon production costs in the country.
