Become a customer

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from March 25

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Monday March 25 that are worth another look.

March 26, 2019
By Generic people page
Base metals Copper

A motion to undo United States President Donald Trump’s blanket tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium has been denied, the US Court of International Trade (CIT) said in a ruling dated Monday March 25.

A ramp-up in Chinese zinc production is expected to accelerate in the second quarter of this year. This will be driven by the completion of upgrades at smelting facilities across the country and a surge in treatment charges amid a relatively oversupplied raw materials market, sources told Fastmarkets.

Vale’s Brucutu iron ore mine in Brazil will not resume normal operations as early as intended, the Brazilian miner said on Monday March 25.

China’s copper scrap imports dropped by 63% month on month in February and were half the level recorded in February 2018, Chinese customs data released on March 25 showed. 

Fastmarkets AMM hosted its 12th Steel Tube & Pipe Conference in Houston on March 20-21. Our reporters have summarized six key takeaways from the event.

What to read next
Supply concerns, challenges ahead for secondary copper, blister into China | 2025 preview
Participants in the market for copper scrap and blister in China, the world’s largest importer of copper raw materials, expect there to be fiercer competition for material in 2025, industry sources told Fastmarkets in the week to Thursday January 9.
January 17, 2025
 · 
By Sally Zhang
PGI’s Lobito Corridor rail network to unlock African copper belt: US State Dept exec | Hotter Commodities
Africa’s first transcontinental rail network, known as the Lobito Corridor, which aims to eventually connect almost the entire regional copper-cobalt belt with additional links across sub-Saharan Africa, is on track to break ground early in 2026, a senior official at the US Department of State told Fastmarkets.
January 17, 2025
 · 
By Andrea Hotter
Architecture, Building, House
How has the DRC become a powerhouse in the copper industry?
The availability of relatively untapped resources, a huge influx of Chinese investment and a rapid licensing system have helped the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to become one of the world’s three key producers of copper.
January 16, 2025
 · 
By Albert MacKenzie
Transportation, Truck, Vehicle
European metal scrap industry urges against EU action on exports
The European steel and aluminium scrap industries urged the European Commission on Wednesday January 15 against taking action to curb scrap exports after domestic industry metals producers backed measures to do just that.
January 16, 2025
 · 
By Declan Conway
Could Southeast Asia become the next big aluminium scrap processing hub in 2025?
Renewed US-China trade tensions with Donald Trump’s second presidential term could bolster Southeast Asia’s aluminium scrap industry in 2025, particularly amid still-growing Chinese demand, sources told Fastmarkets by Tuesday, January 14.
January 15, 2025
 · 
By Ross Yeo
Road, Architecture, Building
Europe steel, aluminium bodies urge EU action on scrap exports
European steel and aluminium producers have urged the European Commission to take immediate and effective action to tackle "scrap leakage" so that the European Union can meet its sustainable development aims and secure industrial competitiveness.
January 15, 2025
 · 
By Declan Conway