IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from March 26

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday March 26 that are worth another look.

The London Metal Exchange has announced a six-month suspension of listing fees for new cobalt brands on the exchange in a note to members on Tuesday March 26 amid emerging liquidity concerns from producers.

There are no concerns surrounding the availability of bauxite to meet ongoing aluminium supply chain growth, industry executives said at Fastmarkets’ 25th Bauxite & Alumina conference in Miami on March 26, noting that the key to ensuring access to it is improving community and government relationships. Additionally, new regulation to decommission upstream tailings dams in Brazil is necessary to ensure the safety of the community but should not reduce bauxite production, Milton Rego, deputy president of Brazilian Aluminium Association Abal, said at the same conference. 

MMG will declare force majeure on copper concentrate sales contracts from the Las Bambas mine in Peru, the mining company said on Tuesday in a notice to the Hong Kong Exchange. 

Most of Norsk Hydro’s operations are now running at normal capacity one week after the company was hit by a cyber attack, the Norwegian aluminium producer said on March 26.

Physical iron ore prices stayed rangebound for a second day on March 26, with market participants waiting on news of the full impact of Cyclone Veronica on Australian iron ore operations.

What to read next
The US aluminium industry is experiencing challenges related to tariffs, which have contributed to higher prices and premiums, raising questions about potential impacts on demand. Alcoa's CEO has noted that sustained high prices could affect the domestic market. While trade agreements might provide some relief, analysts expect premiums to remain elevated in the near term. However, aluminum demand is projected to grow over the long term, supported by the energy transition and clean energy projects. To meet this demand, the industry will need to increase production, restart idle smelters and address factors such as electricity costs and global competition.
Read Fastmarkets' monthly base metals market for May 2025 focusing on raw materials including copper, nickel aluminium, lead, zinc and tin.
The Mexico Metals Outlook 2025 conference explored challenges and opportunities in the steel, aluminum and scrap markets, focusing on tariffs, nearshoring, capacity growth and global trends.
China has launched a coordinated crackdown on the illegal export of strategic minerals under export control, such as antimony, gallium, germanium, tungsten and rare earths, the country’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday May 9.
Fastmarkets proposes to amend the frequency of Taiwan base metals prices from biweekly to monthly, and the delivery timing for the tin 99.99% ingot premium from two weeks to four weeks.
The US-China trade truce announced on May 12 has brought cautious optimism to China’s non-ferrous metals markets, signaling a possible shift in global trade. Starting May 14, the removal of additional tariffs has impacted sectors like battery raw materials, minor metals and base metals such as zinc and nickel, with mixed reactions. While the improved sentiment has lifted futures prices and trade activity, the long-term effects remain unclear due to challenges like supply-demand pressures and export controls.