IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from May 20

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Monday May 20 that are worth another look.

Massive amounts of scrap metal are being held at Malaysian ports for unprecedented inspections and multiple copper cargoes still at sea are being diverted to other Asian countries at big discounts, sources told Fastmarkets.

The German federal government is planning to invest “billions of euros” to improve inland waterway transport in a move welcomed by German steel federation WV Stahl.

Norsk Hydro’s Alunorte alumina refinery will ramp up to full production capacity after the federal court in Belem, Brazil, ended the final production embargo on the facility under a criminal lawsuit on Monday May 20.

Brazilian miner Vale has taken preventive measures on fears of a possible rupture at its Sul Superior dam, which include the building of a containment structure and emergency training with nearby residents.

The London Metal Exchange has decided on a dispute over when the load-in, load-out rule should have been activated, ruling in favor of warehouse company Istim.

What to read next
Vale Base Metals plans to boost annual copper production to 700,000 tonnes by 2035, aiming to become a top-five global producer of nickel and copper. CEO Shaun Usmar highlights a focus on productivity, cost optimization and sustainable growth. With strong assets in Canada and Brazil, Vale is well-positioned to meet rising global demand.
This strategic launch is designed to offer the market a single reference price denoting the differential between hot-rolled steel products and the key benchmark scrap and raw materials composite in the production of those grades. The methodology grades for these differentials are as follows: MB-STE-0928 Steel hot-rolled coil index, differential to No1 busheling Chicago, fob mill […]
Fastmarkets has corrected its fob Australia alumina index, which was published incorrectly on Monday June 2 and Tuesday June 3 due to a back-end calculation error. Fastmarkets has also corrected all the related inferred indices. On June 2 the following prices were published incorrectly: Fastmarkets’ MB-ALU-0002 Alumina index, fob Australia, was published in error as $375.59 per […]
Mexico’s strategic role in automotive nearshoring is fueling demand for recycled aluminium, with investment in scrap-intensive sectors boosting its non-ferrous secondary markets. Despite tariff uncertainties, USMCA compliance and EV production growth continue to attract global manufacturers.
Goldcorp founder Rob McEwen is back in the spotlight with a bold bet on copper in Argentina. The $2.5 billion Los Azules project, set to become Argentina’s first major copper mine in over 30 years, is reshaping the country’s mining industry while raising sustainability standards. Positioned as a key player in addressing a global copper shortage, the project highlights innovation, persistence and a commitment to meeting the growing demand from global electrification.
Fastmarkets has decided not to proceed with the proposed amendment to the name and specifications of the MB-IRO-0008 iron ore 62% Fe fines cfr Qingdao index. After a consultation period, Fastmarkets has determined that current circumstances do not make the proposed amendments to the index viable. Fastmarkets reserves the right to start a fresh consultation on […]