Get started

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from October 22

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday October 22 that are worth another look.

October 23, 2019
By Generic people page
Base metals Copper

Anglo American has raised the 2019 iron ore production guidance for its Minas Rio operations in Brazil while maintaining the one for its Kumba operations in South Africa.

Europe’s largest copper producer, Aurubis, has announced its annual copper cathode premium for 2020 at $96 per tonne, unchanged from last year’s level, the company confirmed to Fastmarkets on October 22.

Chinese vanadium exporters continued to lower offers amid minimal buying interest abroad, while European and US ferro-vanadium prices continued to suffer from lackluster consumer interest.

Around 15,000-30,000 tonnes of nickel cathode has been transferred from the Shanghai bonded zone to London Metal Exchange-registered warehouses in Southeast Asia since September amid attempts by market participants to avoid incurring steeper losses by importing the metal into China against prevailing discounts, sources told Fastmarkets.

The Chinese domestic silico-manganese price continued to fall during the week ended Friday October 18 on abundant alloy supply and declining ore prices.

What to read next
Copper coils up close
How Gulf port disruptions impact global base metal exports
Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Port of Sohar in Oman are becoming tactical workarounds for base metal exports blocked by the Strait of Hormuz closure, with cargo transiting via land-bridge to other Gulf states, such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates – though capacity constraints and elevated logistics costs limit availability, sources with direct visibility of Gulf supply chains told Fastmarkets.
March 13, 2026
 · 
By Viral Shah
Aluminum ingots
Middle East conflict might create supply constraints, raise in aluminium premiums in Mexico
The Mexican aluminium market might be strongly affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with supply constraints and consequently higher premiums, market participants told Fastmarkets on Tuesday March 10.
March 12, 2026
 · 
By Leticia Simionato
Open consultation on methodology for Saudi Arabia domestic steel scrap index
This consultation, which is open until April 8, 2026, seeks to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical market, in compliance with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) principles for Price Reporting Agencies (PRAs). This includes all elements of our pricing process, our price specifications and publication frequency. The price under review […]
March 11, 2026
 · 
By Fastmarkets pricing team
Delayed publication of LME aluminium, copper warrant assessments
The publication of Fastmarkets’ assessments for copper grade A cathode warrant premiums and aluminium P1020A warrant premiums was delayed on Wednesday March 11 because of a procedural lapse. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.
March 11, 2026
 · 
By Fastmarkets pricing team
Copper cathode
Lundin, BHP’s Vicuña project targets 395,000 tpy of copper concentrate from Argentina
Lundin Mining and BHP published a preliminary economic assessment on February 16 for their Vicuña joint venture, projecting average annual copper production of 395,000 tonnes over the first 25 years of operation as Argentina’s copper concentrate pipeline continues to build. PSJ Cobre Mendocino separately confirmed on February 14 that its feasibility study was under way.
March 10, 2026
 · 
By Julienne Raboca
Architecture, Building, Cityscape
Chinese lead smelters cautious on concentrates purchases amid silver price volatility
Chinese lead smelters turned more bearish on the procurement of raw materials in the week to Friday February 13, amid heightened price volatility in silver, which is often contained in lead ores as an important by-product and contributor to smelter profits, sources told Fastmarkets.
March 10, 2026
 · 
By Shiyue Zhao