IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from September 11

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday September 11 that are worth another look.

Australian multi-metal miner Blackstone Minerals considers Vietnam a reliable and equitable jurisdiction for nickel production and export once the Indonesian ore export ban comes into effect in January 2020, chief executive officer Scott Williamson told Fastmarkets last week.

Zambian copper production will drop by 11.6% this year after a series of tax reforms have led to production cost hikes, an industry body said in a statement on September 11.

Brazilian flat and long steel producer Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) has extended a blast furnace maintenance outage by several weeks, market participants told Fastmarkets on September 11.

The recent rise in ferro-vanadium and vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) import interest in China will likely add further downward pressure on the Chinese domestic market, market sources told Fastmarkets during the Ferro-alloynet International Vanadium Conference on Tuesday September 10.

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd (HKEX) has made a proposal to the board of London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) to buy the stock exchange, combining the two companies.

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.