IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from September 16

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Monday September 16 that are worth another look.

Brazilian multi-metal and mining company Vale has announced plans to build a further two nickel smelters in Indonesia in joint ventures with China and Japan, the deputy chief executive officer of Vale Indonesia said in a Saturday September 14 news interview.

Newmont Goldcorp has suspended production at its Peñasquito mine in Mexico, which is again being blockaded by the local community there, the company said on Monday September 16.

Copper miner PT Freeport’s export license for copper concentrates has been tripled by the Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry for the March 2019-March 2020 period, Fastmarkets has learned.

Major Vietnamese integrated steel producer Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp has lowered its offers for hot-rolled coil to be shipped and delivered in November by $51 per tonne amid a weakening international market for the flat steel product.

The active contract price for aluminum on the Shanghai Futures Exchange may rise as high as 15,000 yuan ($2,128) per tonne by the end of October 2019 on the back of tightening supply, market participants have told Fastmarkets.

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.