Tightness in raw material supply has driven Fastmarkets’ copper and zinc treatment charges (TCs) to all-time lows, while lead concentrate TCs have hit intra-year lows. Fastmarkets looks at the common themes driving the downward movements

Copper demand remains weak in China and Europe, with some European sources noting liquidity heading to the US while others note the market is slightly less quiet than the previous month and American sources agree that the market appears to be stabilizing from previous highs

China’s exports of refined copper rose to an eight-year high in May, with exports expected to stay elevated through June, sources told Fastmarkets in the week to Friday June 21

Saudi Arabia, through its spearheading of a mining and minerals production and consumption push in the Middle East, a region usually associated with oil and gas, is leading neighboring countries to increase their presence in the base metals markets

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) ambitious plan to diversify away from oil and into metals will increase local nickel consumption and fund international mining projects, given recent massive investments in nickel-intense industries

Germany-based copper recycling and non-ferrous metal provider Aurubis has started commissioning their secondary smelter in Augusta, Georgia, and could eventually introduce black mass recycling to the facility