tamara@mmta.co.uk

Cobalt Metal classification Dear All, The 14th ATP to the CLP Regulation has now been published in the EU Official Journal, including the      harmonised classification for cobalt metal. This         publication…

  Mwangala Mwangala of class 7B, 11 years old, in clean school uniform, steps forward in front of all his teachers, clears his throat, and stands in front of the…

2018年4月11日至13日，由MMTA主办，Metal Events承办的2018年MMTA国际小金属贸易协会年度峰会在加拿大蒙特利尔成功举办。本次峰会的主题是“全球小金属的市场发展以及小金属行业的前景” 。来自欧洲，北美，南美及亚洲等300余位嘉宾参会。

After a childhood accident left him with metal screws in his arm, Michael Sealy was still experiencing pain from the screws many years later, long after the injury itself had…

The MMTA’s Anniversary Dinner took place on the 9th October at One Great George Street, the historic and resplendent home of the Institute of Civil Engineers. We were delighted to…

MMTA alumnus, Tiesheng Wang (王铁胜), has found a simple way to fabricate a family of regular 3-D carbon-based materials by soaking solutions of metal salts with supramolecular sponges then baking…

A superior, low-cost catalyst for water-splitting by Indian Institute of Science In a significant step toward large-scale hydrogen production, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a low-cost…

Drones are everywhere, from tiny stocking fillers to military grade weapons, these unmanned aircraft have changed everything from photography to warfare. They are typically made of light composite materials to…

Our MMTA Charity, Friends of Mufulira (FOM), arises out of The Minor Metals Trade Association’s wish to publicly recognize the communities in developing countries upon which we all depend for…

Argus Media:Rare Earth Market Update Argus Media is the leading price reporting agency in the rare earth market. We price seven heavy and five light rare earth materials, and our…

  Please send your CV to career@arrandene.mfg.com

Bacterial protein could help find materials for your next smartphone December 19, 2018 by Gail Mccormick, Pennsylvania State University A newly discovered protein could help detect, target, and collect from the…

Commercially available since the 1970s, the lithium-ion battery is now the workhorse power source in many applications. It can be found in cell phones, laptops and electric vehicles. Yet, much…

Dear Members We’re nearly half way through December and 2018 draws towards its end. Soon the holidays here in New York will be upon us and the likelihood of snow…

Against the backdrop of the recent speech by Theresa May outlining the UK government’s aspirations for Brexit, and President Trump’s tweeted warnings of tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to…

It has been over 2 years since the British public voted to leave the EU, but the last weeks have seen activity ramping up significantly. With Brexit Secretary David Davis’s…

Charging into the future—novel rock salt for use in rechargeable magnesium batteries Life today depends heavily on electricity. However, the unrelenting demand for electricity calls for increasingly greener and “portable”…

A RUDN chemist has obtained a new compound—a dumbbell-shaped phosphate-bridged molybdenum cluster. The cluster accelerates the reaction of the formation of sulfides from oxides and can be used in pharmaceutical…

Chemists could make ‘smart glass’ smarter by manipulating it at the nanoscale 4th June 1019- by Anne Manning, Colorado State University “Smart glass,” an energy-efficiency product found in newer windows of…

Sales of new-energy passenger vehicles in China amounted to over 92,000 units in May, up 140% year-on-year and up 30% month-on-month, according to wholesale data from China Passenger Car  Association (CPCA)…

COBALT: What about small scale miners? In global markets the price of cobalt, used in batteries for high-tech products from phones to cars , has nearly tripled to $81,500 a…

Commodity Risk Management in the World of Minor Metals: by Robert Fig Alongside Nickel, Minor Metals pose a real risk to those involved in the   Stainless, Speciality Steel, Electric   Vehicle…

Recycling sustainability as it relates to Minor Metals witnessed great strides in the last century in the context of specialty steel and tool steel manufacturing.  What likely began as a…

‘The United States must not remain reliant on foreign competitors like Russia and China for the critical minerals needed to keep our economy strong and our country safe’ The signing…

CRM Alliance Round Up- Second panel The first speaker of the 2nd panel, Prof. Dr. Mikhail Zheludkevich, Head of Department, Institute of Materials Research Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG), addressed the innovate…

The Current Status of Critical Raw Materials in the European union On 27 September 2018, the second bi-annual CRM Day took place at the Club Des Guides, Brussels. The event,…

CRM Day—Sustainable Policy for Critical raw Materials   On 25 September 2019, the 11th edition of the CRM Day was held at the L42 Business Center, Brussels. The event, entitled…

This year’s 24th CRU Ryan’s Notes Ferroalloys conference will take place 21-23 October 2018 at The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, Orlando, FL, USA. Widely considered the largest and most important ferroalloys networking…

第24届CRU Ryan’s Notes Ferroalloys Conference 将于2018年10月21日至23日在美国弗洛里达州奥兰多The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress举行。

There’s a more cost-effective way to reopen Europe’s disused and flooded mines. Scientists demonstrate how with a novel robotic underwater ore extraction system. Europe has an estimated EUR 100 billion…

Derek John BENHAM was born in Enfield on 20 November 1952. As a child he had an amateur radio license, and a large aerial at the bottom of the family…

Discovery in gallium nitride a key enabler of energy efficient electronics By Cornell University Gallium nitride, a semiconductor that revolutionized energy-efficient LED lighting, could also transform electronics and wireless communication,…

It is widely believed that a nation’s metal use plateaus when that country’s gross domestic product (GDP) reaches a threshold of $15,000 per person; with rising affluence, the theory goes,…

Don’t feel too Pious about your Prius! Copper might be the wonder metal for Plug-In Hybrid Electric   Vehicles (PHEVs)  but there are still copper smelters all over the world generating…

European Commission launches its online Due Diligence Ready! programme to support small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) minerals and metals supply chain due diligence efforts On November 20th 2019 the European…

Whether as a component that powers up computers, mobile phones or other electronic devices, metal makes up a large part of tech products. The latest and greatest devices crafted with…

ECHA RELEASES COMPREHENSIVE BREXIT CHEMICALS INSTRUCTIONS 8 February 2019 / CLP Regulation, Data, Europe, Pic Regulation, REACH, Substance registration, UK ECHA has published detailed instructions for all companies placing chemical…

Process that modifies semiconductor material atom by atom could enable higher-performance electronics Rob Matheson I MIT News Office December 7 2018 Researchers from MIT and the University of Colorado have…

Fireworks are an integral part of celebrations around the world – Bonfire Night in the UK, a range of Independence Days, weddings and birthdays – but their original use was…

Used to produce three-dimensional objects of almost any type, across a range of industries, including healthcare, aviation and    engineering, 3-D printed materials have come of age during the last decade.…

What a way to spend 24 (ish!) hours. Roskill are pleased to  announce that following the 3 peaks challenge, they have exceeded the £3000 target for Friends of Mufulira You…

A brief introduction My name is Elizabeth and I’m a final year medical student at Liverpool University. This is an article written about my elective, which I carried out with…

The MMTA’s chosen charity, ‘Friends of Mufulira’, now has an account on AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is a platform that allows you to support a charity of your choice at no extra…

From the Earth’s Core It is possible to imagine that when the Earth first began, it looked a lot like the geothermal region in the North Island of New Zealand.…

Antimony isn’t generally considered to be one of the more interesting minor metals.  While it has cropped up on several critical raw materials lists, owing to the high concentration of…

In research that could lead to better gas mask filters, scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have been putting the X-ray spotlight on composite…

There was an extremely interesting report published in August from the IISD (International Institute for Sustainable Development) based in Canada. Green Conflict Minerals: The fuels of conflict in the transition…

by Kate McAlpine, University of Michigan Two iterations of a metal lattice meet at a “grain boundary” defect, with atoms of an alloying element fitting into the defect. Credit: Liang Qi,…

Hazardous e-waste material exported from the affluent developed world continues to plague cities in developing countries. The city of Moradabad, home to 900,000 people, was once celebrated as the brass…

Tensions are escalating between China and the US over trade. The Chinese government has announced retaliatory measures on a range of American products including cars and some American agriculture products after the…

Many economists expect President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported steel and aluminium to increase what American companies and consumers pay for those metals and the goods made from them. Dozens of…

Materials comparison website lists properties of Marvel’s magical material Have you ever wondered just how strong Black Panther’s suit or Captain America’s shield is? The materials scientists at Matmatch have,…

How to hedge with commodities where no futures market exists We talked briefly in the May edition about how to manage risks in metals where they are not traded on…

Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology have successfully tested a new material that can be used for cheap and large-scale production of hydrogen – another promising alternative to fossil…

High Growth Business of the Year Award ICD Europe Celebrate National Awards Win at Wembley 10 DECEMBER 2019 Sheffield-based global metals supplier, ICD Europe Ltd are celebrating this week after…

Indium Phosphide Under RoHS      Review The MMTA recently coordinated industry input to the EU’s RoHS Consultation on indium phosphide (InP), which was included in the list of seven…

The MMTA was pleased to interview the CEO of Matmatch,  Melissa Albeck, to find out more about materials selection and how technology can help. Can you tell us a bit…

The world’s climate scientists have spoken: if we want to limit human-induced global warming to 1.5°C we probably can. But it will be tough, given where we’re starting from. That’s…

A team of researchers from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, led by Professor Milan Brandt, are using laser metal deposition technology to build and repair defence aircraft parts in a…

China has recently released its new trade policies. These policy changes will significantly impact foreign and multinational   companies doing business with China. In order to support our MMTA member companies…

Dear Members Here’s wishing all members everywhere a very happy spring! We here in the U.S., and I believe, those of you in the UK seem to be some way…

Dear Members August draws to an end. And next weekend is Labor Day weekend – the “official” end of summer here vis-à-vis vacations, early Fridays, etc., etc. We saw it…

Letter from North America: Morocco   With an Observation on Rare Earths in Russia and Further Observations on Certain Mineral Resources in Morocco and Western Sahara Dear Members I trust…

Macroeconomic uncertainty and trade war impact on minor metals such as Bismuth, is changing its commercial landscape and prompting rethink of business models Cristina Belda 06/08/2019   Bismuth has become…

Anthony Lipmann talks to new MMTA Chairman, Simon Boon Close to the site of the two cooling towers over the Don Valley just outside Sheffield (that briefly had the honour…

Imagine a world where every country has not only complied with the Paris climate agreement but has moved away from fossil fuels entirely. How would such a change affect global…

MEMBER BENEFIT- TOP MMTA PAGES VIEWS (click here to view info graphic)

Metals on Mars By Amanda Doyle – Mar 15, 2018 New research has revealed that a giant impact on Mars more than four billion years ago would explain the unusual amount of…

Metalshub takes commodity trading into the digital age It’s not the first time that there has been attempt to ‘digitalise’ minor metals trading, but traditional practices have endured.   Now Metalshub…

Mining asteroids could unlock untold wealth – here’s how to get started May 2, 2018 12.25pm BST Several privately funded space companies are locked in a race to claim the trillions…

Mining waste for Value in the EU The European Union imports a significant amount of important metals as it does not have its own natural mineral resources. Researchers investigated the…

Minor Metals in Focus: Antimony In our monthly column for the MMTA, we shine the spotlight on a key minor metal, looking at current market conditions and themes for the…

Minor Metals in Focus: Manganese In our monthly column for the MMTA, we shine the spotlight on a key minor metal, looking at current market conditions and themes for the…

Crucible February 2020 issue   Minor Metals in Focus: Rhenium   In our monthly column for the MMTA, we shine the spotlight on a key minor metal, looking at current…

Minor Metals in Focus: Tantalum In our new monthly column for the MMTA, we will be shining the spotlight on a different minor metal each edition, looking at current market…

Minor Metals in Focus: Tungsten In our monthly column for the MMTA, we shine the spotlight on a key minor metal, looking at current market conditions and themes for the…

“现金是上帝！”这句谚语流传至今。是的，这是事实。但是这看似永无止境的延期付款条款及其对现金的影响对MMTA会员来说意味着什么呢？东西方之间不断扩大的支付条款分歧如何影响小金属的回收和可持续性以及未来的发展方向？

第一天——4月10日星期三 4月10日星期三，苏格兰爱丁堡的天空还有些阴沉沉，不过却迎来了MMTA国际小金属贸易协会一年一度的王牌峰会。对于周一没有参加在格伦伊戈尔斯高尔夫球场由ICD赞助的高尔夫球赛，周二也未能参观克莱德代尔大学（Clydesdale Uiversity）的先进制造研究中心（AFRC）的代表们，会议以一个出席率良好的年度股东大会开始。

This year’s MMTA International Minor Metals Conference was not only exceptionally well attended, with over 300 delegates, but the speaker programme was also outstanding. New MMTA Chairman Simon Boon of…

MMTA International Minor Metals Conference 2019 Round-up Day 1 – Wednesday, April 10 Somewhat overcast skies greeted us on the morning of  Wednesday, April 1 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the first…

十一月初，MMTA国际小金属贸易协会在香港举行了首届研讨会。此次活动吸引了近80名来自中国和世界其它地区的代表，大家围绕小金属行业目前所面临的问题展开了讨论。

Arviem为您提供有关您供应链和运输中货物安全的信息！Arviem在全球供应链中提供极其精确的货物定位和质量监控，不仅仅是卢旺达、玻利维亚或印度，而是全球任何地方。我们通过在多式联运集装箱和货物上安装自动定位和传感技术，来发现供应链盲点。

MMTA’s New York Dinner Every March the swallows return to the mission of San Juan Capistrano in California. Every June the salmon return upstream to the fresh Northwest waters of…

尊敬的各位会员， 我很高兴从2019年1月2日起担任国际小金属贸易协会总经理。特别是我感到非常幸运能够有机会同玛丽亚一起工作直到四月完成交接，我知道这将是一个巨大的挑战！

Elemental Metals 于2017年4月成立，是供给航空、医药、电子及珠宝市场的高纯度元素原料、合金、氧化物和特种化学品的供应商。

Arrow Metals AG的贸易、市场、运输和大型实物商品来源于世界级信誉良好的供应商——提供长期工业，满足全球5大洲的客户需求。

Donald McArthy Trading Pte Ltd (DMT) 于1997年在新加坡成立，是一家专门从事新钛产品和有色金属废料的贸易公司。

SJM Alloys & MetalsLtd （成立于1993年）是一家总部位于英国的超级合金、特种钢和难熔金属废料的交易商、加工商和回收商。公司经营初级金属，包括镍、铬、钼、钴、钨、铪、钽、铌和钛。

陕西华钼实业有限公司于2005年在西安市蓝田县工业园投资建设占地面积4万余平方米的大型现代化钼产品生产基地，是国内知名钼金属加工、深加工、销售全产业链企业。

每年三月，燕子归巢，每年六月，鲑鱼返乡。 每年1月，北美小金属行业的盛事都会回到MMTA在纽约举办的年度晚宴上，度过一个美食、社交与信息交融的愉快夜晚。

NASA Armstrong tests nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy for folding aircraft wings January 2018 Source: ASM International NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB, Calif., announces a recent series of flight tests in…

Stretchy plastic electrolytes could enable new lithium-ion  battery design by Josh Brown, Georgia Institute of Technology The growing popularity of lithium-ion batteries in recent years has put a strain on…

Indometal (London) Limited was founded in 1988 and is based in London, UK. The   company is a wholly owned subsidiary of PT TIMAH Tbk a State-owned Enterprise, one of the…

Orion Metal Trade Orion Metal Trade have built up a privileged reputation for processing and trading metals which are used across the globe. Vast experience in processing makes us the…

NEW MMTA MEMBER Yunnan Chihong International Germanium Co., Ltd.  We have the largest primary germanium processing factory in the world, with an area of more than 200,000㎡. Our factory is…

Established in 2006, we are a leading producer of tantalum- and niobium-based metallurgical products in China, with a production volume more than the second and third players combined together. We…

NEW MMTA MEMBER Elemental Metals Elemental Metals was formed back in April 2017.  We are a competitive supplier of high purity elemental raw materials, alloys, oxides and specialty chemicals to…

Somika SARL (Societe Minere Du Katanga) was established in the year 2001 has progressively distinguished itself as a quality mining and mineral processing player, producing high grade Copper and Cobalt.…

New MMTA Member WELCOME Globe Metal Recycling is a leading metal recycler with 40+ years of experience processing and trading metals through our global network. Our business includes processing and recycling…

Plaxys Inc Previously known as Dabok Newer Metal in 2014, Plaxys Inc expanded its metal focus in 2018 to include Tantalum, Titanium, Zirconium, Molybdenum, Tungsten, and more. Our main area…

 SJM Alloys & Metals Ltd (est. 1993) is a UK based dealer, processor and recycler of super alloys, specialty steels and refractory metal scraps. We handle primary metals including Ni,…

New MMTA Member Arrowmetals & Trading AG Arrow Metals AG trade, market, transport and store physical commodities sourced from world class trusted and reputed suppliers –providing long-term supplies and satisfying…

NEW MMTA MEMBER Guangdong Zhiyuan New Material Co., Ltd   Established in 2006, we are a leading producer of tantalum- and niobium-based metallurgical products in China, with a production volume…

New MMTA Member Arviem AG Arviem provides you with the information you need on the security of your supply chain and your cargo in transit! Arviem supplies exceptionally accurate location…

Donald McArthy Trading Pte Ltd (DMT) was established in Singapore in 1997 as a trading company specializing in new titanium products and non-ferrous scrap. Today, it is involved in the…

Shaanxi Head-Moly Industry Co., Ltd. was established in 2005 in Shaanxi Province, China, it is an integrated enterprise which combines molybdenum metal production, processing, sales and export. Our products include…

Wood foam and metal sponge – can they be combined? That was the question that experts at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood  Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI delved into in a project…

As global trade and politics alliances shift across continents, and technology marches ceaselessly on, the leaders of the North  American minor metals community gathered once more in New York to…

Can a seller terminate if a letter of credit is not opened on time? In a recent arbitration decision a tribunal rejected the general principle that the obligation on a buyer…

The MMTA team were sad to learn of the passing of long-standing MMTA Member,  Alex Stewart. OBITUARY- MR. K. ALEXANDER STEWART ASSOCIATE AND FELLOW OF ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY   Company…

“Cash is King!” so the old business proverb goes.  It is, this is true.  But what about the seemingly never-ending extending payment terms and the effect on cash for members…

Opportunities aplenty for molybdenum demand– by James Jeary Molybdenum is consumed in a broad array of chemical and metallurgical applications spanning the energy, transport,           construction, chemical, medical and electronics industries.…

An artist’s view of the PrandtlPlane shows what future commercial aircrafts could look like. Image credit – Vittorio C/ University of Pisa, Italy, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0   Aviation…

Written by CRU’s Andrew Keen & Ben Jones Although there are seventeen rare earth elements with a wide variety of uses, two in particular (Neodymium and Praseodymium, or NdPr for…

Rare Earths Conference—Metal Events By Nils Backeberg –18/11/2019 In the midst of the China-USA trade war, supply sustainability    remained a key topic of conversation at the 16th International Rare Earth Conference, held…

Raw materials in search of sustainability In this article, I want to look at a range of raw materials that are  currently used in the automotive industry, mainly as materials…

RBA Responsible Sourcing Summit The MMTA recently attended the Responsible Sourcing Summit by the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) in Berlin. The Summit provided attendees with four topic areas ranging from…

Researchers uncover hidden topological insulator states in bismuth crystals by Denis Paiste, Massachusetts Institute of Technology The search for better materials for computers and other electronic devices has focused on a…

Minor Metals in Focus: Tin Roskill In our monthly column for the MMTA, we will be shining the spotlight on a different minor metal each edition, looking at current market…

Minor Metals in Focus: Niobium Roskill In our monthly column for the MMTA, we shine the spotlight on a key minor metal, looking at current market conditions and themes for…

Minor Metals in Focus: Cobalt In our monthly column for the MMTA, we shine the spotlight on a key minor metal, looking at current market conditions and themes for the…

  The full programme is available. Visit https://roskill.com/event/tantalum-2018/#programme to download it now 5 key reasons to attend • Join key tantalum producers to hear the latest outlooks, price forecasts and to…

Roskill’s inaugural Tantalum 2018 Conference will take place on 25-26 September at the Tower Hotel, London This is an unmissable event for all companies involved in the tantalum industry. By…

会议完整议程请登陆 https://roskill.com/event/tantalum-2018/#programme 下载。 参会费用 $1,595USD。MMTA 会员专享 10% 的优惠（优惠码TA10） 。 请登陆 https://roskill.com/event/tantalum-2018/ 查看最新出席的公司名单。

Manufacturing products from titanium and its alloys using traditional methods remains a complex technological task that  requires a lot of time and money. Scientists at South Ural State University have…

Scientists at Rice University have created a solid-state memory technology that allows for high-density storage with a minimum incidence of computer errors. The memories are based on tantalum oxide, a…

Security of metals supply fundamental: UK minister Published: 11 March 2020 Industry must have confidence that it can access the necessary raw materials to move towards sustainable low-carbon markets, UK…

South Africa is one step closer to processed titanium alloys William Gregor, an amateur mineralogist and chemist, first discovered ilmenite – some black sand containing one of the world’s lightest metals –…

September 16, 2019 by Ingrid Fadelli, Phys.org Crystal-field engineering of band structure and mobility in GaN. (a),(b) Change in the GW quasiparticle band structure of GaN upon biaxial dilation and…

Sweden has built the first smart road that will allow electric vehicles to charge as they drive. The eRoadArlanda pilot scheme, which  covers two kilometres of road outside Stockholm, is an…

This year’s 59th T.I.C. General Assembly (AGM and conference) will take place 14-17 October 2018 at Marriott Hotel, Kigali, Rwanda.  Widely considered the largest and most important tantalum and niobium networking event…

On 13th September, members of the MMTA joined business clients of MMTA member, ICICI Bank, at their London offices to share some of the opportunities and pitfalls of doing business…

On May 7 1813, when Argentina was beginning the process of beoming a sovereign country, the first Argentinian law for the promotion of mining was sanctioned. The day has now…

The MMTA & Confronting Modern Slavery in DRC-UK Mineral Supply Chains James McQuilken 4th  M arch 2020 On the 4th March General Manager Eva Model joined the  London Briefing workshop…

The Minor Metals Trade Association held its inaugural seminar in Hong Kong in early November. The event attracted close to 80  participants from China and the rest of the world…

The periodic table  stares down from the walls of just about every chemistry lab. The credit for its creation generally goes to Dimitri Mendeleev, a Russian chemist who in 1869 wrote out…

Toyota says it has invented a new magnet for high-energy applications such as electric motors that uses a fraction of the amount of neodymium of a standard iron, boron, neodymium (NdFeB) magnet.…

Transitioning to a Low Carbon and Energy  Efficient Economy – Battery Raw Materials vs Critical Raw Materials Behind the Scene Review of the latest CRM Alliance Day, attended by MMTA…

What does the re-imposition of United States sanctions on Iran mean for business outside the US? On one view, the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)…

VIEW FROM NORTH AMERICA At last the US looks at its supply chains and comes to some long-overdue conclusions Dear Members I can describe it only as being quite lovely…

1. The US Top-Up tariff is likely to cut China’s mineral exports. After the US announced on July 11 that China would be charged an additional 10% import tariff, China’s…

Economic acrimony has been bubbling between the US and China since Donald Trump became president. Now the tensions have boiled over into escalating tit-for-tat announcements of tariffs on key imports. This…

Using metals with high thermoelectric power factor to create efficient all-solid-state active cooler by Bob Yirka , Phys.org Two ways to cool. A refrigerator transfers heat from a cold object…

Vanadium: what next for a market in deficit? Vanadium prices increased dramatically last year as the market moved into structural deficit.  While prices have fallen back from their 2018 peak,…

VIEW FROM NORTH AMERICA Of Greenland, Electric Motors and Critical Marine Minerals Dear Members Somewhat earlier in the month than usual, I send you greetings from a quite astoundingly lovely…

VIEW FROM NORTH AMERICA Of a Presentation on “Critical Minerals” in Düsseldorf and ERGI Dear Members Good Afternoon! From a truly autumnal New York. Here in the city, the temperature…

Dear Members, Well, here we are, over a month into 2020. And who would know that we are well over a month into winter here in New York? It should…

VIEW FROM NORTH AMERICA Of Critical Minerals in Australia Dear Members The winter storm I wrote about in my last letter never actually   materialized. But Harry still had his day…

VIEW FROM NORTH AMERICA  Of 2019 and the New Decade   Dear Members A very Happy New Year to everyone. (Whilst I am writing this at the very beginning of…

VIEW FROM NORTH AMERICA Of Ed Meir of INTL FCStone and the (Defunct) Fanya Metal Exchange Dear Members The harvest now is over, the summer days are gone, and yet…

VIEW FROM NORTH AMERICA Of Politics, Policies and Photoelectrics Dear Members Happy summer everyone! All I can say is that I really sympathize with members who are either residing or…

VIEW FROM NORTH AMERICA The Interminable Month of February Dear Members, Goodness, what a lot has happened since I wrote at the beginning of the month. With any luck, should…

VIEW FROM NORTH AMERICA Of Rare Earths, Morocco and Gallium Nitride Dear Members, Maybe spring is really here? I shall not go any further than “maybe.” But there are some…

Dear MMTA members, It is with great pleasure I am taking up the role of General Manager of the Minor Metals Trade Association as from 2nd January 2019. I am…

Why we’re hunting for treasure – in old landfill sites Humans are generally getting better at dealing with their mess. In the UK, for instance, 45% of household waste is now recycled…

虽然稀土金属长期以来都是采矿业的一大利基市场，但具有重要的战略意义。 文：Andrew Keen 和 Ben Jones，CRU 地球上有 17 种用途广泛的稀土元素，但其中有两种（钕和镨，简称 NdPr）与低碳经济的成长息息相关，其地位也变得越来越重要。最近，CRU 对稀土的基本需求建模、新供应来源和新进入者的成本竞争力进入了深入的分析。

这是世界上公开展示的最大辉锑矿标本，具有数百个独立的片状晶体，令人叹为观止。辉锑矿是一种含有锑和硫的矿物。2003 年，这个近半吨重的标本从中国东南部的武陵矿中运出。由于晶体是在地下的大洞穴中形成的，因此得以成长至让人印象深刻的长度。这种长度的完整辉锑矿晶体极为罕见。更常见的情况是，采矿者会发现大块的辉锑矿矿床，但其中只有很少量独立的晶体。之后这些矿石被粉碎并“烘烤”，这是提炼锑的过程。这种金属可用于制造发动机轴承、火柴、半导体、陶瓷釉和某些药物。  

9月13日，MMTA国际小金属贸易协会与其会员ICICI银行在伦敦共同主办了一个小型的座谈会，分享了主题为“世界上人口最多和发展最快的市场之一 -——印度开展业务的一些机会和陷阱”。

尊敬的会员朋友们： 祝大家新年快乐！（我撰写本文的时间为 2020 年 1 月初，但我并不确定大家会在什么时间读到它。所以如果大家阅读本文时，新的十年已然开启，我在此诚挚致歉。） 从许多方面来说，现在世界的情形已与去年的此时大不相同：纽约现在的气温是温和的 8 摄氏度（47 华氏度），而不是寒冷的零下 18 摄氏度（0 华氏度）；美国政府未再出现破纪录的停摆，而我们的行业（到目前为止）也不曾发生严重的矿难事故。

亲爱的各位会员， 一声迟到的祝福——新年快乐！ 随着北美圣诞及新年假日的结束，天气也稍微暖和了一点。

尊敬的各位会员， 在此春回大地之际，祝愿大家万事如意！ 很遗憾，当您看到此篇文章时，已时过境迁。美国内政部关于“美国经济与国家安全相关的关键矿物清单“的征集意见截止时间是在3月19日。此前内政部在对此清单征集意见[i]（然而这篇文章的发表时间是3月18日星期天上午11点，已经收到了461条意见）。

尊敬的各位会员， 光阴似箭，转眼已到五月底。纽约的天气虽然还没有进入夏季，不过气候已逐渐炎热和潮湿。 为了安全起见，我最好不要谈及特朗普先生和他对钢铝的关税政策。因为我相信，最好由专家来评论为好，特别是从一开始就没有如此强烈反对，反对将关税的整个概念作为谈判“武器”的人。我们只需静观其变。只是，对那些在英国和欧洲喜爱波旁威士忌酒的人我感到深深的抱歉（欧盟对美国实施的铝钢进口关税反击，包括向摩托车和波旁威士忌等加征关税）。

我们现在都发现自己身处未知的领域，COVID-19冠状病毒在世界各地传播的速度和凶猛程度令人恐惧，给许多人带来困难和绝望。我们的朋友、家人、同事、员工、供应商和客户都面临着许多我们从未经历过的艰难时期。 在当前的形势下，MMTA把员工、董事和成员的健康和安全放在首位，管理团队在董事会的全力支持下，做出了以下决定。 我们在3月12日率先做出决定，决定MMTA员工在家工作。 所有近期旅行都已暂停，并将在夏末进行评估。 美国查尔斯顿年会推迟到2021年4月14日至16日举行。 我们通常在4月份举行的年度股东大会将被推迟，直到我们能够找到一个合法和成功举行的机制。有关推迟的年度股东大会的进一步信息将在适当时候发送。 原定于9月之前的所有活动都将取消，除非此类活动能够在线上举行。 《Crucible》月刊将继续出版，但近期都将采用数字版发送。 《Crucible》4月版还将包括通常在年度会刊中出现的新董事的简介和摘录，还将包括完整的成员目录。 在这段困难时期，MMTA团队将尽可能提供帮助和指导。 如果您有任何意见或问题，请不要犹豫联系我们，总经理Eva，我自己或MMTA团队。 但最重要的是，管理团队、董事和我谨向全体成员转达我们最良好的祝愿，并希望你们都能保持安全、健康和照顾家人和朋友。 Simon Boon MMTA 主席

们太阳系外的气态行星“热木星”的透射光谱中，首次发现重金属氧化物。 该行星 WASP-19b 和木星一样大，但是温度却高出很多，达到 2000K 左右。之前，科学家通过分析来自类似行星的光，发现了这些行星中有氢、氧、碳、钠、钾等较轻的元素，但从未发现过较重的元素。   使用欧洲南方天文台的巨型望远镜和 FORS2 光谱仪在智利圣地亚哥附近检测来自 WASP-19b 的光。天文学家使用各种模型来解释光谱，并找到了与氧化钛 (Titanium) 以及金属钠和水相对应的峰值。 他们表示，氧化钛的存在可能会改变该行星的不透明性，这可能会导致大气中出现强烈的昼夜温差。同时也可能引起大气温度的变化，通过高精度仪器探测来自该热木星和其他热木星的热辐射，在将来或许哈勃太空望远镜或詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜可以找到答案。 来源：《自然》 By ESO/M. Kornmesser – https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1729a/, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62429212   在巨大的外行星高温大气层中检测到氧化钛 was last modified:…

欧盟由于没有自己的天然矿产资源，因此进口大量的重要金属。研究人员调查了废弃原材料的回收利用，以找到确保可持续供应、增加经济值和减少温室气体排放的方法。

  特朗普的推特已经变成了今日政治的一股“主流”。谁知道每个星期的推特马拉松会为全球关系带来什么？ 三月伊始，特朗普便宣布将对进口到美国的钢和铝分别征收25%和10%的关税。“美国优先”已然行动起来，但这一举动是否会对经济造成意想不到的后果呢？ 首先值得注意的是，这项关税措施针对的是任何出口钢和铝的国家，而非仅仅是那些在美国市场上试图“倾销”不公平补贴产品的国家。批评声音认为钢和铝产业并没有遭遇任何会影响到“保护”关税的具体威胁。澳大利亚总理发推文声明澳大利亚将被免除关税，于是剩下欧盟忐忑不安，所幸最后关头游说组织说服特朗普延缓对欧洲实行此项关税。

美国对伊朗实施的制裁对美国以外的业务意味着什么？ 有一种观点认为，美国退出伊朗核协议（JCPOA）的变化很小。虽然根据联合国安理会第2231（2015）号决议的规定，所有与伊朗核计划有关的联合国制裁，多边和国内制裁措施都将于2016年1月16日之前取消，但是美国的重要制裁仍存在，即使奥巴马总统在2016年1月16日签署了执行伊朗核协议的行政命令。

减重是直升机选材的关键考虑因素。复合材料得到广泛使用，并在直升机总重量中占很高的百分比，尤其是在军用直升机中。但对于某些部位，金属材料仍然是工程师的首选；在成本和可靠性等关键问题上，金属占有绝对的优势。

阿格斯（Argus Media）是全球领先的稀土报价专业机构。我们提供7种重稀土材料和5种轻稀土材料的价格服务，并且我们给出的报价一直被用于整个供应链的现货交易定价。我们拥有庞大的全球团队，深耕中国市场多年、发展强劲，通过三角贸易交易、出价和要价，以及合格的数据评估市场价位。

路透北京 – 美国对2000亿美元中国商品征收关税的最终清单中不包括稀土元素，突显美国依赖中国供应这类战略矿产。稀土用于磁铁、雷达和消费电子产品。

美国总统特朗普提出对另外2000亿美元的中国货物征收关税，威胁到用于医药，引擎和电子消费产品等各种小金属和稀土的尖端贸易。 超过6000种的物品已被指定征收10%的进口关税，包括美国政府五月公布的35种对经济和国防安全起关键性作用的矿物清单中的32种物品。

在我们为 MMTA 撰写的月度专栏中，每刊将重点关注一种不同的小金属，关注当前的市场状况以及未来一年中的主要议题。在《Crucible》的 2019 年 11 月刊中，我们将重点关注铌。铌（Niobium）的名字来源于希腊神话中坦塔罗斯国王（King Tantalus）的女儿尼俄伯（Niobe）。

在我们为 MMTA 撰写的月度专栏中，每刊将重点关注一种不同的小金属，关注当前的市场状况以及未来一年中的主要命题。在《Crucible》的 2019 年 6 月刊中，我们将重点关注钴。钴（Cobalt）源自德语单词“kobold”，意为“妖精”或“邪恶精灵”。那时，矿工们十分不信任被他们称作“Kobolderz”的蓝色颜料矿石，因为这种矿物可能在冶炼时释放出有毒的含砷气体。   在小金属市场中，一年可能是很长的一段时间。上个月，钴业人士齐聚香港参加钴业协会（Cobalt Institute）年会，当时钴的价格在每磅 17 美元（约合人民币 264.59 元每千克）左右。而上一年，当同一个会议在拉斯维加斯举行时，钴的价格则超过了每磅 40 美元（约合人民币 622.57 元每千克）。是什么发生了变化？   在 2017 和 2018 年间，钴分散了人们对锂的一部分关注度，并在锂离子和电动汽车（EV）展会上占据了焦点地位。钴被用于制造某些锂离子电池的阴极；而且重要的是，硫酸钴是 NCM 和 NCA 电池阴极的重要原料，而这两类电池是电动汽车时代的动力之源。未来十年间，电动汽车电池对钴的需求将继续支撑市场的可观增长。事实上，罗斯基尔公司（Roskill）预计到 2029 年，钴的市场规模将扩大到现在的两倍。…

  在我们为 MMTA 撰写的月度专栏中，每刊将重点关注一种不同的小金属，关注当前的市场状况以及未来一年中的主要命题。在《Crucible》的 2019 年 5 月刊中，我们将重点关注钽。钽（Tantalum）的名字来源于希腊神话人物坦塔罗斯（Tantalus），他最广为人知的故事是被打入冥界，永受折磨。我们可以肯定的是，钽和坦塔罗斯之间的相似处仅限于名字。   钽的产业规模很小，长久以来很容易受到市场平衡的快速变化和价格波动的影响。仅仅一家生产商的生产中断就可能对整个市场产生重大的影响；同样，如下游需求出现无法预见的上升，持有少量库存的加工方就会应对不及。2017 年发生的此类事件使得钽精矿价格大幅上升，五氧化二钽（Ta2O5）从年初的略高于 50 美元/磅（约合人民币 778.22 元/千克）跃升至年底的近 90 美元/磅（约合人民币 1440.79 元/千克）。   截至 2019 年年初，钽市场现面临着完全相反的情况——供应充足并可能会迅速地改变目前钽生产的地理格局。过去的 12 个月中，我们在各种小金属会议上进行的讨论主要集中在一个问题上——澳大利亚不断增加的钽产量对国际钽市场的影响，以及其对钽价格和手工生产商的影响。     图题：全球：一级和二级1钽供应（吨 Ta2O5） 供应源（从左至右）：非洲；南美洲；中国；澳大利亚；南亚/东南亚；欧洲；二级…

在我们为 MMTA 撰写的月度专栏中，每刊将重点关注一种不同的小金属，关注当前的市场状况以及未来一年中的主要议题。在《Crucible》的 2019 年 10 月刊中，我们将重点关注锡。锡的化学符号“Sn”源自拉丁语单词“stannum”，而“stannum”一词很可能源自早期的凯尔特语词汇“stan”和“sten”，意指从英国康沃尔流向欧洲大陆的早期罗马锡贸易历史。

在给 MMTA 写的每月专栏中，我们都会聚焦一种关键的小金属，审视当前市场形势，展望来年行情。2020 年 3 月这一期的“THE Crucible”专栏，我们把目光投向了锰（manganese）。过去曾用 manganese 这个词来命名软锰矿和希腊马格尼西亚地区的黑色矿物——而历史上也一度以马格尼西亚（Magnesia）这个地名来命名镁和铁矿石。

MMTA 专栏每月都会聚焦一种重要的稀有金属，探讨其当前的市场状况和未来一年的走势。在《The Crucible》 2020 年  2 月刊中，我们将关注一种  1925 年首度于德国发现，并以莱茵河的拉丁名 Rhenus 命名的稀有金属：铼。

在靠近谢菲尔德市的两个冷却塔处，一座新的纪念雕像即将建成。 这座被称为钢铁侠的纪念雕像由罗瑟勒姆委员会委托，将被设计成一座坐在黑色煤炭石板基座上的坐姿雕像，象征着谢菲尔德自Harry Brearley发明不锈钢以来，这100年来钢铁的发展。作为纪念雕像的一部分，一个宽2.5米，长3米的钢心将放置在建筑内。

钼需求的大量机遇——作者：James Jeary 钼在能源、运输、建筑、化工、医疗以及电子等行业的化工和冶金领域有着广泛的应用。本文中，CRU 的 James Jeary 将探讨钼消耗的前景和未来的需求机会。James 是 CRU 《钼市场展望》（Molybdenum Market Outlook）报告的编辑。该报告是 CRU 的一项综合服务，提供关于未来五年中钼供应、需求以及价格的详细预测。

研究人员发现，液态金属滴可以变成雪花状。 当美国北卡罗莱纳州立大学的一个科学家小组试图用液态镓铟作为电化学电池中的电极时，他们发现了奇怪的现象：在几秒钟内，金属开始扩散成雪花状。液态镓铟具有液体中最大表面张力，其形态很少发生改变，因此这是极不寻常的现象。 但施加中等电压会引起镓合金与周围电解质（氢氧化钠水溶液）之间的反应。金属表面出现氧化并降低了表面张力，就如肥皂会降低水的表面张力一样。当重力将金属扩散成圆盘状，表面的干扰会将其分解成一片片的“雪花”。“雪花”继续变化，分裂出更多的碎片，形成图案。 参考文献 C B Eaker 等，《物理评论快报》2017, 119, 174502 (DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.174502)