Dear MMTA Members and colleagues, Welcome to your September and LME Week edition of the MMTA’s magazine, The Crucible. LME Week 2024 The LME Week 2024 kicks off on…
China
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CRM - Critical Raw MaterialsCrucibleMinor Metals and ApplicationsThe Crucible: July/August 2022
China gallium market analysis
by Polina Sparks August 26, 2022Gallium is widely used in photoelectric devices, semiconductors, permanent magnets, photovoltaics, and other fields, due to its good superconductivity, ductility, optical properties, and excellent thermal shrinkage and cold expansion properties.…
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China International Minor Metals Forum 2023
by Polina Sparks June 27, 2023Organised by Beijing Antaike Information Co., Ltd., (Antaike) China’s premier raw materials research consultancy, and supported by China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association Minor Metals Branch (CNIA), China International Minor Metals…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: March 2016
China to curb illegal mining & export of rare earths
by MMTA March 14, 2016Mining.com recently reported that China is increasing its attempts to restrict illegal mining and export of rare earths. To do this, it is setting up a system to certify the… -
CrucibleThe Crucible: March 2023
China: Molybdenum prices hit 17-year high on tight supply
by Polina Sparks March 31, 2023Molybdenum is an important industrial raw material. Due to molybdenum’s high strength, high melting point, resistance to corrosion and abrasion and other characteristics, stainless steel’ corrosion resistance can be improved…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: June 2023
China: Tungsten 2022 Market Review and 2023 Outlook
by Polina Sparks June 30, 2023Price and output analysis In 2022, China tightened rules on environmental protection and operational safety. Since Pan-Asia APT inventory was nearly exhausted, and the inventory of various Chinese enterprises was…
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CRM - Critical Raw MaterialsCrucibleThe Crucible: April 2022
China’s tellurium industry development trend
by Polina Sparks April 28, 2022Tellurium is one of the scattered metalloids. It is mainly used in semiconductor devices, alloys, chemical raw materials production, or used as additives in cast iron, rubber, glass, and…
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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)…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: September 2024The Crucible: September/October 2023
China’s export controls rock global antimony market
by Polina Sparks September 29, 2024Antimony prices have been on a rapid uptrend since Beijing announced the addition of antimony and some of its products to China’s export licensing scheme from 15 September, and with…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: September/October 2023
China’s Ga, Ge export controls may deter EU trade
by Polina Sparks October 5, 2023In August this year, the Chinese government introduced export licencing on a range of gallium and germanium products, citing national security. Amid a lack of clarity about the impact, Argus…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: March 2022
Chinese tungsten prices rise continuously
by Polina Sparks March 31, 2022Tungsten is a scarce strategic resource. After more than 100 years of mining, domestic consumption of Wolframite resources is relatively more. Currently, scheelite resources are mostly mined. To protect…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: February 2023
Cobalt and nickel supply chains reshaped by Indonesian investments
by Polina Sparks February 27, 2023Indonesia’s ascendance to the heart of the lithium-ion battery supply chain has been incredible; a rise that has fundamentally challenged many of the mining industry’s long-held beliefs. To…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: September 2024
Cobalt sulfate: the state of play and what’s to come
by Polina Sparks September 30, 2024Battery chemical markets have faced a turbulent ride through 2024, with a downturn in lithium prices coupled with cobalt metal prices falling to and staying at eight-year lows. Slowing electric…
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CRM - Critical Raw MaterialsCrucibleMinor Metals and ApplicationsThe Crucible: October 2022
Critical materials underpinning energy transition: Cobalt
by Polina Sparks October 22, 2022In this submission to the Crucible on the subject of critical materials underpinning energy transition, Project Blue focusses on cobalt. While there are numerous challenges facing the cobalt supply chain,…
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‘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…
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Maria Cox discusses her recent visit to China, where she met members old and new.
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CrucibleThe Crucible: January 2020The Crucible: January 2023The Crucible: June 2024
Electric vehicle demand faces geopolitical turbulence
by Polina Sparks July 4, 2024New US and EU tariffs on Chinese EV supply chains look to further isolate China from its EV ambitions Against a backdrop of slowing electric vehicle (EV) demand growth, the…
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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…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: June 2022
Global rhenium industry development analysis
by Polina Sparks June 27, 2022Rhenium is a refractory metal with a melting point of 3180 °C. It has good plasticity, mechanical properties and creep resistance, as well as corrosion resistance. Rhenium is widely used…
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China’s accession to the WTO (World Trade Organization) in 2001 saw them being recognised as a non-market economy in transition, meaning that unless Chinese firms could prove they were operating…
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CPM Group recently attended both the Minor Metals Trade Association (MMTA) and Metal Events Rare Earths (MERE) meetings in Singapore. Along with the valuable opportunity to reconnect with people sometimes…
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International Steelmaking Raw Materials Conference 2024
by Polina Sparks February 5, 2024The International Steel Making Raw Materials Conference will be run as a partnership between CRU and Minmetals and will be held in conjunction with Zall Steel’s established steel makers conference. The event will cover critical issues facing the…
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Jintai Forum
by Polina Sparks November 14, 2023Global Mining Business Development Forum Speakers will include Chinese government officials, guest officials from African countries, heads of national associations, senior media executives and top-tier academic researchers. As well as…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: July/August 2018
Latest updates on China’s Trade Policy
by MMTA August 3, 2018China 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…
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Dear Members Rather than dwell on just how horrible the markets have been since I last wrote you, I thought I’d have a quick look back over 2014 and see…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: May 2024
Metal markets take stock of new US tariffs on China
by Polina Sparks May 31, 2024On 14th May 2024 the Office of the US Trade Representative announced a plan to introduce or increase duties on a range of Chinese imports as it looks to onshore…
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CRM - Critical Raw MaterialsCrucibleThe Crucible: April 2022
Minor Metals In Focus: Magnesium
by Polina Sparks April 28, 2022In our monthly column for the MMTA, we will be shining the spotlight on a different minor metal each edition, looking at current market conditions and themes for the year…
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Welcome to the November Crucible Dear MMTA members, Welcome to your November 2023 edition of the Minor Metal Trade Association’s magazine, the Crucible. Following on from the October webinar, Mastering…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: March 2022Uncategorized
MMTA interview: Benchmark Intelligence on critical minerals
by Polina Sparks April 4, 2022“There needs to be more widespread investment in the development and exploration of all critical mineral resources” Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (Benchmark) is a world leading clean energy supply chain price…
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贵溪大三元实业(集团)股份有限公司始建于2000年11月(原名:贵溪市三元冶炼化工有限责任公司) 。贵溪大三元集团是集有色金属的生产、加工、贸易以及以“白蚁”为主要原料抗癌药品和保健品的开发、研制、生产、销售为一体的综合性中型企业集团。
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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。
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CrucibleThe Crucible: September/October 2023
Moly market dynamics calm following historic volatility, eyes on China
by Polina Sparks October 5, 2023The molybdenum market story in 2023 has been one of volatility and uncertain demand-supply outlook. With a less dramatic downside seen from September, S & P Global here unpicks the…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: September 2024
Molybdenum market movements focus on China
by Polina Sparks September 30, 2024A robust Chinese domestic market is currently the only factor supporting molybdenum spot prices, with the European market failing to register any uptick in September since the return from the…
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The Crucible: July/August 2018
NEW MMTA MEMBER-Shaanxi Head-Moly Industry Co., Ltd.
by MMTA August 2, 2018Shaanxi 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…
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CRM - Critical Raw MaterialsCrucibleLegislation and RegulationMinor Metals and ApplicationsSustainability and Resource ManagementThe Crucible: November 2022
News in Brief
by Polina Sparks November 30, 2022Go, Go, Gallium After several false starts, NASA’s Artemis I mission took off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 16 November, the first in a series of complex missions…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: December 2017The Crucible: January 2023
News in Brief
by Polina Sparks January 31, 2023In 2023 the MMTA celebrates its 50th anniversary Happy New Year! Dear MMTA members, We would like to start this 2023 issue of by wishing you a happy and…
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Glencore woos Teck As this issue of the Crucible was heading to print, Swiss commodities giant Glencore sweetened its takeover approach to Canadian miner Teck Resources, which looked determined to…
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EU votes to adopt the CRM Act On 14th September the European Parliament voted by an overwhelming majority to adopt the Critical Raw Materials Act. The amended act adds aluminium…
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Dear MMTA Members, Welcome to your February-March edition of the MMTA magazine, the Crucible. After the Lunar New Year holidays in February, that are already feeling like a lifetime ago,…
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Thank you to all the US members who contributed to the MMTA consultation on the Office of US Trade Representative’s (USTR) consultation on Section 301 tariffs that included proposed 25%…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: February/March 2024
Proceedings of the World Magnesium Conference 2023
by Polina Sparks March 11, 2024As the International Magnesium Association looks ahead to the 2024 World Conference, we’re sharing some highlights from the World Conference in 2023, held in Calgary. The conference provided a comprehensive…
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CRM - Critical Raw MaterialsCrucibleMinor Metals and ApplicationsThe Crucible: May 2022
Rapid development of China’s high purity indium industry
by Polina Sparks May 24, 2022Indium and its compounds are widely used in optoelectronics. The most well-known indium-based compounds are indium antimonide (InSb), indium phosphide (InP), indium arsenide (InAs), etc. Among these compounds, InSb is…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: November 2023
Rare Earths: Heading for a hangover?
by Polina Sparks December 4, 2023On the heels of the Metals Events 19th Rare Earths Conference in San Antonio, Texas, USA, in October, Andrew Matheson and Patrick Stratton, analysts at CPM Group, delve into the…
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CRM - Critical Raw MaterialsCrucibleLegislation and RegulationResourcesSustainability and Resource ManagementThe Crucible: June 2022Trade Issues
Securing magnesium is an EU priority: EIT Summit
by Polina Sparks June 28, 2022Securing stable magnesium supply has become a priority for policymakers after an acute shortage of material in late 2021, panellists said at the EIT Raw Materials Summit in Berlin. “To…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: May 2024
Strong indium buying in China and cuts to Western production stir up market
by Polina Sparks May 31, 2024In the last month the indium market has soared on a supply shortage caused by disruptions to production outside of Chi-na and increased buying in China bringing an end to…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: June 2024
Supply constraints push antimony prices to record high
by Polina Sparks July 4, 2024An extreme supply shortage since April has led to the sharpest price rally ever recorded in the antimony market since Fastmarkets started pricing the metal back in the early 1980s. …
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CrucibleThe Crucible: June 2024
The MMTA’s public consultation response to Request for Comments
by Polina Sparks July 4, 2024Proposed Modifications to the Section 301 Actions (Docket Number USTR-2024-0007) In June the US Trade Representative consulted on proposed additions to the USTR’s Section 301’s 25% import duties, including HTS…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: May 2024Trade Issues
The Nickel Market and Russia Sanctions — limited impact, turns focus to China
by Polina Sparks May 31, 2024S&P Global Commodity Insights dives into the impact of the recent US and UK government sanctions on Russian-origin metal in the nickel market. In April 2024, the US and UK…
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Recent reporting on conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), based in part on the UN Security Council’s Group of Experts report of December 2023 and in part…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: October 2018
U.S. gives rare earths reprieve in revised $200 billion China tariff list
by MMTA October 12, 2018U.S. gives rare earths reprieve in revised $200 billion China tariff list BEIJING (Reuters) – The United States did not include rare earth elements, metals used in magnets, radars and…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: November 2018
US Supply Chains – Critical Minerals Revisited
by MMTA November 14, 2018VIEW 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…
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The Crucible: July/August 2018
US TAX IMPACT ON NON-FERROUS METALS MARKET A CHINESE PERSPECTIVE
by MMTA August 6, 20181. 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…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: May 2018
US-CHINA TRADE WAR’S GLOBAL RAMIFICATIONS EXPLAINED
by MMTA May 14, 2018Economic 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…
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Good Morning! This Sunday morning, here in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, I am looking out on around six inches of pristine snow. We have been hit by part of a large…
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By Tamara Alliot, MMTA The Executive Team was kindly invited to MMTA member company Less Common Metals (LCM) just before Christmas. Ian Higgins, the Managing Director welcomed us to their…
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Dear MMTA Members, Welcome to your May edition of the Crucible magazine, This is its first issue since the MMTA’s International Minor Metals Conference and AGM took place in Singapore…
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CrucibleThe Crucible: August 2023
What does H2 2023 look like for critical materials?
by Polina Sparks September 11, 2023As we enter the busiest trading season of the second half of 2023, Project Blue looks at what lies ahead for critical materials in the rest of 2023 The major…