Metals Markets
-
BATTERIES: Why LFP cathode material is making a comeback
A previously sidelined EV battery cathode material – LFP, composed of lithium iron and phosphate – has come to the forefront in 2020, thanks to its safety, low cost, and the simplified battery pack design that it allows, a white paper published…
-
COMMODITIES: BofA forecasts metal price recovery post-COVID-19
UNITED STATES – Bank of America forecasts global copper consumption could contract by 18% year-over-year in 2020 should global GDP drop by an estimated 4.2% due to economic disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Although a decline in copper purchases of…
-
COBALT: Feasibility shows strong economics for First Cobalt refinery reboot
TORONTO – A feasibility study looking at an expansion of First Cobalt’s refinery in Ontario shows that with a capital investment of US$56 million, the past-producing facility could produce nearly 25,000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate annually – representing 5% of…
-
COVID-19: Coronavirus impacts spread across mining sector
As the world seemingly moves into lockdown to halt the transmission of the novel COVID-19 virus, the uncertainty and restrictions on movement are taking a toll on markets and commodities. After initially benefiting from uncertainty around the virus and peaking…
-
SURVEY: BC exploration shifts toward base metals
After two years of growth, mineral exploration spending in British Columbia was steady last year, totalling $329 million. But while overall spending didn’t change much, the minerals targeted did, with gold exploration declining 11%, and base metal exploration rising 39%.…
-
PDAC 2020: Covid-19 weighs on mining outlook for 2020
It’s usually difficult to find a seat at the commodities session on the opening day of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention held in early March in Toronto, but there was a noticeably smaller crowd at this…
-
Update: Coronavirus impacts base metals market
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to spread across China, with official government figures putting the number of infected people at more than 73,000, and the number of deaths approaching 1,900 in China. According to figures from the World Health Organization,…
-
Trump administration seeks to boost US uranium production
As part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed federal budget for fiscal 2021, his administration is requesting US$150 million annually over the next decade to stockpile U.S.-mined uranium in a new national uranium reserve. The move is designed to prop…
-
B of A boosts palladium price forecast
Palladium prices have surged 1,520% since 2009 due to tight supply and higher emission standards, and analysts at the Bank of America forecast the metal could rise to US$3,500 per oz. in the fourth quarter of 2020 from the current…
-
Wood Mackenzie: Five key things to watch in battery metals
In a note on battery raw materials this week, consultants Wood Mackenzie outlined the main themes to look for in 2020: 1. Key EV markets to start growing again In 2019, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) market contracted. According…
-
Haywood bullish on uranium sector fundamentals
While uranium spot prices were down 14% in 2019, supply and demand fundamentals for uranium are the “most bullish in years,” and the sector “offers its most compelling value proposition since pre-Fukushima,” Haywood Securities says in a new research note.…
-
REPORT: Survey IDs trade tensions and ESG policies as top issues for miners
Global law firm White & Case has released the results of its fourth annual survey on mining and metals, identifying trade and ESG issues as the industry’s top concerns for 2020. White & Case surveyed 64 senior industry decision makers…
