Following the collapse of Greensill Capital in March 2021 many expected Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance metals empire to follow close behind. MetalMiner wasn’t alone in repeatedly questioning the murky financial structure of the sprawling group. Some media outlets suggested it reflected fraud bordering on a ponzi scheme. To most parties’ surprise, GFG has limped on […]
Stuart Burns
Lithium prices outstrip even the base metals bull run
Base metal prices have seen significant increases over recent weeks. However, one metal has outperformed them all this month, lithium. The lithium spot market for battery grade salts, specifically carbonates and hydroxides, surged nearly 15% in just the last week, according to Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets’ price for lithium carbonate, 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot price […]
Bases metals prices with short term volatility followed by medium term falls
Many metals consumers normally buy if not spot then on a three-to-six-month time horizon. Still others book up to a year out. Those that fix for longer periods often publish annual sales price lists. These companies need to fix input costs to protect margins. However, that too comes at a cost. Of course there is […]
Natural gas markets under extreme duress
Ordinarily, rising oil and natural gas prices serve as positive signs of a recovering global economy. However, the rate and extent of price increases threatens to derail that very recovery. These increases, on top of rising interest rates, rapidly increasing inflation and constrained global supply chains, all continue despite more than a year into the […]
Section 232 negotiations between the US and the UK
As an example of how trade disputes often have little to do with trade, the announcement this week that the US and UK would sit down for talks to resolve the Trump era “trade dispute” over steel and aluminium tariffs serves as a case in point. Back in March 2018, when the former US president […]
Could we be seeing a re-run of the 2007 nickel market?
Or so asks an interesting post in Reuters last week regarding the nickel market. Back in 2007, nickel stocks had plummeted while prices rocketed. Today, we also have plummeting stocks and a rocketing price. Inventory does not appear as low today as in 2007, yet, nor has the price exceeded $24,000 per metric ton. In […]
Mining follows the trend to re-shore to the USA
We have heard a lot in recent years about re-shoring. Simply, the return of manufacturing capacity wilfully relinquished to China over the last 20 years, back to the USA. Or at least we have heard about near-shoring to lower labor cost partners like Mexico. Few would argue it would be good for the US economy, […]
Nickel in deficit as LME inventories continue to decline
Inventory drawdown is the defining narrative at the moment, and nickel is part of the story. Economic recovery around the world is patchy. Some countries are recovering strongly, while some are still struggling. Inflation is surging and analysts are having trouble agreeing whether 2022 can see anything like 2021’s rate of growth as a result. […]
Kazakhstan unrest offers price support, but president’s call for higher mining taxes could have stronger price impact
Human and political rights activists have been suffering escalating repression in the former Soviet state of Kazakhstan. The result has been widespread rioting and the reported death of over a hundred protestors this month. The protests kicked off with rises in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices but stem from extreme inequality and corruption in the […]
Environment driving BHP’s investments in nickel
Nickel, traditionally largely consumed in the stainless steel industry, is enjoying strong support from its role as a lithium-ion battery enhancing metal. The use of nickel reduces the need for cobalt, significantly battery reducing costs. Not surprisingly car makers are scrambling to lock up supplies as Chinese battery firms get first to market investing in […]
