Both China and India are now jostling for exploration and mining rights across the African continent. Over the last decade, China has rapidly expanded its presence in Africa’s growing copper market, securing critical mineral supplies to fuel its green energy ambitions. With copper demand surging globally due to the growth of electric vehicles, renewable energy, […]
Steel Wars: China Floods Russia with Cheap Metal as Sanctions Cripple Kremlin Mills
Ongoing geopolitical conflicts, including one active war, combined with market instability, declining steel demand in certain global regions and a rise in protective tariffs on exporting nations, have all come together to force some steel-producing countries, including China, to reassess and refocus their steel industry supply chains. Faced with weak domestic steel demand due to […]
Will Australia’s $6 Trillion Iron Ore Find Reshape Global Markets?
An abundance of high-quality iron ore and the recent discovery of a 55 billion metric ton reserve have pushed Western Australia into the top spot as the world’s leading iron ore supplier. Now, many are wondering what effects this might have on the country’s export markets as well as global iron ore prices. Protect your […]
Is Russia About to Hijack the Western Hemisphere’s Energy Game from Right Under the U.S.’ Nose?
Amidst the tariff wars, are we about to see the birth of new energy dynamics in the Americas? A few days ago, Russia offered to supply liquefied natural gas to the United States’ neighbor, Mexico. Because of the strategic, economic and geopolitical implications, the move quickly made sector analysts sit up and take note Media […]
Nickel’s Critical Role in Stainless Steel and EV Batteries
Nickel plays a vital role in producing stainless steel and powering electric vehicle batteries. In recent years, the metal’s close ties to the burgeoning electric vehicle market have helped push it into the global spotlight. However, rapid shifts in demand, supply and pricing have created both challenges and opportunities in the nickel sector, depending on […]
Trump’s 50% Tariffs Slam Indian Metals. Is $2 Billion in Trade at Risk?
India is seeing mixed reactions to U.S. President Donald Trump’s new announcement that he is imposing a 50% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports from the country. While the Indian Government sought to play down the new Trump tariffs, with one minister dubbing its impact as “minor,” some analysts, experts and trade bodies are […]
Steel Dumping Tsunami Recedes: China’s Export Peak May Be Behind Us
Has the countdown to the end of China’s steel dominance in its own and international markets begun? Some steel industry reports seem to indicate that this is exactly the case. Many chalk this up to a variety of factors, including a shift in steel demand dynamics, China’s own poor internal demand, its efforts to turn […]
Rare Earth Truce or Trap? China’s Grip Still Chokes Global Supply
With the United States and China ratcheting down the tariff war (for 90 days at least), many expected that the export of rare earths and permanent magnets would soon return to pre-trade war conditions, as MetalMiner’s weekly newsletter weighed in on in the past. However, that does not seem to be happening on the ground. […]
Iron Ore Defies the Odds: Prices Surge After Tariff Rollbacks
The past week or so has seen quite a yo-yo ride for global iron ore prices. Ore futures, including the most-active September contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE), dropped by about 2% on May 8. The reasons for this were twofold: the likely consequences of the U.S.-China trade tariff war, and a demand slowdown […]
China’s Steel Flood: ASEAN Struggles as Exports Surge 32% Overnight
There’s no doubt that China is desperately seeking new markets to hawk its goods and commodities after the U.S. trade tariffs kicked in. This is especially true when it comes to the country’s steel industry. In fact, even prior to the trade war, Beijing was actively looking at expanding its access to steel markets. So, […]