India’s steel giant, Tata Steel, recently announced it had successful injected hydrogen into one of its blast furnaces. Many tout it as the world’s first such experiment by a steelmaker on so vast a scale. The goal of such a process is to potentially reduce carbon dioxide emissions by replacing up to 20% of the […]
Sohrab Darabshaw
China’s Yunnan Province Cuts Aluminum Production
A new question mark hangs over the fate of Chinese aluminum production for the rest of 2023. In March, China’s primary aluminum output increased by 3% compared to the same period in the previous year. However, the increase occurred at a slower pace than in previous months. While this did bring some cheer, the future […]
Renewed Steel Demand in China Causing Iron Ore Production to Rise
For the 1st quarter of this year, China’s iron ore imports hit a Q1 record. Altogether, prices climbed nearly 10% from January to March, reaching 29.3 million tons (MT). Indeed, March alone saw imports grow 1.8% to 100.23 MT. Helping these numbers were expectations of stronger steel demand as the Chinese economy continues to emerge […]
Australia on Track to Earn as Much for Lithium as Thermal Coal
Australia is on the brink of a significant accomplishment in the worldwide transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Within the next five years, the country projects it will generate as much revenue from exporting lithium, a crucial mineral in battery technology, as it presently does from thermal coal. This news is even more […]
Rio Tinto Selling Stake in Peru’s La Granja Copper Mining Project
Rio Tinto Group recently agreed to sell a 55% majority stake in its La Granja copper project in Peru to First Quantum Minerals Ltd. The deal involves the First Quantum paying U.S. $105 million. The hope is that the sale will allow the project to progress even faster. It should also allow the Rio team […]
India to Heavily Increase Steel Production
The latest steel news reports that Indian steel production is expected to increase throughout 2023. The information comes directly from sector experts and the head honchos of steel companies themselves. So, aside from being welcome, it is an opinion with a fair amount of clout behind it. According to research agency ICRA, steel demand in […]
Southern China’s Power Crisis Impacting Aluminum Production
China’s aluminum production faces a “touch and go” situation once again. In this case, the problem is mainly due to a power supply crisis in the southwest area of the country. The Yunnan province, the aluminum manufacturing hub of southern China, is reducing production of the metal due to a severe water shortage. This shortage has, […]
Iron Ore Prices Increase as Chinese Government Prohibits Stockpiling
Iron ore futures continue to climb steadily. The Singapore benchmark for iron ore futures exceeded U.S. $130 a ton on Monday. The increase was largely due to improved steel plant profitability and a positive demand forecast in China, the world’s largest steel producer. However, these increases in the price of iron ore remained restrained by […]
Is India the “Winner” in Russia’s War on Ukraine?
As the old saying goes, “one man’s crisis is another’s opportunity.” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions and ruined trade relationships with the U.S. and Europe represents a tremendous crisis. But for the country’s long-term ally, India – and to an extent, China – it represents opportunity. From cheap Russian oil and coking […]
Lithium Ion Battery Use Could be “Playing with Fire”
Lithium-ion is having a bad day – or year. In fact, depending on the source, “years” might be more appropriate. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) has powered batteries for portable consumable electronics, electric vehicles (EVs), and other products for over two decades. But now, with Tesla cars and millions of other products using the technology, the potential hazards […]
