IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from July 8

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Monday July 8 that are worth another look.

Major miner Antofagasta has broken away from decades-long tradition to sign copper concentrates supply contracts for the first half of 2020 with China’s two biggest copper smelters in June, Fastmarkets understands. 

A higher tender price for silico-manganese in China for July improved sentiment and increased prices for low-grade manganese ore in the week ended on Friday July 5. 

Cobalt metal prices have slipped to 32-month low amid slow summer demand and cheaper offers from sellers. 

The Queensland Resources Council will hold discussions with the Australian government, mining unions and workers this week regarding action that can be taken to increase safety across the sector following a fatal accident over the weekend at the Baralaba North mine. The mine ships coking coal through the Port of Gladstone.

Some Egyptian steel mills have appealed a decision by the country’s Administrative Court last week to suspend safeguard duties on steel billet and rebar, Fastmarkets understands.

What to read next
The publication of Fastmarkets’ European aluminium billet premiums assessments for Friday February 6 was delayed because of a procedural error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.
Glencore’s share price fell sharply on Thursday February 5 after Rio Tinto confirmed it was no longer pursuing a potential merger, ending weeks of speculation about a combination that would have created one of the world’s largest mining companies.
The proposal to increase the publication frequency from monthly to weekly comes amid increased volatility of copper on the London Metal Exchange, while copper scrap discounts have been shifting on a more regular basis. This more frequent assessment will enable Fastmarkets to reflect market dynamics in a timelier manner, as well as capture more spot […]
Fastmarkets has corrected its assessments for Shanghai bonded nickel stocks on January 30.
Fastmarkets has corrected the rationale for its MB-AL-0346 Aluminium P1020A premium, in-whs dup Rotterdam, $/tonne that was published incorrectly on Thursday January 29.
Fastmarkets has corrected the rationale for its MB-AL-0299 aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, ddp Spain that was published incorrectly on Friday January 23.