IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from March 23

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday March 23 that are worth another look.

ArcelorMittal is idling two blast furnaces, in Indiana and Canada, due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and its impact on end markets.

South Africa will enter a 21-day nationwide lockdown from midnight on Thursday March 26 and ordered the country’s metals and mining operations to be placed on care and maintenance.

The copper price is coming off its worst week in almost a decade, but analysts feel there could be more downside for the metal as novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) lockdowns globally wreck demand prospects.

Argentina’s lithium brine industry have announced that they will suspend their on-site project works until the end of March after the Argentinian government imposed a nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the country.

The spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outside China has brought with it logistical restrictions, a reconsideration of raw material requirements and concerns over possible disruptions to supply in the coming weeks

What to read next
The publication of Fastmarkets’ Shanghai copper premiums on Monday December 23 were delayed because of a reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.
Fastmarkets proposes to amend the frequency of the publication of several US base metal price assessments to a monthly basis, including MB-PB-0006 lead 99.97% ingot premium, ddp Midwest US; MB-SN-0036 tin 99.85% premium, in-whs Baltimore; MB-SN-0011 tin 99.85% premium, ddp Midwest US; MB-NI-0240 nickel 4x4 cathode premium, delivered Midwest US and MB-NI-0241 nickel briquette premium, delivered Midwest US.
The news that President-elect Donald Trump is considering additional tariffs on goods from China as well as on all products from US trading partners Canada and Mexico has spurred alarm in the US aluminium market at a time that is usually known to be calm.
Unlike most other commodities, cobalt is primarily a by-product – with 60% derived from copper and 38% from nickel – so how will changes in those markets change the picture for cobalt in the coming months following a year of price weakness and oversupply in 2024?
Copper recycling will become increasingly critical as the world transitions to cleaner energy systems, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a special report published early this week.
Fastmarkets proposes to lower the frequency of its assessments for MB-AL-0389 aluminium low-carbon differential P1020A, US Midwest and MB-AL-0390 aluminium low-carbon differential value-added product US Midwest. Fastmarkets also proposes to extend the timing window of these same assessments to include any transaction data concluded within up to 18 months.