[SMM Chromium Flash] South Africa's July Chrome Ore Exports Hit 2026 High of 2.65 Mt as Buyer Base Broadens

Northam Platinum said on August 25 that it had received an unsolicited, exploratory and non-binding approach from a major South African platinum group metals (PGM) producer and subsequently initiated a strategic, competitive process to solicit proposals from interested parties. Valterra Platinum is widely understood to be the potential bidder, while Impala Platinum and Sibanye-Stillwater have indicated that they are not interested. Northam has set December 1 as the deadline for interested parties to submit proposals, with any potential transaction potentially taking the form of an asset-level transaction or a corporate transaction. The potential deal also has implications for South Africa's chrome concentrate market, as Northam has rapidly expanded its chrome output from UG2 processing. Northam's FY2026 chrome concentrate production reached a record 1.69 million mt, while its Vision 2031 strategy targets more than 2 million mt of chrome concentrate sales over the next five years. Valterra is also targeting chrome concentrate sales of more than 2 million mt under its growth strategy. A transaction involving the two companies could therefore significantly increase the strategic importance and scale of chrome within a combined PGM portfolio, although the final structure and any impact on chrome production, processing and sales would depend on the outcome of the competitive process.

[Production cut benefits materialize, spot and futures diverge, silicon metal prices in stalemate]: This week, spot silicon metal prices consolidated on a strong note. As of September 3, SMM oxygen-blown #553 silicon in east China was at 9,400-9,500 yuan/mt, up 50 yuan/mt WoW, #441 silicon was at 9,500-9,700 yuan/mt, up 50 yuan/mt WoW, and #3303 silicon was at 10,100-10,300 yuan/mt, up 50 yuan/mt WoW. In the futures market, the SI2611 contract moved sideways in the 8,650-8,865 yuan/mt range this week, shot up to 8,865 yuan/mt early in the week before pulling back, and closed at 8,735 yuan/mt on Thursday, down 70 yuan/mt WoW. In terms of market quotes and transactions, after production cuts at large plants in Xinjiang were implemented, silicon enterprises increased their efforts to hold prices firm, low-priced cargoes in the market decreased, silicon enterprises quoted firmly, and some suppliers raised quotes slightly. Affected by long positions taking profits and macro sentiment, silicon metal futures prices pulled back weakly, wait-and-see sentiment in the market intensified, market transactions remained need-based, and the price center consolidated at highs.

[Aluminum Scrap and Secondary Aluminum Weekly Review: ADC12 Prices Rise for Consecutive Days, Profit Improvement and Marginal Demand Recovery] This week, ADC12 market prices continued to climb. As of Thursday, the price had risen by a cumulative 350 yuan/mt during the week to 24,300 yuan/mt. On the cost side, aluminum prices held up well this week, further strengthening cost support for ADC12 raw materials. Enterprises showed a stronger willingness to increase prices, driving spot quotes higher. As the price of finished alloy ingots rose...