[SMM Chromium Flash] EU's Toughening Trade Stance Raises Fresh Risks for Ferrochrome and Stainless Steel Supply Chains

[Cost Support Combined with Supply-Demand Tug-of-War Keeps Silicon Metal Prices in Stalemate]: Silicon metal trading saw a tug-of-war between sellers and buyers, with prices consolidating in a stalemate. As of September 10, SMM oxygen-blown #553 silicon in east China stood at 9,400-9,600 yuan/mt, up 50 yuan/mt WoW, while #441 silicon was at 9,500-9,700 yuan/mt, flat WoW. In the futures market, the SI2611 contract moved sideways around 8,700-8,900 yuan/mt during the week. Affected by the tug-of-war between longs and shorts, prices repeatedly pulled back and forth around the 8,800 yuan/mt level, with Friday's close at 8,745 yuan/mt, up 10 yuan/mt WoW. In terms of market quotes and transactions, silicon producers maintained firm offers, with quotes largely stable during the week. Spot-futures traders also held prices relatively firm amid high-level consolidation in futures. Recently, trucking freight rates have stayed high, and downstream acceptance of high-priced spot cargo was moderate. Some users showed weaker purchasing enthusiasm compared with the previous week, with the market dominated by buying on dips or just-in-time procurement. Wait-and-see sentiment persisted, and transactions overall maintained a just-in-time pace, leaving the price center in a stagnant stalemate.

[Aluminum Scrap and Secondary Aluminum Weekly Review: ADC12 Consolidates on a Strong Note amid Rising Costs and Marginal Order Improvement] In terms of price spreads, on September 10, the price difference between A00 aluminum and mixed aluminum extrusion scrap free of paint in Foshan was about 2,436 yuan/mt, and the price difference between A00 aluminum and shredded aluminum tense scrap was about 1,415 yuan/mt, both widening slightly again WoW. On the supply side, the tight raw material supply pattern remained unchanged, and the scarcity of compliant, invoiced aluminum scrap continued to rise, constraining scrap utilization enterprises' operations and procurement. Against this backdrop, some aluminum scrap yards...

[SMM Flash] Kenya is intensifying efforts to move from raw-mineral exports towards domestic processing and value addition, with the United States pledging support for development of the country's critical-minerals processing industry. President William Ruto has recently called for greater domestic beneficiation of resources including coltan, while US officials said Washington wants to support a transparent mining sector with greater local processing and community benefits. The immediate US focus includes Kenya's Mrima Hill deposit, which is primarily associated with rare earths and niobium rather than tantalum. However, the wider beneficiation policy is relevant to Kenya's emerging coltan sector because implementation could alter how locally produced tantalum-bearing material enters regional and international supply chains. No blanket legally effective coltan export ban or specific new tantalum-processing facility was confirmed in the latest US-Kenya announcement, so the development should currently be treated as policy direction rather than established new tantalum capacity.