East China Smelter to Launch Crude Cadmium Tender Amid Firming Prices, Intense Competition Expected

SMM News, September 16: According to market sources tracked by SMM, a major smelter in Hunan recently completed a public tender sale of several tonnes of refined cadmium, with the transaction successfully closed. Market hearsay puts the final deal price of refined cadmium at approximately RMB 27,800 per tonne. Market participants commented that cadmium prices are showing a firming trend at present, and buying interest from end users is gradually picking up. The successful conclusion of this tender is, to a certain extent, an indication of sound market demand.

SMM learned that overseas mine production cuts, extreme weather in South America, and declining ore grades and recovery rates were intensively discussed during a recent industry association meeting. These concerns strengthened expectations of tighter overseas molybdenum supply, stimulated some buying and pushed molybdenum oxide prices to around $34/lb Mo. Supply-side expectations continue to support prices, while some mine production, grade and recovery issues may not improve materially until around 2028. China’s market also remains firm, but elevated prices are discouraging chasing. Well-funded buyers, low-inventory users and producers with firm orders continue to purchase as needed, while processors mainly restock to maintain production.

South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment will launch regulatory exemption projects to recover critical minerals from semiconductor process waste, used batteries and end-of-life solar panels. The government plans to test technologies that recover silicon, copper, titanium and tungsten from semiconductor waste such as used silicon and targets, while reviewing regulatory changes to use such byproducts as circular resources rather than waste. Critical mineral recovery from used batteries and end-of-life solar panels will also be included in the demonstrations.