South China Aluminum Prices Fall, Trading Improves Slightly (May 25, 2015)

Russia has officially lifted its rail transport ban on sulfur originating from Kazakhstan transiting through Russian territory for export. The Federal Agency for Railway Transport (Roszheldor) imposed the ban on May 24, 2026, suspending the shipment of Kazakh sulfur to Russian seaports and railway checkpoints. The restriction forced exporters to reroute shipments via alternative corridors, with logistics costs for Tengiz and Kashagan sulfur roughly doubling through the port of Batumi, according to sources. The lifting order was signed on July 24, 2026, following instructions from First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. Russian Railways (RZD) has notified its subsidiaries to resume accepting railcars carrying Kazakh sulfur, with shipments directed to port stations on the Oktyabrskaya, Severnaya, Kaliningradskaya, Severo-Kavkazskaya, Privolzhskaya and Dalnevostochnaya railways. Kazakhstan is a major sulfur producer and exporter, with annual exports exceeding 4 million tonnes, the bulk of which traditionally flows through Russian ports. The lifting of the ban is expected to restore normal export routes for Kazakh sulfur.

Indonesia telah mengizinkan ekspor nikel pig iron (NPI) dan produk mineral olahan lainnya untuk dilanjutkan setelah pengiriman sempat tertunda akibat ketidakpastian seputar persyaratan pengujian untuk unsur tanah jarang (REE/LTJ) yang terkait. Pemerintah mengklarifikasi bahwa peraturan yang ada hanya melarang ekspor unsur tanah jarang murni (HS 28053000) dan tidak secara eksplisit membatasi produk mineral olahan yang mengandung jejak LTJ. Kementerian terkait telah diinstruksikan untuk menetapkan pedoman teknis yang mencakup definisi LTJ, ambang batas kandungan, standar pengujian, dan pengaturan transisi, sementara eksportir dapat melanjutkan pengiriman normal untuk sementara waktu. Keputusan ini meredakan kekhawatiran jangka pendek atas gangguan ekspor bagi produsen NPI Indonesia dan mendukung kelangsungan pengiriman nikel hilir. Namun, ketidakpastian regulasi kemungkinan akan terus berlanjut hingga pemerintah merampungkan ambang batas kandungan LTJ dan prosedur inspeksi secara terperinci.

Tabel berikut menunjukkan pergerakan logam besi dan non-besi di SHFE dan DCE pada 28 Juli 2026.