According to the data released by NBS, China's lead output stood at 594,000 mt in August, an increase of 1.7% year on year. The lead output totalled 4.71 million mt in January-August, an increase of 15.9% year on year. 　

President Xi Jinping attended the General Debate of the 76th UN General Assembly in Beijing by video and delivered an important speech entitled "Strengthen Confidence and Overcome Difficulties to Build a Better World” on September 21.

China, the largest producer of magnesium metal, closed a lot of smelters due to restrictions on emissions and energy shortages, which pushed up the price of magnesium to the highest level since 2008 and brought trouble for automakers.

A weekly update on the trending stories from the New Energy sector.

Chile's state-owned Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, said on September 15 that it had reached an agreement on a labour contract with a union representing workers in the Salvador branch in northern Chile.

According to Bloomberg News, the Indonesian government may impose restrictions on nickel exports, restricting the export of nickel products with a content of less than 40%. The news stimulated the prices of LME nickel to exceed the $20,000/mt mark, hitting $20,200/mt, and a surge by 4.5%. However, SMM learned that the operating producers of NPI and intermediate products in Indonesia have not received such notices.

According to SMM survey, Guizhou Provincial Energy Bureau recently issued a notice on an orderly power utilisation plan in Guizhou Province in 2021, stating that the plan was formulated to actively respond to the power supply tension that may occur in local regions and ensure the safe and stable operation of the Guizhou power grid.

The total crude steel output from January to July increased significantly year-on-year in the above mentioned regions. Guangxi, Guangdong, and Jiangsu issued notices to implement the dual control of energy consumption, and the total crude steel output in 2021 is stimulated to be no higher than that in 2020.

Li Hui, Deputy Director General of the Comprehensive Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a routine press conference that, in order to ensure commodity supply and price stability, the State Food and Material Reserves Bureau has launched the third batch of national reserves of copper, aluminum and zinc on September 1, totaling 150,000 mt. And so far, the three batches have accumulated to 420,000 mt of copper, aluminum and zinc.

Net rumours say that CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited) (300750) intends to contribute C$377 million (US$298 million) to bid for the Canadian lithium company, Millennial, thereby ensuring a stable supply of lithium resources. The offer is said to be about 7% higher than Ganfeng Lithium's previous proposed offer.