Ferrous scrap buying prices slide on falling iron ore and rebar prices

Published: Dec 03, 2015 14:31 (GMT+8)
Steelmakers in Eastern Chinese provinces have lowered ferrous scrap buying prices, on account of continued weakness in rebar and iron ore prices.

By Anil Mathews (ScrapMonster Author)

December 03, 2015 01:32:17 AM

BEIJING (Scrap Monster): The steel mills in Eastern China have announced further cut in ferrous scrap purchasing prices, in response to falling rebar and iron ore prices. The steelmakers who have announced further cut in scrap buying prices include Jiangsu Shagang and Maanshan Iron & Steel.

Jiangsu Shagang Group announced Wednesday that scrap purchasing prices will be lowered by Yuan 20 per mt as a result of sharp cut in rebar ex-works prices. This is the first round of cut being announced by the company during the month of December. The company has lowered the scrap purchasing prices by as much as Yuan 90 per mt during November. After the announcement, the purchasing price for heavy melting scrap with thickness 6mm and above by Shagang Group now stands at Yuan 1,050 per mt, inclusive of 17% VAT delivered to Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province.

Yonggang Group in the same province has announced cut in purchasing prices of high quality heavy melting scrap. The scrap of least 8 mm thickness delivered to Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province now stands at Yuan 1,110/mt. Yonggang Group had returned to the market after having stopped scrap purchases during early-November.

Also, Maanshan Iron & Steel has decided to lower its scrap buying prices by Yuan 20 per mt from Thursday onwards. After the announcement, the company’s buy price for plate cut-offs with thickness 6mm and above now stands at Yuan 1,100 per mt, inclusive of VAT for deliveries to Maanshan.

Meantime, major steel mills including Dongfang Special Steel and Zenith Steel continued to stay away from the market.

The scrap purchasing prices are likely to drop further as seasonal weak demand is expected to put further pressure on rebar prices.


Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
Ghana draft bill proposes state special share and shorter mining leases
11 hours ago
Ghana draft bill proposes state special share and shorter mining leases
Read More
Ghana draft bill proposes state special share and shorter mining leases
Ghana draft bill proposes state special share and shorter mining leases
[SMM Gold Flash] A draft mining bill reviewed by Reuters on 30 September would let Ghana’s mines minister require companies to issue the state a free special share with consent rights over major transactions. It would retain the existing 10% free-carried state interest and limit mining leases to 15 years or the projected mine life, whichever is shorter. The draft would also allow future rules requiring local processing and restricting exports of unprocessed concentrates. None of these proposals has been enacted; Reuters did not establish when the draft was prepared. For Ghana’s gold miners, the proposed rights and shorter leases could affect financing, valuations and renewal decisions. Under the draft, existing rights holders seeking renewal would receive priority consideration for equivalent licences. Mining companies expect further consultation before parliamentary debate, Reuters reported. The final wording and timing remain uncertain.
11 hours ago
PGMs: Independent tests advance platinum and palladium battery technology
11 hours ago
PGMs: Independent tests advance platinum and palladium battery technology
Read More
PGMs: Independent tests advance platinum and palladium battery technology
PGMs: Independent tests advance platinum and palladium battery technology
[SMM PGM Flash] Platinum Group Metals said on 1 October that independent testing by the Battery Innovation Center had validated its Lion Battery subsidiary’s platinum- and palladium-based electrodes in prototype lithium-sulphur cells. Compared with cells without the catalysts, the prototypes showed better capacity and rate capability, with palladium-rich formulations performing best overall. Platinum Group and Valterra Platinum, which own Lion 52% and 48% respectively, have approved funding for the next phase. The result offers a possible new use for PGMs beyond vehicle exhaust catalysts, but remains a prototype milestone. Lion plans to make and test pouch cells, refine the catalysts and assess applications including drones. Commercial performance and demand for significant PGM volumes have yet to be established. The work is relevant to Southern African suppliers: Valterra produces PGMs in South Africa and Zimbabwe, while Platinum Group is developing South Africa’s Waterberg project.
11 hours ago
Sibanye reaches East Boulder wage agreement; separate US strike continues
Oct 01, 2026 16:45 (GMT+8)
Sibanye reaches East Boulder wage agreement; separate US strike continues
Read More
Sibanye reaches East Boulder wage agreement; separate US strike continues
Sibanye reaches East Boulder wage agreement; separate US strike continues
[SMM PGM Flash] Sibanye-Stillwater announced on 30 September that workers at its East Boulder platinum and palladium mine in Montana had ratified a collective agreement with the United Steelworkers. The deal runs retroactively from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2029, with a 4.5% wage increase in year one, the greater of 3.5% or CPI in year two and the greater of 3.0% or CPI in year three. Strike action at the separate Stillwater East mine and Columbus metallurgical facility continues, the company said. The East Boulder settlement fixes part of the labour-cost path for Sibanye’s US PGM business and supports its planned shift towards more mechanised mining and team-based incentives. It does not resolve the other strike or demonstrate a recovery in output; the company disclosed no revised production guidance in this release.
Oct 01, 2026 16:45 (GMT+8)