Benxi Iron & Steel to cut cold-rolled steel output in May due to maintenance, losses

Domestic zinc concentrate supply has tightened this year as COVID-19 drove mining companies across Peru and Mexico to halt production. This, combined with sharp declines in domestic zinc concentrate production, lowered treatment charges (TCs) from a high seen early this year. Large quantities of shipments from other countries pushed China’s zinc concentrate imports to a record high in April.

China will stay committed to deeper reform and wider opening-up, and will step up efforts to expand domestic demand and increase the vitality for economic development in the face of growing uncertainties and challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Thursday July 30.

Silicon prices returned to a downward trend in June after stabilising in May, as supply increased with ramped-up production in Yunnan and Sichuan, while demand in the domestic and overseas markets failed to post same growth. Trades were thin amid pessimistic sentiment.

Near-term prices of cobalt may find some support as stockpiling demand for cobalt salt increased last week after some workers in mining areas of Congo were tested positive for the coronavirus.

Tshipi offered South African semi-carbonate manganese ore with 36% Mn, for July delivery to China, at $4.5/mtu, down $0.45/mtu from the first round of offers and down $1.05/mtu month on month. 

The adjustment brought quotes of terbium oxide to 4.7 million yuan/mt, up 150,000 yuan/mt from a week ago, marking the seventh consecutive week of increase. This followed a rise of 100,000 yuan/mt in the previous week.  

The government of Fengrun district of Tangshan, China’s top steelmaking hub, has urged local steel companies to tighten production controls between 12:00 CST June 27 and 24:00 CST June 30, in the face of unfavourable weather conditions for dispersing air pollutants.

China Southern Rare Earth Group, one of the six state-owned rare earth mining groups in China, continued to lift the listed prices for terbium oxide, a type of medium-to-heavy rare earth oxide, for this week. 

The most actively traded stainless steel contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange advanced more than 3% to a more than three-week peak of 13,195 yuan/mt in morning trade, on track for the first weekly gain in five weeks.

Most steelmakers in China continued to maintain full operations and the impact of maintenance on output will further reduce from a month ago in June, driven by existing profits of rebar.