【SMM Aluminum Flash News】Venezuela passes new mining law in an effort to garner US support and foreign investment

On May 8, scientists at King's College London in the UK developed a powerful new-type aluminum compound whose unique triangular structure endows it with extraordinary stability and reactivity, enabling it to replace expensive rare metals and thereby significantly reduce costs. This discovery is expected to give rise to more environmentally friendly and economical industrial processes, and even create entirely new materials. The related findings were published in the latest issue of *Nature Communications*.

Recently, the Sichuan-Chongqing UHV AC reinforcement project received approval from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). With a total investment of 15.46 billion yuan, the project will construct two new 1000 kV substations in northern Sichuan and eastern Chongqing, adding 12 million kVA of transformer capacity, and build 2×490 km of 1000 kV double-circuit lines including the Chuanbei–Yudong–Bayue route. It is reported that this project is an important component of the Sichuan-Chongqing UHV AC backbone grid, capable of supporting the integration of the Xinjiang-to-Sichuan/Chongqing DC receiving-end converter stations and electricity consumption. It is also one of the 12 national planned power flexible mutual support projects, which is conducive to enhancing inter-provincial power mutual support, surplus-deficit complementation, and emergency accident assistance capabilities between Sichuan and Chongqing. The project is of great significance for ensuring safe and reliable power supply in our province and supporting the construction of a unified national electricity market.

In response to the auto tariff threats made by US President Trump, European Commission President von der Leyen stated that the EU was prepared for "all scenarios." Previously, Trump had threatened to raise tariffs on EU cars exported to the US from 15% to 25%.