Major Smelter in East China Sells Crude Cadmium at RMB 26,800 Per Ton via Open Tender

[SMM Tantalum Flash] Aterian reports that its Rwanda-based mineral-trading subsidiary, generated about US$154,000 of unaudited gross profit in the three months to 30 September. This was its fourth consecutive quarter of gross profit. During Q3, the business moved processing into a new 500-square-metre facility at Gahanga, Kigali, causing a three-week disruption, while additional deliveries under new supply arrangements began only in the final week of September. The update provides evidence of continued trading profitability, but Aterian disclosed neither Q3 tonnage nor realised tantalum prices. The company said tantalum concentrate prices remained at multi-decade highs and expects the new suppliers to contribute more in Q4; that is guidance, not booked performance. Higher throughput at Gahanga also remains to be demonstrated, with delivery timing and scale dependent on supplier performance and operating conditions.

Zimbabwe's chrome and ferrochrome sales generated about US$221.8 million in export earnings in the first half of 2026, according to Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) figures cited as the government steps up enforcement in the chrome sector. The figure underlines what is at stake in the crackdown on illegal alluvial chrome mining, which the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development began on September 25. In a public notice dated October 2, 2026, Permanent Secretary Dr Thomas Utete Wushe directed all mining rights holders, regardless of scale, with outstanding statutory obligations to regularize their rights by December 31 or risk losing their claims. The notice came alongside the nationwide blitz inspections of alluvial chrome mining operations and processing plants, which are initially targeting Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Midlands provinces before extending to other parts of the country. Chrome is one of Zimbabwe's strategic minerals, and the ministry has asked the public to report suspected illegal alluvial chrome mining. The enforcement drive is meant to ensure that production comes from holders of valid mining rights, with operators found in breach facing suspension and other penalties.

The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) expects Chinese smelter requirements and restocking to support chrome ore demand in the fourth quarter, although ferrochrome buying remains cautious. The outlook was presented alongside MMCZ's nine-month sales figures at a lithium media workshop and tour. MMCZ also expects commodity prices generally to stay significantly above 2025 levels over the period. MMCZ's sales rose 101.8% year-on-year to US$4.74 billion in the nine months to September, from US$2.347 billion a year earlier, with volumes up 23.4% to 4.738 million mt. The figures exclude gold and silver, which fall outside the corporation's marketing mandate. Lithium overtook PGMs as the largest revenue earner at US$2.16 billion, or 45.6% of sales. September sales alone reached US$685.03 million, up 116.6% year-on-year, while volumes rose 70.8% to about 844,001 mt. High-carbon ferrochrome and chrome concentrate were among the products that recorded increases in both value and volume, alongside steel, metallurgical coke, granite and diamonds. MMCZ General Manager Dr Nomusa Moyo attributed the broader improvement to higher international commodity prices, increased beneficiation, enhanced production, new markets and efforts to curb mineral leakages.