Nonferrous

• Las Bambas buyer might not be Chinese: minister May 22, 2013

  The buyer of Peru’s Las Bambas copper project "doesn’t necessarily have to be a Chinese company," according to Peruvian energy and mines minister Jorge Merino Tafur.

• Tampakan could supply copper concentrate to Glencore Xstrata's Pasar smelter May 22, 2013

  Glencore Xstrata Plc could use copper concentrate from the planned Tampakan copper-gold project to feed its Pasar smelter, according to an executive at Tampakan investor Indophil Resources NL.

• Global molybdenum market balanced in ’12, report says May 22, 2013

  The global molybdenum market was essentially in balance last year, with production exceeding consumption by just 4,000 tons, according to a report from Beijing-based market research company Research in China.

• Metal firms ready to help tornado victims May 21, 2013

  Oklahoma-based metal distributors, fabricators, processors and downstream users reached by AMM largely said their facilities escaped damage and employees were safe and accounted for following a devastating tornado that killed at least two dozen people May 20.

• HKMEx halts trading services as metal futures fail to take off May 21, 2013

  The Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange (HKMEx) has voluntarily suspended all automated trading services in response to weak trading volumes seen on its flagship gold contract.

• Orbite Aluminae appoints three new board members May 21, 2013

  Start-up alumina producer Orbite Aluminae Inc. has named three new independent members to its board of directors effective immediately.

• DLA offers more ferrochrome for May sale May 21, 2013

  DLA Strategic Materials is offering more than 1,148 short tons of high-carbon ferrochrome and another 1.68 million pounds of low-carbon ferrochrome for May.

• ENRC rejects takeover bid from founder’s consortium May 21, 2013

  Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. Plc’s (ENRC’s) independent board committee has rejected an indicative takeover proposal from ENRC founder Alexander Machkevitch and the consortium he set up to bid for the diversified miner.

• Avanti to oppose review of fisheries decision on Kitsault May 21, 2013

  Canada’s Avanti Mining Inc. will oppose a federal court application by the Nisga’a Nation seeking to quash a decision by Fisheries and Oceans Canada regarding the proposed Kitsault molybdenum mine.

• Correction: Ormet power costs up by $4.81/MWh May 21, 2013

  Due to a reporting error, an article in the May 21 edition incorrectly stated the increase in Ormet Corp.’s power costs following a second-quarter rate adjustment on March 1.

• DRC to ‘fully enforce’ ban on cobalt conc, copper exports May 21, 2013

  The Democratic Republic of the Congo will "fully enforce" its ban on exports of unprocessed copper and cobalt concentrates starting this summer, Martin Kabwelulu, the nation’s minister of mines, reiterated.

• China’s ferrochrome imports fall as steel mills slash prices May 21, 2013

  China’s ferrochrome imports fell to their lowest level in nearly seven months in April amid price cuts from domestic stainless steel mills, with the downward trend expected to continue as the monsoon season sets in.

• On the radar at Bingham Canyon: anticipating mine wall slides May 21, 2013

  Radar, prisms and robots would seem more appropriate in the latest Hollywood blockbuster than in a mine in Utah, but exactly this kind of technology helped Rio Tinto Plc’s Kennecott Utah Copper avert what could have been a major human catastrophe last month.

• Bingham slide won’t disrupt long-term plans May 21, 2013

  Rio Tinto Plc’s Kennecott Utah Copper is confident that the recent wall slide at its Bingham Canyon Mine will not significantly disturb its so-called "giant leap" project.

• Kennecott output reduced at least 6 months May 21, 2013

  Kennecott Utah Copper’s Bingham Canyon Mine will operate at reduced capacity for at least six months, and probably longer, as a result of one of the biggest mine wall slides in history.

• Time frame of Kennecott force majeure unclear May 21, 2013

  Kennecott Utah Copper said it does not yet have a clear idea of how long the force majeure situation at its Bingham Canyon Mine will last.

• Constellium IPO expected within days May 20, 2013

  Constellium N.V. expects to price company shares May 22 in an estimated $400-million initial public offering (IPO), according to a company presentation.

• VIDEO: Kennecott’s Bingham Canyon update May 20, 2013

  AMM's special correspondent Andrea Hotter ventures to the site of Kennecott Utah Copper’s Bingham Canyon Mine in the aftermath of last month's massive wall slide.

• PXP shareholders OK Freeport deal May 20, 2013

  Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.’s previously announced acquisition of Plains Exploration & Production Co.’s (PXP’s) oil and gas assets is expected to close May 31 after PXP shareholders approved the deal at a special meeting May 20.

• GBC’s initial public offering may price this week May 20, 2013

  Global Brass & Copper Holdings Inc.’s (GBC’s) initial public offering (IPO) is likely to take place this week, according to a company presentation.

• Felman plans to idle furnace, cut staff May 20, 2013

  Felman Production LLC will idle one of its three electric-arc furnaces May 31 and has already begun reducing its work force, citing a recent decline in silicomanganese prices as a primary factor for the cost-cutting.

• Aluminum fence standard OK’d May 20, 2013

  ASTM International has approved a new specification for ornamental aluminum fence systems.

• Woulfe Mining reviews costs, Sangdong project May 20, 2013

  Woulfe Mining Corp. is aiming to reduce costs after a companywide review revealed liquidity issues and the ability of the company and its subsidiaries to meet various payables beyond the next few months.

• Sale or liquidation said Ormet’s options May 20, 2013

  Bankrupt aluminum producer Ormet Corp. says it could be forced to liquidate if its sale to an entity owned by private investment firm Wayzata (Minn.) Investment Partners LLC is not approved.