Nonferrous

• Falling copper prices could draw out bargain shoppers Jun 18, 2013

  Copper prices hit a 1.5-month low June 18, but sources expect that to turn around later in the week when buyers start looking to purchase low-cost copper.

• Exide allowed to reopen Calif. recycling plant Jun 18, 2013

  Troubled battery maker Exide Technologies Inc. has been granted a temporary reprieve that prevents California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) from enforcing an order to suspend operations at the company’s Vernon, Calif., recycling plant.

• Copper distributor lead times narrow Jun 18, 2013

  Copper and brass service centers’ lead times have dropped dramatically as a result of an ongoing slump in demand.

• Alcoa expects fourfold rise in aluminium lithium revenues Jun 18, 2013

  Alcoa Inc. has completed the expansion of its Kitts Green facility in the United Kingdom and expects its aluminum lithium business’ annual revenues to quadruple to $200 million within six years as a result, the company said June 18.

• DLA again offers ferrochrome Jun 18, 2013

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

• Power costs prompt Ferbasa to halt plans for silicon plant Jun 18, 2013

  Brazilian ferroalloys producer Cia. de Ferro Ligas da Bahia (Ferbasa) has halted plans to build a silicon metal plant in the country due to uncertainties about electricity costs.

• KME’s $40/T copper charge sparked by increased costs Jun 18, 2013

  KME Group SpA, a leading player in the global copper-processing industry, has introduced a $40-per-tonne copper surcharge on the metal value contained in its products, the Italian company said this week.

• Staff cuts under way at Rio Tinto Jun 18, 2013

  Rio Tinto Plc has begun cutting staff at its London offices, AMM sister publication Metal Bulletin understands.

• Tiger lifts 2013 Kipoi copper production target to 43,000T Jun 18, 2013

  Production of copper concentrates at Tiger Resources Ltd.’s Kipoi copper project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could hit 43,000 tonnes this year, up from an initial target of 37,000 tonnes.

• China slowdown in power spending may curb copper demand Jun 18, 2013

  Growth in China’s power grid spending is expected to slow after investments in the sector stalled in May, Barclays Capital Plc analysts said, noting that copper could suffer.

• Chinalco gets board’s nod on $1.32B project expansion Jun 18, 2013

  Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. (Chinalco) will spend about $1.32 billion to expand the Toromocho copper project in Peru, the company said.

• Orbite, Glencore sign alumina offtake Jun 18, 2013

  Orbite Aluminae Inc. has signed an offtake agreement with Glencore International AG for smelter-grade alumina from Orbite’s proposed plant in Quebec, Canada.

• Rio writes off more than $400M on New Zealand smelter Jun 17, 2013

  Rio Tinto Plc has written off nearly half a billion dollars from the value of its Tiwai Point aluminum smelter in New Zealand, according to its 2012 financial results filing to the New Zealand Companies Office.

• Largo's Brazilian mine on schedule despite setbacks Jun 17, 2013

  Largo Resources Ltd. said its Maracás vanadium project in Brazil is on schedule for commissioning at the end of 2013 despite delays in the delivery of some equipment.

• Constellium upbeat despite low LME prices Jun 17, 2013

  A little red ink isn’t getting in the way of Constellium NV’s plans to push further into value-added aluminum products and its optimism about the long-term prospects for aluminum in the aerospace and automotive sectors.

• CFS names conflict-free tin smelters Jun 17, 2013

  A list of tin smelters that are compliant with new Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations for sourcing metals was released June 14 by a cross-industry initiative.

• Royal Nickel delays Dumont commissioning Jun 17, 2013

  Royal Nickel Corp. has pushed back the estimated commissioning of its Dumont nickel project in Quebec to the "first half of 2016, followed by production ramp-up throughout 2016."

• RTI lands engine OEM deal Jun 17, 2013

  RTI International Metals Inc. has landed its first long-term supply contract with a major original equipment manufacturer (OEM) under a program unveiled nearly two years ago aimed at rebuilding its engine business, RTI said, announcing a 13-year deal with Pratt & Whitney Corp. (P&W).

• Hydro to purchase Vigeland refinery in full Jun 17, 2013

  Norsk Hydro ASA has agreed to buy Rio Tinto Alcan Inc.’s 50-percent stake in the Vigeland Metal Refinery AS in Norway.

• Constellium logs net loss in first quarter Jun 17, 2013

  Constellium NV drew red ink in its first quarter since going public.

• S. African producers begin ferrochrome furnace restarts Jun 17, 2013

  South African ferrochrome producers are switching furnaces back on as state energy group Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. continues to seek ways to conserve power after the expiration of recent power buyback deals.

• Titanium bucks trend as May metal price indices decline Jun 17, 2013

  Prices for metal scrap, ores and primary metal products all fell last month with the exception of titanium, the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows.

• Metal producers slower in May vs. April; fabricators flat Jun 17, 2013

  Primary metals producers saw both capacity utilization and output fall in May, while fabricators’ activity remained flat compared with April.

• AMM aluminum alloys pricing notice Jun 16, 2013

  Beginning June 5, 2013, AMM has launched new daily estimated producer spot selling prices for two key primary aluminum alloys: C355.2 and A356.2.