Nonferrous

• Antofagasta to acquire 50% stake in Tethyan's interests in Pakistan Dec 23, 2005

  Chilean copper producer Antofagasta Plc has signed an agreement to pay nearly $133 million for stakes in Australia's Tethyan Copper Co. Ltd. and its mineral interests in Pakistan, in a move aimed at countering a hostile takeover bid from Crosby Capital Partners (Hong Kong) Ltd.

• Lisbon Valley production hits another delay Dec 23, 2005

  Construction at Constellation Copper Corp.'s Lisbon Valley copper mine in San Juan County, Utah, has been delayed again, this time because of a labor shortage.

• Trafigura buys PGM stock as part of Aguas Tenidas Mine offtake deal Dec 23, 2005

  Trafigura Beheer BV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, has completed a nearly Canadian $4-million ($3.4-million) private placement in PGM Ventures Corp. as part of the companies' C$27.4-million ($23.4-million) offtake agreement for production from the Aguas Tenidas Mine in southern Spain.

• Brass mill imports fall in October; high prices keep inventories in line Dec 23, 2005

  U.S. imports of brass mill products declined 10.9 percent in October while exports increased 11.5 percent compared with October last year.

• China smelter exec suspended over toxic spill Dec 23, 2005

  The plant director at the Shaoguan zinc smelter, which is at the center of a major environmental accident in southern China, has been suspended, state media said Friday.

• Environmental mishap unlikely to faze US zinc market, for now Dec 22, 2005

  The shutdown of China's third-largest zinc smelter because of a toxic chemical spill will have little immediate effect on U.S. markets, trade sources said.

• Alcan slates $129M to grow Alumar Dec 22, 2005

  Alcan Inc., Montreal, said Wednesday it plans to invest about $129 million in the 2.1-million-tonne-a-year expansion of the Alumínio do Maranhào (Alumar) alumina refinery in Sao Luis, Brazil.

• Quadra seals buy of Carlota copper project Dec 22, 2005

  Quadra Mining Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, has completed its purchase of the Carlota copper project from Cambior Inc. in a deal valued at $37.5 million.

• Kaiser's focus on fabrication spurs liquidation of four units Dec 22, 2005

  Kaiser Aluminum Corp. said Wednesday it would liquidate four subsidiaries as part of its effort to focus on its fabricated products business.

• Elkem's silicon unit sale may not be last Dec 21, 2005

  Orkla ASA, parent company of Norwegian metals producer Elkem SA, might not be finished divesting its alloy assets, industry sources said this week after Elkem agreed to sell its U.S. silicon plant to a competitor.

• Tin market said unfazed as strike at Minsur smelter in Peru lingers Dec 21, 2005

  The strike at Peruvian miner Minsur SA's Funsur smelter and refinery continues with no end in sight, much to the surprise of North American traders.

• Asarco creditors warm to new board members Dec 21, 2005

  Creditors of copper producer Asarco Inc. have welcomed the appointment of two independent members to the company's board of directors as part of a major restructuring plan.

• Zelms' Doe Run exit said part of shift in focus Dec 21, 2005

  Jeffrey L. Zelms, head of Doe Run Co. for the past 20 years, has announced a two-stage retirement from the St. Louis-based company. He will give up the president's post Jan. 1, then step down as vice chairman and chief executive officer April 1.

• Nikko Materials to shut copper foil facility in Arizona; 220 to lose jobs Dec 21, 2005

  Nikko Materials USA Inc. plans to close its U.S. copper foil subsidiary, Gould Electronics Inc., by April, eliminating 220 jobs.

• Steady demand buttressing copper premiums Dec 20, 2005

  A combination of firm demand and high freight costs will keep copper premiums up well into the New Year, sources said this week.

• Falcondo talks move forward Dec 20, 2005

  Negotiations at Falconbridge Ltd.'s Falconbridge Dominicana C por A (Falcondo) operations in the Dominican Republic are progressing, as some production and maintenance employees work for their third week under an extended contract.

• Birla lifts Gujarat copper smelter force majeure Dec 20, 2005

  Indian copper producer Birla Copper, part of Aditya Birla Group, has lifted a force majeure on delivery of concentrates to its 250,000-tonne-a-year smelter in Gujarat, India, effective Dec. 16. It will offer copper for shipment beginning in January, the company has told suppliers and customers.

• HCL may resubmit tender after one bid received Dec 20, 2005

  Indian state-owned primary copper producer Hindustan Copper Ltd. (HCL), Calcutta, India, might resubmit its recent global tender for 40,000 tonnes of copper concentrate after it attracted only one bid.

• Alro to spend $500M to boost aluminum output Dec 20, 2005

  Aluminum producer Alro Slatina SA, Slatina, Romania, plans to invest $500 million to double its production capacity to 420,000 tonnes a year by 2010. The aluminum producer expects to produce about 260,000 tonnes in 2006, it said, up from 240,000 tonnes in 2004.

• Norilsk sets special Feb. meeting to vote on share capital reduction Dec 20, 2005

  MMC Norilsk Nickel, Moscow, will convene a general shareholders meeting Feb. 17 to vote on whether the company should reduce its share capital, the company said Tuesday.

• Novelis has no plans for Brazilian expansion Dec 19, 2005

  Novelis Inc. said Monday that it currently has no plans to invest up to $150 million to expand aluminum rolling capacity at its Pindamonhangaba plant in Brazil's Sao Paulo state, despite a recent report to the contrary.

• Teck acquires 18.2% Abacus stake Dec 19, 2005

  Teck Cominco Ltd. has acquired 8.5 million shares of Abacus Mining & Exploration Corp., representing 18.2 percent of the Vancouver, British Columbia,-based company.

• Asarco appoints interim chief executive Dec 19, 2005

  Copper producer Asarco Inc. said it has received bankruptcy court approval to appoint Douglas E. McAllister as interim chief executive officer. He takes up the post following the resignation of Daniel Tellechea Salido, the company's former president and chief executive officer, in late October.

• Indium prices ease as consumers bide time Dec 19, 2005

  Indium continues to weaken as consumers of the specialty metal hold off from re-entering the spot market in anticipation of further price decreases.