Nonferrous

• Nickel market keeps close eye on Sudbury talks Dec 19, 2006

  Declaration of a union strike deadline at Xstrata Plc’s mining and processing operations in Sudbury, Ontario, has left the nickel market “walking on eggshells,” with prices likely to react sharply to any risk of a supply disruption, market sources said Tuesday.

• Battle for Xstrata marketing rights continues Dec 19, 2006

  The battle for the right to market Xstrata Plc’s nickel and cobalt continues with no clear winner in sight, sources said this week.

• Ormet working to complete restart of Ohio aluminum smelter by April Dec 19, 2006

  Ormet Corp. is planning to have all six potlines at its recently restarted Hannibal, Ohio, aluminum smelter on line by April.

• Japanese smelters feel heat after Chinese settle TC/RCs Dec 19, 2006

  Japanese smelters are facing an uphill battle to win more favorable copper treatment and refining charges (TC/RC) after most Chinese smelters reportedly booked annual deals with BHP Billiton at $60 per tonne/6 cents a pound with no price participation, according to trade sources.

• Skye unveils shareholders’ rights plan to ward off hostile takeovers Dec 19, 2006

  Skye Resources Inc. is making a move to ward off potential hostile bidders through the adoption of a shareholders’ rights plan.

• Ormet expects to complete restart by April Dec 19, 2006

  Ormet Corp. is planning to have all six potlines at its recently restarted Hannibal, Ohio, aluminum smelter online by April.

• Battle for Xstrata’s marketing rights continues Dec 19, 2006

  The battle for the right to market Xstrata Plc’s nickel and cobalt continues with no clear winner in sight, sources said this week.

• Skye adopting rights plan to ward off hostile takeover Dec 19, 2006

  Skye Resources Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, is making a move to ward off hostile bidders through the adoption of a shareholder rights plan, the nickel company said Monday.

• Comex reducing copper margins Dec 18, 2006

  The Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange plans to lower margins for copper and Comex miNY copper futures contracts effective with the close of business Tuesday, Nymex said Monday.

• Global copper market shows 4,000T deficit in Sept. ICSG Dec 18, 2006

  The world refined copper market registered a 4,000-tonne production deficit in September vs. a seasonally adjusted production surplus of about 3,000 tonnes in August, according to the latest figures from the International Copper Study Group (ICSG), Lisbon, Portugal.

• Talks continue as strike cuts Altonorte production in half Dec 18, 2006

  Production at Xstrata Plc’s Altonorte copper smelter in Chile has been cut by 50 percent after workers went on strike to protest the company’s latest pay offer.

• Zinc stays tight, lead sees some relief ILZSG Dec 18, 2006

  Tightness in the zinc market continues, with demand outstripping supply in the first 10 months of this year, although the lead market saw some slight relief, according to the latest statistics from the International Lead and Zinc Study Group (ILZSG).

• Xstrata’s Sudbury workers set strike deadline Dec 18, 2006

  Union members at Xstrata Plc’s recently acquired nickel mining and processing operations in Sudbury, Ontario, have set a strike deadline of Jan. 31 as the first round of talks on a new labor agreement enters its second week.

• Price, date keeping tungsten flat; market looking for revival in 2007 Dec 18, 2006

  Tungsten sales remain flat as buyers continue to hold out for lower prices in an already slow seasonal market, sources said Monday. Buying generally dries up toward the end of December, but this year’s lack of activity is also a reflection of the metal’s high price.

• First Nickel expecting better year at Lockerby Dec 18, 2006

  First Nickel Inc. expects to produce about 4.7 million pounds of payable nickel from its Lockerby Mine in Sudbury, Ontario, in 2007.

• Contract negotiations at Alcan’s Alma smelter head down to wire Dec 18, 2006

  Contract negotiations at Alcan Inc.’s Alma primary aluminum smelter in Quebec continued Monday, with both management and labor representatives expressing the desire to settle before the current pact expires Dec. 31.

• Olin boosting fabrication charges Dec 18, 2006

  Olin Brass, East Alton, Ill., plans to increase fabrication charges for all copper, copper alloy sheet and coiled strip products effective with Jan. 15 shipments.

• First Nickel expects better year from Lockerby Dec 18, 2006

  First Nickel Inc. expects to produce about 4.7 million pounds of payable nickel from its Lockerby Mine in Sudbury, Ontario, in 2007, the company said Monday.

• Comex lowering copper margin requirements Dec 18, 2006

  The Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange plans to lower margins for copper and Comex miNY copper futures contracts at close of business Tuesday, Nymex said Monday.

• Olin to raise fabrication charges Dec 18, 2006

  Olin Brass, East Alton, Ill., plans to increase fabrication charges between 2 cents and 4 cents per pound on all copper, copper alloy sheet and coiled strip products effective with shipments Jan. 15, 2007.

• Production at Altonorte cut 50% as labor talks continue [UPDATE] Dec 18, 2006

  Production at Xstrata Plc’s Altonorte copper smelter in Chile has been cut by 50 percent after workers launched a strike to protest the company’s latest pay offer.

• Alma contract talks go down to wire Dec 18, 2006

  Contract negotiations at Alcan Inc.’s Alma primary aluminum smelter in Quebec continued Monday with both management and labor representatives expressing the desire to settle before the current pact expires Dec. 31.

• Spot ferrovanadium sales thin at end of year Dec 18, 2006

  Spot sales of ferrovanadium have slowed as some steel companies prepare to shut down for the last week of December and consumers run down stocks to balance their books.

• Barrick may make offer for Freeport analyst Dec 18, 2006

  Barrick Gold Corp. might make an offer for Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. to increase its reserves and lower operating costs, according to a CIBC World Markets Inc. analyst.