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Chinese steel mills Lianxin Steel and Shandong Laigang Yongfeng have each ordered thermomechanical rebar rolling mills (TMbaR) with capacity for 1 million tonnes per year, equipment manufacturer SMS Group said on Friday July 13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China’s crackdown on imports of lead waste products has sent ripples through the smelting industry there, with some companies pondering capacity cuts amid one of the tightest concentrate markets in years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary copper smelting capacities have been partly suspended in important regional hubs in China such as Jiangxi province, sources told Metal Bulletin on Thursday June 7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China’s Guangdong Guoxin has added 1.4 million tonnes per year of long steel capacity at its works in Jieyang city, Guangdong province, within the Sino-German Development Zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of all the recent developments in the Asia steel industry, none has garnered quite as much attention as the supply-side reforms in China, where the government has mandated strict industrial policies to control pollution levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vale’s cobalt production increased by 5.4% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2018 while it focused on higher quality products, the Brazilian diversified miner said on Monday April 16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One China will suspend operations at its Guangxi province gallium plant in April, sources told Metal Bulletin this week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on metal industry in China, with slight growth in ferrous futures starting on February 5, 2018. Topics discussed include approval on Dalian Commodity Exchange to open up foreign trade of iron ore futures, plan of Fujian Dingsheng Steel to build electric-arc furnaces (EAF) and to increase crude steel capacity, and China Rebar Index.

Chile’s Empresa Nacional de Mineria (Enami) said that ongoing strike action is also affecting the operations of its five copper processing plants, which have run out of sulfuric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Philippines will increase its steel tube capacity with a new plant scheduled to be built in Batangas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China’s Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel will increase its hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) capacity by 360,000 tonnes per year with a sixth strip processing line at its plant in Hebei province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel Authority of India (Sail) intends to maximise the output of long products at its loss-making IISCO steel plant from the start of next year, a company spokesman has told Metal Bulletin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NLMK USA has restarted the No 2 hot dipped galvanizing line at its Sharon coating plant in Pennsylvania, USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crude steel output in the USA totalled an estimated 1,723,000 net tons last week, down 0.70% from 1,736,000 tons the previous week, as mills operated at an average capacity utilisation rate of 72.70%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the reduction made by Jiangsu Delong Nickel Industry Co. on the bid price for its high-carbon ferro-chrome in July 2016. Particular focus is given to the June bid price, as well as Delong's average monthly demand for ferro-chrome. Also mentioned are Delong's import figure in April 2016, stainless steel capacity, and rotary kiln electric furnace technology.

Mexican seamless rolled rings and open die forgings producer Frisa is building a 350,000-tpy steel mill in Monterrey, Mexico, a company executive said. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil's Paranapanema has increased copper wire production capacity at its Dias D'ávila plant in the northeastern state of Bahia by 60%, following the inauguration of a new wire drawing machine on Monday January 26. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

US crude steel output totalled an estimated 1.825 million net tons last week, up 1.1% from 1.806 million tons the previous week, as mills operated at an average capacity utilisation rate of 75.9%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peru's Toromocho mine will start commercial production in the first quarter of 2015 after improvements to its processing plant are finished, according to Chinalco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on an agreement signed by Rio Tinto Alcan with Pluri-Capital that could see the consortium purchase the aluminum producer's casthouse and smelter in Shawinigan, Quebec. According to Sotrem president Michel Boudreault, the agreement aims at reassuring customers of the company of sustainable service. Also mentioned are the annual capacity of the smelter and the impact of this development on clients.

The article reports that Novelis, a rolled products producer and aluminium recycler, has commissioned its expanded recycling facility in Warrington, England. The facility's capacity will reportedly expand by over one-third and will become Europe's biggest closed-loop recycling operation for automotive aluminium rolled products. The plant has 135 people and processes 160,000 tpy of aluminium.

China's daily crude steel output and major mills' inventory continued to rise in mid-September, adding more supply pressure to the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the increase in the capacity of the Nowa Sol facility of foundry alloys producer Alumetal in Poland in July 2013.

The article reports on the plan of aluminum producer Alcoa to invest 275 million U.S. dollars to boost aluminum sheet capacity at its rolling mill in Tennessee. The company aimed to meet increasing demand from the automotive industry. It plans to add automotive aluminum capacity to the facility and to convert some of its can sheet capacity to high-strength automotive aluminum production.

The article reports on the intention of aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. to cut the capacity of its smelter in 2013 as aluminum prices remain low.

The article reports on the approval by the board of Evraz North America of the proposed 150% expansion of the heat-treat capacity and around 40% increase in the threading capacity of the firm's tubular plant in Calgary, Alberta.

The article focuses on the expected increase in the billet production of Kardemir at its plant in Karabuk, Northern Turkey in 2014. Cold trials were started by the integrated long steelmaker at a 1.3 million tonnes per year (tpy) billet and bloom line, which will be completed in 2013. Its crude steel capacity is only 1.5 tpy. It also intends to finish a 70 furnace-coke battery in the middle of 2013.

The article focuses on a plan by Indonesia's PT Delta Prima Steel to initiate production of direct reduced iron (DRI) during the first quarter of 2013. According to Chairman Cholid Bawazeer, this is the first plant owned by a private firm in the country when completed. The target production capacity of the plant is 100,000 tonnes per year. Bawazeer explains that a government plan to ban the export of raw materials prompted the firm to proceed with the investment.

The article reports on the move of Laminados Industriales to oficially commission its heavy-plate mill in Villa Constitución city, Argentina. The company expects the mill to produce up to 500,000 tonnes of heavy plates per year. Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner participated in the commissioning ceremony through video conference.

The article reports on the move of Zimbabwe's ferro-chrome producers to shut down chrome smelting furnaces in 2012. The producers attributed the move to high electricity costs and the lacklustre chrome prices. Zimasco reduced its ferro-chrome capacity to 40 percent. Meanwhile, Zim Alloys stopped the operation of its small furnaces.

The article reports on the impact of low water levels on River Danube on Romanian flats producer ArcelorMittal Galati. An official at ArcelorMittal Galati claims that the producer faced logistical problems with its raw materials. A company spokesman says logistic measures are being taken to supply clients without delays in spite of the difficulties in Danube's upstream sector. The annual capacity of Galati is 8.4 million tonnes of crude steel.

An interview with José De Martino, president of Laminados Industriales, about the company's plans in Argentina is presented. De Martino announces the date for concluding test for commercial production at the heavy plate mill. He identifies the plant's capacity and the origin of the slabs for the mill.

The article reports that Iranian hot rolled coil (HRC) producer Saba Compact Strip Process Plant has exceeded its nominal capacity as of July 2012. The company boosted production by 11 percent for the period year-on-year. The plant has a monthly capacity of 58,000 tonnes and produced 249,000 tonnes in the four months since March 20, 2012.

The article reports on the goal of Ghaenat Steel to complete construction of its direct reduction iron (DRI) module in Ghaenat, Iran by March 2013. The project will include a meltshop producing billet. The steel mill will produce 800,000 tonnes of DRI per year and will employ about 1,000 people when operational.

The article reports on the views of analysts on the purchase of a licence by Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. (ENRC) at the Frontier copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2012. Analysts considered the purchase as a constructive step for ENRC. They expected the mine to produce 90,000 tonnes of copper per year.

The article reports on an agreement that will be signed by China Power Investment Corp (CPI) with Guinea's government in September 2012 on its planned bauxite mining and alumina refinery investment. The Chinese state-owned company will build a refinery in Boffa that will produce 12 million tonnes of bauxite per year and four million tonnes of alumina per year. The company also plans to build a thermal power station at the project site.

The article reports that Luvata has reduced production at its copper tube plants in China to 15-20%, according to Hannu Wahlroos, new head of Luvata China. The combined capacity of the two plants is 50,000 tons per year. He adds that production at the plants will return to normal in the autumn. He explains that there is a need for high inventories to decline before big firms return to full capacity.

The article reports on the decision of Baosteel to move 30% of its steelmaking capacity out of Shanghai, China over the next five years from 2012 in an aim to improve its competitive edge and focus on high-end products. An agreement has been signed by Baosteel with the Shanghai government for the restructure. After the restructuring, the company's iron and steelmaking capacity will be reduced by 5.8 million tonnes per year (tpy) and 6.6 million tpy, respectively.

The article reports on the plan of the Steel Authority of India (Sail) to invest 600 million dollars to expand capacity at its Gua iron ore mine in Jharkhand.

The article reveals a plan by Anglo American to supply iron ore from its Kumba operations to a government-run operation at discounted prices and to establish a slab plant in South Africa. In a document submitted ot the African National Congress, Anglo American opposes the proposals contained in the State Intervention in the Mineral Sector (Sims). The document also states the proposed capacity of a government-owned steel plant.

The article reports on the plan of Melewar Industrial Group to build a steelwork plant in Malaysia in 2012. The engineering company and tube and pipe producer said the plant will produce three million tonnes of hot rolled coil (HRC) per year. Vale will supply in-house from iron ore lumps or pellets for the plant's electric arc furnaces.

The article reports on the plan of Krakatau Steel, the largest mill in Indonesia, to expand its reinforcing bar (rebar) and hot rolling capacity to meet growing steel demand. According to president and director Fazwar Bujang, Krakatau plans to increase its hot rolling capacity to 2.8-3 million tons per year (tpy) from the current 2.4 million tpy in 2014. Moreover, the company plans to add another 240,000 tpy of capacity to its rebar production in 2014.

The article reports on the decision by Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Group to upscale its integrated steel works capacity in Vietnam to 22.5 million tonnes per year (tpy), up from the original plan of 15 million tpy in order to meet rising global demand for steel. The plant is seen to be the largest integrated mill in the Southeast Asian region upon completion in 2020. Senior administrator Huang Chien-Haw claims that the mill will target not only the Asian markets, but the European markets as well.

The article reports on the plan by Illinois-based SSAB Americas to increase by 35-75% the normalized plate capacity in its heat-treat plant in Mobile, Alabama by 2013 to meet the expected increase in demand in energy, pressure vessel and railcar market segments.

The article reports on an outperform recommendation given by RBC Capital Markets to Rio Tinto stocks because of the company's copper growth profile. RBC analysts claim that the supply side for copper remains tight despite issues such as declining grades. Noted is the organic growth plan of Rio in Africa, which includes development of the first phase at Oyu Tolgoi in Mongolia, and the production increase goal for Northparkes in Australia.

The article reports on operational problems at BHP Billiton's Hillside aluminium smelter in South Africa. According to a source familiar with the incident, such problems have caused several potlines to freeze and taken BHP into the market to buy material to cover. It is noted that the Hillside smelter produces around 700,000 tonnes per year (tpy) of primary aluminium at full capacity.

This article reports on the commissioning of a conarc furnace of Essar Steel at its plant in Hazira, India. The commissioning of the second furnace will double the steel melt shop capacity at the plant. SMS Siemag built the conarc surfaces. According to Essar Steel, the plant became the country's largest flat steel facility.

The article reports on the move by Kaiser Aluminum Corp. to reduce production at its Kalamazoo, Michigan extrusion plant for a few weeks in the third quarter of 2011 in response to service centers destocking. Kaiser reportedly shipped 50.4 million pounds of general engineering products in the third quarter, a drop of 16 percent from the 59.8 million pounds it shipped in the second quarter. The plant also reported a slower-than-anticipated start-up but it remains optimistic regardless.

The article reports that the blast furnace at the Fairfield (Alabama) Works of U.S. Steel Corp. has been idled for maintenance purposes in July 2011. According to the firm, it its possible that the furnace will remain idle until the end of the month as repairs are performed. It notes that the steelmaker is struggling to repair the furnace ahead of the release of its earnings results. Particular focus is given to the capacity of the Fairfield furnace.

The article focuses on the plan of ArcelorMittal USA to move up scheduled maintenance on its C5 blast furnace in Cleveland, Ohio to August 2011. The estimated daily output of the C5 blast furnace is 4,200 tons of iron. It notes that the maintenance, which include a top change and work on a sidewall, is expected to involve 35-40 days of shutdown. Particular focus is given to the capacity of the two furnaces at the Cleveland steel plant.