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voda 29 juni 2017 15:45

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FMG to deploy more autonomous technology at iron ore mines

Australian Mining reported that Fortescue Metals Group plans to deploy more autonomous haulage technology at its iron ore operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The miner has deployed Caterpillar AHS at the Solomon Hub since 2012 with 56 trucks now operating at the site. According to Fortescue, this move has achieved a 20% improvement in productivity.

Fortescue plans to convert up to another 12 793F trucks at Solomon in the 2018 financial year to further improve productivity across the site.

The company’s implementation plan for the rollout of AHS at the Chichester Hub is also under way.

Around 100 haul trucks will be converted to AHS as Fortescue aims to deliver productivity improvements equivalent to those achieved at Solomon.

The implementation at Chichester involves the start of commercial negotiations with suppliers, as well as the upgrade of the IT network at the Cloudbreak and Christmas Creek mines.

Fortescue chief executive officer Mr Nev Power said the company was continuing to introduce leading-edge technology to ensure it remained at the lowest end of the global cost curve. He said that “Our focus remains on improving safety and increasing productivity and efficiency to deliver ongoing cost reductions.”

Mr Power said that “These projects will encompass technological advancement, workforce skills development and collaboration with our suppliers to harness the best ideas and position Fortescue strongly for the future.”

As part of Fortescue’s assessment of options for a replacement project for the Firetail mine, the company is also investing in an relocatable conveyor trial at the Cloudbreak mine.

Source : Australian Mining

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voda 29 juni 2017 15:46

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New Zealand Taharoa iron sands mine shut down

Stuff Co Nz reported that jobs will be cut as part of a sand mining operation on the Waikato's west cost is shut down. The mine at Taharoa on the southwest side of the Kawhia Harbour has been operating for more than 43 years and is said to employ 170 people. The company said that workers have known about it for some time, but won't say how many jobs will go as a consequence.

In early 2017, the mine was owned by Bluescope Steel Ltd, an Australian company which owns New Zealand Steel Ltd.

A March statement announced the sale to Taharoa Mining Investments Ltd.

That company is owned by the landowners The Proprietors of Taharoa C Incorporation and Melrose Private Capital Ltd, a Wellington-based capital and management services provider, it said.

Some workers had been at the mine for several decades, the worker said and the local primary, Te Kura o Taharoa, would be affected if families couldn't stay in the area.

The mine was exporting more than NZD 200 million of iron ore concentrate a year, a March statement from Melrose Private Capital Ltd said.

Source : Stuff Co Nz

voda 29 juni 2017 15:47

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Goa government proposes to auction minor mineral concessions

Herald Goa reported that the Goa state government is in the process of drafting new rules under which mineral concessions for minor minerals, including sand, would be auctioned. Also, in line with iron ore leases, extraction of minor minerals not impacting or having a minimal impact on the environment and livelihood would be awarded with ‘stars’.

At a recent Central Coordination-cum-Empowered Committee meeting in New Delhi, Mines and Geology Director Mr Prasanna Acharya said the State is in the process of drafting Minor Mineral Rules and that mineral concession for minor minerals would be granted through auction.

Mr Acharya also said the government is considering adopting the Mining Surveillance System and Star Rating system for the minor minerals.

The Union Mines Ministry had issued directions to all mineral rich States to adopt the Star Rating scheme and MSS for minor minerals. During the meeting, the States have been asked to confirm their acceptance to the Ministry within a month. MSS has already been put to use for 65 iron ore mining leases and 42 triggers have been generated and all inspected.

Further, the government is considering setting up a District Mineral Fund for minor minerals. For iron ore, the total collected till date is INR 132 crore.

The Central government’s Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana meant to provide for the welfare of areas and people affected by mining operations will be also implemented using funds generated by DMF for minor minerals.

Source : Herald Goa

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voda 29 juni 2017 15:50

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Japanese mills offer markups of sheet piles by USD 20 for August shipment

The Tex report reported that negotiations on steel sheet piles for Asia by the Japanese mills have started for August shipment. They are likely to have mostly offered markups of USD 20 to USD 30. The Japanese mills carry out the periodic maintenance of facilities during this quarter and next quarter. Some mill has already started such maintenance while some other mills will do it in August through September. In Japan, demand for sheets piles is expected to increase in the beginning of autumn. Therefore, each mill is in an environment to limit exports of sheet piles.

As they are unnecessary to make export forcedly, all of them are in a stance to reject a request for a decrease in prices from customers and to receive selected orders. In Taiwan where the Japanese mills commenced negotiations first, as CSC reduced prices of various steel products and accordingly, it is not in an environment for prices to be raised, the Japanese mills' increase in prices was unable to realize, and they are likely to have concluded contracts at prices of leveling off.

Negotiations for China will be made from now on, and inquiries are few from one point in time. The Japanese mills begin to compete with Jinxi Iron & Steel of China for customers that accept sheet piles to be able to be reused only by several times.

In the Southeast Asian region, Chinese mills' offers are few. There seem no cases for the Japanese mills to compete with Zizhu Iron & Steel of China. Therefore, there is a possibility that the Japanese mills will be able to realize a slight increase in prices.

Source : The TEX Report

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voda 29 juni 2017 15:51

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China tinplate mills raise domestic prices for July shipment

According to information obtained by a source, China's so called private tinplate mills raised their domestic prices of steel tinplates by 100-150 CNY (USD 15 to USD 22) for July shipment. In tandem with a fall in pries of hot-rolled (HR) steel coils being material for private tinplate mills in that country, tinplate prices had fallen as much as USD 70 to USD 80 in dollar equivalent. As tinplate prices turned to an increase in prices for July shipment, the turmoil of tinplate prices is predicted to end transiently.

China's Baoshan Iron & Steel (Baosteel) left its domestic prices of tinplates unchanged for 4 months in a row including those for July shipment. The company had kept a clear line of list prices between tinplates and other steel products. However, private tinplate mills had lowered tinplate prices with a fall in prices of HR coils. Moreover, as prices of other steel products had also fallen, anticipation of a fall in market prices of tinplates had not ceased. Under the circumstances, Baosteel is reported to have been obliged to implement a discount to major customers.

As China's domestic prices of tinplates are cheaper than the market prices in Asia, Chinese mills' offers of tinplates have increased in Asia and the Middle East, and Korean re-rollers have lowered tinplates prices following Chinese mills possibly to be able to purchase loam plates (tin mill black plates) at cheap prices from a blast furnace mill in that country.

A fall in prices of tinplates in China has affected the tinplate market in Asia but as private tinplate mills in China raised their prices for July shipment, a possibility for the turmoil to cease to be transient becomes stronger. Private tinplate mills like Jiangyin Comat Metal Products are seen to have set out early an increase in prices to erase anticipation of a fall in prices as prices of HR coils being material are going to rebound. If domestic prices of tinplates rebound, export quantity is expected to be limited.

The tinplate market in Asia this month is in a mood of a fall in prices affected by China but is expected to return to a normal state form August shipment.

Source : The TEX Report

voda 29 juni 2017 15:52

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US considering broad scale measures on steel dumping - Mr Ross

Reuters reported that United States might have no choice but to resort to "broad-scale" measures to fight steel dumping should its partners fail to help find a common solution to the problem. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross speaking via live stream to an economic event in Berlin attended by Chancellor Angela Merkel, said that even countries that were not direct sources of dumping could face difficulties under these circumstances.

He did not specify what kind of measures President Donald Trump would take to tackle overcapacity in the steel sector, a major issue for an administration that says it wants to make US trade ties fairer.

Mr Ross said that "If President Trump takes action on dumping it will be in the hope of provoking a collective solution by importing nations.”

He said that "Lacking strong action in conjunction with our partners we may have no alternative but to engage in self help. If we do so it might have to be on a broad scale."

Mr Ross has previously said he hoped to complete by the end of June a national security study of the U.S. steel industry that could result in broad new steel import restrictions.

Trump administration officials told Reuters earlier on Tuesday that new steel tariffs were among trade options under consideration against China for Beijing's inaction on reining in North Korea and on international trade issues.

Source : Reuters

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voda 29 juni 2017 15:54

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Nucor wants US to cut imports in half

Bloomberg reported that Nucor Corp, a US steelmaker, wants the Trump administration to restrict steel imports to a 10% to 15% share of the market to safeguard supply of the metal. Mr John Ferriola CEO of Nucor said that the Department of Commerce probably will find that imports pose a threat to national security in its Section 232 investigation. The end goal of any measures resulting from that probe should be that US mills run at a capacity utilization rate of 85% to 87%. That compares with the American Iron and Steel Institute gauge which is now at 74%.

Speaking in a Bloomberg Television interview Mr Ferriola said Nucor is ready to meet the needs of US industry in terms of quantity and quality if further restrictions are imposed on foreign shipments.

Mr Ferriola said on the sidelines of a steel conference in New York that “Bring it on.” He said any additional cost to users from blocking imports would be minimal.

Mr Ferriola said he’s “encouraged” by President Donald Trump’s approach to the steel industry and expects to hear from Commerce regarding Section 232 “any day now.” US steelmakers rallied last week after Secretary Wilbur Ross confirmed that Trump intended to take “bold action” to address national-security risks presented by imports.

Source : Bloomberg

voda 29 juni 2017 15:57

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ISPA update on Iranian steel sector performance

Financial Tribune reported that private steelmakers in Iran had a faster output growth during the two months compared to state-run producers Iranian steelmakers produced 6.77 million tonnes of semi-finished and finished steel products during the first two months of the current fiscal year (March 21-May 21), indicating a 13.3% growth compared with last year’s corresponding period.

According to Iranian Steel Producers Association’s latest report on its official website, production of semis, including slab, billet and bloom, accounted for 3.52 million tonne of the overall figure and indicated a 12% rise year-on-year. Slab output was up 17% to 1.81 million tonne, and billet and bloom production rose 7% to 11.71 million tonne YOY.

Finished products, including beam, rebar, cold- and hot-rolled and coated coil, had a 3.24-million-ton share from the total output and registered a 15% YOY growth in production.

Hot-rolled coil had the lion’s share with 1.24 million tonne, up 4% YOY; followed by rebar with 1.07 million tonne, up 8% YOY; cold-rolled coil with 421,000 tonne, up 48% YOY; coated coil with 272,000 tonne, up 73% YOY; beam with 89,000 tonne, down 39% YOY; and ‘other steel products’ with 154,000 tonne, up 161%.

The continuing slump in the construction sector can be considered the main cause of the drop in beam output.

Last year’s exports trend is still persisting, with the two-month semi shipments rising and finished exports falling.

Private steelmakers had a faster output growth during the two months compared to state-run producers, as they produced 786,000 tonne of semis and 1.31 million tonne of finished steel products, up 19% and 21% respectively YOY.

CRC and coated coils had the highest growth in output (133% and 70% respectively) among all products, highlighting private producers’ focus on export-friendly goods.

The state-run sector is lagging behind while accounting for a higher share of Iran’s steel production. Producing 2.74 million tonne of semis and 1.93 million tonne of finished products, the sector’s two-month output was up 10% and 11% respectively.

Production of private mills had a whopping 41% jump to produce 4.04 million tonne of semis and 15% rise to reach 6.82 million tonne of finished products last year.

The state-run sector, however, had a 5% growth in semis to hit 14.41 million tonne and a 1% downturn in finished products to reach 11.33 million tonne.

Source : Financial Tribune

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voda 29 juni 2017 16:01

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2 mining projects in West Australia rejected by EPA over environmental impact

AAP reported that 2 proposals to mine iron ore in Western Australia have been rejected by the Environmental Protection Authority, which says the projects will cause irreversible environmental impacts. Mineral Resources Limited's Jackson 5 and Bungalbin East Iron Ore Project wants to operate two new mines, about 100 kilometres north of Southern Cross in the Wheatbelt, on the Helena-Aurora Range. Sinosteel Midwest Corporation's Blue Hills Mungada East Expansion proposes to expand its hematite mining operations on the Mungada Ridge, 66 kilometres north- east of Perenjori, in the Mid West region. It includes a mine pit, waste rock dump, processing infrastructure area, and haul and access roads.

But the EPA says both projects are environmentally unacceptable and has recommended against their approval.

EPA chairman Mr Tom Hatton said the companies were planning to mine band iron formations, which were among the oldest landforms on earth, and provided special habitats for plants, animals and ecological communities. He said "These proposals would significantly and permanently impact the environmental integrity of distinctive formations supporting some of the highest biodiversity and social values in their respective regions. As high points in the landscape, they are cooler and wetter than the surrounding plains, acting as terrestrial island habitats for unique and rare plants and animals."

Each assessment involved site visits, public consultation and analysis of potential environmental impacts. The environment minister will now make a final decision on the projects.

Source : AAP

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voda 29 juni 2017 16:10

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ArcelorMittal Liberia eyes new Nimba mountain

Daily Observer reported that as part of its mandate to protect the environment and biodiversity, the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia at the weekend held a multi-stakeholder consultation on a request from ArcelorMittal for the operation of a new mountain in Nimba County. Steel giant ArcelorMittal recently applied to the EPA for an environmental permit to extract iron ore from Mt. Gangra, a virgin mountain situated west of Mount Nimba near Yekepa.

The application for a permit, the conduct of an environmental and social impact assessment study and the conduct of a stakeholder dialogue are prerequisites for the granting of an environmental permit by the EPA, Alloycious David, EPA’s media consultant said.

Earthtime, an independent environmental consultant headed by Wassim Hamdan, a geologist, conducted the environmental and social impact assessment study for ArcelorMittal. The company is expected to start mining Mount Gangra for iron ore at the end of October, if its proposal is approved by the EPA. A tendering process is also underway for the contractor, an executive of ArcelorMittal disclosed.

Mount Gangra has been part of ArcelorMittal’s plan from the outset of its operations in Liberia, with the company obtaining a license to operate on the mountain in 2005.

Yarmein District Commissioner Thomas Gonotee described ArcelorMittal as Liberia’s true development partner. In a welcome statement he said almost all the money used to develop Nimba County was provided by ArcelorMittal through its social development fund. According to the concession’s 25-year Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) signed with the government of Liberia, the company is paying US$1.5 million annually to Nimba County.

EPA deputy executive director, Urias S Goll, said the multi-stakeholder dialogue was not solely for the purpose of granting an environmental permit to ArcelorMittal. He told citizens who would be affected that the meeting was intended to get their input on what is contained in the environmental and social impact assessment study conducted by Earthtime. According to him, the decision to grant an environmental permit to ArcelorMittal will be collectively done by the EPA and local communities.

Mr Goll noted that the decision will not all be about economic development, but will also consider the management, conservation and protection of the environment and biodiversity. The EPA deputy boss made it emphatically clear that the agency had come to listen to the decisions of the affected communities and not to tell them what to say or do. He encouraged the affected communities to voice their concerns and make recommendations where necessary to inform the EPA, urging them to ask questions for better understanding of the project.

EPA’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment assistant manager Aloysius K. Kotee disclosed that his department was established to assess projects being undertaken by concessions and other companies so that they don’t negatively impact the environment. Mr. Kotee described the EPA as a mother of twins, who is breastfeeding the company with information and also breastfeeding the district with information while playing a listening role. ArcelorMittal’s environmental manager Alvin Poure assured the people of Nimba that the company will do everything possible to provide them the necessary benefits when the mine becomes operational. He promised that the company would provide 1,120 jobs.

Source : Daily Observer

voda 29 juni 2017 19:23

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Australia investigates rebar dumping by five exporters

The Australian Antidumping Commission announced this week that it has launched an investigation into dumping of rebar from Greece, Indonesia, Spain, Taiwan and Thailand. A preliminary finding could come 60 days from the start of the investigation, and a final recommendation is due to be made by 29 November, Kallanish notes.

The investigation was requested by OneSteel, part of Arrium. In its submission it noted that Australia’s rebar imports from countries which are already charged tariffs declined sharply in 2016, but imports from the five countries under investigation increased far more quickly.

The public record includes estimated dumping margins from the commission based on constructed production costs using third party data. It estimates dumping margins of 7.6% from Thailand, 10.3% from Taiwan, 25.3% for Spain, 27.3% for Greece and 30.7% for Indonesia.

The investigation covers carbon and alloy steel rebar straight or in coils under tariff subheadings 7213.10.00, 7214.20.00, 7227.90.10, 7227.90.90, 7228.30.10, 7228.30.90 and 7228.60.10.

Source: Kallanish.com

voda 30 juni 2017 16:01

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EU starts anti dumping probe on imports of Low Carbon Ferro-Chrome from China, Russia and Turkey

The European Commission has received a complaint pursuant to Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Union, alleging that imports of Low Carbon Ferro-Chrome, originating in the People's Republic of China, Russia and Turkey, are being dumped and are thereby causing material injury to the Union industry.

Source : Strategic Research Institute

voda 30 juni 2017 16:03

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Government aiming to cut cost of capital for steel sector - Ms Aruna Sharma

Business Line reported that the Indian government is working towards addressing the high cost of capital for the steel sector. Addressing industry representatives, Steel Secretary, Ms Aruna Sharma, said “We are quite aware about it (high cost of capital) and we are consciously working on that. So, maybe once we are ready with it and we have a bilateral dialogue with the banks and others, we will freeze it and move ahead with it.”

Ms Sharma also said that the government is working towards addressing industry concerns in the functioning of ports and rail. She said “The Shipping Ministry is keen on resolving concerns in the first round of meetings that have been held.”

Source : Business Line

voda 30 juni 2017 16:06

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Iron-Ore bears are betting on supply stupidity - Mr Goncalves

Bloomberg quoted Mr Lourenco Goncalves head of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc as saying that long term iron-ore bears are assuming the three dominant producers will continue to feed a global glut. Mr Goncalves said in a Bloomberg Television interview that prices have clawed their way back above USD 60 a metric tonne after rebounding from a one-year low as steel output holds up in China, buoying demand even as supply rises. While the recent reprieve in what has been a tough quarter may not be the beginning of a prolonged rally, low prices can’t last forever as supply-side “sanity” prevails.

Mr Goncalves said that the companies that control the seaborne iron-ore market Rio Tinto Group, BHP Billiton Ltd and Vale SA will step back from a decade-long strategy to keep pumping ever-expanding supply onto the global market.

He said that “To assume prices will be lower, especially as low as some of the pundits are saying, for the long run is basically to assume the three companies are stupid, stupid and stupid. Mining is very capital-intensive and lower prices are not the way to drive other people out of business. When you try that, usually you are the biggest victim.”

Cliffs, the biggest US iron producer, stands to benefit from any increase in domestic steel production that results from additional restrictions on imports as the Trump administration undertakes a so-called 232 investigation into national-security threats.

Mr Goncalves said that While 232 “will be an enormous positive for demand,” the US is in a very stable demand situation anyway as long as there aren’t any illegal imports. He said Cliffs would be able to accommodate a boost in steel capacity utilization rates to around 85% from the current 74%.

He added that “We don’t have to change anything. We just need to deliver pellets faster. That’s exactly what we would love to do. That’s what we believe we are going to be doing in the second half of this year.”

Source : Bloomberg

voda 30 juni 2017 16:10

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Vale's cash generation dependent on ore price - CEO

Reuters reported that high correlation between iron ore price trends and cash generation at Vale SA shows the dependence that the world's No. 1 producer of the mineral has on that segment.

A presentation to investors showed by Chief Executive Officer Fabio Schvartsman at a Citigroup Inc event in São Paulo also pointed to the importance of ferrous minerals in Vale's assets despite efforts to diversify. Underperforming operations at Vale will have to be reassessed.

Source : Reuters

voda 30 juni 2017 16:12

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Fortescue new director vows to slash production costs further

The Australian reported that Fortescue Metals Group can take its production costs lower even in the face of growing headwinds. Mr Greg Lilleyman new director of operations who stepped into the role earlier this year after a long career within rival iron ore giant Rio Tinto said that he has joined Fortescue at the end of a long transformation of the business, during which time the miner that was once seen as the marginal producer in the global iron ore industry moved dramatically down the cost curve to challenge Rio for the title of the world’s lowest-cost producer.

But there have been growing concerns about Fortescue’s ability to sustain that progress. The company has made no secret of the fact that its strip ratio which represents the amount of waste rock that needs to be removed to access each tonne of ore was set to rise in the years ahead.

The haulage distances at its mines are also due to start increasing as the mines continue to advance, while fuel and labour costs are also starting to rise.

Despite all that, Mr Lilleyman was adamant that the miner’s production costs could still go lower. He said that “We’re guiding $US12-$US13 per tonne this year and there’s no change in that, but over the coming years we will absolutely be driving our performance below that. We don’t see yet the bottom of where we can get to.”

Fortescue on Tuesday announced plans to more than treble the size of its automated haul truck fleet with the aim of eventually completely phasing out its haul truck drivers. The initial 56 automated trucks in use across Fortescue’s operations have delivered a 20 per cent productivity improvement compared to their manned counterparts.

Mr Lilleyman himself is well versed in the finer points of automation, having worked in the uppermost ranks of Rio’s iron ore division as the time it introduced its automation program. He then also served as Rio’s head of innovation and technology before his resignation in May last year.

The dramatic scale-up of Fortescue’s automated fleet will see it overtake Rio as the biggest user of the vehicles, although Mr Lilleyman said the decision was based purely on the economic case.

Source : The Australian

voda 30 juni 2017 16:18

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Sweden is at the forefront of driverless truck technology

Sputnik reported that Sweden is at the forefront of driverless truck technology, which is being piloted on Highway 40 between the cities of Gothenburg and Boras in western Sweden. Autonomous vehicles are also being tested by Volvo Trucks in a mine in Kristineberg and Scania on a test track outside Sodertalje, near Stockholm.

But Ericsson are taking the same 5G technology one step further with a pilot project in northern Sweden.

Ericsson are using remote-controlled 5G technology in a gold mine at Kankberg and the two-year pilot, which was due to come to an end this month, has been extended with the support of the Swedish government.

The success of the Kankberg pilot is really capturing the imagination of the mining industry.

Ericsson has partnered with Volvo Construction Equipment, mining experts Boliden, robotics company ABB and Lulea University of Technology.

Ericsson's Research Director, Mr Torbjorn Lundahl said the two biggest problems they had faced were with the reliability of the 5G connection and the ability to speed it up so that the operator could use a remote-control steering device safely. He said that "When it comes to the reliability of the network it's crucial. While it's no big deal if you're using Facebook and you lose your connection for a few seconds, when you are producing something like this it has to be reliable.”

The Kankberg mine is up to 400 meters deep and although the technology works in a similar way to the Wi-Fi which is produced for customers on the London Underground, "sophisticated measurements" had to be taken so it worked in the conditions.

He told Sputnik that "In cities you have reflections off buildings which sometimes affect your mobile phone signal. We now have features which can stop that and we could take off that underground as well because there were a lot of rocks which could affect the signal.”

Mr Lundahl said that "Instead of the operator being below ground he can now sit in a control room above ground and control the machine and there is no interruption in production, because with some of these big mines it can take up to an hour for miners to get to the seam.”

An automated mining machine at work in the Kankberg gold mine in northern Sweden and unlike human miners they can work without oxygen and in high temperatures.

In Australia they have also been experimenting with automated drilling machines.

The British company Rio Tinto has deployed automated trucks and drilling machines at its open cast iron ore mine in Pilbara, Western Australia and now its rival Fortescue is following suit, to cut costs.

But Ericsson and its Swedish partners have gone much further at Kankberg and Mr. Lundahl said they had a "vision" of the future.

He told Sputnik that "The long-term vision is to get rid of the personnel in the dangerous places and the dangerous times.”

He said it was often necessary to carry out blasts underground and with existing mines it was necessary to wait hours or even days before the area was safe to send miners in.

he added that "It is very dangerous and very expensive but with the new technology you could send the machines in straight away.”

Mr Lundahl admitted mining companies were excited about the prospects for their productivity and profitability, but he denied the technology was being driven by greed or a desire to reduce the workforce.

Source : Sputnik News

voda 30 juni 2017 16:25

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Trump's plan to slap tariffs on steel imports to hurt users

LA Times reported that President Trump was standing on the banks of the Ohio River, and as barges loaded with West Virginia coal floated by, he noted that half the United States’ steel is produced within 250 miles and told the crowd that soon “the steel folks are going to be very happy.”

Within that same distance lies the bulk of the US auto industry, which the president also has promised to protect. But carmakers are dreading what Trump apparently was alluding to: plans to impose significant punitive tariffs or quotas on steel imports.

Trump has promised to crack down on unfair foreign traders and restore the fortunes of American manufacturing. Few industries are as important as steelmaking, and Trump sees steel as an emblem of industrial power as well as being vital to the country’s national security.

But the president faces a conundrum: Making good on his Cincinnati pledge earlier this month may help domestic mills by restricting foreign steel and boosting US steel prices. But that same action almost certainly will mean higher costs for American makers of cars, appliances, machinery and construction materials, and for many other manufacturers that cut, bend and otherwise fabricate steel. That could lead to higher prices for consumers and job losses.

Mr Drew Greenblatt chief executive of Baltimore-based Marlin Steel Wire Products, which buys only US made steel said that “I’m sympathetic to American steel mills, but if they protect domestic steel, they’re going to be hurting steel fabricators, which employ a hundred times more people.” Greenblatt has been paying more for the metal since Trump’s election, as prices have risen partly in anticipation of coming measures.

Others, such as Fontana-based California Steel Industries and the Port of Los Angeles, have voiced opposition to blanket restrictions on steel imports, saying the kinds of slab steel that are important for their businesses and employment are not readily available from domestic producers. Nor do analysts think tariffs will address the key problem excess steel output in China that has caused a global glut and downward pressure on prices.

None of that may matter to Trump and his trade officials. Two months ago, the president ordered a study of foreign steel shipments, and its findings and recommendations could be issued as early as this week, giving him the green light to put his “America first” policy into action and remake a global trading system he thinks has undercut the US.

William Reinsch, a veteran trade specialist in Washington, DC said that “It’ll be the first big one, noting that till now, Trump’s tough talk on trade has been just that, mostly talk.”

If Trump follows through as expected, history suggests US steel prices will go higher, domestic steel producers will be happier and some workers laid off from mills will be called back at least for a while. US steel manufacturing has gone through waves of restructuring and is more productive today, but the industry shed 14,000 steel jobs in the prior two years, thanks to excess global production and unfair trade, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute, a trade group for 18 producer companies. The industry now employs about 140,000, the group said.

Source : LA Times

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voda 30 juni 2017 16:33

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Qatar to raise GCC dispute at WTO and Russia to query US steel plans

Reuters reported that Qatar will raise its dispute with four other Arab states at the World Trade Organization on Friday, while Russia will air its concerns over possible US steel and aluminium tariffs. The issues will be debated at the WTO's Council on the Trade in Goods, where the WTO's 164 members can weigh in on major areas of trade friction. Airing such concerns is not a complaint in itself, but often signals that a legal dispute is on the way.

The draft agenda gave no details of what would be said.

The row in the Gulf erupted this month when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt broke off ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism and being an ally of regional foe Iran. The row has not yet been raised at the WTO, where Qatar and its allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, have appeared to work together as usual. In the WTO agenda, Qatar merely said it wanted to discuss trade restrictive measures by certain members.

The Russian item was more specific, entitled "Section 232 investigations on the effect of imports of steel and aluminium products on U.S. National Security".

Other items on the WTO agenda include China and the United States both wanting to discuss "trade distorting measures" by the other, with no details provided.

Source : Reuters

voda 30 juni 2017 16:34

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Weak demand from China stainless steel mills hits ferrochrome prices

Reuters reported that global prices of ferrochrome, used to make stainless steel, have tumbled to their lowest levels this year due to weaker demand from stainless steel mills in top producer China, according to traders in Asia and Europe. Low carbon ferrochrome was last quoted at USD 1.80 a lb, its lowest since Nov. and down 20% since late January. High carbon ferrochrome is at an eight-month low at 93 cents a lb and more than 30% lower since late January.

Mr Ravi Prakash marketing and business development head for ferro alloys and minerals division of Tata Steel Ltd said that "The Chinese ports have about 10 weeks of chrome ore stocks and that coupled with reduced ferrochrome demand has sent the prices of ore and alloys crashing.”

Mr Prakash added that stainless steel producers in China are cutting production as a supply overhang has pulled down prices.

China last year accounted for nearly 25 million tonnes or about 54% of global stainless steel production.

Citi analysts said in a recent note that "Two of the largest stainless producers in China – Taiyuan Stainless and Tsingshan Group say they have enough ferrochrome for their near-term production needs and are not issuing ferrochrome tender prices. Both the main Chinese stainless producers have announced plans to cut output in June following 'maintenance shutdowns' in May."

Traders said that some output cuts in South Africa, which produces nearly 60 percent of the world's chrome ore, are unlikely to cut supplies significantly, leaving ferrochrome prices under pressures.

A london based trader said that "Ferrochrome orders in the second quarter were much less than expected. With seasonal slowdown in Europe approaching, prices could take some more time to recover.” Tata Steel's Prakash said that global supply for ferrochrome this year is expected to reach about 12.4 million tonnes, compared with an estimated 11 million tonnes last year, adding global demand for the metal this year is seen at 12 million tonnes.

Source : Reuters

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Volume gisteren	3.195.139

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