diesunddasundsonstnochwas - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[dosto]

November US net new aluminium orders down 9.2% from October: Assn
Source: Platts


November US net new aluminium order index fell 9.2% from October and 5.7% from November 2005, according to the Aluminium Association's orders report.

The association's non-seasonally adjusted index is based on reports by 19 participants of new orders (less cancellations) received for the previous month. The association's new orders index for November stood at 101.98, down from 112.26 the previous month and 108.20 the previous year.

November orders of extruded products fell 6.6% from October and 14.3% from November 2005. Year to date, orders rose 2.7%.

November orders of sheet and plate fell 5.8% from October and 6.9% from November 2005. Year to date, orders rose 5.1%.

November orders of US can stock, excluding orders from Canadian mills, decreased 8.5% from October but increased 7.1% from November 2005. Year to date, orders rose 3.3%.

November orders of foil plunged 23.6% from October and 22.2% from November 2005. Year to date, orders rose 2.3%.

[dosto]

hi Lupo

wenn du hier vorbeischaust
hast du

AU: FXR

auf dem Monitor

the big changeling beginnt, sie wollen jetzt keine Kupfermine mehr
sein, nein, jetzt gehen sie unter die Zinker.
Frühere Nebenprodukte mutieren zu Namensgebern, alles eine Frage
des Marktpreises, welches Metall ist gerade teurer.
Wieviel Kupferminen wollen noch als Zinkminen deklariert werden,
in nächster Zeit?

[dosto]

Vermischtes von der Stahlfront
momentan leicht schwächelnd

Analysts at UBS expect the high level of Chinese steel exports to continue to exert pressure on steel prices globally going forward.

In a recent research note UBS analysts mention that Chinese net steel exports rose to 4.6 million tonnes, marking another record high, during November, according to the preliminary Mysteel data.

The analysts said that Chinese exports are being bolstered by premium pricing in the overseas markets and the delay of the finished steel VAT rebate reduction from 11% to 8%.

UBS added that the global gap in steel prices continues to be wide, with the Chinese hot rolled coil prices weakening since mid October.


Steel Dynamics Inc. cut its fourth-quarter earnings target, citing market "softness" for its flat-rolled steel.

The warning comes a day after Nucor Corp. said its profit would miss Wall Street projections, citing lower-than-expected spot market prices and higher-than-expected scrap metal costs.

That news sent the sector into a tailspin Tuesday, with many U.S. steel makers losing ground.

Steel Dynamics said it now expects earnings between $1 and $1.05 per share. The outlook includes a charge of 1 cent to 2 cents per share related to severance payments.


The new guidance is short of the $1.06 average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson Financial.

"The recent fourth-quarter weakness has been centered in the flat rolled steel segment," the company said in a press release. It added that it expects the market softness will be short-lived.

Steel Dynamics said scrap pricing trends have been "favorable" recently. The company expects 2007 will deliver "increased shipments, higher revenues and potentially stronger earnings."

verkürzert Auszug, aber ohne Manipulation, is doch claro

[dosto]

Rising metal prices prompt ban on melting and export of coins
Source: The New York Times



United States Mint, concerned that rising metal prices could lead to widespread recycling of pennies and nickels, has banned melting or exporting them.

The Mint is also testing dozens of cheaper alternative metal compositions in the expectation that Congress will mandate a change when it meets in the new year.

According to calculations by the Mint, the metal value of pennies, which are made of copper-coated zinc, is now more than one cent. The metal value of 5-cent coins, made from a copper-nickel blend, is up to 7 cents. Adding in the costs of manufacturing means the Mint now spends 1.73 cents for every penny and 8.74 cents for every nickel it makes.

Until 1982, pennies were made of 95 percent copper. The commodity metal value of one of those coins, which still make up a large percentage of the pennies in circulation, is 2.13 cents, according to the Mint.

If even 1 percent of the 150 billion pennies and 20 billion nickels in circulation were claimed for salvage, replacing them would cost taxpayers $43 million, the Mint estimates.

In an interview yesterday, Edmund C. Moy, director of the Mint, said officials were aware of only a few people asking if it was legal to melt coins for their metal value. Without the ban, which takes effect tomorrow, it would be.

The new ban also forbids exporting pennies or nickels in any significant quantities. While the Mint is not concerned about tourists' pocket change or numismatic collections, it wants to block wholesale export of coins to countries where recycling them for their metal content could be economically viable.

Penalties for violating the ban can include a $10,000 fine and up to five years in jail. "We want to make it clear to anyone considering this that it's not worth it," Mr. Moy said.

[dosto]

World copper surplus of 306,000 tons in January-October
Source: Hoovers

global copper market was in a 306,000 metric ton surplus during the first ten months of 2006, up one-third on the forecast during the previous month, the World Bureau of Metal Statistics said Wednesday.

The WBMS doesn't make allowances for drawdowns of unreported stockpiles such as widely reported sales from China's State Reserve Bureau, which have lowered China's apparent copper consumption.

Mine production was slightly lower at 12.24 million tons than in the first 10 months of 2005 with supply problems in Mexico, Chile and Indonesia dampening global output.

Refined production was 14.49 million tons, up 6% on the first ten months of 2005.

Chinese output rose by 396,000 tons while Indian, Zambian and Japanese production rose by 107,000 tons, 62,000 tons and 116,000 tons respectively, the WBMS said.

Consumption in the January to October period totaled 14.19 million tons, up 1.6% on the previous year.

"Chinese consumption fell by 4.7% to 2.92 million tons due to lower demand for imported copper," the WBMS said.

Output of Chinese semi-manufactured products rose by 6.9% in the January to October period compared with the first ten months of 2005.

European demand rose 10.5%, led by strong demand in Germany and Italy. Demand in Sweden and the U.K. also recovered to "more normal" historical levels.

In October, world refined copper production stood at 1.46 million tons while demand totaled 1.41 million tons.

[dosto]

und die Kupferminen Produktionsaufnahmen für das Jahr 2008 rollen:

14 December 2006

Gaby on track to reach capacity by Jun 2008 – Chile
Source: BNamericas



Chile's state copper company Codelco is on track to reach full production at its US$766mn Gaby copper mine as planned by June 2008, a company official told BNamericas.

The first copper cathodes are likely to be produced in the first quarter of 2008.
"To date we have no information that any supply [issues] are delaying the project schedule. The original dates are still being maintained," said Gaby project manager Daniel Morales.

A representative of Chilean industrial construction union Sinami had previously suggested to BNamericas that problems with purchase orders for Gaby could be holding up the project.

Current high metal prices have led to a huge demand for and delays in the supply of mining equipment worldwide.

"I can confirm that so far there has been no reason to move the [original] dates," stressed Morales.

Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, awarded the Gaby EPCM contract to engineering consultants Fluor in April 2006. Investment of some US$730mn has been earmarked for 2007, when most of the construction work will take place.

The mine in northern Chile's Region II will have the capacity to produce an average of 150,000t/y. Total investment of US$898mn is estimated over the mine life of 14 years.

Gaby has reserves of 584Mt grading 0.41% copper.

14 December 2006

China: Construction of Yulong copper mine delayed till mid-2007
Source: Hoovers



Construction at the Yulong copper mine, which has China's largest proven copper reserves, has been delayed possibly till mid-2007, as the company hasn't received all the necessary government approvals, a company official said Wednesday.

The reserves are located in an area of dense forest in the Tibet Autonomous Region, close to the Himalayas, and contain more than one-tenth of China's reserves of the metal, a crucial ingredient in the country's development and industrialization.

Construction of the mine was initially set to start in May this year and was postponed to the end of the year. But a prolonged government examination process has delayed the plan again.

"We expect to begin construction in May or June next year," after receiving the approval from the National Development and Reform Commission, said an official with Yulong Copper Co., who declined to be named.

Yulong Copper Co. is a consortium of five Chinese entities including Western Mining Co., a Qinghai province-based mining and nonferrous metals smelting company that holds a majority 41% stake, and Zijing Mining Group Co. (2899.HK) which holds a 39% stake.

The official said the delay of construction won't postpone its production plan, which is set for 2008.

Meanwhile, the company is building infrastructure around the mine, while waiting for the final permit from the NDRC, the country's top economic planning body, according to the official.

The reserves have attracted the attention of Chinese environmentalists concerned about the potential damage from mining. It has a proven reserves of 6.25 million metric tons and potential reserves of 10 million tons.



But industry players aren't worried about the project's progress, Western Mining estimates that production could reach between 150,000 and 200,000 tons of electrolytic copper a year.saying that it will be an important supply source.

The output of the mine, the second-largest copper mine in Asia, will help to alleviate the country's shortage of copper concentrate.

[dosto]

und wie bei Silber werden Alt-Proktions-Stätten ins Auge
genommen, die verlassen wurden, aber nicht aufgegeben.
Comes This Boys back?


The Corporation owns 100% of the Pumpkin Hollow Copper Development Property in the Walker Lane mineralized belt of Western Nevada. For an overview of the property click here for a recent profile broadcast by Business Television.
Pumpkin Hollow is an advanced development stage copper property, which contains Measured and Indicated Resources totaling 2.7 Billion pounds of Copper plus additional Inferred Resources of 3.4 Billion pounds of Copper (all using a 0.2% copper cutoff grade). This 6 Billion pound copper and associated 75 million ton iron resource was estimated in July, 2006, and the Technical Report is available on the Resource page of this website and at www.sedar.com.

Historical work at the Pumpkin Hollow property includes over 590,000 feet of drilling conducted by U.S. Steel Corp., Anaconda Copper Corp. and Cyprus Minerals Corp. among others. These were among the largest mining companies in the world at the time. Numerous resource, metallurgical and economic studies have been completed over the years.

The Company intends to move the property forward through feasibility, and is confident that at current metals prices, the Pumpkin Hollow Copper property will soon host Nevada's Next Copper Mine.


Es gibts kein Mangel, weder an Kupfer noch an Zink,
und schon gar nicht bei Silber

Alles eine Frage des Preises, bis die Wiederaufnahme der Produktion
erfolgt.
Sobald die Manager und Bosse der Minen davon leben können,
werden sie zum Geschäft zurückkehren.
Sie werden davon über Jahre leben können.

Anders wird es bei 80 % der Shareholder aussehen,
sie werden, wenn sie zu teuer einkaufen über Jahre nicht
viel verdienen, denn so ist das System nicht ausgerichtet.

[dosto]

Ich bin ein Mensch ohne Ahnung,

ich höre immer was von Dollar-Schwäche,

aber wie sieht der Can-Dollar aus, ist seine Stärke vorbei?
oder?
vor kurzen wurden noch 1.40 für den Euro-bezahlt
heute über 1.51 Can $
gegen den US $ scheint es auch keine Einbahnstraße mehr zu geben.
aber was hat das mit Aktien zu tun !

Im übrigen auch Canada hat gegenüber China ein riesiges
Handelsbilanz-Defizit.

[dosto]

15 December 2006

China copper production rises 5.5% in November
Source: Hoovers


China's copper output in November rose 5.5% on year to 250,600 metric tons, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday.

Production in the January-to-November period rose 18.5% to 2.66 million tons, the bureau said.

Following is a table showing China's production in November and during January-November, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Metal – Nov(tons) – Change(on year) – Jan-Nov(tons) – Change(on year)

Copper 250,600 +5.5% 2,658,900 +18.5%
Lead 262,200 +15.9% 2,474,200 +15.5%
Zinc 305,200 +16.8% 2,843,100 +15.2%
Tin 12,861 +30.6% 129,515 +24.2%
Nickel 12,782 +53.9% 97,567 +17.6%
Aluminium 818,300 +19.1% 8,278,400 +18.8%

[dosto]

China's alumina output in November rose 51% on year to 1.22 million metric tons, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday.

Production in January-November rose 54% to 11.96 million tons,

[dosto]

15 December 2006

Chinese ferromoly offer prices drop further on sluggish demand
Source: Platts

ferromolybdenum prices have moved down further to $58-58.50/kg CIF Rotterdam, down compared with $59.50-60/kg quoted a week ago. Prolonged weak demand continues to exert pressure on prices, according to traders this week.

One local trader said he sold 20 mt of spot material at $58.50/kg CIF Rotterdam. "I am now offering the material at $59/kg on a CIF basis but buyers still think it's too expensive and they want lower prices," the trader said. Another trader said most spot offers this week were quoting at $58/kg CIF Rotterdam. "Prices in Europe are moving down to below $60/kg so they don't really need the Chinese material as they could get supplies from home at about the same price level," the trader said.

Traders said domestic ferromoly prices have also moved lower to Yuan 248,000-250,000 ($31,720-31,975)/mt ex-plant, down from Yuan 260,000-265,000/mt quoted a week ago. A source close to Chinese producers said: "Domestic prices are also down as demand has cooled down further closer to the holiday season. And more people are expecting some possible tax policy changes on ferromoly next year and they are very cautious about their new purchases," he said. The source expected to see prices move even lower in the near future due to weaker demand in the spot market.

Local traders said moly concentrate prices had also moved lower this week to Yuan 3,650-3,700/mtu, down from around Yuan 3,800/mtu quoted a week ago.

Meanwhile, traders in Japan received lower offer prices from China this week. "I received an offer from China at $57.50/kg CIF Japan. Offer prices from China are down but even with lower prices, there has been no spot deals reported," one Tokyo-based trader said. Another trader added that demand is still strong in Japan. "But we have enough stocks and so we don't need to buy now," he added.

[dosto]

PT Inco sees lower nickel output if lack of rain persists
Source: Antara

International Nickel Indonesia Tbk ("PT Inco" or the "Company", JSX: INCO) Thursday announced that lower than average rainfall since October, along with an apparent delay in the arrival of the rainy season which typically falls between December and March, has resulted in falling reservoir levels. Unless significant rainfall occurs within the next few days, the Company's hydroelectric power generating capacity will be negatively affected and the Company's nickel-in-matte production will need to be limited on or about December 20, 2006.

PT Inco is currently producing at a rate of about 1,400-1,500 tonnes of nickel-in-matte per week. Production cuts may result in PT Inco just missing its current production estimate for 2006 of approximately 71,000 tonnes (157 to 158 million pounds) of nickel-in-matte.

To help mitigate the impact of low reservoir levels on production for 2007, PT Inco will, where possible, bring forward certain maintenance activities originally scheduled to occur during a planned shutdown at the end of the first quarter of 2007. Given the unpredictability of weather patterns, it is not possible for PT Inco to estimate the production impact of current low reservoir levels at this time. If lower than average rainfall persists over a period of several weeks, the Company may need to make more significant production cuts in order to raise the levels of its reservoirs.

[dosto]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 26.212.663 von dosto am 15.12.06 19:54:35

Battle Mountain to purchase additional 2 percent net smelter royalty on Minefinders' Dolores mine
Source: Press Release

Mountain Gold Exploration Corp. (OTC BB:BMGX.OB) said Thursday that it has acquired an option to purchase a 2% net smelter return royalty ("NSR") on Minefinders Corporation Ltd.'s ("Minefinders") Dolores Mine in Chihuahua, Mexico. The 2% NSR covers both gold and silver production from the Dolores Mine. The exercise price for the option is $9.45 million. This royalty will complement Battle Mountain's existing 1.25% NSR on gold production from Dolores. With both royalties, Battle Mountain will receive 3.25% of all gold production and 2% of all silver production from the Dolores Mine.

The Dolores mine is scheduled to begin production in the third quarter of 2007 and is expected to have a 14 year mine life. According to their latest Technical Report, dated November 7, 2006, Minefinders estimates Dolores's 2008 production to be approximately 173,000 ounces gold and 4,188,000 ounces silver. Based on these estimates, Battle Mountain will receive approximately 5,623 ounces gold and 82,000 ounces silver in 2008.

According to the November 2006 Technical Report, Minefinders estimates that total life of mine gold recovery will be approximately 1,696,000 oz, of which Battle Mountain will receive 3.25%, and that total life of mine silver recovery will be approximately 63,480,000 silver, of which Battle Mountain will receive 2%. Minefinders continues to actively explore the Dolores property and Battle Mountain will participate in production increases that come as a result of any reserves increases.

Battle Mountain's Dolores royalties are long term assets that will provide strong annual cash flow. Battle Mountain's Chairman and Chief executive, Mark Kucher, stated, "We believe that the combined Dolores royalties will provide us with a significant cornerstone cash-flowing asset when the mine comes into production next year. In addition, we are continuing to negotiate other acquisitions of similar quality as we build Battle Mountain into a significant precious metals royalty company with a diversified asset base."

About Battle Mountain

Battle Mountain is a gold royalty company headquartered in Reno, Nevada. Battle Mountain has a diversified portfolio of thirteen producing, developing, and exploration gold royalties in seven gold producing countries.

ups, ich dachte Silber wäre immer knapp, jetzt tauchen Millionen
von Unzen auf.
Also was benötigt die Wirtschaft 28 Mille Unzen -oder- Tendenz
eher fallend.

[dosto]

ups
da war dochh vor ein paar Stunden noch ein komfortables
Wochenplus, jetzt is es weg

Dec 15 2006 2:49PM NY Time
Bid/Ask 12.81 12.91
Low/High 12.76 13.90
Change -0.98 -7.11%
30DayChg -0.05 -0.39%

is ein bißchen happich

[dosto]

the place to be

12/14/06 19:37 Shanghai Stock Exchange hits all-time high

[dosto]

AGMK Jan-Oct zinc output up by 21%
19.12.2006 00:13:09
Uzbekistan's only zinc and copper producer, the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (AGMK), produced in January-October 40,268 metric tons of zinc, 21% more than in the corresponding period last year, the company reported on Monday.

Refined copper output during the period fell by 12% to 75,735 tons.

Almalyk mines its ore at the Kalmakyr and Sary-Cheku deposits in Tashkent region and at the Uch-Kulach deposit in Jizzakh region of Uzbekistan.

[dosto]

Big new zinc/lead/silver mine heads for next stage
By: Lawrence Williams
Posted: '19-DEC-06 09:00'



LONDON (Mineweb.com) --Major Australian headquartered zinc, lead and silver miner and smelting company, Zinifex (ASX: ZFX) has announced that the pre-feasibility study on its Dugald River zinc project in Queensland, Australia, has been completed successfully. The company will now proceed with a full feasibility study with a view to establishing a new mining operation to produce some 200,000 tons of zinc in concentrate a year.

Zinifex’s Chief Executive Officer, Greig Gailey said “We are delighted that Dugald River has taken the next step to becoming an operating mine in 2011.”
“If developed, Dugald River would increase Zinifex’s zinc concentrate output by a third and is a key component of our strategy to vigorously grow our
mining business,” he said. “It would also extend Zinifex’s mine life well beyond 2020.”

Located near Cloncurry in North-West Queensland, Dugald River is one of the world’s largest undeveloped deposits with good grades of zinc, lead and
silver. According to Mr Gailey, “It is conveniently located close to power, water and transport infrastructure thus reducing the cost of developing the mine.”

“You cannot ignore the fact that most undeveloped zinc ore bodies are in much more challenging places.” he said.

The pre-feasibility study concluded that Dugald River is amenable to mining with conventional underground mining techniques and high metal recovery
rates are expected to be achieved with standard crushing, grinding and flotation processing.

“Importantly the pre-feasibility study found that there is a ready market for Dugald River zinc concentrate. Previous concerns that manganese in the
concentrate would be an issue have diminished,” Mr. Gailey added.

The full feasibility study is expected to take 18 months to complete at a cost of approximately $25 million.

“We are optimistic that the full feasibility study will deliver a positive outcome and that we will be contemplating a mine development decision in mid 2008,” Mr. Gailey concluded.

Zinifex owns and operates the Century and Rosebery mines, a zinc refinery and a lead smelter in Australia as well as zinc refineries in the Netherlands and the United States and is one of the world’s premier producers of zinc metal.

Dugald River is estimated to contain a resource of 47.9 million tonnes grading 12.1% zinc, 2.1% lead and 44 grammes per tonne silver. The proposed mining rate would be 2 million tonnes per year giving it a 16 year mine life. Annual output is estimated to be some 200,000 tonnes a year of zinc, 40,000 tonnes of lead and 1.5 million ounces of silver in concentrates – a major operation by any standards. The preliminary estimated capital cost of bringing the mine to production is put at less than Aus$500 million (around US$390 million) and operating costs are expected to be around the same as at the company’s existing Australian mining operations.

[dosto]

Copper market showing surplus of 81,000 mt in Jan-Sep: ICSG
Source: Platts


Copper CatalogThe global refined copper market had an apparent production deficit in September of about 17,000 mt, decreasing to about 4,000 mt after making seasonal adjustments for world usage, according to preliminary estimates released Monday by the International Copper Study Group. "The apparent refined copper balance for the first nine months of 2006, including revisions to data previously presented, indicates a production surplus of about 81,000 mt and, when seasonally adjusted, a surplus of 144,000 mt," the group said.

The 81,000 surplus compares with a production deficit of 319,000 mt (seasonally adjusted 246,000 mt) for the same period in 2005. The ICSG noted that its calculation of the refined balance did not take into account changes in China's State Reserve Bureau stocks, which are unreported and which might affect calculation of China's apparent consumption.
In September, following the July/August holiday period, usage in the European Union-15 (EU-15) and in Japan increased, while usage in the US remained depressed. Based on a gradual increase in net imports, Chinese apparent usage continued its recovery. ICSG data for the first nine months of 2006 indicate that world refined usage increased by about 2.5% compared with usage in the same period of 2005, the study group said.

On a regional basis, comparing usage in the first nine months of 2006 to that of the first nine months of 2005, Europe was the only region showing a growth (total European usage increased by 11.6%, while apparent usage in the EU-15 countries increased by 15%). All the other regions showed a decrease in copper usage.

In Asia, usage was down by 1% (a decrease of 6.4% in Chinese usage more than offset a growth of 5.9% in Japan and 4.9% in India). In the Americas, usage was down by 1.3% (a growth of 2.6% in South America was more than offset by a 2.2% decline in North American); and in Oceania and Africa, usage declined by 4% and 3%, respectively, the ICSG said.

Owing to labor unrest and operational failures that prevented or delayed expected increases in production, world mine production for the first nine months of 2006 was essentially unchanged from that in the same period of 2005 (down by 0.2%). Concentrate production was down by 1.4%, while SX-EW production was up by 5%, according to the ICSG.

On a regional basis, African mine production increased by 15% in the first nine months of 2006 compared with that in the same period of 2005. North American mine production was down by 3.5% due to strikes in Mexico. South American mine production was up by 1.2%, and Asian mine production decreased by 4.6% due to production problems in Indonesia, the ICSG said. Global mine capacity utilization decreased to an average of 85.6% from an average of 87.9% in the same period of 2005.

Total world refined production increased by 5.8% in the first nine months compared with the same period of 2005. Primary production was up by 4.8% and secondary production (from scrap) was up by 13%. Refined capacity utilization averaged 83.2%, up from 80.6% in the same period of 2005. With the exception of Chile (-1.3%), all major producing countries increased their production [China (21%), Japan (10%), the United States (5%), Russia (2%) and India (28%)], the ICSG said.

As of end November 2006, copper stocks held at the major metal exchanges (LME, COMEX, SHFE) totaled 208,148 mt, an increase of 17,090 mt from stocks held at the end of October and 51,897 mt from those held at the end of December 2005. Stocks were up at LME and COMEX warehouses and down at SHFE.

The average LME cash price for November 2006 declined to $7,029.18/mt from the October average of $7,500.39/mt. The 2006 high and low copper prices through end of November were $8,788.00/mt and $4,537.00/mt, respectively, and the average was $6,731.44/mt.

[dosto]

Global nickel demand strong but some relief in 2007
By: Tessa Kruger
Posted: '14-DEC-06 11:00'


JOHANNESBURG (Mineweb.com) --Global nickel demand is forecast to exceed 1.3 million tonnes in 2006 on the back of expansion in output capacity in China and strong support from producers in the United States, Japan and Europe.

The robust demand represents a 6.7% increase on last year despite the fact that the nickel spot price increased by 160% to US$15.6/lb since January, says Alan Heap of Citigate in a recent report on the Commodity Heap.

Stainless steel producers, who absorb two-thirds of nickel supply in the market, continue to secure short-to-medium term supplies, while price levels are at 20-year highs.

Global output of stainless steel will total 28.1 million tonnes in 2006, an increase of 14% on last year.

“While China’s ballooning output capacity expansion is the key driver of growth, it also has solid support from the traditional producers, Japan, Europe and the United States.

“Demand for steel has been strong this year, justifying a series of large price hikes in all major regions.”

Heap said that Asia’s stainless steel output and demand are likely to remain robust next year (2007), but this will be offset by weakness in the United States and Europe where stainless mill orders are already softening and stocks are rising.

“Moderate global stainless market weakness in 2007, will provide some relief for nickel’s tight market.”

Drivers of the strong nickel price are ‘frustrated’ mine supply, low stocks and “complex corporate activity” that are feeding market anxiety and high prices.

Rising costs of energy, labour and materials have caused major delays at the world’s largest projects and joint output of Goro, Ravensthorpe and Koniambo, representing 10% of supply in 2010, is at risk.

Medium-term supply now depends on second-string hopefuls such as Onca Puma, Barro Alto and the recently resurrected Ambatovy.

[dosto]

Australia's Perilya to proceed with high grade zinc oxide project

Singapore (Platts)--18Dec2006
Australia's Perilya Limited has gained approval from its Board to proceed
with the development of the 100% owned Beltana zinc mine as the first phase of
advancement of its Flinders project in south Australia, the company said
Tuesday. The approval was based on the favorable returns generated by the
mining and direct shipment of 150,000 mt of high grade zinc ore.
The development of the Beltana mine is expected to commence in the second
quarter of 2007.
The recently completed feasibility study shows the Beltana project has a
pre-tax net cashflow of A$50.6 million (assuming an average $1.25/lb zinc
price and $0.78 exchange rate) with an internal rate of return of 84%, Perilya
said. At the prevailing zinc price of $2.00/lb, the project would be expected
to generate pre-tax net cash flows in excess of A$130 million, the company
added.
CEO Len Jubbe said that the Beltana mine provides Perilya with a low cost
entry into a significant zinc oxide resource at historically high spot prices.
According to Perilya, the high grade tenor of the project and the
tightness of the zinc market at present provides Perilya with the opportunity
of identifying a market for an additional 242,000 mt of lower grade material
that is contained within the existing mine design. All of this material,
grading between 14-26% zinc, will be stockpiled separately on site.
The total mineral resources for the Flinders project is currently
estimated at 966,000 mt at 31% zinc containing almost 300,000 mt of zinc
metal.
The project will involve direct shipment of high grade zinc oxide ore
through Port Pirie to smelters in Asia. The first ore shipment is expected
early in 2008 with sales continuing over a two to three year period
thereafter. Contained zinc sales for the 2008 financial year are forecast at
15,000 mt, increasing to 20,000 mt in subsequent years.

[dosto]

Auszug-von heute

Against this backdrop, March copper prices fell by 1.2 cents to close at $3.0175 a pound, but that's after climbing 1.3 cents on Monday.
March palladium gained $4.30 to end at $329.25 an ounce and January platinum rose $16.40 to close at $1,118.50 an ounce.

On the supply side, gold inventories were down 301 troy ounces at 7.47 million troy ounces as of late Monday, according to Nymex data. Silver supplies climbed 1.07 million troy ounces to 111.2 million troy ounces and copper supplies rose by 787 short tons to 32,539 short tons.

[dosto]

Zinc exports set to jump in 06/07 - industry

By Reuters
Wednesday December 20, 02:10 PM
By Biman Mukherji

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's zinc exports are set to jump seven times to over 100,000 tonnes in the fiscal year ending March 2007 after output rose and higher prices made overseas sales attractive, a senior trade official said on Wednesday.

The country exported just 14,000 tonnes in the year to March 2006 but is likely to become a net exporter of zinc in 2008, when capacity expansion at largest producer Hindustan Zinc comes on stream, he added.

"India would probably become a net exporter of zinc with this added capacity of Hindustan Zinc," the official said.

Hindustan currently has an annual production capacity of about 400,000 tonnes, but that is set to rise by 170,000 tonnes by March 2008 and another 88,000 tonnes by June 2008.

The company had added 170,000 tonnes capacity in May 2005, significantly boosting India's overall production.

A Binani Industries subsidiary, Binani Zinc, is the only other zinc producer in the country.

India annually imports about 50,000 tonnes of zinc, mainly grades which are not produced domestically, but these are expected to fall sharply in the next two years.

World zinc prices have been firm and hit an all-time high of $4,580 per tonne last month, partly due to low LME stocks. Zinc is sold domestically linked to the LME price.

The country's zinc consumption is set to rise to 460,000 tonnes in the year ending March 2007, from 420,000 in 2005/06, according to the India Lead Zinc Development Association.

"In recent times, India has become a low cost zinc producer because of volume expansion and de-bottlenecking," said L. Pugazhenthy, the association's executive director.

"For global trade, India is strategically placed near to China and also to other countries in Southeast Asia. So tremendous opportunities for exports are there and we should capitalise on it," he added.

More than 70 percent of zinc in India is used to make galvanised steel, much in demand as the country struggles to upgrade its road, building and telecoms infrastructure.

[dosto]

China adds 28 million mt copper reserves for 1999-2005 period
Source: Platts



China had increased more than 28 million mt of copper reserves during the period of September 1999 to December 2005 through large scale exploration programs, China Gold Association said Tuesday, quoting presentations from the Eighth National Deposit Congress held in the Jiangxi province between November 27-30, 2006.

These explorations were undertaken by the country's National Geological Bureau since September 1999.

Other additional reserves include 20 million mt of bauxite, 760 million mt of iron ore, 1,000 mt of gold and 77,000 mt of silver.

Among these discoveries are the Tibet's Yulong copper mine and Yunnan Pulang copper mine, which have large copper deposits.

For lead-zinc exploration, areas include Qinling, Yuxinan, Tibet's Nianchingtanggula saw major breakthrough, adding more than 78 million mt of reserves.

The development in tungsten and tin exploration is also very encouraging, unearthing some 700,000 mt of tungsten reserves and 2.29 million mt of tin.

[dosto]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 26.344.752 von dosto am 20.12.06 18:15:03

Goldcorp: There are more efficient ways to capture gold
Source: SeekingAlpha



See also
Gold Mining Board
Gold Mining CatalogGeorge Gutowski submits: Goldcorp (NYSE: GG) forecast production of approximately 2.8 million ounces of gold in 2007 at an anticipated total cash cost of $150 per ounce. By-product assumptions used to forecast cash costs are silver at $10 per ounce and copper at $3 per pound.
The exploration expense for 2007 is forecast at approximately $55 million or 10% of the current cash position, split almost evenly with $23 million in Canada and $22 million in Mexico. This seems anemic but admittedly the cap-ex budget of $750 million exceeds cash, therefore financing will be required. How much is left for exploration?

Gold and mineral companies are frequently acquisition oriented. Goldcorp's signal is that they will allow others to explore and they will show up in the last minute after the risk and heavy lifting has been done.

Has Goldcorp become just a gold developer with substantial production? If so, the stock price should reflect gold prices and hedge activities if any. So why invest directly and take-on the risk of corporate problems or the inevitable environmental problem that usually befuddles mining operators? Gold may be played more efficiently.

Nette Einschätzungen ?!?!?

[dosto]

MOLY -von überall her

International Molybdenum PLC said studies confirm its 25,000 tonnes per day open pit Malmbjerg project is technically viable for a year-round operation.

The project in Eastern Greenland has estimated measured and indicated resources of about 560 mln pounds of molybdenum.

The company expects a Pre-Feasibility Study on the project to be completed early next year.


Grönland-Korea-China-Canada-Guatemala
wenn die alle mal produzieren, dann haben wir wieder Preise unter
10 USD

[dosto]

yep
und die Wodka-Conäckschen will auch





Dec 20.06 Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant Wins Auction for Amur Zinc Ore Deposit



The Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant OJSC recently announced it won the auction for the Amur zinc deposit located in the Bredinsky District of the Chelyabinsk Region in Russia.

Five companies reportedly took part in the auction and according to Russian law, the results of the auction are subject to approval from the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use (Rosnedra) followed by the issue of a 25-year license to explore and develop the zinc deposit.

Sergey Moiseev, Chairman of the ChTsZ BOD, said that in case of approval from Rosnedra, the Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant would be able to produce about 30,000 tons of zinc in concentrate annually by 2010 on the base of the Amur deposit, the production further growing to 50,000 tons in 2011. It will want some $100 million in investments from the company.

According to the results of the latest prospect evaluation survey, the probable reserves of the Amur deposit are 1 million tons of zinc, its content in ore being 2.64%.

The Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant is the largest metal zinc producer in Russia. It accounts for 60% of the Russian zinc production. The Plant's proceeds in 2005 totaled RUB 4.77 billion; its net income was RUB 268.22 million, production of zinc and its alloys slid by 23% to 116,370 tons. More than 70% of the produced zinc was delivered to the domestic market. In 2006, the Plant plans to produce 150,000 tons of zinc.

The Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant belongs to ChTPZ Group, one of the leading industrial groups of Russia's metallurgic complex.


tja, diese Tundra Apatschen haben wohl die Preise geneckt.

Nur mal ganz ehrlich, wer macht eigentlich das Geld,
doch die die heute liefern können und evt. das nächste Jahr,
aber das müssen wir erst mal ausloten, seit 6 Dez. sinken die Vorräte erst mal nicht mehr und da wollen wir dranbleiben -oder-

auf jeden Fall will 2010 jeder dabei sein, das Jahr sollte man sich auch merken, es wird das Jahr der Überproduktion werden, wenn alle das machen, was sie gerade melden.

[dosto]

27.12.2006 - 12:50 Uhr
Chinas Kupferverbrauch 2006 um 7% gesunken
SCHANGHJAI (Dow Jones)--Chinas Kupferverbrauch wird für 2006 auf 3,4 Mio t geschätzt, das würde einen Rückgang um 7% gegenüber dem Vorjahr bedeuten. Wie die Nationale Entwicklungs- und Reformkommission (NDRC) auf ihrer Website weiter schreibt, sind die Importe des roten Metalls offenbar um 40% auf weniger als 800.000 t zurückgegangen. Die hohen Kupferpreise, die im zu Ende gehenden Jahr im Durchschnitt mehr als 60.000 CNY/t betragen hätten, seien ein in großem Maße dämpfender Faktor beim inländischen Konsum gewesen. An der Londoner Metallbörse hatte der Kupferpreis im Mai ein Allzeithoch von 8.800 USD/t erlangt. Chinas Einfuhr von Raffinadekupfer hat sich in der Zeit von Januar bis November um 37% auf 731.189 t verringert, während die Kathodenimporte um 37%auf 724.272 t nachgaben. Die Gesamtproduktion des Landes legte in den elf Monaten um 19% auf 2,66 Mio t

[dosto]

27.12.2006 - 12:42 Uhr
Chinas Aluminiumproduktion wächst 2007 stärker als der Verbrauch
SCHANGHAI (Dow Jones)--Chinas Aluminiumproduktion wird nach Angaben der Nationalen Entwicklungs- und Reformkommission (NDRC) im kommenden Jahr um 14%auf 10,50 Mio t zunehmen. Der erkennbare Verbrauch werde um 13% auf 9,6 Mio t steigen, heißt es weiter. Die Kommission nennt keine Definition des Verbrauchs, normalerweise handelt es sich dabei aber um die Gesamtproduktion plus Importe und abzüglich Exporte, gelegentlich auch durch Bestandsveränderungen bereinigt. 2006 wird Chinas Aluminiumproduktion voraussichtlich um 17,8% auf 9,2 Mio t und der ersichtliche Verbrauch um 20% auf 8,5 Mio t wachsen. Die inländischen Aluminiumpreise werden laut NDRC im kommenden Jahr wahrscheinlich wegen der höheren Exportsteuer nachgeben. China hatte diese Steuer im November auf 15%von 5% angehoben, um die Ausfuhr unter Kontrolle zu halten.

ups.


da ging doch immer rum,
China verbraucht mehr, als sie produzieren.
Scheint wohl falsch zu sein.

Der Nebel lüftet sich so langsam, über einige Metal-Verbrauchs.
und Herstellungs-Zahlen.
Allerdings sieht vieles dann ganz anders aus, als mir immer
weisgemacht wurde.
Also such ich mal weiter die Wahrheit.

[dosto]

Mexico's silver production sharply lower in October
Source: Hoovers



See also
Metals Mining Board
Metals Mining CatalogMexican mining production fell 8.9% in October form the year-ago month, affected by a sharp drop in silver output, the National Statistics Institute, or Inegi, said Friday.

Inegi said silver production fell 41.5% from October 2005 to 128,081 kilograms (4.5 million ounces), because of lower metals content in concentrates processed by the country's biggest silver producer Industrias Penoles (PE&OLES.MX).

Copper production fell 11% to 28,522 metric tons, zinc production fell 24.6% to 30,892 metric tons, and lead output fell 26% to 8,668 metric tons, Inegi said.

Gold production edged up 1.1% from October 2005 to 2,692 kilograms (94,758 ounces).

Inegi said iron production was unchanged at 611,793 metric tons, while coal output rose 5.3% to 680,092 metric tons


uii,
die Kerle von Penoles sind immer noch das A+O

es sieht nicht so aus, daß die Neuen Juniors -EDR-ECU-FR-
in die Bresche springen können, wenigstens vorerst nicht.
Mal sehen was die Juniors im 4. Quartal so stellen.

[dosto]

nunja-denn

was die einen Amigos nicht aufstellen, versuchen die anderen dann
auszugleichen

RENO, NV (Mineweb.com) --Despite Bolivia’s heated political divisions, Jose Guillermo Dalence, the nation’s Minister of Mining and Metallurgy, Tuesday predicted that the government’s New Mining and Metallurgical Policy (Nueva Politica Minero Metalurgica) will stimulate new momentum in the mining sector.

Meanwhile, Bolivian miners may also find themselves operating under a new taxation system in 2007.

In a statement published by the official Agencia Boliviana de Información (Bolivian Information Agency) Tuesday, Dalence declared, “The country will find a government determined to defend this highly respected pillar of the domestic economy,” and capture more profits being generated from high metals prices in international markets.

The government intends to help several mining projects this year, provide government mining jobs promised to several thousand small miners, and initiate large mining projects that have investments of up to US$100 million, according to the mining minister.

Dalence also predicted that changes or modifications will be made in Bolivia’s current mining taxation system. He referred to revising the Impuesto Complementario a la Minería (Complementary Mining Tax) to increase the amount of taxation, and to add several additional minerals that are not currently included under the current law.

A new mining metallurgical policy is expected to enhance smelting capacity at Comibol mining (Bolivia’s state-owned mining company), and to implement a new royalty system of taxation, according to Dalence. However, Dalence cautioned that the government does not intend to liquidate private enterprise through steep taxation, but rather to clarify the obligation of mining operations to pay what they should pay.

In his message, Dalence highlighted the benefits of the start-up of Apex’s new San Cristobal silver mine and possibly Coeur d’Alene Mines’ planned San Bartolome silver mine during 2007. He noted that the two silver projects will signify a total investment of close to US $500 million in the Bolivian mining industry.

[dosto]

yep,

für alle silberfreaks,

so sieht das anschieben einer Silbermine aus.


Significant Advancements in the Development of San Cristobal

Significant advancements were made in the development of San Cristobal and the project is now approximately 85% complete. With major structural foundation and equipment fully installed, the primary crusher should be in position to receive ore in January 2007. The conveyor structure and idlers are in place for the 1.5-kilometer overland conveyor. With the imminent installation of the conveyor belt and the requisite electronic equipment, it should be fully operational by 2007.

Concentrator construction is advancing at a rapid pace. The wraparound motors are complete on all three mills and liners are being placed in the Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG) and two ball mills. All the cyclones, flotation cells, concentrate thickeners and filters have also been installed. The major thrust of the future activity at the concentrator will be centered on the installation of process piping and electrical and instrumentation equipment.

Electrical substations at both San Cristobal and Punutuma have been completed and there should be access to the power grid by the end of 2006; the 10-kilometer tailings line has been routed and piping and booster pumping stations for the 15-kilometer water supply system have been built; the railroad spur is well advanced with laying of the rail now underway; the superstructure on the concentrate loading facility has been installed, and construction of the Mejillones port facility is proceeding as planned.

Mining activities are advancing to provide ore feed by the time the concentrator is fully operational. Two new CAT 789 200-tonne haulage trucks are in service and approximately 15.1 million tonnes of material have been moved. Eight more 200-tonne trucks, two PC 4000 Komatsu shovels and a CAT 994 loader are scheduled for delivery in late 2006 and early 2007. The project remains on schedule to commence operations in the third quarter of 2007.

San Cristobal Operating Plan Update

The company has concluded an update to its operating and capital cost projections for San Cristobal, including a definitive cost to complete the project. In the first five years of operation, based on designed 40,000-tonne per day ore throughput, San Cristobal is expected to produce approximately 16.9 million ounces of payable silver (at an average cash cost of $1.97 per ounce), 225,000 tonnes of payable zinc (at an average cash cost of $0.51 per pound) and 82,000 tonnes of payable lead (lead is credited as a by product to silver production costs). During the projected 16 year mine life, San Cristobal is expected to produce annually approximately 15.7 million ounces of payable silver, 166,000 tonnes of payable zinc and 59,000 tonnes of payable lead.


und was sowas kostet, na bitte bei APEX -Ticker -SIL-
dort kann man das nachvollziehen.
Alleine haben sie das auch nicht geschafft. 50 % haben sie gerettet.

[dosto]

und ab in die Produktion



Peru's Cerro Verde copper mine, controlled by US miner Phelps Dodge (NYSE: PD), has completed construction of the four grinding lines of its new concentrator, the company told the Lima stock exchange.

Cerro Verde is finalizing the pre-operational tests of the production circuit with concentrate, the statement said.

The 108,000t/d concentrator will triple copper production at Cerro Verde to 300,000 short tons a year (272,000t) and add molybdenum production of 6M-8Mlb/y (roughly 2,700-3,600t) once ramped up to capacity, which is scheduled for mid-2007.

The sulfide deposit, which lies underneath the oxides currently leached and processed in SX-EW facilities, will extend the mine life from 2014 until 2033.

[dosto]

Und weitere Einbußen der Kupfer-Schmelzen:

BHP Billiton has eased some of its recent copper price pain by extracting lower treatment and refining charges from Japanese smelters for its copper concentrate production.

The arrangement follows similar deals with smelters in China, India and Korea, with BHP using its muscle as one of the world's biggest copper producers to take advantage of the global shortage of copper concentrate.

Details of the deal with Japan's Sumitomo and Pan Pacific Copper have not been released but traders assume they match earlier deals in other markets that set the treatment charge at $US60 a tonne and the refining charge at US6¢ a pound. That compares with this year's rates of $US95 a tonne and US9.5¢ a pound.
The deal provides extra revenue for BHP of about US8¢ a pound on the 2.5 billion pounds of copper it produces annually.

Importantly, BHP has succeeded in having price participation arrangements for the Japanese smelters removed.

Under that deal, BHP effectively paid smelters 10 per cent of the amount by which copper exceeded US90¢ a pound. At present prices, the old deal would have been worth about US19.5¢ a pound to the smelters. That amount now stays with BHP.

The deals come as the copper price has slumped to eight-month lows on fears of a US economic slowdown. Copper last traded at $US2.85 a pound. It peaked in mid-May at $US4.07. That weakness has been reflected in BHP's shares, with the stock tumbling 22 per cent from its mid-May peak of $32 to $25.05 last Friday.

Meanwhile, BHP and Rio Tinto confirmed they had followed the lead of Brazil's CVRD and settled for a 9.5 per cent iron ore price increase for next year.

[dosto]

Für Leute die wissen wollen,
was Leute, die Gold wollen,
an Leute, die Gold haben
bezahlen







Bloomberg TV Bloomberg Radio Bloomberg Podcasts Bloomberg Press

Gold Takeovers Reach Record on Lack of New Supplies (Update1)

By Choy Leng Yeong

Dec. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Gold-company acquisitions this year surged to the highest level in at least a decade, and the industry may continue its buying spree in 2007 as producers struggle to find new deposits.

Goldcorp Inc.'s $8.5 billion acquisition of Glamis Gold Ltd. was the biggest of 357 deals valued at a total of $24.3 billion this year, data compiled by Bloomberg shows. That eclipsed the $16.2 billion spent last year on 341 transactions, including Barrick Gold Corp.'s $10 billion purchase of Placer Dome Inc.

Producers are rushing to boost supply because mines are being depleted faster than new reserves are being found, and a six-year rally in gold prices is providing cash to buy assets. The number of discoveries of at least 2.5 million ounces has declined for eight straight years, according to Metals Economics Group in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

``The driving force behind the M&A is that you have difficulty finding new gold mines,'' said Graham Birch, who helps manage $27 billion at BlackRock Investment Management in London. ``It's all about trying to get access to reserves.''

From 1992 to 2005, the world produced 1.1 billion ounces of gold, or 1.8 times more than the new resources discovered among deposits of at least 2.5 million ounces, Metals Economics Group said.

The drop in new reserves followed years of reduced spending on exploration as gold fell to a 20-year low of $253.20 an ounce in 1999. Worldwide exploration budgets fell to a 12-year low of about $780 million in 2002, said Jason Goulden, director of corporate exploration strategy at Metals Economics.

`Scramble for Land'

``There is a scramble for land,'' said Ian Cockerill, chief executive officer of Johannesburg-based Gold Fields Ltd. ``From about 1996 until about a couple of years ago, there was a marked decline in the amount of exploration dollars. The industry is staring down the barrel of the gun that says, `Where are the replacement ounces coming from?'''

Gold Fields, the fourth-largest producer, earlier this month completed a $1.53 billion purchase from Barrick of half of the world's biggest deposit, the South Deep mine in South Africa. Gold Fields is buying shares in Western Areas Ltd., which owns the rest of South Deep. The deal will increase the company's reserves by about half.

The price of gold has more than doubled to $630.60 an ounce today from a 20-year low in 1999. The precious metal reached a 26-year high of $732 on May 12. The rally, fueled by investors seeking a hedge against inflation or an alternative to the dollar as it fell against the euro, has spurred demand for new reserves.

Cost of Reserves

The cost of reserves rose to a record $120 an ounce in 2005, compared with a low of $33 in 2000, said James Lowrey, a senior analyst at Metals Economics, which tracks more than 1,450 companies and deals of at least $50 million since 1995.

Gold Fields CEO Cockerill admits he paid top dollar for the South Deep mine at $104 an ounce. ``It is certainly one of the more expensive acquisitions that we have made'' compared with the company's historical average of $60, he said. ``But then again, it's a very special ore body.''

The mine, west of Johannesburg, contains as much as 29.3 million ounces, equal to about a third of the world's annual gold production. Gold Fields plans to study the viability of expanding annual production to 1 million ounces, from the 800,000 ounces expected yearly by 2011.

Vancouver-based Goldcorp spent about $175 for each ounce of reserves it acquired in the Glamis deal last month, and Toronto- based Iamgold Corp.'s $1.1 billion stock acquisition of Cambior Inc. valued each ounce at about $117, Lowrey of Metals Economics estimated.

Doing Deals

Doubling resources is a ``big rationale for doing this deal,'' said Goldcorp Chairman Ian Telfer, who has made more than eight acquisitions in the past four years. The purchase of Glamis helped Goldcorp overtake Johannesburg-based AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. as the world's third-largest gold producer by market value.

Citigroup Inc. was the top investment bank with five deals worth $11.6 billion, accounting for 48 percent of the market share. It advised Glamis on its takeover by Goldcorp. JP Morgan ranked second with $11.4 billion and seven deals, including Glamis.

Global gold production in the nine months ended September fell 2.2 percent to 1,804 metric tons from a year earlier, London- based researcher GFMS Ltd. estimated. The lack of new supply will help boost gold prices by $200 over the next two years, topping $800 an ounce, Telfer said.

``There is definitely a sense that the industry -- which is really good for gold -- is kind of flat to shrinking,'' said Barrick Chief Executive Officer Gregory Wilkins. ``Placer was important for positioning the company for dealing with the industry challenges.''

Gold-Company Shares

Shares of Toronto-based Barrick, which completed its acquisition of Placer Dome in March, rose 6 percent this year. Denver-based Newmont Mining Corp., whose bullion sales may plunge 14 percent this year, has fallen 15 percent, the biggest drop among the 16 companies in the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Gold and Silver Index.

Newmont, which spent $225 million to boost its stake in a mining project in western Australia this year, cut its 2006 sales forecast three times, most recently in September, because of lower output in Ghana and Uzbekistan. The company said Sept. 27 that its gold sales may fall 14 percent this year to 5.6 million ounces from 6.5 million in 2005.

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., owner of the world's biggest gold mine, last month agreed to buy copper producer Phelps Dodge Corp. for $25.4 billion. Kinross Gold Corp., Canada's third- biggest gold producer, agreed to purchase rival Bema Gold Corp. for $2.84 billion in stock to expand in Russia.

Barrick's Wilkins said his acquisition strategy won't be affected by short-term changes in prices, which have fallen 14 percent from the 26-year high reached in May.

More Bids

Barrick may make a bid for New Orleans-based Freeport to boost reserves and lower operating costs, CIBC World Markets Inc. said in a research note on Dec. 15. Both companies have declined to comment. Barrick on Dec. 7 failed in its $1.71 billion hostile bid for Vancouver-based NovaGold Resources Inc.

Kinross Chief Executive Officer Tye Burt said takeovers may get a boost from the recent slump in prices.

The decline may bring ``more targets into a price zone'' to encourage acquirers, Burt said. ``In a strong commodity price environment, it's always tough to reach price agreements. Everyone's trying to protect their production profiles.''

[dosto]

!

Dieser Beitrag wurde vom System automatisch gesperrt. Bei Fragen wenden Sie sich bitte an [e-mail]

[dosto]

Copper tumbles below $6,000 on surplus worries
Wed Jan 3, 2007 1:52 PM GM

MORE

By Pratima Desai

LONDON (Reuters) - Copper prices tumbled below $6,000 a tonne on Wednesday, their lowest since April last year, as rising stocks fuelled worries about a surplus this year, analysts said.

The losses dragged down other base metals and weighed on London-listed miners such as BHP Billiton, Antofagasta, Kazakhmys, Rio Tinto and Xstrata, which were all down between 2 and 5 percent.

Copper for delivery in three months on the London Metal Exchange traded at $5,910, its lowest in nearly nine months. By 1132 GMT it was quoted at $5,915/5,930, down more than 3.0 percent from Tuesday's $6,110 close.

Copper has lost more than 30 percent since hitting a record high of $8,800 in May and more than 25 percent since early September on growing worries about falling demand as global economic growth slows.

Forecasts of a copper surplus this year have accelerated losses.

"Clearly the increase in inventories has got people worried. We're (forecasting) a surplus of about 250,000 tonnes this year," Jim Lennon, analyst at Macquarie Bank, said.

"People are saying it's all over as far as copper is concerned and clearly it is. Our price forecast this year is $2.60 a pound."

That would work out to an average around $5,730 this year.

DEBATE

Stocks of copper at LME warehouses have risen to more than 190,000 tonnes from little more than 25,000 in July 2005.

On Tuesday copper stocks jumped 7,775 tonnes and on Wednesday the rise was 1,975.

"Today's number wasn't as bad as people thought it would be and that gave copper a reprieve," an LME trader said. "But it didn't last long, I think it's gone into oversold territory and will probably bounce back."

By that was a matter of debate, analysts said. Those expecting a hard landing in the United States think copper might soon be hurtling towards $5,000 if U.S. manufacturing and jobs data later this week are weaker than forecast.

Others are more positive.

"Economic data out of the U.S. in the last few weeks has tended to beat expectations and there is even some talk that the worst of the slowdown in the housing market may have passed," BaseMetals.com said in a research note.

"That said, the more copper prices do fall the more likely they are to run into consumer buying."

But for now consumers seemed to be content watching from the sidelines and were in no hurry to restock, analysts said.

When consumers did return, prices might spike up as funds that were short -- a bet on a lower price in the future -- bought back the contracts they had sold, analysts said.

Aluminium was down at $2,711/2,716 from $2,787 on Tuesday, nickel was at $31,900/32,100 from $32,475 and zinc was at $4,050/4,080 from $4,130.


So Freunde der Chart-Technik

die 100 Tage-Linie saust damit von oben durch die 200 Tage-Linie.
Der Maßstab aller Dinge hat sich nun gedreht.
2 einhalb Monate noch und Kupfer könnte billiger als ein Jahr davor
sein.
Die guten Tage sind erst mal dann davon.

[dosto]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 26.661.492 von dosto am 03.01.07 19:18:54

LME Official prices, US$/tonne for 4 Jan 2007



ALUMINIUM ALLOY ALUMINIUM COPPER LEAD NICKEL TIN ZINC NASAAC


Cash buyer 2,245.00 2,727.50 5,601.00 1,720.00 33,950.00 10,800.00 4,074.00 2,150.00

Cash seller & settlement 2,250.00 2,728.00 5,602.00 1,722.00 33,955.00 10,850.00 4,074.50 2,151.00

3-months buyer 2,275.00 2,695.00 5,651.00 1,665.00 33,150.00 10,750.00 4,005.00 2,190.00

3-months seller 2,285.00 2,696.00 5,652.00 1,670.00 33,155.00 10,800.00 4,010.00 2,200.00

15-months buyer 2,360.00 2,500.00 5,515.00 1,395.00 27,600.00 10,240.00 3,630.00 2,295.00

15-months seller 2,370.00 2,505.00 5,525.00 1,400.00 27,700.00 10,290.00 3,635.00 2,305.00

27-months buyer 2,385.00 2,353.00 5,205.00 23,850.00 3,267.00 2,320.00

27-months seller 2,395.00 2,358.00 5,215.00 23,950.00 3,272.00 2,330.00

Alu + Kupfer

[dosto]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 26.688.162 von dosto am 05.01.07 12:16:18

ALUMINIUM ALLOY ALUMINIUM COPPER LEAD NICKEL TIN ZINC NASAAC


Cash buyer 2,245.00 2,727.50 5,601.00 1,720.00 33,950.00 10,800.00 4,074.00 2,150.00

Cash seller & settlement 2,250.00 2,728.00 5,602.00 1,722.00 33,955.00 10,850.00 4,074.50 2,151.00

3-months buyer 2,275.00 2,695.00 5,651.00 1,665.00 33,150.00 10,750.00 4,005.00 2,190.00

3-months seller 2,285.00 2,696.00 5,652.00 1,670.00 33,155.00 10,800.00 4,010.00 2,200.00

15-months buyer 2,360.00 2,500.00 5,515.00 1,395.00 27,600.00 10,240.00 3,630.00 2,295.00

15-months seller 2,370.00 2,505.00 5,525.00 1,400.00 27,700.00 10,290.00 3,635.00 2,305.00

27-months buyer 2,385.00 2,353.00 5,205.00 23,850.00 3,267.00 2,320.00

27-months seller 2,395.00 2,358.00 5,215.00 23,950.00 3,272.00 2,330.00


Zink mit einen irren Abschlag auf 27 Monate
von 4.000 auf 3.300 beinahe 20 %

nun wollen wir mal sehen, wie blind der Markt hier ist.

[dosto]

London Metal Exchange Warehouse Stocks
( January 8 )
Metal Tonnes in Storage Change from
previous day
Aluminum 693950 -2625
Copper 195775 +900
Nickel 6798 +714
Lead 43550 +700
Zinc 90975 +725

[dosto]

Peru's output of gold fell in November, while that of copper, zinc and silver rose in the month, the Energy and Mines Ministry said Friday.

Mineral production has become a motor of the Andean nation's economic growth, with a number of new mines opening in recent years.

The government said that gold output totaled 16,240 kilograms in November, down 28.15% compared with the same month a year before.

Zinc production was 105,072 tons in November, up 4.89% from the same month a year earlier.
Copper production rose 11.63% to 92,566 metric tons in November from the same month a year before.

Silver production in November was 291,270 kgs, an increase of 6.14% from the same period a year before.

Among some of the other minerals, the government said that molybdenum output rose 48.12% to 1,502 tons in November.

Lead production was 27,485 tons in November, an increase of 4.58% from the same month in the previous year.

Tin output was 3,090 tons in November, down 13.36% from the same month in the previous year.
Iron output totaled 378,523 tons in November, an 0.44% increase from the same month in the previous year, the government said.

[dosto]

European Goldfields: Stratoni zinc-lead-silver mine exceeds production target for 2006
Source: Press Release

Goldfields Limited (TSX/AIM: EGU) announced Monday that its subsidiary Hellas Gold S.A. has milled a total of 185,000 wet metric tonnes (wmt) of ore in 2006 at its Stratoni zinc-lead-silver plant in Northern Greece, exceeding the production target of 170,000 wmt for the year.

Ore production rates from underground have steadily increased from 400 to almost 900 tonnes per day during 2006. Ore production is expected to continue to increase more rapidly than expected, up to a maximum of 400,000 tonnes per year by end 2009.

Hellas Gold completed seven shipments of concentrates from Stratoni in Q4 2006, and 20 shipments for the whole of 2006. Hellas Gold also completed six shipments of gold concentrates from an existing stockpile at Olympias in Q4 2006, representing half of the 12 shipments completed in 2006. This translates into the following sales of concentrates:

Q4 2006 Total 2006 Zinc concentrate (tonnes) 10,425 32,351 – Containing payable: Zinc (tonnes)(x) 4,418 13,775 Lead concentrate (tonnes) 5,124 15,780 – Containing payable: Lead (tonnes)(x) 3,329 10,467 Silver (oz)(x) 254,881 818,139 Gold concentrate (wet tonnes) 9,041 17,649 (x) Net of smelter deductions

Sales of contained metals increased by 38% for lead, 35% for silver and 39% for gold in Q4 2006 compared to Q3 2006, while decreasing by a marginal 6% for zinc. Also, these sales are expected to yield higher revenues per unit in Q4 2006 due to more favourable metal prices during the last quarter of the year. European Goldfields expects to publish by 31 March 2006 its financial results for the three-month period and year ended 31 December 2006.

Increase in Stratoni Reserves – European Goldfields is also pleased to announce an increase in reserves at Stratoni, which can now be reported as follows under Canadian NI 43-101:


---------------------------
Reserve Ag Ag Pb Pb Zn Zn
Category '000t(x) g/t Moz(x) % '000t(x) % '000t(x)
-----------------------------
Proven 1,923 172 10.63 6.9 19 9.4 30
-----------------------------
Probable 259 172 1.43 7.3 133 11.6 181
-----------------------------
Total 2,182 172 12.06 6.9 152 9.7 211
---------------------------

(x) After deduction of ore extracted since the start of mining operations in Q4 2005.

Total reserve tonnes have increased by 23% over the reserves published prior to the start of operations at Stratoni in Q4 2005, accounting for deduction of ore since then. The new reserve will add an extra year to Stratoni's life of mine, a 20% increase over the remaining five-year mine life under the prior reserve. A marginal reduction in grades is expected to be more than offset by greater quantities of metal to be produced over the total life of mine and the ramping-up of production going forward.

The new reserve has allowed Hellas Gold to ramp-up its yearly ore production schedule as follows:

- Year 2006: 170,000 tonnes – Year 2007: 250,000 tonnes – Year 2008: 350,000 tonnes – Year 2009: 400,000 tonnes – Year 2010: 400,000 tonnes – Year 2011: 400,000 tonnes – Year 2012: 400,000 tonnes

This new reserve is based on an updated measured & indicated resource estimate for the Stratoni orebody, which results from a new optimised geological model based on revised geological mapping, additional data from underground sampling, and a more reliable understanding of the orebody after a full year of mining at Stratoni.

A better understanding of the orebody has also allowed Hellas Gold to define increased inferred resources comprising some 555,000 tonnes grading 7.3% lead, 10.2% zinc and 181 g/t silver.

In addition, Hellas Gold recently started a new exploration drilling programme at Stratoni, which is expected to increase life of mine by another two years at least. Initial drilling results are expected in Q1 2007. An important objective of the drilling programme is to upgrade existing inferred resources to full Canadian NI 43-101 compliant reserves.

Commenting on the announcement, David Reading, Chief Executive Officer of European Goldfields, said: "We are proud to have exceeded our promise to the market in 2006 for our Stratoni operations. Production of zinc, lead and silver concentrates continues to ramp-up at Stratoni in an environment of strong demand for these metals, and this new reserve will allow us to mine for an additional year after 2011. Also, we look forward to adding more value at Stratoni by converting existing inferred resources into reserves when our ongoing extension drilling programme is completed."

About European Goldfields

European Goldfields is a resource company involved in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Greece, Romania and South-East Europe.

Greece – European Goldfields holds a 65% interest in Hellas Gold S.A. Hellas Gold owns three major gold and base metal deposits in Northern Greece. The deposits are the polymetallic projects of Stratoni and Olympias which contain gold, zinc, lead and silver, and the Skouries copper/gold porphyry body. Hellas Gold commenced production at Stratoni in September 2005 and selling an existing stockpile of Olympias gold concentrates in July 2006. Hellas Gold is applying for permits to develop the Skouries and Olympias projects.

[dosto]

8 January 2007

Boliden CEO expects 2007 to be good
Source: Hoovers


Swedish mineral company Boliden, which had record profits in 2006, expects 2007 to be at least as good a year, Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reports Monday.

The paper says that a large part of the production of copper, gold, and silver has been signed up for.

"The only thing that's unsecured is zinc, which we have a strong belief in. Furthermore, there's an uncertainty about how the dollar will fare. A dollar variation of 10% means SEK1 billion up or down for us," Jan Johansson, chief executive of Boliden told the paper.

Johansson told the paper that he believes that the metal boom will continue for decades, and that the company plans to open a new copper mine in Norrbotten, in Sweden, within a couple of years, and a zinc mine in Skellefteaa where copper, gold and silver will also be extracted. The paper also reported Boliden plans to buy a mining project outside of Europe.


Was meint er damit?

[dosto]

upps

Kupfer war schon verdammt schnell im abwärts gehen

Zink läßt sich auch nicht lumpen

von 2,05 vor kurzem
NOW
Zinc January 09,11:25
Bid/Ask 1.6192 - 1.6193
Change -0.0855 -5.02%
Low/High 1.5875 - 1.7252

[dosto]

Auszug


Anvil Mining ups Kinsevere high grade copper/cobalt resource 400 percent
By: John Chadwick
Posted: '10-JAN-07 09:00' GMT © Mineweb 1997-2006



Anvil Mining’s Kinsevere-Nambulwa copper-cobalt deposits, 27 km north of Lubumbashi, the provincial capital of the Katanga Province of the DRC are, like so much of that region, looking very promising. The Measured and Indicated mineral resource has been increased by over 400% to 865,300 t of contained copper. AMCK, a joint venture company formed by Anvil and Mining Company of Katanga (MCK), has completed an update of the copper resource inventory at the Kinsevere project. AMCK has an exclusive Contrat d’Amodiation (Lease Agreement) with Gécamines, the title holder of the mineral properties.

[dosto]

10 January 2007

China's Yunnan Copper Group copper cathode production up 18% in 2006
Source: Hoovers


Yunnan Copper Industry (Group) Co. said its copper cathode production rose 18% last year to 380,000 metric tons, adding that it aims to produce 40,000 tons more this year.

The company said its production of zinc rose 24% to 51,000 tons last year, while gold production rose 66% to 10 tons and silver production increased 37% to 523 tons.

Yunnan Copper said it was China's third largest copper producer last year, following Tongling Nonferrous Metals (Group) Inc. and Jiangxi Copper Corp., and was the country's biggest silver producer for the period.

Its total sales by Dec. 20 reached CNY30.36 billion (US$3.89 billion), up 99% from the whole 2005.

Last year, it began to construct a blister copper smelter with annual output capacity of 150,000 tons in Zambia, which will use concentrates from the Chambishi copper mine, along with China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., or CNMC.

CNMC holds an 85% stake in Chambishi mine, which produced 50,000 tons of copper concentrate last year.

Yunnan Copper Industry (Group) Co. is the parent of Yunnan Copper Co. (000878.SZ).

[dosto]

SXR secures offtake deals

SXR plans to start production at Dominion this quarter
Toronto-based SXR Uranium 1 Inc has announced four new offtake deals to supply 3.2 Mlbs of uranium between 2008 and 2012 from its Dominion project in South Africa.

The contracts were agreed with "western world utilities", it said in a statement to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, adding that the project is scheduled to begin production in the March quarter of this year.

In 2006, prices for uranium doubled to US$72/lb as demand from nuclear power plants increased.

Chief executive Neal Froneman said in the statement: "We are continuing to secure contracts which do not cap the price at which we will be selling our uranium and contain floor price protection."

Offtake contracts totalling 4.7 Mlb, or 28%, of the mine`s output in the four years ending 2012 are now in place, and the pricing of the new contracts will be market-related at the time of delivery, the statement added.

[dosto]

China to map Sierra Leone; Cluff results `upside`

China made 2006 the `Year of Africa`
The Sierra Leone mines minister said that Chinese geologists are to help map the West African mineral-rich state to help maximise its mining income as it recovers from a bloody civil war.

The survey, which will start in February, was agreed as part of a memorandum of understanding, signed by President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah in November during a China-Africa summit in Beijing.

"The survey will be based on a search of mineral resources available in the entire country and findings should be bankable," Sierra Leone`s mines minister Mohamed Deen told Reuters.

The mapping will include previously unexplored areas of the country and "will also help the government renew the policies for prospecting and exploration".

China made 2006 the `Year of Africa` to cement fast-growing ties with the continent in which it swapped aid for raw materials.

In other news, Cluff Gold Plc, one of the leading explorers in Sierra Leone has reported the first set of results from its drilling programme at its Baomahun gold mine in which it has a 60% stake.

The current JORC resource stands at 880,000oz of gold, but the results clearly indicate upside potential because drilling so far has only covered less than 25% of the 12 kilometre mineralised corridor.

Cluff said that it has planned a programme for a total of 30,000 metres of core drilling during 2007 and a second diamond drill rig is expected at site in February.

Douglas Chikohora, Cluff technical director at Baomahun said that its is "well placed to take Baomahun to the pre-feasibility stage during the second half of this year". (January 11)

[dosto]

Ma`aden looks again to Saudi IPO

Dabbagh: "IPO in range of of US$2-2.5 billion"
Saudi Arabian Mining Co (Ma`aden), the largest gold producer in the Gulf region, is planning to raise as much as US$2.5 billion from an IPO later this year.

"It is likely the 50% of Ma`aden offered for sale will be valued in the range of of US$2-2.5 billion," chief executive Dr Abdallah Dabbagh told Bloomberg.

The sale to Saudi investors is expected in the September quarter "assuming that the conditions to do so are favourable," and will leave the government with a stake of "at least 50%".

The government is looking at ways to revitalise the country`s benchmark Tawadal All-Share Index which slumped by 53% last year, making it the worst performing major equity index.

Riyadh-based Ma`aden had initially planned to sell stock in 2006, but the sale was delayed because, "timing is complex due largely to the inter-dependent nature of the company`s projects."

Last year, Ma`aden said the planned IPO would help fund an integrated bauxite-aluminium complex and a phosphate development.

Ma`aden said last year that it was intending to increase the production of gold from 240,000oz/y to 300,000oz/y through developing new mines which will start operation within the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007.

In total, the company operates six mines, four of which - Mahd, Sukhaybarat, Bulghah and Al Hajar Minesare in the operating stage - with production of 500,000oz/y of silver, 1,000t/y of copper and 2,000t/y of zinc on top of the gold production.

Ma`aden is also preparing Al Amar, the first gold mine in the Central Province, which will deliver underground production of about 200,000oz/y of gold as well as other minerals The company is also working a plan to put Ad Duwayhi Mine into operation in 2008. (January 11)

[dosto]

North & South Korea to develop zinc mine

Komdok zinc mine could contain 300 Mt of ore
North and South Korea could join forces to develop three mines in the communist North Korean state, including what could be the largest zinc mine in Asia.

As part of the agreement to boost economic cooperation, Korea Resources Corp (Kores), South Korea`s state-owned explorer, will carry out feasibility and environmental studies on zinc and magnesite (magnesium carbonate) mines in Hamgyong Province in the northeast of North Korea.

Despite the two Korea`s still being technically at war after the 1950-53 confict ended without a peace agreement, the two governments agreed to develop the North`s natural resources during a meeting on economic cooperation in 2005.

The zinc mine holds an estimated 300 Mt of ore, which would make it the largest in Asia, said Kang Shin Young, a spokesman for Kores in Seoul, while one of the two ultramafic magnesite mines could hold 3,600 Mt of the mineral which is used in steelmaking and the production of synthetic rubber.

According to Mining Journal`s country report for North Korea, Samcheolri Corp, the the country`s state-owned resource provider, has a lead-zinc ore-processing complex in Komdok in Hamgyong Province which has a current ore capacity of 15 Mt/y and the capability to produce 100,000 t/y of zinc metal

Under the JV proposal between Samcheolri and Kores there is also an agreement to mine graphite at Yongho with Kores providing machinery and equipment with annual sales of 9,000-10,000 t of graphite to South Korea envisaged

Anthracite is the country`s most abundant mineral resource, with reserves estimated at some 1,800 Mt, while reserves of iron ore in are estimated at some 400 Mt with mines located at Musan, Unryul, Songhung, Komdok, Toksong, Tokhyon, Chaeyong, Hason, Tokonsong and Sehaeri. (January 10)

[dosto]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 26.837.276 von dosto am 11.01.07 17:44:21

Schon mal über Nickel nachgedacht


LME nickel rallies on fund buying
Source: Hoovers



See also
Base Metals Board
Base Metals CatalogPrice rises across the London Metal Exchange base metals complex Thursday helped boost nickel over 7% to just shy of its record high, with speculative fund activity continuing to add major volatility to all the base metals.

Three-month nickel jumped over 7% to a session high of $34,900/ton, just shy of the metal's all-time high of $34,950/ton from Dec. 15, before retreating to a PM kerb of $33,450/ton.

"Speculative fund buying based on technicals has really pushed prices sharply higher," said a trader. The metal is benefiting from bullish sentiment across the base metals complex, the trader added.

In addition, low LME stocks and ongoing supply concerns underpin the price rally.

LME nickel stocks fell 156 metric tons to 6,300 tons Thursday, down around 80% on the year, according to LME data. In addition, LME data showed canceled warrants at 30% Thursday.

French nickel producer Eramet SA said Wednesday it has so far lost around 5,000 tons of metal output at its production site in New Caledonia due to a strike and other disruption.


Auszug

[dosto]

nunja,

es gilt ja auch festzustellen
mit welchen preisen Minen schon zufrieden sind:

11 January 2007

Chilean Sonami sees average copper price at $2.50/lb in 2007
Source: Hoovers



Copper prices likely will average $2.50 a pound in 2007, down from the $3.05 a pound they averaged last year, according to estimates released Wednesday by Chilean private mining trade group Sonami.

The price "is still very positive for the country's economy and government coffers," Sonami president Alfredo Ovalle told reporters.

The group, which represents small, medium and several of the largest mining companies in the country, also estimated that Chile's copper output will increase by 300,000 metric tons this year to 5.65 million tons, compared with 2006 output.

The near 6% increase is mostly due to BHP Billiton's (BHP) Spence copper mine coming on line late last year, as well as the company's new sulphide leaching project, Ovalle said.

According to the group, private sector output will grow by 8% year-on-year in 2007, while state copper giant Corporacion Nacional del Cobre's production will slip 0.6% to 1.65 million tons. The estimate for Codelco doesn't include output from the El Abra mine, where it has a 49% stake.

Chile is the world's largest copper producer and exporter.

[dosto]

China's TISCO aims for annual sales of RMB 80 billion
Source: Interfax

Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group Co. Ltd. (TISCO), China's largest stainless steelmaker, estimates it will reach annual sales of RMB 80 billion ($10.25 billion) this year, a company official said yesterday.
Su Yong said a 1.5 million-ton cold-rolled stainless sheet production line would start operation this March, and with its completion, TISCO aims to reap annual sales of RMB 80 billion ($10.25 billion) and profits of RMB 6 billion ($ 770 million) in 2007.

The capacity of the whole project is designed to reach 15 million tons by 2010. It will consist of 3 million tons of stainless steel capacity and 12 million tons of carbon steel capacity. TISCO will reach a capacity of 2 million tons of hot-rolled stainless steel sheets of 2, 250 mm width per year by 2008, Su said.

The launch of the project will bring the company's total stainless steel capacity to 3 million tons per year, making it the largest stainless steelmaker in the world in terms of capacity. The project started construction in September 2004, and the estimated investment amount is RMB 26.7 billion ($3.38 billion) including RMB 16.578 billion ($ 2.096 billion) in bank loans.

TISCO's estimated annual sales in 2006 were RMB 50.5 billion ($6.47 billion), up 40 percent from last year and profits hit RMB 4.5 billion ($ 0.58 billion), up 96 percent.

[dosto]

10 January 2007

US crude steel output rises in first week of the new year
Source: Platts



US crude steel production was 1,792,000 st for the week ending January 6, and the industry capacity utilization rate was 76.7%, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. That is a production gain of 9.3% from the previous week ending December 30, 2006, when production was 1,639,000 st and the rate of capacity utilization was 70.2%.

For the same week a year ago, production was 2,064,000 st, and the capacity utilization then was 85.6%. The current week production represents a 13.1% decrease from the year-ago level.

Broken down by districts, production for the week ending January 6 in thousands of net tons: Northeast Coast: 96; Pittsburgh/Youngstown: 193; Lake Erie: 80; Detroit: 118; Indiana/Chicago: 448; Midwest: 224; Southern: 557 and Western: 76.

The trade group said the production figures were based on reports from companies representing about 75% of the US steel industry's crude steel production base.

[dosto]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 26.857.023 von dosto am 12.01.07 12:35:24

12 January 2007

Steel: Price party fizzles at year-end
Source: MarketWatch

Steel producers in the fourth quarter wrestled with falling prices, high supply levels and weaker North American demand, factors that have sparked a wave of earnings warnings over the past month.
Still, healthy year-over-year price increases for staple products like sheet and concrete reinforcing steel should support bottom-line growth when the final results come out.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expect U.S. Steel Holding Corp., Nucor Corp. and Allegheny Technologies – the three steel makers in the S&P 500 index – in total to report net income rose 37%.

Among those three, results at U.S. Steel and Allegheny Technologies will likely lead with double-digit gains in earnings excluding special charges and benefits. Nucor, however, is expected to report a modest 4% increase in growth in earnings per share, to $1.13 from $1.09, according to Thomson. Nucor's year-ago results have been adjusted for a stock split.

The Charlotte, N.C. company was one of several steel producers in the last month to flag lower than expected fourth-quarter earnings, causing analysts to shave their outlook for the company.

Nucor, which turns scrap steel into products, blamed high customer inventories and record import levels for a dip in production and shipments. Prices for steel sheet and bars fell short of its estimates, while raw material costs held, it said in a Dec. 12 release.

Steel Dynamics Inc., often viewed as a smaller version of Nucor, the next day cut its fourth-quarter earnings forecast by a nickel, to a range of $1 to $1.05, citing weakness in the flat-rolled steel sales that make up about half of its steel shipments.

Then, in late December, Ipsco, Inc. told investors to expect earnings of $3 to $3.10 a share, down from its earlier estimate of $3.30 to $3.50. The steel pipe and plate-maker blamed weaker demand as customers worked off their inventories.

Plus, it saw a decline in demand for pipe used in natural gas production, as rainy, warm weather in Western Canada made remote dirt roads impassable to heavy drilling rigs.

Given these reports, "for the most part, the fourth quarter is a known entity," said Timna Tanners, an analyst at UBS. "The big question is, what is the guidance?"

Tanners said she expects companies that produce more steel sheet, such as U.S. Steel, Canada's Algoma Steel Inc., to have "disproportionally inferior earnings" in the fourth quarter due to the drop in steel sheet prices.

For the first quarter, she sees steel prices dropping below the fourth-quarter, to about $540 a short ton.
Prices slip from third-quarter
For the fourth quarter in total, average prices for hot rolled steel sheet fell $61 a short ton from the third quarter to $567 but rose $27 a ton from the year-ago period, according to a CIBC World Markets analysis of prices from Purchasing Magazine.

Prices for concrete rebar, the thick wire that reinforces concrete, have fallen $19 from the third quarter to $514 a short ton, but rose $27 from the year-ago quarter.

As far as pricing is concerned, the first quarter doesn't look any rosier, said CIBC.

"Although steel prices have stabilized, average prices are likely to be down in Q1/07 relative to Q4/06," said CIBC analyst Michael Willemse in a note to investors.

Meanwhile, output has slid from the year-ago quarter.

Total U.S. raw steel production in the fourth quarter fell 15% to 22.3 million short tons from 26.4 million tons in the year ago quarter, says the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Production cuts at North American auto makers and a decline in residential housing construction has reduced demand for some types of steel.

Still, appetite for steel should rebound as customers work down inventories.

"Demand is good right now and will be for 2007 – right now customers' own inventories are competing with steel suppliers but I anticipate a resolution within the first quarter," said Michelle Applebaum, a research analyst with Michelle Applebaum Research, Inc., via email.

The American Iron and Steel Institute expects demand for North American steel to increase in 2007 but at a slower pace than in 2006.

China, which has snapped up much of the world's supply of steel, is still growing at a fast clip. But rapid growth of its own steel production has made it a net exporter of steel.

U.S. imports of steel, which many U.S. steel makers have complained have depressed prices, will likely dip slightly next year, to

[dosto]

12.01.2007 - 12:20 Uhr
Goldman Sachs erwartet schwächere Zink-Fundamentals
SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--
Die fundamentale Lage am Zinkmarkt wird sich nach Ansicht von Goldman Sachs in diesem Jahr abschwächen, denn die Zeichen mehrten sich, dass eine Reaktion der Angebotsseite zu einem globalen Metallüberschuss von 85.000 t führen werde. Für 2008 wird sogar ein Anstieg auf 160.000 t erwartet. Angesichts der weltwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung seien die Nachfrageaussichten für Zink bestenfalls gemischt, meint Goldman Sachs weiter. Viele Analysten sähen das Metall zwar in diesem Jahr als starken Performer und begründeten das mit Angebotsmangel und niedrigeren Lagerbeständen. Jedoch stünden im Verlauf von 2007 Minenreaktivierungen zu erwarten, durch die 200.000 t Produktion hinzukämen. Dazu gehöre ein zusätzlicher Output von 90.000 t in der Mine Mount Isa von Xstrata sowie eine steigende chinesische Zinkproduktion, durch sich die Knappheit am Markt erheblich entspannen dürfte. Im Lauf von 2006 hatte sich Chinas Output von Zink wieder erholt, wodurch das Land erneut zu einem Nettoexporteur dieses Metalls wurde.

Goldman Sachs meint, die bessere Verfügbarkeit zeige sich möglicherweise bereits am Markt, denn die Bestände in den Lagerhäusern der Londoner Metallbörse hätten nach zwei Jahren rückläufiger Entwicklung wieder zu steigen begonnen. Gleichzeitig sei die Backwardation zwischen den Drei- und 15-Monats-Kontrakten in den vergangenen Wochen drastisch von mehr als 25 USD/t auf knapp über 10 USD geschrumpft. Allerdings mache das niedrige Lagerniveau den Markt extrem anfällig gegenüber Lieferstörungen, gibt Goldman Sachs zu bedenken. DJN/DJG/bdz/12.1.2007

[dosto]

11.01.2007 - 16:19 Uhr
Hindustan Zinc hat Gewinn mehr als verdreifacht
MUMBAI (Dow Jones)--Die Hindustan Zinc Ltd hat den Reingewinn ihres dritten Geschäftsquartals dank höherer Metallpreise und gesteigerter Produktions- und Verkaufsmengen mehr als verdreifachen können. Wie das Unternehmen mitteilte, erzielte es im Quartal zum 31. Dezember 2006 einen Nettogewinn von 13,35 Mrd INR gegenüber 3,29 Mrd INR im gleichen Vorjahreszeitraum. Der Umsatz kletterte sogar um 171% auf 24,80 Mrd von 9,14 Mrd INR. Im Berichtsabschnitt wurde eine Rekordproduktion von 92.759 t Raffinadezink erzielt, nach 68.881 t in der Vergleichszeit. Die Bergbauproduktion war dagegen nur leicht auf 127.699 von 127.351 t gestiegen. Die Steigerungen während des dritten Quartals beruhten in erster Linie auf einem höheren Output der neuen Hüttenanlage und der Mine in Rampura Agucha, wie das Unternehmen weiter erklärte. Das Expansionsvorhaben von 170.000 t in Chanderiya wie auch der entsprechende Ausbau der Agucha-Mine machen den Angaben nach Fortschritte und dürften Anfang 2008 in Produktion gehen. Die angestrebte Steigerung der Zinkschmelzkapazität um 88.000 jato in den Hütten Chanderiya und Debari soll ebenfalls Anfang 2008 abgeschlossen werden. Hindustan Zinc ist ein integrierter Zinkproduzent mit einer Jahreskapazität von derzeit 400.000 t. Es handelt sich um eine Tochtergesellschaft der Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd. DJN/DJG/bdz/11.1.2007

[dosto]

Stainless steel body launches recycling drive
Source: Mining Weekly



See also
Stainless Steel Board
Stainless Steel CatalogThe International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF), in conjunction with the Nickel Institute, this week launched an advertising campaign designed to inform the public that stainless steel was one of the world's most recycled materials.

The forum said that opinion surveys had indicated that the public did not consider stainless steel to be a highly-recycled material, despite the fact that it was probably the most recycled of all materials. Stainless steel is recycled more than paper or glass.

The campaign consists of a print component and an online video component and the ISSF encouraged other metals associations and stainless steel development associations worldwide to use the advertisements in their local print media campaigns.

In addition to iron and chromium, the metals most commonly used in stainless steel are molybdenum and nickel.

The Nickel Institute is a nonprofit organisation, which generates and communicates knowledge required to support the safe and sustainable production, use and reuse of nickel. It represents the world's primary producers of nickel.

[dosto]

Meldung

23.01.2007 - 12:15 Uhr
Metallimporteur: Fonds übertreiben Nickelknappheit
LONDON (Dow Jones)--Die Angebotslage am Nickelmarkt ist nach Aussage eines Metallimporteurs nicht so angespannt, wie es einige Hedgefonds am Markt gern dargestellt hätten. Ranjit Singh Kothari, Managing Director der indischen Importgesellschaft Kothari Metals Ltd, bestätigte zwar das sehr niedrige Bestandsniveau in den Lagerhäusern der Londoner Metallbörse. Die Knappheit an Nickel sei aber nicht so gewaltig, wie allgemein behauptet werde. Die meisten der großen Metallkonsumenten würden nämlich direkt von den Produzenten importieren. Gegenwärtig betragen die Nickellagerbestände 5.064 t, wovon nur 3.768 t dem Markt zur Verfügung stehen. Das entspricht dem globalen Nickelverbrauch von etwas mehr als einem Tag. Der Markt reagiere momentan panisch und atemlos, stellte Kothari fest. Spekulative Fonds hätten die Kontrolle übernommen, sagte er und fügte hinzu, indische und andere asiatische Verbraucher hätten leichten Zugang zu Material, und keine ihrer Lieferungen verzögere sich oder werde storniert. Aus der gegenwärtigen Situation ziehe niemand Nutzen außer einigen Hedgefonds, kritisierte Kothari. Die Meldungen über die Nickelladung der havarierten MSC Napoli unterstrichen nur, dass größe physische Tonnagen zur Bedarfsdeckung vorhanden seien. DJN/DJG/bdz/23.1.2007


Prima, und dem ist eigentlich nix hinzuzufügen.

Nur wir sind jetzt die Reihe durch,
alle anderen Metalle haben korigiert, da wurde nie was
dazu gesagt als die ab gingen wie Schmitts Katze
und es waren wohl dieselben Spekulanten die es jetzt wieder sind.

Wake up, little Susi
Zuerst augenzwinkend das Spiel mitspielen,
dann die Kontrolle verlieren
Aasgeier, alles Ar...geier.

[dosto]

und hier Nummern, die ein Fundamentalist braucht.

Meldung

22.01.2007 - 15:42 Uhr
IISI-Rohstahlproduktion 2006 um 9% erhöht
BRÜSSEL (Dow Jones)--Die 62 an das International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) berichtenden Länder haben im vergangenen Jahr 1.217,4 Mio t Rohstahl produziert, eine Steigerung um 9% gegenüber dem Vorjahr, als 1.116,6 Mio t erschmolzen wurden. Wie das Brüsseler Institut weiter mitteilte, stellte sich die gesamte Rohstahlerzeugung 2006 auf 1.239,5 Mio t und im Dezember auf 104,4 Mio t. DJG/12/bdz/22.1.2007

[dosto]

sieh an, sieh an
es gibt ein Zwergenrecht unter Moly

MOLYBDENUM DEVELOPMENT - Permits received for Nortoba-Tyson



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Roxmark Mines Limited
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Base and Light Metals
Development
North America
ONTARIO - Toronto's ROXMARK MINES has received the permits for underground redevelopment at its Nortoba-Tyson property 20 km from its Northern Empire mill near Thunder Bay. The company has processed 2,030 t of ore from bulk sampling and shipped 7.23 t of 54.3% Mo concentrate to a European buyer. It plans to take a 6,000-t bulk sample from underground this year.

"Production of moly through our mill was an important milestone," said Roxmark president Monir Younan. "Given that this was our first experience working with moly ore, results were encouraging. However, we are looking at ways to increase yield through improved mining and milling techniques as well as taking an in-depth look at a number of broader issues before deciding on next steps."

Roxmark will also mount a drill program to test several gold veins on the Nortoba-Tyson property. A 135-t bulk sample taken in 1964 yielded 139 oz of gold.

Please see www.Roxmark.com.


Die Zwerge mit den Spitzhacken sind wieder unterwegs.

Macht hoch die Tür, die Tür macht weit,
und rein ins Bergwerk, das so lange zu war.

[dosto]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 27.153.887 von dosto am 24.01.07 16:25:01

24 January 2007

Steel industry's strong 2006 unlikely to repeat in 2007, says S&P Equity Research
Source: Press Release


Steel volume, price and profits will likely decline in 2007
While 2006 was a year of strong earnings growth for the steel industry, Standard & Poor's Equity Research Services does not see similar growth prospects for the industry in 2007. These and other findings are available in a semi-annual report on the metals industry, Metals: Industrials Industry Survey, published by Standard & Poor's, a leading provider of independent investment research.

Standard & Poor's Equity Research sees a number of factors contributing to a decline in demand for steel in 2007, including a slower growing U.S. economy; a 2% to 3% decrease in demand from the U.S. auto industry, versus an estimated 9% gain in 2006; and a decline in shipments to distributors and OEMs, compared to a projected 4% gain in 2006.

"Many of the steel industry's clients are sitting on excess inventory that will take a good portion of the first half of the year to work through. Additionally, the industry is highly leveraged to the U.S. automotive manufacturers, several of which may cut production. When you factor all of this together, it adds up to our negative outlook on the industry," said Leo Larkin, Senior Metals and Mining Analyst, Standard & Poor's Equity Research Services. "The lone bright spot for the industry is non-residential construction, but that one market won't be able to offset weakness in other markets in 2007."

Standard & Poor's Equity Research believes the following companies are best positioned to weather the declines in the steel industry: Carpenter Technology (NYSE: CRS; $106), which has a "Buy" recommendation (4-STARS out of 5), is a maker of specialty metals for aerospace and other capital goods markets that should achieve strong earnings growth in 2007.

Additionally, S&P has "Buy" (4-STARS) recommendations on Commercial Metals (NYSE: CMC; $26), Gerdau Ameristeel (NYSE: GNA; $9) and Reliance Steel & Aluminum (NYSE: RS; $39) due to their exposure to the non-residential construction markets and what S&P sees as attractive valuations.

[dosto]

24 January 2007

AK Steel expects flat 1Q shipments
Source: Associated Press


AK Steel Holding Corp. said Tuesday it expects steel shipments in the first quarter to be flat with the fourth quarter but forecast a modest rise in prices.

AK Steel shipped 1.5 million tons of steel in the fourth quarter at an average selling price of $1,041 per ton. The company expects prices to rise between 4 percent and 5 percent in the first quarter from fourth-quarter levels.

However, the company cautioned that higher selling prices would be partially offset by rising raw material costs compared to the prior quarter.

The market prices of nickel and zinc, used respectively to make stainless and coated steels, have climbed sharply over the past year due to unquenched demand from fast-growing economies such as China and India. AK Steel makes stainless, coated, cold-rolled and tubular steel products.

[dosto]

und bei denen läuft es andersrum:



24 January 2007

Allegheny Technologies to expand its titanium and nickel-based superalloy capabilities to meet growing product demand
Source: Associated Press



Steel maker Allegheny Technologies Inc. on Tuesday said it plans to spend $215 million over three years to expand its steel processing capabilities to meet growing demand from the aerospace, defense and other industries.

Allegheny said it will expand its titanium and nickel-based alloy capabilities at plants in the Carolinas. The company uses titanium to make strong, lightweight steels used in jet engines and other aircraft components, while nickel is used to make stainless steel.

"ATI's long-term supply agreements in the aerospace jet engine and airframe market, and expected growth in the power generation, medical, and oil and gas markets, make this project important to achieving our strategic growth objectives," said Patrick Hassey, chairman, president and chief executive, in a statement.

The project is slated for completion in 2009.

[dosto]

23 January 2007

Jiangxi Metallurgical aims for RMB 60 billion in revenue
Source: Interfax

Jiangxi Metallurgical Group Corp., a steelmaker and nonferrous metals smelter in China, plans to make RMB 60 billion ($ 7.71 billion) in revenues by 2010, the company announced Tuesday.

Jiangxi Metallurgical Group plans to construct a steel sheet production line with subsidiary Xinyu Steel, and promote collaborations between its other subsidiaries, Hongdu Iron and Steel and CITIC Pacific.

An official at Jiangxi Metallurgical Group, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed the plans but declined to reveal further details.

Last year, Jiangxi Metallurgical Group made RMB 30.28 billion ($ 3.89 billion) in revenue, up 30.81 percent, and profits of RMB 578 million ($ 74.28 million), up 49.16 percent from a year earlier.

Its output of crude steel was 7.71 million tons, up 25.58 percent, pig iron 6.27 million tons, up 20.16 percent, steel products 7.36 million tons, up 18.91 percent compared with 2005, and electrolytic lead exceeding 20, 000 tons.

Thanks to high prices on the international market, Jiangxi Metallurgical Group exported 400, 000 tons of steel products last year, seven times the figure of 2005. Among the exported steel products, high value-added slabs took up 90 percent.

[dosto]

Allegiance starts mining at Avebury, Tasmania
Source: Associated Press

Budding nickel producer Allegiance Mining NL has started mining and stockpiling ore at its Avebury project in Tasmania ahead of a planned start-up to the treatment plant later this year.

Allegiance said contractor Barminco Ltd had started mine development and extracted ore from the main North Avebury deposit.

The company is expected to start commissioning the mill in the second half of 2007.

Allegiance is expected to produce up to 8,500 tonnes of nickel in concentrate annually from the $77 million operation.

The miner has an offtake agreement with China's largest nickel producer, Jinchuan Group.

[dosto]

24.01.2007 - 13:55 Uhr
Fraunhofer-Institut ermittelt Einsparung bei Rohstoffnutzung
KARLSRUHE (Dow Jones)--Ein Potenzial von 120 Mrd EUR Einsparung durch effizientere Rohstoffnutzung
hat das Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung (ISI) in Karlsruhe ermittelt. Alle würden über Versorgungsengpässe bei Erdöl und Erdgas reden, meint das Institut: Doch wie sieht es mit Rohstoffen wie Kupfer, Tantal und Graphit aus, die in vielen Industrien unentbehrlich sind? Das Fraunhofer ISI hat die globale Nachfrage einiger Metalle und Mineralien sowie die Konsequenzen für Kostenentwicklung und Versorgungssicherheit untersucht. Rohstoffe wie Metalle und Mineralien machten 40% der Produktionskosten der Industrie aus, Energie dagegen nur 1,6%, heißt es weiter. Umso erstaunlicher sei es, dass Verfügbarkeit, Wirtschaftlichkeit und Nutzungseffizienz nur bei Rohstoffen zur Energiegewinnung wie Kohle, Öl oder Gas gut untersucht sind, zu metallischen oder mineralischen Rohstoffen gebe es dagegen kaum verlässliche Daten. Doch gerade hier trage die Industrie ein hohes Kostenrisiko, wenn es zu Versorgungsproblemen kommt.

Zusammen mit dem RWI in Essen hat das ISI in einer Studie für das Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie für die wichtigsten Metalle und Industrieminerale - unter anderem Kupfer, Tantal, Platin, Graphit und Flussspat - untersucht, wie das globale Wirtschaftswachstum und der technologische Fortschritt auf den Rohstoffbedarf wirken und welche Folgen dies für Preisentwicklung und Verfügbarkeit bis 2025 hat. Das ISI nutzt dazu einen neuen Forschungsansatz, der analog zu den bekannten Energiebedarfsprognosen erstmals den spezifischen Rohstoffbedarf bewertet und diesen vom spekulativen Wirtschaftswachstum abkoppelt. Die Ergebnisse fallen sehr unterschiedlich aus: Während technologische Trends vor allem in der Elektronik die Nachfrage nach Tantal steigern, halten sich bei Kupfer nachfragesteigernde und -senkende Effekte die Waage. Der Bedarf an Flussspat dürfte deutlich abnehmen.

Würde die deutsche Industrie alle Effizienzpotenziale ausschöpfen, könnte sie 120 Mrd EUR pro Jahr - das sind 20% der Rohstoffkosten - einsparen und damit weit mehr als mit allen bisherigen Entlastungen bei den Lohnnebenkosten, stellt das ISI fest. Deutschland habe dies erkannt und setze verstärkt auf Recycling, Leichtbau, Nanotechnologie, Miniaturisierung und neue Produktionsverfahren. 56%des hier zu Lande verbrauchten Kupfers werde bereits aus Kupferschrott gewonnen, weltweit seien es nur 13%. "Trotz dieser Erfolge sollte die Rohstoffforschung ausgebaut und auf das Niveau der Energieforschung gebracht werden", fordert ISI-Projektleiter Gerhard Angerer. Die Ergebnisse würden nicht nur die Nachhaltigkeit der Rohstoffnutzung verbessern, sondern zugleich der Industrie wirksame Rationalisierungspotenziale erschließen, die ihre globale Wettbewerbsstellung unter turbulenten Rohstoffmärkten festigt.

[dosto]

25 January 2007

Central China Goldfields identifies high-grade copper-molybdenum mineralization at Nimu project
Source: Edited Press Release

China Goldfields Thursday reported new assay results from the rock chip/float/grab sampling programme at the Nimu Project in Tibet.

Mapping has identified eight target areas where high grade copper and molybdenum samples are associated with supergene-enriched copper oxide outcrops and phyllic-argillic altered host rocks. In some areas there are elevated amounts of gold, lead and zinc.

As a result of these positive findings, the Company will focus its 2007 exploration effort on Nimu. To this end the Company has signed a drilling contract with Sichuan Huafeng Drilling Co. Ltd to provide two drill rigs. Drilling on two of the seven licence areas in Nimu will commence as soon as the weather permits (most likely in April 2007). The first area to be drilled is Tinggong which will be followed by Gangjiang in June 2007.

[dosto]

Nickel January 26,04:22
Bid/Ask 18.4045 - 18.4952
Change +0.3175 +1.76%
Low/High 18.0870 - 18.5406


wo soll das hinführen?

[dosto]

Vanadium alloy prices tumble
Source: Purchasing

Market prices for the ferrovanadium alloy have softened to $15/lb late this month as specialty steelmakers in North America and Europe just aren't buying. A year ago, the ferroalloy had cost around $20. Continued slippage eventually could reduce the costs and prices of steels used to make goods as diverse as machinery dies and hand tools.

It's possible that demand for specialty steels – tool and die, spring, high-speed, heat-treated and electrical grades – may have peaked cyclically, according to analysts, who suggest a surplus is building from overproduction worldwide in 2005-2006. The 2007 market had been expected to maintain a healthy supply/demand balance but it's been moving lately toward excess supply.

Buyers may be holding off purchases until prices fall even further, some analysts suggest. A report in the American Metal Market newspaper says traders have been moving material at lower prices in North America in anticipation of a continued slump in European demand, which is further exacerbating global glut. Also, Chinese prices have dropped by an average 7% already this year because of slower demand there.

[dosto]

na,na,na


da waren doch einige W.O. Teilnehmer wir gehen auf 4-5 USD per Pound. Und nun das.


Zinc February 02,10:23
Bid/Ask 1.4053 - 1.4144
Change -0.1616 -10.31%
Low/High 1.4008 - 1.5777
Charts


unter 1.50

es wird eng Leute.