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SYDNEY, April 11 (Reuters) – Breakthroughs in the way BHP Billiton processes nickel ores could help the world’s biggest miner find a buyer for its ailing Nickel West division in Australia.

Nickel West is among businesses that also include aluminium and manganese which BHP has grouped into a single division set aside in 2012 for underperforming assets deemed non-core to its portfolio.

Read more at: http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/04/11/bhp-billiton-nickel-australia-idINL3N0MZ1OR20140411

Russia’s Norilsk Nickel , the world’s largest nickel and palladium producer, said on Thursday it has borrowed $750 million in credit lines from UniCredit and Raiffeisenbank.

The five-year lines will be used to refinance the company’s existing debt and to raise its medium-term liquidity, it said in the statement.

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/10/russia-norilsk-loans-idUSL6N0N23K920140410

Rusal is of the view that a lower profit share in Norilsk Nickel will have an adverse impact on its consolidated financial statements for 2013, the world’s biggest aluminium producer said in a filing to the Hong Kong bourse on Thursday morning.

Read more at: http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/04/10/rusal-results-idINL3N0N20AH20140410

Baosteel’s price adjustments normally set the tone for the steel market as a whole, and its decision to cut prices for May reflects the weakness in the Chinese steel market, which has been hurt by severe overcapacity and slow demand.

Read more at: http://af.reuters.com/article/metalsNews/idAFB9N0N000320140410

Reuters reported yesterday that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is looking to double its cobalt export royalty from 2 to 4 percent.

Some, such as Pieter Deboutte, who manages the company that holds Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler’s mining and oil interests in the country, believe the move could make companies less eager to do business in the DRC.

Source: http://resourceinvestingnews.com/69408-drc-seeking-to-raise-cobalt-export-tax-to-4-percent.html

A Deutsche analyst says BHP Billiton’s second-tier portfolio spin-off would better fit the Johannesburg Stock Exchange than markets in Australia or London, The Australian Financial Review reports.

Read more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/latest/johannesburg-listing-best-for-bhp-analyst/story-e6frg90f-1226879659239

HONG KONG, April 9 (Reuters) – Producers of an alternative to refined nickel in China are expected to cut output as prices for ore imports have nearly doubled since end-February in the wake of a ban on shipments by top exporter Indonesia.

Reduced supply of nickel pig iron could mean the world’s top consumer of nickel would increase its use of the higher grade refined metal, underpinning global prices that have already risen about 16 percent this year.

International trade conflicts continued to hamper the LME performance of rare earths metals last week. The WTO  slammed China for what it considers its unfair practices involving the technology metals used in everything from your cell phone to the most exotic military equipment.

Read more at: http://agmetalminer.com/2014/04/08/rare-earths-down-for-the-week-still-far-too-much-chinese-distrust/

SHANGHAI, Apr. 9 (SMM) – SMM #1 refined nickel prices were RMB 107,700-108,600/mt on Tuesday. Jinchuan Group raised its ex-works prices for nickel in Shanghai by RMB 3,000/mt to RMB 109,000/mt ($17,580). Traded prices for Jinchuan’s nickel were RMB 108,400-108,800/mt Tuesday morning, while Russian nickel was sold at RMB 107,600-108,000/mt.

Source: http://www.metal.com/newscontent/59297_smm-nickel-market-daily-review-2014-4-8