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JAKARTA: Indonesia posted a robust trade surplus in November, data showed Thursday, in a sign of recovery in Southeast Asia’s biggest nation that was plunged into economic turmoil in 2013.

Jakarta will welcome the news as it battles a deep current account deficit and poor trade performance, soaring inflation and a slump in the rupiah’s value.

The November trade surplus of US$776.8 million, up from October’s modest US$24.3 million surplus, is the country’s highest since April 2012, and marks a major upswing since a record deficit of US$657.2 million in September.

Platinum futures jumped the most in 10 weeks on speculation that a global economic rebound will boost demand for the metal used for pollution-control devices in cars. Gold also rose.

Platinum jumped as much as 3.8% to a two-week high at 8:20 a.m. New York time in the most-active trading of the session. The price will rally to $1,650 an ounce in 2014 as consumption surpasses output, a Bloomberg survey showed. Demand exceeded supply this year by the most since 1999, according to Johnson Matthey Plc.

Read more at: http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/content/en/mineweb-platinum-group-metals?oid=222772&sn=Detail

Indonesia, the world’s largest mined nickel producer, will proceed with a plan to ban mineral-ore exports for mining companies without smelters next month, while regulating shipments by miners that do process ore.

The government will issue a regulation before the prohibition starts from Jan. 12, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik told reporters in Jakarta today. The rule will provide details on the minerals that can be exported, said Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa.

Indonesia is seeking to boost the value of metal shipments by promoting domestic processing. The country accounts for 18 percent to 20 percent of global nickel supplies, 9 percent to 10 percent of aluminum supply from bauxite and 3 percent of copper supply, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. estimates. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX), the owner of the Grasberg mine, said Dec. 12 it was working with the government to clarify the ban.

Read more at: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/business/indonesia-to-regulate-metal-exports-for-miners-with-smelters/

The Chilean government is in the process of finishing two studies of the lithium industry that the administration of President Sebastián Piñera will hand to the incoming government of Michelle Bachelet before she takes office in March.

Read more at: http://www.bnamericas.com/news/privatization/chilean-govt-to-hand-two-lithium-studies-over-to-next-administration-in-january

Indonesia, the world’s largest mined nickel producer, will proceed with a plan to ban mineral-ore exports for mining companies without smelters next month, while regulating shipments by miners that do process ore.

The government will issue a regulation before the prohibition starts from Jan. 12, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik told reporters in Jakarta today. The rule will provide details on the minerals that can be exported, said Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa.

Read more at: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-12-27/indonesia-to-regulate-metal-exports-for-companies-with-smelters

Dec 26 (Reuters) – Vale SA , the world’s No. 1 iron ore producer, sold a 44.25 percent stake in purified phosphoric acid producer Fosbrasil SA to Israel Chemicals Ltd for $52 million, according to a securities filing published on Thursday.

The deal is subject to regulatory approval, according to the filing dated Dec. 20.

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/26/fosbrasil-vale-israelchemicals-idUSL2N0K50AC20131226

BRASILIA – Brazilian iron-ore miner Vale said on Monday it agreed to sell a 26.5% stake in logistics company VLI SA to Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management for two-billion reais ($842.78-million).

After the sale, which still needs approval from Brazilian regulatory authorities, Vale will have a 37.6% stake in the rail- and port-cargo unit, the company said in a securities filling.

Read more at:

http://www.miningweekly.com/article/vale-to-sell-some-vli-shares-to-brookfield-for-842m-2013-12-24