A Blog for Browsing Mining, Mineral Processing, and Metals Info

In their mining industry’s effort to mitigate the ore export ban coming into effect Jan. 12 (as we reported earlier), the Indonesian government optimistically states that some 28 smelters are being built and will be ready by 2017, but in reality they will do well to have even half that number completed.

Freeport Indonesia, the local unit of US copper giant Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, is a case in point.

Read more at: http://agmetalminer.com/2014/01/08/freeport-mcmorans-indonesia-smelter-situation-spells-pain-for-china/

The Russian and Ukrainian basic pig iron market has been quieter this week, as buyers and sellers departed for the Christmas and New Year festivities, while scrap prices — the traditional lead indicator for pig iron prices — started showing signs of decline, sources said Friday.

This week saw a few sales from the Ukrainian producers, all at levels equivalent to $385-387/mt FOB Mariupol, on a CFR basis. One sale to Egypt in the beginning of the week at $417/mt CFR, would netback to around $385/mt FOB Mariupol, for a February production/end-February load readiness cargo of 20,000 mt, a mill-linked source said.

There were also few sales to Turkey, at around $410/mt CFR Marmara, or around $384/mt FOB Mariupol calculated based on current freight rates, for February production/end-February load readiness, according to sources.

Read more at: http://www.platts.com/latest-news/metals/london/cis-basic-pig-iron-export-market-softens-on-fewer-21005110

The Indonesian-Swedish Initiative for Sustainable Energy Solutions (INSISTS) will be working to assist the Indonesian government in developing its renewable energy policy, including reducing the damage to tropical forests caused by excessive development of oil palm plantations.

Read more at:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/12/08/ri-sweden-develop-renewable-energy-technologies.html

Dec 3 (Reuters) – Russia may scrap a 5 percent export duty on nickel and copper in 2014, two years earlier than planned, to support indebted metals and mining companies struggling with weak prices, business daily Vedomosti reported on Tuesday.

The move, which will benefit Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel, the world’s biggest nickel producer, is one of 13 measures that Vedomosti said Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev would order his ministries to work up by Dec. 23.

Read more at: http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/12/03/russia-metals-idINL5N0JI0TF20131203

China’s environmental protection regulator has suspended Jinchuan Group’s application for an initial public offering (IPO) after finding the company in breach of several pollution control standards.

Indonesia’s tin exports picked up in November to around two thirds of typical levels, Reuters analysis of exchange data showed, recovering from a two-month slump triggered by a change in the country’s export rules. More tin shipments by the top exporter could help bring down global prices that hit a seven-month top in October as supply from Indonesia slowed, but premiums in Asia will be supported with London Metal Exchange stocks still near 18-month lows.

Read more at: http://www.brecorder.com/business-a-economy/189/1260666/

GREENVILLE, S.C., Nov. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — KEMET Corporation (NYSE: KEM), a leading global supplier of electronic components, has announced two major technology breakthroughs that allow the Company to deliver solid tantalum capacitors with the industry’s best reliability and highest breakdown voltages.

This technology meets the needs of engineers designing for medical, aerospace, defense and other high-reliability applications. It includes manufacturing processes for improved dielectric quality, mechanical robustness and a patented screening technique for simulating breakdown voltage. Combined with industry-leading reliability and breakdown voltage (BDV), these technologies also ensure that KEMET’s high-grade tantalum capacitors for high reliability designs feature low and stable DC leakage currents.

Read more at: http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20131126-909731.html?dsk=y

Georgia Institute of Technology has done some truly bleeding-edge research inself-configuring robotics and robot swarms. It’s also home to research projects in advanced additive manufacturing (AM), design, and materials. The latest one has received a grant from the Department of Energy to develop nanoscale AM with a variety of materials.

Read more at:

http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=269565&itc=dn_analysis_element&dfpPParams=ind_183,industry_consumer,aid_269565&dfpLayout=article

General Electric Co.  is on the hunt for ways to build more than 85,000 fuel nozzles for its newest jet engine. Instead of assembling them from 20 different parts, it plans to create the units in one piece — with 3-D printers.

Read more at:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-11-12/ge-printing-engine-fuel-nozzles-propels-6-billion-market-tech