Nickel mining in Surigao del Norte province, the Philippines has yet to resume, SMM learned, even as a large local miner said Monday its two units in the region will resume ore shipments.

Low-grade silicon producers in South-central China’s Chongqing are mulling production curtailments, as the decline in prices shows no signs of easing despite low social inventories.

The state-owned China Southern Power Grid company has planned to accelerate its investment in new energy vehicle charging facilities in the coming years, as part of the move to develop "new infrastructure" projects for boosting sustainable growth of the economy. 

A copper smelter in south-west China has put its facilities into month-long maintenance as scheduled, sources told SMM. 

The US will continue to levy countervailing duties on carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod from China, according to the final determination on the first five-year sunset review on the CVD order by the Department of Commerce released on March 30.

China’s zinc output rebounded last month, as smelters resumed production after being closed for raw material shortages or holidays in February. The production increase, however, was limited by new maintenance at some smelters in Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Qinghai.

The US dollar index dropped below the 100 level mark on Tuesday as risk appetite improved on hopes that lockdowns may be slowing the spread of the coronavirus in some countries and as action by central banks eased dollar strain.

A total of 86 vessels carrying 13.43 million mt of iron ore arrived at major Chinese ports during March 29 to April 4, SMM estimates. This was up 2.43 million mt from the prior week, and up 1.35 million mt from the same period last year.

The following table shows the ferrous and nonferrous metals movement on the SHFE and DCE on April 7, 2020

A total of 86 vessels carrying 13.43 million mt of iron ore arrived at major Chinese ports during March 29 to April 4, SMM estimates.