In 2026, China's aluminum ingot inventory has continuously pulled back from a high of 1.465 million mt in early May, and by end-June cumulative destocking of 300,000 mt brought it down to 1.165 million mt, with the destocking pace steepening markedly. Last week, warehouse withdrawals surged to 170,000 mt, hitting a new single-week high in nearly four years. Driven by three factors—the supply-side proportion of liquid aluminum rising more than expected, supportive export demand, and...

In June 2026, SMM secondary refined lead production rose slightly by 2.23% MoM, but dropped sharply by 31.2% from the 2026 peak of 282,000 mt in January. The industry’s production center shifted lower continuously in Q2. SMM’s weekly operating rate for secondary lead across four provinces hovered in the range of 28.4%–29.7% throughout the month, staying well below the normal reasonable range for a prolonged period.

In June, copper cathode production stood at 1.145 million mt, down 2.09% MoM;

Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube revealed during the World Economic Forum in Dalian that the country is actively considering using its abundant mineral resources as collateral through "resource‑linked debt instruments" to finance road and railway construction projects in cooperation with China. This model aims to leverage future revenue from natural resources as loan guarantees to address the huge funding gap for infrastructure development. Ncube said Zimbabwe has held preliminary discussions with China Railway Group regarding such financing arrangements. He told reporters: "We have discussed resource‑linked debt instruments and hope to use them in the future to support infrastructure development, particularly in the road and railway sectors." Under the envisaged plan, Zimbabwe would assess project costs, toll revenue potential, and the return cycle of required resource investments to determine the scale of resource collateral and the repayment path. As Africa's largest lithium producer, Zimbabwe possesses rich mineral resources, but years of economic mismanagement and political instability have left its infrastructure severely lagging. The African Development Bank estimates that the country needs approximately US$34 billion to modernise its transport and logistics network. The proposed resource‑for‑infrastructure plan resembles the model of the US$7 billion Sicomines copper‑cobalt joint venture in the Democratic Republic of Congo with Chinese companies. As early as September 2025, Zimbabwe's President, during a meeting in Beijing with senior executives of China Railway Group, promoted a railway rehabilitation cooperation plan totalling US$533 million. The project is to be implemented by Chuantie International, a subsidiary of China Railway Group with extensive experience in African projects. The scope of work includes repair and reinforcement of existing lines and bridges, modernisation of signal systems, procurement of 17 locomotives and 209 freight wagons, construction of five new stations, and the key trunk line connecting Beitbridge and Harare – a strategic corridor leading directly to South Africa, which is vital to Zimbabwe's foreign trade. Currently, the project's financing method and formal signing date are still under final negotiation. Zimbabwe's railway network was built during the colonial era and carried up to 12 million tonnes of freight annually in the 1990s. However, decades of underinvestment, equipment obsolescence, and foreign exchange shortages have caused the railway infrastructure to deteriorate continuously. Current annual freight volume has fallen to less than 3 million tonnes – only 15% of its historical peak. Many lines are overgrown with weeds, and a large number of locomotives and rolling stock have been taken out of service, directly weakening the capacity to transport bulk commodities such as lithium, chrome ore, and coal to the ports of Mozambique and South Africa. Consequently, Chinese mining enterprises operating in Zimbabwe – including Tsingshan Holding Group, Sinosteel Corporation, and Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt – all face export bottlenecks for their products. The decline of the railway system has forced a large volume of freight onto roads, leading to a surge in heavy trucks, which in turn exacerbates road congestion, traffic accidents, and pavement damage, forming a vicious cycle. In response, the National Railways of Zimbabwe has incorporated this railway rehabilitation into a broader modernisation framework and has engaged in cooperation with 11 private enterprises. Among them, South Africa's Grindrod, through its subsidiary Beitbridge‑Bulawayo Railway Company, has already deployed three locomotives and 150 freight wagons to alleviate current transport pressures. At the same time, Zimbabwe is exploring collaboration with the University of Zimbabwe to leverage the university's innovation centre for localised railway technology R&D and talent training, building capacity for long‑term operations. Analysts point out that if this railway rehabilitation is successfully implemented, it will not only fully restore Zimbabwe's deteriorated railway network, but also provide critical logistics support for the country's US$12 billion mining target, while further deepening the strategic presence of Chinese enterprises in Zimbabwe's mining and infrastructure sectors. According to market dynamics, in recent years – and especially since the beginning of this year – lithium ore shipments from Zimbabwe have been persistently delayed at ports, with insufficient inland transport capacity being one of the main bottlenecks hindering smooth cargo arrivals. As the relevant logistics system upgrades are put into effect, this situation is expected to be significantly alleviated, and the transport efficiency of lithium materials will be notably improved, thereby injecting solid momentum into the stabilisation of global lithium supply. Sources: Mining.com , Azure Track Rail, and SMM

In the short term, high raw material prices provide solid cost support for aluminum fluoride, but bearish constraints from weak downstream fluorine chemicals and the decline in long-term hydrofluoric acid contracts are also in play. Amid the tug-of-war, aluminum fluoride prices in July have little room for significant rise or fall, and the market will continue to consolidate at highs within a range.

On 25,June,Premier African Minerals Limited ("Premier" or the "Company") has provided an update on the optimisation progress of the upgraded flotation plant at the Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project ("Zulu"), as well as on ongoing discussions regarding the extension of the Long Stop Date under the Company's prepayment and offtake arrangements. Managing Director Graham Hill commented that the initial results from the upgraded flotation circuit are very encouraging and represent the most positive operating performance seen from the plant to date. Although commissioning was cut short due to the exhaustion of available ore feed, the circuit demonstrated a significant improvement in concentrate quality and overall operating stability compared with the previous configuration. The immediate priority is to ensure sufficient ore is available on the ROM pad to support continuous operation, as flotation optimisation requires sustained operation over an extended period. Establishing an adequate stockpile before recommencing commissioning activities is considered the most efficient approach. The objective is to operate the plant continuously for approximately 30 days, which should provide the data and operating experience required to fully optimise the circuit and assess its long‑term performance. In parallel, the Company is engaging constructively with Canmax regarding a further extension of the Long Stop Date. Discussions are positive and Canmax is currently reviewing the latest operational data generated during commissioning. Operational Performance Initial commissioning of the upgraded flotation circuit has demonstrated encouraging performance improvements. Based on internal laboratory analyses conducted during commissioning, the upgraded circuit achieved rapid froth formation following start‑up and produced concentrate grades materially exceeding those previously achieved. Internal assay results recorded sample concentrate grades exceeding 5.0% Li₂O, with peak sample grades of up to 5.58% Li₂O. These results are preliminary in nature and should not be regarded as independently verified. The commissioning programme was curtailed by the exhaustion of available ore feed, preventing the plant from undergoing the extended period of continuous operation typically required to fully optimise and stabilise the flotation circuit. The limited ore availability reflects the Company's current financial position and the associated constraints on mining activities at Zulu, with operations continuing on a reduced scale due to insufficient resources to mobilise a large‑scale mining contractor. Nevertheless, the Board believes that the encouraging commissioning results achieved to date provide a strong platform for the next phase of optimisation work and anticipates that, subject to continued operational progress and stakeholder engagement, the Company will be better positioned to secure the resources necessary to support the mobilisation of a larger‑scale mining contractor capable of providing sufficient ore for sustained plant operations. The improved performance and throughput achieved during commissioning resulted in substantially all of the approximately 6,000 tonnes of ore made available for commissioning and optimisation activities being processed. As a result, additional ore will need to be mined and stockpiled before extended optimisation activities can recommence. Further optimisation, continuous operation and independent verification, where appropriate, will be required before the Company can fully assess the performance and operational capability of the upgraded flotation circuit. Regarding the handling of concentrate produced during commissioning and test work, the Company is currently evaluating options. Subject to obtaining any necessary approvals, including the consent of Canmax where required, and compliance with all applicable regulatory and contractual obligations, the Company may seek to market and sell certain quantities of concentrate produced during the commissioning process in country. No assurance can be given that any such sales will occur or as to the timing or terms of any such transactions. ROM Stockpile and Ongoing Optimisation Programme The improved performance of the upgraded flotation circuit resulted in the processing of substantially all of the approximately 6,000 tonnes of ore that had been made available for commissioning and optimisation activities. As flotation optimisation requires sustained and continuous operation over an extended period, the Company's immediate focus is on rebuilding ore inventories on the ROM pad to support a planned continuous operating campaign of approximately 30 days. Given the current reduced scale of mining activities, the Board believes that establishing an adequate ore stockpile prior to recommencing optimisation represents the most efficient use of available resources and will maximise the value of future optimisation activities. The Company is therefore prioritising the accumulation of sufficient ore feed to support an uninterrupted optimisation programme and enable a comprehensive assessment of plant performance under sustained operating conditions. Based on current mining and stockpiling activities, the Company expects to have sufficient ore available on the ROM pad to recommence plant operations during July 2026. This timetable remains subject to mining performance and other operational factors. Long Stop Date Discussions The Company has approached Canmax Technologies Co., Ltd. ("Canmax") regarding a further extension of the Long Stop Date (see announcement on 5 January 2026 for further information) under the existing prepayment and offtake arrangements. Discussions with Canmax are constructive and positive. As part of its review process, Canmax is currently assessing the latest operational and commissioning data generated by the upgraded flotation circuit, together with the broader technical progress achieved at Zulu. While discussions remain ongoing and no definitive agreement has yet been reached, the Board is encouraged by the engagement to date and believes that both parties remain committed to finding a mutually acceptable path forward. Under the existing prepayment and offtake arrangements, the Long Stop Date is the date by which Premier will have delivered either sufficient spodumene SC6, or provided cash settlement, to Canmax to settle the advance purchase amount provided by Canmax to Premier in full. As previously announced on 5 January 2026, Premier and Canmax agreed, subject to certain conditions, to extend the Long Stop Date to the earlier of 30 June 2026 or the date on which a reputable buyer acceptable to Canmax executed a binding agreement to settle and/or manage Canmax's Prepayment Amount plus interest on terms to be agreed by Canmax. Publication of Audited Accounts The Company's report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2025 ("Accounts") are due for publication on or before 30 June 2026 ("Publication Date"). The Accounts are at an advanced stage of preparation and remain subject to final review and auditor signoff, including consideration of ongoing discussions regarding the proposed extension of the Long Stop Date. The Company continues to work towards publication by the Publication Date. Further updates will be provided as and when appropriate. Source: polaris.brighterir.com/public/premier_african_minerals/news/rns/story/rd623px