Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd. is recalling 19,481 domestically produced EQA and EQB electric vehicles manufactured between April 2021 and March 2024. Starting June 25, 2026, the recall addresses potential internal short circuits caused by production fluctuations in high-voltage batteries and software-related overloads. These defects in the Battery Management System (BMS) increase the risk of vehicle fires, posing significant safety hazards. The move aligns with China's defective product regulations to ensure battery reliability and passenger safety.

On June 13, at the 2025 SMM (13th) Minor Metal Industry Conference - Rare and Scattered Metals Forum (Indium, Germanium, Gallium, Bismuth, Selenium, Tellurium), hosted by Shandong Humon Smelting Co., Ltd. and SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd., Long Wensheng, General Manager of Changsha Aochang Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd., elaborated on "The Current Application Status and Future Prospects of Minor Metal Selenium.

As a critical material in fields such as aerospace, integrated circuits, and high-speed rail transportation, high-end copper alloys are increasingly gaining strategic importance. Despite China's copper semis production and consumption ranking first globally for consecutive years, with a self-sufficiency rate of 96% for general copper semis, high-end copper alloy products still heavily rely on imports. To address this "chokehold" challenge, SMM recently initiated an industry resource integration proposal, collaborating with upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain, as well as research institutions, to meticulously produce the "2026 China Copper Alloy Materials Sourcing Guide" , aiming to advance the localisation process of high-end copper alloy materials and facilitate the transition from a "major material producer" to a "leading material powerhouse." Jiangsu Xiongsheng New Material Co., Ltd., as a partner, actively participated in the joint production of the sourcing guide, jointly promoting the healthy and rapid upgrading of China's copper alloy materials industry chain. Jiangsu Xiongsheng New Material Co., Ltd. specializes in producing high-hardness, high-strength, high-wear-resistant, high-corrosion-resistant, high-conductivity, high-thermal-conductivity, and non-magnetic high-performance copper alloy materials, including beryllium bronze, beryllium cobalt copper, beryllium nickel copper, beryllium cobalt nickel, chromium zirconium copper, aluminum bronze, and high-conductivity copper alloys. The main grades are: C17200 beryllium copper, C17300 free-cutting beryllium copper, C17500 beryllium cobalt copper, C17510 beryllium nickel copper, C18150 chromium zirconium copper, 86300 aluminum bronze, and nickel chromium silicon copper. The company boasts over two decades of production experience and history. The company holds over 10 patents, has passed ISO9001 system certification, and possesses 105 sets of equipment, including vacuum melting furnaces, pneumatic forging hammers, and sawing machines, with an annual production capacity exceeding 2,000 mt. Through R&D and improvements in special processes such as melting, forging, heat treatment, and cold working, it has eliminated difficult-to-overcome defects like porosity, blowholes, and uneven thermal conductivity, enabling products to meet national and international industry standards! The products are mainly used in electrode blocks, electrode wheels, conductive nozzles, current pins, nozzles, rotating shaft sleeves, etc., for spot welding, seam welding machines, EV batteries, and robot assembly lines. They are widely applied in manufacturing large molds, ceramic sanitary ware, electronics, machinery, explosion-proof appliances, aerospace, shipping, oil exploration, NEVs, and other industries. Their high-hardness, high-strength, high-wear-resistant, high-corrosion-resistant, high-conductivity, high-thermal-conductivity, and non-magnetic properties are increasingly being applied to more industries and fields. Jiasheng Copper adheres to the industry philosophy of "integrity, pragmatism, and striving for excellence" and upholds the business principle of "quality first, customer supreme." We are willing to grow together with you! Contact Information: Manager Zhang 15853799595/13926800367 Click here to receive a free copy of the "2026 China Copper Alloy Materials Sourcing Guide" SMM Contact Person Lin Junfeng 183 2622 3112 linjunfeng@smm.cn

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Ministry of Civil Affairs have issued a notice on launching pilot work for collaborative research and development (R&D) and scenario-based application of intelligent elderly care service robots, with the pilot period spanning from 2025 to 2027. The notice states that, targeting three types of elderly care service settings—home-based, community-based, and institutional—and focusing on application scenarios such as care for the disabled and cognitively impaired, emotional companionship, health promotion, smart environments, and daily living assistance, the pilot work will be guided by the pain points and needs of users in real-world scenarios. It will address the shortcomings of existing products or solutions through collaborative R&D efforts, gradually enhancing product safety, reliability, usability, and service capabilities. Scenario-based application validation will also be conducted. Pilot applications will be carried out in settings such as households, communities, and elderly care institutions. Product iterations and upgrades will be completed during the application validation process, with the validation period lasting no less than six months. Home-based elderly care service robot products must complete application validation in no fewer than 200 households, with no fewer than 200 units deployed. Community-based and institutional elderly care service robot products must complete application validation in no fewer than 20 communities or 20 elderly care institutions, with no fewer than 20 units deployed. Notice from the General Offices of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Launching Pilot Work for Collaborative R&D and Scenario-Based Application of Intelligent Elderly Care Service Robots To the competent departments of industry and information technology and the departments (bureaus) of civil affairs of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps: In order to thoroughly implement the national strategy of actively responding to population aging, and to implement the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Deepening the Reform and Development of Elderly Care Services," the "2025 Government Work Report," the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Robot Industry," and the "Implementation Plan for the 'Robot+' Application Action," and to accelerate the promotion of robot-enabled smart elderly care development, the MIIT and the Ministry of Civil Affairs are jointly launching pilot work for collaborative R&D and scenario-based application of intelligent elderly care service robots, with the pilot period spanning from 2025 to 2027. Relevant matters are hereby notified as follows: I. General Requirements Adhering to the principles of "government guidance, demand-driven, phased implementation, and continuous iteration," the focus will be on improving the quality of life for the elderly, alleviating the pressure on families for elderly care, addressing the shortage of manpower in institutional and community-based elderly care services, and promoting the improvement of the elderly care service system. A batch of collaborative R&D and application pilot projects for intelligent elderly care service robots will be implemented in stages to facilitate collaborative R&D efforts between researchers and users, promote the application validation and iterative upgrading of products in settings such as households, communities, and elderly care institutions, and form a batch of robot products capable of meeting the multi-level and diversified needs of elderly care services. Efforts will be made to continuously establish and improve standards, norms, and evaluation systems, and to accelerate the promotion of robot-enabled smart elderly care services and the silver economy. II. Pilot Content (1) Launch paired research and development. Focusing on three types of elderly care service settings—home, community, and institutional care—and application scenarios such as care for the disabled and those with dementia, emotional companionship, health promotion, smart environments, and daily life assistance, we will conduct paired research and development targeting the shortcomings of existing products or solutions, guided by the pain points in the actual scenarios of users, to gradually enhance the safety, reliability, usability, and service capabilities of products. (2) Conduct scenario application validation. Implement pilot applications in settings such as households, communities, and elderly care institutions, and complete product iteration and upgrades during the application validation process, with the application validation cycle lasting no less than 6 months. Home-based elderly care service robot products must complete application validation in no less than 200 households, with no less than 200 units deployed; community and institutional elderly care service robot products must complete application validation in no less than 20 communities or 20 elderly care institutions, with no less than 20 units deployed. (3) Improve standards and evaluation systems. Encourage product development units and application pilot units to jointly conduct research on standards for intelligent elderly care service robots, focusing on scenario requirements and application safety to develop standards and specifications for intelligent elderly care service robot products and services, and focusing on safety, reliability, age-appropriateness, and cost-effectiveness to develop evaluation standards for intelligent elderly care service robot products. Guide the industry to closely align with the physiological and psychological characteristics and service needs of the elderly in the design and development of intelligent elderly care service robot products, enhancing their age-appropriateness, intelligence, and safety and reliability levels. III. Application Requirements The paired research and development and scenario application pilot for intelligent elderly care service robots are voluntarily applied for in the form of a consortium. The applying units shall meet the following requirements: (1) Registered within the territory of the People's Republic of China, engaged in production, operation, and elderly care services in relevant fields, and being independent legal entities with no adverse credit records, no major or above safety, environmental protection, or other accidents, and no illegal or regulatory violations or socially impactful incidents within the past 3 years. Robot enterprises, elderly care auxiliary equipment enterprises, universities, research institutes, and user units such as third-party elderly care service institutions are encouraged to form consortia to jointly apply. (2) As the leading unit, the applying unit may only apply for 1 pilot project; as a participating unit, it may apply for no more than 3 pilot projects. (3) The applying unit shall possess products or solutions for relevant scenarios, capable of focusing on addressing the pain points and challenges in the field of elderly care services, and have the capability for mass production and large-scale promotion of robots and elderly care auxiliary equipment. The applying unit shall have a close cooperation mechanism, a comprehensive talent team, and a strong technological foundation. (4) The applicant shall ensure that product design fully considers risks such as functional failure, electrical faults, mechanical structural defects, human-machine interaction flaws, battery safety, and data privacy security. Testing shall be completed in accordance with mandatory detection and certification requirements for relevant product categories, and corresponding certificates shall be obtained. During the pilot application process, the applicant must possess comprehensive risk prevention, hazard identification, and emergency response capabilities covering pre-event, in-process, and post-event phases. Operational safety personnel shall be equipped, regular training and assessments shall be conducted, safety incident causes and hazard elimination countermeasures shall be promptly reported, and bimonthly pilot reports shall be compiled during the application verification period for archival purposes. (5) The applicant shall commit to completing designated paired research and scenario application pilot tasks within specified timelines and cooperate with on-site surveys and subsequent promotional activities. (6) The project's expected key technical indicators shall reach internationally advanced or domestically leading levels without intellectual property disputes. IV. Organization and Implementation (1) Project Application Applicants shall prepare materials by referring to the "Application Form for Paired Research and Scenario Application Pilot Project of Smart Elderly Care Service Robots (Writing Outline)" (hereinafter referred to as the Application Form, Attachment 2). Applicants are responsible for the authenticity of application content and shall ensure materials do not involve state secrets or commercial confidentiality. (2) Organization and Recommendation 1. Recommending authorities include industry and information technology regulatory departments and civil affairs departments (bureaus) of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Recommending authorities shall organize regional recommendation work for paired research and scenario application pilot projects, while central state-owned enterprises shall apply through their respective provincial (autonomous regional/municipal) recommending authorities. Recommendations shall follow government guidance and voluntary application principles. 2. Recommending authorities shall conduct strict reviews based on practical work. Through expert evaluation and comparative surveys, application materials shall be verified, and the "Summary Recommendation Form for Paired Research and Scenario Application Pilot Project of Smart Elderly Care Service Robots" (hereinafter referred to as the Recommendation Summary Form, Attachment 3) shall be completed in priority order. Before July 10, 2025, sealed hard copies of the Application Form and Recommendation Summary Form (duplicate sets) shall be submitted to the First Department of Equipment Industry, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (No. 13, West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng District, Beijing). Scanned electronic versions (PDF) shall be simultaneously submitted to the First Department of Equipment Industry, MIIT (email: zhaofengjie@miit.gov.cn) and the Department of Elderly Care Services, Ministry of Civil Affairs (email: cujinyanglaofuwu@163.com). (3) Project Selection The First Department of Equipment Industry, MIIT and the Department of Elderly Care Services, Ministry of Civil Affairs shall jointly establish an expert panel to conduct comprehensive evaluation and selection of pilot project applications, determining the final list of paired research and scenario application pilot projects. (IV) Launch pilot projects Pilot units are required to complete the task of paired problem-solving and pilot application of scenarios within two years from the date of confirmation on the shortlist. The Equipment Industry Department I of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Department of Elderly Care Services of the Ministry of Civil Affairs will organize experts to evaluate the implementation of pilot projects through material review, technical assessment, and on-site spot checks after the expiration of the pilot tasks. (V) Achievements Promotion and Policy Support 1. Launch publicity and promotion. The achievements of pilot projects will be showcased and promoted through the websites of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, as well as the "Robot+" Public Service Platform for Supply and Demand Matching and Application Promotion, the National Elderly Care Service Information Platform, and other channels. They will also be highlighted and promoted in subsequent supply and demand matching activities. 2. Strengthen policy guarantees. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Civil Affairs will coordinate the use of relevant policies and resources to support typical pilot projects that can address critical needs, possess advanced technological levels, and feature innovative models and promotion experience. Recommending units are encouraged to increase support for recommended projects and applicant units in terms of policies, funding, and resource allocation based on actual conditions. If serious safety hazards are identified during the pilot and are not promptly rectified and eliminated, or if safety accidents, serious violations of law, or socially adverse events occur, the pilot qualifications of the relevant entities will be terminated. General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology General Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs May 26, 2025

In April, the iron ore concentrates grade of Pangang Group's Xinbaima Company reached 57.53%, an increase of 0.41% compared to the previous month. This laid a solid foundation for Xinbaima Company to create high-quality products and enhance its market competitiveness. Since the beginning of this year, Xinbaima Company has been deeply engaged in improving the quality of iron ore concentrates, focusing on production organization, equipment management, and technological empowerment. It formulates monthly production and operation plans, clarifying the production and grade targets for iron ore concentrates, as well as requirements for equipment maintenance, ore mining and stripping. It promptly carries out mine ore blending and moisture control in the filtration of iron ore concentrates, strengthens the maintenance of semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mills No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, fully utilizes the spare capacity of tower mills, and organizes production efficiently. It strictly controls the crushing particle size, ensuring that the proportion of -12mm particle size exceeds 96.5%. It conducts weekly inspections of the screens of high-frequency fine screens, promptly replacing damaged ones to avoid equipment "running with defects" affecting subsequent processes. Through measures such as dynamically adjusting process parameters, accurately tracking the steel ball filling rate of ball mills and sharing data in real time, and cleaning the water pipes at the bottom of magnetic separators every shift, it forms a closed-loop management system, creating conditions for improving the grade and recovery rate of iron ore concentrates. Xinbaima Company coordinates the production and operation of work areas such as iron separation, titanium separation, and concentrate pipelines, synchronously implements planned maintenance of ball mills and SAG mills, and reduces unplanned downtime through preventive maintenance, providing equipment support for quality improvement and efficiency enhancement. It actively promotes the upgrade and transformation of the double-layer screen equipment of SAG mill No. 3, experiments with new material flocculants, and continuously explores new paths for improving the quality and efficiency of iron ore concentrates.

SMM 2025 Global Battery Technology Conference Conference Time August 21-22, 2025 In response to climate change, countries worldwide have set carbon neutrality targets to drive the transition of energy structures towards clean energy. The intermittency and volatility of renewable energy sources have imposed higher requirements on energy storage. As a key technology for energy storage, battery technology has become increasingly important. In recent years, new battery technologies such as lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, and sodium-ion batteries have continuously emerged, with continuous improvements in key indicators such as energy density, safety, and cycle life, providing strong momentum for the development of electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage power stations (ESS), consumer electronics, and other fields. The battery industry chain involves multiple links, including resources, materials, manufacturing, and applications, requiring the joint efforts of experts from various countries and fields worldwide to overcome technical challenges and promote the healthy development of the industry. Against this backdrop, SMM is organizing the first 2025 SMM Global Battery Technology Conference , scheduled for August 21-22, 2025. Here, SMM cordially invites major battery dealers to participate in this grand event. Registrants will receive free admission and visit passes, and enjoy surprise gifts for SMM members! Scan the QR code to inquire about preferential details for conference participation. Participants Representative Participating Enterprises As of May 20, over 66 representative enterprises have registered to participate in this conference. The specific list of participants is as follows: The conference focuses on six hot topics ▲ Discussion and exchange on cutting-edge battery technologies ▲ New battery equipment ▲ Latest progress in solid-state battery technology, materials, and equipment ▲ Analysis of sodium-ion battery application technologies and implementation prospects ▲ Sharing of research progress on lightweight, high-energy-density materials for batteries Scan the QR code to learn more about the conference details. Conference Agenda Battery Equipment Forum (August 21) 14:00-14:30 Innovation in Lead-Acid Battery Plate Manufacturing Equipment: Optimization of High-Speed Coating and Curing Processes Guest Speaker (pending): Wang Lina, President, Fengfan Storage Battery Research Institute, Expert in Lead-Acid Battery Technology 14:30-15:00 Innovation in Lead-Acid Battery Formation Process Equipment: Intelligent Charging/Discharging and Energy Consumption Control Guest Speaker (pending): Li Jun, Technical Director, Shuangdeng Group, Expert in Lead-Acid Battery Formation Technology 15:00-15:30 Application of AI Vision Inspection in Lead-Acid Battery Production: Identification of Plate Defects and Leakage Guest Speaker (pending): Zhou Hua, Chief Technical Engineer, Shanghai Haibao Special Power Supply Co., Ltd., Expert in Intelligent Inspection Technology 15:30-16:00 Panoramic View of Differences in Lithium/Sodium/Solid-State Battery Equipment: From Material Handling to Packaging and Testing Guest Speaker (pending): Wu Kai, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited 16:00-16:30 Analysis of Compatibility between Sodium-Ion Battery and Lithium Battery Equipment: Retrofitting or Building New Production Lines? Guest speaker (pending): Yongsheng Hu, Founder of HiNa Battery, Pioneer in the Industrialisation of Sodium-ion Batteries 16:30-17:00 Mass Production Equipment for High-Nickel/Silicon-Based Anode Batteries: Process Breakthroughs from Slurry Coating to Pole Piece Rolling Guest speaker (pending): Shilin Huang, Co-founder of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited, Senior Expert in Lithium Battery Equipment August 21st Morning: Corporate Visit. Itinerary: Jiangsu New Chunxing Resource Recycling Co., Ltd. (Regenerated Lead Industrial Base) - C&D Technologies (Power Supply) - Xiaoyang Power - Great Wall Motor Precision Die Casting - Kingfa Science & Technology (Regenerated Plastics Industrial Base) - Great Wall Motor Hive Transmission - Southern Permanent Magnet (Regenerated Magnetic Materials Industrial Base) (Limited to the first 100 registrants) Main Forum 09:00-09:20 Latest Breakthroughs in High-Energy-Density Battery Materials: From Solid-State Electrolytes to Silicon-Based Anodes Guest speaker (pending): Minggao Ouyang, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 09:20-09:35 Commercialisation Pathways for Sodium-Ion Battery Materials: Balancing Cost and Performance Guest speaker (pending): Yongsheng Hu, Researcher at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Leading Figure in the Field of Sodium-Ion Batteries 09:35-10:10 Technological Evolution of ESS Batteries in the Context of New Power Systems Guest speaker: Xianghui Meng, Chairman of Aoguan Group 10:10-10:35 Preparation Technology and Applications of Large-Capacity, High-Safety Aluminum-Based Lead-Carbon Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) Batteries Guest speaker: Zhongcheng Guo, Professor at Kunming University of Science and Technology 10:35-11:00 New Electrolyte Systems: Breakthroughs from Liquid to Quasi-Solid-State 11:00-12:00 Roundtable Discussion: Exploring the Possibility of Standardising the Entire Lead-Acid Battery Industry 13:30-13:55 Global Competitive Landscape of Power Battery Materials: A Comparison of Technological Routes in China, Japan, South Korea, and Europe Guest speaker (pending): Yu Wang, Chairman of Farasis Energy (Ganzhou) Co., Ltd., Senior Expert in the Battery Industry 13:55-14:20 New Processes in Lead-Acid Battery Manufacturing: Numerical Simulation and Its Implications Guest speaker: Lixu Lei, Professor at Southeast University 14:20-14:45 High-Power Lead-Carbon Battery Technology: Selection and Composite Processes of Capacitor Carbon Materials Guest speaker (pending): Zhiping Chen, Deputy Director of the Research Institute at Zhejiang Narada Power Source Co., Ltd. 14:45-15:10 Development and Industrial Application of Low-Cost Reed-Based Hard Carbon Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries Guest speaker: Lei Zhang, Associate Professor at Central South University 15:10-15:35 Upgrading of AGM Separator Materials: Composite Technology of Ultra-Fine Glass Fibers and Modified PE Guest speaker (pending): Shijun Yang, Technical Vice President of Leoch International Technology Co., Ltd. 15:35-16:00 Approaches to Improving the Lifespan of Lead-Acid Batteries Guest speaker: Shusong Chai, Senior Engineer For more collaboration opportunities, please contact: Lin Zhang Mobile Number: 15221678846 Email Address: zhanglin@smm.cn