Against the backdrop of accelerating global energy transition and digital economy development, silver—a strategic metal possessing both industrial and financial attributes—is witnessing profound transformation across its industry chain. On one hand, emerging sectors such as PV, NEV, and 5G communications are driving continuously climbing demand for silver, propelling the industry toward higher value-added and greener upgrades; on the other hand, resource constraints, technological barriers, and market fluctuations impose higher requirements on industry chain resilience, urgently necessitating innovation-driven coordinated development across the entire chain. Dual Drivers of Policy and Market Under China's "dual carbon" goals and the global ESG investment wave, the silver industry faces pressing demands for green production, circular utilization, and low-carbon technologies. The NDRC's "14th Five-Year Plan for Circular Economy Development" explicitly calls for strengthening the circular utilization of precious metal resources, while international silver price fluctuations and geopolitical risks are compelling enterprises to enhance supply chain autonomy and controllability. Against this backdrop, the Silver Industry Chain Innovation Conference has emerged, aiming to build a collaborative platform integrating government, industry, academia, research, and end-use applications, to address industry pain points, and to lead the industry toward high-end, intelligent, and internationalized advancement. Innovation Demands and Industry Pain Points Technological Breakthroughs: Silver purification processes, nano-silver material applications, and scrap recycling technologies urgently require breakthroughs to meet the demand for high-purity, low-cost silver in emerging fields such as PV silver paste and flexible electronics. Industry Chain Coordination: Information barriers exist across mining, smelting and processing, and end-use applications segments, requiring digital tools to achieve optimized resource allocation and risk sharing. Green Transformation: Traditional smelting processes are energy-intensive and highly polluting, necessitating the promotion of clean production technologies and circular economy models in response to global carbon neutrality commitments. Market Expansion: Silver's application potential in frontier fields such as hydrogen energy and quantum computing has yet to be fully explored, requiring strengthened cross-industry cooperation and standards development. Conference Objectives and Value Themed "Silver Chain Innovation · Intelligent Creation for the Future," this conference brings together global silver industry chain leaders, research institutions, financial institutions, and policymakers for in-depth dialogue around three core topics: technological R&D, supply chain optimization, and market expansion. Through releasing industry white papers, establishing innovation alliances, and signing major projects, the conference is expected to drive the silver industry's transformation from "resource dependence" to "technology leadership," providing critical material support for the global energy revolution and digital economy. Shanxi Jinwu Energy Co., Ltd. will attend this grand event, joining industry peers to explore industry development trends and work together to propel the silver industry to new heights. Click to register immediately, and join us in witnessing and participating in this extraordinary and far-reaching industry event, creating a brilliant new chapter together! Shanxi Jinwu Energy Co., Ltd. is a production-oriented enterprise integrating R&D, production, sales, and services, with an annual production capacity of 200kt of high-end foundry briquette coal (briquette coke) and 200kt of carbon products (carburizers). Located in Huayu Town, Jishan County, Shanxi Province, the company was established in October 2005, with a registered capital of 68 million yuan, covering an area of over 300 mu, and employing more than 500 people. Over the years, the company has adhered to the principle and business philosophy of "products reflect character, quality is life, aligning with the world, and creating international brands," and has successively obtained 6 national invention patents and 31 utility model patents, passed ISO triple system certification, and is a Shanxi Province high-tech new-type enterprise, a "single champion in high-end foundry briquette coal" enterprise, and a national-level specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative "Little Giant" enterprise. Foundry briquette coal (briquette coke) is a national " 12th Five-Year Plan" and "13th Five-Year Plan " encouraged project. This technology is a domestic first and world-leading, and fully aligns with the "Six New " strategy currently proposed by the state, serving as a typical representative of carbon-based new materials. After more than a decade of dedicated R&D, the company broke through technical bottlenecks and successfully developed the environmentally friendly Ash-8 and Ash-10-series products, which are "Jinwu Brand" high-end foundry briquette coal (briquette coke) produced with anthracite as the main raw material . This product features high fixed carbon, high strength, high calorific value, excellent hot metal carburizing effect, and high coke reactivity strength. The products have long been leading both international and Chinese markets. Internationally, the products are exported to Germany, Japan, South Korea, and other countries, and the company is a long-term supplier to world-renowned enterprises such as Toyota and Hyundai. Domestic sales cover 18 provinces and cities, and the company is a strategic partner of well-known enterprises such as Meide Group, LONGi Group, Binglun Group, and Sanhuan Group. "Jinwu Brand" foundry briquette coal (briquette coke) has become an essential raw material for high-end equipment manufacturing and was awarded the honorary title of "Quality Foundry Material" by the China Foundry Association. "Jinwu Brand " carburizer is produced using high-quality anthracite and petroleum coke as the main raw materials. Carburizers can be used in steel mills and foundries to adjust the carbon and oxygen content of molten steel, modifying its rigidity and toughness, thereby improving the nucleation capacity of molten steel and the intrinsic quality of steel billets. It is an indispensable auxiliary additive for producing high-quality steel and castings. The products have long been leading both international and Chinese markets. Internationally, products are exported to Japan, South Korea, and various Southeast Asian countries; domestically, the sales network covers more than 20 provinces and cities, with partner steel enterprises including Zhejiang Tsingshan Steel, Jiangsu Binxin Steel, Xuzhou Steel, Jinnan Steel, and other well-known steel enterprises. Contact Information 15582980888 15333598563 Long press to scan the code and register now 2026 SMM (7th) Silver Industry Chain Innovation Conference

Against the backdrop of accelerating global energy transition and digital economy development, silver—a strategic metal possessing both industrial and financial attributes—is witnessing profound transformation across its industry chain. On one hand, emerging sectors such as PV, NEV, and 5G communications are driving continuously climbing demand for silver, propelling the industry toward higher value-added and greener upgrades; on the other hand, resource constraints, technological barriers, and market fluctuations are imposing higher demands on industry chain resilience, urgently requiring innovation-driven coordinated development across the entire chain. Dual Drivers of Policy and Market Under China's "dual carbon" goals and the global ESG investment wave, the silver industry faces pressing needs for green production, circular utilization, and low-carbon technologies. The NDRC's "14th Five-Year Plan for Circular Economy Development" explicitly calls for strengthening the circular utilization of precious metal resources, while international silver price fluctuations and geopolitical risks are compelling enterprises to enhance supply chain autonomy and controllability. Against this backdrop, the Silver Industry Chain Innovation Conference has emerged, aiming to build a collaborative platform integrating government, industry, academia, research, and end-use applications, to address industry pain points, and to lead the industry toward high-end, intelligent, and internationalized advancement. Innovation Needs and Industry Pain Points Technological Breakthroughs: Silver purification processes, nano-silver material applications, and scrap recycling technologies urgently need breakthroughs to meet the demand for high-purity, low-cost silver in emerging fields such as PV silver paste and flexible electronics. Industry Chain Coordination: Information barriers exist across mining, smelting and processing, and end-use applications segments, requiring digital tools to achieve optimized resource allocation and risk sharing. Green Transformation: Traditional smelting processes are energy-intensive and highly polluting, necessitating the promotion of clean production technologies and circular economy models in response to global carbon neutrality commitments. Market Expansion: Silver's application potential in frontier fields such as hydrogen energy and quantum computing has yet to be fully explored, requiring strengthened cross-industry collaboration and standard-setting. Conference Objectives and Value Themed "Silver Chain Innovation · Intelligent Creation for the Future," this conference brings together global silver industry chain leaders, research institutions, financial institutions, and policymakers for in-depth dialogue around three core topics: technological R&D, supply chain optimization, and market expansion. Through releasing industry white papers, establishing innovation alliances, and signing major projects, the conference aims to drive the silver industry's transformation from "resource dependence" to "technology leadership," providing critical material support for the global energy revolution and digital economy. IKOI S.p.A will attend this grand event to discuss industry development trends with industry peers and jointly propel the silver industry to new heights. Click to register now. Join us to witness and participate in this extraordinary and far-reaching industry event, and together create a brilliant new chapter! IKOI, established in 1977, is a global leader in pyrometallurgical processes for precious metal refineries, mints, and jewelry markets. Currently, it has 3 major product lines: COMPACT integrated fully automatic gold and silver ingot casting systems, FCC FLAMELESS CASTING CHAMBER® fully automatic delivery bar systems, and the acid-free separation technology ALS system that physically separates gold and silver. IKOI's vision is to create safe, efficient, and green precious metal processing methods. IKOI's mission is to bring innovative and sustainable technologies to the precious metal industry. Contact Information Ni Yong 187 0185 9684 Long press to scan the QR code to register now 2026 SMM (7th) Silver Industry Chain Innovation Conference

Against the backdrop of the global energy transition and the accelerating development of the digital economy, silver—a strategic metal with both industrial and financial attributes—is undergoing profound transformation across its industry chain. On one hand, demand for silver from emerging sectors such as PV, NEVs, and 5G communications continues to climb, driving the industry toward higher value-added and greener development. On the other hand, resource constraints, technological barriers, and market fluctuations impose higher demands on industry chain resilience, urgently requiring innovation-driven coordinated development across the entire chain. Dual Drivers of Policy and Market Under China's "dual carbon" goals and the global ESG investment wave, the silver industry faces pressing needs for green production, recycling, and low-carbon technologies. The NDRC's "14th Five-Year Plan for Circular Economy Development" explicitly calls for strengthening the recycling of precious metal resources, while international silver price fluctuations and geopolitical risks are compelling enterprises to enhance supply chain autonomy and controllability. Against this backdrop, the Silver Industry Chain Innovation Conference has emerged, aiming to build a collaborative platform integrating government, industry, academia, research, and end-use applications, to address industry pain points, and to lead the industry toward high-end, intelligent, and internationalized development. Innovation Needs and Industry Pain Points Technological Breakthroughs: Silver purification processes, nano-silver material applications, and scrap recycling technologies urgently need breakthroughs to meet the demand for high-purity, low-cost silver in emerging fields such as PV silver paste and flexible electronics. Industry Chain Coordination: Information barriers exist across mining, smelting and processing, and end-use application segments, requiring digital tools to achieve optimized resource allocation and risk sharing. Green Transformation: Traditional smelting processes are energy-intensive and highly polluting, necessitating the promotion of clean production technologies and circular economy models in response to global carbon neutrality commitments. Market Expansion: Silver's application potential in frontier fields such as hydrogen energy and quantum computing has yet to be fully explored, requiring strengthened cross-industry collaboration and standards development. Conference Objectives and Value Themed "Silver Chain Innovation · Intelligent Creation for the Future," this conference brings together global silver industry chain leaders, research institutions, financial institutions, and policymakers for in-depth dialogue on three core topics: technological R&D, supply chain optimization, and market expansion. Through the release of an industry white paper, the establishment of an innovation alliance, and the signing of major projects, the conference aims to drive the silver industry's transformation from "resource dependence" to "technology leadership," providing critical material support for the global energy revolution and digital economy. Quanda New Materials (Ningbo) Co., Ltd. / Ningbo Haoshun Precious Metals Co., Ltd. will attend this grand event to discuss industry development trends with industry peers and jointly propel the silver industry to new heights. Click to register now. Join us in witnessing and participating in this extraordinary and far-reaching industry event, and together create a brilliant new chapter! Quanda New Materials (Ningbo) Co., Ltd. was founded in December 2023 by Mr. Chen Yongda, who has over twenty years of experience in the silver industry, building upon his existing silver distribution business to align with the major trend of silver consumption upgrading in the new era. With a registered capital of 15 million yuan, the company is located in the scenic Xiangshan Chemical Economic and Technological Development Zone in Ningbo. It is a fully automated factory enterprise specializing in the production of silver nitrate using silver as the primary raw material, with a designed capacity of 5,000 mt/year, and is a key supported enterprise of the Xiangshan Chemical Economic and Technological Development Zone in Ningbo. The company boasts strong technical capabilities and an experienced professional team, with advanced production processes and equipment. Relying on five management systems, it maintains strict quality detection procedures and has established an internal R&D center staffed with dozens of mid-to-senior-level professional and technical personnel. The company's product quality is consistently among the leading levels in the domestic peer industry, with products widely applied in military enterprises, the electronics industry, the PV industry, aerospace, and other fields. We are committed to providing clients with more value-added services through quality products, efficient services, and reasonable prices. Contact Information Ms. Shi 13566055239 Address: No. 52 Wentao Road, (Baiyanshan) Park, Xiangshan County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province Ningbo Haoshun Precious Metals Co., Ltd. is an innovative modern commercial distribution enterprise primarily engaged in the supply of precious metal silver raw materials in China and customized silver crafts services. It is a standing council member of the China General Chamber of Commerce and a vice president unit of the Gold and Silver Branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA). Since its establishment and operation, the company has consistently adhered to the business philosophy of "being down-to-earth, operating with integrity, and achieving mutual benefit." It upholds the business cooperation principle of "creating value together, sharing results together, and winning the future together." After years of development and growth, the company has established long-term and stable cooperative relationships with multiple well-known silver mine enterprises in China. Its supply and sales channels have become stable, and it has selected a group of strategic partners with strength, credibility, quality, and service orientation. It has cultivated a dedicated, responsible, pragmatic, and efficient business team, providing a strong guarantee for the company's steady and high-quality development. Its industry reputation, market influence, and corporate soft power are all gradually strengthening. Its spot silver trading volume has been at the industry-leading level for consecutive years. A modern commercial distribution enterprise with a maturing management mechanism is emerging. Looking ahead, Ningbo Haoshun Precious Metals Co., Ltd. is expected to align with the major trend of silver consumption upgrading in the new era, proactively innovate and adapt, employ flexible and elastic trading models, adopt a strict risk control system, and leverage timely and efficient services. The company will strive to anticipate clients' needs and fulfill their requirements, endeavoring to provide clients with diversified and more value-added services. As the ancients said, " When one calls with the wind at his back, his voice is no louder, yet it is heard more clearly. Ningbo Haoshun Precious Metals Co., Ltd. will stay true to its original mission of serving the National Silver Enterprise Annual Conference. On the road ahead, it will willingly serve as a practitioner of honest and trustworthy trading in the silver industry market, a driver of integrated coexistence and win-win cooperation among enterprises, and a contributor to the steady, prosperous, and sustainable development of the industry. Contact Information Mr. Yao 13817213537 Tel: 0574-88053076 Fax: 0574-88053796 Address: Room 151, Building 22, No. 818 Qiming Road, Yinzhou District, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province Press and hold to scan the QR code to register now 2026 SMM (7th) Silver Industry Chain Innovation Conference

The ex-China rare earth market this week exhibited a trend of "falling prices amid tight supply," with Pr-Nd oxide and metal prices generally marked down by approximately $5-10/kg. However, due to export controls and tightening supply, the premium on Chinese products outside China remained significant. Meanwhile, geopolitical rivalry and supply chain restructuring accelerated, with G7 finance ministers calling for urgent reduction of dependence on China and the establishment of recycling quota systems. On the capital front, Greenland Resources spent $35 million to acquire the high-grade Sarfartoq project to strengthen its magnetic material rare earth portfolio. Australia's Arafura officially finalised the final investment decision for the Nolans project. Combined with Brazil's launch of an antitrust investigation and Germany's Heraeus divesting its recycling business, these developments underscored the urgency of global decoupling and localization efforts.

SMM News, May 21： Since mid-March, China's tungsten market has ended a year-long sharp rally and entered a high-level correction phase with prices trending steadily lower. Market sentiment has shifted from exuberance to caution, with periodic supply-demand adjustments and fading market mood becoming core drivers of price movements.

SMM News, May 21: Metals market: As of the midday close, most base metals on the domestic market rose. SHFE copper gained 1.33%, SHFE aluminum rose 0.33%, SHFE lead climbed 1.55%, SHFE zinc advanced 1.47%, and SHFE tin surged 3.21%. SHFE nickel fell 0.57%. In addition, the most-traded casting aluminum futures rose 0.39%, the most-traded alumina contract gained 0.37%, the most-traded lithium carbonate contract rose 1.18%, the most-traded silicon metal contract climbed 0.35%, and the most-traded polysilicon futures rose 0.37%. Ferrous metals mostly rose. Iron ore fell 0.5%, rebar edged up, hot-rolled coil gained 0.23%, and stainless steel rose 0.41%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract rose 0.33%, and the most-traded coke contract was flat at 1,774.5 yuan/mt. Overseas base metals: as of 11:32, LME metals generally fell. LME copper dropped 0.15%, LME aluminum was flat at 3,629 yuan/mt, LME lead rose 0.71%, LME zinc fell 0.1%, LME tin declined 0.53%, and LME nickel dropped 0.92%. Precious metals: as of 11:32, COMEX gold rose 0.12% and COMEX silver fell 0.26%. Domestic precious metals: the most-traded SHFE gold contract gained 0.89% and the most-traded SHFE silver contract rose 1.85%. In addition, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures rose 0.74% and the most-traded palladium futures gained 0.47%. As of the midday close, the most-traded Europe containerized freight index contract rose 7.66% to 2,957.5 points. As of 11:32 on May 21, midday futures quotes for selected contracts: Spot cargo and fundamentals Nickel: On May 21, SMM #1 refined nickel prices rose 1,550 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Spot premiums: Jinchuan #1 refined nickel averaged 1,200 yuan/mt, down 250 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. Domestic mainstream brand electrodeposited nickel premiums ranged from -600 to 500 yuan/mt. Macro front China: [NDRC: To improve policy measures on fair competition, investment and financing, promotion of sci-tech innovation, and business regulation] Li Hui, Director of the Private Economy Development Bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), stated at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office that the NDRC will better leverage its coordination function in promoting private economy development, organize and carry out specific measures outlined in the action plan for safeguarding the private economy through the rule of law, and strengthen the implementation of the Private Economy Promotion Law. The NDRC will improve supporting systems and refine policy measures on fair competition, investment and financing, promotion of sci-tech innovation, and business regulation. It will continue to work with relevant departments to publish typical cases to illustrate the law through cases, conduct assessments of policy implementation effectiveness, promote direct and swift access to enterprise-friendly policies, and guide enterprises in enhancing their governance capabilities. [China's Enterprise Credit Index Reached 162.41 in April This Year, Maintaining a Positive Trend] According to the State Administration for Market Regulation, China's Enterprise Credit Index stood at 162.41 in April this year, up 0.15 points from March, with enterprise credit levels maintaining a positive trend. In April, the top 5 industries by credit index ranking were finance, electricity/heat/gas and water production and supply, education, manufacturing, and water conservancy/environment and public facilities management. Compared with the previous month, the indices for information transmission/software and information technology services, finance, and health and social work showed relatively notable increases, achieving positive growth for three consecutive months, with credit development trends continuing to improve. (CCTV News) [Qiushi Commentary Article: How to Thoroughly Address "Involution-Style" Competition in Manufacturing] The article pointed out that thoroughly addressing "involution-style" competition requires institutional innovation to drive competition toward quality upgrading. Only when government behavior is regulated and market mechanisms are streamlined can enterprises shift from low-price disorderly competition to value-based competition. A unified national market should be built to break down market segmentation, policies hindering fair competition should be resolutely eliminated, outdated capacity should be phased out in an orderly manner in accordance with laws and regulations to prevent "bad money driving out good," and competitive enterprises should be allocated resources commensurate with their competitiveness. Performance assessment reform should be used to correct government behavior, shifting assessment focus toward "quality" indicators such as development quality, technological innovation, and industrial coordination, aligning local government incentives with high-quality development, and curbing the impulse for homogeneous investment attraction at the source. Evaluation mechanism reform should be used to rectify competitive behavior, reversing the "price-only" tendency, establishing comprehensive evaluation mechanisms centered on technology, quality, and service, making premium quality at premium prices a market consensus, and guiding resources toward enterprises with strong innovation capabilities and high product value-added. The PBOC conducted 100 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations in the open market at an interest rate of 1.40%, unchanged from the previous day. Today, 500 million yuan of reverse repos matured. US Dollar: As of 11:32, the US dollar index rose 0.05% to 99.19. The US Fed meeting minutes showed that participants anticipated elevated energy prices would continue to exert upward pressure on headline inflation in the near term. Participants generally expected that the impact of tariffs on core goods inflation would gradually diminish over the course of this year. However, some participants noted that tariff rates could rise further above current levels, resulting in greater upward pressure on inflation. Several participants emphasized that, after inflation had remained above 2% for several consecutive years, elevated inflation could have a greater influence on wage- and price-setting decisions. Almost all participants noted that the conflict in the Middle East could persist for an extended period, or even if the conflict ended, oil and other commodity prices could remain elevated for longer than expectations. In such a scenario, participants anticipated that factors such as supply chain disruptions, elevated energy prices, or the pass-through of higher input costs to other prices would continue to push inflation higher. The vast majority of participants noted that the time required for inflation to return to the Committee's 2% target could be longer than they had previously expected, and that risks had increased. The US Fed meeting minutes showed that regarding the monetary policy outlook, participants generally believed that persistently elevated inflation and uncertainty about the duration and economic impact of the Middle East conflict could necessitate maintaining the current policy stance for longer than expectations. Some participants emphasized that it might be appropriate to lower the target range for the federal funds rate once clear signs emerged that the pullback trend in inflation had steadily resumed, or signs of greater softness in the labour market appeared. However, most participants noted that if inflation remained persistently above 2%, some tightening measures might be necessary. To address this scenario, many participants indicated that they would prefer to remove language from the post-meeting statement that implied the Committee's future rate decisions might lean toward easing. Participants noted that monetary policy was not predetermined and that future policy decisions would be made on a meeting-by-meeting basis. According to the CME "FedWatch" tool: the probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through June was 97.3%, with a cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut at 2.7%. The probability of the US Fed maintaining rates unchanged through July was 87.2%, with a cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut at 2.4%, and a cumulative probability of a 25-basis-point rate hike at 10.4%. (Jin Shi Data) On the data front: Data to be released today include US initial jobless claims for the week ending May 16, US April annualized housing starts, US April building permits, US May Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index, US May S&P Global Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, US May S&P Global Services PMI preliminary reading, Eurozone May Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, Eurozone March seasonally adjusted current account, Eurozone May Consumer Confidence Index preliminary reading, France May Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, Germany May Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, UK May Manufacturing PMI preliminary reading, UK May Services PMI preliminary reading, UK May CBI Industrial Orders balance, and Australia April seasonally adjusted unemployment rate. In addition, attention should also be paid to the following: Bank of England Governor Bailey delivered a speech, and China's refined oil products were set to enter a new round of price adjustment window. Crude oil: As of 11:32, oil prices in both markets rose, with WTI up 0.94% and Brent up 0.83%. Supply concerns driven by market worries over the uncertain prospects of a US-Iran peace deal continued to support oil prices. In addition, declining US crude oil inventory also lent support to oil prices. EIA report: Commercial crude oil inventory, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, fell by 7.863 million barrels to 445 million barrels, a decline of 1.74%. The weekly EIA crude oil inventory drawdown for the week ending May 15 was the largest since the week of February 13, 2026. A research report from CITIC Securities noted that global oil inventory was declining sharply, intensifying the risk of energy shortages. The US-Israel-Iran conflict disrupted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, causing global oil inventory to plummet at a record pace and heightening the risk of summer energy shortages. The market temporarily cushioned the pressure by relying on previously surplus inventory, exemptions from Russian oil sanctions, and strategic petroleum reserve releases by multiple countries, while high oil prices also triggered a contraction in global oil demand. International oil prices are currently fluctuating at elevated levels, US refined product prices have hit multi-year highs, oil supplies in multiple energy-importing regions in Asia are on the verge of shortages, dragging down regional economic growth. Oil prices may still have significant upside room, and accelerating the development of renewable energy has become a long-term measure for countries to guard against energy risks. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) of the UAE, said on the 20th that the UAE was building an east-west oil pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The project was nearly 50% complete and is expected to be completed and operational by 2027. According to the UAE's Gulf News, Al Jaber said at an online event hosted by the US think tank Atlantic Council that a large volume of global energy transportation still relied on a few critical maritime chokepoints, and the UAE hoped to reduce its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz and enhance the security of energy exports through this project. (Xinhua) Goldman Sachs stated that as the Middle East war continued and supply remained constrained, global crude oil and refined product inventory was being depleted at a record pace this month. Goldman Sachs analysts noted in a report dated May 20 that since the beginning of May, visible inventory had been declining at a record rate of 8.7 million barrels per day, nearly double the average pace since the outbreak of the conflict. They stated, "The physical market continues to tighten, and oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz are estimated to remain at only 5% of normal levels." Goldman Sachs analysts noted that two-thirds of the inventory decline in May was driven by a reduction in so-called "oil on water," with exports falling more than imports. The import slump is now "spreading from Asia to Europe," they noted, with European jet fuel imports 60% below the 2025 average. (Jin10 Data) Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

Capacity side, according to incomplete statistics, China's alkaline electrolyzer market remained at 43.77 GW, and the PEM electrolyzer market remained at 2.7 GW. This week, Haozheng Hydrogen Energy successfully completed all tests on an alkaline hydrogen production electrolyzer, with all performance indicators meeting standards, and it was officially shipped to the client's project site. Eve Hydrogen Energy reached an important delivery period, as its 100 Nm³/h centralized hydrogen production system successfully passed all factory detection tests and was officially dispatched to Shandong. Project-related developments: Guangdong Qingneng New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: The fuel cell and electrolysis hydrogen production system project completed filing. The project is located at Building D3, No. 1 Xiangda Road, Dancao Logistics Center, Dancao Town, Nanhai District, Foshan City, with a total investment of 200 million yuan, to be constructed by Guangdong Qingneng New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. as the construction entity. On one hand, the project advances the expansion of fuel cell-related businesses at the headquarters base, deploying multiple production lines for new-type compression-molded graphite plates, supporting stacks, and air-cooled fuel cells. On the other hand, it simultaneously builds AEM electrolysis hydrogen production lines, developing core material capacity for membrane electrode assemblies, bipolar plates, and other components. State Administration for Market Regulation: A re-tender announcement was issued for the research project on safety-critical standards for hydrogen refueling station infrastructure, with a project budget and maximum price cap both set at 1.1 million yuan (China Government Procurement Network). This procurement will focus on developing two national standards: liquid hydrogen vehicle refueling protocols and rubber O-rings for high-pressure hydrogen equipment, and plans to produce draft versions for public comment or approval (China Government Procurement Network). The project performance period runs until December 31, 2026, and consortium bids are not accepted (China Government Procurement Network). This initiative will fill the gaps in relevant standards in China, strengthen the intrinsic safety assurance of hydrogen refueling stations, and facilitate the standardized and orderly development of the hydrogen energy industry. China Risun Group Limited: China's first domestically developed 5 mt/day hydrogen expansion refrigeration hydrogen liquefaction project was successfully completed and put into operation at Risun Group's Dingzhou Park. The equipment used in this project is China's first large-scale liquefaction equipment adopting the hydrogen Claude cycle process with 100% localisation of core components. It successfully overcame multiple key industry technologies, with overall performance benchmarked against international first-class standards. The unit energy consumption of the core liquefaction system was as low as 11.84 kWh/kg, representing a reduction of over 40% compared to traditional processes, effectively lowering liquid hydrogen production costs and supporting the autonomous development of China's hydrogen energy industry. Heilongjiang Coal Chemical Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. : Zhongmei Longhua held discussions with the government of Ar Horqin Banner, Chifeng City. Both parties focused on existing new energy cooperation projects, advancing computing power industry deployment and coordinating the construction of green energy transmission corridors. Previously, the two parties had signed a 12.8 billion yuan agreement for a 2GW new energy base and an annual 500,000 mt biomass pellet project, covering 1.8GW wind power and 0.2GW PV. During this round of discussions, they finalised an additional computing power synergy project, planning to build a thousand-P-level intelligent computing power centre leveraging a green electricity direct supply model to revitalise clean energy resources. In addition, the two parties will also fully align with the Chifeng-to-Jinzhou hydrogen-ammonia-methanol transmission pipeline, deploying green hydrogen, green ammonia, and green methanol capacity to build an integrated green energy industry chain encompassing green electricity production, energy conversion, and cross-provincial transmission. Jiyuan (Siping) Green Energy Co., Ltd. : The results of SPIC's 87th batch of centralised tenders for 2025 were announced. Sungrow Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. won the bid for the alkaline water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment for the Jidian Co., Ltd. Lishu Wind and Solar Power Green Hydrogen Production Coupled with Biomass Green Methanol Project (Section II). Located in Siping, Jilin, the project has a hydrogen production capacity of 30,000 Nm³/h and plans to commence construction in August 2025, with a total construction period of 22 months, implemented in two sections. Upon completion, the project will promote the commercialisation of green hydrogen coupled with biomass for green methanol production, facilitating the integrated development of new energy and chemical industries. China Coal Ordos Energy Chemical Co., Ltd.: The 3,000 Nm³/h electrolysis hydrogen production unit for China Coal Ordos Energy Chemical's 100,000 mt "Liquid Sunshine" project, manufactured by China First Heavy Industries Nuclear Power and Petrochemical, was successfully shipped from the Dalian Mianhua Island nuclear power equipment manufacturing base, advancing the "Liquid Sunshine" project and empowering the integrated development of hydrogen energy and new energy. Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Technology Equipment Co., Ltd.: The completion ceremony of the green electricity hydrogen production and natural gas hydrogen blending comprehensive testing platform was held at Guofu Hydrogen Energy's Zhangjiagang base. Jointly developed by Guofu Hydrogen Energy and Towngas Group, the platform conducts green electricity hydrogen production utilising local 52,000 m² rooftop distributed PV and alkaline electrolysers. Employing a follow-up flow gas mixing process, it can achieve precise natural gas hydrogen blending at ratios from 0% to 30%, with a maximum hydrogen blending volume of 100 standard m³ per hour. The platform integrates four modules — hydrogen production, gas mixing, combustion, and data acquisition — focusing on hydrogen blending condition verification, energy efficiency assessment, and cost estimation research. With significant environmental protection benefits, it can reduce CO₂ emissions by 1,144 mt in the first year. The project is expected to consume 2.16 million kWh of green electricity over its full lifecycle, facilitating clean energy integration and low-carbon development. SPIC: The announcement of candidate winners for the 23rd batch of centralised tenders for 2026 — the EPC general contracting for the SPIC Green Energy Da'an Gaseous Hydrogen Storage Technical Renovation Project — was released. According to the announcement, the first candidate winner was China Wuhuan Engineering Co., Ltd. with a bid price of 55.2 million yuan, and the second candidate winner was China Petroleum and Natural Gas First Construction Co., Ltd. with a bid price of 71.39 million yuan. The project is located in the Jilin Western (Da'an) Clean Energy Chemical Industry Park in Liangjiazi Town, Da'an City, Baicheng City, Jilin Province. It involves the construction of 6 units of 1850m³ spherical tanks and 1 unit of 8000Nm³/h compressor, with a total hydrogen storage capacity of 177,600Nm³ and an effective hydrogen storage capacity of 144,300Nm³. The tender scope covers the design, supply, construction, commissioning, and all work within the warranty period for the gaseous hydrogen storage complete equipment and auxiliary facilities. Upon completion, it will enhance local green hydrogen storage and supply capability, facilitating the large-scale development of the hydrogen energy industry. Hainan Shenneng Materials Co., Ltd. : The announcement of successful bid candidates for the commissioning, trial operation, and demonstration operation services of the Hainan New Energy Offshore Wind Power Hydrogen Production Comprehensive Utilization Key Technology R&D and Engineering Demonstration Project was released. The bid inviter is Hainan Shenneng Materials Co., Ltd. The announcement shows that the first successful bid candidate is Sinochem Second Construction Group Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 5.83 million yuan; the second successful bid candidate is China Petrochemical Engineering Construction Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 5.875 million yuan. The project aims to implement the construction requirements of Hainan's clean energy priority development demonstration zone, focusing on offshore wind power hydrogen production and comprehensive utilization technology research. It will achieve breakthroughs in key technologies such as floating platform hydrogen production, hydrogen storage and transportation, and hydrogen-to-ammonia/methanol, develop core equipment and an offshore wind power hydrogen production comprehensive utilization floating platform, providing technical and engineering support for Hainan's clean energy island construction and large-scale offshore hydrogen production. Policy Review 1. Notice of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration on Matters Related to the Orderly Promotion of Multi-user Green Electricity Direct Connection Development. The document states that support is given to new energy power generation projects that have not yet commenced power grid connection engineering construction, as well as new energy power generation projects that cannot be connected to grid due to reasons such as new energy consumption constraints, to carry out multi-user green electricity direct connection after completing the corresponding change procedures. Distributed PV may participate in multi-user green electricity direct connection through centralized current collection. Priority support is given to computing facilities, green hydrogen-ammonia-methanol and other emerging industries and future industries to carry out green electricity direct connection. Projects shall meet national industrial policy requirements, and enterprises are strictly prohibited from conducting illegal activities through green electricity direct connection. 2. Notice of the Hubei Provincial Department of Transportation on Implementing Toll Subsidy Policies for Hydrogen Energy Vehicles Traveling on Hubei Provincial Expressways. The document states that hydrogen energy vehicles (with hydrogen fuel cell as the sole power source) that legally transport cargo, are equipped with and normally use ETC, and travel on expressways within Hubei Province (with entry and exit records and inter-station travel routes all within Hubei Province) shall be exempted from expressway tolls. The tolls exempted by relevant expressway operation and management entities shall be fully subsidized by provincial fiscal funds. 3. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Organizing and Carrying Out Industrial Energy Conservation Supervision Work in 2026." It mentioned that energy efficiency supervision will be conducted in key industry sectors. In accordance with mandatory energy consumption quota standards for relevant industries, as well as requirements such as energy efficiency benchmark and baseline levels, energy conservation supervision will be carried out on enterprises in industries including steel, synthetic ammonia, oil refining, ethylene, caustic soda, soda ash, and methanol, with the principle of achieving full coverage of energy conservation supervision for enterprises in the above industries within the region during 2026–2027 (full coverage of calcium carbide-based PVC producers shall be achieved in 2026). Energy efficiency supervision of key industry chains will also be conducted. In accordance with mandatory energy consumption quota standards for relevant industries, mandatory energy efficiency standards for products and equipment, and other requirements, focusing on key industry chains such as PV modules, wind turbines, EV and ESS batteries, and water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment, special energy conservation supervision will be carried out on key enterprises in segments including raw materials, production and manufacturing, and terminal assembly, with a focus on verifying enterprise energy consumption in production processes and energy efficiency of major products. Enterprise Updates Guohong Hydrogen Energy Technology (Jiaxing) Co., Ltd. : China's first inland 64-TEU hydrogen fuel cell-powered container ship "Dongfang Hydrogen Port" set sail from Zhapu Port Area of Jiaxing Port and was officially put into operation. It is reported that Guohong Hydrogen Energy provided two sets of independently developed Honghan C240 marine hydrogen fuel cell systems. This is currently the highest-power hydrogen fuel cell system in China and the first to be applied to ships (single-unit rated power of 240 kW). Yuchai Xinlan (Jiangsu) Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. : Yuchai Hydrogen Energy General Manager Lu Guoquan and Zhongyuan Electric Laboratory Deputy Director Zhang Xueshen signed a strategic cooperation agreement on behalf of their respective parties. According to the agreement, both parties will leverage their respective technological advantages and resources to establish a long-term, stable, and in-depth strategic partnership, focusing on comprehensive cooperation in four core areas: water electrolysis for hydrogen production, hydrogen fuel internal combustion engines, green energy management, and hydrogen energy demonstration projects. Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Technology Equipment Co., Ltd.: Joining hands with Three Gorges Zhongyi, Jiaosheng New Energy, and other shipping industry chain partners, the company held the "Zero-Carbon Yangtze, Green Shipping" industrial ecosystem strategy launch conference. At the conference, Guofu Hydrogen Energy officially released its "River-Sea Strategy Plan" and held the rollout ceremony of its first 80-cubic-meter marine LNG storage tank, marking its official entry from the land-based hydrogen energy equipment sector into the green shipping track. According to the plan, Guofu Hydrogen Energy will promote the improvement of the shipping ecosystem closed loop, attract industry partners to co-build the ecosystem, and plans to complete the leap from product finalization and demonstration applications to ecosystem formation within three years, facilitating the zero-carbon transformation of Yangtze River shipping. Haida Qingneng Ship (Dalian) Co., Ltd. : China's first inland waterway 64-TEU hydrogen fuel cell-powered container ship, the "Dongfang Hydrogen Port," successfully set sail from Jiaxing Port and was put into operation on a designated route, achieving a new breakthrough in the application of hydrogen fuel cell vessels on inland waterways. Designed by Haida Qingneng Ship with a full set of hydrogen power systems, the vessel has a cargo capacity of approximately 1,450 mt and a driving range of 380 kilometers. It is equipped with a large power hydrogen fuel cell system, achieving zero carbon emissions throughout the entire voyage, and has also completed the integrated integration of large-capacity hydrogen storage and control systems. The core technologies were jointly developed by the enterprise and Dalian Maritime University. This commissioning also fully demonstrated that hydrogen-powered vessel propulsion systems are mature and reliable, promoting the green and low-carbon transformation of inland waterway shipping. PetroChina Company Limited Shenzhen New Energy Research Institute : PetroChina's first 2,000 Nm³/h alkaline electrolysis water-to-hydrogen system successfully completed its initial test run, with all parameters meeting design requirements. The overall technical level ranks among the industry's best, and the hydrogen produced has a purity as high as 99.9995%. The system was led by PetroChina Shenzhen Institute and jointly developed by multiple enterprises, integrating large-capacity electrolyzers with high-efficiency separation and purification equipment. Actual testing showed that the high-grade hydrogen can meet the usage requirements of multiple industries. The system will subsequently be connected to the Dushanzi Petrochemical hydrogen pipeline network for production application, helping the petrochemical industry accelerate its green and low-carbon transformation. China Huadian Engineering Corporation Limited : Its top ten new technologies and new products of 2026 were unveiled in Beijing, accelerating the expansion of its technological achievement portfolio and boosting the development of new quality productive forces. Among them, the independently developed "Hua'an" U1000 skid-mounted green ammonia synthesis unit was officially launched, overcoming key technologies for distributed green ammonia production. The unit focuses on compact skid-mounted and modular design, addressing the pain points of traditional ammonia synthesis units such as high investment, long construction cycles, and difficulty in adapting to wind and solar power fluctuations. It features four major advantages: low temperature and low pressure, flexible adaptation, intelligent integration, and rapid deployment, filling the technological gap in small-scale green ammonia equipment in China. It integrates multiple innovations: equipped with a low-temperature and low-pressure catalyst jointly developed with the Institute of Process Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, adopting a proprietary patented dual-tower reactor, and equipped with self-developed "source-grid-hydrogen-ammonia" full-chain flexible control technology, enabling wide-load regulation and adaptation to wind and solar power fluctuations. Patent Applications 1. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) published patent CN2025110028, developing a ceramic-based anion exchange membrane with a laboratory-tested lifespan of 80,000 hours. 2. Johnson Matthey (UK) filed patent WO2025109876, disclosing a Fe-Ni-Mo ternary non-precious metal catalyst formulation with activity approaching that of platinum-based materials. Technology Footprint / Technical Specifications 1 The team led by Academician Chen Zhongwei and Associate Researcher Zhang Meng from the National Key Laboratory of Catalysis for Energy Conversion at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics developed a high specific power cathode-closed air-cooled stack technology, which passed the scientific and technological achievement evaluation by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation. This technology effectively resolves the industry contradiction between water retention and oxygen mass transfer in air-cooled fuel cells, addressing technical challenges such as low-humidity performance degradation, carbon corrosion, membrane drying and flooding, and high-power thermal management. 2 Two group standards on hydrogen production by water electrolysis were officially released and implemented, namely the "Safety Technical Specification for Hydrogen Production by Water Electrolysis" and the "Calculation Method for Economic Operation Indicators of Hydrogen Production by Water Electrolysis." 3 Petronor collaborated with H2SITE to advance membrane technology for hydrogen production, improving high-purity hydrogen supply and low-carbon efficiency in refining. 4 Dalian University of Technology designed an electron pump catalyst with an asymmetric photo-responsive structure that maintains the asymmetry of electron distribution. 5 A research team from the School of Electrical Engineering and the National Key Laboratory of Electrical Materials and Electrical Insulation at Xi'an Jiaotong University successfully developed a Ru/Ti3C2Ox@NF bifunctional electrocatalyst for seawater electrolysis.

On May 12, the 2026 SMM (3rd) Global Renewable Metal Industry Chain Summit & Battery Recycling Forum , organized by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), drew to a successful close at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel in Tokyo, Japan! Conference Background Driven by global sustainable development and circular economy initiatives, recycled metals and battery recycling have gained growing strategic importance. Facing rising metal demand and dwindling natural resources, recycling stands out as an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative, backed by supportive policies and investment worldwide. As a major Asian recycling powerhouse, Japan boasts robust secondary metal output and sophisticated recycling technologies. It has also rolled out massive funding plans to expand e-waste recycling infrastructure and scale up relevant processing capacity. Centered on the theme "Low Carbon, Global Echoes", the 2026 GRMI gathered worldwide enterprises, experts and officials to exchange insights on circular economy trends, technological breakthroughs and industry policies. This event comprises three forums ( Main Forum, Recycling Forum, and Renewable Resources Equipment Forum ) and multiple panel sessions. Key Highlights Reshaping the Global Recycled Metal Market — Policy Drivers and New Hotspots in India, Pakistan, the Middle East & Japan Shifting Dynamics in Southeast Asia's Recycled Metals: The Malaysia-Thailand Trade Decline and Vietnam's Rising Recycling Economy Resource Contention in the Secondary Lead Market: Redefining the Global Supply Chain Interpreting Recycled Copper Policies in China, the US, Europe, and Japan and Strategies for Future Raw Material Competition Innovation Drives Green Recycling: the Technological Frontier of China's Flotation, Crushing and Sorting Equipment Breaking Through the Challenges of the Recycling Industry: Real-World Case Studies from High-Quality Suppliers Click to view photo gallery Main Forum Opening Remarks Adam Fan, Chairman, SMM Hao Qi Chairman, KINKI SANGYO CO.LTD. May 11 Main Forum Keynote Speeches [Keynote Speech] - Global Recycled Metals Industry Market Analysis: Policy Instruments, Corporate Responses, and Future Challenges Speaker: Rock Ding, Consulting Project Manager, SMM Rock expects that aluminum scrap production will continue to grow in the future, and global aluminum scrap supply and demand will maintain a tight balance before 2030. Regarding the copper scrap market, SMM expects that from 2026 to 2030, global copper scrap market supply and demand will continue to grow, and the market will remain in a state of persistently tight supply. The global recycling industry faces challenges including shortages of recycled raw materials supply, rising resource protectionism, cross-border logistics and transportation restrictions, lack of unified global governance, bottlenecks in recycling technology, and incomplete recycling system development. [Keynote Speech] - From India to the World: Sustainable Growth and Responsibility of a Leading Recycler Speaker: Sanchit Jain, Executive Director, Jain Resource Recycling Limited Developed markets (North America, Europe) generate over 70% of the world's scrap; North America has a recycling input rate of 57%, and Europe's aluminum recycling rate reaches 81% — yet their demand growth has slowed down, with scrap becoming a surplus resource exported abroad; Developing countries are where demand is surging — yet collection rates remain below 5%, dominated by informal operators lacking traceability; Globally, policies and market initiatives promoting traceability of recycled resources and ESG disclosure are accelerating at an increasing pace. Scrap generation and consumption exhibit a regional mismatch, with the resource gap formed by supply-demand misalignment increasingly demonstrating strategic significance; Scrap is no longer simply surplus off-cuts, but a core strategic resource reshaping the global recycled resource trade landscape. Recycling Has Become a Core Pillar for Industrial Incremental Growth Why Does the Recycling Industry Hold Critical Strategic Value Today? Secondary resource supply can cover over 40% of future incremental metal demand; reducing dependence on highly volatile primary ore resources. Recycling is the optimal viable pathway for the industry to achieve sustainable and scalable development. [Keynote Speech] - URBAN MINING India's Non-Ferrous Recycling Decade Opportunities & Challenges from a Smelter's Perspective speaker: Pratik Gupta, Assistant Vice President - Operations, Pondy Oxides and Chemicals Ltd Four Core Drivers in Resonance, Continuously Driving Steady Expansion of India's Non-Ferrous Metal Demand 1. Energy Transition Acceleration India has set a clear target of achieving 500GW of non-fossil energy installed capacity by 2030. Power grid expansion, power transmission line construction, and renewable energy integration infrastructure are advancing comprehensively—all of which are high-consumption areas for copper and aluminum, directly boosting rigid demand for both metals. 2. Accelerating EV Penetration India has set a development target of 30% new energy vehicle penetration rate by 2030. A single EV uses approximately 3–4 times the amount of copper compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. Meanwhile, the development of the power battery industry will give rise to an independent scrap recycling system, further opening up incremental space for non-ferrous metals. 3. Large-Scale Infrastructure Investment Implementation Leveraging the 11.1 billion rupee National Infrastructure Pipeline plan, projects including galvanized steel, power infrastructure, and urban rail transit will continue to be implemented over the next decade, providing sustained long-term support for zinc, copper, and aluminum market demand. 4. Manufacturing PLI Policy Empowerment India's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme covers 14 key industries, focusing on metal-intensive sectors such as electronics, automotive, power battery, and capital goods. With policy support, the share of domestic manufacturing continues to rise, driving steady growth in non-ferrous metal consumption. Panel Discussion: Reshaping the Global Recycled Metal Market — Policy Drivers and New Hotspots in India, Pakistan, the Middle East & Japan Moderator: Adam Fan, Chairman, SMM Panelists: Sanjeev Phadke, The Treasurer of BMR, Bureau of Middle East Recycling (BMR) Amar Singh, Secretary General, Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI) Bin Zhang, Trade Director, TOUCHI INTERNATIONAL CORP. Jawed Ahmed, Founder and CEO, Al Qaryan International DMCC Recycling Forum Ketnoye Speech: Key Issues and Challenges Affecting the US Secondary Metals Industry Speaker: Adam Shaffer, Vice President of International Trade and Global Affairs, REMA Panel Discussion Shifting Dynamics in Southeast Asia's Recycled Metals: The Malaysia-Thailand Trade Decline and Vietnam's Rising Recycling Economy Moderator: Rock Ding, Consulting Project Manager, SMM Panelists: Eric Tan, President, Malaysia Nonferrous Metals Association Achirawat Thanasethatokul, Managing Director, Mahanakorn Metalscrap Co., Ltd. Jimin Choi, CEO/Founder, ETREE PTE LTD Michelle Leung, Head of Asia Metals and Mining Sustainability, Bloomberg Intelligence [Keynote Speech] - Analysis of Japan's Recycled Copper Market Speaker: AW YONG YI CHEONG, Senior Secondary Copper Analyst, SMM AW YONG YI CHEONG noted that the current Japanese copper scrap market is gradually transitioning toward a highly competitive "seller ecosystem." Trading models that rely solely on spot cargo procurement are increasingly exposed to the risk of supply disruptions. To secure long-term resource supply, enterprises purchasing externally from outside China need to move beyond traditional spot trading mindsets and establish structural cooperative relationships through deep-binding approaches such as signing long-term contracts and equity partnerships, in order to adapt to the persistently tight market landscape. Panel Discussion Resource Contention in the Secondary Lead Market: Redefining the Global Supply Chain Moderator: Rock Ding, Consulting Project Manager, SMM Panelists: Pratik Gupta, Assistant Vice President - Operations, Pondy Oxides and Chemicals Ltd Eric Tan, President, Malaysia Nonferrous Metals Association Panel Discussion Interpreting Recycled Copper Policies in China, the US, Europe, and Japan and Strategies for Future Raw Material Competition Moderator: AW YONG YI CHEONG, Senior Secondary Copper Analyst, SMM Panelists: Allan Zhang, Head of the Recycled Copper Business Unit, Hailiang Group Co., Ltd. Mr. Vishal Jatia, CEO, GREENLAND AMERICA INC WENCESLAO MANZANO HERNANDEZ, Director, DIMEXA HOLDINGS PTE. LTD. Shunsuke Kuwada, Overseas Manager, Hirata Corporation Co.,Ltd Yoshimichi Murakami, Executive Director, Wakoh Metal Co., Ltd. [Keynote Speech] - Current Status of Lead-Acid Battery in Japan Speaker: Yuji Tanamachi, CEO, IRUNIVERSE The volume of lead-acid battery scrap generated in Japan continues to decline. The reason is the sharp decrease in the number of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) retired in China. Over a decade ago, the number of ELVs generated in Japan exceeded 5 million units, but now it is approximately 2.7 million units, nearly halved. The chart on the right shows the increase in the average service life of passenger vehicles. The significant decline in ELV numbers was mainly driven by two factors: first, continued decline in new car sales in Japan, directly driven by population decline; second, the climbing scale of used car exports. Since the auction model was popularized in Japan a decade ago, not only ordinary used cars but even retired vehicles could be traded through auctions. Logically, a decrease in total ELV numbers should lead to a corresponding reduction in the number of dismantling enterprises. However, the reality was quite the opposite: the number of dismantling enterprises backed by ex-China capital from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the Kurdish region, and China continued to grow. Award Ceremony SMM Recycled Metals Industry Premium Scrap Yards SMM Recycled Metals Industry Premium Traders SMM Recycled Metals Industry Premium Equipment Enterprises May 12 Renewable Resources Equipment Forum Panel Discussion Innovation Drives Green Recycling: the Technological Frontier of China's Flotation, Crushing and Sorting Equipment Moderator: Bo Zhou, EVP, SMM Panelists: Owen Liang, Deputy General Manager, Foshan GreenField Environmental Protection Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. Xian Lu, Chairman, Shandong Luyou renewable resources equipment Co., Ltd. Haihua Cheng, International Trade Minister, Jiangsu Huahong Technology Stock Co.,Ltd. [Keynote Speech] - Volatility Eats Margins for Breakfast Managing Risk Now That Tariffs, Geopolitics, And Supply Shocks Have Driven Base Metal Prices to Multi-year Extremes Speaker: Harsha Ramesh, CEO & Co-founder, Pillar Hedge Aluminum—Supply Shock From February to April 2026, aluminum prices surged by over 20% at their peak within just two months, driven by the following key factors: Strait of Hormuz Disruption: Iran conflict closes shipping lanes; approximately 9% of global supply at risk Gulf Production Hit: EGA flagship plant shut down for up to one year; Bahrain's ALBA halted Compounding Tariff Impact: US Midwest premiums widened significantly, tariffs reshaped physical trade flows Keynote Speech: Precision Sorting Green Future Speaker: Jianan Li, Overseas Sale, Zhejiang Tianli Equipment Technology Co., Ltd. [Panel Discussion] - Breaking Through the Challenges of the Recycling Industry: Real-World Case Studies from High-Quality Suppliers Networking among medium-to-large-scale scrap yards/traders Conference Check-in The 2026 SMM (3rd) Global Renewable Metal Industry Chain Summit & Battery Recycling Forum has now come to a successful conclusion. We sincerely appreciate the strong support from all industry participants and partners. Looking forward to meeting you again next year!

Recently, a team from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (hereinafter referred to as "DICP"), Chinese Academy of Sciences, achieved a major technological breakthrough by successfully constructing the world's first gas-solid hydride ion prototype battery (hereinafter referred to as "gas-solid battery") using hydrogen gas and metal as electrodes. The battery adopts a "hydrogen-electricity co-storage" mode, enabling charging with hydrogen and discharging electricity, as well as charging with electricity and releasing hydrogen, providing a practical prototype verification for efficient hydrogen storage under ambient temperature and pressure conditions, and solving a long-standing core challenge in the field of hydrogen energy utilization. It is reported that hydride ions are the "electron-rich" state of hydrogen. As charge carriers, they possess the notable characteristics of high reactivity and high energy, and are considered one of the key pathways for developing next-generation all-solid-state batteries. However, hydride ions are extremely unstable under natural conditions, a property that makes it difficult for scientists to directly apply them in electrochemical energy storage, constituting a bottleneck constraining the development of related technologies. To overcome this technological bottleneck, the DICP team innovatively designed a system using magnesium metal and hydrogen gas as the anode and cathode active materials respectively, successfully assembling the world's first gas-solid hydride ion battery capable of operating across a wide temperature range. The core advantage of this battery lies in enabling hydride ions to provide high energy for the battery while achieving an ingenious integration with electrochemical hydrogen storage: during discharge, hydrogen gas is reduced to hydride ions at the cathode, while the metal is oxidized to cations at the anode to form metal hydrides; during charging, the two electrodes respectively release hydrogen molecules and regenerate metal, truly realizing the synergistic effect of simultaneous charging/discharging and hydrogen storage/release. Experimental data show that the gas-solid battery demonstrates excellent performance: in the hydrogen-charged state, the initial discharge capacity reaches as high as 1,526 mAh/g; when a voltage of 0.3 V is applied, approximately 6.0 wt% hydrogen (calculated based on MgH₂ in the electrode) can be released at room temperature; after 60 cycles, the capacity retention rate still exceeds 70%, and the battery can operate stably across a wide temperature range from as low as -20°C to as high as 90°C. Furthermore, the team stacked 10 single cells into a series-connected battery pack with an output voltage exceeding 2.4 V, successfully lighting up an LED bulb, marking the official debut of the gas-solid hydride ion prototype battery. Energy efficiency analysis further indicates that the energy utilization efficiency of this "hydrogen-electricity co-storage" system can reach 93.9%, representing a one-third improvement over conventional thermal hydrogen storage methods. This original achievement is of great significance, providing an entirely new technical route for solving the hydrogen storage challenge that has persisted in the hydrogen energy utilization field for over half a century. It completely eliminates the extreme conditions required by traditional hydrogen storage, such as high pressure (700 atm) or cryogenic temperatures (-253°C), and is expected to give rise to new-type hydrogen storage technologies, clearing key obstacles for the large-scale development of the hydrogen energy industry. Looking ahead, the DICP team stated that it will continue to focus on core technology breakthroughs, concentrating R&D efforts on higher performance hydride ion conductors and electrode materials, continuously improving overall battery performance, developing proprietary core technologies, accelerating the practical application of hydride ion batteries, and injecting new momentum into the high-quality development of the global hydrogen energy industry.

British Columbia plans to invest up to CAD 1 million to support field testing of wildfire prevention technology developed by Skyward Wildfire Technologies using aluminum nanoparticle-based materials. The system disperses silica or basalt fibers coated with aluminum nanoparticles into storm systems to redistribute electrical charges and reduce lightning strikes that may trigger wildfires. The company also uses AI-based forecasting tools to identify high-risk areas for targeted deployment. Provincial data showed nearly 70% of wildfires in 2024 were caused by lightning, accounting for 97% of the total burned area. The project could support wider deployment across Canada in the future.