On the morning of June 30, the 20,000 mt aluminum foil capacity expansion project of Luoyang Wanji Aluminum Processing Co., Ltd. reached a key construction period. The No. 5 and No. 6 aluminum foil rolling mills successfully completed strip threading and trial runs, with all equipment operating parameters stable and commissioning results meeting standards, marking the project’s official entry into the trial production stage. The project involves a total investment of about 200 million yuan and is equipped with two 2,000 mm four-high aluminum foil rolling mills, two 2,000 mm vertical slitting machines, one intelligent digital roll grinder, ten aluminum foil annealing furnaces, and a complete full-oil recovery system, among other intelligent supporting equipment. The overall software and hardware configuration fully achieves digital and intelligent upgrades. After completion and reaching full production, the project will add 20,000 mt per year of high-end aluminum foil capacity, bringing the company’s total aluminum foil capacity to over 50,000 mt.

On the morning of June 28, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Yibin Jinyu Bofa high-performance battery aluminum foil project was held. It is reported that the total investment of the project is approximately 1 billion yuan. Once completed, it will further improve the supporting system of the regional power battery industry chain.

Solus Advanced Materials announced on July 2 that the sales share of its high-end battery foils, including high-strength and high-elongation “SR” battery foil and medium-strength “MTS” battery foil, is expected to expand from 28% last year to around 40% this year.

Sinomach Heavy Equipment has achieved a major milestone in the intelligent high-end aluminum plate/sheet, strip and foil construction project for Huafon Aluminum, successfully completing and commissioning China’s first 2400mm composite aluminum hot continuous rolling line. Once commissioned, the production line can stably produce 450,000 mt of high-precision aluminum plate/sheet and strip per year, with products widely used in key sectors of the national economy such as NEVs and rail transit. This not only provides core material support for the high-quality development of China's new energy industry and high-end equipment manufacturing, but also further strengthens the resilience and security level of China's industry chain and supply chain for critical new energy basic materials, advancing the aluminum processing industry toward the middle and high end of the value chain. Relevant representatives stated that Sinomach Heavy Equipment will next steadily push the production line to reach full capacity and efficiency, ensuring its long-term stable and orderly operation. At the same time, in response to the needs of the new energy and new materials industries, it will continue to deepen technological iteration and create more demonstration projects for domestically produced high-end equipment.

This week, the aluminum processing industry was broadly under pressure from three factors: a deepening off-season, continuously weakening aluminum prices that fueled widespread price-drop sentiment, and shrinking exports. Only a few subsectors such as energy storage provided marginal support. The operating rate is expected to continue its downward trend in the short term.

Capacity-wise, according to incomplete statistics, China's alkaline electrolyzer market stood at 43.77 GW, while the PEM electrolyzer market stood at 2.7 GW. Peric Hydrogen, a subsidiary of the 718th Research Institute of CSSC, completed factory inspection and shipment for delivery of its first hydrogen project equipment in Canada. The project has an installed capacity of 1.75 MW and adopts a containerized integrated hydrogen production system. Project-related updates: Inner Mongolia Baogangxin Energy Co., Ltd. : The hydrogen production and storage integrated demonstration project it invested in has been filed. Located in the Bayan Obo mining area in Baotou, the project has a total investment of 41.9 million yuan. The project will be equipped with one set of 1000 Nm³/h alkaline water electrolysis hydrogen production unit, one set of 500 Nm³/h proton exchange membrane water electrolysis hydrogen production unit, along with gaseous hydrogen storage tanks, a 100 kg solid-state hydrogen storage unit, and a heat storage and release system. It will also be furnished with supporting utilities such as power supply, automatic control, compressed air, and nitrogen generation facilities, creating an integrated demonstration project that couples multiple hydrogen production routes with solid-state hydrogen storage. China Energy Ningxia Coal Industry Co., Ltd. : The Phase I of the Ningdong Integrated Energy Station Project of Ningxia Coal Industry has been fully completed and is in the final stage of trial operation. The project is located at the entrance of the Ningdong Coal Chemical Industrial Park and is operated by Genyuan Zhihuan Logistics Company. Phase I has completed construction of canopies, refueling islands, LNG dispensing islands, an office building, fire-fighting and monitoring control rooms, and other supporting facilities. It is equipped with oil storage tanks with a total volume of 110 m³ and LNG storage tanks of 60 m³. The maximum on-site hydrogen storage capacity is 1,593.3 kg, including two 50 m³ diesel storage tanks, two 30 m³ gasoline storage tanks, one 60 m³ LNG storage tank, and three single-hose LNG dispensing islands. Meanwhile, civil works and process reservations for three hydrogen refueling islands have been completed. Once operational, the project will provide integrated refueling of oil, gas, and hydrogen for heavy-duty trucks, engineering machinery, and official vehicles in the park, thus strengthening the energy supply guarantee capacity of the Ningdong Coal Chemical Industry Base. CIMC New Energy (Liupanshui) Technology Co., Ltd. : The steel-coke integration project of CIMC New Energy (Liupanshui), a subsidiary of CIMC Enric, has been put into operation. The project relies on the coke oven gas from Shougang Shuicheng Steel to mass-produce blue LNG and 99.999% high-purity blue hydrogen. With a total investment of 808 million yuan, the project covers an area of 248 mu and had a construction period of 12 months. Upon reaching full production, it will achieve an annual output of 140 kt of LNG and 24 million Nm³ of high-purity blue hydrogen. Currently, the company has three similar projects in operation at Angang Bayuquan and Linggang, with three more new projects in the preliminary preparation stage. Its business covers Liaoning, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Southeast Asian markets outside China. All existing operating projects have a combined annual output of 48 million Nm³ of hydrogen, 420 kt of LNG, and 80 kt of liquid ammonia. Guoneng Nanjing Electric Power Test & Research Co., Ltd. : The EPRI subsidiary has issued a bidding announcement for hydrogen fuel procurement under a national key project. This project is undertaken by Guoneng Nanjing Electric Power Test & Research, involving fuel procurement for the National Key R&D Program "10 MW-class wide-load hydrogen co-firing technology integration and boiler demonstration." The test site is located at the Hainan Ledong Power Plant area. The project has a single bidding section for the 168-hour commissioning of a 10 MW pilot-scale gas boiler. It requires that the hydrogen blending heat value ratio in natural gas be no less than 20%, and the procurement includes pure hydrogen as well as full-process services such as transportation, technical training, and quality assurance. The gas supply threshold can be met by any one of three options: 200 hours of supply, 190,000 Nm³ of hydrogen, or the testing volume verified by the bid inviter; supply ends once any condition is met. Settlement will be based on the actual hydrogen supply volume. The supply period is 161 days from the contract signing, and all supplies must be completed by December 31, 2026. The supplier shall deliver to the Ledong site within 30 hours upon receiving the delivery notice. This tender only accepts bids from independent legal entities and agents, and does not accept any consortium. Hexi (Xinjiang) New Energy Co., Ltd. : The first phase of the 20 kt/year solar dish photothermal water splitting hydrogen production project at Sinopec Zhundong No.6 Station by Hexi Xinjiang New Energy has initiated its second public notice. The project is sited on the northwest side of Sinopec Zhundong Sixth Station in the Zhundong Economic and Technological Development Zone, Changji, Xinjiang, covering an area of 50 mu. It will build an integrated dish photothermal RSOC water splitting hydrogen production station equipped with complete facilities for concentrating light, thermal storage, power generation, hydrogen production reaction, hydrogen purification, transmission and distribution, intelligent control, and power supply and distribution. The first phase can produce 2 mt of green hydrogen and 16 mt of green oxygen daily, with an annual output of 660 mt of green hydrogen and 5,280 mt of green oxygen, leveraging new photothermal hydrogen production technology to expand local green hydrogen production pathways. Shanxi Yaxin New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. : The additional hydrogen pipeline laying project for methanol has obtained record-filing. The total investment is 2 million yuan. The pipeline starts from the Shanxi Yaxin New Energy plant area, runs along the park road, and is laid to the Lu’an Taihua plant area. Relying on the existing pipe gallery, a 1.8 km backup hydrogen transmission pipeline is newly built, which can supply up to 144 million Nm³ of hydrogen annually. The project is planned to commence in June 2026 and be completed in August, and construction may begin only after all approvals for planning, environmental protection, and safety are obtained. Sichuan Yuyan New Materials Co., Ltd. : The supporting 8,500 Nm³/h natural gas-based hydrogen production unit for Sichuan Yuyan’s 300 kt/year hydrogen peroxide project has completed full-process commissioning and successfully produced qualified hydrogen. The unit has officially entered the trial production stage, providing assurance for the stable full-load operation of the main hydrogen peroxide facility. Three Gorges Bazhou Ruoqiang Energy Co., Ltd.: The tender is now open for the hydrogen production system equipment under the provisional price of the EPC contract for the Three Gorges Ruoqiang 6×660 MW coal-fired power project. The project is located in Ruoqiang County, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, supporting the planned Ruoqiang–Sichuan ultra-high voltage DC transmission project. It is planned to install six 660 MW ultra-supercritical coal-fired generating units, along with supporting environmental protection facilities. This procurement covers the plant-wide common hydrogen production equipment, including two sets of 10 Nm³/h proton exchange membrane water electrolysis hydrogen production main units and complete supporting equipment such as electric controls, hydrogen storage, pipelines, and spare parts. The equipment is expected to be delivered on truck at the Ruoqiang project site by August 2027, with the actual delivery time subject to the bid inviter’s notice. This tender explicitly does not accept consortium bids. China United Energy Group: The Jordanian Cabinet officially approved the signing of a land use agreement with China United Energy Group to jointly conduct a feasibility study for a local green hydrogen production project. This cooperation aligns with Jordan's clean energy development strategy, aiming to attract high-quality investment in green hydrogen and low-carbon fuels. Once implemented, the project will help Jordan build a regional hub for green industry and clean fuels, boost the development of the upstream and downstream green ammonia industrial chain, and expand export channels for low-carbon products to markets outside China. Shanghai International Port Group Energy Co., Ltd. : SIPG Energy's methanol bunkering vessel, "Haigang Zhiyuan," conducted a bunkering operation for Hanwha Shipping's "HMM LEAF" at anchorage, supplying 3,000 mt of domestically produced biomass green methanol. This successfully completed Shanghai Port's first anchorage green methanol bunkering and set a new record for the largest single anchorage green methanol bunkering operation in China. Following this operation, Shanghai Port's green methanol bunkering service coverage has been expanded to encompass the entire port area, with service waters extended from Yangshan Port, Waigaoqiao Port Area, and Changxing Island Shipyard to anchorage grounds, enabling flexible, customized green fuel bunkering solutions for global shipping enterprises. State Energy Group Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd.: The first phase of the Cangzhou "Green Port, Hydrogen City" green ammonia project has been successfully mechanically completed, officially entering the integrated commissioning and feed trial operation stage. This project is Hebei Province's first 10kt-level green ammonia project. The first phase is equipped with a 50,000 mt/yr synthetic ammonia unit, relying on local wind and solar power green electricity and employing alkaline water electrolysis for hydrogen production, cryogenic nitrogen generation, and a multi-steady-state flexible synthesis process to produce green ammonia. Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd.: The results were announced for potential suppliers in the procurement project for a containerized integrated hydrogen production system for the R&D Center. This procurement did not accept consortium bids. The first-ranked candidate is Beijing Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd., with a bid of 463,980 yuan; the second-ranked candidate is Xianhu Technology Co., Ltd., with a bid of 485,000 yuan; the third-ranked candidate is Shandong Saikesaisi Hydrogen Energy Co., Ltd., with a bid of 598,000 yuan. The procurer is purchasing this equipment for internal R&D work. Policy Review 1. The Ministry of Transport, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and eight other departments jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for Promoting the Large-Scale Application of New Energy Heavy Trucks," setting multiple targets and regulating the construction of energy replenishment infrastructure. The plan proposes that by 2030, the penetration rate of new energy heavy trucks should reach 40%, with ownership exceeding 1.6 million units and accounting for approximately 20% of total heavy truck ownership. The electrification rate for short-distance transport in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Fenwei Plain should exceed 80%, and the freight volume share of new energy heavy trucks on expressways should reach 18%. The national plan is to deploy approximately 3,000 battery charging and swapping stations for heavy trucks, build zero-carbon freight corridors along the expressway network, and simultaneously support these with hydrogen refueling and green fuel bunkering facilities. The document specifies that highway renovation projects must synchronously plan and construct supporting clean energy facilities such as charging and battery swapping stations, hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure, and energy storage systems. Parking areas for new energy heavy trucks for charging and swapping must maintain safe distances from densely populated service areas and oil and gas stations, and facility construction must strictly adhere to mandatory national standards. The plan proposes to build a comprehensive support system encompassing infrastructure, equipment, services, standards, and policies, establishing a multi-departmental collaborative linkage and promotion mechanism. 2. The PipeChina Hydrogen Energy Storage and Transportation Technology Exchange Conference was held in Beijing. The meeting unveiled the technical plan and complete set of standards for hydrogen pipeline transmission engineering, establishing a full-chain standardized system for hydrogen storage, transportation, and delivery, filling the gap in standards for complete sets of technologies for long-distance, large-scale hydrogen pipeline transmission in China, achieving a breakthrough from single-point technological advancements to systematic application. The complete technologies cover core engineering needs such as new hydrogen pipelines and retrofitting natural gas pipelines for hydrogen blending, establishing the first hydrogen pipeline transmission technical framework suitable for six sub-scenarios within two main application categories. The supporting standards cover the entire process including pipe materials, design, construction, and safety operations and maintenance, providing technical support for the demonstration and large-scale promotion of hydrogen pipeline transmission. 3. The National Energy Administration released the "Guidelines for the Classification and Grading of Data in the Energy Industry (2026 Edition)." The document indicates that these guidelines are applicable to the classification and grading of non-sensitive data within the energy industry in the People's Republic of China. Dimensions for energy industry data classification include, but are not limited to, energy type and energy activity. By energy type, the first-level classification of energy industry data includes: coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear energy, hydropower, wind energy, solar energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy, ocean energy, electricity, hydrogen energy, etc. By energy activity, the second-level classification of energy industry data includes: planning, design, construction, production, storage and transportation, consumption, scientific research, etc. Energy industry data processors may conduct third-level and fourth-level classifications based on data content and characteristics. Company Updates Hua Shang Xia Geng Hydrogen Technology (Xiamen) Co., Ltd. : The purchase contract for a 600 Nm³ skid-mounted hydrogen production equipment unit in Italy, led by Huashang International and executed by Huashang Xiamen Hydrogen, has officially come into effect. Following the export of the same model of hydrogen production equipment to Indonesia last year, the enterprise has successfully achieved a key breakthrough in the European market. This supply involves a complete containerized hydrogen production system, encompassing a full suite of equipment including an alkaline electrolyzer, power supply, purification system, cooling system, and automatic control system. The equipment will obtain the EU "4+1" CE certification, making it the first domestically produced alkaline electrolysis hydrogen production equipment to be exported to the EU with this certification. Sungrow Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. : Successfully won the bid for the 45MW hydrogen production unit project at the Daye Linkong Hydrogen Energy Industrial Base, deploying a 2000 Nm³/h electrolyzer to support the green transformation of this resource-dependent city. This bid win includes five sets of 1000 Nm³/h and two sets of 2000 Nm³/h alkaline hydrogen production systems. The 2000 Nm³/h electrolyzer has undergone two years of iteration and over 4,000 hours of field testing, demonstrating stable and highly efficient performance. The excellent operational performance and highly recognized equipment and O&M services provided by Sungrow Hydrogen for the Daye Jiangqiao hydrogen production project previously laid the foundation for this renewed cooperation. Zhejiang Yuancheng New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group Co., Ltd. : Jointly built with China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Shanghai's first integrated methanol refueling station—the Jiading Xingle Methanol Refueling Station—has officially commenced operations at No. 2619 Jia'an Road, Jiading District. Dongfang Electric Corporation : The new-generation high-pressure diaphragm compressor unit, jointly developed by Xinran Group Compressor Co., Ltd. and Dongfang Electric Corporation Boiler Co., Ltd., officially began commissioning at the Xinran production site. A special acceptance expert group arrived on site to conduct comprehensive verification of equipment performance, process, and safety across all dimensions. Shanghai AnChi Technology Co., Ltd.: Officially launched the world's first four-nozzle integrated mobile hydrogen ultra-fast charging station. By entering the hydrogen-powered off-grid ultra-fast charging sector with an integrated "hydrogen-electricity-storage-charging" solution, it injects new momentum into the construction of new power systems and the green transformation of the energy structure. Shaanxi Yulin Energy Group New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. : Held cooperation discussions with China Hydrogen Energy Group Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Xinran Compressor. The three parties held in-depth discussions on matters concerning the construction of the Yulin Green Hydrogen Project, joint development of integrated energy stations, hydrogen energy equipment matching, coal chemical industry upgrades, high-end compressor matching, and local production site establishment, reaching a consensus on comprehensive industrial cooperation. NewAir (Hangzhou) Biotechnology Co., Ltd. : Formally signed a technology development cooperation agreement with China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Co., Ltd. The two parties will leverage their respective strengths in technological innovation and large-scale chemical engineering implementation to jointly develop a commercial process package for Flexfining™ ethanol-to-sustainable aviation fuel, opening a critical pathway for domestic alcohol-to-jet technology from laboratory scale to industrial implementation, while simultaneously planning large-scale industrial projects in and outside China. SPIC Green Energy Co., Ltd. : SPIC Green Energy signed a special cooperation agreement with the Second Research Institute of CAAC in Chengdu, marking the entry of their collaboration into a new phase of implementation. Next, the two parties will conduct in-depth cooperation focused on technological breakthroughs, standards research, industry-research integration, and talent cultivation to overcome challenges in SAF industry development, accelerate the implementation of demonstration projects, promote low-carbon aviation development, and support national energy security and the achievement of the "dual carbon" goals. Beijing SinoHy Energy Co., Ltd.: Signed a strategic cooperation memorandum with Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., a globally leading EPC enterprise, to jointly pursue global green hydrogen projects. According to the agreement, SinoHy Energy will contribute its technical strengths in alkaline electrolytic stacks and core hydrogen production equipment; Hyundai Engineering & Construction will leverage its experience in large-scale global energy infrastructure projects to provide system integration and EPC delivery services. The two parties will collaborate to create integrated alkaline water electrolysis hydrogen production solutions for delivery to project developers worldwide. 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) submitted patent WO2025109876, disclosing an Fe-Ni-Mo ternary non-precious metal catalyst formula with activity approaching that of platinum-based materials. Technology Footprints/Specifications 1. The team of Tong Lei and Liang Haiwei from USTC, together with Zhang Liang from Tsinghua University, proposed a Carbon Mesopore Depth Engineering (CMDE) strategy. By utilizing hollow mesoporous carbon spheres to regulate ionomer penetration depth, they addressed the inherent conflict between kinetic activity and oxygen mass transport in low-platinum fuel cells, developing a PtCo low-platinum catalyst that combines anti-poisoning properties, high mass transport, and excellent durability. Under an ultra-low platinum loading of 0.1 mgPt cm⁻², it achieved the power, activity, and durability targets stipulated by the US DOE. 2. The team of Professor Li Zhipeng from Northwestern Polytechnical University innovatively constructed a three-dimensional multi-physics field coupling model for tubular solid oxide fuel cells, systematically revealing the quantitative influence of temperature, electrode thickness, porosity, and oxygen domain geometric parameters on cell output performance. 3. China Automotive Engineering Research Institute's National Hydrogen Power Quality Inspection and Testing Center has built a 0-400kW three-axis comprehensive vibration testing platform for hydrogen-related equipment under load and opened it for commercial use, addressing the domestic gap in high-power hydrogen-related multi-physics field coupled testing. 4. The high-specific-power closed-cathode air-cooled fuel cell stack technology developed by the team of Academician Chen Zhongwei and Associate Researcher Zhang Meng at the State Key Laboratory of Energy Catalytic Conversion, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, has passed the scientific and technological achievement appraisal organized 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, solving technical challenges such as low-humidity performance degradation, carbon corrosion, dry membrane flooding, and high-power thermal management. 5. Two group standards concerning hydrogen production by water electrolysis have been officially released and implemented: the "Technical Specification for Safety of Hydrogen Production by Water Electrolysis" and the "Method for Calculating Economic Operation Indicators for Hydrogen Production by Water Electrolysis." 6. Petronor and H2SITE are collaborating to advance membrane technology for hydrogen production, enhancing high-purity hydrogen recovery and low-carbon efficiency in refining.

SMM News on July 1: Metals market: As of midday close, domestic base metals mostly fell. SHFE copper fell 0.44%, SHFE aluminum fell 0.86%. SHFE lead fell 1.46%. SHFE zinc rose 1.01%. SHFE tin rose 0.93%. SHFE nickel fell 0.61%. Additionally, the most-traded casting aluminum futures fell 0.64%, the most-traded alumina futures rose 0.11%. The most-traded lithium carbonate futures rose 5.65%. The most-traded silicon metal futures rose 0.6%. The most-traded polysilicon futures rose 3.08%. Ferrous metals all fell. Iron ore fell 1.81%, HRC fell 0.52%. Rebar fell 0.79%, stainless steel fell 0.14%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract fell 2%, the most-traded coke contract fell 2.33%. Overseas base metals market, as of 11:36, LME metals all fell. LME copper fell 0.91%, LME aluminum fell 1.18%, LME lead fell 0.69%. LME zinc fell 0.69%, LME tin fell 1.53%. LME nickel fell 0.37%. Precious metals, as of 11:36, COMEX gold fell 1.09%, COMEX silver fell 2.74%. Domestic precious metals: SHFE gold fell 0.37%; the most-traded SHFE silver futures rose 0.5%. Additionally, as of midday close, the most-traded platinum futures fell 1.91%, and the most-traded palladium futures fell 1.03%. As of midday close, the most-traded European container shipping futures fell 9.81% to 2,560 points. As of 11:36 on July 1, midday futures quotes for some contracts: Spot and fundamentals Copper: Today, Guangdong #1 copper cathode spot against the front-month contract: high-quality copper reported at a premium of 50 yuan/mt, up 50 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; standard-quality copper reported at parity, up 90 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; SX-EW copper reported at a discount of 60 yuan/mt, up 90 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average price of Guangdong #1 copper cathode was 102,220 yuan/mt, up 140 yuan/mt from the previous trading day, and the average price of SX-EW copper was 102,135 yuan/mt, up 160 yuan/mt... Macro front China: [The PBOC net withdrew 1,162.5 billion yuan from the open market today.] The PBOC conducted 100 billion yuan in 7-day reverse repo operations today at an unchanged interest rate of 1.4%. Today, 662.5 billion yuan in 7-day and 600 billion yuan in overnight reverse repos matured. [Shenzhen's June housing transactions hit a near 6-year high.] According to data released by Shenzhen Centaline Research Center today, Shenzhen's new and secondhand home transactions totaled 8,878 units in June, down 11.9% MoM but up 14.2% YoY. The combined new and secondhand home transaction volume hit a new high for the same period since 2021. Among them, first-hand residential (presale + existing) online signings totaled 3,785 units, down 16.7% MoM but up 15.6% YoY; second-hand residential transfers reached 5,093 units, down 8% MoM but up 13.1% YoY. (Jin10 Data APP) US dollar aspect: As of 11:36, the US dollar index rose 0.16% to 101.33. Fed’s Hammack said: The labour market is near full employment, with good growth prospects. Inflation remains too high, and the Fed may need to consider rate hikes. Jason Pride, Chief of Investment Strategy at private wealth management and investment firm Glenmede, and Michael Reynolds, Vice President of Investment Strategy, said investors should expect the US June unemployment rate to remain unchanged at 4.3%, with non-farm payrolls increasing by about 87,000. While this represents a pullback from May’s 172,000, in the current labour market environment of “low hiring, low layoffs,” it still counts as a solid outcome. Although employment fundamentals remain largely intact, the Fed’s focus has shifted to inflation, meaning that the timing of any future easing measures will depend more on inflation pressures than on job growth itself. According to CME’s “FedWatch”: The probability of the Fed keeping rates unchanged in July is 66.3%, and the chance of a cumulative 25bp rate hike is 33.7%. For September, the probability of the Fed keeping rates unchanged is 33.1%, the chance of a cumulative 25bp hike is 50.0%, and the chance of a cumulative 50bp hike is 16.9%. (Jin10 Data APP) Data highlights: Today will see the release of US June Challenger Job Cuts, US June ADP Employment Change, US June S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (final), US June ISM Manufacturing PMI, US May Construction Spending MoM, UK June Nationwide House Price Index MoM, UK June Manufacturing PMI (final), Switzerland May Real Retail Sales YoY, France June Manufacturing PMI (final), Germany June Manufacturing PMI (final), Eurozone June Manufacturing PMI (final), Eurozone June CPI YoY (preliminary), and Eurozone June CPI MoM (preliminary), among others. In addition, Fed Chairman Warsh, ECB President Lagarde, Bank of England Governor Bailey, and Bank of Canada Governor Macklem spoke at the “Policy Panel” session of the ECB’s Global Central Bank Forum. The Davos Technology Summit is held from July 1 to 4, with the theme “Physical AI and Robotics.” It is worth noting that on July 1, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (China) was closed for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day, with both northbound and southbound trading suspended. The Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada was closed for Canada Day. Crude oil: As of 11:36, oil prices on both benchmarks edged up, with WTI up 0.42% and Brent up 0.41%. Preliminary vessel tracking data from Kpler and Vortexa showed the UAE lifted exports of crude oil and condensate to a record high in June, shortly after leaving OPEC. Rauball, a senior oil analyst at Kpler, said UAE exports of crude and condensate averaged about 3.7 million barrels per day this month, a record high and well above the pre-Middle East conflict level of 3.1 million to 3.3 million barrels per day. The UAE's previous export peak was 3.44 million barrels per day in April 2020, when Saudi Arabia and Russia triggered a brief oil price war. Emma Li, a senior oil analyst at Vortexa, said crude loadings from Abu Dhabi hit 4 million barrels per day between June 1 and 29, surpassing the pre-conflict level of 3.4 million barrels per day. Exports also rose to a record 3.7 million barrels per day, compared with 3.3 million barrels per day in the first two months of this year. (Jin10 Data APP) Spot Market Overview: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) has signed an MoU with Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche for a €300 million investment to develop an aluminum foil plant and a Centre of Excellence in Ghana’s Tema Integrated Industrial Park. The proposed aluminum foil rolling plant will have capacity of 40,000–45,000 tpy across ten value-added foil product categories serving packaging, pharmaceutical, food service, and industrial markets. The project aims to strengthen Ghana’s integrated aluminum value chain by leveraging proximity to VALCO’s smelting operations and Tema Port while promoting technology transfer, skills development, and export-oriented manufacturing.

SMM, June 30: Although market procurement demand remained mediocre, spot prices for Pr-Nd oxide recorded a second consecutive increase, supported by fluctuations in futures, difficulty in finding low-priced cargo in the market, some large manufacturers entering procurement, and a MoM decline of about 6% in Pr-Nd oxide production in June. On the demand side, long-term demand expansion expectations in the new energy industry chain such as robotics, along with the upcoming Q3 downstream concentrated procurement season in China and rising market expectations for subsequent demand recovery, bolstered the rare earth permanent magnet concept to strengthen on June 30, with the concept rising 2.79% by the close on June 30. In terms of individual stocks: Dongfang Zirconium Industry, Sinomine Resource Group, and Zhong Ke San Huan hit the daily limit up, while Hanghua Co., Ltd., Longhua Co., Ltd., Zhongxi Nonferrous, Sinosteel NMC, and Ningbo Yunsheng led the gains. Pr-Nd Oxide Spot Prices See Second Consecutive Increase; June Production Declines MoM In the spot market, on June 30, the average price of Pr-Nd oxide extended its upward trend from the previous trading day, rising another 0.68%. Currently, overall prices in the rare earth market remain stable. The increase in Pr-Nd oxide futures prices drove a simultaneous rise in supplier spot offers, making low-priced oxides hard to find in the market. However, metal enterprises were cautious in procurement due to unsatisfactory inquiries for metals, leading to generally moderate market trading activity. In the metal market, inquiry activity picked up slightly on the afternoon of the 30th, mainly driven by tender procurement from major magnetic material manufacturers, but most magnetic material enterprises remained on the sidelines, resulting in overall poor transactions. In the short term, Pr-Nd product prices may move sideways without significant improvement in downstream demand. On the supply side, further providing price support logic: in terms of production, according to SMM's latest survey, overall rare earth oxide production declined MoM in June, with Pr-Nd oxide seeing the most prominent decrease, shrinking approximately 6% MoM. Institutional Views SDIC Securities emphasized that heavy rare earths are accelerating inventory depletion due to a cliff-like decline in imports from Japan, opening a window for domestic substitution, with prices of dysprosium oxide and terbium oxide rebounding strongly. Materials such as AI high-capacity MLCCs, high-end ceramic substrates, and dental zirconia all require the addition of heavy rare earths. Growing demand combined with hard supply constraints is driving the price centers of both light and heavy rare earths upward together. Meanwhile, inflation trends in AI upstream materials such as MLCC dielectric powder, Low CTE electronic fabrics, M9 copper foil, and tantalum metals are clear, and the medium and long-term outlook is positive for the allocation value of strategic metals like rare earths, tungsten, copper, tin, molybdenum, antimony, germanium, gallium, tantalum, niobium, uranium, rhenium, and lithium. A research report from China Securities stated that domestic dental zirconia enterprises have confirmed "receipt of a notice from Japan's Tosoh Corporation regarding the suspension of zirconia powder supply," marking a shift in raw material shortages from expectations to reality following overseas rare earth supply restrictions. Yttria-stabilized nano zirconia (YSZ) is a high-performance ceramic material with yttrium oxide added as an additive. Due to restricted rare earth supply outside China, the price spread between Chinese and overseas markets has reached hundreds of times at its peak. The domestic price spread for yttrium oxide between Chinese and overseas markets is huge. Rare earths are indispensable additives for high-end materials and high-end manufacturing. As overseas rare earth supply tightens and the price spread between Chinese and overseas markets widens, domestic high-end materials containing rare earths are expected to gain a larger share of the global market, benefiting the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments of the rare earth industry chain. Recommended reading:

When asked, "The company extracts the following by-products during copper smelting: rhenium, germanium, indium, gallium, bismuth, selenium, tellurium, platinum, palladium, antimony, and cadmium. Is this true? And what was the annual production of each in tonnes in 2025? Please reply, thank you!" Tongling Nonferrous Metals responded on the investor interaction platform on June 29 that the company fully leverages its comprehensive resource utilization advantages, recovering associated platinum, palladium, rhenium, and other rare and scattered metals during the copper smelting process to enhance by-product profit contribution, and the overall production volume accounts for a relatively small share. The company's overall operating performance of the rare and scattered metals business in 2025 has been reflected in the annual report. Tongling Nonferrous Metals replied to investor questions on the investor interaction platform on June 29: (1) The company's main business includes copper ore mining and beneficiation, smelting, and copper processing, and it has competitive advantages in mineral resource reserves, copper smelting, and deep processing. It is one of the most comprehensive integrated copper producers in China, with horizontal expansion and vertical extension of its industry chain, giving it a competitive edge in industry chain integration. (2) As of now, the specific projects related to the industrial park mentioned above are still in the preliminary survey and proposal evaluation stage; no final decisions have been made, nor have internal reviews or relevant administrative approval procedures been carried out. There is a degree of uncertainty about project implementation. The company will strictly comply with information disclosure laws, regulations, and regulatory requirements, and will perform its information disclosure obligations in a timely manner when the projects achieve substantive progress and meet disclosure thresholds. All material matters of the company are subject to the formal announcements published on the designated information disclosure media. Investors are advised to invest rationally and be mindful of investment risks. (3) Regarding the client situation of Jinxin Copper Branch, please refer to the company's announcements on statutory information disclosure platforms. Tongling Nonferrous Metals stated on the investor interaction platform on June 29: The copper wire rod capacity of Jinxin Copper Branch is in the process of gradual release; subsequently, based on market demand and its existing capacity, it will effectively plan capacity to ensure efficient resource allocation. As of now, Jinxin Copper's orders are normal and all operations are proceeding in an orderly manner. For specific orders and shipment volumes, please refer to the company's announcements on the statutory information disclosure platform. In response to the questions: "1. What was the average selling price of the 6.21 million mt of sulphuric acid produced in 2025? And what were the sales volume and average selling price of sulphuric acid in the first five months of this year? 2. What is the specific reason for the asset impairment loss of 1.627 billion yuan in Q1 2026? With non-ferrous metal prices generally rising, is the company's earlier provision for inventory impairment hiding profits? After the inventory for which impairment has been provided is sold, will profit be restored by an equivalent amount? 3. The company holds 600 million shares of Tongguan Copper Foil. Based on today's closing price of 200 yuan, the equity position has an unrealized gain of 119 billion yuan. Does the company plan to sell at an opportune time to realize the investment gain?" Tongling Nonferrous Metals replied on the investor interaction platform on June 26: 1. Regarding sulphuric acid sales volume and average selling price: Sulphuric acid is a by-product of the company's smelting process, and its selling price is market-oriented, affected by multiple factors including regional supply-demand patterns and demand from downstream fertilizer and chemical industries. The company's overall operating performance of the sulphuric acid business in 2025 has been reflected in the annual report, and 2026 operating data should be referred to in subsequent periodic reports disclosed by the company. The company will continue to monitor the sulphuric acid market and dynamically optimize production and sales pace to maximize the operating profit of by-products. 2. For the reasons for the Q1 2026 asset impairment provision, please refer to the company's Announcement on Asset Impairment Provision (Announcement No.: 2026-024) disclosed on cninfo.com.cn on April 29, 2026. The company strictly follows accounting standards for enterprise accounting treatment, and there is no hiding of profits. According to accounting standards, when inventory for which a price decline provision has been made is subsequently sold, the corresponding inventory price decline provision is simultaneously written off, reducing the current period's operating costs, thereby positively restoring profit for the period. However, it is not an equivalent amount; the write-off amount is capped at the originally provided amount for that inventory and will not generate additional profit beyond the original provision. 3. Tongguan Copper Foil is a controlled subsidiary of the company, and the company holds 72.38% of its equity. Its financial data are fully consolidated into the company's consolidated financial statements. From an accounting perspective, fluctuations in the secondary market share price of a controlled subsidiary represent changes in market valuation only. In cases where equity is not disposed of, or is partially disposed of without losing control, it will not affect the net profit in the company's consolidated statements for the current period. As of now, the company has no plan to sell Tongguan Copper Foil shares opportunistically. If equity disposal is involved in the future, the company will strictly comply with state-owned asset supervision and securities regulatory requirements, fulfilling review procedures and information disclosure obligations. An investor asked on the investor interaction platform: Dear Board Secretary, regarding the Mirador Phase II (Mirador) Mining Contract Amendment (Adenda), its status was updated from "awaiting signature" to "signed/notification process" when a shareholder inquired on April 21, 2026. May I ask whether ECSA, controlled by the company, has now received formal notification of the signing of the mining contract for the Mirador Phase II copper mine project? Tongling Nonferrous Metals stated on the investor interaction platform on May 21 that as of now, China Railway Construction Tongguan Investment Co., Ltd. (of which ECSA is the main operating entity for the Mirador copper mine) has not yet received formal notification of the signing of the mining contract for the Mirador Phase II copper mine project. Please refer to the company's announcements on the statutory information disclosure platform for updates. Tongling Nonferrous Metals released its Q1 report showing: The company achieved operating revenue of 64.67 billion yuan in Q1 2026, up 83.61% YoY; net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was 1.338 billion yuan, up 19.12% YoY; and net cash flow from operating activities was 6.632 billion yuan, up 473.09% YoY. Tongling Nonferrous Metals announced in its Q1 report matters concerning project delays at a controlled subsidiary: In recent years, Ecuador's political situation has been volatile with frequent personnel changes, and leadership changes at the competent ministry have led to personnel changes at the working level, greatly affecting policy continuity and administrative efficiency, thereby impacting the progress of signing the Mining Contract for the Mirador Phase II copper mine project. Since 2025, the company and ECSA have strengthened engagement with the relevant authorities of Ecuador's new government through multiple channels and at various levels. The latest round of preliminary negotiations for the Mining Contract for the Mirador Phase II copper mine project has been completed and submitted to the competent ministry for review. Given the significant differences in investment and operating environments between Ecuador and China, the volatile political situation, and the lack of stability in the legal environment, the specific timing for signing the Mining Contract for the Mirador Phase II project is still uncertain. As a result of the aforementioned factors, the formal commissioning of the Mirador Phase II project, once completed, can only commence after its Mining Contract is signed. For details, please refer to the company's Announcement on Subsidiary Project Delay disclosed on cninfo.com.cn on January 5, 2026. Tongling Nonferrous Metals disclosed in its 2025 annual report: In 2025, the company achieved total operating revenue of 172.825 billion yuan, up 18.68% YoY; net profit attributable to the parent company was 2.415 billion yuan, down 14.02% YoY. Tongling Nonferrous Metals announced: In 2025, the company overcame unfavourable factors such as tight copper concentrate supply and low TCs, and carried out in-depth activities to increase production and efficiency, and reduce costs and tap potential. In 2025, the company produced 197,700 mt of copper in self-produced copper concentrates, 1.9548 million mt of copper cathode, 400,700 mt of semi-finished copper products, 6.2185 million mt of sulphuric acid, 20.51 mt of gold, 579.55 mt of silver, 376,200 mt of iron ore concentrates, and 382,100 mt of sulphur concentrates, successfully achieving the annual production tasks. Regarding its main business activities, Tongling Nonferrous Metals stated in its 2025 annual report: The company is a large-scale integrated copper producer covering copper mining and beneficiation, smelting, processing, and trading, with main products including copper cathode, sulphuric acid, gold, silver, copper foil, and copper plate/sheet and strip. The company has deep technical accumulation, a leading industry position, and significant competitive advantages in copper mining and beneficiation, copper smelting, and copper foil processing. The 2026 operating plan disclosed by Tongling Nonferrous Metals in its 2025 annual report shows: 1. Core operating indicators In 2026, the company will strive to achieve various core product production targets, specifically: 227,600 mt of copper in self-produced copper concentrates, 2.108 million mt of copper cathode, 455,000 mt of semi-finished copper products, 22,000 kg of gold, 650 mt of silver, 7.07 million mt of sulphuric acid, 344,000 mt of iron ore concentrates (60%), and 308,000 mt of sulphur concentrates (35%), anchoring production and operational objectives with quantified indicators. A research report from Guosen Securities published on April 22 indicated that the company's copper smelting segment's profitability is industry-leading. In 2025, Jinlong Copper achieved a net profit of 800 million yuan; if simply converted by capacity, Jinguan Copper Branch's net profit was approximately 1.22 billion yuan. Excluding the newly commissioned Jinxin Branch, the three existing smelters had a combined annual net profit of 2.64 billion yuan. The decent profit of copper smelters including the company in 2025 can be attributed to factors such as raw material inventory cycles, high sulphuric acid prices, high copper smelting recovery rates, and high prices for by-product gold and silver. Compared with several other large copper smelters, whose main smelters had net profit margins mostly around 0.5%, Tongling Nonferrous Metals' main smelters all had net profit margins around 2%, significantly above the industry average. Mirador Phase II may come online in August. The company expects to produce 228,000 mt of copper concentrates in 2026. Based on past trends, domestic copper ore production is 50,000 mt per year, and Mirador Phase I production is 130,000 mt per year, so Mirador Phase II is scheduled to produce 50,000 mt in 2026, implying production start-up around August 2026. In 2025, China Railway Construction Tongguan Investment achieved a net profit of 1.93 billion yuan, and the Mirador project company reached a net profit of 3.79 billion yuan, demonstrating strong profitability. Mirador Phase II mining and beneficiation costs are only about 70% of Phase I. If Phase I costs are 28,000 yuan/mt, a rough calculation puts Phase II costs at 19,600 yuan/mt. If by-product gold and silver partially offset copper costs, Mirador Phase II costs could be negative. Risk warnings: risk of wild swings in copper prices, risk of copper concentrate TC declines.