Vale Indonesia's nickel matte output falls in Jul-Sep

Spanish Market: Metals
30/10/26

Brazilian mining group Vale's Indonesian subsidiary Vale Indonesia recorded lower nickel matte production on the year in the third quarter of 2026.

Nickel matte production at the company's Sorowako operation in South Sulawesi came in at 18,314t in July-September, said its latest quarterly report released on 29 October. This is compared with 19,391t in July-September 2025.

But this up by 14pc from the previous quarter and the highest quarterly output so far this year. The quarter-on-quarter increase in output came after major maintenance work in the previous quarter, as well as improved equipment availability and steady operations, the firm said.

The firm's ore sales rose on the quarter. The company sold 1.73mn wet metric tonnes (wmt) of nickel ore during the quarter, up by 10pc from April-June. Ore sales comprised 415,000wmt from the Bahodopi mine and 1.31mn wmt from the Pomalaa mine.

The company was the first Indonesian nickel mining company to publicly confirm approval of its 2026 work plan and budget (RKAB) in January, following a brief suspension of mining activities while waiting for the permit. The approval of the RKAB allowed the company's mining and construction activities to resume across its Sorowako, Pomalaa and Bahodopi operations.

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30/10/26

Andromeda sends first high-purity alumina to Japan

Singapore, 30 October (Argus) — Australian mining firm Andromeda Metals has sent its first commercial high-purity alumina (HPA) sample to a potential customer in Japan, the company said in an ASX announcement on 29 October. The HPA was produced at Andromeda's continuous pilot plant using kaolin from its Great White project in South Australia. Samples produced at the plant reached a purity of up to 99.9989pc, according to the announcement. The commercial sample was sent to a potential customer in Japan's high-tech manufacturing sector for evaluation as part of Andromeda's customer engagement programme. The company did not disclose the customer or the intended end use. Andromeda plans to continue its pilot plant test programme through the October-December quarter and produce further commercial samples for prospective customers, according to the announcement. Several Australian companies are producing or developing HPA as they seek to expand commercial-scale production. Australian developer Alpha HPA has been producing HPA at its Stage One facility in Gladstone, Queensland, where output reached over 1,200 kg/week by October 2024, the company said. Alpha HPA is also constructing the second stage of its HPA First project in Gladstone, with first production scheduled for 2027. Fellow developer Cadoux has produced 4N HPA at pilot scale in Western Australia (WA) and is developing a proposed 10,000 t/yr commercial HPA project. Exploration firm Impact Minerals is also developing its 80pc-owned Lake Hope HPA project in WA, where a pilot plant is under construction and scheduled for installation and commissioning by 30 November, the company said on 26 October. Impact also owns 50pc of Alluminous, which operates a separate HPA pilot plant in Perth. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US critical minerals strategy supports Australia: Panel

30/10/26

US critical minerals strategy supports Australia: Panel

Sydney, 30 October (Argus) — Australian critical mineral firms can benefit from US government funding and procurement restrictions, but companies need to be proactive about kickstarting projects and understanding US funding options, delegates heard at Sydney's International Mining and Resources Conference from 27-29 October. The US is shepherding G7 countries forward to reach alignment on critical minerals and is committed to its partnership with Australia, US Department of Commerce deputy assistant Joshua Kroon said. Australia is already compliant with US procurement restrictions on the sourcing of tantalum and tungsten issued under the National Defence Authorisation Act, which make it a competitive source of supply, US Department of Defence (DOD) technical director Adam Burstein said. US president Donald Trump in July signed an executive order instructing the DOD to stop issuing most waivers for the procurement restrictions from 1 January 2027. Further restrictions under the act on the sourcing of metals including gallium and germanium will come into effect from 18 December 2027. The DOD has moved quickly this year to invest $174mn in US aluminium producer Alcoa's gallium refinery in Western Australia and $400mn in Australian developer Sunrise Energy Metals' Syerston scandium project in New South Wales, Burstein said. But Australian companies need to understand how to access to full range of US financing options, non-profit Securing America's Future Energy executive director Abigail Hunter said. These include funding from the DOD, the Department of Energy (DOE), the Office of Strategic Capital, the Defence Industrial Base Consortium, and the US Army-operated Cornerstone. The DOE will give preference to Australian companies that are also invested in the US, such as manganese developer Element 25, DOE senior advisor Andres Rodriguez said. The DOE gave Element 25 a $166mn grant in January 2025 for its Louisiana-based high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate refinery. The US government-backed Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which has historically only invested in developing countries, has also expanded its mandate to look at critical minerals supply chains in Five Eyes countries including Australia, DFC regional managing director Douglas Midland said. Mining and minerals processing is now a national goal for the US, which could not have been said 10 years ago, American Exploration and Mining Association executive director Mark Compton said. The US' focus on critical minerals will outlive the Trump administration because this new national goal enjoys bipartisan and broad public support, Compton said. The US senate may be close to passing the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), which will cut red tape for mining firms and speed up development in the US, Compton added. Capital goes where capital is welcome, Kroon said, indicating that Australia may also need to do more to "clean up" its regulatory approval processes to stay competitive. By Daniel Gage-Brown Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Hydro starts work on new extrusion line at Cressona

29/10/26

Hydro starts work on new extrusion line at Cressona

Houston, 29 October (Argus) — Norway-based aluminum producer Hydro has begun constructing a new extrusion line at its facility in Cressona, Pennsylvania, as part of its efforts to modernize its manufacturing footprint in North America. The $53.5mn line will include a 5,900 metric tonne (t) indirect extrusion press and a 45,000 lb/hr billet furnace, with other upgrades including a semi-automated handling system for aluminum profiles, Hydro told Argus on Thursday. The company expects the line to begin operations in the first quarter of 2028. The project will replace a legacy line with a water-powered hydraulic press that was constructed in the 1950s, as Hydro looks to capitalize on growing demand for indirect extrusions that provide improved grain structures and consistent mechanical properties. Indirect extrusions involve pushing a die toward a stationary billet, compared with the opposite process when making direct extrusions, which is the industry norm. Hydro primarily supplies indirect extrusions to customers in commercial transportation, automotive and electrical end markets. The new line comes two years after Hydro installed an indirect extrusion press as part of an earlier modernization push, which coincided with an expansion of Cressona's casting capacity. The company, which picked Italy-based Presezzi to build the new press, called for "more nuanced" trade policies that do not increase the cost of capital-intensive equipment, noting that extrusion presses and other specialized assets that are "produced only in Europe" carry tariff burdens that threaten the "competitiveness of domestic manufacturing". By Alex Nicoll Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Howmet further raises 2026 guidance on IGT, aerospace

29/10/26

Howmet further raises 2026 guidance on IGT, aerospace

London, 29 October (Argus) — US engine components manufacturer Howmet Aerospace further raised its full-year earnings guidance on strong original equipment and spares demand from commercial aerospace and industrial gas turbine (IGT) manufacturers. Howmet raised its full-year revenue guidance to $10.29bn-10.31bn, a second quarterly increase from guidance of $10bn-10.1bn set in August, and a forecast of $9.575bn-9.725bn in May. Howmet also forecast 2027 revenue at approximately $11.5bn, representing a 12pc increase over the revised 2026 figure. Howmet's engine product sales increased to $1.45bn in the third quarter, up by a third from a year earlier, while sales in the fastening systems division were $630mn, up by 41pc year on year, both driven by commercial aerospace and defence markets. Third-quarter engineered structures sales were $295mn, a 4pc decrease on the year due to the divestiture of its Savannah disk forging facility. Excluding the divestiture, revenues grew by 8pc. Forged wheels revenue was $327mn in the third quarter, up by 32pc on the year because of higher volumes in the commercial transportation market and higher aluminium cost pass-throughs. Overall revenue hit $2.7bn, notably underpinned by a 45pc increase in sales to the IGT market. Spares demand from commercial aerospace remains strong due to durability issues on narrowbody engines and shop-visit requirements, while the record backlog of aircraft orders will sustain original equipment demand. Howmet is poised to further increase capacity for GE Aerospace, which will take two years to install with a "multi-year runway after that", Howmet chief executive John Plant said. Artificial intelligence and data centre power requirements are driving IGT demand, as turbine manufacturers' order books are now stretching out to 2031-32, Plant said. By Samuel Wood Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US growth quickens to 3.4pc in 3Q on investment

29/10/26

US growth quickens to 3.4pc in 3Q on investment

Houston, 29 October (Argus) — US economic growth accelerated to an annual 3.4pc rate in the third quarter, as stronger investment and a rebound in government spending spurred growth, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) said today. Gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 2.2pc in the second quarter and 2.5pc in the first quarter, BEA said in its first of three estimates for the quarter. Growth topped economists' estimates of a median 3.2pc in a survey by Trading Economics. It was the fastest growth in a year. The economy picked up speed even as the Mideast Gulf conflict, which began in February, lifted energy prices. The data follow the Federal Reserve's decision Wednesday to hold its target rate unchanged after a quarter-point hike in September. The Fed said economic activity is "expanding at a strong pace" but that inflation "remains elevated." Investment, much of it driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and the data center buildout, led the acceleration in GDP growth, rising by 19.6pc as equipment spending jumped by 20.9pc and spending on intellectual property products climbed by 8.4pc. Residential investment declined by 3.3pc. Consumer spending, the biggest part of the economy, rose by 3.8pc, matching its pace in the second quarter. Exports declined by 5.7pc, primarily because of lower shipments of petroleum and related products. Imports, which subtract from growth, rose by 19.7pc. Government spending, including investment, rose by 5.3pc, with federal spending up by 15.8pc and state and local spending flat. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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