Critical Materials and Minor Metals
Independent pricing, news, and analysis across critical materials and minor metals markets, including hafnium, titanium, tungsten, tantalum, gallium, and other key strategic metals.
Overview
Argus provides independent pricing and market intelligence across the minor metals sector, supporting customers in markets where transparency is limited, liquidity varies widely, and supply is closely tied to byproduct production from major metals. Many of these materials also fall under the critical raw material frameworks in many countries, increasing sensitivity to policy changes, trade restrictions, and supply chain risk. For decades, Argus has been a trusted resource for companies looking for a reliable data source for pricing of critical materials outside of China.
Our coverage spans key metals including cobalt, tantalum, hafnium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, molybdenum, gallium, germanium, indium, selenium, tellurium, magnesium, manganese, bismuth, and antimony and more, providing insight into spot price trends, regional dynamics, and technology-driven demand shifts. With a global team of market analysts across major producing and consuming regions, Argus delivers the independent perspective needed to support procurement planning, risk management, and strategic decision making in these opaque and highly politicized markets.
Argus’ critical materials and minor metals coverage is delivered through our global products, including Argus Non-Ferrous Markets, Argus Battery Materials, Argus Tungsten Analytics and Argus Rare Earths Analytics Service, giving customers a comprehensive view across specialty, technology, and critical metals markets.
Manufacturers dependent on engineered materials have additional challenges in determining the impact of critical metals on the cost of alloys they buy. Argus further supports clients with the Argus Alloy Calculator, enabling fast alloy should-cost analysis and synthetic indicative price generation to provide material value in the absence of traditional spot market assessments.
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Browse the latest market moving news on the specialty and minor metals industry.
Toyota adds $3.6bn Tacoma assembly line in Texas
Toyota adds $3.6bn Tacoma assembly line in Texas
Pittsburgh, 7 July (Argus) — Japanese automaker Toyota will invest $3.6bn to add a Tacoma assembly line at its San Antonio, Texas, plant and transition production of the pickup truck away from Baja California, Mexico. The expansion of the San Antonio plant will create 2,000 new jobs and double the size of the facility to 5mn ft² by 2030, Toyota said on 6 July. The automaker will transition Tacoma production away from Baja California during that time. The San Antonio campus also assembles the Tundra and Sequoia models and will launch a rear axle plant this fall. The plant produced 197,506 vehicles in 2025. The investment is a major commitment to the US market as 25pc tariffs on automobiles have raised the cost of importing vehicles. Some automakers, including Honda , have also increased US production. Toyota's expansion of the San Antonio plant comes as North American governments begin negotiating changes to the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade pact. Toyota encouraged "a quick resolution to USMCA to make the North American region globally competitive." By James Marshall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia's gasoil, jet stocks rise, EV sales increase
Australia's gasoil, jet stocks rise, EV sales increase
Sydney, 6 July (Argus) — Australia's gasoline stocks have dipped on the week to 30 July but gasoil and jet fuel levels have increased, as electric vehicle (EV) sales rose for the month of June, according to Australia's federal government. Australia's fuel importers held stocks of 22.2mn bl of gasoil, 11.1mn bl of gasoline and 5.9mn bl of jet fuel of stocks in-country and within Australia's exclusive economic zone on 30 June, Australia's energy minister Chris Bowen said on 4 July, or about 38 days of gasoil supply, 41 days of gasoline and 34 days of jet fuel. This is one more day's supply of gasoil than a week earlier, three days fewer of gasoline and five more days' worth of jet fuel over the same period. EV sales have soared during June, with 23.4pc of purchases battery EVs, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI). This compares FCAI data showing just 8.3pc of new vehicle sales comprising battery EVs last year . China is now the leading source of Australia's total new vehicle sales with 35.5pc of sales, followed by Japan with 20.7pc and Thailand with 17.8pc. Australia's temporary cut to fuel excise and the heavy vehicle road user charge was rolled back by half but extended by a month , effective 1 July. The temporary discount both taxes has been lowered to 16A¢/litre, (11¢/litre) raising the effective excise rate to 36.6A¢/litre until 2 August. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Transalloys shuts down S Africa’s last Mn smelter
Transalloys shuts down S Africa’s last Mn smelter
London, 3 July (Argus) — South African manganese alloy producer Transalloys has ceased all production at its last remaining smelter in the country because of an inability to compete caused by high-rate electricity tariffs, the company said on Thursday. The silico-manganese and ferro-manganese producer shut down all furnaces on 1 July, as negotiations over electricity tariffs with energy utility Eskom and the South African government's Department of Energy and Electricity (DEE) continued. Transalloys is a major producer of manganese ferro-alloys across Africa, accounting for about 80pc of the world's high-grade manganese ore reserves and 155,000 t/yr of alloy output. Halted production and the potential permanent closure of the smelter would significantly hit customers who rely on South African alloy supply. The suspension of the smelter places about 600 permanent jobs and an estimated 7,000 downstream livelihoods at risk. Transalloys officially concluded Section 189 consultations and a collective retrenchment agreement, based on the plant's financial distress since the end of 2022. Transalloys will continue negotiations with Eskom to achieve a sustainable solution until 31 July, when the retrenchment notice will be issued. Rising energy tariffs in South Africa over the past three years have weighed on ferro-alloy producers and driven persistent financial losses at smelters that have been unable to offset higher rates through significant price increases to customers. "In the past 3½ years, Transalloys' production was curtailed due to sluggish demand globally," chief executive Konstantin Sadovnik told Argus . The shutdown follows Transalloys' hardship notice to Eskom and Nersa, South Africa's national energy regulator, in December, through which it sought short-term relief from the electricity tariffs. Since then, the ferro-chrome industry has secured reduced tariff rates after ongoing discussions with Eskom and has been granted intermediary reduced tariff solutions. "What we do not understand is why that same blueprint cannot now be extended to the remaining non-ferro-chrome smelters, namely manganese and ferro-silicon, representing only 11pc of the ferro-alloys sector in terms of power consumption," Sadovnik said. Glencore Merafe Chrome Venture, one of South Africa's two main ferro-chrome producers, secured a new pricing framework set for three years. "Now that the framework exists, it is difficult to understand why the rest of the sector continues to face lengthy negotiations with no certainty or timeline," Sadovnik said. "It has been a tough uphill battle," Sadovnik added. "Our business has been losing substantial amounts of money for the past 3½ years. We have done everything possible to reduce costs, conserve cash, raise awareness and engage government, Eskom and the regulators to find and implement a sustainable electricity tariff solution. Now, effectively, our destiny is in the hands of Eskom, Nersa and DEE — they are to determine whether Transalloys lives or dies. Further procrastination will amount to a death sentence." By Lauren Hadeed Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US job growth halves in June to 57,000
US job growth halves in June to 57,000
Houston, 2 July (Argus) — The US added 57,000 jobs in June, about half the number analysts expected, while revisions slashed gains from the prior two months. Job gains in May were revised down by 43,000 to 129,000, and gains for April were revised down by 31,000 to 148,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Job gains have averaged about 36,000/month over the last 12 months, BLS said. The job growth in June compared with about 110,000 median jobs forecast by analysts surveyed by Trading Economics. The unemployment rate fell to 4.2pc in June from 4.3pc, BLS said. "The recent upturn in labor demand now looks much weaker, after downward revisions," Pantheon Macroeconomics said in a note. Surveys and job openings measures "suggest that payrolls will continue to rise slowly." Average hourly earnings increased by 3.5pc in June from a year prior. Professional and business services added 36,000 jobs in June, while social assistance added 25,000 jobs. Health care added 22,000 jobs. Government added 8,000 jobs. Manufacturing added 3,000 jobs, while mining lost 4,000 jobs, with oil and gas extraction down by 800 jobs. Construction added 11,000 jobs. Computer and electronic products added 1,500 jobs. 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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