Group 1 - Argentina's Cauchari-Olaroz salt lake project plans to increase lithium production to 85,000 tons annually by 2029, more than doubling the 25,000 tons expected in 2024 [1] - The new joint venture between Argentina Lithium and Ganfeng Lithium aims for a total annual production capacity of 150,000 tons, with construction expected to start in 2026 [1] - Brazil is forming a multi-stakeholder committee to develop national mining policies, focusing on the mining sector which has been overshadowed by energy sectors in recent years [2] Group 2 - Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto ordered the closure of 1,000 illegal tin mines in Bangka Belitung, aiming to recover significant lost revenue and cut off 80% of smuggled tin exports [3] - Arconic's new high-purity aluminum facility is set to begin operations on October 1, with production expected to exceed 90 million pounds [4] - Argentina approved McEwen Copper's $2.7 billion Los Azules copper project, which will benefit from tax incentives under the country's RIGI program [6] Group 3 - Japan's JX Advanced Metals plans to invest 7 billion yen ($47 million) to enhance its recycling pre-treatment capabilities, aiming for a 50% increase in processing capacity by 2027 [7] - MinRes signed a binding agreement to acquire assets from RDG, including the Lucky Bay garnet mine, following RDG's restructuring [8] - Northern Dynasty Minerals received $12 million to advance its Pebble copper/gold project in Alaska, with total funding from a royalty financing agreement reaching $48 million [9] Group 4 - American Lithium increased its investment in the Falchani lithium project in Peru to $847 million, following a favorable court ruling [10] - The Franklin lithium project in Texas revealed a resource estimate of 2.159 million tons of lithium equivalent, indicating significant development potential [11] - China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued a plan for the non-ferrous metals industry, targeting an average annual growth of 5% in value-added output from 2025 to 2026 [12] Group 5 - The 2025 China International Copper Forum was held, focusing on building value co-creation ecosystems in the copper industry [13] - The 18th National Nonferrous Metals Industry Skills Competition was held, showcasing advancements in the sector [14] - A seminar on corporate culture in the nonferrous metals industry was conducted, emphasizing high-quality development [16] Group 6 - A lithium battery recycling project in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, aims for an annual processing capacity of 50,000 tons, marking a significant development in the battery recycling sector [17] - Yunnan's Jinpo lead-zinc mine received a new mining license valid until 2034, allowing continued operations [18] - A strategic cooperation agreement was signed between China Railway and Ashapura for bauxite mining in Guinea, focusing on sustainable development and local economic growth [19][20] Group 7 - Huayou Cobalt's subsidiary signed a supply agreement with LGES for 76,000 tons of ternary precursor products from 2026 to 2030 [21] - Jiangxi Jiazhe plans to invest 620 million yuan in a project to produce 180,000 tons of non-ferrous metal deep processing products annually [22] - Salt Lake Co. has begun trial production of a 40,000-ton lithium salt project, enhancing its market competitiveness [23] Group 8 - New Zobang's lithium hexafluorophosphate production capacity is expected to reach 36,000 tons by the end of 2025 following technical upgrades [24] - Tianqi Lithium's 30,000-ton battery-grade lithium hydroxide project has been completed in Jiangsu, marking a significant milestone in its five-year strategic plan [25] - Chongqing aims for a 90% coverage rate of battery recycling networks by 2027, promoting sustainable practices in the industry [26] Group 9 - A new group standard for high-performance aluminum electronic foil was released, enhancing industry quality and technological standards [27] - The Lanzhou New Area high-precision aluminum plate and foil project has commenced, with an investment of approximately 2.499 billion yuan [28] - Ningbo Haicui's aluminum alloy smart door and window project has successfully launched, contributing to the company's digital transformation [30] Group 10 - The Suining Tianna Energy project is undergoing renovations, with a total investment of 5.8 billion yuan aimed at producing sodium battery materials [31] - An 800 million yuan new energy battery project has been signed in Liaoning, indicating growth in the sector [32] - A high-precision aluminum processing project was signed in Inner Mongolia, focusing on enhancing value-added production [33]

Group 1 - JX Advanced Metals plans to invest 7 billion yen (approximately 47 million USD) to enhance its preprocessing capacity, aiming to improve the processing capabilities of recycled raw materials in its metals and recycling business [1] - The company is considering scaling down operations and promoting "green mixed smelting" to reduce reliance on copper concentrates while increasing the proportion of recycled materials [1] - By 2027, JX Advanced Metals aims to increase its preprocessing capacity by 50%, including the addition of furnaces, to handle more materials requiring preprocessing, such as low-grade electronic waste [1] Group 2 - JX Advanced Metals is Japan's largest copper smelting producer, with an annual copper production capacity of 450,000 tons [1] - The investment is expected to enhance the profitability of its metals and recycling business while supporting the circulation of copper resources, which is fundamental to renewable energy and electrification [1] - The company noted strong demand for precious and rare metals, primarily sourced from recycled materials in its advanced materials business, including semiconductors and information communication materials [1] Group 3 - Japanese copper smelters are facing challenges due to a sharp decline in copper concentrate processing fees (TC/RC) and decreasing smelting profit margins amid tight concentrate supply and expanded smelting capacity [2] - The president of JX Advanced Metals indicated that the company might cut several thousand tons of copper production in the fiscal year 2025 and will announce a roadmap for reducing smelting capacity by March [3] Group 4 - The Chinese copper industry faces three major challenges: increasing dependence on foreign upstream resources, overcapacity in the midstream processing sector, and downstream demand being suppressed by high copper prices [4]