Metallurgie News
China continues to remind USA of rare earth dominance amidst trade tensions
The trade war between the USA and China continues to rumble on, impacting industries which rely on trade between the two nations. The USA has not proceeded with tariffs on rare earth products in previous rounds and the announcement of additional tariffs totalling US$ 300 bn in August is reported to be based on a list of commodities which expressly excludes rare earth materials and other critical minerals. As a result, rare earths are likely to be unaffected by US tariffs, though China appears much more likely and better positioned to implement restrictions on the trade of rare earths and downstream products between the two nations.
Mehr...Sammelquote von 45 % für Elektroaltgeräte 2017 erfüllt – über 800 000 t eingesammelt
EU-weit ist geregelt, dass mindestens 45 % an Geräten, die in den drei Vorjahren im Durchschnitt auf den Markt gebracht wurden, wieder eingesammelt werden. 2017 wurden 2 081 223 t Elektrogeräte in Verkehr gebracht. Im Vergleich zum Vorjahr wurden 54 693 t mehr Elektroaltgeräte gesammelt und zurückgenommen (+7 %). 2017 betrug die Quote daher 45,08 %. Die höchste Sammelquote mit über 70 % weisen Haushaltskleingeräte auf, wie Haartrockner oder Toaster sowie Geräte der Unterhaltungselektronik, wie Fernseher oder Radio. Bei den Haushaltsgroßgeräten betrug 2017 die Sammelquote nur 42 %. Die Lücke zwischen den in Verkehr gebrachten Geräten und den gesammelten Altgeräten ist hier mit fast einer halben Million Tonnen besonders groß.
Mehr...ThyssenKrupp to build new chromium coating line
ThyssenKrupp has approved the investment funds to build a new coating line for packaging steel at its Andernach site in Germany. The company’s investment is quoted as “in the low three-digit million Euro range”. The line will incorporate a new process, which will replace the existing production method due to the EU-wide ban on hexavalent chromium compounds in production processes. Chromium chemicals are used to apply chromium metal finishes and form a niche application for chromium in comparison to the larger steel alloy industry, specifically stainless steel.
Mehr...Glencore to end Mutanda cobalt production
Anglo-Swiss mining giant Glencore is pulling the plug on the world’s largest cobalt mine at the end of 2019, citing a fall in prices as the reason why. As reported by the Financial Times, in a letter to employees, Glencore said the Mutanda mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is “no longer economically viable.” The price of cobalt has fallen significantly in 2019 on the back of a glut in production from the DRC, with even artisanal miners choosing to mine copper instead.
Mehr...Tungsten: H.C. Starck posts 23 % sales rise in FY 2018
Germany-headquartered tungsten refiner and fabricator H.C. Starck announced a 23% rise in sales to € 581.7 M (US$ 647.7 M) for FY 2018. Sales were adjusted to reflect the sale of the Tantalum & Niobium Division to Japan’s JX Group, and the sale of the STC Division to Sweden’s Höganäs Group, during the course of the year. H.C. Starck noted that Tungsten Division sales increased following the market success of its nanocrystalline tungsten carbide varieties, in addition to the ramp-up of capacity at its Chinese JV plant in Ganzhou, which produces APT, oxide, metal powders and tungsten carbide.
Mehr...Wiesner leitet Rheinfelden Alloys
Dr. Stuart Wiesner ist mit sofortiger Gültigkeit zum Geschäftsführer von Rheinfelden Alloys ernannt worden. Er folgt damit auf Hilmer Kirschner, der das Unternehmen auf eigenen Wunsch verlässt. Wiesner kam Ende 2014 zu Aluminium Rheinfelden und verantwortete bei Rheinfelden Alloys das Ressort „Product and Business Development“. In dieser Funktion hat er maßgeblich die Palette innovativer Aluminium-Legierungen erweitert.
Mehr...Hazelett Corporation celebrates 100 years of its continuous casting equipment business
Hazelett Corporation is a manufacturer and supplier of continuous casting machines for the global metal industries like aluminium, copper, zinc and lead operating in more than 24 countries. The company recently celebrated its 100 years in business. Its continuous casting technology is used in metal manufacturing worldwide to cast metals into strip and bars. Currently over 100 Hazelett twin-belts continuous casting machines are in use in different facilities.
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