Minister of State for Steel and Mines Prafulla Kumar Mallick on Wednesday said that the inter-departmental committee on mines has recommended reopening of seven non-captive mines in the State.

World crude steel production for the 65 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 136 million tonnes (Mt) in June 2015, a -2.4% decrease compared to June 2014.

Canada-based First Quantum Minerals has started recommissional work at the Ravensthorpe nickel mine, in Western Australia.

Reuters reported that small Australian miners are being hit by the 30-percent nickel price slump that’s hit the market this year. Some have had to delay projects and expansions.

Even longer term, the picture is much the same. BMO anticipates a nickel price of $7.25 in 2017 and $8 in 2018; earlier it had predicted a nickel price of $11 in both years.

At the end of 2014, many market watchers anticipated positive price action in the nickel space in the near term.

[Ferro-Alloys.com]Merafe Resources said on Monday that the weakening price of ferrochrome coupled with higher costs would hit basic earnings, resulting in a slump in its latest interim period.

Australia Manganese saleable ore output lifted 3 per cent to 2.9 million tonnes for the 12 months to June 30, after plant throughput and concentrator yields improved. Meanwhile, the company's South African Manganese saleable ore production increased by 7 per c...