Sources: Rio Tinto is in negotiations to purchase lithium miner Arcadium.
Rio Tinto is in talks with Arcadium to purchase its lithium mine, according to three sources who have direct knowledge of these negotiations. This would make Rio Tinto the third largest producer of battery metal for electric vehicles. One source said that talks have continued and been ongoing in London during the LME Week Conference. According to a second source, an offer should be forthcoming in the near term. The sources stated that talks are continuing and could not necessarily lead to a deal.
Ifx: Japan is the top buyer of LNG from Sakhalin 2 in Russia
Interfax reported that a senior manager of the Sakhalin 2 plant in Russia said on Thursday that Japan was currently the largest importer of LNG from Russia, accounting for 57.5% its exports. Since the beginning of Russia's conflict with Ukraine, Japan has decreased its imports from Russia but kept stakes on several fossil fuels projects in Russia. Interfax reported that the chief of marketing for Sakhalin 2 company, Leonid Alexandrov, said China accounted 26.3% of LNG supplied by Sakhalin 2, followed by South Korea with 16.2%. He did not give a specific timeframe.
Origin Energy, Australia's hydrogen hub, plans to leave the Hunter Valley
Origin Energy, Australia's largest energy company, announced on Thursday that it will abandon its potential development project for the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub in New South Wales. The project is estimated to cost A$207.6 millions ($142.60 Million). The second largest power producer in the country said that it will also cease all work on hydrogen development, but remains open to exploring commercial options for HVHH. Origin stated that the decision to leave the Hunter Valley Hydrogen hub reflects the uncertainty surrounding the timing and pace of development of hydrogen markets…
Australia's Santos signs LNG deal with TotalEnergies
Santos, an Australian gas supplier, announced on Wednesday it had signed a contract for a midterm supply of liquefied gas with TotalEnergies Singapore. Santos said that under the contract which lasts a little more than three years it will provide 20 LNG cargoes or about 500,000 tons of LNG each year. The contract is expected to begin in the fourth quarter 2025. Santos will provide the LNG delivered ex-ship basis (DES) to TotalEnergies Gas & Power Asia. Kevin Gallagher, Santos Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer…
Alchemy Resources, Australia, signs lithium partnership agreement with Japan's JOGMEC
Alchemy Resources, an Australian miner, announced on Monday that it had signed a deal with a Japanese government agency for the Japanese agency to fund up to A$6,000,000 ($4,15,000,000) in exploration costs to gain up to 51% ownership of Roe Hills in Western Australia. Alchemy Resources will manage the project for the duration of the partnership. Once the Japanese agency JOGMEC has acquired its vested interests in the tenements the two companies are expected to form a joint-venture, according to a company statement. The Roe Hills project is part of a lithium and gold miner's Karonie project.
Australian LNG producers could need to commit to more gas for the local market due to a possible shortage
Due to a decrease in supply forecasts for next year the Australian competition watchdog stated on Friday that liquefied gas producers (LNG) may have to commit more gas to the domestic rather than export market. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's quarterly report, the LNG supply surplus on Australia's east coast is expected to drop to 12 to 27 petajoules in the first quarter 2025. This is down from 26 to 35 petajoules forecasted in June. The lower forecast is due to an increase in exports contracted in the third quarter of 2009.
TotalEnergies denies knowing about alleged torture and killings at Mozambique Liquefied Natural Gas site
PARIS, September 26 - French oil giant TotalEnergies responded to a report in the media by saying that it was unaware of the torture and killings allegedly committed on site of the future Mozambique Liquefied Natural Gas plant. Politico reported earlier Thursday that Mozambican soldiers working out of this site, which has not been completed, had rounded up 180 to 250 local men and locked them inside shipping containers. They then tortured them and killed the majority of them from July through September 2021.
Russian insurance boosts oil exports to India's top buyer
Data from sources in the shipping and trade industries shows that Russian insurers play a greater role in facilitating oil shipments by Russia to India, which is its largest buyer. This helps to protect Moscow's revenue through exports despite Western sanctions. According to calculations based upon the documents of the vessels, Russian firms insured 60% of Moscow’s oil cargoes bound for India in July. This is up from 40% last December. By using Russian insurance companies, Moscow can sell oil above the $60 per barrel cap that was imposed by the Group of Seven (7 G7)…
Russian insurance boosts oil exports to India's top buyer
Data from sources in the shipping and trade industries shows that Russian insurers play a greater role in facilitating oil shipments by Russia to India, which is its largest buyer. This helps to protect Moscow's revenue from exports despite Western sanctions. According to calculations based upon the documents of the vessels, Russian firms insured 60% of Moscow’s oil cargoes bound for India in July. This is up from 40% last December. Moscow can use Russian insurers to sell oil above the $60-per-barrel price cap imposed by the Group of Seven…
Andy Home: Nickel market is no longer worried about Russian supply
The market has shrugged off the suggestion by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow could consider capping nickel exports in retaliation to Western sanctions. The London Metal Exchange's (LME) 3-month price managed to make a slight bounce above the $16,000 per metric ton mark, but momentum is fading. It's a long way from the first Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The fear that sanctions could be imposed on metal produced by Russian giant Norilsk Nickel sparked a massive rally in 2022, which culminated in a complete meltdown of LME nickel.
Rio Tinto launches farming trial in Australia to explore renewable diesel production
Rio Tinto, the mining giant, announced on Wednesday that it would develop seed farms to investigate the potential of Pongamia oil as a source for renewable diesel. The miner and Midway, a local manager of a woodfiber processor, have partnered to manage the farming operations. Pongamia, a native Australian tree, can have its seeds processed into renewable diesel. This alternative emits much less carbon than fossil fuel. Rio Tinto has cleared about 3,000 acres of land in Queensland to test the…
Senegal president announces election of parliament on November 17
Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dissolved Thursday the national assembly led by the opposition, paving the way for legislative elections to be held early on November 17. Faye, the new leader of the country, stated in an evening speech that it was difficult to work with the Assembly after the members refused to begin discussions on the Budget Law and rejected attempts to dissolve wasteful institutions. Faye announced the voting date in his short speech. The two-year anniversary was marked on Thursday, which is the minimum amount of time before a new election.
Financials drag Australia's shares down; US inflation data is in focus
Australian shares finished marginally lower on Tuesday, as losses among financial stocks outweighed gains by miners. Investors were cautious in advance of an important U.S. inflation report that could affect the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision. The S&P/ASX 200 ended 0.4% lower, at 7978.7. The markets are weighing up whether the Fed will opt for a 25 basis point rate cut or a 50 basis point reduction during its policy meeting on September 17-18. Mathan Somasundaram is the CEO of DeepData Analytics.
APPEC-Taiwan CPC expects LNG imports to rise with nuclear phase-out
An official from state energy company CPC Corp stated that Taiwan's annual imports will increase as more gas-fired electricity plants are brought online in the face of the planned phase out of nuclear power by 2020. Vice president Jane Liao said that Taiwan's LNG imports this year could increase to 20 million tonnes from 19 million in 2023. Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), a state-owned utility, is the country's largest customer. Liao explained that this is dependent on Taipower's usage. If their (generated renewable) power is higher than expected, LNG consumption will be lower.
Methanex acquires OCI's methanol division in a $2.05 billion deal
Methanex, a Canadian methanol manufacturer, announced on Sunday that it would acquire the methanol division of Dutch green fuel maker OCI Global for $2.05 billion. The deal involves $1.15 billion cash and the issuance 9.9 million Methanex shares valued at $450 millions, according to the methanol manufacturer. It also includes $450 in debts and leases. OCI, in a separate press release, said that it would become the second largest shareholder in Methanex with 13%. The deal was expected to be completed in the first half 2025.
Woodside raises $ 2 billion in bonds amid growing investor concerns over capital expenditure plans
Woodside Energy, an Australian oil and gas company, raised $2 billion on the U.S. Bond Market, the company announced on Friday. This news caused its shares to fall on concerns about the company's capital spending plans. The bond issue consisted of two tranches: $1.25 billion in 10-year bonds at a coupon rate of 5.1%, and $750 millions through 30-year bonds at a 5.7% coupon. Woodside, Australia's largest gas producer, stated that the funds would be used for general corporate purposes without disclosing details.
US LNG Export Dominance Tested as Europe's Demand Wilts
The United States has remained the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) so far in 2024, but a steep drop in selling prices and a sharp swing in export volumes to key markets is likely testing exporter appetite to stay on top.The United States shipped a record 56.9 million metric tons of LNG during the first eight months of 2024, according to Kpler.That surpassed the 54.3 million tons from Australia and 53.7 million tons from Qatar during that period, and marks only the second straight year that U.S.
Santos LNG from Australia to Glencore Singapore
Santos, an Australian company, announced on Wednesday that it had signed a contract for a midterm supply of liquefied gas with Glencore Singapore. Glencore Singapore is a subsidiary of the London-listed Glencore. Santos has agreed to supply 19 LNG cargoes or approximately 0.5million tonnes of LNG annually over the course of three years plus a quarter. The contract will begin in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2025, with LNG coming from the company's global portfolio. Santos signed an agreement in May to supply 400,000 tons of LNG per year to Japanese energy company Hokkaido Gas for the next decade, starting in 2027.
US mineral projects close down government loans in fear of Trump
U.S. battery and miner recyclers have been rushing to close billions-dollar government loans before January, out of fear that the former president Donald Trump, if elected, would block funding necessary to boost American production of vital minerals for energy transition. The falling prices of lithium, nickel, and other minerals this year, along with lower than expected EV sales have scared private financiers. This has put the conservative mining industry into an unusual position, where it needs Washington's help to grow, and counter what is perceived by the West as China's manipulation of the market.
Britain announces that the Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement will come into effect by December 15
The British Government announced on Thursday that its agreement to join Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership will enter into effect by December 15th this year, after receiving the final ratification needed. CPTPP, or the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, is a free-trade agreement signed in 2018 by 11 countries: Australia, Brunei (Burma), Canada, Chile, Japan Malaysia, Mexico New Zealand, Peru Singapore, Vietnam. The UK is the sole European member of CPTPP, and it was the first country to join the agreement since its creation.
