Its July-September production fell by 77pc from a year earlier to 30,000t.

OEUK estimates only nine exploration and appraisal wells be drilled this year, down from around 60 in 2010.

HRC lead times in the Midwest increased to 4 weeks from 3-4 weeks.

Orion Minerals partners up at Okiep

Looking ahead, we believe economic growth will be a crucial priority for China, as the country has emphasized the importance of economic development, focusing on high-quality, balanced and inclusive growth.

Freight volume has seen stable monthly growth, with October hitting a high of 1.35 million tons, it said. Trade along the railway covers countries such as Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore.

The daily trading volume on the LME, inclusive of the liquidity window, totaled 16,930 mt on Nov. 1 and 33,430 mt on Nov 2.

The London Metal Exchange is to launch a number of new initiatives to boost the screen liquidity of its cash-settled ferrous futures contracts, it announced during the LME Focus Day event on Oct. 27.