Teck, WFP tackle zinc deficiency in China

Reuters reports copper hit its lowest in nearly a month on Monday as investors, already mired in worries over Europe's debt, digested news that US plans to combat debt are in disarray and took in warnings from China about gloomy global growth prospects. While US politicians' inability to reach consensus on tackling the country's debt problems was greeted with little surprise and the Europe crisis has been foremost in investors' minds for months, the statements by China's Vice Premier overnight really knocked sentiment. Wang Qishan said that a long-term global recession is certain to happen and China must focus on domestic problems. China is the world's top copper consumer, taking in about 40% of the world's copper versus Europe that accounts for 19% of demand.

Emerging from a short and distort saga awash in cash, Silvercorp Metals on Monday announced the acquisition of SX Gold, a mining concern controlled by the Luoyang city government in northeastern China's Henan province for $22.7 million. Earlier this month the company, the largest silver miner in China, increased its quarterly dividend by 25% to 2.5 cents, after reporting a big jump in second-quarter profit and record cash flows. The stellar financial results came after a forensic accounting report showed no truth to allegations of $1 billion in accounting fraud at the company which was first alleged on September 2 by shortsellers that had built up a massive position in the stock.

Graff Diamonds Ltd., the jewelry retailer whose founder twice set records buying gems at auction, plans to use funds from a proposed share sale to add stores in Asia as the region’s demand for luxury goods grows. The company plans to open outlets in Macau and Hangzhou, the largest city of Zhejiang province in eastern China, next year, Laurence Graff, 73, the chairman and founder of the London-based company said in a Nov. 18 interview with Bloomberg TV. The retailer has 32 stores worldwide including in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei, according to its website.

Due to euro jitters and the U.S. credit downgrade, investment demand in Europe for gold jumped 135% to a record quarterly value of €4.6 billion. On Thursday the World Gold Council’s Gold Demand Trends report for Q3 2011 was released. "The increase in overall investment demand was all the more impressive given the sharp gold price correction in September, which encouraged a wave of profit taking among bar and coin investors. Virtually all markets saw strong double-digit growth in demand for gold bars and coins," said the World Gold Council in a statement.

Marketwatch reports China’s leading market for precious metals trading increased its silver margin requirements Friday to a fresh high amid heightened volatility in precious metals. The Shanghai Gold Exchange lifted silver margin requirements to 18% of a contract’s value, up from 15% previously, according to data provided by ScotiaMocca, the metals unit of Scotia Capital. In morning trade in New York silver for December delivery was up 1.2% at $31.90 an ounce after retreating in East Asia and recovering from a 7% tumble on Thursday. Yesterday a Reuters poll predicted silver at $50/oz at the end of next year, exceeding the $48.61 record high set in April.

Wind turbine manufacturers are scrambling to find alternatives to a key element used in direct-drive permanent magnet generators (PMGs), thanks to skyrocketing prices and diminishing supplies of crucial rare earths. China currently provides 94% of the world's rare earths, including neodymium and dysprosium, which are used in the magnets for direct-drive wind turbine motors. However, the Chinese government has put new restrictions on rare-earth mining that have resulted in lower supply levels, according to a report from research firm Roskill Information Services (RIS).

Gold futures for December delivery dropped 3.2%  or $57 to $1,717.30 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange by early afternoon on Thursday. Gold's weakness flies in the face of new data from the World Gold Council showing investment demand at record highs and voracious jewelry demand from China, and investment bank Morgan Stanley picking gold as its top commodity for 2012 and predicting a price of $2,200 an ounce in the first half.

According to the World Gold Council’s Gold Demand Trends report for the third quarter 2011 released today, demand reached 1,053.9 tonnes, an increase of 6% compared to the same period last year. This equates to $57.7bn, an all-time high in value terms. The increase was driven by investment demand which rose by 33% year-on-year to 468.1 tonnes, generating record quarterly demand of $25.6bn, and came despite a steep drop-off Indian jewellery demand which was down 26% thanks to disappointing Diwali sales.Chinese jewellery demand was 13% higher year-on-year at 131.0 tonnes and topped Indian sales for the first time as Chinese jewellers expand outside the bigger cities.

The prices of rare earth elements, which have enjoyed a three-year run, are dropping rapidly, reports New York Times. The reason, says The Times, is on the manufacturing side, as big companies in the US, Europe and Japan that use REES in manufacturing move operations to China, draw down inventories, and look for lower-cost substitutes: International prices for some light rare earths, like cerium and lanthanum, used in the polishing of flat-screen televisions and the refining of oil, respectively, have fallen as much as two-thirds since August and are still dropping. Prices have declined by roughly one-third since then for highly magnetic rare earths, like neodymium, needed for products like smartphones, computers and large wind turbines.