CONTRIBUTED BY
* Ralf Schmitz, German non-ferrous
trade association VDM (Europe)
* Robin Latchem
NON-FERROUS
53recyclinginternational.com | January/February | 2021
Demand for traditional lead batteries
remains very high despite all the efforts
to promote electromobility. Winter usu-
ally takes a toll on traditional batteries,
increasing consumption. New soft lead
cost between US$ 2 210 and US$ 2 260,
soft lead scrap between US$ 1 790 and
US$ 1 850.
NICKEL
Nickel is also currently strongly priced
with the LME recently quoted at US$ 17
731. Higher prices were also achieved
for alloyed scrap than in the previous
weeks. There is currently a particularly
high demand from stainless steel plants
in Europe. V2A scrap cost between US$
1 360 and US$ 1 530, V4A scrap US$ 1
860 to US$ 2 070.
ZINC
Zinc is no exception to the current rule
for non-ferrous metals. Despite moder-
ate demand, prices have followed the
general upward trend on the LME.
Three-month zinc was last listed in
London at US$ 2 774. The zinc process-
ing industry refrains from building up
high stocks and orders cautiously for
immediate needs. Demand is corre-
spondingly quiet. Special high-grade
zinc was worth around US$ 2 920 out-
side the LME while old zinc scrap cost
US$ 1 935 to US$ 2 010.
LME Non-Ferrous Prices & Stocks Reference date: February 1, 2021
/ Aluminium / Copper
– LME prices (in U.S. dollars/MT)
– LME stocks (x 1000 metric tonnes)
– LME prices (in U.S. dollars/MT)
– LME stocks (x 1000 metric tonnes)
/ Lead / Zinc
– LME prices (in U.S. dollars/MT)
– LME stocks (x 1000 metric tonnes)
– LME prices (in U.S. dollars/MT)
– LME stocks (x 1000 metric tonnes)
J F M A M J J A S O N D J
1764 1705 1536 1491 1486 1597 1671 1722 1759 1896 1988 2038 2003
1115 1115 1213 1213 1652 1563 1486 1486 1486 1443 1443 1433 1428
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
J F M A M J J A S O N D J
J F M A M J J A S O N D J
5965 5687 4854 5085 5241 5984 6533 6728 6707 6808 7681 7984 7900
160 160 216 216 221 221 72 77 77 174 77 77 77
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
0
100
200
300
400
500
J F M A M J J A S O N D J
J F M A M J J A S O N D J
1900 1846 1672 1707 1660 1787 1835 1984 1873 1847 1940 2040 2054
67 67 71 71 69 69 135 135 135 121 107 107 107
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
0
70
140
210
280
350
J F M A M J J A S O N D J
J F M A M J J A S O N D J
2354 2062 1879 1932 1975 2067 2285 2529 2440 2604 2740 2827 2608
752 752 754 754 1230 1230 2193 2193 2193 2178 2945 2945 2945
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
300
500
700
900
1100
1300
1500
1700
1900
2100
2300
2500
2700
2900
J F M A M J J A S O N D J
50-51-53_manonferrous.indd 53 01-02-21 13:52
