Section: Industry News

Metso says it has won a €180 million order for the delivery of engineering and key process equipment for a new primary copper smelter investment at an undisclosed location in Asia. The planned production capacity of the copper smelter complex is 300,000 t/a of copper cathodes and 1.1 million t/a of sulphuric acid, based on licensed Outotec® Flash Smelting, PS Converting and Lurec® technologies. It includes the design and supply of key process equipment for the main areas of the smelter complex, and the gas cleaning and sulphuric acid plant, copper electrolytic refinery, and precious metals refinery. The delivery also comprises site services and spares.

Syria’s Geological and Mineral Resources Authority has signed an agreement with Teryaq, a subsidiary of Serbia’s Exlixir Group, aimed at exporting 1.5 million t/a of phosphate by the end of 2026. The agreement marks a significant step in Syria’s efforts to expand international partnerships and optimise its mineral resources for economic gain. Elixir Group owns the largest phosphoric acid plant in Europe and operates three fertilizer plants in Serbia.

Ecovyst Inc, a provider of sulphuric acid, sulphuric acid regeneration services and catalyst activation services, has announced today that it has completed the sale of its Advanced Materials & Catalysts segment to Technip Energies. The company expects net proceeds after taxes and transaction expenses to be approximately $530 million.

Australia’s Nickel Industries is to sell a 10% share of the Excelsior Nickel Cobalt high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) project in Indonesia to South Korea’s Sphere Corp. The $240 million price tag represents a $2.4 billion valuation for the company. Sphere will acquire the stake from Hong Kong-based Decent Resource, while Nickel Industries will retain its 44% stake in the project, according to Nickel Industries.

PT Vale Indonesia Tbk says it has officially received the first two autoclave units for the Pomalaa high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL) project, a key component of the Indonesia Growth Project (IGP) Pomalaa. This delivery marks a critical milestone in preparing Indonesia’s high-tech nickel processing facility for operation. The welcoming ceremony was attended by PT Vale and PT Kolaka Nickel Industry (KNI) management, along with strategic project partners including Indonesia Pomalaa Industrial Park (IPIP), Huayou Southern Construction Command, MCC20, and other stakeholders.

Ivanhoe Mines says that the first copper anodes were produced by Kamoa-Kakula’s 500,000 t/a direct-to-blister copper smelter on December 29, 2025, approximately five weeks after the commencement of the smelter’s heat-up and one week after the first feed of concentrate.

Metso has booked the third part of its order for JSC Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex’s copper smelter project based on the equipment and project services delivery contracts announced on August 9, 2024. The first parts of the order, worth €146 million were booked in 4Q 2024, and the second part, worth €50 million in 1Q 2025. The order value recorded in 4Q 2025 is €70 million.

Three German subsidiaries of the Belgian chemical group DOMO Chemicals have filed for insolvency, following weak demand in the European chemicals sector, high energy costs and a significant increase in imports of polyamide resins from outside the European Union, in particular from China. Court appointed administrator Prof. Lucas F. Flöther said that day-to-day operations would continue for the time being. Around 585 employees are affected across the three companies; DOMO Chemicals GmbH and DOMO Caproleuna GmbH in Leuna and DOMO Engineering Plastics GmbH in Premnitz.

Chatham Rock Phosphate has agreed to sell its wholly-owned Australian subsidiary Avenir Makatea Pty Ltd to Austure Industries Pty Ltd for A$1.4 million, including A$900,000 in cash over a 24-month period, and a 20% shareholding in Austure Phosphate AU Pty Ltd, a newly-formed subsidiary of Austure, to establish a mono- and dicalcium phosphate manufacturing plant in Cloncurry. Colin Randall, Chatham Executive Director has been appointed a Director of Austure Phosphate AU Pty Ltd.

Flash floods in the Moroccan port city of Safi killed at least 37 people in December and injured many others, with knock on effects also likely to impact exports from phosphate producer OCP. Jorf Lasfar is the phosphate giant's main export hub for phosphate fertilizers and phosphoric acid, while Safi exports smaller volumes of phosphoric acid, TSP and animal feed products. Phosphate rock exports are largely concentrated at the port of Casablanca further north. OCP produces around 420,000 t/a triple superphosphate and 1.63 t/a phosphoric acid at Safi, as well as around 62,000 t/a dicalcium phosphate and 70,000 t/a monocalcium phosphate.