SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: June 9-13, 2025

June 13, 2025

Indian Gold Futures Breach Key 100,000 Rupees Level to Hit Record High

Indian gold futures rose above the psychologically important 100,000 rupees ($1,161.02) per 10 grams mark for the first time ever on Friday morning, on a weak rupee and tracking gains in overseas markets, dealer said. Domestic gold futures rose 2% to a record high of 100,403 rupees per 10 grams in early trade, squeezing demand in the world’s second-biggest consumer of the precious metal, dealers said. (Source: Reuters)

Gold Price Forecast: XAU/USD Rallies Hard as Israel-Iran Conflict Sparks Flight to Safety

Gold price hits fresh seven-week highs and nears $3,450 early Friday. Israel-Iran geopolitical escalation lifts safe havens such as Gold, US Dollar and Treasuries. Gold price looks north after acceptance above $3,377, with the daily RSI bullish. Gold price is gaining roughly 1.50% in Asian trading on Friday, underpinned by intense flight to safety amid escalating geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran. (Source: FXStreet)

UBS Refreshes Its Silver Prices Outlook for 2025

UBS said it expects silver prices to climb as high as $40 per ounce in the coming months, driven by investor appetite for U.S. dollar alternatives, continued ETF inflows, and a weaker greenback. UBS raised its near-term silver price forecast to $38/oz and said it could reach up to $40/oz is possible. Silver is already up 26% year-to-date, outpacing expectations amid strong momentum trading and a breakout above the $34.60 technical resistance level. The silver market is small, just 11% the size of gold, which means even modest shifts in allocations by retail or institutional investors can move prices meaningfully. Global silver demand is expected to hit 1.2 billion ounces this year, while supply is seen rising just 3% to 1.05 billion ounces, resulting in a fifth consecutive market deficit of around 149 million ounces, according to Silver Institute projections. UBS also sees potential for the gold-silver ratio to fall below 90x, further supporting silver’s relative appeal. (Source: Investing.com)

June 13: Nickel Salt Prices Remained Stable

On June 13, the SMM battery-grade nickel sulphate index price was 27,583 yuan/mt, with a quotation range of 27,580-28,050 yuan/mt for battery-grade nickel sulphate, and the average price remained stable WoW. On the cost side, LME nickel prices declined slightly this week. Demand side, despite signs of recovery in nickel salt demand MoM in June, overall demand remained sluggish. Affected by the availability of some raw material inventories and weak order demand, the inquiry and transaction activity of precursor companies for nickel salts were low during the traditional procurement period this week. Supply side, the order signing situation for nickel salt producers in June was poor this week, and some large nickel salt enterprises plan to carry out shutdown maintenance work in June. Given the weak demand coupled with declining costs, some nickel salt producers have shown signs of loosening their quotations. Looking ahead, considering the continued mediocre downstream demand and the weakened bargaining power of some buyers, nickel salt prices are expected to weaken further in the short term. (Source: SMM)

Meadow Announces Partnership with Novelis to Improve Circularity Within the Packaging Supply Chain

Stockholm-based packaging tech company, Meadow, is announcing a new partnership with Novelis, a sustainable aluminium solutions provider and leader in aluminium rolling and recycling. Under a recently signed agreement, Novelis will become part of the packaging technology provider’s network of supply chain partners for aluminium. The agreement supports the mutual goal of increasing recycled material used in the production of Meadow’s aluminium pre-fill solution – the MEADOW KAPSUL™ – creating a circular, more sustainable product for the global consumer packaging market. Novelis joins Ball Corporation, DRT Holdings and C-CARE as another industry leading partner in Meadow’s supply chain, reinforcing Meadow’s ability to deliver its aluminum prefill solution at scale through a robust and trusted industrial ecosystem. (Source: Novelis)

Cyclic Materials Announces USD $25M Investment to Establish Centre of Excellence for Rare Earth Recycling in Kingston, Ontario

Cyclic Materials announced a USD $25 million investment to launch North America’s first Centre of Excellence for rare earth recycling in Kingston, Ontario, which will result in 45 new skilled jobs in the region. Spanning over 140,000 square feet, the first-of-its-kind facility will serve as Cyclic’s industrial and innovation backbone, combining full-scale commercial processing and cutting-edge R&D to address one of the world’s most pressing supply chain challenges: the resilient sourcing of rare earth elements for use in permanent magnets. (Source: Cyclic Materials)

Qcells Expands Manufacturing Footprint by Opening New Business Arm – EcoRecycle by Qcells

Qcells announced the formation of EcoRecycle by Qcells, a new vertical for the company in solar panel recycling. As the first generation of solar installations reaches end-of-life (EOL), EcoRecycle addresses the growing challenge of solar panel waste while reducing the industry’s overall environmental footprint. This year, EcoRecycle will launch recycling operations at a state-of-the-art facility in Cartersville, Georgia, with plans to expand its recycling network across the U.S. At full capacity, EcoRecycle’s facility in Georgia will have the ability to recycle approximately 250 megawatts (MW) of solar panels annually – around 500,000 panels per year – repurposing materials like aluminum, glass, silver and copper. With plans to expand its recycling centers across the nation, EcoRecycle aims to optimize logistics and scale up operations to enhance efficiency. (Source: Qcells)

Kuwait Announces Opening of New Steel Recycling Plant in 2025

Kuwait-based Metal & Recycling Company (MRC) has announced plans to launch a new steel recycling plant with the capacity to process 60,000 tonnes of scrap metal annually, expected to begin operations in the first quarter of 2025. The investment is projected to prevent between 20,000 and 90,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. The facility will address gaps in the country’s industrial waste management sector, while providing local manufacturers with cost-effective raw materials, By reducing dependence on imported steel, the initiative aligns with Kuwait’s Vision 2035 and directly contributes to the nation’s sustainable industrial development goals. Equipped with advanced technology, the plant will feature automated sorting systems, energy-efficient production lines, and environmentally friendly filtration solutions. The project is also expected to support local employment and is seen as part of a broader strategy for environmentally responsible economic growth. (Source: SteelRadar)

TUBEX Launches ‘World’s First’ 100% Recycled Aluminium Applicator Tube

TUBEX has unveiled what it claims is the ‘world’s first’ applicator tube made entirely from a single piece of recycled aluminium, designed for applying beauty products to the eye and lip areas. The MonoSense applicator tube is available in multiple sizes with either aluminium or plastic caps. TUBEX says it has high dispensing efficiency for optimal product use and ‘outstanding’ barrier properties. The tube consists of 95% post-consumer and 5% post-industrial recycled aluminium. The company adds that the tube is naturally airtight and lightproof with no suck-back effect, aiming to ensure hygiene and product stability. (Source: Packaging Europe)

ArcelorMittal Opens a New Concentrator in Liberia with a Capacity of 20 Million Tons

ArcelorMittal has inaugurated a new 20 million tonnes per annum concentrator in Nimba Province, Liberia. The event was attended by President Joseph Bokai of Liberia and Executive Chairman Lakshmi Mittal, according to a press release. The project is the centerpiece of the second phase of ArcelorMittal’s large-scale investment program worth $1.8 billion, bringing its total investment in the country to more than $3 billion. The new plant is one of the largest in Africa in the field of iron ore beneficiation. It will increase annual production from 5 to 20 million tons and significantly improve product quality, in particular by switching to the production of ore with a higher iron content. In addition to the plant itself, ArcelorMittal invested in infrastructure modernization: the railway line between Tokadeh and the port of Buchanan was upgraded, a new berth was built, and transshipment systems were improved. More than 5,000 workers were employed in the construction, and about 1,000 permanent jobs will be created after the project is launched. (Source: GMK Center)

Composite Recycling Announces Strategic Collaboration to Develop Circular Economy Solutions for Post-Industrial Composite Plastic Waste

Composite Recycling has announced a strategic collaboration with Owens Corning’s glass reinforcements business to develop sustainable solutions for composite waste and advance industrial-scale circular economy initiatives. The collaboration is designed to achieve several key objectives, including: Optimizing Material Integration: The parties will jointly develop and refine methodologies to incorporate recycled materials from the Composite Recycling process into Owens Corning’s production streams of reclaimed glass fibers, which are used by industries such as boating, automotive, transportation, airspace, and construction materials, ensuring material performance and quality. Scaling Composite Recycling’s Technologies: Together, the companies will drive the industrialization and scaling of Composite Recycling’s recycling technology to make the process cost-effective and efficient at scale, addressing the challenges of recycling composite waste in multiple industries. Circular Solutions for Composite Waste: Owens Corning’s glass reinforcements business and Composite Recycling will work together to establish circular economy systems that handle composite waste throughout its lifecycle. (Source: Composite Recycling)

Evertis Selects Honeywell Aclar®Technology To Enhance Pharmaceutical Packaging

Honeywell announced that Evertis has selected Aclar® film to be used by its Evercare pharmaceutical brand. Evertis’ selection of Aclar films will help ensure that patients around the world receive the life-saving medications they need in secure packaging while supporting the industry’s efforts to shift toward recyclable solutions. Honeywell Aclar film is a medical grade material that can be used for both rigid and flexible packaging solutions. It helps protect the efficacy of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medication by providing the best moisture barrier polymer available for drug stability. This can help extend shelf life and reduce waste in the pharmaceutical industry. Further, unique technical production methods make it easy to separate and recycle Aclar films. Evertis, through its Evercare brand, will use Aclar to develop medical-grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging materials. PET packaging is widely used in various industries due to its lightweight and versatile nature. By using Aclar films in its PET packaging, Evertis can optimize manufacturing processes, reduce production costs and provide new packaging options for the industry. (Source: Honeywell)

Zimbabwe to Impose Export Ban on Lithium Concentrates from 2027

Zimbabwe will enforce a ban on the export of lithium concentrates starting in 2027, aiming to bolster local processing capabilities, according to Mines Minister Winston Chitando, reported Reuters. This decision follows the country’s prohibition of lithium ore exports in 2022 and is part of a broader initiative to encourage domestic processing within Africa’s leading lithium-producing nation. Lithium sulphate plants are currently under development at Bikita Minerals and Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, owned by Sinomine and Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, respectively. (Source: Reuters)

Glencore Halted Some Cobalt Deliveries over Congo Export Ban

Glencore declared force majeure on some deliveries of cobalt from Democratic Republic of Congo days after the government suspended exports of the battery material, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Congo, the world’s largest cobalt producing country, introduced a four-month ban on all cobalt exports in February in an attempt to curb a supply glut that helped send prices to nine-year lows and stifled its tax revenues. As a result of the ban, London-listed Glencore took the rare step of declaring force majeure on some supply agreements for cobalt produced at its Congolese operations, invoking a measure meant for unforeseeable circumstances that prevent a contract’s execution, the sources said. (Source: Reuters)

Trump Says US Gets Rare Earth Minerals from China and Tariffs on Chinese Goods Will Total 55%

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that China will make it easier for American industry to obtain much-needed magnets and rare earth minerals, clearing the way for talks to continue between the world’s two biggest economies. In return, Trump said, the U.S. will stop efforts to revoke the visas of Chinese nationals on U.S. college campuses. Trump’s comment on social media came after two days of high-level U.S.-China trade talks in London. Details remain scarce. Trump didn’t fully spell out what concessions the U.S. made. Beijing has not confirmed what the negotiators agreed to, and Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump himself have yet to sign off on it. On social media, Trump declared: “WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%. RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT!” But a White House official, who was not authorized to discuss the terms publicly and insisted on anonymity to describe them, said the 55% was not an increase on the previous 30% tariff on China because Trump was including pre-existing tariffs, including some left over from his first term. (Source: AP News)

23 Plastic Producers Fined a Combined $277,000 for Failing to Use Enough Recycled Content

The Washington Department of Ecology fined 23 plastic producers a combined $277,000 for not complying with a 2021 state law requiring them to use a minimum amount of recycled material in single-use beverage containers and trash bags. The penalties were based on the amount of plastic each company sold in Washington in 2024, and how far from the minimum recycled content requirements they were. Ecology reviews annual reports submitted by the covered product producers to identify those that are not meeting the minimum recycled content requirements. Fines for the 23 companies ranged from $194 to $54,868. Some producers may receive penalty reductions if they requested and entered into a Corrective Action Plan agreement with Ecology after receiving the first Notice of Violation. (Source: the Washington Department of Ecology)

Producer Registration Now Open for Minnesota’s New Packaging EPR Program

Circular Action Alliance (CAA), a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) dedicated to implementing effective Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws for paper and packaging in the U.S., has opened registration for all producers that sell packaged goods in Minnesota’s new EPR program as of April 2025. The producer registration deadline is July 1, 2025. Producers located in Minnesota or elsewhere that sell, distribute or ship products into the state with packaging or printed paper are likely obligated under the new EPR law, and must complete registration with CAA to remain in compliance. (Source: Circular Action Alliance)