Payment clearing and reconciliation services company BankservAfrica's Economic Transactions Index (BETI) for December 2022 improved despite the ongoing, dismal economic context, rising to 132.1 following six consecutive months of declines in the index.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) reports that the national metallic mining production in November 2022 had an increase in copper, zinc, iron and tin, compared to the similar month of 2021.

With an investment of US$32mn, Chilean iron ore miner Minera del Pacífico (CMP) looks to continue operating in the Pleito district until 2029, which the CAP group firm holds in northern Atacama region.

Brazil increased its power generation capacity by 8.2GW in 2022, with fossil-fueled thermal plants accounting for 16pc of total growth.

The daily Argus ICX 62pc iron ore index was at $117.35/dry metric tonne on 3 January, down by 2.2pc from a year earlier.

Steelmaker Nucor rolled its first plate at its new mill in Brandenburg, Kentucky.

US steelmaker Nucor has kept its plate pricing flat, a month after it dropped prices by triple digits.

Overseas demand for Japanese ferrous scrap is likely to recover in 2023, while stronger domestic consumption and slower scrap generation in the country limit availability for exports.