Platts proposes brand list changes to European cobalt assessments

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, proposes to include Lygend cut cathodes in its European Cobalt Metal 99.8% Mixed-Use Basket B assessment, while removing Jinchuan as a named brand from the European Cobalt Metal 99.8% Alloy Use assessment, effective Sept. 1.

Jinchuan is rarely reported to be traded in the European spot market, and recent offers for this brand have been presented at considerable discounts compared to other Alloy-Use brands.

Under the proposal, the Mixed-Use Basket B assessment (symbol MMAIK00) would consider the following list of cobalt metal brands:

• CTT broken cathodes
• Ambatovy briquettes
• Vale Long Harbor cobalt rounds 99.9%
• Murrin Murrin briquettes
• Lygend cut cathodes

Under the proposal, the Alloy-Use assessment ( ECMAG00 ) would consider the following brands:

• Vale Port Colborne cobalt rounds 99.9%
• Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) cut cathodes 99.8%
• Nikkelverk cut cathodes 99.95%

Other brands may be considered for the assessments and may be subject to normalization.

The proposal follows initial feedback gathered during the annual review of Platts nonferrous specifications guide. A subscriber note was published March 12: https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/pricing-benchmarks/our-methodology/subscriber-notes/031225-platts-invites-feedback-on-its-global-nonferrous-metals-specifications-guide

Platts reshaped its European cobalt assessments by publishing separate assessments for mixed-use and alloy-use cobalt on Sept. 2, 2024.

Platts invites feedback, comments, and questions on this proposal to EMEAMetalsTeam@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com by July 28, 2025.

For written comments, please provide a clear indication if the comments are not intended for publication by Platts for public viewing.

Platts will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.