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Industry News

Energy Department offers $3.5B for battery manufacturing

(Utility Dive) - The funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law will go toward new, retrofitted and expanded battery and critical mineral production sites.

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Keep Sulfur in mind when making fertilizer decisions

(SFN Today) - We know there are essential elements for plant growth. Sulfur is one of them, but there are two forms of sulfur. Taylor Purucker, crop nutrition lead for the Mosaic Company, talks about the two types of sulfur.

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STB gets earful on proposed rule for reciprocal switching

(Freight Waves) - The Surface Transportation Board recently closed the comment period for rail stakeholders to file their thoughts on whether reciprocal switching should be considered as an option to address subpar rail service in the U.S.

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Copper slump threatens shift to wind power and EVs

(The Wall Street Journal) - A prolonged slide in copper prices is challenging the world’s shift to renewable energy sources. Mining firms will need to dig up gigantic amounts of new copper over the next several years to supply the transition to renewables.

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The path to green energy Is getting messier

(The Wall Street Journal) - The energy transition is getting a dose of reality.Offshore wind projects are being scrapped, and renewable- energy companies' share prices are tanking. In the U.S., automakers are reining in electric-vehicle plans as demand falters.

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Sulfur is demanding its place in crop nutrient budgeting

(EOS) - Scientists advocate for a more significant consideration of sulfur from a multidisciplinary perspective as a necessary step towards sustainable crop management.

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CN prepared for winter despite regulatory uncertainty

(Freight Waves) - Canadian railway CN is prepared to handle low temperatures and heavy snowfall this winter, but it warns that new regulations could test its ability to meet customer demand and keep the supply chain flowing, according to the 2023-2024 winter plan that it recently submitted to the Canadian government.

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Kansas attempts two-person crew requirement

(Railway Age) - The state of Kansas on Nov. 3 will put into effect an administrative rule requiring two-person freight railroad crews.

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Chandrayaan-3's measurements of sulfur open the doors for lunar science and exploration

(Space) - Sulfur in soils near the moon's poles might help astronauts live off the land one day, making these measurements an example of science that enables exploration.

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Aus govt awards A$50m in grants to critical mineral projects

(Mining Weekly) – The federal government on Friday approved nearly A$50-million in grants to accelerate the development of the critical minerals industry in the country, as part of efforts to reach net zero.

The project will also produce 300,000 t/y of elemental sulphur, which will reduce Australia’s dependence on imports for fertiliser production. 

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Prices of Lithium Surge, Lifted by Demand for EVs

(The Wall Street Journal) - Surging prices for lithium are intensifying a race between auto makers to lock up supplies and raising concerns that a shortage of the battery metal could slow the adoption of electric vehicles.

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Energy, mining make the market look too good

(The Wall Street Journal) - Soaring profits at oil companies and miners are making earnings look better than the reality of the rest of the stock market, and distorting Wall Street’s favorite valuation tool, the ratio of price to forecast earnings.

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China battery producers test higher sulphur coke

(Argus) - Chinese demand for medium sulphur anode-grade petroleum coke may increase in the coming years as battery manufacturers — regular consumers of ultra-low sulphur sponge and needle coke — aim to relax specifications to meet growing cost-cutting pressure.

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Scientists propose controversial plan to refreeze North and South Poles by spraying sulphur dioxide into atmosphere

(News.Sky) - A fleet of 125 military air-to-air refuelling tankers would release a cloud of microscopic sulphur dioxide particles at an altitude of 43,000ft (13km) and a latitude of 60 degrees in both hemispheres, slightly shading the Earth's surface beneath.

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Our transition away from fossil fuels paradoxically risks derailing our sustainable future

(Auto Evolution) - Right now, the goal of our society is to limit the use of fossil fuels as part of our energy mix and industrial future. The move might be good and bad at the same time, as this risks cutting away the primary source of sulfur, a mineral used in many fields, including mining critical battery materials.

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Fertilizer supply tightness and weather events seen challenging food security in 2022-2023

(Reuters Events) - While fertilizer inventories saw some increases and demand showed some softening in mid-2022, reduced nitrogen availability combined with weather events will not only keep supply tight but test food security and may create instability.

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Renewables' success skews carbon market

(Wall Street Journal) - Wind and solar projects, viable on their own, still sell offsets to polluters, say critics. With its 34 turbines perched on a hill in southwestern India, the Tuppadahalli wind farm generates green energy and profits.

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The coming global crisis of climate policy

(Wall Street Journal) - Let's come right out and say it: Anyone who still thinks climate change is a greater threat than climate policy to financial stability deserves to be exiled to a peat-burning yurt in the wilderness. Lest you've forgotten, the world's central banks and other regulators are in the middle of a major push to introduce various forms of climate stress testing into their oversight.

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Volatile path to lower dry bulk freight rates in near term before recovering in late 2023 with regulation impact on supply and gradual demand recovery

(Hellenic Shipping News) - Dry bulker and container freight rates have continued to fall over the past three months. Due to the seasonality of the market, dry bulk freight rates would typically peak in the third quarter; however, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence's latest dry bulk freight market outlook, the second quarter would likely be the peak of 2022.

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Nationwide rail shutdown could cost $2 billion per day

(Railway Age) - A report released on Sept. 8 by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) has found that a nationwide rail shutdown would "dramatically impact economic output" and could cost more than $2 billion per day.

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Member News

Shell ends 2021 on high note, hikes dividend and boosts buybacks

(Reuters) - Shell (SHEL.L) again boosted its dividend and share repurchases on Thursday after fourth quarter profits hit their highest in eight years, fuelled by higher oil and gas prices and strong gas trading performance.

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The Mosaic Company Comments on 10-Year High Fertilizer Prices

(The Daily Scoop) - Citing three key factors in today's fertilizer markets, The Mosaic Company says it recognizes fertilizer prices have increased dramatically in the past several months.

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Phillips 66 converting Alliance refinery into terminal

(Oil & Gas Journal) - Phillips 66 has decided to move forward with a plan to transform its 255,000-b/d Alliance refinery on the Mississippi River in Belle Chasse, Plaquemines Parish, La., into a terminal that it will continue to operate as part of its midstream portfolio.

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Qatar energy and ExxonMobil sign Cyprus energy exploration deal

(Reuters) - A consortium consisting of Qatar Energy and ExxonMobil (XOM.N) has signed an agreement with Cyprus for energy exploration and production sharing in Block 5 in the southeast of the island, Qatari News Agency said on Friday.

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Ioneer gets $70 mln from Sibanye for U.S. lithium plant

(Reuters) - Australian lithium supplier ioneer Ltd (INR.AX) said on Thursday it had secured $70 million in funds from South Africa's Sibanye Stillwater (SSWJ.J)through a share placement to begin construction work at one of its mines in the United States.

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Veolia Regeneration Services recognized for HAZMAT safety by rail industry

(Association of American Railroads) The NAR Grand Slam Award is presented annually to companies that are exemplary shippers of hazardous materials. An award winner must have been recognized by at least four Class I railroads and have had zero non-accident releases involving their shipments the previous calendar year. A hazardous materials non-accident release is an unintentional release of a hazardous material while in transportation, but not involving an accident.

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Railroads Recognize Leadership in Hazmat Safety

(Association of American Railroads) The NAR Grand Slam Award is presented annually to companies that are exemplary shippers of hazardous materials. An award winner must have been recognized by at least four Class I railroads and have had zero non-accident releases involving their shipments the previous calendar year. A hazardous materials non-accident release is an unintentional release of a hazardous material while in transportation, but not involving an accident.

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BP wins over Greenpeace in North Sea oil court case

(Reuters) - A Scottish court handed BP (BP.L) a win over Greenpeace on Thursday after the environmental group tried to void the energy company's licence to exploit a North Sea oilfield, saying the climate impact of the end-use of oil should not affect permits.

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Lithium producer Albemarle to buy China's Tianyuan for $200 mln

(Reuters) - Albemarle Corp said on Thursday it would buy China-based Guangxi Tianyuan New Energy Materials Co Ltd, a lithium converter, for about $200 million as the company looks to increase its lithium conversion capacity.

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BP says Gulf of Mexico platforms resumed operations after storm Ida

(Reuters) - BP on Wednesday said all four of its offshore facilities in the Gulf of Mexico have resumed operations, having been brought back online and producing as of Sept. 12 post Hurricane Ida.

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