Spot zinc concentrate treatment charges (TCs) remained deep in negative territory in late June and early July, with buyers competing to secure units as tight raw material supply persisted worldwide, market participants told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets’ most recent twice-monthly assessment of the zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China, was $(70)-(120) per tonne on Friday June 26, down from $(50)-(80) per tonne on June 12. Negative TCs mean smelters effectively pay miners to secure concentrate, the inverse of the market’s normal structure, squeezing processor margins as competition for feed intensifies. Sources said the ... (full story)