Articles

Nyrstar Zinc processing plant The True Cost of a Convenient Partner When governments or corporations need to move vast quantities of commodities quickly, few firms can match Trafigura’s global reach. The Washington Post recently reported that the U.S. administration selected Trafigura to execute Venezuelan oil sales because of its logistics network, financial capacity and speed of execution.  But the article also highlights a deeper tension: Trafigura’s strength is repeatedly

A recent ruling by the ‘Marktenhof’ (Court of Appeal) highlights a critical gap in Belgium’s financial enforcement system. Minority shareholders challenged a decision by the financial watchdog FSMA, but were denied a substantive review. The court held that it lacks jurisdiction to reassess the case on its merits. The outcome raises serious concerns about accountability and judicial oversight in market abuse cases. Palace of Justice of Brussels A controversial FSMA decision In

Korea Zinc's ambitious $6.6 billion plan to build cutting-edge smelting infrastructure in the United States represents exactly the kind of investment Washington seeks. The strategy is clear: extract critical minerals domestically, reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains, and secure Tennessee's zinc operations as the foundation for American mineral independence. On paper, it's a win-win. In reality, it may be built on contested legal ground. A Foundation Built on Disputed Own

After acquiring Nyrstar’s U.S. assets from Trafigura, Korea Zinc is planning to invest $6.6 billion in building a state-of-the-art smelter allowing it to extract critical minerals. The operation includes acquiring Nyrstar's Tennessee mines and smelter from Trafigura, alongside the U.S. This in an effort to allow the U.S. to regain independence from China in the critical minerals market. But there's a critical risk: Trafigura may not be legally in position to sell what it inte

The Market Court recently received a petition for the annulment and reform of the decision of the Sanctions Commission of financial watchdog FSMA in the Nyrstar case. The commission had found Nyrstar NV guilty of market manipulation. The company was fined €80,000, but its board members were acquitted. The commission ruled that there had been insufficient investigation into their individual roles in the manipulation. That ruling is now being challenged. The ball is therefore i

Minority shareholders who suffer huge losses are left waiting for years, while courts, despite their best efforts, lack the resources to...

Minister Annelies Verlinden is requesting an additional €1 billion for structural investments in her department. Her message is sobering: “ I refuse to accept that the next social tragedies are waiting to happen in the offices of the public prosecutors. To prevent this, we must invest in every link in the chain. And anyone who thinks this money is not necessary should speak up. " Annelies Verlinden - © Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union / Julien Nizet A w

Is Nyrstar’s board of directors truly caught between a rock and a hard place? That metaphor positions the board as a victim. In reality, it has uncritically aligned itself with the interests of its majority shareholder, Trafigura. In a recent interview with De Tijd, Marc Taeymans, an independent board member at Nyrstar, portrayed the company as a collatoral casuality in a dispute between Trafigura and minority shareholders. This portrayal is not only inaccurate—it is perilous

The financial newspaper De Tijd published an opinion by Kris Vansanten in which he argues that Nyrstar should finally act in line with...

The wheels of justice turn slowly – too slowly – and this undermines the credibility of the rule of law. In an opinion piece in De Tijd,...

‘It seems that the justice system wants to send a strong message to politicians’, this week in Trends Tendances. Does the justice system...

"Trafigura Group will pay $126 million and plead guilty to US charges related to bribery in Brazil, in the latest case involving...

In a ruling in the Nyrstar case, the chamber of indictments at the Brussels court of appeal lashes out at the federal government for its...

Here is the truth: the criminal investigation in Brussels into Nyrstar  was closed solely due to a lack of resources, and the verdict...

The conviction of  Trafigura  and one of its key executives is a watershed for the commodity trading industry, and is by all means...

It is hereby (once again) confirmed: Trafigura, the international commodities trader that hijacked the assets of Belgium's industrial...

Pleadings were held yesterday before the Turnhout District Court for the appointment of a provisional administrator at Nyrstar NV. The...

The court in Turnhout has postponed the appointment of a provisional administrator for Nyrstar pending the results of the investigations...

On December 2nd, trading giant Trafigura faces court over allegations of corruption involving its former parent company, Trafigura Beheer...

Isabel Albers writes in De Tijd: 'We should not accept that our police and judicial systems are so dysfunctional. The judicial system is...