Sydney, Jan 17, 2026, 17:41 AEDT — The market has closed.
- Shares of Mineral Resources fell on Friday, hinting at a cautious start for the upcoming ASX session.
- Late in the week, iron ore and lithium prices dipped, adding strain on diversified miners.
- Investors are now eyeing the company’s December-quarter results set for release on Jan. 29.
Shares of Mineral Resources Ltd dropped 2.4% on Friday, finishing at A$59.78 and capping off a weak week.
As the ASX remains closed over the weekend, focus turns away from recent trades toward upcoming events. Mineral Resources (MIN.AX) plans to release its December-quarter report on Jan. 29, followed by its half-year results on Feb. 20, according to its investor calendar.
Iron ore futures in Dalian dropped on Friday, with the front-month May 2026 contract ending at 812 yuan a tonne, down 4 yuan, according to Xinhua.
Mineral Resources saw volatile action on Friday, swinging between A$58.80 and A$61.50. Roughly 1.6 million shares changed hands, according to data.
Lithium prices slipped slightly. On Jan. 16, the spodumene concentrate index—spodumene being the lithium-rich ore used for battery chemicals—fell 3.88% to $1,980 a tonne, according to Metal.com data.
Lithium carbonate prices in China stood at 158,000 yuan per tonne on Jan. 16, slipping 0.63% from the previous day, according to data from Trading Economics.
Mineral Resources on Friday highlighted improvements in its Onslow Iron supply chain, focusing on safety and efficiency upgrades at Port of Ashburton. Transhipper master Sam Felstead praised the automatic mooring system, saying, “It keeps our crew hands off.” Executive general manager Marine Jeff Weber emphasized the benefit of “removing our crews” from what’s typically a high-risk operation. Mineral Resources
The company has been working on its balance sheet alongside other moves. Back in November, it struck a deal to offload a 30% share of its lithium business to South Korea’s POSCO for $765 million, aiming to cut down its debt, Reuters reported.
But the situation works both ways. A Reuters report on Friday revealed imported iron ore inventories at China’s key ports reached a record 165.6 million tonnes. At the same time, soaring prices and slim steel margins made mills cautious—creating conditions that can quickly shift sentiment for miners tied to bulk commodities.
The rivalry in the Pilbara shows no signs of easing. Rio Tinto and BHP announced plans this week to jointly mine as much as 200 million metric tonnes of iron ore from neighboring sites in Western Australia.
Trading kicks off Monday with a focus on iron ore and lithium prices, and how those moves might ripple through the sector. For Mineral Resources, all eyes turn to Jan. 29, when the December-quarter report lands, offering fresh data on volumes, costs, and cash flow.
