Skip to main content

Whats new in Lens Metals & Mining

A rolling update of enhancements to Lens Metals & Mining

Written by Nadia Churton

June 2026


M&M Market/Scenario/Supply Chain Product Updates

New Features

  • Forecast - Base metals

    • China copper imports comparison chart added to the Balances and stocks dashboard to visualise copper import data for informed decision-making.

      China copper imports comparison chart - Balances and Stocks dashboard
      ​

    • Scenario users can now view Aluminium, Steel and Iron Ore scenario data directly in the UI, making it easier to compare outlooks and explore commodity scenarios without leaving LENS.

    • Stainless steel demand is now split into two charts, making it easier to analyse nickel demand drivers and compare trends.

      Stainless steel consumption charts

    • Steel finished demand charts now include a “Country and sector” color-by option, helping users break down demand patterns more clearly.

      Finished steel demand chart with “Country and Sector” view

  • Bulk and Noble alloys

    • New supply-demand balance charts are available for MLC Ferromanganese, Manganese Metal, Vanadium, Molybdenum, Ferrosilicon and Silicon Metal, giving users a clearer view of market balance across key alloys.

      Bulk and Noble alloys charts - Balances and Stocks dashboard

    • The Alloys balance datagrid now includes Global balance as a second table option, making it easier to switch between detailed and global views.

  • Battery raw materials

    • Added Graphite comparison Prices charts.

    • Graphite demand total consumption view with natural/synthetic toggle added on the Summary and Demand dashboards.

    • Total consumption for graphite indexed at year - Summary dashboard

      Total graphite consumption - Demand dashboard

  • ALL COMMODITIES

    • Added quick selectors across all dashboards (Overview and Comparison tabs) to make switching metrics faster and easier.

      Quick selectors added to all charts in Overview and Comparison tabs

    • Restored scenario forecasts for Lithium, Graphite and other commodities.

Improvements

  • Added Super Region From/To filter boxes in the global filter tray, with "Add to filter" on Sankey & map layers.

    Add to filters added for Region with From/To filter boxes

  • When applying an asset filter, the Sankey chart now defaults to asset aggregation level without addtional manual adjustment.

  • Export functionality now works for bar cluster map layers.

Lens Direct

  • Forecast

    • Latest STO and LTO columns are now available across all tables, making it easier to identify and track the data vintage being used.

    • Scenario data for Aluminium, Iron Ore, Steel and Rare Earths is now available in Lens Direct, giving users direct access to more scenario outlooks for analysis and comparison.

    • Quarterly company production data for Iron Ore is now available, helping users analyse production trends at company level.

    • Steel demand model data has been refreshed, giving users access to the latest demand outlook in Lens Direct.

    • Q2 LTO data for Steel and Aluminium is now available, keeping long-term outlook datasets aligned with the latest forecast release.

    • Aluminium STO datasets have been refreshed across quarterly balance, production, China balance, prices, stocks, alumina production and balance, monthly output, and ROW balance tables, giving users a more complete short-term view.

    • H1 LTO coal data is now available, giving users the latest long-term outlook for coal analysis.

    • Country governance risk data has been refreshed, helping users work with the latest risk indicators in their analysis.

  • Supply chain

    • Copper supply chain data has been refreshed in the Supply Chain dataset, giving users the latest view of copper flows and related supply chain information.

    • EVBSC demand tables have been simplified by grouping relevant product categories under Electronics and refining cathode chemistry and anode type classifications, making demand data easier to interpret and compare.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed the “Show additional data” toggle so table rows update correctly when values are removed.

  • Resolved chart failures on the Risks dashboard when the Assets > Mine filter is applied.

  • Fixed Sankey flows so they continue to display when selected legend items are deselected.

  • Restored missing legends on Iron Ore comparison charts.

  • Fixed the Nickel Trade Sankey chart so data displays correctly.

May 2026


M&M Market/Scenario/Supply Chain Product Updates

New Features

  • Forecast - Base metals

    • Added STO comparison charts for Balances & Stocks so users can compare forecast vintages more easily across Aluminium, Copper, Lead, Nickel, Tin and Zinc, including Aluminium stock days.

    • STO comparison charts - Balances and Stocks

    • Enhanced LME and SHFE price charts with unit switching and clearer basis-year tooltip behaviour.

    • Added Price basis and Price basis year to tooltip

    • Added HQ colour-by options for Operator and Owner on Lithium supply charts.

    • Added HQ color-by options to Lithium supply chart

    • Improved chart defaults so comparison views open from 2024, while non-comparison views retain the longer historical view from 2000.

    • Published the April STO update for relevant base metals forecasts.

  • Bulk alloys

    • Added comparison views for Prices

    • Added market analysis comparison charts for High-carbon Ferromanganese and High-purity Manganese Sulphate.

    • Added supply-demand balance charts for Ferrochrome, Silicomanganese, Chromium, MLC Ferromanganese and Manganese Metal.

  • Battery raw materials

    • Added Graphite comparison charts across Supply, Demand and Balances.

  • EVBSC

    • Added "Add to filter" support on the arrow map layer, allowing users to click directly on a trade flow arrow to apply it as a global filter across the dashboard.

    • Applied the updated EVBSC / Metals colour scheme for a more consistent chart experience.

    • Comparison Charts in the Metals Colour Scheme (EVBSC)

    • Added "Add to filter" from Country tooltips to make map and dashboard filtering faster.

Add to filters option from country tooltip (EVBSC)

  • Coal

    • Added a "Total coal" option to the comparison chart dataset.

  • ALL COMMODITIES

    • Added Steel Slabs series in trade data.

Improvements

  • Rolled out in-grid filtering improvements across datagrids to make large tables easier to refine.

In-grid filtering on a datagrid

  • Enhanced Sankey chart tooltips, including "Add to filters" support.

Sankey tooltip with Add to filters

  • Added Asset name filter integration for Flows and Assays workflows.

  • Updated Lithium ownership location data to improve consistency in supply views.

  • Added unit switching to Sankey diagrams in the Supply Chain module, allowing users to toggle between units without leaving the chart view.

Unit toggle added to the Copper Supply Chain Flows

Lens Direct

  • Forecast

    • Published April 2026 STO data updates for relevant forecast datasets.

    • Added Steel Slabs series in trade data.

    • Updated industrial production index data and steel trade data mapping.

    • Repushed Lithium supply data with updated ownership location data.

  • Supply chain

    • Updated quarterly datasets for Alumina, Aluminium, Lead, and Iron Ore.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed Gigafactory map layer not rendering for December 2025 forecast.

  • Fixed "Add to filter" functionality across multiple chart types and dashboards.

  • Fixed ODC excel download filtering and Copy Down functionality for Mine/Smelter/Refinery pages.

M&M LENS DISCOVERY

New Features

  • Copper/Lead/Zinc

    • Release the M1 Margin curves for Copper mines, M1 Margin curves for Copper smelters, M1 Margin curves for Copper refineries, M1 Margin curves for Lead mines, M1 Margin curves for Zinc mines to clients

  • Gold

    • Release the margin curve to clients

    • Added AISC Metrics to Mine Assets Summary Tables (Mine summary and Mine company summary)

    • Top mines reserves and Top mines additional resources charts have an additional Moz unit available

  • Coal

    • Coal cost curve charts enhancements:

      • Make “Export” as the default coal market

      • Add quick selectors at the top of the chart to change settings more easily

    • Made the margin curve available to clients

  • Bauxite/Alumina (behind a feature flag)

    • Mine Cost/Margin curve cash cost breakdowns auto scale when legend options are selected/unselected

  • Iron ore (behind a feature flag)

    • Filter and search functionality enabled for Iron ore

    • First charts are available for specific internal users in Production (under validation)

  • Overall enhancements

    • Datagrid enhancements (Asset / Ressources / Emissions dashboards):

      • Move the year columns more on the left of the datagrid on the UI when applicable

      • Hide columns by default for non-essential columns

      • Order the data by asset name asc when necessary

      • Added in-grid filter functionality for all columns in the Asset Mine Summary datagrid and allow to select mines for global filtering directly from the table

    • Performance improvements done for Production and Reserves dashboard

Lens Direct

  • Pushed weekly asset update data

  • Pushed Summary, Reserves, Production and Costs data for Iron ore mines and companies (under validation)

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed issue for cost curve when applying a company filter and grouping by Mine which was duplicating the mine at the end of the cost curve

  • Fixed some Lithium mine process recovery & grade data issues

  • Fixed some Gold mine costs data issues

  • Corrected data inconsistencies in the Mine Site Costs timeseries and data table for multi-commodity assets, specifically within Zinc and Lead portfolios as the "Power" and "Diesel" sub-components are displaying incorrect and diverging values between different metals produced at the same mine site.

April 2026


M&M Market/Scenario/Supply Chain Product Updates

New Features

  • Forecast - Base metals

    • Created STO comparison charts

    • Built the Zinc consumption indicators datagrid in Demand dashboard and Zinc premiums and Zinc Treatment charges datagrids in Prices dashboard for Zinc STO

    • Pushed March STO data

    • Limited Aluminium trade flows data to start only from 2010

  • Bulk alloys

    • Built the Manganese supply-demand balance chart and the Global balance with price chart

    • Built the Noble and Bulk alloys Supply and Demand comparison charts

  • Battery raw materials

    • Scenario data are now visible on the UI for Scenario users for Cobalt

    • Built Graphite Demand and Supply comparison charts

    • Built all Rare earths comparison charts

    • Built all Cobalt comparison charts

  • EVBSC

    • Built the Supply, Demand and Prices comparison charts

    • Integrated EVBSC markets map layer with the global filters

  • ALL COMMODITIES

    • Pushed Q1 LTO data

    • Enhanced the comparison charts to allow up to 4 forecasts for comparison

    • All Forecast/Scenario commodities have access to the Macroeconomics dashboard giving information on GDP, Population, GDP per capita, industrial country index and exchange rates and comparison charts

    • Added Base metals and Bulks methodologies in Lens help center
      ​Lens Metals and Mining Market Methodology
      ​Lens Coal Market Methodology
      ​

Improvements

Lens Direct

  • Forecast

    • Pushed Q1 LTO data in all datasets

    • Pushed March 26 STO data for Copper, Lead, Zinc and Nickel

    • Pushed new STO tables for Zinc, Nickel and Lead

    • Pushed Cobalt Net Zero, Pledges and Delayed energy transition for 2025 scenario data in existing tables

    • Updated Simandou ship exports table - simandou_export_daily

M&M LENS DISCOVERY

Improvements

  • Performance and loading improvements have been undertaken in the Production and Summary dashboards. Chart load times should be reduced going forward.

  • Map Layer Improvements: We have undertaken a migration of our geometric map layers. The following map layers will now include a much greater population of map objects, including load time performance improvements: Indigenous Lands, Mining Leases and Railways Layers

  • Coal chart timeline improvements: All coal charts now include and show data up to 2064

New Features

  • Configurable Top N Selector for M&M Time Series Charts: We have now implemented a slider in the setting section of timeseries charts that lets users select the number of assets that appear in the chart by increasing/decreasing the number of assets combined in the 'Others' selectable field

  • Bauxite and Alumina Production charts have been released

March 2026


M&M Market/Scenario/Supply Chain Product Updates

New Features

  • Forecast - Base metals

    • Enhanced the Supply charts to show only base case production capability by default

    • Created the Nickel sulphate in production by feed type chart in Supply dashboard

    • Create the galvanized sheet production chart for Zinc STO

    • Pushed February STO data

  • Iron ore

    • Extended and enhanced the Iron ore map layer to cover Balances & Stocks dashboard with polygon visualisation

  • Met coal

    • Created the quarterly metallurgical coal prices chart

  • Lithium / Graphite

    • Scenario data are now visible on the UI for Scenario users

    • Enhanced the Lithium refinery supply chart to have final product supply by operator and owner dataset to visualise in comparison and non-comparison

  • ALL COMMODITIES

    • All Forecast/Scenario commodities have access to the Macroeconomics dashboard giving information on GDP, Population, GDP per capita, industrial country index and exchange rates

Improvements

  • Enhanced the existing charts to have quick selectors

  • Enhanced the existing datagrids to allow for odc download for Lens Direct entitled users

  • Added year on year delta % and year on year delta [unit] change for applicable charts

  • In-grid filtering capabilities for all columns on the mine assays datagrids (will be rolled-out to all other datagrids through time)

  • Added Demand - Transformation - Material type & metric and Final Consumption - Sector detail in the the Search bar

  • Top header change: Boermel, Christian: Big release for Lens | Lens Platform (OneLens) > Pre-Prod Signoff check | Microsoft Teams

Lens Direct

M&M Asset Product Updates

Improvements

General improvements:
Performance and loading improvements have been undertaken in the Cost and Benchmark dashboards. Chart load times should be reduced going forward.

Coal Discovery:

The following charts have been released:
Ore Mined, Raw Production & Material Mined Charts have been released

  • We have now added the coal subtype global filter for Coal Discovery users:

  • Coal cost curve breakdowns: Coal discovery users can now see a cost breakdown option in the cost curve

New Features

  • Cost curve highlighting features are now available for Lithium and Coal Discovery users

  • Filter by current interest: users can now view charts/data by current interest only:

  • Lens M&M - Assets - Discovery - Bauxite & Alumina: We have released production bauxite/alumina charts for users

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed issue with resources dashboard data grids not loading for certain commodities

  • Fixed issues with chart tooltips were not updating if chart units were updated

  • Fixed issues related to cost and benchmark charts breaking when pro rata options were selected for y-axis options


    ​
    ​


February 2026

M&M Market/Scenario/Supply Chain Product Updates

Copper

  • Create the supply-demand global balance datagrid on the Summary dashboard

  • Pushed the January STO forecast

Supply Chain - Copper / Nickel / Zinc / Lead / Aluminium

  • ALL supply chain modules are ready for these 5 commodities

  • On the Flows dashboard all 5 commodities have each a allocation timeseries chart to visualise input and output at each asset type level, down to asset level, a sankey chart to see the flows for a specific year down to asset level, an asset flows map layer and a shared flows datagrid (odc downloadable)

  • Added the Zinc and Lead mine typical asset grade datagrids on the Assays dashboard

  • Added Domestic and Integrated flows filters in the From-To filter section, which filter down the data on all the widgets in the Flows dashboard

  • All commodities have access to the Risk dashboard with information on geographical entity governance risks

EVBSV

  • Added access to common map layers for EVBSC entitled users (Country borders onshore, Country border offshore, Indigenous land, Land use / Land cover, OSM Transmission lines, Railways, US country borders, US state borders) and fixed issues with existing EVBSC map layers

Improvements

  • Enhanced the existing charts to have quick selectors (among other enhancements, we also have added year on year % change unit on some demand charts for example - not done yet for Supply and Balances dashboard widgets)

  • Enhanced the existing datagrids to allow for odc download for Lens Direct entitled users (not done yet for Supply and Balances dashboard widgets)

  • Enhance the forecast dropdown values to handle the growing number of forecast and the different forecast types

Lens Direct

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed issue happening with search bar values not appearing for some commodities

  • Fixed issue that was reporting some assets supply to be located in Somalia instead of Mali for several commodities (Aluminium, Steel, Coal…)

M&M Asset Product Updates

Global

Improvements

  • Added additional attributes to mining leases map layer including lease start/end date and lease name on tooltips

Coal

  • Coal Cost Curve now has a Coal market type settings dropdown so users can view coastal/landbourne etc curves

  • New Features

    • Multi-filter highlighting added to cost curves for country/company when grouping by mine for Copper/Lead/Zinc/Gold users

    Bug Fixes

    • Resolved intermittent issues where some assets were missing from filter lists in the Production dashboard.

    • Resolved issue with Mining leases layer not loading.

    • Fixed issue with Copper Smelters and Refineries global filters causing certain dashboards to unnecessarily disappear.

    • Fixed issue where coal group by options were appearing in non-coal material mined charts

January 2026

M&M Market/Scenario/Supply Chain Product Updates

  • EVBSC

    • Created the Balances dashboard and charts for metals required for battery balance

    • Added Pie cluster map layer for Supply (Li-ion cell production and Na-ion cell production) and Demand (EV Sales)

    • Added filter boxes, search results and filter integration for the EVBSC charts and datagrids

    • Added a beta version for gigafactories map layer

  • Coal

    • Added 2023 and 2024 trade flows data in the sankey chart

    • Added the country annual summary datagrid for Metallurgical coal

  • Bulk / Noble alloys

    • Added the Balances datagrid

  • Supply Chain

    • Added the country risk datagrid in the Risks dashboard with color coding

  • Overall

    • Pushed Q4 LTO and Copper December STO forecasts

Improvements

  • Enhanced the Sankey charts to show only “top 10” values in each column to improve readability and for Trade to have Asset aggregation level showing up from the start without any filter required to make it easier to find

  • Added color coding in the Mine concentrate assays datagrid to show level above penalty thresholds for specific assay

Lens Direct

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed issue for Lead refinery production for which secondary was reported under primary production

  • Fixed issue for search bar not working for commodities with space in their name

M&M Asset Product Updates

  • Global Filters

    • Select All toggle added in Asset sections

  • Base Metals

  • Coal

    • Coal Market and Market Type Global Filters added for Coal Discovery Subscribers

  • Copper Smelter & Refinery

    • Charts added to the Production dashboards

    Smelter:


    Refinery:

Bug Fixes:

  • Fixed issue with certain key mine assets not appearing in the search bar or certain charts

  • Fixed issue where released material mined charts were not appearing in the production dashboard

  • Fixed issues surrounding gold charts loading with no data

  • Issue's surrounding incorrect reported inconsistencies with gold data due to troy ounce conversions have been resolved.

  • Fixed issue surrounding duplicate operation types appearing in the mines Operation type global filter drawer

Did this answer your question?