Concerns also swirl around construction material prices as China's second-largest property developer Evergrande teeters on a debt crisis.

China's markets are now closed until Wednesday for the mid-Autumn festival.

Australian 62% iron ore fines closed down 2.6% on Friday to $111/t, according to MySteel.

Gold has softened further to $1,753 an ounce on the spot market.

Some uranium equities came off the boil in Toronto on Friday, as did the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust (TSX: U.U) which was down 3.6% as it took its holdings to more than 28.3 million pounds of U3O8.

However the uranium spot price has risen above $50/lb for the first time since 2012 to $50.80/lb.

Zinc producer Nexa Resources (TSX: NEXA) lost almost 16% on Friday after announcing a CEO transition, from long-serving Tito Martins to Ignacio Rosado, who had led Hochschild Mining's London IPO.

Finally Anglo American led the losses in London on Friday, closing down more than 8%.