The electric vehicle (EV) market and renewable energy adoption are driving unprecedented demand for battery metals like nickel, cobalt, and lithium. These materials are central to the cleantech transition, powering EVs, large-scale battery storage systems, and renewable energy technologies. As global EV sales are expected to surpass 20 million units in 2025, nickel demand alone...
READ MOREThe Ministry of Energy and Minerals in Oman signed two significant mining concession agreements today, aiming to enhance copper ore exploration and sea salt extraction. The first agreement, signed with Al Haditha Energy, grants rights to prospect and mine in Concession Area No. 22-B, located in North A’Sharqiyah Governorate. The agreement was inked by Eng....
READ MOREChina’s CMOC Group, the world’s largest cobalt miner, plans to sustain high production levels in 2025 following a record-breaking year in 2024. The company, which operates major mining projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has set a target to produce between 100,000 and 120,000 tons of cobalt this year. This comes after it achieved...
READ MOREThe global cobalt market in 2025 is expected to remain shaped by oversupply and evolving battery technologies. Prices, subdued since 2023 by excess supply, are projected to stay stable with minimal volatility. However, shifts in trade dynamics, technological advancements, and geopolitical factors continue to influence the market. Global cobalt demand is forecasted to grow substantially...
READ MOREChina’s ferro-nickel imports rose to 8.98 million tonnes in 2024, reflecting a 6.24% year-on-year increase, according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) released on January 20. The growth was primarily fueled by higher shipments from Indonesia, which supplied 8.67 million tonnes of ferro-nickel, up 9.48% from the previous year. The majority of...
READ MORESaudi Arabia has announced plans to commence lithium mining by 2027, a move aimed at supporting its Vision 2030 initiative for economic diversification. The shift comes amid growing global demand for lithium, driven by the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) and the transition to clean energy. With the support of Aramco and Ma’aden, the kingdom...
READ MORERio Tinto Group plans to establish a dedicated lithium unit, Rio Tinto Lithium, after completing its $6.7 billion acquisition of Arcadium Lithium PLC. According to an internal memo cited by Reuters on January 17, the new division will manage operations at the Rincon lithium project in Argentina. However, the Jadar lithium project in Serbia will...
READ MOREZimbabwe’s state-owned Kuvimba Mining House is on track to finalize a $270 million deal with two Chinese companies for its lithium project, CEO Trevor Barnard announced on Monday. The project, centered on the construction of a 600,000 metric tons per year lithium concentrator at the Sandawana mine, continues despite the sharp decline in lithium prices...
READ MORETeck Resources, a Canadian mining company, has announced plans to invest up to $3.9 billion to expand its copper and zinc production. This move reflects Teck’s strategic focus on energy transition metals following the sale of its steelmaking coal business to Glencore in 2024. The company aims to position itself as a major player in...
READ MOREIoneer Ltd. has finalized a 20-year, $996 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office to finance the development of a processing facility at the Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project in Nevada. Announced on January 17, the funding is a key step in advancing the project, which is expected to significantly boost U.S....
READ MOREAmerican Pacific Mining (CSE: USGD) has released an updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) for its 100%-owned Palmer volcanogenic massive sulphide project in southeast Alaska, showcasing a significant increase in contained copper compared to the previous estimate from June 2019. The updated MRE includes 4.77 million indicated tonnes at 1.69% copper, 5.17% zinc, 0.14% lead, 28.4...
READ MOREBolivia is intensifying its efforts to harness the world’s largest lithium deposits, preparing agreements with new investors to develop processing plants despite low prices and increasing resistance from lawmakers and civic groups. The Andean nation inaugurated its first industrial-scale plant in late 2023, built by a Chinese consortium, and last year signed additional agreements with...
READ MOREChile’s copper production is projected to increase to 5.54 million metric tons (mt) by 2034, marking a 5.6% rise compared to 2023 levels, according to a report released by the Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco) on January 15. The forecast underscores Chile’s continued dominance as the world’s largest copper producer. Cochilco estimates that Chile’s share of...
READ MORETwo of the world’s largest mining companies, Rio Tinto and Glencore, are reportedly in early-stage discussions about a potential merger valued at an estimated £130 billion. If successful, the deal would create the world’s largest mining company, surpassing current leader BHP, which is valued at approximately $126 billion (£103 billion). The merger would combine Rio...
READ MORECobalt remains a critical mineral, integral to industries including defense, aerospace, energy storage, consumer electronics, and electric vehicles (EVs). As demand for these applications grows, the global cobalt market faces a complex mix of opportunities and challenges heading toward 2030. Global Production Trends Cobalt is primarily mined as a by-product of copper and nickel. Global...
READ MOREMining firm MMG Ltd has announced that operations at its Dugald River zinc mine in Queensland, Australia, are expected to resume following the containment of a nearby grassfire. The fire, which approached the perimeter of the site, has been successfully managed, allowing the company to proceed with normal operations later in the day. MMG, which...
READ MOREChina Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd. has released its 2025 production guidance and confirmed that operations at the Jiama Copper-Gold Polymetallic Mine remain unaffected following the January 7 earthquake in Tibet Autonomous Region. The company forecasts copper production at the Jiama Mine to range between 139 million pounds (63,000 tonnes) and 148 million pounds (67,000...
READ MORERecent industry reports paint a cautious outlook for the lithium market in 2025, with concerns about persistent oversupply keeping prices under pressure. Goldman Sachs maintains its conservative stance, highlighting a continued supply surplus despite strong demand growth driven by the electric vehicle (EV) market and renewable energy storage solutions. Lithium prices have plummeted over the...
READ MOREIran’s copper cathode production grew by 3.2% during the first nine months of the Iranian calendar year (March 20 to December 21, 2024), reaching 216,732 tons compared to 209,956 tons in the same period last year. The data, released by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), highlights the increasing output...
READ MOREUkraine saw a significant rise in aluminium trade in 2024, with imports and exports both showing strong growth despite ongoing geopolitical challenges. According to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, aluminium and aluminium product imports increased by 21.7% year-on-year, totaling US$446.006 million, including US$36.943 million in December alone. Exports also rose, climbing 27.4% year-on-year to...
READ MOREThe UK is set to sign a critical minerals partnership with Saudi Arabia during the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh this week. The agreement is part of a broader effort by the UK to secure vital supplies of critical minerals, essential for manufacturing technologies like smartphones, laptops, artificial intelligence (AI), and clean energy solutions. UK...
READ MOREThe nickel market is expected to remain oversupplied in 2025, with a projected surplus of 156,000 metric tons as production in Indonesia and China continues to expand. According to Jason Sappor, senior analyst at S&P Global Commodity Insights, the surplus is driven by increased output and slowing demand from the stainless steel and battery materials...
READ MOREBHP Group and Lundin Mining have completed their joint acquisition of Filo and established Vicuña, a 50/50 joint venture that will oversee the Filo del Sol and Josemaria copper projects in Argentina and Chile. The total acquisition cost was C$4 billion (approximately USD 3 billion), excluding shares already held by both companies, BHP announced on...
READ MORESaudi Arabia’s state oil giant Aramco and the country’s mining company Ma’aden have signed a non-binding term sheet to explore a joint venture focused on minerals exploration and mining. Announced during the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, the venture would prioritize energy transition minerals, particularly lithium, and advance cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. Commercial...
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