The 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 MOREThe lithium market is at the heart of the global energy transition, driven by soaring demand for electric vehicles (EVs). However, meeting this demand is fraught with challenges, including a looming supply deficit and substantial investment needs. Here, we explore lithium’s supply, demand, and price dynamics, and the critical investments required to address the “great...
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...
READ MORESierra Metals expects to boost production of copper, zinc, silver, and lead in 2025 as the company ramps up throughput rates and focuses on resource growth at its Yauricocha Mine in Peru and Bolivar Mine in Mexico. 2025 Guidance The company stated that at current metal prices, it expects to generate strong operating cash flows...
READ MOREAntofagasta’s copper production for 2024 fell slightly below the company’s expectations but showed a 1% increase from the previous year. The Anglo-Chilean miner reported producing 664,000 tons of copper, which was at the lower end of its guided range of 670,000 to 710,000 tons. In the fourth quarter, copper production reached 200,300 tons, up 12%...
READ MORERio Tinto’s fourth-quarter production results reflect steady operational progress alongside challenges in key areas. The company celebrated milestones such as the successful ramp-up of the Oyu Tolgoi underground copper mine in Mongolia and the commencement of lithium production at the Rincon project in Argentina, while overall commodity production displayed varied performance. Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm...
READ MORERusal has achieved a breakthrough in primary aluminium production by significantly reducing vanadium and other heavy metal content using revolutionary inert anode technology. This advancement enhances the electrical conductivity of aluminium, opening new opportunities for its application in the power industry. The inert anode technology, a key development in aluminium smelting, allows for the production...
READ MOREAnalysts forecast a decline in zinc prices in 2025 as global refined zinc production rebounds and demand remains subdued. BMI, a research agency under Fitch Solutions, projects a surplus of 270,000 tonnes for the year, reversing the 184,000-tonne deficit anticipated in 2024. Preliminary data from the International Lead and Zinc Supply Group (ILZSG) show that...
READ MOREEmirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the UAE’s largest industrial company outside of oil and gas and a leading producer of premium aluminium, has announced the completion of civil works for the expansion of its US recycling subsidiary, Spectro Alloys. The project involves a 90,000-square-foot addition to Spectro’s facility, allowing the production of billet from post-consumer aluminium...
READ MORECodelco, the world’s largest copper producer, managed to lift its annual copper output in 2024 to 1.328 million metric tons, narrowly escaping a 25-year low. However, concerns from union workers and analysts cast doubt on whether the company’s methods are sustainable as it targets an ambitious annual output of 1.7 million metric tons by the...
READ MOREThe European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) has cautioned the European Commission against imposing restrictions on scrap exports, emphasizing that such exports are essential to sustaining recycling businesses within the European Union. EuRIC’s statement comes in response to a December 2024 letter from Eurofer and European Aluminium advocating for stricter controls on the export of ferrous...
READ MOREChina’s Ministry of Natural Resources announced a substantial increase in the country’s measured and indicated lithium reserves, now accounting for 16.5% of global resources, up from 6%. This surge positions China as the world’s second-largest holder of lithium reserves, trailing only Chile. The significant rise stems from extensive discoveries along the 2,800-kilometer West Kunlun-Songpan-Ganzi lithium...
READ MOREMinerals Development Oman (MDO), the country’s premier mining investment entity, has signed a $30 million contract with Finnish industrial machinery company Metso for the supply of a cutting-edge copper concentrate plant. This plant is a key component of MDO’s Mazoon Copper Project, under development in the Wilayat of Yanqul. The agreement was formalized during the...
READ MOREGoGold Resources reported a significant production increase for the quarter ending December 31, 2024, totaling 551,337 silver equivalent ounces. This output consisted of 226,343 ounces of silver, 3,213 ounces of gold, 121 tonnes of copper, and 161 tonnes of zinc. The surge in production represents a 36% increase compared to previous quarters, attributed to the...
READ MOREAltek is partnering with Real Alloy to develop a zero-waste aluminium salt slag recycling facility in Wabash, Indiana, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). The facility will utilize Altek’s AluSalt technology to recycle metallics, salts, and recover non-metallic by-products from aluminium salt slag. Real Alloy has secured...
READ MORECruz Battery Metals Corp. will acquire the 580-acre Central Clayton Valley Lithium Brine Project in Nevada, expanding its regional footprint to 820 acres. The $115,000 deal includes BLM fees and staking costs, plus seven million shares under a four-month hold, pending regulatory approval. The project, with 29 claims, is surrounded by SLB’s Clayton Valley lithium...
READ MOREChina’s Zijin Mining Group Co. is advancing its presence in the global lithium market with ongoing talks to acquire a stake in Zangge Mining Co. Ltd., a move that could lead to a full takeover. Zijin disclosed the potential deal in a statement to the Hong Kong Exchange, signaling its continued expansion strategy beyond copper...
READ MOREThe Indonesian government is considering allowing mining giant Freeport Indonesia to resume copper concentrate exports this year after its permit expired on January 1. Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia confirmed that Freeport has formally requested a renewal of its export license, and the government is currently processing the application. “We are discussing this matter with the...
READ MOREInvestors are showing strong interest in bauxite mining and processing projects in Vietnam’s Central Highland Province of Đắk Nông, with total investment commitments reaching $8 billion, according to the provincial People’s Committee. Under the government’s development plan, Đắk Nông will host four new bauxite mining and processing factories, each expected to cost under $1 billion....
READ MORENickel producers are bracing for a challenging year in 2025 as the global market remains oversupplied, pushing prices downward. Analysts point to Indonesia’s rapidly growing nickel industry as a key factor disrupting global supply and contributing to the price slump. However, the world’s largest nickel producer has announced plans to cut production by nearly 40%,...
READ MORENew Gold reported its fourth quarter and full-year 2024 operational results as of December 31, 2024, showcasing its highest production quarter of the year. The company plans to release its operational outlook, technical reports for Rainy River and New Afton, and updated Mineral Reserve and Resource Statement after market close on February 12, 2025. A...
READ MOREAsturiana de Zinc (AZSA) reported a molten zinc cathode production of 538,625 tons in 2024 at its San Juan de Nieva plant in Avilés. This figure marks the second-highest annual output since the plant’s inception in the 1960s but falls short of the 2023 record of 544,192 tons by 5,567 tons. The decline was primarily...
READ MOREAlmalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (AMMC) plans to ramp up copper production to 500,000 tons annually by 2030, according to Abdulla Khursanov, Chairman of AMMC. The expansion will be driven by new projects in the Tashkent region, focusing on developing non-ferrous and precious metal deposits at the Almalyk and Angren ore fields and processing waste...
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