Aterian, a London-listed critical-minerals explorer, and Rio Tinto, the world’s second-largest miner, have reported high-grade lithium hits at their Kinunga joint-venture project in Rwanda, including 3.2 % Li over 3.5 m and 2.1 % Li over 6.9 m. The results, from the first two of 12 planned targets, prompted Rio Tinto to exercise a Stage-1...
READ MOREIvanhoe Electric’s Santa Cruz project in south-central Arizona is hurtling toward construction early next year. A recently filed feasibility study outlines a 23-year underground operation capable of turning out 72,000 tonnes of copper cathode a year during its first 15 years—enough to make it the most productive U.S. mine since 2007. The sprint to production...
READ MOREBHP—the world’s biggest listed miner and a heavyweight in iron ore, copper and metallurgical coal—has struck memoranda of understanding with Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), China’s battery behemoth, and FinDreams Battery, the cell-making arm of EV giant BYD. Together they will develop battery-electric haul trucks, locomotives and on-site charging kits for BHP operations worldwide. The goal:...
READ MOREChina has made a huge lithium ore deposit discovery with 490 million tons of lithium and companion minerals in Hunan Province, another advance in the nation’s drive to lock in domestic battery metal supplies. The find in the Jijiaoshan mine area of Linwu County is one of China’s largest mineral discoveries in recent years and...
READ MOREIndonesian authorities withdrew four of five nickel concessions in Raja Ampat, Western Papua province, after mass environmental activism that drew international scrutiny for one of Earth’s most richest marine habitats. It followed after international interest that had turned toward Papua mining operations upon the island chain that’s chock full of coral, which harbors 75 percent...
READ MOREWestern metal smelting operations across copper, zinc, aluminum, and nickel face an unprecedented crisis as Chinese capacity expansion drives treatment charges to historic lows and forces facility closures worldwide. The crisis extends beyond individual company struggles to threaten Western industrial sovereignty, with China approaching the same level of processing dominance in base metals that has...
READ MOREA two-member expert committee has submitted recommendations to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for reopening Vedanta’s shuttered Sterlite Copper smelter in Thoothukudi through a “green restart” approach, seven years after the facility’s closure following deadly protests that killed 13 civilians. The proposal comes amid global copper supply constraints and mounting pressure on Western smelting...
READ MOREThe Battery Metals Association of Canada, a trade organization representing battery-metals explorers and producers, has released comprehensive reports identifying Western Canada as an optimal location for mid-stream critical-minerals processing facilities that could capture greater economic value from the country’s abundant mineral resources. The analysis, conducted by Transition Accelerator consultants, targets nine critical minerals—including copper, lithium,...
READ MOREUganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, led by Minister Ruth Nankabirwa, has launched comprehensive reforms to the country’s mineral licensing system aimed at addressing bureaucratic bottlenecks and transparency issues that have constrained investor confidence in the East African nation’s mining sector. The initiative, supported by a €6.2 million ($6.6 million) European Union and German...
READ MOREChinese mining companies have intensified investments across Africa’s copper-producing regions as Western nations implement restrictions on Chinese access to critical mineral assets, with the Democratic Republic of Congo emerging as the world’s second-largest copper producer through predominantly Chinese-backed operations. The strategic shift reflects China’s efforts to secure copper supplies essential for renewable energy infrastructure and...
READ MORESaudi Arabian Mining Company, the Kingdom’s largest diversified mining enterprise and a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has completed the acquisition of minority stakes in two aluminum-related subsidiaries through a combination of share issuance and cash payments totaling $150 million. The transaction provides Maaden with full ownership of Maaden Bauxite and Alumina Company and...
READ MORENigeria has unveiled plans to construct what officials describe as Africa’s largest rare earth processing facility alongside four lithium processing plants, representing over $1.4 billion in announced investments as the West African nation attempts to transform its artisanal mining sector into industrial-scale operations. The initiative includes a $600 million lithium plant spanning Kaduna and Niger...
READ MOREShengde Precious Metal Resources, a Chinese-backed mining company operating in Tanzania, has completed construction of the country’s first copper refinery in Nala, Dodoma Region, with commercial production scheduled to begin in July 2025. The facility represents Tanzania’s entry into domestic copper processing as the government implements a mandate requiring all copper mined within the country...
READ MORERussia is planning to double its copper production over the next 15 years, leveraging massive, untapped deposits in its Far East to meet soaring global demand for the metal, which is critical for the green energy transition. Oleg Kazanov, head of the Russian Federal Agency for Subsoil Use (Rosnedra), confirmed the ambitious target, stating that...
READ MOREThe Indonesian government has revoked the mining permits of four nickel companies in the ecologically fragile Raja Ampat archipelago, a UNESCO Global Geopark renowned for its marine biodiversity. The decision, announced by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, follows a high-profile public campaign by Greenpeace Indonesia that exposed significant environmental damage from mining activities....
READ MOREHunan Zhongke Electric, one of China’s leading lithium-ion battery anode material suppliers, has committed to investing $1.1 billion (8 billion yuan) in a manufacturing facility at Oman’s Sohar Port and Freezone, marking the largest battery materials investment in the Middle East. The project will establish an integrated production base with annual capacity of 200,000 metric...
READ MOREVale, Brazil’s largest mining company and a major global iron ore and nickel producer, and Brazil’s National Electric System Operator, the country’s power grid management authority, have reached an impasse over electricity allocation that threatens a $555 million nickel expansion project. ONS rejected Vale’s request to increase power consumption to 200 megawatts at its Onca...
READ MOREMopani Copper Mines (MCM) is advancing underground infrastructure projects aimed at unlocking 8.5 million tonnes of copper ore over the next four to five years, as part of efforts to significantly raise copper cathode production. CEO Charles Sakanya stated that the company’s goal is to double cathode output to more than 500,000 tonnes within 10...
READ MOREPlatinum prices surged last week to their highest levels in two years, posting the strongest five-day gain in over a year as investors responded to new research forecasting a deeper-than-expected global supply deficit. The World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) now projects that platinum supply in 2025 will fall to a five-year low of just 7...
READ MORENornickel, a leading global mining company, and Rusnano, a state-backed Russian technology investment corporation established in 2007 to develop and commercialize innovative technologies, have announced plans to create a joint venture focused on extracting valuable metals from industrial waste materials. Rusnano, founded with significant government funding as part of Russia’s modernization efforts, specializes in investing...
READ MORECurrent Zinc Price Trends Zinc market has experienced notable fluctuations in early 2025, shaped by macroeconomic uncertainty, shifts in industrial demand, and evolving supply conditions. As of Q1 2025, the zinc price on the London Metal Exchange (LME) is averaging around $2,450 per metric ton, reflecting a modest recovery from the late-2023 lows of $2,300/t....
READ MOREBHP and Lundin Mining Agree to Jointly Acquire Filo Corp., Establish Copper Joint Venture in Vicuña DistrictBHP and Lundin Mining Corporation have agreed to jointly acquire 100% of the Toronto-listed Filo Corp., which wholly owns the Filo del Sol copper project in the Vicuña district, spanning Argentina and Chile. The companies will subsequently form a...
READ MORECurrent Platinum Price Trends As of Q2 2025, platinum prices are showing modest recovery from their 2023 lows. The metal is currently trading around $950–$1,000 per ounce, up from sub-$900 levels seen during the economic slowdown of 2023. Key drivers of recent price behavior include: Despite historically being more expensive than gold, platinum price is...
READ MORECurrent Aluminum Price Trends The aluminum market in 2025 reflects ongoing volatility shaped by energy prices, geopolitical tensions, and shifting industrial demand. As of Q2 2025, aluminum prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) are averaging around $2,300 per metric ton — a modest recovery from the lows of late 2023. Recent fluctuations are driven...
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