Novelis, a global aluminum rolling and recycling company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has announced the closure of two U.S. manufacturing facilities as part of its restructuring efforts. The Richmond, Virginia facility will cease operations on May 30, 2025, resulting in the loss of 72 jobs, while the Fairmont, West Virginia plant will close permanently on...
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Appian Capital Advisory has finalized the sale of Mineração Vale Verde (MVV), owner of the Serrote copper-gold mine in Alagoas, Brazil, to China’s Baiyin Nonferrous Group for $420 million. The deal, announced in November 2024, has now received all necessary approvals. This marks Appian’s 13th successful exit in its strategy of acquiring undervalued mining assets...
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The European Union, in collaboration with Fraunhofer Chile, has officially launched the OPTIMINER project in Santiago, Chile. This initiative aims to optimize the extraction and processing of critical raw materials (CRMs) such as copper and lithium, which are essential for renewable energy technologies and global decarbonization efforts. Funded by the Horizon Europe program with €7.3...
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Gold prices have surpassed $3,100 per ounce for the first time, continuing a historic bull run that reflects deepening global economic uncertainty and a renewed investor appetite for hard assets. The rally follows a period of consolidation in late 2024 and signals a shift in sentiment as concerns mount over U.S. economic risks, geopolitical tensions,...
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Denarius Metals has launched mining operations at its Zancudo Project in Colombia, with initial production expected in the second quarter of 2025. The development follows the company’s progress in securing a mining license and environmental approvals throughout 2024. A mine contractor has begun opening four production fronts at the site over the next several months,...
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First Quantum Minerals has agreed to drop or suspend its arbitration claims against Panama, potentially paving the way for negotiations to resume production at the troubled facility. The Canadian copper miner had initiated international arbitration proceedings seeking at least $20 billion (USD) in damages after then-president Laurentino Cortizo ordered the shutdown of its Cobre Panama...
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Authorities in the autonomous Wa region of Myanmar are preparing to announce the immediate lifting of the mining ban imposed in August 2023. In a draft document seen by the International Tin Association, the Wa Economic Planning Committee (EPC) will announce that mining and processing can resume “as soon as possible” following discussions last weekend....
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Romania has received a positive endorsement from the European Commission (EC) for three critical mining projects, securing €615 million (approximately $665 million) in financing under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). The projects, announced by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, focus on the extraction of copper and magnesium—materials essential to industries such as energy, aviation,...
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Century Aluminum has upgraded the cooling tunnels at its Mt. Holly smelting plant in South Carolina, addressing operational challenges caused by outdated controls. The facility processes approximately 230,000 tonnes of aluminum annually, producing standard-grade ingots, extrusion billets, and other products. The modernization effort reflects broader trends in the aluminum industry as producers seek to enhance...
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The International Copper Study Group (ICSG) reports world copper mine production increased by about 2% in January 2025, with concentrate production rising 2.9% while solvent extraction-electrowinning declined 0.9%. Peru’s copper mine production grew 7% year-on-year, primarily due to the Quellaveco ramp-up and higher output at several other mines. The Democratic Republic of Congo saw production...
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Australian metal producer Aurelia Metals has received approval from New South Wales authorities to triple the volume of ore it can transport from its Federation mine to its Peak processing facility. The change in project consent, announced on March 28, allows the company to move up to 600,000 tonnes of mixed metal ore per year,...
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Metlen Energy & Metals has achieved a significant milestone with its flagship gallium production project at the historic Aluminium of Greece facility being officially designated as a Strategic Project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). Ratified on March 25, 2025, this recognition highlights the project’s pivotal role in strengthening Europe’s supply chain for...
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Rock Tech Lithium’s lithium hydroxide converter in Guben, Germany, has been named a Strategic Project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). The facility will produce 24,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium hydroxide annually and is expected to support the production of over 500,000 electric vehicles per year. This designation highlights the project’s importance in...
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Aluminium Deutschland has raised alarm over the potential consequences of the United States’ recent 25% tariff on aluminum imports, which notably excludes aluminum scrap. On 12th March, the Trump-Vance administration enforced 25% tariffs on imports of steel, aluminium, and products containing these metals. The primary concern is that US-based companies will continue to purchase aluminum...
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PT Amman Mineral Internasional (AMMAN) is set to begin producing copper cathodes at its new $1.4 billion smelter in West Sumbawa Regency, Indonesia, by the end of March 2025. The facility has a processing capacity of 900,000 tons of copper concentrate annually and is expected to produce 220,000 tons of copper cathodes, along with by-products...
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Elliott Associates, a U.S.-based hedge fund, is reviewing its options for further legal action against the London Metal Exchange (LME) after Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) fined the exchange £9.2 million ($11.9 million) for its handling of the 2022 nickel price crisis. The fine, announced on March 20, 2025, marks the first enforcement action against...
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Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) is set to begin operations as a standalone company under the name Valterra Platinum on May 28, following its demerger from parent company Anglo American. The new name, a combination of “Value” and “Terra” (Latin for earth), reflects the company’s focus on maximizing shareholder value and its connection to natural resources....
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China is ramping up its strategic reserves of key industrial metals, including cobalt, copper, nickel, and lithium, as part of efforts to bolster supply chain resilience during a period of heightened energy-transition demand and geopolitical uncertainty. The National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, which oversees the country’s commodity stockpiles, has begun price inquiries and bidding...
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Ore extraction at Mongolia’s Oyu Tolgoi copper mine is set to increase by 50% year-on-year in 2025, leading to a significant rise in copper concentrate production. Located in the South Gobi Desert, the mine is majority-owned by Rio Tinto and is expected to become the world’s fourth-largest copper producer by 2030, with an average annual...
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Electra Battery Materials has received a non-binding Letter of Intent from the Government of Canada for up to $20 million in potential funding to help complete North America’s first battery-grade cobalt refinery in Temiskaming Shores, Ontario. The facility is expected to support production for up to one million electric vehicles annually. Designed to have the...
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Finland’s state-owned Finnish Minerals Group will co-develop a battery materials factory in Kotka valued at €800 million (approximately $872 million), the company announced. The plant will be constructed by Easpring Finland New Materials, a joint venture in which China’s Beijing Easpring Material Technology holds a 70% stake and the Finnish Minerals Group owns the remaining...
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First Atlantic Nickel has formed a research partnership with the Colorado School of Mines to evaluate the potential of geologic hydrogen in two ophiolite complexes in Newfoundland, Canada: the St. Anthony Ophiolite Complex (Atlantis Project, 103 km²) and the Pipestone Ophiolite Complex (Atlantic Nickel Project, 71 km²). Both sites are 100% owned by First Atlantic...
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Elementos has entered into an industrial testwork partnership with Atlantic Copper to explore the potential for processing tin concentrate from the Oropesa Tin Project in southern Spain. The collaboration will focus on evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of smelting lower-grade tin ore into refined tin products at Atlantic’s CirCular Plant, located 245 kilometers from...
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The Rheinwerk aluminium plant in Neuss, Germany—once one of Europe’s largest producers of primary aluminium—has fully transitioned to recycled production after shutting down its energy-intensive smelter operations in 2023 due to soaring electricity costs. While its towering chimneys now stand dormant, the facility is active around the clock, processing scrap metal into new aluminium products...
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