John has spent more than two decades working in the international mining industry, covering everything from early-stage exploration to the final stages of metal production. His global experience includes advising mining operations in North and South America, Africa and Asia. At Metals Wire, John provides readers with a grounded perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing mining operations today, including regulatory impacts, sustainability efforts and advancements in mining technologies.
Chemists at Russia’s Tomsk State University (TSU) have developed a method for obtaining Ti–Al composites (titanium aluminides) doped with rare earth metals zirconium and neodymium, and have already produced prototypes of the alloys, the university said. Why it matters: Ti–Al alloys can be used in various fields including the nuclear industry, aviation, shipbuilding, space and...
The Finnish company Sensmet has developed a technology called Micro-Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (µDOES), which can measure multiple metals, including lithium and their impurities, in real time. The technology is based on atomic emission spectroscopy and creates a micro-discharge or electric spark directly inside an aqueous sample, causing a microscopic volume of the fluid surrounding...
The ban on copper ore exports, which was announced by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday and will take effect from mid-2023, could send global metal prices up 20%, as well as increase demand for Russian copper, metal markets expert Leonid Khazanov told RIA Novosti. “The suspension of exports of the ‘red metal’ from Indonesia...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) announced on 17 January that General Counsel and Head of Enforcement Tom Hine will step down from his role at the end of the month. In a statement, the exchange said that the LME Group legal management team temporarily assumed Hine’s responsibilities starting September 2022. Hine has been with the...
LKAB, a mining company based in Sweden, has identified significant deposits of rare earth elements in the Kiruna area, which are essential for the manufacture of electric vehicles and wind turbines. The company reports mineral resources exceeding one million tonnes of rare earth oxides, making it the largest known deposit of its kind in Europe....
The chair of the London Metal Exchange (LME), Gay Huey Evans CBE, announced that she will step down from her role in the wake of a nickel trading scandal that has shaken the exchange. The scandal, which was sparked by volatile prices in the nickel market in March due to the war in Ukraine, prompted...
The Aluminium Association of India (AAI) has called for government intervention in the form of supportive measures to address challenges faced by the aluminium industry, including rising foreign imports, a declining market share and escalating costs. The AAI has specifically requested the removal or rationalization of taxes on key inputs for the sector, such as...
The European Union and Chile have agreed on a partnership to liberalise bilateral trade and enhance EU access to metals like lithium and copper, which are widely used in electric vehicles. The EU, which signed the trade deal on 9 December, already relies heavily on Chile for lithium sourcing, with over 60% of its imports...
China’s nickel buyers, the world’s largest purchasers of the metal, have asked producers to switch to Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) contracts to price their supplies next year. Who The sources, who asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak to the press, possess direct knowledge of the matter. Why it matters If...
Ring of Fire Metals (RoFM) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Webequie First Nation, outlining a framework for collaboration on proposed development in Northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire. Who Ring of Fire Metals and the Webequie First Nation have signed a memorandum of understanding outlining how the two parties will collaborate to...
Around the midpoint of 2023, Brazil-based mining company Vale plans to split off its base metal operations into a separate company from its core iron ore business. Its nickel operations in Canada will be impacted by this decision, including those in Sudbury, Ontario; Thompson, Manitoba; and Voisey’s Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. Who Vale executives announced...
LME was forced to suspend the nickel market and cancel all trades on 8 March, after prices spiked more than 50% to hit a record above USD 100,000 per tonne within a few hours. And although nickel trading resumed on 16 March after daily price limits were introduced, it wasn’t available during Asian hours. Now...
Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, warned on Thursday that global shortages of the metal may reach eight million tonnes by 2032, as new projects can’t catch up with soaring demand. What Maximo Pacheco, Chairman of the Board of Codelco, said at an industry conference that while a surplus is expected in the short term...
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shows no signs of stopping, US-based lightweight metal engineering and manufacturing company Arconic has sold off its Russian assets. Who To comply with sanctions against Russia, Arconic sold its Russian operations to the majority owner of the state-backed metals company VSMPO-AVISMA for cash. The key property changing hands is the...
Achieving current climate targets to potentially save the world from catastrophe will require hundreds of billions in copper investments. Who Analysts from Wood Mackenzie claim that 9.7 million tonnes of copper are needed over the next 10 years to cover the projects necessary to hit goals outlined in the Paris Agreement targets, an increase of...
After the signing of a financing package that will provide up to $123 million in liquidity, Nevada Copper is set to restart operations at its Underground Mine location within the larger Pumpkin Hollow reserve. The resumption of copper extraction at the site comes with an optimised plan to bring the mine’s life-cycle value forward by...
Nickel Creek Platinum has announced the completion of a drilling and geophysics programme conducted in Yukon, Canada, as part of the Nickel Shaw Project. The project involved a total of 3,300 metres of drilling, 2,000 metres of which comprised a Prefeasibility Study (“PFS”) at the Wellgreen deposit. Eight holes were drilled to support the conversion...
A new theory of iron–nickel alloy solidification has been proposed. Regulating the process of creating Invar (iron–nickel, Fe–Ni) could bring about a more uniform structure, controlled characteristics, and improved properties in the final product. Who Physicists at the Ural Federal University (UrFU) have determined that oncoming flow plays an important role in the technology for...
Impression Technologies Ltd (ITL) and fischer group have presented novel forming solutions for ultra-high-strength aluminum structures. The developments have the potential for widespread application in automotive production, especially in electric vehicles. Who Since becoming ITL’s first globally accredited HFQ (Hot Form Quench) partner in December 2020, fischer has invested in a dedicated state-of-the-art high volume...
