John Davis

Editorial specialist
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.
  • Sigma Lithium Ships 12th Vessel of Quintuple Zero Green Lithium to Mitsubishi, Strengthens Finance Team

    Sigma Lithium has shipped its 12th vessel of Quintuple Zero Green Lithium to Japan’s Mitsubishi, reinforcing its position as a leading global lithium producer. This marks Sigma’s second sale to Mitsubishi, further strengthening its commercial partnership. The company remains on track to meet its third-quarter production target of 60,000 tonnes of Quintuple Zero Green Lithium,...
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  • Ivanhoe Electric Targets 2025 for Santa Cruz Copper Project, Highlights High Copper Recoveries and Drilling Success

    Ivanhoe Electric has provided an update on the Santa Cruz Copper Project in Arizona, where it continues to make strides towards project development. The company remains on schedule to complete its Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) by the second quarter of 2025. This study, which is now 50% complete, will be critical for Ivanhoe Electric’s decision-making...
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  • Nickel Price Uptick Boosts Optimism for DMCI Mining After Tough First Three Quarters

    DMCI Mining is expecting a recovery in its nickel mining business, driven by a recent uptick in global nickel prices, according to the company’s president, Tulsi Das C. Reyes. The first three quarters of 2024 were marked by significant challenges, with prices dropping by 40% to 50%, but the last 30 to 45 days have...
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  • True North Copper Delivers First Oxide Ore at Wallace North, Cloncurry Copper Project

    True North Copper has successfully ramped up mining activities at its Wallace North deposit, part of the Cloncurry Copper Project (CCP) in Queensland. The company remains on track to become Australia’s next copper producer and critical metals supplier by the first quarter of 2025, as CCP progresses toward restarting operations. To date, approximately 155,000 bank...
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  • Rochester Mine Exceeds Expectations, On Track for 2024 Production Goals

    The Rochester mine, part of Coeur Mining, is on track to meet its full-year 2024 production guidance, with plans to process 8.0 million tons of ore per quarter in the second half of the year. The company anticipates producing between 4.8 to 6.6 million ounces of silver and 37,000 to 50,000 ounces of gold for...
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  • MBK Partners and Young Poong Submit Tender Offer for Controlling Stake in Korea Zinc

    South Korean investment firm MBK Partners and Young Poong Corp. have jointly submitted an application to acquire a 14.6% controlling stake in Korea Zinc, the world’s largest producer of refined zinc. The deal is aimed at improving corporate governance and enhancing the value of Korea Zinc, amid disagreements within the company’s ownership regarding its ambitious...
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  • Hydro Opens New Recycling Plant in Hungary to Meet Rising Demand for Low-Carbon Aluminium

    Hydro has inaugurated a new aluminium recycling plant in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, designed to process 15,000 tonnes of post-consumer scrap annually. The facility, which is expected to scale up production over time, addresses the increasing demand for low-carbon, recycled aluminium, particularly from the automotive sector. Eivind Kallevik, Hydro’s President and CEO, highlighted the growing market for...
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  • Anglo American Offloads 5.3% Stake in Platinum Unit Ahead of Spin-Off

    Anglo American has raised approximately $400 million through the sale of shares in its platinum subsidiary, Anglo American Platinum, as part of a broader restructuring effort. The mining giant sold 13.94 million shares, representing a 5.3% stake in the subsidiary, at a price of 515 South African rand ($27.30) per share. This sale was made...
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  • BEP Surface Technologies and Carbodeon Collaborate on Nanodiamond Copper Coating

    BEP Surface Technologies, a specialist in electroplating, has entered into a strategic partnership with nanodiamond manufacturer Carbodeon to develop the world’s first copper-nanodiamond composite coating. This collaboration aims to create a novel material with enhanced thermal conductivity and improved wear resistance. Nanodiamonds, microscopic diamond particles, possess unique structures that significantly improve the performance of metal...
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  • Antam Expands Role in Indonesia’s Nickel Supply Chain Amid Growing Domestic Production

    Indonesia, home to the world’s largest reserves of nickel ore, has been leveraging its vast deposits to drive domestic industrialization. Much of Indonesia’s nickel, concentrated on or near Sulawesi, was historically exported in unprocessed form. However, in recent years, nickel has gained new importance as a critical material in the global transition to clean energy,...
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  • Andrada Mining Partners with SQM to Develop Namibia’s Lithium Ridge Asset

    Andrada Mining has announced a partnership with Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM), one of the world’s largest lithium chemicals producers, through its subsidiary SQM Australia. The agreement, pending approval from the Namibian Competition Commission, will focus on developing Andrada’s Lithium Ridge asset (ML133) in Namibia. Key highlights of the partnership include:
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  • Weekly Metals News Digest – September 2-6

    Global Zinc Production Continues to Decline Global zinc ore production fell by 3.4% in the first half of 2024 due to reduced demand from metallurgical plants, particularly in China. Zinc orders from galvanized steel plants and hot-dip galvanizing operations have also decreased, according to data from the Lead and Zinc Study Group. China’s zinc concentrate...
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  • Panasonic and Mazda Collaborate on Next-Generation EV Batteries for 2027 Launch

    Panasonic Energy and Mazda Motor Corporation have announced plans to collaborate on the supply of next-generation cylindrical lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, with production slated to begin in 2027. This partnership aims to expand Japan’s battery manufacturing base and support the country’s push towards electric vehicle (EV) adoption. The collaboration is part of Mazda’s strategic...
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  • Kam Kiu Aluminium to Build $100M Plant in Vietnam

    Kam Kiu Aluminium Products Group, a Hong Kong-registered Chinese company, has announced plans to build a high-quality aluminum production facility in My Thuan Industrial Park, located in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam. The investment for the project is estimated at $100 million. The new plant will focus on producing aluminum components for the automotive, electronics, and...
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  • Spot Silver Falls Below $28 as Downward Trend Continues

    In Wednesday’s Asian trading, spot silver extended its downward movement, dropping below the key $28.00 per ounce barrier after a significant decline the day before. Spot silver closed Tuesday’s session 1.77% lower at $28.03 per ounce, and by mid-Wednesday, prices had fallen further to $27.90 per ounce. FXStreet analyst Christian Borjon Valencia highlighted that this...
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  • Kamoa-Kakula Sets New Copper Production Record as Phase 3 Ramp-Up Nears Completion

    Ivanhoe Mines has announced that its Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) achieved a new daily copper production record of 2,096 tonnes on August 31, 2024. This milestone comes as the complex nears the completion of its Phase 3 ramp-up, which is set to reach full steady-state production soon. In...
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  • Rockfire Resources Announces 500% Increase in Zinc Resource at Molaoi, Greece

    Rockfire Resources has reported a 500% increase in the JORC Mineral Resource estimate for its Molaoi zinc, silver, and lead deposit in Greece, making it one of the top 20 undeveloped zinc resources globally by tonnage, grade, and zinc equivalent metal content. The updated resource significantly surpasses the maiden resource announced in May 2022. The...
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  • Indonesia Urges Australia to Embrace Collaboration on Nickel and EV Battery Production

    Indonesia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Pahala Mansury, has emphasized that Indonesia’s rapidly growing nickel industry should not be viewed as a competitor to Australia’s nickel sector. Ahead of his visit to Sydney, Mansury is advocating for closer ties between the two nations, particularly in the critical minerals and electric vehicle (EV) battery production sectors. Indonesia’s nickel...
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  • Century Lithium Achieves 99.2% Purity in Initial Lithium Carbonate Production at Nevada Pilot Plant

    Century Lithium has announced successful assay results from the first lithium carbonate produced at its newly commissioned lithium carbonate stage within the company’s Lithium Extraction Facility in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. The facility is a key component of Century Lithium’s 100%-owned Angel Island Project in Nevada. The initial startup tests yielded lithium carbonate with purity levels...
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  • Alcoa Faces Stability Concerns Over Massive Bauxite Residue Stockpiles in Western Australia

    Alcoa is storing approximately 368 million cubic meters of caustic bauxite residue, known as red mud, across three refineries in Kwinana, Pinjarra, and Wagerup, Western Australia. The amount of waste, which could fill Perth’s Optus Stadium more than 350 times, has not been confirmed as stable according to recent assessments, raising significant concerns about the...
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  • Global Zinc Market Tightens as Chinese Smelters Adjust Production

    Global zinc mine production continues to decline, with supply pressures mounting, particularly in China. Fourteen Chinese smelters, responsible for about 70% of the country’s refined zinc output, recently agreed to adjust maintenance schedules and delay new capacity to protect margins. This move sparked a 10% rally in Shanghai Futures Exchange zinc prices, but the global...
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  • Argentina Aims to Double Mining Exports to $10 Billion with Focus on Lithium and Copper

    Argentina’s mining exports are expected to double to approximately $10 billion within the next three years, driven primarily by a surge in lithium production, according to Minister Luis Lucero. The expansion is also set to benefit from increased copper production, which is critical for powering electric vehicles and artificial intelligence technologies. Lucero emphasized that Argentina...
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  • BHP’s Nickel West Operations Face Uncertain Future Amid Market Struggles

    BHP’s relationship with its Western Australian nickel operations, known as Nickel West, has been marked by a series of ups and downs over the years. The division, which has long been a point of contention within the company, is now facing an uncertain future after BHP announced a “temporary suspension” of operations, a move that...
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  • UAC Commissions New Aluminium Billet Casting Line in Romania, Boosting Aerospace Production

    UAC, a global leader in manufacturing structural components for the aerospace industry, has successfully commissioned a new aluminium billet casting line at its Satu Mare plant in Romania. This new facility enhances UAC’s capacity to produce aerospace-grade alloys, serving customers across Europe and globally. The investment is poised to expand UAC’s product offerings and solidify...
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