Chile’s state-owned copper producer Codelco has applied for an environmental permit to extend the life of its Gabriela Mistral mine by more than 25 years. The proposed $800 million project would push the current closure date from 2028 to at least 2055, ensuring continued production at the Antofagasta region mine, which has been operational since...
READ MORELithium Americas has announced the completion of its joint venture (JV) with General Motors Holdings to fund, develop, construct, and operate the Thacker Pass lithium project in Humboldt County, Nevada. The project aims to supply battery-quality lithium carbonate for the North American critical minerals supply chain. Under the terms of the JV, Lithium Americas retains...
READ MOREState funding for the Copperwood Mine project in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has encountered another delay. The state Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Senator Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), declined to vote on a proposed $50 million grant for the controversial project during its latest meeting. This marks the second time this year the funding has stalled. The...
READ MOREThe Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates on Wednesday led to a sharp drop in gold prices, with spot gold tumbling over 2% to a one-month low. Spot gold closed the session down $60.36, or 2.28%, at $2,585.54 per ounce—the lowest level since November 18. The U.S. dollar index surged over 1% to a...
READ MOREGreen Technology Metals has received a letter of interest from Export Development Canada (EDC) for potential project financing of up to C$100 million for the Seymour lithium project in Ontario. This marks a significant milestone for the development of what could become the first lithium mine in Ontario and the second in Canada. Seymour hosts...
READ MORESWA Lithium, a joint venture between Standard Lithium Ltd. and Equinor ASA, has announced the successful commissioning and operation of a pilot Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) plant at the South West Arkansas Project. The facility, developed in partnership with Koch Technology Solutions (KTS), processes brine directly from the project site to validate engineering design parameters...
READ MOREUS-based mining company Arcadium Lithium is grappling with legal disputes as shareholders have filed lawsuits alleging misrepresentation and negligence concerning Rio Tinto’s proposed $6.7 billion acquisition. These lawsuits, lodged in four separate US courts, aim to delay the transaction, but Arcadium is responding with supplemental disclosures to maintain the deal’s timeline. The lawsuits, filed in...
READ MOREChilean state-owned companies Codelco and Enami have finalized the sale of a 10% stake in the Quebrada Blanca mining property, with Codelco acquiring Enami’s share for $520 million. This transaction solidifies Codelco’s position in one of Chile’s most significant copper deposits. The deal, which follows the completion of a due diligence process, included a $338...
READ MORELyten, a leader in supermaterial applications and lithium-sulfur battery technology, has announced that it has received Letters of Interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) for a funding package of up to $650 million. The funds will support the expansion of lithium-sulfur battery manufacturing in Silicon Valley, California, and Reno, Nevada, as...
READ MORESouth Korean-based ALUKO Group has announced plans to establish its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Jackson, Tennessee. The $36.3 million project will create 55 new jobs in Madison County and support operations at Ford Motor Company’s BlueOval City by producing aluminum battery casings. This marks a significant step for the ALUKO Group, which comprises subsidiaries...
READ MOREOn December 18, Volkswagen Group’s battery subsidiary PowerCo announced its first investment in the lithium supply chain through a strategic partnership with Canadian lithium developer Patriot Battery Metals. The collaboration secures a long-term supply of lithium raw materials essential for Volkswagen’s electric vehicle ambitions. As part of the agreement, Volkswagen Group has invested $48 million...
READ MOREPeru’s copper production fell by 1.4% in October compared to the same month last year, with total output reaching 236,797 metric tons, according to official data from the Energy and Mining Ministry. The decline is attributed to reduced output from two of the nation’s largest mines: Cerro Verde, controlled by Freeport-McMoRan, and Antamina, operated jointly...
READ MOREAmerican Salars Lithium has announced the acquisition of the Xenia West and East lithium projects through a mineral claim purchase agreement. The projects, covering 92 mining claims across approximately 5,382 hectares, are located 30 kilometers southeast of Val-d’Or, Quebec, and accessible via Highway 117. The Xenia projects are adjacent to established lithium operations by Sayona...
READ MOREGunnison Copper has announced progress in the construction of the fully permitted Johnson Camp Mine (JCM) in southeast Arizona, with first copper production expected by mid-2025. The company confirmed that mining activities, including pre-stripping, have begun following the mobilization of the mining fleet. The latest update builds on the August 2024 report, which highlighted the...
READ MOREYuma County, Arizona, may soon host a groundbreaking solar-powered cobalt production facility. EVelution Energy, a local company, has announced receiving a non-binding letter of interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States for a potential $200 million loan. This funding would support the construction and operation of the facility, which aims to bolster domestic...
READ MORECuba is striving to maintain its nickel production despite the combined pressures of the US blockade, disruptions in the national electrical grid, and volatile international market prices. The country’s primary nickel operations are concentrated in the eastern province of Holguín, where two mining sites are active: the Ernesto Che Guevara plant, a fully Cuban venture,...
READ MOREThe United States Geological Survey (USGS) has reported domestic primary aluminum production of 54,600 metric tons (t) in September 2024. The average daily production for the month was 1,820 t, remaining consistent with August 2024 but showing a 9% decline compared to September 2023 and a 10% drop from September 2022. Total aluminum recovered from...
READ MOREVolt Lithium has announced a partnership with Wellspring Hydro (WSH) to deploy and test its proprietary direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology in the Bakken formation of North Dakota. This collaboration marks a significant step in advancing the feasibility of extracting lithium from oilfield brine, a promising resource for renewable energy materials. The field study will...
READ MORENippon Denkai has announced the closure and liquidation of its copper foil manufacturing plant in the United States, marking the end of domestic production of this material. Denkai America Inc., the US-based subsidiary of the Japanese company, will cease operations just two years after significant investments were planned to revitalize the facility. The company cited...
READ MOREThe US government is evaluating a proposal to provide a loan of up to $550 million to support the development of the Piauí Nickel project in Brazil’s Northeast. This initiative, led by Brazilian Nickel, aims to secure critical minerals for the energy transition and reduce dependency on China’s dominant supply chains for key metals. Brazilian...
READ MORECopper production in Chile, the world’s largest copper producer, is forecasted to reach between 5.4 and 5.6 million tons in 2025, according to the National Mining Association (Sonami). This projection reflects continued optimism about the sector’s stability and growth. Chilean mining companies anticipate copper prices to range between $4.20 and $4.50 per pound next year,...
READ MORERio Tinto has announced plans to expand the capacity of its Rincon lithium project in Argentina to 60,000 tonnes per year, aiming to leverage the favorable long-term outlook for lithium driven by the global energy transition. The London-based mining giant has approved a $2.5 billion investment in its first commercial-scale lithium operation, positioning lithium as...
READ MOREAscend Elements, a Massachusetts-based lithium-battery recycling company, has announced plans to begin producing lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) from used lithium-ion batteries at its Covington facility in 2025. The company aims to produce up to 3,000 metric tons of sustainable, domestic Li2CO3 annually, marking a significant milestone as the first commercial-scale recycled lithium carbonate production in the...
READ MOREAmerican Rare Earths has announced a significant rare earth deposit discovery at its Halleck Creek project in Wyoming, USA, initially valued at $37 billion. The deposit contains critical minerals such as neodymium, dysprosium, praseodymium, samarium, and terbium, essential for manufacturing electronic devices, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defense technologies. Notably, only 25% of the total...
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