China’s decision to restrict exports of critical manufacturing minerals, including gallium, germanium, and antimony, has intensified calls to bolster domestic mining efforts in the United States. These minerals are essential to producing high-tech semiconductors, weapons systems, infrared technology, and fiber optics. Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, described China’s actions as...
READ MORESouth32 Limited has issued an update regarding its Mozal Aluminium operations in Mozambique, as the company continues to navigate an evolving situation in the region. While the safety and wellbeing of its workforce remain a priority, the company confirmed that there have been no security incidents at the smelter. Recent road blockages in Mozambique have...
READ MORENamibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy is investigating Xinfeng Investments (Pty) Ltd. for alleged unauthorized mining activities in the lithium-rich Erongo region. The ministry accuses the company, which holds an exclusive prospecting license through a joint venture with Orange River Exploration and Mining CC, of exceeding its permit scope by conducting unapproved lithium extraction. An...
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 MOREChina’s copper concentrate and ore imports in November 2024 totaled 2.245 million metric tons, marking a decline of 2.98% month-on-month (MoM) and 8.1% year-on-year (YoY). This monthly import volume fell below the annual average level of 2.33 million metric tons. Despite the November downturn, cumulative imports from January to November reached 25.645 million metric tons,...
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 MORETaykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN) has announced a $20 million investment in Canada Nickel Company’s flagship Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project, marking a significant collaboration aimed at advancing economic empowerment and fostering long-term partnership. The investment, secured through a Convertible Note, will give TTN an 8.4% stake in Canada Nickel by converting into 16.67 million common shares...
READ MOREOccidental Petroleum and BHE Renewables have announced a joint venture (JV) to utilize TerraLithium’s Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology for environmentally sustainable lithium production. This collaboration will focus on extracting high-purity lithium compounds from geothermal brine, leveraging the expertise of both companies. The project will take place at BHE Renewables’ geothermal facility in California’s Imperial...
READ MOREThe global copper market is forecast to experience a surplus of 200,000 tonnes in 2024 before balancing out in 2025, according to Nornickel’s latest metals market review. The company attributed this trend to accelerating demand growth driven by renewable energy generation, electrified transportation, and increasing global electricity consumption. Nornickel highlighted that while concerns about long-term...
READ MOREUkraine has delayed signing a minerals agreement with the United States, with reports suggesting the deal will now be finalized after Donald Trump assumes office as US President. The move allows Trump, rather than current President Joe Biden, to announce the agreement, positioning it as a win for his incoming administration. Ukrainian officials and business...
READ MOREChina’s aluminium production increased by 3.6% year-on-year in November, reaching 3.71 million metric tons, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. The rise in output, attributed to newly added capacity in Xinjiang and resumed operations in southwestern China, occurred despite declining industry profits. Daily aluminium production in November averaged 123,667 tons, marking a...
READ MOREJapanese buyers are likely to face aluminium premiums above $200 per metric ton throughout 2025 due to tightening supply in Asia, according to trading house Marubeni Corp. Japan, a key aluminium importer, sets the regional benchmark for primary metal shipment premiums, agreed quarterly over the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price. In the current quarter,...
READ MORELithium prices have declined sharply over the past two years due to slowing demand and oversupply, but the long-term outlook for the sector remains positive as forecasts predict a significant supply shortfall by 2030. The anticipated deficit is driving substantial investments aimed at scaling production capacity. On December 12, 2024, Rio Tinto announced a $2.5...
READ MOREAn independent review of the Panguna copper mine on Bougainville Island, a territory in the South Pacific, has identified several pressing issues, including unstable structures, potential landslide hazards, and contamination of soil and water in nearby areas. The mine, once operated by Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto, ceased operations in 1989. Rio Tinto divested its...
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 MOREIn November 2024, domestic aluminum production in China increased by 2.74% year-on-year (YoY), according to SMM statistics. Cumulative production for the January-November period rose by 3.86% YoY. Despite the overall growth, some aluminum smelters faced challenges such as pot maintenance due to high pot age and environmental protection-related production cuts during the winter season. While...
READ MOREIndia’s copper demand reached 1,700 kilotonnes (kt) in FY2024, marking a 13% year-on-year increase, according to a release from the International Copper Association India (ICA India). This surge is attributed to the country’s overall economic expansion, with average annual copper demand growing by 21% per year post-pandemic. Domestic production of copper cathodes also rose by...
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 MOREUzbekistan has unveiled an ambitious plan to process up to 300,000 tons of copper annually within its domestic market. Ural Yusupov, Deputy Minister of Mining and Geology, shared the country’s vision during the International Congress on “Mining Industry and Geology of Uzbekistan and Central Asia.” To achieve this goal, Uzbekistan is developing industrial clusters, technoparks,...
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 MOREDevelop Global is making substantial progress on the redevelopment of its Woodlawn copper-zinc mine in New South Wales, with first production anticipated in the June quarter of next year. The refurbishment of the processing plant, now 50% complete, is being undertaken by GR Engineering Services (GRES) and Develop’s in-house team, positioning the mine for rapid...
READ MOREBolivia, home to the world’s largest lithium reserves, is struggling to compete with its South American neighbors Chile and Argentina in tapping into the lucrative lithium market. The region, known as the Lithium Triangle, holds about 60% of the global lithium supply, essential for producing batteries used in electric vehicles, smartphones, and renewable energy storage....
READ MOREU.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a finding against Kingtom Aluminio S.R.L., a Chinese-owned entity in the Dominican Republic, based on evidence suggesting the use of forced labor in the production of its aluminum extrusion and profile products. Effective immediately, CBP personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will seize any such products...
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