Today's Mining Pulse
Indonesia grants export monopoly to state trader, targeting $66B in resource revenues
Indonesia’s employers association and major mining cartels have endorsed President Prabowo Subianto’s new export monopoly, giving exclusive rights to state‑controlled trader PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI). The policy aims to capture roughly $66.13B in annual resource revenues and curb historic tax leakage estimated at $908B.
Also developing:
Additional LNG Exports From Plaquemines LNG Approved
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright approved a 13% increase in exports from Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG terminal, adding up to 0.45 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) for non‑FTA destinations. The move raises the facility’s authorized capacity to 3.85 Bcf/d, combining both FTA and non‑FTA shipments. Plaquemines, which began exporting in December 2024, has already surpassed 3 Bcf/d. The approval is part of a broader U.S. strategy that has cleared more than 18.6 Bcf/d of LNG projects since the export ban was lifted.
CSIRO Farm Trials Point to Low-Frequency Mining Connectivity Potential
CSIRO’s Data61 team is testing sub‑1 GHz low‑frequency signals as a rugged, long‑range communications layer for remote industries. Farm trials with Sharp demonstrated live video and AI‑driven livestock monitoring using a 240 MHz signal at just 0.01 mW. The research shows the spectrum...
EU Doesn’t See Risks to Oil and Gas Supply Yet
EU energy coordinators met on March 12 and concluded there are no immediate oil or gas supply risks despite ongoing Middle East disruptions. Oil inventories remain high and gas storage levels are stable across the bloc. Regulators consider the current framework...
EU Doesn’t See Risks to Oil and Gas Supply Yet
In ad‑hoc meetings on March 12, the EU’s Gas and Oil Coordination Groups reported no immediate security‑of‑supply risks despite ongoing Middle East tensions. Oil inventories across member states remain at elevated levels, while gas storage fill rates are stable and not...
DRC Seeks Stronger Investment Partnerships With Major Mining Companies
The Democratic Republic of the Congo announced a push to deepen partnerships with major miners Glencore, CMOC Group and Ivanhoe Mines. The government aims to spur additional capital spending, modernize facilities and lift mineral output amid copper production above 3 million...
Alphamin Boosts Tin Production to 18,576 Tonnes in 2025
Alphamin Resources reported a 7% rise in tin output for 2025, reaching 18,576 tonnes and aligning with its revised guidance. Despite a March security‑driven shutdown, the miner posted a pro‑forma annualized production rate of roughly 20,000 tonnes. EBITDA surged 25%...
Jubilee Metals Secures $1.8M Copper Feed Deal in Zambia
Jubilee Metals Group has agreed to purchase high‑grade copper ore for its Roan Concentrator in Zambia, a $1.8 million deal settled by issuing 29.76 million new shares at a 14.3% premium. The supplied ore averages 1.65% copper, which should improve recovery rates...
Crescat Capital Market Update March 13, 2026 | Goliath Resources
Crescat Capital’s March 13 market update highlighted substantial progress at Goliath Resources’ Golddigger Project. Quinton Hennigh reported that the mineralized system has expanded dramatically compared with last year’s drilling. Recent core work has further enlarged the Surebet discovery, adding significant...
Kristie Batten: Newcomer Green & Gold Hits the Ground Running
Green & Gold Minerals (ASX:GG1) raised just under $5.7 million in its IPO and listed on the ASX in October 2023. Within months the company completed more than 4.8 km of reverse‑circulation and diamond drilling at its Chillagoe gold‑silver project, delivering several...
Red Sea Swarms with Tankers as Hormuz Remains Closed
MAP OF THE DAY: While the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed (other than a few tankers, notably from India), the Red Sea is witnessing the arrival of an oil tanker armada to the Saudi terminals there. (Tracking via @TheTerminal) (Blue...
Australia Seeks Foreign Gas Investment Amid Middle East Turmoil
Australia is lobbying for more overseas investment in its gas resources as the Middle East conflict riles energy markets 🇦🇺💰 https://t.co/GpZPpkrjwB https://t.co/pVWyatVjys
U.S. Intervention in Venezuela Could Help Solve Colombia’s Energy Crisis
Colombia’s natural‑gas output fell to a multi‑decade low of 683 mmcf/d in January 2026, a 17 % drop year‑over‑year, forcing the government to lean heavily on costly LPG imports that now cover about 30 % of domestic gas demand. The shortfall threatens electricity...
China's Commodity Markets Roiled by Fuel Ban, Iron Ore Dispute
It was a big week for commodities in China. On the iran war we had a refined fuel export ban and a request to access commercial reserves. Meanwhile the China, BHP iron ore saga exploded into life again
IEA Sets Immediate Oil Release for Asia, Delays Europe, America
IEA has provided an update on the emergency oil stock release, with details on timing, regional split, and crude/product split. Asia stocks will be released immediately. Europe / America only at the of March. Still missing is the flow rate, however....
Coal India Aims to Ensure Power at Just Price Amid West Asia Crisis: Official
Coal India Ltd (CIL), which produces about 80% of India’s domestic coal, pledged to keep electricity prices fair amid the West Asia crisis that threatens imported coal costs. The state‑owned firm holds 122 million tonnes of pithead inventory and 53 million tonnes...
Trump Forces Unpopular Northern Iraq Oil Export Resumption
Press the translate button. Remember what I mentioned before: The resumption of oil exports form Northern Iraq was forced by the Trump administration. None of the parties are happy, especially the KRG.
Fuel Oil Prices Spike, Threatening Container Shipping Costs
COLUMN: While the price of Brent and WTI crudes remain well below their record high, the cost of fuel oil has surged above the 2022 and 2008 peaks. The surge is a big problem for the workhorse of globalisation: the container...
DRC Govt Reviews Oil Market Risks With Petroleum Distributors
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Deputy Prime Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba met with the Professional Group of Petroleum Product Distributors on March 10, 2026 to assess global oil market volatility. The discussion focused on the recent Brent crude surge...
LNG Fleet Shifts to Asia, China Eyes US Supply
⭕️A large number of LNG carriers were diverted from Europe to Asia. Will China restarts buying US LNG? Map form @Kpler I added the red arrows
China Lifts BHP Iron Ore Ban as Mills Scramble
China eases ban on BHP iron ore after steel mills rush to buy in amid price rises https://t.co/WaN0cB2ddK
Assessing MP Materials (MP) Valuation After 10X Texas Magnet Facility And Government Backing
MP Materials announced a 10X rare‑earth magnet facility in Northlake, Texas, backed by the U.S. government and secured long‑term offtake agreements with General Motors and Apple. The stock fell 4.7% in one day and 5.6% over the past month, despite...
Iran Says Hormuz Open, only US/Israeli Ships Barred
"Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said the Strait of Hormuz is open and that the strategic route is only closed to the US and Israeli vessels" Are ships and tankers moving? If not, then where is the problem? Look...
Iran War Drives up Global Prices, Hitting Canada
For those of us fortunate enough to be far away and out of the line of fire, the impacts of the war in Iran are economic. Why is the war making the price of so many things more expensive? #canada🇨🇦...
Without Rare Earth Elements, Electronic Warfare Systems Lose Their Edge
Electronic warfare (EW) has become the backbone of modern military operations, turning the electromagnetic spectrum into a decisive battlespace. The performance of EW hardware hinges on rare‑earth‑based components—neodymium‑iron‑boron and samarium‑cobalt magnets for antenna steering, power generation, and high‑temperature stability, plus...
Greek-Owned Tanker Safely Crosses Hormuz with 1 Mb Arab Light
Here is an oil tanker that crossed the Hormuz Strait with no incident. It will arrive at Mumbai port in India tonight. It is carrying about 1 mb of Arab Light crude from Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia. It is...
Surplus Supply Likely Drives Gas Prices Back Toward $2
Gasoline Surge Above $3 May Fuel Reversion Toward $2 - The national average gasoline price has jumped above $3 a gallon on the back of the Iran war, which may fuel reversion toward $2 by year-end. My graphic highlights a...
Trump’s Alaska Energy Revival Hits a Wall as Auction Draws Zero Bids
President Trump’s push to revive Alaska’s fossil‑fuel sector hit a setback when the first offshore lease auction in Cook Inlet received no bids. The administration’s 2025 executive order to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and expand LNG projects has faced...
Germany, India Forge Critical Minerals Partnership Across Supply Chain
Germany and India sign new deals to deepen critical minerals cooperation across mining, processing, and recycling. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/germany-india-strengthen-critical.html
Taseko Nears First Copper Cathode as Arizona Plant Finishes
Taseko expects first copper cathode in coming weeks as Florence Copper completes construction in Arizona. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/taseko-expects-first-cu-cathode-in.html
JSW Steel Starts Work on Mozambique Coking Coal Mine
JSW Steel has broken ground on the Minas de Revuboè (MdR) coking‑coal mine in Mozambique’s Moatize basin. The deposit contains 850 million tonnes of reserves, with 250 million tonnes of hard coking coal deemed recoverable, and the first phase aims to deliver...
Iran Shifts Oil Payments to Yuan, Undermining Dollar Dominance
Iran has stated it will allow tankers through the Strait of Hormuz - but only for shipments paid for in Chinese yuan rather than US dollars. The dollar is THE standard currency of the fossil fuel trade. Iran didn’t just announce...
Fuel Security, Critical Minerals on Agenda for Resources Minister’s Japan Visit
Australian Resources Minister Madeleine King is traveling to Japan for the Indo‑Pacific Energy Security Ministerial, co‑hosted by Japan and the United States. The agenda centers on fuel security for remote mining operations and strengthening critical‑minerals supply chains. King will meet...
US Shifts SPR Strategy From Sale to Loan Exchange
The US gov seems to have changed its mind about the terms of the use of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Earlier this week, it announced a **SPR release** (an outright sale, and the method used in the emergency actions of...
Drone Strike Halts Fujairah Oil Loading After Kharg
The response after Kharg Island? Some oil loading operations in the UAE port of Fujairah, just outside the Strait of Hormuz, have been suspended after a drone attack and fire on Saturday morning. https://t.co/rhA5ofo80y https://t.co/SkhA67PyzU
Pennsylvania Publishes Long-Awaited Study on Radioactivity in Landfill Runoff
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection released a two‑year study of 49 landfills, including 23 that received oil‑and‑gas waste, and concluded that current landfill leachate poses no immediate radiation risk to human health. The analysis found 11 sites exceeded EPA radium‑226/228...
Aramco Loads Five Crude Tankers Simultaneously—Historic First
Saudi Aramco is loading simultaneously 5 crude oil tankers in Yanbu and Al Mujjaiz terminals on the Red Sea coast. I don’t think that’s happened ever before.
LPG Tankers Cross Hormuz After Tehran‑Delhi Talks
One-off or sign of easing? Two tankers transporting LPG (think the butane canisters) have crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the last few hours on the way to India. The crossing happened after gov-to-gov talks between Tehran and New Delhi....
Carlyle’s Currie Warns Against Oil and Gas Hoarding
Jeff Currie, chief strategy officer at Carlyle Energy Pathways, told Bloomberg Surveillance that the ongoing Iran war is already disrupting the global oil and gas supply chain. He warned that the damage could take months to unwind and cautioned market...
White House Admits Plan: Bomb Kharg Island Amid Hormuz Closure
OK, I suppose we should admit the White House was right, and, all along, they did have a plan to deal with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Bomb Kharg Island.
Rick Rule: Oil Shocks, Mining Costs, and Lessons From the ’73 Arab Embargo
Rick Rule warns that renewed oil price volatility is inflating mining operating costs and reshaping the sector’s risk profile. He draws parallels to the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, noting how energy shocks can trigger profound real‑asset cycles. The interview also...
My Latest SeekingAlpha Article: Silver Mining Stocks With Production Growth
The Seeking Alpha piece spotlights 18 silver mining companies that are projected to increase production over the next 12‑18 months. It highlights firms with expanding reserves, higher ore grades, and cost‑efficient operations, many of which are positioned in North America...
Data Mining? Old Servers Could Become New Source of Rare Earths
Enterprises are eyeing retired server hardware as a new source of rare earth elements after Korea Zinc entered talks with major U.S. tech firms to recycle data‑center waste. The initiative follows Western Digital’s pilot with Critical Materials Recycling and comes...
How a Texas Oil Belt Became America's Next Lithium Frontier
2026 marks a turning point as Texas’s historic oil belt pivots toward lithium extraction. The Smackover Formation in Northeast Texas is being touted for its high‑purity lithium brine, prompting energy giants like ExxonMobil and Chevron to stake claims and plan...
DOE Allocates $500M for Mineral Processing, Recycling, Batteries
US Energy Dept aims to fund $500 million in minerals processing & recycling, along with battery parts
Rio Tinto's Lithium Strategy in Disarray, Priorities Misaligned
Sad story. @RioTinto’s #lithium “strategy” seems in total disarray. Flip-floping on hard rock. Focusing on Rincon instead of the better brine assets in Argentina. Do the industry a favor and sell some of your projects. You clearly don’t know how...
JV Article: Deloitte Targets Mid-Tier Miners Managing Project Complexity
Deloitte Canada has introduced the Mining Evolution Platform, a subscription‑based ERP solution built on SAP Public Cloud, targeting mid‑tier and junior miners. The platform consolidates financial, operational and supply‑chain data into a single, real‑time view, aiming to replace fragmented legacy...
Small Uranium Producers Face Delivery Risks
Small uranium producers are restarting previously idle mines to capture higher spot prices, but they are encountering production shortfalls and transport bottlenecks. Legacy processing equipment and limited specialized carriers are delaying shipments, forcing some firms to buy uranium on the...
Rio Silver Reports Ongoing Progress at Maria Norte
Rio Silver Provides Corporate Update Highlighting Continued Operational Progress at Maria Norte - Rio Silver https://t.co/LA99y4ynqV $RYO.V $RYOOF
Energy Intelligence Uranium Market Update: Mar. 13, 2026
Energy Intelligence’s March 13 uranium market update highlights rising geopolitical tension and supply‑chain strain. Experts warn a U.S. plan to extract Iran’s highly enriched uranium could set a precedent, while small uranium producers confront heightened delivery risks amid logistics bottlenecks....
Costa Rica’s Head Start May Mask Tougher EUDR Road Ahead
Costa Rica has leveraged its long‑standing sustainability framework to launch a nationwide, deforestation‑free coffee program ahead of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). A pilot with the CoopeTarrazú cooperative in 2024 introduced satellite‑based mapping, AI tools, and due‑diligence training, leading to...