Today's Mining Pulse
Indonesia grants export monopoly to state trader DSI, targeting $66bn 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 PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia. The policy seeks to capture roughly $66.13 billion in annual resource revenues—about 23.4% of exports—and to curb $908 billion in historic tax leakage.
Also developing:
Shorter Commodity Cycles Reshaping Trading, Value: McKinsey
McKinsey’s latest commodity trading report warns that volatility cycles are shortening, diminishing the relevance of traditional super‑cycle models. Trading revenues slipped to $69 billion in 2025, yet remain about twice pre‑pandemic levels, establishing a higher baseline. The firm highlights AI and partnership‑driven capability building as the primary levers for capturing the remaining $20 billion of optimization value. Companies that blend rapid capital deployment, advanced AI, and strategic alliances are expected to secure the bulk of future profits.
Enbridge Paid Police to Protect One Pipeline. Now It Wants to Do It Again in Wisconsin.
Enbridge has secured a Public Safety Expense Reimbursement Agreement with Ashland and Iron counties, allowing the company to pay Wisconsin law‑enforcement for riot gear, training and policing of Line 5 protests. The uncapped arrangement follows Enbridge’s start of construction on a...
Construction at Longonjo on Track for First Production in 2027
Pensana reports that construction at its Longonjo rare‑earth project in Angola is on schedule, targeting first production in 2027. The initial phase will deliver 2,400 t of light‑magnet NdPr and 73 t of heavy‑magnet DyTb annually, with plans to double output after...
Ports at the Forefront of Economic War in the Gulf
The ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is choking maritime freight into the Arabian Gulf, threatening the region’s $570 billion oil and gas export flow. With the Gulf’s ports serving as the sole gateway, disruptions also jeopardize imports that account...
Atomic Minerals Launches South Lisbon Valley East Drill Permitting, Utah
Atomic Minerals Corp. has filed drill permits for an initial 18‑20 holes across its 1,516.5‑acre South Lisbon Valley East (SLVE) property in Utah. The program aims to test a suspected arcuate uranium belt on the northeast side of the Lisbon...
WoodMac Warns of Lithium Supply Deficit by 2028
Wood Mackenzie warns global lithium demand could exceed 13 Mt LCE by 2050 under an accelerated net‑zero transition. Without new investment, supply deficits could appear as early as 2028, with gaps widening to 8.5 Mt LCE by 2050. Electric vehicles account for...
Jack Lifton Interviews James Deckelman on Deep Sea Minerals and the Strategic Push Into Seabed Critical Minerals
Jack Lifton interviewed Deep Sea Minerals CEO James Deckelman about the company’s push into polymetallic seabed nodules as a new source of critical minerals. Deckelman highlighted a projected doubling of demand by 2040, a widening supply gap, and soaring copper...
Montero Completes Exploration Programs at Elvira Gold Project and Advances Data-Driven Targeting Strategy
Montero Mining completed a comprehensive data compilation and detailed exploration program at its Elvira gold project in Chile’s Maricunga Belt. The work integrated high‑resolution geological mapping, 205 km of ground magnetic surveys, 19.2 km of IP/resistivity lines, and AI‑assisted modeling to refine...
Brownfield Exploration Gives Copper Supply Breathing Time
The rate of discovering new copper deposits has fallen by half over the past decade, driven by a roughly 60% drop in grassroots exploration funding. In contrast, brownfield and mine‑site exploration has supplied four times more copper than greenfield discoveries,...
The Rare Earths Race Risks Environmental Disaster
Rare earth elements are critical for clean‑energy technologies, but the geopolitical push to cut China’s dominance is driving extraction in fragile ecosystems such as the deep‑sea Pacific mud, Brazil’s Amazon, Greenland, Mongolia and Madagascar. Mining and processing produce massive toxic...
Riot Delivers Record Revenue as Mining Industry Feels the Squeeze
Riot Platforms reported a record $647.4 million revenue for 2025, a 72 % increase year‑over‑year, driven primarily by $576.3 million in bitcoin mining revenue and higher hash‑rate output. The company produced 5,686 BTC, up from 4,828 the prior year, but its average cost to...
Austria’s Accupower Launches Residential Sodium-Ion Battery
Austrian firm Accupower has launched Natec Home, a residential sodium‑ion battery offering 7.68 kWh capacity, 3.8 kW power output, and a €3,990 price comparable to lithium systems. It operates from –30 °C to 50 °C, holds an IP65 rating, and can be paralleled up...
Rare Earths Norway Says Fen Resource 81% Larger
Rare Earths Norway announced an updated mineral resource estimate for its Fen project, Europe’s largest rare‑earth deposit, now pegged at 15.9 million tonnes – an 81% increase over the 2022 figure. The new estimate eclipses Sweden’s Per Geijer deposit, positioning Fen as...
Bull of the Day: IAMGOLD (IAG)
IAMGOLD (IAG) is positioned to benefit from soaring gold prices and a strengthening macro backdrop. The company operates mines in the Americas and West Africa and is advancing its flagship Côté Gold project in Ontario. Recent restructuring and asset divestitures...
PEM to Develop Hydrogen Infrastructure for Mining Sector
The Production Engineering of E‑Mobility Components (PEM) chair at RWTH Aachen launched the three‑year DigHy project, backed by €1.1 million from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space. The initiative aims to build a digital, scalable hydrogen infrastructure for the...
Schletter Installs Mounting at ‘Earthquake-Prone’ Italian Solar PV Site
Schletter Group installed its FS Duo steel mounting system at a 96 MWp solar PV farm near Udine, Italy, deploying 156,700 modules. The two‑post design stacks three modules vertically, boosting land‑use efficiency while delivering high structural stability. Driven hot‑dip galvanized steel...
Low Equity Volatility Could Push Silver Below $100
Silver's $100 Ceiling May Be Solidifying - A key risk for silver and most risk assets may be the spike in precious-metals volatility and plunging crypto prices spilling over into equities. My graphic highlights why we view a rebound in equity...
Ghana: Ghana Falls 7 Places in Global Mining Investment Attractiveness Report
Ghana slipped seven places in the Fraser Institute’s Global Mining Investment Attractiveness Index, moving from 46th out of 82 jurisdictions in 2024 to 53rd out of 68 in 2025. Its overall score dipped slightly from 56.98% to 55.21%, while its...
Toyota and Stellantis Withdraw From CO₂ Pool with Tesla
Toyota and Stellantis announced they will leave the EU‑wide “Tesla CO₂ pool” starting in 2026, removing two of Tesla’s biggest financial contributors. The pool lets manufacturers pool emissions to meet EU targets, with high‑EV makers offsetting higher‑emission brands. Toyota expects...
Arabian Drilling Reactivates Fleet as GCC Offshore Contract Starts
Arabian Drilling has reactivated two previously recalled rigs and launched its first international offshore contract within the GCC. The offshore fleet utilization now stands at 91% and total fleet utilization at 82%, with a third land rig entering service on...
Mozambique: Ustda Partners in Mozambique to Diversify Rare Earths Supply Chains
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has signed an agreement to fund a pre‑feasibility study for Monte Muambe Mining Ltda’s rare‑earth project in Mozambique. The study will de‑risk mine and processing facility development, aiming to produce mixed rare‑earth carbonates for...
Rock Tech and Siemens Plan Lithium Converter in Canada
Rock Tech Lithium and Siemens have signed a non‑binding MOU to replicate the German lithium‑conversion plant in Canada’s Red Rock, Ontario. The German facility, under construction in Guben, will produce 24,000 tonnes of battery‑grade lithium hydroxide annually, while the Canadian version targets...
The ZiG Barrier: How Bank Account Requirements Could Derail Gold Deliveries
Zimbabwe’s Reserve Bank introduced a 90:10 ZiG payment split for artisanal gold miners, requiring bank accounts to receive the 10% government share. Miners can prove identity with a national ID, but banks demand proof of residence, company registration and impose...
Lithium Royalty Secures 1.5% Goulamina Spodumene Stake
Lithium Royalty Corp buys a 1.5% Goulamina lithium royalty in Mali, gaining long-dated spodumene exposure. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/goulamina-lithium-royalty-deal.html
Rio Tinto to Progress Gallium R&D Project by Constructing Pilot Plant in Québec
Rio Tinto announced the construction of a pilot plant in Quebec to extract primary gallium from its alumina refining stream, following a successful test extraction with Indium Corp in May 2025. The project receives up to CDN $18.95 million from the Canadian...
PV-Powered Refrigerated Trailer Completes Long-Distance Australian Trial Run
Protran Solutions successfully completed a 1,671 km round‑trip between Sydney and Brisbane using a battery‑electric refrigerated trailer equipped with roof‑mounted solar panels. The Sunswap Endurance trailer consumed 85.9 kWh total energy, generating 58.9 kWh from solar while retaining 62 % battery capacity after 32 hours...
Petronas Sees No Disruption From Mideast War for Now
Petronas said it has seen no direct impact on its operations from the ongoing Middle East conflict, though it is monitoring the situation closely. The Malaysian oil‑and‑gas giant holds exploration concessions in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region and maintains long‑term LNG...
IRS Adds Backup Reporting for CCS Credits Pending EPA System
IRS and Treasury set backup reporting for CCS tax credits if EPA electronic reporting is not ready by June 2026. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/carbon-capture-tax-credit-guidance-sets.html
Brazilian Police Seize More than 1.5 Metric Tons of Shark Fins
Brazilian federal police seized more than 1.5 metric tons of shark fins in Rodelas, Bahia, uncovering a suspected Chinese‑run syndicate. Seven suspects, including three Chinese nationals, were arrested at a rural processing site. The haul likely contains fins from vulnerable...
Myuna to Mine on with Eraring Contract Secured
Centennial Coal's Myuna Colliery in New South Wales has reached a new commercial agreement with Origin Energy. The three‑year deal guarantees the supply of thermal coal to Origin’s Eraring Power Station. The arrangement removes months of operational uncertainty and secures...
Union Maritime Bulks up with First Newcastlemax Newbuilds
Union Maritime, a UK‑based tanker operator, is linked to its first Newcastlemax bulk carrier order, potentially securing up to four 215,000‑dwt vessels from China’s Wuhu Shipyard. The deal includes two firm ships and two options at roughly $76 million each, with...
Nordic’s Finnish Gold Push Back in Motion with Drilling Restart
Nordic Resources (ASX:NNL) has restarted a 3,000‑metre diamond drilling campaign across its Kopsa and Kiimala Trend gold projects in Finland, allocating 1,500 metres to each target. The program follows a successful 6,000‑metre drill in 2025 that identified step‑out targets, and...
Dartbrook Gets Six-Year Extension
The New South Wales government has extended the development consent for the Dartbrook thermal coal mine by six years, now running until 5 December 2033. The extension secures the mine’s 6 Mtpa coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) operations. The decision arrives amid...
Ausenco Heads to Generation's Marathon Project in Ontario
Ausenco Canada has been selected as the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) partner for Generation Mining’s Marathon gold‑copper‑zinc project in Ontario’s Sudbury Basin. The firm will handle front‑end engineering, equipment procurement, and construction management for the processing plant, underground...
Study Shows Syerston Scandium Potential
A recent study highlights the Syerston scandium oxide project’s potential as a new source of scandium. The Australian venture aims to produce 60 tonnes per annum of scandium oxide near Parkes, New South Wales. Scandium is deemed essential for next‑generation technologies...
Performance Shipping Orders Suezmax Pair in China
Performance Shipping, the Nasdaq‑listed Greek tanker owner, has signed contracts for two 158,000 dwt suezmax vessels with Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding. Each newbuild costs $81.5 million and is scheduled for delivery in October 2028 and May 2029. The ships will be Tier III, scrubber‑fitted and meet...
New Berkshire Hathaway CEO Ignores Financial Risks of Fossil Fuels in First Letter to Shareholders
Greg Abel, the new CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, used his first shareholder letter to stress rising electricity demand and wildfire threats, while declaring the CEO also serves as chief risk officer. He did not address how Berkshire’s extensive fossil‑fuel holdings,...
Florida’s Fields Are Hurting – What That Means for Reefer Freight Right Now
Florida experienced an unprecedented freeze from late December 2025 through early February 2026, inflicting over $3 billion in agricultural losses. Key commodities such as tomatoes, squash, and bell peppers saw up to 50% crop loss, while strawberries, blueberries, and citrus also...
Pioneer Charges Towards Skull Creek Uranium Drilling After Standout Surface Results
Australian explorer Pioneer Minerals announced that its Skull Creek uranium project in Colorado is ready for drilling after rock‑chip sampling returned grades up to 4,257 ppm U3O8. The second‑phase geochemistry identified multiple high‑grade targets across three non‑contiguous blocks, with extensive soil...
Green & Gold Minerals Rock Chips Reveal Magmatic Heavy Rare Earths at Nutgrove
Green & Gold Minerals reported a rock chip from spherulitic rhyolite at its Nutgrove project that assayed 2,230 ppm heavy rare earth yttrium oxide (HREYO), the highest magmatic REE result recorded at the site. Heavy rare earths made up 59% of...
EU Mulls Aluminium Scrap Export Caps Amid Rising Shipments
EU consults on aluminium scrap export limits as shipments rise and secondary producers face margin pressure. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/eu-aluminium-scrap-export-restriction.html
Province to Complete Ring of Fire Road Five Years Early
Province says it will finish Ring of Fire road 5 years ahead of schedule https://t.co/g4P6P6VEgs $PTX.V $RYO.V
What Is the Difference Between Rare Metals vs Rare Earth Elements?
The article clarifies that “rare metals” and “rare earth elements” are distinct concepts. Rare metals are an industrial label for low‑volume, supply‑concentrated metals often produced as by‑products, while rare earths are a scientifically defined group of 17 elements. Key examples...
China's Mineral Dominance Exposes Western Strategic Failure
China won the mineral war. Two new books show how the West let it happen Read more here: https://t.co/9ofBAHFGLx https://t.co/Qa5SYQX6Dg
CES Data Reveals True Battery Lifecycle Impacts
Looking forward to speaking at @_InterBattery in Seoul next week 🇰🇷. Will present CES data on the real lifecycle of batteries🔋♻️– and what it means for carbon footprint, residual value, and the future supply of recycled materials. Reach out if attending and...
First Phosphate Lands Conditional $12.2M Grant to Advance LFP Processing Plans
First Phosphate secured a conditional non‑repayable contribution of up to C$16.7 million ($12.2 million) from the Canadian government to fund a feasibility study for lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) battery material processing. The grant will finance technical and engineering work through 2028 to validate production...
SQM's Price Signals Lagging 2026 LCE Production Growth
SQM’s quarterly price results remain a bellweather of the market price trend. The big question is how much higher will this quarter be? SQM’s 2026 LCE production won’t come close to the market growth for the year. Let...
Mali Gold Mine Promises $1.3B NPV Amid Rising Risks
$ROS.V PEA on Kandiolé in Mali: 13yr mine, 835koz Au, ~94% recovery, AISC ~$1,200 early years. $5,400/oz? → ~$1.29B NPV Mali risks real, but Mexico's cartel violence + royalty hikes making headlines in 2026 too? @GoldRoscan
High-Grade Niobium Drives WA1’s Luni Development
WA1 Resources reported several high‑grade niobium intersections at its Luni project, including a 6.5‑metre interval grading 6.6% Nb₂O₅. The infill drilling, conducted alongside 25 diamond and seven air‑core holes, expands mineralisation beyond the current western indicated envelope. An updated mineral...
AI May Draw Talent to Mining, Not Replace Jobs
Q&A: #Artificialintelligence could attract new #talent to #mining rather than replace #Jobs – @geologic_ai #CEO | S&P Global Market Intelligence https://t.co/btVF3UiT1h