Today's Mining Pulse
China slams Indonesia's investment climate over nickel curbs
China criticised Indonesia's investment climate, citing recent restrictions on nickel exports that could deter foreign investors. The Financial Times reported the remarks as part of broader concerns about the region's mining policy environment.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Mutapa Gold secures $75M bank funding
Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman Drives Mining Permitting Reform and Critical Mineral Push
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman is leading a bipartisan push for the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act and promoting the Brook Mine, Wyoming’s first new mine in five decades. The effort ties permitting reform to domestic critical‑mineral supply and a $50 million state investment in grizzly bear recovery.
Indigenous Leader Warns Cobalt Rush Could Echo DRC’s Past Extractive Abuses
At a major cobalt conference in Madrid, civil‑society leader and Ituri Province politician Robert Agenong’a warned that the global scramble for Democratic Republic of Congo cobalt mirrors the extractive abuses that have plagued the country for decades. He said corporate capture...
U.S.-China Summit Leaves Rare‑Earths Policy in Limbo, New Trade Boards Formed
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a week‑long summit in Beijing without a clear agreement on rare‑earth export controls, leaving U.S. defense and tech firms uncertain. The two sides announced two bilateral mechanisms—a Board of Trade and...
A New Great Game Is Being Played in the Deep-Sea
Deep‑sea mining has shifted from theory to early‑stage industrial reality, with the International Seabed Authority issuing about thirty exploration contracts in the Clarion‑Clipperton Zone and billions of dollars already invested. The United States revived its Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources...
Europe’s Raw‑Materials Chief Calls for Independent Rare‑Earth Pricing to Diminish China’s Grip
The head of EIT RawMaterials urged Europe to establish its own transparent pricing mechanism for rare earths and other critical minerals. By breaking China’s 90% dominance in output and pricing, the EU hopes to attract investment in domestic sources and...
Why China Is Looking to Coal Waste as a Source of Critical Metals
China is converting coal gangue and fly ash into sources of critical metals such as lithium, gallium and germanium, leveraging its advanced extraction technologies and integrated coal‑processing infrastructure. The country already achieves high recovery rates—about 90% for germanium at a...
POSCO International, ReElement Launch $200 M U.S. Rare‑earth Refining Venture
POSCO International and ReElement Technologies signed a $200 million joint venture to build a rare‑earth separation and refining plant in the United States. The facility will start with 3,000 tons of annual capacity, expand to 6,000 tons, and aim for mass production in...
Rubio to Arrive Today for Quad Meet; Supply Chains, Critical Minerals in Focus
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives in India for a Quad foreign‑ministers meeting on May 26, focusing on critical minerals and supply‑chain resilience. The summit, hosted by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, brings together ministers from Australia, Japan and the United States...
Albemarle DLE Project Aims for Higher Lithium Recovery
The Metalnomist - Raw Material, Metal, Alloy, Scrap News: Albemarle DLE Project Targets Higher Lithium Recov... https://t.co/Y68JPbujtB
KCM Restarts Chingola “B” Mine After 18-Year Shutdown in Major Zambia Copper Expansion Push
Zambian miner Konkola Copper Mines has restarted its Chingola B mine after an 18‑year shutdown, aiming to feed roughly 200,000 tonnes of ore per month into its processing hub. The revival is a cornerstone of Zambia’s plan to boost national copper...
Colombia's Natural Gas Crisis Deepens as Strait of Hormuz Closure Cuts Supply
Colombia’s natural‑gas supply gap is widening as global LNG markets tighten after the Strait of Hormuz closure. Domestic output fell 15% year‑over‑year to 700 million cubic feet in March 2026, while reserves slipped to 2 trillion cubic feet, enough for just 5.9...
U.S. Deep‑Sea Mining Order Spurs $50 M+ Investor Inflows and Fast‑Track Permits
A year after President Trump signed an executive order to launch a U.S. deep‑sea mining industry, at least nine firms have raised millions of dollars, stock prices have jumped and federal agencies are preparing to auction seabed leases from Alaska...
Energy Intelligence Uranium Market Update: May 22, 2026
The Energy Intelligence Uranium Market Update highlights a surge in nuclear activity, with Saskatchewan advancing dual small modular reactor (SMR) projects and Poland targeting an EPC deal for its first nuclear plant by year‑end. Antares secured a commercial high-assay low-enriched...
Fast‑Track Arizona Copper Mine Review Sparks Lawsuit Over Endangered Owl Habitat
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management fast‑tracked approval for Redhawk's 1,324‑acre copper exploration in Copper Creek Canyon, prompting the Lower San Pedro Watershed Alliance, the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Center for Biological Diversity to sue for violating the Endangered...
Rethinking Slurry Pump Sealing
KSB has launched the LAPIS mechanical seal, a fully integrated solution for its GIW® slurry pumps, aimed at cutting flush‑water consumption and maintenance costs. The seal’s robust design—thicker faces, larger O‑rings and an external‑spring quench system—delivers longer service life, with...
U.S. Rare‑Earth Stocks Jump 7% on $19.3 Million DOE Grant and Easing China‑Risk Concerns
USA Rare Earth (USAR) rallied 6.96% and peer MP Materials (MP) surged 8.99% after the Department of Energy awarded USAR a $19.3 million grant for a pilot‑scale rare‑earth separation project. The bounce follows a week‑long sell‑off triggered by President Trump’s China...
Metso Wins Emerald Mill Orders
Finnish equipment maker Metso announced it has secured orders exceeding EUR 10 million (about US$11.6 million) from Australian gold producer Emerald Resources. The contract calls for two Metso Premier 8,000 kW semi‑autogenous grinding (SAG) mills to be delivered to gold projects in Australia and...
Indonesia Re‑approves Controversial Zinc‑Lead Mine in Earthquake‑Prone Sumatra
Indonesia's environment ministry issued a new environmental permit for PT Dairi Prima Mineral's zinc‑lead mine in Dairi, North Sumatra, despite a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that voided the earlier approval. The move revives a project critics say remains unsafe in...
Liberia: EPA, Police Arrest Nearly 20 Chinese Nationals Over Illegal Mining
Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency and national police arrested nearly 20 Chinese nationals linked to Green Forest mining for illegal operations in Montserrado County. The enforcement action shut down three Green Forest camps, issued halt, non‑compliance and closure orders, and demanded immediate remediation....
Oil Exerts Influence Well Beyond Energy Market
Oil has become the primary transmission mechanism for broader market sentiment, influencing inflation expectations, central‑bank policy, sovereign bond yields and the U.S. dollar, according to Saxo Bank’s commodity strategist Ole Hansen. The rise in crude prices has pushed gold into...
South Africa's Mining Sector Urged to Collaborate, Develop and Own the Tech It Adopts
South Africa’s mining equipment manufacturers’ cluster (MEMSA) used its Mind Shift Conference 2026 to call for deeper collaboration, localisation and ownership of technology. Speakers warned the sector lags on AI maturity, citing gaps in infrastructure, skills and governance that hinder...
Sandvik Upgrades Toro LH208L Loader with Stage V Engine, Safety Enhancements and More
Sandvik Mining has unveiled an upgraded Toro LH208L loader aimed at low‑profile underground mines. The new model offers a Volvo Penta Stage V engine that delivers 14% more power and up to 36% more torque, while fitting tunnels with as little as 1.8 m...
Tungsten West Secures $25m Loan for Hemerdon Mine Restart
Tungsten West has secured a $25 million (≈£18.6 million) unsecured bridging loan from a shareholder‑controlled entity to restart the Hemerdon tungsten‑tin mine in Devon. The loan, priced at SOFR + 4.5% and renewable quarterly, funds the phased refurbishment that will see fines gravity processing...
Albemarle Launches $3.1B DLE Project to Boost Chile Lithium Recovery
Albemarle plans $3.1bn DLE project in Chile to raise lithium recovery and reduce brine extraction. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/05/albemarle-dle-project-targets-higher.html
Primary Aluminum Competing with Scrap in Asia
Secondary aluminum producers across Asia are grappling with soaring scrap prices and limited supply, prompting Chinese primary aluminum makers to market aluminum wire as a substitute feedstock. The wire, produced from primary metal, is being sold to melt‑shop operators in...
China Will Have Rare Earths Leverage Over the US for a Long Time
China’s dominance of the rare‑earth market, controlling roughly 80% of global production, will persist for years, giving Beijing strategic leverage over the United States. The U.S. still imports about 70% of its rare‑earths from China, despite recent policy pushes to...
Dateline Taps Global Project Manager for California Gold Push
Dateline Resources has engaged global project‑management firm Alvarez & Marsal to oversee construction of its Colosseum gold project in California, embedding A&M staff as an in‑house development team. The project’s bankable feasibility study forecasts $1.08 billion in undiscounted pre‑tax cash flow, a...
Chalco Agrees to Build Guinea Alumina Plant for $1 Billion
Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. (Chalco) announced a $1 billion investment to build a 1.2‑million‑ton‑per‑year alumina plant in Guinea. The project will be developed through a new entity, with the Guinean government receiving a 5% equity stake at no cost and...
Rapid Critical Metals Starts Extensional Drilling at Webbs, Grows District-Scale Silver Footprint
Rapid Critical Metals (ASX:RCM) has launched a 15,000‑metre diamond drilling campaign at its Webbs silver project in New South Wales to test a southern extension of the main ore body and a newly identified parallel lode. The holes are collared...
Argentina Ramps up Lithium, Copper Output with Incentives
Argentina targets major lithium and copper output growth with reserves, tax incentives and new projects. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/05/argentina-lithium-production-push.html
Canada Breaks Ground on $2 B Matawinie Graphite Mine, Targeting EV Battery Supply
Prime Minister Mark Carney officially broke ground on the Matawinie graphite mine in Quebec, a $2 billion project that will produce over 106,000 tonnes of natural graphite a year. Backed by a $335 million Canadian‑to‑U.S. financing package and a seven‑year, 30,000‑tonne offtake...
EU Ferro‑Titanium Imports Drop to 2009 Low Post‑Sanctions
EU ferro-titanium imports hit a 2009 low in 2025 after Russian sanctions reshaped supply. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/05/eu-ferro-titanium-imports-fell-to-2009.html
Niger Cancels 58‑Year French Uranium Concession at Arlit, Threatening Global Fuel Supply
Niger's military government formally revoked the French‑run Arlit uranium concession on May 18, 2026, ending a partnership that began in 1968. The decision removes a source that has supplied up to 7% of worldwide uranium, raising concerns over supply security...
USA Rare Earth Wins up to $19.3M in DOE Backing – by Staff (Mining.com – May 21, 2026)
USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to receive up to $19.3 million under the Critical Materials Innovation, Efficiency and Alternatives program. The funding will support a pilot‑scale rare earth separation facility, part of...
Inside the Village that Could Host the G7’s Largest Graphite Mine – by Lu Fan (CTV News Canada – May...
The Matawinie Graphite Mine, slated to become the G7’s largest graphite operation, has broken ground in Saint‑Michel‑des‑Saints, Quebec after more than a decade of exploration and financing. The project targets a region of fewer than 3,000 residents that has been...
Canada's "Critical Minerals" Strategy Built on Major Data Gaps, New Report Finds
Canada’s drive to scale critical‑minerals mining is hampered by major data gaps, a new Northern Confluence report finds. While extraction figures are well‑tracked, the country lacks reliable statistics on domestic consumption, recycling rates, and final end‑use of lithium, nickel, cobalt...
Aldebaran Resources Posts Drill Results for Altar Project, Argentina
Aldebaran Resources released results from seven infill drill holes at its Altar copper‑gold project in San Juan, Argentina. The holes returned long intercepts of copper‑equivalent mineralization, with the longest interval—1,339 m at 0.45% CuEq—demonstrating both depth and grade continuity. The data...
STLLR Gold Drills 10.10 G/T Gold over 5.57 Metres at Jonpol Deposit, Tower Gold Project, Ontario
STLLR Gold announced assay results from its 2026 drill program at the Jonpol Deposit, part of the Tower Gold Project in Ontario. Hole MGA26-265 returned 10.10 g/t Au over 5.57 m (cut to 6.68 g/t) and a 20.22 g/t intercept over 1.84 m, while other...
DRC Caps Cobalt Exports at 96,600 Tonnes Annually, Shifting From Ban to Quotas
The Democratic Republic of Congo's mineral regulator ARECOMS introduced a quota‑based export regime that limits cobalt shipments to 96,600 tonnes per year for 2026‑27. The move replaces a temporary ban and is intended to stabilize global prices while giving the...
Golden Cross Resumes Drilling at Aurora Prospect, Australia
Golden Cross Resources has restarted drilling at its Aurora prospect in Victoria after a pilot geophysical survey clarified the depth and extent of historic workings. The company plans roughly 3,000 metres of diamond drilling across Aurora and adjacent targets such as...
Victory at Pe’Sla
A Federal District Court in South Dakota ordered an immediate halt to a graphite mining exploration at Pe’Sla, a sacred site in the Black Hills National Forest. The injunction followed a lawsuit filed by the NDN Collective, Earthworks, Black Hills...
Metal Movers: The Global Aluminium Supply Squeeze
The episode examines the tightening global aluminium market caused by the Israel‑Iran conflict, highlighting how European buyers now prioritize supply security over sustainability, with LME stocks at historic lows and contracts in backwardation. In the U.S., concerns mirror Europe as...
TBM Launches on Zambia’s Chambishi Copper Mine
China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corp. (CRCHI) has launched the first Chinese‑built mining tunnel boring machine (TBM) on Africa, deploying it at Zambia’s Chambishi Copper Mine. The 5.63‑metre diameter, 800‑ton machine will bore a 9.7‑km tunnel through hard rock and...
With Aluminum Prices up 20%, Recycling Startups Bet on AI to Cash In
Aluminum prices have jumped roughly 20% as geopolitical tensions drive up commodity costs, making the metal one of the most valuable items in the waste stream—often exceeding $1,000 per ton. In the United States, only about 20% of aluminum scrap...
'You Can't Get There From Here': Fixing Tailings Failures
The Fundão tailings dam collapse in Brazil released 40 million m³ of waste, killed 19 people and polluted 668 km of waterways, underscoring the catastrophic risk of dam failures. A recent London Court of Appeal decision denied BHP’s attempt to overturn liability findings,...
EU Sets Up First Coordinated Stockpile of Tungsten, Rare Earths and Gallium
The European Union has shortlisted tungsten, rare earths and gallium for its first coordinated critical‑minerals stockpile, a move designed to shield European industry from Chinese export controls. Ten member states are already in planning groups, and the bloc is negotiating...
IonicRE and Nth Cycle Partner to Boost Rare Earth Refining
Ionic Rare Earths (IonicRE) has entered a joint development and licensing agreement with Nth Cycle to introduce electro‑extraction technology into its U.S. rare‑earth recycling and refining operations. The new process replaces oxalic‑acid‑based chemistry with an electricity‑driven method that regenerates hydrochloric...
Pentagon Turns to Domestic E‑Waste Stockpiles as Critical Minerals Source
The Pentagon announced that the classified electronics stored in its own warehouses will become the nation’s next major source of critical minerals. With a $12 billion Project Vault stockpile and a $500 million DOE recycling fund, the move aims to close a looming...
Ulu Gold Resource Tops 1 Million Ounces
Blue Star Gold Corp. announced that its Ulu gold project in Nunavut now hosts over 1 million ounces of gold across measured, indicated and inferred categories. The combined resource includes 558,000 ounces at an average 7.87 g/t grade in measured‑indicated zones and...
Western Star Resources Mobilizes Field Team to Rowland Tungsten Property and Launches Drone Geophysics and Property-Wide Geochemical Program
Western Star Resources has deployed a field team to its Rowland Tungsten Property in Nevada to launch the first phase of its 2026 exploration program. The initiative combines a high‑resolution drone magnetic survey, systematic prospecting of historic workings, portable X‑ray...