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
DRC Launches AXIS Programme and Sovereign Gold Reserve Token Framework
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Mines and the Social Fund signed an agreement to launch the AXIS Programme and its Sovereign Gold Reserve Token (SGRT), a debt‑free financing tool linked to gold production. Led by the FSRDC with private partner Phoenix Capital and backing from the African Development Bank, the initiative aims to formalize artisanal mining and create transparent, tokenized assets. The first phase focuses on the Gold Connect initiative and a community carbon market to improve traceability and channel funds into local development projects. By tokenizing natural resources, the DRC seeks capital without increasing sovereign debt or pledging assets as collateral.
Africa: Africa's Regional Blocs Must Prevent a Silent Scramble for Critical Minerals
A new scramble for Africa's critical minerals—lithium, cobalt, graphite, platinum‑group metals and rare‑earth elements—is driven by global green‑energy supply chains. The article argues that regional blocs such as SADC, ECOWAS and EAC must coordinate policies to move from raw‑material exports...
Coal Demand Set for Uptick on Rising Power Needs
India’s power demand rebounded sharply in December, posting a 6.3% rise, and continued climbing in January as a harsh winter and improving economic activity spurred electricity consumption. The surge is expected to lift coal demand, reversing a period of weakness...
Gold Digger: Why Gold Remains the Market’s ‘Biggest Trade’
Triple Eight Capital’s Roscoe Widdup warns that gold remains the market’s biggest trade, with bullion prices poised to climb above $5,000 per ounce. He highlights that top gold miners are trading at less than 10 times forward cash‑flow, a steep discount...
The US Is Still Bleeding Coal Jobs, Trump Or No Trump
President Trump continues to tout coal while the industry sheds jobs at an accelerating pace. U.S. coal‑generating capacity fell by 57 GW during his two terms, outpacing the 48 GW loss under Obama and 41 GW under Biden. Employment in coal mining has...
Hubei STR to Open 50k‑ton Anode Recycling Plant 2026
Hubei STR will launch a 50,000 t/yr anode recycling plant in March 2026 as China battery scrap rises. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/02/hubei-str-anode-recycling-plant-will.html
REalloys Secures 5‑Year Rare‑Earth Deal, Boosts Saskatoon Expansion
REalloys signs 5-year SRC deal for NdPr, Dy, Tb and funds Saskatoon capacity expansion. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/02/realloys-rare-earth-supply-deal-with.html
Fault Lines in Nevada: Governance, Gold, and the Future of NGM
Newmont Corporation filed a formal notice of default against Barrick Gold over the Nevada Gold Mines joint venture, citing alleged mismanagement and resource diversion. The JV, formed in 2019, gives Barrick a 61.5% operating stake while Newmont holds 38.5% of...
Iran's Survival Shift Fuels Chaos Amid China Metal Competition
Teheran now believes it's marked for death, writes @ctindale Once survival replaces strategy, restraint evaporates & chaos becomes leverage Anyone who thinks this isn’t about oil—specifically balancing China’s grip on metals—simply isn’t paying attention #Geopolitics #Iran #Deterrence #EnergySecurity #PowerPolitics #Risk #MiddleEast #StrategicStability
Full EV Fleet by 2026 Cuts WA Emissions Over Half
While renewables boom in WA, WA electric vehicle adoption half the global adoption rate of 25% If WA's vehicle fleet was 100% electric in 2026 with renewables penetration at 55%, more than half of WA transport emissions would have been eliminated @RogerCookMLA
From Courtroom to Capital Markets: Why US Tariff Instability Matters
The Supreme Court narrowed presidential tariff authority, prompting the administration to rely on alternative statutes and refusing refunds for collected duties. This creates a new layer of substitution and retroactivity risk that markets now price into trade‑policy expectations. For capital‑intensive...
Japan's Deep-Sea Rare Earths: Promise Meets Extraction Hurdle
Japan’s deep-sea rare earth find at Minamitorishima sounds like a game-changer. And on paper, it is. The 50-50 mix of light and heavy rare earths is impressive, especially since heavy elements are the truly scarce ones. The bad news is it’s...
Jan Gas Futures Near $5, Could Slip Below $4.40
January Natural Gas vs. Lower Energy, Rates Goals - The January natural gas future (Jan27) is typically the tip of the price curve and will be tops in relevance around the US midterms, with a potential downward bias. Preexisting trends...
How Can IAA Bring Local Cleantech Manufacturing?
The article argues that embedding Union content criteria in the EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is the only viable lever to build a resilient, locally sourced battery industry. By conditioning public subsidies—such as EV purchase incentives—on a minimum share of...
U.S. Produces 300 Mining Engineers vs China’s 3,000
Here’s an important story in the Washington Post, with a link below, about how the United States forgot how to mine anything and what it is costing our nation today. If America wants to reduce its dependence on imports from...
Almonty Raises $112.5M for Global Tungsten Expansion
Almonty seeks $112.5mn to advance Montana tungsten, Portugal Panasqueira expansion, and Korea Sangdong Mo drilling. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/02/almonty-tungsten-funding-targets-1125mn.html
New Partnership to Keep Thompson Mine Open, Eyes Expansion After Partial Sale – by Eric Westhaver (CBC News Manitoba –...
Vale Base Metals has sold a majority stake in its Thompson nickel mine to a consortium of Exiro Minerals, Orion Resource Partners, and the Canada Growth Fund. The new Exiro Nickel Company will operate the mine, backed by up to...
CEO Warwick Smith Discusses Deal Strategies at American Pacific
Resource Expert Sean Brodrick interviews Deal-maker CEO Warwick Smith of American Pacific Mining Corp $USGDF $USGD.CA https://t.co/9vg3VBGu4A https://t.co/fs6rz3m196
Beyond Bullish Forecasts: Deep Dive with YJ Lee
Episode 229 of the @globallithium podcast with YJ Lee. The bullish forecasts are only a small part of the conversation. @usuallyYJLee https://t.co/Dkg19Dg7Lg
Wall Street Bears Turn Tail After Gold Rises to $5,100/Oz, Main Street Bullishness Unchanged as Iran Tensions Mount – by...
Gold prices rebounded from early‑week weakness, reclaiming the $5,000 support level and climbing to $5,100 per ounce by week’s end. The initial dip was tied to reduced Chinese demand during the Lunar New Year, but safe‑haven buying spurred by rising...
Gold and Silver Surge Amid Iran Tensions, CNY Break Ends
Gold back over $5100 USD and Silver over $84 USD. We have a potential Iran conflict, and the end of the CNY break next week. https://t.co/Eac6sG80np
Mineral Resources Posts Interim Profit on Onslow Boost, Lithium Rebound
Mineral Resources swings to interim profit on stronger Onslow output, lithium rebound https://t.co/DOTSeLY4pB via @KitcoNewsNOW
Corb Lund Launching Water Not Coal Petition Campaign Friday in Lethbridge, with Event Saturday in Calgary – by Stephen Tipper...
Southern Alberta country singer Corb Lund has relaunched his “Water Not Coal” petition campaign to ban new coal exploration and mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains. He received official clearance from Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer and has...
Push Renewables, Not Nuclear, for WA’s Future
Let's build WA's future around renewables and green iron, not gullibly back nuclear and last century subs that have already been strategically neutralised by drones Hey @AlboMP - what the hell is wrong with Labor backing nukes?
B.C.’s Booming Mine Industry Is Scrambling to Recruit More Workers – by Derrick Penner (Vancouver Sun – February 19, 2026)
British Columbia’s mining sector is experiencing a rapid boom as gold and silver prices reach historic highs and Canada intensifies its focus on critical minerals like copper and nickel. The surge has created a sharp demand for skilled workers, especially...
True North: A Look at the Development of the Most Northerly Base Metal Mine in the World – by Ailbhe...
The Polaris zinc‑lead underground mine on Little Cornwallis Island, Nunavut, is the world’s most northerly base‑metal mine. Discovered in 1971 after a seven‑year Cominco exploration program, the first drill hole intersected a Mississippi Valley‑type orebody. The deposit holds about twenty...
Mine. Mine. Mine. How One Corrupt Billionaire Kicked Off the Global Cobalt Spree – by Nicolas Niarchos (Vanity Fair –...
Dan Gertler, an Israeli businessman, leveraged deep political connections to dominate Congo's cobalt mining, turning the country into a linchpin of the global battery supply chain. His network of opaque contracts and bribes enabled Western tech firms to secure cheap...
Teck Getting a Handle on Chilean Mine’s Engineering Problems, CEO Says – by Niall McGee (Globe and Mail – February...
Teck Resources CEO Jonathan Price says the engineering setbacks at the QB2 mine in Chile will be resolved by the end of 2026, clearing a major operational hurdle. The company is awaiting final antitrust clearance for Anglo American's US$20 billion no‑premium...
Nutrien Sees Potash Demand Growing Again This Year After Record Harvest – by Daniel Johnson (CP24/Canadian Press – February 19,...
Nutrien Ltd. projects potash demand to expand for a fourth straight year, targeting sales of 14.1‑14.8 million tonnes in 2026. Benchmark potash prices are roughly 20% higher than a year earlier, reflecting tighter market fundamentals. CFO Mark Thompson highlighted constrained...
“When to Bet Big on Junior Mining Stocks with Investor Erik Wetterling”
Investor Erik Wetterling, known as The Hedgeless Horseman, breaks down why junior mining stocks remain undervalued despite recent market corrections after the VRIC event. He stresses patience, the "wall of worry" mindset, and the shift from gold‑silver focus to base‑metal...
I-80 Gold Advances Recapitalization Plan as Project Development Continues
i-80 Gold Corp reported Q4 2025 revenue of $21.3 million, an 8.3% decline from the prior year, while net loss widened to $85.6 million. The company completed a Class 3 study for the Lone Tree autoclave refurbishment, confirming 2,268 t/day capacity and a $430 million...
Kagem Mining Celebrates Four-Year Lost Time Injury-Free Safety Milestone
Kagem Mining Limited has been officially recognized by Zambia's Minerals Regulation Commission for completing four consecutive years without a lost‑time injury, a first in the country’s mining sector. The milestone underscores the company’s disciplined safety planning, continuous training, and adherence...
TFM Showcases Economic Impact and Calls for Energy Reform at DRC Breakfast During Mining Indaba
Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) told Mining Indaba delegates it has delivered roughly US$8 billion to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s public treasury since 2006 and supports about 20,000 jobs. The mine, a Copper Mark‑certified operation, allocates 0.3% of revenue to community projects...
Tungsten Breaks Into CMI Top 5 Consideration as Supply Risks Reshape the Critical Minerals Watchlist
The Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) has elevated tungsten to a top‑5 candidate on its 2025 watchlist, citing China’s 80%‑plus production share and the lack of domestic U.S. sources. In the interview, Director Alastair Neill also highlighted copper, gallium, cobalt, uranium and...
Copper: Imminent Supercycle or Mostly Hype?
In this episode, Doomberg examines the recent surge of interest in copper, dissecting whether the metal is on the brink of a genuine supercycle driven by supply constraints and booming demand, or if the hype is largely speculative. He outlines...
Kerem Usenmez on Volta Metals’ Rare Earths, Gallium, Lithium, Cesium and Tantalum Project Ontario
Volta Metals Ltd., a Canadian critical‑minerals explorer, is advancing its Springer Rare‑Earth Project in Ontario after drill hole SL25‑23 returned 81 g/t Ga₂O₃ over 132 m, including 110 g/t over 15.7 m. The company, which also targets lithium, cesium and tantalum, controls about 11 km...
China’s Green Mining Policies Cut Coal Emissions by 43.6 Million Tons Annually, Study Finds
China’s decade‑long green mining agenda has slashed carbon output from raw coal by an estimated 43.59 million tons each year across its 14 largest coal bases, which together produce 96.6% of national output. Policy intensity surged more than tenfold after 2011,...
Yukon Metals Taps 250 G/T Gold at Carter
Yukon Metals Corp. announced a 2025 rock‑sampling program at its Carter Gulch property that returned a spectacular 250 g/t gold assay from a quartz‑vein float, with an average of 17.8 g/t across nine samples above 1 g/t. The high‑grade results prompted the company to...
Summer School on the Governance of Extractive Industries in Anglophone Africa
The Africa Centre for Energy Policy and the Natural Resource Governance Institute are launching a one‑week summer school on extractive‑industry governance for Anglophone Africa. The program brings civil society, media, researchers and government officials together to address policy gaps and...
Gold Poised for Reversion as Oil Bears Down
Is Gold the Next Big Commodity Trade? Historic Reversion Risks - Geopolitical tensions could add fuel to crude oil's bear market as it approaches good resistance while heightening peak signals in gold's bull market. The metal has reached historic extremes...
Supply Scare Could Deepen Brent’s Bear Market
A Supply Scare Can Add Fuel to Brent Downtrend - What will end crude's downtrend may be a top commodity question of 2026. A supply scare that spikes prices might fuel more of the same -- US-led Western Hemisphere production...
Liberia: Workers Stage Violent Protest in Yekepa
Workers at AFCON, an Indian contractor for ArcelorMittal Liberia, staged a violent protest on Feb 18 at the Yekepa mining camp, leaving a police officer wounded and 27 arrests. The unrest, sparked by stagnant wages and unmet benefits, follows a...
Gold's Parabolic Surge May Be Overheated, Reversion Likely
The Rock May Be Too Hot - Gold vs. Commodities - Inflation is notably absent from gold's parabolic rally, which may suggest a too-hot rock if history is a guide. From a base of 100 in 1964, gold in terms...
NovaGold Opts Single‑phase Donlin Build at $5,000 Gold
"We have looked at building [the Donlin project] in phases, but given the current price environment of about $5,000 an ounce, it's our current thinking to build the project in a single build," said @NOVAGOLD 's CEO Greg Lang. ...
Anglo Takes $2.3bn Hit on De Beers as Gem Destock Continues
Anglo American reported a 66% plunge in basic underlying earnings per share, driven by a $511 million EBITDA loss at De Beers and a $2.3 billion impairment on its stake. The loss stemmed largely from "stock balancing initiatives" that forced the company to...
Barry FitzGerald: Alicanto Comes Full Circle at Underexplored WA Gold Project
Alicanto Minerals (ASX:AQI) has transformed from a $25 million company to a $312 million market‑cap after acquiring the Mt Henry gold project from Westgold, securing a 915,000‑ounce resource across three deposits. The acquisition gives Alicanto an advanced, permitted asset in Western Australia’s underexplored...
Namibia: Mines Ministry Says Regulatory Powers Remain Unchanged
Namibia’s Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse told parliament that regulatory authority over mining and petroleum activities remains firmly within the ministry, including final decisions on petroleum licences. He explained that applications are processed by the Commissioner of...
Gold Buying Prices in Zimbabwe per Gram/ Ounce, 20 February 2026
Fidelity Gold Refinery published its February 20 2026 gold buying rates for Zimbabwe, listing prices per gram and per troy ounce across several purity categories. The fire‑assay cash price for gold above 100 g is $152.66 per gram ($4,748.26 per ounce), while the...
Fanning Funding Flames for Processors, METS
NRFC analyst Lauren McGregor outlined a new funding wave targeting high‑performance processors, emphasizing the role of METS (Mining Equipment Technology Services) as a financing conduit for miners. The discussion highlighted record‑level capital inflows, flexible loan structures, and joint‑venture models that...
Haul Truck Dislodges From Jacks During Tyre Change
A haul truck being serviced in a mining yard became unstable and shifted to the right, causing it to dislodge from two self‑propelling hydraulic jacks during a rear tyre change. The movement crushed one jack, but two workers narrowly avoided...