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:
Brent Holds Above $100/Bbl; US Shale Response Remains Restrained
Brent crude remained above $100 per barrel on April 27, while WTI traded in the high $90s, underscoring tight physical supplies and heightened geopolitical risk from the Iran‑Hormuz standoff. The market priced the disruption mainly into prompt contracts, leaving longer‑dated benchmarks relatively stable around $70. A Dallas Fed survey revealed that 86% of U.S. oil executives anticipate another Hormuz disruption within five years, prompting cautious medium‑term planning. Despite breakeven levels near $43, U.S. shale producers are maintaining capital discipline, limiting a rapid production surge.
The Case for Gold Miners: Why Supply Scarcity Is Key
Gold’s price has hovered near the $4,000 per ounce mark, but short‑term volatility sparked by geopolitical tensions has not yet translated into higher miner earnings. Sprott’s managing partner Shree Kargutkar argues that the scarcity of new gold mines and declining...
Paladin Energy Engages Global Buyers as Namibia Strengthens Position in Tightening Uranium Market
Paladin Energy is actively courting buyers in the United States, China and Europe for its uranium output from Namibia, as global demand for nuclear fuel accelerates. The company’s CEO, Paul Hemburrow, noted informal talks with U.S. diplomatic representatives but no...
Tesla Veteran Leads World’s First AI‑run Copper Mine
New: This Tesla veteran is running a copper mine with AI-powered robots Mariana Minerals, led by CEO Turner Caldwell, is operating the world’s first autonomous mine, extracting and refining copper in Utah to meet surging demand for the costly metal https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2026/04/27/this-tesla-veteran-is-running-a-copper-mine-with-ai-powered-robots/
Mozambique and China Forge Strategic Pact to Develop Minerals, Energy and Security Capacity
Mozambique and China signed a comprehensive cooperation pact that blends defence collaboration, geological mapping and industrial investment to unlock the country’s vast natural‑resource frontier. The agreement targets the Rovuma Basin’s more than 5 trillion cubic metres of gas and untapped deposits...
THE GOLD MINING PRODUCER CASH MACHINE & THE COMING M&A TSUNAMI: Newmont's $3.1B Free Cash Flow, the Starved Pipeline, &...
Newmont Corp. posted a record $3.1 billion free cash flow in Q1 2026, alongside $5.2 billion adjusted EBITDA and a $3.2 billion net cash position. The miner’s all‑in sustaining cost fell to $1,709 per ounce, enabling a $6 billion share‑buyback authorization and a $0.26 dividend....
Sego Commences a 2000 Meter Drill Program in The Southern Gold Area and The Quintana Zone
Sego Resources has kicked off a three‑hole, 2,000‑metre drill program on its Miner Mountain Project in northern British Columbia. The first hole targets the Quintana 2009 Titan 24 inverted chargeability anomaly, while two additional holes will test copper‑gold porphyry potential...
Securing Energy Supply Chains: One Critical Mineral Deal at a Time?
The U.S. government has moved beyond traditional grants and loans, taking equity stakes in seven private critical‑mineral projects during 2025. These investments, largely led by the Department of Defense, aim to de‑risk domestic mining and processing of minerals such as...
US and EU Sign Critical Minerals Pact to Cut China Dependence
The United States and the European Union signed a memorandum of understanding on April 27, 2026 to jointly secure critical mineral supplies and reduce reliance on China. The deal covers the full supply chain—from exploration to recycling—and sets up coordinated...
Australian Mid‑Market Trims Losses as Mining Gains Offset Energy Slump, Signaling B2B Recovery
Australian mid‑market stocks narrowed losses on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 slipping 0.23% to 8,766.30 while miners like Rio Tinto and Fortescue rose about 1%. The mixed performance points to a tentative rebound in B2B sales cycles as firms trim...
Volta Metals Receives $215,000 Grant From Ontario Junior Exploration Program
Volta Metals Ltd secured the maximum $215,000 (≈ $159,000 USD) grant from Ontario’s Junior Exploration Program, covering up to 50% of eligible 2025‑2026 exploration costs. The funding targets the 4,750‑hectare Springer Rare Earth Element and Gallium Project, located 70 km east of Sudbury....
First Atlantic Nickel Announces Name Change to First Atlantic Nickel & Cobalt Ahead of the Washington DC Safe Summit, Reinforcing...
First Atlantic Nickel Corp. announced it will rename itself First Atlantic Nickel & Cobalt Corp. effective April 29, 2026, emphasizing the cobalt content of its awaruite deposits. The Pipestone XL project in Newfoundland hosts a naturally magnetic nickel‑iron‑cobalt alloy (≈77%...
CATL to Supply Chinese Steelmaker with Batteries and Charging Stations for Electric Mining Trucks and Machinery
Chinese battery leader CAT CATL signed a multi‑year deal with steelmaker Jianlong to equip its mining trucks, heavy trucks, ships and construction equipment with lithium‑ion batteries and integrated charging‑and‑swapping stations. The partnership targets deployment of over 3,000 electric heavy trucks within...
Gold-Copper Explorer Meridian Plans London Listing
Meridian Mining, a TSX‑listed gold‑copper explorer, announced a dual listing on the London Stock Exchange with shares to trade under ticker MNO starting Friday. The offering includes a £25 million (≈$33.8 million) institutional placement and a £2.5 million retail tranche, boosting total cash...
Sulphuric Acid Surge Drives Copper Treatment Charge Decline
Fastmarkets’ latest assessment of copper concentrate treatment charges (TCs) is MINUS $107.30/t (-2.1% week-on-week), citing recent elevated sulphuric acid prices as the key reason for the persistent declines in treatment and refining charges. Smelters are getting bumper revenues from selling...
Platreef Set to Become World's Largest Multi‑Metal Mine
@IvanhoeMines_ Platreef Mine’s #nickel sulphide resource is one of the largest nickel sulphide systems in the world at ~5.5 million tonnes of contained nickel. There is more contained nickel in sulphide at Platreef than there is remaining in Canada’s entire...
BCM Resources Corp Completes Deepest Diamond Drill Hole to Date at Thompson Knolls
BCM Resources announced completion of its first diamond core hole (TK15) in the 2026 Phase 4 Thompson Knolls campaign, reaching a record depth of 3,995.5 feet (1,219 m). The hole, drilled 250 m southwest of the earlier TK8, intersected extensive pyroxene‑diopside skarn within marbleized...
Critical Metals to Acquire European Lithium
Critical Metals Corp. announced a letter of intent to acquire all outstanding shares of European Lithium Ltd. for an aggregate consideration of roughly $835 million, using an exchange ratio of 0.035 Critical Metals shares per European Lithium share. The deal would...
US Says Allies Should Pay National Security Premium for Critical Minerals; Market Reacts
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urged allied nations to accept a "national security premium" for critical minerals to curb reliance on China. Prices for germanium and tungsten in Western markets are three‑to‑five times higher than in China, reflecting supply tightness...
Shell Enriches Gas Business with $16.4 Billion ARC Resources Takeover
Shell announced a CAD 22 bn ($16.4 bn) cash‑and‑share acquisition of Canadian gas producer ARC Resources, paying a 27% premium. The deal, split 75% Shell shares and 25% cash, adds ARC’s Montney assets and lifts Shell’s production CAGR from 1% to 4% as...
Graphite Creek Permitting Remains on Track
Graphite One Inc. says its Graphite Creek mine in Alaska remains on track for a September 29, 2026 permitting decision under the federal FAST‑41 framework. The dashboard shows the project "in progress" and on schedule, keeping the timeline to start...
Confined Space Rescue Training for Safer Underground Mining
Underground mining operators are tightening confined‑space rescue training to meet OSHA, MSHA and comparable international standards. Programs now blend legal compliance with hands‑on drills covering atmospheric monitoring, supplied‑air respirators, retrieval systems and underground communications. Regular equipment inspections and fitness assessments...
Komatsu Mining Signs New Shuttle Car Deal with Contractor TMC Bringing Total to over 50 in India
Komatsu Mining India has signed a contract with TMC Mineral Resources to deliver two new Joy 10SC32 shuttle cars, bringing its fleet in the country to more than 50 units. TMC, a certified underground contractor, operates several coal mines for...
Silver Prices Rose Even as Demand Slipped
Silver prices surged 147% in 2025, climbing from $28.84 to $71.30 per ounce, even as industrial, jewelry and silverware demand fell. The rally was driven by a five‑year cumulative supply deficit—40.2 million ounces in 2025 alone—combined with a sharp squeeze in...
China Rare Earth Export Pause Nears Expiry Amid Persistent Supply Concentration
China’s 12‑month suspension of expanded rare‑earth export controls ends on 10 November 2026, yet the market remains heavily concentrated. China still accounts for roughly 69% of global rare‑earth ore production and processes up to 90% of the material, dwarfing non‑Chinese output. Forecasts...
Liberia: Fact Check - BEA Mountain Did Not Extract 1.2 Million Kilograms of Gold in 2023, As Claimed By Alex...
Alexander B. Cummings, leader of Liberia's Alternative National Congress, claimed Bea Mountain Mining extracted 1.2 million kilograms of gold in 2023, worth $650‑$700 million. Fact‑checking the LEITI 16th report shows the company actually produced 12,146 kg, valued at about $653.6 million, while total national...
Gold‑Crude Divergence at 44: Cue for Copper, Stocks
Gold's Breakdown vs. Crude May Guide Copper, Stocks Volatility in gold and crude oil has never surged at a similar pace as in 2026 without spilling into the stock market, with implications for most markets. My graphic depicts crude's price pump...
AMA Energy Insights: Lithoz and Evove Redefine Lithium Extraction with SeparonicsTM
Lithium demand is surging as EVs and grid storage expand, but traditional brine evaporation ponds are land‑intensive, slow, and environmentally taxing. Ceramic‑3D‑printing specialist Lithoz and UK water‑filtration firm Evove have teamed up to replace evaporation with modular ceramic membranes built...
USA Rare Earth Commits $2.8 B to Brazil’s Serra Verde, Boosting U.S. Rare‑Earth Supply Chain
USA Rare Earth (USAR) signed a definitive agreement to acquire Brazil’s Serra Verde Group for $2.8 billion, combining $300 million in cash and 126.85 million newly issued shares. The deal secures the Pela Ema mine, the only non‑Asian source capable of producing all...
Gold Continues to Consolidate Amid the US-Iran Stalemate and the More Hawkish Fed
Gold has been stuck in a month‑long consolidation despite lower real yields, looser financial conditions and a weaker dollar, as the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance caps bullish momentum. Even a resolution to the U.S.–Iran conflict and the reopening of the...
1973 Arab OPEC Embargo Against the US, Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa for Supporting Israel
In 1973 Arab OPEC members imposed an oil embargo on the United States, the Netherlands, Portugal and South Africa to punish support for Israel during the Arab‑Israeli war. The embargo halted petroleum exports and forced production cuts, causing oil prices...
LNG Tanker Orders Pick Up Despite Shipping Uncertainty
Global LNG carrier orders are rebounding, with 35 new builds contracted in Q1 2024, surpassing the 37 ordered in all of 2025. Shipyards in South Korea and China are seeing heightened demand despite a looming supply glut and rising construction...
SPOTLIGHT: Clarity Before Commitment in Mineral Exploration
The article argues that mineral exploration failures often stem from moving too quickly without clear decision criteria. It stresses that true risk lies at the intersection of geology, land access, and permitting, not just subsurface uncertainty. By defining the specific...
Heat, Fires and Agribusiness Squeeze Traditional Amazon Açaí Harvesters
Intensive açaí farming in the Amazon has surged 70% since 2015, while traditional community harvesters face steep losses from extreme heat, drought and wildfires. In 2024 a wildfire in Acará burned two hectares of açaí palms, costing a small‑scale farmer...
Qatar LNG Faces Long Road Back After Unprecedented Disruption
Qatar’s LNG export machine suffered its steepest decline in over 20 years, dropping to 0.23 million tonnes in April—about 85 % below the nine‑year average—after the Strait of Hormuz closed and missile strikes disabled trains 4 and 6. Analysts forecast a three‑phase...
Ghana’s Fuel Payment Strategy Works for Now: How to Fix Longer Term Problems
In 2023 Ghana launched a gold‑for‑oil payment scheme, using domestically mined gold instead of scarce US dollars to settle petroleum imports. The arrangement eased pressure on the cedi, helped curb fuel‑price inflation to roughly 3‑4% by early 2026, and lowered...
EQ Resources Secures Traxys Tungsten Deal Amid Price Surge
EQ Resources signs Traxys tungsten offtake deal as APT prices surge on tight supply. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/tungsten-offtake-deal-strengthens-eq.html
Each Critical Mineral Deal Bolsters Energy Supply Security
Securing Energy Supply Chains: One Critical Mineral Deal at a Time? #energysky -- via RMI https://t.co/To7GYkU0nB
Angola: Huila Governor Warns About the Impact of Illegal Mining in Licensed Areas
Angola’s Huíla governor, Nuno Mahapi, warned that illegal mining is proliferating in licensed but inactive concessions, eroding state revenue and hindering sustainable development. He highlighted the province’s high‑value ornamental rock potential and called for a coordinated response involving government, operators,...
Adelayde Launches Work Program at Sisson North Tungsten Project
Adelayde Exploration $ADDY.CA $SPMTF Commences Work Program on the Sisson North Tungsten Project Directly Bordering Northcliff Resources Ltd. by @newsfile https://t.co/yvDMsKy3Bj
NYT Gold Probe Sparks Dialogue on Royal Canadian Mint
Re: the NYT conflict gold investigation. If Canadian / Canada-curious readers want to engage in dialogue about my colleague @ScheckNYTimes findings re: the Royal Canadian Mint, he's in the story responding to reader comments right now, so head over. https://t.co/6eIYEn4oJn
Viking Advances Nevada Tungsten Play as Prices Hit Record Highs
Viking Mines has moved its Linka tungsten project in Nevada into early‑stage processing design, completing a preliminary flow diagram for a modular plant that can handle 43 tonnes per hour. The design, created with Mineral Technologies, emphasizes flexibility, allowing future...
Shell's $14B Deal Marks Biggest Acquisition in Decade
Shell to buy Canadian shale company for $14 billion, in what would be oil giant’s biggest acquisition in 10 years https://t.co/Bk5GBjmp6I
Commodity Bull Markets Reverse After Rising with US Stocks
Top commodity bull markets are in dependency (on US stocks) and elasticity, they typically go down because they went up https://t.co/VV1CBeJ8Vt
Dalaroo Metals Advances Bondoukou Gold Project with Priority Soil Sampling Completion
Dalaroo Metals finished the Priority 1 soil‑sampling campaign at the Bondoukou Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire, collecting 2,241 primary samples and 120 QA/QC checks, with more than 2,000 sent to Intertek for assay. The pending results will shape trenching, auger work...
U.S. Drilling Expands Domestic Copper, Gold, Tellurium Supply
Rare U.S. opportunity to grow domestic copper, gold & tellurium supply for electrification, solar & national security as America reduces heavy import reliance. Phase 2 drilling ongoing. $GRL.V $GRLMF @GLMetals
Iran Still Loading Oil at Kharg, Storage Not Exhausted
PHOTO OF THE DAY: As of yesterday (April 26), Iran was still loading oil into tankers at Kharg Island. So beware of talk about Tehran running out of onshore / floating storage in only a couple of days. (Photo via...
Archer Secures $320m Equinor Contract Extension
Archer, a Norwegian offshore service provider, has secured a three‑year contract extension with Equinor worth roughly NOK 3 billion ($322.5 million). The deal expands the integrated wireline and intervention services originally awarded in 2021 across key Equinor assets on the Norwegian Continental Shelf....
China Loses Monopoly on Military‑critical Rare Earth Samarian
A bit of good supply chain news; China no longer has a monopoly on the refining of Samarian, a rare earth with important military uses 1/ https://t.co/Co909XqIbs
Dalaroo Maps Giant Gold Corridor in West African Premier Belt
Dalaroo Metals completed a 2,250‑sample soil geochemistry program across 4.5 km of its Bondoukou gold project in Côte d’Ivoire, mapping a 9.5 km structural corridor in the prolific Birimian Greenstone Belt. The data, the first large‑scale systematic survey in the area, will feed...