Know What's Happening in Mining
Know What's Happening in Mining
Mining Titans Surge $250B Amid Iran Conflict, Valuing Sector at $2.41T
The MINING.com Top 50 miners posted a combined market capitalization of $2.41 trillion at the end of Q1 2026, up roughly $250 billion from the start of 2025. Valuations rose despite the US‑Iran war and a sharp drop in gold and silver prices, with copper only modestly down and lithium firms re‑entering the list. Six companies now exceed $100 billion in market value.
AltaGas and Royal Vopak’s $1.35 billion REEF propane terminal, now 70 % complete at the Port of Prince Rupert, would add roughly 20 percent of Canada’s propane and butane export capacity. The Metlakatla First Nation has withdrawn its support and filed a lawsuit claiming the port authority concealed a 2015 exclusive export rights agreement with Vopak, prompting a B.C. Supreme Court to allow the case to proceed. While analysts expect the terminal’s first phase to stay on schedule, the legal dispute could stall future expansions and set a precedent for Indigenous consultation on commercial deals. The outcome may influence Canada’s broader strategy to shift energy exports toward Asian markets.
Nanjing Tanker, a Shanghai‑listed subsidiary of China Merchants Group, has signed a contract for three 6,600 dwt stainless‑steel chemical carriers with Yangzhou Dingheng Shipyard. The $71 million deal, including tax, targets delivery in the first half of 2028 and adds to the...
Maronan Metals has secured Mineral Development Licence (MDL) 2028 from the Queensland Government for its Maronan Silver Project, permitting a box‑cut and a 200‑metre decline for bulk sampling and resource validation. The licence was granted in less than 12 months, highlighting...
Brazil’s SGB reports Piaui assays showing rare earths, phosphate, and uranium in the Parnaiba basin. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/brazil-parnaiba-basin-rare-earths.html
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) reports that roughly 90 tight‑reservoir discoveries on the Norwegian Continental Shelf remain undeveloped. It argues that stronger cooperation among operators, aggressive cost reductions, and the deployment of proven technologies such as hydraulic fracturing, slim‑hole drilling,...
Global Air Cylinder Wheels (GACW) announced that its patented Air Suspension Wheel (ASW) has cleared extreme‑cold field trials in Minnesota, proving performance at temperatures down to –40 °C under full haul‑truck loads. The non‑pneumatic, steel‑based wheel demonstrated reliable suspension, tread, and...
DOF Group has placed an order for four XLX EVO III work‑class remotely operated vehicles from the UK‑based Forum Energy Technologies. Deliveries are slated for April, June, July and August 2026, with the first two units mobilised in Singapore. The ROVs...
Sandvik Crushing Solutions unveiled the CH442 and CH662 cone crushers at CONEXPO‑CON/AGG 2026, marking the next evolution of its CH400 and CH600 series. The models feature a strengthened top shell, new main shaft, and a backing‑compound free liner design that...
Vortex Metals has launched phase‑two exploration at its Illapel copper‑silver project in Chile, expanding work across the full 180 km² concession. The program features a 2,000‑line‑kilometre airborne geophysical survey employing magnetics, very‑low‑frequency electromagnetics (VLF‑EM) and radiometrics to map structures and pinpoint...
Komatsu unveiled the HM460-6 articulated haul truck at CONEXPO‑CON/AGG 2026, targeting quarry, construction and mining sites with challenging terrain. The new model raises the rated payload to 46.3 tons and incorporates a proprietary DBA127 engine delivering 518 hp with improved fuel efficiency....
The March 2026 feature article spotlights new comminution and crushing technologies aimed at slashing emissions in mineral processing. It highlights AI‑driven optimization, hybrid electric crusher drives, and advanced wear‑resistant components as key levers for energy reduction. The piece also notes...
EU expands ETS indirect carbon cost compensation to 20 new sectors and raises coverage for eligible industries. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/eu-ets-state-aid-expansion-widens.html
Zimbabwe's Cabinet approved a new legislative framework that moves beyond the 2024 ban on alluvial river‑bed mining to active ecosystem rehabilitation. The Inter‑Ministerial Committee reported that mechanised mining has largely ceased, while enforcement actions have led to over 300 arrests...
Mineral Mining Services (MMS) secured a comprehensive mining services contract from Ora Banda Mining for the Davyhurst Gold Project in Western Australia. The agreement covers full load‑haul, drill‑and‑blast, and extensive civil works, focusing on the Waihi pit and run‑of‑mine realignment. MMS...
The fourth edition of the Lead the Charge Auto Supply Chain Leaderboard shows that major carmakers are accelerating the greening of EV supply chains, with Tesla, Ford, Volvo and Mercedes posting the strongest scores. EU regulations, especially the Batteries Regulation,...
Sandvik Rock Processing operates an in‑house Exciter Repair and Refurbishment Facility in South Africa to restore vibratory screen components to OEM specifications. The centre strips, inspects, replaces worn parts and tests exciters to the same standards as new units, delivering...
The World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) projects the platinum supply deficit to shrink dramatically to 240,000 ounces in 2026, down from a record 1.082 million ounces in 2025. Despite the narrowing gap, demand is expected to dip 8% to 7.62 million ounces...
Tianqi and IGO’s Kwinana lithium refinery was a ‘high’ health risk says DWER, with controls now tightened https://t.co/JeO6Zmmi3x
Queensland's government has abolished the Mine Safety Commissioner role, transferring its statutory duties to other agencies, despite an independent review urging retention of the position. The move contravenes advice from Resources Safety and Health Queensland, raising concerns over regulatory oversight....
Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers has sent three external financing agreements to the House of Peoples’ Representatives for approval. The loans—USD 60.2 million from Korea Export‑Import Bank, €80 million from the French Development Agency, and SDR 184.1 million from the International Development Association—target electricity expansion, renewable...
London‑based Zodiac Maritime is expanding its crude carrier renewal by ordering five new tankers in Asia. The deal includes four 319,000‑dwt VLCCs from Jiangsu New Hantong Ship Heavy Industry at roughly $120 million each, slated for 2029 delivery, and a 157,000‑dwt...
Eastern DR Congo’s eastern provinces sit atop lithium, gold, coltan and other critical minerals that power the global energy transition and digital economy. Rising demand has drawn a slate of international actors, from the United States to China, intensifying geopolitical...
Indonesia’s Banyumas district saw a dramatic drop in durian output, with farmer Ganjar harvesting only 500 fruits from 300 trees in 2024 versus 3,500 the previous year. Heavy, unseasonal rainfall caused flowers to fall off, curtailing fruit development across the...
Lucara Diamond reported a 22% drop in 2025 revenue to C$159.7 million and net income falling to C$26.1 million as it advanced the Karowe underground expansion in Botswana. The company completed the 776 m production and 729 m ventilation shafts, but the updated feasibility...
Austmine has appointed Tony Davis as its new chief executive officer, effective 1 April 2026. Davis brings over 30 years of senior leadership across government, mining‑related industries, energy and advanced manufacturing. His most recent role was executive general manager – The Americas at...
Oil prices surged as Iran's IRGC declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, cutting 70‑80% of traffic. Brent crude rose above $80 per barrel for the first time since July 2024, while U.S. energy stocks outperformed the broader market. Analysts, led...
Point Isabel Independent School District voted down a $160 million, ten‑year property‑tax abatement offered by Texas LNG for its $5.7 billion liquefied natural gas project. The deal would have added roughly $15 million per year to the district’s budget, but the board said...
NACCO Industries reported third‑quarter 2019 results, with revenue modestly rising to $32.6 million while operating profit fell to $8.7 million. Net income increased to $10.3 million, driven by a $2.7 million pre‑tax payment from an India venture. Management forecast 2020 coal deliveries to grow,...
Last day of @miningcomau interviews at #PDAC2026. Starting on the left and going clockwise: Jacob Deysel at @Critica_CRI, Koby Kushner at Athena Gold, Sean Delaney at @OlympioMetals. $CRI.AX, $ATHA, $OLY.AX https://t.co/2x1NtYYprp
The Queensland Resources Council has opened applications for the 2026 ReGen Queensland Scholarships, offering up to $40,000 per year for three years to support PhD and Master’s research on mine rehabilitation. Funded by the Coal Minesite Rehabilitation Trust Fund, the...
Atomic Eagle announced a maiden ore reserve of 28 Mlb U3O8 at its Muntanga project in Zambia, backed by an independent engineering review of a feasibility study that confirms a 12‑year mine life. The study projects 25.3 Mlb total production, a 3.5‑year...
Locksley Resources announced surface grab samples delivering up to 16.9% antimony at its Mojave Desert Antimony Mine in California. The assay validates earlier underground work that recorded weighted averages of 25.7% antimony, confirming high‑grade continuity to the surface. Diamond drilling...
Environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit in Montana to block the Bull Mountains Mine expansion, arguing that the Trump‑era "energy emergency" justification violated the National Environmental Policy Act. The suit highlights long‑wall mining’s subsidence and dewatering effects, which have dried...
Fastmarkets announced that, effective March 5, its price assessments for ilmenite concentrate (cif China) and two rutile grades (fob Australia) will shift from a fortnightly to a monthly cadence. The change follows market feedback indicating that prices have been moving slowly...
Viking Mines reported a first‑pass metallurgical test at its Linka tungsten project that upgraded a 1.4% WO3 feed to a 22.9% WO3 concentrate, a 16‑fold increase. The simple rougher gravity separation recovered about 63.7% of the tungsten, demonstrating the viability...
December 2026 Brent crude oil is down on the day. It will near top step by the Midterms. Higher or lower by then? My bias is lower https://t.co/bu6WD5MAw6
Fastmarkets announced that it will not publish weekly export prices for Iran’s steel billet and slab during the seven‑day public holiday declared after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death. The delay follows the firm’s policy of suspending price releases when a...
West Coast Silver (ASX:WCE) is commencing a 4,000‑metre reverse‑circulation drilling campaign at its historic Elizabeth Hill silver project in Western Australia. The program targets the Munni Munni Fault, aiming to extend the high‑grade mineralisation that previously yielded a 33,107 g/t silver...
Australian Critical Minerals (ASX:ACM) is set to begin its first diamond drilling at the undrilled Flint project in Peru’s La Libertad gold belt, a region that has produced over 50 million ounces of gold. Geophysical surveys have identified a 4‑km...
BHP and Lundin are committing up to US$18 billion to develop the Vicuna copper province in Argentina, targeting a 400,000‑tonne‑per‑year copper output alongside significant gold and silver byproducts. The project will roll out in three stages, beginning with an open‑pit and...
United States Antimony released an initial resource study for its Fostum tungsten project in Ontario, showing an inferred 14.62 million‑tonne resource grading 0.17% WO₃ and containing 53.6 million pounds of tungsten oxide. At $1,890 per tonne, the in‑ground metal is valued at...
Canada faces a historic chance to add processing capacity as new mines come online amid a global resource boom, panelists warned at the PDAC convention. While the Toronto Stock Exchange lists over 1,095 mining issuers worth C$600 billion, foreign takeovers have...
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced an accelerated road‑building schedule for the Ring of Fire, promising completion by late 2030—five years ahead of original plans. The province signed new economic agreements with the Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations, complementing a federal deal...
The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto, drawing over 27,000 attendees, has placed critical minerals at the forefront of its agenda. Industry leaders warned that geopolitical fragmentation is heightening supply‑chain vulnerability for metals such as copper,...
London’s marine insurers, via the Joint War Committee, have expanded the Gulf’s high‑risk war‑zone to include waters around Bahrain, Djibouti, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. The move follows a rapid escalation of Middle‑East hostilities, prompting a five‑fold jump in war‑risk premiums...
The Russian‑owned LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz caught fire in the central Mediterranean off Malta on Tuesday, with its AIS signal disappearing shortly before the blaze. The vessel, loaded at the Saam floating storage unit, is part of a shadow fleet...
Power Metallic Mines announced drill results that extend the Lion copper‑nickel zone at its Nisk Project in Quebec. Structural analysis identified a shallow easterly‑plunging trend, and hole PML‑26‑067 intersected one metre of massive copper sulphides and 3.3 metres of disseminated copper...
Tharisa Resources has seen a 105% year‑on‑year rally but still lags larger PGM peers, trading at a deep discount despite strong fundamentals. The market penalises the stock for liquidity constraints and uncertainty around financing the Karo Platinum project. Spot PGM...
Upper Keltner for #soybeans right here at 11.64. Close below that would probably allow for a little more follow through to the downside. Feels like we are moving more to risk off VS buy everything because oils inflationary....
PRIO secured an operating license from Brazil’s environmental regulator Ibama for the Wahoo subsea tie‑back project in the Campos basin. The approval completes the final regulatory hurdle, allowing the field – estimated to hold over 125 million barrels in the pre‑salt...
