Today's Mining Pulse
Iran-Israel conflict sparks $650B AI supply‑chain risk over helium shortage
Moody’s Ratings warns that the Iran‑Israel war has halted output at Qatar’s Ras Laffan helium plant, creating a $650 billion risk for the AI economy. Helium, vital for semiconductor wafer cooling and leak detection, has no industrial substitute, threatening AI infrastructure spending by major hyperscalers.
Also developing:
Macmahon to Carry Out Contract Works at Central Tanami Gold Project
Macmahon Holdings’ subsidiary, Macmahon Underground, has been appointed preferred contractor for the Groundrush exploration decline at the Central Tanami Gold Project in the Northern Territory. The A$38 million (≈US$27 million) contract covers portal, ventilation and about 3,500 m of underground decline development, with work slated to begin in the September 2026 quarter and run for 14 months. The JV, comprising Tanami Gold and MGX Resources, expects the decline to enable resource definition drilling and pave the way for production mining. The award underscores Macmahon’s strategy to expand its underground footprint across Australia.
US‑Canada Crude Surplus Could Drive Prices Toward $40
Lower Prices May Be Top Cure for US+Canada Surplus The recent WTI crude oil surge may add fuel to an incomplete low-price-cure cycle toward $40 a barrel. My graphic highlights a key reason why: the growing surplus in US and Canadian...
NavPrakriti to Invest over ₹100 Cr in Critical Minerals Refining Facility in Odisha
NavPrakriti, a lithium‑ion battery recycling firm, announced a investment of over ₹100 crore (approximately $12 million) to build a critical‑minerals refining facility in Odisha. The plant, slated to start operations in FY 2028‑29, will process up to 5,000 metric tonnes of end‑of‑life batteries each...
December Corn Likely Slides Toward $4.30
December Corn May Lean Toward $4.30 vs. Above $5 New-crop December (Dec26) corn, at about $4.80 a bushel on April 20, may have a greater propensity to extend its life-of-contract low near $4.39 than to stay above the high of around...
Copper Fox Metals Updates Van Dyke ISCR Project, Arizona
Copper Fox Metals reported progress on its Van Dyke ISCR copper project in Arizona, where a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) and a 3‑D groundwater flow model are advancing. The project targets 85 million pounds of 99.99% pure copper cathode per year...
Nigeria: Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Illegal Mining
Niger State officials arrested two Chinese nationals conducting unauthorised mining at the Zuzungi site in Minna. The detainees were transferred to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and possible prosecution. Commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Qasim Danjuma highlighted a zero‑tolerance stance...
Rio Tinto Copper Surge Offsets Iron Ore Disruption
Rio Tinto reported a 9% year‑over‑year rise in first‑quarter copper output to 229,000 tonnes, driven by the Oyu Tolgoi underground ramp‑up in Mongolia. The gain offset a 13% increase in Pilbara iron‑ore production that was marred by cyclone‑related shipment delays. Ongoing...
Vaalco Reports Strong Gabon Well Results, Baobab FPSO Restart On Track
Vaalco Energy announced that its Etame 14H development well offshore Gabon delivered an initial 4,850 barrels of oil per day gross, equating to 2,850 net BOPD, after intersecting 325 metres of high‑quality sand. The company has also begun drilling the EEBOM‑5H sidetrack...
DARPA's Smash Program Targets Rare‑earth Processing Bottleneck with Distributed Model
DARPA has begun a 48‑month "Smash" effort to create a distributed, near‑zero‑waste processing system for rare‑earth elements and up to 80 other stable metals. The program seeks to replace the current reliance on centralized refineries such as the Mountain Pass...
G Mining Ventures Reports Q1 2026 Preliminary Gold Production of 31,846 Oz
G Mining Ventures reported preliminary Q1 2026 results from its 100% owned Tocantinzinho Gold Mine in Pará, Brazil. The operation produced 31,846 oz of gold and sold 33,776 oz, processing 11,811 tpd with a 90.3% recovery rate. The quarter emphasized accelerated waste stripping and...
Oceaneering Pilots ROV on Brazilian Offshore Drilling Rig From Land
Oceaneering successfully piloted a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on a Petrobras drilling rig offshore Brazil from its on‑shore Remote Operations Centre (OROC) in Macaé. The test marks the first land‑based control of an offshore ROV in the region, building on...
USA Rare Earth Surges 15% After $2.8 Billion Serra Verde Acquisition
USA Rare Earth Inc. announced a $2.8 billion cash‑and‑stock deal to acquire Brazil’s Serra Verde Group, sending its Nasdaq‑listed shares up more than 15% to $22.97. The transaction adds a rare‑earth mine and processing plant that can produce 6,400 metric tons of...
Liberty Star Acquires 13 New Arizona Mining Permits
Liberty Star Minerals announced the acquisition of 13 new mineral exploration permits in Arizona’s Tombstone Mining District, expanding its holdings to roughly 45 square miles. The latest permits add about 11 square miles and incorporate the Earp Ridge and Red...
US‑Ecuador Deal Slashes Copper Tariffs, Boosts Exports
The US-Ecuador trade deal could lower copper tariffs and open a new export path for Ecuadorian metals. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/us-ecuador-trade-deal-could-open-new.html
LYC Posts 115% Revenue Surge on Strong Ex‑China Demand
$LYC pretty reasonable quarter with A$ revenues up 115% y/y on continued high pricing and first production of Dy/TB and Sm. Op margin looks good. The company cites continued strong ex-China demand for its products. During the qtr it extended...
How the US Is Bankrolling a Worldwide Tungsten Network
Washington is orchestrating a coordinated tungsten strategy that blends Export‑Import Bank (EXIM) and Development Finance Corporation (DFC) loans, Pentagon funding, and strategic stockpiling to curb dependence on China. The approach funds overseas projects in Kazakhstan, Australia, the UK and Rwanda...
Fortescue Launches Ad Campaign Against Billion-Dollar Diesel Tax ‘Handouts’ to Miners
Mining giant Fortescue launched a national TV and radio campaign demanding the removal of diesel tax credits that it calls a billion‑dollar handout to the sector. The company, which claimed A$308 million (≈US$203 million) in credits for 600 million litres of diesel in...
The United States Is Repeating Its Silicon Mistake with Gallium Nitride
China controls roughly 99% of the world’s primary gallium and imposed an outright export ban on the United States in December 2024, leaving the U.S. defense stockpile with zero reserves. The article warns that the U.S. is repeating the silicon...
Norway's March Oil, Gas Output Tops Forecast
Norway’s offshore sector delivered 0.691 million standard cubic metres per day in March, equating to 4.35 million barrels of oil equivalent, surpassing the regulator’s forecast by 2.8%. Crude‑oil output jumped 8.1% year‑on‑year to 1.94 million barrels per day, outpacing the 1.80 million‑bpd estimate. Natural‑gas...
New Framework Could Turn Mining Waste Into Low Carbon Building Material
Researchers at Heriot‑Watt University have unveiled a mineral‑based framework that systematically classifies mine tailings for reuse in cement and other construction materials. The method draws on a meta‑analysis of more than 5,000 studies, using each material’s mineral fingerprint to predict...
Can Lab-Grown Diamonds Win the Long-Game on Ethics?
Consumer indifference to diamond origins persists despite growing demand for ethical products, with less than 0.5% of buyers caring about provenance. The $100 billion global diamond market, including $30 billion flowing through Surat, India, remains plagued by opaque supply chains and labor...
'Price of Red Diesel Is Putting Us in the Red'
UK farmers are grappling with a steep rise in red diesel, the off‑road fuel used for tractors, which jumped from about £0.78 per litre ($1.00) before the Middle‑East conflict to £1.38 ($1.75) on Monday – a 56% increase. The price...
Silver Leads Strong March Chinese Imports Across Metals
Chinese Imports & Exports for AU/AG/PA/PL in March. Silver stands out amongst the strong imports. Chart below
Early US Shale Shift Drove Profitable International Expansion
This is important. The shift to international market after realizing the seismic shift in US shale early paid off.
Cummins Reaches 100-Year Milestone in Global Mining Operations
Cummins is celebrating a century of supplying power to the global mining sector, marking its first involvement in rope shovels and excavators in the 1920s. Over the decades the company has expanded from basic diesel engines to high‑horsepower platforms, turbocharging,...
Government Waives $30M Fees for Wesfarmers, Tianqi Lithium Refineries
Cook Government waives $30m worth of fees tied to lithium refineries run by Wesfarmers and China’s Tianqi https://t.co/pMS9Jyb8gJ
Trump’s Energy Push Eclipses Disastrous Tariffs
Trump’s Liberation Day Tariffs might go down as one of the worst industrial policies in American history, but his unleashing of investment and development of American energy and critical minerals may go down the most impactful industrial policy in history.
Aurum Rigs Roar as Thick High-Grade Gold Hits Stack up in West Africa
Aurum Resources reported a series of thick, high‑grade gold intercepts at its Boundiali BDT2 deposit in Côte d’Ivoire, highlighted by a 36‑metre, 1.99 g/t interval that includes a 27.97 g/t spike. The 40‑hole, 12,000‑metre drill campaign is expanding the known mineralised envelope...
Recent Mining Acquisitions & Impact on Future Takeover Targets
The requested article is behind a paywall and its full content is not accessible. Consequently, specific details about recent mining acquisitions and projected takeover prices cannot be extracted.
EnergyX Starts First U.S. Direct Lithium Extraction Plant in Texas
EnergyX has commissioned the United States' first direct lithium extraction (DLE) plant at its Texas site, aiming to prove the technology at commercial scale and cut reliance on imported lithium. The modest‑capacity pilot marks a tangible move toward a homegrown...
Luis Yanza, Campaigner Who Battled Big Oil in the Amazon Rainforest
Luis Yanza, the grassroots organizer who linked more than 80 Amazon villages to the multibillion‑dollar Chevron lawsuit, died on March 27, 2026. He helped build the legal strategy that led to a 2012 Ecuadorian court ordering Chevron to pay billions...
Silver Miners Cheap, Cash‑flow Rich Amid Price Resilience
With silver prices proving resilient at these levels, miners are trading at some of the cheapest valuations in their history. These companies are delivering record cash flows with exceptionally high margins. Game on. https://t.co/a2yC5hgWq2 https://t.co/06A0bDqjf9
U.S. Targets Namibia to Boost Uranium Imports Amid China Rivalry
U.S. Ambassador to Namibia John Giordana announced a new push to raise uranium imports from Namibia, which supplies 10‑12% of global output. The move is framed as a strategic effort to secure critical mineral supply chains and counter China’s expanding...
Balyasny Asset Management Hires Glencore LPG Chief Ross Hendey to Boost Commodities Push
Balyasny Asset Management announced the hiring of Ross Hendey, formerly Glencore's head of liquefied petroleum gas trading, to head an independent LPG and refined products team. The move signals the fund's aggressive expansion into commodity markets as geopolitical tensions drive...
Rio Tinto Reports Manufacturing-Linked Output Growth in Q1 on Copper and Aluminium Strength
Rio Tinto reported a 9% year‑on‑year rise in copper equivalent production for Q1 2026, driven by higher output at the Oyu Tolgoi mine and a solid aluminium segment that posted a 1% increase in primary aluminium and a 6% rise in alumina....
Cold War Echoes of Great Power Minerals Strategy
China and the United States are accelerating strategies to dominate critical mineral supply chains, echoing Cold War‑era resource competition. Beijing has embedded mineral security in its 14th Five‑Year Plan, introduced licensing rules and consolidated rare‑earth producers under state‑backed groups. Washington...
High-Grade Gold & a Fully Funded Drill Program: Goliath Update with Roger Rosmus & Russell Ashton
Goliath Resources announced that its flagship gold project is delivering high‑grade intercepts and that a fully funded 2024 drill program is now in place. In a detailed interview, Founder‑CEO Roger Rosmus and Head Geologist Russell Ashton outlined the latest assay...
Circular Water Recovery Transforms Mining Waste Streams
A new study of Poland’s hard‑coal sector reveals that roughly 200 million m³ of mine water—carrying about 1.5 million Mg of dissolved salts—are discharged each year, creating severe ecological pressure. By applying circular‑economy principles, researchers show that desalination and mineral crystallization can turn this...
Goldman Prize Winner Alannah Hurley Fights Pebble Mine “From a Place of Love”
Alannah Hurley, executive director of the United Tribes of Bristol Bay, received the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize for leading the successful opposition to the Pebble Mine project in Alaska. The EPA’s 2023 veto of the copper‑gold mine, citing unacceptable impacts...
Why Coal Is Surging
Coal is experiencing a notable resurgence, driven by renewed demand across multiple regions. The article highlights coal’s historic role in powering industrialization and electrification, then points to a contemporary uptick in production and consumption. Recent data show global output climbing...
MAJOR BANKS PREDICT SILVER PRICE EXPLOSION: The Sentiment Reset, the Unsolvable Deficit, the Byproduct Trap, the Historic Demand Stack, &...
Silver has settled into a tight $70‑$80 range, creating a solid technical base after a parabolic rally. The sideways action reset market sentiment, flushing out speculative hands and leaving a coiled chart ready for a breakout. Physical fundamentals are tightening,...
Australian S&P/ASX 200 Trims Early Losses to 8,941.40 Amid Miner Weakness and Tech Gains
The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.06% to 8,941.40, trimming early losses after two days of decline. Weakness in iron‑ore and energy stocks was partly offset by gains in gold miners and technology firms, underscoring a tactical shift among regional investors.
Copper Intelligence to Drill Untapped Eastern Congo Copper Deposit
Copper Intelligence announced it will begin drilling its newly acquired Butembo copper licence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo within four to six weeks. The 70‑80 square‑kilometre target area has surface samples showing copper grades as high as 18%, a...
USA Rare Earths' Overvalued Deal Boosts
More thoughts on the USA RE/Serra Verde deal. USA Rare Earths is using its massively overvalued paper to buy Brazil's only operating REE mine which should supply 50% of the HREE produced outside China by 2027. But this also puts a...
Q2Metals Hits Record High, Poised for Unicorn Status
Congrats @Q2Metals on another all-time closing high. Strong set up with maiden MRE on the way very soon. The most exciting #lithium exploration story at present. And perhaps ever…. Destined for 🦄 status IMO… $QTWO.V Not advice. DYOR https://t.co/Yu2F5zv7cx
US Gold Corp (NASDAQ:USAU) – $1.4B NPV at Spot, Fully Permitted, Major Upside
U.S. Gold Corp. released a definitive feasibility study for its CK Gold project in Wyoming, showing an after‑tax NPV of $635 million and a 27% IRR at a $3,250/oz gold price. At current spot prices near $4,500/oz, the NPV jumps to...
Oil Rebounds as Material Momentum Drives Targets and Exits
Oil is on the rebound but so are pockets of momentum. We’re still seeing strength show up in materials, hitting targets and raising exits while new setups continue to trigger. Today's momentum report: https://t.co/4SRJUfV3YA
Earthworks Celebrates Alannah Acaq Hurley, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner
Alannah Acaq Hurley, Executive Director of United Tribes of Bristol Bay, was named one of the six 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize winners for her leadership in halting the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska. The mine threatened the world’s largest wild‑salmon...
Rio Tinto Trying to Meet U.S. Aluminum Demand as Middle East War Roils Supply Chains – by Nicolas Van Praet...
Rio Tinto is ramping up production at its six Canadian aluminum smelters to satisfy rising U.S. demand as the Israel‑Iran conflict drives global aluminum prices higher. The Saguenay, Quebec facilities and the Kitimat, B.C. plant are already near full capacity,...
Iran War’s Sulfurous Fallout Spreads to Copper and Nickel – by Andy Home (Reuters – April 17, 2026)
The Iran‑Israel conflict has choked sulfur flow from the Gulf after the Strait of Hormuz closed on Feb. 28, triggering a global sulfur squeeze. Sulfuric acid, essential for solvent‑extraction copper and HPAL nickel processes, is now scarce as China, the world’s...