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:
Volt Carbon Receives Third U.S. Patent Allowance for Dry Separation Tech
Volt Carbon Technologies announced the allowance of its third U.S. patent covering a proprietary dry‑separation process for graphite. The water‑free method preserves the crystalline structure of graphite, improving yields for battery‑grade material, expandable graphite and graphene while cutting processing time and environmental impact. The company is building a scalable demonstration plant to validate commercial performance and move toward cash‑flow generation. CEO V Bond Lee, the lead inventor, highlighted the portfolio’s role in protecting the technology and enabling downstream market participation.
Independent Testing Where Tesla’s Lithium Refinery Discharges Wastewater Found Toxic Metals
Independent testing by Eurofins found hexavalent chromium and arsenic in wastewater from Tesla's $1 billion lithium‑refinery near Corpus Christi, contaminants not covered by the plant’s state permit. Texas regulators previously reported compliance but did not test for heavy metals, creating a...
Gravel Creek Mirrors Nevada Gold Systems, Shows 1 Km Continuity
New geochemical-spectral work at Gravel Creek is showing the same elemental fingerprint as high-grade northern Nevada systems like Midas and Sleeper. Even better: @WEXExploration is seeing more than 1 km of vertical gold continuity. That’s the kind of setup that...
23,000m Drilling Boosts Near‑Surface Gold Potential
At Duquesne West, @EmperorMetals is adding roughly 23,000 meters of data into the model—15,000 meters of new drilling plus 8,000 meters of historical core resampling. Even better: the focus is on near-surface ounces that could support a Phase 1 open-pit...
Argentina Lithium Gets $100M to Advance Rincon West
Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp. secured US$100 million from Chinese partner Xi’an Lanshen to advance the Rincon West brine project in Salta. The funding is staged: pilot‑scale direct lithium extraction for pre‑feasibility, engineering and permitting, then construction of a commercial plant....
Congo's Hidden Cost Fuels Clean Energy's Dirty Secret
Clean energy has a dirty secret buried deep in the Congo. Here, The Elements of Power author Nicolas Niarchos @apostcardfromthevolcano pulls the supply chain apart link by link. Notes https://jordanharbinger.com/1315 Apple https://buff.ly/VwoPcHI Spotify https://buff.ly/FjWbpZJ Overcast https://buff.ly/VLlkVWW
Agnico Buys RUP & AU. Also Talk GSKR, KLDC & GOT
Agnico Eagle has completed a $3.5 billion acquisition of Rupert Resources and Aurion Resources, securing the 4.3 million‑ounce Ikkari gold deposit and adjacent land. The transaction expands Agnico's Canadian footprint and adds a high‑grade, near‑term production asset. The deal also triggers market...
A “Good Neighbor” With a Toxic Legacy
In April 2025 a Chevron‑operated well at the Bishop pad near Galeton, Colorado, suffered a catastrophic blowout, spewing over one million gallons of toxic fluids and benzene plumes that forced evacuations and contaminated the local elementary school. Chevron later donated...
Vale's New Mine Could Seal Fate of Brazil's Rare Red Flower
Vale, the world’s largest iron‑ore producer, received a license in September 2025 to mine the fifth canga patch in Brazil’s Carajás region, putting the endemic red Ipomoea cavalcantei at risk of extinction. Scientists warn that three of the five remaining...
America, the Oblivious
The article argues that China is reshaping global trade by providing manufacturing technology to resource‑rich nations of the Global South in exchange for natural commodities, creating a new form of economic imperialism. It contrasts this strategy with the United States’...
Copper Leads Weekly Surge in Global Commodity Prices as DRC Mining Products Show Mixed Trends
Copper prices climbed to $12,836 per ton in the week of April 20‑25, up $688 from the prior week, extending a multi‑week rally. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) also projected gains for gold, tin, wolframite and silver ore, while...
DRC Govt Cracks Down on Illegal Gold Mining in Ituri Amid Major Sector Reform Push
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining ministry launched a sweeping crackdown on illegal gold mining in Ituri Province, ordering the closure of several unlicensed sites and seizing heavy equipment. Minister of Mines Louis Watum Kabamba led field missions in Mahagi...
Emerson Releases New Software for Remote Operations
Emerson announced DeltaV Live Enterprise View, a new software that extends real‑time control system visualization to secure web browsers. The solution offers read‑only, role‑based access to live plant displays without modifying existing control systems. By leveraging the DeltaV Edge Environment,...
Benefiting From Rising Lithium Prices, Ganfeng Lithium Expects Q1 Return to Profitability
Ganfeng Lithium said its Q1 2026 net profit will hit ¥1.6‑2.1 bn ($220‑290 million), a 550‑690% jump from a year earlier, with adjusted profit of ¥1.25‑1.75 bn ($174‑243 million). The surge stems from soaring battery‑grade lithium carbonate prices, now around ¥150,000 per ton ($21,000),...
Lithium Shortage Threatens 100% Renewable Energy Goal
Does the world have enough lithium to power all the electric vehicles and stationary batteries needed to transition the world to 100% clean, renewable energy and storage for everything? More info https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-lithium.pdf https://web.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/WWSStillNMN/StillNMN.html Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKBTnj1nTWo
Komatsu Commissions 1,000 Autonomous Ultra-Class Trucks
Komatsu has commissioned its 1,000th autonomous ultra‑class haul truck, a 930E‑5AT deployed at Barrick’s Nevada Gold Mines, making it the first OEM to reach this milestone. Roughly 52% of the fleet are 930E models, with 830E and 980E each accounting...
Ultrabulk Handymax Makes First Transatlantic Biomass Delivery
Ultra Yorkshire, an Ultrabulk handymax carrier, completed its first transatlantic voyage delivering 29,000 tonnes of biomass pellets from Baton Rouge to Liverpool for Drax Power Station. The trip used B100 biofuel, cutting CO₂ emissions by roughly 90 % versus conventional marine fuel....
DRC’s Economic Rise Gains Momentum as Mining Boom and Currency Reforms Reshape Growth
The International Monetary Fund projects the Democratic Republic of Congo’s GDP to reach roughly $123 billion in 2026, positioning it as the fifth‑largest economy in Sub‑Saharan Africa. Growth is driven by a mining boom that now contributes about 25% of GDP...
Stakeholder Discusses Ballarat Phase 1 Exploration Program
Stakeholder Gold Corp announced a 2,000‑meter exploration drilling program at its 100% owned Ballarat Gold‑Copper Project in the Yukon, slated to begin around May 1, 2026. The campaign will test four greenfield targets—Skye Gold, Loki Copper, East and Northwest Zones—using shallow diamond...
From Handshakes to Shovels in the Ground: How the EU Can Reset Its Minerals Diplomacy
The European Union’s push to secure critical minerals is hampered by a gap between diplomatic agreements and on‑the‑ground investment. While the EU has signed 15 strategic partnerships and launched the Critical Raw Materials Act, China still controls processing for 19...
Boonray Signs Cooperation Deal with Vale Indonesia Following Successful Electric Mining Truck Trial
Shanghai Boonray Intelligent Technology and PT Vale Indonesia have signed a strategic cooperation agreement after a successful trial of Boonray’s all‑electric mining trucks. The trial demonstrated stable operation and more than 50% reduction in energy costs, prompting Vale to become...
Alcoa Adding Aluminum Capacity to Offset War Outages
Alcoa Corp is rapidly adding primary‑aluminum smelting capacity at plants in Portland, Australia, Brazil, Norway and Spain to capture price premiums sparked by war‑driven supply cuts in the Middle East. CEO Bill Oplinger said the higher regional premiums in North...
Cleveland-Cliffs Q1 2026 Earnings Surge on Higher Iron‑Ore Prices, EBITDA Hits $95M
Cleveland-Cliffs posted adjusted EBITDA of $95 million for Q1 2026, a $274 million YoY rise, driven by a $68‑per‑ton price increase and higher shipments. The company flagged an $80 million energy‑cost hit, a 40% Canadian price discount and a $425 million asset‑sale target for the...
Talisker Increases Bralorne Gold Project Diamond Drill Program to 105,000 Metres
Talisker Resources Ltd. announced a major expansion of its diamond‑drill campaign at the Bralorne Gold Project, increasing the total planned metres from 30,000 to 105,000. The program will deliver roughly 83,000 metres of infill drilling at the Mustang and Bralorne...
Bring Back the Helium Reserve—Before the Next Shock Hits
Iran-linked attacks on Qatar’s Ras Laffan complex in March shut down a facility that supplies roughly one‑third of the world’s helium, sending prices soaring and tightening supplies for high‑tech sectors. Helium’s unique physical properties make long‑term stockpiling difficult, and the United...
Magnetite Mines Initiates Drilling at Ironback Hill
Magnetite Mines has begun a 2,000‑metre air‑core drilling campaign at its Ironback Hill rare‑earth element (REE) project in north‑east South Australia after rain‑induced access delays. The program targets clay‑hosted, near‑surface REE mineralisation identified from re‑examined 2011‑12 iron‑ore drill cores. Permits...
Viscount Mining Drilling Kate Silver Deposit at Silver Cliff Project, Colorado
Viscount Mining has launched a 2026 drilling campaign at the Kate Silver deposit, the core of its 100%-owned Silver Cliff Project in Colorado. The 10‑hole, 1,000‑metre program aims to expand the existing NI 43‑101 resource, which currently stands at roughly...
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...
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...
A2 Gold Launches 2,500‑m Drill
A shift from scouting to measuring, that's how JV describes @A2GoldCorp's 2,500-meter core drill program that just got underway at Eastside. It's focused on both resource definition and expansion. On tap: a stronger resource statement. Major Buy for us: https://t.co/knz4DZJ6NI
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...
Dryden Gold's Maiden Drills Hit Gold Across
The team at @DrydenGold just outlined a 12km by 2.5km gold-in-till anomaly corridor at its Hyndman property. Even better: all six holes from the maiden drill program intersected #gold. This adds confidence they're vectoring into a large fertile gold system:...
U.S. Navy Boards Sanctioned Oil Tanker Safely in Indian Ocean
U.S. forces board a sanctioned oil tanker 'without incident' in the Indian Ocean Map form @Kpler https://t.co/jqhC9bZpvJ
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...
Copper at $6 Signals Economy’s Health Boost
Here comes "The Doctor," touching $6 again. They call it Doctor Copper because the metal's action diagnoses a sick or recovering economy. A nice 55.1 on ISM Manufacturing Production indicates the industrial sector has been taking its Vitamin (C)opper. https://t.co/BGqFYLIPUI
China and US Fight Tightening Copper Market
A global tug of war between the SHFE (China) and the Comex (USA) for copper
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...
Arkansas Lithium Reserves Offer US Independence From China
US Sen Tom Cotton on lithium development in Arkansas: "We should not be relying on Communist China for this crucial mineral."
Supply Chain Blindness Fuels Commodity Scarcity Worldwide
All the while supplies of commodities are running scarce. Neither side seems to understand or care about supply chains and the global effect.
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...
AI Boosts Mining Safety with Real‑Time Situational Awareness
LoopX: #AI-Powered Situational Awareness for Safer Mining Operations via @WevolverApp #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation #Tech https://t.co/ThsjFe3HOb
Gold Bull Run Set for $6‑7K Amid US Policy Fear
My take with @WallStBullion on why the GOLD BULL is here to stay: "Gold will peak out at $6,000-$7,000/oz. People are worried erratic US policy. They don't want to get trapped in the dollar system for fear of sanctions. So they...
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...
China’s Rare Earth Export Decline Exposes Deal Fragility
China. Drop in exports to the US. Rare earth minerals. What happened to the deal with China? The art of the quick “deal” meets political reality.
US Firm Faked Mining Expertise to Secure Congo Deal
JUST IN: A US company exaggerated its mining expertise to win a major Congo minerals deal, per evidence.
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...
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.
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...