Today's Mining Pulse
Indonesia grants export monopoly to state trader, targeting $66B 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 trader PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI). The policy aims to capture roughly $66.13B in annual resource revenues and curb historic tax leakage estimated at $908B.
Also developing:
Ganfeng Lithium Sees Profits Soar Amid Energy Disruption
China’s Ganfeng Lithium, the world’s largest lithium‑metal producer, expects a profit of 1.6 billion yuan (≈ $221 million) for the quarter ended March, a sharp reversal from a 360 million‑yuan loss a year earlier. The surge is driven by soaring oil prices that have accelerated demand for electric‑vehicle batteries and renewable‑energy storage systems. Lithium prices have risen 150% since last June, now around 105,000 yuan (≈ $14,600) per tonne, prompting Ganfeng to commission new production projects in Q1. The company’s outlook underscores the tightening link between energy‑price shocks and the lithium market.
China’s Silver Imports Jump to Record on Retail and Solar Demand
China set a new record by importing 836 tons of silver in March, far exceeding the 10‑year seasonal average of about 306 tons. The surge was driven primarily by heightened demand from retail investors buying physical silver and the country’s expansive solar‑panel...
Technology Targets a Revival in Copper Refining
Australia produced about 800,000 t of copper in 2024 and refined roughly 460,000 t, but its smelting capacity is tightening, threatening domestic value capture as global demand is projected to hit 35.1 mt by 2030. Start‑up Banksia Minerals, backed by an A$5 m (≈US$3.3 m)...
Resources Top 5: Tartana Minerals Closes in on Copper Sulphate Production
Tartana Minerals is poised to restart copper sulphate production within three weeks, targeting its first shipment to Kanins International in mid‑May. Meanwhile, Narryer Metals completed a A$1.056 million placement that brought seasoned miner Tim Goyder on board as a substantial shareholder....
Altitude Minerals Lines up Byrock Copper-Gold Porphyry Drill Targets
Altitude Minerals is finalising drill collar locations for three high‑priority pipe‑like copper‑gold targets at its Byrock project in New South Wales. The company has integrated new gravity and passive‑seismic surveys with existing air‑core, rotary mud and diamond drilling data to...
Gold Stagnant, Miners Surge—Smart Money Bets on Mining
Gold is flat over the past 3 weeks, but I am still bullish on it. The reason is that during the same period senior gold miners GDX is up nearly 10%. Insiders and smart money accumulating mining shares while most...
Drone Strike Sparks Typical Oil Tank Blaze, Not Apocalypse
Some social media accounts are exaggerating the impact of the attack. If you watch the video yourself, you’ll see that the storage tanks are on fire — and that’s it. The tanks contain oil, so heavy smoke and large...
Beneficiation Needs Supply: Why Zimbabwe’s Mining Industrialisation Agenda Stands on a Broken Supply Chain
Zimbabwe’s new beneficiation policy bans raw mineral exports and pushes processing plants to stay domestic, but the supply chain needed to keep those plants running is collapsing. Local equipment costs are three to four times higher than Chinese imports, and...
Tharisa Nears Funding for Karo Platinum Project as Zimbabwe Fiscal Talks Advance
Tharisa plc is closing in on fiscal stability agreements with the Zimbabwean government, a prerequisite for securing the financing needed to advance its Karo Platinum project. The company plans to invest roughly $391 million to complete Phase 1, having already committed over...
Sherritt Halts Cuba Nickel-Cobalt Production, Threatening 2026 Supply
Sherritt will pause Moa nickel-cobalt mining in Cuba over fuel shortages, raising new 2026 supply concerns. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/sherritt-moa-nickel-cobalt-pause-raises.html
Hormuz Tension Leaves Dollar Dominance Unshaken
🔥The Hormuz Crisis: ▪️Pricing oil in US dollar is intact ▪️The GCC's dollar peg is intact
Sierra Nevada Gold Takes New Pass Toward Trial Mining
Sierra Nevada Gold (ASX:SNX) has started underground refurbishment at its New Pass project in Nevada, focusing on the high‑grade Superior Vein. The company is preparing a 500‑metre drilling program from five stations to map vein continuity and support potential stope...
Unverified Hormuz Crossing: UAE Oil Tanker Likely Loaded Elsewhere
A Suezmax tanker loaded with 1 mb of UAE oil is heading to Korea. Korean media & others say it crossed the Hormuz Strait — but there's NO evidence-- yet. It probably loaded at Fujairah or through STS transfer. Map...
Angola: Chitotolo Mine Has Potential to Operate for More Than 20 Years
The Chitotolo Mining Company in Angola reports proven diamond reserves of roughly 7.46 million carats, enough to sustain operations for over two decades at current output levels. In 2025 the mine produced 331,000 kg of diamonds, a 6% increase over its 312,000 kg...
Record 7900-Ounce Laverton Gold Run for Brightstar
Brightstar Resources completed its final ore processing campaign at the Laverton operation in Western Australia, delivering a record 7,900 ounces of gold from 140,000 tonnes of ore at 2.0 g/t. The campaign achieved an 89.1% recovery rate, generating $53 million in revenue...
Axel REE Leach Test Work Confirms ISR Performance of Caladão Rare Earths Material
Axel REE reported that column leach testing of the Woolrich deposit at its Caladão project confirmed the material behaves as expected under in‑situ recovery (ISR) conditions. Soluble rare‑earth oxide concentrations ranged from 443 ppm to 546 ppm, and the tests identified low‑acidity,...
EU and China Adopt Divergent EV Battery Policies, Shaping Global Supply Chains
A comparative analysis released this week finds that the European Union and China are pursuing opposite policy mixes for electric‑vehicle batteries. The EU leans on subsidies and standards, while China pushes scale and domestic raw‑material control, creating distinct supply‑chain footprints.
Study Finds Green Innovation Boosts Profitability in Critical‑Mineral Mining Firms
Researchers analyzing 150 critical‑mineral mining companies across 12 nations report a positive link between green‑innovation strategies and financial performance. The findings suggest that sustainability can enhance profitability, influencing investors and policymakers.
Kingfisher Mining to Launch Drilling Campaign at Copper Blow Project Under Broken Hill Mines Agreement
Kingfisher Mining (ASX: KFM) has launched a second‑stage drilling campaign at its Copper Blow copper‑gold project in New South Wales. The work, conducted under a 10‑year ore‑processing agreement with Broken Hill Mines (ASX: BHM), will test extensions of known lodes and improve geological...
EcoGraf and Mitsubishi Chemical Sign Commercialisation Deal for Epanko Natural Flake Graphite
EcoGraf and Mitsubishi Chemical have signed a non‑binding MoU to supply and qualify natural flake graphite and spherical graphite for Mitsubishi’s anode material operations. The agreement envisions up to 10,000 tonnes per year of unpurified or purified spherical graphite, or roughly...
Freeport-McMoRan Faces Public Hearing on Chino Mine Reclamation Plan in New Mexico
The New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department’s Mining and Minerals Division has scheduled a public hearing for April 21, 2026, on Freeport-McMoRan’s application to revise the Chino Mine reclamation plan. The proposal adds a new waste‑rock stockpile and...
Sprott Debuts Rare Earths Ex‑China ETF as Investors Chase Critical‑Material Exposure
Sprott (TSX:SII) launched the Rare Earths Ex‑China ETF, a thematic fund that follows rare‑earth miners outside China. The move coincided with a jump in Sprott’s stock to CA$203.94 ($151), a 25.65% gain over 90 days and a 184.54% total return...
As World Clamors for Its Critical Minerals, Kazakhstan Ups Control and Seeks Bigger Cut
Kazakhstan is tightening control over its critical‑minerals sector by amending tax, royalty and sub‑soil laws, aiming to secure a larger share of future profits. New royalty rates, effective for licences granted after 2027, are roughly double those in Western Australia,...
Middle East Oil Pricing Is Cracking Under Pressure
The Strait of Hormuz shutdown has crippled the Platts Dubai benchmark, forcing Platts to cut its deliverable basket from five grades to just Murban and Oman, a roughly 40% reduction in pricing coverage. Thin liquidity and concentrated trading, highlighted by...
The Strait that Shook the World
The ongoing conflict in the Gulf has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly 30% of global fertilizer exports and 20% of liquefied natural gas flow. The Gulf region produces about 40% of the world’s exported urea...
Pure Silver Plays Strongly Leveraged to Metal’s Upside
Silver is trading near US$78 per ounce, still up roughly 140% from a year earlier, as industrial demand from electrification, renewable energy and high‑tech electronics outpaces supply. Sprott’s SLVR ETF, launched in early 2025, targets pure‑play silver exposure, offering more...
Gold Steps Out of the Shadows in Cobar Basin Exploration Push
Australian explorer Mount Hope Mining is spotlighting gold in the historically polymetallic Cobar Basin of New South Wales. Recent phase‑two drilling at the Mt Solitary prospect returned high‑grade intersections, notably 6 metres at 17.9 g/t Au with a 2‑metre core grading 48.1 g/t. The...
Lithium Rush: Nations and Corporations Scramble for the White Gold as EV Demand Soars
China, the United States, Europe and South American producers are locked in a race to secure lithium as global battery demand climbs to over $150 bn. Production is projected to hit 290,000 t in 2025, while China is set to control roughly...
Vroom, Baby, Vroom: Energy Shock Puts Aussie Graphite in the Box Seat
Australia’s Leliyn Graphite Project, owned by Kingsland Minerals, contains 14.2 Mt of graphite – the country’s largest known deposit – positioning the nation to supply the fast‑growing EV battery market. While global demand for battery‑grade graphite is rising, prices remain muted...
China's 5% Q1 GDP Boost Sends Iron Ore to $114.79/ton
China reported 5% first‑quarter GDP growth, prompting iron ore prices to climb to $114.79 per ton on April 16, 2026. The rally reflects expectations of stronger steel demand and tighter supply amid Chinese output cuts.
Emerging ASX Gold Stocks Show Overlooked Potential in South Africa’s Legendary Gold Scene
Two ASX‑listed miners are reigniting interest in South Africa’s historic gold belt as gold prices near $5,000 per ounce. Theta Gold Mines (ASX:TGM) targets its first gold pour from the Theta Gold Mining Estates project in Q1 2027, backed by an...
Custom Dump Trucks Double Capacity for Shallow Bauxite Mines
Easily one of the most unique trucks I've seen over the years. Rio Tinto runs these custom bottom dump bodies to haul over twice what a standard 777 is rated for. The reason? Bauxite is shallow, so the mine grows outward over...
Niobium – Cutting Through the Misinformation
The niobium market is dominated by Brazil’s CBMM, which supplies roughly 80% of global output, while Quebec accounts for most of the remaining 20%. Despite frequent claims that niobium is a panic‑inducing critical metal, viable substitutes such as vanadium, tantalum,...
U.S. Invests in Project to Remove Rare Earth Minerals Despite Differences with South Africa
Washington’s International Development Finance Corporation has pledged a $50 million equity stake in the Phalaborwa Rare Earths Project, an effort to extract rare earth elements from 35 million tons of phosphogypsum waste in South Africa. The venture, led by Rainbow Rare Earths...
EU to Launch Raw Materials Mechanism Diversification Round via Webinar
The European Commission announced a webinar for 23 April 2026 to introduce the first diversification round of its Raw Materials Mechanism. The voluntary, market‑based platform will focus on 17 strategic raw materials, with priority on rare earths, battery and defence inputs, aiming...
Mangrove Lithium Opens North America’s First Electrochemical Refinery in British Columbia
Mangrove Lithium inaugurated a 1,000‑tonne‑per‑year electrochemical lithium‑hydroxide refinery in Delta, British Columbia, the first of its kind in North America. The plant, capable of supplying enough material for roughly 25,000 electric vehicles, is positioned to reduce Canada’s reliance on overseas...
Limited Materials Make Robot Utopia Impossible
Resources are finite. There’s only so much land and so many raw materials and rare earth minerals to build and power the robots and the things they build. Even if the variable cost of labor drops to zero, there’s now...
The Mineral Imperative, Trump, and The Art of the Deal
The author argues that while China has built a quasi‑monopoly in critical minerals, the United States is awakening to a broader "molecules economy" that includes energy, chemicals, fertilizers, food, shipping and finance. Recent U.S. legislation and Trump‑era funding are reshaping...
How the AI Boom Is Fueling the US Copper Race
The surge in AI‑driven electricity use is turning copper into a strategic bottleneck for the United States. Domestic production has stalled, forcing reliance on imports while demand is projected to rise over 40% by 2040. Projects like Rio Tinto’s Resolution Mine...
Vipboss Pledges Earth Day Push for LiFePO4 Batteries, Signaling Rising Lithium Demand
On April 18, 2026 Vipboss launched an Earth Day sales campaign and reiterated its commitment to lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LiFePO4) battery packs. The move highlights the accelerating demand for lithium as the industry seeks safer, cobalt‑free energy storage solutions.
Tata Steel Prepares for Blue-Collar Job Transitions as Iron Ore Lease Expiry Nears
Tata Steel announced that four iron‑ore mining leases in Jharkhand and Odisha will expire by 2030, prompting a strategic shift in its raw‑material sourcing. The company has slowed new hiring while briefing employees on possible role changes, redeployment, or voluntary...
Op-Ed | Mining Threats To Boundary Waters Spill Over To Voyageurs National Park
The U.S. Senate voted to roll back long‑standing protections for the Boundary Waters watershed, opening the area to sulfide mining upstream of the pristine freshwater system. The decision threatens the Voyageurs National Park watershed with potential mercury, arsenic and acid...
Agincourt's Martabe Gold Mine to Restart After Post-Disaster Crackdown
Agincourt Resources, a subsidiary of United Tractors, will restart the Martabe gold mine in mid‑May after receiving conditional approval from Indonesia’s Environment Ministry. The mine, halted following the 2025 Sumatra flood and landslide disaster, is projected to produce about 60,000...
Lundin Secures $4.5bn for Vicuña,
Lundin secured up to $4.5bn for Vicuña, strengthening its push toward top-tier copper production. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/vicuna-copper-project-financing-moves.html
Aluminium Prices at Record Highs: What’s Driving the Rally and What’s Next?
Aluminium prices have surged to a four‑year high on the London Metal Exchange, touching a record ₹375 per kilogram (about $4.5) in India. The rally followed an initial dip after the US‑Iran conflict, rebounding as supply concerns and robust demand...
Pipeline Protection Firm Says After $226bn Loss in Ogoni, Time to Resume Oil Production Is Now
Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Ltd (PINL) urged the federal government to restart oil production in Ogoni’s OML 11, citing an estimated $226.7 billion loss from 96 idle wells over 32 years. The region could yield over 500,000 barrels per day, boosting national revenue...
China Stockpiles Cheap Russian Oil; India Overpays
China's Q1 Russian crude imports hit a record high — way above past levels. Thanks to Indian refiners yielding to Trump’s pressure and cutting back, Beijing was stockpiling that oil on the cheap. Is this important? Yes, China is energy-secured. India...
US LNG Dominance Secured by Hormuz Tensions and Sanctions
US LNG Dominance Set to Continue for Years, Strengthened by the Hormuz Crisis, Australia’s Left-Leaning Government, and Sanctions on Russian LNG LNG has emerged as one of the key pillars of U.S. national security and a powerful foreign policy tool. All...
India's IOC Logs Second‑largest Weekly Russian Crude Imports
🇮🇳 India’s IOC just recorded the second-highest weekly volume of Russian crude imports ever — only behind the record set in third week of June 2023 https://t.co/slsuYNxtUf
One‑Third of WA Miners Halt Exploration Over Fuel Costs
One-third of WA miners freeze exploration programs as high fuel prices bite, according to AMEC survey https://t.co/PixWo2BS6s