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:
Greenland Approves 92.5% Stake Transfer in Tanbreez Rare Earth Mine Amid U.S. Influence Debate
Greenland’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Business approved an indirect transfer that lifts Critical Metals Corp’s stake in the Tanbreez rare‑earth mine to 92.5%. The move, seen as a strategic win for the company, has ignited criticism over perceived U.S. meddling and heightened local political tension.
Finland Invests €65M to Boost Europe's Raw Material Security
Finland invested €65mn in the Sokli phosphate and rare earth project to strengthen Europe’s raw materials security. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/finland-sokli-phosphate-project-gains.html
B2Gold Says Fire at Goose Mine's Crushing Circuit Was Contained, Operations Remain on Plan
B2Gold Corp. disclosed that a fire broke out on April 16 in the secondary crusher screen and feed belt of its Goose Mine in British Columbia. Emergency crews extinguished the blaze, no one was hurt, and the company says mining...
U.S. Pushes for More Namibian Uranium to Power AI-Driven Nuclear Plants
The United States is considering a significant increase in uranium imports from Namibia to supply AI‑driven nuclear power plants. Ambassador John Giordano said the move could involve new mining output backed by American financing, a shift that challenges China’s current...
USA Rare Earth Hires Chaitan Kansal as Chief Commercial Officer to Drive Sales and Brand
USA Rare Earth announced the appointment of Chaitan Kansal as chief commercial officer, bringing more than 25 years of critical‑minerals and advanced‑materials experience. The hire follows the commissioning of Phase 1a NdFeB magnet production in Stillwater and a strategic stake in...
Commodity Surge Boosts Norway, Canada, Australia and NZ Currencies Over Dollar
A spike in commodity prices linked to the Middle East war has propelled the currencies of Norway, Canada, Australia and New Zealand ahead of the U.S. dollar. Reuters analysis notes these four “commodity currencies” are among the top two performers...
Tesla's Physics‑first Lithium Redesign Debunks Metal Hype
First principles fallacy of logic: “wishing it were so does not make it so.”Let’s revisit the results and costs in two years. Elon & the “All-In” crew talk a lot of nonsense about critical metals.
G7 Finance Ministers Commit Funding to Cut China Dependence in Critical Minerals
Finance ministers from the Group of Seven met in Washington on April 17 and agreed to cooperate on funding mechanisms that will diversify supply chains for lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earths. The pact targets over‑reliance on China and seeks...
Nickel Futures Hit $18,550/T as Indonesia Tightens Export Quotas
Nickel futures surged to around $18,550 per tonne, the strongest level in three months, after Indonesia announced a tighter export quota and a new ore pricing formula. The move lifted the cost floor for upstream producers, pushing prices up 4.8%...
Nornickel Boosts 2025 Earnings on PGM Gains, Asian Sales
Nornickel lifted 2025 earnings as stronger PGM prices and rising Asian sales offset nickel market weakness. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/nornickel-2025-earnings-rise-as-pgm.html
Trading Desks Boom While Big Oil Output Stalls
European supermajors are set to post strong first‑quarter earnings, driven by record‑high oil and gas trading profits as market volatility spikes following Middle‑East disruptions. Shell, BP, TotalEnergies and Equinor each highlighted exceptional trading results, while their upstream output fell 5‑15%...
Inside the Race to Control the World’s Lithium Supply
Lithium production has exploded from 31,500 tonnes in 2015 to an estimated 290,000 tonnes in 2025, fueling a $150 billion battery market that grew 20% year‑over‑year. China now dominates both mining and refining, projected to control roughly half of the global lithium market...
Why Oil Prices Spike Before Supply Breaks (Strait of Hormuz Explained)
Oil prices often surge before any physical disruption in the Strait of Hormuz because market participants price the perceived risk of delayed or rerouted shipments. Recent Iranian military tightening and vessel warnings have heightened uncertainty, prompting insurers to raise premiums...
LME Index Hits Record as Aluminium Supply Fears Surge
The London Metal Exchange's composite index reached a new all‑time high, up roughly 12% over the past month. The rally is powered by a 15% jump in aluminium prices, sparked by Iranian attacks on key smelting facilities amid the ongoing...
Helium Shortage From Iran-Qatar Conflict Hits Chip Makers, Boosts Linde
Iranian forces' strike on Qatar's LNG hub forced a force‑majeure at Ras Laffan, removing roughly one‑third of the world’s helium supply. Spot prices jumped 40%‑100%, tightening supplies for semiconductor fabs and automotive microchip producers, while Linde’s storage buffer positions it...
Philippines Revives Liguasan Marsh Drilling Push Amid Energy Crisis
Bangsamoro leaders are urging renewed oil and gas exploration in the 288,000‑hectare Liguasan Marsh, citing a potential 202 million barrels of crude and 6 billion cubic feet of gas as a lifeline for the Philippines’ energy‑import dependent economy. The move pits regional...
Ukraine Strikes Two Russian Refineries, Baltic Sea Port
Ukrainian drone forces struck two oil refineries in Russia’s Samara region and set fire to the Vysotsk port terminal in the Leningrad region, according to local governors and Ukrainian officials. The attacks are part of a broader campaign that has...
Energy Index Surges 45% YTD, Still Trails Gold
Has the Gold Stud vs. Energy Dud Pattern Changed? The Bloomberg Energy Spot Subindex (BCOMENSP) has been robust year to date, gaining about 45%, getting it to breakeven from 2005. Will the Iran war sustain higher prices, or follow the pattern...
Major Rare Earth Discoveries in Scandinavia Raise Hopes of Easing Europe’s Dependence on China
Historic rare‑earth discoveries in Norway and Sweden have dramatically expanded Europe’s domestic resource base. The Fensfeltet deposit in southern Norway was revised to 15.9 million tonnes of rare‑earth oxides, while Sweden’s Per Geijer and Norra Kärr sites together could satisfy up to 18%...
Copper Price Within Sight of All-Time High as Chinese Smelters Hit Record Activity
Copper May futures surged to $6.11 per pound, a 10‑week high and within striking distance of the all‑time peak set in January. Satellite data from Earth‑i show global smelting inactivity fell to 11.7% in March, driven by a record‑low 3.9%...
Safran Stockpiles Rare Earths, Invests in Casting for Engine Growth
Safran is building rare earth stocks and investing in casting to protect engine production growth. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/safran-rare-earth-stockpiling-adds.html
BHP Invent Strengthens Innovation Partnerships in China Through MOUs with ENFI and BGRIMM
BHP Invent has formalised two Memorandums of Understanding with China ENFI and BGRIMM Technology Group, expanding its innovation pipeline in China. The agreements focus on mineral processing, leaching, complex ore treatment and high‑altitude operations. ENFI brings extensive EPC/EPCM experience and...
Alcoa Dips After Q1 Miss, But Higher Aluminum Prices Loom
Alcoa reported a first‑quarter earnings miss, sending its shares down 6.8% to $65.63. Despite the short‑term weakness, aluminum spot prices have surged over 60% from the 2025 low, driven by supply disruptions in the Persian Gulf. Analysts maintain a Hold...
NSE Gets SEBI Nod to Invest in Proposed Coal Exchange
The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has secured SEBI approval to invest in the proposed National Coal Exchange of India Limited. The exchange will introduce electronic spot trading and standardized contracts for coal, aiming to improve price discovery and...
Boundary Waters Protections Stripped, Mining Threatens Water and Wilderness
The crazy thing about holding down the paper airplane to copy the link is that they’re removing protections from the Boundary Waters and allowing mining companies in, which is going to pollute waterways that people and ecosystems depend on and...
Hydro Q4 Earnings Drop Amid Weak Alumina Prices
Hydro’s 4Q 2025 earnings fell as weaker alumina prices and soft downstream markets offset strong aluminum metal results. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/hydro-4q-2025-earnings-fall-as-alumina.html
EU Launches First Diversification Round of Raw Materials Mechanism to Secure Critical Minerals
The European Commission opened the first diversification round of its Raw Materials Mechanism on 23 April 2026, a market‑based platform that matches EU buyers with suppliers of 17 strategic raw materials. The voluntary round focuses on rare earths, battery and defence minerals,...
Elasticity Fuels Wild Commodity Bull Market
A top bull market in commodities is elasticity. The front US natural gas future made an up about 100% to down 30% round turn in 1Q. Crude oil may be next. https://t.co/f9xXlI5GLv
Epic Ice Road Adventure to Closing Diamond Mine
Drove the world's longest heavy-haul ice road. Toured an underground diamond mine weeks before it closed forever. Saw bags of raw diamonds. One of the best trips I've ever done...even at brutal temps. https://t.co/rtYCBWM47t
Ucore Upgrades Bokan Mountain Resource, Adds Measured Heavy Rare Earths
Ucore Rare Metals Inc. announced an upgraded resource estimate for the Dotson Ridge deposit at its Bokan Mountain project in Southeast Alaska, elevating part of the deposit to the highest‑confidence measured category. The update follows a 20,000‑metre drilling program and...
33 Saudi Crude Tankers en Route From West to Asia
In addition, there are currently 33 oil tankers at sea — mostly VLCCs — carrying Saudi crude from Western ports to Asian countries.
Physical vs Financial Oil: Why Prices Diverge Globally
WEEKEND READ: What is the price of oil — the real one? My attempt to shed light into the PHYSICAL and FINANCIAL oil markets, and why you can pick up a barrel of crude for $78 in Kansas or $286 in...
Mangrove Lithium Opens North America’s First Commercial Electrochemical Lithium Refinery
Mangrove Lithium commissioned a 1,000‑tonne‑per‑year electrochemical lithium refining plant in Delta, British Columbia, the first commercial facility of its kind in North America. The plant can produce battery‑grade lithium for roughly 25,000 electric vehicles annually, signaling a shift toward a...
Mixed Traffic Persists as New Iranian Lanes Dominate
Strait of Hormuz observations: 1) Clearly, there's some movement: ~10 LPG / products / oil tankers are crossing (but includes dark fleet) 2) At the same time, other oil tankers have stopped after approaching 3) All the (vissible) traffic is via the...
US Poised to Export Lithium Chemicals Within Decade
An important step toward the US again becoming a critical mineral processing power house 👉 US can move from net importer to net exporter of lithium chemicals over the next 10 years as we did over last 10 years in...
The Metals Company Submits Decade’s Worth of Deep-Sea Exploration Data to ISA
The Metals Company (TMC) announced that its subsidiaries, Nauru Ocean Resources and Tonga Offshore Mining, have deposited a decade’s worth of deep‑sea exploration data into the International Seabed Authority’s DeepData platform. The submission, covering 2013‑2022, includes 777 equipment deployments, more...
Phytomining Rare Earths (Mining with Plants)
Researchers have demonstrated that the fern Blechnum orientale can biosynthesize nanoscale monazite crystals, marking the first observation of rare‑earth mineral formation inside a living plant. A separate team at North Carolina State University developed a non‑destructive fluorescence method to detect...
Albemarle’s Planta Salar De Atacama Lithium Mine Completes IRMA Surveillance Audit
Albemarle’s Planta Salar de Atacama lithium mine in Chile completed its Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) surveillance audit on 17 April 2026. The audit, performed by IRMA‑approved firm ERM CVS, evaluated the mine’s adherence to the corrective action plan set after the...
New CEO Outlines Finnish Exploration Target Strategy
@ValkeaResources' new CEO, Thomas Credland, discussed exploration plans and how the company will be selecting targets from its Finnish assets. $OZ https://t.co/73R9JQDGwu $OZ https://t.co/v4r0IxxNNP
Fast-Tracking US Critical Minerals Could Backfire without Safeguards, Oxfam Warns
The United States is accelerating permits and financing for critical‑mineral mines under a 2025 executive order aimed at reducing foreign dependence. Oxfam America cautions that rushing projects without strong environmental and community safeguards could create costly legal battles and delays....
North America Just Got Its First New Kind of Lithium Refinery
Mangrove Lithium has inaugurated North America’s first commercial electrochemical lithium refinery in Delta, British Columbia, capable of processing 1,000 tonnes of lithium annually. The facility, dubbed the Single Stack Plant, can supply battery‑grade lithium for roughly 25,000 electric vehicles each...
Detour Gold CEO Leads New Projects in Yellowknife
The founder and CEO of Detour Gold, Gerald Panneton, is now working in Yellowknife and advancing projects at @GoldTerra $YGT https://t.co/a4nxw9sk7p https://t.co/7MZhXhkV26
2026 AND THE 1970'S PLAYBOOK: Why Gold Miners Perform Well in Chaos & Crisis!
The article warns that a new geoeconomic polycrisis—marked by fragmented trade, weaponized sanctions and supply‑chain shocks—is driving structural inflation and eroding confidence in fiat currencies. In such an environment, investors are turning to gold as a safe‑haven, but gold‑mining equities...
Mining Companies Are Using Cosmic Rays to Find Critical Minerals – by Adam Bluestein (Scientific American – April 14, 2026)
Mining firms are turning to cosmic‑ray muon tomography to map deep‑rock mineralization, a technique that can locate copper, gold and other critical ores without invasive drilling. Rising prices and record‑high demand for copper and other key minerals have exposed a...
Moe Looks to Mining Industry, Nuclear Power as Engines of Prosperity – by Keenan Sorokan (CTV News Saskatoon – April...
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe used the Mining Supply Chain Forum to stress that the province’s mineral wealth and emerging nuclear power projects are central to its economic future. He argued that Saskatchewan’s affordable cost of living and diverse trade offerings make...
Facing Diamond Slump, Botswana Expands Mining Ties With Gulf and Europe – by Emiliano Tossou (Ecofin Agency – April 17,...
Botswana is confronting a prolonged diamond downturn that now accounts for about 70% of its exports, a third of government revenue and a quarter of GDP. Production at Debswana fell 40% between 2023 and 2025, contributing to back‑to‑back recessions in...
Canada Opens First Commercial Lithium Refinery – by Staff (Canadian Mining Journal – April 16, 2026)
Canada inaugurated North America’s first commercial electrochemical lithium‑refining plant in Delta, British Columbia, with Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight and Mangrove Lithium executives. The facility marks a pivotal step toward a domestic battery‑material supply chain, reducing reliance on overseas processors....
Senate Republicans Send Trump Resolution to Lift Mining Ban Near Boundary Waters Canoe Area – by Todd Richmond (Associated Press...
U.S. Senate Republicans approved a resolution, 50-49, to lift the federal mining ban near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and forward it to President Donald Trump for signature. The measure, previously cleared by the House, would enable a South...
Aluminium in Crisis: War, Tariffs and a Market Running on Empty – by Andy Home (Reuters – April 16, 2026)
The ongoing Iran war has sparked a severe aluminium shortage, amplified by a missile strike that knocked out Emirates Global Aluminium’s Al Taweelah smelter. Aluminium Bahrain and Qatar Aluminium have already trimmed output due to power constraints, and the conflict has...
JinkoSolar Q4 2025 Earnings Call Shows 26 GW Shipments but Margin Collapse
JinkoSolar announced $2.5 billion in Q4 2025 revenue and shipped 26 GW of modules, but gross margin fell to 0.3% and adjusted net loss widened to roughly $120 million. The company’s net debt jumped to $3.44 billion, underscoring pressure from raw‑material costs and a...