Today's Mining Pulse
Chinese financing fuels a $98 billion mineral power shift
A wave of $98 billion in Chinese financing and heightened U.S. diplomatic activity has thrust critical minerals into the geopolitical spotlight. Resource‑rich nations such as the DRC, Brazil and Zambia are leveraging their mineral wealth to negotiate better terms and assert greater control over strategic industries.
Also developing:
Senate Votes Against Protecting Boundary Waters
The U.S. Senate voted 50‑49 to repeal a 20‑year mining moratorium in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) for the first time on a land‑management rule. The repeal clears the way for Twin Metals, a subsidiary of Chile’s Antofagasta, to reinstate leases for a proposed copper‑sulfide mine in the Rainy River watershed. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Thom Tillis, broke ranks, while Minnesota’s senators and conservation groups warned of irreversible water and habitat damage. The decision shifts the debate from environmental protection to mineral‑security rhetoric and future CRA use.
Finalists Announced for GRX26 Colab Challenge Accelerating Critical Minerals Development
Austmine and AusIMM have named six finalists for the Global Open Innovation Colab challenge at GRX26, the Global Resources Innovation Expo in Perth. The finalists—representing Canada, Australia, Poland, and Chile—cover advanced extraction, process innovation, and digital mining solutions. They will...
CATL Commits US$4.4 Billion to Expand Mining Business
Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) is allocating about $4.4 billion to launch a mining subsidiary that will handle exploration, processing and chemical product sales, aiming to secure lithium, nickel and cobalt supplies. The move follows a year of sharp price increases for...
Lightning Minerals Pivots to Gold-Led Strategy with Mt Turner Project
Lightning Minerals (ASX:L1M) is resetting its strategy to become a gold‑focused explorer, naming the wholly owned Mt Turner Project its flagship asset. Initial drilling returned 100% hit rates, highlighted by a 20.4‑metre interval at 2.4 g/t Au and a 1.9‑metre core...
Gold Stock List (4/15/2026)
Don Durrett’s April 16, 2026 substack post presents a curated gold‑stock watchlist for investors. The list is divided into three tiers—undervalued producers, near‑term producers, and developers—spanning more than 40 companies. Notable names include Talisker Resources, B2Gold, 1911 Gold, and Norsemont Mining, each positioned...
Idaho Antimony Plant Boosts U.S. Defense Supply Chain
USAC and Americas plan an Idaho antimony processing plant to strengthen North American supply and defense access. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/us-antimony-processing-plant-in-idaho.html
Qld Welcomes Major Investment in Kestrel Coal Mine Acquisition
The Queensland Government welcomed Yancoal Australia's purchase of an 80% stake in the Kestrel Coal Mine, Australia’s largest underground metallurgical coal operation near Emerald. The acquisition is expected to safeguard more than 800 direct jobs and bolster indirect employment. It...
EU Launches Online Platform to Match Buyers with Critical Raw Material Suppliers
The European Commission opened the first call of its Raw Materials Mechanism on April 13, creating an online marketplace that aggregates demand for rare earths, battery and defence materials. The voluntary, market‑based platform is designed to help European firms diversify...
Businesses, Conservation Groups Urge Independent Oversight of Massive Coal Mine Expansion in Polluted Kootenai Watershed
A coalition of 34 businesses and conservation groups has asked Canadian Minister Julie Dabrusin to appoint an independent review panel for Glencere’s proposed 5,000‑acre expansion of the Fording River Mine in British Columbia’s Elk Valley. The expansion threatens to amplify...
Weekly Notes (4/15/2026)
The latest weekly mining roundup highlights strong Q1 production across several junior miners. Equinox Gold reported 197,000 ounces of gold and signaled a potential 450,000‑ounce boost from Castle Mountain and Los Filos projects. Heliostar Metals posted $101 million revenue from a 5.3 g/t...
Silver Stock List (4/15/2026)
A recent post on X outlines a curated Silver Stock List, dividing companies into four investment themes: undervalued producers, near‑term producers, developers, and optionality plays. The undervalued tier features names like Avino, Americas Gold & Silver, Santacruz, Guanajuato, Aya and...
The Court Ruling in Gina Rinehart’s Mining Dispute Reveals a Lot About the Nation’s Inherited Wealth
Australia’s Supreme Court ordered mining magnate Gina Rinehart to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties to the heirs of Peter Wright, while allowing Hancock Prospecting to retain ownership of the lucrative Hope Downs and East Angelas iron‑ore tenements. The...
Core Energy Targets Broad Rare Earths System at Cummins After Strong Drill Hits
Core Energy Minerals (ASX:CR3) announced a series of high‑grade rare earth intercepts at its Cummins project in South Australia, including a 27‑metre interval with 505 ppm total rare earth oxides (TREO) and 27% magnet rare earth oxides (MREO). A standout 4‑metre...
Perpetual Resources Kicks Off Reconnaissance for Tungsten as Prices Strengthen
Perpetual Resources has launched a two‑week reconnaissance program at its 8,714‑hectare Paraíba tungsten project in Brazil’s Seridó province. The field work aims to quickly map mineralisation, validate historic occurrences and produce high‑priority drill targets for a Phase 2 program. Tungsten prices...
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Should Catalyze African Biofertilizer Production (Commentary)
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted synthetic fertilizer shipments, exposing Africa’s reliance on imports that account for up to half of its supply. In response, the Dangote Group is set to triple its output to 9 million metric tons...
Op-Ed: Critical Mineral Sovereignty Starts with Deep Tech
Canada announced up to $40 million CAD (≈$30 million USD) for a Canadian Digital Core Library, turning drill‑core scanning into strategic infrastructure. The investment reflects a broader federal critical‑minerals strategy that seeks sovereignty across the entire value chain, from exploration to recycling....
Australia and US Commit Over $3.5 Bn (AU$5 Bn) to Critical Minerals Projects
Australia’s Minister for Resources Madeleine King and U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced a joint commitment of more than $3.5 bn (AU$5 bn) to fund critical‑minerals projects across Australia. The funding, channeled through Export Finance Australia and the U.S. Export‑Import Bank, backs...
Arvest Investments Adds $3.1 Million to First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy ETF
Arvest Investments, Inc. purchased an additional 119,876 shares of the First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC), a trade valued at roughly $3.1 million. The acquisition raised Arvest’s FTGC holding to 376,660 shares, representing 1.47% of its 13F assets under...
DRC Copper Climbs 10%, Cobalt Shipments Plunge
DRC copper output rose 10pc in 2025 as major mines expanded, while cobalt shipments plunged under export controls. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/drc-copper-output-growth-accelerates-as.html
China Charts Seabed, Japan Rushes for Rare Earths
The next frontier: China maps seabed resources as Japan races to tap rare earths https://t.co/icXHshD4pa
Iron Ore Jumps to $107.6/t as Hormuz Blockade and Failed Middle East Talks Spike Costs
Iron ore benchmark fines rose $1.25 to $107.6 per tonne on April 13, snapping a three‑week decline. The surge stems from a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the collapse of Middle East peace negotiations, which lifted shipping costs...
Economist Jim Rickards Says the Biggest Opportunity of the Decade Is Quietly Sitting in Alaska
Macro economist and former CIA adviser Jim Rickards released a free video presentation highlighting a quiet but significant shift in U.S. resource policy. He points to President Trump’s Executive Order 14153, signed in January 2025, which speeds up permitting for...
Novelis, Infinitum Extend Collaboration in Norway
Aluminum producer Novelis and Norway’s deposit‑return foundation Infinitum have renewed their partnership to recycle beverage cans. Under Norway’s DRS, collected cans are shipped to Novelis’s Latchford plant in the United Kingdom for processing. The agreement secures a stable supply of...
Inflation Stems From Tight Supply, Capex Still Low
This chart gets to the heart of today’s inflation problem: Constrained supply. The only real solution starts with a surge in capital investment from commodity producers. With capex still near cycle lows, there’s little chance of meaningful new supply hitting the market...
Positive Assay Results at Golden Eye Point to Growth in Indicated Resources
Cygnus Metals announced that infill drilling at the Golden Eye deposit of its Chibougamau copper‑gold project returned exceptionally high grades, including a 105.5 g/t AuEq intercept over 1 m and up to 11.9 % copper over 0.8 m. The drill program, which completed more than...
Oil’s 50% Surge Sparks Supercycle Talk but Risks Linger
Oil prices have surged more than 50 % since late February after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran prompted Tehran to close the Strait of Hormuz, tightening global supply. The abrupt supply shock, combined with a fifth of LNG capacity offline,...
Australian Mining Teeters on Collapse From Diesel Shortages
The Australian mining industry is now on the verge of collapse due to diesel shortages. One of the country’s last two refineries is in flames, and the fuel supply chain that powers every drill, truck, and haul is about to snap. This...
9 Fastest Growing Rare Earth Stocks to Invest In
Rare earth elements are emerging as a strategic investment theme as supply chains remain heavily China‑centric while Western governments pour capital into domestic production. The article highlights that hedge funds and billionaire investors are quietly building positions in under‑owned companies...
U.S. Is Most Resilient to the Energy Shock, Until It Isn’t
The seven‑week war in Iran has disrupted oil and gas flows, hitting Asia and Europe hard while the United States remains comparatively insulated. However, U.S. consumers are already feeling higher gasoline prices—over $1 per gallon—and a 3.3% year‑over‑year CPI increase...
LNG Shock, Coal Myths, & The Real Winners On The Grid
The March 2026 Hormuz LNG disruption did not trigger a global coal surge; instead, CREA’s real‑time data show fossil generation fell 1% year‑on‑year, with coal flat and gas down 4%. Outside China, coal dropped 3.5% while solar and wind grew...
Andromeda Wraps Early Works at Great White Project, Trims Equity Requirement for Stage 1A+ FID
Andromeda Metals has finished the early‑works program at its Great White kaolin project on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, establishing the site and cutting the equity needed for Stage 1A+ to roughly $40 million AUD (about $26 million USD). The work included bulk earthworks,...
DRC Chemical Shortages Threaten Copper and Cobalt Output, Prices Surge
A sudden shortage of sulphuric acid and sodium metabisulfite (SMBS) in the Democratic Republic of Congo has forced major miners to cancel orders and consider output cuts. The disruption, linked to shipping delays from the Iran conflict, could tighten global...
Europe Eyes Canada LNG as Iran War Rewires Energy Routes
European energy buyers, led by Germany’s Uniper, are assessing Canada’s west‑coast Ksi Lisims LNG project as a diversification option amid the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions. The proposal involves shipping liquefied natural gas through the Panama Canal, a longer...
Largo Installs Sole COO, Promotes Group General Counsel Amid Record Vanadium Output
Largo Inc. named Luis Rendón its sole Chief Operating Officer and promoted Luânder Peixoto to Group General Counsel as it posted 2,616 tonnes of vanadium pentoxide production and 2,141 tonnes sold in Q1 2026. The moves accompany a filing to...
Aaron Longton, Fisherman Who Tied Sustainability to Survival
Aaron Longton, a Port Orford fisherman, pioneered a cooperative that linked small‑boat catches directly to consumers, boosting prices and transparency. He championed science‑based management and habitat protection, arguing that conservation underpins economic survival. His model, Port Orford Sustainable Seafood, demonstrated...
Gold Developer Antipa Shines Bright for Mining Experts as Investors Chase Next Big Thing
At the Resources Rising Stars Gather Round conference, analysts named Antipa Minerals the top gold pick, citing its updated Minyari resource of 2.9 Moz gold, 91 kt copper and 880 k oz silver. A recent scoping study projects Minyari could deliver about 128,000...
HIVE Mining Posts $115M Revenue, Bitcoin Still Dominates as Halving Squeezes Margins
HIVE Digital Technologies posted $115.3 million total revenue for fiscal 2025, $105 million of which came from Bitcoin mining. The company recorded a Q4 loss of $0.34 per share as halving‑driven reward cuts and higher difficulty trimmed margins, while its high‑performance computing...
Asia Faces Strained Supply Lines and Volatile Energy Markets
Asia’s energy markets are under severe strain as Gulf crude shipments face weeks‑long delays and Atlantic imports remain uneconomic. A sustained oil price surge toward $200 per barrel would likely trigger government‑mandated rationing and demand‑reduction measures across the region. The...
Benue Valley Clay Supports Sustainable Ceramic Production
A study published in Scientific Reports confirms that clay deposits in Benue Valley, northern Cameroon, possess mineralogical and chemical properties suitable for high‑quality ceramic brick production. Laboratory tests showed that firing at 1000‑1100 °C increases bulk density to 2.07 g cm⁻³ and compressive...
Iranian Oil Return Could Shift Energy Markets Soon
If the US and Iran reach a deal — a big if — it’s fair to assume Tehran gets sanctions relief. If that includes oil sales — another big, although likely, if — then in a few months the energy...
Koch Backs PMET Resources, Signaling Major Growth Potential
Seeing Koch get involved with PMET Resources $PMET.TO $PMT.AX brings a smile to the koala's face A ringing endorsement from one of the most advanced chemicals & refining companies in the world embracing a world class resource in North America Let's see...
Maximum Pressure Returns: U.S. Targets Shadow Fleet Tankers as Iran Oil Waiver Expires
The U.S. Treasury reinstated full "maximum pressure" on Iran by letting the 30‑day general license for stranded Iranian oil expire and sanctioning more than two dozen individuals, companies, and vessels tied to the Shamkhani shadow‑fleet network. The designations target a...
Grid Metals and Boliden Sign $10M Agreement for Thompson East
Grid Metals Corp. and Boliden Mineral Canada have signed a definitive option and joint‑venture agreement to explore the Thompson East copper‑nickel‑PGM‑cobalt project in northern Manitoba. Boliden can earn an 80% interest by funding roughly $7 million USD in cumulative expenditures and...
Shut Nova Scotia Mine May Hold $118M in Gold
St Barbara secured Nova Scotia approval to process roughly three million tonnes of ore from the idle Touquoy gold mine, targeting a revenue of CAD $118 million (US$86 million) at current $4,000‑per‑ounce gold prices. The 10‑14‑month operation will cost about CAD $11.4 million (US$8.3 million) and aims to...
Lawsuit Filed Against Mining Operation In Mojave National Preserve
The National Parks Conservation Association has filed a lawsuit to block Dateline Resources Ltd.’s mining at the historic Colosseum Mine in California’s Mojave National Preserve. The suit claims the Bureau of Land Management improperly allowed the mine to resume despite...
South Korea Has An Oil Problem. Canada Is Helping To Fix It
The Strait of Hormuz blockade has forced South Korea to look beyond the Middle East for crude, and Canada’s Trans‑Mountain Expansion (TMX) now ships oil to the Pacific, letting Korean refiners buy Western Canadian Select at about $10 per barrel...
China Cuts African Tariffs, Contrasting US Stance on Rare Earths
China removing tariffs from Africa imports. The opposite of the US. And the rare earths?
Yancoal Acquires Kestrel: A Deal Built for a Buyer's Market
Yancoal Australia agreed to acquire an 80% stake in Kestrel, one of the world’s largest underground coking‑coal mines, for up to $2.4 billion. The transaction includes a $1.85 billion upfront payment with the balance contingent on future coal‑price recovery. A discounted cash‑flow...
Trump’s Waiver Of Jones Act Fails To Cool Oil Prices
President Trump issued a 60‑day Jones Act waiver hoping to shave a few cents off U.S. fuel costs, but oil prices remain elevated as global supply disruptions and rising crude costs dominate. Brent fell 4.2% to $95.09 per barrel and...
US DOE Selects Five Project to Restart Domestic Primary Gallium Recovery
The U.S. Department of Energy announced roughly $5.4 million in funding for five projects aimed at restarting domestic primary gallium recovery, a capability absent since 1987. The TRACE‑Ga initiative, managed by ENERGYWERX, will prototype novel extraction methods from waste streams, alumina...