Today's Mining Pulse
Ximen Mining Deploys Robotic Dog to Accelerate Underground Surveys
Ximen Mining has introduced an autonomous robotic dog at its Kenville mine project in British Columbia, cutting underground survey time by roughly 30%. The move underscores a broader industry shift toward automation and faster, safer data collection.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Ganfeng invests $319M in Australian Mount Marion lithium mine
Zimbabwe Nears Landmark Oil and Gas Deal as Invictus PPSA Set for April Signing
Zimbabwe is set to sign a Petroleum Production Sharing Agreement with Invictus Energy in April, establishing the fiscal and legal framework for upstream oil and gas activities. The deal will underpin development of the Cabora Bassa Basin, where Invictus has already discovered the Mukuyu gas‑condensate field. A gas‑to‑power pilot is planned to help alleviate the country’s electricity shortages. The agreement is positioned as a model contract to attract further foreign investment into Zimbabwe’s nascent hydrocarbon sector.
US Widens Hormuz Blockade Net as Dark Fleet Hunted Across Pacific
The U.S. Central Command has broadened its blockade of Iranian shipping, now applying to all Iranian‑flagged vessels, OFAC‑sanctioned ships, and any craft suspected of moving contraband, regardless of location. The order expands the net to the Pacific, targeting dark‑fleet tankers...
6K Additive Wins $2M Defense Contract to Localize Critical Metal Powders
6K Additive has secured an approximately $2 million Phase II contract from the Department of Defense to transform scrap metal from U.S. military depots into high‑purity powders of nickel, titanium, tungsten and niobium. The 18‑month effort leverages the company’s UniMelt microwave‑plasma refining...
Egypt Approves Draft Offshore Exploration Deal with Chevron
Egypt’s cabinet approved a draft offshore exploration agreement for the Lotus block in the Mediterranean, partnering Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company with Chevron Egypt Holdings. The deal focuses on developing gas and oil resources to address Egypt’s recent shift from...
Hitachi Delivers Electric Excavator to Rudnik Uglja Pljevlja
Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) has delivered its EX2600‑7E ultra‑large electric excavator, a 250‑ton machine, to the Rudnik uglja Pljevlja coal mine in northern Montenegro. The delivery marks the first electric model of this size sold in Europe and replaces diesel‑powered...
Gold Digger: Silver Faces Sixth Annual Deficit as Market Moves Into ‘Era of Reduced Stocks’
The World Silver Survey projects a sixth consecutive deficit for silver in 2026, expanding to 46.3 million ounces as both supply and demand are expected to fall 2%. Physical stocks are thin, and a surge in exchange‑traded product (ETP) demand...
ASX Runners of the Week: Bison, Genetic Signatures, Narryer & Immutep
The ASX’s weekly spotlight highlighted four micro‑caps that outperformed a turbulent market. Bison Resources surged 375% after a $5.5 million IPO, targeting gold‑rich projects on Nevada’s Carlin Trend. Genetic Signatures landed a 28,000‑sample contract with Denmark’s Hvidovre Hospital, boosting its diagnostics...
South32 Bets on Copper, Zinc Amid Post‑2028 Supply Gaps
South32 is focusing on copper and zinc projects as it sees major supply gaps emerging after 2028. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/south32-copper-and-zinc-project.html
Asia Reassesses LNG, Boosting Coal and Renewables
The future of LNG in Asia. Effectively, "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." After the oil price shock of 2022 and 2026, the region is going to re-consider LNG to the benefit of coal...
Gold Fields, Great Southern Ready Rig for Big Qld Gold Target
Gold Fields and Great Southern Mining are set to begin diamond drilling at the Mt Dillon target in Queensland’s Edinburgh Park project after the wet season ends in May. The joint‑venture allows Gold Fields to earn up to a 75% interest by...
EU Deforestation Law Nudges Timber Trade, Indonesia Probe Shows, but Risks Persist
An Earthsight investigation traced Indonesian timber harvested from recently cleared forests to European importers, showing that deforestation‑linked wood still reaches EU markets despite the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The probe prompted several European buyers, such as Belgium’s Fepco International...
Rare Earths 2026 Outlook
Bloomberg Intelligence’s Rare Earths 2026 Outlook warns that geopolitical friction, heightened defense budgets, and export controls are fragmenting the rare‑earth market. China’s dominance is being challenged as governments seek alternative sources for magnet‑critical materials like neodymium‑praseodymium (NdPr). While new projects...
Canada Launches First Commercial Lithium Refinery, Diversifying Feedstock
A jack of all trades feedstock solution it seems. What could go wrong? Canada opens first commercial lithium refinery https://t.co/mSSZBmGgsm
Titanium Sands Project Takes Shape as Sri Lanka Seeks Stronger Mineral Economy
Titanium Sands (ASX:TSL) is advancing its Mannar Island heavy mineral sands project in north‑west Sri Lanka as the government finalises a new national mineral policy. The company has lodged an industrial mining licence for a 69 km² area that hosts a...
Orpheus Gears up for Uranium Drilling Push in South Australia
Orpheus Uranium (ASX:ORP) has secured all regulatory approvals to commence drilling at its Frome uranium project in South Australia, adding to existing permits for the Radium Hill South Project. The Frome site sits beside Boss Energy’s Goulds Dam, which hosts...
China Slashes Fuel Output, Boosts Aluminum as Gulf War Tightens Markets
China's refiners cut crude‑oil run rates last month while aluminum smelters lifted output, reacting to a supply shock from the war in the Persian Gulf. The twin moves tighten global fuel availability and ease a worldwide aluminum shortfall, reshaping supply‑chain...
U.S. Secures Two Key Shipping Routes to Counter China’s African Rare‑Earth Grip
The United States has moved to dominate the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca, adding two critical maritime corridors to its strategic toolkit against China’s expanding rare‑earth foothold in Africa. The shift aims to diversify supply‑chain logistics and...
Zimbabwe Tightens Beneficiation Rules to Halt Raw Mineral Export Losses
Zimbabwe's cabinet approved a new minerals‑beneficiation framework that mandates Value‑Added Compliance Certificates and a real‑time mine‑to‑market tracking system. The move targets raw‑export losses, especially after a recent ban on lithium shipments, and reshapes the country's mining value chain.
Asteroid-Mining Microbes Extract Metal From Rocks in Space
Scientists demonstrated that bacteria and fungi can leach precious metals from asteroid material in microgravity, marking a breakthrough for in‑situ resource utilization (ISRU). The BioAsteroid project tested the bacterium Sphingomonas desiccabilis and the fungus Penicillium simplicissimum on Earth and aboard...
Gorilla Gold Mines Accelerating Multi-Asset Resource Growth in Western Australia
Gorilla Gold Mines (ASX: GG8) has consolidated three core Western Australian gold assets—Comet Vale, Mulwarrie and Vivien—into a 1.5 million‑ounce, 3.8 g/t Au portfolio. The company reports a discovery cost of roughly $16.5 per ounce, far below the industry average, and is...
Video: Oil Shortage Shock Breaking The System + Silver Market Shortage
In a recent interview, Dunagun Kaiser of Liberty & Finance warns of an imminent oil supply crunch that could destabilize global markets. He links the shortage to geopolitical tensions and under‑investment in upstream infrastructure, suggesting a cascade effect on transportation,...
Mongolian Mining Corporation Operational Update for the Quarter Ended 31 March 2026
Mongolian Mining Corporation reported a strong quarter ending 31 March 2026, with raw coking coal mined rising 22% QoQ to 4.85 Mt and washed coal sales climbing 60% YoY to 2.56 Mt. Gold output increased 20% QoQ, delivering 8,527 oz at a price of $4,872...
LKAB’s Swedish Rare‑earth Project Faces Sami Rights Challenge
Swedish state‑owned miner LKAB’s plan to develop the Per Geijer rare‑earth deposit near Kiruna has been flagged by a Stockholm Environment Institute report as potentially breaching Sami indigenous rights. The claim threatens the project's licensing and underscores the clash between Europe’s...
Oil Surge Tests Wall Street as S&P, Dow Hover Near Record Highs
Brent crude rose 3.1% to $97.83, pressuring U.S. equities that remain near all‑time highs. The S&P 500 edged down 0.1%, the Dow lost 66 points, and the Nasdaq fell 0.3% as investors weigh oil‑driven volatility against hopes for a diplomatic...
LHM Guidance Revision – Increase FY2026 Production Range
Paladin Energy reported that its Langer Heinrich Mine produced 3.6 million pounds of U₃O₈ in the first nine months of FY2026 and has revised full‑year production guidance to 4.0‑4.4 million pounds, down from 4.5‑4.8 million. The company kept the cost‑of‑production guidance at $3 per...
West Coast Silver Identifies New Priority Drill Target at Elizabeth Hill Following DHEM Results
West Coast Silver (ASX:WCE) has pinpointed a new down‑hole electromagnetic (DHEM) conductor at its Elizabeth Hill silver project, aligning with a historic 42 g/t Ag intersection. The conductive plate, estimated at 400‑1,200 Siemens, sits about 50 m east of the existing mine and...
HRW Backs Communities Affected by Contaminated Zambia Mining Site
Human Rights Watch has joined Zambian NGOs and families in urging the African Union to intervene at the Kabwe lead‑zinc mine site, which remains one of the planet’s most polluted locations. A 2022 UN report flagged Kabwe’s severe contamination, and...
Republicans Deployed a Little-Known Law to Open Minnesota Wilderness to Mining
Senate Republicans voted 50‑49 to repeal a two‑decade mining moratorium in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters using the Congressional Review Act. The CRA, a 1990s tool meant to overturn regulations with a simple majority, has been weaponized by Republicans, marking only the...
Landmark US Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Law Turns 50 Amid Budget Cut Concerns
The Magnuson‑Stevens Act celebrated its 50th anniversary, highlighting a legacy of rebuilding more than 50 U.S. fish stocks and expanding federal jurisdiction to 200 nautical miles. The law’s regional councils blend fishers, scientists, tribes, and processors to set science‑based harvest...
Gold Jumps to One-Month High as Iran Says Hormuz Completely Open
Gold surged to its highest level in nearly a month, climbing as much as 2.1% after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz is completely open for commercial traffic. The declaration marks a de‑escalation in the conflict with the United States...
ValOre Provides Update on Hatchet Uranium Corp. Transaction
ValOre Metals announced an update on the sale of its 51%‑owned subsidiary Hatchet Uranium Corp. to Future Fuels Inc., with the amalgamation agreement’s “outside date” pushed to April 30 2026. HUC shareholders approved the deal on March 10, and the TSX Venture Exchange...
Oil Supply Adequate Despite Current Price Concerns
When will people realize there is no shortage in the oil market at current prices?
Senate Repeals Boundary Waters Protections, Boosting Chilean Miner
JUST IN: Senate repealed Boundary Waters safeguards, giving a Chilean mining company a major advantage.
WHEN IS THE PRECIOUS METALS BULL CYCLE OVER? The 62:1 Gold to Silver Ratio Tells Us The Parabolic Move Is...
Gold broke out of a 13‑year consolidation in 2024, marking the midpoint of a historic bull market in precious metals. The article argues that the real upside lies in silver, whose price could surge as the Gold‑to‑Silver Ratio (GSR) reverts...
Rubidium: This Critical Mineral Goes for a Million Bucks a Tonne and Washington May Be Footing the Bill
Rubidium, a critical mineral priced above $1 million per tonne, is dominated by China and essential for atomic clocks, GPS, quantum computing, and defense applications. US military contractors are seeking secure supply, prompting Australian juniors Delta Lithium, Iris Metals and Everest...
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Calls on World Bank to Fund Critical Mineral Projects
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged the World Bank at the IMF/World Bank spring meetings to redirect its green‑lending strategy toward critical mineral mining and processing. He argued that secure supplies of rare earths and other key minerals are essential...
BC Exploration Spending Sets Record on Copper Appetite
British Columbia’s mineral exploration spending surged to $548 million in 2025, a 36% jump from the prior year, driven by a copper boom. Copper projects alone attracted $384 million, overtaking gold as the province’s top target. Junior miners led the rebound, allocating...
Argonaut Algorithm: Why David Franklyn Sees Lithium as a Long-Term Play After the Iran War
Argonaut Funds manager David Franklyn says the Iran‑related oil shock has accelerated a shift toward lithium, which he views as a long‑term winner. He notes lithium prices have rebounded to about US$2,200 per tonne, driven by falling EV costs and...
This American Nuclear Startup Aims to Supply India’s Reactor Boom
Chicago‑based Clean Core Thorium Energy, one of the first U.S. firms cleared to export nuclear material to India, is set to announce a pilot manufacturing agreement with Canada’s National Laboratories. The startup’s proprietary fuel assemblies blend thorium with high‑assay low‑enriched...
Iran's Oil Power Persists Despite Export Bans
Pundits are underestimating what Iran can do with its oil if it cannot export it!
Ghana: Check EPA Permits Before Mining Approvals ... MMDAS Urged
Acting EPA Mining Department Director Justine Seyire Dzadzra urged Ghana's Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to confirm that mining concession holders have secured EPA environmental permits before issuing business operating permits. She warned that some assemblies are granting permits...
Correction to Alumina Index, Fob Australia and Inferred Prices on April 15
Fastmarkets issued a correction notice on April 15, adjusting its alumina price indices by two cents per tonne. The Australia FOB index was updated to $303.20 per dry metric tonne, and inferred prices for Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Brazil were...
Recall Your First Encounter with Hormuz Crisis & Helium Short
Where and when was the first time you heard about the Hormuz crisis and helium shortages? https://t.co/Y5Qx1Fw0Qc
The Senate Just Greenlit a Mine Next to the Boundary Waters, America’s Most Popular Wilderness
The U.S. Senate voted 50‑49 to repeal a two‑decade moratorium on mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, using the rarely‑invoked Congressional Review Act. The repeal removes the Biden‑era ban and clears a major regulatory hurdle for Antofagasta’s proposed...
Hershey Leans on Cocoa Sourcing Resilience to Blunt Price Shocks
Hershey is bolstering its cocoa supply chain by diversifying origins beyond the Ivory Coast and Ghana to include Ecuador and Brazil, while using sophisticated hedging tools to lock in prices. The company couples these financial safeguards with farmer‑focused programs like...
Vizsla Copper Secures 5‑Year Permit for Massive BC Project
The green light arrives for @VizslaCopper: they receive a 5-year multi-year, area-based permit covering its 11,630-hectare Copperview project in BC. It will be the target of the upcoming drill campaign this year. Major overweight $copper position for me: https://t.co/OlFkQM8Ubu
NewScorpioGold Manhattan Expansion Keeps Gold Play in Buy Range
New ground gets stitched together for @NewScorpioGold at Manhattan, this district-scale play is getting bigger. See the map, what is a brownfields project, along with JV's stock chart and why this #gold play is still in Buy range: https://t.co/0Q3d3JlLkF
Energy Relief to Support S African FeCr in Short Term
South Africa's state‑owned utility Eskom has proposed a new electricity tariff of 62 South African cents per kilowatt‑hour (about $0.04) for ferro‑chrome smelters, cutting the previous rate of roughly 136 cents/kWh ($0.09) by more than half. The relief, submitted to regulator...
Congress Declares Open Season on Public Lands
The Senate narrowly approved a 50‑49 vote to open a national forest adjacent to Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness to a copper‑nickel mining project backed by Chilean firm Antofagasta. The decision overturns a two‑decade‑old mineral withdrawal using the Congressional Review...
Bessent Urges World Bank to Shift Funding Towards Critical Minerals
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent used the IMF and World Bank spring meetings to press the development banks to shift their green‑lending focus toward critical‑minerals mining and processing projects. He argued that secure supplies of rare earths and other key...