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:
RCRM Technology Enhances Stability in Deep Mining Operations
Researchers published a Scientific Reports study showing that Roof Cutting and Retaining by Mining (RCRM) technology stabilizes roadways in deep, fault‑crossing mines. By using caved gangue as an automatic fill, RCRM redistributes stress and reduces deformation around geological faults. Field monitoring and FLAC3D simulations at the Qipanjing Coal Mine demonstrated that a 10 m slot height and loose blasting cut fault displacement and lower compressive stress. The findings suggest that RCRM can boost safety, resource recovery, and operational efficiency in challenging underground environments.
Chevron Agrees to Heavy-Oil Asset Swap with Venezuela’s PDVSA
Chevron announced an asset swap with Venezuela’s state oil firm PDVSA, increasing its working interest in the Petroindependencia joint venture to 49%. The deal also grants Chevron’s Petropiar subsidiary rights to develop the Ayacucho 8 heavy‑oil field adjacent to existing assets....
Argentina River Auction Draws Fire From U.S. Dredger Over ‘Cooked’ Tender
Argentina’s government, under President Javier Milei, launched a high‑profile concession to deepen the Paraná River, a critical artery for grain exports. The tender pits a Belgian‑led incumbent consortium against a rival group that includes U.S. dredger Great Lakes Dredge & Dock and...
Paladin’s Namibia Restart Sharpens Africa’s Uranium Relevance During Wave of Reactor Builds
Paladin Energy has restarted its Langer Heinrich uranium mine in Namibia, targeting full production of about 4 million pounds of uranium per year by the end of June 2026. The restart lifts Namibia to roughly 12% of global uranium output, reinforcing...
SILVER IS THE TRIPLE-IDENTITY ASSET: China's $48T M2 Explosion, Countries Hoarding Silver, the Export Ban, the Structural Deficit, & Why...
China’s broad money supply (M2) has surged past $48 trillion, dwarfing the combined US and EU totals, and is expected to add $4.5 trillion in 2025 alone. The expansion is prompting both the state and citizens to hoard hard assets, especially silver,...
CHINA TO BAN SULFURIC ACID EXPORTS: Copper and Uranium Mining Impacted, Bullish and Bearish Catalyst, Who Loses, & This Mining...
China announced it will halt exports of byproduct sulfuric acid starting in May 2026. The acid is a core reagent for heap‑leaching copper and uranium ores, so the ban threatens to raise input costs and curb output in mining hubs...
U.S. and Australia Commit $5 B to Fast‑Track Critical‑Minerals Projects
The United States and Australia have sealed a $5 billion financing agreement to fund Australian critical‑minerals projects, aiming to boost production of lithium, rare earths and other materials vital for the energy transition. The deal is expected to strengthen supply chains...
America-First Puts Aussie Miners in the Running for Big Bucks
Washington’s “America‑first” push is channeling billions into critical‑minerals projects, putting several ASX‑listed junior miners in line for U.S. funding and strategic contracts. Project Vault alone offers about $12 billion to build a U.S. Critical Minerals Reserve, while a $10 billion EXIM loan...
FireFox Gold – Mustajärvi Drill Results: Expanding the East Zone & Connecting High-Grade Discoveries
FireFox Gold announced drill results from Finland's Mustajärvi Project, highlighting systematic expansion of the East Zone with 22 holes drilled using a fence‑drilling approach. The company reported high‑grade intercepts, including 13 meters at 6.29 g/t gold and 10 meters at 3.5 g/t gold, bolstering...
Hormuz Crisis Slashes OPEC Output, Sparks Global Energy Turmoil
🎡The Hormuz Crisis Reduces OPEC Production by 7.9 mb/d 🎡Kazakhstan's Crude Production Recovers 🎡EU Dependence on Russian Gas to Increase 🎡Iran War, Hormuz & Petrodollar 🎡US Blockade of the Blockade 🎡Panic and Oil Hoarding 🎡Saudi Oil to China: Watch Chinese Inventories 🎡India to Get Iranian Oil, But...
Oil's Hidden Role Powers Every Corner of Economy
"Oil is an absolutely essential commodity that's built into our economy in all sorts of ways that are not immediately obvious." https://t.co/cLvjjzdJDU
USDA’s Vaden Slams Mosaic for Fertilizer Cuts Amid Crisis
Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden publicly rebuked The Mosaic Company for idling its Araxá and Patrocínio phosphate mines in Brazil, warning that removing roughly a million tons of supply will push global fertilizer prices higher. Mosaic defended the shutdown as...
Congo Miners Slash Chemicals Amid Iran War Supply Disruption
Exclusive: Congo copper and cobalt miners cut chemical use as Iran war disrupts supplies, sources say - https://t.co/5DDE1vPMdu
Uganda: Miners Protest Eviction As Police Enforce Mining Ban in Kassanda
Uganda's Mineral Protection Unit deployed police to enforce a Ministry directive ordering gold miners at Mugobwa‑Katuugo in Kassanda District to vacate the site. Miners assert they operate legally under small‑scale mining guidelines and fear loss of income and equipment. The...
Join Bloomberg's Commodity Outlook Webinar April 17
Please join our commodity Outlook Webinar I will host our Bloomberg Intelligence Commodity outlook webinar on Friday April 17 at 10am ET. This session should be both fun and edmucational. As independent strategists, we will discuss and debate our differing...
Dig, Baby, Dig: What It Means for Canada to Build the Mines Its ‘Clean’ Future Depends on – by Falice...
Canada’s clean‑energy ambitions hinge on dramatically expanding domestic mining for critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and rare earths. The article argues that the real bottleneck in the energy transition is supply‑side infrastructure, not demand, and that scaling mining, processing...
Boundary Divide: Beneath the Minnesota Wilderness Lies Untouched Deposits of Critical Minerals. A Town Near the Canadian Border Confronts What...
The U.S. Senate is poised to decide whether to lift the mining ban in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, a region that sits atop the massive Duluth Complex. This undeveloped deposit holds roughly a third of the nation’s copper, 88 % of its...
Fujimori Leads Peru Presidential Vote as Mining Risks Rise – by Cecilia Jamasmie – April 13, 2026)
Keiko Fujimori topped Peru’s first‑round presidential vote with 17.17%, narrowly ahead of former Lima mayor Rafael López Aliaga’s 16.97%, triggering a June 7 runoff. Fujimori positions herself as pro‑U.S. and investor‑friendly, promising clearer mining regulations to attract foreign capital. The election comes...
Prolonged Hormuz Strait Closure Would Have ‘Profound’ Impact on Mining: Friedland – by Frederic Tomesco (Northern Miner – April 13,...
Ivanhoe Mines co‑chairman Robert Friedland warned that a prolonged shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz would sharply tighten global sulfur markets, cutting roughly half of the seaborne sulfur supply. With about 20% of worldwide copper production dependent on sulfuric‑acid leaching,...
Forty Years After Chernobyl, Uranium Market Rebounds but Fragility Persists – by Aurel Sèdjro Houenou (Ecofin Agency – April 12,...
Forty years after the Chernobyl disaster, the uranium market has rebounded, with spot prices climbing to $101 per pound in early 2026. The surge reflects renewed global interest in civil nuclear power as part of the broader energy transition. Higher...
“Rotten Eggs”: The Hidden Role of Sulfur in the Global Economy – by Amanda Van Dyke (Substack – April 13,...
Sulfur, the element behind the smell of rotten eggs, underpins food production, metal refining, battery manufacturing, and data‑center cooling. Most elemental sulfur today is recovered as a by‑product of sour oil and gas refining through the Claus process, feeding the...
‘Energy Dominance’ Agenda Sidelines Tribes – by Anna V. Smith (High Country News – April 13, 2026)
The federal government granted the Velvet‑Wood uranium mine in Utah a permit through a newly created 14‑day NEPA “emergency” review, slashing the usual months‑long environmental analysis. Tribal governments received only a seven‑day window to comment, and the standard public comment...
Tom Peters Was the Grandfather of Regreening in Greater Sudbury – by Dieter K Buse (Sudbury Star – March 31,...
Tom Peters, an Inco agriculturalist, is credited with pioneering the use of farming techniques on the company’s mine‑tailing slag piles in Greater Sudbury during the early 1970s. His work sparked the first wave of regreening that turned barren, black mounds...
Eriez to Highlight CavTube Column Flotation Ultrafines Recovery at CRU Phosphates+Potash 2026
Eriez will showcase its CavTube® column flotation system at the CRU Phosphates+Potash 2026 conference, delivering a technical paper on sustainable slimes beneficiation. The technology combines high‑shear cavitation with column flotation to recover ultrafine phosphate and potash particles that conventional circuits...
Miner Rally Mirrors Early 1970s Bull Market
Miners haven’t truly broken out yet... In this new presentation from Thoughtful Money, I walk through why today’s setup resembles the early 1970s bull market. If you’re wondering whether this rally is getting tired—or just getting started, watch here: https://t.co/WVeReceJL2
War-Driven Fuel Costs Add New Twist to Trans-Pacific Service Contract Talks
The war in Iran has caused bunker fuel prices to double across key global hubs, prompting container lines to shift refueling operations to Europe as Singapore’s supply tightens. This surge in fuel costs is being passed to shippers through higher...
Copper Outlook Strengthens as Long-Term Assumptions Climb
Long‑term copper price assumptions in mining feasibility studies have jumped about 60% since 2020, moving from roughly $3.00 per pound to an average of $4.80 per pound in early 2026. Even after stripping inflation, the real assumptions are about 28%...
A2Gold Consolidates Nevada Claims, Unlocking
No more gaps in the map—that’s how JV describes @A2GoldCorp's acquisition of 26 mining claims inside its Taylor Silver-Gold-Antimony project in NV, creating a path for more unified exploration. This #gold stock still hasn't left the station, I'm overweight https://t.co/8vjWW1jmCc
Indonesia's Reefs Face Increased Threat From Mining
Indonesia’s Raja Ampat, a world‑renowned dive destination, has seen a 109% rise in fish biomass within its ten marine protected areas since 2007. Yet the government recently approved new nickel‑mining concessions on three northern islands, including sites inside a UNESCO...
Rio Tinto’s Pilbara Facility Fuels Short‑Term Growth Through Tight Operational Management
Rio Tinto’s Pilbara assets delivered 326.2 million tons of iron‑ore shipments and 327.3 million tons of production in 2025, showcasing disciplined operational execution that anchored the company’s short‑term growth. The performance helped the stock climb 41.3% in six months while the company...
Mexico's Precious Metals Export Boom Valued at $19.1 Billion in 2026
Mexico's precious‑metal market is projected to reach $19.1 billion in 2026, up from $18.4 billion in 2025, as Newmont, Barrick Gold and Anglo American expand operations. The sector foresees a $6.5 billion incremental opportunity through 2036, reshaping global supply chains.
Nevada Sunrise Metals Sees Massive Volume Surge, Hints Reversal
Nevada Sunrise Metals $NEV.V $NVSGF Friday saw the 3rd Largest volume day in over 2 years as price closed off its lows. Reversal? Their Griffon Gold project produced 62K oz Gold in 1998-99 with Gold under $300/oz! ...
Metal Movers: Copper’s Volatile New Landscape | Argus Media
The episode dissects copper’s recent volatility, tracing a 2025‑2026 price surge to a mix of tight physical supply, looming U.S. tariffs, and a wave of financial speculation that pushed LME prices above $14,000 per tonne. Experts explain how lower ore...
NATO Allies Refuse to Join U.S. Hormuz Blockade, Deepening Rift With Trump
NATO allies publicly declined President Donald Trump's proposal to block maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, insisting they will only act after hostilities with Iran cease. The United States scheduled the blockade for 1400 GMT, targeting vessels bound for Iranian...
Clarification of Rhenium APR Catalytic Grade Price Assessment Specification: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced that its MB-RE-0001 rhenium APR catalytic grade price assessment will be quoted in US dollars per kilogram of rhenium (USD/kg Re) rather than per kilogram of material. The product name will be updated to reflect this unit change, while...
Sego Resources Intersects 100 Metres of 0.626 Gpt Gold, Including 24.37 Metres of 0.958 Gpt Gold
Sego Resources announced intersecting 100 m of 0.626 g/t gold, including a 24.37 m sub‑interval grading 0.958 g/t, in drill hole DDH25‑69 within the Southern Gold Zone of its Miner Mountain copper‑gold project near Princeton, BC. The same hole also returned 19 m at 0.85 g/t...
M&A: Denarius Targets Emerita in Spain’s Zinc-Copper Belt
Denarius Metals has tabled a non‑binding all‑share offer for Emerita Resources, pricing the deal at a 15% premium to Emerita’s April 10 close. The transaction would value Emerita between $25 million and $29 million, depending on its fully diluted share count, and...
KoBold Launches AI-Driven Lithium Push in DRC
KoBold Metals, backed by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has launched the largest lithium exploration campaign ever, covering 13 licences and over 3,000 sq km in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral‑rich Manono region. The effort uses artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, airborne...
PTM Mulling Partnerships with Furnace Operators to Process Waterberg Concentrate
Platinum Group Metals (PTM) is evaluating collaborations with smaller South African furnace operators to process concentrate from its Waterberg project in the Bushveld Complex. The company may stage smelting capacity, beginning with T‑Zone mining before expanding to the larger F‑Central...
BEML Secures $36.38 Million Export Order From West Asia Region
BEML Limited announced a $36.38 million export contract with customers in West Asia for heavy‑earth‑moving equipment that has been re‑engineered for high‑intensity infrastructure projects. The deal also bundles a comprehensive maintenance and lifecycle‑support package, ensuring long‑term equipment availability. This win lifts...
Silverco Tables PEA Results for Cusi Mine in Mexico
Silverco Mining released a preliminary economic assessment for its Cusi mine in northern Mexico, indicating a low‑capital restart that could produce 2.5 million ounces of silver per year. The PEA projects an after‑tax net present value of $104 million, an internal rate...
Hormuz, Trump, & The Carbon Paradox
The analysis quantifies how the March‑April 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis suppressed fossil‑fuel demand, producing a net avoidance of roughly 10 million tonnes of CO₂ across aviation, road transport, shipping and natural‑gas sectors. Aviation saw the largest cut, with about 4.7 Mt...
Beyond Line of Sight: How Private 5G Powers Remote Mining at Scale
Newmont has teamed with Ericsson to roll out private 5G networks across its Tier One mines, replacing unreliable Wi‑Fi with a single, low‑latency cellular platform. Early pilots on Lihir Island and at Peñasquito demonstrated that a handful of strategically placed towers...
Cattle Poised for Major Correction Despite Bullish Hype
Cattle may have a sizable correction coming. The bullet proof to the upside mentality seems to have taken over full force.
Aluminum Hits 4-Year High on Trump’s Blockade of Hormuz
Aluminum prices surged to a four‑year peak on the London Metal Exchange, reaching $3,570 a ton after President Donald Trump announced a blockade of Iranian ports. The spot‑cash spread widened to $95.50 a ton, the strongest backwardation since 2007, reflecting...
Chinese Miner Boosts Rare Earth Prices
China Northern Rare Earth Group, the world’s largest producer of light rare earths, announced a sharp increase in concentrate prices for the second quarter of 2026. The company lifted prices for 50% rare earth oxide concentrates, signaling tighter supply in...
India Rises as China Slows in Mineral Demand Shift
Vale is accelerating iron ore shipments to India as the country’s steel production is projected to double by 2030, signaling a pivot away from China’s once‑dominant demand base. Chinese steel output has plateaued around 1 billion tonnes, while India’s broader industrial...
Prairie's Saskatchewan DLE Plant Nears Completion
Prairie Lithium announced that its commercial‑scale direct lithium extraction (DLE) plant in Saskatchewan is nearing construction completion. The ASX‑listed firm expects to commence its first lithium production in the fourth quarter of 2026. The facility will process lithium‑rich brine using...
US‑Australia Invest $
Australia and US boost support for critical minerals with $3.5 billion Not clear where processing will be done, or where mine to magnet chain happens.... https://t.co/OpCtNNHYup
Summer School on Managing Africa’s Extractive Future in the Energy Transition
The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), backed by NRGI, will host the 2026 AFREIKH Summer School on extractive‑industry governance in Accra, Ghana, from August 18‑28. The intensive week‑long program targets civil‑society, media, and government professionals from Anglophone Africa, offering...