Today's Mining Pulse
China slams Indonesia's investment climate over nickel curbs
China criticised Indonesia's investment climate, citing recent restrictions on nickel exports that could deter foreign investors. The Financial Times reported the remarks as part of broader concerns about the region's mining policy environment.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Mutapa Gold secures $75M bank funding
Nicaragua Indigenous Leader Brooklyn Rivera Dies in Custody Amid Gold Mining Dispute
Brooklyn Rivera, a 73‑year‑old Miskito activist and former lawmaker, died in state custody on May 30 after more than two years of incommunicado detention. The Nicaraguan government blamed a bacterial infection following COVID‑19, while human‑rights groups allege his death resulted from neglect in a prison system tied to mining‑related land disputes on the Atlantic coast.
Russia LNG Hits Record; Venezuela Oil Exports Surge
1. Russia’s LNG Exports Hit Record High: Economic Boom or Geopolitical Risk? 2. Venezuela’s Crude Oil Exports Jump to Highest Level Since Early 2019: What’s Next and Who Benefits Most? Daily Energy Report https://t.co/p2PAZaqzJq
KCM Launches Strategic Nchanga Smelter Upgrade to Accelerate Copper Production Growth
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has begun a 60‑day shutdown of its Nchanga smelter in Zambia to carry out extensive maintenance and upgrades. The work is part of a broader modernization plan aimed at boosting efficiency and supporting the company’s goal...
Goldhaven to Test Magno Tungsten Targets
Goldhaven Resources announced a fully funded 2026 drill campaign to verify and expand the historic tungsten resource in the Kuhn Zone of its Magno project in northern British Columbia. The program will twin more than 100 meters of historic drill holes...
Can China’s Caesium-From-Brine Tech Cut Reliance on Canadian, Australian Ores?
Chinese researchers have unveiled a low‑temperature, metal‑organic framework adsorbent that can extract caesium from salt‑lake brine with a 99% recovery rate. The material selectively sieves caesium ions, operates at just 150 °C, and can be regenerated, offering a greener alternative to...
New Found Gold Expands $44M Queensway Program
New Found Gold is expanding its Queensway work program to $44 million, targeting a 2026 drilling campaign of 90,000 metres with six diamond rigs. About 45% of the effort will focus on deep exploration beneath the Appleton Fault Zone, where prior drilling...
Myanmar Blast Kills 43, Injures 112 in Unregulated Mining Zone
A gelignite blast in Kaungtup village, Shan State, killed 43 people and injured 112, including 25 children. The Ta’ang National Liberation Army says the explosives were stored for local mining, raising urgent safety and regulatory questions for Myanmar’s mineral sector.
RC Drilling Begins at Great Southern Copper’s Victoria Prospect
Great Southern Copper has launched reverse‑circulation (RC) drilling at the Victoria porphyry copper target within its Chilean Especularita Project. Four drill holes will test high‑grade breccia‑vein and disseminated copper mineralisation, following surface chip samples that showed up to 6.9% copper,...
Domestic Copper Surge Boosts US Critical Metal Security
Strong #copper #gold intercepts highlight domestic potential for copper critical for EVs, AI data centers, renewables & grid upgrades, reduces foreign reliance amid surging demand & supply gaps. Penokean Belt revival in Wisconsin = critical metals security. $GRL.V @RonJohnsonWI
DEEP SEA MINERALS CORP. ACHIEVES SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE DETERMINATION FROM NOAA UNDER DSHMRA FOR SEABED MINERAL CONCESSIONS
Deep Sea Minerals Corp. announced that NOAA has determined its DSHMRA application is in substantial compliance with U.S. regulations. The determination clears a key hurdle for the company's 150,000‑km² Pacific seabed concession targeting polymetallic nodules rich in nickel, cobalt, copper...
Finding Practical Net Zero Solutions Requires More Smarter Mining Systems, Armstrong Industrial Says
Armstrong Industrial argues that mining’s net‑zero agenda hinges on smarter, system‑level optimisation rather than isolated headline projects. While renewable power and electrified fleets draw attention, the bulk of emissions stem from fluid‑handling, dewatering and water‑circulation systems that consume 30‑40% more...
Investigators Identify Eight Chinese Deep‑Sea Mining Vessels, Exposing Dual‑Use Fleet
A collaborative investigative team has pinpointed eight Chinese vessels actively engaged in deep‑sea mining, confirming they belong to a larger 40‑ship research fleet. The findings raise questions about the dual civilian‑military purpose of the fleet and its expanding influence across...
Kenorland Starts Drilling at Ontario’s Western Wabigoon Project
Kenorland Minerals has launched its first diamond‑drill program at the Western Wabigoon (W2) project in north‑western Ontario, targeting up to 3,650 m of core across a 2.5 km strike. The work, funded by Centerra Gold’s C$3.2 m ($2.3 m) summer budget, will test gold‑bearing...
The World’s Mineral Powers Seize Their Moment
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—from the DRC to Brazil and Zambia—are leveraging mineral wealth to negotiate better terms and assert greater control over...
The Iran War Is Pushing the Global Gas Trade Into the Shadows
Since the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026, Qatar’s LNG exporters have resorted to “dark” transits—turning off AIS transponders—to move cargoes through the Strait of Hormuz. In May, at least four Qatari tankers, including the Al Rayyan, slipped...
Rio Tinto Warns Market Uncertainty Threatens Critical Mineral Supply
Rio Tinto warned that while governments are accelerating policies to secure critical mineral supply chains for batteries, semiconductors, AI infrastructure and defence, the commercial conditions needed to unlock large‑scale new supply remain uncertain. The mining sector says investment decisions still...
PLS’ Pilgangoora P1000 Establishes TOMRA Ore Sorting as ‘Proven Methodology’ for Large-Scale Lithium Operations
TOMRA’s sensor‑based ore sorting has moved from a pilot project to a core processing step at Pilgangoora’s P1000 expansion, the world’s largest lithium ore‑sorting installation. The 1,000 t/h sorter now underpins a 1 Mt‑per‑year production model, delivering reliable, high‑throughput operation and consistent...
Beleaguered Copper 360 Loses Less, Promises More
South African junior miner Copper 360 reported a narrower loss of R265 million ($14 million) for the year to February 2026, while its equity surged to R1.25 billion ($66 million) and liabilities fell to R505 million ($27 million). The company commissioned a new pan concentrator in...
De Beers’ Upstream Technology on the Importance of Sensor Technology
De Beers Upstream Technology, created in 2024 from the merger of De Beers Marine and Ignite, is championing sensor technology as the core of mining automation. Michael Curtis stresses that reliable sensors are prerequisite to effective software, control systems, and...
Critical Minerals Are Becoming the Energy Transition’s Delivery Constraint
Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earths are emerging as the primary bottleneck for the global energy transition, rivaling capital constraints. Supply chain disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and limited processing capacity are driving price spikes and project delays. Analysts...
Dalaroo Unveils Monster 4.3km Gold Anomaly in West Africa
Dalaroo Metals announced a 4.3‑km gold anomaly at its Gold Ridge prospect within the Bondoukou project in Côte d’Ivoire. Phase‑one soil sampling recorded a peak of 2,188 ppb gold, with 454 samples exceeding 20 ppb and 27 above 200 ppb. The anomaly aligns...
Zenith Targets Major Growth Across Six-Kilometre WA Gold Belt
Zenith Minerals reported a 10‑hole RC drilling campaign at its Consolidated Dulcie gold project that confirmed mineralisation continuity and delivered a 5‑metre intercept grading 3.49 g/t gold, including a 1‑metre high‑grade zone of 13.24 g/t. The results extend lodes beyond current resource...
Indonesian Employers' Association, Mining Cartels Yield to Country’s $66bn Export Monopoly
Indonesia’s employers association and major mining cartels have publicly endorsed President Prabowo Subianto’s new export monopoly, handing exclusive rights to state‑controlled trader PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI). The policy targets roughly $66.13 billion in annual resource revenues—about 23.4% of the country’s...
Venezuela's Oil Exports Rose in May
Venezuela’s oil exports rose to 1.25 million barrels per day in May, marking a third consecutive month of growth. The increase was driven by larger cargoes to the United States, India and Europe, with total exports 0.7% higher than April and...
Evion Taps Australia’s Former US Ambassador Arthur Sinodinos to Accelerate Critical Minerals Strategy
Evion Group has named former Australian ambassador to the United States, Arthur Sinodinos, as a strategic advisor to accelerate its U.S. critical‑minerals strategy. The hire follows Evion’s May acquisition of the Carp fluorspar mine in Nevada, adding a high‑grade fluorite asset...
Copper: We Have a Problem
BHP projects global copper demand to surge roughly 70% to over 50 million tonnes per year by 2050, far outpacing the 22 million tonnes produced in 2024. Cumulatively, the 2025‑2050 demand curve represents about 1 billion tonnes—more copper than humanity has mined in...
BHP Advances Renewable Power Supply and Storage at Escondida & Spence
BHP has signed long‑term agreements with renewable‑technology firm Sungrow to build solar farms and battery storage at its Escondida and Spence copper mines in Chile. The projects will deliver 110 MW of solar and 540 MWh of storage at Escondida and 85 MW...
There's Enough Hydrogen Underground to Power Earth for 170,000 Years
Scientists estimate Earth holds enough naturally occurring geologic hydrogen to satisfy global energy demand for roughly 170,000 years. The U.S. Department of Energy projects extraction could cost under $1 per kilogram, dramatically cheaper than today’s green‑hydrogen price of $3.50‑$6.00/kg. Research...
The U.S. Is a Mining Sleeping Giant
The U.S. Geological Survey released a landmark report revealing that the Appalachian corridor from North Carolina to Maine contains an estimated 2.3 million metric tons of undiscovered, economically recoverable lithium. That volume could replace 328 years of U.S. lithium imports or supply...
The Canadian Mineral Imperative – by Amanda Van Dyke (Substack – Jun 1, 2026)
Canada has officially slipped into recession, a downturn the author deems avoidable given the nation’s abundant natural resources. The country boasts the world’s second‑largest landmass and holds vast reserves of oil, gas, uranium, potash, gold, copper, nickel, iron ore, lithium...
Brazil Is Set to Cut Into China’s Rare Earths Dominance – by Astrid Prange De Oliveira (DW.com – May 31,...
Brazil’s vast rare‑earth reserves are attracting global mining firms as a strategic alternative to China’s near‑monopoly. Meteoric Resources, an Australian miner, is pouring capital into the Caldeira project in Minas Gerais, which hosts the world’s largest ionic‑clay deposit of medium‑...
Geological Maps: Key to Securing Critical Minerals Supply Chains – by John Connor (Geopolitical Monitor – May 27, 2026)
The United States faces a critical bottleneck in securing essential minerals because only about 25% of its territory is covered by detailed geological maps. In contrast, many emerging‑market regions—Africa, Latin America, and Central Asia—have even less reliable mapping, hampering mining...
Critical Minerals Race: Canada, Sudbury Must Act Fast, Expert Cautions – by Laura Stradiotto (Sudbury Star – May 30, 2026)
Canada boasts abundant critical minerals, but experts warn a strategic plan is lagging. At the BEV In‑Depth Conference in Sudbury, Heather Exner‑Pirot urged swift action to capture investment before rivals seize it. Over 250 stakeholders from mining to academia gathered...
LNG Fleet Faces Compliance Divide as EU Carbon Costs Threaten Older Carrier Economics
Wood Mackenzie analysis shows EU carbon regulations split the LNG carrier fleet. Modern ME‑GI engine vessels face lower compliance costs, while older steam‑turbine and DFDE ships incur rising penalties, potentially prompting retirements or conversion to FSRUs. EU ETS and FuelEU...
Sandvik, Rio Tinto Team up on Open‑pit Autonomous Drilling
Sandvik and Rio Tinto have announced a joint venture to deploy autonomous drilling systems in open‑pit mines, leveraging Sandvik's new AutoMine Aura platform. The partnership introduces a 3D perception system that enables driver‑less drill rigs to operate safely and efficiently....
Cornish Metals Advances Exploration at South Crofty Mine
Cornish Metals announced that its surface diamond drilling programme at the South Crofty tin project in Cornwall has completed its first major hole, SDD26_001A, which extends more than 1,199 m and intersected quartz‑tourmaline veining with visible cassiterite and sulphide mineralisation. The...
InvestorTalk Alert: Ali Haji From American Tungsten Corp. To Host on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 9:00 AM EST
American Tungsten Corp., a Canadian explorer focused on U.S. tungsten assets, announced a TSX Venture Exchange listing and filed a revised technical report in late May 2026. The company has launched a 35,000‑foot surface and underground drilling program at the...
John Crane Retrofit Helps Copper Mine Save Around 288,000 Liters of Sealing Water Per Day on Critical Tailings Pump
John Crane retrofitted a mechanical seal on a large underflow thickener pump at a major copper mine, slashing the clean water required for sealing by roughly 288,000 liters per day. The new seal replaces a traditional stuffing‑box that demanded shaft‑sleeve...
Unsafe Tailings, Corruption and Illegal Appointments in Spotlight as Minister Vows Crackdown
Minister of Mines Polite Kambamura warned that unqualified foreign managers, especially some Chinese without First Blasting or Mine Blasting licences, are being placed in Zimbabwean mines. He described several tailings dams as "disasters waiting to happen" and condemned inspectors who...
Pan American Tables Timmins Exploration Update
Pan American Silver announced the first phase of its Timmins Camp Project, approving a $625 million CAD (≈$455 million USD) shaft extension at Bell Creek and new drifts to the Vogel and Samson deposits. The phase, costing $146 million CAD (≈$107 million USD), is...
Damang Gold Mine Pumps $250m Into New Fleet
Ghana’s indigenous Damang Gold Mine has announced a $250 million acquisition of heavy‑duty mining machinery. The consignment, sourced from local supplier E&P, includes 52 high‑capacity machines that will replace aging equipment. The investment is expected to boost the mine’s gold output...
India, Myanmar to Stay in Touch on Issue of Critical Minerals, Rare Earths; Take Cooperation Forward: MEA
India and Myanmar agreed to maintain close engagement on critical minerals and rare earths during President U Min Aung Hlaing's four‑day visit to New Delhi. The talks, held alongside broader discussions on trade, investment and security, reaffirmed India’s commitment to its Neighbourhood First,...
Graphite Deal with Tesla: Syrah Reports Resolution in Delivery Dispute
Syrah Resources announced that Tesla has withdrawn its termination notice after the Australian miner delivered compliant active anode material samples, marking an interim win in their graphite supply dispute. The original 2021 offtake agreement calls for up to 8,000 tonnes...
MIT Breakthrough Halves Hard‑rock Lithium Refining Costs, Promises Greener Battery Supply Chain
MIT scientists have demonstrated a low‑temperature, closed‑loop method to extract battery‑grade lithium from spodumene that could cut refining costs by roughly 50% and slash waste. The breakthrough could shift hard‑rock lithium production away from China and accelerate on‑shoring of critical...
China Tightens Rare‑Earth Export Rules, Deepening Western Supply Risks
China has escalated its rare‑earth export restrictions, cutting off heavy elements such as dysprosium and terbium to Western buyers. The move widens price differentials—$1,100/kg in Europe versus $270/kg in China for dysprosium—and forces the U.S. and EU to accelerate domestic...
Azerbaijan’s Absheron Gas Project Advances with New Sales Agreement
State oil company SOCAR, together with TotalEnergies, ADNOC International and Turkey’s BOTAS, signed a natural‑gas sales and purchase agreement for the Absheron field during Baku Energy Week. The deal covers roughly half of the field’s anticipated output, with gas slated...
Why Mining Operations Are Outgrowing Wi-Fi
Mining operations are increasingly automated, making continuous, reliable connectivity a core piece of infrastructure. Traditional Wi‑Fi struggles with range, interference and the need to constantly relocate trailers, especially in open‑pit and underground sites. Private cellular networks—particularly 4G/5G—are being deployed to...
Why Mining Operations Are Outgrowing Wi-Fi
Mining operations are outgrowing Wi‑Fi as automation expands. Traditional Wi‑Fi struggles with range, interference, and constant retuning, especially in open‑pit and underground sites. Companies like Ericsson are deploying private 4G/5G networks that provide scalable, reliable coverage, reducing downtime, improving safety,...
The Canadian Mineral Imperative
Canada has slipped into recession despite being one of the world’s most resource‑rich nations. The downturn is attributed to a tangled web of permitting delays, costly regulatory duplication, and politically driven opposition that have choked oil, gas, mining and critical‑minerals...
Critical One, GIP Agree to Support Work at Howells Lake Project
Critical One Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding with Green Infrastructure Partners to support the Howells Lake antimony‑gold project in Ontario. GIP will lead road planning, civil engineering, and provide contract‑mining services, while also delivering heavy‑equipment operator training to...