Today's Mining Pulse
Indonesia grants export monopoly to state trader DSI, targeting $66bn 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 PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia. The policy seeks to capture roughly $66.13 billion in annual resource revenues—about 23.4% of exports—and to curb $908 billion in historic tax leakage.
Also developing:
Dellner Bubenzer – Meeting Mining’s Challenges
Dellner Bubenzer provides a broad portfolio of brakes and couplings tailored for mining hoists, slewing drives and belt conveyors, beginning each project with a detailed application analysis of torque, duty cycles and safety requirements. The company highlights its SB series service brakes and SF series emergency brakes for hoists, as well as robust KFB, SFB and SB17MX brakes for slewing drives, and specialized couplings for conveyor drivetrains. Ongoing R&D in Germany and Italy supports continuous improvement, while digital solutions like the BCC3000 system enable condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. Positioned as a premium supplier, Dellner Bubenzer leverages higher upfront costs to deliver lower total cost of ownership through reliability and extensive retrofit opportunities.
Unwrapping Deforestation: Your Chocolate Easter Bunny May Harm the Environment
An analysis by Global Witness shows that UK cocoa imports triggered over 2,000 hectares (≈4,940 acres) of deforestation in 2025, chiefly in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Since the 2021 Environment Act, total forest‑risk commodity exposure linked to UK imports has...
Editorial: Where Discoveries Begin
The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention drew a record 32,000 attendees and over 1,300 exhibitors, underscoring its status as the mining industry’s premier networking forum. AngloGold Ashanti’s chief geologist Paul Bartos captured the PDAC Thayer Lindsley Discovery...
Tungsten Supply Risks Mount as China Controls Exports, Japan Cuts WF6 Output
The semiconductor industry is confronting a new supply bottleneck as China tightens export controls on tungsten, the raw material for tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) gas. Japanese WF6 producers, responsible for roughly 25% of global output, plan to cut production in the...
Oil Analysts' Warnings Ignored Until Supply Shocks Hit
Oil experts are an interesting breed of people. They are sorta like gold bugs. For long periods they sit in a distant corner of the financial markets. We pass by their desks and they nod at us...
Another 20-Year LNG Offtake Lands in Mexican Project’s Bag
International Resources Holding (IRH) has signed a 20‑year sale‑and‑purchase agreement to purchase 1 mtpa of LNG from Amigo LNG’s upcoming export terminal in Guaymas, Sonora. Deliveries are slated to begin in the second half of 2028 when the project’s first liquefaction...
U.S. Accelerates Critical Minerals Drive Amid China’s Dominance
Senators and the Department of Energy are rolling out a legislative package and funding initiatives aimed at slashing U.S. reliance on China for critical minerals. The plan couples new “strategic resilience” legislation with fast‑tracked domestic projects such as Lithium Americas’...
Indonesian Geothermal Projects Stall Amid Indigenous Concerns over Justice
Indonesia’s ambitious geothermal program on Flores, once touted as a renewable‑energy showcase, has stalled after nearly a decade of delays. The project, initially backed by the World Bank and Germany’s KfW, faced sustained opposition from Manggarai Indigenous communities concerned about...
Last Energy Crisis, This Sector Went Up 20x (Ferg Cullen)
In this episode, trader Ferg Cullen breaks down the current energy crunch, highlighting how the EU’s abrupt move away from Russian gas and nuclear power has left it vulnerable, while Asia’s coal demand surges. Cullen explains his bullish call on...
The Energy Transition Has Its Own Strait of Hormuz
The clean‑energy transition is reshaping global energy chokepoints, moving vulnerability from oil‑laden sea lanes to the supply chains of critical minerals. Recent crises, such as the Iran war, have highlighted how dependent nations are on these new bottlenecks in refining,...
Proven in Canada: Komatsu Launches Its Largest Hydraulic Mining Excavator
Komatsu Germany Mining Division has globally launched the PC9000‑12, the largest hydraulic mining excavator in its lineup, after a successful rollout in Canada. The machine can handle 46‑m³ front‑shovel or 49‑m³ backhoe buckets and load 240‑400‑ton trucks in three to...
Trump's 25% Metal Tariff Reshapes Supply
Trump’s new metal tariff policy applies a 25pc flat rate on many derivative imports and reshapes downstream costs. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/trump-metal-tariff-policy-reshapes.html
Mediterranean Gas Field Back Online After Shutdown Due to Regional Safety Woes
Chevron Mediterranean Limited and its partners have restarted gas production at Israel’s Leviathan field after a 33‑day shutdown triggered by regional security tensions. The suspension, caused by the U.S.–Israel military response to Iran and related LNG disruptions, is not expected...
Copper Turns Macro Hedge, Volatility Outpaces Fundamentals
Copper is increasingly trading like a macro hedge, raising volatility far beyond what near-term fundamentals imply. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/copper-as-macro-hedge-is-rewriting.html
Fastmarkets Proposes to Amend Publication Times, Holiday Pricing Schedule for Asian Base Metals Assessments
Fastmarkets has proposed shifting the publication schedule for its Asian base‑metal assessments from UK working hours to China or Singapore working hours, aligning the holiday calendar with local markets. The change also introduces new cut‑off times for several copper assessments...
Hindustan Zinc’s Mined Metal Output Rises in Q4; Silver Production Slips
Hindustan Zinc Ltd reported a modest rise in mined metal output to 315,000 tonnes in Q4 FY26, a 2% increase year‑on‑year. Refined metal production grew 5% to 282,000 tonnes, while silver output slipped 0.2% to 176 tonnes. The company's wind‑power...
Glencore's 2025 Copper, Nickel Output Drops Amid Disruptions
Glencore’s 2025 copper and nickel output fell as lower grades, mine sequencing, and operational disruptions hit key assets. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/glencore-copper-and-nickel-output.html
China's Shadow Firm Challenges BHP's Iron Ore Pricing Power
A standoff with BHP shows how China is using a powerful but opaque entity to challenge the pricing clout of the world’s top iron ore producers https://t.co/HCF3mt12DC
Zimbabwe: Botha Mine's Appeal Bid Questioned As Court-Ordered Inspection Goes Ahead
Zimbabwe’s Bindura Magistrates Court ordered an environmental site inspection at Botha Mine, while the company filed a last‑minute appeal to the High Court in Bulawayo. EMA invited all stakeholders to the verification on 2 April, but Botha Mine’s appeal is deemed...
Gasoline Stays Cheap While Oil Shock Fuels Politics
In any oil shock, the most politically charged part of the barrel is gasoline. Ironically in this crisis, gasoline is the least affected. (That doesn’t reduce the economic impact of sky high oil prices via diesel, jet fuel and fuel oil....
Leading UK Climate Scientists Warn Against New North Sea Drilling
A coalition of leading UK climate scientists has publicly warned the government against approving new oil and gas drilling licences in the North Sea. They argue that the additional production would generate roughly 30 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, undermining the...
Tanker Shipping Market Very Tight Due to Dislocation of Tonnage
A New York panel convened by NYMAR and YSPNY warned that tanker markets have become exceptionally tight after the onset of Operation Epic Fury, which displaced VLCCs and forced Suezmaxes and Aframaxes onto Asian routes. Panelists highlighted Asia’s heightened dependence on Middle‑East crude...
Will a B.C. Copper Smelter Make Economic Sense? – by Daisy Xiong (Business In Vancouver – April 1, 2026)
The federal and British Columbia governments are studying a proposed copper smelter and refinery on the West Coast to capture more value from the province’s copper output. BC produces roughly half of Canada’s copper but currently lacks any domestic processing...
Vale Base Metals Prioritizes Existing Assets, Including Sudbury, over M&A – by Staff (Sudbury Star – April 1, 2026)
Vale Base Metals announced it will focus on organic growth, developing existing assets such as its extensive Sudbury operations, rather than pursuing mergers or acquisitions. CEO Shaun Usmar emphasized that consolidation does not immediately increase the metal volumes the market...
China Is Taking on Mining Giants to Reorder a $190 Billion Market – by Alfred Cang and Katharine Gemmell (MSN.com...
China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG), a central‑government entity, is confronting BHP Group in a high‑stakes battle over iron‑ore pricing, aiming to convert China’s massive consumption into pricing power. The dispute centers on the $190 billion global iron‑ore market, the world’s most...
‘Momentum Is Good’: Corb Lund Making Stops Across Province This Weekend for Anti-Coal Mining Petition – by Stephen Tipper (Calgary...
Alberta country star Corb Lund is hitting 14 stops across the province this weekend to rally support for his Water Not Coal petition, which aims to block new coal mines on the eastern slopes of the Rockies. The three‑month signature...
Ventura Offshore Secures Brazil Rig Extensions with Petrobras
Ventura Offshore announced contract extensions for two of its offshore rigs operating in Brazil. The 2009‑built SSV Victoria will receive a 1,455‑day extension starting January 2027, adding roughly $466 million to the company’s backlog. The drillship Atlantic Zonda secured a 365‑day extension...
Gunmen Kill Over 70 in South Sudan Gold‑Mine Clash, Spotlighting Mining Violence
Gunmen attacked a gold‑mine site in South Sudan, leaving over 70 dead. The massacre, reported by Xinhua via Big News Network, highlights the deadly intersection of mineral extraction and armed conflict in the region, raising urgent questions about security, governance...
India’s First Iranian Oil Shipment Rerouted to China
🇮🇳While the media highlighted India's first Iranian oil shipment in recent years, Kpler tracking now shows the vessel has been redirected to China. Will get an update tomorrow. Map form @Kpler
U.S. Targets 69 Million‑Acre Pacific Seabed Near Guam in Rare‑Earth Race with China
The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced a plan to lease 69 million acres of Pacific seabed near Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands for deep‑sea mining. The move, aimed at reducing reliance on China for...
Sponsored Article: Revival Gold Preps for 2027 Mercur Decision After Strong Assays
Revival Gold reported high‑grade assay results from its historic Mercur gold mine in Utah, including 9.8 g/t Au over 5.7 m in drill hole RMC25‑028. The company has finished 13,000 m of drilling and aims to release a prefeasibility study in early 2027,...
‘Phytocapture’ From Kazakhstan Research Institute Helps Trap Airborne Dust Near Gold Mine
China's Zijin Mining will spend $500 million to build a processing plant in Kazakhstan after acquiring RG Gold for $1.2 billion. RG Gold, now part of Zijin, has planted over 100,000 Scots pine trees across 20 hectares to capture dust from its Raygorodok open‑pit...
Tariffs Strained U.S. Aluminum Supplies. Now the Iran War Is Making It Worse.
U.S. tariffs on imported aluminum have tightened domestic supply, and the escalating conflict in Iran is further disrupting global metal shipments. Manufacturers like Awake Window & Door in Arizona are already cutting production, while Reitnouer Trailers relies on roughly 4,500 pounds...
Record Hormuz Outflow: 4 Million Barrels, War‑Era Peak
Everything suggests that at least ~4 million barrels of crude exited the Strait of Hormuz today. Largest outflow since the 1st day of the Third Gulf War. (... And yes, that's a fraction of the 20 million barrels a day...
Barrick Warns of “Significant Increases” To Budget, Timeline for Pakistan Copper Project
Barrick Gold warned that its Reko Diq copper project in Pakistan could see "significant increases" to the previously disclosed capital budget and a delayed timeline. The miner now expects to extend the project review until mid‑2027 due to escalating security...
Geopolitics Drive Record US Oil Exports and Price Surge
🎯 Following the Hormuz Crisis, U.S. exports of petroleum products surged to a record high last month as Europe suffers for high diesel and jet fuel prices, while Venezuela’s crude oil exports reached their highest level in six years. 🎯Following Trump's...
US Hits Record Petroleum, Naphtha, LNG Exports Post‑Hormuz
Most recent interview.... Note: New record highs for the US after the closure of Hormuz: 🎯Export of petroleum products 🎯Exports of Naphtha 🎯Exports of LNG
America’s War Machine Runs on Tungsten—And It Could Run Out
U.S. military operations against Iran have exposed a critical dependence on tungsten, a metal essential for armor‑piercing rounds and rocket nozzles. Prices have surged more than 500% as existing stockpiles dwindle, and the United States imports the majority of its...
Oil Prices Surge, Other Energy Markets Remain Flat
Third Gulf War — energy impact (week-on-week; Fri-to-Thu because Easter): Dated Brent oil: ⏫ +17.5% (note physical, not futures) WTI crude oil: ⏫ +12.2% Newcastle coal: ↔️ +1.5% EU nat gas TTF ⏬ -7.6% German power:...
Trump Increases Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum, Copper
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strengthens Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Imports – The White House https://t.co/IXDEgVOFVH
Proterial Ltd. Targets India's Rare‑Earth Magnet Incentive to Cut China Dependence
Japan’s Proterial Ltd., owned by a Bain Capital‑led consortium, is weighing participation in India’s newly announced incentive scheme for rare‑earth magnet production. The move signals a strategic push to shift part of the supply chain out of China and into...
SLV vs SLVP: Investors Weigh Lower-Cost Miner ETF Against Liquid Silver Trust After Price Plunge
The iShares Silver Trust (SLV) and iShares MSCI Global Silver & Metals Miners ETF (SLVP) are under fresh scrutiny as silver prices slipped below $74 per ounce. SLV, a $36 billion physical‑silver fund, offers direct exposure but higher fees, while SLVP...
Relief as Soybean and Corn Prices Remain Low
All this sticking a fork in soybeans and corn makes me feel so much better that we are not near our highs yet. Even the farmers hate it going up. Lol. Have a great holiday Eater weekend and back...
Administration Adjusts Metals Tariffs
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation revising the 2025 steel, aluminum and copper tariffs. Derivative products containing less than 15% metal are now duty‑free, while those above that threshold see the rate drop from 50% to 25% and are assessed...
Boliden Secures 60% of Expanding Duke Copper-Gold JV
Boliden Canada completes a $30M earn-in for 60% interest in @HDI_Amarc's DUKE #copper-#gold district, officially converting it into a 60/40 joint venture. This district is a prize: it keeps getting bigger and is still open. Stock is top buyout candidate:...
CassiarGold's Taurus PEA Launches on Scalable Near‑Surface Deposit
The PEA for @CassiarGold's Taurus project gets underway, a deposit that already has scale, near-surface geometry, road access, infrastructure and ongoing metallurgy work—and now gets engineering. See what hockey player JV likens to this #gold company: https://t.co/961XUgqouQ
Komatsu Launches Its Largest Mining Excavator Globally After Successful Operations in Canada
Komatsu has launched the PC9000‑12, the company’s largest hydraulic mining excavator, following a successful pilot in Canada. The machine can move more than 80 tons per pass and achieve production rates of roughly 8,000 tons per hour. It is offered in diesel...
No Deal Imminent; Hormuz Likely Stays Closed This Weekend
I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think we’re anywhere close to having a “deal” or the strait of Hormuz opening anytime soon. This 3 day weekend could be a absolute sh-t show and almost expect it to be...
Global Commodities: A Month of Disruption
In this episode, JP Morgan analysts Greg Scheer (Precious Metals) and Tatar de Boadze (European Natural Gas) dissect the fallout from the escalating Middle‑East conflict on commodities. They note historically low European gas inventories (18‑28% full) and limited LNG flows, while oil...
Energy Security Drives Coal ETF Assets to Double in March
The Range Global Coal Index ETF (COAL) saw assets double in March as investors rushed into coal amid heightened energy‑security concerns triggered by the Persian Gulf conflict. COAL climbed just over 11% in the month and has delivered roughly 60%...