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:
Broker’s Call: Coal India (Buy)
Geojit Retail Equity Research upgraded Coal India Ltd. (CIL) to a Buy, setting a new target price of ₹506 (≈ $6.10) from a current market price of ₹450.25 (≈ $5.42). The miner posted Q3 FY26 revenue of ₹34,924 crore (≈ $4.2 bn) and PAT of ₹7,166 crore (≈ $862 m), down 5.2% and 15.6% year‑on‑year respectively. CIL aims to lift output from 781 mt in FY25 to 1 bn mt by FY28‑29 while expanding into renewables, critical minerals and digital mine‑management. The broker expects a summer power‑demand surge and higher e‑auction prices to boost off‑take, supporting the revised valuation of 6.3× FY28E EV/EBITDA.
Gold Climbs to $4,500 as Iran Conflict Reaches Fifth Week
Gold rebounded to above $4,500 an ounce on Monday, marking a 1.3% rise after a 14% slide since the Iran conflict erupted in late February. The metal had previously peaked at $5,602 in January, then plunged to $4,100 before recovering....
Zimbabwe: Chinese Mining Firm Launches Tree Planting Drive Amid Environmental Concerns
Chinese-owned Ming Chang Sino‑Africa launched a tree‑planting drive in Shamva on the International Day of Forests, partnering with Mingchang Primary School and the Earth Co‑Existence Initiative. The program is presented as a concrete ESG effort to restore degraded land and...
Ferroglobe May Halt Operations if Not Afforded Reduced Electricity Tariffs
Ferroglobe South Africa warned it could shut all smelters if reduced electricity tariffs are not secured by 1 April. Electricity costs have surged more than 900% since 2007, now exceeding 50% of production expenses and eroding profitability. CEO Marco Levi said...
Aggreko on Energy Security for Mines in Africa & the Strengthening Case for Hybrid Power
Aggreko warns African mine operators that soaring diesel prices, driven by recent Brent crude spikes from $92 to over $113 per barrel, are inflating energy costs and exposing operations to fuel‑price volatility. The company advocates hybrid power—combining solar PV, battery...
History Written as CCS Technology Starts Operating on Board FPSO
Yinson Production has commissioned the world’s first post‑combustion carbon capture and storage (CCS) unit on its FPSO Agogo, operating off Angola. The system, built with Azule Energy and Carbon Circle, runs on the open‑source CESAR1 amine solvent, designed for low‑energy...
More U.S. Troops Arrive in Middle East
The episode covers the arrival of a 2,200‑person Marine Expeditionary Unit in the Middle East and the strategic options it gives President Trump amid the escalating Iran‑Israel conflict, including possible raids on the Strait of Hormuz and a daring uranium...
Congress Targets Tax Relief for Rare Earths as China Tightens Export Controls
U.S. lawmakers have introduced the Critical Minerals Investment Tax Modernization Act, which would lift the depletion allowance for domestically mined rare earth elements and scandium from 14% to 22%. The move is a direct response to Beijing’s April 2025 export...
Two New Campaigns with Equinor to Keep Reach Subsea’s USV at Work
Norway’s Reach Subsea has landed two additional call‑offs from state‑owned Equinor under their existing frame agreement, deploying its uncrewed surface vessel Reach Remote 1 for gas reservoir monitoring at the Troll field and extensive subsea inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) work...
Opportunities For Outperformance In The Small and Mid-Tier PM Producers (Part 1)
The article outlines how small and mid‑tier gold producers can deliver outsized returns compared with larger miners. It begins with mindset advice for investors before diving into the fundamentals and technicals of select stocks. The author highlights near‑term catalysts such...
Geothermal Engineering Tapping Watson-Marlow Peristaltic Pumps for Lithium Project
Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL) has deployed Watson‑Marlow 630 and Qdos peristaltic pumps to dose acids, alkalis and transfer lithium brine at its United Downs geothermal‑lithium plant, which began commercial zero‑carbon lithium carbonate production in February 2026. The pumps provide precise,...
Underground Mining Safety: Why Accidents Persist and What Technologies Help
Underground mining fatalities fell to an average of 3.1 per company in 2024, down from 4.3 in 2023, while injury rates also improved modestly. However, safety gains are uneven, with some operators still reporting dozens of deaths and others achieving...
Canada Moves to Save Glencore’s Quebec Copper Smelter
The Canadian and Quebec governments are negotiating to keep Glencore's Horne copper smelter open after the miner threatened closure over new arsenic‑emission rules. Quebec proposed delaying the 15 ng/m³ limit until 2029, while Ottawa is reviewing a roughly C$150 million ($111 million USD)...
Aureka Sends Survey Drones Skyward to Unlock Victorian Gold Potential
Aureka Limited has launched a low‑altitude, high‑resolution drone magnetic survey over its Irvine gold project in Victoria’s Stawell Corridor. The survey, flying at 50 metres with 50‑metre line spacing, aims to deliver a dramatically clearer picture of subsurface structures than the...
Oil-to-CO2 Storage Wells Begin Transformation Journey Offshore Denmark
Denmark’s Greensand Future project is converting legacy North Sea oil wells into carbon‑capture storage wells at the Nini West field, roughly 240 km northwest of Esbjerg. The initiative follows a 2022 permit for up to 15,000 t of CO₂ injection and the...
Congo Deepens China Mining Ties Amid US Rivalry
The Democratic Republic of Congo signed a new agreement with China to deepen cooperation in its mining sector, covering geological data sharing, investment protection, and promotion of local processing. The deal gives Chinese firms priority on the MIFOR iron‑ore project...
Are Mining Companies Setting Themselves up for Failure in Innovation?
Mining supplies half of the global economy, yet many firms treat innovation as a reactive fix rather than a strategic capability. This short‑term mindset hampers productivity, slows technology adoption, and threatens long‑term resilience. Industry analysts warn that without embedding innovation...
EVs Were Meant to Bypass Oil. Now They’re Stuck at the Strait of Hormuz
Electric vehicles rely heavily on Gulf‑sourced aluminum, but the U.S.–Iran conflict has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, forcing major smelters in Bahrain and Qatar to cut or halt output. Toyota and Nissan have already trimmed production by roughly 40,000 units,...
Big Oil to Look Beyond Middle East as War Raises Risks
Escalating conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran has damaged Gulf energy infrastructure and closed the Strait of Hormuz, costing the region roughly $1 billion daily in lost export revenue. The heightened geopolitical risk is forcing Western oil majors to reassess...
Greenland Resources Signs Molybdenum Supply Deal with ROGESA
Greenland Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding with ROGESA, the German steel joint venture of Dillinger and Saarstahl, to supply molybdenum products over the long term. The ore will be mined in Greenland and refined in Belgium to meet...
Technology and ESG Redefine the Mine Surveyor’s Role in Modern Day Operations
The mine surveying profession is evolving from pure spatial measurement to a pivotal ESG-driven function, a shift highlighted at the Association of Mine Surveyors of Zimbabwe’s Q1 technical visit to Dallaglio’s Pickstone. Growing investor pressure makes ESG compliance a prerequisite...
Category 5 Storm Makes Damage to Oil Field Offshore Western Australia
Jadestone Energy reported that Cyclone Narelle, a Category 5 storm with winds over 200 km/h, damaged its Stag offshore oil field in Western Australia. The company shut down the platform on March 23, demobilised it, and discovered damage upon return on March 28. Jadestone...
Liebherr’s R 9100 G8 Mining Excavator Heading for Series Production
Liebherr announced that its new 100‑ton R 9100 G8 mining excavator is now available for purchase and will enter series production in the June quarter for the backhoe version and September for the face shovel. Field validation at PT Madhani...
Al Taweelah Outage Threatens UAE Aluminium, Bauxite, Freight Markets
Al Taweelah smelter damage raises new risks for UAE aluminium supply, bauxite flows, and Gulf freight markets. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/al-taweelah-smelter-damage-raises-new.html
Metso to Provide Southern Peru Copper with VSF SX-EW Plants for Tia Maria Project
Metso has secured a €100 million ($115 million) contract with Southern Peru Copper to supply VSF® solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX‑EW) plants for the Tia Maria project in Arequipa, Peru. The plant will produce 120,000 tonnes per year of LME‑grade copper cathodes and is...
Locksley Reveals Ultra-Stable Battery Material in US Antimony Push
Locksley Resources, partnering with Rice University, has created an ultra‑stable antimony‑graphite battery material that incorporates up to 20% antimony. The collaboration uses a deep eutectic solvent (DES) process to extract high‑purity antimony without conventional flotation, accelerating a US‑focused mine‑to‑market supply...
West Wits Banks Fuel Supply as SA Gold Project Gears for Grid Power
West Wits Mining has secured 163,000 litres of diesel to cover up to four months of operation at its Qala Shallows gold project while awaiting a grid power connection slated for Q4 2026. The company is adding a 23,000‑litre mobile storage...
Liberia: Liberia Losing Millions in Mining Revenue As $2.7b Trade Gap Raises Smuggling Fears - Report
A new assessment commissioned by Forest Trends finds a $2.7 billion discrepancy between Liberia's reported mining exports and global import data, indicating massive revenue leakage. Mining firms reported $844 million in payments, while import records show $7.8 billion in Liberian minerals, suggesting smuggling,...
Angola: Authorities Arrest 15 Citizens for Alleged Illegal Gold Mining
Angolan police arrested 15 citizens in Ndalatando for suspected illegal gold mining, seizing 38 g of gold, a weighing scale, food supplies, and a Toyota Land Cruiser valued at roughly $500. The operation targeted the Golungo Alto municipality in Cuanza‑Norte, a...
IDTechEx Report Examines Critical Minerals Recycling
IDTechEx’s new report estimates that 21‑34% of the world’s platinum‑group metals (PGMs) come from recycled scrap, driven largely by spent automotive catalysts. Companies such as Umicore, DOWA, Johnson Matthey and Tanaka Precious Metals can recover platinum, palladium and rhodium at purities...
Belfast Grant Boosts UK Rare‑Earth Recycling and Supply Resilience
The Belfast magnet recycling grant supports UK rare earth processing and strengthens local supply chain resilience. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/belfast-magnet-recycling-grant.html
LatAm Has Resource Buffer if Iran War Hurts Growth: BlackRock
BlackRock’s senior strategist says Latin America’s abundant metal reserves give the region a buffer against a potential global slowdown triggered by the Iran‑Israel conflict. The area’s copper, lithium and nickel supplies are essential for the AI‑driven hardware boom, providing a...
SDI Accelerates 2026 Ramp-Up at Columbus Aluminum Mill
SDI expects a faster 2026 ramp-up at its Columbus aluminum mill as automotive product capability nears completion. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/sdi-aluminum-mill-ramp-up-accelerates.html
Iran's Resource Crisis Threatens Global Energy and Food Security
We are getting to that point of doom on Iran where X got to on Ukraine. Back then without gas and food we were going to be cholipping frozen, starved, dead Europeans of the streets. This time it's oil, gas,...
ABx Advances Hydrogen Fluoride Pilot Plant as Strategic Importance Grows
ABx Group’s subsidiary ALCORE Limited has lodged an Environmental Effects Report for its hydrogen fluoride pilot plant in Bell Bay, Tasmania, marking a regulatory milestone. Civil design is complete, a building permit has been applied for, and the first equipment...
Helium Shortage Threatens AI Chip Production and Markets
Helium is a key supply for making semiconductor chips. We just blew up 30% of the world supply. No helium means no AI chips. No AI chips means no AI data centers. Supply shock will be felt in the markets🩸
Gold-in-Soil Anomalies Found at New Griffon Targets
Nevada Sunrise Metals $NEV.V $NVSGF Identifies Gold-in-Soil Anomalies over New Target Areas at the Griffon Gold Mine Project, Nevada https://t.co/SbwK48SHhY [I own shares and I am compensated by the company.] https://t.co/nr6VBsE32t
Bullabulling Results Strengthen Minerals 260’s Gold Footprint
Minerals 260 reported high‑grade drill results from its 100%‑owned Bullabulling gold project, including a 7‑metre intercept grading 7.2 g/t gold with a 2‑metre core of 22.6 g/t. The latest assay data from 22 holes, totalling 5,425 metres, confirm mineralisation beyond the current 4.5‑million‑ounce resource...
Lithium Rebound Lifts Aussie Producers, but Fuel Costs Threaten Gains
Observing the rebound in lithium prices and its positive effect on Australian producers. That said, the rising fuel costs could well offset any gains this quarter.
US Secures Rare Earth Processing Amid China Export Dominance
China. Rare earth exports. What about the deal the US made? And the processing of them?
Critical Minerals Institute Announces CMI Summit 5: “The New Critical Minerals Economy” — Toronto, May 13–14, 2026
The Critical Minerals Institute will host its fifth annual summit in Toronto on May 13‑14, 2026, under the theme “The New Critical Minerals Economy.” The two‑day forum will bring together senior executives, policymakers, institutional investors and technical experts to discuss...
Buy Quality, Skip Speculative Charts for Real Returns
Fiona’s advice for the week. Buy quality. Avoid stocks with no clear path to production. Pretty charts have never produced an LCE. https://t.co/vpJ1GyI4oZ
Italy May Postpone Coal Plant Shutdowns Until 2038
Italy mulls delaying the closure of all its coal-fired power stations until 2038 (~15 years later than previously expected) https://t.co/qK3WeCnJoP
DRC, Zambia, and Tanzania Move to Modernize Southern Central Corridor
The Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Tanzania have signed off on feasibility studies to modernise the southern segment of the Central Corridor, the key trade artery linking Dar es Salaam port to regional mining hubs. The project, backed by...
War‑Driven Oil Shortage Forces Demand Destruction
COLUMN: Five weeks into the Third Gulf War, the math of oil-barrel counting is intractable: The world is short of the black stuff. Enter demand destruction. @Opinion https://t.co/Y2DPUcHM8s
WGC Urges Aussies to Buy Gold Amid Rate Hikes
World Gold Council says Australian investors should buy bullion’s price dip despite RBA rate rises https://t.co/xE9qJc1wol
Trump Mulls Risky Iran Uranium Raid, Potential Long‑Term US Presence
President Trump is weighing a military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran, a complex mission that would likely put U.S. forces inside the country for days or longer https://t.co/PVdMhPXLXf
Refiners Shift to Brent as Dubai Benchmark Falters
JUST IN: Some oil refiners turn to Brent Oil as Dubai benchmark becomes increasingly unstable https://t.co/t3Ib44eX0I
US‑Australia Mining Ties Stay Strong, Says Trump’s Minerals Chief
Donald Trump’s critical minerals Tsar Joshua Kroon assures Australian mining bosses US alliance remains strong https://t.co/RcFj8VHoes
Glomar and Cobalt Blue to Build US Deep‑sea Mineral Refinery
March 30 (Reuters) - Deep-sea mining firm Glomar Minerals and Australia's Cobalt Blue Holdings said on Monday they plan to build a U.S. refinery to process critical minerals extracted from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean within three years.