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:
Valaris Drillship Spins the Drill Bit at Equinor’s $9 Billion Brazilian Gas Project
Equinor has launched the drilling phase of its $9 billion Raia gas project off Brazil’s coast using Valaris' DS‑17 drillship. The campaign targets six pre‑salt wells in 2,900‑meter water, aiming for first gas production by 2028. The development will export up to 16 million cubic meters of gas daily, covering roughly 15% of Brazil’s demand. The project’s FPSO is designed for low‑carbon emissions, supporting long‑term cash flow and regional energy security.
Despite Low Demand, China Drives 5% Increase in Iron Ore Shipments
Global iron ore shipments rose 5% year‑over‑year in the first 12 weeks of 2026, driven by stronger Chinese import demand. Yet Chinese steel production slipped 4% in the same period, pushing inventories to a record 179.5 million tonnes by March 12....
US Rare‑Earth Stocks Diverge as Policy Push Fuels Funding and Risk
USA Rare Earth secured $1.6 billion in U.S. government funding and $1.5 billion from private investors, while MP Materials’ shares have fallen 47% from their October peak despite a Department of Defense price‑floor contract. The contrasting moves underscore how policy incentives are...
Celsius Linked to Fresh LNG Carrier Order at Samsung Heavy
Denmark’s Celsius Tankers has secured a new order for two 180,000 m³ LNG carriers from Samsung Heavy Industries, valued at roughly KRW 770 billion ($514 million). The vessels are scheduled for delivery through September 2028, adding to Celsius’s existing portfolio of about 24...
Advance Metals Expands Gold Footprint at Happy Valley with Strong Maiden Drilling Results
Advance Metals Limited announced that its maiden regional drilling at the Happy Valley Project in Victoria has identified new gold mineralization zones beyond the core deposit, expanding the known 13‑km trend. The Queen of the Hills prospect returned up to...
Pantera Completes First Modern Exploration Program at Historic US Silver–Antimony District
Pantera Minerals announced the completion of its first modern exploration program at the 100%‑owned Gillham Project in southwest Arkansas. Rock‑chip assays returned up to 3.92% antimony alongside strong silver, lead, gold and base‑metal grades, while soil sampling identified anomalies as...
Iran Blocks Strait, Traps 25 Million Barrels of Iraqi Oil
About 25 million barrels of Iraqi Basrah crude are trapped on tankers in the Gulf. Iran claims control of the passage — so why is it blocking Iraq’s oil? Does Iran want the Iraqi government to go bancrupt? العراق: نحو...
Nigeria: Rutten - Predictability, Efficient Process Key to Unlocking Minerals Economy
The newly renamed Critical Minerals Financing Corporation (CMFC) Plc, led by veteran Lamon Rutten, announced its strategy to fund the entire minerals value chain in Nigeria, from exploration to downstream trading. Rutten says the company will use secured, asset‑backed financing...
Africa: Alake Advocates Regional Hubs to Power Africa's Mining Industry
Nigerian Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake called for creation of regional energy hubs to boost Africa’s mining industrialisation at the Powering Africa Summit in Washington. He highlighted that over $2.6 bn of foreign direct investment has flowed into Nigeria’s mining...
Nornickel Bets on AI to Find Palladium Uses
Nornickel, the world’s largest palladium producer, has launched a $100 million AI initiative to discover new uses for the metal as electric vehicles erode its traditional auto‑catalyst market. The Palladium Center, created in 2023, targets an additional 1.7 million ounces of annual...
Itochu Enters E-Waste Management with View to Rare Earths Recycling
Itochu Corp., one of Japan's largest trading houses, announced a joint venture with a U.S. firm to manage electronic waste and recover rare earth metals from devices such as laptops and smartphones. The company projects Japan's e‑waste management market to...
Chinese State‑Owned Vessels Use Only 6% of Time in ISA‑Granted Deep‑Sea Mining Zones
Eight Chinese state‑owned research vessels allocated deep‑sea mining licences by the International Seabed Authority have logged only about 6% of their total open‑water time inside the designated zones. The Mongabay‑CNN investigation highlights frequent trips to militarily strategic waters, AIS shutdowns...
Rio Tinto Targets Broader Aluminium Footprint, Division CEO Says
Rio Tinto’s aluminium division is accelerating a global diversification strategy, adding projects in Europe, India and Brazil while expanding its low‑carbon AP60 smelter technology. The AP60 system, already operating in Quebec, reduces greenhouse‑gas emissions to about one‑seventh of the industry...
Forget FalconBridge. NexGen Is Gilman's Big Score
In this episode, host Trav sits down with Warren Gilman, head of Queens Road Capital and board member of NextGen, to recount his 25‑year career in mining investment banking. Gilman details landmark deals—including the $1.4 billion Falconbridge IPO, a record‑size secondary...
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Push Energy Deals Despite War
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are pressing ahead with multibillion‑dollar energy transactions despite Iran’s recent attacks on regional oil and gas assets. Kuwait Petroleum aims to raise up to $7 billion by leasing part of its pipeline network, attracting private‑equity and infrastructure...
Jogmec Invests C$6M for 10% Stake in Manitoba Copper Venture
Jogmec joins Manitoba copper exploration with Hudbay and Marubeni, funding C$6mn for a 10% option. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/jogmec-manitoba-copper-exploration.html
Russia Builds LNG Dark Fleet
Russia is expanding its clandestine LNG shipping network by acquiring three 20‑year‑old carriers that have been transferred to a newly created Turkish company and reflagged under Sierra Leone. The vessels are currently idle, sailing in ballast around the Cape of...
Dolphin Scheelite Supplies for Traxys
Group 6 Metals, the operator of the Dolphin scheelite project in Tasmania, has secured a multi‑year offtake extension with European trading house Traxys. The agreement is valued at roughly US$1.75 billion (about A$2.5 billion) and guarantees a minimum supply of 10,000 tonnes of tungsten...
Gemfields Girds Market for Loss, Debt Pressure
Gemfields, the leading ruby and emerald miner, warned it will post a loss for the 2025 financial year ending December, citing weak gemstone prices, a delayed expansion project, and operational disruptions such as illegal mining. The company expects a headline...
Beyond the Slump: Why the 2026 EV Slowdown Could Favour Zimbabwe’s Lithium Strategy
Global passenger EV sales slipped 6% year‑on‑year in January 2026, with battery deployments plunging 42% month‑on‑month. Despite the volume decline, average battery capacity rose 8%, pushing lithium intensity up to 21.4 kg per pack. Zimbabwe’s new ban on raw lithium concentrate...
Ecuador Passes Mining Reforms as Solaris Resources (TSX:SLS) Advances Warintza Project
Ecuador’s National Assembly approved sweeping mining reforms with a 77‑70‑4 vote, introducing a three‑tier environmental authorization system and measures against illegal mining. The new framework aims to streamline permits for large‑scale projects while formalizing artisanal operations. Solaris Resources’ Warintza copper...
Teck Reaches Upper 2025 Copper Guidance Despite Tailings Limits
Teck hits the top end of 2025 copper guidance as Quebrada Blanca tailings constraints remain. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/teck-hits-top-end-2025-copper-guidance.html
H3 Energy Helium Play Adds Spark to South Australia Gas Ambitions
Australian explorer H3 Energy has initiated a targeted helium assessment across the Milford and Milford East structures of its Alinya project in South Australia’s Officer Basin. The study follows Sproule ERCE’s independent estimate of up to 209 billion cubic feet of helium...
Africa: 'At Africa's First Our Ocean Conference, a Test of Global Will On High Seas Protection and Deep-Sea Mining'
The 11th Our Ocean Conference convenes in Mombasa and Kilifi, Kenya from June 16‑18, 2026, marking the first time the summit is hosted on African soil. Delegates will grapple with the newly effective High‑Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement) and its implications...
Unearthing the Ground: Architecture and the Politics of Oil
Petroleum’s extraction, transport and petrochemical by‑products form a hidden architectural layer that reshapes cities worldwide. From Baku’s early oil‑filled coastline to Texas fields and Gulf complexes, oil infrastructure converts geological depth into economic value, dictating land division, road placement and...
Australia’s Worst Big Gold Miner Could Become A Star Performer
Northern Star Resources, Australia’s largest gold miner, saw its shares plunge 40% after a troubled upgrade at the Kalgoorlie Fimiston mine caused production downgrades and rising costs. The decline outpaced the 15% drop in gold prices, prompting a wave of...
Flynn Gold Unlocks Shallow High-Grade Tungsten at Firetower
Flynn Gold re‑sampled historic drill holes at its Firetower project in Tasmania, revealing shallow, high‑grade gold‑tungsten mineralisation. Notable intersections include 10 m grading 2.64 g/t gold and 0.19% tungsten, and 17 m with up to 4.09 g/t gold and 0.58% tungsten. The results confirm...
Latrobe Takes Leap Forward with High-Grade Magnesium Production
Latrobe Magnesium completed a two‑week continuous run at its Hazelwood North demonstration plant, producing roughly 20 tonnes of magnesium oxide (MgO) at about 90 % purity. The result validates the company’s patented hydrometallurgical flowsheet, which requires only minor adjustments to exceed 95 %...
China’s SGE Silver Trades 11% Premium to Spot
Good morning china 🇨🇳 At open on Tuesday, 3/24 SGE #Silver traded at RMB 16830.0/kg ($76.088/Troy oz) Spot #Silver is $68.440/Troy oz SGE premium at 11.2% over spot
Sulphur Prices Surge 40% Amid Existing Deficit
Sulphur prices now up 40% since before the Iran War Unlike oil, the sulphur market was already in severe deficit https://t.co/gMiE3tcho5
Redefining Reliability: When Systems Wait, Operations Pay the Price
Australian mining operators are increasingly halted not by equipment failure but by prolonged waits for critical OEM components, as global supply chains stretch lead times from weeks to months. Geopolitical tensions and freight disruptions have turned part availability into a...
Silver Stabilizes Above $70 per Ounce
Silver prices find new floor around $70 an ounce #energysky -- via pv magazine usa: https://t.co/uxezjzwLQq
Oil Prices Fueled More by Conflict Expectations Than Supply
The oil price is a combination of two things: (i) a physical shortage of oil in the here and now; and (ii) expectations for how long this conflict lasts. The latter channel is by far the more important one in...
Multi-Billion-Dollar Copper Boom for Queensland
Queensland’s government has declared Harmony Gold’s Eva copper project a large‑resource development, allocating roughly $1.5 billion USD in capital. The mine, located near Cloncurry and Mount Isa, is slated to produce about 60,000 tonnes of copper and 19,000 troy ounces of gold each...
Bargain Hunters May Drive Silver Rally Before Month‑end
Will bargain buyers come into silver before month end? Last April we saw similar correction before silver went for $100 run. https://t.co/8s8UPSrWxJ
African Metal Bans Threaten Chinese Battery Supply Investments
African export restrictions on battery metals are a blow to Chinese companies that have spent billions of dollars developing mines there to dominate supplies https://t.co/yoI9r6fpaN
Ecuador’s Broken Oil Industry Faces Violent Headwinds
Ecuador’s oil output is collapsing as landslides, aging pipelines and a wave of sabotage slash production. The country’s role as a transshipment hub for roughly 70% of the world’s cocaine has sparked a 20‑fold surge in fuel theft and violent...
Fuel Shortages Stem From Hoarding, Not Just Demand
Hoarding creates the fuel supply problem All "servos out of petrol stories" ought be accompanied by specific mention of which fuel - otherwise they're just click-bait What aren't more stories reporting and shaming the hoarders? https://t.co/2PxaL3xXgP
Australia’s Lithium Overlooked Even by Geosciences Australia
Why isn't lithium from Australia front page news? Geosciences Australia doesn't think it is, either
Indigenous Groups Demand Halt to Belo Sun Amazon Gold Mine
More than 120 Indigenous protesters, led by Indigenous women, have occupied a federal building in Altamira, Brazil, demanding that authorities block the license for Belo Sun's Volta Grande gold mine on the Xingu River. A February 13 court ruling reinstated...
Cyclone Narelle Threatens Australia's Energy and Mining Sectors
Narelle, a cyclone that menaced Australia’s northeast coast last week, now threatens to disrupt energy and mining operations in the country’s west https://t.co/lW7pIQXkcI
Mysterious VLCC Transits Strait of Hormuz with 2M Barrels
A VLCC laden with 2 million barrels of Basrah crude successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz. How? We still don’t know. All we know is AIS signal off when it crossed. https://t.co/MAsl9PyQhK
Sheepmeat Export Update February 2026
Australian sheepmeat exports slipped 10% year‑on‑year in February to 46,890 tonnes, yet remained 12% above the five‑year February average. China stayed the top buyer with 9,325 tonnes, but its shipments fell 26% YoY, while the United States imported 8,079 tonnes, down 16% YoY...
Third Manipulation Spike Pushes Brent to $104
Now, after the third incident of price manipulation, oil prices are rising again. Bent is about $104/b.
China Slashes Hi‑Tech Metal Shipments to Japan, Boosts Magnet Exports
China cuts some hi-tech metals sent to Japan – but magnet exports rise. Why? https://t.co/7TeFEq0KsX
Rio Tinto Scraps Smelter Repowering, Cuts Dec
Rio Tinto “farms out” smelter repowering as decarbonisation division gets the axe #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/vfMB7F6fLe https://t.co/f0NDuzschk
Silver's Sharp Drop Sets Strong Entry Opportunity
Silver's ~46% crash from Jan '26 highs looks like classic volatility, margin hikes, profit-taking after 130%+ run. Long-term? Fundamentals strong: 6th straight deficit in 2026, solar/EV/AI demand provides floor. Shakeout creates better entry. https://t.co/LXPHZL13Eg
Copper Demand Stays Resilient Despite Iran Conflict Worries
HOUSTON - Freeport-McMoRan expects demand for copper for use in electrification, data centers and other high-tech areas to remain resilient despite market jitters tied to the Iran conflict, CEO Kathleen Quirk told Reuters on Monday. $FCX
Arab Light Crude Export Routes From Saudi West Ports
Tankers carrying Arab light crude from the Western ports of Saudi Arabia Mapf rom @Kpler https://t.co/FT5mVn08sk
U.S. Gains Most From Hormuz Crisis, Timing Crucial
No matter how you slice it, the United States stands to gain the most from the Hormuz crisis—but keep the timeframes separate, or the picture gets muddled fast. 👇👇👇