Big Oil Begins Return to Canada Amid Energy Crunch
Big Oil is returning to Canada as energy security concerns rise. Shell announced a $16.4 billion purchase of ARC Resources, adding about 370,000 boe per day and 2 billion barrels of reserves that will feed its 40 % stake in LNG Canada. Asset managers KKR, Apollo and Blackstone are eyeing a $10‑15 billion partial sale of Shell’s LNG Canada stake. TotalEnergies, Equinor, ConocoPhillips and BP are also scouting Canadian acquisition targets, signaling a broader shift in sentiment.
Global Aluminium Market Shaken but Resilient Amid Middle East Conflict
The ongoing Strait of Hormuz conflict has disrupted the global aluminium market, cutting off roughly 7% of supply and damaging about 3% of worldwide production capacity. Prices have surged to near‑historic levels, averaging $3,400 per tonne and are expected to...
DRC Mining Boom Masks Heavy Reliance on China and Copper
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining sector is projected to generate almost $40 billion in exports by 2025, but the boom is underpinned by a narrow trade profile. China absorbs roughly 62% of the country’s mineral shipments, while copper alone represents...
Capstone Copper Q1 2026 Slides: Record EBITDA Despite Strike Impact
Capstone Copper reported Q1 2026 results featuring a record adjusted EBITDA of $329.1 million, an 83% year‑over‑year increase, despite a 35‑day labor strike at its Mantoverde mine. Revenue of $652.5 million was slightly below consensus, while copper prices rose 10% quarter‑over‑quarter to $5.92...
Lynas Rare Earths CEO Amanda Lacaze on Having the Guts to Invest During a Price Slump
Lynas Rare Earths has locked in a $110 per kilogram price floor for its neodymium‑praseodymium alloy with the U.S. Department of Defense and secured a $258 million U.S. commitment for a heavy‑rare‑earth refinery in Texas. The company also signed a 10‑year...
DRC Govt Launches Crackdown on Mining Fraud and Illegal Mineral Exploitation
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, a key global supplier of cobalt and copper, announced a sweeping crackdown on mining fraud and illegal mineral exploitation. President Félix Tshisekedi ordered “coercive” measures after a high‑level cabinet meeting, targeting officials, police, and military...
What the US Could Learn About Mining on Indigenous Peoples’ Ancestral Lands
The United States still relies on a 19th‑century mining law that does not require federal consultation with Native American tribes before projects advance on ancestral lands, leaving many communities with little influence over the lithium boom. In contrast, New Zealand, Norway...
How We Tracked the Lithium Rush
Journalists from Columbia Journalism Investigations and Inside Climate News compiled a global database of roughly 1,200 lithium mining projects, drawing on S&P Global, government filings and proprietary sources. They linked each U.S. project to the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index and...
Mining the Metal of the Future
The United States currently operates only one lithium mine, yet six new projects are slated for completion by 2030 with another 13 in the pipeline, mainly across the dry Southwest. A new database from Columbia Journalism Investigations and Inside Climate...
Saudi Arabia Set For Oil Windfall After Hormuz Boosts Prices
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has split Gulf oil exporters, giving Saudi Arabia and Oman a revenue boost while the UAE sees a sharp decline. Saudi rerouted 4 million barrels daily to the Red Sea, lifting weekly oil revenue...
Russia’s Oil Revenues Surge as the World Scrambles for Supply
Asian buyers are snapping up discounted Russian crude as global supply tightens, driving a sharp rise in Moscow’s oil revenues. China imported a record over 100 million tonnes in 2024, while India’s imports doubled to about 2.25 million barrels per day in...
Inside BP’s Dramatic Pivot Back to Oil and Gas
BP’s new chief executive Meg O’Neill has dismantled the company’s sprawling structure, reinstating separate upstream and downstream divisions and abandoning its recent renewable‑energy push. In the first quarter of 2026, BP reported a before‑tax profit of $3.2 bn, more than double...
Pemex Faces a Reckoning After Major Oil Spill
Pemex’s February pipeline leak released about 800 tons of crude, creating a 370‑mile oil slick along Mexico’s Gulf coast and harming fishing and tourism. The spill contradicted earlier company denials, prompting the CEO to announce executive resignations and a safety‑protocol overhaul....
Wirth Warns Global Energy System Under 'Extreme Stress'
Chevron CEO Mike Wirth told CNBC that the ongoing U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran is pushing the global energy system to "extreme stress." He warned that a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil...
Trump Sons Hold Stake in Kazakh Tungsten Venture Backed by $1.6bn in US Government Funds
Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump invested in Skyline Builders, which merged with Cove Kaz Capital to form Kaz Resources Inc., a venture developing Kazakhstan's massive undeveloped tungsten deposits. The project secured up to $1.6 bn in U.S. government financing from...
Europe Wants Africa’s Minerals. Africa Should Make It Pay
Europe is intensifying its hunt for critical minerals across Africa to fuel its green and digital transitions, yet the EU’s partnership narrative clashes with a lagging delivery model. The Global Gateway initiative, earmarked at €30 bn ($33 bn) through 2027, has struggled...
How Oil Fuels Conflict and War—And Who Profits
An interview with peace scholar Michael Klare underscores how oil remains a central driver of wars, citing the U.S.-Israel conflict over Iran and the strategic choke point of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly 20% of world oil and...
EPA Says Oil & Gas Operators Can Continue to Flare Past Long-Set Deadline
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued new guidance that lets oil and gas operators keep routine flaring in operation beyond the May 7 deadline originally set for a phase‑out. Routine flaring releases methane—a greenhouse gas roughly 80 times more potent than...
Newcore Gold Files Technical Report for the Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Enchi Gold Project, Ghana
Newcore Gold Ltd. filed a NI 43‑101 technical report confirming an updated mineral resource estimate for its Enchi Gold Project in Ghana. The indicated resource now totals 83.6 million tonnes at 0.56 g/t Au, containing about 1.5 million ounces, while the inferred resource adds...
Big Tech Is Funding Space Solar and Fusion While Running on Gas
Big Tech firms are simultaneously betting on futuristic clean‑energy projects while expanding their reliance on natural gas to power AI‑driven data centers. Meta signed a deal with Overview Energy to develop up to 1 GW of space‑based solar power, with a...
Trump Pushes ‘Peace Pipelines’ to Boost Exports of Climate-Busting LNG to Europe
The Trump administration announced a series of “Peace Pipelines” agreements at the Three Seas Initiative summit, aiming to accelerate U.S. LNG exports to Central and Eastern Europe as a substitute for Russian gas. The Department of Energy says U.S. natural‑gas...
U.S. Targets Iran–China Oil Pipeline in Dual Sanctions Move on Shipping and Finance
The United States announced a dual‑pronged sanctions package that hits a China‑based oil terminal, Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal Co., for handling tens of millions of barrels of Iranian crude since early 2025, and three Iranian currency‑exchange houses that convert oil...
Ontario to Axe Early-Stage Red Tape, Lecce Says
Ontario will introduce a legislative package this fall to slash red tape for early‑stage mining projects, expanding the province’s One Project, One Process framework. The move aligns with a new minerals strategy that prioritises defence‑critical metals and supports Toronto’s bid...
DRC Copper Exports to US Set to Surge Amid Warnings of Corruption Risk
The Democratic Republic of the Congo plans to export 500,000 metric tons of copper to the United States, a five‑fold increase from its January commitment. The surge aligns with Washington’s push to diversify away from Chinese‑sourced copper, even as the...
CDE's New ModaLine Washing Plant Is Pre-Assembled for Quick On-Site Set-Up
CDE Group has unveiled the first unit of its new ModaLine, a containerised sand‑washing plant designed for plug‑and‑play deployment. The pre‑assembled system reduces on‑site construction time by more than 60% versus legacy models and ships in ISO‑standard containers. It delivers...
Venezuela Signs Agreements with International Operators Under New Hydrocarbon Law
Venezuela has signed agreements with major oil majors—BP, Eni, Repsol, Chevron and Shell—under its reformed hydrocarbon law to boost exploration and production. The law permits minority partners to directly operate fields and sell output, a shift from PDVSA‑only control. BP’s...
Canagold Gold-Antimony Project Added to Priority List in B.C.
Canagold Resources' New Polaris gold‑antimony project has been added to British Columbia’s priority major projects list, part of the province’s Look West strategy aiming to attract up to C$200 billion (≈US$146 billion) of private investment by 2035. The project, located near the...
TMC Seabed Mining Application Meets US Federal Requirements
The Metals Co (TMC) received confirmation from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that its consolidated deep‑sea‑bed mineral exploration and commercial recovery application complies with the Deep Sea Bed Hard Mineral Resources Act. The agency said the filing meets all...
Venezuela Oil Exports Hit 7-Year High as U.S., India, Europe Ramp Up Buying
Venezuela’s oil exports jumped 14% in April to 1.23 million barrels per day, the strongest monthly level since late 2018. The surge was driven by higher shipments to the United States, India and Europe after U.S. sanctions were eased and a...
Oil Rally Stalls as Iran Proposal Triggers Profit-Taking
Oil prices stalled below $110 per barrel after a week of extreme swings, with Brent’s June contract briefly touching $126. The slowdown was driven by Iran’s latest negotiation proposal, which sparked profit‑taking amid uncertainty over President Trump’s 60‑day war‑powers deadline....
The Hydrogen Stream: AfDB Backs Projects, Europe Logs 265 Offers
The African Development Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa has opened a Green Hydrogen Programme, offering up to $20 million in pre‑investment grants to private developers across the continent. Meanwhile, the European Commission’s Hydrogen Mechanism recorded 265 supply‑side opportunities, with 87 %...
How to Avoid Supply Chain Issues as Drone and Robot Production Increases Exponentially
Researchers in Chem Circularity project that commercial drone output could grow tenfold and humanoid robot production could surge up to 100 times by the late 2030s. Their analysis of 18 critical raw materials shows most will remain manageable, but rare‑earth neodymium‑praseodymium...
Oil Prices Up 11% for the Week
Oil markets saw Brent crude dip 0.5% to $109.88 a barrel on May 1, yet the benchmark remains up about 11% for the week as geopolitical worries linger over a prolonged Strait of Hormuz closure. The price pressure keeps U.S. gasoline...
Middle East Fertiliser Crisis Likely to Hit Smaller Bulk Carriers
Yara International’s CEO warned that soaring fertilizer prices and a Gulf shipping bottleneck could trigger a global auction, hitting the poorest nations hardest. Around 300 bulk carriers, primarily 20,000‑65,000 dwt handy‑class vessels, are stranded in the Gulf, holding 1.9 million tonnes of...
Coal India’s Production for April Falls 9.7%, Offtake Declines 2%
Coal India’s April coal output dropped 9.7% year‑on‑year to 56.1 million tonnes, while off‑take slipped 2% to 63.2 mt. Five of its seven subsidiaries recorded production declines, with Bharat Coking Coal plunging 41.3%. Pithead stock rose to roughly 125 mt, tightening mine logistics....
Canadian Mint to Disclose Sourcing Data After Report on Cartel Gold Ties
The Royal Canadian Mint announced it will begin publishing country‑of‑origin data for the gold it refines after a New York Times report linked a Texas supplier’s material to the Colombian Clan del Golfo cartel. About 5% of the Mint’s raw gold last year...
New Earth Expands Lucky Boy Project with 268 Acres in Arizona
New Earth Resources received state approval to lease an additional 268 acres adjacent to its Lucky Boy uranium project in Gila County, Arizona, almost doubling its land holdings in the area. The expanded footprint now totals roughly 541 acres, encompassing...
Kenyan Court Allows Landmark BP Toxic Waste Lawsuit to Proceed
Kenya's Environment and Land Court in Isiolo has cleared a procedural hurdle, allowing a class‑action lawsuit against British Petroleum to move to a full hearing. The case, filed by 299 residents of Kargi and Kalacha, alleges that oil‑exploration waste dumped...
China Tightens Screws on Rare Earth Production
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced draft regulations that would impose strict production quotas and licensing requirements on rare‑earth miners. The measures target over‑production that has depressed global prices and aim to stabilize the market ahead of President...
Doppstadt to Showcase Core Vibro 400 at IFAT 2026
German equipment maker Doppstadt will exhibit its new Core Vibro 400 screening machine at the IFAT 2026 trade fair in Munich from May 4‑7. The Core Vibro 400 is marketed as an all‑rounder that handles waste wood, commercial waste, and quarry‑derived materials using three‑fraction...
Oil & Gas Firms Step up Exploration Game to Tackle Supply Shortfall by 2050
Global exploration and production firms face an estimated 40% output decline and a 300‑billion‑barrel supply gap by 2050. Wood Mackenzie reports that the 30 largest E&P companies are boosting ultra‑deepwater frontier exploration to offset the shortfall. The sector generated $120 billion...
Western Star Resources Submits Application in Response to Solicitation From the U.S. Défense Industrial Base Consortium; Engages Plutus Invest &...
Western Star Resources submitted an application to the U.S. Defense Industrial Base Consortium to become a reliable supplier of critical tungsten for defense applications. The company also engaged Germany‑based Plutus Invest & Consulting for a twelve‑month investor‑relations campaign, paying a...
Recently Established Green Methanol Collaboration Broadens Its Scope
Venture Energy Limited, a Hong Kong clean‑fuel trader, has broadened its newly‑formed partnership with Shanghai Shenji Energy & Environmental Technology. The expanded agreement moves beyond spot‑trade purchases of ISCC‑EU‑certified green methanol to medium‑ and long‑term offtake, pilot bunkering, a dedicated trading...
FEATURE ARTICLE: Water Management
Mining companies face mounting pressure to cut water consumption and increase reuse. EnviroSys 9.4, Acquire’s environmental data management platform, is being deployed to give miners a unified view of water‑related data, enabling faster identification of leaks, better reporting, and proactive compliance....
Liberia: As Environmental Protection Agency to Release Report On Latest Fish Die Off Near Bea Mountain Mine Expert Warns of...
The Liberian EPA will issue a report this weekend on a second fish‑kill event near the Bea Mountain gold‑mine, again tracing contamination to the concession. Unlike the 2022 cyanide spill, the 2024 incident involves cypermethrin, a pesticide not used in mining,...
Ocean Minerals Are Becoming a Real US Opportunity
Congressional hearings this spring elevated deep‑sea mining from theory to priority, highlighting offshore minerals as essential for U.S. national security and advanced manufacturing. The Trump‑era Project Vault earmarks $10 billion to create a demand‑driven strategic reserve covering all 60 critical minerals....
Liberia: EPA Shuts Down Illegal Gold Mine in Gbarpolu
The Liberian Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered the shutdown of Nugget Era Mining Company's large‑scale gold operation in Gbelee Town, Gbarpolu County, after discovering the firm was mining across 32 claims without a valid environmental permit. Inspectors found the...
Americas Gold Drills 1.9 Metres of 1,392 G/T Silver at Galena Mine, Idaho
Americas Gold and Silver Corp. announced six new high‑grade silver‑copper‑antimony veins at the 43L‑TJ complex in Idaho’s Galena mine, discovered during Q1 2026 drilling. The standout intercepts include 1.9 m at 1,392 g/t silver and 0.5 m at 3,714 g/t silver, all within 25 m...
Deep-Earth Map Reveals a Lost U.S. Continent
The 20‑million‑dollar Magnetotelluric (MT) Array has released its final 3‑D conductivity map of the United States, revealing a massive, previously hidden crustal slab dubbed the Piedmont Resistor that stretches from Maine to Georgia. The slab, formed by volcanic activity during...
SETM: The Critical Materials Trade Has Already Re-Rated, And Most Advisors Still Aren't Looking
The SETM fund has surged roughly 135% over the past twelve months, driven by exposure to uranium, copper, lithium, rare‑earths and silver miners and refiners. The rally coincides with heightened geopolitical tension, including China’s expanded rare‑earth export controls and the...