Silver Sands to Acquire Fairfield Gold Project in Mexico
Silver Sands Resources has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the Fairfield Gold Project in Nayarit, Mexico, for a cash payment of roughly $675,000 and the issuance of 5.15 million common shares over four years. The deal also includes a 2.5% net smelter returns royalty, with an option for Silver Sands to repurchase 1.5% of that royalty for $1 million. The 1,013‑hectare project sits near Puerto Vallarta and Tepic and boasts historic drill results of 31.2 g/t gold and 401 g/t silver. The transaction is pending CSE and other regulatory approvals.
Inexpensive Seafloor-Hopping Submersibles Could Stoke Deep-Sea Science—And Mining
The NOAA research vessel Rainier is deploying two neon‑lit Orpheus Ocean submersibles to map over 8,000 sq nm of Pacific seafloor at depths up to 6,000 m. Orpheus’s AUVs cost roughly $200,000 each—far cheaper than the $5‑10 million legacy vehicles—and can hop onto the mud,...
Zimbabwe: Soldiers Help Chinese Gold Miners Invade Chimanimani As Conflict With Mozambicans Beckons
Chinese nationals have launched large‑scale illegal riverbed gold mining in Zimbabwe’s Chimanimani district, allegedly with the support of the Zimbabwe National Army and local chief Peter Ngorima. The operation has fenced off about 500 hectares, endangering the livelihoods of roughly...
Heidelberg Materials Makes Autonomy Moves
German building‑materials giant Heidelberg Materials has signed deals with California‑based Applied Intuition and AI‑driven platform Pronto to deploy autonomous haulage systems (AHS) at its quarry in Australia, with a roadmap to expand across North America. The collaboration combines Applied Intuition’s...
Coal India's Production in April Drops Amid Rising Power Demand
Coal India reported a 9.7% drop in April output, producing 56.1 million tonnes, while its offtake fell 2% to 63.2 MT. The decline comes as India’s power grid hit a record‑high peak demand of roughly 256 GW due to an intense heat wave....
Cementation Canada Underground Ore and Waste Handling System Contract Award for Alamos Gold’s Island
Cementation Canada has been awarded the underground ore and waste handling system construction contract for Alamos Gold’s Island Gold Mine in Dubreuilville, Ontario. The system will process up to 3,000 tonnes per day of ore and 2,500 tonnes per day...
Outcrop Silver & Gold Confirms Continuity of High-Grade Silver at Guadal Target, Santa Ana Project, Colombia
Outcrop Silver & Gold Corp. released new drill results from the Guadual target at its 100% owned Santa Ana silver project in Colombia. Holes DH567, DH593 and DH587 returned high‑grade silver‑equivalent intercepts, confirming the continuity of the principal mineralized structure...
NTPC’s Pakri Barwadih Surpass 100 MT Coal Production
NTPC’s Pakri Barwadih coal mine has crossed the 100 million‑tonne (MT) production milestone, just three years after reaching 50 MT in 2023. The project, commercial since April 2019, dispatched its 20,000th rail rake in December 2024 and now benefits from Asia’s longest closed‑loop conveyor to...
Independence Gold Drills 2,500 Metres to Date at 3Ts Project, British Columbia
Independence Gold Corp. is advancing its 2026 drill campaign at the 3Ts gold‑silver project in central British Columbia, having completed roughly 2,500 metres of core across 16 holes. The program, which began in late March, targets both historic veins and...
Posco Signs US$765m Deal for 30% Stake in Australian Lithium Mines
Posco Holdings has agreed to pay $765 million for a 30 percent stake in Mineral Resources’ Mount Marion and Wodgina lithium mines in Western Australia. The joint venture will give Posco rights to produce about 37,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually, enough for...
New Silt Press Recovers 90% Water at Holcim UK's Hillhead Quarry
Holcim UK has poured a multimillion‑pound (£10 million, ≈$14 million) investment into its Hillhead quarry in Devon, installing a state‑of‑the‑art silt press. The equipment captures roughly 90% of the water used in silt washing, dramatically reducing discharge and reuse needs. By reclaiming...
Complexity, Two-Tier Fleets and Bunker Fears Dominate Scene-Setting Opening Panel at Geneva Dry
The opening panel at the third Geneva Dry highlighted an unprecedentedly complex period for dry‑bulk shipping, noting a 2% YoY increase in trade to roughly 1.7 bn tonnes and strong rate gains across panamaxes, supramaxes and handysize vessels. Speakers warned that the...
Green Light for Wellhead Removal Ops at Australian Oil Field
Jadestone Energy, an AIM‑listed Singapore‑based oil and gas firm, received approval from Australia’s offshore regulator NOPSEMA for its environmental plan to remove three wellheads—Montara‑1, 2 and 3—in the Montara field, located about 690 km east of Darwin. The plan outlines ROV...
Falcon Copper, Glencore to Boost US Minerals Supply Chain
Falcon Copper and Glencore International have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on critical‑minerals projects that strengthen the U.S. supply chain. Under the deal, Glencore will deliver up to 1.6 million tonnes per year of copper concentrate to Falcon’s planned...
Kaiser Doubles Down in Victoria with Round-the-Clock Gold
Kaiser Reef has shifted its Porcupine Flat plant at the Maldon project to a two‑shift, 24‑hour operation, effectively doubling throughput while adding minimal staff and cost. The plant now processes the Union Hill low‑grade stockpile of 566,000 tonnes at 0.48 g/t, delivering...
Mastermyne to Appeal A$7.3M Penalty for Crinum Death
Australian underground coal contractor Mastermyne has been fined A$7.3 million (about $4.8 million USD) and ordered to pay A$300,000 in court costs after a judge ruled that the September 2021 death of 62‑year‑old Graham Dawson was avoidable. The conviction will be recorded against...
Gold Digger: Is US$8000 REALLY on the Cards?
Deutsche Bank analysts project gold could climb to $8,000 per ounce within five years if emerging‑market central banks allocate 40% of their reserves to the metal. The forecast follows a record‑breaking first quarter of 2026, where the World Gold Council...
SUMMSEED Launches to Develop Medium Manganese Steels for Mining Using Casting and Laser-Wire DED
The EU‑funded SUMMSEED project has launched to develop medium‑manganese steel grades suitable for both traditional casting and laser‑wire directed energy deposition (DED). Coordinated by UPC, the consortium includes Sandvik, Sidenor, Meltio, Delft University of Technology and others, covering alloy design...
Kenya Pushes Mining Reforms Amid Illegal Operations, Fraud Concerns
Kenya’s mining ministry is accelerating reforms after discovering near‑industrial scale operations masquerading as artisanal mining, with roughly 300 excavators operating in designated small‑scale sites. Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho highlighted weak regulation, environmental degradation, and rising fraud, including fake gold...
How LNG Interests Are Seeking to Disrupt Global Talks on Decarbonising Shipping
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) decarbonisation talks are being stalled by powerful LNG interests and pro‑oil flag states. After the Hormuz Strait closure, LNG trade faced disruption, yet orders for new LNG tankers remain high, with 337 vessels on the...
Are Nyrstar Smelter Support Package Talks in Jeopardy?
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas denied media reports that negotiations over a second round of government funding for Nyrstar’s Hobart and Port Pirie metal smelters have broken down. Nyrstar’s Port Pirie facility can produce up to 5,000 tonnes of antimony metal annually, underscoring its...
MinRes Advances Lithium Joint Venture with POSCO
Mineral Resources (MinRes) announced a critical step toward a joint venture with South Korean steel giant POSCO Holdings, granting POSCO a 30% interest in MinRes' revitalized lithium portfolio. The partnership focuses on expanding production at the Mt Marion lithium project in...
Critical Resources Targets High-Grade Gold and Tungsten in NZ Blitz
Critical Resources has wrapped dual exploration programs at its Lammerlaw and Croesus projects in New Zealand, focusing on high‑grade gold and tungsten. Historic rock samples revealed up to 42.6% tungsten and 28.9 g/t gold, while recent field work highlighted priority targets such...
Tanzania: Tanzania Calls for a Decisive Shift in Mining Sector By Investing in Value Addition
Tanzania’s mining minister Anthony Mavunde used the Kenya Mining Investment Conference to urge African nations to shift from exporting raw minerals to building local processing capacity. He highlighted three pillars—modern infrastructure, predictable policies, and trusted public‑private partnerships—as essential for scaling...
Strategic Reliability in an Uncertain Global Market
Mining operators face soaring risks as crude prices swing, base‑oil supplies tighten and logistics bottlenecks threaten production. A single crusher outage can cost more than $100,000 per day, prompting maintenance teams to seek supply‑assurance partners rather than simple lubricant vendors....
“Let’s Actually Get Projects up and Running:” Report Warns Australia’s Green Iron Edge Is at Risk
A Climate Energy Finance report warns Australia’s lead in green iron is slipping as no project has reached a final investment decision. The country tracks 11 proposals but lacks commercial‑scale plants, while the Middle East and North Africa are moving...
Mining Industry Examines Quantum Technology to Improve Exploration Accuracy
Australia’s $235 billion (≈ $155 billion USD) mining sector is exploring quantum sensing to boost exploration accuracy and lower costs. At the Quantum Australia Conference in Sydney, leaders highlighted early applications such as CSIRO’s LANDTEM system and startups like Nomad Atomics and Teraglo...
Iran War May Cause Food Shortages in Africa, World’s Largest Fertiliser Firm Says
Yara International CEO Svein Tore Holsether warned that the war in Iran is driving urea prices up 60‑70% and tightening supplies of ammonia, the key feedstock for nitrogen fertilizers. With 35% of the world’s urea sourced from Gulf states, Africa—already a...
US DOE Has Released 17.5 Million Barrels From the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Since March
The U.S. Department of Energy released 17.5 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve between March 20 and April 24, with a weekly peak of 7.1 million barrels – the highest since October 2022. SPR inventories fell to 397.9 million barrels, about 55 % of the reserve’s...
AuKing Mining Locks in Contractor for Tundulu Rare Earths Drilling
AuKing Mining has engaged Thompson Resources to execute a minimum 5,500‑metre drill campaign at its Tundulu rare‑earth project in Malawi. The program will comprise 25 reverse‑circulation and diamond holes, beginning with an RC rig in mid‑May and a diamond rig...
Sierra Club: Nippon Investment in DRI in the South a Good First Step, Must Not Overlook Greening Midwest Steel
U.S. Steel announced a nearly $2 billion investment to build a direct reduced iron (DRI) facility at its Big River Steel Works in Osceola, Arkansas, supplying cleaner feedstock for its electric arc furnaces. The project, backed by parent Nippon Steel, is...
Challenger Strengthens Hualilán Toll Milling Case with High-Grade Gold Hits
Challenger Gold reported high‑grade gold and silver intersections from infill drilling at its Hualilán toll‑milling pits in Argentina, with the Magnata pit averaging 7.0 g/t Au, surpassing the 6.2 g/t target in its 2025 PFS. Notable intercepts include 8 m at 16.3 g/t Au...
Bindi Spots 2km of Gold IP Anomalies at Ravni Ahead of Drilling
Bindi Metals released induced‑polarisation (IP) modelling from its Ravni gold project in southwestern Serbia, revealing up to 2 km of high‑chargeability anomalies that align with known surface mineralisation at Drenjak and Rujak. The anomalies register +40 to over +60 mV/V, well above...
Bison Resources Targets Carlin Trend Discoveries After Impressive ASX Debut
Bison Resources (ASX: BSR) debuted on the Australian Securities Exchange on April 16, raising an oversubscribed $5.5 million IPO. The proceeds will finance a multi‑stage exploration campaign across four Nevada projects—Ruby Lake, Cherry Springs, Bald Peaks and Medicine Range—situated in the...
IEA: Battery Recycling Innovation Accelerating Rapidly
A joint European Patent Office and International Energy Agency study shows battery‑circularity patents surged 42% annually from 2017 to 2023, outpacing the 16% growth in rechargeable‑battery patents overall. The report highlights that up to 1.2 million EV batteries will reach end‑of‑life...
Founders Metals Drills 12.95 G/T Gold over 6.0 Metres, Confirming High-Grade Gold Potential at Antino Gold Project, Suriname
Founders Metals announced a high‑grade drill intercept at its Antino Gold Project in Suriname, reporting 6.0 metres grading 12.95 g/t gold from 55 m depth. The find extends the known mineralized zone about 250 m west of previous holes and confirms a higher‑grade...
ExGen Signs Purchase Agreement to Acquire Lithium Properties in Nevada
ExGen Resources Inc. has signed a purchase agreement to acquire three lithium projects in Nevada – Spark South, Libra, and Augusta – along with associated claims and a royalty. The transaction will be funded with 21 million ExGen shares, a cash...
Copper Fox Metals Enlarges Mineralized Envelope at Van Dyke ISCR Project, Arizona
Copper Fox Metals reported new analytical results from its historic diamond drill program at the 100%-owned Van Dyke in‑situ copper recovery (ISCR) project in Arizona. Eight of eleven drill holes surpassed the 0.025% total soluble copper (TSCu) cutoff used in...
API-NOIA Reports Benefits of Expanding South-Central Gulf Energy Development
The American Petroleum Institute and the National Ocean Industries Association released a report urging the U.S. Interior Department to lease Program Area B in the South‑Central Gulf of America starting in 2029. The analysis projects that expanded offshore oil and gas...
DRC Engages Polish Investors to Boost Local Mining Equipment Manufacturing
On April 29, 2026, DRC Minister Louis Watum Kabamba met a Polish investment delegation in Kinshasa to discuss establishing a domestic mining‑equipment manufacturing plant. The proposal includes a factory for ore‑extraction machinery and a comprehensive training program for Congolese engineers....
DRC Mining Week 2026 to Spotlight Sector Reforms and Investment Opportunities
The Democratic Republic of the Congo will host DRC Mining Week 2026 in Lubumbashi from June 17‑19, with Mining Minister Louis Watum Kabamba steering the agenda. Kabamba, a former executive at AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick Gold and Ivanhoe Mines, will use...
Silver on Steroids: Why Platinum Group Metals Are the Commodities ASX Investors Are Sleeping On
Platinum group metals (PGMs) are entering a fourth straight deficit year, with the World Platinum Investment Council forecasting a 240,000‑ounce shortfall in 2026. Prices have surged, exemplified by platinum climbing 97% year‑over‑year to about $1,912 per ounce and palladium up...
Global Trade in Sea Cucumbers ‘Alarming’ with Many Species at Risk: Study
A new study using FAO data from 2013‑2021 shows global sea‑cucumber capture rose from 81,800 to 123,300 metric tons before falling to about 97,000 tons during the COVID‑19 pandemic. China and Hong Kong dominate imports by dollar value, while Japan and...
Treasure Hunt: Val-D’Or – Gold, Grit and the Road to the North
Val‑d’Or in Quebec’s Abitibi region grew from a handful of 1930s prospectors into one of Canada’s premier hard‑rock gold districts. Early claims by Jean‑Jacques “Jack” Sullivan led to the Sullivan Consolidated, Lamaque and Sigma mines, prompting rapid town development. By...
Dense Drilling Improves Coal Roadway Stability
Researchers published a study in Scientific Reports demonstrating that dense drilling—a technique of closely spaced boreholes in coal‑mine roofs—significantly improves roadway stability by relieving roof stress. Field tests at the Chahasu Mine’s 31315 workface showed that reducing borehole spacing to...
BNEF Talk: Copper’s World of Wires, Wheels and Worries
BloombergNEF’s recent talk highlighted copper as a linchpin of the energy transition, powering electric vehicles, data centers, and future grids. A new S&P Global study warns that surging demand from artificial‑intelligence hardware and heightened defense spending will outpace production, deepening...
Trump Sons Take Stake in Kazakh Miner that Won $1.6bn US Contract
Donald Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, have taken an equity stake in Kazakh mining company Kaz Minerals, which recently won a $1.6 billion contract to supply copper for a U.S. power‑grid project. The investment was made through a newly formed...
Codelco Andina Purchases 18 Cat 798AC Trucks
Codelco Andina has completed the acquisition of 18 Caterpillar 798AC haul trucks, bringing its high‑tonnage fleet to 57 units at the Platform 3700 open‑pit mine. Each CAT 798AC can carry 400 metric tons, adding roughly 80 mt of payload per cycle over the...
Trump Signs Resolution to Reverse Minnesota Mining Ban
President Donald Trump signed H.J. Res. 140 on April 27, invoking the Congressional Review Act to overturn the Biden administration's 20‑year mining ban on roughly 225,000 acres of Minnesota's Superior National Forest. The resolution, approved by the House in January...
China Dominates the World’s Lithium Supply. The U.S. Just Found 328 Years’ Worth in Its Own Backyard
The US Geological Survey estimates the Appalachian region contains about 2.3 million metric tons of lithium oxide, enough to replace 328 years of U.S. lithium imports at 2023 levels. Roughly 1.43 million tons are concentrated in the Carolinas, with another 900,000 tons in...