Colombia’s Oil Industry Eyes Comeback as $100 Crude Revives Investment Case
Colombia’s oil output has slumped to a multi‑year low of about 735,000 barrels per day, driven by left‑wing policies that banned fracking, halted new licences and raised taxes. A sudden Brent price surge above $100 per barrel, sparked by geopolitical tensions, restores profitability for the sector, whose breakeek lies between $30‑$50 per barrel. The country’s proven reserves are modest—roughly 2 billion barrels of oil and 2 trillion cubic feet of gas—making enhanced‑recovery techniques essential. Renewed investment hinges on sustained high prices and a more business‑friendly political climate ahead of the 2026 election.
Liberia: House Endorses Bong Mining Probe Report, Passes Paynesville School System Act
The Liberian House of Representatives approved two landmark measures on April 22. Lawmakers endorsed the Joint Committee’s report on complaints against H&K Mining and Huren Mining, confirming that artisanal miners were being excluded from concession areas and recommending a community‑mining...
GR Silver Mining Drills 15.6 Metres of 351 G/T Silver at San Marcial Area, Plomosas Project, Mexico
GR Silver Mining released 2026 step‑out drill results from the southeast San Marcial area of its Plomosas Project in Mexico. Hole SMS26-01 intersected 6.45 m at 498 g/t silver, including 1.2 m at 1,618 g/t, and a broader 61.15 m zone at 15 g/t, confirming mineralization continuity...
Brent Holds at $105 as Iran Talks Temper Rally
Brent crude held steady at $105 per barrel on April 24 as renewed U.S.–Iran diplomatic talks capped further upside, keeping prices below the $110 threshold. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seized two container tankers after the U.S. captured the Iranian vessel Touska, heightening...
Sow Good, a Candy Maker, Acquires Tanzania’s Nachu Graphite Project to Pivot Battery Materials
Sow Good Inc., a Nasdaq‑listed freeze‑dried candy maker, signed an all‑stock agreement to acquire Tanzania’s Nachu Graphite Project for roughly $107 million. The advanced‑stage open‑pit mine contains a 174 million‑tonne resource at 5.4% total graphitic carbon and a 76 million‑tonne reserve at 5.2%,...
‘The Damage Is Done’: Global Oil Crisis Has Changed Fossil Fuel Industry for Ever, IEA Chief Says
The Iran‑Israel war has sparked a global oil crisis that, according to IEA chief Fatih Birol, will permanently reshape the fossil‑fuel landscape. He warns that the shock has shattered confidence in oil’s reliability, prompting governments to accelerate renewable and nuclear investments....
Melkior Resources Drilling Bonanza Gold Zones 1010 and Zamzam-Jowsey Prospect at Carscallen Gold Property, Ontario
Melkior Resources has launched a 10‑hole, 3,000‑metre drilling campaign at its 100% owned Carscallen Gold Project in Ontario. The program focuses on expanding the bonanza‑grade 1010 South and North zones, which previously yielded 77.4 g/t Au over 6.9 m, and on testing...
Kuya Silver Beefs up Leadership Team in Peru, Shares Rise
Kuya Silver Corp. has bolstered its Peru leadership by hiring former MMG Las Bambas General Manager Edgardo Orderique as General Manager, Peru, and adding three senior operational and finance managers. The moves support a production ramp‑up at the Bethania Silver...
Illegal Mining More than Just a Law Enforcement Issue, Research Fellow Says
University of South Africa researcher Dr. Kennedy Manduna presented a nuanced view of South Africa’s illegal mining sector, arguing that “zama zamas” act as both victims of systemic poverty and perpetrators of violence. He highlighted structural unemployment, deindustrialisation and migration...
Trump Increasingly Eyes Critical Minerals in Trade Policy Strategy
Washington is making critical minerals a cornerstone of its trade strategy, targeting African producers as key partners. Recent US trade agreements with Ukraine and Malaysia embed preferential access for American firms while restricting ties with rivals like China, signaling a...
BMI Revises Lithium Price Forecast Upwards Amid Tightening Supply
BMI, a Fitch Solutions firm, raised its 2026 average lithium price outlook to $17,000 per tonne for mainland Chinese lithium carbonate and $16,700 per tonne for lithium‑hydroxide, reflecting tighter supply and stronger demand signals. Year‑to‑date prices have already surged to...
Donovan and Nikoladze Cited in FXStreet Article Stating that Central Banks Building up Gold Reserves to Shield From Sanctions or...
In a recent FXStreet analysis, Atlantic Council experts Kimberly Donovan and Maia Nikoladze highlighted a surge in central‑bank gold purchases. They argue that banks are stockpiling the metal to hedge against potential sanctions and a looming financial crisis. The commentary...
Australian FPSO Production Ramp-Up on Santos’ Agenda Next Week
Australian energy producer Santos announced that its Barossa floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel will begin ramping up output next week after completing heat‑exchanger flushing and compressor‑seal replacement. The company reported a 1% quarter‑on‑quarter increase to 22.5 million barrels of...
Argentina’s FSRU Lines up LNG Cargo From Naturgy
Argentina is preparing its second floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) at the Escobar terminal to receive a new LNG cargo from Naturgy Aprovisionamientos. The cargo, awarded after an open tender on April 15, is slated to arrive in the second...
Hillhead Debut Signals Growing UK Momentum for Tru-Trac and BREC Partnership
Tru‑Trac made its UK debut at the Hillhead exhibition, partnering with distributor BREC Ltd to showcase belt‑tracking solutions for quarry and bulk‑material handling. The collaboration, formalized in late 2024, is gaining traction as both firms highlight the technology’s ability to...
Leviathan Completes Central Project EM Survey with 300m Line Spacing
Leviathan Metals has finished a high‑resolution helicopter‑borne electromagnetic (EM) survey across its Central Project in Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt, gathering roughly 580 km of data at 300 m line intervals. The survey spans more than 20 km of the D’Kar‑Ngwako Pan Formation contact,...
Project Ramp-Ups and Expansions to Lift Global Lead Output in 2026
Global lead production rose 0.7% in 2025 to 4.575 million tonnes, driven by expansions in China, Russia, Peru, India, South Africa and Ireland. The outlook for 2026 shows a stronger 2.2% increase to 4.68 million tonnes, with China’s Huoshaoyun ramp‑up and new...
Well Decommissioning Expanding Horizons for Innovators with Proven Experience
Well de‑commissioning is set to dominate offshore retirement work, accounting for 47% of UK de‑commissioning spend between 2025 and 2034. The UK Continental Shelf cost outlook has risen by £1 billion (≈$1.27 bn) since 2023 and is projected at £12 billion (≈$15 bn) by...
Will China’s Deal with Australian Mining Giant BHP Boost Yuan Internationalisation?
Australian miner BHP has agreed to price its flagship Jimblebar fines using a blended formula that weights 51% of the price on yuan‑denominated indexes and 49% on traditional US‑dollar benchmarks. The move incorporates China’s own market‑trade data for the first...
CiDi 2025 Report Brings Insights Into Mining Truck Autonomy Growth & Challenges
CiDi Inc., a Hong Kong‑listed autonomous haulage system (AHS) player, posted 2025 revenue of roughly US$124 million, up 115% from the prior year, while gross profit rose to about US$26.5 million. Despite the top‑line surge, the firm recorded a larger net loss,...
The Cracks in Mineral Traceability
Mineral traceability is emerging as a critical compliance and financing issue as governments worldwide tighten regulations. A recent survey shows 11% of mining companies still have no plans to implement traceability systems, despite pressure from U.S. tax credits, EU due‑diligence...
Gulf NOCs and MODU Operators Look to Contractual Resilience to Ride Out Disruption
The offshore drilling sector in the Gulf faces heightened risk as the Middle East conflict threatens MODU operations, but contractual structures built into long‑term NOC agreements provide resilience. MSI’s Q1 2026 report outlines three scenarios—quick resolution, mid‑term (≈6 months), and long‑term (>6 months)—each...
Drillship Arrives in Namibia for Potential Two-Well Campaign
Saipem's 12,000‑ton drillship arrived in Walvis Bay, Namibia, marking the company's latest deployment in Africa's emerging offshore sector. The vessel is slated to support Rhino Resources' planned two‑well exploration campaign targeting the country's offshore basins. The arrival underscores growing interest...
Liberia: Putu Deal - Sanctions Trap Looms
Liberia is considering a restructuring of the Putu iron‑ore concession that would replace Russian‑sanctioned Severstal with Indian firm Planet One. The original deal, signed in December 2025, secured over $500 million from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and the Africa...
Steady Output in March Will See Implats Meet Full-Year Targets
Implats said its March‑quarter output keeps the company on track to hit its 2026 full‑year guidance of 3.4‑3.6 million ounces of refined and saleable platinum‑group metals (PGM). Own‑mine production slipped 0.5% to 762,000 oz, but total gross sales rose 9% to 847,000 oz...
EU’s 20th Sanctions Batch Tightens Grip on Russia’s Oil, Gas, LNG and Shadow Fleet Spheres with 632 Vessels Blacklisted
The European Union adopted its 20th sanctions package against Russia, blacklisting 632 vessels linked to the shadow fleet and adding 120 individuals and entities to the freeze list. The measures introduce a new anti‑circumvention tool, tighten controls on oil, gas...
Tianjin Meiteng Puts Five XRT Ore Sorters Into Operation for Tajik-China Mining
In March 2026 Tianjin Meiteng Technology completed the trial launch of five XRT ore‑sorting systems for Tajik‑China Mining, the largest lead producer in Asia. The XRT units achieved a 14.83% waste rejection rate while keeping lead‑zinc tailings at roughly 0.4%...
Luanshya Mine to Restart Production in August 2026
Zambia’s Ministry of Mines announced that the Luanshya copper mine’s upper section will restart production in August 2026 after completing massive dewatering operations. China Nonferrous Mining Corporation, which holds an 80% stake, plans to bring the lower section online by 2029...
Sandvik to Supply Three DR413i Rotary Drill Rigs to Glencore for Alumbrera Restart
Sandvik secured a Q1 2026 order from Glencore to supply three DR413i rotary blasthole drill rigs for the restart of Argentina’s Bajo de la Alumbrera copper mine. The first rig arrives in April 2026, with the remaining two slated for Q4...
Gary Mar: It's Time for Canada to Embrace What We Do Best to Help Ourselves and Our Partners
Gary Mar argues that recent disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz expose a strategic vulnerability in global oil supplies, making it imperative for Canada to expand domestic energy production and secure tidewater access. He also calls for stronger agricultural and...
BelAZ Teams up with Nornickel as Russia's Equipment Shortage Bites
BelAZ, the Belarusian maker of ultra‑large dump trucks, has entered a joint venture with Russia's Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) to construct a new mining‑equipment factory near Krasnoyarsk in Siberia. The partnership responds to a growing shortage of heavy‑duty trucks and other...
Barry FitzGerald: Why Encounter’s Niobium Story Is More than WA1 Nearology
WA1 Resources’ Luni discovery in Western Australia’s West Arunta region has turned a $4.6 million AUD IPO into a $713 million USD market‑cap, backed by a 220 Mt indicated resource at 1% niobium. The find catapulted the stock 155‑fold, highlighting niobium’s status as...
Test Time for These Moon Drills
A South Dakota startup, AeroFly, is developing two auger‑based systems to move lunar regolith and extract water for future Artemis outposts. The LEONA project will demonstrate a 2‑meter horizontal auger that sublimates ice into vapor, while the Rego‑LIFT system will...
Bharat Coking Coal Announces Scheme to Encourage Higher Coal Offtake, Cut Costs for Power Consumers
Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) launched a new incentive scheme for April‑June 2026 to push power utilities to lift more coal, especially via rail, and reward them with a 5% cash discount once they exceed 100% of their quarterly quota....
Sierra Leone Grants Offshore Survey Permit to Shell
Sierra Leone’s Petroleum Directorate signed an agreement granting Shell a reconnaissance permit to conduct advanced geological and geophysical surveys across roughly 20,600 square kilometres of offshore blocks. The permit covers basin modelling and petroleum‑systems analysis, mirroring a similar deal the...
Ecopetrol Widens Presence on Brazil’s Oil & Gas Scene with Stake in Brava Energia
Colombia’s state‑owned oil giant Ecopetrol signed a share purchase agreement to acquire 120.8 million shares, roughly 26% of Brazil’s independent producer Brava Energia. The deal, which still requires antitrust clearance and other consents, could be expanded to a 51% controlling stake...
Anglo Asian Upgrades Azerbaijan Processing Plants
Anglo Asian Mining announced upgrades to the processing facilities at its Gedabek and Demirli copper mines in Azerbaijan. The company installed nine high‑efficiency Imhoflot pneumatic flotation cells at Gedabek, while Demirli received modernized flotation equipment. Vice‑president Stephen Westhead highlighted the...
Loyalist Exploration Completes Preliminary Review of DeSantis Gold Property, Ontario; Drill Targets Identified
Loyalist Exploration has finished a preliminary review of its DeSantis gold property, located 4.5 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, and identified six priority drill targets plus an additional target on the McEnaney claims. The review incorporated 488 historic drill holes and...
Splash Wrap: Why the Hormuz Conflict Is a World War
The Hormuz shipping crisis has sent freight slot prices soaring to $385,000, with some bids exceeding $1 million, while disrupting global fertilizer and sulphur supplies. The International Maritime Organization’s secretary‑general called for immediate de‑escalation to safeguard freedom of navigation. Panama Canal...
Why Japan Should Help Pay for Indonesia’s Coal Exit
Indonesia, one of the world’s largest coal producers, faces a pivotal transition as it pledges net‑zero emissions and renewable expansion. The authors argue that a bilateral Japan‑Indonesia just‑transition fund, focused on coal‑dependent provinces such as West Java and East Kalimantan,...
Chile Braces for Bad Acid Trip
Chile’s mining sector is confronting a looming shortage and price surge for sulphuric acid, a critical reagent for copper processing. The disruption stems from the Iran‑Israel conflict and the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which have choked global...
Resources Top 5: Patriot Leads Silver Charge as Energy and Lithium Plays Run Hot
Patriot Resources surged 44% to A$9.8c after announcing a JORC‑compliant exploration target of 359‑422 Mt at 48‑57 g/t AgEq (559‑774 Moz silver equivalent) at its Tassa project in Peru. Elevra Lithium posted record revenue, 94% mill utilisation and finished the March quarter with...
Vizsla Silver Advances Panuco Project with New Contract Awards
Vizsla Silver has signed a $170 million EPCM contract with M3 Engineering & Technology and a separate mine‑design agreement with Mining Plus for its Panuco silver‑gold project in Sinaloa, Mexico. The deals cover detailed design, equipment procurement and surface infrastructure, while...
Metal Logic Gets Macro to Mine Its Tenements and Feed Its Smelter
Metal Logic, a developer of modular smelting technology, has signed a mining services agreement with Macro Metals to operate across its East Pilbara tenements. The partnership will see Macro extract ore and deliver it directly to Metal Logic's new smelter,...
Angola: Mining Sector Deemed Engine for Angola's Economic Progress
Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, Diamantino de Azevedo, hailed mining as a key driver of the country’s economic progress at the inauguration of the Chiri diamond mine in Lunda‑Sul. The Chiri project, a joint venture between Rio Tinto...
Qld Shows Off Its Graphite Credentials
Graphinex has opened a demonstration plant in Townsville, Queensland, marking Australia’s first vertically integrated graphite‑to‑anode facility. The pilot converts raw graphite into battery‑grade anodes on‑site, showcasing a full‑scale production pathway for a critical mineral used in electric‑vehicle batteries. Queensland is...
Infini Cleared for First Athabasca Uranium Drilling Blitz in Canada
Infini Resources secured Saskatchewan regulator permits for its Reynolds Lake and Reitenbach Lake projects, clearing the way for a 2,500‑metre diamond drilling campaign on the eastern Athabasca Basin margin. The company will test high‑priority targets identified through integrated airborne EM,...
Militants Strike at Exploration Project in Pakistan
Militant gunmen attacked a copper‑gold exploration project owned by National Resources in Pakistan's Balochistan province, killing at least ten people, including mine workers. The site, still in the exploration stage, targets high‑grade copper and gold deposits that are critical for...
Fortescue Tips Another $1B Into Pilbara Green Energy Infrastructure
Fortescue Metals Group’s board approved an additional US$680 million (A$954 million) to expand its Pilbara Green Energy Project, fast‑tracking a 200 MW renewable power hub in Western Australia. The investment will broaden the infrastructure to supply electricity to third‑party customers, not just Fortescue’s...
Strata Minerals Garners Strong Support for Zelica Gold Quest with $1.57m Raised
Strata Minerals (ASX:SMX) secured A$1.57 million (≈US$1.0 million) in a 2‑cent‑per‑share placement, backed by existing shareholders and sophisticated investors. The funds will finance Phase 2 infill and step‑out drilling at the Zelica Gold Project in Western Australia’s Yundamindra District. Recent drilling has confirmed...