QazMoly Nears $240M US Funding for Tungsten Project in Kazakhstan
Kazakh miner QazMoly is close to securing up to $240 million from the U.S. Export‑Import Bank to fund its Drozhilov tungsten project, provided all output is sold to U.S. buyers. The financing would cover a large share of the mine’s capital needs and hinges on exclusive off‑take agreements with Fosbury Capital. Tungsten prices have quintupled in the past year amid Chinese supply constraints, prompting fears of a global shortage. The project also contains beryllium and molybdenum, expanding its strategic relevance.
Hormuz Traffic Slows After Strike On Iran
Oil tankers are increasingly bypassing the Strait of Hormuz following the US and Israel airstrikes on Iran, prompting major shipping lines to issue cautionary directives. While the waterway remains officially open, Bloomberg tracking shows a buildup of idle vessels both...
Rwanda Opens New Mining Blocks to Boost Investment in Strategic Minerals
Rwanda’s mining authority has opened a second tranche of ten exploration blocks covering tin, tantalum, tungsten, lithium, beryllium and gemstones. The government expects more than 70 applications, aiming to double the interest seen in the 2025 round. Investors must register...
DRC’s Cobalt Quotas Reshape the Global Critical Metals Market
The Democratic Republic of the Congo announced strict cobalt export quotas—18,125 tonnes for Q4 2025 and 96,600 tonnes for 2026—while reserving 10% of production as a strategic stockpile. The policy, aimed at curbing smuggling, stabilising prices and capturing more domestic value,...
SCCL Likely to Bid for Coal Bed Methane in Singareni
Singareni Collieries Company (SCCL) is preparing to bid in upcoming coal‑bed methane (CBM) auctions for three blocks in the Singareni region. The blocks, covering six districts in Telangana, hold an estimated 1.9 billion cubic metres of gas resources. Government officials have...
Houthis Vow to Resume Attacks Following Iranian Strikes
Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced they will resume attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, ending a four‑month lull. BIMCO warns that ships linked to US or Israeli interests face heightened risk, though...
METL: Active Diversified Metals Miners, Up 50% Since Inception In The Past Year
Since its September 2025 debut, the Sprott Active Metals & Miners ETF (METL) has delivered a cumulative return exceeding 50%, outpacing the broader Natural Resources sector. The fund’s portfolio is notably overweight in copper and uranium, differentiating it from gold‑centric...
SQM Reports Earnings for the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2025
SQM reported FY2025 revenue of US$4.576 billion, a modest 1 % increase, while net income surged to US$588 million, reversing a US$404 million loss from the prior year. Gross profit rose to US$1.353 billion, and fourth‑quarter revenue jumped 23.3 % to US$1.324 billion, with net income up...
How America’s Action in Venezuela Guaranteed Guyana’s Oil Future
U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a January 2026 raid, removing the military threat to Guyana’s Essequibo region and clearing the path for the country’s oil expansion. Guyana’s offshore Stabroek Block, operated by ExxonMobil with Chevron and CNOOC,...
Chile Approves Use of Copper Slag as Artificial Aggregate
Chile’s Ministry of Health has authorized copper slag as an artificial aggregate for road and infrastructure projects under Supreme Decree 46, effective 12 February 2026. The decree permits use only after sanitary approval and confines applications to specified construction uses....
DELKOR India Revamps Tata Steel’s Largest Horizontal Belt Filter
DELKOR India has completed a two‑month revamp of Tata Steel’s 145 m² horizontal belt filter in West Bokaro, a unit that operated continuously for 19 years. The upgrade introduced a site‑spliced 4.2 m belt, redesigned vacuum boxes and airboxes, and a stainless‑steel...
Third Purus Daughter Craft Undergoes Final Outfitting, Sea Trials to Come
Daughter Craft No. 3, commissioned by Purus, is in final outfitting ahead of sea trials, with Volvo Penta IPS drives now installed. The vessel features IMO Tier 3 exhaust after‑treatment to curb emissions and has undergone extensive CFD and tank testing for optimal...
Harnessing the Sun to Extract Oxygen on the Moon
NASA’s Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CaRD) successfully used a solar concentrator, mirrors and software to heat simulated lunar regolith and generate carbon monoxide, a precursor to oxygen. The test confirmed that sunlight‑driven chemistry can extract usable gases from moon‑soil without Earth‑supplied...
Co-CEO: Permian Resources Sees Opportunity in Expected Divestiture Wave
Permian Resources Corp. says a wave of asset divestitures is looming as large oil‑and‑gas players unwind recent mega‑deals, and the Midland‑based operator is ready to act. The company can comfortably spend up to $3 billion on acquisitions through 2027 without stretching...
Nike Promotes Manufacturing Exec to Lead Sustainability
Nike has appointed long‑time manufacturing executive Cimarron Nix as its new chief sustainability officer, effective March 15. Nix will report to COO Venkatesh Alagirisamy and relocate from Singapore to Nike’s Beaverton headquarters. She succeeds Jaycee Pribulsky, who departed for a...
Senegal Gas Project Draws International Scrutiny
The UK OECD National Contact Point has ruled a complaint from Senegalese artisanal fishers against the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas platform admissible. The complaint alleges pollution, denied fishing access, and an inadequate environmental impact assessment by BP and partners....
NatPower Raises Alarm on UK Shore Power Policy
NatPower Marine warns that the UK’s flagship shore‑power projects in Aberdeen and Portsmouth are faltering because soaring industrial electricity prices and a punitive pricing framework make diesel generators cheaper than grid‑connected power. The company attributes the delays to structural policy...
Enaex Commissions All Electric Emulsion Charging Unit at MSC in Argentina
Enaex has commissioned a fully electric mechanised emulsion charging unit at Minera Santa Cruz (MSC) gold‑silver mine in Argentina. The 100 % electric system eliminates diesel engines, cutting underground emissions, noise, and ventilation costs while boosting safety. Jointly developed with MSC,...
UK HRC Discount to North EU Expands
UK hot‑rolled coil (HRC) prices are trading at an average €62 per tonne discount to north‑European benchmarks after Tata Steel UK closed its last blast furnace in September 2024. Imports have surged from 770,000 t in 2023 to 1.4 million t in 2025,...
U.S. Moves to Permanently Seize Sanctioned Tanker ‘Skipper’ and $150M Oil Cargo
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture complaint to permanently seize the motor tanker Skipper and its 1.8‑million‑barrel Venezuelan crude cargo. Authorities seized the vessel off Venezuela in December 2025 after it operated without nationality and falsely claimed...
CATL and BMW Prepare for Upcoming Battery Passport
Chinese battery giant CATL and German automaker BMW have signed a letter of intent to deepen their partnership, targeting data exchange for the EU battery passport. The two will run pilot projects using the Catena‑X open data ecosystem to enable...
Super Copper Raising $6.0 Million From Upsized Offering
Super Copper Corp. announced an upsized brokered private placement, now targeting $6 million in net proceeds, up from its original $2 million goal. Each unit consists of one common share and a warrant exercisable at $1.15 for three years, with closing expected...
Maersk Pulls U.S., Other Sailings From Red Sea
Maersk announced it will reroute several U.S. and other services from the Red Sea to the Cape of Good Hope, citing unforeseen security constraints in the region. The changes affect both ME11 and MECL routes, with one westbound and two...
Gunnison Copper Update Lifts Project Value to Near $2B
Gunnison Copper (TSX:GCU) lifted its preliminary economic assessment, pushing the project’s net present value to $1.95 billion and the post‑tax IRR to 23% while extending mine life to 21 years. Capital spending rose 18% to $1.54 billion, reflecting operational upgrades such as...
The Richest Silver Mine Isn’t Underground but in Solar
Silver has become a strategic material for the clean‑energy transition, with solar photovoltaics now accounting for roughly 17% of global silver demand. Primary ore grades are falling, pushing the industry toward higher‑grade, above‑ground sources such as retired solar panels that...
California Sets August Deadline for GHG Emissions Reporting
California’s Air Resources Board has set an August 2024 deadline for companies to file mandatory greenhouse‑gas (GHG) emissions reports covering Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The state’s climate‑action statutes, including AB 32 and SB 32, require detailed carbon accounting to enforce its cap‑and‑trade...
Manganese X Energy Conducting Pre-Feasibility Work at Battery Hill Project, New Brunswick
Manganese X Energy is moving its Battery Hill pre‑feasibility study forward in New Brunswick by launching a targeted geotechnical drilling program—three holes totalling about 550 metres—and deepening metallurgical process optimization with Kemetco Research. ABH Engineering is steering the PFS schedule and...
Serval Resources Launches 2026 Exploration Programme in Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt
Serval Resources has launched its 2026 exploration programme on two licences owned by Kalahari Copper Limited (KCL) in Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt, following a conditional agreement to acquire KCL. The first activity is a ground magnetic survey on licence PL061,...
The Talent Paradox
High‑tech mining has embraced automation, AI‑driven haulage and remote operation centres, yet firms struggle to recruit young engineers. Despite the sector’s digital transformation, a perception gap and limited exposure in STEM pipelines keep talent scarce. Universities lag in offering curricula...
Why Sourcing Shifts Are Easier Said than Done when Battling Tariffs
Tariff volatility under the Trump administration is forcing U.S. brands to rethink where they source products. Executives like Brooklinen's COO note that shifting production to a new country takes months, not weeks, and domestic cotton supplies are limited. Companies are...
Most US Coal Plants Could Meet Air Pollution Rules. Trump Weakened Them Anyway
The EPA’s own analysis shows that only 27 of the nation’s 219 coal‑fired power plants would need costly upgrades to meet the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). Despite this, the Trump administration rolled back the stricter limits on...
Nigeria: 'Digitisation of Mining License Attracting Investors Into Sector'
Nigeria’s Mining Cadastre Office has completed the digitisation and validation of its mining licence registry, making the country the 11th African nation to achieve this milestone. The move, announced by Director‑General Obadiah Simon Nkom at an African Minerals Development Centre...
Ontario Vows More Cash to Boost Mining
Ontario’s government is pledging additional cash to accelerate mining development, announcing C$140 million for road work to the Ring of Fire and billions for high‑capacity power lines. The province upgraded Kinross Gold’s Great Bear project under the One Project One Process...
SACIM Completes First Antwerp Diamond Sale in Over a Decade
SACIM completed its first public auction of industrial diamonds in Antwerp, selling 288,000 carats between 16‑20 February 2026. The sale involved 67 international buyers from China, India, the United States and Italy, marking the return of Congolese diamonds to the...
SGS Lakefield Metallurgical Centre of Excellence Celebrates 85th Anniversary
SGS is celebrating the 85th anniversary of its Lakefield Metallurgical Centre of Excellence, positioning the lab at the forefront of Canada’s critical‑minerals push. The facility, which has completed more than 22,000 projects worldwide, offers end‑to‑end metallurgical consulting, pilot‑plant scale‑up and...
TGS Targets Eastern Niger Delta with New 3D Survey
TGS has launched the Nigeria Laide multi‑client 3D seismic survey covering about 11,700 sq km in the eastern Niger Delta. The project, executed with NUPRC and SeaSeis Geophysical, uses the GeoStreamer dual‑sensor system and advanced broadband acquisition. It delivers data suitable for...
LEGO Group Invests in Nature and Technology-Based Carbon Removal Projects
The LEGO Group is committing an additional DKK 18 million (≈US$18 million) to four carbon‑removal projects, expanding its portfolio of nature‑based and technology‑based solutions. The investments include restoring over 14,000 hectares of degraded tropical forest in Mexico and three tech projects—biomass geological storage, mineralization...
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Polysilicon Prices Slide Amid Low Operating Rates
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reported polysilicon operating rates fell to just 32% of capacity, extending an oversupply that pushed polysilicon prices lower and softened wafer prices across all grades. Wafer prices dropped 3‑8% after the Chinese New Year,...
Trans Canada Gold to Explore Harrison Lake Gold Project, British Columbia
Trans Canada Gold Corp. announced a Spring 2026, 14‑hole diamond drilling campaign at its Harrison Lake Gold Project in southwestern British Columbia. Phase 1 will test a 102‑metre interval grading 3.54 g/t gold, while Phase 2 targets high‑grade zones that previously returned up to 21.4 g/t...
Northam Starts Initial Work on Zondereinde Expansion
Northam Platinum has approved a R500 million capital programme to widen an existing exploratory hole at its Zondereinde mine, creating an option to boost PGM output beyond 400,000 ounces per year. The reamed shaft will reach 1.4 km depth, a technical challenge...
US LNG Giant Exercises Option for More Newbuild Vessel Charters From Ocean Yield and NYK
Cheniere Marketing International, a subsidiary of Cheniere Energy, exercised its option to charter additional new‑build LNG carriers from Ocean Yield and NYK Line, potentially expanding its fleet to eight vessels. The optional ships will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries...
Riverside Expands Porphyry Copper Targets at Ariel Project, Mexico
Riverside Resources announced early 2026 assay results from its 100%-owned Ariel copper project in Sonora, Mexico, revealing high‑grade silver (up to >10 oz/t) and lead (5.4% Pb) in vein samples and promising porphyry copper alteration signatures. The 1,640‑hectare, fully permitted district‑scale target...
VLCC Rates – How High and for How Long?
The crude tanker market is experiencing a sharp surge, with VLCC spot hires topping $200,000 per day and one‑year time‑charter equivalents reaching $135,000. Baltic Exchange data show composite VLCC rates near $169,000 daily, while International Seaways (INSW) reported Q4 2025...
Athena Gold Plans Acquisition of Forester Gold Project in Ontario
Athena Gold announced an all‑share acquisition of the 4,900‑hectare Forester Gold Project in north‑western Ontario, securing a full interest while inheriting a 2% net smelter return royalty that can be repurchased for $2 million. The project sits less than 30 km from...
Electric Vehicles and Industrial Policy Could Transform African Economies
African nations sit atop a critical share of the world’s cobalt and other minerals essential for electric‑vehicle batteries, yet most of the value is still captured abroad. The author argues that proactive industrial policy—mirroring China’s use of special economic zones,...
Excalibur Metals Completes Sampling, Plans Drilling at Bellehelen Project, Nevada
Excalibur Metals announced completion of detailed mapping, sampling, and a CSAMT geophysical survey at its Bellehelen silver‑gold project in Nevada, and has finalized drill hole locations for the Spyglass Ridge target. The company will commence a 3,000‑metre reverse‑circulation drill program...
Eni Can Take Venezuelan Oil to Settle Gas Debts, CEO Says
Eni’s chief executive Claudio Descalzi announced that, following a recent easing of U.S. sanctions, Venezuela can now settle its roughly $3 billion gas debt by delivering oil. The debt stems from gas supplied by the Perla offshore field, which Venezuela’s PDVSA...
Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation Launches EOI for Renewable Energy Offtake in Western Australia’s Pilbara
Indigenous‑led Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC) has opened an expression of interest for commercial and industrial customers to purchase renewable electricity from its expanding Pilbara portfolio. Its flagship hybrid wind‑solar‑battery project, Baru Marnda, secured Strategic Project status and appears on the national...
Petra Diamonds Warns Rand Strength a “Major Headwind”
Petra Diamonds reported a $6 million operational cash outflow and a net loss of $188 million for the six months to December, driven by lower sales and a strengthening South African rand. Average realised prices held at $104 per carat, above last...
GRX26 Unveils Industry-Led Program Shaping Australia’s Global Competitive Advantage
The Global Resources Innovation Expo (GRX26) launched its inaugural three‑day program in Perth, featuring eight plenary keynotes, more than 30 speakers and a full resources‑value‑chain agenda. Highlights include discussions on resource diplomacy, lunar‑inspired extraction, net‑zero mining and Indigenous economic inclusion,...
