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. GTA, co‑developed by BP, Kosmos Energy, and Senegalese and Mauritanian NOCs, began production in January 2025 and suffered a gas leak and visible flaring soon after. The OECD will mediate, and a negative opinion could jeopardize project financing.
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,...
Barry FitzGerald: Exploration Success Drives Benz Beyond $1bn, and Goldie Could Accelerate Again
Benz Mining Corp’s market capitalisation surged past $1 billion, up from just $50 million when it bought the Glenburgh and Egerton projects in November 2024. The company is executing a 250,000‑metre drilling campaign at Glenburgh, driving resource upgrades that could lift the...
Malaysia’s TTVision Enters India’s Solar Manufacturing Market
Malaysia’s TTVision Holdings Berhad will launch a joint‑venture manufacturing plant in India in the second half of 2026 to produce automated optical inspection and high‑speed processing systems for photovoltaic production lines. The facility will act as a localized integrator linking...
Vanadium Flow and Lithium-Ion Combine in World’s Largest Grid-Forming Hybrid Storage Plant in China
China’s Inner Mongolia region has commissioned a 300 MW/1,200 MWh hybrid battery energy storage system that blends lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) modules with vanadium redox flow cells. The plant, located in the Kubuqi Desert, uses Sineng Electric’s grid‑forming converters to deliver rapid response, virtual...
TotalEnergies Signs Preliminary Deal to Offtake Alaskan LNG for 20 Years
TotalEnergies has signed a letter of intent with Glenfarne to purchase up to 2 million tons of LNG per year from the Alaska LNG project for 20 years, pending a final investment decision. The project is being built in two phases: a...
CMA CGM Fills Gap Between Japan and Europe
France’s CMA CGM has introduced Ocean Rise Express, a weekly direct service that links Japan and South China with North Europe. The route is operated solely by CMA CGM using a fleet of fourteen 7,000‑to‑10,000 TEU vessels, calling ports such as Kobe, Yokohama,...
Waiting for the Next Cycle Could Sink Your Shipping Strategy
Shipping is undergoing a structural reset as geopolitics forces trade routes to shift, turning volatility into a permanent operating condition. The Red Sea crisis and sanctions on Russian energy demonstrated how quickly voyages lengthen and insurance costs rise, exposing owners...
NT TOs Win $54M Compensation over McArthur River
Traditional Owners in the Northern Territory have secured more than $54 million in compensation from the Federal Court for the loss of native‑title rights linked to the McArthur River mine. The judgment is the first Australian ruling to award “just terms”...
Codelco and Rio Tinto Strengthen Major Projects Development and Execution Plan in Chile
Codelco and Rio Tinto signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the BMO Global Metals conference to create a strategic framework for joint mining projects in Chile. The MoU aims to blend Codelco’s local leadership with Rio Tinto’s global project‑execution expertise, targeting faster...
Gold Digger: Are Hedges Bad? It’s Not that Simple, Stupid
Gold’s surge to record highs has exposed Australian miners to massive opportunity costs, with hedging contracts costing the sector over A$1 billion per quarter. Euroz Hartleys reports a $670 million loss in September and $1.08 billion by year‑end as forward contracts were unwound,...
Mastermyne Bounces Back
Mastermyne reported a strong first‑half recovery after losing contracts at the Grosvenor and Moranbah North coal mines due to ignition‑related shutdowns. The company attributed the earlier downturn to external factors and highlighted safety upgrades that enabled the resumption of operations....
New Chinese Entrant Into the Cape Sector
National Fortune Shipping Group, a Chinese firm incorporated in April 2025, announced the acquisition of two second‑hand capesize bulk carriers—NF Fortune and NF Future—at $18.5 million each. The vessels, the 177,200‑dwt Mikata and the 185,900‑dwt Ally, were built in 2005 and...
Latrobe Magnesium Hits De-Risking Milestone in Critical Mineral Production Process
Latrobe Magnesium’s demonstration plant in Victoria produced roughly 20 tonnes of magnesium oxide (MgO) over a continuous two‑week run, confirming the viability of its patented low‑carbon extraction process. The achievement de‑risks the company’s transition to full‑scale magnesium metal production, slated for...
NITI Aayog Panel Calls for Public-Private Push to Boost India's Critical Minerals Self-Reliance
The NITI Aayog‑led National Critical and Strategic Minerals Committee called for a joint public‑private drive to accelerate exploration, research and partnerships for India’s critical minerals. Despite sizable reserves, limited exploration has left the country heavily import‑dependent on lithium, rare‑earth elements,...
WA Takes Its Critical Minerals Roadshow to North America
Western Australia’s Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael is leading a delegation of critical‑minerals firms on a trade mission to Canada and the United States. The team will hold meetings in Toronto, New York and Washington DC to promote Australian lithium, rare‑earth...
Routing Software Wins LNG Carriers on Crew-First Approach
Knutsen LNG France has selected Syroco Live, an AI‑driven routing platform, for fleet‑wide deployment after a successful 2024 trial on four vessels. The system promises to boost navigation safety, cut fuel consumption by roughly 10% and lower greenhouse‑gas emissions while...