First Indian Diesel Cargo Arrives in Europe After New Russian Sanctions Take Effect
A tanker chartered by Reliance delivered about 100,000 tons of diesel to Rotterdam, marking the first Indian petroleum fuel cargo to reach the Amsterdam‑Rotterdam‑Antwerp hub since the EU imposed sanctions on Russian‑crude derived products. The vessel, Proteus Bohemia, loaded in India’s Sikka port in mid‑January and sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, indicating confidence that the cargo complies with new non‑Russian crude rules. India was the EU’s third‑largest diesel and jet‑fuel supplier last year, making the shipment a bellwether for future trade. A separate Indian jet‑fuel cargo has already off‑loaded in Italy, underscoring the market’s quick adaptation.
Namibia: Record Production At B2gold As Open Pit Winds Down
B2Gold’s Otjikoto Mine in Namibia delivered 199,139 ounces of gold in 2025, hitting the top of its guidance range and helping the company post a record $3.06 billion in revenue. The firm’s three flagship mines collectively produced 926,434 ounces, while a...
Sanctions, Seizures, and the Limits of Maritime Visibility
In late 2025 and early 2026 the U.S. Coast Guard and allied forces seized three oil tankers—M/T Skipper, M/T Centuries and Bella 1—after months of multi‑source intelligence proved they were moving sanctioned cargo. The operation underscores a new enforcement paradigm: governments...
Update Lifts Century Lithium’s Angel Island to Standout US Project
Century Lithium released an updated feasibility study for its Angel Island claystone project in Nevada, boosting its economics. The post‑tax net present value jumps one‑third to $4.01 billion while capital expenditures fall about 35% to $997 million. The internal rate of return...
Imerys Halts British Lithium as Woodsmith Boosted by Anglo and Mitsubishi
French mining group Imerys announced that its British Lithium (IBL) project will be placed into “care and maintenance,” effectively pausing development. The decision comes as the UK seeks to build a domestic battery supply chain, and the move signals a...
Zimbabwe: Small Scale Miners Dominate Fidelity Gold Deliveries
Artisanal and small‑scale miners (ASM) delivered 2.24 tons of gold in January 2026, far surpassing the 808.4 kg supplied by large‑scale producers. Both segments posted lower volumes than the same month a year earlier, with ASM falling from 3.17 tons and large‑scale from 903.2 kg....
DRDGold Moots Plan to Buy Sasol’s Cyanide Facility
DRDGOLD CEO Niël Pretorius warned that South Africa’s sole cyanide producer, Sasol, is scaling back sodium cyanide output, creating a looming supply gap for gold miners. He suggested a consortium of local gold producers purchase the plant and partner with...
Epiroc to Launch New Safety Products at PDAC Including Uphole Brake
At the PDAC conference in Toronto, Epiroc will unveil its latest drilling safety innovations, highlighted by the new Uphole Brake. The brake integrates into the drill head and automatically stops a free‑falling inner tube when overspeed occurs, protecting personnel and...
Creating the 'Ecosystem of Worker and Machine' With 5G
The mining sector is moving toward fully autonomous operations, with 5G networks emerging as the backbone for real‑time worker‑machine collaboration. Newmont’s Cadia mine has deployed teleremote dozers that are controlled over a private 5G slice, delivering sub‑10 ms latency. Early performance...
B2Gold Founder Johnson to Retire as CEO
B2Gold announced that founder and long‑time chief executive Clive Johnson will retire at the June 4 annual general meeting, handing the reins to chief financial officer Mike Cinnamond. Johnson will become Chair Emeritus, while board chair Kelvin Dushnisky shifts to an...
Lebanon Gold Sale Mooted to End Financial Crisis
Lebanese officials are debating selling or leasing part of the country’s 280‑ton gold reserves, now worth roughly $45 billion after a 70 % price surge. The gold, the largest Middle‑East reserve after Saudi Arabia, could fund a financial‑gap law essential for an...
Correction to European Steel Plate Import Prices on February 19
Fastmarkets announced corrections to its European steel plate import price assessments after discovering currency conversion errors. The Northern Europe 8‑40 mm plate range (MB‑STE‑0049) is now €609‑650 per tonne, down from the mistakenly reported €720. The Southern Europe range (MB‑STE‑0050) is...
Blizzard Shuts Down Container Terminals at Northeast Ports
A historic nor'easter dumped up to 13 inches of snow in the New York metropolitan area, prompting seven states to declare emergencies and forcing the shutdown of the region's busiest maritime gateway, Port Newark. All gates at APM Terminals, Maher...
Sasol to Begin Reducing External Coal Purchases as Destoning Plant Raises Quality
Sasol’s newly operational destoning plant at Twistdraai has reduced coal impurity to about 12% sinks, enabling the company to shift from external purchases toward higher‑quality internal supply. The firm aims to lift internal coal output to 28‑30 million tonnes in FY2026...
Both Gold, Platinum Prices Consolidating in High Ranges
Gold prices have entered a consolidation phase, closing the week of Feb 20 at $5,067 per ounce, while a stronger dollar presents short‑term pressure. Ghana’s gold output rose to 187 t in 2023, positioning it as Africa’s top producer and potentially the...
Hudbay Minerals Receives Permit Amendments for New Ingerbelle Expansion
Hudbay Minerals has secured permit amendments from British Columbia’s Major Mines Office to advance the New Ingerbelle expansion at the Copper Mountain mine. The project aims to tap higher‑grade gold zones, lower the stripping ratio, and extend the mine’s life, targeting 750,000 t...
Interior Revokes Dalton Corridor Withdrawals
The U.S. Interior Department issued Public Land Order 7966, revoking two federal withdrawals that covered roughly 2.1 million acres along the Dalton Highway corridor. The revocation removes the long‑standing restrictions, allowing Alaska to select the lands under its remaining statehood entitlement....
Tungsten Crunch Can Be Fixed Before Prices Spike Further: BMO
BMO Global Commodities Research warns that tungsten prices have surged fivefold in the past year as chronic under‑investment and tightening Chinese supply create a looming shortage. With China providing about 75% of global output, ore‑grade declines, environmental limits and export...
BUMA Secures Contract with Adaro at South Tutupan Mine in Indonesia
PT Bukit Makmur Mandiri Utama (BUMA) has secured a long‑term mining services contract with PT Adaro Indonesia for the South Tutupan Mine in South Kalimantan. The agreement, effective 1 April 2026 through 31 December 2030, mandates the removal of about 239 million bank cubic metres of...
ABL Gets Busy at Egyptian Gas Field
Energy consultancy ABL has been awarded marine warranty survey services for Phase 4 of the Kamose offshore gas field in Egypt. The contract covers technical review, approval of documentation, DP trials, and on‑site witnessing of transportation and installation for three new...
Uganda to Link New Railway Line to Tanzania, Opening up New Export Route
Uganda announced plans to connect its new standard gauge railway to Tanzania’s under‑construction rail network. The line would run from the Tanzania border through southwestern Uganda to Mpondwe on the DRC frontier, linking mineral‑rich regions to the port of Dar...
Celsius Seals Samsung Heavy LNG Carrier Order
Celsius Tankers, a subsidiary of Denmark’s Celsius Shipping, has placed an order for a 180,000‑cubic‑metre LNG carrier with South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries. The contract, valued at roughly KRW 368 billion ($255 million), lifts Celsius’s LNG fleet to 24 vessels. The new ship...
WCS Supports Amazonian Communities in Fight Against Mercury Pollution From Illegal and Small-Scale Gold Mining
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is tackling a surge of illegal and artisanal gold mining that is poisoning Amazon rivers with mercury, a neurotoxic metal that bioaccumulates in fish and enters Indigenous diets. In Bolivia and Ecuador, WCS partnered with...
Diablo Resources Identifies Large Silver–Antimony Anomaly at Utah Project
Diablo Resources announced a kilometer‑scale silver‑antimony geochemical anomaly at its 100% owned Star Range Project in Utah. First‑pass soil sampling at the South Star Prospect confirmed the anomaly, which extends over 1 km and remains open to the northeast, and is...
High-Temp Sodium-Zinc Batteries Reveal Causes of Rapid Capacity Loss
Researchers at Germany's Helmholtz‑Zentrum Dresden‑Rossendorf used operando X‑ray radiography to watch sodium‑zinc molten‑salt batteries function at 600 °C, uncovering hidden aging mechanisms. The imaging revealed liquid‑metal movement, dendrite formation, and electrolyte breakdown that together drive rapid capacity loss. Although the chemistry...
Andes Iron’s $2.5B Dominga Project in Chile Hits Fresh Snag
Chile’s Antofagasta Court of Appeals overturned a favorable ruling for Andes Iron’s $2.5 billion Dominga iron‑ore and copper project, sending the case back to the special Committee of Ministers. The appeals panel deemed the earlier enforcement vote procedurally flawed and did...
Coal Miner Cops “Substantial Penalty” For Polluting Blue Mountains Waterways
The New South Wales EPA has ordered Centennial Coal to pay $815,000 after the company discharged untreated, metal‑laden water into the Wollangambe River near the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The penalty includes a $543,500 court fine, $185,000 in investigation costs...
Fortescue’s Green Iron Bet in a €300 per Tonne Iron World
Fortescue Metals Group is moving its low‑temperature, hydrogen‑free electrochemical iron process from the laboratory to a pilot plant in the Pilbara. The technology reduces iron ore directly in an alkaline slurry using electricity, allowing continuous production of metallic iron from...
Korean-Dutch Partnership Pursuing Hydrogen Retrofit for Feeder Vessel
South Korean firm Vinssen and Dutch engineering company MANA have signed an MOU to develop a hydrogen fuel‑cell retrofit for an 800 TEU feeder vessel operating in the Baltic and Northern Europe. The partnership will first conduct a technical feasibility study...
SeaBird Exploration Nets Contract Extension for Seismic Survey Vessel
SeaBird Exploration, a subsidiary of SED Energy Holdings, announced a three‑month extension of its contract for the Fulmar Explorer seismic survey vessel. The extension covers ocean‑bottom‑node source work in the Western Hemisphere and pushes the vessel’s commitment through mid‑June 2026. Commercial...
The Redefined Role of Steel in Solar Energy Projects
Solar installations are scaling up, prompting steel to shift from a simple commodity to a strategic engineering component. Project developers now demand steel that meets strict quality, traceability, and performance standards over 25‑year service lives. Integrated production models—combining high‑volume manufacturing,...
Romgaz Prepared to Cover Neptun Deep Costs, CEO Says
Romanian state‑owned gas producer Romgaz says it has sufficient funding lines to cover its €2 billion share of the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in 2026. The €4 billion development, partnered with OMV Petrom, is one of the EU’s largest natural‑gas deposits. Romgaz’s...
BC Government Accepts Surge Copper’s Berg Project
The British Columbia government has accepted Surge Copper’s Berg Project into the province’s Critical Minerals Office, giving it priority status and coordinated regulatory support. The Berg Project hosts a copper‑molybdenum‑silver deposit with a projected mine life exceeding 30 years. Inclusion...
North Sea Storm Cuts EnQuest’s 2026 Output Forecast
EnQuest announced a revised 2026 production outlook after a severe North Sea storm damaged the third‑party Ninian Central platform, forcing a five‑week shutdown of its Magnus field. Production at Magnus resumed early on February 22, but the outage prompted the company...
Bentley Commits to Use 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel for Car Airfreight
Bentley Motors announced it will use 100 % sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for every customer car air‑freight shipment worldwide, effective immediately. The move is part of the brand’s “Beyond100+” sustainability programme, which targets full carbon‑neutrality by 2030 and a shift to...
Illegal Coal Mining Bust in East Jaintia Hills; 17,000 MT Seized, 22 Held
Police in East Jaintia Hills seized twelve coal‑laden trucks, confiscating 17,322 metric tonnes of coal and 25.5 kg of explosives. The operation resulted in 22 arrests and 94 FIRs, intensifying a crackdown that follows a February 5 dynamite blast that killed...
Gemfields Earns $53m From February Ruby Auction
Gemfields generated $53 million from its mixed‑quality rough ruby auction held 9‑20 February, selling 121 of 135 lots (90%) and 189,620 carats of the 214,509 offered (88%). The auction achieved an average price of $279 per carat, underscoring strong demand for fine‑quality...
Geneva Dry Dialogues: European Energy Exchange
Geneva Dry 2026, the premier dry‑bulk shipping conference, is set for April 28‑29 in Lausanne with up to 900 delegates and 51 sponsors. European Energy Exchange (EEX) head Peter Blogg warned that geopolitical turbulence makes short‑term forecasts difficult, underscoring the...
15-Year-Old VLCC Values Jump 57% Year-on-Year as Sinokor Linked to Teekay Exit
Teekay Tankers sold its 15‑year‑old VLCC Singapore Spirit for $84.5 million, a deal widely linked to Korean buyer Sinokor. Recent disposals by CMB.TECH of similar‑aged vessels also point to Sinokor’s aggressive purchasing pattern, with the firm tied to over 40 VLCC...
Polaris Engineering to Refurbish Forrestania's Lake Johnston Plant
Polaris Engineering has secured a $5 million contract to refurbish the three‑stage crushing circuit at Forrestania Resources' Lake Johnston project in Western Australia. The scope includes upgrades to major equipment, piping, cabling and instrumentation, aiming to boost plant reliability and throughput....
Behind the Boardroom Coup at Copper 360
Copper 360, the JSE‑listed pure‑play copper miner, announced a boardroom shake‑up as CEO Graham Briggs and CFO Stephan Du Plessis were placed on leave, with COO Gordon Thompson acting as CEO. The move follows a costly R1.15 billion recapitalisation that tripled the...
Genesis Eyes GR Engineering for Tower Hill Gold Plant
Genesis Minerals has appointed GR Engineering Services as the preferred contractor to design and build a new processing plant at its Tower Hill gold deposit, located just north of the Gwalia mine in Western Australia. The facility will integrate with...
Rwanda: MPs Back Tougher Action On Abandoned Mining Pits
Rwanda's Parliament endorsed stricter measures to tackle abandoned mining pits after a session with Environment Minister Bernadette Arakwiye. The new framework will raise rehabilitation guarantee fees and tighten licence renewal requirements, aiming to curb illegal mining and reduce environmental damage....
Regulatory Green Light Paves Way for Bindi Metals to Drill Serbian Gold Project
Bindi Metals has secured regulatory approval from Serbia’s Ministry of Mining and Energy to commence its maiden drill program at the Ravni gold project. The approval, which amends the work program, clears the path for drilling within the first exploration...
Queen Hill Delivers Big Upgrade as Stellar Resources Hits 100,000t Tassie Tin Milestone
Stellar Resources announced that its Heemskirk tin project in Tasmania has surpassed the 100,000‑tonne tin metal threshold, driven by a 41% increase in the Queen Hill resource to 4.11 Mt at 0.85% Sn (34,900 t contained tin). The upgrade lifts the total...
Lodestar Minerals Reports High-Grade Rare Earths at New US Project
Lodestar Minerals announced that reconnaissance sampling at its newly acquired Virgin Mountain project in Arizona returned exceptionally high rare earth oxide grades, including up to 3.73% total rare earth oxides (TREO) with a heavy rare earth (HRE) dominance. The assays...
Brightstar Delivers Big Gold Strike at 2.4Moz Sandstone as Resource Update Nears
Brightstar Resources announced a series of high‑grade gold intercepts from its Sandstone project in Western Australia, highlighted by a 4.2‑metre interval grading 26.7 g/t gold at the Musketeer deposit. Additional holes at Musketeer and the nearby Indomitable deposit returned multiple zones...
QMines Unlocks Copper Expansion Potential with Develin Creek Resource Lift
QMines announced a 46% increase in indicated resources at its Develin Creek copper‑zinc project, raising the indicated reserve to 4.22 Mt at 0.98% copper and 1.08% zinc. Total mineral resources now total 4.7 Mt at roughly 0.94% copper and 1.0% zinc, with...
The Cost of Compliance with the EUDR Will Limit Its Impact on Reducing Deforestation (Commentary)
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will require physical segregation of seven high‑risk agri‑commodities, adding substantial compliance costs. Because commodity markets operate on razor‑thin margins—often 1‑3% for soy—the extra expenses threaten price competitiveness. The authors argue that these costs will push...
Queensland Puts Mount Isa Supply Chain on Track with Rail Subsidy
Queensland announced a 10 percent subsidy on below‑rail access charges for the Mount Isa Line, aiming to lower freight costs for the state’s mining corridor. The measure is expected to save users over $5 million across four years for a typical shipper...