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 VLCC fixtures at $75,600 per day, more than double its Q3 level. Analyst Greg Lewis lifted INSW’s price target to $80, citing record Q4 earnings and a 85% fix rate for available days. The rally is driven by geopolitical tension, limited fleet growth, and shifting volumes from sanctioned Russian tonnage to compliant exporters.
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...
Petronas Carigali Taps Singapore Firm for Newbuild FPSO
Petronas Carigali awarded a 15‑year firm charter to Singapore‑based OceanSTAR Elite for a new‑build FPSO supporting the Sepat Integrated Redevelopment Project offshore Peninsular Malaysia. OceanSTAR will design, construct, install, operate and maintain the vessel, the third unit using its standardized...
Artemis Cracks Open Titan East Gold Zone with Deeper Drilling Results
Artemis Resources announced that diamond drilling at its Titan East shear zone in the Karratha gold project has confirmed downdip continuity of gold mineralisation. The best intercept was 4.7 metres grading 2.3 g/t gold, including a 1.3‑metre sub‑interval at 6.38 g/t, from...
Terra Powers up Southwest PGM Sulphide Hunt with $85m War Chest
Terra Metals secured an $85 million institutional placement at A$0.37 per share, with Washington H. Soul Pattinson acting as cornerstone investor. The capital boost targets the Southwest prospect, where recent drilling revealed a world‑class platinum‑group‑metal sulphide system within the broader Dante project. Assays...
Natural Resource Partners LP (NRP) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Natural Resource Partners L.P. reported $42 million of free cash flow in 2025 and $190 million over the trailing twelve months, while net income reached $31 million. The partnership retired nearly $130 million of debt, leaving $70 million outstanding, and maintained a 75‑cent per unit...
Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc (AMR) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Alpha Metallurgical Resources reported Q4 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $28.5 million, a 32% decline from the prior quarter, driven by lower tonnage and reduced coal inventory values. Total shipments fell to 3.8 million tons, while metallurgical coal realizations modestly improved to a...
Exploration Round-Up: True North Secures Legacy Mine Funding
True North Copper secured a $400,000 Queensland Government grant to assess legacy waste at its Mt Oxide project, aiming to determine reprocessing potential. The non‑dilutive funding supports drilling, laboratory assays, and metallurgical testing, with a partnership with Regeneration Enterprises for...
JV Video: Arbitration Finance Moves Into the Mainstream, Says Burford Capital
Arbitration finance has shifted from a niche service to a mainstream strategic tool for mining companies facing investor‑state and commercial disputes. Multi‑million‑dollar claims and lengthy litigation have driven firms to seek third‑party funding to cover legal costs and manage balance‑sheet...
New Found Gold’s Hammerdown Project Shows $199M NPV in Positive Study
New Found Gold released a positive preliminary economic assessment for its Hammerdown gold project, reporting an after‑tax net present value of $199.2 million at a $3,475/oz gold price. The open‑pit mine is slated to reach commercial production in the second half...
Ballard Mining Hits Million-Ounce Gold Resource
Ballard Mining announced that its Baldock deposit within the Mt Ida project has reached a one‑million‑ounce indicated and inferred gold resource. The infill drilling program added 76,000 ounces, raising the deposit to nine million tonnes at 3.5 g/t, while the broader Mt...
SME Hosts Successful MINEXCHANGE Event in Salt Lake City
More than 7,400 mining professionals gathered at the Salt Palace Convention Center for SME’s MINEXCHANGE conference in Salt Lake City. The opening keynote, "Regaining America’s Mineral Dominance," featured Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox, USGS Director Dr. Ned Mamula, and Resolution...
Due Diligence Required as More Biofuel Feedstocks Used
NorthStandard released a white paper outlining the rapid uptake of biofuels in commercial shipping, noting a twelve‑fold increase in testing volumes to over 1 million MT between 2021 and 2025. Current 5‑10% bio‑blend usage satisfies the 2022 FuelEU Maritime requirement, but upcoming...
These ASX Resources Stocks Are Aiming to Hit FID in 2026
Australian junior miners on the ASX are converging on final investment decisions (FID) for projects slated for 2026. Aura Energy aims to secure a Q3 2026 FID for its Tiris uranium project in Mauritania, backed by a $20 million placement and...
NMG Acquires Brownfield Site in Bécancour
Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (NMG) has acquired a 143,000‑square‑metre brownfield site adjacent to its existing 200,000‑square‑metre greenfield property in Bécancour, Québec. The purchase equips NMG to launch the first stage of its Phase‑2 battery material plant, delivering concentrated graphite for...
QIMC Identifies Second Hydrogen-Associated Structural Zone at 313m, Supporting Multi-Zone H2 System at West Advocate in Nova Scotia
Québec Innovative Materials Corp. announced that drill hole DDH-26-01 intersected a second hydrogen‑associated structural zone between 313 and 330 metres depth at its West Advocate project in Nova Scotia. This finding complements the earlier 142‑191 m fault corridor, confirming a vertically...
Shell Troubleshoots Subsea Equipment at Ormen Lange Oil Field
Shell is troubleshooting subsea equipment at its Ormen Lange offshore gas field in the Norwegian Sea after a compressor failure forced production cuts on February 16. Output has been reduced by roughly 11.9 million cubic metres per day, about 46% of the...
RANKED: Top 10 Gold Mining Companies of 2025
Gold’s 2025 rally pushed bullion over 40% higher, its strongest annual gain since 1979, and sent the VanEck Gold Miners ETF soaring 155%. The surge propelled the world’s largest gold miners into record valuations, with Newmont and Agnico Eagle topping...
Reach Subsea Lands Equinor Pipeline Survey Deal
Norwegian offshore services firm Reach Subsea has been awarded a contract by Equinor, on behalf of Gassco, to conduct external inspections of roughly 3,500 km of subsea pipelines. The inspections will span Gassco’s network in Norwegian waters and export routes to...
MP Materials to Build New $1.25B Magnet Plant in Texas
MP Materials announced a $1.25 billion investment to build a 120‑acre rare‑earth magnet campus in Northlake, Texas, under its “10X” program and a public‑private partnership with the U.S. Department of War. The facility will add roughly 10,000 metric tons of NdFeB magnet...
Biden’s Green New Deal Supercharged Manufacturing Construction in USA, Trump Killing It
The Inflation Reduction Act and accompanying Bipartisan Infrastructure Law sparked a massive reshoring wave, tripling U.S. manufacturing construction spending between 2021 and 2024. The legislation attracted EV battery, solar, and other cleantech projects, creating a surge in blue‑collar jobs. Following...
Cass, Caspian Partner to Tackle Tariff Costs
Cass Information Systems announced a partnership with AI‑enabled tariff specialist Caspian to embed advanced customs audit and refund capabilities into its freight‑payment platform. The integration adds AI‑driven HTS modeling, detailed audit functions, and support for post‑summary corrections, protests, and duty‑drawback...
Zambian Copper Producer Selects Sandvik for Surface Fleet Replacement
One of the world’s largest copper producers in Zambia has ordered 16 Sandvik D25KX down‑the‑hole rotary drill rigs to replace its aging surface fleet and support a newly commissioned expansion. The order, booked for 2025, includes Sandvik’s Remote Monitoring Service,...
Core Lithium to Sell Finniss Stockpile to Glencore International
Core Lithium has entered a binding agreement to sell its remaining 5,100 dry metric tonnes of spodumene concentrate from the Finniss Lithium Project to Glencore International. The price is fixed to the Fastmarkets SC6 CIF China rate of $2,023 per...
Midas Minerals Discovers Copper-Silver Deposits in Namibia
Midas Minerals announced high‑grade copper‑silver intercepts at the Spaatzu Prospect, part of its Otavi Copper Project in Namibia. Drill‑hole MORC010 returned 26 m at 1.37% copper and 31.1 g/t silver, with additional zones exceeding 2% copper. To date the company has completed...
Questcorp Mining Conducting IP Survey at North Island Copper Project, British Columbia
Questcorp Mining has launched a 2026 induced polarization (IP) survey across its 1,168‑hectare North Island Copper Project on Vancouver Island. The 10‑15 km program, run by Peter E. Walcott & Associates, will refine the historic Marisa Zone porphyry copper targets and feed a...
Panama Growth Hinges on Cobre Panama Restart: Report
Panama’s economy expanded 4% in 2025, driven mainly by services, while manufacturing lagged at 0.46%. Business group SIP says reopening First Quantum’s Cobre Panama copper mine could lift GDP growth to 6% by 2027, versus a 3.7% slowdown if the mine...
How Mining-Induced Stress Redistribution Activates Geological Faults
A recent Scientific Reports study examined how mining‑induced stress redistribution activates a 70° normal fault in China’s Ordos Basin during thick coal seam extraction. Field data and similar‑material simulations showed peak floor stress rising to 19.95 MPa and roof stresses increasing...
Xali Gold Receives Green Light From Community, Pico Machay Gold Project in Peru
Xali Gold announced that the Santa Ana community approved its continued exploration at the Pico Machay Gold Project in Peru on February 22, 2026. The company will immediately launch a Phase I field program to update historic geological, engineering and economic...