Bessent Urges World Bank to Shift Funding Towards Critical Minerals
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent used the IMF and World Bank spring meetings to press the development banks to shift their green‑lending focus toward critical‑minerals mining and processing projects. He argued that secure supplies of rare earths and other key minerals are essential for economic growth and technological leadership, especially as China controls over 90% of the market. Bessent also criticized the World Bank’s climate‑action plan as overly narrow and welcomed its upcoming expiration. The push signals a broader U.S. effort to use multilateral finance to counter China’s dominance in mineral supply chains.
Canada’s Antimony Gap Shows as Iran War Sharpens Focus on Defence Metals
The war in Iran has thrust antimony into the spotlight as a defence‑critical metal, with 40% of U.S. use last year going into ammunition and flares. Canada classifies antimony as critical but lacks a dedicated policy, leaving a thin project...
USCM, Columbia University Eye Defence-Critical Metals in Red Mud
US Critical Materials Corp. and Columbia University have signed a two‑year research pact to extract defence‑critical metals from red mud, the waste by‑product of aluminium refining. The "Mud to Metal" program will focus on gallium, scandium, titanium and rare‑earth elements,...
Rio Tinto Commissions New Alumina Conveyor at British Columbia Smelter
Rio Tinto has commissioned a new 1.1‑kilometre alumina conveyor at its BC Works smelter in Kitimat, British Columbia, as part of a C$135 million (≈ US$100 million) upgrade. The system will transport up to 800,000 tonnes of alumina per year and is built to...
Uranium Royalty to Buy Sweetwater in $1.1B Deal
Uranium Royalty (URC) announced a $1.1 billion acquisition of Sweetwater Royalties, valuing Sweetwater at roughly $1.9 billion including debt. The combined entity will form a US‑based parent that plans to list on Nasdaq, with Orion Resource Partners holding 43% and Ontario Teachers’...
Gold Basin Fires CEO for Alleged Misconduct
Gold Basin Resources (TSXV:GXX) terminated president and interim CEO Charles Straw after a board, installed by Canex Metals following its takeover, accused him of moving large sums from the corporate bank account to a private account, breaching TSX‑V rules. Straw counters...
DRC Boosts US Copper Sales Fivefold to 500,000 Tonnes
The Democratic Republic of Congo has expanded its planned copper sales to the United States to 500,000 tonnes, a fivefold increase from the January commitment. The sales will be marketed through a joint venture between state miner Gécamines, Mercuria Energy...
Op-Ed: Critical Mineral Sovereignty Starts with Deep Tech
Canada announced up to $40 million CAD (≈$30 million USD) for a Canadian Digital Core Library, turning drill‑core scanning into strategic infrastructure. The investment reflects a broader federal critical‑minerals strategy that seeks sovereignty across the entire value chain, from exploration to recycling....
Omai Soars on Resource Update in Guyana
Omai Gold Mines announced a 22% increase in its contained gold, lifting total resources to 8 million ounces and upgrading roughly half into higher‑confidence categories. The update propelled the stock 10% higher to a record C$2.34 per share, valuing the company...
Montage Expands West Africa Presence with New Mauritania Exploration Permits
Montage Gold (TSX:MAU) secured five green‑field exploration permits covering more than 2,100 km² in northern Mauritania, marking its first entry into the country. Four permits were awarded in the Sfariat block and an 80%‑owned permit in the Zednes block, both considered...
Aura Minerals Green Lights Guatemala Gold Project
Aura Minerals announced board approval to construct the Era Dorada underground gold mine in Guatemala, raising the project's capital budget to $386‑$453 million. The 17‑year mine is expected to produce 1.75 million oz of gold equivalent, with average annual output of 111,000 oz in...
Stardust Power Expands US Lithium Supply Pipeline for Oklahoma Refinery
Stardust Power (NASDAQ: SDST) signed a Letter of Intent to purchase up to 15,000 metric tons per year of lithium chloride from a California brine project, securing feedstock for its Muskogee, Oklahoma refinery. Initial deliveries are slated for Q1 2028, with...
Lattice Materials Breaks Ground on Montana Silicon, Germanium Plant
Lattice Materials, a U.S. silicon and germanium producer, broke ground on an 80,000‑square‑foot plant in Bozeman, Montana. The project receives $18.5 million from the U.S. Department of Defense, aiming to double the company’s footprint and add the largest optical boule growth...
Copper Outlook Strengthens as Long-Term Assumptions Climb
Long‑term copper price assumptions in mining feasibility studies have jumped about 60% since 2020, moving from roughly $3.00 per pound to an average of $4.80 per pound in early 2026. Even after stripping inflation, the real assumptions are about 28%...
M&A: Denarius Targets Emerita in Spain’s Zinc-Copper Belt
Denarius Metals has tabled a non‑binding all‑share offer for Emerita Resources, pricing the deal at a 15% premium to Emerita’s April 10 close. The transaction would value Emerita between $25 million and $29 million, depending on its fully diluted share count, and...
