Defense Metals Conditionally Approved for Canadian Infrastructure Funding
Defense Metals received conditional approval for C$1.88 million from Canada’s Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund to build a 60‑km transmission line delivering up to 35 MW of hydroelectric power to its Wicheeda rare‑earth project in British Columbia. The Wicheeda deposit holds 25.5 million tonnes at an average 2.4% oxide grade and could produce roughly 31,900 tonnes of rare‑earth concentrates annually. The funding also supports upgrades to a 43‑km forest service road and other infrastructure slated for completion by 2028. The approval follows the province’s fast‑track permitting selection, underscoring the project’s strategic importance.
Canada, Brazil Launch AI Push to Find Nickel Deposits
Canada and Brazil have signed a technical cooperation agreement to apply artificial intelligence to nickel exploration. The Geological Survey of Canada and Brazil’s Geological Survey will merge geology, geochemistry, geophysics and remote‑sensing data into a shared AI‑driven modelling platform. Initial...
US Antimony Estimates Resource for Ontario Tungsten Project
United States Antimony released an initial resource study for its Fostum tungsten project in Ontario, showing an inferred 14.62 million‑tonne resource grading 0.17% WO₃ and containing 53.6 million pounds of tungsten oxide. At $1,890 per tonne, the in‑ground metal is valued at...
Shorter Commodity Cycles Reshaping Trading, Value: McKinsey
McKinsey’s latest commodity trading report warns that volatility cycles are shortening, diminishing the relevance of traditional super‑cycle models. Trading revenues slipped to $69 billion in 2025, yet remain about twice pre‑pandemic levels, establishing a higher baseline. The firm highlights AI and...
Rare Earths Norway Says Fen Resource 81% Larger
Rare Earths Norway announced an updated mineral resource estimate for its Fen project, Europe’s largest rare‑earth deposit, now pegged at 15.9 million tonnes – an 81% increase over the 2022 figure. The new estimate eclipses Sweden’s Per Geijer deposit, positioning Fen as...
First Phosphate Lands Conditional $12.2M Grant to Advance LFP Processing Plans
First Phosphate secured a conditional non‑repayable contribution of up to C$16.7 million ($12.2 million) from the Canadian government to fund a feasibility study for lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) battery material processing. The grant will finance technical and engineering work through 2028 to validate production...
Sustainable Fitch Affirms Navoi Mining’s ESG Rating
Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company (NMMC) received a reaffirmed ESG rating from Sustainable Fitch, maintaining a ‘3’ rating while its overall score rose to 54. The environmental profile improved to ‘2’ after the company disclosed Scope 2 emissions and set a...
Taseko’s Florence Mine Delivers First New US Copper in 17 Years
Canadian miner Taseko Mines announced its Florence Copper operation in Arizona has produced its first copper cathodes, the first new US copper output from a greenfield project since 2008. The electrowinning plant began commercial operations in late February, positioning Florence...
Hudbay Minerals to Buy Arizona Sonoran in $1B Deal
Hudbay Minerals announced an all‑share acquisition of Arizona Sonoran Copper Company for roughly C$1.48 billion, creating North America’s third‑largest copper district. The deal gives Hudbay full ownership of the Cactus project and expands its U.S. growth pipeline alongside Copper World. Valued...
Osisko’s Gaspé Revamp Ties History to Copper’s Surge
Osisko Metals is spearheading the revival of Quebec’s historic Gaspé copper mine, the largest undeveloped copper resource east of the Mississippi. The company, which acquired the property from Glencore for $45 million, expects a resource update by March 31 and a preliminary...
Sprott Invests $17M in American Eagle for 9.9% Stake
Canadian billionaire Eric Sprott has invested C$23 million (≈ $16.8 million) for a 9.9 % equity stake in British Columbia‑focused junior American Eagle Gold. The deal, executed at C$1.20 per share, pushes the company's market capitalization to roughly C$163 million and brings its cash balance...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Chile Moves to Fast-Track New Lithium Deals
Chile’s mining ministry is set to file five new lithium contracts in March, just days before President Gabriel Boric departs office, as part of a push to accelerate the 2023 national lithium strategy. The contracts target the Salar de Ascotán,...
Greenland Resources Expands Exploration Footprint at Malmbjerg Moly Project
Greenland Resources secured an exclusive special exploration licence covering 1,147.76 km² in the Semersooq region, encircling its existing molybdenum‑magnesium exploitation permit. The new area adds a dominant mineral‑licence position on Greenland’s east coast and will be explored with hyperspectral surveys. Molybdenum...
Lundin Turns to Space Tech to Find More Gold in Ecuador
Lundin Gold is investing $100 million in 2026 to deepen exploration at Ecuador’s Fruta del Norte mine, aiming to extend its life amid robust gold prices. The Canadian miner has partnered with Australian firm Fleet Space Technologies, using the ExoSphere platform...
Botswana Diamonds Rebrands, Targets Copper
Botswana Diamonds announced it will rebrand as Botswana Minerals and adopt the ticker BMIN on Feb 27, reflecting a strategic shift beyond diamonds into copper exploration. The change follows an AI‑driven review of its 95,000 sq km geological database, which uncovered 11 high‑prospectivity...
Hycroft Mining Soars on Sprott Share Buy
Canadian billionaire Eric Sprott increased his stake in Hycroft Mining Holding by purchasing 150,000 shares at $42.05, bringing his ownership to roughly 44.5% of the company. The buy‑back sparked a more than 12% rally, pushing the stock to a one‑month...
Lundin Gold Sells Silver Stream to LunR Royalties in $490M Deal
Lundin Gold agreed to sell a silver stream from its Fruta del Norte mine to LunR Royalties in exchange for roughly C$670 million (about $490 million) worth of newly issued shares. The agreement gives LunR rights to all payable silver up to...
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...
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...
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...
First Quantum Pegs Argentina Copper Mine’s Value at $5.9B
First Quantum Minerals announced that its Taca Taca copper‑gold project in northwest Argentina now carries an after‑tax net present value of $5.92 billion and a 19.3% internal rate of return, more than double the 2021 estimate. Updated reserves rose 13%, adding...
EnergyX Enters US Manufacturing Phase
EnergyX has launched one of North America’s largest roll‑to‑roll ion‑exchange membrane production lines at its Austin, Texas facility, delivering up to 500,000 square meters of membranes per year. The new plant enables in‑house manufacturing of the core component for its...
Op-Ed: How Canada and Mexico Can Align a Critical Minerals Strategy
Canada and Mexico are drafting a joint action plan on critical minerals, infrastructure and supply chains, slated for release in the second half of 2026. The framework targets non‑geological bottlenecks such as permitting, transport corridors, power supply, processing capacity and...
Anglo Asian Expects Copper Output to Triple in 2026
Anglo Asian Mining announced it will aim to triple copper production in 2026, targeting 20,000‑25,000 tonnes after delivering 7,915 tonnes from its newly‑online Gilar and Demirli mines in 2025. The company expects an all‑in sustaining cost (AISC) of $6,800‑$7,800 per...
Rio Tinto Gains Control of Nemaska, Eyes $300M Investment
Rio Tinto now controls 53.9% of Nemaska Lithium, with Quebec holding the remaining 46.1%, and announced a $300 million investment to expand its Quebec lithium operations. The funding will support the near‑complete Bécancour lithium‑hydroxide plant, slated for 32,000 tonnes annual capacity and...
Mining Stocks Dominate TSXV’s Top Performers List
Metals and mining dominated the TSX Venture Exchange’s 2025 top‑performer list, with 48 of the 51 entries coming from the sector. Junior miners posted an average share‑price gain of 443% and a combined market capitalisation of $19.9 billion. Record liquidity supported...
Ground View: How Industry Leaders Are Shaping Pakistan’s Mining Future
The Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum (PMIF) will gather industry leaders in Islamabad to spotlight the country’s world‑class copper, gold, and critical mineral deposits, most notably the revived Reko Diq project. While the geology is undisputed, the article argues that mining...
Glencore Doubles Down on Copper, Keeps M&A in Play
Glencore has secured a land‑access agreement with Gecamines that extends the Kamoto Copper Company’s mine life into the mid‑2040s and unlocks additional ore zones, enabling the asset to target 300,000 tonnes of copper annually. The deal is a cornerstone of...
Australia’s Genesis Expands Laverton Presence with $449M Magnetic Resources Buy
Australian gold miner Genesis Minerals announced a cash‑and‑stock acquisition of Magnetic Resources valued at A$639 million, roughly $449 million. The deal offers A$1.40 in cash and 0.0873 Genesis shares per Magnetic share, representing a 25% premium to the last close. The transaction...
CHART: EV Battery Metals Index Jumps to 27-Month High
The EV battery metals index surged to a 27‑month high as December’s raw‑material spend topped $2 billion, the first such level since August 2023. Global passenger EV sales likely passed 30 million units in 2025, driving a 25% increase in deployed battery...
Niger Stockpiled 1,000t of Yellowcake at Military Base: FT
Niger's military government moved roughly 1,000 tonnes of uranium concentrate, known as yellowcake, to Air Base 101 near Niamey after seizing the Orano‑run mine. The stockpile remains unsold, with potential buyers from Russia, China, the United States and the UAE...
Hecla Nearly Doubles Exploration Budget
Hecla Mining announced it will spend $55 million on exploration and pre‑development in 2026, almost doubling the $27.7 million invested last year. The budget targets its Nevada projects and existing assets in Alaska, Yukon and Idaho, aiming to replace or exceed annual...
Agnico Eagle Posts Record Reserves, Hikes Payout
Agnico Eagle reported record 2025 gold reserves of 55.4 million ounces, a 2.1% rise, while net income surged 135% to $4.46 billion. Production hit 3.45 million ounces, meeting its target, and the company lifted its quarterly dividend to $0.45 per share. Exploration...
Ex-Prince Andrew Suggested Uranium Investments to Epstein: BBC
A confidential UK briefing on high‑value minerals in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, highlighting uranium among other resources, was forwarded by former trade envoy Prince Andrew to Jeffrey Epstein in 2010. The document, prepared during Andrew’s official visit, outlined potential low‑cost extraction...
Nickel Price Jumps as Indonesia’s Top Mine Cuts Output
Indonesia ordered the world’s largest nickel mine, PT Weda Bay, to cut its ore quota from 42 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes for 2024, aiming to tighten global supply. The LME nickel price rose 2 percent to $17,835 a tonne, extending a rally of...
Uranium Market Gathers Momentum in 2026: Sprott
Uranium spot prices surged above $100 per pound in January 2026, the first breach of that level in two years, signaling renewed market vigor. Sprott Asset Management, a major buyer, added 4 million lb to its fund this year, bringing total holdings...
US Antimony, Americas Gold to Jointly Build Idaho Plant
United States Antimony and Americas Gold have formed a 51-49 joint venture to construct a hydrometallurgical processing plant in Idaho’s Silver Valley. The facility will treat antimony feed from Americas Gold’s Galena complex and could handle additional sources, aiming to...
First Quantum Credit Outlook Improves on Cobre Panama Progress
S&P Global Ratings upgraded First Quantum Minerals' credit outlook to positive, citing tangible progress toward restarting the Cobre Panama copper mine. The agency now expects the mine to resume operations in the first half of 2026, with a production ramp‑up later...
Diamond Slump Pushes Botswana to Broaden Mining Base
A deep slump in diamond prices is forcing Botswana, the world’s top diamond producer by value, to broaden its mining portfolio. The government announced plans to explore copper, cobalt and other critical minerals, noting that only about 30% of its...
Zanaga Iron Lines up $25M in Deal with Red Arc
Zanaga Iron (LON:ZIOC) signed a binding term sheet with Red Arc Minerals for an initial up‑to‑$25 million cash tranche to finance engineering and pre‑production work on its Congolese iron‑ore project. The agreement gives Red Arc a 20% stake in the project’s subsidiary Jumelles,...
Elevra, Mangrove Lithium Ink Offtake MoU for NAL Project in Quebec
Elevra Lithium has signed a non‑binding MOU with Canada’s Mangrove Lithium to off‑take up to 144,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate per year from the North American Lithium (NAL) project in Quebec. The supply would begin in 2028, scaling to full...
TechMet Plans Additional $200M Raise, Has Africa in Sight
TechMet, the US‑backed critical‑minerals investment vehicle, is seeking up to $200 million of new capital to broaden its portfolio after raising $300 million last year, including $180 million from the Qatar Investment Authority. CEO Brian Menell announced the raise at the 2026 Mining...
US Backs Altona’s Mozambique Rare Earths Project
Altona Rare Earths announced that the U.S. Trade & Development Agency will support its Monte Muambe project in Mozambique, prompting a 76% surge in the company's London‑listed shares. The backing aims to map technical and financial routes for extracting rare‑earth...
Saudi Graphite Plant Is ‘Wake-Up Call’ for Quebec, France: CEO
Northern Graphite has partnered with Saudi Arabia's Al Obeikan Group to build a $200 million battery‑grade graphite plant in Yanbu, slated for production in 2028. The venture will source concentrate from the revived Okanjande mine in Namibia and gives Northern a...
