Coal: Australia and Canada’s Next Middle‑power Energy Play – by Christopher Wright (Lowy Institute – March 11, 2026)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney urged Australia to treat Canada as a strategic collaborator rather than a competitor, highlighting the potential of joint action in mining and critical minerals. Together the two middle powers already supply roughly one‑third of the world’s lithium and uranium and over 40 % of global iron ore. Carney argued that coordinated investment could strengthen supply chains, boost autonomy, and extend influence into traditional energy commodities such as coal. The proposal positions the partnership as a cornerstone of the emerging industrial competition era.
Canada Is Racing to Make This Key Battery Ingredient at Home – by Anam Khan (BNN Bloomberg – March 10,...
Canada’s battery supply chain is hampered by a lack of domestic graphite refining, with 90% of battery‑grade graphite processed in China. Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) is launching a Phase‑2 mine and battery material plant in Bécancour, Quebec, backed by federal...
‘I Couldn’t Breathe’: The Dark Side of Bolivia’s Silver Boom – by Gonzalo Torrico (AFP News/Yahoo News – March 2,...
Bolivia’s historic Cerro Rico mine is experiencing a resurgence as silver prices surge to $87 an ounce, prompting a new wave of artisanal miners. Youths like 28‑year‑old Efrain Villaca are drawn by earnings of roughly $1,000 a month, more than twice...
Canada Must Unleash the Ring of Fire – by Conrad Black (National Post – March 7, 2026)
The Prospector’s and Developers Association of Canada’s annual PDAC conference underscored the Ring of Fire’s strategic value, spotlighting its massive chromium deposit that could satisfy global demand for a century. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is aggressively promoting the northern Ontario region...
Minerals at War: Strategic Resources and the Foundations of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base – by Gracelin Baskaran and Samantha...
The CSIS paper traces the United States’ century‑long pattern of mobilizing massive state resources—stockpiles, price controls, financing, and foreign procurement—to secure critical minerals during wartime, then dismantling those mechanisms in peacetime. Post‑Cold War drawdowns hollowed out domestic mining, processing, and...
The Hidden Potential of Trump’s Critical Minerals Stockpile – by Rebecca Egan McCarthy (Grist.org – March 5, 2026)
Despite a broader rollback of renewable-friendly policies, the Trump administration has accelerated efforts to build a domestic critical‑minerals stockpile. The move targets metals essential for both advanced military hardware and clean‑energy technologies, aiming to reduce U.S. reliance on China. By...
PDAC 2026: Canada Doubles Down on Mining as Investment Attractiveness Score Peaks – by Georgia Williams (Investing News Network –...
At PDAC 2026, Canada announced more than C$3.6 billion in new investments to accelerate its critical minerals sector. The package includes up to C$165.2 million for 22 projects, unlocking over C$434 million in private capital across eight provinces. A C$1.5 billion First and Last...
Alaska Mine Value Hits New Heights in 2025 – by Shane Lasley (North of 60 Mining News – March 4,...
Alaska’s mining sector posted a record $6.5 billion production value in 2025, a 38% jump from the previous year. The increase was driven primarily by soaring precious‑metal prices, even as zinc output at Red Dog fell and gold production missed the...
OPINION: If We Want to Build a Stronger Canada and Protect Ontario, We Must Empower Greater Sudbury – by Paul...
Mayor Paul Lefebvre urges the federal government to designate Greater Sudbury as a Special Economic Zone, allowing the city to capture a larger share of revenues from its abundant nickel and copper mines. He argues that these critical minerals underpin...
Mining Giant Rio Tinto Will Prospect for Copper in Sahtu – by Avery Zingel (CBC News North – March 02,...
Rio Tinto has secured 26 prospecting licences along the Keele River in the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories, aiming to locate copper deposits. The licences allow the company to explore and potentially stake mineral claims, marking its first major...
PDAC 2026: Gold and Copper Are the Go-Tos as Investors Seek Tangible Assets Amid Ongoing Global Uncertainty – by Jane...
At PDAC 2026, mining executives warned that investors are rotating from growth‑focused assets to tangible value plays, spotlighting gold and copper. They cite a weakening U.S. dollar and persistent geopolitical uncertainty as catalysts for the shift. Mining equities, which once...
Nickel Nationalism Holds Back Indonesia’s Clean Tech Ambitions – by Riandy Laksono (East Asia Forum – March 5, 2026)
Indonesia’s 2020 ban on raw‑nickel exports sparked a surge in domestic smelting and processing, positioning the country as a textbook case of resource‑based industrialisation. Yet its clean‑technology ambitions remain modest: EV exports totaled only US$12 million in 2024, dwarfed by Thailand’s...
PDAC: Canada Must Build Processing Now, Panelists Say – by Frederic Tomesco (Mining.com – March 2, 2026)
Canada faces a historic chance to add processing capacity as new mines come online amid a global resource boom, panelists warned at the PDAC convention. While the Toronto Stock Exchange lists over 1,095 mining issuers worth C$600 billion, foreign takeovers have...
Discovery Acquires Kidd Operations From Glencore – by Andrew Autio (Timmins Daily Press – March 2, 2026)
Discovery Mining announced a definitive agreement to purchase Glencore Canada’s 100% stake in the Kidd Operations, encompassing the Kidd Creek copper‑zinc‑silver mine, its metallurgical plant, and tailings facilities near Timmins. The deal positions Discovery as an emerging gold producer, with...
Doug Ford Says Controversial Bill 5 Not Needed in Ring of Fire Deal – by Moira Welsh (Toronto Star –...
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced an accelerated road‑building schedule for the Ring of Fire, promising completion by late 2030—five years ahead of original plans. The province signed new economic agreements with the Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations, complementing a federal deal...
Critical Minerals in Focus as Major Toronto Mining Conference Underway – by Ian Bickis(CTV News Northern Ontario – March 2,...
The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto, drawing over 27,000 attendees, has placed critical minerals at the forefront of its agenda. Industry leaders warned that geopolitical fragmentation is heightening supply‑chain vulnerability for metals such as copper,...
Construction Begins on Berens River Bridge, a Key Link for Frontier Lithium’s PAK Project – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario...
Construction of the Berens River bridge has begun in northwestern Ontario, with M.D. Steele Construction appointed as the primary contractor. The bridge will provide a permanent road crossing for Frontier Lithium’s PAK open‑pit mine, located 175 km north of Red Lake. The...
Proposed Ring of Fire Mine in Northern Ontario Clears Another Regulatory Hurdle – by Liam Casey (Canadian Press – February...
Wyloo’s Eagle’s Nest project in Ontario’s Ring of Fire cleared a key regulatory step after the federal government decided not to subject it to a formal impact assessment. The move comes despite protests from some First Nations, who remain divided...
Mexican Security Risks Highlighted in New Reports – by Frédéric Tomesco (Mining.com – February 25, 2026)
TD Cowen highlighted growing security concerns in Mexico’s mining sector after a January abduction and killings of ten Vizsla Silver employees. Mexico contributes roughly 28% of global mine‑site silver, plus 4% of gold and 3% of copper, making the region strategically vital....
It May Be a Long Wait for the Next Big Rally in Nickel Prices – by Brian Donovan (Globe and...
Nickel prices began climbing in mid‑December 2025 as Indonesia signaled tighter supply, nudging the benchmark above US$17,000 per tonne. The market’s earlier volatility – a US$100,000‑per‑tonne spike in March 2022 that forced an LME trading halt – contrasts with the...
Illegal Gold Mining Surges Into New Parts of Peru’s Amazon, Threatening Rivers and Lives – by Steven Grattan (Associated Press...
Illegal gold mining is expanding from the southern Madre de Dios basin into Peru’s northern Amazon regions of Loreto and Ucayali, following remote river corridors. The surge accelerates deforestation, mercury contamination of waterways, and exposes Indigenous communities to violence and organized...
Opinion: The Hidden Costs of ‘100 per Cent Renewable’ – by Dave McGruer and Bryan Leyland (Financial Post – February...
Microsoft announced it now sources 100% of its electricity from renewable sources, a headline touted as a climate milestone. The article contends that such claims mask the physical reality that intermittent wind and solar require dispatchable backup generation to keep...
Shadow Partners: China’s Collaboration with Terrorist Groups to Plunder Venezuela’s Strategic Minerals (Dialogo Americas – February 24, 2026)
Investigative reporting reveals that Chinese firms are profiting from the illicit extraction of Venezuela’s “black sands” – coltan, niobium and tin – by partnering with armed groups. The minerals travel via river and land routes into Colombia, where fraudulent paperwork...
Detour Mine Expansion to Accelerate as Agnico Eagle Boosts Spending – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – February 24, 2026)
Canada’s largest gold producer Agnico Eagle announced an accelerated expansion of its Detour Lake mine and ongoing construction of the Upper Beaver project, aiming to boost output by up to 30% and exceed 4 million ounces by the early 2030s. The...
Chile’s Right-Wing Pivot Puts Mining Policy Under the Microscope – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – February 24, 2026)
Chile’s right‑wing government, set to assume power on March 11, is reshaping mining policy. President‑elect José Antonio Kast campaigned on stricter border control and law‑and‑order, reflecting rising concerns over crime and Venezuelan migration. He merged the Mining and Economy ministries and...
China to ‘Expand the Country’s Market Share and Influence on Prices in the International Gold Market’ – Hong Kong Official...
Hong Kong announced a concerted push to become a premier international gold trading hub, aligning with China’s goal to expand its market share and influence on global bullion prices. The city plans to increase gold storage capacity to over 2,000...
Why Canadian Critical Minerals Are More Critical Than Ever – by Christopher Hernandez-Roy (Canadian Politics and Public Policy – February...
Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy, unveiled on 17 February 2026, places critical minerals at the core of national security and industrial policy. The government frames domestic mining as essential for defence supply chains, reducing reliance on China’s near‑monopoly over rare earths and...
Denison Mines Gets Green Light for Uranium Project in Northern Saskatchewan – by Nykole King (Regina Leader-Post – February 24,...
Denison Mines Corp. has secured regulatory approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to construct the Wheeler River uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin. The construction licence, effective until February 28, 2031, makes the project the province’s first new uranium mine...
Could Canada and Australia Form a Critical Minerals Supergroup? – by Ian Verrender (Australian Broadcasting Corporation – February 24, 2026)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to address the Australian Parliament, signalling a push toward a Canada‑Australia critical minerals partnership. His recent World Economic Forum speech urged medium powers to forge new alliances, a message that provoked a sharp...
Are You Overpaying for a Lab-Grown Diamond? – by Tomi Joseph-Raji, Jeremy McDonald and Asha Tomlinson (CBC News Marketplace –...
Lab‑grown diamonds, touted as a cost‑effective alternative to mined stones, can be up to 90 percent cheaper. A CBC Marketplace investigation bought two one‑carat, D‑color, ideal‑cut, VS1‑clarity diamonds—one from Blue Nile and another from Alibaba—and found a stark price gap despite...
Road to Ring of Fire Reaches Milestone as Marten Falls First Nation Approves Environmental Assessment – by Dan Bertrand (CTV...
Marten Falls First Nation has filed the final environmental assessment for a 184‑kilometre all‑season access road linking the remote community to the provincial highway network north of Nakina. The submission, announced jointly with Ontario’s government, represents a key milestone in...
Ontario Mining at a Moment of Consequence: Turning Policy Commitments Into Global Leadership – by Priya Tandon (Canadian Mining Journal...
Ontario’s mining sector faces heightened global competition as nations vie for critical minerals essential to clean energy and technology. The province’s policy framework emphasizes certainty, efficiency, and reliability to lure investment. Industry leaders argue that turning policy commitments into concrete...
B.C. to Speed up Three Critical Mineral Projects – by Daisy Xiong (Business In Vancouver – February 2026)
British Columbia announced early government backing for three critical‑mineral projects—Northisle Copper, Suns Copper’s Berg, and Defense Metals’ rare‑earth venture—by adding them to the province’s Critical Minerals Office. The move is designed to fast‑track assessment and permitting processes. Northisle is projected to...
The Surprising Story Of Bonaire’s Salt Pyramids – by Joseph V Micallef (Forbe Magazine – April 22, 2019)
The salt pyramids of Bonaire, towering white mounds on the Caribbean island, have evolved from a historic salt‑export hub into a signature visual for visitors. In the 17th‑19th centuries, Bonaire’s salt was a linchpin in trade routes linking the original...
How Salt Helped Win the Civil War – by Anne Ewbank (Atlas Obscura – September 28, 2018)
During the American Civil War, salt emerged as a strategic commodity, vital for preserving food, curing leather, and maintaining soldiers’ health. Union forces quickly recognized that Confederate salt production facilities, especially those in the South, were critical supply nodes and...
The Gold and Salt Economy of Medieval West Africa – by Jimi Obawole (Nia Nexus Africa – October 3, 2025)
Medieval West Africa’s economy revolved around a vast gold‑and‑salt trade network that connected savannah kingdoms to North African and Mediterranean markets for nearly a millennium. The introduction of the camel and Islam in the 8th century transformed the Sahara into a...
US Blocks Sea Salt Imports From South Korean Salt Farm over Forced Labor Concerns – by Kim Tong-Hyung (Associated Press...
The United States Customs and Border Protection issued a withhold‑release order blocking imports of sea‑salt from South Korea’s Taepyung farm, citing reasonable indications of forced labor. Taepyung, the nation’s largest salt producer, accounts for roughly 6% of South Korea’s total...
![[History of Salt] Age of Invention: The Second Soul, Part I – by Anton Howes (Substack – March 8, 2024)](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/8a3abc1da294a54652c1d06963a57332.webp)
[History of Salt] Age of Invention: The Second Soul, Part I – by Anton Howes (Substack – March 8, 2024)
The article highlights salt’s pivotal role in the 17th‑century economy, where it was deemed as essential as grain and fuel. Control over salt sources drove military campaigns and even sparked wars, underscoring its strategic value. Technological advances in the 18th...
New Partnership to Keep Thompson Mine Open, Eyes Expansion After Partial Sale – by Eric Westhaver (CBC News Manitoba –...
Vale Base Metals has sold a majority stake in its Thompson nickel mine to a consortium of Exiro Minerals, Orion Resource Partners, and the Canada Growth Fund. The new Exiro Nickel Company will operate the mine, backed by up to...
Wall Street Bears Turn Tail After Gold Rises to $5,100/Oz, Main Street Bullishness Unchanged as Iran Tensions Mount – by...
Gold prices rebounded from early‑week weakness, reclaiming the $5,000 support level and climbing to $5,100 per ounce by week’s end. The initial dip was tied to reduced Chinese demand during the Lunar New Year, but safe‑haven buying spurred by rising...
Corb Lund Launching Water Not Coal Petition Campaign Friday in Lethbridge, with Event Saturday in Calgary – by Stephen Tipper...
Southern Alberta country singer Corb Lund has relaunched his “Water Not Coal” petition campaign to ban new coal exploration and mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains. He received official clearance from Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer and has...
B.C.’s Booming Mine Industry Is Scrambling to Recruit More Workers – by Derrick Penner (Vancouver Sun – February 19, 2026)
British Columbia’s mining sector is experiencing a rapid boom as gold and silver prices reach historic highs and Canada intensifies its focus on critical minerals like copper and nickel. The surge has created a sharp demand for skilled workers, especially...
True North: A Look at the Development of the Most Northerly Base Metal Mine in the World – by Ailbhe...
The Polaris zinc‑lead underground mine on Little Cornwallis Island, Nunavut, is the world’s most northerly base‑metal mine. Discovered in 1971 after a seven‑year Cominco exploration program, the first drill hole intersected a Mississippi Valley‑type orebody. The deposit holds about twenty...
Mine. Mine. Mine. How One Corrupt Billionaire Kicked Off the Global Cobalt Spree – by Nicolas Niarchos (Vanity Fair –...
Dan Gertler, an Israeli businessman, leveraged deep political connections to dominate Congo's cobalt mining, turning the country into a linchpin of the global battery supply chain. His network of opaque contracts and bribes enabled Western tech firms to secure cheap...
Teck Getting a Handle on Chilean Mine’s Engineering Problems, CEO Says – by Niall McGee (Globe and Mail – February...
Teck Resources CEO Jonathan Price says the engineering setbacks at the QB2 mine in Chile will be resolved by the end of 2026, clearing a major operational hurdle. The company is awaiting final antitrust clearance for Anglo American's US$20 billion no‑premium...
Nutrien Sees Potash Demand Growing Again This Year After Record Harvest – by Daniel Johnson (CP24/Canadian Press – February 19,...
Nutrien Ltd. projects potash demand to expand for a fourth straight year, targeting sales of 14.1‑14.8 million tonnes in 2026. Benchmark potash prices are roughly 20% higher than a year earlier, reflecting tighter market fundamentals. CFO Mark Thompson highlighted constrained...
