Lithium miner PLS Group bullish on price outlook, eyes expansion

Australia’s biggest lithium producer PLS Group flagged a supply shortfall of the battery metal in the coming years and said it was nearing a final investment decision on expanding its capacity, as... 

Canada-focused lithium miner Elevra gets price floor for supply deal

North America-focused Elevra Lithium secured a price-floor structure in a deal to supply a new processing facility in Canada, as western countries seek to bolster their critical-mineral supply... 

Singapore authorities begin looking into trader Radiant World

Singapore’s police force has begun looking into Radiant World after receiving reports on the iron-ore trader, a spokesperson said on Thursday. A Radiant World spokesperson was not immediately... 

Gold miner Evolution open to more North America, Australia deals

Evolution Mining will consider acquisitions in Australia and North America and hasn’t ruled out buying assets from Northern Star Resources should they come to market. Evolution is looking at more... 

Korea Eximbank to lend $1bn to Glencore for copper supply

Export-Import Bank of Korea will lend $1-billion to commodities giant Glencore in exchange for copper supply to South Korean companies, as the country seeks to secure raw materials needed for the... 

Trump supporters imperil $4bn aluminium plant central to his industrial push

A cow wearing a gas mask is the first sign something may be amiss in Inola, Oklahoma. “Protect Our Farms. #StopTheInolaSmelter,” reads the text below the image, splashed across a billboard... 

CATL mine’s unclear future clouds China’s nascent lithium market

A year after Contemporary Amperex Technology’s flagship lithium mine was first shuttered, speculation over its fate is still driving wild price swings, prompting growing concerns among traders and... 

Anglo strikes year-long iron-ore deal with China’s State buyer

Anglo American has struck a yearlong supply deal with China’s State-backed iron-ore buyer, joining BHP Group among miners that have finalised an agreement with the group. South African producer... 

China’s coal-to-chemicals push pays off with record profits

China’s decade-plus quest to replace oil with coal in chemicals production is paying off for industry leader Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group, which pulled in record profits as crude prices soared... 

Lloyds Metals allowed to ready restart works for 40-year shuttered Papua New Guinea copper mine

An Indian iron-ore producer was authorized to work toward restarting a giant Papua New Guinea copper mine that’s been closed for almost 40 years and was once a flash point in a brutal civil war.... 

Rio Tinto aluminium smelter to get Australian gov bailout

The owners of Australia’s biggest aluminum smelter, including Rio Tinto Group, are set to receive a government bailout to keep the plant operating as it grapples with high energy costs, according... 

Guinea picks Glencore as offtaker for State-owned bauxite miner

Guinea picked Glencore as offtaker to buy bauxite produced by State-owned Nimba Mining Co, as the West African nation looks to manage more closely export flows of the aluminum feedstock. Glencore... 

Deutsche freezes Radiant World funds as miners move to cut ties

Radiant World is under growing pressure after two of its key banks froze its funds and major miners moved to cut ties with the iron ore trading house. Deutsche Bank and KBC Group have frozen some... 

Subianto's radical commodity export plan for Indonesia faces dueling visions

More than two months after President Prabowo Subianto unveiled plans to take control of Indonesia’s top commodity exports, the agency charged with carrying out the proposal is caught between... 

Sasol’s wartime windfall revives debate over coal’s future

Sasol, the world’s largest producer of fuel from coal, is reaping the benefits of a surge in fuel prices due to the Iran war, while helping shield its home market of South Africa from the resulting... 

US-backed group favored as investor in Tanzania nickel project

A US government-backed consortium has been picked as the favored candidate to invest in a large nickel project in Tanzania, as the Trump administration looks to fund new supplies of key metals.... 

Iron-ore hits one-year low on trader concerns and demand outlook

Iron-ore sank to the lowest level in more than a year amid concerns about a major physical trader of the commodity, which compounded existing market softness linked to a challenging demand outlook.... 

Europe’s key rivers are drying up as extreme heat impact widens

Europe’s biggest rivers, vital arteries for the region’s heavy industries, are drying up after the region was seared by a series of heat waves. As water levels in the Rhine and Danube fall toward... 

Central banks bought far less gold than thought at start of year

Central banks bought far less gold at the start of the year than previously thought, and while demand has since rebounded, their purchases are expected to decline this year, according to the World... 

Anglo said to be in talks to sell De Beers for about $1bn

Anglo American is discussing a deal worth about $1-billion to sell its De Beers diamond business, just a fraction of what the one-time diamond monopoly was once worth. Anglo has been looking to... 

Zambia bets on Pan-African metals exchange to boost mining wealth

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema plans to spearhead the creation of a Pan-African minerals and metals exchange to help the continent capture greater benefits from its natural resources. The... 

Barrick evacuates Chile workers by helicopter after storm

Barrick Mining Corp said it safely evacuated workers who had been stranded in their Barriales camp in northern Chile after severe storms blocked road access. The workers are in “good health,” the... 

Chinese firms help Zimbabwe secure $300m for lithium mine

Mutapa Energy Resources, Zimbabwe’s State-owned lithium miner, has secured $300-million from a group of companies, which includes Chinese entities, to develop its facilities in the Southern African... 

Gas-rich Australian region backs $28bn data centre project

Australia’s Northern Territory has granted land to a major data center project that claims it could attract A$40-billion ($28-billion) in private investment. The region’s government awarded 185... 

Lynas' Pentagon rare earth supply deal draws Malaysia scrutiny

A Malaysian parliamentary group is scrutinizing ASX-listed Lynas Rare Earths' agreement to supply rare earths to the US, as lawmakers weigh implications for the nation’s foreign policy and... 

First Quantum said to seek sale of stake in giant copper project

First Quantum Minerals is in talks to sell a stake in one of the world’s biggest undeveloped copper projects as rival miners and strategic investors rush to boost exposure to the metal. First... 

Congo taps Portugal’s Mota-Engil to revive copper rail link

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) approved a plan to partner with Portuguese construction company Mota-Engil SGPS on rehabilitating a key railway used for transporting copper and cobalt. The... 

China expands strategic mineral toolkit with new investment firm

A new, Beijing-backed mining investment vehicle is aimed at bolstering China’s grip on overseas resources, as the country pushes back against US and European efforts to curb its dominance of the... 

India power giant seeks uranium assets overseas in nuclear push

India’s largest power producer is seeking to invest in overseas uranium mines to secure supplies needed to fuel 30 GW of nuclear power capacity it plans to build over the next two decades.... 

Vietnam eyes building more coal power as war squeezes LNG supply

Vietnam is considering developing more coal-fired capacity to meet its power needs as the US-Iran war constrains supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG). “Recent conflicts in the Middle East have... 

US Defence Agency seeks to buy up to $300m of lithium

The US Department of Defense is buying lithium for its strategic stockpiles as the nation ramps up efforts to reduce supply risks for critical minerals. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is... 

De Beers makes deep diamond price cuts for shrinking buyers club

De Beers has made some of the deepest ever cuts to its official diamond prices, potentially signaling an end to its years-long campaign to hold them well above the market rate. The cuts come at the... 

BHP gets approval to start $15bn copper expansion in Chile

BHP Group has received its first major environmental approval for the expansion of its Escondida copper mine in Chile, enabling a tranche of work worth as much as $14.7-billion to start. The... 

Weaker commodity prices set to tip Australia into trade deficit

The boost to Australia’s trade from the mining boom looks to be fading as imports soar and export growth flatlines, potentially putting it on track for the first annual deficit since 2016. The... 

Japan cuts gas in favour of coal as Hormuz disruption chokes LNG

Japan sharply reduced natural gas-fired power generation last month, instead relying more on coal, as disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz tightened supplies of the cleaner-burning fuel. The... 

Australia runs surprise trade deficit with widest gap since 2015

Australia fell into a surprise trade deficit in May as exports dropped the most all year, with imports extending a streak of gains caused in part by high fuel prices and data center demand.... 

European lithium miner eyes secondary listing as interest grows

London-listed lithium developer Savannah Resources is pursuing a secondary listing in Lisbon or Australia to tap growing investor appetite for battery materials. The company, with a project in... 

Sherritt warns of going-concern risk after Trump expands Cuba sanctions

A Canadian miner that is one of Cuba’s biggest foreign investors warned investors that its ability to carry on as a going concern is in doubt after Donald Trump expanded US sanctions on the... 

Major Indonesian nickel smelter enters court-ordered debt halt

One of Indonesia’s largest nickel smelters has been placed under a temporary debt suspension by a local court, as the Southeast Asian nation’s industry grapples with ore shortages and low metal... 

China places two US rare earths producers on export control list

China has imposed export controls on two US rare earth producers that are part of Washington’s effort to establish alternative supply chains for minerals critical to advanced manufacturing and...