Chinese zinc smelter breaks contract with Teck's Alaska mine amid tariffs, sources say

huzhou Smelter Group, one of China's largest zinc smelters, broke a supply contract with Teck Resources' Red Dog mine in Alaska earlier this year due to hefty tariffs fueled by Beijing and... 

ANC says it needs to reform to regain support

South Africa's African National Congress (ANC), the liberation movement that brought Nelson Mandela to power, said it was facing a crisis over corruption, poor governance, and persistent racial... 

Australia unveils rescue bid for Rio Tinto's Tomago aluminium smelter

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Friday a rescue effort to keep open Australia's largest aluminium smelter, the struggling Tomago facility majority-owned by Rio Tinto, after its current... 

ANZ sees copper holding above $11 000/t in 2026

ANZ Research expects copper prices to remain above $11 000 per metric ton in 2026, with prices potentially nearing $12 000 by year-end amid supply constraints and accelerating demand growth. This... 

Congo vows to uphold cobalt quotas as exports resume ‘within days’

The Democratic Republic of Congo has pledged to uphold cobalt export quotas allocated to miners for 2025 despite months of delays under new rules, its mining regulator has said, as a pilot shipment... 

Ghana bans mining in forest reserves to curb environmental damage

Ghana has banned mining in forest reserves as part of sweeping environmental protections aimed at safeguarding water bodies and halting deforestation, the Ministry of Environment, Science and... 

Chile raises mining investment forecast through 2034 to $105bn

Chile's mining investment is expected to reach $104.549-billion from this year through 2034, State-run agency Cochilco said on Thursday, up from last year's estimate of about $83-billion through... 

Australia offers first oil and gas acreage in years

The Australian government on Thursday released its first package of offshore oil and gas acreage for bidding since 2022. All five areas are in the Otway Basin offshore Victoria state in... 

Albemarle wraps up validation of lithium pilot plant in Chile

Albemarle said on Wednesday it completed the validation of its direct lithium extraction (DLE) pilot plant in Chile, allowing the company to finalise its design of a future commercial facility and... 

US House committee approves Africa trade bill, no mention of South Africa exclusion for now

A US House committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would renew for another three years Washington's preferential trade programme for Africa, and there was no immediate mention of excluding... 

USA Rare Earth speeds up Texas project, eyes 2028 start

USA Rare Earth said on Wednesday it will bring forward commercial production at its rare earths project in Texas to late 2028 from 2030, citing faster-than-expected progress at its processing... 

Indonesia sets rules to fine miners operating in forest areas

Indonesia has set the fines it will impose on miners operating illegally in forest areas, part of government efforts to protect forest areas from illegal clearing, the Energy and Mineral Resources... 

US House committee to take up Africa trade bill, but South Africa risks exclusion

A US House committee will on Wednesday consider a three-year extension to Washington's flagship trade initiative for Africa which lapsed in September, but South Africa risks being excluded amid... 

US House committee to take up Africa trade bill, but South Africa risks exclusion

A US House committee will on Wednesday consider a three-year extension to Washington's flagship trade initiative for Africa which lapsed in September, but South Africa risks being excluded amid... 

Glencore to ship first cobalt cargo under Congo's new quota system

Glencore has become the first miner to export cobalt under Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC's) new quotas, sending a small initial shipment to test the system, one government source and two... 

Chinese uranium miner to help build Namibia's second desalination plant

Swakop Uranium, a subsidiary of state-owned China General Nuclear Power Group, has signed a joint venture deal with Namibia's water utility, NamWater, to construct the country's second desalination... 

USTR Greer says he's open to 'different treatment' of South Africa under trade initiative

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Tuesday said he is open to treating South Africa differently than other African countries if Washington extends a trade initiative with sub-Saharan Africa... 

Standard Lithium JV gets $1.1bn in funding interest for Arkansas project

Smackover Lithium, a joint venture between Standard Lithium and Equinor, said on Tuesday it had attracted more than $1-billion in financing interest for its Arkansas lithium project. Three export... 

US lawmaker raises concerns about miner Ivanhoe Atlantic's ties with China

US lawmaker John Moolenaar, the chair of the US House of Representatives' bipartisan select committee focused on China, on Thursday raised concerns about mining group Ivanhoe Atlantic's alleged... 

Australia's mining competitiveness at risk from excessive regulation, says Rinehart

Mining tycoon Gina Rinehart said on Wednesday the burden of excessive regulation on the Australian mining industry had put its global competitiveness at risk. Rinehart is executive chairman of... 

Greenland approves 30-year mining permit for EU-backed graphite project

Greenland has issued a 30-year exploitation licence to London-listed GreenRoc Mining for the Amitsoq graphite deposit, marking the third such permit granted by the Arctic island's government this... 

Costs of EV battery material cobalt hydroxide jump on Congo export restrictions

Prices of cobalt hydroxide used to make chemicals for electric vehicle (EV) batteries have risen sharply this year due to cobalt export restrictions from top producer Democratic Republic of Congo,... 

Chilean regulator, workers flagged risk at Teck's Quebrada Blanca dam

Chilean authorities in August raised concerns over a large crack and leaks at Teck's flagship Quebrada Blanca copper mine and criticized the miner for not immediately reporting the issues,... 

South African consumer confidence improves on holiday season optimism

South Africa's consumer confidence improved in the fourth quarter to hit its highest reading for 2025, helped by consumers’ appetite to spend into the holiday season, a survey showed on Tuesday.... 

Zimbabwe's President changes mines minister, statement says

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has removed Winston Chitando as mines minister and replaced him with Polite Kambamura, the government said in a statement on Monday. No reason was given for... 

Morocco to open two deepwater ports in 2026 and 2028, Minister says

Morocco will open a new deepwater Mediterranean port next year and another on the Atlantic in 2028, Equipment and Water minister Nizar Baraka said, as the North African country aims to replicate... 

'Big hopes for Africa': Defence firms scramble for drone market at Egypt arms expo

Quadcopters, electromagnetic rifles and an AI-powered navigation system were among the wares displayed at one of Africa and the Middle East’s biggest arms expos, as defence companies jostle to... 

Iron-ore extends losses as Simandou project starts supply

Iron-ore futures prices extended declines on Tuesday, as the big Simandou project in Guinea, west Africa shipped its first ore, raising prospects of more supply at a time when demand in top... 

Anson inks lithium supply MoU with US's Nusano for nuclear use

Australia's Anson Resources said on Monday it signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Utah-based firm Nusano to supply lithium chloride for use in nuclear and advanced manufacturing... 

White supremacy notion threatens South Africa's sovereignty, president says

Ideas of white racial superiority are a threat to South Africa's post-apartheid unity, its sovereignty and its diplomatic relations, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday, calling for global... 

Where coal once reigned, Virginia eyes data centers

The demise of the coal industry left the US Appalachian region in tatters, with lost jobs, spoiled water and countless miles of abandoned underground mines. Now entrepreneurs are eyeing the rural... 

EIA to ditch some existing reports and launch new surveys on minerals, data centers

The US Energy Information Administration will ditch some of its reports, launch new surveys on data centers and critical minerals next year, and tweak its flagship Annual Energy Outlook, the... 

Nornickel fully restores cobalt production after repairs from 2022 fire

Russian mining and metals giant Norilsk Nickel has fully completed the reconstruction of its cobalt production facility in the Murmansk region, which was damaged in a fire three years ago, the... 

Congo sets new export conditions to keep tight grip on cobalt

Congo has set new conditions for cobalt exporters, according to a government circular reviewed by Reuters, potentially complicating a recently introduced quota system as the country seeks to keep a... 

EU's rare earths push is 10 years late, Boliden CEO says

The EU should have taken action on rare earths 10 years ago, the boss of Swedish miner Boliden said on Friday, commenting on the European Commission's plan to fast-track three-billion euros... 

India's Adani, Hindalco seek Peru copper assets as demand surges

Indian conglomerate Adani and miner Hindalco Industries are exploring investments in Peru's copper sector, either through joint ventures or by taking stakes in existing mines, a senior Peruvian... 

Swedish miner Boliden says it will spend less capital in 2026

Swedish miner Boliden plans to lower its capital expenditures to 15-billion Swedish crowns ($1.6-billion) in 2026, 500 million crowns less than it expects to spend this year, it said on Friday.... 

Copper producer Freeport would pursue M&A only if 'stars and moon' align, CEO says

Copper producer Freeport-McMoRan would pursue an acquisition if "the stars and the moon" aligned, but is not counting on deals to grow and is focused on developing existing assets, its CEO said on... 

US minerals projects seek 'industrial vision' from Washington to compete with China

Washington must move even faster to bolster critical minerals projects and offset Beijing's grip on the world's supply of the building blocks for electronics, weapons and a range of other goods,... 

Niger accuses France's Orano of radioactive pollution as uranium row deepens

Niger has accused French nuclear fuel group Orano of "predatory behavior" and environmental crimes, escalating a bitter dispute over control of the West African nation’s uranium mines. The...