Mining majors chase scale despite failed megadeals
MINING companies are doubling down on mergers, joint ventures and partnerships as soaring project costs and geopolitical pressure make scale increasingly critical, Reuters…
Rainbow Rare Earths paves way for SA mine in offtake deal
RAINBOW Rare Earths said on Thursday it aimed to publish a prefeasibility study (PFS) of its Phalaborwa rare earths project in South Africa in the fourth quarter, following a…
Glencore joins US critical minerals reserve in $500m EXIM deal
THE US government has selected Glencore to help it build a strategic reserve of critical minerals in a development that deepens the Swiss miner’s relationship with Washington.…
Former Gold Fields boss to join hunt for critical minerals
FORMER Gold Fields CEO Chris Griffith, who exited the miner four years ago after a failed mega-merger bid for Canada’s Yamana Gold, has joined a private equity venture aiming to…
Congo plans one-stop mining investment agency
THE Democratic Republic of Congo is setting up a centralised agency to fast-track major mining investments, said Reuters citing sources. The agency is part of reforms tied to its…
China rare earth exports to US fall ahead of summit
CHINESE exports of rare earth magnets to the US dropped sharply in August, a decline set to feature as a friction point at this week’s Trump-Xi summit in Washington, the…
Pentagon takes stake in US tungsten miner
THE US Department of Defense is to take a stake of almost 20% in tungsten producer Elmet Group, the latest in a series of government investments aimed at reducing America’s…
Europe risks missing out on gallium boom
EUROPE could miss out on a critical high-tech metal even though it is set to produce enough to meet its own needs, said the Financial Times citing London-listed energy company…
US pledges support for Kenya’s minerals push
A SENIOR US official said this week Washington would help Kenya build a critical minerals processing industry. The offer comes amid US-China rivalry over access to such…
Congo tightens grip on geological data
THE Democratic Republic of Congo plans to tighten state control over geological data used by mining companies, Reuters reported. The move could give the country greater sway over…
What resource nationalism means for Africa’s miners
Governments across Africa are seeking to assert greater control over their mineral wealth by rewriting mining codes, demanding larger equity stakes or greater local…
India, Zambia restart critical minerals talks
India has resumed talks with Zambia over potential investments in copper and other critical minerals as it looks overseas to secure raw materials for its growing economy, Reuters…
Congo copper corridor set for $1bn US boost
MOTA-Engil is set to sign a 30-year concession to rehabilitate and operate a key copper and cobalt railway in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Bloomberg. The…
Can this be the PGM market’s next big thing?
THE hydrogen economy was supposed to be platinum’s salvation, but it is turning out to be the lightest of lifelines. Deployment of electrolyser capacity, the technology that…
US-backed group eyes $500m Tanzania nickel investment
AMERICA’S race to loosen China’s grip on critical minerals is zeroing in on Tanzania, where a US-backed investment vehicle is preparing to put roughly half a billion dollars…
US backs African rare earths as private capital stays away
THE US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is backing a pipeline of African rare-earth projects in an effort to reduce investment risks and attract private…
Tighter scrutiny won’t derail mining M&A, execs say
REGULATORY scrutiny of major mining mergers is intensifying as governments focus more closely on critical minerals and security of supply amid geopolitical uncertainty, Reuters…
Metals of war: why US Govt has weaponised mining
Eighteen mining companies went public in the past 12 months with one aim in common: an ambition to supply the US government’s defence industry. Assisted by US President Donald…
Uranium from seawater: Froneman plans new mining firm
NEAL Froneman led the company he founded, Sibanye-Stillwater, for 13 years before abruptly announcing he would step down last year, aged 65. Those years were a punchy, all-action…
Trump to meet miners on critical minerals
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump will meet mining executives on Friday as his administration steps up efforts to secure critical mineral supplies from the US and allied countries,…