China’s coal price slump likely to persist until start of summer

Chinese coal prices are likely to keep falling until the start of the peak summer season, suppressing imports of the fossil fuel and taking a toll on the country’s miners. The country’s benchmark... 

South African policymakers discussing lower inflation target – Kganyago

South African policymakers are in discussions on lowering the central bank's inflation target, its governor said on Wednesday, adding that a lower target would make the country more competitive and... 

Vale divestment in Indonesian nickel unit expected to finish in July

Indonesia's mining minister on Tuesday said divestment of Vale Canada and Sumitomo Metal Mining's shares in their nickel miner unit Vale Indonesia is expected to conclude in July. The transaction... 

Australia regulator extends approval deadline for SQM-Hancock's $1.bn bid for Azure

Australia's Azure Minerals said on Wednesday the country's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) extended a deadline for approving SQM and Hancock Prospecting's A$1.7-billion offer for the lithium... 

China could drive Africa's renewable energy revolution, report says

China has a unique opportunity to drive forward an energy revolution in Africa, but it must first reverse nearly two decades of neglect of green power investments there, research from Boston... 

Russia confirms deal to buy part of diamond producer Alrosa's output

Russia will regularly buy diamonds from sanctions-hit producer Alrosa ALRS.MM through a state fund, the finance ministry said on Thursday, a move that suggests Western restrictions on Russia's... 

Nornickel says financial stability is priority, not dividends

Russian metals producer Nornickel, said on Friday that the financial stability of the company was more important then dividends but shareholders had the final say on the matter. Dividends are a... 

Vale Indonesia targets 2024 output of about 70 800 metric tons nickel in matte

ickel miner PT Vale Indonesia is aiming for output this year of about 70 800 metric tons of nickel in matte, an official said on Monday, a similar volume to the 70 728 metric tons produced in... 

Canada's mild winter disrupts key ice road to remote Arctic diamond mines

An unusually warm winter in Canada this year has delayed the opening of a 400-kilometer ice road that is rebuilt every year as the main conduit for Rio Tinto, Burgundy Mines, and De Beers to... 

Nigeria to grant mining licences only to companies that process locally

Nigeria will only grant new mining licences to companies that present a plan on how minerals would be processed locally, under new guidelines being developed, a government spokesperson confirmed on... 

Freeport warns copper export ban could cost Indonesia $2bn in lost revenue

Copper miner Freeport Indonesia has warned the Indonesian government that banning exports of copper concentrate in June could lead to a loss of $2-billion in revenues for Jakarta, a company... 

South Africa sees smaller FDI inflows in fourth quarter – Reserve Bank

South Africa recorded smaller foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows of R16.2-billion in the fourth quarter of 2023, from R26-billion in the third quarter, central bank data showed on Thursday.... 

China smelters plan output cuts, no Q2 copper guidance price, sources say

China's top copper smelters have proposed a production cut of 5% to 10% and decided not to issue guidance prices for copper processing charges for the second quarter, two sources with knowledge of... 

Peruvian miner Buenaventura adds two board members from Chile's Antofagasta

Peru's Buenaventura, one of the country's largest miners of precious metals, on Wednesday said it added two executives from Chile's Antofagasta to its board of directors following a partnership... 

Chile needs to finalise more lithium plan details to spur investment, miners say

The Chilean government's new plan to usher in private investment at a number of the country's lithium salt flats may stumble over unresolved details that will raise concerns for investors, mining... 

Canada introduces tougher security reviews of foreign investments

Canada has introduced tougher national security reviews of proposed foreign investments in sensitive sectors to enable it to quickly spot potentially problematic deals, the government said on... 

SARB keeps main interest rate unchanged, citing inflation risks

South Africa's central bank kept its key interest rate unchanged at 8.25% on Wednesday, saying that on balance risks to the inflation outlook were skewed to the upside. It was the fifth meeting in... 

Indonesian miner Amman asks for copper export ban delay

Indonesian copper miner PT Amman Mineral Internasional is in negotiations with the government to allow it to continue exporting copper concentrate beyond May 31, its chief executive said on... 

El Nino may see first South Africa white-corn imports since 2017

South Africa may import significant amounts of white corn, used to make a staple food, for the first time since 2017 as the El Nino weather pattern withers the crop, the chief economist for the... 

China coal industry group says output at accident-hit mining hubs back to normal

Coal mining output at accident-hit mining districts of Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia in China's north have returned to normal, a major coal industry group said on Wednesday. A recent spike in coal... 

Most rescue efforts suspended at Russian gold mine due to collapse risk -TASS

Most rescue efforts have been suspended at a gold mine in Russia's far east, where 13 miners were trapped by a rock fall on March 18, due to the risk of another collapse, state news agency TASS... 

Chile opens lithium salt flats for investment, saves two for state control

Chile's government on Tuesday opened up more than two dozen lithium salt flats to private investment, while reserving the prolific Atacama and Maricunga deposits for state majority control in... 

Brics development bank aims to make $5bn in loans in 2024

The New Development Bank (NDB), set up by the Brics group of emerging economies, aims to make about $5-billion in loans this year, its vice president, Zhou Qiangwu, said on Tuesday. "During the... 

Chile lithium miner SQM spars with China partner over Codelco deal

Chilean miner SQM's board chairman challenged what he called the questionable motives of a major shareholder, China's Tianqi Lithium Corp, the latest jab in an increasingly public spat over SQM's... 

S. Africa's consumer confidence improves in the first quarter, survey says

South Africa's first-quarter consumer confidence improved on the back of an uptick in the confidence levels of high-income households, suggesting retail sales volumes could gradually start to... 

Britain agrees $100m trade finance to boost Africa food security

Development lender British International Investment said on Monday it had agreed a $100-million finance facility with the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) to boost... 

Newmont’s Akyem Ghana gold mine draws Chinese interest

Newmont Corp. has kicked off the sale of its Akyem gold mine in Ghana, which is attracting interest from potential bidders including Chinese producers amid soaring prices for the metal, people with... 

Tianqi seeks shareholder voting power in Chile's SQM-Codelco lithium deal

China's Tianqi Lithium Corp on Friday urged Chile's SQM to hold a shareholders vote over a lithium deal under discussion with State-run copper miner Codelco, and criticized a lack of clarity in the... 

Human rights court orders Peru to pay damages to Peru mining town

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights on Friday ordered Peru to pay damages to residents of an Andean town for violations of their right to a healthy environment from years of air, water and... 

Fortescue eyes developing its copper assets, not looking at Cobre Panama

Australia's Fortescue, the world's fourth-largest iron-ore miner, is looking at developing its copper resources but has not made a decision yet, its founder and executive chairperson told Reuters... 

Congo overtakes Peru on copper output, still behind on exports

The Democratic Republic of the Congo overtook Peru as the world's second largest copper producer in 2023, though it still lags the South American country in exports, official data from both nations... 

Boliden sees $48m hit to Q1 profit from strike in Finland

Sweden's Boliden expects a hit of around 500-million crowns ($47.6-million) to its first-quarter operating profit from an ongoing industrial strike in Finland, the company said. Of the 500-million... 

M Resources, GEAR plan funding round after $1.65bn coal mine buy, source says

Australian coal trader M Resources and Singapore's GEAR plan a funding round after their $1.65-billion purchase of South32's Illawarra metallurgical coal operations, a source familiar with the... 

More investors push Glencore to keep coal post Teck deal

A growing group of Glencore investors are keen for it to keep mining coal instead of spinning out the soon-to-be enlarged unit, with one eye on its financial outlook and another on the... 

Alaska's governor calls on Biden to update mine permit process

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy called on President Joe Biden on Wednesday to update and streamline the US mine permitting process in order to boost domestic production of critical minerals and... 

US backs Australian, Brazil rare earths projects for up to $850m

The US has backed two Australian-listed rare earths projects with up to $850-million of funding as Western nations build a supply chain for the strongly magnetic metals used in sectors from... 

UAE conglomerate seeks to gatecrash China's JCHX Zambian copper deal

A unit of International Holding Company IHC.AD, Abu Dhabi's most valuable company, is interested in acquiring Zambia's Lubambe Copper Mine, an asset that China's JHCX Mining has already agreed to... 

Antofagasta launches desalination plant for Los Pelambres copper mine in Chile

Chilean miner Antofagasta Minerals on Thursday inaugurated a more than $2 billion desalination plant for its flagship copper mine in Chile, Los Pelambres, aimed at relieving the effects of severe... 

France sets end March deadline for New Caledonia nickel deal

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Thursday set an end of month deadline for New Caledonia to back a state bailout deal for the French territory's nickel industry, ruling out an improved... 

China coal industry group expects output growth to slow in 2024

China's coal output is expected to increase 36-million metric tons, or 0.8%, to about 4.7-billion tonnes in 2024, a Chinese coal industry group said on Wednesday, slower than last year's 2.9%...