BEIJING, Dec 12 (Reuters) – The world’s largest steel producer, China, plans to roll out a license system from 2026 to regulate exports of the metal, as robust shipments have fueled a growing protectionist backlash worldwide. Exporters of some 300 steel items will have to apply for licenses on the basis of export contracts and product quality inspection certificates from manufacturers, the commerce ministry said on Friday. “Some steel products will be added into the list of cargoes under export license management effective from January 1, 2026,” it added in a statement. The news followed market talk the previous day…
Author: TJ Markle
Ambler Access Road, approved by Trump administration, designed to reach massive copper deposits Ice blocks drift past Tristen Pattee’s boat as he scans the banks of Northwest Alaska’s Kobuk River for caribou. His great uncle Ernest steadies a rifle on his lap. It’s the last day of September, and by every measure of history and memory, thousands should have crossed by now. But the tundra is empty, save for the mountains looming on the horizon — the Gates of the Arctic National Park. Days after Pattee’s unsuccessful hunt, the Trump administration approved construction of the Ambler Access Road — a…
THE U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has extended the public comment period on the request for information and indications of interest for a potential minerals lease sale offshore the CNMI. BOEM stated on its website that the comment period is now extended until 11:59 p.m. ET on Jan. 12, 2026, in response to a request from the governors of the CNMI and Guam. Last month, Gov. David M. Apatang stressed the importance of public participation in the process, noting that community engagement will ensure the voices and interests of the people of the CNMI are…
In Canada: The Essipit Innu First Nation says it won’t allow mining exploration in a protected area on its territory. On Dec. 9, the leadership announced in a press release that it wants developers to stay out of the Essipiunnu-Meshkanau Protected Area, a self-designated 1,200 km section of their Nitassinan (“homeland”) north of the intersection of the St-Lawrence River and the Saguenay Fjord. “We reaffirm our commitment to maintaining a balance between development and the protection of the territory and biodiversity,” the Essipit Council wrote in the release. “We therefore require all developers and stakeholders working in the mining sector to meet…
Across the United States, piles of gray rock sit beside giant open pits. These leftovers from mining look useless, yet they are loaded with metals that modern technology depends on. A new study finds that just one year of U.S. mine waste holds enough lithium to power about 10 million electric cars, along with large amounts of other scarce metals, according to a recent analysis. The research focuses on 54 active metal mines and shows that if companies recovered even a small share of the extra elements they already dig up, U.S. dependence on imported supplies could shrink sharply. Tech…
Machines mining minerals in the deep ocean have been found to cause significant damage to life on the seabed, scientists carrying out the largest study of its kind say. The number of animals found in the tracks of the vehicles was reduced by 37% compared to untouched areas, according to the scientists. The researchers discovered more than 4,000 animals, 90% of which were new species, living on the seafloor in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean. Vast amounts of critical minerals needed for green technologies could be locked in the deep ocean, but deep sea mining in international waters…
A multi-billion-dollar gold project owned by the world’s biggest bullion producer has been invaded by illegal diggers in northern Peru, according to a top government official. Newmont Corp.’s stalled Minas Conga project in the Cajamarca region “is being partially exploited by illegal mining,” Prime Minister Ernesto Alvarez told reporters Friday. Newmont didn’t immediately comment. Denver-based Newmont is the latest global company to face informal miners as near record prices increase incentives for diggers in poor rural areas of the country. Southern Copper Corp., First Quantum Minerals Ltd. and MMG Ltd. have said illegal miners are operating on their concessions, delaying…
According to participants at the Rebuilding Ukraine Forum held in Bucharest, leveraging Ukraine’s existing resource potential and enhancing its competitiveness within the global market requires an update of legislation governing critical minerals. Experts emphasized that, in the absence of transparent regulations, established international partnerships, and a stable security environment, large-scale mining projects encounter significant constraints. Speakers observed that, despite Ukraine’s considerable reserves of critical raw materials, the current regulatory framework does not adequately meet the expectations of international investors and financial institutions. They underscored the need for clear procedures regarding access to mineral deposits, well-defined risk-sharing mechanisms, and robust guarantees…
A Utah-based mining company says it has discovered a massive deposit of rare earths and other critical minerals, calling it potentially “one of North America’s most significant” finds to date. Ionic Mineral Technologies — also known as Ionic MT — revealed last week that assays from its fully permitted Silicon Ridge project in Utah confirmed it as a halloysite-hosted ion-adsorption clay (IAC) system, which, compared to the conventional “hard-rock” geological system, is easier to extract minerals from. According to the company, IAC represents the same geological formation that supplies approximately 35-40% of China’s total rare earth production and over 70%…
A shift in federal administrative policy regarding environmental and water permitting has reactivated a mining investment pipeline valued at over US$11 billion. The clearing of regulatory backlogs is poised to trigger a wave of capital deployment across major mining hubs, with Zacatecas, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Durango serving as the primary beneficiaries. Fernando Aboitiz, Head of the Extractive Activities Coordination Unit, Ministry of Economy (SE), confirmed that the Claudia Sheinbaum administration has tackled the permitting bottleneck that defined previous years. Aboitiz told El Financiero that the government inherited 176 stalled projects at the start of the term. Through an accelerated review…