The talks touched on rare-earth minerals, gas extraction, and even reviving the Nord Stream pipeline, according to WSJ sources and European intelligence officials. Russian oligarchs long linked to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin reportedly held secret talks with US business figures over potential mining and energy deals, part of behind-the-scenes US diplomacy aimed at ending Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Oligarchs Gennady Timchenko, Yuri Kovalchuk, and brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg – all sanctioned and tied to the Kremlin leader since his youth – allegedly sent emissaries to covert meetings with US companies, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. The talks touched on rare-earth…
Author: TJ Markle
Barrick Mining Corporation (NYSE:B)(TSX:ABX) (“Barrick” or the “Company”) today announces that the Company’s Board of Directors has unanimously authorized Barrick’s management team to explore an initial public offering (“IPO”) of a subsidiary that will hold Barrick’s premier North American Gold Assets (“NewCo”). If an IPO is pursued, NewCo would be anchored by Barrick’s joint venture interests in Nevada Gold Mines and Pueblo Viejo, as well as Barrick’s wholly owned Fourmile gold discovery in Nevada. It is contemplated that NewCo would be listed through an initial public offering of a small minority interest. Following the IPO, Barrick would intend to retain…
Mining projects typically follow a long pathway from initial mineral discovery to active production. Various bottlenecks slow mine development and can prevent development from ever happening. A recent study by Minex Consulting, examining nearly 4,700 mineral discoveries since the 1950s, found that approximately 45 % have developed into operational mines. This development timeline has been steadily stretching over the past two decades. According to S&P Global Commodity Insights, mines that began production in the mid-2000s took on average 12.7 years from discovery to operation. For mines that began production between 2020 and 2023, the average timeline increased to 17.9 years.2 Increasing…
Several mining companies, primarily Chinese, mine copper and cobalt without regard for environmental standards and the impact on local communities While areas rich in rare minerals may be a blessing for the economies of countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), they can also be a curse for the local populations. They fuel the greed of rebel groups and foreign investors who don’t always respect environmental standards. On November 4, 2025, a dam belonging to mining company Congo Dongfang Mining (CDM), a subsidiary of Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Ltd, which mines copper and cobalt in the Haut-Katanga Province of…
With China dominating the global supply of rare-earth magnets and other critical materials, Europe is dangerously vulnerable to shortages and potential export controls. EU institutions, governments, and industry must act quickly to secure these supply chains and create buffers against future shocks. FRANKFURT – When US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a one-year truce in their trade war, temporarily easing China’s strict export controls on rare earths and other critical minerals, a quiet sigh of relief swept through corporate headquarters from Paris to Warsaw. But the underlying structural reality has not changed: Because China controls…
Silver, often nicknamed the ‘Devil’s metal’ because of its volatility, has reached record highs this year and still has further to run despite a supply crunch, according to experts. The metal’s growth value has been running alongside gold’s, which has seen its own rally with the price surging past $4,000 an ounce this year. Silver prices reached a historic peak of $54.47 per troy ounce in mid October, marking a 71% rise year-on-year. They’ve since pared back gains somewhat, but are now growing again, despite low supply levels. “Some people were having to transport silver by plane rather than on…
Traders came back from their Thanksgiving break, and they came back with envy. While Stocks rose throughout the globe in muted fashion, Metals shook Markets again. Up between 1.30% (to $4,200) for Gold and to 6.50% (!) for Silver, all industrial and precious metals have shined strong in what feels like the beginning of another Debasement Trade wave. The culprits? A weaker dollar and increasingly more dovish December 10 FOMC pricing (finishing the week priced at 87.5%). They have been late bloomers of the recent pricing, but the way they all rose today was spectacular. Silver is closing around $57,…
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a report identifying strategies for developing a more efficient, sustainable and resilient U.S. metals processing infrastructure, where metals are used and reused more efficiently throughout the economy. The report highlights key challenges that must be addressed to achieve this goal, including a lack of robust standards for recycled content and supply chain vulnerabilities for critical materials. Metals processing covers the entire material life cycle, including mining, alloy design, manufacturing, reuse and recycling. Making metals processing more sustainable and resilient against supply chain disruptions and resource scarcity is key to promoting…
The Trump administration’s drone strikes against boats allegedly bringing illicit drugs to the US come amid an explosion in the amount of cocaine being produced in Colombia and Peru. But there is a new – and lethal – factor that is turbo-charging production – especially in Peru: the relationship between coca cultivation and illicit gold mining. It’s a toxic combination that is enriching criminal gangs and corrupt officials, as the price of gold touches new highs on world markets. And it’s taking root in other states – including Ecuador, Brazil and Venezuela. In July, Peru’s then foreign minister Elmer Schialer said the illegal…
Malaysia has suspended operations at a rare earth site and two tin mines in western Perak state following an investigation into complaints that a stretch of a major river had turned bright blue, the natural resources and environment ministry said. Minister Johari Abdul Ghani told parliament Wednesday that authorities had launched a probe after public reports about discolored water in a part of the Perak River, the second-longest on the Malaysian peninsula. Initial investigations found discharges at the rare earths mining site, operated by MCRE Resources Sdn Bhd, which matched the color of the water in the river, Johari said. Radiation readings at the site were also found to be as high as 13 becquerels, far above the 1 becquerel limit permitted under the project’s initial environmental…