The Interior Department on Thursday announced an updated critical minerals list that includes metallurgical coal and both phosphate and potash, two key ingredients for common fertilizers. The final 2025 list also includes boron, copper, lead, rhenium, silicon, silver and uranium. Maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey, the list was created with input from the Agriculture, Defense and Energy departments. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement that the updated list “provides a clear, data-driven road map to reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries, expand domestic production and unleash American innovation.” “By working with the mineral industry and state partners,…
Author: TJ Markle
Russia has reserves of 15 rare-earth metals totalling 28.7 million tonnes, according to the Natural Resources Ministry. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his cabinet to draw up a roadmap for the extraction of rare-earth minerals by December 1, as global interest in the metals heightens due to their use in modern technologies and a desire to reduce reliance on the Chinese-dominated market. In a list of tasks for ministers published on the Kremlin website, Putin on Tuesday also ordered the cabinet to take measures to develop transport links at Russia’s borders with China and North Korea. Rare earths –…
The precious metals market is currently experiencing a notable recalibration, as gold, a long-standing safe-haven asset, shows signs of cooling after an extraordinary rally, while silver demonstrates resilience, steadying at elevated price levels. This dynamic shift, unfolding as of November 6, 2025, reflects a complex interplay of evolving monetary policy expectations, robust industrial demand, and persistent global economic uncertainties. Investors are closely monitoring these movements, as the immediate implications suggest a period of consolidation and strategic re-evaluation across the commodities landscape. The tempering momentum in gold, following its unprecedented surge through much of 2025, signals a market adjusting to new…
Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd (HCM) and Hitachi Industrial Products, Ltd say their hybrid dump truck demonstration test project, set to take place at a mine in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, has been selected for inclusion in the ‘Industrial cooperation program in the Global South through technology transfer from Japan’, publicly solicited by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). UNIDO is conducting the program to promote technological innovation, strengthen supply chains and establish industrial infrastructure in Global South countries by supporting Japanese companies in conducting large-scale demonstrations, funded by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Government of Japan.…
Scott Stalheim, member of the citizens group Friends of the Yellow River, said he’s uncomfortable with the challenges of drilling in wetlands. He said it’s hard to imagine that a mine would not damage the environment on public lands. “A full-scale mine is not really compatible with other goals of the Forest Service or the Indian tribes,” Stalheim said. “I cannot picture it, but we also want to be monitoring as close as we can every step of the way.” The Lac du Flambeau tribe previously challenged DNR approvals for drilling at the site due to concerns about irreparable damage to…
The Swedish parliament has voted to pass legislative changes that will come into effect on 1 January, lifting the country’s ban on uranium mining and extraction. “The Riksdag has voted in favour of the Government’s proposal on uranium mining in Sweden,” a statement from the parliament said. “The decision states that it will be allowed to mine uranium in Sweden and that uranium is to be classed as a concession mineral, that is a mineral which is especially useful for society. “The decision also means that activities in which small amounts of uranium are handled will not be subject to…
As the US and the West races to break China’s stranglehold over rare earths production – crucial for everything from smart phones to electric vehicles to military hardware – some firms are betting that Greenland will become a new mining frontier. Its mineral riches remain largely untapped, but operating in this remote northerly region is challenging, as Adrienne Murray reports from Qaqortoq. Standing on a barren rocky slope overlooking the Killlavaat Alannguat mountain in southern Greenland, Tony Sage pointed across the fjord. “We’ll have two pits initially,” the CEO of Critical Metals said, gesturing towards the site of the proposed…
Japan and the United States will jointly study developing rare earth mining in the waters around Minamitori Island in the Pacific, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Thursday. Co-development of rare earth minerals was a key topic in her meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump last week, Takaichi told a parliamentary session. The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. During Trump’s visit to Tokyo, the two countries signed a framework agreement for securing rare earth supplies to counter China’s dominance in the materials that are used in everything from cars to fighter jets. There is an…
The First Alaskans Institute’s annual gala awards rarely get much attention outside of the black-tie fundraiser where they’re given. The honors typically go to people whose work has aligned with the organization’s mission of advocating for Alaska Native communities, and they’re usually a cause for celebration, not controversy. But this year, one of the awards has provoked intense pushback. The high-profile Indigenous organization announced last week that an honor for non-Native people would be shared by John Shively. Shively is a longtime player in Alaska government and political circles who helped lead and set up several prominent Native institutions. He…
Findings of a new study suggest that 53% of zooplankton and 60% of micronekton – small, swimming animals such as shrimp and fish – could be directly affected by deep-sea mining waste, disrupting food chains that extend to larger predators. Waste plumes released from deep-sea mining operations in the Pacific Ocean’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) could starve life in one of the ocean’s most critical ecosystems – the midwater “twilight zone.” This the latest in a series of stark warnings that deep-sea mining could cause irreparable damage to life in the ocean and the latest study led by researchers at the…