The Mining Insider

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  Centinela Strike Begins, Gold Hits a Nine-Week Low, and Arafura Breaks Ground on Nolans 08.10.2026 12Min.

  A legal strike of 709 workers began at Antofagasta's Centinela copper mine as BHP's Escondida mediation runs. Gold fell to a nine-week low after Fed minutes showed all 19 officials backed September's hike. Arafura began construction of the A$1.6 billion Nolans rare earths project. BHP agreed to sell the Kambalda nickel concentrator to Gold Fields. Laos plans to ban all raw mineral exports by 2030.
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  Abu Dhabi's IRH Approaches Kenmare, Perseus Says Few Gold Deals Close, and Belarusian Potash Heads for New Orleans 07.10.2026 12Min.

  Kenmare Resources confirmed a non-binding cash approach from Abu Dhabi's International Resources Holdings, with a November 17 deadline. Perseus Mining's chief executive says gold dealmaking is busy but few deals close. UBS expects higher BHP and Rio Tinto iron ore shipments as prices sit near US$91 a tonne. The first Belarusian potash cargo in four years is due in New Orleans October 14. Gold slipped about 1% ahead of the Federal Reserve minutes.
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  BHP Pauses Escondida Strike With Mediation, Top 50 Miners Lose US$264 Billion, and Greenland Approves Tanbreez Plan 06.10.2026 12Min.

  BHP asked Chile's labour inspectorate to mediate at Escondida, suspending a strike the supervisors' union said could start October 6, with Centinela also in mediation. The world's top 50 miners lost US$264 billion in September as gold slid 6.4%. A court cleared a partial restart of Vale's Fabrica iron ore mine. Greenland approved the Tanbreez mining plan through 2050, though construction is not yet cleared. Lithium fell 19.1%, cobalt sulphate 14.7% and nickel 7.2% in September.
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  Brazil Heads to a Runoff and Vale Jumps, Chile Copper Strike Clock Starts, and Vedanta Plans US$2.3 Billion Push 05.10.2026 11Min.

  Brazil's presidential race goes to an October 25 runoff after Flavio Bolsonaro edged Lula 47.03% to 45.16%, lifting Vale about 8% in premarket trading. Escondida and Centinela copper unions are inside Chile's mandatory mediation window as Chinese buyers return October 8. Vedanta plans US$2.3 billion to lift copper output past 1 million tonnes by 2030 and is seeking a Tuticorin smelter restart. Rare earths were left off the US-China tariff lists, and Gold Fields is expected to sweeten its Northern Star approach after a late-October road show.
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  Freeport's Grasberg Hits 67%, Brazil Votes With Mining Licences in Court, and De Beers Takes Gahcho Kué 04.10.2026 12Min.

  Freeport says the Grasberg mill averaged 140,000 tonnes of ore a day in the third quarter, about 67% of pre-mudslide rates, with 80% of capacity targeted for mid-2027. Brazil votes today while its mine licensing overhaul awaits Supreme Court hearings. Mountain Province hands its 49% of Gahcho Kué to De Beers in a restructuring. European aluminium premiums hit US$574 a tonne on Canadian tariff talk, and Troilus secures US$850 million in credit-approved debt commitments.
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  China Eyes Anglo Teck Copper Guarantees, Glencore Wins Argentina Approval, and Ghana Targets Gold Terms 03.10.2026 12Min.

  China's antitrust regulator is reportedly seeking copper concentrate supply commitments from Anglo American before approving its US$54 billion merger with Teck. Glencore won RIGI approval for its US$4 billion MARA copper project in Argentina and pulled the Alumbrera restart forward to the second half of 2027. Ghana's draft Minerals and Mining Bill would add a free special state share and cut maximum lease terms to 15 years. Copper fell on the week and iron ore hit a one-year low at US$92.10 while China was on holiday, and gold lost 3% on the week despite payrolls of just 29,000.
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  Lynas Buys Brazil Rare Earths, Chile Copper Hits a 15-Year Low, and Sigma Lithium Goes Dark 02.10.2026 11Min.

  Lynas Rare Earths agreed an all-share A$968 million (US$672 million) takeover of Meteoric Resources and its Caldeira ionic clay project in Brazil, a 68% premium. Chile mined 369,500 tonnes of copper in August, down 12.8% and the lowest since February 2011, while Escondida supervisors voted 95% to authorise a strike and Centinela remains in mediation. Sigma Lithium halted its only mine, Grota do Cirilo, with a restart tied to a federal appeals ruling. Yancoal completed its US$1.85 billion purchase of 80% of the Kestrel met coal mine. Gold is on track for a second weekly loss near US$4,155 ahead of September payrolls.
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  Gold Fades on Surging Yields, Russia's Mining Windfall Tax, and Mitsubishi's Nickel Exit 01.10.2026 11Min.

  Gold touched $4,219 on soft PCE data before closing down 0.70% at $4,155.93 as the 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 5.29% — a 22-year high — and the 30-year to 5.63%; gold shed 6.7% for September. Russia submitted a draft mining windfall tax law to the State Duma setting a 30% rate on copper, nickel, and most metals and 20% on gold, effective 2027-2029, expected to raise 200 billion rubles annually. Mitsubishi Corporation exercised its Put Right to exit the Turnagain nickel JV in British Columbia, selling its ~15% stake back to Giga Metals for nominal consideration. And Chile's Centinela copper mine is in mandatory five-day government mediation after a 98.73% union strike vote.
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  Gold's Partial Rebound, Chile's Centinela Strike Threat, Burkina Faso's Gold Refinery, and Atico's Ecuadorian Copper Deal 30.09.2026 11Min.

  Gold rebounded 1.42% to $4,172 on Tuesday as soft U.S. JOLTS data and a consumer confidence slump trimmed October rate-hike odds from 70.9% to 51.5%; NY Fed's Williams urged no urgency. Antofagasta Minerals' Centinela mine — 240,400 tonnes in 2025 — enters mandatory five-day mediation after 98.73% of workers voted to strike, compounding Chile's declining copper output. Burkina Faso opened its first gold refinery, Raffinor BF SA, a $19 million state facility with 164 tonnes/year initial capacity. And Atico Mining secured US$111.4 million from Trafigura for its La Plata copper project in Ecuador.
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  Gold's 5% Two-Day Crash, Uranium Energy's Record Quarter, and Japan Backs Western Graphite 29.09.2026 8Min.

  Gold fell 3.5% Monday to $4,109 — a seven-week low — as the 10-year Treasury yield hit 5.23%, the highest since 2007, while oil surged above $105 on the escalating Strait of Hormuz standoff. Silver dropped approximately 5% to near $60.75, approaching key support. Uranium Energy Corp posted Q4 production up 157% sequentially at cost of $36.54/lb, with $753M in liquid assets and no debt. And NextSource Materials secured US$30M from Japan's Hanwa and JOGMEC for its UAE graphite anode plant, building Western battery supply chain capacity.
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  Barrick's Mali Strike Averted, Northern Star Rejects A$38.7B Gold Fields Bid, and Gold Sinks on Oil Surge 28.09.2026 7Min.

  Barrick Mining signed a new collective bargaining agreement with all three union groups at its Loulo-Gounkoto complex in Mali on Sunday, averting the September 28 strike and resolving 15 demands. Northern Star Resources rejected Gold Fields' A$38.7 billion unsolicited takeover bid as highly opportunistic and below fundamental value, sending Northern Star shares up 9% on Monday. And gold fell 2.1% to $4,198 — its worst daily drop in nearly a month — as oil surged on renewed Middle East tensions and reinforced Fed rate hike expectations.
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  Morowali's Nickel Drought, Kinross Cuts Guidance, and Barrick's Mali Strike Arrives 27.09.2026 8Min.

  Indonesia's Morowali Industrial Park cut nickel pig iron output by 60-70% as an El Niño-driven drought restricted water supply, putting up to 70,000 tonnes of NPI at risk over two weeks. Kinross Gold cut its 2026-27 production guidance to 1.84-1.86 million ounces after weather and metallurgical setbacks at La Coipa and operational headwinds at Round Mountain, with shares falling 13% Thursday. And the Barrick Loulo-Gounkoto strike in Mali begins today — September 28 — with no resolution announced.
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  Italy Goes Nuclear, Gold's Rough Week, and Washington Powers Up the Lobito Corridor 26.09.2026 8Min.

  Italy's Senate voted 81-51 to approve the country's return to nuclear power after a nearly 40-year ban, signalling new uranium demand as the government targets at least 11% of Italy's energy from nuclear by 2050. Precious metals had a rough week — gold fell 2.2% and silver 3.1% on hawkish Fed signals and rising yields, though both bounced partially on Friday. The US Trade and Development Agency funded a feasibility study for power infrastructure along Africa's Lobito Corridor to support copper and cobalt mines in the DRC and Zambia. And the Barrick Loulo-Gounkoto strike deadline in Mali arrives tomorrow.
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  Bannerman's Billion-Dollar Uranium FID, Zambia's Acid Crunch, and the UAE's Australian Lithium Bet 25.09.2026 9Min.

  Bannerman Energy completed its US$457 million financing with CNNC Overseas for the Etango uranium project in Namibia, putting a Final Investment Decision within reach. In Zambia, Konkola Copper Mines signed a US$498 million contract to build Africa's largest copper tailings leach plant — while a domestic sulphuric acid shortage pushed acid costs up 200% for smaller operators and pulled small-scale copper production down 35.2% year on year. UAE-backed Titan Australia Mining locked in a binding A$333 million takeover of Global Lithium Resources. And Barrick's Loulo-Gounkoto strike deadline in Mali is now three days away.
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  Marathon Gets Its Billion, Gold Stumbles on Fed Hawks, and Rare Earths Without New Mining 24.09.2026 10Min.

  Generation Mining completed a C$1.3 billion construction financing package for the Marathon Copper-Palladium Project in Ontario, with early works construction beginning Q4 2026. Gold fell 1.7% to $4,282 per ounce as hawkish Fed commentary pushed the dollar to a two-month high and markets priced in a 95% December rate hike. Neo Performance Materials and Rainbow Rare Earths signed a Phalaborwa MOU covering NdPr oxide and dysprosium-terbium offtake from South African phosphogypsum stockpiles — no new mining required. And the Barrick Loulo-Gounkoto strike deadline in Mali is four days away.
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  Ivanhoe Electric's $3.5 Billion Copper PFS, Artemis Gold Buys Mt Todd, and Copper Hits New Highs 23.09.2026 9Min.

  Ivanhoe Electric released its 2026 Preliminary Feasibility Study for the Santa Cruz Copper Project in Arizona, showing a $3.5 billion after-tax NPV and 30% IRR at current copper prices of $6.79/lb, with $1.43 billion initial capital and a Robbins Tunnel Boring Machine. Artemis Gold agreed to acquire Vista Gold and its 9.1-million-ounce Mt Todd project in Australia's Northern Territory for $427 million all-share. Copper reached $6.91/lb on COMEX, up 47% year-on-year, as the mine supply crunch deepens. And the Barrick Loulo-Gounkoto strike deadline in Mali is five days away.
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  EU Blocks MMG's Nickel Grab, Gold Stumbles on Rate Hike Bets, and Tungsten Attracts $50 Million 22.09.2026 11Min.

  The European Commission issued a formal Statement of Objections against Chinese state-controlled MMG's acquisition of Anglo American's Brazilian nickel business, warning the deal could divert low-carbon ferronickel supply away from Europe. Gold fell 0.9% Monday as traders priced in an 88% chance of a December US Fed rate hike, with the dollar at a two-month high. Tungsten Mining secured a $50 million placement ahead of a Final Investment Decision at its Watershed Queensland project, with a $1.31 billion NPV and DFS due October. And Rock Tech Lithium signed Digital Process Twin agreements with Siemens Canada for Ontario's planned Red Rock lithium converter, DFS expected mid-December.
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  Cozamin Sold for $385M, Tungsten's European Comeback, and Ramelius Targets 610,000 Gold Ounces 21.09.2026 11Min.

  Capstone Copper sells its Cozamin polymetallic mine in Mexico to Luca Mining for up to $385 million, with copper-price-linked contingent payments tied to 2027-2029 LME prices. Almonty Industries and Sandvik's WBH sign a take-or-pay tungsten deal sourced from mine tailings in Spain — the first commercial Western tailings-to-tungsten deal, with US defense procurement rules tightening in January 2027. Ramelius Resources upgrades its FY30 gold target to 560-610koz and guides FY27 at 205-225koz with A$480-570M in growth capex. And BHP renews its five-year decarbonisation MoU with China Baowu.
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  China's Rare Earth Grab, Gallium and Germanium's Stubborn Supply Gap, and Barrick's Strike Countdown 20.09.2026 9Min.

  State-owned China Rare Earth Group is in talks to acquire Shenghe Resources, which holds a stake in US rare earth producer MP Materials — a deal that would deepen Beijing's grip on a sector already used as a trade weapon. Three years after China restricted gallium and germanium exports, prices are still nine to ten times higher than pre-curb levels and ex-China supply covers less than 5% of demand. The EU imposed provisional safeguards on electrical steel imports, setting minimum prices of €2,800-€3,400 per tonne effective September 25. And Barrick's Loulo-Gounkoto strike deadline in Mali is eight days away with no resolution in sight.
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  Barrick Mali on Strike Watch, Copper's Nine-Year Supply Crunch, and Venezuela's Gold Deal 19.09.2026 11Min.

  Multiple unions at Barrick's Loulo-Gounkoto complex in Mali have filed strike notices targeting September 28 — covering mine workers, catering staff, and Mali's own mining regulator. A new Sprott report confirms copper mine supply is heading for its first annual decline since 2017, with Chile down 9.4% and 600,000 tonnes lost from Grasberg and Kamoa-Kakula. The US DFC approved $414 million for Global Atomic's Dasa uranium project in Niger. Venezuela and its opposition are nearing a deal to transfer $4 billion in gold from the Bank of England to New York. And silver outpaced gold four to one for the week, closing at $66.35.