The Mining Insider

Episodi

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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.
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  Iran and the US Strike a Deal, Hormuz Reopens Friday, Kazakhstan's Pipeline Hit, and Fujimori's Mining Gamble 19.07.2026 9min

  The United States and Iran announced a ceasefire agreement late Sunday, with the Strait of Hormuz set to reopen Friday. Within hours, drones struck the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's Black Sea terminal at Novorossiysk, halting oil loadings from a route that handles eighty percent of Kazakhstan's crude exports. In Peru, president-elect Keiko Fujimori takes office July 28 with sixty-four billion dollars in mining investments and two hundred social conflicts on record. And First Quantum is reportedly exploring a stake sale in Argentina's Taca Taca copper project, with Rio Tinto named as a preliminary potential buyer.
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  Congo Claws Back the Cobalt, Mojtaba in Hiding, Vedanta's American Copper Play, and South32's Electric Fleet 05.07.2026 10min

  The DRC government confirms it has clawed back unused H1 2026 cobalt export quotas after the ARECOMS customs platform blockage prevented producers from registering shipments — putting $1.1 billion in allocations at risk for CMOC, Glencore, Eurasian Resources Group, and Huayou Cobalt. Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is absent from his father's state funeral amid Israeli assassination fears, deepening succession uncertainty ahead of resumed US-Iran talks after July 9. Vedanta launches CopperTech Metals Inc., a US-domiciled company to own and operate Konkola Copper Mines in Zambia for American copper security. And South32 places Sandvik's largest-ever battery-electric vehicle order for its Hermosa critical minerals project in Arizona.
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  Hormuz Frozen for Khamenei's Funeral, Canada Bets on Red Chris Copper, MMG Nickel Deal Stalls in Brussels, and Congo's Cobalt Countdown 04.07.2026 10min

  Iran's six-day funeral for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei freezes all US-Iran negotiations until July 9, with UK, France and Oman pledging to keep the Strait of Hormuz open as Brent falls below $71. Canada and British Columbia sign a landmark resource agreement committing $500 million to expand Red Chris copper mine and targeting a 15%+ rise in national copper output. MMG and Anglo American extend their Brazilian nickel deal deadline to October 31 as EU antitrust review stalls. And the DRC cobalt customs platform freeze reaches its ARECOMS deadline, putting $1.1 billion in export quotas at immediate risk.
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  BHP Hands San Manuel to Faraday, Pilbara Workers Settle, Congo's Cobalt Customs Freeze, and Gold's Comeback Week 03.07.2026 10min

  BHP finalizes its transfer of the historic San Manuel copper mine in Arizona to Faraday Copper Corp, taking a 30% stake and offtake rights as both companies target a new US copper hub. BHP workers at South Flank and Mining Area C vote 58% in favor of a four-year deal — but Port Hedland negotiations continue. A customs platform failure in the DRC puts up to $1.1 billion in cobalt exports at risk ahead of a July 5 quota deadline. Gold surges above $4,170 per ounce for its first weekly gain in five weeks on weak US jobs data.
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  Agnico Eagle's Barnat Blow, Cigar Lake Goes Dark, Northern Star's New Hand, and India's Aluminum Bet 02.07.2026 9min

  A wall movement at Agnico Eagle's Barnat open pit in Quebec threatens 60,000 to 80,000 ounces of H2 2026 gold production. Cameco suspends mining at Cigar Lake after an acid plant failure halts Orano's McClean Lake mill. Northern Star appoints Glencore's Suresh Vadnagra as CEO following activist pressure from Elliott. And Adani and Abu Dhabi's IHC commit to an $11.5 billion aluminum joint venture in India's Odisha.
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  South32 Turns Copper, BHP's Diesel Dilemma on Day One, Ghana GoldBod Goes Live, and Iran Walks Away From Doha 01.07.2026 9min

  South32 sells its aluminium unit to Alcoa for $5.6B, becoming a lean copper miner and M&A target for Glencore or BHP — on day one for new BHP CEO Brandon Craig. BHP simultaneously orders 62 new diesel trucks at Jimblebar alongside its 2 electric ones, locking in diesel through at least the late 2030s. Ghana's GoldBod 30% gold offtake goes live today with cedi settlement. And Iran refuses to meet US envoys in Doha, stalling Hormuz diplomacy.
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  Hormuz Stand-Down Holds as Doha Talks Begin, BHP Craig Takes Command Tomorrow, Murray & Roberts Escapes Business Rescue, and the Copper Tariff Verdict 30.06.2026 10min

  Both US and Iran send delegations to Doha on June 30, but Tehran denies direct talks. Goldman Sachs says Gulf flows could return to 23M bpd by early July. Today is Mike Henry's last day as BHP CEO; Brandon Craig takes over tomorrow with the buy-vs-build copper conundrum front and center. Murray & Roberts completes R1.27B mining services business rescue sale to Differential Capital, preserving 2,600 jobs. And the Commerce Dept Section 232 refined copper report was delivered to the White House today.
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  Hormuz Ceasefire 2.0, Trump's New Metal Tariff Move, Canada Opens Greenland, and the Copper Tariff Verdict That Arrives Tomorrow 29.06.2026 10min

  The US and Iran agree to halt strikes and hold Doha talks beginning June 29, focused on Hormuz shipping operations and Iran's demand for transit control. President Trump signs a new Section 232 tariff adjustment today. Canada becomes the first G7 government to invest in Greenland mining with a C$7M grant to Greenland Resources' Malmbjerg molybdenum project. And the Section 232 refined copper tariff report arrives at the White House tomorrow — the decision that will set direction for a copper market at record COMEX inventories of 652,200 tonnes.
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  Electric Haulage Hits the Pilbara, Iran Eyes Hormuz Control, Barrick Breaks Ground at Fourmile, and the New US Metal Tariff Rulebook 28.06.2026 10min

  BHP, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar reach a milestone in their battery-electric haul truck trial at Jimblebar iron ore mine — moving to dynamic charging. Iran's Hormuz strategy reframed: not a ceasefire dispute but a bid for strategic control of the waterway worth $40B. Proclamation 11032 restructures US Section 232 metal tariffs for equipment importers since June 8. And Barminco wins A$275M to develop Barrick's high-grade Fourmile gold mine in Nevada's Carlin Trend.
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  Hormuz Flares Again as Copper Tariff Deadline Looms, BHP Changes Guard, Hudbay Builds a Copper Empire in Arizona 27.06.2026 10min

  The Strait of Hormuz erupts again as US and Iranian forces exchange strikes and a second tanker is hit on Saturday, stalling the shipping recovery and pushing UK naval authorities to raise threat levels to substantial. The US Department of Commerce faces a June 30 deadline on its Section 232 refined copper tariff report — COMEX inventories hit a record 652,200 tonnes. BHP finalizes its leadership structure ahead of Brandon Craig's July 1 start. And Hudbay Minerals closes the Arizona Sonoran acquisition, creating the third-largest copper district in North America.
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  BHP's New CEO Inherits a Full Inbox, Gold Breaks $4,000, SSR Mining Closes $1.49B Çöpler Sale, Paladin Hits New Uranium Discovery 25.06.2026 9min

  Brandon Craig takes over as BHP CEO on July 1 with an immediate in-tray: Port Hedland strike threats, a $2.3 billion Jansen potash overrun, and a year-end Copper South Australia smelter decision. Gold breaks below $4,000 per ounce for the first time in seven months, driven by the strongest US dollar since May 2025 and rising Federal Reserve rate hike bets — copper also slips near six-week lows. SSR Mining closes its $1.49 billion sale of the Çöpler mine stake in Turkey, becoming a pure Americas gold producer. And Paladin Energy confirms a new high-grade uranium discovery — Atlas — at Patterson Lake South in Saskatchewan, with best intersection of 8.0m at 1.75% U3O8.