Week of August 28, 2024
Funding aims to bolster workforce needed for reliable mineral supply chains in the U.S. Tackling one of the major roadblocks on the path to establishing secure and reliable domestic supplies of the minerals and metals critical to America's economy and security, the U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Montana Technological University (Montana Tech) $6.56 million to develop and deliver mining workforce training programs. "The dearth of individuals with the requisite skills...
Power Nickel leverages Fleet Space's AI-powered ExoSphere mineral exploration tech to scan projects along Chile's Atacama Fault System. From Barrick Gold's Reko Diq mine project in Pakistan to Inflection Resources' Macquarie Arc land package in Australia and Eagle Mountain Mining's Silver Mountain property in Arizona, Fleet Space Technologies' ExoSphere mineral exploration technology has emerged as an increasingly important tool to efficiently and sustainably discover new...
Case study shows innovative ore haulage system improves financial returns while lowering CO2 emissions at underground mines. Lowering carbon dioxide emissions and operating costs while also increasing productivity and profits are high on the priority list for modern mining companies. A comprehensive case study completed by EcoHoist, in conjunction with Mining One and ABB Hoisting Australia, indicates that the Australia-based mining tech company's innovative solution for the...
Cyber threats are no longer an abstract concern for the mining sector; they are an active and evolving danger. Over the past year, a surge in cyberattacks has exposed critical weaknesses in even the most fortified digital infrastructures across nearly every industry. Given the mining sector's fundamental role in the global economy and energy transition, its growing dependence on automation, cloud computing, and interconnected systems has turned this sector into a prime...
Companies enter into preliminary deal to process Brazilian rare earth carbonates at Ucore's Louisiana SMC. As part of its plan to forge a sturdy rare earth supply chain outside of China, Ucore Rare Metals Inc. has cut a deal for the supply of 3,000 metric tons of total rare earth oxides (TREO) from a future mine at Meteoric Resources' Caldeira project in Brazil. "Ucore is delighted to have the opportunity to work with Meteoric and its world-class Caldeira project as we...
In a Fastmarkets interview, Nevada's Surge Battery Metals chairman discusses the need for transparency. Slackening growth in electric vehicle sales and an oversupply in China's battery capacity are weighing on demand for battery metals. While lithium, cobalt and nickel remain in oversupply, the response from producers cutting output will influence the long term, especially by slowing and halting the promise of U.S. lithium production. Demand will continue to increase over...
Volkswagen's PowerCo and QuantumScape face challenges in the quest to mass-produce solid-state batteries. Solid-state battery technology is poised to revolutionize the green energy storage landscape, particularly in the electric vehicle market. In a move to advance this innovation, Volkswagen Group's battery company PowerCo and QuantumScape have entered into a groundbreaking agreement to commercialize QuantumScape's next-generation solid-state lithium-metal battery...
Breakthrough technique at NC State creates flexible, nanoscale, transparent circuits using printed metal oxides. Imagine printing transparent circuits at room temperature – no heat, no fancy equipment – just a trail of liquid metal creating a conductive masterpiece. In a breakthrough that feels too simple to be true, scientists have cracked the code on how to print metal oxide films that are both transparent and incredibly durable, opening the door to flexible,...
Space mining could provide rare earths, iron, hydrogen, and other in-situ resources for lunar and Martian outposts. The most expensive aspect of space exploration comes in the form of moving payloads. Every ounce on a rocket requires a fuel increase, resupply missions are expensive, and as astronaut crews – human or robotic – become more independent of Earth, long-term missions become increasingly feasible. Future astronauts will need to collect and process...
