Week of October 2, 2024
BHP projects copper demand to rise by 1 million tons annually, lining pockets with high prices, but will a short-term deficit hurt mining in the long run? Copper has enjoyed rising prices since 2020, all while miners face rising operating costs and declining ore quality. With new mine construction requiring at minimum a capital-intensive ten-year commitment and existing operations in key copper-producing countries – Latin America, Australia, and Africa – aging, the...
Rare Element Resources receives federal authorization and funding to proceed with first-of-its-kind rare earth separation plant. Following a few months of slowed progress due to inflationary pressures pushing the costs to build its rare earths processing and separation demonstration plant above budget, Rare Element Resources Ltd. says the critical minerals facility being installed just outside of Upton, Wyoming, is on track to begin operations by the end of the year. Last...
Combining AI with LP-LIBS, DTE's aluminum analysis cuts energy use and boosts efficiency. In the face of surging global demand for aluminum and rising energy costs, an Icelandic company is pioneering a new solution with its real-time melt analysis technology that promises to revolutionize aluminum production by providing immediate insights into molten metal composition, significantly cutting down on energy usage and production times while ensuring higher efficiency and...
"Investing in America" agenda is expected to generate $16 billion for onshoring critical minerals, processing and battery tech. As part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy announced it will be funding over $3 billion to 25 selected projects across 14 states to boost domestic production of batteries and battery materials. The portfolio of selected projects is intended to support projections of over 12,000 battery...
Sees satellite-enabled mineral exploration tech as an ideal solution for its gold-silver-silver copper mine in the Andes Mountains of Northern Chile. As part of its ongoing commitment to leveraging new technologies that maximize productivity and minimize its environmental footprint in some of the harshest conditions on Earth, Gold Fields has deployed Fleet Space Technologies' ExoSphere mineral exploration solution to expand upon its reserves of gold, silver, and copper at the...
Sets higher goal of Real Zero by 2030, challenges colleagues to adopt aggressive climate targets. Most mining companies do not lead their climate goals page with "We're part of the problem." Australia-based iron ore producer Fortescue is not like most mining companies when it comes to admitting it is "a heavy emitter" or setting carbon dioxide reduction targets that are much more aggressive than their peers or even those outlined in the Paris Agreement. While most major...
German firm unveils $2.8 billion zero-emissions mining equipment partnership with Fortescue. MINEXPO INTERNATIONAL 2024, LAS VEGAS – Grabbing the spotlight during the world's largest mining event is no small feat. A historic $2.8 billion partnership to further advance the technologies needed for zero-emissions mining, however, put German heavy equipment manufacturer Liebherr and West Australian miner Fortescue front and center during the main event that comes around just...
DOE backs company for more domestic battery supply, enhancing U.S. electrification and critical material supply chain resilience. Further solidifying its role in North America's circular battery metals supply chain as the world shifts to electrification, American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) has been awarded a $150 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to construct a second commercial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facility. In the fall of 2023,...
An expensive new risk for Western manufacturers and their investors. This past June, German chemicals giant BASF backed out of a planned $2.6 billion nickel refinery in Weda Bay, Indonesia. While the company cited changing dynamics in the global nickel market, BASF also faced calls to abandon the project from environmental and human rights groups. BASF's decision to walk away should focus the clean energy and automotive sector's attention on a new risk profile: Indonesia's...
