The Mining Insider
The Mining Insider is a daily mining podcast hosted by Logan Ore, providing a five-minute briefing on breaking news, market trends, ESG updates, and technological innovations in the global mining industry. It targets industry professionals, investors, and decision-makers seeking critical updates and analysis. Each episode covers mergers, acquisitions, policy shifts, commodity prices, and sustainability efforts.
Episodes
Escondida Strike Cancelled, Antofagasta Guides 2027 Below Consensus, and a Hot CPI Hits Metals
Escondida Supervisors Ratify a Three-Year Contract and the Strike Is Cancelled: First, Escondida, where the strike that markets had been pricing in has been cancelled. Shanghai Metals Market reports supervisors at the world's largest copper mine approved a new three-year contract with BHP on Wednesday, with about 64 percent of the vote. La Tercera reports the union's 1,020 members ratifie
Escondida Reaches Preliminary Deal, Rio Tinto Beats on Pilbara, and Glencore Lists in Australia
Escondida Reaches Preliminary Deal as a Strike Deadline Passes: First, Chile, where a strike at the world's largest copper mine was pulled back from the brink overnight. Reuters reports BHP and the supervisors' union at Escondida reached a preliminary agreement to avoid a strike, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations. The union, which has 1,020 members, had said it would
Landslide Halts Part of El Teniente, Copper Nears a Record, and Uranium's Contract Price Tops 2007
Landslide Kills Two Workers and Partly Halts Codelco's El Teniente: First, Chile, where another fatal accident has hit the copper sector. Reuters reports Codelco partially suspended operations at El Teniente on Sunday after a landslide killed two workers and left one rescued, according to SERNAGEOMIN, the mining regulator. Shortly before 2 p.m. local time, the slide struck three workers e
Lithium Slides on EU Hybrid Curbs, Centinela Talks Resume, and Anglo Backs South Africa
Lithium Carbonate Slides as EU Hybrid Curbs Dent Demand Hopes: First, lithium, which had a rough Monday in China. Shanghai Metals Market quoted spot battery-grade lithium carbonate at an average of 115,400 yuan a tonne, down 6,950 yuan, or about 5.7 percent, from the previous working day. The most-traded futures contract fell as much as nearly 11 percent, to an intraday low of 105,320 yua
Quake Spares Cobre Panama, Chile's Copper Output Hits a Multi-Year Low, and Fortescue Cash Falls 37%
Panama Quake Spares Cobre Panama as Restart Talks Loom: First, Panama, where the country's strongest earthquake in more than seven decades has left one of the world's biggest idled copper mines intact. The magnitude 7.7 quake struck Herrera Province on Friday, more than 120 miles southwest of the Panama Canal, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, as reported by The Edge. An early U.S.
Copper Posts a Weekly Gain, Gold Rebounds From a Two-Month Low, and Glencore Readies Its ASX Debut
Copper Posts a Weekly Gain as Yangshan Premium Hits a Four-Year High: First, copper, which ended the week higher on supply risk and a returning Chinese buyer. Reuters reports London benchmark copper was up 1.6 percent at 14,541 dollars a tonne by 16:04 GMT Friday, on track for a 2.0 percent weekly gain. Bloomberg has the settlement at 14,540 dollars.
Gold Rebounds From a Two-Month Low as
Centinela Output Could Halve in November, Indonesia Weighs a Nickel Smelter Moratorium, and Kazatomprom Picks China
Unions Say Centinela Output Could Halve in November as Copper Premiums Climb: First, copper, where a strike in Chile is meeting a thin market. Reuters reports unions at Antofagasta's Centinela mine said Thursday that the full impact of their strike is expected in November, when production could decrease by half. They say early effects will worsen gradually because a large amount of waste
Centinela Strike Begins, Gold Hits a Nine-Week Low, and Arafura Breaks Ground on Nolans
Centinela Strike Begins With 709 Workers as Escondida Mediation Runs: First, Chile. A legal strike began at 8 a.m. local time Wednesday at Antofagasta's Centinela copper mine after government mediation ended without a deal. The Rio Times reports 709 workers are out, from two unions: Minera Esperanza with 420 members and Distrito Centinela with 289. Members voted 98.73 percent for a strike
Abu Dhabi's IRH Approaches Kenmare, Perseus Says Few Gold Deals Close, and Belarusian Potash Heads for New Orleans
Abu Dhabi's IRH Makes a Cash Approach for Kenmare Resources: First, a takeover approach in mineral sands. Kenmare Resources, the Dublin-based miner of titanium minerals, confirmed on Tuesday that it has received a non-binding proposal from International Resources Holdings, known as IRH, for a possible cash offer for all of its issued and to be issued shares. In its statement the board sai
BHP Pauses Escondida Strike With Mediation, Top 50 Miners Lose US$264 Billion, and Greenland Approves Tanbreez Plan
BHP Asks Chile to Mediate, Pausing an Escondida Strike That Could Have Started Today: First, Chile, where the strike clock at the world's largest copper mine has been reset. The Rio Times reports the supervisors' union at Escondida, Sindicato Number Two, said a strike would take effect today, October 6. On Monday, BHP asked Chile's labour inspectorate to mediate, which suspends the approv
Brazil Heads to a Runoff and Vale Jumps, Chile Copper Strike Clock Starts, and Vedanta Plans US$2.3 Billion Push
Brazil Heads to an October 25 Runoff, and Vale Jumps: First, Brazil, where yesterday's vote did not settle anything, but it moved markets. With 99.99% of sections counted, the Superior Electoral Court has Senator Flávio Bolsonaro at 47.03%, or 56.10 million votes, and President Lula da Silva at 45.16%, or 53.88 million. Neither passed 50%, so the two meet in a runoff on October 25. Polls
Freeport's Grasberg Hits 67%, Brazil Votes With Mining Licences in Court, and De Beers Takes Gahcho Kué
Freeport Says Grasberg Mill Is at 67% as the Block Cave Ramp-Up Holds: First, Indonesia. Freeport-McMoRan's third-quarter operating update, released Friday, says the Grasberg district mill averaged about 140,000 tonnes of ore per day in the quarter. That is roughly 67% of normal rates before the September 2025 mud rush that killed seven workers, according to The Northern Miner. The Block
China Eyes Anglo Teck Copper Guarantees, Glencore Wins Argentina Approval, and Ghana Targets Gold Terms
China Wants Copper Supply Guarantees Before Clearing Anglo Teck: First, the Anglo Teck merger, and the last regulator standing. Reuters reports, citing three people aware of the discussions, that China's State Administration for Market Regulation has asked Anglo American to commit to a steady flow of copper concentrate into China as a condition of approving its proposed 54 billion dollar
Lynas Buys Brazil Rare Earths, Chile Copper Hits a 15-Year Low, and Sigma Lithium Goes Dark
Lynas Pays A$968 Million in Scrip for Brazil's Caldeira Rare Earths: First, rare earths. Lynas Rare Earths, the world's largest producer outside China, has agreed to buy Meteoric Resources in an all-share deal valuing the Perth-based developer at 968 million Australian dollars, about 672 million U.S. dollars, according to Reuters. Under the scheme of arrangement, Meteoric holders receive
Gold Fades on Surging Yields, Russia's Mining Windfall Tax, and Mitsubishi's Nickel Exit
Gold rallied to $4,219.24 on soft PCE data (headline +3.4% YoY vs +3.7% forecast; core +3.0% vs +3.3%), then surrendered all gains; closed -0.70% at $4,155.93 as 10-year Treasury yield rose to 5.29% (22-year high) and 30-year to 5.63%; silver -1.83% to $60.39; gold -6.7% for September, silver -9.3%; Q3 gold +3.7%, silver +3.4%; October hike odds at 37%; Friday September NFP is next key te
Gold's Partial Rebound, Chile's Centinela Strike Threat, Burkina Faso's Gold Refinery, and Atico's Ecuadorian Copper Deal
Gold rebounds 1.42% to $4,172.40 Tuesday — August JOLTS job openings miss at 7.079M (forecast 7.225M); September consumer confidence falls to 81.9 (lowest since 2014); NY Fed President John Williams: "no need for urgency"; October rate-hike odds drop from 70.9% to 51.5%; 10-year Treasury yield holds at 5.25%; Brent -2.6% to $102.59, WTI -3.5% to $89.38; PCE inflation and September employm
Gold's 5% Two-Day Crash, Uranium Energy's Record Quarter, and Japan Backs Western Graphite
Gold falls 3.5% to $4,109 — 7-week low; 10-year Treasury yield 5.23% (highest since 2007); Brent crude $105.28 on Strait of Hormuz standoff/Trump rejection; silver -5% to $60.75 (Heraeus note on $60 support); Newmont -4% premarket; Barbara Lambrecht (Commerzbank) quote; October Fed hike 65% probability; gold -10% since Sep 1, -17% from Feb high; JOLTS/PCE/jobs week ahead.
Uranium Energy
Barrick's Mali Strike Averted, Northern Star Rejects A$38.7B Gold Fields Bid, and Gold Sinks on Oil Surge
Barrick Mining signs new collective bargaining agreement at Loulo-Gounkoto — all strike action called off Sunday; Barrick spokesperson + Bani Sacko + Abdoulaye Coulibaly (UNTM) quotes; 15 union demands resolved (overtime pay, mission expenses, labour agreements); covers Somilo SA + Gounkoto SA + Food & Events Africa; operational track record intact post-2025 Mali government settlement
Morowali's Nickel Drought, Kinross Cuts Guidance, and Barrick's Mali Strike Arrives
Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) cuts RKEF smelter output 60-70% — El Niño drought restricts cooling water; some lines at 30-40% capacity; 50,000-70,000 tonnes NPI at risk over 2 weeks; Nickel Industries Excelsior HPAL at 30% (rainfall 4mm vs 222mm August average); INSG 32,000t 2026 deficit forecast pre-disruption; Indonesia 62% of global mined nickel; SMM quote (Sep 22-24 2026).
Italy Goes Nuclear, Gold's Rough Week, and Washington Powers Up the Lobito Corridor
Italy Senate approves nuclear power return (81-51) — Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin quote; 40-year ban ends; 11%+ nuclear share targeted, 22% in national climate plan; €17B ($19B USD) decarbonisation savings by 2050; advanced modular reactors; 12 months for government implementing decrees; uranium demand signal for global markets. Precious metals weekly wrap: gold -2.2% for the
Bannerman's Billion-Dollar Uranium FID, Zambia's Acid Crunch, and the UAE's Australian Lithium Bet
Bannerman Energy completes US$457M CNOL (CNNC Overseas) financing for Etango uranium project, Namibia — 45% JV stake, 207M lbs U3O8 resource, debt-free construction, FID imminent, first production targeted 2028; Brando Munro quote. Zambia copper sector: KCM (Vedanta) signs US$498M contract with China NERIN Engineering for Africa's largest copper tailings leach plant at Chingola — 70,000 t
Marathon Gets Its Billion, Gold Stumbles on Fed Hawks, and Rare Earths Without New Mining
Generation Mining completes C$1.3B construction financing for Marathon Copper-Palladium Project — early works begin Q4 2026, Glencore life-of-mine offtake, 2.16M oz palladium + 532M lbs copper over 13 years. Gold drops 1.7% to $4,282 on hawkish Fed officials and a stronger US dollar; 95% probability of December rate hike per CME FedWatch. Neo Performance Materials signs MOU with Rainbow R
Ivanhoe Electric's $3.5 Billion Copper PFS, Artemis Gold Buys Mt Todd, and Copper Hits New Highs
September 23, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~11 minutes
Stories covered:
1. Ivanhoe Electric 2026 Santa Cruz Copper PFS — Arizona, $1.43B initial capex, 75,000t/yr copper cathode (first 15 yrs), $3.5B after-tax NPV at $6.79/lb copper, 30% IRR, Robbins TBM; base case $4.75/lb = $1.5B NPV/19% IRR; US EXIM $1.1B financing discussions; first copper Q2 2029
2. Artemis Gold acquires Vista
EU Blocks MMG's Nickel Grab, Gold Stumbles on Rate Hike Bets, and Tungsten Attracts $50 Million
September 22, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~11 minutes
Stories covered:
1. EU issues formal Statement of Objections against MMG/Anglo American nickel deal — could divert low-carbon ferronickel from Europe to SASAC-controlled stainless steel producers; Anglo American calls assessment flawed
2. Gold falls 0.9% Monday — spot $4,349.94, 88% December Fed rate hike probability, USD at 2-m
Cozamin Sold for $385M, Tungsten's European Comeback, and Ramelius Targets 610,000 Gold Ounces
September 21, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~11 minutes
Stories covered:
1. Capstone Copper sells Cozamin mine to Luca Mining for up to $385M — $275M upfront cash, $15M Luca shares, $35M deferred, up to $60M copper-price contingent (2027-2029 LME); Q4 2026 close expected
2. Almonty Industries and Sandvik's WBH sign take-or-pay tungsten supply deal — 1,720t WO3 minimum from Los Santos
China's Rare Earth Grab, Gallium and Germanium's Stubborn Supply Gap, and Barrick's Strike Countdown
September 20, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~11 minutes
Stories covered:
1. China Rare Earth Group in talks to acquire Shenghe Resources — controls 3% stake in MP Materials (Mountain Pass, California); would deepen Beijing's state consolidation of the rare earth sector
2. Three years of Chinese gallium & germanium export curbs — prices 9-10x 2023 levels; ex-China gallium supply g
Barrick Mali on Strike Watch, Copper's Nine-Year Supply Crunch, and Venezuela's Gold Deal
September 19, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~11 minutes
Stories covered:
1. Barrick's Loulo-Gounkoto Mali complex: multiple unions file strike notices with September 28 deadline — mine workers, catering staff, and Mali's mining regulator all included
2. Copper mine supply heading for first annual decline since 2017 — Sprott Asset Management report; Chile down 9.4% YoY, 600,000 tonnes
Iran and the US Strike a Deal, Hormuz Reopens Friday, Kazakhstan's Pipeline Hit, and Fujimori's Mining Gamble
The Mining Insider — July 19, 2026
Today's episode covers four major developments shaping global mining and energy markets.
1. US-Iran Ceasefire — Hormuz Reopens Friday: President Trump announced the deal complete Sunday evening; Pakistani PM Sharif confirmed the ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz reopens to commercial shipping Friday. Twenty-five billion dollars in frozen assets released;
Congo Claws Back the Cobalt, Mojtaba in Hiding, Vedanta's American Copper Play, and South32's Electric Fleet
The Mining Insider — July 5, 2026
DRC Cobalt — ARECOMS Quota Clawback Confirmed: The DRC government confirmed this week it has withdrawn unused H1 2026 cobalt export quotas. The July 5 ARECOMS deadline was not extended. CMOC, Glencore's Kamoto Copper Company, Eurasian Resources Group, and Huayou Cobalt are among those affected. Up to 20,000 metric tons ($1.1B at $26/lb) have been removed
Hormuz Frozen for Khamenei's Funeral, Canada Bets on Red Chris Copper, MMG Nickel Deal Stalls in Brussels, and Congo's Cobalt Countdown
The Mining Insider — July 4, 2026
Iran / Hormuz — Funeral Freeze: Six-day funeral for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began July 4 in Tehran, 15-20 million mourners expected. All US-Iran negotiations suspended until July 9. UK PM Starmer and French President Macron pledged Hormuz protection with Oman; France deployed mine-clearing assets. Iran warned both countries off any mi
BHP Hands San Manuel to Faraday, Pilbara Workers Settle, Congo's Cobalt Customs Freeze, and Gold's Comeback Week
The Mining Insider — July 3, 2026
Today's episode covers four material developments from July 2–3, 2026.
BHP — San Manuel Copper Transfer to Faraday: BHP has finalized its agreement to transfer the historic San Manuel copper property in Arizona to Canada's Faraday Copper Corp. In exchange, BHP receives a 30% equity stake in Faraday — bringing its total holding to approximately 32.5% on
Agnico Eagle's Barnat Blow, Cigar Lake Goes Dark, Northern Star's New Hand, and India's Aluminum Bet
The Mining Insider — July 2, 2026
Today's episode covers four material developments from July 1–2, 2026.
Agnico Eagle — Barnat Pit Wall Movement: A rock mass movement on July 1 along the north wall of the Barnat open pit at Canadian Malartic in Quebec has prompted a temporary suspension of open-pit mining. No injuries or environmental impact. The company expects the disruption to reduce
South32 Turns Copper, BHP's Diesel Dilemma on Day One, Ghana GoldBod Goes Live, and Iran Walks Away From Doha
July 1, 2026 — The Mining Insider with Logan Ore
Today's stories:
1. South32 Sells Aluminium to Alcoa for $5.6B — Copper Takeover Target: Reuters Breakingviews analysis: South32, freed from its largest non-copper asset, becomes a lean copper miner likely to attract Glencore or BHP (its former parent). Departing CEO Graham Kerr's transformation complete. Brandon Craig starts as BHP CEO t
Hormuz Stand-Down Holds as Doha Talks Begin, BHP Craig Takes Command Tomorrow, Murray & Roberts Escapes Business Rescue, and the Copper Tariff Verdict
June 30, 2026 — The Mining Insider with Logan Ore
Today's stories:
1. Hormuz Doha Talks — Fragile Stand-Down: Trump declared Iran requested a meeting in Doha. Kushner and Witkoff flew to Qatar. Iran says its delegation is there to review MOU implementation, not to meet Americans directly. Qatar, Oman and Pakistan mediating. Goldman Sachs: Gulf flows could return to 23M bpd pre-war level
Hormuz Ceasefire 2.0, Trump's New Metal Tariff Move, Canada Opens Greenland, and the Copper Tariff Verdict That Arrives Tomorrow
June 29, 2026 — The Mining Insider with Logan Ore
Today's stories:
1. US-Iran Stand Down and Doha Talks: Both sides agree to halt strikes. Talks in Doha begin today, focused on Hormuz shipping operations before wider nuclear/sanctions issues. Iran asserts sole control of corridor; warns ships not to bypass its chosen route (WSJ, Straits Times). Hormuz traffic declining (Bloomberg). IMO
Electric Haulage Hits the Pilbara, Iran Eyes Hormuz Control, Barrick Breaks Ground at Fourmile, and the New US Metal Tariff Rulebook
June 28, 2026 — The Mining Insider with Logan Ore
Today's stories:
1. BHP, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar — Battery-Electric Haul Truck Trial Milestone: The two Cat 793 XE Early Learner trucks at BHP's Jimblebar iron ore mine in the Pilbara have logged 100+ operating hours and 200+ test laps. Trial enters dynamic charging phase. Quotes from BHP Australia President Geraldine Slattery and Rio
Hormuz Flares Again as Copper Tariff Deadline Looms, BHP Changes Guard, Hudbay Builds a Copper Empire in Arizona
June 27, 2026 — The Mining Insider with Logan Ore
Today's stories:
1. Hormuz Re-Escalation: US and Iran exchange strikes after the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely is hit by a drone. A second tanker struck Saturday. UK MTOS raises threat to 'substantial.' IMO suspends convoy evacuations. Shipping normalization stalls — direct implications for commodity supply chains.
2. Copper Tariff Dead
BHP's New CEO Inherits a Full Inbox, Gold Breaks $4,000, SSR Mining Closes $1.49B Çöpler Sale, Paladin Hits New Uranium Discovery
The Mining Insider | June 25, 2026
Story 1 — BHP's Brandon Craig Takes Over July 1
Brandon Craig (53) starts as BHP CEO July 1, 2026. Immediate challenges: Port Hedland three-union ultimatum (July 7 next session); $2.3B Jansen Stage 2 overrun (was under Craig's Americas oversight); year-end Copper South Australia smelter expansion decision; Vicuna copper JV (Argentina/Chile). On uranium:
Anglo-Codelco Copper Deal Done, Sherritt Shuts Canada's Only Cobalt Refinery, BHP Ultimatum at Port Hedland, Wall Street Cuts Gold Targets
The Mining Insider | June 24, 2026
Today's dispatch covers a landmark copper supply deal, a cobalt supply chain disruption driven by geopolitical sanctions, the most serious escalation yet in the Port Hedland labor standoff, and a wave of gold price downgrades from major Wall Street banks.
Story 1 — Anglo American + Codelco: Los Bronces–Andina Joint Mine Plan Completed
Anglo American (t
Energy Fuels Acquires Germany's VAC for $1.9 Billion, BHP Tables Port Hedland Offer, Mali Presses $512M Barrick Claim, Minnesota Mining Ban Overturned
The Mining Insider | June 23, 2026
Today's dispatch covers four developments that span rare earth supply chain consolidation, one of Australia's most consequential labor standoffs in decades, a high-stakes sovereign dispute in West Africa, and a landmark policy reversal in the American heartland.
Story 1 — Energy Fuels + VAC: A $1.9 Billion Mine-to-Magnet Bet
Energy Fuels (NYSE: UUUU) a
US-Iran Talks Secure Hormuz Roadmap, China Bans Rare Earth Exports to MP Materials, Pentagon Backs Energy Fuels With $725 Million, and Newmont Cadia Hit by Twin Quakes
Episode Date: June 22, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore
On today's Mining Insider:
US-Iran Switzerland talks: 60-day roadmap agreed; Hormuz communication line established; Brent at $78; VP Vance calls talks 'historic'; technical discussions continue through the week
China rare earth ban: 10 US entities on export control list — MP Materials and USA Rare Earth named; immediate full prohibition (upg
Iran Closes Hormuz Again, Trump's Copper Tariff Decision Looms, and All Three BHP Port Hedland Unions Now Have Active Strike Ballots
Episode Date: June 21, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore
On today's Mining Insider:
Strait of Hormuz: Iran re-closes June 20 citing Israeli ceasefire violations; 55 merchant ships still transited per US CENTCOM; Brent at $80, 30% below March peak of $118; US-Iran talks in Switzerland; energy costs and LNG directly affecting global mining operating economics
Trump Copper Tariff: Commerce Department
Newmont's Red Chris Block Cave Gets BC Green Light, Vale and Glencore Form Sudbury Copper Partnership, Ghana Weighs Seizing Gold Fields' Biggest Mine, and Pilbara Minerals Doubles Down on Lithium
Episode Date: June 20, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore
On today's Mining Insider:
Newmont Red Chris Block Cave: BC grants Environmental Assessment Certificate and Mines Act permit; 20Moz gold + 13B lbs copper resource; several billion in capex; FID targeted late 2026; 1,800 construction jobs; mine life to mid-2040s
Vale Base Metals + Glencore Sudbury JV: brownfield copper project; 880,000t coppe
BHP's $2.3 Billion Potash Blowout, Port Hedland Strike Ultimatum, Rio Tinto's Structural Reset, and Alamos Gold Cuts Full-Year Guidance After Mine Seismicity
Episode Date: June 19, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore
On today's Mining Insider:
BHP flags a $2.3 billion impairment on Jansen Stage 2 as costs rise to $6.9 billion — third overrun in three years; first production pushed to FY2031
Three unions (AWU, AMWU, ETU) issue joint final ultimatum to BHP at Port Hedland; $120M/day revenue and $7M/day WA royalties at risk
Rio Tinto restructures into three
BHP Port Hedland Strike Widens as Third Union Joins, Oyu Tolgoi Blockade Tests Mongolia's Revenue Patience, China Hits Back at G7 Minerals Cap, and Hudbay Breaks Ground at Copper Mountain
The Mining Insider — June 18, 2026. Host: Logan Ore.
Today's stories:
1. BHP Port Hedland faces a three-union strike as the AWU files a protected action ballot — joining ETU (100% vote) and AMWU (89% vote); Resources Minister Madeleine King issues a public please explain to BHP; strikebreakers reportedly recruited at up to $93/hr; BHP warns $120M/day in revenue and $7M/day in WA royaltie
Ichthys LNG Strike Ends After $200 Million in Losses, G7 Sets 60% Cap on China Mineral Imports, Simandou Rail Spur Complete, and Marathon Palladium Project Locks In CAD$769 Million
The Mining Insider — June 17, 2026. Host: Logan Ore.
Today's stories:
1. Offshore Alliance and Inpex reach Enterprise Bargaining Agreement ending the Ichthys LNG strike — 400+ members endorse 3.75% annual wages, improved job security; one liquefaction train was shut down, approximately US$200M in production lost; cargo loading resumes by 6 PM AWST.
2. G7 summit closes in Évian-les-Bains
Ichthys LNG Shutdown Now Imminent, Lobito Corridor Reopens DRC Copper Route, Collahuasi Commits US$345 Million, and Japan Proposes a G7 Joint Minerals Reserve
The Mining Insider — June 16, 2026. Host: Logan Ore.
Today's stories:
1. Inpex SVP Bill Townsend confirms Ichthys LNG production disruption is 'imminent and significant'; Offshore Alliance extends strikes to July 6, threatening 2% of global LNG output and 9.3 Mtpa of exports mainly to Japan.
2. Lobito Atlantic Railway receives the first copper train from the DRC since reopening the flood
China Locks Down 36 Strategic Minerals as Australia's Pilbara Faces Twin Strike Threats, Surge Copper's Berg Project Posts C$4.6 Billion NPV, and the G7 Opens in France
The Mining Insider — June 15, 2026. Host: Logan Ore.
Today's stories:
1. China's State Council Decree 839 takes effect — 36 minerals including rare earths, lithium, cobalt, gallium and germanium formally designated as national strategic minerals under full-chain state control, with centralized mining rights, joint export review, and a three-tier reserve system.
2. Australia's Offshore Al
Ichthys LNG Shutdown Looms as FWC Rejects Inpex Strike Bid, Agnico Eagle Closes Finland's Ikkari Gold Deal, Rio Tinto Proves Pilbara Ore Works in Hydrogen Steelmaking, 54 Nations Build a Minerals Chain Without China
The Mining Insider — June 14, 2026. Host: Logan Ore.
Today's stories:
1. Australia's Fair Work Commission rejects Inpex's bid to terminate industrial action at Ichthys LNG — facility shutdown expected June 16-17, cargo loading bans cutting ~10% of Australian LNG exports to northeast Asia.
2. Agnico Eagle's acquisition of Rupert Resources receives final BC Supreme Court approval — deal cl
BHP Port Hedland Strike Looms as Angus Taylor Invokes the 1980s, Mozambique Mandates 15% State Ownership, POSCO Enters Mongolia, and The Metals Company Eyes the First Deep-Sea Mining Permit
Today on The Mining Insider: The BHP Port Hedland labor dispute has escalated to approximately 450 workers with strikes possible as early as this week. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor warned that WA is repeating the 1980s. A full port shutdown would cost over $120M per day in revenue and $7M per day in state royalties. Bargaining session June 23. Mozambique enacted 15% mandatory state owne
BHP's Port Hedland Workers Authorize Strikes That Could Cost $120 Million a Day, Glencore Reinstates $300 Million at Canada's Only Copper Smelter, Energy Fuels Hits Uranium Guidance by Midyear, and GoGold Greenlights a Fully Funded Mine Build in Mexico
Today on The Mining Insider: More than 200 workers at BHP's Port Hedland iron ore facility in Western Australia have authorized rolling strikes that unions say could cost $120 million per day, with both the ETU and AMWU voting overwhelmingly in favor. BHP is accused of hiring strikebreakers at $93/hour; a bargaining session is scheduled for June 23. Glencore has reversed its February free
Rio Tinto and Glencore Push for More Time on Their $235 Billion Merger, US Strikes Re-Escalate Against Iran and Metals Fall, India Eyes Russian Coking Coal as a Strategic Supply Play, and Venezuela Sends Troops Into Its Gold Belt
Today on The Mining Insider: Rio Tinto and Glencore are seeking to extend the preparation period for their proposed $235 billion merger — the deal that would create the world's largest mining company — as both sides continue to work through valuation. US forces launched new strikes against Iran in retaliation for the downing of a military helicopter even as ceasefire talks continued; gold
US Passes the DOMINANCE Act to Break China's Rare Earth Hold, Ichthys LNG Strike Threatens Asian Cargoes, Eldorado Gold Pours First Copper at McIlvenna Bay, and South Africa's Mining Sector Braces for a Chrome Tax
Today on The Mining Insider: The US House of Representatives passed the DOMINANCE Act on Monday — bipartisan legislation aimed at China's 90% grip on rare earth processing — the same day the Department of Energy committed $134 million to rare earth extraction projects in Louisiana and Oklahoma. In Australia, Inpex has applied to the Fair Work Commission to halt an escalating strike at its
Iran and Israel Halt Attacks, Trump Says Hormuz Opens in Days, Trafigura Cuts Cuba Zinc, Antofagasta Bets $900 Million on Another 25 Years at Zaldivar, and Chile's First Rare Earth Mine Clears the Final Environmental Hurdle
Today on The Mining Insider: Iran and Israel announced a mutual halt to attacks early Monday, and President Trump told reporters that the Strait of Hormuz will open immediately upon signing a deal — which could be in two or three days. Brent crude has retreated to $93.13 per barrel. For mining operators managing three months of elevated energy input costs, a Hormuz resolution would be the
Hormuz Goes Dark at Day 99, OPEC+ Moves for a Fourth Cut, China's Coking Coal Hits a Two-Year High, and GoldMining's Colombia Asset Delivers a One-Billion-Dollar PEA
Today on The Mining Insider:
Story 1 — Hormuz Day 99 / OPEC+ Fourth Hike: Tanker traffic down 90-95% from pre-war baseline; widespread dark shipping eliminates real-time oil/LNG flow visibility. US struck Iranian radar on Goruk and Qeshm islands; Iran's IRGC claims retaliatory strikes on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain; Kuwait reports ballistic missile intercepts. Brent crude above $96/bb
Sherritt Walks Away From Cuba, Vale Opens a C$945 Million Nickel Mine in Sudbury, Chile Rewrites Its Copper Playbook, and REalloys Adds Two Billion Tonnes of Appalachian Rare Earths
Today on The Mining Insider:
Story 1 — Sherritt International Exits Cuba: Trump's Executive Order 14404 (May 1, 2026) sanctioned Moa Nickel SA and set a June 5 deadline for foreign companies to sever ties with Cuba's GAESA conglomerate. Sherritt suspended operations in May and repatriated staff. Cuba owes Sherritt at least $344M, including ~$277M from the Moa Joint Venture (nickel and co
Indonesia Slashes Its Nickel Quota, Orla's Mexican Mine Comes Back Online, Pan American Silver Bets $146 Million on Timmins, and Sunshine Silver Closes Its IPO at $310 Million
Today on The Mining Insider:
Story 1 — Indonesia Cuts Nickel Ore Quota: Indonesia's energy ministry cut the 2026 nickel ore production quota to 260-270 million metric tonnes — below last year's 320 million tonnes produced and far short of FINI's 340-350 million tonne demand estimate. FINI chairman Arif Perdana Kusuma confirmed smelter capacity utilization has dropped to 76% nationally (f
Hezbollah Blocks the Ceasefire, Trafigura Counts 1.1 Billion Lost Barrels, China Gets Into Namibia's Uranium, and Gold M&A Crosses Eight Billion
Today on The Mining Insider:
Story 1 — Hezbollah Rejects Lebanon Ceasefire / Hormuz Day 96: Hezbollah formally rejected the latest US-brokered ceasefire framework, keeping the Strait of Hormuz in effective closure. Trafigura's half-year report calls it the largest energy crisis in history — 14 million barrels per day shut in, over 1.1 billion barrels removed from global markets, diesel u
USA Rare Earth Locks In $1.6 Billion, Sunshine Silver Hits the NYSE, and Iran Entangles Lebanon With Hormuz
USA Rare Earth (Nasdaq: USAR) executed definitive agreements with the US Department of Commerce to unlock nearly $1.6 billion in CHIPS Act funding — the largest US rare earth government financing on record. Package: $277 million in federal grants + up to $1.3 billion in senior secured loans, milestone-based disbursements. Total capital now $3.5B. Funding supports integrated mine-to-magnet
Iran Fires Missiles Into the Gulf, Goldman Bets $14,500 on Copper, and Zambia's Smelters Go Dark
Iran fired ballistic missiles at Kuwait and Bahrain on Tuesday — the most serious direct military exchange yet. Iranian missiles aimed at Kuwait disintegrated mid-flight; those targeting US Navy 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain were intercepted. US Central Command struck an Iranian ground control station on Qeshm Island. The IRGC stated: 'We had previously cautioned that any act of aggre
Iran Walks Away From the Table, Elliott Moves on Northern Star, and Barrick Eyes a London Spinoff
Iran's semi-official Tasnim agency reported Monday that Iranian negotiators ceased all indirect communications with the United States, citing Israel's renewed strikes on Hezbollah in Beirut as a ceasefire violation. Iran and affiliated groups committed to "entirely obstruct the Strait of Hormuz" and activate the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Foreign Minister Araghchi: "A violation on one front co
Trump Hardens the Iran Deal, Cameco Consolidates Cigar Lake, and the DRC Raises the Stakes on Lithium
The US-Iran framework to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz remains unsigned. Trump emerged from a two-hour Situation Room meeting Friday without an announcement, then sent a revised draft to Tehran with tougher terms on Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile and Hormuz transit fees. Over the weekend, the US military struck Iranian radar and drone sites near Goruk and Qesh
Trump Reworks the Iran Deal, Zimbabwe Lands $1 Billion for Lithium, and China's Top Copper Giant Meets BHP's Next CEO
The Hormuz ceasefire is holding — barely. The framework that US and Iranian negotiators had tentatively agreed to earlier in the week has been sent back to Tehran after President Trump requested multiple amendments, primarily focused on Iran's nuclear materials management. US officials said Iran could take several days to respond. Trump said he is in no rush, but added there will be a dea
Anglo American Takes a $3.7 Billion Hit on De Beers, the Hormuz MOU Awaits a Signature, and Idaho's DeLamar Clears Federal Permitting
Today on The Mining Insider:
1. Anglo American $3.7B Loss / De Beers Writedown — Anglo posted a $3.7B net loss after a fresh $2.3B pre-tax impairment on De Beers. Total De Beers writedowns: $6.8B over the past year. Third straight annual production decline; 2026 output forecast cut. CEO Duncan Wanblad: 'There is at the moment a plentiful supply of rough diamonds in the market.' Two flags
A Hormuz Deal Takes Shape, the DRC Fights for Its Coltan, and Silver Makes Its Case on the NYSE
Today on The Mining Insider:
1. US-Iran Hormuz Ceasefire Deal — US and Iranian negotiators reached tentative agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding: Iran removes mines within 30 days; US lifts naval blockade of Iranian ports and provides limited sanctions waivers on Iranian oil sales; framework opens pathway to nuclear talks. Trump had not yet approved as of May 29. Iran's Tas
Japan Merges Its Copper Smelters, MP Materials Takes USA Rare Earths to Court, and Gold Breaks a Key Technical Floor
Today on The Mining Insider:
1. Japan Copper Smelter Consolidation — JX Advanced Metals, Mitsui Kinzoku, Marubeni, and Mitsubishi Materials signed a definitive agreement on May 28, 2026 to consolidate copper operations under Pan Pacific Copper. Mitsubishi Materials splits off its concentrate purchasing and refined product sales into PPC via an absorption-type company split. Transaction e
Tankers Clear Hormuz, BlackRock Backs a Bigger Mining World, and the US-India Minerals Pact Takes Shape
Today on The Mining Insider:
1. LNG Tankers Exit Hormuz — For the first time since late February, LNG tankers are transiting the Strait of Hormuz. ADNOC's Umm Al Ashtan reappeared northwest of Muscat on May 23, loaded for India. Two Qatar LNG tankers have also cleared the strait. A US-Iran 60-day ceasefire extension is reportedly being finalized — Iran would remove mines, allow unrestric
US Strikes Iran Near the Strait as Deal Talks Continue, Russia's Second UGC Auction Fails Again, Guinea Moves to Restrict a Third of Global Bauxite Supply, and Mineral Resources Takes a Half-Billion-Dollar Lithium Bet
In today's episode of The Mining Insider, Logan Ore covers four major developments shaping the global mining industry:
1. US Strikes Iran Near the Strait as Deal Talks Continue — US and Israeli jets struck Iranian vessels attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted missile sites near Bandar Abbas. Secretary of State Rubio confirmed the strikes and said the Strait must re
Iran Deal Hopes Crash Oil Past Five Percent, Copper's Q1 Surplus Tells a Different Story Than the Price, Gold Retreats From the Summit, and Mount Holland Gets Cleared to Double
In today's episode of The Mining Insider, Logan Ore covers four major developments shaping the global mining industry:
1. Iran Deal Hopes Send Oil Below $100 — President Trump says a US-Iran framework to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is largely negotiated. Brent crude falls 4.6% to $98.80/bbl, WTI drops 4.7% to $92/bbl. The Strait has been effectively closed since February 28, cutting ~20%
China's Coal Mine Rescue Enters Day Three, Greenland Mines Secures a Rare Earth Deal for the Western Supply Chain, and Stillwater Critical Flags America's Largest Rhodium Resource
In today's episode of The Mining Insider, Logan Ore covers three major developments in global mining:
1. China's Coal Mine Rescue Enters Day Three — The official death toll at the Liushenyu mine in Shanxi province stands at 82, with 2 miners still unaccounted for. Reconnaissance robots have been deployed after toxic gases blocked human rescue teams from going deeper. Authorities confirm
China's Worst Coal Disaster in 16 Years, Copper Closes In on a Record, Thacker Pass Hit by War and Tariff Inflation, and Russia Tries Again to Sell Its Seized Gold Mine
In today's episode of The Mining Insider, Logan Ore covers four major developments shaping the global mining industry:
1. China's Worst Coal Disaster in 16 Years — A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province kills at least 90 miners, with 9 still missing. The mine had been flagged by China's National Mine Safety Administration for severe safety hazards, including elevat
EXIM's $2.9 Billion Bet on Idaho Antimony, Zambia Reopens a Copper Mine After 18 Years, Deep-Sea Mining Faces a Legal Reckoning, and US Tariffs Close In on Russian Palladium
May 22, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~12 minutes
Today on The Mining Insider:
1. EXIM BANK $2.9B IDAHO ANTIMONY LOAN — Export-Import Bank unanimously approves 13-year senior secured loan to Perpetua Resources (Nasdaq: PPTA) for Stibnite gold-antimony project in Valley County, Idaho. Structure: $2.4B upfront facility + capitalized interest + exposure fee = $2.9B total. Rate: long-da
South Crofty Gets Its Financing, Grasberg Resets Its Timeline, Codelco Eyes $2 Billion in Savings, and Gold Navigates Rising Bond Yields
May 21, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~11 minutes
Today on The Mining Insider:
1. SOUTH CROFTY FINANCING SECURED — Cornish Metals (AIM: TIN) announces £52M credit facilities from National Wealth Fund (28.45% shareholder, £35M) and Vision Blue Resources (29.08% shareholder, US$22.75M). Six-month term, 13% p.a. interest compounding daily. Up to £16M earmarked for bond escrow required
Core Lithium Restarts, Indonesia Rewrites Coal Export Rules, and Gold Navigates the Iran Ceasefire Trade
May 20, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~11 minutes
Today on The Mining Insider:
1. CORE LITHIUM RESTARTS FINNISS — Core Lithium resumes blasting and excavation at its Finniss project in the Northern Territory, 90 km south of Darwin, after a two-year price-driven shutdown. The restart is backed by a $170M initial investment and a planned $120M equity raise. Lithium prices are at ~$4,2
Agnico Eagle Pulls the Trigger on Hope Bay, Anglo American Sells Its Australian Coal for $3.9 Billion, MinRes Restarts Bald Hill on a Lithium Recovery, and Russia Can't Find a Buyer for Its Seized Gold Miner
Today on The Mining Insider:
Agnico Eagle this morning formally approved the Hope Bay investment decision — the largest gold mine development in Nunavut's history. Development capital: approximately $2.4 billion. Expected annual gold production: 400,000 to 435,000 ounces. Initial mine life: 11 years, with approximately 4.5 million ounces total. Production targeted from 2030; full design
J.P. Morgan Slashes Its Gold Forecast, Zambia Reopens the Acid Pipeline to the DRC, A New DRC–US Cobalt Chain Takes Shape, and Zambia's State Miner Wants a Bigger Cut
Today on The Mining Insider:
J.P. Morgan revised its 2026 average gold price forecast sharply lower on Monday, cutting from $5,708/oz to $5,243 — a reduction of $465/oz. The bank cited low COMEX futures open interest, contracted trading volume, subdued managed fund positions, and limited ETF inflows. Gold has fallen 14% since the onset of the US-Iran conflict in late February. The sequen
Trump Leaves Beijing Without a Rare Earth Deal, Agnico Eagle's Hope Bay Decision Is Days Away, Gold Extends Its Slide to a 2026 Low, and Exxaro Locks South Africa's Matla Mine In for 17 More Years
Today on The Mining Insider:
President Trump wrapped up his two-day summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday and departed without a confirmed rare earth agreement. China's export controls on rare earths, heavy rare earth processing, and battery mineral precursors — imposed in early April as trade leverage — remain in place. A short-term bilateral arrangement was reportedly "still in
Gold Hits a Six-Week Low, Cornish Metals Clears Its Last Hurdle, Nouveau Monde Pulls the Trigger on Canada's Biggest Graphite Mine, and Sherritt Walks Away from Cuba
Today on The Mining Insider:
Gold fell sharply on Friday, dropping more than 3% to $4,530 per ounce — its lowest since mid-March — as April US consumer prices rose 3.8% year-over-year, wholesale inflation hit its fastest pace since 2022, and bond yields surged globally. Markets have now fully priced out Fed rate cuts in 2026 and are placing better than 50% probability on a rate hike by J
Argentina Unleashes $2 Billion in Mining Incentives, Copper Snaps Back, The Metals Company Reveals Its Cost-Sharing Deal, and South Crofty's Clock Runs Down
Today on The Mining Insider:
Argentina's government approved two major mining projects under its RIGI large-investment incentive program on Thursday. The Cauchari-Olaroz lithium expansion, backed by China's Ganfeng Lithium Group and Lithium Argentina AG, will invest $1.24 billion to add 45,000 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate equivalent capacity. The San Jorge copper project in Mendo
Agnico Eagle Bets $10 Billion on Ontario Gold, Deep-Sea Mining Gets Its First Commercial Contract, Copper Pushes Past $14,000, and the Fortescue Native Title Fight Isn't Over
Today on The Mining Insider:
Agnico Eagle has announced a C$14 billion (~US$10 billion) investment in Ontario gold operations by 2030, including C$2 billion for the Detour Lake underground expansion and the Upper Beaver gold-copper project. It is one of the largest private sector mining capital commitments in Ontario's history.
The Metals Company signed a commercial agreement with Dutch
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