The AOCE and WB have moderate overall forecasts for the metals in 2025 inline with IMF forecasts for a decline in economic growth and inflation, although we see the probability of a stagflationary scenario as still reasonably high.Read More

The past year was a difficult one overall for the metals, with the main standouts to the upside being a geopolitical risk-driven gain in gold, a China-driven rise in iron ore and a surge in uranium on broadening global support for nuclear power (Figure 1). A jump in global interest rates to near two-decade highs saw recession fears persist all year, and while one still did not actually eru...Read More

This year the post-global health crisis boom was brought to an end by a surge in inflation to forty-year highs, a major rise in global interest rates in an attempt to curb the rising prices and surging geopolitical risk after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While precious metals held up reasonably well as markets turned to them as a risk hedge, by Q2/22 the higher interest rates put an end t...Read More

Chile is the world leader in copper production, at 28.5% of the total in 2020, and this looks set to continue, with the country having the largest global reserves, at 23.0% of total. It is also the global leader for molybdenum, which is often found along with copper, and is a major lithium player, holding 51.1% of global reserves. Read More

Newfoundland has become a gold exploration hotspot over the past few years, with the sector seeing some of its strongest activity ever. While the province remains a small contributor to Canadian gold production, it has a substantial mineral industry well supported by the government, focused on iron ore, copper and nickel, and the surge in exploration suggests that gold output from the...Read More

Nevada is the core of the U.S. gold output, accounting for by far the majority, at 75.4% on average for the past year. The state looks set to remain a dominant player in U.S. gold, as it accounts for 49% of total U.S. reserves, with Alaska slightly ahead with 51% of reserves, but just 8.6% of current production. The U.S. accounts for 6.1% of global gold output, making Nevada one of the largest gol...Read More

The Golden Triangle in northwestern British Columbia has historically been a major site of Canadian gold production, beginning as early as the mid 1800s. There was a wave of production in the 1990s which cooled as the gold price declined, but larger scale production resumed in 2017, and the area has seen surging exploration interest over the past year, given that the region has some of the largest...Read More

In this report we outline the Quebec gold mining industry, including its major producers, and a survey of many of the junior miners focused on the province. Quebec accounts for 34% of Canadian gold production (second to Ontario, with 44%) and remains a major focus for both producers and junior miners.Read More

Red Lake has been one of the most prolific gold mining districts in Canada and the world, with exploration having started in the 1920s, and production, which began in the 1930s, continuing to the present day. The district is known for the high grade of its gold, its infrastructure, and strong institutional support, given the long history of mining in the area.Read More

(IDEX Online) - The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has announced the closure of its Dubai laboratory take-in facility and education location by the end of the year. The lab, a branch of GIA India Laboratory Pvt. Ltd., is no longer accepting stones for submission.According to an announcement on the GIA website, the decision to close the operation was taken to align its resources with its mi...Read More

(IDEX Online) - An Atlanta man who tried to defraud dealers and wholesalers of nearly $1.2 million in diamonds and other high-end jewelry has been sentenced to almost eight years in federal jail, reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.He has also been ordered to pay over $567,000 in restitutionOver the course of almost two years, from November 2016 until September 2018, Cory Smith took advantage...Read More

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The Minerals Council South Africa on Wednesday published a report on the South African mining industry’s progress in transforming the industry in terms of the Mining Charter.The report was based on a study by advisory firm Moshe Capital into the council members' transformation and community development performance.AdvertisementMoshe based the study...Read More

Aim-listed Firestone Diamonds has confirmed that stable grid power has been restored at its Liqhobong diamond mine, in Lesotho, and that the mine is processing at full capacity.The Lesotho Electricity Company-owned Muela hydropower station was brought back into operation on December 1, following a two-month shutdown period for maintenance.AdvertisementFirestone had to stall its processing plant op...Read More

Galena provides a leading lightSPONSOREDgalena miningGlasenberg said in London this week the remaining 'old guard' of management would be transitioned out next year, and that he himself would follow, once the next generation was ready.Read More

Exore excels in Cote d'IvoireSPONSOREDexore resourcesArtemis all set thanks to unique approachSPONSOREDartemis resourcesDark Horse could be 2020 bolterSPONSOREDdark horse resourcesUS takes long-term position on mineral supplySPONSOREDverisk maplecroftThe good news was confirmation that the big Anglo-Australian miner will invest US$1.5 billion to extend the operations of its 116-year old Kennec...Read More

Galena provides a leading lightSPONSOREDgalena miningIts share price has been on the rise over the past week since reporting it had Read More

Dear Rich Lifer,The holiday season is often hailed as "the most wonderful time of the year". For most that is true!Filling your days with hot cocoa, classic movies, and the smell of pine trees, baking cookies, or logs burning on the fire, along with the company of friends and family to warm your heart can be festive indeed. But for some, especially those further north, the long, dark winter months...Read More

First Cobalt (TSXV: FCC; US-OTC: FTSSF) has released an update on the progress of recommissioning its cobalt refinery in partnership with Glencore (LON: GLEN).The company expects to complete a prefeasibility study for a 12 tonnes per day restart scenario, as well as a second feasibility study for a 55 tonnes per day expansion in the first quarter of 2020. First Cobalt is evaluating recommissioning...Read More

Egypt-focused gold miner Centamin (TSX: CEE; LON: CEY) has rejected the US$1.9 billion all-stock takeover bid from Canada's Endeavour Mining (TSX: EDV) released earlier on Tuesday, saying it did not offer enough value to the company's shareholders.Centamin also said that the terms of the offer did not adequately reflect the contribution that it would make to the merged entity, adding that the comp...Read More

Exore excels in Cote d'IvoireSPONSOREDexore resourcesArtemis all set thanks to unique approachSPONSOREDartemis resourcesDark Horse could be 2020 bolterSPONSOREDdark horse resourcesUS takes long-term position on mineral supplySPONSOREDverisk maplecroftWe all, I think - possibly secretly - enjoy a little schadenfreude from time to time.Read More

(IDEX Online) - After battling power interruptions, Firestone Diamonds plc has announced that stable grid power restored at its Liqhobong mine, allowing it to operate at full capacity again.Production at Liqhobong was affected by a two-month planned shutdown of the Lesotho Electricity Company's Muela Hydropower Station. To minimize disruption at the mine, Firestone commissioned diesel ge...Read More

Cardinal heading down familiar gold roadSPONSOREDcardinal resourcesBAML forecasted nickel prices would hit $17,375/t next year and $20,000/t by 2021, on the back of demand for EVs and Indonesia's ore export ban. On 3 December, the price was $13,595/t.Read More

Egypt-focused gold miner Centamin (TSX: CEE; LON: CEY) has rejected a US$1.9-billion all-stock takeover bid from Canada's Endeavour Mining (TSX: EDV) announced earlier on Tuesday, saying it did not offer enough value to the company's shareholders.Centamin also said that the terms of the offer did not adequately reflect the contribution that it would make to the merged entity, adding that the compa...Read More

The good news was confirmation that the big Anglo-Australian miner will invest US$1.5 billion to extend the operations of its 116-year old Kennecott copper business in Utah for another 13 years.Read More

LSE-listed Gem Diamonds CEO Clifford Elphick looks forward to 2020 and is expecting higher diamond demand and prices.In a video interview distributed by the diamond miner on Wednesday, Elphick said 2019 had been a tough year for the diamond mining industry globally, as evidenced by major companies going into business rescue.AdvertisementFor example, some Trans Hex operations in South Africa had sh...Read More

Markets are eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the so-called "phase one" trade deal between the U.S. and China.Both parties are trying to reach a mini-deal involving simple tariff reductions and a truce on new tariffs along with Chinese purchases of pork and soybeans from the U.S.The likely success or failure of the mini-deal has been a main driver of stock market action for the past year. When th...Read More

The president has spoken...A China trade accord can jolly well wait until next year's election is done, he announced yesterday.While the president spoke, the United States House of Representatives legislated…China is allegedly roughhousing its Uighur (wee-gr) Muslim minority.The House has passed legislation that denounces the inhumanity... and sanctions certain Chinese officials for their vi...Read More

Gold continues to show its strength and prove the doubters wrong. After finishing October above $1,500, gold prices dropped like a pet rock in November down below $1,450, giving bulls yet another reason to doubt themselves. Technically, it needed to hold ~$1,460 at the end of November or risk falling even further. And hold it did, rallying on the last day of the month to hold that level, and sur...Read More

Stage is set for big rally in gold and silver unless various US November jobs numbers beat street expectation by a big margin. U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs on metal imports from Brazil and Argentina. USA has threatened to impose new tariffs on trade with the European Union after the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled that the EU had not complied with an order to halt illegal s...Read More