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

In the second installment of the curious case of Khan Resources, we explore Khan's turbulent history in Mongolia and document a deal with Russia's leadership to swap Khan's uranium mines for hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and debt forgiveness.Even before Mongolia awarded itself the right to Khan's uranium deposits, the writing was on the wall.Speculation was rife that Russia was yearning f...Read More

Introduction: Anthony Wile is an active investor, business strategist and consultant, financial markets commentator, publisher and author. Having lived and worked in several leading financial centers around the world, he has established an international network of asset managers, banks, family offices and financial analysts, as well as institutional investors and securities firms.Now at The Wile...Read More

Introduction: Anthony Wile is an active investor, business strategist and consultant, financial markets commentator, publisher and author. Having lived and worked in several leading financial centers around the world, he has established an international network of asset managers, banks, family offices and financial analysts, as well as institutional investors and securities firms.Now at The Wile...Read More

Against expectations and in some instances seemingly in defiance of fundamentals, commodities managed to climb a wall of worry during the first quarter of 2016.While nervousness returned to the sector with a vengeance this week, many metals and minerals have clung to year-to-date gains.It's down sharply from an insane 19% jump in a single day to above $60 a tonne, but iron ore remains th...Read More

This week saw the S&P 500 rally to its highest levels of the year, but the most revealing signals about the state of the current global economy -- and where stock markets are headed -- can be found elsewhere: in the dollar and copper. Shown below is the five-year chart of the PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish (UUP) , an exchange-traded fund that tracks the value of the dollar against a ba...Read More

Once in a while in our lives we come across a book or an article, perhaps an interview, that causes us to pause and really consider our positions on a particular topic, to question our conclusions and perhaps even adjust our way of looking at and thinking about the issue. In even rarer instances we make changes in the way we live because of such an influence.Libertarian philosopher Tibor R. Machan...Read More

There's A Huge New Corporate Corruption Scandal. Here's Why Everyone Should Care. Bribery fuels political instability - and it's a propaganda tool for terrorists. - Huffington PostThe Huffington Post and Fairfax Media seem to have taken over the Internet with their huge story on corruption in the oil industry.Here’s how they summarize it:A Fairfax Media and Huffington Post investigation has...Read More

Once in a while in our lives we come across a book or an article, perhaps an interview, that causes us to pause and really consider our positions on a particular topic, to question our conclusions and perhaps even adjust our way of looking at and thinking about the issue. In even rarer instances we make changes in the way we live because of such an influence.Libertarian philosopher Tibor R. Machan...Read More

There's A Huge New Corporate Corruption Scandal. Here's Why Everyone Should Care. Bribery fuels political instability - and it's a propaganda tool for terrorists. - Huffington PostThe Huffington Post and Fairfax Media seem to have taken over the Internet with their huge story on corruption in the oil industry.Here’s how they summarize it:A Fairfax Media and Huffington Post investigation has...Read More

McKinsey and Co's March survey of nearly 2,800 executives shows the mood of those in charge of global corporations taking a decidedly dark turn in the new year.Compared with the previous survey in December, when opinions were buoyant, respondents are now "more likely to report negative than positive views on both global and domestic economic conditions" says the management consultancy.The notion...Read More

One promising new approach is to keep track of the vaccine myths circulating in cyberspace and rebut each one as it appears. This requires tracking information from search engines and following anti-vaccination websites and parents' forums. – EconomistThe battle against anti-vaccine websites and individuals is about to intensify.Rather than fighting on just a PR front, authorities are now p...Read More

One promising new approach is to keep track of the vaccine myths circulating in cyberspace and rebut each one as it appears. This requires tracking information from search engines and following anti-vaccination websites and parents' forums. – EconomistThe battle against anti-vaccine websites and individuals is about to intensify.Rather than fighting on just a PR front, authorities are now p...Read More

A rare public protest in Mongolia's capital on Wednesday drew thousands of demonstrators who criticized foreign mining concessions and demanded action to prop up the tottering economy.More than 2,000 demonstrators in Ulaanbaatar's Freedom Square also called for parliament to be dissolved and a new government formed over alleged corruption and the economic crisis battering the vast, landlocked nati...Read More

On Wednesday, Lockheed Martin signed the first customer for the LMH-1, the giant defense contractor's hybrid airship. The LMH-1 is a unique new aircraft which is part helium dirigible, part cargo helicopter, part passenger airliner and part hovercraft.UK-based Straightline Aviation signed a letter of intent with Hybrid Enterprises, the exclusive reseller of the hybrid airship, to purchase up to...Read More

Yellen Says Caution in Raising Rates Is 'Especially Warranted' ... Fed Chair makes case for go-slow changes with rate near zero ... Janet Yellen said it is appropriate for U.S. central bankers to "proceed cautiously" in raising interest rates because the global economy presents heightened risks. The speech to the Economic Club of New York made a strong case for running the economy hot to push aw...Read More

Yellen Says Caution in Raising Rates Is 'Especially Warranted' ... Fed Chair makes case for go-slow changes with rate near zero ... Janet Yellen said it is appropriate for U.S. central bankers to "proceed cautiously" in raising interest rates because the global economy presents heightened risks. The speech to the Economic Club of New York made a strong case for running the economy hot to push aw...Read More

… Along with the crackdown on dissent and freedom of speech, as well as an increasingly ideological tone, some observers worry that Chinese politics is now taking a more authoritarian direction of the kind not seen since the days of Chairman Mao. And with the normal political process so opaque and closed, the things we can glimpse on the edges of China’s parliamentary set pieces are...Read More

… Along with the crackdown on dissent and freedom of speech, as well as an increasingly ideological tone, some observers worry that Chinese politics is now taking a more authoritarian direction of the kind not seen since the days of Chairman Mao. And with the normal political process so opaque and closed, the things we can glimpse on the edges of China’s parliamentary set pieces are...Read More

Despite falling to a one-month low on Monday after three straight weeks of declines, year to date gold is holding onto a 15% gain, silver and platinum are up 10% while copper's trading more than 15% higher than its January lows.Industrial metals have all advanced in 2016 led by zinc which has jumped by more than 20% in three months. Volatile iron ore at $55.20 on Monday is the best performer with...Read More

Tony Blair [in the Sunday Times]: Britain and its western allies must be prepared to send ground troops to "crush" Islamic State forces or risk a terror attack in Europe of "such size and horror" that draconian security measures would have to be introduced, Tony Blair has said. -GuardianIn a widely noted editorial, Tony Blair is speaking up again, pounding the drums for war without apology. This a...Read More