Bullish predictions for the copper market are not hard to find. And with robust prices and redhot demand over the past few years, copper mining companies have been raking in cash. The only thing missing from this scenario is, well, more copper. There are few major discoveries and even fewer new mines being built – and dwindling production at […]
Battery Metals
Exxon in talks with Tesla, Ford, Volkswagen on supplying lithium
Exxon Mobil Corp. is in talks with Tesla Inc., Ford Motor Co., Volkswagen AG and other automakers about supplying them with lithium as the oil giant works to build a business around the crucial battery metal, according to people familiar with the matter. Exxon is one of several oil and gas companies seeking to expand […]
China’s metals and mining investment overseas to hit record in 2023 – report
New research data shows that China’s metals and mining investments overseas are on track to hit record levels this year, as the country locks in its position as the dominant force in the critical minerals supply chain. According to a report published by the Green Finance & Development Centre at Fudan University in Shanghai and reviewed by the Financial […]
In the race to mine the seabed, China takes a hard line
In an international showdown that is pitting China against dozens of other nations, one company’s quest to strip-mine the seabed for valuable metals has hit a roadblock. Friday marked the conclusion of three weeks of tense meetings at the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a United Nations-affiliated organization that regulates the nascent deep-sea mining industry. The […]
Major breakthrough could increase lithium-ion battery life by 44%
Engineers at Rice University may have found a way to make lithium-ion batteries even more efficient. According to reports, the researchers have developed a scalable method that optimizes what is known as prelithiation, a process that helps mitigate lithium loss and improves the life cycle of a battery. The process relies on coating the silicon […]
Glencore in advanced talks for Argentina copper stake
Glencore Plc is in advanced talks to buy out its partner in Argentina’s Mara copper project as the commodity trader and miner seeks increased exposure to the metal, according to people familiar with the matter. Glencore is close to finalizing a deal to acquire Pan American Silver Corp.’s 56% stake that could be announced as […]
Saudi metals deal to test Canada’s new foreign investor rules
Canada’s vow to curb foreign investment in its critical minerals sector will face its first major test with Saudi Arabia’s deal to buy into some of the country’s largest nickel mines. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government introduced new rules in October that added a layer of regulatory scrutiny to investments by foreign state-owned entities. Such […]
Bay Area start-up promises revolutionary ‘forever’ battery
Jorg Heinemann is on his way to work. It’s a 2 ½ hour trek by bike to Fremont. “This is one of my favorite trails,” he told CBS News Bay Area, as he zipped along a scenic stretch of the San Mateo coast. Heinemann loves to bike and go long distances. Some might say the […]
Self-healing metals may revolutionize engineering – study
Recent research by a team at the Sandia National Laboratories and Texas A&M University describes, for the first time, how pieces of metal crack, then fuse back together without any human intervention, overturning fundamental scientific theories in the process. According to the researchers, if the newly discovered phenomenon can be harnessed, it could usher in […]
UN watchdog delays deep-sea mining to 2024
Plans to begin mining the seafloor for metals that could be used in the energy transition have been pushed back to at least next year after a meeting of the UN-backed regulator in Jamaica ended without agreement on how the industry would be regulated. The Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) ruled out any […]
