U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have signed a critical minerals agreement, which they described as “an $8.5 billion deal between allies,” aimed at curbing China’s dominance of rare earths resources. The Associated Press reported that China announced earlier this month that foreign companies must get approval from its government to export magnets containing even trace…
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Oz government steps in to support Mount Isa, Townsville
Glencore has confirmed it has reached a Heads of Agreement with the Australian and Queensland governments on an A$600 million support package that will keep operations continuing for the next three years at the Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville copper refinery. The deal, made after eight months of constructive engagement with both governments, offers “greater certainty” for 600 workers…
Read MoreIdeon, Rio Tinto ink global intelligence tech partnership
Subsurface intelligence group Ideon Technologies has formed a partnership with Rio Tinto to solve what the pair calls mining’s hardest problem: geological uncertainty.
Read MoreUSGS supports 13 states on mine waste inventory
The U.S. Geological Survey has awarded nearly $3 million in cooperative agreements to state geological surveys in 13 states to study critical minerals in mine waste at active and legacy sites. Full story.
Read MoreAnglo American, Teck to form mining powerhouse
Anglo American and Teck Resources have reached an agreement to combine the two companies in a merger of equals, forming the Anglo Teck group. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Anglo Teck will be a global critical minerals champion and top-five global copper producer. Bringing together the strengths of both companies, Anglo Teck will leverage proven capabilities in technical and operational excellence,…
Read MoreUS Department of Labor announces safety funding availability
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration is making $10.5 million in grant funding available to help provide mine safety training for the nation’s miners. Full story.
Read MoreCritical mineral markets need diversification: IEA report
Emphasizing major energy and economic implications, a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report identifies vulnerabilities over the next decade, notably for copper and other critical minerals. The 2025 edition of the IEA’s Global Critical Minerals Outlook finds that critical mineral markets have become more concentrated, not less, particularly when it comes to refining and processing. For copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt,…
Read MoreUSGS to fund projects identifying mine waste potential
The U.S. Geological Survey has invited states to compete for $5 million in cooperative agreements to find critical minerals in mine waste at active and legacy sites. The funding opportunity supports the agency’s efforts to build a national mine-waste inventory. Full story.
Read MoreFury Gold Mines expands portfolio in Quebec
Canadian-based Fury Gold Mines has entered into an agreement to acquire Quebec Precious Metals in an all-share deal, which creates a combined company that consolidates a prospective gold and critical minerals exploration portfolio totaling over 157,000 hectares in Quebec. Full story.
Read MoreDOE backs 12 critical mineral projects
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) has announced $32.75 million for 12 projects aimed at advancing cost-effective and environmentally responsible processes to produce and refine critical minerals and materials in the U.S. Full story.
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