Yimin coal mine: what 100 AI-driven electric trucks taught the mining sector
Ten months ago, the mining industry felt what may prove to be more than a symbolic tremor. At the Yimin…
19 Feb 2026
EU-backed minerals projects in Africa move from policy to proof
The European Commission closed the second application round for strategic project status under the Critical Raw Materials Act on 15 January 2026, with decisions expected in the second quarter of…
16 Feb 2026
Bioleachers are sitting on a copper cache: why is uptake slow?
The global bioleaching market was worth $10.14bn as of 2024 and is expected to grow to $21.37bn by 2033. The method is already used to produce up to 20% of…
12 Feb 2026
Community-driven resource nationalism: opportunity amid the challenges
Demand for critical minerals is on the rise, with global extraction projected to increase by more than 60% by 2060. Geopolitical competition over supply chains is intensifying, with new tariffs…
30 Jan 2026
Rare earth power: can Europe ever escape its dependency on China?
While Europe was slow to recognise the potential security risks of dependency, years of quiet investment established China as the undisputed king of rare earth elements (REEs). Now, Europe is…
30 Jan 2026
New president, new policy: Bolivia’s shift against lithium protectionism
The blindingly white salt flats of the Salar de Uyuni stretch across thousands of square kilometres in south-western Bolivia. On any given day, the Salar teems with hundreds of tourist…
13 Jan 2026
Will the US’ onshoring strategy remove China’s chokehold on REEs?
Rare earth elements (REEs) – a group of 17 metals economically found in bastnaesite, monazite, loparite and lateritic ion-adsorption clays – featured heavily in trade relations during the first year…