The strategic metals behind modern military technology
For defence manufacturers, the importance of platinum-group metals (PGMs) is less about the quantity consumed than the consequences of not…
14 Oct 2026
Can resource-rich Australia build a battery-grade manganese industry?
Australia’s pyrometallurgical manganese industry came to an end with the closure of the Liberty Bell Bay smelter in July 2026. However, as the demand for manganese battery chemistries increases, so…
13 Oct 2026
Europe’s tungsten revival faces a race against China
Used in aerospace, alloys, bullets, metalworking, missiles and drill bits, tungsten – with its incredibly high melting point of 3,414°C – has diverse applications. In times of peace, it is…
13 Oct 2026
How mining is feeding the AI data centre boom
The latest quarterly report from the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) has highlighted AI infrastructure as an emerging source of platinum demand, as higher-performance data centre hardware drives growth in…
09 Oct 2026
Pushing crushing capabilities: how digitalisation is improving comminution
Globally, ore grades are falling and energy costs are rising. In comminution, the squeeze is particularly palpable – mining’s most energy-intensive processes, crushing and grinding account for up to 70%…
08 Oct 2026
Iron ore bucks Hormuz disruption as supply disputes shift to China
On 28 February, when US President Donald Trump announced the start of a joint US-Israel aerial campaign against Iran, he outlined Washington’s intention to complete the military objectives of ‘Operation…
08 Oct 2026
Case study: BHP looks to mining waste for more copper
Our appetite for copper is unquenchable. The metal sits at the centre of the technological transformation reshaping the global economy, from AI data centres and defence systems to electric vehicles,…