Copper - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

BHP to Invest A$40 Million in Botswana Copper Exploration with Cobre

March 13, 2025March 13, 2025 Constance0 comment

Mining giant BHP has committed up to A$40 million to explore potential Tier 1 copper-silver deposits in Botswana through a partnership with Australia-listed Cobre. Announced on Monday, the agreement provides funding to advance Cobre’s Kitlanya East and Kitlanya West copper projects, located along the northern and southern basin margins of the Kalahari Copper Belt. Under the earn-in agreement, BHP will invest up to $25 million (approximately A$40 million) in exploration expenditure to acquire a 75% stake in the Kitlanya projects. An initial $5 million will be invested within the first… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Copper Economy

DRC’s Copper Exports Hit Record 3.1 Million Tonnes in 2024

March 13, 2025March 18, 2025 Constance0 comment

For the first time in its mining history, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) exported a record 3.1 million tonnes of copper in 2024, according to a March 6 report from the Congolese Ministry of Mines. This represents a 13% increase from 2023, driven by strong performances from the country’s largest copper mines. Key Contributors to Growth Copper exports from the DRC could grow further in 2025, supported by a 3.7% increase in global demand, as forecasted by Commodity Insights. Additionally, the CRU Group estimates that the DRC’s copper output… Read More Here

International Copper

Franco-Nevada’s Arbitration with Panama Advances as Hopes Rise for Cobre Panama Restart

March 11, 2025March 11, 2025 Constance0 comment

Arbitration between Franco-Nevada (TSX, NYSE: FNV) and Panama over the fate of the $10 billion Cobre Panama copper mine is progressing, with a tribunal set to hear the case in October 2026. The dispute follows the 2023 closure of the mine, which forced Franco-Nevada to take a $1 billion impairment charge. Franco-Nevada had a gold-copper streaming agreement with First Quantum Minerals (TSX: FM), the mine’s owner and operator. The legal uncertainty hasn’t deterred investor optimism, with Franco-Nevada’s stock reaching a 52-week high of C$212 per share and its market capitalization… Read More Here

International Copper

Freeport-McMoRan Pushes for Copper’s Critical Mineral Status Amid U.S. Policy Shifts

March 11, 2025March 11, 2025 Constance0 comment

Freeport-McMoRan is urging U.S. President Donald Trump to designate copper as a critical mineral, a move that would unlock substantial tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act and bolster domestic production, CEO Kathleen Quirk said Monday. Trump recently told Congress he would take “historic action to dramatically expand production of critical minerals,” though details remain unclear. Copper plays a crucial role in power generation, electronics, and construction, yet it is absent from the U.S. Geological Survey’s critical minerals list, which currently includes lithium, nickel, and 48 other minerals. If classified… Read More Here

Copper International

Peru Seeks Talks with U.S. Over Proposed Copper Tariffs

March 11, 2025March 11, 2025 Constance0 comment

Peru is preparing to send a delegation to meet with U.S. officials following the Trump administration’s announcement of potential copper tariffs that could impact Peru’s largest export product. “The rules of the game are changing quickly under the new North American administration,” Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Montero said in Lima on Monday. Peru aims to protect its economic interests and mitigate the impact of any restrictive U.S. trade measures. As the world’s third-largest copper supplier, Peru exports some of its semi-processed copper to the U.S., though most is shipped… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Copper Press Release Zinc

Ivanhoe Mines Reports Strong Copper and Zinc Production in the First Two Months of 2025

March 9, 2025March 9, 2025 Constance

Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN) (OTCQX: IVPAF) Executive Co-Chairman Robert Friedland and President & Chief Executive Officer Marna Cloete announced an update on year-to-date production at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the ultra-high-grade Kipushi zinc mine, also in the DRC. Kamoa-Kakula delivered near-record copper production in January of 45,477 tonnes and 40,849 tonnes during the shorter month of February. Daily copper production averaged over each month totaled 1,467 tonnes per day (tpd) in January and 1,459 tpd in February. These achievements are just… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Cobalt Copper Lithium

US and DRC in Talks Over Critical Minerals Deal

March 9, 2025March 9, 2025 Constance

The United States is engaging in exploratory discussions with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over a potential agreement that would grant the US access to the country’s critical minerals in exchange for military support. The DRC government reportedly initiated discussions two weeks ago, following an interview in which President Félix Tshisekedi stated that the Trump administration had expressed interest in the nation’s vast mineral resources. The DRC is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a key component in electric vehicle batteries, accounting for over 70% of global production. The… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Copper New Mining Projects Tin

Rome Resources Confirms Extensive Copper and Tin Mineralization at Mont Agoma

March 6, 2025March 6, 2025 Constance

AIM-listed Rome Resources has announced promising assay results from drill hole MADD018 at its Mont Agoma prospect in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The results confirm a cumulative 62.25 m higher-grade copper zone at 0.61% within a broader 148 m intercept averaging 0.35% copper. Recent drilling has also revealed visible tin across a 40 m interval in hole MADD024, along with a 179 m visible copper zone. Located approximately 70 m beneath the earlier MADD012 drill hole—which reported a 40 m-wide tin zone grading between 0.1% and 0.3%—MADD024 appears to… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Copper

Mercuria and Glencore Renew Copper Deal with Gécamines

March 6, 2025March 10, 2025 Constance

Mercuria Energy Group Ltd. and Glencore Plc have renewed their agreement to purchase copper from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s state-owned miner, Gécamines. This move aligns with Gécamines’ strategy to independently market its share of output from joint ventures. According to sources familiar with the matter, the two commodity traders successfully bid for copper from the Tenke Fungurume mine, which is majority-owned by China’s CMOC Group Ltd. Mercuria secured 50% of Gécamines’ allocated copper, while Glencore obtained 25%. The remaining 25% has yet to be assigned. These allocations mirror last… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Copper Corporate News News in Brief

Vedanta CEO Visits KCM to Strengthen Commitment to Mine’s Future

March 5, 2025March 5, 2025 Constance

Vedanta Resources Group CEO, Deshnee Naidoo, visited Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) operations in Chingola and Chililabombwe last week to gain firsthand insight into the mine’s operations. Her visit follows her recent appointment to lead Vedanta’s expansion projects. Accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Vedanta Base Metals CEO Christopher Griffith, KCM Chief Operating Officer Malcolm Mewett, and other senior officials, Naidoo’s visit reaffirmed Vedanta’s strong commitment to the future of KCM and its strategic growth plans. Read More Here