International - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Mali Appoints Temporary Administrator to Restart Operations at Barrick’s Loulo-Gounkoto Mine Amid Dispute

June 27, 2025June 27, 2025 Constance

The Malian government has announced that a temporary administrator will resume production at Barrick Gold Corporation’s Loulo-Gounkoto mining complex, following a sharp escalation in tensions between the Canadian mining giant and the West African nation’s military-led government. The mine, one of Barrick’s most valuable assets, was placed under provisional administration earlier this month. On June 16, a court in Bamako ruled that the state could assume control of the mine’s management for six months. Barrick subsequently suspended operations after Malian authorities blocked gold exports and detained senior company staff. “The… Read More Here

International Copper

Rising Capital Costs Threaten New Copper Mine Developments

June 26, 2025June 30, 2025 Constance

The rising cost of capital is emerging as a major challenge for the development of new copper mines, driven by resurgent inflation and soaring infrastructure expenses, according to First Quantum Minerals CEO Tristan Pascall. Speaking at the London Indaba conference, Pascall highlighted that the mining industry is now facing some of the highest capital costs among global sectors. “We now face one of the highest capital costs available,” said Pascall. “The reality is we have to turn to financial markets to develop these large-scale projects, and even the biggest mining… Read More Here

International Gold

Perseus Mining Sets Five-Year Annual Gold Production Target

June 26, 2025June 26, 2025 Constance

Australian mining company Perseus Mining has announced an ambitious target to produce between 515,000 and 535,000 ounces of gold annually over the next five years from its operations in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), and Tanzania. The Yaouré Mine in Côte d’Ivoire is expected to be the leading contributor, accounting for 34% of total production. Ghana’s Edikan and Sissingué mines are projected to contribute 28% and 10%, respectively. Meanwhile, Tanzania’s Nyanzaga Gold Project, currently under construction since April 2025, is anticipated to supply 28% of the company’s planned output. “In… Read More Here

International Copper

Communities Rally for Reopening of Cobre Panama Mine Amid Economic Fallout

June 24, 2025June 24, 2025 Constance

Thousands of former workers, local residents, and members of supplier companies marched on Sunday in the town of Penonomé, Panama, urging President José Raúl Mulino to initiate dialogue on the potential reopening of the Cobre Panama copper mine, according to El Capital Financiero. The mine, operated by Minera Panamá—a subsidiary of Canada’s First Quantum Minerals (TSX: FM)—was shut down after Panama’s Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that its operating contract was unconstitutional. The decision halted operations at the country’s only large-scale mining project. The ruling followed mounting legal challenges and… Read More Here

International Corporate News

Glencore Seeks Govt Support to Avert Mount Isa Smelter Closure

June 24, 2025June 24, 2025 Constance

Glencore (LON: GLEN) has deemed its Mount Isa copper smelter economically unviable and is awaiting responses from both the Australian federal and Queensland state governments regarding requests for financial assistance to continue operations. The Swiss mining and commodities giant cited “unprecedented smelting market conditions,” along with high energy, gas, and labour costs, and a shortage of copper concentrates as key factors undermining the facility’s sustainability. The company initially announced the planned closure of its Mount Isa copper mines and related operations in October 2023. At that time, Glencore stated that… Read More Here

International Energy Uranium

Niger to Nationalize French-Operated Somair Uranium Mine Amid Regional Shift

June 20, 2025June 20, 2025 Constance

Niger has announced plans to nationalize the Somair uranium mine, currently operated by French state-owned company Orano, as tensions between the two parties escalate following the country’s 2023 military coup. The decision is part of a broader trend across West Africa, where governments are increasingly reclaiming control over natural resources. Recent nationalizations in Mali and Burkina Faso have raised concerns among international mining companies and investors with significant financial stakes in the region. In a statement issued late Thursday, the Nigerien government accused Orano of disproportionately benefiting from Somair’s uranium… Read More Here

International Copper

Signs of Progress Emerge for FQM’s Panama Mine Restart

June 20, 2025June 20, 2025 Constance

First Quantum Minerals is beginning to see promising developments for its shuttered copper mine in Panama, though the country’s president has cautioned that significant hurdles remain before a full restart is possible. The Canadian mining company has started preparing to ship approximately 120,000 metric tons of semi-processed copper that has remained stranded since the mine’s closure in late 2023, according to sources familiar with the situation. In a related move, Franco-Nevada — which holds a supply agreement with the mine — has agreed to suspend its arbitration case against Panama.… Read More Here

International Battery Metals Cobalt

Celsius Exits Opuwo Cobalt Project in Namibia to Prioritize Philippine Flagship

June 19, 2025June 19, 2025 Constance

Celsius Resources is moving forward with plans to divest its 95% interest in the Opuwo Cobalt Project in Namibia, as it sharpens its strategic focus on its flagship Maalinao-Caigutan-Biyog (MCB) Copper-Gold Project in the Philippines. The Opuwo Cobalt Project, one of the largest known cobalt deposits outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is owned by the Opuwo Cobalt Group, in which Celsius holds a 95% stake. In March 2025, Celsius revalued the group’s assets at approximately USD 3.02 million. As of June 30, 2024, all assets under the… Read More Here

International Corporate News Tin

Andrada Mining Boosts Tin Production with High-Grade Goantagab Orebody in Namibia

June 19, 2025June 19, 2025 Constance

Andrada Mining, the operator of the Uis Tin Mine in Namibia, has secured a new source of high-grade tin feedstock from the Goantagab orebody, located in the Kunene Region. This strategic development is expected to significantly increase throughput and production capacity at the Uis facility, leveraging the Goantagab deposit’s historically high tin grades of up to 1.75%. The Goantagab deposit was extensively drilled by Gold Fields Namibia during the 1980s, establishing a non-JORC-compliant resource of over two million tonnes with an average tin grade of 0.95%. In addition, grab samples… Read More Here

International Energy Uranium

Morocco Launches $100 Million Uranium Extraction Project to Strengthen Energy Sovereignty

June 19, 2025June 19, 2025 Constance

In a bold move to enhance its strategic autonomy, Morocco has unveiled a $100 million investment by URANEXT, a state-owned company affiliated with the OCP Group (Office Chérifien des Phosphates). The project focuses on extracting uranium from phosphate deposits near Jorf Lasfar—locally known as Yellow Cliff—leveraging Morocco’s vast phosphate reserves to position the country as a key player in the global uranium industry. This initiative marks a transformative leap for Moroccan industry, shifting the traditional phosphate sector toward advanced resource extraction and technological innovation. Significantly, the project is fully funded… Read More Here