International - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Panama Eyes Cobre Panama Restart to Accelerate Economic Growth

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026 Constance

Panama Targets 6% GDP Growth by 2027 if Cobre Panama Mine Reopens, Business Group Says Panama’s economy expanded by 4% in 2025, but business leaders argue that reopening the Cobre Panama copper mine will be critical to lifting growth to as much as 6% by 2027. The mine is operated by First Quantum Minerals and has been at the centre of economic and political debate since its suspension. Growth Driven by Services, Manufacturing Lags The Sindicato de Industriales de Panama (SIP), one of the country’s leading business groups, reported that… Read More Here

International Copper Corporate News Exploration

Serval Resources Launches 2026 Exploration Programme in Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026 Constance

Serval Begins Ground Geophysics on KCL Licences in Kalahari Copper Belt Following Conditional Acquisition Deal Copper and future metals developer Serval Resources has commenced its first exploration work programme of 2026 on Botswana assets owned by Kalahari Copper Limited (KCL), following KCL’s approval. The licences are located in the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB), widely regarded as one of the most prospective regions globally for sediment-hosted copper discoveries. Conditional Acquisition of KCL As previously announced on 9 February, Serval has entered into a conditional share purchase agreement to acquire 100% of… Read More Here

Battery Metals International Lithium News in Brief

China Lithium Prices Surge as Zimbabwe Suspends Raw Mineral Exports

February 26, 2026February 26, 2026 Constance

Zimbabwe Halts Lithium Exports, Driving China Lithium Carbonate Prices Higher Amid Energy Storage Demand China’s lithium prices jumped sharply on Thursday after Zimbabwe suspended exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates, raising concerns about potential supply disruptions amid booming energy storage demand. The most actively traded lithium carbonate contract on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange surged 6.07% to 178,020 yuan ($26,043.45) per metric ton as of 03:30 GMT, after earlier spiking over 9% to 187,700 yuan. Zimbabwe, Africa’s largest lithium producer, exported 1.128 million tons of spodumene concentrate in 2025… Read More Here

International Artisanal mining Gold

Ghana to Channel Artisanal Gold into Formal Trade to Boost Revenue

February 26, 2026February 26, 2026 Constance

Ghana Launches ASM Gold Formalisation Program Targeting $20 Billion in Annual Foreign-Exchange Inflows Ghana plans to direct approximately 127 metric tons of artisanal and small‑scale mining (ASM) gold annually into official trade channels under revised sector reforms, aiming to increase foreign-exchange earnings and curb smuggling, Cassiel Ato Forson announced on Wednesday. Across Africa, ASM gold leakage costs countries billions each year as undeclared production is smuggled through porous borders to global trading hubs such as Dubai. Ghana, Africa’s top gold producer, lost an estimated $11.4 billion between 2019 and 2023,… Read More Here

International Corporate News Gold Mining Personality

Barrick Mining Expands Executive Committee with Two Senior Appointments

February 26, 2026February 26, 2026 Constance

Barrick Mining Appoints Chief Legal and Global Affairs Officers to Strengthen Government and Policy Strategy Barrick Mining Corporation (NYSE: B; TSX: ABX) has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of two new members to its executive committee, reinforcing its focus on government engagement and public policy as strategic priorities. The Toronto-based gold and copper producer announced the appointment of James J. McGuire as Chief Legal and Policy Officer and Woo Lee as Chief Global Affairs Officer. The company said the changes underscore its commitment to enhancing institutional capabilities that… Read More Here

Technology & Innovation International

Artificial Intelligence Could Reduce Drilling by a Factor of Five – Jef Caers, Stanford University Expert

February 25, 2026February 25, 2026 Constance

Stanford professor and WMC 2026 Program Committee member says mining must adopt “intelligent agents” to transform decision-making under uncertainty in exploration, mining and processing of critical minerals. Artificial intelligence applied to mineral exploration could reduce drilling by a factor of five, generating substantial savings in time and capital while enabling more informed go-or-no-go decisions. This was the key message delivered by Jef Caers, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Stanford University, one of the world’s leading experts in applied geosciences and decision-making under uncertainty, during a webinar held as… Read More Here

International Copper Corporate News

Rio Tinto Reaffirms Organic Copper Growth Strategy After Glencore Talks Collapse

February 22, 2026February 22, 2026 Constance

Rio Tinto Prioritises Shareholder Value as Glencore Merger Talks End, Highlights Oyu Tolgoi Copper Growth and $650m Cost-Cut Plan After merger discussions with diversified miner and trader Glencore failed to reach agreement on valuation, diversified mining major Rio Tinto has underscored that its copper growth strategy is being delivered organically. Speaking during a results call, CEO Simon Trott confirmed that discussions covered the “full perimeter” of Glencore’s business. However, negotiations ultimately stalled over valuation concerns. “We went under the hood with a singular focus on whether we could create value… Read More Here

International Copper Gold New Mining Projects

FQM’s Taca Taca Project Doubles in Value on Higher Reserves and Stronger Copper, Gold Prices

February 22, 2026February 22, 2026 Constance

First Quantum’s Taca Taca Copper-Gold Project in Argentina Posts $5.9B NPV as Reserves and Prices Lift Valuation A new technical report on First Quantum Minerals’ Taca Taca copper-gold project in northwest Argentina shows the asset’s value has more than doubled in five years, supported by increased reserves and stronger long-term copper and gold price assumptions. Under an 8% discount rate and base-case prices of $4.50 per lb. copper and $3,000 per oz. gold, Taca Taca carries an after-tax net present value (NPV) of $5.92 billion and an internal rate of… Read More Here

Gold International

Ghana Hits Record 6 Million Ounces of Gold in 2025 Amid Royalty Reform Debate

February 16, 2026February 16, 2026 Constance

Ghana Gold Output Reaches Record 6 Million Ounces in 2025 as Royalty Overhaul Raises Industry Concerns Ghana produced a record six million ounces of gold in 2025, according to provisional industry data, cementing its position as Africa’s top gold producer. Figures released by the Ghana Chamber of Mines show that large-scale mining operations delivered 2.9 million ounces, unchanged from the previous year. The bulk of growth came from artisanal and small scale mining (ASM), which rose to approximately 3.1 million ounces, buoyed by strong bullion prices and sector reforms. 2026… Read More Here

Diamond International

Okavango Diamond Company Expands Contract Sales to Stabilise Revenues

February 16, 2026February 16, 2026 Constance

Botswana’s Okavango Diamond Company Targets 50% Contract Sales to Navigate Weak Diamond Market Botswana’s state-owned Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) plans to increase the proportion of rough diamonds sold through long-term contracts in response to a depressed global diamond market, Acting Managing Director Lipalese Makepe said on Wednesday. Contract sales offer greater predictability than auctions and tenders, which are highly competitive and can result in price volatility. The shift comes amid surplus supply, weakening consumer demand and the growing popularity of lab grown diamonds, all of which have pressured rough diamond… Read More Here