Mining industry news covering mineral extraction, mining companies, commodities, and global mining sector developments.
The US government published a proposed leasing notice on Friday to auction 33 million acres of water surrounding American Samoa for potential deep-sea mining. Environmental groups and local community group Fa'asao Amerika Samoa criticized the move, saying it ignores the voices of American Samoans.
Ghana is preparing a sweeping overhaul of mining legislation that would limit mining lease renewals to a maximum of 10 years and reduce the maximum term for new mining leases to 20 years from 30 years. The draft law has been approved by cabinet and is expected to be submitted to parliament soon.
The editorial argues that Alaska's mineral wealth has been underutilized due to lack of infrastructure and political will, but a new University of Alaska Fairbanks initiative funded by the National Science Foundation could transform the state's economy by developing mining, processing, and workforce training, moving beyond mere extraction to build a comprehensive mineral-based economy.
Botswanan minister Moeti Mohwasa disclosed that Anglo American has chosen Global Diamond Consortium as the preferred bidder for De Beers. The sale process involves three bidders, with the Global Diamond Consortium emerging as the frontrunner.
Semirara Mining and Power Corporation filed a court petition in Makati against the Department of Energy over demands for proprietary information and asset inventory. The DOE rejected SMPC's request to extend its coal operating contract beyond July 2027 and opened the area to bidding, with an auction covering 10 coal blocks on Semirara Island.
Royal Gold reported record Q1 revenue, cash flow, and $391 million in adjusted EBITDA during a virtual non-deal roadshow. The quarter was the first to fully reflect recent acquisitions, including the Sandstorm and Horizon deals. The company also added gold streams at Kansanshi and Warintza, and extended Mount Milligan's mine life to 2045.
Bitcoin's 30-day average hashrate dropped 6.3% quarter over quarter to about 940 EH/s, roughly 12% below the December 2025 peak. Hashrate Index attributed the decline to weak mining economics and a shift of capital toward AI/HPC infrastructure. The US share fell 8% to 345 EH/s.
BHP approved $900m for the Ministers North iron ore project in Western Australia's Pilbara, a satellite of Yandi. The joint venture with Itochu and Mitsui targets 20 million tonnes per annum, with first ore expected in FY2029.
Electrical workers at BHP's high-voltage network in Australia voted overwhelmingly for work stoppages, marking the first strike in the Pilbara region in over 25 years. BHP is downplaying the impact of the strike as workers seek an enterprise agreement.
Vale's CFO cited robust demand for iron ore and copper driven by spending on data centers, electrification, and infrastructure. The Iran war raises costs and poses operational risks for the Brazilian miner.