Yesterday
Iran leader vows not to surrender as Israel pounds nuclear facility
In his first public comments since hostilities recommenced, Iranian leader Ali Khamenel rejected US president Donald Trump’s demand for “unconditional surrender”. Follow updates live
This Month
Critical minerals IPO stars return with copper float
The mineral exploration syndicate behind the incredible success of WA1 Resources is back with new float Tali Resources.
Australian mining exploration falls to four-year low
Exploration spending fell to $643.52 million in the March quarter, as a sharp fall in lithium and nickel prices discouraged activity.
Albanese has one weapon in tariff talks: the periodic table
Convincing Trump that Australia can guarantee a reliable supply of critical minerals remains Albanese’s best option of securing a tariff exemption.
BHP considers return to nickel business with ultra-cheap mine project
The resources giant shut down local production of the commodity in the face of a surge in low-cost Indonesian production backed by Chinese investment last year.
Trump concedes Xi ‘extremely hard to make a deal with’
Ties between the superpowers are strained despite their trade truce, including over China’s slow approval of export controls for rare earth minerals.
Global factory shutdown warnings over China’s rare earth ban
German carmakers became the latest to warn China’s export restrictions threaten to halt production and rattle their economies as China-US trade tensions rise.
May
Next Rio Tinto chief urged to extend push to ‘challenging’ frontiers
Rio Tinto is facing a hostile government in Mongolia and a military junta in Guinea, but this vocal shareholder wants the frontier push to continue.
Australia ready to play dirty against China’s rare earths manipulation
We usually fly the flag for free trade, but the critical minerals reserve suggests the Albanese government is prepared to manipulate as well.
Ivanhoe lobbies US to add iron ore to critical minerals list
The company’s chief executive, Bronwyn Barnes, says the highest-quality ore should be secure because of its uses in manufacturing military hardware.
The energy transition will fail without more mines
Our scorecard for the government must include whether initiatives ensure more critical minerals projects come online, faster, and without cutting corners.
Rio Tinto strikes $1.4b Chilean lithium deal with Codelco
The company will invest in the Salar de Maricunga project as it focuses on reducing its dependence on iron ore.
Goyder’s personal needs can’t wait for Liontown
If the lithium miner is so undervalued, why is the chairman’s wife’s selling off as soon as the share price jumps?
Meet the scrappy Queenslander who convinced Trump to mine the sea
From a dairy farm to Washington’s corridors of power, Australian entrepreneur Gerard Barron is driving America’s charge into controversial deep-sea mining.
April
Resources minister hits back at Lynas criticism
Madeleine King has hit back at criticism from Lynas chief executive Amanda Lacaze over plans to create a critical minerals stockpile.
Gina Rinehart-backed Delta Lithium to spin out WA gold mine
The junior explorer will separate its gold assets into Ballard Mining and launch an IPO to take advantage of astronomical demand.
Lynas blasts Labor over critical minerals stockpile plan
Lynas CEO Amanda Lacaze has warned Labor’s critical minerals stockpile will be counterproductive and may damage Australia’s only rare earths producer.
Trump’s plan to seize Ukraine’s minerals is a strategic debacle
The West just has to wait a little, tighten the screws at the right moment, and Putin will be forced to the table on our terms. Instead, Trump offers him a real estate joint venture.
New battleground in critical minerals race is on Australia’s doorstep
The US under Donald Trump sees the ocean floor as a new frontier, making the Pacific Ocean’s mineral-rich seabed a new strategic flashpoint.
Trump moves to ramp up deep-sea mining for critical minerals
The US president signed an executive order to speed up permits for ocean mining to boost the supply of critical resources largely controlled by China.