Category Archives: Metals

‘Full endorsement’: #Timmins #Nickel mine gets another green light

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TIMMINS – Having the backing of the province is giving a Timmins nickel mine a push towards the finish line. 

Ontario Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce was in Timmins today (Jan. 13) to add Canada Nickel’s Crawford mine to the province’s One Project, One Process framework. 

“Permitting certainty is a key thing for mining projects and today’s announcement crystalizes what the province has already been doing,” said Mark Selby, Canada Nickel CEO. 

Being designated by the province gives Selby more certainty that they’ll meet the construction milestone of breaking ground by year-end. The aim is to open the mine by the end of 2028.

In November, the project was also referred to Canada’s Major Projects Office, making it the first to be endorsed federally and provincially. 

What stands out for Lecce is that it’s shovel-ready. 

“This is a pretty incredible turnaround. So we want to create jobs. We want to displace Chinese, dirty nickel in global markets with green nickel that is being produced here, among the cleanest nickel on Earth,” said Lecce.

The critical minerals are needed for aerospace and military projects, said Lecce. 

“And this is a company that’s demonstrated a strong commitment to collaboration, both with First Nations and with community. So they have our full endorsement,” he said.

Crawford is Canada Nickel’s flagship project in the area that the company has coined as the Timmins nickel district. It’s the second-largest nickel reserve in the world and would be the only source of chromium in North America. It would also supply cobalt, platinum and palladium.

It has the potential to become the Western world’s largest nickel operation, said Selby. 

Read more at: https://www.timminstoday.com/local-news/full-endorsement-timmins-nickel-mine-gets-another-green-light-11733157

#SouthChinaMiningPost: #Japan firms seen ‘stockpiling’ #RareEearths as #Tokyo looks to #G7 in face of #China controls

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A conference scene featuring Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi discussing rare earth metals, with representatives from other G7 countries seated around a table. Various colored minerals are displayed in front of her.

Fears of China choking off exports of critical minerals to Japan amid a deepening political dispute have set off industry alarms and prompted Tokyo to elevate the issue at a G7 gathering of finance ministers this week, despite Beijing’s assurances that civilian trade would be spared.

Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said last week that she would attend the Group of Seven event in Washington on Monday with the “risk of a rare-earth-supply interruption from China in mind”, the Tokyo-based Jiji Press reported. Officials from Canada, the United States and Australia were also expected to participate.

The inclusion of rare earths on the G7 agenda reflects heightened concern in Japan over China controlling exports of 17 rare earth elements that are crucial for Japan’s massive manufacturing sector, from consumer electronics to vehicles, according to analysts.

Although Japan has reduced its reliance on Chinese rare earths since 2010, when China stopped rare earth exports for two months following a vessel collision near disputed islets, it still depends heavily on Chinese supplies, as replacements take time, the experts said.

Read more at: https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3339615/japan-firms-seen-stockpiling-rare-earths-tokyo-looks-g7-face-china-controls

#China’s #RareEarth Policy: Driving Innovation and Competitiveness

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A colorful assortment of various geometric and crystalline shapes representing critical minerals, displayed against a blurred laboratory background. The image also features the flag of China and text in Chinese and English labeling the minerals.

Policy Framework Supporting Innovation Ecosystem

The Chinese State Council’s “Rare Earth Industry Development Plan (2021-2025)” establishes coordinated targets that explicitly connect mining output with downstream technology milestones. This policy framework differs from market-driven approaches where private investment decisions occur independently of government industrial planning.

Key coordination mechanisms include:

  • Research funding allocation aligned with five-year industrial development priorities
  • State-owned enterprise operations integrated with private sector innovation incentives
  • Regulatory environments designed to support domestic technology development clusters
  • University-industry partnerships with explicit commercialization mandates

Government research institutes, including Chinese Academy of Sciences divisions focused on materials science, receive dedicated funding for rare earth materials research aligned with broader industrial objectives. This creates predictable resource flows for long-term research projects while ensuring alignment between fundamental research and commercial applications.

The integration extends to environmental and regulatory considerations. Chinese facilities operate under different environmental compliance requirements compared to Western competitors, enabling cost structures that support both current operations and reinvestment in technology development. Additionally, these operations increasingly benefit from decarbonization benefits that enhance long-term competitiveness. This regulatory environment, combined with established supply chains and vertical integration advantages, creates compound benefits for innovation funding.

How Does China’s Patent Strategy Create Competitive Moats in Critical Technologies?

Intellectual Property Accumulation in Emerging Materials

China’s patent filing activity in rare earth materials significantly exceeds Western competitors, with China accounting for approximately 40-50% of global rare earth materials patents and higher percentages in emerging technology areas including nanomaterials and energy storage applications, according to World Intellectual Property Organization data from 2023.

Patent applications in rare earth nanomaterials and energy storage categories have grown at approximately 15-20% year-over-year in China between 2018-2023, while Western filing rates in equivalent categories have remained relatively flat or declined. This divergence reflects different strategic approaches to materials innovation and intellectual property development.

Focus areas for Chinese patent activity include:

  • Energy storage nanomaterials with enhanced conductivity and thermal stability
  • Magnetic separation processes optimizing cost structures and efficiency
  • Luminescent compounds for specialized optical and sensor applications
  • Advanced alloy compositions targeting aerospace and electronics sectors

Consequently, organizations must develop comprehensive IP protection strategies to safeguard their technological advantages in this competitive landscape.

Research Institution Networks and Knowledge Transfer

Chinese university-industry collaboration operates under different structural incentives compared to Western academic systems. Chinese institutions receive explicit mandates to commercialize research findings, supported by government incentive structures that reward technology transfer activities. This contrasts with Western university systems where commercialization typically occurs post-publication through licensing offices, creating longer development timelines.

Read more at: https://discoveryalert.com.au/strategic-technology-development-critical-material-sectors-2026/

#US to push for quicker action in reducing reliance on #China for #RareEarths

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A group of business leaders and officials sitting at a conference table during a meeting focused on rare earth and critical metals, with flags of various nations displayed in the background and a presentation screen showing 'G7' and related topics.

WASHINGTON, Jan 11 (Reuters) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will urge Group of Seven nations and others to step up their efforts to reduce reliance on critical minerals from China when he hosts a dozen top finance officials on Monday, a senior U.S. official said.

The meeting, which kicks off with a dinner on Sunday evening, will include finance ministers or cabinet ministers from the G7 advanced economies, the European Union, Australia, India, South Korea and Mexico, said the official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Together, the grouping accounts for 60% of global demand for critical minerals.

“Urgency is the theme of the day. It’s a very big undertaking. There’s a lot of different angles, a lot of different countries involved and we really just need to move faster,” the official said.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-push-quicker-action-reducing-reliance-china-rare-earths-2026-01-11/

#China: The 60,000-tonne #NickelSulfate project of #JienNickel Industry has been put into operation

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A large industrial facility for nickel sulfate production, featuring multiple machines, storage tanks, and processing equipment, under a high ceiling design with overhead cranes.

According to a Mysteel survey, the 60,000-tonne-per-year nickel sulfate project of Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Co., Ltd. officially commenced production on December 31, 2025. Located in the Panshi Metallurgical and Chemical New Materials Industrial Park, the project represents a total investment of Yuan 1.279 billion. It covers a site area of 160,570 square meters with a total building area of 96,500 square meters. The primary construction includes a main production line with an annual capacity of 60,000 tonnes of nickel sulfate, along with supporting public and auxiliary facilities.

The project is being implemented in two phases. The first phase, with a capacity of 30,000 tonnes per year, utilizes high-grade nickel matte as its raw material. The second phase, also with a capacity of 30,000 tonnes per year, will use nickel-cobalt hydroxide as feedstock. Upon full completion, the project’s total designed output will reach an annual production of 60,000 tonnes of nickel sulfate, 3,658 tonnes of cobalt sulfate, and 3,600 tonnes of manganese sulfate.

Read more at: https://www.mysteel.net/news/5108939-flash-the-60-000-tonne-nickel-sulfate-project-of-jien-nickel-industry-has-been-put-into-operation

#US: #Oklahoma’s #CriticalMinerals Hub: Driving Strategic Industrial Growth

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Oklahoma’s emergence as a critical minerals hub represents a strategic convergence of geographic advantages, established infrastructure, and national security imperatives. The state’s positioning within North American transportation networks, combined with abundant energy resources and experienced industrial workforce, creates unique opportunities for domestic processing operations that reduce import dependencies while supporting defense manufacturing requirements.

Oklahoma’s emergence as a strategic processing hub demonstrates how transportation networks and energy infrastructure create multiplicative advantages for critical minerals operations. The state’s positioning at the intersection of continental transportation corridors provides unprecedented access to both raw material sources and end-user markets across North America.

Chemical processing expertise from Oklahoma’s refining and petrochemical operations transfers directly to mineral separation and purification systems. Workers experienced in hydrocarbon separation, distillation, and reduction chemistry possess foundational knowledge for solvent extraction, precipitation, and crystallization processes essential to lithium, nickel, and rare earth processing.

Environmental compliance experience accumulated through decades of Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act requirements in energy operations reduces training requirements for mineral processing facilities. The regulatory framework familiarity and OSHA certification systems provide established pathways for workforce transition rather than development from baseline.

Read more at: https://discoveryalert.com.au/oklahoma-critical-minerals-hub-2025-geographic-infrastructure/

#Canada #Nickel nears four billion tonnes in total nickel resources near #Timmins

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Heavy mining equipment operating in a snowy landscape, with Canada Nickel branding and a Canadian flag overlay.

Canada Nickel has amassed almost four billion tonnes in nickel resources in the ground around Timmins.

Just before Christmas, the Toronto multi-mine developer published mineral resources for more two deposits, Midlothian and Bannockburn, both situated south of the city.

Like Canada Nickel’s other properties in the area, including its flagship Crawford project, the Midlothian and Bannockburn projects are shaping up to be low-grade, big-tonnage type of nickel deposits.

To date, Canada Nickel has posted resource estimates on eight of its nine properties in the region.

That amounts to 3.98 billion tonnes of 0.24 per cent nickel in the measured and Indicated resources, for a total of 9.4 million tonnes of nickel metal. There’s an inferred resource of 4.95 billion tonnes of 0.23 per cent nickel, for a total of 11.5 million tonnes of contained nickel metal.

Read more at: https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/industry-news/mining/canada-nickel-nears-four-billion-tonnes-in-total-nickel-resources-near-timmins-11681534

#NYTimes: How #US Defense Industry Dodged a #RareEarth Shortage After #China’s Curbs

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A close-up of a Tomahawk missile with a background suggesting military engagement, featuring the word 'SAMARIUM' at the bottom, along with flags representing the United States and China.

Tomahawk missiles are coveted by militaries around the world because they can hit a target 1,000 miles away. That accuracy is possible because their fins use powerful magnets made of samarium — a rare-earth metal that can tolerate high heat.

When China put restrictions on some rare-earth exports this year, it cut off the supply of samarium to American defense contractors that sell to Raytheon, the maker of Tomahawk missiles. Samarium is processed almost exclusively in China, where more than 85 percent of the world’s rare-earth magnets are made.

A carefully orchestrated deal involving two European companies gave U.S. defense contractors access to a new source of samarium, allowing production to continue for now. But that supply — made from material that had been sitting in a factory in France since the 1970s — is limited. Now the Trump administration is racing to develop a new source before the European stockpile runs out.

China began requiring export licenses for samarium and six other rare-earth metals in April after President Trump rolled out tariffs against China and several other nations. A spokesman at the Chinese Embassy in Washington said in an email that the export controls had been instituted to “defend world peace.” Foreign companies that use samarium for military purposes are no longer allowed to buy it.

“No defense contractor will be able to use the same path to buy samarium metal that we’ve used in the past,” said an executive for one of Raytheon’s suppliers, who asked for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. “You’re on the naughty list. You’re not getting that material.”

Most rare-earth magnets are made of neodymium, which is used in everyday applications such as cellphones, auto parts and electronics. But the defense industry requires samarium-cobalt magnets, which can withstand extreme heat.

The stakes for finding alternatives are enormous. Unless new sources of samarium or a substitute material can be found, American manufacturers won’t be able to build fighter jets or precision-guided missiles. They may be forced to sacrifice precision if they can’t get the right magnets, said Aisha Haynes, a former Defense Department official responsible for supply chain issues.

Read more at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/22/business/defense-industry-rare-earth-restrictions-china.html

#NASA’s Advanced Hyperspectral Systems Revolutionise #CriticalMineral Discovery

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A satellite equipped for mineral mapping is shown orbiting Earth, with colorful mineral mapping data displayed over mountainous terrain.

NASA mineral mapping technology represents a groundbreaking advancement in mineral exploration, utilising hyperspectral imaging to identify critical battery materials from stratospheric altitudes. This technology captures electromagnetic radiation across 224 contiguous spectral bands, enabling detection of lithium, cobalt, and titanium compounds across vast geographic regions whilst accelerating discovery timelines that traditionally required decades of ground-based exploration.

NASA mineral mapping technology operates fundamentally differently from conventional satellite imaging through its ability to capture electromagnetic radiation across 224 contiguous spectral bands spanning 400-2,500 nanometres. Traditional satellite systems like Landsat utilise only 11 spectral bands, while Sentinel-2 operates with 13 bands, creating significant limitations in mineral identification capabilities.

Read more at: https://discoveryalert.com.au/nasa-mineral-mapping-hyperspectral-imaging-2025/

#Bloomberg: #US #RareEarth Buyers Still See #China Curbs Despite #Trump Deal

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A metallic ring placed on a rocky surface, with Chinese and American flags blurred in the background, symbolizing the geopolitical tension over rare earth elements.

December 25, 2025 at 3:39 AM ES

China is still restricting the rare earth elements that the US needs to produce its own permanent magnets and other products even after President Donald Trump reached a deal with his Chinese counterpart in October to lift restrictions on the supplies, according to market participants.

More than a dozen consumers, producers, government officials and trade experts said that while China has boosted deliveries of finished products — primarily permanent magnets — the US industry remains unable to acquire the inputs needed to make those items on its own, a key priority for the administration.

Read more at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-24/us-rare-earth-buyers-still-see-china-curbs-despite-trump-deal

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