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Challenges in #US – #Congo Mineral Agreements Amid Conflict

Posted on March 2, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

An abstract illustration depicting a mining scene focused on cobalt and copper extraction, featuring trucks and workers amidst piles of mined minerals, with flags of different countries visible and an aerial view in the background.

The U.S. has made progress in its push to prise Congo’s strategic minerals from China’s orbit, but conflict, contested licences and compliance demands are still slowing Washington’s advance into a region its rival dominates, diplomats and industry officials said.

Democratic Republic of Congo, which hosts the world’s largest cobalt supply and rich copper and lithium reserves, is central to the U.S. push to cut the West’s reliance ‌on China for rare minerals.

One U.S. diplomat said Kinshasa is deliberately slowing new deals to push Washington to increase pressure on M23 before any further steps are taken. Reuters could not ⁠independently verify the claim.

The Congolese government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On background, a senior government official described the allegations as “speculation”.

“The agreement has its own rhythm: a period for receiving offers, a period for negotiation,” the official said. Rwanda, which denies backing M23, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The U.S. State Department told Reuters the U.S. remains “deeply concerned” by violence in eastern Congo and is pushing regional partners to reinforce the ceasefire, urging Rwanda to end M23 support and withdraw in line with December’s peace deal.

The department said Washington hopes to see swift progress on key deals, including a proposal for Glencore to sell copper and cobalt assets to the U.S.-backed Orion consortium, U.S.-based Virtus Minerals’ bid for Congo-focused Chemaf, and the extension of the Lobito Corridor railway line.

Kinshasa’s inclusion on the shortlist of the Rubaya mine, which supplies about 15% of global coltan and sits under M23/AFC control, signals Congo wants stronger U.S. action on M23, said Joshua Walker of NYU’s Congo Research Group.

Investment is unlikely while the group holds territory, he said.

U.S. influence on security has already been seen at some mines. Alphamin Resources, opens new tab restarted its Bisie tin mine only after U.S. diplomatic pressure helped ease fighting in territory around the site, though it warns that renewed clashes could threaten access and operations.

The Future of #Copper: Infrastructure and Supply Challenges

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

A mining site showing excavators and dump trucks extracting copper ore from a large pit, with a mountainous background and cloudy sky.

Copper exchange inventories have surpassed 1 million tons for the first time in 21 years. Despite a slowdown in smelter activity and softened demand from China, prices remain elevated, although they have retreated from January highs. This situation stems from a lack of confidence in long-term supply.

We are entering an era characterized by electricity intensity, where copper is no longer just a cyclical industrial input but a fundamental component of the 21st-century economy. Electric vehicles require approximately four times more copper than internal combustion vehicles. Additionally, solar farms, wind turbines, and the grid expansions necessary to connect them are heavily reliant on copper. Hyperscale data centers, which form the physical backbone of AI and cloud computing, are being deployed at an unprecedented pace.

There is a notable disconnect between the lead time required to bring new mine supply online and the demand drivers. A new data center can be constructed in as little as nine months, while establishing a new mine may take over 20 years.

In response, major miners are adapting with strategic focus. Teck’s $53 billion merger with Anglo American plc will create “Anglo Teck,” positioning it as a top-five global copper producer with over 70% exposure to copper. Other companies are opting for organic growth; after its acquisition attempt for Anglo American, BHP Group Limited is prioritizing expansion at Escondida, Pampa Norte, and the Vicuña project. Rio Tinto Plc has allocated 85% of its exploration budget to copper, emphasizing the Oyu Tolgoi expansion in Mongolia. Glencore Plc is also expanding in the DRC, aiming for 300,000 tons annually at Kamoto Copper Company and planning to nearly double output over the next decade.

As supply-side numbers tighten due to existing mines facing surging capital expenditures—estimated at $250 billion over the next decade just to maintain current production—the focus is shifting to emerging markets. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has emerged as the world surpassing Chile.

How #China Built the World’s Largest Manufacturing Machine, With #RareEarths as the Weapon

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

A manufacturing facility processing rare earth elements, featuring workers in red uniforms and hard hats, with molten material being poured into molds. Various metal materials and equipment are displayed throughout the industrial setting, accompanied by the Chinese flag in the background.

Long before trade wars and tariffs, China secured manufacturing dominance by controlling rare earths – a reality so consequential that the United States and its allies are now pledging more than $8.5 billion just to claw back some control of the supply chain. Companies mentioned in this release include: REalloys Inc., MP Materials Corp., Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile, Amprius Technologies, Inc., Critical Metals Corp., Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc.

As global manufacturing expanded over the past two decades, rare earth processing was steadily pushed out of Western supply chains. It was capital-intensive, technically demanding, and difficult to defend on short-term economics.

China made the opposite choice, keeping those capabilities in place and methodically expanding them as others exited.

“China didn’t win this by mining. It won by building the entire system–separation, refining, metals, magnets–all connected. Everyone else walked away from it. At that point, control wasn’t up for debate anymore,” REalloys’s CEO Lipi Sternheim said. “North America lost control, and the reality is simple: factories don’t run on ore. They run on metals and alloys and at this moment in time our company is the only one able to actually refine heavy metals and magnets. Our competitors, no matter how well funded they are, are at least 3 years away from production”

March 24, 2025

Prior to going into mining in unexplored part of the world:

1. We need immediate research and development to improve the existing technologies.

2. Build refineries in the existing mines with infrastructure using developed technologies.

3. Take the price control of the Rare Earth Elements by tariffs or other means until the local refineries optimize the refining processes and operating cost.

We do not want to send the concentrate to another country to do final refining.

Why #Greenland? not #Mountainpass, #California for #RareEarth elements?

Northern #Ontario #CriticalMinerals company ready for construction of #Cobalt Refining Plant

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

A stylized map of Canada featuring the text 'Critical Minerals - Cobalt' with imagery of natural resources, industrial activities, electric vehicles, and energy production elements, framed by the Canadian flag.

Electra Battery Materials’ board of directors recently approved a US$73 million budget to launch expansion plans for its brownfield site, located on the border of Temiskaming Shores and the Town of Cobalt, Ont.

Once up and running, the refinery will produce refined cobalt, the first produced in North America. Refined cobalt is a key part in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles.

“We are going to be the first — not just the first in Canada, not just the first northern Ontario, but the first in North America — and so it’s an honour. It’s been a long journey. By this time next year, we’ll be getting close to finalizing construction.”

Company founder and CEO Trent Mell said that parts of the plant will be commissioned later in 2026, with investment and support from all levels of government, including the United States.

#Trump eyes #Pentagon #AI program for trade block’s #CriticalMinerals pricing

Posted on February 25, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

Control room at The Pentagon analyzing critical minerals pricing and trends with AI, featuring charts on lithium and rare earth element prices, alongside displays of global supply and top producers.

The Trump administration plans to use a Pentagon-created artificial intelligence program to help set reference prices for critical minerals as it works to build a global metals trading zone, three sources with direct knowledge of the effort told Reuters.

Vice President JD Vance earlier this month proposed that the U.S. and more than 50 other countries impose “reference prices for critical minerals at each stage of production” that would be backed by “adjustable tariffs to uphold pricing integrity.”

Those reference prices will be set by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Open Price Exploration for National Security (OPEN) AI metals program, according to the sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly.

The move sheds light on how the administration aims to shape market pricing, even as the AI technology has faced skepticism for whether it can retool how critical minerals are bought and sold.

The OPEN program was launched in 2023 by the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) with the goal of calculating what a metal should be priced at when labor, processing and other costs are factored in and when alleged Chinese market manipulation is factored out.

The processes currently available in North American and Europe to refine light and heavy rare earth elements do not meet the economic and environmental standard.

March 24, 2025

Why #Greenland? not #Mountainpass, #California for #RareEarth elements?

Prior to going into mining in unexplored part of the world:

1. We need immediate research and development to improve the existing technologies.

2. Build refineries in the existing mines with infrastructure using developed technologies.

3. Take the price control of the Rare Earth Elements by tariffs or other means until the local refineries optimize the refining processes and operating cost.

We do not want to send the concentrate to another country to do final refining.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-eyes-pentagon-ai-program-trade-blocks-minerals-pricing-sources-say-2026-02-24/

#US – #Indonesia deal threatens #China’s ‘entrenched position’ in #nickel market: analysts

Posted on February 24, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

China will accelerate investment in alternative nickel supply sources and strengthen its role across the metal’s wider supply chain, analysts said, after the United States finalised a deal with Indonesia recently that will give America unrestricted access to the country’s industrial commodities.

While the US Supreme Court’s tariff ruling could add some uncertainty to US-Indonesia trade, the agreement has the potential to reshape the global supply chain for nickel – a metal used to make stainless steel and some electric vehicle batteries.

“[The US-Indonesia deal] is quite important and China will not like it,” said Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for the Asia-Pacific region at Natixis. “China does have leverage through its big stake in Indonesian nickel mines and could try to retaliate by slowing tech transfers or pulling back investment.”

Indonesia has emerged as a decisive player in the nickel market in recent years, accounting for more than 60 per cent of global mine supply for the metal, according to a Goldman Sachs article published last week.

Chinese investment has supported Indonesia’s expansion in nickel processing capacity, reinforcing the nation’s growing influence on the market, the article added.

The recent rally in global nickel prices – which saw the price of the base metal jump more than 30 per cent between mid-December and January – was largely driven by Indonesia’s decision to restrict how much ore could be mined, Goldman Sachs said.

The #DRC bets big on #Copper to boost global influence with a landmark mining deal

Posted on February 20, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

Illustration of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) featuring its critical minerals, copper and cobalt. The image includes mining operations in a mountainous landscape, showcasing heavy machinery and trucks. In the foreground, wildlife such as an elephant, giraffe, and a bird is depicted alongside natural scenery with rivers and waterfalls.

Gecamines is set to sell nearly half of Kamoto Copper Co.’s (KCC) copper output over the next two years, with an option to market 30% of production in subsequent years. This arrangement aligns with similar agreements Gecamines has formed with other major Congolese mines, where it maintains a minority stake.

In a significant development, Glencore PLC has agreed to sell a 40% share in its Democratic Republic of Congo copper and cobalt assets to the US-backed Orion Critical Mineral Consortium for approximately $9 billion, including debt. This transaction encompasses Glencore’s Mutanda Mining (Mumi) and Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) assets, which are among the leading Western-owned cobalt and copper producers in the DRC.

Additionally, the consortium has the option to sell its share of output to designated purchasers, while Glencore will continue to manage the daily operations of the mines.

This agreement underscores Washington’s increasing concern regarding supply chain risks, particularly its dependence on China for essential minerals utilized in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and defense technology.

Source: https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/the-drc-bets-big-on-copper-to-boost-global-influence-with-a-landmark-mining-deal/vkqdd39

#Bloomberg: #Vale to Yield Control of #Canada #Nickel Asset in Metal Revamp

Posted on February 19, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

Vale SA agreed to sell most of its stake in a Canadian nickel venture to Exiro Minerals Corp., Orion Resource Partners LP and Canada Growth Fund Inc. as part of an optimization of its metals business.

The Brazilian iron ore miner’s Vale Base Metals unit signed an agreement to create a new consortium of owners for the Thompson Nickel Belt operations in Manitoba, it said in a statement Thursday. Exiro, Orion and CGF will own about 81% of the new company, with Vale retaining 19%.

The consortium partners will form a new company called Exiro Nickel Company and committed to investing as much as $200 million at Thompson. Vale Base Metals signed an offtake agreement for concentrate produced at the Thompson Mill, thereby maintaining its status as Canada’s top nickel supplier.

Innovative #Carbon Injection Pilot Achieves Success – #Canadian #Nickel Mining

Posted on February 19, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

A landscape featuring a CO2 injection well and monitoring wells used in Canadian nickel mining, with flags of Canada and the USA in the background.

In-situ carbon injection pilot successfully sequesters 12 tonnes of CO2 at the Crawford Nickel Project.

This initiative operates independently of Canada Nickel’s In-Process Tailings (IPT) Carbonation and NetCarb Programs, marking a significant advancement in the company’s carbon capture and storage capabilities. The results from this study will inform future post-mining carbon sequestration strategies, reinforcing Canada Nickel’s vision for a Zero-Carbon Industrial Cluster in the Timmins Region.

Conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (DOE ARPA-E) funded team, led by Dr. Estibalitz Ukar from the University of Texas at Austin, the pilot project involved nearly two years of planning, laboratory experiments, and the deployment of an extensive monitoring network. The CO₂ injection field test took place from mid-November to mid-December 2025, with all data indicating a successful operation. Approximately 12 tonnes of injected CO₂ remained dissolved at depth, with no surface leakage detected.

The pilot project initiated short-duration injection trials starting on November 20, 2025, over a 12-day period, followed by continuous CO2-saturated water injection from December 2nd to December 18th. The injection well, drilled to a depth of 396m, confirmed that the injected CO₂ remained fully dissolved within the water column, with no upward migration observed.

The water used for dissolving carbon dioxide was sourced from an onsite well, and the well configuration included an injection well, a water supply well, four water monitoring wells, 12 surface seismic monitoring stations, and three seismic monitoring boreholes. Continuous monitoring for seismicity and potential CO₂ gas leakage revealed no significant seismic events and no CO₂ emerging from monitoring wells or through the sedimentary cover. Preliminary chemical analyses suggest that the injected CO₂-rich water has not reached the monitoring wells, aligning with predictions from reactive transport modeling. The absence of surface leakage strongly indicates that all the injected CO₂ remained at depth.

#Bloomberg: #Nickel Gains as #Indonesia Moves to Slash Output at Biggest Mine

Posted on February 11, 2026 by Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng Leave a comment

Excavators and dump trucks at a nickel laterite ore mining site in Indonesia, with workers in safety gear overseeing the operation.

Indonesia has been taking drastic steps to boost prices of its biggest export commodity, largely through scaling back volumes that key miners are allowed to produce. Before the latest round of cutbacks, supply from the country had risen to about two-thirds of global production, creating a surplus.

The country will issue production quotas of between 260 million and 270 million tons of nickel ore this year, Director General of Minerals and Coal Tri Winarno said. That’s slightly above a previous estimate of 250 million to 260 million tons, but well below the 379 million tons targeted in 2025.

Though higher than the earlier estimate, volumes below 270 million tons are still seen as bullish for prices, said Fan Jianyuan, an analyst with Shanghai-based consultancy Mysteel Global, adding that quota issuance should be completed by March.