US tariff blitz bolsters Goldman’s bearish view on iron-ore

A cascade of US tariffs announced by President Donald Trump will hurt Chinese steel exports and help to drag iron ore prices below $90 a ton by the end of the year, Goldman Sachs Group said in a... 

Trump administration backs African Lobito rail plan, envoy says

The US said it remains committed to the Lobito Corridor project that links critical minerals deposits in central Africa to an Atlantic port, signaling a bright spot in trade with the continent... 

Clarity sought on critical minerals as US floats trade probe

The White House is floating the idea of potentially launching a tariff investigation into critical minerals imports, causing further confusion on a key market prioritized by President Donald Trump.... 

Rush to get gold to the US halts abruptly with tariff exemption

A massive arbitrage trade that has drawn tens of billions of dollars’ worth of gold and silver to the US came to an abrupt halt with Wednesday’s announcement that precious metals would be exempt... 

South Africa’s coalition teeters as Budget shows widening rift

South Africa’s ruling coalition risks unravelling after a dispute between its main members over proposed tax increases deepened, pummelling the rand. Tensions within the alliance were already... 

Investment banker says uncertainty imperils South Africa’s deals

Fractures within the South African government — along with global macroeconomic uncertainty — are weighing on dealmaking activity in the continent’s largest economy, according to one of the... 

An American mine still has millions of tons of copper, if companies can get to it

Carved into a mountain range in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, where temperatures often reach 118F (48C), a vast mining complex more than a century old is on the front lines of a race to unlock millions... 

Namibia holds talks with Russia over nuclear energy partnership

Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah held talks with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev seeking to boost cooperation on nuclear energy in Africa’s biggest uranium producer.... 

Codelco will send copper concentrate to Adani smelter in India

Codelco has agreed to supply copper concentrate to Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s smelter in India, as part of a push by the world’s biggest copper miner to open up new markets. The Chilean... 

Gold holds ground below record ahead of Trump’s tariff reveal

Gold steadied as the market took a break from a record-setting run ahead of US President Donald Trump’s implementation of sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs, which are expected to take effect later... 

Trade war saps Canadian share-sale market despite metals deals

Volatility from trade tensions with the US kept a lid on Canada’s market for equity deals in the first quarter, even as activity in precious metals perked up. Canada-listed firms raised just... 

Expropriation needed for South African growth, Macpherson says

South Africa needs an effective and fair land expropriation law to help ignite economic growth and revamp its dilapidated cities, the country’s public works and infrastructure minister said. The... 

Botswana seeks new Eskom power deal as supply crisis deepens

Government officials from Botswana will meet with South Africa’s electricity ministry this week after power-import costs more than doubled, worsening a supply crisis. Breakdowns at Botswana’s main... 

Mozambique starts review of mining, oil and gas laws

Mozambique has started a process to review and modernise the southeast African nation’s legal framework for mining, oil and gas, the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy said Monday. The... 

Gold’s rally powers South African miners to best month on record

The surging gold price has propelled South African mining stocks to their best monthly performance on record, shielding the country’s benchmark index from the mayhem in global markets. An index of... 

As US cuts HIV assistance, South Africa turns to miners, insurer

Weeks after the administration of US President Donald Trump gutted the country’s aid programs, cancelling billions of dollars of funding used to fight HIV in Africa, mining companies and South... 

Mining’s king of private capital says governments must intervene

Oskar Lewnowski has a good claim to be the poster boy for private capital in mining. A former investment banker who quit the legendary London-based commodity hedge fund Red Kite to start out on... 

Trump push for potash won’t be enough to replace imports

President Donald Trump has included potash among the minerals that need an immediately ramp up in US production. That’s unlikely to significantly break America’s reliance on fertiliser imports.... 

Uranium market freezes as tariff threats rattle would-be buyers

The North American uranium market is grinding to a halt as US nuclear-power companies spooked by President Donald Trump’s tariff threats slow purchases and delay new contracts. US utility... 

Codelco extends reign as top copper producer as BHP challenges

Codelco has retained its status as the world’s biggest copper producer by the slimmest of margins after reporting 2024 output that nudged past that of BHP Group. Codelco posted total full-year... 

Australia raises forecast commodity export income for this year

Australia boosted its forecast for income from commodity exports for this year, but maintained its outlook for drops to continue until the end of this decade as lower global demand pushes prices... 

Rio Tinto talks with Congo over developing prize lithium deposit

Rio Tinto Group has held talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo about developing one of the world’s biggest hard rock lithium deposits, in the latest sign of the miner’s enthusiasm for the... 

Explorer seeks Trump’s nod to mine metals on Pacific seabed

A seabed mining company has asked the Trump administration for approval to harvest the ocean floor for critical metals in international waters controlled by a United Nations-affiliated... 

China tightens rules on alumina expansion to tackle overcapacity

China tightened rules on building new alumina plants, in a bid to tackle overcapacity that has caused a plunge in prices in the world’s top metals market. Companies won’t be allowed to build new... 

Targeted by Trump, South Africa seeks to reset trade relations

South Africa is working to reset US relations that have been under assault by Donald Trump since his return to the White House. Pretoria is preparing a bilateral trade agreement as a backstop in... 

Gold rises to record as trade war concerns drive haven demand

Gold rose to a record as concerns about a widening trade war remained front of mind for investors, after President Donald Trump pushed ahead with US tariffs on all auto imports. Bullion gained as... 

China’s coal price may extend slump as high stockpiles weigh

Coal prices in China may extend declines from a four-year low as high inventories continue to cast a shadow over the market. Stockpiles at major transportation hubs are near record-high levels,... 

IDC weighs taking control of AMSA

A South African State development bank is considering taking a majority stake in the local unit of ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) as it tries to halt the planned closure of two steel mills... 

World Bank, South Africa have $3bn plan to rescue cities

South Africa, with the help of the World Bank, has a $3-billion plan to reverse the decline in services and infrastructure in eight of its biggest cities. It will use a $1-billion loan from the... 

Goldman increases 2025 gold forecast

Goldman Sachs Group ramped up its gold price forecast to $3 300 an ounce by year-end, citing stronger-than-expected central bank demand and solid inflows into bullion-backed exchange traded funds.... 

Trump may implement copper import tariffs within weeks

US tariffs on copper imports could be coming within several weeks, months earlier than the deadline for a decision, according to people familiar with the matter. US President Donald Trump in... 

Glencore halts Chilean smelter in setback for US copper rush

Glencore has suspended shipments from a copper smelter in Chile after an issue affecting the plant’s furnace, a setback that comes just as traders and producers race to ship more metal to the US... 

Glencore mine spews more methane than it reports, study finds

Glencore’s Hail Creek coal mine in Australia emits between three and eight times more methane than it reports, according to a new study, calling into question the accuracy of conventional... 

Iron-ore fluctuates as Fortescue’s Forrest stays upbeat on China

Iron-ore swung between gains and losses on market uncertainty around steel output cuts and as industry stalwart Andrew Forrest expressed hope that China is serious about supporting its economy.... 

Anglo starts talks with banks on possible De Beers IPO

Anglo American has begun initial talks with banks about listing its De Beers diamond unit, according to people familiar with the matter, as the company looks to move ahead with the final and most... 

South African economic growth could triple this year, Absa says

South Africa looks set for much better growth in 2025 thanks to increased spending and investment, according to analysts at Absa Group, though a cooling of relations with the US may dim the... 

Boom in uranium stocks fizzles as Ukraine ceasefire talks build

Once-booming uranium stocks have been veering toward bust mode to start 2025. Escalating trade tensions between the US and Canada, one of the world’s key producers of the nuclear fuel, are playing... 

South African consumer mood slumps on tax hike, fraying US ties

South African consumer confidence plunged to the lowest level in almost two years, as worries about higher taxes and the country’s deteriorating relations with the US weighed on sentiment. A... 

Congo may extend cobalt export suspension, President says

The Democratic Republic of Congo may extend a suspension of cobalt exports beyond a planned four-month period as it considers ways to maintain higher prices for the electric-vehicle battery... 

Botswana considering new 615 MW coal-fired power plant

Botswana is contemplating building a new 615 MW coal-fired power station near its main generation plant to mitigate generation challenges at the facility. The 600 MW, coal-fired Morupule B power...