Articles tagged with "mining"
Trump's Greenland bid to break China's rare earth grip falls short
The article discusses former President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland as a strategic move to reduce U.S. dependence on China for rare earth elements, which are vital for modern technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and military hardware. Trump has framed Greenland as a geopolitical necessity to prevent Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic and has even suggested military action if Denmark refuses to sell the territory. However, experts emphasize that Greenland’s harsh environment, lack of infrastructure, and complex geology make mining rare earth elements there extremely challenging and costly, with no commercial mines currently operational despite significant estimated deposits. Greenland’s remoteness means mining companies would need to build infrastructure from scratch, including roads, power generation, and housing for skilled workers. Environmental risks also pose a major hurdle, as rare earth extraction involves toxic chemicals and potential radioactive contamination, threatening Greenland’s fragile Arctic ecosystem and its growing tourism industry. Compared to other global supply options, Greenland remains a risky and long-term prospect rather than a quick solution to
rare-earth-elementsminingGreenlandsupply-chainmaterials-scienceenergy-technologygeopoliticsEnergy Minerals Observatory: The Data Deficits in Critical Supply Chains - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica introduces the Energy Minerals Observatory, a new initiative by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) aimed at addressing significant data gaps in critical minerals supply chains essential for energy technologies. Critical minerals like copper, cobalt, and silicon are vital for clean energy but suffer from less transparent markets compared to mature energy sectors such as oil and coal. The Observatory plans to enhance data collection and analysis, including field studies on minerals like graphite, vanadium, and zirconium in 2026. The article highlights that both supply- and demand-side data deficiencies hinder accurate price discovery, market analysis, and forecasting for these minerals. On the supply side, the article points out several challenges: timely and regularly updated data on reserves and production are scarce due to underreporting, proprietary data, and inconsistent reporting standards. Unlike oil and gas, critical minerals lack established global price benchmarks, and production costs vary widely due to geographic, environmental, and operational factors. Long development timelines for mining projects
energycritical-mineralssupply-chainminingdata-transparencyenergy-technologymarket-analysis1,000-ton gold reserve discovered in China's Kunlun mountains: Report
Chinese geologists have reported the discovery of a potentially large gold deposit in the Kunlun Mountains of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. This newly identified deposit is described as a belt of scattered gold veins that could yield over 1,000 tons of gold if further exploration confirms its extent and economic viability. However, the discovery remains at an early stage, with estimates still theoretical until extensive drilling can verify the continuity, grade, and depth of the deposit. Only a portion of the gold present is expected to be economically mineable. This find is the third reported 1,000-ton-plus gold deposit in China within the past year, following discoveries in Liaoning and Hunan provinces. The Liaoning deposit, while large, is low-grade and would require moving vast amounts of ore to extract gold, impacting profitability. The Wangu field deposit is geologically promising with some very high-grade samples but is located at great depths, making mining costly. These discoveries come amid China’s intensified geological exploration efforts aimed
materialsmininggold-depositgeologynatural-resourcesmineral-explorationChinaAmerican Battery Technology Company Publishes Milestone Pre-Feasibility Study Accelerating Commercialization of its Tonopah Flats Lithium Project, One of the Largest Lithium Resources in the United States - CleanTechnica
American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) has published a milestone Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) and S-K 1300 Technical Report for its Tonopah Flats Lithium Project (TFLP) near Tonopah, Nevada, highlighting the project's strong economic potential and strategic importance for the U.S. critical mineral lithium supply chain. The study projects a 30,000 tonnes per year lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) production capacity over a 45-year mine life, with an after-tax net present value (NPV) at 8% of $2.57 billion, an internal rate of return (IRR) of 21.8%, and a payback period of 7.5 years. Key improvements include a 9.2% reduction in production costs to $4,307 per tonne LHM, an increased lithium grade entering the refinery (from ~800 ppm to ~2,100 ppm), and integrated onsite power generation with battery
energylithiumbattery-materialsenergy-storageminingcritical-mineralssustainabilityCanada needs to build the nation pointed to the future, not the past - Clean Energy Canada
Clean Energy Canada’s executive director Rachel Doran responded to the Canadian government’s announcement of fast-tracking projects under Bill C-5 by emphasizing the need for Canada to build a future-focused economy centered on clean energy and innovation. She highlighted that while Canada currently ranks low among advanced economies in adapting to the evolving energy landscape, there is strong public and international momentum toward electrification and net-zero commitments. The government’s expedited projects include copper and gold mining in Saskatchewan and B.C., small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) in Ontario, port upgrades in Quebec, and LNG expansion in B.C., all aimed at supporting clean resource development and economic growth. Doran pointed out the strategic importance of increasing copper production for Canada’s domestic battery and electric vehicle supply chains, as copper is essential for electrifying the economy and expanding affordable electricity infrastructure. She acknowledged the potential role of SMRs in Ontario’s energy mix but stressed that nuclear should complement, not replace, lower-cost renewables and energy storage to keep energy affordable
energyclean-energyrenewable-energynuclear-powerelectric-vehiclesmininglow-carbon-technologiesCanada’s $456B Megaprojects List: Building The Past Or Electrifying The Future? - CleanTechnica
Canada is preparing to invest approximately CAD 456 billion in 32 major infrastructure projects spanning sectors such as ports, high-speed rail, hydroelectricity, nuclear energy, mining, oil and gas, carbon capture, offshore wind, and transmission. While this ambitious program appears to be a bold nation-building effort, it reflects Canada’s existing contradictions: a disproportionate focus on legacy industries like oil, gas, and bulk commodity exports, and insufficient investment in infrastructure critical to electrification and a low-carbon future. The federal government aims to streamline project approvals through a new Major Projects Office and a single federal approval track to reduce review times and regulatory complexity, though many projects will be led and financed by private, provincial, and Indigenous partners. Applying reference class forecasting (RCF)—a method that adjusts official cost estimates based on historical overruns—reveals that Canada’s public cost projections are systematically underestimated by about one-third on average, with hydro and nuclear projects potentially exceeding estimates by over 50%. Transportation projects,
energyinfrastructuremegaprojectshydroelectricitynuclear-energyoffshore-windminingSweden's Kiruna Church makes 5 km journey to avoid mining subsidence
Sweden’s Kiruna Church, a 713-tonne wooden architectural treasure built in the early 1900s and once named the country’s most beautiful building, was relocated five kilometers to a new site in August 2025. This extraordinary engineering feat was undertaken to protect the church from subsidence caused by the expansion of the world’s largest iron ore mine beneath the town. The move, led by heavy-lift specialist Mammoet with support from Veidekke and timber experts, involved elevating the church onto steel beams and transporting it on self-propelled modular transporters with precise tilt controls to ensure structural integrity. The relocation took place over two days during optimal Arctic conditions, with thousands of residents and King Carl XVI Gustaf witnessing the event, which locals called “the great church walk.” The church’s move is part of Kiruna’s broader urban transformation, where entire neighborhoods and civic landmarks are being shifted to safer locations due to mining-induced ground instability. This process reflects a balance between
materialsminingengineeringstructural-preservationurban-transformationheavy-liftingconstruction-technology10 million EVs could be powered by lithium hidden in US mine waste
A recent study led by Elizabeth Holley of the Colorado School of Mines reveals that the United States could significantly boost its supply of critical minerals by recovering valuable elements from existing mine waste, currently treated as byproducts. Analyzing 54 active mines across 70 elements, the research estimates that just one year’s worth of U.S. mine waste contains enough lithium to power 10 million electric vehicles and enough manganese for 99 million, far exceeding current domestic demand and imports. Recovering even 1 percent of these byproducts could substantially reduce U.S. reliance on imports, while a 4 percent recovery of lithium alone could eliminate the need for lithium imports entirely. The study highlights specific mines with high potential for various minerals, such as germanium in Alaska’s Red Dog mine and nickel in Montana’s Stillwater and East Boulder mines. The authors argue that the fastest way to increase domestic mineral production is by optimizing existing mining operations through adding recovery circuits for byproducts, which could quickly bring needed minerals to
energylithiumelectric-vehiclesminingcritical-mineralsbattery-materialssustainable-energyChina’s 540 million-ton lithium find could shake up global EV game
China has announced a significant discovery of a hard-rock lithium deposit in the Jijiaoshan mining area of Hunan Province, estimated to contain 490 million tonnes of lithium ore with about 1.31 million tonnes of lithium oxide. This altered granite-type deposit offers advantages over traditional brine sources, including faster processing, lower upfront costs, and more flexible product outputs. The find also includes valuable byproducts like rubidium, tungsten, and tin, which could enhance the economic viability of mining operations. This discovery is poised to support local industrial development and strengthen China’s dominant position in the global battery-materials supply chain. China currently holds 16.5% of global lithium reserves, second only to Chile, and controls over 70% of lithium refining capacity worldwide. The country is also exploring a large spodumene belt in Tibet that could further increase its lithium reserves. With China hosting over 60% of the world’s electric vehicle (EV) fleet and accounting for 76% of global
lithiumbattery-materialselectric-vehiclesenergy-storageminingChina-energy-industrylithium-refiningToxic Waste Stored In An Abandoned Mine In France Highlights A Global Problem - CleanTechnica
The article discusses the long-term environmental risks posed by toxic waste stored in the abandoned Stocamine potash mine near Wittlesheim in the Alsace region of France. Historically, the mine was a major employer until its closure in the early 1990s. In 1997, the mine’s extensive underground vaults were repurposed as a temporary storage site for industrial toxic waste, including heavy metals like mercury and arsenic, as well as cyanide. This decision was initially presented as a safe, environmentally friendly solution and a way to provide jobs for unemployed miners. However, the promised technological advances to treat or recycle the waste never materialized, leaving the hazardous materials stored indefinitely underground. The situation is particularly concerning because the mine lies beneath the Alsace aquifer, which feeds into the Upper Rhine aquifer supplying drinking water to millions across France, Switzerland, and Germany. The geological instability of abandoned mines, exacerbated by land subsidence and climate change effects such as soil drying and shrinking
energytoxic-waste-managementenvironmental-impactminingunderground-storagenuclear-wastesustainabilityHow Minor Metals Could Cause Major Electrification Bottlenecks - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica highlights a critical but often overlooked challenge in the global electrification transition: the supply constraints of minor or by-product metals such as indium, gallium, germanium, tellurium, selenium, and certain rare earth elements. Unlike primary metals like lithium and cobalt, whose production can be scaled more directly in response to demand, these by-product metals are produced only incidentally during the mining and refining of major metals like copper, zinc, nickel, and aluminum. This dependency means their supply is inherently tied to the extraction rates and market dynamics of unrelated primary metals, leading to unpredictable availability and price volatility that complicates strategic planning for industries reliant on these materials. Economically, the recovery of by-product metals is marginal and highly sensitive to market prices. For example, zinc refiners will only recover indium if its market price justifies the cost; otherwise, it remains in waste streams, causing intermittent shortages. This contrasts with primary metals, where steady demand typically supports sustained
energyelectrificationminor-metalssupply-chainrare-earth-elementsminingmaterialsSouth America find 13 million tons in copper, gold, silver deposits
materialscoppergoldsilverminingresourcesgeology