The AOCE and WB have moderate overall forecasts for the metals in 2025 inline with IMF forecasts for a decline in economic growth and inflation, although we see the probability of a stagflationary scenario as still reasonably high.Read More
The past year was a difficult one overall for the metals, with the main standouts to the upside being a geopolitical risk-driven gain in gold, a China-driven rise in iron ore and a surge in uranium on broadening global support for nuclear power (Figure 1). A jump in global interest rates to near two-decade highs saw recession fears persist all year, and while one still did not actually eru...Read More
This year the post-global health crisis boom was brought to an end by a surge in inflation to forty-year highs, a major rise in global interest rates in an attempt to curb the rising prices and surging geopolitical risk after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While precious metals held up reasonably well as markets turned to them as a risk hedge, by Q2/22 the higher interest rates put an end t...Read More
Chile is the world leader in copper production, at 28.5% of the total in 2020, and this looks set to continue, with the country having the largest global reserves, at 23.0% of total. It is also the global leader for molybdenum, which is often found along with copper, and is a major lithium player, holding 51.1% of global reserves. Read More
Newfoundland has become a gold exploration hotspot over the past few years, with the sector seeing some of its strongest activity ever. While the province remains a small contributor to Canadian gold production, it has a substantial mineral industry well supported by the government, focused on iron ore, copper and nickel, and the surge in exploration suggests that gold output from the...Read More
Nevada is the core of the U.S. gold output, accounting for by far the majority, at 75.4% on average for the past year. The state looks set to remain a dominant player in U.S. gold, as it accounts for 49% of total U.S. reserves, with Alaska slightly ahead with 51% of reserves, but just 8.6% of current production. The U.S. accounts for 6.1% of global gold output, making Nevada one of the largest gol...Read More
The Golden Triangle in northwestern British Columbia has historically been a major site of Canadian gold production, beginning as early as the mid 1800s. There was a wave of production in the 1990s which cooled as the gold price declined, but larger scale production resumed in 2017, and the area has seen surging exploration interest over the past year, given that the region has some of the largest...Read More
In this report we outline the Quebec gold mining industry, including its major producers, and a survey of many of the junior miners focused on the province. Quebec accounts for 34% of Canadian gold production (second to Ontario, with 44%) and remains a major focus for both producers and junior miners.Read More
Red Lake has been one of the most prolific gold mining districts in Canada and the world, with exploration having started in the 1920s, and production, which began in the 1930s, continuing to the present day. The district is known for the high grade of its gold, its infrastructure, and strong institutional support, given the long history of mining in the area.Read More
Silver jumps 50 percent, but beware the devil’s metal ... Silver prices have leapt nearly 50 percent so far this year, reversing three years of losses, but history shows investors hoping to hop aboard the bandwagon should be wary. -ReutersSilver is back at two-year high as gold marks its first gain in five sessions, according to MarketWatch.But you wouldn't know about that from Reuters (...Read More
By monopolizing the mining of rare-earth metals, China could dictate the future of high-tech ... This year, global consumption is expected to be about 155,000 tons, far more than the 45,000 tons used 25 years ago. Demand will only grow - likely at an accelerated pace - as the world tries to rein in climate change. At the moment, only China can satisfy that hunger. Yet in 2010, Beijing cut rare-e...Read More
That's why I pledge that in my first 100 days as president, we will make the biggest investment in new good-paying jobs since World War II. We need more jobs you can support a family on, especially in places that have been left out and left behind, from Coal Country, to Indian Country, to inner cities, to every place that has been hollowed out when a factory closed or a mine shut down. -Recent H...Read More
Republicans Should Embrace A Hillary Clinton Presidency ... Republicans who abandon Trump should admit that a Clinton presidency is hardly apocalyptic. In fact, having Clinton would be a boon to Republicans. – NewsweekThe new Newsweek, complete with a renewed print edition, seems strongly pro-Hillary Clinton and has recently published two eye-opening articles that seem to take journalistic...Read More
Silver jumps 50 percent, but beware the devil’s metal ... Silver prices have leapt nearly 50 percent so far this year, reversing three years of losses, but history shows investors hoping to hop aboard the bandwagon should be wary. -ReutersSilver is back at two-year high as gold marks its first gain in five sessions, according to MarketWatch.But you wouldn't know about that from Reuters (...Read More
By monopolizing the mining of rare-earth metals, China could dictate the future of high-tech ... This year, global consumption is expected to be about 155,000 tons, far more than the 45,000 tons used 25 years ago. Demand will only grow - likely at an accelerated pace - as the world tries to rein in climate change. At the moment, only China can satisfy that hunger. Yet in 2010, Beijing cut rare-e...Read More
The Unites States is seeking the support of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in pressuring China to remove export duties on certain minerals that give it an unfair trade advantage.Saying that China agreed to remove duties ranging from 5% to 20% on antimony, cobalt, copper, graphite, lead, magnesia, talc, tantalum and tin when it joined the WTO 15 years ago, Washington filed a new WTO challenge...Read More
It's a familiar story for mine developers, when their projects overlay or sit near to sensitive ecosystems. Environmental groups state their intention to protect the animal or plant species at risk, sometimes taking legal action to oppose the project. Many times they are successful, especially with the strict regulatory framework found in the United States, where baseline studies are known to tak...Read More
Canada's Hudbay Minerals' (TSX, NYSE:HBM) proposed Rosemont copper mine in Arizona scored a key legal victory this week after a Court of Appeals overturned Tuesday a 2015 ruling blocking its air quality permit.The appeals panel's decision, Tucson.com reports, eliminates one of three pivotal regulatory hurdles still blocking the $1.5 billion mine's go-ahead.While the project is now heading into w...Read More
The recent appointment of a Chinese government official to the board Teck Resources (TSX:TCK.A & TCK.B) (NYSE:TCK), Canada's largest diversified miner, has some worried about sovereignty issues in the country's resource sector.Canada has no regulations regarding members of foreign governments sitting on local companies' boards, but it does require at least 25% of the members to be Canadian citiz...Read More
A majority of Americans disapprove of the FBI’s recommendation not to charge Hillary Clinton with a crime over her handling of email while secretary of state, and a similar number in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll say the issue leaves them worried about how she would handle her responsibilities as president if elected. Most also say the email controversy won’t affect their vote i...Read More
I can’t think of any governance red flags during the Steve Jobs era at Apple (the one exception being the stock-option backdating issue, which was settled). By contrast, there have been many at Tesla. Perhaps the Tesla bulls would say that the combination of Musk’s brilliance as well as the potential size of the electrical car market more than compensates for a few red flags. My gues...Read More
A majority of Americans disapprove of the FBI’s recommendation not to charge Hillary Clinton with a crime over her handling of email while secretary of state, and a similar number in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll say the issue leaves them worried about how she would handle her responsibilities as president if elected. Most also say the email controversy won’t affect their vote i...Read More
I can’t think of any governance red flags during the Steve Jobs era at Apple (the one exception being the stock-option backdating issue, which was settled). By contrast, there have been many at Tesla. Perhaps the Tesla bulls would say that the combination of Musk’s brilliance as well as the potential size of the electrical car market more than compensates for a few red flags. My gues...Read More
10 candidates for next UN chief to be in “globally televised” debate ... Ten of the 12 candidates who have announced their bids to replace UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will take part in a first-ever “globally televised” debate, President Mogens Lykketoft of the General Assembly said here Monday. – xinhuanet.comThe UN is moving faster now to become the empowere...Read More
Sanders' victory: How Bernie ended the Cold War in 2016 ... Sanders’ dark horse candidacy stripped socialism of its fringe labels and, culturally speaking, ended the Cold War – SalonNow that Bernie Sanders is becoming a Hillary backer, the mainstream media is celebrating him.This article from Salon actually gives Sanders credit for ending a certain kind of Cold War.More:I can remember...Read More
10 candidates for next UN chief to be in “globally televised” debate ... Ten of the 12 candidates who have announced their bids to replace UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will take part in a first-ever “globally televised” debate, President Mogens Lykketoft of the General Assembly said here Monday. – xinhuanet.comThe UN is moving faster now to become the empowere...Read More
Sanders' victory: How Bernie ended the Cold War in 2016 ... Sanders’ dark horse candidacy stripped socialism of its fringe labels and, culturally speaking, ended the Cold War – SalonNow that Bernie Sanders is becoming a Hillary backer, the mainstream media is celebrating him.This article from Salon actually gives Sanders credit for ending a certain kind of Cold War.More:I can remember...Read More
Gold has consolidated its post-Brexit gains this month and continues to be the best-performing commodity so far this year, filling the pockets of most producers of the precious metal, a new study shows.According to SNL Metals & Mining, gold-focused companies have climbed the most in the ranking of the world's top 25 mining companies by market capitalization from April to June this year, helped b...Read More
Britain’s central bank is on the cusp of pulling an unprecedented move to stop Brexit destroying the economy ... The Bank of England is on the cusp of cutting interest rates to a new historic low again on Thursday in a bid to mitigate an impending economic slowdown caused by a Brexit. -Business InsiderThis Business Insider article points out how the Bank of England is getting ready to save t...Read More