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
BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP) cut its dividend for the first time since 1988 years on Tuesday, becoming the latest company to do so in a sector struggling with the worst slump in commodity prices in a decade and high debt loads.In a statement, the world's biggest mining company saw its first-half underlying profits tumble 92% coming in way below expectations at $412 million for the 6 months to end Dece...Read More
Investors piled into to the metals and mining sector in a big way on Monday after a strong start to the Chinese new year commodities demand and a rally on the country's stock markets.On the Comex market in New York copper for delivery in May climbed 2.5% to $2.1325 a pound or $4,700 a tonne. The red metal is up more than 10% from a six-year low hit mid-December. Other industrial metals also ga...Read More
Retail sales in Canada fell 2.2% in December from November on a seasonally adjusted basis, but not adjusted for inflation, to C$43.2 billion ... But just because retail demand is crummy doesn't mean that retail prices can't power higher. Stagflation comes to mind. Now happening before our very eyes. And forget deflation, however much central bankers bandy the term about like a cudgel to justify th...Read More
Retail sales in Canada fell 2.2% in December from November on a seasonally adjusted basis, but not adjusted for inflation, to C$43.2 billion ... But just because retail demand is crummy doesn't mean that retail prices can't power higher. Stagflation comes to mind. Now happening before our very eyes. And forget deflation, however much central bankers bandy the term about like a cudgel to justify th...Read More
The Casino project in the Canadian Yukon Territory passed a major milestone last Thursday with the announcement that the project will move to a higher level of environmental assessment.In a press conference, Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) said it will send the copper-gold project, considered to be Yukon's largest mine, for its highest level of review. It's the fi...Read More
Ratings agency's have got it in for the mining sector where all companies are struggling with low commodity prices and many have to cope with high debt loads.Within the last few weeks Moody's Investor Services cut the ratings of seven large miners. Two majors - Anglo American and Freeport McMoRan - were cut to below investment grade for the first time.Moody's took Freeport McMoRan down a full fo...Read More
When the worst collapse of commodity prices in nearly two decades finally ends, mining companies left standing probably will have more robots on their side.Automated drills and driver-less trucks are among the new technology already employed by some of top mining companies, including BHP Billiton (ASX:BHP) and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO). But a new study by BMI Research says that miners, big and small, ar...Read More
The article in question, about DeMarcus Cousins showing support for embattled head coach George Karl, was published February 13 … Now when you click on the article on Amico Hoops, it immediately redirects you to Sactown Royalty … it’s probably a lesson learned for Amico’s site. Just because you throw a link up at the bottom doesn’t mean you can just take someone else&...Read More
The article in question, about DeMarcus Cousins showing support for embattled head coach George Karl, was published February 13 … Now when you click on the article on Amico Hoops, it immediately redirects you to Sactown Royalty … it’s probably a lesson learned for Amico’s site. Just because you throw a link up at the bottom doesn’t mean you can just take someone else&...Read More
Dramatic daily moves in the U.S. dollar, gold prices and the larger markets are pointing to a global banking collapse that will send resource prices higher in 2016, according to 321gold.com founder Bob Moriarty. In this interview with The Gold Report, he shares his insights on how mining equities will react and five names he is watching.The Gold Report: Last year at this time we talked about the S...Read More
Mining scene newcomer and BHP spin-off South32 (ASX, LON, JSE:S32) may soon make an offer for Anglo American's (LON:AAL) stake in their manganese joint venture, if the price was right.South32 indicated negotiations had already started. "We have a good relationship with our joint venture partner and they've communicated their intentions," the company said in a statement sent to Reuters.Samancor...Read More
Since its peak in 2012, mining capital expenditures has decreased almost 25%. Greenfield and brownfield development has decreased in aggregate by 43%, while sustaining capex has gone down 34%. Intuitively, the decline is more prominent in growth spending, as companies are simply just trying to survive, resulting in major project delays and deferrals across the globe.During the last major bear ma...Read More
Starbucks CEO warns the U.S. presidential elections are turning into a 'circus' … CEO Howard Schultz criticized the presidential candidates for making 'bombastic attacks' without 'respect' for each other. He warned the run-up to the U.S. election had 'turned into something none of us has ever seen before… almost a circus.' – Daily MailThe outspoken...Read More
This is becoming very concerning.The momentum to "ban cash", and in particular high denomination notes like the 500 euro and $100 bills, is seriously picking up steam.On Monday the European Central Bank President emphatically disclosed that he is strongly considering phasing out the 500 euro note.Yesterday, former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers published an op-ed in the Washington Post about...Read More
Why Buying Gold Won't Save You from the Zombie Apocalypse … Despite any advice you might have heard to the contrary, gold bullion is far from a good investment, even if the world is coming to an end. The idea of having a hedge against the end of the world and the collapse of our financial institutions might be alluring. But actually, buying and storing significant amounts of gold bullion...Read More
February 5, 2016Sovereign Valley Farm, ChileThirteen years ago my life changed forever.Colin Powell, then US Secretary of State and the most credible person in George W. Bush's cabinet, made the case for war in Iraq on February 5, 2003.As a young military intelligence officer at the time, watching from a makeshift Army base in Kuwait not far from the Iraq border.Back then I was a true believer...Read More
Starbucks CEO warns the U.S. presidential elections are turning into a 'circus' … CEO Howard Schultz criticized the presidential candidates for making 'bombastic attacks' without 'respect' for each other. He warned the run-up to the U.S. election had 'turned into something none of us has ever seen before… almost a circus.' – Daily MailThe outspoken...Read More
This is becoming very concerning.The momentum to "ban cash", and in particular high denomination notes like the 500 euro and $100 bills, is seriously picking up steam.On Monday the European Central Bank President emphatically disclosed that he is strongly considering phasing out the 500 euro note.Yesterday, former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers published an op-ed in the Washington Post about...Read More
Why Buying Gold Won't Save You from the Zombie Apocalypse … Despite any advice you might have heard to the contrary, gold bullion is far from a good investment, even if the world is coming to an end. The idea of having a hedge against the end of the world and the collapse of our financial institutions might be alluring. But actually, buying and storing significant amounts of gold bullion...Read More
February 5, 2016Sovereign Valley Farm, ChileThirteen years ago my life changed forever.Colin Powell, then US Secretary of State and the most credible person in George W. Bush's cabinet, made the case for war in Iraq on February 5, 2003.As a young military intelligence officer at the time, watching from a makeshift Army base in Kuwait not far from the Iraq border.Back then I was a true believer...Read More