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Is the New Natural-Diamond Marketing Campaign ‘Worth the Wait’? – by Leah Meirovich (Rapaport Magazine – November 11, 2024)

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Natural diamonds have taken a big hit in the past few years. From the highs and lows of Covid-19 spending on luxury, to economic uncertainty and an oversupply in the midstream that has led to a persistently weak market, prices and demand have dropped. And that’s before you consider the effect of the younger demographic’s growing interest in lab-grown.

With significant obstacles to overcome, those in the trade have been looking for a solution to reengage Millennials, Gen Z and up-and-coming Gen Alpha consumers with the wonder, rarity and magic of a natural diamond. Enter De Beers and Signet Jewelers.

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Russia temporarily limits nuclear-fuel shipments to US – by Liezel Hill (Bloomberg News – November 15, 2024)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

Russia is temporarily limiting exports of enriched uranium to the US, creating potential supply risks to utilities operating American reactors that generate almost a fifth of the country’s electricity.

The Russian government didn’t provide details of the restrictions or their duration in a Friday statement on Telegram. Utilities tend to make purchases well in advance, so any impact is unlikely to be immediate.

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B2Gold hits bonanza gold at Goose; eyes extended mine life in Nunavut – by Henry Lazenby (Northern Miner – November 14, 2024)

https://www.northernminer.com/

Drill results from B2Gold’s (TSX: BTO; NYSE: BTG) Goose project in Nunavut, which is under construction and expected to yield first gold next year, may point to a longer mine life and bigger resource base, the company said Wednesday.

Drill hole 24GSE-683Z1 at the Nuvuyak deposit at Goose cut 28.8 metres at 6.39 grams gold per tonne from 982.2 metres. It had a higher-grade interval of 23.49 grams gold over 6.5 metres from 1,005 metres depth. This extends high-grade mineralization by 150 metres to the north-northwest.

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Why Canada could become the next nuclear energy ‘superpower’ – by Nadine Yousif (BBC.com – November 13, 2024)

https://www.bbc.com/

Uranium is making a comeback thanks to a renewed focus on nuclear energy as a climate crisis solution. Canada, rich with high-grade deposits, could become a nuclear “superpower”. But can its potential be realised?

Leigh Curyer had been working in uranium mining for nearly two decades when he noticed a striking shift. In 2011, the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan badly damaged the world’s view of nuclear power, and the price for the heavy metal – a critical component for nuclear fuel – cratered.

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GDP drop in N.W.T. last year shows territory’s economy ‘stagnating,’ researcher says – by Nadeer Hashmi (CBC News North – November 14, 2024)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/

N.W.T. was 1 of 2 jurisdictions in Canada to see its Gross Domestic Product drop between 2022 and 2023

New economic data from Statistics Canada show that the N.W.T.’s economy is “stagnating,” according to one Yellowknife economist.

And Graeme Clinton, owner of the research firm Impact Economics, says it’s not a big surprise, as the territory’s diamond mines are past their peak production and are preparing for closures. “There’s not a lot of activity coming in behind them, such that we can expect significant growth going forward,” Clinton said.

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What Happened to the Canary in the Coal Mine? The Story of How the Real-Life Animal Helper Became Just a Metaphor – by Kat Eschner ; Updated by Sonja Anderson (Smithsonian Magazine – December 30, 2016; March 7, 2024)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/

The humble bird, which was employed until 1986, represents an important part of mining history

Never mind the gas—it was automation that got them in the end. Throughout much of the 20th century, chirping canaries were staples of the coal mining industry. As coal miners descended into the earth—entering a harsh environment often home to poisonous gases like carbon monoxide—they would bring the yellow birds along as safety mechanisms.

Because carbon monoxide is clear and odorless, miners needed a method for detecting a leak before it killed them. In the mine, a canary’s collapse let workers know there was poisonous gas in the air and gave them some warning time to evacuate.

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Niger embraces Russia for uranium production leaving France out in the cold (RFI France – November 13, 2024)

https://www.rfi.fr/en/

Niger has called on Russian firms to directly invest in uranium and other natural resource production, following the collapse of relations with former colonial ruler France and the eviction of French nuclear giant Orano from the country

Niger’s recent diplomatic shift away from France towards Russia has marked a turning point in the nation’s resource management strategy, particularly concerning its abundant uranium reserves.

Following the military coup in July 2023, which resulted in the removal of President Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s military junta has been taking increasingly bold steps to redefine its international partnerships, especially in the critical mining sector.

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BHP, Vale cleared by Brazil court over 2015 dam disaster – by Lucia Lacurcia (AFP/Yahoo – November 14, 2024)

https://www.yahoo.com/

A Brazilian court on Thursday cleared mining giants BHP and Vale, and their Brazilian joint venture Samarco, of responsibility over a 2015 dam collapse that caused the country’s worst ever environmental disaster.

The dam’s rupture on November 5, 2015 near the town of Mariana unleashed a giant torrent of toxic mud that swamped villages, rivers and rainforest, killing 19 people on its way to the sea. Scientists say the sludge caused “permanent” pollution on the river Doce and its coastal plain.

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South Africa’s government won’t help the illegal miners inside a closed mine – by Mogomotsi Magome (Associated Press – November 14, 2024)

https://apnews.com/

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa’s government says it won’t help a group of illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country’s North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.

The miners in the mineshaft in Stilfontein are believed to be suffering from a lack of food, water and other basic necessities after police closed off the entrances used to transport their supplies underground.

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Lithium in Nascent Rebound, But Long-Term Outlook Is Bleak – by Annie Lee (Bloomberg News – November 14, 2024)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — Lithium is enjoying a mini-revival on an uptick in Chinese electric vehicle demand and supply cuts, although analysts caution there’s still likely to be a surplus of the battery metal in 2025.

Chinese lithium carbonate spot prices have rallied around 8% since late October and are now at a three-month high, while futures on the Guangzhou exchange have jumped 13% so far this week. An expansion in Chinese subsidies encouraging people to trade in older cars has aided the nascent rebound in the metal that’s crucial to the energy transition.

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Grassroots mineral explorers cash up for exploration – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – November 13, 2024)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Ontario Junior Exploration Program dispenses $13 million to 84 projects across province

Ontario’s mineral exploration sector fielded $13 million in provincial funding to discover and define the next generation of mines in Ontario. Provincial mines minister George Pirie announced the fifth round of funding through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP) in his home riding of Timmins at the headquarters of NPLH Drilling on Nov. 12.

“There’s a lot of exciting projects to talk about, too many to talk about, with incredible potential,” said Pirie, whose announcement was streamed live on Facebook.

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The Great Kentucky Hoard: $2 million in Civil War-era gold coins discovered – by Jordan Finneseth (Kitco News – November 13, 2024)

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – Gold has been recognized as a trusted store of value for centuries, allowing holders to maintain their wealth during times of uncertainty, and sometimes, hidden away treasures resurface in the modern age, as was the case for a Civil War-era coin stash recently found in Kentucky.

As reported on a special episode of Kentucky Life, a farmer in the state made a valuable discovery in 2023 that’s come to be known as The Great Kentucky Hoard, comprised of a cache of gold and silver coins dating to the Civil War era.

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Ross Beaty to receive TNM’s lifetime achievement award – by Colin McClelland (Northern Miner – November 8, 2024)

https://www.northernminer.com/

Ross Beaty flipped the laptop around and pointed its camera to the sea. “That’s a whale-watching boat,” the veteran mining entrepreneur said from Bowen Island near Vancouver. “There’s been a whole whack of humpback whales here yesterday and today.” Beaty sounded excited, and why not? He’s got a history of drawing out big things from the deep.

Since 2017 as chairman, he’s built Equinox Gold into a nearly 1-million-oz. annual producer with a $3.5-billion market value. Its latest mine, Greenstone in Ontario, poured first gold in May and is ramping up to 400,000-oz. a year capacity.

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Troubled Mineral Resources Halts Lithium Mine as Woes Mount – by Paul-Alain Hunt (Bloomberg News – November 12, 2024)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — Embattled Australian miner Mineral Resources Ltd. will immediately shut its Bald Hill lithium project, citing the crash in prices of the key battery material.

The Western Australia mine, capable of producing 150,000 tons of spodumene concentrate a year, was acquired by Mineral Resources last year. The announcement of its closure comes after the company said earlier this month that founder billionaire Chris Ellison will step down as managing director after an internal probe into undeclared payments found he had engaged in “profoundly disappointing” conduct.

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NEWS RELEASE: Ontario Completes Building Highway Upgrades at the Gateway to the Ring of Fire (Premier’s Office – November 13, 2024)

First Nations partnering with province to unlock multi-generational economic opportunities in Northern Ontario

GREENSTONE — Today, Premier Doug Ford and Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation, joined regional First Nations Chiefs to mark the completion of critical highway infrastructure improvements in the Greenstone area in Northern Ontario.

These highway upgrades at the gateway to the Ring of Fire region will improve connections to the provincial highway network for First Nations in the Greenstone area while also supporting the province’s ongoing work to unlock the economic potential of Ontario’s critical minerals in partnership with First Nations.

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