China Minmetals has secured international approval to begin deep-sea mining trials in the Pacific Ocean, marking a strategic milestone in China’s pursuit of critical minerals beneath international waters.
A Chilean congressional committee has recommended annulling the Codelco–SQM lithium partnership, citing lack of transparency, disproportionate profit distribution, and fiscal risks that could cost the state over US$11 billion. The decision intensifies scrutiny of Chile’s flagship lithium policy.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the global mining industry—from predictive maintenance and geological modeling to safer operations and greener practices. Here’s how AI is unlocking value at every stage of the mining lifecycle.
Codelco and Rio Tinto will jointly develop a lithium project in Chile’s Salar de Maricunga, with investments of up to $900 million and a shared vision to deploy sustainable direct lithium extraction technologies.
Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia sit atop more than half of the world’s lithium resources. As demand for electric vehicles and clean energy storage surges, the Lithium Triangle emerges as a vital—and contested—frontier in the race to control the 21st century’s most strategic mineral.
Despite high-level optimism, the SQM-Codelco lithium partnership faces major hurdles, including regulatory scrutiny over potassium offtake and potential legal actions from Chilean stakeholders.
Chile is positioning itself in the global rare earth market with regolith-hosted deposits like the Penco Module. Backed by sustainable practices and growing demand for critical minerals, the country could become a key player in the clean energy supply chain.
A 32-member delegation from Japan’s JETRO is exploring mining and renewable energy opportunities in Argentina’s San Juan province, with visits to major projects like Los Azules and El Pachón and prospects for high-tech partnerships.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s most resource-rich yet marginalized province, holds vast reserves of copper, gold, gas, and coal. From the giant Reko Diq project to the Sui gas fields, energy and mining define its economy—yet insecurity and exclusion continue to hinder its potential.
Chile’s only rare earth mining project, led by Aclara in Penco, has hit another regulatory hurdle after environmental authorities consolidated new observations questioning its biodiversity impact and technical documentation.