Critical Minerals Become a Campaign Weapon in Brazil’s 2026 Presidential Race

Brazil critical minerals were a technical policy topic six months ago. Now they are a presidential campaign issue — with each major candidate staking out a position that reveals how they would manage the country’s most consequential foreign policy question: alignment with Washington, Beijing, or neither. The global race for the minerals that power electric vehicles, wind turbines, semiconductors, and …

Continue Reading

Goldman warns on copper as war threatens global economy

Copper is vulnerable to further declines if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, Goldman Sachs Group warned as metals markets brace for President Donald Trump‘s deadline for Iran to agree a deal or face sweeping attacks on civilian infrastructure. “We see the near-term risks as skewed to the downside if strait flows remain disrupted for longer than our base case, which would keep energy prices …

Continue Reading

Aluminium and War: Gulf outages tighten global balance – ING

Chinese exporters of aluminium products are now expected to have a much better year as the Iran war tightens global supply and boosts margins, with some earlier forecasts for flat shipments revised sharply higher. The Gulf accounted for roughly 9% of global supply before the war but most of that has been trapped by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Moreover, …

Continue Reading

China’s central bank continues gold purchases for 17th consecutive month

China’s central bank increased its gold reserves for the 17th consecutive month in March. Analysts noted that this steady and sustained buying is intended to optimize the structure of reserves and hedge sovereign risks, especially amid a complex international environment. According to official data released on Tuesday, China’s gold reserves stood at 74.38 million ounces at the end of March, …

Continue Reading

Kazakhstan Eyes Rare Metals Mining in Afghanistan and Rwanda

Kazakhstan is assessing rare metals mining opportunities in Afghanistan and Rwanda, as laboratory tests and geological studies advance on samples collected from both countries. Kazakhstan is studying the possibility of extracting rare earth elements and other strategic minerals in Afghanistan, as Astana looks to expand its overseas mining interests and secure access to critical raw materials used in modern industry. …

Continue Reading

Angola Has 34 Critical Minerals for Energy Transition

Angola has already identified 34 critical minerals for the energy transition, with emphasis on copper and the national strategy is to evolve from an exporter of raw materials to a producer of value-added goods. These goods are, namely, fertilizers, steel, titanium and components for batteries, aiming to increase internal value and diversify the economy, generating qualified employment. The data was …

Continue Reading

Copper-Aluminum Divergence Unveils The Complex War Impact

Four weeks in, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has evolved into one of the most severe recent energy shocks, according to the International Energy Agency, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. Beyond the humanitarian toll, the conflict is disrupting global trade flows, driving volatility in oil and commodity markets, and amplifying inflation risks. In response, these institutions have formed a coordinated …

Continue Reading

Australia passes law to trade, stock fuel alongside rare earths

Australia’s parliament has passed legislation empowering the country’s export credit agency to physically buy, stockpile and sell fuels alongside critical minerals including rare earths, as the country suffers energy shortages triggered by the Middle East conflict. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s administration had announced its intention to establish the critical minerals reserve in January. However, as global energy markets were upended owing to the US-Israel war against Iran, …

Continue Reading

Japan, France to cooperate on critical minerals, nuclear power

Japan and France on Wednesday agreed to advance cooperation on critical minerals supply as well as nuclear power, Kyodo News reported. At a meeting in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed “serious concerns” about restrictions on critical mineral exports. China, which reportedly mines about 70% of the world’s supply and refines around 90%, tightened …

Continue Reading