Category: Mines and Mining

Earth’s 1st Asteroid Mining Prospector Heads to the Launchpad

The dream of mining metals in deep space crashed and burned in the 2010s. AstroForge’s Odin mission to survey a potentially metallic asteroid is packed and ready to lift off.
Ukraine Rejects U.S. Demand for Half of Its Mineral Resources

President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly faulted the American offer, which is tied to continued aid, because it did not include security guarantees.
Trump Is Eyeing Greenland. His Commerce Nominee Has Financial Ties There.

Howard Lutnick, who has agreed to divest his financial interests if he is confirmed, is one of several allies of President Trump who have held or explored potential mining investments on the island.
How Beijing Tamed a Lawless Industry and Gained Global Influence

State-controlled companies now run an industry once known for its acid pits, radioactive waste and smugglers.
China Tightens Its Hold on Minerals Needed to Make Computer Chips

Already the dominant producer of rare minerals, Beijing is using export restrictions and its power over state-owned companies to further control access.
Arkansas May Have Vast Lithium Reserves, Researchers Say

Federal and state researchers said there might be five million to 19 million tons of lithium, more than enough to meet the world’s demand for the battery ingredient.
U.S. Ramps Up Hunt for Uranium to End Reliance on Russia

Miners aim to meet a growing demand for emissions-free energy, though a failure to clean up old sites haunts the industry.
Is This Really Good Turquoise? Who Knows?

The lack of a grading system for the popular stone has prompted a father-son team to spend the last five years working on one.
Betty Jean Hall, Who Fought for Coal- Mining Jobs for Women, Dies at 78

She was a fiery lawyer from eastern Kentucky who charged coal companies with discrimination for their refusal to hire women. Her campaign was a success.
Agency Votes to Replace Official Accused of Rushing Start of Seabed Mining

The international agency charged with regulating seabed mining elected a U.N. environmental regulator to replace a leader accused of too-close industry ties.
How to Become a Player in the Global Mineral Trade

Kazakhstan’s bounty has enriched the country and grabbed the attention of entrepreneurs scrambling to control the ingredients needed to fight climate change.
Fight Over Seabed Agency Leadership Turns Nasty

An election over the future of a United Nations-affiliated organization could determine whether the Pacific Ocean floor will soon be mined for metals used in electric vehicles.