Editorial: Mining’s EV halo dims
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Mining’s association with planet-saving electric vehicles (EVs) was supposed to make mining, if not cool, at least more acceptable. Maybe even virtuous. But…
Opinion/Commentary
Opinion: Ring of Fire road must start ASAP
The Ring of Fire camp is the most important mining discovery in Canadian history for its strategic minerals including nickel, copper, platinum group metals, chromite and titanium. It even exceeds…
Underwater power play for metals in full swing
Despite its stranglehold on mining and processing, there’s one arena of critical minerals that China doesn’t control – underwater resources. No one does, as deep sea mining has yet to…
Explaining the copper conundrum
Arguably, no one is more aware of the coming copper shortage than copper miners themselves. Glencore CEO Gary Nagle warned in late 2022 — just months before the company made…
Trust deficit? What trust deficit?
For decades, some critics have felt at liberty to describe the mining sector as lacking public trust, but the reality doesn’t really conform with that accusation, at least in Canada. …
Why Ontario can’t afford to ignore juniors in the next budget
Without a doubt, one of the most important challenges facing the next generation is global warming and the need to decarbonize the transportation sector. This can only happen with the sustainable…
Does mining need saving?
Some issues of The Northern Miner are more fun to put together than others. Our March 2024 edition, unfortunately, offers a sobering read. It’s filled with news of shuttered mines…
Iron ore boom of the 2000s repeating – this time with critical metals
A headline published in The Age back in July 2003 reads: “[Andrew] Forrest has a grand $1.2bn plan for tiny Perth mining company.” That company was called Allied Mining and…
Cash crunch has junior miners feeling ‘despondent’
According to Mining Intelligence data, mining financings tumbled by around 13% last year, after falling a precipitous 45% the previous year. Numbers from the Prospectors and Developers Association aren’t in…
How LFP batteries brought EV metal markets back to earth
When Elon Musk first announced Tesla’s move to LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries in February 2020, many were skeptical. LFP didn’t seem to fit with Tesla’s luxury and sporty carmaker…
A roadmap for green metals after a brutal 2023
Last year was a bloodbath for mining stocks tied to the green energy transition. But with markets rallying in the early part of 2024, ‘green miners’ continue to lag. Unfortunately,…
Does upside outweigh risks in copper-rich Chile?
Nationalization continues to be a hot topic in mining circles. As supply chains tighten and long-term demand drivers strengthen, resource-rich nations are looking to capture a greater share of their…