Skills shortage tightens grip on junior explorers
Junior miners are trimming drill programs and pushing back fieldwork this year as shortages of geologists and drill crews drive up costs and limit access to contractors. With major miners…
Articles by Blair McBride
Interactive infographic: 25 years of global mining M&A
Click on the “view details” bars in the infographic to learn more about each era.
Opinion: Will energy eclipse critical metals as a hedge?
What does Europe, a continent starved for commodities, do when it faces future shortages of critical minerals and energy? According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the decision is straightforward: Make…
NexGen eyes summer build for top uranium project
NexGen Energy (TSX, NYSE: NXE; ASX: NXG) is to start construction this summer of its Rook uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan, the largest development-stage uranium deposit in Canada. The C$2.2-billion…
Kazakhstan rules spur Canadian uranium explorer exit
Laramide Resources (TSX, ASX: LAM), one of the few Western companies to explore for uranium in Kazakhstan in recent years, is leaving the country as regulatory changes tighten restrictions on foreign participation. State miner Kazatomprom (LSE: KAP) – the world’s top uranium…
PDAC: ‘Boots on the ground’ at Silicon unlocked huge Discovery of the Year
Geologist Paul Bartos recalled exactly 10 years ago Wednesday when he and other AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE: AU) employees met with Renaissance Gold staff to discuss early-stage projects in southern Nevada….
PDAC: Secure uranium sources key to fixing supply gap
Western countries will have to look at developing more domestic or allied sources of uranium if rising demand in the next 15 years continues to exceed supply, a panel at…
PDAC: Ring of Fire roads due by 2030, Ford says
Ontario plans to start building all-season roads to the hyped Ring of Fire critical metals hotspot in June for a late 2030 opening target, though it’s not clear that local…
PDAC: Ex-Resolute CEO chills out in Arctic after Mali nightmare
When Terry Holohan was confined for 13 days in Mali by junta officials seeking millions from the company he led, Resolute Mining (ASX, LSE: RSG), he had reason to wonder…
Graphite projects outside China face long road
Developers in Canada, Africa and Australia are advancing a new wave of graphite projects aimed at supplying the battery sector even as prices and long development timelines test the economics…
Gunnison Copper lifts project value near $2B
Gunnison Copper (TSX: GCU; US-OTC: GCUMF) updated a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for its namesake project in Arizona, increasing the value by half and advancing towards prefeasibility, permitting and financing….
Aussie Alkane adds $2.2B listing to TSX
Confetti, cheers and an electronic bell welcomed Alkane Resources (ASX, TSX: ALK) to the Toronto Stock Exchange Wednesday as its latest listed company. The A$2.3-billion (C$2.2 billion) market cap Alkane…