Perseverance landing site — ancient riverbed or lava flow?
NASA’s landing of the Perseverance rover right on target in the Jezero impact crater last month is both a remarkable achievement and a welcome diversion from the Covid-19 pandemic. The…
Commentary
Has China shattered battery nickel’s supply chain bottleneck?
China has turned the nickel market on its head after the world’s biggest stainless-steel producer, Tsingshan Holding Group, this week agreed to supply about 100,000 tonnes of matte (containing approximately…
ERM outlines the true cost of mine closure
Mining has long been the source of materials for modern society. It also has been critical in the establishment of associated secondary and tertiary economies. However, mines have a finite…
Aspiration versus reality: What lies in store for platinum group metals over the next decade?
The rise in electric vehicle (EV) market share in the car industry may be accelerating as witnessed in the wave of announcements from Volvo, Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Toyota,…
Nickel prices: How did we get here and what comes next?
Nickel prices have risen substantially over the past 12 months and are edging closer to the US$9 per lb. or US$20,000 per tonne threshold that analysts believe could spur investment…
ESG is more than just a buzzword, mining companies can do well by doing good
Incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria into investment decision making was one of the most talked about investment strategies of 2020 and one that continues to be amplified as…
How the maths can help you understand the price behaviour of base metals
Studying the maths of base metals’ price behaviour is not done to compete with conventional market analysis, rather it helps all analysts to better quantify relationships between market circumstances and…
The top ten ‘S’ trends in ESG to watch in 2021
As the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) wave continues to build around the world, many are wondering what this year has in store. According to Blackrock, the world’s largest asset…
Quo Vadis? Mining, metals and minerals in a circular economy
We are all familiar with the principles and practice of recycling and re-using, and for many it is a common practice of daily life. Our society has a long history…
Commentary: How Olympic Dam went from mother of all digs to ‘debottlenecking’
A decade ago BHP Billiton was gearing up to dig the world’s biggest hole in the Australian outback. In 2011, BHP delivered the largest annual profit in Australian corporate history…
Commentary: Inflation concerns support diamond prices
The U.S. dollar, as measured by an index tracking it versus six major currencies including the Euro, Yen and Canadian dollar, is down almost 10% from the highs in March…
Commentary: Despite price rise, copper at historic low against gold
According to the popular adage, copper has a doctorate in economics, with an ability to predict turning points in the global economy. This proverb stems from the metal’s use in…