Kuya Silver signed an LOI to acquire SMRL Camila, owner of Peru’s permitted Camila flotation plant now toll-milling Bethania material. The plant runs at 150 tpd and Kuya targets 300–350 tpd after closing, with estimated expansion capex of $0.7–$1.0m.
Aguia (ASX: AGR) is accelerating Brazil’s Três Estradas Phosphate Project using a leased processing plant, offtake LOIs and local financing. The company targets mining in March and processing in April 2026, with first product expected in May, pending final licences.
Equinox Gold completed the sale of its Brazil operations—Aurizona, RDM and Bahia Complex—to a CMOC subsidiary for up to $1.015bn. The miner received $900m at closing and will use proceeds to repay over $800m of debt, reducing net debt to about $150m.
U.S. officials are stepping back from minimum-price guarantees for critical-minerals projects, Reuters reports. While MP Materials’ $110/kg rare-earth price floor remains, future support is expected to focus on deregulation, tax policy, equity stakes and stockpiles.
Mantoverde presented a new “final” offer to Union 2 to end a strike that began Jan. 2, including about $17,400 per worker and a 1% wage increase. The union says it’s a step backward and will vote within five days.
Southern Copper guided to 911,400 tonnes of copper in 2026 and just over 900,000 tonnes in 2027, down from 2025, citing lower grades at Toquepala and Cuajone in Peru. A silver rally is driving a renewed push to lift zinc and silver byproducts.
Bolivia is cancelling a $350m zinc refinery awarded to a Chinese consortium and demanding fixes at the $546m Mutún steel plant after contract compliance issues were flagged. The Paz government is auditing legacy projects and courting new partners.
Bloomberg Intelligence says today’s copper-led spot prices imply 18%–21% EBITDA upside versus consensus for diversified miners in 2026. Rio Tinto and Glencore screen best, but higher prices could also raise cost and execution risks.
Vale lifted 2025 iron ore production to 336.1 million tonnes, its highest since 2018, surpassing Rio Tinto’s Pilbara output. The miner reaffirmed 2026 guidance and reported higher copper and nickel production.
SQM said its lithium merger with Codelco’s lithium unit is fully complete after Chile’s Supreme Court rejected Tianqi’s appeal. The deal strengthens state control and supports continued lithium production in the Atacama salt flat.
Chile’s Mining Minister Aurora Williams said the government is ready to sign the lithium operating contract for Maricunga, developed by Codelco with Rio Tinto. Cochilco approved terms after the Comptroller’s review, unlocking the next phase of the project.
A sudden cutoff in critical minerals would leave most economies with only weeks of runway, not years. China holds the largest known reserves, while Japan and South Korea lead importers. The US and Europe remain exposed.
Vale halted operations at its Fábrica and Viga units in Minas Gerais after water overflows led Congonhas to suspend operating permits. The miner maintained 2026 iron ore guidance, while analysts warned of regulatory scrutiny and remediation uncertainty.
Bolivia is betting its vast lithium resources can stabilize the economy and deepen ties with the U.S. But weak governance, legal risk, Uyuni’s complex brines, and investor demands for arbitration and political-risk cover keep projects “contested,” analysts warn.
Gold extended a blistering January rally as investors piled into hard assets amid a weakening US dollar, shifting expectations around the Federal Reserve, and rising geopolitical risk. Silver also hit new highs, prompting margin hikes and trading curbs in parts of China.
Codelco raised $1.25bn through a two-part US dollar bond sale—an 11-year note due 2037 and a reopening of 6.30% notes due 2053—supporting its investment program and refinancing needs amid cash-flow pressure.
Gold climbed above $5,100/oz to a new record as geopolitical risk and debt concerns drove demand. Silver also hit a new peak. Banks lifted targets, with calls ranging from $5,400 to $6,000.
Freeport-McMoRan said it plans to submit an Environmental Impact Study (EIA) for the El Abra expansion in the first half of 2026. The project could add more than 700 million pounds of copper per year, supported by a large sulfide resource.
Aguia (ASX: AGR) targets a March 2026 mining start at Três Estradas and mid-2026 processing at the DB plant. Seven LOIs cover 54,000 tonnes of Pampafos, while MAPA certification and FEPAM operating-licence steps advance.
Unico Silver appointed Peter Holmes as Executive Director and Technical Committee chair and promoted Peter Canterbury to Executive Director to accelerate feasibility, permitting and financing for the Joaquin and Cerro León projects in Argentina.
Serabi Gold said a worker died at its Coringa underground mine in Brazil on Jan. 25, 2026. Authorities have been notified and the affected area is expected to resume within days. The incident adds to renewed scrutiny on mining safety worldwide.
Aguia (ASX:AGR) plans to switch on its Três Estradas phosphate processing plant in Brazil, targeting mid-2026 production and a 2027 ramp-up.
Vale confirmed two mine-water overflows in Minas Gerais (Fábrica and Viga). It says only sediment water was released; authorities demand measures.
Pope Leo XIV met mining and energy executives at the Vatican under the Building Bridges Initiative, urging ethical extraction focused on human rights, decent work and “integral ecology,” echoing Laudato Si’.
Vale is probing a pit overflow at its Fábrica mine in Minas Gerais after water with sediment flowed into parts of CSN Mineração’s Pires unit. Vale said no dam was involved and output won’t be affected.
Rio2 achieved its first official gold pour at the Fenix Gold mine in Chile’s Atacama Region, producing 897 oz. The company targets 60–70k oz in 2026 and ramps up to 20,000 tpd.
The union at Capstone Copper’s Mantoverde mine in Chile says the company skipped a government mediation meeting and is using claims about a desalination plant to avoid negotiations; Capstone says minimum conditions for talks do not exist.
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