Asia Metals and mining
Nigeria opens Chinese-built $250mn lithium plant, targets leading role in battery supply chain
Nigeria's $250mn launch of a lithium-processing plant comes as as UNCTAD forecasts global demand will rise by 353% between 2024 and 2040, driven by electric vehicles, battery storage and clean energy tech.
South Korea bags 2.07mn-tonne tax-free EU steel quota
The deal is a vital win for East Asian industrial supply chains as Seoul protects its critical automotive, battery and electronics manufacturing hubs inside Europe from the trading bloc's sweeping protectionist clampdown.
India's Laxyo enters African underground mining market with $23mn contract at Zambia's Mopani copper mine
Laxyo's expansion into African underground mining marks the Indian company's first overseas project ahead of a planned IPO.
China issues $50bn warning to Indonesia, slamming nickel production cuts
China has issued a multi-billion-dollar warning to the Indonesian government amidst the economic escalation across the global electric vehicle supply chain
India’s aluminium giants eye decade-high margins
The deficit being seen in the global market has been triggered by curtailment in production in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, which contributed almost 8.3% to the world’s aluminium production in calendar year 2025.
Indonesian navy seizes trillions in rare earth cargo off Batam
Following the seizure, military and energy ministry scientists launched an emergency chemical audit of the seized containers.
Eight dead in Indian state owned steel plant blast
The accident happened when a sudden explosion during a steel casting operation sent a fireball to the ceiling height of the facility and set an overhead crane ablaze, in one of the most serious incidents at the state-owned plant in recent memory.
Reserve Bank of India dismisses reports of gold sale, says holdings remain unchanged at 880.52 tonnes
Separately, the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit also moved to counter the claims, describing reports that the RBI had sold approximately $12bn worth of gold as false.
Chinese mining giant Zijin wins Canadian approval for $4bn takeover of Africa-focused Allied Gold
Allied Gold operates producing gold assets and development projects across Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Ethiopia
Indonesian employers' association, mining cartels yield to country’s $66bn export monopoly
In a political concession to the state’s economic centralisation agenda, Indonesia’s powerful business consortia have announced their support for President Prabowo Subianto's newly launched export monopoly.
Indonesia bets on resource nationalism to plug fiscal gaps
Mineral export bans and upcoming windfall taxes have become the country’s overarching strategy - one that is increasingly running up against regulatory bottlenecks, illegal capital leakages, and local governance deficits.
Middle Eastern consortium offers $200mn to finance Genmin's Gabon iron ore project via JV
Genmin has also received an expression of interest from a Shanghai-listed Chinese group seeking at least a 51% stake, alongside offering construction financing, technical support.
Indonesia, Philippines form nickel alliance to dominate global supply
Indonesia and the Philippines have formalised a strategic alliance to unify the regional nickel industry, effectively creating a nickel cartel that controls nearly three-quarters of the world’s mining output.
The Philippines bets big on nickel’s battery boom
The Philippine nickel sector is itching for a bigger slice of the global critical minerals pie as the world’s appetite for battery metals goes into overdrive.
Copper nation - Indonesia races to become an EV supply chain powerhouse
Indonesia’s ability to scale its copper output and refining capacity places it at the centre of the 'Green Cold War', allowing it to navigate between major powers by offering a high-capacity alternative to more volatile mining jurisdictions.
India’s carbon market gains traction
India has recently told the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme to reduce, remove, or avoid greenhouse gas emissions in the Indian economy by pricing such emissions through the trading of Carbon Credit Certificates.
Nigeria signs $1bn steel investment deal with India's Rashmi Metaliks Group
Nigeria has signed a $1bn investment agreement with India’s Rashmi Metaliks Group as Abuja steps up efforts to rebuild domestic steel production, reduce imports and expand higher-value industrial output from its mineral resources