Capital is clearly gravitating back toward the earlier stages of the mining pipeline.
From juniors lining up IPO funding to strategic acquisitions in established mineral belts, the flow of money into exploration and development is steadily picking up. Several of this week’s stories highlight how companies are positioning around gold, lithium and critical minerals as long-term supply constraints remain firmly in view.
At the same time, jurisdictions such as Australia continue strengthening their policy and regulatory frameworks, improving their appeal to global mining capital looking for stable, investable projects.
Week-end price comparison: 27th of February vs 6th of March 2026
Commodity markets were driven this week by escalating geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supply normally passes. Rising risks to tanker traffic triggered a sharp rally in energy markets and increased volatility across the broader commodities complex.
Precious metals
Week end prices shown are as of 17:00 UTC on March 6th 2026.
Precious metals corrected lower this week after their strong rally earlier in the year. Gold declined 1.9% week-on-week, while silver dropped 10.7%, reflecting profit-taking and capital rotation toward energy markets following the surge in oil prices.
Platinum group metals also weakened, with palladium down 7.3% and platinum falling 9.8%. Despite the pullback, year-over-year gains remain substantial, suggesting the current move is more consistent with consolidation rather than a structural reversal.
Base & Minor Metals
Week end prices shown are as of 17:00 UTC on March 6th 2026.
Copper slipped 2.8% amid profit-taking, while aluminum rose 8.3%, supported by growing concerns about supply disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. Tin posted the largest decline in the group, falling 8.4%, while zinc and lead moved modestly lower. Iron ore rose 1.9%, supported by resilient Chinese steel demand.
Energy & Fuel
Week end prices shown are as of 17:00 UTC on March 6th 2026.
Energy markets were the clear outperformers this week. Crude oil surged 18.7% to $92.31 per barrel, driven by fears that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could tighten global supply.
Natural gas rose 11.9%, while coal jumped 19.5% as power producers increased purchases amid rising energy costs. Uranium remained largely stable.
Commodity markets are likely to remain highly sensitive to developments in the Middle East. Continued tensions around the Strait of Hormuz could sustain elevated energy prices and keep volatility high across the commodities complex.
This Week's Key Mining and Capital Market Stories
Under international investor pressure, Ghana’s proposed gold royalty increase faces suspension, reflecting geopolitical stakes in its export dependent economy. Higher royalties could bolster revenue but risk capital flight amid declining ore grades and high debt. Intervention by China and the US underlines tensions between fiscal reform and sector stability.
At the Lubumbashi Summit, DRC stakeholders will prioritise stabilising grid capacity and revising cobalt export quotas to stimulate local refining and attract battery supply chain investors. Sustainable growth hinges on reliable power for energy-intensive hydrometallurgy, while quota adjustments could finally translate the DRC’s cobalt dominance into higher-value industrial output.
Ghanaian entrepreneur Ibrahim Mahama has secured US$205m in syndicated bank financing to expand his partnership with Gold Fields, underlining growing confidence in African mining ventures. This capital boost addresses infrastructure and processing constraints, reflecting a shift towards local financing solutions that may accelerate production despite persistent geological and logistical challenges.
Khoemacau’s $900 million phase two approval underpins Botswana’s bid to join copper supply chains vital for decarbonisation, doubling output and extending mine life. While this secures long-term production from 0.7 % Cu ore amid Kalahari infrastructure challenges, new supply will only modestly relieve tight global markets.
Côte d’Ivoire’s burgeoning gold production lifted it into Africa’s top five mining powers in 2023, underpinned by regulatory reforms and fresh discoveries. While this diversifies supply beyond traditional hubs, artisanal mining pressures and limited local refining capacity highlight geological and infrastructural bottlenecks investors must navigate.
Zimbabwe’s second lithium sulphate plant strengthens its downstream push to capture more value from white gold, reducing reliance on raw concentrate exports. While this deepens ties with battery makers, persistent power, water and ore grade challenges may temper near term output and investor confidence.
Burkina Faso is considering increasing its ownership stake in the Kiaka gold mine, a major project operated by Australia-listed West African Resources. The government has approved a draft decree allowing it to acquire an additional 25% equity interest, reflecting a broader push across West Africa to expand state participation in strategic mining assets.
Tectonic’s C$92 million private placement highlights strong investor conviction in high grade epithermal prospectivity at Flat River, Alaska. The influx expedites resource definition but navigating remote terrain, permafrost and permitting will determine whether drilling success translates into a viable development pipeline.
Canada’s TMX Group is seeing robust IPO activity, led by mining and overseas issuers drawn by deep pools of capital and commodity tailwinds. This underscores Canada’s unique position in resource financing, where geological potential aligns with stable market structures, offering issuers liquidity at a stage when global alternatives remain cautious.
Quebec Nickel’s C$2.5 million private placement at C$0.045 per unit secures funds for El Sol nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide drilling and permitting. While standard junior financing dilutes shareholders, it underpins resource definition in a rare Quebec sulphide belt as nickel demand for electric vehicles intensifies.
Oreterra Metals has closed an oversubscribed non-brokered $9.7 m private placement, shoring up funds for its Quebec copper-gold drilling and metallurgical testing. This finance round eases seasonal logistics and supports resource definition ahead of rising base metal demand, though remote exploration costs and resource conversion risks still apply.
Purebase Corporation has secured up to $1 million in working-capital financing to support a strategic shift toward an integrated industrial minerals processing and logistics platform. The funding will stabilise operations while the company expands crushing, ore-processing and rail-to-port logistics capabilities aimed at supporting producers and global mineral supply chains.
USA Rare Earth will acquire the remaining stake in the Round Top rare earth deposit in Texas from Texas Mineral Resources in an all-stock deal valued at about $73 million. The move gives the company full control of one of the largest U.S. sources of heavy rare earths, gallium and beryllium, strengthening domestic supply ambitions.
Securing C$5 million via a non-brokered placement arms Sankamap Metals with working capital to progress drilling at its copper-silver projects in Peru’s Maricunga belt, addressing the structural complexity that has long obscured resource definition in this underexplored region.
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum met Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez and executives from more than two dozen mining companies in Caracas, signalling renewed efforts to open the country’s mineral sector to foreign investment. The talks focused on regulatory reforms and potential mining law changes aimed at attracting capital to Venezuela’s vast but underdeveloped mineral resources.
Canada and Brazil are trialling AI to integrate geophysical, geochemical and remote sensing data in pursuit of new nickel deposits. While machine learning can sharpen target selection and cut exploration costs, ground-truth drilling and geological complexity mean supply responds slowly, so any impact on tight nickel markets remains years away.
Microsoft and Chile’s state-owned copper giant Codelco have signed an agreement to explore artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, automation and cybersecurity across mining operations. The 18-month collaboration aims to improve operational efficiency, decision-making and safety while accelerating digital transformation across the world’s largest copper producer’s mines.
Mining investment in Peru rose 24% year on year to about $6.23 billion, driven largely by spending on infrastructure and equipment upgrades across major projects. The increase reflects renewed capital deployment in copper and other base-metal operations as companies modernise assets and prepare for long-term production growth.
Brazil’s mining investment pipeline for 2026 highlights strong capital deployment across iron ore, base metals and emerging critical minerals. Major producers including Vale and Anglo American are advancing expansion and infrastructure projects, with iron ore attracting roughly $4 billion of planned investment. The broader map underscores Brazil’s growing role in global mineral supply chains.
Collahuasi, one of Chile’s largest copper mines, plans to invest about $1.3 billion in 2026 to upgrade infrastructure, expand processing capacity and strengthen water supply systems. The investment is aimed at stabilising output after recent declines and positioning the operation for a production rebound by 2027 as higher-grade ore zones are accessed.
A Brazilian court ruling has challenged Equinox Gold’s roughly $1 billion sale of Brazilian assets to China’s CMOC, halting the transfer of mineral rights tied to the Santa Luz gold mine in Bahia. The injunction follows a complaint from state-owned CBPM, which argues the transaction violated its leasing agreement.
China’s critical mineral strategy is often framed purely as a geopolitical tool, but analysts argue the reality is more complex. Beijing remains heavily dependent on imported raw materials while dominating processing and refining. Its policies focus on supply security, environmental reform and industrial upgrading, suggesting cooperation, rather than confrontation, may strengthen global mineral supply chains.
Philippines-listed Nickel Asia Corp. reported a 312% surge in net income to ₱6.27 billion, driven by stronger global nickel prices and higher shipment volumes. Mining revenues rose 39% to ₱27.25 billion, while margins expanded on improved export pricing and operational efficiencies. The company is also expanding into renewables and exploring copper and gold prospects.
A Canadian uranium explorer has withdrawn from Kazakhstan after new government regulations strengthened state control over the sector. Amendments to the Subsoil Use Code give national miner Kazatomprom priority access to licences and require joint ventures in which it holds at least 75%, effectively discouraging foreign exploration investment.
Cameco Corporation has signed a $1.9 billion long-term uranium supply agreement with India, strengthening nuclear fuel ties between the two countries. The contract supports India’s expanding civil nuclear programme and highlights growing global demand for uranium as nations seek reliable, low-carbon baseload power.
Japan is in discussions with India to jointly explore rare-earth deposits in Rajasthan as Tokyo seeks to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on China, which dominates global processing. The partnership could involve Japanese technology and financing in exchange for secure mineral offtake, highlighting intensifying competition for critical minerals used in EVs, electronics and defence.
China is positioning Hong Kong as a global gold trading hub to expand its influence over bullion markets. Authorities are building new clearing infrastructure, expanding storage capacity and strengthening links with the Shanghai Gold Exchange to attract international investors and shift pricing power away from traditional centres in London and New York.
Vale plans a mid-2026 IPO for its base-metals arm, signalling a shift to unlock value in nickel and copper assets critical for electrification. While market spin-offs can sharpen focus, geological complexity and capital intensity may temper returns, underscoring the challenge of aligning extraction realities with investor expectations.
Group Eleven’s C$10.4m upsized bought deal highlights robust investor appetite for zinc exploration in Ireland’s carbonate-hosted districts. The fresh proceeds will fund drilling to expand resources at Stonepark and Carrickittle, strengthening geological continuity and progressing these early stage projects towards potential bankable studies amid tightening lead-zinc supply.
Rare Earths Norway’s 81% boost at Fen lifts the total to 12.6 Mt at 1.38 per cent TREO, improving project lifespan and financing appeal. High heavy rare earths enrich dysprosium and terbium grades but metallurgy of carbonatite remains a hurdle. Mature resource underpinning the DFS reduces exploration risk.
Greenroc’s AIM listing highlights investor interest in domestically-hosted tin and tungsten projects, sharpening Europe’s bid to curb dependence on Chinese supply. Its early-stage Iberian assets promise critical-metal exposure but face the usual hurdles of drilling validation, permitting and commodity-price volatility before any production materialises.
EU ministers have adopted a formal position to strengthen raw material supply security and boost circularity across European industry. The policy supports faster permitting for strategic mining projects, increased recycling of critical minerals and stronger supply partnerships, aiming to reduce reliance on imports while securing materials essential for clean energy, technology and defence sectors.
District Metals is advancing its Viken uranium project in Sweden after the country lifted its long-standing ban on uranium mining. The project hosts one of the largest undeveloped uranium resources globally and is moving toward economic studies as Europe seeks domestic nuclear fuel supply. Sweden’s stable infrastructure and pro-nuclear policy strengthen the project’s strategic relevance.
Russia is promoting its mining engineering education internationally through the TV BRICS media network, aiming to showcase training programmes, research achievements and technical expertise to partners across BRICS and other countries. The initiative seeks to strengthen global cooperation in mining technology, education and workforce development for the sector.
Tempest Minerals will acquire Zealandia Resources in a $2 million scrip deal, securing four epithermal gold projects across New Zealand’s North Island. The portfolio covers 145 km² within the Taupo Volcanic Zone and historic Hauraki goldfields, offering multiple drill-ready targets supported by geophysical surveys, geochemistry and historic drilling data.
Wolfe Minerals is planning a multi million pound IPO to fund drilling and scoping studies at its flagship lithium tantalum project. This highlights persistent funding gaps in minerals exploration, where strong assays and price highs still face geological, regulatory and processing hurdles before supply arrives.
A rise in South Australia’s global mining ranking signals strengthened policy and fiscal frameworks that reduce exploration risk across its copper, uranium and battery-metal provinces. By narrowing perceived regulatory uncertainty, this shift could accelerate investment, underpinning supply resilience amid long-term commodity cycles.
Australia’s critical mineral output is climbing rapidly, bolstering its global standing in lithium, rare earths and nickel supply. This surge, driven by new projects and government incentives, secures supply chains for clean-energy markets but underscores the need for expanded downstream processing to capture higher-value markets.
Great Pacific Gold is concentrating its strategy on Papua New Guinea, prioritising exploration at its flagship Wild Dog gold-copper project. After divesting Australian assets and raising about $16.8 million in financing, the company has strengthened its technical team and infrastructure, positioning itself to accelerate drilling and resource definition across highly prospective PNG districts.
Rua Gold is emerging as a growth-focused explorer in New Zealand after reporting high-grade gold and antimony intercepts at its projects in historic mineral districts. Strong geological potential, experienced management and regulatory moves toward faster permitting could accelerate development timelines and improve project economics for investors seeking exposure to high-grade precious metal systems.
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