Cuba’s cobalt exposes a Western supply chain weak spot

Canada’s only cobalt refinery has become an unexpected casualty of US sanctions on Cuba, exposing a critical weakness in Western mineral supply chains that extends well beyond geology. The shutdown of Sherritt International’s refinery in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, illustrates how political and regulatory risks can disrupt strategic mineral processing even when facilities are located in allied countries, Patricio Faúndez of GEM Mining …

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Platinum and Palladium Have Been Left Behind in the Precious Metals Rally and These 3 ETFs Could Be the Next Catch Up Trade

Gold and silver stole the precious metals story over the past year. Platinum and palladium sat it out. That gap sets up the choice between three physically-backed trusts: abrdn Platinum ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:PPLT), abrdn Palladium ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:PALL), and GraniteShares Platinum Trust (NYSEARCA:PLTM). On the surface these look like three flavors of the same trade. In practice, one metal is riding a hydrogen tailwind, one is …

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Copper: Physical demand supports prices – ING

ING’s Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey highlight supportive fundamentals for Copper, with tightening LME warehouse dynamics and strong physical demand. They note a sharp jump in cancelled warrants, particularly in Asia, pushing cancellations to about 43% of inventories, while on-warrant stocks fall to multi‑month lows as shipments are diverted to the US ahead of a review of import tariffs. LME …

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Geopolitical conflicts amid cooling inflation, aluminium prices strong with limited upside room

The most-traded SHFE aluminium 2608 contract closed at RMB 23,165 per tonne, down 45 yuan or 0.19 per cent from yesterday’s settlement price. It opened at RMB 23,350 per tonne intraday and fluctuated in the range of RMB 23,165–23,380 per tonne. The price was trading above the MA5 (23,107.00) and MA10 (22,967.50) but below the MA30 (23,493.83) and MA60 (24,101.25). …

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Oil Volatility Is Rising. Here’s Why Gold And Silver Investors Should Pay Attention

Oil volatility is climbing aggressively, and while most traders remain rigidly fixated on crude oil, gold and silver investors may want to pay even closer attention. According to Saxo Bank’s latest options brief, the CBOE Crude Oil Volatility Index (OVX) has surged past the 50 mark. Simultaneously, implied volatility for both gold and silver has ticked upward. Meanwhile, equity volatility, tracked …

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Silver vs. Gold: Annual Returns During Downturns

Silver has historically experienced greater volatility than gold during recessions and market downturns. In 2008, for example, gold rose 3.4% while silver fell 26.9%, before silver rebounded 57.5% in 2009 and 80.3% in 2010. Gold and silver are both precious metals, but the data shows they can behave very differently under stress. Gold tends to act as the steadier metal, while silver …

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Japan aims to become rare earth powerhouse despite investment risks

During a campaign speech for the House of Representatives election in February this year, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed high expectations for the potential of mineral resources lying within Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).   “Japan will become a country that does not have to worry about rare earths. This, too, is a matter of national security.” However, the …

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Is Asia About to Change the Gold Market Forever?

Gold and silver spent much of the week on the defensive, although both metals stabilized and recovered some ground late in the week. The selling pressure since late June wasn’t driven by a collapse in safe-haven demand. Instead, it reflected a tug-of-war between geopolitical risk – which often benefits precious metals – and rising inflation expectations, which pushed investors to …

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Lula Tells Trump to ‘Worry’ About Brazil’s Rare Earths

Brazil’s president gathered ministers and mining specialists at the Planalto Palace on Friday. The subject was what to do with the country’s strategic minerals. Out of that meeting came a headline-ready challenge to Donald Trump. It also came with an unusually frank admission of how little Brazil has done so far. What Lula said about rare earths The provocation was …

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Beyond the mine: Where true power in critical minerals really begins

Control over processing is becoming the true measure of strategic power. When the conversation turns to critical minerals today, the spotlight almost always falls on one question: who owns the mines? Who controls the world’s lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements? It is a valid question, and an important one — but it no longer tells the full story. …

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