GTI Energy (GTR:AU) has announced Scoping Study Demonstrates Low Cost ISR Uranium Potential
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The top nickel producing countries list has been shaken in recent years by Indonesia’s rapid rise to the top, beating the Philippines and New Caledonia.
Demand for nickel is mounting. Stainless steel accounts for the vast majority of nickel demand, but electric vehicle (EV) batteries represent a growing application for the base metal as the shift toward a greener future gains steam.
But while nickel’s long-term outlook appears bright, it may face headwinds in the short term. Nickel prices have been trending down since breaking US$20,000 per metric ton in May 2024 as weak usage coincides with strong output from top producer Indonesia.
What other dynamics are affecting nickel supply? If you’re interested in getting exposure to the market, you should be aware of the factors at play. To get you started, here’s a look at the top nickel-producing countries.
Top nickel production by country
This list of the top nickel-producing countries breaks down operations and news affecting the world’s top nickel countries in recent years. Figures are based on the US Geological Survey 2025 Mineral Commodity Summary.
1. Indonesia
Nickel production: 2.2 million metric tons
Indonesia’s produced a whopping 2.2 million metric tons of nickel in 2024, accounting for more than 50 percent of global output. Claiming first place for production by a long shot, Indonesia is a prime example of a country wanting to get in on the exploding market for nickel. Indonesia also hosts 55 million metric tons of nickel reserves.
Indonesia’s output of the base metal has grown tremendously from its 2017 production of 345,000 metric tons. The nation is actively building out its EV battery industry, and Indonesia’s close proximity to China, the world’s current leader in EV manufacturing, makes for an ideal setup. In May 2021, the country welcomed the commissioning of its first plant to process nickel for use in EV batteries.
‘In just three years, Indonesia has signed more than a dozen deals worth more than $15 billion for battery materials and EV production with global manufacturers,’ Euronews reported in early 2023.
Major auto maker Ford (NYSE:F) announced in December 2023 that it is taking a direct stake in the proposed US$3.8 billion Pomalaa battery nickel plant, which is planned to produce 120,000 MT of nickel annually using high pressure acid leaching technology.
Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, one of the world’s largest nickel producers, has a 73.2 percent stake in the project, followed by Vale (NYSE:VALE) at 18.3 percent. Ford has agreed to an initial 8.5 percent interest, with an option to raise it to 17 percent. As of late 2024, Huayou is seeking out banks for roughly US$2.7 billion in financing.
The country’s nickel industry has seen several significant changes in 2025, with Indonesia responding to falling prices by significantly cutting its nickel mining quotas and announcing plans to introduce stricter environmental, social and governance practices in its resource industries.
2. Philippines
Nickel production: 330,000 metric tons
In 2024, the Philippines produced 330,000 metric tons of nickel. The country has been one of the top nickel-producing countries for quite some time, as well as a significant nickel ore exporter. Another country in close proximity to China, the Philippines currently has more than 30 nickel mines, including Rio Tuba, operated by Nickel Asia, one of the nation’s top nickel ore producers.
2023 was a big year for the country’s nickel mines as total production jumped from 345,000 to 413,000 MT. That surge was projected to continue as two of the Philippines’ biggest nickel producers, Nickel Asia and Global Ferronickel, were planning to invest about a combined US$2 billion to build new nickel-processing plants, Bloomberg reported.
However, many nickel miners in the Philippines were forced to reduce or halt production in 2024 as Indonesia’s production rates continue to flood the market, resulting in oversupply and declining prices, as per the US Geological Survey.
3. Russia
Nickel production: 210,000 metric tons
Russia produced 210,000 metric tons of nickel in 2024. Even though it holds the third spot on this list of the world’s top nickel producers, Russia has seen its nickel output drop from totals seen earlier this decade. In 2020, the nation’s nickel output totaled 283,000 metric tons.
Russia’s Norilsk Nickel is one of the world’s largest high-grade nickel and palladium producers. Nornickel’s flagship nickel asset is its Norilsk Division on the Taymyr Peninsula in Siberia, which includes multiple mines, concentrators and metallurgical plants. It also has assets in the Kola Peninsula in Northwest Russia.
In mid-2024, the United States and the United Kingdom joined forces to place a ban on Russian nickel imports.
4. Canada
Nickel production: 190,000 metric tons
Canada’s nickel production in 2024 totaled 190,000 metric tons, up significantly from 159,000 metric tons in 2023. The country’s Sudbury Basin is the second largest supplier of nickel ore in the world, and Vale’s Sudbury operation is located there.
Another key nickel producer in Canada is Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF), which owns the Raglan mine in Québec and the Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations in Ontario. The major miner’s Sudbury site includes the Nickel Rim South mine, the Fraser mine, the Strathcona mill and the Sudbury smelter.
Canada Nickel Company (TSXV:CNC,OTCQX:CNIKF) is advancing its Crawford nickel sulfide project toward a construction decision in 2025. In February 2024, the company announced plans to develop a US$1 billion nickel processing plant in Ontario, which once complete would be North America’s largest.
In 2025, Canadian steel and aluminum has become the subject of a 25 percent tariff imposed by the US Trump administration, which he increased to 50 percent in June.
Nickel metal originating from Canada is currently exempt under the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement that replaced NAFTA in July 2020 under Trump’s first administration, but the metal’s use in stainless steel could cause a trickle-down effect. Last year, Canada was the largest exporter of nickel to the United States, accounting for 46 percent of US nickel imports. That’s compared to 11 percent from the next biggest supplier, Norway.
5. China
Nickel production: 120,000 metric tons
China’s nickel production in 2024 was 120,000 metric tons, up slightly from 117,000 metric tons in the previous year. Nickel production in the Asian nation has remained relatively consistent in recent years. In addition to being a top nickel-producing country, China is the world’s leading producer of nickel pig iron, a low-grade ferronickel used in stainless steel. Jinchuan Group, a subsidiary of Jinchuan Group International Resources (HKEX:2362), is a large nickel producer in China.
With Indonesia’s surplus weighing on the market, China’s position as a major importer of the country’s nickel and a top producer of stainless steel means that it also influences nickel price dynamics.
6. New Caledonia
Nickel production: 110,000 metric tons
In 2024, New Caledonia produced 110,000 metric tons of nickel, down more than 52 percent from its output in the previous year. The economy of this French territory just off the coast of Australia depends heavily on its nickel mining industry and the price of nickel, but recently New Caledonia’s nickel industry has been plagued by rising energy costs and sociopolitical unrest.
In February 2024, major miner Glencore made the decision to shutter its Koniambo nickel mine and put it up for sale. The company cited high operating costs and a weak nickel market.
Given these circumstances, the French government has offered a 200 million euro bailout package for New Caledonia’s nickel industry. But the move hasn’t gone as planned, with trader Trafigura deciding not to contribute to the bailout of Prony Resources Nouvelle-Caledonie and the Goro mine, in which it has a 19 percent stake.
While the Goro mine remains operational, its future is still in limbo.
7. Australia
Nickel production: 110,000 metric tons
Australia produced 110,000 metric tons of nickel in 2024, a more than 26 percent drop from its output in 2023. One top miner in the country is BHP (NYSE:BHP,ASX:BHP,LSE:BHP) through its Nickel West division.
Australia’s largest nickel mines also include First Quantum Minerals’ (TSX:FM,OTC Pink:FQVLF) Ravensthorpe and Glencore’s Murrin Murrin. Low prices have wreaked havoc on nickel mining in the country, leading to reduced or sidelined operations at six different nickel facilities in the country starting in December 2023, including Ravensthorpe.
The situation was enough to prompt the Australian government to add nickel to its critical minerals list, which allows the country’s nickel industry to receive support through the government’s AU$4 billion Critical Minerals Facility.
Australia is the source of 8 percent of US nickel imports according to US Geological Survey data. As of late-April 2025, Australian nickel is not yet the subject of US import tariffs.
8. Brazil
Nickel production: 77,000 metric tons
Brazil’s nickel production came in at 77,000 metric tons in 2024, down nearly 7 percent from the previous year as producers grappled with a weaker market.
Major nickel mining operations in the country include Atlantic Nickel’s Santa Rita nickel-copper-cobalt sulfide mine in the state of Bahia. Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF) is set to sell its nickel portfolio in the country, including its Barro Alto mine, to MMG (OTC Pink:MMLTF,HKEX:1208) subsidiary MMG Singapore Resources for up to US$500 million in cash.
Centaurus Metals (ASX:CTM,OTCQX:CTTZF) is advancing the Jaguar nickel project in the Carajás mineral province. The project hosts a resource of 138.2 million MT at an average grade of 0.87 percent nickel, totaling 1.2 million MT of contained nickel. Jaguar was one of three mining projects selected by the Brazilian government to receive support in obtaining environmental licenses.
9. United States
Nickel production: 8,000 metric tons
Lastly, the United States produced 8,000 metric tons of nickel in 2024, representing a more than 50 percent decline from the national output in the previous year.
The Eagle mine is the only primary nickel-mining property in the US. The asset, located on the Yellow Dog Plains in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, is a small, high-grade nickel-copper mine owned by Lundin Mining (TSX:LUN,OTC Pink:LUNMF). Output from the mine was exported to smelters in Canada and overseas.
Nickel is included on the US’ critical minerals list, and in September 2023, under the Defense Production Act, the US Department of Defense awarded US$20.6 million to Talon Metals (TSX:TLO,OTC Pink:TLOFF) for further exploration and mineral resource definition at its Tamarack nickel-copper-cobalt project in Minnesota.
An environmental review process is underway for the proposed Tamarack underground mine. The company plans to process ore from the mine at a proposed battery mineral processing facility in North Dakota. Talon has said it intends to initiate the permitting process for the facility in 2025.
FAQs for nickel production
How is nickel mined and processed?
How nickel is mined and processed depends upon many factors, such as the size, grade, morphology and depth of the nickel deposit that’s under consideration. While lateritic nickel deposits are generally mined from open pits via strip mining, sulfide nickel deposits are often mined using underground extraction methods.
After mining, nickel ore is processed into higher-grade concentrates through crushing and separating nickel-bearing material from other minerals using various physical and chemical processing methods. Next, the concentrates are smelted in a furnace before the final stage of refinement using pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes.
How bad is nickel mining for the environment?
Nickel mining involves serious environmental concerns, including air and water pollution, habitat destruction, community displacement, wildlife migration pattern disturbances, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon-intensive energy use. Nickel-mining companies looking to supply the EV market are feeling the pressure to lessen the environmental footprint of their operations.
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Wildfires sweeping through Canada’s energy-rich province of Alberta have forced major oil producers to suspend nearly 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) of output — about 7 percent of the country’s total production.
Experts are calling the fires one of the most disruptive events since the devastating Fort McMurray fire of 2016.
The Caribou Lake wildfire alone has scorched more than 61,500 hectares in Central Alberta and continues to expand, fanned by high winds and dry conditions, as per the Canadian Press.
According to company disclosures and industry estimates, firms including Cenovus Energy (TSX:CVE,NYSE:CVE), Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ,NYSE:CNQ) and MEG Energy (TSX:MEG,OTC Pink:MEGF) have scaled back operations as blazes threaten critical oil sands infrastructure near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.
Cenovus Energy, one of the country’s largest oil producers, temporarily shut down its Christina Lake oil sands facility on May 29, affecting about 238,000 bpd of production. The company said on Sunday (June 1) that it expects a full restart in the near term and reported that there has been no damage to infrastructure so far.
Canadian Natural Resources shut off roughly 36,500 bpd of production at its Jackfish 1 facility and evacuated staff over the weekend. MEG Energy continues to operate its Christina Lake site, but reported that a wildfire-induced power outage has delayed the restart of its Phase 2B segment, which accounts for approximately 70,000 bpd of output.
Canada, the world’s fourth largest oil producer, generates about 4.9 million bpd of crude, most of it from Alberta.
Wildfires spread across the prairies
As of Monday (June 2), Alberta was battling 49 active fires, 26 of which were classified as ‘out of control.’ Saskatchewan and Manitoba, also grappling with the early wildfire season, reported 16 and 24 active fires, respectively.
Environment Canada forecasts show little immediate relief, with temperatures hovering in the high teens to low 20s Celsius and limited rainfall expected until the weekend.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced that the province is reactivating its emergency management cabinet committee in anticipation of worsening conditions.
“We’ve got to be able to respond in a way that is going to be rapid,” she told reporters.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center reported that, as of Sunday, more than 1.4 million hectares had burned nationwide this year. The impact of the fires has been widespread — last week, Manitoba authorities urged around 17,000 residents in the remote north to evacuate due to escalating fire risk.
Global oil markets feel the heat
Alberta’s oil production loss, which is nearly equivalent to the amount of crude that OPEC+ recently agreed to reintroduce to the global market, is resonating beyond Canada’s borders.
With US sanctions restricting Venezuelan heavy crude exports and seasonal maintenance already curbing Alberta’s supply, the sudden production drop tightens an already constrained market for heavier oil grades.
While the physical damage to facilities so far appears minimal, the proximity of active fires to pipeline corridors and steam-assisted gravity drainage projects remains a concern.
Early on Monday, wildfires had advanced to within 10 kilometers of sites producing nearly 470,000 bpd.
Beyond oil production, the fires are impacting air quality across North America.
In parts of Minnesota and North Dakota, the US Environmental Protection Agency reported “unhealthy” air levels on Monday due to smoke drifting south from Canadian wildfires.
This mirrors conditions from last year, when Canadian blazes blanketed major US cities in smoke for weeks.
A pattern of risk
Canada’s energy sector has frequently been disrupted by wildfires.
In 2023, more than 100 wildfires in Alberta forced operators to shut down at least 319,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day — roughly 3.7 percent of national production. The 2016 Fort McMurray fire, the most severe in Canadian energy history, shut down over 1 million bpd and displaced tens of thousands.
While the 2025 fire season is still in its early stages, experts worry that the escalating pace and scale of the blazes together signal a structural shift driven by climate conditions.
Alberta’s firefighting crews remain deployed across dozens of burn sites, supported by federal and interprovincial reinforcements. Environment Canada expects a brief reprieve from dry weather mid-week, with showers possible by the weekend. Still, officials warn that conditions could remain volatile for weeks.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Infinity Lithium Corporation Limited (‘Infinity’, or ‘the Company’) is pleased to announce that it has engaged a drilling contractor and has committed to testing the exciting CST (Comstock) gold-silver prospect (the CST Prospect) within the Cobungra Project (EL 7073) in July. Cobungra is located within the Lachlan Fold Belt in NE Victoria and was recently acquired by Infinity from Highland Resources Limited (ASX announcement 31 March 2025) as part of the Company’s transition to a focus on precious metals in Australia.
KEY POINTS
- Drilling contractor contracted, drilling set to commence early July.
- Exploration will test high priority CST Prospect (gold-silver) at Cobungra.
- Undrilled geophysical target with coincident high-grade gold rock chip samples.
- Gold focus in Australia the immediate priority to enhance company value going forward.
Infinity has moved quickly to commit to drill testing its recently acquired gold-silver-copper Projects and expand its holding of high-grade gold exploration ground within the Victorian portion of the rich Lachlan Fold Belt (Figure 1).
CST Prospect, Cobungra Project
The CST Prospect is located along strike (approx. 2,000m) from the previously drilled (5 holes) Forsyth Prospect also located within EL7073 which returned high-grade gold and silver intercepts including 5.35m @ 4.7g/t gold (Au), 334 g/t silver (ag) from 143m (ASX release dated 31 March 2025). Gold and silver mineralisation at both the Forsyth and CST Prospects is interpreted to be related to the Ensay Shear which is a laterally continuous structure running NW-SE through the tenement. Along strike, approx. 5km to the SE, is the proximal to the +300,000 oz Au Cassilis gold deposit (319,500 oz Au deposit JORC 2012, ABA Resources https://www.abaresources.com.au/portfolio.php). The Company believes that the strike of the Ensay Shear is a prospective exploration horizon.
The CST Prospect (Comstock) is an obvious and exciting initial drilling priority as Infinity targets precious metals in Australia. The CST Prospect presents an excellent drill target based on some historic gold-silver workings with a programme of rock chip sampling and geophysical surveying (I.P) 2013-2014 identifying coincident anomalies. These will be drilled in a small, first-pass drill campaign (approximately 6 holes for 800m). The CST Prospect has never been drilled and this is a first pass drilling campaign designed to identify further priority targets and areas of geological interest.
There are at least seven quartz vein-type gold (silver) lodes distributed in the CST Prospect Mineral Occurrence, with traced length of 20m~80m and width of 0.1m~2.0m. These lodes are nearly parallel, strike NNE and dip to SEE at a dip angle of 65°~80° (Figure 2). These lodes are interpreted to be ‘tension gashes’ running oblique within the dominant NW-SE striking Ensay Shear.
Refer to ASX release 31 March 2025 “Infinity Acquires Gold Projects”. Infinity is not aware of any new information that materially affects the information included in this announcement
Click here for the full ASX Release
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finlay minerals ltd. (TSXV: FYL) (OTCQB: FYMNF) (‘Finlay’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that due to strong investor interest it has increased the size of its non-brokered private placement (the ‘ Private Placement ‘), previously announced on May 26, 2025 to raise up to $1,700,000 . The Private Placement will consist of the issuance of any combination of: (i) common shares of the Company to be issued on a flow-through basis under the Income Tax Act ( Canada ) (each, a ‘ FT Share ‘) at a price of $0.11 per FT Share, and (ii) non-flow-through units of the Company (each, a ‘ NFT Unit ‘) at a price of $0.10 per NFT Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of up to $1,700,000 . The Private Placement is subject to a minimum offering amount of $500,000 to be raised through any combination of FT Shares and NFT Units.
The Company also announces that it will use the gross proceeds from the issuance of FT Shares to incur ‘Canadian exploration expenses’ that qualify as ‘flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures’, as such terms are defined in the Income Tax Act ( Canada ).
Each NFT Unit will be comprised of one non-flow-through common share of the Company (each, a ‘ NFT Share ‘) and one non-flow-through common share purchase warrant (a ‘ Warrant ‘). Each Warrant will be exercisable by the holder thereof to acquire one NFT Share at an exercise price of $0.20 per NFT Share for a period of two years from the date of issuance of the Warrant (the ‘ Warrant Expiry Date ‘), subject to acceleration. The Warrant Expiry Date may, at the Company’s sole discretion, be accelerated if at any time following the Closing Date (as defined herein), the common shares of the Company trade at a daily volume-weighted average trading price above $0.30 per common share for a period of 30 consecutive trading days on the TSX Venture Exchange (the ‘ TSXV ‘) or on such other stock exchange where the majority of the trading occurs (the ‘ Trading Target ‘) and the Company provides notice to the Warrant holders by way of press release announcing that such Trading Target has been achieved, provided that the accelerated expiry date of the Warrants falls on the earlier of (unless exercised by the holder prior to such date) (the ‘ Accelerated Expiry Date ‘): (i) the 30th day after the Company provides notice to the Warrant holders of its intention to accelerate the Warrant Expiry Date; and (ii) the Warrant Expiry Date. The failure of the Company to give notice in respect of a Trading Target will not preclude the Company from giving notice of any subsequent Trading Target. All Warrants that remain unexercised following the Accelerated Expiry Date shall immediately expire and all rights of holders of such Warrants shall be terminated without any compensation to such holders.
The Company intends to use the gross proceeds of the Private Placement for exploration of the Company’s SAY, JJB and Silver Hope properties, and for general working capital purposes, as more particularly described in the amended and restated offering document.
Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, the Private Placement is being conducted pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions and in reliance on the Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 – Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption . The securities issued to purchasers in the Private Placement will not be subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an amended and restated offering document related to the Private Placement that can be accessed under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at www.finlayminerals.com . Prospective investors should read this amended and restated offering document before making an investment decision.
The closing of the Private Placement is expected to occur on or about June 9, 2025 (the ‘ Closing Date ‘). The closing of the Private Placement is subject to certain closing conditions, including the approval of the TSXV. The Company may pay finder’s fees in cash and securities to certain arm’s length finders engaged in connection with the Private Placement, subject to the approval of the TSXV.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 , as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder.
About finlay minerals ltd.
Finlay is a TSXV company focused on exploration for base and precious metal deposits through the advancement of its ATTY, PIL, JJB, SAY and Silver Hope Properties; these properties host copper-gold porphyry and gold-silver epithermal targets within different porphyry districts of northern and central BC. Each property is located in areas of recent development and porphyry discoveries with the advantage of hosting the potential for new discoveries.
Finlay trades under the symbol ‘FYL’ on the TSXV and under the symbol ‘FYMNF’ on the OTCQB. For further information and details, please visit the Company’s website at www.finlayminerals.com
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Robert F. Brown ,
Executive Chairman of the Board & Director
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Information: This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements’) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as ‘expect’, ‘plan’, ‘anticipate’, ‘project’, ‘target’, ‘potential’, ‘schedule’, ‘forecast’, ‘budget’, ‘estimate’, ‘intend’ or ‘believe’ and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘should’ or ‘might’ occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding, among others, the terms and completion of the Private Placement, raising the minimum and maximum amounts of the Private Placement, the payment of finder’s fees and issuance of finder’s securities, the anticipated closing date and the planned use of proceeds for the Private Placement. Although Finlay believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the ability to obtain regulatory approval for the Private Placement, the state of equity markets in Canada and other jurisdictions, market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, the timing and receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals, the ability of Finlay and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Finlay’s proposed transactions and programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Finlay does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
SOURCE finlay minerals ltd.
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Exploring for gold is a costly endeavor that often comes with great risks, especially for junior mining companies.
These small-scale companies are faced with the challenge of locating a metal that is extremely rare, and even if they do find it, they need to ensure gold is present in economically viable quantities.
That’s where the use of satellite imagery and remote sensing comes in. Using satellite systems scanning for gold helps explorers survey land without having to invest heavily in equipment or develop on-site infrastructure.
What was the original Landsat system?
When the first Landsat satellite was launched in 1972, geologists used sensors to collect simple data, such as surface features. They were able to get clues on potential mineral deposits beneath the surface, and could use the data for mapping. However, since then, imaging sensor technology has undergone rapid advancements that have allowed explorers to collect increasingly more useful data.
The very first sensors used on satellites were problematic, mainly because of their poor spectral resolution and inadequate spectral coverage. These limitations rapidly changed in the early 1980s with the launch of Landsat 4 and 5, which carried the Thematic Mapper scanning system. The system added coverage of the short-wave infrared and mid-infrared regions of the spectrum.
The Thematic Mapper scanning system is still used as an exploration tool, but newer satellites have been launched with better spectral resolution and accuracy when determining surface mineralogy.
Satellites are now fitted with hyperspectral sensors that identify materials without having to view them in person. Spectral data is collected by aircraft and satellites using infrared, near-infrared, thermal-infrared and short-wave technology. Geologists can use this data to pick out rock units and find clues about subsurface deposits of minerals, oil and gas and groundwater.
The technology in satellite systems has advanced to the point where they can be used to identify and map not only individual mineral species, but also chemical variations within the molecular structure of the crystal lattice of the mineral.
The resolution of sensors on satellites can’t be compared to aircraft spectral remote sensors, but these satellites do come with other advantages. For example, gold-prospecting satellite systems are able to collect more data from larger areas without having to fly any aircraft over the land of interest.
What are the benefits of satellite imagery in mineral exploration?
With the ability to determine texture and type from miles above the ground, locating, analyzing, identifying and mapping the composition of the Earth’s surface is now greatly advanced. Here are a few benefits of using satellites for detecting gold in mineral exploration.
Lower costs and risks
Satellite imagery helps reduce the cost of surveying land due to the fact that on-site personnel and equipment aren’t needed. Explorers can instead use a number of data sources to draw valuable insights for potential projects. This is especially helpful for juniors that have to justify risks to gather financing or begin operations.
Value across the lifecycle
Geospatial data is critical to mineral exploration, but it can also be applied to all phases of the mining lifecycle. Satellite images can be used to inform activities like building mine infrastructure or anticipating risks that are linked to a site’s geography. The relatively low cost and high utility of satellite imagery makes it a versatile technology for explorers.
Data abundance
The advancement of sensor technologies has allowed companies to combine valuable satellite data with other information sources like drone mapping, feasibility studies and historical data about geographical sites.
Satellite imagery also helps gather data that otherwise wouldn’t be attainable due to challenges in topography or climate. Diversifying information sources and increasing the sheer amount of available data means miners and scientists can gather new insights through their analysis.
Companies are also able to feed these large data sets into artificial intelligence and machine learning tools that assist with pattern recognition and dataset interpretation, speeding up target identification.
Satellite imagery certainly isn’t the only tool available to explorers, but it serves as an excellent complement to more accurate and resource-intensive technologies like LiDAR, GPS surveying and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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GTI Energy (GTR:AU) has announced Scoping Study Demonstrates Low Cost Potential (Replacement)
Download the PDF here.
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OpenAI on Wednesday announced that it now has 3 million paying business users, up from the 2 million it reported in February.
The San Francisco-based startup rocketed into the mainstream in late 2022 with its consumer-facing artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, and began launching workplace-specific versions of the product the following year.
The 3 million users include ChatGPT Enterprise, ChatGPT Team and ChatGPT Edu customers, OpenAI said.
“There’s this really tight interconnect between the growth of ChatGPT as a consumer tool and its adoption in the enterprise and in businesses,” OpenAI’s chief operating officer Brad Lightcap told CNBC in an interview. The company supported 400 million weekly active users as of February.
OpenAI expects revenue of $12.7 billion this year, a source confirmed to CNBC. In September of last year, the company expected to see an annual loss of $5 billion on $3.7 billion in revenue, according to a person close to the company who asked not to be named because the financials are confidential.
Lightcap said OpenAI is seeing its business tools adopted across industries, including highly regulated sectors like financial services and health care. Companies including Lowe’s, Morgan Stanley and Uber are users, OpenAI said.
The company also announced new updates to its business offerings on Wednesday.
ChatGPT Team and ChatGPT Enterprise users can now access “connectors,” which will allow workers to pull data from third-party tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, SharePoint, Box and OneDrive without leaving ChatGPT. Additional deep research connectors are available in beta.
OpenAI launched another capability called “record mode” in ChatGPT, which allows users to record and transcribe their meetings. It’s initially available with audio only.
Record mode can assist with follow up after a meeting and integrates with internal information like documents and files, the company said. Users can also turn their recordings into documents through the company’s Canvas tool.
Lightcap said enterprise customers have been asking for updates like these, and that they will help make OpenAI’s workplace offerings more useful.
“It’s got to be able to do tasks for you, and to do that, it’s got to really have knowledge of everything going on around you and your work,” Lightcap said. “It can’t be the intern locked in a closet. It’s got to be able to see what you see.”
OpenAI said it has been signing up nine enterprises a week, and Lightcap said the company will try to sustain that pace over time.
“People are starting to really figure out that this is a part of the modern tool stack in the knowledge economy that we live in,” he said.
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A nationwide coordinated crackdown on retail crime — what authorities are calling the first of its kind — led to hundreds of arrests in 28 states last week.
The blitz, led by Illinois’ Cook County regional organized crime task force, involved more than 100 jurisdictions and over 30 retailers including Home Depot, Macy’s, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, Kroger and Meijer.
“When you give specific focus to a crime, it reverberates,” Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart told CNBC. “When they see it is being prosecuted and taken seriously, it deters conduct. They don’t want to get caught.”
Organized retail crime — a type of shoplifting where groups of thieves work together in targeted operations to turn stolen goods into cash — has grown in scale and scope in recent years. CNBC previously reported on the extensive law enforcement efforts to take down retail crime organizations.
While aggregate numbers for retail theft are difficult to quantify, retailers reported 93% more shoplifting incidents on average in 2023 compared with 2019, according to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation. Those surveyed also reported a 90% increase in the associated dollar losses over that same time period.
Some critics point to a lack of enforcement and felony thresholds for allowing criminals to continue committing theft. It’s something Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke has been focused on since taking office in December.
On her first day in office, O’Neill Burke said prosecutors would pursue felony retail theft charges in accordance with state law, when the value of the goods exceeds $300 or when the suspect already has a felony shoplifting conviction.
Before her taking office, retail theft felonies were charged only if the value of the stolen goods was $1,000 or more or if the suspect had 10 or more prior convictions.
Since Dec. 1, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed charges in 1,450 felony retail theft cases, the office said.
The goals of the coordinated operation, O’Neill Burke told CNBC, is “to have one day where we focus and concentrate on [retail theft] and we share intelligence about it — about what we learned about the network, so that gives us more tools on how to take this network down.”
It was the coordination between law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys that got a number of the involved retailers to participate in the blitz.
“Collaboration is key to making a meaningful impact,” Ulta Beauty Senior Vice President of Loss Prevention Dan Petrousek told CNBC. “That’s why we were proud to participate in the National ORC Blitz alongside dedicated law enforcement and prosecutorial partners.”
Ulta Beauty had teams participating across nine states in last week’s operation, providing law enforcement with information on incidents of retail crime.
“Organized retail crime remains one of the most significant challenges in our industry,” said Marty Maloney, Walgreens director of media relations. “In this most recent operation we worked closely with law enforcement partners across nearly 20 cities and at over 40 locations to help curb this trend.”
A representative for Home Depot told CNBC that while overall theft is down, investigated incidents of organized retail crime are still up double digits year over year.
Now that the operation has concluded, the group is pulling together each jurisdictions’ observations and sharing data to continue to help crack down on retail theft.
Other participating retailers reached for comment by CNBC, including Macy’s, T.J. Maxx and Target, said they’re committed to partnering with law enforcement and pushing for stronger laws to combat retail crime.
California Highway Patrol arrests retail crime suspect in Long Beach, CA.Courtesy: California Highway Patrol.
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Snacktime is nigh at the Golden Arches.
On June 3, McDonald’s announced exactly when the Snack Wrap will return to partipating restaurants nationwide: July 10. And, thankfully, it’s not a limited-time offer, either — it’s here for good.
The Snack Wrap, which has been off menus for almost a decade, features one of the chain’s new McCrispy Strips — a chicken strip made with all-white meat — and is topped with shredded lettuce and shredded cheese, wrapped in a flour tortilla.
This go-round, the Snack Wrap comes in two flavors: Spicy, which McDonald’s says “brings the heat with a habanero kick” reminiscent of its Spicy McCrispy sandwich; and Ranch, which “delivers a satisfying burst of cool ranch goodness,” according to the brand, along with hints of garlic and onion.
Customers can get the Snack Wrap on its own or as a combo meal, which will come with two wraps, a medium fries and your drink of choice.
It’s been a long journey for Mickey D’s devotees: On Dec. 5, Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, first revealed that the Snack Wrap was on its way back while discussing the new McValue menu.
“The Snack Wrap will be back in 2025,” Erlinger said at the time, declining to reveal the exact date. “It has a cult following, I get so many emails into my inbox about this product.”
Then, on April 15, the chain teased the official release date: “snack wraps 0x.14.2025,” it posted on X, without specifying the month.
Now, for the official rollout, McDonald’s is leaning into the fact that for years, fans have inundated the chain with pleas to reinstate the item after it was kicked off menus in 2016. A Change.org petition started in 2021 in its honor garnered over 17,000 signatures, and fans resorted to posting TikToks and making dedicated Instagram accounts devoted to bringing it back.
While the chicken-craving masses waited for the Snack Wrap’s return, other fast-food chains have dropped their own versions: In March 2023, Wendy’s introduced its Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap; in July 2023, Taco Bell reintroduced its Crispy Chicken Taco for a limited time; and in August 2023, Burger King launched BK Royal Crispy Wraps for a limited time, too.
Most recently, a single day before McDonald’s announcement, Popeyes dropped its own Chicken Wraps as a limited-time offer. Let the wrap battle commence.
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