Chinese Lithium Giant Positions Sonora as Top Regional Supplier

The Week in Mining highlights developments in Mexico’s mining industry, where Ganfeng Lithium is setting up the conditions for Sonora to become one of North America’s key suppliers of the battery metal. Also, prominent industry players have raised concerns about the looming disappearance of the Mining Fund. Around the world, the US president signed an order for boosting local rare earths mining and EY ranked social license to operate as the top risk in the industry.

This and more in your weekly mining roundup!

Mexico

Ganfeng Lithium, China’s largest lithium producer, plans to build a battery recycling plant in Mexico to supply minerals to the US as it looks to tap a growing market for used materials in electric vehicles, the Financial Times reported. The plant could be near the lithium mine that Ganfeng Lithium is developing with Bacanora Lithium in Sonora.

One of Mexico’s most prominent unions, the Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM), called on the federal government and Congress to not terminate the Mining Fund.

SKF, the Swedish technology provider of bearings and housing solutions, is partnering with Deacero, the Mexican steel manufacturer, to improve performance and reduce downtime at the latter’s steel rolling mill in Celaya.

Asia Broadband Inc, through its subsidiary Asia Metals Inc, announced that it has signed a letter of intent to acquire a high potential mineral property in Colima. The property is located in a prolific iron-copper-gold production area approximately 25km east of the Peña Colorada mine.

Industry Trends

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order declaring a national emergency in the mining industry, a move that seeks to curb the country’s reliance on rare earths in his latest bid to end China’s control over the market, reported Mining.com. The order is intended to spur rare earths mining in the US.

License to operate remains, for the third consecutive year, as the No. 1 issue for miners, according to a survey by EY. 

Combating climate change will require renewable energy while reducing our use of fossil fuels. But renewable energy technologies require large amounts of mined metals and minerals. As mining creates significant environmental impacts, the Mongabay Newscast looks at whether mining is compatible with the clean energy revolution.