• The European Commission announces 47 strategic projects across 13 EU countries, including 4 Aussie owned critical mineral developers (MNN)

• Labor’s new Federal budget abandons juniors but boosts green metals support (MNN)

• There’s fresh angst amongst US copper importers after it was reported that the administration aims to introduce levies within weeks, not months (Bloomberg)

• Mercuria is preparing to invest even more in its rapidly expanding metals division and buy further stakes in mines (FT)

• Gold eased as the US dollar and bond yields climbed, although concerns over the Trump administration's fresh tariffs kept prices above $3,000/oz (Reuters)

• MinRes has cut 15 white-collar workers from its Osborne Park HQ, saying it was focused on “operational efficiencies” (West)

• Tianqi warned volatility in lithium product prices and growing geopolitical risks may cloud its outlook as it swung to its first full-year loss since 2020 (Bloomberg)

• The QLD gov’t said it has approved 30 new resources leases since winning office in October as it vows to reduce regulatory bottlenecks (Australian)

• Poland's KGHM posted a net profit of US$402m for the fourth quarter, while outlining a 2025 production target of 392kt of copper (Reuters)

• Australia must face the reality and accept the need for gas imports, says Viva Energy (Australian)

• Mali is forecasting a slight recovery in gold output in 2025 on the assumption Barrick will resume operations after a months-long gov’t standoff (Reuters)

• Trafigura says 1300 jobs are in jeopardy as it seeks government support to keep open zinc and lead smelters in Australia (Australian)

• Dataroom reported Gold Road’s investors are understood to have asked its management to engage with its JV partner and takeover suitor, Gold Fields (Australian) GOR up a further 5%, hitting $3

• Gold Road to Gold Fields: Ball is in your court (WSJ) of all the press, the quotes in this article are pretty fascinating from Duncan Gibbs…

• Sunstone received firm commitments to raise $4m via a placement (STM)

• Sunshine Metals received firm commitments to raise $3m via a placement to advance drilling and mining studies at its Ravenswood project (SHN) Lion Selection increased their stake to emerge with a 7% holding

• With bad news on the horizon now flagged for Bellevue, expect discussion to quickly turn to the potential of the gold miner being a prime takeover target

• Here’s some food for thought… Who are the actual candidates to bid?

• The two miners with clear synergies - Gold Fields via Agnew and Northern Star via Thunderbox with bigger mills down the road (i.e. cheaper processing costs)

  

• But both Northern Star and Gold Fields are publicly preoccupied with other deals though…

• And in Northern Star’s case, they explicitly can’t move, it’s a restriction of the Scheme Implementation Deed

• Who holds the cards in the Gruyere gold spat? (MNN)

• Added to the wrong group chat? Happened to me too (AFR) Missteps in mining M&A

• Is Australia becoming the Mediocre Country? (Livewire)

• A visual guide to critical materials and rare earths (Economist)

• Can Trump's critical minerals drive pass the copper test? (Reuters op-ed)

• Recession fear mars Trump’s mining boost (MNN)

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