Critical minerals News

RSS
193 stories

Private financing for Argentina’s lithium is anything but green, critics say

Maxwell Radwin 1 Jul 2025
Sediment is clearly visible close to nickel mining operations on Kawe Island, Raja Ampat, discolouring the water in one of Indonesia’s most biodiverse marine areas. The concession covers an area of 5,922 hectares and is located within the mega-biodiversity region of Raja Ampat, West Papua. Image courtesy of Greenpeace.

No respite for Indonesia’s Raja Ampat as nickel companies sue to revive mines

Hans Nicholas Jong 13 Jun 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during the High-Level inaugural dinner of the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC).

‘Madness’: World leaders call for deep-sea mining moratorium at UN ocean summit

Elizabeth Claire Alberts 11 Jun 2025
A screenshot of Carlos Zorrilla in 2023, explaining history of mining exploration in Ecuador. Footage by Romi Castagnino for Mongabay.

‘Mining companies will lie to your face’: Carlos Zorrilla on 30 years of fighting for Intag Valley

Mike DiGirolamo 10 Jun 2025

Indonesia halts most nickel mining in Raja Ampat, but allows one controversial permit

Hans Nicholas Jong 10 Jun 2025

Pushback grows against nickel mining in Indonesian marine paradise of Raja Ampat

Hans Nicholas Jong 9 Jun 2025
Amsterdam, a car plugged into a charging station on a city street

EU appetite for EVs drives new wave of deforestation in tropical forests

Fernanda Wenzel 9 Jun 2025

UN scientists propose ‘minerals trust’ to power green energy, protect communities

Bobby Bascomb 7 Jun 2025

World Bank uses climate crisis as cover for land-grabbing, Oakland Institute says

Bobby Bascomb 3 Jun 2025

US firm KoBold Metals buys stake in contested Manono Lithium Project, DRC

Bobby Bascomb 28 May 2025

Indonesia’s deforestation claims under scrutiny over ‘cherry-picked’ data

Hans Nicholas Jong 6 May 2025
op row from left to right: Averi Doxtator, Liudmyla Korotkykh, Toni Chiran, Aviaaija Baadsgaard. Second row from left to right: Cindy Sisa Andy Aguinda, Joshua Amponsem, Janell Dymus-Kurei. Image by Grist.

Indigenous youth at the U.N. share environmental setbacks and solutions

Taylar Dawn Stagner 3 May 2025

Landslide deaths again highlight safety failures in Indonesia’s nickel industry

Hans Nicholas Jong 1 May 2025
A towering tailings pile sits directly behind a residence in Poço Dantas. Image by Rebeca Binda.

In Brazil’s Jequitinhonha valley, communities share how to reduce lithium mining impacts

Amanda Magnani, Rebeca Binda 30 Apr 2025

Trump moves to begin deep-sea mining despite environmental and legal concerns

Bobby Bascomb 25 Apr 2025
Collage of UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues attendees and snippet of visa paperwork. Image by Grist / Ines Belchior / Ronja Porho / UN DESA DISD; Angela Weiss / AFP / Getty Images.

The 2025 U.N. Forum on Indigenous Issues starts today with hopes and concerns on the agenda

Anita Hofschneider 21 Apr 2025
A flamingo in Salar de Uyuni, southwestern Bolivia.

Bolivian communities push back against foreign-backed lithium projects

Carla Ruas 17 Apr 2025

Lithium Triangle mining may strain water sources more than expected, study says

Maxwell Radwin 4 Apr 2025
Miners waiting for an interview at a mining site. Image by Sasha Lezhnev/Enough Project via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

EU parliament calls for end to Rwanda mineral pact over DRC conflict links

Didier Makal 27 Feb 2025
According to a new report by Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW), Cobra Panamá’s tailings dam is at a very serious and imminent risk of failure due to poor monitoring and internal erosion. Image courtesy of the Environmental Advocacy Center (CIAM).

Yet another abandoned mine erodes — this time, in a Panamanian protected area

Aimee Gabay 25 Feb 2025
A coal-fired power plant at night in the nickel industrial area in Halmahera.

US security think tank warns of China’s grip over Indonesian nickel industry

Hans Nicholas Jong 20 Feb 2025

Environmental & rights activists flee and hide as M23 captures DRC’s cities

Elodie Toto 18 Feb 2025

Amid bombs and chaos, Goma’s displaced residents share their fears and hopes

Ajabu Adolphe 17 Feb 2025
Congolese troops in the eastern DRC during fighting with M23 in 2013. Image © MONUSCO/Clara Padovan via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The key factors fueling conflict in eastern DRC

John Cannon 14 Feb 2025
Aerial view of coal mining in East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

Indonesia rushes mining law amendments, raising environmental and governance alarms

Hans Nicholas Jong 30 Jan 2025
An uncontacted Indigenous community in Acre, Brazil.

Should mining companies consider no-go zones where isolated Indigenous peoples live? (Commentary)

Danielle Martin 16 Jan 2025

Indonesian scientist under fire for revealing extent of illegal tin mining

Hans Nicholas Jong 14 Jan 2025

Southeast Asia in review: 2024

Carolyn Cowan, Gerald Flynn 30 Dec 2024

As lithium mining bleeds Atacama salt flat dry, Indigenous communities hit back

Barinia Montoya 20 Dec 2024

Bolivia’s internal colonization and its March to the East

Timothy J. Killeen 5 Dec 2024

Push for traceability of critical minerals gains traction at COP29

David Akana 20 Nov 2024

Locals in a Brazilian valley report health issues after arrival of lithium mine

Caio Guatelli 18 Nov 2024

you're currently offline