Japan deep-sea drilling ship extracts rare earth mud
The deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu, operated by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), has successfully conducted a test excavation of rare earth–bearing mud from the deep ocean floor, the agency announced Monday.
China controls the majority of rare earth production in the world, and increasingly uses these critical minerals as a diplomatic tool. This achievement represents a major step toward developing a domestic supply.
The excavation was conducted at a depth of about 5,700 meters off Minami-Torishima, a remote island roughly 1,900 kilometers from mainland Tokyo. It was part of a large-scale Cabinet Office research initiative known as the Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) within Japan’s exclusive economic zone near Minami-Torishima.
Trump covets mineral-rich greenland, but what natural resources does it actually have?
Donald Trump has made clear he covets Greenland.
Now he claims to have secured the “framework” of a future deal, to address defence on the island – a deal that he says includes rights to rare earth minerals.
Greenland is believed to sit on top of large reserves of oil and natural gas.
It is also said to be home to the vast majority of raw materials considered crucial for electronics, green energy and other strategic and military technologies – to which Trump has been pushing to secure America’s access.
Overall, 25 of 34 minerals deemed “critical raw materials” by the European Commission are found in Greenland, including graphite, niobium and titanium, according to the 2023 Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland.
Global pulses production in 2025
Global pulses production in 2025 is characterized by a strong, positive outlook for major crops, with dry pea, lentil, and chickpea production forecasted to increase by 23 percent, 22 percent, and 32 percent respectively, driven by higher yields. The total, combined output of key pulses is projected to grow 4 percent year-on-year to 46.6 million tonnes in the 2024/25 season, though,,dry bean production is expected to decline by 4 percent.
Global oil production is growing faster than consumption
The price of a barrel of Brent blend crude oil fell last year by $14 (19 percent) to around $61 a barrel. The increased production levels drove down oil prices. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that production has grown by three million barrels a day while consumption has only increased by 900,000 barrels a day. The production glut reflects the contributions of producer countries that are not part of the OPEC+ group, particularly Canada and the US. Among OPEC members, Saudi Arabia raised its output, abandoning the voluntary production cuts agreed to earlier. The increase in production has caused oil inventories to swell, especially at-sea storage.
Even if the IEA expects lower prices to boost consumption growth in 2026, production growth will remain high and keep prices in check. Geopolitical tensions related to Venezuela and Iran have driven up oil prices this year, but the IEA sees the increase as transient even with persisting Iran-related uncertainty.
Vale’s copper and iron ore production hit a seven-year high
According to a report cited by Mining Weekly, Brazilian miner Vale announced on Tuesday that its iron ore production increased to 336.1 million mt in 2025, hitting the highest level since 2018 and surpassing the output of its rival Rio Tinto in the Pilbara region.
Vale’s iron ore production in 2025 rose by 2.6 percent compared to 2024, which was largely in line with the forecast of 335 million mt made last December. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the company’s iron ore production reached 90.4 million mt, up 6 percent.
Analysts stated that Vale’s iron ore production, along with its copper and nickel output, met expectations. Citi and RBC raised their estimates for Vale’s core profit in the fourth quarter by 2 percent and 7 percent respectively, with the data set to be released in February.
In 2019, a tailings dam collapse at Vale’s facility in Brumadinho, Brazil, resulted in over 250 deaths, leading the company’s projects to undergo safety reviews and causing it to lose its position as the world’s largest iron ore producer to Rio Tinto.
However, Vale has been steadily increasing production in recent years and achieved its highest output since 2018 in 2025. CEO Gustavo Pimenta stated that the company aims to reclaim its status as the global top iron ore producer.
Indonesian coal quota cuts threaten widespread mine closures
The Indonesian coal industry faces a critical juncture as government-imposed quota restrictions threaten widespread operational shutdowns across the archipelago. Indonesian coal quota cuts risk mine shutdowns on an unprecedented scale, with production targets slashed to approximately 600 million tonnes annually. Furthermore, this dramatic reduction from record 2024 output levels represents more than simple market intervention; it constitutes a fundamental restructuring of Indonesia’s mining sector that could eliminate hundreds of operators.
The convergence of regulatory tightening, financial pressure, and market dynamics creates a perfect storm for Indonesian coal producers, particularly smaller-scale operations lacking the financial resilience to absorb substantial revenue reductions. Industry stakeholders warn that production cuts ranging from 40 percent to 70 percent across different operations may force widespread shutdowns, potentially triggering the largest consolidation event in Indonesia’s coal mining history.
Global iron ore production last year
In 2025, global iron ore production was characterized by Vale regaining its position as the top producer, with output rising to 336.1 million metric tons, surpassing Rio Tinto. While China remained the dominant importer (over 74 percent of receipts), domestic production there dipped, even as global, especially Australian, supply remained high, and new major projects in Guinea were slated to begin production.