Brightstar Resources (BTR:AU) has announced Brightstar Secures US$120M Bond to Fund Goldfields Project
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Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) (‘Sankamap’ or the ‘Company’) proposes to complete a non-brokered private placement financing of up to 14,285,715 units (‘Units’) at a price of $0.35 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $5 million (the ‘Offering’). Each Unit will consist of one (1) common share (a ‘Share’) and one-half (12) of a common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a ‘Warrant’). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one (1) additional common share of Sankamap at an exercise price of $0.55 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance. The gross proceeds from the sale of the Units will be used to advance exploration and development of Sankamap’s projects, including the acquisition of a drilling rig to be installed at the Fauro property, which will enable the simultaneous drilling of both the Kuma and Fauro properties, as well as for general working capital purposes.
Sankamap may pay finder’s fees to arm’s length finders (each a ‘Finder‘) in connection with this placement, which are expected to be up to 6.0% of the gross proceeds raised by such Finder, in cash, and share purchase warrants (each a ‘Finder’s Warrant‘) to acquire common shares of Sankamap of up to 6.0% of the number of Units sold to a purchaser or purchasers introduced by the Finder(s). Each Finder’s Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one (1) common share of Sankamap at an exercise price of $0.35 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance.
The Offering is subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (‘CSE‘) and any finder’s fees payable will be issued in accordance with the policies of the CSE and applicable securities laws. All securities issued will be subject to a four-month and one day hold period.
About Sankamap Metals Inc.
Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) is a Canadian mineral exploration company dedicated to the discovery and development of high-grade copper and gold deposits through its flagship Oceania Project, located in the South Pacific. The Company’s fully permitted assets are strategically positioned in the Solomon Islands, along a prolific geological trend that hosts major copper-gold deposits; including Newmont’s Lihir Mine, with a resource of 71.9 million ounces of gold¹ (310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred).
Exploration is actively advancing at both the Kuma and Fauro properties, part of Sankamap’s Oceania Project in the Solomon Islands. Historical work has already highlighted the mineral potential of both sites, which lie along a highly prospective copper and gold-bearing trend, suggesting the possibility of further, yet-to-be-discovered deposits.
At Kuma, the property is believed to host an underexplored and largely untested porphyry copper-gold (Cu-Au) system. Historical rock chip sampling has returned consistently elevated gold values above 0.5 g/t Au, including a standout sample assaying 11.7% Cu and 13.5 g/t Au3; underscoring the area’s significant potential.
At Fauro, particularly at the Meriguna Target, historical trenching has returned highly encouraging results, including 8.0 meters at 27.95 g/t Au and 14.0 meters at 8.94 g/t Au4. Complementing these results are exceptional grab sample assays, including historical values of up to 173 g/t Au4, along with recent sampling by Sankamap at the Kiovakase Target, which returned numerous high-grade copper values, reaching up to 4.09% Cu. In addition, limited historical shallow drilling intersected 35.0 meters at 2.08 g/t Au4, further underscoring the property’s strong mineral potential and the merit for continued exploration. With a commitment to systematic exploration and a team of experienced professionals, Sankamap aims to unlock the untapped potential of underexplored regions and create substantial value for its shareholders. For more information, please refer to SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under Sankamap’s profile.
1.Newcrest Technical Report, 2020 (Lihir: 310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred)
2. Bougainville Copper Ltd. Annual Report, 2016 (1.5 Mt containing 16.1 Moz Au at 0.33 g/t and 4.6 Mt Cu at 0.3 % Indicated, 300 Mt containing 3.2 Moz Au 0.4 g/t and 0.7 Mt Cu Inferred)
3. Historical grab, soil and BLEG samples from SolGold Kuma Review June 2015, and SolGold plc Annual Report 2013/2012
4. September 2010-June 2012 press releases from Solomon Gold Ltd. and SolGold Fauro Island Summary Technical Info 2012
QP Disclosure
The technical content for the Oceania Project in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person in accordance with CIM guidelines. Mr. John Florek is in good standing with the Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (Member ID:1228) and a director and officer of the Company.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
s/ ‘John Florek’
John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol
Chief Executive Officer
Sankamap Metals Inc.
Contact:
John Florek, CEO
T: (807) 228-3531
E: johnf@sankamap.com
The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved this press release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release constitute ‘forward-looking statements’ or ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, without limitation, the timing, nature, scope and details regarding the Company’s exploration plans and results at its projects. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as ‘may’, ‘would’, ‘could’, ‘will’, ‘intend’, ‘expect’, ‘believe’, ‘plan’, ‘anticipate’, ‘estimate’, ‘scheduled’, ‘forecast’, ‘predict’ and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will’ be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the Company’s current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.
Forward-looking statements in this press release but are not limited to, statements with respect to the expectations of management regarding the Offering, the expectations of management regarding the use of proceeds of the Offering, closing conditions for the Offering, and no objection from the CSE in respect of the Offering. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include the CSE objecting to the Offering; the proceeds of the Offering may not be used as stated in this news release; Sankamap may be unable to satisfy all of the conditions to the closing required by the CSE. Sankamap does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws.
Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286173
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Blackrock Silver Corp. (TSXV: BRC,OTC:BKRRF) (OTCQX: BKRRF) (FSE: AHZ0) (‘Blackrock’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bernard Poznanski and Susan Mathieu as independent directors to the Board of Directors of the Company (the ‘Board of Directors’).
In conjunction with the appointments, Daniel Vickerman, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, has stepped down as a director of Blackrock. We sincerely thank Mr. Vickerman for his dedicated service and valuable contributions to the Board of Directors during his tenure, and look forward to his continued service in his role as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development of Blackrock.
Andrew Pollard, Blackrock’s President and CEO, commented: ‘We are honored to welcome Susan Mathieu and Bernard Poznanski to our Board at this pivotal stage as we advance Tonopah West toward development. Bernie’s extensive experience advising public companies on complex capital markets transactions, M&A and governance matters, together with Susan’s more than 30 years of global mining leadership spanning development, operations and sustainability, bring valuable and complementary expertise to the Company. With their appointments as independent directors, we continue to enhance the strength, independence and overall effectiveness of our Board as we position Blackrock for its next phase of growth. I would also like to sincerely thank Daniel Vickerman for his dedicated service as a director, and we are pleased that he will continue to play a key leadership role as our Senior Vice President, Corporate Development.’
About Bernard Poznanski
Bernard Poznanski, our former external legal counsel, is a highly experienced corporate and securities lawyer with more than 40 years of distinguished practice advising public companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the TSX Venture Exchange, the NYSE American and NASDAQ on complex securities, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and mining law matters. He brings strategic legal insight to transactions across a broad range of industries, particularly in natural resources, technology and capital markets.
Mr. Poznanski’s experience encompasses all aspects of corporate and securities law. He has acted on major financings and strategic transactions, including cross-border offerings and bought deal prospectus financings for mining issuers, take-over bids and issuer bids, and a number of proxy contests. He has also played a pivotal role in significant mergers and acquisitions in complex public company transactions and in mineral property acquisitions. He has regularly represented boards of directors and special committees and advised on sophisticated corporate governance matters.
Mr. Poznanski holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) (cum laude) from the University of Ottawa, a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Commercial Law from McGill University, and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Guelph. He is admitted to practice in British Columbia and is recognized as a leading practitioner in securities and corporate law.
About Susan Mathieu
Susan Mathieu has over thirty years of international mining experience through exploration, project development, permitting, construction and operations. She has experience from mine-site to corporate leadership roles, with a proven ability to affect change in diverse organizational cultures through building relationships, leadership in executing work, and integrating compliance functions into governance systems and business processes. Her mining career has been built in several different commodity businesses, including precious and base metals, diamonds, potash and uranium.
Ms. Mathieu served on the MAG Silver Corp. board for 5 years prior to its acquisition, where she Chaired the Technical Committee, and was a member of the Compensation and the Sustainability/HSEC Committees.
In previous VP roles, Ms. Mathieu led the corporate environmental, safety and sustainability efforts for NexGen Energy (Saskatchewan), Centerra Gold (Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Turkey) and NovaGold (Canada and Alaska). As a senior mining consultant at Golder Associates, she led technical teams dealing with a tailings incident in Brazil, as well as large-scale mining development projects in Canada’s north. Ms. Mathieu gained solid technical grounding in mining during the early stages of her career with Placer Dome, Falconbridge and BHP in Canada, South Africa, Peru and Tanzania.
Ms. Mathieu holds a BSc. (Honours) and a MSc. in Biology from the University of Saskatchewan, and an Executive MBA from the Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University. She has also achieved her ICD.D designation.
About Blackrock Silver Corp.
Blackrock Silver Corp. is an American-focused emerging primary silver developer systematically advancing the high-grade Tonopah West Project, situated in the historic ‘Queen of the Silver Camps’ in a jurisdiction consistently ranked as one of the top mining regions globally. The Company is backstopped by a veteran board and technical team with a proven track record of discovering, financing, and building major precious metal mines in Nevada and globally. Blackrock is committed to establishing a secure, high-margin, domestic supply of silver and gold.
Additional information on Blackrock Silver Corp. can be found on its website at www.blackrocksilver.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For further information, please contact:
Andrew Pollard, President & Chief Executive Officer
Blackrock Silver Corp.
Phone: 604 817-6044
Email: info@blackrocksilver.com
Sean Thompson, Head of Investor Relations
Blackrock Silver Corp.
Email: sean@blackrocksilver.com
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286174
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ILC Critical Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: ILC,OTC:ILHMF) (OTCQB: ILHMF) (FSE: IAH0) (‘ILC’ or the ‘Company’) announces that it has not exercised, nor has it been able to extend, its option to buy 100% of Lepidico (Mauritius) Ltd. (‘Lepidico Mauritius’) from Lepidico (Canada) Inc. (‘Lepidico Canada’) which expired on February 27, 2026. This company controls 80% of the Karibib lithium, rubidium and cesium project in Namibia.
The ILC board had carefully considered the financial and legal risks of the transaction, and supported the exercise of the option. The board had the required funding ready. However TSX Venture Exchange (‘TSXV’) did not give the required approval in time to ILC that would have enabled ILC to complete the transaction. It might have been possible to extend the expiry date of the option further, but this would have required ILC to provide additional working capital to Lepidico Canada. The TSXV went further and also prevented ILC from lending more money for working capital to Lepidico Canada. This had the practical effect on ILC that the option could neither be exercised nor extended.
This is a setback for ILC’s plans in Southern Africa because Karibib has a large lithium resource, the biggest known rubidium resource in Africa, and enough cesium for about one year of world use, and it had already reached Definitive Feasibility Study stage under JORC in 2020. Such advanced stage development projects are hard to find, and the board believed after months of work on the transaction that it could have added considerable shareholder value albeit with some risk.
Lepidico Canada’s board felt that it was not able to continue further as a viable company without the extra funds needed for its working capital needs. While ILC’s board would have been willing for ILC to offer this, the block by TSXV made this impossible to offer. As a result Lepidico Canada has now changed ownership. There is still a possibility of ILC being offered involvement in this project, in which case the ILC board would allow an extended period for TSXV’s review processes to complete in such a manner that gives a greater chance of allowing a favourable outcome from TSXV. Obviously however such an outcome cannot be assumed.
By order of the board
John Wisbey
Chairman and CEO
About ILC Critical Minerals Ltd.
ILC Critical Minerals Ltd., formerly International Lithium Corp., has exploration activities in Ontario, Canada, with intentions to expand into Southern Africa. It has projects at various stages, ranging from Preliminary Economic Assessment at Raleigh Lake to Pre-Drilling at Wolf Ridge. The primary target metals in Canada are lithium, rubidium and copper. There are three projects (two in Ontario and one in Ireland) in which ILC has sold its share, but where the Company stands to receive future payments from either a resource milestone being achieved or from a Net Smelter Royalty.
While the world’s politicians remain divided on the future of the energy market’s historic dependence on oil and gas and on ‘Net Zero’, there is in any scenario an ever-increasing and significant demand for electricity driven by AI and data centres, and by a likely unstoppable momentum towards electric vehicles and grid-scale electricity storage. All of these contribute to rising demand for lithium, copper, and other metals. Rubidium is also a critical metal, strategic for high-precision clocks, space technology, and improving the performance of certain types of solar panels. ILC has seen the politically driven, increasingly urgent push by the USA, Canada, the EU, and other major economies to safeguard their supplies of critical minerals and to become more self-sufficient. The Company’s Canadian and Southern African projects, which contain lithium, rubidium, cesium and copper, are strategic in this regard.
The Company’s key mission for the next decade is to generate revenue for its shareholders from lithium, rubidium and other critical minerals while also contributing to the creation of a greener, cleaner planet and less polluted cities.
This includes optimizing the value of ILC’s existing projects in Canada as well as finding, exploring and developing projects that have the potential to become world-class deposits. The Company has announced that it regards Southern Africa as a key strategic target market and it has applied for and hopes to receive EPOs in Zimbabwe. The board hopes to make further announcements on the portfolio developments over the next few weeks and months.
The Company’s interests in various projects now consist of the following, and in addition, the Company continues to seek other opportunities:
| Name | Metal | Location | Stage | Area in Hectares | Current Ownership Percentage | Future Ownership % if options exercised and/or residual interest | Operator or JV Partner |
| Raleigh Lake | Lithium Rubidium |
Ontario | Dec 2023 : PEA for Li completed Apr 2023 Maiden Resource Estimates for Li and Rb | 32,900 | 100% | 100% | ILC |
| Firesteel | Copper, Cobalt | Ontario | Initial Drilling | 6,600 | 90% | 90% | ILC |
| Wolf Ridge | Lithium | Ontario | Pre-Drilling | 5,700 | 0% | 100% | ILC |
| Mavis Lake | Lithium | Ontario | May 2023 Maiden Resource Estimate |
2,600 | 0% | 0% (carries an extra earn-in payment of AUD$ 0.75 million if resource targets met) |
Critical Resources Limited (ASX: CRR) |
| Avalonia | Lithium | Ireland | Drilling | 29,200 | 0% | 0% 2.0% Net Smelter Royalty |
GFL Intl Co Ltd. (owned by Ganfeng Lithium Group Co. Ltd) |
| Forgan/ Lucky Lakes |
Lithium | Ontario | Drilling | < 500 | 0% | 0% 1.5% Net Smelter Royalty |
Power Minerals Limited (ASX: PNN) |
The Company’s primary strategic focus at this point is on the Raleigh Lake Project, comprising lithium and rubidium, and the Firesteel copper project in Canada, as well as obtaining EPOs and mineral claims in Zimbabwe.
The Raleigh Lake Project now encompasses 32,900 hectares (329 square kilometres) of mineral claims in Ontario and represents ILC’s most significant project in Canada. To date, drilling has occurred on less than 1,000 hectares of the Company’s claims. A Preliminary Economic Assessment was published for ILC’s lithium at Raleigh Lake in December 2023, with a detailed economic analysis of ILC’s separate rubidium resource still pending. This showed, for the lithium only and not yet taking into account the rubidium, a Post-tax NPV of CAD$342.9 million and a Post-tax IRR of 44.3% p.a. This was based on a spodumene price of US$2,350 per tonne. As at March 3, 2026 the spot spodumene price was back up to US$ 2,220 per tonne. Raleigh Lake is 100% owned by ILC, free from any encumbrances and royalties. The Raleigh Lake Project boasts excellent access to roads, rail, and utilities.
A continuing goal has been to remain a well-funded, strategically run company that turns ILC’s aspirations into reality. Following the disposal of the Mariana project in Argentina in 2021, the Mavis Lake project in Canada in 2022, and the Avalonia project in 2025, ILC has continued to generate sufficient cash inflows to advance its exploration projects.
With increasing demand for high-tech rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles, energy storage, and portable electronics, lithium has been dubbed ‘the new oil’. It is a key part of a green, sustainable economy. By positioning itself on projects with significant resource potential and solid strategic partners, ILC aims to become a preferred lithium and critical minerals resource developer for investors and to continue building value for its shareholders throughout the 2020s, the decade of battery metals.
On behalf of the Company,
John Wisbey
Chairman and CEO
www.ilccm.com
| For further information concerning this news release, please contact info@ilccm.com or ILC@yellowjerseypr.com, or telephone +1 236 358 9100 |
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Except for statements of historical fact, this news release or other releases contain certain ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this or other news releases may include: the timing of completion of any offering and the amount to be raised, the effect on results of anticipated production rates, the timing and/or anticipated results of drilling on the Raleigh Lake or Firesteel or Wolf Ridge projects, expected commodity prices, the expectation of resource estimates, preliminary economic assessments, feasibility studies, lithium or rubidium or cesium or copper recoveries, modeling of capital and operating costs, results of studies utilizing various technologies at the company’s projects, the Company’s budgeted expenditures, government permits or approval for licences and licence renewals, future plans for expansion in Southern Africa and planned exploration work on its projects, increased value of shareholder investments in the Company, the potential from the Company’s third party earn-out or royalty arrangements, the future demand for lithium, rubidium, cesium and copper, and assumptions about ethical behaviour by our joint venture partners or shareholders in our projects or third party operators of projects or royalty partners. Such forward-looking information is based on assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled ‘Risks’ and ‘Forward-Looking Statements’ in the interim and annual Management’s Discussion and Analysis which are available at www.sedarplus.ca. While management believes that the assumptions made are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. Forward-looking information herein, and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on expectations, estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are subject to significant business, economic, legislative, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/286187
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In 2025, supply disruptions highlighted a growing concern as copper mines in the top copper-producing countries were aging without new mines to replace them.
Additionally, copper demand from electrification is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
The competing forces of the global macroeconomic situation and a tightening supply and demand situation caused major swings in the copper price last year, and the red metal set a new all-time high in January 2026 as it moved above the US$6 per pound mark on the COMEX for the first time.
Despite a tight supply situation, demand from the energy transition has largely been muted as China, traditionally the largest consumer of copper for its infrastructure, works to stimulate its flagging economy.
The forecast for copper over the next few years is that supply deficits will continue to widen, which in turn should provide more tailwinds for the price of copper and greater upside to company balance sheets.
For investors interested in copper, it’s worth looking at copper production by country. According to the latest US Geological Survey data, global copper production reached 23 million metric tons (MT) in 2025.
Chile again took the crown to become the top copper producing country last year, but some of the others on the list may surprise you. Read on to find out the top 10 copper countries and what mines are driving each country’s copper output.
1. Chile
Copper production: 5.3 million metric tons
In 2025, Chile produced 5.3 million metric tons of copper, making it the world’s largest copper producing country with about 23 percent of the total global copper output. Its copper production dropped 210,000 MT in 2025 compared to its 2024 output. Chile also takes first place for copper reserves with 180 million MT.
Naturally, many of the world’s leading copper miners have substantial operations in Chile, including the state-owned Codelco, Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF), Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF) and Antofagasta (LSE:ANTO,OTC Pink:ANFGF).
Chile is also home to BHP’s (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) Escondida, the largest copper mine in the world with an annual output in the 2 million metric ton range. BHP owns a 57.5 percent stake in the operation, with Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) owning 30 percent and Jeco holding the remaining stake.
According to BHP’s 2025 annual report, the company’s portion of Escondida production came in at 1.13 million MT of copper in 2025.
Despite production disruptions at Codelco’s El Teniente, Chile’s copper production is expected to grow to 5.61 million MT in 2026, according to Chile’s copper industry watchdog Cochilco.
2. Democratic Republic of Congo
Copper production: 3.2 million metric tons
In 2025, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) produced 3.2 million metric tons of copper, accounting for nearly 14 percent of global copper output.
The DRC has rapidly increased its copper production in recent years, and its 2025 output marked a continuation of the trend, rising from 2.99 million MT the previous year.
One of the country’s largest copper operations is the Kamoa-Kakula copper complex, a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines (TSX:IVN,OTCQX:IVPAF) and Zijin Mining Group (HKEX:2899,SHA:601899,OTCPL:ZIJMF). The operation’s Phase 3 expansion commenced commercial production in August 2024.
In 2025, Kamoa-Kakula produced 388,838 MT of copper, a significant decrease from the 437,061 MT produced in 2024. While its copper output was supported by Phase 3, it was impacted by a temporary shutdown of sections of the mine in May 2025 after seismic activity and flooding occurred at the complex. On January 2, 2026, the company announced that it was proceeding to stage 3 dewatering as it works to ramp up production at the affected areas of the mine.
3. Peru
Copper production: 2.7 million metric tons
In 2025, Peru produced 2.7 million metric tons of copper, accounting for just below 12 percent of the world’s copper output. Its total is down a slight 40,000 MT from its copper output in 2024.
Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) operates Cerro Verde, the largest copper mine in Peru. In its Q4 2025 report, the company reported that the mine produced 863 million pounds of copper, equivalent to 391,450 MT. This was down from 949 million pounds in 2024.
Other significant copper operations in Peru include Anglo American’s (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY) Quellaveco mine and Southern Copper’s (NYSE:SCCO) Tia Maria mine. The majority of copper produced in Peru is shipped to China and Japan, and South Korea and Germany are other top export destinations.
4. China
Copper production: 1.8 million metric tons
In 2025, China mined 1.8 million metric tons of copper, marginally lower than the 1.84 million metric tons produced in 2024. The country’s production hit a peak of 1.94 million MT in 2022.
While the country is fourth place for mine production, when it comes to refined copper production, China is by far the winner. In 2025, China’s refined copper production totaled 14 million metric tons, representing more than 48 percent of global refined copper production and six times the production of the DRC, the second highest refined copper producer.
Zijin Mining Group, a leading metal producer in China, owns a majority stake in the Qulong copper-molybdenum-silver-gold mine in Tibet, the largest copper mine in China.
Zijin reported the Qulong mine produced over 190,000 MT of copper in 2025. Phase 2 started production in January 2026, and is expected to raise its copper output to 300,000 MT in 2026.
5. Russia
Copper production: 1.3 million metric tons
Russia produced 1.3 metric tons of copper in 2025, a sizable increase from the 1.02 million MT produced the previous year.
One of the key contributions to the rise in Russian copper output is the ramp up of Phase 1 production at Udokan Copper’s Udokan mine in Siberia, which entered production in 2023. Phase 1 is expected to produce up to 135,000 MT of copper per year once fully online. This is expected to grow to 450,000 MT if Phase 2 enters production.
Although the copper hydrometallurgical plant at Udokan was delayed by fires in late 2023, copper mining was reported to be unaffected. Udokan pivoted to exporting its copper concentrate instead of refining it domestically, and in a September 2025 release, the company reported it had cumulatively exported 160,000 MT of copper equivalent since the start of production.
6. United States
Copper production: 1 million metric tons
The United States produced 1 million metric tons of copper in 2025. This was down slightly from 1.04 million MT of copper the prior year, and continued a downward trend from the 1.23 million MT the country produced in 2022.
The majority of US copper comes from Arizona, which accounts for 70 percent of domestic supply. Other states with significant copper output include Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and New Mexico. Overall, 17 mines are responsible for 99 percent of copper production in the United States.
Freeport McMoRan’s Morenci mine in Arizona, a joint venture with Sumitomo (OTC Pink:SSUMF,TSE:8053), is the largest copper mine in the US. According to Freeport’s Q4 2025 report, its combined US operations produced 1.3 billion pounds of copper over the course of the year, equivalent to 591,484 MT.
Other significant operations include Freeport’s Safford and Sierrita mines, at which copper production totaled 249 million MT and 165 million MT respectively.
7. Zambia
Copper production: 940,000 metric tons
In 2025, Zambia produced 940,000 metric tons of copper, up significantly from 823,000 MT in 2024. Production fell to 712,000 MT in 2023 after reaching 840,000 MT in 2021; however, over the last two years, production has rebounded.
There are four major mines that dominate the country’s copper production, including Barrick’s (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) Lumwana and First Quantum Minerals’ (TSX:FM,OTCPL:FQVLF) Kansanshi.
According to First Quantum’s fourth quarter report, Kansanshi produced 181,183 MT of copper during 2025, up from 170,929 MT the prior year.
Mopani Copper Mines is another major copper producer in the country. While the company was previously owned by a joint venture between Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTCPL:GLCNF) and First Quantum, the Zambian government, which previously held a 10 percent stake, acquired full ownership in 2021.
8. Australia
Copper production: 730,000 metric tons
In 2025, Australia produced 730,000 metric tons of copper, a slight decrease from the 765,000 MT produced in 2024.
The country’s largest copper operation is BHP’s Olympic Dam mine in South Australia. According to BHP’s annual report, its Australian operations produced 101,900 MT of copper in 2025, down from 106,300 MT in 2024.
The state of Queensland is home to the Mount Isa complex, run by a subsidiary of Glencore. While it was one of Australia’s largest copper producers, the operation was shuttered in July 2025 after a 70 year mine life.
Although it may have modest output compared to those at the top of the list, Australia holds the second highest copper reserves in the world at 100 million metric tons.
9. Indonesia
Copper production: 710,00 metric tons
In 2025, Indonesia produced 710,000 metric tons of copper. While the country’s output had been rising steadily in recent years, it plummeted last year from 1.01 million MT in 2024 due to an accident at the Grasberg copper-gold complex, the country’s largest copper mine.
Grasberg is a 51/48 joint venture between the Indonesian state-owned PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium and Freeport-McMoRan.
On September 8, 2025, a sudden ingress of wet materials at the mine’s primary Grasberg Block Cave killed seven workers. While Freeport was able to restart operations at unaffected portions of Grasberg during Q4 2025, the mine is unlikely to see full production return until sometime in 2027, with the companies projecting a 600,000 MT loss of contained copper by the end of 2026.
Another of the country’s largest operations is PT Amman Mineral’s (OTCPK:AMMNF,IDX:AMMN) Batu Hijau copper-gold mine. During the first nine months of 2025, the mine produced 145 million pounds of copper in concentrate, equivalent to about 65,770 MT. This marked a 51 percent decline from the same period in 2024 as Amman’s activities transitioned to Phase 8 of the operation. The company set full year 2025 copper guidance at 103,400 MT, and projected a significant increase to 220,000 MT in 2026.
10. Kazakhstan
Copper production: 710,000 metric tons
In 2025, Kazakhstan produced 710,000 metric tons of copper, slightly lower than the 724,000 MT produced in 2024. Still, Kazakhstan’s copper output has climbed substantially in recent years; it produced just 510,000 MT in 2021.
The nation plans to continue that trend, releasing a National Development Plan in February 2024 that aims to increase mineral production by 40 percent by 2029. The plan will involve increased exploration, project co-financing and tax incentives for investment.
Among the country’s largest mining companies is private firm KAZ Minerals, which owns the Aktogay mine. According to the company’s Q3 2025 production report, the mine produced 171,600 MT of copper during the first nine months of the year, in line with the 172,200 MT produced in 2024.
10. Mexico
Copper production: 690,000 metric tons
Rounding out our list of top copper producers, Mexico produced 690,000 metric tons of copper in 2025, a decrease from 2024’s 717,000 MT.
The country’s Sonora state holds Mexico’s two largest copper mines, Buenavista mine and La Caridad. Both mines are owned by Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico (OTC Pink:GMBXF,BMV:GMEXICOB).
According to the company’s Q4 2025 report, Buenavista produced 332,710 MT during the year, down from 348,960 MT in 2024.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Iran is waging a mass drone campaign across the Middle East, unleashing waves of low-cost, one-way attack drones also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), against Western-linked targets to impose ‘exponential cost on the U.S.,’ a defense expert has warned.
As Tehran reportedly launched thousands of Shahed drones across the region and Iranian state media shared footage of underground stockpiles, Cameron Chell, CEO of drone maker and tech company Draganfly, said Iran’s strategy is designed to force high-end defenses to counter cheap aerial threats.
‘Even a hundred of these drones in the hands of a decentralized unit can cause terror in a neighboring state like never before imagined,’ Chell told Fox News Digital. ‘The Iranians cannot win the war with these drones, but like the [communist] Viet Cong [during the Vietnam War], they have an asymmetric capability that can prolong this war and create political pressure.’
‘Iran can drive terror in unimaginable ways and drive exponential costs on the U.S. side, having to target these small, very hard-to-detect drone units,’ he added.
Chell’s warning comes as tensions spiraled following Saturday’s joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran targeting nuclear sites, missile facilities and leadership that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several commanders.
The Iranian drones have proved deadly, having killed six U.S. service members in an attack on a tactical center in Kuwait earlier this week.
A CIA station in the U.S. Embassy in the Saudi capital of Riyadh was struck in an Iranian drone attack Tuesday, causing a limited fire but no reported injuries.
In Bahrain, drones reportedly identified as Iranian Shahed models smashed into the upper floors of the Era View Tower in Manama, about one mile from a U.S. Navy base.
An Iranian drone also struck a parking lot outside the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, while the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted Iranian missiles and drone attacks targeting the country.
‘Based on the engine sound, the apparent attack angle and the implied speed, to the best of my knowledge, this was a Shahed-class one-way attack drone,’ Chell said of the Dubai consulate attack video before suggesting the drone footage showed ‘a Shahed 191.’
Fars News Agency also released footage purporting to show scores of attack drones stockpiled in vast underground tunnels in Iran.
The video appeared to show rows of triangular-shaped drones on rocket launchers, missiles lined up, four to a launcher vehicle and walls adorned with Iranian flags and photographs of Khamenei. Outlets noted that the video’s timing and location remain unverified.
‘It is hard to confirm that Iran has the capability now to produce these drones in these volumes during wartime,’ Chell said of the stockpiling footage.
‘To the extent they were producing these in those numbers, a more-than-significant portion would have been for delivery to Russia — which does not seem impossible. That said, the drones in the underground propaganda video are Shahed 191 drones.’
A new report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace also underscored Chell’s comments on expense and range.
‘Right now, Iran is using a mixture of ballistic missiles and attack drones,’ said senior fellow Dara Massicot. ‘The methods are effective, but targeting drones in this way is resource-intensive and expensive, and it will drain certain types of interceptors quickly.’
‘Ground-based air defense interceptor missiles are not infinite, and the United States and its partners and allies have had stockpile challenges in this area for years,’ she added.
Another senior fellow, Steve Feldstein, added, ‘An important point is that the world is entering a new age of drone war as unmanned aircraft are proliferating on the battlefield in major conflicts and smaller ones.’
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President Donald Trump on Tuesday insisted Israel did not pressure him to conduct joint military strikes on Iran, claiming that he believed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ‘was going to attack first.’
Days after the regime leaders were killed and war erupted in Iran, Trump addressed the decision to conduct a joint U.S.-Israel attack on the country, explaining he ‘might have forced Israel’s hand.’
‘I might have forced their hand,’ Trump said from the White House Oval Office on Tuesday. ‘You see, we were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. … If we didn’t do it, they were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that. … So, if anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand.’
Although sources previously told Fox News the timeline of the attack was moved up to seize an opportunity to strike regime leaders in downtown Tehran, Trump said both the U.S. and Israel were ready.
‘We’ve had a very, very powerful impact because virtually everything they have has been knocked out,’ the president said. ‘Now, their missile count is going way down. Amazingly, they’re hitting countries that were, let’s call them neutral … I think they were surprised. I was surprised, I think. Now those countries are all fighting against them and fighting strongly against them.’
Trump’s comments came after Democrats criticized his decision to launch strikes with Israel in Iran without congressional approval.
Administration officials said they provided congressional notification to the ‘Gang of Eight,’ a bipartisan group of top congressional intelligence leaders, ahead of the strikes, but Congress did not hold a vote to approve them.
The Trump administration has argued the U.S. was facing an ‘imminent threat,’ prompting military action.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. was not going to ‘sit there and absorb a blow’ from Iran, while War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation was not a ‘so-called regime change war’ or an open-ended conflict like that in Iraq.
Trump said he believes regardless of whether the U.S. took part in the strikes on Iran, Democrats would have been unhappy with his decision.
‘If I didn’t do this, guys like [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer who — losers, the Democrats [are] losers — … would say, ‘well, you should have done this.’ In other words, if I did it, it’s no good. If I didn’t do it, they would have said the opposite, ‘that you should have done this.’’
He added he has ‘never had more compliments’ on presidential action he has taken, noting ‘people felt that something had to be done.’
‘We [might] have a little high oil prices for a little while, but as soon as this ends, those prices are going to drop, I believe lower than even before,’ Trump said.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
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– James Talarico, a Democratic state lawmaker from Texas with a surging national profile, defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a nationally known politician, progressive firebrand, and vocal critic and foil of President Donald Trump, to win the Democratic Senate primary in Texas, according to the Associated Press.
Talarico, 36, will now try to become the first Democrat in nearly four decades to win a Senate election in Texas, as he faces off against the winner of a bruising Republican primary runoff between longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
This year’s Senate showdown in Texas is one of a handful across the country that could determine if Republicans hold their majority in the chamber in the midterm elections. The GOP currently controls the chamber 53-47.
In the final weeks leading up to Tuesday’s Democratic primary, race became a key factor in the showdown between Talarico, a former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian who is considered a rising star among Democrats, and Crockett, a civil rights attorney first elected to Congress in 2022.
Talarico, who is White, was accused a month ago by an influencer of calling former Rep. Colin Allred, a former rival for the 2026 Senate nomination, a ‘mediocre Black man.’
Allred, the 2024 Democratic Senate nominee, was making a second straight run after losing two years ago to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz by eight points.
He ended his Senate campaign late last year, just before Crockett announced her candidacy. Allred, a former college football star who played professionally in the NFL and later became a civil rights attorney, is now running for his old House seat.
Morgan Thompson, the influencer who goes by the username @morga_tt on TikTok, in a social media post claimed Talarico told her in a private conversation that he had ‘signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable, intelligent, Black woman.’
Pushing back against Thompson’s characterization of their conversation, Talarico said in a statement, ‘In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre — but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race.’
Allred, responding in a social media video on Monday, said: ‘James, if you want to compliment Black women, just do it. Just do it. Don’t do it while also tearing down a Black man.’
The 44-year-old Crockett, who is Black, said in a statement that Allred ‘drew a line in the sand.’
‘He made it clear that he did not take allegations of an attack on him as simply another day in the neighborhood, but more importantly, his post wasn’t about himself,’ Crockett, who was endorsed by Allred, said. ‘It was a moment that he decided to stand for all people who have been targeted and talked about in a demeaning way as our country continues to be divided.’
A couple of weeks later, Crockett claimed that a Talarico-aligned super PAC had darkened her skin tone in an ad and said it was ‘straight up racist.’
She also argued late last month that talk that she wasn’t electable statewide was a ‘dog whistle’ that was ‘tearing down a Black woman,’ and that she was the ‘most qualified’ candidate.
Talarico, who was first elected to the Texas House in 2018 by flipping a red district in northeast Austin and surrounding suburbs, highlighted his ability to win over Republican voters. And he questioned whether Crockett could run a competitive general election campaign.
While dramatically outraising and outspending Crockett the past two months, Talarico cast himself as the underdog in the primary battle against the better-known congresswoman.
Talarico, who speaks openly about his faith and how it shapes his progressive policy agenda, last year started garnering national attention through a slew of social media appearances that went viral. Also boosting his profile were his TikTok videos, which have grabbed millions of views, and his appearance last July on Joe Rogan’s top-rated podcast.
Rogan suggested during the interview that Talarico should run for president.
A month later, Talarico was a regular on the cable news networks, conducting dozens of national media interviews, as he and dozens of his fellow Democrats in the Texas House fled the state for weeks, to delay the eventual Trump-led redistricting push in Texas to create up to five more right-leaning congressional seats
Talarico launched his Senate campaign a month later, in September.
Last month, Talarcio grabbed even more national attention when his appearance on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ was bumped off broadcast TV and instead appeared on YouTube. Colbert accused his network, CBS, of blocking the interview by citing guidelines from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The controversy appeared to boost Talarico, with his campaign saying they hauled in $2.5 million in fundraising in the 24 hours ‘following his censored’ interview.
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Senior Iranian clerics would have been left ‘exposed’ after an Israeli airstrike hit a meeting place where they were supposed to be convening Tuesday — days after a strike leveled the Tehran compound of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a defense analyst has claimed.
The clerics, members of the Assembly of Experts, had reportedly planned to meet at the location in Qom to deliberate succession plans for Khamenei, who was killed in the strikes, according to The Times of Israel.
‘This second strike would be another embarrassment to what has been left of the regime,’ Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital.
‘It indicates intelligence dominance and superiority because any movement is detected, meaning they would feel exposed,’ Michael added.
‘As of now, the leadership would feel insecure and hunted, with all of their plans collapsing one after another.’
‘They would feel totally isolated and understand that the biggest risk might come from home — from a potential uprising next,’ he added.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed that the Israeli Air Force struck the building where senior clerics had planned to assemble, The Times of Israel reported.
It remains unclear how many of the 88 members were present at the time of the strike, according to an Israeli defense source cited by the outlet. The second strike on Iran’s leadership comes amid a broader military campaign.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, U.S. forces have struck more than 1,700 targets across Iran in the first 72 hours of Operation Epic Fury, according to a U.S. Central Command fact sheet.
The campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s security apparatus and neutralizing what officials describe as imminent threats.
According to U.S. Central Command, targets have included command-and-control centers, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Joint Headquarters, the IRGC Aerospace Forces headquarters, integrated air defense systems and ballistic missile sites.
‘We need strategic patience and determination, and in several weeks most of the job will be accomplished,’ Michael added. ‘Even if the regime does not collapse, Iran will not be like we used to know.
‘I assume that the U.S. and Israel will establish a very robust monitoring mechanism that will enable them to react whenever the regime tries to reconstitute its military capacities again.’
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem heads into a second straight day of high-stakes Capitol Hill combat Wednesday, this time facing House Democrats eager to press her on ICE arrests, warrantless operations and the Trump administration’s mass deportation push — all as a partial shutdown clouds her agency.
After sparring with Senate Democrats over DACA arrests and Election Day enforcement, Noem now enters a House Judiciary hearing stacked with vocal critics, from Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md. to Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas., setting up another marathon session over immigration enforcement and executive power.
Noem caught heat from both sides during a Senate hearing Tuesday, when most Republicans praised her work correcting what they view as former President Joe Biden’s failed border policies. But Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and the entirety of the Democratic side of the dais emphatically confronted her during their questioning time.
In Wednesday’s hearing, Noem is expected to go up against House Judiciary Committee ranking member Raskin early, as the Maryland Democrat has previously pressed for more oversight of Noem and DHS, including rescission of policies allowing warrantless operations.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who is likely the committee’s top progressive, has previously called for stricter oversight of DHS and has criticized Noem’s management of ICE as it carries out immigration enforcement operations in cities including Minneapolis and New Orleans.
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., will also have a turn to question Noem. Her district in Delaware County was once a reliable Republican stronghold that elected a former Pennsylvania House speaker and leaned toward Trump in 2016. But it has since shifted and sided consistently with Democrats in recent elections.
Scanlon’s district has also featured numerous anti-ICE protests in visible areas such as the major intersection of Baltimore Pike and PA-320 last year, where throngs amassed to wave signs in the county’s commercial hub.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who is fighting a tough Senate primary Tuesday night, will question Noem near the end of Wednesday’s session.
Noem will also take questions from Rep. Henry ‘Hank’ Johnson, D-Ga., and Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., both of whom clashed with Attorney General Pam Bondi just days ago.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Rep. Jesus Garcia, D-Ill., have both been critical of ICE’s activities, as Garcia previously slammed Noem for her agency’s conduct during enforcement operations in his heavily Hispanic district in Chicago.
Noem is expected to have a less confrontational time answering questions from Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and his caucus, which includes border-state Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Kevin Kiley, Tom McClintock and Darrell Issa, R-Calif.
The wild card in committee hearings is typically Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has been criticized by the ‘MAGA’ right for being insufficiently supportive of some of the administration’s policies.
Other members of note on the 44-member panel include Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., and Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis.
On Tuesday, Noem clashed with ranking member Richard Durbin, D-Ill., over arrests of DACA recipients and questioned why Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., were concerned about ICE being dispatched near polling places on Election Day.
Noem appeared to ask both men whether their concern had anything to do with the idea of illegal immigrants voting in federal elections, which is illegal.
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