Glencore’s Penchant for Murky Business Could Unravel in DR-Congo

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  Glencore’s Congo Mining Conundrum Miner and commodities trader Glencore is embroiled in a legal tangle over its copper and cobalt operations in Democratic Republic of Congo, where conflict and changes to regulations have deterred many mining firms. US sanctions on Glencore‘s former Israeli partner in Congo have been a trigger for litigation. At the same time, relations with the Congolese authorities are under strain from a dispute…

How China Became the World’s No. 1 Economy in Four Decades

China-U.S. Economic CompetitionLeave a comment

  How China Became the World’s No. 1 Economy in Four Decades  by Peter Wong   Its impressive achievements are thanks to perseverance and the far-reaching economic and societal changes that have been introduced since 1978. Within our lifetimes, China has transformed from an agrarian economy to a world-beating digital and consumption-led powerhouse, driven by smartphone-wallet…

Congo Must Rewrite Mining Code to Protect Exemptions–Miners

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Congo Must Rewrite Mining Code to Protect Exemptions–Miners International mining companies have insisted that Democratic Republic of Congo amend portions of a new mining code to respect exemptions they were granted by its predecessor. The companies announced last week that they had submitted a formal proposal to the government but the document itself, seen exclusively by Reuters on Thursday, takes a…

Flashpoints to Watch As Global Trade Tensions Mount

Global Economic Competition, International TradeLeave a comment

Flashpoints to Watch As Global Trade Tensions Mount President Donald Trump’s decision to levy aggressive tariffs on steel and aluminum imports has placed his America First economic ideals squarely at the forefront of the political agenda. Last year’s decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact hinted at the maverick president’s resolve to follow…

Listen Up, Miners: Africa Wants Bigger Slice of Commodities Boom, Now!

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Listen Up, Miners: Africa Wants Bigger Slice of Commodities Boom, Now! One by one, the biggest names in African mining are getting squeezed. The tactics might be blunt, but the message is clear: the countries where they operate want a bigger share of the proceeds. The collapse in commodities through 2015 hobbled some of Africa’s biggest resource economies,…

Cobalt, Critical to EVs and Renewable Energy Tech, Now ‘Strategic Mineral’ in DRC

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Cobalt, Critical to EVs and Renewable Energy Tech, Now ‘Strategic Mineral’ in DRC Democratic Republic of Congo will declare cobalt and coltan, used in electric vehicle and renewable energy technology, as “strategic” minerals which will earn the country higher royalties, an adviser to the Prime Minister said on Wednesday. A new mining code was signed into law on Friday…