Argentina Lithium & Energy has secured a US$100 million staged funding package from Xi’an Lanshen New Material Technology to advance the Rincon West brine project in Salta, centred on pilot-scale direct lithium extraction and engineering for a 5,000 t/y battery-grade lithium carbonate plant. The greenfield project currently hosts 238,000 tonnes LCE (measured and indicated) at an average 296 mg/L lithium, with progression to full plant construction contingent on an NI 43‑101 reserve, EIA approval, baseline studies and permits. Lanshen will supply integrated EPC, DLE systems and commissioning in exchange for up to 30% of ALESA, alongside Stellantis’ existing 19.9% stake and offtake rights.

Drilling at BMC Minerals’ Kudz Ze Kayah project in Yukon has intersected thick, high-grade massive sulphides in the Krakatoa zone, with hole K26-560 cutting 25.1 metres at 180 g/t silver, 9.7% zinc, 1 g/t gold, 0.3% copper and 3.4% lead from 327.5 metres, confirming 2016 intercepts such as 20.8 metres at 218 g/t silver and 8.6% zinc. The project now has positive Yukon and federal decision documents, a 2023 feasibility study outlining a US$835 million pre-tax NPV (7%), 42% IRR, nine-year mine life and US$492 million pre-production capex, but faces continued opposition from Kaska Nation groups over caribou and environmental impacts as BMC targets a final investment decision in late 2027.

Morgan Stanley’s “Space 60” framework singles out five North America-linked miners—MP Materials, Almonty Industries, Freeport-McMoRan, Alcoa and Teck Resources—as core to the emerging space hardware supply chain ahead of a potential US$2 trillion SpaceX IPO. Freeport and Teck supply copper for high-performance rocket engine thermal systems, while Teck also produces gallium for radar, MP Materials is the only US rare earths producer for satellite and launch magnets, and Almonty provides non-Chinese tungsten for radiation shielding. Alcoa’s aluminium underpins primary rocket, satellite and spacecraft structures.