Top stories of 2025 on MINING.COM

[Ben Graham]

Critical minerals and gold were the two big themes shaping the mining industry in 2025. As US President Donald Trump returned for his second stint in office and pushed through aggressive trade policies, the significance of metals and minerals came to surface.

On critical minerals, the focus was squarely on who controls their supply and how countries can reduce dependence on a handful of producers. In light of export controls imposed by China, Western governments pushed for new partnerships, while companies raced to develop projects. The coverage showed that critical minerals are no longer just a mining story — they’re now tied directly to national security, industrial policy and global trade.

Gold, meanwhile, reminded investors why it still matters. Record prices lifted miners’ valuations and drove interest in producers, even as broader markets remained uncertain. Alongside gold, copper and other key metals such as silver and platinum also grabbed headlines with record prices and tight supply, reinforcing the sense that 2025 was a year when commodities mattered more than ever.

With that in mind, we list out the most popular stories featured on MINING.COM in what was one of the most eventful years in the industry.

1. Chinese court sentences 27 people for smuggling antimony ingots

Stock image.

While it’s no surprise that our most read story relates to critical minerals, it comes with an “element” of shock that it’s not about rare earths but a key mineral for which China had already exerted controls on last year. A criminal case involving 27 individuals looking to circumvent Beijing’s export controls unraveled earlier this month, with a Chinese court handing out punishments for the culprits.

2. Ukraine rejects US bid for 50% of rare earth minerals, FT says

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Credit: Office of the President of Ukraine

Staying with the critical minerals theme, this mid-February Bloomberg report, which cited the Financial Times, provides additional details on what had transpired in the lead up to the US-Ukraine agreement. The deal, which was signed in May, is viewed as a key step in the Trump administration’s strategy to bolster America’s future supply chain security, and it could result in billions of dollars in investment directed towards developing one of the most underexplored nations in Eastern Europe.

3. Barrick hit again as Mali helicopters take off with $117M in gold

Stock image by spacekris.

The long-running dispute between gold mining major Barrick and the state of Mali saw many twists and turns throughout the year. In July, Mali’s junta-led government flew into the Loulo-Gounkoto complex and took more gold from the mine, which at the time had been suspended and placed under provisional state administration. The gold were eventually returned to Barrick after a deal was struck in November.

4. US floats idea of launching critical minerals tariff probe

US President Donald Trump. (Stock Image)

During the week of US President Donald Trump’s announcement of Liberation Day tariffs, Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration also floated the idea of launching a tariff investigation into critical mineral imports. At the time, it was clear when or how the tariff probe would take place. Prior to that, the US government had already looked at potential copper tariffs, which it eventually pushed through with later in the year, albeit on a smaller-than-expected scale.

5. US government pours cold water on Critical Metals deal

Narsaq, southern Greenland. (Image courtesy of Algkalv | Wikimedia Commons.)

In early October, the US government shot down rumors that it is looking to secure a strategic position in one of the world’s largest rare earth projects. This comes days after multiple outlets including Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration is considering buying a stake in Nasdaq-listed Critical Metals, which is developing the massive 45-million-tonne Tanbreez deposit in Greenland. However, the government said it has been talking to many critical minerals companies too.

6. Gold price to reach new highs in 2026: Goldman poll

Gold bullion. Credit: Adobe Stock / photobc1.

An article by our sister publication The Northern Miner takes us to this year’s historic gold rally. A survey conducted by Goldman Sachs in mid-November revealed that many of the bank’s clients see gold prices continuing to rise next year. A third of the respondents, according to the poll, predict gold could reach $5,000 an ounce by the end of 2026. As 2025 draws to a close, the momentum in gold remains strong, as prices topped the $4,500-an-ounce mark for the first time last week.

7. Congo offers US, Europe minerals in exchange for peace

More than three-quarters of the world’s cobalt comes from Congo. (Image courtesy of The Impact Facility.)

In February, reports emerged that the Democratic Republic of the Congo had asked Western nations to help bring an end to decades of conflict in its mineral-rich eastern regions by offering access to its vast resources in return. This served as a precursor to another critical minerals deal that the Trump administration secured in the form of the US–Congo strategic partnership, which after months of talks was eventually established in December.

8. De Beers strikes first kimberlite field in 30 years

(Image courtesy of De Beers)

For the first time in three decades, a new kimberlite field has been discovered in Angola by the world’s largest diamond miner De Beers. The find, announced in August, comes amid persistent uncertainty over the company’s future as well as a sluggish market environment. In 2024, its parent Anglo American announced in it would sell the unit. Since then, both Angola and Botswana have entered the foray.

9. US cancels $500 million cobalt tender in critical minerals blow

Cobalt oxide, blue pigment. (Stock Image)

The US government’s strategic move to secure supplies of cobalt, a critical mineral used in electric vehicles and other high-tech applications, came to a pause in mid-October. The Defense Logistics Agency had announced a tender for as much as 7,500 tonnes of the metal worth $500 million, but cancelled it due to “outstanding issues” with the statement of work. Since then, the DLA has reissued the tender.

10. MP Materials halts exports to China

Mountain Pass mine and processing facility, California. The only rare earths mine in the US. (Image courtesy of MP Materials.)

Back in April, Bloomberg reported the only US rare earth producer, MP Materials, has halted its exports to China. The move was a response to export controls on similar materials crucial implemented by Beijing at the height of Sino-US trade tensions. MP Materials currently operates the Mountain Pass mine and associated processing facility in California.