Focus Mines’ Post

African gold, worth billions, is being siphoned off through illicit channels, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation and undermining regional economies. The SwissAid report exposes the alarming scale of smuggled gold, destined for UAE and eventually Europe, highlighting the need for stringent regulations and transparency in the industry. It's crucial for destination countries to strengthen their gold sourcing standards, ensuring that the metal's origin is traceable and conflict-free. Africa's rich resources must benefit its people, not fuel illicit networks. #AfricaGold #IllicitMining #GoldSmuggling #StopTheExploitation https://lnkd.in/e392M5Qk

📺WATCH #FirstLook: In the context of commodities that have emerged to catch the eye of investors in 2024, look no further than the rise of antimony. Amid simmering geopolitical tensions, antimony prices were already on the move in the first half of this year – and that was before an unexpected announcement in August by China’s Ministry of Commerce, which declared export controls on antimony and antimony-related materials. In response, investor demand for ASX explorers with antimony assets sparked an industry re-rate of the sector, with some companies consolidating gains of more than 200% since the news was first announced.   And there is no better example of that than Cuba-focused explorer and budding producer Antilles Gold (ASX:AAU), where the rise of antimony as a valuable commodity has attracted plenty of eyeballs to the Company’s advanced La Demajagua gold-silver-antimony mine situated in Cuba. https://lnkd.in/gADZihGA #AntillesGold #AAU #antimony #gold #exploration #mining #ASX #ASXnews #Cuba Alex Paull

📺WATCH via Investor Stream: In the context of commodities that have emerged to catch the eye of investors in 2024, look no further than the rise of antimony. Amid simmering geopolitical tensions, antimony prices were already on the move in the first half of this year – and that was before an unexpected announcement in August by China’s Ministry of Commerce, which declared export controls on antimony and antimony-related materials. In response, investor demand for ASX explorers with antimony assets sparked an industry re-rate of the sector, with some companies consolidating gains of more than 200% since the news was first announced.   And there is no better example of that than Cuba-focused explorer and budding producer Antilles Gold (ASX:AAU), where the rise of antimony as a valuable commodity has attracted plenty of eyeballs to the Company’s advanced La Demajagua gold-silver-antimony mine situated in Cuba. https://lnkd.in/gADZihGA #AntillesGold #antimony #gold #exploration #mining #ASX #ASXnews #Cuba Alex Paull

✨🌍 Gold remains one of the rarest elements on Earth, comprising only about 0.001 to 0.006 parts per million of the earth's crust. Despite its scarcity, the quest for gold continues, but the pace of discovering large deposits has slowed significantly. As we explore the changing dynamics of global gold production, one wonders: are we nearing the peak of gold extraction? 📈Consider the shifting sands of gold mining: South Africa, once the world's gold powerhouse with over 1,000 tonnes produced in 1970, has seen a dramatic decline, dropping out of the top 10 producers last year. Meanwhile, new players like Uzbekistan have entered the scene, and Brazil has climbed the ranks. Amid these changes, Ghana remains the only African nation in the top 10, highlighting its enduring role in the gold industry. The relentless pursuit of this precious metal illuminates not just economic power, but also technological advancements in mining across different continents.💰 #Gold #GoldProduction #EconomicImpact #MiningTechnology #GlobalEconomy #GhanaGold #WorldVisualized #VisualData #VisualInsights Source: Forbes.com

With the 2024 Olympics just around the corner, the race for this year's global gold production has already reached its conclusion.🥇 👇According to this excellent #infographic from Visual Capitalist, China secured the top spot in global gold production in 2023. > China's production of 370 tonnes of Au-197 allowed it to surpass both Australia and Russia, who tied at 310 tonnes and thus share a silver medal. 🥈 > Canada and the USA came just outside the medal placings, producing 200 and 170 tonnes respectively, while Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Indonesia also made it to the top eight in our competition. > South Africa holds the ninth position globally with an annual production of approximately 100 metric tons of gold. Despite a decline from its highest levels, this number still represents the country's substantial gold reserves and its longstanding mining heritage. The largest known gold reserve in the world is located in the Witwatersrand Basin, in the centre of South Africa. Speaking of gold expertise, LGC Industrial provides a wide range of industrial and geological reference materials, including a Carlin-Type Gold Ore CRM.

Namibia's diamond sector faces new challenges with a 1.7% drop in earnings as lab-grown diamonds and weak global demand reshape the landscape. Conversely, gold shines with a 33.7% export surge, and uranium prices hit new highs despite falling export volumes. The future of the mining sector is complex, but opportunities remain. Explore how shifting global markets are impacting Namibia’s key commodities. #NamibiaEconomy #DiamondIndustry #LabGrownDiamonds #GlobalTrade #MiningSector #UraniumMarket #GoldPrices #CleanEnergyDemand #CentralBankPurchases #EconomicOutlook #Commodities #NaturalResources #BCS #MineralExports #GlobalEconomy

Burkina Faso’s military junta has suspended the issuance of #export permits for #artisanal and semi-mechanized #gold and other precious commodities with immediate effect. “This suspension follows the need to clean up the sector and reflects the government’s desire to better organize the marketing of gold and other precious substances,” it said in a statement dated Feb. 20. It did not say how long the suspension would be in place. Mining groups who have material to export are invited to reach out to the National Society for Precious Commodities (SONAP) for compensation, it added. Gold is Burkina Faso’s main export, accounting for 37% of total exports in 2020, and mining is a leading source of jobs. https://lnkd.in/dcsUMgpp

There are one million artisanal miners in Burkina Faso, mostly #gold miners. The large majority of the sector is informal, with a variety of issues that range from gender inequality, #mercury usage, vulnerability to corrupt actors and vulnerability to conflict. The country is a major gold producer, with much of the gold smuggled by intermediates out of the country. Lack of #traceability sustains smuggling. A tragedy at a mine site in 2022 killed 59 people. Clear laws that deem #asm legal and that differentiate it from LSM are needed. Formalization, delivering stable predictable business relatiinships that enhance the dignity and productivity of work while catalyzing sustainable development, is a massive opportunity. Simply banning exports doesn’t support development, it only encourages continued smuggling. The country has significant conflict challenges, Islamic insurgents as well as a Wagner Group contingent that arrived in January. Conflict of course gets in the way of formalization, and bad actors can also impose taxes of sorts on artisanal mining as a source of funding. Recognizing the significant challenges in the country, there may be areas where formalization is practical and can deliver significant social impacts, but this is only true if legal frameworks support the facts on the ground, not if coercive approaches like export bans are in place. #sustainabledevelopment #conflict #humanrights #mining https://lnkd.in/gW-V867b

Why have all the leading BRICS nations been buying gold for years? Now it’s more clear than ever. The dollar will be challenged over time. The devaluation of the dollar will accelerate if Biden of replacement is reinstalled this November. If however, President Trump wins and returns to office to lead an America that is still mostly intact, the dollar will rebound and America may become permanently energy independent and our industrial engine rebuilt to restore our ability to operate independently of globalist and Communist led nations.