[SMM Magnesium Express]Yesterday, Jiangxi Zhongke Yamei New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., after 17 years of technological research, achieved a full closed-loop process from magnesium alloy smelting, extrusion, and die casting to waste recycling, overcoming the safe recycling technology for magnesium alloy cutting waste, further reducing comprehensive production costs by 10%. The company, established in Fuzhou High-Tech Zone, leverages the local new energy vehicle industry ecosystem. Its customized automotive magnesium alloy components for BYD have entered the prototype verification stage, aiming to increase magnesium usage per vehicle from the current approximately 10 kilograms to 50 kilograms by 2028. Upon full production capacity, the company can annually produce 100,000 tons of magnesium alloy ingots and 20,000 tons of high-performance lightweight components, with an annual output value expected to exceed 3 billion yuan. With the maturation of the full-process technology and capacity release, the large-scale application of magnesium alloy in the new energy vehicle sector is expected to accelerate.

Titan Mining has reported district-wide germanium enrichment across its Empire State Mines (ESM) zinc operation in New York, highlighting a potentially significant by-product opportunity within the Balmat-Edwards zinc system. Reconnaissance sampling from multiple underground ore bodies and historic tailings facilities confirmed elevated germanium values throughout the district, with assays reaching 85.6 ppm Ge at the Mud Pond Main zone and 49.7 ppm Ge at the New Fold zone. Historic tailings samples returned grades ranging from 18.1 ppm to 44.7 ppm Ge. The company is currently working with Teck Resources’ Trail Operations to evaluate germanium recovery from existing processing streams. Preliminary testing indicates that germanium grades increase from approximately 21 g/t in plant feed to around 77 g/t in certain pre-flotation streams, suggesting natural concentration within the milling circuit. Titan estimates a potential annual germanium production of approximately 13,000 kg. Based on a germanium price assumption of US$6,000/kg, the project could generate roughly US$78 million in annual by-product revenue, significantly enhancing the economics of the Empire State zinc operation.

Germanium Mining has completed a Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) ground survey and commenced an airborne magnetic survey at its wholly owned Lac du Km 35 property in Québec, Canada. The company is targeting germanium-silver-zinc mineralization within the project area and expects final airborne survey results by mid-July 2026. The survey covers an area surrounding the Laganière showing and several historic geophysical anomalies, with the objective of identifying new conductive zones that may host critical metal mineralization. Sampling at the Laganière showing has returned approximately 186 ppm germanium, representing one of the highest-grade germanium occurrences reported in Québec. Germanium Mining plans to conduct additional mapping and sampling before launching an initial diamond drilling program in early 2027, consisting of approximately six to ten drill holes totaling around 2,500 metres.

Caterpillar has acquired mining technology company Skycatch to expand its digital mining capabilities with AI-powered spatial data and near real-time digital twin technology. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Skycatch's platform enables mine operators to process high-resolution spatial data using artificial intelligence, improving mine planning, operational efficiency and support for both staffed and autonomous mining fleets. The acquisition follows Caterpillar's recent purchase of RPMGlobal and further strengthens its digital mining portfolio.

Chile has introduced changes to the remuneration framework for solar projects under the PMGD scheme, which supports distributed generation projects of up to 9MW with access to stabilized tariffs. According to DNV, amendments to Supreme Decree 88 formally introduce the MEP Balance mechanism, meaning project revenues will no longer be based only on stabilized prices or marginal costs, but on a reference energy price adjusted by the MEP Balance. The mechanism incorporates storage charging and discharging, energy injections and withdrawals, marginal costs and later reimbursement obligations, creating new cash flow and operational risks for project owners.

It could be time to invest for gains in the beaten-up gold (GC=F) market. "This makes for, we think, a reasonable entry point," Barclays strategist Ajay Rajadhyaksha said in a note on Thursday. The buy-the-dip trade reflects a few factors that investors may be forgetting, Rajadhyaksha argued.