In this issue
Skillings mining Review May 2025 cover asks the question on every investor’s mind: Gold vs. Bitcoin—who wins in 2025? We weigh safe-haven demand, rate paths, and liquidity against crypto’s volatility and adoption—and what those flows mean for miners’ financing, hedging, and M&A. Speaking of deals, our iron ore consolidation package maps how 2025’s bid cycle is redrawing ownership and scale, with a forward look beyond 2025.
Policy friction runs hot: tariff tensions stall diamond sales, Congo deals revive sovereignty debates, and trade realignment fuels talk of a “Beijing economic zone.” On the supply side, rare earth output shortfalls, a cobalt-alternative alloy, and deep-sea mining risk research highlight the materials race.
We spotlight operations turning corners—digital/virtual prototyping in equipment, explosives engineering that’s reshaping productivity, and BHP’s pumped hydro plan at Mt Arthur. Rounding out the issue: fresh moves across gold and base metals from Black Cat to Vedanta, and a check-in on WorldSteel’s sustainability champions. The through-line: capital, policy, and technology are deciding who captures the next leg up.
