Investing News Network
- Niger’s Seized Uranium Remains in Geopolitical Limbo (2026-02-18)
A stockpile of 1,000 metric tons of uranium seized from a French-operated mine in Niger is now sitting at a military airbase in Niamey that was recently attacked by Islamic State militants, raising fresh concerns over security and the material’s uncertain future.
The uranium, which is processed yellowcake used to fuel nuclear reactors, has been offered for sale by Niger’s military government but remains unsold.
Its current storage site, adjacent to the capital’s main international airport, became the target of a surprise assault by ISIS fighters in late January. The militant group later claimed responsibility for the attack, which appeared aimed at drones stationed at the base.
The material was transferred from the SOMAÏR mine near Arlit late last year, despite a September ruling by the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) ordering Niger “not to sell, transfer, or even facilitate the transfer to third parties of uranium produced by SOMAÏR” held in violation of Orano’s rights.
The junta that seized power in 2023 has framed control of the uranium as a matter of sovereignty. Colonel Ousmane Abarchi, Niger’s mining minister, has made clear the country intends to monetize the stockpile.
“We can sell to whoever we want,” Abarchi said as reported by the Financial Times, adding that Niger would only deal with buyers it considered responsible. “We are talking with the Russians. We are talking to the Chinese. We are talking to the Americans,” he added.
The uranium, estimated to be worth about US$240 million, was removed from the SOMAÏR mine, historically operated by French nuclear group Orano. The move followed months of escalating tensions between Niger’s junta and Paris.
The company has warned it is prepared to initiate “any and all actions” necessary, including “against third parties,” if the material is sold.
Russia is widely viewed as the most plausible candidate. Niger has deepened ties with Moscow since expelling French forces, and a small Russian military contingent is present in the country.
However, a person close to Niger’s leadership suggested that overt alignment with Moscow carries risks.
“If there was a clear American opportunity, they would jump at it,” the source said in the same FT report. “The last thing that you want to do is sell to the Russians on the dark market.”
Even if Niger secures a buyer, exporting the uranium presents another challenge. With its border with Benin largely closed since 2023, Niger has been forced to rely on a route through Burkina Faso and Togo.
Niger once supplied up to a quarter of the natural uranium used in European nuclear power plants. Since the coup, the junta has repositioned itself away from France and toward new alliances, framing control of mineral resources as an assertion of independence.
Spot uranium prices briefly surpassed US$100 per pound in late January, as nuclear demand projections continue to underscore a supply deficit. Spot prices have since pulled back slightly to the US$89 per pound range, still a historically high level.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- US Slaps Higher Tariffs on Chinese Graphite Imports After Final Commerce Determination (2026-02-18)
The US Department of Commerce has sharply increased trade penalties on Chinese graphite anode materials, concluding that producers in China engaged in unfair pricing and subsidy practices that harmed the US market.
In a final determination issued February 11, 2026, Commerce raised countervailing duties on Chinese natural graphite anode material to 66.68 percent and maintained anti-dumping duties at 93.5 percent.
Combined with existing tariffs, the total effective rate on imports of Chinese natural graphite anode material now stands at approximately 220 percent as determined by Westwater Resources (NYSE:WWR) in a separate release.
The ruling remains subject to a final affirmative injury determination by the US International Trade Commission, expected in March 2026. If the ITC affirms injury, the duties will remain in place for a minimum of five years under US trade law.
Westwater Resources, a US-based battery-grade natural graphite developer, said the final determination confirms that Chinese producers violated anti-dumping rules.
The company estimates the cumulative tariff burden now includes a 10 percent duty under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 25 percent Section 301 tariffs, 25 percent Section 232 tariffs, 66.68 percent countervailing duties and 93.5 percent anti-dumping duties, totaling roughly 220.18 percent.
The final ruling marks a significant escalation from the preliminary findings issued in 2025.
At that time, Commerce imposed countervailing duties of 11.58 percent and anti-dumping duties of 93.5 percent. The anti-dumping rate remains unchanged, but the countervailing duty component was substantially increased in the final decision.
The investigation also traces back to a petition filed in December 2024 by American Active Anode Material Producers (AAAMP), a coalition representing North American graphite producers.
The group sought tariffs as high as 920 percent, arguing that Chinese state subsidies and artificially low pricing were undermining efforts to build a domestic graphite anode industry.
Active anode materials covered by the investigation include natural and synthetic graphite, as well as graphite contained within finished lithium-ion batteries. Graphite is the largest component in the anode of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, typically consisting of a blend of natural and synthetic materials.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) has previously reported that the US does not mine natural graphite and relies entirely on imports to meet its requirements. In 2024, all domestic graphite demand was met through foreign supply.
Westwater said the expanded trade measures could shift demand toward US-produced natural graphite anode materials, particularly across lithium-ion battery markets such as electric vehicles, energy storage and defense applications.
The company is developing the Kellyton graphite processing plant in Alabama and controls the Coosa Graphite Deposit, described as the largest and most advanced natural flake graphite deposit in the contiguous United States.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- Ormat Signs 150MW Geothermal Deal to Power Google Data Centers in Nevada (2026-02-18)
Ormat Technologies (NYSE:ORA) confirmed it has signed a long-term agreement to supply up to 150 megawatts of geothermal power to support Google’s data center operations in Nevada.
The Reno-based renewable energy company announced Tuesday (February 17) that it entered into a portfolio power purchase agreement (PPA) with NV Energy, the Berkshire Hathaway-owned utility serving Nevada.
The electricity will ultimately support Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Inc.’s Google under NV Energy’s Clean Transition Tariff (CTT) framework.
Under the terms of the deal, Ormat will develop a series of new geothermal projects across Nevada capable of delivering up to 150 MW of capacity. The projects are expected to come online between 2028 and 2030.
The contract term will begin once the first project achieves commercial operation and will extend 15 years beyond the commercial operation date of the final project, creating a long-duration revenue stream.
The structure allows projects to be added to the portfolio as they reach commercial operation, giving Ormat flexibility in staging development while providing Google with a scalable source of clean, around-the-clock electricity.
“AI is fundamentally increasing electricity demand across the technology sector, and geothermal power is uniquely positioned to deliver the reliable, carbon-free power required to support that growth,” said Ormat CEO Doron Blachar. “This portfolio PPA provides long-term profitable revenue growth and clear visibility into our portfolio development plans, while solidifying our conviction in the expanded exploration and drilling activities we have undertaken over the past several years that laid the groundwork for securing this significant agreement and others like it.”
Blachar added that the agreement, combined with the extension of geothermal tax credits under the OBBBA framework, strengthens Ormat’s ability to execute its long-term growth strategy.
“The momentum of the Clean Transition Tariff through this agreement with NV Energy, Google and Ormat demonstrates a proven, scalable model for large customers to partner with utilities and technology providers to bring new clean capacity to the grid,” said Briana Kobor, Google’s Head of Energy Market Innovation.
The Clean Transition Tariff enables large energy users to procure new clean generation while covering the full costs of their electric service, a structure designed to prevent cost shifts to other customers.
Ormat said the framework could be replicated in other US electricity markets.
The announcement was well received by investors. Ormat shares rose as much as 8.1 percent intraday, marking the company’s largest single-day gain since 2023.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- BHP Reports Strong Half-Year Copper Results, Boosts Guidance for 2026 (2026-02-18)
BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) has published its financial results for the half-year ended December 31, 2025.
The mining giant said its copper operations, which span multiple continents, accounted for the largest share of its overall earnings for the first time, coming in at 51 percent of underlying EBITDA.
In 2026, BHP has boosted its copper output guidance to between 1.9 million and 2 million metric tons (MT).
Looking at the company's Australian operations, Copper South Australia delivered a 2 percent production increase for the half-year period, valued at 148,000 metric tons (MT). BHP said it is expecting Copper South Australia to deliver over 500,000 MT of copper per year in the first phase, and up to 650,000 MT in the second phase.
“We expect the first phase growth projects at our mines and concentrators to be at competitive capital intensities of (US$16,000 to US$21,000 per MT copper equivalent," the company noted.
At Olympic Dam, which is also located in South Australia, BHP reported that the Southern Mining Area decline is advancing, with the box cut now complete and lateral development underway.
Once finished, the work is expected to provide up to 2.5 million MT per year of additional vertical capacity, creating flexibility for future mine expansion once completed in 2028.
BHP said in October that it would be investing more than AU$840 million in Olympic Dam in order to keep building out its copper presence in South Australia, with the focus being on the decline as well as other areas.
South Australia's copper exports reached AU$3.1 billion in 2025, up 16 percent from the previous year, with the state being home to 70 percent of the country’s economic copper reserves.
BHP remains the world’s largest copper producer, with its key asset being a 57.5 percent share in the joint venture Escondida mine with companies Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) and Japan's JECO.
Rio owns 30 percent, while JECO holds the remaining 12.5 percent. Located in the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile, Escondida has two pits that feed three concentrator plants, alongside oxide and sulfide leaching operations.
The mine created revenue amounting to US$7,924 million for BHP for the half year. Production-wise, it kept its momentum from the previous period and delivered 646,000 MT of copper.
Together with the Pampa Norte asset in Chile, BHP said it hopes that Escondida will enable production of approximately 1.4 million MT per year of copper through the 2030s.
“We continue to prosecute our strategy of operational excellence, distinctive social value creation and growth in copper and potash,” said BHP CEO Mike Henry in the company's half-year release.
“We have achieved ~30 percent growth in copper production in the last four years, positioning us ahead of the strengthening copper market that we had anticipated.”
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Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- Silverco Mining: Advancing a High-grade Silver Mining Complex in Mexico (2026-02-18)
Silverco Mining (TSXV:SICO) is a production-stage silver company targeting opportunities in Mexico’s Sierra Madre Occidental belt. Its primary technical focus is optimizing the wholly owned Cusi Mining Complex in Chihuahua, an 11,665-hectare district-scale property. The site benefits from established, institutional-quality infrastructure—such as direct access to the national power grid and paved roads—significantly lowering the capital requirements for restarting operations.
The company is undertaking a definitive transition toward mid-tier producer status through a binding agreement to acquire Nuevo Silver. This deal gives Silverco control of the La Negra mine in Querétaro, a currently producing asset that delivers immediate top-line revenue. By pairing the near-term restart of the Cusi 1,200 tpd mill with ongoing production at La Negra, Silverco is effectively bypassing the multi-year development cycle typically faced by junior miners.
This “buy-and-build” strategy is driven by a technical team with specialized expertise in Mexican epithermal vein systems and complex underground mine engineering, positioning the company to accelerate growth while maintaining operational discipline.Company Highlights
- The $62.5 million upsized bought deal financing (closing Q1 2026) and Eric Sprott’s $10 million lead order provide cornerstone validation from a legendary mining investor and the necessary liquidity to fast-track production restarts.
- The updated Mineral Resource Estimate of 41.2 million ounces of silver equivalent (AgEq) in the Measured and Indicated category establishes a high-confidence geological foundation at Cusi, supporting long-term mine planning.
- The dual-track growth strategy involving the Cusi restart and the Nuevo Silver/La Negra acquisition provides immediate production scale and a diversified cash-flow profile across two distinct Mexican mining jurisdictions.
- Pure-play silver exposure with significant de-risking is achieved via the 1,200 tonne-per-day (tpd) Cusi mill, which was producing as recently as 2023, ensuring that surface infrastructure is "warm" and capable of a rapid return to service.
- Imminent exploration catalysts exist following the completion of a 15,000-metre drill program at Cusi; results are currently pending and are expected to define high-grade extensions at the San Miguel vein.
This Silverco Mining profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
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