On Wednesday, ahead of the North American equity market open, Barrick Gold (NYSE: GOLD, TSX: ABX) reported a 69% increase in net earnings to $2.14 billion and a 51% rise in adjusted net earnings to $2.21 billion, significantly beating analyst expectations. The company also noted that its annual operating cash flow in 2024 increased by 20% to $4.49 billion, while free cash flow more than doubled to $1.32 billion.
Source – KITCO News
Ghana has banned all foreigners from trading in its local gold market as part of efforts to boost national revenue and streamline the country’s mining sector.
It follows the enactment of a new law earlier this month that grants exclusive authority of gold mining to a new state body, the Ghana Gold Board
“All foreigners are hereby notified to exit the local gold trading market not later than 30th April, 2025,” said GoldBod spokesperson Prince Kwame Minkah in a statement.
However, foreigners are allowed to apply to buy or off-take gold directly from the GoldBod but can no longer operate within the local gold value chain.
“It sends a strong message to foreign actors – especially Chinese operatives – who have circumvented local laws for years,” Nana Asante Krobea, a mining governance consultant
Source – BBC
Mining in Peru’s northern district of Pataz will be suspended for 30 days, President Dina Boluarte said on Monday, after 13 gold mine workers in the area were kidnapped and killed by illegal miners.
On Sunday, miner Poderosa said the bodies of 13 workers from a local firm, R&R, which held a mining contract with Poderosa, had been recovered by police after they were kidnapped last month.
“The armed forces will take control of the area where Poderosa operates,” Boluarte said, but did not provide details on how the mining pause would work.
Peru is the world’s third-largest copper producer, but the deposits of the red metal are largely in the south. Gold and silver are mined in the north.
Jorge Montoro, said the 30-day pause could be extended.
Source – Reuters
India has dispatched a team of geologists to Zambia to explore copper and cobalt deposits, two Indian government sources said, as New Delhi steps up efforts to secure critical mineral supplies essential to its energy transition.
The Zambian government this year agreed to allocate 9,000 square km (3,475 square miles) to India for the exploration of cobalt – a key component in batteries for electric vehicles and mobile phones – as well as for scouting copper, which is widely used in power generation, electronics, and construction.
The exploration project will last for three years and most of the analysis will be done in laboratories in India, one of the sources said.
Source – Reuters
Gold fell over 1% on Tuesday after hitting a near four-week high, pressured by a firmer dollar as investors grew cautious ahead of a potential call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Spot gold fell 1.1% to $3,340.79 an ounce as of 10:21 a.m. ET (1421 GMT), after hitting its highest since May 8, earlier in the session.
“We are moving into this period that is well known to be the summer doldrums, so there’s an expectation that the gold market could fall into a bit of a lull or a sideways consolidation,” said David Meger, director of metals trading at High Ridge Futures.
“I believe the Fed is ready to begin to cut rates again, but more than likely not until September…that is another factor likely to weigh on the dollar and support gold,” Meger added.
Spot silver fell 1.2% to $34.37 an ounce
Platinum lost 0.4% to $1,059.32, while palladium was up 1.4% at $1,003.10.
Source – Reuters
“Given the current scenario, central banks are likely to continue diversifying their reserves with gold for financial and strategic reasons,” ICICI Securities stated in its report.
Pankaj Pandey, Head of Research at ICICI Securities, noted, “We anticipate fresh investment demand for gold in 2025 as investors seek a store of value amidst trade war anxieties.”
Silver is poised to outperform gold in 2025, supported by strong industrial demand from green energy applications, including photovoltaics and electric vehicle (EV) electrification, said ICICI.
Source – Live Mint
