Welcome back to your weekly mining news recap, where we catch you up on some of the news you may have missed. This week’s headlines include a Canadian pipeline agreement, Barrick and Mali resolve long-running Loulo-Gounkoto dispute, and Eldorado’s gold reserves grow. 

Canada has granted national security clearance for the proposed merger of Anglo American and Teck Resources after the review period lapsed without an extension, sources told The Globe and Mail. Although the deal has cleared the national security review, Ottawa can still reject it if it fails to clear a net economic benefit review, a process with an uncertain timeline that could span months or longer. Teck and Anglo shareholders are set to vote on the deal on Dec. 9. 

Amid stalled U.S. trade talks, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new measures to protect Canada’s steel sector this week, CTV News reported. Plans include cutting foreign steel quotas, a 25 per cent global tariff on targeted steel products, halving domestic freight rates, and introducing a Buy Canadian policy for defence and construction contracts to prioritize domestic steel. 

Ontario and Manitoba have reached draft agreements with the federal government to streamline reviews for major resource and infrastructure projects, which would let provinces lead environmental assessments and Indigenous consultations, The Globe and Mail reported. The agreements will apply to projects covered by the Impact Assessment Act and are not limited to those included on the Major Projects Office’s list. 

Prime Minister Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed a memorandum of understanding for a bitumen pipeline that would flow from Alberta to British Columbia’s coast to supply Asian markets. The agreement declares the project of “national interest.” The application for the private sector funded pipeline to Canada’s new Major Projects Office is expected by July 1, 2026.

Barrick announced on Nov. 24 that it has reached a settlement with Mali that ends all disputes over the Loulo-Gounkoto mine complex. Charges against the company, its affiliates, and employees will be dropped and measures to free four workers detained for more than a year are underway. Mali will end the provisional administration of the complex and return operational control to Barrick. Barrick did not share the terms of the deal, but Bloomberg reported that Barrick would pay US$430 million to the Malian government. On Nov. 26, Barrick also announced that Ben van Beurden, lead independent director of the company, stepped down.

Eldorado Gold updated its mineral reserves, with total gold ounces rising five per cent compared with the same period last year, fuelled by a 25 per cent increase at its Lamaque complex in Quebec. As of the end of September, overall reserves reached 371.7 million tonnes grading 1.05 grams of gold per tonne, totaling approximately 12.5 million ounces of contained gold. 

A worker died at Taseko’s Gibraltar copper mine in B.C. on Nov. 21, CBC News reported. Operations at the site are paused for investigation, and no details have been released about the cause of death. This follows another recent mine-site fatality at Elk Valley Resources’ Elk View operations in B.C., when a contractor was reported missing and later found dead on Nov. 20. The mine has been temporarily shut down as authorities investigate. 

Canada is moving to modernize National Instrument 43‑101, updating nearly 25-year-old rules for mineral project disclosure to align with evolving global standards and current mining practices. Key changes include harmonizing definitions for resources, reserves and mining studies, removing formal education requirements for qualified persons, and focusing on “relevant” rather than just “material” information. The Canadian Securities Administrators are now reviewing comment submissions before finalizing the replacement instrument. 

Under Carney’s government, Canada is highlighting northern infrastructure as a strategic priority to tap the North and the Arctic’s mineral potential, targeting the development of projects that support mining, transportation, and energy, Cooper Langford reported for CIM Magazine. Key initiatives include a road to Ontario’s Ring of Fire region, upgrades to the Port of Churchill in Manitoba, and early-stage proposals like the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor, reflecting a long-term vision for northern development. 

Taseko Mines’ Florence Copper project in Arizona, the world’s first greenfield in-situ copper recovery (ISCR) mine, began wellfield operations in October, kicking off commercial production, Ailbhe Goodbody reported for CIM Magazine. The low-impact method of ISCR injects a solution underground to extract copper, leaving the landscape largely undisturbed. With annual production capacity of 85 million pounds of Grade A copper cathode over 22 years, the project offers low operating costs and a relatively small environmental footprint. 

That’s all for this week. If you’ve got feedback, you can always reach us at editor@cim.org. If you’ve got something to add, why not join the conversation on our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram pages?