Does Made in Mexico Mean Made by China?
January 6th, 2025
Via The Economist, a report that Donald Trump believes Mexico is a trojan horse for Chinese mercantilism: In 2018 United States President Donald Trump started a trade war with China. Mexico benefited; companies seeking to avoid tariffs by diversifying production out of China saw the country as a good option thanks to affordable labour, decent infrastructure […]
Read more »Emeralds for Sale: The Taliban Look Below Ground to Revive the Economy
January 6th, 2025
Courtesy of the New York Times, an article on the Taliban government which is counting on Afghanistan’s bountiful gemstone and mineral resources after the loss of billions of dollars in international aid: In a chilly auditorium in Afghanistan, heaps of freshly mined green emeralds glowed under bright table lamps as bearded gemstone dealers inspected them for […]
Read more »Global Mining’s Dangerous New Reality: Guns, Hostages, Arrests
January 6th, 2025
Via the Wall Street Journal, a report on how – with the U.S. and China intensifying demand for critical metals and minerals – host countries are making hostile plays for more of the profits: Neil Warburton was finishing up his breakfast of porridge and local honey when the armed soldiers converged. The Australian veteran mining executive […]
Read more »Rare Earth In Myanmar: Economic Opportunity Or Environmental Costs?
January 3rd, 2025
Via Eurasia Review, a look at Myanmar’s rare earth mining industry: Myanmar’s rare earth mining industry sits at the intersection of short-term opportunity, environmental degradation, and geopolitical conflict, shaping the future of local communities and global rare earth supply chains. Key takeaways Some local communities stand to gain economically from rare earth mining, which generates […]
Read more »Gabon’s Junta Gets Direct Access to $620 Million Timber Industry
January 3rd, 2025
Via Bloomberg, a report on Gabon’s timber industry: Timber accounts for about 3.2% of gross domestic product Junta to control 600,000 hectares of forest after the takeover The junta in Gabon, the world’s second-most forested nation, has taken full control of the nation’s timber company, giving it direct access to a $620 million industry. The […]
Read more »Brazilian Miner Boosts Rare Earths Output in Challenge to China’s Grip
January 2nd, 2025
Via Bloomberg, a look at a growing Brazilian rare earth mining company: Serra Verde mulls partnerships to expand through supply chain Executive expects annual output to reach 5,000 tons in 2026 Brazilian miner Serra Verde Group is boosting production of rare earth metals at a time of growing trade friction between the US and China, […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.