Greenland Energy dispute: Greenland officials say a Texas-based firm tied to Donald Trump shipped drilling equipment to Greenland without authorization, prompting a “strong warning” and a debate over whether to license a potentially wetlands-protected site. Rare earth push: China Northern Rare Earth Group plans a 50% expansion at Bayan Obo, adding $74m to boost ore processing for the world’s biggest rare earth mine. Gold as a portfolio anchor: State Street argues modest gold allocations (about 2%-5%) can improve Australian portfolio returns and reduce drawdowns, citing central bank demand and inflation/geopolitical hedging. Chile copper hit by storms: Antofagasta shares slid after it cut 2026 copper output guidance to 625,000-655,000 tonnes, blaming weather-driven shutdowns at Los Pelambres and repair needs. Mining finance & development updates: NexGold reported Q2 progress on its Goldboro and Goliath projects; Xali Gold advanced Peru Pico Machay permitting ahead of a planned ~3,000m drill program. Project execution: Vale Base Metals will move ahead with a Salobo CPF flotation project, targeting start-up in H1 2028 and +6m tonnes/year processing capacity. Safety & compliance: Workplace Safety North launched new Surface Miner Common Core e-learning courses for Ontario. West Africa policy pressure: Ghana’s small-scale gold sector is under scrutiny as exports rise but royalties lag, while debates continue over how to turn gold wealth into lasting national capital. Appalachian health: New data shows underground coal miners in central Appalachia facing black lung rates at the highest levels since the 1970s.