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Efzimfotase alfa demonstrated improvements in bone health in treatment-naïve pediatric patients with hypophosphatasia achieving median difference of 1.67 vs placebo in RGI-C Score at week 25 in MULBERRY Phase III trial

Positive results from the MULBERRY Phase III trial showed that efzimfotase alfa (ALXN1850), an investigational enzyme replacement therapy, demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in bone health in children (2 to

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Jun 28 • 3:45 PM EDT • Health • astrazeneca-us.com
New business brings hat bar experience to Mineral County

Haley Nelson started her business in November 2023 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Since moving to Montana, she has remained busy fulfilling online custom orders and shipping hats to customers across the country.

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Jun 28 • 3:00 AM EDT • Business • dailyinterlake.com
China’s rare earth dominance highlights global supply chain vulnerabilities

China’s dominance in rare earth processing and magnet manufacturing has given it significant influence over global supply chains for products ranging from electric vehicles and wind turbines to consumer electronics and advanced defense systems, The New York Times reports. Although rare earth minerals are mined in several countries, China controls much of the refining and […]

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Jun 22 • 10:18 AM EDT • Business • businessreport.com
Ancient Gem Popular With Romans And Victoria's Elite Found In New Martian Rock

An international team of scientists has discovered a completely new type of rock and the mineral garnet in a Martian meteorite fragment, unlocking fresh secrets about the geological evolution of Mars.

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Jun 19 • 10:35 PM EDT • Science • ndtv.com
Protesters block copper exports to China from Rio Tinto mine in Mongolia

Protesters have blocked copper exports from a Rio Tinto mine in Mongolia, partially disrupting supply of a mineral important to China's renewable energy sector.

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Jun 17 • 5:07 AM EDT • Business • seattletimes.com
United States Announces U.S. Government Members of the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council

United States Announces U.S. Government Members of the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council Press Release June 16, 2026 Today, at the fifth annual Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF 2026), the United States announced the following inaugural members of the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council: U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Vice President Bethany Aquilina Brez Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Senior Vice President Sarah Witten Assistant Secretary of Commerce, David Fogel Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, Caleb Orr U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Jonathan Henick Launched in Washington, D.C., in April 2026, the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council serves as the premier bilateral platform to accelerate trade and catalyze private sector investment between the United States and Uzbekistan. The Council is Co-Chaired by Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Ambassador Sergio Gor and Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Council gives American businesses direct access to U.S. government financing, trade promotion, and market development tools to execute large-scale projects in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan holds significant reserves of critical minerals essential to U.S. technology, defense, and energy sectors. The Council provides a direct mechanism to advance U.S. access to these resources through transparent, mutually beneficial partnerships. Through their participation, the American members of the Council will deepen the institutional framework for American commercial engagement in Uzbekistan.

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Jun 16 • 5:27 AM EDT • Business • uz.usembassy.gov
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Takaichi’s G7 mission: bridge Trump-bloc divides, polish ‘Iron Lady’ image

The Japanese leader also proposed a strategic mineral stockpiling plan during the summit to counter China and boost Tokyo’s global role.

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Jun 16 • 12:25 AM EDT • Politics • scmp.com
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Menopausal hormone therapy linked to stronger bone health

Women on menopausal hormonal therapy face a decreased risk of low bone mineral density compared to those not using it, according to a study being presented Sunday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

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Jun 14 • 3:35 PM EDT • Health • news-medical.net
The secret behind smoother, better-tasting protein shakes

A new whey protein manufacturing technique could make protein shakes taste better and feel smoother in the mouth. Researchers traced unwanted bitterness to concentrated minerals and found a way to remove them without sacrificing the improved texture.

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Jun 14 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Scientists Tracked These Strange Arctic Icebergs and Found Something Unexpected on the Seafloor

Researchers traced new undersea ecosystems of soft coral, sea anemones, sponges, and more to large rocks and mineral deposits ferried by icebergs from dry land to the Arctic floor.

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Jun 12 • 8:50 AM EDT • Science • gizmodo.com
US business group says some critical minerals are 'nearly unobtainable' from China

U.S. access to critical minerals from China remains difficult due to export ‌controls and licensing delays, a U.S. business lobby said on Wednesday, with Beijing's restrictions driving three-quarters of impacted companies to search for new supplies.

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Jun 10 • 10:27 AM EDT • Business • reuters.com
Sony, Amazon Unsure If Their Supply Chains Funded Armed Conflict In 2025

Do PlayStation 5s and Amazon Basics headsets fund armed conflict? Who knows!

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Jun 5 • 10:15 AM EDT • Technology • kotaku.com
Does Salt Secretly Damage Your Brain? Scientists Finally Reveal the Truth - Futura-Sciences

The answer is not as simple as saying salt “damages” the brain directly. Current research suggests that excess salt may influence brain health indirectly, especially through blood pressure, blood vessel health, inflammation, and possibly the gut-brain connection. Why Salt Matters for the Body Salt contains sodium, a mineral the body...

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Jun 4 • 3:00 PM EDT • Science • futura-sciences.com
Trump Wants Minerals, Health Data for Aid. African Nations Are Pushing Back.

Governments bridle at U.S. demands for private medical data and, in some cases, access to minerals.

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May 30 • 10:00 PM EDT • Health • wsj.com
The ocean's health may depend on a tiny microbe inside fish

A surprising new discovery suggests that tiny microbes living inside fish may be helping shape the chemistry of the world’s oceans. Scientists found evidence that bacteria in the guts of marine fish work alongside their hosts to produce calcium carbonate, a mineral that plays an important role in ocean health and carbon storage. For years, researchers believed fish handled this process on their own, but the new findings point to a hidden partnership between fish and microbes.

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May 30 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
The ocean's health may depend on a tiny microbe inside fish

A surprising new discovery suggests that tiny microbes living inside fish may be helping shape the chemistry of the world’s oceans. Scientists found evidence that bacteria in the guts of marine fish work alongside their hosts to produce calcium carbonate, a mineral that plays an important role in ocean health and carbon storage. For years, researchers believed fish handled this process on their own, but the new findings point to a hidden partnership between fish and microbes.

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May 30 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • sciencedaily.com
Bone Density Measures Give Insight Into Overall Health Risk in Older Women

An observational study suggests that bone mineral density may serve as a marker of systemic health.

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May 28 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • medscape.com
NASA Uses Mineralogical Marker to Understand Ancient Martian Climate

Scientists analyzed 20 Martian samples collected by NASA's Curiosity Rover and found that differences in hematite crystallite size at varying elevations could serve as a new mineralogical marker for understanding Mars' ancient climate.

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May 28 • 2:22 PM EDT • Science • science.nasa.gov
Control Without Ownership: How China's Party-Business Networks Dominate Indonesia's Mineral Supply Chains

In 2024, when Jiangsu Delong, the world’s second-largest stainless-steel producer, filed for bankruptcy, several Chinese firms and state-owned enterprises

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May 28 • 4:00 AM EDT • Business • warontherocks.com
African countries can still get US funding for public health—if they cough up minerals and data first

New 'transactional' US global health agreements offer US aid for combatting HIV and other health threats in return for what critics say is expansive US access to resources.

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May 25 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • thebulletin.org
Ancient asteroid craters may have sparked Earth’s oxygen-producing life

A hidden crater in South Korea may hold clues to one of the biggest turning points in Earth’s history: the rise of oxygen. Scientists discovered fossil-like stromatolites — layered structures built by ancient microbes — inside the Hapcheon impact crater, suggesting that asteroid strikes may have created warm, mineral-rich lakes where early oxygen-producing life could flourish.

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May 21 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Kyowa Hakko highlights Cognizin citicoline’s science-backed cognitive health benefits

Kyowa Hakko USA is spotlighting citicoline’s benefits for cognitive performance and long-term brain health through multiple complementary mechanisms. The supplier will exhibit its citicoline ingredient Cognizin at this week’s Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA) Innovation Day 2026 in Sydney, Australia (May 21). CMA Innovation Day is one of Australia’s annual industry gatherings for the nutraceuticals supply chain, showcasing the latest innovations shaping the market for vitamins, minerals, and supplements in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

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May 18 • 4:30 AM EDT • Science • nutritioninsight.com
Science & Medicine: Strengthening your teeth

Imagine one day your child bites down on something and the enamel on one of their teeth starts to crumble. That can happen in a condition called molar incisor hypomineralization — otherwise known as chalky teeth.

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May 17 • 7:00 AM EDT • Science • tpr.org
AMNH Presents For the Win: Objects of Sports Excellence

New York, N.Y. - On May 15, the American Museum of Natural History will open For the Win: Objects of Sports Excellence , a special exhibition that celebrates the artistry, history, and cultural impact of the world’s most coveted athletic prizes. The exhibition will open in the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery, part of the Museum’s Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, and will showcase more than 70 championship rings, trophies, medals, and jewelry spanning nearly 150 years of sports history. For the Win opens in advance of FIFA World Cup 2026™ and kicks off World Cup, World Cultures: Celebrating the Community and Science of Sport, a series of programs and experiences at the Museum for New Yorkers and visiting fans from around the world.

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May 14 • 9:00 AM EDT • Sports • iloveny.com
How China May Have Sought to Recruit a House Aide to Spy on the U.S.

A staff member on the House China Committee was promised $10,000 for U.S. policy insights, on issues like Venezuela and rare-earth minerals.

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May 9 • 5:01 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
U.S. and Zambia Feud: Trump Health Aid Deal Stalls Over Critical Minerals

The tussle put a spotlight on the administration’s attempt to replace the United States Agency for International Development with a new, “America First” alternative.

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May 7 • 7:54 PM EDT • Health • nytimes.com
Where Did The Myth That Oil Is Made Of Dinosaurs Come From? Probably Chicago In 1933

When we first encountered oil we thought it might be a mineral deposit, which was incorrect, but absolutely nobody was suggesting it was dinosaur juice.

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May 5 • 11:27 AM EDT • Science • iflscience.com
Zambia blasts the U.S. over a $2 billion health deal in exchange for critical minerals

Zambia accuses the U.S. of linking a $2 billion health assistance deal to access to its rich mineral resources.

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May 5 • 10:41 AM EDT • Health • latimes.com
WATCH LIVE: White House briefing with Rubio may address Vatican trip, Strait of Hormuz efforts

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Rome and Vatican City this week in a bid to ease rising tensions between Trump and Pope Leo XIV over U.S. policies, particularly the Iran war.

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May 5 • 10:25 AM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
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Zambia blasts the US over a $2 billion health deal in exchange for critical minerals

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zambia is accusing the United States of tying a $2 billion deal for critical health assistance to access to the southern African nation's rich mineral assets, and calling the outgoing U.S. ambassador's allegations of corruption “mischievous” and “undiplomatic."

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May 5 • 8:43 AM EDT • Health • wral.com
Zambia accuses US of tying $2B health deal to mineral access

Zambia accuses the U.S. of linking a $2 billion health assistance deal to access to its rich mineral resources.

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May 5 • 8:39 AM EDT • Health • apnews.com
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Zambia blasts the US over a $2 billion health deal in exchange for critical minerals

Zambia accuses the U.S. of linking a $2 billion health assistance deal to access to its rich mineral resources

abcnews.com logo
May 5 • 8:39 AM EDT • Health • abcnews.com
Zambia Says Privacy, Minerals Concerns Stall US Health-Aid Deal

Zambia’s talks with the US over a new $2 billion health-aid deal stalled because the proposed agreement included data sharing that would violate citizens’ privacy rights and was conditional on first agreeing to preferential access to mineral resources, the nation’s foreign minister said.

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May 4 • 11:30 AM EDT • Health • bloomberg.com
Zambia says US health deal must be uncoupled from minerals access

Zambia's government said on Monday that it opposed a U.S. attempt ‌to tie health funding to access to critical minerals, giving details for the first time about why negotiations with Washington over two proposed agreements have stalled.

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May 4 • 8:51 AM EDT • Health • reuters.com
Zambia Says US Health Deal Must Be Uncoupled From Minerals Access

LUSAKA, May 4 (Reuters) - Zambia's government said on ⁠Monday ⁠that it opposed a U.S. ⁠attempt to tie health funding to access to critical minerals, giving details for the first time about why negotiations with Washington over two ‌proposed agreements have stalled. Zambia's Foreign ‌Minister ...

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May 4 • 8:51 AM EDT • Health • usnews.com
Bob on Business: Looking to lasso property near Billy Bob’s, Sheridan’s Cattlemen’s in the Stockyards?

Also, sushi and scones; minerals deal; consultants wanted; merger and Alpha Ranch expansion and business plan competition.

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May 3 • 3:59 PM EDT • Business • fortworthreport.org
Mauro named interim dean of the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

John Mauro, department head and professor of materials science and engineering at Penn State, has been named interim John Leone Dean in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, effective July 1.

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Apr 30 • 4:00 PM EDT • Science • psu.edu
7 Supplements You Shouldn't Take Together, According to Doctors

Certain vitamins and minerals don't always mix. Doctors reveal which supplement combinations to avoid and how to take them properly.

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Apr 29 • 2:28 PM EDT • Health • today.com
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6 Things to Do Before Taking Dietary Supplements | Live Healthy

Taking dietary supplements can help with vitamin and mineral deficiencies. But it can also put you at risk for drug interactions and vitamin overdose.

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Apr 28 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • livehealthy.muhealth.org
The Trump Administration Is Blackmailing Vulnerable Countries into Giving Us Rare Minerals

We used to help countries like Zambia with public health issues. Now, the president is dangling aid over their heads, just out of reach.

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Apr 27 • 1:02 PM EDT • Politics • esquire.com
Rover-Induced Mineral Transformations: Extent of the Effect for the Mars Science Laboratory and Opportunities for Future Landed Mission

X-ray amorphous sulfate hydrates are a substantial component (up to 23 wt%) of the sedimentary rocks

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Apr 27 • 11:22 AM EDT • Science • astrobiology.com
5 ways to get more magnesium without taking a supplement

Chances are, you’re not eating enough of this essential mineral. Here’s how to get more magnesium from food, and why it’s important for health.

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Apr 20 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com
Denver Museum of Nature and Science Gems & Mineral Hall undergoing renovation
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Apr 16 • 10:02 AM EDT • Science • cbsnews.com
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Southern Illinois Earth Science Club hosts 56th annual Gem Mineral Fossil and Jewelry Show

Click here to view this video from wpsdlocal6.com.

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Apr 11 • 10:54 PM EDT • Science • wpsdlocal6.com
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Why Critical Minerals Have Become a Business Risk Story, Not Just a Mining Story

The broader lesson is that critical minerals are not only a mining story. They are also a supply chain story.

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Apr 1 • 6:21 PM EDT • Business • usatoday.com
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Minerals for aid: Are new US health deals ‘exploiting’ African countries?

Zimbabwe and Zambia have pushed back against 'lopsided' agreements after US asks for health data and minerals.

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Apr 1 • 8:57 AM EDT • Health • aljazeera.com
Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Announcements

Beall Aces Mingo Bottom Larry Beall, of Mineral Wells, recorded his fourth career hole-in-one on Tuesday at Mingo Bottom Golf Club. Beall used a gap wedge to ace the par-3, 122-yard, No. 8 hole. Witnessing the feat were Billy Dotson and Terry Jones. *** Stephens Gets Hole-In-One at Lakeside Larry Stephens recorded a hole-in-one at […]

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Mar 31 • 8:00 PM EDT • Sports • newsandsentinel.com
Photo of ram’s horn squid shell

The intricate ram’s horn squid shell is only about the size of a fingernail. Compared to other cephalopod species, the shell structure has not degraded over time. As part of this study, researchers used transcriptomics which revealed genes supporting biomineralization and regeneration of the shell.

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Mar 30 • 5:04 AM EDT • Science • eurekalert.org
Scientists Stunned: Colossal Eggs Discovered 3,500 Meters Beneath an Active Volcano

Beneath an active seafloor volcano off Vancouver Island, researchers have documented a congregation of giant eggs at roughly 3,500 meters, a discovery that reframes how life can flourish under extreme conditions. The eggs belong to the Pacific white skate, an elusive deep‑sea species adapted to cold, crushing pressure and perpetual darkness. What seemed an unlikely nursery is actually a geothermally warmed refuge, where subtle heat helps embryos survive a marathon incubation. The finding links volcanic energy to a quiet engine of biodiversity, turning a hostile landscape into an incubator. A living volcano, a hidden nursery The seamount long assumed dormant now exhales mineral‑rich, shimmering plumes, proof of hydrothermal life at depth. Expedition cameras swept across black basalt and pale bacterial mats, revealing vents that pulse with warmth. That warmth, though modest by human standards, alters the physics of development for cold‑adapted embryos. In a realm where metabolism creeps, even a few degrees can mean faster growth and higher survival. The volcano is not only active; it is ecologically formative, drafting a blueprint for a thriving oasis. Giant eggs and a skate built for the abyss The Pacific white skate, Bathyraja spinosissima, is built for the abyss: broad wings, armored spines, and a life history that trades speed for endurance. Females lay outsized, rectangular “mermaid’s purses,” often 46–50 centimeters long, packed with rich yolk to fuel years of growth. In the frigid deep, embryos can require around four years to hatch, a timeline that magnifies every energetic advantage. The scale is striking—large eggs, large adults, and a textbook case of deep‑sea gigantism. The volcano’s gentle heat may literally shave months or years from the wait. Why heat matters at the bottom of the sea Hydrothermal circulation delivers low‑level warmth without the turbulence that would scatter fragile egg‑cases. Slightly elevated temperatures accelerate enzyme kinetics, nudging development along while keeping embryos within a safe range. Mineral‑laden fluids likely shape local microbiomes, which, in turn, can influence biofilms on egg surfaces. The environment acts like a slow, steady incubator, countering the deep sea’s tyrannies of cold and scarcity. For a species with long maturation and few offspring, every incremental boost compounds across generations. An ecosystem sculpted by fire and water Seafloor volcanoes create steep environmental gradients, stitching together hot vents, cool eddies, and mineral gardens into mosaic habitats. Microbes harvest chemical energy, seeding food webs that support crustaceans, fishes, and skates. Cameras documented egg‑cases nestled among rocky ledges, near communities nourished by vent‑driven chemistry. These islands of productivity behave like deep‑sea oases, sustaining life far beyond the vent orifice’s flickering light. The nursery’s success underscores how geological forces engineer biological opportunity. “Finding a cradle of life tucked beneath a breathing volcano reminds us that the planet’s harshest places can be profoundly generous.” What the discovery could change The nursery reframes conservation priorities in regions where volcanism quietly underwrites reproduction. Protecting hydrothermal corridors could safeguard entire lifecycles, not just charismatic adults spotted during occasional surveys. It also sharpens questions about how climate‑driven shifts in ocean circulation might influence vent activity, temperature fields, and embryo survival. With methodical mapping, time‑series cameras, and environmental DNA, scientists can track whether nurseries remain stable or drift with geologic rhythms. Key implications include: Enhanced understanding of deep‑sea reproduction at hydrothermal sites. New conservation targets centered on geothermal nurseries. Comparative studies with other volcanic regions, from the Galápagos to rift zones. Biotechnological insights from organisms adapted to long, cold development. Better models of how seafloor heat shapes regional biodiversity. Methods behind the revelation Remotely operated vehicles threaded through chimney fields, gathering video, temperatures, and mineral signatures. High‑definition imagery captured the distinctive, horned egg cases, their edges dusted with fine volcanic silt. Geochemical profiles mapped how heat and chemicals disperse, outlining the “thermal lanes” where eggs most cluster. Combined, these datasets reveal a nursery organized by geothermal topography, with egg‑cases concentrated in pockets of gentle, sustained warmth. A fragile boon in a changing ocean Deep‑sea environments feel remote, yet they intersect with global pressures: mining proposals, cable routes, and shifting oxygen levels. The nursery’s resilience hinges on stable heat flow, intact substrates, and minimal disturbance from noise or sediment. Safeguarding such places is not just about protecting novelty; it preserves a slow, ancient strategy that lets large, long‑lived animals endure in the coldest reaches of the Pacific. Where geology and biology meet, the planet’s deep time still writes living stories. This volcano‑warmed nursery adds a vital chapter to that story, revealing how subtle thermal gifts can tip the scales toward life in the abyss. With each dive, researchers trace the contours of an unseen world, where fire feeds water, and water—against all odds—feeds the future.

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Mar 29 • 5:00 PM EDT • Science • iowaparkleader.com
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Crystal Festival brings sparkle, science, and family fun to Mt. Pleasant

MT. PLEASANT — A weekend filled with discovery, creativity, and hands-on fun is coming to Sanpete County as the Crystal Festival returns this spring with an exciting lineup of activities for all ages. The Crystal Festival — A Rocks, Minerals, Gems, & Crystal Show — will take place April 4–5, 2026, at the Mt Pleasant […]

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Mar 24 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • heraldextra.com
We disagreed on politics. We agreed on wine. That was enough.

At the Virginia Governor’s Cup Gala in Richmond earlier this month, a very dapper gentleman approached me and introduced himself. In his light-colored suit and bowtie, he looked very Southern in a classical sense, the sort of Virginia Gentleman you used to see south of the Rappahannock as recently as my college days. “I’m a longtime reader and fan of your writing, if not your politics,” he said. His comment was the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, simultaneously conveying praise and disapproval while establishing boundaries. Man, I wish we still discoursed like this instead of shouting bromides and insults to try and “own” our opponents with a funny meme and a furrowed brow. Subscribe “Well, we’ll always have wine to share together,” I said, and thanked him for his kind words. We clinked glasses, exchanged pleasantries about the delicious gold medal-winning wines being poured that evening, and went our separate ways. Our exchange reminded me that more unites us than divides us. Wine brings people together to share a meal and a few hours of joy despite our differences.1 That’s why I refer to the wine community — including readers and consumers — rather than the wine industry. Together, we are so much more than production, distribution and sales statistics. A few minutes later the evening’s awards ceremony began. Applause grew as the 12 winemakers who made the top-scoring wines for the Governor’s Case took the stage, including a loud cheer for Jonathan Wheeler of Trump Winery and his 2018 Blanc de Noir sparkling wine. All the winemakers on stage had reason to be proud, Wheeler perhaps more so. Trump Winery was the only winery to win six gold medals in the competition this year. (Wineries are limited to six entries.) Two of Wheeler’s ciders also won gold medals in a separate competition. When you cover the labels and take the sour taste of politics off your palate, the wines are pretty darn good.2 Then Gov. Abigail Spanberger, newly elected Democrat and Virginia’s first female governor, was introduced to great applause to announce which of the 12 wines had won the Governor’s Cup. She spoke for a few minutes about the importance of wine to Virginia’s economy and tourism and the international acclaim Virginia wine has received. Just two weeks earlier, she gave the Democrats’ response to Trump’s State of the Union speech, but this night wasn’t about politics. That didn’t stop several people in the crowd from speculating on the irony should she have to present the trophy to Trump Winery. In the end, Valley Road Vineyards was displayed on the screen behind Spanberger as the winning winery. Blue Bee Cidery in Richmond took top honors for that category. The crowd cheered a female governor presenting the state’s highest trophy to a female winemaker and then resumed the evening’s festivities, united by their mutual love of wine. A whiff of politics couldn’t dim the cheer of celebration and a community united by its love of wine. In Memoriam: Michel Rolland The global wine community lost a giant March 20, with the passing of Michel Rolland. He was 78. Rolland was the original “flying winemaker,” a globe-trotting consultant who helped Bordeaux regain its mojo in the 1970s and then shaped the rise of Napa Valley cult Cabernet as consultant to Simi, Harlan, Newton, Screaming Eagle, Araujo, Dalle Valle and other wineries. He was instrumental in Argentina’s rise to prominence and even had his own winery, Clos de los Siete, in a partnership with other wine families. Rolland’s career arc paralleled that of Robert Parker, the world’s most influential critic. Parker championed many of the wines Rolland consulted on, helping build his reputation and demand for his services. It also made him a target for Parker’s critics. As W. Blake Gray wrote on Wine-Searcher in his excellent tribute to Rolland: Rolland created the type of wines Parker loved: rich body, plenty of fruit, soft tannins. He sometimes faced the accusation of creating a generic international style of red wine, where the great wines he made in Argentina were indistinguishable from the great wines he made in France. Rolland chafed at that critique, as did many of his fans. He was credited with championing green harvesting and leaf pulling, as well as careful selection of grapes in the winery, practices we nearly universally think of today for high-quality winemaking. “Michel was an incredible innovator who changed how wine was made and how grapes were grown,” Napa Valley winemaker Aaron Pott wrote on Facebook. “His work has transformed the wine trade. He created new ways of looking at wine, tasting wine, evaluating ripeness and quality. … This was not just a man with a ‘style’ that he imposed on vineyards but a man that understood how to make great wine from great sites.” Rolland started his consulting company in 1973 in Libourne, in Bordeaux, with his wife, Dany. Both had graduated the year before from Bordeaux’s Institute d’Oenologie. The couple sold their majority share in the business in 2020, according to Wine Spectator. Over his career, Rolland reportedly worked with more than 100 wineries in 20 countries. He even made it to Virginia, where he consulted for Kluge Estate in the mid-2000s. (Kluge Estate is now Trump Winery.) Reader feedback, please! Last week, I did my first WineLine Live! with Dr. Laura Catena of Catena Zapata winery in Argentina. We enjoyed a fascinating discussion about her efforts to preserve the genetic heritage of old vineyards in Mendoza. I conceived of WineLine Live! for paid subscribers, as a thank you for your financial support. And while only a few people joined live, the video now has more views than I have paid subscribers, so I guess that’s pretty good. Even so, I’m considering opening future installments to anyone on Substack to reach a broader audience. So my questions to you: Should these be public? And what format do you prefer? Live gives a chat feature with the potential for viewers to interact with me and the guest, while a video post would just be that. Another alternative is a podcast, which would just be audio, without video of my chins. Please let me know in the comments. Leave a comment In the Glass A few wines I’ve enjoyed recently: Bonny Doon Vineyard Take Me to Your Liter, Le Cigare Volant, Red Wine of the Earth. 2023, Central Coast, CA. Blend of Grenache, Syrah Cinsaut and Petite Sirah. Delightful wine with expressive red fruit flavors, casual drinking. Doon lovers of a certain age will remember Randall Grahm’s Big House Red; this is more in that style than his original Le Cigare Volant, modeled after Chateauneuf du Pape. The liter bottle makes it an even better value. I see this online at about $15. Great value. Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines 2023. 13% - Textbook pinot noir and an excellent, affordable entry (regional) Burgundy. Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2025. $24 at Total Wine & More. Loma Larga Pinot Noir 2021 “Coastal Cool Climate Wine”, Valle de Casablanca, Chile. An older sample, showing beautifully. Spicy and fruit forward. I’m seeing widely varied pricing online, from $18-$32. At the lower end, it’s a terrific value. 13.5% Dr. Loosen Riesling Dry 2016, Mosel, Germany. Found this “in the stack.” And it stacked up well, shedding some of its youthful acidity for opulent Riesling character, including a hint of the mineral oil older Riesling often features. A great value, as I’m seeing it as low as $14 online. 12% abv. Red Tail Ridge Blau Franc Blend 2024, Sans Oak, Finger Lakes. 13.4% abv. The name is a neat portmanteau of Blaufrankisch and Cabernet Franc, thus Blau Franc. The blend is 50-50, no oak involved. The Blau dominates on the palate, with the spicy caraway seed (think New York deli rye bread). The Franc adds body. The result is juicy, energetic and joyful. Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir 2025, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon. This first rosé of 2025 was a welcome respite to our cold, snowy winter here in the Mid-Atlantic. Oh man, I needed this! Bright and energetic, exuberant even, it perks up the mood and goes down fast. 13%. Certified B Corp. Ingredient and nutrition labeling, and in a modest way that doesn’t occupy a lot of label space. (Since it’s not required, presumably there are no minimum font size requirements.) More wineries should follow this example. Dave McIntyre's WineLine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Thanks for reading Dave McIntyre's WineLine! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share 1 Some restraint may be required. 2 Especially the bubblies.

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Mar 23 • 10:54 PM EDT • Politics • dmwineline.substack.com
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Eating More Ultra-Processed Foods Could Damage Your Bones. Here's Why

Eating higher amounts of ultra-processed foods is associated with lower bone mineral density and a higher risk of hip fractures, even in younger adults under 65.

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Mar 22 • 3:33 AM EDT • Health • healthline.com
Salt: A Vital Compound for Science and Society

From salt basins in the Persian Gulf to lithium reserves in Chile, evaporite minerals accumulate in sedimentary basins under tectonic and climatic processes of significance to scientists worldwide.

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Mar 16 • 1:38 PM EDT • Science • eos.org
No H.I.V. Aid Without More Access to Minerals: U.S. Ponders ‘Sticks’ Against Zambia

A draft State Department memo outlines ways the Trump administration may ratchet up pressure on the African country by ending health support “on a massive scale.”

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Mar 16 • 9:37 AM EDT • Health • nytimes.com
In physics first, Chinese scientists create rare 'hexagonal diamond' that's harder than natural diamond

Researchers made small, pure samples of the elusive mineral lonsdaleite – also known as hexagonal diamond — and tested its material properties to show it's harder than diamond.

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Mar 15 • 7:00 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com
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Scientists discover hidden water beneath Mars that could have supported life

New research suggests Mars may have remained habitable much longer than scientists once thought. Ancient sand dunes in Gale Crater appear to have been soaked by underground water billions of years ago, leaving behind minerals that can preserve signs of life. Even after surface water disappeared, subsurface flows may have created protected environments for microbes. These hidden habitats could be key targets in the ongoing search for past life on Mars.

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Mar 14 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
1,900-year-old double Scythian burial in Ukraine contains toxic red mineral

A double burial in Ukraine of two women from the Late Scythian culture contains a toxic red mineral, but exactly why it was used remains a mystery.

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Mar 13 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com
A massive asteroid hit the North Sea and triggered a 330-foot tsunami

A long-running debate about the Silverpit Crater beneath the North Sea has finally been resolved. Scientists now confirm it formed when a roughly 160-meter asteroid struck the seabed about 43–46 million years ago. New seismic imaging and rare shocked minerals in rock samples provided the crucial proof. The impact would have sent a massive plume skyward and unleashed a tsunami over 100 meters (330 feet) high.

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Mar 10 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Scientists may have discovered a brand-new mineral on Mars

Scientists studying Mars may have uncovered a brand-new mineral hidden in the planet’s ancient sulfate deposits. By combining laboratory experiments with orbital data, researchers identified an unusual iron sulfate—ferric hydroxysulfate—forming in layered deposits near the massive Valles Marineris canyon system. The mineral likely formed when sulfate-rich deposits left behind by ancient water were later heated by volcanic or geothermal activity, transforming their chemistry.

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Mar 9 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Critical Minerals Are a Tricky Business. What Could Help.

The government has an important role to play in managing critical mineral markets, Morgan Bazilian, Brad Handler, Ian Lange, and Andrew Bauman write in a guest commentary.

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Mar 9 • 5:23 PM EDT • Business • barrons.com
Controlled Thermal Resources and Plum Acquisition Corp. IV Announce Definitive Business Combination Agreement to Advance U.S. Critical Minerals and Energy

As one of America’s largest and most advanced geothermal power and critical minerals projects, the transaction is expected to enable Controlled Thermal Resources to advance its Hell’s Kitchen Project and commence Stage 1 construction.Transaction values Controlled Thermal Resources at a pro forma enterprise value of approximately $4.7 billion. IMPERIAL, Calif., March 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Controlled Thermal Resources Holdings Inc. (“CTR” or the “Company”), an emerging leader in U.S. critic

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Mar 9 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com
Chimpanzees Are Really Into Crystals

In an attempt to understand our own fascination with the shiny minerals, researchers gave some to chimps.

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Mar 4 • 12:01 AM EST • Science • nytimes.com
US Speeds Up Signing Of Bilateral Health Agreements, DRC Lawyers Challenge Minerals Deal

The United States has moved at speed to secure several new bilateral health Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in the past week, including, for the first time,

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Mar 2 • 12:05 PM EST • Health • healthpolicy-watch.news
Can magnesium supplements improve sleep, energy and concentration?

Magnesium has been called the “super mineral of the moment”, hailed for its supposed benefits for the brain and body. But columnist Alice Klein finds that the evidence is lacking for many of these claims

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Mar 2 • 4:00 AM EST • Health • newscientist.com
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The first animals on Earth had no skeletons and that changes everything

Sponges may be ancient, but their timeline has been murky. New research suggests the earliest sponges were soft and skeleton-free, explaining why their fossils don’t appear until much later. By analyzing hundreds of genes and modeling how skeletons evolved, scientists found that mineralized spicules arose separately in different sponge lineages. The discovery rewrites the story of how the first reef-building animals—and possibly the first animals of all—emerged.

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Feb 28 • 7:00 AM EST • Science • sciencedaily.com
Merz Brings Big Business Group to China in Bid to Improve Ties

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Beijing with a large business delegation, aiming to use his first official visit to China to improve ties while raising his concerns about trade and key minerals.

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Feb 24 • 10:44 PM EST • Business • bloomberg.com
⁠Zimbabwe rejects $350 million US health funding deal warns It threatens national sovereignty

Zimbabwe has ended negotiations on a US-backed health agreement after President Mnangagwa deemed the proposal a threat to national sovereignty, citing concerns over data access, mineral linkages and Washington’s retreat from multilateral health frameworks

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Feb 24 • 7:23 AM EST • Health • africa.businessinsider.com
Five Berkeley Lab Scientists Receive DOE Early Career Research Awards

Five scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have received Early Career Research Program (ECRP) awards from the Department of Energy. The ECRP program, now in its 16th year, was established to bolster the nation’s scientific workforce by supporting exceptional researchers at the outset of their careers, when many scientists do their most formative work. Recipients use the funding to pursue projects that have the potential to solve scientific challenges and advance the country’s STEM capabilities. To be eligible for the program, a researcher must be an untenured, tenure-track assistant or associate professor at a U.S. academic institution, or a full-time employee at a DOE national laboratory or Office of Science user facility, who is within 10 years of having earned their doctorate. Awards to an institution of higher education will be approximately $875,000 over five years, and awards to a DOE national laboratory or Office of Science user facility will be approximately $2,750,000 over five years. This year’s Berkeley Lab awardees and their projects are listed below: Timon Heim: Better detectors for more powerful particle colliders Timon Heim is a staff scientist in the Physics Division. His ECRP project will develop a new type of detector that can track the particles generated by collisions in particle colliders with high spatial and temporal resolution. Current detectors in use at high-energy colliders, like the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, can track the trajectory and measure momentum of particles, but they can’t track a particle’s time of arrival with sufficient precision to discern from which of the many particle interactions they originate. Heim’s proposed technology — called a 4D tracking detector, because it captures data about particles’ positions in space and time — aims to solve this challenge, allowing researchers to glean more precise data from collision experiments to uncover new insights into fundamental forces and potentially discover new particles. The enhanced capabilities of 4D detectors will be a necessity for experiments at future colliders, such as the Muon Collider or Future Circular Collider. The project will develop custom microelectronics that process the signal of a pixelated silicon sensor that can register charged particles passing through it in an extreme radiation environment that these colliders produce during operation. The goal is to measure individual particles’ position with 50-micro-meter spatial and 50 pico-second (one trillionth of a second) temporal precision, for an incoming flux of around 1 billion particles per second per square centimeter. Harrison Lisabeth: Studying underground processes to unleash abundant energy Harrison Lisabeth is a research scientist in the Energy Geoscience Division focused on combining real-world experiments and AI to guide development of geothermal energy systems. His project will explore how deep underground rock formations – where geothermal wells are dug – are stressed by chemical reactions of the minerals and mechanical strain from movements in the Earth. A better understanding of subsurface stresses is essential to engineer safe and reliable geothermal wells that access the heat of deep rocks to produce electricity. It is estimated that the U.S. could generate ten times the amount of energy needed to power the grid using geothermal sources. Lisabeth plans to simulate how minerals grow, dissolve, and influence the behavior of surrounding rock in geothermal reservoirs by tracking chemical changes in rock samples under pressure in the lab. The project will also develop machine learning models to predict geologic strain based on field measurements and refine existing models that describe how common rock types deform under stress. Combining these approaches, Lisabeth hopes to develop a framework to predict stress to improve stability and longevity of geothermal wells. Daniel Carney: Pushing the quantum boundaries of particle measurement Daniel Carney is a staff scientist in the Physics Division who uses quantum information science to study particle physics and gravity. At very small scales, “quantum noise” — random fluctuations from the act of measurement — can drown out faint signals from rare processes. Carney’s ECRP project, “Fundamental Physics at the Quantum Limits of Measurement,” aims to build a new mechanical quantum sensor that can measure extremely small particle interactions below the limits of that quantum noise. The approach uses lasers to hold a tiny bead containing radioactive atoms; when one decays, the system measures the bead’s motion and the energy of any particles emitted. The experiment’s initial goal is to search for heavy sterile neutrinos, hypothetical particles predicted by some extensions of the Standard Model. The system could also help measure the mass of the neutrino, study the way particles interact through the electromagnetic and weak forces, and hunt for low-mass dark matter — all unsolved mysteries in particle physics. Callum Wilkinson: Using machine learning to demystify neutrinos Callum Wilkinson is a staff scientist in the Physics Division and part of the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) hosted by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. DUNE will create an intense beam of neutrinos that interact in detectors in Illinois and, after an 800-mile journey through the earth, in massive detectors in South Dakota. By precisely measuring neutrinos and how they change, researchers will get a better understanding of their fundamental properties and whether they are responsible for why there is so much more matter than antimatter in our universe. Wilkinson’s ECRP project will apply two machine learning techniques to improve the analysis of DUNE’s data and enhance the experiment’s precision. One approach will look for hidden patterns in how neutrinos interact and produce low-energy particles, while the other will help correct for distortions in what the detectors record. The methods will be tested on one of DUNE’s prototype detectors and could be used in other neutrino experiments, improving their measurements and helping scientists build better models. Aditi Krishnapriyan: Machine learning methods that scale as datasets grow Aditi Krishnapriyan is a faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Applied Mathematics and Computational Research Division (AMCR) and assistant professor at UC Berkeley. Her project, awarded through UC Berkeley, will develop machine learning methods that scale with dataset size for modeling complex, multi-scale phenomena. The resulting tools can be applied in a wide range of research, including the study of new electrolytes for batteries or the examination of molecular interactions. ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.

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Feb 18 • 11:00 AM EST • Science • newscenter.lbl.gov
Effort to save, reform Business Council advances; Freedom Caucus presses to defund it.

A Senate committee passed a measure Monday to reform the agency, with an amendment to put lawmakers in charge rather than form a task force.

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Feb 17 • 6:22 AM EST • Business • wyofile.com
Basic Materials Roundup: Market Talk

Find insight on Genesis Minerals, Press Metal Aluminium, aluminum prices and more in the latest Market Talks covering Basic Materials.

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Feb 16 • 6:39 AM EST • Business • wsj.com
The new oil: How the Gulf is betting big on critical minerals
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Feb 10 • 6:52 AM EST • Business • cnn.com
Why this rust-like mineral is one of Earth’s best carbon vaults

A common iron mineral hiding in soil turns out to be far better at trapping carbon than scientists realized. Its surface isn’t uniform — it’s a nanoscale patchwork of positive and negative charges that can grab many different organic molecules. Instead of relying on a single weak attraction, the mineral uses several bonding strategies to hold carbon tightly in place. This helps explain how soils store enormous amounts of carbon for the long term.

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Feb 8 • 7:00 PM EST • Science • sciencedaily.com
Anchovies vs. Sardines: Which Is Better for Protein, Healthy Fats, and Micronutrients?

Though anchovies boast more protein and omega-3 fatty acids, sardines are richer in many vitamins and minerals.

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Feb 3 • 7:00 AM EST • Health • health.com
What is the US strategic minerals stockpile?

President Trump said the stockpile would 'ensure that American businesses and workers are never harmed by any shortage'.

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Feb 2 • 6:51 PM EST • Business • aljazeera.com
Investment and Statecraft: The International Politics of Sovereign Wealth Funds - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs

In 1953, Kuwait established the world’s first sovereign wealth fund to invest the country’s oil revenues and generate returns that would reduce its reliance on a single resource. Since then, over 100 separate funds have been created to preserve national wealth and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Today, they manage over $10 trillion in global assets. In this discussion with GJIA, political economist Kathryn Lavelle explains the increasingly novel dynamics that surround fund behavior and what the world can come to expect from their growing presence in international financial markets. GJIA: When it comes to the roles sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) play in global markets and politics, what would you say makes them unique? Kathryn Lavelle: Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) operate on behalf of governments as investors. That in itself is a strange relationship. Within them, a core contest takes place between the state’s interests (or sovereign) part of the dynamic, and the money interests (or wealth) part of it, and these two aspects are frequently in contradiction, serving fundamentally different goals. SWFs are also quite fascinating because when you talk to the people who manage these funds, they have an interest in convincing you that the decisions are made almost exclusively on a financial basis—they really will go to great lengths to differentiate their government owners and those who make the management decisions. At the same time, these people ultimately answer to someone in power. Therefore, for most SWFs, it remains deeply unclear who is actually making the investment decisions and for what purposes. Of course, it is not always clear how other vehicles, such as hedge funds and private equity make the decisions they do, but I think what a lot of people find particularly disconcerting about SWFs is that they seem to act on behalf of people who have a different identity from their own. People who could be trying to manipulate politics and markets in a way that would have a long-term effect on their own populations. Regular investors come and go at will, and they only share an interest in profit as far as most of us understand. However, SWFs have that extra “sovereign” part right behind them that obscures their true interest. GJIA: These funds can be found in countries all across the globe, in both authoritarian states and democracies. Would you say SWFs differ in their goals and structures between regime-type? KL: It is not necessarily regime type that makes the goals and structures of SWFs different. It has to do with their economies. Let’s look at a country like China. There’s going to be a debate about exactly how to characterize the regime, but it is a country with many different kinds of sovereign wealth funds, and a particularly opaque state connection to each. At one time, some of the state-owned Chinese oil companies created specialized investment vehicles listed outside Chinese markets that excluded parts of the firms that were more associated with human rights violations. At the same time, the China Investment Corporation (CIC)­—China’s largest SWF—draws a lot of concern, not necessarily because of its investment activities, but because of the dynamics of global politics. So, I wouldn’t really tie differences to regime types themselves in a wholesale way, but rather to how such funds are perceived and how they are structured. Saudi Arabia’s SWF is getting all kinds of attention for its involvement in Hollywood, and this takes me right back to when I was a student in the 1980s, when people were concerned about Japanese investment entities buying assets in Hollywood. They aren’t quite the same in financial terms, but it’s the same kind of concern about foreign investment that drives people to be suspicious, and the whole idea that “foreigners are influencing Hollywood.” This holds true across industries, and it reflects where politics are in places like the United States right now. One metric we can try to look at is transparency, where all the funds will tell you, “we are transparent.” The problem you’ll keep running into with this approach is how you value things. When trying to do comparative studies of equity markets, you’ll find that every country doesn’t use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles like we do in the United States. A fund may appear opaque politically and not want people to show what they’re invested in or what their intent with that investment is, but they could also just not be able to report it because of the way it was purchased, or the kinds of shares they purchased. There are some assets out there that really are difficult to put a monetary value on. GJIA: To what extent do domestic politics shape SWF behavior in both the investing “home” country and the recipient “host” country? KL: This depends on the type of fund present and also on the extent to which voters’ political views are able to influence the fund. For example, in a democratic home state like Norway, the SWF doesn’t invest in nuclear weapons or tobacco because of social concerns, but there is a continuing debate over whether it should invest in oil, even though that’s where most of the money comes from. The degree to which Norway will continue to make those investments, and whether they contradict the government’s overall climate goals, is an open question in Norwegian politics. Because of the way the fund’s governance is structured, it may not be easy to resolve. On the other hand, some people consider pension funds, like the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) in Ohio, to be quasi-SWF. They have a very strict separation between the people who make up the management division and the fund owners. No teacher or professor would want to invest in things that may harm the future of their students. At the same time, a fund manager might see an opportunity in a diversified multinational corporation that offers a good return, despite it deriving part of its revenue from e-cigarettes. These contests are very apparent. Domestic politics can work in host countries too. A good example is Singapore’s SWF, Temasek, investing in Thailand’s telecommunications sector. If you study political economy, you already know that countries everywhere are uncomfortable with foreign ownership of their telecom sectors because a foreign entity could monitor or manipulate our communications with each other. In the case of Temasek, there was significant pushback from Thai citizens surrounding the deal, which went on to influence national political sentiment toward Singapore as a whole, underscoring the risks some SWFs may face with their investment choices. In this case, fund behavior led to the dissolution of the entire Thai government in 2006 and a subsequent coup d’état. GJIA: To address some of this unease, the Santiago Principles were established in 2009 to ostensibly promote trust and transparency. From your perspective, have these mechanisms actually changed fund behavior? KL: In international relations theory, we always like to have a clear set of norms and best practices­—the orientation we want the proverbial ship to be going in. In that regard, the Santiago Principles at least got the discussion going about which direction SWFs should take at a time when people were very skittish about the growing size of these funds. Nobody wanted them to be out there and potentially destabilizing economies, so talks about disclosure, conditions for withdrawal, and the independence of managers were helpful when initiated. The biggest stumbling block was that there wasn’t exactly a good way to measure compliance with the Principles, let alone how to hold funds to them. If you read the Principles, they’re overall quite vague. In general, a fund doesn’t want to reveal how and why they make certain investment decisions because that information is proprietary—a fund makes money off of how and why it makes decisions—so how do you reconcile that with loosely-defined ideas of openness? Some decisions might have a political purpose. The bottom line is that trying to figure out and assign a score to compliance is not easy, and it is therefore the reason why the Santiago Principles never really got off the ground to the point where they could truly direct fund behavior. GJIA: Many emerging markets are looking to build their own SWFs from mineral and oil revenues. Historically, have funds shaped development trajectories in these countries? KL: I think the big story in international emerging markets investment is that the investment is increasingly no longer unidirectional. In the past multinational corporations of primarily Western background were the main form of foreign direct investment in a country. That has changed dramatically, to the point where you have companies from so-called “developing countries” taking over companies in the United States. Therefore, the landscape of international investment has changed, and I think SWFs are certainly a possibility to be the next step in the game. Historically, you didn’t need an entire financial vehicle to reinvest commodity revenues in your country, but as emerging markets get more financially sophisticated, their capacity to operate such funds has increased. SWFs would allow treasuries to move from relying on holding foreign exchange assets like cash or government bonds to having broader financial markets and targeted growth areas, while easing pressure on welfare expenditures. GJIA: With their increasing financial weight, do you see the presence of SWFs being a factor in the political choices leaders will have to make with regard to domestic and foreign policy? KL: It will depend on just how big the funds get. One of the reasons people are already apprehensive is because of their scale, and if certain SWFs in certain countries achieve a large-enough size, the presence will absolutely be cause for concern. The other factor political leaders will have to consider are their objectives. It’s not always clear how to define a SWF, or even where its activity is concentrated, but it is certainly a worry from the perspective of national security of opaque external investment. More than that, I think one of the most interesting questions going forward is whether the United States, the home to the world’s largest financial markets, will develop its own fund, for which the Trump administration announced a plan. There have also been several proposals in Congress. Were it to come into being, it would have tremendous weight. At the same time, one of the hallmarks of U.S. capitalism is a lack of government ownership of shares, so it would not be clear how such a fund would be received in domestic politics, or which direction it would take. Given how politically fragmented the country is, a Democratic administration would likely be concerned about different sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, and want investment there, rather than a Republican administration, which might prefer defense industries. No investment vehicle could thrive under conditions of such instability. Moreover, it remains unclear where the money to fund a theoretical U.S. SWF would come from. It would be a fundamentally different entity depending on whether it is financed with debt, economic surplus, commodities, or the sale of state companies, as in the case of Singapore. If it is debt, or government borrowing of some form, then the fund would have to outperform whatever the cost of that debt is, which is not an easy thing to do. I think our political leaders have enough on their plate. Our system has worked well keeping political and investment functions generally separate. We have seen different forms of business rise and fall, and even the perception of different countries, all of which funds are tied to. Unless a major SWF either starts—like in the case of the United States—or collapses—an issue that concerns the Saudis, I don’t see any political tsunamis on the horizon. . . . Kathryn Lavelle is the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor of World Affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Her research explores the exchange between domestic and international and political institutions with a particular emphasis on political economy and multilateralism. Dr. Lavelle’s first book, The Politics of Equity Finance in Emerging Markets, explored the political circumstances that surround large issues of stock in the developing world. After being granted tenure at Case Western, she was awarded an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship and named the William A. Steiger fellow, a designation given to the most promising political scientist in her class of fellows. While in Washington during 2006-2007, she worked on the staff of the House Committee on Financial Services on issues related to domestic and international monetary policy. Dr. Lavelle holds a PhD in political science from Northwestern University; an M.A. in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia; and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown University. She is a permanent member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations. This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Interview conducted by Sid Mehrotra. Image Credit: Jason Leung, Unsplash Content Licenses, via Unsplash

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Jan 28 • 6:00 AM EST • Politics • gjia.georgetown.edu
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This new building material pulls carbon out of the air

A new building material developed by engineers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute could change how the world builds. Made using an enzyme that turns carbon dioxide into solid minerals, the material cures in hours and locks away carbon instead of releasing it. It’s strong, repairable, recyclable, and far cleaner than concrete. If adopted widely, it could slash emissions across the construction industry.

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Jan 20 • 7:00 PM EST • Science • sciencedaily.com
Copperhead Announces Approval of Change of Business

Vancouver, BC, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Copperhead Resources Inc.(to be renamed Deep Sea Minerals Corp.) (CSE: CUH) (OTCPK: CUHRF) (FSE: X45) ("Deep Sea" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release of January 19, 2026, that the Company’s change of business to focus on subsea critical mineral exploration and development (the “Change of Business”) and name change to “Deep Sea Minerals Corp.” (the “Name Change”) have been approved by a majority of the Company

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Jan 20 • 6:58 PM EST • Business • finance.yahoo.com
Pentagon to invest $1 billion in L3Harris rocket motor business, shares surge

The deal represents the latest U.S. investment in Corporate America, including a 10% stake in chipmaker Intel and investments in critical mineral producers.

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Jan 13 • 7:29 AM EST • Business • cnbc.com
‘Completely bonkers.’ Trump’s Greenland mining dreams in Greenland collide with reality

Greenland’s untapped mineral wealth has landed the island at the top of President Donald Trump’s empire-building wish list.

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Jan 12 • 4:00 AM EST • Business • cnn.com
Science meets art at Harvard Museum of Natural History’s Glass Flower exhibit

Visitors can wander through halls filled with dinosaur fossils, mounted mammals, minerals and global wildlife specimens.

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Jan 11 • 5:20 AM EST • Science • masslive.com
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What’s Behind the U.S. Interest in Venezuela? Oil, Minerals, and Politics

To find out why the U.S. is targeting Venezuela now, Tufts Now talked with Consuelo Cruz, associate professor of political science.

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Jan 5 • 11:40 AM EST • Politics • newswise.com
What’s Behind the U.S. Interest in Venezuela? Oil, Minerals, and Politics

The U.S. actions against the Maduro regime in Venezuela is about power politics and natural resources, says a Tufts political scientist

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Jan 2 • 7:00 PM EST • Politics • now.tufts.edu
Global Fishing Watch and Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory launch Deep-Sea Mining Watch

The new global transparency tool will empower governments, researchers and civil society to monitor vessels involved in deep-sea mineral explorationWashington, D.C., United States, Dec. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Fishing Watch, an international nonprofit organization advancing ocean governance through transparency of human activity at sea, and the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have unveiled an upgraded open-access portal designed to br

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Dec 4, 2025 • 9:00 AM EST • Science • finance.yahoo.com