BHP’s Decarbonization Strategy in Chile
Jul 10, 2025
By Gaia Research Team
Reading time: 9 mins.
Few materials are as vital to the energy transition as copper — and nowhere is that more visible than in Chile, where it powers everything from electric vehicles to wind turbines.
In Chile, home to some of the world’s largest copper mines, BHP is leading the charge to make mining more sustainable. Its operations at Escondida and Spence are not just digging up metal—they’re setting a blueprint for "green copper" production. By slashing emissions, switching to renewable energy, and rethinking water use in the arid Atacama Desert, BHP is tackling the mining industry’s biggest environmental challenges. This article dives into BHP’s decarbonization strategy in Chile, exploring its ambitious goals, tangible progress, and the hurdles it faces in a world demanding cleaner resources.
Nickel 101 - Part I
Jun 12, 2025
By Gaia Research Team
Reading time: 7 mins.
Nickel market faces oversupply until 2027-2028, driven by Indonesia’s production share. LME prices dropped in April 2025, recovering to ~$15,000. INSG forecasts 198,000-ton surplus in 2025. Demand grows 5-8% yearly, but supply outpaces, especially for Class II nickel (NPI, ferronickel). Class I nickel preferred for batteries; ESG concerns limit Indonesian nickel in Western EV chains. LME reforms post-2022 crisis boost stocks; SHFE challenges with globalized futures.
Nickel 101 - Part II
Jun 12, 2025
By Gaia Research Team
Reading time: 8 mins.
The 2022 LME nickel crisis led to trading suspension and reforms: 15% price limits, new oversight, and six new brands, raising stocks from 40,000 to 230,000 tons by late 2024 (+59% volume). Shanghai’s SHFE challenges LME, opening futures to foreigners in mid-2025; its SMM index sets ferronickel prices. CME, ICE, and Abaxx expand futures, while bilateral markets for Class II (ferronickel, NPI) often use Chinese prices. LME prices for pure nickel misalign with Class II, fueling LME-SHFE arbitrage. Regulatory shifts, like Russian metal bans, disrupt prices.
Greenland – Part I: Northern Lights Eldorado
May 14, 2025
By Gaia Research Team
Reading time: 7 mins.
The rush is on… but this time it’s not only for gold.
In a global industrial shift rewired by electrification, digitization, and the green transition, demand for critical minerals has moved from background noise to a defining macro driver. Rare earths, graphite, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel, uranium; these aren’t just commodities. They’re the foundational inputs of national security, supply chain resilience, and industrial sovereignty.
In a world racing to secure access to green technologies and strategic reserves, Greenland emerges as more than a frozen outpost. Of the 34 minerals designated as "critical" by the European Commission, 25 have been identified on the island.
EU Battery Passport: A Revolution For Mining Industry?
Aug 9, 2024
By Gaia Research Team
Reading time: 7 mins.
The European Union is ushering in a game-changing digital battery passport regulation, promising to transform the sustainability and circularity of the battery value chain. But what does this mean for the mining industry?
Expert Talk Series – Onsite Practices and Community Relations
Jul 25, 2024
By Gaia Research Team
Reading time: 7 mins.
Discover the cultural shift towards sustainability and the importance of detailed ESG audits for sustainable mining operations.
Navigating the Landscape of Global ESG Standards
Jun 25, 2024
By Gaia Research Team
Reading time: 4 mins.
Understand recent M&A activities in global ESG standards institutions and frameworks, and the trend towards consolidation under IFRS.
Tracing the True Cost: Unlocking Premium Prices for Sustainable Metal Mining?
Jun 17, 2024
By Gaia Research Team
Reading time: 2 mins.
Explore the potential for premium pricing on sustainably sourced metals, providing economic benefits akin to those in the luxury industry.
Sustainable Mining – Postcard from Perth, WA
Feb 21, 2024
By Gaia Research Team
Reading time: 3 mins.
Gain insights from the GAIA research team’s firsthand observations during their visit to Western Australia, gateway to Australian miners.