Centinela Strike Begins, Gold Hits a Nine-Week Low, and Arafura Breaks Ground on Nolans

A legal strike of 709 workers began at Antofagasta's Centinela copper mine as BHP's Escondida mediation runs. Gold fell to a nine-week low after Fed minutes showed all 19 officials backed September's hike. Arafura began construction of the A$1.6 billion Nolans rare earths project. BHP agreed to sell the Kambalda nickel concentrator to Gold Fields. Laos plans to ban all raw mineral exports by 2030.

Show Notes

Centinela Strike Begins With 709 Workers as Escondida Mediation Runs: First, Chile. A legal strike began at 8 a.m. local time Wednesday at Antofagasta's Centinela copper mine after government mediation ended without a deal. The Rio Times reports 709 workers are out, from two unions: Minera Esperanza with 420 members and Distrito Centinela with 289. Members voted 98.73 percent for a strike in late September. IndexBox, citing the unions, says they represent 22 percent of Centinela's direct workforce. Gold Hits a Nine-Week Low After Fed Minutes Show All 19 Officials Backed the Hike: Next, gold. Investing.com reports gold steadied on Thursday after falling in the previous session to its lowest level since early August, a nine-week low. Spot gold rose 0.6 percent to 4,133 dollars and 60 cents an ounce at 5:04 GMT, and U.S. futures gained 0.4 percent to 4,157 dollars and 45 cents. Silver rose 0.4 percent to 60 dollars and 5 cents, and platinum climbed 2.07 percent to 1,667 dollars and 82 cents. Arafura Breaks Ground on A$1.6 Billion Nolans Rare Earths Project: Meanwhile, in Australia, construction has begun on Arafura Rare Earths' Nolans project, 135 kilometres north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. The first sod was turned Thursday, according to the National Tribune. Proactive Investors puts the cost at 1.6 billion Australian dollars and calls Nolans Australia's first fully integrated rare earths mine and processing facility. BHP Sells Kambalda Nickel Concentrator to Gold Fields: Next, nickel, where BHP has made its first sale out of its idled Nickel West division. BHP said Wednesday it has agreed to sell the Kambalda Nickel Concentrator and a package of associated tenements and mineralisation rights in Western Australia to Gold Fields, Reuters reports. No price was disclosed. Laos Moves to Ban All Raw Mineral Exports by 2030: Finally, resource nationalism, now in Southeast Asia. The Lao government plans to ban all raw mineral exports by 2030 so that minerals are processed before leaving the country, The Star reports. Industry and Commerce Minister Malaithong Kommasith set out the plan to the National Assembly on Wednesday. Sources: - The Rio Times — Centinela Strike Begins With 709 Workers as Escondida Mediation Runs: https://www.riotimesonline.com/chile-centinela-copper-strike-begins-709-workers/ - IndexBox — Centinela Strike Begins With 709 Workers as Escondida Mediation Runs: https://www.indexbox.io/blog/copper-prices-recover-as-700-workers-strike-at-antofagastas-centinela-mine-in-chile/ - Shanghai Metals Market (Escondida mediation) — Centinela Strike Begins With 709 Workers as Escondida Mediation Runs: https://news.metal.com/en/newscontent/104144101-bhp-seeks-formal-mediation-at-escondida-temporarily-delaying-strike-at-worlds-largest-copper-mine - Shanghai Metals Market (LME close, Bank of America) — Centinela Strike Begins With 709 Workers as Escondida Mediation Runs: https://news.metal.com/newscontent/104144417-bofa-raises-long-term-copper-price-forecast-tight-supply-supports-prices-smm-copper-morning-meeting-summary - Shanghai Metals Market (inventories) — Centinela Strike Begins With 709 Workers as Escondida Mediation Runs: https://news.metal.com/newscontent/104146374-post-holiday-copper-social-inventory-buildup-yoy-level-remains-low-smm-weekly-data - Investing.com via Yahoo Finance — Gold Hits a Nine-Week Low After Fed Minutes Show All 19 Officials Backed the Hike: https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/gold-steadies-nine-week-low-022008844.html - Federal Reserve Board (FOMC minutes release) — Gold Hits a Nine-Week Low After Fed Minutes Show All 19 Officials Backed the Hike: https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20261007a.htm - Proactive Investors — Arafura Breaks Ground on A$1.6 Billion Nolans Rare Earths Project: https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/a/8b0682f8/arafura-rare-earths-starts-construction-of-a-1-6-billion-nolans-project - National Tribune (Northern Territory release) — Arafura Breaks Ground on A$1.6 Billion Nolans Rare Earths Project: https://www.nationaltribune.com.au/ground-breaks-on-largest-mining-investment-in-territory-history/ - Reuters — BHP Sells Kambalda Nickel Concentrator to Gold Fields: https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/bhp-sell-kambalda-nickel-concentrator-tenements-gold-fields-2026-10-06/ - Mining Technology — BHP Sells Kambalda Nickel Concentrator to Gold Fields: https://www.mining-technology.com/news/bhp-kambalda-nickel-gold-fields/ - The Star (Malaysia) — Laos Moves to Ban All Raw Mineral Exports by 2030: https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2026/10/08/lao-govt-moves-to-end-raw-mineral-exports-pushes-processing

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