April 2, 2026 -  

After President Trump addressed the nation last night, indicating that the US would continue to hit Iran very hard in the coming weeks, gold, silver and platinum prices fell in early European trading, while oil prices continued to rise and hopes for a quick end to the conflict plummeted.

The US trade war, particularly with China, triggered in 2025 the first year-over-year decline in U.S. coal exports since 2020 according to the Energy Information Administration. Most of this could be chalked up to a 92% drop off in shipments to China. At the same time, while less coal was being exported, domestic use for power generation increased 12%.

American rare earth refiner ReElement Technologies and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation have announced a partnership to strengthen US and allied nation critical mineral supply chains.  

ReElement and MMC said, in the US, the two will focus on supporting ReElement’s refining operations through feedstock sourcing, tolling and offtake opportunities, enabling the continued expansion of domestic refining capacity.