Access road to the Houndé mine in Burkina Faso is blocked, adding a fresh challenge to the Canadian miner that recently fired its CEO.

The A$385 million ($254 million) acquisition of Lithium Power International hands Codelco the Maricunga lithium project.

State-owned lithium company YLB and a Chinese consortium are building a pilot plant at the salt flat, which will use DLE technology.

The gold miner said Pueblo Viejo's president, Juana Barceló, did not travel to Panama or meet with First Quantum officials.

The Australia-based green materials platform company, Element Zero, has raised $10 million in seed funding.

Permit for the Makuutu heavy rare earths project is the first large scale mining licence awarded in the East African nation.

It stepped up production at Los Pelambres after overcoming water issues at the operation, which is nearing the end of Phase 1 expansion.

The world's top lithium producer expects to reduce costs by $95m a year by reducing expenses, cutting jobs and selling unwanted assets.