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Shares of Paladin Energy (ASX, TSX: PDN) plummeted on Wednesday after delivering an underwhelming uranium production guidance for the 2026 financial year despite reporting its best operating quarter.

The Australian miner, which operates the Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia, produced 993,843 lb. of uranium oxides (U₃O₈) for three months ended June 30, representing a 33% rise over the third quarter and its best operating performance in fiscal 2025. This brings its annual production to just over 3 million lb.

Since declaring commercial production at Langer Heinrich in spring 2024, the company had initially forecasted production of between 4-4.5 million lb. U₃O₈ for the current fiscal year. However, it revised down the target to 3.6 million lb. in late 2024, and then scrapped the guidance entirely as severe weather conditions impacted its operations. Paladin has since been hit with class action lawsuits over its uranium forecasts.

Despite the production rise in Q4, the company realized the lowest price for its yellowcake of all quarters at $55.6/lb., versus the yearly average of $65.7 and $69.9 the previous quarter.

Guidance for 2026

For the 2026 fiscal year, Paladin has set a production guidance of 4-4.4 million lb. U₃O₈, similar to the initial guidance set last year. The production costs are pegged at $44-48/lb., higher than the $40 average cost realized in fiscal 2025.

The guidance, according to Paladin’s management, reflects unexpected increases in mining-related expenditures, alongside variability in ore grades from stockpiled material at Langer Heinrich, especially during the first half of the year.

Investors reacted negatively to the production and cost guidance figures, as Paladin closed the Australian market down 11.2%. In Toronto, its stock also tanked, down 9.1% in the afternoon with a market capitalization of C$2.6 billion.

A report by the West Australian also pointed to the heavy short interest in the company’s ASX-listed shares, with short sellers controlling about 16.8% of the shares.

We need an AI Plan that protects people and the planet, not a plan that accelerates extraction

Contact: kayla@unbendablemedia.com

Today, the Trump Administration released an AI plan that would fast-track industry growth by  rapidly expanding data centers, many of them in already climate-vulnerable environmental justice regions and creating exponential demand for dirty and dangerous energy. This plan is not about innovation for the public good. It’s about deepening the grip of Big Tech and Big Oil on our economy, environment, and democracy. A People’s AI Action plan, one that delivers on public well-being, shared prosperity, a sustainable future, and security for all is what’s in order.

The Administration’s plan “to win the AI race” eliminates the few existing protections and guardrails that exist to regulate AI. It gives corporations even more leeway, despite having seen the application of AI in surveillance, consumer price gouging, and the creation and spreading of misinformation and disinformation. 

Deepening entrenchment in fossil fuels is not progress. It is privatization of the public future. The unrestrained and unaccountable development of AI, integrated into every aspect of society will drain and pollute our water, air, and land, and structure the economy at the expense of already struggling families and underpaid workers. Massive data centers needed to power AI, which operate with little transparency, place enormous strain on already-fragile infrastructure — reviving the coal industry and expanding natural gas, draining public water in drought-stricken regions, destabilizing power grids, and driving up utility costs and housing prices for working people. The plan also opens up the development of public lands for data centers and new fossil fuel projects, when we need to end dependency on fossil fuels.

Among other harmful provisions, the plan: 

• Further reduces the power of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and reduces permitting requirements to fast-track data centers despite their dangers and harms to communities
• Opens federal lands to data center and fossil fuel projects and paves the way for nuclear energy
• Promotes military and surveillance use of AI

“Training an AI model can emit almost 5 times the lifetime emissions of the average American car. When heatwaves, storms and flooding, and wildfires are raging across the country, we should do everything we can to end our reliance on fossil fuels and protect people, not develop technologies that aggressively exacerbate the climate crisis and dig us deeper into the hole of fossil fuel extraction,” said Dwaign Tyndal, Executive Director of Alternatives for Community and Environment “We must question, do we really need every possible commercialized application of AI at the expense of our lives and our future generations?”

“This US AI Action Plan doesn’t just open the door for Big Tech and Big Oil to team up, it unhinges and removes any and all doors—it opens the floodgates, continuing to kneecap our communities’ rights to protect ourselves,” said KD Chavez, Executive Director of Climate Justice Alliance “With tech and oil’s track records on human rights and their role in the climate crisis, and what they are already doing now to force AI dominance, we need more corporate and environmental oversight, not less.”

“When developers look to site industrial facilities — whether it’s a power plant, an incinerator, or now, an AI data center — they target communities where Black and Brown people live, places with little political power and towns desperate for revenue,” said Sharon Lewis, Executive Director of the Connecticut Coalition for Economic and Environmental Justice. “We call them sacrifice zones because that’s exactly what happens — people sacrifice their health, their well-being, and too often, their future, so that others can benefit. We’re told these data centers are harmless, but even though they might seem like they pose no risk, in reality, these energy-hungry, pollution-intensive facilities are just as damaging to our environment and health.”

Unchecked AI development fueled by tax incentives and profits will only pollute our water, air, and land, with deadly consequences on everyday communities. Climate Justice Alliance supports a People’s AI Action plan that is community-led, transparent, and fossil-free. Right now, we need clean supply chains that prioritize the health and safety of communities and minimize harmful environmental impacts, democratic processes of decision-making including adequate reporting, testing, and permitting, and a complete decoupling from fossil fuel energy and scams that offset energy emission claims. 

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The post Climate Justice Alliance Supports a People’s AI Action Plan appeared first on Climate Justice Alliance.

Gold prices dipped after a three-day rally on Wednesday, as a US-Japan trade deal allayed trade war concerns and dampened demand for safe haven assets.

By midday, spot gold fell 0.6% to $3,410.26 per ounce, having hit a five-week high the previous session. US gold futures also declined 0.6%, trading at $3,420.90 per ounce in New York.

Click on chart for Live Prices

The pullback follows a series a trade deals announced by the Trump administration in recent days, most notably a better-than-expected deal struck with Japan on Tuesday evening.

“Trade deals like the one between the US and Japan mitigate macroeconomic concerns and may dampen safe haven demand. This could lead to a continuation of the recent push and pull in (gold) prices,” Nikos Tzabouras, senior market analyst at Tradu.com, told Reuters.

However, the longer-term prospects for gold remain favourable, he added, citing mounting concerns over US debt that may exacerbate de-dollarization trends, leading to higher gold holdings by central banks.

So far this year, gold has climbed about 30% amid uncertainty surrounding US President Donald Trump’s attempts to reshape global trade, prompting investors and central banks to accumulate bullion.

In late April, the precious metal hit an all-time high of $3,500, before consolidating within a tight range during the ensuring months.

Silver continues to soar

However, gold’s performance is trumped by that of silver, which has soared nearly 36% year to date.

Unlike gold, silver is mostly used as an industrial input. As a result, higher projected demand from sectors such as solar could propel silver prices higher even in absence of the safe-haven draw.

Evidently, spot silver rose by as much as 0.4% to $39.54 an ounce Wednesday — the highest since 2011.

Gold price drops as trade concerns ease, while silver price rallies

“The recent rally in silver is being driven by a combination of strong industrial demand, persistent supply deficits, and increased investor interest,” said Alexander Zumpfe, a precious metals trader at Heraeus Metals Germany.

“A decisive push past $40 could come from a further breakout in gold prices, renewed weakness in the US dollar, or signs of deeper supply tightness – especially if physical premiums start to rise again in key Asian markets.”

In recent days, there has been evidence of market tightness in the London market, after nearly half a million ounces flooded into US warehouses on tariff fears, according to Bloomberg.

Exchange data shows that the cost of borrowing silver metal has jumped above historical norms, while growing exchange-traded fund holdings further erode the amount of metal freely available to buy.

(With files from Bloomberg and Reuters)

Advocates criticize grid operator for failing to connect clean energy, praise Maryland leaders for mitigating increase 

BALTIMORE, MD – PJM, the grid operator responsible for keeping the lights on in 13 Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states plus the District of Columbia, has shared the results of its most recent capacity auction. Prices are already spiking across the PJM region due to the results of last year’s auction, and yesterday’s results confirm that rate relief is at least two years away. According to PJM, the price cap that was negotiated by Governor Shapiro (PA), in conjunction with Gov. Moore and other governors, substantially lessened this year’s increase.

Governor Wes Moore, multiple state agencies, and members of the Maryland General Assembly have pushed back on PJM for flaws in its rate-setting process and failure to connect clean energy projects to the grid. Most recently, Gov. Moore joined a bipartisan group of Governors calling on PJM to make policy changes to mitigate skyrocketing electric supply rates. 

In a functioning capacity market, prices rise in response to low energy supply, incentivizing the development of new power sources to meet demand. As of April 2024, PJM had 286.7 gigawatts (GW) of backlogged proposed energy projects waiting for PJM’s approval to be connected to the grid – enough to power roughly 228 million homes for a year. More than 90% of these projects are clean energy like wind, solar, and battery storage, fueling criticism that PJM is standing in the way of new clean energy. A recent analysis found that if PJM increased the speed at which it allows new projects to connect to the grid, it would save individual households at least $500 a year. 

While PJM’s slow processes have limited Maryland’s ability to build new energy projects, Maryland lawmakers took action in 2025 to speed up the deployment of batteries and solar power in the state once projects receive PJM’s approval. This bold step proves legislators’ commitment to advancing clean energy in spite of the logjam.

However, PJM’s bias toward fossil fuels is still hurting Marylanders. Maryland energy customers will be particularly hard hit by the 2024 PJM auction results, due in large part to PJM’s decision not to credit the energy produced by two active coal plants, a decision that increased bills in the BGE and PEPCO region by an estimated $5 billion. Supply rates will rise towards the end of the summer and are expected to increase up to 25% for some customers. After pushback from consumer advocates, PJM reversed course on that policy decision, adjusting its auction rules as related to the plants for yesterday’s auction.

Increases in electric supply rates have exacerbated rate pain for Marylanders who have already been struggling with the high utility delivery charges. Subsidiaries of the Exelon Company, including BGE, PEPCO, and Delmarva Power, increased delivery rates for gas and electricity at a rate far outpacing inflation. During the 2025 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly made several changes to utility ratemaking policies, which are expected to slow the rate of increase when implemented by the Maryland Public Service Commission.

“As someone who has advocated for PJM reforms that would allow for clean energy projects to connect to the grid, it is disheartening for another capacity market auction to punish ratepayers for PJM’s slow walking of new clean energy projects. PJM continues to be unwilling to implement reforms at a pace that would bring prices down,” said State Delegate Lorig Charkoudian.

“We’re counting on PJM and state utilities to get their act together and ensure access to affordable and reliable electricity,” said Maryland PIRG Senior Advisor Emily Scarr. “To reach that goal, they need to stop blocking clean energy, and stop gaming the rules to benefit fossil fuel and utility companies at the expense of the public. A competitive market won’t benefit customers any other way.” 

“Our regional electric grid remains overly dependent on unreliable and volatile fossil fuels,” said State Senator Benjamin Brooks. “PJM must take decisive action to accelerate the integration of solar energy and battery storage in order to stabilize the grid, reduce pollution, and lower energy costs for ratepayers.”

“These high prices are not serving as signals for new clean energy projects due to PJM’s backlog. Ratepayers should not suffer due to outdated policies and practices. I appreciate Governor Moore and the Maryland General Assembly for advocating for reforms. PJM must respond to continued collaboration and advocacy from the diverse group of stakeholders, paying close attention to this issue,” said Brittany Baker, Maryland Director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

The post Maryland Electricity Bills Stay High as PJM Auction Drives Prices Up Again appeared first on Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

People are invited to comment on a bid by Cuadrilla to extend the life of its former fracking site near Blackpool. A public consultation runs until Thursday 7 August 2025.

Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site on 21 June 2025. Photo: Maple Independent Media

An application by Cuadrilla was published earlier this month for a two-year extension of planning permission for the Preston New Road shale gas site.

The company said the extension was needed to allow for environmental monitoring required by the Environment Agency.

Lancashire County Council, which will decide the application, previously granted a two-year extension to the planning permission in June 2023.

But Cuadrilla failed to meet the deadline in that permission for plugging and abandoning the site’s two horizontal wells by December 2024 or the restoration of the land to agriculture by June 2025.

At the time of writing, the site restoration work is 46 days overdue.

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council told DrillOrDrop:

“The timescale proposed by the applicant for these restoration works is likely to be a key consideration and officers will want to be satisfied in their report and recommendation to the Development Control Committee that restoration works to return the site to agricultural land are being expedited as swiftly as possible.”

The council added “Cuadrilla has confirmed to us that the plugging and abandonment phase is now complete”.

The industry regulator, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) confirmed in correspondence to the council on 17 July 2025 that the wells had been plugged and abandoned “to industry standards”.

Lancashire County Council also told us:

“With these works completed, Cuadrilla advertised and has submitted a new application to allow the time limit for completion of restoration works to be extended until 30 June 2027.

“This application has been validated and has been published on the county council’s planning register.  It can be viewed on our website at Planning application by searching for Application Number LCC/2025/0018.”

County councillor John Singleton (Conservative), who also represents the area around the site on Fylde Borough Council, has already objected to the proposal.

He said the environmental monitoring work “was always known in order to demonstrate no lasting harm has been caused. This should have been taken into account over the previous 2 year extension”.

He said:

“In my opinion, it appears no one from this authority is monitoring the progress or lack of progress on these important milestones concerning the extensions. Our council tax payers, and those of our neighbouring district authorities, must be alarmed at lack of enforcement.

“The last time an extension was granted in 2023, it included all the decommissioning activities the council is being asked to extend again.

“In my opinion the land has not received the attention it should to meet the planning deadlines and I object to another 2 year extension as I fear in another 2 years we will be asking for another extension.”

He added that the extension, if approved, should be reduced to 18 months.

Online details now indicate that the application will be decided by the county council’s development control committee, rather than delegated to officers. No date has yet been set for the committee meeting.

DrillOrDrop will report on the responses to the planning application and the council’s decision.  

Link to application LCC/2025/0018

Yorkshire villagers are meeting to discuss plans by Egdon Resources for gas drilling at Foxholes.

Proposed site of Egdon’s gas exploration site at Foxholes in North Yorkshire. Photo: DrillOrDrop

A series of events has been organised by Foxholes and Butterwick Parish Council. The campaign group, Fossil Free Foxholes, is planning more public meetings in the area. An event is also planned for Ganton and Potter Brompton residents.

 Egdon hosted a drop-in exhibition at Foxholes in May 2025, attended by 57 people.

The company said it proposed to seek a three-year permission to drill and test a gas well on land off Butt Lane in Foxholes, between Bridlington and Malton.

No applications for planning permission or environmental permits have yet been published. But Egdon has given notice that a planning application is imminent

In the past six weeks, members of Foxholes and Butterwick Parish Council have attended six events to talk to local people about the proposals.

These included an introductory two-hour meeting, attended by 87 people, intended to “take on board your comments, questions and concerns”. link to slides

MP meeting

Last weekend, the council hosted a one-hour meeting, attended by the local MP Kevin Hollinrake, North Yorkshire Councillor Janet Sanderson, and Kathryn Richardson and Paul Crawforth, of the Environment Agency.

Residents raised concerns about traffic, risks of groundwater contamination, flooding and air pollution. There were also questions about site monitoring and Environment Agency resources.

Mr Hollinrake said gas exploration was “a fact of life in Ryedale”. He said gas would be part of the UK’s energy mix for the “next few decades”. “The choice is whether we produce or import it, it’s as simple as that”, he added.

[The government’s advisor, the Climate Change Committee, said last month the UK must use low-carbon electricity to replace oil and gas in surface transport, heat in buildings and industry if it is to meet its legally-binding carbon reduction targets.]

The MP also said he understood concerns that villagers may have. “We’re here to try and allay those concerns and explain a process from here”.

The panel was asked where residents could visit an operational site in Yorkshire to understand the impact.

Mr Crawforth said there were no operational sites in North Yorkshire or the East Riding.

There were also concerns about contamination of the Gypsey Race, a winterbourne watercourse that rises in the Great Wold Valley through a series of springs and runs intermittently through villages in the Foxholes area to the sea at Bridlington.

Much of the Gypsey Race flows underground through chalk aquifers. But at times, it can be seen bubbling up in fields. In wet weather, it becomes a stream and has flooded roads. One person said if pollution got into the watercourse it would never come out.

Mr Hollinrake replied: “That’s why we have to make sure this is the right location”.

Working party

Foxholes and Butterwick Parish council has established a working party to gather information about Egdon’s plans and consult villagers.

The council said a briefing document would be submitted to the parish council to “inform thinking and decision making”. The council said:

“This is being developed from a position of neutrality, exploring both benefits and issues”

Future events Friday 25 July 2025

Talk on Egdon’s plans, 7.30pm, Ganton Village Hall for residents of Ganton and Potter Brompton only. The publicity states “no photography or filming”. We have no details of the host organisation or any speakers.

Saturday 26 July 2025

Foxholes and Butterwick Parish Council members will attend Fellas at Foxholes, 9.30am-11am, Foxholes Village Hall.

Monday 28 July 2025

Foxholes and Butterwick Parish Council meeting, 7.30pm, Foxholes village hall, Foxholes. Guests include Cllrs Richard Parsons and Claire Topham, of Burniston Parish Council. Europa Oil & Gas has submitted applications for planning permission and environmental permits for gas exploration and lower volume fracking at Burniston in North Yorkshire

Dates and venues to be fixed

Foxholes and Butterwick Parish Council – talk by a member of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Foxholes and Butterwick Parish Council – talk by Charlie Dewhirst, MP for Wold Newton

Fossil Free Foxholes – planning public meetings in villages, including Foxholes. The organisers said “all members of the public will be welcome at any of the meetings wherever they are held”.

This article A new youth-led lawsuit is challenging Trump’s fossil fuel orders was originally published by Waging Nonviolence.

This summer, kids are taking the climate crisis to the courts. The 22 plaintiffs of Lighthiser v. Trump, a lawsuit filed in May, range from 7 to 25 years old. They are challenging three of President Donald Trump’s most controversial executive orders to “unleash” fossil fuels and revoke renewable energy initiatives. The orders roll back critical investments in sustainable technologies and climate science, declare a “National Energy Emergency” to increase fossil fuel use, and prop up the coal, oil and gas industries through deregulation.

The case will hinge on the youth’s constitutional rights — a pivotal angle in recent environmental suits. When hearings begin in September in the U.S. District Court of Montana, the Lighthiser plaintiffs will argue that the three executive orders violate their Fifth Amendment rights to life and liberty. Additionally, they allege the president exceeded his authority by attempting to override laws like the Clean Air Act. As the case unfolds, it will have sweeping implications for the legal resistance to the Trump administration, and for the climate movement at large.

While the most dangerous consequences of the executive orders will play out over years, from environmental degradation to increased carbon emissions, the plaintiffs can also point to more immediate personal consequences. That could help them prove that the orders harmed them directly, providing legal grounds for the case, which are often questioned in climate lawsuits.

Delaney Reynolds, a graduate student in climate policy and one of the plaintiffs in Lighthiser v. Trump, described the immediate impacts of the orders on her own work. “[Trump] took down the National Climate Assessment reports and website, so they’re no longer accessible,” she said. “Those reports and other scientific documents are all things that I’ve been personally using for my PhD dissertation. So now that I don’t have access to them, my ability to even get my degree is under threat.”

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Reynolds also said that the potential impacts of the case extend far beyond the three executive orders that they’re challenging. She referenced other climate lawsuits she’s led in Florida, some of which were unsuccessful. Despite a suit getting dismissed, she said, “we gained the support in the court of public opinion. News about the case spread all across the state. … It basically comes down to educating people even if the lawsuit isn’t successful.”

Dana R. Fisher, the director of American University’s Center for Environment, Community and Equity, agreed. Much of Fisher’s research explores the strategies and motivations of the grassroots climate movement. Her latest book, “Saving Ourselves: From Climate Shocks to Climate Action,” argues for mass mobilization in response to increasingly frequent and severe climate disasters. With that aim in mind, she says constitutional climate lawsuits can be a critical tool for raising public awareness. In particular, they can reach moderates and those who don’t follow electoral politics.

The Lighthiser case, she said, presents an opportunity to elicit support or inspire action from people who wanted to install heat pumps or solar panels, but now can’t. “Even if [the lawsuit isn’t] successful,” she added, “it will help shine a light on some of these things that are happening.”

They’re also hoping to build on the momentum from previous cases. Nine of the Lighthiser plaintiffs — as well as Our Children’s Trust, the public-interest law firm leading the suit along with Gregory Law Group, McGarvey Law and Public Justice — recently scored a landmark victory in the case of Held v. Montana, which was upheld by the Montana Supreme Court last year. It argued that Montana’s aggressive fossil fuel extraction violated a state constitutional right to “a clean and healthful environment.” Our Children’s Trust and several of the Lighthiser plaintiffs from Hawaii were also successful last year in Navahine v. Hawaii Department of Transportation, which marked the first ever settlement between a state and youth plaintiffs to address constitutional climate concerns.

Despite those major wins, some differences set Lighthiser v. Trump apart as an especially difficult uphill battle. The challenges of taking on Trump directly, along with many of his secretaries and agencies, also named as defendants in the case, are difficult to overstate. It is all but certain that the president and his supporters will try to pressure the judiciary. Moreover, this is not a repeat of the cases against Montana or Hawaii, in which state constitutions set clearer protections for environmental rights. Lightiser has a national scope, and it’s already getting attention. Nineteen states — all Republican led — have filed an unusual motion to intervene in the case, defending Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” mandate. Among more than 450 legal challenges to Trump’s executive orders, this is the only time states have sought such an intervention.

Previous Coverage

How suing the US government can empower the climate movement

The closest parallel to Lightiser in recent litigation might be Juliana v. United States, another high-profile youth climate suit led by Our Children’s Trust. That unsuccessful case was closed by the Supreme Court in March after nearly a decade of government avoidance and extreme legal tactics. It also had national implications, challenging the U.S. government’s investment in fossil fuels on constitutional grounds.

But Liz Lee, an attorney with Our Children’s Trust, emphasized that the new Lighthiser case is not “Juliana 2.0.” The major difference, she said, is that “the 21 Juliana plaintiffs were challenging the systemic national energy plan. … But this time around, we’re really focusing on the three executive orders.” That narrower focus means that there’s a clear remedy in this case, which has been a difficulty in more sweeping legal challenges. This time, as Lee put it, “You can’t say, well, climate change is too big. It’s too hard. We can’t handle it. Here, you revoke the executive orders.”

Our Children’s Trust has also been working to raise awareness and build public support for the case. They hosted a large press conference and rally on Capitol Hill on July 16, celebrating the introduction of concurrent House and Senate resolutions intended to support the lawsuit. The resolutions affirm young people’s fundamental right to a clean environment and condemn the executive actions of the Trump administration. They were introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley and Reps. Jan Schakowsky, Pramila Jayapal, and Jamie Raskin, along with eight Democratic senators and 43 representatives.

Although the resolutions are essentially symbolic, Fisher said they present an important opportunity to broaden the reach of the lawsuit and engage legislators, as climate activists set longer-term organizing goals and Democrats seek to regain control of Congress in the midterms. Resolutions “are a good way to gauge interest and get support,” she said, “particularly for minority folks when they’re not in power, so that they have a coalition already supporting an issue. Especially with the hope that there will be a turning of the tides.”

Rep. Jayapal spoke at the rally, urging young people to fight back against the Trump administration’s actions in the courts and Congress. “Every single one of us — no matter our age, our background, our race, our income — has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And you cannot divorce the future of our planet from that right… This administration is intent on destroying our planet, all to make the rich even richer. All of that action denies our youth a just future.”

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Underscoring the urgency of Lighthiser v. Trump, the devastation and death tolls from this year’s unprecedented climate disasters continue to rise. As the U.S. heads into hurricane season, with FEMA and other emergency response agencies severely impaired, many communities have already faced horrific floods, storms, fires and heat waves. From Texas to California, hundreds of people have been killed in recent events fueled by global warming.

Young people, in particular, are experiencing a steep mental toll from the impacts of climate change, sometimes termed “eco-grief.” A slew of studies and articles have documented the rise in climate anxiety, all of which illustrate the critical role of youth in environmental litigation and the broader green movement. This sort of personal harm is exactly what youth climate lawsuits like Lighthiser v. Trump must prove in court.

At the same time, Fisher said, the tragic results of extreme weather often motivate communities and individuals to take action. “Personal experiences open up these windows of opportunity,” she said. “Research documents how even if you are very right-leaning, if you personally experience a climate-exacerbated extreme event, or what we call climate shocks, it actually does change your attitude. People’s attitudes shift to be more supportive of climate action and more supportive of climate science.”

That attitude shift could help the Lighthiser plaintiffs capture wider public attention and build bipartisan support for their case, even as the administration pushes back in the months to come. Although it’s certain to be a tough legal battle, the youth in the suit have no hesitation when it comes to the stakes. Eva Lighthiser, the 19-year-old named plaintiff, said in a press release, “I’m not suing because I want to — I’m suing because I have to. My health, my future and my right to speak the truth are all on the line.”

Without action, Lighthiser said, “Trump’s fossil fuel orders are a death sentence for my generation.”

This article A new youth-led lawsuit is challenging Trump’s fossil fuel orders was originally published by Waging Nonviolence.

G Mining Ventures (TSX: GMIN) has scored a legal victory in Brazil that grants it permission to advance the Gurupi gold project.

On Wednesday, the Canadian gold miner announced that a federal agrarian court in Maranhão, northeastern Brazil, has ruled in its favour with respect to the project’s environmental licensing process. Specifically, the court annulled the legacy licences issued to a prior operator in 2011 and confirmed G Mining’s ability to initiate a new licensing process.

The ruling, which resolves a longstanding civil action that has been open since 2013, provides “a clean regulatory path forward and positions Gurupi for long-term development and strategic growth,” G Mining stated in a press release.

The environmental process would require the submission of a full environmental impact assessment and report (EIA/RIMA) and prior consent from the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) for areas overlapping agrarian settlements, it noted.

Louis-Pierre Gignac, CEO of G Mining, calls the court ruling “a pivotal moment” for the Gurupi project by removing a longstanding regulatory constraint in its permitting process, while highlighting the company’s track record in “navigating complex regulatory environments.”

Shares of G Mining Ventures rose 2% by midday Wednesday on the announcement, giving the company a market capitalization of just over C$4 billion.

District-scale gold project

Gurupi represents the third asset in the company’s project pipeline after the Tocantinzinho mine, also in Brazil, and the Oko West project in Guyana, which is nearing a construction decision.

“With this legal certainty, we are now well positioned to unlock the full potential of this district-scale asset through focused exploration and meaningful stakeholder engagement,” Gignac stated in Wednesday’s release.

G Mining considers the Gurupi project to be a long-term development asset with significant mineral resource expansion opportunities. The property covers an approximate 1,900 km² land package, containing three deposits with a combined gold resource of 1.83 million indicated ounces and 770,000 inferred ounces.

The project has a long history of exploration that first began in the 1980s, when Vale and other operators identified multiple gold occurrences along an 80-km mineralized trend. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, over 126,000 metres of drilling had been completed to define the key deposits.

Luna Gold acquired the project in 2007, expanding drilling efforts and establishing a JORC-compliant resource. Australia’s OZ Minerals took over the project in 2016 and conducted further exploration. A pre-feasibility study was completed in 2019, contemplating a high-margin open-pit gold operation.

G Mining acquired Gurupi in Q4 2024 from BHP, which took over OZ Minerals in 2023, and released the NI 43-101 resource estimate. An initial exploration budgeted of $2-4 million has been designated for the project this year. However, a larger budget would be allocated upon receipt of the necessary exploration permits in the second half of 2025, the company said.

Botswana is pushing to take a controlling stake in De Beers as Anglo American (LON: AAL) prepares to divest from the diamond company.

The country’s mining minister Bogolo Kenewendo told the Financial Times on Wednesday that President Duma Boko “remains resolute” in his quest to increase Botswana’s stake in De Beers to ensure Botswana’s full control over this strategic national asset and the entire value chain including marketing.

The comments come ahead of an early August deadline for bids to be submitted to Anglo from potential buyers of the diamonds business.

Kenewendo said any sale of the company “without our support will be difficult to achieve”.

“Our partners at Anglo American have, regrettably, failed to manage the process transparently or in co-ordination with the government and with our support,” she added.

De Beers, the world’s leading diamond producer by value, has been on the chopping block since May 2024, when Anglo announced plans to either sell the unit or launch an initial public offering (IPO). This decision came as part of a corporate overhaul triggered by Anglo’s successful defence against a £39 billion ($49 billion) takeover bid by Australian rival BHP (ASX: BHP).

Lab-grown gems put squeeze on diamond mining industry

The miner sources about 70% of its diamonds from the country.

The country’s bold move comes despite a widening budget deficit, expected to hit 7.5% by 2026, and analysts’ skepticism over its ability to raise sufficient funds. Kenewendo, however, insisted that “financing is not an issue.”

Shares of Anglo American rose 0.3% to close at £23.47 apiece in London on Wednesday, valuing the company at £27.6 billion.

Strategic asset, market slump

The developments pose a major challenge to Anglo’s “dual-track” strategy of either selling or publicly listing its 85% De Beers stake.

De Beers has struggled amid falling demand from China and growing competition from lab-grown stones. Anglo has twice cut De Beers’ valuation, most recently to $4.1 billion in February. The miner also reported a 44% revenue drop in the first quarter and is holding $2 billion in unsold diamonds.

Anglo said it remains in regular talks with Botswana and acknowledged the country’s role as a key partner.

When governments normalize genocide and institutions retreat behind silence, it is the duty of peoples' movements to act. The Handala mission stands as a concrete expression of grassroots determination in the face of institutional failure and global silence.

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De Beers, the world’s largest diamond miner by value, once convinced the world that true love needed a mined diamond. The precious stones weren’t just beautiful — they were a natural wonder, formed over billions of years deep within the Earth and extracted from far-off places by companies like De Beers itself. 

That mystique guaranteed mine diamonds a century of dominance. Today, that power is fading fast as lab-grown diamonds, identical in structure, sparkle, and hardness, are redefining what a “real” diamond means. 

These synthetic gems, created under high pressure and temperature in controlled environments, have gone from novelty to norm. They are widely available and increasingly affordable. And that’s rattling the foundations of a global industry.

Alarm bells

The central Chinese province of Henan now produces over 70% of the world’s lab-grown diamonds for jewellery. Many end up on the ring fingers of newly engaged couples, especially in the United States. 

In 2022, Walmart began selling lab-made stones. Two years later, they made up half its diamond assortment. Sales surged 175% in 2024 compared to the previous year, making the retail giant the second-largest fine jewellery seller in the country, just behind Signet.

The rapid growth has triggered alarm among some traditional players. Yoram Dvash, president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses says synthetic diamonds now dominate new US engagement rings. He warned of an “unprecedented flood” of lab-made stones and called on the industry to unite in response.

(Click on image to enlarge) LEFT: Competitors Cecil Rhodes and Barny Banato join forces, creating De Beers Consolidated Mines in 1888. | RIGHT: Canadian geologist Dr. John Williamson sets up the Williamson mine in Tanzania, famous for its pink diamonds. (Images courtesy of De Beers Group.)

Not everyone sees an existential threat. Independent analyst Paul Zimnisky attributes the recent downturn to post-covid demand corrections, a luxury slowdown in China, and the disruptive ascent of lab diamonds. He remains cautiously optimistic, noting that lab-grown stones now account for over 20% of global diamond jewellery sales, up from under 1% in 2016.

For engagement rings, the market share is even higher. A 2024 survey of nearly 17,000 US couples by The Knot found that more than half of engagement rings featured a lab-made diamond, up 40% from 2019.

Zimnisky believes the industry’s survival hinges on branding. “If the industry gets lethargic and loses its way on the marketing front, all bets are off,” he told MINING.COM earlier this year.

Marketing reset

The spotlight has shifted back to De Beers. Once the architect of diamond scarcity and prestige, it’s now for sale. Parent company Anglo American (LON: AAL) slashed its valuation by $4.5 billion in just over a year. While no buyer has stepped forward, Botswana is reportedly pushing to take a controlling stake.

De Beers’ troubles go beyond ownership uncertainty. To counter the effects of oversupply and waning demand, the company is mining fewer diamonds. Rough diamond production fell 26% in the first half of the year to 7.22 million carats. Anglo had already slashed its 2025 output forecast to as low as 20 million carats, down from an earlier target of up to 33 million.

In May, De Beers shut down its lab-grown diamond jewellery brand, Lightbox, in a clear move to recommit to natural stones. It’s betting that a focused narrative, one rooted in rarity and romance, can revive demand and stabilize mined diamond prices.

Making that case is harder than ever. Lab-grown diamonds are chemically identical to their natural counterparts. Even trained gemologists need specialized equipment to tell them apart. The core difference now lies not in composition, but in story.

Lab-grown diamonds may be more affordable and visually identical to natural ones, but they typically don’t hold their value. While mined diamonds can resell for 20% to 60% of their original retail price, lab-grown gems often fetch just 10% to 30%, sometimes even less.

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, De Beers CEO Al Cook predicted that as lab-grown diamonds become more abundant, their value will continue to fall. He warned they risk being seen more like low-cost imitations such as cubic zirconia or moissanite, which have different chemical compositions and are easily recognized as fakes.

The Luanda Accord was signed in June to pool resources and boost global marketing efforts for natural diamonds. (Image courtesy of the Natural Diamond Council.)

For buyers who spent thousands on lab-created stones, Cook didn’t sugar-coat the outlook. “I weep for you,” he said.

To sway a younger, more value-conscious generation, the industry has turned to fresh campaigns. De Beers and Signet launched “Worth the Wait” in October 2024, targeting so-called Zillennials — those born between 1993 and 1998 — with messaging about milestones, meaning, and the uniqueness of natural diamonds.

In June, a coalition of producing countries and De Beers inked the Luanda Accord, pledging 1% of rough diamond revenues toward a marketing fund run by the Natural Diamond Council. The NDC has since rolled out a new short film series and an educational website aimed at helping retail staff better articulate the case for natural gems.

A previous campaign that branded lab-made stones as “dupes” and urged buyers to “swipe left” backfired and was taken down.

Changing values

Even as traditionalists double down, the cultural ground is shifting. Young buyers care about origin and ethics. They want proof their purchase doesn’t fund conflict or exploit workers. Danish retailer Pandora switched entirely to lab-made diamonds in 2021, citing environmental and social concerns as well as lower prices.

Even experts need specialized equipment to tell the difference between quality lab-grown and mined diamonds. (Image courtesy of the Natural Diamond Council.)

Zimnisky notes that for economies “sensitive” to changes in the diamond market, such as Botswana, Canada, Namibia, Angola and Russia, the stakes are high. “This is a luxury product,” he said. “It needs to be merchandised as such. All stakeholders must contribute to shaping the message.”

The mystique of mined diamonds may be fading, but the desire for something meaningful remains. For the industry to stay relevant, it must shift from legacy to legitimacy, replacing old myths with modern values.

_________________
RELATED: Gem Diamonds to cut jobs, salaries amid industry crisis

Today’s most effective environmental activists — including Bill McKibben, Jane Fonda, and others — draw large crowds and inspire us. To accomplish this, they draw upon history’s most transformative leaders as a model for how to make our voices heard even in difficult situations.

Whether those activists chain themselves to trees or bulldozers, stand strong en masse at government buildings, block transport of fossil fuels or deadly chemicals, or peacefully interrupt privatization of protected lands, these leaders all employ strategies established by historical figures who challenged authority.

Protesting has a long, rich history that you should familiarize yourself with. After all, the United States itself was born out of protest. And protest may determine how we move forward.

Gandhi’s Passive Protests

Mahatma Gandhi’s passive protesting, also known as satyagraha, was a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance to injustice, love for one’s opponent, and a commitment to truth as the means to achieve social and political change.

Key aspects of satyagraha include:

• • Nonviolent Resistance: Gandhi believed violence is weakness and that true strength exists in nonviolent action, such as boycotts, strikes, and civil disobedience.
  • Self-Suffering: This is the willingness to suffer for one’s beliefs, to awaken the conscience of the oppressors and inspire them to change through hunger strikes and peaceful noncompliance/nonparticipation.
  • Conversion, Not Coercion: Do not just defeat opponents but convert them to a cause through persuasion and by demonstrating the moral superiority; winning hearts and minds.
  • Boycott Power: Organize widespread boycotts – vote with your wallet and reject unethical products, political actions, discriminatory laws and unscrupulous business models.

Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance has been highly influential worldwide, inspiring civil rights movements and other social justice campaigns by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

Do you fear protesting because it may disrupt your social, professional or political standing? Nelson Mandela tells us: “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

King’s Lessons on Nonviolence

Martin Luther King Jr. was a central figure in the American Civil Rights movement, renowned for his leadership in peaceful protests. He advocated for nonviolent resistance to inspire social and political change. His approach emphasized challenging injustice without using violence. King’s nonviolent resistance, a strategic and morally sound approach, included sit-ins and boycotts, marches and demonstrations, civil disobedience, and an emphasis on love and reconciliation.

The King Center’s Six Principles of Nonviolence:

• • Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
  • Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
  • Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice or evil, not people.
  • Nonviolence means that unearned suffering for a just cause can educate and transform.
  • Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
  • Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

In his 1964 Nobel lecture, King said: “Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love…violence ends up defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.”

John Lewis reinforced this message for all who resist injustice, saying: “Before we went on any protest, whether it was sit-ins or the freedom rides or any march, we prepared ourselves, and we were disciplined. We were committed to the way of peace — the way of non-violence — the way of love — the way of life as the way of living.” Sociological and political scientific research confirms that non-violent protests are more effective than violent ones. Peaceful protests are much more effective.

When authorities repress protests, it can strengthen peaceful movements. When protesters are violent, it often creates news coverage that is more sympathetic to the opposition, whose chosen media outlets will edit the most inflammatory clips of non-peaceful participants in your protest and create video loops and memes that will play repeatedly in the social media landscape and worse, go viral. This drowns out your protest message and its importance, meaning, and intent.

Protesting in Private

If you feel shy about joining a protest, or maybe you have physical limitations that may hinder your participation, you can often make everyday resistance by “voting with your wallet,” i.e. researching your grocery and goods purchases, your credit card corporations, the companies and stores you frequent as a consumer.

You can also spend time contacting your city, state, local and federal representatives if you find them lacking in leadership for the environment and human rights.

Next Time: This series will continue with a look at how, after you’ve gotten some effective protesting experience under your belt, YOU can organize a protest.

Are you active in protests this summer? Tell us about it! Share your ideas, inspirations, aspirations, and advice to newcomers in active movements and protests. Send your comments, suggestions, questions, or even brief essays to comments@therevelator.org.

Sources and Resources:

“The New Science of Social Change: A Modern Handbook for Activists”  by Lisa Mueller

“Agenda Seeding: How 1960s Black Protests Moved Elites, Public Opinion and Voting”  by Omar Wasow

“Non-Violent Resistance (Satyagraha)”  by M. K. Gandhi

Summer of Change: New Books to Inspire Environmental Action

The Activist Handbook and other sources below provide practical guides and resources so you can plan your demonstration successfully.

Indivisible and No Kings offer training and education on protesting safely and effectively, as well as new and upcoming protest events.

The Human Rights Campaign: Tips for Preparedness, Peaceful Protesting, and Safety

ACLU Guide: How to Protest Safely and Responsibly

Amnesty International Protest Guide

Wired: How to Protest Safely: What to Bring, What to Do, and What to Avoid

Infosec 101 for Activists

 

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The post Freedom of Voice: Learn From History’s Most Effective Protesters appeared first on The Revelator.

Former EPA scientists join EWG to expand, bolster EWG Verified® program rcoleman July 23, 2025

WASHINGTON – The Environmental Working Group is thrilled to welcome three distinguished experts and former Environmental Protection Agency leaders to the staff. They will help expand and strengthen EWG Verified®, the organization’s flagship initiative for safer, healthier consumer products. 

The trio’s deep expertise at the EPA in advancing science-based public health protections will strengthen EWG’s leadership as a trusted source for rigorous, transparent standards millions of consumers depend on.

Clive Davies
Vice president, EWG Verified

Davies brings with him a wealth of scientific and programmatic leadership developed during his long tenure at EPA and his work to encourage and reward development and use of safer chemicals. 

Before joining EWG, Davies led the EPA’s Safer Choice program, which identifies products made with ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment. The program also evaluates antimicrobial products seeking the EPA’s Design for the Environment certification for strict health and safety criteria. 

At EWG, Davies will lead a team of scientists advancing the organization’s rigorous standards for personal care, cleaning, baby products and mattresses through the EWG Verified and EWG Reviewed for Science programs. 

Lauren Sweet Duffy, Ph.D. 
Senior scientist, toxicology lead, EWG Verified

Duffy served as the lead toxicologist for the EPA’s Safer Choice Program beginning in 2017. She evaluated the safety of ingredients in cleaning products and other consumer goods. Now, as the chief toxicologist for EWG Verified, Duffy brings her deep scientific expertise and regulatory experience to strengthen the program’s rigorous standards. 

She will play a central role in ensuring that every EWG Verified product meets the highest benchmarks for health and safety while also maintaining the integrity of the program and reinforcing consumer trust.

Taylor K. Dunivin, Ph.D. 
Director, science communications, EWG Verified

Dunivin is a respected scientist and seasoned science communicator with a deep commitment to public health and chemical safety. She served as a biologist and outreach lead with the EPA’s Safer Choice program, working to identify and promote safer chemical ingredients in everyday products. 

Before her tenure at the EPA, Dunivin worked as a Senate legislative aide and at the National Institutes of Health during the Covid-19 pandemic. In her new role at EWG, Dunivin will lead the development and expansion of science communications with both companies and consumers, helping brands meet EWG Verified standards and empowering shoppers with clear, trustworthy information. Her work will play a key role in growing the EWG Verified program and expanding access to safer, healthier personal care and cleaning products.

“Clive, Lauren and Taylor each embody the science-based approach that is central to our mission,” said Jocelyn Lyle, EWG’s executive vice president for mission and partnerships. “Their combined expertise will elevate the rigor, transparency and trustworthiness of our EWG Verified program. On behalf of the entire staff and myself, we are thrilled they have joined the team at EWG.”

About EWG Verified and EWG Reviewed for Science

EWG Verified and EWG Reviewed for Science recognize products that meet the highest standards for ingredient safety and transparency. These programs are grounded in independent toxicological review and data evaluation, empowering consumers to make safer, healthier choices about their personal care, cleaning, baby products and mattresses.

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The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. 

Areas of Focus Personal Care Products Household & Consumer Products Toxic Chemicals Press Contact Alex Formuzis alex@ewg.org (202) 667-6982 July 23, 2025

How ultra-processed food may fuel Type 2 diabetes rcoleman July 23, 2025

Type 2 diabetes affects roughly 34 million Americans. The numbers are rising, especially among children, and ultra-processed food might be playing a role.

Americans are increasingly consuming this type of food, which can include packaged snacks, soda, instant noodles, fast food, frozen entrees and refined bread. Americans’ dietary habits for ready-to-eat foods has gone up over the past two decades, according to a 2022 study. 

On average, ultra-processed food or UPF, accounts for almost 60% of an American adult’s diet. It’s even higher for kids and teens, representing more than two-thirds of their total calories. 

The rising consumption of these foods may play a role in the increased incidence of long-term chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Crohn’s disease, depression and brain disorders like dementia. 

Rising prevalence of Type 2 diabetes 

Some studies have associated increased consumption of UPF with a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, one of the most widespread chronic diseases in the U.S. 

Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% to 95% of all diabetes cases, and according to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 12% of people in the U.S. of all ages have diabetes. 

With Type 2 diabetes, the body begins to lose its ability to effectively regulate blood sugar. Disruptions to the body's usual metabolic system can also lead to higher blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels and obesity.

The incidence of Type 2 diabetes went up dramatically between 2002 and 2018 for all children in the U.S., especially for Black and American Indian children. 

There is a growing body of research linking UPF consumption and the risk of Type 2 diabetes, with high intake increasing the risk in one study by as much as 31%, according to a 2022 study.

In 2024, European researchers found that each 10% increase in UPF consumption in the diet was associated with a 17% higher incidence of diabetes.

This rise could mean hundreds of thousands of additional diabetes cases across the U.S.

Defining ultra-processed food

Food can be categorized by how much it has been processed – ranging from unprocessed whole food to ultra-processed. Most food products found in the grocery store are processed in some way, even if it’s just cooking or pasteurizing to make it safe and edible. 

Ultra-processed foods are different. 

They are made using one or more industrial ingredients like artificial colors and flavors, non-sugar sweeteners, and additives such as emulsifiers and thickeners. UPF is designed to be cheap, irresistibly palatable and ready to eat straight from the package. These products are engineered so we keep wanting to eat them.

Part of what makes them so craveable is their often high levels of sugar and fat.  

Studies have shown that consumption of UPF may interfere with our brain’s reward system and the signals that tell us to stop eating. This may lead to eating more of these foods compared to minimally processed foods.

Health impacts of UPF

Studies have linked UPF consumption to metabolic diseases such as metabolic syndrome and fatty liver disease.

UPF’s combination of high energy density and hyperpalatability promotes overconsumption. This can also contribute to weight gain. 

U.S. obesity rates have risen over the past several decades. Obesity also significantly increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. 

Overconsumption can increase fat storage in the body and interfere with the body’s metabolic processes. This can increase insulin production and fat storage in the liver, both of which promote Type 2 diabetes. 

Policy failures and state action 

The Food and Drug Administration is failing to protect us from harmful food chemicals, including those in UPF. Nearly 99% of food chemicals introduced since 2000 have been approved by the food and chemical industry, and not reviewed by the FDA. 

Progress on oversight for food chemicals and UPF has come largely from state governments.

California recently enacted two first-in-the-nation bans on certain food chemicals, including harmful food dyes in school food. EWG co-sponsored both of these bills. 

Other states have introduced and passed similar legislation.  

The California Senate is now considering Assembly Bill 1264, which would restrict the offering of harmful UPF in public schools. 

How to limit exposure to harmful UPF chemicals

Food choices are often driven by availability and cost. Ultra-processed foods in many categories are often cheaper than less processed foods. 

It doesn’t help that so much of what’s in the grocery store is UPF – by one estimate, as much as 70%. 

But, just as higher consumption of UPF can be connected to Type 2 diabetes, the reverse is also true: Replacing UPF in the diet with food that is less processed can lower the incidence of diabetes. 

Not all UPF are equally harmful either, and processing alone doesn’t make food unhealthy. Plain Greek yogurt, whole wheat bread and whole grain cereals are processed foods that contain nutrients like protein and fiber.

For many UPF, there’s a healthier, less-processed alternative. Instead of yogurt with added flavors, artificial colors, zero-calorie sweeteners and thickeners, you might choose a yogurt with simple ingredients: cultured milk and fruit.

The key to identifying these products is reading ingredient lists and nutrition facts. This means looking beyond marketing claims, including greenwashing. Here’s what you can do: 

• Choose simple ingredients. Focus on products with ingredients whose names you recognize.
• Make healthier swaps. When possible and affordable, choose whole, minimally processed foods such as fruits and vegetables and whole grains, beans, lentils and meats.
• Upgrade your pantry. If you are buying mac and cheese in a grocery store, consider items like Ancient Harvest Pow! Mac and Cheese Power Protein Pasta over Kroger Original Macaroni and Cheese.
• Don’t aim for perfection. Eating less UPF doesn’t mean giving up convenience – it means checking ingredient labels.
• Check EWG guides. EWG has several useful food shopping guides to get you started, from frozen food to general tips in the grocery store. 

Consult EWG’s free, searchable Food Scores database, which offers ratings for more than 80,000 food and beverage products based on nutrition, ingredient concerns and processing. A flag that identifies the most unhealthy UPF appears as part of the nutrition facts in the EWG Top Findings section of a product when applicable. 

Our Healthy Living app makes it easy to check what’s in products at the store.

Areas of Focus Food & Water Food Family Health Toxic Chemicals Food Chemicals Guest Authors Owen Curtin, EWG Communications Intern July 23, 2025

A new study finds that lightning kills some 320 million trees around the world each year, more than was previously thought. And that figure could rise in the decades ahead as increasingly hot and humid weather fuels more lightning, particularly in forested parts of the Far North. 

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Gem Diamonds (LON: GEMD) has become the latest casualty in a deepening crisis engulfing the global diamond industry, announcing sweeping cost-cutting measures as the market buckles under falling prices and the growing popularity of lab-grown alternatives.

The Africa-focused diamond producer reported a 43% drop in revenue to $44.7 million for the first half of its financial year. Carat sales fell 22% to 44,360, while the average price per carat plunged 26% to $1,008.

In response, Gem Diamonds said it would reduce operating costs by $1.4 million to $1.6 million per month and cut around 250 jobs, or 20% of its workforce, at its Letšeng mine in Lesotho. Executives have also taken voluntary salary reductions.

“Considering the prolonged weakness in global diamond prices, compounded by a weak dollar and ongoing US tariff uncertainties, Gem has implemented decisive measures to conserve cash and protect shareholder value,” the company said.

Despite meeting production targets, Gem Diamonds admitted it has not been shielded from sustained pressure on rough diamond prices and adverse currency movements. Investors reacted accordingly, with the company’s shares falling more than 20% in early trading on the London Stock Exchange. They partially rebound to 5.5 pence in late trading, valuing the company at £7.7 million ($10 million).

Lab-grown gems put squeeze on diamond mining industry

Gem Diamonds’ measures mirrors those of its peers. just last week, Burgundy Diamond Mines (ASX: BDM) halted open pit operations at its Ekati mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories, triggering mass layoffs. 

All three operating diamond mines in the region — Ekati, Diavik and Gahcho Kué — are now facing eventual closure, with Diavik scheduled to close in 2026 and Gahcho Kué expected to cease operations by 2030. Ekati’s long-term future remains uncertain.

Getting worse

Signs of a worsening crisis in the diamond sector were already clear in the first three months of 2025. De Beers, the world’s largest producer by value, saw a 44% drop in revenue in Q1 and is sitting on $2 billion in unsold inventory. It plans to cut over 1,000 jobs at its Debswana joint venture in Botswana. 

Russia’s Alrosa, hampered by sanctions, reported a 77% plunge in profits and has halted production at key sites.

Petra Diamonds (LON: PDL) is fighting to survive after a 30% drop in sales and the sudden departure of its CEO. 

Lucapa (ASX:LOM) entered voluntary administration in Australia, and Sierra Leone’s Koidu Limited shuttered operations and laid off more than 1,000 employees after losing $16 million to labour strikes. 

Even Lucara (TSX: LUC), which operates in both Botswana and Canada, has flagged an  “ongoing concern” risk despite hitting production records.

All eyes are now on De Beers. Once synonymous with manufactured scarcity and aggressive branding, the company is up for sale. Parent company Anglo American (LON: AAL) has cut its valuation by $4.5 billion in just over a year. No buyers have emerged, but Botswana is reportedly pushing to take a controlling stake.

Glencore (LON: GLEN) is set to shut its final two copper mines in Mount Isa, Queensland, next week, ending more than six decades of operations and marking the company’s exit from upstream copper production in Australia.

The closure, first announced in October 2023, includes the Mount Isa copper mines and associated operations, including smelters and concentrators.

Initial estimates put job losses at more than 1,200, but Glencore revised that figure in April to around 500, citing progress in workforce redeployment. “We are also actively working to redeploy as many people as possible over the coming months,” Sam Strohmayr, chief operating officer for Glencore’s Australian zinc and copper assets said at the time.

An internal memo circulated this week by Glencore Australia’s metal business interim chief operating officer Troy Wilson confirmed the company is nearing a financial breaking point with its processing operations and needs swift government intervention. Glencore is considering shutting down the nearby copper smelter and Townsville refinery and may offer governments an equity stake to keep them running.

“Glencore is now urgently seeking details from the federal government on their proposed national smelting/refining strategy,” Wilson wrote, The Townsville Bulletin reported.

For months, the Swiss company has lobbied both state and federal governments for support to keep the smelter operating, which processes third-party ore from companies including BHP. But Suresh Vadnagra, a senior Glencore executive, said the Queensland government’s latest proposal falls short.

“Time is running out, he told The Australian. “We need to know whether there is a viable solution on the table from governments or whether we start planning to transition the copper smelter and refinery to care and maintenance.”

Vadnagra outlined three possible paths: direct government support to close the economic gap, a joint venture with Glencore, or a shutdown until market conditions improve.

Not subsidising dividend

Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last defended the state’s position. “The Queensland Government has put a genuine and responsible offer on the table to help secure the future of the Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville refinery,” he told Bloomberg News, adding that a federal response was also required. 

Last emphasized that the state would not be “writing a blank cheque for a multinational company that returned $2.2 billion to its shareholders just months ago.”

Wilson said in June there was “no longer a level playing field” with China, pointing to significant subsidies for Chinese smelters. Glencore expects to make a final decision on the smelter by the end of September.

The Mount Isa smelter currently processes over one million tonnes of concentrate annually from across Australia. Its potential closure reflects a wider crisis in the sector. 

Despite a strong long-term outlook for copper, Western smelters—many of them Glencore-owned—are under pressure from plummeting treatment and refining charges, ore shortages and relentless competition from Chinese facilities.

The memo to workers comes on the heels of Glencore’s decision to sell its Lady Loretta zinc mine and associated landholdings to Austral Resources Australia (ASX: AR1) earlier this week.

Photo: Nova Scotia Federation of Labour A tentative agreement was reached in the early morning of Monday July 21, 2025 between the affiliate unions of...

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Angus Energy says its talks with its lender, Trafigura, are continuing over a proposed reverse takeover of US production assets and the revision of the loan repayment schedule.

Angus Energy gas site at Saltfleetby in Lincolnshire.
Photo: Angus Energy

Angus said in a statement (21 July 2025):

“The company will inform the market once an agreement has been reached”.

Shares in the company have been suspended since an announcement in mid May 2025.

The company said a loan payment to Trafigura, due at the end of June, was still unpaid.

Saltfleetby gas down

Angus also reported a fall in gas production from its Saltfleetby site in Lincolnshire during the second quarter (April-June 2025), compared with previous three months.

This was because of the commissioning of a booster compressor and well testing, the company said.

Saltfleetby, the UK’s largest onshore gas producer, recorded sales of 3.90 million therms in Q2 2025, down from 4.55m therms in Q1.

Q2 production was an average of 1.3mm therms per month, Angus said, down 14% from 1.52mm therms in Q1.

Average gas condensate production was 67 barrels per day in Q2, down 18% against the average of 82 barrels a day in Q1.

Operational efficiency in Q2 was 87%, compared with 90% in Q1.

Angus reported that Saltfleetby’s annual maintenance shutdown began on 21 July 2025 for six days.

Brockham oil up

Total Q2 oil production at the Brockham site in Surrey was 3,890 barrels, or 43 barrels per day, Angus said.

This was up 80% compared with the 2,150 barrels and average of 24 barrels per day in Q1.

Brockham’s operational efficiency was 100% in Q2, compared with 98% in Q1.

Finance

Angus reported estimated revenues of £3.44m in Q2, down on Q1 because of lower gas volumes.

Legacy hedging volumes of 1.25m therms per month ended in June 2025. Hedged volumes for the rest of 2025 are 1.062m therms per month, with a price increase of 180%-213% on Q2 pricing.

Comment from DrillOrDrop reader

I know nothing about gas prices, but I calculate that the price per therm in Q2 is 8.8p (revenue of £3.44m in Q2 /3.90 million therms). How does this relate to Angus Energy’s internal pricing requirement? To world commodity gas price? I am trying to understand whether Angus are anywhere near making a profit on the (minute) amount of gas produced?