The International Energy Agency is now expecting global coal demand to reach an all-time high of 8.79 billion metric tons in 2025, a 1.5% increase from 2024's previous record of 8.77 billion tons. This jump counters what the agency previously believed would be a decline in coal use as renewable energy gained market share. One energy analyst commented, "The surprising resilience of coal highlights the gap between climate ambitions and energy reality. While renewable capacity is growing steadily, it simply hasn't kept pace with the world's rapidly increasing electricity demands." State Department officials will be on the Hill this week to testify about the administration's plans to secure mineral resources from African countries like the Congo and Rwanda. The hearing comes just after the U.S. secured an agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda that provides the U.S. with access to cobalt and lithium deposits. And in related news, China is reportedly pushing back on the new US involvement in Africa's mining sector. After years of operating in the Congo largely on its own, China now faces growing US competition from the US for the region's critical minerals. In response, Beijing is stepping up its diplomatic activity there, highlighting its consistent approach to international conflicts and politics. That's your mining minute for this morning, highlighting some of the mining-related matters that are on our minds here in Washington and beyond. Follow us on the National Mining Association's channels, as well as on Minerals Make Life and Count on Coal, for more on the latest news and policies impacting mining.
