Global mining trends that are becoming the new normal

Read the full article here.

The mining sector is undergoing dramatic consolidation. From January 2024 to mid-2025, mining companies announced or closed 18 deals over $1 billion, totaling approximately $47 billion. While mining mergers and acquisition (M&A) has always been cyclical, the past 18 months have marked a major shift in both the scale and frequency of large transactions. But unlike earlier deal activity driven by optimism about rising commodity prices, this one is being fueled by sharper pressures: geopolitical uncertainty, trade disputes, rising costs, supply gaps, strategic urgency and the accelerating shift toward clean energy. Companies are not speculating — they are securing future output, cash flow, and critical materials in a world that is changing fast.

The global mining sector is entering a period of structural change. Consolidation, shifting capital strategies, and evolving forms of dispute resolution are reshaping how companies operate and invest. As the energy transition accelerates and geopolitical factors continue to influence access to resources, these trends are likely to define the industry’s direction for years to come.

While North America and Australia still log more billion-dollar closings, Latin America offers the deepest copper pipeline, while Africa delivers the fastest growth and favorable policy momentum, making both regions pivotal to the next wave of energy-transition mining M&A.

Chuquicamata, Chile open-pit copper coal mine | Source: Wikipedia