The Economic Times - February 10, 2021
India will overtake the European Union as the world's third-largest energy consumer by 2030, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday as it forecast India accounting for the biggest share of energy demand growth over the next two decades. In its India Energy Outlook 2021, IEA saw primary energy consumption almost doubling to 1,123 million tonnes of oil equivalent as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expands to USD 8.6 trillion by 2040.

GreenBiz - February 10, 2021
Metals. It isn't often that we -- most of us, anyway -- think about them. They are like water or packaged foods, things that appear out of a faucet or on a grocery store shelf as if by some magic inception. But there is a scientific beginning to metals. And it's something we ought to be thinking about, increasingly so. Here's why: Minerals are critical to the transition to clean, green energy. Copper supplies, for example, need to increase by as much as 6 percent per year to meet the goals laid out in the Paris Climate Agreement. Copper is needed for wind farms, solar panels and electric vehicles. Other metals supplies need to rise, too, in order to get companies and countries to their carbon neutrality goals -- phasing out fossil fuels.

S&P Global/Platts - February 9, 2021
Cenovus Energy resumed crude-by-rail shipments in the fourth quarter of 2020 as market conditions improved for moving Western Canadian Select crude from Alberta to refineries in the US and Canada, the company said Feb. 9 in its fourth quarter results statement. Rail is crucial in moving the heavy crude to markets to be refined given the dearth of pipeline capacity. But it is only economic if the price of Western Canadian Select is low enough to support the more expensive rail transportation mode.

Transport Topics - February 2, 2021
More than 56,000 drug and alcohol violations were recorded last year in a database intended to track truck drivers' compliance history and prevent them from job-hopping in the event of a failed drug test. The number of driver violations reported rose by roughly 10,000 over the final two months of 2020, the first full year of operation for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.

October production includes gains in chlor-alkali, industrial gases, plastic resins, adhesives, fertilizers, more, according to ACC.

Taman Bulk Terminal has loaded its first shipment of sulphur. 38.5 tons of granulated sulphur produced by North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) at the Kashagan oil field in Kazakhstan was loaded on board the 55 dwt Handymax bulker "Sealuck II".

(AgWeb, September 4, 2020)
Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium get all of the publicity, but if there was an Academy Award for crop nutrients, sulfur would win best supporting actor. "A bushel of corn removes 0.08 lb. of sulfur in the grain and 0.09 lb. in the stalk—0.17 lb. total," explains Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie.

(Grainnews, July 30, 2020)
Nutrient deficiencies in canola are rarely an issue for canola growers, but mobility and environmental issues can inhibit uptake. Having a good plan, though, goes a long way. Warren Ward, agronomy specialist, Canola Council of Canada, explains.

(Reuters, July 16, 2020)
A decline in U.S. power plant emissions over the last 30 years means the air has less sulfur, a crucial nutrient for wheat and many other crops that researchers are now working to replace with fertilizer applications.

(YouTube, May 14, 2020)
US Department of Transportation releases video where Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao thanks the pipeline and hazardous material industries for their contributions to date in keeping the nation going during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(The Load Star, February 21, 2020)
Shipping lines that have invested in scrubber technology to comply with the IMO 2020 low-sulphur regulations may be forced to reconsider the wisdom of their investment, as fuel producers appear to be looking for ways to push prices up. Since the introduction of the legislation this year, the price differential between the now-outlawed high-sulphur fuel oil (HFSO) and low-sulphur fuel oil (LFSO) has been around $200 a tonne. However, the declining availability of HFSO is forcing its price up and causing headaches for shipowners.

(African Mining Market, February 18, 2020)
As the dreadful humanitarian toll of the Covid-19 epidemic in China grows, the direct and indirect impact on the Chinese zinc and lead industries from efforts to control the spread of the disease is starting to be seen. The extended Lunar New Year holiday has ended, but return to work by millions of migrants has been slowed to a trickle. A combination of transport restrictions, quarantine periods, staffing shortages and a government-mandated staged return to work means that the normal post-holiday bounce back in economic activity will not happen.

(Sustainability Times, February 13, 2020)
The fact that the world's largest mining companies have not been doing enough to reduce their carbon emissions has been an open secret at best, but a recent McKinsey report laid bare how far many of these firms are falling short. According to the company, industry majors like BHP, Anglo American and Rio Tinto – all of which are signatories to the Paris Pledge for Action – need to implement more assertive measures in order to prevent severe backlash from investors and consumers alike.

(CleanTechnica, February 11, 2020)
Sales of new electric vehicles have been surging, but there are constraints around battery and vehicle production. New EVs have ranges of about 200-300 miles (322-483 km) or so. Potentially, lithium-sulfur batteries could expand EV ranges considerably and cost less because sulfur is a more abundant material than cobalt. Transportation is a major generator of greenhouse gases, so many more EVs are needed. Lithium-sulfur batteries eventually could help speed up EV production and adoption.

(The Wall Street Journal) - Exxon Mobil struck a nearly $60 billion agreement Wednesday to buy Pioneer Natural Resources in the largest oil-and-gas deal in two decades, tying the energy giant's future to fossil fuels.

Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. held a celebratory groundbreaking to mark the commencement of construction on a new liquid fertilizer facility in Defiance, Ohio. The new 50,000-square-foot production facility will occupy 50 acres and is set to become operational in 2024. The facility will service the Eastern Great Lakes Region through its distribution partners and will include terminal loadouts for rail cars and tanker trucks.

(Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) said on Thursday it will buy lithium from ioneer Ltd's (INR.AX) Rhyolite Ridge mining project in Nevada and use the metal to build electric vehicle batteries in the United States.

(The Daily Scoop) - "The closing of this acquisition marks Koch's first substantial investment on the African continent," said Brad Razook, Executive VP of Koch Industries and CEO, Resources. "We are excited to add another nutrient to the KAES portfolio in collaboration with a world-class partner."

(The Wall Street Journal) - Political uncertainty is clouding prospects for new drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, but Shell PLC—the Gulf’s biggest producer—is still investing billions of dollars in its waters to pump oil for years to come.

(Elko Daily) - Alot has been happening with the Rhyolite Ridge lithium/boron project in recent months.
“On March 31, U.S. President Joe Biden announced plans to invoke the Defense Production Act to provide hundreds of millions in new subsidies for the mining of minerals critical for the wind, solar and electric vehicles industries.

(MSN) - Penflex Corporation recently became the newest member of The Sulphur Institute (TSI), an international, non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the safe use of sulfur.

(Agri Business Global) - Koch Ag & Energy Solutions (Koch) and OCP have signed an agreement under which a Koch affiliate will acquire a 50% interest in Jorf Fertilizers Company III (JFC III) from OCP, the world's largest phosphate mining and leading global fertilizer group. When closed, the transaction will establish a 50/50 joint venture.