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Kazakhstan to construct new copper smelting plant in eastern Abay region

(Yieh) - Kazakhstan's eastern Abay region will see the construction of a new copper smelting plant with a capacity of 300,000 tons per year, as announced by the government. KAZ Minerals Smelting LLP has signed an agreement with China Nonferrous Metal Industry's Foreign Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (NFC) for the plant's construction. NFC Kazakhstan LLP will handle the construction and commissioning.

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Unlock the treasure trove – Why Ag-data is your greatest asset

(Future Farming) - In the heart of every farm lies a treasure trove of data waiting to be unlocked, a direct result of the increasing prevalence of sensor technology. Farmers must become more aware of the value of the data they collect throughout their operations.

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Nevada lithium industry could help U.S. EV transformation

(Gov Tech) - Lithium is a mineral that is used to make electric vehicle batteries, and right now, the only functional lithium mine in the entire country is located in rural Esmeralda County, Nev.

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Summer droughts in Northern hemisphere increasingly likely as seasonal streamflows change

(Bristol) - Declining snowfall is changing the seasonal patterns of streamflow throughout the Northern hemisphere boosting chances of water shortages in the summer, scientists have found.

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US crude, fuel stockpiles rise as refining ramps up, EIA says

(Reuters) - U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose unexpectedly last week, while gasoline and distillate inventories also increased as refining ramped up and demand fell despite the kick-off of the summer driving season, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday.

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Tesla supplier Piedmont Lithium gets key North Carolina mining permit

(Reuters) - North Carolina regulators have approved a state mining permit for Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab supplier Piedmont Lithium (PLL.O), opens new tab to develop one of the largest U.S. sources of the key electric vehicle battery metal, although key financing and local regulatory challenges remain.

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Using the sun to produce green plants and green energy

(ARS USDA) - Higher temperatures caused by climate change threaten crop yields and ranch animal health, but a team of researchers from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has a plan that will not only save crops and livestock but help power farms and the nation as well.

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How to adjust your fertility practices for no-till and cover crops

(AG Web) - Government incentives aimed at mitigating climate change are almost sure to motivate you, and your landlords, to move toward no-till and cover crops. That’s the reason for our series of stories aimed at helping you convert to vertical farming systems, where those practices perform best.

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Through Aramco, peak China courts peak oil

(Reuters Breakingviews) - Exchanges between China and Arab states stretch back centuries along the ancient Silk Road. More recently, Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), opens new tab is doubling down in the People’s Republic, making energy investments in the world's second largest economy. The two sides can help each other quite a lot.

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On lithium's frontier, miners are betting on a greener second act

(Mining) - Against the arid, red dirt of the Australian Outback, the Mount Holland lithium mine emerges to approaching visitors as a colossal grey-tinged crater, with trucks the size of houses edging along its steep inclines.

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US court upholds EPA decision to approve California electric-vehicle rules

(Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday upheld the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to grant California a waiver to set its own tailpipe emissions limits and electric-vehicle requirements.

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Ammonium sulfate can give soybeans sulfur boost

(BrownField) - An agronomist says they’re seeing more cases of sulfur deficiency in soybeans.

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US freight rail, supply chain, now at the mercy of California's net-zero emissions rule

(The Hill) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is edging toward greenlighting California regulators’ plan to set net-zero emissions standards for locomotives operating in the Golden State. This scheme that could quickly spread to other states, threatening reliable rail transport of goods throughout the country.

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Canadian National Railway offers higher hourly pay, improved schedule in new offer to union

(Reuters) - Canadian National Railway said on Friday it has proposed an offer that included higher hourly wages, improved vacation leave and more consistent work schedules as part of negotiations with a union representing its employees.

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The most innovative companies in agriculture for 2024

(Fast Company) - Humans have been farming since the Neolithic era, long enough for their tools and practices to need a little TLC. That, of course, has become the near-singular focus in recent years of a growing crop of industry upstarts—some through technology, others by importing ingenious ideas outside of agriculture, still others by returning to fundamentals they believe got lost along the way. What makes the 2024 list of most innovative agriculture companies so impressive is that their products and services barely overlap, yet many could complement or even enhance the others.

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Energy Department offers $3.5B for battery manufacturing

(Utility Dive) - The funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law will go toward new, retrofitted and expanded battery and critical mineral production sites.

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Keep Sulfur in mind when making fertilizer decisions

(SFN Today) - We know there are essential elements for plant growth. Sulfur is one of them, but there are two forms of sulfur. Taylor Purucker, crop nutrition lead for the Mosaic Company, talks about the two types of sulfur.

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STB gets earful on proposed rule for reciprocal switching

(Freight Waves) - The Surface Transportation Board recently closed the comment period for rail stakeholders to file their thoughts on whether reciprocal switching should be considered as an option to address subpar rail service in the U.S.

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Copper slump threatens shift to wind power and EVs

(The Wall Street Journal) - A prolonged slide in copper prices is challenging the world’s shift to renewable energy sources. Mining firms will need to dig up gigantic amounts of new copper over the next several years to supply the transition to renewables.

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The path to green energy Is getting messier

(The Wall Street Journal) - The energy transition is getting a dose of reality.Offshore wind projects are being scrapped, and renewable- energy companies' share prices are tanking. In the U.S., automakers are reining in electric-vehicle plans as demand falters.

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Member News

Koch changes company name to reflect its diversification

(Bloomberg) -- Koch Industries Inc., the second-largest closely held firm in the US, is changing its name after nearly six decades, along with its corporate structure.

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Exxon aims to become a top lithium producer for electric vehicles with Arkansas drill operation

(MSN) - Exxon Mobil aims to become a leading producer of lithium for electric vehicle batteries through a drilling operation the oil giant is launching in Arkansas, the company announced Monday.

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Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. celebrates groundbreaking in Ohio for fertilizer facility

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.

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Ford to buy lithium from ioneer for U.S. EV battery plant

(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.

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Koch Ag Completes Acquisition, Forms Joint Venture With Moroccan Phosphate Subsidiary

(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."

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Shell Pushes Big Plans To Drill More in Gulf

(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.

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Rhyolite Ridge: Investing in the future

(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.

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Penflex Becomes The Sulphur Institute's Newest Member

(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.

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Koch to acquire 50% stake in JFC III from OCP

(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.

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Exxon posts biggest profit in seven years on high oil prices

(Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) on Tuesday reported a fourth-quarter profit of $8.87 billion, its largest in seven years, as the top U.S. oil producer benefited from strong energy prices.

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