Critical Metals announced Monday it would acquire all outstanding shares of European Lithium in an approximately $835 million deal, giving the U.S.-based miner full ownership of Greenland's Tanbreez rare earth project. The transaction consolidates one of the world's largest heavy rare earth deposits under single ownership at a time when Western nations are racing to secure alternatives to Chinese-dominated supply chains. Shares of Critical Metals, which currently holds a 92.5% interest in the asset, jumped more than 6% in premarket trading.

Critical Metals: Consolidating Tanbreez With $835M European Lithium Acquisition

Critical Metals proposed to acquire European Lithium via a letter of intent, offering 0.035 CRML shares per EUR share, with the proposal contemplating cancellation of EUR's 45,536,338 cross-holding CRML shares (~34%) and consolidating EUR's 7.5% Tanbreez stake into 100% CRML ownership. According to the company's announcement, European Lithium has a cash balance of approximately AUD$306 million (approximately US$219 million) as of March 31, 2026, and Critical Metals, which currently has a standalone cash balance of approximately US$124 million, will have a robust balance sheet to accelerate the development of Tanbreez. In addition, excluding the cross-holding shares, European Lithium currently holds marketable securities with a market value of approximately US$11 million.

Tanbreez is one of the world's largest rare-earth deposits and is located in Southern Greenland. The project has seen rapid development in recent months. In mid-April, the Government of Greenland approved the transfer of the remaining 50.5% interest in Tanbreez Mining Greenland A/S to Critical Metals Corp., bringing the company's total ownership to 92.5%.

Independent testing at Fremantle Metallurgy in March 2026 confirmed a ~40% improvement in refined concentrate grade, achieving 2.96% TREO.

The strategic importance of the deal extends beyond simple consolidation. Heavy rare earth elements — including dysprosium, terbium, holmium, erbium, and yttrium — are irreplaceable inputs in permanent magnets, defence systems, electric vehicle motors and advanced manufacturing. China currently dominates global HREE production and processing, creating acute supply chain vulnerability for the United States and its allies.

If a definitive agreement is reached, a scheme meeting of the shareholders of European Lithium is expected to be held in the third quarter of 2026 to approve the proposed transaction.

Graphite One: Alaska Project Hits September Permitting Milestone

Graphite One provided an update on the permitting progress of its flagship Graphite Creek Project under the FAST-41 federal permitting program. The Graphite Creek Project — planned as an open-pit graphite mine and associated mineral processing plant located approximately 60 km (37 miles) north of Nome, Alaska — was accepted as a FAST-41 "covered project" on June 2, 2025, becoming the first Alaska mining project to be listed on the FAST-41 Federal Permitting Dashboard.

According to the company's press release, as of the latest dashboard update, the project remains "in progress" under the leadership of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The company continues to advance all required federal reviews on schedule, with full transparency provided to the public via the Federal Permitting Dashboard. The project is targeting a federal permitting decision by September 29, 2026.

For Graphite One, FAST-41 status is especially significant as the United States remains 100% import-dependent on foreign graphite — primarily from China — for rechargeable battery, energy storage systems and other high-tech applications. Graphite One's project directly supports national priorities outlined in recent Presidential Executive Orders on critical minerals and Alaska resource development by helping bring strategic projects online faster and more predictably.

FAST-41 status follows publication of Graphite One's Feasibility Study on April 23, 2025, which, with the support of the Department of Defense Production Act (DPA) award, was completed 15 months ahead of schedule. The annual graphite concentrate capacity of the Graphite Creek Mine in the FS was increased from that in the 2022 Pre-Feasibility Study — from 53,000 tpy to 175,000 tpy while maintaining a 20-year mine life.

Endeavour Mining: $28M Stake in Altair Minerals Signals Guyana Gold Rush

Major London-headquartered gold miner Endeavour Mining has taken a 9.9% stake in ASX-listed explorer Altair Minerals through a A$28.2 million private placement. The investment provides strategic capital and technical backing to Altair as it advances its Greater Oko Project in Guyana, a jurisdiction that has attracted billion-dollar takeovers and discoveries in recent years.

Altair has presented to investors a compelling overview of its Greater Oko Project in Guyana, highlighting what the company describes as an "irreplicable strategic asset" with the potential for multiple world-class gold discoveries. The presentation outlines how Altair has secured the largest gold exploration project in Guyana's history, spanning 590km² of contiguous ground in a jurisdiction that has attracted billion-dollar takeovers and discoveries in recent years.

The backing from Endeavour Mining, a major West African gold producer, validates Altair's exploration strategy in a region drawing increasing attention from the mining industry. The investment thesis centres on Altair's monopolistic position along the emerging Oko Shear Zone, where only two other companies have previously drilled—both achieving spectacular results and billion-dollar valuations. According to market data, gold traded at $4,680 per ounce on Monday, down 0.4%, while the Lithium ETF (LIT) gained 0.8% to $84.44.

Allied Critical Metals: $40M Tungsten Financing Accelerates Production Timeline

Allied Critical Metals CEO Roy Bonnell said in a press release that "the pilot plant at Vila Verde is on track this year to bring online tungsten concentrates to a global market that is starved for the metal." In a world where tungsten pricing is above $3,000/mtu, the financing provides strong support for the company's plan to fast-track tungsten concentrate production.

The company announced a strategic investment of U.S.$40 million comprised of U.S.$25 million equity financing and U.S.$15 million in project financing for the Vila Verde Pilot Plant. The company announced a non-brokered private placement offering of common shares at a price of $2.05 per share with an existing strategic investor and a new strategic investor for gross proceeds of U.S.$25 million. In addition to the offering, the existing strategic investor has also agreed to provide the company with U.S.$15 million in project financing to build the company's Villa Verde pilot project and has entered into an off-take agreement for 50% of the tungsten concentrates produced at the pilot plant.

Tungsten, a critical mineral used in everything from chips and drilling equipment to armor-piercing weaponry, has soared this year amid a tightening market that's currently dominated by China, which had already placed export restrictions on the metal. Chinese exports have fallen by nearly 40% since the new controls were implemented, according to data from tungsten consultancy Wolfram Advisory. Since then, tungsten prices have increased more than five-fold, and related products are now trading at their highest level in nearly a century, based on USGS data.

The company is targeting the fourth quarter of 2026 for first tungsten concentrate production from the Vila Verde Pilot Plant, with an off-take agreement for 50% of tungsten concentrate production secured with a 2026 floor price of U.S.$1,000/mtu.

Myriad Uranium: Building Wyoming Uranium District Through Rush Rare Metals Merger

Myriad Uranium Corp. and Rush Rare Metals Corp. announced that they have entered into an acquisition agreement and an arrangement agreement dated as of February 13, 2026 respecting their previously announced merger transaction under which Myriad will acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Rush pursuant to a statutory plan of arrangement.

Myriad and Rush are parties to a property option agreement dated as of October 18, 2023, as amended, pursuant to which Myriad has earned a 75% interest in Copper Mountain by incurring over $5.5 million in eligible expenditures on the property. The merger consolidates ownership of what both companies describe as an emerging uranium district in Wyoming.

Rush CEO Pete Smith said: "Hats off to Myriad and its outstanding team for taking Copper Mountain to the next level. What started as a former uranium mine and some highly interesting surrounding targets has morphed into one of world's best uranium prospects, especially when considering the sheer (and expanding) size of the mineralized zones, as well as the supportive regulatory environment of Wyoming.

According to market data, the Uranium ETF (URA) traded at $55.69 on Monday, up 0.7%, reflecting continued investor interest in nuclear fuel supply chains. With uranium markets and U.S. policy now supportive—particularly in top jurisdictions like Wyoming—Copper Mountain has re-emerged as one of the most significant uranium projects in the United States.

Ivanhoe Mines: Platreef Expansion Remains On Track for 2027

The latest developments place the Platreef Phase 2 expansion on pace for completion by the end of 2027, increasing the mine's production to over 450,000 oz. of platinum group metals and gold. The mine, located 270 km northeast of Johannesburg, entered production in November following a decades-long effort by Ivanhoe and its partners to develop what it considers to be one of the world's largest precious metals assets.

The milestones include the completion of construction of the 4-million-tonne-per-annum (Mtpa) Shaft #3; the breaking of ground for the Phase 2 concentrator site; and the commencement of widening of Shaft #2. The project milestones are a major advancement for the Phase 2 expansion and the future Phase 3 expansion.

Project development on Phase 2 expansion is underway, targeting completion in Q4 2027, to increase production to approximately 450,000 ounces of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold (3PE + Au) plus over 30 million pounds of nickel and copper.

Meanwhile, Shaft #2 is expected to be ready to hoist labour and materials by the end of 2028 and hoist ore by the end of 2029, providing support for both the steady-state operations of Phase 2 and the future Phase 3 expansion. Once operational, it will be the largest hoisting shaft in Africa, Ivanhoe said.

Silver Bow Mining: Montana Explorer Eyes $50M NYSE IPO

Montana-focused Silver Bow Mining aims to raise roughly $50 million (C$68 million) in its initial public offering Wednesday on the NYSE-American exchange. The private exploration company plans to list about 4.3 million common shares at $10 to $13 apiece under the ticker symbol "SBMT", according to a note on Monday from MarketBeat.

The offering comes almost eight months after Silver Bow released an initial resource for its main brownfield Rainbow Block project, located in the historic Butte silver-copper mining district. Rainbow Block hosts about 11.5 million tons grading 4.28 silver oz. per ton, 0.05 oz. gold, 4.59% zinc and 1.25% lead for 49.2 million inferred ounces silver, 550,000 oz. gold, plus significant zinc and lead credits.

The resource is hosted in more than 40 veins that sit within 305 metres of the surface and above the current water table, Silver Bow says. The project sits on past-producing ground just north of Butte and includes thousands of kilometres of underground workings that go deeper than 1,200 metres below surface. Butte was the scene of a silver boom in the 19th century and later became one of the most important copper districts in the world.

According to market data, silver traded at $74.87 per ounce on Monday, down 1.0%, while the Copper Miners ETF (COPX) declined 1.0% to $81.49.

What It Means

Monday's announcements reveal a mining sector increasingly focused on critical minerals and strategic consolidation. The Critical Metals-European Lithium deal exemplifies a broader trend: companies are moving aggressively to secure full ownership of rare earth and critical mineral assets as Western governments prioritize supply chain independence from China. With combined cash of approximately $343 million , Critical Metals is now positioned to accelerate Tanbreez development without the complications of split ownership.

The financing activity around tungsten (Allied Critical), uranium (Myriad), and graphite (Graphite One) underscores how export restrictions and geopolitical tensions are reshaping capital flows in the mining sector. Tungsten prices have increased more than five-fold, and related products are now trading at their highest level in nearly a century, based on USGS data. Meanwhile, Graphite One's progress through the FAST-41 permitting process demonstrates how U.S. policy is actively working to accelerate domestic critical mineral production.

Endeavour's investment in Altair signals that major producers are increasingly willing to take strategic stakes in junior explorers operating in high-potential jurisdictions like Guyana, providing both capital and technical expertise in exchange for exposure to future discoveries. And Silver Bow's upcoming IPO shows that investor appetite for polymetallic projects in established mining districts remains strong, particularly when those projects offer exposure to multiple commodities including silver, zinc, and copper.

The common thread: critical minerals, Western supply chains, and consolidation are driving deal-making across the sector.

This roundup covers press releases published on April 27, 2026. Company announcements are sourced from mining industry wire services. For corrections or updates, contact contact@stakeandpaper.com.