Mining
Why hunting for 20-million-year-old petrified wood is so dangerous
In Indonesia, miners are risking their lives to dig up one of the most sought-after materials on Earth: petrified wood.
I work in the Alaska mining industry. I sometimes get paid in gold, but the job comes with long hours and grueling conditions.
Temperatures sometimes hit below -40 degrees, the pay varies, and you may have to work up to six weeks straight without a break.
A $10 billion Panamanian copper mine has been sitting idle since November - and it's part of why the metal's price is surging
First Quantum's mine was shut down because the company couldn't reach a new tax deal with the Panamanian government.
I wanted to make quick money and travel the world — so I moved to Australia and became a FIFO worker
As a FIFO worker, I've made around $80,000 in the last nine months working 12-hour days for three weeks straight — and I have no living expenses on-site.
Bitcoin's halving could force miners to risk operating in cheaper locations with less reliable electrical grids
The CEO of crypto miner Core Scientific anticipates the bitcoin halving to change the mining landscape as costs ramp up.
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Inside the deadly hunt for "blood jade" marred by heroin and violence
Myanmar's Kachin State is believed to hold up to 90% of the world's most valuable jade. Hunting for it is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
How bitcoin halving affects crypto prices
With bitcoin hitting new record highs, the crypto world is bracing for the next "halving," which occurs every four years.
The true cost of mining electric car-battery metals
Your average EV has six times more mineral content than a petrol- or diesel-powered vehicle. But what's the cost of mining all these metals?
AI is setting humanity on the path to a new age of discovery
Recent developments have shown how algorithms can help humans decipher ancient papyrus scrolls and discover valuable metal deposits.
11 of the most dangerous and expensive mining expeditions in the world
Stones, salts, crystals, and other natural resources are worth millions of dollars. But getting to them is no easy feat.
I explored an Arizona ghost town with an abandoned dentist office, schoolhouse, and laundromat. The tourist spot felt like stepping back in time.
Business Insider's reporter explored The Gold King Mine and Ghost Town in the former mining town of Haynes, Arizona.
A mine in Wyoming could contain $37 billion worth of rare earth minerals necessary for wind turbines, electrical vehicles, and other tech
Brook Mine in Wyoming may contain a fortune in rare earth elements like neodymium. The US wants to expand domestic mining for these minerals.
11 people died and 75 were injured after an elevator plunged 650 feet at a platinum mine
All 86 workers were being brought to the surface in the elevator at a South African platinum mine, with some suffering "serious compact fractures."
Uranium prices top $80 for the first time in 15 years as demand for nuclear power surges
The clean energy transition is reigniting demand for nuclear power, and it's sending uranium prices soaring.
How miners find, cut, and transport the most expensive amethysts in the world
Amethyst is one of the most common crystals on Earth, but it can cost upwards of a million dollars. Here's why amethyst geodes are so expensive.
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The biggest stablecoin player wants to be a major bitcoin miner - and it's investing $500 million to compete
The stablecoin operator is looking to become a major bitcoin miner, constructing new facilities and taking stakes in other firms, Bloomberg reported.
How limestone kilns are slowly killing entire families in Pakistan
Thousands of workers in southern Pakistan spend their lives mining and cooking limestone, which releases plumes of toxic smoke.
Fountains of diamonds erupt from the ground when continents break up, say scientists — and it could help uncover new deposits
Diamonds erupt from deep underground onto Earth's surface during volcanic explosions. Now, scientists have worked out what can trigger them.
Rare metals found on seabeds could be key to green technology, but mining them could wreak ecological havoc on the ocean floor
Deep-sea mining allows access to necessary materials for green technology, but it could pose a threat to marine life on the ocean floor.
Norway's new phosphate deposits are so massive they could guarantee solar power and electric cars keep running for the next 50 years
Seventy-seven billion tons of phosphate discovered in Norway could satisfy the demand for solar power and electric cars for the next 50 years.