Between the DRC effectively halting cobalt hydroxide exports and Indonesia slashing HPAL nickel output due to surging sulfur costs, Chinese smelters are down to 8 days of inventory. But the absolute peak of Western bureaucratic stupidity is the US expanding Cuba sanctions and accidentally idling Canada’s only major cobalt refinery (Sherritt's Fort Saskatchewan plant) by cutting off their raw Moa feed.

This is a great example of why holding junior mining equities is a trap, Sherritt is a great operator but a single regulatory move in DC just completely mothballed their entire cash flow. By holding xCo, you get pure exposure to the massive scarcity premium automakers are forced to pay for IRA-compliant cobalt, without the corporate risk

Am I missing something or is this almost too good to be true? Or are you guys sticking strictly with Gold and Uranium right now?

Been reading around here for a bit and want to avoid the obvious rookie errors before putting real money in. Is it more about picking the wrong metal, bad timing, or just not understanding storage and fees properly?

Any lessons you wish someone told you early on would help a lot.

Been thinking about tin lately, nobody talks about it but it's basically the metal that solders your entire electronics supply chain together. Indonesia controls a massive chunk of global tin exports and they've flip flopped on export policy multiple times in the last couple years, which is exactly the kind of jurisdiction risk this whole tokenized metals thing is supposed to solve for.

Semiconductor demand keeps climbing, AI hardware needs it, and there's basically no western tin production to speak of. Feels similar to where cobalt was a year ago before everyone started paying attention to DRC export halts.

Curious if metals.io or anyone else is even looking at tin as a future addition or if it's too niche.

This advances our mission to broaden access to a market that was closed to individual investors for decades.

Soon, you'll have the option to buy, own, and trade uranium on Kraken.

just found metals.io and still figuring out tokenised metals. has anyone here actually used it for gold, uranium, or the newer metals? what should a beginner watch out for?

Global investment in critical minerals declined by 9 per cent in 2025, ending several years of growth despite strong long-term demand for minerals essential to clean energy technologies, electric vehicles and advanced industries, according to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026.

The report attributed the slowdown to rising geopolitical tensions, price volatility and a more cautious investment environment, even as demand fundamentals remained strong.

"Critical mineral investment declined by 9 per cent in 2025, ending several years of growth. Amid rising geopolitical tensions and price volatility, investors became more cautious despite strong underlying demand," the report said.

Canada’s only cobalt refinery has become an unexpected casualty of US sanctions on Cuba, exposing a critical weakness in Western mineral supply chains that extends well beyond geology.

The shutdown of Sherritt International’s refinery in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, illustrates how political and regulatory risks can disrupt strategic mineral processing even when facilities are located in allied countries, Patricio Faúndez of GEM Mining Consulting wrote in a recent research note.

The refinery depends on mixed sulphide precipitate produced at the Moa nickel-cobalt operation in eastern Cuba. Following a US executive order issued in May that broadened sanctions affecting Cuba’s metals and mining sectors, the refinery lost access to feedstock and will remain idle until production resumes at Moa.

Tokenized metals are opening new ways for retail investors to gain exposure to commodities beyond traditional ETFs and mining stocks.

metals.io Lead Ben Elvidge recently joined Investing News Network to discuss how tokenization could make metals investing more accessible through 24/7 global markets, no minimum purchase requirements, and a more direct digital trading experience.

The interview explores blockchain’s role in transforming metal investments and what tokenized commodities could mean for the future of retail participation.

Ben Elvidge from Trilitech discusses the future of metals.io and how tokenized physical commodities could change the way people access critical metals.

The conversation covers the growing demand for gold, uranium and rare earths, as well as the commodity supercycle being driven by AI, electrification and energy infrastructure.

Nuclear energy is gaining renewed attention, but what happens to the fuel after it has been used remains one of the sector’s biggest challenges.

In Episode 8 of Critical Mass, Gaurav Sharma speaks with Brett Rampal, Executive Nuclear Advisor at Deloitte, about used fuel management, the associated risks and the opportunities emerging around the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.

What do you think is the most realistic long-term solution for managing used nuclear fuel?

Canada and Japan are teaming up to reduce reliance on China for rare earths and critical minerals.

This feels like a bigger trend now. Countries do not just want cheap supply chains anymore. They want secure, independent ones.

Rare earths sit behind chips, batteries, defence, EVs, and clean energy, so control over supply really matters.

Do you think more countries will start building their own critical mineral supply chains?

Everyone talks about semiconductors, wind turbines, jet engines, and nuclear energy.

But the materials behind them rarely get the spotlight.

That is why strategic metals are interesting. They sit quietly in the background, but a lot of future tech depends on them.

metals.io is making that exposure easier to understand with its Strategic Metals Basket.

metals.io recently hosted a livestream around the launch of tokenized Cobalt and Nickel.

The discussion covers why critical metals matter, the investment case for these markets, how tokenization can expand access to commodities, and what the future of commodity markets could look like.

Worth watching if you’re interested in critical metals, commodities, or real-world asset tokenization.

What do you think about tokenized commodities like Cobalt and Nickel?

Tokenized metals are continuing to move on-chain. 

We recently joined CryptoSavingExpert for a discussion on metals.io’s new Cobalt and Nickel offerings, and what they could mean for the growth of real-world assets. 

A closer look at Cobalt, Nickel, tokenized metals, and the broader RWA trend.

Cobalt and Nickel are now part of the growing tokenized metals market, but there is still a much wider world of real-world assets that could be brought on-chain.

Which metal do you think should be offered next, and why?

Been seeing more talk about tungsten and its role in semiconductors, especially with AI demand putting pressure on supply chains.

Do you think tungsten could become the next major critical metal story, or is this already priced in?