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picture: President Donald Trump (White House, public domain Creative Commons Attribution 3.0-licentie ). While Brussels drafts legislation on strategic autonomy, Europe has already surrendered it on the ground. We speak endlessly about reducing dependence on China for critical minerals, yet we've sold off the very infrastructure needed to process them. The Nyrstar case perfectly illustrates this contradiction. What was presented as a necessary rescue operation in 2019 was, in

Alexander Verbeek explains why Trump wants Greenland. A matter of national security for sure. But the real answer lies beneath the ice: rare earth minerals essential for advanced technology and defence systems. While Arctic mining remains extremely challenging, Nyrstar owns significant off-take rights on one of the largest zinc & critical minerals deposits of the island, the Citronen mine, ready for exploitation and strategically invaluable. In 2019, Trafigura acquired Nyrst

professor Herman Matthijs (UGent, VUB) Zinc mining isn't just about zinc. It's about critical byproduct minerals essential for defense and advanced technology. Europe stood by as Nyrstar, a world-leading European zinc smelter traded in Brussels, fell into the hands of Singapore-based commodity trader Trafigura. A preventable loss with lasting geopolitical consequences. In this video professor Herman Matthijs (UGent, VUB) explains how Europe is losing this strategic race.

When De Tijd highlighted zinc’s vital role in the green transition, it might have sounded like a niche industrial story. Zinc may not appear on the European Commission’s list of “critical” materials, but its byproducts — germanium, indium, and gallium — are indispensable for semiconductors, fiber optics, batteries, and advanced defense systems. These rare metals place zinc smelters like Nyrstar at the heart of a geopolitical contest. As demand for critical minerals surges, Eu

As geopolitical tensions and fears of war escalate, the race for strategic raw materials has reached a fever pitch among the world’s major power blocs. Commodity giants such as Glencore and Trafigura are cashing in on global scarcity, posting record-breaking profits that underscore their growing dominance in the global supply chain. Traders Thrive Amid Geopolitical Turmoil A recent Bloomberg article confirms that the world’s top metal traders are among the biggest beneficiari

“Together, we can make our societies open for business but closed for crime.” The words of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever at the United Nations still resonate as I work my way through the 146-page decision of the FSMA Sanctions Committee on market manipulation at Nyrstar NV. The Committee’s mandate was clear: to determine the sanctions for four violations identified by the FSMA’s auditor after years of investigation. His exhaustive reports left little doubt that Nyrstar

Minority shareholders who suffer huge losses are left waiting for years, while courts, despite their best efforts, lack the resources to...

In this short video, Bart De Smet, Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee, reflects on the independence of board members and the...

Minister Annelies Verlinden is requesting an additional €1 billion for structural investments in her department. Her message is sobering:...

The imminent introduction of multiple voting rights is currently sparking controversy in the media over whether sufficient consideration...

Listed companies will soon be able to introduce multiple voting rights in addition to double voting rights. Without robust checks and...

Yes, a battery park in Balen provides job security and contributes to the energy transition, and we can only applaud that. And yes,...

The wheels of justice turn slowly – too slowly – and this undermines the credibility of the rule of law. In an opinion piece in De Tijd,...

“You're losing.” With these harsh words, Jamie Dimon, CEO of the world's largest bank, addressed Europe today in the Financial Times....

Minority shareholders sound the alarm about poor governance, conflicts of interest, mismanagement, and excessive spending. Nyrstar NV, a...

Another unexpected twist in the Nyrstar  case: Kris Peeters withdraws as candidate director. What could be going on? Kris Peeters - ©...

The integrity of corporate governance is under increasing scrutiny — and rightfully so. Belgium’s recent history has shown how vulnerable...

In recent posts, I warned about Europe’s eroding grip on critical industrial capabilities. Now, new evidence from Australia confirms just...

While the EU voices its ambitions for strategic defence autonomy, technological leadership, and green transition goals, it has quietly...

Last April, De Tijd warned that Europe must build 40 new mines and metal factories by 2030 to meet its own green transition targets — a...