Boliden’s Aitik open-pit copper mine has secured a renewed environmental permit from Sweden’s Land and Environment Court, authorising continued production of up to 45 Mt of ore per year. The decision also approves specified methods for staged tailings dam raising and revised water management practices, giving regulatory backing to Aitik’s long-term waste storage and process water handling strategy. For geotechnical and process engineers, the ruling provides clarity on allowable dam construction techniques and water balance controls for one of Europe’s largest copper operations.

Ucore Rare Metals has signed a framework agreement with Sumitomo Corp. to secure rare earth feedstock and offtake for Ucore’s Louisiana strategic metals complex (SMC) at England Airpark, Alexandria, which broke ground in May 2025 and will produce high-purity rare earth oxides from multiple global concentrate sources. The deal pairs Ucore’s RapidSX separation technology with Sumitomo’s sourcing, logistics and Japanese market access, with Sumitomo acting as distribution partner for selected middle and heavy rare earths for high-performance magnet and advanced materials users. Ucore also plans to integrate its 100%-controlled Bokan-Dotson Ridge heavy rare earth project in Alaska into this supply chain over the longer term.

Surge Copper’s prefeasibility study for the Berg open pit in central British Columbia lifts post-tax NPV (8% discount) to C$4.6 billion and IRR to 24%, while doubling initial capex to C$4.7 billion compared with the 2023 PEA. The 28-year mine plan now targets 4.9 billion lb copper, 602 million lb molybdenum and 89 million oz silver, underpinned by 1.2 billion tonnes of proven and probable reserves grading 0.22% Cu, 0.026% Mo and 4.1 g/t Ag. Surge is advancing an Indigenous-led assessment with the Office of the Wet’suwet’en alongside permitting and design work.