Rare Earths Americas reports SGS Geosol lab tests at its Alpha ionic adsorption clay project in Bahia, Brazil have lifted rare earth leach recovery (excluding cerium) to about 40%, up from the 27% recovery assumption in Alpha’s Technical Report Summary, a 48% relative gain under different test conditions. Alpha holds an inferred 202 million tonnes at 1,520 ppm TREO at a 1,000 ppm cut-off, with NdPr and DyTb comprising roughly 21% and 3% of the basket, and 29% heavy rare earths in the tested composite. The improved metallurgical input feeds into an Initial Assessment now over 80% complete and targeted for Q1 2027.

Coupling maintenance on high-torque mining drives is being simplified with Timken Quick-Flex® couplings, which allow replacement of the elastomeric element without lubrication, hub removal, or re-aligning the motor–gearbox train. The design lets fitters swap elements in situ on large drives such as conveyor head pulleys or crusher primaries, reducing downtime and avoiding the need to move heavy electric motors. Premature coupling failures are flagged as indicators of deeper drivetrain issues, prompting closer inspection of misalignment, shock loading, or bearing problems rather than simple like-for-like replacement.

I-80 Gold expects 2026 output at 40,000–50,000 oz as labour shortages at Granite Creek delayed access to high-grade stopes and contractor headcount sat around 100 versus a 120 target, while oxide ore from Archimedes is being stacked on the Ruby Hill leach pad, pushing some production into early 2027. The Lone Tree refractory processing restart, budgeted at about $430 million with 44% of capital committed and 20% of contingency already drawn, still targets first gold in Q4 2027 despite labour costs running 5%–10% above plan. Granite Creek’s September feasibility lifted life-of-mine all-in sustaining costs by 42% to $2,273/oz, and deeper dewatering wells plus expanded treatment capacity are now critical to the ramp-up schedule.