Emirates Global Aluminium and Century Aluminum will build Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, a 750,000‑tonne‑per‑year smelter at Inola that will more than double current US primary aluminium output and be the first new US smelter since 1980. EGA will hold 60% of the joint venture and Century 40%, with construction targeted to start by end‑2026 and first metal by around 2030, creating 4,000 construction and 1,000 permanent jobs. US Aluminum is separately evaluating a co‑located fabrication plant to convert liquid metal into products for electrical, defence, aerospace, automotive and machinery applications.

Alkane Resources has reported multiple high‑grade antimony–gold intercepts at the Kendal prospect, adjacent to the Youle lode at its Costerfield operation in central Victoria, signalling a potentially significant extension of the narrow-vein system. The discovery targets antimony, a critical mineral used in advanced military and defence applications, alongside high-value gold grades typical of Costerfield-style mineralisation. For mine planners and geotechs, the proximity to existing Youle infrastructure suggests scope for incremental underground development and resource expansion rather than a greenfield build.

Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 WA Mining Conference & Exhibition in Perth, following a record 2025 event that drew strong attendance from mine operators, OEMs and METS suppliers across Western Australia’s iron ore, gold and battery minerals sectors. The 2026 program is expected to again focus on automation, decarbonisation and electrification of haulage and processing fleets, alongside data-driven mine planning and remote operations. For engineers, the event offers concentrated access to equipment demonstrations, brownfield upgrade case studies and regulatory updates relevant to WA’s large-scale open-pit and underground operations.