Multotec has supplied a customised suite of high-performance spiral concentrators to the Thaba JV chromite and PGM project in South Africa’s Limpopo province, providing an integrated gravity separation circuit tailored to the ore’s specific mineralogy. The solution is engineered to boost chromite and PGM recovery while tightening product grade control, with spiral configurations selected to allow rapid reconfiguration between different feed conditions and product specs. For plant designers and metallurgists, the key point is the emphasis on modular, flexible spiral layouts to sustain long-term performance as ore characteristics change.

Antofagasta plans to lift copper output by 30% by 2030, Executive Chairman and CEO Iván Arriagada told delegates at the World Mining Congress 2026, positioning the Chilean producer to meet surging critical minerals demand from the energy transition. The growth will come from brownfield expansions across its existing operations rather than new greenfield projects, implying higher stripping ratios, additional concentrator capacity and incremental tailings and water management upgrades. For engineers, the strategy signals sustained demand for large-scale pit optimisation, process debottlenecking and infrastructure life-extension work in northern Chile.

FUCHS Lubricants is promoting SOLCENIC GM 20, an MSHA-approved HFAE fire-resistant hydraulic fluid formulated for longwall coal mining roof-support systems. The water-in-oil emulsion is designed for hydraulic roof supports that stabilise the longwall face, targeting consistent performance under high-pressure, high-cycle loading where ignition risk from conventional mineral oils is critical. For mine operators and OEMs, the key implications are compatibility with existing HFAE systems, reduced fire load in gate roads and maingate stations, and support for stricter underground safety regimes.