BHP and Rio Tinto plan a joint Pilbara iron ore development targeting up to 200 million tonnes of production, signalling rare cooperation between the two dominant operators in Western Australia’s main export region. The venture is expected to leverage existing rail and port infrastructure at Port Hedland and Cape Lambert, potentially reducing unit costs compared with standalone greenfield expansions. For mine planners and geotechs, shared pit designs, haulage networks and waste dump layouts across adjoining tenements could drive standardised geotechnical models and common slope design criteria.

Aeris Resources has secured New South Wales Department of Planning approval for its Constellation copper project, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for development alongside the existing Tritton underground operation near Nyngan. The approval covers surface infrastructure and underground mine development to access the Constellation deposit, envisaged as a new ore source to extend Tritton’s processing life and copper output. Geotechnical and mine planning teams can now advance detailed designs for decline access, ground support and tailings/storage expansions under the approved conditions.

South Australia’s copper exports exceeded $3 billion over the past 12 months as record copper prices boosted output from major operations including BHP’s Olympic Dam. The state’s copper sector, which also draws on large open-pit operations in the Gawler Craton and integrated smelting capacity at Olympic Dam, is now a central contributor to South Australia’s export power. For miners and project developers, the revenue surge strengthens the case for new sulphide expansions, brownfield resource drilling and fast-tracking processing debottlenecking across existing plants.