Canada has committed C$500 million ($352 million) to Newmont’s Red Chris Block Cave expansion in British Columbia’s Golden Triangle, backing the transition from open-pit to underground block caving and extending mine life into the mid-2040s. The project targets a porphyry resource of roughly 20 million oz gold and 13 billion lb copper, with the government projecting more than a 15% increase in Canada’s annual copper output and over 70% reduction in site greenhouse gas emissions once fully operational. Newmont, which operates Red Chris with 30% JV partner Imperial Metals, is finalising a definitive feasibility study and anticipates around 1,800 construction jobs and 1,500 peak operational roles.

Exxaro’s Grootegeluk coal mine in South Africa will serve as the test bed for Hitachi Construction Machinery’s new hybrid mining truck, aimed at cutting diesel consumption and advancing dump-truck decarbonisation ahead of the company’s rebrand to LANDCROS in April 2027. The trial will focus on integrating hybrid drive with digital monitoring systems to optimise haul profiles and energy recovery on large, continuous-pit haul routes. For mine planners and fleet engineers, performance data from Grootegeluk’s high-volume overburden and coal haul will be critical for future fleet selection and infrastructure power planning.

Emerald Resources has signed two Letters of Award appointing MACA Mining, a Thiess Group subsidiary, as preferred mining services contractor for its 100% owned Dingo Range Gold Project in Western Australia and Okvau Gold Mine in Cambodia. The mandate covers open-pit mining services across both greenfield and operating assets, consolidating drill-and-blast, load-and-haul and ancillary fleet under a single provider. For engineers, the move signals continuity of contract mining at Okvau and a likely MACA-led ramp-up strategy at Dingo Range once development approvals and mine plans are finalised.