Larvotto Resources has signed a seven-year mine-gate offtake agreement with Glencore for approximately 15,000 dry metric tonnes per year of gold concentrate from its 100%-owned Hillgrove antimony-gold project in New South Wales, with Glencore handling all logistics to end customers. Combined with an existing antimony concentrate offtake with Wogen Resources, the deal locks in marketing for Hillgrove’s primary concentrates ahead of first production, with plant commissioning targeted for August. Metallurgical testwork has reported 90% tungsten recovery and a 16-fold feed grade upgrade, supporting a simple, low-cost circuit for a potential tungsten by-product.

Remote control mining excavator specialist BuilderX, led by founder Shaolong Sui, argues that excavation—not haulage—has become the main bottleneck to further mine automation, even as autonomous haul trucks move from pilots to large fleets with clear ROI. Sui positions teleoperated and semi-autonomous excavators as the next step to unlock productivity gains where manned digging still constrains fully automated truck fleets. For mine planners and OEMs, the message is to prioritise interface standards, control latency, and operator ergonomics at the shovel face rather than only optimising haulage.

Komatsu is expanding its western US support network with a new mining parts distribution facility in Mesa, Arizona, aimed at boosting regional availability of components for large haul trucks, loaders and drills. The site will serve dealers and mine operators across key copper and gold districts in Arizona, Nevada and neighbouring states, cutting lead times for critical items that currently ship from distant hubs. Faster delivery of high-wear parts such as GET, hydraulic components and drivetrain assemblies is intended to reduce unplanned downtime and improve fleet maintenance planning.