Fortuna Mining has secured Senegalese government approval of the environmental and social impact assessment for its Diamba Sud gold project in eastern Senegal, clearing a key hurdle ahead of a mining permit decision following its 4 Feb 2026 application. A 2025 preliminary economic assessment reported an after-tax IRR of 72% and a US$563 million NPV (5% discount rate) at US$2,750/oz gold, with a 2026 project budget of US$100 million and final investment and construction decision targeted by mid‑2026. For engineers, the ESIA decree signals regulatory alignment for detailed design, site preparation and construction planning.

Rare Earths Americas has reported rock chip assays up to 44.5% total rare earths oxide (TREO) from monazite-bearing sands at its Shiloh project in Georgia, with 13 surface samples collected across the Newbill and Pipeline properties. The 2026 work programme includes more than 20,000 m of sonic, direct push and diamond drilling to define continuity, scale and grade distribution, alongside drone-based radiometric surveys at the nearby Lazer Creek area, where hole 25-DPLC-015 returned 10.84% TREO from 6.1–6.77 m and 3.52% TREO from 7.35–8.63 m. For mine planners and process engineers, the coarse monazite sand style suggests potential for relatively simple mineral sands-style extraction flowsheets if continuity and tonnage are confirmed.

Rare-earth refiner Phoenix Tailings has secured a conditional $500 million long-term loan from the US Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital to build its ‘Freedom Facility’, anchoring an approximately $1 billion financing package for domestic rare earth midstream processing. The plant, targeted to start initial operations in 2028, will provide large-scale separation and metallisation of both light and heavy rare earths from concentrates, recycled materials and secondary feedstocks, complementing existing metallisation sites in Burlington, Massachusetts, and Exeter, New Hampshire. For miners and recyclers, this creates a US-based outlet for mixed rare earth feed, reducing reliance on Chinese processors and tightening mine-to-magnet integration.