ESG pressure in underground mining is pushing operators to prove real-time performance gains directly at the development face, where ventilation, ground control and water management risks are highest. The piece points to digital instrumentation at headings – such as continuous gas monitoring, geotechnical convergence sensors and real-time dust sampling – feeding live dashboards that link face conditions to ESG metrics. For engineers, this means designing headings, support patterns and services to accommodate dense sensor networks, data cabling or wireless nodes, and rapid-response controls rather than periodic inspections.

SIMEX has launched the ART 1000 Gen II asphalt regeneration system and an updated TF Drum Cutter range, targeting road repair and surface conditioning in mines, quarries and underground works. The ART 1000 Gen II is designed to mill, heat and remix existing asphalt in situ, enabling patch repairs without full pavement removal, while the latest TF cutters offer higher torque and improved pick layouts for hard rock and reinforced concrete. For operators, the key gains are reduced haulage of spoil, fewer hot-mix deliveries and tighter control of surface geometry around plant and haul roads.

Glencore is restarting nearly US$300 million of emissions‑reduction projects at its Horne copper smelter in Rouyn‑Noranda after Quebec’s Bill 11 extended the deadline for cutting ambient air arsenic to 15 ng/m³ until 2029‑30 and maintained that limit to at least 2033. The company warns that almost US$1 billion in wider five‑year spending on the Horne–CCR chain still depends on federal backing via Ottawa’s C$5 billion Strategic Response Fund. Horne, Canada’s only copper smelter, processes about 210,000 tonnes per year of copper and precious metals from concentrates and e‑waste.