JCHX, the Chinese global mining contractor, has signed a five-year global strategic cooperation agreement with mining equipment major Epiroc at JCHX’s Beijing headquarters on 16 June. The deal is expected to centre on Epiroc’s underground drilling, loading and haulage fleets and digital automation platforms being deployed across JCHX’s international contract mining projects. For engineers, the agreement signals closer standardisation of OEM equipment, spares and data systems across JCHX-operated mines, which could simplify fleet maintenance strategies and interoperability planning.

UK Mining Conference delegates in Cornwall set out how domestic resources such as Cornish lithium, Scottish barite and Welsh copper could reduce UK reliance on imported critical minerals amid volatile markets and geopolitical risk. Speakers linked subsurface datasets from the British Geological Survey with AI-driven targeting for deep exploration, and discussed permitting, ESG scrutiny and grid constraints as key barriers to new mines and processing plants. Panels also focused on skills, using school outreach, virtual reality mine tours and apprenticeships to attract young people into geoscience and mining engineering.

Master Drilling has entered a formal partnership with Safescape to retail and install the Safescape Laddertube escapeway system across underground operations, positioning itself to deliver turnkey emergency egress solutions rather than only drilling services. Laddertube replaces conventional steel ladderways with a fully enclosed, modular plastic escape system, typically installed in raises and winzes to provide controlled, corrosion‑resistant access and improved fall protection. The deal signals wider deployment potential in African and global mines seeking standardised, low‑maintenance escapeways integrated directly into raiseboring programmes.