Northern Star Resources reports strong exploration results across its Australian hubs, with deep extensions and high‑grade gold intercepts at operations including Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines in Western Australia. Drilling has identified mineralisation continuing at depth beneath existing workings, with multiple emerging zones that could support life‑of‑mine extensions and higher‑grade feed to existing mills. For mine planners and geotechs, the focus now shifts to underground access design, ground support in deeper stress regimes, and sequencing to integrate new stopes into current production.

Harmony Gold has advanced its Eva copper project in Queensland by awarding Metso a major equipment contract as the greenfield mine moves towards site construction. The deal covers key comminution and processing plant components, with Metso to supply crushing and grinding equipment sized for large-scale copper throughput at one of Australia’s biggest planned copper developments. The contract signals design lock-in for the process flowsheet and allows detailed engineering, foundation design and construction scheduling to proceed on a firmer basis.

Mineral Resources (MinRes) has broken ground at its Lamb Creek iron ore project in the Pilbara, signalling the next phase of its onshore iron ore growth alongside existing hubs such as Iron Valley and Koolyanobbing. The project is expected to leverage MinRes’ integrated model of mine-to-port logistics, including its privately operated haulage and transhipping infrastructure, to move ore efficiently from remote deposits to coastal export points. For geotechnical and civil teams, early works will centre on pit development, haul road construction and foundation preparation for crushing and screening facilities in a cyclonic, high-temperature environment.