Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In
Built byBoxcut Studio

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    Projects
    Contract Award

    Rio Tinto’s Zulti South EPC to CHEC: mine-life and layout notes for engineers

    March 3, 2026|

    Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

    Rio Tinto’s Zulti South EPC to CHEC: mine-life and layout notes for engineers

    First reported on International Mining – News

    30 Second Briefing

    Rio Tinto has lifted the suspension on Richards Bay Minerals’ Zulti South project in South Africa, approving a US$473 million investment to extend the heavy mineral sands operation’s life to around 2050. Engineering, procurement and construction for Zulti South has been awarded to China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), signalling a major Chinese contractor role in a Tier 1 titanium dioxide feedstock and zircon asset. The project will shift production from the existing Zulti North lease, with long-term implications for dredge mining layouts, tailings deposition and coastal dune rehabilitation planning.

    Technical Brief

    • Suspension on Zulti South works, imposed in January 2020, has now been formally lifted.

    Our Take

    Among the 1106 Mining stories in our database, Rio Tinto features most frequently in relation to iron ore and aluminium, so an EPC award at Richards Bay Minerals signals the group is again putting capital and contracting attention into its mineral sands business after several years of operational and social disruption in South Africa.

    A mine life horizon out to 2050 at the Zulti South project effectively locks in long-term heavy mineral feed for downstream smelting assets at Richards Bay, which tends to reduce Rio Tinto’s appetite to divest or mothball this corridor compared with shorter-life mineral sands operations elsewhere.

    The long suspension since 2020 means CHEC will be stepping into a partially developed brownfield environment rather than a greenfield site, which usually compresses schedule risk on earthworks and infrastructure but raises interface risk with legacy RBM plant and community agreements around the Zulti North lease area.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Buffalo Potash permit at Disley: design, risk and process notes for mine engineers
    Mining
    1 day ago

    Buffalo Potash permit at Disley: design, risk and process notes for mine engineers

    Buffalo Potash has secured Saskatchewan approval to complete construction and operate its Disley initial production module, a 125,000 t/y soluble-grade potash facility 50 km northwest of Regina using a patented horizontal line-drive brine circulation method through parallel horizontal wells. The C$41.5 million module will test selective underground dissolution of potassium chloride with sodium-chloride-saturated brine and supply local agriculture, drilling-fluid markets and potassium-chloride brine for regional oilfields, ahead of planned 500,000 t/y Disley East and West expansions to about 1.13 Mt/y. The permit, which runs to 30 April and excludes future modules, requires groundwater characterisation, air-quality compliance and financial assurance, while the project proceeds without a feasibility study or declared reserves, elevating technical and economic risk.

    Exiro-led takeover of Vale’s Manitoba nickel complex: key points for mine planners
    Mining
    1 day ago

    Exiro-led takeover of Vale’s Manitoba nickel complex: key points for mine planners

    Exiro Minerals, Orion Resource Partners and Canada Growth Fund have acquired an 81.1% stake in Vale’s Thompson nickel operations in northern Manitoba, committing up to US$200 million to sustain and develop the six-decade-old complex. The new vehicle, Exiro Nickel, takes over day-to-day control of two operating underground mines, the adjacent concentrator and exploration ground along the 135 km Thompson Nickel Belt, while Vale Base Metals retains an 18.9% interest. A multi-year offtake agreement keeps Vale buying nickel concentrate from the Thompson mill, providing a defined outlet for future production.

    Mining
    1 day ago

    Moeve–Emerita 100% renewable diesel deal in Spain: decarbonisation notes for mines

    Moeve and Emerita Resources have signed Spain’s first mining-sector agreement to deploy 100% renewable diesel (HVO) at industrial scale, designating Moeve as preferred supplier of this second-generation biofuel. The HVO, derived from waste and residue feedstocks rather than food crops, is claimed to cut lifecycle CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional diesel. For mine operators, the drop-in fuel compatibility with existing diesel engines offers a near-term route to decarbonise haul trucks and auxiliary fleets without major equipment changes.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    Construction

    Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.

    AllGeotechnicalInfrastructureHazardsEnvironmental