BHP has lodged an Environmental Impact Assessment application in Chile for the New Escondida Concentrator, intended to replace the ageing Los Colorados plant at the Escondida copper operation in the Atacama Desert. The project forms part of a long-term investment plan to sustain concentrator throughput and copper production over coming decades as existing processing infrastructure nears the end of its design life. For engineers, the key issue will be how the new plant’s layout, water and energy systems integrate with Escondida’s high-altitude, water-constrained site conditions.

3ME Technology has completed what it calls a world‑first DC ArcFlash testing programme with Rio Tinto on high‑voltage battery systems for mining fleets, generating empirical data on arc energy, blast pressure and thermal effects to refine PPE categories and enclosure designs. In a parallel development, 3ME is collaborating with Toshiba to integrate lithium titanate oxide (LTO) cells into its Bladevolt battery platform, targeting fast‑charge, high‑cycle underground mining vehicles. The work directly informs electrical protection coordination, battery pack architecture and risk assessments for diesel‑to‑battery conversions.

Haultrax has completed what it calls the first dedicated mining Fleet Management System deployment for prime movers and road trains operating outside the pit, extending real-time tracking beyond traditional in-pit haul trucks. The system targets multi-trailer road trains hauling ore and waste on long-distance mine and public-road corridors, where payloads, queues, and delays have typically been unmanaged or manually logged. For engineers, this closes a major data gap in end-to-end material movement, enabling more accurate cycle-time analysis, road design validation, and interaction management with light vehicles.