RKX Rock Extraction is set to unveil an electric pulse rock-breaking system at Hillhead 2026, targeting operations where explosives are restricted or supply-constrained and hydraulic hammers are slow, noisy and maintenance-intensive. The Lisburn-based company’s technology uses high-voltage electrical pulses to fracture rock in situ, eliminating on-site explosive storage and reducing flyrock, vibration and dust. For mines and quarries facing tight vibration limits near infrastructure or communities, the method could open additional extraction zones and simplify permitting for selective breakage and scaling.

Pilar Gold Inc has selected Resemin and Sotreq as strategic equipment partners to supply a new underground fleet for the restart and modernisation of its PGDM gold mining complex in Brazil. The ordered package includes Resemin jumbo drills and production rigs, paired with TEMPUS-branded underground support equipment, to mechanise drilling and production across the mine’s ramp-accessed stopes. The deal signals a shift from legacy fleets towards standardised, OEM-supported rigs, with implications for ground support design, development advance rates and maintenance planning at PGDM.

Greenland Resources has joined Luleå Tekniska Universitet’s BOREAS consortium, alongside 12 other partners, to develop autonomous robotic systems for its Malmbjerg molybdenum project in central-east Greenland. The collaboration targets robotic support for construction, operation and maintenance in remote, high-relief terrain, where steep slopes, ice, and limited access complicate conventional open-pit development. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, the work signals future deployment of field robots for tasks such as bench inspection, slope monitoring and infrastructure upkeep under Arctic conditions.