Hudbay Minerals and Mitsubishi Corporation have approved development of the Copper World project in Arizona after completing a definitive feasibility study and related prefeasibility work, positioning it as one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the US. The DFS defines a large-scale open pit with associated concentrator and downstream facilities sized for long-life production, though detailed tonnage and throughput figures have not yet been released. For geotechnical and mine planning teams, the decision signals imminent detailed design of pit slopes, waste dumps and water management for a Tier-1 scale operation in arid conditions.

Belt cleaner specialist Martin Engineering, led by R. Todd Swinderman (President Emeritus, CEMA), sets out guidance for positioning primary, secondary and tertiary cleaners on high‑volume conveyors where structural steelwork, limited chute space and access platforms often prevent ideal installation. The guidance focuses on locating primary cleaners at the head pulley, secondary units on the return strand just beyond the discharge, and tertiary or wash‑box systems further downstream to control carryback. Swinderman stresses that safe maintenance access, adequate mounting distance from pulleys and integration with existing transfer‑point geometry are critical design constraints.

PT Pani Industri Nusantara, a subsidiary of PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk, has awarded Doppelmayr a contract to install Indonesia’s first RopeCon® system to move crushed gold ore from its Sulawesi mine directly to a carbon-in-leach processing plant. The fixed elevated conveyor-ropeway hybrid is designed to span difficult terrain with minimal tower foundations, reducing haul road construction and diesel truck use. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, the choice signals a shift towards long-distance, low-footprint ore transport in steep, infrastructure-poor topography.