Australian mining bodies are urging the Federal Government to extend capital gains tax (CGT) concessions to junior mineral explorers, matching relief already available to tech and other start-up sectors. The Minerals Council of Australia and the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies warn proposed CGT changes could deter high-risk greenfields exploration, particularly for early-stage ASX-listed juniors reliant on equity raisings. Industry groups argue that without tailored CGT treatment, pre-discovery investors may exit earlier and reduce funding for drilling campaigns and resource definition.

Switzerland has banned the purchase, import and transit of Sudanese gold and restricted mining supplies such as mercury and cyanide, aligning its sanctions with European Union measures adopted on 13 July to cut funding to Sudan’s three-year conflict between the SAF and RSF. The Swiss rules also block related technical, brokering and financial services, and will be folded into its existing Ordinance on measures against Sudan, which already enforces a UN arms embargo and financial and travel bans on 36 listed individuals and entities. For refiners, traders and chemical suppliers, this tightens due-diligence and effectively closes a key European route for Sudan-linked gold flows.

Transport for London has released an updated Corporate Environment Plan detailing more than 70 actions to cut operational and embodied carbon and improve network resilience to extreme weather across the Underground, bus and road systems. Measures include accelerating fleet electrification, retrofitting stations and depots for energy efficiency, and upgrading drainage and track assets to cope with more intense rainfall and heat events. Civil and geotechnical engineers can expect tighter carbon requirements in design, materials selection and asset renewal, alongside higher design thresholds for flooding, overheating and slope stability.