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Stardust Power has signed a Letter of Intent to source up to 15,000 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent as lithium chloride from a California brine project, feeding its planned Muskogee, Oklahoma refinery from Q1 2028 with options for additional volumes. The Muskogee plant has completed Front-End Loading 3 engineering and secured its air quality construction permit, clearing key pre-construction hurdles. Located near the Port of Muskogee Free Trade Zone with road, rail and water access, the refinery is being configured for scalable production of battery-grade lithium carbonate from multiple US brine streams.

Copper price assumptions used in mining studies have climbed about 60% since 2020, with Plusmining’s review of 300+ reports showing base-case long-term prices rising from roughly US$3.00/lb in 2015–2020 to around US$4.80/lb by early 2026, still below spot levels above US$6.00/lb on the LME. Plusmining’s Andrés González notes assumptions remain tied to trailing averages rather than short-term spikes, as EVs, grid expansion and data centres reshape demand and declining grades and 17-year discovery-to-production lead times constrain supply. The stronger outlook is reviving previously uneconomic projects and driving portfolio reshaping, consolidation and renewed capital into copper resources.

Lithium Ionic has reaffirmed it holds “valid and registered title” to Brazilian mineral claims, including its Bandeira project in Minas Gerais’ Lithium Valley, citing independent legal opinions and National Mining Agency records that show no prior ownership by Emerita Resources. The clarification follows Ontario Securities Commission allegations that Emerita executives diverted Brazil’s Falcon claims into Lithium Ionic, with a hearing set for 8 May, though Lithium Ionic is not a respondent. Bandeira, near CBL and Sigma Lithium operations, has a feasibility study outlining an 18.5‑year mine life and 177,000 t/y of spodumene concentrate, positioning it as a near‑term producer.

Denarius Metals has made a non-binding all-share offer for Emerita Resources at about C$0.30 per share, a 15% premium to Emerita’s 10 April close, aiming to consolidate Iberian Pyrite Belt assets around Iberian Belt West (18.9 Mt indicated at 2.8% Zn, 1.42% Pb, 0.5% Cu, 1.28 g/t Au and 66 g/t Ag) with Denarius’ nearby Aguablanca nickel‑copper and Lomero polymetallic projects. The combined group would link Spanish concentrates to a Saudi refining JV with ProGrowth and cash flow from the Zancudo gold‑silver mine in Colombia (979,000 t indicated at 6.9 g/t Au and 84.4 g/t Ag). For project engineers, a deal could remove the need for a standalone IBW plant, shift processing to existing or restarted facilities, and potentially accelerate underground development at Lomero and Toral.

KoBold Metals has launched what CEO Kurt House calls the largest lithium exploration campaign in history in the Democratic Republic of Congo, committing over $50 million through early 2027. The company will use AI-driven targeting, advanced sensors and 30,000 sq. km of airborne surveys across 13 licences totalling more than 3,000 sq. km, expanding to 5,000 sq. km by year-end, centred on the high-grade pegmatites of the Manono region. Plans include thousands of drill holes and over 30,000 geochemical samples, signalling a major new data-rich testbed for AI-guided critical minerals exploration.

Gold prices fell as much as 2.2% to below $4,650/oz on Monday, a one-week low, after US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and US‑Iran peace talks collapsed, driving up oil and the dollar. By 11 a.m. ET, spot gold had recovered to about $4,720/oz, still 0.8% down, with money markets now pricing only a 21% chance of a US rate cut this year versus 40% previously. Union Bancaire Privée, having cut gold exposure from ~10% to 3%, is rebuilding positions mainly via ETFs and targets $6,000/oz by year-end despite bullion’s worst month since 2008 in March.

A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries over 40% of global sulphur exports, combined with China’s 2.7‑million‑tonne annual sulphuric acid export ban from 1 May, is driving sulphuric acid prices above $500/t and threatening about 20% of global copper supply that depends on acid leaching. Ivanhoe Mines’ Kamoa‑Kakula complex, hosting Africa’s largest copper smelter, produced 117,871 tonnes of high‑strength sulphuric acid and 71,417 tonnes of copper anode in Q1, giving it a cost and supply advantage as a net acid seller. Despite this, Ivanhoe has cut 2026 copper anode guidance to 290,000–330,000 tonnes and is implementing contingency measures, including advanced diesel purchases, to sustain operations during the US‑led war on Iran.

Vale’s push to expand iron ore shipments into India, alongside BHP’s first cargo to the country after China’s ban, signals a structural shift as India’s steel demand climbs from 32 million tonnes in 2004 to 148 million tonnes in 2024 while China’s eases from a 1‑billion‑tonne peak to about 857 million tonnes. India’s electricity demand is forecast by the IEA to grow 6.4% annually to 2030, adding over 570 TWh in five years and driving higher requirements for copper, aluminium and battery metals. For miners, China remains the price anchor, but marginal growth in ferrous and electrification metals is increasingly tied to India’s infrastructure-heavy build‑out.

Chalice Mining has hired Odin Partnership, led by former Anglo American chief executive Mark Cutifani with Tony O’Neill and ex–Bank of America metals head Omar Davis, to advise on advancing the 23-year Gonneville palladium-nickel-copper project 70 km northeast of Perth. Gonneville’s current resource stands at 17 Moz 3E plus 960,000 t nickel, 540,000 t copper and 96,000 t cobalt, with the December prefeasibility study outlining A$820 million initial capex for a 5 Mtpa start, expanding to 14 Mtpa via a planned A$840 million phase-two. The project is modelled to deliver 220,000 oz/y 3E and 7,000 t/y nickel at AISC of $370/oz 3E, with a post-tax NPV8 of A$1 billion, 23% pre-tax IRR and a 2.7-year payback, targeting FID in H1 2028 and first production in 2030.

Metso has secured an order to supply advanced filtration technology for Lloyds Metals & Energy’s iron ore concentrate filtration plants at Ghugus, Manikgarh and Konsari in Maharashtra, central India. The equipment will serve Lloyds’ integrated value chain spanning iron ore mining through to sponge iron production, targeting drier concentrate and reduced tailings moisture for downstream handling and pelletising. For process engineers, the upgrade signals tighter water balance control and potential gains in filtration throughput and energy use across three key concentrator hubs.

SKF is pushing condition-based maintenance in Australian mines by combining bearing remanufacturing, vibration and temperature monitoring, and root-cause failure analysis on critical assets such as conveyors and grinding mills. Using connected sensors feeding into its cloud-based diagnostics platforms, SKF engineers can flag lubrication issues, misalignment and contamination early, then specify upgraded seals, housings or heat-treated bearing steels tailored to each duty. The approach extends bearing service life, cuts unplanned stoppages and allows mines to defer capex on large rotating equipment while maintaining throughput.

Fortescue Ltd is accelerating delivery of what it calls the world’s first industrial, fully integrated green energy grid designed to eliminate fossil fuels from large-scale operations, at a scale comparable to a city. The system is being engineered specifically to remove diesel from mining and heavy industry energy use, replacing it with renewables-based power and associated infrastructure. Fortescue plans to replicate and commercialise the grid technology at other industrial sites globally wherever host operators or governments invite deployment.

Sandvik’s first MC431 continuous miner for Australia has been ordered as part of the company’s expansion of its mechanical cutting portfolio, targeting hard-rock and high-ash seams where drill-and-blast is constrained. The MC431 is designed for high cutting forces in confined headings, integrating a heavy-duty cutter boom, onboard bolting capability and advanced automation-ready controls compatible with Sandvik’s digital mining systems. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, the unit signals greater scope for continuous development in rock conditions previously considered marginal for mechanical miners, with potential impacts on support design, ventilation and scheduling.

Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants from the West Australian Government are set to expand mining services businesses in the Pilbara, targeting local contractors and suppliers supporting iron ore and lithium operations. Funding typically covers equipment upgrades, workshop expansions and digital systems for fleet management and condition monitoring, enabling smaller firms to bid for larger maintenance and construction packages. For geotechnical and civil contractors, the grants can support new drilling rigs, materials testing equipment and remote monitoring tools suited to Pilbara heat, dust and long-haul logistics.

The Northern Territory Government is launching a targeted investor roadshow in Japan and Korea to pitch major resources projects including the Nolans rare earths project, Beetaloo Basin gas and emerging critical minerals prospects. Officials will promote long-life rare earths, lithium and gas developments with established port access through Darwin and existing LNG export infrastructure to attract Japanese and Korean offtake and equity partners. For miners and engineers, the push signals potential acceleration of project financing, long-term offtake contracts and associated rail, port and processing plant expansions in the NT.

Whitehaven Coal has secured a new US$600 million (A$853 million) senior secured syndicated facility to support development of its metallurgical and thermal coal portfolio, including the Daunia and Blackwater operations acquired from BHP Mitsubishi Alliance in 2023. The multi-bank facility, which sits alongside Whitehaven’s existing cash reserves and strong recent free cash flow from its NSW open-cut mines, is structured to provide funding flexibility through the coal price cycle. For mine planners and project teams, the package signals continued capital availability for brownfield expansion, equipment upgrades and longer-life strip sequencing in Queensland and New South Wales.

Targeted filtration upgrades from Sefar are boosting throughput and lowering operating costs in alumina refineries by tailoring filter media to specific Bayer process stages. Custom-designed cloths and synthetic fabrics are being matched to caustic slurry chemistries, particle-size distributions and temperature profiles in security filtration, washer circuits and polishing filters to reduce blinding and extend change-out intervals. For process engineers, the approach offers a way to stabilise vacuum and pressure filter performance, cut reagent and energy use, and improve underflow/overflow clarity without major capital modifications.

Miners are deploying larger rotary scrubbers, high-capacity screens and optimised tailings circuits to keep iron ore grades and plant throughput stable as feed becomes finer, stickier and more variable. McLanahan reports demand for heavy-duty scrubbing systems paired with multi-deck wet screens to break down clay-rich ore and split it into lump, fines and ultra-fines streams with tighter cut sizes. The shift places more emphasis on ore characterisation, water balance and wear-liner selection to avoid bottlenecks and unplanned downtime in dense media and wet screening sections.

Finalists for the GRX26 Industry Awards have been announced by AusIMM, spotlighting mining professionals and projects across categories such as digital transformation, ESG performance and emerging leadership. Shortlisted entries include initiatives using advanced orebody modelling, real-time fleet data analytics and low-emission processing circuits to improve mine productivity and environmental performance. Winners will be named at the GRX26 conference, giving operators and contractors a benchmark for current best practice in technology deployment, decarbonisation strategies and workforce development.

China Northern Rare Earth Group has lifted its Q2 2026 rare earth concentrate benchmark to 38,804 yuan/t (about $5,390) for 50% REO material, a 44.6% jump on Q1 and more than double the level a year ago, with a formula adjustment of 776.08 yuan/t for each 1% change in grade. The price was set under an existing concentrate-pricing formula with related-party supplier Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Union Co., tying Q2 terms to Q1 oxide prices. The move coincides with China’s plan to block sulphuric acid exports from May, tightening leaching reagent supply for global rare earth processing.

Deep Sea Minerals (CNSX: SEAS), newly rebranded from Copperhead Resources, is seeking exploration licences in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone and the Cook Islands’ EEZ, backed by an oversubscribed C$4.22 million private placement and a fresh NOAA application under the US Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act. CEO James Deckelman plans an asset-light model, contracting vessels and nodule collection systems rather than owning hardware, with initial work targeted for late 2026–early 2027. The move challenges early CCZ mover The Metals Company, whose areas cover under 5% of the zone’s polymetallic nodule field.

Banque de France has completed repatriation of all 2,437 tonnes of French sovereign gold to domestic vaults after 26 swap transactions replaced 129 tonnes of non-standard bars at the New York Fed with compliant European bullion, realising a €12.8 billion capital gain. Central bank buying stayed above 850 tonnes for a fourth year in 2025, led by Poland’s 102-tonne addition and China’s 16-month buying streak to 2,309 tonnes, while mine supply in 2025 rose only marginally to about 3,672 tonnes. For miners and refiners, provenance, LBMA-compliant refining capacity in allied jurisdictions, and direct relationships with sovereign buyers are becoming strategic infrastructure issues rather than routine commercial matters.

British Columbia has paused permitting for Seabridge Gold’s C$6.4 billion KSM twin tunnels, which would move ore from the Mitchell Valley pits to Treaty Valley processing facilities, until a court dispute with neighbouring Tudor Gold over Treaty Creek claims is resolved. The conflict centres on whether Seabridge’s 2012 conditional mineral reserve grants tunnel rights across Tudor’s Goldstorm and Perfectstorm areas, where Tudor is advancing a 10,000‑tonne‑per‑day underground PEA on a 24.9‑million‑oz indicated gold resource. KSM still holds a 2.3‑billion‑tonne reserve grading 0.64 g/t gold and 0.14% copper, with a planned 33‑year life and 1.03‑million‑oz/y gold output.

BEML Ltd has unveiled the BH35-2 EV, India’s first indigenous all‑electric 35 t payload mining dump truck, at its Mysuru complex, signalling a domestic move away from diesel in the small–medium haul segment. The battery-electric platform targets opencast mines currently using 35 t mechanical trucks, cutting local emissions at loading and dumping points and reducing fuel logistics. For mine planners and maintenance teams, the shift implies new charging infrastructure, high‑voltage safety procedures, and revised haul profile optimisation to manage range and cycle times.

Mammoet has supported Ledcor in expanding the production and service headframes at BHP’s Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan, a greenfield mine targeting about 8.5 Mt/y of output from 2027 and expected to be among the world’s largest potash operations. The heavy-lift scope centred on installing large preassembled headframe modules and associated steelwork, reducing work at height and minimising crane reconfiguration on the constrained shaft collar area. For mine designers and contractors, the project shows how modular headframe construction and engineered lifting can compress schedules on deep-shaft developments in cold-climate greenfield sites.

Latin America’s latest mining rankings contrast countries where mining dominates exports with those where absolute export value rules, putting copper-heavy Chile and Peru alongside smaller, more mining-dependent economies such as Bolivia. The infographic orders states first by mining’s share of total exports and then by the dollar value of those exports, clarifying where copper, iron ore, lithium, rare earths and specialty minerals most shape trade. With 2026 framed as a critical year in a global contest over critical mineral supply chains, the series tracks how shifting geopolitical alliances may affect project risk and offtake security.

Nouveau Monde Graphite is raising US$297 million as Italy’s Eni takes a 12% stake for US$70 million, alongside Canada Growth Fund (US$82 million), Investissement Québec (US$61 million) and an US$84 million bought-deal, completing a US$633 million financing package for the Matawinie graphite project in Quebec. The integrated development pairs the large-scale open-pit Matawinie mine, with capex of US$421 million, and a downstream anode material plant at Bécancour, bringing total mine‑plus‑plant capex to US$1.33 billion. Nouveau Monde has secured a 143,000 m² brownfield site at Bécancour for initial anode capacity dedicated to Panasonic Energy and targets a final investment decision in H2 2026, backed by US$335 million in senior debt from Export Development Canada and the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines has revoked Southern Copper’s permit for the $1.8 billion Tía María project, citing missing legal justification, non-compliance with mining and administrative regulations, and incomplete technical plans for waste dump design and project scheduling. The open-pit mine in Arequipa, expected to produce 120,000 tonnes of copper per year over 20 years and reported 23% complete in October 2025, now faces a full technical viability reassessment. The decision adds to roughly $7 billion in stalled copper projects amid illegal mining and comes days before Peru’s presidential election, increasing uncertainty for long-term investment and project delivery.

Paladin Energy plans a final investment decision by end-2027 on the Patterson Lake South uranium project in Saskatchewan, centred on the high-grade Triple R deposit with 93.7 million lb U3O8 in probable reserves at 1.41% starting about 50 m below surface. A 2023 feasibility study outlines average output of 9.1 million lb U3O8 per year over 10 years, pre-production capex of $1.2 billion and life-of-mine cash costs of $11.7/lb, with first production targeted for 2031. Progress through FEED and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission licensing runs alongside a judicial review filed by Métis Nation–Saskatchewan challenging the February 2025 provincial environmental approval.

Metso has introduced the GFF Series flip-flow screens for fine dry screening of difficult, often moist ores and aggregates, targeting applications such as sand manufacturing and high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGR) closed circuits. The rugged screen design is aimed at maintaining stable classification under high wear and vibration, while delivering finer cut sizes than conventional dry screening equipment. For HPGR circuits, the tighter size control should improve recirculating load management and downstream grinding efficiency, particularly where water use is constrained.

Volvo Construction Equipment has begun serial production of its A30 Electric and A40 Electric articulated haulers at Braås, Sweden, claimed as the world’s first electric haulers in the 29‑tonne and 39‑tonne payload class. The models, first shown at Bauma 2025, are designed for mining and quarrying duty cycles and can deliver up to six hours of operation per charge, depending on application. Initial units will be deployed in the UK and Norway, giving operators an early test of high‑productivity, zero‑tailpipe‑emission haulage fleets.

Epiroc has secured a large order from Mopani Copper Mines PLC in Zambia for a fleet of Minetruck underground haulers and Scooptram loaders to be deployed at two deep-level copper operations. The diesel or electric-ready units are intended to raise production capacity while improving operator protection and traffic control in constrained headings. For mine planners and engineers, the deal signals continued investment in high-capacity load–haul fleets as Mopani ramps underground output rather than expanding surface infrastructure.

Lefroy Exploration has reported new milestones at its Lucky Strike gold project in Western Australia, while Broken Hill Mines and Auravelle Metals are also progressing gold and base metal targets across their respective tenements. Activity includes step-out drilling to extend known mineralised zones, infill drilling to tighten resource models, and follow-up on geophysical anomalies indicating potential sulphide-rich lenses. For geotechs and mine planners, the results signal continuing demand for resource definition drilling, updated block models, and early-stage geotechnical characterisation to support future pit and underground designs.

Alkane Resources lifted March quarter output to 45,776 ounces of gold equivalent from its Tomingley operations in New South Wales, materially boosting cash on hand and balance sheet strength. The performance comes as Alkane advances open-pit and underground expansion at Tomingley and continues drilling across the East Lachlan region, including the Boda porphyry gold–copper system. Strong cash generation improves funding flexibility for further resource definition drilling, mine life extensions and potential plant upgrades without immediate reliance on external capital.

Maiden drilling at Benz Mining’s Hurricane project in Western Australia has confirmed a new high-grade gold mineralised corridor, extending the existing Hurricane Camp footprint. The corridor was initially recognised in surface geochemical sampling and has now been intersected in multiple reverse circulation and diamond drillholes, with visible sulphide mineralisation associated with gold-bearing structures. The discovery opens additional step-out drilling targets along strike and at depth, with immediate implications for resource expansion and future mine planning at Hurricane.

Ardea Resources’ Kalgoorlie Nickel Project has been selected as one of four energy and resources projects to participate in the Australian Government’s investor programme, giving the laterite-hosted nickel-cobalt development structured access to global capital. The KNP, centred near Kalgoorlie with existing core yards and bulk sample test work underway, targets battery-grade nickel and cobalt sulphate production using high-pressure acid leach flowsheets. Inclusion in the programme signals federal backing for project de-risking, which could accelerate feasibility, offtake negotiations and downstream processing decisions.

A major Australian mining services contractor is liquidating its entire working fleet through a timed online auction run by Slattery Auctions, with 19 heavy equipment lots now on offer. Key assets include late-model Caterpillar D11T crawler dozers, large-capacity haul trucks and ancillary support plant suited to bulk overburden removal and production mining. The sale signals further consolidation in contract mining, and offers operators a chance to acquire mine-ready primary earthmoving equipment without OEM lead times.

BHP incoming chief executive Brandon Craig has met Chinalco chair Ao Hong in Beijing, signalling a renewed alignment between the world’s largest diversified miner and China’s biggest state-owned aluminium producer. The talks centre on long-term supply security for iron ore and copper, with BHP’s Pilbara operations and Escondida copper mine likely to feature in any expanded offtake or joint development arrangements. For miners and project developers, the move points to continued Chinese backing for large-scale steel and energy-transition metals demand, supporting new brownfield expansions over greenfield risk.

Australian mining equipment, technology and services (METS) suppliers are being urged by Austmine to target the US market ahead of the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington DC from 23–26 June 2024. Austmine is promoting opportunities linked to US critical minerals policy, including demand for Australian-developed ore sorting, mine automation and tailings monitoring technologies in states such as Nevada and Arizona. For METS firms, the push signals growing scope for export of drill-and-blast optimisation software, remote asset monitoring systems and specialist consulting on ESG-compliant mine design.

Atlas Copco is targeting mineral processing plants with its oil-free ZS screw blowers, designed to deliver clean, ISO 8573-1 Class 0 compressed air for flotation cells, pneumatic conveying and filter presses. The units use variable speed drives and high-efficiency screw elements to cut specific energy consumption compared with conventional lobe blowers, while maintaining stable low-pressure air in the typical 0.3–1.5 bar(g) range. For plant engineers, the main gains are reduced blower-room power draw, lower heat load on ventilation systems and more consistent air supply to critical process circuits.

Glencore Technology is promoting its Jameson Cell flotation units and IsaMill fine grinding technology as miners confront declining ore grades and more complex mineralogy. The Jameson Cell, already installed at sites such as Mount Isa Mines, delivers intensive aeration and fine bubble generation in a compact footprint, while IsaMill units provide energy-efficient ultrafine grinding down to the 10–20µm range. Together, these circuits aim to lift recoveries from low-grade, refractory ores and defer cut-off grade increases in existing operations.

Mariana Minerals is integrating Pronto’s autonomous haulage system into its MarianaOS platform to automate heavy mining truck operations at the Copper One open-pit mine and refinery complex in southeastern Utah. The partnership targets full-stack control of haul trucks via software-first integration rather than retrofitting isolated vehicle subsystems, enabling coordinated fleet management across pit, waste dump and plant haul routes. For mine planners and operations engineers, this signals tighter coupling between dispatch, autonomy and processing, with potential changes to haul road design, traffic rules and maintenance strategies.

US lithium developer HiTech Minerals will go public on Nasdaq via a $571 million merger with SPAC Constellation Acquisition Corp. I, creating US Elemental, with parent Jindalee Lithium expected to retain about 80% ownership and the new ticker “ULIT”. The key asset is the McDermitt project on the Oregon–Nevada border, holding 21.5 million tonnes LCE and scoped in a 2024 PFS for 47,500 t/y output in the first decade, 63-year mine life, $3.2 billion post-tax NPV (8%), 17.9% IRR and roughly $3 billion capex. Designated under FAST‑41 and backed by a planned $20–30 million raise, the listing aims to secure US capital and partners for McDermitt and the Clayton North project in Nevada amid a lithium price rebound of nearly 40% this year.

Philippi-Hagenbuch is switching all custom HiVol® haul truck bodies to floors built from SSAB Hardox® 500 Tuf, an abrasion-resistant steel with a nominal hardness of 500 HBW. The upgrade targets high-impact loading zones in off-highway trucks handling coarse, sharp ore, where floor gouging and wear typically drive frequent liner replacement. For mine operators, harder monolithic floors can extend body life, reduce downtime for relining, and allow more aggressive loading with large buckets or rock boxes without rapidly thinning the floor plate.

NioCorp Developments has signed a non-binding deal making Traxys the exclusive offtake and marketing partner for all Elk Creek project output for the first 10 years, except the 50% ferroniobium already committed to ThyssenKrupp. The agreement covers the remaining 25% ferroniobium on a take-or-pay basis, all remaining scandium oxide on a best-efforts basis, plus titanium dioxide and rare earth elements, with Traxys also acting as marketing intermediary for third-party sales. Traxys plans an equity investment of up to $30 million, supporting NioCorp’s bid for up to $800 million in EXIM debt towards the $1.1 billion capex.

G Mining Ventures will acquire G2 Goldfields in a C$3 billion ($2.2 billion) all-share deal, consolidating the adjacent Oko West and Oko-Ghanie projects in Guyana into a single district-scale complex targeting more than 500,000 oz/y of gold over the life of mine. The combined 362 sq. km land package in the Guiana Shield holds 7 million oz measured and indicated at 2.28 g/t and 2.3 million oz inferred, with key zones open at depth and along strike. G Mining forecasts over C$1 billion in capex/opex synergies via shared infrastructure and mine sequencing, with first Oko West production still slated for H2 2027 and expanded output targeted by H1 2029.

Volvo Construction Equipment has started serial production of its A30 Electric and A40 Electric articulated haulers, claimed as the first battery-electric trucks of this payload class to reach volume manufacture. The models are based on the conventional A30 and A40 platforms but replace diesel drivetrains with high-capacity battery-electric systems, targeting typical 30 t and 40 t class haul profiles in quarries and mines. For mine planners and contractors, the move signals accelerating OEM support for low-emission haulage fleets and future requirements for high-capacity charging infrastructure on pit haul roads.

Barrick Mining is pivoting back to acquisitions and retreating from higher‑risk regions after 2025 gold output fell 17% to 3.26 million ounces, its lowest level in at least 25 years, and after the seizure of a key Mali mine and rising costs at the Reko Diq copper project in Pakistan. Chairman John Thornton said Barrick will prioritise “tier one” long-life, low-cost assets and plans to list a new vehicle by end‑2026 holding its Nevada joint venture, the Fourmile discovery and the Pueblo Viejo mine.

Tharisa Minerals has fired the inaugural underground blast at its Bushveld Complex chrome and PGM operation, initiating the transition from open pit to underground mining scheduled from 31 March 2026. Cementation Africa, the contracting partner, will be central to developing the new underground infrastructure, including access declines and associated services, to extend mine life and access deeper ore. The shift will alter geotechnical design demands, ventilation and ground support requirements, and could change the mine’s stripping ratio and cost profile over the medium term.

GR Engineering has secured an EPC contract from Northparkes Mining Services, a subsidiary of Evolution Mining, to deliver a Coarse Particle Flotation (CPF) project at the Northparkes copper-gold operation, 300 km west of Sydney, New South Wales. The project will retrofit CPF into the existing concentrator, targeting recovery of coarser sulphide particles that currently bypass conventional flotation circuits. For process engineers, the key change is integration of new CPF cells and associated regrind, pumping and classification modifications into a brownfield plant while maintaining throughput.