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Benz Mining has confirmed widespread tungsten mineralisation along the full 12km Glenburgh corridor in Western Australia, indicating a large-scale skarn and vein-style system associated with the region’s granitic intrusives. Early drilling and surface sampling show continuous scheelite-bearing zones over multiple kilometres, with several prospects already returning high-grade intervals suitable for hard-rock tungsten concentrate production. For geotechnical and mine planning teams, the corridor-scale continuity suggests potential for multiple open pits or a combined pit–underground layout, with significant focus needed on ground support in brittle, altered host rocks.

The Northern Territory Government is sending a trade delegation to Taiwan this week to court investment in critical minerals and energy projects, with a focus on copper, rare earths and gas. Officials are promoting the Territory’s emerging copper and rare earths prospects alongside its LNG and offshore gas assets to Taiwanese utilities, battery manufacturers and trading houses. For miners and project developers, the move signals potential new offtake, JV and project finance channels from Taiwanese industry for NT greenfield and brownfield deposits.

Terrafame has started a prefeasibility study to recover scandium from process streams at its bioheap-leach nickel mine in Sotkamo, Finland, using the existing hydrometallurgical circuit as a base. If viable, the project would make Terrafame the only scandium producer in Europe, adding a critical rare earth element to its current battery-grade nickel output. For process engineers, the key questions will be scandium grades in intermediate liquors, additional solvent extraction or ion-exchange stages required, and integration without disrupting nickel and cobalt recovery.

Savannah Resources has ordered the first major capital equipment for its Barroso Lithium Project in northern Portugal, Europe’s largest spodumene deposit and designated a “Strategic Project” under the European Critical Raw Materials Act. The company and its external consultants are advancing technical workstreams including mine planning, process flowsheet optimisation for spodumene concentrate, and infrastructure design to meet EU environmental and permitting requirements. Early equipment procurement signals a move towards construction readiness, with engineering decisions now locking in plant layout, power demand and tailings handling concepts.

SANY has unveiled its SKT145Ei electric unmanned wide body mining truck at the Global Mining Key Customer Summit in Xi’an, where more than 700 delegates signed equipment orders exceeding 5 billion yuan. The SKT145Ei combines a battery-electric drivetrain with autonomous haulage capability, targeting short- to medium-haul open-pit operations that currently rely on diesel wide body trucks. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, the shift to unmanned electric haulage tightens requirements on road geometry, berm design and traffic management to support consistent autonomous operation.

Cementation and Terra Nova Technologies have completed a strategic ownership transition, giving the combined group substantially increased capital backing from a major investor to support global mining projects. The restructuring is aimed at scaling Cementation’s underground mine development and shaft sinking services alongside TNT’s overland conveyor and crushing plant systems across North and South America, Africa and other key regions. For project owners, the move signals stronger balance-sheet support for large EPC and design–build contracts, potentially reducing delivery and financing risk on complex materials handling and underground works.

Recovering more metal from existing heap leach pads, rather than building new mines, is presented as mining’s fastest production gain amid IEA-forecast supply gaps of 30% for copper and 40% for lithium by 2035. Tom Claridge, sales manager for Mining North at Netafim North America, argues that uneven solution distribution caused by slope, rock size, line spacing and pressure inconsistencies creates persistent wet–dry zones and permanent metal loss. He points to precision irrigation systems with controlled pressure and flow, plus automated monitoring, as key to improving percolation, water use and predictability on large pads.

Agnico Eagle Mines has approved construction of the $2.4 billion Hope Bay underground complex in Nunavut’s Kitikmeot region, targeting first production in about four years from three long-hole stoping deposits (Doris, Madrid and Patch 7) feeding a 6,000 t/d plant. The project is scoped for 400,000–435,000 oz. gold per year over an initial 11-year life, with total cash costs of about $942/oz, AISC of $1,199/oz and sustaining capex of $1.1 billion, based on measured and indicated resources of 31.97 Mt at 5.63 g/t. Agnico has already secured key environmental permits and leases, is advancing water licence amendments, and will spend over $100 million on exploration to 2028, including conversion drilling and potential satellite development at Boston.

Sigma Lithium is appealing a 17 May ruling by a local judge in Araçuaí that could impose up to $10 million in legal collateral over alleged improper waste disposal at its Grota do Cirilo lithium operation, after the case triggered a 15% share slide to about $14.50 and a $2.6 billion market capitalisation. Brazilian labour inspectors reportedly cited continued dumping on one of three suspended waste piles and a “partial rupture” near a school in Poço Dantas, raising structural and geotechnical stability concerns. The dispute coincides with Sigma’s plan to expand Grota do Cirilo from 270,000 to 520,000 tonnes per year of lithium concentrate, signalling tighter scrutiny of waste pile design, monitoring and closure in Latin American lithium projects.

Colombia is pressing Glencore to start detailed closure and transition planning for the Cerrejón complex, a 16.8‑million‑tonne‑per‑year open‑pit coal mine with a 150 km dedicated railway and Caribbean export port whose concession runs to 2034. A GEM consultancy report warns that abrupt, politically driven curtailment could destabilise La Guajira’s coal‑dependent economy, which currently relies on more than 12,000 mine‑related jobs, about $166 million a year in royalties and roughly $86 million in local procurement. GEM proposes a “managed transition compact” with ring‑fenced closure and retraining funds, supplier‑conversion schemes, environmental assurance financing and long‑term reuse plans for rail and port infrastructure.

Westgold Resources is selling its Chalice gold project in Western Australia’s Higginsville district to Corazon Mining for A$25.7 million, comprising A$8 million cash, A$6.7 million in Corazon shares and A$11 million in milestone-linked deferred payments, leaving Westgold with a 19.9% equity stake (47.6 million shares). Chalice is a historical underground producer with nearly 650,000 oz of past output at an average 5.4 g/t, and a current JORC resource of 191,000 oz at 2.7 g/t, remaining open in multiple directions. Corazon will fund the deal via a A$16.5 million private placement of 117.9 million shares at A$0.14, shifting from multi-commodity exploration to a single-asset gold development focus.

Construction has begun on Nouveau Monde Graphite’s C$2 billion Matawinie mine in Québec, fast-tracked through Canada’s Major Projects Office and designed to produce up to 106,000 tonnes of graphite per year, which would make it the largest graphite mine in the G7. Ottawa has backed the project with financing from Export Development Canada, the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Canada Growth Fund, plus a seven-year offtake for 30,000 tonnes of concentrate annually. The mine, 120 km north of Montreal, is expected to create over 1,000 jobs and anchor an integrated graphite-to-battery materials chain with NMG’s planned Bécancour plant.

Sherritt International has reversed its plan to dissolve its Cuban mining assets, retaining its 50/50 Moa nickel-cobalt joint venture with state-owned General Nickel Company but keeping operations suspended under expanded US sanctions. The Trump executive order targeting non-US entities active in Cuba had already triggered the exit of three directors and the CFO, a share price collapse to C$0.11 and a market capitalisation of about C$81 million. Sherritt says it is assessing a preliminary “value preserving opportunity” while working with advisers and governments on a path through the sanctions.

Gold may retreat from about $4,500/oz. towards $4,000/oz. as Jeffrey Currie, former Goldman Sachs commodities chief and now Abaxx Markets executive co-chairman, stays tactically short, citing forced central bank sales such as Turkey’s roughly 120 tonnes of disposals to fund higher energy costs. Currie still targets a long-term move towards $10,000/oz., arguing that once central banks turn dovish after an energy-driven growth shock, the trade “resets”. He links this to a broader commodity super cycle driven by capex starvation and an estimated $820 billion of 2026 spending by the “Magnificent 7 plus Oracle”.

Graphite One has secured a Conneaut, Ohio site from Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad (CN subsidiary) for its Active Anode Materials facility, gaining direct Lake Erie port access, multi-line CN rail, an on-site substation and room to scale. The staged build-out targets an initial 25,000‑tonne module, ultimately 100,000 tonnes per year of anode material, supplied by the post‑feasibility Graphite Creek deposit in Alaska with a planned 20‑year mine life and backed by up to US$2 billion in potential EXIM funding. A separate Ohio finishing and blending plant aims for Q4 2027 completion with 10,000 t/y initial capacity, split into 4,000 t energy storage, 3,000 t fast‑charging and 3,000 t high‑energy‑density graphite products for lithium‑ion batteries.

Mineral Resources (MinRes) is restarting operations at its 100%-owned Bald Hill lithium mine in Western Australia after what it describes as a significant and sustained recovery in lithium prices. The restart follows several months of planning to re-establish safe operating procedures and production systems at the site, located about 50 km from Kambalda in the Eastern Goldfields. For mine planners and contractors, the move signals renewed demand for contract mining, crushing and haulage capacity tied to spodumene output in the region.

Safeguarding conveyor performance in mining and mineral processing, MATO Products sales engineer Keletso Mabula advocates comprehensive conveyor assessments focused on belt cleaners, carryback control and component wear. Proactive inspection of scraper alignment, blade tension, spillage patterns and chute loading conditions is positioned as essential to sustaining throughput and reducing unplanned stoppages on high‑tonnage overland and plant conveyors. The approach emphasises structured condition monitoring and timely maintenance interventions rather than reactive repairs once belt mistracking, excessive dust or material build-up have already escalated.

Anglo American will sell its Queensland Bowen Basin steelmaking coal portfolio to UK-registered mining company Stanmore Resources in a deal reportedly worth about $5 billion. The package includes the Moranbah North and Grosvenor longwall operations, both producing hard coking coal for blast furnace steelmaking, along with associated infrastructure in one of Australia’s highest-quality metallurgical coal districts. The divestment signals further portfolio simplification at Anglo and consolidates Stanmore’s position in Bowen Basin coking coal, with implications for future mine-life planning, longwall scheduling and regional rail/port capacity use.

Bellevue Gold has delivered first ore from the high-grade Deacon North zone at its Bellevue underground gold mine in Western Australia, marking a key step in ramping up the new operation. The Deacon North orebody, part of the broader Bellevue system north of Kalgoorlie, is being accessed via underground development targeting narrow, high-grade lodes typical of the district. Early stoping performance and grade reconciliation from this area will be critical for confirming the mine plan, production schedule and geotechnical assumptions for subsequent development fronts.

Mineral Resources (MinRes) is preparing to restart the Bald Hill lithium mine in Western Australia, adding another hard-rock source to its lithium portfolio alongside Mt Marion and Wodgina. The restart follows a period of care and maintenance after previous operators struggled with low prices and logistics, with MinRes now leveraging its integrated mining, crushing and haulage capability across the Goldfields–Esperance region. For geotechnical and processing teams, the key issues will be revalidating pit wall stability, tailings storage performance and plant throughput under current spodumene recovery targets and cost constraints.

The University of Queensland’s Collaborative Consortium for Coarse Particle Processing Research is entering a second five‑year phase to scale up coarse particle flotation technologies that allow recovery of particles up to several millimetres, reducing grinding energy and water use. Phase I delivered the JKHFmini laboratory rig and plant trials with Eriez HydroFloat and FLSmidth REFLUX Flotation Cell units on copper and gold ores, targeting coarser grind sizes than conventional circuits. The renewed program will expand pilot‑scale testing and integrated circuit modelling, with direct implications for comminution circuit design, tailings management and brownfield plant retrofits.

Larvotto Resources is progressing a tailings reprocessing and site rehabilitation strategy at the historic Hillgrove antimony–gold project in New South Wales, targeting metal recovery from legacy tailings rather than fresh underground ore. The plan centres on re-treating existing tailings storage facilities using modern processing to extract residual antimony and gold while reshaping and capping the deposits to contemporary geotechnical and environmental standards. For engineers, the project signals further demand for tailings characterisation, stability assessment and water management design on brownfield Australian sites.

Mounting EU pressure to phase out Russian uranium and fuel services, which still provide about 25% of the bloc’s enrichment via Rosatom’s 43% share of global capacity, is pushing utilities towards Canadian supply, with Canada already covering more than 30% of EU uranium imports in 2024. Cameco, owner of 49% of Westinghouse, is positioned to capture long-term contracts as AP1000 reactor projects advance in Poland and Bulgaria and VVER units in Finland, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Ukraine convert to Western fuel. Analysts warn, however, that replacing Russian enrichment could take up to a decade due to limited Western capacity.

Mineral Resources is restarting the Bald Hill lithium mine in Western Australia after an 18‑month shutdown, bringing back a 58 Mt resource grading 0.9% Li₂O and nameplate output of 165,000 dmt per year of 5.1% spodumene concentrate (about 140,000 dmt SC6 equivalent). Ramp‑up will see crushing and mining restart next month, first concentrate in July, first shipment via the Port of Esperance in Q1 FY2027 and full capacity in Q2. Once online, MinRes will be the only operator running three hard‑rock lithium mines with on‑site concentrate plants, alongside Wodgina and Mt Marion.