Seequent’s OpenGround Civil 3D Extension links live geotechnical data from OpenGround into Autodesk Civil 3D, allowing borehole logs, interpreted strata and lab test results to update directly within corridor, grading and earthworks models. Designers can generate 3D ground models, cross-sections and surfaces that automatically reflect new investigations, rather than relying on static AGS or CSV imports. The workflow reduces manual rework and helps geotechnical and civil teams keep alignments, cut/fill volumes and foundation layouts consistent with the latest ground model.

Orica Digital Solutions’ BlastIQ™ Underground platform is being used at two underground mines on different continents to replace fragmented drill-and-blast workflows built on spreadsheets, paper plans and disconnected charging logs. By centralising design, charging and firing data in a single digital system, engineers can track hole-by-hole compliance, explosives usage and blast outcomes in near real time, improving reconciliation between design and as-built conditions. The case studies point to fewer misfires and re-drills, more consistent fragmentation and clearer accountability across drill, charge and production teams.

LGMG is partnering with autonomous driving specialist Boonray to develop the RTE156, a factory‑fitted autonomous, battery electric mining truck aimed at the Chinese surface mining market. The collaboration integrates Boonray’s AHS stack directly into LGMG’s haul truck platform, avoiding aftermarket retrofits and allowing tighter control of drive‑by‑wire, perception and fleet management systems. For mine operators, the model signals growing availability of OEM‑level autonomous electric haulage options that can be specified at purchase and tuned to local duty cycles and ramp profiles.

ACG Metals has reported sustained improvement in gold recovery at the Gediktepe mine in Türkiye after introducing a proprietary heap leaching process, already patented locally and in progress across 35 other jurisdictions. The new metallurgical approach is applied as an additional product within the existing recovery circuit rather than a full plant redesign, targeting higher extraction from oxide ore heaps. For engineers, the key point is a process-intensification route to lift recoveries on current pads, potentially deferring major capital for new leach infrastructure.

A large South American copper mine has increased crusher availability to production by 2.2% after switching the bushing gear oil to a formulation supplied by Lubrication Engineers. The change also cut lubricant consumption by 83%, delivering direct cost savings alongside reduced handling and storage requirements. For reliability engineers, the case underlines the impact of lubricant selection on crusher uptime without major mechanical modifications.

H2Boost is being promoted as a retrofit hydrogen‑diesel dual‑fuel system that injects on‑demand hydrogen into existing diesel engines to improve combustion and cut emissions without replacing trucks or loaders. The system supplements diesel with small hydrogen volumes generated or stored on site, targeting large mining haul fleets where full battery or trolley‑assist conversion is currently cost‑prohibitive. For mine operators, the key questions are integration with existing fuel supply, engine warranty implications, and quantifying real‑world NOx, particulate and CO₂ reductions under high‑load duty cycles.

Performance Panels, the distribution arm of See Limited, will now supply Broadview’s Formica Compact Collection across the UK, adding to its existing Trespa distribution agreement. The compact laminate range targets high-wear education, healthcare, and commercial interiors where impact resistance, moisture tolerance, and low-maintenance surfaces are critical for lifecycle cost and hygiene performance. Combining Formica Compact with Trespa panels gives architects, contractors, and fabricators a broader specification palette from a single distributor, simplifying procurement and detailing for robust wall linings, worktops, and façade-adjacent applications.

Reynaers Aluminium UK has appointed Jim Smith, a building products veteran with more than 30 years’ experience, as managing director with a mandate to accelerate growth in the architecture and specification markets and strengthen commercial capability. Smith will maintain a core focus on the group’s Science-Based Targets initiative pathway, which commits to a 50% carbon footprint reduction by 2030. For façade, window and door specifiers, Reynaers is pushing aluminium systems designed for energy efficiency, climate resilience, durability and recyclability, embedding circularity and eco-design at project design stage.

Haulotte has doubled its warranty on all genuine MEWP spare parts to two years for purchases from 31 January 2026, applying globally regardless of fleet size, application or sector. The policy, branded under its ‘Drive Confidence’ approach, is aimed at reducing lifecycle costs by covering components such as hydraulic, structural and electronic parts for longer periods, supporting higher machine uptime and more predictable maintenance planning. For fleet owners and rental houses, the extended cover directly affects total cost of ownership models and risk allocation in long-term hire or service contracts.

Volvo Construction Equipment used London Climate Action Week to present a 12‑week central London trial with Transport for London and FM Conway, where electric compact machines matched diesel performance while cutting tailpipe emissions to zero and reducing site noise. Speakers including Karin Svensson of Volvo Group and representatives from TfL and Charge Fairy stressed that around 5,000 diesel compact machines in London emit pollution comparable to more than 100,000 diesel cars, exploiting weaker standards for small engines. Participants agreed the main barrier is scaling deployment, supported by mobile charging and clearer market incentives.

Liebherr’s Nenzing plant marked its 50th anniversary with the launch of three foundation and extraction machines: a new dragline, a rope-suspended leader equipped with a hydraulic hammer, and a mixing cutter. The dragline targets bulk earthmoving and overburden removal, while the rope-suspended leader is configured for driven piles and sheet piles where hydraulic hammers are preferred over diesel units. The mixing cutter is aimed at deep soil mixing and cutter soil mixing applications, signalling further mechanisation of ground improvement and retaining wall construction.

Finning UK & Ireland has invested in Instagrid portable battery power stations to give field service engineers off‑grid electric power when working on customer equipment without a mains connection. The compact, high-output battery units are intended to replace petrol and diesel generators for tasks such as on-site diagnostics, light fabrication and component replacement on remote construction, quarrying and plant sites. For asset owners, the shift to portable battery systems reduces local emissions and noise at workfaces while maintaining electrical tool capability in locations where temporary supplies or generators are impractical.

FAMUR has adapted its R-150 roadheader for underground calcite mining in Italy, testing two cutting head gearbox variants, the FRG132 and higher-torque FRG160B, alongside multiple cutting pick configurations. The trials, conducted for calcium carbonate operations, focused on matching cutting power and pick design to relatively low-strength but abrasive calcite seams and associated host rock. Outcomes will influence gearbox selection, pick layout and wear-part strategy for European industrial mineral mines seeking mechanised excavation in narrower headings.

GeoDin Ground, a free Autodesk Civil 3D plug-in, replaces manual borehole imports by directly linking Civil 3D models to GeoDin® geotechnical databases and AGS/Excel borehole logs. The tool generates dynamic 3D subsurface models, including stratigraphy, groundwater levels and geotechnical layers, that update automatically as borehole data change. For designers, this means borehole positions, interpreted soil horizons and material properties are embedded in corridors, alignments and earthworks, reducing data re-entry and improving consistency between geotechnical interpretation and Civil 3D design.

Scripting in RS3 now lets tunnel designers automatically extract lining forces, moments, and displacements at every section along a 3D model, instead of manually interrogating individual cross-sections. Users can generate full lining design envelopes, export results to spreadsheets or custom reports, and rapidly iterate on reinforcement or segment thickness without re-running the finite element analysis. For geotechnical teams, this shifts effort from repetitive post-processing to checking design assumptions, load cases, and ground–structure interaction behaviour across the entire tunnel.

Aramine and sensmore are deploying an autonomous Aramine L140B loader into underground production at Cemex’s Rüdersdorf limestone quarry in Germany, converting the existing Aramac L140B platform into a fully automated LHD system for real-world operating conditions. The project targets safer, more efficient underground extraction as Europe pushes to secure critical raw materials, using autonomy to remove operators from the face and standardise loading cycles. Engineers should watch for data on cycle times, utilisation and maintenance behaviour versus manually operated LHDs in similar limestone headings.

Diesel and lubricant price volatility is pushing mines towards tighter consumption control using integrated sensors, software and fleet-wide monitoring systems. TotalEnergies’ Optimizer platform is profiled as a fully integrated electricity, fuel and lubricant manager, combining tank-level sensors, equipment telematics and site SCADA links to track real-time use and losses. For mine operators, the focus is shifting from simple fuel accounting to granular energy intensity metrics per tonne moved and automated alerts on abnormal consumption, directly affecting haulage planning and maintenance scheduling.

Myriota has added terrestrial cellular connectivity to its HyperPulse 5G non-terrestrial (satellite) network and AssetHawk tracker, creating a hybrid IoT system that roams automatically between cell coverage and zero-cell remote areas. The AssetHawk device now uses both 5G NTN links and ground-based networks for continuous tracking of mobile plant, trailers and containers across mine sites and long-haul routes. For operators, this reduces blind spots in fleet and asset visibility without needing separate satellite-only or cellular-only hardware.

Sandvik Rock Processing has completed its upgraded jaw crusher range, creating a unified line aimed at safer maintenance, simpler operation and consistent performance across hard rock and quarry applications. The portfolio now standardises design, controls and wear parts to a Sandvik-wide specification, giving mines and quarries common interfaces and procedures from primary to secondary crushing. For engineers, this means easier fleet integration, streamlined spares management and more predictable crusher behaviour across different sites and ore types.

The 2026 Bulk Handling Expo, Australia’s only dedicated bulk solids handling exhibition and conference, will return as a biennial event amid what the International Cargo Handling Co-ordination Association calls a critical period for supply chains and heavy industry. Running since 2022, the expo brings together designers and operators of conveyors, silos, shiploaders and stockyard systems with equipment OEMs and automation providers. For geotechnical, civil and materials engineers, it offers direct access to advances in bulk terminal design, dust and spillage control, and high-throughput loading infrastructure.

Weir has secured a first-quarter 2026 order from Lloyds Metals and Energy to supply 14 GEHO TZPM 2000 positive displacement pumps for the second phase of a large-scale iron ore slurry pipeline in India. The GEHO PD units will be fitted with GLORES control technology, purpose-built for high-pressure, long-distance slurry transport where pipeline friction losses and wear are critical design constraints. For mine planners and process engineers, the deal signals continued confidence in long-distance slurry transport over rail or road for bulk iron ore movement.

Mobile fire suppression systems on mining fleets rely on control panels that continuously monitor cylinder pressure, detection line integrity and power supply status rather than just the visible cylinders, nozzles and hoses. Muster’s latest panels integrate self-diagnostics, event logging and real-time fault alarms to the operator cabin or remote control room, reducing the risk of undetected isolation valves, discharged cylinders or damaged detection circuits. For engineers, correct panel specification, wiring protection and environmental sealing are now as critical as agent selection and nozzle layout in achieving reliable suppression performance.

Mining engines operating in coal dust clouds with near-zero visibility face rapid wear as fine, abrasive coal particles bypass inadequate air filtration and damage turbochargers, injectors and cylinder liners. Donaldson engineers argue that reliability teams must move beyond time-based filter changes to condition-based strategies using restriction gauges, high-efficiency media and correctly sized housings tailored to specific duty cycles. Poorly specified or late filter replacement can cut engine life dramatically, drive unplanned rebuilds and increase whole-of-life costs for large haul trucks and loaders.

McHale Plant Sales has taken over distribution of Terex Fuchs material handlers for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland from Blue Equipment Ireland, in a deal that transfers Blue’s dedicated Fuchs team into McHale. The move ties an established Fuchs customer base and product line of scrap and port handlers into McHale’s nationwide depot network, technical resources and aftersales operation. For contractors and recycling operators, the key change is a single, larger support organisation for machine supply, servicing and parts, with continuity from the existing personnel.

Civil engineering contractor Clancy has partnered with training provider Baltic Apprenticeships, through the Energy & Utility Skills Partnership, to deliver structured digital and AI skills programmes for its workforce. The collaboration targets roles across Clancy’s utility and infrastructure projects, focusing on data handling, digital workflows and basic AI tools rather than traditional craft skills. For engineers and site managers, this signals growing expectation to work with data-driven planning, asset information models and AI-assisted analysis on day-to-day projects.

Holcim UK, working with Fibre Concrete Solutions, has supplied a heavy-duty concrete pavement for Kiernan Construction at Peel Ports Group’s Heysham facility to support hundreds of HGV movements per day. The engineered roadway is designed for high wheel-load repetition from port traffic, reducing surface distress and maintenance interventions compared with conventional pavement solutions. For geotechnical and materials teams, the project signals continued demand for fibre-reinforced, high-durability slabs in port hardstanding and logistics yards.

VASO Global has secured £5m from PXN Ventures, Scottish Enterprise, UK Research Innovation and Eco Group to accelerate development of structural composite panels manufactured from recycled glass. The funding will support scale-up of panel production and validation of load-bearing performance, targeting use in building envelopes and other structural applications where composites can replace steel or concrete elements. For engineers, the move signals growing investor confidence in glass-based composites as a lower-carbon alternative material, pending full structural testing and certification.

SiTration has completed a five‑week prototype trial with BHP Invent and Copper South Australia, applying its patented electro‑extraction process to local copper ore waste streams to recover both copper and gold. The campaign, run on site-specific tailings and low-grade material, produced bullion‑grade gold directly from solution, validating selective metal recovery without conventional smelting. For process engineers, the work points to potential retrofit options in existing hydromet and tailings circuits to monetise waste streams and reduce reagent‑intensive steps.

Liebherr has introduced the LMD 1200 dragline, engineered for both wet and dry raw material extraction in demanding surface mining conditions. The machine features a variable boom system tailored to dragline operation and a robust steel superstructure designed for high utilisation and harsh climates. Its configuration allows comparatively easy relocation within the pit, giving planners more flexibility in sequencing benches and adjusting to changing geotechnical or hydrological conditions without major civil works.

BHP Invent, MIT spinout SiTration and Copper South Australia have completed a 5‑week prototype trial of SiTration’s silicon‑based electrode electro‑extraction technology on local copper samples, targeting BHP copper and gold waste streams. The process recovered bullion‑grade gold at 99.99% purity and copper at 99.9% purity directly from dilute, chemically harsh residual liquids, using a simplified flowsheet. If scaled, the approach could cut processing reagents, energy and water use while making currently uneconomic low‑grade copper material recoverable.

Atlantic Strategic Minerals has confirmed the technical viability of a domestic rare earth processing facility in Virginia, with a feasibility study backing a monazite demonstration plant designed to produce 1,000 tonnes per annum of monazite concentrate from existing byproduct streams. The company plans to commission the demo plant within about 12 months at its Stony Creek mineral separation complex, already the largest ilmenite and zircon facility in North America. Capacity could later scale to roughly 5,000 tonnes per annum via plant expansion and third-party feedstock, creating a larger US rare earth-bearing supply source.

Booyco Electronics is reworking underground Proximity Detection Systems by integrating vehicle‑mounted sensors, fixed infrastructure and mine communication networks to cope with confined headings, mixed fleets and signal shadowing. The company is using on‑board data logging and centralised data acquisition to analyse near‑miss events, nuisance alarms and operator response times, then applying AI to tune warning zones and intervention thresholds for specific traffic patterns and geologies. For engineers, the shift is from standalone PDS hardware to mine‑wide, data‑driven collision‑avoidance strategies that must align with existing SCADA and OEM control systems.

Transfer points in African mines are being treated as critical process assets, with Weba Chute Systems warning that poorly designed chutes can throttle whole-plant performance from primary crusher discharge to final product conveyors. The company points to uncontrolled impact, excessive turbulence and misaligned feed as root causes of belt damage, spillage and blockages that cut throughput and raise maintenance. Engineered chutes with controlled material flow, optimised liner layouts and tailored geometries are being adopted to stabilise transfer conditions and extend conveyor and chute life.

Vögele is marking its 190th anniversary, tracing its evolution from a small blacksmith’s forge to a road paver manufacturer with what it claims is the world’s most varied machine portfolio. The company’s latest-generation pavers build on its first 1928 towed spreader, now offering automation options, integrated digital control solutions and alternative drive concepts aimed at lower emissions. For road contractors, the breadth of machine sizes and drive types allows closer matching of paver configuration to layer thickness, lane width and site constraints.

Bradken has expanded its Western Australian facility to provide full asset refurbishment and long-term maintenance for mining equipment, building on its century-long experience in wear solutions for mills, crushers and mobile fleets. The site integrates in-house foundry-grade wear materials, precision machining and on-site condition monitoring to extend component life and reduce unplanned shutdowns. For operators, the move signals greater local capacity for large-scale rebuilds and lifecycle management of high-wear assets in iron ore and other bulk commodity operations.

Rosh Pinah Zinc in Namibia and Appian Capital Advisory have commissioned a new 7 m diameter Metso SAG mill, replacing the existing ball mill as the final major processing component of the RP2.0 expansion. The mill’s start-up completes the core plant upgrade, enabling a shift to single-stage SAG grinding and simplifying the comminution circuit. For process engineers, the change should allow higher throughput and coarser primary grind, with knock-on effects for downstream flotation performance and energy use.

Central Asia Metals has begun upgrading the underground haulage fleet at its Sasa zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia with a new 32 t payload Epiroc MT436B truck, replacing ageing 20 t MT2000/MT2200 units. A second MT436B is scheduled for delivery, signalling a shift to higher-capacity, fewer-unit haulage on the existing ramp and orepass system. The change increases tonnes moved per cycle and may require revised ground support and traffic management to handle larger truck dimensions and higher axle loads.

EACON Group has launched the global offering for its Hong Kong H-share listing, planning to issue 26,132,000 shares and raise about HK$2.12–2.30 billion. The company positions itself as the world’s largest autonomous driving solutions provider for mining and reports a 55.5% share of China’s mining autonomous haulage system (AHS) market. For mine operators, the listing signals further capital for scaling AHS deployments, potentially accelerating fleet automation and related infrastructure such as high-precision positioning, V2X communications and control centres in Chinese open-pit operations.

Lhoist North America and Martin Marietta Materials have agreed a definitive merger that will combine Lhoist’s lime and limestone operations with Martin Marietta’s aggregates and heavy building materials portfolio into a single North American minerals group. The deal brings together Lhoist’s industrial lime plants and kiln assets with Martin Marietta’s quarry network and rail-linked distribution terminals, creating a larger integrated platform for construction aggregates, chemical-grade limestone and lime products. For geotechnical and civil contractors, the combined entity is likely to influence regional pricing and availability of aggregates, armourstone and stabilisation lime on major infrastructure and mining projects.

LiuGong’s DR50CE made its UK debut at Hillhead 2026 as the show’s first fully battery-electric rigid haul truck, signalling OEMs’ push to extend electrification from loaders and excavators into 50 t-class quarry and small mine haulage. The DR50CE targets typical rigid applications currently dominated by diesel units in the 45–60 t range, offering zero tailpipe emissions and lower noise for face haul and short-cycle quarry runs. For mine planners and quarry operators, its appearance suggests battery haulage is moving beyond underground and ultra-class pilots into mainstream mid-size fleets.

Tactical Resources is pursuing a Nasdaq listing via a SPAC merger with Plum Acquisition Corp. III as it advances the Peak rare earths project in West Texas, built around ~4 million tonnes of REE-bearing tailings at the Sierra Blanca quarry. The company has now acquired the underlying quarry, including land, mineral rights, existing power, water, rail and crushing infrastructure, enabling a feedstock-first strategy with no new mining or primary permits. Development centres on a pilot and then modular demonstration plant for direct-leach extraction and separation of heavy rare earths such as dysprosium, terbium and yttrium.

Liebherr-Australia has delivered three PR 776 G8 dozers to MACA, a Thiess company, for deployment at Regis Resources’ Duketon gold project in Western Australia, marking the first Liebherr dozers in MACA’s mining fleet. The PR 776 G8 is a 70‑t class mining dozer typically used for bulk push, stockpile management and haul-road maintenance, giving MACA an alternative to its existing Caterpillar and Komatsu-heavy fleets. Liebherr-Australia is scheduled to supply two R 9300 mining excavators later this year, signalling deeper standardisation on Liebherr primary loading and dozing assets at Duketon.

Metso is expanding its mill lining Life Cycle Services (LCS) footprint in Asia Pacific, securing two new long-term mill lining agreements in the first half of 2026 and building a pipeline of further contracts. The deals formalise multi-year commitments around liner design, supply and shutdown planning, with performance and reliability targets and transparent wear monitoring built into the scope. For concentrator operators, this signals more outsourced responsibility for liner life, mill availability and reline scheduling, rather than transactional liner purchases.

Hawk Measurement Systems has launched the Senator H80 Radar Series, an 80 GHz FMCW radar level transmitter range targeting liquid, slurry and bulk solids measurement in mining and process plants. The high-frequency 80 GHz signal improves resolution and narrow beam focusing, allowing reliable level measurement in tall, narrow vessels, dusty silos and agitated slurry tanks where 6–26 GHz radars often struggle. For operators, the series offers a single radar platform that can standardise level control across thickeners, sumps, reagent tanks and ore bins, simplifying spares and calibration practice.

Metso will supply an additional secondary crushing package to Grupo Mexico’s La Caridad copper concentrator in Nacozari, Sonora, building on the high-capacity Nordberg MP800 cone crushers ordered in 2025 as the next phase of the plant’s expansion. The integrated secondary crushing solution is designed to materially raise concentrator throughput, with the MP800 units providing high power draw and large feed opening suited to La Caridad’s hard copper ore. For plant and process engineers, the upgrade centres on debottlenecking downstream grinding and improving overall comminution circuit efficiency.

Wireless mesh networks using Moxa AeroMesh are being deployed in autonomous mining to maintain low-latency WLAN connectivity for haul trucks, drills and remote-control stations across pits, crushers and stockpiles. The architecture uses multi-hop, self-healing mesh nodes mounted on mobile equipment and fixed infrastructure to cope with line-of-sight loss from highwalls, moving stockpiles and blast re-entries, avoiding single points of failure typical of point-to-point links. For engineers, the key design issues are RF planning around pit geometry, redundancy in backhaul paths, and QoS for control versus video and telemetry traffic.

Komatsu Australia is undertaking a major upgrade of its construction and mining equipment fleet, retrofitting and redesigning aftertreatment systems to meet differing emissions and safety regulations across Australian, European and other international markets. The programme focuses on aligning engines and exhaust aftertreatment with Tier 4 Final/Stage V-style limits, while maintaining machine performance for high-duty applications such as quarry haul trucks, large excavators and road construction plant. For contractors and asset owners, the changes affect fleet selection, parts stocking and maintenance planning as machines are standardised for multi-jurisdiction deployment.

Schlam has launched a new in-house engineered installation kit programme for mining truck bodies and excavator buckets, giving sites a standardised, end-to-end package covering attachment supply and fit-out. Developed under a three-year product development effort, the kits are designed to integrate with Schlam’s load and haul attachments, reducing the need for bespoke on-site fabrication and ad hoc hardware selection. For maintenance and asset teams, this points to more predictable installation times, simplified spares management and tighter control of attachment interface geometry.

WEG has secured a contract to supply around 600 low- and medium-voltage electric motors to Lithium Americas’ greenfield Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada, covering key process areas from crushing and grinding to materials handling. The package will support a new lithium chemicals plant at one of the largest known lithium resources in the US, where electrified drives are central to meeting stringent emissions and energy targets. For engineers, the deal signals growing standardisation of high-efficiency motor solutions on large-scale critical minerals projects in North America.

ExxonMobil has finalised a supply agreement with Teck for Esso Ethos+ Renewable Diesel R100 in Canada and completed the first delivery to Teck’s Highland Valley Copper (HVC) operations in British Columbia. The 100% renewable diesel will be produced by Imperial Oil’s Strathcona refinery, which is being upgraded to manufacture bio-based fuels for heavy-duty applications such as mine haul trucks and support fleets. For mine operators, the deal signals growing availability of drop-in low-carbon fuels compatible with existing diesel engines and fuel infrastructure.