Geomechanics.io

Mariana Minerals plans to turn its Copper One operation in southeastern Utah into what it calls the world’s first “autonomy‑first” integrated copper mine and refinery, building on an existing open pit, heap bioleach pads and a hydrometallurgical circuit already producing high‑purity cathode for the US market. The brownfield site, in operation for over 15 years and acquired by Mariana in late 2025, is being re‑engineered around autonomous haulage and drilling, with refinery process control also targeted for high levels of automation. For engineers, the key shift is retrofitting autonomy into established pit geometries, leach pad layouts and plant circuits rather than designing greenfield infrastructure.

Turner Mining Group has taken over as sole mining contractor at Bayer’s P4 Production LLC phosphate operations in Soda Springs, Idaho, under a long-term mine services and ore haul agreement that began on 5 January 2026. The contractor has fully mobilised and reports crews are delivering to plan, with the scope centred on continuous ore extraction and haulage to Bayer’s processing facilities. For geotechnical and operations teams, the shift to a single contractor signals tighter integration of pit planning, haul road maintenance and production scheduling under one management structure.

Costain has secured a £45M contract from Severn Trent to expand and upgrade the Rugby Newbold Sewage Treatment Works, increasing treatment capacity and resilience ahead of tighter AMP8 environmental standards. The programme will focus on process stream enhancements and new assets to improve stormflow handling and nutrient removal performance, supporting compliance with more stringent discharge consents. Civil and process engineers can expect significant works on hydraulic capacity, biological treatment units and associated MEICA systems on a live wastewater site.

Scotland is being urged by the Association for Consultancy and Engineering to adopt a long-term “Infrastructure 2050” strategy to speed up project delivery, attract private finance and tackle a widening engineering skills gap ahead of the next Holyrood election. Ace wants a clear pipeline for major assets such as transport corridors, energy networks and water infrastructure to give contractors and designers confidence to invest in capacity and digital delivery tools. For geotechnical and civil firms, a stable 25-year framework would shape ground investigation demand, risk allocation and procurement models across Scottish projects.

Mott MacDonald has signed a memorandum of understanding with Cambridge Atomworks to accelerate development of a British-designed nuclear microreactor aimed at supplying low‑carbon power to remote, off‑grid sites. The collaboration will pair Atomworks’ reactor technology with Mott MacDonald’s nuclear engineering, licensing and infrastructure integration expertise, targeting applications such as isolated industrial facilities, defence sites and remote communities. For civil and geotechnical engineers, the move signals future demand for compact nuclear foundations, shielding structures, transportable modules and site layouts compatible with constrained, hard‑to‑access locations.

Continuing North Sea oil and gas extraction will cost the UK more than building a fully decarbonised electricity grid, according to new analysis comparing long-term offshore drilling expenditure with system-wide renewables and grid upgrade investment. RenewableUK chief executive Dan McGrail nonetheless calls for a balanced approach, arguing that offshore wind, grid-scale storage and interconnectors must grow alongside a managed decline in North Sea production. For civil and grid engineers, the findings point to major capital reallocation towards transmission reinforcement, subsea cabling and flexible generation assets rather than new offshore hydrocarbon infrastructure.

Bids have opened for DP World’s £18M London Gateway Second Rail Terminal Phase 2, which will expand rail capacity at the deep-sea container port on the Thames estuary. The tender covers construction of additional rail infrastructure to the existing intermodal terminal, enabling more freight paths directly into the port and reducing reliance on HGV haulage from the site. Contractors will need to interface with live port and rail operations, manage works within tight operational and security constraints, and coordinate with Network Rail standards and possession regimes.

The Stonehenge Tunnel development consent order has been formally revoked by the transport secretary, citing “exceptional circumstances” arising from changes in scheme finance, national policy and anticipated future land use on the A303 corridor. The decision halts the previously consented bored tunnel and associated surface works near the World Heritage Site, forcing National Highways and consultants to reassess long-term capacity, safety and heritage-impact options for this congested single-carriageway section. Designers and contractors now face uncertainty over any future major earthworks, structures and archaeological mitigation strategies in the area.

The Australian “precinct model”, which bundles multiple transport, utilities and social infrastructure schemes into a single, masterplanned investment zone, is being promoted to UK MPs by a group representing major PPP investors as a way to accelerate project delivery. Investors argue that precincts, as used in Sydney’s Western Parkland City and Melbourne’s Fishermans Bend, give clearer long-term pipelines, reduce fragmented procurement and allow integrated land-use, transport and energy planning. For engineers, this could mean earlier geotechnical investigation at area scale, standardised design packages and more predictable funding for enabling works.

Pilbara Ports moved 55.9 Mt of cargo in February 2026, extending its record export streak on the back of strong iron ore shipments through Port Hedland and Dampier. The February figure, achieved in a 28‑day month with cyclone-season constraints, keeps annualised throughput well above 650 Mt, maintaining pressure on channel capacity, berthing windows and stockyard management. For mine planners and port engineers, sustained volumes at this level reinforce the need for reliable dredging regimes, robust berth structures and high-availability shiploaders to avoid bottlenecks in the Pilbara supply chain.

Robit is rolling out its Rbit drill bit series and Haul Sub adaptor system to cut unplanned maintenance and extend tool life in hard-rock production drilling. The Rbit design focuses on optimised button layout, improved flushing and wear-resistant carbide grades, while the Haul Sub allows damaged threads to be cut back and re-used instead of scrapping entire drill strings. Contractor Bohus Bergsprängning is among early adopters, signalling potential reductions in bit consumption, rig downtime and per‑metre drilling costs for Scandinavian quarries and underground mines.

BHP has appointed Brandon Craig as its new chief executive officer, succeeding Mike Henry at the helm of the world’s largest diversified miner. Craig steps up from within BHP’s leadership ranks, inheriting a portfolio dominated by iron ore, metallurgical coal, copper and nickel, with major operations in the Pilbara, Bowen Basin and South America. The transition signals continuity in large-scale bulk and base metals strategy, with implications for long-life asset investment, brownfield expansion decisions and capital allocation across BHP’s global open-pit and underground operations.

Sandvik has introduced the HPA20 automatic resin injection pump for resin-based ground support, designed to automate resin mixing and delivery in underground bolting operations. The system integrates with Sandvik bolters to control resin volume and injection pressure, reducing manual handling at the face and improving consistency in encapsulation around rock bolts. For geotechnical and ground support engineers, this points to tighter control of bolt installation parameters and potential reductions in variability of resin annulus quality in highly stressed ground.

MST Global is preparing to launch a next‑generation underground digital network designed to simplify mine connectivity while expanding support for location tracking, voice, video and sensor data. The system targets more reliable communications in complex headings and declines, where signal propagation and power distribution typically limit Wi‑Fi and LTE coverage. For geotechnical and operations teams, denser, more resilient networks enable higher‑resolution monitoring of ground movement, equipment status and environmental conditions, supporting faster response to rockfall, gas or ventilation issues.

Copper’s near-record prices contrast with a collapse in treatment and refining charges, with annual TC/RC benchmarks plunging from about $80/t and 8.0 c/lb in 2024 to effectively zero by 2026 and spot terms turning negative through 2025, squeezing custom smelter margins. Governments and buyers are responding with coordination and support measures, from Australia’s A$600 million package for Mount Isa and Townsville to China’s push for disciplined capacity growth and centralised concentrate procurement via state-backed entities. For miners, the emerging risk is increased dependence on a smaller, more coordinated group of smelters, tighter blending rules and more customised, non-benchmark contracts that shift bargaining power downstream.

BHP’s promotion of Americas president Brandon Craig to CEO from 1 July signals a deeper pivot to copper, with the metal now contributing 51% of first-half profit and production of about 2 million tonnes a year across Chile, Peru and South Australia. The miner is targeting 2.5 million tonnes a year of copper equivalent by FY2035, including 1.4 million tonnes from Escondida and Pampa Norte, while advancing the high-altitude Vicuña district with Lundin Mining and the Resolution project in Arizona with Rio Tinto. Craig must balance roughly $20 billion of copper and potash projects, cost-challenged Jansen potash logistics over 1,700 km to Canada’s west coast, and tightening Chinese ore-grade restrictions against a stated “incredibly compelling” hurdle for further mega-deals.

Gold fell below $5,000/oz for the first time in a month, with spot prices dropping 3% to $4,836/oz and silver sliding a similar 3% to under $80/oz as inflation fears cloud the US Federal Reserve’s rate-cut outlook. Since a late-February strike on Iran, gold has retreated over 6% from an initial surge above $5,400/oz, pressured by higher energy costs and expectations that elevated rates will persist. Despite the pullback, prices remain about 15% higher year-to-date, with JPMorgan, BNP Paribas and UBS still targeting $6,000–$6,300/oz by end-2026.

Royal Road Minerals’ latest drilling at the Guintar-Aleman-Margaritas project in Antioquia, Colombia, points to a bulk-tonnage underground scenario, with hole GUI-DD-028 returning 76 metres at 2.1 g/t gold, 0.4% copper and 7.9 g/t silver from 45 metres depth. CEO Tim Coughlin reports a porphyry-skarn system extending from surface over more than 2 sq. km and beyond 500 metres depth, overprinted by steep, high-grade quartz-carbonate veins. The 2,500-metre 2026 campaign, following 13,700 metres in 43 prior diamond holes, targets continuous mineralisation that remains open at depth.

Orla Mining has secured SEMARNAT approval of the environmental impact assessment for Camino Rojo in Zacatecas, giving it all permits needed to complete the oxide open pit, including the northern layback, east–west pit expansion, and extensions to waste rock and low-grade stockpiles and related infrastructure. The EIA also authorises an underground exploration portal and decline, targeted to start in H2 2026, to define sulphide resources beneath the current pit and support a potential underground transition. Orla’s updated technical report outlines a 17‑year underground operation with initial capital of $608 million, sustaining capital of $489 million, and an IRR rising from 30% at $3,100/oz to 61% at $5,000/oz gold.

Canada and Peru have signed a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals and sustainable mining under the Canadian-led G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance. The framework targets joint development of critical mineral projects, skills and technology transfer, and builds on Canada’s existing C$11.2 billion in Peruvian mining assets held by 67 Canadian exploration and mining companies. Ottawa has already partnered with 21 countries through the alliance, unlocking about $18.5 billion in project capital in under six months, signalling potential new funding channels for Peruvian copper and other critical mineral developments.

Construction has started on Neath Port Talbot Council’s £29m Rhosafan Welsh Medium Primary School, a 420-place, net-zero-in-operation facility with 90 nursery places, 12 ALN places and a 16-place Welsh Immersion Unit, delivered by Morgan Sindall through the South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework. The scheme uses a hybrid timber and steel frame, roof-mounted photovoltaic panels, a centralised air source heat pump plant, underfloor heating and BMS-controlled night purge ventilation, targeting BREEAM Outstanding, Secure by Design and Carbon Net Zero standards. External works include three MUGA pitches, a 110-space permeable car park with bio-retention rain gardens, and an 810 sqm steel-frame plus single-storey timber-frame “winter garden” structure to support outdoor learning.

Wates Group has acquired its 37,000 sq ft (3,437 sq m) Leatherhead headquarters, Wates House, after leasing the two-building complex for 20 years, completing the purchase on 26 January 2026. The freehold deal secures long-term control over the site, giving Wates greater certainty for future refurbishment, fit-out and potential expansion of its office estate. Chief executive Eoghan O’Lionaird framed the move as reinforcing the company’s long-term presence in Leatherhead and its community investment in the local area.

Beard Construction has reported record 2025 results, with turnover up 16% to £230m and pre-tax profit rising from £5m to £9m, and its shareholders opting to donate half of that profit to the Oxfordshire and Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundations instead of taking higher dividends. The contractor completed 62 projects, including the £7.5m Holland Cooper HQ in Cheltenham, an £11.8m Porsche dealership in Bristol, Bristol Zoo’s £9.6m African Forest exhibit, and a £5.1m renovation of Hilsea Lido. Ongoing schemes include a £17m basement library for Hertford College, Oxford, and a £32m refurbishment of Kitchener Hall at the Defence Academy, with headcount up 5% to 354.

Severn Trent has awarded Costain a £45m design-and-build contract to upgrade the Rugby Newbold sewage treatment works with a new activated sludge plant and biological treatment system, increasing dry weather flow capacity by 28% from 21,600 to 27,598m³/day by 2028 to meet AMP8 WINEP requirements. The scheme includes new pumping stations, four 29m-diameter final settlement tanks, a chemical dosing plant, and expanded inlet works with increased feed and storm capacity. For civil and process designers, key issues will be integrating new biological units with legacy assets while managing higher storm storage and overflow control.