Geomechanics.io

Hancock Prospecting and Saudi state miner Maaden have formed a joint venture to run exploration, development, mining, sales and marketing across licensed areas in Saudi Arabia, including five new exploration licences in the Nabita Ad-Duwayhi Gold-Belt. The partnership, announced alongside Round 9 licence awards at the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh on 14 January, aims to accelerate discovery and project delivery under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 pro-mining framework. Hancock brings large-project experience from Australia’s A$10 billion Roy iron ore project, while Maaden targets rapid build-out of a regional mineral hub and local talent pipeline.

America’s near-total reliance on China for critical minerals – including 90% of global rare earth magnets, all ultrapure dysprosium and samarium for defence uses – is framed by NOIA president Erik Milito as a direct national security risk. Milito backs President Trump’s “Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources” executive order to fast-track offshore exploration, arguing that polymetallic nodules and shallow-water deposits could supply nickel, cobalt, manganese and copper at multi-generational scale. He points to decades of US sediment dredging and modern offshore robotics, monitoring and containment as evidence that well-regulated seabed mining can be run with controlled environmental impacts.

Energy Exploration Technologies (EnergyX) has launched its NUKE-it platform to produce nuclear-grade lithium isotopes, targeting 15% enriched Lithium-6 for tokamak fusion and 99.999% pure Lithium-7 for thorium molten salt fission reactors. Building on its GET-Lit DLE extraction and refining suite, the company is tying isotope production to its Lonestar Lithium project in the Smackover formation, where it now controls 47,500 acres of lithium-rich brine after a US$26 million land deal. Uranium and thorium materials from upper Smackover limestone reservoirs in Arkansas and Louisiana are planned as follow-on products.

UK housebuilding targets and a relaunched new town policy are colliding with AMP8, which already commits water companies to a sharp increase in capital works on ageing mains, treatment works and storm overflows. Contractors and consultants face concurrent demands for new trunk mains, service reservoirs and wastewater treatment capacity for large greenfield sites while also delivering AMP8 resilience, leakage and river water quality schemes. The squeeze on design, construction and commissioning resources is pushing interest in standardised treatment plant modules, offsite fabrication and long-term alliancing to keep programmes buildable.

DIPS (Data Integration using Projected Stereonets) is being positioned as the new standard for stereonet-based orientation analysis, building on more than 30 years of use in geotechnical engineering. The software supports detailed structural mapping workflows, allowing engineers to import large orientation datasets and analyse joint sets, foliation, and discontinuity patterns directly on stereonets. For slope stability, underground excavation design, and rock mass characterisation, it enables consistent kinematic checks and data integration across projects, reducing manual plotting and interpretation time.

CIMIC Group subsidiaries Sedgman and Leighton Asia have secured separate contracts from Hindustan Zinc Limited to help deliver India’s first zinc tailings recycling facility at the Rampura Agucha Mine in Rajasthan. Sedgman will focus on process plant and tailings treatment infrastructure, while Leighton Asia will provide project delivery and construction services for the brownfield site. The project signals large-scale reprocessing of legacy zinc tailings at one of the world’s largest zinc operations, with implications for paste backfill design, tailings storage stability and metal recovery circuits.

USA Rare Earth Inc has appointed Fluor Corp and WSP Global Inc as EPCM partners to advance the definitive feasibility study for its Round Top rare earth project in Texas, targeting heavy rare earths and critical magnet materials. The mandate covers process plant, mine infrastructure and associated large-scale infrastructure delivery, drawing on Fluor’s mining and processing design capability and WSP’s experience in complex project execution. For geotechnical and civil teams, early EPCM involvement signals imminent definition of pit design, waste storage, haul roads and water management concepts ahead of permitting and financing.

Emerson has released the latest version of its AspenTech Aspen Mtell® Asset Performance Management platform, adding AI-driven failure prediction on top of foundational asset health monitoring for process and mining operations. The update is designed to let operators move from simple condition-based alerts to scalable, model-based prognostics that can detect emerging equipment degradation and predict time-to-failure across critical assets such as mills, crushers and pumps. For mine operators, the key impact is earlier intervention windows, fewer unplanned shutdowns and more stable throughput without major changes to existing control systems.

Exploration activity across Australia this week includes Argent Minerals reporting high-grade silver intercepts at its Kempfield project in New South Wales, with mineralisation extending along strike from existing volcanogenic massive sulphide-style resources. Kalamazoo Resources advanced drilling at its gold targets in the Pilbara and Central Victorian Goldfields, focusing on structurally controlled lodes near historic workings and testing down-dip extensions below old stopes. Adelong Gold continued resource-definition work at the Adelong project in NSW, targeting shear-hosted quartz veins to upgrade JORC classifications and refine pit and underground designs.

Lundin Mining shares fell 10.8% to C$32.72 after the company cut 2026 guidance to 310,000–335,000 tonnes of copper and 134,000–149,000 oz of gold, citing lower underground mining rates at the Candelaria operation in Chile. Caserones delivered a record >15,000 tonnes of copper in December and 132,881 tonnes for 2025, while Candelaria produced 145,471 tonnes, supported by higher mill throughput on softer ore. Lundin is maintaining elevated capex, with 2026 sustaining spend of $550 million and expansionary capex of $445 million, as it targets ~500,000 t/y copper via brownfield expansions and Vicuña district projects.

LGMG Peru has started 2026 with orders for 226 units of mining trucks and excavators now operating or being delivered across Peruvian mine sites, positioning the Chinese OEM as one of the country’s main heavy equipment suppliers. The scale of the fleet signals growing acceptance of LGMG’s large-capacity haul trucks and hydraulic excavators in hard‑rock open pits, where competition from established brands is intense. For mine operators, the move widens options for fleet renewal strategies, parts sourcing, and maintenance planning in a tight equipment market.

SMS Equipment is entering the European market by acquiring Suomen Rakennuskone Oy, a major Finnish distributor of Komatsu construction and mining equipment with an established service network across Finland. The deal adds European coverage to SMS Equipment’s existing operations in Canada, Alaska and Mongolia, giving miners a single dealer group spanning Arctic, sub-Arctic and boreal conditions. For mine operators, the move could simplify fleet standardisation, parts logistics and maintenance planning for Komatsu haul trucks and excavators across multiple cold-climate jurisdictions.

Deployment of Fleet Space Technologies’ ExoSphere ambient noise tomography platform at Fermi Exploration’s Perch River uranium project in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin is refining subsurface imaging and defining a new high-priority exploration corridor. Satellite-connected geophones are generating 3D velocity models to map structure beneath cover, allowing Fermi to tighten drill targeting and reduce reliance on wide-spaced reconnaissance holes. For geologists and geophysicists, the work signals broader use of rapid passive seismic surveys to de-risk early-stage basement-hosted uranium exploration in deeply covered terrains.

Sandvik has secured a SEK417 million (~$46 million) order from The Redpath Group to supply underground mining equipment for Evolution Mining’s Cowal Gold Operations in New South Wales, covering load-and-haul, development and production drilling fleets. The package includes a Rhino 100 mobile raiseboring machine, signalling a push towards faster slot-raise development compared with conventional longhole methods. For mine planners and contractors, the deal points to continued investment in high-productivity underground fleets at Cowal as it expands below the existing open pit.

Regis Resources posted record operating cashflow from its Duketon and Tropicana operations in the December quarter, driven by solid gold production and firm Australian-dollar gold prices. The Duketon gold project in Western Australia, comprising multiple open pits and underground sources, continued to optimise mill throughput and grade control, while the Tropicana joint venture maintained stable output from its large-scale processing plant on the Great Victoria Desert margin. Strong cash generation gives Regis more flexibility for pit cutbacks, underground development and potential reserve growth drilling across both assets.

Exitflex hydraulic hoses supplied by Motion are being promoted for abrasive, high-pressure mining environments where conventional hose assemblies often fail prematurely. The range targets hydraulic circuits on drills, loaders and longwall equipment exposed to rock fines, impact and pressure spikes, with reinforced constructions and abrasion-resistant outer covers designed to extend service intervals. For maintenance and reliability engineers, the key implication is potential reduction in unplanned downtime and hose-change labour in harsh open-pit and underground applications.

New Murchison Gold has logged a fourth straight month of rising output from its Crown Prince underground mine in Western Australia, following the first production blast at the newly developed Crown Prince lode. The operation is ramping up stoping and ore haulage from fresh development headings, feeding higher-grade material into the existing New Murchison processing circuit rather than building new plant. For mine planners and geotechs, the sustained lift signals stable ground conditions and successful sequencing of new stopes, with scope to refine drilling, blasting and backfill strategies as production scales.

Northern Star Resources is tightening cost discipline and targeting higher productivity across its Australian gold portfolio after a “challenging” period, with particular emphasis on its Kalgoorlie and Yandal operations and integration of the KCGM Super Pit. The company is pushing mine-planning optimisation, fleet efficiency and mill throughput improvements at processing hubs such as Kanowna Belle and Thunderbox, while scrutinising unit costs per ounce. For contractors and suppliers, the shift signals closer attention to drilling productivity, equipment utilisation and ore-handling performance benchmarks on existing brownfield sites.

South32’s Australian operations have rebounded in the first half of FY26, with stronger output from its manganese and zinc businesses lifting group production and offsetting weaker contributions from some overseas assets. The turnaround centres on operations such as GEMCO and Cannington, where higher ore grades and improved plant availability have supported increased concentrate and alloy volumes. For mine planners and process engineers, the performance points to continued investment in brownfield debottlenecking and reliability upgrades rather than major greenfield capacity additions in the near term.

Construction has commenced on a new reinforced concrete replacement for the 1947 timber Rainbow Creek Bridge on Traralgon–Maffra Road between Cowwarr and Heyfield in regional Victoria. The project includes realignment of both road approaches to improve geometry and load performance compared with the ageing timber structure, which is likely constrained under current heavy vehicle configurations. For geotechnical and civil teams, key tasks will centre on new creek-crossing foundations, approach embankment works and managing construction staging to maintain regional traffic connectivity.

More than 280 roads across Australia will receive Federal Government funding for safety upgrades in 2025–26 under the national Black Spot Program, targeting locations with a documented crash history or high predicted crash risk. Works will focus on engineering treatments such as new or upgraded traffic signals, installation of roundabouts and other geometric improvements at intersections and mid-block sections. Designers and road authorities can expect funding support specifically for physical, site-specific interventions rather than broader corridor renewals or routine maintenance.

Construction of the Chimney Hollow Reservoir in Colorado has delivered the US’s largest asphalt-core rockfill dam (ACRD), with main works now complete and the structure built to full height on schedule. Engineers had to manage complex rockfill placement around a central asphalt core, stringent seepage control, and tight temperature and compaction windows for the asphaltic concrete in a high-altitude environment. The project’s performance will be closely watched by dam designers considering ACRD solutions for sites with challenging foundations and seismic demands.

Engineering and design firm Cowi has been appointed by the European Investment Bank to advise the Irish government on a nationwide district heating strategy expected to support up to €4bn (£3.5bn) of heat network infrastructure by 2035. The mandate will shape technical standards, phasing and financing for multiple urban heat networks, likely integrating waste heat, large-scale heat pumps and thermal storage into existing gas- and electricity-dominated systems. Civil and energy engineers should expect demand for detailed network routing, trench design, and interface works with dense urban utilities and building retrofit programmes.

The first UK standard for women’s safety on construction sites has been launched at the House of Lords, creating a formal national benchmark for site conditions, behaviour and facilities. Developed to address harassment, inadequate PPE fit and lack of appropriate welfare provision, the standard is intended for adoption by principal contractors, clients and supply chains across major infrastructure and building projects. Contractors will be expected to embed its requirements into site inductions, toolbox talks and subcontract terms, with compliance likely to influence prequalification and framework bids.