Geomechanics.io

Picko Global is expanding a circular resource recovery model that processes mine tailings and waste rock through modular plants in Southern Africa to extract residual metals and construction aggregates. The company uses mobile crushing, screening and dense media separation units to treat legacy dumps and current waste streams, targeting fine fractions often bypassed by conventional concentrators. For mine operators, the approach offers potential reductions in tailings storage volumes and rehabilitation liabilities while generating saleable products from previously stranded material.

The Minerals Council of Australia has backed the Federal Government’s National AI Plan, urging a “dynamic” regulatory approach that supports rapid deployment of AI across mine planning, autonomous haulage and remote operations centres. MCA argues that prescriptive rules could slow adoption of tools such as machine-learning orebody models and predictive maintenance systems on large haul truck fleets and fixed plant. For geotechnical and processing teams, the stance signals continued policy support for data‑driven decision‑making rather than tight up‑front constraints on specific AI technologies.

Glencore plans to lift copper output to about 1.6 Mt/y by 2035 and above 1 Mt/y by 2028, but has cut its 2026 guidance to 810,000–870,000 t from 930,000 t after setbacks at Chile’s Collahuasi joint venture with Anglo American. The company will restart the Alumbrera mine in Argentina in Q4 2026, targeting over four years some 75,000 t copper, 317,000 oz gold and 1,000 t molybdenum, using existing MARA concentrator and logistics infrastructure for brownfield synergies. A $1 billion cost-saving drive by end‑2025 includes about 1,000 job cuts and a broad operational review.

Copper prices on the London Metal Exchange hit a new record above $11,400 per tonne after a surge in warehouse withdrawal orders signalled rapidly tightening available stocks and pushed the global benchmark up more than 30% year-to-date. Traders are diverting large volumes of metal to US ports as Comex futures price in potential 50% tariffs on primary copper from 2027, while producers prepare record 2026 premiums for European and Asian buyers. Supply risk is amplified by mine disruptions at Ivanhoe’s Kamoa-Kakula complex in the DRC and Glencore’s 40% output drop since 2018, raising the prospect of a Q1 2026 squeeze.

Ivanhoe Mines expects contained copper output at the Kamoa-Kakula complex in the DRC to fall to 380,000–420,000 tonnes in 2026, down from 437,061 tonnes of copper concentrate in 2024, before rising about 30% to 500,000–540,000 tonnes in 2027 at grades of 3.5–4.5%. Seismic-induced flooding in May halted underground mining for about three weeks, with dewatering now 70% complete in the western zone and 60% in the eastern zone, and 13.4 km of workings rehabilitated, including 4.6 km dewatered. A revised life-of-mine plan due late Q1 will assess lifting mining rates to 17 Mt/y, up from about 6 Mt of ore expected in 2026, and a potential new concentrator.

Agnico Eagle topped MINING.COM’s November Global Mining Power Rankings large-cap category with 12.21% of votes, backed by a 108% Toronto share price gain over 12 months, reaffirmed 2024 guidance of 3.3–3.5 Moz and on-schedule underground expansion at Canadian Malartic, plus an $80 million Avenir Minerals critical minerals push following a $180 million stake in Perpetua’s Stibnite gold‑antimony project. Ivanhoe Electric led small caps with 5.1% of votes on progress at the Santa Cruz copper project in Arizona and a “technology-driven” US exploration platform. District Metals headed micro caps with 6.1% after Sweden lifted its seven-year uranium mining ban, improving the outlook for its Viken uranium‑vanadium project with an inferred 1.5 billion lb uranium resource and a market value above C$153 million.

Appian Capital Advisory has provided a $150 million package, combining a senior secured debt facility and a gold stream agreement, to support Atlantic Group’s up to $305 million acquisition of Barrick’s Tongon gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire. Barrick has received $192 million in cash with up to $113 million contingent on gold price and resource milestones, while Atlantic will run a downside gold price protection programme to stabilise mine cash flows. Tongon, producing about 140,000 oz of gold in 2025, holds 620,000 oz proven and probable reserves plus 700,000 oz measured and indicated resources across a 2,136 km², five‑concession land package.

Codelco has signed an MoU with Glencore for a new Chilean copper smelter designed to treat 1.5 million dry metric tonnes of concentrate per year, with Codelco committing up to 800,000 tonnes of feed annually while Glencore handles design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance. A pre-feasibility study is starting now, with a binding agreement targeted for the first half of next year, construction from 2030 and start-up between 2032 and 2033. Locating the plant near multiple copper producers is intended to cut concentrate haulage, improve operational flexibility and keep refining value in-country.

Osisko Metals will raise C$32.5 million via a private placement of 67.66 million shares at C$0.48 to advance its Gaspé copper project near Murdochville, Quebec, with Hudbay Minerals, Agnico Eagle Mines and Franco-Nevada taking major positions. Hudbay will acquire over 29 million shares (4.3% post-financing), while Agnico and Franco-Nevada will buy 26 million and 4.16 million shares respectively, with Glencore retaining full offtake rights. The historic Noranda site hosts 824 Mt indicated at 0.27% Cu and 670 Mt inferred at 0.3% Cu, targeting ~500,000 t/y copper concentrate by around 2032.

Norway has imposed a moratorium on deep sea mining in its territorial waters until 2029, reversing its 18‑month‑old plan to license exploration across 386 offshore blocks covering about 38% of a 280,000 sq. km area in the Arctic. At least two companies that had applied for Norwegian licences targeting copper, nickel, manganese and rare earths will now face a minimum five‑year delay, with mining not expected before 2030. In contrast, US policy is accelerating, with The Metals Company seeking a commercial recovery permit over 25,160 sq. km and two exploration areas totalling 199,895 sq. km in the Clarion‑Clipperton Zone, containing 1.63 billion wet tonnes of nodules.

Metso is launching its third-generation OKTOP® Cooling Tower for demanding slurry and electrolyte cooling duties in metals refining, combining existing OKTOP process technology with a more compact footprint aimed at constrained brownfield plants. The unit is engineered for rapid installation and simplified maintenance, targeting reduced shutdown durations and easier access to internals compared with conventional large cooling towers. For process engineers, the compact design offers retrofit options where space limits have previously constrained debottlenecking of heat removal capacity.

Use of calcined clay concrete on the London Museum project, led by Sir Robert McAlpine with close input from engineers, contractors and materials suppliers, is enabling on-site deployment of a lower-clinker, lower-carbon mix rather than limiting it to precast elements. The team is adapting mix design and placing methods in real time on a live heritage-site build, addressing workability, setting time and strength-gain behaviour under typical UK site conditions. For practitioners, this signals growing confidence in calcined clay binders for mainstream structural applications where conventional CEM I would previously have been specified.

HS2 absorbed 69% of all UK rail infrastructure enhancement and rolling stock expenditure between April 2024 and March 2025, effectively dominating capital allocation across the network. With most funding channelled into the high-speed route’s civil works, stations and dedicated rolling stock, conventional main line renewals and smaller enhancement schemes were left sharing the remaining 31%. This concentration of spend signals continued pressure on budgets for regional capacity upgrades, electrification infill and resilience works on legacy assets.

Anglian Water’s @one Alliance is profiled for its integrated delivery model on large water and wastewater schemes, where designers, contractors and the client work as a single organisation under long-term framework agreements. The discussion focuses on programme-wide standardisation of treatment plant components, use of digital twins and 4D BIM for sequencing, and early contractor involvement to reduce rework on complex pipeline and pumping station upgrades. Engineers listening can benchmark alliancing approaches, risk allocation and digital workflows against their own capital delivery programmes.

Speedier grid connections have been named the top infrastructure priority by the AI Energy Council to support planned AI Growth Zones, where new data centres and high‑density compute clusters will place heavy, localised loads on transmission and distribution networks. The council is pushing for accelerated connection approvals and targeted reinforcement of substations and 33–132kV corridors to avoid multi‑year delays. Civil and electrical engineers can expect increased demand for grid‑adjacent sites, high‑capacity cable routes and substation upgrades near major urban and research hubs.

Sweco is leading new wastewater infrastructure and solid waste management projects in Ukraine as part of a long-term reconstruction partnership with national and municipal authorities. The consultancy is providing planning and design services for damaged treatment plants and collection systems, alongside modernisation of waste handling facilities to meet EU-aligned environmental standards. For civil and environmental engineers, the work signals continuing demand for resilient network design, rapid rehabilitation of war-affected assets, and integration of European regulatory requirements into Ukrainian utility projects.

Brightstar Resources has completed its largest-ever processing campaign at the Laverton gold operations in Western Australia, driven by a new high-grade lode feeding the existing CIL plant. The campaign used toll treatment at a nearby third-party mill to run multiple ore parcels from the Cork Tree Well and Menzies projects, validating haulage, blending and metallurgical performance at commercial scale. Results will feed directly into Brightstar’s Laverton restart study, influencing pit designs, plant throughput assumptions and mine scheduling for the planned standalone processing facility.

AVESS Energy has lodged a stage one expression of interest for the Western Australian Government’s “breakthrough” vanadium battery project, targeting deployment of vanadium redox flow batteries to support long-duration grid storage. The proposal centres on using locally sourced vanadium from WA deposits to manufacture electrolyte and integrate containerised battery systems with existing transmission infrastructure. For miners and project developers, the move signals growing state-level backing for downstream vanadium processing and could influence future feasibility assumptions for WA vanadium ore bodies and associated infrastructure.

Deep Yellow has appointed former Rio Tinto uranium executive Greg Field as its new managing director and chief executive officer, signalling a leadership shift as it advances the Tumas project in Namibia and the Mulga Rock project in Western Australia. Field previously held senior roles in Rio Tinto’s uranium portfolio, including work on large-scale operations such as Ranger and Jabiluka, bringing direct experience in permitting, long-life open-pit design and yellowcake export logistics. His appointment points to a stronger development push on Deep Yellow’s multi-deposit pipeline as uranium prices remain elevated.

Black Cat Syndicate and Dreadnought Resources have signed a binding operations agreement to develop, mine and process the high-grade Star of Mangaroon gold deposit through Black Cat’s 450,000tpa Paulsens processing plant in Western Australia. The deal gives Dreadnought a low-capex processing route via existing underground infrastructure and permitted tailings at Paulsens, while Black Cat secures additional high-grade feed to improve plant utilisation. Geotechnical and mine planning teams will need to integrate Star of Mangaroon’s orebody geometry, ground conditions and haulage logistics with Paulsens’ established stoping and backfill systems.

Tasmania is emerging as a rare earths hub after ABx Group produced a mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) sample from its Deep Leads ionic clay project, signalling potential for low-cost, near-surface extraction similar to Chinese-style deposits. The MREC product consolidates multiple rare earth oxides into a single carbonate stream, a key intermediate for downstream separation into magnet metals such as neodymium and praseodymium. For miners and process engineers, the result points to favourable metallurgy and a clearer pathway to commercial-scale leach and beneficiation flowsheets in Tasmania.

A new ARC Research Hub for Smart Process Design and Control has been launched at Monash University to cut emissions from steelmaking, which currently accounts for about 8% of global CO₂ output and 18–20% of Australia’s export income via iron ore. The Hub links Monash, Macquarie, Queensland, UNSW and Western Sydney University with Rio Tinto, Baowu Steel and China Steel Corporation to develop AI- and simulation-driven, low-emission processes tailored to diverse Australian ores. More than 100 technical presentations from Australia, China and Korea marked the launch at a three-day conference.

Sandvik’s mechanical cutting division is expanding beyond coal with grid-connected roadheaders, bolter miners and borer miners, a 430-unit active fleet, and new hard-rock systems such as the second-generation MX650 and the MN330 narrow reef production unit for Anglo American. Automation and digitalisation are advancing through CUTRONIC®, the Roadheader Guidance System, a cloud-based maintenance platform outside MySandvik, and a fully automated bolting process on the MB672, with teleremote capability targeted across all machines by 2030 and full automation by 2040. At BHP’s Jansen potash project in Canada, each mining system pairs a cable-powered MF460 borer miner with a PO140 extendable conveyor, cutting 6.3 m-wide, up to 4.36 m-high headings with 2 km cuts to form approximately 12 m-wide rooms.

A new design has been released for the $200 million upgrade of the Homebush Bay Drive–Australia Avenue signalised intersection in Sydney, a key access route to Sydney Olympic Park that suffers heavy AM/PM peak and event congestion. The scheme targets long queues and extended cycle times on the multi-lane approaches, where current delays spike during major events at Accor Stadium and Qudos Bank Arena. For designers and traffic modellers, the project signals scope for additional through lanes, extended turn bays and revised signal phasing to restore corridor capacity.