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The US Department of Energy has awarded $67 million to ElementUSA and Colorado School of Mines to design, build and operate a rare earth processing plant in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, using an integrated hydrometallurgical–pyrometallurgical flowsheet that co-produces pig iron and recovers scandium, gallium, germanium, yttrium and multiple REEs from bauxite residue. ElementUSA plans a phased build-out to a 1 Mtpa feed facility with an estimated $1.1 billion capex, underpinned by ~34 Mt of proven residue reserves secured under exclusive access. At full scale, the project could supply 45–385% of current US annual demand for several listed critical elements, turning a legacy alumina waste stream into a strategic feedstock.

Cornish Tin & Lithium’s Phase 3 drilling at the Tregonning project in West Cornwall has extended the lithium-bearing Newall Formation to a strike length of about 3.27 km from Tregonning North to Tregonning South, with multiple lithium-enriched aplite‑pegmatite sheets at varying depths. Earlier intersections at Tregonning North included 0.3 m grading 1.33% Li₂O, with a peak of 1.42% Li₂O, and the new work suggests a materially larger lithium inventory. Drilling at Tregonning South also defined a new tin system with at least ten lodes, returning up to 2.69% Sn in Norcross No.1, 1.26% Sn in Rib North and 1.68% Sn in Rib South.

Deep Sea Minerals has secured a “substantial compliance” determination from NOAA under the US Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, advancing its application to explore polymetallic nodules in international waters. The proposed concession covers about 150,000 km² of the Pacific Ocean, targeting nodules containing nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese for electrification, energy and defence supply chains. The company says this makes it one of only three publicly traded or public-market pathway firms to reach this stage in NOAA’s DSHMRA regulatory process, as the agency moves to accelerate licence reviews.

Stardust Power Inc. has been selected as the end-use industrial partner in a US Department of Energy-funded programme led by Ohio University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment and CONSOL Innovations to develop electrochemical technology for direct lithium extraction from domestic waste streams, including oil and gas wastewater and legacy coal mine drainage. Under FOA DE-FOA-0003105, the team will test coal- and waste coal-based electrodes, with Stardust Power evaluating lithium product against battery-grade specifications and assessing refinery integration. The move supports diversified US lithium feedstocks and strengthens domestic critical minerals processing capacity.

Sandvik has introduced the Tundo RH700 cluster hammer unit for its DU300-series and DU400-series in-the-hole (ITH) longhole drill rigs, allowing rapid changeovers between standard production drilling and fully mechanised slot raising on the same carrier. The RH700 cluster configuration is aimed at boosting rig utilisation across existing ITH fleets by eliminating the need for dedicated raiseboring units and associated rehandling. For mine planners and drill‑and‑blast engineers, this supports more flexible slot design and potentially tighter drilling schedules without additional capital equipment.

BHP is working with Microsoft to deploy AI agents to accelerate discovery of advanced copper leaching chemistries, replacing slow, manual trial‑and‑error testing of millions of potential molecules. The system uses large‑scale computational screening to predict leach reagent performance on different ore types, aiming to improve copper recovery from low‑grade and complex ores where conventional sulphide flotation or heap leach kinetics are marginal. For mine planners and metallurgists, this could shift testwork programmes towards AI‑guided candidate selection, reducing lab cycles and de‑risking leach circuit design.

RCT – Powered by Epiroc has opened a new branch in Orange, New South Wales, co-located with fellow Epiroc acquisition JTMEC at Leewood Drive to consolidate automation, control and electrical support for local underground mines. The site will act as a regional base for commissioning and servicing RCT’s ControlMaster automation and remote-control systems on LHDs, trucks and drill rigs, alongside JTMEC’s mine electrical and power distribution services. For operators in the central west NSW gold and base metals belt, the move should shorten response times and simplify integration of OEM-agnostic automation with site power infrastructure.

Colorado School of Mines and ElementUSA have secured US$67 million from the US Department of Energy to build a rare earth element extraction and processing plant treating alumina refinery tailings at Gramercy, Louisiana. The DOE Office of Critical Minerals and Materials is backing the project as one of only two funded initiatives, targeting recovery of REEs from existing bauxite residue streams rather than new mining. For process engineers and tailings specialists, the scheme signals growing support for hydrometallurgical upgrading and reprocessing of legacy red mud deposits.

Scotland delivers the highest value within the UK’s £105bn net zero economy, with major contributions from low‑carbon power, onshore and offshore wind, and grid infrastructure upgrades. Regional clusters in the Midlands and Yorkshire also rank strongly, driven by clean manufacturing, hydrogen pilots and industrial decarbonisation projects around existing heavy industry hubs. For civil and geotechnical engineers, this signals continued demand for large‑scale energy infrastructure, port upgrades for offshore wind, and brownfield industrial retrofits in these regions.

Sweco has agreed to acquire Finnish technical consultancy Platom, expanding its Nordic footprint in highly regulated industrial and nuclear-related projects. Platom brings specialist capability in process engineering, safety analyses and licensing support for nuclear facilities and other complex plants in Finland. For civil and geotechnical engineers, the deal signals more integrated design teams on projects involving radiation shielding, containment structures and long-term asset integrity in energy and industrial infrastructure.

Major work will start on 13 June at Cathays station on the Merthyr and Rhondda line, north of Cardiff Central, to install a new bridge as part of a wider rail infrastructure upgrade. Network Rail and its contractors are expected to replace the existing structure during a blockade, using crane lifts over the operational railway and staged possessions to minimise disruption to Cardiff commuter services. For designers and contractors, key issues will include managing limited urban worksite access, maintaining track geometry tolerances, and coordinating utilities and signalling interfaces around the new bridge deck and abutments.

The government’s latest HS2 update has reopened scrutiny of the UK’s capacity to deliver megaprojects as the curtailed London–Birmingham–Manchester high-speed line faces escalating costs and phased construction stretching well beyond original 2026–2033 opening targets. Protracted uncertainty over northern legs, station scope at Euston, and interfaces with existing classic lines is driving repeated redesign, land safeguarding extensions and contractor remobilisation costs. For civil and geotechnical teams, shifting phasing and scope complicate ground investigation strategies, tunnelling logistics and long-lead materials procurement, inflating risk allowances in future bids.

ACE Group’s Environmental Industries Commission has issued a policy roadmap urging UK governments to classify nature-based solutions – such as wetlands, urban forests and green roofs – as core infrastructure on a par with roads, rail and engineered flood defences. The plan seeks multi‑year funding, integration into National Policy Statements and Treasury Green Book appraisal, and explicit performance metrics for biodiversity, flood attenuation and urban cooling. For designers and geotechnical teams, this signals stronger policy backing for hybrid schemes combining hard defences with soil‑ and vegetation‑based systems.

AtkinsRéalis has been appointed by Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure to deliver detailed design and construction supervision for Phase 2 of Belfast Rapid Transit, extending the existing Glider bus-based system. The commission will cover corridor alignment, junction remodelling, segregated bus lanes and priority signalling, plus associated structures and utilities coordination in dense urban streets. For civil and geotechnical teams, key tasks will include pavement design for high-frequency articulated buses, foundation works around buried services, and construction staging to maintain traffic and public transport operations.

EQ Resources has approved a $39 million expansion of the Mt Carbine tungsten mine in far north Queensland, doubling crushing capacity from about 1Mtpa to 2Mtpa to clear a key processing bottleneck. The project centres on upgrading the existing crushing circuit and associated materials handling to sustain higher throughput of low‑grade stockpiles and in-situ ore. For mine planners and plant engineers, the move signals a shift towards larger-scale tungsten production at Mt Carbine, with comminution capacity now aligned more closely to available ore resources.

Victory Metals has signed a Native Title Mining Agreement with the Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation for the North Stanmore heavy rare earth project, clearing a key requirement for granting a Western Australian mining lease. The clay-hosted deposit, about 6km north of Cue, targets dysprosium and terbium within a broader rare earth assemblage considered strategically important for permanent magnets and defence supply chains. The agreement gives Traditional Owners defined cultural heritage protections and benefits while giving the proponent tenure certainty to progress mine design, approvals and funding.

BHP is using artificial intelligence with Microsoft and Prescience Insilico to screen more than 500,000 candidate molecules that could accelerate and improve copper leaching from existing ore. The project applies advanced computing to predict which reagents may enhance recovery rates in heap and dump leach circuits, rather than relying solely on conventional lab trial-and-error. For geometallurgists and process engineers, this signals a push to optimise reagent chemistry on legacy ore bodies before committing capital to new copper projects.

Nederman MikroPul is promoting modular baghouse dust collectors and centralised extraction systems for crushing, screening, conveying and loading circuits in mining and mineral processing plants. The systems target fine and abrasive dusts, aiming to cut fugitive emissions, recover saleable product from process streams, and stabilise negative pressure around transfer points to reduce spillage and build-up. By improving capture efficiency at sources such as crushers and screen decks, operators can reduce unplanned shutdowns, lower filter and ductwork maintenance, and support compliance with tightening particulate emission limits.

BHP and the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation are trialling a marine biofuel blend derived from used cooking oil and waste animal fats on a BHP‑chartered bulk carrier voyage from Australia to China. The pilot focuses on blending, handling and tracing multi‑feedstock biofuels through existing bunker supply chains, using current marine fuel infrastructure rather than dedicated new storage or pipelines. Outcomes will inform fuel specification, engine performance and contamination risk management for large dry bulk vessels on long‑haul export routes.

Gold Fields and the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi have signed the Uukiimau Impact Benefit Agreement for the Windfall gold-silver project in Québec’s Abitibi greenstone belt, covering financial, operational, environmental and social commitments for the life of the mine. Windfall hosts measured and indicated resources of 9.5 million tonnes at 10.5 g/t gold and 5.2 g/t silver (3.2 million oz gold, 1.6 million oz silver), plus 13 million tonnes inferred at 8.6 g/t gold and 4.7 g/t silver. Gold Fields targets first production by late 2026 or early 2027, ramping to about 300,000 oz/year.

LiuGong has unveiled an ultraclass hybrid wheel loader and an autonomous 127 t wide body mining truck at its 6th Global Customer Day in Liuzhou, China, signalling a push into large-scale, high-payload surface mining fleets. The autonomous truck targets 127 t payload haulage with wide body geometry optimised for short- to medium-haul pits, while the hybrid loader combines diesel and electric drive to cut fuel burn and cycle times. For mine planners, the pairing points to integrated OEM haul–load systems with embedded autonomy rather than bolt‑on retrofits.

Integra Resources has appointed Ausenco Engineering USA South as lead engineer for detailed engineering at the DeLamar gold-silver project in southwestern Idaho, with SLR Consulting retained for heap leach design, metallurgy and mine planning. The mandate covers advancing the project from feasibility-level concepts to construction-ready designs, including detailed layouts for heap leach pads, process plant and associated mine infrastructure. For engineers, the move signals imminent definition of pad geometry, liner and drainage systems, and materials handling circuits critical to permitting, capex control and construction sequencing.

Alastair Dick has been appointed managing director of Ferrovial Construction UK & Ireland, joining from Bechtel where he was UK head of business development for Bechtel Infrastructure. His previous roles included managing director in Bechtel’s nuclear, security and environmental business, overseeing international nuclear and security projects across the UK, Australia and the Middle East. Dick will now set strategy and performance for Ferrovial’s UK and Irish operations, leading delivery of complex rail, aviation, energy and environmental infrastructure schemes, many likely structured as PPP or privately financed programmes.

Clarion Housing Group has appointed The Hill Group as main contractor for the Clare House redevelopment in Tower Hamlets, delivering 145 new homes at 100% social rent with main construction scheduled from April 2027 to 2029. Demolition is already complete and associated public realm works include upgrades to the nearby Jasmine Park play space, which started in May 2026 as part of a wider regeneration programme. The redesigned Clare House is planned as a modern, energy-efficient scheme with long-term performance targets central to Clarion and Hill’s ongoing partnership.