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Vedanta Group has completed its long-planned demerger, listing four new companies on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange covering critical minerals, aluminium, oil and gas, power, and iron and steel. The move separates these commodity verticals into focused entities, giving investors direct exposure to discrete value chains from bauxite-to-aluminium and iron ore-to-steel, alongside upstream hydrocarbons and power generation. For mine planners and project financiers, the new structure may change capital allocation, JV options and offtake strategies across Vedanta’s Indian and African assets.

Boliden’s Aitik open-pit copper mine has secured a renewed environmental permit from Sweden’s Land and Environment Court, authorising continued production of up to 45 Mt of ore per year. The decision also approves specified methods for staged tailings dam raising and revised water management practices, giving regulatory backing to Aitik’s long-term waste storage and process water handling strategy. For geotechnical and process engineers, the ruling provides clarity on allowable dam construction techniques and water balance controls for one of Europe’s largest copper operations.

Arafura Rare Earths is targeting a September construction start on its A$1.23 billion Nolans project, 1,140 km southeast of Darwin, to create Australia’s first fully integrated ore-to-oxide rare earths mine and refinery producing 4,440 tonnes per year of NdPr oxide over a 38-year life. The project, now backed by A$887 million in equity and about $1.01 billion in debt, includes an on-site oxide processing plant accounting for 90% of capex and aims to produce 144,000 tonnes per year of high-purity phosphoric acid byproduct. Offtake deals already cover up to 3,820 tonnes per year of NdPr oxide with Hyundai, Kia, Siemens Gamesa, Traxys and Australia’s Critical Mineral Strategic Reserve, with contracts indexed to non-Chinese rare earth price benchmarks.

Gina Rinehart has taken a “significant stake” in Elon Musk’s SpaceX, with Australian Financial Review valuing the investment at over $1 billion within SpaceX’s record $75 billion IPO, signalling a bet that launch and lunar infrastructure will drive long-term demand for critical minerals. Hancock Prospecting already holds major positions in Lynas Rare Earths and MP Materials, and CEO Garry Korte flagged potential commercial arrangements between these assets and SpaceX. For mining strategists, the move ties terrestrial rare earths and battery metals portfolios directly to NASA’s Artemis timeline, lunar ISRU concepts and early asteroid-mining experiments such as AstroForge’s metallic NEA mission.

Petra Diamonds’ move to place the Finsch mine into business rescue and start a Section 189A retrenchment process at Cullinan has put about 689 and 1,090 jobs respectively at risk, according to South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers. Business rescue practitioners Daniel Theodorus van Jaarsveld and Luke Bernard Saffy have assumed control at Finsch, where production is being suspended while a creditor-backed restructuring plan is drafted. The cuts follow a four‑year slump in natural diamond demand, with global output expected to drop to about 90 million carats in 2026, the lowest since 1987.

Montage Gold has increased total contained resources at its Koné gold project in Côte d’Ivoire by almost 58%, to 244 million measured and indicated tonnes at 0.8 g/t (6.2 Moz) plus 93 million inferred tonnes at 0.68 g/t (2 Moz), following roughly 330,000 metres of drilling since the 2024 feasibility study. Satellite deposits Gbongogo Main and South and Koban now host 1.6 Moz measured and indicated at 1.51 g/t and 766,000 oz inferred at 1.34 g/t, materially lifting potential head grades for early pit phases. Construction at Koné remains on budget and ahead of schedule, with first gold pour targeted for late Q4 2026 and a further 90,000-metre drill programme in progress across the district.

Gold prices are forecast by UBS to fall a further $300–$900/oz, with strategists Dominic Schnider, Giovanni Staunovo and Wayne Gordon seeing momentum driving the market towards $3,850–$4,000/oz in the near term after a muted reaction to the US–Iran conflict and stronger-than-expected US jobs data. The bank has already cut its year-end target from $5,900 to $5,500/oz after January’s record near $5,600/oz was largely unwound as higher real yields and a possible Fed rate hike weighed on bullion. UBS remains constructive over 12 months, assuming up to 50 bps of Fed cuts in 2027, continued central bank buying and pressure from US fiscal deficits.

AbraSilver Resource has reported its best intercept to date at the Teck-funded La Coipita copper-gold porphyry in San Juan, with hole DDH-LC26-010 cutting 747.5 m at 0.69% Cu, 0.06 g/t Au and 142 ppm Mo from 396 m, including 108 m at 1.06% Cu. A second mineralised centre at Yaretas Sur, 1.9 km south, returned 42 m at 1.03% Cu, 0.63 g/t Au and 41 g/t Ag from 264 m, supported by a new magnetotelluric survey suggesting southern extensions. Teck has now drilled 11,270 m in 19 holes and spent about US$23 million, exceeding the US$20 million earn-in threshold toward an 80–20 JV.

Surge Copper’s prefeasibility study for the Berg open pit in central British Columbia lifts post-tax NPV (8% discount) to C$4.6 billion and IRR to 24%, while doubling initial capex to C$4.7 billion compared with the 2023 PEA. The 28-year mine plan now targets 4.9 billion lb copper, 602 million lb molybdenum and 89 million oz silver, underpinned by 1.2 billion tonnes of proven and probable reserves grading 0.22% Cu, 0.026% Mo and 4.1 g/t Ag. Surge is advancing an Indigenous-led assessment with the Office of the Wet’suwet’en alongside permitting and design work.

Ucore Rare Metals has signed a framework agreement with Sumitomo Corp. to secure rare earth feedstock and offtake for Ucore’s Louisiana strategic metals complex (SMC) at England Airpark, Alexandria, which broke ground in May 2025 and will produce high-purity rare earth oxides from multiple global concentrate sources. The deal pairs Ucore’s RapidSX separation technology with Sumitomo’s sourcing, logistics and Japanese market access, with Sumitomo acting as distribution partner for selected middle and heavy rare earths for high-performance magnet and advanced materials users. Ucore also plans to integrate its 100%-controlled Bokan-Dotson Ridge heavy rare earth project in Alaska into this supply chain over the longer term.

Barminco has ordered a 23-unit Sandvik underground fleet for the Bellevue Gold project in Western Australia, comprising seven Toro TH663i trucks, six Toro LH517i loaders, five Sandvik DL432i longhole drills and five additional units yet to be specified. The order, booked in Sandvik’s June quarter 2026 intake, standardises production equipment around the i-series platform, simplifying parts, telemetry and control system integration. For mine planners and maintenance teams, the package signals a high-capacity truck–loader–drill combination geared to rapid ramp-up in a relatively deep, narrow-vein underground gold operation.

Ora Banda Mining has signed an EPC contract with GR Engineering Services to expand the Davyhurst processing plant in Western Australia to 3 Mt/y capacity under the Davyhurst Mill Expansion Project. GR Engineering, named preferred contractor in May 2026, will deliver detailed engineering, procurement and construction for the upgraded gold circuit, building on the existing Davyhurst mill footprint. The project signals further debottlenecking and throughput upgrades in the Eastern Goldfields, with design choices likely to focus on higher SAG/ball mill power draw and improved classification to sustain 3 Mt/y.

CSIRO has completed a world-first large-scale trial of high-efficiency catalytic ventilation air methane (VAM) abatement at South32’s GM3 Appin underground coal mine in southern New South Wales, using its CataVAM™ catalytic oxidation technology under full production conditions. The system targets the very low methane concentrations typical of mine ventilation exhaust, which are below the flammability limit and difficult to treat with conventional thermal oxidisers. Successful scale-up would allow integration with existing main fans to cut fugitive methane emissions from underground coal operations without major changes to mine layout.

Forsee Power is partnering with Wabtec to integrate its advanced battery systems into Wabtec’s battery-electric locomotive platforms, extending the technology first proven in Wabtec’s 2021 debut of the world’s first battery-electric freight loco. The collaboration targets heavy-haul freight applications, where high-energy, modular battery packs must withstand repeated deep cycling, vibration and thermal loads typical of long consists and harsh climates. For mine operators, this signals accelerating availability of battery-electric mainline and in-pit rail haulage options with zero local diesel emissions and lower ventilation demand.

Mining3 has partnered with project controls specialist InEight to deploy its integrated planning, cost management and risk tools across the CATCH4 (Catalytic Oxidation of Methane) Program, a multi-partner initiative targeting large-scale abatement of fugitive coal mine methane. The cloud-based InEight platform will be used to standardise scope, schedule and cost control across global pilot sites, improving governance of complex R&D, field trials and scale-up works. For engineers, this signals more rigorous stage-gate management, clearer CAPEX/OPEX tracking and better risk quantification on methane capture and oxidation projects.

Tungsten’s recent price spike, driven partly by defence-sector demand, is sharply increasing input costs for tungsten carbide drill bits that control development and production metres in both surface and underground mines. Sandvik, a major supplier of cemented carbide tools and top hammer and down-the-hole drilling systems, is being leaned on by miners to secure stable carbide supply and manage volatility in raw tungsten feedstock. The situation is likely to influence bit selection, drilling economics, and mine planning where high penetration rates and bit life are critical.

Sweden’s Land and Environmental Court has granted LKAB an environmental permit for continued and expanded iron ore mining at Malmberget in Gällivare, securing the regulatory basis for the 135‑year‑old underground operation. The decision enables LKAB to progress its long‑term transformation plans in the Gällivare industrial area, including higher production volumes and associated processing capacity linked to its transition towards fossil‑free iron ore products. Geotechnical and mine planners can now proceed with updated life‑of‑mine designs and ground control strategies under the new permit conditions.

Blockages in rigid 90° pipework carrying sulphuric-acid-treated mica slurry at Cornish Lithium’s Trelavour hard-rock lithium demonstration plant near St Austell have been resolved by replacing them with flexible Corroline+ hoses from Aflex Hose, part of Watson-Marlow. The PTFE-lined, corrosion-resistant hoses allow smoother routing and reduced sharp bends, cutting slurry build-up and unplanned downtime in the hydrometallurgical circuit. For process and plant engineers, the change points to simpler layouts, fewer fittings and easier maintenance in abrasive, acid leach slurry handling.

Kalamazoo Resources’ initial assays from 16 holes in its 14,000m Mt Olympus resource definition drilling programme at the Ashburton gold project in Western Australia report multiple high‑grade intersections, including several over 10g/t Au, confirming continuity of the existing resource envelope. The results support Kalamazoo’s target of growing Ashburton beyond one million ounces, with mineralisation now traced both down‑dip and along strike from the current Mt Olympus pit shell. For mine planning and geotechnical teams, the data tighten grade distribution models and justify further step‑out drilling to test deeper, potentially underground‑amenable zones.

Fortescue has signed new agreements with the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) Traditional Owners to expand co-management and Indigenous participation across its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, Western Australia. The PKKP people hold native title over a large portion of Fortescue’s mining and infrastructure footprint, including key pits, haul roads and associated rail and power corridors. The move signals tighter integration of cultural heritage governance into mine planning, approvals and day-to-day operational decision-making on PKKP country.

Western Australia is positioning itself as a gallium processing hub through a Curtin University–Nimy Resources research programme backed by $550,000 from the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia and co-funding from Nimy and Curtin’s Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer. The work targets extraction of gallium as a by-product from existing orebodies, aiming to develop flowsheets that can be retrofitted to current concentrators rather than relying on greenfield plants. For miners and process engineers, the project signals future value-add options for low-concentration gallium streams within established base metal operations.

Mining3 has partnered with project controls software provider InEight to deliver its CATCH4 Program, a multi-year initiative targeting reduced methane and greenhouse gas emissions from underground coal mines. The collaboration will deploy InEight’s integrated planning, cost and risk tools across CATCH4 work packages to manage complex R&D, field trials and technology deployment, giving real-time visibility of schedule, budget and performance. For mine operators and METS partners, tighter digital controls over methane abatement projects should improve execution certainty, data quality and scalability of emissions-reduction technologies.

Two Komatsu 930E-3 haul trucks at Anglo American’s Los Bronces copper mine in Chile, originally slated for decommissioning, have been converted into 70,000 gallon (265,000 litre) water sprinkler trucks in a joint project with Komatsu Chile and Mega. Claimed as the first such 930E-based water trucks in Chile and globally, the units repurpose the existing 290-tonne class chassis to deliver high-volume dust suppression on haul roads. The conversion extends asset life and avoids procuring dedicated water trucks, with implications for fleet renewal and mine water management strategies.

SANY has commissioned its first SY1250H mining excavator in Europe at the Ugljevik open-pit coal mine in Bosnia and Herzegovina, operated by Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS). The ultra-large excavator is intended for high-volume overburden and coal loading, pairing with 100 t-class haul trucks to support large-scale stripping and shorter mining cycles. For mine planners and maintenance teams, the deployment signals growing OEM competition in Europe’s >100 t excavator class, with implications for fleet standardisation, parts supply, and lifecycle cost benchmarking against established brands.