The Next Generation of Sandvik's Automated Development Drill
Sandvik has unveiled the next‑generation automated development drill, the DD423i, as an upgrade to its DD422i model. The new drill incorporates AI‑driven drilling optimization, integrated telemetry, and enhanced remote‑monitoring safety features. Sandvik reports up to a 15% reduction in cycle time and lower equipment downtime. The DD423i is positioned for mining and construction applications seeking higher productivity and safety.
First Quantum Could Process Cobre Panama Stockpiles
First Quantum Minerals is seeking Panamanian government approval to extract and process millions of tonnes of copper ore stockpiled at the Cobre Panama mine. The paperwork, if finalized, would allow the company to move the ore, generate substantial tax payments,...
Greenland Set to Reject Kvanefjeld Rare Earth Licence
Greenland’s government has issued a draft decision to refuse renewal of the exploration licence for the Kvanefjeld rare‑earth project, invoking the 2021 ban on uranium mining. The move targets Energy Transition Minerals’ (ETM) application to extend its permit for a...
Full Flowsheet, Full Lifecycle: FLS Sharpens Its Performance Focus
FLS, a leading mining‑process equipment provider, now delivers solutions across the entire mineral‑processing flowsheet, from crushing to tailings management. In a Mineral Processing Report 2026 interview, CEO Qasim Abrahams highlighted how advanced digital technology, process optimisation, and full‑lifecycle services are...
Weekly Newsletter 2 April 2026
Mining Magazine, founded in 1909 by future President Herbert Hoover, continues to serve as a premier source of technical insight for mine managers worldwide. This week the publication announced the inaugural Mining Magazine Awards for 2026, a new program that...
Iron Women Advance Across the Mining and Construction Sectors
Volvo Construction Equipment is turning its successful "Iron Women" programme into a global platform to combat a looming skills shortage in mining and construction. The initiative, which has already placed more than 700 women in professional driving roles across ten...
Aggreko to Take Eva Off-Grid
Aggreko announced a partnership with Harmony to deliver an off‑grid power solution for the Eva site, replacing reliance on centralized electricity. The initial rollout will use Aggreko’s modular diesel generators, with a roadmap to integrate wind turbines as renewable capacity...
Water, Not Ore Grades, Will Decide Mining's Future
Mining companies are increasingly recognizing that water availability, not ore grade, will dictate future profitability. Cetos Water's innovative low‑energy desalination and water‑recycling technology recently won the Wheaton Precious Metals challenge, highlighting industry demand for sustainable water solutions. The award underscores...
Ivanhoe Cuts Copper Guidance at Kamoa-Kakula
Ivanhoe Mines announced a reduction in its copper production guidance for the Kamoa‑Kakula project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The cut follows a severe flood in 2024 that forced a shutdown of underground mining in May 2025. Management outlined...
From Waste to Wealth at Mount Sicker
Sasquatch Resources is advancing the Mount Sicker project, a hybrid effort that combines mine rehabilitation with fresh exploration. The site contains over 300,000 tonnes of legacy waste that still hold measurable quantities of gold, zinc, copper and silver. By reprocessing...
JORC Code Update Nears Its End
The Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Code, last revised in 2012, is nearing its next release after an almost five‑year overhaul. The March 2026 JORC Update shows the legal review of the draft code and its high‑level Table 1 checklist is...
Johnson Matthey's Underground Diesel Filter Wins Third Safety Certification
Johnson Matthey has earned a third safety certification from the Canadian Standards Association for its underground diesel particulate filter, part of the DPFi system. The filter uses electrical regeneration to strip harmful particles from diesel exhaust, targeting light diesel vehicles...
Epiroc Launches Underground Charging Suite
Swedish equipment maker Epiroc has introduced a new underground charging suite designed for battery‑electric mining fleets. The solution is OEM‑agnostic and can be installed up to 300 m from a central charging cabinet, offering a single charging platform for mixed‑fleet operations....
Paladin's Canadian Development Faces Legal Challenge
Paladin Energy’s proposed uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan has received a legal challenge from a local Indigenous group seeking to overturn the recent environmental approval. The group argues the assessment failed to adequately address cultural and ecological concerns. Paladin had...
Epiroc Launches Underground Charging Suite
Swedish mining equipment maker Epiroc has unveiled an underground charging suite aimed at accelerating the shift to electric haulage and drilling. The modular system features OEM‑agnostic chargers capable of delivering up to 1.2 MW, allowing multiple brands of battery‑powered machines to...
Intelligence Newsletter - 30/03/2026
Mining firms are accelerating a wave of billion‑dollar megaprojects as soaring metal prices boost investment pipelines. Mining IQ’s database shows megaproject economic studies climbing from 15 in 2024 ($25.9 billion capex) to 21 in 2025 ($43.7 billion), a 66 % jump, and ten...
ABB Incorporates Generative AI Into Energy Management System
ABB has integrated generative artificial intelligence into its Energy Management System, branding the new capability as the Industrial Knowledge Vault (IKV). The AI layer lets users pose natural‑language questions about energy consumption, delivering instant analytics without manual data mining. Mining...
EnergyX Starts up 250tpa DLE Plant
EnergyX, a privately held lithium developer, has commissioned its 250‑tonne‑per‑year direct lithium extraction (DLE) demonstration plant, Project Lonestar, near Texarkana, Texas. The facility is the first U.S. plant to process lithium‑rich brine from the Smackover formation, using proprietary solvent‑based extraction...
Eurobattery Sends 1000kg Tungsten Sample to Cornwall
Swedish miner Eurobattery Minerals has shipped a 1,000 kg bulk tungsten sample from its Spanish San Juan project in Ourense to a testing laboratory in Cornwall, UK. The dispatch is part of a five‑month assay program aimed at confirming grade and metallurgical...
Byrnecut Gives Sandvik Its Largest AutoMine Rollout Yet
Sandvik has secured five new AutoMine automation orders from Byrnecut, the world’s largest underground mining contractor. The contracts cover underground sites in Australia and Namibia, marking Sandvik’s biggest rollout for Byrnecut to date. The AutoMine Multi‑Lite system will enable loaders...
Are We Ready to Mine the Moon?
Interlune, a lunar‑resource startup, announced that its first customers are ready to purchase helium‑3 extracted from the Moon. Helium‑3 is touted as a fuel for next‑generation nuclear fusion reactors that produce no long‑lived radioactive waste. The company highlights the technical...
Teck Defers US$1.9B Zafranal
Teck Resources has postponed the construction decision for its Zafranal copper project in Arequipa, Peru, a venture valued at roughly US$1.9 billion. The company is instead directing capital toward expanding its existing Quebrada Blanca mine in Chile. The deferment underscores ongoing...
Rio's Boyne Aluminium Smelter Lands $2B Handout
Rio Tinto has secured a landmark $2 billion taxpayer‑funded package from the Queensland and Australian governments to support its Boyne aluminium smelter, the second‑largest in the country. The agreement also bundles roughly $7.5 billion in green‑energy investments aimed at decarbonising the plant...
Boliden Begins Inspections at Garpenberg
Swedish miner Boliden has begun initial inspections at its Garpenberg underground mine after a deep‑rock fall caused increased seismic activity. The company said production will resume gradually, but the exact timing of a full ramp‑up remains uncertain. Inspections focus on...
'There Is No Mineral Supply Crisis when You Have Better Decisions'
GeologicAI CEO argues that mineral supply shortages are a perception, not reality, when companies leverage advanced decision‑making tools. The firm’s “rocket fuel” technology combines AI, high‑performance computing and real‑time geological data to pinpoint deposits faster and cheaper. Recent pilot projects...
Bits, Bytes, Barriers: The State of Digital in Blasting
The article examines how digitalisation is reshaping blasting operations, drawing on insights from industry leaders BME, Enaex, and Orica. It highlights the massive data generated by each blast and the potential of AI, sensors, and edge computing to improve efficiency,...
Vedanta Chief on Upcoming Demerger, 2.0 and Women in Mining
Vedanta Resources chief Deshnee Naidoo outlined an upcoming demerger that will separate the company’s zinc and lead assets, aiming to unlock shareholder value and sharpen strategic focus. He also introduced a "2.0" digital transformation agenda designed to boost operational efficiency...
The Metso Tech Behind Florence's Taseko Copper Cathode Production
Metso has equipped Taseko’s Florence copper mine in Arizona with its full‑scale solvent extraction‑electrowinning (SX‑EW) technology, allowing the site to produce high‑purity copper cathodes on‑site. The integrated solution combines leaching, solvent extraction and electrowinning modules to target roughly 30,000 tonnes...
Safety and Technology: How Caterpillar Is Working to Keep Sites Safe
Caterpillar used its CONExpo keynote to showcase a suite of safety‑focused technologies aimed at construction and mining sites. The company unveiled AI‑driven equipment monitoring, wearable sensor networks, and remote‑operation platforms that together aim to cut incident rates. Real‑time data analytics...
ABB's pH/ORP Sensor that 'Lasts 10 Times Longer that Others'
ABB introduced a new pH/ORP sensor that lasts up to ten times longer than conventional models. The extended lifespan reduces replacement cycles and maintenance costs for water treatment and process industries. The sensor integrates with ABB’s digital automation suite, enabling...
The Woman Leading the World's Second-Largest Zinc Producer
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, chairperson of Hindustan Zinc, leads the world’s second‑largest zinc producer through a blend of sustainability, growth, and gender‑focused initiatives. Under her stewardship, the company has set a 20% production increase target by 2027 and is expanding into...
Gina Rinehart, Her Struggles and Successes
Gina Rinehart recounts turning a mortgaged, claim‑laden startup into the $10 billion Roy Hill iron‑ore megaproject, the fastest greenfield construction in northern Australia. She describes battling gender bias, legal hurdles and a revoked port‑rail corridor while relying on loyal backers to...
Develon Unveils Smart Excavators at CONExpo
Develon showcased its new line of smart excavators at CONExpo, the premier construction trade show in Las Vegas. The demonstration highlighted AI‑driven autonomy, real‑time sensor data, and a cloud‑connected fleet management system. Develon's machines claim up to 15% fuel savings...
The Talent Paradox
High‑tech mining has embraced automation, AI‑driven haulage and remote operation centres, yet firms struggle to recruit young engineers. Despite the sector’s digital transformation, a perception gap and limited exposure in STEM pipelines keep talent scarce. Universities lag in offering curricula...
Weekly Newsletter 26 February 2026
Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced its first major partnership in over a decade, teaming up with a leading AI‑driven drug discovery firm to co‑develop next‑generation therapies. The deal includes a $500 million upfront payment and shared milestones tied to clinical milestones. Simultaneously, the...
Fleet Space Delivers for Lundin Gold
Fleet Space Technologies supplied a satellite‑based IoT network to Lundin Gold’s Fruta del Norte mine in Ecuador, enabling the company to map previously undetectable, or “blind,” mineral systems. The real‑time data stream allowed more precise drilling, cutting exploration costs by...
Caterpillar Invests in Serbian LFP Battery Maker
Caterpillar announced a strategic investment in a Serbian lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) battery manufacturer, earmarking a multi‑million‑dollar stake to bolster its energy storage capabilities. The move secures a domestic source of LFP cells for Caterpillar’s heavy‑equipment line, reducing reliance on Chinese suppliers....
Imerys Halts British Lithium as Woodsmith Boosted by Anglo and Mitsubishi
French mining group Imerys announced that its British Lithium (IBL) project will be placed into “care and maintenance,” effectively pausing development. The decision comes as the UK seeks to build a domestic battery supply chain, and the move signals a...
Creating the 'Ecosystem of Worker and Machine' With 5G
The mining sector is moving toward fully autonomous operations, with 5G networks emerging as the backbone for real‑time worker‑machine collaboration. Newmont’s Cadia mine has deployed teleremote dozers that are controlled over a private 5G slice, delivering sub‑10 ms latency. Early performance...
Introducing Automation in One of the World's Most Demanding Mining Environments
PAMA has become the first open‑pit coal mine in Indonesia’s Kalimantan region to deploy full‑scale automation, integrating autonomous haul trucks, drill rigs and a remote‑operations centre. The rollout targets the mine’s most challenging terrain, from water‑logged tailings to steep embankments,...
Tribe Tech Bought Out of Administration
Australian mining equipment firm Wilxpro has acquired Northern Ireland‑based autonomous drill‑rig startup Tribe Tech out of administration. The deal values Tribe Tech at £160,000 plus the assumption of its existing debt. Tribe Tech, known for its TTDSGC7000 autonomous drilling system,...