Copper One Restarts as World’s First Autonomy-First Copper Mine and Refinery
Mariana Minerals has restarted Copper One in southeastern Utah, positioning it as the world’s first fully autonomous copper mine and refinery. The site now runs haul trucks, drill rigs, inspection robots and refinery controls through a single software platform called MarianaOS, which leverages machine‑learning and reinforcement‑learning models. Mariana aims to lift annual copper cathode production to 50,000 metric tons by 2030 while integrating recycled scrap processing. The restart serves as a live testbed for end‑to‑end autonomy across extraction, processing and project management.
India, US Aim to Strengthen Critical Minerals Supply Chains With New Framework
India and the United States signed a bilateral framework in New Delhi on May 26 to cooperate on critical minerals and rare‑earth supply chains. The agreement covers mining, processing, recycling, and project financing, and dovetails with a broader Quad initiative that...
Norway Takes Control of Europe’s Largest Rare Earth Deposit
The Norwegian government has taken over zoning and development approvals for the Fen Carbonatite Complex, Europe’s largest rare‑earth deposit. A recent resource upgrade raised the estimate to 15.9 million tonnes of rare‑earth oxides, an 81% jump. About 19% of the resource...
Solaris Resources (TSX:SLS) Receives EIA Technical Approval for Warintza Copper Project
Solaris Resources announced that Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment and Energy has granted technical approval for the Environmental Impact Assessment of its Warintza copper project. The approval clears a major permitting hurdle after an 18‑month review and enables the company to...
CATL Commits US$4.4 Billion to Expand Mining Business
Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) is allocating about $4.4 billion to launch a mining subsidiary that will handle exploration, processing and chemical product sales, aiming to secure lithium, nickel and cobalt supplies. The move follows a year of sharp price increases for...
Mark Morabito’s Intrepid Metals Secures Key Land Position at Corral Copper Project in Arizona
Intrepid Metals Corp. completed its purchase of Cave Creek Copper Inc., bringing the majority of the Corral Copper Project’s land under its sole ownership. The deal, originally agreed in February 2023, was finalized with the last cash and share payment,...
India Expands Access to Critical Minerals With Mining Rule Changes
India has amended its Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act to simplify access to critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and rare earths. The new rules, effective March 30, 2026, let leaseholders expand standard leases by 10 % and composite...
Glomar and Cobalt Blue Target US Refinery for Seabed Mineral Processing
Glomar Minerals and Cobalt Blue Holdings are advancing a U.S. refinery to process polymetallic nodules harvested from the Pacific Ocean seabed. The plant is designed for an initial 200,000 tonnes per year capacity, with development costs projected under $500 million. A...
Ecuador Passes Mining Reforms as Solaris Resources (TSX:SLS) Advances Warintza Project
Ecuador’s National Assembly approved sweeping mining reforms with a 77‑70‑4 vote, introducing a three‑tier environmental authorization system and measures against illegal mining. The new framework aims to streamline permits for large‑scale projects while formalizing artisanal operations. Solaris Resources’ Warintza copper...
Peru to Open 37,000 Hectares to Attract Mining Exploration Investment
Peru's Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET) will release roughly 37,000 hectares of land that were under temporary restriction, aiming to boost early‑stage mining exploration. The zones span several regions and are believed to contain copper, gold, silver, lead and...
Solaris Resources (TSX:SLS) Expands Warintza Copper District as Investor Interest Grows
Solaris Resources secured an option agreement with Ecuador's state‑owned ENAMI EP, granting the right to acquire up to 100 % of additional exploration areas and adding roughly 40,000 hectares to its Warintza copper district. The expanded land package enables a district‑scale...
Lucas Birdsall on the Impact of Copper and Silver Production on COMEX Futures
Venture capitalist Lucas Birdsall highlights how surging demand for copper and silver—driven by electric vehicles, renewable energy and electronics—is outpacing production capacity. S&P Global projects copper consumption could rise to 42 million metric tons by 2040, while silver’s photovoltaic share sits...
Saskatchewan’s Rook I Mine Could Make Canada the World’s Largest Uranium Exporter
Canada is on the brink of becoming the world’s largest uranium exporter as NexGen Energy’s Rook I mine in Saskatchewan moves toward final approval by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The project, located in the Athabasca Basin, is designed to...