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Glencore has placed a US$250 million order with Finning’s South America business to supply more than 20 large Caterpillar mining trucks, ancillary equipment and technology support for the planned 2026 restart of the Alumbrera copper mine in Argentina. The package, disclosed in Finning’s Q1 2026 results, centres on fleet renewal and digital support rather than life-extension of legacy units. For mine planners and maintenance teams, the scale and timing signal a shift towards a modernised, OEM-supported truck fleet ahead of full production ramp-up.

MAX Power Mining has secured an additional 155,125 acres (628 sq. km) of permits contiguous with its 1,224 sq. km Lawson natural hydrogen project in south-central Saskatchewan, creating the newly named Aurora project on a basement-controlled structural play along the Paleoproterozoic–Archean contact of the Sask Craton. The company has now accumulated 660,263 acres (2,672 sq. km) of provincial permits across the Genesis Trend while running a multi-well commercial validation drill programme at Lawson targeting large-scale natural hydrogen. An MOU with the City of Moose Jaw links potential hydrogen development to a nearby heavy industrial and major data centre corridor, signalling early focus on local offtake and infrastructure integration.

American Mineral Resources is assembling a seven-jurisdiction portfolio across Quebec, British Columbia, Yukon, Chile, New Zealand, Western Australia and Tanzania, with its Piscau North polymetallic project in Quebec earmarked for a separate Canadian Securities Exchange listing, as it targets a Nasdaq uplist within 12 months via the OTCQB. CEO Ryan Cunningham is prioritising projects with existing permits or modest capex and argues that jurisdictional risk now rivals grade, citing Quebec’s Gaspé oil drilling ban as a warning. He also points to Canada’s flow-through share regime as a key financing advantage over US markets still fixated on AI and tech.

LoopX has signed a three‑year R&D partnership with Vale Base Metals to develop and validate “Physical AI” systems for underground operations, targeting intelligent and autonomous mining fleets. CEO and founder Chao Yu says the work will focus on AI-powered control that can directly interact with physical mining environments, aiming to improve safety and productivity in confined headings and dynamic stopes. For engineers, the deal signals accelerated testing of autonomy algorithms, sensing suites and decision systems in real production drifts rather than only in lab or surface testbeds.

Newmont expects a planned nearshore barrier at the Lihir mine in Papua New Guinea’s New Ireland Province to unlock more than 5 million oz of additional gold from 2028, while reaffirming 2026 production guidance after Q2 output of 1.3 million oz of gold, 17,000 tonnes of copper and 7 million oz of silver. Q2 cash flow from operations reached $2.9 billion and free cash flow hit a record $2.2 billion, with all-in sustaining costs of $1,621/oz against a $1,680/oz guidance and an average realised gold price of $4,414/oz. Management also reported regulatory progress at the Red Chris block cave in British Columbia and resumed cave production at Cadia in Australia, but flagged higher sustaining capital in Q3 and rising capital estimates at Red Chris.

Fitzroy Minerals has extended broad, shallow copper mineralisation along the 1.7 km Tenorita trend at its Buen Retiro project in Chile, with hole BRT-DDH072 cutting 111.9 m at 0.97% Cu from 21.1 m depth, including 18 m at 1.59% Cu from 84 m, and BRT-DDH070 returning 147.7 m at 0.41% Cu from 26.3 m. The company has completed 78 diamond holes for 13,036 m since February and plans a further 9,000 m this year to deliver a maiden resource and prefeasibility study by mid-2027 under its earn-in with Pucobre and SCM Buen Retiro. Fitzroy is evaluating a near-surface heap-leach operation supplying existing SX-EW capacity about 90 km away, targeting production from this brownfield Atacama IOCG system in 2028.

Agnico Eagle Mines is investing $60 million to buy 8.7 million shares in Cadillac Mines’ $385 million TSX IPO at $6.90 per share, lifting its stake from 9.7% to about 11% and deepening its position along Quebec–Ontario’s Cadillac-Larder Lake Break. Cadillac controls roughly 40 km of strike and one of the Abitibi greenstone belt’s largest land packages, including the historic Kerr-Addison mine, which produced 11 million oz. gold and now hosts 78.5 Mt indicated at 1.34 g/t and 25.9 Mt inferred at 2.7 g/t. For operators in Abitibi, the move signals continued capital support for brownfield resource growth and potential future mill-feed or consolidation options around Canadian Malartic, LaRonde and Macassa.

Passive dust control retrofits for belt conveyor transfer points are being promoted by Martin Engineering, focusing on sealing the chute enclosure and managing internal airflow so fine particles settle back onto the material stream instead of escaping. The approach relies on properly designed skirting, wear liners and curtain arrangements rather than powered extraction, aiming to reduce spillage, respirable dust and housekeeping demands around loading zones. For brownfield mines, the concept offers a low-energy alternative to baghouses and ducting, but depends heavily on tight sealing and accurate control of entry and exit air paths.

US gold could reach $6,000/oz as $39 trillion in federal debt, nearly $1 trillion in annual interest and continued central-bank buying (244 tonnes in Q1 plus 41 tonnes in May) extend a bull market that has already lifted prices about 68% since 2024, forecasts Maison Placements president John Ing. Ing expects materially wider margins and stronger M&A as projects once marginal become viable, favouring Agnico Eagle at about 3.4 Moz this year (AISC ~$1,400/oz) and Barrick at about 3.1 Moz (AISC ~$1,600/oz). He also backs Lundin Gold’s 475,000–525,000 oz output at roughly $1,100/oz AISC from Fruta del Norte, while rating Eldorado a sell on construction and ramp-up risk at Skouries and McIlvenna Bay.

Mesabi Metallics has begun iron ore mining in Minnesota using a new cable-electric Komatsu PC7000-11 hydraulic excavator, which on 23 July loaded a 400-short ton Komatsu 980E-5 haul truck, according to dealer Road Machinery & Supplies. The PC7000-11, typically a 650–700 t class machine with a 36–40 m³ bucket, is among the first cable-electric hydraulic excavators deployed at a US mine, where electric rope shovels have been more common. The move signals growing interest in high-capacity electric loading fleets for large open pits.

Japan’s month-long deep-sea trial near Minamitori Island recovered 50 tonnes of rare earth-bearing mud from ~6,000 m water depth, with medium and heavy rare earths making up about 54% of total rare earth content, including yttrium, gadolinium and dysprosium. The government-backed vessel Chikyu achieved the world’s first continuous recovery of such mud, with a commercial feasibility assessment due by March 2028. A follow-up trial in February 2027 aims for 350 tonnes/day, with dewatering on Minamitori and onshore separation, refining and smelting tests in Japan.

Coal beneath US federally managed lands is now estimated by the USGS at 4.2 billion short tons of reported reserves tied to active mines plus 356 billion short tons of additional resources, theoretically enough for at least 600 years at current burn rates. In 2024, 34 federal mines produced over 261 million short tons, with Wyoming’s 14 operations holding 87% of active federal reserves and the Powder River Basin’s North Antelope Rochelle mine ranked as the world’s largest by reported reserves. The assessment underpins over $1 billion in Trump administration support for extending coal plant lifetimes and expanding production, while also prompting calls for new geological mapping of Alaska’s 140+ billion short tons of identified coal resources.

EPC Mineex Sénégal, a subsidiary of EPC Groupe, has secured a €23 million, three-year explosives and blasting services contract with Boto SA for the Boto gold mine in Senegal. The deal includes deployment of two Mobile Explosives Manufacturing Units (MEMUs) on site and the integrated supply of bulk explosives and associated blasting services. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, on-site MEMUs should enable tighter control of powder factors, blast timing, and fragmentation to support consistent ore feed and wall stability management.

GR Engineering Services has secured an EPC contract from BHP Iron Ore to deliver the Yandi Eastern Front-End Facility Upgrade, targeting the primary crushing circuit for the Ministers North project in Western Australia’s Pilbara. The scope covers engineering, procurement and construction of new front-end materials handling infrastructure tied into the existing Yandi joint venture operations. For mine planners and process engineers, the upgrade signals further brownfield optimisation of Yandi’s ore feed, with implications for crusher throughput, availability and integration with downstream screening and conveying.

MaxMine has launched Pulse, a fleet management system that combines business intelligence with AI-powered decision support to optimise productivity, cut haulage variability and lower cost per tonne in mixed-fleet open-pit operations. The platform ingests trusted operational data from disparate OEM fleets and sensors, then delivers real-time insights for dispatchers and supervisors to adjust payloads, cycle times and queue management on shift. For engineers, the key shift is from siloed FMS and telemetry feeds to a single decision layer aimed at tighter control of short-interval planning and execution.

A new 12.5 per cent US tariff on Australian exports is expected to have limited direct impact on core mining products, with iron ore, metallurgical coal and thermal coal still predominantly shipped to China, Japan and South Korea rather than North America. The Office of the United States Trade Representative has imposed 10–12.5 per cent duties on imports from 60 economies following a trade practices investigation, capturing some Australian value-added goods. Any material effect for miners is more likely in downstream processed metals and equipment supply chains than in bulk commodity volumes.

Astral Resources has reported further high-grade gold intercepts from 56 reverse circulation drill holes totalling 4,970m at the Theia deposit within its Mandilla Gold Project in Western Australia. The new assays are being used to upgrade Stage 1 Mineral Resources to the Measured category, tightening confidence in near-surface grade continuity and geometry. Results will directly inform open-pit design, geotechnical domains and initial mine scheduling for the Mandilla development.

Strong reverse-circulation drilling results at Forrestania Resources’ British Hill project in Western Australia include 4m at 7.46g/t gold from 124m, with a 1m interval at 22.76g/t, and a separate 1m at 22.98g/t from 141m in hole 26BHRC013. The eight-hole RC programme targeted down-dip and along-strike extensions of previously defined mineralisation, confirming high-grade shoots at depths beyond 120m. These intercepts support potential resource growth and justify further step-out drilling and structural modelling of the lode geometry.

Sunrise Energy Metals is fast‑tracking studies to lift its Syerston Scandium Project in New South Wales to 180tpa scandium oxide by adding a new 120tpa production train to the existing 60tpa design. The expansion case is being advanced in response to customer interest in non‑Chinese supply and forecasts of stronger scandium demand for aluminium–scandium alloys and solid oxide fuel cells. For project engineers, the larger nameplate capacity will drive re‑assessment of hydrometallurgical circuit sizing, reagent logistics and offtake contract structures.

Volvo Construction Equipment’s new K Series wheel loaders are engineered to reduce variability in operator performance and fuel burn by tightly integrating machine controls with the operator interface. Features such as refined load-sensing hydraulics, updated transmission control and in-cab assist systems aim to deliver consistent cycle times and repeatable bucket fill factors across shifts. For mines pairing loaders with articulated haulers like the Volvo L150 and A30, the focus is on more predictable loading patterns, lower specific fuel consumption and tighter control of unit operating costs.

Dowdens Group is leveraging global partnerships to deploy technologies such as the MudWizard sludge treatment system across Queensland mine sites, targeting more efficient sludge handling and water recovery in dewatering circuits. The company integrates pumping, water treatment, industrial products and pneumatic equipment with on-site engineering and field services to customise solutions for specific pit, plant and tailings conditions. For operators, the approach aims to cut manual sludge handling, reduce water losses from sumps and clarifiers, and stabilise process water quality for both production and environmental compliance.

Sunrise Energy Metals is fast-tracking expansion studies at its 100%-owned Syerston scandium project in New South Wales, evaluating an additional 120 tpa Sc2O3 production train to lift nameplate capacity from 60 tpa to 180 tpa. The project’s feasibility study confirmed a US$120 million capital cost and life-of-mine site operating costs of US$534/kg Sc2O3 over a 32-year life, targeting first commercial production in 2028. Work will deliver a mine plan to 180 tpa, Class 5 capex estimate, revised plant configuration and site layouts, leveraging the ongoing FEED for the initial 60 tpa development.

QME 2026 in Mackay drew thousands of mining professionals over three days, confirming its status as Australia’s largest regional mining event and focusing on digital transformation, automation and international capital flows. Conference sessions examined autonomous haulage and drilling systems, AI‑driven fleet optimisation and remote operations centres, alongside discussions on foreign investment frameworks for Queensland coal and critical minerals. For engineers and operators, the event signalled accelerating deployment of automation in brownfield pits and a sharper investor lens on decarbonisation, productivity metrics and project risk.

Freeport-McMoRan beat second-quarter profit forecasts with adjusted earnings of $0.74 per share and net income of $984 million, helped by a realised copper price of $6.17/lb versus $4.54/lb a year earlier despite an 18.2% drop in copper production to 786 million lb. Grasberg, hit by about 800,000 t of wet material flooding in September, is running at roughly 50% of capacity, targeted to reach 65% later this year and near full capacity by end-2027, with full restart now delayed to early 2028. Freeport reaffirmed 2026 guidance of 3.1 billion lb copper and 650,000 oz gold sales, with $4.3 billion capex planned, including $3 billion for major mining projects.

Copper for September delivery on Comex fell up to 2.5% to $6.33/lb, about 5% below its early-June record, as US‑Iran war risk outweighed strong Q2 results from Teck Resources, Freeport‑McMoRan and Southern Copper, which together reported copper output above guidance and unit cash costs near $1.90/lb. Chilean winter storms have temporarily suspended operations at Lundin’s Caserones and partially at Teck’s Carmen de Andacollo, while Panama is considering a state-owned partner or lease structure to restart First Quantum’s Cobre Panama. LME copper stocks dropped to 284,175 tonnes and Shanghai deliverable inventories are down 82% since May, even as Comex warehouse holdings exceed 630,000 tonnes on anticipated US tariffs.

India is allocating about US$2 billion to build at least five small modular reactors by 2033, including 220 MW, 55 MW and sub‑5 MW gas‑cooled designs from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, as part of a plan to lift nuclear capacity from 8.8 GW to 100 GW by 2047 and backed by uranium supply deals with Cameco and Kazatomprom plus potential NTPC financing of overseas uranium mines. Saudi Arabia’s new agreements with the US could enable deployment of AP1000 reactors and open its civilian nuclear programme to American vendors, while Sprott Physical Uranium Trust has lifted its U3O8 holdings to 81.5 million lb. after a fresh 50,000‑lb. purchase at a spot price of US$85.70/lb.

Gold for August delivery on Comex dropped up to 2.6% to $4,042.50/oz before stabilising around $4,050.80, while September silver slid as much as 4.9% to $57.32/oz, as Red Sea attacks on two Saudi oil tankers by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis pushed Brent crude towards $100/bbl and lifted two-year US Treasury yields for a sixth straight session. Rate swaps now assign roughly a one-in-three chance of a Fed hike next week and fully price a September move, with TD Securities’ Bart Melek flagging $3,900/oz support and $4,200/oz resistance for gold. Precious metals equities tracked the move, with Newmont, Barrick and Agnico Eagle down 1.1–1.8%, and silver‑exposed Coeur Mining, Pan American Silver and Hecla off 2–3.5%.

Mariana Minerals is deploying Boston Dynamics’ Spot quadruped robot at its Copper One copper operation in Utah to automate routine field inspections and high-frequency data capture in active mining areas. Mining Autonomy Lead Lukas Fahle is pursuing a “software first” approach, integrating Spot with existing sensor platforms and in-house analytics rather than treating it as a standalone hardware solution. The move points to greater use of mobile robotic carriers for condition monitoring, particularly for repeat LiDAR, gas, vibration or thermal surveys in higher-risk zones.

Equinox Gold and Orla Mining have secured shareholder approval for an $18.5 billion all-share merger, creating Canada’s second-largest gold producer with current output of about 1.1 million oz/year from six operating North American mines, behind only Agnico Eagle. Orla shareholders will receive one Equinox share per Orla share and existing Equinox investors will hold roughly 67% of the combined company. Production is projected to rise about 70% to more than 1.9 million oz/year as development projects are commissioned in politically stable jurisdictions, signalling further sector consolidation.

An updated preliminary economic assessment values Laramide Resources’ Westmoreland uranium project in Queensland at about $741 million after tax, assuming a long-term uranium price of $90/lb U₃O₈, a 7.5% discount rate, 33% IRR and 2.5-year payback, with initial capital of $456 million plus an $84 million contingency. The 11-year open-pit operation is designed to process 2.9 Mtpa through a conventional mill and leach circuit, producing 4.9 million lb U₃O₈ per year at projected 95% recovery and cash costs of $32.40/lb, drawing on 27.8 Mt indicated at 770 ppm U and 11.8 Mt inferred at 680 ppm. Development remains contingent on Queensland lifting its uranium mining ban, with power options under review including hybrid diesel, solar and battery storage.

SANY has launched the SKT145Ei, a 90 t-class cabless, battery-electric, autonomous wide-body mining truck at its Global Mining Key Customer Summit in Xi’an in May 2026, targeting large open-pit haulage in China’s rapidly electrifying fleets. The cabless design removes the operator compartment entirely, optimising space for battery packs and simplifying structural layout for autonomous operation. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, the platform implies tighter haul road design around consistent vehicle envelopes and greater reliance on high-precision guidance for berm clearances and dump-point control.

AbraSilver Resource is raising C$45 million via a bought-deal of 3.06 million shares at C$14.70 to fund early works and long-lead equipment for the Diablillos silver-gold project in Salta, targeting a construction decision in 2027 and first production by end-2029. The definitive feasibility study outlines a 25-year open-pit operation with initial capex of US$722 million, after-tax NPV of about US$3 billion, 42% IRR, and average output of 20 million silver-equivalent oz. per year for the first five years. Recent drilling at Oculto West returned 109 metres at 221.2 g/t silver and 0.72 g/t gold from 114 metres, outside the current DFS mine plan, indicating potential resource expansion.

Canada Nickel has published an initial mineral resource estimate for its Nesbitt project near Timmins, Ontario, at 176 million tonnes grading 0.23% nickel, while an updated estimate at Deloro shows a 46% increase in resources. Across the Timmins nickel district, the company now reports 4.63 billion tonnes at 0.24% nickel in measured and indicated resources, including the Crawford flagship with 2.56 billion tonnes at 0.24% nickel. Crawford has entered the final stage of federal review, and seven additional district targets remain undrilled.

Southern Copper plans to lift copper output from 917,000 tonnes in 2026 to about 970,000 tonnes in 2028 and 1.06 million tonnes by 2029, driven mainly by the $1.1 billion Tia Maria project, now roughly halfway built with $693 million spent and $1.25 billion in 10‑year notes issued. Second‑quarter results showed $4.3 billion in sales, record adjusted EBITDA of $2.86 billion at a 67% margin, and $1.67 billion net income, despite a 12% production drop in Peru from lower grades at Toquepala and Cuajone. Tia Maria’s projected cash cost of $1.16/lb without by‑product credits and confirmed desalination infrastructure procurement will be closely watched against ongoing regulatory and social risks in Peru and illegal mining at Los Chancas.

Redpath Mining has been named preferred underground contractor for Evolution Mining’s Bert project at the Ernest Henry copper-gold mine in north Queensland, and for the E22 project at the Northparkes copper-gold operation in New South Wales. The work packages, disclosed via a Redpath job posting, cover new underground development rather than open-pit activities, signalling additional decline, level access and ore drive development in both orebodies. For suppliers and labour, this points to near-term demand for underground development crews, ground support, and mobile fleet in two established Australian base metals hubs.

Savannah Resources has released the definitive feasibility study and maiden JORC Reserve for Phase 1 of the Barroso Lithium Project in northern Portugal, detailing a 14‑year open pit operation centred on 2.56 Mt of spodumene concentrate production. The DFS outlines conventional drill‑and‑blast mining with truck‑shovel haulage feeding a crush–grind–flotation plant, targeting battery‑grade spodumene for European converters. For geotechnical and mine planners, the phased pit development and long mine life provide a stable basis for slope design, waste scheduling and infrastructure staging.

MaxMine is moving into mining fleet management, adding business intelligence and AI-driven decision support on top of its existing operational data platform to target lower cost per tonne and reduced productivity variability. The new tools are aimed at mine operators wanting a single system that fuses high-frequency machine data with real-time analytics to guide shift-by-shift decisions on haulage, loading and equipment utilisation. For engineers, the shift means potential integration of fleet dispatch, production reporting and performance diagnostics within one data environment rather than multiple siloed systems.

Atlas Copco E‑Air V1100 electric compressors are being deployed by Mexico-based manganese producer Autlán to supply the high‑speed air jets that drive its automated ore sorting line, where split‑second bursts separate high‑grade ore from waste rock. The V1100 units are engineered for rapid load response and tightly controlled discharge pressure, critical to maintaining consistent jet timing and throw distance across multiple nozzles. For process engineers, the move signals growing reliance on electrically driven, precision air systems to stabilise sensor‑based sorting performance in high‑throughput manganese operations.

Hofmann Engineering Chile has opened an expanded Antofagasta facility, adding over 2,000 sq.m and quadrupling its workshop footprint to handle a wider range of mining component overhauls and rebuilds. The upgraded workshop now includes 140-tonne crane capacity, giving sufficient lift for large mill components, crushers and heavy drivetrain assemblies common on Chilean copper operations. For maintenance planners and OEMs, the added space and lifting capability increase local options for major shutdown work and reduce reliance on longer-distance rebuild centres.

BHP, FCM, Mitsubishi Materials, NTT group companies and Japanese cable makers have begun a demonstration to trace the greenhouse gas emissions profile of copper cables produced from Escondida copper concentrate using a mass balance credit model. The trial will follow concentrate from BHP’s Escondida mine in Chile through smelting, refining and wire manufacturing in Japan, assigning GHG “credits” along each processing step. If successful, the approach could give OEMs and utilities verifiable, product-level emissions data for specific cable batches without segregating low‑carbon material in physical supply chains.

Queensland Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Resources and Critical Minerals Bryson Head has urged miners at the Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition in Mackay to “take back the narrative” by actively promoting the sector’s economic and social role. Head linked mining with agriculture as twin pillars of regional Queensland, arguing that royalties, local jobs and supply-chain spending are being overlooked in public debate. For operators, the message signals growing political expectation for clearer communication on project benefits, community engagement and the role of critical minerals in the state’s economy.

Aurelia Metals has exceeded its upgraded FY26 guidance, producing 50.4koz of gold against a 45–50koz range and delivering its strongest quarterly operating cash flow since 2018 on the back of a robust June quarter and higher gold prices. Copper output reached 2.5kt, providing additional by-product credits that support unit costs at its New South Wales operations. The result signals improved mine performance and cash generation capacity ahead of any further capital decisions on life extension or project development.

Lynas Rare Earths’ June quarter revenue climbed 70 per cent year-on-year to $288.9 million, its strongest result in almost four years, driven by record rare earth prices and demand from customers seeking supply outside China. Production at the Mt Weld operation in Western Australia reached 3,481 tonnes of rare earth oxide for the quarter, underpinning higher sales volumes. The result signals continued tightness in ex-China supply chains, with pricing strength likely to influence mine planning, beneficiation throughput targets and downstream separation capacity over FY26.

BHP has joined seven partners, including copper producers, wire rod mills and cable manufacturers, in a demonstration project to trace greenhouse gas emissions from copper ore at the mine through to finished power cable. The pilot will test a mass balance credit model to transfer and verify emissions attributes along complex, multi-source supply chains rather than relying on simple physical segregation. For geotechnical and mining teams, this signals growing pressure to quantify Scope 1 and 2 emissions per tonne of copper concentrate with auditable, chain-of-custody data.

Dowdens Group is using QME 2026 in Mackay to showcase integrated fluid handling and water treatment systems for mining, spanning high-duty pumping packages, modular treatment plants and pneumatic equipment tailored to remote Queensland sites. The AxFlow-owned business is emphasising site-specific engineering through Dowdens Pumping & Water and associated service units, targeting dewatering, process water, dust suppression and wastewater reuse. For mine operators, the offer centres on packaged, maintainable systems with local fabrication, on-site commissioning and lifecycle support rather than standalone pump supply.

New Pacific Metals has updated the PEA for its Carangas silver-gold-zinc-lead project in Bolivia, outlining a 19-year life of mine (plus two years’ pre-production) with total output of 195 Moz payable silver, 1.1 Moz gold, 1,453 Mlb zinc and 941 Mlb lead (339 Moz AgEq). The study gives a post-tax NPV of $3.23 billion and IRR of 37.0% at $5,100/oz gold, with initial capex of $644.5 million, LOM capex of $1.2 billion and a 2.4-year payback. Average AISC is $18.25/oz AgEq, with silver-dominant production of 15.5 Moz/year in years 1–8 before transitioning to 7.6 Moz Ag and 142.7 koz Au per year in years 9–16.

Nth Cycle will go public via a merger with SPAC Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp. VI (NYSE: KCAC), valuing the critical minerals refiner at $585 million and targeting up to $330 million in gross proceeds from Kensington’s trust and a common stock PIPE. The combined entity, Nth Cycle Holdings, Inc., will trade on the NYSE under ticker “NTH” and scale its modular ‘Oyster’ electro-extraction units, which selectively recover nickel, cobalt, rare earths, copper and other battery metals from scrap, end-of-life batteries and mined rock. A previously signed 10-year, approximately $1.1 billion offtake agreement with Trafigura underpins commercial deployment.

ICMM’s new global dataset of 12,000 mining and metals facilities across 148 countries shows 65.7% operate in areas with significant physical water risk, with 38.2% in catchments of high baseline water stress, 27% exposed to high drought risk and 14% to high flood risk. Exposure is highly uneven, with 85.8% of Chilean facilities in high-stress catchments and similarly elevated levels in Africa and the Middle East. ICMM warns that poorly understood water risk could constrain water-intensive processes such as crushing, flotation, leaching and tailings management, tightening supply for the energy transition.

Gold and silver prices jumped as the US–Iran conflict spread to a second key maritime chokepoint, pushing investors into safe-haven metals despite the highest long-term US borrowing costs in years. Traders moved back into bullion even as 10-year US Treasury yields remain near multi-year highs, a backdrop that typically pressures non-yielding assets. The shift signals that geopolitical risk premia are currently outweighing interest-rate headwinds in precious metals markets, with knock-on implications for mine hedging strategies and project financing assumptions.

Rajant Corporation and Epiroc Mexico have formed a strategic partnership to supply deployment-ready Kinetic Mesh® wireless networks integrated with Epiroc mining equipment across large open-pit operations in Mexico. The collaboration targets more reliable, high-bandwidth connectivity for mobile fleets, drilling rigs and autonomous or teleremote systems, with scope to extend the solution into Epiroc’s global mining portfolio. For engineers, this signals tighter coupling between OEM equipment and mine-wide mesh backbones, simplifying brownfield network upgrades and supporting higher data rates for real-time monitoring and control.