Federal funding for New York’s US$16bn Hudson Tunnel Project has been frozen, forcing the Gateway Development Commission to suspend works from 6 February after spending over US$1bn and employing about 1,000 site workers. A Manhattan federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order, giving the administration until 5 p.m. on 12 February to restore reimbursements or appeal, while contractors warn that demobilisation, resequencing and remobilisation will add cost and delay. Sites are now in “safe-pause” mode, with dewatering, ground support and environmental monitoring maintained, and assembly of two Herrenknecht TBMs in New Jersey likely to slip beyond the planned spring 2026 launch without funding certainty.

Swiss Federal Railways has awarded an Implenia/Marti 50:50 joint venture five of six MehrSpur Zurich–Winterthur lots worth just under CHF 1.7 billion, including the 8.3 km Brüttener tunnel (Lot 240) with twin 10 m diameter single-track tubes and a 1 km spur to Zurich Airport. TBM excavation will start in August 2029, with a roughly ten-year construction phase using BIM for planning and execution and extensive special foundations, earthworks and embankments. Additional works cover full redevelopment of Dietlikon station, about 6 km of new track across Dietlikon and Wallisellen sections, multiple underpasses, bridges and the Neumühle railway bridge and Storchen underpass near Winterthur.

Gamuda Engineering has secured the Sydney Metro Stations Package West as principal contractor, covering design and construction of five new underground stations at Westmead, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock and The Bays on the 24km Sydney Metro West line between Greater Parramatta and the CBD. The scope includes deep station boxes, entrances and access points, full station fit-out and integration with surrounding precincts, with Laing O’Rourke and DT Infrastructure joining as MetroVista delivery partners. Site works are scheduled to start on Monday, 5 January 2026.

UK steel imports will be cut by 60% from 1 July under the government’s new Steel Strategy, with any volumes above the reduced tariff-rate quotas facing a 50% duty. The move is likely to raise prices for rebar, structural sections and plate used in major UK infrastructure and building projects, particularly where designs rely on imported grades or mill sizes. Contractors and designers may need to recheck cost plans, procurement schedules and material specifications for projects tendering or breaking ground in late 2026.

Sandvik has secured five AutoMine orders from Byrnecut, deploying AutoMine Multi-Lite systems at the Gwalia, Ulysses, Youanmi and Gossan Valley underground mines in Australia and the Navachab gold mine in Namibia. The contracts extend Sandvik’s automation platform across multiple jurisdictions and orebody types, enabling tele-remote and multi-machine control of Sandvik loaders and trucks from centralised control rooms. With these installations, most of Byrnecut’s global underground operations will now run Sandvik’s AutoMine architecture, simplifying fleet standardisation, training and support.

AtkinsRéalis has secured a £98.5m Network Rail contract to upgrade signalling and telecoms over 43 km of the Wessex Route near Portsmouth, covering 11 stations, 10 interlockings and four level crossings. The three-year programme will relock and recontrol the Havant Area Signalling Centre to the Basingstoke Regional Operating Centre, replacing obsolete systems to cut signalling-related delays for passenger and freight services. Delivered under the Southern Integrated Delivery programme and the £4bn Train Control Systems Framework, the works form part of a wider £2bn Wessex modernisation to 2029.

Miller Homes has awarded St Helens-based contractor GRS the full civil engineering package for its Omega housing development on the former RAF Burtonwood airfield in Warrington, covering roads, sewers and all groundworks. The contract, GRS’s first with Miller Homes, was contested by multiple regional civils firms and is seen by owner-managing director Tom Keane as a test of the company’s capability to operate “at full scale”. GRS will mobilise plant and crews on site shortly, with further project awards expected in the coming weeks.

Macmahon Holdings has signed a Letter of Intent with Manuka Resources to restart open-pit mining at the Wonawinta silver project in the Cobar Basin, central west New South Wales, with production targeted from May 2026. The agreement positions Macmahon as preferred mining contractor for the brownfield operation, which previously focused on shallow oxide silver ore and existing heap leach infrastructure. Geotechnical and mine planning teams will need to update pit designs, wall stability assessments and water management for re-entry into partially rehabilitated pits and legacy waste dumps.

Hexham Straight Widening in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley has been completed as part of the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace, backed by more than $1.79 billion in joint Federal–State funding. The upgrade removes the long‑standing Hexham bottleneck on this key freight and commuter corridor, improving capacity and reducing stop–start traffic on the approach to Newcastle. For pavement and geotechnical teams, the works sit within a flood‑prone, soft-ground estuarine environment, implying substantial ground improvement, drainage and settlement control measures along the widened carriageway.

Tivan Limited’s Speewah fluorite project in Western Australia has been selected as a priority initiative under the US–Japan–Australia Minerals Security Partnership, giving it access to coordinated government backing for critical minerals development. The project targets high-purity fluorite (fluorspar) suitable for aluminium smelting and battery materials supply chains, positioning it as a potential non-Chinese source of acid-grade concentrate. For geotechnical and mine planners, the designation signals likely acceleration of resource drilling, pit design and processing studies, with funding support tied to export-oriented offtake into US and Japanese markets.

Liberty Gold is selling its Goldstrike oxide gold project in southern Utah to Heliostar Metals for US$72.5 million, structured as US$10 million cash plus 1.6 million Heliostar shares on closing, followed by four staged cash payments over five years tied to infrastructure milestones and feasibility/construction decisions. Proceeds will fund Liberty’s Black Pine project in Idaho, which a 2024 prefeasibility study pegs at US$552 million NPV (5%), 32% IRR and 2.2 million oz output over 17 years at US$1,380/oz AISC. The non-dilutive deal supports feasibility work and long-lead procurement ahead of a targeted 2028 construction start.

Uranium Energy Corp has started uranium extraction from three new header houses at wellfield 11 of its Christensen Ranch ISR operation in Wyoming, with one more awaiting approval and three additional units under construction in wellfield 12 and the 10-extension, as it targets up to 4 million lb/year of capacity across three new wellfields. The recovered uranium feeds the Irigaray central processing plant, now being upgraded after first drummed production in February 2025 to handle output from 11 Powder River Basin projects. In parallel, UEC has received a US NRC docket number for a proposed uranium refining and conversion facility, planned with Fluor for 10,000 t/year UF6 capacity, exceeding half current US demand.

MPs are pressing the Department for Transport to revive the stalled Croydon rail remodelling, arguing the existing bottleneck on the Brighton Main Line will worsen with Gatwick Airport’s planned second runway and the proposed Universal Studios theme park. The scheme, previously paused amid cost pressures, would untangle flat junctions around East Croydon and expand track capacity through the Selhurst triangle, a critical node for south London and Sussex services. Rail engineers face renewed scrutiny over junction geometry, signalling headways and resilience for peak airport and leisure traffic.

Ghanaian mining contractor Engineers & Planners Co Ltd is committing about US$1.2 billion to its contract mining operations at Gold Fields’ Tarkwa and Damang gold mines. The company has already dispatched 30 Caterpillar 785D haul trucks to site, signalling a major fleet expansion for the open-pit operations. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, the larger 785D fleet points to higher material movement rates, potential push for deeper cutbacks, and increased focus on haul road design, pit slope performance, and equipment–ground interaction.

The UK government’s proposed ban on cash retentions in construction, following a year-long consultation, is being hailed by trade bodies such as the ECA and NFRC as a long-fought win for specialist contractors previously exposed to withheld payments used as free working capital. Legal and commercial advisers including Kennedy’s Amanda Hanmore and Osborne Clarke’s Daniel Cashmore warn the ban could drive higher project costs via performance bonds, more back‑loaded payment schedules and milestone‑only payments, and trigger more disputes over incomplete or defective works. BCIS chief economist David Crosthwaite points to project bank accounts and alternative defects and quality mechanisms as critical to maintaining delivery standards and payment security across supply chains.

Austrian crane and access manufacturer Palfinger has appointed APS as exclusive UK distributor for its aerial work platforms, replacing CPL (Cumberland Platforms Ltd.), which held the role since 2021. APS will handle distribution, sales and after-sales support nationwide, leveraging its 35 years’ experience and existing national service network to support Palfinger’s truck-mounted and self-propelled access equipment. The move is positioned as a core element of Palfinger’s 2030 strategy, signalling stable long-term product support for contractors and plant hire fleets specifying Palfinger platforms on UK infrastructure and construction projects.

Atco is investing C$10 million for a 40% stake in Inuit-backed West Kitikmeot Resources to advance the Grays Bay Road and Port Project, centred on a deepwater Arctic Ocean port, airstrip and 230 km all-season road linking Nunavut deposits to tidewater. The scheme, paired with the proposed 400 km Arctic Economic and Security Corridor from the Northwest Territories, is costed at a minimum C$2 billion, with construction of GBRP targeted to start in 2028 and open by 2035. The corridor would connect Izok zinc, High Lake copper, diamond, gold and base metal prospects to Canada’s national road network and dual-use civilian–military logistics.

Nevada King Gold’s share price jumped 24% to C$0.205 after Centerra Gold agreed to invest C$10 million at C$0.21 per share for a 9.9% stake as part of a C$16 million financing, valuing Nevada King at about C$87 million. Proceeds will accelerate drilling and exploration at the past-producing Atlanta open-pit project on Nevada’s Battle Mountain trend, where a 2025 resource estimate outlines 27.7 million tonnes at 1.14 g/t Au (about 1 million oz) and follows more than 100,000 metres of drilling over a 130 sq. km land package. An investor rights agreement will give Centerra participation and information rights, signalling closer technical involvement alongside its existing Goldfield and Liberty Gold (Black Pine) positions in the region.

Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon has been revived after Swansea Council agreed a multi-phase renewable energy development deal with Batri, reopening prospects for a large breakwater and impoundment structure in the Severn Estuary’s high-tidal-range environment. The agreement paves the way for detailed design and consenting of marine civil works, including caisson or rock-armour sea walls, turbine housings and associated grid connection infrastructure. Geotechnical and coastal engineers should expect complex foundation design in soft marine sediments, aggressive chloride exposure conditions and stringent flood and scour performance requirements.

Government plans to ban cash retentions in construction contracts aim to “prevent the abuse of retention payments in construction”, signalling a major shift in how risk and defects liability are managed across UK projects. The move would directly affect standard forms such as NEC and JCT, where 3–5% retentions are commonly withheld through practical completion and defects periods. Contractors and subcontractors could see significant changes to cashflow, security instruments (bonds, project bank accounts) and commercial negotiation of quality and defect-remedy provisions.

Stanhope has appointed Mace Construct as main contractor for Red Lion Court, an 11-storey, 249,500 sq ft office tower with two basement levels on a 1.24-acre riverside site between London Bridge and Southwark Bridge, valued at about £450m. Enabling and piling works are already under way next to Borough Yards, with the main construction phase due to start in Q4 2026 and practical completion targeted for early 2029. The Bjarke Ingels Group design includes four river-facing terraces, 719 cycle spaces, 54 showers and 1,000 sq ft of café space, signalling high servicing and amenity loads for structural and MEP coordination.

Graham has started construction of a £45m academic building on the University of East London’s Stratford Health Campus on Water Lane, forming part of a £170m, three-year expansion of the university’s healthcare teaching facilities. The building will house a range of healthcare-related courses aimed at training future NHS professionals and tackling health inequalities, with completion targeted for July 2027. The contract followed a competitive procurement that prioritised Graham’s track record in higher education and healthcare projects.

Jacobs has completed the £1.2bn acquisition of the remaining 35% of UK-based PA Consulting, moving from a 65/35 joint ownership structure to full control. The deal folds PA’s Global Innovation Technology Centre in Cambridge and its strategy, digital innovation and major programme advisory capabilities into Jacobs’ existing infrastructure and engineering portfolio. For asset owners and contractors, the combined group signals a stronger single-provider model for front-end advisory through to programme delivery on large, complex infrastructure schemes.

Downer has secured a $500 million partnering agreement with Stockland to deliver asset services across Stockland’s operational commercial portfolio from 1 August, with an initial five-year term and an option for a further five years. The contract covers integrated facilities and infrastructure maintenance across multiple retail, office and mixed-use sites, consolidating previously separate service packages into a single long-term arrangement. For contractors and consultants, the scale and duration signal stable demand for lifecycle asset management, condition monitoring and programmed renewal works across a large national property network.

The 15th Annual Queensland Transport Infrastructure Conference will return to Brisbane on 3–4 June 2026, convening senior representatives from state and local government, major contractors and private financiers to examine the state’s largest road, rail and port projects. Sessions will focus on delivery of multi‑billion‑dollar upgrades to key freight corridors, urban public transport capacity expansions and resilience works for flood‑prone assets. For geotechnical and civil practitioners, the event signals upcoming demand for ground engineering, pavement design and materials innovation across Queensland’s transport programme.

Government plans to ban retention withholding in construction, cap payment terms from large firms to small suppliers at 60 days, and mandate late-payment interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate written into contracts. The Small Business Commissioner would gain powers to investigate suspected poor payers, adjudicate disputes outside court, and levy “significant” fines in the tens of millions, plus force large companies to publish explanations for poor performance. Construction bodies, including the National Federation of Builders, are pushing for alternative performance mechanisms such as accessible surety bonds or insurance during the consultation on the retention ban’s implementation.

Macmahon has secured the mining services contract for the restart of the Mount Carlton gold mine in Queensland, signalling a move from care-and-maintenance back to full-scale open-pit and underground production. The scope is expected to cover drill-and-blast, load-and-haul and potentially underground development, requiring rapid recommissioning of mobile fleets, dewatering systems and ground support in previously inactive stopes. Geotechnical teams will need to reassess pit wall stability and underground conditions after the production hiatus, with updated monitoring and slope management plans before ramp-up.

A construction contract within the $85 million Wakehurst Parkway upgrade in New South Wales has been awarded to Ertech, with detailed design completed and physical works due to start mid‑year after site establishment in the coming months. The package is expected to focus on corridor capacity and flood‑related resilience improvements on this key arterial link between Seaforth and Narrabeen, where closures from heavy rainfall have historically disrupted traffic. Geotechnical and pavement engineers should anticipate substantial earthworks, drainage upgrades and pavement reconstruction under live‑traffic staging.

USA Rare Earth has signed a non-exclusive mutual sales and distribution deal with Arnold Magnetic Technologies, linking USAR’s processed and refined neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) feedstock and mine-to-magnet pipeline with Arnold’s samarium-cobalt (SmCo) and NdFeB permanent magnet manufacturing. The partnership is anchored by USAR’s planned Round Top rare earths deposit in Texas (targeting production in late 2028) and a Stillwater, Oklahoma magnet plant designed for 5,000 tonnes per year, due online this year. Both firms aim to supply “compliance-ready” magnets for aerospace, defence, semiconductor and EV applications within a US-aligned supply chain.

Caterpillar has renewed its agreement with Fortescue’s Chichester Metals Ltd and FMG Solomon Pty Ltd to continue deploying Cat MineStar Command for hauling across three iron ore operations in Western Australia, including the Chichester Hub. The extension keeps Caterpillar’s autonomous haulage system integrated with Fortescue’s existing truck fleets and mine control infrastructure, rather than shifting to an alternative OEM platform. For mine planners and engineers, the deal signals continued standardisation around Cat’s autonomy stack for haul route design, traffic management and fleet productivity analytics at these sites.

McEwen has reported a new resource for the Tartan gold project in Flin Flon, Manitoba, of 2.62 million indicated tonnes at 3.67 g/t (308,900 oz.) and 2.83 million inferred tonnes at 3.32 g/t (302,700 oz.) at a 1.35 g/t cut-off, supporting a restart targeting at least 30,000 oz. per year. The 26.7 sq. km property hosts a historic 450 t/d plant, decline access and developed blocks in the main and south zones, with metallurgical test work and underground mine planning in progress and scope to double plant throughput to 45,000-55,000 oz. annually. McEwen has allocated C$6 million in 2026 for near-mine and regional drilling on the main zone flanks and Tartan West to grow the resource as it works towards a 250,000-300,000 oz. group production target by 2030.

McLaughlin & Harvey has secured an £87.7m contract from Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited for a £107m redevelopment of Port Ellen Ferry Terminal on Islay, including major land reclamation to expand marshalling and laydown areas and construction of a new dedicated ferry berth with dredging, fendering and upgraded bollards. The scheme adds a new linkspan, fixed ramp, shore power charging, a larger terminal building, and a substantially extended commercial quay roughly four times the current length, plus a longer fishing berth with segregated offloading zones. Works start June 2024 after Fèis Ìle and run to 2029, supporting operation of two new Islay-class ferries and upgraded active travel and vehicle-charging facilities.

Coeur Mining has lifted its 2026 guidance to 680,000–815,000 oz gold, 18.68–21.93 Moz silver and 50–65 Mlb copper after closing the acquisition of New Gold’s Rainy River and New Afton mines, which will contribute nine months of production. Rainy River in Ontario is forecast at 230,000–275,000 oz gold and 350,000–450,000 oz silver at $2,150–$2,350/oz, while New Afton in British Columbia is guided at 60,000–80,000 oz gold, 130,000–180,000 oz silver and all copper output at $1,000–$1,200/oz gold and $1.20–$1.35/lb copper. The deal, which extends Rainy River’s reserve-only life to 2035 and accelerates its underground transition, is backed by a new $1 billion revolving credit facility, a $750 million buyback authorisation and about $160 million of exploration spend planned for 2026.

Tudor Gold has dropped its appeal of a British Columbia Chief Gold Commissioner ruling over Seabridge Gold’s Mitchell Treaty Tunnels (MTT), easing one legal obstacle to the C$6.4 billion KSM gold-copper project but leaving two BC court actions active. The dispute centres on about 12.5 km of Seabridge’s planned 22-km twin access tunnels, each roughly 5.9 m by 5.5 m, crossing Tudor’s Treaty Creek claims and, Tudor says, sterilising parts of the Goldstorm, Perfectstorm and CBS zones. Goldstorm alone hosts 912.3 million tonnes indicated at 0.85 g/t Au, 5.07 g/t Ag and 0.15% Cu, so tunnel buffer zones could materially constrain future underground layouts and access.

Zijin Gold is taking effective control of rival Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining in an 18.26 billion yuan ($2.64 billion) deal, lifting its stake to nearly 26% through a mix of mainland-listed and newly issued Hong Kong shares and enabling full financial consolidation. Chifeng produced about 14.4 tonnes of gold in 2025 from mines in China, Ghana and Laos, versus Zijin Gold’s 46.6 tonnes, with analysts expecting operating efficiencies under Zijin’s management. The move follows Zijin’s C$5.5 billion acquisition of Allied Gold and signals continued Chinese expansion into overseas gold assets amid bullion prices still above $5,000/oz highs earlier this year.

Cementation Africa is upgrading Mopani Copper Mines’ Mindola shaft at Nkana, Kitwe, to extend mine life and raise hoisting efficiency, drawing on its long-running shaft sinking and underground construction experience in Zambia. The contract covers construction and erection of permanent shaft infrastructure, including new fixed installations and associated underground works, to support deeper, higher-volume copper production. For geotechnical and mining teams, the project signals continued investment in legacy Copperbelt infrastructure rather than greenfield capacity, with implications for ground support strategies and life-of-mine planning.

Kier Construction has begun site work under a pre-construction services agreement with Essex County Council for a new all-through SEND school serving the Wolsey Park housing development near Rayleigh, being built by Countryside (now part of Vistry). The scheme splits provision, with Key Stages 1–2 accommodated at Wolsey Park for 150 pupils and Key Stages 3–4 at the former Chetwood Primary School site in South Woodham Ferrers for 102 pupils. For contractors and designers, the project signals continued local authority investment in specialist education facilities across multiple sites.

The government has cut its English new towns shortlist from 12 to seven locations, each planned for at least 10,000 homes, with Tempsford, Brabazon/West Innovation Arc and Milton Keynes each targeting around 40,000 units and major new or upgraded transport links such as East West Rail and a local mass transit system. Urban densification schemes include 20,000 homes at Leeds South Bank, at least 15,000 at Manchester Victoria North, and 15,000 at Thamesmead tied to the proposed Docklands Light Railway extension. In parallel, a National Housing Bank will launch on 1 April with up to £16bn capacity, aiming to support over 500,000 homes and offering up to £400m in subsidised finance over 10 years.

Macmahon Holdings has signed a Letter of Intent with Wolfram Limited, a Bumi Resources subsidiary, to restart the Mount Carlton Gold Mine in north Queensland, covering both surface and underground mining plus associated civil infrastructure works. The scope is expected to include open-pit and underground production, haul road and ROM pad construction, and potential tailings and water management upgrades typical of a brownfield restart. Contractors and suppliers should anticipate tenders for fleet, ground support, drill-and-blast, and civil packages once the LoI progresses to a full mining services contract.

Outline planning approval for Ebbsfleet Central secures Section 106 agreements between Kent County Council, Dartford and Gravesham borough councils and Ebbsfleet Development Corporation to redevelop 35 hectares of brownfield land around Ebbsfleet International station. The masterplan covers about 2,100 homes with at least 35% affordable, roughly 87,000 m² of office space, plus retail, leisure and new public open space in a mixed-use town centre. Obligations include funding for a new primary school, community services and transport and connectivity upgrades, underpinning future public and private investment.

Detailed designs have been released for the $220 million Henry Lawson Drive Upgrade Stage 1B in Milperra, covering a 1.8‑kilometre section between Auld Avenue and the M5 Motorway approaches in south‑western Sydney. The New South Wales Government scheme targets a key freight and commuter corridor linking Bankstown Airport and the M5, with works expected to address current congestion and safety constraints on the existing dual‑carriageway arterial. For civil and pavement engineers, the project signals upcoming demand for urban arterial widening, drainage upgrades and construction staging under heavy traffic.

Lynas Rare Earths has produced its first on-spec samarium oxide at its Malaysian plant, making it the only non-Chinese supplier of this heavy rare earth used in high-performance magnets for electronics and aerospace. The A$180 million plant expansion is designed to separate up to 5,000 tonnes per annum of heavy rare earth feedstock, with initial capacity for samarium, gadolinium, dysprosium, terbium, yttrium and lutetium expected within two years. Lynas has also signed a four-year binding letter of intent to supply light and heavy rare earth oxides to the US Department of Defense.

A £350m first-lot framework to deliver part of Edinburgh’s 25,000-home New Build Housing programme is now live, with site sub-lots of 1–30, 31–100 and over 100 units structured to draw in SMEs rather than only major contractors. Fleming Buildings, A S Homes and Campion Homes secured the smallest-site band, while CCG, McTaggart, Cruden, Robertson and Ogilvie feature on the larger two bands, under a wider £600m framework. Bids were scored 70% on quality and 30% on cost, with Arcadis providing external cost evaluation and all contractors required to pay the council’s real living wage.

Immediate expansion of UK construction capacity, productivity and collaborative delivery models is being called for to meet the government’s 10‑year infrastructure strategy covering major rail, road, energy and water schemes. Industry leaders are pressing for integrated planning across National Highways, Network Rail and water companies, with longer‑term frameworks and alliancing contracts to secure design-and-build resources and specialist supply chains. Without rapid action on skills, offsite manufacturing and digital design tools such as BIM and common data environments, programmes risk cost escalation and schedule overrun.

Atlantic Lithium has secured Ghanaian parliamentary ratification of a 15‑year mining lease for the Ewoyaa lithium project, introducing a sliding royalty on spodumene concentrate from 5% below $1,500/t to 12% above $3,200/t in place of a flat 10%. The mine and processing plant are planned to deliver 3.6 Mt of concentrate over 12 years, with 50% of output already committed to Elevra Lithium, the merged Piedmont–Sayona entity. The approval unlocks project financing and positions Ewoyaa as Ghana’s first lithium operation and a US‑aligned alternative to Chinese‑backed African supply.

The UK government has issued a £746M export finance guarantee for refurbishment of two of Nigeria’s busiest ports, channelling several hundred million pounds of contracts to UK-based suppliers including British Steel. The programme will focus on upgrading quay walls, heavy-duty pavements and cargo-handling infrastructure to increase berth capacity and accommodate larger vessels, with associated works on cranes, fenders and mooring systems. For UK civil and materials firms, the package signals strong demand for port-grade steel products, marine concrete solutions and geotechnical ground improvement in tropical coastal conditions.

Alligator Energy has appointed Andrea Marsland-Smith as managing director, formalising her leadership nine months after she became chief executive officer as the company advances its uranium portfolio. The move comes amid key milestones at its Samphire uranium project in South Australia and the Alligator Rivers uranium province in the Northern Territory, where it is progressing resource definition and permitting. Consolidated executive control is intended to streamline decision-making on drilling programmes, ISR testwork and project financing as the assets move towards development studies.

BQE Water and Nuvumiut Development have signed a three-year contract with Canadian Royalties Inc to operate seasonal mine water treatment plants at the Nunavik Nickel Project in northern Québec. The JV will manage treatment of contact water and metallurgical bleed streams under Arctic conditions, where short operating windows and freeze–thaw cycles place tight constraints on plant availability, reagent dosing, and sludge handling. For mine operators in cold climates, the deal signals growing reliance on specialist contractors to maintain compliance with stringent metal and sulphate discharge limits.

Myriad Uranium is selling its Red Basin uranium project in New Mexico to Subatomic Industries, a new mining tech venture backed by 8VC and Overmatch Ventures, for $2.5 million cash while retaining a 10% free-carried interest. The deal delivers more than a 6x return on Myriad’s C$525,000 acquisition cost and shifts its focus to the Copper Mountain project in Wyoming, where it holds a 75% interest via an option with Rush Rare Metals. Red Basin sits in a district with a potential 45 million lb uranium endowment based on New Mexico Bureau of Mines estimates.

Aclara Resources has commissioned a rare earth separation pilot plant at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg to validate its proprietary flowsheet ahead of a commercial-scale plant at Port of Vinton, Louisiana, due in 2027, targeting both light (NdPr) and Chinese-restricted heavy (dysprosium, terbium) oxides from ionic clays in Brazil and Chile. Feed will be anchored by the Carina open-pit deposit in Goiás, forecast to produce 149 t/y Dy, 25 t/y Tb and 1,170 t/y NdPr over 18 years, with a post-tax NPV8 of US$1.07 billion and 21.8% IRR. Aclara has just closed a US$50 million private placement and holds DFC backing of up to US$5 million for Carina’s development study, with early works targeted for mid-2026 and operations in 2028.