Mining Outlook

FLSmidth (FLS) has secured a DKK 360 million contract to supply crushing and grinding equipment for a copper mine expansion in northern Chile, including what it describes as the world’s largest gyratory crusher and some of the largest grinding mills installed in the country. Mining technology specialist FLS has received an order worth approximately DKK 360 million to supply crushing and grinding technologies for a copper mine expansion project in northern Chile.

Northern Discovery Metals has agreed to acquire the Cibola copper-gold project in British Columbia, adding a 3,567-hectare exploration property with an extensive geophysical anomaly and potential for a copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry system. Northern Discovery Metals has entered into an agreement with Orogen Royalties to acquire a 100 per cent interest in the Cibola copper-gold project in British Columbia, Canada.

Glencore has secured approval for the Minera Agua Rica – Alumbrera (MARA) copper project under Argentina’s Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI), while accelerating the restart of Alumbrera ahead of the wider project’s development. Glencore has received RIGI approval for the MARA project in Argentina, marking a significant milestone in the development of the project. The company said the RIGI provides the fiscal and regulatory certainty needed for investment on this scale.

Datamine has launched Expenditure Watch 2.0, a web-based platform designed to help mining and exploration companies manage expenditure commitments, reporting requirements and mineral title obligations across complex tenement portfolios. Datamine has introduced Expenditure Watch 2.0, redesigning its expenditure compliance and reporting software to support mining and exploration companies operating across different jurisdictions.

Gunnison Copper has achieved commercial production at its Johnson Camp Mine in Arizona following record copper output in August, as the company continues to ramp operations towards nameplate capacity of up to 25 million pounds of copper cathode annually. Gunnison Copper has declared commercial production at its Johnson Camp Mine (JCM) in Cochise County, Arizona, following sustained production during August and September 2026.

Nimba Mining Company (NMC) has signed a five-year offtake agreement with Glencore covering 50 to 60 million tonnes of Guinean bauxite and more than USD$300 million in pre-financing, securing a long-term commercial outlet as NMC ramps up production. Nimba Mining Company has signed a major offtake agreement with Glencore covering the pre-financing and commercialisation of its bauxite production in Guinea.

Andreas Bock, Senior Project Manager at Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG, explores why decarbonising critical mineral production does not always require replacing established processes, and how lower-carbon inputs such as green hydrogen can reduce emissions while maintaining the chemistry and performance essential to mineral processing. Decarbonisation across the mining and minerals value chain is too often equated with replacing established processes.

ACG Metals has agreed to acquire the Keşkek gold project in Türkiye for up to USD$7.85 million, securing a new source of oxide ore that is expected to extend gold production at its Gediktepe mine by several years. ACG Metals has entered into a binding agreement to acquire 100 per cent of mining licence 60926 and the associated Keşkek gold project from Meta Nikel Kobalt Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. (META).

Hudbay Minerals Inc. has extended the reserve mine life of its Snow Lake operations in Manitoba to 2043, while increasing projected gold production and mineral reserves. Hudbay Minerals Inc. (Hudbay) has unveiled an updated mine plan for its Snow Lake operations in Manitoba, Canada, extending the site’s proven and probable reserve mine life to 2043. The latest update adds two years to the mine life, following a four-year extension announced in March this year.

Aris Mining has completed preparation of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for its Soto Norte gold-copper project in Colombia, advancing a proposed 22-year underground operation containing 4.6 million ounces of gold reserves and targeting average annual production of approximately 203,000 ounces.