Mining Global

Top 10: Women in Mining 2026 The global mining landscape is undergoing a historic leadership transformation, moving beyond traditional board roles and into the heart of operational power. While the industry has long struggled with gender diversity in the C-suite, a new generation of women is ascending to the highest levels of executive command.

Through a series of swift policy announcements in late January and early February 2026, the Trump administration has introduced a new push to tie deep-ocean resources to American industrial resilience. By combining a US$12bn (£9.5bn) funding mechanism with an assertive regulatory framework, the administration is positioning itself to challenge China's dominance in the critical minerals sector. The strategy's centrepiece emerged on 2 February 2026 with the announcement of Project Vault.

Mines rely on real-time data in the same way as connected farms, smart cities and networked industries. Uninterrupted access to robust wireless connectivity enables sensor networks, moving objects, machines and assets to communicate critical data and ensure optimised operations. There are two key types of mines to consider: surface mines, which are open to the sky, and underground mines which pose greater challenges for wireless signal propagation.

Helen Cai has been appointed Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Barrick Mining (Credit: Barrick Mining) Helen Cai has been appointed Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Barrick Mining Corporation, joining one of the world's largest mining companies at a time of strong financial momentum.

Mining and other industries have a new tool in their efforts to modernise their systems – ABB’s Automation Extended programme. It builds on ABB’s proven platforms and safeguards existing investments, providing a modern automation ecosystem for advanced analytics, AI and IoT integration. ABB says the programme “allows technologies to be adopted at customers’ pace without operational risk”.

Liontown is considering expanding its Kathleen Valley operations to meet lithium demand (Credit: Liontown) Lithium producers are exploring output plans as the price of spodumene continues to grow. As the market demand for lithium increases, major players in mining are looking to capitalise off this growth, but do not want to act too quickly. Keeping a close eye on market volatility and ongoing trends, lithium miners are considering increasing production.

Tesla’s US$1bn refinery is now fully operational (Credit: Tesla) Tesla has announced that its lithium refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas, has reached full operational capacity, representing a significant milestone in the production of battery materials for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

After more than a decade marked by uncertainty and operational challenges, Libya's energy market could be entering a new phase of growth. The North African nation has signed a series of major agreements with international energy companies, signalling what industry observers describe as renewed confidence in the country's hydrocarbon sector. Libya has finalised a 25-year development agreement with TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips through state-run Waha Oil Company.

As global economies accelerate towards cleaner energy and digital expansion, the very foundations of infrastructure are shifting. Bechtel, one of the world's most recognised engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firms, is demonstrating how procurement can bridge these two distinct industrial revolutions: one rooted in critical minerals and the other powered by artificial intelligence.

Top 10: Sustainable Mining Companies 2026 Sustainability has moved beyond a simple compliance requirement to become a central force shaping investment decisions and operational resilience across the mining industry. With ore grades declining and operations expanding into deeper and more complex environments, leading miners are shifting away from the traditional ‘extraction-only’ model. Technologies such as AI and green hydrogen are helping to separate mineral production from carbon emissions.