Mining Outlook - Issue 16

TURNER MINING GROUP

HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS WEIR

End-to-end solutions from exploration to extraction

www.mining-outlook.com • Issue 16

ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES On a coal mining mission to champion sustainable practices

VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE

M Resources delivers a suite of essential steelmaking raw materials, infrastructure, and mining and logistics services to steelmakers across the globe.

Matt Latimore, Founder and President, details the company’s futurefacing approach to investment and market growth

On a mission to be a leading integrated green coal mining operation

Jason Bontempo, CEO of Gladiator Metals, discusses the resurgence of the Whitehorse Copper Belt in Canada’s historic Yukon mining district

GLADSTONE AREA WATER BOARD

COMPAGNIE DES BAUXITES DE GUINÉE

DERICHEBOURG | RHEINMETALL UK

DIGICEL HAITI

CBRE TURBOCAM

TURNER MINING GROUP

HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS

L O S

A N G E L E S

G E N E R A L

End-to-end solutions from exploration to extraction

w w w. a f r i c a o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

Issue 120

w w w. a p a c o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

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Issue 81

ALTRAD

w w w. e m e o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

DIGITAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

Issue 35

PACKSIZE

The pioneering endeavour delivering a new benchmark for golf equipment

www.healthcare-outlook.com

www.mining-outlook.com • Issue 16

Every product deserves a box that fits perfectly

Keeping airlines flying to connect the world

On a coal mining mission to champion sustainable practices

Where technology meets tenacity

Transforming waste into valuable resources

Modernising and transforming health systems

ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES

FORTERRA

REMONDIS BELGIEN

C E N T E R

ST. JOSEPH’S HEALTH SYSTEM

Elevating the patient experience

Issue 72

SAESL

One of Australia’s most recognised industrial service providers

M E D I C A L Issue 15

WEIR

VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE

Harnessing the nation’s rich resources

DANONE ROMANIA

MONTEGO PET NUTRITION

Contributing to a healthier world

A well-loved and innovative pet care brand

VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE

ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES

Pad-Up Creations is determined to provide hygiene products with safety, comfort, and sustainability. Olivia Onyemaobi, Founder and CEO, tells us more

Brendan Tritton, Managing Director and CEO of Valiant Gold, a Western Australian gold company, discusses advancing the restart of two historic mining centres in the Murchison Goldfields

On a mission to be the world’s leading integrated green coal mining operation, Vulcan Mozambique continues to drive the country’s mining space

BUILT FOR THE

GRYDALE

Operator safety through world-class dust management solutions

JOURNEY AHEAD Whether on the road or on the water, Lippert enhances all outdoor recreation adventures

Unearthing coal potential in Australia, Argo Natural Resources champions sustainable mining practices

THE 1-2-1 • THE QUESTION • TURBOCAM

THE THOUGHT LEADER

Panasonic Connect Europe is a vital bridge between the digital and physical worlds.

Peer Schumacher, Head of Electronics Manufacturing Solutions, gives his insight

• THE 1-2-1 • THE QUESTION

Phil McKee, Chairman and Founder of Appliance Innovation, explores the company’s approach to automation, driven by a commitment to solving operational challenges in the foodservice sector

CO O P L A N DS B A K E RY • D N AG RA R • B RA K E B U S H

KOLEKTOR CONSTRUCTION

On a mission to be a leading integrated green coal mining operation

M Resources delivers a suite of essential steelmaking raw materials, infrastructure, and mining and logistics services to steelmakers across the globe.

Matt Latimore, Founder and President, details the company’s futurefacing approach to investment and market growth

BANNERMAN MINING RESOURCES NAMIBIA

Thermo Fisher Scientific has reinforced its position as a trusted biologics manufacturing partner

Garry Edwards, VP EMEA at Wolters Kluwer, emphasises the need for formalised, organisation-wide frameworks to ensure responsible use of artificial intelligence

Jason Bontempo, CEO of Gladiator Metals, discusses the resurgence of the Whitehorse Copper Belt in Canada’s historic Yukon mining district

VECA ELECTRIC & TECHNOLOGIES

N O F A R

E N E R G Y

R O M A N I A

K I N G S PA N

Family-run, proudly Canadian

DANONE ROMANIA

w w w. s u p p ly c h a i n - o u t l o o k . c o m

W W W .CONST RUCT ION-OUT L OOK.COM • ISSUE 4

Issue 12

Real Estate Solutions of the Future

www.foodbeverage-outl ook.com

Locked and loaded

Bridging the Real and Virtual Worlds

Enhancing all outdoor recreation adventures

Real estate solutions of the future

VP of Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture, discusses PepsiCo’s collaborative regenerative farming initiative Over the last year, Saulsbury has expanded its position as one of North America’s leading engineering, procurement, and construction contractors

As a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes, DELMIA is on track to shape the manufacturing industry of the future.

We speak to Guillaume Vendroux, CEO Jan Diekmann, Head of Business Development and Manufacturing at Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions, explores how private 5G is transforming the factory floor

Enterprise Wireless Solutions, explores how private 5G is transforming the factory floor Jan Diekmann, Head of Business Development and Manufacturing at Ericsson

Packsize is the global leader in packaging automation. We unbox the company’s right-sized approach with Brian Reinhart, Chief Revenue Officer company’s right-sized approach with Brian Reinhart, Chief Revenue Officer Packsize is the global leader in packaging automation. We unbox the

Johan van Jaarsveld, Managing Director of Montego Pet Nutrition, tells us about the pet care brand’s promise of ‘Better Every Day’ tells us about the pet care brand’s promise of ‘Better Every Day’ Johan van Jaarsveld, Managing Director of Montego Pet Nutrition,

YY Group Holding operates an artificial intelligence-native workforce solutions and integrated facility management platform. CEO, Mike Fu, discusses the company’s established capabilities

Simon Thompson, VP Northern Europe at JAGGAER, explains why artificial intelligence-powered data infrastructure is becoming essential

facility management platform. CEO, Mike Fu, discusses the company’s established capabilities YY Group Holding operates an artificial intelligence-native workforce solutions and integrated

intelligence-powered data infrastructure is becoming essential Simon Thompson, VP Northern Europe at JAGGAER, explains why artificial

procurement, and construction contractors as one of North America’s leading engineering, Over the last year, Saulsbury has expanded its position

We speak to Guillaume Vendroux, CEO track to shape the manufacturing industry of the future.

As a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes, DELMIA is on

and Virtual Worlds Bridging the Real

Issue 2

Margaret Henry,

From humble potatoes to gourmet crisps, SAVOURSMITHS is transforming snacking with bold flavours and a rich family heritage

LIPPERT

CBRE www.sustainabilityoutlookmag.com

Iss ue 9

SAVOURING THE FLAVOUR OF THE CRISP PARADIGM SHIFT

CBRE’s multidimensional perspective helps businesses find greater success with real estate facilities.

John Kirkman, Senior Managing Director and Supply Chain Leader, gives us the full story

LOCKHEED MARTIN

Contributing to the nation’s net zero goals

OUTLOOK

Contributing to a healthier world www.mfg-outlook.com

N O R D I C S

GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

OSMOW’S SHAWARMA ISSUE 10

initiative regenerative farming PepsiCo’s collaborative Agriculture, discusses and Regenerative VP of Sustainable

a rich family heritage with bold flavours and transforming snacking SAVOURSMITHS is to gourmet crisps, From humble potatoes

adventures outdoor recreation Enhancing all

LIPPERT

SHIFT PARADIGM OF THE CRISP THE FLAVOUR SAVOURING

Locked and loaded

MARTIN LOCKHEED

gives us the full story Director and Supply Chain Leader, John Kirkman, Senior Managing success with real estate facilities. helps businesses find greater CBRE’s multidimensional perspective

Margaret Henry,

TELL US YOUR STORY, AND WE’LL TELL THE WORLD the Future Solutions of Real Estate

www.mfg-outlook.com

www.foodbeverage-outl ook.com

Iss ue 9

Issue 12

healthier world Contributing to a

w w w. s u p p ly c h a i n - o u t l o o k . c o m ISSUE 10

ROMANIA DANONE

Canadian Family-run, proudly

W W W .CONST RUCT ION-OUT L OOK.COM • ISSUE 4

OUTLOOK

www.sustainabilityoutlookmag.com

Issue 2

THE 1-2-1 • THE QUESTION • TURBOCAM

THE THOUGHT LEADER

• THE 1-2-1 • THE QUESTION

CO O P L A N DS B A K E RY • D N AG RA R • B RA K E B U S H

of the future Real estate solutions

CBRE

nation’s net zero goals Contributing to the

AUSTRALIA COUNCIL OF BUILDING GREEN

SHAWARMA OSMOW’S

KOLEKTOR CONSTRUCTION

VECA ELECTRIC & TECHNOLOGIES

N O F A R

E N E R G Y

R O M A N I A

K I N G S PA N

N O R D I C S

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COVERED IN COAL Welcome to our 16th edition of Mining Outlook magazine.

Matt Latimore, Founder and President of M Resources, fronts our latest issue.

M Resources delivers a suite of essential steelmaking raw materials, infrastructure, and mining and logistics services to steelmakers across the globe.

It proudly ranks amongst the world’s top three metallurgical coal movers, exporting over 25 million tonnes per annum.

The company has strong confidence in the ongoing demand for steelmaking coal and continues to look for opportunities to evolve its core business.

Going forwards, M Resources is diversifying across the energy value chain into critical minerals.

“Vanadium, graphite, and copper present strong avenues for growth as the energy market evolves, par-ticularly in the US and Europe, where these minerals are of strategic significance,” Latimore sets out.

Hunter Valley Operations (HVO), meanwhile, plays a leading role in the Australian coal mining industry.

Its impressive HVO North and HVO South pits span across two open-cut coal mines, recognised as one of the largest coal mining operations in New South Wales (NSW).

The company is currently seeking NSW and Australian government approval for its HVO Continuation Project to extend mining operations until 2045.

“We’re just about to embark on a key stage in the approval process with the project’s referral to the NSW Independent Planning Commission for determination,” updates David Foster, General Manager.

Unearthing coal potential in Australia, Argo Natural Resources (Argo) champions sustainable mining practices.

A key part of the company’s strategy is developing sustainable technologies, with a focus on benefitting the communities where it operates.

“As we look to the future, we aim to demonstrate that coal mining can be conducted sustainably and cleanly, ensuring a positive impact on the community and contributing to the narrative of reduced emissions in our sector,” affirms CEO, Richard Livingstone-Blevins.

There’s more to this extensive edition than just coal, with comprehensive corporate stories from the likes of Weir, Vulcan Mozambique, and Turner Mining Group.

We hope that you enjoy your read.

Jack Salter Head of Editorial, Outlook Publishing Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 3

MINING OUTLOOK CONTENTS

12 Gladiator Metals Yukon Moment The resurgence of the Whitehorse Copper Belt

16 | CONTENTS REGULARS

36 EVENT FOCUS International Mining and Resources Conference + Expo

6 EXPERT EYE Revitalising the mining industry’s manual reporting

M INING INSIGHTS

8 Valiant Gold From Proven Assets to Production Advancing the restart of the Comet and Reedy gold projects

TOP I C A L F OC U S

Australia’s largest and most influential mining event

20 Coal Australia

MI N I N G S P OTL I G H T

Powering Prosperity

38 Mining Finland

The enduring impact of coal

26 THE QUESTION Mining Tech: What emerging technologies will shape the future of mining?

Underexplored mineral potential

MINING OUTLOOK CONTENTS

F E AT U R E S

146 Agile Mining Services Agility in Motion Helping junior miners unlock value

AS IA PACIFIC

46 M Resources Essential to Steelmaking A future-facing approach to investment and market growth

156 Grydale Transforming Dust Control Operator safety through world-class dust management solutions

164 UGL Transport Keeping Critical Mining Assets Moving Component exchange, overhaul, and field services

AFRICA

224 QKR Namibia Navachab Gold Mine Renewing a Gold Legacy A modern, sustainable, and long-life gold operation

232 Ndalamo Resources New Levels of Mining Transformation Sustainability, value creation, and inclusive growth

240 Knight Piésold Engineering Namibia’s Future Engineering excellence across myriad disciplines

170 Vulcan Mozambique Building Southern Africa’s Mining Future On a mission to be a leading integrated green coal mining operation

56 Hunter Valley Operations

186 B2Gold Namibia

Hunting for Coal Potential

Encouraging signs for Namibian mining

As Good as Gold

Pivotal in powering communities and industries

80 Argo Natural Resources

240

People-Powered Growth On a coal mining mission to champion sustainable practices

246 Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée Beyond Bauxite

186

200 Bannerman Mining Resources Namibia Unlocking a Uranium Upgrade Harnessing Namibia’s rich resources

80

104 Weir Mining Technology for a Sustainable Future

212 CADERAC A Leading Player in Ivorian Aggregates Local aggregate production in Côte d’Ivoire

Actively contributing to socioeconomic development and sustainability

N O R TH A M E R I C A

258 Turner Mining Group Redefining Mining by Centralizing Success People and innovation at the forefront of operations

272 Hemlo Mining Corp.

Forged in Gold and Growth An iconic Canadian gold mine

End-to-end solutions from exploration to extraction

286 KGHM INTERNATIONAL LTD.

128 Cougar Group

Ontario’s Mine of Tomorrow Advanced exploration of the Victoria project

Underground Drilling with a Difference Excellence in underground equipment manufacturing and services

E U R O P E & M I DD L E E AST

138 BWE Drilling Diversified Dexterity in Drilling A new chapter for an Australian stalwart

292 Verde Magnesium 212

Europe’s Critical Minerals Comeback The race to secure critical raw materials

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 5

Why Spreadsheets Will Fail Mining’s CSRD Stress Test As environmental, social, and governance legislation evolves rapidly, the global mining industry must abandon outdated manual reporting. Daniel Usifoh, MSc, MCIPS, co-Founder of Axiom Sustainability Software, expands further upon this topic Writer: Daniel Usifoh, MSc, MCIPS, co-Founder, Axiom Sustainability Software

T

he global mining industry stands at an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) crossroads.

On the one hand, mining is at the heart of the green transition, tasked with extracting the critical minerals – such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper – required for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and grid-scale energy storage.

On the other hand, the sector faces growing scrutiny over its environmental footprint, land use, and socioeconomic impact.

With stringent legislation reshaping corporate accountability, sustainability is a key component of mining. Central to this shift is the European Union (EU) Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), designed to eradicate greenwashing and standardise corporate sustainability reporting across global value chains.

For mining executives, this effectively means an end to spreadsheets, data 6 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

guesswork, and fragmented reporting.

Compliance incentives are high, with failure carrying the threat of severe regulatory penalties, restricted access to capital, and lasting reputational damage.

WHAT IS CSRD AND DOUBLE MATERIALITY? To understand why legacy reporting systems are failing, operators must grasp the scale of incoming regulations. The CSRD applies to large EU companies and non-EU companies with significant EU turnover. Starting this financial year, the mandate expands to cover listed small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), pulling thousands of Tier 1 and Tier 2 mining suppliers into its scope.

At the core of the CSRD is the principle of ‘double materiality’.

Mining companies must now evaluate sustainability across two separate channels:

• Financial materiality: How environmental and social issues impact the company’s financial health, asset valuation, and operational risks.

• Impact materiality: How the company’s operations directly and indirectly impact ecosystems, local communities, and workforce welfare.

Because CSRD disclosures must be qualitative and quantitative – covering short-, medium-, and long-term horizons – ESG data now requires the same auditability, rigour, and chain of custody as financial accounting.

THE SPREADSHEET TRAP Mining supply chains are notoriously complex. A single enterprise might oversee multi-tiered extraction sites in South America, chemical processing in Asia, heavily outsourced logistics networks, and international shipping corridors into Europe.

Attempting to aggregate ESG metrics across a distributed network using manual spreadsheets is a major operational liability.

Spreadsheets are not only a headache for most, but they’re prone to human error, version control failures, and broken formulas.

EXPERT EYE MINING

More importantly, they create data silos. When ESG information lives in offline files across individual site managers’ desktops, establishing a clear chain of custody is impossible.

Under CSRD scrutiny, third-party auditors require a secure, financialgrade data trail. If an operator cannot definitively verify the provenance of their data from the mine face to the final board report, they will fail the regulatory stress test.

MOVING BEYOND GUESSWORK The most daunting aspect of modern ESG reporting for the mining sector is Scope 3 emissions – the indirect greenhouse gas emissions generated across the value chain. In heavy industry, Scope 3 routinely accounts for 80 percent or more of a company’s total carbon footprint.

For mining, the vast majority of these stem from downstream activities. For iron ore or bauxite producers, emissions concentrate in Category 10 (Processing of Sold Products). For energy commodities, impact is dominated by Category 11 (Use of Sold Products).

Historically, companies relied on spend-based estimates, calculating emissions from financial expenditure data. Whilst once acceptable,

spend-based modelling is a blunt instrument.

To satisfy CSRD mandates and meet net zero targets, the sector must transition to primary, activitybased data collected directly from operational sites.

This shift means embracing digital automation. Cloud platforms with integrated Scope 3 calculators and automated supplier portals allow mining firms to collect verified primary emissions data across global vendor networks.

Furthermore, digital tracking aligns with the manufacturing sector’s adoption of ‘Digital Product Passports’, allowing miners to trace the carbon intensity of raw materials directly from the pit to the factory floor.

SECURING THE SOCIAL LICENCE TO OPERATE Sustainability extends well beyond carbon accounting. Mining operations deeply affect local communities, making a secure social licence to operate (SLO) vital for uninterrupted business.

The CSRD mandates detailed disclosures regarding human rights, community relations, anti-corruption, and workforce diversity.

Tracking community grievances, local employment statistics, and safety training in static spreadsheet logs creates dangerous blind spots.

Centralised software transforms community engagement and social investments into transparent, auditable reports, helping to build local trust whilst satisfying the strict criteria of commercial tenders.

removing vendors unable to provide transparent, verified ESG metrics.

Mining operators that demonstrate lower carbon intensity, verified data provenance, and provable social impact are wellpositioned to command market premiums and secure long-term offtake agreements.

The era of manual ESG tracking is over. Simply put, spreadsheets cannot withstand the rigours of the CSRD. By adopting automated, cloudbased sustainability platforms, mining companies can navigate complex regulatory landscapes with confidence – moving beyond basic compliance to secure a durable competitive edge.

ABOUT THE EXPERT Daniel Usifoh, MSc, MCIPS, is an experienced professional in sustainable procurement and technology, dedicated to helping organisations achieve their sustainability objectives. As co-Founder of Axiom Sustainability Software, Usifoh’s mission is to help businesses and their supply chains become more sustainable.

GAINING THE COMPETITIVE EDGE Whilst regulatory compliance is a primary driver, early adopters gain a clear commercial advantage. Major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and industrial buyers are actively auditing their supply chains, Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 7

From Proven Assets to Production

Valiant Gold is a Western Australian gold company advancing the restart of two historic mining centres in the Murchison Goldfields.

Managing Director and CEO, Brendan Tritton, discusses the company’s pathway to production at Comet and Reedy Writer: Ed Budds

VALIANT GOLD ASIA PACIFIC

V

aliant Gold (Valiant) (ASX:VAL) was established through the demerger of the Reedy and Comet gold projects from Westgold Resources (Westgold) (ASX:WGX), creating a standalone, Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed company with 100 percent ownership of two established assets in the Murchison Goldfields.

The demerger gave the assets a dedicated board, management team, and funding base, with a clear mandate to progress mine restart activities, grow and improve resource confidence, and establish a pathway back to production.

“What makes Valiant compelling is that we are not starting from a blank page. Reedy and Comet are not greenfield concepts; they are proven brownfield projects with existing granted mining leases and approvals in place, established in a Tier 1 gold district with historical production and access to regional processing infrastructure,” introduces Brendan Tritton, Managing Director and CEO. Together, the projects have produced more than one million ounces (oz) of gold and host a combined mineral resource of over 1.2 million oz.

Both projects are close to established processing infrastructure, and Valiant’s ore purchase agreement with Westgold provides a defined processing pathway as the projects return to production.

“My role as Managing Director and CEO is to turn that foundation into a disciplined development and restart story.

“Our immediate focus is on advancing Comet towards a restart whilst progressing drilling, resource conversion, and mine planning at Reedy – including South Emu-Triton and Boomerang – so that both mining centres can contribute to Valiant’s future production platform,” Tritton explains.

with Westgold provides access to established regional processing infrastructure and supports a staged, capital-conscious approach to mine restart, drilling, and technical studies.

“We are not trying to do everything at once – instead, we are prioritising practical workstreams to reduce risk, build confidence in the resource base, and deliver value for shareholders,” he explains.

JOURNEY TO PRODUCTION

As a recently listed, early-stage company, one of Valiant’s first challenges has been establishing a standalone business whilst simultaneously progressing operational priorities at two historic mine sites.

That has meant building the team and systems, advancing technical and mine planning work, commencing field programmes, and engaging experienced contractors to execute the restart strategy.

Brownfield restarts bring their own unique challenges – these projects have real advantages, including existing development and historical production, but they also require a methodical and diligent approach.

“Dewatering, rehabilitation, mine planning, resource confidence, infrastructure readiness, and contractor selection all need to be managed carefully and in the right sequence.

Today, the Australian gold sector is being shaped not only by a highly constructive gold price environment, but also a market demanding discipline.

Investors want exposure to gold, but they also want credible pathways to production, sensible capital allocation, and teams that can execute.

“We are also seeing renewed interest in brownfields assets. In a higher-cost environment, projects with existing mining leases, historical development, known mineralisation, and nearby processing options can be very attractive because they may offer a faster and more capitalefficient pathway than greenfield developments,” Tritton states.

Valiant has been structured around that opportunity. Its assets have a substantial production history, whilst the ore purchase agreement

A DILIGENT APPROACH

“What makes Valiant compelling is that we are not starting from a blank page. Reedy and Comet are not greenfield concepts; they are proven brownfield projects with existing granted mining leases and approvals in place, established in a Tier 1 gold district with historical production and access to regional processing infrastructure” – BRENDAN TRITTON, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO, VALIANT GOLD

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 9

VALIANT GOLD ASIA PACIFIC

“To address these challenges, we have brought together an experienced board and management team, strengthening our technical and operational capabilities,” Tritton tells us.

In a short period, the team has moved from corporate formation to on-ground execution: completing initial underground re-entry at Comet, commencing dewatering and rehabilitation activities, progressing

mine engineering studies, drilling at South Emu-Triton, and preparing the maiden programme at Boomerang.

Valiant operates with a focused, technically strong team that is practical and accountable. Its approach is to advance each project through clearly defined workstreams, using the existing resource base, infrastructure advantages, and funding position to accelerate value creation.

“For me, the most rewarding aspect

is seeing assets that were not a priority inside a much larger portfolio receive the dedicated focus they deserve.

“Reedy and Comet have history, infrastructure, resource scale, and exploration upside. The demerger has given them a dedicated company and team with one purpose: to bring these assets back into production and unlock their longer-term value,” highlights Tritton.

PRACTICAL TARGETS “That result is significant because it demonstrates the system remains open at depth and supports our

WHAT IMMEDIATE WORKSTREAMS AT VALIANT WOULD YOU HIGHLIGHT?

view that South Emu-Triton has meaningful resource growth potential. The next phase will focus on infill drilling to improve resource confidence and support future mine planning.

Brendan Tritton, Managing

“The third is Boomerang, which

Director and CEO: “The first is the

is another important part of the

Comet restart pathway. Valiant has

Reedy development strategy. It is

completed an initial underground

a walk-up, drill-ready opportunity

re-entry and commenced the staged

on the northern extension of the

dewatering and rehabilitation

Reedy Shear, with a current mineral

programme, giving us direct access

resource of approximately 367,000

to assess conditions and advance

oz of gold and potential open-pit

the work required for the restart of

and underground mining optionality

underground mining.

over time.

“In parallel, our team is advancing

“The maiden programme is designed

mine engineering and technical

to validate and strengthen the

studies to support an initial life-of-

geological model, convert inferred

mine design, infrastructure planning,

material to indicated, test depth and

and the future award of the main

strike extensions, and improve our

underground mining contract.

understanding of the lode geometry

“The second is our drilling

and structural controls. That gives

programme at South EmuTriton within Reedy. The maiden

us another near-term development and resource-growth lever alongside

programme delivered assays

South Emu-Triton.

confirming that mineralisation

“Valiant’s near-term growth

extends approximately 400 m below

strategy is to advance the restart

the current resource boundary. The

of two historic mining centres:

standout intercept was 34.2 m at

restart mining activities at Comet,

2.97 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold

supported by drilling, resource

from 1,007.9 m, including 3.6 m at

conversion, and development

15.55 g/t of gold.

studies across Reedy.”

10 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Moving forward, Valiant’s targets are deliberately practical.

At Comet, underground re-entry has been completed, and the staged dewatering and rehabilitation programme has commenced.

In parallel, Valiant is advancing mine engineering studies, an initial life-of-mine design, and infrastructure readiness, and planning for the award of the main underground mining contract.

At Reedy, the immediate priority is to grow and improve confidence in the resource base through systematic drilling, whilst progressing the technical work required to assess future mining fronts.

“Results from South Emu-Triton confirmed that mineralisation continues approximately 400 metres (m) below the existing resource boundary, strengthening the potential for resource growth and supporting the next phase of infill drilling and mine planning,” outlines Tritton.

“Boomerang is another nearterm development opportunity. The maiden programme is designed to validate and infill the existing model, convert inferred material to indicated, and test extensions that could support both open-pit and underground mining scenarios over time.”

Over the coming year, Valiant intends to keep delivering the de-risking activities set out at initial public offering (IPO): Comet

“For me, the most rewarding aspect is seeing assets that were not a priority inside a much larger portfolio receive the dedicated focus they deserve” – BRENDAN TRITTON, MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO, VALIANT GOLD

dewatering and rehabilitation, mine design and contractor readiness, resource drilling at Reedy, evaluation of future mining fronts, and disciplined capital deployment.

The objective is to demonstrate, step by step, that Valiant can convert two proven brownfield assets into a credible near-term production and growth platform.

PATHWAY TO PROGRESS The next 12 months are about execution and de-risking.

At Comet, the focus is to progress dewatering and rehabilitation, restore underground access safely, finalise mine planning and technical work, and advance the contracting and infrastructure workstreams required for the restart of operations.

“Comet is already moving from

planning into physical execution.

Our objective is to complete the key enabling works and position the mine for a disciplined restart, subject to technical outcomes, safe execution, and the normal regulatory approvals,” Tritton sets out.

“At Reedy, drilling remains the immediate focus. South Emu-Triton has delivered a significant extension below the existing resource, and the next phase is designed to improve resource confidence and assess how this mineralisation can support a future mining restart.”

In parallel, the maiden Boomerang programme provides another development and resource-growth pathway, with drilling designed to validate the geological model, improve classification, test extensions, and support future mineral resource

estimate updates and mine planning.

“If we continue to execute these workstreams well, Valiant will move from a newly listed owner of two proven assets to a development company with two clearly advancing mine restart pathways and a platform for future production growth,” closes Tritton.

www.valiantgold.com.au Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 11

GLADIATOR METALS NORTH AMERICA

Yukon Moment Jason Bontempo, CEO of Gladiator Metals, discusses the resurgence of the Whitehorse Copper Belt in Canada’s historic Yukon mining district, amid renewed national focus on domestic resource development W R I T E R : J A C K S A LT E R

Mining Outlook (MO): Firstly, could you tell us about the resurgence of the Whitehorse Copper Belt in Canada’s Yukon?

Jason Bontempo, CEO (JB): The Whitehorse Copper Project (WCP) is an advanced-stage high-grade copper, molybdenum, silver, and gold skarn exploration project in the Yukon, Canada.

Copper mineralization was first discovered in 1897 on the Whitehorse Copper Belt (WCB) and comprises over 30 copper-related, primarily skarn occurrences, covering an area of 35 kilometers (km) long by 5 km wide on the western margin of Whitehorse, the Yukon capital.

Exploration and mining development have been carried out intermittently since 1897, with the main production era lasting between 1967 and 1982, where production from primarily 12 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

H. Coyne & Sons first acquired claims from Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co. in 1998 and continuously consolidated the claims until 2022, when its then-land position was opened to Gladiator Metals (Gladiator).

This was the first time in over 40 years that the entire WCB holding would have the attention and expertise of an experienced and committed technical team – led by President, Marcus Harden, and Vice President of Exploration, Kell Nielsen – and dedicated funding via Gladiator.

Jason Bontempo, CEO

the Little Chief deposit totaled 267.5 million pounds of copper, 225,000 ounces (oz) of gold, and 2.838 million oz of silver from 10.5 million tons of mineralized material milled.

MO: How is the historic mining district re-emerging amid renewed national focus on domestic resource development?

JB: Canada has declared copper as a critical mineral and all Canadian copper projects have benefited from this attention and focus.

GLADIATOR METALS NORTH AMERICA

Over the past three years, Gladiator has attracted significant funding to be able to progress WCP, highlighting numerous prospects along the belt which have great potential to advance from surface to high-grade copper resources.

MO: Gladiator is operating within a clear ‘Yukon moment’ where several forces are converging. Please talk us through: The growing urgency around North American copper supply and electrification.

JB: North America is facing a structural copper crunch, and that urgency is directly tied to the accelerating push toward electrification, energy transition, and domestic supply chain security.

Gladiator’s positioning in the Yukon sits squarely within this moment because the region offers scale, grade, and geopolitical stability at a time when all three are in short supply.

MO: The new political landscape in the Yukon, positioning the region for responsible development.

JB: The Yukon now has a political landscape that is more stable, pro-development, and aligned with Indigenous partnership than at any point in the last decade – creating a clearer path for responsible mining projects to advance.

Several structural shifts have converged to create a more predictable, development-friendly environment. The Yukon’s current leadership has placed stronger emphasis on: • Streamlining regulatory processes.

• Improving permitting timelines.

• Supporting critical minerals development.

• Strengthening infrastructure investment.

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This doesn’t mean lowering standards – it means reducing uncertainty, which is often the biggest barrier to capital deployment in northern jurisdictions.

MO: The increasing importance of First Nations partnerships in shaping project outcomes.

JB: The Yukon is unique in Canada, allowing for a more collaborative approach with First Nations governments, where 11 of 14 First Nations have modern selfgovernment agreements.

Land use, permitting, and economic participation are co-managed, and the political climate has shifted toward partnership rather than negotiation.

For responsible developers, this is a major advantage. It means clearer expectations, earlier engagement, shared economic benefits, and reduced project risk.

“Over the past three years, Gladiator has attracted significant funding to be able to progress WCP, highlighting numerous prospects along the belt which have great potential to advance from surface to high-grade copper resources” – J A S O N B O N T E M P O, C E O, G LA D I ATO R M E TA L S

MO: The historically productive district now being revisited with modern exploration and development approaches.

JB: Modern exploration is advancing WCB primarily through highresolution geophysics, reanalysis

of historical drill data, large-scale drilling programs, and new geological modeling.

The result is a rapidly improving understanding of the belt’s copper skarn and intrusive related systems, leading to new discoveries and expanded resource potential.

MO: What roles do community alignment and long-term partnership models have in project success?

JB: Community alignment and longterm partnerships with the Kwanlin Dün First Nation (KDFN) and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council (TKC) have played a pivotal role in advancing WCP from early exploration into a permittingready asset.

From the outset, Gladiator established a framework of respectful consultation, transparency, and structured engagement, formalized through a capacity funding agreement that enables KDFN to actively participate in project review, environmental assessment, and decision-making processes.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 15

This approach has ensured Indigenous perspectives, environmental concerns, and cultural values are integrated directly into project planning rather than addressed late in development. As a result, both KDFN and TKC have been able to shape key mitigation measures and provide informed input into regulatory submissions, strengthening the project’s environmental and social credibility.

Most importantly, this collaboration has translated into tangible project success, with WCP receiving a Class 3 exploration permit in 2026 following a positive Yukon Environmental and Socioeconomic Assessment Board (YESAB) process that explicitly included consultation with both First Nations.

The support and engagement of KDFN and TKC were acknowledged as critical contributors to this outcome, demonstrating how early and continuous partnership can de-risk permitting and accelerate progress.

Beyond regulatory milestones, the partnerships have also helped build broader public trust and social license in a project located near an urban center, where community expectations are particularly high.

“Projects like WCP are becoming strategically important in Canada because they sit at the intersection of energy transition demand, economic growth, and national security” – J A S O N B O N T E M P O, C E O, G LA D I ATO R M E TA L S

GLADIATOR METALS NORTH AMERICA

Alignment with KDFN and TKC has not only enabled project advancement, but also laid the foundation for a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship that is essential for continued success at WCP. MO: Finally, why are projects like WCP becoming strategically important?

JB: Projects like WCP are becoming strategically important in Canada because they sit at the intersection of energy transition demand, economic growth, and national security.

At the core is the rising importance of critical minerals such as copper, which are essential for modern technologies – from electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy systems to digital infrastructure – and are considered the “building blocks” of the low-carbon economy.

As global demand for these materials is expected to surge dramatically – and even double by 2040 – countries like Canada are racing to secure reliable domestic supply and position themselves as long-term suppliers to global markets.

At the same time, geopolitical tensions are reshaping how governments think about resource development. Critical minerals supply chains are highly concentrated internationally, creating vulnerabilities for Western economies.

As a result, Canada has elevated these materials to a strategic and even national security priority, investing billions in domestic projects and aiming to reduce reliance on international dominant suppliers. In this context, projects such as WCP are not just mining ventures – they are part of a broader effort to build secure, resilient, and allied supply chains.

Economically, these projects also represent a major growth opportunity.

Mining already contributes significantly to Canada’s GDP, jobs, and regional development, with new

projects capable of generating billions in economic activity, infrastructure investment, and long-term employment.

Developing district-scale projects in established regions like Whitehorse can amplify these benefits by supporting local industries, Indigenous participation, and downstream processing capacity.

Finally, projects like WCP align closely with Canada’s policy direction under its Critical Minerals Strategy, which aims to integrate the entire value chain – from exploration to processing and manufacturing – while advancing reconciliation

with Indigenous communities and maintaining high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

In a world defined by climate change, supply chain competition, and shifting geopolitics, such projects are increasingly viewed as nation-building assets that underpin Canada’s economic resilience, global competitiveness, and role in the clean energy future.

www.gladiatormetals.com Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 19

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TOPICAL FOCUS COAL AUSTRALIA

POWERING PROSPERITY Nick Jorss, Founder of Coal Australia, candidly discusses the driving force behind his company, sheds light on the often-misunderstood coal industry – advocating for its pivotal role in the nation’s economy – and explores ways to reshape public discourse around coal’s future Writer: Rachel Carr

Mining Outlook (MO): Firstly, could you introduce Coal Australia, its mission, vision, and key achievements since its inception?

Nick Jorss, Founder (NJ): Coal Australia is the dedicated national voice for the country’s coal industry.

As a not-for-profit membership organisation, we represent the people and companies committed to building a secure future for Australian coal – thermal and metallurgical producers, suppliers, customers, employees, local businesses, and our critical coal communities.

Coal Australia has an agile team and is run by our indomitable CEO, Stuart Bocking, with a goal to

promote the positive contribution coal makes to the country, bring rightful pride back to the industry and our coal communities, improve public understanding of what coal is used for, advocate for public policy that allows the industry to keep investing here, and support the next generation of skilled workers.

In simple terms, Coal Australia exists because coal has become an industry everyone talks about, but too few people are prepared to speak for it directly.

Since our launch in 2023, we have made a real impact. Our grassroots Ready & Reliable campaign has reached millions of Australians; we have built a 140,000-strong Friends of Coal network, held town halls in

coal regions, secured support from political and industry leaders, and put pride back into an industry vital to Australia’s prosperity.

That is the achievement I am most proud of: coal workers and communities finding their voice again.

MO: How do government policies and regulations affect the coal industry, and what economic benefits can coal provide?

NJ: Government policy is one of the biggest determinants of whether coal investment stays in Australia or moves offshore. The industry understands that it must pay its fair share, just as it always has.

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TOPICAL FOCUS COAL AUSTRALIA

“COAL ROYALTIES AND TAXES HELP FUND SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, POLICE, ROADS, AND OTHER PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE. A FAIR POLICY FRAMEWORK WOULD NOT PUT THIS AT RISK; IT WOULD SUPPORT THE COMMUNITIES AND SERVICES THAT RELY ON THE INDUSTRY’S SUCCESS”

regional supply chains.

Coal royalties and taxes help fund schools, hospitals, police, roads, and other public infrastructure. A fair policy framework would not put this at risk; it would support the communities and services that rely on the industry’s success.

– N I C K J O R S S , FO U N D E R , C OA L A U ST R A L I A

MO: What strategies can be implemented to reclaim the narrative around coal, emphasising its contributions to Australia’s economy and the importance of effective public policy to support the sector?

Unfortunately, in Australia, policy goals have stopped being about fair returns to the community and become a blunt political weapon.

For instance, the coal royalty regime in Queensland (QLD) is the clearest example of a punitive policy that increases costs and risks the coal industry.

Specifically, it taxes revenue, not profit, with the top tier applying at 40 percent to revenue above the relevant threshold, meaning a mine can be losing money and still pay enormous

22 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

royalties before it pays investors or reinvests in jobs, equipment, and communities.

That is not a sustainable tax system.

It puts mines, workers, suppliers, and future royalties at risk.

The economic contribution of coal to Australia is not theoretical – it remains the country’s second-largest export after iron ore, contributing tens of billions of dollars to the economy, directly employing tens of thousands of Australians, and supporting hundreds of thousands more in

NJ: “Coal does not need a sympathy campaign. It needs a facts campaign.

The first step is to stop apologising for an industry that Australians rely on every day. In fact, coal keeps the lights on, makes steel, supports regional communities, and earns export income for the nation – that is not a marginal story, but a national prosperity story.

TOPICAL FOCUS COAL AUSTRALIA

The second step is to put people and facts at the centre of the debate. To achieve this, Coal Australia has focused on town halls, local sponsorships, supporters, merchandise, digital campaigns, and direct engagement because the best advocates for coal are the workers, families, suppliers, and communities who live its contribution.

Furthermore, the industry’s opponents often speak in slogans, and we need to answer with facts, faces, and local consequences.

The third step is policy discipline – we need to advocate for internationally competitive royalties, faster, more predictable approvals, a workable emissions policy, the restoration of access to finance and insurance, and recognition that both metallurgical and thermal coal remain important.

Reclaiming the narrative is about making sure decisions are made on evidence, not ideology.

MO: What specific challenges do coal producers and communities face in adapting to changing market demands and environmental regulations, both domestically and globally?

NJ: Coal producers operate in a global market, but many of the biggest pressures are domestic and policycreated.

Prices move in cycles, and costs have risen sharply; approvals are slow and uncertain, whilst finance and insurance have become harder to secure. Additionally, environmental and emissions requirements are increasingly complex.

If you combine those pressures with excessive royalties, you can turn a world-class resource into an uninvestable project – communities feel that first.

A coal mine is not just a mine; it represents apprenticeships, engineering firms, trucking businesses, workshops,

local sport, schools, housing demand, and council revenue. When investment stops, the first people hurt are often the small businesses and young workers who have the least ability to absorb the shock.

Globally, the demand for coal is not disappearing; it is actually increasing.

In fact, it currently sits at a record high.

If Australia withdraws from supply, customers do not stop needing energy or steel. They buy from elsewhere, often from countries with lower environmental, safety, and labour standards.

This leads to the uncomfortable fact at the heart of the coal debate – shutting down high-standard Australian supply does not reduce global demand; it simply shifts supply to competitors.

MO: How does Coal Australia plan to address environmental concerns associated with coal mining whilst advocating for the industry’s role in sustainable energy solutions?

What steps can the coal industry take to enhance its reputation as a responsible sector?

NJ: We address environmental concerns directly, not defensively.

Coal mining already meets very

high standards for safety, water management, dust control, land rehabilitation, biodiversity, methane emissions, and community engagement.

However, the industry has to keep improving and be transparent about those improvements.

At the same time, the environmental debate has to be honest about trade-offs. Coal is a key input into steel, which is required for homes, hospitals, roads, bridges, transmission towers, wind turbines, solar farms, and the infrastructure of modern life.

Moreover, reliable, affordable energy is also essential to economic and social well-being. Coal’s role in a sustainable future is not to replace every other technology; it is to provide reliability and materials the world still needs whilst we pursue practical emissions-reduction technologies.

The industry’s reputation will improve when it shows, not just tells.

That means publishing rehabilitation outcomes, bringing journalists and politicians to sites, highlighting local procurement, apprenticeships, and Indigenous employment, supporting schools and sport, and being honest when standards need to be lifted.

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TOPICAL FOCUS COAL AUSTRALIA

The industry should be proud of its contribution, but that pride must be matched by performance.

MO: What role does coal play in the Australian steel industry, and how might shifts to greener technologies affect this relationship?

NJ: Metallurgical coal is not just another fuel; it is a raw material in the dominant steelmaking method.

Around the world, 70 percent of steel is produced using metallurgical coal and iron ore in blast furnaces and basic oxygen furnaces.

Consequently, that steel goes into the buildings, transport systems, defence equipment, energy infrastructure, and consumer goods that modern economies rely on.

Furthermore, Australia is fortunate

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“WE ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS DIRECTLY, NOT DEFENSIVELY. COAL MINING ALREADY MEETS VERY HIGH STANDARDS FOR SAFETY, WATER MANAGEMENT, DUST CONTROL, LAND REHABILITATION, BIODIVERSITY, METHANE EMISSIONS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT” – N I C K J O R S S , FO U N D E R , C OA L A U ST R A L I A

to have some of the world’s highestquality metallurgical coal. QLD, in particular, has a strategic role in supplying steelmaking coal to Asia, where urbanisation, industrial development, and infrastructure demand remain very strong.

The energy transition itself increases the need for steel through transmission, wind turbines, solar

infrastructure, ports, rail, grid upgrades, and data centres.

Australia should and will always be part of innovation in the steel industry.

However, despite billions spent on ‘green steel’ technologies, they have proven extremely expensive and unsuitable for use at scale – after all, we need to be honest about these things.

TOPICAL FOCUS COAL AUSTRALIA

Most of the renewable energy used to produce ‘green hydrogen’ for ‘green steel’ is lost in the process. These technologies are not a commercial substitute for metallurgical coal at the volume the world requires.

Therefore, the responsible approach is to support innovation whilst recognising that high-quality Australian metallurgical coal will remain essential for many decades.

MO: How does the coal industry contribute to job creation in regional communities, and what professional development opportunities can help prepare the next generation of skilled workers?

NJ: Coal is one of the great regional job creators in Australia. These are not abstract career opportunities on a spreadsheet; they are operators, fitters, electricians, engineers, environmental scientists, geologists, surveyors, rail workers, port workers, contractors, caterers, and small businesses across towns in QLD and New South Wales such as Moranbah, Dysart, Emerald, Blackwater, Muswellbrook, Singleton, and the Hunter Valley.

The strength of coal communities is that the benefits flow well beyond the whole town. Whilst a mine supports direct employment, it also supports suppliers, local sport, schools, apprenticeships, housing, medical services, and community organisations.

Moreover, this interconnectedness illustrates why policy decisions made in capital cities can have very real consequences in regional Australia.

Looking forward, the opportunity for the next generation is to make mining more attractive, more skilled, and more technologically advanced. Coal Australia works with organisations like the Resource Centre of Excellence in Mackay.

Ultimately, the next generation of

coal workers will still need practical mining skills, but they will also need digital, automation, environmental monitoring, and safety and leadership capabilities.

MO: Finally, how has coal demand evolved over the past decade, and what are the industry’s projections for the future, particularly regarding the transition to renewable energy?

NJ: Although the demand story is often misrepresented, the reality is global coal demand has not collapsed – it has remained extremely resilient and recently reached record levels.

Indeed, some developed countries have reduced thermal coal use. Asia and emerging markets continue to source reliable, low-cost power from coal, and the world continues to need steel.

Metallurgical and thermal coal are both critically important to global prosperity and development.

Steel demand is inextricably tied to development and infrastructure. A renewable energy system cannot be built without vast amounts of

steel, concrete, aluminium, copper, transmission infrastructure, ports, and heavy industry.

The same is true for the emerging artificial intelligence and datacentre economy, which will require enormous investment in electricity and construction.

Therefore, the future of Australian coal depends less on whether the world needs coal and more on whether Australia chooses to remain a trusted, high-standard supplier. If we tax and regulate our industry out of existence, the demand does not vanish; competitors meet it.

Coal Australia argues that the country should supply high-quality coal responsibly, keep energy affordable and reliable, and make the transition debate honest about costs, materials, and security.

coalaustralia.com Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 25

TH E Q U E STION

Mining Tech: What emerging technologies will shape the future of mining?

In each edition, we invite business leaders from across the mining sector to give their views on the same question

26 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

THE QUESTION MINING TECH

BENJAMIN PORTER Business Development Manager, Bureau Veritas Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how we analyse materials and the speed at which we can deliver findings.

For spectral analysis, Bureau Veritas utilises AI to generate correlations between a wide range of analytical results and spectral measurements.

Spectral measurements consist of over 8,000 unique readings that correlate to the minerology and chemical composition of a material. This measurement is nondestructive and can be completed on a small amount of sample in seconds.

This large dataset allows the team to build predictive models using as few as 300 samples. Correlations have been built on minerology, chemistry, geometallurgical properties, and environmental properties.

These properties are traditionally measured using expensive and destructive techniques that can take weeks to months to complete.

This usage has been shared with Bureau Veritas’ clients, and the response has been very enthusiastic.

Spectral analysis is notoriously subjective and contains very specific terminology that clients often do not have the time or bandwidth to fully understand.

Having an output that they are familiar working with has been of great interest to our clients. This also allows them to greatly upscale their datasets, which helps with increasing their model resolution. www.bvna.com

COREY DIAS CEO, co-Founder, and Director, Anfield Energy The future of mining isn’t about chasing radical disruption just for the sake of it.

In a landscape of constant change, true leadership is actually about balance. It’s about adopting smart, modern tools without abandoning the stable, proven methods that we know work.

Advancements like autonomous fleets and automated safety systems are great for efficiency, but the core of mining remains a very familiar process.

Sticking with reliable, standard practices is how one keeps operations predictable and safe. Embracing technology should never mean taking unnecessary risks.

This evolution is especially important as we look at global energy needs. Nuclear power is becoming a cornerstone of the clean energy transition because it provides the steady, reliable baseload power that heavy industry and modern grids require.

For the mining sector, this creates a dual responsibility: we must supply the critical materials fuelling this nuclear resurgence whilst ensuring our own extraction methods remain efficient.

At Anfield Energy, this is exactly how we look at the future. By pairing time-tested mining methods with proven automated tech, we can scale up our operations safely. We are focused on a practical path ahead that is both forward-thinking and operationally secure. anfieldenergy.com

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THE QUESTION MINING TECH

BO MØLLER STENSGAARD President, Greenland Mines The future of mining will be defined by smarter extraction. As the global transition demands an unprecedented volume of critical minerals, the most impactful emerging technologies will be those centered on enhanced mineral processing, advanced mineralogy, and localised low-carbon supply chains.

Historically, mining focused on single, high-grade target commodities. Today, next-generation metallurgical engineering and highly evolved flowsheet simulation, pioneered alongside specialised research pilots like GTK Mintec, allow us to unlock complex, polymetallic systems.

We can now efficiently isolate and recover a spectrum of co-product and by-product critical metals, such as palladium, platinum, vanadium, and gallium, from a single ore body. This maximises value recovery whilst strictly adhering to the philosophy of ‘mined once, utilised in full’.

Furthermore, downstream optimisation technologies, such as pairing regional resource extraction with adjacent hubs powered entirely by renewable energy, are reshaping supply logistics.

By leveraging proximity to green infrastructure, modern mining can establish resilient, transparent, and low-carbon critical mineral corridors directly connecting remote assets with Western industrial ecosystems.

Technology is fundamentally shifting our role from raw material excavators to highly efficient, responsible supply chain architects. greenlandmines.com

DARREN BAHREY Founder, President, and CEO, StrategX Elements Corp I envision employing more technologies during the exploration phase to aid in the hunt for discoveries, especially in the critical minerals sector.

These technologies should only enhance or complement traditional prospecting and geological fieldwork when developing targets to discover new economic ore deposits. Integrate AI-driven mineral systems modelling and targeting with geochemical, geophysical, and remote sensing technologies to further refine and define targets for drill testing.

Furthermore, more advanced technologies will develop to compress the timeline from the first drill discovery to a defined resource and then into production.

In mining, crushing rock is the most energy-intensive part of the industry. Therefore, technologies like bulk ore sorting – using sensors to reject waste before it even hits the mill – are game-changers. It reduces working capital costs whilst lowering the carbon and water footprints, which is essential for responsible and sustainable mining practices.

Finally, in-situ recovery technologies can extract minerals via a closed-loop chemical process which will minimise environmental impact. For a critical minerals company, these technologies can turn deposits into bankable assets whilst shortening the timeline from the first drill hole to the first ore shipment.

www.strategxcorp.com

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THE QUESTION MINING TECH

NATHAN McKENZIE CEO, Speedshield Technologies Ask anyone in the mining industry about the future and you’ll hear about autonomous vehicles or fully automated sites.

Those innovations will come, but the real story right now is awareness. Mining is becoming increasingly connected, with equipment, infrastructure, and workers generating constant streams of data. The opportunity is to “mine” that information and turn it into clear, actionable insight that teams can use in the field.

AI will play a major role, especially at the edge where systems can process information instantly without relying

on distant networks. We’re already seeing progress in machine vision, predictive maintenance, and environmental monitoring – tools that help operators identify issues earlier and respond with greater confidence.

As these technologies mature, they’ll offer a far more complete picture of site conditions, improving planning, reducing disruption, and preventing incidents.

Mining has always relied on skilled workers making fast, high‑stakes decisions in unpredictable environments.

The next wave of technology will support them, not replace them. New safety‑focused systems will act more like copilots than enforcers, fitting naturally into daily workflows so operators can stay focused on the task at hand without unnecessary distraction or interruption.

www.speedshield.com

WALDO BOSHOFF CTO, Optix One of the most significant shifts shaping the future of mining safety is the move from detecting fatigue to predicting it.

Mining presents a perfect storm for fatigue: long shifts, remote sites, and repetitive haulage routes. Optix’s annual State of the Data report showed a 41 percent increase in collisions and a 24 percent increase in near collisions in the sector.

Industry estimates place the annual cost of unplanned mining downtime globally at a staggering USD$15 billion.

The financial and human case for earlier intervention is clear.

The industry is reaching an inflection point. The next generation of fatigue technology doesn’t simply react when a driver’s eyes close – it builds a predictive picture of risk over time.

By analysing patterns across shift duration, time of day, individual baselines, and behavioural signals like excessive blinking, yawning, and head movement, AI-enabled systems can identify who is likely to fatigue, on which routes, and at what point in a shift. Early intervention can then involve an in-cab alert, dispatcher notification, schedule adjustment, or rest break.

Organisations that embrace predictive fatigue management won’t just protect their people – they’ll protect operational continuity, compliance standing, and their social licence to operate.

optix.co

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THE QUESTION MINING TECH

PAT RYAN, P. ENG. Chairman and CEO, Ucore Rare Metals Inc.

KARI YUERS President and CEO, Kryton International From advanced ore crushing machinery to unprecedentedly heavy, autonomous earth-moving equipment and round-the-clock logistics, modern mining has evolved whilst its traditional infrastructure struggles to keep pace with massive loads and continuous hauling cycles.

By applying Kryton International’s (Kryton) established admixture technology to this new frontier, mining engineers are discovering a critical tool for building high-durability haul roadways, crusher pads and approaches, tipper loading docks, and supporting infrastructure – that can double the service-life and reduce maintenance costs.

Hard-Cem is poised for a significant role in the mining industry, which requires resurfacing every three to five years and has one of the costliest downtimes: around USD$400,000 an hour, according to Mining Ops Studies, Heavy Industry Benchmarks.

Exact return on investment (ROI) projections for mining operations can be tabulated with Kryton’s new ROI Calculator, which assesses value based on project types, location, and size.

Hard-Cem transforms the concrete matrix itself, drastically increasing wear resistance without requiring frequent, disruptive surface maintenance.

It also reduces the dust created by abrasion to these surfaces. In a landscape where downtime is the ultimate cost, the novel application of this rugged technology ensures mining lifelines can withstand the brutal abrasion of tomorrow’s heavy-haul operations.

www.kryton.com

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The future of mining isn’t just about what comes out of the ground – it’s about what happens next.

Extraction without processing sovereignty is half a supply chain, and North America has learnt that lesson the hard way. We’re currently operating at a 40-year disadvantage in critical mineral processing, and that gap doesn’t close with good intentions – it closes with better technology.

That’s where I see the most transformative shift happening: in separation and purification. Solvent extraction has been the only commercial pathway to refine rare earth elements, but it’s been a Chinese-optimised process for decades.

At Ucore Rare Metals Inc., we’ve Westernised that technology through RapidSX – increasing throughput efficiency in ways that make domestic processing economically viable for the first time.

Combined with advances in AI-driven process optimisation, modular plant design, and tighter integration between mine operators and downstream manufacturers, we’re approaching an inflection point. The mining industry is no longer just a raw materials business – it’s becoming a critical technology sector.

For anyone who’s spent 35 years building specialised supply chains for global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), the parallel is clear: the winners will be those who control the full value chain, not just the ore body. ucore.com

THE QUESTION MINING TECH

ALEX FRANKLIN Managing Director, First Principles Consulting With many predicting the next commodity super-cycle has only just started, the next generation of mining technology is already emerging, attracting interest, talent, and funding.

However, the technology that will truly shape our industry’s future isn’t the most advanced tool on the market – it’s the one that actually gets adopted on the front line.

This is because mining has a notoriously poor track record with innovation. Ernst & Young found that 74 percent of mining executives view integrating new technology as a key challenge, compared to just 37 percent across all other sectors.

Too often, technology is simply bolted onto a broken process and expected to fix it. But technology is a force multiplier; when you add complexity to a fractured system, you scale the chaos rather than the solution.

The ultimate competitive advantage won’t be a specific technology, but how well sites can adopt it (their adaptive capacity). The future belongs to the tech companies that understand this, working with clients to architect the ecosystem required to pull technology into daily habits, recognising that any tool is only as powerful as the culture utilising it. www.firstprinciplesconsulting.com

LESLIE MILLER Principal Client Solutions Architect, OLI Systems The mining industry is finally closing its digital gap, and one technology is enabling this transformation.

Mechanistic models (thermodynamic models) allow engineers to predict how complex chemistry behaves in leach liquors, brines, and high-ionic strength systems before infrastructure is built.

These models are critical to the advancement of rare earth element and battery mineral processing and production. The US Department of Energy recognised this directly, funding thermodynamic modelling tools through its Critical Materials Innovation Hub to accelerate domestic production.

Oil and gas has relied on these same tools for decades; mining is now following that path.

That foundation is what makes the next step possible.

As predictive chemistry becomes standard practice in feasibility and design, mining will be positioned to ride the broader industrial digitalisation wave.

Hybrid models that combine a mechanistic thermodynamic layer with machine learning (ML) can move operations beyond costly reactive control, without waiting years to accumulate training data.

The thermodynamic model provides the scientific baseline required. Strong proofs of concept already exist and, with geopolitical capital now behind critical minerals and AI, expect rapid advancement.

olisystems.com

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THE QUESTION MINING TECH

SHELLEY COPSEY CEO and co-Founder, FYLD Mining’s future will be shaped less by automation tools and more by technologies that create real-time operational intelligence.

At FYLD, we’re already seeing this play out in mining environments. We’re thinking too small if we’re thinking about technology as “automating workflows”; instead, technology should create a digital understanding of work itself. This means connecting what is planned, observed, and actually happening in the field.

Once that’s established, technology must be able to predict risk in all forms – not just safety incidents, but delays, rework, downtime, compliance failures, and productivity gaps.

The opportunity lies in identifying the conditions that lead to failure before they escalate. In pit mine deployments, predictive AI has already helped reduce serious worksite incidents and injuries by up to 48 percent.

Next, mining organisations need systems that can adapt in the moment. Conditions on sites change constantly, yet many technologies still follow an old software-as-a-service (SaaS) model: collect data, analyse it later, then decide what to do. Platforms that help shape decisions live on-site, particularly in high-risk environments, will prevail.

Finally, the most valuable technologies expand beyond siloed internal systems and learn from cross-industry data.

Transformation comes from technologies trained on millions of field interactions across industries. fyld.ai

MICHAEL MCGOUGH Account Director, Totalmobile Mining has never been a static industry; it has always adapted to new ground conditions, regulatory pressures, and shifting economic demands. What’s different now is the pace of change and the technologies driving it.

Across the sector, AI, predictive analytics, and automation are shifting operations from reactive to proactive. Equipment failures can be anticipated before they occur, schedules optimised in real time, and downtime that once seemed inevitable is becoming preventable.

32 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

The impact is already visible in both productivity and safety outcomes.

With remote, asset-heavy, and logistically complex operations, the pressure to adopt technology effectively is high. Mobile workforce technology is now central to that evolution, connecting people, systems, and field data in real time, regardless of location.

At Totalmobile, we are seeing inspections, compliance reporting, and maintenance workflows move from clipboards and spreadsheets to connected platforms that deliver operational intelligence instantly.

The organisations investing in connected, data-driven operations today will define what the next generation of mining looks like.

www.totalmobile.com

THE QUESTION MINING TECH

PEKKA UUSITALO Global Business Line Manager for IEC Low Voltage Motors, ABB Across a single mine, hundreds of certified hazardous area motors run continuously – powering pumps, fans, and ventilation systems through some of the harshest conditions in any industry.

The energy demand is enormous, and the pressure to cut both costs and emissions is only growing. Yet, for Zone 1 and Zone 2 applications, achieving the highest efficiency levels available within certified hazardous area motors has remained out of reach – until now.

ABB is the world’s first manufacturer to offer an IE6 Hyper-Efficiency motor certified to ATEX and IECEx requirements. Built on magnet-free synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) technology, the IE6 SynRM Increased Safety motor delivers up to 60 percent lower energy losses than the IE3 induction motors that remain the default across most hazardous area installations.

Replacing a single 110-kilowatt (kW) IE3 unit generates over €87,000 in energy savings across a 20-year service life, with a payback period of just eight months. That same rotor design means the motor runs up to 30 degrees Celsius (°C) cooler, directly reducing the bearing failures which account for around 70 percent of unplanned outages.

This is hazardous area motor technology designed to ‘Engineered to Outrun’ the limitations mining operators have faced for too long. www.abb.com/global/en

LUKE SMITH Programme Director – Mobile Equipment, MMD Group As electrification and autonomy mature, the mining industry will begin to fundamentally rethink how material is moved.

For over 100 years, haulage has largely relied on the same principle: large trucks operating in fixed cycles between loading and tipping points. Whilst trucks themselves have evolved, the underlying system architecture has remained largely unchanged.

The challenge is that conventional haulage introduces significant inefficiencies through idle time, queueing, payload variability, and stop-start operation, all of which become increasingly important as mines push to reduce cost, energy consumption, and emissions.

The next generation of mining systems will focus less on maximising the performance of an individual truck and more on optimising the entire material movement process.

Electrification, autonomy, and real-time system orchestration will enable smaller, coordinated autonomous fleets operating as part of an integrated material handling system rather than isolated machines.

The result is the potential for significantly lower energy consumption, improved productivity, reduced operating cost, and safer, more consistent operations across the mine. www.mmdsizers.com

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 33

THE QUESTION MINING TECH

MOHAMMAD DOOSTMOHAMMADI CEO and Founder, pH7 Technologies The emerging technology that will shape the future of mining is the electrification of mineral processing and hydrometallurgical flowsheets.

The industry is moving towards replacing traditional consumables such as water, heat, fossil fuels, and large volumes of chemical reagents with electricity-driven extraction and processing technologies powered by renewable energy.

Electrified processing creates a major shift in how metals are produced. Instead of relying on complex chemical-intensive systems, future operations will increasingly use electrochemical and electrically driven separation technologies that can operate with lower reagent consumption, reduced water usage, and higher process efficiency.

When integrated with on-site renewable power generation, mines can become more selfsufficient, reducing exposure to energy price volatility, logistics challenges, and geopolitical supply chain risks.

This transition also enables a new level of automation and digitalisation. Electrified flowsheets are inherently more controllable and data-driven, creating ideal conditions for AI, advanced process control, and autonomous optimisation systems that improve recoveries and lower operating costs.

Most importantly, electrification allows the mining industry to unlock greater value from low-grade ores, tailings, and waste materials whilst significantly reducing environmental impact.

This will redefine mineral processing and position electrified hydrometallurgy as one of the most important mining technologies of the future. ph7technologies.com

34 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

THE QUESTION MINING TECH

RYOJI MORII Founder and Representative Director, Insynergy Inc. The future of mining will be shaped not only by automation itself, but how organisations govern autonomous operational decisions.

Technologies such as AI-assisted predictive maintenance, industrial digital twins, autonomous haulage systems, and remote operations are already transforming mining environments. What is emerging now is a shift from “machines supporting workers” to “systems making operational recommendations and acting semi-autonomously”.

The challenge is no longer purely technical – it is organisational.

As industrial AI becomes embedded into operational workflows, mining companies will need clearer structures defining where autonomous systems are allowed to act, where escalation is required, and who ultimately carries accountability for operational decisions.

In many industries, the failure point is not model accuracy alone, but the absence of designed judgment boundaries between AI systems and human operators.

I believe the mining sector will increasingly adopt what I call “Decision Design” – the deliberate design of operational judgment, escalation authority, and accountability structures around AI-enabled systems.

The companies that succeed will not simply automate operations faster. They will design clearer responsibility structures for autonomous industrial environments. insynergy.io

ALEX DUKHOVNY Executive Vice President, IntraTEM It’s a technology that isn’t quite new, but a big trend we are seeing in the mining industry, amongst others, is the shift to private 5G networks. They are seemingly becoming somewhat of a necessity.

Private 5G is functioning as the connective mesh for fully integrated intelligent operations. This includes autonomous haulage vehicles, remote-controlled drill rigs, and more.

An Ericsson report I got ahold of perfectly quantified the impact – “Whilst many private cellular networks are 4G LTE with 5G-ready capabilities, private 5G-ready cellular networks will play a critical role in enabling smart mining by introducing high-speed connectivity, low latency, and strong performance in high-devicedensity environments. They will reduce round-trip latency by 95 percent, providing the high uplink speed required for smart mine use cases.” - Ericsson, December 2020 study.

From a technology expense standpoint, our enterprise clients in oil and gas are already managing increasingly complex network infrastructures.

Mining is heading in the same direction, and fast. The companies that get their connectivity foundation right now will have a real operational and financial advantage.

IntraTEM.com

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 35

EVENT FOCUS

International Mining and Resources Conference + Expo Tuesday 27th – Thursday 29th October, ICC Sydney, Australia

Global challenges, local opportunities: IMARC 2026 puts strategy into action as global mining leaders commit to Australia’s biggest mining conference

G

eopolitical instability, the race to secure critical minerals supply chains, rising demand for key resources, and the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the global mining industry – and putting a new premium on turning ambition into action.

That challenge will be at the heart of the International Mining and Resources Conference + Expo (IMARC) when the global resources sector converges on Sydney from 27th to 29th October 2026.

Under the theme “From Strategy to Execution: Delivering Responsible, Resilient, and Viable Resources”, IMARC 2026 will focus on the practical challenge confronting governments, miners, and investors: how to move projects forward, secure capital, improve productivity, and build resilient supply chains amid regulatory hurdles, volatile markets, and cost pressures.

“The conversation has shifted,” says IMARC Chief Operating Officer, Anita Richards.

“Identifying opportunities is just the start – the focus now is on how to execute projects.”

INFLUENTIAL SPEAKERS, COUNTRY DELEGATIONS Some of the world’s most influential resources and investment figures will join the 2026 programme, including US mining investor, Rick Rule; the Center for Strategic and 36 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

International Studies Critical Minerals Security Programme Director, Gracelin Baskaran; Securing America’s Future Energy Executive Director, Abigail Hunter; and former Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Board Chair nominee, Maria van der Hoeven.

They will be joined by senior international and Australian leaders spanning mining, government, finance, investment, technology, and the mining equipment, technology, and services (METS) sector – a breadth of participation that has become one of IMARC’s major drawcards for delegates from around the world.

About IMARC IMARC is Australia’s largest mining and resources event, bringing together global leaders, operators, investors, governments, suppliers, and innovators across the mining value chain.

IMARC 2026 will be held at ICC Sydney from 27th to 29th October 2026. For further information, please contact connect@imarcglobal.com.

That global reach will be particularly evident in 2026, with the European Union (EU) expected to have a significant presence through major delegations, including from Germany, France, Italy and Finland, reflecting growing engagement with Australia on resources and critical minerals.

Leaders from the European Commission and the European Investment Bank will participate, alongside France’s critical minerals envoy, Benjamin Gallezot, whilst Europe-Australia cooperation will feature prominently in the opening plenary.

The US is also expected to send a large delegation, with critical minerals security set to remain a prominent theme across the event.

AN ANCHOR FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT WITH AUSTRALIA IMARC’s growing international significance now extends well beyond the three-day conference.

Mining companies, investors, and industry organisations often plan broader Australian business activity around IMARC, establishing the event as an anchor for international resources engagement in the region.

The event is also increasingly used by governments and organisations as a platform to amplify major announcements.

“IMARC has become a global convening point for the resources sector and an important gateway for international

engagement with Australia,” Richards states.

“IMARC is where relationships are built, investment conversations progress, partnerships take shape and, increasingly, where organisations choose to share significant news.

“Australia has a growing role in bringing together the governments, capital, resources, expertise, and technology needed to respond to some of the biggest challenges facing the global industry, and IMARC is becoming a focal point for that engagement.”

BUILDING ON RECORD GLOBAL PARTICIPATION More than 500 speakers and 500 exhibitors are expected at the event at ICC Sydney, building on last year’s IMARC, which attracted more than 11,000 registered attendees from over 120 countries.

Eligible personnel from major and mid-tier mining companies and mining contractors will again receive complimentary access, supporting participation by mine site teams, corporate leaders, and procurement decisionmakers.

See the 2026 IMARC programme here.

For more information and to register for IMARC 2026, visit the IMARC website.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 37

FINNISH MINING S P OT L I G H T Finland offers rich, underexplored mineral potential and an advanced R&D, education, and innovation ecosystem that makes the Nordic country one of the world’s most attractive mining jurisdictions and investment targets Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Joseph Perfitt

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MINING FINLAND INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

F

inland is located on the Fennoscandian Shield, which yields important industrial minerals and metals such as iron, nickel, copper, and platinum group metals, not to mention gold.

Given its strong similarities to the Canadian Shield and cratons of Southern Africa and Western Australia, the Fennoscandian Shield hosts world-class deposits of critical and strategic raw materials.

However, the area is considered underexplored compared to its international counterparts. The Central Lapland Greenstone Belt in Northern Finland, for example, is unexplored and believed to have significant potential for gold deposits.

Alongside its mineral potential, Finland hosts leading education and R&D facilities, which are strongly supported by the government to develop green and sustainable mining technologies.

Finland is an excellent hub for mining technology and has systematically developed its mining cluster, which today includes more than 10 mining-related universities and research organisations and 200+ mining technology and service providers.

Consequently, the country is considered one of the world’s most attractive mining jurisdictions, not only due to its geology and availability of geological data but also its well-developed and innovative mining ecosystem.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 39

INTERVIEW: MINING FINLAND Recently appointed as CEO of Mining Finland in November 2025, Aleksi Salo outlines how he will continue the association’s excellent work in promoting the export of domestic mining expertise and building networks Mining Outlook (MO): Firstly, could you introduce us to Mining Finland and your purpose?

Aleksi Salo, CEO (AS): Mining Finland is an association for Finnish mining and exploration-related technology, service, education, and research providers.

We define ourselves as a cluster, which means we work together. The main aim is to increase business – specifically export business – for Finnish technologies and services.

On top of that, we facilitate networking with companies here in Finland but also internationally. We promote Invest in Finland activities in the minerals sector, specifically for junior explorers and miners, and responsible, sustainable mining in general.

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MO: What is your current take on the mining industry in Finland?

AS: Ongoing mining projects – mines that will be opened in the next five to 10 years – are progressing rather smoothly.

This is a result of effective mineral strategies, regulation, and geological data policies that were implemented in the early 2000s and 2010s.

Unfortunately, the recently introduced mineral tax in Finland has cast a shadow on some of the larger operating mines, but we hope to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

MO: You recently became CEO in November 2025. How have you found the role so far and why does it excite you?

AS: In this role, I believe I can have a positive impact on the growth of business and the Finnish mining sector as a whole.

It’s an exciting opportunity to have an actual impact in the sector, specifically promoting sustainable and responsible mining technologies, water management

MINING FINLAND INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

“ W E D E F I N E O U R S E LV E S A S A CLUSTER, WHICH MEANS WE WORK TO G E T H E R . T H E M A I N A I M I S TO I N C R E A S E B U S I N E S S – S P E C I F I C A L LY EXPORT BUSINESS – FOR FINNISH TECHNOLOGIES AND SERVICES” – ALEKSI SALO, CEO, MINING FINLAND

technologies, mineral processing, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in international mining, having a positive impact on their export growth.

I bring expertise to the role gained from my geological and mining background, as well as my international project background at the Geological Survey of Finland.

MO: How will you continue the association’s excellent work in promoting the export of domestic mining expertise and building networks?

AS: It’s good to stand on the shoulders of the three previous CEOs who worked here, and I’d like to express my most sincere gratitude to them.

During the last two or three years, the network has grown quite a bit to over 100 members – 130, to be exact.

When I started, one of the main priorities was to set certain goals and try to find key geographical market areas for our activities. With the size of our cluster, managing the expectations of members and global counterparts is also a key priority.

MO: How does Mining Finland help Finnish companies expand into developing markets?

AS: Our key activities include attending conferences and fairs. Specifically, this is a very appealing opportunity for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that might not

be able to cover the costs of their own booth, for example, and are maybe not so familiar with the market.

Our Mining Finland brand helps potential clients and stakeholders to recognise these companies are from Finland and connect with renowned Finnish processing and mining brands.

In addition, I personally create contacts and networks with the embassies of countries here in Finland. With the help of the Team Finland network and Business Finland, we work together to organise delegations and create webinars from ourselves to the target country and vice versa, explaining their business potential to our entrepreneurs and companies.

There are a lot of ways you can approach this, and it changes market by market.

MO: Can you also tell us about the association’s focus on the expansion of critical minerals production linked to technology production?

AS: We have members that are research and education institutions, and a lot of the SMEs are start-ups, which means there is still room for testing, piloting, and proving the concept of their business.

We help companies and research organisations to find each other, but also willing business partners globally wanting to help pilot the solutions our companies have.

There is quite a sufficient amount of research funding

available both domestically and within the EU, but purely business-orientated research is also welcomed in collaboration with our members.

MO: How do you see the mining industry in Finland developing by the end of the decade?

AS: There are some mining projects in the pipeline which I hope will be in production by then; gold and platinum mines would be the most realistic to open by 2030.

Some expansion projects are in the pipeline as well, which I hope to see positive decisions on. The challenge is the regulatory environment, which might hinder or at least slow them down; court appeal processes in particular take time.

I would also like to see the mining industry be able to communicate its significance to the economy and subsequent value chains more clearly. It would give the general public more clarity about the benefits of the investments pouring in and expansion projects being realised.

“ I T ’ S G O O D T O S TA N D O N T H E SHOULDERS OF THE THREE PREVIOUS CEOS WHO WORKED H E R E , A N D I ’ D L I K E TO E X P R E SS M Y M O S T S I N C E R E G R AT I T U D E TO T H E M ” – ALEKSI SALO, CEO, MINING FINLAND

Finland is a small country. We want more of our ecosystem actors to be part of this and more companies thinking of expanding into developing markets globally to join us and start doing expert promotion together with others in our network.

I would also like to see our activities on the Invest in Finland side of things start to realise themselves in a way that enables more funding for our junior explorers and miners in the coming four years.

MO: Lastly, what are Mining Finland’s key priorities in order to continue promoting the export of technology, services, and education from the Finnish mining cluster to international markets?

AS: We are executing our strategy, which focuses on export promotion and creating permanent connections and collaborative models with our international network.

Of course, we want to grow, but there is a limit since 42 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Tel: +35840 7293613 aleksi.salo@miningfinland.com miningfinland.com

MINING FINLAND INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

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Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 43

Discover our exclusive content, delivered straight to your inbox As mining organisations worldwide confront unprecedented change, embracing technological innovations and incorporating critical environmental sustainability agendas, now more than ever is the time to showcase the strides being taken in this dynamic sector.

A multi-channel brand, Mining Outlook brings you the positive developments driven by organisations across the global mining industry through its various platforms.

Discover exclusive content distributed through its website, online magazine, social media campaigns and digital dispatches, delivered straight to your inbox with a bi-weekly newsletter.

Through these compelling media channels, Mining Outlook continues to foreground the movers and shakers of the industry.

To participate as a featured company and join us in this exciting endeavour, contact one of our Project Managers today.

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46 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

M RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

Essential to Steelmaking M Resources delivers a suite of essential steelmaking raw materials, infrastructure, and mining and logistics services to steelmakers across the globe. Matt Latimore, Founder and President, details the company’s future-facing approach to investment and market growth Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

T

rends in the Australian resources sector reflect the larger economic and technological changes taking place across the world.

The international energy sector is seeing the most significant shift, where the large-scale transition to electrification is well underway, whilst the extensive adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is driving demand for

compute and energy on a global scale not seen before.

M Resources is a key player in this environment that continues to expand its strong metallurgical coal supply business, whilst extending into futurefacing raw materials to meet these challenges.

“Over the years, we have worked to build a vision for a company tapping

into global imperatives, looking to anticipate future patterns of supply and demand,” opens Matt Latimore, Founder and President.

M Resources is consistently looking to the horizon to anticipate changes in global economics, geopolitics, and technological developments, proactively working to meet these evolving needs.

M RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

Case in point, the company has created a 30-to-50-year strategy focused on important global imperatives including metallurgical coal supply, green steel readiness, and investment in critical minerals.

Through this strategy, M Resources is building a diversified, asset-backed portfolio aligned with global steel and energy trends.

“To be visionary, we need to have a very high awareness of the environment. We need to understand the most significant influences, whilst anticipating how we expect change to occur. We continue to develop our plans based on our strategic intent,” Latimore sets out.

M Resources has adopted a strategic vision since its inception.

Established in 2011, the first five years of the company’s journey were spent procuring coal from big suppliers and selling it to steelmakers across the world. In 2016, M Resources added

its first adjacency by investing in metallurgical coal companies whilst gaining additional marketing rights.

“When we started, we were doing around 1.8 million tonnes (t) of coal exports. Today, that business has grown to export over 25 million t per annum (Mtpa). We’ve been able to expand our presence in the steelmaking sector,” outlines Latimore.

DRIVING GLOBAL STEELMAKING M Resources proudly ranks amongst the top three metallurgical coal movers in the world.

Leveraging the extensive network

of its parent company, M Resources maintains a global presence with representatives from the US, UK, Switzerland, Singapore, China, India, Germany, and South America, alongside its headquarters in Australia.

“We’ve built a strong metallurgical coal supply business, exporting more than 25 Mtpa of coal, placing us amongst the top three coal exporters globally,” Latimore highlights.

Additionally, M Resources has achieved over AUD$3.5 billion in assets under management, with a revenue of over AUD$2 billion.

The company has strong confidence in the ongoing demand

“We’ve built a strong metallurgical coal supply business, exporting more than 25 Mtpa of coal, placing us amongst the top three coal exporters globally” – MATT LATIMORE, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, M RESOURCES

M RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

How do your services in steelmaking contribute to local socioeconomic development? for steelmaking coal and continues to look for opportunities to evolve its core business.

Australian coal and iron ore have been critical to the global steelmaking complex for decades.

As the world continues to develop and demand for steel increases, these commodities will continue to play a prominent role in supporting construction, infrastructure, and electrification across expanded energy grids, serving everything from wind turbines and solar panels to electric vehicles (EVs).

“In our view, trying to shift too quickly to green steel would result in a slower, more expensive, and disorderly energy transition, which would hit the developing world the hardest,” Latimore posits.

“Production of steel at scale is only possible using metallurgical coal for the time being. Given it is an essential ingredient for the energy transition, continuing to produce steel in the quantities required by the global economy is central to an orderly and

Matt Latimore, Founder and President: “By delivering the raw materials for steelmaking to our clients, M Resources contributes to socioeconomic development.

“Building with steel means more, better, and longer-lasting infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and homes. Steel also helps create resilient communities and enhances quality of life worldwide.

“Moreover, as economic development continues in India, Southeast Asia, and Africa, there will be continued demand for steel to support new buildings and infrastructure across new suburbs and cities. We are proud of the role we play in supplying the materials which make life safer and increase standards of living.”

just transition and lowering global emissions.”

For example, the Chinese government has decided to reduce its overall steel production capacity.

It is also targeting for 30 percent of domestic steel production to come from low-emission electric arc furnace (EAF) technology by 2035.

At the same time, however, India’s government has a steel production target of 300 Mtpa by 2030 – an

increase on current production levels of around 50 percent. By 2047, the country intends to increase its annual steel production capacity to 500 Mtpa. This will be predominantly achieved using metallurgical coal.

With new steel production from India using metallurgical coal and feeding a world with an increasing appetite for steel, traditional steelmaking methods will remain critical over the next 30 years.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 49

M RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

“Blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) steelmaking using metallurgical coal will increase as the scale of production escalates. This method is going to be around for a long time, with strong demand in India and Southeast Asia, and we’re wellpositioned to supply that,” Latimore informs.

Abreast with industry developments, M Resources is also assessing opportunities for steelmaking with EAF technology.

“EAF is a method of steelmaking that’s going to become more popular as time goes by. For example, steel products being imported into the European Union (EU) are subjected

to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, causing higher embedded carbon emissions to have an impact on price,” he tells us.

“Where these or similar rules apply, low-emission steel may have an advantage, and we are staying in touch with all of these developments.”

CRITICAL MINERAL DIVERSIFICATION Going forwards, M Resources is diversifying across the energy value chain into critical minerals through M Critical Minerals (MCM). Part of the M Group portfolio, it is committed to remaining at the forefront of critical minerals exploration.

MCM has developed an enviable set of resources, with substantial assets in vanadium, graphite, copper, and rare earth metals – minerals integral to the foundation of a sustainable future and a range of high-tech applications, including in the medical and defence sectors.

It is growing a strong presence in the sector through the exploration and development of high-quality critical minerals and rare earths resources. This aligns with the increase in both electrification and renewable energy requirements, which are generating greater demand for more durable battery storage.

“To be visionary, we need to have a very high awareness of the environment. We need to understand the most significant influences, whilst anticipating how we expect change to occur. We continue to develop our plans based on our strategic intent” – M AT T L AT I M O R E , F O U N D E R A N D P R E S I D E N T, M R E S O U R C E S

50 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

M RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

“Graphite is the dominant anode material used in modern lithium batteries, so we expect demand to grow strongly in the coming years.

For example, EVs require 50 to 100 kilograms of graphite, whilst EV sales are projected to grow more than 30 percent annually,” Latimore explains.

Meanwhile, vanadium flow batteries (VFBs) are predicted by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to become commercially suitable in 2030, growing modestly to capture a wider market for storage applications in large renewables projects.

“If VFBs achieve widespread commercialisation earlier than expected, then utility-scale storage technology could shift more quickly. An early commercialisation scenario for these could result in 2.5 times more demand for vanadium compared to the base case in 2030 and 50 percent more demand in 2040,” Latimore says.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 51

Copper is another strong driver of modern technology and the clean energy transition as it can be recycled indefinitely without degrading in quality, making it a leader in material choices.

Furthermore, copper is in high demand for electrical applications including power grids, renewable energy, and EVs. In fact, EVs require four times more copper than traditional vehicles, whilst solar and wind power also call for substantial levels of copper.

“Vanadium, graphite, and copper present strong avenues for growth as the energy market evolves, particularly in the US and Europe, where these minerals are of strategic significance,” adds Latimore.

rare earth metals through the launch of M Battery Materials (MBM), which is planned for an Australian initial public offering (IPO) and listing on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) later this year.

“A new focused entity sitting within the broader M Group, MBM includes world-class assets, such as three highgrade graphite deposits in Northwest Queensland (QLD), including Mount Dromedary and Burke, which have amongst the highest-grade total graphitic carbon in Australia,” Latimore notes.

This is just one example of the ways in which M Resources is building and enabling future-leaning investments in critical minerals.

POWERING THE ENERGY OF TOMORROW

At its strategic retreat at the end of 2025, Latimore and the M Resources executive team agreed to double revenue, or to have the settings in place to achieve this, by the end of 2026.

M Resources is building an alternative supply chain to provide new options for the supply of critical minerals and

52 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

STRONG OUTLOOK

M RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

M Resources’ steelmaking infrastructure GM3 – Jointly owned with Golden Energy and Resources (GEAR), GM3 has emerged as an important and growing Australian metallurgical coal mining entity. M Resources has operating rights of its Dendrobium Mine, Appin Mine, and Port Kembla Coal Terminal.

Mastermyne – The company holds a majority shareholding in Mastermyne, one of Australia’s largest underground mining services companies that completes work for GM3, Anglo American, Whitehaven Coal, Peabody Energy, and more. The business has a strong commitment to safety, efficiency, and maintaining strong partnerships across the nation’s coal sector.

OneRail – Offers complex raw material haulage services for domestic end-users in the Hunter Valley Coal Chain, facilitating coal transportation from numerous mine sites to the Port of Newcastle. M Resources has a 50 percent shareholding in the subsidiary. With an approximate valuation of USD$1.26 billion, it moves 65 million t of metallurgical coal between QLD and New South Wales.

MCM – A subsidiary of the M Group, MCM has substantial assets in vanadium, graphite, copper, and rare earth metals. The subsidiary supports renewable energy and nextgeneration industrial technologies.

Stanmore Resources – M Resources is a large shareholder and holds exclusive marketing rights.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 53

M RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

M RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

“The vision for M Resources is to expand our investments in infrastructure, mining services, and different commodities with a multi-generational, long-term view, meeting the growing needs of new commodities in the future” – MATT LATIMORE, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, M RESOURCES

In mid-2026, the company had already achieved an AUD$2 billion run rate, signalling this important goal was well within reach.

To achieve its revenue target, M Resources has a clear set of priorities.

The company is working to expand its core business by growing its coal tonnage into new areas.

“We believe in a strong outlook for metallurgical coal, particularly in India and Southeast Asia, and we are looking into large-scale expansions in those markets,” Latimore reveals.

M Resources is also increasing its footprint and exposure to the steelmaking complex by exploring opportunities in natural adjacencies to metallurgical coal, such as highquality iron ore and steel scrap – two elements that align with the global direction of the steelmaking economy.

The company is additionally in the process of acquiring additional mining and port operations across various locations in Australia and South America. Moreover, M Resources is seeking to increase its investment

in low-emission steelmaking as it continues to be associated with world-class steel production.

This points to the company’s mission to make future-leaning investments in critical minerals, mining, and sustainable infrastructure through a clear future strategy that spans half a century.

“The vision for M Resources is to expand our investments in infrastructure, mining services, and different commodities with a multi-generational, long-term view, meeting the growing needs of new commodities in the future,” Latimore concludes.

Tel: +617 3188 5221 info@mresources.com.au

mresources.com.au

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 55

HUNTING FOR COAL POTENTIAL Hunter Valley Operations’ vision embodies economic, environmental, and community commitment as it plays a leading role in the Australian coal mining industry. General Manager, David Foster, explains how the company leverages its rich heritage and strategic joint venture expertise to drive innovation and sustainability Writer: Rachel Carr | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

56 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS ASIA PACIFIC

C

oal is an essential and versatile resource that supports daily lives by providing a vital energy source and serving as a material for steel production, cement manufacturing, and chemical processes.

For instance, both thermal coal, which serves as the backbone of energy generation, providing the fuel for electricity production, and semisoft metallurgical coal, a fundamental building block for construction and infrastructure development, play integral roles in sustaining modern society.

Moreover, these resources are essential for various industrial processes, further underscoring their importance.

Amongst the world’s premier coal miners is Hunter Valley Operations (HVO), situated in the picturesque Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

The region is famous for its abundant geological deposits, and its history, heritage, and suburbs have been closely connected to coal mining for generations.

HVO contributes significantly to the Hunter Valley’s energy security and economic stability as a major exporter of high-quality coal, mainly to Asian markets.

Spanning across two vast open-cut coal mines, recognised as one of the largest coal mining operations in NSW, the company’s impressive HVO North and HVO South pits are geographically divided by the meandering course of the Hunter River.

The mines are conveniently located near the historic towns of Singleton and Muswellbrook – lively communities where agriculture and mining drive local employment and leave a positive legacy.

HVO is a joint venture (JV) between two industry giants – Glencore and Yancoal – which acquired the company from Mitsubishi Development and Coal & Allied Industries, a Rio Tinto subsidiary, in 2017.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 57

HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS ASIA PACIFIC

Glencore is one of the world’s largest natural resource companies, responsibly supplying fundamental commodities. It has operated in Australia for nearly 30 years and is today the country’s largest producer of coal, cobalt, nickel, lead, and zinc.

Yancoal, meanwhile, is a specialised coal producer focused on maximising the value of Australian resources with a significant customer presence in the Asia Pacific region.

In this JV, Yancoal holds a majority share of 51 percent, with Glencore holding a 49 percent stake. Together, they harness their strengths to produce top-tier coal that fuels industry in various countries that are important trade partners for Australia.

“It’s an exciting time for HVO at the moment; there’s been a lot of recent developments with the JV. Our mining roots are in the Hunter Valley region, and our story began over 70 years ago, providing us with an extensive history,” opens David Foster, General Manager.

Over the years, HVO has evolved from several smaller, distinct operations that merged over time to form the large open-cut mine we see today.

“The last significant merger occurred around 2000 when three major operations – the Lemington open-cut, both Hunter Valley operations, and the Howick Mine – were combined into what we now refer to as HVO,” continues Foster.

“Since that time, there’s been a significant amount of change to the mine. We’re now purely an excavator/ shovel and truck operation. We did have two draglines operating, but the last of those was parked back in 2023, which we are currently dismantling.”

SUCCESSFULLY LEVERAGING EXPERTISE As an independently operated JV, HVO enjoys several distinct advantages, particularly in terms of governance and operational flexibility.

58 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“WE HAVE QUITE A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WHO LIVE CLOSE TO THE OPERATION. NOISE, DUST, AND AIR QUALITY ARE THEREFORE IMPORTANT TO BOTH OF US, SO WE DO A LOT OF WORK TO MINIMISE THAT IMPACT” – D A V I D F O S T E R , G E N E R A L M A N A G E R , H U N T E R VA L L E Y O P E R A T I O N S

The site has a dedicated board of directors that oversees it, enabling strategic decisions tailored to the mine’s unique needs.

For Foster, the primary focus is on maintaining the nimbleness and agility typically associated with smaller companies, as evidenced by his ability to manage such a large and complex operation.

This streamlined approach is further enhanced by a compact management committee, allowing HVO to make timely decisions without the delays that can often impede larger organisations.

As such, this structure fosters a responsive and adaptive operational environment, essential for meeting the dynamic demands of the market.

Moreover, HVO is commercially supported by two large mining companies, whose combined experience and expertise contribute to its success.

“Within the JV arrangements, the marketing of our product is specifically split into two jurisdictions, with Yancoal responsible for the marketing of coal in China as well as Taiwan, and Glencore specialising in the rest of our key markets in Asia,

HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS ASIA PACIFIC

BUILDING COMMUNITY TRUST HVO is currently seeking NSW and Australian government approval to continue operating until 2045.

This would enable it to continue providing over 1,500 direct jobs and supporting 750 businesses, many of which are located in the Hunter Valley.

The HVO Continuation Project has achieved an impressive 91 percent approval rating from the local community.

Foster’s first job in the mining industry was at HVO, where he

began as Mine Operations Engineer before moving into the Production Superintendent role. After leaving in 2010 to join Glencore, he eventually returned to HVO as General Manager three years ago.

“I’ve grown up in Singleton and lived in the community my whole life, so I’m heavily invested in the region.

Through that time, HVO has had a very good reputation here, largely due to the size of the operation and the benefit it brings to so many local people,” he highlights.

including Japan and Korea,” Foster clarifies.

There are several benefits associated with a strategic JV. For example, gaining access to resources and expertise can be crucial for development, particularly when entering new markets.

By leveraging connections, companies can navigate the complexities of unfamiliar markets more effectively.

Additionally, JVs can enhance a company’s competitive advantage, help mitigate risks, increase financial gains, and yield economies of scale by combining capabilities, thereby reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

The HVO JV between Glencore and Yancoal exemplifies these benefits, showcasing how a strategic alliance can revitalise operations and spur growth.

With these enhancements, HVO aims to embody safety, sustainability, and reliability to meet future energy demands.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 59

MODERN MINING AT ITS FINEST DELIVERING COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS THAT MINIMISE DOWNTIME, IMPROVE ASSET RELIABILITY, AND ENHANCE OPERATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY, POWER & MINING SERVICES IS AN INDUSTRY LEADER, PAVING THE WAY FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH AND CAPABILITY

Briefly introduce us to Power & Mining Services, e.g., a brief overview of your main products and services, locations, client base, number of employees, etc.

Power & Mining Services is a specialist maintenance and repair provider supporting the mining and heavy industrial sectors. With two purpose-built workshops and a highly trained team of over 80 staff, we deliver comprehensive solutions that minimise downtime, improve asset reliability, and enhance operational productivity.

We service a diverse client base, providing fullservice maintenance and engineered product solutions tailored to the demands of mining and heavy industry. Our capabilities include large-scale equipment repairs, structural fabrication, and the

supply of high-quality components designed to improve asset performance and site efficiency.

Supported by advanced workshop facilities and a mine-spec field service fleet, we deliver rapid response, planned maintenance, and complex overhauls both on-site and off-site. Our focus is on delivering safe, reliable, and efficient outcomes that keep critical operations running.

What, for you, differentiates Power & Mining Services from the competition?

What differentiates Power & Mining Services from the competition is our ability to deliver practical, high-quality fabrication and maintenance solutions with a strong focus on reliability, responsiveness, and long-term client relationships.

We combine hands-on industry experience with a well-equipped boilermaker and fabrication workshop, allowing us to deliver projects efficiently while maintaining strict quality and safety standards. Our team understands the operational pressures within the mining, power, and heavy industrial sectors, and we pride ourselves on being flexible and solutions-focused when responding to client requirements.

A key point of difference is the way we manage and communicate our work. We operate under structured schedules and project tracking systems, ensuring clients have visibility over progress, delivery timeframes, and costs throughout each stage of a project. We also place strong emphasis on workmanship and accountability. Whether delivering shutdown support, structural fabrication, maintenance works, or custom projects, we aim to provide dependable service, consistent quality, and outcomes that minimise downtime for our clients.

Ultimately, our reputation is built on being easy to work with, delivering what we commit to, and maintaining the capability to support projects from initial scope through to completion.

Could you elaborate on your partnership with Hunter Valley Operations? How long have you worked together, and what is the nature of your interaction with Hunter Valley Operations?

Hunter Valley Operations has been a valued client of Power & Mining Services, and the relationship has been built on consistent delivery, reliability, and the ability to respond to operational requirements efficiently. We provided fabrication, maintenance, and project support services across a range of operational and plant requirements.

Our interaction with Hunter Valley Operations has involved both workshop-based fabrication and site support works, depending on project demands and shutdown schedules.

The relationship has developed through our ability to deliver quality workmanship, maintain strong safety standards, and provide responsive service in time-critical environments. We understand the operational expectations of large mining operations and work closely with site managers, planners, and supervisors to ensure work is completed safely, efficiently, and in line with project schedules.

Our ongoing engagement with Hunter Valley Operations reflects the confidence they have in our team’s capability, communication, and commitment to delivering practical outcomes that support their operations.

How do the two companies mutually benefit each other, and what complementary strengths do you bring?

The relationship between Power & Mining Services and Hunter Valley Operations is built on a mutually beneficial partnership focused on operational reliability, responsiveness, and long-term performance outcomes.

From our side, we provide skilled fabrication, maintenance, and shutdown support services backed by practical industry experience, a capable workshop facility, and a flexible workforce that can respond to changing operational requirements. Our strength lies in delivering quality workmanship, fast turnaround times, and dependable support that assists in minimising downtime and maintaining production continuity.

Projects aside, are there any key investments or other things you’re working on that you’d like to pay special mention to?

Power & Mining Services continues to invest in the long-term growth and capability of the business to better support our clients across the mining, power, and heavy industrial sectors. A major focus for us has been strengthening our workshop capability through ongoing investment in equipment, tooling, and fabrication capacity.

These investments allow us to improve efficiency, maintain high workmanship standards, and respond more effectively to time-critical client requirements.

We have also continued to invest in our people by building a skilled and reliable workforce with strong industry experience in fabrication, boilermaking, maintenance, and shutdown support. Developing our team and maintaining a strong safety culture remains a priority, particularly given the demanding environments in which we operate.

Another important area of focus has been improving our internal systems, project scheduling, and job tracking processes. By operating under structured scheduling and project management systems, we can provide clients with improved visibility, communication, and delivery certainty across all stages of a project.

We are also focused on building long-term partnerships with key clients and expanding our presence within the mining and industrial sectors.

These ongoing relationships are important to us because they support sustainable growth whilst allowing us to continue delivering reliable, highquality outcomes for the industries we work in.

Looking ahead, what are Power & Mining Services’ priorities for the coming year? Are you aiming to hit any specific targets, reach any goals, expand, or diversify at all?

Looking ahead, Power & Mining Services is focused on strengthening its core capability while growing in a controlled and sustainable way within the mining and heavy industrial sectors. Overall, the direction for the business is steady growth: strengthening what we already do well, improving efficiency and capability, and selectively expanding where it aligns with our core strengths in fabrication, maintenance, and site support.

powerandmining.com.au

HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS ASIA PACIFIC

As an economic anchor in a relatively small community, the company’s data and analysis indicate there are significantly more indirect jobs attributed to HVO than just the 1,551 directly employed at the mine.

This is a major driver of the Hunter Valley mining community, particularly since 95 percent of its employees live locally.

“We’re not like some of the operations in Queensland, which have

fly-in, fly-out workers that don’t really contribute to the local area. Wages directly go into the local community and businesses,” Foster distinguishes.

Additionally, according to its most recent analysis, HVO has contributed AUD$6.9 billion to the economy over the last four years. This includes its spend of AUD$3.8 billion on goods and services from 750 suppliers, with nearly half of those located locally.

“There are probably not too many

“In 2010, I transitioned from HVO to Glencore as Mine Manager at Liddell Open Cut (Liddell), then promoted to Operations Manager at Liddell in 2012. In 2020, I transitioned to Bulga Open Cut as Operations Manager. Three years ago, I was asked to take on the role of General Manager at HVO.

single companies, certainly within the Hunter Valley, that contribute so much to the economy. There is a good reason why we’ve got a high level of support for our extension project,” he emphasises.

On top of that, HVO has a strong track record of compliance with its obligations to the community and the environment, minimising any negative impact on both.

“We have quite a number of residents who live close to the operation. Noise, dust, and air quality are therefore important to both of us, so we do a lot of work to minimise that impact,” assures Foster.

“In recent years, we have made significant efforts to further establish effective processes and improve our mining practices. Meanwhile, at the core of all this are our people; it is crucial to have dedicated individuals who genuinely care about the company they work for.”

Continuous improvement is crucial, especially in a large organisation like HVO, however this can be quite challenging and requires significant effort.

“I have always been very passionate about fostering a positive culture in every workplace I’ve been part of, so this challenge has been particularly important to me over the past few years.”

Foster acknowledges that the key to a healthy workplace culture and achieving positive outcomes is strong on-site leadership.

“We need leaders who openly engage with and genuinely care for their team, but also hold them to account when required. Over the last three years, we’ve invested heavily in a leadership programme to really drive that,” he urges.

“When I left HVO 20 years ago, it was already one of the largest sites in the Hunter Valley. It was definitely a dream of mine to return one day and do the job I have now.”

REVOLUTIONISING THE INDUSTRY

COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY SO FAR AND WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN THE MINING SECTOR? David Foster, General Manager: “I moved to Singleton at seven years old. Growing up in a fairly small country town dominated by the mining industry, it was cool to know all the dozer and excavator models by the time you were 14 or 15 years old in high school.

“My father worked in the coal industry, as did my grandad and my maternal grandad. As a fourth-generation miner, it was just a natural fit.

“I studied civil engineering at Newcastle University, which is just an hour’s drive from my hometown. After completing my studies, I began working as a civil consultant in Singleton.

“My work primarily involved consulting for the mining industry, focusing on dam/road construction and water management. The majority of our clients were in the mining sector.

“One of our best clients, who worked for HVO, rang me up one day and said, “I’m leaving for Brisbane, do you want my job?!” – that’s how I started in the industry and at the company.

“I quickly progressed to the role of Production Superintendent and obtained my Mine Manager’s Certificate of Competency.

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Innovation plays a crucial role in modern mining, and HVO is at the forefront, leveraging cutting-edge

ONE STOP APPROACH TO ELECTRICAL SERVICE REQUIREMENTS Quasar Electrical is a locally owned business based in the Hunter and we are proud to work alongside operations such as Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) and the broader mining industry across New South Wales.

Mining plays a significant role in the Hunter region, supporting not only those working on-site but also the many businesses operating behind the scenes.

For companies like ours, it provides consistent work, opportunities for growth and the ability to employ and develop local people.

We employ a team of more than 70 personnel across electrical, engineering and communications services. A large proportion of our workforce supports mining and heavy industry through maintenance, project delivery and specialised services.

This work directly supports our people. Our electricians, engineers, and apprentices are local to the region, and the stability of the mining sector enables us to offer longterm employment and career development. It also allows us to invest in apprenticeships and continue building local capability, which we see as vital to the future of the industry.

Our capability has developed in response to the needs of industries like mining. We provide electrical and engineering support across maintenance, construction and compliance, operating in high-risk environments where safety, reliability, and practical outcomes are critical every day.

Beyond our workforce, the impact extends further.

Our involvement in mining enables us to support local sporting clubs, charities, and community initiatives, helping us stay connected to the communities we serve.

This is something we are extremely proud of.

For businesses like ours, the ongoing strength of the mining industry is essential. It supports not only the mines themselves, but also a wide network of local businesses, workers, and their families who rely on it.

Our ability to employ people, develop our team, and invest locally is closely linked to the stability of the sector.

We value the relationships we have built within the mining industry and see ourselves as part of a broader team. Our role is to deliver safe, reliable electrical and engineering services whilst contributing to the communities in which we live and work.

Quasar Electrical is proud to be part of the Hunter and the industries that sustain it.

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HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS ASIA PACIFIC

technologies and practices to enhance efficiency and safety.

“All of our mining fleets have technology on them these days. We monitor the location, speed, and just about every aspect of the vehicles in real time,” Foster states.

To support all HVO’s key environmental obligations, particularly regarding noise and dust, the company has a real-time monitoring network managed by its dispatch team.

“We also have a fatigue management system called Guardvant, a camera that monitors operator eye closure events. In terms of safety, fatigue is obviously one of the biggest risks in open-cut coal mining, particularly for our truck operators,” he informs.

“Since we’ve had that system in place, it has really been a gamechanger for fatigue management in our industry.”

In the next two years, HVO will install collision avoidance technology similar to that found in most modern vehicles.

HVO – IN NUMBERS The company’s annual contribution significantly impacts the local economy, generating employment and revenue, as illustrated by the 2025 figures below:

“I’VE GROWN UP IN SINGLETON AND LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY MY WHOLE LIFE, SO I’M HEAVILY INVESTED IN THE REGION. THROUGH THAT TIME, HVO HAS HAD A VERY GOOD REPUTATION HERE, LARGELY DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE OPERATION AND THE BENEFIT IT BRINGS TO SO MANY LOCAL PEOPLE” – D A V I D F O S T E R , G E N E R A L M A N A G E R , H U N T E R VA L L E Y O P E R A T I O N S

• AUD$1.76 BILLION total direct

economic contribution • AUD$1.1 BILLION spend on

goods and services • AUD$238 MILLION paid in

wages and salaries • AUD$302 MILLION paid in

taxes and royalties • 1,551 direct jobs • 793 suppliers

66 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

This cutting-edge technology will enhance safety and efficiency by alerting light and heavy vehicle operators of pending collisions, significantly improving the overall driving experience.

“Recently, we’ve really started to investigate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to improve efficiency, particularly around truck spotting at diggers and with our excavators mining coal. Our

goal is to ensure we obtain highquality coal whilst minimising the inclusion of the surrounding waste material,” Foster outlines.

POWERING PROGRESS An important initiative for HVO is the Unearthing Leadership Program, which aims to enhance leadership skills and qualities for effective team management and operational success.

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HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS ASIA PACIFIC

This programme has played a crucial role in improving performance and laying the groundwork for ongoing success by training leaders to become more efficient, responsible, and sustainable. It also encourages participants to think critically, engage deeply, and show care – values that are central to HVO. In addition, the company is undertaking a second crucial mining efficiency project, Dig In, launched last year.

“Dig In has significantly improved our mining practices; this is especially true for the interactions between our excavator-and-shovel fleet and our trucks. The initiative has been a major contributor to our success over the past 12 months,” acclaims Foster.

STRENGTHENING INDUSTRY TIES HVO uses a range of strategies to build strong relationships across its supply chain, drawing on its extensive supplier network.

With a long history in the mining industry, the company has created a foundation of trust and collaboration with a central focus on preserving and enhancing these relationships, particularly with major manufacturers and suppliers of heavy mining equipment, as well as smaller enterprises that rely on HVO for their own growth and sustainability.

Although the company itself is a major mining player, it recognises the importance of supporting all aspects of the industry.

This commitment ensures every participant, from multinational corporations to local businesses, can thrive together, paving the way for collective growth and success.

68 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“Aside from that, our efforts at the moment are focused on obtaining approval for the HVO Continuation Project. We’re just about to embark on a key stage in the approval process with the project‘s referral to the NSW Independent Planning Commission for determination.”

HVO is seeking to extend the life of its North operation until 2045 and its South operation until 2042. This plan has been developed and improved through significant consultation with government agencies, local residents, and community groups over several years.

There will be no increase to currently approved annual production rates and, importantly, the project is consistent with the NSW government’s policy position on coal, the state’s emissions reduction targets, and the Commonwealth government’s Safeguard Mechanism.

Two unexpected benefits to the area are a proposed road realignment and a new bridge over the Hunter River to replace a floodprone crossing, providing road users with a safer, faster passage during wet weather.

Continuing mining at the existing site offers numerous benefits to the local community. It provides both ongoing and temporary jobs, supports local businesses and charities, improves water management infrastructure, and generates royalties and taxes that can be used to build schools, roads, and hospitals.

In the last four years, HVO has paid more than AUD$1.7 billion in taxes and royalties to the Australian and NSW governments.

Furthermore, the final land rehabilitation can be enhanced using the latest design principles to achieve a more natural outcome.

Coal has been mined on-site for more than 70 years, and high-quality coal remains in demand by other countries – the vast majority of whom have signed the Paris Agreement on climate change – to meet short to medium-term energy needs.

PAVING THE PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability has become an increasingly pressing issue within various sectors, with mining in particular facing intense scrutiny.

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As the demand for natural resources around the world continues to rise, mining companies need to balance resource extraction with environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

HVO is integrating sustainable practices into its operations, aiming to reduce emissions whilst minimising ecological impact and promoting economic growth.

SCALING UP THE HVO WAY Since the JV’s inception, HVO has tirelessly worked to increase production.

“In line with our existing approval, we are on a staged phase to reach a target of 21 million ROM t by 2028.

To achieve this goal, we plan to move approximately 120-130 million bank cubic metres of waste per annum.

“This will enable us to produce between 15 and 16 million t of product coal each year. Overall, it’s a significant operation,” acknowledges Foster.

As a purely excavator/shovel and truck operation, most of HVO’s waste is mined with two P&H 4100 electric rope shovels and two Liebherr R 9800 excavators.

HVO also has a fleet of seven Hitachi EX5600 excavators that mine waste, with much of its coal and partings mined by a smaller fleet of Hitachi EX3600 excavators and LeTourneau L1850 wheel loaders.

This impressive collection sits alongside a large fleet of 96 Komatsu electric-drive trucks and a full range of ancillary equipment.

70 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“IN TERMS OF MINIMISING THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT, YOU COULD NOT GET A BETTER PLAN FOR THE SIZE OF OUR OPEN-CUT MINE. WITH MOST OF OUR MINING AREAS FOR THE NEXT 19 YEARS GOING BACK THROUGH PREVIOUSLY DISTURBED AREAS, WE’RE MINIMISING THE IMPACT TO ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES” – D A V I D F O S T E R , G E N E R A L M A N A G E R , H U N T E R VA L L E Y O P E R A T I O N S

“Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been a major consideration of ours through the project approval process. We support the global transition to net zero, but we also believe there needs to be a sustainable and pragmatic path to achieve it.

“That’s particularly important for areas like the Hunter Valley, which rely heavily on the mining industry for jobs and economic growth,” Foster points out.

As HVO is seeking mine extension approval through to 2045, the company strongly believes there will be a robust coal market for its product until then.

“We’ve also put a lot of effort

into making sure our proposal – the extension to 2045 – meets the NSW government’s requirements to get to net zero by 2050. We recently made a significant change to the HVO Continuation Project and restricted mining to 2045 instead of the original plan of 2050.

“This change means we will reduce the proposed mining footprint by 220 million tonnes (t) of run-of-mine (ROM) coal and reduce total Scope 1 emissions by 43 percent,” he adds.

As part of its commitment, HVO is continuously exploring innovative solutions that could potentially enhance the company’s capabilities in reducing emissions.

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With a purpose-built component and machine rebuild facility opened in Rutherford in 2025, and an established overhaul facility in Singleton, MTec offers comprehensive off-site and on-site capabilities. Our team specialises in opencut mining equipment rebuilds, with more than 140 machines overhauled in Mtec’s off-site overhaul facilities in the past decade, including Caterpillar and Komatsu dozers, haul trucks, graders, loaders, excavators, and shovels, and more than 80 on-site field asset planned maintenance shutdowns on rotary blast hole drill rigs and 400-1,000-tonne hydraulic excavators, loaders, and shovels.

Mtec provides comprehensive component overhaul services, including hydraulics, driveline components, brake systems, cylinders, final drives, tanks, valves, access systems, ladders, blades, and cabs. All overhauls are completed using genuine OEM parts and are backed by a 12-month warranty on parts and labour, giving clients confidence in performance and longevity. Component lead times are minimised through workshop efficiencies and key vendor relationships, with flexibility for urgent works when required. Doorto-door delivery and collection services further minimise downtime.

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HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS ASIA PACIFIC

A HELPING HAND FROM HVO In addition to its well-known mining history, HVO is appreciated in the Hunter Valley community for its charitable contributions.

The company is currently funding a new playground for Jerrys Plains Public School and provides an ongoing annual assistance package, demonstrating its commitment to education.

Last year alone, HVO awarded AUD$52,000 in its latest round of community grants through its programme, which supports various initiatives that yield meaningful outcomes across the region.

Since 2018, HVO has invested over AUD$760,000 in more than 130 community initiatives. Additionally, its Truck Tray charity partners have collectively received AUD$40,000.

The community grants programme has enabled notfor-profit organisations to implement projects spanning sports development and youth engagement to cultural well-being and community support initiatives.

HVO provides ongoing support for a wide array of projects in the region, including revitalising the Singleton Community Garden and delivering trolleys filled with groceries during the annual Christmas Giving initiative, bringing joy to local families during the festive season.

For its notable charitable efforts, HVO was recognised with the Commitment to Community award at the 2024 Novaskill Excellence Awards.

72 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“Firstly, we have committed to conducting a three-yearly formal review of available mining technologies, particularly low-emissions technologies for mining fleets. However, they are still quite new, and there is currently significant speculation about their economic viability. The three-yearly review will ensure that we stay abreast of the latest technology as it evolves,” says Foster.

This initiative is important given the company is currently facing significant challenges in obtaining approval for its HVO Continuation Project, which is crucial for its mining operations beyond 2026.

“The approval process with the NSW government began back in 2019, but due to the lengthy planning requirements for large coal mines, progress has been slow.

“During this time, HVO has had to adapt to evolving legislation and increasing political pressure regarding GHG emissions,” Foster reveals.

As a result, the project has undergone several revisions, including the notable change nearly two years ago when HVO shortened its original timeline, seeking approval for 2045 rather than 2050.

This amendment included avoiding mining in particular areas known

to contain high concentrations of methane, aligning more closely with the NSW government’s goals for achieving net zero by 2050.

HVO believes the revised project offers very substantial economic benefits to the community whilst also emphasising sustainability.

The company remains committed to minimising environmental impacts and reducing emissions, making this a strong, sustainable project for the future.

A NATURAL BALANCE As HVO plans to extend mining operations until 2045, it is important to consider the potential impacts on local communities and the environment.

The company operates responsibly and sustainably, always striving to meet stringent environmental conditions.

To secure its HVO Continuation Project, the company wants to highlight its importance as an economic anchor, particularly in the Hunter Valley.

Another large supplier of coal is the Mount Arthur Coal Mine. However, this BHP-operated facility has recently announced it will close in 2030, which is only four years away.

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HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS ASIA PACIFIC

“GHG EMISSIONS HAVE BEEN A MAJOR CONSIDERATION OF OURS THROUGH THE PROJECT APPROVAL PROCESS. WE SUPPORT THE GLOBAL TRANSITION TO NET ZERO, BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A SUSTAINABLE AND PRAGMATIC PATH TO ACHIEVE IT” – D A V I D F O S T E R , G E N E R A L M A N A G E R , H U N T E R VA L L E Y O P E R A T I O N S

“If we don’t get our approval through, it will be such a huge hit to the local economy. So, straight away, the economic benefits of our project are quite obvious, particularly for the local community,” attests Foster.

“In terms of minimising the impact on the environment, you could not get a better plan for the size of our opencut mine. With most of our mining areas for the next 19 years going back through previously disturbed areas, we’re minimising the impact to ecological communities.”

HVO now has a newer, larger, and more technologically advanced mining fleet, enabling it to mine much deeper and more economically than before.

Indeed, the company is mining back into areas that were previously mined out and is now mining the seams much deeper.

74 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

HVO consistently rehabilitates and maintains areas following the completion of mining activities through aerial seeding.

It uses a native woodland seed mix of locally sourced plant species to create habitats for local wildlife and implements a pasture and light woodland mix that is suitable for grazing in areas designated for agriculture.

CULTIVATING A CULTURE Through targeted programmes and initiatives, HVO supports the workforce and helps team members grow and develop.

Foster is a strong advocate of the DuPont Bradley Curve, a measure of site culture that was highlighted by the Unearthing Leadership Program.

“It was originally developed

by DuPont back in the 1990s as a

measure of safety culture, but safety culture is just an overall measure of culture,” he insights.

The DuPont Bradley Curve is a model used in safety management to illustrate the relationship between safety performance and safety culture within an organisation.

The curve represents four stages of safety culture maturity, which influence the level of safety incidents in a workplace.

“There are four stages of the DuPont Bradley Curve. It’s all about moving towards what we call interdependence: personally motivated individuals who work really well as a team,” Foster sets out.

“Still, they can work independently without needing to be overly supervised, but when they do, they’re comfortable engaging with their supervisor and leadership team and challenging each other to be better every day.”

The stages within the DuPont Bradley Curve are: • Reactive – Where safety is regarded as a hindrance to production. Compliance with safety regulations is minimal, and incidents are often ignored or underreported. Employees do not engage in safety practices, focusing primarily on production.

• Dependent – Where organisations respond to incidents after they occur. Whilst safety procedures may be in place, they are often seen as compliance requirements rather than an integral part of workplace culture. Employees may participate in safety processes, but often do so out of obligation rather than commitment.

• Independent – Where organisations have established systematic safety processes and standards. There is an acknowledgement of the importance of safety, and efforts are made to analyse incidents and implement improvements.

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Employees begin to feel more valued regarding safety and may actively engage in discussions about safety practices.

• Interdependent – Where safety is deeply embedded in the organisation’s culture, there is a strong focus on continuous improvement, and it is considered a shared responsibility amongst all employees. Workers are committed to safety, and there is a culture of open communication about potential hazards and risks.

The DuPont Bradley Curve emphasises that as an organisation advances through these stages, a decline in safety incidents should be observed, reflecting the positive impact of a strong safety culture.

The model encourages an assessment of the current safety culture and identifies strategies for improvement.

However, to Foster, the holy grail of culture is a fully interdependent workforce.

“We’re on the journey; we’re certainly not fully there yet, but the Unearthing Leadership Program really encourages our leaders to engage openly and honestly with their teams.

Having the balance of being able to hold them to account when they need to is key to driving that culture towards interdependence,” he opines.

“We began nearly three years ago and originally used a consultant with a number of coaches on site to do the lion’s share of bringing our leadership team along.”

The Unearthing Leadership Program is now being run in-house by HVO’s own leaders, teaching its next round of leaders and their teams to continually improve.

HONOURING HEROES HVO has implemented measures to define a workplace ‘win’ and acknowledge these successes across the company through various methods.

76 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“If we can create a highly engaged and committed workforce, most employees will genuinely love the company they work for,” Foster impassions.

“Therefore, a win for them is a win for the business and for everyone. That’s why the success we had in 2025, meeting all our key performance indicators (KPIs), generated so much gratitude and excitement.”

HVO takes pride in celebrating achievements within its workforce.

Recently, the company distributed a

selection of high-quality belts, each imprinted with the HVO logo and its core values.

These handcrafted leather accessories are recognised for their timeless Australian style and exceptional quality.

“In 2025, we achieved excellent results, which was fantastic! I attended Anzac Day, a significant event in Singleton, and noticed many of our employees proudly wearing their HVO belts. It was truly a special moment; experiences like that remind me why I love my job!” he reflects.

HVO HISTORY • 1949 – Mining in the area around West Pit commenced, and the New South

Wales Mining Company constructed the Newdell Coal Preparation Plant.

• 1971 – Activities began in HVO South at Lemington Mine, then owned by

ExxonMobil. Whilst the Underground Buchanan Lemington Mine No. 1 opened the next year.

• 1977 – Underground Buchanan Lemington Mine No.2 opens to develop

reserves.

• 1979 – Hunter Valley No.1, part of the current HVO North, begins mining under

Coal & Allied Industries.

• 1986 – HVO’s West Pit (named Howick at the time) supplies coal to Bayswater

and Liddell power stations. Hunter Valley No.2 Mine opens Cheshunt and Riverview pits (currently HVO South).

• 1998 – Merger of operators in West Pit forms HVO. • 2004 – North Pit integrates into West Pit extension and receives minor

modifications to consent.

• 2009 – Multiple infrastructure projects begin to upgrade facilities and

operations to wash, process, and transport coal.

• 2017/18 – The JV purchases HVO.

HUNTER VALLEY OPERATIONS ASIA PACIFIC

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Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 77

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, observed annually on 25th April.

This day commemorates the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served and lost their lives in various military operations, particularly during World War I, beginning with the Gallipoli campaign in 1915.

Anzac Day honours not only those who died but also all veterans who have served in conflicts involving Australia and New Zealand.

Ceremonies are held across both countries, including dawn services, parades, and the laying of wreaths at memorials.

It is a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by soldiers and recognise the values of courage and sacrifice associated with their service.

VISION FOR THE FUTURE After achieving impressive results in 78 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“WE NEED LEADERS WHO OPENLY ENGAGE WITH AND GENERALLY CARE FOR THEIR TEAM, BUT ALSO HOLD THEM TO ACCOUNT WHEN REQUIRED. OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE’VE INVESTED HEAVILY IN A LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME TO REALLY DRIVE THAT” – D A V I D F O S T E R , G E N E R A L M A N A G E R , H U N T E R VA L L E Y O P E R A T I O N S

2025, HVO’s year was marked with notable milestones that define its future.

“2025 was a marvellous year for the company and a real accumulation of our efforts over a number of years. It was the first time since the JV’s inception that the site had met every one of its important budgetary targets,” Foster states.

“Our goal is to establish ourselves as a mine with a strong reputation for providing a reliable supply of our product, which is crucial for both

our JV owners. Naturally, we aim to generate steady profits and ensure we are a dependable supplier to our customers.”

The main action that HVO has taken during this timeframe is revising its mine plan.

“We’ve now got a mine plan that is achievable and gives us foresight for the longer term,” observes Foster.

“As we pursue our application process to extend or continue mining, it’s essential to have a long-term vision for the mine plan. This vision should

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align with our medium-term strategy and guide our short-term execution.”

The project plans must integrate seamlessly, which is why HVO has been diligently refining them over the past few years.

A major component of this effort has been the JV’s substantial investment in a new, modern, and reliable mining fleet, including trucks and excavators, as well as upgrades to the entire ancillary fleet over the last five years.

Crucially, this investment aligns with the core objectives of the Unearthing Leadership Program, which focuses on building an engaged and committed workforce essential for success.

“Our biggest achievement is the work we’ve done regarding leadership, and we certainly receive a lot of feedback from the workforce and the local community now that HVO is becoming an employer of choice in the local area,” Foster expands.

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Whilst the company’s primary goal is to secure approval for the HVO Continuation Project, the subsequent step is to ensure the efforts made over the past three to four years have culminated in a successful and sustainable business.

“We’re nearly halfway through the year and quite a way ahead on our budget. For us, it is important to continue the effort of strengthening our culture and finding areas for improvement. Strong leadership is key to driving this”.

“HVO is such a large site that it can be challenging to get everyone to collaborate and move in the same direction. Last year, we successfully achieved that goal, and we have continued to build and capitalise on that momentum,” Foster earnestly concludes.

The company stands as a testament to the power of community, collaboration, and innovation in the mining industry.

HVO has not only adapted to the evolving demands of coal production but also prioritised the well-being and development of its workforce.

With a strong foundation built on a rich history and strategic partnerships, it continues to set benchmarks for sustainable growth whilst maintaining a remarkable connection with the local community.

As it navigates the complexities of modern mining, HVO’s unwavering commitment to its people and the environment positions it for a thriving future in the heart of the Hunter Valley.

Tel: 1800 888 733

www.hvo.com.au Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 79

PEOPLE-POWERED PERFORMANCE FUELLING PROGRESS

ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

Unearthing coal potential in Australia, Argo Natural Resources champions sustainable mining practices. Richard Livingstone-Blevins, CEO, delves into how the employee-centric company has an innovative and dynamic approach to its assets and operations Writer: Rachel Carr | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

T

he coal mining industry is a cornerstone of Australia’s economy and energy landscape, providing essential resources that support both development and sustainability.

In recognition of the vast potential for expansion and innovation in this sector, Argo Holdings Queensland was established at the end of last year to strategically capitalise on emerging market opportunities.

To realise its ambitious vision, the company acquired a 70 percent stake in Fitzroy Australia Resources (Fitzroy) and recently rebranded it as Argo Natural Resources (Argo).

“We believe in coal and wanted to build a platform,” ardently introduces Richard Livingstone-Blevins, CEO of Argo.

The rebrand reflects a commitment to a focused, future-oriented approach in the mining industry, signifying a shift towards modern and responsible practices, which led to the formation of the company as it is today.

It also acquired Bowen Coking Coal following its administration, positioning the company as a mid-tier coal player.

This pivotal milestone allows Argo to actively engage in Queensland’s steelmaking coal mining industry, leveraging a rich portfolio of highquality deposits that promise superior products.

The company benefits from access to exceptional transport infrastructure, ensuring efficient logistics and service delivery, with Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal providing efficient and reliable access to consumers, further enhancing its ability to supply high-quality steelmaking coal.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 81

ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

This coal not only supports the construction of modern cities but also plays a vital role in sustaining livelihoods and contributing to a robust and thriving society.

“Our decision was driven by a strong belief in the long-term potential of coal, particularly in the metallurgical sector, but also recognising the ongoing need for thermal coal. Our conviction is rooted in the understanding that emerging markets are approaching a stage where they aspire to develop like advanced economies that have relied on coal for decades,” LivingstoneBlevins outlines.

“Despite the global push towards decarbonisation, there is currently no viable alternative technology to

replace coal in crucial applications, such as blast furnaces for steel production.”

This reliance on coal is essential not only for industrial growth and infrastructure development, but also to meet society’s energy needs, particularly in regions where energy resources remain limited.

PIONEERING A NEW ERA The current trajectory of technology necessitates the use of both types of coal.

“Despite the common narrative in mainstream media, particularly in Australia, that maintains coal should be viewed as a dirty commodity, companies like ours pride themselves

on being good corporate citizens that mine sustainably in accordance with strict environmental regulations.

“We are dedicated to providing the world with coal in the cleanest and most sustainable manner possible,” emphasises Livingstone-Blevins.

Currently, Argo uniquely holds a 60-kilometre (km) strike length of consolidated tenements in the heart of the Bowen Basin, the world’s premier coking coal basin.

This provides the company with a significant continuous land and tenement portfolio, which includes four operational coal mines: Carborough Downs, Broadlea, Ironbark No.1 and, soon, the Burton Mine Complex.

The operation of these mines is strategically supported by an extensive network of interconnected haul roads and shared infrastructure that service Argo’s mine sites.

“We have two independent coal processing hubs and train loadouts, allowing us the ability to mine, process, and transport our coal very efficiently, with risk amelioration which is second-to-none.

“Additionally, we have a substantial package of development opportunities to enhance our market presence,” Livingstone-Blevins imparts.

Argo’s ambition is to become a globally relevant supplier of highquality coal products. By the end of 2028 to early 2029, it aims to export

“AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, WE AIM TO DEMONSTRATE THAT COAL MINING CAN BE CONDUCTED SUSTAINABLY AND CLEANLY, ENSURING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE NARRATIVE OF REDUCED EMISSIONS IN OUR SECTOR” – RICHARD LIVINGSTONE-BLEVINS, CEO, ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES

over 10 million tonnes (t) of coal, leveraging both its existing operations and the growth potential within a 60-km strike length of tenements.

“With strategic plans in place, we

see the possibility of increasing our output to 15 million t over the next five to six years, whilst maintaining the highest-quality coal in the market,” he assures.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 83

The Partner Behind Performance

The ABM Group partners with Australia’s leading mining companies to deliver operational capability through skilled teams, specialised equipment and practical contracting solutions.

I

n an era where corporate marketing often outpaces real-world performance, Queensland’s mining sector continues to value something far more important—delivery.

Companies are judged not by the promises they make, but by the projects they complete, the safety standards they uphold, and the confidence they inspire in their clients. The ABM Group appears intent on building its reputation around exactly those principles.

Headquartered in Emerald in Central Queensland, ABM has established itself as a diversified mining services contractor, supporting operations across Queensland and New South Wales. Rather than offering isolated services, ABM has built an integrated contracting model encompassing underground mining services, civil contracting, ground stabilisation, shotcrete and injection works, asset management, equipment maintenance, fabrication and workforce solutions. This breadth reflects an understanding of modern

mining: today’s projects demand partners capable of solving complex operational challenges across development, production support, construction and ongoing operations.

As mines become deeper, infrastructure more complex, and labour markets increasingly competitive, contractors are expected to contribute more than manpower alone. They must bring technical capability, operational

discipline, and an unwavering commitment to safety. These are the attributes ABM consistently highlights as central to its business philosophy.

One notable aspect of the company’s strategy is its emphasis on vertical integration. Through its contracting divisions, specialist equipment fleet and integrated asset management operations, ABM seeks to reduce reliance on external suppliers while maintaining greater control over quality, scheduling, and project execution. In industries where downtime can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per day, that level of operational control can represent a significant competitive advantage.

The company’s project portfolio—including projects such as Moolarben Operations, Ironbark No.1, Coronado Mammoth Underground, Kestrel Coal and Centurion— illustrates its involvement across multiple stages of Australia’s mining sector. Whilst each project presents unique technical and logistical challenges, they collectively demonstrate an organisation seeking long-term partnerships rather than one-off contracts.

Perhaps more importantly, ABM reflects a broader trend occurring across Australia’s resources industry. Mining contractors are no longer viewed simply as labour providers.

Increasingly, they are expected to deliver integrated operational capability through skilled personnel, specialised equipment, technical expertise and disciplined project execution.

Companies capable of integrating these services under one organisational structure are becoming increasingly valuable as mine operators seek efficiency without compromising safety or compliance.

Like every business operating within the mining sector, ABM faces an environment defined by labour shortages, rising operating costs, tightening environmental expectations and rapid technological change. Success in this landscape will depend on continual investment in skilled people, modern equipment and operational innovation. Those challenges are substantial, but so too are the opportunities for companies prepared to evolve alongside the industry they serve.

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Ultimately, reputation in mining cannot be manufactured through advertising alone. It is earned underground, on construction sites, through successful project delivery, strong safety performance and enduring client relationships. Judging by its stated focus on quality, reliability and integrated capability, ABM is positioning itself to compete on precisely those measures.

For Queensland’s mining industry, where performance remains the ultimate currency, that may prove to be the strongest foundation of all.

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EMPOWERING PROGRESS Central to Argo’s success is its dedicated team, which underpins all of the company’s aforementioned efforts.

“The essence of our organisation lies in our people. Whilst we have proven our ability to execute transactions, our success will be measured by our safe execution at our operations, and it is ultimately our people that will drive our future success,” prides Livingstone-Blevins.

With four operations running at full capacity, Argo expects over 1,200 people, including employees and contractors, to support its daily operations.

“Recognising the importance of investing in our team, we’ve already initiated several people development programmes. Partnering with Talisman Edge, we are implementing leadership training initiatives throughout the organisation, engaging everyone from the boardroom to front-line workers.

86 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“Our goal is to empower individuals to understand themselves, their colleagues, and how their teams operate, enabling them to become the best versions of themselves at work,” Livingstone-Blevins states.

Interwoven with Argo’s development initiatives, it is rolling

out several health programmes over the subsequent months focused on mental and physical well-being, including exercise, diet, mental health, and resilience.

Rather than mandating participation, it will provide access to resources and support for everyone,

ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

including psychological and dietary assistance, to foster overall health.

“We’ve already started some high-performance programmes with our leadership teams, bringing in coaches from professional sports, which emphasises our commitment to maximising the potential of our people.

“By prioritising their development and well-being, we believe we can create a thriving work environment that drives our success,” LivingstoneBlevins enthuses.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Driven by a passion for creating value in the mineral resources sector, particularly as many major players exit the coal space, Argo’s focus is on providing long-term, quality employment opportunities.

The decision to acquire assets in the coal sector stemmed from Livingstone-Blevins and his partners’

previous experience with Fitzroy as part of its founding team in late 2016.

“When the opportunity arose to invest due to the major shareholder’s exit, we felt confident in our knowledge of the business, assets, and people, making the acquisition of Fitzroy a straightforward choice,” recalls Livingstone-Blevins.

Focusing on that opportunity first and foremost, the unexpected administration of Bowen Coking Coal then accelerated plans to acquire a second company, which they had always viewed as a complementary asset to Fitzroy due to its geographic proximity and shared infrastructure.

This strategic merger not only enhances operational synergies but also opens opportunities for further development and access to valuable coal reserves.

“Together, Fitzroy and Bowen Coking Coal hold around 4 billion t

of resources along a 60-km strike length, positioning us to deliver clean, high-quality coal to the market,” Livingstone-Blevins points out.

Moreover, he underscores the importance of suppliers, who play a crucial role in Argo’s success.

“A significant portion of the procurement is focused locally, particularly in the Bowen Basin and Mackay regions, thereby strengthening community ties and fostering economic support in those areas.

“We prioritise long-term partnerships over transactional relationships with suppliers, believing that mutual success is achievable through collaboration with our suppliers, the local councils, and government,” he affirms.

This commitment to fostering lasting, win-win opportunities with suppliers and partners is essential to the company’s future growth.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 87

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WEBSITE https://qube.com.au/operations/bulk/ SOCIAL MEDIA A logo of a camera AI-generated content may be incorrect.

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CONTACT Sam Leszczynski General Manager – Mining Services P: +61477 986 947 E: sam.leszczynski@qube.com.au

ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

REDEFINING COAL MINING A key part of Argo’s strategy is developing sustainable technologies, with a focus on benefitting the communities where it operates.

The growing emphasis on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles has driven innovation in the industry, particularly in areas like coal mine waste gas management.

“We are exceptionally proud of our efforts at the Ironbark No.1 mine, where we are upgrading our gas-fired power plant. Fitzroy led the way by partnering with Carbon Logica, which has been instrumental in providing part of the mine’s energy needs by constructing a five-megawatt (MW) coal seam gas power plant.

“We’ve just entered into an agreement to expand this capacity to 20 MW, so it will be one of the largest in the industry, generating sufficient power to cover all of Ironbark’s requirements from drainage gas that would have been flared in the past with no beneficial use.

90 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

SUPPLYING GLOBAL STEEL Argo produces high-quality coking coals from the Rangal Coal Measures, which are Late Permian coal-bearing strata located in the Bowen Basin. These strata form a key unit for coal and coal seam gas resources.

The products are widely accepted internationally and in high demand for steel manufacturing processes. Argo takes great pride in its commitment to quality assurance and reliability.

Currently, product coal is transported via the Goonyella rail line to the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal in Mackay, where it is then exported to various regions including Asia, Europe, and South America.

“With our gas from our drainage programme being supplied to Carbon Logica’s power plant, we are seeing not only environmental benefits but also improved commercial outcomes through our long-term power supply agreement with Carbon Logica,” notes Livingstone-Blevins.

This expansion not only fuels Argo’s operational power needs but also showcases a unique approach in the coal mining industry.

“Our project benefits from support through the Queensland Treasury’s Low Emissions Investment Partnerships (LEIP) programme, which encourages the promotion of low-emission technologies,” he highlights.

“As we look to the future, we aim to demonstrate that coal mining can be conducted sustainably and cleanly, ensuring a positive impact on the community and contributing to the narrative of reduced emissions in our sector.”

Decarbonising coal mining: Turning methane challenges into energy solutions As global industry accelerates its decarbonisation efforts, the Australian coal sector faces a distinctive challenge: managing emissions intensity whilst continuing to supply the high-quality metallurgical coal on which global steel production depends.

F

or coal producers, particularly those operating under Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism, reducing Scope 1 emissions is no longer optional. It is a business imperative.

Carbon Logica was built for exactly this. We are an Australian company designed to deliver practical, scalable abatement in hard-to-abate sectors, with coal mining as our focus.

Our speciality is capturing waste methane – coal mine waste gas – and putting it to beneficial use as reliable, dispatchable electricity. Rather than venting or flaring a potent greenhouse gas, we work alongside mine operators to design, fund, and operate infrastructure that turns waste into value: lower emissions and increased energy security.

A GROUNDED BUSINESS WITH DEEP MINING DNA

Carbon Logica was founded by engineers with decades of combined experience in the resources industry. We understand first-hand the operational realities of a mine site and the technical challenge of managing methane in both underground and open-cut environments.

What sets us apart is our ability to combine mining expertise with carbon market fluency and energy infrastructure delivery, allowing us to design abatement solutions that are technically viable, commercially bankable, and operationally sound.

REAL EMISSIONS REDUCTION

Together with the associated gas collection infrastructure in 2024, we delivered our first commercial-scale waste coal mine gas power station at Ironbark No.1 (part of Argo Natural Resources) near Moranbah in Queensland’s Bowen Basin.

Stage 1 is operational at 5MW and expandable to 20MW, abating more than 180,000 tonnes of CO2e annually at full capacity.

In April 2026, we commissioned our second coal mine waste gas power station in the region at Centurion, 8.5 months from financial commitment to commercial operations and stage 1 is operational at 5MW, generating 40,000MWh a year and cutting emissions by approximately 62,000 tonnes CO2e.

Our development pipeline exceeds 130MW, with a vision to reach 200MW across multiple mining regions. These projects will create meaningful emissions reductions, contributing to Australia’s 2030 and 2050 climate goals.

DESIGNED FOR THE SAFEGUARD ERA

The Safeguard Mechanism Reforms have reset emissions expectations for around 90 coal mines nationally. For underground mines, methane capture is often the most material and cost-effective pathway. For open-cut operations, where fugitive methane can represent up to 80 percent of site emissions, commercially viable solutions have been scarce.

Carbon Logica provides a full turnkey solution, including capital, engineering, operations, and carbon market navigation. We offer flexible commercial models, ranging from power offtake to performance-based abatement agreements that align incentives and minimise disruption to mining operations.

AN INVITATION TO COLLABORATE

Australia’s mining industry has a proud history of solving complex problems through innovation, engineering, and partnership – and emissions abatement should be no different.

We’re not just installing engines; we’re building a bridge between operational reality, environmental responsibility, and commercial value.

If you are a mining leader working through emissions compliance, or you want to set the pace on sustainability in your sector, we welcome the conversation. Let’s reduce emissions, generate net-negative electricity from waste gas, and help secure the future of Australian mining – together.

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ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

COMMITMENT TO SAFE OPERATIONS Argo’s focus on innovation extends beyond new technologies; it emphasises improving day-today operations and empowering employees to find better, safer, and more efficient ways to mine coal and operate processing plants.

With a big focus on promoting safer, more productive, and costeffective mining practices, Argo sees the adoption of technology not as the solution, but as an enabler to help its people be their best and most effective in their roles.

As part of this effort, Argo is embarking on an AI journey utilising Talisman Technical to explore developing solutions that align with its goals, taking a coordinated approach and ensuring it is implemented in an employee-ready way.

“Three core questions drive innovation: Does it improve safety?

Does it increase productivity? Does it 92 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

reduce costs? If the answer to these questions is no, we will reconsider our approach,” Livingstone-Blevins asserts.

With future success largely determined by its people, Argo genuinely prioritises its employees,

seeking to grow and develop talent whilst creating an environment that encourages career advancement.

“We’re a people business that mines coal; we look after employees so they see Argo as a career destination,” he considers.

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ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

ARGO’S CORE VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES • United – Working as one team with one objective, supporting each other, and staying connected under pressure.

• All-in – Committing to the plan, team, and outcome, bringing urgency, ownership, and discipline to the work that matters most.

• Integrity – Doing as it says, acting with honesty, making the right decisions, and holding itself accountable for actions and results.

• Agile – Assessing, adapting, and responding with purpose, making informed decisions, staying solution-focused, and moving quickly when conditions change.

• Care – Caring about people, processes, and performance, listening, following through, and continually improving to build a safer, stronger business.

• Safety and well-being – Prioritising the health and safety of its people, ensuring everyone returns home safe and well at the end of every day.

• Performance and growth – Recognising and rewarding contributions fairly whilst creating opportunities for continuous development and improvement.

• Integrity and respect – Engaging with each other openly, honestly, and with mutual respect.

• Accountability – Honouring commitments and taking responsibility for delivering on promises.

• Custodians of the land – Being a responsible steward of the land, prioritising the environment and the communities in which it operates, ensuring compliance with current environmental regulations, conducting thorough internal audits, and fostering strong relationships with local councils and state governments.

“Being a private company is a distinct advantage, enabling nimble decision-making without the bureaucratic constraints often found in larger organisations. This flexibility delivers an environment where people can make decisions, driving learning and personal growth, which aids in the ongoing requirements to develop our future leaders and ensure they are ready for the challenges that exist in our operations and industry.”

Argo believes in differentiating itself by combining excellent business practices with coal mining, underscoring that these aspects are not mutually exclusive.

“There is a commitment to educating our people on the business side of mining, including financial literacy, cost management, and environmental oversight. By investing in employees, we aim to cultivate teams capable of managing significant operations and driving sustainable success,” LivingstoneBlevins explains.

“Our objective is to immerse our leaders in the complete value chain of our business, emphasising the fundamental nuance between being a coal mining operation and a business that mines coal. We prioritise high margins over sheer volume, aiming to educate and empower our teams to act as effective business managers, which will set us up for future success.”

STAFFING SOLUTIONS The mining industry is currently facing significant challenges, particularly in terms of skills and cost management.

A major issue is the declining interest in mining education, largely influenced by the mainstream media’s negative portrayal of coal mining.

As a result, many universities have stopped offering undergraduate degrees in mining and mining engineering, leading to fewer graduates entering the field.

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ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

The situation has gradually worsened since the global financial crisis in 2008, during which companies reduced their investment in talent development due to economic instability.

An industry that was once seen as a career destination of choice now struggles with an ever-worsening skills shortage that threatens to impede the future growth needed to meet global coal supply requirements.

“In recent years, particularly since the rise of ESG concerns around

2020, interest from graduates has shifted towards more appealing commodities, such as copper, gold, and critical minerals, leaving the coal mining sector in need of skilled professionals.

“To overcome these challenges, the industry must take genuine steps to improve its talent development strategies rather than merely paying lip service to the importance of training and development,” Livingstone-Blevins tells us.

This includes creating effective mentorship programmes and diverse

“THE ESSENCE OF OUR ORGANISATION LIES IN OUR PEOPLE. WHILST WE HAVE PROVEN OUR ABILITY TO EXECUTE TRANSACTIONS, OUR SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED BY OUR SAFE EXECUTION AT OUR OPERATIONS, AND IT IS ULTIMATELY OUR PEOPLE THAT WILL DRIVE OUR FUTURE SUCCESS” – RICHARD LIVINGSTONE-BLEVINS, CEO, ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES

96 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

pathways for graduates, as well as exploring alternative skill sets that can be cultivated into traditional mining roles.

“Additionally, embracing technology, including AI, is crucial for bridging skill gaps and enhancing the industry’s capacity to thrive in the future.

“This shift will require a transformative approach to how the industry attracts and develops talent, ensuring it can meet the demands of the evolving market,” he divulges.

AN INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION Investing in employee development within an organisation is crucial for maintaining a robust workforce and ensuring continuity when key personnel leave.

Livingstone-Blevins believes the current external approach to talent acquisition has become unsustainable, with the industry in a cycle in which companies compete for the same limited talent.

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ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

ARGO’S OPERATIONS Ironbark No.1 – An underground longwall operation situated 25 km north of Carborough Downs, this operation shares essential infrastructure with Argo’s other sites. The ROM production will be transported to the existing coal handling plant at Carborough Downs for processing and train loading.

The mine achieved its first coal output in 2022, just seven months after construction began. At full production, the mine is expected to employ approximately 360 workers and produce between 4.5 and 5.5 million t per annum (Mtpa).

Burton Mine Complex – Equipped with two modules capable of processing 8.5 Mtpa, this mine features a 3,500 t per hour train loadout that facilitates coal transportation to the port.

Broadlea – This open-cut mine is situated about 9 km northwest of Carborough Downs and shares important surface infrastructure, such as the coal handling and preparation plant and train loading facilities.

The mine uses a truck-and-shovel method to extract coal from the Leichardt, Vermont, and Girrah seams, with production ranging from 1 to 1.9 Mtpa.

Carborough Downs – The mine is an underground bord and pillar operation located 25 km east of Moranbah in the heart of the Bowen Basin. It extracts coal from the Leichhardt seam, which has a thickness ranging from 4.5 to 5.7 metres, producing steelmaking coal to meet growing demand.

Since starting production in 2006, the mine has proudly contributed to the local and regional economies. It currently employs approximately 300 people and produces between 1.6 and 2 Mtpa.

In the pipeline 12 Mile Project – This project represents an opportunity to develop a significant open-pit and underground mining operation.

Currently in the early stages of exploration and assessment, it is situated near several world-class metallurgical coal mines. Argo’s growth potential is promising, with access to both the Rangal and Moranbah Coal Measures.

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“To counter the unsustainable approach for employees, companies must cultivate talent internally, taking workers from the frontline and preparing them to become future leaders and managers,” Livingstone-Blevins posits.

“Historically, organisations were very successful in this kind of internal development during the 1990s and early 2000s, but this practice has diminished over time, leaving a significant gap in the industry.”

Another pressing issue the industry is grappling with is the rising costs faced by mining companies due to inflationary factors.

“There is a need to optimise operations and enhance efficiency through technology and a renewed focus on productivity. Over the past decade, the industry has seen a steady decline in productivity, leading to a situation in which more personnel and equipment are required to achieve the same output levels as before.”

Addressing these challenges will be essential for the industry’s growth and sustainability moving forward.

“The current landscape of the commodity market has shifted dramatically, with cycles now occurring as frequently as every three to six months, compared to the historical pattern of three to five years,” Livingstone-Blevins reveals.

“This rapid fluctuation makes it challenging for companies to manage their operations to mimic the cycles, as there is insufficient time to adjust activities and cost bases between boom and downturn periods. Consequently, the industry must prioritise consistent and sustainable productivity and costs, with a particular focus on output per employee, echoing earlier practices.”

As cost pressures escalate and margins tighten, mining companies face significant challenges, particularly in coal markets.

Despite these pressures, the industry has not invested substantially in new mining operations over the past decade. This lack of investment has led to a developing deficit in metallurgical coal supply, especially as current mines reach the end of their operational lives in the coming decades.

Australia, which controls approximately 50 to 55 percent of the seaborne metallurgical coal market, is positioned crucially in this supplydemand dynamic.

“With existing mines depleting their resources, and with reduced productivity due to factors such as increased depth, technical complexity, and depleting skills, the industry faces a looming supply issue due to insufficient replacement coal coming online, which has been exacerbated over the years with complicated and 100 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“WITH STRATEGIC PLANS IN PLACE, WE SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF INCREASING OUR OUTPUT TO 15 MILLION T OVER THE NEXT FIVE TO SIX YEARS, WHILST MAINTAINING THE HIGHESTQUALITY COAL IN THE MARKET” – RICHARD LIVINGSTONE-BLEVINS, CEO, ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES

uncertain approval processes.

“As a result, the future of coal supply appears increasingly precarious, underscoring the importance of strategic management and a focus on enhancing productivity within existing operations, whilst attracting investment for the establishment of replacement coal,” he implores.

A STRATEGIC ROADMAP In the next 18 months, Argo’s primary focus will be on ensuring the safety and stability of its current operations, particularly as it works to stabilise the

recently acquired Fitzroy assets.

“Within the Fitzroy-acquired operations, we are investing more than AUD$100 million a year over the next two years into equipment and infrastructure to ensure that the assets are set up for long-term sustainability,” Livingstone-Blevins sets out.

This reinvestment will enhance the company’s infrastructure and equipment, supporting long-term sustainable operations whilst allowing for future growth towards its goal of over 10 million t in market production.

ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

Australia’s Trusted Partner in Underground Mining Ventilation and Support With over 27 years of experience supplying high-quality underground mine ventilation and support equipment Australia-wide Brennan’s Welding has built a reputation for reliability, trust, innovation, and hands-on expertise.

Founded in 1998, the business was born from a clear need for dependable, custom-built mining equipment in regional Queensland. Brennan’s Welding has continued to grow, driven by strong demand and a reputation for excellence.

To meet this growth, we’ve expanded operations with a purposebuilt, large-scale fabrication facility in New South Wales to manage a wide range of metal fabrication projects across all industries, while our Emerald site continues to focus on serving the coal mining sector. At Brennan’s Welding, we take pride in the strong, longstanding relationships we’ve built with the most respected contractors and mining companies in the country. From coal to hard rock mining, our clients trust us to deliver high-quality solutions for the demands of the toughest environments.

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Practical Engineering, Built for Underground Mining Walton Mine Services is proud to support Argo Natural Resources as it develops and strengthens its underground mining operations. Our relationship is built around practical engineering, equipment reliability, safety, and longterm asset support.

Established in 2012, Walton Mine Services operates workshops in New South Wales and Queensland, supported by experienced engineering, mechanical, hydraulic, fabrication, machining, and field-service personnel. Our capabilities include equipment design and manufacture, mobile bolter and mining equipment overhauls, hydraulic component repairs, service exchange, spare parts supply, and ongoing site support.

Our approach considers the full asset lifecycle, from condition assessment and engineering review through to overhaul, component support, and maintenance. The focus is on improving asset condition, extending service life, and ensuring equipment remains practical to operate and maintain.

Compatibility and spare-parts availability are also key considerations. Wherever practical, equipment is designed or upgraded using established mining systems and commonly supported components. This helps customers retain access to familiar equipment, available spare parts, and experienced technical support, while reducing the risks associated with obsolete or difficult-to-source components.

Walton Mine Services continues to work closely with Argo on equipment and asset improvement solutions that combine in-house engineering, modern 3D design, workshop capability, and practical underground experience.

“Argo has taken a practical and collaborative approach to the management of its underground assets. We value the opportunity to work alongside their team and provide solutions based on the actual requirements of the operation.

Our objective is to improve asset condition, extend equipment life and deliver reliable, maintainable equipment that can be supported with readily available parts throughout its operating life.

1300 Walton for all Branches admin@waltonmineservices.com.au sales@waltonmineservices.com.au www.waltongroup.com.au

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 101

Additionally, Argo will concentrate on integrating Bowen Coking Coal into its operations and the safe restart of the Burton Mine Complex, which is expected to commence in a few months and will produce up to 4 million t of run-of-mine (ROM) coal per annum.

Looking further ahead, whilst Argo stabilises its existing sites this year, it will shift focus towards internal growth projects in 2027, specifically developing the 12 Mile Project, Ironbark South, Broadlea, and Carborough Downs extensions.

These will strengthen the long-term assets within the company’s portfolio, particularly as it integrates the Burton Mine Complex, which is located within the critical 60-km strike length.

“Finally, we plan to build lasting relationships with our suppliers and customers, as these connections are 102 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

essential for driving our growth in the years to come,” LivingstoneBlevins optimistically concludes.

Argo’s long-term success is fundamentally linked to the effectiveness and responsibility of its operations.

The company demonstrates a strong commitment to innovative and disciplined mining practices that enhance efficiency whilst prioritising the safety and well-being of its workforce.

This operating philosophy not only reflects the standards and behaviours guiding decision-making but also shapes the organisation’s culture and underpins its overall performance.

As Argo advances in the competitive coal mining industry, its dedication to sustainable practices and community empowerment

sets a benchmark for others. With a clear vision and strategic foresight, the company is not only focused on the present but also committed to shaping a more sustainable future.

Tel: 07 3153 2200 info@argonr.com.au www.argonaturalresources.com.au

ARGO NATURAL RESOURCES ASIA PACIFIC

Protecting Workers, Enhancing Productivity Global Mining Supplies (GMS) works in proud partnership with Argo Natural Resources (Argo), supporting Carborough Downs and Ironbark Mines in the advancement of diesel particulate matter (DPM) control.

All commercially available DPM filter technologies were independently evaluated under Argo’s operating conditions, assessing performance, service life, and cost of ownership. The GMS filter delivered the strongest overall performance, providing an expert balance of worker health, operational safety, and value.

GMS is proud to be Argo’s preferred diesel emissions management partner, driving continuous improvement across its operations with confidence and reliability.

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Servicing the central highlands We Do.... What They Don’t!

Central Highlands Mining Services (CHMS) is a trusted mining support contractor built on one simple philosophy: “We do what they don’t.”

We provide reliable, flexible solutions across building maintenance, construction, surface and underground labour, mine maintenance, equipment hire, salvage and waste management services.

Whether it’s filling critical workforce gaps, tackling specialised projects, or delivering practical solutions where others can’t, CHMS is committed to getting the job done safely, efficiently, and to the highest standard. When your operation needs dependable support from inception to completion, CHMS delivers.

0400 754 353 | admin@chminingservices.com.au | www.chminingservices.com.au

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 103

MINING TECHNOLOGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Global mining technology leader Weir tackles its customers’ biggest sustainability challenges, from extraction to comminution, processing, and tailings. Mick Henderson, Regional Managing Director – APAC, delves into the company’s endto-end mining solutions, highlighting its new range of ENDURON® screens and crushers Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

A

sia Pacific (APAC) remains one of the world’s most strategically important mining regions for several reasons.

Indeed, it has high-grade deposits, strong production hubs – including Australia, Indonesia, and China – and fast-growing demand for critical minerals such as copper, nickel, lithium, and rare earths, which will continue as the world decarbonises and electrifies.

Governments across APAC are now reaccelerating permitting and project 104 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

approvals, recognising mining’s important role in the energy transition.

However, the region is no longer just production-focused – it’s becoming a testbed for next-generation mining technology.

“Many customers in APAC are moving towards the adoption of new technology, digital tools, and sustainable processing solutions,” opens,” Mick Henderson, Regional Managing Director – APAC at Weir.

The industry has developed significantly in the five years since we

last featured Weir in October 2021.

Mining is experiencing a steep decline in ore grades, intensifying the need for high-efficiency comminution, advanced wear solutions, and realtime insights.

Customers are also demanding better throughput, reduced operating costs, and lower water and energy intensity.

Moreover, they want end-to-end solutions, local service centres that are close to mine sites, and a strong understanding of their needs.

WEIR ASIA PACIFIC

“We expect that growth in APAC mining over the next decade won’t be about more equipment – it will be about smarter equipment and integrated solutions that help customers mine more sustainably,” Henderson sets out.

MINING TECHNOLOGY LEADER The Weir Group is a market-leading technology provider to the mining industry.

The group recognises Earth’s future depends on the transition

to renewable energy. This can only happen with the metals and minerals delivered by its mining customers who, at the same time, are taking steps to reduce their impact on communities and the environment by making their operations more sustainable.

Combining its deep customer insights, world-class engineering, materials science expertise, and intelligent automation, Weir delivers innovative end-to-end mining technology solutions that help

its clients move less rock, use less energy, use water wisely, and create less waste – accelerating the path to smart, efficient, and sustainable mining.

Weir, whose purpose is to enable the sustainable and effective delivery of the natural resources essential to creating a better future for the world, has been powering progress in major industries for over one-and-a-half centuries, challenging norms through engineering innovation and deep process knowledge.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 105

WEIR ASIA PACIFIC

Today, the group’s technologies and expertise sit at the core of critical mining processes, helping customers to drive the energy transition.

“We’re a global leader in mining technology with over 150 years of engineering experience,” says Henderson.

“We work closely with customers, bringing together deep customer insight, engineering expertise, and technology that is designed for highwear, high-impact applications.”

The Weir Group’s engineered hardware and equipment-agnostic software solutions are used in some of the world’s most demanding environments, helping keep missioncritical operations running safely,

reliably, and efficiently, addressing sustainability challenges and building the resilience and trust needed for a long-term licence to operate.

Globally, the group has a team of over 12,000 experts across 50+ countries, supported by a network of technology hubs, manufacturing operations, and service centres.

In APAC, Weir has 1,900 colleagues working from 30 facilities. This means the company is close to its customers, working with them to keep missioncritical operations running and driving real results in efficiency, sustainability, and performance.

With local manufacturing capability in Australia, China, India, and Malaysia, the group constantly invests in its

facilities, technology, and capability to expand production capacity and meet increasing customer demand in APAC. “We’re investing in long-term capability in the region so customers have access to globally leading technology right at their doorstep.

“We’re heavily invested in regional service hubs, local engineering capability, manufacturing, R&D, and distribution centres aligned to our APAC operations,” confirms Henderson.

END-TO-END SOLUTIONS Weir provides the APAC mining industry with engineered processing solutions and is a global leader in

WE LAST FEATURED WEIR IN OCTOBER 2021. HOW HAS THE MINING INDUSTRY IN THE APAC REGION DEVELOPED IN THE FIVE YEARS SINCE? Mick Henderson, Regional Managing Director – APAC: “If we look at it country by country across APAC, we’ve seen India continue to grow its iron ore industry and really focus on building out their infrastructure needs.

“China has experienced major structural, policy, and technological advances, which have come on leaps and bounds.

“We’ve also seen the mining sector in Australia change significantly – mostly driven by global market demand, technology, ESG, and the energy transition. For example, Australia is now one of the world’s largest lithium producers.

“What we are seeing in our business is better connection and knowledge-sharing across the region. Our customers are very focused on value, total ownership cost, and what support we can give them, so we are working in partnership with them to deliver the outcomes they need.”

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engineering, manufacturing, and servicing the processing technology used in abrasive, high-wear mining applications.

Working with customers, Weir uses its technical expertise and extensive footprint to help solve problems and optimise entire processes.

From reducing downtime to boosting throughput and increasing plant capacity, the company provides customised, fully integrated solutions.

“We’ve got some world-class solutions to provide better total cost of ownership and throughput for our clients.

“Our engineered hardware solutions are about tackling our customers’ biggest sustainability challenges, from extraction to comminution, processing, and tailings,” notes Henderson.

Weir is improving extraction equipment durability and enabling more efficient material flow, which helps to reduce downtime, improve

“ M A N Y C U S TO M E R S I N A PAC A R E M OV I N G T O WA R D S T H E A D O P T I O N O F N E W T E C H N O L O G Y, D I G I TA L T O O L S , A N D S U S TA I N A B L E P R O C E S S I N G S O L U T I O N S ” – M I C K H E N D E R S O N , R E G I O N A L M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R – A PAC , W E I R

safety, and support more resourceefficient extraction.

As miners want to reduce the effort spent on processing zero and low-grade ore, Weir helps them to optimise the material entering their processing plant.

In comminution, the division’s engineered hardware reduces material size and is digitally enabled to provide the visibility and control needed to optimise performance.

“This maximises throughput, manages wear, and improves process stability whilst reducing energy and water intensity and minimising

reprocessing,” Henderson explains.

In today’s very energy-intensive mining industry, Weir’s solutions deliver significant energy savings and lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

For processing, the company’s products support efficient material movement and separation, whilst its digital solutions provide insight and control to optimise processing performance.

Combined, these technologies improve recovery, increase recycling, and reduce water intensity, supporting stable operations and more effective resource management.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 107

Connecting Humanity and Industry to the Environment On a mission to promote responsible waste management for the ever-crucial mining industry, Greenfield Resources is a leader in reducing waste through cutting-edge science and the latest technology

F

ounded in 1979 as a sole trading company excavating swimming pools and reshaping suburban backyards, Greenfield Resources (Greenfield) quickly found success and transformed in 1994 into a commercial civil contracting company.

Having completed significant projects in the Sydney central business district (CBD) in the time since, such as Jacksons Landing, the Lendlease headquarters, the Grace Bros

store underpinning, and the Citigroup Centre on George Street, Greenfield has situated itself as a proud industry stalwart, ready to take on new challenges and opportunities with innovation at the forefront.

Additionally, Greenfield has completed landmark projects, including the Peppers Soul Surfers Paradise skyscraper on the Gold Coast and the Tullamarine Airport project for John Holland, which saw a number of

companies come together to collaborate on a project that widened the runway for the new Airbus A380 in only one month.

However, since 2012, the company has prioritised a different style of work-based projects, namely remediation and recycling.

With services including georemediation, geotechnics, and bio-organics, Greenfield is on a mission to work with other companies to look after the health of the planet through responsible waste management.

It is committed to leading the way to zero waste –more than just a responsibility, it is embedded within the DNA of Greenfield.

Unlike traditional waste management companies that either use landfill services or send the problem overseas, Greenfield’s talented team uses innovative methods to reduce waste through cutting-edge science and the latest advances in technology, working to connect humanity and industry to the environment.

The company is dedicated to helping the industry raise the standard of waste management by creating a high-performing tribe of environmental warriors committed to creatively changing the way bioproducts are dealt with. To achieve this, Greenfield leads by example, having the most environmentally friendly assets and equipment, stringent standards for its facilities, and a constant financial contingency for R&D.

GREENFIELD’S PROJECTS – AT A GLANCE • City Group: Basement excavation in Sydney.

• Grace Bros: Basement excavation in existing building whilst the store continued to trade.

• Tullamarine Airport: Widened the runway for the Airbus A380. 22,000 cubic metres of excavation and concrete placement hand finished and completed in 20 days.

• Visy: Site decontamination for new curbside recycling facility. 3,500 t of contaminated waste was excavated and recycled off-site.

INNOVATION AT THE CORE Ultimately, Greenfield values sustainability, connection, innovation, passion, and transparency.

To achieve these goals, the company heavily invests in new technologies and practices to ensure a minimal footprint, builds solid relationships through a mutual love of the planet, keeps its eyes on tomorrow whilst creating today, brings its A-game to every corner of the business, and ensures open and honest communication.

To preserve a profitable growth based on these core pillars, Greenfield provides value for money to the customers and communities it serves. It emphasises working to develop a brand that will partner with clients and local entities to manage and reduce waste from collection to disposal, whilst looking for new and innovative ways to recycle.

Greenfield has made it a company-wide mission to drive forward recycling and divert 100,000 tonnes (t) of reclaimable soil to

• Jacksons Landing: Bentonite cut-off wall and basement excavation only 12 metres (m) from the harbour line and 9 m below high tide.

• Rialto: Dewatering and basement excavation. The site was 16 m below high tide and 300 m from the shoreline, all excavated in sand.

• Peppers Soul Surfers Paradise: Ground anchoring.

• Iron Cove Power Station: Cyanide decontamination project.

• Tallawarra Power Station: Pig firing unit.

• M7: Batter slip and slope stabilisation.

a neutral state through remediation, bioorganics, and microbe technology. Many of these materials end up in landfills because it is easier for companies to dispose of waste this way, despite it being harmful to the environment and more costly in the long run.

With the rise of levies and the lack of space in landfills, it is more important than ever to find cutting-edge ways to process these contaminated materials. In the past six months, it has been Greenfield’s mission to divert 30,000 t from landfills and, over the next five years, the company plans to process 30,000 t per annum.

CONTRIBUTING TO THE PLANET’S HEALTH As Greenfield works to achieve the goal of connecting humanity and industry to the environment, it is offering a variety of services to assist clients in getting there, including bioremediation, bio-organics, geotechnics, and civil construction.

Specifically, bioremediation refers to the use of microorganisms to reduce pollution through the biological degradation of pollutants into non-toxic substances. This treatment can be tailored to the needs of the polluted site through tailored microbes and synthetic biology tools to pre-adapt the microbes to the environment.

Bio-organics encompasses organic farming, prioritising building soil health as a way to fight climate change. This holistic system promotes the well-being of the Earth, humans, and animals as one.

The process of geotechnics is the application of geological, geophysical, and hydrological scientific principles for the solution of engineering problems on or within the ground. It encompasses many application types, such as foundation design,

earthworks, ground improvement, slope stabilisation, and retaining wall construction.

These applications offer promising opportunities for the use of secondary and recycled materials, given the massive quantities that are utilised.

Finally, for civil construction, which is the creation of infrastructure involving anything to do with water, earth, or transport, the company works with the maintenance, design, and construction of both natural and physically built environments. This includes roads, railways, buildings, water reservoirs, airports, bridges, sewer systems, tunnels, and dams.

As Greenfield looks towards a greener future, it will continue to lead the way in raising the industry standard of waste management through environmentally friendly assets and equipment.

www.greenfieldresources.com.au

WEIR ASIA PACIFIC

As water is fundamental in minerals processing, Weir’s solutions increase water recovery and recycling and introduce water-free steps.

In tailings, the division provides solutions that improve dewatering, reduce volumes, and recover more water by reuse.

Today, over 90 percent of waste rock ends up in tailings; Weir helps to manage the tailings produced more safely and sustainably.

By creating less waste and supporting safer tailings storage, the company lowers environmental risk and contributes to more sustainable long-term tailings management.

“We put a lot of focus into how we support mining technology for a sustainable future, looking at how we move less rock, use less energy, use water wisely, and create less waste,” asserts Henderson.

“It’s really focused on what we can Strategic Report Governance Financial Statements bring to make the whole process more

sustainable, use less resources, and be more cost-effective. That comes from some of the novel technologies and best-in-class products we have.”

“We’re talking crusher screens, pumps, valves, cyclones, hoses, wear materials, and dewatering through our Terraflowing™ solution,” he outlines.

“We also manufacture the positive TECHNOLOGY OFFERING displacement pumps used in tailings Weir continues to invest in expanding and concentrate pipelines. As far as the processing plant is concerned, we its technology offering to address its customers’ most pressing operational have a significant brand stack.” challenges.

These signature brands include “We combine world-class ESCO®, ENDURON®, WARMAN®, CAVEX®, LINATEX®, and GEHO®. engineering, innovation, and a vertically integrated manufacturing By combining its market-leading, trusted brands, Weir delivers base to deliver highly engineered original equipment, integrated transformational flowsheets for process solutions, and aftermarket customers.

Digitalisation, meanwhile, is a products that solve our customers’ biggest challenges with the lowest game-changing capability and no longer an add-on in APAC mining – total cost of ownership,” Henderson emphasises. rather, it’s becoming a prerequisite for Weir has a number of innovative the license to operate.

“Digital and data are unlocking technologies across the mineral processing flowsheet, from extraction new levels of performance in mining,” observes Henderson. all the way through to comminution, Additional Information The Weir Group PLC Annual Report and Financial Statements 2025 11 processing, and tailings.

Weir provides intelligent digital

Our business

Our end-to-end mining solutions

Our equipment-agnostic software solutions enhance productivity and sustainability from exploration to extraction, optimising performance at each step along the value chain.

112 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Warman® Mill Circuit Pump on site.

These pumps are designed to provide superior performance, wear life, and reliability in aggressive slurry applications

solutions for its products that help monitor wear life, enable predictive maintenance, and support process optimisation.

It also now has the broadest portfolio of equipment-agnostic software solutions across the mining value chain, from exploration to extraction.

“We know that investing in technology maintains our competitive edge,” he acknowledges.

SOFTWARE EXPANSION This equipment-agnostic software suite, which spans exploration data, orebody modelling, mine design, operations management, and realtime monitoring, has been expanded by two recent acquisitions.

In February 2025, Weir acquired Micromine, a top-tier global software provider to the mining industry with comprehensive solutions across the upstream value chain, headquartered in Perth, Australia.

The AUD$1.3 million acquisition is

“ W E P U T A LOT O F FO C U S I N TO H OW W E SUPPORT MINING TECHNOLOGY FOR A S U S TA I N A B L E F U T U R E , L O O K I N G AT H O W W E M O V E L E S S R O C K , U S E L E S S E N E R G Y, U S E WAT E R W I S E LY, A N D C R E AT E L E S S WA S T E ” – M I C K H E N D E R S O N , R E G I O N A L M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R – A PAC , W E I R

a significant step in Weir’s strategy of investing in technology to drive smart, efficient, and sustainable mining.

“It really accelerates our digital vision and is the foundation of our software solutions business,” highlights Henderson.

The acquisition also provides a compelling opportunity for strong value creation in the immediate and long-term.

Combined, Weir and Micromine will create a sector-leading, globally scaled platform to optimise performance across the mining process.

This will allow the former to further

harness digital technology to drive productivity and sustainability for the global mining industry.

“APAC, particularly Australia, is Micromine’s largest market, and our customers in the region are early adopters of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven modelling, predictive maintenance, and digital twins,” Henderson tells us.

Then, in September last year, Weir also acquired Fast2Mine, a mining software provider with a focus on mine management solutions.

The acquisition complements Micromine’s existing suite of mine planning and control software.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 113

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Proactive maintenance lowers unexpected repairs and extends asset life.

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As Weir minerals trusted crane service provider, this has brought immense responsibility. Molten metal foundry operations are critical in efficiency, reliability and safe operating assets.

patterns, environmental stressors, components operational span and operational bottlenecks. This allowed us to identify not only where failures could occur, but where inefficiencies were quietly limiting throughout.

With this, we created an engineered service approach to all the overhead cranes to keep production at an all-time high, reducing downtime immensely.

Working closely with Weir Minerals staff and operations, this was achieved with outstanding results. We now implement this same strategy to all our clients to meet their needs and goals.

From there, we implemented a tailored service strategy - one that combined predictive maintenance, component redesign and interval replacements scheduled where necessary while documenting for consistency. Smarter inspection intervals based on actual usage rather than generic schedules. Critical wear components were upgraded/kept on standby, lubrication practices refined and alignment issues corrected with precision.

For most, crane servicing follows a reactive or routine-based model - fix it when it breaks, inspect it on schedule, and hope for the best in between. But as production pressures intensify and margins tighten, that approach is no longer viable. What’s needed is a shift from maintenance to engineering-led service.

That’s where our engineered service approach has made a measurable difference.

Rather than treating each crane as a standalone unit, we began by understanding the foundry’s entire production flow. We analysed current crane conditions, duty cycles, load

The results were immediate and sustained.

lies in the shift in mindset. Maintenance is no longer seen as a necessary cost, but as a strategic lever for productivity. The crane is no longer just a tool, but a fully optimized asset contributing to the foundry’s success.

Engineering-led service isn’t about doing more work - it’s about doing the right work, at the right time, for the right reasons. And in demanding environments like foundries, that difference is what turns reliability into performance, and performance into profit.

Further to this approach, to remove any ‘guess work’ we have available for installation, a remote monitoring system with the option of notifications when critical items are recommended for replacement, truly decreasing the chance of downtime.

Unplanned downtime dropped significantly, removing one of the biggest disruptions to production continuity. Maintenance activities became more targeted and less intrusive, allowing operations to run with minimal interruption. Most importantly, crane performance became consistent and reliable - enabling the foundry to move materials faster, safer, and with greater confidence.

This translated directly into increased production time.

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“There’s growing appetite in APAC for integrated digital and mechanical solutions, particularly in brownfield optimisation,” affirms Henderson.

Prior to acquiring Micromine and Fast2Mine, Weir also launched NEXT Intelligent Solutions (NEXT), an advanced digital twin platform.

NEXT optimises mining equipment performance by providing accurate, real-time data and actionable recommendations.

The platform’s AI-based automation technology is the next step in digitally empowered mining.

Acting as an intelligent assistant, NEXT constantly updates to meet mine site challenges and offers step-by-step support to achieve sustainability, productivity, and safety goals.

“NEXT delivers real value to our customers with increased plant throughput, reduced energy and water usage, predictive wear monitoring, and prevention of unplanned downtime,” Henderson elaborates.

“It helps our customers look at their product health, faults, errors, throughput, wear detection, and all of 116 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“ E N D U R O N ® E L I T E O F F E R S E X C E P T I O N A L LY HIGH THROUGHPUT PER AREA, DELIVERING S I G N I F I C A N T A D VA N TA G E S I N E F F I C I E N C Y A N D L O W E R I N G T O TA L F L O W S H E E T E N E R G Y CO N S U M P T I O N BY U P TO 4 0 P E R C E N T W H E N THE FLOWSHEET INCLUDES HPGRS AND STIRRED MILLS” – M I C K H E N D E R S O N , R E G I O N A L M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R – A PAC , W E I R

the digitalisation that’s required to run a modern plant.”

SCREENING EQUIPMENT Another technology, Weir’s ENDURON® vibratory screens, are designed for the tough conditions of the mining and minerals processing industries.

The screens are renowned for their performance and high capacity within fine-sizing applications. Indeed, they offer exceptionally high throughput per screening area and are very effective where the minerals to be classified contain a large amount of fine material.

ENDURON® vibratory screens make particle size separation possible, protect crushers from abnormal feeds, and process the crusher’s discharge before feeding the next phase of the circuit.

Each screen is expertly designed following in-depth material testing and review of the application’s particle size distribution.

Built for maximum throughput and efficiency, ENDURON® vibratory screens offer outstanding performance and use the latest in materials technology, providing long service life, even in very demanding applications.

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Like most highly engineered equipment, product selection is key to ensuring the screens operate at optimum performance.

“We manufacture a wide variety of screens, all of which have been purpose-built to meet specific requirements,” informs Henderson.

“From dewatering to horizontal and multi-slope vibrating screens, each variation has specific features and benefits to ensure they excel in their specific application.”

There are two new products in the range that were recently launched, namely the ENDURON® Elite and ENDURON® Orbital screens.

The former, a multi-slope vibratory screen designed for dry and wet screening applications within hard rock mining and mineral processing, has been well-received by the market.

All ENDURON® Elite banana screens are engineered to suit particular needs, meaning they fit perfectly and are fully equipped to perform in each specific application.

“ENDURON® Elite offers 118 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

exceptionally high throughput per area, delivering significant advantages in efficiency and lowering total flowsheet energy consumption by up to 40 percent when the flowsheet includes high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGRs) and stirred mills,” Henderson reveals.

“Our double-deck banana screens have simplified maintenance requirements, ensuring minimal downtime. The first ENDURON® Elite screens have just been completed in South Africa and will soon be manufactured in India.”

ELITE PERFORMANCE From an operational perspective, ENDURON® Elite has allowed customers – particularly those in remote locations – to simplify their maintenance activities and reduce their inventory management.

The screens have been designed based on stress analysis for gigacycle fatigue, including natural frequency identification and tuning, resulting in large operating windows.

They are manufactured to withstand the effects of dynamic loading, with careful consideration paid to wear distribution and the lining materials used.

Whereas most machines of comparable size on the market today require three exciters, ENDURON® Elite screens are driven by just two, featuring the largest vibration-duty bearings in the world.

The two patented ETX exciters are mounted comparatively closer to the side plates, which reduces the force acting on the middle of the exciter beam.

Moving the exciters closer to the side plates also reduces the localised bending movement at the beam and side plate interface.

In contrast, screens with three exciters experience higher levels of deflection in the exciter beam, which results in heavier designs.

ENDURON® Elite screens can be used for secondary cone crusher, tertiary, large-throughput, and product screening, as well as feed preparation and desliming.

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Weir engineer in Port Hedland, Western Australia

Perhaps most notably, though, they excel in screening HPGR discharge applications.

This application typically requires very large screens because HPGR circuits operate with up to a 200 percent recirculation load, resulting in high screen-feed rates.

Moreover, because the cut size of typical HPGR screens ranges from one to four millimetres (mm), larger screens than those usually employed in typical mining applications are required to ensure optimal performance.

ORBITAL OPERATIONS Also new to the market, ENDURON® Orbital fills an important gap for smaller, lower-tonnage mining operations.

120 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE P R I O R I T Y, A N D W E A R E F I R M LY CO M M I T T E D TO Z E R O HARM” – MICK HENDERSON, R E G I O N A L M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R – A PAC , W E I R

Available in both circular (C-series) and elliptical (E-series) motion screens, ENDURON® Orbital is wellsuited to crushing circuits in both secondary and tertiary screening duties.

“ENDURON® Orbital horizontal and inclined vibrating screens feature an

all-bolted construction and deliver exceptional screening efficiency and accuracy,” shares Henderson.

During the development phase, Weir consulted its customers and used their feedback to directly inform some of its most important design decisions.

The most significant design feature – and thing that separates ENDURON® Orbital from other comparably sized screens on the market – is its allbolted construction, which removes all welding from the main screen body.

Weir’s rationale for this design decision was straightforward – most screen failures are caused by high stress in welded joints, so eliminating these ensures more reliability.

The screens are manufactured to leading finite element analysis (FEA) and high-cycle fatigue standards.

Engineering Reliability Into Every Valve Solution For more than 40 years, we have delivered dependable valve solutions across the Asia Pacific and global markets.

Backed by over 200+ years of combined hands-on engineering expertise across valve design, manufacturing, and application engineering, we understand the demands of critical process industries, where performance and uptime are essential.

We are a trusted partner in flow control applications where failure is not an option.

Our experience spans mining, chemical, petrochemical, renewable energy, hydro, oil and gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), water, and industrial processing applications.

We focus on engineered valve solutions that combine short lead times, responsive technical support, and longterm operational performance. Designed for demanding environments, our valves achieve service life expectations exceeding 15 years depending on application.

Core Values:

Engineered Valve Solutions for Critical Applications We deliver high-performance control valves, including globe and rotary valve solutions engineered for demanding industrial environments. Designed with a focus on reliability and operational efficiency, our products are built to perform in severe service conditions across mining and heavy industry.

Product Range • High-performance globe and rotary valves • Severe service globe and rotary control valves • On-off and modulating control valve applications • Pneumatic, electric, and hydraulic actuation systems • Custom engineered solutions for abrasive and corrosive media

Key Benefits • Proven reliability in critical operations • Minimise maintenance and unplanned downtime • Short lead times with strong technical support • Designed for extended service life • Application-driven engineering and selection support

Customer Service We believe strong customer relationships are built on responsiveness, trust, and performance. Our team works closely with customers to understand application requirements and deliver valve solutions that exceed expectations in product quality, lead times, reliability, technical support, and after-sales service. From enquiry through to commissioning and ongoing support, we are committed to delivering a seamless customer experience.

Health and Safety Safety is embedded into every aspect of our operations.

Our people are at the centre of our business, and we maintain a strict safety-first culture across our manufacturing, testing, and operational environments. We are committed to maintaining the highest Occupational health and safety standards while continuing our proud accident-free record within our manufacturing facilities.

Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance and TS Certification Quality assurance and compliance are fundamental to our business and the products we supply. Our internal systems and external processes are designed to meet and exceed industry expectations, ensuring consistency, traceability, and reliability across every project.

In addition to maintaining our faultless ISO 9001:2015 certification through Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance, we are also officially TS Certified — a government-issued certification in China for the manufacture of control valves.

These certifications reinforce our commitment to quality, manufacturing excellence, and delivering dependable valve solutions to critical industries worldwide.

Want to know why industries trust MASCOT Industrial?

Contact us to see how we deliver precision-engineered solutions worldwide. +61 3 9308 6400 | sales@mascot-industrial.com | www.mascot-industrial.com

WEIR ASIA PACIFIC

ENDURON® jaw crusher

They are also manufactured using automated computer numerical control (CNC) techniques – including laser profiling, bending, cutting, and drilling – to ensure the process is replicable.

The other benefit of the all-bolted design, which uses locking bolts in lieu of welding, is that it streamlines maintenance during the replacement of components.

“Individual components can be easily replaced thanks to the modular screen construction, whilst common interchangeable screen parts reduce inventory overflow,” Henderson explains.

Another important piece of feedback Weir received from its customers during the design phase of the ENDURON® Orbital screen was they wanted a machine that could be easily adjusted without undermining or risking its structural integrity.

When feed conditions or the application change, screens are subject to harmonic resonance, which 122 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

can lead to structural failure.

Crucially, adjustments to the throw angle, speed, and stroke can be made on the E-series screens, providing operators with more flexibility without compromising the equipment’s structural integrity.

Indeed, providing customers with a high level of flexibility was prioritised and has informed other aspects of the design.

“The screens are engineered with a wide operating window, providing the flexibility to change screen settings in line with operating conditions,” assures Henderson.

NEXT-GENERATION CRUSHERS In September last year, Weir also launched the ENDURON® cone and jaw crushers, designed to deliver safer, smarter, and more sustainable mining operations.

The ENDURON® range was delivered in close collaboration with customers to address their most pressing operational challenges.

“Following consultation with our customers, we redesigned and rebuilt our ENDURON® crusher range to meet the evolving needs of the industry,” Henderson says.

“This next-generation range reflects our commitment to developing solutions that our customers need and sustainable innovation.”

Weir’s customer-first approach has resulted in equipment that enhances safety, boosts productivity, simplifies maintenance, and supports sustainability goals.

“They are engineered for high performance and energy efficiency, easy to install, simple to commission, and ready to take on the most demanding applications,” he enthuses.

The updated ENDURON® jaw crushers feature a redesigned hydraulic power unit (HPU), which allows for true push-button control of closed-side setting adjustments.

This innovation eliminates the need for manual intervention, significantly reducing safety risks for operators and maintenance teams.

Stronger Mines Start With Stronger Supply Partners Reliable performance begins with gear you can trust — and a supplier who backs it.

The future of mining depends on partners who lift productivity, reduce operational risk, and support responsible, traceable sourcing. Regal Rexnord delivers all three with engineered solutions built for the realities of remote mining conditions.

Integrated Powertrain Solutions Built for Mining Our application‑specific powertrain packages draw on the full Regal Rexnord family of engineered power transmission brands led by such industry names as Falk, Svendborg, Rexnord, and Twiflex. For the customer, that means one integrated, reliable system — designed to work together, backed by global expertise, and supported locally.

From gear drives, brakes, couplings, bearings, and backstops to advanced condition‑monitoring technologies and control systems, our traceable components streamline procurement whilst delivering long service life, high efficiency, and dependable performance in harsh, remote environments.

Reducing Risk Through Smarter Design and Ethical Sourcing We prioritise responsible sourcing and engineer products for safer, easier maintenance. The result: reduced downtime risk, improved worker safety, and smoother production across the entire operation.

Tomorrow’s Mines Need Dependable Partners Choose the supplier that stands behind every component — and helps keep your mine running stronger, longer.

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WEIR ASIA PACIFIC

The new HPU also ensures consistent tensioning of the retraction springs at all times, improving reliability and ease of use across the full wear range of the jaw dies.

Optimised motor power and oil tank capacity reduce both the HPU’s CO2 footprint and environmental impact.

To further improve performance and lower downtime, the entire range of ENDURON® jaw crushers includes ESCO® wear parts.

“ENDURON® crushers aren’t just built to perform – they’re built to endure with a unified hydraulic and lubrication system, advanced control, and premium ESCO® wear parts,” Henderson points out.

These components have been rigorously tested and proven to extend wear life, which means fewer maintenance interventions and increased equipment utilisation – translating to lower operating costs and more efficient production.

The upgraded ENDURON® cone crushers also benefit from ESCO® wear liners and a newly designed hydraulic and lubrication power unit (HLPU).

This compact, plug-and-play system reduces the environmental footprint and simplifies installation, making it ideal for sites looking to streamline setup and minimise impact.

SAFE, SMART, SUSTAINABLE Additionally, the automation platform across all cone crusher models has been enhanced to ensure consistent and reliable crushing operations.

With IO-Link digital sensors and Siemens hardware, customers enjoy seamless integration, easier troubleshooting, and intuitive control through a new human-machine interface, which simplifies servicing and improves operational efficiency.

The new range includes the ENDURON® ET series of jaw crushers, as well as both the EP fixed-shaft and 124 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

ENDURON® jaw crusher and China team

EC live-shaft series of cone crushers, offering tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of each site and application.

This flexibility ensures customers can select the ideal equipment for their unique operational requirements.

As mining operations increasingly focus on sustainability and energy efficiency, Weir’s new ENDURON® crushers are designed to support this transition.

By complementing the existing ENDURON® screens and HPGRs, the new crushers enable customers to build fully integrated flowsheets that reduce energy consumption and improve overall performance.

“When we combine this new range of ENDURON® cone and jaw crushers with our ENDURON® HPGRs, screening equipment, and digital solutions, mines can maximise the throughput of mined material whilst reducing energy and water intensity and minimising reprocessing to support more efficient and

sustainable mineral processing,” details Henderson.

Whether upgrading existing equipment or planning a new installation, the ENDURON® range of comminution products is built to help customers operate smarter, safer, and more sustainably.

WATER MANAGEMENT Sustainability in APAC mining is shifting from compliance to businessas-usual. Today, the most sustainable mines are also the most efficient and low-cost operators.

Weir’s customers across the region are responding to four sustainability pressures – water management, tightened tailings regulations, strengthened emissions reduction targets, and community expectations on land and water use.

“We know that scaling metals production to meet net zero goals has placed water at the heart of mining’s sustainability challenge,” Henderson recognises.

WEIR ASIA PACIFIC

Pipe and Buoy Australia, the Leading Provider of Wear and Scaling Solutions

Pipe and Buoy Australia’s WearProTM piping, engineered from a proprietary UHMWPE formulation, represents a strategically aligned opportunity for collaboration with Weir Minerals, uniting advanced polymer science with globally recognised expertise in slurry transport systems.

Pipe and Buoy Australia’s WearProTM piping, engineered from a proprietary UHMWPE formulation, represents a strategically aligned opportunity for collaboration with Weir Minerals, uniting advanced polymer science with globally recognised expertise in slurry transport systems.

WearProTM is a highly customisable product which is sized to suit site needs.

Unique, Australian-designed and tested seamless flanging methodology ensures all of these benefits are enhanced, without the need for welding and associated welding failures and inefficiencies. Our technology has been used in the market for over 13 years.

Working internal diameter up, not outside diameter down – as is the case for conventional sytem notionally designed for water transmission. WearProTM optimises ID and WT for velocity, slurry chemistry, particle size distribution, temperature regimes, duty cycles, and required working life.

If a service is likely to have or currently has wear, scaling, or pumping volume issues, Pipe and Buoy Australia’s WearProTM will be able to present a competitive and differentiated piping solution that enables lifecycle cost optimisation whilst supporting credible pathways toward emissions reductions.

This capacity for targeted optimisation materially differentiates the performance outcomes of WearProTM from conventional, entry-level products. Something Weir Minerals and the APAC market broadly have found in all levels of the mining industry, leading to our partnership.

Extreme abrasion and impact resistance deliver extended operational life in highly erosive environments, while superior chemical and corrosion resistance preserve long-term integrity across aggressive process conditions. This, coupled with inherent hydrophobic selflubricating behaviour and exceptionally low surface roughness of WearProTM, will not only reduce scaling in any system but also measurably reduce frictional losses, improving hydraulic efficiency while lowering required energy input and total pumping cost.

www.pipeandbuoy.com.au | sales@pipeandbuoy.com.au

Phone: (07) 3390 7188 | www.hydratorque.com.auw Personalised Drill Support Our drill support program aims to provide our drilling partners with an elite service solution specifically tailored to suit their machines and individual site requirements.

These solutions are available for all major brands of drilling equipment including CAT, Epiroc / Atlas Copco / Sandvik / XDR and others.

CONSISTENT QUALITY & RELIABLE SERVICE Hydratorque Brisbane is a fully Australian owned company with over 25 years’ experience in providing comprehensive hydraulic sales, service, support and system design.

We take pride in the close relationships we have established with many of the major brands and manufacturers including Parker Hannifin, Denison Hydraulics, Voac Hydraulics, Commercial Hydraulics, Bosch Rexroth, LINDE, Sun Hydraulics, Hydraforce Hydraulics, PowerTeam, LINCOLN Lubrication, Racor Fuel Filtration and many more.

We are proud to be associated with major National and Global customers in the mining, exploration, construction, industrial, agricultural, recycling and marine industries.

At Hydratorque our customers come first; your conversation will always be with an experienced sales person, not an annoying voice mail service.

We understand that both your business and ours rely upon the consistent quality and reliability of our services, premier products and technical support.

We proudly enjoy a close association with our suppliers who include some of the world’s leading fluid power manufacturers and who provide their global resources to help us help you.

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Proudly supporting Weir Minerals through a long-standing partnership supplying premium hydraulic components and Racor fuel filtration solutions.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 125

WEIR ASIA PACIFIC

ENDURON® jaw crusher

“Water is essential for extracting the critical minerals that underpin modern life and decarbonisation, yet mining faces acute and chronic water risks driven by climate change, declining ore grades, and rising societal expectations.”

Water management in mining is no longer a tactical site issue – it’s a strategic imperative. Inefficiencies and uncertainties in water supply and treatment threaten social licence, investor confidence, and operational resilience.

Elevating water to a central priority opens the door for mining to scale sustainably, reduce risks, and drive the net zero transition.

“In our region, we’re seeing the impact of climate change intensify droughts and floods, disrupt operations, and increase costs,” insights Henderson.

Community and investor expectations are also rising, with water stewardship now a key factor in 126 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“ O U R E N G I N E E R E D H A R D WA R E S O L U T I O N S A R E A B O U T TA C K L I N G O U R C U S T O M E R S ’ B I G G E S T S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y C H A L L E N G E S , F R O M E X T R AC T I O N TO CO M M I N U T I O N , P R O C E S S I N G , A N D TA I L I N G S ” – M I C K H E N D E R S O N , R E G I O N A L M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R - A PAC , W E I R

securing finance and social licence.

“Our customers know that strategic water management can reduce costs, build resilience, and has the potential to unlock new sources of funding,” he states.

Weir is helping customers with integrated, end-to-end management and advising them on the innovative technologies available to them today.

From advanced ore sorting and comminution to tailings dewatering, these are proven solutions that can reduce water use and improve efficiency.

“Our circuit solutions combine WARMAN®, CAVEX®, GEHO® and ENDURON® technology to reduce water use and tailings footprint. These are solutions that also extend mine life and reduce environmental impact,” Henderson highlights.

When it comes to the future of water management, the mining sector is in the driver’s seat of transformation.

It’s about reducing costs and risks, strengthening community relations, and supporting the transition to a lowcarbon future.

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However, to be successful, water must be treated as a core part of mine design and operation.

“We need to work across the sector and with stakeholders to share knowledge and accelerate innovation,” urges Henderson.

“Mining needs to adopt the best available technologies to implement integrated flowsheets and digital solutions to optimise water use.

Consistent metrics and reporting are also essential to building trust and transparency with communities, investors, and regulators.”

ZERO HARM Mining is an inherently high-risk industry, and there are many aspects to ensuring sites are safe for those working on them.

One of the major ones is manufacturing equipment to the highest safety standards.

Weir is committed to zero harm and places safety at the heart of

+61 2 9334 5600

Sydney distribution centre

everything it does.

That means having policies and procedures in place to protect employees, as well as ensuring safety is the paramount factor in designing, manufacturing, and servicing equipment.

“Safety is our number one priority, and we are firmly committed to zero harm,” Henderson affirms.

Indeed, one of the group’s five values is thinking safety first, alongside delighting the customer, doing the right thing, aiming high, and respecting each other.

These values guide how it operates – shaping decisions, behaviour, and accountability across the business.

In addition to safety, Weir has a keen focus on sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices.

Sustainability is embedded in everything the group does; its strategy has evolved from a roadmap into a fully integrated approach.

Weir plays a critical role in helping the mining industry reduce its footprint with advanced technology and expertise.

Through innovation and collaboration, the division is shaping a more sustainable future for mining.

“It’s about how we focus on the customer extracting value with local support, Tier 1 products, distribution centres, technical advice, and all the things they need to keep their operations running 24/7 in the most efficient way,” Henderson closes.

Tel: +61 (0) 2 9934 5100

www.global.weir Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 127

Underground Drilling with a Difference With the largest fleet of drill rig units in Australia and a deeply committed approach to meeting customers’ needs, Cougar Group sets the standard in underground equipment manufacturing and services. Chad Dillinger, CEO, and Justin Tredinnick, COO, delve deeper into the group’s continued success Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

Chad Dillinger, CEO

C

urrently, the Australian mining industry is evolving at a rate never before seen. As a result, the underground equipment sector presents a wealth of opportunity.

In the underground coal category specifically, there is an increasing emphasis on automation within productivity-linked equipment as well as the evolution of safety technology, 128 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Justin Tredinnick, COO

with more mines adopting proximity detection systems.

At the forefront of this space is Cougar Group (Cougar) – an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of underground technology that is continuously investing in Australian manufacturing operations with systems and process automation, ultimately enhancing the customer experience.

With a highly skilled workforce of over 400 staff members, the group offers equipment, services, and solutions to the Australian underground coal industry across New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (QLD).

Cougar’s manufacturing solutions include personnel transporters, graders, drill rigs, longwall relocation,

COUGAR GROUP ASIA PACIFIC

and auxiliary power equipment.

“With our services, Cougar is the industry leader in underground in-seam gas drainage, supplemented by a complete portfolio of equipment available for hire and a first-class overhauls team,” introduces Chad Dillinger, CEO. “We have 24 drill rig units – the largest fleet in the underground in-seam gas

drainage segment in Australia.” adds Justin Tredinnick, COO.

MANUFACTURING AND SERVICES EXCELLENCE Founded in 1999, Cougar achieved early success by employing dedicated people, maintaining close customer relationships, and building a robust network of industry partnerships.

“There are many suppliers who have been there from the beginning and many others who have joined our journey along the way – it’s in our best interests that both Cougar and our suppliers are successful and continuously working on our partnership to serve the industry,” Tredinnick shares.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 129

COUGAR GROUP ASIA PACIFIC

Another key factor in the group’s growth was the strategic decision to invest in and acquire complementary businesses and intellectual property, including the Industrea Mining Equipment assets from General Electric (GE) Mining in 2018 and fleet assets from VLI Drilling.

Fast forward to today, and the group is about to build the 100th Cougar-branded personnel carrier since acquiring the intellectual property from GE Mining.

The group has also expanded its capabilities as its clients’ needs have evolved and proactively responds to customers’ continuous feedback, resulting in a vast range of services and equipment that differentiates Cougar from its competitors.

“Underground coal requires complex equipment and is often operated in challenging conditions.

Cougar has one of the most comprehensive offerings of any underground OEM by offering new build equipment, hire equipment, and

130 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

repairs and overhauls in the support equipment and drilling segments, along with complimentary products such as utilities and services pipes,” Dillinger outlines.

Also central to Cougar’s success is its recent decision to synergise all its individual brands under one banner, highlighting the number of facets of the underground coal industry the group operates in.

“We’re reaching the point where we

can leverage our footprint through the consolidated brands to respond to customers faster. Aligning our divisions, systems, and resources enables stronger collaboration and faster decision-making across projects,” affirms Dillinger.

“This, in turn, strengthens our ability to deliver integrated, end-toend solutions – reinforcing Cougar as a reliable partner in demanding underground environments.”

COUGAR GROUP ASIA PACIFIC

Cougar’s owneroperator advantage An owner-operator business offers several advantages for customers. With the owners directly involved in daily operations, customers benefit from personalised and attentive service tailored to their needs.

The owner’s vested interest in the business ensures higher accountability and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction. Their deep expertise in the field guarantees high-quality products or services, whilst the flexibility of the business allows for quick responses to customer requests.

Additionally, customers can build direct relationships with the owner, fostering trust and loyalty. This handson approach also ensures consistency in the quality of service or product delivery, making owner-operator businesses a reliable and customer-focused choice.

TRUSTED PROJECT PARTNER No stranger to technology innovation, the group is continuing to evolve across its many business segments, demonstrated by an impressive product portfolio.

For instance, Cougar has a long history of partnering and supplying equipment and services to the upper and lower regions of the Hunter Valley, NSW. The group has recently introduced an equipment financing service that is gaining popularity across the region and offers customers a pathway to

“We’re reaching the point where we can leverage our footprint through the consolidated brands to respond to c u s t o m e r s f a s t e r. A l i g n i n g o u r d i v i s i o n s , systems, and resources enables stronger collaboration and faster decision-making across projects” – CHAD DILLINGER, CEO, COUGAR GROUP

new equipment without the burden of upfront capital expenditure.

“We’re proud to be part of Malabar Resources’ journey, which for us started at the very early stages of mine development where we partnered with PYBAR Mining Services to modify two hard rock jumbo drills for compliance in underground coal to develop the drift roads for the Woodlands Hill seam,” Tredinnick recalls.

Although drift development isn’t Cougar’s typical business model, the project showcases the group’s ability to

innovate and provide customers with unique solutions to their challenges.

Elsewhere, Cougar recently worked with a mine in the Illawarra region in NSW, developing an operator protection system for the mine’s recent new build grader order.

Cougar also has a prominent role in the Centurion Coal Mine in QLD, supplying a world-class suite of new build equipment to support day-to-day mine operations, as well as equipment for installation and completing the relocation of a longwall system.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 131

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NEWCASTLE’S INDUSTRY LEADERS IN FABRICATION AND MANUFACTURING With over 50 years of operational excellence in the ever-expanding fabrication and manufacturing industries, ISG Sheetmetal & Laser is a family-owned sheet metal and laser cutting business situated in the heart of Tomago, New South Wales, Australia.

Offering expert operations since 1973, we pride ourselves on delivering unparalleled service and high-quality products at competitive prices.

Our portfolio includes laser cutting, manufacturing, and computer numerical control (CNC) pressing and automatic rolling. Specifically, we specialise in laser cutting and offer a 1x 4-kilowatt (kW) fibre laser and a 1x 6 kW fibre laser that ensures we provide the latest technologies and remain the local industry leader. Our laser cutting services comprise 0.55-12-millimetre (mm) aluminium, 0.55-16 mm stainless steel, and 0.55-25 mm mild steel.

For ISG Sheetmetal & Laser’s manufacturing offerings, the company is capable of producing a comprehensive variety of products ranging from intricate filigrees through to ultra-heavy industrial items, such as passenger and non-passenger train parts,

stainless steel cabinets, plinths and platforms, desks and benches, privacy screens, fire pits, and artwork.

company that provides a high level of quality, attention to detail, quick turnaround, a team of experts in the sector, and truly exceptional work.

Looking at our CNC pressing and automatic rolling, two of our operational presses provide precision forming and pressing with capabilities of up to 350 tonnes. We also have a set of automatic rollers capable of rolling 6 mm mild steel and 3 mm stainless steel up to two metres long.

Our laser cutting services are ideal for customers’ homes and businesses. These include mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, and copper.

Ultimately, we’ve built a proud reputation over the course of five decades by delivering only the highest standards in craftsmanship, having been trusted by local industry leaders including Downer Group Limited, UGL, and Atlas Specialty Metals.

RELIABLE INDUSTRY EXPERTS Offering customers solutions to even the most specific of industry needs, ISG Sheetmetal & Laser has cemented its position as a

Additionally, we provide advanced laser cutting services with capabilities for various materials.

This manufacturing range includes products from intricate designs to heavy industrial items, catering to diverse client needs.

With a commitment to quality and competitive pricing, the company services local industry leaders and provides custom solutions. If you’re ready to start your next project, contact ISG Sheetmetal & Laser today.

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COUGAR GROUP ASIA PACIFIC

Cougar’s products “We provide underground in-seam drilling services to site along with hire equipment. During the longwall installation, we also provided skilled labour that assisted with on-site operations,” he tells us.

Cougar is deeply committed to giving back to the communities where its projects take place. Across the Hunter Valley, South Coast, and more broadly in QLD, the group’s local investment programmes focus on health, education, and local development.

“We actively support initiatives that uplift the region, from sponsoring local events to funding scholarships and community projects. Our goal is to create a lasting positive impact and strengthen the bonds we share with local people,” Tredinnick details.

134 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

• Mine maintenance – Underground graders and Flitmate.

• Drilling – Underground drilling accessories engineered for durability, efficiency, and compatibility with challenging conditions.

• Personnel carriers – Minecruiser MK7, MK8, and Predator.

• Longwall – Longwall chock carrier (LWC) and longwall shearer carrier (LSC).

• Pipes – Fire-resistant anti-static (FRAS) piping.

FUNDAMENTAL VALUES Cougar’s unwavering commitment to safety and sustainability is at the core of its operations.

The group is dedicated to driving a sustainable equipment future by investing in cutting-edge R&D, which focuses on improving equipment efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing safety standards.

“Through our overhaul programmes, we extend the lifecycle of machinery, minimising waste and promoting resource conservation. Additionally, our service exchange initiatives ensure that equipment downtime is reduced, enabling seamless operations whilst supporting sustainability goals,” explains Tredinnick.

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“Growth and adaptability remain central to our strategy as we navigate the evolving needs of the industry” – JUSTIN TREDINNICK, COO, COUGAR GROUP

Given that its employees are the backbone of its success, Cougar ensures its staff and stakeholders operate in a secure environment through rigorous training programmes and state-of-the-art safety equipment.

“Our implementation of the safety programme Plan and Work Safe (PAWS) is having a positive impact, fostering a proactive safety culture, and empowering our team to prioritise safety in every task,” Dillinger assures.

Alongside safety, Cougar also prioritises creating a supportive and inclusive work environment where every team member feels valued.

Through ongoing training programmes, career development opportunities, and open communication, the group empowers its employees to reach their full potential. It also celebrates their contributions through recognition 136 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Cougar’s objectives – at a glance • Find a way to do it better • Speak with honesty and respect • Be safe always • Own it • Work as a team

programmes, awards, and teambuilding activities.

“We provide secure employment and foster a supportive workplace where innovation, teamwork, and personal growth are encouraged.

By providing opportunities for advancement, recognising achievements, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance, we ensure that our team feels motivated and

valued every day,” Dillinger smiles.

As it looks towards the rest of the year, the group’s key priorities include enhancing its operational efficiency, expanding its service offerings, and exploring opportunities for diversification.

“We aim to achieve specific sustainability targets, strengthen our community partnerships, and continue investing in innovative technologies. Growth and adaptability remain central to our strategy as we navigate the evolving needs of the industry,” concludes Tredinnick.

Tel: 1800 268 427 contact@cougar.au

www.cougar.au

COUGAR GROUP ASIA PACIFIC

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Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 137

Diversified Strength in Drilling BWE Drilling brings together the strengths and legacies of three respected drilling companies into a unified, forward-focused organisation offering specialist services. We get the full story of this powerful evolution from CEO, Darren Guild Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

A

ustralia remains one of the most advanced and competitive global mining markets, supported by the diversity of commodities produced domestically.

Historically, there has usually been one standout commodity driving activity, however several are performing strongly at present, including gold, iron ore, and critical minerals used in batteries and related technologies.

“There is a great deal of activity across the sector and demand is strong, but client expectations of contractors are higher than ever, particularly in relation to performance and safety,” introduces Darren Guild, 138 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

CEO of BWE Drilling (BWE).

“It is a very busy market, and there has also been a noticeable shift in the drill and blast segment, which is our largest area of drilling activity.”

In the past, many earthmoving contractors subcontracted all drill and blast work, whereas now quite a few carry it out themselves.

“We are also seeing mining clients, particularly major iron ore operators, bringing drill and blast operations in-house. It’s a cyclical market, though, and over time that work often moves back out to contractors. Overall, it’s a dynamic and constantly evolving space,” he observes.

Built on more than 15 years of

trusted expertise, BWE delivers innovative, reliable solutions across Australia and has evolved into a leading mining services company headquartered in Osborne Park, Western Australia (WA).

With a fleet of over 50 drill rigs and operating through its three diversified drilling service offerings, the company delivers comprehensive drilling and blasting, water well, and exploration drilling services to the mining and construction industries across Australia.

JOINING FORCES BWE is the new name for the business, which originally started out

BWE DRILLING ASIA PACIFIC

as Dynamic Drill and Blast (Dynamic) in 2011.

It later acquired two additional drilling companies – Orlando Drilling (Orlando), which specialises in exploration drilling, and Well Drill, which focuses on water well drilling.

“For a period, Dynamic, Orlando, and Well Drill all continued to operate under their existing names and functioned independently. Most of the original owners stayed on, so the directors of the parent company were effectively the founders or previous owners of those individual businesses,” Guild recalls.

In mid-2024, Australian Food Super (AFS) launched an on-market

takeover and acquired 99 percent of the shareholding.

At that point, the existing Dynamic board exited, a new board was appointed by AFS, and the search began for a new CEO. Guild subsequently took up the role in December 2024 with a mandate to consolidate the businesses.

“One of the clearest priorities was to bring the group together under a single brand. When I first joined and started speaking with clients, it became clear that many of them only knew one part of the business,” he explains.

“For example, drill and blast clients often had no awareness of our

exploration or water well capabilities.

Because the businesses had operated so separately, they were not actively supporting each other in winning work.”

REBRAND AND REBUILD The gradual rebranding process of BWE was intended to achieve two things. Externally, it reset the business in the market as a diversified drilling services contractor able to provide drill and blast, exploration, and water well drilling.

Internally, it reinforced the message of one team working together rather than in three separate silos.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 139

BWE DRILLING ASIA PACIFIC

“We also began consolidating operations, including combining locations in Perth and Kalgoorlie and rationalising infrastructure, such as reducing our two workshops in Perth down to one,” Guild adds.

“From there, I worked with the board to map out a plan we now call ‘Journey to 2030’, an ambitious growth strategy aimed at reaching AUD$200 million in turnover by the end of the decade.”

Contextually, the business delivered AUD$72 million in FY25 and has seen a 36 percent increase in revenue in FY26.

To support this growth, BWE identified five core pillars; the first is growth and reputational rebuild, which centres on strengthening the new brand.

Two further pillars focus on systems – one around its accounting and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform, and the other around the operational systems used across the three businesses.

“Another pillar is capital and asset management. Because the businesses had previously operated independently, they did not share equipment, which created obvious inefficiencies,” he expands.

The final pillar involves people and culture, bringing everyone together as one team.

As such, BWE now shares services across commercial, finance, and human resources – functions which are aligning standards across the entire brand.

140 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“Ultimately, it all comes down to execution – delivering our work exceptionally well for clients whilst also generating strong returns for our owners” – DARREN GUILD, CEO, BWE DRILLING

BWE DRILLING ASIA PACIFIC

GROWTH AND EXPANSION OPPORTUNITIES In terms of the next stage of growth for the company, BWE’s journey to 2030 is focused on strengthening its position in WA whilst expanding into the eastern states of the country, particularly in the copper and gold markets, which are performing strongly.

“We are also open to opportunities in coal, potentially through acquisitions, as part of our longerterm ambition to become a national contractor,” Guild sets out.

As such, the company still expects most of its growth to come from the drill and blast business, where it is currently tracking a pipeline of more than AUD$2 billion in work, which will be the main driver of this fresh new expansion.

One of the advantages of drill and blast is that it is tied to production, so even if commodity prices soften, mines often continue operating.

“Elsewhere, we’re seeing solid demand in exploration, although we want to maintain a balanced fleet rather than overexpand, because greenfield exploration is often one of the first areas to be scaled back when commodity prices fall,” he notes.

In the water well business, whilst BWE does not expect significant growth in rig numbers, it sees strong value in continuing to deliver a highquality, reliable service to Tier 1 clients.

“Ultimately, it all comes down to execution – delivering our work exceptionally well for clients whilst also generating strong returns for our owners.”

BUILDING THE PORTFOLIO BWE recently announced that, over the last couple of months, it has secured AUD$185 million in new contracts, encompassing work that spans both WA and the Northern Territory (NT) – a significant milestone as, historically, the company had only ever operated in the former.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR CONNECTION TO THE DRILLING AND MINING INDUSTRY? Darren Guild, CEO: “My connection to the industry dates to my childhood as my father was involved in drilling, so I grew up around it. I was born in Kalgoorlie and lived in both Kambalda and Leonora, which are mining towns in the Goldfields of WA. “Back in the 1970s, I used to go to work with my father during the school holidays when I was six or seven years old and spend time around the sites. You definitely couldn’t do that these days, but it meant I was exposed to drilling from a very early age.

“Initially, I chose not to go into drilling. I joined the Australian Army, served there for a period, then left to become a police officer in WA in the early 1990s.

“Whilst I was waiting for my intake, I went back to Kalgoorlie and took a job as a drilling offsider, which was only supposed to last about four months. Almost 30 years later, I am still in the industry.

“I have since worked predominantly with drilling and blasting contractors, as well as a couple of earthmoving contractors, gradually progressing through management roles and culminating with becoming CEO of BWE.

“We have now expanded into the NT, and our next step is to push into Far North Queensland. We have just appointed an Operations Manager based in Townsville to support that move,” Guild informs.

There is a strong concentration of metalliferous mines in the region, and it is also where the coalfields begin, which the company is not opposed to

embracing, particularly the extraction of metallurgical coal.

“We are building towards a truly national footprint with a number of copper and gold assets. The AUD$185 million in recent wins is spread across multiple commodities, including gold and iron ore, and that diversification is a deliberate part of our growth strategy,” he excites.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 141

BWE DRILLING ASIA PACIFIC

“We do not want more than 50 percent of our portfolio tied to any single commodity, so if there is a downturn in one area, we are better placed to work through it.”

Of that AUD$185 million, some of the work came from extensions with existing clients, whilst a significant portion came from new client wins.

BWE is now working with Tier 1 contractors such as BHP and Rio Tinto, as well as gold producers including Northern Star Resources and Vault Minerals, alongside a range of emerging junior explorers.

“Altogether, these wins reinforce both the depth of our pipeline and the diversity of our revenue base across multiple commodities,” Guild enthuses.

CREATING A LEGACY Guild tells us how he wants to build a business that is respected for how it operates.

“Personally, I would like this to be my last role, but to achieve that, we need strong safety performance, 144 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“Giving people a level of involvement and making sure they have a voice and a place to build a long-term career is central to the legacy we want to create” – DARREN GUILD, CEO, BWE DRILLING

BWE DRILLING ASIA PACIFIC

consistent delivery, and a reputation for doing what we say we will do,” He acknowledges.

Another key priority for BWE is maintaining an environment where people want to build long-term careers.

Indeed, one of the company’s core strengths is the number of long-term employees within its team.

“At the moment, we have eight or nine people on the 15-year board, around 20 on the 10-year board, and a large number on the five-year board as well,” he remarks.

This marks a significant achievement in what is currently a very tight labour market, where people can be tempted to move for a small increase in pay.

BWE is trying to address this through the employee value proposition it is developing and by making the company a place where people genuinely want to work.

“A big part of that has been

involving people in the process of shaping the company’s future, from developing the new name and logo through to building our strategy.”

As such, around 30 people were involved in the strategy sessions that helped BWE create its ‘Journey to 2030’ strategy.

“Giving people a level of involvement and making sure they have a voice and a place to build a long-term career is central to the legacy we want to create,” prides Guild.

BWE wants to be regarded as a larger contractor but still retain a family feel and shared sense of connection, which is important to the company.

Currently, BWE has a head office in Perth and a separate workshop about 30 minutes away, but over the next two years, the plan is to consolidate those into one location so that everyone is working together under one roof.

“Ultimately, we want our people to enjoy their work and being a part of the business,” Guild concludes enthusiastically.

Every successful company is built on more than just products and services – they are built on a clear sense of purpose and shared beliefs.

With a clear vision of where it wants to be in the near future, BWE looks set to move from strength to strength as it maintains an upward trajectory towards continued growth and prosperity.

Tel: 08 6404 2798 info@bwedrilling.com.au

www.bwedrilling.com.au

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 145

Agility in Motion As South Australia’s mining sector gains momentum, Agile Mining Services is helping junior miners unlock value through operational expertise, technology integration, and capital-backed end-to-end project delivery. Kerry Mudge, Founder and Managing Director, tells us more Writer: Lily Sawyer | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

AGILE MINING SERVICES ASIA PACIFIC

The mining industry in South Australia (SA) is on the cusp of something special – we have not been able to say that honestly for a long time.”

The opening words of Kerry Mudge, Founder and Managing Director of South Australian iron ore contractor Agile Mining Services (Agile), reflect a wider sentiment of optimism that can be felt across the region.

With a mature project pipeline and a commodity mix consisting of iron, copper, gold, uranium, and rare earths working in the state’s favour, SA’s mining status is on the rise.

Following 20 years with iron ore at the pinnacle, copper is now emerging as a leading asset for major mining

houses such as BHP. Indeed, junior mining companies in SA are now well placed to attract capital – not just chase it – which is why operationally credible delivery partners are becoming increasingly crucial.

“The bottleneck is delivery, not deposits,” he points out.

Challenges within the industry continue to persist, however, with more expensive capital, stretched lead times, and a lack of skilled operators.

In this context, Agile recognises that the opportunity is bigger than the challenge, which is why it has spent six years acting as the conduit between deposits and capital.

“Our core service is end-to-end open-pit mining – and end-toend means three things: project intelligence, operational excellence, and capital conduit,” Mudge outlines.

For Agile, project intelligence is where its engagement starts – working alongside the resource owner’s geology team, pressuretesting the resource model against the orebody, and rebuilding the mine plan based on reality rather than feasibility.

“Pit design, life-of-mine, shortinterval planning, drill-and-blast pattern design tuned to the rock rather than the equipment – all of it sits in the intelligence layer,” he explains.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 147

AGILE MINING SERVICES ASIA PACIFIC

Operational excellence is the part the market sees, with one operator assuming full accountability and one delivery partner running the full chain.

Capital conduit is what Agile believes matters most to its resource partners as it entails investing in assets via structured offtaker finance, equipment finance, and working capital packages.

“Agile-operated assets attract capital that unmanaged or piecemeal-operated assets cannot,” Mudge prides.

PROLIFIC PROJECTS Two iron ore projects are the heart of Agile’s story.

The first had been in care and maintenance for a decade before the company came in, restarted the mine, and lifted production from 1.2 million tonnes per annum (tpa) to 3.2 million tpa.

Having executed the plan endto-end – which saw the ramp up and stabilise stages selling nine million tonnes (t) of iron ore into seaborne markets – Agile’s team then transitioned to its second project.

A greenfield deposit, the second project was built from scratch under the company’s end-to-end model.

“Once running, the reserve started to grow, which came from understanding the deposit, investing in it, and turning new resources into reserves through in-house engineering,” Mudge details.

As a result, the reserve has grown to 14 million t during operations, with Agile now targeting 20 million t.

“That is a near-tripling of the asset’s enterprise value, earned through project intelligence – geology, exploration, and engineering – not just operations,” he specifies.

“You cannot deliver that as a contractor who only loads and hauls.

You have to be inside the geology and the planning, which is what the project intelligence does for the asset owner.”

148 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

CALL TO ACTION Mudge believes the conversation around mining in Australia has become unbalanced of late.

“The industry has been bad at telling its own story for a long time, and the result is a generation of young Australians who cannot see themselves in this work, even though it is some of the most meaningful, well-paid, and technically interesting work on offer,” he emphasises.

Mudge believes Agile can play a role in changing that, which is why he writes publicly about how the business operates, why the company opens its sites to media and local communities, and why Agile treats the people on its crews as the face of the company.

“The industry will not be saved by glossy corporate campaigns. It will be saved by operators telling the truth about what they do,” he observes.

“If anyone reading this is in mining and frustrated about the way our industry is perceived — get in front of a camera, write the post, take the meeting with the school. The story will not tell itself,” Mudge urges.

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“WHETHER THE DEPOSIT IS IN CARE AND MAINTENANCE OR HAS NEVER BEEN MINED, OR THE COMMODITY IS IRON ORE, COPPER, OR SOMETHING F U R T H E R D O W N T H E P E R I O D I C TA B L E – W E A R E W E L L O N T H E WAY ” – K E R RY M U D G E , FO U N D E R A N D M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R , AG I L E M I N I N G S E RV I C E S

therefore our job to be the most reliable name in that group,” Mudge asserts.

BUILDING A STORY

On the global market, SA’s favourable characteristics comprise world-class geology, lower geopolitical complexity, and a growing mid-tier producer base that is genuinely accountable for what it ships.

“For much of the market, this kind of accountability is the only reason to consider SA hematite at all. It is 150 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Alongside its two core iron ore projects, Agile has also demonstrated its ability to move quickly when the market conditions are right.

“Our third iron ore project was sitting in care and maintenance with a small footprint and a complicated history. Then, the iron ore price spiked,” Mudge informs.

Agile restarted the site quickly to catch the rising iron ore price whilst the window was open, bringing in dry magnetic separation technology to lift the product specifications to where the deposit required it.

The company also engineered a flexible logistics solution that moved

ore to port without getting caught by rail and port-slot bottlenecks that would have killed the economics.

Although a small job, the speed of turnaround was a challenge as the market window would not wait.

“In a price cycle like that one, sometimes you only get one chance, and it can be easily missed. We mined the deposit well and moved on once the work was done,” he highlights.

This third project proved Agile can move quickly, deploy specialised technology, and engineer commercial flexibility when the window is open and the operating environment demands it.

“That capability is exactly what the next generation of SA producers – and the capital that backs them – is looking for,” Mudge informs.

Whilst its active operation continues, the company is working with several

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clients to unlock the whole province around the project, which includes further hematite and magnetite deposits and copper, mineral sands, and gold resources – a multi-year, multi-asset opportunity.

Beyond this, Agile is progressing a pipeline with junior and mid-tier resource owners across Australia, including both restart candidates and greenfield sites.

“There is a real opportunity to replicate what we have achieved in SA – owners with proven deposits who need a partner that can rapidly set up an operation, run it smoothly and profitably, and build a story the capital markets will underwrite,” he surmises.

POWER OF TECHNOLOGY Whilst mining technology is often sold as a transformation story, Agile

08 8374 0340 minebusservices.com.au

believes that, when properly deployed, it lets a smaller operator behave like a larger one without inheriting the overhead.

“That is the lever we are pulling – and we have pulled it harder than most contractors of our size would,” Mudge confirms.

The clearest example is Agile’s partnership with Perth-based mining technology business, RaptorTech.

RaptorTech’s fleet management, collision avoidance, and high-precision GPS guidance solutions all run through one ecosystem, and Agile deployed and integrated the RaptorOS fleet management platform into its operations.

In practice, this involves live visibility, machine location, and asset status all mapped in a 3D digital twin of the pit.

As a result, in 2024 the partnership won the Premier’s Award for Productivity Improvement (Resources), issued by the South Australian Department for Energy and Mining.

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AGILE MINING SERVICES ASIA PACIFIC

AS A PROUDLY SA-OWNED AND OPERATED COMPANY, HOW DO YOU PRIORITISE THE COMMUNITIES LOCAL TO YOU WHEN IT COMES TO PROCUREMENT AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES? KERRY MUDGE, FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR: “We are an SA company in a meaningful sense, not a marketing sense. The business is owned and headquartered here, our operations are here, and the majority of our supply chain spend stays here - that is policy.

“On procurement, our default is local first. When a piece of work can be done by a regional SA business at a competitive standard, that is where it goes.

“The secondary effect – the workshop in Whyalla that picks up the welding job, the trucking firm that picks up the freight – keeps regional SA viable for the next generation of mining workers. It also reduces operational risk: a local supply chain we know is more reliable than a fly-in, fly-out one we do not.

“On employment, we recruit regionally where the role allows. Our deliberate bias is to bring local people into operating roles and train them up rather than fly in a fully formed crew.

“Although this takes longer and costs more in year one, it pays back in retention, in the social licence side of the ledger, and in the workforce continuity that lets us move from one project to the next without rebuilding the team each time.

“SA has 1.8 million people and a mining industry that punches above its weight. If an SA-owned contractor cannot back the SA supply chain, no one will.”

“Agile and RaptorTech took the prize jointly, which is the right way for that award to land – the technology and the operator both have to deliver for it to mean anything,” he asserts.

The productivity gains afforded by RaptorTech across Agile’s operations have been significant and the Premier’s Award is a valuable thirdparty validation.

Elsewhere, the Agile Operating System is the company’s internal integrated platform – the data spine, workflow planner, and connective tissue that takes live data from the fleet and turns it into real-time decisions.

“Most smaller operators integrate vendor tools loosely and call it a system – we have gone further,” Mudge excites.

When it comes to automation and artificial intelligence (AI) more broadly, the early gains have been in maintenance scheduling, drill pattern optimisation, dispatch logic, and document handling.

“We are not running an autonomous fleet – we are using machine intelligence to take the cognitive load off our planners and supervisors so they can spend their day on the decisions that actually move the cost line,” he notes.

As such, the Agile Operating System is what positions the company well to absorb the next wave of AI and automation as it lands.

“Our philosophy is if a tool does not pay back inside 12 months, we do not deploy it. The companies that get hurt by technology are the ones who buy the brochure instead of the outcome,” Mudge states.

RESPONSIBLE OPERATOR With a holistic view of sustainability at its core, Agile is dedicated to protecting the environment, land, people, and cultures around it.

Environmentally, the company believes it should be able to leave a site and return it to the community in 152 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

AGILE MINING SERVICES ASIA PACIFIC

better shape than it found it.

“We plan to rehabilitate the mine from the outset – both because it is operationally right and because it shortens the rehabilitation tail that capital and regulators both watch,” Mudge elaborates.

When it comes to people, sustainability means overseeing a workforce that can do the job for 30+ years without burning out, getting

hurt, or giving up the family life that brought them to a regional operation.

“This shows up in our roster design, safety leading indicators, and turnover numbers. It is also the part of sustainability we are most disciplined about because it drives operating performance,” he affirms.

In terms of culture and country, Agile takes the responsibility of operating on Aboriginal land seriously

– as any SA-owned operator should.

It works with Traditional Owners on every site and treats heritage management as a core part of its operations, rather than a compliance function.

“There is no version of long-term mining in this state that does not start with that relationship being right,” Mudge impassions.

More than holding itself to high standards as an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) leader, Agile sees itself as a contractor that intends to still be here in 20 years.

“That ambition forces sustainability into every decision, whether we label it that way or not,” he assures.

Indeed, Agile’s perspective on community development and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in regional SA is consistent.

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“One of the institutions that works hardest for our people here is the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) – every operator at every one of our sites is one bad day away from needing the RFDS,” Mudge reflects.

Therefore, when a client came to Agile with an opportunity to contribute to RFDS, the answer was immediately yes.

Beyond this initiative, Agile is proud to buy local, employ local, and back the regional supply chain that keeps small SA towns viable.

“That kind of contribution compounds, because it builds the economic base of the place rather than the visibility of the brand,” he posits.

A BRIGHT FUTURE

“ W E P L A N T O R E H A B I L I TAT E T H E M I N E F R O M T H E O U TS E T – B OT H B E C AU S E I T I S O P E R AT I O N A L LY R I G H T A N D B E C A U S E I T S H O R T E N S T H E R E H A B I L I TAT I O N TA I L T H AT C A P I TA L A N D R E G U L AT O R S B O T H WAT C H ” – K E R RY M U D G E , FO U N D E R A N D M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R , AG I L E MINING SERVICES

154 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Looking ahead, Agile intends to be the most capable end-to-end mining services business in Australia.

“Not the biggest: the most capable.

Capability and scale are different paths, and we are not interested in scaling past our ability to operate well,” Mudge confidently says.

The macro context defines this year, with SA on the cusp of a generational shift in terms of its pipeline maturity, commodity mix, and plethora of wellled junior miners attracting capital.

Agile is well-placed to deliver in this context, acting as the conduit between the credibility on the ground and the capital that wants to back it.

The company plans to grow its active iron ore operation towards its reserve target through disciplined operations.

Agile is also looking to convert the next opportunity in its pipeline – either a restart or greenfield project – without dropping the ball on existing operations.

Elsewhere, the company intends to continue investing in its people, particularly in operators and supervisors developed from within.

“We will also extend the Agile Operating System so we can run

AGILE MINING SERVICES ASIA PACIFIC

WHO IN THE INDUSTRY WOULD YOU SAY BENEFITS MOST FROM AGILE’S SERVICES? KERRY MUDGE, FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR: “The clients who feel the value of all three pillars most are juniors and mid-tier resource owners. They come to us in two forms.

“The first is a brownfield project sitting in care and maintenance – the previous owner walked away, the orebody is still there, and the project needs a contractor who will restart it economically.

“The second is a greenfield – a deposit that has never been mined, where the owner needs an operating partner from day one.

“Our track record covers both. We have successfully restarted care and maintenance operations, run them well, and finished them cleanly. Our active operation is a greenfield we built from scratch.

“Our philosophy is: we think like a contractor but act like an owner. That is not a tagline – it is the way we structure contracts, deploy people, and challenge plans.

“If a client’s mine plan does not stack up, we say so, even when doing so is commercially inconvenient for us in the short term.

That posture is what binds the three pillars into one offer rather than three loose claims.”

more sites without losing the operating signal and build the capital relationships that allow Agileoperated assets to access the funding the moment is creating,” he tells us.

The company’s medium-term ambition is to be the contractor Australian junior and mid-tier miners think of first when they have a deposit and a decision to make – and the

contractor that capital managers and overseas investors think of when they are underwriting a producer.

“Whether the deposit is in care and maintenance or has never been mined, or the commodity is iron ore, copper, or something further down the periodic table – we are well on the way,” Mudge passionately concludes.

Tel: +63 456 733 231 info@agilemining.au

www.agilemining.com.au

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 155

TRANSFORMING DUST CONTROL With a steadfast purpose of delivering operator safety through world-class dust management solutions, Grydale is a proud industry stalwart. We revisit the company with Alex de Andrade, CEO, to discuss its latest ventures and technology Writer: Lauren Kania | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

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H

aving made a name for itself solving the tough and often invisible problem of airborne dust at the source, Grydale is a proud Australian dust control manufacturer and engineering specialist with global capacity.

Since we last spoke to the company in February 2025, the ever-crucial mining industry has only continued to

become more technically demanding.

Specifically, Grydale is seeing a global emphasis on new standards and worker health, respirable dust exposure, and regulatory compliance, especially around crystalline silica and other hazardous particulates.

This is driving a shift from traditional reactive dust suppression systems to engineered dust control solutions

that are measurable, verifiable, and integrated into mine planning.

“From my perspective, mining remains an industry that rewards engineering innovation and practical problem-solving, and values the relationships we create by offering hands-on support for the lifecycle of the equipment,” introduces Alex de Andrade, CEO. Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 157

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Operations are under pressure to improve productivity whilst upholding unconditional safety outcomes, and that’s where effective dust extraction design plays a critical role. Remote connectivity and calling on a support team when integrating the machine’s Internet of Things (IoT) telemetry data are essential for modern engineers and production crews.

The data allows them to predict maintenance and reduce servicing costs and downtimes, which creates meaningful work for Grydale’s engineers, field service technicians, and sales support team.

Ultimately, for Grydale, its focus is on evidence-based dust control.

“We increasingly help clients verify performance, optimise airflow, and demonstrate compliance with the evolving workplace exposure limits.

This focus on measurable outcomes is shaping the next phase of dust control in mining and heavy industry; knowing we are doing the right thing for all operators is a gratifying experience,” enthuses de Andrade.

SOLVING PROBLEMS AT THE SOURCE Grydale is first and foremost an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) with protected intellectual property and a customer-first culture where its service teams integrate into clients’ teams to solve shared challenges.

“Our patented mobile dust collector technology has fundamentally changed how dust extraction is approached in mining, tunnelling, blasting, ship loading, infrastructure, agriculture, and heavy industry, particularly in environments where flexibility and mobility are critical,” de Andrade details.

Grydale’s total service offering is embedded in the way it delivers ventilation designs, engineering innovation, hands-on commissioning and field service support, worldclass LEAN and ISO-accredited 158 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

manufacturing, and ongoing remote support services.

What further differentiates Grydale is the company’s technological advancements.

Recently, the company’s engineering focus has extended to 1,000-volt (V) electrics for large mobile units – an option increasingly preferred in tunnelling and underground mining for

efficiency and safety. Harmonics management on 1000 V variable frequency drives (VFDs) is highlighted as critical to power quality and equipment life. This is reflected in deployment casework

by SMEC Power & Technology, which supplied 1,000 V VFDs with tuned harmonic filtering for JMS60 M-Series collectors on recent Sydney tunnelling projects.

GRYDALE WAS NAMED A FINALIST IN THE MORETON BAY BUSINESS AND INNOVATION AWARDS. HOW DOES THIS DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO GROWTH AND INNOVATION? Alex de Andrade, CEO: “Being named a finalist in the Advanced Manufacturing Excellence category at the Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards was a proud moment for the entire Grydale team.

“The category recognises businesses that advance manufacturing through innovation, technology, and continuous improvement, which aligns strongly with how we operate. The recognition reflects our ongoing investment in engineering capability, R&D, advanced fabrication, and quality systems in the Moreton Bay region, whilst upholding a zero-tolerance approach to any safety risk for our teams.

“It also acknowledges the skill and dedication of our people who make the brand what it is by the effort they put in daily around the globe.”

“FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MINING REMAINS A N I N D U S T R Y T H AT R E WA R D S E N G I N E E R I N G I N N O VAT I O N A N D P R A C T I C A L P R O B L E M S O LV I N G , A N D VA L U E S T H E R E L AT I O N S H I P S W E C R E AT E B Y O F F E R I N G H A N D S - O N S U P P O R T F O R T H E L I F E C YC L E O F T H E EQUIPMENT” – A L E X D E A N D R A D E , C E O, G RY DA L E

On the fixed-plant side, Grydale’s modular fixed-unit F-Series provides long-term, high-volume extraction for processing plants, laboratories, and materials handling hubs. The design process, sizing, air volume, air-to-cloth ratios, and ductwork pressure losses are internally designed and deliver the compliant emissions capture needed in controlled environments, offering advantages over older baghouse alternatives.

Equally, with recent diversification

into potash and grain wheat loadout solutions, the company has successfully demonstrated a vast range of dust management applications, including on-board systems and conveyor transfer chutes for the agricultural industry.

Specifically, the Grydale Remote Access Monitoring System (G-RAMS) is transforming dust control through intelligent remote IoT monitoring.

Industrial environments are under increasing pressure to maintain safer work sites, reduce emissions, and

improve operational safety. Dust, though often invisible, remains one of the most persistent threats and even evident causes of death, impacting worker health, environmental compliance, and equipment longevity, hence why Grydale’s top-of-the-line innovations prove crucial.

Innovation is just as visible where mobility offers key advantages. The company holds international patents for self-propelled, track-mounted collectors that can follow the face or source of dust generation, minimising duct runs and treating less air for more efficient capture.

INNOVATION AT LARGE Having begun in the city of Moreton Bay, Grydale now proudly spans multiple regions, including Australia, North America, and Europe. The company also has distribution partners with reach across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) via Saudi Arabia’s Mining Vision, Golden Compass, and Rasi Investment Co. Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 159

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GRYDALE’S CALLOUTS AND CREDENTIALS – AT A GLANCE • PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN OEM – Grydale designs and builds fixed, mobile, and onboard dust collectors, with patented mobility that enhances at-source capture across tunnelling, mining, construction, recycling, and bulk-handling applications.

Specifically, the company is building a presence with regional partners such as Mining Vision – an authorised distributor – who has reported approximately 20 Grydale units in the country for various historical and current projects. Mining Vision, under Golden Compass, stands out as a rapidly expanding mining services leader, engaging with international OEMs across the value chain. Through the strong guidance of Meshary AlAli AlDeheshi, CEO, the company’s abilities are indicative of the brand’s GCC momentum and Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision.

This expansive reach allows Grydale to provide on-the-ground service technicians to support best practices in dust suppression adoption globally.

Equally important to the company are customer service guarantees. Its service proposition is intentionally end-to-end, including ventilation design, manufacturing, site commissioning, project management, and ongoing technical support and warranty – coupled to a significant rental fleet for any emergency or unplanned temporary works.

In North America, Grydale’s growth is being driven through Grydale North America, established in collaboration with JEBCO Group (JEBCO) and led

by Brett Murray, President.

JEBCO is a well-established North American manufacturer and industrial 160 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

• 1000 V WITH HARMONICS CONTROL – Purpose-engineered for heavy underground duty, supported by deployments using tuned harmonic filters on high-powered VFDs. • LABORATORY-GRADE RESULTS IN THE FIELD – Independent testing has verified filtration performance to 99.99 percent at 0.067 microns; fixed-unit design practice emphasises correct airflow, pressure, and air-to-cloth ratios to ensure compliant capture in controlled environments.

• BACKED BY RDO EQUIPMENT – Strategic investment by RD Offutt Co. (RDO) underpins manufacturing capability, rental fleet scale, and aftermarket expansion, including a rental fleet of close to 50 machines serviced and supported from customer service facilities in Wyong, New South Wales.

• GLOBAL PARTNERS – These include Mining Vision and a frequent North American event collaboration with Jebco Industries Inc., with signs of a growing ecosystem around the technology.

GRYDALE ASIA PACIFIC

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Mining, drilling and Industrial Solutions With a clear focus on advancing Saudi Arabia’s mining industry, Mining Vision is emerging as a strategic force in the Kingdom’s expanding resources sector. Saudi-owned and market-focused, the company delivers specialist solutions spanning drilling, geology, upstream and downstream support, and mining technology distribution.

Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, Mining Vision supports localisation, sustainable growth, and the responsible development of mineral resources.

“Mining Vision is driven by a clear purpose to empower industry through innovative strategies and transformative solutions, creating lasting value for clients, partners, and the Kingdom’s mining future.”

– Chairman, Mining Vision

Through international partnerships, it connects Saudi projects with proven OEM capability, supplying drilling rigs, dust collectors, crawler vehicles, downhole survey systems, electronic drilling recorders, and wireline logging technology. miningvision.net info@miningvision.net

Its affiliated businesses further strengthen the offering through drilling fluids, PPE, core boxes, battery-powered light towers, and field security solutions.

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partner with deep experience supporting mining, oilfield, and heavy industrial operations. Its business is built on quality-certified manufacturing, practical engineering, and strong market relationships – capabilities that align closely with Grydale’s health-first and performance-driven philosophy.

Through this collaboration, JEBCO works closely with Grydale’s leadership and technical teams to develop and strengthen its brand in North America, combining local manufacturing, sales, and service capabilities with Grydale’s proprietary dust control technology.

Together, Grydale North America delivers engineered, measurable, and compliant dust management solutions tailored to North American operating environments.

“ C S R I S E M B E D D E D I N G RY DA L E ’ S P U R P O S E .

AT O U R C O R E , O U R S TA F F J O I N T H E C O M PA N Y K N O W I N G T H E Y C A N M A K E A D I F F E R E N C E T O O P E R AT O R S A F E T Y A N D WORK CONDITIONS” – A L E X D E A N D R A D E , C E O, G RY DA L E

Ultimately, dust control and operator health remain Grydale’s key reasons for existence. Continuously positioning its products as engineering controls to reduce worker exposure to harmful respirable particulates, the company’s ‘healthfirst’ stance is reinforced through LEAN and operations-excellence disciplines in the company’s Brisbane factories.

Redpath Australia noted this operational excellence within Grydale’s manufacturing facility during its Lean Leaders programme, highlighting the site visit as a practical example of the 5S methodology and continuous improvement, an endorsement that safety, quality, and performance are being pursued together on the shop floor, and all staff have embraced a zero-injuries culture.

Spot extracting for tunnel construction

Mobile dust control during surface mining and quarrying

Dust control for tunelling and underground mining

JMS-50-MES mobile electric skid dust collector

162 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

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THE ROAD AHEAD Crucial to Grydale’s success are the dedicated team members who comprise the company.

“Empowering our people starts with trust, ownership, and technical depth. We encourage our team to take responsibility for outcomes across all disciplines,” expands de Andrade.

“We always have a minimum of two apprentices being trained at a time and uphold a cross-disciplinary, highly collaborative team model where we can cover for each other when required.”

Grydale’s people are motivated by seeing the real-world impact their work has on operator health and safety, alongside the benefits to the environment and neighbouring communities wherever its technology is adopted. The company also acknowledges and rewards on the basis of clear indicators rather than broad-brush benefits for all,

promoting healthy competition and growth.

Meanwhile, Grydale is active in its surrounding communities through various corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

“CSR is embedded in Grydale’s purpose. At our core, our staff join the company knowing they can make a difference to operator safety and work conditions,” de Andrade details.

This community engagement flows to team members’ participation in local community sports, clubs, teams, and events.

“Outside of sport, we support children’s charity lunch events on the Sunshine Coast as well as Norton Music Factory, co-run by our Electrical Manager, Liam Norton. Going forward, we are finalising our pledge with Pro Purpose® to fund initiatives linked to our community such as education in developing countries as well as youth programmes in Australia,” closes de Andrade.

Additionally, the company is actively supporting mental health awareness initiatives whilst placing a strong emphasis on safe work practices and employee well-being for all staff and their direct families.

As Grydale embraces the road ahead, its trajectory reflects a simple equation – engineered performance plus service accountability equals safer operators and more productive sites.

Through its various new technologies and endeavours, the company is expanding its reach whilst remaining anchored to its purpose – operator safety through world-class dust management solutions.

Tel: +61 1300 929 349 enquiries@grydale.com.au

www.grydale.com.au

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Ke e p i n g C r i t i c a l M i n i With a growing reputation in component exchange, overhaul, and field services, UGL Transport is helping mining companies maximise asset reliability, reduce downtime, and extend equipment life across Australia’s major resource regions. We learn more with James McKewen, Area Business Manager Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold 164 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

T

he Australian mining logistics sector remains a critical pillar of the national economy, continuously evolving and becoming increasingly competitive.

This makes for a highly exciting operational environment due to the scale of projects across regions including the Bowen Basin, Hunter Valley, and Pilbara, compounded with ongoing fleet and infrastructure investment as well as growing

UGL TRANSPORT ASIA PACIFIC

ing Assets Moving opportunities to innovate in asset lifecycle management.

At the same time, industry operators must overcome pressing challenges including ageing fleets, cost pressures, efficiency expectations, and supply chain complexity and disruption.

“These dynamics require providers to evolve their offering and invest in next-generation capability to sustain growth,” James McKewen, Area

Business Manager of UGL Transport, says.

In under 10 years, UGL Transport has grown its mining component solutions business into a strong, efficient, and competitive service. The company provides component exchange, overhaul, and field services for mining customers across Australia.

Core capabilities include mechanical and electrical component overhaul, service exchange

programmes, reliability and asset management, and field service support for operations across Queensland, New South Wales, and Western Australia.

UGL Transport’s national delivery model is upheld by a large, dedicated workforce across the company’s mining components solutions business.

“Backed by an AUD$20+ million service exchange core pool, the Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 165

business serves major mining operations across Australia’s key resource regions and is supported by both domestic and international supply chains,” James outlines.

POSITIONED FOR GROWTH UGL Transport was built on a foundation of delivering reliable, highquality engineering, maintenance, and infrastructure services to some of Australia’s most critical industries.

“Over more than a century, the business has remained focused on 166 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

quality, safety, operational excellence, and delivering strong outcomes for customers,” states James.

“In the mining sector, those principles translate into a strong focus on asset lifecycle management, technical capability, continuous improvement, and long-term customer partnerships.”

In January 2026, Japan-based Sojitz Corporation (Sojitz) acquired a 50 percent stake in UGL Transport, enabling the company to expand into new markets, strengthen global

supply chain capability, and scale operations through established international relationships.

This reputable status means UGL Transport maintains a stronghold in the mining industry, providing clients with comprehensive component solutions, particularly in electric drive systems for haul trucks such as the Komatsu 830E and 930E. As the Australian contracting environment continues to evolve, the company stays ahead by monitoring fleet transitions, investing

UGL TRANSPORT ASIA PACIFIC

HOW DO UGL TRANSPORT’S THREE MINING COMPONENT SOLUTIONS FACILITIES ACROSS AUSTRALIA HELP SERVE THE NEEDS OF LARGE-SCALE PROGRAMMES FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY? James McKewen, Area Business Manager: “Our three core workshops across Australia enable us to directly support major mining regions, deliver highquality overhaul and repair services, and maintain consistent standards across all operations.

“These facilities are equipped with heavy maintenance and machining capabilities, advanced diagnostic and testing equipment, and electrical overhaul infrastructure.

“This ensures UGL Transport can deliver reliable and scalable support for large fleets whilst helping customers maximise equipment availability and minimise downtime.”

in next-generation capabilities, expanding into new markets early, and leveraging global partnerships and supply chains.

“Continuous improvement in key metrics such as turnaround time, utilisation, and market share ensures our sustained competitiveness,” says James.

“OVER MORE THAN A CENTURY, THE BUSINESS HAS REMAINED FOCUSED ON QUALIT Y, S A F E T Y , O P E R AT I O N A L E X C E L L E N C E , A N D DELIVERING STRONG OUTCOMES FOR CUSTOMERS” – JAMES MCKEWEN, AREA BUSINESS MANAGER, UGL TRANSPORT

A PARTNER ACROSS THE ASSET LIFECYCLE Whilst UGL Transport maintains strong capabilities across the rail and transport sectors, its mining component solutions business has established a strong position in Australia’s resources industry through an integrated service offering spanning component overhaul, exchange programmes, reliability Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 167

UGL TRANSPORT ASIA PACIFIC

services, asset management, and field support.

“Unlike many providers that focus on a single area, we support customers throughout the component lifecycle, from overhaul and service exchange through to field service and ongoing reliability improvement,” James says.

Mining customers are increasingly seeking partners that can improve equipment availability whilst managing maintenance costs.

“UGL Transport’s service exchange programmes, overhaul capability, and field support services provide customers with reliable, cost-effective alternatives that help maximise fleet performance and minimise operational downtime.

“Our focus is not simply repairing components; it is helping customers achieve better long-term operational 168 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

A MAJOR MILESTONE UGL Transport recently completed its first 930-5-wheel motor overhaul – an achievement that reflects more than its technical capability.

“It highlights the strength of our people, their commitment to continuous improvement, and their focus on delivering long-term value for our customers,” James says.

The company is now building on this momentum, with the service exchange core recently reaching market availability, an important step in expanding UGL’s capability and effectively supporting customers.

“Great outcomes are driven by great teams, and this achievement is the result of strong collaboration, ownership, and a shared commitment to raising the bar.”

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At Hypac Australia, customer service is at the centre of everything we do. We work closely with our clients, including UGL Transport, to simplify complex sourcing challenges and provide cost-effective solutions that minimise delays and keep operations running efficiently. Through our extensive global supplier network, we deliver reliable parts solutions tailored to our customers’ operational requirements.

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“ O U R F O C U S I S N O T S I M P LY R E PA I R I N G COMPONENTS; IT IS HELPING CUSTOMERS A C H I E V E B E T T E R L O N G -T E R M O P E R AT I O N A L O U T C O M E S T H R O U G H G R E AT E R R E L I A B I L I T Y AND ASSET PERFORMANCE” – JAMES MCKEWEN, AREA BUSINESS MANAGER, UGL TRANSPORT

outcomes through greater reliability and asset performance,” James sets out.

PIVOTING TOWARDS THE NEXT GENERATION UGL Transport’s strategic priorities focus on reinforcing its strong market position in Australia whilst building a platform for sustained international growth.

“In the near term, the business is consolidating its position across

established fleets, securing longterm service agreements, and driving performance across its existing customer base,” James says.

UGL is actively pivoting towards next-generation platforms, scaling its aftermarket capability to support evolving haul truck fleets, and ensuring it remains ahead of asset lifecycle transitions.

“We are also pursuing targeted expansion into high-growth markets, particularly within the Asia Pacific

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region, where demand for reliable, cost-effective aftermarket solutions continues to increase.

“This is complemented by an ongoing investment in capability, enabling UGL Transport to support a broader range of components and deliver more integrated solutions than many of its competitors,” James concludes.

Looking ahead, UGL Transport seeks to further establish itself as a preferred global partner for mining aftermarket services, underpinned by a strong focus on reliability, operational performance, and sustainable value delivery in an increasingly competitive market.

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BUILDING SOUTHERN AFRICA’S MINING FUTURE D

espite 2025 being a demanding year for the global coal industry – with both coking and thermal coal prices under pressure – for Vulcan Mozambique (Vulcan), it was a year of strategic progress.

Since we last spoke in 2024, Vulcan’s activities have progressed as the company capitalised on the recent downturn to sharpen efficiency, accelerate technology adoption, and deepen its commitment to responsible growth.

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As a result, Vulcan was able to increase its exports and further strengthen its position as the world’s largest integrated pit-to-port coking coal operation, with run-ofmine (ROM) production capacity now exceeding 42 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa).

The company has also advanced a new operating model built around resource efficiency and the circular economy, guided by ‘the six R’s’; reduce, reuse, recycle, recover,

VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE AFRICA

On a mission to be the world’s leading integrated green coal mining operation, Vulcan Mozambique continues to drive the country’s mining space. A year since we last spoke to the business, we catch up with Dr Mukesh Kumar, CEO, who reflects on the company’s ambition to provide efficient logistics solutions, strengthen regional energy security, and improve connectivity Writer: Lily Sawyer | Project Manager: Josh Whiteside

redesign, and remanufacture.

“This is how we translate our commitment to zero discharge, zero waste, and zero harm into practical action,” introduces Dr Mukesh Kumar, CEO. Amongst Vulcan’s most important milestones in the past year was strong progress on its first 300-megawatt (MW) waste-to-energy project, which will consume more than 1.5 million tonnes (t) of rejects annually.

In parallel, the company advanced Section 3 – one of the distinct operational or concession blocks within the massive Moatize Coal Mine in the Tete province, Mozambique – which is expected to become Africa’s first fully electric mine.

In this context, the company is also progressing its broader transition from diesel-based transportation to electrified operations, reducing fuel dependency, lowering emissions, and improving long-term resilience.

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VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE AFRICA

“Our ambition is clear – to remain a leader in mining and processing, provide efficient logistics solutions, strengthen regional energy security, and improve connectivity across Southern Africa,” Kumar asserts.

CAPITALISING ON OPPORTUNITIES As Mozambique’s maturing mining sector enters a strategic phase, it is seeing more than just growth in its output – greater expectations, higher regulation standards, and stronger local content requirements can also be felt.

Such developments are accompanied by a national push to capture more value in-country rather than simply exporting raw materials.

This has created major opportunities for companies willing to invest in the long-term, build local capability, and partner seriously with government and communities.

“At Vulcan, we believe Mozambique has the potential to become one of Africa’s most compelling mining and industrial growth stories,” Kumar outlines.

He believes the government’s efforts to make the investment framework more competitive and investor-friendly send the right signal to the market.

As these reforms continue to take effect, Kumar expects Mozambique to attract increasing attention from serious global investors looking for scale, stability, and long-term potential.

Having refreshed its stance on electrification since we last spoke to the company, he outlines how Vulcan’s decision was rooted in both

environmentalism and operationality.

“For us, the environmental and operational case go hand in hand. Our operations generate large volumes of rejects because steelmakers require low-ash coking coal, and historically, that material created both a waste burden and long-term liability,” he details.

Vulcan chose to turn that challenge into an opportunity by converting rejects into power and using this to create strategic value in its mining and transportation activities.

As the largest mining company in Mozambique, how important is local employment to Vulcan?

Dr Mukesh Kumar, CEO: “At Vulcan, local employment is not a tick box – it is central to how we create value in Mozambique.

“With around 20,000 people working across our operations and 97 percent of them Mozambican nationals, we are proud to be the country’s largest private employer.

“Today, 83 percent of our managers are Mozambican, which reflects our long-term investment in local talent, leadership, and decision-making.

“Our impact goes far beyond jobs. Along the Nacala corridor, we have provided school meals to more than 51,000 children across 32 schools and supported over 17,300 families through agricultural programmes.

“In healthcare, we are upgrading the Moatize District Hospital project into a fully equipped district hospital that will serve more than 345,000 people.

We are also strengthening the wider mining ecosystem by purchasing runof-mine coal from local operators for processing, directly supporting more than 500 additional jobs in Tete province.

“For us, development is not separate from the business – it is built into the way we operate, invest, and grow.

“We have also developed a model resettlement and rehabilitation township covering approximately 800 hectares for around 200 families, with modern schools, healthcare facilities, a market complex, playgrounds, administrative buildings, places of worship, potable tap water, and electricity.

“It reflects our commitment to dignified rehabilitation and inclusive growth.”

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Production process at the Moatize Coal Mine

“AT VULCAN, WE BELIEVE MOZAMBIQUE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME ONE OF AFRICA’S MOST COMPELLING MINING AND INDUSTRIAL GROWTH STORIES” – DR MUKESH KUMAR, CEO, VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE

As such, for Vulcan, electrification is not only about lowering emissions – it’s a major business decision that reduces reliance on imported diesel, lowers exposure to oil-price volatility, strengthens its long-term cost base, and improves operating resilience.

At the same time, electrification supports the company’s wider carbon reduction agenda and responds to the rising expectations of customers and investors when it comes to cleaner and more efficient production.

STRATEGIC ASSET Having established Africa’s first Coal

Research Centre (CRC) in Moatize, the centre is a strategic asset for Vulcan that helps it to maintain quality, optimise resources, and create greater value from regional coal deposits.

The CRC is equipped with unique facilities such as pilot oven capabilities and advanced laboratories that are normally found only in major steelmaking environments.

“Mozambique’s coal has distinct characteristics compared to coal from Australia, China, or the US, so continuous work on washability, blending, and product validation is essential,” Kumar observes.

More importantly, the centre is an important national knowledge platform for Mozambique’s mining sector and helps Vulcan to train Mozambican engineers and scientists for the field.

Through the CRC, the company is also able to collaborate with universities, support smaller operators, and build a centre of excellence that benefits the wider industry.

“In our view, knowledge infrastructure is just as important as physical infrastructure in building a sustainable mining economy,” he adds.

Elsewhere, Vulcan is looking to expand the rail side of the business, with Nacala Logistics (Nacala) – the company’s dedicated transportation and supply chain subsidiary – emerging as a platform for regional integration, not just a transport corridor.

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VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE AFRICA

Connecting Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia into a single export route, Nacala’s system strengthens access to global markets and reduces logistics costs around the region.

“We continue to invest in capacity and efficiency, including rolling stock, crossing yards, and operational systems, to increase throughput along the corridor,” Kumar outlines.

At the route’s ports, Nacala benefits from a natural deep-water harbour with no draft restrictions, capable of 176 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

accommodating any vessel class in the world.

“Our ambition is to ensure rail capacity matches that port potential.

Rail is not a support function at Vulcan; it is a strategic asset,” he emphasises.

As such, through closer coordination with rail and port partners, Vulcan is improving reliability, harmonising operations, and building a more integrated system from mine to vessel that

supports long-term regional competitiveness.

LONG-TERM VISION When it comes to significant projects, there are various ongoing that are anticipated to define the next chapter of Vulcan’s growth.

The most innovative is the company’s 300 MW waste-to-energy plant in Tete, which will convert coal rejects currently treated as waste into electricity.

VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE AFRICA

“It is a powerful circular-economy solution addressing a waste challenge whilst also helping respond to Mozambique’s chronic power deficit,” Kumar highlights.

The project represents an investment of approximately USD$300 million and is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs during construction.

Vulcan’s long-term vision is to scale this platform to 1,500 MW, positioning Tete as a regional energy hub.

In addition, the company’s Green

Cement Plant is a flagship circular economy project that converts fly ash from power operations into geopolymer cement.

“The plant enables us to eliminate industrial waste and produce a high-demand construction material without relying on limestone,” he explains.

The Moatize District Hospital project is equally important as it addresses Vulcan’s commitment to the community.

“Mining companies are often judged by what they extract; I want Vulcan to be judged by what we leave behind. A district hospital serving more than 345,000 people is the kind of legacy that matters,” Kumar prides.

Vulcan also plans to invest close to USD$1 billion in its electrification programme, including the conversion of nearly 1,000 kilometres of rail logistics to electric systems through dedicated high-tension transmission lines and substations.

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Contact: Issac: Manager, Miic Invest: +258 84 8816551 Email: mussacanha@miicinvest.co.mz

Driving Excellence in Mining and Industrial Operations MIIC Invest LDA is a Mozambique-based company operating in Tete Province, supporting mining, heavy equipment, industrial, and operational projects.

The company recruits skilled professionals including dump truck operators, mechanics, accountants, and multilingual translators to support large-scale industrial and mining-related operations.

VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE AFRICA

“In parallel, we are investing heavily in new mining pits to extend our production horizon and in Nacala port infrastructure to further increase export capacity,” he points out.

Together, these projects are designed to reshape Vulcan’s cost base, strengthen competitiveness, and support Mozambique’s wider industrial development.

CUSTODIANS OF THE LAND Last time we spoke, Kumar highlighted the establishment of a robust environmental recovery plan, the Degraded Areas Recovery Programme, which aims to recover mined areas and restore natural ecosystems.

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“WE OPERATE AS CUSTODIANS OF THE LAND AND AIM TO LEAVE IT IN BETTER CONDITION THAN WE FOUND IT” – DR MUKESH KUMAR, CEO, VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE

Today, the programme is progressing as planned, with the company starting rehabilitation as soon as each pit section is exhausted as opposed to at the end of mine life.

“We re-profile land, replace topsoil, and restore vegetation using native species suited to the Tete biome,” Kumar says.

Vulcan is also strengthening tailings and reject management procedures, and, once operational, will eliminate

future tailings from wash plant rejects via its waste-to-energy project.

Indeed, the company’s environmental framework includes eight active programmes covering areas such as water quality, air, biodiversity, and land rehabilitation.

“We manage these under ISO 14001, which requires continuous improvement, not minimum compliance,” he specifies.

VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE AFRICA

Although rehabilitation at this scale is technically complex and results take time to mature, Vulcan remains focused on the long-term.

“We operate as custodians of the land and aim to leave it in better condition than we found it,” Kumar adds.

Vulcan’s efforts have not gone unnoticed as the company was voted Mozambique’s Best Mining Company at the Mozambique Mining and Energy Conference (MMEC) last year.

“Recognition from MMEC matters because it comes from those who understand this industry best, including government, regulators, peers, and civil society,” he reflects.

Kumar goes on to point out how the acknowledgement reflects how the company operates – not just what it produces.

Vulcan’s continuous recognition as one of Mozambique’s largest exporters at Feira Internacional de Maputo (FACIM) – Mozambique’s largest annual, multisectoral trade and investment event – reinforces that view.

Kumar is also keen to highlight how awards are backwards-looking, and that Vulcan’s focus today is on what comes next.

“The standards we set today in safety, environment, localisation, and community impact will determine whether that recognition is still earned in five years. We do not take it for granted.”

RESPONSIBLE MINING For Vulcan, responsible mining means creating economic value whilst protecting people, ecosystems, and future generations.

It is ultimately about earning and retaining the company’s social licence to operate through the way it works every day – not through slogans, but through hard work.

In 2025, Vulcan achieved simultaneous certification of ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 for quality, environmental management, and health and safety respectively.

“These certifications are not symbolic; they define the operating discipline of our business,” Kumar asserts.

In addition, Vulcan actively runs eight environmental programmes to address air

STRENGTHENING WATER SUPPLIES

quality, water resources, biodiversity, waste management, noise and vibration,

A specific example of Vulcan’s deeprooted dedication to the communities it operates in is its recent work to strengthen water supplies in Moatize, which expanded access to water for more than 70,000 people.

Through the project, the company took a decisive step to improve quality of life for the population of Moatize.

Contributing three new potable water supply systems, Vulcan officially inaugurated the systems in a

Safety, meanwhile, sits at the centre of every operation, and the company’s

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and land rehabilitation. overall goal is zero harm.

“We focus strongly on leading indicators so that risks are managed before incidents occur,” he assures us.

In addition, Vulcan’s innovation culture has also been recognised externally, with the company having won first place in the African Kaizen Award (AKA) and being nominated for the Global KAIZEN™ Award.

“That recognition reflects a business culture that is disciplined, innovationdriven, and uncompromising on quality, safety, and community commitment.”

Our Journey in Powering Africa’s Rail Renaissance At Thelo Group (Thelo), we are not just part of Africa’s infrastructure story but active architects shaping its future. With the rise of Africa’s rail renaissance, we take pride in leveraging our experience, partnerships, and comprehensive infrastructure solutions to efficiently transport freight and promote regional integration.

Our strategic partnerships offer us world-class technical and financial expertise, along with innovative solutions. With a bold vision for Africa and a strong record of execution, Thelo is shaping the future of rail infrastructure across the continent.

Building an Integrated Rail Solution Our business is designed to address the entire rail value chain.

Our service offering includes: • Customised locomotive and wagon leasing solutions • Railway corridor infrastructure development • Rail operations and management (infrastructure and trains) By combining these features, we provide our clients with comprehensive solutions, from asset supply to corridor management, guaranteeing smooth and efficient freight movement throughout the process.

Expanding Access to Rolling Stock

Delivering Operational Performance Infrastructure alone is not enough; it must be operational. Thelo Operations handles the delivery of long-term concessions, manages infrastructure operations, operates trains, and ensures comprehensive service across key corridors. This strategy improves the ability to activate infrastructure and provide train and infrastructure services throughout Africa.

Alongside infrastructure development and rolling stock activities, this initiative enables Thelo Group to deliver a complete, end-to-end transportation solution for freight owners. Thelo has partnered with reputable international technical experts in this field.

Leveraging Global Expertise Partnerships are central to our strategy. By working with key global technical partners, including Deutsche Bahn (DB), we combine international best practices with African implementation. This enables us to offer superior technical expertise and innovative solutions.

Our Footprint Across Africa Thelo’s project footprint facilitates the development and connection of major rail corridors, boosting cross-border trade and opening new economic opportunities across regions. By improving the flow of goods, lowering trade barriers, and reinforcing intra-African supply chains, we support the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

We recognise that obtaining reliable locomotives and wagons is a significant challenge in Africa’s rail industry. Through Thelo Rolling Stock Leasing, our solid partnerships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) enable us to offer competitive leasing solutions that include after-sales maintenance and spare parts support. This approach helps prolong and safeguard the lifespan of the rolling stock.

Our portfolio includes completed and ongoing projects across Africa’s major rail markets, highlighting our growth and commitment to regional integration and corridor development. From South Africa to Mozambique, Eswatini, Malawi, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ghana, we play an active role in developing and connecting rail corridors that drive Africa’s trade and economic progress.

By doing this, we guarantee that rail operators have the necessary equipment to deliver a consistent and efficient service.

Looking Ahead

Advancing Infrastructure Development to Bankability Through Thelo Infrastructure Development, we lead rail and logistics initiatives across various jurisdictions. We close early funding gaps and prepare projects for investment by reducing risks and enhancing bankability. We support these projects throughout the full development process, from preparation and implementation to operations and maintenance.

We consider this essential for building modern, sustainable railway systems that support industrial growth, facilitate trade, and improve regional connectivity.

T +27 11 290 2300 | E info@thelo.africa | thelo.africa |

Thelo Group is strategically placed to spearhead the revitalisation and commercialisation of rail and logistics infrastructure across Africa. As we expand our presence in the capital equipment leasing sector, we continue to prioritise delivering optimised infrastructure development, rail transportation, and comprehensive logistics services to assist freight owners and operators.

By integrating commercial discipline with a development-focused approach, we develop solutions that are robust, sustainable, and deliver tangible economic benefits. This includes supporting trade, enhancing efficiency, and fostering growth in Africa’s key markets.

COAL PROCESSING PLANT Vulcan boasts a raw coal processing capacity of 22 Mtpa.

From this, it produces both metallurgical and thermal coal through its processing methods.

• Two coal plants each comprise four 1,000 t per hour (tph) modules, with a total capacity of 4,000 tph per plant.

• 60 percent of the water used is recycled out of the plant’s operations.

• 50 percent of the sprinkler systems are used to avoid particulate emissions

ceremony held in February led by the Governor of Tete Province, Domingos Juliasse Viola.

The initiative reinforces access to water as one of the company’s key pillars of social investment, promoting dignity, public health, and sustainable development.

Installed in the 25 de Setembro, Bagamoio, and 1.º de Maio 184 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

neighbourhoods, the systems are operated by submersible pumps powered by solar panels – a sustainable solution that ensures energy autonomy and continuous supply.

Each system has a storage capacity of 20,000 litres, enabling a continuous supply of water to thousands of residents.

The investment comes at a pertinent time in the region’s fight against waterborne diseases – particularly cholera. Infrastructure of this nature is contributing directly to improved public health and preventing outbreaks.

The installation of the pumps confirms the company’s commitment to expanding water supply solutions and ensuring access to safe water.

This helps to reduce health risks, support education, stimulate economic activities, and improve family well-being.

The handover of the new systems

forms part of a broader Vulcan social investment programme in the water sector, which has already produced significant results in Moatize.

The installation of two additional industrial submersible pumps is currently underway, along with the extension of piping to the main Fundo de Investimento e Património do Abastecimento de Água (FIPAG) transmission line – the region’s primary municipal water pipeline.

This intervention will increase network supply capacity, benefit thousands of additional consumers, and reinforce Vulcan’s commitment to sustainable, long-term solutions for the development of Moatize.

FUTURE FOCUS Looking ahead, Vulcan’s ambition is to transform from the leading coking coal exporter into one of the world’s most responsible,

VULCAN MOZAMBIQUE AFRICA

Phone: +918823974357 | Email: operation.ho@tyretechnocrats.com Website: www.tyretechnocrats.com

Solving all your off-road tyre problems Tyre Technocrats Limitada (TTL) is a comprehensive tyre management company based in Benga, along Estrada Nacional 7, Moatize District, Tete Province, Mozambique. Originally established in India, TTL has expanded its footprint into Southern Africa, with operations in Zambia since 2008 and continued growth across the region.

TTL provides a complete range of tyre management solutions, particularly for the mining sector, including both open-cast and underground operations. The company specialises in delivering high-performance, reliable, and cost-effective tyre services tailored to heavy-duty environments.

Core Services and Products: • •

•

•

benchmarked, and diversified integrated resource companies operating in Southern Africa.

“This is more than a statement of intent – it is a clear strategic roadmap,” Kumar boldly states.

In the near term, the company is focused on commissioning the 300 MW waste-to-energy plant, advancing railway electrification, and expanding wash capacity to 24 mtpa of product coal.

In the medium term, Vulcan’s USD$1.2 to 1.4 billion infrastructure investment across the power and rail sectors will materially change both its cost structure and environmental profile.

“We are also investing in new pits and port capacity to extend corridor life and throughput,” he adds.

When it comes to its people, Vulcan is looking to maximise Mozambican representation in its leadership and significantly increase the number of women in operational

Total Tyre Management for open-cast and underground mining operations Tyre Sales across multiple categories, including OTR (Off-The-Road), PCR, TBR (Truck & Bus Radial), industrial, and agricultural tyres Tyre Repair Materials, such as patches, rubber compounds, and chemical repair solutions Tyre Management Tools, including tyre pressure gauges, tyre cages, bead breakers, O-rings, and various tyre valve systems

and supervisory roles.

On environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, the company is aligning its reporting with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards and working towards science-based emissions reduction targets.

In short, Vulcan is living proof that mining investment in Africa can be done differently – it is not an enclave operation that extracts and leaves.

“We are an integrated, nationally anchored business that is helping build Mozambique’s industrial base, contributing to GDP, paying taxes, creating jobs, training talent, building hospitals, and investing in long-term infrastructure.”

Vulcan’s parent company, the Jindal Group – headed by Naveen Jindal – brings the long-term capital and technical depth needed to support that vision.

“I also think it is important to address the global coking coal

TTL currently holds service and tyre repair contracts for some of the largest tyres in the world, including operations at Vulcan Mozambique, one of the country’s major mining companies. The company has built a strong reputation for its world-class tyre repair quality.

Its tyre repair facility is certified by Monaflex, a globally recognised authority in tyre repair systems, reflecting TTL’s commitment to quality, safety, and industry standards.

narrative directly. Too often, all coal is treated as if it were the same. It is not.

“Coking coal remains an essential input for steelmaking, and steel is fundamental to building hospitals, bridges, transport systems, and renewable energy infrastructure,” Kumar clarifies.

As such, until a commercially viable alternative exists at scale, responsible production of this resource is part of the solution.

“Our commitment is to produce coking coal as cleanly, efficiently, and responsibly as possible,” he passionately concludes.

Tel: +258 25 227618 info@vulcaninternational.com

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AS GOOD AS GOLD Proudly operating the nation’s largest and most successful underground gold mine, B2Gold Namibia continues to flourish with exciting plans in the pipeline. We dig deeper into the company’s story with Managing Director, John Roos Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Josh Whiteside

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B2GOLD NAMIBIA AFRICA

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B2GOLD NAMIBIA AFRICA

A

cross Namibia, one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, the vitality of the nation’s mining industry continues to boom as the sector experiences a historic wave of exploration and project development, evidenced by the fact that a record NAD$1.5 billion of exploration capital was spent in 2025 by members of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia.

B2Gold has meticulously established itself as a greatly respected global gold producer, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Founded in 2007, today the company’s portfolio includes four major active gold mines – the Goose Mine in Northern Canada, the Fekola Mine in Mali, the Masbate Gold Project in the Philippines, and the Otjikoto Mine in Namibia – as well as numerous international development and exploration projects.

Employing a substantial workforce of approximately 6,300 employees

worldwide, B2Gold produces around one million ounces (oz) of gold on a consolidated basis each year.

The business acquired its first African gold development project, the Otjikoto Gold Project (Otjikoto), through a merger with Auryx Gold Corp. in December 2011.

After it received the required mining licence in December 2012, construction of the Otjikoto Mine commenced in April 2013. Within approximately 19 months, the first gold pour occurred in December 2014, ahead of schedule.

In Namibia, Otjikoto is currently the largest underground gold mining operation, following the cessation of open pit mining operations in the beginning of October 2025. Up to the end of last year, this mine was the largest gold producer in the country since declaring commercial production in 2015.

The mine is located in the north-central part of the nation, approximately 300 kilometres (km)

HOW DO YOU REFLECT ON THE LAST FEW YEARS – BOTH FOR THE COMPANY AND FROM A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE? John Roos, Managing Director: “We have been through an incredible journey as a company, particularly through the transition phase that began in 2023, when we had to gradually scale down our workforce.

“Our open-pit operations ceased at the beginning of October 2025, after which we transitioned to underground mining and stockpile processing.

“It was a challenging but valuable journey, particularly in terms of managing the downscaling process, engaging with stakeholders, communicating with government and our people, and putting processes in place to ensure that the transition was handled fairly for everyone involved.

“I remain very excited about the Namibian mining sector, particularly gold. Gold is currently at record highs, although I do not know whether it will stay there; unfortunately, I do not have a crystal ball. But I suppose one needs to make hay whilst the sun shines and harvest cashflows for future investment – or, in the case of B2Gold’s agriculture project, grow maize whilst the sun shines.”

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north of the capital, Windhoek.

Processed ore is sourced from the Wolfshag underground mine, supplemented by existing ore stockpiles.

ENGROSSED IN THE INDUSTRY John Roos is Managing Director of B2Gold Namibia and has been with the company for 12 years – prior to that, he worked for KPMG as a chartered accountant based in Johannesburg, working in the energy and natural resources division with a focus on the mining sector.

“Working at KPMG on major mining clients really sparked my interest in mining. Then, in August 2014, I received a call from B2Gold, a mining company with operations in Namibia that was in the advanced stages of development, three months out from first gold pour. They asked me to join the Namibian business as a member of the finance team – I joined a month later, and the rest is history,” he recalls fondly.

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COMBINING STRATEGIC INSIGHT, CREATIVE THINKING, AND OPERATIONAL PRECISION WITH DEEP LOCAL EXPERTISE, SPICE BRAND SOLUTIONS DELIVERS BRANDING SOLUTIONS THAT HELP NAMIBIA’S LEADING ORGANISATIONS STAND OUT, STAY VISIBLE, AND PERFORM IN DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTS.

Where Visibility Builds Credibility For more than 15 years, Spice Brand Solutions has helped Namibian businesses strengthen their brands through corporate gifts, branded apparel, and promotional merchandise. Established in 2008, the company has grown into a team of dedicated Namibian professionals serving clients across the mining, energy, corporate, and retail sectors.

This approach is particularly valuable in the mining sector, where logistics, compliance, and strict timelines demand careful planning and flawless execution. Spice’s long-standing partnership with B2Gold Namibia reflects its ability to continuously deliver consisten quality within complex operational environments whilst meeting the highest brand standards.

Spice offers a complete end-to-end service, managing everything from sourcing and concept development to branding, production, quality control, and delivery. Whether it’s executive gifting, staff outfitting, or large-scale promotional campaigns, every project is approached with precision, professionalism, and a commitment to delivering results.

The company has continued to strengthen its capabilities through investments in systems, supplier networks, quality control, and people.

As a 100% Namibian-owned business employing Namibian talent, Spice Brand Solutions remains committed to supporting local economic growth whilst delivering world-class branding standards to our local businesses.

What sets Spice apart is its ability to combine strategic thinking, creative solutions, and operational expertise. By first understanding the objective behind each project, whether employee engagement, corporate visibility, client retention, or event activation, the team develops branding solutions that are both practical and impactful.

Looking ahead, Spice Brand Solutions is focused on deepening relationships within Namibia’s corporate and mining sectors, expanding better sustainable product offerings, and helping clients build stronger, more visible brands.

Talk to us at marketing@spice.com.na

AT SPICE, BRANDING IS ABOUT MORE THAN PLACING A LOGO ON A PRODUCT. IT’S ABOUT CREATING MEANINGFUL BRAND VISIBILITY AND ENSURING EVERY INTERACTION LEAVES A LASTING IMPRESSION. Spice Corporate Gifts

spicecorporategifts_nam

www.spice.com.na

B2GOLD NAMIBIA AFRICA

“ B 2 G O L D ’ S E T H O S I S T O L E AV E A C O U N T R Y O R A R E A I N W H I C H I T O P E R AT E D I N A B E T T E R S TAT E T H A N W H AT I T F O U N D I T I N – B O T H E N V I R O N M E N TA L LY A N D S O C I O E C O N O M I C A L LY ” – J O H N R O O S , M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R , B 2 G O L D N A M I B I A

“If you work at a mining company, you are exposed to many different areas of business – you work with the supply chain, banking, insurance, finance, large construction projects, and a range of other functions.

“By contrast, in other sectors, one tends to be focused on one or two disciplines – which is why I chose a career in the mining sector – being able to kick the tyres, crunch the numbers, and make a positive difference to people’s lives is exciting for me.

“B2Gold is an incredible 192 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

organisation to be part of – both at the corporate office in Vancouver, Canada and in Namibia. This is a very people-focused company, truly living the values of fairness, respect, transparency, and accountability, understanding that without its people there will be no gold produced,” Roos tells us.

He also had the opportunity to work closely with and learn from Bill Lytle and Mark Dawe, the previous Managing Directors of the Namibian business who Roos took

over from in 2022.

“With a culture focused on employee development, I was involved in a number of special projects outside finance from early in my career at B2Gold.”

Those projects included largescale renewable energy initiatives, managing the company’s NamPower grid connection and a number of other exciting social upliftment initiatives, including the Namibian Rhino Gold Bar Conservation Initiative, to mention but a few.

MOVING THE

EARTH FOR YOU

At GIC, we’ll stop at nothing to get the job done on specification, on schedule and on budget. A 100 percent Namibian owned and managed civil and bulk earthworks contractor, you can trust GIC to deliver, whatever it takes. info@giconstruction.net | Tel: +264 61 23 0443 www.giconstruction.net

B2GOLD NAMIBIA AFRICA

B2GOLD ESG PRIORITIES, VALUES, AND VISION B2Gold integrates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into each area of its business and day-to-day decision-making. It recognises the importance of having an integrated approach to managing operations, risks, and stakeholder relationships.

VISION B2Gold’s vision is to be a responsible mining company, demonstrating leadership by going beyond industry standards and continuing to raise the bar on its own performance.

One of the key reasons for its success is delivering on promises of fairness, respect, transparency, and accountability. These principles are part of the B2Gold corporate culture and are applied globally across all corporate social responsibility projects.

VALUES • Fairness • Respect • Transparency • Accountability

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ANTELOPE DEPOSIT For the next 18 months, B2Gold Namibia’s main focus is the progression of the Antelope Project, a new underground mine that is currently under development.

The development of this underground mine represents a bold new chapter for the Otjikoto Mine, following the closure of open-pit operations in Q4 2025 and transition to becoming an underground mining company.

“Our focus is to stay on track with the development of Antelope, further build out the resource for our existing Wolfshag underground mine, and explore additional opportunities that the current gold environment and record-high prices may create,” Roos sets out.

The Antelope resource was discovered in 2022, and B2Gold Namibia, through the support of its majority shareholder, B2Gold Corp.,

fast-tracked the project through to a preliminary economic assessment, which was released last year.

The company believes the deposit has the seismic potential to change the future of the Otjikoto Mine, representing the next major development of the site.

“We look forward to bringing this exciting project online at the end of 2028, when we expect first ore production to begin. From 2028 through to 2033, Antelope is expected to have a significant impact on our gold production profile, with annual production exceeding 100,000 oz at a low all-in sustaining cost,” he excites.

The Antelope Project’s initial predicted life of mine spanned five years, yielding gold production of approximately 327,000 oz in total, with an average gold recovery of 95 percent.

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Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 195

B2GOLD NAMIBIA AFRICA

“However, through additional exploration work, we’ve increased the resource by 67 percent to approximately 650,000 oz, so it’s very exciting for us for the future.”

RESPONSIBILITY IN THE DNA A resolute dedication to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is deeply ingrained in the DNA of B2Gold Namibia, and the company is proud of its world-class array of initiatives in its CSR portfolio.

Since B2Gold began developing the Otjikoto Mine in 2013, the company has invested consistently in the communities around its operations.

“Investments into our host communities totalled USD$1 million before a single ounce of gold was produced during development of the project,” Roos adds.

At present, cumulative CSR expenditure over the previous 12 196 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

years up to the end of 2025 has reached approximately USD$20 million, with investments focused on education, arts and culture, health, the environment, and livelihoods.

Amongst the many impactful projects supported by the company in Namibia, B2Gold has invested in healthcare and water infrastructure, best encapsulated by the clinic built in Otjiwarongo, which was handed over to the Ministry of Health and has supported bulk water infrastructure in the town of Otavi.

“These water projects are transferred to the town council and help communities access clean drinking water at a reduced cost,” Roos explains.

Another important initiative is the company’s agriculture project – B2Gold owns a land package of approximately 18,000 hectares and has developed part of this land into an intensive agriculture hub.

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“The project began in 2019 as a pilot and proof of concept, and it has since grown into one of Namibia’s largest white maize production operations. The maize is produced on a commercial basis and sold to local 198 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

milling companies,” he adds.

Intended to support B2Gold’s longterm post-closure strategy, this agriculture project is expected to become a revenue generator for the company’s foundation, helping to sustain CSR

activities after mine closure.

In this way, the project represents sustainability in action and demonstrates exceptional leadership in creating post-mining opportunities.

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DIVERSE PROJECT PORTFOLIO At the same time, cost management remains a key priority.

“We need to make sure that we remain cost-competitive and do not allow our costs to become inflated simply because we are operating in a high gold price environment.

Gold prices can very easily return to previous levels, so maintaining cost discipline and thereby futureproofing the operation from a cost perspective is essential.”

Elsewhere, on the social side, B2Gold Namibia is also excited about a number of upcoming projects such as finishing the Ombili Primary School this year. Once construction is finalised on the school’s sports facilities, it will hand over the entire project to the Ministry of Education towards the end of 2026.

The Ombili Primary School, which supports around 1,300 learners currently, is nestled in the heart of the Ombili Informal Settlement on the

outskirts Otjiwarongo near B2Gold’s Otjikoto Mine and has become a beacon of hope and progress since its establishment in 2019.

B2Gold identified a need in the informal settlement of Ombili, where children were being taught in tents under difficult conditions.

“Serving a diverse learner population with the dedication of its incredible teaching staff, the school has made remarkable strides in both infrastructure and academic achievements.”

The school has become a source of pride for the company, with its learners achieving top positions in regional science fairs and mathematics Olympiads, while the school itself ranks strongly within the region.

In Otavi, the company is looking at several initiatives, including investment in an open-air business park and continued investment in water facilities.

“In the 13 years that B2Gold has

been operating in Namibia, we have built an exceptionally strong brand, despite the fact we had to deal with a period of transition where our workforce was downscaled due to the ending of open-pit mining operations.

“We take the lead in investing in communities through our CSR projects, and we invest in initiatives that many mining companies would not dream of taking on,” Roos affirms.

“B2Gold is an amazing, forwardlooking organisation to be part of and to work for - that is why we receive recognition for the work we do,” he concludes.

Tel: 00264 61 295 8700 namibia.pr@b2gold.com

www.b2gold.com Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 199

UNLOCKING A URANIUM UPGRADE Bannerman Mining Resources Namibia is at the forefront of leveraging the nation’s rich resources to foster sustainable industrial growth and enhance energy security, positioning Namibia as a leader in the global nuclear fuel market. Interim CEO, Danie van Aswegen, tells us more Writer: Rachel Carr | Project Manager: Josh Whiteside

A

s a country that boasts abundant natural resources, Namibia is pivotal to the global mining industry, which is a cornerstone of its economy.

Amongst its significant contributions, the nation stands as the world’s third-largest uranium producer, harnessing the valuable radioactive metal to drive industrial growth and bolster energy security.

Key players in these sectors are Bannerman Mining Resources Namibia (BMRN) and Australian-listed Bannerman Energy.

BMRN is a 95 percent-owned subsidiary of Bannerman Energy, with the remaining five percent owned by the One Economy Foundation (OEF) of Namibia. Notably, its world-class flagship asset is the advanced Etango Uranium Project (Etango), located in Namibia’s Erongo region, known for its rich mineral resources.

The project possesses a globally significant uranium mineral resource endowment of 207 million pounds (lbs) of contained yellowcake (U3O8) – a powdered form of uranium concentrate obtained from leach solutions – at a cut-off of 100 parts per million (ppm) U3O8.

200 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Bannerman recently hosted JV Partner CNNC on site at Etango

BANNERMAN MINING RESOURCES NAMIBIA AFRICA

BANNERMAN MINING RESOURCES NAMIBIA AFRICA

“BMRN received the exploration licenses for Etango in 2005 – one of the world’s largest undeveloped uranium projects, underpinned by more than 15 years of exploration and feasibility work,” introduces Danie van Aswegen, Interim CEO, who has over 25 years of mining industry experience.

Indeed, the project’s definitive feasibility study (DFS), completed in 2022, confirmed the strong technical and economic viability of conventional open-pit mining and heap-leach processing at an eight million tonne (MT) per annum rate, producing 3.5 million lbs of U3O8 annually.

In 2024, a scoping study further outlined potential expansion to 6.7 million lbs of U3O8 per year.

Importantly, Etango is fully permitted with all the necessary environmental approvals and a mining licence in place. BMRN is now advancing key workstreams towards a final investment decision (FID).

PIONEERING FUTURE PRODUCTION Namibia is a prominent uranium jurisdiction with a 50-year history of production and export, supported by strong government and community backing, ensuring a favourable environment for development, characterised by political stability, security, and a strict rule of law.

Crucial uranium mines include Rössing, owned

by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC); Langer Heinrich, owned by Paladin Energy; and Husab, owned by China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN).

202 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

CNNC is a major nuclear utility and uranium consumer, classified as Tier 1 due to its scale and credibility.

The company is expanding, with 18 nuclear reactors under construction or approved, and has successfully operated the Rössing mine in Namibia since 2019.

By developing Etango, BMRN is placing itself amongst the major players in the country’s uranium resources.

“We chose to develop Etango because it combines globally significant scale, strong project

economics, and a streamlined pathway to development in one of the world’s premier uranium jurisdictions,” Van Aswegen explains.

“There is clear scalability for future expansion as market conditions strengthen. The project benefits from demonstrated processing performance through the Etango Heap Leach Demonstration Plant, which validated metallurgical performance, processing assumptions, and low technical risk supported by a simple, proven flowsheet.”

WHAT SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND MEASURES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO BMRN’S 17 YEARS WITHOUT A RECORDED INJURY? Danie van Aswegen, Interim CEO: “Our 17-year record of zero lost time injuries (LTI) is the result of a strong safety culture. We make safety personal, simplify systems, show we care, and lead by example.

Our culture is based on continuous vigilance, proactive hazard identification, and strict adherence to procedures and risk mitigating controls.

“Safety is a shared responsibility amongst every employee and contractor. Therefore, regular safety briefings and awareness drives, thorough risk assessments, and effective mitigating controls are essential for maintaining a safe workplace.

“This achievement reflects our commitment to the company’s zero-harm philosophy and operational discipline, ensuring that everyone goes home safely whilst promoting continuous improvement in safety practices.

“The BMRN team and Bannerman Energy executives engage in Visible Felt Leadership (VFL) to enhance leadership presence in the field and encourage open conversations about safety. This process emphasises care, leading by example, and empowering all workers to address unsafe conditions.

“These discussions foster trust, reinforce personal ownership of safety, and uphold our ‘safety first, every day’ philosophy across the project.”

The Primary crusher building at Etango

The fine ore silo at Etango continues to take shape with concrete works progressing

Blasting and crushing of the heap leach drainage material is underway at Etango

Layout of the dry crushing circuit at Etango Uranium Project

BANNERMAN MINING RESOURCES NAMIBIA AFRICA

With the stockpile tunnel foundation completed, focus now shifts to the tunnel and wing walls

BMRN’S ETANGO MILESTONES • STRONG SOCIAL LICENCE TO OPERATE IN NAMIBIA – Since 2008, BMRN has conducted environmental baseline monitoring and developed International Finance Corporation (IFC)-compliant ESIA and management plans. Additionally, its partnership with the Namibian non-profit OEF aims to create economic opportunities. In 2017, BMRN granted OEF a five percent loan-carried shareholding in Etango.

BMRN also supports education, conservation, and tourism initiatives in Namibia. Notably, in 2019, former Managing Director Werner Ewald was named tourism personality of the year for his work with local tour operators and promoting synergies between mining and tourism.

• FULLY PERMITTED – BMRN can build, operate, and expand the Etango deposit as the project has demonstrated strong technical and commercial viability through extensive feasibility and operational testing.

• PROVEN TEAM – The company knows how to build an incredibly strong team with deep uranium and Namibian experience.

• FINANCING SOLUTION – Etango now has a world-class strategic partner and a clear, construction-funded pathway to bring it into production – a landmark partnership for the project and a major step forwards for Namibia.

• SUCCESSFUL EARLY WORKS CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME – After receiving its mining licence in December 2023, BMRN began early construction at Etango, which has continued for 2.5 years exclusively with Namibian contractors. The work has stayed within budget and schedule and has been completed safely. The project achieved one million man-hours LTI-free in April this year.

204 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Furthermore, with long-term global uranium supply deficits forecasted, Etango is well-positioned as an advanced, development-ready project capable of supplying reliable uranium to the growing nuclear energy sector.

“The global nuclear fuel market is becoming increasingly focused on the widening imbalance between reactor requirements and projected primary uranium availability,” he observes.

“Nuclear generating capacity continues to expand through new builds, reactor life extensions, uprates, newcomer countries, and emerging technologies.”

Together, these developments are driving sustained growth in uranium consumption and placing mounting pressure on future supply.

“The central challenge for the uranium mining sector is whether sufficient new production capacity can be brought online within the required timeframe,” Van Aswegen explores.

“Even with existing producers increasing output, the market is still likely to face a meaningful deficit, underlining the importance of advancing new uranium assets towards commercial operation over the next several years.”

As such, Etango is poised to deliver additional uranium volumes as industry conditions tighten by the end of the decade. With advanced technology and reduced risks, it’s moving towards fullscale construction, aiming for first production in 2028.

At full capacity, it could meet the annual uranium needs of seven to eight large nuclear reactors, boosting global fuel supply during a critical time.

ETANGO’S ENVIRONMENTAL EMPOWERMENT BMRN exercises best-practice environmental, social, and governance (ESG) leadership in all aspects of its business, most notably in its

MORRIS MATERIAL HANDLING SA (PTY) LTD Morris Material Handling SA (Pty) Ltd, Southern Africa’s largest crane company, manufactures and supplies electric overhead travelling (EOT) cranes, hoists, and accessories. The South African operation was established in 1952, and expanded to the present 11,000 m² factory in Apex, Benoni, Johannesburg.

The product range at Morris is predominantly based around the ABUS range of lifting equipment, a range supplied from ABUS Kransysteme GmbH in Germany. These units are manufactured to the highest of European Standards and Morris have had the sole Sub-Saharan agency for this product range for over a decade.

Morris has additionally joined forces with ETS Engineering S.p.A., for the distribution of explosion-proof solutions certified to EU standards. With expert service and decades of experience, Morris delivers safe, reliable lifting solutions across standard and hazardous environments.

Crane Aid is Morris Material Handling’s nationwide network, consisting of eight branches for the provision of longterm maintenance, servicing, modernisation, load testing, refurbishment and the supply of spare parts. Crane Aid services and repairs all makes of lifting equipment.

MORRIS IS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH BANNERMAN RESOURCES ON THE ETANGO PROJECT IN NAMBIA. This reflects Morris’s ongoing commitment to delivering robust, precision engineered crane solutions for Africa’s most demanding industries.

Production is set to commence shortly on the 80-tonne double girder semi-portal crane, which will support the maintenance of secondary and tertiary crushers at Etango. This will be followed by the manufacturing of two overhead cranes, along with a range of chain hoists, chain blocks, and wire rope hoists. These lifting solutions will be deployed across key areas of the project, including the fine ore silo belt, conveyor systems, and reclaim tunnel, amongst others.

This project reinforces Morris’s role in supporting critical mining infrastructure across the continent.

TEL: +27 11 748 1000| www.morris.co.za EMAIL: sales@morris.co.za

A semi-portal crane project similar to the crane that will be manufactured for Etango.

BANNERMAN MINING RESOURCES NAMIBIA AFRICA

Construction power facilities have been completed and the 33-kilovolt reticulation has been commissioned

ENHANCING EDUCATION In 2023, BMRN won the African Mining Indaba ESG Award for Community Engagement in recognition of its Early Learner Assistance (ELA) programme.

Since its launch in 2011, the ELA programme has supported and

“ W E A R E P R O U D O F O U R E N V I R O N M E N TA L AC H I E V E M E N TS , I N C LU D I N G O U R B AS E L I N E D ATA S I N C E 2 0 0 8 , I N N O VAT I O N S I N D R I L L P A D R E H A B I L I TAT I O N I N T H E N A M I B D E S E R T A D O P T E D BY OT H E R U R A N I U M M I N E R S , AND OUR PEER-REVIEWED ESIA FOR E TA N G O , W H I C H S E C U R E D E N V I R O N M E N TA L CLEARANCE” – D A N I E VA N A S W E G E N , I N T E R I M C E O , B A N N E R M A N M I N I N G R E S O U R C E S NAMIBIA

inspired young learners from underserved communities across Namibia to stay in school by providing uniforms and essential materials.

“Initially, what began as school fee support in our local region of Erongo has evolved into a nationwide initiative. Moreover, since the Namibian government abolished school fees, the ELA programme shifted its focus to school uniforms – now supporting more than 4,600 learners,” Van Aswegen impassions.

Whilst fees are no longer a barrier, a lack of uniforms can still impact confidence and inclusion, and ELA helps close the gap.

206 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

commitment to nuclear energy, where the company is highly respected by stakeholders in Namibia and beyond.

“Nuclear energy is vital for the global shift to a low-emissions future, supplying about 10 percent of the world’s electricity as the second largest low-carbon power source after hydropower. In this regard, it is reliable, scalable, and cost-effective, enhancing energy security and grid stability whilst supporting intermittent renewables like wind and solar.

“Moreover, beyond electricity generation, nuclear energy is expected to contribute to the decarbonisation of key industries, including heating, desalination, and hydrogen production. Additionally,

the resource can also create longterm, high-skilled employment opportunities and support regional economies,” posits Van Aswegen.

As global decarbonisation accelerates, the demand for uranium is expected to rise significantly. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that nuclear capacity will need to nearly double by 2050 to achieve net zero goals.

BMRN’s Etango project will enhance global uranium supply, aiding the transition to a lower-carbon world.

It will create 300 direct jobs and up to 5,000 indirect jobs, avoid 64 MT of carbon emissions by replacing coalfired power, and displace 25 MT of coal equivalent.

CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE: DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE

Namibbeton is a 100 percent Namibian-owned civil engineering contracting company with a proven track record and advanced expertise in construction operations. We specialise in civil and municipal infrastructure services, road construction, maintenance and rehabilitation, mining, bulk earthworks, pipelines and selected building and concrete works.

formidable force in delivering quality projects in Namibia’s highly competitive construction sector.

From a small private company established in 1981, we have held our own through more than 40 years of continuous construction experience to become a reliable, trusted and

Namibbeton has demonstrated construction excellence through the successful completion of various projects throughout Namibia.

We pride ourselves on adaptability and flexibility, solving complex technical challenges with cost-effective, innovative techniques whilst upholding highest standards of quality, health, safety and environmental care.

ETANGO URANIUM MINE: BULK EARTHWORKS PROJECT Namibbeton is currently finalising the Bulk Earthworks project for the Etango Uranium Mine in Namibia. The project entails moving of roughly 2,000,000 m³ of gravel. Part of the works was the precision drill and blast of the primary crusher pit as well as the coarse ore stockpile tunnel. The scope also includes the 360,000 m² of heap leach pads and ponds, internal roads as well as various earthwork terraces.

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BANNERMAN MINING RESOURCES NAMIBIA AFRICA

BMRN celebrated on-site with all contractors at Etango the achievement of 16 years LTI-free

“Since commencing operations in Namibia in 2006, we have demonstrated exemplary environmental standards,” he prides.

“We are proud of our environmental achievements, including our baseline data since 2008, innovations in drill pad rehabilitation in the Namib Desert adopted by other uranium miners, and our peer-reviewed environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) for Etango, which secured environmental clearance.”

Furthermore, as part of the project’s development, BMRN has carefully considered environmental impacts in its design trade-offs and when selecting the process plant, with a strong focus on reducing Etango’s overall footprint whilst maintaining technical and commercial robustness.

INNOVATIVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Despite the Etango deposit’s leading global status, it is considered low grade by global hard-rock uranium standards, with an endowment of approximately 240 ppm of uranium.

“A conventional uranium processing route would typically require energy-intensive crushing and grinding, agitated-tank leaching, solvent extraction, and wet tailings 208 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“ E TA N G O W I L L S I G N I F I C A N T LY B O O S T N A M I B I A’ S U R A N I U M M I N I N G I N D U S T R Y A S A KEY ECONOMIC DRIVER IN THE ERONGO REGION. THE PROJECT’S CONSTRUCTION A N D O P E R AT I O N S W I L L C R E AT E NUMEROUS JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR I TS S U B CO N T R AC TO R S , S U P P L I E R S , A N D S E RV I C E P R OV I D E R S ” – D A N I E VA N A S W E G E N , I N T E R I M C E O , B A N N E R M A N M I N I N G R E S O U R C E S NAMIBIA

disposal — all of which would present significant challenges in Namibia given the country’s water scarcity, energy constraints, logistical complexity, and reliance on imported reagents.

“In response, the Etango process flowsheet reimagines traditional hardrock uranium processing to fit the project and local conditions. It uses heap leaching on fine crushed ore instead of milling and tank leaching, eliminates the solvent extraction stage through ion exchange and direct uranium precipitation, and employs dry-stacked leached tailings (ripios) instead of wet disposal,” Van Aswegen details.

Together, these innovations significantly reduce water and energy

requirements, lower operating complexity, and minimise the project’s environmental footprint, whilst also improving capital efficiency and supporting a more streamlined, lowerrisk development pathway.

“Etango will significantly boost Namibia’s uranium mining industry as a key economic driver in the Erongo region. The project’s construction and operations will create numerous job opportunities for its subcontractors, suppliers, and service providers,” he affirms.

The contractor workforce on site includes over 560 people from four local Namibian firms: Namibbeton, K Neumayer Civil Contractors, Tulela Mining & Construction, and AN Construction.

Bannerman, Wood, and Köppern project teams before delivery

Köppern HPGR to boost production of Bannerman

A

s a Christmas present in December 2023, Bannerman chose Köppern as their supplier for one major beneficiation item in their uranium ore processing. Placed in the tertiary stage, the HIGH PRESSURE GRINDING ROLL (HPGR) acts as a highly efficient transfer unit of upstream crushing and downstream agglomeration.

HPGRs have emerged as a preferred alternative to traditional grinding apparatuses since the 1980s by offering several advantages, including improved energy efficiency, reduced water consumption, and enhanced product quality. Higher throughput rates, finer product options and low wear also make them an attractive option for modern processing facilities.

Explaining of surface details at full assembled FAT test

The technology of roller presses has been established in mineral and metal industries with more than 1,000 successful working machines supplied by Köppern, a family-run company based in Germany.

MDs Chamberlain and Schäfer at old roller press

The key process advantage is the high level of forces available in the machine that lead to micro fracturing grains of the base uranium ore.

This boosts accessibility of leaching agents on the pounds. Dr. Felix Heinicke, Senior Process Manager of Köppern, reports: “The machine is equipped with 13.000 kN which are applied to a grinding zone of 0.2m² in between the rollers only. Material passes this zone in about 10ms which leads to a super high peak impact which grinds the particles but also destabilises the grain in between primary compounds.”

The company has stood for technological innovation and the highest manufacturing quality since 1898. “One key success is the early exchange of all needs around the project. Köppern served with highly specialised experts who supported Bannermann and the main engineer Wood throughput the project,” says Marcel Spritulle, Senior Project Manager of Köppern. To boost final production and ensure the highest availability and performance, Bannerman and Köppern are currently finalising long-term service agreements which includes individual adaptation to the on-ground needs of Namibia.

www.koeppern-international.com

BANNERMAN MINING RESOURCES NAMIBIA AFRICA

BMRN’s project team, with over 70 years of collective experience in Africa, focuses on empowering Namibian small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

STRATEGICALLY LEAPING TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE The current and primary focus for BMRN’s team is Etango – transitioning from early works into full construction of the mine later this year and finalising the project as a joint venture (JV).

“In February 2026, we announced the strategic partnership with CNNC. Through CNNC Overseas Limited (CNOL), CNOL will invest up to USD$321.5 million for a 45 percent stake in the JV company that owns 95 percent of Etango.

“Bannerman Energy will retain a 55 percent stake in the JV, which translates to a 52.25 percent effective economic interest in the project.

The OEF will continue to hold its five percent loan-carried shareholding,” reveals Van Aswegen.

Most importantly, Etango can now be constructed debt-free.

“Building without project debt reduces financial risk, gives us more flexibility, and strengthens our ability to manage construction and ramp-up with confidence, positioning BMRN to remain meaningfully exposed to upside future uranium prices.”

Under the agreement, CNOL will purchase 60 percent of Etango’s production, whilst Bannerman Energy will market the remaining 40 percent, thereby offering revenue certainty and strategic flexibility and supporting stability and growth.

Furthermore, strengthening Namibia’s position as a leading

uranium producer, CNOL’s investment in Etango reflects confidence in the country’s regulatory environment.

Once operational, the project will boost job creation, skills development, export revenues, and overall economic growth.

“At a time when the world is accelerating nuclear energy development to support energy security and lower-carbon power generation, Namibia is poised to play a critical role in the global nuclear fuel chain.

“For employees, this is a defining milestone. After nearly two decades of technical studies, optimisation, and de-risking work, we have secured the final key piece required to move towards development,” he exclaims.

The company now has construction funding in place, a Tier 1 off-take partner, a globally respected technical collaborator, and a clear pathway to an FID upon completion of the transaction, estimated to be around mid-2026.

“This partnership validates our project strength. With support from Namibian leaders and stakeholders, we are positioning Etango as a key global greenfield uranium project. Our goal is to complete the JV transaction, execute an FID, and commence fullscale construction shortly thereafter.

“We look forward to a successful partnership with CNOL and will continue to build the Bannerman brand and culture as our team grows,” Van Aswegen enthusiastically concludes.

Tel: +264 64 416200 info@bmnenergy.com

bannermanenergy.com

BANNERMAN MINING RESOURCES NAMIBIA AFRICA

Engineering the Future of Namibia AN Construction CC is a proudly Namibian civil engineering contractor with over 50 years of experience delivering high-quality infrastructure projects across the country.

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The Bannerman Early Learner Assistance program has reached 4600 learners across Namibia

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 211

A L E A D I N G P L AY E R I N I V O R I A N A G G R E G AT E S As a leading local producer of aggregates in Côte d’Ivoire, with one of the biggest quarries in the country, CADERAC’s production capacity, unwavering quality, and strong geographical presence continue to cement its position. Richard Lorant, Managing Director, digs into the details Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Josh Whiteside

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

212 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

CADERAC AFRICA

T

he aggregates sector in Africa is entering a dynamic phase, driven by strong demographic growth, rapid urbanisation, and significant investment in infrastructure.

Across the continent, governments are simultaneously prioritising roads, transport systems, and urban development – all of which rely heavily on high-quality aggregates.

Yet, alongside these noteworthy developments, client expectations are also beginning to evolve, as

mining businesses across Africa are no longer looking for just volume, but also consistency, reliability, and compliance with increasingly demanding technical standards.

CADERAC views this shift as an opportunity to cement itself as a leading aggregates producer in Côte d’Ivoire.

“The Ivorian market for aggregates is estimated at around eight to 10 million tonnes (t) per year and is growing due to accelerated infrastructure development. It drives

us to continuously strengthen our industrial capabilities and position ourselves as a long-term partner for major infrastructure projects,” opens Richard Lorant, Managing Director.

Established in 1999, CADERAC is part of Groupe Hervé, a French familyowned organisation with over 150 years of experience in quarry operations.

Equipped with such knowledge, the company is recognised as a key player in the sector, offering the full range of crushed products, including gravel, sand, and riprap blocks.

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CADERAC AFRICA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

“ C A D E R AC ’ S R O L E G O E S B E Y O N D S U P P LY I N G A G G R E G AT E S – W E A R E A PA R T N E R I N I N F R A S T R U C T U R E D E V E L O P M E N T, C O N T R I B U T I N G T O P R O J E C T S T H AT H AV E A D I R E C T I M PAC T O N E C O N O M I C GROWTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE” – R I C H A R D L O R A N T, M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R , C A D E R A C

With over 430 employees and a production capacity of approximately 3 million t of aggregates per year, CADERAC’s operational scope has allowed it to contribute to a vast range of infrastructure and construction projects.

The company is further distinguished by its reputable geographical coverage, comprising three production sites in Abidjan, Bouaké, and Aboisso.

“Our focus on quality, strong production capacity, and an extensive geographical presence makes us a noteworthy partner for infrastructure providers. As a result, our client profile

is key player-orientated, with the top 10 infrastructure and road companies in Côte d’Ivoire representing about 70 percent (%) of our revenue,” he points out.

MAINTAINING AN ENVIABLE POSITION At the forefront of African aggregates landscape, CADERAC’s success is built on its steadfast dedication to producing high-quality products.

“Our internal laboratory allows us to rigorously monitor the quality of our materials on a daily basis and ensure they are in full compliance

with our clients’ high standards. This level of control is essential for major infrastructure projects,” Richard urges.

On top of this, the company’s production capacity and reliability enable it to deliver large volumes of aggregates consistently, which is critical to the success of complex projects with demanding timelines.

CADERAC also maintains a large inventory of spare parts for its equipment and stock of explosives, providing the ability to respond quickly and minimise the risks associated with international shipping.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

CADERAC AFRICA

CADERAC’S EXPANDING CAPABILITIES Building on over 25 years of experience, CADERAC is focused on expanding its product and service offering across several key areas: • Transportation services.

• Drilling and blasting services.

• On-site aggregates production using mobile crushing units.

• Higher value-added products, such as treated gravel, packaged aggregates, prefabricated concrete elements, and recycled

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

concrete.

The company’s geographical footprint is another important differentiating factor.

Its production model is structured around a major site in Kossihouen, located within Greater Abidjan – the centre of industrial development and infrastructure in Côte d’Ivoire.

“Whilst our main production site is located near Abidjan, our additional sites in Bouaké and Aboisso allow us to serve different regions of the country and remain closer to our clients than many competitors,” he tells us.

This is particularly the case for the Central and Eastern regions.

Bouaké, for instance, is a strategic hub at the centre of the country and therefore plays a key role in trade and logistics.

While these sites have more targeted operations, they play a critical role in maintaining close proximity to clients and supporting regional projects,” Richard informs.

“This organisational structure enables us to combine scale with flexibility, ensuring high production capacity and responsiveness.”

FAMILY-DRIVEN APPROACH Founded in 1999, CADERAC has grown steadily to become a major player in the Ivorian aggregates sector.

A defining element of the company’s identity is its integration within Groupe Hervé, a family-owned group with more than 150 years of experience in quarrying, now led by the fifth generation of the Hervé family.

“The sons of the two owners, Nicolas and David Hervé, aged 30 and 36, are proudly following in their fathers’ footsteps, setting the course for the coming decades. This longterm vision is fundamental; it allows us to prioritise sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term partnerships.

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www.nascortec.pt

Crushing Excellence Across Continents As a Portuguese specialist in complete crushing plants, refurbishment, metallic structures and wear solutions, Nascortec combines technical know-how, manufacturing capability and international experience to support quarrying, mining, construction and civil works projects worldwide.

Silo and conveyor installation in quarrying environment.

Founded in 2009, Nascortec has built more than 15 years of strong technical expertise in the design, supply, refurbishment, repair, and assembly of crushing plants.

Heavy-duty structure fabrication for crushing plant projects.

Galvanised metallic structure manufactured by Nascortec.

With a team of approximately 45 employees, Nascortec combines engineering knowledge, production capability and practical field experience to deliver reliable and tailored solutions.

Specialising in crushing plants, metallic structures, wear parts and technical solutions for the quarrying, mining, construction and civil works sectors, Nascortec delivers complete solutions from technical development and manufacturing to refurbishment, repair, assembly and field support.

From its Portuguese headquarters, Nascortec has built a strong international project footprint, with projects installed or supplied to countries including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Réunion Island, Angola, Mozambique, Lebanon, Côte d’Ivoire, Algeria, Morocco, Australia and New Zealand, amongst others.

The company currently has two projects in the manufacturing and assembly phase for Spain, as well as two further projects in Portugal.

In parallel, Nascortec continues to

Fabrication of metallic structures at Nascortec facilities.

negotiate future projects with other clients, reflecting growing market confidence in its technical capacity, quality and responsiveness.

The company differentiates itself through its technical know-how, experience, responsiveness, innovation, and dynamic approach to each project.

Nascortec does not simply supply standard products; instead, it works closely with each client to understand the specific requirements of their operation and develop solutions that are practical, reliable, and adapted to their needs.

The company’s experience in crushing plants and metallic structures allows it to support clients at different stages of a project, from new installations to the reformulation of existing plants, repairs, assembly, and the supply of wear parts and accessories.

Additionally, Nascortec’s ability to respond quickly and flexibly alongside its international experience strengthens the company’s position even further. Having supplied and installed projects across the world, it understands the importance of technical precision, adaptability, and long-term reliability in demanding operational environments.

Installed crushing plant project with conveyor and silo system.

CADERAC project: Crushing plant assembly and support structures supplied by Nascortec.

“At Nascortec, our priority is to combine technical knowhow, quality, and responsiveness to deliver reliable crushing solutions adapted to each client’s operational reality. Our growth has always been based on technical competence, trust, and long-term relationships, and we want to continue strengthening our international presence whilst maintaining the flexibility and quality that define Nascortec” – Ana Teixeira Pinto, CEO, Nascortec EXCELLENCE AT EVERY STAGE Nascortec’s partnership with CADERAC began in 2015 and has developed into an important and long-standing commercial relationship.

In the decade since, Nascortec has been the primary supplier for the new crushing plants acquired by CADERAC, as well as a key partner in the renovation of existing installations and the supply of accessories and wear parts for crushing plants. For Nascortec, working with a company of the calibre of CADERAC brings prestige and reinforces its position as a trusted international supplier.

Together, both companies offer a strong combination of local market presence and specialised technical expertise.

In 2025, Nascortec supplied a complete crushing plant for an internal CADERAC project, serving as a prime example of the strong relationship between the two companies. It also demonstrated the company’s ability to deliver complete crushing solutions for demanding operational environments.

This partnership benefits clients by combining CADERAC’s operational and market knowledge with Nascortec’s engineering, production, and technical support capabilities.

As a result, clients can access reliable, complete, and responsive solutions for new installations, refurbishment projects, maintenance needs, and the supply of critical components.

Additionally, the company has been investing in the expansion of its manufacturing facilities and the acquisition of modern equipment and technology. These investments are designed to increase production capacity, improve the quality of the final product, and strengthen Nascortec’s ability to respond to client needs.

DEVELOPING RELIABLE SOLUTIONS Nascortec proudly turns projects into reality through a structured, technical, and client-focused approach.

Each project begins with a clear understanding of the client’s needs, the operational context, and the technical objectives of the installation.

From there, Nascortec applies its engineering, manufacturing, and field experience to develop a solution that is efficient, reliable, and suited to the project.

Whether delivering a complete crushing plant, renovating an existing installation, or supplying wear accessories, the company focuses on precision, responsiveness, and quality at every stage.

As Nascortec looks ahead, its key priorities are to continue strengthening its position in the quarrying, mining, construction, and civil works sectors, whilst expanding its international presence and reinforcing long-term partnerships in strategic markets.

Quality, safety and sustainability are also central to Nascortec’s future.

The company is certified under EN 1090 and ISO 9001 and is currently working towards ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 certification, reinforcing its commitment to quality management, occupational health and safety, and environmental responsibility.

The company will continue investing in modern equipment, technology, engineering capability, and production capability in order to provide faster, more efficient, and higher-quality solutions to clients.

Strengthening the technical team and maintaining a strong focus on manufacturing, assembly, and field support also remain important priorities.

Building on projects already supplied or installed across several international markets, Nascortec aims to continue growing sustainably and developing new opportunities with clients in Portugal, Europe, Africa, and other regions. The company is also focused on maintaining close relationships with existing partners, such as CADERAC, whilst developing new commercial relationships for future projects.

Telephone: +351 255 432 461 WhatsApp: +351 913 908 081 LinkedIn: Nascortec Lda Email: info@nascortec.pt Website: www.nascortec.pt

Reliable Crushing Solutions for Mining, Quarrying and Construction Nascortec delivers complete crushing plants, refurbishment solutions, metallic structures, wear parts and technical support for demanding industrial environments.

3D project visualisation of a complete crushing plant solution.

CADERAC project: Primary structure and crushing plant installation.

Key Services • Complete Crushing Plants • Crushing Plant Refurbishment • Repairs and Assembly • Metallic Structures • Wear Parts and Accessories • Engineering and Technical Support

F

ounded in 2009 and based in Amarante, Portugal, Nascortec specialises in machinery, accessories and technology for crushing plants.

With extensive technical knowhow and a dynamic approach, the company supports clients in the quarrying, mining, construction and civil works sectors with reliable, tailored and high-quality solutions.

From complete crushing plants and the refurbishment of existing installations to

repairs, assembly services, metallic structures and wear accessories, Nascortec combines engineering expertise with production capacity and practical field experience.

With projects supplied or installed in markets including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Réunion Island, Angola, Mozambique, Lebanon, Côte d’Ivoire, Algeria, Morocco, Australia and New Zealand,

Nascortec brings international experience to demanding crushing plant projects worldwide.

The company continues to invest in modern equipment, advanced technology, expanded manufacturing facilities and a skilled technical team to support clients with quality, responsiveness and long-term value.

Turning projects into reality with excellence at every stage.

Nascortec – Máquinas, Acessórios e Tecnologia para Britagem Lda Zona Industrial de Telões – Rua do Sardão 797, 4600-758 Amarante, Portugal Telephone: +351 255 432 461 WhatsApp: +351 913 908 081 Email: info@nascortec.pt Website: www.nascortec.pt LinkedIn: Nascortec Lda

CADERAC AFRICA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

– R I C H A R D L O R A N T, M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R , C A D E R A C

“This family-driven approach also translates into a strong sense of responsibility towards our clients, employees, and communities,” says Richard.

Other major benefits provided by Groupe Hervé include direct access to international expertise, proven operational methods, and strong 220 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

financial backing, allowing CADERAC to continuously invest in its tools, processes, and people.

“We maintain a strong regional anchoring with teams who understand the specific realities of the Ivorian market, whilst benefitting from the international standards and expertise of Groupe Hervé. This

combination of global standards and local agility is at the core of our performance,” he emphasises.

PRESTIGIOUS PORTFOLIO OF PROJECTS CADERAC is proud to contribute to major infrastructure and construction projects across Côte d’Ivoire, supporting the country’s development through the supply of high-quality aggregates.

Notably, CADERAC has been involved in the construction of two major road projects – the Coastal Motorway, between Abidjan and San Pedro, and the Northern Motorway between Abidjan and Bouaké.

The company supplied materials used in asphalt production, contributing to the durability and performance of these key transport corridors.

In parallel, CADERAC is involved

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

“ W E M A I N TA I N A S T R O N G R E G I O N A L A N C H O R I N G W I T H T E A M S W H O U N D E R S TA N D T H E S P E C I F I C R E A L I T I E S O F T H E I VO R I A N M A R K E T, W H I L S T B E N E F I T T I N G F R O M T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L S TA N D A R D S A N D EXPERTISE OF GROUPE HERVÉ. THIS C O M B I N AT I O N O F G L O B A L S TA N D A R D S A N D L O C A L A G I L I T Y I S AT T H E C O R E O F O U R PERFORMANCE”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

in other emblematic urban developments such as the Tower F project in Abidjan.

“It will be one of the highest skyscrapers in Africa, which will rise to a height of 400 metres.

This landmark project reflects the country’s economic ambition and transformation, and being part of such developments illustrates our ability to support complex, high-visibility projects,” highlights Richard.

As CADERAC continues to grow, its media image has increasingly become a strategic priority, particularly as the company aims to strengthen its visibility amongst international players – specifically mining companies.

“We believe it is important to showcase our expertise, projects, and the role we play in supporting infrastructure development.

Strengthening our media presence allows us to reinforce our brand, attract new partners, and position ourselves as a reference player in Côte d’Ivoire,” he outlines.

A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO PEOPLE Key to its continued growth, CADERAC’s workforce reflects a longterm approach to employment and performance.

Indeed, approximately 70% of the company’s staff are on permanent contracts. This reflects a deliberate and strategic long-term employment approach, enabling CADERAC to build stable, experienced teams and directly contributing to its low turnover.

Its commitments also extend to local employment opportunities, with over 88% of its workforce being Ivorian and less than two percent expatriates.

In addition, approximately 10% of employees come from other African countries, bringing with them complementary expertise.

Furthermore, whilst the sector remains traditionally male-dominated, women currently represent around 10% of CADERAC’s workforce, and

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

CADERAC AFRICA

increasing this share is one of the company’s key objectives.

People development also remains a core focus for the company.

“A key initiative in this area is the creation of an internal literacy school, which enables employees who were previously unable to read or write to become fully autonomous in their work and daily life,” Richard highlights.

CADERAC additionally prioritises its staff’s health through concrete actions such as having an on-site

222 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

infirmary, providing health insurance and annual medical check-ups, and raising awareness during the Pink October and Blue November global health campaigns.

SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES The company’s long-standing commitment also extends to its support of the local community, which is a key part of its corporate identity.

Indeed, CADERAC actively supports the development of the

territories in which it operates through concrete actions, particularly in education, healthcare, and local employment.

Over the years, the company has contributed to the refurbishment of schools and provides essential supplies to local establishments and institutions.

For instance, it has constructed three housing units for teachers and a kindergarten classroom in the village of Kolongonouan near Bouaké.

CADERAC has also played an integral part in the repaving of roads in the village of Kossihouen and donated medicine to a health centre in Bago.

GOING FORWARD As it continues on its journey as a leading player in Côte d’Ivoire’s aggregates sector, CADERAC’s priorities are focused on consolidating its position and continuing to improve its operational performance.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERVÉ BACQUER

CADERAC AFRICA

The company aims to strengthen its local presence by opening new facilities in the North and West regions of the country, whilst continuing to invest in mobile crushing units for extracting materials on-site for clients, particularly mining companies.

Meanwhile, CADERAC also strives to bolster its production capabilities, maintain high-quality standards, and continue supporting major infrastructure projects across Côte d’Ivoire.

Underlying these objectives is the company’s commitment to remaining attentive to opportunities for growth and expansion, always with a disciplined and long-term approach.

“CADERAC’s role goes beyond supplying aggregates – we are a partner in infrastructure development, contributing to projects that have a direct impact on economic growth and quality of life.

“This sense of responsibility is what drives our teams on a daily basis,” Richard concludes.

Tel: +225 07 77 32 77 77 caderac@caderac.com

www.caderac.com

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 223

RENEWING A GOLD LEGACY

As the country’s oldest gold mine, QKR Namibia Navachab Gold Mine has a long reputation for mining success. We speak to George Botshiwe, Managing Director, to learn more about the company’s efforts to create a modern, sustainable, and long-life gold operation Writer: Lauren Kania | Project Manager: Josh Whiteside

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QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 225

QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA

It’s been a whirlwind career and immensely fulfilling.”

This excitement can only centre around one globally crucial industry – mining. As stated by George Botshiwe, Managing Director of QKR Namibia Navachab Gold Mine (Navachab), the mining sector not only boasts significant historical impacts across the world, but also continues to shape every aspect of modern life, making it not only exciting but also riveting.

The Navachab Gold Mine is the country’s oldest gold mine and a key contributor to its economy since the late 1980s. Now entering its newest phase of underground expansion, the gold mine is cementing itself as the preeminent modern, sustainable, and long-life operation that creates continuous value for shareholders and the local community alike.

“The mine is one of Namibia’s leading gold producers and is located

10 kilometres (km) outside of Karibib in the Erongo Region, and 180 km west of the capital, Windhoek,” details Botshiwe.

“Our core business is the extraction and refining of gold, with silver produced as a valuable by-product.

We conduct conventional open-pit mining with drilling, blasting, load and haul operations, surface exploration, and underground exploration projects. The mine employs over 1,600 people – predominantly Namibians – and remains committed to skills development, employee welfare, and community development and empowerment.”

Each year, Navachab contributes to Namibia’s economy through payment of taxes, royalties, dividends to government, and local procurement, whilst also investing in social responsibility initiatives such as education, healthcare, and small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) development.

Can you tell us about your supply chain operations and how you champion local sourcing?

Irleyn Zauana, Finance and Cost Accountant: “Our guiding principle for our procurement endeavours is ‘What we can source locally, we intentionally do!’

“In that regard, 86 percent of our procurement is sourced locally in Namibia. Being a mine with advanced processes and applying advanced technologies, we also accept that certain parts and goods cannot be sourced locally; therefore, we reach out to suppliers nationally, regionally, and internationally. At the moment, we predominantly source reagents such as cyanide from our international suppliers. Additionally, parts which may not be available in the country, such as for the new ARGO plant, are sourced from different parts of the world.

“We highly encourage local sourcing and even go as far as to assist local enterprises with securing funding and enhancing capacity. Partner and supplier relationships are critical in that they ensure security of supply, operational continuity, cost competitiveness, strategic growth, innovation, and crisis resilience.”

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Botshiwe found himself ingrained in the mining industry at a young age, with his father having worked as a crane operator at a smelter and passing on his admiration for engineers who make a difference in both the company and society.

After graduating with a degree in mining engineering, Botshiwe’s first job was at AngloGold Ashanti, where he quickly rose through the ranks and earned the opportunity to lead Navachab into a new era as Managing Director in 2018.

“I love my career and the opportunity I have to make a difference in people’s lives. I love building things and seeing how they positively influence not just my employees but also the surrounding communities and the country at large,” he enthuses.

INNOVATION AT THE CORE Currently, the mining industry – especially in Namibia – is undergoing an exciting evolution.

“There’s a lot of exploration happening with various minerals, such as gold, copper, lithium, graphite, and rare earths. Namibia is well-positioned

How do you empower your staff members and recognise the contributions they make?

Elias Kahuva, HR Director: “Like any growth-focused business, we view employees as our greatest asset, the force behind our operations, and a vital competitive advantage. We invest in training and development to help employees excel in their current roles and prepare for future opportunities. Key for us is ongoing coaching and mentoring to support high performance.

“We also offer both short and long-term incentives to motivate employees and reward strong business performance.”

George Botshiwe, Managing Director: “It’s crucial for us to continue taking care of our people. From a safety perspective, we rolled out a number of wellness and safety initiatives and are now seeing them bring real benefits to our employees. We have experienced a massive reduction in injuries and incidents due to these initiatives.

“One of the most important areas for employees is mental health and wellness. This is an area we are actively focusing on, ensuring our people are not only educated through activities and interventions on mental health and wellness but also have easy access to mental health and wellness services.”

George Botshiwe, Managing Director

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QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA

to benefit from this current interest and boom in the natural resources sector,” insights Botshiwe.

Navachab is taking advantage of this growth and continuing to differentiate itself as a mining stalwart within the industry. Its pillars of success revolve around safety, putting people first, and contributing to society for the betterment of the future.

“Our niche is that we are very innovative. We are not scared to try new, innovative things that will increase efficiency, lower operating costs, and improve employee safety, production, and profitability,” he furthers.

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“WE ARE NOT AFRAID TO TRY NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN GOLD PROCESSING” – GEORGE BOTSHIWE, MANAGING D I R E C T O R , Q K R N A M I B I A N A VA C H A B GOLD MINE

The company is passionate about innovation and encouraging its team members to explore new ideas. As a result of this collaborative environment, it has implemented firstin-the-world technologies that have significantly progressed operations.

Regarding Navachab’s contribution

to the community and country at large, it works closely with local leaders and authorities to partner on projects, such as the construction of a medical centre in Karibib.

Additionally, the company works to create employment opportunities within the surrounding regions. For example, its Golden Egg Project aims to support SMEs by providing funding, training, and mentorship.

Moreover, the company is currently constructing an SME park in Usakos.

“One of the biggest understated contributions we make is building local service enterprises in the mining industry – many from scratch. For example, we helped initiate and

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QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA

develop a drilling contractor who has now expanded across the country, providing exploration, grid control, and blast hole drilling services.

We ultimately want to develop a Namibian mining services ecosystem by supporting local service providers and SMEs within the sector,” Botshiwe explains.

COMMITTED TO SUCCESS Of crucial importance for Navachab and its continued success is the company’s dedication towards investing in innovative processing technologies.

“We are not afraid to try new technologies in gold processing,” affirms Botshiwe.

“10 years ago, we became the first mine to implement dense medium separation (DMS) technology in commercial scale gold processing, where we concentrate low-grade mineral ore material into a high-grade concentrate then treat it through our 230 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“OUR NICHE IS THAT WE ARE VERY INNOVATIVE. WE ARE NOT SCARED TO TRY NEW THINGS THAT WILL OPTIMISE EFFICIENCY, EMPLOYEE SAFETY, PRODUCTION, PROFITABILITY, AND COSTS” – G E O R G E B O T S H I W E , M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R , Q K R N A M I B I A N AVA C H A B G O L D M I N E

processing plant. Additionally, we added X-ray transmissive sorting to complement the DMS technology, which has proved very successful.”

Equally, two years ago, Navachab implemented high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGRs) and a Swiss Tower Mill to grind and mill gold-bearing ore, nearly doubling the mine’s milling capacity. This advanced technology operates at a lower cost than conventional methods and requires less power and water, reflecting the mine’s commitment to sustainability.

Navachab is currently working to expand and is actively exploring various technologies to further

increase its processing capacity, alongside progressing its underground project, where it is developing two portals to explore a further 2 to 2.5 million ounces (oz) of gold.

“This is the most important and exciting project we are working on.

We have already completed over 800 metres (m) in decline development, and we are planning to start exploration drilling by the end of the year and finish the feasibility study in Q3 2027,” Botshiwe details.

To complement this project, Navachab is constructing a gravity concentrator scheduled to be

QKR NAMIBIA NAVACHAB GOLD MINE AFRICA

The transition to clean energy technologies places higher demands on mining companies to extract more minerals even more efficiently without compromising on safety or sustainability.

An impossible equation? Not if you dare to think new. We are constantly developing new intelligent technologies that accelerate this transformation.

United. Inspired.

Epiroc Namibia visitor’s address: 6 Jan Marais Street, Northern Industrial Area, Windhoek Phone: (+264) 84 000 9400 epiroc.com/en-na

commissioned by the end of 2026, which will improve recoveries by approximately five to six percent. This is in parallel to a feasibility study the company is conducting for a future plant expansion that will allow the updated facility to treat discoveries from surface and underground mining.

“We are well-aligned and excited to further grow the mine based on all of the projects we are engaging in,” confirms Botshiwe.

CREATING VALUE FOR THE COMMUNITY Navachab has diligently worked to cement itself as a modern, long-life gold mining operation that adds value to both its shareholders and the local communities. One of the company’s biggest advantages is its mineral resources, which comprise nearly 5 million oz within the ground.

“Our current mine plan produces approximately 2.5 million oz, meaning we have an excess of 2.5 million oz

to develop a feasible plan for. Hence, we have started feasibility studies for underground mining to expand both our operations and the life of mine,” Botshiwe outlines.

Navachab has a history of converting its exploration targets into resources and eventually mineable and profitable pits, both above and underground. The company is confident it will soon be able to convert its findings and new resources into sustainable long-term mining.

“What enables us to expand our operations is that we are a low-cost producer. With the gold prices where they are today, many are tempted to include expensive projects that increase all-in sustaining costs; however, our target for Navachab’s all-in sustaining costs is around USD$1,000 per oz,” details Botshiwe.

As the mine continues to reach for further success, it is prioritising the development and welfare of its people and the safe running of its

mining processes, whilst also looking to increase visibility and engage with different platforms that highlight the mine’s contributions.

“It is very important for us to empower our employees in terms of training and preparing the next mining leaders in Namibia, especially in underground mining and some technical skills we are currently lacking in the country. We have recruited a number of young engineers, geologists, and technicians for this purpose and want to assist them in growing to the next level and taking on the mining responsibilities of the future,” proudly concludes Botshiwe.

Tel: +264 64 552 000

info@navachab.com.na Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 231

NEW LEVELS TRANSFORMA

Since 2023, Ndalamo Resources has strengthened its position as a diversified mining and energy group, evolving from a mid-tier mining company into a scaled, operationally integrated, and transformation-led organisation. Phinda Mamba, General Manager, tells us more about the company’s strong focus on sustainability, value creation, and inclusive growth Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Josh Whiteside

O

ver the last three years, South Africa’s (SA) coal mining sector has increasingly been shaped by three key forces: energy security demands, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expectations, and operational consolidation.

Coal has remained a critical pillar 232 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

of the national energy mix, but mining companies are now required to balance production stability with environmental responsibility and long-term sustainability planning. This has resulted in increased investment in cleaner technologies, improved operational efficiency, and stronger community and ESG alignment.

Within this environment, Ndalamo Resources (Ndalamo) has positioned itself as a responsive and adaptive player by aligning its operations with sustainability-driven mining, responsible production, and gradual diversification into renewable energy solutions.

Since 2023, the company has

OF MINING ATION

significantly expanded its operational footprint and investment portfolio across the SA mining sector, operating and holding interest in a number of notable mining developments.

“This expansion reflects a deliberate strategy to consolidate assets, improve operational control, and strengthen production capacity

across key coalfields,” opens Phinda Mamba, General Manager.

CLEAR STRATEGIC GROWTH Ndalamo’s expansion has been driven by disciplined acquisitions and structured partnerships that ensure scalability and operational resilience.

The acquisition of Wonderfontein

NDALAMO RESOURCES AFRICA

Mine (Wonderfontein) represents a defining milestone as the company’s first fully owned operating mine. It has strengthened Ndalamo’s direct operational control and enhanced the company’s ability to integrate mining, processing, logistics, and ESG priorities within a single asset framework.

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NDALAMO RESOURCES AFRICA

NDALAMO’S MINE OPERATIONS AND ASSETS • NCC • NBC • Eloff • Ubuntu Colliery • Springboklaagte • Arnot South • Wonderfontein

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In parallel, Ndalamo maintains majority interests in key assets in partnership with Universal Coal plc, enabling shared expertise, risk management, and operational efficiency.

“This partnership model remains central to Ndalamo’s strategy, allowing the company to scale responsibly whilst maintaining flexibility and market competitiveness,” Mamba expands.

An additional pillar of Ndalamo’s growth strategy has been the revitalisation and optimisation of mining assets that were previously underperforming or closed under large mining houses.

“Through targeted investment, operational restructuring, and local stakeholder engagement, the

company has successfully converted legacy mining assets into productive, job-creating operations,” he adds.

This approach ensures the preservation and expansion of mining jobs, improved asset productivity and lifespan, enhanced local economic participation, and the reintroduction of sustainable mining operations into host communities.

FLAGSHIP OPERATION Since its acquisition last year, Wonderfontein has become a strategic production and transformation asset for Ndalamo.

The mine operates at approximately 4.2 million tonnes (t) per annum at peak production capacity and has a processing capacity of 300,000 t per month.

“OUR CARBON NEUTRALITY APPROACH IS PRAGMATIC – RECOGNISING COAL’S CURRENT ROLE IN SA’S ENERGY MIX WHILST PROGRESSIVELY ENABLING CLEANER ALTERNATIVES” – PHINDA MAMBA, GENERAL MANAGER, NDALAMO RESOURCES

Recent investment at the mine has focused on operational optimisation, production stabilisation, and infrastructure and processing efficiency improvements. Ndalamo has also deeply embedded a safety and zero-harm culture across the mine, alongside facilitating skills development and leadership training.

Additionally, Wonderfontein is preparing for renewable energy integration through a planned 66 megawatt (MV) solar photovoltaic (PV) project under Ndalamo Energy.

“These initiatives are designed to strengthen long-term sustainability

and operational performance,” Mamba notes.

Beyond Wonderfontein, Ndalamo’s broader asset portfolio continues to enhance production capacity and strategic scale. North Block Complex (NBC) and New Clydesdale Colliery (NCC) remain key production pillars, whilst Eloff Mining Company (Eloff), Ubuntu Colliery, Springboklaagte, and Arnot South provide additional growth leverage across the coal value chain.

These assets collectively strengthen supply security, export and domestic market capacity, operational

diversification, and economies of scale across mining operations.

“This integrated portfolio approach enables Ndalamo to remain competitive whilst expanding responsibly,” he adds.

RELEVANCE AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY Ndalamo’s workforce has grown significantly in line with operational expansion.

For example, employment at NBC grew by 48 percent between 2021 and 2024, totalling 1,696, whilst its head office expanded from five to 21 employees. Wonderfontein, meanwhile, has an employee base of 1,247 and has recently invested ZAR450,000 in skills development.

These funds have helped facilitate technical training, safety and maintenance programmes, leadership development for 46 managers, and the deployment of ‘train the trainer’ initiatives.

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Future staff development will focus on succession planning, mentorship frameworks, bursary programmes, partnerships with technical institutions, leadership academies, and cross-operation rotation programmes.

“These initiatives strengthen both internal capability and community employability,” Mamba elaborates.

On top of this, more than ZAR21 million has been invested in community development initiatives, including solar-powered water infrastructure systems, school infrastructure upgrades, health and wellness programmes, and enterprise development support for 24 local small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

“These interventions are designed in collaboration with communities to ensure relevance and long-term sustainability.

236 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“This priority is central to Ndalamo because the company views mining success as shared prosperity.

Leadership consistently reinforces that growth must benefit employees, communities, and partners as part of a broader ‘just transition’,” he prides.

PRAGMATIC RESPONSE In response to global decarbonisation trends, Ndalamo is actively pivoting towards a hybrid mining-energy model through Ndalamo Energy.

A key initiative of this division is the 66 MW solar PV project at Wonderfontein, whereby 10 MW is dedicated to mining operations, and 56 MW is allocated to external energy supply through trading structures.

This forms part of the company’s broader ESG and energy transition strategy, aimed at reducing carbon intensity whilst enhancing energy

resilience and long-term sustainability.

In the same vein, Ndalamo has a deep commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The company’s renewable energy investments, particularly solar integration at Wonderfontein, support incremental reductions in emissions intensity and operational carbon footprint.

This transition strategy contributes to the broader goal of carbon neutrality by reducing reliance on traditional grid energy, improving operational energy efficiency, diversifying energy sources, and embedding ESG-aligned operational practices.

“Our carbon neutrality approach is pragmatic – recognising coal’s current role in SA’s energy mix whilst progressively enabling cleaner alternatives,” Mamba surmises.

NDALAMO RESOURCES AFRICA

Luriocol is a 100 percent Black women-owned mining company with Level 1 BBBEE credentials, established in Johannesburg in 2022.

Our track record is founded upon the principles of excellence, innovation, and unwavering commitment.

Since inception, our growth trajectory has been guided by a steadfast dedication to creating and delivering sustainable value for all stakeholders.

We aspire to be recognised as a competent, dependable, and reputable mining services company, distinguished by operational consistency and the continuous development of specialised expertise across our areas of operation.

We consistently evaluate both our performance and service delivery against recognised industry best practices and prevailing mining standards.

with the principal objective, inter alia, of promoting broad-based economic empowerment and ensuring the meaningful participation of historically disadvantaged persons within the sector.

The Mining Charter was subsequently introduced as a regulatory instrument incorporating specific and measurable targets designed to facilitate and accelerate the transformation of the industry.

The 2018 iteration of the Mining Charter prescribed definitive targets to be attained by mining companies with respect to the participation and advancement of women within the sector. Addressing and overcoming the challenges faced by women in mining necessitates a concerted effort and the collective commitment of all stakeholders.

Furthermore, we strongly believe in fostering inclusive participation by ensuring that local communities remain active and meaningful stakeholders within our operations.

We are proud to be affiliated with and associated with Ndalamo Resources, a company that is 100percent Black-owned and whose strategic focus is directed towards mining investment opportunities.

The Mining and Petroleum Resources Development Act of 2002 (MPRDA) was promulgated to advance transformation within the mining and minerals industry,

We remain confident in their unwavering commitment to creating sustainable value for all stakeholders, including employees and host communities.

Luriocol (Pty) Ltd | T +27 11 591 0350 | E info@luriocol.co.za | nolwazi@mvuzo.co.za

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Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 237

NDALAMO RESOURCES AFRICA

“NDALAMO REMAINS FOCUSED ON BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE, TRANSFORMATION-DRIVEN MINING AND ENERGY BUSINESS THAT BALANCES OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, SOCIAL IMPACT, AND LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY” – PHINDA MAMBA, GENERAL MANAGER, NDALAMO RESOURCES

SOCIOECONOMIC SUCCESS Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) remains central to Ndalamo’s business model and strategic identity.

Key transformation indicators include the company having 100 percent black ownership, 24.3 percent black female ownership, and 100 percent black South African recruitment during reporting periods.

Additionally, the company is proud to have achieved Level 1 B-BBEE status at NBC and NCC, as well as Level 3 B-BBEE status at Wonderfontein.

“Economic inclusion remains structurally integrated into the 238 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

business, not treated as a compliance obligation,” Mamba attests.

This is demonstrated by the various areas of transformation embedded across the company, including employment and recruitment, supplier and enterprise development, procurement, leadership development, and community investment.

Looking ahead, Ndalamo will continue to fortify its position as a diversified mining and energy group and advance its status as a mid-tier, black-owned business. The further optimisation of Wonderfontein’s production performance is central to these objectives, as is the continued

integration and optimisation of acquired mining assets.

Expansion of renewable energy initiatives, including solar project implementation, and strengthening of ESG and carbon reduction programmes are equally integral, as the company maintains its position at the forefront of the mid-tier mining Mining in SA. The coming year will see the expansion of Ndalamo’s enterprise and supplier development impact, acceleration of leadership development, and deepening of community investment – all aligned with measurable socioeconomic outcomes.

“Ndalamo remains focused on building a sustainable, transformation-driven mining and energy business that balances operational excellence, social impact, and long-term environmental responsibility,” Mamba concludes.

Tel: 0800 212 754 ndalamo@behonest.co.za

www.ndalamoresources.co.za

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 239

ENGINEERING NAMIBIA’S FUTUR Knight Piésold is building Namibia’s future with engineering excellence across myriad disciplines. We hear about the company’s transformational work from Cilliers Mostert, Managing Director, and Günter Leicher, Director Writer: Ed Budds Cilliers Mostert, Managing Director

240 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Project Manager: Josh Whiteside

F

or over a century, Knight Piésold has built a reputation as one of Africa’s leading engineering and environmental consulting firms.

Founded in South Africa (SA) in 1921, the company has evolved into a global multidisciplinary consultancy operating across Africa, Australia, North and South America, and Europe.

Today, Knight Piésold Southern Africa remains proudly Africanrooted, with Namibia playing an increasingly strategic role in both the company’s regional growth and longterm vision.

KNIGHT PIÉSOLD AFRICA

RE The organisation has established itself as a trusted engineering partner across the mining, infrastructure, water, environmental, and energy sectors in Namibia.

Since establishing a formal domestic presence in 2008, Knight Piésold has expanded steadily, delivering some of Namibia’s most significant engineering projects whilst supporting both public and private sector development.

The Namibian office continues to grow from strength to strength under the leadership of Managing Director, Cilliers Mostert, and

Günter Leicher, Director

Director, Günter Leicher, supported by the broader technical capabilities and specialist expertise of Knight Piésold Southern Africa.

“Together, the Namibian and South African teams collaborate seamlessly to provide multidisciplinary engineering solutions that are innovative, sustainable, and aligned with global best practice,” opens Mostert.

Mostert leads with more than two decades of engineering and project management experience.

Since joining Knight Piésold in 2012, he has overseen the growth Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 241

KNIGHT PIÉSOLD AFRICA

of the Namibian business and played a leading role in major infrastructure development and mining projects throughout the country.

He has been instrumental in positioning the business as a respected engineering consultancy capable of delivering nationally significant projects whilst maintaining strong relationships with mining clients, private sector stakeholders, and government.

“Knight Piésold’s success in the country is deeply connected to its philosophy of combining local knowledge with international expertise,” he continues.

This approach has enabled the company to deliver landmark projects that contribute meaningfully to Namibia’s economic development, mining growth, water security, sporting infrastructure, and environmental stewardship.

GROWING FOOTPRINT Knight Piésold’s vast African footprint continues to expand through operations across Namibia, SA,

Botswana, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius, Eswatini, and Madagascar.

“The Southern African business forms a critical part of the company’s global operations and showcases the strength of African engineering capability on the world stage,” comments Leicher.

“Namibia remains one of the most strategically important regions within this footprint due to its growing mining sector, infrastructure development opportunities, renewable energy potential, and government-driven development plans,” he adds.

From Windhoek to Keetmanshoop, Lüderitz, Rosh Pinah, Ondangwa, and beyond, Knight Piésold has become recognised for delivering highquality engineering services across complex and technically demanding environments.

The Namibian office is further strengthened through technical support from Knight Piésold’s South African offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, and Phalaborwa.

ADVANCING TAILINGS SAFETY Knight Piésold continues to play a leading role in advancing responsible tailings management practices across the mining industry.

The company aligns its tailings engineering practices with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM), which provides a globally recognised framework for the safe management of tailings facilities.

GISTM focuses on: • Tailings safety • Risk reduction • Community protection • Environmental stewardship • Governance and accountability • Emergency preparedness • Continuous monitoring Knight Piésold’s tailings expertise across Southern Africa allows Namibian mining operations to access world-class technical support aligned with international best practice and evolving global compliance standards.

KNIGHT PIÉSOLD AFRICA

Staff celebrate at Knight Piésold

NCG in Windhoek. The facility opened in 2025

“ W I T H S T R O N G L E A D E R S H I P, M U LT I D I S C I P L I N A R Y E X P E R T I S E , R E G I O N A L S U P P O R T, A N D A D E E P C O M M I T M E N T T O N A M I B I A’ S F U T U R E , K N I G H T P I É S O L D I S N OT O N LY E N G I N E E R I N G P R O J E C T S – IT IS HELPING ENGINEER THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY ITSELF” – CILLIERS MOSTERT, MANAGING DIRECTOR, KNIGHT PIÉSOLD

Furthermore, the specialist in-house skills in the Namibian office and support from the South African and International offices, allows the Namibia office to perform the following services; geotechnical, structural, tailings, dam, transportation, and water resources engineering, as well as hydrology and hydrogeology, environmental consulting, project management, construction supervision, mining infrastructure, and renewable energy support services.

As a result, this integrated support network allows Knight Piésold to undertake both mega infrastructure projects and highly specialised technical assignments with confidence and efficiency.

EXCELLENCE ACROSS KEY SECTORS Knight Piésold provides multidisciplinary services across numerous sectors critical to Namibia’s growth and development.

Mining remains one of the country’s most important economic sectors, and Knight Piésold has become a trusted partner to mining clients across the region.

“Our extensive mining experience across Southern Africa enables the Namibian operation to deliver solutions aligned with international standards whilst addressing local operational requirements,” says Mostert.

Knight Piésold has been supporting developments within the mining space across Namibia, and the

company’s mining expertise continues to grow beyond traditional tailings engineering into broader mining infrastructure and environmental services.

In Namibia, water security remains a strategic priority for all clients, making Knight Piésold’s expertise in dams, pipelines, hydrology, geohydrology, and water infrastructure especially valuable.

Additionally, it continues to support infrastructure development across transportation, municipal, and industrial sectors.

Across its entire breadth of projects, environmental responsibility and sustainable engineering are increasingly critical in modern project development for Knight Piésold.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 243

KNIGHT PIÉSOLD AFRICA

Golden Arrow Award at PMR.africa’s Business Excellence Awards ceremony

INVESTING IN NAMIBIA One of the most exciting recent developments involving Knight Piésold is the Namibia Cricket Ground (NCG) High-Performance Stadium project in Windhoek.

“This project represents a major investment in Namibia’s sporting infrastructure and positions the country to host international cricket events whilst supporting athlete development and tourism growth,” Leicher expands.

The exciting project includes International Cricket Council (ICC)compliant cricket facilities, highperformance training infrastructure, stadium facilities, administration and hospitality spaces, which in engineering terms are provided via reinforced concrete structural works, civil and and infrastructure support.

“We believe this project showcases Knight Piésold’s ability to diversify beyond traditional mining and water infrastructure into social and sporting infrastructure that contributes to national development,” he excites.

On the back of projects such as this, the company’s work across Namibia and Southern Africa has received numerous commendations 244 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

“ K N I G H T P I É S O L D R E C O G N I S E S T H AT T H E FUTURE OF ENGINEERING DEPENDS ON C R E AT I N G O P P O R T U N I T I E S F O R D I V E R S E TA L E N T A N D S U P P O R T I N G G R E AT E R I N C LU S I O N AC R OSS T H E P R O F E SS I O N ” – CILLIERS MOSTERT, MANAGING DIRECTOR, KNIGHT PIÉSOLD

and awards that recognise its engineering excellence, innovation, and commitment to quality.

This includes numerous industry recognitions for sustainable engineering excellence, infrastructure innovation, and technical quality.

These awards reflect the professionalism, technical expertise, and dedication of Knight Piésold’s teams across the continent.

WOMEN IN ENGINEERING At present, a key priority for the company is driving inclusion and transformation.

“Knight Piésold recognises that the future of engineering depends on creating opportunities for diverse talent and supporting greater inclusion across the profession,” Mostert elaborates.

“Across Namibia and Southern Africa, women within Knight Piésold continue to contribute significantly to engineering, environmental consulting, project management, sustainability, and technical leadership, demonstrating the increasing role of women in shaping Africa’s infrastructure and mining future, he sets out.

In this way, the company remains committed to supporting women in STEM careers. It is also focused on developing young professionals, mentorship and training, skills development initiatives, inclusive workplace culture, and advancing professional growth opportunities.

This commitment aligns with the company’s broader transformation and sustainability objectives across the continent.

KNIGHT PIÉSOLD AFRICA

VISION OF CONTINUED GROWTH Knight Piésold continues to position itself for future growth as Namibia enters an exciting new era of infrastructure investment, mining expansion, energy development, and industrial advancement.

As such, a sprawling mix of opportunities abound, linked to mining expansion, green hydrogen, renewable energy, water infrastructure, regional logistics, sporting infrastructure, and urban development.

SUPPORTING NAMIBIA THROUGH SOUTH AFRICAN AND INTERNATIONAL EXPERTISE A major strength of Knight Piésold is its ability to draw from the extensive technical depth available within its Southern African and international businesses.

The specialist in Namibia is supported by the South African offices to create an even stronger team across the region.

This collaboration enables: • Specialist peer reviews • Advanced engineering modelling • Large-scale project delivery support • Technical quality assurance • Cross-border knowledge sharing • Skills transfer and mentorship • Regional project integration Importantly, Knight Piésold’s model has always prioritised local empowerment and regional collaboration rather than dependency, ensuring that Namibian capability continues to grow whilst benefiting from global and regional technical excellence.

All of these fields present exciting pathways for the company’s continued contribution to Namibia’s future.

“The firm’s long-term commitment to the country is reflected not only through major projects and office expansion, but also through investment in local talent, technical development, and sustainable partnerships,” states Leicher.

Moreover, as Namibia continues to grow, Knight Piésold remains committed to delivering engineering solutions that create long-term value for clients, communities, and the broader region.

support communities, and drive national growth,” Mostert prides.

“With strong leadership, multidisciplinary expertise, regional support, and a deep commitment to Namibia’s future, Knight Piésold is not only engineering projects – it is helping engineer the future of the country itself,” he finishes.

As the company moves beyond 105 years of engineering excellence, its Namibian operation remains poised for continued expansion, innovation, and impact across the African continent.

A SYMBOL FOR DEVELOPMENT Knight Piésold stands today as a symbol of African engineering capability, technical excellence, and sustainable development.

“From the monumental Neckartal Dam to cutting-edge mining developments and sporting infrastructure, the company continues to demonstrate its ability to deliver projects that shape industries,

Tel: +264 61 307 297 11 Nelson Mandela Avenue Klein Windhoek Windhoek, Namibia PO Box 86062, Eros Windhoek, Namibia

knightpiesold.com Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 245

BEYOND

G

uinea holds the world’s largest reserves of bauxite – the primary ore for aluminium – and ranks as the top producer of this valuable resource.

Each year, thanks to an integrated and efficient industrial system, over 17 million tonnes (t) of highquality bauxite are produced and exported by Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG), destined for international aluminium markets.

One of the most important companies in the aluminium supply chain, CBG is based in the Boké 246 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

region of Guinea and exploits significant deposits in the Sangarédi subprefecture.

It was originally formed in October 1963 following an agreement between the Guinean government and Halco Mining consortium, which owns 49 and 51 percent of the company, respectively.

This strategic alliance has been a key driver in the development of CBG’s production, processing, logistics, and export capabilities.

The company’s governance structure ensures both strong

national roots and alignment with global best practices in management, performance, and compliance.

CBG has consistently modernised and optimised its mining, rail, and port infrastructure, a sustained effort that has significantly improved operational efficiency and strengthened its position amongst the world’s leading bauxite players.

In the past decade alone, the company has invested nearly USD$1 billion in a vast programme to modernise infrastructure and increase production capacity, thereby

COMPAGNIE DES BAUXITES DE GUINÉE AFRICA

BAUXITE More than a global leader in the bauxite industry, Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée makes a significant contribution to socioeconomic development and is deeply committed to sustainability Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Josh Whiteside

strengthening its competitiveness and long-term sustainability.

SIGNIFICANT RESERVES CBG’s main extraction site, the Sangarédi mine, was commissioned in 1973 and extends over a vast lateritic plateau, known for the richness and quality of its bauxite deposits.

The site has significant reserves, estimated at several billion t, and a high-alumina ore that is prized on the international market, giving the Sangarédi mine a strategic position in the global bauxite supply chain.

With an annual production capacity exceeding 18.5 million t, the mine plays a central role in CBG’s performance and stands out as a reference site in the industry.

Operations at the Sangarédi mine, which are carried out using open-pit methods based on proven industrial techniques, involve stripping the surface layers, extracting the ore, and transporting it to processing facilities, where it is crushed and sized to meet customer requirements.

The mine benefits from an

integrated logistics system based on a dedicated railway line that stretches approximately 135 kilometres (km), linking it to the port city and industrial zone of Kamsar. This ensures the continuous transport of ore to port facilities, where it is exported to international markets.

Since the start of CBG’s operations, the railway has undergone a remarkable transformation from a simple, single track to strategic infrastructure essential for both mining activities and local communities.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 247

Today, it forms the vital axis for ore transport in Northwest Guinea, continuously supporting the performance of CBG’s operations.

The railway corridor is also entirely protected by a wire fence, guaranteeing safe and controlled traffic, particularly in densely populated areas.

INTEGRATED VALUE CHAIN From the mine, ore is transported via the railway to CBG’s Kamsar plant – which forms the industrial heart 248 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

of the company’s value chain and central hub of its operations – where it is received and then positioned on a dedicated track before being directed to the crushing pit.

This step yields three distinct particle sizes, optimising the ore’s preparation for subsequent phases.

The bauxite is then transferred to the drying kilns, where its moisture content is rigorously reduced to three percent, guaranteeing its quality for export.

Once dried and graded, the bauxite

is transported via a 2 km conveyor to the mineral quay for loading onto ships. Between the kiln outlet and this conveyor, two strategic devices – the sampling tower and weighing scale – ensure precise control of quality and volume.

To support continuous and efficient production, the Kamsar plant has a high-capacity stacker, enabling CBG to build strategic stocks and maintain a high operational rate – a hallmark of the company’s industrial power.

Evidently, CBG’s operations are part

COMPAGNIE DES BAUXITES DE GUINÉE AFRICA

of an integrated value chain, with the port as the final strategic link.

This key piece of infrastructure is operated in close collaboration with long-standing partner, Agence Nationale d’Aménagement des Infrastructures Minières (ANAIM), in strict compliance with national and international conventions governing maritime activities.

Equipped with high-performance nautical resources, the port efficiently handles the berthing and unberthing of ships, particularly at CGB’s ore

quay, which offers the capacity to simultaneously accommodate two 60,000 t ships.

Loading operations, completed in less than 24 hours, guarantee smooth operation, efficiency, and compliance with the most demanding standards.

In the spirit of continuous improvement, regular dredging operations are carried out to maintain the depths necessary for navigation, whilst fleet maintenance helps to optimise the availability and performance of nautical equipment.

SOCIOECONOMIC IMPORTANCE Guided by the values of operational excellence, integrity, respect, and well-being, CBG goes beyond simply exploiting a strategic mineral resource.

By producing high-quality bauxite essential in various industries such as construction, transportation, energy, and technology, the company actively contributes to Guinea’s socioeconomic development.

Indeed, CBG has been a major contributor of more than USD$5 billion to Guinean government revenue, Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 249

COMPAGNIE DES BAUXITES DE GUINÉE AFRICA

CBG VALUES - AT A GLANCE EXCELLENCE – Striving for excellence and becoming a global benchmark in health and safety for CBG’s employees, operations, and surrounding communities.

INTEGRITY – Acting with honesty, ethics, and transparency in all activities to preserve the company’s credibility and reputation.

RESPECT – Placing people at the heart of its actions and guaranteeing respect for human rights.

WELL-BEING – Promoting and preserving the physical and mental health of employees.

affirming its important strategic role in the national economy.

Through the responsible exploitation of its resources, the company also makes a significant contribution to creating jobs and upskilling locals.

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CBG represents over 7,000 direct and indirect jobs, mostly from the Boké region, with 100 percent of the workforce in its operations being Guinean.

The company has progressively evolved Sangarédi and Kamsar into modern, well-organised, and truly integrated urban environments over the years, designed to support CBG’s activities whilst guaranteeing

a suitable living environment for employees and their families.

Today, they have comprehensive infrastructure including housing, internal road networks, schools, healthcare facilities, and administrative and community amenities. A stable, secure, and functional living environment also contributes to residents’ quality of life and overall project success.

COMPAGNIE DES BAUXITES DE GUINÉE AFRICA

These communities are further distinguished by their social dynamism, with the company actively promoting sports such as football, basketball, and athletics through regularly organised competitions and activities.

Such initiatives strengthen cohesion, foster team spirit, and encourage the inclusion of young people from surrounding areas.

On a cultural and community level, the company supports numerous initiatives aimed at promoting cultural diversity, artistic expression, and community spirit. Cultural events, 252 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

community days, and educational activities strengthen social bonds and foster the well-being of local populations.

In another initiative, CBG has reinstated a passenger train service on its railway, directly benefitting communities. This is part of a strategy to share railway infrastructure, effectively combining mining transport and inter-city mobility.

It concretely illustrates CBG’s operational expertise and ability to develop integrated logistics solutions with high socioeconomic value.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Aside from its industrial performance, CBG plays a structuring role in

communities through investment in infrastructure, education, health, and environmental protection.

An ongoing commitment to sustainable development makes CBG a strategic partner for Guinea, combining economic growth with a positive impact on local communities.

A pioneer in community development and local content promotion, the company bases its actions on a philosophy of creating shared value.

CBG adheres to rigorous international health, safety, quality, and environment (HSQE) standards, as evidenced by its ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 certifications. These were awarded in 2017 and recently renewed in February this year following an audit by AFNOR Certification, with no major non-conformities.

COMPAGNIE DES BAUXITES DE GUINÉE AFRICA

Furthermore, the company has been certified by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative since 2022, confirming its practices comply with international sustainability standards throughout the aluminium supply chain.

This certification reinforces CBG’s commitment to responsible, transparent, and stakeholder-friendly operations.

Positioned as a responsible corporate citizen, the company places environmental and biodiversity protection at the heart of its priorities.

CBG is committed to preserving ecosystems, preventing all forms of pollution, and ensuring rigorous management of waste generated by its activities.

The company’s waste management strategy includes the implementation of source separation systems, awareness campaigns, employee training, and waste characterisation.

It also participates in international

254 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

benchmarking initiatives to adopt global best practices in waste management.

Through these actions, CBG aims to make waste management a lever for environmental and social transformation, aiding the sustainable development of Guinea.

AIR AND WATER QUALITY As an actor committed to environmental protection, CBG adopts a proactive and preventative approach to reduce emissions at the source.

Its air quality management plan aims to limit the exposure of communities and sensitive ecosystems to potentially harmful substances, including dust and gaseous emissions from its activities.

At the Kamsar plant, for example, dust capture and suppression systems have been integrated, both upstream and during the drying process, allowing for a notable

reduction in emissions. Combined with a controlled-emission stack, this development reflects a clear ambition to reconcile industrial performance with environmental responsibility.

CBG has also adopted a rigorous and responsible approach to managing water, a vital resource essential to its operations and the well-being of surrounding communities.

The company is committed to protecting water resources throughout the entire lifecycle of its operations and the availability and quality of water for communities and ecosystems, in strict compliance with national regulations and international standards.

The Kamsar plant relies on a dual system – a potable water supply and a recycled water system using water from the domestic wastewater treatment plant – to meet hydration and industrial hygiene needs, which reinforces CBG’s commitment to sustainable and efficient resource management.

COMPAGNIE DES BAUXITES DE GUINÉE AFRICA

Monitoring programmes have also been implemented to continuously assess the impact of CBG’s activities on water resources and ensure effective management.

Moreover, the company is committed to reducing its water consumption through more efficient use and reuse initiatives. As part of this effort, the construction of a desalination plant is planned to reduce pressure on local resources and ensure a sustainable water supply for its operations.

SAFE OPERATIONS Health and safety is another key pillar of CBG’s industrial performance and corporate social responsibility.

It is based on a fundamental principle – no activity can be considered successful if it does not guarantee the physical integrity and safety of all people involved in the

company’s operations, whether that’s employees, partners, or visitors.

Within this framework, CBG relies on a structured set of 12 ‘Golden Rules’, which define the essential behaviours and requirements for preventing serious and fatal accidents. These rules govern critical situations in daily operations and constitute a common, mandatory, and non-negotiable code of conduct for all on-site personnel.

CBG continuously develops training programmes tailored to the specific risks of its mining and logistics activities, whilst also organising regular awareness campaigns to maintain a high level of vigilance.

Daily safety briefings are held in the field, where operational risks are discussed and lessons learnt are shared, whilst audits, inspections, and site visits verify the effective application of HSQE standards and identify areas for improvement.

At CBG’s Kamsar plant, safety standards are strictly adhered to throughout pre-alumina processing, contributing to the protection of CBG employees and overall reliability of its operations.

The company also leverages the progressive digitalisation of monitoring tools to enhance

traceability and responsiveness in managing risk situations.

Health and safety performance is rigorously managed through key indicators that allow for objective assessment of progress and guide corrective actions.

These indicators include incident frequency and severity rates, the number of near misses reported, compliance levels during on-site inspections, and the completion rate of mandatory training. Regular analysis of this data is essential for continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

Beyond technical and organisational measures, CBG places a safety culture at the heart of its strategy. This culture is based on individual and collective commitment, where each employee is fully responsible for their own safety and that of others.

It is built through exemplary leadership, operational discipline, open communication about risks, and the promotion of safe behaviours.

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Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 257

REDEFINING MINING BY CENTRALIZING SUCCESS Turner Mining Group’s Vice President of Operations, Tucker Jensen, delves into the company’s transformative vision to revolutionize the industry with a commitment to people-first values and innovative strategies while fostering strong client partnerships Writer: Rachel Carr | Project Manager: Scarlett Burke

I

n 2017, Keaton Turner identified a significant gap in the contract mining space and envisioned a fullservice, nationwide contractor that prioritizes relationships alongside competitive pricing.

He founded Turner Mining Group (Turner) with a guiding principle: “Mining works better when people are treated like people”.

This ethos continues to drive

258 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

the company’s operations today, consequently setting the stage for a new era in mining.

Moreover, Turner’s straightforward belief is that mining is more effective when individuals are treated with respect rather than as mere numbers on a spreadsheet, and that teams perform better when valued, leaders are accountable, and partners are fully informed about what is happening on

their site each day.

This principle guided the company’s first contract and remains a core value.

At the time of Turner’s inception, the contract mining space was dominated by local and regional operators, and mine owners were stitching together multiple contractors site by site.

“Keaton’s vision was to be a coastto-coast, full-service mining-focused

TURNER MINING GROUP NORTH AMERICA

contractor that could serve clients across all of their operations while still competing in terms of price with local operators,” Tucker Jensen, Vice President of Operations, opens energetically.

“People come first – production follows. From that founding, Turner has grown into a truly national provider. As the company grew, it undoubtedly became evident we

weren’t only filling a service gap.

We subsequently realized that the way we performed the services also differentiated us from our competitors.”

Furthermore, Turner’s productionoriented operating philosophy and first-life asset strategy are deeply rooted in the company’s values: a heart for people, a mind for innovation, an eye for safety, and an

attitude for excellence.

“Our clients noticed they were meeting production targets, improving safety metrics, and taking advantage of operational flexibility that local contractors couldn’t provide, whether adjusting equipment, renegotiating project scopes, or scaling production up or down as the mine plan evolves,” he continues.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 259

TRANSFORMING PARTNERSHIPS At its core, Turner’s comprehensive service offering is contract mining.

Meanwhile, the company also provides drill and blast, pioneering and overburden stripping, large civil earthworks for mine construction and leach and tailings projects, rehandle support, and technical support for mine design, planning, scheduling, and budgeting.

“We bring our mining-focused expertise to the full lifecycle of the mine, not just one slice,” urges Jensen.

Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, with additional offices and resources supporting its operations across North America, Turner’s current and historical portfolio spans 260 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

100 completed mining projects in gold, platinum, coal, copper, aggregates, and industrial minerals.

Currently, the company provides contract mining services in Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, and Vermont. It operates more than 350 assets across North America, centered around a primary mining fleet consisting of rigid-frame and articulated haul trucks in the 45 ton (t) to 100 t range, hydraulic shovels, large production wheel loaders, production excavators, and blasthole drills.

“The fleet is predominantly new or low-hour, with most units in the 2022 - 2026 model range, and around 80 percent Turner-owned with strategic lease or rental purchase option (RPO) arrangements in place to flex capacity

where required.

“A dedicated asset plan backs every project, and our standard is straightforward: equipment that works safely and efficiently, not sitting idle or in pieces in a boneyard,” informs Jensen.

Additionally, to further enhance collaboration and success, Turner employs an innovative approach to its performance-partnership models.

As a result, each model’s design aligns incentives for both the client and the contractor and deliberate strategies developed during the contracting stage influence both parties to drive results together.

“To yield successful outcomes, we embed our technical staff with the client’s engineering and planning

TURNER MINING GROUP NORTH AMERICA

“ T H E M AT E R I A L S R E Q U I R E D T O B U I L D TOMORROW’S ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, AND NEW TECHNOLOGY ALL COME FROM THE GROUND. MINING I S A P R E R E Q U I S I T E , N O T T H E E N E M Y, O F PROGRESS” – T U C K E R J E N S E N , V I C E P R E S I D E N T O F O P E R AT I O N S , T U R N E R M I N I N G G R O U P

“Through shared dashboards, joint financial and production reviews, and active mine planning and design, we intend to become a department of your organization with the same goals – rather than a simple contractor focused on maximizing billables. In our preferred contract styles, when our client wins, we win,” Jensen details.

A DRIVE FOR UNSTOPPABLE GROWTH teams to equally understand the key drivers of their business. The commercial and operational teams then draft a contract based on this.

“Common styles like alliance, gainshare/painshare target cost, and flat rate generally serve as the foundational structure, but the specifics of the problem being solved and the needs of the business drive

customizations that extract real value,” Jensen highlights.

Unlike the more commonplace unit-rate, lump-sum, or timeand-materials contracts, Turner’s engagement with clients as a partner builds stronger relationships between the companies and results in better safety, production, and financial performance.

Certain strategies have contributed to Turner doubling in size year after year, a trajectory it plans to continue driven by a confluence of market forces and intentional internal strategies.

“The US is experiencing a genuine shift in public support for responsible domestic mining, especially in critical minerals, which is driving new project development and extending the life of existing operations,” reveals Jensen.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH WINGSPIRE EQUIPMENT FINANCE? Tucker Jensen, Vice President of Operations: “Wingspire Equipment Finance (Wingspire) took the time to understand our business model. Contract mining is not a static operation – we win a contract, mobilize quickly, and need capital ready to move with us.

“We established a structured financing facility with them of up to $150 million to support fleet acquisition and growth. The initial $20 million tranche is already deployed, funding the mobile mining fleet currently in operation at the Pan Mine in Nevada.

“Additional draws are structured to come online as new projects ramp up, giving us the flexibility we need. As a new project comes together, we can put iron on the ground without delay.

“Most financing is reactive, whereas this is proactive and reflects Wingspire’s understanding of where the industry is headed and their confidence in our platform and pipeline.

“They structured something that grows with us rather than something we have to renegotiate every time the business scales.

“For a company adding operations at our pace, that is not a small thing – confidence goes both ways.”

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 261

CAPITAL SOLUTIONS BUILT TO MOBILIZE HEAVY EQUIPMENT FASTER Mining and heavy construction companies operate in environments where timing, equipment availability, and access to capital can directly impact project success. Wingspire Equipment Finance’s capital solutions enable companies to mobilize heavy construction equipment quickly after contract awards or site ramp-ups, providing the necessary flexibility without tying up liquidity or delaying deployment.

Wingspire Equipment Finance empowers companies in capitalintensive industries to acquire, upgrade, and expand their heavy equipment fleets, offering flexible financing solutions from $5 million to $100 million+. Our tailored support covers acquisitions, fleet expansion, refinancing, progress payments, and scalable capital facilities, helping companies efficiently meet significant equipment needs.

For companies with substantial equipment already in service, Wingspire Equipment Finance can also provide sale-leasebacks as a strategic source of working capital. By leveraging existing heavy equipment assets, businesses can unlock liquidity while continuing to use the equipment in daily operations. This can help support new project mobilization, broader growth initiatives, or working capital needs without disrupting field performance.

Backed by funds managed by Blue Owl Capital (NYSE: OWL), a premier asset manager with over $315 billion in AUM, Wingspire Equipment Finance combines a strong lending capacity and a streamlined underwriting process to help mining and heavy construction companies access capital with greater certainty and speed.

WHEN CAPITAL IS RE CONTRACTS GET WON THE FUNDING BEHIND TURNER MINING GROUP’S NEXT STAGE OF GROWTH Turner Mining Group (Turner) needed a capital structure that could support the pace and scale of its growing project pipeline.

When Turner Mining secured a new contract at the Pan Mine in Nevada, Wingspire Equipment Finance provided an initial $20 million tranche. The initial capital is part of a larger equipment financing facility expected to reach up to $150 million. The capital supported Turner’s mobile fleet needs, including haul trucks and excavators, helping the company ramp up operations quickly.

Turner uses a flexible credit facility aligned with its project pipeline, ensuring capital is deployed efficiently as operational demands arise. For Turner Mining, the relationship provides more than equipment financing - it provides a scalable capital partner that understands the complexity, pace, and equipment demands of the mining industry. Wingspire Equipment Finance has cemented its position as a long-term capital partner, while Turner pursues an increasingly active project portfolio across the mining and natural resources sectors.

“We have the capital infrastructure already in place to move fast and ramp up our customers’ operations without delay. Wingspire Equipment Finance understands our business and has structured something that grows with us,” states Keaton Turner, President, Founder, and CEO of Turner.

FROM CONTRACT AWARD TO EQUIPMENT DEPLOYMENT For mining contractors, sitework companies, and heavy civil construction businesses, equipment availability can define how quickly a project moves from award to execution. Delays in financing can slow mobilization, limit fleet capacity, and place added pressure on working capital.

Wingspire Equipment Finance bridges the gap between contract award and equipment deployment by structuring capital solutions that align with equipment needs, project schedules, and growth plans, enabling companies to pursue larger opportunities and keep projects moving.

For capital-intensive businesses, that means greater flexibility to respond to new contracts, ramp up job sites, expand fleets, and invest in the equipment that drives revenue and growth.

EADY, N PARTNERING WITH THE RIGHT CAPITAL PROVIDER In mining and heavy construction, the right financing partner can make a meaningful difference in how quickly a company responds to opportunities and how effectively it supports long-term growth.

Large equipment needs, projectdriven timelines, and complex fleet requirements call for a capital provider that understands how companies operate in the field.

Wingspire Equipment Finance works closely with mining and heavy construction businesses to understand their equipment strategy, growth

objectives, and project pipeline, then delivers tailored capital solutions designed to support speed, flexibility, and execution.

Whether financing new heavy equipment, leveraging existing assets for working capital, or building a scalable facility to support future equipment needs, Wingspire Equipment Finance provides capital solutions designed to help companies meet their growth objectives.

For mining and heavy construction companies, Wingspire Equipment Finance provides the deep lending capacity and deal certainty needed to secure opportunities, mobilize equipment, and execute with confidence.

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TURNER MINING GROUP NORTH AMERICA

Ultimately, this trend works in tandem with mine owners’ increasing preference for the contract mining model.

“By partnering with us, operators offload most of their management complexity, improve the likelihood of hitting project goals, and redeploy capital that would otherwise be tied up in equipment procurement, converting a large capital decision into a manageable operating expense.

“Our strategy for growth is also laser-focused on specific clients and operations. We conduct deep research and engage in networking to identify the projects that best fit our core capabilities, and where two company cultures and philosophies are likely to result in a true operational partnership,” Jensen expands.

Once Turner establishes alignment and secures an initial engagement with its clients, the results naturally lead to discussions about their other operations.

“The mining industry is smaller than it looks, and establishing a reputation for safety, efficiency, and success produces opportunities.”

Indeed, two internal capabilities enabled the company to scale posing a challenge for other contractors.

“Our talent engine, through Turner, and Turner Staffing Group, handles over 45,000 applications annually from qualified candidates, enabling us to mobilize skilled crews efficiently.

Combined with our advanced operator training program, we are committed to excelling in talent management.

“We also have a fleet of over 350 assets and strong original equipment manufacturer (OEM) relationships, allowing us to deploy equipment quickly. We see positive trends ahead, as the commodity cycle, domestic supply chain priorities, and investment in critical minerals indicate industry growth, positioning our clients for organic expansion,” explains Jensen.

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Enaex USA Inc., operating as Davey Bickford USA Inc., is part of Enaex’s global explosives and blasting solutions network, bringing more than a century of industry experience to the North American market.

With operations across five continents and exports to more than 60 countries, Enaex has grown into one of the world’s leading explosives manufacturers and blasting services providers. The company works with some of the largest mining operations globally, delivering safe, reliable and highly customized solutions that support operational performance in complex environments.

In the United States, Enaex continues to strengthen its regional footprint through strategic growth, local investment and partnerships with companies such as Turner Mining Group. These partnerships reflect Enaex’s ability to mobilize quickly, adapt to customer needs and deliver high-performing blasting solutions with a strong focus on safety, service quality and operational excellence.

Enaex USA’s regional office is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, supported by a robust operational platform that includes an emulsion manufacturing facility, silo storage, ANFO bagging unit, non-electric assembly plant, heavy ANFO

trucks, distribution fleet and a large magazine site in Rush Valley, Utah. A second emulsion facility is also underway in the eastern United States, further reinforcing the company’s commitment to growth and customer proximity across the region.

Globally, Enaex combines deep technical expertise with a forward-looking approach to innovation and automation. Its value proposition is centered on understanding each customer’s operation and delivering comprehensive, tailor-made solutions that improve safety, productivity and overall business performance.

With annual revenues of approximately US$2 billion and more than 8,250 employees worldwide, Enaex brings the scale, expertise and operational discipline of a global leader to every market it serves. Guided by its purpose of Humanizing Mining and its commitment to building stronger bonds, the company continues to support safer, more efficient and more sustainable mining operations worldwide.

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TURNER MINING GROUP NORTH AMERICA

FROM CHALLENGES TO COLLABORATIONS As Turner nears its 10th anniversary, it has learned key lessons to continue its journey of success.

“The most important lesson came early, and it was obvious from the work itself. Our first engagements were stripping, crushing, and overburden removal, which clarified that our partners didn’t need a contractor who simply completes tasks,” Jensen reflects.

“They need an operator who understands how planning, production, equipment, and crews function as a single system. That realization shaped how we built the company.”

As such, Turner’s experience grew alongside its scope – what started 266 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

as contract services expanded into comprehensive mining services.

“As we expanded, our working methods evolved. We stopped operating on the edges of projects and started integrating ourselves within operations.

“Today, our teams plan alongside site leadership, operate equipment alongside client crews, and carry shared responsibility for daily production,” Jensen divulges.

In this way, Turner progressed from completing tasks to operating mines, embedding teams into operations, opening its planning and reporting to partners in full, and building relationships around reliability rather than contract cycles.

“We continue to expand full-scope capabilities, developing the next

generation of leaders from within our own crews and integrating more deeply into the operations of the partners who trust us with their production,” he notes.

TRANSFORMING DATA INTO DECISIONS For Turner, the difference between a well-managed mine and a poorly managed one lies not in the equipment but in the quality of decisions made with the information available.

Every shift produces data on machine performance, production rates, fuel consumption, and resource utilization, and most contractors let that data go unused. However, Turner’s technology investments are designed to close that gap.

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STREAMLINING AND STRUCTURING SUCCESS Managing projects of varying scales without sacrificing quality is one of the most important operational challenges in contract mining, and Turner has built deliberate systems to address it.

The foundation is a tiered leadership model, engineered so every project gets the right organizational structure for its size and scope.

“Large turnkey projects carry a full leadership team, while smaller projects are structured more leanly with specialized functions bolted on as required. This model allows us to scale without forcing a fixed overhead structure onto every engagement,” expresses Jensen.

Consistency across project scales and scopes comes from Turner’s rover program. Before a project begins, its corporate team of safety, training, maintenance, and engineering rovers conduct a formal site assessment and a kick-off meeting with the client to align goals and expectations and establish communication and reporting pipelines.

During execution, the rovers visit sites on scheduled intervals or based on site needs, driving consistency, managing performance, and implementing learnings from across the company.

By keeping up with the details, no project drifts quietly without notice.

When a project closes, the same team engages with the client to evaluate the project outcome against the goals established at kickoff, and to solicit feedback on what could have been improved.

“Underpinning each of our operations is our standardized operating infrastructure. Common key performance indicator (KPI) frameworks, reporting standards, and training programs apply across every site.

“When our operators go through the same training and every site reports on the same metrics, quality is built into the system,” Jensen ardently establishes.

“High-precision GPS and Fleet Management Systems (FMS) give us real-time visibility into machine location, utilization, and performance.

“Building on the OEM and FMS toolsets, we developed a proprietary production-tracking platform that captures site data,” Jensen outlines.

Furthermore, integrations with workforce management and financial resource planning tools give leadership access to Turner’s data through real-time dashboards and reporting, each calibrated to the right level of detail and frequency for each audience to drive data-driven decisions.

“We have created a fielddeployable learning management system (LMS) that enhances training. Operators can access tablet-based instruction in both field and classroom settings, using drone and time-lapse footage for realistic scenarios. Built-in competency tracking connects to a career pathing framework, enabling proactive career development,” Jensen sets out.

“Looking ahead, we’re actively exploring new offerings in machine control, coach-in-the-cab feedback tools, and autonomy. Philosophically, we prioritize optimizing the boring and impactful aspects of our work over silver-bullet technology implementations.”

MINING WITH PURPOSE The US mining industry is unified in its mandate to extract resources responsibly. As one of the more vocal and socially active contractors in the country, Turner is proud to demonstrate the right way to mine resources needed to support modern society.

Mining and similar industries impact the environment and local communities, that concrete practices can help manage, minimize, and mitigate.

268 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

TURNER MINING GROUP NORTH AMERICA

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Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 269

“Our equipment strategy brings the latest in emissions-control and fuel-efficiency technologies to the entire fleet. Spill prevention planning and a culture of 100 percent incident reporting help us prevent and address adverse events,” Jensen prides.

“Dust control and storm water management are core responsibilities at our operations to reduce or eliminate contamination, and our dust monitoring and hearing conservation programs support the health of our operators and provide insight into the health of the systems that control exposure to these hazards.”

Beyond the physical environment, Turner prioritizes supporting local communities.

“With an initial goal to secure a more than 70 percent local workforce, and achieving more than 90 percent in just the first year, we are providing careers and specialized training to members of the community.

“Our supplies and consumables are sourced from local vendors where possible, and we encourage services that were once outsourced to be developed locally.”

In addition, the company makes direct investments in the community 270 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

through donations and support for employee initiatives, including youth sports programs and fundraisers, educational outreach, and charitable sponsorships.

“Turner is proud to support and reinvest in the places we work,” Jensen emphasizes.

NAVIGATING THE US LANDSCAPE With the North American mining industry at an inflection point, the challenges are as significant as the opportunities.

The most immediate structural challenge is permitting. The US sits atop world-class mineral resources, but decades of regulatory complexity and legal exposure have made it exceptionally difficult to bring new mines into operation or expand in a timely way.

“Permitting timelines that stretch five to 10 years shift investment and production to other countries, often with lower environmental and labor standards,” Jensen affirms.

“For Turner specifically, policy reform creates new project

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opportunities and extends the horizon on existing ones, and we are watching the discussions at the federal level closely and positioning accordingly.”

The second challenge is public perception – a fundamental disconnect between what the mining industry does and how the public understands it remains.

“The materials required to build tomorrow’s energy infrastructure,

electric vehicles, and new technology all come from the ground. Mining is a prerequisite, not the enemy, of progress,” he declares.

“Turner has maintained an active voice on this matter through social media and partnerships with advocacy organizations because we believe the industry needs to earn its own social license.”

The third challenge is the workforce

I N N OVAT I O N

THAT MAT TERS

– participation in the trade industries has declined over a generation.

“The mining industry offers stable, high-paying jobs – yet young people often overlook a rewarding career full of impactful experiences due to the narrative that success requires college and white-collar work.

“We aim to raise awareness about mining as a career option and provide training and development opportunities to help individuals enter the field.

Tel: 812-277-9077 info@turnermining.com

turnermining.com Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 271

Forged in Growth and Gold Building on a storied legacy, Hemlo Mining Corp. operates one of Canada’s notable gold assets in Marathon, Ontario, driven by investment, exploration, and a people-first approach W R I T E R : L I LY S AW Y E R | P R O J E C T M A N AG E R : S C A R L E T T B U R K E

272 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

HEMLO MINING CORP. NORTH AMERICA

A

s it navigates ongoing activity, North America’s gold mining industry is responding to shifting economic conditions, emerging technologies, and growing expectations around environmental responsibility.

Across key regions such as Ontario (ON), Canada, long-established mining districts operate by way of modern exploration techniques and increasingly efficient extraction methods.

Amid ongoing global uncertainty, gold remains a significant commodity in the sector.

This has prompted a level of mining investment activity, with key operators seeking to maximize output from existing assets while advancing new projects.

At the same time, a number of the

continent’s more mature mines are approaching the latter stages of their lifecycles, creating a requirement for ongoing exploration and infrastructure development.

In response, many companies are increasingly targeting resource expansion opportunities in proven regions where geological understanding and established infrastructure offer an operational base.

Elsewhere, the integration of advanced technologies – including artificial intelligence (AI), automation, data analytics, and digital monitoring systems – is enhancing efficiency and improving decision-making across the mining lifecycle.

The scene is also undergoing a broader transformation driven by heightened environmental

expectations and regulatory oversight. From emissions reduction initiatives to more responsible land management practices, mining companies are aligning production with sustainability goals while maintaining operational performance.

As North America’s gold sector operates within a changing environment, it continues to adapt.

SIGNIFICANT OPERATION Hemlo Mining Corp. (Hemlo) is a Canadian mining producer built on one of the country’s most iconic gold camps.

Formerly known as Carcetti Capital Corp., Hemlo was recently established in 2025 to operate the Hemlo Gold Mine in Northwest OT, acquiring the site from Barrick Mining Corporation (Barrick).

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 273

HEMLO MINING CORP. NORTH AMERICA

The acquisition was a highly competitive process, however Hemlo’s strong technical team and institutional backing enabled it to secure the acquisition.

Hemlo had exceptionally strong support to finance what was ultimately a USD$1 billion transaction and was fortunate for the outcome to fall in its favor.

The deal was underpinned by Hemlo’s long-term view and expertise in the gold market, particularly given the opportunity created by the divergence between spot prices and long-term forecasts.

A piece of Canadian mining history, the Hemlo Gold Mine has been in production for over 40 years, having produced over 25 million ounces (oz) of gold during its lifetime.

Today, two key pieces of infrastructure are operating well below capacity, creating a significant opportunity for the company. The mill is running at about 40 percent capacity and the hoist at around 60 percent.

Hemlo Gold Mine – at a glance • Hemlo’s flagship operation located in Northwest ON. • Hemlo is one of Canada’s most iconic gold camps.

• 40+ years of production history and 25 million oz produced.

• Hemlo recently transitioned to owner-operator of the mine.

• The company is committing substantial investment into the asset in 2026 to drive optimization and growth.

274 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

In terms of its production profile, Hemlo hasn’t released formal guidance yet – however, the company did publish its NI 43-101 Technical Report late last year, which provides some insight regarding potential future production and growth profiles.

CONSIDERABLE FLEXIBILITY The company believes the Hemlo Gold Mine offers significant expansion potential, with cut-off grade adjustments to optimize extraction.

In many deposits, adjusting the cut-off grade results in margin compression, whereas Hemlo is in a position where that impact is far less pronounced, creating a potential opportunity for increased tonnage and the potential to reduce unit costs through economies of scale.

While some operators have shifted their focus away from Canada in recent years, the company remains confident in its prospects. Indeed, the country is still a top-tier mining jurisdiction, and Hemlo is proud to be part of it.

However, one of the industry’s most pressing challenges is a widespread shortage of skilled professionals.

A lack of people and talent is significantly impacting the sector, with significant attrition across the board – from miners and geologists to engineers and finance professionals, even within government.

This talent gap also affects regulatory processes, particularly at the provincial level, where reduced capacity makes it difficult to accelerate permitting timelines.

At the same time, there is a broader structural imbalance within the global mining value chain when it comes to outsourcing minerals refinement and processing.

Much of the refining capacity still sits in Eastern markets, which is not something that can be fixed overnight.

Socially responsible Environmental stewardship and responsible resource development are central to Hemlo’s operational approach. The company is committed to minimizing its environmental footprint while maintaining transparent and accountable operations.

Working closely with local and First Nations partners, Hemlo integrates sustainability considerations into all stages of the mining lifecycle – from exploration through to production.

Regular monitoring, reporting, and third-party collaboration ensure compliance with regulatory standards and support continuous improvement.

Beyond compliance, Hemlo places strong emphasis on collaboration and shared responsibility. By engaging with stakeholders and incorporating local perspectives, the company seeks to create lasting environmental and social value.

This includes responsible land use, efficient resource management, and ongoing investment in site improvements.

For Hemlo, responsible mining is part of its stated operational framework.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 275

Quality Construction Always Done Right Offering superior service and workmanship, Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. is a family-owned construction company dedicated to delivering results across North America

This is the principle that Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. brings to every project it embarks on.

A

Headquartered in Terrace Bay, Ontario, Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. is a familyowned construction company dedicated to customer

s one of the oldest professions in human history, the construction industry plays a vital yet unique role in the development of cultures across the globe, having a major influence on both the economy and society as a whole.

The industry can be a naturally volatile one at times, due to its response to fluctuations in consumer and business confidence; however, construction’s impact on sustainability, innovation, and technological advancements in the built environment makes it an undeniable cornerstone of economic growth and development.

Ultimately, for construction, enduring quality is not just about what gets built, but rather about how the entire process is managed – from materials to execution.

Discipline, communication, and the ability to do things right result in projects that stand the test of time.

The company prides itself on delivering the right solution for each client, ensuring the process is as smooth and supportive as possible, every time.

satisfaction and workplace safety. The business offers a wide range of services to meet any project needs. It specializes in helping clients save both time and money by utilizing state-of-the-art equipment and the latest techniques.

Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. serves all industrial sectors, including pulp and paper, hydroelectric, cement plants, potash, petrochemicals, and mining. Equally, it provides the following industrial services: millwrighting, boilermaking, scaffold erection, pipefitting, high-angle rescue, surveying, and general maintenance.

The company is available 24/7 and able to mobilize and be on site within 24 hours, cementing its status as a trusted stalwart in the construction industry.

UNPARALLELED EXPERTISE

Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. is on a mission to provide top-quality products to its clients in a professional setting while ensuring the highest standards in safety and reliability.

The company continually strives to exceed expectations by ensuring that each project it conducts is completed on time and under budget. Its commitment to assuring the full satisfaction of its clients is something that Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. takes great pride in. Such dedication has also earned the business a reputation for excellence within the industry.

All of the company’s employees are professionally trained tradespeople holding Canadian and US construction tickets, with senior tradespeople in possession of journeyman trades tickets.

Safety and environmental conscientiousness are core business values at Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. The company has achieved and maintained a valid Certificate of Recognition (COR) and maintains a partnership with ISNetworld, ensuring that its environmental, health, and safety operations exceed and establish standards and expectations.

Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. also offers a mentorship program, which

ensures that any apprentice tradesperson will be guided by capable journeymen with at least 25 years of experience.

Combined with the company’s use of the highest quality materials and superior team members, it guarantees exceptional workmanship that is both durable and cost-effective.

In addition to providing world-class service and technique, the company’s professionals work closely with clients to meet deadlines and coordinate with other related projects. Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. maintains open communication with its clients to keep them up to date on the status of their job, including them in the decision-making process for anything that may come up.

ADEY BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS LTD. JOINT VENTURE The company is proud to be in a joint venture with Minodahmun Development LP, Flying Post Development Limited Partnership, and Mattagami AKI L.P. We have a strong partnership with Minodahmun Development LP, which is a 100 percent First Nations-owned partnership created by Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek, Aroland First Nation, and Ginoogaming First Nation to maximize First Nation participation in development projects.

The company has the same relationships with Flying Post Development Limited Partnership and Mattagami AKI L.P.. These are rooted in respect, transparency, and a focus on long-term partnership.

Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. prioritizes Indigenousowned businesses to ensure its projects contribute to long-term economic prosperity.

THE ADEY BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS LTD. ADVANTAGE

With services including millwrighting, pipefitting, carpentry, boilermaking, scaffolding, and electrics, Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. is primed and ready with friendly professionals to discuss the requirements of any upcoming project, in addition to scheduling an estimate appointment at a time that is most convenient for you.

When planning your next project, rely on a company that offers unparalleled knowledge, experience, and expertise. Contact Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. to learn more about what sets it apart from the competition.

TOP-QUALITY PROJECTS

Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. proudly offers top-quality products for its clients, enabling the completion of projects in an efficient and reliable manner.

•

Location – A 24-hour service industrial contractor.

•

Availability – Ownership that lives and works locally.

Clients have 24/7 access to company ownership.

•

Experience – The leadership team has over 60 years of industrial experience and employs over 50 skilled tradespeople at any given time on short notice.

A major project on which the company has worked is the Côté Gold Project, located in northeastern Ontario.

This impressive endeavor is a large-scale open-pit gold mining operation jointly owned by IAMGOLD and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. Having officially achieved commercial production in August 2024, the project was designed with cuttingedge technology, such as autonomous haul trucks and drills. The Côté Gold Project is positioned among the largest gold mines in the country, and Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. has contributed to this significant feat through the provision of shaker screens, alongside millwright and iron worker composite crews and belting installation at the site.

As a whole, the Côté Gold Project emphasizes sustainability and innovation, integrating environmental stewardship and digital technologies to enhance safety and efficiency throughout its operations – traits which Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. works hard to uplift on a daily basis.

In addition to this project, the company is part of a plethora of other industry-leading initiatives and programs, including AV Terrace Bay, and working with other players in the field, such as Summit Pipeline Services and TransCanada PipeLines. It also ensures that team members are trained in high-angle rescue and rapid access, which prepares personnel for rescues where the slope is greater than 60 degrees, and the team is entirely dependent on ropes for suspension and safety.

As Adey Brothers Construction Solutions Ltd. looks ahead towards another 25 years of success in the industry, the company will continue to dedicate itself to customer satisfaction and workplace safety, while providing top-quality products that its clients have come to trust and rely on.

www.adeybrothers.ca

Fully registered and Certified by TSSA

HEMLO MINING CORP. NORTH AMERICA

OWNER-OPERATOR MODEL

Next-generation mining company Hemlo operates as a Canadian gold producer, underpinned by a long-life, highquality asset base and disciplined growth strategy.

At the core of the company’s approach is its commitment to operational excellence, resource expansion, and long-term value creation.

Hemlo recently transitioned to owneroperator of the mine, overseeing a workforce of approximately 700.

The company primarily tries to hire within local communities, collaborating with First Nations partners in the towns of White River, Manitouwadge, and Marathon.

Its transition to an owner-operator model was a move designed to strengthen both its operational control and community engagement.

Historically, many workers moved away from the region due to the prevalence of contractor-based roles – Hemlo is seeking to reverse that trend.

People want stability – pensions, benefits, and the ability to go home to their families every night, rather than staying in camps.

Re-establishing these kinds of connections is fundamental to enabling a healthy work-life balance for the company’s employees. For Hemlo, it’s all about being a strong member of the community.

The mine’s historic legacy is a defining element of Hemlo’s identity.

To unlock its potential, Hemlo is committing substantial investment into the asset. Details surrounding its future investment plans will be released as part of its formal guidance later this year.

Hemlo’s strategy is guided by a set of five clear principles:

LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY

• SAFETY FIRST – Prioritizing the well-being of employees and contractors.

Alongside exploration, the company is investing in its workforce, mining fleet, and processing infrastructure.

In this sense, the Hemlo Gold Mine is not just a standalone asset, but a platform for broader growth.

A cornerstone of Hemlo’s growth strategy is its extensive 130,000meter (m) exploration drilling program for 2026 – one of the largest of its kind in Canada.

The program is divided into three key components, each designed to support both short-term performance and long-term expansion.

• OPERATIONAL DISCIPLINE – Driving efficiency and productivity across all activities.

• SUSTAINABLE GROWTH – Extending mine life through exploration and innovation.

• COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT – Fostering strong partnerships with local and Indigenous stakeholders.

• VALUE CREATION – Delivering consistent returns for shareholders.

Through this operational framework, Hemlo maintains its current mining operations within the region.

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LEADERS IN UNDERGROUND MINING 80+

85+

75,000+

65,000+

Projects completed across four continents

Pieces of heavy underground mobile equipment

Lateral development meters driven since 2000

Raise meters driven since 2000

Manroc specializes in Alimak raise development, underground lateral development, long hole stope production drilling/blasting and underground construction.

We work in close partnership with our clients to ensure every project’s success.

Our methods and expertise make it possible to

extract previously uneconomic or inaccessible ore reserves. Manroc has led and stayed at the forefront of mining technologies and applications relating to narrow vein stope mining. We have successfully applied innovative mining techniques, which consistently result in lowering production costs and increasing productivity.

GLOBAL REACH We are proud to call Northwestern Ontario home.

Our other locations include: •Kazakhstan

Headquartered in Manitouwadge, Ontario, with our corporate office in Thunder Bay, Manroc serves most of the operating mines in the region.

•Tanzania •Ghana

Over the years and generations, Manroc has been asked to lead and support a number of international underground development projects.

When our expertise becomes fundamental to a project’s success, we excel in our ability to lead, train, procure and execute on project deliverables.

807-826-4564

info@manroc.com

www.manroc.com

HEMLO MINING CORP. NORTH AMERICA

These components include resource conversion drilling to a depth of 70,000 m, a 30,000 m highdefinition drilling stage focused on derisking the short-term mine plan, and a 30,000 m growth drilling stage to test new mineralized zones outside the current mineral resource footprint.

The 2026 resource conversion drilling program targets inferred mineral resources and unclassified

Q1 2026 financial and operating results Having delivered its first full quarter as owner-operator of the Hemlo Gold Mine, the company has announced its financial and operating results for Q1.

Financial highlights include delivering attributable gold production of 29,699 oz and generating USD$186.3 million in revenue and net income of USD$22.1 million – equivalent to USD$0.07 per share.

Operationally, the company completed the transition to an owner-operator model ahead of schedule, strengthened its executive and site teams, and launched the 130,000 m exploration drilling program.

Elsewhere, plant performance remained stable with an average milling rate of approximately 180 tons (t) per hour, and the ore processed in Q1 totaled 322,000 t.

Total mining costs before capitalized development costs were USD$42.6 million, or USD$113.15 per t mined, while processing costs were USD$10.5 million, or USD$32.81 per t processed.

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material to upgrade it to the indicated mineral resource category and extend current mine life.

The high-definition drilling program refers to the tighter drill spacing routinely applied at the Hemlo Gold Mine prior to mining, while the growth drilling program is designed to test expanded mineralized footprints identified through sporadic historical drilling and localized past mining areas.

UNLOCKING VALUABLE GROWTH A revised geological understanding of the deposit is key. For many years, the deposit was mischaracterized – It’s actually a Precambrian porphyry or intrusion-related system, which has important implications for how mineralization is distributed.

As the system formed, mineralized fluids moved upward, precipitating at multiple contact points.

What makes the deposit particularly unique is the fact it has undergone two deformation events, effectively folding the mineralization over itself. The mineralization existed before this deformation.

Historically, mining operations focused on the main contact zones, which were economically viable at much lower gold prices. However,

today’s pricing environment opens up additional opportunities.

There are zones in both the hanging wall and footwall that are located near existing infrastructure.

NEW MINERALIZED STRUCTURES In May this year, Hemlo announced results from its 130,000 m 2026 drilling program regarding the SouthRim Zone (South-Rim) which support the definition of a newly recognized, high-grade mineralization domain.

Identified as one of four priority growth targets in Hemlo’s January 2026 announcement, South-Rim forms part of the company’s growth component.

Initially intersected during previous drilling campaigns, the company’s ongoing reinterpretation of SouthRim suggests multiple mineralized horizons within the metasediments may remain.

Multiple discrete, sub-parallel lenses of 1 to 2 m in width have exhibited moderate-to-strong silicification and carbonate alteration, hosting highgrade ore shoots that display plunge orientations identical to those of the C-Zone or E-Zone ore bodies.

The newly defined structure demonstrates how high-grade shoots within South-Rim are not isolated

Setting the New Standard in World-Class

As one of Canada’s leading mining and construction companies, Technica Mining is leading the way in world-class workforce safety and project excellence in underground and open-pit development, construction, maintenance, and operation

UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION

UNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT

At Hemlo Mining Corp.’s (Hemlo) operations in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, Technica Mining is proud to support a partnership model that reflects the future of responsible, world‑class mining. Working in collaboration with Asiniikaa Mining and Construction (Asiniikaa) and Biiwaabikoke Limited Partnership (Biiwaabikoke LP), the mining arm of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, Technica helps deliver projects that balance technical excellence with long‑term community value.

Established in 1999 in Sudbury, Ontario, as a small underground construction company, Technica has since grown to become a stalwart in Canada’s mining and construction industries.

From the company’s roots specializing in underground infrastructure and repairs, it has expanded its portfolio of services to comprise engineering, underground development, electrical, mechanical and civil construction, surface and underground production drilling, and blasting.

Technica is recognized for setting a new world‑class standard in underground mining by integrating safety, innovation, and partnership‑driven execution into every phase of its work. At Hemlo, this approach is realized through meaningful collaboration with Indigenous partners whose regional knowledge, workforce participation, and shared values strengthen project outcomes.

UNDERGROUND PRODUCTION

UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL

Asiniikaa comprises both Indigenous and non‑Indigenous team members, bringing decades of sector experience to the North.

The company’s relationship to the area is essential, as the North is where Asiniikaa and its partners are located. Asiniikaa’s focus is on exceeding the expectations of its clients while building sustainable, reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations.

As part of its operations, Asiniikaa invests in capacity development, training and development, and procurement opportunities in every community in which it works.

At the Hemlo Mine, Asiniikaa has formally established a strategic partnership with Biiwaabikoke LP. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to collaboration, economic development, and responsible resource management, alongside supporting employment opportunities, business growth, and long‑term sustainability in the region.

Technica Mining works together with its partners to support project delivery at Hemlo. Through this partnership structure, Technica, Asiniikaa, and Biiwaabikoke LP are engaged in a collaborative approach that brings together technical execution, regional experience, and community participation in support of mining operations.

www.asiniikaamining.ca

With nearly three decades worth of industry expertise, Technica’s track record of safely completing projects on time and on budget, in addition to its strong and well‑established partnerships, continues to set it apart as the go‑to company within mining and construction.

Info@technicamining.com | www.technicamining.com Technica Mining technicamining

Technica Mining

HEMLO MINING CORP. NORTH AMERICA

relationships with local suppliers and surrounding communities.

Long-standing collaborations, such as with Manroc Developments – who has supported operations in the region for nearly three decades – remain central to the company’s approach.

It’s important to maintain those relationships as they play a key role in Hemlo’s development activities.

At the same time, Hemlo works with First Nations partners to support economic development and establish long-term, sustainable business opportunities. anomalies, but rather a coherent system of plunge-controlled lenses.

Hemlo’s geology team recently completed a comprehensive reinterpretation of all available drill data, recognizing for the first time that these discrete intersections are part of a single, plunge-controlled mineralized structure extending over more than 1.5 kilometers vertically and within an approximately 300-m-wide east-west corridor.

While individual lenses in the C-Zone remain spatially separated, they share consistent grade characteristics and structural affinity, confirming their common genetic origin.

The ongoing growth drilling campaign is designed to validate this new interpretation, infill data gaps within the upper portion of the SouthRim structure and test the lateral and down-plunge extents of the system.

With intercepts at South-Rim now announced, Hemlo’s exploration strategy turns eastward toward several other zones, where historical mining intersections within equivalent South-Rim horizons returned results that remain largely untested by drilling.

LONG-STANDING COLLABORATIONS Beyond geology and operations, Hemlo places strong emphasis on its 284 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Hemlo’s mission, vision, and values MISSION – To build a resilient, disciplined, and performance-driven mining company that operates with an owner’s mentality – moving with conviction, thinking long-term, and executing with precision.

VISION – To build the next-generation mining company – a nimble, ownerdriven organization with the potential to scale into an intermediate, multi-asset producer through resilience, precision, and an unrelenting focus on performance and zero harm.

CORPORATE VALUES • RESILIENCE – Hemlo believes challenges sharpen its senses and strengthen its resolve to deliver – no matter the environment.

• PERFORMANCE – As a company that measures itself by operational, financial, and strategic outcomes, Hemlo believes results matter more than rhetoric.

• VALUE CREATION – With an understanding that everything it does must generate lasting value, Hemlo creates value for shareholders, employees, partners, and stakeholders alike.

• DISCIPLINE – Hemlo allocates capital based on data, not emotion. For the company, discipline looks like challenging old thinking, rejecting complacency, and making bold, evidence-based decisions that drive sustainable growth.

• AGILITY – Moving with conviction and purpose, Hemlo’s nimbleness allows it to capture opportunity.

• ZERO HARM – Safety and sustainability are non-negotiables for the company as it strives to protect its people, communities, and the environment around it.

• OWNER MENTALITY – Hemlo takes accountability for every decision, focusing on long-term value creation and driving measurable results.

HEMLO MINING CORP. NORTH AMERICA

Major Machine Works is located in Marathon, Ontario, Canada.

We service big and small industries such as the local gold mines, paper mills, logging companies, railway, hydro, and walk-in customers. We pride ourselves on fair pricing and reliable service backed by high-quality workmanship.

Fabrications • • • • • • • •

CONVEYORS UNDERGROUND CHUTES WEAR LINERS CHIP LINE PIPES TRANSITIONS CYCLONES STEEL STRUCTURES SKIPS

Specialties • • • •

CERTIFIED WELDING MACHINING FABRICATION REPAIR

Phone: 807-229-1187 Phone: 807-229-1187 Phone: 1-877-291-1187 majormac@shawcable.com www.majormachineworks.com

This commitment extends to the nearby town of Marathon, where the company engages a range of local suppliers for operational and safety services.

For Hemlo, it’s about ensuring that the benefits of the mine are felt across the entire region.

Equally, sustainability and environmental responsibility also form a core part of its operating philosophy.

The company adheres to a range of environmental standards and reporting frameworks while also going beyond baseline requirements.

Hemlo complies with multiple environmental and sustainability initiatives, publishes annual reports, and conducts quarterly audits in collaboration with its First Nations partners.

This level of engagement ensures transparency and accountability among members of the community.

PEOPLE-CENTRIC APPROACH Looking ahead, Hemlo has set out a clear roadmap of corporate and operational milestones.

From a market perspective, the company has been listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) by the TSX Venture Exchange since June, ahead of a further listing on a major US exchange.

In parallel, Hemlo is aiming for inclusion in key mining indices, alongside the release of an updated resource estimate as part of internal technical and administrative work.

The company is completing all the groundwork this year, from geotechnical and ventilation studies to material handling and mine sequencing.

Operationally, the focus remains on stabilizing the site and gradually increasing production rates.

Production and financial targets aside, Hemlo’s people-centric approach

is what truly sets the company apart.

One of the most unique aspects of the business is how integrated its leadership team is with the site.

Senior executives spend significant time on-site each month, working closely with operational teams.

With a young and ambitious workforce, Hemlo is focused on cultivating the next generation of industry leaders.

This emphasis on mentorship and development is a key component of both the company’s culture and longterm vision, particularly as it navigates an increasingly competitive labor market.

info@hemlomining.com

www.hemlomining.com Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 285

O N TA R I O ’ S M I N E

O F TO M O R R OW

The Victoria project in Ontario, Canada presents KGHM INTERNATIONAL LTD. with a tremendous opportunity to create the mine of the future.

We discuss the development and progress of this strategic asset with the leadership team Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Scarlett Burke

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C

anada has always been, and still is, one of the most exciting and dynamic spaces for mining in the entire world.

Its robust mining ecosystem, especially in Ontario, a top-rated jurisdiction for mining investment, and more specifically the Sudbury region, fosters collaboration between

KGHM INTERNATIONAL LTD. NORTH AMERICA

the province’s major mining players and visionary leadership to share infrastructure and expertise.

The regulatory environment and commitment to sustainable growth make the country a premier destination for future mining investments.

“It obviously differs province

by province, but I am personally energized by how our industry is becoming a cornerstone of both regional resilience and global technological progress,” opens Marek Bednarz, President and CEO of KGHM INTERNATIONAL LTD. (KGHM INTERNATIONAL).

Headquartered in Vaughan,

Ontario, KGHM INTERNATIONAL serves as the global growth engine of Polish multinational mining corporation, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. (KGHM), a leading copper and silver producer globally.

“Canada’s focus on its Critical Minerals Strategy aligns perfectly with KGHM’s global goals to enable Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 287

KGHM INTERNATIONAL LTD. NORTH AMERICA

Marek Bednarz, President and CEO

the energy transition through copper, nickel, and other metals that we produce,” Bednarz observes.

KGHM INTERNATIONAL has a significant footprint across North America, with two operating openpit mines in the US – the Carlota Mine in Arizona and the Robinson Mine in Nevada.

In Canada, the KGHM subsidiary owns two projects – Ajax in British Columbia, which was the first deposit

Steve Dunlop, General Manager of Canada and Head of North American Exploration

purchased by KGHM in Canada, and Victoria in Ontario’s Sudbury Basin, known as the world’s nickel capital.

“Our Victoria project in the Sudbury region of Ontario is where our Canadian presence is most prominent,” informs Bednarz.

ADVANCED EXPLORATION The mining sector is an important element of the Canadian economy, and that importance is even more

Rima Toor, Head of Human Resources

visible in Ontario, where KGHM INTERNATIONAL is very excited about the development of the Victoria project.

“It’s a strategic asset for KGHM; we’re currently reaching a depth of over 1,400 meters (m) in sinking the shaft,” Bednarz tells us.

“The horizontal drilling we started at the end of Q1 this year is a milestone for the project,” he acclaims.

“ O U R G O A L I S T O T U R N N AT U R A L W E A LT H I N T O A S H A R E D S U C C E S S S T O R Y T H AT R E S P E C T S C U LT U R A L H E R I TA G E W H I L E P R O V I D I N G M O D E R N J O B S ” – M A R E K B E D N A R Z , P R E S I D E N T A N D C E O , K G H M I N T E R N AT I O N A L LT D .

KGHM INTERNATIONAL LTD. NORTH AMERICA

Work on the Victoria project is conducted by DMC Mining Services (DMC), a KGHM INTERNATIONAL subsidiary and one of North America’s premier underground contractors.

DMC has been responsible for completing the surface setup and is conducting the diamond drilling program that was recently started.

“The DMC team is also responsible for the excavations on the ‘milestone levels’ to set it up so we can place the drills and complete further horizontal drilling to better identify the deposit,” adds Bednarz.

Similar to other Sudbury deposits, it’s rich in copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, gold, and silver.

The deposit was originally discovered in 2010; KGHM INTERNATIONAL decided to take the leap toward advanced exploration five years ago.

Currently, the Victoria project is progressing on schedule and midway through the advanced exploration phase, which includes two major efforts.

“First, with the help of DMC, is sinking the shaft to 1,860 m and mining a bulk sample,” outlines Steve Dunlop, General Manager of Canada and Head of North American Exploration.

“Second is diamond drilling to further define and upgrade the resource; we’re currently drilling from the 1,200 m level. Additionally, we’re continuing the engineering and studies required to support the full mine.

“We will continue to complete advanced exploration and look forward to the next phase of our full production,” Dunlop sets out.

WHAT DOES WORKING AT KGHM INTERNATIONAL MEAN TO YOU? MAREK BEDNARZ, PRESIDENT AND CEO: “It allows me to combine my experience in working in a global environment and commercial roots with a strategic vision for the future of the mining industry.

“It’s an honor to steer an organization that balances high-tech innovation with a profound respect for the communities where we operate. Having worked in this high-paced, evolving industry for the last 20+ years, I’m excited about the opportunity of co-shaping its future with our team.”

STEVE DUNLOP, GENERAL MANAGER OF CANADA AND HEAD OF NORTH AMERICAN EXPLORATION: “I’m able to leverage my past experience in exploration, geology, and mining to support our incredible teams in the development of our current projects and passion to discover new deposits.”

RIMA TOOR, HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES: “What makes KGHM INTERNATIONAL special is the people, the strength of the leadership team, and a shared commitment to doing what is best for the business and its rightsholders.

“I’m energized by the opportunities ahead as we build our state-of-the-art Victoria project and proud to be part of an organization with such a strong foundation and promising future.”

GOOD NEIGHBOR The Victoria project will be a stateof-the-art operation relying on the latest available technologies, such as battery-powered vehicles and lowemissions systems.

Mining Outlook Issue 16 | 289

KGHM INTERNATIONAL LTD. NORTH AMERICA

“Our vision is to ensure we’re building tomorrow’s mine for the community. It will be both efficient and have a very small carbon footprint,” acclaims Dunlop.

The project is currently expected to produce more than 1.2 million tons (t) of mill feed annually and have an estimated mine life of 14 years.

Not just a mine, this project is a critical step to securing the minerals needed for the global energy transition and powering the 21st-century economy.

It also gives KGHM INTERNATIONAL the opportunity to contribute to the development of sustainable opportunities for local communities and the region.

The Victoria project thrives on the foundation of ‘good neighbor’ values, enjoying strong support from local authorities, Indigenous partnerships, and communities.

“As a local resident myself, I am deeply committed to ensuring this project offers long-term value and sustainable growth for the Sudbury region,” Dunlop acknowledges.

KGHM INTERNATIONAL maintains 290 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

active and transparent dialogue with Indigenous partners, recognizing that their support is essential to the project’s future and the region’s economic resilience.

“Our goal is to turn natural wealth into a shared success story that respects cultural heritage while providing modern jobs,” Bednarz asserts.

“We take immense pride in the positive impact our team is delivering for both the local community and, more broadly, Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy. It’s inspiring to see the team’s dedication to working hand-in-hand to complete the project.”

“A S A L O C A L R E S I D E N T M Y S E L F, I A M D E E P LY CO M M I T T E D TO ENSURING THIS PROJECT OFFERS L O N G -T E R M VA L U E A N D S U S TA I N A B L E GROWTH FOR THE SUDBURY REGION” – S T E V E D U N L O P, G E N E R A L M A N AG E R O F C A N A DA A N D HEAD OF NORTH AMERICAN E X P L O R AT I O N , K G H M I N T E R N AT I O N A L LT D .

PROJECT ADVANCEMENT Moving through 2026, KGHM INTERNATIONAL’s top priority is the successful advancement of the Victoria project’s shaft sinking and commencement of extended underground drilling.

Another key target is to continue contributing value to KGHM and maintain its role as one of the world’s leading copper producers globally

while focusing on asset optimization and cost discipline.

“We are also dedicated to reaching new milestones in safety and digital transformation across all our KGHM INTERNATIONAL assets across Canada and the US, collaborating with local communities around our operations, and strengthening our

KGHM INTERNATIONAL LTD. NORTH AMERICA

reputation as a trusted business partner in sustainable mining,” affirms Bednarz.

The subsidiary’s investment strategy, meanwhile, includes modernizing site-wide infrastructure, such as its recently commissioned wastewater treatment plant and highvoltage electrical substations.

Moreover, KGHM INTERNATIONAL is exploring synergies for shared infrastructure with other major miners to improve cost efficiency across its Canadian operations.

“Each of these projects reinforces our position as a leader in the North American critical minerals sector,” closes Dunlop.

Tel: Toronto office: +1 647-265-9191, Sudbury office: +1 705-885-1535 HR@ca.kghm.com sudbury.recruiting@ca.kghm.com

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EUROPE’S CRITICAL MINERALS COMEBACK

As Europe races to secure critical raw materials, Verde Magnesium is pioneering lowcarbon magnesium production in Romania to strengthen supply chains, support automotive decarbonisation, and revive European industrial capability. Alexandru Rosu, CEO, tells us more Writer: Lily Sawyer | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

A

s it undergoes a structural shift, Europe’s mining and minerals sector is being transformed.

Over the last few decades, the primary production of metals and critical raw materials (CRMs) has moved gradually away from Europe, leaving the continent dependant on imports.

“Magnesium is one of the clearest examples of this – the EU does not currently produce a single tonne (t) of primary magnesium metal, although it is essential for the automotive, aerospace, and defence industries and producing aluminium alloys.

The situation is similar in the US,” opens Alexandru Rosu, CEO of Verde 292 | Mining Outlook Issue 16

Magnesium – a strategic project under the EU’s CRM Act. Indeed, in the last three to four years, the region’s policy framework has changed noticeably, with the CRM Act, the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and RESourceEU Action Plan all coming into play.

“For the first time, we’ve created a coherent trajectory for the industry – Europe wants to rebuild its own capacity in CRMs around its own environmental and social standards,” Rosu excites.

The recently signed EU-US Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on CRMs reinforces this momentum by establishing

a transatlantic framework for cooperation on supply chain diversification.

“The political will exists; now, the implementation policies need to catch up to overcome the factors that have insofar determined a lack of competitivity and ultimate disappearance of CRM industries from the EU and US,” he insights.

The sector faces other clear challenges, with energy prices remaining too high to support energy-intensive processing, and the implementation of green and lowcarbon technologies competing with imports that rely on coal.

In addition, local content quotas are missing, financing instruments

VERDE MAGNESIUM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

are not yet adapted to the realities of CRM projects, there are no dedicated grant calls for mining or strategic operations, and the standard application templates do not fit the unique nature of these investments.

“These challenges need to be addressed in an integrated manner, offering investors the tools and mechanisms needed to effectively revive Europe’s CRM industries,” he adds.

SUSTAINABLE, LOW-CARBON FUTURE On track to become the first European magnesium producer in 25 years, Verde Magnesium is pioneering a sustainable, low-carbon approach to magnesium production.

To date, the company is the only European strategic project for magnesium designated under the CRM Act. “Our mission is to create a sustainable, low-carbon, and circular model for the European magnesium metal supply chain over the next two decades on the Budureasa deposit in Bihor County, Romania,” Rosu tells us.

Indeed, he points out how the sustainability profile of the project is built into its geology and process design – rather than being an add-on.

The deposit itself is a brucite-rich resource of magnesium hydroxide that co-exists with dolomite and calcite in alkaline, chemically stable rock.

“From a mining perspective, the environmental impact will be like that of a construction rocks quarry, of which there are thousands across Europe,” Rosu explains.

Verde Magnesium’s process, meanwhile, involves an aluminothermic reduction route using calcined ore and aluminium scrap together with electric furnaces, dry processing, and full carbon dioxide (CO2) capturing and processing for valorisation as dry ice.

“There is no cyanide, acid-leaching tailings dam, sulphide ore, heavymetal compounds, chlorine, or emissions involved. Even the process’ by-product, calcium aluminate, is a saleable input for the steel and cement industries,” he details.

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VERDE MAGNESIUM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

WHAT DID YOUR RECENT LCA REFLECT ABOUT YOUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, AND HOW ARE YOU SETTING A NEW GLOBAL BENCHMARK FOR LOWCARBON PRIMARY MAGNESIUM PRODUCTION? Alexandru Rosu, CEO: “The LCA was carried out by the DLR – an independent reference institute for lifecycle work in the magnesium industry.

“The DLR’s cradle-to-gate assessment covers raw material extraction and preparation, transportation, energy generation, and the full processing chain through refined magnesium metal.

“The result for our selected route is a greenhouse gas footprint in the range of 0.5 to 3 kg CO2-equivalent per kg of refined magnesium produced. These are Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions; the Scope 1 process emissions from mineral decomposition are captured and valorised, primarily as liquid CO2 or dry ice.

“To put this into context – published values for the dominant industry process are typically in the range of 25-35 kg CO2-equivalent per kg of magnesium, which is several orders of magnitude higher.

“Based on these independently verified figures, the Verde Magnesium process is proven to be the cleanest magnesium metal production process in the world.

“We will continue to work towards our goal for green magnesium as the project advances through detailed engineering and as procurement decisions on aluminium feedstock and electricity sources are finalised.

“The ESIA – which is currently underway – will further substantiate the environmental performance under the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) Environmental and Social Requirements (ESRs) and Equator Principles 4 (EP4) standards.”

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In terms of its energy strategy, the project’s processing platform is being designed to run on renewable sources – primarily solar with battery storage – with the option to integrate hydro, wind, and geothermal power as the regional energy mix evolves.

“With 100 percent green power, this becomes a near-zero carbon primary magnesium operation,” Rosu continues.

Independent industrial-scale pilot tests have confirmed magnesium metal at 99.9 percent purity, whilst a life cycle assessment (LCA) carried out by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) has validated the project’s carbon performance, confirming it is the cleanest magnesium metal production process worldwide.

AIDING THE AUTOMOTIVE TRANSITION As the lightest structural metal – around 35 percent lighter than aluminium and 78 percent lighter than steel – Verde Magnesium recognises the significant role sustainable magnesium plays in the automotive transition towards decarbonised and electrified mobility.

“For electric vehicles (EVs) in particular, this lightweight advantage translates directly into increased range, battery efficiency, and emissions reductions,” Rosu clarifies.

Every kilogramme (kg) removed from the vehicle’s structure decreases energy consumption per kilometre (km) and increases range.

Whilst magnesium is already present in legacy and automotive components such as steering wheels, seat frames, and instrument panel supports, its application is now expanding into larger automotive structural parts, such as transmission casings, structural assemblies, and EV housings.

Indeed, thixomolding and emerging gigacasting techniques have made it economically viable to produce intricate, large-format magnesium components that were not feasible just a decade ago.

“Magnesium being lightweight is not enough, which is why we’re producing magnesium with a cradle-to-gate carbon footprint, which is roughly a few orders of magnitude below the dominant industry process,” he elaborates.

In this way, Verde Magnesium gives European original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers an input that is consistent with their supply chain requirements and the environmental and social standards they aim to meet.

EUROPEAN SUPPLY ALTERNATIVE With Europe’s magnesium demand currently being met entirely by imports, it is more important than ever for Verde Magnesium to offer the continent an internal supply alternative.

“The global market is highly concentrated, with China providing 90 percent of global production, exposing every European industrial user to volatility driven by factors outside of their control, such as

“OUR PRINCIPLE IS SIMPLE – A PROJECT I S S U S TA I N A B L E I N T H E L O N G R U N O N LY IF THE HOST COMMUNITY BENEFITS I N M E A S U R A B L E , V E R I F I A B L E WAY S A N D I S T R E AT E D A S A P A R T N E R , N O T A S TA K E H O L D E R T O B E M A N A G E D ” – A L E XA N D R U R OS U, C E O, V E R D E M AG N E S I U M

energy prices, environmental policy adjustments, freight, and trade measures,” Rosu details.

China’s magnesium industry is mature and efficient on its own technological terms, with a unique industrial ecosystem that enables efficiencies and economies of scale.

An internal European supply alternative diversifies sourcing and allows the procurement of magnesium produced under the continent’s environmental, labour, and governance standards.

“This matters even more in a world where Scope 3 reporting, CBAM, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, and due diligence are increasingly prevalent,” he points out.

It also rebuilds industrial know-how – engineering, metallurgy, and skilled labour – on European soil, which is a precondition for any longer-term

reindustrialisation strategy.

“Verde Magnesium aims to add resilient, sustainable, Europeanstandard capacity into a market that today has none of it,” he says.

ACTIONING ROMANIAN RESOURCES As Verde Magnesium has demonstrated, producing critical raw materials in Europe at the lowest carbon footprint in the world is technically possible.

To become an effective commercial success, however, there is a structural gap in the EU’s carbon-pricing architecture that must be overcome.

Currently, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) assigns a price to the CO2 that is emitted inside Europe – but assigns no economic value to the CO2 avoided when European production substitutes for highcarbon imports.

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VERDE MAGNESIUM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

The result is a structural cost gap – European low-carbon producers carry a higher cost base than coal-fed incumbents, and the verified climate benefit they deliver is therefore not reflected in the price.

“The illustrative arithmetic is striking – one t of European primary magnesium produced via our route avoids approximately 25 t of CO2 relative to the dominant imported alternative,” Rosu exemplifies.

At the current EU allowance price, the avoided emissions has a carboncost equivalent of roughly €1,900 per t of magnesium – comparable in magnitude to the cost gap that today prevents European production from competing.

“The policy fix is straightforward and consistent with the EU’s existing climate architecture: allow a CRM Act-compliant project – together with a verified, third-party LCA – to receive tradeable carbon certificates equivalent to the avoided emissions, sized against the footprint of the

“ O U R A N N I V E R S A R Y WA S M O R E T H A N A C E L E B R AT I O N – I T WA S A N O P P O R T U N I T Y T O R E F L E C T O N H O W FA R W E ’ V E C O M E A N D R E A F F I R M O U R CO M M I T M E N T TO S U P P O R T I N G T H E S U S TA I N A B L E G R O W T H O F M I N I N G A N D M E TA L S O P E R AT I O N S A C R O S S THE REGION” – A L E XA N D R U R OS U, C E O, V E R D E M AG N E S I U M

displaced import,” he explains.

Rosu also points out that doing so would not weaken the EU’s climate ambition – in fact, it would reward real, additional, and verifiable reductions that the current system simply cannot capture.

As such, Verde Magnesium has shared a structured proposal along these lines with the European Commission, and it believes it deserves serious consideration as part of the upcoming EU ETS review cycle.

“Romania has the resources, and

VERDE MAGNESIUM’S CURRENT PROJECTS Each with its own merit, Verde Magnesium’s projects address a coherent, integrated cluster of industrial needs, comprising mining, magnesium metal production, magnesium compounds as a parallel high-value stream, and renewable energy.

• MOTHER PLANT AT THE BEIUȘ SMART SPECIALISATION PARK – A 360 tpa plant on a 1.5-hectare plot 15 km from the mine, designed to serve as the certification unit for offtakers’ validation that will be further deployed at full commercial capacity in Budureasa. The urbanism certificate and ESIA are obtained, construction is targeted to start Q4 2026, and the company expects first magnesium metal in Q3-Q4 2027. The Mother Plant is also a site of knowledge transfer and will operate as the academy for personnel recruitment and training.

• MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS BUSINESS LINE – Beyond magnesium metal, the ore produced at this site can support a portfolio of high-purity magnesium compounds – magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, and derivatives – used in refractories, flame retardants, environmental treatment reagents, and pharmaceuticals. Two rounds of laboratory testing have been completed with Metso in Finland, and a pre-feasibility study is currently in development. This diversifies the project’s revenue base and adds resilience against magnesium metal price volatility.

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the EU has the policy framework. The technology is valid, and what remains now is execution,” Rosu emphasises.

Working in close cooperation with the European Commission, Romanian authorities, its investors, and host communities in Budureasa and Beiuș, Bihor County, this what Verde Magnesium is focused on going forwards.

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE With its future industrial processing platform to be based in Budureasa and the Mother Plant located in Beiuș, Verde Magnesium engages with Romanian communities directly, transparently, and on an ongoing basis.

“The economic benefits of our activities flow through several channels, such as the land lease and concessions income afforded to local landowners,” Rosu shares.

Direct employment is also a tangible benefit, with the company’s mining phase requiring between 100 and 120 staff at full development, the magnesium smelter up to 200, and the magnesium compounds line up to 100.

“Indirect employment and service contracts – catering, transport, maintenance, security, and technical services – are also required, boosting local employment,” he adds.

Further to this, local tax revenues to the municipality, which have the potential to generate budget surpluses, are redirected to community-priority projects.

VERDE MAGNESIUM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

DELIVERING ON THE FUTURE

ADDRESSING THE UN’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS When it comes to meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Verde Magnesium’s work is noticeably aligned.

• SDG 9 (INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE) – The company’s project rebuilds primary magnesium production capacity on European soil and demonstrates a brucite-based, low-carbon, and electrified innovation pathway that did not exist at industrial scale before.

• SDG 13 (CLIMATE ACTION) – A cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of 0.5 to 3 kg CO2 - equivalent per kg of magnesium represents the cleanest process in the magnesium smelting industry today.

• SDG 12 (RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION) – Verde Magnesium’s project is designed around resource circularity – limestone and granite extracted together with brucite are sold as aggregates rather than dumped as waste. Moreover, calcium culminate by-project is sold to the steel and cement industries, and processed CO2 is captured and valorised as dry ice. Aluminium scrap also becomes the reagent in the magnesium smelting process, meaning there are no tailings dams, cyanide, acid leaching, or sulphide-derived heavy-metal residues.

• SDG 8 (DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH) AND SDG 11 (SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES) – The company is committed to hiring locally, which includes free vocational training programmes, partnerships with schools and universities, and investing in local infrastructure. The mining phase will reach between 100 and 120 direct jobs by 2036, with the boarder industrial cluster around the processing plant supporting several hundred additional roles.

“The SDGs matter to us because they are a common vocabulary through which our investors, customers, regulators, and host communities can all evaluate what we are doing. Performance against them is verifiable, and verification is what builds long-term trust,” Rosu insights.

Beyond direct economic contribution, Verde Magnesium has committed to and is already delivering community support.

This is taking place across education, cultural heritage, sporting events (such as the Budureasa Mountain Running competition), and ongoing engagement with vocational

schools, enabling Verde Magnesium to align training with the skills its project will eventually require.

“Our principle is simple – a project is sustainable in the long run only if the host community benefits in measurable, verifiable ways and is treated as a partner, not a stakeholder to be managed,” Rosu notes.

Looking ahead to the next 12 months, Rosu reflects on how Verde Magnesium is focused on converting strategic priorities into hard deliverables.

This includes execution of a robust Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) aiming to be finalised in 2027, and a scoping study and biodiversity baseline already in place.

It will also undertake a field data verification campaign within the frameworks of a modern quality assurance and control protocol.

“We will execute the twinning and infill drilling programme, aiming to certify and extend the historical geological information via a fully Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC)-compliant mineral resource and ore reserve estimate,” Rosu asserts.

Verde Magnesium also has plans to restart the mine this year by putting the existing quarry back into production by the end of 2026, which restarts the operational cycle and starts generating local benefits.

In terms of magnesium metal production, it will begin with the 360 t per annum (tpa) Mother Plant, followed by the construction of a higher capacity smelter of up to 30 kilo tonnes per year by 2030.

“Subject to successful negotiations for firm off-take agreements with various industrial groups in the EU and US, our higher capacity smelter development will be accelerated,” he confidently concludes.

info@verdemg.com

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