Antofagasta plc CEO and ICMM Chair Iván Arriagada has been confirmed as a plenary speaker at World Mining Congress 2026 in Lima (June 24–26), focused on trust, transformation and technology.
Some analysts say Taylor Swift’s vintage-style engagement ring has reignited interest in natural diamonds, as miners and sellers struggle with weak demand and surging lab-grown alternatives.
A powerful 2026 metals rally has pushed the Mining.com Top 50 back above US$2T. Agnico Eagle joins the US$100B club, while Rio Tinto and BHP lag amid M&A uncertainty.
Chile could lift copper output by 10%–20% in the next year or two by cutting red tape and easing regulation, mining group Sonami said, forecasting 2026 production at 5.5–5.7 Mt versus 5.4 Mt in 2025.
Chile’s Mantoverde copper-gold mine continues to see production impacts as bargaining talks remain frozen, the union says. Labor authorities also denied union emergency crews, citing late and non-compliant filings.
Chile’s Corfo awarded up to US$5.8M to two R&D projects to pilot direct lithium extraction (DLE) for local brines and develop rare earth recovery from mining liabilities using leaching and bioleaching.
The University Pavilion will bring together 14 universities and research institutions from Peru and abroad, creating a dedicated space to connect academia and industry around science, talent development, and exploration-focused innovation.
Aclara is aiming to begin production in mid-2028, but the timeline is conditional on securing offtake agreements and financing, Barua said. He added that discussions with potential buyers—particularly those tied to magnet supply chains—have intensified as the company progresses t
Codelco expects 2026 copper output of 1.344 Mt, up 10,000 tonnes from 2025, as it boosts exploration spending and works to stabilize El Teniente after a 2025 accident.
Lundin Mining filed for environmental approval in Chile for a US$150M Caserones project to optimize infrastructure and support operations to 2039 without raising approved output or freshwater use.
Rio Tinto and Glencore have confirmed early-stage talks about combining some or all of their businesses. Under UK takeover rules, Rio has until 5 February 2026 to announce a firm offer or walk away.
Venezuela holds major gold, bauxite, iron ore and nickel potential, but analysts say decayed infrastructure, state dominance, weak data and legal risk will slow any mining revival even after Nicolás Maduro’s removal.
S&P Global projects copper demand will rise 50% to 42 Mt per year by 2040, driven by AI data centres, defence and robotics. Without major new mines and recycling, the market could face a 10 Mt annual shortfall.
Halo Minerals (formerly Guardian Metals) has rebranded ahead of a planned London AIM IPO, sharpening its focus on copper and other strategic metals from legacy mine-waste reprocessing, led by its Playa Verde Project in Chile’s Atacama Region.
Guyana’s oil and mining industries are seeing renewed investor attention as shifting dynamics in Venezuela reduce perceived regional risk around offshore security and the long-running Essequibo dispute.
A strike at Capstone Copper’s Mantoverde mine in northern Chile will continue after negotiations with Union No. 2 failed. The union says the mine is nearly shut down and the concentrator is running at 30% on stockpiles.
EU regulators have signalled no competition concerns over the proposed Anglo American–Teck merger and are reviewing it under a simplified procedure. A merger decision is due by Feb. 10, with a separate foreign-subsidies timeline set for Feb. 3.
Fleet Space Technologies CEO Flavia Tata Nardini will speak at World Mining Congress 2026 in Lima, showcasing ExoSphere’s AI, sensors and nanosatellites for faster, lower-impact mineral exploration.
Aguia Resources appointed CEO Tim Hosking to the board as Managing Director effective Jan. 7, 2026, as the Tres Estradas phosphate mine in Brazil nears start-up next quarter.
Lithium Argentina produced about 34,100 tonnes of lithium carbonate in 2025 at Cauchari-Olaroz, lowered costs and filed for permits and RIGI financing to support a 45,000 t/y expansion and advance PPG in Salta.
Wealth Minerals won approval for its Chile lithium application and is expected to receive a contract for an early-stage Ollagüe salt flat project, following a simplified CEOL process.
Brazil’s iron ore exports rose 7.1% in 2025 to a record 416.4 million tonnes, the first year above 400 million, supported by stronger output and demand led by China.
Lundin Gold expects to produce 475,000–525,000 ounces of gold annually from 2026 to 2028 at Ecuador’s Fruta del Norte mine, in line with its prior guidance.
Codelco edged 2025 copper output up to about 1.332–1.333 million tonnes despite the El Teniente disruption, and is targeting 1.344 million tonnes in 2026.
ABB expanded electrification and automation at Boliden’s Aitik mine tailings facility in Sweden, supplying modular e-houses, MV/LV equipment, transformers, VSDs and the ABB Ability System 800xA DCS to boost centralized monitoring and support GISTM compliance.
LME copper hit a fresh all-time high above $13,300/t as supply disruptions in Chile and Ecuador and US tariff uncertainty tightened availability and lifted base metals.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest oil reserves and sizable mineral potential, but years of underinvestment, sanctions and weak power infrastructure have kept output far below capacity.
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