Metso achieves certification ahead of schedule

The Queensland Government is investing $500,000 to support the women in resources: empowering development (WIRED) pilot program.The program, delivered by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC), focuses on upskilling and reskilling women into advanced site-based roles to strengthen Queensland’s resources workforce and support more women into higher-skilled operator and technician roles across the state.The WIRED program will deliver targeted training for roles including machinery operators, plant technicians and site supervisors while supporting women transitioning into higher-level operator and technician roles.Early engagement across the sector has commenced, with the program expected to launch in mid-2026.Queensland Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Minister Ros Bates says the investment is about backing a sector that drives jobs and regional growth.“We are backing one of Queensland’s economic powerhouses by delivering the skilled workforce it needs to keep growing,” she said.“We are making sure women have clear, practical pathways into higher-skilled, higher-paid roles on site.“When you expand opportunities in a $44b industry, you strengthen the entire economy.”In the Australian resources sector, women now represent a larger portion of roles but there is still major room for growth with the percentage of women holding roles in the mining sector fluctuating between 22 – 23% since 2024, according to the Federal Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).QRC chief executive Janette Hewson says WIRED is about enabling and retaining women in technician and operator roles to move into site-based leadership roles.“Our vision is an industry where women with technical skills have a clear pathway to more senior roles and can thrive in these roles long-term,” she said.“By supporting women who are working onsite, we create a workplace culture where everyone can thrive.”

Weir has been awarded a contract to supply a 150tph crushing and screening plant for Bezant’s Hope and Gorob copper-gold project in Namibia.The order includes an ENDURON® ET905 jaw crusher; an ENDURON® ET906 jaw crusher, a Trio® TF4012 vibrating grizzly feeder, a Trio® EF3605 vibrating pan feeder, a Trio® TIOSP6162 scalping screen, conveyor belts and the supporting steel structure.Weir comminution director for Europe, Middle East and Africa JD Singleton comments on the contract.“There is obviously a lot of time, effort and resources that go into designing, developing and bringing to market new products,” he said.“The range of ENDURON® jaw crushers were developed in close collaboration with our customers, so we’ve been confident throughout the entire process that these crushers will help miners overcome some of their most pressing operational challenge.“Nevertheless, it’s rewarding to see this work come to fruition and crushers performing well in some of the most arduous crushing applications.“Today, miners are taking a more holistic view of their operations; rather than looking at pieces of equipment in isolation, they are increasingly considering how what happens upstream impacts what’s happening downstream, and vice versa. In other words, there’s more of a focus on optimising the entire flowsheet.“As an end-to-end solutions provider, Weir has long understood the value of this approach. We’ve worked closely with Bezant and its partners to develop a crushing and screening solution for Hope and Gorob project that optimises the entire flowsheets and enables them to meet their ambitious production targets."Weir recently launched its new range of ENDURON® jaw crushers, which have been developed to enhance safety, boost productivity, simplify maintenance and support its customers’ sustainability goals.The updated ENDURON® jaw crushers now feature a redesigned Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU), which allows for true push-button control of CSS adjustments. This new feature eliminates the need for manual intervention, significantly reducing safety risks for operators and maintenance teams.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. The optimised motor power and oil tank capacity reduce the HPU’s carbon dioxide footprint and reduce environmental impact.Bezant technical director Martyn Churchouse says Weir’s service centre, located less than one hour from the mine site, significantly reduces project risk from a service and support perspective.“We recognise that crushing and screening plants require extensive maintenance, and having a hands-on partner who supports and stands behind their own equipment is essential to ensuring our success,” he said.

Rehabilitation at Ranger uranium mine continues The Federal Government has issued a new rehabilitation authority to Energy Resources Australia (ERA) to continue rehabilitation activities at Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory. The authority will allow ERA, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO), to progress a staged rehabilitation strategy that focuses upon adherence to objectives as stated in the authorisation to operate to allow the site to be returned to the Mirarr Traditional Owners. This strategy will be achieved through the application of best practice and the use of technology within a risk-based framework. ERA’s long-term vision is to return the disturbed area to a viable ecosystem in line with its obligations to its stakeholders and regulators and the expectations of the community. Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King comments on the authority. “This new authority means that ERA will be able to continue with its obligation to restore Ranger uranium mine to a condition similar to the surrounding Kakadu National Park,” she said. Mirrar Traditional Owners have worked closely with the Northern Land Council and ERA on a new land access agreement. Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy approved the agreement under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (Northern Territory). “I thank the Mirarr Traditional Owners, Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, Northern Land Council, ERA and Rio Tinto for their collaborative efforts in establishing this new authority and land access agreement,” she said. “We want to see rehabilitation completed and for the land to be returned to the Mirarr Traditional Owners.” Rehabilitation and closure planning began soon after the Ranger mine began producing uranium oxide in 1981.  Operations at Ranger ceased after ERA failed to secure permission from the Mirarr Traditional Owners and the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation to continue mining the sire.  ERA increased its estimated rehabilitation provision to $830m in 2019, a major increase from the $526m estimate recorded in 2017. 

BHP backs next wave of exploration and technology talent BHP (ASX: BHP) has selected 10 junior exploration and technology companies for its 2026 Xplor program, marking the largest cohort since the program began.Now in its fourth year of operation, the Xplor program reflects a more connected approach to early-stage exploration, where geological insight, data and emerging technologies increasingly intersect — with collaboration across disciplines central to how discovery evolves.As exploration moves into more remote and geologically complex environments, this intersection of expertise is opening up new possibilities for how mineral systems are understood, tested, and advanced at the earliest stages.BHP Group exploration officer Tim O’Connor says exploration is evolving quickly.“New tools, better data and different ways of working are changing how early-stage ideas are tested and refined,” he said.“This cohort reflects that shift, bringing together explorers and technology developers who are approaching discovery in thoughtful and practical ways. Xplor gives us a valuable opportunity to learn alongside them and explore what discovery could look like in the future.”The cohort was selected based on the strength of their ideas, technical capability and potential to contribute to the long-term supply of future-facing commodities.Each company will receive an equity-free grant of about $717,000 , along with structured learning, mentoring and access to BHP specialists across exploration, technology and commercial functions.BHP Xplor head Marley Palin says the 2026 cohort reflects how broad and dynamic early-stage discovery has become.“We’re seeing exciting ideas emerge across exploration, data and technology, often at the same time and in the same places,” she said.“Bringing these teams together through Xplor creates a unique environment for collaboration, learning and experimentation — we’re looking forward to what this group will explore over the coming months.”Xplor 2026’s successful applicants FrontierX FrontierX is an early-stage uranium exploration company in Canada, formed by two BHP Xplor Year One alumni, Fabian Baker and Andrew Tunningley. Through Xplor, the company is undertaking a preliminary uranium project, focused on testing early geological concepts and building an initial understanding of exploration potential.    Litchfield MineralsLitchfield Minerals (ASX: LMS) is an Australian exploration company advancing copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold opportunities in the Northern Territory. Through Xplor, the company is focusing on its Oonagalabi project in the Arunta region, applying modern geophysics and targeted fieldwork to build a clearer picture of a large, underexplored mineral system.Orion MineralsOrion Minerals (ASX: ORN) is an exploration and development company advancing a portfolio of copper and zinc assets in South Africa’s Northern Cape. Through Xplor, Orion is applying modern data analytics and mineral systems thinking across its large tenement package to identify new discovery opportunities beyond known deposits.Otrera ResourcesOtrera Resources is an early-stage exploration company focused on sediment-hosted copper systems. Its Xplor project is centred on advancing new copper targets drawing on the team’s deep regional experience and modern geochemical and geological approaches.PT GeoFixPT GeoFix Indonesia is a multidisciplinary geoscience consultancy supporting mineral exploration across Southeast Asia. Through Xplor, GeoFix is applying its proprietary prospectivity tools and regional expertise to test new porphyry copper-gold exploration concepts in underexplored parts of the Sunda-Banda Arc.Utah Geological SurveyBased in the US, Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is Utah’s primary geoscience organisation, providing authoritative geological data and scientific insight to support resource management and exploration. Through Xplor, UGS is leading a regional mineral systems analysis across the eastern Great Basin, integrating new datasets and targeted fieldwork to improve understanding of mineral potential and make high-quality geoscience data publicly available.RadiXploreRadiXplore is an Australian technology company using artificial intelligence to analyse historical exploration records alongside modern geological and corporate data. Through Xplor, RadiXplore is applying its AI platform to copper exploration, testing how legacy data can be re-interpreted to surface overlooked opportunities and support earlier, more informed discovery decisions.MineuralMineural is a Canadian deep-tech company using artificial intelligence to help exploration teams identify and prioritise mineral targets more efficiently. Through Xplor, Mineural is applying its AI platform, IRIS, to copper exploration, combining machine learning with BHP’s geological expertise to test how AI can support earlier, more responsible discovery decisions.VectOres ScienceVectOres Science is a US-based mining technology company developing non-invasive hydrogeochemical and isotopic tools to support mineral exploration. Through Xplor, the company is applying its water and isotope chemistry platform to test how real-time primary data can help identify and prioritise mineral systems earlier, without reliance on initial drilling.Discovery GenomicsDiscovery Genomics is a Canadian technology company developing DNA sequencing as a new tool for mineral exploration. Through Xplor, the company is advancing its genomics platform for copper exploration, testing how microbial DNA signatures can help identify buried mineral systems in covered and complex terrains.