Welcome back to your weekly mining news recap, where we catch you up on some of the news you may have missed. This week’s headlines include the Yukon government investigating Victoria Gold’s heap leach failure, BHP extending its collaboration with Sandvik on the Jansen project and Codelco buys a stake in Teck’s Quebrada Blanca mine. 

The Copper Cliff smelter complex in Sudbury, Ontario, and the city’s skyline will look a lot different in the coming years. Vale Base Metals announced it will begin to dismantle its behemoth Superstack soon after its smaller Copperstack is brought down by 2025, as reported by The Sudbury Star. The stacks were decommissioned as part of Vale’s $1 billion Clean Atmospheric Emissions Reduction (Clean AER) project, which significantly reduced sulfur dioxide emissions at Vale’s Sudbury operations. The dismantling of the Superstack is expected to be done by 2030. 

Goldman Sachs Group has lowered its 2025 copper price forecast by nearly US$5,000 per tonne to US$10,100 per tonne, due to a slow economic recovery in China, as reported by Reuters. The bank also reduced its 2025 aluminum price estimate to US$2,540 per tonne from US$2,850 per tonne and remains cautious about iron ore and nickel. Goldman Sachs maintained its US$2,700 per ounce gold target for early 2025, citing gold as the most promising hedge against geopolitical and financial risks. 

Paladin Energy’s acquisition of Fission Uranium Corp. has been thrown into question due to insufficient shareholder support, as reported by BNN Bloomberg. Paladin required approval from at least two-thirds of Fission’s shareholders by Aug. 26 to proceed with the $1.14 billion purchase. While it said that most votes it has received so far are in favour, almost half of eligible shareholders did not submit their proxies. A special general meeting has been postponed to Sept. 9 to give shareholders more time to weigh in. 

BHP has extended its ongoing partnership with Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions by ordering three additional underground continuous mining systems for the second phase of its Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan. The continuous mining systems, which consist of a Sandvik MF460 cable-powered borer miner and Sandvik PO140 extendable conveyor for continuous haulage, are the result of years of testing. The contract is worth about $249 million, and system deliveries for the project’s second phase are planned to begin in 2028 and continue through 2029. 

The Yukon government has selected three geotechnical and engineering specialists to determine the cause of the June 24 heap leach failure at Victoria Gold’s Eagle mine, as reported by CBC News. The independent review, financed through Victoria Gold’s receivership, is anticipated to last six to eight months and the results will be publicly disclosed once complete. The territorial government stated in an Aug. 30 press release that three groundwater monitoring wells have been installed at the site so far. 

Chile’s Codelco has purchased a 10 per cent stake in Teck Resources’ Quebrada Blanca copper mine for US$520 million, as reported by Reuters. The stake had been owned by its fellow Chilean state-owned company Enami and the purchase is expected to help lower Enami’s debt and also reduce its need for new capital from public funding. The acquisition will add between 25,000 and 30,000 tonnes of copper to its annual production, as the leading copper producer grapples with declining output.  

Applications are now being accepted for the BHP Xplor 2025 accelerator program, which aims to fast-track early stage mineral exploration. The six-month-long global program provides mineral explorers that are dedicated to identifying new sources of critical minerals with up to US$500,000 in equity-free funding, expert mentorship, and access to the company’s network of suppliers and service providers. The deadline for applications is Oct. 9. 

At this year’s MINExpo, taking place in Las Vegas from Sept. 24 to 26, Caterpillar will highlight its upgraded 798 AC electric drive truck. Additionally, Caterpillar will debut its Collision Awareness System on the truck, which enhances operator safety by warning them of potential collisions. Haver & Boecker Niagara will also be displaying its updated Niagara F-class vibrating screen, which now features vibration-resistant lockbolts and a double eccentric shaft assembly for improved performance and easier maintenance.  

For CIM’s Mining and Mental Health series in the August issue of CIM Magazine, Tijana Mitrovic reported on how Orla Mining is committed to fostering a supportive culture for employee mental health by instilling a people systems approach that provides clarity to workers about their roles, performance and future prospects. Additionally, Orla Mining offers psychological support programs for its employees and regularly hosts family-inclusive events, aiming to create a positive work environment. 

That’s all for this week. If you’ve got feedback, you can always reach us at editor@cim.org. If you’ve got something to add, why not join the conversation on our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram pages?