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 two drilling and hydraulics businesses shifting from U.S. to Quebec ownership, Agnico Eagle increasing its stake in Canada Nickel and reports that Barrick could delay its North American initial public offering.

Eldorado Gold is evaluating an expansion of the processing plant at its McIlvenna Bay mine in Saskatchewan that could increase processing capacity from 4,900 to about 7,000 tonnes per day, along with the addition of a new silver-lead circuit. Over 400,000 tonnes of material is ready for processing, and the mine produced its first copper concentrate in June. Commercial production is expected to begin during this quarter.

Talamore Mining received a key permit on Monday needed to complete the 214-kilometre Northern Access Route that will connect its Coffee gold project in the Yukon to Dawson City. The permit will enable construction of about 29 kilometres of new road segments that will connect existing sections into a continuous road. Early works on the Coffee project are also progressing, including a new airstrip and construction camp. Talamore expects to share feasibility study results in the first quarter of 2027.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed Dominic Barton, chair of Rio Tinto and the former Canadian ambassador to China, as chair of Invest in Canada for a three-year term, The Canadian Press reported. The leadership changes come ahead of the Canada Investment Summit, which is scheduled for Sept. 18 to 19 in Toronto. Invest in Canada is the federal agency responsible for attracting foreign direct investment to Canada and supporting international investors in identifying investment opportunities across the country.

Val-d’Or-based Marcotte has acquired Uni-Draulik and Uni-Drill from U.S.-based Singer Industrial in an $8 million deal, returning the drilling and hydraulics businesses to Quebec ownership. The change of ownership will help to support local investment and hiring in Quebec. The three companies will retain their existing brands, teams and customer relationships while combining capabilities in drilling, hydraulics, manufacturing and distribution.

Agnico Eagle Mines, through its subsidiary Avenir Minerals, has invested an additional $1 million in Canada Nickel Company. The deal brings Agnico Eagle and Avenir’s combined holdings to roughly 8.68 per cent of Canada Nickel’s shares. Canada Nickel’s Crawford project in Ontario cleared federal review last month and the company is now progressing with detailed engineering, project financing and securing the remaining permits required to begin construction.

Barrick Mining could reportedly postpone until 2027 its planned initial public offering of a subsidiary that would hold its North American gold assets, Bloomberg reported. Barrick had previously targeted completing the listing by year-end. The company has faced investor pushback over the proposed separation of its North American assets, which include its joint venture interests in Nevada Gold Mines in the U.S. and Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic, as well as its Fourmile gold discovery in Nevada.

Canada and Chile announced several critical minerals initiatives this week at the Conference of Mining Ministries of the Americas. These include a five-year agreement between Codelco and MacLean Engineering to test underground mining technologies at the El Teniente copper mine, and up to $450,000 in funding for Ottawa-based Cheetah Networks to develop connectivity solutions for mining and critical infrastructure. Canada will also lead a 12-company clean technology initiative in Chile next month, connecting these companies with opportunities to help address challenges facing Chile’s mining industry, such as water management.

Mining industry professionals are using social media, podcasts and online training to address a growing labour shortage and improve the industry's image among young people, Sara King-Abadi reported for CIM Magazine. Professionals such as geologist Justin Daley and sustainability expert Elizabeth Freele are making use of these tools to share personal perspectives on subjects like technology and environmental issues, while also challenging outdated perceptions about the industry.

Monel, a nickel-copper alloy introduced by Inco in 1905, became widely used in the 1920s and was valued for its strength and resistance to corrosion, Ailbhe Goodbody reported for CIM Magazine. The alloy was used in both commercial and industrial applications, such as in laundry machines, marine hardware, and mining pumps and valves. Although stainless steel later emerged as a more cost-effective alternative, Monel remains useful in specialized applications, particularly where resistance to seawater and acids is important.

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?