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TSX- and NYSE-listed copper miner Hudbay Minerals has broken ground at the New Ingerbelle expansion project at the Copper Mountain mine, in British Columbia.

This marks a significant milestone for the operation and its long-term future in British Columbia.

With key permits in place, Hudbay is advancing important infrastructure required for the expansion, including an access road, a bridge across the Similkameen river and an east haul road connecting New Ingerbelle to existing operations.

Concurrently, the company has initiated a targeted drilling programme at New Ingerbelle, focusing on upgrading existing inferred resources to reserves to further optimise and extend the future mine life at Copper Mountain.

The groundbreaking ceremony on June 18 was attended by Hudbay's executive team, employees, the British Columbia Mining Association, the Chief of the Upper Similkameen Indian Band, leaders from the local community and British Columbia's Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals, Jagrup Brar.

The event was also recognised by Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson, saying in a video recording that Hudbay's groundbreaking is more than the start of a new mine expansion. "It is a signal of confidence in Canada's resource sector, in Canadian workers and in our ability to build big things."

Based on current mineral reserves, New Ingerbelle is projected to produce about 750 000 t of copper, 900 000 oz of gold and 5.5-million ounces of silver over the life-of-mine. It is designed to access higher-grade mineralisation while it also features a stripping ratio three times lower than that of the current mining areas.

The expansion is expected to generate significant economic benefits for British Columbia, including more than C$11.5-billion in provincial GDP, while supporting regional supply chains, contractors, local businesses and community investment across the Similkameen region and the province.

Hudbay president and CEO Peter Kukielski says New Ingerbelle is not just an expansion but a critical pillar of the group's long-term growth strategy in British Columbia.

"The opening of New Ingerbelle enhances the copper and gold production profile at Copper Mountain, secures more than 800 full-time jobs beyond 2040 and ensures the mine continues to deliver economic benefits at the local, regional and federal levels. Our efforts to optimise Copper Mountain, combined with the development of New Ingerbelle, will unlock significant long-term value for all of our stakeholders."

This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation.

Africa cannot afford fragmented voices any longer, South Africa's mining and energy leading light Mike Teke pointed out in an address at the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines, where he highlighted the need for greater regional collaboration.

Speaking as FutureCoal Africa chapter chairperson, Teke invited governments, industry, and investors across Africa to participate actively in the Africa chapter and to help shape a balanced, secure and investment-ready energy future.

Founding support for the chapter has been provided by industry leaders in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, with its mandate extending to countries across the continent and its focus concentrated on coordinated engagement in technology, investment, energy security, and industrial growth.

While the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz was welcome news, Teke pointed out that recent events had demonstrated how quickly global energy markets could be disrupted.

"The lesson for governments is not about a single shipping route; it's about ensuring that countries have access to reliable domestic energy resources, resilient supply chains and secure industrial capacity. Energy security and affordability must come first, because without them, there can be no stable or sustainable transition," Teke explained.

Interestingly, he drew attention to the deployment of high-efficiency low-emission technology at Zimbabwe's Hwange power station's units 7 and 8 as a practical example of sustainable coal stewardship in action, alongside rehabilitation work on units 1 to 6 and Zimbabwe's broader exploration of coal gasification and coal-to-x pathways.

Particularly noteworthy is that Hwange Power's expansion is underpinned by FutureCoal's sustainable coal stewardship framework, which provides a practical roadmap for responsible coal production, emission reduction, technology deployment and industrial development.

"The issue is not whether coal exists, but how it is produced, used and its negative impacts mitigated. Sustainable coal stewardship provides a practical pathway for responsible development. Africa has the resources, the capability, and the people – we must now act with coordination and confidence," Teke advocated.

Teke, who is CEO and co-founder of Seriti Resources Holdings and the chairperson of renewable energy company Seriti Green, emphasised that Africa needed to position itself strategically within the changing global environment.

The intensifying competition among China, the US and other major powers to secure future copper supplies is creating an opportunity for African producer countries to capture greater value from the metal’s supply chain, says political scientist and economist Gaylor Montmasson-Clai

This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation.

Despite metal price and import tariff headwinds, platinum jewellery delivered growth across all markets in 2025, generating the highest demand level since 2019.

South Africa is the world's largest producer of platinum, consistently supplying 70% to 80 of total annual output.

"While the world was being disrupted profoundly, the key platinum jewellery markets responded with remarkable resilience," Platinum Guild International (PGI) CEO Tim Schlick said during the presentation of the 2025 platinum jewellery business review themed 'A year of resilience'.

In China, 2025 platinum jewellery fabrication rose 56% to 589 000 oz, the strongest manufacturing year since 2022, while gold jewellery demand fell by 25%.

The surge was driven largely by the sharp rise in the gold price, which attracted new participants to platinum jewellery.

PGI partners outperformed the market with more than half of Chinese platinum demand linked to love-gifting occasions.

In Japan – the world's highest per-capita platinum jewellery market – platinum jewellery demand grew by 2% in 2025, increasing its share of retail unit sales to 28%, while gold jewellery demand fell by 11%.

Platinum continued to gain share from white gold amid elevated gold prices.

Demand for higher-weight pieces such as Kihei chains held firm and the Platinum Woman programme delivered 23% more value despite the retail price increases.

In India – platinum's fastest-growing jewellery market – platinum manufacturing rose by 4% to 280 000 oz in 2025 compared with a 24% decline in gold jewellery demand.

While more modest than the double-digit growth of recent years, the figure reflects the impact of US tariffs on exports.

The Men of Platinum campaign closed with an exclusive fan meet-and-greet with Indian professional cricketer MS Dhoni at the Taj Lands End five-star hotel in Mumbai.

PGI's India partners were central to platinum's expansion into the Middle East, which saw tremendous uptake over the year.

In North America, platinum jewellery demand grew by 6% in 2025, compared with gold jewellery's 10% decline. The price delta to gold made converting white gold to platinum a profitable proposition for the trade.

"With the increase in lab-grown diamonds, now chosen by over 60% of consumers for the centre stone, there is an opportunity for consumers to spend more on the metal in the engagement ring, the single most important purchase in the US jewellery industry. In a K-shaped economy, high-end jewellery rose in both units and value, and bridal remained a priority," PGI stated in its media release to Mining Weekly.

LOOKING AHEAD

PGI expects Japan to remain stable, China to normalise towards pre-2025 levels, and Europe is expected to shift towards lower karat gold and to platinum.

With platinum jewellery having proved its resilience through a year of exceptional disruptions, PGI sees a foundation for continued momentum across its markets in 2026.

PGI has offices in the world's major jewellery markets and creates consumer ounce demand by identifying and fulfilling platinum jewellery opportunities for its partners.

This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation.

Australian miner BHP Group has reported an increased capital estimate for its potash production expansion project Jansen Stage 2, in Saskatchewan, Canada, to $6.9-billion from $4.9-billion previously, as well as a $2.3-billion impairment charge as higher costs and additional labour hours drive up spending and delay first production.

BHP has exceed initial capital cost estimates at the two-stage Jansen project for the third time. ,

The company undertook a detailed cost and schedule review for Stage 2 of the Jansen project, with production now expected late in the 2031 financial year.

BHP continues to expect Jansen Stage 2 to deliver about 4.36-million tonnes a year of production.

Following an expected two-year ramp-up period from first production, combined output from Jansen is expected to be 8.5-million tonnes a year and will deliver about 10% of total global potash production.

Future expansions could eventually push the site to between 16-million and 17-million tonnes a year.

The funding covers the development of new mining districts, second shaft hoist infrastructure, expanded processing facilities and additional rail cars to handle higher volumes.

BHP says the increased funding estimate is owing to additional construction hours and quantities of materials to complete Jansen Stage 2 and escalation, which was identified as part of the comprehensive review.

At the end of May, Jansen Stage 2 was 16% complete, with engineering at 83% complete, de-risking the estimate for remaining work.

Jansen Stage 2 has an updated internal rate of return of 11% and expected payback period of eight years. Underlying earnings margins for Jansen Stage 2 remain above 65% owing to its low cost position.

Once Jansen Stage 2 ramps up, BHP anticipates that the combined Jansen mine will be the lowest unit cost Canadian potash mine at between $114/t and 130/t, in line with unit cost estimates at sanction, reinforcing Jansen's durable competitive advantage in the potash market and further supporting BHP's long-term growth strategy in future facing commodities.

Meanwhile, Jansen Stage 1 is achieving its critical path milestones set in the updated January 2026 cost and schedule estimate, and first production remains on track for mid-2027.

BHP expects its group capital expenditure guidance for the 2027 financial year to remain at about $11-billion.