Namib Minerals is bringing Redwing Mine back into production ahead of schedule, with the company targeting its first gold pour in November 2026. The accelerated restart follows Zimbabwe’s new rules for foreign-owned operators in the small- and medium-scale gold mining sector.
Lotus Resources has dispatched its first uranium ore concentrate shipment from the Kayelekera mine in northern Malawi, marking a major milestone in the operation’s restart after more than a decade out of production.
Liebherr has made its new R 9300 G8-E electric mining excavator commercially available, giving open-pit mines a 250-tonne-class alternative to diesel-powered loading equipment.
Kenya is preparing to select a developer for the Mrima Hill rare earths and niobium deposit after five bidding groups submitted proposals, with the competition attracting strong interest from US-linked companies following the withdrawal of two Chinese bidders.
Epiroc has introduced a drill bit recycling programme that allows mining customers to return worn-out drilling tools for compensation, helping recover valuable materials for reuse in manufacturing.
South African equipment manufacturer Bell Equipment has signed an agreement to supply articulated dump trucks to Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas for distribution in the United States and Canada, with deliveries scheduled to begin in April 2027.
Belarusian heavy-equipment manufacturer BELAZ showcased liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered mining equipment and robotic dump trucks at the 10th MINEXPO Africa 2026 exhibition in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, held from 28 to 30 October.
Mali has signed two agreements with Russian company Zarubezhgeologiya to map mineral resources across more than half its territory and develop a digital platform for managing geological data and mining activities.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has appointed Brenda Tambatamba as Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, placing a former mining industry executive in charge of the country's efforts to expand copper production.
Gabon has cancelled 52 mining titles following a government audit, with several gold permits among those affected. The decision gives authorities an opportunity to reconsider who can operate the concessions as the country moves to bring more gold production into the formal economy.
Malawi is preparing to resume uranium exports after Lotus Resources secured a key regulatory approval for the first shipment from its Kayelekera mine since production restarted in August 2025.
Marula Mining has completed due diligence on nine prospecting licences in Tanzania, moving closer to a proposed acquisition that would give it a 95% economic interest in a 170-square-kilometre exploration portfolio near its Kinusi Copper Mine.
Caterpillar is preparing to launch the R3200, a 22-tonne-class underground load-haul-dump (LHD) loader designed to move more material per cycle while improving fuel efficiency in underground mining operations.
Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have detained around 300 Chinese nationals in a crackdown on suspected illegal mining in the country’s copper belt, with most of the detentions reported in Kolwezi, a major copper and cobalt mining centre.
Kodal Minerals has signed a binding agreement with Ghanaian consultancy GH Geo-Consult Limited to acquire up to an 80% interest in the Asamankese Lithium Project in Ghana’s Eastern Region, adding a new exploration asset to its West African portfolio.
South32 has secured shareholder approval for the sale of its aluminium assets to US-based Alcoa in a transaction valued at up to US$5.6 billion, advancing a major restructuring of the Australian miner’s portfolio.
South Africa’s Steenkampskraal Monazite Mine has launched the first phase of its commercial monazite concentrate plant in the Western Cape, marking a move towards domestic processing of rare earth minerals.
Zambia’s Chambishi copper mine has recorded a new milestone in underground development, with a tunnel-boring machine excavating 422.4 metres in one month during trials on the Southeast Orebody Project.
Mali’s mining sector is beginning to see movement in exploration licensing, with 21 permits processed between August and September 2026, according to Fousseni Tougela, president of the Mali Chamber of Mines.
This week’s Mining Wrap covers critical minerals negotiations, geological mapping, equipment investments and responsible mineral sourcing, alongside new technologies for fleet management, mine safety and environmental monitoring.
Vedanta's Konkola Copper Mines plans a $317m, 300MW coal-fired power plant in southern Zambia, as President Hakainde Hichilema presses the company to accelerate investment to support copper growth.
Uranium spot prices, which touched about $101 a pound in January 2026 before settling near $84-$90, remain high enough to support producing African mines but still leave some greenfield projects waiting on the sidelines.
RAMINVEST Holding has outlined six priority drill targets at its Wompou gold project in Mauritania after surface sampling returned assays as high as 50.14 grams per tonne gold.
Transnet Freight Rail carried 167.9Mt of freight in FY2025/26, up 4.9%, as coal exports rose to 58.5Mt and iron ore to 52.8Mt, but the operator says it must clear 180Mt to meet demand.
