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  • University of Texas Research scientist Estibalitz Ukar sitting on a rock.

    Groundbreaking CO2 capture mining tech

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 3, 2024

    University of Texas scientists develop CO2-injection tech that breaks rocks and stores carbon. University of Texas at Austin researchers may have made a literal groundbreaking discovery for mining the nickel and cobalt needed for electric vehicle batteries – storing more carbon dioxide than is needed to produce these lithium-ion battery metals while also using the CO2 as a rock conditioner that makes the mining and processing less energy intensive. Many nickel-cobalt d...

  • A hydrogen fuel cell-powered haul truck at Mogalakwena mine.

    First Mode's next step to zero emissions

    K. Warner, For Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 3, 2024

    Installing fuel cells in more than 400 mining trucks for Anglo American. Only two months after a $1.5 billion transaction that transformed First Mode from a Seattle-based space mission engineering startup into a clean-energy subsidiary of global mining company Anglo American, the clean-energy firm is already busy retrofitting massive mining trucks with hydrogen fuel cells produced by Ballard Power Systems. Given First Mode's rapid ascent in the clean energy space, it is...

  • Rendering of a Viper system storing nearby solar and wind energy.

    An innovative take on battery mining

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 3, 2024

    Economical Energy intends to mine cavities to house renewable energy storage systems. An Australian startup has come up with an idea for energy storage mining that does not involve the production of lithium, cobalt, nickel, or any of the battery minerals and metals that have captured headline news over the past couple of years. Instead, Economical Energy proposes mining out a cavity that will house an innovative underground energy storage system that will keep the power on...

  • Veracio technician operating a TruScan system for mining exploration.

    Boart Longyear creates new geo data firm

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 3, 2024

    As the demand for critical metals continues to rise, the need for efficient and accurate mineral exploration has never been greater. With the mining industry facing ever-increasing pressure to reduce the time from discovery to mineral extraction, Boart Longyear Group Ltd., a company well-known for its mineral exploration expertise, has repackaged its award-winning geological data services into a standalone entity – Veracio. Established over 130 years ago, Boart Longyear has w...

  • Daoru Han and Jacob Ortega discuss space inside plasma vacuum chamber.

    NASA Lunar Forge winner earns funding

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 18, 2023

    Under the lead of a doctoral aerospace engineering student at Missouri University of Science and Technology, a team of 12 undergraduates have come together to continue research on a project that is out of this world. In the fall of 2022, NASA announced its eighth annual Breakthrough, Innovation, and Game-Changing (BIG) Idea Challenge. You can read about the initial announcement of NASA's challenge at Latest NASA challenge tackles Moon forging in the August 17, 2022 edition of...

  • A glass tray holding various piles of refined battery materials.

    ReElement technology makes pure lithium

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Nov 6, 2023

    Stepping up to the plate in the contest for battery recycling, American Resources Corp. reported its subsidiary, ReElement Technologies, has produced greater than 99.9% lithium with its patented recycling technology. "Lithium refining in a cost effective and environmentally sensitive manner is the key to the domestic auto and electrification industry," said ReElement Technologies COO Jeff Peterson. "We applaud our team for exceeding our initial target results in producing...

  • A Volvo FH Electric truck dumping rocks inside an underground mine.

    Volvo, Boliden deploy EV mining trucks

    K. Warner, For Metal Tech News|Updated Jun 8, 2023

    Starting this year, Swedish mining group Boliden will begin incorporating heavy battery-electric trucks into its underground transport fleet, beginning with two vehicles from Volvo Trucks. Diesel engines are a major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions and hydrocarbons in underground mines – this poses a safety challenge that must be managed to ensure the health of below-ground miners. Diesel exhaust also increases the carbon footprint of mining companies seeking to r...

  • Silhouette of two underground miners collecting data from a mine face.

    FaceCapture tech coming to Hecla mines

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jun 8, 2023

    It is not miner's faces that will be recognized by the new technology being deployed by Hecla Mining Company. Instead, Mine Vision Systems' FaceCapture system will be used to map the mine face at two of the company's underground operations in North America. First introduced at the MINExpo 2021, MVS's FaceCapture technology quickly and accurately captures detailed and dense images of underground mine faces that are georeferenced to laser-based surveys to generate reliable 3D...

  • Female industrial worker with hard hat, safety equipment, and electronic tablet.

    Komatsu, Cummins integrate data systems

    K. Warner, For Metal Tech News|Updated Jun 8, 2023

    American motor and power tech leader Cummins and Japanese construction and mining equipment brand Komatsu are continuing their history of innovative collaboration with a streamlined remote monitoring system that can accurately predict mining equipment maintenance needs. Together, these companies share a drive towards carbon neutrality as well as a long history in the global mining space and strong technical capabilities ideal for co-developing better solutions to the industry'...

  • A battery-electric Sandvik truck and loader working underground.

    Rana Gruber orders electric Sandvik fleet

    K. Warner, For Metal Tech News|Updated Jun 8, 2023

    In Norway, the Rana Gruber iron ore mining and mineral processing operation has purchased a fleet of 19 battery-electric vehicles from Sandvik. The order is being filled during this year's first quarter through 2024 and is Sandvik's second-largest battery-electric mining fleet sale to date. Valued at 370 million Swedish kronor (US$35.5 million), the Rana Gruber order includes eight drills, six trucks, and five loaders, along with on-site support and batteries for the fleet....

  • The Sandvik Toro LH307 is designed to operate in underground environments.

    Japan automates top-producing gold mine

    K. Warner, For Metal Tech News|Updated Jun 8, 2023

    Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions' AutoMine loading technology is the latest advancement in Sumitomo Metal Mining's long-term vision of leading the world in the non-ferrous metals industry. The Japanese company's philosophical focus on social consciousness and sustainability in business has gained a practical supporter in Sandvik, bringing Sumitomo closer to the ideal of full digitization and automation of the mine. With machine learning, remote operation software, and...

  • The near desert of the Los Azules Mine project in San Juan, Argentina.

    Stellantis invests $155M in copper miner

    K. Warner, For Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 28, 2023

    In a surprising move, automotive multinational Stellantis has announced the acquisition of a 14.2% equity stake in McEwen Copper, a subsidiary of McEwen Mining, becoming the Canadian company's second-largest shareholder. This is an insightful move in Stellantis' sweeping decarbonization plan, placing the company over an aspect of its own strategic metal production as well as complementing its commitment to becoming a sustainable mobility tech provider. The industry leader's...

  • Lunar Outpost’s MAPP rover to be used for mining on the Moon.

    Australia's Moon to Mars Trailblazers

    A.J. Roan, Mining News|Updated Apr 16, 2023

    Foreseeing the importance of a presence in space, the Minister for Industry and Science, Australian parliament member Ed Husic, along with dignitaries from the Australian Space Agency and NASA, announced the EPE and Lunar Outpost Oceania consortium as one of two successful groups to receive stage-one funding under Australia's Moon to Mars Trailblazer Initiative. The Trailblazer program was launched in late 2021 as part of the Moon to Mars Initiative, which seeks to progress...

  • Aerial view of rock crushing and screen operation at a quarry in Cyprus.

    Destigmatizing tailings in carbon capture

    K. Warner, For Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 16, 2023

    Global electrification of an extensive amount of industrial processes necessitates a counterbalance to the wave of new mining required for the electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure to meet carbon neutrality imperatives without doing further damage to the environment or simply displacing problems to other areas of the value stream. Technologies for capturing carbon dioxide are improving, but the captured CO2 still needs a rock-solid alternative to expensive...

  • Volvo’s lineup in the battery-electric vehicle industry’s heavy trucks.

    Out in front: Volvo heads electrification

    K. Warner, For Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 16, 2023

    Since starting electric heavy truck production in 2019, Volvo has swiftly become a leader in the market with a running tally of 4,300 vehicles on the road in over 38 countries, including nearly half of all heavy electric trucks registered in North America last year. Additionally, the demand for zero-emission trucks over 16 tons has increased by 200% in Europe just in the last year, and Volvo Trucks holds the highest share of that market. Volvo currently offers the...

  • Computer image of lightning striking and pulverizing a rock pillar with stairs.

    BHP invests in new rock-crushing tech

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 16, 2023

    I-ROX tech utilizes micro electrical bursts to pulverize at lower costs and less energy than traditional milling. Could microbursts of electricity be used to discover hidden mineral deposits, drill down into those discoveries for sampling, and then pulverize rock in the discovered deposits to extract the minerals contained within? BHP believes it is possible and is collaborating with I-Pulse Inc. to advance pulsed-power technology for mining. BHP is particularly interested in...

  • A conveyor belt transports ore to the surface at an underground mine.

    Storing renewable energy in old mines

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 16, 2023

    Can old mines be repurposed as giant batteries for cost-effective and long-term storage of renewable energy? A peer-reviewed paper by a team of researchers led by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) makes a compelling case for underground gravity energy storage systems that do just that. Matching electrical generation capacity with consumer demand is key to transitioning to a sustainable low-carbon energy future. This has been a longtime problem...

  • Section of silvery grey core from drilling at Graphite Creek deposit in Alaska.

    Graphite One leverages national lab tech

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Apr 16, 2023

    PNNL to verify G1 Graphite material for EV batteries; Sandia to explore innovative green tech to extract critical minerals. Toward its goal of establishing an all-American supply chain for the graphite that goes into the lithium-ion batteries powering the transition to electric vehicles charged with low-carbon energy, Graphite One Inc. is working with two U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories for the testing of active anode material made from graphite sourced from...

  • Graphic of potential geothermal uses for power generation, heating, and cooling.

    Geothermal promises increased potential

    K. Warner, For Metal Tech News|Updated Mar 13, 2023

    Geothermal power has generally represented region-specific and niche clean energy in the public consciousness for over a century. Today, thanks to a profusion of social outreach and government incentives, investors and leaders across both public and private sectors are exploring lesser-known applications and exciting advancements in the field. Just a few feet below the surface, the earth maintains a near-constant temperature that belies the seasonal extremes of aboveground...

  • A two-story-tall white Liebherr T 264 truck parked in a mine pit.

    Massive Fortescue mining truck battery

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Feb 8, 2023

    5 MWh battery designed by WAE for Liebherr haul truck charges in only 30 minutes. Australian iron ore miner Fortescue has received what is likely the largest electric vehicle battery in the world – a 1.4 megawatt-hour behemoth designed to power a 240-metric-ton mining haul truck it is developing in partnership with equipment manufacturer Liebherr. This massive 15-metric-ton battery – measuring a whopping 11.8 feet (3.6 meters) long, 5.2 feet (1.6 meters) tall, and 7.9 fee...

  • Chain links with binary code representing digital security.

    Ransomware attack idles BC copper mine

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Jan 20, 2023

    A ransomware attack that has forced Copper Mountain Mining Corp. to shut down operations at its namesake mine in southern British Columbia elevates concerns about the vulnerability of mining operations that are increasingly dependent on digital technologies. With its computer systems coming under attack late in the day on Dec. 27, the Copper Mountain IT team quickly implemented risk management systems and protocols to limit the damage and ensure safety at the mine. These...

  • A mining truck loaded with rock being helped up a slope with an overhead trolly.

    ABB, Boliden closing the mining CO2 loop

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 20, 2022

    To lower the carbon footprint of its electric motors and other products that play a major role in allowing mining and many other sectors of the global economy to then lower their carbon footprint further, ABB is building a strategic partnership with Swedish mining and smelting company Boliden for low-carbon copper. Copper is a vital material for manufacturing the electrical equipment that is playing an increasingly important role in industrial applications that are...

  • EarthLabs and ALS Minerals company logos.

    EarthLabs sells AI-driven GoldSpot to ALS

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 13, 2022

    In a surprising turn, EarthLabs Inc., previously GoldSpot Discoveries Corp., has sold its recently established ExplorTech Division to ALS Ltd. As part of the C$24 million transaction, including C$6 million in assumed liabilities, the newly formed ALS GoldSpot Discoveries, a subsidiary of ALS Limited, will now be heading the artificial intelligence mineral exploration that got EarthLabs where it is today. "The closing of the ExplorTech Division sale marks the beginning of an...

  • Computer graphics for AI, machine learning, data mining, and related topics.

    Minerva selling AI-driven geo division

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 13, 2022

    Seequent, the geodata company that offers powerful earth modeling solutions such as the Leapfrog Geo 3D modeling software for mining and mineral exploration, has added an artificial intelligence-driven geological modeling tool to its portfolio. Seequent's parent company, Bentley Systems Inc., acquired the geological division of Minerva Intelligence Inc., an AI software company that has developed tools for climate risk evaluation and geological modeling, for C$1 million...

  • The basalt cliffs overlooking the coast at Wallula Gap in Washington.

    PNNL studies carbon negative REE mining

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 13, 2022

    Chosen as one of 16 projects across 12 states, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's "Re-Mining Red Mud Waste for CO2 Capture and Storage and Critical Element Recovery" (RMCCS-CER) project will receive $1 million in funding to advance a technology that may kill two birds with one stone in the race for critical materials. Announced in November, as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Mining Innovations for Negative...

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