Mining Engineering’s Weekly Rundown: Episode 68

First, Chile’s state-owned copper miner Codelco reported sharply higher first-half earnings as rising copper prices offset lower production and higher costs. The company posted pre-tax profit of $1.97 billion, up more than fourfold from the same period last year. Production fell 11 percent to 564,000 metric tons as operational restrictions at El Teniente, lower output at Chuquicamata and weaker ore grades at Ministro Hales weighed on results. Additionally Codelco has paused development of the mine’s Andes Norte section because of higher-than-expected seismic risks. The company now faces pressure to restore production as it reviews its investment priorities and works to manage its debt.

Next, the U.S. Forest Service signed South32 Hermosa’s Final Mine Plan of Operation, authorizing the company to conduct operations on federal forest land and moving development forward beyond the project’s privately held land. The approval follows the Forest Service’s July 7 Record of Decision and enables South32 to develop infrastructure including access roads, a tailings storage facility and other supporting operations. Hermosa is an advanced mining project capable of producing up to five federally designated critical minerals, including zinc, silver and manganese. It became the first mining project to complete the federal FAST-41 permitting process. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Permitting Council and other federal agencies participated in the approval process. South32 plans to begin initial earthworks and surveys in the coming weeks, while underground zinc mining is expected to begin in late 2027 and the first zinc product is expected in the first half of 2028.

Finally, the federal government has approved what officials say is the largest amount of coal ever authorized to be mined on indigenous land under a single permit. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement approved the No Name area within the existing Navajo Mine in New Mexico, unlocking approximately 503 million tons of coal on Navajo Nation land. The permit could extend the mine’s life for more than 100 years, potentially through 2136, depending on demand. Navajo Transitional Energy Company, which is owned by the Navajo Nation, operates the mine and currently supplies coal to the Four Corners Power Plant. The approval also supports the Trump administration’s Energy Dominance agenda, which focuses on expanding domestic energy production and strengthening U.S. energy independence.

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