The Mining Wrap

This week’s Mining Wrap looks at new technology, mine development, equipment and investment activity across Africa’s mining sector. Mining data, copper tailings, lithium, platinum and autonomous mining systems feature, alongside developments in ESG and mining finance.

Nigerian Startup Uses AI to Make Mining Data Easier to Access

Nigerian entrepreneur Anthony Adejuwon has developed Minetrix AI, a conversational tool that makes information on Nigeria’s mining sector easier to search and understand. Developed by Urban Alert, the platform brings mining documents and data into one searchable system covering areas such as minerals, licences and mining companies.

Mine Development And Operations

ZCCM-IH Challenges IRH Over Mopani Investment Commitments

Zambia's ZCCM Investments Holdings (ZCCM-IH) has accused a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based International Resources Holding (IRH) of breaching commitments linked to its investment in Mopani Copper Mines.

IRH's Delta Mining holds a 51% stake in Mopani, while ZCCM-IH retains 49%. ZCCM-IH has raised concerns around equity funding, borrowing approvals, project implementation and contractors.

The allegations have been made by ZCCM-IH and have not been established as findings against IRH.

Kodal Clears Bougouni Lithium Project Debt After Six Months

The milestone comes as the company moves the project further into commercial production and strengthens its financial position. Bougouni is focused on producing spodumene concentrate for the lithium supply chain.

Wesizwe Restructures Bakubung Platinum Mine

Wesizwe Platinum has confirmed that 429 positions have been affected by restructuring at its Bakubung Platinum Mine in South Africa.

The company said 399 employees accepted voluntary separation packages, while 30 employees were retrenched. Wesizwe has also revised its production strategy, moving away from a phased ramp-up to one million tonnes per year towards a single-stage ramp-up targeting 3.5 million tonnes annually.

Heavy Mobile Equipment And OEMs

Epiroc Secures Major Sibanye-Stillwater Equipment Order

Epiroc has secured a major underground mining equipment order from Sibanye-Stillwater for the Siphumelele shaft at its Rustenburg platinum operations in South Africa.

The order includes LHD 5.5 LP low-profile loaders and UV42 service vehicles, designed for narrow-vein underground mining.

The equipment will support mechanisation at the operation as Sibanye-Stillwater continues development of its Rustenburg platinum assets.

Komatsu Expands Autonomous Haulage Into Mine-Wide Control

Komatsu is developing its FrontRunner autonomous haulage system into a broader mine-control platform that connects autonomous trucks with other equipment, machine data, diagnostics and centralised control.

The company is also developing its Power Agnostic approach around diesel, trolley and battery power. Its Power Agnostic Battery Truck is being developed alongside the autonomous haulage programme.

EACON Reports 844% Gross Profit Increase

Autonomous mining technology company EACON reported an 844% increase in gross profit, highlighting its customer-provided fleet model for autonomous mining operations.

The company works with OEMs including Tonly, LGMG, XCMG and Yutong to deploy hybrid and battery-electric autonomous mining trucks.

The model allows mining companies to integrate autonomous technology with customer-supplied fleets rather than relying on a single equipment platform.

ESG And Sustainability

Mining ESG Conference Focuses on SMME Reporting

The Sustainability and ESG Africa Conference 2026, held in Johannesburg from September 30 to October 1, placed attention on the challenges smaller businesses face in meeting mining-sector sustainability reporting requirements.

The event included workshops focused on sustainability reporting for small and medium-sized enterprises, addressing gaps in ESG data across the wider mining supply chain.

More Than 6,500 Madagascar Residents File Rio Tinto Claim

More than 6,500 people in Madagascar have filed a claim in London's High Court against Rio Tinto over alleged environmental contamination linked to its QMM mineral sands operation.

The case concerns allegations of contamination and impacts on communities near the mine. Rio Tinto disputes the claims and the alleged link between its operation and the reported harm.

Strategic Deals And Capital Deployment

CoTec and Copper Intelligence Target DRC Copper Tailings

CoTec Holdings and Copper Intelligence have finalised a definitive joint venture agreement to pursue opportunities to process historical copper tailings in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The partnership will target opportunities across the DRC's historic copper districts, particularly areas of the Central African Copperbelt where large volumes of tailings have accumulated from decades of mining. The partners expect to apply CoTec technologies to improve the economic potential of historical tailings sites and redundant copper deposits.

Potential projects will be assessed individually through legal and technical due diligence before development commitments are made. The partners also plan to seek funding from the US International Development Finance Corporation and other sources once projects reach sufficient scale.

Empress Royalty Completes Tongon Streaming Acquisition

Empress Royalty has completed a streaming acquisition linked to the Tongon gold operation in Côte d'Ivoire, using financing backed by Appian Capital Advisory.

The transaction adds another example of royalty and streaming finance being used to provide capital to mining projects while giving investors exposure to future production.

Ghana Moves Towards Greater State Rights in Mining Companies

Ghana's proposed Minerals and Mining Bill could give the government new rights in certain mining companies through a free special share carrying strategic rights.

The draft legislation forms part of Ghana's planned overhaul of its mining framework and could give the state greater influence over certain major corporate decisions.

The proposal remains draft legislation and would need to pass through the country's legislative process before becoming law.

Côte d’Ivoire’s Atex Lithium Project Restarts Exploration 

Australasian Metals is preparing to restart exploration at the Atex Lithium-Tantalum Project in northern Côte d’Ivoire after more than two years of limited activity. The company has secured a 90-day option from Firering Strategic Minerals to acquire up to a 75% interest in the project and plans to resume fieldwork, including mapping, sampling and auger drilling. Previous drilling identified lithium mineralisation over an 800-metre strike length, with results including 67.97 metres at 1.23% Li₂O and 20.77 metres at 1.65% Li₂O. Atex does not yet have a maiden mineral resource estimate.