Editor's letter

This edition was planned before conflict escalated in the Persian Gulf on 28 February, with a focus on emerging technologies in mineral processing. Events have since underscored that focus: smelting and refining capacity, as much as extraction, sits at the centre of geopolitical risk, with disruption across the Strait of Hormuz exposing system fragility. 

Against that backdrop, we examine robotics in aluminium smelting and new approaches to copper refining. Underground mining is another core theme, with a focus on technologies improving safety and operational visibility in increasingly complex environments. 

In Chile, a new administration has pledged to clear a backlog of mining permits. We assess the road to restoring competitiveness, drawing on legal and industry perspectives. We also feature a Q&A on tailings reprocessing, where multiple technologies are shifting mine waste from liability to potential revenue stream. 

Our MINE Australia supplement examines cobalt refining strategies, FIFO workforce relevance in an automated era and the durability of the critical minerals ‘supercycle’. 

Alejandro Gonzalez, editor