China’s category seven ban on imports of scrap copper has been finalised, throwing investors into a spin as up to 500,000t of copper equivalent could be removed from the market. Copper has been a powerful asset for China - as the world’s biggest importer by 45% the country earned its position as an electronics superpower. We find out what this ban could mean for the copper market and just how disruptive scrappage schemes can be.

In other regions, we assess what Peru’s new president has in store for the hard push on sustainable mining operations, ask what has been done to remediate the Samarco mine damage in Brazil three years ago, and uncover the allure of Welsh gold as opportunistic panners pop up across Wales.

And in technology, we speak to Canadian mining company MGX about the potential of three new leaching methods which may be able to improve sustainability, and hear Rio Tinto’s plans to double down on autonomous drilling systems.

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Ceri Jones, editor