The global standard for safe tailings management, spearheaded by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), launched on 5 August and is now publicly available online. Now that this global standard, which has been years in the making, is finally in the wild, the natural next question is: how will it be implemented?

We also look at minerals whose importance could surge in the coming years, examine plans for net-zero lithium extraction in Cornwall, and learn about a new breakthrough that could unlock low-grade copper ores.

Finally, we chart the last decade of coal mining in the UK, profile the Russian mining sector, investigate the geopolitics of mining in the Arctic Circle, and talk to Sandvik and Exyn about pushing the boundaries of automation and robotics in mining.

Callum Tyndall, editor