Four mineral-processing projects in this update have published comparatively clear timelines toward first production. The projects are presented in order of their current stated start-up targets, followed by six recent opportunities from the MillMatters job board.
Four Global Mines Moving Closer to Start-Up
NVRO Metals Hub — Australia
Commodities: Copper, cobalt and nickel
Process: Heap leaching and solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX–EW)
Stage: Restart development
Target start-up: Q4 2027
The Northern Territory project plans to restart copper cathode production using existing hydrometallurgical infrastructure, with cobalt and nickel recovered as by-products.
Read the NVRO Metals Hub circuit profile
Diamba Sud — Senegal
Commodity: Gold
Process: SAG milling, pebble crushing and carbon-in-leach
Stage: Feasibility
Target start-up: Q2 2028
The proposed plant is designed to treat a blend of oxide and fresh ore, with room to adapt the grinding circuit as the future ore blend becomes harder.
Read the Diamba Sud circuit profile
K.Hill — Botswana
Commodity: Manganese
Process: Reductive acid leaching and purification
Stage: Definitive feasibility
Target start-up: First ore feed in March 2029
The proposed circuit would produce high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate and manganese oxide for battery-material markets.
Read the K.Hill circuit profile
Grey Fox — Canada
Commodity: Gold
Process: Crushing, haulage, grinding and cyanidation
Stage: Pre-feasibility
Target start-up: Commercial production in 2029
Ore would be crushed at the mine and hauled to the existing Stock Mill for grinding and whole-ore cyanidation, allowing the project to reuse regional processing infrastructure.
Read the Grey Fox circuit profile
Explore the global processing-circuit library
Recent Mineral Processing Jobs
Teck Resources
- Metallurgical Engineer — 2/2 Rotation — Red Dog Mine, Alaska
- Mill Operator in Training — Red Dog Mine, Alaska
Nevada Gold Mines
- Metallurgy Superintendent — Carlin Complex, Nevada
- Goldstrike Autoclave Metallurgist — Goldstrike, Nevada
Freeport-McMoRan
- Chief Metallurgist — Smelting & Refining — Phoenix, Arizona
- Director, Metallurgical Development — Phoenix, Arizona