Coal Safety: An explosion at Russia’s Elga coal deposit in Yakutia killed four workers and injured two, with investigators citing a depressurised water tank during welding work. Major Metals Investment: Vedanta’s Anil Agarwal announced a Rs 1 lakh crore Odisha push across aluminium, mining and refining, targeting 50,000 jobs and faster clearances. Critical Minerals Strategy: South Africa is courting US investors to build mining-to-manufacturing value chains for PGMs, manganese and chromium, including a proposed investment platform. Mercury-Free Gold Reform: Mozambique is moving to formalise artisanal gold mining and cut mercury use under the PlanetGold effort, aiming to change practice over five years. Deep-Sea Mining Protest: Greenpeace activists occupied New Zealand’s research vessel Tangaroa in Wellington, arguing it supports future seabed mining despite international pushback. Illegal Mining Crackdown Fallout: Nigeria’s Minna custody deaths tied to raids on suspected illegal gold mining are again raising alarms over detention conditions and emergency response. Coal Supply Policy: India is considering mandatory blending of up to 5% imported coal at power plants to ease a supply crunch. Bauxite Expansion: Guyana’s government discussed a US$150m package to expand bauxite mining and processing, including new calcination and alumina work. Tungsten Deal: UK’s Hemerdon tungsten mine restarted and signed an eight-year offtake with Elmet Technologies for tungsten trioxide supply.