Mining news for August 13, 2026 is led by fresh updates on copper processing, silver and gold production, zinc operations, lithium exploration, rare earth assays and uranium drilling. The items below focus on publicly traded natural-resource companies and company-reported developments from the past 24–48 hours.
Mining news highlights
- Copper: Vale Base Metals is advancing a Salobo processing expansion in Brazil.
- Silver and gold: Pan American Silver reported second-quarter operating and financial results.
- Zinc and graphite: Titan Mining posted second-quarter results and outlined progress on its U.S. graphite strategy.
- Lithium: Critical Elements reported new Rose West lithium-tantalum drill results in Québec.
- Rare earths: Apex Critical Metals reported step-out assays from its Rift project in Nebraska.
- Uranium: Stallion Uranium reported higher radioactivity at Coyote and plans to expand drilling.
Vale Base Metals moves ahead with Salobo copper expansion
Vale Base Metals said it will proceed with a Coarse Particle Flotation project at the Salobo Copper Complex in Brazil. The company expects the project to add up to approximately 30,000 tonnes of annual copper production and 6 million tonnes of annual ore-processing capacity. Vale Base Metals said start-up is now expected in the first half of 2028, and that the project has received its construction license.
The release also said Wheaton Precious Metals will provide $40 million of the capital spend. The update is relevant to copper investors because it combines a brownfield expansion with a stated schedule, capacity target and financing contribution; actual production will remain subject to execution and operating performance.
Pan American Silver reports Q2 production and cash flow
Pan American Silver reported second-quarter 2026 attributable silver production of 6.5 million ounces and gold production of 166,000 ounces. The company said attributable free cash flow was $344 million and that it returned $300 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the quarter.
Pan American also said it ended the quarter with $1.8 billion in cash and investments and reached an early-August milestone at the La Colorada Skarn project in Mexico with the first cut of the 588 Decline. The company reiterated its 2026 operating outlook in the release.
Titan Mining posts higher zinc output and advances graphite plans
Titan Mining reported second-quarter zinc production of 17.5 million payable pounds, up 13% from the year-earlier quarter. Revenue was $25.7 million, while adjusted EBITDA was $9.6 million; the company said its 2026 production and cost guidance remains on track.
The same release highlighted supply agreements and a U.S. Army conditional selection related to Titan’s Kilbourne Graphite project. Titan’s results link current zinc operations with a longer-term graphite and critical-minerals strategy, but the graphite-related initiatives remain subject to further development and commercial execution.
Critical Elements expands Rose West lithium footprint
Critical Elements Lithium reported assays from its 10,000-metre summer drill program at the Rose West discovery in Québec. One hole returned 1.89% Li2O and 161 parts per million Ta2O5 over 27.35 metres, including 2.70% Li2O and 222 parts per million Ta2O5 over 10.50 metres.
The company said drilling added an approximately 300-by-300-metre block to the lateral footprint of Pegmatites 5, 3 and 2, with reported thicknesses of 10 to 30 metres. Eleven holes had been drilled and prepared for assaying as the company resumed field activity following wildfire-related conditions.
Apex reports additional rare earth assays at Rift
Apex Critical Metals reported step-out results from four drill holes at its Rift Rare Earth Project in southeastern Nebraska. Hole RIFT26-012 returned 2.42% rare earth oxides (REO) over 151.4 metres, including 4.48% REO over 8.0 metres. Hole RIFT26-014 returned 2.09% REO over 148.5 metres, including 5.27% REO over 10.2 metres.
Apex said the Trinity Zone is now defined over approximately 400 metres of north-south strike and 200 metres down-dip, and remains open in all directions. The company also reported that 32 drill holes had been completed, with assays pending for 18 holes. These are exploration results; they do not by themselves establish a mineral resource, reserve or project economics.
Stallion Uranium expands Coyote drilling after higher radioactivity
Stallion Uranium said drilling at the Coyote target in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin had reached 4,626 metres, or approximately 84% of its previously announced 5,500-metre program. In hole ML26-005, a 2.3-metre interval averaged 595 counts per second and reached a peak response of 1,416 counts per second; the company said it plans to expand the program to approximately 6,750 metres.
Stallion also said it mobilized a ground gravity survey over a priority target at Stone Island. The reported figures are gamma-radioactivity readings rather than uranium assay grades, so laboratory assays and further drilling will be needed to assess the significance of the results.
Closing note
These updates span development, production, financing support and exploration. Company releases can change as projects advance, and exploration results should be read alongside technical reports, sampling information, permitting status and financial disclosures.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
