Mining news roundup for Aug. 20, 2026: Publicly traded resource companies reported new uranium drilling, a copper guidance revision after severe weather, rare-earth qualification and permitting milestones, a share-repurchase authorization, a titanium resource update and a strategic gold-sector transaction.
Uranium: Xcite starts 1,500-metre Don Lake drill program
Eagle Plains Resources (TSXV: EPL; OTCQB: EGPLF) said partner Xcite Uranium (TSXV: XRI) has started a 1,500-metre, 14-hole diamond-drilling program at the Don Lake Uranium Project near Uranium City, Saskatchewan. The program will test structurally controlled uranium targets in the Don and Midas areas, including extensions beneath historic trenches and anomalies identified by 2026 geochemical and radiometric work. Eagle Plains said the approved 2026 Don Lake budget is approximately $1.1 million, including $900,000 for drilling. Read the company release.
Copper: Lundin cuts Caserones and consolidated 2026 guidance
Lundin Mining (TSX: LUN; Nasdaq Stockholm: LUMI) reported additional disruption at its Caserones operation after a second severe winter storm in Chile’s Atacama region. The company said a second power outage on Aug. 14 followed damage to a transmission tower, and that full power restoration was expected by the end of the week with a gradual restart. Caserones’ 2026 copper-production guidance was revised to 120,000–130,000 tonnes from 130,000–140,000 tonnes, while cash-cost guidance moved to $2.15–$2.35 per pound from $2.05–$2.25. Lundin’s consolidated copper guidance is now 300,000–325,000 tonnes at cash costs of $1.95–$2.15 per pound; Candelaria’s production guidance remained 135,000–145,000 tonnes. Read Lundin Mining’s update.
Rare earths: Energy Fuels qualifies terbium oxide for commercial magnet production
Energy Fuels (NYSE American: UUUU; TSX: EFR; ASX: EF2) said terbium oxide produced at its White Mesa Mill in Utah passed qualification by a Japan-based manufacturer of rare-earth permanent magnets. The company said the material meets the customer’s specifications and is approved for commercial magnet production without further qualification or validation. Energy Fuels added that its neodymium-praseodymium and dysprosium oxides had previously been qualified for permanent-magnet manufacture. Read the Energy Fuels release.
Critical minerals: ReElement receives air permit for four Marion production lines
American Resources (NASDAQ: AREC) said its minority holding, ReElement Technologies, received a Minor Source air permit for all four planned Phase I production lines at its Marion, Indiana Supersite. The permit authorizes installation, commissioning and operation of the four lines subject to the stated permit requirements and emission limits. The company said its next focus is equipment installation, commissioning, performance validation and progress toward scaled commercial production. Read the announcement.
Antimony: U.S. Antimony authorizes up to $100 million in buybacks
United States Antimony (NYSE: UAMY) disclosed in an Aug. 19 Form 8-K that its board authorized a share-repurchase program of up to $100 million. Repurchases may occur through open-market or privately negotiated transactions, block trades or Rule 10b5-1 and Rule 10b-18 trading plans. The authorization has no fixed expiration date, does not require the company to purchase any shares and may be suspended or discontinued. Read the SEC filing.
Titanium: Empire reports upgraded Pitfield JORC resource
Empire Metals (AIM: EEE; OTCQX: EPMLF) reported an upgraded JORC 2012 mineral resource estimate for the Pitfield Project in Western Australia. The estimate totals 8.16 billion tonnes at 4.3% TiO2, containing 349 million tonnes of TiO2, across the Thomas and Cosgrove deposits. The release includes 374 million tonnes at 5.8% TiO2 in Measured resources, 3.65 billion tonnes at 4.3% in Indicated resources and 4.2 billion tonnes at 4.1% in Inferred resources. Empire also reported a near-surface weathered zone of 4.39 billion tonnes at 4.4% TiO2. Read the company release.
Gold: Founders consolidates Antino stake as Gold Fields increases investment
Founders Metals (TSXV: FDR; OTCQX: FDMIF; FSE: 9DL0) agreed to acquire Nana Resources’ remaining 30% of Lawa Gold, which would give Founders a 100%, royalty-free interest in the Antino Gold Project in southeastern Suriname. Consideration includes US$17 million in cash, 13,568,944 Founders shares and up to US$21 million in contingent milestone payments. Separately, an affiliate of Gold Fields (NYSE/JSE: GFI) agreed to invest C$76,958,864 through a private placement; Gold Fields is expected to hold approximately 19.9% of Founders after closing. The parties said closing is expected around Sept. 4, 2026, subject to customary conditions including TSX Venture Exchange approval. Read the transaction release.
Closing note: These updates span exploration, production guidance, permitting, processing qualification, capital allocation and strategic ownership. Project economics, financing, permitting and execution remain important considerations when reviewing resource-sector news.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
