Mining Press Roundup: Kinross Commits $3B to Chile Gold District

Kinross Gold (TSX: K; NYSE: KGC) plans to invest $3 billion to develop the Lobo Marte project in Chile's Atacama region, advancing one of the country's largest proposed mining projects as gold prices remain near record highs.

The Canadian miner submitted Lobo Marte's environmental impact assessment to Chilean regulators last month, outlining a $1.5-billion initial permitting phase for early operations and site development. The 22-year mine is designed to process about 35,000 tonnes per day and produce 6.7 million oz. of contained gold, including 4.7 million recoverable oz., at an average grade of 1.29 grams gold per tonne. With gold trading at $4,519 per ounce according to market data, the timing positions Kinross to capitalize on elevated precious metals prices while securing a long-term production base in a mining-friendly jurisdiction.

Kinross Gold: $3 Billion Bet on Chilean Gold District

Kinross Gold plans to invest $3 billion (C$4.1 billion) to develop the Lobo Marte project in Chile's Atacama region , marking a major commitment to South American gold production at a time when the metal continues to trade near historic highs. The company submitted Lobo Marte's environmental impact assessment to Chilean regulators last month, outlining a $1.5-billion initial permitting phase for early operations and site development.

The 22-year mine is designed to process about 35,000 tonnes per day and produce 6.7 million oz. of contained gold, including 4.7 million recoverable oz., at an average grade of 1.29 grams gold per tonne.

President José Antonio Kast said the project is one of the most important mining investments planned for the Atacama Region and the country for the next decade.

Lobo Marte highlights Chile's renewed push to attract large-scale mining investment as global producers race to secure future supplies of gold, copper and lithium. The project joins a growing pipeline of major projects entering Chile's permitting system, including developments proposed by BHP, Freeport McMoRan and Albemarle.

Kinross ultimately plans to integrate Lobo Marte into a broader Chilean gold district strategy extending beyond 2040.

RZ Resources: $497M Copi Critical Minerals Project Approved in NSW

RZ Resources has received development approval from the New South Wales Government for its $693 million Copi critical minerals project, clearing a pathway towards first production in early 2029. The approval represents a significant milestone for Australia's critical minerals strategy, with the project positioned to supply titanium, zircon, and rare earth elements to allied nations.

Located in the far south-western region of NSW, about 75km north-west of Wentworth and 180km south-west of Broken Hill, Copi is set to become a major source of titanium minerals, premium zircon and rare earth elements, including monazite and xenotime. The project is expected to process up to 27 million tonnes of material and produce up to 400,000 tonnes of critical mineral ore per year for 18 years.

The project's strategic importance has been formally recognised and received support from the US, Japanese, Indian and Australian Governments including through announcements of US Export–Import Bank (EXIM) financing at the 2025 Quad Leaders' Summit as being of global significance to supply chains serving Australia, the United States, Japan and India.

The Australian and Japanese governments referred to the project in a joint statement on critical minerals cooperation released in May 2026.

The project is expected to create up to 480 direct jobs during construction, with RZ Resources forecasting a 240-strong operational workforce. The approval comes as Western nations intensify efforts to diversify critical minerals supply chains away from Chinese dominance.

Abitibi Metals: 3.6% Copper Hit at Discovery Silver-Backed B26 Project

Abitibi Metals has secured a $31M strategic investment from Discovery Silver (9.9% stake), validating the B26 polymetallic deposit's potential as a rare, large-scale copper-gold-zinc asset in Quebec with 25 million tons at 2.1% Cu-eq. The company's latest drill results continue to demonstrate the project's high-grade potential in one of Canada's premier mining jurisdictions.

The updated mineral resource estimate for the B26 deposit is supported by a substantially expanded technical database, incorporating 356 drill holes totaling 172,164 metres of drilling. This includes 102 drill holes completed by Abitibi Metals in 2024 and 2025, as well as 191 holes previously drilled by SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Investissement Québec.

The Indicated resource grades 1.2% copper, 1.2% zinc, 0.44 g/t gold, and 30.8 g/t silver, equivalent to 2.1% copper equivalent and 2.8 g/t gold equivalent. On a contained metal basis, the Indicated resource includes approximately 340 million pounds of copper, 332 million pounds of zinc, 184 thousand ounces of gold, and 12.8 million ounces of silver.

With copper trading at $6.36 per pound according to market data—up 34.73% year-over-year—the B26 project's polymetallic profile offers exposure to multiple commodities experiencing structural demand growth from electrification and energy transition.

First Phosphate: Quebec Phosphate Resource Expands 378%

First Phosphate Corp (CSE: PHOS; OTCQX: FRSPF) has unveiled an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for its Bégin-Lamarche phosphate project in Quebec, highlighting a significant increase in indicated resources following its 2025 to 2026 drilling program. The updated MRE includes results from the 2025-2026 drilling program. The updated MRE includes a 378% increase in Indicated Mineral Resources over the Company's Initial MRE dated September 9, 2024.

Measured pit-constrained Mineral Resource: 6.2 Mt @ 7.70% P2O5 (phosphate). Indicated pit-constrained Mineral Resource: 198.5 Mt @ 6.00% P2O5. Inferred pit-constrained Mineral Resource: 89.5 Mt @ 6.16% P2O5.

The Deposit remains open at depth.

The updated resource bolsters the company's plans to build a vertically integrated supply chain in Quebec for the production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery materials. First Phosphate is among a small number of companies in Canada looking to produce LFP battery materials using phosphate, more commonly used in agricultural fertilizers.

Apatite is also listed as a critical mineral by the Canadian and United States governments and the European Union. The resource updated is based on 68,345 metres of drilling across 276 holes. The project's location near road and power infrastructure, approximately 70 km from the deep-sea Port of Saguenay, positions it well for future development.

Taseko Mines: Rebranding as Trekor to Reflect Copper Growth

Taseko Mines (TSX: TKO; NYSE: TGB) plans to rename itself Trekor Metals as the Canadian copper producer expands its North American asset base and production profile. Shareholders are being asked to vote on the proposed name change at the company's annual meeting in Vancouver on June 24.

The move comes as Taseko advances the Florence Copper project in Arizona while continuing to grow output from its Gibraltar mine in British Columbia. "It is the right time for a new name that reflects the company today and where it is headed," President and CEO Stuart McDonald said.

In 2024, Taseko became the sole owner of Gibraltar, the country's second-largest open-pit copper operation. Florence Copper, near a namesake town between Phoenix and Tucson, is expected to produce an average of 85 million lb. of copper annually over a projected 22-year mine life. Operating costs are forecast at $1.11 per pound. The solvent extraction and electrowinning plant began operations in February, with first copper cathodes produced in early March.

The proposed rebrand reflects a broader trend among North American miners seeking to reposition themselves around copper exposure as demand expectations rise from electrification, energy infrastructure and artificial intelligence-driven power growth. Companies with producing assets and advanced development projects are increasingly emphasizing scale and long-term copper leverage to attract investors.

MinRes: $490M Mt Marion Lithium Expansion Gets Final Investment Decision

Mineral Resources (MinRes) has confirmed a final investment decision (FID) to expand operations at its Mt Marion lithium project in Western Australia, jointly owned with Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium. The planned expansion will introduce both a flotation plant and underground mining at the site.

The total capital investment for these projects will be A$490m ($351.2m) on a 100% basis, with spending scheduled for the 2027 and 2028 financial years. Of this amount, A$240m is allocated for the flotation plant, A$220m for preliminary underground development, and A$30m earmarked for non-processing infrastructure. Based on a current spot price for spodumene of roughly $2,700 per tonne of spodumene concentrate (SC6), the companies estimate that the investment could be recouped in less than a year.

MinRes Managing Director Chris Ellison said: "This high-return brownfield investment sets up Mt Marion for decades to come. Underground mining and flotation will work together to access deeper high-grade ore, lift recoveries and produce a single 5% product."

Following the expansion, the site aims to improve plant recoveries, targeting approximately 70%. Installed SC6 capacity is projected to increase from about 500,000 tonnes a year to 600,000 tonnes, with the lower-grade SC3.5 product to be replaced by a single SC5 product. From FY28, operations at Mt Marion will combine open pit and underground mining, with ore from underground workings expected to make up as much as 40% of the processing feed.

US-India Critical Minerals Framework: Strategic Supply Chain Partnership

On May 26, 2026, the United States and India signed a bilateral Critical Minerals Framework, marking a milestone in the strategic partnership between the two nations to ensure that the foundational elements required for advanced technology and energy are available within trusted networks.

Through this framework, the United States and India will engage in international efforts to protect sensitive supply chains from coercive market practices and reduce our collective vulnerability to single-source monopolies. The U.S. Government is mobilizing unprecedented resources to secure critical mineral supply chains, supporting projects with more than $30 billion in letters of interest, investments, loans, and other support in partnership with the private sector.

The framework is designed to deepen comprehensive cooperation across the entire critical minerals and rare earth supply chain. According to EAM Jaishankar, the scope of the partnership will encompass mining, processing, recycling and related investments. "It will strengthen resilient and diversified supply chains, help us to collaborate on financing and with the effective management of critical minerals and rare earths," the External Affairs Minister further added.

The agreement comes as both nations seek to reduce dependence on Chinese-dominated supply chains for materials essential to electric vehicles, semiconductors, defense systems, and renewable energy infrastructure.

What It Means

Today's announcements reveal capital flowing decisively toward critical minerals and copper assets, with major producers and juniors alike advancing projects positioned to supply the energy transition. Kinross's $3 billion Chilean commitment and MinRes's $490 million lithium expansion signal confidence in long-term commodity fundamentals despite near-term price volatility.

The approval of RZ Resources' Copi project and the US-India critical minerals framework underscore the geopolitical dimension of mining investment in 2026. Western governments are actively backing projects that diversify supply chains away from Chinese dominance, particularly for rare earths, titanium, and battery materials. According to market data, copper miners (COPX) traded down 2.0% today despite copper's year-over-year gains exceeding 34%, suggesting investors may be taking profits after the metal's strong run.

Quebec continues to emerge as a North American critical minerals hub, with both Abitibi Metals' copper-gold-zinc discovery and First Phosphate's massive resource expansion highlighting the province's geological potential and mining-friendly regulatory environment. For junior miners with meaningful drill results in stable jurisdictions, today's press releases demonstrate that strategic investors—from Discovery Silver to government-backed entities—remain willing to deploy capital into quality assets.

This roundup covers press releases published on May 27, 2026. Company announcements are sourced from mining industry wire services. For corrections or updates, contact contact@stakeandpaper.com.