Connect with us

Technology

MARIANA MINERALS RESTARTS UTAH COPPER MINE AS THE WORLD’S ONLY AUTONOMOUS-FIRST MINE AND REFINERY

Published

6 months ago

on

Software-first minerals company integrates autonomous haulage, drilling, and robotic sensing across mining and refining under a single AI operating platform

SAN JUAN COUNTY, Utah, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mariana Minerals, the world’s only software-first, vertically integrated minerals company, today announced the restart of mining operations at Copper One in southeastern Utah. The restart marks a milestone in mining history: Copper One becomes the world’s first mine to deploy autonomous tools across all three operational domains (mining, refining, and capital project execution) unified under a single operating system.

Mariana acquired Lisbon Valley Mining Company in Q4 2025, gaining control of a roughly 10,000-acre permitted land package that has produced high-purity copper cathode since 2009. While refinery operations continued uninterrupted, mining was paused in late 2024. Mining operations resume this month with autonomous systems and autonomous orchestration active from day one.

“Copper One will be the first mine where delivering end-to-end autonomy is the priority, where it’s being rapidly deployed across mining and refining operations and coordinated by our internal software stack. That’s what MarianaOS makes possible. We chose to prove it here because the stakes are real: the U.S. has a structural copper deficit, and the window to close it is narrowing. We’re producing now and ramping output aggressively, with the primary goal of achieving fully-autonomous mining operations,” said Turner Caldwell, Co-Founder & CEO, Mariana Minerals.

MarianaOS: An Autonomy-First Mining Operating System
What makes Copper One unprecedented is not any single piece of autonomous equipment, but the intelligence layer coordinating them. MarianaOS integrates three core subsystems, MineOS, PlantOS, and CapitalProjectOS, into a unified platform spanning project execution through copper production.

On the mining side, Copper One will begin with integrating three best-in-class autonomous equipment platforms. Pronto’s turnkey Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) uses camera-based machine learning and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) to enable fully driverless haul truck operation, with OEM-agnostic retrofit capability across mixed fleets. Sandvik’s AutoMine® platform enables autonomous production drilling, allowing operators to simultaneously monitor multiple surface machine operations from a remote-operations control center. And Boston Dynamics’ Spot quadruped robots autonomously patrol the open pit, heap leach pad, and solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX-EW) refinery infrastructure. All of these data feed directly into MineOS, enabling fleet-wide optimization and continuous improvement.

PlantOS extends autonomous operations into refining by integrating real-time sensor data across the entire refining process (solution chemistry, flow rates, temperature, and electrowinning cell performance) into a unified control system. Machine learning models predict process drift, automatically adjust reagent dosing, and flags maintenance needs before they impact output. The result is a continuously optimized refinery that operates with minimal human intervention.

CapitalProjectOS redefines how capital-intensive infrastructure projects are planned and executed. Traditional projects often take a decade or more and frequently suffer from chronic cost overruns. CapitalProjectOS integrates process development, engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning data into a single platform that enables real-time progress tracking, predictive risk modeling, and automated schedule optimization. At Copper One, CapitalProjectOS is managing the expansion roadmap to scale output to 50,000 metric tons per year, coordinating heap leach pad expansions, refinery upgrades, and autonomous equipment deployment in parallel.

Built to Move Fast
While Mariana is actively constructing and developing greenfield projects – with the goal of compressing engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning timelines leveraging CapitalProjectOS – Copper One is uniquely positioned to accelerate deployment of MarianaOS at scale. With an existing open pit mine, heap leach pad, and SX-EW refining infrastructure already in place, Mariana will rapidly ramp production that would take years to replicate elsewhere.

Mariana’s longer-term plan is to scale Copper One output to 50,000 metric tons per year of high-purity copper cathode by 2030, leveraging additional proven deposits on the property and integrating copper scrap recycling.

A Critical Supply Gap
The U.S. currently imports approximately 50% of its refined copper. With domestic demand projected to nearly double by 2035 — driven by AI data centers, defense systems, EVs, and grid modernization — the supply gap is a national security issue. The Trump Administration’s Section 232 investigation cited copper imports as a direct concern, and the Pentagon has identified critical minerals vulnerability as a threat to the defense industrial base.

Domestic operations like Copper One, and the step-change in productivity that autonomous operations deliver, have become strategically essential.

About Mariana Minerals
Mariana engineers, builds, and operates mines and refineries, using proprietary AI and machine learning tools to accelerate project execution and optimize production across critically needed metals. Copper One is Mariana’s second active project, alongside Lithium One, the world’s first GWh-scale lithium extraction facility from oil and gas produced water, currently under construction in East Texas. Mariana has raised $120 million in total capital, including a Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and strategic investors.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mariana-minerals-restarts-utah-copper-mine-as-the-worlds-only-autonomous-first-mine-and-refinery-302753491.html

SOURCE Mariana Minerals

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Technology

ST Engineering iDirect and MBSat Partner to Build Next-Generation Sovereign Connectivity Services Across Oman and the Middle East

Published

4 hours ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

Intuition ground system selected to support MBSat’s planned 2027 service launch, enabling accelerated deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable service growth

HERNDON, Va., Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ST Engineering iDirect today announced a strategic partnership with Mohammed Al Barwani Satellite Company (MBSat), part of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, to provide the ground system technology foundation for MBSat’s next-generation satellite gateway and network operations across Oman and the wider Middle East region. Intuition will provide a flexible, software-defined foundation to support sovereign connectivity services, enabling efficient service deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable network operations.

Intuition will deliver a turnkey ground segment solution that accelerates deployment, simplifies operations and gives MBSat the flexibility to scale services as demand grows. The software-defined platform enables dynamic resource management, service automation and seamless integration with existing and future operational systems. The solution also includes Ka-band gateway infrastructure, service provisioning and management capabilities, open API integration frameworks, training and full-lifecycle support. Together, these capabilities will help MBSat launch and operate services efficiently while adapting to evolving market requirements.

The network will leverage capacity from MB Sat-1, a sovereign MicroGEO satellite, with planned service launch in 2027, to support flexible, scalable connectivity services across the region.

The partnership reflects growing investment in sovereign communications infrastructure across the Middle East as operators seek greater control over service delivery, network expansion and long-term technology evolution.

“This partnership represents an important milestone in our efforts to build an advanced satellite communications platform in Oman and the region,” said Ammar Al Rawahi, General Manager, MBSat. “Through our collaboration with ST Engineering iDirect, we are establishing the technical infrastructure required to launch services efficiently, respond to evolving customer needs and expand into new markets, supporting the sustainable long-term growth of our business.”

“We are providing MBSat with a flexible, software-defined ground platform that integrates with its existing operational environment,” said Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Executive Officer, ST Engineering iDirect. “This enables more efficient service deployment and operations today, with the flexibility to scale, introduce new capabilities and evolve as requirements change.”

About ST Engineering iDirect

ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is a global leader in satellite communications, providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their networks. Through its portfolio of ground infrastructure, intelligent networking and advanced satellite communications solutions, the company supports operators, service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-engineering-idirect-and-mbsat-partner-to-build-next-generation-sovereign-connectivity-services-across-oman-and-the-middle-east-302918467.html

SOURCE ST Engineering iDirect

Continue Reading

Technology

ST Engineering iDirect and MBSat Partner to Build Next-Generation Sovereign Connectivity Services Across Oman and the Middle East

Published

4 hours ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

Intuition ground system selected to support MBSat’s planned 2027 service launch, enabling accelerated deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable service growth

HERNDON, Va., Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ST Engineering iDirect today announced a strategic partnership with Mohammed Al Barwani Satellite Company (MBSat), part of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, to provide the ground system technology foundation for MBSat’s next-generation satellite gateway and network operations across Oman and the wider Middle East region. Intuition will provide a flexible, software-defined foundation to support sovereign connectivity services, enabling efficient service deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable network operations.

Intuition will deliver a turnkey ground segment solution that accelerates deployment, simplifies operations and gives MBSat the flexibility to scale services as demand grows. The software-defined platform enables dynamic resource management, service automation and seamless integration with existing and future operational systems. The solution also includes Ka-band gateway infrastructure, service provisioning and management capabilities, open API integration frameworks, training and full-lifecycle support. Together, these capabilities will help MBSat launch and operate services efficiently while adapting to evolving market requirements.

The network will leverage capacity from MB Sat-1, a sovereign MicroGEO satellite, with planned service launch in 2027, to support flexible, scalable connectivity services across the region.

The partnership reflects growing investment in sovereign communications infrastructure across the Middle East as operators seek greater control over service delivery, network expansion and long-term technology evolution.

“This partnership represents an important milestone in our efforts to build an advanced satellite communications platform in Oman and the region,” said Ammar Al Rawahi, General Manager, MBSat. “Through our collaboration with ST Engineering iDirect, we are establishing the technical infrastructure required to launch services efficiently, respond to evolving customer needs and expand into new markets, supporting the sustainable long-term growth of our business.”

“We are providing MBSat with a flexible, software-defined ground platform that integrates with its existing operational environment,” said Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Executive Officer, ST Engineering iDirect. “This enables more efficient service deployment and operations today, with the flexibility to scale, introduce new capabilities and evolve as requirements change.”

About ST Engineering iDirect

ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is a global leader in satellite communications, providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their networks. Through its portfolio of ground infrastructure, intelligent networking and advanced satellite communications solutions, the company supports operators, service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-engineering-idirect-and-mbsat-partner-to-build-next-generation-sovereign-connectivity-services-across-oman-and-the-middle-east-302918467.html

SOURCE ST Engineering iDirect

Continue Reading

Technology

Global Security & Technology Summit Unveils Month-Long Program of Activities Ahead of December Event

Published

11 hours ago

on

October 24, 2026

By

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Organizing Committee of the Global Security & Technology Summit (GSTS) held an introductory session today at the Ministry of Interior’s headquarters in Riyadh, bringing together representatives from the government, private, and nonprofit sectors to introduce the program of activities leading up to the summit. The upcoming summit will be held in Riyadh under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, under the supervision of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Interior, and organized by the Ministry of Interior in cooperation with Tuwaiq Academy.

During the session, the Organizing Committee presented the comprehensive GSTS program, comprising three key components: GSTS Month, running from November 1 to 30, 2026; the Global Security & Innovation Fair (SAIF), taking place from November 24 to 26, 2026; and the main Summit, scheduled for December 18 to 20, 2026, in Riyadh. Together, these events form an integrated program designed to advance security and technology innovation, strengthen national capabilities, and foster international cooperation.

GSTS Month will feature working groups, boot camps, training programs, knowledge-sharing sessions, and technical workshops across Saudi Arabia’s 13 administrative regions, delivered both in person and remotely in collaboration with specialized entities. The month-long program aims to develop national capabilities, identify emerging talent, enrich knowledge-sharing opportunities, and equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to develop innovative solutions to future security and technology challenges.

The main Summit will bring together global leaders, decision-makers, experts, and innovators to explore the future of security and technology, promote the integration of advanced technologies within the security sector, strengthen national capabilities, support innovation, and foster international cooperation, further positioning the Kingdom as a global hub for security and technology.

Showcasing the latest technological breakthroughs and security solutions, the summit will bring together government entities, private sector organizations, academic institutions, and research centers to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration across key fields, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), smart security solutions, emerging technologies, and crisis management. The program will also feature main sessions, specialized discussions, and interactive exhibitions. Registration is available at gsts.sa.

Advisor to HRH the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the GSTS Organizing Committee, Ahmed Altowayan, stated that the summit builds on Saudi Arabia’s efforts to establish an advanced security and technology ecosystem focused on knowledge and innovation, keeping pace with rapid developments and future challenges.

Mr. Altowayan noted that the summit is a global platform for strengthening cooperation and exchanging expertise, anticipating future developments in security and technology, and developing strategic partnerships and innovative solutions that enhance the efficiency and readiness of security systems.

Vice Chairman of the GSTS Organizing Committee, Eng. Abdulaziz Alhammadi, said that the summit will offer a range of integrated programs and activities focused on enhancing national skills, encouraging innovation, and supporting international cooperation.

He added that GSTS Month will help build national capabilities, discover talent, and develop skills, with SAIF providing a platform for innovators and researchers from around the world to showcase leading technological solutions, while the main Summit will bring together leaders and experts to discuss the future of security and technology and explore new strategic partnership opportunities.

SAIF will take place at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, bringing together innovators, researchers, technology talents, and industry experts from around the world to showcase promising innovations and projects across 14 fields of technology and innovation. The fair will provide opportunities to engage with project owners, including students, graduates, and entrepreneurs, and explore the different stages of innovation development through interactive zones, panel discussions on emerging security and innovation trends, and knowledge-sharing workshops led by specialists. Visitor registration is open to participants from within and outside the Kingdom through saifair.sa.

The introductory session also featured contributions from representatives of government, private, and nonprofit sector entities, alongside members of the media. Discussions focused on developing national capabilities in security and technology, strengthening students’ technical expertise, translating scientific research into practical solutions, and supporting Saudi companies in developing security and technology solutions and advancing digital transformation.

Organized by the Ministry of Interior in cooperation with Tuwaiq Academy, GSTS is produced by Tahaluf, with the Ministry of Education serving as Strategic Scientific Partner, Tahakom as Founding Partner, and Elm as Principal Partner.

Registration for participants from within and outside the Kingdom is available at gsts.sa.

Click here to view the media kit. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-security–technology-summit-unveils-month-long-program-of-activities-ahead-of-december-event-302918695.html

Continue Reading

Trending