Lithium continued to be high up the agenda for most Mining Technology readers in 2023, with two massive discoveries hitting the headlines, while major development and production plans also kicked off across the globe.
If lithium represents new business opportunities underpinned by the energy transition, more traditional coal was never far from the spotlight either, especially in our Australian coverage.
And cybersecurity, technology and geopolitics also kept you reading as the industry wrestled with such challenges to streamline production and keep up with demand.

India announces discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium
The Indian Government’s announcement of the discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of inferred lithium ore could expand the country’s electric vehicle ambitions.

Norway to develop massive phosphate deposit
Norge Mining completed an exploration, uncovering 70 billion tonnes of phosphate.

Freeport-McMoRan reports cybersecurity incident
The cybersecurity incident didn’t cause any major impact on production – but it got people talking.

Iran claims to have discovered 8.5 million-ton lithium deposit
The new discovery is the second largest in the world, amounting to almost a tenth of the world’s lithium.

Unusual undergrounds: opal mining and unique living in Coober Pedy
We checked out the Australian town which produces the largest amounts of light opal in the jewellery industry.

Taliban signs $6.5bn mining contracts with local and foreign companies in Afghanistan
The extractive activities have garnered criticism from the public, who say that the Taliban is selling off Afghanistan’s natural resources to foreign entitie

Sweden to lift parliamentary ban on uranium mining
The historically anti-nuclear country announced plans to increase its nuclear generation dramatically.

All that glitters is coal: inside Queensland’s new coal mines
Coal is making waves in Queensland. We explored the state’s new royalty structure and new steelmaking mines on the horizon.