Category: 3. Business

Johnson & Johnson Announces Quarterly Dividend for First Quarter 2026

New Brunswick, NJ (January 2, 2026) – Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend for the first quarter of 2026 of $1.30 per share on the company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on March 10, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 24, 2026. The ex-dividend date is February 24, 2026.

About Johnson & Johnson
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/. 

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January 2, 2026
Computer scientist Yann LeCun: ‘Intelligence really is about learning’ – Financial Times
1. Computer scientist Yann LeCun: ‘Intelligence really is about learning’ Financial Times
2. Meta “Fudged” Llama 4 Benchmarks “A Little Bit”, Says Yann LeCun OfficeChai
3. Yann LeCun calls Alexandr Wang ‘inexperienced’ and predicts more Meta AI employee departures Business Insider
4. Meta’s most famous employee Yann LeCun breaks silence on why he left Mark Zuckerberg’s company Times of India
5. How Meta’s ‘highest-paid’ employee made the company’s chief scientist do what he told Elon Musk he will ‘never do’ Times of India
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January 2, 2026
Calumet to Attend Goldman Sachs Energy, Clean Tech and Utilities Conference

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Calumet, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLMT) (“Calumet”) announced today that it plans to attend the Goldman Sachs Energy, Clean Tech and Utilities Conference on Tuesday, January 6^th and will hold one-on-one investor meetings throughout the day.

About Calumet

Calumet, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLMT) manufactures, formulates, and markets a diversified slate of specialty branded products and renewable fuels to customers across a broad range of consumer-facing and industrial markets. Calumet is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and operates twelve facilities throughout North America.

SOURCE Calumet, Inc.

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January 2, 2026
Phage-associated Cas12p nucleases require binding to bacterial thioredoxin for activation and cleavage of target DNA
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Oxford Bus Company reveals list of unusual lost property

The company said that about a quarter of the lost property had been reunited with its owners.

“Misplacing a personal item can be a stressful experience, so we use technology to help make it easier for people to get their belongings back,” said Andy Morison, the firm’s head of digital and customer experience.

“We encourage people who misplace their items to use our NotLost service via the website which has helped us effectively manage lost property and minimise stress to affected passengers.”

Passengers who reclaim items pay a £1 administration and storage fee, with a postal return option also available.

Items left behind in previous years have included a bar stool, a Donald Trump toilet roll and a letter detailing unusual fantasies.

Last year a suitcase full of retro adult magazines topped the list.

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All you need to know about putting solar panels on your roof

Analysis: you can expect a simple system of six to eight solar panels to generate about one third of your home’s electricity needs

This article is now available above as a Brainstorm podcast. You can subscribe to the Brainstorm podcast via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

The proverb “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for life” has an unlikely resonance in the current fossil fuel crisis, especially when it comes to measures than are needed to help homeowners deal with soaring electricity costs. While giving someone a rebate or discount on their energy bill will help them once, giving them the power to generate their own electricity will endure for their lifetime. This is where an unlikely electricity source for Ireland, in the form of sunshine, could be a lifeline to many families struggling to pay energy bills.

Ireland is known more for wind and waves rather than sunshine, but advances in solar technology and reductions in cost now make it an attractive option for residential electricity generation in Ireland. Solar panels that produce electricity are known as solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. These panels generate electricity when exposed to light and it has been one of the fastest growing power generation technologies worldwide.

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From RTÉ News, a new study has found that solar panels could provide 25% of Ireland’s electricity needs

The systems produce electricity that can be used to power your home appliances and heat water via your immersion. The homeowner won’t notice any difference in how appliances work and there is no need to notify or change your electricity supplier.

Naturally, solar systems need sunlight to work but most will still function on overcast days in Ireland although not at their full capacity. You can expect a simple system of six to eight panels on your roof to generate about one third of your annual electricity needs, with most of this between the months of May and September. This means you will still be relying on your electricity supplier, especially in winter and darker months, but you will be buying less electricity from them overall.

Solar PV systems are sized in technical units called kilowatts (kW) and a simple 2.4kW system would have about six to eight panels. Most small systems of this size do not need planning permission, but you should check with your local authority as rules differ from location to location.

From RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland, Dr Paul Deane on how over one million Irish homes have roofs suitable for solar panels

While the fuel in the form of sunlight is free, the installation of the panels isn’t and will cost about €4,000 for a simple system with six to eight panels [2.4kW]. There is a Government grant available to help reduce costs, bringing the overall price down to about €3,000. These are ballpark costs and will vary from supplier to supplier. If you are interested in getting solar panels, it is very important to shop around for several quotes and use a reputable certified installer.

A typical home with six to eight solar panels on the roof could save about €400 per year in electricity bills, with the system paying back for itself in seven to 10 years. The deployment of residential solar PV in Ireland addresses key energy and climate issues such as affordability but also helps Ireland at a national level in terms of Increasing security of supply and reducing the pollution from greenhouse gas emissions.

In UCC, we carried out a study, funded by the Irish Solar Energy Association, to understand how many homes can use sunlight to generate electricity. We were surprised to find that about half the homes in Ireland have potential for this technology and, if all this was achieved, we could produce enough electricity to meet a quarter of all residential electricity demand.

From RTÉ Radio 1’s Today With Claire Byrne, would solar panels work for your home?

But there are very real challenges in rolling out this technology at scale at a national level. For a start, there is a shortage of skilled workers to do the work. Furthermore, while the economic and environmental arguments for the technology are very compelling, it still requires a significant upfront investment by the homeowner.

In this regard SEAI have a range of grants available to homeowners to reduce costs, but many families will still find the investment prohibitive. This is where Government policy needs to intervene and provide 100% grants to fund solar panels for homes in receipt of fuel allowance as low-income families need the highest level of financial protection during this crisis.

To get the best out of your panels, you will also have to change some behaviours about when you use appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines. If you have a solar system, it is best run these appliances when the sun is shining

From RTÉ Brainstorm, all you need to know about putting solar panels on your roof

While some homeowners will look to put in a battery system to store any excess electricity, this adds to the costs. However, if you have a hot water or immersion tank, you can set up your solar system to divert surplus electricity to heat your water. In essence this acts like a battery and stores the electricity as hot water, which can be used to offset the use of the immersion for hot showers etc.

Any remaining electricity can be exported to the grid and homeowners can now get paid a small fee for this. But with current high electricity prices, it is best to use as much of your solar generated electricity in your own home as possible.

The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ

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Americans drank more milk in 2024, reversing a decade-long decline

For more than a decade, Americans have been steadily drinking less milk each year.

But the latest federal data show sales of milk beverages turned around in 2024, increasing by 358 million pounds or just under 1 percentage point from the previous year to 43.2 billion pounds.

It’s the result of a resurgence in sales of whole milk, which have been trending upward since 2014. The category saw a 3% increase from 2023 and helped offset the continued declines in most other categories, including reduced-fat and skim milk.

Whole milk has benefited from the diet craze around protein driven largely by health and fitness influencers, said Leonard Polzin, dairy markets and policy outreach specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Division of Extension.

“The more protein, the better. Consumers are all about that,” Polzin said. “The other portion is kind of a shift towards healthy fats too. So for example, cottage cheese is having a real moment right now.”

Industry data shows whole milk consumption is up in both households with children and those without, according to Karen Gefvert, chief policy officer for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, which represents farmers in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Gefvert said whole milk has also benefited from increasing consumer interest in whole foods and foods that are minimally processed – a trend that has been promoted by the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.

“There are a ton of really great things in whole milk, and I think that’s resonating with consumers,” Gefvert said.

Federal data going back to 1975 show total U.S. milk sales peaked in 2009 at more than 55.4 billion pounds. That total steadily declined to a record low of 42.8 billion pounds in 2023.

Consumption of plant-based milk alternatives has declined in recent years. But Polzin said it’s hard to know if those consumers are making the shift to dairy or simply cutting back on drinking milk of any kind.

Polzin said increasing milk consumption is especially good for dairy farmers. That’s because milk sold as beverages, known in the industry as fluid milk, has a greater impact on the prices paid to farmers.

But Gefvert said this effect is not as prominent in states like Wisconsin, where most milk is processed into cheese and other products. She said most farmers in the state have a more subdued take on last year’s sales increase.

“It was not significant and is likely just sort of a pause in the inevitable continuous decline in fluid milk sales,” Gefvert said.

She said there is hope that whole milk sales in particular will continue to increase. Congress recently passed federal legislation to reintroduce the option to the National School Lunch Program, which currently requires schools to offer low-fat or skim milk to students. The Whole Milk for Health Kids Act is expected to be signed by President Trump.

Medical experts are divided on whether full fat dairy options, which contain high levels of saturated fat, negatively affect human health.

Earlier this year, a scientific panel that advises the federal government on dietary guidelines concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to change the existing guidance, which recommends Americans drink low-fat or skim rather than whole milk.

This story was produced in partnership with Harvest Public Media, a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest and Great Plains. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.

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Insmed To Present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Jan. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Insmed Incorporated (Nasdaq: INSM), a people-first global biopharmaceutical company striving to deliver first- and best-in-class therapies to transform the lives of patients facing serious diseases, today announced that management will present at the J.P. Morgan 2026 Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, on Monday, January 12, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. ET.

This event will be webcast live and can be accessed by visiting the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.insmed.com. Webcasts will be archived for a period of 30 days following the conclusion of the live events.

About Insmed

Insmed Incorporated is a people-first global biopharmaceutical company striving to deliver first- and best-in-class therapies to transform the lives of patients facing serious diseases. The Company is advancing a diverse portfolio of approved and mid- to late-stage investigational medicines as well as cutting-edge drug discovery focused on serving patient communities where the need is greatest. Insmed’s most advanced programs are in pulmonary and inﬂammatory conditions, including two approved therapies to treat chronic, debilitating lung diseases. The Company’s early-stage programs encompass a wide range of technologies and modalities, including gene therapy, AI-driven protein engineering, protein manufacturing, RNA end-joining, and synthetic rescue.

Headquartered in Bridgewater, New Jersey, Insmed has offices and research locations throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. Insmed is proud to be recognized as one of the best employers in the biopharmaceutical industry, including spending five consecutive years as the No. 1 Science Top Employer. Visit www.insmed.com to learn more or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and X.

Contact:

Investors:

Bryan Dunn
Vice President, Investor Relations
(646) 812-4030
[email protected]

Media:

Claire Mulhearn
Vice President, Corporate Communications
(862) 842-6819
[email protected]

SOURCE Insmed Incorporated

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Low water levels delay plan to bring cell service to popular hunting area near Fort Providence

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Fort Providence, N.W.T., is now home to a portable shelter and mobile hotspot that could provide coverage to traditional land use areas around the community — but it’s not in use just yet.

The unit was built through a partnership between Deh Gáh Got’îê First Nation and N.W.T.-based telecommunications company SSi Canada, and received a $480,000 grant from the federal government’s Universal Broadband Fund.

The unit is a 10-by-20-foot shipping container, and is powered by a small solar array and backup generator. Half of it contains equipment for mobile coverage and wifi provided by Starlink. The other half is a heated safety shelter that people can sit in.

SSi Canada calls the structure the Land-Life-Link, or L3.

“If you’re trying to get away from the elements, if you’re trying to get away from an emergency, you can stay there for quite a while,” said Dean Proctor, SSi Canada’s chief development officer.

Proctor told CBC News the unit has been in Fort Providence and fully functional since June. He added it should provide cell service and mobile data over an approximately five-kilometre radius, with some variation depending on the terrain.

“Primarily it’s for people stranded out on the land, so they have communication access if they need to call for help or things like that,” said Greg Nyuli, the executive director at Deh Gáh Got’îê First Nation.

A solar panel — A picture of the solar array on the Land-Life-Link taken during the construction process. (Submitted by SSi Canada)

Nyuli said Deh Gáh Got’îê First Nation plans to bring the shelter to a healing lodge downstream of Fort Providence on the Mackenzie River, to provide some connectivity in an area that’s popular for hunting, fishing and harvesting.

But because of low water levels on the river, they likely won’t be able to bring it there on the ice road this winter as planned.

“The access route we usually use in the winter is like totally rocky, because there’s no water,” he explained.

Nyuli said they are now planning to bring the unit downstream on a small barge this summer — though if water levels are low again in the main channel of the Mackenize River, this might not be possible either.

“The only option other than that would be a big helicopter, and we certainly can’t afford that,” he said.

Deh Gáh Got’îê First Nation Chief Michael Vandell said the unit is currently up and running behind the Fort Providence’s Snowshoe Inn.

He said the First Nation is planning to move the unit to outside the local school in the centre of town so students and others can access the wifi it provides more easily. Vandell said the goal is to do this early in the new year.

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Ivanhoe Mines Announces First Anode Production from Kamoa-Kakula Copper Smelter – Ivanhoe Mines

Kamoa-Kakula smelter is Africa’s largest copper smelter with a capacity of 500,000 tonnes of copper per annum

Kamoa-Kakula 2026 sales set to exceed production as 20,000 tonnes of stockpiled copper in concentrate is smelted and sold as 99.7%-pure copper anodes at current record copper prices

Kakula Mine Stage Two dewatering complete; selective mining of eastern side of Kakula Mine recommenced ahead of schedule

Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo–(Newsfile Corp. – January 2, 2026) – Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN) (OTCQX: IVPAF) Executive Co-Chairman Robert Friedland and President and Chief Executive Officer Marna Cloete announced that the first copper anodes were produced by Kamoa-Kakula’s on-site, state-of-the-art 500,000-tonne-per-annum direct-to-blister copper smelter on December 29, 2025, approximately five weeks after the commencement of the smelter’s heat-up and one week after the first feed of concentrate.

Watch the video showing first feed of concentrate and casting of the first batch of anodes at the Kamoa-Kakula copper smelter: https://vimeo.com/1150929862/8c8a54cbda?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

Ivanhoe Mines’ Founder and Executive Co-Chairman Robert Friedland commented:

“The first production of copper anodes from our world-class smelter is a defining moment for Kamoa-Kakula… This achievement is the culmination of a $1.1 billion investment, 18 million man-hours of disciplined execution, and an outstanding health and safety record that reflects the professionalism and commitment of everyone involved.

“This facility will proudly deliver the highest-quality Congolese copper anodes to the international markets, setting a new global benchmark for scale, efficiency, and sustainability. I want to extend my sincere thanks to the extraordinary Kamoa Copper team, as well as our contractors and partners from across the world whose expertise, innovation, and teamwork made the design and delivery of this state-of-the-art facility possible. Together, we have built something exceptional that will serve global consumers for generations to come.”

Smelter ramp-up underway to achieve a steady-state annualized rate of 500,000 tonnes of 99.7%-pure copper anode, making it the largest copper smelter in Africa.

The ramp-up of the Kamoa-Kakula copper smelter will continue throughout 2026, with completion expected towards year-end. As announced on December 3, 2025, Kamoa-Kakula’s copper production is estimated at between 380,000 and 420,000 tonnes of copper in 2026, with the mid-point of 400,000 tonnes of copper representing approximately 80% of the smelter’s total capacity.

Kamoa-Kakula’s management team will prioritize the processing of concentrates produced by the Phase 1, 2, and 3 concentrators through the on-site smelter, with any excess concentrate toll-treated at the Lualaba Copper Smelter (LCS), near Kolwezi, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Heat-up and completion of hot commissioning of the smelter furnace, as well as boiler, steam systems, acid circuit and the concentrate dryer were completed in line with expectations. The furnace successfully reached its operating temperature of 1,250 degrees centigrade (2,282 degrees Fahrenheit) for five days prior to the first feed of concentrate.

Prior to the first feed of concentrate into the smelter, Kamoa-Kakula’s on-site concentrate inventory contained approximately 37,000 tonnes of copper. Total unsold copper in concentrate at the smelter, held in stockpiles and the smelting circuit, is expected to be reduced to approximately 17,000 tonnes during 2026 as the smelter ramps up. Therefore, 2026 copper sales are expected to be approximately 20,000 tonnes higher than copper production as the on-site inventory of unsold copper concentrate is destocked, predominantly during H1 2026. As destocking occurs, Kamoa-Kakula’s management aims to capitalize on near-record-high copper prices.

The installation of the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) facility was completed prior to the first feed of concentrate into the smelter, which took place on December 21, 2025. The 60-megawatt (MW) UPS is designed to provide up to two hours of instantaneous back-up power to the smelter, protecting the operation from voltage fluctuations in the domestic DRC grid. In addition, construction of Kamoa-Kakula’s 60 MW on-site solar (PV) facilities continues to progress well. The solar site, with battery storage, is expected to be the largest of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. The solar facilities are expected to be operational from Q2 2026, providing 24 hours a day of uninterruptible power, in addition to the approximately 180 MW of on-site diesel-powered, back-up generator capacity already in place.

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A view over the casting wheels during the first batch of anodes produced by the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Smelter on December 29, 2025.

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Kamoa-Kakula’s Copper Smelter is the largest copper smelter in Africa with an annualized nameplate capacity of 500,000 tonnes of 99.7%-pure copper anodes.

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Kamoa-Kakula’s operating margins are set to expand due to reduced logistics costs from the smelter, as well as sales of by-product sulphuric acid

Kamoa-Kakula’s margins are expected to expand as the smelter ramps up, as concentrates produced by Phase 1, 2, and 3 concentrators are smelted on-site, rather than being exported unbeneficiated. Kamoa-Kakula’s logistics costs are expected to approximately halve as the copper content per truck-load exported more than doubles, from approximately 45% contained copper in concentrate to 99.7%-pure copper anodes. Further savings are expected to be also achieved through the significant revenues generated from sulphuric acid sales.

In addition to the first production of copper anodes, the Kamoa-Kakula smelter also produced its first batch of by-product sulphuric acid. The smelter is expected to produce up to 700,000 tonnes per annum of high-strength sulphuric acid at steady-state operations, which will be sold locally.

Sulphuric acid is in high demand by other mining operations across the Central African Copperbelt, especially following the export ban of acid by Zambia in September 2025. Spot acid prices have reached as high as $700 per tonne in Kolwezi in recent months. The first sale of acid by Kamoa-Kakula has already taken place, with the first delivery expected in the coming weeks.

Construction of copper smelter delivered with industry-leading health and safety record

Kamoa-Kakula’s projects team extended their industry-leading health and safety record during the construction of the smelter. During the 18 million hours worked, only one lost time injury (LTI) was recorded, an exceptionally rare industry achievement. Therefore, the lost-time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) for the delivery of the smelter was approximately 0.054 per million hours worked.

The last project delivered by Kamoa-Kakula’s project team was the Phase 3 concentrator, which was completed in mid-2024 without a single LTI recorded.

Stage Two dewatering of Kakula Mine complete; selective mining on the eastern side commenced ahead of schedule in late December

Stage Two dewatering activities are complete, with the first pair of high-capacity submersible dewatering pumps (Pumps 3 and 4) running dry. As announced on December 3, 2025, following an underground survey, Pumps 3 and 4 were repositioned lower in late November to enable an additional Stage Two dewatering. Since then, the water level has declined by a further 19 metres to the level shown in Figure 1. The second pair of Stage Two pumps (Pumps 1 and 2), which are approximately 20 metres lower in elevation compared with Pumps 3 and 4 are expected to run dry in January 2026.

Stage Three dewatering activities will take over from Stage Two dewatering, and consist of re-commissioning the existing, water-damaged underground horizontal pump stations, which are used for steady-state operations. The rehabilitation work consists of fitting new pump motors, substations and electrical cabling. All required equipment is on site, and installation will begin once access to the horizontal pump stations becomes available.

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Figure 1. A schematic of the underground water levels at the Kakula Mine as at December 22, 2025, overlaid with the underground pumping infrastructure.

There is currently 5,600 litres per second of installed pumping capacity at the Kakula Mine, excluding the Stage Two pumping infrastructure. Stage Three dewatering activities are expected to continue into Q2 2026 and will not be on the critical path for Kakula’s mining operations.

In addition, the western side of the Kakula Mine has been dewatered, enabling the mining of higher-grade areas. Head grades from mining areas on the western side of Kakula are expected to increase from 3.5% copper in January to approximately 4.0% copper by the end of Q1 2026. In addition, selective mining on the eastern side of the Kakula Mine began ahead of schedule at the end of December.

Qualified Persons

Disclosures of a scientific or technical nature at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in this news release have been reviewed and approved by Steve Amos, who is considered, by virtue of his education, experience, and professional association, a Qualified Person under the terms of NI 43-101. Mr. Amos is not considered independent under NI 43-101 as he is Ivanhoe Mines’ Executive Vice President, Projects. Mr. Amos has verified the technical data disclosed in this news release.

Ivanhoe has prepared an independent, NI 43-101-compliant technical report for the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex, which is available on the company’s website and under the company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca:

Kamoa-Kakula Integrated Development Plan 2023 Technical Report dated March 6, 2023, prepared by OreWin Pty Ltd.; China Nerin Engineering Co. Ltd.; DRA Global; Epoch Resources; Golder Associates Africa; Metso Outotec Oyj; Paterson and Cooke; SRK Consulting Ltd.; and The MSA Group.

The technical report includes relevant information regarding the assumptions, parameters, and methods of the mineral resource estimates on the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex cited in this news release, as well as information regarding data verification, exploration procedures and other matters relevant to the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

About Ivanhoe Mines

Ivanhoe Mines is a Canadian mining company focused on advancing its three principal operations in Southern Africa; the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the DRC, the ultra-high-grade Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine, also in the DRC; and the tier-one Platreef platinum-palladium-nickel-rhodium-gold-copper mine in South Africa.

Ivanhoe Mines is exploring for copper in its highly prospective, 54-100% owned exploration licences in the Western Forelands, covering an area over six times larger than the adjacent Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex, including the high- grade discoveries in the Makoko District. Ivanhoe is also exploring for new sedimentary copper discoveries in new horizons including Angola, Kazakhstan, and Zambia.

Information contact

Follow Robert Friedland (@robert_ivanhoe) and Ivanhoe Mines (@IvanhoeMines_) on X.

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this release constitute “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified using words such as “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “predict” and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events, or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the company’s current expectations regarding future events, performance, and results and speak only as of the date of this release.

Such statements include, without limitation: (i) statements that 2026 copper sales are expected to be approximately 20,000 tonnes higher than copper production as the on-site inventory of unsold copper concentrate is destocked, predominantly during H1 2026; (ii) statements that the Kamoa-Kakula smelter is Africa’s largest copper smelter with a capacity of 500,000 tonnes of copper per annum; (iii) statements that total unsold copper in concentrate at the smelter, held in stockpiles and the smelting circuit, is expected to be reduced to approximately 17,000 tonnes during 2026 as the smelter fully ramps up; (iv) statements that the ramp-up of the Kamoa-Kakula copper smelter will continue throughout 2026, with completion expected towards year-end; (v) statements that head grades from mining areas on the western side of Kakula are expected to increase from 3.5% copper in January to approximately 4.0% copper by the end of Q1 2026; (vi) statements that Kamoa-Kakula’s copper production is estimated at between 380,000 and 420,000 tonnes of copper in 2026, with the mid-point of 400,000 tonnes of copper representing approximately 80% of the smelter’s total capacity; (vii) statements that Kamoa-Kakula’s management team will prioritize the processing of concentrates produced by the Phase 1, 2, and 3 concentrators through the on-site smelter, with any excess concentrate toll-treated at the Lualaba Copper Smelter; (viii) statements that Kamoa-Kakula’s 60 MW on-site solar site, with battery storage, is expected to be the largest of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa and that the solar facilities are expected to be operational from Q2 2026, providing 24 hours a day of uninterruptible power; (ix) statements that once fully ramped up, the smelter’s overall copper recovery is expected to be 98.5%; (x) statements that Kamoa-Kakula’s margins are set to expand as logistics costs approximately halve as the copper content per truck-load exported more than doubles, from approximately 45% contained copper in concentrate to 99.7%-pure copper anodes. Further savings are also expected to be achieved through the significant revenues generated from sulphuric acid sales; (xi) statements that Stage Three dewatering activities are expected to continue into Q2 2026 and will not be on the critical path for Kakula’s mining operations, and; (xii) statements that head grades from mining areas on the western side of Kakula are expected to increase from 3.5% copper in January to approximately 4.0% copper by the end of Q1 2026.

Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether such results will be achieved. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to: (i) uncertainty around the rate of water ingress into underground workings; (ii) the ability, and speed with which, additional equipment can be secured, if an as required; (iii) the continuation of seismic activity; (iv) the full state of underground infrastructure; (v) uncertainty around when future underground access can be fully secured; (vi) the fact that future mine stability cannot be guaranteed; (vii) the fact that future mining methods may differ and impact on Kakula operations; and (viii) the ultimate conclusion of the assessment of the cause of the seismic activity at Kakula and the impact of same on the final mining plan at the Kamoa Kakula Copper Complex. Additional factors also include those discussed above and under the “Risk Factors” section in the company’s MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, and its current annual information form, and elsewhere in this news release, as well as unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; changes in the rate of water ingress into underground workings; recurrence of seismic activity; the state of underground infrastructure; delays in securing full underground access; changes to the mining methods required in the future; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the company believes are reasonable assumptions, the company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.

The company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the factors outlined in the “Risk Factors” section in the company’s MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, and its current annual information form.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/279364