Top 10 ASX mining stocks to watch in 2026

ASX mining stocks extract and process raw materials – the iron ore, copper, gold, lithium and rare earths that go into steel, batteries and clean energy systems. This list runs from diversified commodity producers like BHP Group ($BHP) and Rio Tinto ($RIO) to specialists like Lynas Rare Earths ($LYC), which mines and processes rare earth minerals across operations in Australia and Malaysia.

How we built this list: We selected these companies based on their industry and ordered them by market capitalisation. Prices are updated daily, and the list and supporting content are reviewed roughly every quarter. All data is sourced from Stake. This list isn't a recommendation and isn't ordered by suitability.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Source: Stake market data. Figures in A$. Data updated as of 10 August 2026.

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1. BHP Group ($BHP)

BHP Group (BHP) share price over the last year: started at A$40.87, ended at A$63.52, a change of +55.4%. Range over the period: high A$65.59, low A$39.64. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $63.52 · Daily: 0.9% · Market cap: $319.98B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

BHP Group ($BHP) mines iron ore, copper and metallurgical coal – the materials that flow into steel production and electrical infrastructure worldwide. Its Copper segment also produces silver, zinc, molybdenum, uranium and gold alongside the primary ore. Nickel and potash extend the portfolio further, covering electric vehicle supply chains and agricultural inputs.

In South Australia, $BHP operates three underground copper-gold mines: Olympic Dam, Prominent Hill and Carrapateena. The company employs 39,958 people, with operations reaching across Australia, Europe, Asia, North America and South America. Brandon Craig serves as CEO.

2. Rio Tinto ($RIO)

Rio Tinto (RIO) share price over the last year: started at A$115.29, ended at A$179.05, a change of +55.3%. Range over the period: high A$194.47, low A$112.71. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $179.05 · Daily: 0.8% · Market cap: $245.94B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

Across more than 34 countries and six continents, Rio Tinto ($RIO) mines and processes iron ore, copper, aluminium, lithium and a range of other materials. $RIO's Pilbara operations in Western Australia cover 18 mines, nearly 2,000 km of rail and four port terminals. The Iron Ore Company of Canada adds iron concentrate and pellets to the iron ore business.

The Copper segment handles mining and refining of copper alongside gold, silver and molybdenum, plus ongoing exploration. On the aluminium side, $RIO's operations run from bauxite mining and alumina refining through to smelting and recycling. Lithium mining and processing sit within the same segment.

3. Newmont Corp ($NEM)

Newmont Corp (NEM) share price over the last year: started at A$105.54, ended at A$159.48, a change of +51.1%. Range over the period: high A$188.47, low A$105.28. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $159.48 · Daily: 4.4% · Market cap: $168.45B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

Newmont Corp ($NEM) is primarily a gold producer, though its mines also yield copper, zinc, lead and silver across a footprint that stretches from North America and Latin America through to Australia, Africa and Papua New Guinea. That breadth shows up in the operation names: Boddington and Tanami in Australia, Cadia in New South Wales, Lihir in Papua New Guinea, Yanacocha and Cerro Negro in Latin America, and Ahafo in Africa, among others.

CEO Natascha Viljoen leads a workforce of 17,500 people spread across those sites. The scale of individual operations gives a sense of the land involved – Penasquito in Mexico alone covers more than 113,000 acres for active mining, with a further 107,000 acres set aside for exploration.

4. Fortescue ($FMG)

Fortescue (FMG) share price over the last year: started at A$19.42, ended at A$17.99, a change of −7.4%. Range over the period: high A$22.99, low A$17.80. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $17.99 · Daily: -0.2% · Market cap: $55.39B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

Fortescue ($FMG) built its name on iron ore, and that remains the core of the business. Its Metals segment covers exploration, production and sale of iron ore across the Pilbara in Western Australia, with additional projects stretching into Gabon, Latin America and elsewhere in Australia.

The Energy segment pushes into green hydrogen, green ammonia and green electricity, with projects including the Arizona Hydrogen project, a facility at Pecem in Brazil, and the Gladstone PEM50 Project in Queensland. CEO Dino Otranto leads a company that straddles two quite different bets – the iron ore volumes that generate most of the revenue today, and the green technology pipeline the company is building for tomorrow.

5. Northern Star Resources ($NST)

Northern Star Resources (NST) share price over the last year: started at A$17.75, ended at A$23.01, a change of +29.6%. Range over the period: high A$31.73, low A$17.21. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $23.01 · Daily: 1.4% · Market cap: $32.78B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

Northern Star Resources ($NST) is a gold producer whose operations stretch from the Western Australian goldfields to Alaska. In WA, the Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) operation includes the Fimiston Open Pit – known as the Super Pit – the Mt Charlotte Underground Mine, and processing plants at Fimiston and Gidji. The Thunderbox and Jundee operations sit further north in the Yandal and Agnew-Wiluna belts.

The Pogo mine in Alaska adds a third geography to $NST's production base. The company, led by CEO Stu Tonkin, covers the full gold production chain: exploration, development, mining and processing through to the sale of refined gold.

6. Evolution Mining Limited ($EVN)

Evolution Mining Limited (EVN) share price over the last year: started at A$7.67, ended at A$13.72, a change of +78.9%. Range over the period: high A$17.67, low A$7.67. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $13.72 · Daily: 2.4% · Market cap: $27.87B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

Evolution Mining Limited ($EVN) runs six mines across eastern Australia, Western Australia and Ontario, Canada, with gold as its primary output. Two of those operations – Ernest Henry in Queensland and Northparkes in New South Wales, where $EVN holds an 80% stake – also produce copper alongside gold. The company employs 3,184 people across its mines and processing facilities, under CEO Lawrie Conway.

7. South32 Limited ($S32)

South32 Limited (S32) share price over the last year: started at A$3.07, ended at A$5.09, a change of +65.8%. Range over the period: high A$5.09, low A$2.54. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $5.09 · Daily: 2.6% · Market cap: $22.84B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

South32 Limited ($S32) produces a wide range of metals and minerals – alumina, aluminium, copper, silver, lead, zinc and manganese – across operations on multiple continents. The company's footprint runs from bauxite mines and alumina refineries in Australia and Brazil to aluminium smelters in South Africa and Mozambique, copper mines in Chile, and silver and lead production at its Cannington site in Australia.

CEO Graham Kerr leads a workforce of 8,892 people. $S32 also holds the Hermosa project in the pipeline, alongside its Australia and South Africa manganese segments and Illawarra Metallurgical Coal, giving it exposure across both industrial and energy-transition materials.

8. Lynas Rare Earths ($LYC)

Lynas Rare Earths (LYC) share price over the last year: started at A$12.96, ended at A$16.50, a change of +27.3%. Range over the period: high A$22.07, low A$12.19. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $16.50 · Daily: 1.5% · Market cap: $16.61B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

Mining rare earth minerals at Mt Weld in Western Australia, Lynas Rare Earths ($LYC) runs an operation that extends through two processing stages before finished products reach market. The Kalgoorlie facility converts Mt Weld concentrate into Mixed Rare Earths Carbonate, which ships to the $LYC plant in Kuantan, Malaysia for final separation into individual rare earth products.

The company is expanding Mt Weld's output toward 12,000 tonnes per annum of finished NdPr (neodymium-praseodymium) oxide. Lynas USA rounds out a footprint that covers Australia, Malaysia and the U.S., with CEO Pol Le Roux leading 1,127 employees across those operations.

9. PLS Group ($PLS)

PLS Group (PLS) share price over the last year: started at A$2.31, ended at A$4.72, a change of +104.3%. Range over the period: high A$6.74, low A$1.97. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $4.72 · Daily: 3.1% · Market cap: $15.22B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

PLS Group Limited ($PLS), formerly known as Pilbara Minerals, mines hard-rock lithium at the Pilgangoora Operation in Western Australia. That site sits 140 kilometres southeast of Port Hedland in the Pilbara region. $PLS also holds the Colina Lithium Project near Salinas in Minas Gerais, Brazil, giving the company a second resource base beyond Australia.

$PLS extends into the battery supply chain through a joint venture with POSCO Pilbara Lithium Solution Co. Ltd in South Korea. That partnership manufactures battery-grade lithium hydroxide, connecting what's mined at Pilgangoora to the battery materials industry. CEO Dale Henderson oversees a workforce of 877 people across the business.

10. Sandfire Resources ($SFR)

Sandfire Resources (SFR) share price over the last year: started at A$11.64, ended at A$21.15, a change of +81.7%. Range over the period: high A$21.50, low A$11.64. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: $21.15 · Daily: 0.2% · Market cap: $9.85B · Sector: Basic Materials · Industry: Metals & Mining

Sandfire Resources ($SFR) mines copper across Western Australia, Spain, Botswana and Namibia. In Western Australia, the DeGrussa and Monty mines sit within the Bryah Basin mineral province, producing copper and gold. Spain's MATSA complex comprises three underground polymetallic mines.

The Motheo Copper Mine anchors $SFR's presence in the Kalahari Copper Belt, covering Botswana and Namibia. The Black Butte Copper Project in central Montana is under evaluation. CEO Brendan Harris leads a workforce of 1,355 employees.

Common questions

How do I invest in ASX mining stocks in Australia?

All ten companies in this list trade on the ASX, so you can buy shares through any brokerage platform with ASX access. You search by ticker, place an order during market hours, and settlement typically completes in two business days. A few names – BHP and Rio Tinto among them – also have listings on overseas exchanges, but the ASX-listed shares trade and settle in AUD.

What are the key risks of ASX mining stocks?

Commodity prices are the most direct risk – a fall in iron ore, copper, gold or lithium prices can move a miner's revenue sharply, regardless of how well the operation itself runs. Because most commodities are priced in USD, the AUD/USD rate adds another layer: a stronger AUD compresses what miners earn when converting those revenues. Company-level risks include production disruptions, geological setbacks and cost overruns, and new projects face regulatory and environmental approval processes that can affect timelines and capital requirements.

How do diversified miners compare to pure-play commodity stocks?

Diversified miners like BHP, Rio Tinto and South32 produce several commodities across multiple operations, so weakness in one area is partially cushioned by strength elsewhere. Pure-play producers – the gold miners and the lithium producer in this list, for example – concentrate on a single commodity, meaning their share prices tend to follow that commodity's price more directly. The two structures simply distribute commodity exposure in different ways.

Disclaimer

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. When you invest, your capital is at risk. You should consider your own investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs before making an investment decision. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may receive back less than your original investment. As always, do your own research and consider seeking appropriate financial advice before investing.

This is not personal financial advice nor a recommendation to invest in the securities listed. Any advice provided by Stake is of general nature only and does not take into account your specific circumstances. Trading and volume data from the Stake investing platform is for reference purposes only, the investment choices of others may not be appropriate for your needs and is not a reliable indicator of performance.

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