The ASX 200 materials sector was the best performer last year, delivering a total return, including dividends, of 36.21%.
Soaring commodity prices pushed ASX mining shares substantially higher last year.
In the first week of 2026, many have reset their 52-week highs yet again as metal and mineral prices continue their upwards march.
The big ones to watch are gold, silver, copper, and lithium, which have booked 12-month gains of 66%, 160%, 36%, and 77%, respectively.
Wilson Asset Management lead portfolio manager Matthew Haupt expects ASX mining shares to do better than the banks in 2026.
Haupt is positive on ASX iron ore shares BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG), and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) this year.
He said Wilson recently bought aluminium stock Alcoa Corporation CDI (ASX: AAI) and coal producer Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC).
After such strong share price growth in 2025, investors may be wary of how much upside might be left in ASX mining shares.
Here are four miners that the experts are backing for price growth in the new year.
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Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN)
Chalice is an ASX mineral explorer targeting high-grade nickel, copper, gold, and platinum group element (PGE) deposits.
PGE includes platinum (PT), palladium (PD), and rhodium (RH), which were among the fastest rising commodities of 2025.
Chalice Mining shares closed at $2.56 on Thursday, up 7.1% for the day and up 123% over the past 12 months.
Morgans has a speculative buy rating on this ASX mining share with a $4.50 price target.
This suggests a potential 76% upside in the new year.
Morgans said:
CHN released a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for the Gonneville Pd-Ni-Cu project. The PFS was broadly in line with MorgansF, with key beats to Stage 1 capex (-9%) and palladium payabilities (+7%).
Macro tailwinds are turning supportive: the EU is moving to soften its 2035 ICE ban (supportive for hybrids/Pd demand) while the already small ~9Mozpa palladium market is tightening, running an estimated ~0.2Moz deficit even before any meaningful industrial demand uplift.
Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU)
The Vault Minerals share price closed at $5.61, down 1.75% on Thursday and up 154% over the past 12 months.
Like all ASX gold mining shares, Vault Minerals has benefited from the skyrocketing gold price.
The gold price rose by 65% in 2025 and by 27% in 2024.
UBS gives Vault Minerals a buy rating with a 12-month price target of $6.60.
This implies a potential 18% gain in 2026.
Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX)
The Westgold Resources share price finished the session yesterday at $6.31, down 1.6%.
The ASX gold mining share has rocketed 115% over the past 12 months.
RBC Capital Markets reckons Westgold shares have more room to run.
The broker gives the stock a buy rating with a price target of $7.80.
This implies a possible 24% gain in 2026.
Capstone Copper Corp CDI (ASX: CSC)
The Capstone Copper share price closed at $14.99 yesterday, down 2.5%.
This ASX copper share has risen 48% over the past 12 months.
Macquarie has a buy rating on Capstone Copper shares with a 12-month price target of $17.
This implies a potential 13% gain in the new year.
The broker said Capstone is its preferred copper exposure due to its "strong organic growth profile and attractive relative value".
