Mining

Minister for Resources and Water Keith Pitt says our resources exploration industry can now access another world-leading dataset, revealing exciting new prospective regions across more than one million square kilometres of northern Australia.

Queensland copper mine waste could deliver a key ingredient for the renewable energy revolution thanks to a three-year international study. Qld Resources Minister Scott Stewart announced a three-way agreement between the Queensland Government, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) and the University of Queensland which will examine whether cobalt – a globally-sought-after critical mineral and a key battery ingredient – can be retrieved economically from old copper mine tailings.

Geoff Helisma. Debate about the Clarence Catchment Alliance’s (CCA) petition calling for the cessation of mineral mining and exploration in the Clarence River catchment took place in the NSW Legislative Assembly on Thursday October 14 ... The petition was lodged by Lismore MP Janelle Saffin (Labor) ... Speaking against the petition was Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis (Nationals). 

The Territory Labor Government and Core Lithium have announced construction is underway on the $89 million Finniss Lithium Project ... Construction follows the project reaching Final Investment Decision last month, and Core Lithium successfully raising $150 million from institutional investors and shareholders.

Mawsons Concrete and Quarries are planning to dig a quarry in the Blue Hills, which are located on the outskirts of Maldon, and are nestled between Shelbourne and Baringhup. The Tarrangower Times spoke to the Environment and Compliance Officer, Shari Rankin who stated, “At this stage it’s too early to determine a proposed start date but we don’t envisage this being until at least 2023 ..."

The Northern Australia Committee has tabled the final report of its Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The report follows on from the work of the Committee’s interim report Never Again tabled on the 9 December 2020.

Kel York. On 2 June 1916 the Maldon News reported there was some excitement around Sandy Creek following the discovery of gold on the property of Mr Gordon, just below Cookman’s Ranges, about three miles (five kms) south of Maldon. The lucky prospectors were John Annand and A Thomas. John had discovered gold in that locality in 1902, and had been prospecting there since.

Chris Oldfield. Australian Rare Earths Limited (AREL) has established a regional headquarters in Naracoorte as part of its plan to develop a rare earths operation in the area ... The next phase of exploration at Koppamurra is set to commence in October and will consist of further exploration activities, “to expand upon the previous shallow drilling program and will progress to include various studies and technical work, to help determine a development concept”. 

The future of the Cape Flattery mine north of Hope Vale appears to be bright as silica miner Diatreme Resources eyes expansion near its Galalar Silica Project. The company is currently undertaking low-impact auger drilling at two target sites. These targets make up two of the five northern exploration targets which cover a total area of 50 square kilometres. Diatreme CEO Neil McIntyre said the exploration targets had significant potential.

The McGowan Labor Government has welcomed Rio Tinto's commitment to use local suppliers to build iron ore railcars for its Pilbara mining operations. Rio Tinto's announcement includes a commitment to the initial purchase of 50 iron ore railcars, followed by an ongoing commitment of 10 ore cars a year for at least the following five years.

Hume Coal has moving to quickly sell what is the largest landholding in the South Highlands region after its plans for a $533 million coal mine were knocked back by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC). The Australian subsidiary of Korean steel giant POSCO is hoping for over $60 million for the 1,308-hectare landholding, seven kilometres from the town of Moss Vale.

Woodridge residents are thrilled with a decision by Gingin councillors to reject a development application for a new quarry on Caraban Rd but the applicant can take the matter to the State Administrative Tribunal for review. On Tuesday councillor Frank Johnson put forward an alternative motion that the council refuse the application by Sheepco for a quarry to operate on Lot M1332 Caraban Rd.

Minister for Resources and Water Keith Pitt joined Member for Dawson George Christensen in Mackay to officially announce the North Bowen and Galilee Basin Strategic Basin Plan. “The Plan supports industry to develop the region’s major gas resources and is the second to be delivered under the Government’s Strategic Basins Plan Program,” Minister Pitt said.

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Agriculture has sold Nerrima Station for more than $30 million, and a further two pastoral stations Ruby Plains and Sturt Creek ... The 203,000ha Nerrima Station, 480,000ha Ruby Plains and 316,000ha Sturt Creek in Western Australia’s Kimberley region were put on the market after Hancock Agriculture and S. Kidman & Co revealed in November last year plans to sell its pastoral holdings comprising eight properties spanning 1.9 million hectares.

Weipa's solar farm will triple in size as Rio Tinto looks to reduce its reliance on diesel power generation in Cape York. The mining giant has approved a new solar farm and battery storage in a move that will more than triple the local electricity network’s solar generation capacity and help provide cleaner power to Rio Tinto’s operations.

Minister for Resources and Water, Keith Pitt, has announced that Renascor Resources Ltd has been granted Major Project Status for its $209 million Siviour project, which includes a graphite mine and concentrator located in the Eyre Peninsula and a downstream purified spherical graphite (PSG) manufacturing facility located in Port Adelaide. The Project is now on track to become the first in-country integrated graphite mine and battery anode material operation outside of China, positioning Australia as an important participant in the global battery industry and electric vehicle markets.

A vanadium mine in Queensland's remote northwest will pioneer production of a globally sought-after new economy mineral, supporting up to 400 regional jobs. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Resources Minister Scott Stewart and Multicom Resources’ chief executive officer Shaun McCarthy jointly announced the go-ahead for the $250 million Saint Elmo mine near Julia Creek, in the state’s North West.

Byron Shire Council has voted to support the “Clarence Valley Council community in seeking a moratorium on future mining and mining exploration in the Clarence Valley catchment”. Six of seven councillors at BSC’s August 5 meeting (planning) supported mayor Michael Lyon’s notice of motion, which also “advocates [BSC’s support of CVC] to Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Minister for Energy and Environment Matt Kean”.

ASX-listed NRW Holdings Ltd has been appointed to deliver mining giant Rio Tinto’s first fully-owned solar farm, as the mining group moves on its promise to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The 34-MW solar photovoltaic project, is to be built at Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.