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On October 15 and 16, Emeritus Professor Maria Skyllas-Kazacos and her team at UNSW Sydney will host the 40th Anniversary Flow Battery Innovation Symposium. Since the first 1kW vanadium flow battery (VFB) was built at UNSW, the technology has significantly evolved with systems now being installed internationally at capacities into gigawatt hour scale. This scale up of flow battery deployments signals a major shift in the global energy landscape as countries turn to long-duration energy storage to support renewable power sources. The symposium will bring together key players across the flow battery supply chain, including researchers, industry leaders and government stakeholders to promote understanding of the latest advancements, challenges and opportunities in flow batteries. It will also feature presentations and…

Dozens of WesTrac cyclists donned yellow and black lycra for WA’s largest cycling fundraiser on October 12 and 13, raising more than $211,000 for life-saving cancer research. The annual MACA Cancer 200 – Ride for the Perkins kicked off on October 12, with nearly 2000 participants cycling 200km from Perth to Mandurah, and back, over two days. A team of 39 riders from WesTrac hit the road to raise funds for the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. WesTrac asset management manager Ian Ilsley decided to participate this year after his brother-in-law was recently diagnosed with cancer. “I have lost friends and WesTrac colleagues to cancer, but it didn’t really hit me until my brother-in-law was diagnosed, so I decided…

The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) has announced the finalists for the AMEC Awards, 2024. Categories cover six key areas as the awards showcase the industries commitment to the environment, diversity and inclusion, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Islander empowerment, contribution to the community and a media story demonstrating clarity, relevance and impact to the industry. AMEC chief executive Warren Pearce says these awards are a highlight of the association’s calendar year. “The AMEC awards provide us with an opportunity to reflect, celebrate and acknowledge some of the excellence we see everyday in the exploration and mining industry,” he said. “An industry that strives to do better everyday, navigate obstacles that appear and innovate to ensure we stay…

Regis Resources managing director and chief executive Jim Beyer spoke about the future of its McPhillamys mine at the WA Mining Club September luncheon. The NSW gold project was expected to be a valuable asset for the company, featuring a 7mtpa plant with 189moz of contained gold and an expected mine life of over 10 years. “This would have been an absolute cracker of a producer, producing 187,000oz per year on average and ramping up to 235,000oz,” Mr Beyer said. “That’s where we were heading – then we had a section 10 declaration over the project. “ Tanya Plibersek made a Section 10 declaration over the tailings dam, which had been approved at State and Federal…

The pumping of iron ore slurry presents a unique set of challenges due to the abrasive nature of the material and the demanding conditions under which the pumps operate. Iron ore slurry is a dense and abrasive mixture of finely ground iron ore and water, which requires specialised equipment to ensure efficient and reliable transportation. Common Issues Faced with Slurry Pumping Abrasion and Erosion: The high abrasiveness of iron ore slurry can cause severe wear and tear on pump components, leading to frequent maintenance and reduced lifespan of the equipment. Corrosion: In the Pilbara and Goldfields regions of Western Australia, where water contains both bacteria and high salinity, the combination of iron ore and water can lead to severe corrosion…

The WA Government is contributing $17.4m towards major upgrades of operational technology at Southern Ports. Contractor Accenture will receive $13.6m to boost the performance of more than 22 major assets across ports at Albany, Bunbury, and Esperance through hardware and software advancements. These advancements will increase efficiencies operating ship loaders, rotary car dumpers and conveyors that move trade products through multiple sheds. Southern Ports has an asset base worth a replacement cost of about $1.6b, with more than 37mt of trade imported and exported through WA’s southern ports. WA Mines, Petroleum and Ports Minister David Michael comments on this. “Our economy relies on port infrastructure to facilitate trade, so continued advancement of these assets across our regional ports is vital,”…

The Australian Aluminium Council (AAC) has renewed its calls for the inclusion of bauxite, alumina and aluminium to Australia’s Critical Minerals List to avoid the same fate as the nickel industry. This comes as a new report, Vulnerabilities & Opportunities in Australia’s Upstream Aluminium Sectors, highlights growing risks to the sector’s supply chain due to heightened geopolitical risk, rising costs and prolonged regulatory approvals. AAC chief executive Marghanita Johnson says the current inclusion of aluminium on Australia’s Strategic Mineral List acknowledges the metal’s importance in the transition to net zero but it also lacks policy support. “Instead, it is a ‘watchlist’ of minerals that would meet the criteria for being a critical mineral but are not currently considered vulnerable to…

MinEx CRC and CSIRO have partnered to bring Augmented Reality (AR) core logging technology to mineral exploration. Core logging is traditionally considered time-consuming, solitary and subject to human error but this new technology promises to bring about enhanced productivity and decision-making to the resources industry. Geologists often struggle to incorporate multiple data streams into the logging process and they lack tools to efficiently analyse this complex information for fast, informed decision-making. The AR core logging technology is developed by MinEx CRC in collaboration with the Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE) at the University of South Australia. Led by Professor Tom Raimondo, Dr. Andrew Cunningham and Jack Fraser, the AR platform is designed to significantly improve the…

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) has confirmed the purchase of leading global lithium chemicals producer Arcadium Lithium (ASX: LTM) for $9.95b (US$6.7b). The all-cash deal will see Arcadium shareholders receive $8.69 (US$5.85) for every share held. The transaction will bring Arcadium Lithium’s world-class lithium business into Rio’s portfolio, adding onto Rio’s existing aluminium, copper and iron ore operations. Rio chief executive Jakob Stausholm commented on the acquisition. “Acquiring Arcadium Lithium is a significant step forward in Rio Tinto’s long-term strategy, creating a world-class lithium business alongside our leading aluminium and copper operations to supply materials needed for the energy transition,” he said. “Arcadium Lithium is an outstanding business today and we will bring our scale, development capabilities and financial strength to…

WA Energy Minister Reece Whitby today officially opened the Kathleen Valley hybrid power system – designed, funded, built, owned and operated by Zenith Energy for Liontown Resources (ASX: LTR). This integrated solar farm, wind farm, battery and firming LNG power plant will enable the miner to operate with a minimum 60% emissions-free energy at its Goldfields hard rock lithium mine in WA. It is also largest operating off-grid power system in Australia, with the 95MW Kathleen Valley hybrid power system incorporating the nation’s largest off-grid wind farm utilising the largest land-based wind turbines in the country. The system showcases the ability of renewables to deliver reliable, continuous supply to support an entire mining operation. Its capacity is the equivalent of…