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Western Areas: A bright future

Western Areas: A bright future

An aerial shot of the Spotted Quoll mine. BY CAMERON DRUMMOND AUSTRALIA'S only pure-play nickel producer Western Areas has been increasing its reputation as one of the world’s best low cost, high grade operators with its own innovate BioHeap technology. Volatile nickel prices have been fair-weathered by Western Areas. The company has utilised its position as a low cost, high grade nickel producer to increase cash in the bank and explore organic growth opportunities in WA. Located 400km east of Perth, Western Areas’ flagship project is Forrestania which comprises two producing nickel mines, Spotted Quoll and Flying Fox, as well as the Cosmic Boy concentrator which treats the high grade ore to produce about 25,000 tonnes (t) of nickel concentrate per annum....

Iron Ore 2017: Building Resilience

Iron Ore 2017: Building Resilience

All images: AUSIMM. BY ELIZABETH FABRI AFTER iron ore prices experienced 12-month lows in June, the theme of this year’s Iron Ore 2017 event ‘Building Resilience’ is set to provide valuable insight into how mining and METS companies can remain profitable during the downward swing. Jointly organised by AusIMM and CSIRO, Iron Ore 2017 will be staged across three days at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre from 24-26 July. The boutique conference has been held since 2002, providing a unique opportunity for iron ore businesses to discuss the biggest issues facing the sector and, of course, the path forward. This year’s theme ‘Building Resilience’ aims to tackle issues experienced during the volatile price climate, and cover the latest...

Gold Road Resources: Golden road ahead

Gold Road Resources: Golden road ahead

All Images: Gold Road Resources. BY CAMERON DRUMMOND AS Gold Road Resources’ Gruyere project is fast-tracked into development, the now self-funded explorer has ramped up its exploration budget to explore organic growth options within its 5000sqkm Yamarna Belt tenements. With its joint venture (JV) partner Gold Fields, Gold Road has now awarded all major contracts for the construction of its Gruyere gold project in the highly mineralised Yamarna Belt, 200km east of Laverton. A 2010 study by the Geological Survey of WA suggested the Yamarna Belt geological similarities with the Kalgoorlie Terrane greenstone rocks, and studies by previous explorers such as Ausgold supported that claim. Gold Road’s 5000 square kilometres of tenements in the Yamarna Belt already contain...

AIMEX 2017: The future of mining

AIMEX 2017: The future of mining

All images: AIMEX. BY ELIZABETH FABRI MORE than 6000 mining professionals are expected to touch down at Sydney Showgrounds next month for the biennial Asia-Pacific International Mining Exhibition (AIMEX) conference. Running from 29 to 31 August, the free-to-attend event will be the biggest to date, bringing together the industry’s leading minds and technologies. First held in the 1970s, the AIMEX conference has become a must-attend event on the industry calendar; and it’s easy to see why. Spread across three days, the leading event presents a wealth of opportunities for the mining industry to up-skill, network and generate new business leads. “This year we have the first free-to-attend conference program at AIMEX that we believe offers visitors key insights into the...

Doray Minerals: Going underground

Doray Minerals: Going underground

All images: Doray Minerals. BY CAMERON DRUMMOND GOLD producer Doray Minerals is looking to its two producing assets – Andy Well and Deflector – for organic growth opportunities. WA gold producer Doray Minerals’ Andy Well gold project commenced production in August 2013; with the Deflector gold-copper project commencing production in May 2016. Both projects are currently undergoing aggressive exploration and development to increase the company’s mineral resources and reserves. Deflector The Deflector project is located 160km east of Geraldton in the southern Murchison region of WA, and was acquired following its successful takeover of Mutiny Gold in February 2015. After fast-tracking development of the $63m project, the mine commenced commercial production in November 2016 with an initial mine life of...

FMG autonomous truck strategy in gear

FMG autonomous truck strategy in gear

Image: FMG. BY ELIZABETH FABRI FORTESCUE Metals Group (FMG) will add more autonomous trucks to its fleet in FY18 as part of the company’s strategy to improve safety, productivity and efficiency across its Pilbara operations. Announced on 27 June, the FY18 innovation projects included converting up to 12 793F trucks to autonomous haulage technology (AHS) at Solomon Hub, the rollout of AHS across the Chichester Hub project, a relocatable overland conveyor trial at Cloudbreak mine, and IT network upgrades at Cloudbreak and Christmas Creek. Fortescue said about 100 haul trucks would be converted to AHS at the Chichester Hub to deliver on the 20 per cent productivity improvements recorded at Solomon since the company’s deployment of 56 AHS vehicles from...

NT gold mine begins production

NT gold mine begins production

The project is located in the Tennant Creek region. Image: Emmerson Resources. BY ELIZABETH FABRI PROJECT partners Emmerson Resources and mid-tier gold producer Evolution Mining will open the first Northern Territory gold mine in more than a decade, after final approval to begin production at the high grade Edna Beryl gold operation was received in June. Emmerson’s strategy was aimed at monetising a pipeline of small high grade gold deposits within its Tennant Creek project as a low cost path to production; the company stated that it had identified 15 such mines within its tenements. The first of these, Edna Beryl, will be operated under a tribute agreement with Edna Beryl Mining Company, an operator that specialises in small mines....

Kwinana Lithium expansion on cards

Kwinana Lithium expansion on cards

The $400 million first stage of the Tianqi Lithium Plant project was now under construction. Image: Tianqi Lithium Australia. BY ELIZABETH FABRI CHINESE-owned Tianqi Lithium has agreed to invest $317 million towards an expansion of its Kwinana Lithium Plant in WA, currently under construction. The first stage of the project was due to be complete at the end of 2018, and set to produce up to 24,000 tonnes of battery grade lithium hydroxide per annum. A second phase would double plant capacity to 48,000 tonnes per annum, and be built adjacent to the first plant, with a construction period of less than two years. Tianqi Lithium Australia managing director Phil Thick said the company was pleased to be moving to...

Aggreko snares $100m Amrun contract

Aggreko snares $100m Amrun contract

Rio Tinto’s Amrun project. BY CAMERON DRUMMOND RIO TINTO has awarded a $100 million contract to power provider Aggreko Australia Pacific to build and operate a 20MW power station at its $2.6 billion Amrun bauxite project near Weipa in North QLD. The station is to be a high efficiency modular diesel power system that includes engine efficiency upgrades and a heat-recovery system, to be deployed over the 15 year term of the contract which comes with a five year extension option. Rio Tinto Amrun general manager Marcia Hanrahan said the contract to build the power station signified another important milestone for delivery of the Amrun project. “The power delivery expertise and operational capabilities that the Aggreko team will bring will...

Approved projects unaffected by WA uranium ban

Approved projects unaffected by WA uranium ban

Toro Energy’s Wiluna uranium project site. BY CAMERON DRUMMOND THE WA Labor Government cannot legally stand in the way of uranium projects already approved by the former Government. The four approved projects – Toro Energy's Wiluna project, Cameco's Kintyre and Yeelirrie projects, and Vimy Resources' Mulga Rock project – would proceed as long as they meet their regulatory and environmental obligations. On 20 June the McGowan Government announced an expected ban on future uranium mining leases in the State, following on from its election promise to block future applications to mine the commodity. It said these actions were consistent with the ban that existed between 2002 and 2008 under the previous Labor administration. “The Government will not prevent the four...

Adani Carmichael: The final hurdle

Adani Carmichael: The final hurdle

All images: Adani BY CAMERON DRUMMOND DEVELOPMENT of Adani’s $16.5 billion Carmichael coal project is back on the table after the QLD Government made clear its position for the go ahead of the project. The Indian miner had dramatically suspended its final investment decision just days before its due date, blaming lack of clarity over royalty rates and the specifics of a $900 million Federal loan through the North Australian Infrastructure facility (NAIF). Over the last two years, Adani’s proposed Carmichael coal project has tenaciously pushed through the approval processes for the gigantic mine and associated infrastructure which, if developed, had the potential to unlock widespread development in the Galilee Basin. The proposed Carmichael coal, railway and port...