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Through its wholly owned subsidiary Suretec Solutions, Surefire Resources (ASX: SRN) has filed an Australian provisional patent application to protect its proprietary vanadium recovery process. Perth-based patent attorney WRAYS was appointed to review the process and undertake a search on the subject matter of the invention. Following this, WRAYS have confirmed to application has been lodged with IP Australia. Surefire’s metallurgical application reduces the need for standard heat pre-treatment processes currently used in the vanadium extraction industry. In May 2023, Surefire appointed METS Engineering to assess the potential for recovery of a high purity vanadium oxide in liquid form. From this, a clean high purity vanadium electrolyte could be produced for use in the vanadium battery sector. After a 96-hour…

Dense media separation (DMS) has produced manganese concentrate grades of up to 31.8% from Black Canyon’s (ASX: BCA) KR1 and KR2 deposits in WA. In late 2023, metallurgical sample preparation was completed on 400kg of reverse circulation drill chip samples from the KR1 and KR2 mineral resource estimate areas. The samples were processed using large-scale dense media separation (DMS) equipment that simulates beneficiation processing used across mining operations to upgrade manganese and iron ore in the Pilbara. The aim of this program was to produce a beneficiated manganese concentrate feedstock for use in upscaled hydrometallurgical testwork to develop and optimise the high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate flowsheet. Black Canyon managing director Brendan Cummins says the results confirm the company’s expectations. “For…

A national survey of Generation Z, 15 to 24-year-olds, has found almost three quarters (72%), believe mining is important to a net zero emissions future. However, land rehabilitation and workplace culture top the list of their concerns (a tie at 77%), followed by renewable energy use (69%) and reducing or recycling mining waste and pollution (67%). The Gen Z Perceptions of Mining report, developed by AUSMASA in partnership with Year 13, aims to better understand how young people perceive the mining industry and how to encourage more young Australians to pursue career opportunities in mining. The Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA) is one of 10 Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) funded by the Federal Government Employment and Workplace Relations…

Orexplore Technologies (ASX: OXT) is conducting commercial validation tests on its new gold detection technology with multiple tier-1 gold mining companies. Orexplore’s technology detects nuggety gold on-site within 20 minutes, optimising the volumes of processed and transported core samples to laboratories which can take weeks or months to provide results. It quickly identifies nuggets larger than 100 micrometres in size through the full 3D volume of the core. It aims to reduce the required drill sample volumes and can potentially accelerate the utilisation of gold grades for operational grade control and improved nuggety deposit characterisation. Nuggety gold mines are difficult to find, design and operate, yet remain highly valuable if well developed and operated. Orexplore’s technology allows the coarse gold…

The QCoal Foundation has announced the inaugural recipient of the Christopher Wallin Prize for Excellence in Geology, established to recognise students striving for excellence in the field of geology, as Jose Pena Araya. Townsville-based Jose has just commenced his third year of a Bachelor of Geology. Originally from Chile but more recently from Mount Isa, Jose will receive the $2000 prize and the opportunity for paid work placement with QCoal Group. This prize, awarded to the second-year student studying a Bachelor of Geology at James Cook University who demonstrates a commitment to excellence by achieving the highest GPA in the cohort, was established by the QCoal Foundation in recognition of its founding donor QCoal Group’s long-term commitment to the geology…

CSI Mining Services, a subsidiary of Mineral Resources (ASX: MIN), has formed its first joint venture with Indigenous company PMW Industries (PMWI). A Traditional Owner Banjima business, PMW Industries has over 10 years of experience delivering rail and civil services. CSI and PMWI already have an established subcontracting relationship, delivering crushing, screening and rehabilitation services to tier one mining companies. The new joint venture will help strengthen this relationship with a focus on establishing a mining services contract portfolio. CSI chief executive Mike Gray says it’s fantastic to continue building on the existing relationship with PMWI. “CSI and PMWI have been working together since 2022, including establishing an accredited Indigenous trainee program for crushing and equipment operators,” he said. “We…

The first convoy of Kenworth C509 prime movers with autonomous technology has arrived at Mineral Resources’ (ASX: MIN) Onslow iron project in WA. The prime movers will be based at Mineral Resources’ Truck Maintenance Facility near Onslow while they undertake trials and verification before beginning autonomous operations. Mineral Resources director of technology and innovation David Geraghty says the arrival of the vehicles is an exciting milestone for the project. “The prime movers are being progressively fitted out with autonomous technology by autonomy specialist Hexagon. It’s fantastic to see the first batch arrive in Onslow in preparation of first ore mid-2024,” he said. “They will initially commence as manned operations, with trials and verifications with safety drivers to occur later in…

Anglo American has rejected BHP’s $59.57b (£31.1b) proposal as it “significantly undervalues Anglo American and its future prospects”. Additionally, Anglo American’s board believes the proposal contemplates a structure which is highly unattractive for the company’s shareholders, given the uncertainty and complexity in the proposal and significant execution risks. Anglo American chairman Stuart Chambers commented on the rejection of the proposal. “The BHP proposal is opportunistic and fails to value Anglo American’s prospects, while significantly diluting the relative value upside participation of Anglo American’s shareholders relative to BHP’s shareholders,” he said. “The proposed structure is also highly unattractive, creating substantial uncertainty and execution risk borne almost entirely by Anglo American, its shareholders and its other stakeholders. “With copper representing 30% of…

Ardea Resources (ASX: ARL) has entered a binding cooperation agreement with Sumitomo Metal Mining and Mitsubishi Corporation (Consortium) to develop the Kalgoorlie nickel project – Goongarrie Hub in WA. The incorporated joint venture will be Kalgoorlie Nickel (KNPL), which is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Ardea. The cooperation agreement sets out the terms and conditions on which Ardea, Sumitomo, Mitsubishi and KNPL will fund and undertake a definitive feasibility study (DFS). Upon agreement by the parties and subject to a positive DFS, front-end engineering design and pre-commitment activities leading to a final investment decision on the Kalgoorlie nickel project – Goongarrie Hub. Separate to the cooperation agreement, Ardea, Sumitomo and KNPL have agreed on funding support arrangements, enabling DFS…

Successful applicants for Round 29 of the Exploration Incentive Scheme’s (EIS) Co-funded Drilling Program, Series 7 of the Energy Analysis Program (EAP) and the inaugural Co-funded Geophysics Program (CGP) have been announced. All up, 47 applicants will receive grants worth almost $7.5m in the EIS for projects to be drilled between June 2024 and November 2025. Round 29 of the EIS program saw a continued interest in battery minerals exploration with 57% of the project focusing on these commodities, including rare earth elements, lithium and nickel-cobalt. Western Mines Group (ASX: WMG) received $318,000 to fund drilling at the Mulga Tank project and Miramar Resources (ASX: M2R) was awarded $180,000 to target nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum group element mineralisation at…