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First drill program in 10 years begins at Yundamindra The first drilling program at the Yundamindra gold project in 10 years is set to begin to follow up outstanding near surface drill intersections. Situated 65km southeast of Leonora in WA, the Yundamindra project is held 80% by Metalicity (ASX:MCT) and 20% by joint venture partner Nex Metals (ASX:NME). Prior to 1970, Yundamindra had high grade production of 74kt @ 19.3g/t gold for 45,000oz with structures hosting visible fine gold mineralisation within laminated quartz veins. Previous significant results include 8m @56.36g/t gold from 44m, 1m @ 48.1g/t gold from 12m and 2m @39.49g/t gold from 31m. The most recent drilling, which was undertaken...

Up to $3m worth of exploration grants available in the Northern Territory Applications are open round 17 of the Northern Territory Government’s Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program with up to $3m in grants available to advance exploration. The grants aim to address geoscientific knowledge gaps, advance exploration activity and support the discovery and development of resources in the Territory. More than half of the $3m will be directed towards projects targeting commodities on the Northern Territory’s critical minerals list which has seen two new critical minerals added — gallium and graphite. A silver-white metal, gallium has multiple uses, including in integrated circuits, lasers and LEDs. This new critical mineral was recently...

Mine Dewatering: An essential process for ensuring Safety and continuity in mining operations Effective dewatering is crucial for ensuring the safety and productivity of mining operations, particularly when extracting minerals below the water table or in open mines prone to rainfall. A strong dewatering plan is not only beneficial – it is absolutely essential. Understanding Mine Dewatering Challenges The process of dewatering in mining plays a pivotal role in maintaining safe and efficient working conditions by extracting water from underground and surface areas. Its primary purpose is to prevent flooding, groundwater seepage, and destabilisation of excavation sites. Additionally, it facilitates access to mineral deposits and extraction processes. Dewatering is essential for both open-pit and underground mining operations to prevent equipment...

Capricorn Metals announces record half-year profit  Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) announced its half-year profit before tax increased by 35% to $78.8 million over the previous corresponding period (pcp), a record half-year result for the gold miner.   The miner’s profit increase was buoyed by a rise in sales of 7%, to 60,341 ounces, on the back of a strong six months of operations at the Karlawinda Gold Project.   The Karlawinda Gold Project (KGP), located 65 kilometres south-east of Newman in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, commenced operations in June 2021, and has a 10-year mine life on current reserves.   “The KGP had a strong...

Gov needs to do more to promote green explosives, new study finds  A new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has found that a government incentive program would accelerate the adoption of green explosives by miners.  Miners consume about half of Australia’s ammonia through explosives and a shift to green explosives could be done with a minimal increase in operating costs.  The IEEFA report found that by switching ammonia production facilities from fossil gas to green hydrogen Australia could lead the world in the production of green ammonia and lay the foundation for a new green hydrogen industry.  IEEFA Australia...

BlueScope eyes South32’s $2.53b coal deal BlueScope Steel Limited (ASX: BSL) has announced it is considering its option to weigh in on South32 Limited’s (ASX: S32) plan to sell its Illawarra Metallurgical Coal business.  South32 announced yesterday that it had agreed to sell its Illawarra Metallurgical Coal (IMC) business for $2.53b ($US1.65 billion) as the miner presses ahead with its strategy to move away from coal to focus on zinc and copper.   The BHP spinoff agreed to sell the coal business to an entity owned by Golden Energy and Resources (GEAR) and M Resources, building on GEAR’s metallurgical coal holdings in Australia, in the deal expected...

AMEC continues push for Australian production tax credit The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) led a delegation of companies to Canberra as it continues to press the Federal Government for a production tax credit (PTC).   The delegation included representatives from mining and exploration companies crucial to the critical minerals sector, such as Wyloo Metals, IGO, Australian Vanadium, QEM, Pilbara Minerals, and Tesla.   AMEC chief executive Warren Pearce says the meetings provided “an opportunity to relay the real struggles facing the industry at the moment”.   “It also sends a strong message to the Federal Government that the time for action is now.   “The upcoming...

Westgold announces record half year revenue Westgold Resources Limited (ASX: WGX) says its revenue increased by 15% on the previous corresponding period to $363m, a record half year result for the West Australian gold miner.  Westgold also announced its net profit for H1 FY24 came in at $44m, representing a 500% increase on H1 FY23, as gold prices increased 22% on the previous corresponding period.  Although Westgold produced 122,342oz of gold H1 FY24, 5% less than the previous corresponding period, the gold miner says it is on track to achieve its FY24 guidance of 245,000-265,000oz.      Westgold Resources managing director and CEO Wayne Bramwell says “our mines...

South32 exits coal to focus on zinc and copper South32 Limited (ASX: S32) has agreed to sell its Illawarra Metallurgical Coal business for $2.53b ($US1.65 billion) as the miner presses ahead with its strategy to move away from coal to focus on zinc and copper.  The BHP spinoff agreed to sell the coal business to an entity owned by Golden Energy and Resources (GEAR) and M Resources, building on GEAR's metallurgical coal holdings in Australia, in the deal expected to be finalised in H1 FY25.  South32 chief executive Graham Kerr says the deal “will realise significant value for our shareholders and is consistent with our strategy to reshape...

BHP bolsters Oak Dam operations   BHP has significantly bolstered its Oak Dam operations, one of the most significant copper discoveries in recent history, with 12 rigs presently on site and the majority of its 150-person drilling camp now occupied.  The miner has established an integrated copper province in the South Australia’s far north by combining the Prominent Hill and Carrapateena mines with its existing Olympic Dam mine, smelter and refinery, and the Oak Dam exploration prospect.  The so-called “OD Deeps” program has identified extremely high grades of copper deep underneath the Olympic Dam ore body, in some instances of more than 2%, according to the miner.  BHP asset president copper South Australia Anna Wiley says encouraging exploration data at...

South Australia seeks partners for major green iron plans  The South Australian government is planning to establish a hydrogen-based direct reduction iron (DRI) plant in the state by the end of the decade and is seeking partners to get the project off the ground. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas announced that an expressions of interest process would commence in June, seeking involvement from businesses to jointly investigate the development of a hydrogen-based DRI plant in South Australia. “The world needs steel, and as it seeks to decarbonise, it will increasingly need green iron and steel,” he said.  “We have the key ingredients for a DRI plant in the Upper Spencer Gulf – an unrivalled resource of magnetite, and soon, a...