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Develop Global Limited (ASX: DVP) has been awarded a $46m contract to develop an exploration decline at the Mt Marion lithium mine in WA, about 40km southwest of Kalgoorlie. The contract is expected to start in early 2024 with a term of 18 months. Former Northern Star Resources boss Bill Beament, who now heads Develop as its managing director, says “the award of this contract to Develop is a significant vote of confidence in our world-class underground mining team”. “We have built a world-class underground mining team with immense experience in developing and operating underground operations, especially in WA,” he said. “The strength of this team is shown by the outstanding results we are generating at the Bellevue gold mine,…

After seven years in the role, WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston is stepping down from Cabinet and will not contest the 2025 State Election. Minister Johnston will see out the remainder of his term as the Member for Cannington, a position he has been in since 2008. “I have been very proud to work for the Cannington community over the last 15 years, and I look forward to serving them until the next election,” he said. “The Cannington community have always had my first loyalty as their representative in Parliament, and it is a tremendous privilege to represent this vibrant community.”  As well as the Member for Cannington, Mr Johnston served as Minister for Mines and Petroleum since…

Following metallurgical test work at the Gold Duke project, Western Gold Resources (ASX:WGR) is one step closer to becoming a gold producer. Perth-based BHM Process Consultants undertook the test work to determine the amenability of the orebodies to heap leaching and carbon-in-leach (CIL) processing. Notably for Western Gold, results from this work pointed towards a low capex gold operation. Samples were taken from oxide ore stockpiles which were previously sampled as part of a trial toll-treatment program. Both a high-grade (153kg) and a low-grade (137kg) composite were formed from the stockpiles and submitted to Nagrom laboratory. The high-grade sample returned a grade of 2g/t gold while the low-grade sample returned a grade of 0.10g/t gold. Column leaching of a composite…

The Australian Government will invest more than $4m in new research to help lower methane emissions from resources projects and help Australia achieve net zero by 2050. Two research grants have been introduced to the CSIRO and the University of Newcastle for projects which will trial new technology that will tackle methane emissions from coal mines. The grants — $2.05m for the CSIRO and $2.3m for the University of Newcastle — come from the Resources Methane Abatement Fund and will be for projects that tackle ventilation air methane. The Methane Abatement Fund supports research organisations to undertake development, prototype verification and validation, and demonstration level projects. Federal Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King commented on the grants. “Reducing methane…

In a world-first for the mining industry, Atlas Iron’s Sanjiv Ridge iron ore mine site has been awarded the WELL Health-Safety Rating. Atlas is a subsidiary of Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting and its Sanjiv Ridge mining operation is located 240km from Port Hedland in the Pilbara, northwest WA. Hancock Operations chief executive Gerhard Veldsman says WELL Health-Safety Rating reinforces the company’s commitment to prioritising the health, safety and comfort of its staff. “Championed by our executive chairman Mrs Gina Rinehart AO, and previous Atlas chief executive, now Atlas board member, Sanjiv Manchanda, achieving this certification demonstrates that we are putting the wellbeing of our people first, both on site and within the village facilities,” he said. The WELL Health-Safety rating…

More than 75% of the areas cleared for bauxite mining in WA have been rehabilitated with the ultimate goal of the rehabilitation to restore a self-sustaining jarrah forest ecosystem. To date, Alcoa has handed back two areas — totalling 1355ha — at the Jarrahdale mine and has received two Certificates of Acceptance from the State stating the areas met appropriate criteria for completed rehabilitation. Notably, this was the first significant mining are to be submitted for and receive a Certificate of Acceptance in Australia. Many of the rehabilitated areas that are yet to be handed back to the State support self-sustaining forest ecosystems and some also provide valuable forest recreation areas. As natural growth processes take many years, this is…

The Australian Human Rights Commission will have new powers from 12 December 2023 to investigate and enforce an employer’s positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act 1985. Positive duty, introduced in December 2022, was a key recommendation of the Commission’s Respect@Work Report, led by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins AO and published in March 2020. It imposes a legal obligation on organisations and businesses to take proactive and meaningful action to prevent certain unlawful conduct from occurring and to create safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces for everyone. Trauma Informed Practice Training (TIPT) founder Tanya Hallett says that while individual states offer objective tools and resources for addressing sexual harassment and assault in the mining industry, more needs to be…

With decarbonisation efforts accelerating across the mining sector, Sandvik has unveiled its second battery-electric concept surface drill rig. This vehicle is the first in its size class, is capable of drilling holes up to 229m in diameter and can blend the autonomy of battery with the continuous endurance of power cable. Electric surface rigs typically depend solely on a tethered cable as the power source but Sandvik’s second battery-electric surface drill rig pushes the potential of more sustainable surface drilling. The battery provides power for up to one hour of drilling or seven hours of tramming, and the battery is primarily intended for tramming and drilling individual holes while the bulk of a pattern is carried out via power from…

Reforms to the Northern Territory’s environmental regulation of mining activities have passed through Parliament. The Environmental Protection Legislation Amendment (Mining) Bill 2023 will improve the Northern Territory’s environmental management of mining activities. The Northern Territory’s mining industry is the largest income driver, with the industry worth over $6b. Northern Territory Environment, Climate Change and Water Security Minister Kate Worden commented on the reforms. “The resources sector is a major employer and economic driver for the Northern Territory and will be an important factor in our future prosperity,” she said. “Mining needs to be sustainable and ecologically viable. These reforms will give the industry more certainty around what their environmental responsibilities are. “The new legislative framework will increase transparency and accountability…