Author: Chloe Coutinho

AREEA says it will continue to advocate for a fair, workable and balanced framework that protects productivity across Australia’s resources and energy sector.

Court strikes down award limits on union delegates

A Full Federal Court has ruled the Fair Work Commission (FWC) unlawfully narrowed workplace delegate rights in modern awards, ordering it to redo the award terms.

Haulage from Yilgarn's operations recommenced in September, with the first trainloads of iron ore reaching the Port of Esperance last month, reactivating transport corridors linking the Yilgarn Hub with the port.

Yilgarn Iron completes first shipment

Yilgarn Iron has completed its first shipment with more than 176,000t of iron ore loaded through the Port of Esperance in WA.

The smelter was founded in 1983 and produces up to 590,000tpa of aluminium — about 40% of Australia’s total production.

Australia’s largest aluminium smelter to remain open beyond 2028

The Federal Government will work with the NSW Government and Tomago Aluminium to keep the smelter open beyond 2028 when its current energy contract expires.

The Great Fingall and Golden Crown mines are two of WA’s most storied gold producers.

Westgold restarts Cue gold mine

Westgold Resources (ASX: WGX) has successfully fired the first high-grade stope at its Great Fingall mine — now accessing virgin areas last mined more than a century ago.

The Dwellingup MAZ is currently 8,344ha.

Alcoa doubles no-mining zone

Alcoa Australia (ASX: AAI) will expand its Mining Avoidance Zone (MAZ) around Dwellingup to 26,000ha, equivalent to the size of about 860 Optus stadiums.The expanded MAZ is adjacent to several designated conservation areas, including sections of old growth forest which will never be mined.

The critical minerals to be produced at Gonneville are essential to the auto and defence sectors, data centres and many rapidly growing decarbonisation applications.

Chalice confirms $4.7b critical minerals development

Chalice Mining’s (ASX: CHN) pre-feasibility study has been completed for the Gonneville palladium-nickel-copper project in WA, confirming a 23-year open pit phase.

Glencore has also decided to restart the Alumbrera copper-gold operation in Argentina.

Glencore eyes $2.4b copper push

Vale Base Metals and Glencore Canada have agreed to jointly evaluate a potential brownfield copper development in Canada’s Sudbury Basin.The move comes as copper prices soar, driven by supply crunches, an anticipated shortage and uncertainty as US tariffs loom.

Rio Tinto outlined the new strategy at its 2025 Capital Markets Day.

Trott targets $15b overhaul for a slimmed-down Rio Tinto

In his first major strategy update, Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) chief executive Simon Trott shared his plans to cut costs while targeting up to $15b (US$10b) in asset sales.

Parts of Rio Tinto’s Hope Downs mining operations and the proposed Rhodes Ridge development are located on Nyiyaparli Country.

Rio Tinto updates Native Title Agreement

Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation (KNAC) Registered Native Title Body Corporate and Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) have signed an updated agreement to provide Rio Tinto with a clear framework for engaging on mine development on Nyiyaparli Country.

Cerro Matoso is an open-cut mine and smelter producing ferronickel, located in Cordoba, Colombia.

South32 completes ferronickel sale

South32 (ASX: S32) has completed its divestment of the Cerro Matoso mine and smelter in Colombia.

Kurt Hourigan, 37, died and Connor Smith, 21, was critically injured when the section of mine they were working in collapsed 500m underground.

Mining companies charged over fatal rockfall

WorkSafe Victoria has charged the operator of Ballarat gold mine and a mining services company after a worker died and another suffered life-threatening injuries in March 2024.