Author: Chloe Coutinho

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle travelled along the Pilbara coast and crossed between Coral Bay and Cape Cuvier as a category 3 system on March 27.

Rio Tinto donates $1.5m for Cyclone Narelle recovery

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) will donate $1.5m to the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) to support communities impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle.

This extends the Lithium Industry Support Program which was due to expire at the end of 2026.

WA extends fee waivers for Tianqi, Covalent Lithium

The WA Government has allocated $30m to expand a fee waiver initiative that will support Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia and Covalent Lithium.

Last week, CMRG reportedly told several Chinese steel mills they can purchase some BHP cargoes, relaxing restrictions that had been in place since September 2025.

BHP-China trade talks come to an end

BHP (ASX: BHP) has concluded price talks for its iron ore sales contract with the China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG) after more than seven months of negotiations.

Off the Record: Prediction markets, plastic straws and the new panopticon

Off the Record: Prediction markets, plastic straws and the new panopticon

On Polymarket, crises are no longer lived realities; they are odds to watch and positions to take.

This marks Lynas’ highest quarterly revenue since Q4 FY22.

Lynas posts 115% revenue increase

Lynas Rare Earths (ASX: LYC) recorded Q3 FY26 revenue of $265m, primarily driven by increasing prices and higher volume sales of both neodymium-praseodymium and total rare earth oxide products.

Rio Tinto consumes about 1.6b litres of diesel annually, around two-thirds in the Pilbara.

Rio Tinto flags Middle East conflict after strong Q1

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) posted a 9% year-on-year increase in copper equivalent production and its second-highest Q1 Pilbara iron ore production since 2018, up 13% year-on-year.

The MCA says progression of critical mineral projects requires policy settings that enable investment to proceed at scale, support skilled workforce development, maintain local and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business participation and ensure that long-life projects can anchor the population levels, services and infrastructure that communities rely upon.

MCA calls for critical minerals reform

The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has called on the Federal Government to reform critical minerals project approvals, warning that opportunities will only translate into regional economic strength if projects can move from approval to construction and into long-term operation.

In Q1 CY26, the Geelong Refinery operated at full production with a crude intake of 10.2MBBL.

Geelong refinery fire forces output cuts

Viva Energy’s (ASX: VEA) Geelong refinery will operate at reduced capacity in the short term following a fire last week, with diesel, jet fuel and petrol production all impacted.

Alcoa expects 2026 total alumina segment production and shipments to remain unchanged from its prior projection, ranging between 9.7-9.9mt and between 11.8-12.0mt respectively.

Middle East conflict weighs on Alcoa shipments

Alcoa’s (ASX: AAI) first quarter aluminium shipments fell 8% while alumina shipments fell 31%, partly due to shipping delays linked to war in the Middle East and Cyclone Narelle.

NRW successfully completed the acquisition of Fredon Industries in September 2025.

NRW’s Fredon books $160m in contracts

Fredon, a wholly owned subsidiary of NRW Holdings (ASX: NWH), has secured five electrical and mechanical contracts with a combined value of about $160m.

The refinery supplies more than 50% of Victoria’s and 10% of Australia’s fuel and can process up to 120,000bbls of oil per day, according to Viva Energy.

Fire breaks out at one of Australia’s two oil refineries

A major fire broke out at Viva Energy’s (ASX: VEA) Geelong oil refinery just after 11pm last night, with the blaze now contained to the area of origin.