Author: Chloe Coutinho

BHP (ASX: BHP) will temporarily suspend WA nickel operations citing the global oversupply of nickel. Despite significant capital investments since FY20, BHP states they have not been able to overcome the sharp decline in nickel prices driven by increased international competition and reduced demand. BHP intends to review the temporary suspension by February 2027. The transition period will commence from July 2024, with operations to be suspended in October and handover activities for temporary suspension completed by December this year. During the transition, BHP will suspend mining and processing operations at the Kwinana nickel refinery, Kalgoorlie nickel smelter and Mt Keith and Leinster operations and the development of the West Musgrave project. The company will implement a care and maintenance…

Mineral Resources (MinRes) (ASX: MIN) won the firefighting event in the surface mine emergency rescue competition run by the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME) in Coolgardie. The event allows teams to compete in vehicle extrication, hazardous material response, confined space rescue, rope rescue, team skills, theory, mass casualty first aid and incident management. This was the first year MinRes had entered a team in the competition, winning the firefighting event in which participants worked through a scenario where a fire had spread from a vehicle to an excavator. MinRes emergency management principal advisor and CME mine rescue committee chair Daniel Goss says he is proud of the MinRes team. “The team was well managed by Chris O’Halloran and…

Impact Minerals (ASX: IPT) has confirmed the WA Lake Hope high purity alumina (HPA) pre-feasibility study (PFS) is on schedule for completion by the end of 2024. In a recent update to its PFS, Impact Minerals identified significant progress on the mine, the process plant and product development, offtake and marketing. The project has an estimated post-tax net present value of about $1.3b with a benchmark production of 10,000tpa of HPA which would make it one of the lowest-cost producers globally by a significant margin. Impact Minerals managing director says Kwinana, WA, has been selected for the location of the process plant. “We have selected Kwinana as the site for the processing plant and our proprietary Low-Temperature Leach as the…

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) will contribute an additional $20m to the WA Government to redevelop the Paraburdoo hospital in the Pilbara region. Rio Tinto’s contribution to the Paraburdoo Hospital will come from the company’s $250m commitment to the WA Government’s Resources Community Investment Initiative (RCII). The major redevelopment of the Paraburdoo Hospital is the first project through the RCII to receive funding. The partnership will see the ageing Paraburdoo Hospital upgraded with contemporary purpose-built facilities to support medical services for the local community, including new rooms for the GP. The project will be packaged with Rio Tinto’s previous $20m commitment to a new Tom Price hospital. Rio Tinto rail, ports and core services managing director Richard Cohen says they have…

Chinese JL Mag Rare-Earth will own 9.8% of Hastings (ASX: HAS) as well as a seat on its board following a $7m investment in the company. The investment proceeds will be used to advance the Yangibana rare earths project in WA toward production and supplements the $16m previously raised in April 2024. Hastings has already completed the construction of the mine infrastructure for the Yangibana project. The company plans to complete the project debt funding and start construction of its beneficiation plant in Q4 2024. The plant is expected to produce 37,000tpa of mixed rare earth concentrate with first production in H1 2026. Hastings executive chairman Charles Lew says they are pleased to welcome JL Mag as a long-term, strategic…

WA based XRF Scientific (ASX: XRF) will acquire the remaining 50% of Orbis Mining in an acquisition valued at $3.91m. XRF states this is a low risk, bolt-on acquisition with highly complementary products as the majority of XRF’s existing customers require laboratory jaw crushers like those produced by Orbis. XRF acquired its initial 50% shareholding for $800,000 in 2021. Since then, Orbis has grown significantly and continues to gain market share. In FY21, Orbis produced unaudited revenue of $2.3m and profit before tax of $0.34m. In FY24, Orbis generated unaudited revenue of $5.8m and profit before tax of $1.7m. Orbis is fully integrated into XRF’s operating structure, and the business will continue to be led by co?founder and general manager…

Orica (ASX: ORI) was the overall winner for impact and the resources, energy and utilities category in the 2024 Australian Financial Review (AFR) Sustainability Leaders awards. This follows a $37m investment from Orica, the NSW Government and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation for innovative low-carbon technologies at Orica’s Kooragang Island ammonium nitrate plant in Newcastle, NSW. The project was one of the largest industrial decarbonisation projects in the country and saw the development of Australia’s first tertiary catalyst abatement technology which reduced site emissions by about 45% and Australia’s total chemical industrial sector emissions by about 11%. Orica Australia Pacific and sustainability president Germán Morales says the awards are an acknowledgement of the team’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. “We have…

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) has launched AIATSIS Centre for Australian Languages and the ‘Our Languages Keep Us Strong’ program with support from Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO). Rio Tinto committed $10m in 2022 for their establishment and implementation to protect and preserve Indigenous Australian cultures and knowledge. Rio Tinto Australia chief executive Kellie Parker says the launch is a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to preserve and celebrate the linguistic diversity of Australia’s First Peoples. “AIATSIS plays a vital role in preserving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and cultures, ensuring their recognition, respect and celebration,” she said. “Through community-driven initiatives, AIATSIS, is paving the way for a future where Indigenous languages continue…

South32 (ASX: S32) is making progress across Australian and American mining operations with the development of automated exploration technology and energy efficient grinding plant equipment. In Australia, South32 has successfully completed the trial of its Evolution Drill Rig prototype. The prototype was trialled over three months at the Jessica and Cararra exploration projects in the Northern Territory, where South32 is in farm-in agreements with Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR). The drill rig, operated by contract partner DDH1 Drilling, improves safety performance without reducing productivity by removing the manual rod handling process during drilling. It is compatible with existing drill rigs and does not require custom-built drill rigs to use. The system will be deployed on other South32 exploration projects and across…

MACH is set to acquire all remaining shares of Rex Minerals (Rex) (ASX: RXM) in a new scheme implementation deed. The Rex board has unanimously recommended the transaction. The offer follows a competitive global partnering process which identified a $854m funding and development pathway for mining operations at Rex’s Hillside copper-gold project in South Australia. Rex Minerals chief executive Richard Laufmann says this option provides certainty for stakeholders in Hillside, including the local community, the South Australian Government and Rex employees. “The Transaction provides certainty of value and a significant premium representing a 98% uplift relative to Rex’s 90-day volume-weighted average price, as well as the opportunity for Rex shareholders to realise their investment at a 10-year historical share price…

Alkane Resources (Alkane) (ASX: ALK) Tomingley gold operations in New South Wales has closed FY24 with 57,217oz of production to meet its updated guidance. Production in the June quarter of FY24 accounted for 17,319oz of gold. Preliminary all in sustaining costs (AISC) are expected to fall within updated guidance ($2,150/oz to $2,350/oz) for FY24 The Group’s unaudited cash, bullion and listed investments position at the close of FY24 totalled $54.5m, comprising $45.5m cash, $8.7m of bullion on hand and $0.3m of listed investments. Alkane managing director Nic Earner says the Roswell underground ramp-up is the primary contributor to this strong production. “Tomingley is steadily increasing production from the Roswell underground. Tomingley is now performing well, and the paste plant and…