Author: Chloe Coutinho

Building Victoria’s clean economy workforce The Victoria Government has announced an almost $9m funding package to boost skills in environmental sustainability and the clean economy. The investment will support TAFEs, universities, training providers and industry to establish practical Skills Labs where innovative short courses called Skill Sets can be developed. The funding package announced includes $3.45m to establish three Clean Economy Skills Labs — hosted at TAFE Gippsland...

Indigenous agreement secures WA’s clean energy future WA’s regional energy provider Horizon Power has signed its first Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with the Nyul Nyul people of Beagle Bay in the Kimberley. The agreement, which will support the region's transition to a clean energy future, allows Horizon Power access to a four-hectare area of land in Beagle Bay for the development of a future energy system that will deliver increased renewable energy for the community. The renewable energy development is in its planning stages...

Major contracts mark a successful year for Monadelphous Monadelphous Group (ASX: MND) reports a revenue of $2.03b for FY24, citing continued strong demand for maintenance services and higher levels of activity in the engineering construction sector. This follows Monadelphous’ announcement of $340m in new construction contracts for the iron ore and renewable energy sectors. In total, more than $3b in new contracts and extensions in lithium, iron ore and renewable energy sectors have been secured by Monadelphous in FY24. Within the lithium sector, Monadelphous secured contracts at Talison Lithium’s Greenbushes...

Perenti reports record year of earnings Perenti (ASX: PRN) has delivered another year of strong financial results, headlined by record revenue and underlying earnings and free cash flow of $184m. The acquisition of DDH1 in October was a major highlight for Perenti. Following the acquisition, Perenti created its Drilling Services Division, combining Ausdrill with four DDH1 brands: DDH1 Drilling, Ranger Drilling, Strike Drilling and Swick Drilling. Perenti also drilled down on its safety and sustainability initiatives, reporting a Serious Potential Incident Frequency Rate (SPIFR) of...

McPhillamys gold project blocked The Federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek has made a declaration of protection over part of the approved McPhillamys gold project site owned by Regis Resources (ASX: RRL). Minister Pilbersek says her decision is not to stop the mine and that protecting cultural heritage and development are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, Regis says this decision impacts a critical area of the project, making it non-viable. Regis Resources chief executive Jim Beyer says Regis is extremely surprised and disappointed that, after a nearly four-year, protracted Section 10 assessment process, Minister Plibersek has concluded...

BMA to run on 100% renewable electricity BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) is set to become the first Australian operations at BHP (ASX: BHP) to run under renewable power arrangements for 100% of its electricity needs following the signing of a new power purchase agreement (PPA) for its Queensland operations. The seven-year PPA commencing from FY27 is expected to allow BMA to meet all its forecasted electricity needs from sources such as solar, wind and pumped hydro. The new agreement, when combined with another renewable PPA signed with CleanCo in 2023, is expected to allow BMA’s Queensland assets to have 100%...

WA Mining Club announces new president The WA Mining Club (WAMC) has announced that Dani Tamati, Resources Hub managing director and long-time committee member, has been elected the Club’s new President for FY25. With a career spanning more than 30 years in the mining and resources industry, commencing FIFO then residential in the Pilbara, Ms Tamati is aware of the challenges that FIFO and remote living can bring to the workforce. The WAMC says Ms Tamati works tirelessly with clients and...

Monadelphous lands $340m in contracts Monadelphous (ASX: MND) has been awarded about $340m in new construction contracts for the iron ore and renewable energy sectors. In iron ore, Mondium — Monadelphous’ engineering, procurement and construction joint venture with Lycopodium — has been awarded a design and construct contract by Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO). The contract includes construction of a new sampling facility at a port operation in the Pilbara region of WA. Work is expected to be completed in mid-2026. Monadelphous has also been awarded a multidisciplinary construction contract under BHP’s (ASX: BHP) WA Iron Ore...

Drilling approved for Argent polymetallic project Argent Minerals’ (ASX: ARD) reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Kempfield project is set to commence in September 2024 following approval from the NSW Regulator. The program comprises 3,3000m across 51 RC drill holes and will confirm newly discovered Kempfield NW and Sugarloaf Hill prospects across copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver deposits. The Kempfield silver deposit mineral resource estimate for all categories has been upgraded to 63.7mt at 69.75 g/t silver equivalent for 142.8moz of gold equivalent, containing of 65.8moz...

Queensland Government and Rio Tinto partner on Gladstone’s Boyne Smelters The Queensland Government and Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) will work together under a partnership to support investment in renewable energy projects. The agreement represents an important step towards securing a long-term future for Australia's second-largest aluminium smelter, Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL) and thousands of jobs in central Queensland supported by the operations. The partnership supports Queensland's vision to establish Gladstone, Queensland, as a renewable energy hub and strengthens the electricity grid as Australia transitions to a cleaner...

FIRB approves major Australian-Japanese critical minerals collaboration Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) has approved the Ardea Resources (ASX: ARL), Sumitomo Metal Mining and Mitsubishi Corporation joint venture to develop the Kalgoorlie nickel project (KNP) in WA. The KNP and its sub-set the Goongarrie Hub, are a globally significant series of nickel-cobalt and critical mineral deposits which host the largest nickel-cobalt resource in the developed world at 854mt, according to Ardea. In addition to FIRB approval, Ardea has been informed that the Consortium has obtained merger control clearance from the Korea Fair Trade Commission, successfully satisfying two of the four conditions...