Author: Chloe Coutinho

The WA Government has identified Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Port Hedland, Broome, Geraldton and Albany as critical to its vision for WA to become a renewable energy powerhouse and make more products locally.

Rio Tinto commits $100m to regional worker housing

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) will invest $100m to support the delivery of more than 500 homes for regional frontline workers, as part of the WA Government’s Seven Cities Vision for regional WA.

The plant commissioning marks a key milestone in the company’s move to test lithium phosphate production at Pilgangoora.

PLS advances mid-stream push, posts record production

PLS Group (ASX: PLS) has commenced commissioning of its mid-stream demonstration plant at the Pilgangoora operation in WA.

Mr Murphy is currently Sandvik rotary drilling division president.

Sandvik appoints new mining president

Sandvik has appointed Patrick Murphy as mining business area president, effective July 1.

Whitehaven says it is on track to deliver $60-$80m in annualised cost savings by EOFY.

Whitehaven output falls 14% as coal prices lift

Whitehaven (ASX: WHC) run-of-mine production fell to 9.5mt in Q3 FY26, with weather disruptions weighing on Queensland output while prices surged off the back of conflict in the Middle East.

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.