Author: Samantha Bawden

Sandvik’s world first battery-powered cable bolter Sandvik is expanding its industry-leading battery-electric underground drill offering to include a battery-powered cable bolter, the first of its kind. Designed for cement grouted cable-bolt installation in underground mines and tunnels, the Sandvik DS422iE is a rock reinforcement drill rig which uses lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery power instead of a diesel engine and offers zero emissions tramming, drilling, bolting and grouting. The LFP battery chemistry provides maximum safety underground...

Metso’s reliable power solutions for grinding mills Metso has introduced its new power transmission (MPT) engineered to meet the rigorous demands of today’s modern mineral processing operations. Featuring the H-Series and R-Series gearbox platforms specifically engineered for horizontal and vertical grinding mills, respectively, the solutions are designed to offer exceptional reliability, serviceability and OEM value in aftermarket applications. The in-house-designed power transmission solutions are engineered to integrate seamlessly with Metso grinding mills for superior performance and simplified maintenance. These benefits translate into increased operational optimisation, extended wear life, minimised downtime and enduring value that supports long-term business success. A...

Queensland Government backs energy storage solutions Queensland Government-owned Stanwell Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners to position the Stanwell power station as a hub for battery innovation. Under the MoU, Stanwell and Quinbrook will pilot one of the world’s first 8-hour duration battery systems at the Stanwell coal-fired power station site near Rockhampton. Unlike conventional large batteries, which offer up to 4-hour duration, the EnerQB battery is designed specifically for 8-hour operation, offering transformative potential for firming renewable energy and supporting industrial growth. Queensland Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki says...

Court rules for safer conditions for Queensland mines The Queensland Industrial Court has ruled in favour of the state's resources regulator to limit operations at Queensland open cut mines during severe lightning storms. Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) has issued a safety alert following the outcome, which confirmed it was not safe for mine workers to operate heavy mobile equipment (HME) such as bulldozers and dump trucks, during nearby lightning storms. The court cases arose after RSHQ coal mines chief inspector Jacques le Roux first issued a directive...

Federal Government supercharges battery innovation The Federal Government is investing $25m in Melbourne-based company Relectrify to fast-track the roll-out of its world-first battery energy storage system, the AC1. This breakthrough battery technology has the potential to transform energy storage – supporting the transition to a more flexible, low emissions grid as, unlike conventional batteries, the AC1 can generate grid-ready AC power directly from battery cells, without the need for an inverter. This dramatically decreases costs, reduces battery degradation and helps deliver more reliable, affordable energy as part of the Federal Government's efforts to...

Curtin scientists awarded for their innovation Two Curtin University researchers have been recognised among Australia’s top emerging science leaders, named joint WA winners of the 2025 Young Tall Poppy Science Awards. Geologist Dr Denis Fougerouse and geospatial scientist Dr Yongze Song, are the two winners of the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS)’ prestigious award, celebrated for their respective research driving Australia’s clean energy and smart infrastructure futures. Dr Denis Fougerouse is a geologist pioneering research in nanogeoscience...

Alcoa’s record-breaking rehabilitation effort Alcoa (ASX: AAI) planted a record number of nursery-raised native seedlings across sites as part of its annual planting season.  The 745,000 seedlings were hand planted across 619ha at its Huntly and Willowdale bauxite mines in WA and 2.1t of zamia palm seeds were spread over the same areas.  The increase from about 500,000 plants and 1.6tof zamia seeds last year is part of a concerted effort to increase total areas under rehabilitation and ensure optimum density of planting.  Planting is one of the final steps of...

Australian mine rescue teams go head-to-head Yesterday, Queensland Mines Rescue Service (QMRS) and Coal Services NSW Mines Rescue hosted the 61st Australian Underground Mines Rescue Competition at BMA’s Broadmeadow coal mine in Queensland. The event brought together eight of the nation’s best mines rescue teams from Queensland and NSW, showcasing their skills, teamwork and commitment to safety in a series of challenging underground emergency response scenarios. Teams were tested on firefighting, search and rescue, first aid, hazard awareness and team management across realistic and high-pressure...

Hundreds of jobs on the line as AGL retires coal-fired power AGL Energy (ASX: AGL), one of Australia’s largest energy providers, will cut hundreds of jobs as it retires ageing coal-fired power stations and replaces them with renewable assets. The Mining and Energy Union (MEU) representatives were informed that 300 jobs, including management and operational roles, would be cut across AGL’s business in meetings held at AGL’s Bayswater and Loy Yang A power stations in NSW this week. MEU general secretary Grahame Kelly says the news is devastating for workers. “Coal-fired power station workers around the country are already facing stress and uncertainty with moving timelines for...

Onslow Iron backs strong Q1 results for MinRes Mineral Resources (ASX: MIN) is on track to reach its full-year guidance driven by the ramp-up of Onslow Iron to its nameplate capacity and a lithium market rebound in Q1 FY26. Total quarterly iron ore production across the company’s Onslow Iron and Pilbara Hub operations reached 10.9mt with record shipments of 11.4mt, 8.6mt of which were shipped from Onslow Iron — a 50% quarter-on-quarter increase. Costs at MinRes’ Wodinga and Mt Marion lithium projects were lower than expected with the weighted average realised price achieved rising 31% quarter-on-quarter to about $1280/t . Total...