Category: Companies

BUSINESSES around the Mackay region have long thrived on work provided by US company Peabody’s Coppabella, and the other mines in the vicinity. Its strong culture of community engagement and corporate responsibility provides ongoing support to community services, local emergency services, education, safety and environmental management. Coppabella celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018. Peabody Australia president George Schuller said that over its two decades in operation, Coppabella had provided benefits for the Moranbah and Nebo townships and the Mackay region as a whole. The comments were echoed by Queensland Regional Council director Ian MacFarlane. “Coppabella has exported coal to Japan, Korea and Taiwan, paying royalties to the State Government which are used to build the schools and hospitals,” he said.…

TIME continues to tick down to Adani Australia’s deadline of late 2021 for first coal exports from its giant Carmichael coal mine located in central Queensland’s unmined Galilee Basin coalfield. Adani finally received approval for its Carmichael mine and rail project from the Queensland government last year, more than a decade after the Indian-domiciled company had first submitted its project application to Queensland planning authorities in the late 2000s. An Australia-based spokesperson for Adani Mining said in an emailed statement to AMR that the project was proceeding to schedule. “We look forward to the completion of the mine and rail construction in 2021, and for our first coal to also be exported later that year,” the spokesperson said. “The Carmichael…

SOUTH32 is walking the fine line between increased production at Illawarra Metallurgical Coal and reassuring climate conscious shareholders it is closely monitoring trends in consumer and market behaviour around coal. Releasing a report titled Our Approach to Climate Change 2019, the company has completed decarbonisation concept studies at Illawarra Metallurgical Coal, with the aim of identifying potential decarbonisation initiatives, which can be progressed into prefeasibility planning during FY20. However, metallurgical coal demand is set to skyrocket from 275mt (in 2017) to 372mt by 2030 – according to the NSW Minerals Council – and Illawarra is expected to increase production to around 7mt by the end of financial year 2020 and 8mt by FY21. In the September quarter alone, the site…

THE $3.5b Koodaideri iron ore mine in WA is progressing to plan with engineering, procurement and construction activities on schedule for first production in late 2021. Koodaideri will deliver a new production hub for Rio Tinto’s world-class iron ore business in the Pilbara, incorporating a processing plant and infrastructure including a 166km rail line connecting the mine to the existing network. This includes construction of a new bridge in the Pilbara to carry the Great Northern Highway traffic over the proposed Rio Tinto Iron Ore Koodaideri Rail Line. The bridge project, funded by Rio Tinto and managed by Main Roads, is expected to create a minimum of 40 local jobs with a $23m contract awarded to a joint venture between…

TIME continues to tick down to Adani Australia’s deadline of late 2021 for first coal exports from its giant Carmichael coal mine located in central Queensland’s unmined Galilee Basin coalfield. Adani finally received approval for its Carmichael mine and rail project from the Queensland government last year, more than a decade after the Indian-domiciled company had first submitted its project application to Queensland planning authorities in the late 2000s. An Australia-based spokesperson for Adani Mining said in an emailed statement to AMR that the project was proceeding to schedule. “We look forward to the completion of the mine and rail construction in 2021, and for our first coal to also be exported later that year,” the spokesperson said. “The Carmichael…

THE 100pc-owned, high-grade, zircon-rich Boonanarring mineral sands project, 80km north of Perth, exceeded nameplate capacity in the second month of operation in January 2019. The company achieved profitability in Q1 and was cashflow positive in Q2. At Q3, the company had produced 201.4kt heavy mineral concentrate (HMC) for the year, with full-year guidance lifted to 260-280kt HMC, which the company said reflected the “better than expected operation performance”. The company’s ore processing rates had benefited significantly from the installation of a larger trommel at the feed preparation plant in August, which allowed for an 11pc increase in Q3 to hit 874kt. Image Resources managing director, Patrick Mutz, said that the success of the project in its first year of production…

AT the 2019 annual general meeting in November, Regis’ non-executive chairman James Mactier told shareholders the year had been a profitable one. “This year was one of significant achievement and change for Regis and I am pleased to report, another very profitable one,” Mr Mactier said. “Net Profit After Tax of $163.1m, despite being slightly down on last year, was a commendable achievement. “Record revenue from increased gold production and a higher realised gold price was offset by increased costs primarily due to increased strip ratios and industry-wide cost pressures.” Additionally, a non-cash write-down of some previously capitalised exploration expenditure was taken. “Our strong profitability, cash flows and outlook, enabled the board to declare fully-franked dividends for the year totalling…

Stanmore Coal has had great success with its pivot to Isaac Plains East operations in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, and looks set for a strong finish for 2019 with a solid toehold in the metallurgical coal market into 2020 and beyond. STANMORE Coal has reaped the financial rewards this year from its transition from the original Isaac Plains mine to Isaac Plains East in 2018. Chairman Stuart Bute said that favourable conditions and lower strip ratios at the new mine helped the company achieve an improved mix of coking and thermal coals, reduce production costs and increased sales prices and margins. “The company’s revenue from operations totalled a new record of $403.1m, an increase of 93pc on the previous year,” Mr…

Australian gold producer Regis Resources has topped the year off on a high, meeting its full year production guidance of 340,000oz and progressing new growth and exploration strategies across its tenements in WA and NSW for 2020 and beyond. AT the 2019 annual general meeting in November, Regis’ non-executive chairman James Mactier told shareholders the year had been a profitable one. “This year was one of significant achievement and change for Regis and I am pleased to report, another very profitable one,” Mr Mactier said. “Net Profit After Tax of $163.1m, despite being slightly down on last year, was a commendable achievement. “Record revenue from increased gold production and a higher realised gold price was offset by increased costs primarily…

The Hellyer gold mine near Beaconsfield in Tasmania has been revived by NQ Minerals, which is mining a waste tailings resource predicted to generate $706m over a 10-year mine life. The company ramped up to production late in 2018 after acquiring the mine and its assets in 2017, and is looking for the next big project. NORTHERN Queensland Minerals (NQ Minerals) will see out its inaugural year of production at its flagship, 100pc-owned Hellyer mine on a high note. The company acquired Hellyer gold mine, an 8mt reserve of high-grade tailings, in 2017, and after a relatively short ramp-up period, started production late in 2018 dredging the tailings for lead, zinc and precious metals concentrates. The project has a 10-year…

The slide in lithium prices has forced many miners to cut production, including international company Galaxy Resources. But it’s confident its cautious strategy now will hold it in good stead when the market picks up again. DESPITE the recent slump in the world lithium market, Galaxy Resources remains optimistic and excited about the future, with the company committed to unlocking and creating superior returns for shareholders from its existing assets. The international ASX-listed company holds lithium production facilities, hard rock mines and brine assets in Australia, Canada and Argentina, wholly owning and operating the James Bay lithium pegmatite project in Quebec, Canada, and Mt Cattlin in Ravensthorpe, WA, which produces spodumene and tantalum concentrate. The miner recently announced that work…