Category: Features

The Fosterville gold mine in Victoria has played a big part in helping owners Kirkland Lake Gold exceed its production guidance for the first quarter of 2021, following a record year in 2020. Combined with strong results from the Detour Lake mine in Ontario, Canada, production results went beyond guidance target levels. Higher gold grades were achieved at Fosterville following changes to mine sequencing, pushing it to another record quarter. The Canadian company delivered record production for the June quarter of 2021 with 379,195oz, a 15% increase on the corresponding period last year and 25% higher than the previous quarter. This was primarily driven by the Fosterville mine achieving higher than planned production. Production at Fosterville for YTD 2021 totalled...

Regis Resources has taken over IGO’s 30% interest in the Tropicana gold mine in WA. The $903m deal was approved by WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston, with the Governmental green light being the last stage needed for the acquisition. AngloGold Ashanti owns the remaining 70% of the Tropicana mine under a joint venture (JV), with Regis to replace IGO as the JV partner. AGA interim chief executive officer Christine Ramon said Tropicana was a key asset in the company’s portfolio. “Having decided, in this context, and after considerable deliberation to waive our pre-emptive rights, with the sale process behind us we are looking forward to working with Regis to deliver Tropicana’s considerable potential over the coming years,” she...

A new copper mine and key enabler projects are edging closer to construction as high commodity prices drive investment in Queensland’s North West Minerals Province. Grand Central Industries’ government-supported Inland Port Project is rapidly approaching financial close and is forecast to commence construction in Q4 2021. The critical 333ha project will significantly debottleneck about $13b of pre-existing Queensland government-owned rail and port infrastructure—the Mt Isa Railway and Port of Townsville. Located 7km east of Cloncurry, the project is expected to have a material economic, commercial and environmental impact to the collective benefit of all stakeholders across the supply chain. Grand Central Industries CEO Josip Obajdin said the project provided for an essential, catalytic platform to enable the region’s further economic...

As the worldwide movement towards a zero-emission global economy gathers momentum, hydrogen is increasingly being thrust into the limelight as the new pathway to decarbonisation. On May 5, the Australian Government allocated more than $100m to three ‘green’ hydrogen pilot projects as it aims to position the nation as a clean hydrogen-producing powerhouse by 2030. This followed the release of its Technology Investment Roadmap, which singled out hydrogen as one of five priority technologies to accelerate development and commercialisation of low emission technologies. The private sector is also ploughing money into research and development to improve the economic viability and scalability of the ‘fuel of the future’ with several world-first projects happening around Australia. The Australian Mining Review spoke to...

The Mount Pleasant coal mine at Muswellbrook, NSW, has applied to extend its lifespan by 22 years and double the amount of coal extracted each year. Joint venture owners MACH Energy and JCD Australia have lodged an Environmental Impact Statement with the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. The proposal will increase the extraction, processing, and processing of run-of-mine (ROM) coal from the current rate of 10.5mt to 21mt per year. The project will increase open cut extraction within the Mount Pleasant  leases by mining of additional coal reserves, including lower coal seams in North Pit. The EIS is seeking staged upgrades to the existing coal handling and prep plant and coal handling infrastructure to facilitate the handling and...

The latest innovations in mining took centre stage at the Austmine Conference and Exhibition in one of the first major face-to-face events for the resources industry since the pandemic began. Held at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre on May 25-27, Austmine 2021: Harnessing Intelligence allowed mining leaders to connect over strategic priorities and emerging technologies to drive a sustainable future for the industry. About 1000 local, national and international guests were wowed by cutting edge innovation developed by Australia’s leading Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) companies as they wondered the corridors of the massive exhibition hall. The brightest minds in the industry explored the intersection between people, processes and technology and how these important elements contribute to leaner,...

Fortescue Metals Group’s diesel usage would exceed one billion litres annually in just a few years if it did not pursue greener energy sources. The staggering figure was highlighted by the company’s Director of Sustainability Alison Terry at WA Mining Club’s May luncheon. Ms Terry said this is why FMG was moving "very rapidly" towards green energy, and particularly green hydrogen, initiatives. These initiatives would be advanced by Fortescue Future Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of FMG that Ms Terry said was founded, from a business perspective, on the basis of FMG being an export-based business. "Hydrogen and green hydrogen in particular is a massive export opportunity for Australia,’’ she said. "And with decarbonisation, we also have the ability to...

Construction of Rio Tinto’s Western Turner Syncline Phase 2 (WTS2) expansion is moving ahead at a furious pace. And it’s been a boost for local WA and Pilbara Aboriginal businesses. To date, more than 85% of spending on the project – which commenced in 2020 – has been awarded to the businesses, directly through Rio Tinto or principal contractor Mondium. Rio Tinto has to date awarded contracts valued at more than $500m to support this latest development of its Greater Tom Price Operations. At peak construction, development will support a workforce of over 1000 people with the majority employed by WA businesses, including Guma Warnii, Monadelphous, Mondium, Kerman Contracting, Whittens, North West Mining & Civil, MACA Civil, Linkforce and Aerison....

Backed by a strong operational base and a clear strategy to grow into an international diversified and sustainable mining company, Australian mining and exploration group Sandfire Resources has grown from strength to strength. Sandfire’s business is underpinned by a demonstrated commitment to the highest standards of safety, responsibility and sustainability, which has been recognised through receipt of numerous local, national and international Awards, including Prospectors of the Year; Best Australian Explorer; Developer of the Year; Hard Rock Mine of the Year; and in 2019, the Golden Gecko Award for Environmental Excellence. Sandfire operates the high-margin DeGrussa Copper-Gold Mine, located 900km north of Perth in WA, which produces high-quality copper-in-concentrate with significant gold credits. In addition to delivering strong financial returns to shareholders,...

The Australian Government has identified a “pinch point” for the global supply chain of critical minerals, with an opportunity to develop the nation’s processing and early manufacturing stages. The Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Processing National Manufacturing Priority road map has recognised the gap in capturing additional value from critical raw minerals, such as lithium in which the primary growth has been in rechargeable batteries. One such operation in the process of ramping up spodumene concentrate production to nameplate capacity is the Mt Cattlin operation, 2km out of Ravensthorpe in WA and 100% owned by Galaxy Resources. Today, while on target to reach full capacity in Q2 this calendar year, it has commissioned ore sorter circuits to extract further value...