Category: Features

THEY say hope springs eternal, and by all accounts, Hope Downs is looking at optimistic times in the wake of record iron ore prices and challenging COVID-19 conditions. The 2019 Rio Tinto fourth quarter report revealed the entity produced 48.26mt of iron ore last year, representing one of Australia’s largest and most successful iron ore projects in the lower cost quartile. Development of the new Baby Hope deposit will help sustain existing capacity at the Hope Downs 1 operation, supporting ongoing jobs at Hope Downs. Geology The Hope Downs mines are located in the Hamersley Group in WA’s Pilbara, which forms the middle layer of Mount Bruce Group in the Marra Mamba iron formation. The section contains rocks dated to...

AUSTRALIAN coal is in demand for both energy and steel-making. Its high-energy, low ash characteristics ideally match the requirements for high efficiency, low emission (HELE) coal-fired power plants being built throughout Asia, while the high grade metallurgical coals are among the best in the world for modern steel making. Australian coal can also reduce emissions when compared to lower-quality coal from other exporters. Supplier reliability, proximity to key markets and good infrastructure availability puts Australia in a strong position to take advantage of growing demand from existing customers such as Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea, as well as newer buyers such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand. Coal mining in Australia is a sophisticated and hi-tech activity. Continuous improvements in...

ROY Hill’s first shipment of iron ore departed from Port Hedland on December 10, 2015, and in 2019, the company hit a milestone of more than 925 shipments departing the port since the commencement of operations. Within a short space of time, it achieved production of 55mtpa of iron ore and became a profitable operation. Roy Hill’s iron ore has been delivered to key markets largely in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan, with the majority of its tonnage going to minority partners. Roy Hill has received approval to increase shipping to 60Mtpa, from its current 55Mtpa. On a WHIMS In supporting the move to achieve 60Mtpa, Roy Hill’s Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separator (WHIMS) plant has been installed and operation...

A RECORD gold price in terms of Australian dollars is shining a light on Australian gold producers as they rake in outsized gains in a bullish market. Spot gold burst through US$1660/oz in February, its highest level since early 2013, but in Australian dollar currency this translates to $2500/oz – its highest ever. One Australian gold producer well positioned to capitalise on soaring gold prices is Tropicana, one of the largest gold mines in Australia. Situated on the edge of the Great Victoria desert, 330km northeast of Kalgoorlie in WA, Tropicana is about to embark on a major growth phase. An expansion project, the Boston Shaker underground mine, is due to come online in the second half of 2020 and...

NORTHPARKES is both a farmer and a miner, owning about 10,314ha of land in Central West NSW. Mining operations occupy 1630ha and the remaining area operates as a commercial agricultural and logistics operation. Northparkes is a joint venture between China Molybdenum Company (CMOC) (80pc) and the Sumitomo Group (20pc). It was the first mine in Australia to use the highly efficient block cave mining method, now used in several mines throughout the country. Since 1993, Northparkes has been celebrated for its high-quality copper deposits, low cost operations and loyal, committed people. The operation is made up of an underground block cave mine, a sub-level cave and an ore processing plant which produces copper concentrate for export. In 1997, first full-scale...

CHINESE demand for seaborne energy coal increased in 2019 despite increased demand for other forms of power, according to BHP’s latest economic and commodity outlook published in February this year. The report, focused on the first half of 2020, states demand for energy coal is expected to retain competitiveness in India and other populous, low-income emerging markets for a much longer time. The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts coal demand in Southeast Asia will grow by more than five pc per year through to 2024, led by Indonesia and Vietnam, and with new plants being developed in South Asia. IEA’s energy markets and security director Keisuke Sadamori said global trends will ultimately depend on China, where half of the world’s...

CENTENNIAL  is no stranger to climate change activism. An approval by the NSW Planning and Assessment Committee to allow Centennial to expand its Springvale mine was overturned by the NSW Court of Appeal in 2017. The 4nature activist group was concerned the expansion, near to heritage-listed swamps in the Blue Mountains National Park, would pollute water entering catchments feeding into Sydney's water supply. The NSW Parliament subsequently passed legislation allowing the continued operation of the Springvale mine, thus securing 600 jobs for the Lithgow area, while also maintaining water quality in the Sydney catchment area. Springvale is the sole provider of coal to the Mount Piper power station, which provides around 11pc of NSW’s electricity. Centennial’s coal fuels about 40pc...

DAMPIER Salt is one of the world’s largest exporters of seaborne salt and one of Rio Tinto’s oldest businesses, having grown pure salt for more than 50 years. The company’s high-quality, natural and solar salt is valued by large industrial customers across Asia, with supply being sent to chlor-alkali plants in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China and Southeast Asia. The three operations are near its primary customers in Asia, reducing shipping costs and time. Dampier Salt owns and manages the deep-water ports at Dampier and Lake MacLeod, and from Port Hedland where it has guaranteed berth access from the Pilbara Ports Authority. The ports can accommodate a range of vessel sizes, with the shipping process safely managed by Rio Tinto Marine....

QUEENSLAND is renowned for its coal mining industry, which generates billions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs for Australians. Now the state’s coal mining industry is about to enter a new era of growth, after the Queensland government opened up 7000sq km of land in its Bowen and Surat coal basins to fresh exploration activity for coal and gas. Mining companies have been invited to stake their claim in the exploration territory to sow the seeds for the next generation of resources projects. Queensland Member of Parliament for the Mackay constituency, Julieanne Gilbert, said the exploration program could result in significant job opportunities. “Two areas in the highly prospective Bowen Basin have been earmarked for metallurgical coal –...

THE South Flank iron ore project currently under construction for BHP in the Pilbara region of WA will be one of the most technologically advanced mines in the world. Superlatives such as the biggest, longest, latest and greatest are being applied to many aspects of the project which starts production in 2021. The new mine is incorporating many of the latest developments in mining technology ranging from autonomous mining equipment, digital-connectivity and modular-designed structures. According to BHP’s Project Director for South Flank, Simon Thomas,  South Flank is a US$3.6b project that will fully replace production from the 80mtpa (100 per cent basis) Yandi mine, which is expected to end its economic life in the mid-2020s. “The first ore from South...

Saraji Mine: Eastward Ho SARAJI coking coal mine in Queensland’s coal-rich Bowen Basin coalfield is ready for the next stage in its development with its Saraji East expansion project. Purchased by the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance joint venture, a 50:50 joint undertaking between Japanese trading house Mitsubishi and BHP, from Australian coal company New Hope Corporation in July 2008 for the price of $2.45b, the Saraji (East) coal project marked a new watershed price for coal mining assets in Australia. New Hope went on to use the money received for its Saraji coal project to fund some coal asset acquisitions including stakes in former Rio Tinto’s Hunter Valley coal mine in NSW. The Saraji project is an undeveloped metallurgical coal resources...