Category: Features

Mining in the Pilbara: A cut above the rest Not only is WA’s Pilbara region known for its stunning landscapes, but it’s also home to the world’s largest and most economically significant iron ore deposits. While copper, gold and iron ore deposits were identified in WA in the 1880s, the mining industry only started to develop in the Pilbara around the 1950s – 1960s. One of the first major discoveries in the Pilbara, the Goldsworthy iron ore deposit, was discovered in 1938 and extensively surveyed in the 1950s by the Mines Department (now known as the WA Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety). In a call for tenders to develop Goldsworthy, the State Government invited further exploration for...

Forging global ties: BHP's WAIO business and China's steel market Australia is the world’s largest iron ore exporter and producer, exporting 892mt of the mineral in 2023, more than double the second largest of Brazil. China is the world’s largest iron ore importer, with the country importing nearly 1.12bt in 2023, or around 76% of the world’s supply for that year. Making up 5% of the Earth’s crust, iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be extracted. Iron ore is the primary source for the world’s iron and steel industries, with almost all (around 98%) of iron ore used in the steelmaking process....

Attracting innovation for rare earths Midstream processing in Australia In the third instalment of the Australian Mining Review’s critical minerals series, we speak with CSIRO senior principal research scientist Chris Vernon, ANSTO principal consultant Karin Soldenhoff and Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub manager Lucy O’Connor for a deep dive into emerging mid-stream processing pathways for rare earths (RE) needed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Rare earths are a critical input for electric vehicle (EV) and wind turbine supply chains, playing a foundational role in the global energy transition. As demand for renewable technology increases domestically and globally, the RE market is also expanding, with the previously overlooked materials becoming increasingly attractive. By investing in domestic mid-stream processing capabilities...

BHP's 10 years of ABCs: Autonomous haulage, blasting and Caval Ridge BHP’s (ASX: BHP) Caval Ridge is one of five metallurgical coal mines in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, about 188km south-west of Mackay, and is a 50:50 joint venture between BHP and Mitsubishi Development (BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, or BMA). This year celebrates 10 years in operation. The greenfield project, which is the largest greenfield metallurgical coal-mining complex in Australia, covers an area of about 6,800ha and comprises two coal pits – Horse Pit and Heyford Pit. The former deposit lies north of Peak Downs Highway and the latter north of Harrow Creek. Caval Ridge is one of five mines...

The importance of Australia's manufacturing industry With intensifying competition from global markets, Australia’s manufacturing industry is facing extreme pressure to remain competitive. Given Australia’s abundant and critical natural resources, the country is well positioned to strengthen its standing and become an indispensable part of the global supply chain. Over the next decade, the Federal Government will invest $22.7b to build a ‘Future Made in Australia’ to secure Australia’s place in the changing global economic and strategic landscape as well as bring new jobs and opportunities to the workforce. As part of this, a Future Made in...

Harnessing the sun’s potential in mid-stream silicon processing In the second instalment of the Australian Mining Review’s critical minerals series, we speak with Australian Critical Minerals Research and Development Hub manager Lucy O’Connor, ANSTO high purity quartz project manager Neilesh Syna and ANSTO high purity quartz project technical lead Robert Fowles for a dive deep into emerging mid-stream processing pathways for silicon in order to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Deployment of solar power is essential to the success of Australia’s energy transition. The nation stands to be a leader in this space, as we are equipped with the vast solar resources needed to meet global demands. However, the country is entirely reliant on overseas supply chains to produce...

The inside line on McPhillamys mine Prospects were golden for Regis Resources (ASX: RRL) at the start of August. With the McPhillamys definitive feasibility study (DFS) completed and final investment decision (FID) expected to be made in early CY26, Regis Resources had seemingly checked all the boxes for the $1b mine. The NSW gold project was expected to be a valuable asset, featuring a 7mtpa plant with 189moz contained gold and 60.6mt milled, with an expected mine life of over 10 years. This vision was quickly extinguished on August 16, when the Federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek made a...

A new vein: AI in the mining industry Contributed by mining optimisation and automation subject matter expert Jason Nitz A venture capital firm recently asked me to provide expert advice on an investment plan for mining technology. They’d chosen several areas where mining technology had recently improved a process or system and completed a market analysis on the leading companies within those areas. Their intent was to invest in a small to medium-sized company to inject capital to improve their product or services, and then sell the improved company and its product or service to a large corporation,...

The importance of shotcreting Playing an essential role in the mining, building and civil construction industries, shotcrete is a concrete or mortar mixture that is conveyed through a hose and pneumatically applied at high speed onto surfaces. Shotcrete is an exceptionally versatile material that can be easily and quickly applied to provide a cost-effective means of construction. Once applied, it forms a bond to a number of materials, including rock, masonry and steel. The integration of shotcrete in the mining industry has changed the way underground operations are carried out, offering enhanced safety, efficiency and adaptability to varying geological conditions. Its continuous evolution...

Ramelius Resources celebrates golden year The 2024 financial year was big for Ramelius Resources (ASX: RMS), with the company posting record annual gold production across its operations and beginning mining at its newly acquired Cue project in WA. Leading Australian mid-tier gold miner and ASX300-listed company Ramelius operates two processing hubs in WA, Mt Magnet in the Murchison region and Edna May near the town of Westonia in the Wheatbelt. These processing hubs are fed with ore from nearby mines — Penny, Eridanus and Mt Magnet — while the company also owns development projects at Cue near Mt Magnet and Rebecca-Roe which lies east of Kalgoorlie in WA. The Australian...

Decarbonising the mining industry With mining being Australia’s largest export industry — contributing $2.4t in resources export revenue over the past decade, as stated by the Minerals Council of Australia — it also accounts for a significant portion of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Reported by the Climate Change Authority, Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions totalled 467mt for the year ending June 30, 2023 — an increase of 4mt on the previous year. The combustion of fossil fuels is Australia’s largest source of emissions, accounting for 81% of the national greenhouse gas inventory in 2023. Australia, along with all countries that signed the Paris Agreement, has committed to the global goal of ‘holding the increase in the global average temperature to...