Category: Features

Image: Gez Xavier Mansfield Photography By Elizabeth Fabri HUNDREDS of kilometres from home, far away from the comforts of family and friends lies Australia’s fly-in, fly-out workforce; a high-risk pocket of the population which often suffers through mental health issues in silence. While mining giants drive down injury rates, silent killers such as mental illness are sweeping across the sector affecting more than 30 per cent of the fly-in, fly-out workforce. Fatigue, isolation, alcohol, and unpleasant workplace cultures all contribute, coupled with unavoidable struggles experienced on the home front. But what remains unclear are the pathways miners can take to irrevocably tackle the issue. Each year, more than 2500 people die from suicide in Australia, with three quarters committed by men;…

After completing a $589 million upgrade Glencore’s Ernest Henry Mining, has continued its support for local and regional projects near its operations. By Cameron Drummond ERNEST HENRY is a copper and gold mining and processing operation 38km north east of Cloncurry in north-west Queensland. The mine is a part of Glencore’s portfolio of Australian copper assets which includes the Mount Isa Mines copper operations, a copper refinery in Townsville and the CSA underground copper mine near Cobar, NSW. Mined copper and gold at Ernest Henry is processed at its on-site concentrator then transported to Glencore’s Mount Isa copper smelter and refined at the Townsville refinery, ready to be delivered to domestic and overseas customers. In its 2015 annual report, Glencore earnings before taxes, depreciation…

For high risk and hard working industries such as mining, alcohol or drug use in the workplace puts businesses out of pocket and can seriously increase the threat of injury. By Cameron Drummond FOR high risk and hard working industries such as mining, alcohol or drug use in the workplace puts businesses out of pocket and can seriously increase the threat of injury. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) claims that most alcohol or drug (AOD) users are employed; all the more reason to address illicit substance use in the work place. While the majority of Australians don’t use drugs or alcohol at work, nearly 20 per cent of lost productivity costs in Australia are directly related to AOD…

Newmarket Gold’s Fosterville mine produced more than 30,000oz of gold for the March 2016 quarter. By Samantha James CANADIAN-based Newmarket Gold is reaping the cash benefits of a 2015 merger with Australian miner Crocodile Gold. Until last year, Toronto-listed Newmarket had been focused on its Canadian base metal exploration assets. Its move into Australian gold was, according to the company, a long time coming – part of the search for “the right production opportunity”. A share structure consolidation and C$25 million capital raising, completed in July 2015, was the platform for Newmarket’s entry into the Australian market, which included the acquisition of three mines and several development and exploration projects. Since completion of the Crocodile transaction, Newmarket has invested more than…

The Carmichael coal mine and rail project is a key part of the Adani Group’s vertically integrated Pit-to-Plug business model. By Reuben Adams ADANI Mining’s gigantic Carmichael coal mine and rail project has been impacted by a myriad of challenges and amendments since it was first announced as a significant project in 2010. Despite weak coal prices and ongoing legal action, Adani Mining chief executive Jeyakumar Janakaraj is confident that construction will kick off on the $21.7 billion project in 2017. The Carmichael coal mine and rail project is a key element to the wider Adani Group’s vertically integrated Pit-to-Plug business model which involves extraction, processing and export to overseas power plant customers – including the Group’s own power station…

A ‘large special’ diamond recovered from Lulo. By Samantha James AFRICAN-focused Lucapa Diamonds has successfully mined and sold several high value diamonds from its Lulo project since it began producing in 2015. In early 2016, trial mining at the E46 area led to the recovery of several ‘large special’ diamonds – diamonds weighing more than 10.8 carats (ct). Lucapa chief executive Stephen Wetherall spoke to Samantha James about the demand for special diamonds in the short term, the long-term market outlook and how expansion plans at Lulo fit into the global rare diamond industry. Q. There are several mining operations ongoing at Lucapa’s Lulo project in Angola. Could you explain how the different operations fit together in the project? How long will…

Alcoa of Australia is owned 60 per cent by Alcoa Inc in the US and 40 per cent by ASX-listed Alumina Limited. The global company’s announced demerger slated for the second half of 2016 will see it become two publicly traded companies; Upstream and Value-Add. Alcoa of Australia’s 60 per cent shareholding would become part of a new global Upstream company to be created by Alcoa (which would retain the Alcoa name). Samantha James spoke to Alcoa of Australia’s subsidiary Alcoa Mining president Garrett Dixon about its Australian development plans. Q. How important are Alcoa’s Australian mines to Alcoa’s global operations? Alcoa of Australia has been an integral part of Alcoa’s global business for more than 50 years. Our WA…

By Cameron Drummond COPPER miner Sandfire Resources has been busy in 2016, increasing production at its DeGrussa mine and upgrading exploration results inside its Greater Doolgunna project. Sandfire intends to build on strong cash flows developed from its high-grade DeGrussa copper-gold mine in a year where it has reduced its debt from $120 million down to $75 million. A high grade deposit find in the surrounding Doolgunna region is also being explored, with positive initial results for future mining capability.  DeGrussa The DeGrussa copper-gold mining venture near Wiluna – 900kmnorth of Perth in the state’s Mid West – has been a shining star for Sandfire in a depressed copper market. It is also the recipient of a government-funded solar array project…

By Samantha James WHILE the recent rise and fall of the Pilbara economy has been well documented since the iron ore price peaked in 2011 and dropped to record lows in 2015, green shoots are emerging. Covering 502,000 square kilometres in northern WA, the Pilbara is synonymous with prehistoric landscapes, red dirt and its vast mineral deposits – especially iron ore. Before the area became pivotal to the state and national economy, the export of iron ore was banned due to its apparent scarcity. It was not until 1960 that the embargo was lifted and mining began in earnest. Up until this point WA iron ore production was just 10mtpa – by 1970 this figure had reached 100mtpa, and continued to grow. Since the first…

By Cameron Drummond A recently granted environmental protection license at its rare earth project near Dubbo has given Alkane Resources 1 billion reasons to be excited for the  future. Alkane started 2016 with its head held high. The Perth-based company boosted profits for the half year to December 31 by 90 per cent – bolstered by high gold prices and lower production costs – and will use this cash flow to help fund its $1 billion Dubbo Zirconia project (DZP). The company has two major projects underway in rural NSW; the DZP rare metals and rare earths mine and the nearby Tomingley gold operation (TGO), as well as interests in the surrounding region. In February this year, Alkane managing director Ian…

Fortescue Metals Group has reduced debt by US$1.7 billion in the past 12 months. Images: Fortescue Metals Group. By Samantha James FORTESCUE Metals Group has been buoyed by iron ore price increases in recent months after a depressing fiscal 2015 that saw the company scramble to cut costs and service its huge debt pile. The iron ore miner surprised the market in 2016 with a slew of positive announcements, including a potential partnership with Vale SA, a reduction in debt by US$577 million and increased shipments for the March quarter of 42 million tonnes of iron ore. Fortescue is the world’s fourth largest iron ore producer, with mining hubs at Chichester and Solomon in WA combining to produce more than 160…