Category: Features

TASMANIAN Resources minister Bryan Green admitted that historic mining activity has contaminated about 40 of the state’s rivers. At a budget estimates hearing in early June, Mr Green was asked for an update on government plans to remediate old mine sites and tackle the heavy metals contamination of the state’s rivers and streams. Mr Green told the hearing committee the government was doing what it could at the legacy sites, while tightening environmental laws for new and existing mines. “We’ve got a fund, not a huge amount, that allows us to mitigate when we can,” he said. “We admit that there is a large task to undertake. “New mines have a far more stringent arrangement in place with respect to...

INDUSTRIAL instability and violence in South Africa’s platinum mining industry continue to threaten the country’s economy, after 4000 mine workers engaged in a ‘sit-in strike’ at Anglo-American’s Thembelani mine. As trade union representatives met with government officials to draft a framework for a sustainable platinum industry several thousand platinum workers went on strike, refusing to exit an underground mine owned by the world’s largest primary platinum producer, in protest of the suspension of four of its leaders from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU). The union leaders were allegedly suspended for presenting fraudulent membership applications to boost membership numbers. The AMCU is central to a bitter union rivalry against the National Union of Mineworkers, as both unions struggle...

THE first two holes drilled at Sirius Resources’ conductor 6 drilling target have intersected thick zones of massive sulphide; confirming the area is an extension of the existing Bollinger deposit, part of the Fraser Range joint venture in WA. The two holes indicate that conductor 6 is the southerly extension of Bollinger and that the thick massive sulphide extends more than 100m southwards from the original discovery holes. The sulphides are similar to those seen at the company’s nearby Nova deposit, with coarse grained pentlandite (nickel sulphide) and chalcopyrite (copper sulphide) crystals visible in the core. According to Sirius, the zone remains open in all directions and drilling continues to assess the boundaries of the area. Holes are underway in...

TESTING has identified significant copper and gold exploration targets at the Horseshoe Lights mine in WA. The initial report identified a volcanic-hosted massive sulphide copper and gold deposit at a depth of 200m and the potential new zone of mineralisation begins 400m south of the main site, extending more than 800m. The mine’s owner Horseshoe Metals commissioned the report from Resource Potential and, while yet to be fully completed, it has already identified the area as having major resource potential. When compiling the report, geophysicists used data gathered during the last two-and-a-half years, as well as historical information of the area to identify exploration targets for the next stage of drilling, to provide the best possible understanding of the geology...

FIFTEEN employees and contractors were dismissed apparent safety breaches after performing or watching the Harlem Shake dance on site at WA’s Agnew underground gold mine. The video of the employees and contractors performing the internet craze was subsequently posted onto popular video sharing site YouTube. The Harlem Shake internet meme involves groups of people erratically dancing to the popular song of the same name for about 30 seconds and posting the result to YouTube. It has been estimated that since 2 February, when the first Harlem Shake video was posted to YouTube a further 40,000 videos have been posted, receiving more than 175 million views. The dismissed Agnew mine employees reportedly advised The West Australian newspaper that those participating did...

INTEGRATED precious metal and uranium explorer Marmota Energy has applauded authorities for their final decision to approve first drill testing at its high-priority Durkin copper-nickel prospect in South Australia’s Gawler Craton. Following the government approval, Marmota announced mobilisation was set for 25 March to the rig site at Durkin, near the company’s Indooroopilly gold project and Challenger gold mine. Marmota conducted geophysical surveys in late 2012 after laboratory assays of the company’s initial surface samples confirmed copper and nickel mineralisation. Within these positive initial results, multiple coincident EM conductor, gravity and surface geochemical targets were identified for first-round drilling. The company reported that it maintained “reserved anticipation” for the mineralisation potential within several parts of the Durkin area, with multiple...

DIVERSIFIED explorer Core Exploration has initiated a follow-up drill program on an exceptional uranium discovery at its wholly owned Fitton project in northern South Australia. The 2500m reverse circulation (RC) drilling program will target down dip and strike extensions of the high-grade uranium mineralisation – including 5m at 0.25 per cent uranium oxide – which were discovered during the company’s maiden drilling program in late 2012 at the Scott Lee prospect within Fitton. Core stated that program would also follow up on an anomalous uranium intersection at Fitton’s Hamilton prospect and surface mineralisation (1400 parts per million uranium oxide) found recently at the newly discovered Bruce Lee prospect – 300m west of Scott Lee – in February this year. Assay...

AUSTRALIAN diversified explorer Cauldron Energy is celebrating a 300 per cent upgrade to the Bennet Well resource within the company’s WA-based Yanrey uranium project. On completion of a 7146m drilling program, Ravensgate Resources – an independent consultant group – calculated an increased JORC-compliant resource of 15.7 million pounds at 270 parts per million uranium. Studies have indicated grades above 250ppm eU3O8 would be economic for a likely in-situ leach-style mining operation at Yanrey. Cauldron head of operations Simons Youds said the resource upgrade had confirmed a substantial new high-grade uranium district at Yanrey. “The majority of this large region, perspective for uranium deposits, is controlled by Cauldron,” he said. “This, and the fact that the strike extensions of what we...

WITH its Spinifex Ridge molybdenum-copper project yet to get off the ground, dual-listed resources company Moly Mines has turned its focus to the adjacent Spinifex Ridge iron ore project. The discovery of iron ore just 500m from the company’s molybdenum deposit in WA’s Pilbara region was described by Moly’s former managing director Derek Fisher as a “happy accident”: one that has allowed the company to maintain a strong financial position in challenging times for the resources sector. Molybdenum-copper project In 2008, Moly was on the verge of developing its Spinifex Ridge molybdenum-copper project, 50km northeast of Marble Bar. The company planned to construct and operate a 20 million tonne per annum open pit mine and processing plant, but later scaled...

MUTINY Gold has obtained financial backing from a North American investor that will enable the Perth-based miner to develop its Deflector copper-gold deposit into a project in WA. The company is in the final stages of negotiation for the US$2 million share placement, but noted in a statement filed with the ASX that its suitor wished to remain anonymous. “We have had, and continue to have, strong support from the parties negotiating to provide funding for the Deflector project,” Mutiny managing director John Greeve said. “These negotiations are now entering the final stages and completion will be a key milestone for the company in the development of this project.” The placement was structured as a convertible loan, whereby the price...

AN innovative new map series has been released by RACAD Cartography that covers the major Queensland and NSW coal basins and Northern Queensland’s potential uranium deposits, including the Mount Isa Inlier. The map series is updated monthly and includes operating mines, advanced projects and exploration tenements with existing and proposed infrastructure such as rail and ports. Although formatted to be displayed as a wall map, the series is a PDF easily kept on a user’s computer desktop so it can be accessed in an instant with no site login or clumsy web interfaces. Each sheet is a layered, searchable PDF at a scale that allows users to locate specific leases and their relationship to existing mines and infrastructure. Users can...