Category: Features

Australia's rock-solid drilling industry Australia’s resources industry is a pillar of the country’s economy with Australia being one of the largest exporters of coal, iron ore and bauxite. As the demand for materials grows, Australia’s drilling industry will play a key role in ensuring supply can keep up with demand. The Australian Mining Review sat down with Australian Drilling Industry Association (ADIA) chief executive Jeff Miller who provided some insight into Australia’s drilling industry and its future. AMR: Can you tell us about the current situation within Australia’s drilling industry? JM: Drilling is a bit of a mixed bag at the moment. There are some sectors that are doing really well and there are other areas that are struggling. It...

Fortescue and the road to real zero Greenhouse gas emissions are one of the main causes of global warming and according to the CSIRO’s June 2023 update, Australia emitted 465.2mt of carbon dioxide equivalent, a 0.8% increase compared to June 2022. Energy production is the largest contributor with energy (burning fossil fuels) and stationary energy (mining, manufacturing and residential) contributing to 32.6% and 22.3% of the total emissions, respectively. Mining giant Fortescue (ASX: FMG) is just one of Australia’s many mining companies aiming to reduce its carbon footprint and is leading the sector regarding its response to customer, community and investor expectation to reduce and eliminate carbon emissions. The company’s...

Importance of mine rehabilitation New insights drawn from CRC TiME, CSIRO and mining industry databases project that around 240 mines are expected to approach closure in Australia by 2040. It’s important to note that mine closure and post-mine transition activities, including land rehabilitation as well as workforce planning, accomplish optimal environmental, social and economic outcomes. The Australian Mining Review spoke with CRC TiME chief executive Dr Guy Boggs about the impact mine closure has on local communities as well as the process involved in rehabilitating a mine. Part of the Federal Government’s flagship Cooperative Research Centre Program, CRC TiME is a research organisation dedicated to examining and helping transform what happens economically, environmentally, socially and culturally after a mine closes...

The $4b market in mine closures & transitions Australia has a unique billion-dollar opportunity to create a new industry to support mine closures and transitions, according to a report developed by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and research organisation CRC TiME. Drawing insights from mining industry databases and analysis by CSIRO, the report projects annual spending regarding mine closure and rehabilitation activities to exceed $4b by 2040. The Australian Mining Review interviewed CSIRO Futures senior manager and lead author of the report Dominic Banfield to discuss the challenges related to mine closures and rehabilitation, as well as how this can be done in a more sustainable manner. ...

Iron Bridge taking FMG in a new mining direction Located in WA’s world class Pilbara mining region, the Iron Bridge Project is a joint venture between Fortescue Metals Group (ASX: FMG) subsidiary FMG Magnetite and Formosa Steel IB, that will deliver high grade 67% Fe magnetite concentrate product. Iron Bridge signifies Fortescue’s entry into the high-grade segment of the iron ore market, providing an enhanced product range while also increasing annual production and shipping capacity. In May, Fortescue successfully made its first magnetite product, remarkably at first run grade of greater than 68% Fe. The Australian Mining Review recently caught up with Fortescue Metals chief executive Dino Otranto...

Thunderbird production is a go! The first significant heavy minerals sand deposit to be discovered in the Canning Basin, Sheffield Resources’ (ASX:SFX) Thunderbird mineral sand project is one of the largest and highest-grade mineral sands deposits in the world. Hosted by highly weathered Broome sandstone, Thunderbird is a zircon and ilmenite rich valuable heavy mineral deposit. Progressing from an exploration project to a substantial development project, a large high-grade maiden mineral resource of 1.37bt at 6.1% heavy mineral was declared for Thunderbird in December 2012. A scoping study was completed in 2014 and a pre-feasibility study and pre-feasibility study update was released in 2015, leading to the announcement...

AI's big impact on automation & exploration in Australian mining While the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning has been relatively slow in being taken up by some sectors of the Australian mining industry, a leading local advocate for the technology believes it is about to be taken up in a significant way. WA Data Science Innovation Hub director Alex Jenkins says there is growing interest in the benefits AI can provide, particularly...

The rapid growth of the Mardie salt and potash project In April 2023, the Australian Mining Review spoke with BCI Minerals (ASX:BCI) managing director David Boshoff about the rapid growth and success of its Mardie salt and potash project on the West Pilbara coast in WA. This month, we will look at the progress undertaken since then and what other developments are in the pipeline for the company. Mardie Salt and Potash Project 100% owned by Mardie Minerals, a wholly owned subsidiary of BCI, the Mardie salt and potash project represents a rare and sustainable opportunity to develop a large-scale, multi-generational solar evaporation operation...

Upstream zinc-ing for energy transition One of the world’s largest zinc mine is located in the Northern Territory at Glencore’s McArthur River Mine, about 700km southeast of Darwin. Along with zinc, the mine also produces lead and silver, both in concentrates. Zinc produced there is used in steel products, such as white goods, to preserve and extend the life of steel products, and also in renewable technologies like solar panels and wind turbines for steel and corrosion protection. McArthur River Mine was originally an underground mining operation, with the mine converting to open cut in...

Ramelius Resources: Staking its claim on WA's gold sector Australia has a long history of gold mining which has helped shaped the country and economy in many ways, with gold exports generating revenue of $25.8b in FY22. Gold not only led Australia’s first mining boom, but it also triggered the 19th century gold rush with people travelling from all over the world to the goldfields of Kalgoorlie, Ballarat, Bendigo and Bathurst. As the country with the largest known gold resources in the world, Australia has a significant opportunity to supply the world’s gold demand. ASX200-listed company Ramelius Resources (ASX:RMS) has taken advantage of Australia’s gold...

Illawarra Metallurgical Coal: Premium Quality Hard Coking Coal Producer Steeped in coal mining history dating back more than 150 years, the first coal mines in the Illawarra and Macarthur regions of NSW opened in the early nineteenth century. Soon after this, collieries were developed to mine coal for the growing local steel industry and labourers settled into the area, bringing their families with them. Roads, schools and hospitals then popped up and communities flourished. South32’s (ASX:S32) Illawarra Metallurgical Coal operation is located in these regions in the southern coalfields of NSW, around 75km south of Sydney. Illawarra Metallurgical Coal operates two underground metallurgical coal mines — Appin and Dendrobium —...