Category: Features

BROKEN LINKS: Fixing Australia's mining supply chain When ship hits the fan With supply chains facing ongoing severe disruptions, such as global pandemics, climate events, floods, bushfires, hostility in the Red Sea, industrial action at shipping ports, ongoing military conflicts and more, the downstream effect on businesses, consumers and the global mining industry are significant. The Australian Mining Review speaks with Dr Elizabeth Jackson, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at Curtin University, about the current state of global and Australian supply chains, including the big issues and big trends facing these complex logistics systems, as well as how they impact our mining sector.   Sustainable supply chains Dr Jackson is a global supply chain expert...

Raising the bar on First Nations cultural heritage protection Business and investment leaders have taken a pivotal step by committing to a new best practice standard in the management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage. The Dhawura Ngilan Business and Investor Guides were launched in Canberra on March 19 by the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance (FNHPA). Dhawura Ngilan means ‘Remembering Country’ in the Ngunnawal Language. The Guides are inspired by, and take the name from, the Dhawura Ngilan Vision, drafted by Heritage Councils across the country with the backing of the FNHPA. This Vision sets the course for First Nations heritage over the next decade. Dhawura Ngilan offers practical steps for the mining industry to integrate local...

Future-facing facility - The future of Australian mining is taking Shape at WA’s new high-tech testing centre A new world-class Australian automation and robotics testing facility serving the mining sector is continuing to expand as a range of organisations, from Tier 1 miners to startups, increasingly utilise the site outside Perth. The Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct (AARP) was established by the WA Government with a goal to create a collaborative environment that nurtures the development of cutting-edge technologies and techniques to accelerate sector-wide growth and competitiveness....

Bengalla: High quality coal producer Located around 4km southwest of Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley region of NSW, the Bengalla coal mine plays a significant role in supplying thermal coal to domestic and international markets. The mine is operated by the Bengalla Mining Company (BMC), which is a joint venture between New Hope Group (80%) and Taipower (20%). Operations Bengalla is a single pit open cut, multi-seam mine with product extracted using dragline, truck and excavator methods, with employees working in shifts to keep the mine operating 24hrs a day, seven days a week. In 1996, Bengalla received an initial 21-year development consent which was renewed in March 2015 and extended...

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...