Category: Features

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 Eliwana mine in WA is on track to become the company’s first site to go green through…

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 and operations cease. Impact…

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. “We began by consulting industry players who work in mine closure and focused on their existing challenges – we spent a…

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 for his first-hand view of the project and the achievements obtained at the project to date. “Iron Bridge builds on Fortescue’s…

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 of a maiden ore reserve of 683mt at 11.3% heavy mineral in January 2016. A bankable feasibility…

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 in providing automation and exploration solutions. “I think that we will see increasing uses of Artificial Intelligence driving automation within the mining industry, as we will see in other places,” Mr Jenkins told the Australian Mining Review. He said there are a number of economic drivers that will see mining companies continue to increase their…

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 on the Pilbara coast. Mardie has all the critical characteristics for establishing a large-scale solar evaporation operation, including optimum climate conditions, a large area, minimal environmental…

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 2006. In 2012, Glencore took full ownership of the mine and, in 2013, the Northern Territory Government approved a major expansion to double size and production. The expansion involves PBOX…

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 resources, owning six gold mines, all of which are located in WA. Ramelius owns and operates the Mt Magnet, Penny, Marda, Tampia, Symes and…

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 — plus the West Cliff and Dendrobium coal preparation plants. Over the years, mining operations have modernised at Illawarra Metallurgical…

Fenix Resources‘(ASX:FEX) flagship Iron Ridge iron ore project is a high grade, high margin project located in the prolific Midwest mining region of WA. With a JORC 2012 compliant resource of 9.8mt at 64.4% iron, Iron Ridge has some of the highest-grade iron ore in WA. The iron ore product is high grade with low dangerous elements and is highly sought after by steel mills for environmental and blast furnace productivity reasons. Following a rapid three-month development period, production began in December 2020 with first sales generated two months later in February 2021. Iron ore production milestone In June 2023, Fenix produced and sold 3m dry metric tonnes (dmt) of iron ore from Iron Ridge with an unaudited net operating…