Category: Developments

THE Australian Government has released a Critical Minerals Strategy Report, exposing huge holes in the supply chain as tensions between Beijing and Washington heat up. The 17 elements that make up the rare earths are vital to high-tech appliances for both domestic and military use, and the heavy rare earths are the fundamental component in the powerful magnets used in electric vehicle motors. The report highlights Australia’s status as the world’s second largest producer of rare earths, and therefore perfectly positioned to supply the US with the high-tech elements, particularly the heavy rare earths that China has traditionally dominated. Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan said that the Critical Minerals Strategy would prepare Australia to become the alternative to…

RIO Tinto (ASX: RIO) has entered into a historic MoU with Chinese steel giant China Baowu Steel Group and Tsinghua University to implement methods that reduce carbon emissions across the steel value chain. Signed at the China International Steel and Raw Materials Conference in Qingdao, the MoU will enable the formation of a working group tasked with identifying a pathway to reduce the carbon emitted across the entire value chain – amounting to between 7-9pc of world emissions. This comes as a major breakthrough to address carbon emission downstream, or scope 3 emissions, as mounting concerns pressure companies such as BHP to address the global climate impact of their products across the whole supply chain. Rio Tinto chief executive Jean-Sébastien Jacques…

A SPATE of deadly tailings dam accidents and the identification of two BHP tailings dams as being at “extreme risk” have prompted Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) members to release the Australian Mining Tailings Communique, aimed at addressing tailings best practice in Australian industry. The document comes months after Rio Tinto and BHP both identified risks relating mines at home and abroad, and after the first wave of criminal charges were laid against Vale executives following the Brumadinho disaster that killed more than 200 people. The Communique consolidates the industry’s view around best practice of a particularly sensitive issue, and was developed after discussions by MCA members at a workshop earlier in the year which focused on training, research and…

REVIEWS of the risks associated with tailings dams around the world have revealed that some structures built in Australia to store mining waste carry the highest possible risk classification under global standards, with catastrophic results expected if any of them collapsed. A BHP Dam Risk Review showed that Mt Whaleback iron ore mine in WA, and two at the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia, were at extreme risk. Meanwhile, in a Rio Tinto audit of its global facilities, the miner assessed more than 20 Rio Tinto Australian facilities as being at high risk. The BHP review had been carried out to assess the management of its tailings facilities following the failure of the Fundão dam at Samarco, Brazil, in…

EMBATTLED Indian miner Adani is vowing to press on to get the earth moved at its Queensland mine operations. The company said while it was ready to begin building the mine in the Galilee Basin in central Queensland, approval processes were continuing to hinder progress. The miner met with the state’s Environment Department in early May, where it was told a number of new commitments need to be met before the plan is approved, including its management plan for an endangered finch, further delaying the controversial multi-billion-dollar project. Adani Australia chief executive Lucas Dow said the Government was trying to stall, but the company would work “feverishly” to meet the new demands. “After more than 18 months and seven revisions,…

BY ELIZABETH FABRI CHINA Molybdenum Company (CMOC) and Sumitomo have greenlit a new $200 million block cave mine at their Northparkes copper and gold project in Central West NSW. The mine – E26 Lift 1 North (E26L1N) – was expected to enter production mid-2022 and produce about 40 million tonnes of ore over 10-years. E26L1N would include 11km of underground development, an underground primary crusher, conveying systems and associated infrastructure. CMOC executive chairman and chief executive Steele Li said the joint venture partners were “really excited to see this project come to fruition and to watch Northparkes continue to develop and grow”. “Northparkes plays a pivotal role in our strong and long-term presence in Australia as an internationally renowned mining…

Image: Thor. BY JESSICA CUMMINS THOR Mining’s proposed $69 million Molyhil tungsten mine in the Northern Territory could deliver net value of $100 million and more than $500 million in revenue over its seven year mine life, according to new findings from an enhanced Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS). The project, 220km northeast of Alice Springs, would include a simple open-cut mining operation and conventional mineral processing plant, and deliver an early payback within 18 months of first production. Thor executive chairman Mick Million said the upgraded Net Present Value in excess of $100 million demonstrated the substantial value the project holds for the company. “There is further significant upside at Molyhil from expanding into potential underground mining and open-pit mining…

BY JESSICA CUMMINS PILBARA Minerals has approved a $231 million expansion of its Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project in the WA Pilbara. Subject to regulatory approval and financing, the expansion was set to grow production to more than 800,000 tonnes per annum, and increase processing capacity to 5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). Following the completion of its Definitive Feasibility Study in August, the company confirmed 100 per cent of the Stage 2 offtake would be sold to customers including POSCO, Ganfeng Lithium and Great Wall Motor Company. Stage 2 works have begun, and the company has already placed long lead orders for major equipment to allow it to meet its objective of commissioning from the December quarter 2019. The expansion included…

BY AMY BLOM TNG Limited’s Mount Peake mine is a step closer after the Northern Territory Government granted the company a mineral lease on 21 November. Mount Peake, 235km north of Alice Springs, had the potential to create up to 500 jobs during construction and between 175 and 250 ongoing roles during operation. The mine, granted major project status by the NT Government, has already completed the NT Environmental Impact Assessment process and received Federal Government environmental approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. TNG Limited managing director Paul Burton said the company was rapidly ticking off the boxes towards the Mount Peake development, with key announcements over the past few months, including the signing of a Native…

BY ELIZABETH FABRI FITZROY Australia Resources has received the green light from the QLD Government to develop its Ironbark No. 1 coal mine in the Bowen Basin, QLD. The 6 million tonne per annum (mtpa) underground longwall coking coal project, formerly owned by Vale and known as Ellensfield, was purchased by US-backed Fitzroy Australia Resources in November 2016. With mining leases granted, the project was now scheduled to enter production in 2020, and operate for an estimated 20 years. The project would be a “low impact development”, sharing major infrastructure with Fitzroy Australia’s nearby Carborough Downs mine. Fitzroy Australia Resources chief executive Grant Polwarth said the approval enabled it to pursue its expansion in the region, and would provide ongoing…

BY ELIZABETH FABRI NEODYMIUM and praseodymium explorer Arafura Resources has announced it will build a $US80 million separation plant for its Nolans rare earths project in the Northern Territory as opposed to overseas. The company has been determining the feasibility of the location of the plant for years, with the preferred site originally an industrial estate in South Korea. NT chief minister Michael Gunner said the Government had been working with Arafura throughout the year to secure the plant for the Territory. “Creating local jobs is the Territory Government’s number one priority. “This announcement is a significant vote of investor confidence in the NT and will contribute to the creation of around 500 construction jobs with 350-370 jobs during operations…