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Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) has completed its acquisition of Mitsubishi Corporation’s 11.65% interest in Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL). BSL owns and operates the Boyne Island aluminium smelter in Gladstone, Queensland. The operation includes manufacturing carbon anodes, aluminium production via smelting and casting of molten metal into aluminium products ready to ship. Following completion of the transaction, Rio Tinto’s interest in BSL is now 71.04%. Rio Tinto looks forward to continuing to work with its BSL joint venture partners and other stakeholders on securing a competitive low-carbon future for its Gladstone operations. Previously announced acquisitions by Rio Tinto of Sumitomo Chemical Company’s (SCC) 2.46% stake in BSL and SCC’s 20.64% interest in New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS), which owns and operates…

Victoria Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio visited the site of Fotowatio Renewable Ventures’ Terang Battery Energy Storage System, essential to storing Victoria’s renewable energy. The project includes a 100MWh/200MWh battery and grid forming inverter, which was made possible through a $7m investment as part of Round 2 of the Energy Innovation Fund. The project will include 38 inverters and 48 battery containers and create up to 150 jobs during construction. Grid forming inverters use voltage and frequency control technology to manage the supply and demand of electricity flowing through the network and keep it performing reliably. This technology is critical as more renewable energy is connected to the grid. Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) Australia has appointed Canadian Solar’s e-STORAGE…

Aurecon Australasia will design the Clean Energy Training and Research Institute (CETRI) under the WA Government’s $140m push to establish the Pilbara Hydrogen Hub. The $22m facility will be a multi-user training hub and research institute that incorporates different training providers and research site locations across industry and tertiary and vocational training settings. The design process will occur over the next eight months, during which extensive consultations will occur with key stakeholders. This will include industry, the training and research sector and community groups, including Aboriginal organisations in the Pilbara region. Aurecon will undertake a co-design process with key CETRI stakeholders to ensure the CETRI is accessible, impactful and meet the needs of industry for the jobs of the future…

Dredging has begun at Lumsden Point in the Port of Port Hedland, with around 1m cubic metres of material to be removed over the next eight weeks. The dredging will create a deeper access channel, swing basin and berth pockets to ensure the safe and efficient berthing of vessels at the new Lumsden Point facility. Earlier this year, Jan De Nul was awarded the contract for this work, with extensive preparatory works already completed and the JFJ De Nul cutter suction dredge arriving in Port Hedland earlier this week. To minimise the risk on impact to surrounding habitats, environmental monitoring is also being undertaken. WA Ports, Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael says its fantastic to see the progress being made.…

The Coal Minesite Rehabilitation Trust is offering more than $200,000 in post-graduate scholarships to students at any Queensland university. Two scholarships are up for grabs and offer $40,000 a year over three years to students doing their post-graduate studies in world-leading environmental management. The Trust was established in 2007 by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC), Queensland Government and industry representatives. QRC chief executive Janette Hewson says the scholarships are a practical way to continue Queensland’s leading expertise in mined land rehabilitation. “Queensland has an international reputation as a leader in mined land rehabilitation and innovative environmental practices across all of stages of mine development from design to closure,” she said. “These scholarships will build on the progress already made by…

Following the $455b export high in FY23, earnings from Australia’s resources and energy sectors are set to normalise, according to the September 2024 Resources and Energy Quarterly (REQ). Released by the Federal Department of Industry, Science and Resources, the REQ forecasts export earnings to ease to $372b in FY25, down from $415b recorded in FY24, as a result of weaker global prices, slower world growth and increased supply of key commodities. Iron ore prices fell to a two year low to below $144/t (US$100/t) due to weakness in global steel demand and falling steel production in China, while prices for base metals, lithium, nickel and metallurgical coal remained weak. Notably, the gold price hit a new record high of $3608/oz…

WesTrac has been recognised for its industry-leading training and educational services, receiving the 2024 Large Employer of the Year award at the WA Training Awards. This award acknowledges excellence and high-level performance by large, registered organisations in vocational education and training. WesTrac (WA) has delivered more than 6,000 training sessions to its employees and more than 1,800 to external customers. Additionally, the company currently trains 180 metro and regional WesTrac apprentices and a further 200 customer apprentices. Students and apprentices attend the organisation’s purpose-built training facilities, including the state-of-the-art WesTrac Institute which has been operating for more than 30 years. WesTrac also operates the internationally recognised WesTrac Technology Training Centre in Collie — the only autonomous training centre in the Southern…

Wyloo and Metalshub have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the carbon footprint, ESG (environmental, social and governance) credentials, pricing and provenance in international nickel markets. The mining industry has been grappling with the downward pressure on nickel prices and mine closures from a flood of cheap nickel, mined in low-cost Indonesian operations, coming on to the global scene. Wyloo intends to use Metalshub for the sale of its low-carbon nickel and nickel concentrate products following a restart of its Kambalda nickel operations in WA. This collaboration aims to develop a price index for low-carbon nickel concentrate and nickel sulphate, to be referenced in future sales contracts. Wyloo chief executive Luca Giacovazzi says the collaboration will set a…

Reward Minerals (ASX: RWD) has entered a $2.13m binding asset sale agreement with Kalium Lakes (ASX: KLL) for the Beyondie potash plant. This follows Reward’s previous purchase attempt for the plant in early 2024, with the company terminating the transaction, citing insufficient funds. Kalium’s operations at the plant ceased in September 2023, with the site transitioning to care and maintenance ahead of the sale. Reward will manage care and maintenance activities at the site until it is able to relocate the plant. Reward will also be responsible for dismantling and removing the assets from the plant area and rehabilitating the plant and facilities area. This is a notable transaction, as prices for sulphate of potash (SOP) — the only potash-based…

Australia’s first purpose-built hydrogen research, testing and training facility is now up and running in Victoria. Victorian Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio officially opened the new Hycel Hydrogen Technology Hub at Deakin University in Warrnambool. The 4.5ha precinct features a new product engineering development laboratory, three laboratory bays, associated offices and a dedicated community and multifunctional space. This hub will increase Victoria’s testing and manufacturing capabilities in hydrogen technologies, with a focus on developing fuel cells for transport and heavy vehicles, plus trains and boats. A $9m investment from the State Government’s Higher Education State Investment Fund plus a $9m investment from the Federal Government helped support the project. Not only will the hub drive hydrogen fuel research, but…