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Bellevue Gold shines with $75m maiden net profit Bellevue Gold (ASX: BGL) has announced a maiden net profit of $75m for FY24 following the start of production at its Bellevue gold mine in WA. Bellevue generated free cash flow of $41m in the June 2024 quarter from production of 42,705oz, highlighting the cash flow potential of the project as production continues to grow. Bellevue managing director Darren Stralow says the company has achieved many major milestones during the year as it made the transition to gold producer. “Production commenced in October 2023, and we are pleased to report profit of $75m for FY24...

Record year for mineral exploration expenditure The June 2024 quarterly statistics on mineral exploration show spending across Australia’s exploration sector has produced another record year. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), expenditure in the June quarter reached $1.01b, an 11% increase from the $909.6m from the March quarter. Annual expenditure across the country totalled a record $4.2b for FY24, a 1.6% increase on FY23. Metres drilled for both greenfield and brownfield exploration rose in the June quarter by 33.8% to 656.7km and 29.5% to 1934.7km, respectively. Annually however, greenfield exploration metres drilled decreased 14.2% and brownfield metres drilled...

WA EPA releases scoping document for Alcoa’s bauxite mining The WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has released its environmental scoping document (ESD) for Alcoa’s bauxite mining on the Darling Range in southwest WA for 2022-2026 and 2023-2027. While both mining and management programs (MMP) are referred separately, the EPA is considering them under a single ESD as they relate to Alcoa’s mining operations within the Huntly and Willowdale areas, about 100km southeast of Perth. They also include the production, processing and transport of wet bauxite ore, the abstraction of water, exploration drilling and rehabilitation works. EPA deputy chair Lee McIntosh says a “bespoke approach” to scoping...

Granny Smith’s day in the sun: Gold Fields expands solar farm Gold Fields will be more than doubling the capacity of the solar farm at its Granny Smith mine in Laverton WA, with completion scheduled early next year. The gold mine’s hybrid system, comprising 8MW on-site solar, a 2MW battery power system and gas plant, generated 7% of its electricity supply from renewables in CY23. Now, in a continuous bid to reduce the mine site’s energy costs and carbon intensity, Gold Fields will expand solar capacity at Granny Smith to a total of 19MW, an...

Independent review recommends reforms to opal industry An independent review into the statutory framework for small-scale title for opal mining has issued its final report, with 81 recommendations to enhance and support the sustainability and efficacy of the industry. NSW Natural Resources Minister Courtney Houssos commissioned the review following a departmental review of administrative processes which uncovered 3343 minerals claims in Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs were impacted by invalid decisions. The review was undertaken by former Land and Environment Court Judge and NSW Attorney General Terry Sheahan with support of law firm Norton Rose...

Wonderful turn out for Whitehaven Coal Community Open Day  Whitehaven Coal’s (ASX: WHC) annual Community Open Day gave about 1500 residents from across the Boggabri, NSW, region a behind the scenes look at their local mining industry.  Whitehaven Coal’s managing director and chief executive Paul Flynn attended the event and said it was a fantastic opportunity to say thank you to residents, local businesses and the broader community who continue to support Whitehaven and its operations in the region.  “Our Community Open Day is one of the most important days on our calendar and I know...

Alcoa teams up with Clontarf Coodanup Academy  Alcoa Australia (ASX: AAI) will provide a grant of $250,000 to the Clontarf Foundation’s Coodanup Academy to help young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men complete Year 12 and enter employment.  Alcoa WA mines manager Darrin Strange says the partnership with Coodanup Academy is an important step in the company’s mission to further strengthen relationships and enhance respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  “We are very proud to work closely with the Clontarf Foundation and to announce our three-year partnership to support the boys...

Tartana Minerals completes 150t copper sulphate shipment Tartana Minerals (ASX: TAT) has shipped 150t of copper sulphate pentahydrate to one of the largest mining operations in the Northern Territory. The product came from Tartana’s namesake project which is located 150km west of Cairns in Queensland. The project contains a heap leach solvent extraction crystallisation plant which produced copper sulphate pentahydrate for 10 years before being placed in care and maintenance in 2014 with refurbishment works beginning in 2023. Depending on the specifications of the product, copper sulphate pentahydrate is sold to both mining operations and the stockfeed industry. The...

SACOME welcomes BHP’s move on Olympic Dam copper smelter The South Australian Chamber of Mines & Energy (SACOME) has welcomed BHP’s proposed staged expansion of its Olympic Dam smelter and refinery, which has the potential to double the State’s copper production by the mid-2030s to 650,000t. One of only two copper smelters in Australia, the other being Mount Isa in Queensland, this expansion will see the current Olympic Dam copper smelter upgraded to a two-stage smelter, with its refining capacity also expanded. Last week, a notification in the South Australian Government Gazette announced that the State...

Komatsu renews Endeavour Foundation partnership Komatsu is continuing to provide jobs for people with a disability through the renewal of its partnership with Endeavour Foundation. The partnership between the two companies will provide employment opportunities within Komatsu’s Oil Wear Analysis (KOWA) area. Supported employees in the program clean the 100% recycled plastic containers so they can be reused up to six times. Komatsu executive general manager Russell Hodson says the company is excited to continue its partnership with Endeavour for a further three years. “We’ve been able to not only offer meaningful employment to a number of people, but...