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Westgold scales up production and exploration Westgold (ASX: WGX) has increased its FY25 production guidance as its WA mines Beta Hunt, Bluebird - South Junction and Great Fingall begin to deliver increased outputs. FY25 guidance is 400,000-420,000oz, a substantial increase from its 220,000-235,000oz FY24 guidance. The company is gearing up for a peak investment year, as Southern Goldfields assets are integrated and optimised, the Murchison operating assets are expanded and Great Fingall commences production. Westgold managing director and chief executive Wayne Bramwell says FY25 sees a substantial step change in...

Alcoa to sell interest in Ma’aden JV for $1.1b, expands drone tech Alcoa (ASX: AAI) will be selling its 25.1% interest in the Ma’aden joint venture (JV) to Saudi Arabian mining company Ma’aden for $1.1b. The transaction comprises around 86m Ma’aden shares (valued at $950m) and $150m cash. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Alcoa will hold its Ma’aden shares for a minimum of three years, with one-third of the shares becoming transferable after the third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of closing the transaction. Created in 2009, the JV comprises two entities, the Ma’aden Bauxite (MBAC, the bauxite mine and alumina refinery)...

Metso launches breakthrough hydrocyclone technology Metso has launched the newest member of its MHC hydrocyclones product family, the MHC curved bottom (CB). The MHC CB is suited for lithium, gold, aggregates, nickel, magnetite, hematite, limestone, aluminium, zinc, molybdenum, silica and more. The new hydrocyclone is designed for superior particle separation with increased unit capacity and coarser cut sizes while minimising the fines bypass. Metso hydrocyclones product group manager Ben Klein says the design of the MHC CB is based on the proven...

IGO shifts focus to lithium among uncertainty in markets IGO (ASX: IGO) will focus heavily on its lithium business, embracing expected volatility in the market as demand and supply imbalances play out. Presenting at the company’s 2024 Strategy Day, IGO managing director and chief executive Ivan Vella says the global energy transition is happening, with electrification at its core. “To drive the transition, the world is going to need to discover and deliver a lot more battery materials,” he said....

Coal royalties damaging to Queensland: QRC The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) says coal royalty legislation which passed through State Parliament yesterday have further damaged the state’s competitiveness. The Bill, which was introduced by the State Government without consultation in May 2023, will force any future decrease in coal royalty taxes to be legislated, making it harder for future governments to make changes. QRC chief executive Janette Hewson says the State Government should focus on getting the right policy settings to secure a pipeline of investment and re-establish the...

Queensland Government approves 10 new projects to support Mount Isa jobs Ahead of planned mine closes by resources giant Glencore, the Queensland Government has approved 10 projects to support almost 500 local jobs in Mount Isa. These projects are being funded via the $20m Mount Isa Transition Fund which includes $14.7m for program delivery costs associated with the projects and $5.3m for the Mount Isa City Council to implement projects identified through its own economic transition strategy. The fund is part of the broader $50m structural adjustment package which also includes $30m to accelerate resources projects in the Northwest Minerals Province. Combined, the 10...

King and McDonald go head-to-head at Minerals Week 2024 Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King delivered a speech at the Minerals Week 2024 Conference in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, arguing that the Federal Government is especially focused on critical minerals and rare earths industries. “No government in recent memory has put the resources industry at the centre of its policy making in the way that the Government has,” she said. “In June last year, I released the Critical Minerals Strategy, which provided the blueprint for our approach...

Dutton to fast-track 421 projects and create 100,000 mining jobs Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he will push through 421 projects that are sitting on the sidelines to bring in $525b for the Australian economy, in his recent address to the Minerals Week 2024 Conference in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Mr Dutton says this push forward will create a total of 100,000 jobs during the construction phase, along with 55,000 ongoing jobs during operation. Could this hold a glimmer of hope for the Australian mining industry that has lost 8,000 jobs this year from waning nickel and lithium demand,...

Vault Minerals introduced to the market Vault Minerals has been revealed as the name of the Red 5 (ASX: RED) and Silver Lake joint company, with shareholder approval to be sought after at a general meeting on September 25. According to Red 5, the name Vault Minerals was chosen for its significance to the company as a profitable, financially disciplined and returns-focused gold producer. The chemical symbol for gold – Au – is also embedded in the word vault and Red 5 considers this new name embodies its key objective of its long-term strategy of becoming a valuable producer and...

Promising gold recovery achieved from e-waste Up to 70% of the contained gold in electronic waste (e-waste) has been recovered in initial tests of MTM Critical Metals’ (ASX: MTM) flash joule heating (FJH) technology. The FJH technology works by ‘flash’ heating e-waste in a chlorine gas atmosphere, vaporising the target metals such as gold for efficient separation and collection via metal chlorides. This process is highly scalable and environmentally friendly, offering a sustainable and energy efficient alternative to traditional methods of recovering metals from e-waste such as smelting and chemical leaching which are considered energy intensive,...

Top talent recognised at Women in Resources National Awards Two Queensland women have received national recognition for their outstanding contribution to the resources sector at the BHP (ASX: BHP) Women in Resources National Awards. Gold Coast based FIFO engineer, Ashara Moore, and support manager, Kanae Dyas, were honoured at the awards presented by the Minerals Council of Australia. Ashara Moore, who works at BHP’s Saraji mine in Central Queensland, was named...