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Leading Cat® dealer WesTrac has revealed a series of new ESG (environmental, social and governance) initiatives as part of the company’s long-term commitment to becoming a more sustainable equipment provider. From adding a new Sustainability Badge to sustainable machinery, equipment and technology, to improving recycling across the country, the new processes play a vital role in minimising WesTrac’s environmental impact. Sustainability Badge implementation WesTrac’s new Sustainability Badge helps customers easily identify the company’s more sustainable machinery, equipment and technology offerings. This includes the range of Cat XE models which offer a reduction in fuel consumption and emissions, compared to earlier models. The green badge represents nature, growth and renewal, and enforces WesTrac’s commitment to Building Better Together – the Company’s…

Initial flash joule heating (FJH) tests have shown a 92% reduction in calcination time of spodumene concentrate from a lithium mine compared to conventional processing. FJH is an advanced processing and recycling technology that is being developed to extract critical metals, including rare earth elements, titanium, nickel, cobalt and lithium from waste material such as lithium-ion batteries, e-waste and coal fly ash. The process involves the rapid and intense heating of material to directly recover critical metals and make materials more amenable to metal recovery through conventional acid leaching methods. MTM Critical Metals (ASX: MTM) recently undertook a study to determine whether lithium extraction from the mineral spodumene can be made more efficient, addressing the significant energy demands of current…

Orica (ASX: ORI) was the overall winner for impact and the resources, energy and utilities category in the 2024 Australian Financial Review (AFR) Sustainability Leaders awards. This follows a $37m investment from Orica, the NSW Government and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation for innovative low-carbon technologies at Orica’s Kooragang Island ammonium nitrate plant in Newcastle, NSW. The project was one of the largest industrial decarbonisation projects in the country and saw the development of Australia’s first tertiary catalyst abatement technology which reduced site emissions by about 45% and Australia’s total chemical industrial sector emissions by about 11%. Orica Australia Pacific and sustainability president Germán Morales says the awards are an acknowledgement of the team’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. “We have…

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) has launched AIATSIS Centre for Australian Languages and the ‘Our Languages Keep Us Strong’ program with support from Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO). Rio Tinto committed $10m in 2022 for their establishment and implementation to protect and preserve Indigenous Australian cultures and knowledge. Rio Tinto Australia chief executive Kellie Parker says the launch is a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to preserve and celebrate the linguistic diversity of Australia’s First Peoples. “AIATSIS plays a vital role in preserving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and cultures, ensuring their recognition, respect and celebration,” she said. “Through community-driven initiatives, AIATSIS, is paving the way for a future where Indigenous languages continue…

The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has launched the ‘Shape Your Future, Innovate Our World’ digital campaign to attract Gen Z workers. The campaign is based on research into career motivators for Gen Zs and shares the stories of young people in the workforce enjoying the lifestyle. It was developed by QRC with support from the University of Queensland and Central Queensland University. QRC chief executive Janette Hewson says the campaign was developed to excite and entice young people into joining the minerals and energy sector. “The resources sector is a powerhouse for Queensland which is going through an exciting period as we continue our sustainability and decarbonisation improvements and support Queensland and the world to reach net zero,” she said.…

In line with the Paris Agreement and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Epiroc has set long-term 2030 sustainability targets within the areas of people and planet. Under the People – Health and Safety target, Epiroc is aiming to have no work-related injuries and to contribute to this, it has established a live work elimination (LWE) program. Epiroc live work elimination program manager Lori-Anne Fleming commented on the program. “The goal of our LWE program is to make sure that when people work on our equipment, they are not exposed to any energy that would put them in harm’s way and cause injury,” she said. “Our product portfolio is part of this, but it’s also about change management and…

The WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has recommended the proposed expansion of South32’s (ASX: S32) Boddington bauxite mine and Worsley refinery. But the recommendation is subject to strict conditions, including exclusion zones around rivers, streams and significant flora and fauna. This follows the WA Government’s recent decisions to allow Alcoa to continue bauxite mining and downstream alumina refining in the southwest of the State. Alcoa recently received an exemption allowing it to implement mining proposals while the WA EPA assesses them, subject to conditions, along with the approval of the company’s latest five-year mine plan for its Huntly and Willowdale bauxite mines from 2023-2027. South32’s public environmental review over more than five years assessed its impacts to flora and vegetation,…

The WA Government has released findings from a public knowledge sharing report on the Denham renewable hydrogen microgrid. The first of its kind in Australia, the project includes a 703kW solar farm, a 348kW hydrogen electrolyser and a 100kW fuel cell in Denham, WA. It will provide an innovative alternative to diesel and is expected to offset 140klpa of diesel. The public knowledge sharing report will help to advance learnings in technology, costs, regulatory requirements and community sentiment around using hydrogen as a fuel source. WA Premier Roger Cook says the microgrid will help the clean energy future. “I want to see WA become a renewable energy powerhouse and hydrogen will have an important role to play in our clean…

South32 (ASX: S32) is making progress across Australian and American mining operations with the development of automated exploration technology and energy efficient grinding plant equipment. In Australia, South32 has successfully completed the trial of its Evolution Drill Rig prototype. The prototype was trialled over three months at the Jessica and Cararra exploration projects in the Northern Territory, where South32 is in farm-in agreements with Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR). The drill rig, operated by contract partner DDH1 Drilling, improves safety performance without reducing productivity by removing the manual rod handling process during drilling. It is compatible with existing drill rigs and does not require custom-built drill rigs to use. The system will be deployed on other South32 exploration projects and across…

Gold miner Evolution Mining (ASX: EVN) has placed a major underground equipment order from Sandvik, worth about $42m (SEK 300m). The order was booked in the second quarter this year, with deliveries scheduled to begin this third quarter and continue over the next 12 months. The order includes Sandvik’s advanced underground loaders, trucks and development drills to be implemented in different mine sites around Australia. Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions president Mats Eriksson says “we are very pleased that we continue to be a trusted partner to Evolution Mining and that we strengthen our partnership further as they renew big part of their fleet”. Evolution Mining currently operates six mines, being five wholly-owned mines – Cowal in NSW, Ernest Henry…

Australian Gold Reagents (AGR) has received the next stage of funding to expand the capacity of its sodium cyanide plant. Three years in the making, the expansion will increase AGR’s production capacity by around 28ktpa from its existing production to more than 90ktpa. This expansion will position AGR as the world’s third-largest sodium cyanide produce for gold mining operations across Australia, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. First sodium cyanide production from the expanded plant is expected in late 2025 with additional capacity progressively coming online through to 2027. AGR general manager Barney Jones says funding approval is a step forward for the company. “This project milestone is another step forward for our high-calibre team, who are moving…