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Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) has increased its shareholding in Sovereign Metals (ASX: SVM) to 19.76%, making it the company’s largest shareholder. Via an option excise, Rio Tinto will invest $18.5m to be used to advance the Kasiya rutile-graphite project in Malawi. This includes progressing an optimisation study for a world-class mine capable of supplying critical minerals to the titanium pigment, titanium metal and lithium-ion battery industries. Sovereign chairman Ben Stoikovich says this investment reaffirms Kasiya’s position as one of the most significant critical minerals projects globally. “With Rio Tinto’s wealth of experience as one of the world’s largest and most accomplished global mining companies, Kasiya is well-positioned to potentially become a market leader in low-CO2-footprint natural rutile and graphite,” he…

Fenix Resources (ASX: FEX) has restarted mining at its Shine iron ore mine in WA. The approval to proceed with the stage one mine plan at Shine follows a comprehensive review of all aspects of the mine, including the completion of an in-pit drilling program, product sampling, a tender process for mining and processing, and updated resource modelling. Stage one is expected to produce iron ore at a grade of 60% iron with cash costs of $67.50/wmt. Stage two and stage three mine plans will be assessed following further optimisation work with significant opportunity existing for Fenix to extend the mine life at Shine, subject to future approvals. Production is expected to begin during the December quarter with haulage of…

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) has announced its plans for two new 5.25MW solar farms for the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory. Construction will begin in July 2024, with completion scheduled for early 2025. Aggreko will construct, own and operate the solar farms for Rio Tinto for up to 10 years. The solar farms will be built on Rio Tinto leases, following agreement with the Gumatj and Rirratjingu Traditional Owner Groups, and will help transition to a low-carbon future after mining operations cease towards the end of the decade. Rio Tinto Gove operations acting general manager Shannon Price says this project will leave a positive legacy for the local community after bauxite mining ceases. “We’re excited to work with the…

Liontown Resources (ASX: LTR) has secured funding from LG Energy Solution to boost current lithium mining and explore the feasibility of establishing a lithium refinery in WA. The agreement includes a five-year $379m (US$250m) convertible note, increasing total cash balance to about $501m to fund the Kathleen Valley, WA, ramp-up to 3mtpa steady state production. Funding will progress early enabling works in the underground mine to preserve the 4mtpa expansion option on a 2027 timeframe and to support 3mtpa production. The existing offtake agreement has also been extended by 10 years (15 years in total) with a downstream collaboration agreement to explore the feasibility of establishing an IRA-compliant lithium refinery. Liontown managing director and chief executive Tony Ottaviano says this…

Australian Vanadium (ASX: AVL) has completed the first phase of the optimised feasibility study (OFS) for the Australian Vanadium project in WA. The first phase of the optimised feasibility study consisted of three milestones with the first milestone comprising of an update to the mineral resource estimate with a 39% increase in the measured and indicated categories. Milestone two was the identification of an optimal location along strike to begin mining along the southern blocks of the project due to higher vanadium and iron concentrate grades and favourable weathering attributes. The final milestone was the identification of optimal processing plant location. Australian Vanadium has now completed a key trade-off study that confirmed Tenindewa, near Geraldton, as the preferred location for…

Chalice Mining (ASX: CHN) has entered a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mitsubishi Corporation to advance development at the Gonneville project in WA. The MOU will see the companies work together during the ongoing pre-feasibility study (PFS) with the intention of forming a potential strategic partnership to develop Gonneville. It establishes a general framework for collaboration on technical, financing, marketing and offtake aspects of the project during the PFS. Chalice is fully funded to complete the PFS which is targeted for mid-2025. Chalice managing director and chief executive Alex Dorsch says the company is pleased to have executed the MOU with Mitsubishi. “We are very pleased to have executed the MOU with Mitsubishi, which marks the beginning of a…

Civmec (ASX: CVL) has been awarded $174m in contract and scope extensions for fabrication, manufacturing, construction and maintenance work across Australia. Among these awards is the contract for the supply, manufacture and offsite assembly of a new shiploader for the Dalrymple Bay terminal in QLD to be undertaken at Civmec’s state-of-the-art facility in Henderson, WA. Civmec states the project will create significant opportunities for local employment and subcontracting, reinforcing Civmec’s commitment to contributing positively to the communities in which it operates. Civmec chief executive Patrick Tallon says the extensions are a testament to Civmec’s ability to meet its clients’ needs. “We have made significant investments into our capabilities over the years, enabling successful delivery of a wide range of materials…

Asra Minerals (ASX: ASR) has accelerated preparations for drilling at Kookynie East in WA. This follows documentation from Bullseye Mining and Kalgoorlie Mining Associates, detailing agreement to dismiss all Applications for Forfeiture over the tenements. The tenements are being acquired by Asra to add to its expanding gold portfolio in the Leonora-Kookynie region of WA. Asra executive chairman Paul Summers says this development provides certainty for progressing drilling preparations. “This legal matter, which was unrelated to Asra and largely outside of the Company’s control, has not affected our ongoing planning and preparation for drilling at Kookynie in the very near future,” he said. “The rapid and successful resolution between the two Parties means we can now push forward with our…

Cyberattacks on mining companies are growing and costing the industry millions of dollars with recent targets including Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) and Iluka Resources (ASX: ILU). Last weekend’s Surface Mine Emergency Competition (SMERC) in the Goldfields, WA, featured a simulation cyberattack on a mine site, with the scenario researched and developed by FMR Investment, operator of the Greenfields gold mill near Coolgardie. GeoMoby founder Chris Baudia, attended and observed the simulated cyberattack session hosted in Coolgardie, WA, on June 29-30 and says that “if criminals take over the computer systems that run a processing operation, it can be extremely dangerous for the mine workers”. “If technology was installed at the operations – which were role played in the SMERC…

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) will install carbon free aluminium smelting cells at its Arvida smelter in Québec, Canada, using the first technology licence from its ELYSIS joint venture with Alcoa. The first of its kind, the ELYSISTM technology eliminates all greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional smelting process and produces oxygen as a byproduct. Rio will design, engineer and build a demonstration plant equipped with 10 pots operating at 100 kiloamperes (kA). The plant will have the capacity to produce up to 2500tpa of commercial quality aluminium without direct greenhouse gas emissions with first production targeted by 2027. The plant will be owned by a new joint venture between Rio and the Government of Québec, through Investissement Québec, for a…

Fortescue (ASX: FMG) and Liebherr Mining will jointly develop and validate a fully integrated Autonomous Haulage Solution (AHS), which the iron ore miner aims to be the first AHS operating zero emissions vehicles globally. With Fortescue’s target to achieve real zero terrestrial emissions (Scope 1 and 2) across its Australian iron ore operations by 2030, this solution brings Fortescue one step closer to delivering zero emissions autonomous haul trucks to its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, Fortescue (ASX: FMG) and Liebherr Mining will jointly develop and validate a fully integrated Autonomous Haulage Solution (AHS), which the iron ore miner aims to be the first AHS operating zero emissions vehicles globally. With Fortescue’s target to achieve real zero terrestrial emissions…