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Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) is partnering with a global venture studio and start-up investor to back the development and commercialisation of breakthrough technologies in the mining sector. Partnering with Founders Factory, Rio will invest $14.4m in global pre-seed and seed stage start-ups over the next three years with a focus on technologies in safe mine operations, decarbonisation, exploration processing and automation. Each of the start ups will receive a cash investment and take part in a four-month accelerator program run by Founders Factory to support product development and commercialisation. Rio iron ore chief executive Simon Trott commented on the partnership. “Technology has always been at the forefront of our industry and WA can be the Silicon Valley of the global…

Australian clean technology developer MCi Carbon held a foundation ceremony for its carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) plant ‘Myrtle’, currently under construction at Orica’s (ASX: ORI) Kooragang Island site. Funded by a $14.6m Federal Government grant, the plant is aimed at scaling up the development and demonstration of an engineering process called mineral carbonation, which transforms captured carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into building products and other valuable materials. The technology has the potential to provide a cost-competitive solution for decarbonising hard-to-abate industries globally and contributing to the circular economy. Orica managing director and chief executive Sanjeev Gandhi says the innovative project, which is expected to be operational by 2025, aligns with Orica’s sustainability and commercial goals. “The energy transition requires…

Members of the Jangga community recently gathered in Townsville, Queensland, to launch the Let’s Talk Yangga Language Resurgence Project, developed with the support of the QCoal Foundation. Wodjawodja bimbi Yangga, Let’s Talk Yangga, is the culmination of a nearly 18-month collaboration to safeguard the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of the Jangga people in Central Queensland. Revered Jangga Elder, Col McLennan, the last fluent speaker of his language, worked closely with linguist Angela Terrill and archaeologist Liz Hatte, powered by the support of the QCoal Foundation, to meticulously document the Yangga language so it remains a living and thriving language for generations to come. The project involved recording the Yangga language, mostly on country, and the creation of resources to…

Metallurgical testwork is advancing at NiCo Resources’ (ASX: NC1) Wingellina nickel-cobalt project in WA with aims to underpin a definitive feasibility study. Hosting an initial reserve of 1.56mt of contained nickel, Wingellina is capable of producing around 40,000tpa of nickel and 3000tpa of cobalt in a mixed hydroxide precipitate for at least 42 years. The project is the largest undeveloped nickel-cobalt project in Australia and is one of the largest nickeliferous pure oxide limonite accumulations in the world. Results from comprehensive testwork undertaken to date shows ore from Wingellina is well suited to processing by high pressure acid leach which results in high metallurgical recoveries and low reagent usage. NiCo managing director Jonathan Shellabear says the company is pleased with…

WesTrac is celebrating 20 years of service and support in NSW and the Australian Capital Territory, with more than 16,000 Cat machines delivered during this time. When WesTrac became the official Cat dealer for NSW and the Australian Capital Territory, work began immediately on fitting out the first purpose-built branch in Bathurst, NSW. Today, there are 18 WesTrac branches across NSW and the Australian Capital Territory, six click and collect lockers and more than 1500 staff members providing services to more than 6500 customers a year. WesTrac NSW and Australian Capital Territory chief executive Adrian Howard commented on the milestone. “From when the first Cat tractors arrived in Sydney almost a century ago, products manufactured by Caterpillar have played a…

BCI Minerals (ASX: BCI) has been granted two mining leases for its Optimised Mardie project (OMP) on the Pilbara coast of WA. The leases were granted by the WA Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety and are key drivers in progressing the necessary approvals to finalise the Mardie salt and potash project. Furthermore, BCI also received approval for its Groundwater Monitoring and Management Plan (GMMP) from the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. This approval requires BCI to update the groundwater modelling using data collected while the first three evaporation ponds are being filled. This ensures the most accurate groundwater modelling is available to inform the filling of the remaining ponds and crystallisers. BCI is now working…

Fortescue (ASX: FMG) has opened its electrolyser facility in Queensland which is one of the first in the world to house an automated assembly line. The 15,000m2 manufacturing facility has the capacity to produce over 2GW of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser stacks per year. Fortescue Energy chief executive Mark Hutchinson says the facility establishes the company as an original equipment manufacturer. “The process of splitting hydrogen and oxygen isn’t new – but the innovative ways the world is looking to use green hydrogen to decarbonise are, and that means demand for green hydrogen and for the electrolysers to produce it is growing rapidly,” he said. “The facility positions Fortescue and Gladstone as a large-scale producer of what will be…

Westgold Resources (ASX: WGX) and Karora Resources have agreed to combine and create a +400kozpa gold mining company. Under the agreement, Westgold will acquire all Karora shares with Karora shareholders to receive 2.52 Westgold fully paid ordinary shares, 68¢ in cash and 0.30 of a share in a new company to be de-merged from Karora for every Karora share held. Upon completion of the transaction, Westgold will have a portfolio of assets capable of producing more than 400kozpa exclusively from a WA asset base, high quality exploration targets and a clear pipeline of growth projects. Additionally, the company will become a top five Australian gold producer with a market cap of around $2.2b. Westgold managing director and chief executive Wayne…

Queensland companies will be able to dig, drill, sample and survey for new critical mineral deposits following a $4.6m boost. Funding has been given to projects prioritising the discovery of critical minerals which are needed to make solar panels, turbines, batteries and other technologies the world needs to decarbonise. The latest round of the Collaborative Exploration Initiative (CEI) provides funding of up to $300k to 18 projects across regional Queensland including near Chillagoe, Townsville, Mount Isa and Cloncurry. The CEI program complements the Queensland critical minerals strategy which oversees $245m in investment to transform the state, national and global economy through the responsible use of Queensland’s critical minerals. It also builds on the $5b CopperString 2032 project which will help…

Stanmore Resources (ASX: SMR) has acquired the remaining 50% in the Eagle Downs metallurgical coal project and 100% of the Eagle Downs South tenements in Queensland. Stanmore acquired the first 50% of Eagle Downs from South32 (ASX: S32) in early February 2024. The remaining 50% was held by Aquila Coal, a subsidiary of China Baowu Steel Group Corporation. For Eagle Downs, Stanmore will pay $22.81m (US$15m) in cash to Aquila on completion of the transaction and $30.41m (US$20m) payable upon the first 100kt of col being mined from longwall mining methods. It also consists of a capped royalty of up to $228.1m (US$150m) payable in the future linked to average coal index price thresholds. For Eagle Downs South, Stanmore will…

Dates have been locked in to complete an Aboriginal Heritage and Ethnographic survey with the Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation (NAC) over Accelerate Resources’ (ASX: AX8) Prinsep lithium project in WA. The survey will provide clearances to conduct drilling and other exploration activities over the spodumene-bearing northern and southern pegmatite trends. Drilling is expected to begin as soon as possible, following approvals for the heritage survey and program of works. Located 15km south of Karratha, Prinsep forms part of Accelerate’s larger Karratha lithium projects portfolio which covers around 90km2 of prospective tenure within the Karratha – Roebourne hard-rock lithium belt. To date, mineralisation has been defined across two subparallel pegmatite zones, both measuring a length of 1.8km and widths up to 60m.…