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After opening in June 2022, Mineral Resources’ (ASX: MIN) has received green star certification for its headquarters in Osborne Park, Perth. This building is the seventh in the state to receive six-star green star design and as built certification from Green Building Council Australia (GBCA). Certification from GBCA assesses the sustainability outcomes from the design and construction of new building or major refurbishments across management, emissions, land use and ecology, innovation, materials, indoor environment quality, water, transport and energy. The green star ratings encourage the industry to create building that are liveable, healthy, productive, sustainable and resilient. Mineral Resources executive general manager corporate development James Bruce says the certification is an outstanding achievement for the company. “This significant investment in…

The Federal Government has introduced legislation to establish the Net Zero Economy Authority to promote orderly and positive net zero economic transformation for the country. Over the next four years, the Government will provide $53.3m each year (a total of $189.3m) to resource the authority. The authority will support the economy-wide net zero transformation that is underway by acting as a catalyst for private and public investment, major project development, job creation and transition, and skills and community development. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commented on the authority. “The Net Zero Economy Authority will play an important role in one of the most significant economic events in Australian history and position us as a renewable energy superpower,” he said. “We are…

Two major mineralisation extensions have been discovered at Argent Minerals’ (ASX: ARD) Kempfield polymetallic project in NSW. The mineralised extension known as the Kempfield NW mineralised zone measures around 1.72km in length with an average width of 100m. This mineralisation is hosted within a gossanous barite lithology with the zone open to the west and northeast. The second extension, known as the Kempfield NE mineralised zone, spans a strike of 1km with an average width of 170m. Mineralisation is also hosted within a gossanous barite volcanic / meta-sediment unit with the zone remaining open to the northeast and east. Up to 177g/t silver, 1.89% lead and 1.21% zinc was encountered from the Kempfield NW zone, while up to 41g/t silver…

Mineral Resources (ASX: MIN) has awarded a five-year contract to Buru Rehab for road maintenance and civil work at its Wodgina lithium mine in WA. Indigenous owned Buru Rehab provides professional mine rehabilitation and earthwork services, and owner George Todd says the company is excited with the work. “Along with civil works, Buru Rehab will undertake rehabilitation for MinRes’ exploration and mining activities, restoring the land and supporting it for future uses,” he said. Located 110km south of Port Hedland, Wodgina is one of the largest known hard rock lithium deposits in the world and is held in a 50:50 joint venture with Albemarle Corporation. All mining operations are managed by Mineral Resources, which includes a spodumene concentrate processing plant…

Mineral exploration spending in the Northern Territory shot up to $228.1m in 2023, a 14% increase on 2022’s figures of $199.9m. This 14% jump is well above the national average increase of 5%. The figure of $228.1m is the largest exploration figure the Northern Territory has seen in over 10 years and just shy of the highest expenditure ever recorded in the Norther Territory, which was $228.4m in 2011. The demand for critical minerals worldwide continues to drive the growth in exploration, with a large proportion of the increase attributed to lithium, rare earth elements and other critical minerals. Northern Territory Mining Minister Mark Monaghan commented on the increase. “Mineral exploration expenditure in the Territory continues to lead the country…

Metro Mining (ASX: MMI) has begun the 2024 production season at its Bauxite Hills mine in Queensland. Mining resumed on March 25 and ship loading is expected to begin on March 26. With the weakening of wet season conditions, operations will gradually restart over the coming days to ensure the safe operations of mining systems. Full operations are expected to resume by the beginning of April. Wet season programs have been executed and maintenance work on mobile equipment, fixed plant and marine vessels completed, with all assets now back at site. Two 90m barges have arrived at site, taking the total to six. Initial operations will use the single floating crane, TSA Skardon, for ship loading. The new wobbler screen…

Pilbara Minerals (ASX: PLS) and Ganfeng have signed a binding term sheet to complete a joint feasibility study on a downstream lithium conversion plant. The feasibility study will consider a conversion plant that could produce around 32ktpa lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) of lithium chemicals along with a potential intermediate lithium chemical product. It will consider the operating costs, capital costs, fiscal incentives and overall economics of a potential lithium chemicals plant together with assessment of other factors including ESG, permitting timeline and supply chain logistics. Pilbara Minerals managing director and chief executive Dale Henderson commented on the partnership. “We are delighted to have selected our long-standing customer, Ganfeng, to join us in taking the next step towards a major downstream…

Envirostream Australia, a subsidiary of Lithium Australia (ASX: LIT), has signed an exclusive three-year recycling agreement with Hyundai Glovis. Part of the Hyundai Motor Group, Hyundai Glovis is a leading logistics provider which operates a distribution network for finished vehicles. During the initial three-year term, Envirostream will be the exclusive provider of provider of battery recycling services for all of Hyundai Glovis’ batteries in Australia. This agreement highlights Envirostream’s focus on accelerating growth in the collection of large format lithium-ion batteries. The total tonnage of energy storage systems (ESS) and electric vehicle (EV) batteries sold is projected to grow between 10% and 40% year on year until 2030. Lithium Australia managing director and chief executive Simon Linge says the company…

Sheffield Resources’ (ASX: SFX) Kimberley Mineral Sands has completed its maiden bulk shipment of non-magnetic zircon concentrate from its Thunderbird mineral sands mine in WA. The shipment included 10,000t of non-magnetic zircon concentrate plus an additional 1100t of bagged non-magnetic zircon concentrate has departed the Port of Broome and will be delivered to an existing offtake customer. Additional bulk shipments of non-magnetic zircon and magnetic ilmenite concentrate and paramagnetic products are scheduled over the coming weeks as production at Thunderbird ramps up towards nameplate capacity. Sheffield executive chair Bruce Griffin commented on the milestone. “We are extremely pleased by this landmark bulk shipment achievement and the continued progress and ramp up of the Thunderbird mine,” he said. “We wish to…

The Queensland Government has declared two major projects in the Townsville-Mount Isa Corridor, both with the potential for more than 5,500 jobs, as “prescribed projects”, allowing the State’s Coordinator-General to fast-track them with local governments and regulators. Project Green Poly will create one of Australia’s first integrated mine-to-manufacturing polysilicon supply chains, with the $7.8b investment expected to create 4,400 jobs around Townsville during construction and operation of a facility that will run for 30 years or more. The Eva copper mine project near Mt Isa and Cloncurry will add a new stream of copper mining and smelting, boosting local supply for solar, wind and battery energy manufacturing. The mine is expected to operate for at least 15 years and generate…

A significant nickel anomaly has been defined at Raiden Resources’ (ASX: RDN) Mt Sholl project in the Pilbara region of WA. First Quantum Minerals carried out an infill soil sampling program over the northern parts of Mt Sholl where previous work defined broad nickel in soil anomalism. Raiden and First Quantum has a memorandum of understanding, with First Quantum sole funding all the base metal related activities at Mt Sholl. This sampling defined a very high-grade nickel in soil anomaly that extends over several kilometres along a west-northwest trending corridor. A peak value of 1770ppm nickel was encountered with multiple anomalies. Currently, the source of the nickel anomaly is unknown, however, it may be related to a potential volcanogenic massive…