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$4.6m funding to drive Queensland critical mineral discoveries 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...

Stanmore Resources acquires remaining 50% of Eagle Downs 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...

Heritage surveys confirmed for Prinsep 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...

QEM extracts 99.93% pure vanadium pentoxide from industrial waste Critical minerals explorer and developer QEM (ASX: QEM) has extracted 99.93% pure vanadium pentoxide from Queensland industrial waste. These results complete the study carried out on QEM’s behalf by The University of Queensland Hydrometallurgy Research Laboratories (UQ), part of the School of Chemical Engineering. The results set the groundwork to begin optimisation and pilot-scale work. QEM supplied The University of Queensland with vanadium-bearing spent catalyst from Incitec Pivot’s Mount Isa sulphuric acid plant. Work determined that an acid lead followed by solvent extraction, crystallisation and calcining is a technically viable method of recycling spent catalyst to produce...

CSI Mining Services awarded five-year crushing contract CSI Mining Services, Mineral Resources’ (ASX: MIN) mining services arm, has been awarded a crushing contract for Atlas Iron’s McPhee Creek project in WA. The five-year contract is for the supply and operation of a 10Mtpa primary crushing plant fed by Atlas Iron via dump trucks or front-end loaders. The product will be stockpiled for reclaim and haulage by Atlas Iron. CSI chief executive Mike Grey says the contract adds to the company’s pipeline of upcoming work. “It’s fantastic to strengthen our partnership with Atlas Iron, with CSI also...

GenusPlus Group receives $50m worth of Fortescue work contracts As part of Fortescue’s (ASX: FMG) decarbonisation plans, power and communications infrastructure provider GenusPlus Group (ASX: GNP) has been awarded two work contracts worth $50m. The two contracts are for the construction of civil foundation and the construction of a 220kV circuit overhead transmission line to transmit power between the power station at Fortescue’s Solomon and Eliwana mines in WA. Under the contracts, GenusPlus will construct the pole civil foundations and install the transmission poles, conductor, optical ground wire and hardware. Work has already begun and is expected to be completed by mid-2025. GenusPlus managing director David Riches welcomes the opportunity...

BHP completes Blackwater and Daunia divestment BHP (ASX: BHP) and Mitsubishi Development (MDP) have completed the divestment of the Blackwater and Daunia mines to Whitehaven Coal (ASX: WHC). Both mines were part of the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) metallurgical coal joint venture in Queensland. BHP and NDP each hold a 50% interest in BMA. Whitehaven Coal paid BMA $3.07b (US$2b) cash consideration on completion, plus a preliminary completion adjustment of $67.73m (US$44.1m) for working capital and other adjustments. On October 18, 2023, Whitehaven paid a $153.59m (US$100m) deposit on signing of the asset sale agreement. There remains a cash payment of $1.69b (US$1.1b), payable by Whitehaven Coal...

Rio Tinto appointed manager of Ranger rehabilitation project Under a new management services agreement (MSA), Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) will manage the Ranger rehabilitation project in the Northern Territory on behalf of Energy Resources of Australia (ERA). The MSA will build on ERA’s existing rehabilitation work with Rio’s technical expertise in designing, scoping and executing closure projects. Transition to Rio Tinto’s management will begin immediately and is expected to take around three months. Under the agreement, Rio and ERA will aim to complete the Ranger rehabilitation project in the safest and most efficient way, and to a standard that will establish an environment similar...

Applications open for MRIWA science communication awards Applications are open for the second Mineral Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA) science communication awards. The aim of the award is to encourage and recognise the value of high-quality, high-impact communication of mineral research, technology and services in WA’s mining and minerals industry. The awards are open to industry professionals, students, researchers and academics engaged in minerals research in WA. First place will receive $5k, second place will receive $2k and third place will receive $1k, while shortlisted finalists will be provided with a science communication masterclass to enhance their skills. Submissions are to be in the form...

Barminco awarded $393m mining contract Perenti’s (ASX: PRN) underground mining business Barminco has been awarded a $393m contract for mining services at Regis Resources’ (ASX: RRL) Duketon operations in WA. Under the three-year contract, Barminco will provide underground development, production and support services for Duketon. Perenti managing director and chief executive Mark Norwell says the company is pleased to continue the partnership with Regis. “We’re very pleased to continue our partnership with Regis Resources at the Duketon operations where Barminco has been providing value to our client through both development and production works since February 2019,” he said. “This award adds Australian-based underground earnings to our portfolio, which is...

Maiden ore sale completed at Mount Celia Legacy Iron Ore (ASX: LCY) has completed the maiden ore sale from its Mount Celia gold operations in WA. Gold mining at Mount Celia began in November 2023 with work commencing at the Blue Peter pit. The delivery of this first ore is in line with Legacy Iron’s guidance stating first ore would be processed in Q1 2024. The first delivery of 21,000t will be processed through an ore purchase agreement with Paddington Gold, a subsidiary of Northern Goldfields. Legacy chief executive Rakesh Gupta commented on this milestone. “This first...