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Australia’s national science agency the CSIRO has donated $500k to the University of Wollongong (UOW) to enable more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to pursue a career in STEM. The CSIRO Indigenous STEM Scholarship was established in 2019 with the help of a $30k gift from the organisation to support two Indigenous STEM students. The scholarship forms part of the CSIRO’s commitment in supporting the pipeline of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent which saw the agency contribute more than $5m to Indigenous STEM Scholarships this year. CSIRO director of Indigenous Science and Engagement and Gamillaroi man Dr Chris Bourke says the company is excited to be providing support to the next generation. “Growing an Indigenous STEM pipeline will…

Sedgman has scored a five-year $125m operations and maintenance contract with Pembroke Resources, which will see the mineral processing company delivering end-to-end solutions for the Olive Downs Coking Coal Complex. Sedgman and CPB Contractors, both CIMIC Group companies, have been contracted to the Olive Downs processing plant since mid-2022, with this contract extension including additional works such as optimising operations, enhancing efficiency and increasing productivity at the facility. CIMIC Group executive chairman Juan Santamaria says he is pleased at the new contract. “It is great to see Sedgman extend its relationship with Pembroke Resources, to deliver high standards in minerals processing using sustainable practices, leading technology and a focus on positive outcomes for local communities.” Sedgman managing director Grant Fraser…

Federal Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King will take part in the inaugural International Energy Agency (IEA) Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Summit on September 28 in Paris, France. Bilateral talks will be held with ministerial counterparts from Germany, the European Union (EU), France and the United Kingdom (UK) with the aim of positioning Australia as a reliable supplier of critical minerals for global efforts to reach net zero. Discussions will also be held with IEA executive director Fatih Birol, including further talks with industry representatives from Europe’s automotive industry to address the need for more critical minerals to manufacture electric vehicles. Minister King says Australia has the critical minerals the world needs to help lower emissions. “We have…

Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting has increased its holding in Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) to 10.7%. The company has increased its holding from its initial 7.72% investment it made in early September 2023. This increased strategic stake was acquired for no more than $3 per share and at an average price per share well below that level. While lithium prices have continued to fall since Hancock first became a Liontown shareholder, Hancock maintains a long-term approach to its investments and commodity markets. Hancock’s shareholding gives Liontown the opportunity to leverage Hancock’s expertise to support the development and operations of its Kathleen Valley lithium project in WA. The 4mtpa production rate of Kathleen Valley, which increased from 3mtpa, is significant for an underground…

Geotechnical engineers, drillers and earthmovers are well aware of the complex challenges associated with mining, tunnelling, quarrying and infrastructure projects. Whether you’re dredging, trenching or soft-ground tunnelling, the excavation process can pose a risk to machinery and the wear life of their parts if the characteristics of rocks, soils and other materials are not appropriately considered. In order to predict the performance of rock excavating equipment and drill rig attachments, a partner with the unique expertise and in-depth knowledge of geology and rock testing procedures is critical. One world-renowned figure in the field of rock testing is Bill Bamford, the founder of Bamford Rock Testing Services (BRTS). The University of Melbourne appointed him to the position of Lecturer in Rock…

Avenira and Taiwan’s ALEEES have signed a licence and technology transfer agreement to progress a lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) battery cathode manufacturing facility at the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct. The agreement will give Avenira the authority and specifications to manufacture LFP battery cathode material in Darwin. Once in operation, the manufacturing plant will be Australia’s first commercial-scale facility of its kind and is designed to deliver 30,000tpa of LFP powder for use in electric vehicle and energy storage batteries. ALEEES board member Jamie Lee says the agreement will enable clients to implement their ESG priorities. “Avenira and ALEEES combined experience and expertise will put more ‘Made in Australia’ components into electric vehicle and energy storage batteries,” she said. “The…

Cygnus Metals (ASX: CY5) has found high-grade assays in an area that majors including Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) and IGO (ASX: IGO) are actively exploring for rare earth elements (REE) in the same area. These are some of the thickest and highest-grade intersections to date at the Bencubbin rare earths project in WA, with grades of up to 7,243ppm TREO from latest drilling with intercepts up to 79m wide. The results came from the company’s July air core and auger drilling program to expand the drill coverage and test the scale of REE enrichment across a major granitic body. Other results include 79m @ 1,576ppm TREO from 32m including 8m @ 7,243ppm TREO, with positive project-wide auger results indicating strike…

Lithium Australia (ASX: LIT) has confirmed that final independent testing of its lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) cathode material shows the product to be of high quality, matching or exceeding leading competitor products across capacity, stability and high temperature performance. Testing was completed by NOVONIX Battery Technology Solutions Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of NOVONIX Limited (ASX: NVX), with the positive results promising an alternative to the existing LFP supply heavily concentrated in China. Lithium Australia chief executive and managing director Simon Linge commented on the results. “We are excited to receive such strong results for our LFP cathode material, validating our technology and proprietary production process,” he said. “These results highlight how our product’s performance can match or exceed the market…

A 1500m reverse circulation drilling program has begun at Maximus Resources’ (ASX:MXR) Hilditch gold project and the Kandui nickel prospect in WA. Seven holes will be drilled at Hilditch to target two previously identified parallel lodes to support a potential gold resource while seven holes will be drilled at Kandui to test a potential high-grade plunge from existing nickel mineralisation. The overall aim of this drilling program is to expand Maximus’ earlier results, update the mineral resource estimate of 132kt at 1.77g/t gold for 7511oz gold at Hilditch and expand the known mineralisation in three identified lodes. Managing director Tim Wither commented on the drilling program. “This latest drill program follows up on previous drilling at Hilditch, which successfully identified…

Image Resources (ASX: IMA) has initiated employee reductions due to continuing delays in environmental approvals for mining at its 100%-owned Atlas mineral sands project in the North Perth Basin of WA. On 20 September this year, the company notified more than half of its operational employees at its Boonanarring mineral sands project, about 100km north of Perth in WA, that their positions will be made redundant effective 30 September as the project moves to care and maintenance mode. Image completed mining and processing activities at Boonanaring in August and its original plan was to maintain the operating team during the planned relocation of operations to Atlas, about 100km north of Boonanarring. Image Resources managing director and chief executive Patrick Mutz…

More than $200k in post-graduate student scholarships is up for grabs to build on Queensland’s reputation as an international leader in coal mine rehabilitation. Two scholarships valued at $40,000 a year over three years are now available through the Coal Minesite Rehabilitation Trust to post-graduate students studying at a Queensland university. Queensland Resources Minister Scott Stewart says the scholarships give two university students the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies in world-class environmental management. “Mine rehabilitation is a key part of a company’s life of mine planning cycle to ensure better environmental outcomes and help create more jobs for Queenslanders after a mine is no longer in use,” he said. “Good progress has been made in rehabilitation in Queensland and these…