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Leading Caterpillar® dealer WesTrac has delivered its 100th Cat® Next Generation Medium Wheel Loader, released only 18 months ago, to WA bulk haulage company MGM Bulk. MGM Bulk’s fleet includes 152 prime movers, about 500 pieces of trailering equipment, 25 wheel loaders and a wide range of ancillary equipment, with Cat products making up about 90% of MGM’s machinery fleet. MGM Bulk fleet manager Allan Thomas says the full spectrum of Cat wheel loaders are a key part of MGM’s operations from the Pilbara to the South West in WA, helping meet ever evolving productivity targets. “Over the years we’ve had all sorts of machines,” he said. “The smallest one we currently have is the Cat 924K going all the…

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has been selected by mining, civil and materials processing contracting group MACA to supply nine new surface drill rigs. These rigs will completely replace an aging mixed fleet at the Gruyere open pit gold mine in WA’s Goldfields, where MACA was recently awarded a five-year contract extension. MACA has provided various services at Gruyere, a joint venture between Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources, since the contractor initiated bulk earthworks in 2017. Gruyere is expected to produce an annual 350,000oz of gold per year with a current mine life until at least 2032. The order includes six Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drills, two Leopard DI650i down-the-hole (DTH) drills rigs and a Pantera DP1500i top hammer…

Woodside has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) to enable studies of a potential carbon, capture and storage (CCS) value chain between Japan and Australia. Under the MOU, KEPCO plans to research the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from its thermal power plants and its transport to Australia. Woodside is progressing CCS projects in Australia and will conduct the study of injection and storage of CO2 delivered from Japan as well as the potential production of Synthetic Methane (e-methane). The MOU outlines a generic value chain study that will consider the end-to-end technical and commercial factors with the aim of progressing a future CCS value chain between Japan and Australia. The studies…

African Mining Services (AMS), Perenti’s (ASX:PRN) surface mining business in Africa, has been awarded a $360m contract for open pit mining services at Sandfire Resources’ (ASX:SFR) Motheo copper mine. Under the 74-month contract (just over six years) AMS will deliver all surface mining services associated with development and production activities at the A4 open pit. The A4 open pit lies roughly 8km west of the T3 open pit where AMS has progressed from development into production works. Perenti expects A4 pre-production and development work to begin at A4 in September 2023 with pre-strip mining to commence in October 2023. Both the T3 and A4 open pits are expected to be operated as part of a larger, integrated mining operation, leveraging…

Initial petrographic analysis has indicated graphite from Kingsland Minerals’ (ASX:KNG) Leliyn graphite project is attractive and potentially suitable for use in lithium-ion batteries. The graphite flakes underwent a micronising process before being further processed into spherical graphite. Flake sizes of less than 150 microns are preferred as larger flakes require greater size reduction which incurs a higher cost. At this stage, Leliyn looks to have flake sizes that are well favourable for battery anode material. Samples were collected at seven to eight-metre intervals down the core holes for petrographic analysis. This involves making a thin section of the core, allowing light to pass through the rock. Polarised light is then used to identify different mineral species based on the different…

Australian Rare Earths (ASX:AR3) has significantly increased its landholding in the Kennedy Province in North Queensland. Applications have been lodged for another 800km2 of exploration tenure which hosts the Forty Mile Scrub, Sandy Tate and Oaky Valley prospects. An emerging new clay-hosted rare earth mineral province, the Kennedy Province is host to intrusive and extrusive, predominantly felsic magmatism. Through airborne geophysics surveys, the Forty Mile Scrub, Sandy Tate and Oaky Valley prospects have identified areas displaying weathering profiles over the prospective geology of the extrusive and intrusive rocks of the kennedy igneous association. The kennedy igneous association comprises the most widespread and voluminous magmatic event in the region Grant of this new landholding will allow Australian Rare Earths to undertake…

The Liebherr R 9300 has made its Australian debut at the Karlawinda gold project in the Pilbara region of WA. Global contractor and long-term customer MACA is excited to welcome this machine to its expanding Liebherr excavator fleet. MACA has added the new R 9300 250t class excavator to its fleet at Karlawinda. This excavator — which joins three Liebherr R 9200 excavators at the project — expands MACA’s extensive Liebherr fleet which totals over 20 excavators. The R 9300 was chosen not only for its capacity to assist in meeting the production targets of its client, but also for the excavator’s fuel capacity, its state-of-the-art technology and its operational effectiveness. After a successful launch, with five of the R…

Jérôme Pécresse has been appointed aluminium chief executive of Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO), effective October 23, 2023. With over 30 years of business experience in global companies spanning the mining and energy sectors, up until recently, Mr Pécresse was president and chief executive of General Electric (GE) Renewable Energy. He joined GE in 2015 after the company completed its acquisition of Alstom’s energy activities. At Alstom, he also led the company’s renewable energy business. Before joining Alstom, Mr Pécresse spent 13 years in the mining and metals industry at Paris-based industrial minerals producer Imerys as chief operating officer and other various roles. Mr Pécresse said he is thrilled to be joining Rio. “I am thrilled to be joining Rio Tinto to…

Bravus Mining and Resources has joined with key contractor partner DRA Global to accelerate the development, training and employment of First Nations peoples in central Queensland. DRA’s First Nations Traineeship Program will recruit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to critical mining roles that support the operations of the 10mtpa Carmichael mine near Clermont, Queensland. DRA provides operations and maintenance services at the Carmichael coal handling and preparation lant facility (CHPP) where the high-quality thermal coal mined from the Galilee Basin mine is crushed, washed and prepared for transport globally. Bravus Mining and Resources chief operating officer Mick Crowe says the new traineeship opportunities will prioritise Wangan and Jagalingou, Jangga, Birriah and Juru Traditional Owners. “Traditional Owner engagement and participation…

Deloitte has been selected as the tender to deliver a detailed feasibility study and business case for a possible advanced manufacturing and technology hub (AMTECH) in the South-West region of WA. This appointment represents the next step in a bid to create a world-class hub in the Bunbury-Geographe area that would unlock opportunities for industry in the South-West. Building on the considerable work undertaken so far, Deloitte will investigate the preferred model, location, structure and services for an AMTECH. A detailed project plan, economic benefit analysis and financial viability plan will be carried out, along with market demand, engineering design and feasibility studies. WA regional development minister Don Punch is pleased planning is moving forward. “Regional WA is the powerhouse…