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National mine waste conference targets best practice Mining professionals and researchers from across Australia will converge in Brisbane, Queensland, on 6-7 February, to discuss the future of mine waste management. The Australian Mine Waste Symposium, organised by the Sustainable Minerals Institute’s (SMI) WH Bryan Mining Geology Research Centre (BRC) and the Geological Survey of Queensland, aims to produce an industry-wide roadmap to achieving best practice. BRC’s Mine Waste Transformation through Characterisation (MIWATCH) research group leader Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox says there is widespread interest in addressing the challenges associated with mine waste. “The complex environmental, social and economic challenges posed by mine...

New PPE waste management initiative With the surge in use of personal protective equipment (PPE) since COVID-19, a recycling program has been launched by Australian PPE producer Industree Group and global recycling company TerraCycle to reduce PPE waste at worksites nation-wide. The Epicycle initiatve features recycling boxes that are custom-designed for collecting used safety glasses, safety gloves and disposable respirators before they reach landfill. TerraCycle ANZ general manager Jean Bailliard says PPE has traditionally been considered a hard-to-recycle waste stream because it consists of different kinds of complex, composite materials including hard and soft plastics, leather, and fabrics. “For this reason, we are proud to join...

Cosmo Metals to acquire Kanowna gold project Cosmo Metals (ASX:CMO) has signed a term sheet to acquire La Zarza Minerals — the holder of the Kanowna gold project (KGP) in WA. The KGP lies 1km west of Northern Star Resources’ Kanowna Belle gold operations which has produced more than 5.4moz of gold since 1993 and has a current production rate of 150kozpa. It comprises of 12 prospecting licences and is situated in the Eastern Goldfields of WA, one of the world’s most prolifically well-endowed gold producing regions. The KGP includes drill ready targets at Don Álvaro, Laguna Verde and WKL with multiple additional surface and shallow air core anomalies that...

Mount Isa Mines celebrates 100 years of operation One of Australia’s most iconic mining operations — Mount Isa Mines — has celebrated its 100th birthday. Formed on January 16th, 1924, the discovery of Mount Isa Mines came almost a year after prospector John Campbell Miles discovered mineralised outcrops near the Leichhardt River that contained high grades of lead-silver. Since then, the operation has grown to be a major contributor of copper, zinc and lead to global suppliers. These minerals are used in everyday items such as phones, laptops, electric cars and renewable energy technologies. Several significant mining industry innovations were pioneered at Mount Isa Mines, including the ISASMELT smelting technology,...

West Coast Poly Embraces Latest Tech To Deliver Complete Tank Solutions Australia’s manufacturing sector has been challenged since the 1970s with rising energy costs, skills shortages and an ever-developing capability of off-shore competition. However, some businesses have leveraged in-house capabilities and innovative manufacturing processes to stay ahead of the game, while facilitating continued growth along the way. One of those businesses is WA owned and based company West Coast Poly. Founded in 1999, West Coast Poly has set the standard as one of the largest manufacturers of rotomoulded polyethylene tanks in Western Australia. The progressive Perth based roto-moulding specialist is renowned for producing quality, durable polyethylene storage tanks for the industrial, mining, rural and residential markets. Not only has it...

Dampier Salt to sell Lake MacLeod for $375m Dampier Salt has entered a sales agreement for the Lake MacLeod salt and gypsum operation in WA to salt company Leichhardt Industrials Group for $375m. Dampier Salt is a joint venture between Rio Tinto (68%), Marubeni Corporation (22%) and Sojitz (10%). Lake MacLeod is one of three solar salt sites owned by Dampier Salt with the other two operations in Dampier and Port Hedland. It lies within Baiyungu country in the Gascoyne region of WA and consists of a 1.5mtpa salt operation, 1mtpa gypsum operation and a deepwater port. Dampier Salt is the world’s largest exporter of seaborne salt with capacity...

Sandvik receives largest ever surface drill rig order Sandvik has received its largest ever order for surface drill rigs from US-based Sandvik dealer Country Boy Supply, valued at $36m (SEK 248m). The order consists of 34 surface drill rigs which will replace Country Boy Supply’s current contractor fleet in Georgia and Tennessee. The order includes 16 Leopard DI650i drills, six Leopard DI550 drills, five Pantera DP1600i drills, three Ranger DX800 drills, three Ranger DX700 drills and one Pantera DP1500i drill. Automation will play a key feature in the fleet upgrade as part of the new rigs will be equipped with Sandvik AutoMine. AutoMine is a cutting-edge tele-remote solution that enables...

Zinc and lead anomalies identified at Wellington Coincident zinc and lead anomalies have been identified within Great Boulder Resources’ (ASX:GBR) Wellington base metals project in WA. In October and November, 700 soil samples were collected and assayed by Intertek Genalysis in Perth. The sample coverage represents around 63% of project area, with the remaining sample locations yet to be completed. The assays confirmed coincident zinc and lead anomalism in the northwestern and eastern areas of the project, matching the original GSWA sample data. The zinc and lead anomalism is supported by strong pathfinder anomalism including elevated copper, cobalt, magnesium, tungsten, nickel and thallium. Furthermore,...

Pilbara Minerals expands Ganfeng offtake agreement Lithium producer Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) has expanded its existing offtake agreement with Ganfeng Lithium Group. In 2017, Pilbara Minerals and Ganfeng signed an agreement for Pilbara Minerals to supply 160ktpa of spodumene concentrate from its Pilgangoora operation in WA. The expansion results in an allocation of up to 310ktpa of spodumene concentrate over CY24, CY25 and CY26. In CY24, Pilbara Minerals will supply a further 150kt of spodumene concentrate, taking the total supply in 2024 to 310kt, while in CY25 Pilbara Minerals will supply an additional 100kt (with the option to increase to 150kt at Pilbara Minerals’ choosing) of spodumene concentrate, taking the total...

Green Critical Minerals evaluates Boulia prospectivity Green Critical Minerals (ASX:GCM) has conducted exploration activities to further its understanding of the molybdenum, uranium and vanadium prospectivity at the Boulia project. Following the increased interest and global demand for molybdenum, uranium and vanadium, GCM undertook soil sampling and reviewed existing radiometric data and historical fieldwork in 2023. This work determined the evaluation of Boulia is reliant upon soil and drillhole geochemistry as well as magnetic and radiometric imagery. Given this, GCM has scheduled further relevant exploration work in 2024. Four peak areas of molybdenum, uranium and vanadium geochemistry were recognised with all lying within faulted limestones. These...

Ark Mines signs MOU for HMS offtake and processing Ark Mines (ASX:AHK) has entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with heavy mineral sands (HMS) producer Currumbin Minerals for the supply and delivery of mineral sands from the Sandy Mitchell project. The MOU outlines the framework and timeline for the two companies to work together towards a definitive collaboration agreement that will facilitate the treatment of HMS ore transported from Sandy Mitchell to Currumbin’s treatment facility. The terms of the MOU set out the key roles and responsibilities of both companies to establish the definitive agreement which is expected to result in the production of...