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Successful applicants announced for round 28 of the Exploration Incentive Scheme WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston has announced the successful applicants for round 28 of the Exploration Incentive Scheme’s (EIS) co-funded drilling program and series 6 of the energy analysis program. Round 28 will offer grants worth more than $6m to 33 general applicants and three prospectors for projects to be drilled between December 2023 and November 2024. More than half of the successful applicants are searching for battery minerals, including five projects exploring for lithium, six for rare earth elements and 13 for nickel. Series 6 of the energy analysis program will offer $120k to...

BHP agrees to sell Queensland mines for $6.49b BHP (ASX:BHP) and Mitsubishi Development (MDP) have agreed to sell the Blackwater and Daunia mines for up to $6.49b (US$4.1b). Two wholly owned subsidiaries of Whitehaven Coal (ASX:WHC) have agreed to acquire both mines. The purchase price comprises of $3.32b (US$2.1b) cash on completion, $1.74b (US$1.1b) in cash over three years completion and the potential for up to $1.42b (US$900m) in a price-linked earnout payable over three years. BHP president of minerals Australia Geraldine Slattery commented on the transaction. “Whitehaven Coal has a strong track record as a responsible and reliable operator, and we will work closely with them to achieve a smooth change...

Layher: Delivering new innovations and possibilities in scaffolding for over 75 years Industrial sites pose a number of risks including working at heights. Understanding these risks and protecting your people requires implementing appropriate safeguards, particularly when conducting maintenance activities and new projects onsite. It’s therefore no surprise that scaffolding has become an essential factor in the planning and execution of scheduled maintenance and outages. As the world leader in scaffold design, manufacture and distribution, Layher has embodied innovation, quality and reliability since 1945. The pioneering spirit of the company’s founder, Wilhelm Layher, has seen the company evolve into a global player with a footprint spanning 80 countries. This includes a branch network across Australia and New Zealand that stocks a...

Glencore to close Mount Isa Mines after 60 years After 60 years of copper mining, Glencore is set to close the Mount Isa Mines underground copper operations (Enterprise, X41 and Black Rock) and copper concentrator in H2 2025. Mount Isa Mines’ other metals assets including the copper smelter, George Fisher mine, zinc-lead concentrator and lead smelter in Mount Isa, plus the copper refinery in Townsville, will continue operating. Glencore conducted a range of studies and reviews to further extend the life of the mines but unfortunately it has not been possible, and they have reached the end of mine life. These studies also revealed that the remaining mineral resources aren’t economically viable due...

Rio Tinto launches exclusive sales tender celebrating pink, red and yellow diamonds Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) has launched a new exclusive sales event celebrating the extraordinary rare masterpieces of nature. Known as The Beyond Rare Tender, the collection showcases 48 lots of polished diamonds, including pink and red diamonds from the Argyle diamond mine and yellow diamonds from Rio’s Diavik diamond mine. Rio Tinto chief executive Sinead Kaufman says this tender is a new chapter for the company. “The Beyond Rare Tender is a new chapter for Rio Tinto’s diamonds business and a testimony to the ongoing demand for highly collectible natural diamonds,” she said. “Rio Tinto has a rich history of innovative diamond sales...

World’s largest miners confirmed for this year’s Resourcing Tomorrow event Representatives from the world’s largest mining companies, Anglo American, BHP, Glencore, Rio Tinto and Vale have confirmed their attendance for this year's Resourcing Tomorrow event. Representatives from the world’s largest mining companies, Anglo American, BHP, Glencore, Rio Tinto and Vale have confirmed their attendance for this year's Resourcing Tomorrow event and will join other leading mining companies including Anglo Gold Ashanti, Antofagasta Minerals, Barrick, B2 Gold, Eldorado Gold, Endeavour Mining, Freeport McMoRan, Newmont, Sibanye Stillwater, Teck Resources, and Wheaton Precious Metals. As Europe’s largest mining event, Resourcing Tomorrow: Accelerating the Energy Transition takes place in London on the 28-30 November and is poised to be yet another agenda-setting edition for the industry, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among professionals in the field. Resourcing...

OLI electric and pneumatic vibrators: Setting the global standard in vibration technology In the dynamic world of industrial technology, where precision, reliability, and efficiency are paramount, one name has consistently stood out as a beacon of excellence: Oli Electric and Pneumatic Vibrators. With manufacturing centres in China, Malta, and Italy, Oli has solidified its reputation as a global leader in the field of vibration technology. At the heart of Oli's success lies an unwavering commitment to innovation and quality. This commitment is evident in the company's state-of-the-art Research and Development laboratory, where engineers and scientists tirelessly work to push the boundaries of what's possible in the realm of vibration technology. Their dedication to research ensures that Oli's products remain at...

Sandvik introduces AutoMine Core Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has introduced AutoMine Core, a comprehensive automation platform for mass mining applications to support customers ramping up from manual operation to a fully autonomous production. Built on Sandvik’s AutoMine Fleet and Manual Production Monitoring (MPM) solutions, AutoMine Core provides users with multiple levels of interaction for Sandvik and third-party original equipment manufacturer (OEM) fleets. It provides access to industry-leading solutions for data collection and analysis, underground connectivity and an advanced fleet of automated equipment options. AutoMine Core also includes solutions for optimising mass mining, which integrate seamlessly with Sandvik products, providing insights to optimise operational safety and productivity. Acting director of product...

Fortescue revs up for Extreme H motorsports series Fortescue (ASX: FMG) has opened a new state-of-the-art technical innovation centre in Kidlington, United Kingdom, to develop and produce batteries for the first generation of Extreme H, a new motorsports series beginning in February 2025. The $36m (US$23m) site will focus on the technical development, testing and prototype production of batteries and zero emission powertrains for a wide range of applications, including motorsports, mining haul trucks, and other off-road and automotive applications. Fortescue executive chairman and founder Dr...

Lithium-sulphur batteries a sustainable option, research shows Monash University researchers have developed a new lithium-sulphur battery design with a nanoporous polymer-coated lithium foil anode that reduces the amount of lithium required in a single battery. PhD student Declan McNamara, Professor Matthew Hill, and Professor Mainak Majumder of Monash Engineering, with Dr Makhdokht Shaibani of RMIT University, outlined in their recent paper, “A Nanoporous Permselective Polymer Coating for Practical Low N/P Ratio Lithium Metal Batteries”, how applying the nanoporous polymer directly onto the lithium foil anode created a new battery design that used less lithium, had more energy per unit volume, lasted longer and would be half the price of...

Pilbara, the engine room for regional decarbonisation: King Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King has addressed the Pilbara 2023 Conference, calling WA’s northwest region the decarbonisation “engine room” of the State and for the Indo-Pacific region. As a globally significant resources region, Pilbara represents around 19% of WA’s gross state product, 3.4% of Australia’s gross domestic product and 33% of national exports, according to Minister King. “But it also accounts for significant emissions,” she said. “It is estimated that industry in WA accounts for 35% of National Safeguard Facility emissions – and the WA Government estimates the Pilbara region alone accounts for about 23% of WA’s emissions. “It’s also fair...