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Polymetals receives $500k grant from NSW Critical Minerals Activation Fund Polymetals (ASX:POL) has received $250k of a $500k grant from the NSW Government Critical Minerals Activation Fund. Cobar Metals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Polymetals, will use the grant to assist in the delivery of the Endeavor mine restart study. Polymetals non-executive director Alistair Barton said the company is grateful to receive the grant. “Polymetals and its wholly owned subsidiary, Cobar Metals, are grateful to receive this generous support from the New South Wales Government to assist our restart of the Endeavour Mine, one of the state’s largest silver-zinc-lead mines,” he said. “The funding has been allocated for work undertaken as...

Rio Tinto and H2 Green Steel partner to accelerate green steel transition Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) and H2 Green Steel have signed a multi-year agreement for the supply of iron ore pellets from Rio’s Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) operations.   Rio will also purchase and on-sell a part of the surplus low carbon hot briquetted iron (HBI) produced by H2 Green Steel during the ramp-up of its steelmaking capacity. The reduction pellets will account for a significant part of the iron ore supply to H2 Green Steel’s flagship plant in Boden, Sweden, which will be one of the world’s first large-scale producers of low carbon iron and steel. The...

Rio Tinto awards Metso Corporation design and engineering contract for BioIron process Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) has awarded Metso Corporation a detailed design and engineering contract for its continuous pilot plant (CPP) for the BioIron process. This contract is an extension the work that Rio and Metso have being doing regarding the development of the BioIron process. Metso director of ferrous metals Matthias Gabriel said the company is excited to continue working with Rio. “We are very excited to continue the close working relationship with Rio Tinto and to provide engineering and design support as we move to the next phase of development of the BioIron technology,” he said. Rio’s BioIron process uses...

CIMIC's UGL scores over $600m in lithium and energy contracts in WA UGL, a member of the CIMIC Group, has been awarded several contracts with energy and minerals processing clients in WA, including Albermarle’s Kemerton lithium hydroxide plant and Alcoa Australia’s bauxite and alumina operations. Albemarle is constructing two additional processing trains at its Kemerton plant to increase production to up to 100,000tpa of lithium hydroxide, supporting the manufacturing of an estimated 2.4 million electric vehicles annually. UGL’s contract with Albermarle include the provision of construction services at the Kemerton plant near Bunbury, in WA’s southwest, which will generate up to 400...

Bowen Coking Coal achieves shipping goal, upgrades Hillalong South resource Bowen Coking Coal (ASX:BCB) achieved its goal of shipping four vessels in July 2023, exporting 179kt of coal from its Bluff mine in Queensland. Chief executive Mark Ruston commented on the export. “Our July shipping performance follows 199kt being shipped in June across four vessels,” he said. “External coal supply chain issues have eased and the company is confident recent momentum will continue in the near-term with an increase in coal tonnes for the quarter, and a higher percentage of metallurgical coal over time.” Hillalong South resource upgrade Bowen has also reported a 45% upgrade in the resource estimate for its Hillalong...

Applications open for EIS drilling program and EPA Applications have opened for round 28 of the Exploration Incentive Scheme’s (EIS) flagship co-funded drilling program and series 6 of the Energy Analysis Program (EAP). This application round follows the state budget 2023-2024 funding increase of $1m per year. A total of $7m is now available across the two application rounds each year. Launched in 2009, the EIS program supports innovative exploration in greenfields and underexplored areas of WA. The EAP program encourages exploration of petroleum and geothermal resources using existing state resources, including drill core, sidewall core, cuttings and existing data. WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill...

Substantial mineral resource upgrade reinforces Pilgangoora’s position as world-class operation Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) has substantially increased the mineral resource at its Pilgangoora operation in WA by 36%. The updated mineral resource now contains 4.75Mt of lithium oxide at 1.15% lithium oxide, reinforcing Pilgangoora’s position as one of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium operations. This has enhanced the overall resource confidence of Pilgangoora with 82% of the mineral resource now classified as measured and indicated.   Managing director and chief executive Dale Henderson commented on the increase. “The upgraded mineral resource is consistent with our strategy to grow our operating base and therefore maximise value by achieving the full potential from our world class operation,”...

Alcoa reaffirms commitment to modernise approvals framework Aluminium producer Alcoa has reaffirmed its commitment to modernise the approvals framework for its bauxite mining in WA. The state’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has opened a public comment period on whether it should conduct an environmental impact assessment into parts of Alcoa’s current and next rolling five-year plans for its mines in southwest WA. These plans were referred to the EPA for assessment by a third party in February. Following public consultation, the EPA will decide whether to conduct an assessment into parts of these mine plans. There is no set timeframe for the EPA’s determination. Alcoa Australia president Matt Reed said the public comment...

Stanwell partners up to provide free course fuelling Queensland’s hydrogen future Meandu coal mine owner and Central Queensland hydrogen (CQ- H2) project consortium partner, Stanwell Corporation, has teamed up with CQUniversity (CQU) and ACCIONA Energía to develop online learning programs for Queensland secondary school students focused on the State’s hydrogen and renewable energy sectors. The new free courses, under the umbrella name Fuelling a hydrogen future: STEM Skills for Secondary Learning, have been developed in partnership with the Queensland Government for Years 7-12 and aim to build industry-school connections. Queensland Training and Skills Development Minister Di Farmer says the Queensland Government is investing in the younger generation through the expansion of...

Mining contributes record $455b in export revenue in FY23 In the 2022-2023 financial year, mining contributed a record $455b in export revenue, highlighting the importance of the industry to the nation’s economy, government revenue and regional jobs. Released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), this figure represents 66% of all export revenue for the nation and is 10.5% higher that 2021-2022, which was a previous record year. This figure showed that thermal and metallurgical coal export revenue totalled $128b, iron ore $125b, gold $27.4b, aluminium $14.9b and copper $12.5b. A strong growth was seen in technology metals such as nickel, 51%, zinc, 30%, copper, 17% and coal, 11%. A 5% increase was...

King Coal and his fiddlers three NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookey and NSW Natural Resources Minister Courtney Houssos consulted with coal mining industry representatives last Friday, as NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe also held a separate meeting with coal station operators, to consider options past the end date of the State’s temporary coal cap. The cap will expire on 1 July 2024 and considerations currently on the table include the modernisation of the coal royalty system to ensure it remains fit for purpose. NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey says “these consultations are critical to ensuring we strike the right balance for the people of New South Wales and key industry stakeholders”....