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Australian Rare Earths applies for exploration licences south of Koppamurra Australian Rare Earths (ASX:AR3) has submitted applications for four exploration licences which are believed to host an extension of key geological setting at its Koppamurra rare earths project. If granted, the exploration licences will increase prospective tenure south of Koppamurra by 2700km2 to more than 6700km2. Based on a review of historic drilling and the shallow nature of the mapped Gambier limestone in the region, these application areas are considered an extension of the Koppamurra rare earth mineral province. The Gambier limestone is thought to play a critical role in the mineralisation process at Koppamurra and is deemed highly prospective for...

Broons sells impact roller division to Conplant It is the end of an era for Australian compaction equipment manufacturer Broons Group, 40 years after launching its "square" roller, as the company sells its impact roller division to Sydney-based Conplant. Broons Group director Stuart Bowes says it is time to hand over the impact roller business to “a new partner who is keen to invest in this unique technology and develop it even further”. Mr Bowes says Broons, which has been operating for 50 years, will focus on and grow the other parts of the business. “We continue to see enormous demand for our towed compaction equipment range right...

Carmichael mine delivers first 10mt of coal A huge milestone for the Carmichael mine near Clermont in Central Queensland with its first 10mt of high-quality thermal coal mined and railed for export. This includes shipments sent during testing and commissioning of the mine’s export infrastructure, as well as the tonnes railed to the port for export during the first year of mining operations. Bravus Mining and Resources chief operating officer Mick Crowe says the 10mt railed milestone is an achievement shared by the tens of thousands of people. “This is a terrific milestone for our team, our contracting partners, and supporters of our business,” he said. “It also shows clear delivery on the commitments we’ve made, particularly to people in...

Rio Tinto to acquire Chilean assets, commits $150m to Centre for Future Materials Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) is set to purchase PanAmerican Silver’s 57.74% stake in Agua de la Falda S.A., a company with exploration tenements in Chile’s Atacama region. The company has also entered a joint venture with Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco) to explore and potentially develop Agua de la Falda’s assets. Rio will acquire PanAmerican’s 57.74% stake in Agua for $45m and the grant of new smelter returns royalties. Rio will also acquire 100% of nearby concessions known as the Meridian Property for $550k and the grant of new smelter returns royalties. Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile holds...

WA Government launches new anti-harassment programs The WA Government has launched two programs as part of a strategy to create safer workplaces and drive cultural change within Western Australia’s resources sector. The SPEAK UP, REPORT IT campaign will reinforce the message that harassment and bullying in the resources sector in unacceptable. It will remind senior executives, mine operators and workers of their responsibility to report workplace sexual harassment and other inappropriate behaviours towards women to WorkSafe. WorkSafe’s 24/7 hotline, where callers can remain anonymous, has been bolstered for victims and bystanders of workplace harassment or bullying. The number, 1800 678 198, is also used for reporting other mines safety incidents....

Solutions for mining and exploration geologists Getting to the core of the matter - Handle and store drilling assays with confidence Are you looking for the very best core sample handling system for your drilling and assaying needs? Look no further than Adept Conveyor Technologies a leader in the field of core sample tray conveyors, roller racks and benches, as well as drill core handling systems. The company designs and manufactures roller core tray racks, industrial roller racks, mobile storage shelving units, bench arrays and a range of roller racking system solutions at the best price and in the shortest lead time. Core Tray Benches for Mining and Geo-Physics As a supplier with extensive field experience, Adept Conveyor Technologies services...

What Slurry Pump Maintenance Can I Perform — and When Should I Call the Experts? Like so many other machines, slurry pumps require regular maintenance to function optimally and reliably. Without proper care, pumps can suffer catastrophic failures,  which can result in unscheduled repairs, potential injury, and facility downtime. Even if they don’t fail, poorly maintained pumps can lose a full 15% of their efficiency, costing pump owners reduced output and hurting their bottom lines. And, while pump owners and operators can perform some of this maintenance on their own, some situations require calls to the professionals. Don’t wait until your pump becomes problematic: Customize this slurry pump maintenance guide to fit your business needs, then follow it to keep your...

Resources Victoria begins operations   From July 31, 2023, Resources Victoria will be the overarching entity within the Victorian Government responsible for policy development and reform, and regulatory approval coordination. The creation of Resources Victoria helps highlight the importance of the materials and quarry sectors in helping the state grow and transition. It will help drive increases in the mineral and quarry materials needed to support the construction sector, new infrastructure and the transition into renewable energy. This new entity sits within the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) which includes the Earth Resources Regulator which regulates exploration, mining, quarrying, petroleum, recreational prospecting and other earth...

Matsa Resources and AngloGold Ashanti Australia extend confidentially agreement Matsa Resources (ASX:MAT) has entered a variation agreement to confidentially agreement with AngloGold Ashanti Australia to extend the existing agreement to July 31, 2024. This extension includes a three-month exclusivity period to conduct due diligence on Matsa’s Lake Carey gold project in WA as well as discuss and negotiate a potential transaction with Matsa in respect to Lake Carey. As well as conducting due diligence on Lake Carey, AngloGold will pay the costs of maintaining and dewatering the Red October gold mine by paying a lump sum of $500k within seven days. In 2017, Matsa and AngloGold executed an ore purchase agreement...

Copper sulphate production begins at Cloncurry Copper sulphate production has begun at True North Copper’s (ASX:TNC) Cloncurry project in Queensland. The refurbished solvent extraction and copper sulphate crystallisation plant are both now fully operational, and True North has signed an exclusive offtake agreement with Kanin International for its copper sulphate production. An Australian owned business, Kanins International supplies copper sulphate for the mining, mineral processing, animal feed, fertiliser and pesticide industries across domestic and international markets. The agreement between the companies will see Kanin acquire all the copper sulphate produced at Cloncurry for the life of copper sulphate production. In...

VSUN Energy and Horizon Power enter agreement for long duration energy storage VSUN Energy, a subsidiary of Australian Vanadium (ASX:AVL), has signed an agreement with WA’s regional energy provider Horizon Power for the purchase, installation and commissioning of a vanadium flow battery (VFB) in Kununurra. The 22kWh battery can deliver up to 78kW of power and will be sourced from leading global VFB manufacturer, Invinity Energy Systems. The use of long duration energy storage, in the form of VFBs, could assist Horizon Power to speed-up the decarbonisation of its energy network which covers 2.3mkm2. Horizon Power will use the VFB for its long duration energy storage pilot which aims to increase the...