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Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC) has been awarded a $20m grant under the Australian Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative — Manufacturing Integration Stream. The grant will be used to fund the development of a new capability that processes apatite-rich ores from the Mt Weld ore body in WA. This process contains two circuits and the grant will partially fund the apatite leach circuit at Mt Weld. Developed in collaboration with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and Mt Weld Mining — a subsidiary of Lynas — the process is expected to deliver significant benefits. Benefits include the creation of 90 jobs and Lynas will further engage with Australian universities to support ongoing process optimisation of the apatite leach circuit and…

Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) has received approval for the $1.5b mill expansion of its Kalgoorlie consolidated gold mines (KCGM). With a mineral resource of 28.3moz and an ore reserve of 12.2moz, Northern Star’s KCGM operation is one of the world’s largest and most significant gold mines. Under the three-year construction process, the capacity of the processing circuit, centred on the Fimiston processing plant, will increase from 13mtpa to 27mtpa by FY29. The new plant will have a high level of process automation, control and condition monitoring. Increasing the throughput capacity will increase gold production and reduce unit rate processing costs, fixed operating cost per tonne of ore processed, potable water use per tonne of ore processed and sustaining capex. Revenue…

Suvo Strategic Minerals (ASX:SUV) has signed a three-year agreement with BQ Nominees, trading as Barfold Quarry, for the sale of its silica sand. The deal covers by-product produced from Suvo’s hydrous kaolin operation in Victoria and is expected to generate revenue between $1.5m to $2m. Suvo estimates 200,000t of silica sand stockpiles at the Pittong processing facility with 90% (180,000t) saleable silica sand. Due to the supply shortages of sand in the construction industry, it’s estimated that all 180,000t of saleable silica sand will be processed and hauled by Barfold in the first year of the agreement. Once the current stockpile has been depleted, sales of the by-product will be linked to production of hydrous kaolin at Pittong. Based on…

A world-first helicopter-borne electromagnetic survey (targetEM) will be carried out at Estrella Resources’ (ASX:ESR) Carr Boyd project in Western Australia. Undertaken by Canadian-based geophysical firm Expert Geophysics, the survey will target all the project’s tenure, including all the prospective horizons identified in the recent exploration review. This includes the high priority Colreavy komatiite target which has been subject to no previous modern geophysics. Additionally, Estrella will be acquiring very low frequency, magnetics and high frequency audio-frequency-magnetic data to improve the depth and quality of investigation in potentially detecting drill targets.   The surveys allow Estrella to model prospective horizons at Carr Boyd before drilling, recognise anomalies and detect superconducting type massive sulphides. It also gives the company the opportunity to…

Richmond Vanadium Technology (ASX:RVT) has appointed DRA Global (ASX:DRA) as engineering services consultant for the bankable feasibility study (BFS) for its Richmond — Julia creek vanadium project in Queensland. The BFS will build on the positive outcome achieved in the pre-feasibility study which demonstrated a financially viable project based on a 25-year mine life. Since the pre-feasibility study, RVT has completed and released environmental impact statement (EIS) final terms of reference, received EIS and associated approvals and undertaken multi-user water assessment. Additionally, Richmond Vanadium Technology has received a $3m investment from Australia’s first vanadium redox flow battery maker, Ultra Power Systems. With decarbonisation and sustainability high on RVT’s agenda, the company will work with DRA’s specialist team to assist with…

Recently listed True North Copper (TNC) has encountered large zones of visible copper sulphide mineralisation near its great Australia resource on its Cloncurry project in Queensland. An initial two-hole drilling program (totalling 820m) targeted extensions to the existing great Australia resource and potential continuity to the greater Australian target. Drilling of the two holes identified large zones of visible copper sulphide mineralisation. Hole GAD014 detected about 180 metres of consistent mineralisation and multiple zones of chalcopyrite mineralisation while hole GAD015 encountered multiple zones of chalcopyrite mineralisation. Managing director Marty Costello said drilling was undertaken to gain a better understanding of the greater Australian target. “Our recent great Australia resource drilling program was undertaken to help us understand how we would…

Prodigy Gold (ASXPRX) has restarted operations at the Tanami North project following the end of the Northern Territory wet season. Work is co-funded under the Northern Territory Government’s round 15 resourcing the Territory grant. Drilling is now underway at the Boco North prospect with 20 reverse circulation holes designed to test a geophysical target below an unmineralised cover sequence. Work will aim to open up an unexplored greenfields area along the significantly mineralised Suplejack shear zone (SSZ). Due to the presence of an overlying unmineralised cover, Boco North has not been effectively drill tested and is a geochemically blind target. Managing director Mark Edwards said the company is excited to begin drilling at Tanami North, “Prodigy Gold is excited to…

An initial environmental scoping study (ESS) has been completed Ark Mines’ (ASX:ARK) Sandy Mitchell rare earths and heavy minerals project in Queensland. Terra Solutions completed the study in partnership with Northern Environmental Testing and Compliance (NETC). The surveys collected samples from ground and surface water and a suitability assessment was completed to assess the native flora and fauna habitats with respect to threatened species. NETC also carried out an initial study of the aquatic ecosystems to set the baseline survey requirements for water testing. Work is continuing to collect a 12-month sample of data. Results will provide Ark guidance on the required aquatic and terrestrial ecological assessments as well as the development of monitoring solutions and environmental management plans. Ark…

A new report released by the Cook Government has mapped the pathways for WA to join the global green steelmaking value chain.  Led by the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA), WA’s green steel opportunity report maps five ways WA iron ore can be used to reduce emissions from steelmaking. The report considers the size and scale of the capital requirements and infrastructure needed for these pathways. Pathways include green iron ore mining, green pellets, hot briquetted iron (HBI) from green pellets using fossil fuels, iron making — HBI from green pellets using renewable hydrogen and producing green steel in WA. While traditional mining uses diesel, burner fuel and gas-fired power, these pathways use green hydrogen and solar and…

The Mt Ida gold project, which recently had its newly constructed 1.5mtpa gold processing carbon-in-leach (CIL) plant commissioned, has just locked in a long-term LNG supply agreement. EVOL LNG secured the agreement with Mt Ida owner Aurenne Group to supply about 10,000t of LNG per annum, with the gold project also housing a 12MW gas-fired power station on site. EVOL LNG manager Josh Phillips said the use of LNG as an alternative to diesel would help minimise the mine’s power station emissions. “Aurenne will avoid over 8,000t of greenhouse gas emissions per year by fuelling their power station with LNG instead of diesel,” he said. “It was also important for the project to have a highly reliable fuel supply, which…

Yandal Resources (ASX:YRL) has acquired the rights to a key tenement to the immediate south of the Gordons project in WA. The tenement, E27/701, was acquired following the initial phase one results of a 3D geological modelling and targeting exercise completed by independent consultant Ben McCormack from Outlier Geoscience. The aim of the modelling and targeting is to determine the structural and stratigraphic controls on the mineralisation. While the exercise is continuing, work so far has determined the delineation of the Gordon-Sirdar shear zone (GSSZ) and associated splays that extend through the Gordons project are coincident with the Star of Gordon prospect. The GSSZ remains a high-priority target and further exploration will test the potential for plunging targets at depth.…