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FORTESCUE Metals Group has lost its High Court challenge against the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT), with the court rejecting the miner’s claims that the tax was ‘unconstitutional’. Fortescue was left “disappointed” when the court unanimously dismissed the argument that the tax discriminated between states and interfered with their government rights. “Fortescue challenged the MRRT because it was an unreasonable intrusion into an area of state responsibility and that it was also an unfair, discriminator and complex tax,” Fortescue chief executive Nev Power said. The ruling stated that “the treatment of state mining royalties by the MRRT Act…did not discriminate between states and the Acts did not give preference to one state over another”. Mr Power said the mining industry…

DEBATE is continuing about the future of Tasmania’s Tarkine region, after two mine proposals won federal environmental approval in as many weeks: a controversial move that provoked criticism from both pro-conservation and pro-mining groups. Shree Minerals’ $20 million iron ore mine at Nelson Bay River received the official green light in late July, as Environment minister Mark Butler overturned an initial rejection, stipulating 30 strict conditions to help protect the area. This was the second federal approval for Nelson Bay River mine, after the first was successfully challenged by environmentalists. Venture Minerals’ Riley Creek mine was similarly successful, with Mr Butler giving final environmental approval for the two-year DSO project in early August, subject to 37 conditions. Venture’s mine, 125km…

CORROSION engineering company Corrocoat is a world leader in the production and application of high performance anti-corrosion industrial coatings. The company’s coatings and linings are used extensively throughout the oil and gas, mining, marine, petrochemical, power, infrastructure and structural steel sectors. Corrocoat has both onshore and offshore operating experience, with a track record that goes back 30 years to working in the North Sea and Middle East oil and gas markets. Corrocoat’s products are designed primarily for corrosion protection, and the range extends from general purpose applications through to use in very aggressive and abrasive environments. Numerous case studies have confirmed that the company’s products have life expectancies of between 15 and 20 years in extremely harsh environments. In Australia,…

THE performance of Hychem polymer products in harsh mining regions has been recognised by major mining and construction companies, contractors and consulting firms. The team at Hychem delivers field expertise with more than 25 years of manufacturing experience in Australia, ensuring it stands out from the competition. Hychem is dedicated to working closely with contractors, specifiers and mining companies to ensure demanding needs are met. The research and development team can assist in the ultimate flooring, coating, waterproofing or grouting solution for almost any project. Hychem Hycrete polyurethane cement is favoured for its superior quality and performance: it can withstand heavy traffic, thermal shock, exposure to mineral acids and other corrosive chemicals. Hycrete is water based, Green Star approved, solvent…

TWO junior miners may join forces to develop their respective iron ore assets in the Pilbara following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Flinders Mines and Brockman Mining Australia will “work in good faith” towards an aggregation agreement – which may include infrastructure and transport solutions – for their iron ore interests and export aspirations from the WA region. Brockman Australia chief executive Russell Tipper said the potential aggregation of tonnages ensured a critical mass that could further enhance the economic viability of any proposed, shared infrastructure solutions for junior iron ore miners in the Pilbara. As a result of entering into the MOU, Flinders reported it would work with Brockman with a view to finalise and execute…

A 15-hole infill drilling program by White Rock Minerals has produced substantial silver mineralisation results and an emerging gold mineralisation zone at its deposit in the Mt Carrington project. Completed early July, the exploration effort looks set to upgrade the company’s confidence from inferred to indicated in the latter half of 2013, with fresh assays from the latest drills confirming broad, high grade silver zones from the surface. The current inferred resource accounts for over one third of the silver inventory at Mt Carrington, in NSW’s New England Fold Belt. The resource was defined to feature 4.1 million tonnes at 62g/t of silver, for 8.2 million ounces of silver. The gold mineralisation intersection was found in drill hole WRDD029, adjacent…

DRILLING at Crusader Resources’ Posse iron ore mine in Brazil has intercepted broad zones of high-grade massive haematite ore, as the project ramps up to full production in August. Two drill holes returned an average grade of about 45 per cent iron, a marginal increase on the mine’s JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate of 36 million tonnes grading 43.5 per cent iron. Results included 136.6m at 45.23 per cent iron from surface in PORC-003 and 120m at 45.26 per cent iron from surface in PORC-004. The drilling also intercepted thick zones of friable itabirite, which comprises the bulk of the project resource. The company reported that this itabirite would be the principal ore to feed the project’s planned Stage 2 beneficiation…

PERTH-based Castle Minerals has discovered significant gold mineralisation at its new Kpali prospect in northwest Ghana. The company reported that rotary air blast drilling successfully identified a 650m-long continuous zone of near-surface gold mineralisation containing 7m at 1.20 grams of gold per tonne, including 2m at 2.13g/t of gold from 20m, and 5m at 1.32g/t of gold from 6m. vReverse circulation drilling only tested the southern 200m of the 650m-long anomaly. Castle Minerals managing director Mike Ivey said the Kpali mineralisation would be included in the geophysical survey for its high grade Bundi prospect. “This work confirms Kpali as an exciting new gold discovery for the company with our strong expectation that we will define a significant gold resource following…

A resources industry support group has launched a fly in, fly out (FIFO) awareness campaign to show the benefits of the work arrangement, following recent high-profile criticism of its effects on employee health. Women in Mining WA unveiled The Other Side Of FIFO on 11 July, with the aim to dispel negative media reports and social perception by presenting the positive experiences of FIFO work for both women and men. Women in Mining WA founder Sabina Shugg stated that a recent, widely reported parliamentary inquiry maintained a basis in propaganda rather than fact, with an intention to “provide more incentive for FIFO workers to become residential workers.” “The tone of the report is summarised in its provocative title: Cancer of…

INDUSTRY groups have welcomed the Federal Coalition’s promise to cut green and red tape for Australian businesses by $1 billion a year. The Coalition reported that its policy to boost productivity and reduce regulation would lower business costs, generate more jobs and strengthen the economy; removal of the carbon and mining taxes and the cutting of environmental regulation would be central to the success of the policy. “For too long, the red and green tape burden on Australian businesses has been increasing,” Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said in a statement. “Under the Rudd-Gillard Government, 21,000 additional regulations have been added despite having promised to cap the growth of regulation with a ‘one-in, one-out’ policy. “Labor has paid too little regard…

APPROVAL to develop one of Australia’s largest coal deposits has been met with dissent from Traditional Owners amid claims mining would destroy local heritage sites. Whitehaven Coal received final approval for its $767 million Maules Creek project in NSW last month, and immediately began site preparation works. However on 8 July, Gomeroi Traditional Owners and non-Aboriginal community members staged a protest outside Whitehaven’s Boggabri office, alleging the company had undertaken an incomplete and disrespectful cultural heritage process. In a statement on the Maules Creek Community Council website, Gomeroi Traditional Owner Stephen Talbot said the mine would clear more than 4000 acres of culturally significant forest, artifacts and cultural values that hadn’t yet been properly assessed. “The forest contains cultural heritage…