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RESOURCES giant BHP Billiton and subcontractor HWE Newman Services have been fined more than $200,000 for a fatal incident in August 2008. Mobile maintenance supervisor Paul Sparkes, 29, was killed while working at BHP’s Yandi iron ore mine, (then operated by HWE) near Newman in the Pilbara. Mr Sparkes was hit in the arm by a tyre-handling device, which had broken off the machine body after the tyre of a heavy earth mover overinflated. Five years after the incident, the Perth Magistrates Court found BHP and HWE guilty of failing to provide sufficient training for Mr Sparkes’ position, and for failing to provide the necessary equipment for safe tyre assembly. BHP was fined $102,000 and HWE $136,000. Both companies will...

AUSTRALIAN prospector and mining entrepreneur Mark Creasy has spoken out about government regulations making it hard for explorers and prospectors to break new ground in WA. Speaking at the launch of The Miners — Stories from the Industry that Drives Modern Australia by veteran mining journalist Barry Avery, Mr Creasy expressed candid opinions on the future of mineral exploration and development in Australia, and the evolution of the resources sector in recent decades. “Exploration prospecting is, on the average, a losing business,” Mr Creasy said. “But if you’re going to encourage people to invest – whether it’s their labour or their capital – you need to try and keep the costs of entry as low as possible. “Our governments compete...

CSIRO geoscientists in Perth have discovered trace gold particles in eucalyptus trees in WA’s Yilgarn Craton, signalling major progress for environmentally friendly means of finding new gold. With gold discoveries decreasing by 45 per cent during the past decade, the finding could be a key factor to uncovering new, quality gold supplies. The researchers hypothesised that the trees absorbed gold through their root systems, while scouring for ground water in times of drought. After transversing the trunk, the gold particles are concentrated into the trees’ leaves, where their presence can be detected using the CSIRO’s patented Maia detector for x-ray elemental imaging. “Gold is probably toxic to plants and is moved to extremities, such as leaves, or to preferential zones...

THE Newman Government continues to introduce reforms and incentives designed to inject new life into Queensland’s struggling mineral exploration sector, which plummeted 31 per cent for the 2012-2013 financial year. The Queensland Exploration Council (QEC) scorecard, released late October, reported that about one third had been wiped off the market capitalisation of Queensland-based junior miners in the past 12 months, and 81 per cent across the past two years. The QEC’s explorer sentiment survey also indicated that Queensland had a negative rating compared with other states, on key factors such as government/departmental assistance, exploration permit processes, environmental regulations and policy uncertainty. “These findings are despite a raft of proposed, in-train and recently completed government initiatives to reduce red tape and...

INNOVATION and teamwork are key ingredients to achieving the lowest unit cost in underground diamond drilling; something that Swick Mining Services and Sandfire Resources have proven at the De Grussa copper mine project. As a recognised leader in mineral drilling, WA-based Swick provides underground diamond, reverse circulation and underground production drilling to leading mining companies. The company specialises in underground diamond drilling in hard-rock, brownfield operations in Australia, the Americas, Asia and Europe, producing high quality geological core samples for its clients, at the lowest unit cost, while maintaining high safety standards. Innovation is a key ingredient to Swick’s success. A fully mobile and integrated rig unit, the Swick Mobile Underground Diamond Rig is easy to pack and move. It...

A pre-feasibility study has shown the Mt Garnet tin project to be technically and economically viable, with the utilisation of existing Mt Garnet concentrator infrastructure. The Consolidated Tin Mines project, near Cairns in Northern Queensland, is on track to reach production by the end of 2014. The project area contains the Gillian, Pinnacles and Windermere projects, with a combined resource of 7.3 million tonnes grading 0.60 per cent tin. Consolidated Tin managing director and chairman Ralph De Lacey said the study “demonstrates the economics of a robust and significant tin project”. “Unlike other projects, Mt Garnet boasts existing infrastructure and near surface ore, which are the drivers of low capital and operating costs,” he said. “The has confirmed...

THE US state of Michigan could become one of the world’s leading sources of potash, following an investigation into an almost forgotten deposit by West Michigan University’s (WMU) Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education. After testing geological drilling samples stored at the university, WMU stated that the deposit could herald the start of a new industry in Michigan worth as much as US$65 billion in the long term – surpassing the state’s historical oil and gas production revenues and triggering explosive job growth in Osceola and Mecosta counties. Potash – one of the major components of agricultural fertiliser – is currently only mined at three locations in the US. According to WMU, potash prices were climbing as supplies dwindled....

ADELAIDE-based Minotaur Exploration is reporting positive drill results from its inaugural Osborne copper-gold drill program as it looks to complete an off-market takeover for junior Breakaway Resources. The four-hole, 1240m diamond drill program tested for copper-gold mineralisation south of the Osborne copper-gold mine in the Cloncurry district of Queensland. Assay results from holes at the Brolga prospect recorded 0.39g per tonne of gold associated with quartz-pyrite veining, while results from the Wedgetail prospect included 1.65 per cent copper associated with sulphide-bearing breccia. Minotaur stated that the results confirmed widespread development of copper-gold mineralisation under cover across the region south of the Osborne mine, with numerous targets to be followed up across the project area. On 2 September it reported results...

DRILLING at Northern Minerals’ Browns Range heavy rare earths project has confirmed its “best ever” assay results. Northern Minerals reported that diamond drilling at the Wolverine prospect had found high grade mineralisation that extended westwards at depth, including 2.91 per cent at 29.1kg per tonne total rare earth oxides at 37m. The results confirmed estimates from a 4000m drilling program in August. Northern Minerals managing director George Bauk said the results would not be included in the next resource upgrade but they reinforced the project’s significant growth potential. “Wolverine just continues to deliver, and the fact that these results are some of the best we have ever received is very encouraging,” he said. “These intersections are outstanding in terms of...

SHARES in British miner Ariana Resources soared recently with the news that the company had identified high grade deposits at its flagship Red Rabbit gold project in western Turkey. The company discovered four high grade gold-silver zones in the Kepez and Karakavak section of the project, which returned grades of up to 383 grams per tonne of silver and 58g/t of gold. Ariana managing director Dr Kerim Sener said the current resource was based on only 6 per cent of the total veins mapped, allowing for significant exploration upside. “These exceptional exploration results reinforce our views on the prospectivity of the wider Kiziltepe area and continue to point towards future resource upside for our planned mine,” he said. “It is...

UP to $3.8 million has been secured by Fox Resources for exploration and development at its Queensland coal prospects. The money – raised through a share purchase arrangement with the Australian Special Opportunity Fund, LP and The Lind Partners – would also be used for additional working capital and corporate purposes. As part of the agreement, Fox would receive $350,000 upon execution in the form of a $300,000 convertible security, and $50,000 as repayment for fully paid ordinary shares. Lind would also invest up to $150,000 in monthly share subscriptions during the next two years. “The agreement with Lind will allow Fox to advance its exploration program with the hopes of unlocking significant value at its Bundaberg coking coal project,”...