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BHP (ASX: BHP) achieved record material mined at its WA Iron Ore operations amid reports that China has told its major steelmakers and traders to temporarily halt purchases of all cargoes from the miner. Despite record material mined, iron ore production decreased 1% to 64mt. FY26 iron ore production guidance remains unchanged at 258-269mt. BHP says the first quarter was a period of significant planned maintenance for WAIO. Iron ore sales were broadly in line with the prior year, with a 5% increase in sales of higher-value lump. “We sell and ship iron ore products via different commercial distribution channels, this includes seaborne sales and portside sales in China which have increased over recent years in line with our strategy,”…

Three mining and construction services companies have been fined a total of $770,000 for an incident that led to the death of a truck driver in 2022 on the Great Northern Highway.  At about 9.27pm on July 25, 2022, the ratchet strap securing the intake boom of a pump being transported to Perth failed and the boom became unrestrained before striking and killing the driver of a truck travelling in the opposite direction just north of Meekatharra.  On October 14, the Perth Magistrates Court fined Resource Operations and Maintenance Services, Diverse Management Services and Technologies International Group after they plead guilty to failing to ensure that the health and safety of other persons was not put at risk from their…

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump have today signed a landmark bilateral framework agreement to secure critical minerals and rare earths mining and processing outside of China. The framework will be established under the leadership of the Federal Resources Minister and the US Energy Secretary to identify priority minerals and supply vulnerabilities to develop a coordinated plan to accelerate delivery of processed minerals. President Trump says the agreement has been in negotiations for the last five months. “In about a year from now, we’ll have so much critical minerals and rare earths, that you won’t know what to do with them. They’ll be worth about $2b,” he said. Prime Minister Albanese says there are no closer friends…

Housing prices across Australia’s mining regions are some of the most volatile in the country, with some areas, over the last two decades, crashing more than 65% at the end of a mining boom.  An analysis featured in the upcoming 2025 Ray White Regional Report investigates housing price dynamics across nine of Australia’s major mining regions over the last decade — from coal districts in Queensland and NSW, the iron ore centres of the Pilbara, gold rich regions of WA to emerging lithium hotspots.  The period from 2012 to 2017 delivered brutal house price corrections across Australia’s mining districts, with an average crash of 31.5% from peaks. Three regions suffered crashes exceeding 40%, demonstrating the extreme vulnerability of resource-dependent housing…

The Federal Government has opened consultation for the design of its green aluminium production credit scheme to advance product decarbonisation.  Part of the Federal Government’s Future Made in Australia agenda, the credit scheme is designed to help Australia secure a competitive edge in the global clean energy economy by providing local smelters the confidence to invest in the transition to renewable energy use.  Facilities will be eligible for support for every tonne of clean, reliable, Australian-made aluminium they make over a period of up to 10 years or to 2044, whichever comes first.  Federal Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres says Australia’s aluminium smelters have long been the backbone of our manufacturing sector.  “Demand for aluminium, because of its wide range…

Larvotto Resources (ASX: LRV) received an unsolicited takeover bid from the US Antimony Corporation (USAC), equivalent to $1.40 per share, after the close of trading on Friday.  The offer was made following USAC’s lodgement of a substantial shareholder notice aftermarket, notifying Larvotto that it had acquired 51,685,160 ordinary shares, representing 10.0% of the company’s shares on issue.  Larvotto  is actively advancing its portfolio of critical minerals projects including the Hillgrove antimony-gold project in NSW, the large Mt Isa copper, gold and cobalt project adjacent to Mt Isa townsite in Queensland and the Eyre multi-metals and lithium project located 30km east of Norseman in WA.  The Hillgrove project is on track for first production as early as Q2 CY2026 and has…

Low levels of investment in forward-looking copper projects could drive major shortages and pricing volatility in the face of unprecedented demand, according to Wood Mackenzie.  Global copper demand is expected to rise by 8.2mtpa to 42.7mtpa by 2035, a 24% surge, according to a new Horizons report from Wood Mackenzie, High-wire act: is soaring copper demand an obstacle to future growth?  Growth will be driven by traditional economic development alongside new structural demand from electrification and digitalisation. While this growth trajectory seems certain, Wood Mackenzie warns that four powerful disruptors could amplify demand and price volatility beyond expectations.   Together, this could potentially add an extra 40% of total copper demand growth by 2035. As a crucial component of renewable energy…

The Queensland Government has reinstated a coroners role for the mining and resources sector to enhance worker safety with a justice service to cater to mandatory coronial inquests. The mining and resources coroner will conduct mandatory coronial inquests into fatalities that occur at any Queensland mine, quarry, petroleum and gas site, and to provide answers sooner to victims’ families. The coroner will also make recommendations to enhance worker safety and undertake other coronial duties, when not investigating mining-related matters, help to ease pressure on the justice system. Queensland Attorney-General and Justice Minister and Integrity Minister Deb Frecklington says the bill will ensure that families get the answers they deserve sooner. “The (Queensland) Government is delivering on its commitment to put…

A recent independent survey of Queenslanders has shown the extent of support for the resources sector in securing the long-term future of the state and protecting people’s way of life. It also revealed that more than four in five Queenslanders believe there is an important long-term role for the mining and resources sector and 75% agree that mining is very important to maintaining their way of life. The research is regularly undertaken by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) to evaluate the sentiment of Queenslanders and their thoughts or opinions about mining. The latest findings indicate the highest level of support for the sector since 2022 and comes at a time when regional communities, particularly those in resources-rich areas, are concerned…

Sandvik has launched DataDrive’31, a major new technology program aimed at advancing digitalisation through data-driven innovation across the mining industry. DataDrive’31 focuses on developing new data-driven technologies and solutions that enhance productivity and safety and sustainability across the entire mining value chain. The program aims to enable new services and products through data utilisation and commercialisation, integrate data-driven technologies into equipment, operations and aftermarket services to deliver end-to-end digital solutions and build predictive and prescriptive operating environments to support smarter, safer and more sustainable mining. The six-year program has a total budget of $144m including $28m in research and development (R&D) funding from Business Finland for the first three-year phase, with the option to grant an additional $28m…

The University of NSW SCoPE Lab for Green Metals is leading research to develop scalable low-cost and low-emission ironmaking technologies with a blast furnace innovations project. The manufacturing of iron and steel, materials essential to build almost all infrastructure in modern society, accounts for about one-tenth of global carbon dioxide emissions — more than any other industrial sector. As global populations grow and urbanisation accelerates, the demand for steel and iron shows no sign of slowing, making the need for greener production of these metals crucial. Project lead Professor Yansong Shen says that finding the right solution quickly to the challenge of producing iron and steel in a more sustainable way is vital, given how abundantly such metals are used…