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Westgold to increase production by 25% Westgold (ASX: WGX) has delivered a high confidence plan that lifts annual gold production at its WA projects from 326koz to 470koz by FY28. Underpinned by the company’s ore reserves of 56mt at 1.93g/t gold for 3.5moz of gold, the plan will see increased output from the company’s four existing processing hubs, currently operating at a 6mtpa capacity, fed from its operating mines and ore purchase agreement. Westgold managing director and chief executive Wayne Bramwell says the outlook provides a baseline for a larger, more...

Weir unveils new ENDURON crushers Weir, a global leader in mining technology, has launched a new range of ENDURON jaw and cone crushers, developed in close collaboration with customers to address their most pressing operational challenges. This customer-first approach has resulted in equipment that enhances safety, boosts productivity, simplifies maintenance, and supports sustainability goals. The updated ENDURON  jaw crushers now feature a redesigned Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU), which allows for true pushbutton control of CSS adjustments. This innovation eliminates the need for manual intervention, significantly reducing safety risks for operators and maintenance teams....

Engineers achieve record-breaking battery performance Engineers at Monash University have developed a new catalyst that could drive zinc-air batteries from hearing aids and watches to EVs and large-scale industrial applications. While zinc-air batteries are currently used in small devices, this opens the door to rechargeable, high-power applications, moving the technology closer to real-world, grid-scale and transport uses. Using microscopic heat treatment, the researchers have developed carbon sheets from 3D materials, adding a framework of individual cobalt and iron atoms to greatly increase reactivity and efficiency within the battery. Saeed Askari and Dr Parama Banerjee, lead authors from Monash...

Rio Tinto may retire Gladstone coal-fired power station early Queensland’s oldest and largest coal-fired power station — the Gladstone Power Station (GPS) — could retire in 2029, six years earlier than expected. Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) says no final decision has been made to retire GPS, which has operated since 1976, and there is potential to extend the life of the power station should market and other factors allow. The miner says there is no immediate impact on operations and existing power supply contracts, including to Boyne Smelters, will remain in place until their scheduled expiry in March 2029. The GPS JV participants recognise the contribution of the power station to the Gladstone community and are committed to work with...

Liontown revises Tesla deal Liontown (ASX: LTR) has amended its pricing mechanism in its long-term offtake agreement with Tesla. This comes as the miner shifts from lithium hydroxide indices to spodumene concentrate, in line with Liontown’s strategy to be exposed to a ‘basket’ of pricing references across the main lithium products. The revised pricing mechanism will apply to all future deliveries under the agreement. There is no change to the remaining volumes under the agreement for the balance of the term ending in 2029. Liontown is also in advanced discussions with Ford Motor Company in relation to proposed amendments to the offtake and...

Queensland advances $1.23b graphite project The Queensland Government is advancing a major project in North Queensland with the release of the environmental impact statement (EIS) terms of reference for Graphinex’s Esmerelda graphite project. Subject to approval, the project could extract up to 3.5mtpa of ore to produce about 25mt of graphite concentrate over a 50-year project life, creating up to 100 construction jobs and 113 operational jobs at peak production. Queensland Deputy Premier and State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie says the Queensland Government is committed to backing projects that supercharge the economy...

Cutting maintenance costs How real-time oil monitoring transforms equipment reliability By Oreflow Australia Unplanned downtime is one of the biggest headaches in mining and mineral processing. When a critical piece of equipment goes down, the costs immediately escalate with lost production, emergency parts and labour. For most sites, maintenance costs are already one of the largest expenses. The challenge is how to bring them down without cutting corners on reliability.  One of the smartest shifts happening right now is the move from scheduled oil sampling to real-time oil condition monitoring. Instead of waiting for a lab report or sticking to fixed intervals, operators can now see the exact health of their oil and machinery as it changes, 24/7. That’s where...

China bans all BHP iron ore  China’s state-run iron ore buyer has told major steelmakers and traders to temporarily halt purchases of all new BHP (ASX: BHP) cargoes, Bloomberg reports, citing people familiar with the matter.  China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG) reportedly asked domestic buyers to suspend purchases of any dollar-denominated seaborne cargoes from BHP.  CMRG was established in 2022 in an aim to centralise iron ore demand, tighten control over the global steel market and give Chinese steel producers more control over prices.  This ban signals an escalation from CMRG, as the group similarly halted the purchase...

Weir partners with Viking Analytics Weir has entered a strategic collaboration agreement with Viking Analytics to enhance its digital offering for mineral processing plants. This partnership will significantly enhance Weir’s NEXT intelligent solutions — the company’s comprehensive digital offering designed to transform mineral processing through real-time data, predictive analytics and process optimisation. By integrating Viking’s advanced machine learning technology, Weir will facilitate predictive maintenance solutions, ensuring uptime and production are maximised. Weir senior director Ole Knudsen says the company is committed to building a more sustainable future in mining through strategic partnerships with companies that...

Mark Bristow exits Barrick Barrick Mining’s Mark Hill has been appointed group chief operating officer and interim president and chief executive officer, following the departure of Mark Bristow. Mr Bristow is stepping down as president and chief executive after nearly seven years having joined Barrick in 2019 following the company’s merger with Randgold. Mr Bristow led the successful integration of the two companies, and during his tenure, made significant investments in Barrick’s world-class assets to better position the company to maintain profitable gold and copper growth. Barrick chairman of the board John Thornton...

Strong first month at Crown Prince New Murchison Gold (ASX: NMG) reports a strong operational start at the Crown Prince gold mine in WA. During its first month of operations, the company successfully mined and crushed 31,000dt of ore at an agreed grade of 3.23g/t (adjusted for recovery) trucked to Westgold Resources’ (ASX: WGX) Bluebird gold processing facility. New Murchison Gold chief...