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Earlier this year, CPB Contractors launched an Australian-first trial of a next-generation 6KW-rated prototype vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). The first-of-its-kind wind turbine was developed by Adelaide-based renewable energy technology start-up company, VAWT-X, in collaboration with Flinders University and Firestone Hybrid Generators with funding from private equity, state and federal governments. The prototype was installed on the South Australian Government’s Fleurieu Connections Alliance (FCA) main south road duplication project’s Aldinga compound in February and has been undergoing extensive operational testing over the past few months. CPB Contractors’ trial on the FCA is a critical step in validating the VAWT-X design for regulatory accreditation and provides an opportunity for Firestone Hybrid Generators to confirm the turbines’ integration with existing hybrid power…

The WA Supreme Court has dismissed Roy Hill’s application to protect the ownership of two mining leases at its $12b Pilbara operation. The case, filed mid-2024, sought a declaration that two of its mining leases could not be impeached as long as they were the subject of a registered mortgage. Roy Hill previously applied for a new mining lease to cover operations in 2017 and protect the validity of operations. This followed Fortescue (ASX: FMG) founder and executive chairman Dr Andrew Forrest’s High Court campaign, lodged in 2013, to block sand miners, Onslow Resources and Yarri Mining (ASX: YAR), from operating on the pastoral land of his Minderoo Station. Dr Forrest’s argument for the case focused on the two miners…

Weir has announced the appointment of Mick Henderson as the company’s Asia-Pacific minerals division regional managing director.  Mr Henderson brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of delivering results across eastern Australia and the Pacific Islands.  His deep regional insight and customer-first mindset underscore the company’s commitment to supporting mining and resources customers with innovative solutions, responsive service and operational excellence.   Since joining Weir in 2017, Mr Henderson has led teams across Queensland, Papua New Guinea, New South Wales and the Pacific Islands. Most recently, as Director – East, he focused on delivering value to mining and resource customers in the region through tailored service and support.   In his new role, Mr Henderson will focus…

TOMRA Mining technology’s advanced sensor-based ore sorting technology has delivered measurable value to Pilbra Minerals’ (ASX: PLS) Pilgangoora lithium operation.  The technology, commissioned at PLS’ lithium project a year ago, has achieved impressive results, boosting production, reducing costs and unlocking value from previously uneconomical ore.  In Q4 FY25, PLS reported a 77% increase in production volume and a 10% reduction in unit operating costs (FOB) compared to Q3 FY25, attributed to the ramp-up of the P1000 expansion and the integration of TOMRA Mining’s cutting-edge sorting technology.  Commissioned in August last year, the crushing and sorting plant is the largest lithium ore sorting facility in the world, with a capacity of more than 1,000tph.   TOMRA Mining’s sensor-based technology enables early waste…

Monash University and CSIRO have unveiled a joint membrane pilot facility to grow Australia’s ability to translate research into real-world industrial solutions.  The faculty, housed in the Monash Centre for Membrane Innovation (MCMI) at the university’s Clayton campus in Victoria, bridges a critical gap between lab-scale breakthroughs and commercial deployment.  Membranes are essential to many future-focused industries, enabling everything from clean hydrogen production and energy storage to low-waste chemical processing and efficient water purification.  MCMI director professor Matthew Hill says the facility is already being used by academic and industry researchers to refine scalable membrane designs and validate them under real-world operating conditions.  “This isn’t just a facility — it’s a national capability that will accelerate the development of next-generation…

Edith Cowan University (ECU) has reported that mining companies in WA have made strong progress in increasing the number of women employed across the industry.  The study, The rise of women in mining — How to improve inclusion and diversity through organisational programs, found that five WA mining companies, which took part in the study, had set 63 targets focused on hiring and promoting more women and increasing inclusion efforts.  Participant organisations included South32 (ASX: S32), Gold Fields, Thiess and Evolution Mining (ASX: EVN) who contributed through interviews and focus groups as well as sharing policy documents and implementation plans.  Results from the study indicate that companies are now turning their focus to building inclusive workplace cultures where women feel valued,…

In August, Liebherr-Australia finalised multiple equipment supply agreements with Glencore across six of its Australian operations.   These agreements will see Liebherr-Australia deliver 17 machines across some if Glencore’s major mining operations in Queensland and NSW by the end of 2026 as part of the first phase of this ongoing partnership.   Of the 17 machines in this phase, seven have already been successfully commissioned across Glencore’s sites, which has resulted in important milestones achieved at three of them.  Delivery of these initial machines will mark a key milestone for Liebherr-Australia, with the delivery of two R 9600 excavators to Hail Creek mine in Queensland marking the company’s first ever equipment at the operation.   In NSW, Liebherr-Australia also delivered the…

Covalent Lithium has produced its first battery-grade lithium hydroxide at its Kwinana, WA refinery, enabling supply to global markets including the growing electric vehicle industry. This was confirmed following the company’s internal validation process completion. The refinery’s production commencement is a pivotal moment in the development of Covalent Lithium’s fully integrated mine-to-refinery operation. In achieving first production, the operation is expected to ramp up to 50,000tpa nameplate capacity over the next 18 months. Covalent Lithium chief executive Ross Martelli says the achievement reflects years of dedicated work across the business. “This is a major achievement for the project,” he said. “Pleasingly, construction and commissioning was completed within the cost guidance provided by our shareholders in early 2023. “The plant is…

China has delayed and returned a shipment of Australian critical minerals bound for the US. The shipment of 55t of antimony concentrate, destined for US Antimony Corporation, was held at the port of Ningbo in the Zhejiang Province for three months before being released by Chinese authorities on the condition it was to return to Australia. Alkane Resources (ASX: ALK), who supplied the shipment of antimony from its Costerfield site in Victoria, said it would never again send an antimony shipment bound for the US via China even though there had been no problem with previous shipments, according to the Australian Industry & Defence Network (AIDN). The incident comes as US Antimony, the only antimony smelter operator in the US,…

Bravus Mining & Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with CQUniversity to boost education, skills and job prospects in Queensland’s mining sector. One of the core undertakings of the MoU is for Bravus and CQUniversity to equip students in civil, mechanical, electrical, construction and mining engineering with industry-ready skills. This will be achieved through a combination of mentoring, vacation placements, internships and graduate programs designed to bridge the gap between study and employment. Bravus Mining and Resources chief operating officer Mick Crowe says mining offers a range of fulfilling careers in well paid, highly skilled jobs that make a real and positive difference to workers, their families and our communities. “There are different education and training pathways you…

BHP (ASX: BHP) is undertaking an innovative research project to conserve and enhance biodiversity using emerging research techniques to test and monitor animal species. The BHP-Curtin Alliance eDNA for Global Environmental Studies Subterranean Fauna Detection and Conservation project uses environmental DNA (eDNA) to create a functional biomonitoring tool that provides additional information on biodiversity. eDNA is the biological material deposited by organisms into their habitat, terrestrial or aquatic, and can be isolated from a variety of substrates, such as soil, water and air, through non-invasive sampling techniques — unlike traditional biodiversity monitoring methods. The Olympic Dam area includes the Great Artesian Basin, which supports about 7,000 individual springs in 450 spring groups across the basin area. These natural flowing artesian…