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The Queensland Government has declared the Sugarbag Hill project in north Queensland a prescribed project to fast-track delivery.The $515 million ultra high purity quartz sand project is being developed by High Purity Quartz and is expected to support 600 jobs during construction and 140 ongoing jobs once operational.Ultra high purity quartz is an important material used to make products like semiconductors, specialised glass and equipment needed in advanced manufacturing.Further processing of the critical material is proposed at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct south of Townsville, with a pilot facility in Stuart and chemical storage at the Port of Townsville with high-quality quartz sand to also be exported through the port.High Purity Quartz chief executive Stuart Jones says the declaration provides certainty for the project.“This declaration allows us to progress project approvals more efficiently and with greater certainty as we move through the detailed feasibility study and engineering stage,” he said.“It recognises the importance of establishing a Queensland based supply of globally scarce ultrahigh purity quartz sand, which is critical for solar PV silicon wafer manufacturing.”Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last says the project will create hundreds of new jobs in the construction phase and ongoing operational jobs across the value chain.“With the Queensland resources common user facility and Graphinex’s battery anode hub just down the road, we’re committed to building sovereign capacity right across the critical minerals sector,” he said.“We’re serious about cutting red tape, driving faster approvals and delivering certainty to investors so they can get on with creating local jobs.”Subject to approvals, High Purity Quartz is targeting a final investment decision in early 2027 and commencement of construction in early 2028.

The University of Queensland (UQ) has been ranked 5th in the world in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject for mineral and mining engineering.The QS rankings assessed subject areas at more than 1,900 institutions worldwide, based on academic and employer reputation, research impact and international research collaboration.UQ’s top five ranking reflects the strength and breadth of its mining education, spanning undergraduate study, postgraduate coursework, higher degree research and professional development.Programs at UQ are designed in close partnership with industry to equip graduates and professionals with the skills needed to support safe, productive and sustainable mining operations.UQ School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering Professor Ross McAree says the ranking recognises the university’s strong commitment to sustainability and industry relevance in education and research.“This result reflects the way we design our mining education and research programs,” he said.“They are informed by industry and focused on delivering more productive and sustainable outcomes across the life of mine.“Our graduates and professionals are equipped to tackle today’s challenges, from decarbonisation and automation to safety, environmental performance and community outcomes.”In total, 17 UQ subjects were ranked in the world’s top 50, reinforcing the university’s role in developing the skilled workforce required to drive growth in priority disciplines for 2032 and beyond.UQ Sustainable Minerals Institute director Professor Rick Valneta says the ranking also reflected the impact of UQ’s research led approach to sustainable mining.“UQ integrates world leading expertise across mining, mineral processing, geology, environment, safety, social responsibility and mineral security to support a responsible supply of minerals,” he said.“This recognition highlights the importance of evidence-based solutions and strong collaboration with industry, governments and civil society as the sector transitions to more sustainable practices.”

South Australia is on the verge of a ‘once-in-a-generation’ economic growth opportunity, underpinned by affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity, according to a report by ElectraNet.The 2026 Transmission Annual Planning Report (TAPR) shows that interest to connect to South Australia’s transmission network is at its highest level in decades, and attributes this to the strength of the state’s grid and renewable electricity generation.Peak electricity demand is forecast to double over the next 15 years, from 3.3GW currently to more than 6.5GW, according to TAPR figures.The 2026 TAPR shows increased connection demand is expected in greater Adelaide, the mid-north and south-east as a result of data centres and the AI boom, as well as defence industry development at the Osborne naval shipyard.In the Eyre Peninsula and Upper Spencer Gulf regions, growth will be driven by the mining and minerals sector, steel production reinvigoration at Whyalla and the Northern Water project.The Eyre Peninsula includes, and is close to, resources that are crucial in supporting this expected growth including high quality renewable energy sites.ElectraNet chief executive Simon Emms says the TAPR points to South Australia entering a period of economic growth with thousands of jobs being created, underpinned by the state’s world-leading renewable electricity system.“South Australia is facing a jobs boom as industries seek to access the State’s unique combination of valuable minerals and world-class wind and solar renewable energy,” he said.“As industries such as mining, steelmaking, defence and AI expand, the demand for electricity in the state is set to grow significantly.“We have the opportunity set the new global standard for a modern economy, where rapidly growing business and industry are supported by clean energy.“Timely investment in the transmission network will be the key to unlocking this economic growth across South Australia and the thousands of jobs that come with it.”Realising this enormous growth opportunity hinges on planning and enhancement of infrastructure to keep up with rapidly growing electricity demand.South Australia still has an abundance of untapped renewable energy potential in the north of the state to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity supply to support this growth opportunity.“Transmission infrastructure will be vital to create an electricity superhighway, taking energy from the source to where it is needed, and managing the peaks and troughs of demand,” Mr Emms said.“So while South Australia has an exciting economic opportunity ahead, we must have the ability to take it.“It is vital that we get the planning right and that regulators and governing bodies continue to evolve with us as we tackle truly unique energy circumstances.”The TAPR highlights three proposed transmission projects that will be important to South Australia’s growth over the next 15 years.The Eyre Peninsula upgrade, anticipated between 2027 and 2028, will increase the transmission capacity by enabling the Cultana–Yadnarie lines to operate at 275kV. This project will be vital to mining and manufacturing growth in the region and will also unlock new renewable energy generation.The Northern Transmission project (NTx), which is currently in early planning stages, will extend the transmission network’s capability across the northern and eastern parts of South Australia to vastly increase network reliability.The South-East Expansion project aims to improve access to the transmission network and support future industrial growth such as timber processing, food manufacturing and biomass and wind energy generation.Having supported the state until now, traditional energy assets throughout the Adelaide metro region are being retired, including the Torrens Island Power Stations, and being rapidly replaced by batteries in areas to the north of Adelaide.The next two decades will see these trends continuing, supported by the South Australian Government’s renewable release areas, according to ElectraNet.

Lifeline WA and Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) have entered a new four year partnership to support the hundreds of Western Australian volunteers who answer calls from people in crisis.The partnership will direct $1.8m to the agency, with $1.2m dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the 540 Lifeline WA volunteer crisis supporters.This marks the first time a corporate partner has directly funded Lifeline WA's crisis supporter wellbeing program, which employs four dedicated part-time wellbeing officers to provide one-on-one debriefs, weekly check-ins and access to mental health resources for crisis supporters.The program also provides wellbeing activities, podcasts and training materials tailored to the unique pressures of crisis line volunteering.The partnership will also support Lifeline WA to deliver mental health outreach and training in regional communities, schools and frontline services across the state, helping build practical skills that stay long after each visit.Lifeline WA chief executive Lorna MacGregor says training a crisis supporter is a significant investment of time and resources.“But more than that, these are people who carry a profound emotional load for the good of our community,” she said.“Rio Tinto has been with us through the training of our volunteers, and now they're with us in caring for them. That continuity of support is something we don't take for granted."Rio Tinto's support recognises that the mental health of those on the frontline of crisis care matters too. This funding gives us the capacity to better retain and care for the extraordinary volunteers who answer the call."Lifeline WA and Rio Tinto have partnered since 2024, with the company previously investing $860,000 over two years to fund the training of crisis supporters including 60 new volunteers trained in the last 12 months.Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Matthew Holcz says crisis supporters offer compassion, stability and hope to people experiencing distress when they need it most.“They support thousands of Western Australians every year, but they also need support themselves,” he said.“That’s why our newest partnership with Lifeline WA is about helping sustain the people who sustain others.“Access to mental health support can be harder to come by in regional WA and for FIFO workers. This partnership is one of the ways we are making a difference.”The new partnership is a deliberate evolution from building a workforce to sustaining it.

The WA Government has opened nominations for the 2026 Resource Sector Awards for Excellence.The program features two categories recognising innovation, strong environmental performance and meaningful community partnerships across the WA resources sector. The long-standing Golden Gecko Award celebrates leadership in environmental management, and the Community Partnership Resources Sector Award celebrates collaboration that delivers lasting benefits for local communities.Last year's winners demonstrated the range of positive impacts being delivered across the sector.BHP (ASX: BHP) and Child Australia were recognised for their Thriving Futures initiative, which supports childcare workforce development in Newman and Port Hedland.WA1 Resources and Tjamu Tjamu Aboriginal Corporation received the Emerging Community Partnership Award for improving remote access routes and creating employment pathways.In the Golden Gecko category, BHP was recognised for its native seed production work at Yandi, while BiSN was honoured for its environmentally focused well technology.WA Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael says last year’s finalists and winners showed how innovation and genuine partnership can deliver real outcomes for WA."These awards once again provide an opportunity to highlight leadership across the sector and acknowledge the people and projects helping to shape WA's future,” he said.Entries are assessed on their individual merits, and multiple awards may be presented in each category.Nominations for the 2026 awards close on May 12 with winners to be announced at a ceremony in October.

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) has reported its iron ore port operations have resumed after Tropical Cyclone Narelle passed over WA’s Pilbara region. Port closures at Rio’s four Pilbara iron ore port terminals commenced on March 24 and ship loading at East Intercourse Island, Parker Point and Cape Lambert B recommenced on March 28. Damage to Cape Lambert A is currently being repaired and shipping at that facility is expected to recommence in the coming days. Recent weather events, including Tropical Cyclone Mitchell in February, are estimated to have impacted iron ore shipments by about 8mt, however, the company has identified a pathway to recover about half of these losses. Rio’s Pilbara iron ore shipment guidance for 2026 remains unchanged at 323-338mt. 

Sandvik has received five AutoMine orders from Byrnecut, the world’s largest underground mining contractor, for operations across Australia and Namibia.  Byrnecut has also acquired AutoMine for underground drilling across four of these sites and now, with these orders, the majority of Byrnecut’s global operations now run AutoMine for loading. AutoMine multi-lite is an advanced automation system that enables loaders to operate fully autonomously from the stope to the designated loading or dumping area, allowing a single operator to control up to three loaders simultaneously from a safe, climate-controlled control room on the surface. Byrnecut automation and electrification manager Luke Clements says safety is Byrnecut’s number one priority  “AutoMine helps ensure that our people get home safely, while also enabling high productivity through precise, consistent, repeatable operations,” he said. Shift changes are one of the largest contributors to downtime in underground operations. Byrnecut is using AutoMine to reduce the impacts by maintaining material movement and drilling progress during these periods — minimising downtime and enabling consistent production. Operators also benefit from the system, as they can remotely supervise and control multiple machines, reducing exposure to dust, noise, vibration and other onsite hazards. This approach enhances safety for operators and mine personnel, while also supporting workforce development as moving operators into technology-focused roles and providing real-time feedback helps build skills for an increasingly automated mining environment. Sandvik automation vice president David Hallett says the deal highlights the growing understanding across the mining sector that Sandvik’s advanced automation solutions help mines run safer, more efficiently and more sustainably. “Byrnecut and Sandvik have a long history of collaboration, and Byrnecut has been a key development partner in our suite of automation solutions,” he said.  “We are proud to continue supporting them as they expand the use of automation across their global operations.”