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US Department of War has an unlikely target: Australian critical minerals In early September, the Trump Administration rebranded the US Department of Defence (DOD), restoring the moniker last deployed in the 1940s. The executive order for the name change says the update conveys a stronger message of readiness and resolve compared to Department of Defence, which emphasises only defensive capabilities. At the signing of the executive order, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said the country would “go on offence, not just on defence. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct.” One unlikely manoeuvre is taking shape with...

Protecting lives, maximising operational resilience and overcoming the limits of traditional IT cybersecurity By Claroty sales director John Rice The mining industry is facing an escalating wave of cyber threats as it becomes increasingly reliant on connected systems and digital technologies to drive efficiency and productivity. Modern mining operations rely on Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), which Gartner defines as engineered systems that orchestrate sensing, computation, control, networking and analytics to interact with the physical world (including humans) spanning industrial control systems (ICS), OT devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and more. CPS are at the heart of automation, remote operations and industrial connectivity, but their integration of physical processes with digital control makes them a particularly high-value target. Attacks on OT...

Metallium and Glencore collaborate on critical minerals recycling Metallium’s (ASX: MTM) US subsidiary, Flash Metals USA, has executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a subsidiary of Glencore focused on electronic scrap supply and metal offtake in the US. Metallium managing director and chief executive Michael Walshe comments on the partnership. “Executing a MOU with Glencore marks a defining milestone for Metallium,” he said. “Glencore ranks among the world’s most successful diversified natural resources companies, and its Horne Smelter in Quebec is North America’s largest processer of electronic scrap...

Sandvik secures data management for underground mines Sandvik has introduced the Newtrax Control Room Editor, expanding the capabilities of the Newtrax Mining Data Platform (MDP). This technology allows users to create, update and delete data without network connectivity, ensuring continuous and reliable access to crucial information. Newtrax Control Room Editor strengthens data validation by comparing manually entered data with automatically collected telemetry, reducing information gaps and increasing confidence in decision-making. The technology digitises manual workflows and extends read-and-write capabilities underground, making it possible to update and view asset locations on a 3D map, capture machine health...

Victory and Sumitomo advance rare earth partnership Victory Metals (ASX: VTM) has entered into a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with Sumitomo Corporation to advance offtake and strategic cooperation for the North Stanmore heavy rare earth project. The agreement outlines a pathway for pilot scale product testing and early sales through Sumitomo, to be commenced in 2027 ahead of full commercial production. It also establishes the intention of establishing a long-term offtake relationship once Victory starts production at North Stanmore. Under the LOI, Victory will supply up to 30% of annual production, or 1000tpa of mixed rare earths carbonate (MREC) including up...

HIGHLUX Smart Solar Lighting: The Miner’s Choice As the use of solar lighting becomes increasingly ubiquitous across mine sites in Australia, one company has been at the forefront of innovation for over a decade and boasts award winning Australian-made products that are uniquely suited to Australian mining environments. HIGHLUX and its suite of smart solar lighting products has for years been illuminating mine sites across the country providing industry giants such as Fortesque metals, Rio Tinto and BHP with industrial grade solar bollards, overhead solar lighting systems and stand-alone off grid power sources. HIGHLUX director Tristan Downs spent years working at mine sites in the Pilbara and created the company in 2012 with a laser focus on the unique requirements...

Miners pay more tax than all other sectors combined The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has today released its Corporate Tax Transparency report for 2023-2024, highlighting the Australian mining industry has paid more tax than any other industry. The report confirms Australia’s mining industry remains the nation’s biggest taxpayer, for the third consecutive year, paying $65b in company tax and royalties for 2023-24, despite weaker commodity prices and challenging geopolitical conditions. ATO assistant commissioner Michelle Sams highlights the industry’s resilience. “Despite a decrease in tax payable reflecting weaker commodity prices which impacted profitability of...

$4.5b WA wheatbelt wind farm advances Synergy has applied to develop its Tathra wind farm, a 2GW combined solar and wind project, with the WA Government after receiving consent for land usage from nine farm owners. The state-owned company’s proposed project, located 300km north of Perth near Eneabba, includes 140 wind turbines with a generation capacity of up to 1000MW, up to 1,000,000 solar photo-voltaic (PV) panels with 500MW of solar capacity and lithium-ion batteries with a 500MW capacity. Synergy’s planning documents state that by co-locating wind turbines, solar panels and a battery energy storage system...

FMG renews Shooting Stars partnership Fortescue (ASX: FMG) continues to support First Nations girls across regional WA through its partnership with Shooting Stars and the Port Hedland Academy aimed at providing access to life-changing opportunities. Shooting Stars began in Halls Creek as a Netball WA pilot program, now 10 years on, it supports more than 1000 First Nations girls and young women across 21 sites in WA and South Australia. While the program is still part of Netball WA, Shooting Stars has evolved into a holistic social and emotional wellbeing program. By partnering with host schools and providing participants with advocacy,...

Gold prices pushed to their peak by US Government shutdown The US Government shut down yesterday amid a funding standoff, temporarily shuttering government agencies and leaving about 750,000 workers facing furlough. Immediately following the shutdown, the spot price for gold reached a record high of $5904.61/oz. The spot price for gold has climbed nearly 50% since this time last year. US Government shutdowns occur when there is a funding gap — when Democrats and Republicans cannot pass a bill funding government services into the new fiscal year...

Neoen and Tesla select UGL to build six-hour Muchea battery UGL, a member of the CIMIC Group, has been selected to construct a 164MW / 905MWh Muchea Battery north-east of Perth in WA for Neoen in partnership with Tesla. Muchea Battery is Neoen’s first six-hour long-duration storage asset and will be equipped to support the WA’s energy reliability and transition to renewables. UGL has been contracted to help prepare the site for the installation and connection of 252 Tesla Megapack 2XL units and to design and construct a 132kV substation, including the installation of...