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The International Lithium Association (ILiA) has published a guide on product carbon footprint (PCF) assessment, with support from global miner Albermarle. Growth in production and demands from regulators and customers for information on greenhouse gas emissions has meant the release of this information is timely for the industry. The publication covers assessments for key lithium intermediaries and battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide specialty chemicals produced from brine or rock minerals in a standardised way. Albermarle vice president of sustainability Mark de Boer, who also leads the group’s Sustainable Lithium Subcommittee and managed the PCF project, comments on this. “We encourage anyone who intends to create a PCF of a lithium product to use this guidance because it will increase the…

The Australian Aluminium Council (AAC) will integrate with the Australian Aluminium Extrusion Association (AAEA) in a move that will bring about a united voice for the Australian aluminium industry. The AAEA will join in the AAC’s membership and organisational structure with the Council’s chief executive Marghanita Johnson commenting on this. “The Council represents the industry from mine to market – and now with an even stronger focus on the downstream aluminium manufacturing sector in Australia,” she said. “With a cohesive representation, the Council will continue its direct engagement with the Government and platforms like the International Trade Remedies Forum to advocate in the face of uneven global competition.” One of the challenges facing the Australian aluminium industry is the…

Spartan Resources (ASX: SPR) has taken an important step towards the re-start of its Dalgaranga gold project (DGP) in WA following the receipt of all key regulatory approvals required to allow the mining and processing of underground ores to proceed. Approvals have been received from both the WA Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) and the WA Department of Water and Environment Regulation (DWER) for the mining and processing of underground ores at the DGP along with modifications to the mill. Full approvals have been received to transition from development to full-scale mining and production activities of underground ores, following the completion of the current Juniper exploration drill drive decline development. Installation and operation of a ball…

Anglo American has agreed to sell its portfolio of Australian steelmaking coal mines that it operates in Australia to Peabody Energy for a cash consideration of up to $5.8b (US$3.775b). This will generate up to $7.5b (US$4.9b) in aggregate gross cash proceeds, including the already announced sale of Anglo American’s interest in Jellinbah for approximately $1.7b (US$1.1b). Anglo American chief executive Duncan Wanblad says the sale of the company’s steelmaking coal business is another important step towards delivering the strategy that it set out in May to create a world class copper, premium iron ore and crop nutrients business. “Through focus, asset quality and outstanding growth options, Anglo American will offer a highly differentiated investment proposition supported by strong cash…

The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA (CME) welcomes the introduction to Parliament of the Federal Government’s Future Made in Australia Bill, which provides substantial incentives for critical minerals processing and hydrogen production. CME chief executive officer Rebecca Tomkinson says timely passage of the legislation would implement two key budget announcements from earlier this year aimed at capturing more investment to support strategic industries. “Australia’s resources, including our critical minerals, have a key role to play in the energy transition,” she said. “This measure recognises the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting industry to level the playing field in what is an intensely competitive global market. “Passage of the legislation would set an important investment signal for further value adding activities…

A share of more than $1m in grants are up for grabs in NSW for groundbreaking projects that are focused on reducing carbon emissions through electrification. The Electrification and Energy Systems Network Seed Grant Scheme provides funding as part of the NSW Government’s Decarbonisation Innovation Hub. The Hub supports researchers, industry and government stakeholders in critical sectors to increase the uptake of new technologies in decarbonising the State. NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe says the projects must translate research-based technologies into real-life solutions for current and future energy challenges. “Electrification of our energy system is essential to reaching our Net Zero targets and mitigating the impacts of climate change on our environment and health. “It will also ensure our community…

The WA Government has released the State’s first Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Action Plan and will fund two CCUS projects to the tune of $26m. WA has CCUS projects proposed for development over the next 10 years, with an initial combined capacity to store over 20mtpa of carbon dioxide – or about a quarter of WA’s Scope 1 emissions. A total of $15m will go towards AGIG to develop an onshore transmission pipeline for an offshore multi-user CCS hub in the Pilbara, WA. The project will help transport carbon dioxide from facilities on the Burrup into depleted gas fields, sequestering up to five million tonnes of carbon dioxide in its first phases. Another $11m will support Mitsui E&P…

Four years of hard work has paid off for 28 Alcoa apprentices who celebrated the end of their education and training at a special ceremony and awards night last week. They are the latest cohort to complete apprenticeships at Alcoa’s mines and refineries, gaining trade qualifications in heavy diesel and mechanical fitting, fabrication and electrical instrumentation. Nine of the 2024 graduates from across Alcoa’s refineries and mine sites received accolades for their efforts, recognised for their outstanding attention to safety performance and as apprentices of the year for each site. At the time of the awards ceremony, six of the 28 graduates in the 2024 cohort had secured ongoing roles with Alcoa, while another 10 had opted to take on…

ByoMax has signed a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) to establish the company as a key potential supplier of ByoCoke for Green Steel WA’s Collie green steel mill in WA. Under the terms of the LOI, ByoMax will undertake investigations and confirm that it will supply up to 20,000t of ByoCoke annually to the Collie green steel mill. ByoMax specialises in bioengineering waste biomass as a sustainable replacement for coal and coke in hard-to-decarbonise sectors. ByoCoke, crafted from waste biomass, can replace traditional coal and coke without compromising production quality or efficiency. According to ByoMax, its advanced bioengineering process removes over 97% of alkaline, heavy metals and volatile elements typically associated with slagging, reduced combustion kinetics, corrosion and product defects,…

The Federal Government will today introduce the Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credit and Other Measures) Bill 2024 to Parliament for renewable hydrogen and critical minerals. It will also expand the role and remit of Indigenous Business Australia. The legislation establishes two tax incentives: a Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive worth $2/kg of renewable hydrogen produced between 2027–2028 and 2039–40 for up to 10 years per project; and a Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive worth 10% of relevant processing and refining costs for Australia’s 31 critical minerals, for critical minerals processed and refined between 2027–28 and 2039–40, for up to 10 years per project. In a joint statement released today by Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers,…

CANADA — Newmont (ASX: NEM) has agreed to sell its Musselwhite operation in Ontario, Canada, to Orla Mining for up to $1.3b (US$850m) as part of its push to divest from non-core assets. Under the terms of the agreement, Newmont will receive cash consideration of about $1.2b (US$810m) upon closing and up to about $61m (US$40m) in contingent payments. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 CY25, subject to certain conditions being satisfied. Upon closing the announced transactions, Newmont will have surpassed its target of delivering more than $3b (US$2b) in gross proceeds from non-core divestitures. Newmont president and chief executive officer Tom Palmer says the company is pleased to be selling its Musselwhite operation to Orla and has…