HK Calibration-Leading experts in calibration

Copyright © 2018 Rio Tinto. Image: Christian Sprogoe Photography.   BY REUBEN ADAMS   AUSTRALIA’S first nationally accredited courses in automation will be delivered for the first time in 2019.   This is the next step of a landmark partnership between South Metropolitan TAFE and Rio Tinto announced in October last year, with the miner contributing $2 million towards a new curriculum including robotics, data analytics and digital inclusion education. Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Chris Salisbury said the new wider curriculum being developed would enhance capabilities of those in the mining sector and form part of the learning pathways for those seeking to enter a range of industries applying automation and technology. The proposed curriculum will be completed...

THE renewable battery energy market continues to make significant moves in WA as the quality and applications of battery storage becomes ever more sophisticated and economically advantageous. Australian-owned Australian Vanadium Ltd (AVL) signed a letter of intent with Hebei Yanshan Vanadium and Titanium Industry Technology Research Co Ltd, a subsidiary of HBIS Group Chengsteel, to negotiate technical services and agree on a purchase agreement for AVL’s vanadium products. Managing director Vincent Algar and chief operating officer Todd Richardson will travel to Chengde, Hebei this month for further discussions. HBIS Group is one of the world’s largest steelmakers and the world’s third largest vanadium producer. Currently 92pc of vanadium consumption is for strengthening steel. The addition of as little as 0.1pc...

Historic Victorian mines hold key to critical minerals challenge A recent study of two historic phosphate mines in Victoria’s north and east has found elevated levels of vanadium and rhenium in rocks, along with low levels of rare earth elements – the critical minerals required for renewable energy applications in wind turbines and grid-scale batteries. The report, entitled An evaluation of rare earth elements, phosphorous, vanadium and rhenium hosted in sediment starved stratigraphy in...

Stanmore Resources acquires remaining 50% of Eagle Downs Stanmore Resources (ASX: SMR) has acquired the remaining 50% in the Eagle Downs metallurgical coal project and 100% of the Eagle Downs South tenements in Queensland. Stanmore acquired the first 50% of Eagle Downs from South32 (ASX: S32) in early February 2024. The remaining 50% was held by Aquila Coal, a subsidiary of China Baowu Steel Group Corporation. For Eagle Downs, Stanmore will pay $22.81m (US$15m) in cash to Aquila on completion of the transaction and $30.41m (US$20m) payable upon the first 100kt of col being mined from longwall mining methods. It also consists of a...