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Glencore: Fuelling demand

FeaturesUncategorized

Glencore: Fuelling demand

Coal trucks at the Newlands coal mine, QLD. All images: Glencore. BY CAMERON DRUMMOND ON the back of resurgent coal prices, mining giant Glencore has boosted output and looked at expanding its Australian portfolio. One of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies, Glencore is a major producer of Australian coal, with 12 active mining operations across NSW and QLD employing about 7000 personnel. Its QLD operations employ more than 2900 personnel across five projects in the Bowen Basin – Clermont, Rolleston, Oaky Creek, Newlands and Collinsville. In NSW, 4750 personnel are employed across four coalfields – Hunter Valley, Newcastle, Western Districts and Southern Districts. During 2016, the Swiss-based miner produced 67.6 million tonnes (mt) of coal in Australia,…

Production has increased month on month with around 825kt of ore mined in June 2024.

NewsUncategorized

Production and shipments ramp up at Thunderbird

Sheffield Resources (ASX: SFX) has ramped up production and shipments from the Thunderbird mineral sands mine in WA. Production has increased month on month with around 825kt of ore mined in June 2024. For the June 2024 quarter, total ore mined is expected to be 2.2mt, around 20% higher than the operating rate assumed within in the 2022 bankable feasibility study (BFS). The increase production resulted in 55kt of ilmenite concentrate produced in June and 120kt for the quarter, while zircon concentrate was 13kt for June and 33kt for the quarter. Additionally, the wet concentrator plant (WCP) and concentrate upgrade plant (CUP) recoveries are in line with, or above design, resulting in higher than design recovery of both zircon and…

The Gen Z Perceptions of Mining report, developed by AUSMASA in partnership with Year 13, aims to better understand how young people perceive the mining industry and how to encourage more young Australians to pursue career opportunities in mining.

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Better communication key to attracting Gen Z to mining industry

A national survey of Generation Z, 15 to 24-year-olds, has found almost three quarters (72%), believe mining is important to a net zero emissions future. However, land rehabilitation and workplace culture top the list of their concerns (a tie at 77%), followed by renewable energy use (69%) and reducing or recycling mining waste and pollution (67%). The Gen Z Perceptions of Mining report, developed by AUSMASA in partnership with Year 13, aims to better understand how young people perceive the mining industry and how to encourage more young Australians to pursue career opportunities in mining. The Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA) is one of 10 Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) funded by the Federal Government Employment and Workplace Relations…

iVolve co-founders (L-R) – chief technology officer David Eagles and chief executive Kim Parascos – will continue in their current roles, ensuring continuity in product development and customer relationships.

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Komatsu acquires iVolve

Komatsu has acquired fleet management company iVolve Pty Ltd in a move that will enable the brand to reach a broader global market and grow its footprint in the mining and quarry industries. The acquisition, through Komatsu’s wholly owned subsidiary in Australia, marks a significant milestone for the company. Komatsu Australia chief executive Sean Taylor says “Australia is renowned as a global centre of excellence for mining, quarrying and construction technology”. “This acquisition will provide global scale for iVolve and enable the ongoing development of iVolve’s products and solutions into the future,” he said. iVolve chief executive and co-founder Kim Parascos says the company is thrilled to become part of the Komatsu family. “We have enjoyed a long working relationship…

Solar future for copper mine

Solar future for copper mine

By Mark Scott March 2015 WA’S biggest copper mine will soon be powered by the country’s largest integrated off-grid solar array under an agreement signed by Sandfire Resources and juwi Renewable Energy last month. Sandfire’s DeGrussa copper mine, near Wiluna in the northern Goldfields, will become home to a 10.6 megawatt solar power station that will be fully integrated with its existing 20MW diesel-fired power station. The $40 million project will involve 34,080 solar photovoltaic panels that track the sun and a 6MW battery, constructed on 20 hectares of land near the DeGrussa underground mine. Funding will be coordinated by juwi, which will own and operate the facility, with Sandfire to contribute less than $1 million. Once operational, the solar…

Rio Tinto - Mining

Rio Tinto to Double Scandium Production with Acquisition of High-Grade Resource in NSW

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) has announced that it will acquire the Platina Scandium Project in NSW for $14 million. The acquisition of the high-grade scandium resource located near Condobolin could enable Rio Tinto to more than double its annual scandium production, which is currently produced from titanium dioxide production waste streams in Quebec, Canada. The Platina Scandium Project comprises a long life, high-grade scalable resource that could produce up to 40 tonnes per annum of scandium oxide for about 30 years. Scandium is a rare and versatile mineral that is considered a critical mineral by many countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. It is one of the most effective elements able to strengthen aluminium, offering improved flexibility and…

Robots will take over: Hitachi

NewsTechnology & Innovation

Robots will take over: Hitachi

Image: Hitachi. BY ELIZABETH FABRI WITHIN a decade Australian mines will be operated almost entirely by autonomous machines, according to global group Hitachi. Game-changing technologies such as remote and integrated operation centres, driverless vehicles, and advanced analytics are set to be “commonplace” across the entire industry by 2030. “Such advances in technology are predicted to increase productivity and reduce costs by up to 25 per cent, which will have a significant impact on retaining Australia’s competitiveness in the Asia Pacific region, in addition to major positive social impacts such as the ability for mining employees to work in metropolitan areas,” Hitachi stated. “Hitachi also predicts that by 2030 most mines will have fully integrated IoT systems that will connect all…

Taking to space to conquer mining’s final frontier

Taking to space to conquer mining’s final frontier

MINING in space could be within grasp after Washington-based Planetary Resources outlined plans on April 24 for the mining of Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs). Boasting a ‘who’s who’ of investors and technical advisors – including Google chief executive Larry Page and filmmaker James Cameron – the well-funded explorer is looking to tap into the high concentrations of precious metals and water found on asteroids. “Many of the scare metals and minerals on Earth are in near-infinite quantities in space,” Planetary Resources co-founder Peter Diamandis said. “As access to these materials increases, not only will the cost of everything from microelectronics to energy storage be reduced, but new applications for these abundant elements will result in important and novel applications.” Planetary…