The wet season waits for no one

Bowen Tennis Association President Walter Morris and Bowen Rail Safety Coordinator Mandy Evans rally together at Bowen Tennis.

Game, set, match: Bowen Rail Company serves up a win for the community

Bowen Tennis Association has scored big with a Bowen Rail Company (BRC) grant to support the development of the region’s next generation of tennis stars. The 95-year-old club was one of four recent grant recipients of Bowen Rail Company’s Community Partnership Program, which supports local not-for-profit organisations and community groups with the purchase of small assets that can make a big difference. Bowen Tennis Association president Walter Morris says the Bowen Rail Company’s support is significant to seeing the club deliver on its commitment to develop local talent and grow the sport. “We’ve used the grant to create a dedicated equipment storage area for our coaches, which allows us to better support our members and programs,” he said. “With more…

(Image source: Bravus Mining and Resources) Members of the E2M research team downloading data from one of the 10 bioacoustics recorders installed on the Carmichael mining lease and conservation area.

Queensland research maps movements and behaviours of black-throated finch

Queensland researchers have mapped the habitat and movements of the black-throated finch in a never-before-seen level of detail, as part of Bravus Mining and Resources commitment to managing the environment. The findings are the latest from a five-year joint research program between Bravus Mining and Resources and researchers from ecology consultancy E2M and have been published in the peer-reviewed and highly respected international scientific journal PLOS One. Bravus Mining and Resources chief operating officer Mick Crowe says the research is building a profile of the black-throated finch to guide best practice conservation techniques. “The Carmichael mine has created jobs and opportunities for regional Queensland in a responsible way during both the planning and mining phases,” he said. “Our research has…

(Image source: Bravus) (L-R) Bowen Rail Company (BRC) general manager Brendan Lane, Don River Dash secretary Wanita Sparr, and BRC rollingstock maintainer Trent Williams at BRC’s rail provisioning yard north of Bowen’s Don River.

Bowen Rail Company revs up as naming rights sponsor of Bowen’s Don River Dash

Bowen Rail Company is revving up as the new naming rights sponsor of the Whitsunday’s favourite event, the 2024 Don River Dash off-road race. The Don River Dash 300 is a two-day off-road race that sees motorbikes, buggies and trophy trucks tackle a rugged “desert style” course through the dry riverbed of Bowen’s famous Don River. The event injects more than $4m into the local economy as thousands of competitors and motorsport enthusiasts from across Australia descend on Bowen and the Whitsundays each September. Bowen Rail Company general manager Brendan Lane said the company was delighted to partner with an event that showcased Bowen and the Whitsundays to the world. “This is the sixth year of the Don River Dash…

Weir says its highly engineered technology enables critical resources to be produced using less energy, water and waste while reducing customers’ total cost of ownership.

Weir secures $48m contract for new phase of greenfield phosphate projects

The Weir Group has been awarded a $48m (£25m) contract for separation solutions at the OCP Group’s Benguerir and Louta greenfield phosphate projects in Morocco. The full order, which includes a range of both WARMAN slurry pumps and CAVEX hydrocyclones, will be recognised in Q3 of 2024. This will support the continued construction of the Louta project and the tripling of production from the Benguerir project, where Weir has previously provided similar separation and desliming solutions based on its energy efficient technology. Weir chief executive Jon Stanton says the company is pleased to have secured this major contract. “It represents a strong endorsement of our WARMAN and CAVEX ranges that provide energy efficient separation at scale to support our customer’s…

Mining will occur over 14 months and processing over 19 months at the Norton Gold Fields Paddington plant.

Mining underway at Boorara

Mining has begun at Horizon Minerals’ (ASX: HRZ) Boorara gold project in WA, following approval in July to mine four open pits. Hampton Transport Services will undertake the work on competitive terms, with no mining contractor payments until first gold pour has been sold and funds have been received. Hampton has mobilised to and established the site with mining underway and the first drill and blast pattern fired last week to build up broken stocks in combination with free dig areas in Pit Area 2, the larger pit in the Regal zone of the Boorara ore system. Excavation has also begun on a single shift and will transition to double shift by the end of August. A second digger shift…

(Image source: BHP) Since April 2024, 80mt of material has been moved autonomously at Spence.

BHP celebrates autonomous operations at Spence

BHP’s (ASX: BHP) has celebrated three months of 100% autonomous operations at its Spence mine in Chile. In April 2024, Spence achieved full autonomy after converting its fleet of 33 CAEX 980E-5 AT trucks and five drill rigs, and since then, 80mt of material has been moved with zero safety incidents. A delegate from the Pampa Norte operation, where Spence is located, received executives from Komatsu to celebrate the milestone. In the field, the delegates visited the Spence truck shop and see the results of this first stage of operation. The visit was led by Pampa Norte president Cristian Sandoval and accompanied by executives of Spence and Technology of BHP Minerals Americas. Komatsu was represented by Komatsu Cummins Group vice…

WA EPA releases scoping document for Alcoa’s bauxite mining

WA EPA releases scoping document for Alcoa’s bauxite mining

The WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has released its environmental scoping document (ESD) for Alcoa’s bauxite mining on the Darling Range in southwest WA for 2022-2026 and 2023-2027. While both mining and management programs (MMP) are referred separately, the EPA is considering them under a single ESD as they relate to Alcoa’s mining operations within the Huntly and Willowdale areas, about 100km southeast of Perth. They also include the production, processing and transport of wet bauxite ore, the abstraction of water, exploration drilling and rehabilitation works. EPA deputy chair Lee McIntosh says a “bespoke approach” to scoping has been necessary due to the complexity of the proposals. “Noting that there is an exemption order (issued under section 6 of the…

Merger agreement to create diverse asset base

Merger agreement to create diverse asset base

IN a move to deliver significant benefits to both companies, MetroCoal and Cape Alumina have signed a Merger Implementation Agreement (MIA) to create a diversified bauxite and thermal coal business with a staged development pipeline. Under the agreement, MetroCoal would offer 1.12 shares for every Cape Alumina share, in addition to providing Cape Alumina with a $3 million convertible note to supplement Cape Alumina working capital to accelerate work on the Pisolite Hills project, 50km northeast of Weipa in Queensland. The first $1 million would be made available on execution of the MIA, while the further $2 million would be available subject to the approval of Cape Alumina shareholders. Pending all required approvals, the companies reportedly expects the merger to…