Macmahon awarded $38m Groundrush contract

Alcoa to boost Australia’s gallium supply Alcoa (ASX: AAI) has confirmed a joint development agreement (JDA) with Japan Australia Gallium Associates (JAGA) to explore the feasibility of a gallium project in WA. The project will be co-located at one of Alcoa’s operating alumina refineries. Subject to further commercial agreements and regulatory approvals, Alcoa and JAGA are targeting a final investment decision (FID) by the end of 2025 with production targeted for 2026. Gallium is recognised as a critical mineral by Australia and the US. Japan has also identified the mineral as one of the 35 minerals important...

Vecco Group has signed on as the foundation customer for the Queensland Resources Common User Facility (QRCUF) to validate its vanadium production processes.

AMEC calls for action amid exploration decline The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released its Q1 CY25 mineral and exploration statistics which has highlighted a decline in exploration activity across the country. The data shows an 18.4% decrease in total exploration from the Q4 CY24, representing $181m decline in exploration expenditure. Year-on-year this shows an 11.5% drop or $105m decrease. There was a 21.9% drop in new exploration drilling and there was a 11.6% decline in total metres drilled. Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) chief executive Warren Pearce says the data demonstrates what the association has...

Komatsu Australia travels to Papua New Guinea Komatsu Australia has announced that it is now distributing to customers in Papua New Guinea. This follows Komatsu acquisition of existing distributor UMW Niugini Limited, now renamed Komatsu Niugini Limited (KNL), completed yesterday on the 1 May 2025. Komatsu Australia managing director Sean Taylor says the acquisition resulted after a change in the ownership structure of the joint venture parties that previously owned UNM Niugini Limited. "As a result of this change in structure, KNL has become a fully owned part of the Komatsu group,” he said. “Komatsu Australia is the obvious choice to...