Wonawinta silver project set for restart under Macmahon deal

BY ELIZABETH FABRI   OZ Minerals continues to expand its exploration footprint after entering an agreement to explore for nickel and copper 500km east of its West Musgrave JV project in WA, which recently moved forward to pre-feasibility.   The joint venture in the Eastern Musgrave province in South Australia with unlisted Australian explorer Woomera Exploration will see OZ Minerals commit to drilling seven shallow targets. After drilling is complete, OZ Minerals can earn up to 51 per cent equity in the project by achieving a total spend of $2.5 million in exploration activity within 18 months, and a 75 per cent stake if an additional $5 million is spent on exploration in the following two years. OZ Minerals, which...

THE US$553 million sale of BHP Billiton’s diamond business has concluded, comprising the company’s interest in the Canadian Ekati diamond mine and diamond marketing operations. Dominion Diamond Corporation (formerly Harry Winston Diamond Corporation) paid a purchase price of US$500 million, with additional purchase price adjustments of US$53 million. Under the sales agreement, which was initially announced in November 2012, Dominion will assume all of BHP’s obligations under Ekati’s environmental agreement with the governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories, as well as impact and benefit agreements with indigenous groups and pension liabilities linked to the mine’s defined benefit scheme. BHP employees at Ekati in Yellowknife and diamonds marketing in Antwerp have become employees of Dominion Diamond under the agreement. Announcing...

A BREAKTHROUGH in Australian-made integrated hardware and digital technology can now be used as a tool for the remote management of onsite workforce COVID-19 transmission risk in real-time. The digital enablement of the units, named Bat Booths, manufactured by Mideco and developed by Pulse Mining Systems, will not only assist mining and quarrying operations to keep rolling during the pandemic, but also help to protect frontline workers from dust-related respiratory illnesses and other on-going work-related health threats. Bat Booth was originally marketed as a simple but effective device for reducing the risk to workers from dust-related respiratory illnesses such as CWP (black lung disease) and silicosis. The strategic alliance between Mideco and Pulse led to the development of real-time business...