BHP has reportedly opted to place part of its Kambalda nickel concentrator in Western Australia on care and maintenance. Asset president Jessica Farrell told Reuters that it made the decision after its ore supplier Wyloo Metals announced it would pause mining operations on low nickel pricing. About 20 jobs will be impacted by the transition. BHP has not indicated how…
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Whitehaven considers selling Blackwater stake
Australian miner Whitehaven Coal is reportedly looking at options to sell a 20% stake in the Blackwater mine to global steelmakers as it works to finalize a US$3.2 billion deal for the asset and fellow Bowen Basin mine, Daunia, according to Bloomberg. “Interest is very, very strong” in relation to a stake in Blackwater, CEO Paul Flynn recently told analysts.…
Read MoreBHP confirms death at Bowen Basin coal mine
BHP has suspended operations at its Saraji met coal mine in Australia following an incident that killed one of its contractors. The miner said 16 January that the worker, whose name was not released, was involved in a vehicle incident at Saraji the day prior. “Emergency services responded to the scene and RSHQ was notified. We are working closely with…
Read MorePricing at core of Grants lithium pit suspension
Following a strategic review intended to ‘preserve business value in…weak market conditions”, Core Lithium has confirmed it will temporarily suspend mining at the Grants open pit near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It acknowledged the decline of spodumene concentrate, which has dropped 85% in 12 months and 50% since the end of October 2023, and noted that it will reduce its…
Read More‘Heat buckle’ derails Fortescue iron ore cars
On 30 December, Fortescue Metals Group had multiple rail cars derail about 150 kilometres south of Port Hedland in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The miner said a “heat buckle” in its railway line was behind the derailment, which cut the supply of iron ore to its Western Australia operations. “No one was injured in the incident and there is no…
Read MoreWestern Australia program backs METS innovation
Western Australia Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael has launched an innovative funding program to help local Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) companies develop and commercialise new technologies. “The METS sector plays an important part in the mining innovation lifecycle. These companies can translate new knowledge created through research into the required solutions which can be readily adopted by…
Read MorePeabody’s North Goonyella now Centurion
Global coal miner Peabody Energy has succeeded in expanding its holding at its North Goonyella operation in Queensland, and to mark the growth is renaming it the Centurion mine. Peabody officials said the change comes after the company reached an agreement to acquire a large portion of the Wards Well coal deposit, situated adjacent to the existing North Goonyella complex.…
Read MoreFully autonomous road trains closer to reality
Mineral Resources (MinRes) said it recently handed over the keys to the first custom off-road triple road train to partner Hexagon AB – a milestone in the development of a fleet of fully autonomous road trains. Hexagon will use technology developed by its engineering team to convert the customised Kenworth C509 prime mover to autonomous operation. Starting in January, 10…
Read MoreSchlam opens new specialised maintenance division
Australian service provider Schlam has taken a bold step forward with the launch of its Fixed Plant Maintenance division, which will be spearheaded by new recruit Kaze Richardson. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced in the Pilbara and Goldfields regions, Richardson brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise. His vision for the new division is to provide…
Read MoreEvolution Mining obtains 80% stake in Northparkes
Evolution Mining said it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire an 80% interest in the Northparkes copper-gold mine in New South Wales, Australia, from CMOC Group. Sumitomo Metal Mining and Sumitomo Corp. will retain their 20% stake in the joint venture. “The acquisition of Northparkes represents a unique opportunity to add another quality asset to our portfolio, strengthening…
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