Iron ore continues to be a significant part of Tasmania’s mineral landscape, with the state’s leading operation undergoing some expansion works to ensure it maintains its annual production of two million-plus tonnes of magnetite concentrate. Meanwhile, a short-lived project to the south is ready to recommence mining once economic conditions improve. Located 60 kilometres southwest of Burnie, Grange Resources Ltd’s (ASX:GRR) Savage River has been subjected to a definitive feasibility study (DFS) into underground extraction below the north pit and its integration with the company’s current open-cut operation. According to the miner this document has revealed some robust financial outcomes.…
Ardea Resources Limited has partnered with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd (SMM) and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) to form a 50:50 incorporated joint venture named Kalgoorlie Nickel Pty Ltd (KNPL) for the development of the Kalgoorlie Nickel Project (KNP) - Goongarrie Hub in Western Australia. Under the terms of the Cooperation Agreement, the Consortium, Ardea, and KNPL will jointly fund and conduct the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), with the Consortium funding 100 per cent of the DFS costs up to the agreed budget of approximately $98.5 million. Additionally, the Consortium will assist KNPL in optimising debt financing to earn an ultimate…
Northern Minerals Limited (NTU), a key player in heavy rare earth (HRE) exploration and development, has announced the reception of high-grade assay results from ongoing mineral resource definition drilling at the Wolverine deposit within the Browns Range Project in Western Australia. The latest assay results validate the presence of wide and high-grade mineralised intervals across the Wolverine deposit, which remains open at depth. Notable new intercepts include 15.6 metres at 9.99 per cent Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO) from a depth of 428.20 metres, alongside other substantial intercepts that highlight consistent mineralisation throughout the targeted areas. The primary objective of…
Aurumin Limited (AUN) has expanded its flagship Sandstone Gold Operations with the acquisition of five new exploration tenements. This addition reinforces Aurumin’s presence in the prolific Youanmi Terrane, located 520 kilometres northeast of Perth, as part of the company's 100 per cent owned 946 koz Au Central Sandstone Project. The newly acquired tenements, spanning an additional 60 square kilometres, include historical workings and well-defined mineralisation trends, which are key to Aurumin's ongoing development strategy. These tenements are poised to enhance the company's exploration capabilities and drive significant value for stakeholders. Aurumin Managing Director Brad Valiukas stated: “After repositioning the company…
Aurumin Limited (ASX: AUN) has completed drilling at its 100 per cent owned Central Sandstone Project, located 520 kilometres northeast of Perth. The project is part of Aurumin's Sandstone Operations, which also include the Birrigrin and Johnson Range Projects, boasting a total resource of 946koz Au. The drilling campaign, conducted with Reverse Circulation (RC) methods, comprised 38 holes and 3888 metres drilled. The primary objectives of the drilling were to test seven new open pit targets and to investigate extensions at two existing open pit resources. The drilling targeted multiple depositional models and styles, including porphyry/intrusive hosted vein style, banded…
Intra Energy Corporation Limited (IEC), an environmentally responsible mining and energy group, has announced compelling lithium, tantalum, niobium, caesium, and tin assays from rock chip sampling at the Maggie Hays Hill (MHH) project. These results significantly enhance the project's lithium prospectivity and validate IEC's exploration strategy. The latest round of sampling, conducted over the most prospective section of outcropping pegmatites, revealed averaged lithium assays of 503 ppm, indicating the presence of lithium-rich pegmatites. Additionally, encouraging caesium and tantalum values, with average assays of 139 ppm and 107 ppm respectively, suggest the potential for multiple mineralisation targets. These findings, along with…
WA Regional Development Minister Don Punch recently revealed a cutting-edge robotic welding assistant at MAS Equipment's West Kalgoorlie workshop. The innovative 'Cobot,' supported by the Regional Economic Development (RED) Grant program, is set to revolutionise the business's capacity to service the mining industry in the Goldfields while enhancing safety, productivity, and job opportunities. The 'Cobot' is designed to perform a variety of welding tasks with precision and efficiency, ensuring high-quality manufacturing and production for clients. This new technology will not only increase MAS Equipment's competitiveness in the industry but also contribute to the upskilling of workers, making the mining sector…
BHP has announced four new renewable power agreements to meet power demand for two of its copper operations in Chile. BHP’s Escondida mine, located in Northern Chile, is the world’s largest copper producer, while Spence is BHP’s wholly-owned open-pit copper mine, located in the Atacama Desert, in the North of Chile. BHP aims to supply Escondida and Spence’s energy requirements from 100 per cent renewable energy sources from the mid-2020s. The new contracts are expected to meet Escondida and Spence’s current energy needs and also contain the flexibility to help manage future demand as well. President of BHP Minerals Americas,…
Rio Tinto now offers independently certified responsibly produced aluminium from all of its Canadian operations, with the extension of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s (ASI) Chain of Custody certification to include the BC Works smelter and Kemano Power Operations in Kitimat, British Columbia. The certification reinforces Rio Tinto’s commitment to responsible mining and metals production by providing independent verification that material can be traced through a ‘chain of custody’ which extends from Rio Tinto’s Gove bauxite mine in Australia to its alumina refinery, aluminium smelters and casthouses in Quebec and British Columbia. Being certified by the ASI means customers can be…
Zinc exploration and development company, Superior Lake Resources Limited, has announced the results of a Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) for the Superior Lake Project, located approximately 200 kilometres east of Thunder Bay in the province of Ontario, Canada. The project spans an area of 175 square kilometres and consists of two deposits – Winston Lake and Pick Lake. It is owned by Ophiolite Holdings Pty Ltd, an Australian incorporated entity. Superior Lake owns 70 per cent of Ophiolite and recently announced transactions to acquire an additional interest of 15 per cent in Ophiolite. Since acquiring an interest in the project,…
Chesser Resources Limited has received first assay results from a recently completed Phase 2 Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program at the Diamba Sud project in Senegal. Covering 53.2 square kilometres over the gold-bearing Kédougou-Kéniéba Inlier, Diamba Sud is the company’s flagship project. It consists of two blocks referred to as DS1 in the north and DS2 in the south. The Phase 1 drilling program completed earlier in 2019 successfully intersected significant gold mineralisation in fresh rock at all four target areas. The Phase 2 Drilling program within DS1 was completed in mid-July, with a total of 26 RC holes drilled for…
Rio Tinto’s Resolution Copper project in the US has achieved a major permitting milestone with the release of an independently prepared Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the project. The rigorous review, conducted by the US Forest Service over a six year period included broad public engagement. Resolution, one of the most significant undeveloped copper deposits in the world, started the US permitting process in 2013 and the US Forest Service has conducted a comprehensive independent review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The publication of the DEIS triggers a further public consultation process over a 90 day period,…
Lake Resources NL (Lake) has discovered multiple lithium brines over a zone of 144 metres (from 172 – 316m) at its 100 per cent owned Cauchari Lithium Brine Project in Argentina. Lithium values from 340 to 538 mg/L were returned from multiple high flow brines with low Mg/Li ratios of 2.73.0. The brine zones and target sand horizon were intersected higher in the sequence than expected. The hole was terminated at 460m due to less permeable clay horizons from 326m, although conductive brines were intersected at 356m and 386m. Detailed sampling with a packer instrument has commenced from 387m up…
Rio Tinto will reduce the annual carbon footprint at its Kennecott Utah Copper operation, located southwest of Salt Lake City in Utah, U.S. by as much as 65 per cent by purchasing renewable energy certificates and permanently shutting its coal power plant. Kennecott’s electricity needs will now be paired with 1.5 million megawatt hours of renewable energy certificates supplied by Rocky Mountain Power, primarily sourced from its Utah allocated portfolio including wind power from Wyoming. The change will reduce the annual carbon footprint associated with the operation by over one million tonnes CO2. Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques said…
