Rhodes Ridge in modernisation mode

Rio Tinto (50 per cent) and Wright Prospecting (50 per cent) have agreed to modernise the joint venture covering the Rhodes Ridge project in the East Pilbara in Western Australia, home to one of the world’s largest and highest quality undeveloped iron ore deposits. The binding joint venture updates an existing agreement between the two …

Astron advances with Donald development

Astron Corporation has raised a total of $5 million through the issue of new, fully paid CHESS Depository Instruments (CDIs) to sophisticated and institutional investors via a $4 million placement and $1 million director loan conversion,  both at the price of 54 cents per CDI. The funds will be utilised for the purpose of advancing …

Koppamurra RE project on fast track to production

Australian Rare Earths has entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Neo Performance Materials to accelerate Koppamurra towards first production. The flagship project comprises 4,000 square kilometres of adjoining tenements in South Australia and Victoria. Koppamurra mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) production is an important first step towards realising AR3’s ambitions to build a strategically significant, …

Rio lowers iron ore production forecasts

Rio Tinto has forecast annual iron ore shipments at the lower end of its outlook after third-quarter deliveries fell amid weak global demand. The miner said it now expects annual iron ore shipments to fall between 320-335 million tonnes, with the outlook dependent on ramping up the Gudai-Darri and Robe Valley projects in Western Australia, …

Northern Territory government investigating options to rehabilitate remote ‘toxic’ Redbank mine

From the ABC The Northern Territory government is investigating ways to clean up an old copper mine, described as “one of Australia’s most polluting sites” — a job which could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. The remote Redbank mine, 1,200 kilometres south-east of Darwin, only operated for two years, in the mid-1990s. But its legacy is still visible …

Turquoise Hill owner rejects Rio offer

SailingStone Capital Partners, the fifth-biggest investor in Turquoise Hill Resources (TRQ), has declared that it will vote against a takeover bid from Rio Tinto. In Australia, Turquoise Hill Resources has stakes in mines containing gold, uranium, copper and the world’s highest grade molybdenum and rhenium. The special committee of independent directors at Turquoise Hill recently recommended …

First pour for Pantoro project

Pantoro has poured first gold at the Norseman gold project, which it owns in a 50:50 joint venture with Tulla Resources. Doré from the gravity circuit of approximately eight kilograms was poured on October 13, 2022. Production from the leaching circuit is also underway. The processing plant is operating reliably with uninterrupted operations for the …

Swift signs $3.4 million Mineral Resources contract

Swift has secured a new three-year agreement with Mineral Resources Limited (MinRes) to service its nine mine sites with Swift Access. The agreement is a $3.4 million subscription contract value, with revenues expected to commence in H1 of FY23. The contract represents ongoing subscription revenue for Swift Access; Swift’s premium entertainment and engagement solution powered …

Rare earths common denominator in funding program

The global transition to green energy continues to drive the search for minerals in Western Australia, with battery metals dominating the latest round of the Exploration Incentive Scheme’s (EIS) co-funded drilling program. Sixty-four per cent of the successful applicants for the EIS Round 26 are searching for battery minerals, with the majority chasing nickel. Rare …