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Australian Mining
Sibanye-Stillwater Ceo Retires
Sibanye-Stillwater has confirmed that current Sibanye regional officer for southern Africa Richard Stewart will become chief executive officer (CEO) from March 1. Stewart brings extensive experience in mining operations with more than 24 years’ experience in South Africa’s geological and mining industries and is a fellow of the Geological Society of South Africa and a registered natural scientist. Stewart joined Sibanye in 2014. Since then, he has contributed significantly to a successful and value-accretive acquisition and growth strategy. The appointment comes as current Sibanye CEO Neal Froneman prepares to retire on September 30. “Neal has led the Sibanye-Stillwater group since 2013, guiding the initial turnaround of the three mature, challenging gold mines that the group inherited from Gold Fields,” Sibanye-Stillwater chair Vincent Maphai said. “From the significantly more profitable and stable base that was established, he subsequently drove the strategic growth and diversification of the group into what it is today – a multinational mining and metals processing company with a diverse portfolio of operations, projects and investments across five continents.” Maphai thanked Froneman for his strategic leadership and commitment. “I am sure that these sentiments are echoed throughout Sibanye-Stillwater, where Neal’s inspirational and values-based leadership in the role he defined as ‘chief enabling officer’ will be sorely missed,” Maphai said. “Neal leaves a business which is in good health, financially and operationally, with a clear and consistent strategy.” Maphai said he and Froneman are immensely proud of Sibanye’s extraordinary achievements over the past decade. “As Neal expressed to me, while he has the same enthusiasm for what he does, and has lost none of his drive, he now wishes to spend more of his time with his family and loved ones and on his many interests,” Maphai said. “Neal’s legacy extends far beyond his role at Sibanye-Stillwater and he is highly regarded as a thought leader globally. “His prominent roles as chairman of the World Gold Council and co-leading the Crime and Corruption workstream for business in South Africa, amongst other high-level engagements, suggest that he will contribute to the advancement of the global minerals industry in various ways in future.” Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 17, 2025
Australian Mining
Tasmania Bolstered By Critical Minerals
The Tasmanian Government has opened applications for the latest round of the Exploration Drilling Grant Initiative (EDGI) in a bid to support the discovery of critical mining opportunities. Commencing in 2018, the EDGI encourages and supports industry and investors to identify new and potentially lucrative greenfield mining opportunities as well as the re-examination of existing mine or mining lease sites, including for critical minerals and those minerals needed for decarbonisation. The program provides up to $50,000 for direct drilling costs and $20,000 for helicopter support, if required, for successful applicants to undertake mineral exploration. Tasmanian Business, Industry and Resources Minister Eric Abetz said the state is full of minerals needed to drive the global energy transition, including copper, tin and tungsten. “Critical minerals are a sought-after commodity as governments, businesses and organisations across the globe look to a more sustainable future,” Abetz said. “There is a global shift to find these minerals and Tasmania can continue to further cement itself as a leader in this space. This funding will allow mineral explorers to test greenfield locations which may lead to our next big mineral discovery.” Applications for the latest EDGI round will close on March 27, with the successful applicants expected to be announced in mid-May. Growing critical minerals exploration is one of the four objectives outlined in the recently released Tasmanian Critical Minerals Strategy. Abetz said increased exploration efforts will lead to more resources projects coming online, resulting in more jobs. “Now in its eighth year, the (EDGI) grants program supports industry and investors to find new and potentially lucrative mining opportunities as well as the re-examination of old mines,” Abetz said. A recent EDGI success story was Elementos uncovering high-grade tin and base metal mineralisation at the North Scamander and Luina prospects within the Cleveland project. Abetz said discoveries like Elementos’ highlight the importance of EDGI. “Successes like these can lead to the development of new mines that are required to sustain and grow the Tasmanian economy while facilitating decarbonisation,” he said. “The mineral resources sector remains Tasmania’s top export earner, contributing more than $2.8 billion a year in exports while supporting more than 7200 jobs. “In (the) 2023–24 (financial year), $52.2 million in royalties were generated, meaning in the last five years royalty payments have totalled $283 million with an additional $10 million from rentals and fees.” Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 17, 2025
Australian Mining
Chalice Breakthrough De-Risks Gonneville
Testwork from Chalice Mining’s Gonneville nickel-copper-cobalt project in Western Australia has demonstrated the project will not require a hydrometallurgical process for nickel concentrate. Chalice described the testwork results as “exceptional”, saying they demonstrated that two saleable, smelter-grade flotation concentrates can be produced across the entire Gonneville sulphide resource. The findings mean technical risk, process complexity and capital and operating costs are substantially reduced. “The ability to produce a saleable nickel concentrate across the grade spectrum of the entire Gonneville resource is a major breakthrough and fundamentally simplifies the world-class Gonneville project,” Chalice managing director and chief executive officer Alex Dorsch said. “Removing the need for a hydrometallurgical process materially reduces both the capital and operating costs and, together with the optimisations being introduced to the flowsheet, is expected to deliver a significant improvement in project margins across all high-grade and low-grade phases of a bulk open-pit mine plan.” Dorsch said Gonneville’s uniqueness meant the team had to work hard to ‘crack the code’ on the metallurgy. “This is a significant achievement by Chalice’s technical team and supporting laboratories, so I would like to commend and thank all those involved,” he said. “It is also clear that the project continues to improve as we do more testwork. In addition to the flowsheet development work, we continue to make significant progress in optimising the project in other areas and we look forward to finalising the preferred development option for the pre-feasibility study this quarter.” Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 17, 2025
Australian Mining
Pantoro Uncovers Golden Bonanza
Pantoro has progressed its growth program at the Norseman gold project in Western Australia, with the gold miner unveiling the initial drilling results from the Butterfly area. Under the strategy, which involves expanding Norseman’s underground mining operations and scaling production initially from 100,000 ounces per annum to over 200,000 ounces per annum, Pantoro commenced drilling at Butterfly in September 2024. An initial 35,000m surface drilling program was scheduled and reverse circulation and diamond drilling planned for the near future. Now, results from the first phase of the program have been revealed. Over 5000m of diamond drilling has been completed at Butterfly so far, with the focus centred on the unmined southern extensions of the Mararoa Reef, Butterfly NW structures, the Royal Standard Feed and the Pascoe’s Cross Link structure. Pantoro has uncovered high-grade mineralisation in all lodes drilled to date at Butterfly, which is part of the Southern Mainfield reef system at Norseman. The company has drilled an intercept of 3m at 485.43 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold, including 1m at 1420g/t at Mararoa Reef, a result Pantoro described as “a bonanza gold intersection”. “These initial results from the Butterfly area mark an important step in advancing our understanding and development of multiple structures in the Southern Mainfield,” Pantoro managing director Paul Cmrlec said. “Importantly, these structures are accessible from the historic Viking Decline, providing a clear pathway for future underground development and production. This drilling program is a key element of our growth strategy to develop at least two additional underground mines at Norseman in the medium-term.” Follow-up diamond drilling is ongoing across all lodes at Butterfly, with approximately 60 per cent of the first planned drilling phase now completed. “With drilling ongoing, we are confident that further results will reinforce the scale and quality of the opportunity in the southern part of the Mainfield, supporting our long-term vision for Norseman,” Cmrlec said. Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 17, 2025
Australian Mining
New Hope Increasing Production Across The Board
New Hope delivered notable increases in both coal production and sales in the first half (H1) of the 2024–25 financial year (FY25). The company’s December quarterly was underlined by a 32.9 per cent increase in saleable coal production in H1 FY25 compared with H1 FY24. For the quarter, New Hope achieved a five per cent increase in run-of-mine (ROM) coal production, totalling 4.2 million tonnes (Mt), compared to the 4.04Mt delivered in the previous quarter. This brings the year-to-date current ROM coal production to 8.278Mt, an increase of 56 per cent from the 5.3Mt produced in the same period last year. New Hope’s saleable coal production remained steady at 2.7Mt and culminated in a substantial 33 per cent half-year increase (5.44Mt) in saleable coal production compared to the same period in 2024 (4.09Mt). One of the standout performers for New Hope was the New Acland mine in Queensland. The operation saw a 52 per cent increase in saleable coal production to 729,000 tonnes, driven by higher volumes of ROM coal available for processing. Coal sales at New Acland were up 89 per cent, reflecting the ramp-up in production and improved logistics capacity. At the Bengalla mine in New South Wales, prime waste movement decreased by nine per cent, but ROM coal production remained strong at 2.6 million tonnes despite challenges from wet weather and scheduled equipment maintenance. Bengalla also achieved a 15.9 per cent reduction in cash costs per tonne, helping boost overall productivity. New Hope continued the construction of supporting infrastructure at Bengalla during the quarter, including the completion of a new coal handling preparation plant (CHPP) operations hub. Civil works for a new CHPP access road and adjacent carpark commenced, while warehouse upgrades continued, predominantly on new undercover storage and automated parts carousels. Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 17, 2025
Australian Mining
Operations Resume Following Cyclone Zelia
Tropical Cyclone Zelia made landfall on the Pilbara coast on Friday, bringing category-four wind and rain to Western Australia. Many of the country’s major miners had to hunker down as the cyclone battered port, rail and mine operations in the Pilbara. BHP said it had stood up an emergency management team to monitor the cyclone and deal with any of its impacts, while incident management teams were ready to respond at a site level. The Big Australian asked all port-based teams to remain inside their homes and villages with all equipment tied down. Rail operations were also suspended. As of Sunday February 16, Rio Tinto reported that its port, rail and mine operations had resumed following Tropical Cyclone Zelia passing over the region. The major confirmed all of its people remain safe and unharmed, with mines now back in operation and ship loading resuming at Cape Lambert and Dampier Ports. Tropical Cyclone Zelia wasn’t the first to impact Rio’s ports this year. In January, Tropical Cyclone Sean impacted the major’s rail and port operations, leading Rio to announce first quarter shipments were likely to be affected. “Year to date, Dampier Port has been closed for 10 days and there have been 13 closure days at Cape Lambert due to Tropical Cyclone Sean, Tropical Cyclone Taliah, Tropical Cyclone Vince and Tropical Cyclone Zelia,” the company said. “Dampier Port’s East Intercourse Island loading facility has been closed since it was flooded during Tropical Cyclone Sean, as stated in Rio Tinto’s 24 January 2025 update. It is expected to begin commissioning this week. “As reported in that update, first-quarter iron ore shipments will be affected by weather events. The company is working to mitigate impacts.” Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 17, 2025
Australian Mining
Westgold Delivers Record Half-Year Revenue
Westgold Resources has reported a 29.4 per cent increase in gold production for the first half of the 2024–25 financial year (H1 FY25) compared to the prior corresponding period. The gold miner produced 158,255 ounces (oz) of gold at an all-in sustaining cost of $2562/oz. Westgold also sold 159,081oz, contributing to record half-year revenue of $624 million, a 72 per cent increase from H1 FY24. The company credited the strong financial performance to higher achieved gold prices of $3910/oz, and the increased production from the operations it recently inherited in the Southern Goldfields region of Western Australia through its merger with Karora Resources, which was finalised in August 2024. “Our merger with Karora and subsequent inclusion in the ASX 200 and dual listing on the ASX and TSX has solidified Westgold’s position as one of Australia’s top five gold mining companies,” Westgold managing director and chief executive officer Wayne Bramwell said. “This half-year was a period of consolidation and strategic investment, with a focus on critical mine infrastructure and resource drilling, paving the way for long-term success.” Westgold delivered $125 million in operating cashflows and generated $165 million from its Murchison and Southern Goldfields operations. The company also invested $257 million into its business. “The next half is where this capital begins to generate a return and we start to see production growth and increased cash generation,” Bramwell said. Earlier this month, Westgold revised its FY25 guidance amid operational challenges at its Beta Hunt and Bluebird-South Junction gold mines. The company’s FY25 guidance now sits at 330,000–350,000oz of gold production. Westgold is currently resource drilling at both Beta Hunt and Bluebird-South Junction to unlock new scale and reducing group operating costs. Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 17, 2025
Australian Mining
Gfg Secures Deal To Recapitalise Whyalla
GFG Alliance chairman and chief executive officer Sanjeev Gupta is looking to divest some or all of GFG’s stake in the Tahmoor coal mine in New South Wales, according to media reports. Select proceeds from the sale, said to be as high as $US500 million ($787 million), will be used to repay creditors of the Whyalla steelworks business in South Australia, which Gupta acquired from Glencore in 2018. The Whyalla steelworks blast furnace came back online in January after a four-month shutdown caused by various operational challenges and extensive repairs. In a statement provided to the ABC, GFG Alliance said it intends to begin an “expedited process” to sell its equity in Tahmoor, with part of the proceeds “being available for reinvestment in Whyalla”. The funds will also go towards supplier payments and liquidity. The proposal is currently pending approval from the GFG Alliance board. Gupta also announced that he had “reached an agreement on commercial terms” with the main creditors of Greensill Capital, a UK-based finance firm that was GFG’s financer. It ceased operations in 2021. Gupta said the deal was a “great relief” for GFG Alliance. “It will enable us to push on from the deep challenges caused by Greensill’s collapse in 2021 and now gives us a financial platform for recovery and growth,” Gupta said. “With signs of improvements at our operations and some upturn in our markets, we are confident of being able to access longer-term financing to build on the significant investments we have already made in our international businesses, and to rebuild stakeholder confidence.” Gupta is also close to finalising a $US100 million capital raising to bolster Whyalla’s operations. The South Australian Government welcomed Gupta’s announcements but said it would remain cautious. “This statement (from GFG) within of itself doesn’t mean people owed money on the ground in Whyalla wake up tomorrow and their bank account is paid,” SA Premier Peter Malinauskas told ABC Radio Adelaide. “That is not going to happen in reality, as welcome as it would be from our perspective … I am deliberately cautious about this because over the months and years across governments of all political persuasions, we’ve seen statement after statement be released by GFG. “So, we approach this with caution, notwithstanding the fact that it’s welcome.” Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 17, 2025
Australian Mining
Fortescue Signs On To Support First Nations Businesses
Fortescue Metals has partnered with NAB to unlock access to capital for First Nations businesses in Western Australia, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable communities and economic empowerment. Under the partnership, eligible First Nations businesses can access necessary funding to fulfil contracts with Fortescue. This initiative builds on the company’s existing collaboration with ANZ, which has already facilitated significant support for Indigenous businesses. “We believe procurement is a powerful lever for social and economic change, and this partnership with NAB will ensure we are able to continue providing First Nations businesses with the tools to help create value and sustainability,” Fortescue Metals chief executive officer Dino Otranto said. “Our Buriya Capital Funding program with ANZ has already provided support to hundreds of First Nations businesses, with Fortescue guaranteeing over $56 million last financial year.” Ortantio said that together with NAB the company will be able to take this support to the next level, allowing even more First Nations businesses to grow. “These partnerships build on our pioneering Billion Opportunities program, which has awarded over $5 billion in contracts and subcontracts to First Nations businesses since 2011,” he said. King Kira Group, a 100 per cent First Nations-owned company providing services to the mining industry, is the first business to benefit from the loan guarantee initiative. “These loans are a game-changer for Indigenous businesses like ours,” King Kira Group founder and managing director Tammy O’Connor said. “With the support of NAB and Fortescue, we can secure more contracts, ensure sustainable growth, and ultimately empower our community.” NAB said it is committed to more than doubling it lending to First Nations businesses over the next three years and is enthusiastic about the impacts this partnership can have in bringing long term growth and stability within Indigenous communities. “First Nations businesses often face challenges in securing the capital needed to win contracts and thrive in their industry,” NAB executive, Indigenous business Noel Prakash said. “The success of First Nations businesses benefits the entire community, and with Fortescue’s assistance, we are excited to support more Indigenous businesses across Western Australia and Australia.” Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 14, 2025
Australian Mining
Tivan Finalises Key Speewah Agreement
Tivan has finalised a resourcing protocol agreement (RPA) for the Speewah critical minerals project in Western Australia with the Kimberley Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (KLC). The KLC represents the Nganjuwarr native title claimants and is the recognised native title representative body for the Kimberley region. The RPA follows the filing of a claim on September 27, 2024, over the Speewah project. Once the claim was accepted on January 9, 2025, the claimant group was recognised as the relevant persons to consult and negotiate with in relation to matters in the claim area. Tivan executive chairman Grant Wilson said the RPA is a foundational step toward delivering the Speewah project. “We are looking forward to the on-country meetings scheduled for this year and to negotiating an ILUA (Indigenous Land Use Agreement) that aims to set a new benchmark for the critical minerals sector in Australia,” he said. “Our board extends best wishes to the Nganjuwarr native title claimants in their continued progress toward Native Title determination.” The RPA reflects Tivan’s commitment to fostering respectful and inclusive relationships with Traditional Owners. The company also announced it had made good progress on its Sandover fluorite project in the Northern Territory, developing a new exploration and approvals process following meetings with the NT Government and Central Land Council. Tivan is aiming to commence drilling at Sandover in the fourth quarter of 2025, with a scoping study scheduled for the second quarter of 2026. Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 14, 2025
Australian Mining
Calix, Pls Join Forces On Key Project Restart
Calix and Pilbara Minerals (PLS) will work together on progressing their mid-stream demonstration plant following a $15 million backing by the Western Australian Government. The mid-stream process, which is exploring the production of lithium phosphate using Calix’s patented electric calcination process, was temporarily paused in October 2024 following changing lithium market conditions but will now resume at PLS’ Pilgangoora lithium operation in the Pilbara. Construction completion and commissioning commencement is aimed for the December 2025 quarter. The project remains on budget and was 74 per cent complete at the end of December 2024. “I am delighted to announcement the recommencement of the mid-stream project with our JV (joint venture) partner, PLS, following the execution of a $15 million grant from the Western Australian Government,” Calix chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director Phil Hodgson said. “We stand ready with PLS to demonstrate the exciting potential of electrification for lower cost and lower carbon lithium processing to the global lithium industry.” PLS managing director and CEO Dale Henderson said he was pleased to see construction back underway. “Thanks to the WA Government we are able to complete construction of the Mid-Stream Demonstration project which has the potential to be a game-changer for the hard rock lithium processing industry,” he said. “This technology could create additional local jobs in Western Australia while producing a higher-value, lithium-enriched product at the mine site. This more concentrated product reduces transport volumes to our customers and ensures more value is captured onshore for Australia.” The project is expected to create around 80 jobs during construction and 35 jobs during its operational phase. Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 14, 2025
Australian Mining
Minres’ Onslow Iron To Drive Upcycling
Upcycle, an Indigenous-led tyre processing business, has been awarded a $5 million contract from Mineral Resources (MinRes) to recycle haulage tyres from the Onslow iron project in Western Australia. Upcycle is a joint venture between Carroll Engineering Services and King Kira Group (KKG). It is spearheaded by Tammy O’Connor, KKG founder, managing director and a Nyiyaparli/Paylku woman. Under its agreement with MinRes, Upcycle will use the material gathered from the haulage tyres to build playgrounds and infrastructure. “I’ve spent 10 years understanding waste – what’s being buried onsite and what could be reused,” O’Connor said. “Rather than letting that waste sit underground, we want to create social value by using recycled materials to build playgrounds, infrastructure and more. We want to lead the way in tyre recycling across Western Australia while influencing the broader waste management industry. “Our technology and innovation creates sustainable outcomes with tangible environmental and financial benefits.” While burying waste has been a common practice in mining, O’Connor said the resources industry has to rethink its strategy looking to the future. “What’s buried now will have to be dug up later for rehabilitation, so why not create solutions today that benefit everyone-mining companies, communities and the planet?” she said. “Upcycle is about more than recycling tyres. It’s about building capacity, providing employment and creating a legacy for Indigenous businesses.” Upcycle will provide services south of Perth in the naval base, which is central to all its cooperations and enables it to reduce costs and streamline operation. MinRes general manager environment and heritage Celine Mangan said the company is pleased to partner with Upcycle. “By recycling our haulage truck tyres, we’re taking a significant step towards reducing our environmental footprint,” Mangan said. “This collaboration demonstrates our dedication to environmental stewardship and supports our commitment to working alongside Indigenous businesses to grow opportunities for First Nations people.” Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
mining
Feb 13, 2025