Archives: Mineral project development

Rio Tinto has approved a US$77 million (A$110 million) pre-feasibility study (PFS) to progress development of the Rhodes Ridge project, one of the world’s best undeveloped iron ore deposits, in the East Pilbara in Western Australia. The commencement of a PFS follows completion of an Order of Magnitude study that considered development of an operation[…]

Evolution Mining has entered into a binding agreement to acquire an 80% interest in the Northparkes copper-gold mine in New South Wales from China’s CMOC Group Ltd for a total cash consideration of up to US$475 million. Sumitomo Metal Mining and Sumitomo Corporation will retain their 20% interest in the Northparkes JV. The deal will increase Evolution’s[…]

While some details of plans have been released previously, the bankable feasibility study and NI 43-101 Technical Report authored by Ausenco and just filed by Canada Nickel for its Crawford nickel-cobalt-chromium project in northern Ontario’s Timmins Nickel District with an effective date of October 1, 2023, provides much more detail on its planned use of[…]

Mining contractor Byrnecut has chosen Sandvik to supply automated loaders, underground drills and rock tools as it gears up to deliver underground mining services at the Kathleen Valley lithium project in Western Australia. Sandvik will supply Byrnecut with seven 21-t-payload Toro™ LH621i loaders with AutoMine®, three Sandvik DD422i development drills with Dual Controls and a[…]

Fortescue Metals Group has approved an investment of up $50 million to construct a Green Iron Trial Commercial Plant at Christmas Creek, with annual production of more than 1,500 t. The plant, in Western Australia, will use the existing green hydrogen infrastructure at Christmas Creek to lower the overall capital requirement and demonstrate a green[…]

On November 6/7 this year, IM had the privilege with a small group of mainstream journalists to get a detailed insight into Anglo American’s Woodsmith polyhalite project in North Yorkshire, which included a visit to the foreshaft area of the service shaft, the base of the MTS shaft, the transport tunnel itself at the Lockwood[…]

Chinese underground mining contractor JCHX Mining Management has formally secured yet another major new mining services contract in Africa valued at $194.6 million for a zinc and copper project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The contract was awarded to Kingko Mining, JCHX’s subsidiary operating in the DRC, by Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines, owner of the[…]

Exxon Mobil has announced plans to become a leading producer of lithium, a key component of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Work has begun for the company’s first phase of North America lithium production in southwest Arkansas, an area known to hold significant lithium deposits. The product offer will be branded as Mobil Lithium, building on[…]

Byrnecut Group’s specialist raise drilling company, Raising Australia, has announced a new Rotary Vertical Drilling System (RVDS) record at the BHP-owned Prominent Hill operation in South Australia. A total of 702.6 m of development over 324.19 hours makes the pilot hole at the Wira Shaft the longest single unit pass, top to bottom using a[…]

NRW Holdings Limited’s wholly owned subsidiary, Primero Group Limited, has been awarded a contract for Structural, Mechanical, Piping, Electrical and Instrumentation Construction by Pilgangoora Operations Pty Ltd (POPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Pilbara Minerals Limited, for the next phase of the Pilgangoora P680 Expansion project, 120km south of Port Hedland, Western Australia. The award[…]