Featured
- Opinion
- US Votes 2024
Not everyone believes that a US-China trade war will smash Australia
Former BHP economist Huw McKay believes that the iron ore price will not necessarily suffer. The costs may come elsewhere.
- John Kehoe
US mining legend Robert Friedland plots ASX listing
The billionaire businessman says he will list his iron ore assets in Australia next year and will use an IPO to fund acquisitions of local critical minerals projects.
- Peter Ker
Resolute Mining loses $500m after junta detains CEO in West Africa
Tax and contract dispute with authorities in Mali wipes $468 million from Australian gold miner’s market value
- Mark Wembridge
Meet Chris Ellison’s personal accountant
Yenna Ong, the number cruncher who managed the Mineral Resources founder’s private affairs, rapidly gained great power. Then just as suddenly, she was gone.
- Neil Chenoweth
South32 partner soars 108pc on Trump win
Investors have bet the explorer’s chances of building a critical minerals project in Alaska have been boosted after the Republican nominee secured the presidency.
- Peter Ker
This Month
Rio Tinto racing to seal Mongolian copper deal
Rio Tinto is urgently pushing to acquire copper-rich tenements close to its Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia to avoid a big slump in grades and volumes next year.
- Peter Ker
October
Sev.en Global checks out Sanjeev Gupta’s ailing European mills
Sources say Sev.en has run the numbers on a handful of mills in Liberty Steel’s European portfolio, especially Poland.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
ASIC confirms probe into MinRes’ decade-long ‘tax dodge’
The regulator is taking a closer look at Mineral Resources after allegations chief executive Chris Ellison ran a scheme through the British Virgin Islands.
- Elouise Fowler and James Eyers
- Opinion
- Mining
MinRes scandal an acute credibility test for Justin Langer
The Chris Ellison-led miner has collected some big names – from the former cricketer to strategic adviser Julie Bishop. Are they merely celebrity figurines?
- Peter Ker
- Exclusive
- Mining
Fortescue pushes Canberra for emissions policy review
Fortescue has warned the West Australian government against palming off responsibility for greenhouse emissions to Canberra.
- Tom Rabe
Lithium stocks rally reveals M&A hope for juniors
Rio’s takeover of Arcadium has unleashed a rally in the ASX’s junior lithium stocks, but the lagging performance of the major producers means they are expected to miss out on the next wave of deals.
- Alex Gluyas
Rare earths hopeful Astron Corp launches cash call
The equity raise comes after Astron tasked ICA Partners to secure debt for its Donald project, which will require $450 million to $490 million in capital expenditure.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Why mining lies at the heart of Australia’s productivity problem
Australia badly needs to diversify towards more productive industries. The politically privileged position of the mining industry is one of the obstacles.
- Adrian Blundell-Wignall
- Analysis
- Lithium
WA lithium miners get a Rio reality check, with a silver lining
When it looked past the raft of hard rock lithium miners in its own backyard, Rio Tinto made a big statement about the future of the lithium industry.
- Peter Ker
Rio Tinto’s Serbian lithium pain might be Argentina’s gain
After two decades of work to build a lithium and borates mine in Serbia, Rio Tinto has taken its billions elsewhere. Is this the end of Europe’s lithium dream?
- Peter Ker
September
Lithium stocks roar back as short sellers scramble on mine closure
Some of the sharemarket’s most shorted lithium stocks surged after reports that a major project has been suspended in China, which could be a boon for prices.
- Alex Gluyas
June
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Chalmers sell-down order adds to crazy tale of rare earths intrigue
Treasury orders forcing Chinese interests to sell shares in Northern Minerals comes as Australia faces hard questions on Chinese involvement in our critical minerals sector.
- James Thomson
May
- Opinion
- Publishing
AFR will not walk away from WA
Political and business leaders in Western Australia say privately that Kerry Stokes has an unhealthy degree of media power in the state.
- Updated
- Michael Stutchbury
Perth’s high-flyers turn out to toast Financial Review’s Mining Summit
The state’s political and business leaders gathered at Perth’s Wildflower for the second The Australian Financial Review Mining Summit dinner.
- Updated
Junior miners in ‘survival mode’ put consolidation on back burner
It is a tale of two worlds in mining as the smaller players cut costs while large miners like BHP eye more acquisitions to grow copper stocks.
- Aaron Weinman
Major lithium miners push for a more reliable spot price
MinRes and Pilbara Minerals say a trading exchange would reduce volatility and make the battery commodity more attractive to commercial bank financing.
- Elouise Fowler
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
The Anglo mine BHP craves explains why a deal boom is coming
Investors expect the growing demand for copper and the surging costs of building new mines will spark a frenzy of big mining deals, regardless of the outcome.
- James Thomson
Lithium giant says China will remain pivotal to local mining projects
Local miners are torn between their dominant customer and investor over two decades, and the lure of subsidies from the US, Australia’s biggest defence ally.
- Elouise Fowler
Hancock exec says Cook’s California dream may mean higher emissions
Magnetite projects fit perfectly into Australia’s green future but are hamstrung by insufficient power, water and regulatory fatigue, Sanjiv Manchanda said.
- Vesna Poljak
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Big China question hangs over Australia’s critical minerals sector
Geopolitical tensions between China and the West loom large over Australia’s critical minerals industry, and there are no easy answers.
- James Thomson