NewsBite

Mining

Yesterday

Global Lithium Resources has two WA operations, including its Manna project near Kalgoorlie.

Global Lithium chair rejects board revamp over foreign influence fears

Two directors have shut down an attempt by a rival to seize control of the WA critical minerals explorer, pledging to vote against proposals at its delayed AGM.

  • Mark Wembridge
Julie Bishop in 2019.

Julie Bishop hired to advise ASX-listed Greenland explorer

Energy Transition Minerals has become the latest mining client to join the former foreign minister’s consulting stable, which includes Mineral Resources.

  • Elouise Fowler and Mark Wembridge

This Month

WA Premier Roger Cook and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

This year’s election gives miners a chance to flex their muscle

With plenty of marginal seats up for grabs, the road to power for both Labor and the Coalition could run through Western Australia, rather than western Sydney.

  • Mark Wembridge
Artic Minerals Mining, Agnico Eagle Meadowbank Complex North of Baker Lake, Kivalliq District, Nunavut Territory, Canada.

The harsh economics of mining the Arctic

Donald Trump’s plan to purchase Greenland is just one symptom of the world’s lust for polar minerals. But who wants to work in a frozen wasteland?

  • The Economist
Donald Trump jr (centre) arrived in Greenland to discuss the US purchasing the resource-rich island

Trump’s Greenland takeover talks sends ASX-listed explorer soaring

Among the unintended consequences of the President-elect’s desire for the Danish territory has been renewed investor interest in rare earths hopeful Energy Transition Minerals.

  • Mark Wembridge and Elouise Fowler
Advertisement
Justine Passaportis is a senior legal counsel for Perentis who benefited from its parental leave policies.

Spotlight falls on outliers as miners embrace paid parental leave

Miners are sweetening benefits to attract female employees. Yet Macmahon, a major employer, is resisting paid time off for new parents.

  • Elouise Fowler and Mark Wembridge
Australia’s battery minerals ambitions are taking a battering – add the ASX’s Jervois Global to the list.

How AusSuper’s big critical minerals bet went belly up

It’s a wake-up call for the companies that think life’s easy when you’re backed by Australia’s most powerful investor. It isn’t.

  • Anthony Macdonald
One of Jervois’ cobalt projects under construction in Idaho.

AustralianSuper takes $100m hit from collapse of cobalt miner Jervois

The battery minerals play, which was once valued at more than $1 billion, will delist from the ASX and be taken private, rendering its equity worthless.

  • Updated
  • Mark Wembridge and Peter Ker

December 2024

Nickel has been a major industry in WA, but more competition from Indonesian producers has shuttered many mines. Ardea Resources’ Kalgoorlie project remains one of the few in development.

Gold miners see silver lining in big lithium and nickel layoffs

The mothballing of large West Australian critical minerals projects has come at the same time as a surge in demand for production of the precious metal.

  • Mark Wembridge
Marijana Petkovic with her sheaf of court documents. She is one of several vocal opponents to Rio’s efforts in the Jadar Valley.

Inside Rio Tinto’s all out war to unlock Serbia’s lithium riches

The mining giant has been trying to develop the resource rich Jadar Valley for two decades. So why is it persisting in the face of intense opposition?

  • Updated
  • Hans van Leeuwen
Australian firms have filed a complaint with US regulators, claiming China has flooded the market with cheap graphite, a crucial component to batteries.

Australian graphite firms file US complaint against China

Novonix and Syrah Resources claim China is flooding the market with cheap graphite, and are urging US regulators to impose a 920 per cent tariff.

  • Elouise Fowler
Two haul trucks at the Savage River  project in Tasmania. Supplies will dwindle at the mine unless it is expanded in the next few years.

Tasmania’s huge Savage River project at risk as iron ore prices fall

Grange Resources, which is developing the mine near Burnie, said it could not fund the expansion at current and forecast prices for the commodity.

  • Elouise Fowler, Mark Wembridge and Peter Ker
The Albemarle lithium hydroxide plant at Kemerton in WA.

Critical minerals manufacturing dream tempered by harsh reality

Falling prices mean Australia’s ambitions to develop the industry and downstream processing are on pause. Is this a waiting game, or is it all over?

  • Jennifer Hewett
The Neosmelt project will be constructed on the site of BHP’s old nickel refinery in Kwinana.

Mining rivals join forces on green iron project

BHP, Rio Tinto and BlueScope have all agreed to develop Australia’s largest iron-making electric smelting furnace, the NeoSmelt pilot facility, in Western Australia.

  • Tom Rabe and Peter Ker
Hamish Barker and Gary Spreckley on their property near Firefly. Gabriel Govinda says he is surrendering the tenement near their property,

Pump and dumper behind NSW mining application wave

Gabriel Govinda denies his companies are spruiking stock they receive for selling exploration licences. Residents and politicians are concerned about the convicted pump-and-dumper’s involvement in mining projects along the NSW north coast.

  • Max Mason
Advertisement
An Arcadium Lithium project in Argentina.

Investors sue US lithium miner over Rio Tinto’s $6.7b takeover

Three shareholders in Rio Tinto’s $6.7 billion takeover target Arcadium Lithium are suing the US company ahead of the transaction meeting next week.

  • Elouise Fowler
AFR Metro Mining’s flagship project is the Bauxite Hills Mine, which is a single operating mine combining the Bauxite Hills and Skardon River tenements.

Humble rock eclipses iron ore price as aluminium smelters shop around

Bauxite, which is essential to aluminium production, has hit a record price and surpassed the value of Australia’s number-one export for the first time.

  • Elouise Fowler
CBA boss Matt Comyn, Macquarie CEO Shemara Wikramanayke and Wesfarmers CEO Rob Scott.

‘Australia is falling behind’: 55 CEOs demand election action

Top chief executives say the next federal government must make the nation’s crippling regulatory burden and housing supply top priorities.

  • Updated
  • James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald
Goldman forecasts that China property starts in 2027 will be 80 per cent below their 2019 peak.

Iron ore to average 10pc less in 2025: Goldman

Goldman Sachs’ Aurelia Waltham sees two years of declines ahead for iron ore, with the steel-making material potentially averaging below $US80 a tonne in 2026.

  • Timothy Moore
Courtney Kelley.

MinRes lawyer claims she was forced out for raising ‘cultural issues’

Former legal counsel claims she was retrenched in May because Chris Ellison believed she would make a whistleblower complaint.

  • David Marin-Guzman

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/mining-5zq