The Greenbushes lithium mine in WA. Image: Talison Lithium.
An upsizing of the Greenbushes lithium mine’s revolving syndicated loan facility (SLF) has been approved by Windfield Holdings.
Greenbushes is known as the world’s largest hard-rock lithium mine and is located approximately 250km south of Perth in Western Australia. It recorded a profit of about $6.3 billion in 2023.
IGO and Tianqi Lithium currently share a 49 per cent stake in Greenbushes, with Albemarle owning the remaining balance. Talison Lithium, the operator of the site, is a joint venture between the three parties.
According to IGO, the mine has received strong interest from a group of leading commercial banks.
As a result, the Greenbushes SLF has increased from $US1 billion ($1.5 billion) to $US1.55 billion ($2.33 billion) with a five-year term.
The SLF upsizing will fund Greenbushes’ capital commitments, specifically the construction of a third chemical grade plant 3 and a fourth tailings storage facility.
“Given Greenbushes’ enviable position on the lithium cost curve and the significant capital investment program underway to expand production and improve productivity, IGO is supportive of Talison’s capital management initiatives and the increase to the debt facilities available to the team,” IGO managing director and chief executive officer Ivan Vella said.
“The strong appetite from leading commercial banks to support this exciting phase of Greenbushes’ transformation is indicative of the quality of the project and the strong and sustainable cash flows it will generate through the cycle.”
During the March 2024 quarter, Greenbushes saw decreased production and sales due to the management of production and inventory levels in response to the lower offtake requirements by shareholders.
Despite the lower spodumene sales and prices, IGO said Greenbushes is expected to operate at full production for the rest of 2024.
Weir’s new world class, state-of-the-art facility in Port Hedland. Image: Weir
Global mining technology leader Weir has officially opened its new Port Hedland service centre in Western Australia.
The new facility bolsters Weir’s national network of 16 service centres and will aim to support customers and their operations across the Pilbara region.
The centre is equipped to service Weir’s broader range of products and technologies, provide engineering and maintenance support as well as critical parts storage for faster service times for customers.
Opening ceremony on World Environment Day. Image: Weir Minerals
“The new centre at Port Hedland will support our key customers in the region, providing Weir’s best-in-class service and expertise,” Weir Minerals regional managing director Kristen Walsh said at the facility’s opening.
“The Australian $28 million facility demonstrates our commitment to sustainable mining and with further investment planned, we will continue to support our ambitious growth plans in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.”
This will include Fortescue and Thiess’ Iron Bridge project, which incorporates Weir transformational flow sheets – the world’s first dry comminution circuit without tumbling mills.
Port Hedland serves as a critical hub for the mining and resources industry in Australia, driving economic growth and success for the important iron ore region.
The new service centre will work to deliver innovative engineering solutions and expertise, enhancing operational efficiencies and advancing sustainable progress across the Pilbara’s dynamic mining landscape.
With best-in-class technology and support, the centre features facilities forEnduron high-pressure grinding rolls servicing, including tyre roller assembly and Linatex rubber lining services, helping customers to extend the life of their assets.
Weir employees celebrate the opening. Image: Weir
The next stage of development, set for 2025, will see an expansion of the team and specialisation in the repair and overhaul of various Weir processing equipment including Warman pumps, Cavex hydrocyclones and Isogate valves as well as Enduron crushers and screens.
Building on trust, collaboration and integrity, Weir said it is committed to delivering innovative solutions and working together with its customers to make mining more sustainable.
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Group 6 Metals has uncovered more ore tonnes and metric tonne units of tungsten trioxide from the Dolphin tungsten mine than originally anticipated, alongside a record month of shipments.
The company’s in-pit reconciliation methodology uses in-pit sampling, UV (ultraviolet light) lamping, and production drill hole assaying to compare mining results to the geological model.
When compared to the geological model, recoveries from the Dolphin open pit exceeded expectations up until the end of April.
Dolphin produced about 94 dry tonnes of concentrate in April at an average grade of 57.1 per cent for 5380 metric tonne units of tungsten trioxide. A total of 115.05 dry tonnes of concentrate at 57.38 per cent tungsten trioxide was shipped in April, a record month for Group 6.
“Over the past six months, our geology and mining teams have excelled at maximising ore recovery,” Group 6 managing director and chief executive officer Keith McKnight said.
“This means we’ve collected more valuable tungsten ore than forecast while working the outer areas of the Dolphin open pit. While this has caused a temporary delay in the mining sequence, the extra effort has resulted in a detailed understanding of the mine’s geology, giving us a lot of confidence in our mine forecast.
“Excitingly, the high-grade C-lens (deposit) is now accessible at -30 RL (reduced level) in the main Dolphin pit, and production drill assay results confirm the presence of high-grade ore in the mining blocks (is) scheduled for June.”
Group 6 has also made progress in sustainability. It, along with Climate Capital, has been looking into integrating a 7.5 megawatt solar panel array and a 5.5 megawatt hour battery storage system at the Dolphin mine’s power plant.
Climate Capital has finished power modelling and an extensive site assessment. If implemented, the solar power system would sit adjacent to Group 6’s process plant.
Group 6 and Climate Capital are expected to negotiate a power purchase agreement under a build own operate model to deliver the solar project.
After being closed for three decades, the Dolphin tungsten mine officially re-opened in August 2023. It is located near Grassy, a town on the south-east coast of King Island.
The Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions rock tools team are helping to set the industry standard for circularity of rock tools and their operations.
Currently, Sandvik is one of the only original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who recycles tungsten carbide across the world through its Carbide Recycling Program to preserve and protect remaining reserves of tungsten, a rapidly declining resource.
So far, the program has supported Sandvik to reduce its own transport CO2 footprint within this area by roughly 93 per cent, and by using recycled materials for new tools, Sandvik uses approximately 70 per cent less energy and reduces this portion of CO2 by approximately 64 per cent.
Watch the video below find out how the program supports Sandvik’s and its customers journeys towards more sustainable mining operations for future generations.
MACA has locked in a major contract at Atlas Iron’s Miralga Creek iron ore project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The mining, civil and mineral processing contractor will provide mining and drill and blast services at the mine, continuing a 15-year partnership between the companies.
The contract announcement was made by Thiess, which has owned MACA since 2022.
“This contract will see the business further embed our presence in the Pilbara’s rich iron ore industry, all while working alongside a client that has played a large role in MACA’s expansion,” Thiess Group executive chair and chief executive officer Michael Wright said.
Miralga Creek becomes MACA’s second active Atlas Iron contract, situated in close proximity to Sanjiv Ridge, a project awarded to MACA in June 2020 providing infrastructure, drill and blast, and load and haul services.
Operating at the project since mid-March under a letter of intent, MACA has since mobilised a fleet of excavators, trucks, drills and associated support equipment, as well as a 45-person workforce to ensure minimal operational downtime.
“Since 2009, we have proudly worked with Atlas Iron, consistently delivering our capability and flexibility to meet production goals.” Thiess Group executive – Australia West David Grieg said.
“Securing the Miralga Creek contract is a strong signal of MACA’s capability in delivering our promise of performance in a range of highly technical applications.
“With over 20 years’ operating in the Western Australian landscape, new contracts with both existing and former clients remain the ultimate testimonial of our performance.”
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Drilling operations at the Springdale graphite project in WA. Image: International Graphite.
International Graphite has welcomed the US’ decision to impose tariffs on a range of Chinese imports, including batteries, battery components and parts, and critical minerals.
Earlier this week, the US Government announced the tariff rate on natural graphite and permanent magnets from China will increase from zero to 25 per cent in 2026, and the tariff rate for other critical minerals will increase from zero to 25 per cent in 2024.
The tariff rate on electric vehicles (EVs) will also increase from 25 per cent to 100 per cent in 2024, meaning EVs that use Chinese graphite for battery components will not be eligible for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax incentives.
The IRA legislation encourages innovation by giving firms various demand- and supply-side incentives to invest in developing and deploying clean energy technologies, while helping the country transition to net-zero.
“Despite rapid and recent progress in US onshoring, China currently controls over 80 per cent of certain segments of the EV battery supply chain, particularly upstream nodes such as critical minerals mining, processing, and refining,” the US Government said.
“Concentration of critical minerals mining and refining capacity in China leaves our supply chains vulnerable and our national security and clean energy goals at risk. In order to improve US and global resiliency in these supply chains, (the US Government) has invested across the US battery supply chain to build a sufficient domestic industrial base.”
International Graphite said graphite from its Springdale project in Western Australia will be free of US tariffs and Springdale customers will be eligible for IRA incentives as per the free trade agreement between Australia and the US.
“The timing of US tariffs coincides with the dates we expect to bring our Springdale mine into production,” International Graphite managing director and chief executive officer Andrew Worland said. “It is also the point at which world markets are expecting graphite demand to exceed supply.
“Our plan for a vertically integrated mine to market graphite business from Western Australia, fits perfectly with the goals of the US to reduce its reliance on China and secure other sources of trusted, reliable graphite.
“We have shown that Springdale has the potential to be a multi-decade, low-cost operation that will produce high quality graphite concentrates specifically for lithium-ion batteries.”
The Springdale graphite project in located in the Ravensthorpe region of WA. Since International Graphite took ownership of the project in 2022, it has grown to become one of the top 15 graphite deposits in the world.
K-AllShelter conveyor belt covers are manufactured using a wide range of optional materials. Image: Kinder Australia
Kinder Australia is helping quarries keep dust down while protecting material from the elements with its K-AllShelter Capotex covers.
Quarries can be a harsh and unrelating place for conveyors and the material they move.
Being exposed to the Australian elements can invite disaster. Rain adds more complications to the mix, as adding water to quarried material can quickly alter the consistency and lead to screen blinding, clogging, chute hangups and blockage.
Heat and humidity can interfere with material quality and flow, while the sun’s harsh ultraviolet rays can shorten the belt life.
Strong winds can blow material off the belt, and in some cases, even flip the belting entirely. This also has the added problem of creating dust emissions.
Peter Laskey, a Kinder Australia field application specialist, told Quarry that dust prevention is becoming even more important in the sector.
“We are seeing quarries around the country looking to minimise dust as much as they can,” he said.
“Regulations are strict and it’s important to ensure the safety of the nearby workforce.”
One Victorian Quarry reached out to Kinder Australia to rectify its onsite dust issues. The site had recently improved one of its transfer points to deal with dust that had been building up.
However, following the transfer point upgrade, dust was being redirected to a different point of the conveyor system. Two vertical shaft impactors were frequently creating excessive dust emissions, particularly around the front of the transfer site, during the start up and production phase.
Baffles were previously used, but this solution was not enough to combat excessive dust emissions during normal production.
K-AllShelter features:
• Cost effective
•Self-supporting (no support structure required)
•Accessible from both sides of the conveyor
• No sharp edges
• Build-in inspection points available
•Site specific wind load report available to confirm compliance to Australian Standard
Laskey said the K-AllShelter Capotex conveyor cover was the proven, cost-effective dust suppression solution.
“The K-Shelter Capotex conveyor cover was chosen for its lightweight, high strength and easy to install features. The covers feature a dust-tight seal that prevents dust from escaping and causing problems on site.
“Future conveyor maintenance is made simple and hassle free due to the conveyor covers being hinged on both sides and due to the Caposafe Service Prop. The prop holds the cover and lets the maintenance team get access easily.”
K-AllShelter conveyor belt covers are manufactured using a wide range of optional materials and engineered as a waterproof, durable barrier. They can be custom made to suit all belt widths and models.
They help to provide durable protection from extreme environmental elements and help to control moisture levels of conveyed materials. Covering the conveyor is also beneficial to operators, improving safety by covering the moving parts.
Laskey said the dust emissions were eliminated following the installation of the covers, as the dust would settle onto the belt instead of becoming airborne.
“The customer was very happy – they saw how well it contained dust and decided to continue it to the head pulley. Once they saw how effective it was, they decided to go for the whole length of the conveyor,” he said.
“This is a classic example of how Kinder Australia works to find the right solution for a site. Our team looked at one part of the system, got that right, then moved to another. It’s not about isolating the symptom – we want to rectify the problem itself.
“We’re a solutions-based company with a large engineering base. Kinder is always working on new ways of solving problems that work best for each site.” •
A drilling program carried out by First Quantum Minerals at Boss Energy’s Honeymoon uranium project in South Australia has intersected copper and gold mineralisation.
The mineralisation was uncovered below the Yarramba Palaeovalley along the Honeymoon tenements.
Three holes at the Atlas target, 4km east of Honeymoon, were drilled as part of the campaign, totalling 1029.5m.
Recent assays from Atlas include:
23CURDD002: 16m at 0.27 per cent copper (Cu) and 0.1 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) from 288m
23CURDD006: 47m at 0.19 per cent Cu from 404m, with several narrower zones of 5–6m containing up to 0.5 per cent Cu and 0.12g/t Au.
“The intercepts are proof of process; evidence for movement and precipitation of copper (~gold/~zinc) within the Bimba Formation in the target area,” Boss Energy said.
Two holes equalling 701.6m were also drilled at the Pandora target, located 8km south of Honeymoon.
“One hole intersected an interval of stratiform low grade zinc-bearing stratigraphy, inferred to be the upper portion of the Bimba Formation,” Boss Energy said.
“This zone potentially lies outboard of a lower copper (~gold) zone, at the currently untested base of the Bimba Formation.”
One deep hole totalling 742.3m was also drilled at the Yarramba dome target, located 15km north of Honeymoon. However, no appreciable mineralisation was intersected.
The recent drilling carried out by First Quantum Minerals follows a maiden diamond drilling program carried out by the company along the Yarramba Palaeovalley in October 2023.
Boss Energy first entered into an exploration earn-in agreement with First Quantum Minerals in February 2022. The agreement covers the base metals rights of five tenements at the Honeymoon project.
“With a proven track record in discovering and developing deposits, Boss considers First Quantum Minerals an ideal partner in the exploration and potential development of any base or precious metal discoveries at Honeymoon,” Boss Energy said of the agreement.
After the drilling program’s completion, First Quantum Minerals may choose to earn a 51 per cent interest in its agreement with Boss Energy by spending $6 million on exploration within five years, as well as maintaining minimum annual expenditure on the project of $500,000.
If First Quantum follows this path, it will enter into a joint venture (JV) agreement with Boss Energy.
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ASTEC and OPS share a decade-long partnership. Image: Astec
Astec and OPS are committed to growing each other and the mining industry.
All hands were on deck at the OPS Screening and Crushing Equipment open days on March 21–22.
Held at OPS’s Perth facility, the expo celebrated 35 years of the company supplying critical equipment to Australia’s mining and quarrying industry.
To mark the occasion, OPS welcomed industry players from across the world to take part in two days of exhibitions, presentations and displays.
Rock-to-road solutions expert Astec was a major participant at the event. The company was also celebrating its decade-long partnership with OPS.
“Both Astec and OPS have seen excellent growth through our partnership,” Astec business line manager – material solutions Adam Gordon told Australian Mining.
“A key factor in the relationship is we know we can rely on OPS to provide quality service and expert technicians ready to rise to any challenge.”
Astec was in attendance to support OPS at its two-day expo in March. Image: Astec
Gordon said OPS is a trusted distributer of Astec’s bulk material handling and fixed plant equipment to mines and quarries in Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and New South Wales.
And the company distributes Astec’s rock breaker systems, materials handling equipment and ship-loading range Australia-wide.
“Astec manufactures equipment for the entire mineral processing chain, including crushing, screening, handling and washing,” he said.
“It’s big equipment for a big industry, and it requires knowledge, expertise and an extensive range of high-quality products to get the right machines to the right sites.”
Between them, Astec and OPS teams have built hundreds of years of industry experience, including expertise drawn from the 16 respected brands under the Astec umbrella.
“While Astec and OPS are successful businesses in their own right, they’re even better working together,” Gordon said. “We each bring different strengths to the partnership – strengths that we then build on to benefit each other and our customers.
“And with our combined experience, we have the Australian mining and quarrying industries covered.”
According to Gordon, one significant advantage in working together is the companies’ ability to deliver advanced training to teams on the ground.
“We’re very hands-on with our training,” Gordon said. “In fact, we ran multiple, comprehensive training sessions on specific aspects of our equipment at the two-day expo,” Gordon said.
When it comes to ensuring technicians are capable of providing outstanding service to customers, Gordon credits Astec’s tailored approach in ensuring OPS staff members are well equipped to face any challenge.
OPS managing director Shane Czerkasow addressing the crowd at the OPS expo. Image: Astec
“We have a lot of equipment in the thousands-of-tonnes-per-hour range and it’s all very specialised,” he said. “That’s why our training is personalised in a one-on-one environment, to ensure these technicians are able to deliver next level service to our customers.”
Among Astec’s innovative equipment and technology on display at the OPS event was a virtual reality station where attendees could take a virtual tour of Astec’s ship-loading and modular plant crusher facilities.
“Being able to showcase the scale of our capabilities was a major highlight of the event,” Gordon said.
The recent expansion of Astec’s Omagh manufacturing facility in Northern Ireland is another important factor in the company’s ability to support OPS.
“This expansion has effectively doubled our manufacturing capability, meaning we can supply more equipment more often to OPS, thereby keeping our customers up to date with the latest products and critical support when they need it,” he said.
Gordon emphasised that through Astec’s commitment to continuous improvement, the company is already designing and building equipment for the future, and it’s counting on OPS to be with them on that journey.
“We are very proud to be associated with OPS,” Gordon said, “We’re similar businesses, with the same goal of providing our customers with the best possible equipment to meet their needs.
“We work very well together, and we’re looking forward to a great future of growth.”
Duaplate DX is a revolutionary weld overlay material engineered by Bradken to perform under the most extreme abrasive operating conditions.
Trialed in the lower section of a surge bin, the Duaplate DX was installed in an iron ore mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The bin was compared to an identical chute lined with Duaplate D80.
Duaplate DX is manufactured to Bradken’s proprietary composition to create an incredible fine microstructure that provides a substantial improvement in the operational life over traditional chromium carbide based overlay.
