News Articles for Intertek

A South Australian mining tech firm revolutionising the centuries-old method of assaying gold is working to bed down its foothold in the global gold industry.

ChemX Materials has nailed the vital “4N” (99.99 per cent) product purity in alumina from its trial micro-plant in Perth and is now refocusing on the commissioning of its proposed pilot plant in next year's first quarter. It confirmed 4N in an analysis of 66 elements, with a best result of just 39ppm total impurities (99.996 per cent purity) – close to 5N.

An Australian company commercialising revolutionary gold testing technology has lodged a prospectus for what is shaping up to be the largest initial public offering of the year.

WA's mining industry is renowned for its technical innovations, but key industry players believe far more could be achieved.

Global company Intertek has consolidated its Perth operations into one of the world's largest minerals testing laboratories, with 500 staff and a desire for more.

Novo Resources continues to churn out record production numbers at its Nullagine gold operations in Western Australia's Pilbara, posting a massive 46 per cent increase above the June result. Revenue also surged 50 per cent over the previous month with 8,589 ounces of gold pumped out from the mill generating $19.2 million revenue. During the month the company also appointed Michael Spreadborough as its new executive co-chairman.

Novo Resources' conglomerate gold-fed operation at Nullagine in WA continues to break new production records with the company pumping out more than 16.5 per cent more gold in June than in the previous month. Novo's Golden Eagle mill produced 5,898 ounces of fine gold for the period, with the company also posting revenue of $12.8 million.

TSX-listed WA gold producer, Novo Resources has moved to speed up the process for receiving its gold assay results. The company has now secured a deal with Intertek Testing Services (Australia) Pty Ltd that will see the latter provide on-site laboratory and sample preparation services and PhotonAssay services. Intertek will manage an on-site laboratory at Novo's Golden Eagle gold processing plant near Nullagine in the East Pilbara.

The state's top gold producer has signed one of the biggest office leasing deals for 2020, securing a tenancy at Brookfield Properties and Hawaiian's 235 St Georges Terrace.

BlackEarth Minerals is nearing completion of its maiden drill program at the Maniry project in Madagascar and will report a JORC-compliant resource by the end of June. The program has outlined two continuous graphitic lenses 900 metres long and up to 50m thick from surface. The company is undertaking comprehensive mineralogical and metallurgical test work programs to determine the quality of its defined graphite product.

The Supreme Court of Western Australia has ordered the winding-up of Michael Fotios' Eastern Goldfields and the appointment of liquidators, after an application by a local assay laboratory.

Specialist oil and gas services company 3B Survey has bucked the gloomy mood in the sector by shifting its Australian head office to Perth to pursue growth opportunities.

UK-based Intertek has been awarded a dimensional control contract at Chevron's $29 billion Wheatstone liquefied natural gas project.

Ausdrill's new assay lab business is taking on the large international companies that now dominate the sector.

ONE of the big business stories of 2007 and early 2008 was the sale of privately-owned assay labs in Western Australia for hitherto unheard-of prices.

Private business has had an extraordinary year, with a rush of trade sales and floats allowing a window in to owner's thinking.

Acquisition activity in the state's geoanalytical testing industry is continuing, with Balcatta-based metallurgical testing firm Ammtec Ltd acquiring engineering group MARC Environmental Solutions for $12 million.

The sale of Western Australian mining assayer Kalassay Group to UK-based inspection and testing group, Inspicio plc, signals the fall of the last remaining major independent geochemical assaying laboratory into corporate hands.

WESTERN Australia's biggest independent assay group, Kalgoorlie-based Kalassay Group, was sold this week to a company controlled by UK company Inspicio Group for $26.5 million.

Inspectorate International Ltd, a division of UK-based Inspicio Group, has bought Kalassay Group for $25.6 million, continuing the growing acquisition activity of the major geochemical assaying laboratories in WA.

UK-headquartered oil services company Cape plc has bought Kwinana-based mining and industrial processing services company TCC Group in a cash and scrip deal worth $85 million.

Perth's MacCormick family has agreed to sell its engineering and tunnelling business, DJ&MB MacCormick Civil Engineering, to ASX-listed contractor Walter Diversified Services Ltd for $35 million.

The low-profile founders of Welshpool manufacturing company, Kingston Bridge Engineering Pty Ltd, have cashed in on the surging economy by selling their business for $100 million.

Minerals testing business Genalysis Laboratory Services Pty Ltd has joined the large number of private Western Australian businesses to have been sold for a premium price after achieving rapid growth during the current resources boom.

In the second instalment of a five-part series on transport logistics, Alison Birrane investigates the role of cargo inspectors in the process.