Mining

Mining and technology entrepreneur Charlie Bass has flagged six industries, including medicine, agriculture and the arts, that offer Western Australia the opportunity to forge a more sustainable economy.

Talison Lithium has confirmed it will build a third concentrator at the Greenbushes lithium mine to boost output to 1.95 million tonnes per annum, but the owner of tantalum rights at the project has again warned the expansion will be subject to an ongoing legal battle.

Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti has poached one of the top executives from rival Barrick Gold to replace outgoing chief executive Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan.

Ardea Resources has released an expansion study for its Goongarrie nickel-cobalt project in Kalgoorlie, with the company detailing a 2.3mtpa capacity at a cost of $1.17 billion.

Mineral Resources has for the first time revealed the cost of two major projects, saying it will spend $610 million building its lithium concentrate processing plant, which is due to start production later this year, and up to $1.6 billion on its proposed lightweight rail system.

A joint venture between Perth-based companies Clough and RUC Cementation Mining Contractors, which are both owned by South Africa’s Murray & Roberts, has secured two mining contracts in Mongolia.

Saracen Mineral Holdings managing director Raleigh Finlayson has received about $12 million after selling more than half his stake in the gold mining company.

Nickel miner Western Areas has begun early works at its Odysseus project, signing on local contractor MACA, while also announcing it had reached its production guidance for the year to June.

Poseidon Nickel has appointed company director Robert Dennis as its new chief executive, with the former Independence Group executive set to take over the role next month.

Gold-focused Egan Street Resources says it will cost $36.1 million to bring its Rothsay project in the Murchison region into production.

Gold miner Silver Lake Resources has posted above-guidance sales for the year to June, while Red 5 says it is on track to meet its production forecast for the 2018 calendar year.

There may be some positive news for two beleaguered WA mining projects.

Lithium advocates have been cautioned to separate facts from hype as it is not yet clear if battery manufacturing in Western Australia will be practical, although refining plans should proceed immediately, according to Mckinsey & Co partner Prabhav Sharma.

Poseidon Nickel has released a feasibility study confirming the viability of restarting its mothballed Black Swan project near Kalgoorlie, with an estimated capital expenditure of $56.7 million.

NRW Holdings has joined the likes of Clough, Decmil and CPB in securing work at BHP Billiton’s $4.6 billion South Flank iron ore project in the Pilbara, after announcing a $176 million contract to complete earthworks at the site.

MOD Resources has moved to full ownership of its T3 copper project in Botswana, after acquiring UK-based Metal Tiger’s stake of the project in a scrip deal worth $26.6 million.

Northern Star Resources has reported above-guidance gold production for the year to June, with plans to expand output beyond 600,000 ounces in 2019, while Blackham Resources posted improved results for the half year to June.

BHP Billiton's iron ore production rose 3 per cent in the fourth quarter ended June 30 as productivity improved, cementing a record annual output as it set a bigger target for the current year.

Saracen Mineral Holdings has confirmed its status as one of the state's top 10 gold miners, after the company reached record production in the 2018 financial year, while West Perth-based Pantoro’s annual gold output was within guidance.

Rio Tinto has posted a strong second quarter result at its Pilbara iron ore operations, with the miner now forecasting it will hit the top end of its annual guidance.

Hancock Prospecting’s $390 million takeover bid for struggling iron ore miner Atlas Iron has been endorsed by independent expert BDO, which found the pricing was fair and reasonable.

Panoramic Resources has announced it will reopen its mothballed Savannah nickel project in the east Kimberley, after securing a $40 million loan facility with Macquarie Bank.

Heavy equipment supplier Emeco Holdings has posted operating earnings of $153 million in its preliminary financial year results, which included a strong fourth quarter performance due to a ramp-up in new projects.

Kasbah Resources has released a new definitive feasibility study for its Achmmach tin project in Morocco, which outlines a capital cost of $US96.4 million ($130 million).

Gold producer Beadell Resources has announced a board restructure and a new mining contract at its operations in Brazil, as the company pursues a primary listing in Canada.

Mineral Resources’ diversification strategy continues to gain ground as its joint venture with Hexagon Resources has begun a feasibility study at the McIntosh graphite project in the Kimberley.

Rio Tinto’s autonomous train program delivered its first cargo of iron ore in the Pilbara earlier this week.

Resolute Mining has posted steady preliminary production results at its gold operations for the 2018 financial year, while also providing guidance for next year as the company moves towards its target of 500,000 ounces per annum.

Rio Tinto has extended its contract with Perth-based towage company Westug at its two Pilbara iron ore ports, in a deal worth $200 million.

Two days after announcing a deal to buy a mine camp for its planned Sulphur Springs copper-zinc project, Venturex Resources has issued a follow-up statement with details of the purchase.

Georesources company Qteq has secured a borehole data contract in the Northern Territory following the recent acquisition of Western Australian companies Surtech and WellServ.

Canada-listed BlueBird Battery Metals has entered into an agreement to farm-in to Impact Minerals’ Broken Hill project in NSW, in a cash-and-scrip deal worth about $5.5 million.