The mining sector’s robot love affair hit its crescendo on Friday on the Dampier Peninsula as iron ore giant Rio Tinto officially launched its Autohaul driverless train. More than a decade of work and $940 million went into turning 200-odd locomotives into ‘the world’s biggest robots’. From the outside the locomotives are imposing, but some […]
Nicole McNess
Australia’s First Automation Course Launched at WA TAFE
Australia’s first nationally recognised course in automation was launched in Perth on Wednesday morning. The qualifications have been more than a year in the making and will be taught at Perth’s South Metropolitan TAFE from August and piloted for Year 11 and 12 students at four high schools across the state. The Certificate II was […]
Shell Completes First LNG Shipment from Prelude Facility
Shell has made its first shipment of liquified natural gas from the Prelude floating liquified natural gas (FLNG) facility in offshore Western Australia. Shell, which runs the FLNG operation alongside its joint venture partners INPEX, KOGAS and OPIC, announced the shipment will be delivered by the vessel Valencia Knutsen to customers in Asia. The Prelude […]
Rinehart Seeks Green Light on New Iron Ore Mine
Gina Rinehart’s Atlas Iron is seeking a green light to develop a new iron ore project in Western Australia and looking at the potential of mining other deposits as prices spike in the wake of Vale production woes. Atlas, owned by Mrs Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting, has sought approvals from WA’s Environmental Protection Authority for development of […]
Big Miners Urged to Join FIFO Suicide Prevention Cause
WA’s big mining companies are being urged to join a drive to stop suicide among fly-in, fly-out workers, who are more at risk of mental illness than the rest of the population. FIFO Zero has been created by FIFO worker Blake Wood and personal development expert George Helou, who want to take a program that […]
West Wits Mining Secures Exploration Licence for Mt Cecelia Project in WA’s Pilbara Region
Mt Cecelia project is on the boundary between the world class copper-gold rich Paterson Province and the Pilbara Craton. West Wits Mining Ltd (ASX:WWI) has been granted the exploration licence for its Mt Cecelia Project in WA’s Pilbara region, allowing the company to advance the project. The Mt Cecelia project overlies the geological contact between […]
Australia’s Gold Production on the Rise
Rising gold production has helped lift Australia’s March- quarter gold output to its highest level this millennium. Despite Kalgoorlie’s Super Pit suffering a hangover from its north-east wall slip in May, gold mining consultancy Surbiton Associates said national gold production hit 78 tonnes in the three months to March 31. This is the highest March- […]
Fortescue Green Lights $417m WA Mine
FORTESCUE Metals Group will spend about $US287 million ($A417 million) to develop the Queens Valley mining area in the iron ore rich Pilbara. The development is part of the world’s No.4 iron ore miner’s plan to boost margins through higher grade products. “The Queens mining area development will maintain our highly valued Kings Fines low-alumina […]
W.A. Gold Mine to Debut New, Portable Battery Technology
A gold mine in Australia will become one of the first sites in the world to test out a new, modular lithium-ion battery storage solution, after the German-American made technology was launched this week. UK-based temporary power specialist, Aggreko, said on Monday that its fully integrated, ready-to-install 1MW lithium-ion battery unit – the Y.Cube – […]
Lithium Giant Warns on Supply
US giant Albemarle will switch off its new lithium asset in Western Australia’s Pilbara region if demand for the battery commodity proves to be weak. Albemarle increased its exposure to Australia in December when it agreed to pay $US1.15 billion ($1.64 billion) for half of Mineral Resources Ltd’s Wodgina lithium mine near Port Hedland. The […]