Mining company Fortescue Metals Group is exploring how it could apply autonomous mobility technology in an urban environment, announcing it plans to establish a new research and development centre in Karratha, Western Australia. The Fortescue Future of Mobility Centre will leverage the company’s success in using autonomous technology across its mining operations. Fortescue has been using […]
WA Iron Ore Ports Clearing Due to Cyclone Veronica
BHP has shut down the world’s largest iron ore export port, Port Hedland, as Cyclone Veronica bears down on the West Australian coast. The miner has suspended all port and rail activities in the region, telling workers to get to safety ahead of the category three cyclone smashing into Western Australia’s north-west coast near Karratha, […]
Bill Shorten Pledges Millions for WA Mining Research Centre
Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Labor will go halves with the WA Government and other parties on a new $46 million research centre for mining in Perth. The Australian Future Mines centre would see the CSIRO, Australian Academy of Sciences, universities and industry help map the nation’s resources. Mr Shorten said two-thirds of the […]
Driverless Trucks Collide at WA mine
No one was hurt when two autonomous trucks collided at a BHP iron ore mine in the Pilbara over the weekend. The mining giant told The West Australian that the collision between the driverless vehicles happened about 11pm on Saturday at the Jimblebar mine site, about 40km easy of Newman. A company spokeswoman told the […]
Salmonella Sweeps Karratha Mining Camp
Workers based at a Karratha mining camp were so sick, some “felt like they were dying” as a salmonella epidemic reportedly affecting up to 50 FIFO workers, hospitalising at least 20 and leaving mattresses lining the porches of dongas. Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union state secretary Mick Buchan believed poor camp conditions at […]
WA Ditches Carbon Offset Rules
A directive from Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority that all new emissions-intensive projects should be carbon-neutral put in jeopardy proposed new LNG projects worth over $45 billion and triggered warnings of threats to the broader resources industry that underpins the state’s economy. Oil and gas producers had expressed concern that the proposed guidelines would jeopardise a […]
Rio Tinto increases iron ore estimates at three Pilbara mining deposits
Rio Tinto has upped its estimates for the amount of iron ore at its deposits in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, a day after its earnings beat expectations. After completing 700km of drilling across multiple sites, Rio Tinto now estimates the deposits at Music Hall, Old Vic and Western Hill contain 449 million more tonnes of […]
Mining Cited the Top Industry for Job Ad Growth
Mining, resources and energy has been cited in Seek’s latest employment report as the “star performer” for new job ad growth in 2018, with listings up 32 per cent on the previous year. The report surveyed year-on-year job advertisement growth across 29 different sectors for an overall national average of 8.6 per cent growth, as […]
Woodside Awards Contracts for Scarborough JV with BHP
Woodside Petroleum has awarded four contracts for front-end engineering design activities for the proposed Scarborough gas project in Western Australia. The contracts are for engineering activities related to the upstream development’s floating production unit, the export trunkline and the subsea umbilical risers and flowlines. Each contract includes an option to progress to execute phase activities, […]
WA Government’s Battery Industry Strategy
The McGowan Government has launched the Western Australian Future Battery Industry Strategy, designed to aid the state’s growth as a battery minerals exporter. The strategy was launched today by Premier Mark McGowan and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston, who said it signified the government’s “commitment to establishing a world-leading, sustainable, value-adding battery industry in our state”. McGowan […]