Fuel Crisis Worsens in Australia Following Refinery Fire
A fire at Viva Energy’s Geelong refinery, one of only two oil‑refining sites in Australia, has intensified an already‑tight fuel market driven by the Middle‑East war. The outage reduces national fuel‑processing capacity by roughly 120,000 barrels per day, prompting shortages at service stations and higher pump prices. Industry analysts warn that the disruption could ripple through logistics‑intensive sectors such as mining, where diesel is a critical input. The incident underscores Australia’s vulnerability to supply‑chain shocks in a constrained global energy environment.
Develon Gets Smart with Series 9 Safety Solution
Develon has equipped its Series 9 crawler excavators, the DX230LC‑9 and DX260LC‑9, with an AI‑powered safety suite that includes an E‑Stop system and a Smart All‑Around Viewing Monitor (SAVM). The E‑Stop automatically halts the machine when a person enters a 4‑meter...
Antofagasta Maintains Production Guidance
Antofagasta plc reaffirmed its 2024 copper production guidance, targeting roughly 1.2 million tonnes despite anticipated lower ore grades at its Los Pelambres and Centinela mines. The company cited strong cash flow, cost‑saving initiatives, and upcoming expansion projects as reasons it can...
Turner Lands $150M Equipment Financing
Turner Mining Group, a U.S. contractor based in Bloomington, Indiana, secured a $150 million equipment financing package from Wingspire Equipment Finance. The deal includes an initial $20 million tranche that provides on‑demand access to capital for fleet expansion. The financing will fund...
Harmony's Eva to Use ABB Drives
Harmony Gold is moving ahead with its Eva copper‑gold project, a US$1.73 billion development that targets both copper and gold extraction. The mine will be equipped with ABB’s 24 MW gearless mill drive (GMD) and ring‑geared mill drive (RMD) technologies. While the...
Recovering Critical Minerals Using Geothermal Heat
Oxford University spin‑out Ascension has secured £6.2 million (about $7.9 million) to develop a geothermal‑driven process for extracting critical minerals from volcanic glass deposits. The technology leverages underground heat to leach metals such as rare earth elements and battery‑grade copper, nickel and...
Hexagon's Digital Twins Mapping Nature in Brazil
Hexagon announced the launch of aerial 3D‑mapping flights across Brazil to create digital twins of natural habitats. The initiative uses high‑resolution LiDAR and photogrammetry to capture terrain, vegetation and water features in near‑real time. Data will be fed into Hexagon’s...
Big Bill for Hancock, but Gina's Empire Intact
Australia's High Court delivered a landmark ruling in the long‑running dispute between former mining executive Hancock and billionaire Gina Rinehart. The court ordered Hancock to pay roughly A$1.2 billion (≈US$800 million) in damages for alleged breach of a joint‑venture agreement. Rinehart’s mining...
Earthquake Forces Underground Stoppage at Cadia
Newmont has suspended all underground operations at its Cadia mine in New South Wales after a 4.5‑magnitude earthquake struck the area on Tuesday evening. The quake’s epicentre was just 3 km from the site, making it the strongest seismic event recorded...
The Resurgence of Chinese Overseas Mining Investment
Chinese mining companies are launching a fresh wave of overseas foreign direct investment, buoyed by stronger balance sheets and a weaker yuan. In 2023, Chinese FDI into mining projects abroad climbed roughly 28% to about $12 billion, focusing on copper, lithium...
KoBold Sets Off on the 'Most Ambitious' DRC Exploration Programme
KoBold Metals has launched what it calls the most ambitious exploration programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo, targeting the Manono lithium district. The company plans to drill over 200 holes across a 2,000‑square‑kilometre area, partnering with local firms and...
'There Has Never Been a More Favourable Time for Mining'
WSP analysts argue that the convergence of soaring demand for clean‑energy technologies, heightened geopolitical tensions with China, and supportive U.S. policy creates an unprecedented window for rare‑earth mining. They highlight that the United States now has access to multiple domestic...
Sandvik Integrates Underground Resin Bolting
Sandvik has launched an end‑to‑end resin bolting solution that integrates drilling, resin mixing and bolt installation for underground mining. The system is designed to streamline the rock‑support process, delivering faster cycle times and reducing the need for multiple pieces of...
Freeport Close to Sulphide Leach Advance
Freeport‑McMoRan announced that its long‑awaited sulphide leach project is nearing a critical milestone, with pilot‑scale testing slated to begin later this year. The company expects to generate performance data on its new leach chemistry by the end of 2024. If...
Chinese Miner Boosts Rare Earth Prices
China Northern Rare Earth Group, the world’s largest producer of light rare earths, announced a sharp increase in concentrate prices for the second quarter of 2026. The company lifted prices for 50% rare earth oxide concentrates, signaling tighter supply in...
