Western metal smelting operations across copper, zinc, aluminum, and nickel face an unprecedented crisis as Chinese capacity expansion drives treatment charges to historic lows and forces facility closures worldwide. The crisis extends beyond individual company struggles to threaten Western industrial sovereignty, with China approaching the same level of processing dominance in base metals that has...
READ MOREGlencore, the Anglo-Swiss mining giant led by CEO Gary Nagle, has accelerated its decision timeline for the Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville refinery to September 2025, warning that multiple Australian processing facilities face imminent closure due to Chinese overcapacity driving treatment charges to record negative levels. The company estimates monthly losses of $30 million...
READ MORERio Tinto, one of the world’s largest mining and metals companies, is in advanced negotiations with the Australian federal and New South Wales state governments over a multibillion-dollar bailout package for its Tomago aluminium smelter in New South Wales. The future of the facility—Australia’s largest aluminium producer and single biggest electricity user—has been thrown into...
READ MOREBHP Group, the world’s largest mining company and biggest iron ore producer, and Rio Tinto, a British-Australian multinational and the world’s second-largest mining company, have experienced share price pressure despite projections of massive demand increases for critical minerals. The International Energy Agency forecasts copper demand will increase 50%, nickel demand will more than double, and...
READ MORERio Tinto has signed a final joint venture agreement with Japan’s Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) for the development of the Winu copper and gold project in the Great Sandy Desert, Western Australia. The deal gives SMM a 30% stake in the project for up to $430.4 million. Under the terms, SMM will pay $195 million...
READ MORESouth32 has announced that Chief Executive Officer Graham Kerr will step down in 2026 after over a decade in the role. The company has named Matthew Daley, currently technical and operations director at Anglo American, as his successor. Daley will join South32 as deputy CEO on February 2, 2026, before assuming the top position later...
READ MOREIGO Ltd has reduced its fiscal 2025 capital expenditure forecast for the Greenbushes lithium mine in Western Australia, now expecting to spend A$700 million to A$800 million (USD $447–$511 million), down from its previous estimate of A$850 million to A$950 million (USD $543–$607 million). The company attributed the cut to a review and optimization of...
READ MORECobalt Blue has entered into a binding agreement with Iwatani Australia to jointly advance development of the Kwinana cobalt refinery in Western Australia. The agreement sets the framework for progressing the project toward a final investment decision (FID) by December 31, 2025. Key conditions to be satisfied before a final decision include verification that cobalt...
READ MORELiontown Resources has officially begun underground production at its Kathleen Valley operation in Western Australia, marking a historic milestone as Australia’s first underground lithium mine. The initial blast occurred at the Mt Mann orebody, initiating the transition from open pit to underground mining, which will continue through the 2025–26 financial year (FY26). This development is...
READ MOREGlencore has confirmed that its Mount Isa copper mine in north-west Queensland will cease production at the end of July 2025, marking the end of over 100 years of continuous operation. The closure, initially announced in October 2023, is attributed to low ore grades and aging infrastructure that render the mine no longer economically viable....
READ MOREAustralian metal producer Aurelia Metals has received approval from New South Wales authorities to triple the volume of ore it can transport from its Federation mine to its Peak processing facility. The change in project consent, announced on March 28, allows the company to move up to 600,000 tonnes of mixed metal ore per year,...
READ MORELondon Metal Exchange (LME) zinc futures climbed nearly 3% last week, closing at $2,972.5 per metric ton, as supply concerns intensified following a planned production cut by Nyrstar, one of the world’s largest zinc smelters. Nyrstar announced it will reduce output at its Hobart zinc smelter in Australia by 25% starting in April 2025. The...
READ MORETennant Mining has commenced commissioning at its Stage 1 Nobles Project gold processing plant, with first gold production moved ahead from the second half of 2025 to June. The near-completion of construction and the finalization of Pan African Resources PLC’s A$77.4 million buyout in December have positioned the company for long-term expansion. Managing Director Peter...
READ MOREPeter Navarro, former trade adviser to Donald Trump, has accused Australia of undermining the U.S. aluminium market through subsidies and unfair competition. His claims, published in USA Today, have sparked debate, particularly regarding their accuracy and implications for Australia’s trade relationship with the U.S. Navarro alleged that Australia and Canada were launching “frontal assaults” on...
READ MOREAustralia’s largest pure-play lithium producer, Pilbara Minerals, expects demand recovery amid the restart of a major lithium mine and refinery in China, despite posting a net loss for the half-year ending December 31. The company reported a net loss of A$69 million ($44 million) as lithium carbonate prices fell approximately 87% from their 2022 peak...
READ MORETomago Aluminium in Australia’s aluminium ecosystem Tomago Aluminium is the largest aluminium smelter in New South Wales and a key player in Australia’s broader aluminium production network. Located near Newcastle, the smelter is a joint venture between Rio Tinto (51.55%), Gove Aluminium Finance Limited (GAF) (25.2%) (representing CSR Limited and AMP Life), and Hydro Aluminium...
READ MOREEverest Metals has successfully extracted its first gold during the commissioning phase of a bulk sample program at the Revere Gold Project in Western Australia. The program has so far produced 1.4 tonnes of gold concentrate and remains ongoing. The bulk sampling program has validated the company’s understanding of the gold mineralization and geo-metallurgical characteristics,...
READ MORESouth32 has confirmed that Worsley Alumina has received environmental approval from the Australian Federal Government for the Worsley Mine Development Project under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). The approval comes with conditions that align with those set by the State Government, which granted its environmental approval on December 20, 2024. The project...
READ MORELeadership at BHP: strategic timing and implications BHP’s leadership succession continues to be a focus for investors and analysts. Chairman Ken MacKenzie remains at the helm, having overseen a period marked by major corporate restructuring, recovery efforts following the Samarco dam disaster, and BHP’s controversial bid for Anglo American. CEO Mike Henry, in his fifth...
READ MORELycopodium has been awarded the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the design engineering of the Hydrogen Sulphide Plant at the Kalgoorlie Nickel Project (KNP) – Goongarrie Hub in Western Australia. The project, managed by Kalgoorlie Nickel Pty Ltd (KNPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ardea Resources Limited, represents a large-scale, multi-decade nickel operation located 70 kilometers...
READ MORERio Tinto is exploring the use of intermittent renewable energy for its aluminium smelters, citing falling battery prices as a key factor in making the shift economically viable. Jerome Pecresse, head of Rio’s aluminium division, stated that transitioning to renewable power supported by battery storage is becoming increasingly feasible for the Boyne smelter in Queensland...
READ MORENimy Resources has entered into a non-binding collaboration agreement with M2i Global to support the U.S. Department of Defense in securing a sustainable supply of gallium. The partnership aims to strengthen the supply chain for gallium, a critical material used in semiconductors, radar, and aerospace technologies. Under the agreement, M2i Global will pursue a gallium...
READ MOREPolymetals Resources is making steady progress on the restart of its Endeavor silver-lead-zinc mine near Cobar, New South Wales. The company is currently focused on surface and underground refurbishment activities. In December, several pieces of mobile underground equipment arrived on-site, facilitating the commencement of underground development rehabilitation. Particular attention is being given to the high-grade...
READ MORETartana Minerals Limited is engaged in advanced discussions with Mt Garnet Mineral Finance Pty Ltd (MGMF) regarding a potential agreement to access the Mungana Processing Plant. The agreement would allow Tartana to mine its copper ore and transport it 25 kilometers to the Mungana facility for processing into copper sulphide concentrate. With an annual processing...
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