This Month
Lithium aspirant Vulcan hopeful of $825m European loan
The financial backing of a public agency could help create a level playing field for European lithium with its US and Chinese rivals, Vulcan’s boss says.
- Hans van Leeuwen
Newmont puts Telfer, Havieron mines in WA up for sale
The world’s top gold producer is seeking to sell six mines and two projects as part of an effort to generate $3.1 billion in cash.
- Jacob Lorinc
IGO boss says review of dud nickel buy ‘confronting’
The miner has slashed the value of the two mining projects by 75 per cent – and warned investors to be prepared for even bigger write-downs.
- Elouise Fowler
Pilbara Minerals to plead case for lithium tax breaks
The lithium miner says the government needs to step up as an industry delegation heads for Canberra.
- Brad Thompson
Billionaire MinRes founder slams critics over balance sheet
Chris Ellison has blasted his critics and talked up iron ore after moving to limit production from one of the world’s biggest lithium mines.
- Brad Thompson
Mineral Resources on lithium cost-cutting mission as it exits Azure
Billionaire mining boss Chris Ellison says MinRes will focus on driving down the cost of production at its WA lithium mines while prices remain depressed.
- Brad Thompson
Iluka in talks for more taxpayer funding for rare earths refinery
Iluka Resources spells out strategic importance of its rare earths refinery with taxpayers again on the hook to support the critical minerals sector.
- Brad Thompson
Orica doubles down on gold, eyes battery chemical companies
The company hopes the acquisition of US chemical company Cyanco will create an integrated sodium cyanide manufacturing and distribution network.
- Elouise Fowler
Coronado Coal profits fall 80pc as costs and taxes bite
Revenues at the miner, which operates in Queensland and in the United States, also slid as coking coal prices fell from highs seen after Russia invaded Ukraine.
- Elouise Fowler
PM says Aussie nickel will prevail, Nats demand climate policy relief
Anthony Albanese says Australian nickel miners will ultimately have a competitive advantage over environmentally-unfriendly Indonesian competitors.
- Phillip Coorey, Tom Rabe and Brad Thompson
Inside the pub at ground zero of Australia’s nickel woes
The sudden crash in nickel’s fortunes has put more than the share price of big miners at risk. Entire towns could be facing wipe out, and its on people’s minds at the Kambalda Hotel.
- Brad Thompson
Nickel collapse made worse by China, Indonesia: Forrest
China and Indonesia’s lower environmental standards for nickel production are making an unfair playing field for Australian miners, Andrew Forrest says.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen and Brad Thompson
Nickel miners thrown ‘sovereign’ lifeline
Fears of a collapse in the nation’s “sovereign capacity” prompted Resources Minister Madeleine King to include the battery metal on the government’s official “critical minerals list”.
- Jacob Greber, Peter Ker and Brad Thompson
- Investigation
- Iron ore
The country’s most secretive billionaires are about to get much richer
Angela Bennett never wanted the family business. The daughter of prospector Peter Wright almost sold it all. Now it’s about to become a bonanza.
- Primrose Riordan and Tom Rabe
- Opinion
- Energy
Critical minerals still subject to old rules of boom and bust
‘Future-facing’ battery metals are not immune to the ups and downs of supply and demand, and renewable energy will rely on gas to help in the energy transition.
- Jennifer Hewett
CITIC slashes WA iron ore volumes after feud with Clive Palmer
The Chinese conglomerate warns iron ore jobs are at risk as it runs out of patience in a battle with the maverick billionaire.
- Brad Thompson
South32 pulls trigger on $3.3b zinc mine in green agenda
South32 has opted to push ahead with a new mine in Arizona, despite a big jump in its price tag.
- Brad Thompson
- Updated
- BHP Group
BHP hit in $5.4b nickel wipeout, WA plans royalty relief
WA has challenged the federal government to save close to 3000 jobs and billions of dollars worth of growth projects in the nickel industry, after BHP wrote down the value of its nickel business to zero.
- Brad Thompson, Peter Ker and Tom Rabe
Liontown boss says more mines will close without bailout
Tony Ottaviano says politicians have done a good job of listening on the plight of the lithium and nickel industries but without action more mine closures and job losses are inevitable.
- Brad Thompson
BHP train drivers to strike as era of industrial peace ends
A senior union official says big iron ore miners have had it “their own way for a long time” as BHP train drivers prepare to walk off the job for 24 hours.
- Brad Thompson
