Rio Tinto continues to work with its partners to develop the best solution for a domestic power supply for the Oyu Tolgoi operation, following the Government of Mongolia’s cancellation of the Southern Region Power Sector Cooperation Agreement (PSCA).

Australian Strategic Materials (ASM), a wholly owned subsidiary of Alkane Resources, has successfully developed a high‐purity hafnium dioxide (HfO2) product that will be directly marketable as a feed material for a number of downstream applications and for producing metallic hafnium. The technical specifications of this material have been tailored to meet global market requirements, following extensive industry consultation over the past 12 months.

In a joint media release with the Minister for Finance, Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann, the Australian Coalition Government has announced its support of smaller exploration companies undertaking greenfields mining exploration, making mineral discoveries crucial to the Australian economy.

New data gathered by the Australian Government has revealed a potentially mineral-rich area straddling the Northern Territory-Queensland border is three times larger than previously known.

FOLLOW-UP drilling by the Minotaur Exploration and OZ Minerals joint venture at the Iris-Electra copper-gold prospect near Cloncurry in north Queensland has confirmed the potential for copper sulphide mineralisation. All four holes of the program intersected hydrothermally altered breccia zones exhibiting various degrees of chalcopyrite mineralisation.

AFTER becoming a gold producer in 2016 Havilah Resources will return to exploration this year seeking copper and gold resources at targets within trucking distance of the operating Portia Gold Project in South Australia. The planned budget for the 2017 drilling program is $500,000, of which 40% will be funded by the South Australian Government under a Program for Accelerated Exploration (PACE) grant.

STRONG copper mineralisation has been intersected between two previous high-grade copper intersections at the Rockface prospect on KGL Resources’ Jervois Copper-Silver-Gold Project in the Northern Territory. One hole encountered a broad zone that includes more than 24 metres of strong copper mineralisation from 435.6 metres.

AERIS Resources is constructing a new ventilation shaft at the Tritton Copper Project in western New South Wales. The shaft will support operations as they progress deeper, following the ore body and will enable the Tritton Deeps project to be developed, prolonging mine life.

A MAIDEN 107,000 ounce gold resource has been estimated for Adelaide Resources’ Barns Gold Project on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. The deposit is open to the south and down dip, and there is a strong chance of increasing the resource while five nearby prospects also show strong potential.

RAMELIUS Resources continues to exceed expectations at its gold operations in Western Australia. There was a 28% increase in production in the financial year ending June 30, 2016, to 110,839 ounces and production in the 2017 financial year is expected to increase 22% to 135,000 ounces as the Vivien and Water Tank Hill underground mines progress.

PRODUCTION of gold bullion and gold-copper-silver concentrate started recently at Doray Minerals’ Deflector project in Western Australia, around 14 months after Doray acquired the project. Open pit mining is on schedule while underground development continues.

WET commissioning is being carried out at the refurbished Wiluna plant at Blackham Resources’ Matilda Gold Project in Western Australia as part of the ramp-up to commercial production. The company expected to pour first gold by the end of September.

AURELIA Metals achieved record quarterly production of 14,184 ounces of gold during the three months ending March 31 at the Hera Gold-Base Metals Project in the Central West of New South Wales. In addition, the company finalised a funding and settlement agreement with Glencore to continue the Hera operations.

DRILLING at the Rockface prospect of KGL Resources’ Jervois Copper-Gold-Silver Project in the Northern Territory has delivered high grade copper results. Although only a limited number of deeper holes have been drilled there are early indications of improving copper grades at depth.

THE Board of established Australian copper producer Aeris Resources has approved development of the Murrawombie underground copper mine at its Tritton operations near Nyngan in western New South Wales. The decision follows completion of a positive feasibility study.

ALTONA Mining has created a joint venture with Sichuan Railway Investment Group (SRIG) to build a new copper-gold mine at Altona’s Cloncurry project in northwest Queensland. A joint venture company, Roseby Copper Pty Ltd, will hold the Cloncurry project.

BHP Billiton has increased its annual exploration spending by 29%, allocating almost all of a US$900 million budget to finding new copper and oil deposits. The company has singled out these resources as being the key to support its future growth.

Allens, a leading international law firm, has acted for Rio Tinto in its arrangement with Sinosteel Corporation to extend the historic Channar Joint Venture, one of the longest running and most successful examples of Chinese foreign investment in Australia.

GEOPHYSICS conducted at Ram Resources’ recently acquired West Kimberley Nickel-Copper Project in northern Western Australia has identified strong electromagnetic (EM) conductors. There were eight EM conductors identified with three being high-priority, strong bedrock targets warranting drill testing and follow-up exploration.

CONSTRUCTION at Independence Group’s underground Nova Nickel Project in Western Australia is progressing well with first concentrates expected in December 2016. The development remains ahead of schedule and on budget relative to the optimisation study schedule with commissioning to commence during the fourth quarter.