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The site will be operated by Urban Resources Pty Ltd.

MiningCommentsPremiumQuarry gets the tick of approval in Perth’s northern suburbs

The $3.5 million quarry is expected to provide about 1.1 million cubic metres of sand for use in surrounding land development projects. 

Liam Murphy

The Lucky Bay garnet mine just south of Kalbarri

MiningPremiumMinRes dosh ploughed into bad luck mine

The heavily indebted Mineral Resources has seen more money funnelled into a cash-burning garnet mine run by Chris Ellison’s brother.

Adrian Rauso

Coburn mineral sands project.

MiningPremiumNAIF in the chair to get Strandline haircut

A large chunk of taxpayer cash is set to go up in smoke with the financial restructuring of a WA mineral sands miner looking increasingly likely. 

Adrian Rauso

Larvotto's Hillgrove project in NSW.

MiningCommentsPremiumThe mining tiddlers that triumphed or got torn down in 2024

The world of looking for pay dirt can quickly build up fortunes and just as easily wipe them out. With the year drawing to a close we take a look at eight junior miners that exemplified this rollercoaster.

Adrian Rauso

Iluka Resources’ Eneabba rare earths plant.

updated
updated
MiningCommentsPremium
updated
Iluka shares smashed despite rare earths funding win

Mineral sands miner Iluka Resources has secured a massive stash of extra cash from the Federal Government to deliver its ambitious rare earths refinery at Eneabba.

Adrian Rauso and Daniel Newell

Screening testwork at Thunderbird.

MiningPremiumSheffield rises as Thunderbird has its wings clipped

An ailing mineral sands market and inefficiencies digging up dirt have pushed the operator of a Kimberley mine to trim approximately 30 roles.

Adrian Rauso

Tronox has a network of mines, including the Cooljarloo site near Lancelin.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Mineral SandsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Mineral sands miner evacuates staff as bushfire rages

Mineral sands miners Tronox and Image Resources have evacuated all non-critical staff and Iluka Resources is on alert as a bushfire tears through Wedge Island, Grey, Cooljarloo and Nambung.

Simone Grogan

James McClements speaks at the AGM.

MiningCommentsPremium‘Under review’: MinRes chair speaks on Ellison’s family

Mineral Resources’ ties to businesses run by Chris Ellison’s daughter and brother could soon be cut, according to the company’s outgoing chair James McClements.

Adrian Rauso

The Lucky Bay garnet mine just south of Kalbarri

MiningPremiumMinRes shares crash, while Ellison’s garnet mine drains cash

A troubled garnet mine near Kalbarri run by a Mineral Resources subsidiary that Chris Ellison’s brother leads is racking up a hefty debt owed to its cash-starved parent company. 

Adrian Rauso

Managing Director for Iluka Resources Tom O'Leary.

MiningCommentsPremiumIluka reignites Labor ultimatum on rare earths refinery

The boss of Iluka Resources has warned the government needs to tip in more money to construct the company’s rare earths refinery just north-east of Jurien Bay.

Adrian Rauso

Sierra Rutile's Area 1 operation in Sierra Leone.

MiningPremiumBidding war brewing for Sierra Rutile

A newcomer has sprung up in the heated contest to take control of a West African mineral sands miner based in Perth.

Adrian Rauso

Tronox has a network of mines, like the Cooljarloo site near Lancelin.

MiningCommentsPremiumProduction tax uncertainty lingers as Tronox mulls WA growth

A US miner that employs nearly 1100 West Aussies wants to transform waste stockpiles into valuable critical minerals, but uncertainty about production tax credit eligibility could scupper those ambitions.

Adrian Rauso

Leadership Matters Lunch with The West Australian: Managing Director for Iluka Resources Tom O'Leary. Photo by Michael Wilson, The West Australian.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Iluka fends off cyber hack following fiery China speech

Iluka Resources was targeted in an attempted hack, understood to be from China, not long after the miner’s boss accused China of rigging the rare earths market.

Adrian Rauso

Former WA Premier Sir Charles Court.

opinion
opinion
Rebecca TomkinsonCommentsPremium
opinion
WA needs bold vision to become renewable energy superpower

More than 40 years ago, Western Australia found itself with an incredible opportunity.

Rebecca Tomkinson

Northern Minerals told investors that executive chairman Nicholas Curtis had resigned.

MiningPremiumNorthern Minerals’ executive chairman out the door

A rare earths aspirant being probed by the Foreign Investment Review Board over its Chinese links has replaced its executive chairman with a prominent pro-China businessman.

Adrian Rauso

Leadership Matters Lunch with The West Australian: Managing Director for Iluka Resources Tom O'Leary. Photo by Michael Wilson, The West Australian.

MiningCommentsIluka’s O’Leary rips into Chinese rare earths manipulation

The boss of Iluka Resources has issued a stern warning as China seeks to ‘weaponise’ the supply of vital materials to purposely force down prices to unviable levels for Australian miners.

Marion Rae & Adrian Rauso

Rare earths are vital for the production of wind turbines. (Stuart Walmsley/AAP PHOTOS)

BusinessWarning for Australia as China 'weaponises' rare earths

A potentially globally significant Australian rare earths producer has criticised China for "weaponising" the market and holding back vital western development.

Marion Rae

Eneabba is so far expected to chalk up a price tag of between $1.7 billion to $1.8b.

mineral sandsCommentsIluka in more funding talks for Eneabba rare earths plant

Mineral sands miner Iluka Resources says it will need to keep wooing the Federal Government for more money to build a huge new rare earths refinery as it hands down weak sales and production results.

Simone Grogan

Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio and entourage leaving the plane.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Subiaco miner’s suitor flies into fresh drama

The major metals trader hoping to seize control of Sierra Rutile has decried “doctored photos”, after a picture of Sierra Leone’s President disembarking a mysterious private plane surfaces.

Adrian Rauso

Sierra Rutile's Area 1 operations in Sierra Leone.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Sierra Rutile suitor denies allegations and calls out board

Sierra Rutile was already a cautionary tale of doing business in West Africa. Now, the tumult surrounding how Sierra Leone’s regime perceives the miner’s hostile suitor marks a new chapter. 

Adrian Rauso

The board of Sierra Rutile has decried a cash takeover offer as “opportunistic” and “inadequate”.

mergers & acquisitionsCommentsPremium‘Inadequate’: Sierra Rutile board hoses down takeover offer

The board of Sierra Rutile has decried a cash takeover offer lobbed by one of its major shareholders in the midst of Government negotiations and a weak mineral sands market as “opportunistic” and “inadequate”.

Simone Grogan

Iluka Resources - Sierra Leone asset - Sierra Rutile Operations.

MiningPremiumSierra Rutile takeover bid turns hostile with move on board

A day after riding in with a tempting buyout deal Sierra Rutile’s white knight wants to put the company’s board to the sword.

Adrian Rauso

Sierra Rutile hopes the suspension at its Area 1 operations “will be brief”.

MiningCommentsPremiumSierra Rutile pulls the trigger on major workforce cull

In a game of chicken with Sierra Leone’s government Iluka Resources spinout Sierra Rutile is moving forward with a plan to sack hundreds of workers and stop activity at its only operational mine.

Adrian Rauso and Simone Grogan

The Eneabba rare earths processing plant.

more painPremiumIluka’s price tag for mega WA rare earths project up again

Iluka Resources is set to stick its hand out for more government cash as the cost blowout for the Eneabba rare earths project swells to at least $500 million.

Adrian Rauso