The Mining Advocate

Pioneers of the underground
A Queensland company believes it is leading the charge into an exciting new energy future for Australia with its plans to produce diesel and jet fuel from “stranded” coal resources.

Linc Energy chief operating officer Stephen Dumble said that company’s plan to combine underground coal gasification (UCG) technology with a gas to liquids (GTL) plant to produce high-value fuels was a world first.

And he believes Linc deserves more recognition for the effort it is putting into this groundbreaking project.More...

Grand vision gains impetus
Ivanhoe Australia’s plans to re-open the entire Selwyn mining field outside Cloncurry have received a rocket-powered boost from the newly discovered Merlin molybdenum and rhenium deposit.

The company in April announced a 13 million-tonne resource at Merlin with an in-ground metal value around $6.4 billion.

The deposit – which Ivanhoe describes as the highest grade of its kind in the world - is estimated to contain 110,000 tonnes of molybdenum, 180,000kg (6 million ounces) of rhenium, 30,000 tonnes of copper and 2 million ounces of silver.More...

Battle of Bertiehaugh blazes on
It’s a David and Goliath battle, according to Cape Alumina - or perhaps more like the geologist versus “Gladiator”.

Actor Russell Crowe used a recent appearance on David Letterman’s Late Show to raise concerns about the company’s planned bauxite mining activities on Bertiehaugh Station, north of Weipa.

Cape Alumina chief executive Paul Messenger said the on-air attack was part of a media campaign by Terri Irwin, wife of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve, against the Pisolite Hills project and he anticipates more to come.More...

IPL outage ready to roll
A raft of work contracts for a multimillion-dollar shutdown at Incitec Pivot’s (IPL’s) north-west Queensland sites are expected to be issued in June/July.

IPL shutdown manager Dan Miller said the company’s Mount Isa acid plant and Phosphate Hill fertiliser manufacturing facility would go offline in October for a month-long staggered schedule of works.

The installation of a new 200-man camp at the Phosphate Hill site for use during the shutdown was almost complete, he said.More...

Paladin rides high
Paladin Energy is riding high on the crest of a “nuclear renaissance”, according chief executive officer and managing director John Borshoff.

The company is continuing to strengthen its cornerstone uranium development in the Mount Isa district, recently completing a takeover of smaller rival Fusion Resources.

And it is confident the commodity has a strong future in Queensland, with Mr Borshoff predicting the state will adopt a pro-nuclear/pro-uranium policy by the end of next year.More...

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