Rio Tinto’s AutoHaul project has ramped up to a stage where it is now autonomously completing more than half of its train journeys in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Engineering and maintenance services provider EnerMech has been awarded a five-year contract for hose and hose fittings supply and services for Shell’s Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility in Western Australia.

Strategist MinEx Consulting has released the findings of a long-term report on the future of the Australian gold mining industry from 2017–2057.

Israeli autonomous drone company Airobotics has garnered much attention over its pilotless drone technology, the world’s first to secure an aviation licence.

South32 has restarted production at the Appin coal mine in New South Wales following a an operational review to improve performance.

OZ Minerals has announced in a quarterly release that it plans to accelerate pit closure at its Prominent Hill copper-gold operation.

BHP has launched a global collaboration with top international universities to accelerate a deeper understanding of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in a range of subsurface locations.

Queensland Mining (QML) has announced the sale of its flagship White Range copper project in northwest Queensland to unlisted company Moly Mines for $53 million ($45m in cash and $8m in convertible bonds).

Whittens has secured its sixth contract for 2017 with RCR Tomlinson at Pilbara Minerals’ Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project in Western Australia.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has introduced legislation to tweak a 1988 mining and processing agreement act, a move that allows local operator Tronox to explore new sources of raw material.

MMG managing director Jerry Jiao has expressed plans for the Chinese miner’s expansion and desire for new investments.

Montezuma Mining has upgraded its 100 per cent-owned Yanneri Ridge manganese facility in Butcherbird, Western Australia — the largest onshore facility of its type in the country — following optimistic test results that have exceeded expectations.

Newmont Mining’s $US120 million ($154 million) expansion of the Tanami gold mine on the border of Northern Territory and Western Australia was officially opened this week.

Energy giant Chevron is abandoning its $400 million exploration plans in South Australia’s Great Australian Bight.

Metalicity’s emergence as a zinc company has been boosted by the acquisition of two projects in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

According to a new report from the World Gold Council, one country purchases over 100 tonnes a year in bars and coins.

Whitehaven Coal is confident of a positive outlook for the company in the global coal market.

Tech innovation company GroundProbe will present its new Geotech Monitoring LiDAR (GML-Underground) at the inaugural International Conference in Underground Mining Technology in Canada.

Northern Star Resources executive chairman Bill Beament has expressed excitement at the renewed potential of his company’s $50 million apprenticeship program, first announced at the Diggers & Dealers conference in August.