environment

The Queensland department of natural resources and mines (DNRM) has granted the final heritage approval for Carbine Resources’ Mount Morgan gold copper project, southwest of Rockhampton.

Tailings dam failures have put environmental risk high on the list for mining companies. Gavin Wilby says there is help for the issues keeping executives up at night.

Lithium Australia wants to bust a myth that a process it is developing for lithium recovery uses toxic reagents.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued Broula King joint venture with a fine of $15,000 for failing to undertake monitoring required by the company’s environment protection licence at its Cowra gold mine. EPA Regional Director for South and West, Gary Whytcross, said while the mine may currently be in care and maintenance, the … Continue reading Broula King joint venture gold mine fined for lack of monitoring →

A mine rehabilitation reform campaign has recommended the introduction of an independent authority to rehabilitate abandoned mine sites, which could create thousands of jobs in mining precincts that were badly affected by the downturn. According to a leaked Queensland Government report, tax payers will be forced to pay $3.2 billion in coal mine rehabilitation costs … Continue reading Mine rehabilitation could create thousands of jobs →

Iceland is drilling into volcanoes to tap the energy created by magma, which could act as an innovative new form of renewable energy. The Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) is currently drilling five kilometres below Reykjanes in south-western Iceland, along a tectonic fault line. At this depth, magma that moves underground through volcanic activity mixes … Continue reading Iceland finds powerful energy source in volcanoes →

In a Q&A with Critical Resource, Tom Butler, CEO and President of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), discusses lessons from the Samarco tailings spill in Brazil, the need to look closely at buyers’ sustainability commitments during asset sales, and the need to streamline transparency reporting.

The International Council on Mining and Minerals has released new guidance to help miners achieve the UN’s new 17 sustainable development goals.

A panel commissioned to investigate the cause of BHP and Vale’s Samarco mine dam failure have released their findings.

When it comes to conserving the world’s oceans, bigger isn’t necessarily better. Globally, there has been an increasing trend towards placing very large marine reserves in remote regions. While these reserves help to meet some conservation targets, we don’t know if they are achieving their ultimate goal of protecting the diversity of life. In 2002, … Continue reading Oil, gas and marine parks really can coexist in our oceans – here’s how →

The sixth of a ten part series examining the trends that will drive the mining industry in 2016.

An Australian longwall development is cutting respirable dust levels and making mining safer.

Mines typically follow a set path from prospecting, to development, to extraction and finally closure as the finite resources are exhausted. But does that really need to be the end of the mine’s productive life?

Martin has released the Washbox Cleaning System that combines water spray and secondary cleaning blades in a self-contained unit, draining residue safely from work areas.

As BHP unveils its new carbon capture and storage technology, other methods of reducing or utilising carbon emissions are being investigated.

BHP has announced a new building block in its climate change strategy with the announcement of a carbon capture partnership with Peking University.

Veolia Water Technologies have developed the sulphate removal technology LoSO4 to treat wastewater from mining operations for discharge or reuse.

Speculation is growing over Shree Minerals’ plans to abandon its Nelson Bay River iron ore mine in Tasmania following environmental breaches.

A local community group has dropped its long running appeal against Rio Tinto’s proposed Mt Thorley Warkworth extension.

South Australia’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission has recommended the state investigate an international storage site for intermediate and high-level (spent fuel) nuclear waste.