Home
Search
thewest.com.au
BusinessChevron Right Icon

Mineral Sands

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

signs of lifeCommentsPremiumIluka upbeat on China return as sands sales slide

Iluka Resources is on track to lift overall mineral sands output for the year but has failed to follow through on sales because of subdued economic activity in China.  

Simone Grogan

Radioactive cargoUranium ship docks at Fremantle, sparks safety concerns

A container ship carrying uranium ore was allowed to dock at Fremantle on Thursday, but was forced to wait for several hours whilst officials checked it was safe for it to berth.

Unhappy anniversaryCommentsPremiumCost concerns for Deterra as it marks three-year milestone

Shareholder discontent is surfacing at Deterra Royalties, with one investor imploring Australia’s largest mining royalty company to just “sit back and count the cash.”

Adrian Rauso

New MD CommentsPremiumStrandline shares tank on news of leadership shuffle

Shares in aspiring mineral sands miner Strandline Resources plunged after the company announced the departure of long-serving boss Luke Graham. 

Danielle Le Messurier

The EconomistCommentsPremiumJust three levers to avoid full-on green metal racket

THE ECONOMIST: Analysts and policymakers worry about an almighty metal supply crunch towards the end of the decade. But three levers may lower the pressure without wrecking the net-zero transition.

The Economist

Value addingPremiumIluka kicks off $15m study for metallisation plant

The plant would produce metals or alloys for sale to battery makers for use in electric batteries, wind turbines and drones.

Sean Smith

Big marketPremiumIluka looks to booming India for sales support

A booming market for zircon in fast-growing India is helping Iluka Resources offset muted sales in China as the world’s second-biggest economy struggles to engineer a real estate rebound.

Daniel Newell

CEO departs CommentsPremiumHastings boss to leave after eight months

Hastings Technology Metals chief Alwyn Vorster will depart the rare earths company at the end of July after just eight months in the top job. 

Danielle Le Messurier