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Coal generates less than half of Australian power for first time

Published: 03 Sep 24

The high winds that have been lashing southeastern Australia over the past few days have pushed coal-fired power below 50% of the country’s power mix for the first time ever. The fossil fuel accounted for 49.2% of electricity generation in the week through Monday, the first time it’s fallen below half on a weekly rolling basis, according to figures from Open-NEM, a data aggregator. Wind farms generated just over a quarter of power during the period.

Forrestania withdraws from Koolyanobbing iron project

Published: 03 Sep 24

Western Australia-focused explorer Forrestania Resources is sharpening its focus on exploration at its existing gold and copper projects, after deciding to withdraw from the Koolyanobbing iron-ore project. The ASX-listed company announced on Tuesday that it had not extended the Netley Fe option, thereby withdrawing from the Koolyanobbing project.

Construction starts in Gladstone on large high-purity alumina plant

Published: 03 Sep 24

The transformation of Alpha HPA’s Gladstone-based project into the largest single-site ultra-high purity aluminium materials refinery in the world is under way with the company on Tuesday celebrating the official groundbreaking as the start of Stage 2 construction. Alpha HPA MD Rimas Kairaitis said he was pleased to announce that construction of the Stage 2 HPA First Project had started, with extensive funding support in place to progress to full scale production.

Peninsula’s Lance uranium project to restart in late Q4

Published: 03 Sep 24

The Lance uranium project, in Wyoming, US, is set to restart production late in the fourth quarter, Australia-listed Peninsula Energy reported on Tuesday. The company stated that site construction and preparation activities were continuing and that solid progress had been made for an operational restart before calendar year-end.

An image of the planned new SEW-Eurodrive facility on display during the groundbreaking ceremony

SEW-EURODRIVE to invest R380m in new Joburg drive service, repair facility

Published: 02 Sep 24

Drive technology manufacturer SEW-EURODRIVE has announced an estimated R380-million investment into a new service and repair centre to be built adjacent to its current facilities in Aeroton, Johannesburg. The new 15 000 m2 facility will provide drive and gearbox repairs and servicing to the South African and sub-Saharan African markets for both SEW-EURODRIVE products and competitor products alike.

South Africa’s pilot carbon capture scheme officially inaugurated

Published: 02 Sep 24

The Council for Geoscience (CGS) on Monday announced that the country’s first carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) research site had been officially inaugurated. This marked the conclusion of Phase 1 of South Africa’s pilot CCUS project. However, the inauguration of the site, at Leandra in Mpumalanga province, actually took place last week. This step followed the completion of a successful geological characterisation study of the site. This included the drilling of a 1 800 m stratigraphic borehole. This confirmed the site’s suitability for the permanent and safe storage of CO2.

Air pollution near the Duvha power station in Mpumalanga

Good progress on air quality frameworks, but implementation needed

Published: 02 Sep 24

South Africa has a robust framework to manage air quality, as well as regulations and standards that serve as a yardstick for measuring and monitoring harmful emissions. The country also follows World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) guidelines and approaches, but national circumstances mean that air quality is not at the level that the WMO recommends, said Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) national air quality officer Dr Patience Gwaze.

Anglo takes steps as part of Amplats demerger

Published: 02 Sep 24

As part of Anglo American’s proposed demerger of Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) in 2025, certain Anglo American subsidiaries in South Africa have undertaken an internal reorganisation. The resulting changes are administrative in nature and have no impact on Anglo’s beneficial interest in Amplats, the platinum group metals miner explains in a statement issued on September 2.

Transnet CEO Michelle Phillips delivering Transnet's 2024 results

Phillips confirms 193Mt ‘stretch target’ for rail amid criticism that recovery plan lacks ambition

Published: 02 Sep 24

Transnet CEO Michelle Phillips has acknowledged criticism over the pace at which it plans to recover rail volumes and has reported that an internal “stretch target” of 193-million tons has been set for 2024/25 against an official target of 170-million tons. Speaking during the State-owned group’s results presentation, she said the 170-million-ton goal had been set conservatively in line with what Transnet felt it could deliver leveraging its own resources. It could be lifted, however, “with help” from customers and private partners.

Bellevue reports maiden net profit

Published: 02 Sep 24

ASX-listed Bellevue Gold has announced a maiden net profit after tax of A$75-million for the year ended June 30. The result follows a successful year which saw the company commission its Bellevue gold mine, in Western Australia, with commercial production declared in May.