Andrew Forrest is a frontrunner within the transfer away from fossil fuels. He established Fortescue Future Industries (FFFI) to capitalise on and speed up the transition to a inexperienced international economic system. Not too long ago, whereas saying Fortescue Metals Group’s “best-ever” half-year end result he mentioned: “We’ve got … a really uncommon perception, I believe, for a mining firm, into what’s taking place within the inexperienced vitality revolution as a result of we communicate to everyone and we personal companies, like electrolyser amenities, very giant battery amenities that are amongst essentially the most superior prototypes on this planet,” Forrest mentioned throughout Fortescue’s December quarterly investor name.
“It’s exhibiting us the place we have to go, what we have to give attention to.”
And it’s not simply lithium, but additionally uncommon earths, among the key components in EV drivetrains and batteries. Uncommon earths are used for the manufacturing of everlasting magnets. Forrest is placing his cash and his data to good use, shopping for WAE Applied sciences and making use of their battery breakthroughs to a “large boy’s toy” — a 240-tonne, zero-emission, battery-electric haul truck developed by Liebherr.
The monster truck and its revolutionary battery will probably be examined within the rugged situations of Fortescue Metals iron ore mines in Western Australia’s Pilbarra.
“I believe there are considerable sources of uncommon earths which haven’t but been delivered to the market,” he mentioned.
Forrest’s non-public firm Wyloo metals has invested in TSX-listed Neo Efficiency Supplies, a number one international uncommon earths processing and superior everlasting magnets producer. Wyloo can also be invested in Hastings, which is growing the Yangibana uncommon earth venture in Western Australia. Hastings hopes to supply as much as 15,000 tonnes of blended uncommon earths carbonate (MREC) per 12 months.
“Our firm has by no means carried out higher,” Forrest mentioned. “Not on mining, not on exploration, not (on) inexperienced hydrogen, not on inexperienced vitality improvement ever. It is a document quarter. It’s a document half and it’s getting stronger from right here.”
Dr Forrest introduced that Fortescue achieved its highest-ever December quarterly iron ore shipments, 49.4 million tonnes. This added as much as a document 96.9 million tonnes of iron ore shipped within the second half of 2022.
Lynas Uncommon Earths can also be setting data from its Mt Weld mine in Western Australia. Ore processing enhancements have led to a document quarter of uncommon earth oxide tonnes (REOt) focus being produced.
The REOt output was 5% increased than the earlier document, achieved within the second quarter of the 2017–18 monetary 12 months. Lynas is stockpiling the ore from its open lower operations to the run of mine (ROM).
“Lynas bought neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) to China at $US83 ($116.69) per kilogram in the course of the December quarter, which it deemed ‘flat market pricing’.
“However costs improved in direction of the top of the quarter.”
“Market costs began to extend once more from December in anticipation of the late January Lunar New Yr holidays and an anticipated rebound of the consumption in China,” Lynas managing director Amanda Lacaze mentioned.
“Future pricing traits will rely on China’s financial restoration.”
The 4th quarter of 2022 noticed a rise in gross sales income from $AUS164 million (Q3) from the manufacturing of 1359 tonnes to AUS$233 million with manufacturing at 1508 tonnes.
Lynas has a progress plan concentrating on a 50% enhance in NdPr manufacturing. Nonetheless, the market is rising quickly and the miner may need to be extra aggressive in its plans to be able to fulfill demand. It’s at the moment concentrating on 10,500 tonnes by 2025.
“Funding in capability enlargement will probably be required at each manufacturing stage,” Lacaze mentioned in August 2022. “This begins with growing feedstock availability, and this venture will considerably increase Mt Weld’s feedstock capability, concentrating on feedstock manufacturing capability of 12,000 tonnes each year NdPr equal in 2024.”
Australian mining firm Patriot Battery Metals is celebrating the outcomes of its latest pattern drilling operation at its Corvette Lithium venture in Canada to determine the focus of lithium oxide.
Ken Brinsden, non-executive chair of Patriot, was the managing director and chief govt of Pilbara Minerals. He was impressed by Corvette’s potential: “I’m winding down at Pilbara Minerals and taking a look on the Patriot geological maps … and considering to myself, that is feeling lots like Pilgangoora in 2015, as a result of the geology on the Corvette discovery feels prefer it’s going to assist one other large venture over time,” he advised the Assets Rising Stars Summer season Collection in December. “It’s early levels in exploration however already there’s proof to point that it’s going to be one of many larger discoveries within the final decade or so,” he mentioned.
Brinsden performed a key position within the delineation and improvement of Pilbara Minerals Pilgangoora lithium operation within the Pilbara — one of many premier onerous rock lithium mines on this planet.
Manufacturing is up and so are lithium costs, main the Greenbushes lithium operation in Western Australia to submit a document quarterly efficiency.
Spodumene focus manufacturing went from 361,000 tonnes within the September quarter to 379,000 in This autumn 2022. “Manufacturing benefited from a brand new quarterly processing document, the place general throughput elevated 7 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 1.6 million tonnes of whole ore processed.”
Gross sales income was up 26% to AUS$2.3 billion. Realised spodumene costs are on the rise. Within the third quarter, Greenbushes spodumene was bought at US$3,729 per tonne, which elevated to US$3,984 per tonne within the December quarter. IGO expects the worth for spodumene focus bought in the course of the March 2023 quarter to be US$5,957 per tonne. Notice the numerous enhance from 2022.
“IGO Restricted is an ASX 100 listed firm centered on creating a greater planet for future generations by discovering, growing, and delivering merchandise essential to wash vitality. As a function led organisation with robust, embedded values and a tradition of caring for our individuals and our stakeholders, we imagine we’re Making a Distinction by safely, sustainably and ethically, delivering the merchandise our clients have to advance the worldwide transition to decarbonisation.
“Greenbushes is endeavor a number of enlargement initiatives which IGO expects will enhance the operation’s manufacturing profile from roughly 1.5 million tonnes each year (Mtpa) to roughly 2.5Mtpa over the following 4 years.”
Australian mining is making a distinction by producing the minerals wanted for the transition to a greener future for us and our grandchildren.
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