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Rio shuts down violence-riven South African mine

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 1-Jul-21

Rio Tinto has declared force majeure on customer contracts at its Richards Bay mineral sands project in South Africa. The resources giant has put all work at the mine and smelter on hold amid growing violence targeting the project’s workers, plant and equipment. Rio Tinto executive Sinead Kaufman says the safety of workers at the project is its top priority. The increasing violence directed at the Richards Bay project is believed to be linked to employment opportunities for local workers.

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RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, RICHARDS BAY MINERALS

ABC hits pause on log-in rollout

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 3 : 1-Jul-21

The ABC has advised that the introduction of mandatory log-ins for its iview streaming service has been pushed back to the end of 2021. The new system was to have been launched during July and August, but a spokesman says the public broadcaster will give users more time to understand how it will work and the benefits of creating a registered ABC account. Regional Communications Minister Bridget McKenzie has welcomed the decision to delay compulsory log-ins, and says the ABC should implement an ‘opt-in’ model.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Not so foolish after all: ‘fool’s gold’ contains a newly discovered type of real gold

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Original article by Denis Fougerouse
theconversation.com – Page: Online : 29-Jun-21

Pyrite has long been known as ‘fool’s gold’ because of its resemblance to the precious metal, but pyrite crystals do actually contain small amounts of real gold. Gold hidden within pyrite is sometimes referred to as ‘invisible gold’, and researchers have recently discovered a third, previously unrecognised way that gold can "lurk" inside pyrite. Their discovery may help gold miners to more efficiently extract gold from pyrite, thereby reducing emissions, as well as providing interesting insights into how mineral deposits form.

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Nine was intent on destroying war hero

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Original article by Kieran Gair
The Australian – Page: 5 : 29-Jun-21

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith is suing Nine Entertainment over newspaper articles that appeared in 2018 that allege he committed or was complicit in murders on deployments to Afghanistan, and that he assaulted a woman in 2018. Former Liberal defence minister and Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson told the Federal Court on 28 June that the general public idolised Roberts-Smith, while Nelson claimed that the journalists who wrote the articles in question were "intent on bringing him down". The court also heard the case may have to be paused because of the impact of Sydney’s two-week lockdown on the availability of interstate witnesses.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

No mafia-style threats: VC hero

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Original article by Kieran Gair
The Australian – Page: 3 : 24-Jun-21

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith is suing three newspapers over articles in 2018 that allege he committed murder while on deployments in Afghanistan, allegations which he denies. Appearing for his ninth day in the witness box on 23 June, he denied claims that he sent letters containing "mafia-style" threats to former soldiers. Roberts-Smith also denied allegations he poured petrol on his laptop and set it alight in 2018 after being informed that his behaviour in Afghanistan was the subject of an "open" investigation into alleged war crime

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Construction wages barrier to developing lithium battery industry

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 24-Jun-21

Australia has the potential to develop the first legitimate mine-to-lithium battery industry outside of China, according to a report prepared for the Future Battery Industries Co-operative Research Centre. Such an industry would have the potential to inject $7.4 billion into the economy by 2030, as well as creating almost 35,000 jobs. The report contends the high cost of construction wages as being one barrier to developing a lithium battery industry, along with a lack of university-educated specialists. Global lithium battery sales are tipped to be worth between $US133 billion ($176 billion) and $US151 billion by 2030.

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CO-OPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTRE FOR FUTURE BATTERY INDUSTRIES

‘Slightly sanctimonious’: Media baron John B. Fairfax urges publishers to look beyond profits

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 17-Jun-21

Australian businessman John B. Fairfax has criticised media companies that responded to the pandemic-induced downturn in advertising revenue by sacking staff and discontinuing the print editions of some newspapers. He notes that News Corp and Australian Community Media in particular adopted a "pretty harsh attitude", with the closure of many regional newspapers and some printing plants. Fairfax argues that media companies should not focus solely on profits, and they must recognise their responsibility to provide quality journalism to the communities they serve.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY MEDIA PTY LTD

US review boosts Australian minerals

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Original article by Matthew Cranston, Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 10-Jun-21

The Biden administration has released the findings of its review of the nation’s critical mineral supply chain vulnerabilities. Amongst other things, the report has called for the US to source more critical minerals such as rare earths from its key allies and partners in order to reduce its reliance in imports from China. The report noted that the US will still be highly dependent on China for the processing of critical minerals, given that the nation has limited onshore processing and refining capacity. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia has a "responsibility" to expand its endowment of critical minerals.

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UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Four Corners morale is at an all-time low

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Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 19 : 7-Jun-21

The ABC’s decision to delay a ‘Four Corners’ program on the alleged links between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and a supporter of the QAnon movement is said to have caused a rift within the public broadcaster. ABC news director Gavin Morris referred the story to MD David Anderson, who decided that the story was not ready to be broadcast. The decision has angered senior journalist Louise Milligan and the executive producer of ‘Four Corners’, Sally Neighbour. The internal row follows the ABC’s recent legal dispute with former attorney-general Christian Porter.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Lynas funds jabs for staff in Malaysia

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 27-May-21

Lynas Rare Earths has responded to Malaysia’s third wave of COVID-19 by advising that workers at its processing plant will be offered employer-sponsored vaccines. The Australian-listed company has also booked out an entire hotel near the plant so workers do not have to mix in the wider community when their shifts end. A spokeswoman says there are no plans to offer vaccinations for Lynas employees in Australia, and has urged them to participate in the federal government’s vaccine rollout.

CORPORATES
LYNAS RARE EARTHS LIMITED – ASX LYC