MINING CORPORATIONS

Rinehart’s $US1b rare earths ride

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 19-Nov-25

Gina Rinehart’s corporate filings in the US show that the mining magnate has increased her investment in rare earths producer MP Materials from $US461.1m to $US996m, becoming its biggest shareholder. The US Department of Defense acquired a 15 per cent stake in MP Materials in mid-2025, as part of the Trump administration’s push to end Chinese dominance of the global rare earths market. The corporate filings also reveal that Rinehart has divested her stakes in Albemarle, Lithium Americas and Lithium Argentina, and reduced her stake in Chile-based SQM.

CORPORATES
MP MATERIALS CORPORATION, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF DEFENSE, ALBEMARLE CORPORATION, LITHIUM AMERICAS, LITHIUM ARGENTINA, SOCIEDAD QUIMICA Y MINERA SA

Big investors challenge miners over traditional owner consent

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 30-Oct-20

AustralianSuper and CBus are among the Australian investor signatories to an open letter to the world’s major mining companies. The letter was written in response to Rio Tinto’s destruction of ancient indigenous rock shelters at Juukan Gorge and subsequent revelations regarding its deficiencies in managing the controversy. The letter asks mining companies to assess the "genuineness" of the consents they have secured from traditional owners, and asks how they are managing cultural heritage risks. Apart from Rio, recipients of the letter with Australian mines include BHP, Newcrest, Evolution Mining, Fortescue Metals Group and OZ Minerals.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, SARACEN MINERAL HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SAR

Resolution project still years away, says Rio boss

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: Online : 12-Aug-19

Rio Tinto CEO Jean-­Sebastien Jacques says an investment decision on the Resolution copper project in the US state of Arizona could be as long as five years away. Rio owns a 55 per cent stake in the project, while BHP owns the remaining 45 per cent. The proposed Resolution mine would be one of the biggest and deepest mines in the US, and could potentially supply up to 25 per cent of that country’s demand for copper.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

No bargains from gold mergers: PwC

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 5-Jun-19

The Super Pit gold mine in Western Australia is among the assets that could potentially be offered for sale in the wake of the latest round of mergers in the gold sector. Northern Star Resources and Evolution Mining are among the Australian gold producers that acquired assets at a discount during the previous spate of mergers in the sector. However, Chris Dodd of PwC says potential buyers cannot expect a significant discount this time around.

CORPORATES
NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION, GOLDCORP INCORPORATED, BARRICK GOLD CORPORATION, RANDGOLD RESOURCES LIMITED, ST BARBARA LIMITED – ASX SBM, ATLANTIC GOLD CORPORATION

‘One of the least-trusted on the planet’: Rio chief’s stark warning to miners

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Original article by Nick Toscano
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 30-Oct-18

Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques will address the International Mining and Resources Conference in Melbourne on 30 October. He will note that mining is one of the world’s least-trusted industries, and that mining companies must take action to address this. Jacques will also tell delegates that Australian mining companies should focus more on highlighting the economic contribution of mining and how it improves people’s lives. Meanwhile, Rio Tinto has advised that a non-binding deal to sell its 45.05 per cent stake in the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea to Chinalco has lapsed.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, ALUMINIUM CORPORATION OF CHINA LIMITED

Gold sector told to consolidate

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 25-Oct-18

GoldCorp CEO David Garofalo expects an increase in mergers and acquisitions activity among gold producers, arguing that the large number of players in the sector means it is becoming harder to attract capital. He says further consolidation may be necessary in order to gain the support of generalist investors. Garofalo has downplayed speculation about a potential merger between GoldCorp and Newcrest Mining, which produced 548,351 ounces of gold during the first quarter of 2018-19. This is below the rate required to meet its full-year production forecast.

CORPORATES
GOLDCORP INCORPORATED, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, BARRICK GOLD CORPORATION, RANDGOLD RESOURCES LIMITED, REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, SARACEN MINERAL HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SAR

Pilbara gold believer Novo Resources plans to start bulk-mining next year

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Original article by Angela East
stockhead.com.au – Page: Online : 5-Oct-18

Novo Resources chairman Quinton Hennigh has told the recent Precious Metals Investment Symposium in Perth that it plans to start bulk-mining in the Pilbara region in 2019. However, it is yet to advise markets as to possible grades or reserves for its conglomerate gold projects. Canadian billionaire Eric Sprott, who is Novo’s second biggest shareholder, told the symposium that the best way to find out what sort of gold resources the Pilbara has is to probably just start mining. The Pilbara has similar geological formations to the Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa, which is the world’s most productive gold region.

CORPORATES
NOVO RESOURCES CORPORATION, KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD LIMITED – ASX KLA

Iron ore miners bend to China’s will

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Original article by Rhiannon Hoyle
The Australian – Page: 22 : 6-Jun-18

Global iron ore producers are responding to growing demand for higher-grade iron ore in China by shifting production away from low-grade ore. They include Fortescue Metals Group, Vale and Cleveland-Cliffs. Fortescue recently announced plans to develop the Eliwana mine in Western Australia, with its output to be blended with lower-grade ore from the company’s other mines in the Pilbara. BHP also intends to blend ore from its proposed South Flank project with lower-grade ore.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, VALE SA, CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INCORPORATED, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Mining capex slow to move on big profits

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 5-Jun-18

The mining and construction sectors were a major contributor to the 5.9 per cent growth in the profits of Australian companies during the March quarter. However, data from PwC shows that the capital expenditure of the world’s 40 largest mining companies remains at its lowest level for a decade. Chris Dodd of PwC expects miners to continue to be cautious with regard to capital investment. Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg recently expressed a similar view.

CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, GLENCORE PLC, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Exploration dives as miners bank profits

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 21 : 7-Jun-17

A report from PwC shows that the world’s 40 largest mining companies posted a combined profit of $US20bn in 2015, compared with a $US48bn loss in 2015. They also repaid some $US93bn ($A124.4bn) worth of debt in 2016, while combined capital expenditure fell by 41 per cent to a record low of $US50bn. The report also notes that expenditure on exploration fell to $US7.2bn, having peaked at $US21.5bn in 2012.

CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, ASSOCIATION OF MINING AND EXPLORATION COMPANIES, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS