BHP fails to end pay dispute

September 9, 2026roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nick Evans, Valerina Changarathil
The Australian – Page: 15 : 9-Sep-26

BHP has held further talks with a coalition of unions that represent workers at its Port Hedland iron ore hub in the Pilbara. However, BHP failed to reach a deal with the unions, despite offering a pay rise of 17 per cent over four years (one per cent higher than its previous offer), an increase in roster allowances and a $25,000 cash ‘transition payment’ over the first two years of a new enterprise agreement. BHP’s Port Hedland workers have already taken industrial action twice in recent months, although no further industrial action is believed to be planned at this stage. Meanwhile, there have been reports that China Mineral Resources Group has directed some steel mills to put iron ore purchases from Rio Tinto on hold, in a similar pricing dispute to the one that BHP resolved earlier this year.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

ASIC to take no action against Ellison, MinRes

September 2, 2026roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Mark Wembridge
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 2-Sep-26

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission launched an investigation into Mineral Resources and founder Chris Ellison in 2024. The probe had initially centred on the latter’s alleged tax avoidance scheme, but it was widened to include the trading of shares in lithium hopeful Kali Metals in the wake of its IPO. ASIC has advised that after assessing the available evidence, it has concluded that there is no need for any enforcement action. The Australian Taxation undertook a separate investigation into Ellison.

CORPORATES
MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX MIN, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE

BHP shrugs off Pilbara strikes

August 19, 2026roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 15 & 21 : 19-Aug-26

BHP has reported a 2025-26 net profit of $US9.83bn ($13.8bn), which is nine per cent higher than previously. CEO Brandon Craig says it was a "strong year" for the resources giant, and he notes that copper is now the main driver of its earnings. The copper division’s EBITDA topped $US18.2bn, eclipsing the iron ore arm for the first time; the latter’s full-year EBITDA of $US14.5bn was broadly in line with the previous financial year. Meanwhile, Brandon says the recent industrial action at BHP’s Port Hedland iron ore export hub has had no material impact on its Pilbara operations to date. Unions rejected BHP’s latest pay offer during negotiations yesterday.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

$260m in exports at risk as talks fail to avert strike at BHP

August 5, 2026roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 5-Aug-26

A BHP spokesman has indicated that "significant progress" was made in yesterday’s negotiations with a coalition of unions regarding a pay deal for workers at its Port Hedland iron ore export hub. However, the talks failed to resolve the impasse, and members of the Electrical Trades Union, the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union and the Australian Workers’ Union are still set to undertake industrial action this weekend. They will impose a ban on loading iron ore vessels on Saturday, while a 24-hour strike is planned for the following day. Further talks between BHP and the unions will be held in two weeks’ time.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WORKERS’ UNION, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION

Evolution snaps up copper mine in Queensland

July 28, 2026roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Mark Wembridge
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 28-Jul-26

Directors of copper miner Carnaby Resources have unanimously endorsed a $213m takever bid from Evolution Mining. The proposed deal will enable Evolution to fully utilise the mill at its Ernest Henry gold and copper mine; the mill processed about 5.6 million tonnes of copper ore in 2025, which is well below its capacity. Evolution has estimated that the addition of Carnaby’s Greater Duchess project will boost copper production at Ernest Henry by 10,000 tonnes a year. Evolution’s all-scrip bid values Carnaby at $0.77 per share; the target’s stock rose 58 per cent to $0.76 on Monday.

CORPORATES
EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, CARNABY RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX CNB

BHP lies exposed by union lobbying

July 22, 2026roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 22-Jul-26

BHP held further Fair Work Commission-mediated talks with a coalition of unions yesterday, in the wake of last week’s eight-hour work stoppage at its Port Hedland iron ore export hub. A BHP spokesman has indicated that its focus is on making constructive progress towards "fair and reasonable" workplace agreements. The industrial action is being headed by the Electrical Trades Union, which has written to large institutional investors and proxy advisers to warn them of "material risks" arising from BHP’s approach to industrial relations in the Pilbara.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Chinese rare earths investors blocked

July 15, 2026roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 15-Jul-26

Northern Minerals’ executive chairman Adam Handley has welcomed the federal government’s latest move aimed at getting shareholders with Chinese links to divest their holdings. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has told the rare earths producer to disregard all votes cast by the three shareholders in question at any of the company’s meetings. It follows a recent warning from Northern Minerals that the three investors had failed to comply with an order to divest their holdings by 2 July. Northern Minerals’ undeveloped Browns Range deposit in Western Australia includes terbium and dysprosium; China accounts for 99 per cent of global supply of these heavy rare earths.

CORPORATES
NORTHERN MINERALS LIMITED – ASX NTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Unions to stage fun fair at port strike

July 15, 2026roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 15 : 15-Jul-26

BHP and a coalition of unions held talks in the Fair Work Commission yesterday, in a bid to avert industrial action at the resources group’s Port Hedland iron ore export hub. However, the unions have advised that they intend to proceed with protected industrial action tomorrow, after failing to reach an agreement with BHP. Members of the Electrical Trades Union, the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union and the Australian Workers’ Union will go on strike for eight hours. The unions have ruled out establishing a picket line at BHP’s Port Hedland facilities and will not prevent non-union ‘strikebreakers’ from accessing the site. They will instead hold a family-friendly protest, which will include a barbecue and face painting.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WORKERS’ UNION, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

China-linked rare earths investors flout Chalmers’ sale edict

July 8, 2026roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Mark Wembridge
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 8-Jul-26

Northern Minerals has confirmed that six companies with links to China still hold a combined stake of about 17.6 per cent in the criticial minerals producer. Treasurer Jim Chalmers had directed the six companies to divest their stakes in Northern Minerals by 2 July. He had previously attempted in 2024 to compel China-linked investors to divest their stakes in Northern Minerals, citing national security concerns. Northern Minerals’ Browns Range rare earths project in Western Australia is considered to be of strategic importance in reducing China’s dominance of critical minerals supply.