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February 05, 2025
Orbminco Limited (ASX: OB1) (“Orbminco”, “the Company”), is pleased to announce results of recent trench sampling at its Bronze Fox Project located in the Southern Gobi Copper-Gold belt of Mongolia.
Highlights
- Sampling of an historic trench (Figure 1) at the Company’s Bronze Fox Project in Mongolia has returned high-grade copper-gold results on the western margin of the West Kasulu resource1. Better intersects include:
- 17m of 0.5% Cu and 0.34g/t Au including 6m of 1.0 % Cu and 0.6g/t Au
- 4m @ 0.6% Cu and 0.2g/t Au
- The trench remains largely unsampled (Table 1) with only visible mineralisation sampled to date
- The West Kasulu resource is open to the west, beneath shallow cover, where a review of an Induced Polaristion (IP) survey completed in 2018 has defined a number of strong, untested chargeability anomalies2
- Further IP surveying and geological mapping will be completed across the interpreted western extension of the West Kasulu resource to prioritise targets for drilling in Q2 2025
- Rock chip sampling also indicates that mineralisation extends to the northwest with numerous >0.5% Cu values recorded (Figure 1).
- IP surveys will also be completed at the Shuteen North target (Figure 2) ahead of a proposed maiden drilling program in Q2 2025 seeking to confirm the discovery of a new, and third, intrusive complex at the Bronze Fox project, which is interpreted to be related to the extensive Shuteen lithocap
Managing Director, Ralf Kriege, commented:
“The new trench results, coupled with drilling results from the 2024 drilling program, including 26m at 0.91% CuEq from 14 in hole F111, and review of existing chargeability anomalies supports an extension of existing geophysical coverage and a proposed high priority drilling program to better understand the higher-grade potential of the open western strike of the Bronze Fox Intrusive Complex.
The Shuteen North target has the potential to be the third intrusive complex at Bronze Fox and is a compelling, near surface and new large-scale target interpreted to be associated with the Shuteen lithocap, the largest lithocap in the Southern Gobi. The importance of this conceptual geological setting is significant given the lithocap at the Oyu Tolgoi project was an important early-stage exploration marker.
Preparations are taking place to undertake geophysical surveys and surface field activities early in the next quarter, to refine existing and generate new targets ahead of drilling at both the western extension of the Bronze Fox Intrusive Complex and at the Shuteen North Intrusive Complex.”
Exploration Update
The trench sampling took place in November 2024 during Orbminco’s maiden drill campaign and provides strong encouragement that the West Kasulu resource continues westward beneath shallow cover (Figure 1) with potentially higher copper and gold grades. This interpretation is further supported by 2024 drill hole F111, which returned 26m at 0.91% CuEq from 14m, including 2m at 8.29% CuEq from 24m (see OB1 ASX announcement from 14 January 2025 for further details 3).
A subsequent review of an IP geophysical survey completed by Joint Venture partner Kincora Copper Limited (Kincora) at West Kasulu in 20182, has also identified a number of significant and untested chargeable IP anomalies which will be targeted by drilling in 2025. The IP surveying along with geological mapping will be extended to the west prior to the drilling to determine the potential for further extensions to the resource, higher grade zones and open pit potential.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Orbminco Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
14 March
Renergen Begins Commercial Liquid Helium Sales
Renergen Limited (ASX:RLT) has announced Renergen Begins Commercial Liquid Helium Sales. The long-awaited event of filling a helium container with liquid has now taken place, an achievement the Company is pleased to announce. It is being collected by the customer today.
After facing challenges cooling large iso-containers to the extreme temperatures needed for liquid helium storage (-269 degrees Celsius), we've implemented an effective alternate solution. We will now regularly fill smaller Dewars (250-500 litres) with liquid helium. This practical approach will continue until our plant reaches closer to nameplate capacity.
Our team began cooling the vessel on the 13th of March at 9:00 AM and completed the fill in the mid-afternoon.
The quality of both our LNG and liquid helium now exceeds minimum design specifications. We remain committed to increasing production and developing the Virginia Gas Project to its full potential.
"This achievement represents a concrete step toward rebuilding the trust placed in us — a commitment we take seriously. Our operations team has poured their hearts and souls into overcoming these technical challenges," said CEO Stefano Marani. "Successfully managing cryogenic liquid at -269 degrees Celsius is a remarkable accomplishment achieved by very few companies worldwide. We remain committed to restoring confidence through consistent delivery and performance as we continue to advance the Virginia Gas Project."
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Renergen Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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13 March
Seequent Unveils Evo: Using Open-source Tech to Reshape Mining Exploration
Geoscience software company Seequent has grown from a small startup to a 750 employee operation over the past two decades. With the launch of its latest platform, Evo, at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention, it is introducing new technology that could significantly impact the mining sector.
Seequent is aiming to expedite exploration and enhance accuracy in mining by centralizing geoscience data, streamlining workflows and improving collaboration between industries.
Designed to integrate data from multiple sources, Evo enhances decision making, optimizes resource extraction and supports environmental management. With open APIs and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, it extends the functionality of existing tools like Leapfrog, while leveraging cloud computing for faster processing of large datasets.
The Investing News Network (INN) sat down with Seequent CEO Graham Grant at PDAC to find out more about Evo and how the mining sector is leveraging the company's new technology.
“What this industry needs more than anything is innovation,” said Graham, noting that the Seequent team comes from an array of backgrounds, including medical science. “(The mining sector) has to change the way it works, and usually, when you look at the pattern of technology, the most dramatic innovations come from outside your industry, not inside.”
The data fragmentation challenge
One of the issues Evo seeks to address is data fragmentation.
While today’s geologists and miners are privy to more data than ever, much of this data is distributed across different systems and locations, preventing companies from achieving full visibility and control.
To streamline the process for mining sector workers, Evo centralizes geoscience data from various sources, improving accessibility, collaboration and analysis. By integrating data that is spread across platforms, Evo helps users work with up-to-date information and draw insights from past projects.
Its geospatial search incorporates Cesium technology, and Seequent has introduced two related applications, Driver and BlockSync, to enhance functionality. Graham explained that to achieve this, Evo was designed to be open instead of siloing data and forcing mining companies to also be technology companies.
“The modern way is open source, it's platforms," he explained to INN.
"It's enabling things to move quickly and easily across whatever the device,” he continued. “We saw this problem years ago, but we knew it would take cloud and cloud architecture to break this paradigm, and so what Evo is doing is it's breaking that paradigm, and it's approaching the world from the perspective of being open.”
The open platform design enables seamless connectivity and automation, even with competing software, according to Graham. This approach is key as even though mining companies are not tech firms, they often employ skilled professionals who can leverage automation and coding tools.
Additionally, the system allows users to develop custom solutions without relying solely on third-party vendors, marking a significant shift in how technology can be used in the industry.
Critical minerals discovery and jurisdictional risk
With the search for critical minerals deposits intensifying on a global scale, Graham said that technologies like Evo can can be leveraged to analyze data and better pinpoint deposits.
“We know the discovery process and the development process now is just a whole lot more complex," he said during the interview. "(Deposits are) harder to find, they’re deeper, the grades are lower, the easy stuff is gone. So the way to deal with that is to use the best science you can find.
The Seequent CEO also acknowledged the geopolitical challenges facing mining executives.
“Being a mining CEO and a mining executive right now has got to be one of the most complex tasks in the world,” said Graham, pointing to trade restrictions, tariffs, inflation, permitting challenges, community expectations and unpredictable geopolitical shifts as some of the reasons why the job is difficult.
“As an executive, the one thing you have to do is build a resilient and adaptable organization that can see its way through these kinds of changes,” he said. “Adaptability is the key, and this is what we can bring to a mining company — a flexible, adaptable technology framework that enables you to flex your organization fast, revisit scenarios and recalculate.”
Click here to view the Investing News Network's PDAC playlist on YouTube.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
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12 March
Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate 45MT Tanbreez Rare Earth Project Greenland
European Lithium Ltd (ASX: EUR, FRA:PF8, OTC: EULIF) (European Lithium or the Company) is pleased to announce the Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 45MT at 0.4% REO from the Tanbreez Project in Greenland, (see Table 1).
The MRE was prepared in 2016 for Rimbal Proprietary Limited and since acquiring the Tanbreez Project in 2022 is reporting the 2016 MRE.
The Tanbreez Fjord and the Tanbreez Hill rare-earth mineral sites are contained within a mineralised Kakortokite host unit covering an area of approximately 5km x 2.5km and 270 meters thick, estimated at 4.7 billion tonnes of Kakortokite. The host does not indicate any certainty of hosting mineralisation.
Tanbreez Project Acquisition
European Lithium first acquire a 5% interest in Tanbreez Mining Greenland A/S (Tanbreez) on 3 October 2022 and acquired a further 2.5% interest in Tanbreez on 6 February 2023. At this time, the investment of 7.5% in Tanbreez was not considered material to the Company and as such the MRE was not disclosed at the time of acquiring an interest in Tanbreez. In June 2024, Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CMC) entered into the Heads of Agreement with Rimbal Pty Ltd to acquire up to 92.5% in Tanbreez and have completed the initial investment and stage 1 interest to hold a 42.0% interest in Tanbreez. As of the date of this announcement, European Lithium and CMC hold a combined interest of 49.5% in Tanbreez. European Lithium is CMC's largest shareholder and as such now considers the Tanbreez Project to be material and as a result is announcing the Maiden MRE in this announcement following consultation with the ASX.
CMC has completed due diligence and is preparing a S-K 1300 Report for lodgement with the SEC in the United States of America. It has undertaken a recent drilling program for confirmation, extension and infill drilling to prepare the project for Mine Development Studies and anticipates assay results will be available in the near future.
The Company wishes to report The Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for the Tanbreez Project located in Greenland. This estimate was prepared by Al Maynard and Associates Pty Ltd on 30 August 2016 in accordance with the JORC Code 2012. The authors of the report are independent consultants with a long experience with the project. They are qualified as `Competent Persons' under the JORC Code 2012 and the VALMIN Code 2015. The authors are P.A. Jones, BAppSc (App.Geol), MAusIMM, MAIG., and A.J. Maynard, BAppSc (Geol), MAIG MAusIMM.
The MRE report was commissioned by Rimbal Pty Ltd in 2016, a private company registered in Australia and not required to provide any disclosure. EUR subsequently acquired part of the Project in June 2024 and has now reported the MRE. The Mineral Resource Estimate provided by European Lithium for reference in accordance with ASX Listing Rules as a basis for further public disclosures relating to the Tanbreez Project.
The Mineral Resource Estimate has not been updated and no more recent estimates or data relevant to the reported mineralisation is available.
The estimate is conceptual in nature. It is based on extensive historic and Tanbreez exploration drilling (414 holes) coupled with the exposures in multiple creek sections. Investors should not place undue reliance on this information.
Overview of the Tanbreez Project
The Tanbreez Project is a significant critical minerals asset positioned to provide a sustainable, reliable and long-term rare earth supply for North America and Europe. Once operational, Tanbreez is expected to supply REEs to customers in the western hemisphere to support the production of a wide range of next-generation commercial products, as well as demand from the defence industry. The Tanbreez Project is expected to possess greater than 27% Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREEs), which carry a much higher value than Light Rare Earth (LREEs). In an industry where competitors primarily target LREE, the Tanbreez Project is believed to be unique, not only due to its significant size, but also because of its HREE asset mix.
2016 Mineral Resource Estimate Summary
Table 1 2016 MRE for Inferred and Indicated Resource Estimate
The Tanbreez Project is favourably located in Southern Greenland and is expected to have access to key transportation outlets as the project's area features year-round direct shipping access via deep water fjords that lead directly to the North Atlantic Ocean.
Commenting on the 45MT MRE, Tony Sage, Executive Chairman of the Company, said:
" /am pleased to report Tanbreez has reached a significant milestone by declaring the MRE that now will allow our next results and drilling develop the initial resource to more tonnes and grade in the coming months"
"The deposit drilling only covers approximately 5% of the total project area and deeper and extension drilling will commence shortly to deliver an even higher resource"
"We are measuring the real potential for Tanbreez on the significant investment over the past 2 decades by Rimbal and this major discovery as my team take this amazing deposit into a world class REE development project".
`lam excited with more good news in the coming the months will be rewarding for all stakeholders as we achieve greater milestones on this important REE project for the western world"
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from European Lithium, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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11 March
PDAC 2025: Investment Capital, AI Energy Demand and the Race for Resources
Another Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention has come and gone.
The 2025 iteration of the biggest mining event globally was a success, with more than 25,000 attendees converging on the Metro Toronto Convention Center over the four day event.
Several key themes emerged at this year’s PDAC, with the most prevalent being the need for more exploration and funding, government support for the mining sector and the growing importance of critical minerals.
Setting the tone for the event, Mike Henry, CEO of BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP), underscored in an hour-long keynote address the vast amount of critical minerals that will be needed in the years ahead.
"In copper alone, we anticipate 70 percent growth in demand by the middle of this century. Billions of people depend on our industry's ability to deliver the critical minerals the world needs in a timely, reliable and cost-effective manner,” he said.
The CEO went on to underscore the abundant resource potential offered by Canada, Australia and Chile, while also noting the massive investments needed to propel the energy transition and global decarbonization.
“Done well, the meeting of the world's growing need for critical minerals can transform communities, economies and countries for the better, and one need look no further than Canada or Australia or Chile, three resource-rich nations that have harnessed their resource endowment for the effective benefit of the people,” Henry said.
He added that this continued effort requires capital, offering investors strong returns by supporting the right companies, commodities and standards. As Henry explained, for copper alone an investment of US$250 billion will be needed over the next five to 10 years to keep pace with “surging local demand.”
When extrapolated to include other in-demand metals, that number balloons to US$800 billion between now and 2040.
The need for exploration investment was also reiterated by Kevin Murphy, director of metals and mining research with S&P Global Commodity Insights. During his presentation, he noted that mining exploration spending has dropped sharply from its highs in 2011 and 2012, with gold remaining the top target, followed by copper, uranium and lithium.
“I would consider exploration the canary in the coal mine for the mining industry in general; it's the base of the pyramid, where mines are at the top and a huge amount of exploration, in theory, should be at the bottom," said Murphy. “If we look at where we currently are in exploration spending compared to historic amounts, we're actually down a fair bit.”
Over the last decade, exploration expenditure has also shifted focus, from greenfield to mine site exploration.
“if you go back into the '90s, even the early 2000s, generative, purely generative exploration, looking for new deposits. That was actually the preferred place to put your money,” explained Murphy.
“That has shifted greatly, so much so it's now the least preferred. People are exploring their mines. They're exploring assets with resources already proven, and they are moving further and further away from doing generative exploration.”
According to Murphy, greenfield exploration dropped significantly in 2024, raising concerns about long-term supply, particularly for copper, where major new discoveries have slowed. Gold has long focused on mine site exploration, while lithium and uranium, as younger commodities, are targeting assets with proven but undeveloped resources.
With financing challenges persisting in 2025 and market uncertainty growing, exploration budgets are expected to shrink further, except possibly for gold amid policy shifts.
Capital investment and supply growth
To ensure the long-term success of the energy transition and mineral pipeline, most presenters and panelists at PDAC agreed that capital investment is imperative.
During a lithium panel discussion, the vast amount of lithium needed for the electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage was underscored as a crucial indicator of the amount of CAPEX the sector needs in the years ahead.
Lithium has been especially challenging, as the market swung into over supply in 2023 pushing prices down, also new technologies considered to still be in infancy are having issues ramping up output.
Near-term lithium supply faces challenges as key projects, especially in China, Chile, and Africa, struggle with delays due to financing, environmental, and permitting issues, Siddarth Subramani, director of lithium at Hatch told PDAC attendees.
He added that many projects are also ramping up slower than expected due to the industry's lack of maturity.
In Argentina, lithium production is expected to grow from 75,000 tons to 300,000 metric tons by 2027, but technical and execution challenges could hinder this. A significant supply gap may emerge, pushing prices higher, but not enough to drive long-term production expansion.
A similar tone was struck during the Benchmark Summit, an event that coincides with PDAC. The day-long symposium focused on the supply chain of raw materials needed for the energy transition.
Increasing copper production will be pivotal in achieving global carbon reduction goals, as well as ensuring the energy transition can continue its implementation rate. To meet this demand, the globally diversified miner is looking to Latin America, especially Argentina and Chile, which represents a significant growth opportunity for copper supply in the coming years if the supportive policy environment continues.
During his address to Benchmark Summit guests, Tony Power, CEO of Anglo American's (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF) Peruvian operations, highlighted the growth potential Anglo’s Los Bronces asset in Chile possesses, describing it as the "gift that keeps giving.”
As Anglo works to expand the asset through underground development, Power was also forthcoming with the challenges that are facing the copper sector.
“It's not getting cheaper to make copper mines. It's getting more and more expensive,” said Power. “So the only way to offset that is the price of copper to go up to be able to sustain that capital investment.”
The impact of AI
While financing and supplying the energy transition were obvious themes, the unexpected demand forecasted by AI data centers and generative technologies emerged as an equally important focus at the world’s largest mining-centric conference.
The world’s growing adoption of AI paired with mass electrification are projected to push electricity demand up by 80 percent by 2050, a factor many energy transition reports did not take into consideration.
Getting ahead of this demand several tech companies penned nuclear power agreements deals in 2024. While the headline making deals brought attention to the nuclear sector, little attention was paid to the required upstream growth needed to supply U3O8 to those reactors.
Per Jander, director of Nuclear Fuel at WMC underscored the magnitude of nuclear energy needed to meet the ever growing global electricity demand.
Unlike traditional data centers, AI facilities require immense power and advanced cooling systems, such as liquid cooling, due to their high-intensity computing needs. This sector is still in its early stages, yet demand is already surging, with AI operations consuming 50 terawatt-hours annually, explained Jander.
“Then 100 terawatt hours by 2027,” he said, adding that he got that figure from Deepseek. “So it comes from itself.”
Additionally, Jander also asked several AI assistants which energy source they preferred.
“Three out of four said I want fusion,” said Jander, noting he didn't limit the AI to specific energy types. “But one … said that (it) wanted to use nuclear power.”
Uranium isn't the only sector expected to see a demand spike from the AI data center proliferation.
Noting that electrification is already pushing copper towards deficit, Micheal Meding, VP and GM at McEwen Copper (TSX:MUX,NYSE:MUX) believes AI electricity needs could tip that scale further.
“Data centers require huge amounts of copper and require a lot of energy, that energy needs to be generated and transported,” he said during a copper panel discussion at the Benchmark Summit. “So I think we haven't really understood how much of this metal is going to be needed in the future.”
Click here to view the Investing News Network's PDAC playlist on YouTube.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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07 March
Australia’s Mining Gender Pay Gap Shrinks, Women Still Earn Less
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has released an updated Employer Gender Pay Gaps report covering 7,800 employers and 1,700 groups.
The gender pay gap is defined by the agency as “the difference between the average or median remuneration of men and the average or median remuneration of women, expressed as a percentage of men’s remuneration.” This differs from equal pay for the same or similar roles.
“(We focus) on the total remuneration gender pay gaps that include payments above base salary such as superannuation, performance bonuses, overtime and allowances, as this gives a more accurate representation of the real differences in earnings between men and women,” WGEA said.
The agency started by illustrating the general pay situation in the nation, which is evidently unequal. WGEA reported that on average, for every dollar a man earns, a woman earns 78 cents.
This drives the entire gap regardless of industry and sets a precedent for calculating pay.
WGEA also highlighted that employers in male-dominated industries, including the mining sector, are more likely to pay male workers more.
According to the report, “4 out of 5 employers in men-dominated industries have a gender pay gap in favour of men.” Across 248 mining employers, 92 percent of the total average remuneration gender pay gap favours men.
Employee ratio and roles
WGEA’s analysis considered several factors affecting the disparity. Among these is the ratio of male to female workers, which is evident in the mining sector.
The report stated that women make up 22 percent of the mining employee population, but this isn't spread evenly across pay quartiles. In the upper and upper middle pay quartiles, women are just 16 and 15 percent of workers respectively. According to the WGEA, the over-representation of men in the upper quartile of earners drives two-thirds of the gender pay gap. In the lowest pay quartile, women make up 35 percent of the mining workforce — significantly higher than their presence in other pay groups.
“Employers with the highest gender pay gaps show the greatest disparity between the proportion of women in the upper quartile, compared to the proportion of women in the workforce. In general, the greater the difference, the higher the gender pay gap.”
Women, according to WGEA, are less likely to work in the highest paying jobs in the economy. This applies to mining, which ranked as the highest paid industry assessed under the report, having an average salary of AU$195,141 across pay quartiles.
Mining engineers and the like placed ninth in Monarch’s top 10 list of the highest paying jobs in Australia in 2024 with AU$196,178.
The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CMEWA) recognised this key point in a commentary on the report, with chief executive officer Rebecca Tomkinson agreeing that men still outnumber women in the sector.
“Closing the pay gap in a traditionally male-dominated industry like mining will not be achieved overnight but women are increasingly voting with their feet to join a sector that has demonstrated its commitment to boosting female participation.”
Another aspect mentioned in the report is additional payments on top of base salary, such as superannuation, overtime and performance bonuses.
Nationally, these discretionary payments often go to the higher earners or those up in the corporate ladder, which are, more often than not, male employees.
WGEA reported these payments averaged at least AU$11,204 annually across all industries. Mining saw the highest gap between average base salary and average total remuneration at AU$55,281.
Mining sector, unions making strides
The mining sector and mining unions have been making progress in recent years with regards to improving the pay gap and increasing the portion of women in the workforce.
The WGEA said that the mining industry’s mid-point of median gender pay gap decreased by 1.6 percent from 2023 to 2024. This is a significant number, as the national decrease is only at 0.2 percent.
In a separate report called 2024 Diversity and Inclusion in the Western Australian Resources Sector, the CMEWA found that the proportion of women employees in the mining and resources has increased from 18.8 per cent to 24.8 per cent over the last decade.
On the topic of childcare, Tomkinson of the CMEWA said, “Women remain the predominant caregivers for their children and in many instances stop working for a period to raise young children. This can contribute to the pay gap for women across all industries, but the resources sector has some of corporate Australia’s most accommodating policies and practices in place to encourage retention and to create a more family-friendly work structure.”
The sector is still facing difficulties, though. Last November, mining giant Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) released its 2024 Everyday Respect report, an external review of the company's progress on lowering workplace harassment and discrimination. While there was progress in some areas, the report showed that women were disproportionately affected by harmful behaviours in the workforce. Additionally, in December 2024, a class action sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against Rio Tinto and BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP).
Efforts to improve conditions and pay are also being made by workers and unions, including the Electrical Trades Union of Australia’s (ETU) recruitment of members large miners such as Rio Tinto and BHP. The ETU stated on its website that its campaign is to raise wages, improve conditions, secure safety and improve life for all Australians.
There is also the Western Mine Workers Alliance (WMWA), a partnership of the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) and Australian Workers Union. The WMWA recently called for improved conditions and an annual raise for workers at Rio Tinto's iron ore operations around Paraburdoo.
On the federal level, the Australian government implemented the Same Job, Same Pay law, which mandates that labor hire workers receive wages equivalent to their permanent counterparts. This law has already led to significant pay increases for over 4,000 workers, with more expected to benefit as enforcement continues.
"Same Job, Same Pay is driving pay rises for labour hire workers as intended. It is also leading to mining companies hiring more permanent workers as their financial incentive to outsource is removed,” said MEU General Secretary Grahame Kelly, as quoted in Mirage News.
The WGEA reminded readers of its report that behind the bigger picture and statistics are the actions of employers, which ultimately drive the pay adjustments in every sector.
“As more employers take action, based on evidence of what does work to improve workplace gender equality, this will help close the gender pay gap and improve workplaces for all employees.”
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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06 March
Ontario Premier Pushes to Fast Track Mining as Industry Grows to C$64 Billion
A new report from the Ontario Mining Association reveals that the province's mineral exports reached C$64 billion in 2023, accounting for more than 25 percent of Ontario’s total goods exports.
Of that amount, C$42 billion worth of minerals were shipped to the US, including C$5.7 billion in critical minerals such as platinum-group metals, nickel, copper, uranium and zinc.
More than half — or 57 percent — of Ontario’s critical mineral exports were destined for the US.
The State of the Ontario Mining Sector report highlights the industry's profound impact on the provincial economy.
Ontario remains Canada’s top gold producer, home to 18 operating gold mines that yielded approximately 2.9 million troy ounces of gold in 2023, valued at C$6.5 billion. The province also boasts nine active critical mineral mines and 10 processing facilities, feeding industries such as aerospace, defense and electric vehicle production.
The report underscores mining’s economic contributions, including a C$23.8 billion injection into Ontario’s GDP in 2023 — nearly 3 percent of the province’s total GDP. Mining investments reached C$5.2 billion in capital expenditures, directly employing 22,000 workers with an average salary of C$150,000 — almost double the provincial average.
The industry also supports 126,000 indirect jobs, and 12 percent of its workforce identifies as Indigenous, significantly higher than the 3 percent Indigenous participation across Ontario’s overall workforce.
"Ontario’s mining sector is a cornerstone of our technology-driven economy, delivering well-paying jobs, producing essential inputs to North America’s manufacturing supply chain, and plays a vital role in our continental security,” said Ontario Mining Association President Priya Tandon in a Tuesday (March 4) press release.
Ontario’s mineral production reached C$15.7 billion in 2023, a 50 percent increase over the past decade. Between 2019 and 2024, four new mines opened in Northern Ontario, with six new projects and four expansions underway.
Ontario remains a global leader in mining finance, with the TSX and TSXV listing 40 percent of the world’s publicly traded mining companies, valued at C$603 billion by the end of 2024 — more than triple their market value in 2015.
However, exploration spending — key to ensuring long-term commodities supply — was C$976 million in 2023, representing 23 percent of Canada’s total, but highlighting the need for continued investment.
The sector also faces labor shortages, with 21 percent of its workforce over the age of 55 and declining enrollment in mining-related educational programs. The Ontario Mining Association's "This is Mine Life" campaign, funded in part by the provincial and federal governments, is working to attract young people and newcomers to Canada to mining careers.
Ontario's push to accelerate mining development
Ontario Premier Doug Ford used his speech at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention to reaffirm his commitment to fast tracking mineral extraction projects.
In particular, he highlighted the Ring of Fire, a region known for its vast nickel, copper and chromite deposits.
At the event, Ford reiterated his pledge to streamline resource development approvals and create special zones where critical minerals projects can move forward with expedited timelines.
“Together, we need to build the most competitive economy in the G7 to invest, create jobs, and do business,” Ford told attendees, warning that Ontario must be prepared for "anything and everything" in response to US tariffs.
As part of his efforts to strengthen Indigenous participation, Ford reiterated his commitment to adding C$70 million to the Aboriginal Participation Fund and to relaunching the Aboriginal Loan Guarantee Program as a C$3 billion First Nations Opportunities Financing Program. However, Indigenous leaders have raised concerns about the speed of development in the mining industry and potential infringement on treaty rights.
Ford, when asked whether his push for fast tracking mining development means bypassing environmental assessments, responded, "We’re going to sit down with (First Nations leaders) and have a great conversation."
Overall, the Ford government has committed C$500 million to a critical minerals processing fund, aiming to attract investors and establish Ontario as a hub for refining materials like nickel, copper and lithium. The initiative aligns with broader western efforts to counter China’s dominance in the global supply of refined metals.
“We have the critical minerals the world needs, and we have the workforce to get them out of the ground,” Ford stated in the same PDAC address. “But we don’t want to see those minerals ripped and shipped overseas or south of the border. We want Ontario’s critical minerals to be processed and refined right here by Ontario workers.”
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Aion Therapeutic0.10-0.01
Cybin Corp2.140.00
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