Monthly Archives: January 2016

[ad_1] Bento Rodrigues after Samarco disaster. Photo: Anonio Cruz / Agencia Brasil / Creative Commons BHP Billiton has been forced to lower its iron ore production forecast for the 2015/16 financial year in the wake of the tailings dam disaster at its Samarco mine in Brazil in November. BHP announced on Wednesday a forecast of

[ad_1] A nickel ore ship at Townsville, where (inset) Clive Palmer’s Yabulu refinery processes it. Photo: Chris Mackey / Southern Cross Maritime. (Inset: Creative Commons / Benjamin J Macdonald) The Queensland and Federal governments are preparing to help workers who have lost their jobs after Clive Palmer’s Queensland Nickel refinery went into voluntary administration on

[ad_1] Western Australian farmers plan to continue their opposition of Brookfield Infrastructure’s proposed takeover of port and rail business Asciano, despite a range of concessions Brookfield recently put forward to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Bermuda/Canada-based Brookfield Infrastructure already owns Brookfield Rail, which holds a long-term lease of much of WA’s intermodal and

[ad_1] France’s Bouygues and Spain’s Ferrovial have reportedly added themselves to the mix of bidders looking to acquire the Australian arm of UK-based engineering and services firm Laing O’Rourke. The news, reported by The Australian on Monday, comes just over a week after group chairman Ray O’Rourke announced the Australian arm of the company would

[ad_1] The Karara export terminal at Geraldton Port in WA. Photo: Karara Iron ore junior Gindalbie Metals has seen its market value cut in half after Chinese steelmaker Ansteel – majority owner of its Karara mine in Western Australia – said it could pull out of the venture. Karara Mining Limited (KML) is a ~7mtpa

[ad_1] Freight and passenger services have resumed on the Mount Isa rail line in north-west Queensland, after a train carrying 817,000 litres of acid for Incitec Pivot derailed last month. An Aurizon locomotive and all 26 of its wagons derailed near Julia Creek at around 10.20am on December 27, 2015. Police reported that one of

[ad_1] Svitzer provide tug services in a number of Australian ports. Photo: Svitzer Tug boat engineers have taken strike action across a range of ports along the Australian coastline after the union representing tug engineers for Svitzer Australia announced wide-spread strike action. Strikes began on Tuesday at Newcastle, Botany Bay, Brisbane, Melbourne and Fremantle (including

[ad_1] Australia’s bulk commodity shippers could be challenged by international competition. Photo: Shutterstock A drop in the Baltic Dry index – a price indicator for the shipping of bulk commodities – could significantly impact the competitiveness of Australian miners with their Brazilian counterparts. BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group, who together represent a major

[ad_1] Coal miner Whitehaven has upgraded its guidance for the 2015/16 financial year after a strong December quarter saw a doubling of production thanks to its newly-opened Maules Creek mine in the Gunnedah Basin in NSW. Maules Creek, which was plagued by opposition from environmental groups and farmers, began operations in July 2015. Whitehaven is

[ad_1] The Sedgman-built West Senakin CHPP in Indonesia. Photo: Sedgman CIMIC Group has made an unconditional final offer to acquire 100% of smaller engineering firm Sedgman, in a bid which values the company at $243m. CIMIC, which was known as Leighton Holdings until April 2015, already owns 39.99% of Sedgman, an Australian based engineer which