Lithium
Lithium crash to cost 300 jobs at miner in WA
The world’s largest lithium producer will slash production of the battery ingredient in WA, prompting the federal government to consider bringing forward planned assistance.
- by Peter Milne
Latest
An expensive future made in Australia: Warnings on $23 billion plan
Governments around the world, including Australia, are using taxpayers’ money to support emerging industries. Now there are warnings these programs may achieve little.
- by Shane Wright
Lithium boss says prices for Australia’s ‘white gold’ may have bottomed
Australia’s largest independent lithium miner is preparing to boost output of the electric battery metal, even as prices languish around three-year lows.
- by Nick Toscano
Opinion
Opinion
Resources nationalism is threatening China’s push to secure critical minerals
Partial nationalisation of a vast lithium project in Chile is the latest move by developed and developing countries to prevent China from locking up the mineral supply critical to its dominance of the world’s battery industry.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Fortescue takes ‘milestone step towards green shipping’ amid iron ore hit
Iron ore shipments of 43.3 million tonnes were six per cent lower than previous corresponding quarter because of the ore derailment in late December and weather disruptions.
- by Simon Johanson
Russia sanctions put a rocket under BHP’s copper outlook
Copper is shaping up as a star for the mining giant, as it edges closer to making a final call on its nickel business in West Australia.
- by Simon Johanson
Opinion
Rare earths
In the rare earths Game of Thrones, Gina Rinehart grabs the crown
The federal government declared “the road to net zero runs through Australia’s resources sector”, and Rinehart will be hoping for a decent spoonful from the profit pot at the end of that road.
- by Elizabeth Knight
Australian mining ‘under assault’ from China, US ambassador says
America’s national security and the health of the planet depended on commodities managed by Australia, Caroline Kennedy told Paydirt Battery Minerals Conference in Perth.
- by Marion Rae
Rinehart-backed Liontown gets $550m loan despite lithium crash
Two of Australia’s biggest banks are backing Gina Rinehart’s favourite lithium miner Liontown Resources, signalling confidence in a pummeled sector.
- by Simon Johanson
Electric vehicle demand supercharges lithium hopes as new mine opens east of Perth
Wesfarmers and its Chilean partner SQM are bullish about lithium’s future despite low prices causing current players to curtail growth plans.
- by Peter Milne
Vulcan closer to $825m loan as EU ‘walks the talk’ on critical metals
Vulcan, which is backed by mining billionaire Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting, plans to extract lithium from underground reservoirs of hot brine from Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley.
- by Nick Toscano and Simon Johanson