Mining tycoon Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) has lodged applications to explore vast tracts of WA’s south coast for critical minerals.
Key points:
The mining exploration licenses include tenements close to Ravensthorpe where lithium and nickel are mined
A resource analyst says FMG will be looking for materials used in renewable batteries
The company is positioning itself as a renewable energy company, the analyst says
The WA billionaire owns FMG, which has lodged almost two dozen applications through the mining regulatory body this month.
The 21 applications are for tenements in an area stretching from Gnowangerup to Ravensthorpe and Lake King.
FMG is a West Australian mining company that focuses on the exploration, development, production and processing of iron ore, with most of its assets located in the state’s Pilbara region.
FMG remained tight-lipped when questioned by the ABC about which minerals it was looking for in the Great Southern, but it has been ramping up its search for lithium.
Lithium is in high demand because it is used in batteries for technology and electric vehicles.
Dr Forrest’s FMG has applied for mining exploration licenses in large parts of the Great Southern.(Supplied)
The commodity is valuable because of its high charge and low atomic mass.
Other minerals in Ravensthorpe include nickel and cobalt.
Battery minerals in high demand
MineLife senior resource analyst Gavin Wendt said FMG would be looking for battery materials and other metals that could go into renewable energy.
“Fortescue is increasingly positioning itself as a renewable energy company, and it’s looking towards these future-facing commodities as the world moves towards renewable energy,” he said.
Ravensthorpe is home to nickel and lithium mines. (ABC Great Southern)
“There’s a real growth opportunity out there for resource companies.
“We’re starting to see the world’s major miners … realize that they need to get their hands on these strategic materials because of the increase in demand that’s going to come through over the ensuing decades.”
Fortescue has not explored mining options in the Great Southern and Esperance area before, but Mr Wendt said in recent years larger companies had been going “further off the beaten [track]”.
“Ravensthorpe already has a strong history in terms of lithium, nickel and tantalum mines,” he said.
“In fact, we’ve got the Greenbushes mine, which is the world’s largest hard rock lithium operation, in the region.
“It’s a very prospective region, but it probably hasn’t seen the level of exploration that is justified over the decades, so I think that’s about to change.”
Along with mining exploration, Dr Forrest has a sustainable shellfish enterprise in Albany through Harvest Road.
The company at the center of an alleged sexual assault say they have a “zero-tolerance policy” towards such behavior after a 23-year-old journalist was allegedly groped at a Goldfields mining event.
Key points:
The alleged incident took place at the Graduates Hall of the West Australian School of Mines
The incident has been condemned by the mining sector and state politicians
Diggers and Dealers Forum chair Jim Walker says they expect delegates to behave in a respectful manner
Kalgoorlie Miner deputy editor Amber Lilley alleged she was propositioned, groped, and followed after attending a Diggers and Dealers Mining Forum event last week.
Forum chairman Jim Walker said the organization was disappointed to learn of the alleged incident that occurred at a sideline function during the week.
“While the incident did not occur at a Diggers and Dealers event, the forum has a zero-tolerance policy towards such behaviour,” he said.
Mr Walker said there was an expectation that people who attended the forum, including sideline events, behaved in a “respectful and inclusive manner”.
“Our expectations of delegates’ behavior also extended to unaffiliated events and private functions that take place around the city during this period,” he said.
The alleged incident took place at the Graduates Hall of the West Australian School of Mines, with school alumni hosting a networking event the same week as the conference.
A joint statement by the West Australian School of Mines Alumni and Curtin University said they were “extremely disappointed” by the behavior of one of the attendees.
The statement said the organizations were working to address issues of sexism and misogyny and improve opportunities for women in the mining sector.
“We are absolutely committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning and work environment,” the statement read.
“We strongly believe in the value that education and awareness can play in change, and as part of that, we have recently appointed a director of equity and diversity in the WA School of Mines.”
Mr Bowler says he is pleased the incident has been brought to light.(ABC Goldfields-Esperance: Robert Koenig-Luck)
Not an isolated incident
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mayor John Bowler said the Diggers and Dealers Forum should not be made responsible for the actions of one man but conceded it was unlikely the incident was isolated.
“Sadly, we get idiots who get a few beers under their belt and misbehave, but to say it’s just in Kalgoorlie-Boulder or just at the Diggers and Dealers conference is unfair,” he said.
Mr Bowler said he was pleased the incident had been brought to light and would like to see the man in question banned from future forums.
“This person, I hope, won’t be allowed back to Diggers and Dealers, and anyone who behaves like him should be treated the same,” he said.
“They [Diggers and Dealers] have assured me that will be the case.”
The incident has been condemned by the mining sector and state politicians, including the premier Mark McGowan who said he was “disappointed” and urged the industry to “do the right thing”.
Senator Cox says the allegations highlight a continuing trend of harassment towards women in mining.(Supplied)
Greens resources spokesperson Senator Dorinda Cox said Ms Lilley’s allegations highlighted a continuing trend of harassment towards women in mining.
She said the industry’s action on harassment was lacking despite the June release of a scathing report into sexual assault and harassment within WA’s fly-in, fly-out mining industry.
“The WA mining sector has been called out in the report, and its recommendations are clear,” Senator Cox said.
“The ignorance and lip service is impalpable, and holding those in power to account isn’t even a blip on the radar, which continues to leave me deeply concerned.”
Latest assault an ‘opportunity’ for mining sector
The incident has been seen by advocates for women in mining as a new chance for the industry to step up and show action on stamping out harassment.
Former FIFO worker Becky Felstead works as a consultant to the resource sector on sexual harassment, workplace culture and assault and said the industry had an opportunity to target harassment at its core.
Ms Felstead says there are many things that need to change.(Supplied)
“I think the mining industry has an opportunity. We know that this is systemic, and we know that this is happening as a culture, not just in mining,” she said.
“But mining has an opportunity because they can be front runners, and they can be the innovators in making sure that they are creating active bystanders, that they are changing the culture. They are having these conversations.
“I think there are so many things that need to change.”
Air travel in WA — including in the FIFO sector — is at risk of further severe disruption as aircraft engineers servicing Virgin Australia’s regional fleet this week joined their Qantas Group counterparts in preparing for a wave of industrial action.
A ballot of about 1000 Qantas Group engineers on their support for a potential strike in protest over their pay and conditions closes on August 10, with the union representing the workers confident it will be decisively backed in.
The West Australian has revealed the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association this week launched a second ballot of the approximately 50 technicians working at Virgin Australia Regional Airlines.
Both polls — launched after obtaining protected action orders from the Fair Work Commission — canvas “work stoppages up to 12 hours in length” and “overtime bans”.
Between them, Qantas Group — which includes Jetstar and Network Aviation — and VARA operate the vast majority of both regular passenger and FIFO flights in WA.
VARA provides FIFO services for Rio Tinto and BHP and flies between Perth and a number of regional destinations including Broome, Darwin, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Newman and Port Hedland.
ALAEA federal secretary Steve Purvinas said engineers at both airlines had endured years of pay freezes despite larger workloads, leading to fatigue and burnout.
He said Qantas Group engineers would commence “a token move of industrial action” within the next three weeks in the hope of prompting the national carrier back to the negotiating table.
The earliest VARA engineers would be able to engage in industrial action would be seven working days after their ballot closes on September 14.
Mr Purvinas claimed the union “do not intend to structure industrial action to disrupt services”.
“Our contest is with the airline, not the public,” he said.
“To that end we can have work stoppages but offer labor via overtime to cover the deficit in work. Certain options appear on the ballot paper but that does not necessarily mean they will be used.”
It remains to be seen what impact any kind of engineering downtime would have for airlines accustomed to operating on finely-tuned schedules.
Virgin Australia did not directly address questions about whether the airline was concerned about disruption to its WA services, a spokesperson saying only that the company was aware a protected action ballot had been launched.
“We intend to continue discussions with our team members and the ALAEA to understand the issues and work towards a new enterprise agreement,” the spokesperson said.
In a previous statement, Qantas Group said it was “disappointed” the union was threatening “completely unnecessary” industrial action.
“The latest claim by the ALAEA was for a one-year agreement with a 12 per cent pay rise for Qantas engineers,” the statement said.
“That’s something we simply can’t afford and is well above wage increases for other employees across the group.”
Mr Purvinas said the 12 per cent claim equaled to 3 per cent for each of the four years engineers’ pay had been frozen.
Both Qantas and Virgin Australia made headlines for their poor performance during the winter school holidays, including hundreds of flight cancellations and widespread delays.
In June, VARA had the worst on-time performance of any airline with nearly half of all flights either delayed or cancelled.
Travelers at Perth Airport endured another evening of chaos on Tuesday after severe storms cut off power to the site and backup generators servicing the terminals failed.
That forced all outgoing flights to be canceled — wrecking the travel plans of thousands of West Australians.
When Vitaly Bazarov and his wife Anna Shmatko moved to Melbourne in June, they knew they could have a better life for their daughter than they would have in Ukraine.
Speaking through an interpreter, Ms Shmatko said, “I’m a Ukrainian patriot, but I fell in love with Australia the moment I got here.”
After being displaced by the war in Ms Shmatko’s home country, the pair came to Australia with their daughter Mariia, and used Facebook to make friends and find support.
But despite being an experienced boilermaker and diver, Mr Bazarov has been unable to find employment.
Vitaly Bazarov is an experienced diver and underwater videographer.(Supplied: Anna Shmatko)
“This is a great country, but the services are expensive, I am really hoping one of my past careers can help me find a profession here so I can better support us,” he said.
Ms Shmatko believes employers discount her husband’s qualifications because English is not his first language.
“Finding the right people who will appreciate his skills and what he can do has been so hard,” she said.
Since arriving, the couple have been improving their English and actively seeking employment.
One of the ways they have been looking for work is through online groups on social media that aim to help refugees and immigrants settle into Australia.
The couple and their daughter have started new lives in Australia.(Supplied: Anna Shmatko)
It was through one of these groups the pair met Svetlana Khaykina, who volunteers her time to help people who have recently arrived find work and understand the Australian job market.
Writing CVs for refugees
Ms Khaykina, an engineer living in Port Hedland in WA, grew up in Belarus and can communicate proficiently with people from other Slavic language groups.
She has written over a dozen resumes for people, including Mr Bhazarov.
Svetlana Khaykina uses her industry expertise and Russian to help new arrivals find work.(Supplied: Svetlana Khaykina)
“Writing a CV is a very new thing for a lot of people when they first arrive; most people have no idea to start, it’s not a practice in Ukraine,” she said.
“I can see that Vitaly is extremely marketable especially in places like Port Hedland, he just needs to be given a chance.”
When Ms Khaykina sees job opportunities posted online, she tries to connect employers with immigrants and act as a translator if needed.
In her view, one of the biggest hurdles besides the language barrier is Australia not recognizing overseas certifications.
“People like Vitaly have decades of relevant experience, but even if he finds work he’ll probably have to work at a lower position like a trade assistant which doesn’t require certification,” she said.
Australia needs workers
Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA) data suggests the country will need at least 20,000 more workers to join the resources and energy sectors by the end of 2027.
Western Australia will require at least 11,250 of these employees.
AREEA chief executive Steve Knott said the industry was battling the worst skills crisis in a generation.
“Simply, unless industry and government can find some creative solutions, the skills crisis facing not only the resources and energy industry, but all sectors of the Australian economy, will persist for years to come,” he said.
Ms Khaykina said the wide range of highly skilled refugees arriving in Australia was mind boggling, but what was more surprising was the lack of job offers.
“Living in Port Hedland I know there’s a huge labor shortage and as an engineer I’m coming across welders, fitters, engineers, construction workers and all sorts of people.
“But they’re not being given a chance,” she said.
“Especially in Hedland, we need divers like Vitaly to do pile repairs and maintenance, we are always looking for more people with those skills.”
What support is available?
Ms Khaykina said with no end to the war in Ukraine in sight, she would love to see more effort from the Australian government to help resettle people.
“In my understanding there’s about 10,000 Ukrainians in Australia, while 9 million have fled the war; it’s such a great tragedy,” she said.
“When they do get here, they have limited humanitarian visas.”
The Department of Home Affairs said it had granted more than 8,600, mostly temporary, visas to Ukrainians in Ukraine and hundreds elsewhere.
A spokesman said Ukrainian nationals in Australia who were unable to accept the offer of a Temporary Humanitarian Stay could access other visa options.
The government had provided $450,000 to the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations to assist their work to support those arriving in Australia, the spokesman said.
And more than 1,300 Ukrainians had registered with the government’s Adult Migrant English Program, aimed at assisting new migrants and humanitarian entrants to learn English language skills.
Ms Khaykina believed if the government supported qualified refugees and immigrants to secure skilled work it would help solve the skills shortage and provide Ukrainians with a better life in Australia.
While assistance in finding skilled work could be limited, Ms Khaykina said support was available through community legal services.
Victoria Malyk, a migrant support worker in the Pilbara, said there was assistance for those who had recently arrived.
“I can respond to their needs such as help with employment and English lessons through the Settlement Engagement and Transition Support program or SETS.”
The young family say the community support has been phenomenal.(Supplied: Anna Shmatko)
The program is available to eligible clients, such as refugees and skilled regional workers in their first five years of living in Australia.
From Ms Malyk’s perspective, one of the biggest barriers facing these people are restrictions for some visa holders in accessing subsidized TAFE courses.
She said they usually could not afford high commercial fees.
“Further training is often needed for recognition of prior learning and overseas qualifications,” Mr Malyk said.
For now, Mr Bazarov will keep looking for work where he can use his decades of experience.
“We just need a chance,” he said.
“Once we find somebody who knows the industry and recognizes my skills, I’m sure they would want to take me, I’d be a great asset to any company.”
Australians have been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to own an entire town, including a charming historical pub nestled in Victoria’s East Gippsland region.
Coopers Creek was settled in the 1860s and has since been the site of copper and lime mining after not striking much luck digging for gold during Victoria’s gold rush.
The small town is set on 11 acres on the Thomas River and consists of 21 lots, all of which are up for grabs to potential buyers.
The peculiar listing has drawn parallels with popular tv show Schitt’s Creek.
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The show follows the adventures of the Rose Family who loses their fortune and takes up residence in the small town of Schitt’s Creek, which they bought as a joke during wealthier times.
Fans of the show or Australians wanting to own a piece of history now have the chance to buy the town of Coopers Creek, which at its height had a population of 250 people.
Mason White McDougall Real Estate expects the town may sell for around $2.5 to $3million, similar to the price of a single home in Melbourne’s Kew or Hawthorn.
Ian Mason, the Director of Mason White McDougal, said the town is the perfect place to live out the dream of starting a business or living off the grid.
“If you have ever wanted to own your own town or be the mayor of your own domain, this is the place for you,” Mr Mason said.
“Whether it’s setting up a tourism business or a desire to live off grid immersed in nature.”
The East Gippsland region is known for its stunning mountain ranges and is surrounded by beautiful bushland.
The town is a haven for outdoor adventures and therefore the region attracts bushwalkers, fishermen, kayakers and campers alike.
Mr Mason also advertised the towns stunning scenery and pristine natural environment as the perfect escape for the right buyer.
“Coopers Creek offers endless opportunities including a break from city life and a change of scenery in one of Victoria’s most pristine natural environments,” he said.
“Like the Rose family in Schitt’s Creek, Coopers Creek could be a life-changing move for the right buyer.”
In the heart of Western Australia’s Pilbara region lies sacred country, littered with lucrative iron ore mines that provide billions for Australia’s economy.
Now, the WA government wants to invest in roads near Karijini National Park and Wittenoom so Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting can transport iron ore through the region.
Fears for Aboriginal heritage have been sparked by the proposal, and also questioned due to its proximity to the deadly asbestos at Wittenoom — the largest contamination site in the Southern Hemisphere.
Documents seen by the ABC reveal the proposal has not been costed but includes more than 300 kilometers of upgrades and multiple new bridges on Nanuturra Munjina Road, Hamersley Mount Bruce Road, and Karijini Drive.
Aaron Rayner manages cultural heritage for Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation (WGAC), which holds native title for the area.
He said more than 40 significant sites would be damaged by the road project in the Hamersley Range, especially in an area called Rio Tinto Gorge.
The project would require land clearing and camps for up to 200 workers.
Sites in the area have been dated for human habitation back tens of thousands of years.(Supplied: Damien Katich)
“The proposal is to essentially develop a haul road that runs across and right through Eastern Guruma country and will interfere with very important Aboriginal heritage,” Mr Rayner said.
“There are about 45 Aboriginal sites that would be impacted, but there are many unknown and unrecorded Aboriginal heritage sites that will be impacted.”
A train lugs iron ore through the Hamersley Range.(ABC News: Rachel Fountain)
The upgrades would allow trucks carrying iron ore from Hancock’s Hardey operation to access the Great Northern Highway on the eastern edge of Karijini.
The mining company launched a feasibility study this year on the Hardey project in partnership with its owners Australian Premium Iron, with Hancock to lead any future development.
Government approached after Hancock rejected
Mr Rayner said Hancock approached WGAC for heritage consultation earlier this year, but they rejected it.
He said traditional owners then received a proposal from Main Roads WA, which backed Hancock’s plan.
Traditional owners have since written to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti and Hancock to voice their concerns.
“Eastern Guruma elders advised Hancock Prospecting that they were opposed to the construction of the road,” Mr Rayner said.
“We hope that both Hancock Prospecting and the Minister for Transport have listened to the Eastern Guruma elders and decided not to build the road.”
A Hancock spokesperson said the company consulted with all stakeholders about its operations and had engaged with traditional owners.
“Any option under consideration by Hancock is done so in consultation with Main Roads WA, in addition to traditional owners, to ensure heritage and cultural social values are understood and respected,” the spokesperson said.
Iron ore mines in the Pilbara generate hundreds of billions of dollars for the economy.(Supplied: Roy Hill)
The documents seen by the ABC show Main Roads WA, which owns the roads in question, contacted traditional owners about the proposal after Hancock pitched the idea.
“Main Roads now has the opportunity after being approached by Hancock Prospecting,” the documents state.
The project would start in 2023 and take about three years to complete, according to the documents.
A spokesperson for Ms Saffioti claimed no direct contact had been made with the minister but said Main Roads WA would engage with stakeholders including traditional owner groups.
Deadly asbestos risk for road workers
The proposal also includes a realignment of Nanuturra Munjina Road around Wittenoom, the site of disastrous asbestos mining historically led by Gina Rinehart’s father, Lang Hancock.
Mountains of deadly blue asbestos tailings litter the area around the town known as the Wittenoom Asbestos Management Area.
Massive piles of asbestos tailings still litter the area around Wittenoom.(Supplied)
The WA government officially closed Wittenoom in March as it considered the asbestos to be a public health risk with plans to demolish the town’s few remaining properties.
Curtin University respiratory health professor Fraser Brims said workers on the project in and around Wittenoom would be risking lung cancer and other deadly asbestos-related diseases.
“We don’t know with asbestos if there is a safe exposure level, so really if exposure can be avoided then it must be avoided to keep workers and indeed anybody safe,” Professor Brims said.
Professor Brims said extensive protective equipment would be required, which would be difficult to enforce in the intense Pilbara heat.
“Gold standard protection would be a full PPE suit. It’s heavy equipment, it would be very uncomfortable in the heat,” he said.
“Workers, because of the heat, would become uncomfortable. In time the concern would be they’d look to cut corners.”
A Main Roads WA spokesperson said the project was in its early planning stages, but any asbestos risk would be managed and traditional owner groups had been engaged.
An underground incident in one of Australia’s largest gold mines has forced the evacuation of staff and extraction to be suspended.
Key points:
Extraction at one of Australia’s biggest gold mines has been suspended due to an underground incident
Cadia Mine was evacuated after instability was detected in a ventilation shaft
A road bordering the mine has been temporarily shut for safety reasons
Cadia Gold Mine near Orange in the central west of New South Wales has not mined any ore for almost two weeks after it halted underground work on July 22.
Its surface operations, which involve the production of gold and copper concentrate, are still operating and it says it still delivering the same volume of product as usual.
General manager Aaron Brannigan released a statement after the mine was evacuated that said the decision was made to ensure the health and safety of its workforce.
“The evacuation was due to instability in one of Cadia’s vent rises [ventilation shafts],” Mr Brannigan said.
“All personnel were unarmed and many are continuing work in other areas of the operation.”
A section of Cadia Road between Woodville and Panuara roads is shut as a precaution following an incident in the underground mine.(ABC Central West: Joanna Woodburn)
The Environment Protection Authority and NSW Resources Regulator have confirmed water from an intersecting aquifer has flowed into the ventilation tunnel.
The Natural Resources Access Regulator said it was also investigating the incident.
Cadia confirmed it was carrying out visual assessments.
“We have limited access to the vent rise [and] we will complete our visual inspections through remote techniques and technologies as soon as it is safe to do so,” a statement said.
Damage closes road
The damage underground has also now forced the partial closure of a road bordering the mine.
Cadia Road between Panuara and Woodville roads has been shut and it was not yet known when it would reopen.
The mine is owned by Newcrest Mining, which hosted a community meeting on Tuesday night.
Local farmer Gemma Green said she had not realized how close the ventilation shaft was to Cadia Road.
“It’s actually closer than I thought, it’s about 35 to 45 meters from that main public road,” Ms Green said.
“I would not have that road open after what I heard last night.
“The instability in that top 100 meters that was shared and the potential crumbling of what they call the collar.
“My biggest concern is emergency services route, in the event that someone has to call an ambulance.”
A local road bordering Cadia Gold Mine has been partially shut after its underground mine was forced to temporarily close.(ABC Central West: Joanna Woodburn)
Water concerns
Gemma Green chairs the Cadia Community and Sustainability Group and said one if its key issues was the protection of local water sources.
“The damage is obviously very serious and one of their key intentions is to stop that water flowing into the ventilation shaft,” she said.
“Newcrest made it very clear that their intention is to stop the water as quickly and safely as they can.
“I’d be encouraging people to give their feedback locally in and around that aquifer in the event they have changes in their bore levels.”
In a statement on Wednesday Cadia’s general manager Aaron Brannigan said the proposed response plan would be carried out in a series of steps.
“The initial assessment of the area directly surrounding the ventilation [shaft] to ensure it is safe to access, the mobilization of drill rigs to install a high-pressure grout curtain to minimize the water inflow and filling the vent with inert rock material to stabilize it,” the statement said.
Australia’s biggest mining industry event is in turmoil as wild weather rips through Perth and Kalgoorlie.
The glittering dinner on Wednesday, usually the pinnacle of the decades-old event, has been canceled as food and catering staff are stuck in Perth.
The big top is being emptied of industry booths as winds threaten safety in the huge marquee.
Instead, a cocktail party will cap off the event, organizers told AAP.
Hundreds of mining executives had already been stranded by grounded aircraft, unable to reach Kalgoorlie, including Fortescue Metals Group CEO Elizabeth Gaines who had to deliver her speech virtually on Tuesday.
Organizers said they had to close the main marquee to delegates as damaging wind gusts in excess of 90km/h are expected during the day.
“Due to the severe wind warning we are unable to bring the catering charter flight to Kalgoorlie that brings additional work force and supplies to deliver the WesTrac Gala Dinner,” a spokeswoman said.
“We will arrange an enjoyable evening and presentation of the traditional forum awards.”
All attendees will be hosted at the Goldfields Arts Center for the final day.
“Is Diggers and Dealers the latest victim of climate change,” a delegate asked.
