Yesterday
Miners hail $17.6b in tax credits - but BHP nickel still on death row
Critical minerals sector welcomes $17.6 billion in tax credit support, but it may be too little, too late to save BHP’s nickel business and 3000 jobs.
- 1 hr ago
- Brad Thompson
Stellantis, Vale in nickel talks in Indonesian coup
The smelter deal would bring a rare Western investor to Indonesia, the world’s biggest producer of a commodity critical to making electric cars.
- Updated
- A. Anantha Lakshmi and Harry Dempsey
Miners hope for budget tax credits
Lithium and nickel miners who lobbied for tax breaks are set to be among the big budget winners as the Albanese government tries to shore up its ‘made in Australia’ plans.
- Brad Thompson
This Month
WA taps Albanese for $200m critical minerals hub
WA has earmarked land near where Alcoa is closing its alumina refinery and a BHP nickel refinery is hanging by a thread for a critical minerals processing hub it wants the Albanese government to co-fund.
- Brad Thompson
MinRes in row over lithium processing hub
Poseidon Nickel, worth $22 million, has mounted a David versus Goliath legal battle with $14.1 billion MinRes over assets in the Western Australian Goldfields.
- Brad Thompson
April
IGO says criticism unfair after talk of ‘incredibly opportunistic’ deal
West Australian lithium and nickel miner stands by its ties with Chinese partner Tianqi after the latter ordered a huge shipment this week at a “favourable” price.
- Brad Thompson
Nickel miner axes 530 jobs as pressure builds for budget bailout
Resources Minister Madeleine King says government alone cannot solve nickel industry woes as job losses near 2000 since December.
- Brad Thompson
Japan Inc backing for nickel mine puts BHP bailout in doubt
Sumitomo and Mitsubishi have agreed to back Ardea Resources and its $3.1 billion nickel laterite and cobalt project, about 80 kilometres from Kalgoorlie and BHP’s ageing nickel smelter.
- Brad Thompson
BHP suffers new productivity hit in Queensland coal
Another downgrade means the miner spends almost seven times more money to dig a tonne of coal out of the sunshine state as it does for each tonne of iron ore in WA.
- Peter Ker
National security committee to meet after stabbings: PM
Anthony Albanese says violence and extremism has no place in Australia; Richard Marles reveals defence spending will crack $100 billion by 2034. How the day unfolded.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing
Aussie resources ‘under assault’ from China: US ambassador
US ambassador Caroline Kennedy has warned state-owned Chinese companies in Indonesia were destroying communities “under the guise of economic development”.
- Tom Rabe and Andrew Tillett
Copper is back as investors cash in on the ‘reflation trade’
A new commodity upswing is under way, creating widespread opportunities for investors. But pundits warn that could also contribute to stickier inflation keeping rates higher for longer.
- Alex Gluyas
Fears for 150 jobs as miner calls in administrators
Korda Mentha will try to sell the Abra lead and silver mine, raising doubts over the future of ASX-listed Galena Mining.
- Peter Ker
Green premiums are real, says aluminium boss
Electric vehicle makers are refusing to pay a green premium for low-carbon nickel but Capral says customers are paying an extra 5 per cent for clean aluminium.
- Peter Ker and Lap Phan
Indonesia vows to speed up nickel output despite global glut
A deputy minister says the government wants to expand nickel production to achieve “price equilibrium” to support sustainable demand for EV batteries.
- A. Anantha Lakshmi
March
Resources exports to slump $117b by decade’s end
Profits and federal treasury’s coffers will suffer after record high prices for iron ore, coal and gas cool off, official forecasts indicate.
- Elouise Fowler
Mine prospecting booms among cashed-up explorers
Prospecting data shows the strongest December quarter since 2013, revealing a high appetite for risk in the market.
- Elouise Fowler
Forrest slams ‘venal’ US politics during China visit
The Fortescue mining magnate has warned the US against treating China as a threat when the real danger comes from Russia.
- Andrew Tillett
BHP cuts contractors at Kalgoorlie nickel smelter
The miner has stood down contractors on the Kalgoorlie nickel smelter and withdrawn plans to house 1000 workers in the regional city as staff wait to hear whether the 51-year-old asset will be mothballed.
- Peter Ker and Brad Thompson
MinRes to retrofit WA nickel plant for lithium processing
The Chris Ellison-led Mineral Resources will cash-in on nickel’s collapse by using idle infrastructure to process lithium.
- Brad Thompson
