Weir has entered a strategic collaboration agreement with Viking Analytics to enhance its digital offering for mineral processing plants.

This partnership will significantly enhance Weir’s NEXT intelligent solutions — the company’s comprehensive digital offering designed to transform mineral processing through real-time data, predictive analytics and process optimisation.

By integrating Viking’s advanced machine learning technology, Weir will facilitate predictive maintenance solutions, ensuring uptime and production are maximised.

Weir senior director Ole Knudsen says the company is committed to building a more sustainable future in mining through strategic partnerships with companies that share its vision.

“Viking’s customised AI software will be exclusively integrated into our NEXT intelligent solutions, delivering predictive analytics that enhance uptime and streamline maintenance for our customers,” he said.

Viking Analytics’ solution is AI enabled, designed to learn equipment behaviour and detect early signs of machine failure. It provides automatic anomaly detection and intelligent diagnostics, without the need for labelled data or manually set thresholds.

Viking Analytics chief executive Dr Rajet Krishnan says the company is proud to partner with Weir on the next step of its digital journey.

“Together, we will combine Weir’s deep domain expertise in mining with Viking’s AI-driven condition monitoring technology to unlock new value for Weir’s customers worldwide,” he said.

The post Weir partners with Viking Analytics appeared first on The Australian Mining Review.

Barrick Mining’s Mark Hill has been appointed group chief operating officer and interim president and chief executive officer, following the departure of Mark Bristow.

Mr Bristow is stepping down as president and chief executive after nearly seven years having joined Barrick in 2019 following the company’s merger with Randgold.

Mr Bristow led the successful integration of the two companies, and during his tenure, made significant investments in Barrick’s world-class assets to better position the company to maintain profitable gold and copper growth.

Barrick chairman of the board John Thornton comments on Mr Bristow’s tenure.

“On behalf of the board, I want to thank [Mr Bristow] for his leadership of Barrick. During his tenure, [Mr Bristow] strengthened our portfolio and helped position Barrick as a leading global producer of gold and copper,” he said.

“As a result, the company is well-positioned for the next phase of our growth and value creation for all shareholders. We wish [Mr Bristow] the very best for his future.”

Mr Hill joined in 2005 and has experience in strategy, corporate development and leading major projects across the world, and was also integral in the initial decision to undertake exploration at the Fourmile gold project in Nevada.

“We are delighted to welcome Mark Hill as group chief operating officer and interim president and chief executive officer,” Mr Thornton said.

“His calibre, experience and deep knowledge of the company will ensure we maintain momentum.

“The board is committed to both finding the right leader to fully capitalise on Barrick’s world-class assets and capabilities, and to driving improved performance, growth and shareholder value.”

The search committee of the board, chaired by Brett Harvey, has embarked on a process with the support of a leading executive search firm to identify a permanent president and chief executive.

The post Mark Bristow exits Barrick appeared first on The Australian Mining Review.

New Murchison Gold (ASX: NMG) reports a strong operational start at the Crown Prince gold mine in WA.

During its first month of operations, the company successfully mined and crushed 31,000dt of ore at an agreed grade of 3.23g/t (adjusted for recovery) trucked to Westgold Resources’ (ASX: WGX) Bluebird gold processing facility.

New Murchison Gold chief executive Alex Passmore comments on the operation.

“Since the commencement of trucking ore to Bluebird we have ramped up crushing and stockpiling activities and look forward to first revenue from Crown Prince in October,” he said.

“We are continuing to ramp up production from the open pit and are debottlenecking key areas of our process.

“The December quarter will see the first full quarter of production from the operation, and we are expecting a strong start in October.”

According to NMG, mining activities are progressing to plan, with both the operations team and on-site contractors working cohesively to ensure stability and safety across the site.

The company has established a solid production inventory heading into Q4:

• 33,600wt of run-of-mine ore stockpiled and awaiting crushing
• 11,000wt of crushed high-grade product awaiting trucking for processing

These volumes are expected to support a strong continuation of production and ore sales in October.

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Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) has been fined $1m for causing serious environmental harm following a major chemical release at its alumina refinery in 2022.

The release occurred when a pipe in a high-pressure system ruptured.

On Monday, QAL was sentenced in Gladstone Magistrates Court and fined after pleading guilty to three offences against the Environmental Protection Act 1994.

The offences include one offence of unlawfully causing serious environmental harm and two offences of contravening a condition of its environmental authority.

According to the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) no injuries were reported. The incident, however, posed a potential significant risk to residents’ health, as spent liquor contains sodium hydroxide.

The incident caused more than $800,000 in insurance claims relating to property damage.

A Queensland DETSI spokesperson says the sentence highlights the department’s commitment to holding companies accountable for their actions and ensuring the safety of Queenslanders and the environment.

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Newmont (ASX: NEM) chief executive Tom Palmer will step down from his role as chief executive on December 31, 2025.

Natascha Viljoen, president and chief operating officer, will succeed Mr Palmer as president and chief executive and will also join the board of directors on January 1, 2026. Mr Palmer will serve as a strategic advisor until his retirement on March 31, 2026, to support a seamless leadership transition.

Mr Palmer comments on his resignation.

“After 12 years with Newmont and almost 40 years in the mining industry, it is time for me to retire and hand over to [Ms Viljoen] to lead our company through the next chapter in its storied history,” he said.

“It has been a privilege to serve as chief executive officer of Newmont. I thank our board for its guidance and partnership throughout my time in the role, our executive leadership team and all of our teams across the world for their support in shaping our business into the industry leader it is today.

“I am confident that [Ms Viljoen] and Newmont will seize the many opportunities that lie ahead for our business.”

Newmont board of directors chair Greg Boyce comments on Mr Palmer’s resignation.

“On behalf of the board of directors, I thank [Mr Palmer] for his dedication to the growth and advancement of this business,” he said.

“His knowledge of our operations, commitment to the development of our future leaders and passion for the industry have played a key role in shaping what is one of the strongest portfolios in the industry today.

“We are delighted to welcome [Ms Viljoen] as our next chief executive officer. Over the last two years as our chief operating officer, [Ms Viljoen] has proven to be an expert operator and inspiring leader. We are fortunate to have [Ms Viljoen] lead Newmont with a clear focus on unlocking value across our world-class portfolio.”

Ms Viljoen comments on her succession.

“I am honoured to serve as the next chief executive officer of Newmont at this pivotal moment,” she said.

“With deep respect for our legacy, I am grounded about the work ahead. We have assembled the industry’s strongest portfolio of long-life gold and copper assets, which we are determined to manage safely and effectively.

“We will combine operational excellence, cost discipline and judicious capital allocation to ensure strong financial performance, systemically unlocking more value for shareholders and stakeholders alike.

“Together with our employees, we will shape a Newmont that is stronger, simpler and more resilient.

“I want to express my gratitude to [Mr Palmer] for his mentorship and support, and to the board for entrusting me with the responsibility to lead Newmont into its next phase of growth.”

The post Newmont’s Tom Palmer retires appeared first on The Australian Mining Review.

Mineral Resources (ASX: MIN) has safely completed the upgrades to the Onslow Iron private haul road, allowing unconstrained haulage to resume at normal speeds.

Roadworks included seal binder upgrades and cement stabilisation to enhance pavement strength and moisture resistance, as well as asphalting along the entire length of the sealed road.

The width of the upgraded private haul road spans 11 sealed metres from edge to edge, two metres wider than typical public roads used for heavy haulage in the Pilbara region.

Mineral Resources managing director Chris Ellison comments on the upgrades.

“Onslow Iron has continued to perform very strongly even during the upgrade of the private haul road,” he said.

“The resumption of unconstrained haulage marks another significant milestone as we focus on safely delivering the project’s FY26 volume guidance.

“Onslow Iron is now established as a cash generative, lost-cost asset that underpins the deleveraging of our balance sheet while driving stable, long-term growth.”

Minor ancillary works off the road continue and are scheduled for completion next month.

The post MinRes upgrades Onslow Iron haul road appeared first on The Australian Mining Review.

Alcoa (ASX: AAI) has confirmed a $1.36b (US$890m) plan to permanently close its Kwinana alumina refinery in WA, citing the age of the facility, scale and operating costs, market conditions and bauxite grade challenges.

This follows the curtailment of production at the refinery in June 2024.

The Kwinana refinery currently has about 220 employees. Alcoa says this number will be reduced during 2026 as the closure progresses. Certain employees will remain beyond 2026 to prepare the site for future redevelopment.

Permanently closing Kwinana’s 2.2mmt of annual capacity will bring Alcoa’s global consolidated refining capacity to 11.7mmt.

Alcoa has undertaken numerous studies and analyses since curtailment to determine the future of the refinery, including restart and closure.

Alcoa executive vice president and chief operations officer Matt Reed comments on the closure.

“Alcoa operated the Kwinana refinery for a number of years in a challenging environment and made the difficult decision to permanently close the facility after unsuccessfully exploring multiple options for a sustainable path to restarting,” he said.

“We appreciate the dedication and support of our Kwinana employees, contractors and suppliers who have made a major contribution to WA’s economic development and prosperity over more than six decades.”

In Q3 CY25, Alcoa will record restructuring and related charges of $1.36b (US$890m) related to the permanent closure, including about $570m (US$375m) of non-cash asset impairment charges.

The post Alcoa permanently closes Kwinana refinery appeared first on The Australian Mining Review.

Monadelphous Group has been awarded new construction contracts with BHP (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue (ASX: FMG) for Pilbara projects.

The company has secured a major multidisciplinary construction contract with BHP associated with the Jimblebar train loadout replacement project, located near Newman.

The vertically integrated scope includes earthworks and civils performed by Melchor, the company’s civil business, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation work. It also includes offsite fabrication and procurement provided by Inteforge, the company’s fabrication business.

Work under the contract is expected to be completed in late 2027.

Monadelphous has also been awarded a contract for the construction of Fortescue’s North Star Junction Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) supporting the miner’s commitment to decarbonising its Pilbara operations.

The work, located 140km south of Port Hedland, is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.

The post Monadelphous awarded $220m in contracts appeared first on The Australian Mining Review.

Thiess has been awarded a two-year contract extension for mining and asset management works at the Iron Bridge magnetite mine in WA’s Pilbara region.

The extension, which includes an option to extend a further two years, builds on its successful operations at the Iron Bridge mine since 2022.

Under the new agreement, Thiess will expand delivery of mining and asset management services, continuing the long-standing relationship with Fortescue (ASX: FMG).

The award supports the ongoing ramp-up of the project – operated by Fortescue in a joint venture with Formosa steel – as it is set to increase its production profile, with the company to mobilise additional fleet and personnel.

Thiess group executive chair and chief executive Michael Wright says the company is delighted to extend its collaboration with Fortescue.

“Thiess has a long and proud association with Fortescue in critical mine development and, more recently, in asset services and technology,” he said.

“The Iron Bridge project builds on this. It is a key part of Australia’s iron ore export profile, introducing magnetite, a premium product line with lower inherent emissions, and supports our ongoing strategy to diversify our commodities portfolio.

“As Thiess enters this new phase at Iron Bridge, we remain committed to safety, sustainability, and operational excellence, ensuring continued success for our client and the local communities in which we operate.”

Fortescue Iron Bridge operations director Graham Howard acknowledged Thiess’s ongoing support.

“This contract extension reflects the strength of our partnership with Thiess, whose expertise has been integral to the ongoing safe and efficient ramp-up of Iron Bridge,” he said.

“It ensures Iron Bridge continues to deliver long-term benefits for Fortescue and Formosa and our shareholders.”

Thiess Australia West group executive David Greig says the team is looking forward to being part of this period of growth and praised the team’s contribution to date.

“Our team’s strong safety record and exceptional operational performance at Iron Bridge demonstrate our ongoing commitment to excellence and sustainability,” he said.

“This contract extension is testament to our dedicated workforce, whose efforts are focused on safe, efficient, and high-quality outcomes for our valued clients.”

The post Thiess secures Iron Bridge extension appeared first on The Australian Mining Review.

Gold production in NSW surpassed $4.2b in FY25, more than half the total value of the state’s mineral output, bolstered by record-high global gold prices.

Gold mining has been part of NSW’s economic fabric for more than 175 years and will continue to be for decades to come, providing regional employment, delivering billions in royalties and providing the resources that continue to drive local economies and global industries.

Together with these record highs for the gold industry, NSW Natural Resources Minister Courtney Houssos, has congratulated Evolution Mining (ASX: EVN) on the 20^th anniversary of its Cowal gold operations near West Wyalong.

This anniversary marks two decades of production and significant economic contribution to NSW.

A major extension of Cowal gold operations approved by the NSW government late last year will extend mining operations until 2042. It will support the continuation of 500 local jobs and contribute an anticipated additional $910m to the economy, signaling confidence in the future of mining in NSW and the jobs and economic benefits it will provide.

Since the first gold was poured at the mine in 2006, Cowal gold operations has produced around five million ounces of gold, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties to the NSW economy during the past 20 years.

Minister Houssos says NSW continues to stand out as globally competitive and stable destination for mining investment.

“For 20 years, Cowal gold operations has been a cornerstone of the West Wyalong region, driving local employment, supporting community programs and contributing billions of dollars in royalties and regional procurement,” she said.

“Evolution Mining’s success at Cowal is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when industry, government and communities work together to deliver world-class projects that support both long term economic growth and environmental responsibility.”

Evolution Mining managing director and chief executive Lawrie Conway comments on the company’s accomplishment.

“We are delighted to welcome Minister Houssos to Cowal to mark 20 years of operations,” he said.

“This is an important milestone for Evolution and our stakeholders, and we thank the Minister and the NSW Government, for their support and backing of our sector.

“Thank you to our employees and contractors for their commitment and our community for their ongoing support. With two decades of operations safely achieved at Cowal, we look forward to continuing to deliver stakeholder value for many more decades.”

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