Iluka progresses critical rare earths refinery

Iluka Resurces has continued to progress during the latest quarter its rare earths production plant at Eneabba in Western Australia (pictured), the country’s first fully integrated refinery for the production of separated rare earth oxides. Supported by a $1.25 billion non-recourse loan to Iluka under the federal government’s Critical Minerals Facility, bulk earth works and…

How can we refrom the PC when we can no longer even track productivity – by John Sheridan

The federal treasurer Jim Chalmers has given the new chair of the Productivity Commission Chris Barrett an impossible job, argues John Sheridan. If we can no longer measure productivity in a digital age – and we can’t – how can any amount of reform of the PC help boost national productivity? Workplace productivity comparisons mean…

More beer, less energy with sustainable brewing

Melbourne’s oldest independent brewer, 3 Ravens is setting the standard for efficient, electrified and, yes, sustainable brewing processes. An energy upgrade to its Thornbury, Melbourne brewing facility should enable 3 Ravens to quadruple production without increasing its energy consumption. In addition to upgrading the building fabric and installing 74 kW of solar panels and a…

Cell Therapies new facilities fight cancer on a grand scale

Biomedical manufacturer Cell Therapies has announced the opening of new cell and gene therapy GMP (good manufacturing practice) manufacturing facilities to meet future patient demand at Victoria’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. The facility is Australia’s only biomedical manufacturing facility where CAR T-cells and other ‘living’ cancer therapies can be made at a commercial scale. In…

SQC raises another $50 million for quantum development

Sydney quantum computing hardware manufacturer Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC) has closed a scaled back $50.4 million Series A capital raising to fund the manufacture of the world’s first scalable, error corrected quantum computer. The investors in the latest round are the Commonwealth Government and institutions including the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Telstra and the…