By Peter Roberts Mining company Iluka Resources has awarded long lead procurement packages for key equipment for the company’s planned rare earths refinery at its Eneabba zircon mine in Western Australia – the first refinery for rare earths in Australia for the minerals used in high technology products. The company is procuring the roasting kiln,…
Iluka reveals capital cost of rare earths refinery Perth minerals company Iluka Resources has revealed a $1.5 to $1.8 billion capital cost of Australia’s first integrated rare earths refinery for producing rare earths oxides at Eneabba in Western Australia. The estimate comes from Iluka and Fluor who are optimising the project and conducting FEED work.…
The Western Australian Government is refocusing the State’s activities in the rapidly evolving battery and critical minerals sector with the release of a new paper for public consultation. The state’s Battery and Critical Minerals Strategy opened for comment, aiming to build on successes already achieved by the increasingly lucrative industry. The state is already home…
EOS enters optical surveillance alliance Electro Optic Systems subsidiary EOS Space Systems has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EX-Fusion, a Japanese laser fusion startup. The signing took place during the fifth Japan-Australia Ministerial Economic Dialogue co-chaired by Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell, and Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and…
By Alan Finkel, The University of Queensland This article is part of a series by The Conversation, Getting to Zero, examining Australia’s energy transition. Just over a year since US President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law, it’s becoming clear this strangely named piece of legislation could have a powerful impact…
CSL opens new HQ and R&D centre Biotechnology giant CSL has opened its new Headquarters and Centre for R&D which will house more than 850 people dedicated to protecting public health and bringing life-saving innovative therapies to patients. The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) congratulated CSL on the opening. Albanese said: “This world-leading research will…
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…
By Peter Roberts I have just been reminded by a former colleague of the bad old days when policy, any policy, favouring manufacturing was seen as protectionism and picking winners. Those times lasted for decades, with the Productivity Commission and the Coalition weaponising the words against manufacturers. My former colleague asked: what government policy is…
The head of the company developing Australia’s first rare earths metals refinery has urged companies to produce high value rare earth metals locally rather than exporting ores overseas. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Iluka Resources Tom O’Leary told the company’s annual general meeting that the key Australian rare earth resources – neodymium, praseodymium,…
