The Australian Mining Review

Lynas Rare Earths (ASX: LYC) recorded Q3 FY26 revenue of $265m, primarily driven by increasing prices and higher volume sales of both neodymium-praseodymium and total rare earth oxide products.The miner produces 1996t of neodymium-praseodymium, 8t of dysprosium and terbium and first production of samarium oxide in Q3.Lynas says it is closely monitoring its supply chains, including fuel supply and other raw materials affected by geopolitics and global fuel markets.“To date, we have not experienced any material disruptions due to the current global fuel supply situation,” Lynas said.“However, price increases are expected for a number of materials. It is difficult to forecast the magnitude and duration of these price increases. Our supply chain team is monitoring this closely and accelerating projects which should deliver greater efficiency.”Lynas has benefited from a reduction in diesel fuel requirements, following the full commissioning of the 65MW Mt Weld hybrid renewable power station in H1 FY26.Compared to Q3 FY25, when Mt Weld was operating a diesel power plant, the new power station has saved more than 870,000l of diesel, according to Lynas.

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) posted a 9% year-on-year increase in copper equivalent production and its second-highest Q1 Pilbara iron ore production since 2018, up 13% year-on-year.The miner said the quarter was impacted by two cyclones, while warning of growing uncertainty around supply chains and costs due to conflict in the Middle East.Rio Tinto recorded an 8mt impact to iron ore shipments from Tropical Cyclones Mitchell and Narelle and a .9mt impact to bauxite production from Cyclone Narelle.Rio Tinto chief executive Simon Trott comments on the Q1 results.“Operating excellence drove 9% YoY copper equivalent1 production growth across our portfolio as the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine continues to ramp up as planned and our integrated aluminium business, again, delivered a strong performance,” he said.“Our Pilbara iron ore mines performed strongly, while shipments were impacted by two cyclones in the quarter.“We achieved the historic land exchange at Resolution Copper, with our project team focused on unlocking the next phase of one of the world’s largest untapped copper deposits.“The unmatchable mix and scale of our portfolio has ensured growth and supply chain resilience against changing operating conditions as we continue to closely monitor the evolving situation in the Middle East.”Rio Tinto says the impacts of the Middle East conflict have been limited on the supply-side while commodity prices have responded favourably.Iron ore, copper and lithium operations remained largely unaffected.As for fuel, Rio says higher diesel prices steepened its cost curve while higher jet fuel prices did not disrupt the business.Fatal incidents at Simandou and Kennecott led to both operations shutting down during the quarter. The operations were progressively restarted once conditions allowed.“Safety is the foundation of our business,” Mr Trott said.“The tragic loss of two colleagues this year, at Simandou and Kennecott, is a stark reminder that we must ensure everyone goes home safely at the end of every shift.”A staged restart at the Kennecott underground project commenced April 16.

A worker has died at a quarry in Sheldon following a fatal forklift incident. Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) has confirmed it is investigating the incident and enquiries are underway. “Our thoughts are with the worker’s family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time,” a RSHQ spokesperson said. 

The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has called on the Federal Government to reform critical minerals project approvals, warning that opportunities will only translate into regional economic strength if projects can move from approval to construction and into long-term operation.The MCA’s submission to Federal Parliament’s Inquiry into the factors shaping social licence and economic development outcomes in critical minerals projects across Australia notes that regions with a significant mining industry had a lower unemployment rate and higher median income than the national average.Based on ABS data, the MCA found that across the Australian Mining Cities Alliance regions of Mount Isa and Isaac, Broken Hill and Karratha, East Pilbara and Kalgoorlie-Boulder, the unemployment rate was 3.58%, lower than the Australian average rate at the time of 5.1% while median income was $33,000 higher ($74,490 in mining regions against $41,860 Australia-wide).“Mining is the central driver to the long-term development of many regions across Australia which may otherwise have declined or even disappeared,” MCA chief executive Tania Constable said in a statement.“Based on many decades of experience by MCA members of delivering significant long-lasting benefits to regional communities, it is clear that the burgeoning critical minerals sector will create and sustain region-building economic infrastructure.“In towns with a fine line between viability and decline with small population bases, limited housing, stretched health and education services and high infrastructure costs., critical minerals development can be a stabilising force.“Long-life mining is the stable foundation that makes every other development pathway possible, helping communities to grow, services (particularly health and education) to remain viable and local businesses invest with confidence.”The MCA has urged the Federal Government to make it easier and more predictable for critical minerals projects to get built and operated in regional Australia.The submission outlines a range of measures, including strengthening planning, environmental and project approval systems; reforming the Native Title Act 1993 future acts framework; aligning migration and workforce training measures; coordinated infrastructure planning; cross-jurisdictional policy alignment and expanding targeted capability programs for local and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.The inquiry has not yet reported, but it is expected to culminate in a parliamentary report that could shape future policy on approvals, regional development and social licence for critical minerals projects.

Alcoa’s (ASX: AAI) first quarter aluminium shipments fell 8% while alumina shipments fell 31%, partly due to shipping delays linked to war in the Middle East and Cyclone Narelle.Lower sales of externally sourced alumina and seasonally lower first quarter shipments also weighed on lower alumina shipments. Proactive inventory repositioning within North America and decreased trading also drove down aluminium shipments.The company still managed to achieve revenue of $4.46b (US$3.2b), though down 7% from the previous quarter. Alcoa posted a profit of $593m (US$425m), down from $765m (US$548m) the year prior.Alcoa president and chief executive William F. Oplinger comments on the results.“Our experienced team performed very well managing the impacts from the Middle East conflict and Cyclone Narelle,” he said.“We delivered a solid quarter excluding shipment timing impacts, which we expect to realize in the second quarter of 2026.”Alumina production fell 5% sequentially to 2.4mt primarily due to lower production at Australian refineries due to the beginning of seasonal maintenance cycles.The company’s successful San Ciprián smelter restart helped keep the aluminium segment steady, with first quarter production flat at 607,000t.

Fredon, a wholly owned subsidiary of NRW Holdings (ASX: NWH), has secured five electrical and mechanical contracts with a combined value of about $160m.The largest award is a $110m electrical works package on a Federal Government major infrastructure project in Northern Australia. The project is planned for completion in mid-2028.Fredon has also secured a $23m design and construct contract for electrical services in the Festival Towers project in South Australia. The project is expected to be completed in mid-2028.Fredon chief executive Scott Olsen comments on the awards.“The award of these five contracts across the health and infrastructure sectors reinforces Fredon’s ability to deliver complex projects and services across both diverse industries and geographies,” he said.NRW chief executive Jules Pemberton comments on the contracts.“I am delighted to share the award of this suite of new contracts acquired by Fredon,” he said.“I am excited to see the growth opportunities being harnessed by Fredon since acquisition, particularly in sectors where demand for specialised electrical capability has increased, such as infrastructure and renewables.”Additional contracts include mechanical works at the Mt Barker Hospital project in South Australia, design and construct package for electric bus charging infrastructure in South Australia and Victoria.

Electrical workers across BHP’s (ASX: BHP) Pilbara operations began protected industrial action this morning.The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) says the action covers 60 workers across BHP’s Pilbara high-voltage network and includes a ban on overtime, out-of-hours callouts between 6pm and 6am (except in situations which may pose a threat to safety), stepping into supervisor roles and mentoring and training of new high-voltage operators.Some measures will run for a two-week period while others are expected to continue indefinitely.ETA WA secretary Adam Woodage says workers had taken a considered and responsible approach to industrial action.“The safety of the community and other workers is non-negotiable and will always come first,” he said.“Our members don’t take this step lightly, but they are serious about getting the company back to the bargaining table, and BHP’s refusal to bargain in good faith has left them with no alternative.”A BHP spokesperson said the company does not expect any operational impacts.CME chief executive Aaron Morey says the unions only motivation is a short-term cash grab.“They are seeking to effectively double remuneration to $400,000 while also dictating rostering and workforce composition,” he said.“Pilbara iron ore workers are already among the best paid in the country, a result that has been achieved through decades of direct bargaining grounded in the understanding that pay rises are only sustainable when linked to productivity gains.”Mr Woodage says this is not an extraordinary ask.“It’s the standard across workplaces in this country,” he said.“This is targeted, proportionate action… our members want to send a clear message to BHP that they want a genuine say in their wages and conditions, and they want to be treated fairly.“Industrial action and the threat of further escalation will recede the moment BHP stops hiding behind its expensive lawyers and starts bargaining properly with the workers who keep the company running.“Under our order, we’ve built in clear escalation points for industrial action, but this can be resolved quickly if BHP comes back to the table in good faith.”