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“Mining’s traditional pay premium is no longer enough: today’s workforce is prioritising stability, family time, and values alignment,” the report said.

MiningCommentsPremiumKPMG report finds FIFO pay premium not cutting it

High salaries on offer in fly-in, fly-out work are ‘no longer enough’ to compete with less demanding gigs available in construction and infrastructure, posing a retention risk for the mining sector. 

Simone Grogan

Rio Tinto's Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean aluminium hub in Quebec is responsible for close to half of its global aluminium production.

MiningCommentsRio Tinto reveals tariffs added $US300m in aluminium costs

Global miner Rio Tinto has revealed it incurred about $US300 million ($460m) in gross costs over the first half of 2025 as a result of the US tariffs on aluminium exports from Canada. 

Danielle Le Messurier

Rio Tinto’s next CEO Simon Trott

MiningPremiumTrott to change the ‘feel’ of Rio Tinto says analyst

Simon Trott is a ‘safe’ pair of hands for Rio Tinto who will change the ‘feel’ of the global mining business and is poised to pare back his predecessor’s lithium bet, according to analysts. 

Adrian Rauso

Employees load a truck with bags of rare earth concentrates at the Mountain Pass mine, operated by MP Materials.

MiningCommentsApple seals mega rare earths deal with Rinehart-backed MP

Tech giant Apple has struck a $US500 million ($767m) deal to buy rare earth minerals from Gina Rinehart-backed MP Materials, the US producer that just last week secured backing from the Pentagon.

Carlos Caminada

Newmont also operates the Tanami gold mine in the region.

MiningCommentsIron ore miner picks up Northern Star gold patch for $50m

Mount Gibson Iron is looking to make the jump from mining iron ore off the Kimberley coast to digging for gold in the Northern Territory, after signing up to buy tenements from Northern Star.

Simone Grogan

Incoming Rio Tinto CEO Simon Trott and Gina Rinehart

MiningPremiumLondon calling? Rinehart tells Trott to shift Rio HQ to WA

Australia’s richest person has suggested Rio Tinto’s incoming chief should move company headquarters to WA and made a tongue-in-cheek dig at the mining giant’s African iron ore ambitions.

Adrian Rauso

Shipments jumped 13 per cent from the first quarter, when four cyclones impacted ports servicing WA’s mining hub the Pilbara.

MiningCommentsRio exports sink to decade low, cops $460m Trump tariff hit

Cyclones in WA’s north took the wind of Rio Tinto’s sails to start 2025 and the mining giant is yet to get its iron ore shipment numbers back on course.

Adrian Rauso and Paul-Alain Hunt

This boy from Wickepin could soon be put in the middle of a potential mega-merger and also find himself embroiled in debate about where Rio’s headquarters should be.

MiningCommentsPremiumHow a boy from the Wheatbelt climbed to the top of Rio Tinto

This boy from Wickepin could soon be put in the middle of a potential mega-merger and also find himself embroiled in debate about where Rio’s headquarters should be.

Adrian Rauso

Ashurst WA corporate partners Ben Stewart and Carl Della-Bosca in their Perth offices.

Mergers and AcquisitionsPremiumAshurst’s Perth deal team cruises through gold rush

A tranche of takeovers headlined by Northern Star, Gold Fields and Ramelius Resources delivered $20 billion worth of WA mining M&A in 2025 so far, and Perth dealmakers have tipped gold’s reign will continue. 

Simone Grogan

Incoming Rio Tinto chief executive Simon Trott.

MiningCommentsSimon Trott named new Rio Tinto CEO

Rio Tinto has chosen a boy from the Wheatbelt to be the next leader of its global mining empire.

Adrian Rauso

Beacon Minerals’ Graham McGarry.

yearly returnPremiumBeacon Minerals holds on to gold as FY25 production rises

Production at Beacon Minerals’ Jaurdi gold project north-west of Coolgardie rose in the latest financial year but sales were lower as the company retained stocks of the precious metal at the Perth Mint.

Neil Watkinson

The Parker Point iron ore terminal

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Worker nearly decapitated at iron ore wharf in WA’s north

Unions have praised Rio Tinto while accusing a contractor of a cover-up amid an investigation into a ‘near-decapitation’ at an iron ore wharf in WA’s north.

Adrian Rauso

Mining CEO Gerhard Veldsman, BHP Geraldine Slattery, Rio Tinto Kellie Parker and Australian businessman Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest at a Steel Decarbonisation Roundtable in Shanghai, China, Saturday, July 12, 2025. Anthony Albanese has travelled to China for a six-day visit. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

Mining‘Green’ iron importance underscored by China talks, says PM

The key players in Australia’s most lucrative industry and their biggest customer are on the same page about the importance of ‘green’ iron, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Adrian Rauso

The Prime Minister has called for deeper cooperation between Australia and China on green steel and emissions cuts.

MiningCommentsAlbanese urges China ties for green steel future

The Prime Minister has called for deeper co-operation, telling industry leaders in Shanghai that ‘it is in both countries’ interests to ensure a sustainable and market-driven global steel sector’.

Nicola Smith

The Mozal operation in Mozambique

updated
updated
MiningCommentsPremium
updated
Power deal threatens future of South32’s Mozal smelter

There is a growing risk South32 will be forced to pull the plug on its Mozal aluminium operations in Mozambique as the diversified miner races against the clock to secure a new electricity supply deal.

Daniel Newell

Steel will top the agenda when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses business leaders in China. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

MiningPremiumPM urges work on green steel over red wine in China

Aussie-grown beef and Penfolds wine will be on the menu as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses Chinese and Australian captains of industry in Shanghai.

Jacob Shteyman

The World Heritage Committee in France has added the Murujuga Cultural Landscape to its global list. (HANDOUT/CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA)

environmental issueCommentsAncient rock art near gas hub gets World Heritage listing

An ancient Indigenous rock art collection close to Woodside’s Burrup gas hub been recognised as a World Heritage-listed site.

Staff Writers

Ora Banda Mining managing director Luke Creagh.

Latest figuresPremiumOra Banda shares slide as FY25 production falls below target

Shares in Ora Banda Mining sank on Friday after the Goldfields miner confirmed it had not met its 2024-25 production target at its Davyhurst operation north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Neil Watkinson

Tianqi Lithium built this lithium hydroxide plant in Kwinana.

ManufacturingCommentsPremiumDebt dispute at $1bn-plus Kwinana lithium refinery

The company behind the $1 billion-plus Kwinana lithium refinery has been sued by a contractor alleging it is owed millions for unpaid work.

Matt Mckenzie

Andrew Ellison.

MiningCommentsAndrew Ellison agrees to cancel RDG performance rights

Chris Ellison’s younger brother Andrew has agreed to bin 13.3 million performance rights attached to the ailing Mineral Resources subsidiary he runs. 

Adrian Rauso

Lynas Rare Earths chief executive Amanda Lacaze.

analysis
analysis
MiningComments
analysis
Uncle Sam bets big on MP, is there anything left for Lynas?

Shares in Lynas Rare Earths spiked after MP signed a deal with the Pentagon, but is it really such good news for Australia’s rare earths pioneer?

Adrian Rauso

The Eneabba rare earths processing plant being built.

MiningCommentsLynas and Iluka soar after rival strikes Pentagon deal

The Pentagon has signed a multi-billion dollar deal with MP Materials and investors are betting this will be a shot in the arm for local rare earth element producers and aspirants.

Adrian Rauso

ProspEx co-founder and CEO Kassia Kazmer.

FinanceCommentsPerth royalties trading hopeful wins spot in RBA trial

WA fintech ProspEx has been selected by the Reserve Bank of Australia to take part in a nationwide research effort investigating where digital assets could be used in the economy.

Simone Grogan

An aerial view of the Katanning gold project site at Badgebup.

Cash flowsPremiumAusgold raises $35 million for Katanning gold project

The company behind the $355 million Katanning gold project in the Great Southern has raised $35m the week after releasing a definitive feasibility study that targeted first production by the end of 2027.

Neil Watkinson