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The production of key revenue earner iron ore has been ramping up for Rio Tinto. (Alan Porritt/AAP PHOTOS)

Mining'Limited visibility': iron ore miner eyes Middle East

One of Australia's biggest corporate tax payers is keeping a close eye on the Middle East conflict, on concerns it may impact the latter half of 2026.

Kaaren Morrissey

Lynas’ Malaysia processing plant in Pahang.

MiningCommentsPremiumLynas flags risk of higher costs from Mid East conflict

Shares in Lynas Rare Earths have slipped despite the miner more than doubling sales in the past three months and revealing it is yet to feel the disruption of the global fuel shock.

Daniel Newell

Burkina Faso president Ibrahim Traore and West African's Kiaka gold mine.

MiningCommentsPremiumSubiaco goldie reveals damage of dictator mine grab

Shares in the gold miner have only fallen slightly despite Burkina Faso’s junta declaring it will pay just $175 million for an extra 25 per cent stake in the company’s flagship mine.

Adrian Rauso

Rio Tinto boss Simon Trott.

updated
updated
MiningCommentsPremium
updated
‘Resilient’ Rio on watch but yet to feel effects of war

Rio Tinto is yet to feel the effects of a global oil crisis fuelled by war in the Middle East but concedes it does not know how the ongoing conflict will hit supply chains in the second half of this year.

Daniel Newell

Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt.

MiningPremiumWatt makes for WA to talk enviro approvals with Premier

Premier Roger Cook and Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt will have to sort out the fine print for new project assessments by the end of this year, a commitment unlikely to assuage resources players.

Simone Grogan

A BHP iron ore train in the Pilbara.

MiningPremiumBHP warns ‘ship has sailed’ on industrial relations

BHP’s WA iron ore boss has warned “the ship has sailed” on industrial relations as the company battles the re-emergence of unions at its Pilbara mine sites, suggesting it was too late to fix the issue.

Adrian Lowe and Simone Grogan

BHP’s Caval Ridge mine in Queensland.

MiningPremiumBHP starts ranking unprofitable Queensland coal mines

BHP and Mitsubishi have launched a review process to rank the financial health of their coal mines and assets in Queensland after raising concerns about the State’s royalty regime.

Paul-Alain Hunt

The Wiluna gold mine in the Murchison region.

MiningCommentsPremiumCreasy proposes $105m raising for gold play Wiluna

A fresh showdown is looming for investors in revived gold play Wiluna Mining after Annie Creasy’s AIM Mining proposed a $105 million capital raising.

Matt Mckenzie

The Federal Government wants France to kick start more critical minerals mining by investing in projects from scratch

MiningCommentsPremiumMadeleine King urges France to bankroll mining startups

The Federal Government wants France to kick start more critical minerals mining by investing in projects from scratch.

Latika M Bourke

Leader of the Opposition Angus Taylor says he would fast-track environmental assessments.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Federal PoliticsVideoCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
REVEALED: Angus Taylor vows to shred green tape on mining

The Coalition will create super-fast-track environmental assessments for ‘national interest projects’ and unwind changes that bar oil and gas projects from using more streamlined processes, The West can reveal.

Katina Curtis

Minerals exploration

MiningPremiumBig drop in mining exploration as fuel prices bite

Most WA mining companies feel they can get fuel beyond next month, yet soaring costs have forced a large chunk of them to stop searching for fresh pay dirt.

Adrian Rauso

The first blast at Beacon Minerals’ Iguana open pit north-west of Coolgardie, which is part of the Lady Ida project, took place on January 24.

Shifting prioritiesPremiumLower gold output for Beacon Minerals in latest quarter

Beacon Minerals produced less gold in the March quarter as it processed lower-grade stockpiles during the transition to mining the Iguana open pit, the Goldfields company’s boss says.

Neil Watkinson

Reports claimed that iron ore bans against BHP were lifted on Tuesday.

Iron orePremiumBHP-China saga: Price influence attempts ‘may backfire’

China’s push to influence iron ore contracts could backfire and push prices higher, a leading industry analyst has warned, adding Australian businesses should be wary of further trade weaponisation. 

Simone Grogan

Burkina Faso’s leader Ibrahim Traore gives a news conference.

MiningPremiumWest African investors brace for mine stake loss

Burkina Faso’s junta appears to have finally pulled the trigger on snatching a bigger slice of West African Resources’ newest gold mine. 

Adrian Rauso

Gina Rinehart

MiningCommentsPremium‘Clear win’: WA mining veteran hands Rinehart victory

A stalwart of the WA mining industry says the chips have fallen more in billionaire Gina Rinehart’s favour after the WA Supreme Court settled a long-running feud over Hope Downs royalties.

Daniel Newell

Alcoa operates the Huntly and Willowdale bauxite mines in WA’s South West and refineries at Pinjarra and Wagerup. 

MiningCommentsPremiumAussie output a drag on Alcoa’s first quarter

Alcoa’s operations in Australia were a drag on the US aluminium giant’s lacklustre first quarter results, with revenue plunging almost 8 per cent from the final three months of 2025.

Daniel Newell

(L-R) Cheryl Chan, RFDS CEO Judith Barker, Fiona Hick and Colin Keel.

MiningCommentsPremiumEx-Fortescue CEO among four new RFDS board hires

Former Fortescue chief executive Fiona Hick is among four new hires to refresh the board of the Royal Flying Doctor Service WA.

Adrian Rauso

Genesis Minerals executive chair Raleigh Finlayson.

Fuel watchPremiumGenesis Minerals contemplates potential diesel shortage

Genesis Minerals is thinking about ways to combat any future diesel shortage because of the US-Israel war with Iran, adding it has not experienced any problems to date.

Neil Watkinson

Ora Banda Mining managing director Luke Creagh addresses the 2025 Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Gaining momentumPremiumOra Banda breaks through 100,000 ounces mark

Ora Banda Mining has achieved its ambition of becoming a 100,000 ounces per annum gold producer — and remains on track to reach its new target of 140,000oz to 155,000oz this financial year.

Neil Watkinson

Premier Roger Cook on Thursday.

MiningCommentsPremiumCook warns of job losses as BHP fires back against union

The first worker strike on a WA mine site this century is off to a rocky start after BHP forced a partial union back down and Premier Roger Cook warned of job losses from industrial action.

Adrian Rauso

Iron ore generates about a quarter of WA’s income.

EconomyCommentsPremiumWhy WA would be most at risk if Iran war rages on

WA’s economy was among the strongest in the world through the GFC and pandemic but new analysis warns a prolonged Middle East war could bring that lucky run to an end.

Matt Mckenzie

Evolution Mining managing director and chief executive Lawrie Conway.

Cash flowingPremiumMungari continues to surge ahead for Evolution Mining

The expanded Mungari gold operation continues to deliver for Evolution Mining, with the mine west of Kalgoorlie-Boulder generating record net cash flow in the latest quarter.

Neil Watkinson

The King of the Hills processing plant.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
POLICEPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Police charge WA mine site worker over colleague’s death

A worker has been charged over the death of his colleague at a WA gold mine after the car he was driving rolled last week on a 40km/h stretch of road. 

Caleb Runciman

Left to right: Mining magnate Lang Hancock, Wright Prospecting boss Angela Bennett, Hancock Prospecting boss Gine Rinehart and Peter Wright.

MiningVideoCommentsPremiumWho are the billionaires battling over lucrative WA mines?

Some are household names. Some are highly reclusive. Here’s the who’s who in the epic Supreme Court battle over billions of dollars from WA’s lucrative iron ore mines.

Matt Mckenzie