Quick fire – industry news briefs

News updates on Moho Resources, Comet Ridge and Vintage Energy, Emmerson, the Central Highlands Development Corporation and more … Moho Resources is turning its focus on the rare earths and battery metal elements potential of the company’s projects in North Queensland and Western Australia. Moho’s consultant geochemist is currently reviewing REE assay data from samples collected from aircore drill holes at the Empress Springs project in 2018-19. “The company is well placed to capitalise on its strategically located projects for rare earths," managing director Ralph Winter said. "The expanding supply shortages for rare earth minerals will provide Moho with opportunities to create value for the company and its shareholders.” Cairns Regional Council has committed $2.2 million to replace water mains at 13 locations as part of an ongoing maintenance program. Water mains at the following locations are scheduled for action under the Annual Water Main Replacement Program: Russell St, Edge Hill; West St, Manunda; Miles St, Manoora; Alberta Dr, Woree; Mayers St, Manoora; Dann St, Mooroobool; Hutchings St, Bungalow; Hellmuth St, Whitfield; Hall St ,Edge Hill; Loridan Dr, Brinsmead; McCoombe St, Mooroobool; Vasey Esplanade (south side), Trinity Beach; Cannon St, Manunda. Mount Peake vanadium-titanium-iron project proponent TNG has engaged Metso Outotec to assess the use ofhydrogen reduction in the planned Northern Territory operation. The use of hydrogen is a key part of the company’s medium-to-longer term strategy to reduce its net carbon footprint from processing operations at the Mount Peake project. Further high-grade assay results have added scale to the emerging Hermitage copper-gold discovery atEmmerson’s Tennant Creek project. They include diamond drill hole HERCDD006 results of 52.5m at 1.03 per cent copper, 1.36g/t gold and 0.11 per cent bismuth from 131.5m. “Now we have all the assay results of the phase 2 drilling, Hermitage is on scale with many of the major historical discoveries in the Tennant Creek Mineral Field," managing director, Rob Bills said. Encouragingly, the phase 2 drilling indicated that the gold, copper and bismuth grades increased with depth and remained open in all directions, he said. "The addition of cobalt and bismuth to the copper and gold at Hermitage adds to the inventory of future facing metals relevant to the battery, superconductor, magnet, and 3D printing, suite of metals.” Comet Ridge and Vintage Energy's Galilee Basin joint venture in Central Queensland has been awarded six Potential Commercial Areas (PCAs) covering about 4700sq km for a term of 15 years. They lie within permits ATP 743 and 744, which have been renewed by the Queensland Government for a further term of 12 years. “The Galilee Basin appears to have the base ingredients required to be a significant new contributor to Australia’sdomestic gas production," Vintage Energy managing director Neil Gibbins said. "The results we achieved in joint venture with Comet Ridge, including recording the first measured gas flow from the Lake Galilee Sandstone reservoir at the Albany 1 well, are very encouraging, so it is very pleasing to be granted the security of tenure that enables our exploration efforts to resume.” The Central Highlands Development Corporation has set out a three-year vision to drive economic opportunities in the region.The CHDC Corporate Strategy 2022-24 was endorsed at a recent CHDC Board meeting.It identifies seven priorities and objectives, including business growth, workforce development, and advocacy and promotion. “This important document maps out a clear direction forward for CHDC and will underpin all the work we do in our role as the region’s key economic and tourism development organisation,” interim chief executive officer Peter Dowling said. Water from Mackay Regional Council’s Nebo Road Water Treatment Plant has claimed the top drop title in the TracWater Best of the Best Queensland Water Taste Test held on the Gold Coast this month. About 80 attendees at the qldwater Annual Forum sniffed, swirled, sipped and scored nine water samples in a blind taste-off event. This was Mackay’s fourth win, with water from the Marian Water Treatment Plant taking the crown in 2018, 2019 and 2021. Other accolades for Mackay include winning the Water of Origin at the WIOA Conference in June 2022, the National Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water competition in 2019 and 2020 and winning silver at the 2020 International Water Tasting Competition in Berkeley Springs, USA. This year's taste test runner up was Southern Downs Regional Council, with water from the Wallangarra Water Supply. Emma Fisher from Mackay Regional Council accepted the trophy from TracWater's Len McKelvey.

Quick fire – industry news briefs

Industry Queensland

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