News updates on Newlands mine, RGM Maintenance, Metal Bank, Austin Engineering and more …

A 3000m drilling campaign has kicked off at the Briggs copper project in Central Queensland, testing large-scale targets immediately along strike from the Briggs Central deposit (143Mt at 0.29 per cent copper).

Alma Metals is funding the drilling program under a joint venture arrangement with Canterbury Resources allowing it to earn up to 70 per cent of the project through staged exploration and assessment expenditure totaling $15.25 million.

The joint venture partners recently lodged an application (Don River EPM 28588) covering two blocks adjoining the western margin of the Briggs tenement.

Rheinmetall Defence Australia has signed a deed of agreement with Townsville-based RGM Maintenance covering work under the Australian Defence Force’s Land 121 program.

Rheinmetall Defence Australia managing director Gary Stewart said the deed brought the organisations together to work on Medium Heavy Capability services for logistic vehicles at RGM premises in Townsville.

“Rheinmetall Defence Australia will work with RGM to support the delivery of work packages by providing Field Service Representatives, parts, tools, equipment and technical expertise.  This ongoing opportunity expands the capability and strength of our business for the Australian Defence Force,” he said.

“This true partnership between our companies will enable RGM to expand the services they already provide to the Commonwealth Joint Logistics Unit supporting Townsville units.”

The team from Glencore’s Newlands mine has topped this year’s Queensland Mines Rescue Service Open Cut Northern Challenge, hosted at the new Boonal Rescue Station recently.

They were competing against emergency response teams from Collinsville, Rolleston, Oaky Surface, Gregory, Dawson and Yarrabee.

The Newlands open cut team came home with awards including overall first place, Best Technical Team, Best Medical Team, Best Captain – Gavin Fulmer, Best Medic – Shane Watson, Best Technical Individual (Vertical Rescue) – Wayne Donaldson.

Assays from the Millennium project in North-West Queensland have continued to deliver high cobalt grades.

Metal Bank this week released new results including 12m grading at 0.62 per cent copper, 0.14 per cent cobalt and 0.34g/t gold from 51m; and 3m at 0.22 per cent cobalt from 61m.

The results form part of the Millennium resource update, infilling gaps, extending mineralisation and resource confidence, along with metallurgical sampling acquisition.

Austin Engineering has successfully completed the acquisition of Mackay-based mining equipment manufacturer Mainetec for an initial amount of $19.6 million.

Austin said Mainetec’s premium range of Hulk buckets would complement its JEC-HP high performance and standard bucket ranges, as well as bolster the company’s presence on the East Coast of Australia.

This is expected to have a cascading benefit to Austin’s Austbore Mackay repair and maintenance service business.