Vendetta Mining reports high-grade results from its 2022 exploration drilling program on the Pegmont lead-zinc and Killer Bore projects in North-West Queensland.

Highlights from Pegmont include 8.95m grading at 9.09 per cent lead-zinc (8.95 per cent lead, 2.29 per cent zinc); 5.32m of 12.43 per cent lead-zinc (9.38 per cent lead, 3.05 per cent zinc); 4.80m of 9.13 per cent lead-zinc (6.00 per cent lead, 3.14 per cent zinc); 5.14m of 12.78 per cent lead-zinc (8.88 per cent lead, 3.90 per cent zinc).

Vendetta president and chief executive officer Michael Williams said the company was keen to get back to Killer Bore, 5km west of Pegmont, to follow up on the high-grade historic zinc results after the onset of the wet season forced an early end to the program there.

Construction work has paused on the $3 billion Clarke Creek renewable energy precinct, about 150km north-west of Rockhampton.

Squadron Energy chief executive officer Jason Willoughby said the company was working to transition the project’s delivery management from Windlab to Squadron Energy, which had in-house capability to manage construction of its own projects following the acquisition of CWP Renewables.

“As part of the handover to Squadron Energy, we are briefly pausing work and doing a full project management review before on-site activity increases when component deliveries begin,” he said..

“All agreements with contractors remain in place and will continue. We understand the impact pausing work can have and we will keep contractors updated on when they can get back on site.”

Queensland Hydro has named Snowy Hydro executive Kieran Cusack as its new chief executive officer. 

“I’m honoured to be appointed chief executive officer of Queensland Hydro and to be leading a dedicated team of industry specialists,” Mr Cusack said. 

“This team is delivering two world-class projects that will transform Queensland’s energy mix and move us closer to achieving the state’s net zero and renewable energy targets.” 

He joins Queensland Hydro from Snowy Hydro where he held several executive roles, including project director for the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro scheme and general manager of generation operations for Snowy Hydro’s hydro-electric power stations.   

Queensland Hydro was formed to guide development of the State Government’s Pioneer-Burdekin and Borumba pumped hydro projects.

Powerlink has developed a new framework – the SuperGrid Landholder Payment Framework – that boosts payments to landholders hosting new transmission infrastructure.

Powerlink chief executive Paul Simshauser said increasing landholder and community expectations, together with the release of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, had prompted a review of Powerlink’s approach starting in October 2022.

“The new framework was guided by a dedicated reference group of stakeholders including representatives
from a broad cross-section of interests, from councils and agricultural groups to large energy user advocates and consumer groups,” he said.

“Providing landholders with greater flexibility around the timing of payments, with both up-front and annual payment options now available, was important – along with ensuring the new framework considered the
variance in property values across different regions, rather than applying a blanket approach.”

More at: www.powerlink.com.au/reports/payment-framework.

Soil sampling has kicked off at the Ollenburgs prospect, north-east of Nanango, where SQX Resources is targeting a copper/gold porphyry system.

Meanwhile, the company reports that initial visual observations of core from its recent drill program at Scrub Paddock included what appeared to be gold/copper porphyry-style mineralisation, which is coincident with the exploration target for this prospect. Assay results are expected to be announced in June.