Geoscience Australia has mapped a 1000km continental-scale magmatic arc beneath the Delamerian project region spanning South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, identifying concealed potential for critical minerals, copper and gold in previously under-explored terrane. Delivered as the first deep-dive study under the Federal Government’s 35-year Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative, the work integrates deep-crustal geophysics and geochemistry to image mineral systems buried beneath thick cover. For explorers, the results materially expand prospective search space below cover sequences rather than in outcropping belts.

MASPRO is working with underground mines to extend hydraulic cylinder and wear-component life by forensically analysing premature failures that often occur within days in high-load, high-contamination environments. Using teardown inspections, metallurgical assessment and seal and surface finish analysis, the company traces root causes such as side-loading, misalignment, poor lubrication and abrasive ingress rather than accepting short service intervals as “normal”. The approach is feeding back into redesigns of rod eyes, bearing areas and sealing systems, giving maintenance teams data to adjust operating practices and stocking strategies.

Active risk management in Australian mining is shifting towards real-time, technology-driven controls that separate people from heavy plant in shared work zones. New systems from suppliers such as Aptella integrate collision avoidance, proximity detection and geofencing around haul trucks, loaders and autonomous fleets, using on-board sensors and wearable tags to trigger alarms or automatic slow-downs. For geotechnical and operations teams, this means redesigning traffic flows, exclusion zones and training to match digital risk maps, with the aim of making “zero harm” credible rather than aspirational.