Finalists for the 2026 Australian Mining Prospect Awards have been announced across three individual and 16 group categories, spanning mine safety, environmental management, innovation and productivity. Winners will be named at Fraser’s Kings Park in Perth on 13 September, with categories again backed by major sponsors such as Epiroc, SEW‑EURODRIVE and Flexco. For site leaders and technical teams, the shortlist offers a quick scan of current best practice in areas like autonomous haulage, decarbonisation projects and advanced condition monitoring.

CRC Aeroclean industrial degreaser is now available in a non-flammable formulation, retaining its fast-acting performance on grease, oil and grime while reducing ignition risk around live electrical equipment and hot plant. The solvent blend is designed for use on motors, switchgear and other safety-critical assets where traditional flammable aerosols are restricted, supporting lock-out/tag-out and hot-work controls. Maintenance teams can clean heavily soiled components in situ, cutting the need for full disassembly and reducing downtime on conveyors, crushers and processing lines.

Australia’s Chief Scientist Professor Tony Haymet is pushing for deeper Australia–South Korea collaboration on critical minerals, batteries and hydrogen, centred on supply chain resilience and advanced processing technologies. Speaking at the Korea–Australia Future Forum in Seoul, he framed joint work on lithium, rare earths and battery materials as essential to both countries’ energy transition strategies and industrial competitiveness. For miners and processors, this signals potential Korean investment in Australian upstream projects and co-development of midstream refining and battery manufacturing capacity.