Ageing blast-hole drill rigs on Australian mine sites are being put through structured overhauls by Motion Australia once reactive repairs become uneconomic and reliability drops. The programme uses condition monitoring data, detailed component inspection and controlled workshop execution to rebuild key systems such as rotary heads, feed assemblies and undercarriages rather than relying on ad hoc field fixes. For maintenance planners, the approach shifts spend from frequent unplanned shutdowns to scheduled rebuild intervals, extending rig service life and stabilising drilling availability.

Brightstar Resources has approved the final investment decision for its Goldfields project in Western Australia, enabling full-scale construction of a new 1.5 million‑tonne‑per‑annum gold processing plant at Laverton. The go‑ahead follows receipt of key regulatory clearances, including Mining Development and Closure Proposal approval from the WA Department of Mines, Petroleum and Energy. Plant design, tailings storage and closure planning will now move from study phase to detailed engineering and execution, locking in long‑lead procurement and contractor mobilisation across the Laverton hub.

RZ Resources has secured New South Wales Government development approval for its $693 million Copi critical minerals project in the state’s far south-west, about 75km north-west of Wentworth and 180km south-west of Broken Hill, targeting first production in early 2029. The project will produce zircon, rutile and rare earth elements from strandline-style mineral sands, positioning Copi within an established Murray Basin mining corridor with existing haulage and export infrastructure. Geotechnical and civil design will need to address arid-zone tailings storage, groundwater management and long-distance power and road access in a remote environment.