13.12.2022

Hochtief honored as global industry leader for sustainability

Company achieves top ranking in Dow Jones Sustainability Index

International recognition for Hochtief's sustainable activities: S&P Global determined the highest sustainability score worldwide for the Hochtief Group in the "Construction & Engineering" sector of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI). Hochtief has been included in the internationally renowned index for the 17th time in a row for its performance in the areas of business/governance, environment and social issues.  

09.12.2022

Epiroc to acquire leading Provider of Collision Avoidance Systems for Mines

Epiroc, a leading productivity and sustainability partner for the mining and infrastructure industries, has agreed to acquire Mernok Elektronik (Pty) Ltd, a South African company that provides advanced collision avoidance systems for mining companies. With this acquisition, Epiroc will strengthen its position as a world-leading provider of automation and safety solutions for mining operations.  

09.12.2022

8th Edition of ITA Tunnelling Awards: The Winners of the 2022 Edition

The 8th edition of the ITA Tunnelling and Underground Space Awards ended yesterday. The winners in the eight categories were announced during the event that was held online.  

Market-Place-4.0 Glencore plc BHP Group

08.12.2022

Cancellation of Qld mine a sign of things to come: QRC

Glencore’s decision to withdraw from plans to develop a $2 billion coal project south-west of Emerald is a sign of things to come in the wake of the Palaszczuk Government’s decision to impose excessive new royalty taxes on coal producers, the Queensland Resources Council said today.

 Glencore’s Valeria project south-west of Emerald would have created 1,400 construction jobs and 1,250 operational jobs. QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said Glencore had made it clear the Queensland Government’s royalty hike was a factor in its decision to cancel the project.

“Companies take into account a broad range of factors when considering multi-decade, large-scale investments in projects like this, and regulatory stability is one of those factors,” he said. “Glencore has commented that ‘abrupt decisions like the Queensland super royalty hike have damaged investor confidence, increased uncertainty and raised a red flag with key trading partners’, which is consistent with the QRC’s position from day one – this royalty hike will affect long-term investment in this state. ”

Mr Macfarlane said previous Queensland governments have offered stable and consistent investment environments for resources projects, but that was no longer the case in Queensland.

“The Queensland Government does not appear to appreciate the impact of its decision to lift coal royalty taxes to the highest rates in the world,” he said. “Short-term political decisions like this make it harder for companies to invest here and send a signal to shift their focus to other destinations that offer better returns to investors.”

Mr Macfarlane said the QRC has repeatedly warned the government of the long-term impact of its decision to over-tax coal producers on investment in resources projects across the board, not just coal.

“Unfortunately, our concerns have fallen on deaf ears,” he said. “We now have a situation where major mining companies such as BHP, Peabody and Glencore are rethinking their investment plans for Queensland, which means every Queenslander loses out in terms of new jobs and business opportunities and the flow-on benefits from that. Japan’s Ambassador to Australia Yamagami Shingo has also made it clear the relationship between Queensland and Japan has been damaged by the way in which the royalties were unilaterally introduced, without any consultation with industry or investors. Sudden changes in the rules for investment discourage investors from future job-creating projects, which should be a major concern for any government.”

Mr Macfarlane said the QRC will continue to be open to a meeting with the government to discuss a more balanced approach to supporting the state economy without jeopardising the industry’s future.

Source: QRC

#Australia (AU) #hard coal #politics #QRC #raw materials #investments #Glencore plc #BHP Group #Mining

                     

08.12.2022

Notable millionaires invest in Swedish zinc-ion batteries that solve raw material supply challenges

•  Enerpoly's seed round raised USD 1.5 million.
•  These funds finance upcoming pilot projects that demonstrate the zinc-ion battery technology.
•  Investors hail from the financial and industrial sectors in Sweden and the USA and include tech-savvy investors, Fredrik Sidhagen and Johan Nord, as well as bankers, Eirik Winter, Malin Engman and André Rhodin