World’s biggest high-purity alumina factory progresses with $20 million contract awarded to McCosker Contracting

A contract worth over $20 million has been awarded for concrete works at what will be the world’s biggest high-purity aluminium materials factory, located in Gladstone, Queensland and with capacity for over 10,000 tonnes of HPA equivalent per year. According to a statement from Alpha HPA — the owner of the upcoming factory — the…

Mining innovation born from sabotaged research transforms tailings management

A vindictive equipment operator’s act of sabotage in 1989 led to an internationally significant breakthrough in mining waste management. Simran Gill speaks to David Smirk, the founder of Phibion, a Top 10 Gold Award winner at @AuManufacturing’s recent Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers awards. David Smirk, founder and non-executive director of Phibion, tells the @AuManufacturing…

Pit-to-production PhosOne fertiliser JV gets prescribed project status

The PhosOne joint venture between North West Phosphate (NWP) and Sibanye-Stillwater (SSW) has been awarded prescribed project status by the Queensland government, which says it is expected “to generate $1.4 billion in economic value”. In a statement on Friday, the state government described PhosOne as a pit-to-production venture capable of creating 490 jobs in construction…

AI undermines the manufacturing workforce

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries across the globe, Australian manufacturing faces a critical crossroads. To remain competitive in increasingly advanced global markets, Australian businesses must urgently adopt smart, high-tech solutions, writes Graeme Sheather.  The emergence of AI as a dominant force is no longer a distant threat—it’s a present-day disruptor altering the foundation of…

National Reconstruction Fund Corporation invests $27 million in glaucoma treatment device maker

The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation will reportedly announce a $27 million stake in PolyActiva, a company commercialising an injectable device to treat glaucoma. According to The Australian Financial Review, the investment to be announced on Friday is alongside $13 million in new funding from Brandon Capital, and will support PolyActiva in moving to phase-two trials,…

TRaCE-backed, UNSW-based electrical engineering consultancy launched

University of NSW has established what it says is the first university-based service in Australia providing technical expertise to help businesses, particularly startups, solve electrical engineering problems quickly. According to a statement from the university on Wednesday, its new Technology Translation Squad provides “critical engineering support to green tech startups” to speed up commercialisation of…