The Department of Defence has launched a Defence Digital Engineering Strategy to transform how it works with businesses and speed up capability acquisition and address operational gaps. The strategy is a key outcome of the Defence Industry Development Strategy and 2024 National Defence Strategy, which identified the need for Defence to accelerate digital technologies. According…
Details
Liontown Resources produces first lithium Battery Materials producer Liontown Resources has produced its first lithium spodumene concentrate at Kathleen Valley in Western Australia, following the commissioning of the wet plant and end-to-end operation of the value chain. The milestone marks the start of production ramp-up to nameplate throughput of 3Mtpa, currently expected by the end…
Details
The ambitious Future Made in Australia plan could get off to a healthy start if we focused on water security first. By Kristi McLachlan. Ramping up Australian manufacturing is much-needed blue-sky thinking, but how we manage water today and into the future needs to be part of that discussion. The average person would be stunned…
Details
Defence Minister Richard Marles has defended the Hunter class anti-submarine warfare frigates being built in Adelaide by BAE Systems from criticism over their $4 billion price tag. Speaking in Darwin where the government received its first MQ-4C Triton long range, long endurance surveillance UAV (pictured), Marles was asked whether $4 billion was good value for…
Details
By Brent Balinski You may be familiar with various implants used to heal damaged bones – screws, rods, plates and other metal bits and pieces, ones fashioned from newer varieties of materials engineered to mimic what they replace, grafts from elsewhere on a patient’s body etcetera. Dr Maryam Parviz, a biomedical engineer and co-founder/CEO at…
Details
The federal government’s Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive is taking on increasing importance with US lithium producer Albemarle scaling back its lithium production plans Kemerton plant near at Bunbury in Western Australia which has been hit by fluctuating commodity prices. Albemarle has announced it will halt construction of the third production train at the facility…
Details
Construction works are complete on a new world-class pharmaceutical compounding centre in Perth which will manufacture lifesaving medicines and help to diversify Western Australia’s economy. The facility will be one of the most technologically advanced compounding centres in Australia and has been supported by the state government’s Investment Attraction Fund. The new Baxter Healthcare facility…
Details
In a boost for the Australian space industry, the iLAuNCH Trailblazer has announced a further $1 million in funding to accelerate university research towards commercialisation. Part of the $180 million Trailblazer program, the iLAuNCH Accelerator’s Fast Track fund provides seed funding for proof-of-concept demonstrator technologies with long-term commercial prospects. Fast Track will provide funding pathways…
Details
Alcoa Corporation has announced the completion of its acquisition of Alumina Limited, taking control of the AWAC joint venture whose assets comprise bauxite mines and alumina and aluminium refineries in Australia, Brazil, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Guinea. The takeover increases Alcoa’s economic interest in its core business and simplifys governance by acquiring the minority partner…
Details
Additive manufacturer Aurora Labs and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) developer Innovaero have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to leverage both companies capabilities in the defence UAS space. The MOU brings Aurora Labs 3D printed metal components and recently tested 3D printed micro gas turbines to Innovaero’s current UAS platforms. Earlier this month Aurora Labs…
Details