lithium mining

The base case is zero. The reality is 20 per cent over. Mining’s most expensive assumption isn’t going away.

Will Kendall has a line that lands with the quiet force of something everyone in the room already knew but hadn’t quite said out loud: "Base case is cost overruns of over 20 per cent," Will says, "That’s your base case.

By Jamie Wade on August 27, 2026
Efficiency, Production Optimisation, Costs, Financial Planning, Contract Management, ESG, Reclamation Projects, Regulatory Adherence, Extraction, Reserve Estimation, Risk, Risk Assessment, Risk Mitigation, Mines & Projects, Project Overviews, Development Stages
Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, North America, Canada
Iron ore, Nickel, Energy Minerals, Coal (Thermal and Metallurgical), Rare Earth Elements, Strategic Minerals, Precious Metals, Lithium, Gold, Copper

The contractor recovery has a forward visibility problem, and the JV model is quietly rewriting how junior projects get built

There are two stories inside Grant Thornton's latest mining contractors report, and the one getting most of the attention is the wrong one.

By Jamie Wade on April 28, 2026
Efficiency, Production Optimisation, Mineral Processing, Costs, Financial Planning, Contract Management, Procurement Efficiency, ESG, Reclamation Projects, Regulatory Adherence, Long-term Planning, Extraction, Mineral Extraction, Reserve Estimation, Risk, Risk Assessment, Risk Mitigation, Mines & Projects, Project Overviews, Development Stages
Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, North America, Canada
Iron ore, Copper, Nickel, Energy Minerals, Coal (Thermal and Metallurgical), Strategic Minerals, Precious Metals, Lithium, Gold, Base Metals

Pilgangoora proves ore sorting can turn waste into profit while slashing costs and energy in the race for battery grade lithium

PLS’ Pilgangoora Operation delivered a standout June quarter, with production volumes up 77 percent and unit operating costs down 10 percent compared to the previous quarter thanks to the integration of the world’s largest lithium ore sorting plant.

By Jamie Wade on September 4, 2025
Efficiency, Production Optimisation, Process Improvement, Mineral Processing, Costs, Cost Control, Procurement Efficiency, ESG, Sustainable Practices, Long-term Planning, Environmental Stewardship, Innovation, Technology Adoption, Mines & Projects, Project Overviews, Case Studies
Australia, Western Australia, Pilbara
Strategic Minerals, Lithium