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Briefcase: Business snippets from around SA

In this week’s briefcase, Oz Minerals throws its weight behind a bid to revitalise copper mining in Kapunda, a new local food venture opens at Adelaide Airport and two South Australian manufacturers venture into space for the first time.

Aug 15, 2022, updated Aug 15, 2022
Callum Hann has opened a new food venture at Adelaide Airport. Photo: supplied

Callum Hann has opened a new food venture at Adelaide Airport. Photo: supplied

Oz Minerals backs Kapunda copper project

The Kapunda Copper Mine. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Oz Minerals will be kicking in $2.5m to investigate the potential for in-situ copper recovery at Terramin’s Kapunda Copper Mine joint venture.

The agreement will see the South Australian copper mining giant – which last week rejected an $8b takeover bid from BHP – contribute $2.5m over the next 18 months towards researching whether in-situ recovery (ISR) can occur at the historic mine located around 90km north of Adelaide.

ISR is a mining process where wells or bores pump an acidic solution underground to dissolve copper from an ore body. The copper is then pumped back up to the surface and sent to a recovery plant for treatment.

The process leaves less environmental footprint than conventional open pit and underground mining, which is not practical at the Kapunda Copper Mine given the site’s heritage and proximity to the Kapunda township.

Terramin estimates nearly 120,000 tonnes of copper lies within 100 metres of the surface and could be recovered using ISR.

The SA mining company has a 25 per cent stake in the joint venture alongside Environmental Copper Recovery Pty Ltd, which is 30 per cent owned by Adelaide-based Thor Mining.

Oz Minerals’ investment in the project does not affect the ownership of the joint venture, which was first announced in August 2017.

It has since been supported by a $2.8m federal government research grant and $6m from Environmental Copper Recovery, along with research from the CSIRO and the University of Adelaide.

SA companies win portable rocket launcher contract

A render of Southern Launch’s proposed mobile launch rail. Photo: supplied

South Australian manufacturers Ferretti International and Hydroil are set to make their first venture into the space sector after winning a contract to build and supply a mobile launch rail to space company Southern Launch.

The contracts come after Southern Launch earlier this year won a nearly $1m federal government grant to construct a portable rocket launcher for use at its main Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex on the Eyre Peninsula and its smaller Koonibba Test Range northwest of Ceduna.

The company is hoping the mobile launch rail will make it more attractive to international clients looking for launch services.

Southern Launch announced last week that Ferretti International – a Wingfield and Whyalla-based pipe fabrication and structural steel company – and Hydroil – a Woodville and Whyalla-based hydraulics manufacturer – will be building and supplying the mobile launch rail.

The project represents both companies’ first venture into the space sector and is expected to create 10 manufacturing jobs.

Ferretti International business development manager Scott Searle said the Southern Launch contract would give Ferretti’s workforce “the opportunity to use their skills and expertise in different ways”.

“Ensuring that Australia is home to a strong manufacturing sector is extremely important to us,” he said in a statement.

“Being involved in a project in a new and emerging industry such as space, in our home state, gives us the confidence to go after similar projects both here and internationally.”

Southern Launch has flagged it will be awarding more local contracts for the launch rail project.

New food venture takes off at Adelaide Airport

Callum Hann serves up a tasting of his new menu items at The Pantry Adelaide Kitchen to Sophia Go from Melbourne. Photo supplied

Former MasterChef star Callum Hann has opened a new hospitality venture within Adelaide Airport’s terminal expansion project.

The South Australian chef, who is a director of Sprout Food Group and runs restaurant and bar Eleven on Waymouth Street, last week opened “The Pantry Adelaide Kitchen” on level two of Adelaide Airport.

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The new venture, operated by global hospitality company Delaware North, is showcasing regional food artisans and winemakers while also having a special emphasis on coffee.

It follows other recent openings at Adelaide Airport’s expanded terminal, including Penfolds Wine Bar & Kitchen, JB Hi-FI, WHSmith and Southern Providore.

The terminal expansion, which began in 2018, has led to an 80 per cent increase in retail and dining space, according to Adelaide Airport.

“Our focus in redeveloping and expanding our terminal retail precinct has been to showcase fresh South Australian food and produce, and Callum certainly fits that brief perfectly,” Adelaide Airport managing director Brenton Cox said.

“We’re confident that Callum’s menu design in tandem with Delaware North’s expertise in providing travel-based retail will be a great combination.”

Govt calls for export grant submissions

The state government has opened a third round of export grants as part of its $2.28m “Global Expansion Program”.

The grants scheme, administered by the Department for Trade and Investment, offers up to $50,000 in grants to “well-established companies” to help them grow their export capacity.

Eligible companies include those that export infrequently, those entering new markets and those needing to build in-country knowledge about potential export markets.

The program connects successful companies with “bespoke export services and support” delivered by a service provider of the company’s choice.

Minister for Trade and Investment Nick Champion said 30 South Australian companies have already benefitted from the scheme.

“The Global Expansion Program provides those South Australian companies with ambitions to succeed on the world stage with the tools to make that happen,” he said in a statement.

“As a government we want to help exporters to send high-value products overseas and we also want to increase the number of South Australian companies that can do this successfully.

“We want them to become the state’s next global leaders.”

The latest round of Global Expansion Program grants does not require 1:1 funding.

Expressions of interest for the third round of grants close on Friday, September 16.

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