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THIS EDITION • The rare earths revolution • Coalfields rescue comp action • Heavenly hobby at Phosphate Hill • Abbot Point opportunities roll on
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NEWS
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
1
COVER IMAGE: A QGC worker at a gas compression plant east of Condamine in the Surat Basin. Photo: courtesy of QGC
July 2011
2-3 Rare earths revolution
FEATURES 8 Industry Update - Hard Rock A comprehensive wrap of exploration and operations in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
High prices have boosted interest in rare earth elements - the focus of a raft of up-and-coming projects across Queensland and the Northern Territory.
10 Coal and Gas Update News in brief across the coal and gas industries.
4-5 Full steam ahead
12 Between Shifts
This edition takes a look at the business spin-offs and skills challenges created by the tsunami of resource sector development bearing down upon the Surat Basin. We also speak to the new head of the Surat Basin Corporation, who outlines that body’s three-pronged strategy to help guide the region through the boom.
16 Britrac Feature 18 Building NW Queensland 20 Ivanhoe Australia Feature
24 In the swing
22 Training
Big things are expected of a new Queensland Mining Golf Challenge to be launched in Townsville in August, with organisers tipping the event to become a major highlight of the industry’s social calendar while sparking some solid sporting rivalry between operations.
26 When the ship comes in
24 Building Mining Communities 25 Shutdowns 26 Major Projects
The work keeps on coming at Abbot Point near Bowen and regional industry groups are keen for a slice of the action as plans unfold for a further six coal terminals. Construction is due to begin in early 2012 on a $2 billion dredging and reclamation project to pave the way for further development.
27 Exploration 28 Wet Season 29 Processing
30 Stars in their eyes
30 Living Remotely
Care to spend your downtime looking upward? Workers and visitors at the Phosphate Hill site are able to take advantage of the clear north-western skies for a bit of stargazing enhanced by access to an equipped observatory dome.
31 Safety and Rescue 32 Health in Mining
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NEWS
July 2011 |
The Mining Advocate
New resource raises the stakes The presence of an element in demand for hi-tech manufacturing applications has changed the outlook for this mining project. This time last year North Queensland-based company Krucible Metals had a clear game plan to develop a simple, direct-shipping-ore operation based on the Korella phosphate deposit in north-west Queensland. That all changed after routine multi-element checks on project data revealed the presence of yttrium - a heavy rare earth element (HREE) used in hi-tech manufacturing. After re-analysing the project’s drilling database over several months, the company announced a JORC-compliant inferred resource of 4.2 million tonnes at 0.96kg per tonne of yttrium oxide. “It’s early days, but in theory the in-ground value is looking very, very good,” Krucible Metals managing director Tony Alston said. A scoping study completed last year placed a net present value of $82 million on Korella’s phosphate resource, whereas the yttrium oxide resource would
have a potential pre-mining value of $630 million at current prices (about $150 per kilogram). While establishing an yttrium resource had raised the economic expectations for the Korella project, Mr Alston stressed that Krucible could not put a dollar value on it until it had completed a scoping study for that aspect. “The phosphate was relatively simple because we were talking direct shipping ore – basically a quarry, whereas the rare earth will need processing to upgrade it,” Mr Alston said. “We don’t know what the process will be or demand. It is more than likely we will bring in a partner with money and expertise.” Mr Alston said he had recently attended the Rare Earth and Strategic Metals Conference in Sydney, where global experts had indicated a very positive outlook for HREE demand and prices for the next five to 10 years. “Prices are sort of ballistic at the moment and the current thinking is they are going to go
Krucible Metals managing director Tony Alston.
up rather than down,” he said. Applications for yttrium include the manufacture
of specialised alloys, superconductors, super magnets, ceramics and laser technology.
Mr Alston said development of the yttrium and phosphate resources had probably assumed equal priority for Krucible. “The yttrium layer, which also contains dysprosium and neodymium - other very valuable heavy rare earths, sits immediately above and adjacent to the phosphate layer,” he said. “So if we mine the rare earths we are doing pre-strip for the phosphate and equally, if we are going to mine the phosphate first, we stockpile the rare earths.” Mr Alston said Krucible anticipated beginning phosphate mining in the second half of 2012.
Safe Work mining regulations released Draft regulations for the mining industry are being released for public comment in the latest stage of the workplace health and safety “harmonisation” process across Australia. Safe Work Australia has been working with National Mine Safety Framework stakeholders to finalise the draft model Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulations for mines. The regulations, along with associated model codes of practice, a consultation regulation
impact statement and issues paper, were due to be released for public comment from July 15. Safe Work Australia released broader draft model WHS regulations and related material for public comment in December 2010, however the section relating specifically to mining was omitted. Safe Work Australia chair Tom Phillips said the harmonisation would ease the burden on business owners operating across the country.
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The Mining Advocate | July 2011
Spotlight on rare earth elements Increased prices have sparked growing interest in rare earth elements (REE), the focus of a raft of up-and-coming projects across Queensland and the Northern Territory. “Rare earth elements (REE) have been known in Queensland for about 50 years but have not been actively explored for over this period due to the cheap supplies being readily available from China,” a mines spokesman for the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) said. “With recent substantial price rises and export restrictions on Chinese exports, exploration companies in Queensland are seeking to add value to existing projects by exploring for the REE.” Chinalco Yunnan Copper Resources, Metallica Minerals, Diatreme Resources, Krucible Metals, Paradigm Metals/Exco Resources, Activex and CuDeco are among the companies that have announced the presence
of REEs in projects throughout Queensland. “All of these announcements have been made in the last few years, indicating an expansion of interest in exploring for the REE,” the DEEDI spokesman said. Northern Territory Geological Survey director Ian Scrimgeour noted an enormous amount of interest from Japanese and Korean companies in sourcing rare earths from the NT and Australia generally. “Around the Northern Territory we probably only have about half a dozen companies having dedicated rare earth exploration programs,” Dr Scrimgeour said. “Having said that, with the rapid increase in the price of rare earths, I believe a number of companies are now beginning to assay for rare earth elements as part of their operation because they recognise the fantastic value of the commodity.” Dr Scrimgeour said rare earths had the potential to become an important component of the NT
mining industry, although the market may be taken up quite quickly as new operations came online. Australian company Arafura Resources recently purchased land at Whyalla in South Australia for a processing operation for its Nolan’s Bore rare earthsphosphate-uranium project, north of Alice Springs, which is expected to start production around 2013/14. Dr Scrimgeour said there were two other very active rare earth exploration projects in the NT – Crossland Uranium’s Charley Creek project, about 100km west of Alice Springs, and Territory Uranium’s Quantum prospect, about 200km south of Darwin. “That’s a brand new discovery made late last year of quite highgrade rare earths that occur about 200m below surface,” he said. Geoscience Australia recently released a report describing the distribution, geological characteristics, resources and potential of Australia’s major REE deposits.
Scandium find was a ‘game changer’ Lighter and stronger aluminium, more efficient solid oxide fuel cells and high intensity metal halide lighting. These are the type of applications for the “green tech” material scandium and it’s a market Metallica Minerals expects to expand considerably - especially when it is able to provide the world with a long-term, reliable supply of what is one of the scarcest of the 17 rare earth elements. The company’s NORNICO trimetal project in North Queensland includes two deposits containing more than 3000 tonnes of scandium oxide – which is currently priced around $US1500-$2000 a kilogram. “I think scandium has been a game changer for us,” managing director Andrew Gillies said. “It does contribute significantly - say 40 per cent of the total (projected) metal revenue.” Mr Gillies said people were realising that rare earths had really come into their own and there was likely to be a lot more explorers targeting commercial deposits, particularly the more sought-after heavy rare earth elements. In addition to the NORNICO nickel-cobalt-scandium project, Metallica is exploring the Cape York Mineral Sands Project which contains high portions of rutile and zircon. It also has a 15 per cent share in Orion Metals, which has rare earth projects near Cloncurry and in Western Australia. Mr Gillies said the former Soviet Union had realised scandium’s potential as a potent grain refiner for aluminium enhancing strength – and had used it in MiG fighters, missiles and the Mir space station. Global demand now stood around five to eight tonnes annually, with much of that drawn from Soviet stockpiles or as a minor by-product of some other metal concentrate refining, he said. “We believe the market will grow as people realise how good it is in alloys, more efficient fuel cells and lighting – the market is just waiting for a long-term, reliable supply,” Mr Gillies said.
THE AUSTRALIAN WORKERS' UNION: PUTTING MINERS SAFETY FIRST ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS AND CONDITIONS AT WORK? ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS? ONLY THE AWU - QUEENSLAND STRONGEST UNION - IS COMMITTED TO PROTECTING MINERS' JOBS AND ENTITLEMENTS DURING THESE DIFFICULT FINANCIAL TIMES NOT AN AWU MEMBER YET? THEN JOIN THE AWU TODAY TO FIND OUT HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ENTITLEMENTS NORTH QUEENSLAND AWU MINING OFFICIALS: TOWNSVILLE-COWBOY STOCKHAM 0419 737990 MT ISA-HAG HARRISON 0428192985 FOR FURTHER QUERIES PLEASE CONTACT AWU BRANCH OFFICE TOLL FREE ON 1800671449 OR awu.org.au BY STANDING TOGETHER AS A TEAM AWU MEMBERS CAN ENSURE THAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE PROTECTED Authorised by Bill Ludwig, The Australian Workers' Union of Employees', Queensland.
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July 2011 |
The Mining Advocate PROCESS CONTROL | AUTOMATION | INSTRUMENTATION | SAFETY
Surat Basin rides the wave A local development organisation is focusing on three key areas to help maximise the benefits and meet the challenges of rapid resource sector growth. The Surat Basin Corporation is emerging from a period of “rebirth” to help guide the region through the resources boom. General manager David Breese said the group had evolved from something akin to a regional chamber of commerce into a regional development organisation in partnership with the Maranoa and Western Downs councils. This came at a time of unprecedented growth for the region with around 50 major projects either under construction or in planning in the coal, gas extraction and energy generation industries. Mr Breese said the response to the recent Surat Basin Energy and Mining Expo in Toowoomba, which attracted 1000 exhibitors and 6000-7000 visitors, reflected a “fervour” of interest in the region. He said the Surat Basin Corporation would focus on three key areas moving forward – meeting the region’s workforce requirement, assisting with the development of infrastructure, and building economic resilience and capturing opportunities. A revamped website launched in early July and a DVD promoting the area’s liveability are part of the strategy. Mr Breese said the aim of the DVD – financed through the Queensland Regional Development Initiative fund was to promote the region as a great place to live, work and play. The corporation is also working with federal and State agencies as well as groups such as Centacare, Lifeline and the Smith Family to recruit and train people for local job opportunities. This includes a project to tap into the African migrant community in Toowoomba, which has low employment rates. “We’ll also be looking to run a roadshow around regional employment priority areas,” Mr Breese said. Mr Breese said the Surat Basin Corporation would help identify key local infrastructure needs and lobby for action. “We will be pulling together stakeholders to provide a unified voice
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Surat Basin Corporation general manager David Breese.
for the Warrego Highway upgrade and Toowoomba Range crossing, for example,” he said. He said also the group would be pressuring major gas companies to act promptly when it came to fulfilling the obligations set out in their development approvals to provide regional infrastructure. The third priority – building economic resilience - was about ensuring local businesses were looked after, Mr Breese said. “That includes making sure they understand the funding and assistance out there for them,” he said. The corporation would also work with the major project proponents to help maximise the use of local contractors and other suppliers within the region, Mr Breese said.
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LNG developer funds regional driver training initiative QGC, developer of the Queensland Curtis LNG project, has launched a landmark $1 million driver training program for regional road users. QGC managing director Catherine Tanna announced Road Aware – Staying Safe Together as part of the QCLNG project’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life in communities in which it operates. The program is part of QGC’s pledge to invest $150 million by 2014 on community programs aimed at
road and marine traffic, health, safety, housing and social infrastructure. High school students will be trained with a state-of-the-art driving simulator and tailored road safety material will be distributed to schools across the QCLNG project area from Gladstone to the Surat Basin. Road safety tips, behavioural advice and information about the Road Aware – Staying Safe Together campaign can be found at www.beroadaware.com.au.
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The Mining Advocate | July 2011
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Gas-fired growth powers local trade Business numbers have spiked in the heart of the Surat Basin as the region gears up for projects valued at more than $140 billion. The tsunami of resource sector development beginning to wash over the Surat Basin has already brought major spin-offs for local commerce, according to an economic development head. The Western Downs Regional Council area alone had experienced a net increase of more than 100 businesses within the last two years, Western Downs major development and economic strategy manager Jane Holdsworth said. Ms Holdsworth said major projects valued at more than $140 billion were under development or in the pipeline for the Surat Basin, most within the next five years. The Western Downs region includes the three major service centres of Miles, Chinchilla, and Dalby as well as Wandoan and Tara. While the Surat Basin region also takes in parts of the Toowoomba and Maranoa council areas, Ms Holdsworth said Western Downs was the energy capital. “We have every type of energy activity happening - open-cut and underground coal mining, solar, a proposed wind park, coal-fired and gas-fired power stations, coal seam gas, UCG (underground coal gasification) and to top that off there’s a key rail project (Surat Basin Rail) as well,” she said. Ms Holdsworth said the local
council had formed its Major Development and Economic Strategy Group to cope with the emerging industry and make the most of the opportunities presented. “I think they recognised it was like a tsunami coming down the road in terms of what was happening out here,” she said. Dalby-based firm Ostwald Bros has been building its workforce from 400 to more than 500 after being awarded a contract late last year for up to $60 million worth of work associated with the Queensland Curtis LNG development. Human resources manager Rohan May said Ostwald Bros had recently engaged a dedicated recruitment officer to help it attract and retain talent. “Our last campaign attracted over 2500 applications, which really shows the interest in the growth in our area and in working with Ostwald Bros,” Mr May said. “We are working with State and Federal Government departments to implement a pilot program in the latter half of 2011 to provide formal training to provide people new to our industry with plant operator qualifications. “Projects such as this, aligned with our apprenticeship and traineeship programs, graduate programs and work experience
means we maintain our focus on developing local talent.” Ms Holdsworth said it was an opportune time for local business, with benefits of the boom shared by enterprises ranging from motels to engineering firms. The Surat Basin was also attracting strong interest from would-be investors ranging from “mums and dads” looking for rental properties through to major companies, she said.
A central QGC processing plant at Windibri, south-west of Chinchilla.
Skills strategies for boom QGC expects its Surat Basin workforce to swell to more than 3000 by 2013 as it pushes towards first exports from the $15 billion Queensland Curtis LNG project. The region already accounts for about 53 per cent of the company’s 3600-strong workforce. They work on drilling, the export pipeline, existing domestic gas operations, water treatment plants, civil works, water storage pond construction, pipeline networks and support services. The figures are a reflection of the major rampup in gas industry-related workers in the region since QGC parent company the BG Group and the Santos-led GLNG project announced final investment decisions. That growth is likely to accelerate over the next two to three years as a number of projects progress, according to Energy Skills Queensland chief executive officer Glenn Porter. Mr Porter said the first two major LNG projects alone were expected to require a 10,000-strong workforce at the peak of construction. While meeting such workforce requirements for the burgeoning CSG (coal seam gas) and LNG (liquefied natural gas) industry was a big challenge, Mr Porter said appropriate analysis had been
completed early to identify where specific skills shortages would arise. “The industry has a plan,” he said. “They’re working together and working with the Queensland Government and a range of training organisations to build the supply of skills in these identified shortage areas.” With about 1000 gas wells expected to be sunk every year for the next 25-30 years in the Surat and Bowen basins, drilling is among the critical areas. “We’re involved in training unemployed and indigenous people in basic drilling skills in and around Brisbane and the South Burnett and Wide Bay regions - where they have higher unemployment - giving them some basic skills and then getting them jobs in the drilling industry,” Mr Porter said. “That’s one example of how we’re responding to an identified shortage.” A QGC spokesman said that group was meeting its skill needs by working with Energy Skills Queensland, advertising broadly, maximising graduate intakes, developing pilot vacation experience programs and training locally as well as recruiting overseas as a last resort.
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July 2011 |
The Mining Advocate
Call for northern tax breaks A ceremony at Hancock’s Alpha project recently became the platform for an executive-level push for more investment-friendly policies. Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has used a “first coal” celebration at a Galilee Basin project to call for tax breaks for northern Australia. Mrs Rinehart, chairman of the Hancock Group of Companies, was speaking at a ceremony at the Alpha coal project – where thermal coal is being extracted from a test pit, crushed and stockpiled for export to Korea. “Tax breaks by way of meaningful rebates need to be enjoyed here to encourage people to live here, special economic zones with less restrictions need to be implemented to encourage investment,” she said. “We could and should see a vibrant northern Australia with an exciting ‘go north, young man’ attitude.” Mrs Rinehart is part of a group known as Australians for Northern Development and Economic Vision (ANDEV ) which advocates such measures. The group has called for a special Northern Economic Zone
stretching across the north of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and North Queensland, where companies could bring in temporary labour for construction periods to alleviate cost pressures in remote areas. In her Alpha coal project address, Mrs Rinehart also stressed the need to encourage foreign investment in Australia and to “drop the risk and expense of carbon tax and MRRT (Mineral Resource Rent Tax)”, while at the same time anticipating that she would be attacked in the media as “greedy” for that stand. “There is simply no place in Australia for policies that deter exploration, investment and hard work,” she said. “Not if we want our standards of living to be maintained or improve.” Mrs Rinehart also revealed her plans to accommodate future port and rail staff associated with Hancock’s projects in facilities to be built at Murray Bay, Bowen.
Back to the drawing board for Aurukun The State Government will launch a new international tender for the development rights to the Aurukun bauxite resource on Cape York. Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser confirmed the move recently following the collapse of an agreement with Chalco - the world’s second-largest aluminium company - for development of a bauxite mine and an alumina refinery, which had been flagged for Abbot Point, outside Bowen. It is uncertain at this stage whether downstream processing in Queensland will part of the new agreement, with Mr Fraser indicating that details of the tender were still to be worked through. The original tender process in 2005-06 was based on bidders committing to develop an alumina refinery in Queensland. However Mr Fraser said the Global Financial Crisis had resulted in unfavourable market changes and Chalco’s feasibility study work indicated challenges in delivering that component. “In the past year, the Queensland Government has continued to have discussions with Chalco on an exclusive basis - including in relation to new development and value-adding investment options that could be considered as a substitute for the alumina refinery, and what form the alternative might take,” he said. “However, the Queensland Government has now discontinued those discussions with Chalco.” Mr Fraser said the government was now able to consider a new set of development conditions that may be appropriate for the resource in the current and forecast market environment.
Central Highlands Mayor Peter Maguire, Barcaldine Regional Council Mayor Rob Chandler and Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale join Gina Rinehart at the Alpha coal project test pit. Photo: Patrick Hamilton
Guests at the “first coal” celebrations included representatives from Korea South-East Power, which will take the first shipment, and executives of China’s Zhejiang Provincial Energy Group, who signed a letter of intent to purchase significant quantities of coal should the mine proceed and exports commence in 2014. The company says Hancock is the only Galilee Basin coal developer to have commenced ground-breaking early works and it has already secured advanced approvals to enable a mining lease to be granted next year. Excavation at the test pit for the Alpha coal project, about 50km north-east of Alpha, began in November last year. About 150,000 tonnes of thermal coal is due to be extracted within the next four months for export to the republic of Korea, where it will be tested for commercial use in power stations.
Thermal coal is mined at the test pit, north-east of Alpha.
CuDeco plans load-out hub CuDeco proposes to construct a multi-user rail load-out facility in the Cloncurry area. The company, which aims to begin production late next year from its Rocklands copper project, has entered into a conditional memorandum of understanding for the lease of up to 900ha of land on the town’s south-eastern outskirts. CuDeco chairman and chief executive officer Wayne McCrae said the company had engaged the Robert Bird Group to assist with the development of the facility. “It is anticipated that the facility will be operated by CuDeco or a logistical/ infrastructure contractor and will be able to store more than 1.5 million tonnes of product at any one time,” Mr McCrae said. “The rail loop component will allow for much greater cargo tonnages to be achieved on the existing Mount Isa-Townsville line. “Third parties will be required to construct their own storage sheds in allocated areas that will allow them to use the CuDeco rail network constructed on the site. “Additionally third parties will be invited to
utilise CuDeco’s port facility at Townsville.” CuDeco had already received several enquiries and believed the proposed facility would be fully tenanted by the forecast completion date, he said. CuDeco has an agreement to use the existing Cloncurry facility managed by Ostojic Logistics for the early stages of its Rocklands project, however Mr McCrae said this facility was fully committed and would be unable to cope with increasing demand in the region. The Mount Isa to Townsville Economic Zone (MITEZ) group engaged consultants GHD late last year to make a full assessment of a number of potential sites for a multi-user loadout facility in the Cloncurry district to meet the needs of local mining operations. MITEZ executive officer Glen Graham said the CuDeco facility would involve one of those locations and it was now a matter for major users to determine support for the proposal.
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The Mining Advocate | July 2011
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Innovation by the bucketload A Mackay-based business believes the novel design in its product lines will translate into significant benefits at the coalface. Bowen Basin coal mines have become the proving ground for a new range of excavator and dragline buckets shaped for improved productivity. L&H Australia, which opened its doors in Mackay one year ago, has designed the new Omega iFill2 and Omega iDig2 buckets as well as a range of rigging products and wear parts. L&H Australia managing director Martin Simpson said the company’s first Omega dragline bucket was commissioned in April at the Wesfarmers Curragh mine near Blackwater, while the first Omega excavator bucket was delivered to Macarthur Coal’s Coppabella mine in June. A key difference between the Omega iDig2 buckets and those produced by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) was the use of corner rail castings, Mr Simpson said.
Martin Simpson L&H Australia managing director
“We’ve done a lot of discrete element model testing in the US for material flow and it has reduced the amount of friction through the unique shape we have developed,” he said.
L&H has placed welded joints in low-stress areas, allowing them to also reduce the thickness of plates and create lighter excavator and dragline buckets. Modelling conducted with a university in Denver, Colorado, had shown a nine to 12 per cent reduction in energy used to fill the new Omega buckets compared to standard designs, Mr Simpson said. He said the company was collecting data from the buckets’ performance in the field to confirm productivity improvements. “We need to analyse the production data for both the Omega iFill2 and iDig2 buckets, but we are seeing a 10 to 15 per cent productivity increase,” Mr Simpson said. Mr Simpson said he and L&H Australia’s US-based consulting engineer Ossie Zaayman had more than 45 years of expertise and knowledge in the field collectively. While the bucket at Coppabella has a capacity of 22 cubic metres and the one at Curragh holds 15
The L&H Australia-designed iFill2 dragline bucket.
cubic metres, Mr Simpson said his designs stretched to 90 cubic metres for draglines and 36 for excavators. The first Omega iFill2 dragline bucket was fabricated in Brisbane and the iDig2 bucket was manufactured locally by BAE Engineering and Solar. Mr Simpson, based in Mackay
Local twist for dragline jacking pads A Mackay engineering firm has designed a new style of jacking pad to be used in dragline shutdowns. BAE Engineering and Solar began trading on February 1 and has been “going great”, according to manager Mick Daly. Among the bigger jobs it is working on is an Xstrata Coal order for four jacking pads to be used in upcoming shutdown work. The BAE Engineering and Solar jacking pad design features 57 large rings which are sandwiched between two 32mm thick steel plates. The top plate has cavities to allow the rings to be filled with concrete on site. This design provided a lighter component for transportation, which became more solid once on site, Mr Daly said. “It’s a pretty unique design,” he said. Mr Daly said the jacking pads, each 8m x 5.1m and weighing 27 tonnes, must provide a solid base for the task of lifting about 60,000 tonnes of dragline to allow work underneath the tub. “They would use probably four 500-tonne jacks on each pad – they are massive,” he said. The firm is also producing a line of excavator buckets for L&H Australia which incorporate corner rail casting for a rounded edge to improve digging and dumping efficiency. BAE Engineering and Solar’s specialities include dragline rigging repairs and excavator work as well as solar lighting options – an area in which Mr Daly expects burgeoning interest throughout the mining industry.
BAE Engineering and Solar manager Mick Daly at the Mackay workshop. Photo: Damien Carty
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A shining performance Incitec Pivot has converted a workplace safety milestone at its Dyno Nobel ammonium nitrate project at Moranbah into a $25,000 donation for the Starlight Children’s Foundation. The $935 million plant is being built by the Project Aurora team of UGL Resources and its partners Conneq Infrastructure Services and BGC Contracting. The engineering, construction and production team of up to 800 people working on the project has clocked up 1.5 million hours without a losttime injury. The team team voted the Starlight Children’s Foundation, which brightens the lives of seriously ill and hospitalised children and their families, as the preferred charity for IPL’s donation in recognition of the safety achievement.
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INDUSTRY UPDATE - HARD ROCK
Handy price shift
July 2011 |
process being developed with Uranium Equities for the recovery of uranium as a by-product of phosphate fertiliser production. The third-stage investment brings Cameco’s total commitment to $US12.5 million. Uranium Equities – the company behind the Northern Territory’s Nabarlek uranium project - said a demonstration plant was undergoing final commissioning before being shipped to the USA for trials.
Bigryli results released A recently completed prefeasibility study has indicated technical viability for the Bigryli uranium project in the Northern Territory. The capital cost for the project – a Paladin Energy and Energy Metals joint venture - is estimated at $181 million, including a $20 million contingency fund. Crushed molybdenum-tungsten ore from a trial mining exercise at Molyhil.
The strong global price for tungsten has prompted Thor Mining to launch a new study into the viability of the company’s Molyhil tungsten and molybdenum project in the Northern Territory. Thor recently announced it had appointed Proteus EPCM Engineers to revise the 2007 definitive feasibility study cost estimates for the project. “The significant improvement in recent times in particular of international tungsten pricing has provided confidence that the project economics may once again be viable,” Thor chairman Mick Billing said. “The revised cost estimates will form part of an updated definitive feasibility study which is expected to be completed in October.” Thor was optimistic of a favourable outcome, which may lead to commencement of development activities during 2012, he said.
Processing patent An international patent application has been filed for a new hydrometallurgical process developed for TNG’s Mt Peake iron-vanadium project in the Northern Territory. The Australian resources company developed the TIVAN process last year in conjunction with Mineral Engineering Technical Services (METS). TNG said the process had successfully extracted commercial grades of vanadium, titanium and iron from the Mt Peake deposit, which was hosted by a similar rock type (magnetite-gabbro) to that which hosts most known vanadium deposits worldwide. The TIVAN Process uses a combination of acid leaching, solvent extraction and chemical stripping to selectively recover the valuable metals.
Roper Bar moves ahead Western Desert Resources (WDR) has lodged notices of intent for mining and infrastructure development at the Roper Bar iron ore deposits. The notices formally advise the Northern Territory Government and other interested parties of WDR’s intention to commence mine development and construct a 75km slurry pipeline to transport concentrate to proposed export facilities on Maria Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Positive scoping study Sherwin Iron has released positive scoping study results for its Roper
River iron ore project in the Northern Territory. The study - compiled by Engenium - examined Sherwin Iron’s plans for processing the ore into concentrate, transporting it to the Gulf of Carpentaria via a slurry pipeline and placing it on ships using barges. The study assumes a total mineable resource of 250 million tonnes yielding about 165 million tonnes of saleable product, supporting an operation of 10 million tonnes per annum through until 2030. The project is expected to deliver a total post-tax net cashflow in excess of $4 billion.
Fire delays project A fire that broke out during processing plant construction is expected to set back Matilda Zircon’s Lethbridge South mineral sands project about four months. Mining at the project - on the Tiwi Islands, about 50km north of Darwin would not proceed until the plant had been repaired, technical director Peter Gazzard said. The company was looking at options including concentrators for sale, he said. With a recent 22 per cent increase in reserves and strong increases in world zircon and rutile prices, Matilda Zircon stated it was still looking forward to buoyant production and revenue from the project over its anticipated six-month life.
PhosEnergy investment Cameco Corporation is investing a further $US5 million in the PhosEnergy
Energy Metals said the study had shown excellent metallurgical recoveries and a mine life of about eight years, producing about 10 million pounds of uranium oxide. However an increase in resource base was essential to improve project economics. The company said work was ongoing to increase the resource base and advance the long lead items for a more detailed feasibility study.
Joint effort on Wonarah Minemakers has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Indian company NMDC to help advance its Wonarah phosphate project in the Northern Territory. NMDC management staff will join the Minemakers team to undertake a joint feasibility study regarding the proposed Wonarah development. This would include a mine and downstream processing facilities to produce beneficiated rock phosphate for export, phosphoric acid and finished fertiliser products such as DAP and MAP (diammonium phosphate and monoammonium phosphate). Minemakers said the feasibility study was intended to be sufficiently advanced before the end of 2011 to allow the companies to sign a full joint venture agreement governing the completion of bankable feasibility, financing and development of the project.
Gove agreement Rio Tinto Alcan has signed an historic 42-year agreement with traditional owners on Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory. Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin recently announced her approval and consent to the Rio Tinto Alcan Gove Traditional Owners Agreement and lease under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. The agreement and lease secure the future operations of the Rio Tinto Alcan bauxite mine, alumina refinery, Nhulunbuy township and related operations on the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory.
The Mining Advocate
The agreement between Rio Tinto Alcan, the Northern Land Council and the relevant traditional owners includes a range of financial, contractual, asset and employment benefits for Aboriginal owners.
South of Embley advances The Queensland Government has released the environmental impact statement for Rio Tinto Alcan’s South of Embley bauxite project. The South of Embley project will see Rio Tinto Alcan extend bauxite mining on an existing mining lease south of its current operations near Weipa and build new infrastructure including a power station, processing plant, warehouses, workshops, barge and ferry facilities and ship loading facilities. “If approved, the estimated $1.45 billion project will provide solid employment opportunities in the region and a welcome boost to the Queensland economy,” Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser said.
New impetus at Kalman Syndicated Metals has reached agreement with Cerro Resources on a farm-in and joint venture agreement to help expedite development of the Kalman molybdenum-rhenium-coppergold project, south of Cloncurry. Syndicated can earn up to an 80 per cent interest in Cerro’s north-west Queensland tenements under the agreement, which would give it control of one of the largest landholdings in the region. Terms include that it spend $7 million on exploration for the project over three and a half years.
Rannes resource lifts Solomon Gold has announced a further resource estimate upgrade for its Central Rannes prospects - Crunchie and Kauffmans-Homestead - in central Queensland. The total inferred mineral resource estimate at Rannes is now 14.81 million tonnes for 543,858oz of contained equivalent gold. The company said multiple prospects within the Central Rannes project area, over a 1.5km strike length, provided excellent potential for a significant further expansion of the existing resource inventory.
Eloise exploration begins Breakaway Resources has started a 5000m reverse circulation drilling program to test three advanced highgrade copper-gold prospects at its Eloise exploration project, 70km south-east of Cloncurry in north-west Queensland. The tenements lie immediately adjacent to FMR Investments’ Eloise copper mine, where production is continuing to ramp-up after mining recommenced in January this year.
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INDUSTRY UPDATE - HARD ROCK
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
Magnetic milestone
Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said Round 6 grants under the Collaborative Drilling Initiative had been approved for projects ranging from exploration for gold, base metals and coal seam gas to identifying new potential geothermal energy resources. They include two Krucible Metals projects as well as exploration by CST Lady Annie Operations, Earth Ray Exploration, Lodestone Energy, Renison Consolidated Mines and Malachite Resources. Geothermal exploration projects by Icon Energy and Granite Power have also won funds.
Little Eva grows up
Loading the first magnetite concentrate shipment in Townsville.
Photo: Rob Parsons
Exports of concentrate from Xstrata Copper’s Cloncurry magnetite project have begun, with the maiden shipment leaving the Port of Townsville for Asia in June. The export follows a $79 million investment to develop the magnetite project at Ernest Henry Mining (EHM) and an $8.6 million storage upgrade at the port. Xstrata Copper North Queensland chief operating officer Steve de Kruijff said magnetite processing and export was an important part of sustaining Xstrata Copper’s operations in North Queensland, helping extend the life of the Ernest Henry mine to at least 2024 and creating additional employment opportunities at the company’s Townsville operations. “EHM will produce about 1.2 million tonnes of magnetite concentrate per year, which will be chiefly used to fuel Asia’s steel industry and also used as a washing agent in domestic coal operations,” he said.
Golden merger
and Cracow gold mines in central Queensland.
Pajingo mine operator Conquest Mining is proposing a merger with Catalpa Resources to produce a mid-range gold company with five Australian gold projects.
“This deal is a major step in our continued strategy and determination to grow another significant Australian gold company,” Conquest executive chairman Jake Klein said.
The companies recently announced that they had entered into a binding transaction agreement that would result in “the creation of a leading growthfocused Australian gold company” through an all-scrip merger of equals.
Shareholder meetings are due in September to vote on the proposal.
They also aim to purchase Newcrest Mining’s interests in the mount Rawdon
Collaborative drilling grants Nine projects will share in more than $1.17 million in Queensland Government grants for targeted exploration drilling.
Altona Mining has flagged a major resources upgrade, due out in August, after encouraging early results from a 25km reverse circulation drilling program at its Roseby copper project near Mount Isa. The first target of the program was the Little Eva copper-gold sulphide deposit, with results including 233m at 0.61 per cent copper and 0.08g per tonne gold from 62m. The current published resource estimate for the Roseby project was completed in 2005 and is 133 million tonnes at a grade of 0.7 per cent copper and 0.1g per tonne gold.
Sale approved Exco Resources shareholders have approved the sale of the company’s E1 and Monakoff copper tenements in north-west Queensland to Xstrata Copper for $175 million. Xstrata Copper says the E1 and Monakoff copper tenements, strategically located close to its Ernest Henry Mine, contain open-pit copper mineral resources with completed feasibility studies. Ore from the projects will be transported to Ernest Henry Mine and processed through that operation’s existing concentrator. It is anticipated these two new projects will increase Ernest Henry Mine’s production profile from the second half of 2012, including gold by-product credits.
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Watershed partnership Vital Metals has entered into an earnin agreement with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation ( JOGMEC) over its Watershed project, 150km north-west of Cairns. Chairman David Macoboy said JOGMEC could earn 30 per cent of the Watershed tungsten project by investing $5.4 million within two years towards completion of a bankable feasibility study. The project had attracted renewed market interest following Chinese export restrictions of tungsten to meet that country’s own internal demands, Mr Macoboy said.
CST ups the Anthill CST Mining has released a new mineral resource estimate for the Anthill deposit, about 45km from its Lady Annie operations in north-west Queensland. CST said it had pursued an aggressive exploration campaign to increase the oxide resource inventory of the project since taking ownership of the Lady Annie operations in June last year. It reports a total resource of 6.5 million tonnes, containing 55, 900 tonnes of Copper metal at Anthill. Column leach testing is under way.
Texas silver pour The first silver bullion has been poured from Alcyone Resources’ Texas project in south-east Queensland. Alcyone commenced re-irrigating the existing silver-rich heaps at the Twin Hills mine in early April 2011 to demonstrate the viability of the leaching process before moving to full-scale commercial silver production. The leach pads at Twin Hills contain an estimated 400,000 tonnes of material from the previous operation which has only been partially leached. The company said construction work was progressing on schedule as it targets a ramp-up to full-scale commercial silver extraction during the September 2011 quarter at an initial annualised rate of 1.5-2 million ounces.
Australia
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INDUSTRY UPDATE - COAL AND GAS
July 2011 |
Sign of the times
facilities to service the central Queensland coalfields. The company said construction of the new facilities at Nebo, Dysart, Waitara (south-east of Nebo) and Callemondah (near Gladstone) would create 322 jobs in regional Queensland. Pacific National - part of the Asciano group - has selected Abigroup to deliver the civil infrastructure and manage the scope of project works, including coordinating the design and construction.
Asciano contract boost Asciano has secured a long-term contract with BHP Mitsui Coal to haul up to 4.2 million tonnes of coal annually in Queensland from January 2013.
Santos GLNG president Mark Macfarlane, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Santos chief executive David Knox at the official launch.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has officially launched works on the Santos GLNG liquefied natural gas plant on Curtis Island, Gladstone. The project on Curtis Island is part of a $16 billion development that will see coal seam gas sourced from the Bowen and Surat basins, piped to Gladstone and used as raw material for LNG production. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh heralded a new “Gas Age” for the state, saying the GLNG project had already added more than $2 billion to Queensland’s economy. “There are already close to 2000 people working on this project and there are also broader economic benefits to the wider Queensland economy from Brisbane to the gas fields in the Surat Basin,” she said.
GAP project on track QR National has begun laying track on the Northern Missing Link, part of the $1.1 billion Goonyella to Abbot Point (GAP) rail expansion project. In a further GAP project milestone, a new balloon loop was recently commissioned at the Abbot Point Coal Terminal near Bowen, providing coal customers with increased flexibility for unloading their trains at the port. QR National managing director and chief executive officer Lance Hockridge said reaching these marks on schedule was a major achievement in light of Queensland’s recent wet weather.
“It is testament to the calibre of the project workforce that we’re right on track for trains to start running on the Northern Missing Link from early 2012, enabling an immediate boost to coal tonnages from the central Bowen Basin,” Mr Hockridge said. The $385 million Northern Missing Link rail corridor is the cornerstone of the GAP expansion, which is one of the largest rail infrastructure projects in Queensland’s 145-year rail history.
New rail hubs planned Pacific National is investing more than $150 million to build four new train maintenance and provisioning
The coal will be hauled via the new Northern Missing Link, which will connect the Newlands and Goonyella coal systems when the GAP project is complete next year.
Stanwell haulage deal QR National has signed a longterm contract to transport up to 3.7 million tonnes of coal per annum from Wesfarmers’ Curragh mine to Stanwell Power Station, west of Rockhampton. The contract runs from July this year to December 2020. Stanwell Corporation acting chief executive officer Wayne Collins said QR National had forged a strong partnership with the electricity generator, delivering more than 54.2 million tonnes of coal to the power station in the past two decades.
Townsville export plans Guildford Coal and Port of Townsville Limited are examining the potential for coal exports through Townsville from the Hughenden-White Mountain coal project. The parties have executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to conduct a feasibility study on the logistics of exporting of coal through Townsville Port via the Eastern Rail Access Corridor. The agreement follows the signing of an MOU by Guildford in November 2010
The Mining Advocate
with QR National subsidiary ARG, the primary operator on the Mount Isa to Townsville rail line. The company is targeting substantial export thermal coal tonnages with opencut and underground mining potential at the Hughenden project, at the northern tip of the Galilee basin. It has flagged an exploration target of 40 to 815 million tonnes..
Coates Hire expansion Coates Hire is among the companies which have moved to tap into increased activity in the Surat Basin through a recent merger with Roma Equipment Hire. Executive general manager for Coates Hire North, Adrian Manning, said Coates Hire had injected $2 million in new equipment in the area since the merger in early May, with a further $1.8 million in equipment scheduled for delivery before the year’s end.
Federal approval for Ichthys INPEX has welcomed the Australian Government’s decision to grant environmental approval to the Ichthys project, saying it helps pave the way for a final investment decision in the fourth quarter of 2011. The decision follows the Northern Territory Government’s announcement in May that the environmental impacts of the planned Ichthys development in Darwin could be managed within acceptable limits. The proposed Ichthys project includes operations located at the Ichthys Field in the Browse Basin, about 200km off the north-west coast of Western Australia, as well as onshore gas processing facilities at Blaydin Point, Darwin. INPEX recently announced LNG sales agreements accounting for more than 50 per cent of the planned production from Darwin from 2017. The company said also LNG marketing negotiations were close to being finalised with five major Japanese utility companies for the remainder of the planned output of 8.4 million tonnes per annum.
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INDUSTRY UPDATE - COAL AND GAS
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
APA acquires NT pipeline APA Group has paid $63 million for the 1630 km Amadeus Gas Pipeline in the Northern Territory. Commissioned in 1986, the Amadeus Gas Pipeline transports gas to Darwin, Katherine and other locations principally to fuel power generation in the Northern Territory. Gas is delivered into the pipeline via the Bonaparte Gas Pipeline as well as from the Amadeus Basin in Central Australia. APA has entered into a long-term gas transportation agreement with Power and Water Corporation, the Northern Territory’s government-owned electricity provider.
New Hope resources boost New Hope Corporation has announced a 56 per cent increase in coal resources, to more than 1.5 billion tonnes across its mines and exploration projects.The company has also increased reserves at its Acland mine and Lenton tenements by 12.4 per cent to 544 million tonnes.
Cougar shut down at Kingaroy The Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) has upheld its proposal to stop Cougar Energy recommencing underground coal gasification (UCG) at its trial plant near Kingaroy. The department has advised Cougar Energy that its environmental authority has been amended so that only rehabilitation and monitoring can be conducted. DERM acting director-general Terry Wall said Cougar would have to remove all infrastructure from the site, unless agreed otherwise by the landowner. “It also means Cougar must treat and dispose of any contaminated water in surface storages and clean-up groundwater at the site,” Mr Wall said.
charged with three counts of breaching conditions of its environmental authority under the Environmental Protection Act 1994. Cougar Energy maintains that the Kingaroy project has not caused any environmental harm to the operating site, surrounding landowner properties nor the Kingaroy township. It says this is supported by DERM’s acknowledgment that “contaminants have not been detected outside the Cougar Energy site”. Cougar Energy is receiving legal advice in relation to the recent actions of DERM and the initial shutdown of the Kingaroy project in July 2010.
Exploration knock-back Queensland Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has moved to reassure the Toowoomba and Darling Downs community following a bid to carry out mining exploration within urban areas of Toowoomba. Mr Hinchliffe said an application by Civil and Mining Resources to explore for coal under EPC2490 would not receive approval from the State Government. He said that the entire mining exploration process was currently under review following extensive representations from Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine. Exploration permits that were already granted would continue to be valid but very closely scrutinised if they ever progressed to an application for mining lease, Mr Hinchliffe said.
Gas company fined
said the penalties related to five breaches that occurred on the Daandine Homestead property, west of Dalby, between June 2, 2008 and January 23, 2010. The $40,000 penalty is for four breaches of conducting activities on private land without proper authority. There is also a breach related to the construction of a pipeline. Mr Hinchliffe said the breaches occurred before the Bligh Government introduced tough new land access laws, which came into force in October 2010. The Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation and the Department of Environment and Resource Management are continuing to investigate the incident that occurred at Daandine on May 22 where a CSG well head developed a serious leak. Mr Hincliffe said a recent statewide audit of CSG well heads showed 98 per cent had no reportable leak and met strict safety standards.
Maiden resource for Columboola MetroCoal and joint venture partner SinoCoal Resources have announced a maiden resource of 540 million tonnes of thermal coal for the Columboola project in the Surat Basin. The joint venture is targeting the down dip extensions of the coal seams that make up the large Cameby Downs thermal coal deposit being mined by Syntech.
Thiess sells Burton stake Peabody Energy has agreed to acquire Thiess’s 5 per cent joint venture interest in the Burton coal mine for $35 million.
DERM has laid charges against Cougar Energy in relation to the rupture of a gas extraction well in its UCG trial.
Coal seam gas company Arrow has been fined $40,000 for breaches of Queensland’s petroleum and gas laws.
Announcing the sale, Thiess said it had made a small strategic investment in 1996 to assist with the development of the mine.
Mr Wall said Cougar Energy had been
Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe
The company remained committed to
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the Burton mine and its contract with Peabody Energy to extend mining operations, Thiess said. The Burton mine shipped 2.3 million tonnes of coal in 2010 via the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal. The extension project will see production increase by 0.9 million to 1.8 million tonnes annually in 2012.
Joint venture grows Cockatoo Coal has reached an agreement to sell a 49 per cent interest in the Woori coal project, in the Wandoan area of southern Queensland, to Mitsui Coal Holdings for $37.25 million. Mitsui already owns 49 per cent of the nearby Collingwood and Taroom projects in the Surat Basin. Cockatoo Coal said consolidation of the Collingwood, Taroom and Woori coal projects into one joint-venture activity to be managed by Cockatoo would assist their development. The North Surat joint venture would work on the completion of a feasibility study to assess the three projects and determine the optimum development program in accordance with available infrastructure, on or before December 31, 2013, the company said.
Coal feud continues A dispute between joint venture partners Aquila Resources and Vale has resulted in three coal shipments being cancelled from the Isaac Plains coal mine near Moranbah. Aquila said Isaac Plains was continuing to produce coal, however it was likely stockpile limits would be reached during July, adversely affecting operations. The company was seeking to progress the discussions with Vale and was considering what remedies may be available to it, including in respect to any losses it may suffer, Aquila said, in a recent statement to the market. The joint venture partners have also been feuding over aspects of their Eagle Downs and Belvedere projects.
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BETWEEN SHIFTS
July 2011 |
Women in Mining and Resources Queensland (WIMARQ) networking event
The Mining Advocate
PHOTOS: Katy Redmond
Moranbah Community Centre
Jacqui Jarrett, Delvene Read and Leisa Westerman (all Anglo American Metallurgical Coal).
Ros Green (Arrow Energy), Katie Harrold (BMA) and Tanya Vaughan (Anglo American Metallurgical Coal).
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Elle Kenny (MRAEL) and Federal MP Kirsten Livermore.
Valda Manning, Helen Chapman, Jackie Bluck and Karen Belousoff (all Leighton Contractors) with Julia Gillard.
Sameka West, Melanie Gordon and Liza Matreenko (all BMA).
Jasmin Weeden, Kelly Jacobs and Larissa Mansfield (all BMA).
Bowen Basin Mining Club luncheon
PHOTOS: Damien Carty
South’s Leagues Club, Mackay
Darren Parker and David Champion (BMC) with Nathan Reibel (Wesfarmers Curragh).
Michael Simonyi (Carrera Partners) and Murray Gibbs (Chandler Macleod).
Rhonda Bulmer (Micromine) and Brooke Mather (Ausenco Taggart).
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Rex Ross (Watpac Civil and Mining) and Bill Teoka (Western Plant Hire).
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BETWEEN SHIFTS
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
Mount Isa Golf Open 2011
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PHOTOS: Roslyn Budd
Mount Isa Golf Club
Dave Beattie and Rob Murphy (both from Xstrata Copper).
Gary Underwood (Downer EDI - Townsville), Danny Hale (Xstrata Copper) and Campbell Stewart (Incitec Pivot).
Ian Brown (retired from Xstrata), Mark Roberts (APG) and Matt Murphy (Downer EDI, Mount Isa).
John Dunne (Xstrata Zinc), Darren Drake (Bridgestone Earth Moving Tyres) and Greg Palm (DEEDI).
Ian Barlow (Downer EDI) with Ron Corstiaans and Gary Ferguson (both from Xstrata Copper).
Mick Bakhash (Bakhash Safety), Neil Isaacson (Xstrata Copper) and Dan Horskins (Spinifex Junior School).
Darwin Mining Club golf day
PHOTOS: Christopher Knight
Palmerston Golf Club, Darwin
SkillsDMC team members Bob Young, Linda Young, Marcia Kelly and Colleen Rowe.
Drinks buggy volunteers Kay and Allan Wright.
Team NT Gas - Wendy Oldham, Darren Flaus, Henry Dupal and Janet Jones.
Team GHD members Tony Field, Kelly Egan, Lindsay Moneith and Brian Jones.
The Top End Hire team - Ian Armstrong (Mec Services), Bobby Hayes (The Total Group) and Phil Brown (Top End Hire).
Team Vatskalis members - Mark Hough, Evan Tyrrell, Phil Hausler and Adam Cuneen.
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BETWEEN SHIFTS
July 2011 |
Cairns Chamber of Commerce Resource and Industrial Taskforce breakfast
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PHOTOS: Romy Siegmann
Pacific International Hotel, Cairns
Johnny Japp, Meyric Slimming and Tomas Bill (all from Silentworld Shipping).
Kerry Dent and Ben Hemphill (both from the Laminex Group).
Casey Van Engelen (Travel Car Australia) and Gary Aylward (Hot Croc Advertising).
Lino Bruno and Bruce Ranga (both Sea Swift).
Michael Barnett (Ports North) and Ken Freeman (Northern Stevedoring Services).
Maryanne Amu (from Wapenamanda Centre for Health Care, PNG) and Janine Nevin (Fuji Xerox).
Donna Whittaker (Fuji Xerox), Oliver Williams (Arup) and Sharon Kennedy (Novotel).
Denis Ferguson and Sam Ferguson (both from Destination Cairns).
Brian Keller (Energy Power Systems) and John Perrott (Perrott Engineering).
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BETWEEN SHIFTS
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
Townsville 400 V8 Supercars race weekend
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PHOTOS: Stewart McLean
Hastings Deering corporate box, Townsville
Barry Searle (Hastings Deering), Tim Ford (Mt Moss Mine) and Adam Beasley (BM Webb).
Mark Gottardi (RMS Engineering), Tony Jones (Hastings Deering) and Richard McDonald (RMS Engineering).
Mark Mears (Kagara) with Erroll Fitzgerald (Erroll Fitzgerald Excavators).
Mike Janssen and Paul Powazuk (Hastings Deering).
Karl Lloyd and Brad Hamilton (both Hastings Deering).
Simon Hall (Downer) and Rob Arnold (Hastings Deering).
Jeff Harris and Ian Shilling (both Coates Hire).
Gareth Preston and Rod Finncane (both from Sunferries).
Trent Cousins and Jo Hall (both Hastings Deering).
16
Britrac feature
July 2011 |
The Mining Advocate
Bigger and better Upgrading to a new complex at Bohle has provided room to move and added stock area for this growing North Queensland business.
Above - Britrac’s new premises at 196 Enterprise St, Bohle in Townsville.
Conveyor specialists Britrac have shifted base in Townsville, gaining a four-fold increase in space and improved productivity. The move to a new complex at 196 Enterprise St, Bohle, better positions the business for further growth, according to Britrac owner Brian Steele, who said the operation had outgrown its former premises in Currajong. “We simply ran out of room at the previous workshop,” he said. “The complex (at Bohle) has been purpose built and has given us a lot more hardstand area and a larger workshop to accommodate storage, machine shops, fabrication and beltsplicing bays.” Increased space and more defined areas within the new workshop led to improved work flow, Mr Steele said. The new address features a 900sq m workshop, which has been equipped with belt vulcanisers and a belt winder that can house conveyor belting up to 3000mm wide. The Bohle complex includes dedicated stock area indoors as well as 1500sq m of hardstand space outside, increasing the range and quantity of components that Britrac can keep on hand to meet customer needs. Mr Steele said the familyowned business operated in fields where it was constantly competing with multinational companies for contracts.
Guinea in the north down to central Queensland and west to Mount Isa and the Northern Territory. Mr Steele said the company was beginning to break into the coal industry to improve business sustainability. “The same technology, procedures and maintenance products that we apply to the hard rock mining industry will apply in coal,” he said.
Britrac had gained ground with larger clients, he said, having taken on major jobs with Rio Tinto and Xstrata. What set Britrac apart from its competitors was commitment, Mr Steele said. “This is personal for us - it’s definitely personal for me,” he said. “Britrac’s continued growth is a result of committed sales and service personnel as well as excellent products. “Our level of commitment and service to our clients is second-to-none, not only in onsite service work, but with our attention to safety compliance.” This was evident in the development of Britrac’s safety management system, which was reviewed and amended on a regular basis with input from clients and staff, Mr Steele said. The 20-strong workforce at Britrac includes a solid core of long-term employees, allowing team members to build a good knowledge base and strong client relationships over time. “It’s important to us to make the workplace enjoyable and that clients are seeing the same faces coming back,” Mr Steele said. Mining contracts account for the bulk of the Townsville business’s work, followed by quarrying, sugar and food processing. Britrac services an area stretching from Papua New
Above right - Steel rollers to suit all belt sizes.
Britrac owner and managing director Brian Steele, operations manager Owen Blacklock and office co-ordinator Drew Pemberton.
Custom-engineered products The team at Britrac offers more than off-the-shelf solutions for customers’ material handling requirements. Brian Steele, who established the business 10 years ago, is proud of Britrac’s achievements in application engineering. “If the customer has an issue
or problem with a certain part of the conveyor system, we can engineer a solution,” he said. “We can design or modify a product to suit that application to improve the performance and reliability. “That sets us apart from a lot of competitors in our industry
Belt splicers Kevin Maskery and Zak Neilsen at the Britrac workshop.
who just splice belts and supply equipment. We are a hands-on company and enjoy the challenge of solving conveyor problems.” In one case an impact roller designed to meet the client’s need had met with huge success in the industry, especially on heavy-duty applications, Mr Steele said. “We work closely with the reliability engineers and maintenance personnel to provide an outcome which the customer is happy with and which is cost effective,” he said. Britrac’s services include mechanical engineering, design and fabrication of components, commissioning and maintenance. The business also offers emergency support for customers seven days a week, 24 hours a day to suit the industries it supplies.
MATERIAL HANDLING SOLUTIONS
R B
AC
TR
I
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(AUS) PTY LTD
Conveyor Belt Splicing Conveyor System Maintenance Conveyor Maintenance System Training Conveyor System Design & Fabrication Continuous Improvement Programs Conveyor Equipment Supply Solutions Wear And Flow Solutions 196 Enterprise Street, Bohle, Townsville Qld 4818
Phone (07) 4774 6949
Fax (07) 4774 6887
Mobile 0409 604 470
Britrac feature
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
17
Smart maintenance solutions Kinder & Co has used its industry expertise to produce liners and skirting that help keep system “wear and tear” to a minimum. Conveyor maintenance is one of the biggest headaches facing any company in the bulk materials handling industry. And with the skill shortages in today’s booming resource market, the importance of reduced maintenance is only emphasised. With more than 20 years’ experience supplying worldclass products to Australian bulk materials handling industries, Kinder & Co offers a range of products aimed at reducing conveyor maintenance and downtime. One such product is K-Superskirt, a long-life conveyor skirting product made from high-performance polyurethane which is designed to seal conveyor transfer points in environments from wet clay to iron ore. With a 60 per cent lower coefficient of friction than
rubber, K-Superskirt has been field tested to give eight to 10 times the life of standard 60 Duro rubber skirting. In addition to significantly increasing skirting life, the reduced friction lessens drag, reducing motor energy requirements and improving drive life. The increased skirting life offered by K-Superskirt means fewer adjustments, which results in more available maintenance hours to carry out important preventative maintenance tasks and tackle the bigger maintenance issues, the manufacturer says Kinder also produces one of the most durable, yet lightweight liners on the market, the modular K-Redi-Liner. K-Redi-Liner offers longlasting wear protection for
Left - K-Superskirt has been field tested to give eight to 10 times the life of standard rubber skirting. Below - K-Redi-Liner offers long-lasting wear protection for transfer points, chute areas, screen discharge points and bin lining.
transfer points, chute areas, screen discharge points and bin lining. The bolt-in, polyurethane system is suitable for low-impact material handling applications where high abrasion and good slip characteristics are required. It is also available with embedded alumina ceramics for extreme applications. Ideal applications include conveyors - under chutes, deflector plates, skirt systems and aprons; mining - in feeders, skips
and skirts; and ore handling and processing - for bins, chutes and hoppers. Kinder says clients are able to directly address localised wear
areas by combining the K-RediLiner ceramic modules and the K-Redi-Liner polyurethane modules, achieving better abrasion and tear resistance.
Britrac delivers quality with big-name brands Britrac boasts two formidable weapons when it comes to winning conveyor supply and maintenance business. The North Queensland company is a key distributor for big-name brands Kinder & Co and Metso Minerals. Operations manager Owen Blacklock said the top reputations of those companies had definitely assisted Britrac in gaining the confidence of potential clients. “Kinder are an Australian company, based in Melbourne, and they supply conveyor components and accessories,” he said. “They are well marketed, they have good products that are very well priced and we find
they are well known and have a formidable track record in the industry.” Global group Metso – which manufactures bulk material handling lines such as Trellex conveyor belting – was keen to increase its presence in eastern Australia, he said. “The belting division is based in Western Australia and they are developing the business on the east coast, so we’re enjoying playing a part of that in Queensland,” Mr Blacklock said. “We have strong backing from Metso. They have a quality product which is well-priced in the marketplace, supported with technical backup from the factory.”
Part of the comprehensive conveyor belt stock on hand at Britrac’s new premises at Bohle in Townsville.
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The Mining Advocate | July 2011
19
The Barkly field of dreams Money, career, experience and diversity are all on offer for those who seek them in the northwest’s industrial hub, writes Robert Dark. Opportunity. It’s right in your face in Mount Isa. The entrepreneur who struck the original riches was John Campbell Miles. Miles, with John Simpson from a nearby prospect, pegged 17ha around outcrops of lead mineralisation that he had identified earlier in 1923 while camping in the Leichhardt River. That area was soon known as the Black Star and Racecourse leases and was the foundation of Mount Isa Mines. Huddy is also a local household name. Linda Huddy, 55, and husband Graham, 57, started Huddy’s Mining Services in 1981. They sold to Industrea in February 2008 for $112 million and a shares package. They were last year named in the top 100 richest people in the country. Xstrata Copper North Queensland chief operating officer Steve de Kruijff learned the trade on the ground in the Mount Isa-Carpentaria Minerals Province.
Service in the north-western city has otherwise been a coming of age for many top-tier mining executives. Opportunity; it’s in Mount Isa for those seeking money, career, experience or diversity. And it’s across all sectors including mining, retail, services and government. Thirty-seven-year-old Paul Malouf can count business, marriage, kids and a super V8s hot laps experience among the opportunities afforded to him in Mount Isa. The Malouf Auto Group has five franchises in Mount Isa including Holden, HSV, Hyundai, Honda and Mazda. The company was established by Paul’s father in 1976 and now boasts more than 30 staff. Staff recruitment is an ongoing concern for the company. Retention, though, is not as much of an issue in most cases. “For technicians, we can offer day shifts, a clean working environment, opportunities for training and the opportunity
Sales manager Paul Malouf at the family’s motor dealership in Mount Isa.
of working on the latest technology,” Mr Malouf said. “The opportunity for aspiring managers is to fast-track their career with a dealership offering much more diversity than anything that is offered on the eastern seaboard. “Those waiting for the person
Photo: Roslyn Budd
in front of them to retire to progress up the ladder can jump the queue by coming to Mount Isa to get experience that would otherwise be denied to them. “Working for a business like ours means they immediately take responsibility and control and are better paid than they
would otherwise be in most cases. If we can get them to Mount Isa the rest is easy. They fall in love with the place like we all do.” The Malouf Auto Group has both parts and service management positions currently open. Jump in.
Mount Isa runs against the statistical tide Continuing demand for base metals will pave a smooth road for north-west Queensland. But interruptions in the form of maturing government policy could be a governor on the speed of growth. James Cook University social demographer Dr Sue Bandaranaike reads a census like a truck driver reads the highway. The 2011 census should reflect growth tracking at just over one per cent, building on the 21,000 people who last registered Mount Isa as their principal town of residence. That was in 2006. It’s a clear, four-lane highway for the inland city, according to Dr Bandaranaike - just watch for speed bumps in the form of initiatives like the carbon tax. And the bitumen will run into dirt if mining investment dries up. Mount Isa and the region hit a pothole recently with Xstrata’s announcement that it would be phasing out copper refining and smelting operations in North Queensland, Dr Bandaranaike said. “On current growth trends, based on the demand for resources at the moment, Mount Isa can expect to have 25,000 people by 2021; by 2031 that will be 27,000 people,” she said. “It could be more if new resources are found and there is investment in new mines or expansion in current operations. “It is looking pretty good at the moment, compared to 2006 when the population was going down. “This could also depend on government policy regarding issues like carbon offsets. We have seen before that this (government policy) can affect the mining industry.” Mount Isa ran against the trend when it
came to population, Dr Bandaranaike said. “Mount Isa has very good prospects. It has a higher than average population in the 20-34 year group,” she said. “It is different to other regional areas and reflects the transient population of all mining towns. “(In Mount Isa’s case) they seem to go out of town for secondary school and return. This will continue to grow as long as there are jobs being created, which will be the case as long as China is dependent on our resources.” The other segment which is growing in Mount Isa is the 50-64 years age group and Dr Bandaranaike said this could be due to
the encouragement of older people back into the workforce coupled, again, with the work opportunities in Mount Isa. Dr Bandaranaike said the fortunes of Mount Isa affected the whole north-west statistical region - made up of nine local authorities including Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Doomadgee, Flinders, McKinlay Mornington and Richmond. In some cases, the two-edged blade of technology was hampering growth. “We’re seeing the impacts of greater internet connectivity in smaller towns, like Richmond, where services like banks and even post offices are disappearing and jobs with them,” Dr Bandaranaike said. Fun on the water at Mount Isa’s 2010 Dragon Boat Races. Photo: Roslyn Budd
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Ivanhoe Australia Ltd is one of the top 150 companies on the Australian Stock Exchange, an Australian based company, with principal activities focussed in North-West Queensland. Situated near Mount Isa at our Cloncurry and Osborne operations, we are concentrating on the exploration and development of our portfolio of Copper-Gold-Molybdenum-Rhenium projects in this region.
If you are a motivated self
Recently Ivanhoe Australia acquired the Osborne mine site, which will be utilised to further develop the Merlin Mine. We are now developing several large projects in this region, and 2011 will be a year of rapid growth, with the expansion of our current infrastructure and installation of new facilities, as well as the continuous improvements and upgrades to the Osborne mine site.
starter, with demonstrated safe
Due to the recent growth and expansion of our company, we currently have a number of vacancies for experienced people:
work practices, looking to join
Project Geologists
Mine Geologist, Mining Engineers, Geotechnical Engineers
a dynamic company and are
We are seeking Mine Geologist, Mining and Geotechnical Engineers to work at our Osborne and Merlin Mines.
cover letter, clearly stating in
We are seeking Project Geologists to work from our exploration site south of Cloncurry. You will report to a Senior Geologist based at the project. We have a large, multi-national exploration team within which mentoring and crosspollination of ideas is actively promoted. There is also scope for future work and interaction with other subsidiaries of the parent company Ivanhoe Mines (Asia and Africa).
the subject ʼeld the role you are
Required skills and experience:
applying for, to our HR team at:
• Over 3 years exploration in IOCG, porphyry, epithermal, VMS and/or Sedex systems.
capable of ʼlling these roles please email your resume and
ial.hr@ivancorp.net.
• A BSc Geology degree; a higher qualiʻcation (Honours, Masters and PhD) is an advantage. • The ability to plan and run exploration programs (mapping, geochemical and drilling) at the prospect level. • Strong ʻeld geology skills (mapping and interpretation). • Drill-hole planning and logging; as well as supervision of drill site activities (sampling etc) and ʻeld crews.
Required skills and experience: • Experience working in a underground mining operation. • Applicable degree, qualiʻcations and licences • Base metal experience is desirable. • Demonstrate safe work practices; Ivanhoe Australia has a strong work safety culture. • Display good leadership traits and be a conscientious team player. • Current open unrestricted Queensland driver’s licence
Further information on the above roles, and other current vacancies, including skills and experience required, and employment conditions can be found on our website www.ivanhoeaustralia.com
Ivanhoe Australia Limited (Corporate Ofʻce) Level 9, 479 St Kilda Road Melbourne VIC 3004 Tel: 03 9090 8800
Ivanhoe Australia feature
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
21
Back in business at Osborne mine A once-shelved operation has become the centrepiece for a raft of projects Ivanhoe Australia is advancing in the Cloncurry area. Just over a year ago general manager Neal Valk said goodbye to Osborne mine as production under former owner Barrick Australia wound to a close. Now the mining engineer is back, after a stint at PNG’s Porgera gold mine, to lead the operation into a new era. Mr Valk has been appointed as general manager operations with Ivanhoe Australia as that company begins to pour $30 million into the task of bringing the copper-gold operation back
into production by mid-2012. Pybar Mining Services has started work on the site, 195km south-east of Mount Isa, after winning a 12-month development contract for the Osborne and Kulthor deposits. Mr Valk said Ivanhoe Australia was gradually building up the workforce on site and would be stepping up recruitment as Osborne neared a return to production. The company had brought in a labour hire workforce for a
project to “spruce up” the Osborne flotation plant’s crushing circuits to resume processing and was using that opportunity to size up potential employees, Mr Valk said. “We’re up-front about that with the labour hire firms - to say that we want to restart in the next six or seven months and if people want to transfer to us they will be assessed,” he said. The company has also been recruiting electricians and mining operators. Mr Valk said its next big target would be surveyors, geotechnical engineers, mining engineers and production geologists. The Osborne operation offered a good synergy for Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe Australia general manager operations Neal Valk.
Australia’s other local projects, offering a processing plant, site infrastructure (including village and airport) and further mineable resources, he said. Ivanhoe Australia chief executive officer Peter Reeve has stated that the company’s vision for the site was to link Osborne with its Cloncurry fields to create a regional presence in exploration
and production that was greater than the sum of the parts. At the company’s 2011 AGM, he flagged an estimated start date of 2012-2013 for production at the nearby Merlin mine, 20132014 at the adjoining Mt Dore copper and polymetallic project, and 2016 for a proposed coppergold mine just to the north of those projects at Mt Elliott.
Faces of Ivanhoe Australia - north-west Queensland Duncan Spring
Rob Heit
Robert Baird
(Noosa resident) – field technician
(Townsville) – acting maintenance supervisor, diesel workshop
(Gympie) – communications system operator
Duncan Spring has been part of Ivanhoe Australia’s exploration push in the Cloncurry region for more than four years. “I’ve seen the place grow, definitely, and lots and lots of changes,” he said. Mr Spring described his workplace as a dynamic site offering a range of tasks and a good structure for career progression. The company offered a good geophysical support network for its exploration team, he said. The single father finds that the eight days on-six days off roster works to his advantage in allowing uninterrupted blocks of time with his school-age son.
Diesel fitter Rob Heit describes himself as “pretty much one of the originals” at Osborne mine, having started work at the site under Placer Dome about 14 years ago. He is happy to see the site ramping up again under new owners Ivanhoe Australia. “A lot of people have put a lot of work into the place over the years - it would be sad to see it mothballed,” Mr Heit said. Now, with Ivanhoe Australia working on multiple projects in the area, the operation seemed to have a big future ahead of it. “It’s all exciting stuff,” Mr Heit said.
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After 23 years with Xstrata Mount Isa Mines, Robert Baird opted out of the mining industry for a “tree change” lifestyle in Gympie in southeastern Queensland. “It wasn’t as good as I thought it would be, so I’ve come back into the mining industry again,” he said. Mr Baird is now working as a Pitram operator for Ivanhoe Australia, monitoring and recording communications from the increasing number of machines operating underground as the Osborne site springs back to life. Mr Baird said he had found the operation to be welcoming, with good camp facilities and friendly people.
22
TRAINING
July 2011 |
Simulator helps fitters build skills
TNQT director of business development Ron Todd tries out the simulator with CFP Hydraulics operations manager Neal Kleve.
A local education institute is digging deep to deliver a program to improve hydraulic hose safety in partnership with a major zinc mine. An excavation simulator designed and developed at Tropical North Queensland TAFE (TNQT) is helping deliver a successful hydraulics training program for diesel fitters at MMG Century. TNQT senior fitting and turning teacher Rod Groch said the simulator allowed training in safe operations of industrial mining equipment. For the MMG Century program, it is being used to help train diesel fitters to manufacture and fit hydraulic hoses. Mr Groch said the simulator would allow MMG Century’s diesel fitters to be trained in hydraulics without interrupting daily operations. Its use also eliminated the risk of damaging expensive mining equipment, he said. “The simulator allows students to learn how to identify hydraulic circuits and understand how they work as well as learn how to de-energise the systems,” Mr Groch said. “Ultimately, students can confidently bleed the hydraulic
system of all residual pressure safely.” He said in early July the equipment would go online at the lower Gulf mine within weeks following trials in Cairns. Designed with portability in mind, the simulator could be transported to other mines statewide for training programs, Mr Groch said. MMG Century general manager Karl Spaleck said the site had been trialling a program to improve hydraulic hose safety since late 2010. “The program has been developed to fully implement all aspects of the Mechanical Design Guidelines 41 (MDG41), which are considered the industry bestpractice standard for the use of hydraulic hoses,” he said. “The comprehensive program includes an audit and review process, mechanisms for product traceability, an inspection process and standards for storage, packaging, preservation and delivery. “A critical component of the program is ensuring that
The Mining Advocate
Photo: Romy Seigmann
our diesel fitters can correctly identify, and take corrective action to reduce the possibilities of personnel receiving fluid injection injuries from
HELP KEEP US FLYING
hydraulic hoses. We have been working with Tropical North Queensland TAFE to educate our people about hydraulic hose safety.”
Mr Spaleck said TNQT had developed the course to meet Century’s needs and was now delivering the program to diesel fitters on site.
Just the ticket
Resource regions line up for federal funding offer
More than 30 local indigenous employees recently gained formal qualifications in heavy vehicle operations in an upskilling program at MMG Century in north-west Queensland’s lower Gulf region. MMG Century general manager Karl Spaleck said the program was developed with Driveway Training in response to feedback from community members. “All employees at Century undertake a rigorous training and assessment process before being certified competent to operate heavy machinery,” he said. “However, they do not receive formal tickets or qualifications as part of this process. During my visits to local communities, I learnt that not having these formal qualifications can be a barrier to them getting jobs in local communities or at other mining operations.”
Training proposals for mining workers, construction workers and drillers are among those being considered for funding under the first round of the $200 million Critical Skills Investment Fund. Federal Skills and Jobs Minister Senator Chris Evans said the Critical Skills Investment Fund (CSIF) would begin funding successful proposals from August. It is part of the National Workforce Development Fund, which will provide $558 million over four years to support training and workforce development in areas of current and future skills need. Senator Evans said the majority of applications for first-round funding had come from the resource-rich states of Western Australia and Queensland. “More than 190 expressions of interest were received in the first funding round for projects valued at a total of $260 million,” he said. A total of 108 organisations have been invited to submit full applications. The Federal Government is expected to call for expressions of interest for round two of the skills funding later in 2011.
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TRAINING
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
23
Training trailer hits the road A new service offers workers the chance to safely hone techniques in areas such as working at heights without leaving the mine site. Strong resource industry demand for on-site training options has prompted a Townsville-based firm to design a mobile unit covering a range of practical skill capabilities. Registered training organisation WorkSafe Connect, formerly trading as Krause Safety and Training, has developed a trailer incorporating working-at-heights and confined-space training facilities
at a cost of more than $50,000. “We identified some time ago a client need to have the majority of their training delivered on site,” WorkSafe Connect managing director Des Smith said. “This allows more efficient and effective planning capability for site training co-ordinators and allows the training and assessment to be undertaken in the workplace environment,
rather than in simulated environments. We have designed the trailer to go on to heavy industry sites, with the objective of conducting the highest quality of hands-on practical training.” WorkSafe Connect plans to provide the theory component of refresher courses online for experienced employees to complement practical work. “If a mine worker has some downtime they can do that component online rather than waiting to attend a course, and then follow that up with the practical training when we are on site,” Mr Smith said.
The mobile unit, weighing just under three tonnes, may appear relatively simple. However designing it to provide a range of training applications within a compact format has been a twoyear project. “It is 8m long, 2.5m wide and about 4.5m high at the top of the handrails,” Mr Smith said. “Inside you have a series of tanks and pipes which can be utilised as crawl spaces, for confined space and vertical rescue operations, low-visibility areas, breathing apparatus scenarios and gas testing. On top of the training unit we have provision
for handrails, anchorage points, confined-space pit protection systems, static lines, davit arms and two manholes for access and egress into the body of the unit.” Ms Smith said WorkSafe Connect planned to produce a film demonstrating the unit’s multiple uses to give clients a full appreciation of its versatility. WorkSafe Connect will trial the unit at a mine before targeting other industries. “I have seen a couple of similar mobile units around Australia, but we would be the first to offer this style of service in North Queensland,” Mr Smith said.
Kagara keen to boost indigenous workforce North Queensland base metals producer Kagara recently welcomed five new employees to its operations as part of its partnership with the Myuma Group’s Dugalunji Civil and Mining Pre-Employment Program. Myuma – a not-forprofit company - works in collaboration with government, industry and traditional owner groups to develop pre-vocational training programs to address the shortage of work-ready indigenous employees in the mining sector. Kagara executive director Joe Treacy, in a keynote address at the most recent Dugalunji Civil and Mining Pre-Employment Program graduation ceremony,
highlighted the importance of the partnership with Myuma in the company’s long-term recruitment strategy. The 600-strong Kagara workforce has an indigenous participation rate of about 8 per cent, representing 47 fulltime positions. This figure is set to rise, with the company aiming to double its indigenous employment rate to around 15 per cent. Mr Treacy said also Kagara was introducing strategies and support mechanisms to increase the development of indigenous employees into managerial roles with professional qualifications. “We see the value of constructive engagement with local indigenous people and we want to build a workforce
Left - Dugalunji Civil and Mining Pre-Employment Program graduates Clinton Cameron, Clive Connelly and Ronald McCarthy at the Mount Garnet mill. Below - Processing supervisor Kev Ericson with trainee processing operator Rick McPherson at Kagara’s Mount Garnet mill. Photos: courtesy of Kagara
which is based on local knowledge and loyalty,” he said. Kagara is a leading copper and zinc-lead producer in North Queensland, with operations spanning six traditional land owner groups from Chillagoe to Charters Towers.
24
Building Mining Communities
July 2011 |
Mining Supporting Communities
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The Mining Advocate
Strong support for fundraiser Best Tractor Parts (BTP) in Mackay has raised $120,000 for the CQ Rescue service through its second annual charity fundraising night. Organiser Jamie-lee Cockings said about 200 people had attended the recent event at the company’s Paget premises. While that number was down on the 350-strong crowd that joined last year’s event, which tied in with opening celebrations for the new BTP Connors Rd premises, she said they had more than doubled the total raised for charity this year. Ms Cockings believed people were becoming more aware of the event and its charitable goals. “It’s just going to get bigger and better each year,” she said. This year’s event was postponed from January due to the devastating central Queensland floods and Ms Cockings said BTP was considering an August/September date for the 2012 charity fundraising night.
Rotary Club of Townsville Daybreak president Marcel McLeod.
Miners keen to take a swing Organisers hope to fire up some hard rock and coal rivalry for a new mining golf competition to be launched in August The Rotary Club of Townsville Daybreak is helping run the Queensland Mining Golf Challenge and club president Marcel McLeod reports strong interest from mines and processing operations throughout North Queensland. “I reckon it’s going to be huge,” Mr McLeod said. “The next thing I’m going to do is to try and include the coal industry in this event. “We will be throwing the challenge out to them.” The competition will be held at the Willows Golf Resort in Townsville across two weeks, with sessions planned to suit players from remote sites and local operations. Play is scheduled for August 25, 26 and 28 as well as September 1 and 2. Mr McLeod said the Queensland Mining Golf Challenge would include three levels of competition. The main competition will be an inter-mine battle, where employees with an affiliate golfing handicap will represent their mine or plant. Mr McLeod hoped to see the “bragging rights” for this level hotly contested between mining and processing operations. There will also be a social competition for teams from mining and processing operations as well as a social competition for sponsors and suppliers.
Mr McLeod believed the golf challenge and presentation dinner would become a premier networking event on the mining industry calendar. “We want to make it grow and become an annual event that gets the mining industry together, creating some rivalry and mateship,” he said. Organisers had planned for up to 1000 people to join the 2011 event, Mr McLeod said An instrumentation officer at the Incitec Pivot Phosphate Hill operation in north-west Queensland, Rehne Andersen, got the ball rolling for the new mining golf challenge along with golf operations manager Matthew Duke from Willows Golf Resort. Mr McLeod got wind of the proposal and made contact to offer Rotary’s assistance in organising the event, as he said the Rotary Club of Townsville Daybreak had run a North Queensland mining golf challenge in 2004 and 2005. He believed the new industry challenge would attract strong sponsorship and was likely to raise at least $100,000 for charity in its first year. Funds raised will go to community groups including the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Delta Society Australia and Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association. People interested in joining or supporting the Queensland Mining Golf Challenge should visit www.mininggolfchallenge. com.au.
Greg and Willy Smith with Angie Black (all from Deeson).
Cameron Strathdee (Deeson), Jodanna Pullen (Komatsu), Reg Reggardo (Deeson) and Peter Marshall (BMA Hay Point).
Damien Harris (BTP Racing), Peter Brebner (Birrana Engineering) and Tim Adams (BTP Racing).
Justin Craib (CQ Rescue) and Paola Craib (BMA Coal).
Lisa Schmidhauser and Nicola Webb (both Hastings Deering).
resourcing g the e future 'ERRMRKXSR
SHUTDOWNS 25
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
From go to woah - and beyond Early project involvement and follow-up work to ensure continued quality are key elements in this supplier’s recipe for shutdown success. Coates Hire is often among the first teams on the ground for a major plant shutdown, developing work packs and setting up support facilities such as portable buildings and containerised stores. But it is the work that goes on even earlier - often half a year ahead of the scheduled stoppage - that holds the key to a successful job, according to Coates Hire business development manager Darren Parker. “The key to a good shutdown is that partnership that we achieve by becoming part of the planning team so early,” Mr Parker said. “Because we are integrated in the client’s business up to six months before the job starts, we’re there to assist with every part of their plan. “That includes equipment application to make sure the equipment is right for the job, making sure our equipment mobilisation plan meets the
schedule and it also means we’re fully across all of the site rules and regulations in terms of safety.” The job is not over when Coates Hire demobilises from a shutdown site either, with Mr Parker stressing the importance of the performance reviews the company conducts after each project. “There’s always a focus on lessons learnt and how we can improve for the next job,” he said. “It’s though this continuous improvement and partnership with their clients that Coates Hire continues to innovate and excel in the industrial market, often providing valuable feedback and insight to the customer.” In one case the Coates Hire team observed a manual process being used to bolt down several hundred flanges of a plant and knew their fleet contained hydraulic tools that would reduce labour requirements and turnaround times for the client.
An 800AJ Coates Hire knuckle boom working on site during a shutdown.
System keeps track of tools Coates Hire provides an “‘around the clock” on-site service to ensure the right equipment is available during shutdown projects, maximising productivity and avoiding unnecessary delays. This service is supported by a purpose-built equipment management system called CHASE (Coates Hire Automated Shutdown Environment). The CHASE system was designed for shutdowns and has since been further developed as a key systems process for major projects and facilities management on multi-faceted operational sites. “We pride ourselves on being the market leader and we have really endeavoured to work closely
with our clients to understand their needs and keep ahead of the game there,” sales and marketing manager Richard Greenwood said. Although primarily designed to relieve the administrative headaches associated with the issue, return and management of equipment, consumables and mobile fleet, Mr Greenwood said the system also assisted asset management, cost controls and ownership through the customised reports it generated. “This platform promotes full accountability of all store transactions and end users right down to how many pairs of gloves each worker has used,” he said.
“Now that product has been taken on and achieved improved safety results and reductions in rework,” Mr Parker said. “That site has now taken up that product line as part of their future scope for all of their projects.” Coates Hire would have about 10-15 major shutdown projects on the boil at any time across Australia with customers including big names in mining and petroleum such as Caltex, BP, Shell, Incitec Pivot, Rio Tinto, Bluescope, Cement Australia and many more. Major plant shutdowns and project management are among the specialised areas covered by Coates Hire’s industrial services team. Others include tool store management, facilities management, fleet management, consumable supply management, real-time satellite communications, customised IT systems, and efficiency, process and cost control systems.
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26
MAJOR PROJECTS
July 2011 |
The Mining Advocate
Regions target port bonanza Projects in the pipeline for Abbot Point are expected to translate into about $1 billion worth of work annually over the next 15 years. Regional industry groups are angling to tap into the continued expansion of Abbot Point as plans are set in motion for a further $6.2 billion-worth of work at the North Queensland coal port. The State Government recently announced that proponents were being sought for up to four additional coal terminals with a total capacity of 120 million tonnes per annum. “Combined with other planned expansions this upgrade would position Abbot Point as one of the world’s largest coal ports, with seven coal terminals and a capacity of close to 300 million tonnes per annum,” Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said. Construction could start as early as 2014, with the first coal exports from Terminal 4 in 2017. Townsville Enterprise economic development general manager Ross Contarino said that group would be looking at ways local businesses could take advantage of that growth, in conjunction with the Industry Capability Network and the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.
“We see significant opportunity and certainly (Abbot Point port authority) North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation have been to talking to us about the areas that they think Townsville businesses could get involved in,” Mr Contarino said. “They are talking about $1 billion worth of work per year at Abbot Point over the next 15 years – that’s significant activity.” A $1.3 billion Townsville Port expansion is also in the pipeline. Mackay Area Industry Network (MAIN) managing director Narelle Pearse said the group would be presenting its industry capability prospectus to North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation and terminal proponents as they emerged. Mackay-based firm G & S Engineering Services had built four stacker reclaimers as part of the present X50 expansion project, highlighting the capabilities of central Queensland industry, she said. “We’d be hoping to get increased local participation in any of the contracts awarded,” Ms Pearse said. There are also plans for the Stage Three expansion of BMA’s
Work on the X50 expansion project is nearing completion, but construction is expected to ramp up again next year at Abbot Point, with a major dredging project planned ahead of the development of up to six further terminals .
Hay Point Coal Terminal near Mackay, at a cost of $US2.5 billion, and new coal export facilities at Dudgeon Point. G &S Engineering Services
chief executive officer Mick Crowe said local businesses must ensure they could carry out work in a globally competitive manner to win a slice of such contracts.
“There’s obviously opportunity but it’s really about positioning yourself for it and making sure you can understand the packages up front,” Mr Crowe said.
More work flagged for 2012 Construction is due to begin in early 2012 on a $2 billion dredging and reclamation project to pave the way for further terminal developments at Abbot Point, near Bowen. North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) chief executive officer Brad Fish said the Multi Cargo Facility project was in the final phases of the environmental approvals process. “We’re currently out to the construction market – we have two consortiums putting together proposals as we speak for the design and construction of that facility,” he said. The project, to be built in two or three stages, would create 12 cape-size berths at the Port of Abbot Point and allow the construction of new coal terminals as well as potential export facilities for LNG and other products, Mr Fish said. Progress on that front comes as expansion works to take export capacity at the existing
Abbot Point Coal Terminal to 50 million tonnes per annum wind to a close, with final commissioning of the new shiploader and four new stacker reclaimers. That terminal is now under the control of Mundra Ports, part of the India’s Adani Group, while preferred developers for Terminals 2 and 3, BHP Billiton and Hancock Coal, were announced in 2010. Mr Fish said Hancock Coal was expected to begin construction on onshore infrastructure within 12 months. Meanwhile NQBP has called for expressions of interest from proponents to develop four further coal terminals – Terminals 4, 5, 6 and 7. Mr Fish said the proposed developments in the pipeline could see port capacity increasing by 15-20mtpa each year in the next decade at Abbot Point, although the timing would be determined by mines’ demand for additional capacity.
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EXPLORATION
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
27
Kagara in $20m drill program The Australian resources company aims to prove up further resources as it pursues a strategy to triple zinc production. Kagara is launching a steppedup exploration campaign that will see it spend $20 million on drill programs across its North Queensland tenements this financial year. The company’s Chillagoe and Balcooma tenements will be a major focus as the company aims to prove up its zinc and copper resources, with drilling also planned around existing operations at Mount Garnet and Thalanga, according to executive director Joe Treacy. “It’s all part of this strategy we have to increase our production of zinc from current levels (about 40,000 tonnes per annum) to about 120,000 tonnes,” he said. The company also aims to lift copper production from 20,000 tonnes per annum to 30,000 tonnes over the next five years. Kagara has a partially
completed polymetallic concentrator at the Mungana site near Chillagoe that was mothballed in late 2008 as the global financial crisis began to bite. Mr Treacy said the company hoped that early stages of its renewed exploration push would identify enough resources to justify bringing that plant online. “Effectively all the componentry is done, it just needs plumbing and wiring – so it’s probably a three or fourmonth operation to bring that plant into production,” he said. When complete, the $80 million plant will have the capacity to produce 120,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate per annum, containing 60,000 tonnes of zinc metal. Mr Treacy hoped the company would be in a position to make a
decision on resuming that project within the next 12 months. Kagara also operates polymetallic and copper treatment plants at Mount Garnet, inland from Cairns, and recently refurbished the former Thalanga copper plant south-west of Charters Towers to enable it to process ore from the nearby Vomacka polymetallic deposit. Mr Treacy said Kagara was likely to have three or four drill rigs working in North Queensland the next 12 months, in addition to two rigs working with Kagara’s gold spin-off company Mungana Goldmines. Kagara would maintain a higher level of exploration over several years, he said. Mr Treacy said the company held substantial areas of prospective ground which remained underexplored. “Somewhere like Balcooma, where we haven’t spent a lot of money, we’re pretty hopeful of having a lot of luck down there pretty quickly,” he said.
Geologists Jim Whitelock and Andy Hayduk examine core samples at Kagara’s Mungana site in North Queensland.
Sensor technology earns award The technology at the heart of the mineral exploration tool LANDTEM has been recognised with an award from the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). LANDTEM is a portable exploration tool that uses magnetic sensors known as SQUIDs (Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices) to differentiate the ore from other conductive material A team of CSIRO Future Manufacturing Flagship scientists, led by Dr Cathy Foley and Keith Leslie, won an AusIMM Mineral Industry Operating Technique Award recently for discovering the method for making the sensors using a high-temperature superconductor.
LANDTEM has been licensed to Australian start-up company, Outer-Rim Exploration Services. In the past eight years, 10 LANDTEM systems have been built and deployed successfully on four continents to help unearth mineral deposits worth about $6 billion, according to the CSIRO. The AusIMM Mineral Industry Operating Technique Award is presented annually to a person or team responsible for an innovative, cost-saving or effective mineral industry operating technique developed in Australasia. Commercial viability must have been demonstrated conclusively, which means the award may be granted several years
after introduction of the technique to provide time for it to have demonstrated its benefits to the industry. It was presented to Dr Foley’s team at the 2010 AusIMM Awards dinner held in Hobart on May 28. Mine Site Technologies managing director Gary Zamel also received a Mineral Industry Operating Technique Award for the development of the PED communication system - the first successful tool for communicating safely and simultaneously with personnel underground from the surface of mines without the use of a conduit or leaky transmission cable.
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28
WET SEASON
July 2011 |
The Mining Advocate
Biting the bullet with brine units Energy Resources of Australia is making a major investment in water management for its Northern Territory uranium operation. With the need to treat up to 1.8 Gigalitres of process water a year and meet especially stringent discharge standards, designing and installing a new brine concentrator at the Ranger mine is no small task. Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) plans to spend about $220 million on the plant, including $80 million approved recently for a feasibility study for the project and procurement of long lead items. The move follows the third wettest wet season on record for the area, with the Northern Territory uranium operation – part of the Rio Tinto group receiving 2423mm of rain. Rio Tinto general manager for major projects, Chris Aitchison, said the conditions at Ranger in terms of the volume of accumulated process water and environmental controls on discharge were unique. “The constraints that are placed on ERA mean that the water that does eventually leave the site needs to be treated to a very high standard, so the brine concentrator allows that to happen,” he said. “If you look at ERA it’s probably the most highly regulated mine in Australia.”
The Ranger site, 260km east of Darwin, borders the sensitive wetland environment of Kakadu National Park and also faces particular scrutiny as a uranium operation. ERA describes the brine concentrator option as scientifically and environmentally sound, saying it will provide Ranger with further capacity to handle the impacts of future heavy rainfall events. Mr Aitchison said the group was entering into the feasibility study stage of the project after completing pre-feasibility work earlier this year. “Detailed engineering has commenced, as well as parallel piloting. We are also working to secure a technology specialist who supplies brine concentrators globally,” he said If approved, the concentrator is expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2013. The company was planning to install a set of three brine concentrator units side by side, Mr Aitchison said. Water from Ranger’s tailings storage facility (TSF) would go into the first two units. From there, clean distillate water would be returned to a wetlands filter while brine
Energy Resources of Australia’s Ranger operation in the Northern Territory.
would pass through the third concentrator, back into the TFS. Mr Aitchison said a brine concentrator had always figured in ERA’s strategy for process water treatment, however the recent wet had probably hastened the process. ERA suspended processing
operations for the first half of this year to allow the total process water inventory at Ranger to reduce in the wake of prolonged, high rainfall. It commenced a progressive restart of processing operations in mid-June. The company is implementing water management initiatives
including a 4m lift to the TSF walls at an expected cost of $46 million. It is also hiring additional pond water treatment equipment at a cost of about $10 million to reduce the water level in Ranger Pit 3 caused by the near record rainfall during the 2010/2011 wet season.
Industry’s big wet hangover Queensland is heading towards another wet season with the equivalent of a Sydney Harbour-worth of rainwater sitting in its coal mines, a peak industry body says. The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) estimated that the state’s coal producers were still only operating at 80 per cent capacity in May as a result of flooded pits and restrictions on water discharges. QRC chief executive Michael Roche said he was concerned that too many people in the Queensland Government continued to underestimate the true extent of the last wet season’s impact on the coal sector and remained unwilling to take more decisive action. Before the wet season crisis, the Queensland coal industry was set to export a record 200 million tonnes or more in 2010-11, but it now
looked likely to fall around 40 million tonnes short of that figure, he said. The QRC is working with the State Department of Environment and Resource Management on a review of the Fitzroy model conditions on water management and water discharge. Mr Roche said that review must very quickly translate into real changes that would allow Queensland coal mines to get ready for the next wet season, now only a few months away, and wet seasons beyond. A salinity trading scheme for the Fitzroy catchment, based on a system operating in the Hunter River catchment in New South Wales, is among the options being investigated in the wake of last wet season’s impact on the mining industry.
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PROCESSING
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
29
Site trials for an A-Grade idea Tankhouses are expected to see improvements in cathode quality thanks to a processing innovation developed in North Queensland. Industrial trials are due to begin within six months for a new copper electrowinning reagent developed in Townsville. Xstrata Technology partnered with James Cook University ( JCU) to research and develop the new levelling agent, called XTEW Reagent. Xstrata Technology project metallurgist Simon Gregory said the reagent improved the quality of the copper cathode deposit while also offering the potential to increase throughput. “It achieves a smoother deposit on the cathode, allowing fewer impurities to get trapped as the deposit is grown,” he said. The reagent should see electrowinning tankhouses achieving a 2 to 5 per cent improvement in the proportion of cathode meeting the standards for LME (London Metal Exchange) A-Grade quality copper, he said. Xstrata Technology and JCU received a $470,000 Research Industry Partnership Program grant from the Queensland Government over two years for work on XTEW Reagent.
Mr Gregory said the research partners had completed laboratory and pilot plant-scale testing for the reagent. “The next step will be to secure a site for an industrial trial with a mining company,” he said. “If that trial proves successful, next year we would be looking to actively market the product.” The work has its roots in the 1990s, when people at the Mt Gordon operation in north-west Queensland noticed periodic improvements in copper cathode quality and suspected that another chemical was entering the tankhouse solution from an upstream process. Senior JCU researcher Shane Askew said a metallurgist called Ces Fabian had completed an electrochemistry PhD in the area with JCU in 2005. Research over the past two years revealed that using the XTEW Reagent in combination with guar under typical operating current densities resulted in a synergy, producing superior cathode quality than when each of the reagents was used on its own.
Stuart Leary from HRL Testing and Simon Gregory from Xstrata Technology display a copper cathode from the pilot plant trials for XTEW Reagent.
A key outcome from the research was identifying that the XTEW Reagent displayed stronger performance at high current density, in a zone where guar became less effective.
Metallica favours HPAL process Metallica Minerals reports “highly encouraging” metal extraction results from high pressure acid leach (HPAL) metallurgical testwork on ores from its NORNICO project in North Queensland. The company recently changed its NORNICO development strategy from heated atmospheric acid leach processing to HPAL with an acid-power plant. It said this brought considerable advantages in terms of size – boosting production from about 200,000 tonnes per annum to 500,000 – as well
as cost benefits. HPAL processing was expected to add considerably more certainty to the nickelcobalt- scandium project by being an efficient process technology which was now well established. It would allow all iron-rich ores to be treated, particularly high-scandium Lucknow and Kokomo ores, adding substantial scandium resources to the project, the company said. Metallica Minerals plans to achieve maiden production by 2014 from the NORNICO project.
Tech arm to survive upheaval The planned closure of the Townville copper refinery was not expected to have a significant impact on the local Xstrata Technology operations, a company spokeswoman said. Xstrata in May announced plans to phase out copper smelting at Mount Isa and refining operations in Townsville by the end of 2016. There are approximately 35 Xstrata Technology employees based at the copper refinery site; however, none of them work directly for the refinery itself, according to the Xstrata Technology spokeswoman. “It should be noted that the potential closure is around five years away, which allows time for Xstrata Technology to coordinate any potential changes to its business requirements,” she said.
30
LIVING REMOTELY
July 2011 |
The Mining Advocate
Village life is looking up An observatory dome offers a different slant on after-hours recreation for workers at this remote north-west Queensland operation. While their industry may be based on the riches of the earth, some workers at the Phosphate Hill mine and fertiliser manufacturing site are enjoying the rewards of turning their attention skywards. The Incitec Pivot operation, about 150km south of Mount Isa, boasts its own observatory dome equipped with a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Senior mine planner Greg Rutter is among half a dozen employees trained to use the automated equipment and takes interested groups for observatory viewings. “Perhaps the greatest pleasure is the delight I hear in people who come up to have a look for the first time,” he said. “Even the things I keep seeing
when I take groups up there I still marvel at - like star clusters with millions of stars.” The dark night skies of the phosphate mine’s remote northwestern Queensland location are a stargazers’ dream – providing greater viewing clarity than the more populated coastal regions. Mr Rutter said the observatory had been erected in 2004 at a cost of about $35,000, which was funded by the site’s social club – the Monument Association. “Basically they were looking to provide something different – something outside the normal sporting or bar-orientated activities,” he said. The move had been largely instigated by process control operator John Ryan, he said. Mr Rutter said some employees
visited the dome quite regularly for their own observations, while trained operators also led group sessions at the observatory and interested people, including visitors to site, sometimes booked one-off viewings. “If there’s some special event coming up – say a comet may be around – then I will put a notification out to see if anyone is interested and I will run a small group over a couple of nights,” Mr Rutter said. A short course is offered inhouse for employees wishing to learn how to operate the equipment. The telescope, with a 3m focal length, features an onboard computer and GPS that allows it to find specific objects when programmed. Mr Rutter said he had been interested in astronomy as a youth, owning his first telescope at 15, but had given the pastime away when he began moving
Greg Rutter shows off the Phosphate Hill telescope.
around a lot for his work. “Having this out here has rekindled the interest I had when I was younger,” he said.
Photo: Dianne Burnes
“With the great capacity this telescope has, it’s really good to use and to have the facility available is a marvellous thing.”
Discovery spreads its wings The Discovery Holiday Parks group is expanding its role in mining workforce accommodation with a 148-room development due to come online in Cloncurry in early 2012. The construction project comes hot on the heels of the group’s acquisition in May of three former Dimidium-operated properties in Mount Isa and Cloncurry valued at more than $9 million. The properties, rebranded as Discovery Parks – Mount Isa and Discovery Parks – Cloncurry, include more than 130 workforce rooms in Mount Isa as well as tourist accommodation, according to Discovery Holiday Parks business development manager Robyn Sefton. Ms Sefton said the company was especially excited about the development in Cloncurry where the need for such accommodation appeared quite high, with potential for future growth. Ms Sefton said the new Cloncurry workforce accommodation, approved by council, would be
Discovery Parks – Mount Isa workforce accommodation.
built as an extension to the existing park. The company was negotiating with a number of mining companies regarding tenancy, she said. The north-west Queensland investments are not the group’s first foray into mining sector accommodation. It also offers workforce accommodation for 160 people in Biloela in central Queensland, where the company is expanding its premises by 20 rooms to help meet increased demand due to gas pipeline work and coal industry growth. “We also have a park based at Blackwater that provides workforce accommodation,” Ms Sefton said. The acquisitions in north-west Queensland take Discovery Holiday Parks’ portfolio to a total of 34 sites across Australia. Chief executive officer Grant Wilckens said the mining sector represented a key growth area for the company.
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SAFETY AND RESCUE
The Mining Advocate | July 2011
31
Coalfields rescue test Six emergency response teams battled it out at Oaky North recently for the right to progress to Queensland’s EK Healy Cup competition. Moranbah North has claimed the annual Queensland Mines Rescue Service (QMRS) Memorial Cup after a tight competition between the top four contenders. QMRS chief assessor Ray Smith said the six teams contesting the 2011 event at the Oaky North mine near Tieri had demonstrated excellent firefighting and first-aid skills. However, the event had again highlighted the need for emergency response personnel generally to do more work on their timbering skills, required to shore up unstable areas underground.
Rescue teams were faced with an underground scenario including a timber exercise and conveyor belt fire as well as a multiple-casualty incident above ground involving a crash between two vehicles, one carrying explosives. Mr Smith said the cup competition also included individual theory and practical exercises for all team members as well as a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) task for team captains and vice-captains. The Moranbah North team took out the George Carbine Shield for excellence in first aid
The Moranbah North team celebrates its QMRS Memorial Cup win; at front, from left - Fallon Currier, Rod Coldrey and Bryn Lovett (vice-captain), at back - Luke Addis (captain), Carl Sykes, Karl Barnsdale and Mark Mackenzie.
as well as being named overall winners. The three top performers behind them were the Oaky North, Crinum and North Goonyella rescue teams. Teams from the Cook Colliery and Newlands North also participated in the event. “Overall the teams participated really well,” Mr Smith said.
“Between the top four placings there wasn’t a lot of difference – they were all on the same level. “But they will need to lift their skills if they want to do well at the next level of competition.” The top four will go on to compete at the EK Healy Cup at the Cook Colliery south of Blackwater in September.
They will take on the four teams that represented Queensland in last year’s national competition – Broadmeadow, Oaky No 1, Kestrel and Grasstree. The Australian Underground Mines Rescue Competition will this year be hosted in Wollongong, New South Wales, on October 14.
Key forum for mining sector Organisers are expecting about 600 people from across the resources sector to attend this year’s Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference in Townsville from August 21 to 24. Conference chairperson Greg Lane said the 2011 program was quite diverse and would include an interesting new initiative. This year’s theme is “Embracing the Age— Supporting People and Technology”.
Alliance Coal Academic Chair Dr Thomas Novak from the University of Kentucky’s department of mining engineering and Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health Queensland chief executive officer Dr Jennifer Bowers have been named as keynote speakers for the event. More information is available in the Queensland Resources Council website at www.qrc.org.au under Safety & Health.
A North Goonyella competitor tackles the first-aid response event.
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32
HEALTH IN MINING
July 2011 |
The Mining Advocate
New rules to reduce fume risk Improved safety and health procedures are expected to help minimise potential effects on workers during blasting operations. New shot-firing guidelines have been developed for Queensland mines to better manage gas fume risks. State Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said improved safety and health procedures being implemented from July 1 would help minimise both the occurrence of fume events and health risks to mine workers. “Workers were exposed to gas fume events during blasting operations at two Bowen Basin coal mines in March,” he said. “The government took
swift action and suspended operations at those mines until management could demonstrate that risk to workers was at an acceptable level. “We also established a tri-partite steering group of government, industry and the union movement to develop new shot-firing guidelines to better manage fume events during blasting operations.” The steering group’s recommendations include: • New guidance for the preparation of blasting operations and exclusion
zones with particular focus on prevailing weather conditions to minimise the potential for fume events and worker exposure; • The use of improved, nationally-approved blast management competencies by blasting operators; • A new standardised investigations protocol to ensure consistent recording of data from fume events, • Fume event awareness seminars to be held in Queensland coal mining areas in coming months. Queensland’s Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station (Simtars) would also have a role to play, Mr Hinchliffe said. “Simtars is seeking a grant
under the Australian Coal Association Research Project to study the use of differential Symptoms commonly encountered after exposure to blast fumes (nitrogen oxide): • acute cough • acute shortness of breath • irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat. Queensland mine workers reporting possible effects from blast fumes are required to undergo medical assessment under an industry-wide health and safety standard.
Playing a round can boost male health CQ Health Assess is using the relaxed environment of a social golf game to help overcome a common male handicap – a reluctance to seek medical information and help. The organisation is running its second “Check Your Hole” golf day in the Mackay area on August 14 to promote men’s health issues, particularly prostate cancer. Teams will play 18 holes of golf ambrose with health information available at every hole as well as checks for blood pressure, waist measurement and diabetes risk, according to CQ Health Assess coordinator Ann-Maree Brightman. Ms Brightman said men’s health was an area that was “left behind” as many were reluctant to visit a doctor. Many golf day participants last year had followed up with a trip to the doctor after being alerted to factors such as high blood pressure or a high risk of developing diabetes, she said. And while the health messages are aimed at men, Ms Brightman stressed that women were also encouraged to join the event. CQ Health Assess will be taking donations throughout the day for charity and “fining” players for misdemeanours such as swearing or failure to wear sunscreen. The 2011 event will be held from 8am (when registrations open) on August 14 at the Pioneer Valley Golf Club. People seeking further information should email wellness@ cqhealthassess.com.au or phone (07) 4998 5550.
CQ Health Assess nurse Tania Day checks up on community and in-home care co-ordinator Brett Larson as he prepares to tee off. Photo: Damien Carty
optical absorption spectroscopy for the analysis of blast plumes,” he said. “This technique uses natural light to accurately measure pollutants such as oxides of nitrogen which are present in blast fumes. “The monitoring system is portable and able to measure mine gas plumes remotely as well as measure a moving target plume. “Using this technique will lead to improvements in the technical understanding of fume type and behaviour.” Mr Hinchliffe said the steering group would continue to monitor and analyse fume event data, investigate and address issues until March 2012. “There will also be ongoing discussions with mining companies and explosives manufacturers to ensure best practice in the use of explosives in mining,” he said. The steering group was formed after incidents at BMA’s Saraji and Peak Downs mines in the Moranbah district. Mr Hinchliffe said at the time that all explosions generated gas and it was accepted that postblast fume events would never be fully eliminated. The steering group’s task was to develop new guidelines that further minimised the risk, he said. There are normally between 120-150 shots fired per week during blasting operations at mines throughout Queensland, according to State Government figures. Less than two per cent result in a fume event.
OPTIMISE THE HEALTH OF YOUR EMPLOYEES AND IMPROVE YOUR BOTTOM LINE! Improve productivity, reduce absenteeism and increase your bottom line by investing in your employees health education! CQ Health Assess provides a multitude of health services for the workplace. Health Screening Health Promotion Health Education Drugs and Alcohol Testing ...and more!
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