43 minute read
BREAKING NEW GROUND FOR BORAL
CONTRACTOR BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH “INTELLIGENT” RIG
The latest rendition of an all-encompassing crawler rig is kicking goals for a drilling contractor at a Boral quarry. Tim Robertson reports.
Maxfield Drilling has been working closely with Boral in Tasmania for the past 30 years, but it was only in January last year that the companies partnered for their first project on the mainland.
“We have a great relationship with Boral,” said Dean Maxfield, the general manager at Maxfield Drilling.
“We’re very proud that they’ve shown the confidence in us to give us work in Victoria – a new state – so we’ve set up a workshop and office in Victoria and hopefully it’ll grow from there.”
Established in 1984, Maxfield Drilling is primarily a blast hole drilling contractor for quarries, open-cut mines and large-scale civil construction projects. It also conducts grade control drilling services and is currently working on about 46 sites across Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Tasmania. The company has always placed an emphasis on keeping abreast of the latest technological developments, to ensure it remains at the forefront of the industry. This shared vision has led to a close partnership between Maxfield Drilling and Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology. The relationship has gone from strength to strength since 2004, when Maxfield Drilling purchased its first piece of Sandvik equipment – a Pantera 1100 crawler rig. Since then it has bought more than 25 machines and its fleet now includes 20 Sandvik drills.
Now, in a first for Australia, Maxfield Drilling has been operating Sandvik’s Ranger DX900i surface drill rig at Boral’s Lysterfield Quarry, in the southern foothills of Mount Dandenong in Melbourne’s south-east.
“We’d been talking to Sandvik for some years about getting a machine that was versatile in reach and movability, as well as being capable of achieving high production
The Ranger DX900i drill rig is equipped with a revolving upper structure that offers a 290-degree drilling reach and 55m 2 coverage.
rates. When the DX900i was released, we thought it was a machine that could hopefully achieve both these tasks,” Maxfield said. TECHNICAL DATA SANDVIK RANGER DX900I
ROTATING COVERAGE At the rig’s Australian launch in April 2018, Sandvik personnel said the DX900i had potentially the widest drilling coverage available in its class, with its revolving upper structure offering a 290-degree drilling reach and 55m² coverage.
Despite the rig’s ability to rotate, it maintains maximum stability through a counterweight structure opposite the boom. Its low centre of gravity and high tramming power also allow it to remain mobile.
“In a conventional rig, your reach from one spot to where you tram is only the boom movement and the areas of a few square metres maximum,” IIkka Lahdelma, Sandvik’s global director of product management for surface drilling and exploration, told Quarry. “So basically, in this kind of drilling pattern, you are able to reach two holes, if you are tramming to a row of holes.
“Because the [DX900i] has a 290-degree turning upper structure, we are able to reach four-hole rows from the one set-up.”
Recommended hole diameter
Drill rod/tube diameter
Hydraulic rock drill
Drilling coverage
Engine type/output
Flushing air capacity
Operator cabin
Certificate
Transport length
Transport width
Transport height
Weight 89-140mm* (3”-5.5”)
51mm or 60mm (2” or 2.3”)
RD927L, RD927L-C (27kW)
55m 2
Volvo Penta TAD852VE (Tier 3) – 210kW@1800 rpm Volvo Penta TAD872VE (Tier 4) – 210kW@1800 rpm
9.5m³/min, 335 cfm up to 10 bar
iCab
ROPS and FOPS
12.4m
2.45m
3.3m (4.4m with safety cage, 4.4m with noise silencer)
During his presentation, Lahdelma also outlined how the Ranger DXi series is equipped with the latest versions of “Sandvik intelligence”, including full hole automatics, troubleshooting functions, iTorque drilling control system, full radio remote control and optional extras available for hole navigation, on-board data collection, wireless data transfer and drill plan creation and analytics.
IN THE FIELD Since becoming operational at Lysterfield, Maxfield told Quarry the rig has been performing well.
“From a movability and reach point of view, it far outperforms anything else we’ve used. Its penetration performance has met expectations and so far we’re very happy with the Volvo engine package. Fuel burn has been really good too.”
Sandvik’s publicity for the Ranger DX900i has emphasised that fuel consumption can be reduced by as much as 15 per cent on previous models.
Dean Maxfield (left) receives the keys to the DX900i from Sandvik’s Australian surface drilling and exploration business line manager Scott Wright at the rig’s Australian launch in April last year.
“As with most new model machines, you can have some teething problems, but Sandvik have addressed all of them and have been very proactive in resolving any ongoing issues,” Maxfield said.
Feedback from the client, Boral, has also been positive.
“From my perspective, it’s been good,” said Rodney Krins, the drill and blast manager for quarries in Boral Construction Materials & Cement’s southern region. “We haven’t had any major issues. The versatility of it is good. Availability-wise, it’s been good, and the operator certainly seems to like it.”
While the Ranger DX900i hasn’t even finished its first assignment, it seems it will be only a matter of time before it starts appearing on more Australian sites. Based on what Maxfield Drilling has experienced in this short time, it is increasingly likely the company will consider more additions to its drill rig fleet in the future. •
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CONVEYORS
MOBILE MANUFACTURING UNIT ARRIVES IN A SPLASH OF COLOUR
Orica’s Bulkmaster 7 – which was launched 12 months ago – recently arrived in the New South Wales coal region with a splash of colour.
A new Mobile Manufacturing Unit (MMU), donning the red and yellow livery of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service to raise funds and awareness, was unveiled at the service’s Broadmeadow base and is now operating on-site at Yancoal’s Moolarben coal operations. The vehicle’s traditional colours are blue and white.
Orica has been a supporter of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service since 2015, contributing more than $500,000 to the service over that time.
“The Westpac helicopter service is a vital lifeline for the community,” Orica’s AustraliaPacific vice-president Todd Peate said. “We’re so proud of our partnership with the service that we’ve painted one of our Bulkmaster 7 trucks in their colours, to lend support and spread awareness.”
Peate said Orica had operations at sites throughout the Hunter Valley and northern New South Wales, from Newcastle to Gunnedah, and it was “reassuring to know that this life-saving service is there for us and the community”.
He added the red and yellow 47-tonne Bulkmaster 7 was an expansion of a partnership underpinned by the generous contributions of Orica employees over many years, through Orica’s “Dare to Share” payroll deduction program. Orica matches its employees’ donations on a dollar-fordollar basis.
Richard Jones, CEO of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, said support from companies such as Orica was critical to the service’s operations.
Each year the service undertakes more than
The Bulkmaster 7 fully integrates with LOADPlus, a BlastIQ-enabled smart control system technology.
1200 missions across the Hunter, Central Coast, Mid North Coast, New England and north-west regions of NSW.
“No one ever pays to be assisted by the service, but its value is priceless,” Jones said. “We truly appreciate the long-term and valued support from Orica. This is an incredibly creative promotional push for our service. We are fortunate to have many people support us in so many diverse ways. We know the great history of Orica’s colours and we’re humbled and privileged that Orica has chosen to support our service this way.”
EXPLOSIVES DELIVERY SYSTEM Designed for use in the open-cut mining sector, the Bulkmaster 7 is part of Orica’s delivery system technology, offering an increased payload, loadout rates and bin flexibility for more productivity and safety on bench.
The first Bulkmaster 7 unit began operation in February 2018 at the Fortescue Metals Group’s Solomon operations, in the resourcerich Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Orica has cited significant performance improvements through a series of technical innovations in the new generation delivery system, including: • A proprietary bin shape to optimise ammonium nitrate flowability, minimise weight, evenly distribute stresses and lower the centre of gravity. The Bulkmaster 7 is designed to significantly improve reliability, stability and safety, and increase total bulk explosives product holding capacity to up to 21 tonnes of Fortan and 22.5 tonnes of Fortis. • Specially designed augers and significantly increased power capacity to improve delivery rates and allow for new material metering methods. It allows for accurate Fortan and Fortis delivery rates of 1100kg/ min and 550kg/min respectively. • State-of-the-art integrated hydraulic, sensor and control system technology that optimises usability and formulation quality at high speeds. The Bulkmaster 7 fully integrates with LOADPlus, a BlastIQ-enabled smart control system technology, to deliver products transparently and accurately in accordance with site requirements. BlastIQ delivers a range of technology solutions to improve productivity, save time and reduce the overall cost of drill and blast operations.
As the extractive industry moves ever closer to automating the entire mining value chain, the release of the Bulkmaster 7 is considered a milestone in Orica’s overall technology vision. This vision includes WebGen, the world’s first truly wireless initiating system, the BlastIQ system and an advancement of Orica’s bulk product range and delivery methods to revolutionise drill and blast operations.
The Bulkmaster 7 is being rolled out in Australia, providing a competitive advantage to operators adopting the new technology. •
FROM AN EXCAVATOR TO SURFACE DRILL
Arenowned international manufacturer and supplier is offering a versatile, alternative drill solution to the quarrying industry.
The Montabert CPA blast hole drilling rig is an excavator-mounted drill that offers numerous advantages over the conventional crawler drill, such as drilling multiple holes from one position, pre-splitting and toe holes, which provide safety advantages, and easy travel and versatility over rough terrain. It effectively transforms any suitable excavator into a surface drilling machine and enlarges its application range, while retaining all of the excavator’s usual benefits, eg the long reach boom, mobility, cabin view, etc.
From the Montabert Micro CPA, the smallest unit to suit machines ranging from five to 10 tonnes, up to the Montabert CPA X-tend, the largest unit, which is mounted on a 30-tonne machine, operators have economical and effortless options for their drilling needs.
The CPA can drill holes up to 28 metres deep and 140mm in diameter, using a wide range of rods (from the Hex 22/25 to T60). For maximum safety, a CPA can be equipped with an automatic rod changer (up to seven rods) and a dust collector. The swing can also be rotated by 45 degrees to allow easier positioning (in one version, the Micro CPA 360 can go up to 180 degrees). The CPA can be operated from the excavator cabin or from outside with a remote control. On top of drill and blast in quarries, as well as long or high reach drilling, the CPA can be used in a wide range of applications including excavation, anchorage, bolting and drainage.
The drill circuit on the excavator can also run a rock breaker should oversize breaking be required, or back to bucket work, which enables the owner to maximise 100 per cent availability.
Montabert drifters have been mainstays of the quarrying industry globally since the 1970s. One of the most notable benefits of the Montabert drifter is the piston shape. Its trapezoidal design allows the drifter to deliver constant power with a high efficiency ratio; no energy is wasted. Every single kilowatt supplied to the drifter will be used at its best, and converted into drilling power to provide the best penetration rates, and the lowest costs per metre.
Drifters also provide savings on consumables. Dampening systems and reverse percussion greatly improve shanks and bits lifespan. High quality raw materials and treatments, and reliable manufacturing processes grant these drifters a very high life cycle, minimising maintenance.
The drifters are mounted on the Montabert CPA drill attachment but can also be used to replace an old drifter (not necessarily a Montabert) on regular surface or underground drilling machines. •
Source: Komatsu Mining
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Trimax Machinery SIMPLY BETTER CRUSHERS Tri
INDUSTRY BODY PROMOTES IMPROVED SAFETY, SECURITY OF EXPLOSIVES
The Australasian Explosives Industry and Safety Group (AEISG) was originally formed in 1994 as the Australian Explosives Manufacturers Safety Committee.
In 2004 a formal constitution was developed, and the association was formally incorporated under the New South Wales Associations Incorporation Act . Since formation AEISG membership has expanded to include all significant explosives manufacturers and suppliers in Australasia.
The membership includes (but is not limited to): Applied Explosives Technology; BME Australia-Asia; Davey Bickford Enaex Australia; Downer EDI Mining-Blasting Services; Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific; Hanwha Mining Services Australia; Johnex Explosives; Maxam Australia; Nitro Sibir Australia; Orica Australia; Platinum Blasting Services; Redbull Powder Company; Solar Mining Services; and Thales Australia. AEISG’s company members elect a committee chairman on an annual and rotational basis, and employ a chief executive officer and an industry liaison officer to progress the group's activities.
Its primary goal is to continuously improve safety and security throughout the manufacture, transport, storage, handling and use of explosives and their precursors (eg ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrate emulsions) in Australasia.
The roles of AEISG and its members have been incorporated into its constitution, ie to: • Create an environment for open exchange of opinions/ideas on explosives industry matters. • Disseminate information about explosives industry issues (eg accidents, incidents, security, environmental, technological advances in safety and security). • Represent the explosives industry nationally and internationally to regulatory bodies on safety, security and other matters. • Liaise with national and international organisations to progress improved safety and security in the explosives industry. • Develop and promote industry Codes of Practice (minimum acceptable standards). • Promote consistency in legislation covering the explosives industry. • Promote community perception of a
The AESIG’s Codes of Practice include steps to reduce NOx fumes produced by ANFO.
competent and responsible industry. In undertaking the above roles, AEISG members hold meetings four times per year, with further meetings to address specific technical issues as necessary, including the Codes of Practice.
Further, AEISG, through the CEO or member representatives, is represented on national and international regulatory meetings where it can provide input to effective outcomes on safety and security issues involving explosives. The current AEISG Codes of Practice include: • Blast guarding in an open-cut environment. The use of explosives to break rock is an intrinsically hazardous process. On a mine or quarry site the potential hazards are increased by the need to manage the blasting procedure to protect personnel, contractors and the public from exposure to foreseeable, if unintended, adverse consequences of a blast. This code provides practical guidance on meeting regulatory requirements on explosives and mine/quarry safety. • Mobile processing units (MPUs). This code sets out requirements for the design and operational management of MPUs used in the manufacture and blast-hole delivery of explosives in surface and underground blasting. • Ammonium nitrate emulsions, suspensions or gels. This code sets out requirements and recommendations to control the risks (to people and to the environment) arising from the storage, handling (including transfer operations), transport and security of ammonium nitrate emulsions, suspensions and gels conforming to UN3375. These materials are collectively referred to in this code as ANEs. • Prevention and management of blastgenerated nitrous oxide (NOx) gases in surface blasting. These guidelines assist the safe use of explosives in situations where a specific additional hazard may arise due to the generation of NOx within the post-blast gases. • Elevated temperature and reactive ground. This code aims to enhance the safety of explosive suppliers and their customers when handling explosives and charging in elevated temperature and/or reactive ground conditions. • Segregation barriers for transporting mixed loads of detonators and high explosives. The code covers the safe and secure transport of explosives as per as the Australian Explosives Code (AEC) and provides additional guidance to satisfy the segregation requirements outlined in chapter seven of the AEC regarding transportation of detonators and other high explosives on the same vehicle. • On-bench practices for open-cut mines and quarries. This code has been developed to provide practical guidance for those on-bench activities that must be considered as part of the risk assessment process, and during the development of a safety management plan and associated operating procedures and work instructions. Such codes are developed, with both industry and regulatory input, to establish acceptable safety and security requirements in the handling of explosives, and AEISG members are committed to following such requirements. Some have either been adopted into legislation or accepted as “approved codes” by regulators.
While these codes are, and remain, copyright, AEISG makes them freely available on its website – at aeisg.org.au – for use by any interested parties. The AEISG is always keen to receive constructive comments on improving any of its codes. •
INTEGRATED WEIGHING SOLUTIONS FOR EXCAVATORS
Acombination of a fleet management system (FMS) and hydraulic on-board weighing technology can transform quarry excavators into mobile control centres for increased productivity.
Intelligent positioning technology provider Position Partners has announced a new solution for excavators working on quarry and mine sites that combines Topcon’s iVolve FMS with RDS hydraulic excavator scales.
The technology enables accurate weighing of material onto trucks, transforming the machine into a control centre for loading operations.
The iVolve FMS solution provides high precision machine guidance for excavator and dozer operators to mine to a preprogrammed design without having to wait on supervisors and surveyors.
It offers real-time positioning information across the machine fleet on an easy to use, comprehensible interface inside the machine cab.
iVolve FMS enables excavator operators to accurately excavate even the most complex designs and maximise their accuracy from the digging and loading phases at a glance, using key information on a single screen. It also eliminates over- or under-excavation and associated rehandling, reduces fuel usage and machine wear, minimises intervention from surveyors and supervisors, and makes the operators more effective, reducing the workload on other quarry personnel.
Producers can also monitor and record all aspects of the haul truck load cycle, including tonnage, load pass details, material, load and dump location, activity/delay and loader vehicle state.
Topcon’s Loadex 100 RDS excavator loader scales technology stores accurate load information, especially in difficult conditions and terrain, to ensure road trucks are loaded consistently and within approved weight limits. It can also be customised to accommodate a wide range of earthmoving applications and attachments and a variety of other active tasks.
Operators can set individual product targets or make automatic product selections, set alarms for overload thresholds, make quick and easy calibration adjustments to match site reference (eg a weighbridge), load accumulation for up to 10 attachments (eg buckets, grab tools) and manage recordkeeping, traceability and stock management – all from a single screen.
The Loadex 100’s features include a colour touch-screen display, dynamic weighing technology using inclinometers and mechanical sensors, memorised preselections for repeat job set-up, GPRS and Wi-Fi connectivity, SQL database functionality and XML data output, a printer option with configurable output, an internal audible alarm, calibration “nudge” and a system “pause” button.
For haul trucks already fitted with truck scales, the combined iVolveFMS/RDS excavator scales system acts to validate and compare truck tonnage. If trucks do not have on-board weighing technology, the excavator can store and transmit loading information to the truck, allowing site managers to consistently and reliably track material movement across the site.
“By bringing together iVolve FMS and RDS excavator scales, we can offer managers an exciting productivity tool that maximises an excavator’s capacity by making it the centre of loading operations,” Position Partners’ national manager for mining Andrew Granger said.
“In consultation with our customers, we identified a need for this solution in the quarrying and mining industries. Having supported a similar solution in construction for some time, we were able to work with our suppliers to create a tailored system that is specifically designed to meet the needs of Australian mine sites.”
Position Partners’ announcement of the combined iVolveFMS/RDS excavator scales system coincided with the company receiving the top prize for construction at the Topcon Xperience dealer conference in San Antonio, Texas, in December 2018. Along with this accolade, the company also received awards for the top five excavator sales and top five year-on-year sales growth.
“We are privileged to receive Topcon’s dealer of the year award among all of Topcon’s successful distributors,” Position Partners CEO Martin Nix said.
“It’s a great reflection of the support our customers give us as they strive to increase productivity and safety by pushing the boundaries with intelligent positioning systems in the construction industry. “These awards are accepted as a recognition of the combined efforts of our teams and employees, who continually do their utmost to deliver exceptional customer service.”
Topcon executive VP and general manager of the construction and retail groups Jamie Williamson said: “The Position Partners team has always exhibited strength and dedication in providing the most innovative technology and service to their customers. That spirit has been notably evident in their performance, which makes Position Partners a superb choice for dealer of the year.”
With about 270 people in offices Australiawide, in south-east Asia and New Zealand, Position Partners is the largest Australianowned company focusing entirely on the distribution and support of intelligent positioning solutions for geospatial, construction and mining projects. •
VOLUME SCANNER FOR MEASURING, REPORTING ON BULK MATERIAL FLOW
Loadscan, a global leader in payload profiling systems, has released the conveyor volume scanner (CVS) – a high tech, easy to use tool that allows users to see how much material is moving across their conveyor belt.
Loadscan systems provide 3D images and insightful data in real-time for every load, equipping users to optimise loading, productivity and profitability.
The CVS is an above-belt lidar laser measurement system. It is ideal for production management because it provides unambiguous data, including 3D profiling, in real-time or period reporting.
The Loadscan belt scanner gives users a clear understanding of their inventory production rates (or contract crushing quantities) in volume and tonnes. Its specially designed scan-head, with single laser, continuously scans the full width of a conveyor belt at high angular resolution to capture accurate volumetric measurement of material flowing by.
“We are really excited about this product,” said Carey West, the owner and director of Loadscan.
“The concept of a belt scanner has been around for a while – customers have been asking for it – and now we can deliver a well designed solution that’s easy to install and affordable, that has a software interface that is stacked with functionality, and that’s user-friendly.
“The CVS is the perfect complement to our load volume truck scanners and will complete our customers’ volumetric production tracking. It could also solve production management headaches for many companies, and industries, that have never used volumetric scanning before. I can see it being adapted to a variety of industry applications.”
West said that, unlike other optical belt scales, which provide some data but don’t integrate easily, the Loadscan CVS has been designed to provide hassle-free, insightful reporting. It has extensive functionality options, with an on-board application programming interface (API).
The API enables the user to easily set up a list of jobs, instructing their dispatch system
The Loadscan CVS is an above-belt lidar laser management system that scans any belt from 400mm to 2000mm wide.
to deliver specified job quantities (which can be reported direct to the loader operator’s cab) and allowing the job run to be initiated by the loader operator.
The Loadscan conveyor volume scanner works across all conveyor belts. The standard scan head is simply fixed to the appropriately sized frame, which expands or contracts, for a secure fit to the user’s belt.
With the correct size frame, the CVS can run on any belt from 400mm to 2000mm wide (and can be custom-mounted on belts up to 3000mm). It can also be used on deep belts, supplying accurate measurement for material quantities that were previously thought to be too great for bulk-flow volume scanning. Loadscan has been at the forefront of volumetric measurement over the past decade, ensuring easy, accurate load management with its load volume scanning (LVS) systems for trucks and trailers.
The Loadscan LVS and CVS systems both utilise laser-scanning technology combined with proprietary Loadscan software to measure the exact volume of the material (either loaded in a truck/trailer bin or flowing on a conveyor belt).
The CVS continues Loadscan’s history of high build quality. It is a robust product that will withstand a wide temperature range in harsh environments. The high spec lasers used in the CVS are class one eye-safe, meaning users do not require extra protection.
West and his team at Loadscan have built upon the volumetric scanning technology his father originally pioneered, and are now fielding global interest for their innovative product.
“Whether you’re talking about optimising truck loads or measuring bulk material flow across a conveyor belt, we’re chasing the same outcome: greater efficiency and, ultimately, improved profitability for our customers,” West said. •
IRON ORE PROJECT BOASTS WORLD'S LARGEST STOCKYARD MACHINES
Thyssenkrupp's industrial solutions business has been awarded one of the largest fabrication and construction projects the company has ever handled in Western Australia. Under the contract, thyssenkrupp will design, supply, construct and commission large-scale stockyard machines – possibly the largest in the world – for the BHP South Flank iron ore project in WA's central Pilbara region. The contract is valued at $AUD237.5 million.
The project is targeting first ore extraction in 2021. With an output of 80 million tonnes per year, it will fully replace production from BHP's Yandi mine, which is reaching the end of its economic life. The project will create many opportunities for WA suppliers. “South Flank will be one of the largest iron ore operations worldwide,” said Torsten Gerlach, CEO of the mining technologies unit at thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions. “We look forward to contributing to this project by combining long-standing global expertise in the mining business with local experience. “Our strong partnership with BHP extends globally, but the Pilbara region is a core area where we have provided material handling solutions for decades.”
thyssenkrupp will supply two stackers that deposit iron ore into stockyards, and a reclaimer for loading the ore onto rail to Port Hedland. The machines will have a capacity of 20,000 tonnes per hour and their designs incorporate the latest Australian Standards requirements and technology improvements centred on safe construction, operation and maintenance activities.
thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions' mining technologies business unit supplies a full range of machinery, systems, equipment and services for the extraction, processing, storage and transportation of raw materials. In collaboration with customers in the mining and minerals sectors globally, the mining technologies business unit develops custom, forward-looking solutions that enhance productivity and allow natural resources to be used responsibly and efficiently. •
Source: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions
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2019 IQA EVENTS
ACT BRANCH 15 March Dinner meeting (Venue TBA) 12 July Dinner meeting (Venue TBA) 15 Nov Dinner meeting (Venue TBA)
QUEENSLAND BRANCH 19 Feb Technical and dinner meeting, Moda Events Portside 21 March WIQ Queensland Conference, Brisbane 2 April Site visit to Brisbane Airport’s second parallel runway 17 May IQA Annual Golf Day, Oxley Golf Club 14 June Quarrying Safety & Health Conference, Bris 7 Aug Dinner meeting & AGM, Bris Sept CMEMC 2019
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND SUB-BRANCH 13 March Technical meeting, Rockhampton 19 July Annual Golf Day, Rockhampton
NORTH QUEENSLAND BRANCH 12 Feb Technical and dinner meeting, Nth Qld Club, Townsville 12 March
14 May
21 May
19 June
26 July 13 Aug 13 Sept 8 Oct
30 Oct
15 Nov Technical and dinner meeting, Cairns Technical and dinner meeting, Cairns Technical and dinner meeting, Mackay Safety & Health Seminar, Townsville Annual Golf Day, Cairns Branch AGM, Townsville Annual Golf Day, Townsville Technical and dinner meeting, Townsville Technical and dinner meeting, Cairns Christmas Party, Townsville
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH 24 May Technical and dinner meeting (venue TBA) 12 July WIQ SA Conference, Adelaide Pavilion 30 Aug AGM/dinner, National Wine Centre 8 Nov Dinner Meeting, Pullman Adelaide Hotel
VICTORIAN BRANCH 19 Feb Summer technical night 1 March Annual golf day 16 May Student presentation night
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BRANCH 22 March ‘Bowling Stone’ Challenge, Lawn Bowls Challenge, South Perth Bowling Club 8 May Breakfast meeting, Beaumonde on the Point, East Perth 28 June Brikmakers clay brickworks site visit and sundowner 7 Aug Breakfast meeting, Beaumonde on the Point, East Perth 3 Sept AGM and dinner meeting, Imperial Court Restaurant 22 Nov Annual golf day, Joondalup Resort
All dates and venues for the above branches are correct at time of press. Not all branches had confirmed their activities/ dates. For further information about IQA branch activities, contact your local branch representative (see IQA branch contacts on page 41) or visit quarry.com.au
PDP WEBINARS & EVENTS
Unless specified otherwise, the activities below are webinars open to all IQA members and other interested parties. To register, visit: quarry.com.au/education
IQA 62ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE Geelong Football Club, Kardinia Park Geelong, Victoria 1-3 October (Tuesday to Thursday), 2019
“The Future of Quarrying” will be the theme of the IQA’s annual conference which this year will be hosted at the home of the Geelong Cats AFL Football Club. The conference program will focus on numerous topics, including: the maximisation of limited natural resources through technology; the benefits of effective management of workplace diversity; new developments in emerging fixed and mobile plant technology; environmental and economic trends impacting on the industry; and much more. In a first, the conference program will be hosted on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. For more information, visit quarry.com.au
Personnel in quarry and extractive industry operations must be adequately trained and verified as competent for the tasks that they are responsible for performing. This is not only a legal obligation, but it makes sound business sense. This wPDP provides participants with an introduction to the core principles of training and verification of competency (VOC) required for safe and efficient quarrying operations. It is suitable for quarry managers, quarry supervisors and key support personnel with management responsibility.. For more information, visit https://quarry.page.link/TVOC
DEALING WITH NEIGHBOURS AND THE COMMUNITY 15 February 2019
The public are seldom happy with living near a quarry. Dust, noise and environmental damage are genuine concerns, not only at the development application stage, but during the life of the operation. This webinar will provide tips on how to communicate effectively with neighbours and the community at large, what needs to be done to maintain the "social licence to operate", and how to co-exist with other land users in the surrounding community. It is suitable for quarry managers, supervisors, community liaison officers and environmental officers. The facilitator is Wayne Scott. For more information, visit https://quarry.page.link/DWN
CONCRETE STRUCTURES & BUILDING TECHNICAL SEMINAR Oaks on Market, Melbourne 21 February 2019
The Institute of Quarrying Australia
technical program that focuses on pragmatic considerations and practical and optimised solutions for reinforced concrete structures. This event will draw from the presenters’ and audience members’ experience, the lessons they have learnt through real life case studies, and openly explore successes and failures. This one-day event – from 8.30am to 5.00pm – will bring together all stakeholders to discuss various corrosion issues across the concrete structures and building industries. The presenters on the day will be Fred AndrewsPhaedonos (VicRoads), Michael Heathwood (Laing O’Rourke), Luke Thompson (SMEC), Glenn Brewster (Transurban), Frédéric Blin (AECOM), Dave Charters (DCL Consulting), Chris Jones (Boral), David Johnstone (AkzoNobel) and Darren Smith (SIKA). The seminar will conclude with networking drinks. Admission is $300 (inc GST) for ACA members and $340 (inc GST) for non-ACA members. To book, visit events.corrosion.com.au/events/concretestructures-and-building/
EFFECTIVE RISK MANAGEMENT 22 February 2019
The IQA and the quarrying industry at large recognise the importance of managing safety risks. Effective risk management processes are fundamental in realising significant gains in safety performance. When these processes are ineffective you send the wrong message to your workers and do little to improve safety at your site. This webinar will assist operators in ensuring their risk management processes are effective. It will consider why risk management processes fail, identify risk profiles, provide advice on effective risk management processes and cover some incident investigations. Participants will also be given practical examples of how smallscale quarries have achieved significant safety improvement through effectively managing risk. Managers, supervisors and key support personnel are the primary target group for these webinars. There is a good opportunity to ask questions in an informal environment. Numbers are kept small to provide an opportunity for everyone. The facilitator is Wayne Scott. For more information, visit https://quarry.page.link/ERM
CCAA ACADEMICS FORUM 2019 26 February 2019 Pullman Sydney Airport Hotel
The Academics Forum, organised by Cement Concrete Aggregates Australia, is designed to provide a platform for leading product specialists from the Australian cement, aggregates and concrete industries to meet with principal academic researchers from around Australia. In doing so, both can be informed of the issues current in the industry, and learn of the breadth of research being undertaken into cement and concrete in Australia. Industry participants will gain insights into the work being undertaken in major Australian universities, the specific expertise residing in these institutions and whom businesses should contact about specific technical issues. Throughout the day – which commences at 9.00am and concludes at 5.00pm - participants will be able to hear of the current directions for the concrete industry in market development, and also hear the thoughts of major concrete users and specifiers as to where they see the issues and challenges for the industry. For more information, contact Warren South, the CCAA’s director of research and technical services, tel 02 9667 8313, email warren. south@ccaa.com.au or visit the ‘Events’ page of the CCAA website: ccaa.com.au
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES 1 March 2019
Projects exist throughout the life cycle of quarries, eg exploration and development projects, capital works and construction projects, and operational improvement projects, to name just a few. Multifaceted, capital-intensive projects will (and should) be led by a dedicated project management team but less complex projects are often managed by line managers and supervisors in the course of their “day jobs”. This webinar is designed to introduce the principles and practices of project management and the skills required for project success. It is suitable for quarry managers, quarry supervisors or other employees with responsibilities for planning, executing and controlling projects in the quarrying environment. The facilitator is Hamish Beattie. For more information, visit https://quarry.page.link/PMP
WORKER HEALTH 15 March 2019
Managing hazards associated with worker health is critical in establishing and implementing an effective safety management system. This area of health and safety is getting added attention within all regulatory jurisdictions due to the increasing incidence of death and serious illness from work-related exposures. This webinar provides information on site worker health hazards including dust, noise, hazardous substances and psychosocial hazards, exposure monitoring and health surveillance, effective management of worker health hazards, and what should be in a worker health plan (in line with a relevant jurisdiction’s mining legislation, WHS legislation and duty of care requirements). It is suitable for managers, supervisors and key support personnel. Visit https://quarry.page.link/WH
MANAGING PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARDS IN THE WORKPLACE 22 March 2019
Bullying, harassment, stress and physical violence are far too common in modern workplaces. Creating and maintaining a supportive workplace culture is critical to identifying and managing these hazards in the workplace. This webinar will provide tips on how to identify these problems in the workplace, what needs to be done to address them, and how to create and maintain a supportive environment that does not tolerate unacceptable anti-social behaviour. It is suitable for quarry managers, supervisors, human resource officers, and health and safety officers. The facilitator is Wayne Scott. For more information, visit https://quarry.page.link/MPH
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION PRINCIPLES 29 March 2019
Hazard and risk source identification are key steps in risk management. If these problems are not identified and acted upon early, they can spiral out of the organisation's control and impact on its day to day activities. Robust identification and initial appreciation of hazards and risks are therefore critical steps in comprehensive and effective risk management processes. This webinar will outline definitions and interpretations, benefits of comprehensive hazard and risk source identification, potential consequences of inadequate hazard and risk source identification, common hazard and risk source identification methodologies, and an introduction to alternate hazard and risk source identification methodologies. The facilitator is Hamish Beattie. For more information, visit https://quarry.page.link/HIP
IQA NEWS
QUEENSLAND NEWS Branch premium supporters The Queensland branch is pleased to confirm the appointment of two additional branch premium supporters for 2019 – Scope Engineering and Groundwork Plus. The branch committee thanks its branch premium supporters for their continued support, enabling the branch to host meetings and events at affordable rates. Technical meetings The first technical and networking meeting for 2019 will introduce a new format. It will be held at Moda Events Portside on Tuesday, 19 February, starting at 4.00pm with a technical presentation by Gregory Glennon, the eastern region operations manager for Otraco International, part of the Downer Group of companies. Greg will report on an extensive review of tyre maintenance-related fatalities and life-threatening injuries in the industry, the causes, and the controls that need to be implemented to eliminate them. The technical presentations will be followed by a networking function, concluding at 7.00pm. Complimentary on-site parking is available for a maximum of four hours. Please book tickets online at quarry.com. au or contact the Queensland branch secretariat, email qld-admin@quarry.com.au
WIQ conference The 2019 Queensland Women in Quarrying conference will be held at the Glen Hotel on Thursday, 21 March. Michelle Connelly from the CPR Group (the WIQ Queensland branch’s major supporter) and the other members of the conference planning committee (Karen Normanton, Anita Waihi, Rob Sloman, Tegan Smith) are finalising the conference program under the theme #quarriesrocktomorrow. Full details are available on the IQA website: quarry.com.au
Date claimers – 2019 Further branch meetings are planned for the following dates: • 13 March: Technical and dinner meeting, Rockhampton. • 21 March: WIQ Queensland Conference, Brisbane. • 2 April: Site visit to Brisbane Airport’s second parallel runway. • 17 May: IQA Annual Golf Day, Oxley Golf Club. • 14 June: Quarrying Safety & Health Conference, Brisbane. For further information about the above meetings, contact the branch secretariat, tel 0419 782 688 or email qld-secretariat@ quarry.com.au
By Jennifer Milward
NORTH QUEENSLAND BRANCH NEWS
Christmas party The North Queensland branch’s Christmas party was full of its usual cheer, with 80 guests enjoying the end-of-year celebration at The Brewery in Townsville. Jeff Reibel from the North Queensland Cowboys was the special guest speaker. Ritchie Bros Auctioneers sponsored Christmas gifts and Lincom sponsored the lucky door prize – a Johnathan Thurston-signed Cowboys jersey.
Staff from Burdekin Quarry pose with Santa Claus.
The Lincom Group’s Erwin Koch presents the signed Cowboys jersey to lucky winner Mark Collins (Hy-Tec Industries).
Date claimers – 2019 Further branch meetings are planned for the following dates: • 12 Feb: Technical and dinner meeting, North Queensland Club, Townsville. • 12 March: Technical and dinner meeting, Cairns. • 14 May: Technical and dinner meeting, Cairns. • 21 May: Technical and dinner meeting, Mackay. • 19 June: Safety & Health Seminar, Townsville.
40 Quarry February 2019 • 26 July: Annual Golf Day, Cairns. • 13 Aug: Branch AGM, Townsville.
• 13 Sept: Annual Golf Day, Townsville. • 8 Oct: Technical and dinner meeting, Townsville. • 30 Oct: Technical and dinner meeting, Cairns. • 15 Nov: Christmas party, Townsville. For further information about the above meetings, contact the branch secretariat, tel 0419 782 688 or email qld-secretariat@ quarry.com.au
By Jennifer Milward
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH NEWS
New SA associate members receive their certificates: (l-r) Kevin Whelan, Julie Ann Day, SallyAnne Heinrich, Sarah Pennington and Matt Stopp.
Dinner meeting More than 100 guests attended the South Australian branch’s final function for 2018 – a dinner meeting at the Pullman Adelaide Hotel, on Friday, 16 November. The evening was a great opportunity for everyone to mingle and network in a relaxed atmosphere. Once the formalities were done, membership certificates were presented by branch chairman Andrew Wilson to new Associate members Kevin Whelan (Boral), Julie Ann Day (Groundwork Plus), Sally-Anne Heinrich (SC Heinrich & Co), Sarah Pennington (SA Department of State Development) and Matt Stopp (Hanson). The guest presenters for the evening were Tristan Throup (Penrice Quarry & Mineral and SA Young Members co-ordinator) and Clint Hart (MSP Group’s Kulparra Quarry). They provided an insightful and entertaining presentation on the Young Member Network study tour of New Zealand in July 2018. This included a blend of industry and cultural learnings.
The Institute of Quarrying Australia
SA branch chairman Andrew Wilson presents raffle winner Frank Pedretti with a model Metso Nordberg H4 crusher.
Tristan Throup and Clint Hart provided an entertaining presentation on the Young Member Network study tour of New Zealand.
Acknowledgement was also given to Mark Bevan, who was awarded the Retracom Quarry Operator of the Year Award at CMIC18 in September. The branch extends its appreciation to Andy Gough (Metso), who kindly provided a Nordberg H4 model as a door prize. This was raffled at the dinner and raised $377 for charity beyondblue. A big thanks to everyone who bought tickets. The winning ticket belonged to Frank Pedretti (Boral) – congratulations! The SA branch thanks its sponsors for their continued support – it goes a long way to ensuring that the branch remains relevant, vibrant and effective for its members.
By Marie Cunningham
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BRANCH NEWS
Branch golf day About 212 players took to the field in high spirits on 23 November, 2018, for the WA branch’s annual golf day. As usual, it was not all about the standard of play (for most) but about how much fun you could have. As a result, this highlight of the WA calendar once again hit the mark. There was a lot going on around the course, with the opportunity for players to win lots of prizes, including for longest drive, nearest
The victorious team from Hanson: (l-r) Damon Case, Simon Blow, Stefan Kelemko and Michael McCallion.
the pin, straightest drive and beat the pro, as well as first to sixth places and last place (the NAGA). For the first time, there was also a launch monitor on the course, measuring the club head and ball speed of every golfer teeing off on the Quarry 9 hole. Sponsors that “manned” their holes also had plenty of prizes on offer, with business card draws, and RUD Chains introduced a chipping competition on its tee box that was very popular and competitive. There was also a pictorial quiz question on each tee box that tested everyone’s golf knowledge (and very probably their Google search abilities!). The victorious team from Hanson finished with a gross score of 61 (net 58.625), including one eagle, nine birdies, seven pars and not a bogey in sight. In second place was Darryl Burton and his team from WesTrac, with a gross score of 63 (net 58.688), and in third place was the Brooks Hire team.
IQA BRANCH CONTACTS
ACT Peter Hewson: 0429 001 476 NSW Gemma Thursfield: 0402 431 090 Northern Gemma Thursfield: 0402 431 090 Hunter Gemma Thursfield: 0402 431 090 Illawarra Dylan Treadwell: 0418 632 057 Central West Mitchell Bland: 0428 462 987 NT Darren McKenna: 08 8988 4520 QLD Jennifer Milward: 0419 782 688 Gladstone Jennifer Milward: 0419 782 688 Townsville Jennifer Milward: 0419 782 688 Cairns Chris Wilson: 0438 134 752 SA Marie Cunningham: 08 8243 2505 Tasmania Nicholas Palmer: 0418 126 253 Victoria Eli Carbone: 03 8637 4723 Vic Sub-branch Craig Staggard: 0407 509 424 WA Celia Pavri: 0417 027 928 The NAGA Award and now keenly soughtafter stainless steel spades (sponsored by Drew Martin from Blast It Global) went to Lincom, represented by Rebecca Jenkinson, Craig Lorimer, Michael Harrington and Brad Neil, with one of the lowest ever NAGA scores of 79. Bruce Hardy from Hanson was one player who could not be ignored – his fashion style surpassed all others on the field and won him the title of best-dressed golfer! Unlike other years, there was no followup dinner to the golf day. Instead, the branch hosted a two-hour sundowner with presentations, and everyone was home in time for dinner. The branch will be seeking feedback from members to see if this worked for everyone. The branch extends its thanks to the golf committee, comprising Grant Menhennett and Stephen Elliott, for their help behind the scenes, to Royce Sallur for MC duties, Orica for sponsoring the drinks carts and Boral Quarries for sponsoring the sundowner. A complete directory of all the event sponsors is on quarry.com.au and the branch is grateful to them for making the 2018 IQA golf day such a great success. By Celia Pavri
IQA NEW MEMBERS
GRADE NAME BRANCH Associate Wayne Kruger NSW Member Brad Nelson NSW Associate Clifford Seaman NSW Associate Chanae Delany NSW Member Nathan Grant NSW Associate Geoffrey Reardon NSW Associate Charlotte Teresa Kelly NSW Associate Peter Hill NSW Associate Matthew Roberts NSW Fellow Richard Tomkins NSW Member Geraint Mathias QLD Associate Andrew Gisinger QLD Member John Taylor QLD Associate Luke Blanchard QLD Associate Jai Hunt QLD Associate Mathew Dawson TAS Associate Justin Kennedy VIC Associate Leigh McClure VIC Associate Daniel Holmes VIC Member Adam Jackson VIC Member Steve Traicevski VIC Member Laurence Goodacre WA Associate Jason Collins WA Associate Paul John Shadforth WA Member Paul Joseph Gonzales WA Associate Rattana Boyes WA
GEOLOGY TALK
CELEBRATING A GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
Ancient Egyptian artisans lavishly decorated tombs with gold and gold objects, such as on Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s mask (front and rear). It is fashioned from two layers of high carat gold.
Bill Langer this month commemorates a milestone in his personal life – but will his wife Pam accept his golden gift?
This month my wife Pam and I celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary – our golden anniversary. I spent a lot of time trying to think of something gold to give to Pam. Instead, I have decided to take the lead from Your Song, recorded by Elton John in the 1970s. To paraphrase, the lyrics go something like this:
My gift is my [article] And this one’s for you … And you can tell everybody this is your [article] …
Let me explain why I have resorted to this simple gift.
Even though gold is relatively scarce in the earth, more than 2700 tonnes (or 3000 US short tons) of gold is mined every year. Gold is concentrated by geologic processes to form commercial deposits of two principal types: lode deposits and placer deposits. Lode deposits are the targets for the “hard rock” prospector seeking gold at the site of its deposition from mineralising solutions. Placer gold is the stuff people “pan” for. Concentrations of gold eroded from lode deposits are carried downstream as flakes, grains or nuggets, and subsequently are concentrated in pockets containing stream bed sediments, where the current slackens. Gold can survive being eroded from rock and carried downstream because it is a “noble” metal – it does not oxidise under ordinary conditions. In addition, pure gold is relatively soft and is the most malleable of metals. Because of these special properties, gold does not have to be smelted to be used, and was among the first metals to be mined and turned into useful objects. More than 5000 years ago, artisans in Egypt lavishly decorated tombs and temples with gold and golden objects. In ancient America, gold had both symbolic and spiritual meaning in Aztec society. This was strange, though, because the word for gold in Aztec dialect is teocuitlatl, which means “excrement of the gods”!
Gold has a variety of applications. In 2015 about 41 per cent of the gold consumed for commercial products was for jewellery. But I would not dare buy jewellery for Pam without her approval, so gold jewellery is out.
About 34 per cent of gold is used in solidstate electronic devices. These devices use very low voltages and currents that are easily interrupted by corrosion at the contact points. Gold is a highly efficient conductor that does not corrode, so it is used to plate the metal contacts on integrated circuits.
42 Quarry February 2019 A 1999 Mexican teocuitlatl 1.4g gold coin.
Pam is quite happy with her flip-phone, so electronics are out.
Ten per cent of gold was used for official coinage. No way would a gold coin make an appropriate anniversary gift.
Three per cent of gold is used in dental and medical applications. Gold alloys are used in dentistry for fillings, crowns and bridges because it is chemically inert and non-allergenic, and because less inert materials might have an adverse effect on long-term health. I doubt a gift certificate to the dentist is what Pam has in mind.
And speaking of health, one of the most ingenious uses of gold is to remedy a condition where a person cannot close their eyes completely. The condition is treated by implanting small amounts of gold in the upper eyelid. Gold is very heavy and weighs down the eyelid, helping it to fully close. Hmmm ... nope, I can imagine Pam rolling her eyes right now!
The remaining two per cent of gold is used for things such as making glass red, coating the visors on astronauts’ helmets, gold nanoparticles and so forth. They even put gold on ice cream cones and in champagne. Uhmmmm … nope!
So, Pam can tell everybody this is her article. Happy anniversary, my dear! •
Bill Langer is a consultant geologist. Email bill_langer@hotmail.com or visit researchgeologist.com
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