KAMMP: A SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE BELT SOLUTION

2019 IQA EVENTS

ACT BRANCH 12 July Dinner meeting (Venue TBA) 15 Nov Dinner meeting (Venue TBA)

NEW SOUTH WALES BRANCH 15 May NSW Health & Safety Conference (Venue TBA)

NSW CENTRAL WEST SUB-BRANCH 14 June Women in Quarrying seminar

NSW ILLAWARRA SUB-BRANCH 17 July AGM and dinner meeting (Venue TBA) 30 Nov Races day (Venue TBA)

QUEENSLAND BRANCH 17 May IQA Annual Golf Day, Oxley Golf Club 14 June Quarrying Safety & Health Conference, Brisbane 7 Aug Dinner meeting & AGM, Brisbane Sept (Date TBA) CMEMC 2019

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND SUB-BRANCH 19 July Annual golf day, Rockhampton

NORTH QUEENSLAND BRANCH 14 May Technical and dinner meeting, Tablelands 21 May Technical and dinner meeting, Mackay 19 June Safety & Health Seminar, Townsville 26 July Annual Golf Day, Cairns 13 Aug AGM and dinner meeting, 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

VICTORIAN SUB-BRANCH 30 May Dinner meeting, Wang Miliwa 25 July Dinner meeting, Bendigo 12 Sept Dinner meeting, Ballarat 21 Nov Dinner meeting, Bendigo

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BRANCH 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

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH 24 May Technical and dinner meeting, Adelaide 12 July Women in Quarrying Conference, Adelaide Pavilion 30 Aug AGM/dinner, National Wine Centre

VICTORIAN BRANCH 16 May Student presentation night 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 44) or visit quarry.com.au

PDP WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

To register for the courses outlined below and for further information, visit quarry.com.au, click on link to ‘Education’, followed by ‘Upcoming Professional Development Programs’.

IQA 62ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE GMHBA Stadium, 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 affecting 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

GEOLOGY & GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES WPDP 13 May 2019

Many product technical issues encountered by operators can be traced back to source rock properties and the selection of suitable raw materials. A basic understanding of geology, geologic processes, and rock types allows an operator to extract the most from their reserve on-site, determine future site viability, comply with product quality specifications, identify and manage geotechnical issues, and limit future product technical claims or issues. This webinar is suitable for managers, supervisors, technical/laboratory managers, and operational management employed or seeking employment in the industry.

ALKALI AGGREGATE RESPONSE WPDP 27 May 2019

Many product technical issues encountered by operators can be traced back to source rock properties and the selection of suitable raw materials. Having a basic understanding of alkali aggregate reactivity (AAR) allows an operator to determine greenfield site suitability, comply with aggregate quality specifications, identify and manage AAR issues, and limit future product technical claims. This webinar is suitable for managers, supervisors, testers and operational management employed or seeking employment in the industry.

QUARRYING SAFETY & HEALTH CONFERENCE 14 June 2019 Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

The Quarrying Safety & Health Conference, which is co-hosted by the CCAA, the IQA and the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME), is now into its 17th year. This year’s day-long event will include thought provoking keynote

SETTING THE TONE FOR EFFECTIVE SAFETY BEHAVIOUR

As an industry we all know how paramount safety, and a culture of safety, is. Being aware of areas where injury can occur, building systems and safety measures to prevent injuries and training staff to ensure we have an incident-free workplace is nothing new.

The leadership behaviours we display can be more complex than the procedures we put in place and they have a big impact on the safety culture in our workplace. When it comes to safety, leadership should not be looked at in a hierarchical sense. Leadership is about the way we behave and act. There are numerous behaviours for which we can all take personal responsibility for that will influence a culture of safety. Behaviours such as role modelling compliant and safe behaviours set the tone of what is expected from the team. These behaviours: • Recognise and reward our colleagues for their actions in effective safety behaviour. • Encourage everyone’s active participation, collaboration and sharing of ideas in safety decision-making, and empower everyone on the team to take personal responsibility for safety. • Challenge team members to think about safety and possible safety issues in different ways. • Encourage everyone to listen to each others’ opinions, to speak up and be open to discussion and debate.

These behaviours can all define effective safety performance and can come from everyone in the business. These behaviours should be nurtured and encouraged, especially when it comes to safety. The training and ongoing professional development of our teams is a key part of developing our leaders. If you are thinking about safety, think about the structure of appropriate and regular training.

The IQA can support organisational

development strategies and workforce training plans that can align directly to risk and safety. For more information, contact admin@quarry.com.au

KYLIE FAHEY Chief Executive Officer Institute of Quarrying Australia

speakers, a DNRME update and other presentations on practical issues affecting the quarrying industry. The conference will be held in the Boulevard Room at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. For more information and to register, contact Cassandra Koutouridis, CCAA, email cassandra.koutouridis@ccaa.com.au or Jennifer Milward, IQA, tel 0419 782 688 or email qld.admin@quarry.com.au

MANUFACTURED SAND WPDP 17 June 2019

Manufactured sand is increasingly used in the construction materials industry as the availability of natural sand deposits declines. This webinar outlines the uses and typical properties of manufactured sand, and briefly covers operational issues during production and use of the product. This webinar is suitable for managers, supervisors, testers and operational management employed or seeking employment in the industry.

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT WPDP 24 June 2019

This webinar doesn’t require an in depth knowledge of statistics, pareto analysis, or six-sigma. It provides the grassroots basic tools that will help participants to identify opportunities and manage through the improvement cycle. It is suitable for managers, supervisors, operational employees, and operational management employed or seeking employment in the industry.

QUALITY CONTROL & STATISTICS WPDP 8 July 2019

Effective quality control forms an essential part of professional quarry production processes. Conformance with specifications, predictability, and repeatability of product results helps quarry managers to control costs and ensure repeat business. This webinar is suitable for managers, quarry/ laboratory supervisors, testers, and operational management employed or seeking employment in the industry.

QUARRYNZ 2019 ILT Stadium Southland Invercargill, New Zealand

17-19 July 2019

Registrations for the annual joint conference of the Aggregate and Quarry Association of New Zealand and the Institute of Quarrying New Zealand are now open to delegates, partners, sponsors and distributors. The conference is an opportunity for all those involved in the industry to interact and exchange ideas, take the opportunity to hear the experiences of guest speakers and to socialise with old friends and colleagues and to make new contacts. The theme of the conference will focus on the region’s contribution to the New Zealand economy: Southern Rock anchoring NZ. The social program will include three functions, tickets for which will be included in delegate and partner registration packages. For more information, visit quarrynz.com

COST MANAGEMENT FOR QUARRIES WPDP 22 July 2019

With increased pressure on productivity, profitability, efficiency and asset utilisation, the focus on cost control has never been more important. Quarry managers are the front line in cost management. Daily decisions directly influence monthly profit outcomes. This webinar defines the various cost terms used in the industry, discusses how they are influenced, and provides potential system solutions to increase cost and performance visibility. It is suitable for managers, supervisors, operational employees, and operational management employed or seeking employment in the industry.

IQA NEWS

The Institute of Quarrying Australia

QUEENSLAND BRANCH NEWS

Feedback from Queensland WIQ conference, 21 March 2019

Was it worth the time? “Absolutely, the presentations were very motivational and it was a good opportunity to network.” “I thought the conference was great value for women in the industry – in particular for women outside our business to network.” What did you take away from the day? “While conferences like this point out both the shortcomings and the advancements in diversity in our industry, I can definitely see the improvements and opportunities for women in the industry over the last decade, and this is nothing short of remarkable, to the point where women are taking the lead in starting businesses in the quarrying industry. Great to see and hear the success stories.” Would you go again? “In a heartbeat!”

Queensland Women in Quarrying Conference, Brisbane Karen Normanton, the Queensland WIQ co-ordinator and the conference MC, said feedback (above) from the 2019 WIQ conference delegates was that the event was the most successful yet. The line-up of expert industry speakers covered a variety of topics from social media, career planning, diversity, to indigenous business supply to industry. The opening speaker was IQA CEO Kylie Fahey, who falls into the 16.5 per cent of CEOs in Australia who are female. Kylie urged delegates to “get outside your comfort zone and find where the magic happens. Share a story”. Kylie’s decision to enrol in a stand-up comedy course “many moons ago” was her story to share!

The presentation by Adrian Caneris from Biodiversity Assessment and Management (BAAM) – titled “Quarries and ecology – The good, bad and ugly side of both” – showed that quarries are actually preserving wildlife populations – both flora and fauna – within their buffer zones.

Sarah Morgan from the Vaxa Group, explained how to use social media to connect with the local community, customers and stakeholders. Mary Thompson told her story – “From Macquarie to my quarry” – of her career as a quarry business owner to

42 Quarry May 2019 Lauren Charlton discusses Boral’s diversity activities.

The Queensland branch’s WIQ co-ordinator and conference MC Karen Normanton.

The panel discussion comprised (from left): Michelle Connelly (facilitator), Kelly Jury (Hastings Deering), Kartini Oei (NAWO), Alison Price (NAWIC), and Mary Thompson (McLeod Rail).

her current role as the CEO of McLeod Rail, a Victorian-owned and operated rail track maintenance contractor.

Lauren Charlton, from Boral, the conference’s platinum sponsor, reported on her company’s diversity activities, while Suzannah D’Juliet, the safety operations executive manager for Hastings Deering, also outlined her company’s flexibility and inclusion program.

Angela Schilling’s passion for her “Kindness Project”, which implores everyone to be “kinder to each other”, also made for an inspirational session and conference highlight.

Michelle Connelly from the CPR Group, the Queensland WIQ’s major supporter, facilitated a panel discussion including speakers from throughout the day. This was the perfect wrap-up to a very enjoyable and worthwhile conference program.

The IQA’s Queensland branch is grateful to the sponsors of this year’s conference for making the day so memorable: CPR Group, Boral, Groundwork Plus, Holcim, CCAA, 888 Crushing & Screening Equipment, MinProvise, and Hy-Tec Industries.

Young Members Network site tour The Queensland branch’s Young Members Network hosted a site tour in the Brisbane Nineteen Young Members toured Komatsu’s Wacol facilities on 26 March.

region on 26 March. Nineteen participants boarded the coach and travelled to Komatsu’s Wacol facility where Alec Harries, Komatsu’s major account manager for civil construction and quarries, met them. The group toured the heavy machine assembly facility, the refurbishment facility and the oil testing and analysis laboratory which tests more than 500 samples per day. The group had the opportunity to view a high capacity LEAN workshop set-up, with several mine spec electric dump trucks in different assembly stages at the time. The oil testing facility provided insight on the complexity of oil testing, the equipment used and the impact foreign elements in oil have on heavy machines and some failure modes. Komatsu treated the group to morning tea after an exhaustive presentation explaining Komatsu’s SmartConstruction technology.

The group then travelled north to the Rockworx Keperra Quarry, where quarry manager Quinton Leed gave the group a presentation about the history and future plan of the quarry and a high level overview of the operation. Quinton illustrated the key products that the site sells, the challenges of the granite the quarry team extracts, and the community impacts of the operation. The group toured the quarry and observed the mobile crushing plant and challenging geology present in the pit. As the last port of call, the group travelled across the road to the Hanson Ferny Grove Quarry, where they met quarry manager John

IQA NEWS

The Institute of Quarrying Australia

Paul Coughlan escorts branch members to the site of the Brisbane Airport New Parallel Runway.

The plans for Brisbane Airport’s new runway.

Taylor. John presented a detailed overview of the quarry and an illustration of its versatile and dynamic crushing plant, followed by a tour of the quarry. At the site lookout point, the group could see the scale of the operation from a bird’s eye view.

The YMN is grateful to Komatsu, Hanson and Rockworx for agreeing to the tours of their sites and for providing an excellent learning opportunity for the Young Members Network. By Darko Cvitanovic Queensland branch YMN co-ordinator

Site tour, Brisbane Airport Members of the Queensland branch visited the Brisbane Airport New Parallel Runway project in April. Project director Paul Coughlan escorted the group to the runway site, explaining that work began on the site in 2012. The major stages of construction are now in progress and it is on track to open in 2020. Once complete, Brisbane will have the best runway system in Australia, effectively doubling its capacity.

The new runway is a key piece of infrastructure that will enable the continued growth of Brisbane and the region. It is anticipated that by 2035 the new runway will lead to the creation of 7800 new jobs and contribute an additional $5 billion in annual economic benefits to the region.

After the site tour, the group rallied at Golf Central, adjacent to the airport, for some golf practice in dedicated player bays with drinks and snacks. Ritchie Bros sponsored the event and presented Luke Blanchard and Jai Hunt (both from Fulton Hogan) with the winning prizes. Each received a player pass to the branch’s annual golf day, which will be held at Oxley Golf Club on Friday, 17 May.

Quarrying Safety & Health Conference, Brisbane The Quarrying Safety & Health Conference will be hosted at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on Friday, 14 June. The one-day conference is sponsored by Komatsu and Astec Australia, and co-hosted by the IQA, the CCAA and the Queensland Government’s Mines Inspectorate. The conference also includes a trade exhibition.

This year’s technical program includes: • Case studies by Andrew Macqueen, the head of safety, environment and quality for Wagners; Kristin Devlin, risk manager for Hanson; and Rakeev Ramankutty, the general manager of Sunstate Cement. • Skills for Australia update – skills required in the extractive industry. • Current status and future of critical control management in the quarrying industry. • Inspectorate updates, legislation and competencies. • Findings of crystalline silica/improvements. • Education for the extractive industry. • Collision management risk evaluation for mobile equipment. • Drone technology. Registrations for the conference are now open. Visit the IQA website – quarry.com.au – or contact the Queensland branch secretariat, tel 0419 782 688 or email qld-admin@quarry.com.au

By Jennifer Milward

NORTH QUEENSLAND BRANCH NEWS

Safety & Health Seminar, Townsville The annual Quarrying Safety & Health Seminar, co-hosted by the IQA and the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Minerals and Energy, will be held from 9.30am at Rydges South Bank, Townsville on Wednesday, 19 June.

The seminar program includes presentations on a variety of topics from expert speakers including: • An Inspectorate update, legislation updates and competencies. • Findings of crystalline silica/improvements. • Drone technology. • Critical control management in the quarrying industry. IQA CEO Kylie Fahey will report on the Institute’s education strategy for the extractive industry, and is keen to meet with as many members and industry colleagues as possible during her visit to the region.

The seminar will conclude at 4.00pm, followed by informal drinks and snacks through to 6.00pm. To register, visit the IQA website – quarry.com.au – or contact the Queensland branch secretariat, tel 0419 782 688 or email qld-admin@quarry.com.au By Jennifer Milward

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH NEWS

Young Members Network site tour On Friday, 5 April, South Australia hosted its first Young Member Network (YMN) function for the year. Fourteen Young Members visited two very different sites in SA’s Kanmantoo area. Both sites provided very informative and educational tours, each with a different aspect to the operation that is atypical of most quarries.

The group met in Mount Barker before boarding a bus to the Hillgrove Resources Kanmantoo copper mine. With copper not usually on a quarry repertoire, it was an intriguing learning experience for YMN members. Luke Angel, the mine superintendent, and Hayden Arbon, the senior mine geologist, gave the tour group a very informative overview of the operation and its processing systems.

All members were amazed at the size and depth of the open cut pit, with Hayden explaining that the depth and steepness of the pit faces were only possible due to the geotechnical strength and nature of the rock resource, which is well understood and controlled by the team at Hillgrove. It was a very impressive sight and certainly a credit to the Hillgrove team, with considerable pit optimisation over its mine life. The site is coming to the end of its 10-year mine life, and the team explained that the site has two months of pit production, and 18 months of ore processing left. They explained what the rehabilitation steps would be, and possible end of life uses, including hydroelectricity. The second site of the day was Hanson’s Kanmantoo Quarry, which produces concrete and sealing aggregates, and a range of dimension stone products. The guides were quarry manager Larry Neal and Hanson’s

IQA NEWS

Fourteen Young Members visited two very different sites in SA’s Kanmantoo area.

The impressive view of the Hillgrove Kanmantoo copper mine.

Young Members inspect Hanson’s bluestone production area.

territory sales manager Daniel RensburgPhilips, one of the YMN members. Larry gave the attendees a detailed overview of the site operations, covering some interesting site developments, such as Hanson’s acquisition of the site a few years ago, and the very detailed process of starting a new extractive mineral lease and mine plan.

Perhaps the most anticipated part of this site visit, was the tour through the Kanmantoo bluestone production area and its range of various dimension stone products. Daniel discussed the very labour-intensive, hand crafted process and the “art” and history behind the Kanmantoo bluestone business. He explained what the company’s challenges are in the management and production of these niche products, using literally bare hands and hard work. YMN members were amazed at the variety and quality of the dimension stone products produced, and as it stands, Kanmantoo is Hanson’s only site globally that manually handles stone. This was really an “eye opener” for the YMN members.

After finishing at Kanmantoo, the group headed back to the Barker Hotel to evaluate and discuss the site visits further. With a diverse group dynamic, and representation from a variety of companies throughout SA, this debrief time presented some very rewarding networking opportunities for YMN members. It was also an opportunity to welcome freshly joined IQA members Jake Schmidt and Zach Sims from Clare Quarry to the Institute and they were presented with their Membership certificates.

The first SA YMN event for the year was a well received and successful function, with good attendance and some very valuable insights and networking. With a number of different possibilities discussed for future YMN events and a number of passionate and motivated YMN individuals involved, the year promises to be positive and absorbing.

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BRANCH NEWS The fifth annual Bowling Stone Lawn Bowls Challenge and sundowner was held on Friday, 22 March at South Perth Bowls Club. It was a fun-filled evening of spirited competition amongst colleagues and peers, as well as a great opportunity to socialise and network, as more than 80 members and their guests formed teams to compete for one of the most sought after titles in the industry.

The competition and rigorous exercise got the appetites working, so it was fortunate that Steven Della Bona continued the tradition of being the “Italian barbeque king”, cooking up a feast for everyone.

IQA NEW MEMBERS

GRADE NAME BRANCH Associate David Henry Young WA Associate Mervyn John Hain QLD Associate Michael James Jackson QLD Associate Luke James Martyn VIC Member Benjamin Joseph Grose QLD Associate Clinton Richard Sutton QLD Associate Jordon Luke Staker NSW Member Bradley Godden VIC Associate Dean Heath Rickards VIC Associate Brendon James Mayo QLD Associate James Nicholas Johnston NSW Associate Amanda Minaro NSW Associate Michaelle Millsom NSW Associate Michelle Rowe NSW

44 Quarry May 2019 “We are the champions!” Hanson’s Gaskell Quarry team successfully defended their Bowling Stone title.

This year, the aim was to knock off the reigning champions in Hanson’s Gaskell Quarry team, especially as Hanson is also in possession of the golf trophy. Nonetheless, the Gaskell Quarry team, represented by the ever so specially dressed Bruce Hardy, Waed Searson, Darren Morris and Damien Hardy, defied the odds and successfully defended their title. They were followed closely by Equipment Placement in second place and Italia Stone Group in third. The NABA (last place) was “proudly” taken out by CJD Equipment.

The perpetual Bowling Stone trophy was hand-crafted and donated by Italia Stone Group. This event is also proudly sponsored by Tinus and his team at Italia Stone Group. The WA branch’s next meeting is breakfast at Beaumonde on the Point, East Perth, on 8 May. For more information, visit quarry.com.au or contact the WA branch secretariat, tel 0417 027 928 or email wa-admin@quarry.com.au

By Celia Pavri

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 Institute of Quarrying Australia

BUMPER PROGRAM PLANNED FOR 2019 CONFERENCE

A combination of instructive and motivating presentations, and site visits, are in the planning stages for the IQA’s national conference later this year.

This year’s Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA) national conference will be held in Geelong from Tuesday, 1 October to Thursday, 3 October.

The conference theme is ‘The Future of Quarrying’. It aims to support and supplement the IQA’s vision to educate and connect the extractive industry.

“We are looking to ‘enable’ our members with the latest in technology and products to be as effective, efficient and safe as possible,” the conference chairman Brad Rooney told Quarry. “The quarrying industry has historically been a very hands-on business and everyone gets in the trenches to make the business successful.

“This conference will put a range of tools in the hands of our quarrying people to assist with reducing cost, making activities easier and more efficient, and to enable our people to be more informed about what is happening on their quarry sites.”

SITE VISITS The conference program is being designed to deliver valuable educational, networking and promotional content to support the extractive industry. There will be a number of high profile speakers presenting sessions on developments in technology for mobile equipment, the drill and blast process, and the crushing and screening circuit. Issues such as new and emerging technologies, resource constraints, health and safety, and community and regulatory requirements will all be explored in the conference program.

“The speaker program is going to be the real draw card this year,” Rooney said. “It will be highly relevant and steeped in content to support the theme of ‘The Future of Quarrying’.

“The three evening events [Hitachi’s welcome reception, Komatsu’s gala dinner and Caterpillar’s gala dinner] are always highlights of our magnificent conference. The networking and ‘working together’ feel of the conference is a real highlight for all suppliers and delegates who come together.”

The conference will include site visits to

The convention centre at GMHBA Stadium will provide exhibitors with maximum exposure during the conference.

the new crushing and screening plants at Boral Australia’s Deer Park Quarry, and Barro Group’s Point Wilson Quarry, near Geelong. “Boral Deer Park has recently invested significant capital in building a state of the art, new crushing plant,” Rooney, who is a Boral employee, said. “Given that crushing plants last a very long time [30-plus years], there will be a number of people who will really enjoy seeing this new plant. They will see new and modern ways to reduce noise, dust and to maximise throughput, which will be of significant interest to the quarrying industry.”

“Barro Point Wilson will also showcase a new crushing plant, which is only four years old. Our crusher enthusiasts will be very interested to see the developments in only four years, along with the design characteristics of a local business, as opposed to a large multinational.”

TRADE EXHIBITION The exhibition hall at GMHBA Stadium (formerly known as Kardinia Park, the home of the Geelong Cats AFL club) has been designed to ensure exhibitors gain maximum exposure during the conference.

All delegates will have to pass through the exhibition to attend the opening address,

The national conference in October will include a site visit to Boral’s new crushing and screening plant at Deer Park Quarry.

plenary sessions, award presentations and other official conference events.

“The IQA expects 400-plus delegates for this year’s conference, so for exhibitors we invite them to take this exclusive opportunity to showcase their businesses’ products and services and to leverage the benefits of this captive audience,” Rooney said.

“We encourage exhibitors to reach out to customers and invite them to their exhibition booths or maybe out for a coffee.”

To register for the conference, and for further information about sponsorships and exhibiting, visit conference.quarry.com.au •

GEOLOGY TALK

AGGREGATES AND SEISMIC AWARENESS

The clean-up effort following floods at Tegra’s Jugiong Quarry, near Gundagai, NSW, in 2010. Despite the disaster, Tegra was able to meet concrete demands.

Earthquakes and natural disasters don’t just have a terrible social impact – they can also severely disrupt the smooth running of aggregate operations. Bill Langer dispenses some advice for operations on being better prepared for seismic and other tumultuous events.

The more seismic-aware society [is], the better prepared people will be to minimise the effects of an earthquake. Following my article last month on the damage from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, it’s fitting to examine ways aggregate producers can be more seismic-aware. These are based on the ShakeOut Scenario, a wide-ranging exercise conducted to identify the physical, social and economic consequences of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the San Andreas Fault in southern California.

My conclusions for the ShakeOut were extrapolated from the observations of an experienced aggregate operator of the impacts caused by the magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake (1994).

Some aggregate, concrete and asphalt companies in earthquake-prone areas design and construct their facilities to withstand earthquakes and conduct regular inspections to ensure their facilities remain in sound operating condition. Facilities that take these precautions may suffer little or no damage during an earthquake. In contrast, poorly maintained operations could be severely damaged – some beyond repair. Large earthquakes can cause significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. Emergency repairs and long-term reconstruction may require large amounts of aggregate, asphalt and concrete.

Being seismic-aware helps reduce the response time for emergency repairs. For example, after the 30 November, 2018, magnitude 7 earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska, all eight major transportation corridors that had been severely damaged were reopened within five days.

Bringing damaged facilities online after a quake depends heavily on spare parts and new equipment. For example, new crushers and screens may be in demand by both the aggregate and recycling industries.

Making concrete and asphalt requires materials from upstream cement plants. Damage to those facilities could limit the ability of local producers to meet demand. Similarly, power, water, gas and fuel outages will affect production.

Equally important, many of the skilled workers needed to operate aggregate and related facilities could be affected by the quake and tending to personal needs. For example, after Hurricane Katrina, aggregate

46 Quarry May 2019 The San Andreas Fault follows the line of trees through this photograph.

operations in the Gulf Coast area took up to two weeks to assemble skilled personnel from the grieving workforce.

Producers can do many things to be ready for an earthquake (or other natural disasters, eg floods, storms, bushfires): • Individual facilities might benefit from a seismic safety audit by engineering professionals. • Spare parts can be positioned at plants themselves, or at central locations. • Standby sources of power-generating equipment, and portable processing facilities can be identified and advance lease or purchase agreements made. • Large producers with multiple plants can plan for intracompany transfer of product, personnel and equipment after a disaster. • Aggregate, asphalt and concrete producers can make intercompany mutual aid agreements, similar to those commonly used by police and firefighting agencies. A plausible estimate of damage to the aggregate, concrete and asphalt industries following a disaster in your area, combined with prudent advanced preparations, should facilitate a timely response by the aggregate and related construction industries. •

Bill Langer is a consultant geologist. Email bill_langer@hotmail.com or visit researchgeologist.com

Hopetoun, Lot 49 Lechenaultia Drive

*Outline indicative only

*Outline indicative only *Outline indicative only

SALE Expressions of Interest

• Total land area 63.1295 hectares* • 50 million tonnes of limestone resource • Unique resource with high CaCO 3 content • Used for Ag Lime, roadbase & mining processes • Additional gravel and sand resource

Russ Parham 0499 552 255 russ.parham@raywhite.com Lachlan Burrows 0499 552 296 lachlan.burrows@raywhite.com