Just how much more time does the diesel engine have left as a useful power source?
SEPTEMBER 2019
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL: COULD BATTERIES TRUMP DIESEL?
MODERN CRUSHING PLANT BOOSTS OUTPUT
Why an OEM is confident its work in battery development can alter the extractive environment
A family-owned producer is set to double its capacity with an advanced fixed crushing plant
37
IS IT GAME OVER FOR THE DIESEL ENGINE?
20
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OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF QUARRYING AUSTRALIA
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IN THIS ISSUE SEPTEMBER 2019
VOLUME 27, ISSUE 09
FEATURES 14 THE FUTURE OF QUARRYING Motivating presentations, and site visits, will underline the IQA’s national conference in Geelong, in October.
28 BUSINESSES KEEP FAITH WITH EARTHMOVING GEAR How two family companies over the decades have committed to continuity in their earthmoving fleets.
32 GARNET PRODUCER STAYS TRUE TO ITS ROOTS
16
TAKING ON TIER 4 How making the change to Tier 4 engines could be vital to implementing fuel savings.
18
‘GAME OVER’? Just how much more time does the diesel engine have left as a useful power source?
A Western Australian mineral sand producer is the first to acquire one of the industry’s largest excavators.
34 EARTHWORKS PROGRAMS PROVIDE GRADES, CONTROL A digital product suite is proving invaluable for two construction companies utilising excavators.
36 AGGREGATE HANDLER BOOSTS PRODUCTION A new heavy-duty handler is assisting producers to move more material more quickly in load and haul tasks.
40 SAFETY BREACHES NEVER ‘TRIVIAL’ MATTERS
20
BATTERY POTENTIAL An OEM is confident its work in battery development can change the extractive scene.
Just how much more time does the diesel engine have left as a useful power source?
OUTPUT BOOST A family-owned producer is set to double its capacity with an advanced fixed crushing plant.
45 KEN MAWSON: A TALENT BEYOND ROCKS, NUMBERS One of the industry’s oldest and esteemed leaders has passed away, after a long and productive life.
SEPTEMBER 2019
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL: COULD BATTERIES TRUMP DIESEL?
MODERN CRUSHING PLANT BOOSTS OUTPUT
Why an OEM is confident its work in battery development can alter the extractive environment.
A family-owned producer is set to double its capacity with an advanced fixed crushing plant.
37
IS IT GAME OVER FOR THE DIESEL ENGINE?
20
18
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF QUARRYING AUSTRALIA
37
Two workplace incidents highlight why employers and employees should always be mindful about safety.
COVER ADVERTISER: Astec Australia has designed, installed and commissioned a new fixed crushing and screening plant for Lima South Quarry in Victoria. Turn to page 37 or visit astecaustralia.com.au
EVERY MONTH 04 FROM THE EDITOR
43 FROM THE IQA CEO
06 FROM THE PRESIDENT
44 IQA NEWS
08 NEWS THIS MONTH 12 PRODUCT FOCUS
News from New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia
42 IQA CALENDAR
46 GEOLOGY TALK So, what’s in your smartphone?
Quarry September 2019 3
EDITORIAL
EMBRACING SUSTAINABILITY TODAY TO AVOID A COSTLY TOMORROW
T
he recent announcement by BHP that it will spend $USD400 million ($AUD590 million) globally on new technologies to encourage its customers to reduce their carbon emissions could have interesting ripples for the extractive industry – if its peers follow suit. In July, BHP’s chief executive Andrew Mackenzie announced that not only would the company set a new target to cap its emissions in 2022 at 2017 levels and from 2020 set a mediumterm, science-based target for the decarbonisation of its operations – ie the “Scope 1” and “Scope 2” emissions from its operations’ electricity and diesel consumption – it would increase the focus on its value chain’s “Scope 3” emissions. “Scope 3” emissions are generated by BHP’s customers and estimated to be 40 times higher than the company’s total emissions. Mackenzie said BHP would assume a “product stewardship role”, working with the shippers, processors and users of its products to reduce “Scope 3” emissions. Environmental and corporate social responsibility groups have cautiously praised BHP’s announcement. Even Adam Bandt MP, the Australian Greens’ climate spokesman, reluctantly admitted that “BHP recognises the climate emergency as a clear and present danger” more than the major parties in the Australian Parliament! Faint praise indeed! It’s uncertain what BHP’s targets and goals for its operations and value chain will be and how these will impact its customers. However, it’s not the only multinational extractive company to commit to ambitious emission targets. HeidelbergCement, multinational parent of Hanson Construction Materials, recently outlined plans for a 30 per cent reduction of its emissions per tonne of cement on 1990 levels by 2030, and the production of carbon-neutral concrete by 2050 (see page 10). Earlier this year LafargeHolcim was among numerous Global Fortune 500 companies that lobbied the US Congress to enact 4
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climate legislation with economy-wide emissions reduction targets of 80 per cent by 2050. It is impressive that influential extractive industry members are adding their voices to the climate debate – particularly given governments’ piecemeal policy approaches worldwide. This implies that not only are extractive businesses counting the costs of unsustainable practices and innovating but there is likely to be greater expectations on quarries along the supply chain to curb their emissions. Although it’s not mandatory in Australia, we’re seeing progress with the introduction of cleaner Tier 4 diesel engines by OEMs (page 16) into their earthmoving equipment ranges, and the gradual phasing out of Tier 3 machines. Companies like Epiroc (page 20), Sandvik and Volvo are also making significant investments in electrification and battery power in their earthmoving vehicles and drill rigs. Crushing and screening plants are also undergoing advancements in electrification (as exemplified at Victoria’s Lima South Quarry on page 37), thereby addressing “Scope 1” and “Scope 2” emissions. As these examples show, quarries don’t have to reduce carbon in isolation; they can partner with OEMs, other suppliers and customers. Far from being an intimidating period of radical change, the industry should embrace today’s climate challenges with gusto. The industry wants to have a positive influence in Australian life, and coupled with sustainability expectations on the industry by regulators, the value chain and the public, the time is right for the sector to be proactive. Would it not be preferable for producers to follow the leads of BHP and HeidelbergCement now before regulation or other market forces compel them down that path – at the cost of productivity, profitability, jobs and reputation? DAMIAN CHRISTIE Editor
Official publication of the Institute of Quarrying Australia Publisher Coleby Nicholson
ADAM BANDT ADMITTED BHP RECOGNISES A ‘CLIMATE EMERGENCY’ MORE THAN THE MAJOR PARTIES IN THE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT!
Associate Publisher Angela Han Editor Damian Christie damian.christie@quarrymagazine.com Advertising Sales Toli Podolak sales@quarrymagazine.com
Quarry is published by: Gunnamatta Media Pty Ltd Locked Bag 26, South Melbourne, VIC 3205 AUSTRALIA Phone: +61 3 9696 7200 gunnamattamedia.com info@gunnamattamedia.com Design & Production Manager Jo De Bono art@gunnamattamedia.com Accounts Paul Blewitt finance@gunnamattamedia.com Subscriptions info@gunnamattamedia.com Press releases damian.christie@quarrymagazine.com Copyright: All material appearing in Quarry is subject to copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly forbidden without prior written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. All statements made, although based on information believed to be reliable and accurate at the time, cannot be guaranteed and no fault or liability can be accepted for error or omission.Gunnamatta Media Pty Ltd strives to report accurately and fairly and it is our policy to correct significant errors of fact and misleading statements in the next available issue. Any comment relating to subjective opinions should be addressed to the editor where the opposing position may be published to encourage open debate.The publisher reserves the right to omit or alter any advertisement and the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher for all damages or liabilities arising from the published material.
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PRESIDENT’S REPORT
PLANNING FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF INDUSTRY PROGRESSION, GROWTH The Institute of Quarrying Australia
I
n July, I had the pleasure of attending the 2019 QuarryNZ conference in Invercargill, New Zealand. The Institute of Quarrying New Zealand and the Aggregate and Quarry Association jointly hold this event.
resources for key positions within the industry. The question is whether we can have enough foresight to be ready for these changes and respond either with sufficient time beforehand or quickly enough once they happen.
Apart from being impressed by the record number of delegates (more than 600), I was interested - and have been so for a number of years - in seeing the progression and growth in maturity of the New Zealand quarrying industry.
The IQA is soon to review its strategic plan and look to ensure we are supporting our members and the broader industry in planning for what the future will bring, particularly in relation to competency and experience requirements.
Many might attribute this progression to the changes to competency requirements in New Zealand delivered by WorkSafe (the safety regulator) since 2015. While this has certainly sparked the involvement of the industry in continuing professional development, this has in turn started more conversations about the industry, particularly in relation to its image and influence on policy and legislation. A lot of the conversation at the conference was around these key strategic issues and responding to concerns about generational gaps and what the future of the industry will look like. These issues are also shared within the quarrying and construction materials industry in Australia and I have previously shared my thoughts on some of these in my President’s columns throughout 2018 and 2019. We are seeing a changing regulatory environment in relation to competency and experience that is being driven by safety performance and expectations (not only from the regulator but also the community and ourselves). This is expected to continue to change across the country through the various jurisdictions. The impact of these changes into the future is anticipated to add pressure to the labour market and available
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It is also an opportunity for the current IQA Board and executive to review what has worked well and to create new and engaging strategies consistent with the IQA’s vision. While membership and member services will always be important from a strategic point of view for a membership-based industry organisation like ours, diversity and inclusion will also be an important focus for the Institute. This focus will expand on our initiatives such as the Women in Quarrying and Young Member Networks in response to the feedback and needs of the industry. Creating relevant and valuable opportunities for all people within the industry, whether that be through training or networking, I suggest will still be at the forefront of any plan. It’s an exciting time for the IQA and the industry, and I’m looking forward to contributing to the continued success of the organisation in the years to come. Have a safe and productive month ahead. CLAYTON HILL President Institute of Quarrying Australia
Educating and connecting our extractive industry
quarry.com.au WE ARE SEEING A CHANGING REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT THAT IS BEING DRIVEN BY SAFETY EXPECTATIONS
The Institute of Quarrying Australia’s goals are: 1. To provide world class professional development for the extractive industries. 2. To establish an Australasian Academy of Quarrying. 3. To align service offerings with industry needs.
IQA CONTACTS: Chief Executive Officer Kylie Fahey PO Box 1779 Milton BC QLD 4064 Phone: 0477 444 328 ceo@quarry.com.au Company Secretary Rod Lester Phone: 0408 121 788 rgl@rlester.com.au Finance Officer Gemma Thursfield Phone: 0402 431 090 gemma@quarry.com.au Web Maintenance, Graphic Design, ePrograms, IT Support Ryan Spence Phone: 0422 351 831 ryan.spence@quarry.com.au General, membership and financial inquiries should be directed to admin@quarry.com.au or phone 02 9484 0577.
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NEWS
RESEARCHERS UNVEIL CONCRETE FINDINGS ON GLASS ‘SUBSTITUTING SAND WITH RECYCLED GLASS MAKES POLYMER CONCRETE STRONGER” DR RIYADH AL-AMERI
Orca Civil Products director Alan Travers (left), with Deakin University engineering student Dikshit Modgil (centre) and Deakin senior engineering lecturer Riyadh Al-Ameri.
Researchers at Deakin University’s School of Engineering have developed a new type of concrete from ground recycled glass. Traditionally, sand is used for making polymer concrete but researchers have found that the addition of glass resulted in a stronger product that is less costly to produce. “This research [illustrates] the potential of glass as a substitute for sand when making polymer concrete and, potentially, concrete,” Dr Riyadh Al-Ameri, the senior engineering lecturer at Deakin’s Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, said. “Concrete is a major construction material and sand is one of its primary components, so finding
an alternative to sand makes good economic sense. Mined sand requires washing and grading before it is added to aggregate, cement and water to make concrete. We have found that substituting sand with ground recycled glass makes the polymer concrete stronger and is a sustainable use of one of the major types of recyclables in the domestic waste stream.
infrastructure drainage, particularly in areas subject to heavy traffic such as service stations and airports. Deakin Engineering student Dikshit Modgil worked with Melbourne-based Orca Civil Products as part of his Master’s research into the suitability of recyclable glass in polymer concrete production. Orca Civil Products director Alan Travers said the research partnership had produced useful results for taking the concept further to commercialisation. “The specific type of waste glass used in this project was unsuitable for recycling back into glass and the amount that is stockpiling is becoming a community problem,” Travers said. “The concept has even more appeal to us because of predicted shortages of natural, mined sands in the medium term.” Dr Al-Ameri said the next stage of Deakin’s research would look at substitutes for the aggregate in polymer concrete, optimising the substitution rate, assessing durability, and the commercialisation of the new product. •
“Any changes that reduce the cost of production will lead to significant gains across the industry, potentially on a global scale,” Dr Al-Ameri said. Polymer concrete uses polymers, typically resins, to replace lime-type cements as a binder. It is a high strength, water-resistant material suited to industrial flooring and
The addition of glass resulted in a stronger, less costly concrete product.
OPERATORS SUBSCRIBE TO NEW WA EXPLOSIVES FACILITY Blasting solutions provider Maxam Australia has opened two manufacturing sites at the Western Australian Government’s new McLarty State Explosives Facility, 120km south of Perth. Maxam was the first manufacturer to begin operating at the facility that consists of 36 explosives storage and manufacturing sites, managed by the WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS). It spent $7 million relocating from the former Baldivis Explosives Reserve to the McLarty Reserve where it is renting 23,600m² of DMIRS land, including a 10,000m²
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plot to produce components for its high energy bulk explosive Rioflex, and 6000m² to manufacture its Rionel non-electric detonators. Maxam is also leasing a 4000m² ammonium nitrate storage site, and magazine sites covering 3600m². “By moving to a new site, it’s allowed us to update the technology and the way we manufacture,” Maxam Australia’s general manager Michael Briggs told Quarry. “It’s given us more room to increase the capacity of the plant and storages, and it’s also closer to our customer base.” According to the DMIRS, 21 McLarty sites had been leased to private operators
A drone’s eye view of the land for the McLarty State Explosives Facility, circa August 2017.
since its official opening in April, including one managed by the department itself. Another 13 have had strong commitments for development. Two remain unallocated but they have received expressions of interest. •
FATALITIES FORCE QUEENSLAND SECTOR TO TAKE STOCK
Metso is merging with Finnish compatriot and rival mineral sector manufacturer Outotec, forming a new global technology and equipment producer for the resource processing sectors.
Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has helped facilitate an industry-wide “safety reset” after six mining and quarrying-related fatalities in Queensland in 201819. Two quarrying-specific deaths occurred in the second half of 2018. The measure was among several initiatives agreed at an urgent Queensland ministerial forum on 10 July. It established a government/ industry response to address health and safety concerns in the state’s mining and quarrying industries. Queensland’s Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Anthony Lynham MP hosted the forum. It involved representatives of the CCAA, the Queensland Resources Council, the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining Energy Union and the Australian Workers Union. They agreed to implement a “safety reset” by the end of August. The reset, which covered all employees, allowed for specific on-site discussions between management, operational staff and union representatives about risks and safe practice. “The minister asked CCAA as the industry peak body to take a leadership role in this matter on behalf of the quarrying industry,” CCAA Queensland state director Aaron Johnstone told Quarry. “We hope that the safety reset will provide a chance for mines and quarries to stop and focus on why safety is important, to know the personal stories behind recent fatalities, and to reassess safety practices on key high risk areas within the operation. “The reset will complement safety initiatives that many companies already have in place and will highlight to the broader community that our industry is serious about safety. They will be tailored to individual sites and the specific nature of the quarrying industry. “Importantly, we need to ensure there continues to be an environment and culture where all workers feel free to report hazards and near misses, to develop practical solutions to possible risks, and where companies feel free to share their issues with regulators
FINNISH RIVALS TO MERGE
At the end of August, Queensland extractive workplaces undertook a ‘safety reset’.
and other companies,” Johnstone said. The Queensland Government has also appointed three more mines inspectors and another chief inspector, and initiated two independent reviews to examine: •W hy mine workers have died in the past 20 years; how industry can improve; and how the Mines Inspectorate can work better. •T he effectiveness of Queensland’s mining health and safety regime.
“We welcome the Queensland Government’s decision to commission Dr Sean Brady to conduct a forensic investigation into the causal factors of the mining and quarrying fatalities and high potential incidences recorded over the past 20 years which will help to further improve these systems,” Johnstone said. “The CCAA will also provide quarrying industry input to the legislation review that has been announced by the minister, and continue to provide quarrying industry input through our representation on the Mining Safety and Health Advisory Committee,” Johnstone said. “These specific actions will build on a range of association activities we’ve had in place for some time to support our members on safety and health.” At the ministerial forum, the industry and government also committed to co-operation on reforms to strengthen the safety culture in the resources sector. This included potential sanctions for reckless behaviour and legislative reforms, such as the government’s proposal to actively consider the offence of “industrial manslaughter”, which exists in other sectors. •
Metso and Outotec generated combined sales of 3.9 billion Euros ($AUD6.2 billion) in 201819. This figure rises to 4.2 billion Euros ($AUD$6.7 billion) when accounting for Metso’s recent acquisition of Canadian mobile screening and crushing equipment manufacturer McCloskey International. The new entity Metso Outotec is expected to be a leading supplier of process technology, equipment and services across the minerals, metals and aggregates industries. “This is an industry-shaping combination that joins two uniquely complementary companies,” Outotec chairman Matti Alahuhta said. Metso CEO Pekka Vauramo said the merger was a unique opportunity to create value for customers, employees and partners worldwide. “Metso Outotec will have capabilities that will enable us to drive sustainable growth, while providing our customers with high quality technology, equipment and services that will improve their businesses,” he said. “We will have an extensive global presence, complementary offering, strong services and a large base.” Metso’s recent acquisition of McCloskey is expected to complement Metso Outotec’s business profile, expanding the aggregates business and strengthening customer reach. In the 12-month period to 30 September, 2018, McCloskey International had sales of 308 million Euros ($AUD496 million). The Metso Outotec transaction is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2020, subject to anti-trust body approvals. The new entity will be based in Helsinki and combined will employ about 15,600 people. •
Quarry September 2019 9
NEWS
HANSON PARENT COMMITS TO CLIMATE TARGETS Global aggregates producer HeidelbergCement has moved to prioritise climate protection by committing to ambitious emission reduction targets. The German-based multinational and owner of Hanson Australia published its 10th Sustainability Report for the 2018 financial year. It outlines plans for a 30 per cent reduction of specific net carbon (CO2) emissions per tonne of cement on 1990 levels by 2030, and the production of CO2-neutral concrete by 2050. “We are the first company in the cement sector to have the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) verify that our reduction targets for 2030 conform to the requirements of the Paris Agreement,” HeidelbergCement chairman Bernd Scheifele said. “By 2030, we will invest 80 per cent of our R&D budget in the development of sustainable products.” The SBTi is a partnership between the Carbon Disclosure Project, the UN Global Compact, the World Resource Institute and the Worldwide Wildlife Fund. It helps companies determine how they can boost their competitive advantage in the transition to a low carbon economy. The Sustainability Report also provided detailed information on human rights and compliance, occupational health and safety for the company’s 58,000 employees in 60 countries, and the company’s corporate social responsibility activities. Heidelberg Cement’s equity in Hanson Construction Materials was 90.5 million Euros ($AUD147.5 million) in the 2017 financial year. It acquired Hanson Australia in 2007. Today Hanson Australia operates 228 concrete plants, 73 quarries, four asphalt plants, five recycling plants and a landfill site. Last year, Hanson expanded its own footprint through the acquisition of recycled aggregates producer Alex Fraser Group in a 135 m Euro ($AUD208 m) deal. •
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BARRO DEFEATS COUNCIL IN MOUNT COTTON APPEAL ‘THE PROCESS, DECISIONMAKING AND WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY IS NOT JUST NOT RIGHT!’ IAN RIDOUTT, BARRO GROUP
Barro Group has successfully challenged a Redland City Council decision that sought to halt its Mount Cotton Quarry expansion. The company has been undertaking a 52ha expansion of the quarry, 40km southeast of Brisbane. It is located in a Key Resource Area (KRA) under an approval originally granted as the result of a ministerial “call in” in 2013. Barro’s approval lapsed in December 2017, requiring it to lodge a three-year currency extension application with the council. Redland City councillors, who have been historic opponents of the quarry, refused the application in March 2018. The rejection brought the expansion to a halt, as Barro appealed the decision in the Queensland Planning and Environment Court. On 25 July, 2019, the court ruled in favour of Barro’s appeal. “Barro Group are pleased with the outcome but the process, decisionmaking and waste of time and money caused by the councillors is just not right,” Barro Queensland general manager Ian Ridoutt told Quarry. “The council engaged expert external consultants to review the matter, they recommended approval. The council’s own technical officers reviewed the matter, they recommended approval,” he said. “The state regulatory agencies reviewed the matter and they issued related approval conditions and the matter went before the Planning and Environment Court who unsurprisingly found in favour of Barro.” The Mount Cotton Quarry expansion has been a point of contention between Barro and the Redland City Council for almost six years. Barro first lodged a development application (DA) with the council in 2010, seeking a material change of use for extractive industry and environmentally relevant activities, which covered chemical storage, crushing and screening activities, and the operation of a vehicle workshop. Council refused the application in June 2013, leading to the subsequent intervention of the then Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and
Barro Group’s Mount Cotton Quarry will resume its expansion plans.
Planning Jeff Seeney. He exercised ministerial powers under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 to “call in” the DA, overruled the council and approved the extension in December 2013. In its justification for denying Barro’s currency extension application in March 2018, Redland City Council stated more than 442 homes had been built since the 2013 ministerial approval, equating to a significant number of residents who were unaware of the Mount Cotton development. Refusal of the currency extension, it argued, provided an opportunity for the lodgement of a full, fresh application so new residents could have their say on the project. While this decision has now been overturned, councillors have expressed their disappointment that the Palaszczuk state government did not stand behind them in the appeal. “KRAs are declared by the state government to protect these critical resources of state significance to support the state’s economic growth,” Redland City mayor Karen Williams said. “But then under state planning processes it is up to council to make decisions about development in KRAs, which puts us in a difficult position.” Ridoutt said it was clearly a council decision to make, and labelled the council’s statements “a political distraction”. Barro Queensland is currently involved in another appeal after the Sunshine Coast Council also refused its application to expand its operations at Burrum Quarry, 60km north of Brisbane. The Burrum site is also located in a KRA. •
GEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF APOLLO 11 MISSION LIVES ON The world recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 20 July, 1969 moon landing as a monumental victory for science, engineering, technology and mankind. What is less known is the important role the Apollo 11 mission had in advancing geological science.
New DNA testing methods have revealed fresh details about Neanderthal remains found at a European quarry 170 years ago. British Royal Navy captain Edmund Flint uncovered a Neanderthal skull, called ‘Gibraltar 1’, in a limestone cave in 1848.
A US assignment initially implemented to exert technological dominance over its Soviet Cold War enemy, it wasn’t until late in the program that the potential geological benefits came into clearer focus. “The scientists wanted to learn more about the moon, but they were kind of secondary in the early days,” Professor Simon Kelley, who heads the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh, told dw.com. “So, it evolved through the program, but it wasn’t until Apollo 17 – the final mission – that someone with a geology background actually went to the moon.” Kelley highlighted Max Faget, a director of engineering at NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center, who famously quipped prior to the Apollo 11 mission: “It wouldn’t look very good if we went to the moon and didn’t have something to do when we got there.” With that in mind, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin undertook rudimentary geological research at sites across the US, including the Grand Canyon in Arizona, where portions of land were blasted to replicate the moon’s cratered terrain. Their training reportedly involved learning to “see like a geologist”, to interpret the colouration of different rocks, as well as textures. In the lead-up to the mission, historic images show Armstrong using a sample scoop device and rock hammer, while Aldrin practised documentation with the Hasselblad camera, both knowing their duty would be unfulfilled without lunar samples. The Apollo 11 mission returned with 22kg of moon material in total, contributing to a total of 382kg collected across all six Apollo missions from 1969 to 1972. According to Science.org, the first
DNA TEST UNLOCKS MYSTERIES AT FORBES QUARRY
Buzz Aldrin beside the ‘passive seismic experiment package’, with the Eagle lunar module in the background.
lunar samples were quarantined for weeks, with researchers protecting them from potential contamination. Additionally, no one knew whether there was life on the moon, or whether the samples could be harmful to human life. Today, the majority of the samples are contained in nitrogen-filled, seethrough tanks at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, and can only be handled with specialised gloves. NASA has sent approximately 50,000 individual samples to 500 research labs in more than 15 countries but some 80 per cent of the original samples remain untouched. Samples collected from various sites indicate the youngest areas of the moon are lowlands filled with basaltic lava relatively late in the moon’s formation and typically consist of rocks that are 3.2 billion years old. “Rocks from the older lunar highlands date to some 4.4 billion years ago,” Astronomy.com reported. “The youngest geological actions on the moon, based on crater counts, probably were lava flows about 1.2 billion years ago. But, alas, we have no samples of these very young lunar rocks. “Mineralogically, most moon rocks are pretty simple. Common lunar minerals include silicates, made up of silicon and other elements like calcium, aluminium, oxygen, magnesium, and iron.” •
The discovery occurred as Flint oversaw operations at the infamous Forbes Quarry, on the northern face of the Rock of Gibraltar, in the British Overseas Territory off Spain’s southern coast. Extracted rock was used to reinforce and rebuild the military fortress’s fortifications. While the fossil was the second Neanderthal sample ever found, the species itself was unknown to science at the time. It wasn’t until the discovery of a major Neanderthal site in Germany that ‘Gibraltar 1’ was officially recognised as a member of the distinct human species. Since its discovery, present day human DNA contamination has accumulated in ‘Gibraltar 1’, hampering efforts to unveil new information about the individual. However, through development of a DNA library preparation method that reduces modern contamination before sequencing, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and the Natural History Museum in London have isolated enough endogenous DNA from ‘Gibraltar 1’ to determine its sex and time of existence. The researchers concluded the fossil was female and genetically more similar to Neanderthal fossils aged between 60,000 and 120,000 years old from Belgium, Germany and Russia. •
A WWII guard post today conceals the entrance to Forbes Quarry’s limestone cave.
Quarry September 2019 11
To submit new product and equipment releases, email: damian.christie@quarrymagazine.com
PRODUCT FOCUS
COMPACT JAW WITH RECLAIMER OPTION The Portafill MJ-9 (aka 9000JC) jaw crusher is an easy to use compact jaw crusher that is designed to crush a variety of materials. The machine, which can be folded to a transport length of under 10m, features a large feed hopper and low feeding height. Its counterpart – the Portafill MJ-9R (9000JC-R) – comes with all the features of the MJ-9, with the addition of a fitted screen box and reclaimer that will return oversize materials to the feeder/hopper or optionally stockpile oversize material to the side of the machine.
More information: The Bost Group, bostgroup.com.au
EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE SEPARATION METHOD The magnetic collection of fine particles requires a high intensity, high gradient magnetic field. The electromagnetic matrix-type separator, referred to as a magnet filter, is the most effective method of separation, utilising a high intensity electromagnet and a fluxconverging matrix. The matrix amplifies the magnetic field and provides high gradient collection sites for the magnetic contaminants. The magnetic filter is easy to clean and is available in various sizes and magnetic field strengths. The filter’s applications include the purification of high grade quartz, silica flour, lithium, clay, barite, diatomite and kaolin.
More information: Eriez Australia, eriez.com.au
ROBUST, DURABLE MINIDOZER The Track-O minidozer is a purpose-built unit designed for use in confined spaces, particularly under conveyor belts. Its low profile and narrow width enable it to traverse tight spaces to collect and transport materials. Operated with a wireless remote control device, the battery-powered Track-O minidozer has a running time of nearly 10 hours. It also features an external charger and an interchangeable battery for continuous work. The minidozer is available in two models – the M-27 and the M-48, both of which can be fitted with a range of optional accessories, including cameras and hose trunks.
For more information: Hasemer Materials Handling, hasemer.com.au
VERSATILE, RELIABLE SCREENS The Simplicity Standard Incline (SI) screens have been designed for heavy-duty, medium and fine screening applications. They are built with robust drive mechanisms and oversized bearings to handle large tonnages and a wide variety of applications. Utilised as wet or dry screens, the units have adjustable stroke and speed combinations to fit a variety of applications and are available in two- or three-deck configurations. The screens have large spacing between decks, which allows for quick media changes (woven wire or modular media). The SI screens also have the option of operating with grease or oil lubrication, with an auto-lubrication system available with grease lubrication.
More information: Terex Jaques, terex.com/mps/en-au
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IQA CONFERENCE 2019
‘THE FUTURE OF QUARRYING’ – IT’S IN YOUR HANDS! A combination of instructive and motivating presentations, and site visits, will underline the IQA’s national conference next month.
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his year’s Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA) national conference will be held in Geelong, Victoria, from Tuesday, 1 October to Thursday, 3 October. The conference theme - “The Future of Quarrying” - aims to support and supplement the IQA’s vision to educate and connect the extractive industry. The conference will provide key information to assist quarries with reducing costs, making operations simpler and more efficient, and to enable personnel to be better informed about what is happening on their sites. The speaker program will be the real draw card this year. The conference will put a range of tools in the hands of quarrying people to enhance their businesses.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS The conference program has been designed to deliver valuable educational, networking and promotional content to support the extractive industry. There are a number of high profile speakers presenting detailed sessions. There will be keynote presentations from Robert Mellor, the executive chairman of BIS Oxford Economics, who will be talking about the national economic outlook for construction to 2024 and Sean Taylor, the CEO and managing director of Komatsu Australia, who will discuss inclusion and diversity in the extractive industry. Join Taylor, Mellor and many other high profile speakers who will deliver innovative and educational expertise on important topics that relate to the extractive industry (see the program for more information). EVENTS & SITE VISITS The three evening events - the Hitachi welcome reception, the Komatsu dinner and the Caterpillar gala dinner - are always
ROBERT MELLOR EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN BIS OXFORD ECONOMICS Robert Mellor has more than 40 years’ experience in forecasting building activity. He joined BIS Shrapnel in 1984, was appointed a company director in 1987 and managing director in July 2007. In March 2017, Oxford Economics took majority control of BIS Shrapnel and it became BIS Oxford Economics. Mellor continued as managing director until August 2019 when he became executive chairman. His presentation will cover: • An economic overview of the Australian economy to 2024. • The demographic drivers of construction activity, with projections for net overseas migration and net interstate migration and the underlying demand for dwellings. • Forecasts for residential building construction to 2024 by state and activity. • Forecasts for non-residential building to 2024 by industry and state. • Forecasts for engineering construction to 2024 with a focus on roads and an outlook by state.
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highlights of the IQA’s conference. The networking and “working together” feel of the conference are a real drawcard for all suppliers and delegates that come together. The conference will include site visits to the new crushing and screening plants at Boral Australia’s Deer Park Quarry, and Barro Group’s Point Wilson Quarry, near Geelong.
TRADE EXHIBITION The exhibition hall located at GMHBA Stadium is the home of the Geelong Cats AFL club. This world-class venue has been designed to ensure exhibitors gain maximum exposure during the conference. The IQA expects more than 400 delegates for this year’s conference, so exhibitors are encouraged to embrace the conference theme about the future of quarrying and showcase how their products and services can support the industry. To register for the conference, and for further information about sponsorships and exhibiting, visit conference.quarry.com.au
SEAN TAYLOR CEO AND MD KOMATSU AUSTRALIA Sean Taylor has more than 30 years’ experience in the earthmoving industry. He commenced with Komatsu Australia in 2004 as general manager of the company’s construction business. Since 2011, Taylor has been the managing director and CEO of Komatsu Australia Holdings and Komatsu Australia. He is a global officer of Komatsu Limited and a director of Komatsu Forklift Australia, Mineware and Immersive Technologies. Taylor’s vision is for Komatsu Australia to foster collaboration and inclusion and succeed through four critical areas: 1. Zero harm to people and the world. 2. Sustainable business growth. 3. Employer of choice. 4. Innovating customers’ operations through products and people. Taylor has a clear focus towards diversity and inclusion where individual differences are recognised, respected and embraced as an opportunity to learn and enhance capability.
IQA CONFERENCE, GMHBA STADIUM, GEELONG – PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS The following schedule is an abridged version of the conference program. To view the full program, including break times, Partners Program activities, IQA Award presentations and the IQA Annual General Meeting, visit conference.quarry.com.au/programme/
TUESDAY 1 OCTOBER 12.30pm – 5.15pm
Industry site tour of Boral Deer Park and Barro Point Wilson
6.30pm – 8.30pm
Hitachi Cocktail Reception
THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER 8.30am – 8.50am
Youth in the industry
8.50am – 9.00am
Women in Quarrying Kylie Fahey, CEO, IQA and Tegan Smith, Director and Principal, Groundwork Plus
9.00am – 9.30am
Inclusion and diversity Sean Taylor, CEO and Managing Director, Komatsu Australia
9.30am – 10.10am
Energy savings Michael Wiener, CEO, Out Performers
10.55am – 11:15am
Improving the regulatory environment for the extractive industries Anna Cronin Commissioner for Better Regulation and Red Tape Commissioner, State Government of Victoria
11.15am – 11.35am
Chain of responsibility Simone Reinertsen, Stakeholder Specialist, Chain of Responsibility and Safety Management Systems
11.35am – 11.55am
New trends in managing mining liability Michael Cramer Director, Accent Environmental
11.55am – 12.15pm
Addressing climate change risk in a resource context Elisa De Wit, Partner Norton Rose Fulbright Lawyers
1.15pm – 1.35pm
Drill and blast Daniel Hepburn, Orica
1.35pm – 1.55pm
Fines recovery and fines dewatering technology Stephen Barnett National Sales Manager, Sand and Aggregates, Weir Minerals
1.55pm – 2.15pm
High frequency and multi-frequency screening, adding value to fines Adam Gordon and Petrick Reaver, Astec
2.15pm – 2.35pm
Dual frequency screening Dr Ziggy Gregory, Vibfem
2.35pm – 2.55pm
Particle size distribution measurement for maximising yields using 3D imaging Matthew Thurley Innovation Machine Vision
6:00pm – 11.00pm
Caterpillar Gala Dinner, The Pier Geelong
WEDNESDAY 2 OCTOBER 8.40am – 8.55am
Conference opening Bruce Harwood, Mayor of Geelong
8.55am – 9.05am
Official Conference Opening Brad Rooney, 2019 Conference Chair, and Shane Braddy, Director, IQA
9.05am – 9.35am
Keynote presentation/Overview Outlook for the resources industry Speaker TBC
10.00am – 3.00pm
Orica Partner’s Day
10.05am – 11.05am
Keynote presentation National economic outlook Robert Mellor Managing Director, BIS Oxford Economics
11.05am – 12:35am
Developments in technology Presentations by: Caterpillar Australia – Speaker TBC Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia – Speaker TBC Komatsu Australia – Todd Connolly, General Manager, Construction Solutions, Komatsu Australia
1.50pm – 2.20pm
2.20pm – 2.40pm
3.10pm – 3.30pm
Worksite mapping and analytics technology Kevin Smith Worksite Solution Manager, Propeller Aero Skid resistance in rocks Dr Sven Scheppokat Quarry Products Technologist, Geotechnical Services, Department of Transport, Victoria Spotlight on sand Sean McCormick, General Manager, Recycling, Alex Fraser Group
3.30pm – 4.00pm
Motivational teams Speaker TBC
6.30pm – 11.30pm
Komatsu Dinner, Mt Duneed Estate
Quarry September 2019 15
LOAD & HAUL
TAKING ON TIER 4 ENGINES Tier 4 Final engines are not compulsory in Australia but, thanks to the innovations of OEMs, the nation is inexorably following the global transition in engine evolution. For operations feeling the ‘pressure’ to switch, how they approach the change could be vital to implementing fuel savings.
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s emissions requirements continue to evolve and the extractive industry reaches the final stage of current emissions standards, equipment operators will soon make the switch to working with Tier 4 Final engines — if they haven’t already. With additional emissions control technology, making the jump to Tier 4 engines may seem like an overwhelming transition at first. However, transitioning to Tier 4 is simply another step in the history of diesel technology advancement. For example, when electronics were first introduced during the Tier 2 emissions stage, end users were initially concerned about the addition. Today, it has become the standard, as almost every engine features electronics. It is also important to note the on-highway market has been involved with Tier 4 Final engine technology longer than off-highway plant and equipment, and manufacturers have learnt from the insights gleaned from its implementation. There are three main reasons why users may find Tier 4 Final equipment intimidating: 1. A lack of familiarity with new emissions technologies. 2. A fear of complexity impacting equipment performance. 3. Conflicting information about how new technologies impact long-term engine care. With the perceived intricacy of emissions systems, paired with varied approaches between manufacturers, general education is key to making the transition to Tier 4. Experts at John Deere Power Systems in the USA have explained how emissions technologies work together in a Tier 4 Final engine, and outlined simple maintenance practices to help ensure users are prepared.
THE ROAD TO TIER 4 “John Deere engines are built on a legacy of heavy-duty off-road engines,” Ryan Cawelti, the manager of worldwide engine market planning at John Deere Power Systems, said. “John Deere has been on a journey to deliver engines that meet Tier 4 Final emissions over the last 20 years. We have used a 16
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Three primary maintenance practices for Tier 4 Final engines include keeping the system clean, properly storing and handling DEF, and using the correct materials.
building block approach that has allowed us to add scalable technology to meet each subsequent emissions regulation.” The industry introduced a combination of technologies and after treatment systems to meet Tier 4 regulations. To achieve the needed nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) reductions, different combinations of the following technologies are used: •H igh pressure common rail (HPCR) fuel system. The HPCR fuel system was introduced during the Tier 2 emissions phase and provides constant control over fuel injection variables such as pressure, timing, duration and multiple injections. The HPCR fuel system provides higher injection pressures, resulting in more efficient combustion, which, in turn, leads to a reduction in particulate matter. • Cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). Cooled EGR was introduced with the start of the Tier 3 engines. The system mixes measured amounts of cooled exhaust gas with incoming fresh air back into the intake manifold to lower the engine’s
exhaust temperature, thereby reducing NOx emissions to an acceptable level. The use of cooled EGR enables smaller SCR systems when used to meet Tier 4 emissions regulations. • Diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and diesel particulate filter (DPF): Many Tier 4 engines feature an exhaust filter that contains a diesel oxidation catalyst and a diesel particulate filter. The DOC reacts with exhaust gases to reduce carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and some particulate matter. DPFs operate in conjunction with a diesel oxidation catalyst located upstream of the particulate filter. The downstream DPF forces exhaust gases to flow through porous channel walls, trapping and holding particulate matter. Trapped particles are eventually oxidised within the DPF through a continuous cleaning process called passive regeneration, using exhaust heat created under normal operating conditions. • Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. The SCR system uses a urea-
based additive, often referred to as diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). DEF is injected into the exhaust stream prior to the SCR catalyst, which then converts NOx in the exhaust stream into nitrogen and water, helping to further reduce NOx emissions. Each of these systems dynamically interact with each other to adapt to various operating conditions and ensure Tier 4 emissions compliance.
THREE KEYS TO A GOOD SYSTEM There are three primary maintenance practices extractive operators should keep in mind with Tier 4 engines: 1. System cleanliness. Cleanliness is essential when using diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to ensure reliability of the SCR system. This includes making sure storage tanks and any equipment used to handle or transport DEF are clean and free of debris. Bryan Wood, the manager of OEM applications at John Deere , has recommended operators “treat the DEF circuit like a hydraulic circuit. Taking precautions to preserve the cleanliness of the fluid will help ensure a trouble-free system in the long run”. Ensuring a clean system also includes setting aside containers to use only for DEF. Operators can benefit from using specialised DEF equipment, such as totes, stainless steel pumps and fuel lines, as DEF can be corrosive to certain materials such as steel, iron, zinc, nickel, copper, aluminium, and magnesium. DEF contamination, even with trace amounts of metals, can damage the catalyst in the SCR system. 2. Proper storage and handling of DEF is critical, as they can directly impact the fluid’s quality. “Users should be aware that there is a shelf life for DEF, and it will start to degrade depending on how well it’s preserved during storage,” Wood said. DEF freezes at about -11oC, and it cannot be directly exposed to sunlight. However, DEF can still be used, even if it freezes solid. On the engine or equipment, the DEF tank is equipped with a heating element that uses engine coolant to thaw DEF in temperatures below -11oC. Antifreeze fluid products should not be used to “winterise” pumps, nozzles, and hoses, as the residual antifreeze fluid can damage the SCR system. 3. Using the correct materials, including fuel and engine oil that is specified for offhighway applications. Through the various off-highway emissions stages, engine oil has been specifically formulated to reduce the
To meet Tier 4 regulatory requirements, a combination of technologies may be used, with each system dynamically interacting with the other to adapt to operating conditions.
build-up of ash in the DPF, which differs from engine oils used for on-highway vehicles. Using the correct fuel, although routine, is crucial in keeping the exhaust system running smoothly on a Tier 4 engine. “Fuel filtration needs have increased as we’ve moved to high pressure common rail fuel systems,” Wood said. “Using diesel fuel that meets operator manual specifications is essential to assure adequate filter life and keep the fuel system operating efficiently. “In addition, excess sulphur content in the fuel will reduce efficiency of the SCR system and lead to diagnostic trouble codes and unscheduled machine downtime. It is critical to use fuels with sulphur contents that meet ultra-low sulphur diesel specifications.” Other than taking extra precautions to ensure system cleanliness and proper storage, basic maintenance practices, such as abiding by proper service intervals and using the correct fluids, remain the same as with Tier 3 engines.
MAINTAINING DPFS Diesel particulate filters trap particulate matter that exists in the exhaust stream, much of which is cleaned during regular operating conditions through passive regeneration. However, over time, the filter reaches a point where it needs to be cleaned by raising exhaust temperatures, otherwise known as active regeneration. An active regeneration cycle will happen automatically without operator action. It shouldn’t affect normal operation and will only be noticeable by an indicator light on the dashboard when it is in process. It is
also important to note that users should not override an active regeneration cycle when it is in process. “One of the main takeaways for operators is to let the system work, which includes letting it run through necessary regeneration cycles,” Cawelti said. “When left to operate under normal conditions, the system will run as it should.” One of the biggest things operators can do to ensure a smooth engine operating experience is to keep lines of communications open. “Talk to your OEM and to the engine manufacturer representatives,” Wood said. “Learn about what’s there and what you can and cannot do. “Becoming informed about the new technology, whether through conversations with engine manufacturers or product research, will generally ease the transition into Tier 4. “In fact, many of these technologies have been implemented in the on-highway market for some time, so users may already have experience with Tier 4 technology from driving their trucks, for example.” When it comes to operating a Tier 4 piece of equipment, extractive operators are encouraged to capitalise on their experience. “Work your machine like it wants to be worked,” Wood said. “Maintain it by keeping proper service intervals, which are defined for the different systems on the engine, and use the right fluids.” • Article courtesy of Aggregates Manager (US). Visit AggMan.com
Quarry September 2019 17
LOAD & HAUL
IS IT ‘GAME OVER’
FOR THE DIESEL ENGINE? The diesel engine has become a highly efficient power source – but how much further does it have to go? Dr Staffan Lundgren discusses the engine’s development and what its future may look like.
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espite being developed continuously over the 20th century to become a highly fuel-efficient power unit, the diesel engine is now considered by some to be in danger of becoming obsolete. However, there is someone who is more optimistic about the engine’s longevity and its ability to continue as a cost-efficient solution for creating mechanical energy: Dr Staffan Lundgren, who is a lead strategist at the Volvo Group, in Gothenburg, Sweden. He has worked in the automotive industry, principally for the Volvo group of companies, for more than three decades, specialising in evaluating new technologies for the future of propulsion, including highly efficient diesel engine technology. “The diesel engine has a theoretical system efficiency of between 55 and 60 per cent,” Lundgren said. “For reference, the best power stations operate at 50 to 55 per cent efficiency, and fuel cells are also around 50plus per cent efficient – so diesel engines can be incredibly efficient.” He says the reason diesel has remained such a popular power source globally is because its diffusion combustion – where the combustion is concentrated around the ignition and oxygen is diffused around the combustion area – is very efficient. 18
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“It has minimal energy losses to the walls of the engine through radiation or convection – much lower than a gasoline engine,” Lundgren said. “The basic diesel engine is very strong and can withstand very high pressures.” In terms of its efficiency, he said there had been big improvements over the diesel engine’s journey – ranging from about 35 per cent efficiency in the 1980s to about 50 per cent today. “That means half of the fuel is now being put into useful mechanical work,” he added. “For reference, a gasoline engine is around 35 per cent efficient. “These gains have come from high pressure common rail fuel injection systems, turbo-charging and the introduction of computing power to control precisely the combustion and the after-treatment management systems.” While acknowledging that good fuel efficiency is increasingly every customer’s number one demand, Lundgren says engines also require good engine performance and durability, especially in relation to meeting emissions requirements – which puts these elements sometimes in competition with one another. However, even allowing for the fact businesses require greater engine power to move larger loads (Volvo Group’s largest engine output is about 745kW), he says that compared to passenger cars, all heavy-duty applications remain “relatively” underpowered.
ALTERNATIVE FUELS The diesel engine is frequently accused of being environmentally unfriendly, but Lundgren says the engine can “clean up its act”.
Fuel efficiency is a key concern for construction machine owners.
“Making diesel engines very clean is possible and that is something the heavyduty industry has made greater progress on than the light-duty sector,” he said. “Part of the reason for this is that the efficiency demanded by customers in the heavy-duty sector is much higher.” Lundgren concedes that increasing efficiency while simultaneously lowering emissions is a conundrum. “It has been a challenge to refine the thermodynamic process to compensate for the burden of having added the selective catalytic reduction after-treatment system. But now we are back on track to increase efficiency step by step.” He says the drive towards zero emissions is dependent on a range of factors, including the definition of emissions. “If you propel the engine with fuel that has no carbon and couple it with an efficient combustion process that creates no soot, then zero emissions is possible,” Lundgren said. “We have been working on using methane and dimethyl ether as clean
alternatives to diesel. This is not a new idea. “In 1900, the diesel engine was successfully run on peanut oil. The problem isn’t with the technology of making the clean fuels work, but rather their availability. “But if the supply issue of renewable fuels can be solved, then it is possible for diesel engines to run 100 per cent CO2-free.” As a result, Lundgren said, it’s quite feasible that “cleaner” fuels could be run through a typical combustion engine. “From an efficiency point of view the engine doesn’t care if the fuel molecule comes from a fossil or a renewable source,” he said. “So with investment in the right type of renewable fuels, the transition to renewables should be straightforward. “Electro-fuels (or e-fuels) use solar or wind power to ‘crack’ water and combine it with CO2 from methane, and these fuels feature quite high efficiency – up to 80 per cent claimed. This could be an interesting complement to electrification.”
NEXT BIG STEP To lower fuel consumption further and increase engine efficiency, Lundgren said the next big step would be to encourage electromobility. “The demand on engines in the future will not be so varied as it is today,” he predicted. “There is a difference between how efficient an engine is at its ‘sweet spot’ and how efficient across the whole real world operating range. “Partnering engines with electric motors, as in parallel hybrids, allows the engine to run at its most efficient level. Without doubt, electrification will form part of the future combustion driveline solution.” Other advancements, Lundgren added, may help reduce fuel expenses such as stop/ start technology and 48V electric systems (that power ancillaries electrically, rather than mechanically). However, he said a more important source of greater efficiency, and potential commercial viability, could be heat recovery,
which is not simple to achieve on heavy-duty engines that run relatively cold exhausts. Lundgren is optimistic that the diesel combustion engine will remain a “very costefficient solution for creating mechanical energy” for the foreseeable future. “That said, legislation, especially in Europe, is pushing towards electrification quite strongly, and that may impact directly on the combustion engine’s longevity,” he said. “Our feeling is that its use will be applicationbased, and that it will continue for a considerable time in long distance uses, such as ships and long haul trucks. But even here there will probably be a blend of technologies in use. “The diesel engine – in a modified form – can be very clean and efficient. It also plays well with electrification. As a manufacturer, we need to find the best solution, based on the decisions society makes. Whatever they are, we need to be prepared.” • Source: Volvo Construction Equipment/SE10
GAP 40
FB446
116 t/h
Loads 53
LOAD & HAUL
ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL:
COULD BATTERIES REPLACE DIESEL? Suddenly it seems all pieces of the technological puzzle are falling into place. The battery revolution is under way – and one multinational OEM is convinced it can significantly change the energy landscape of the mining, and by extension the quarrying, industry.
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une 2018 was a peak period of activity for Epiroc in Örebro, in central Sweden. An entire new generation of battery-powered mining machinery was to be launched in the following season, and a key person involved in that launch was Erik Svedlund, Epiroc’s marketing manager of vehicle electrification. Svedlund has been involved in outlining Epiroc’s vision of emission-free mining environments, made possible by battery power. “Electric will replace diesel,” he said. “The machines that we’re developing here already perform equally well or better than diesel machines, except for one thing – running time. But with the rate at which batteries are developing, it won’t be long before that has caught up too.” According to Epiroc, there has been “an explosion” in the market for electric-powered mining machines because the technology – primarily battery technology – has matured. Previous trials using electricity from cables or rails involved fixed and awkward solutions, and the flexibility required in a mine environment meant the decision traditionally 20
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The Epiroc E2 battery-operated underground drill rig.
came down in favour of diesel machines. At least, that is, until now. Svedlund became interested in batterypowered machines in 2010 and started studying the possibilities. “At the time I was
head of products and I quickly realised that battery power could not just replace diesel, but could become a profitable business for both us and our customers. I started lobbying internally to start the development of such
SOLVE YOUR MATERIAL FLOW PROBLEMS
Frederik Engman, technician (left), and Anders Lindkvist, project manager, discuss the best placement of powertrain components on an Epiroc Scooptram ST14 battery.
solutions. This went rather slowly until 2013, when we received a request from a customer in Canada. It then took less than a year from prototype to launch of the Scooptram ST7 Battery, and the machine’s performance exceeded expectations.” The Scooptram ST7 Battery was among the first generation of battery machines launched by Epiroc in 2016. The machines that were subsequently launched in the second half of 2018 were second generation machines and included not just loaders but also mine trucks and drill rigs. “Loaders and mine trucks account for around 80 per cent of fuel consumption in mines,” Svedlund said. “These types of machines are the key – if we don’t come up with these, we won’t solve anything.”
SOUNDLESS ENGINE At Epiroc’s test mine in Kvarntorp outside Örebro, a Scooptram ST7 Battery stands with its bucket full of gravel. If you close your eyes there is nothing to indicate that the loader is running, until it starts to move – and all you hear then is the sound of the gears and axles, and the crunch of tyres on gravel. There is no engine noise. As the loader releases the gravel, the jangling can be clearly heard in the otherwise quiet site. Anders Lindkvist, Epiroc’s project manager for technological development, and his team learnt a lot while working on the first generation. “For the first generation we basically took existing loaders, removed the engine and fuel tank, and put in an electric motor and battery instead,” he said. “But it worked. We were placing bets in the office on how long the machine could run on a battery, and all the guesses were between one and three hours. But it proved to keep going for five hours.” The second generation machines were designed for battery operation from the outset; the mine trucks, for example, have motors on each axle. But it is the batteries that are responsible for the biggest change. “Quite early on we started developing a modular battery system that allows the modules to be used in any kind of Epiroc machine,” Lindkvist said. One advantage of the new battery design is that it can be replaced quickly. In less than 10 minutes a fully charged battery can be in place, so even energy-intensive operations can continue with only a brief interruption. It has been nearly three years since Epiroc’s management gave the green light to developing the second generation machines, and from
CALL THE EXPERTS IN VIBRATION We sell solutions, not just products Phone (03) 9800 6777 or visit enmin.com.au
LOAD & HAUL
BOLIDEN MINES ENERGY PROGRAM
A test truck travels along a 700m electric trolley route at the Boliden Aitik copper mine, Sweden.
Boliden is a high tech metal company that employs about 5800 people in mine and smelter operations in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Ireland. Its end products include zinc, copper, lead, nickel, gold, silver, sulphuric acid and iron sand. It is also committed to a number of sustainability initiatives, including secondary material recycling and synergies, water management, mine automation and electrification. In particular, Boliden has been engaged in a pilot project at its Aitik copper mine in northern Sweden, where it has been replacing elements of its transport system with electrified trucks, to move most of the 70 million tonnes of rock extracted at the open pit each year without the assistance of fossil fuels. As a result it has installed a 700m electric trolley route with overhead wires (much like a tramway route) to power the electrified trucks. This potentially saves up to 830m3 of diesel fuel per year and reduces up to 80 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions along the electrified routes. The pilot project, being run over a two-year period, is supported by the Swedish Energy Agency, and it is being implemented with several partners, including ABB and Eitech (electrical infrastructure), and Caterpillar and Pon Equipment (truck conversion). Jonas Ranggård, manager of the Boliden Mines Energy Program at Aitik, discussed the successes of the program so far.
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Q: What does your electric future look like? Why is Boliden working on the electrification of vehicles? A: There are a great many advantages to running vehicles on electricity rather than diesel. You can reduce ventilation and maintenance costs, and improve the work environment. From 2023, for example, the EU will be lowering the limit values for NOx in mining environments. Electricity is definitely the best way to deal with these requirements, but such a transition takes time. That’s why we have to start testing the technology now. Q: How far have you got? A: We are still in the starting blocks. In August [2018] we began an 18-month project [to] test overhead lines and four mine trucks with current collectors in the open pit copper mine in Aitik. We decided to start with open pit mining because we use most diesel aboveground. Once the project has ended, we’ll assess whether the savings meet expectations, how good the availability of the vehicles was and what problems we encountered. Q: What will be the next step? A: With our switch to autonomous drilling, we’re able to improve upon the rate of production, the accuracy of the holes, and the fragmentation, leading to downstream improvements in our processes as well as improving our safety.
that point Lindkvist and his team worked at full throttle. “This is a new way of working that’s fun and exciting,” Lindkvist said. “It’s tremendously enjoyable to be able to introduce so many new things in such a short time. And on three machines in parallel, too. “Now we need our suppliers to come up with new solutions at the same rate that we need them.” Sofia Bratt has been responsible for Epiroc’s project office, which has co-ordinated the work to develop the second generation. “There’s been very close collaboration in the group and with our suppliers,” Bratt said. “It’s been huge fun and has developed all those involved, and I think this type of project will become more common in the future.” Bratt described a process in which the project office succeeded in breaking new ground. “We’ve looked at areas such as battery cell chemistry, drivelines and control systems, and have been able to evaluate what’s most optimal for our applications. An incredible number of people have been involved, which has made great demands of dialogue and communication. It’s required time and resources from everyone involved, but it’s also been very effective.”
CALM, STEADY PACE In the Epiroc workshop, the first second generation batteries were tested calmly and steadily ahead of their launch at a specially convened event in Örebro in late 2018. These machines included the Scooptram ST14, Boomer E2 and the Minetruck MT42. According to Epiroc, more customers are starting to demand battery machines. Although diesel machines can reliably do the job, they are not without problems: harmful exhaust emissions, noise, waste heat, high maintenance costs, unplanned stoppages for servicing, rising fuel costs and an increasingly complicated infrastructure. By comparison, according to Epiroc, batterypowered machines need significantly less maintenance, not least because an electric motor contains a fraction of the number of moving parts in a diesel engine. They give off marginal amounts of waste heat and have no exhaust emissions. If the batteries are charged using renewable electricity, they have no climate impact either. Safety and sustainability are also an important part of Epiroc’s strategy, and can contribute to its customers’ sustainability work and environmental impact. The company also believes battery-powered machines
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driven by legal requirements and more stringent rules on emissions. Underground, the driving force is instead a desire for a safer work environment – and pure and simple economics. The potential savings are enormous.
A technician works on the battery for Epiroc’s second generation of battery machines.
can help achieve one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. “Diesel machines are actually poorly suited for use in enclosed spaces underground,” Svedlund said. “A lot of cooling and ventilation are required to deal with the exhaust emissions and heat, and this has become the single largest energy cost in mines. “If we take away the diesel engine, the situation changes completely. Ventilation costs reduce dramatically and you can go even deeper while still being cost-effective.” Unlike the shift to electric cars, therefore, the transition in the mining industry is not primarily
AFTERMARKET COMPONENT The person keeping an eye on the aftermarket aspect is Fredrik Martinsson, Epiroc’s marketing manager of service electrification. “Solving the financial model and at the same time strengthening the tie to our customers is a key activity,” he said. Martinsson’s task is to devise a new business model that will make it as easy as possible for producers to switch to electric operation. The basic idea is that the producer buys the machine, but has a subscription for the batteries. The advantage is the investment is lower, operating costs are predictable and Epiroc takes all the responsibility for the training, maintenance and servicing associated with the batteries. If a customer needs more or less power, the subscription can be adjusted. “We want to dramatically lower the threshold for electrification,” Martinsson said. “We want it to be easy. This is a major change, and it will require hard work by many people over a long period. But everyone – suppliers, customers, the environment and ourselves – will be a winner.” Source: Epiroc Australia
ZERO EMISSION INITIATIVE Epiroc’s goal is to offer a zero emission alternative for all its underground mining and tunnelling equipment. The complexity and demands of these kinds of products are high, and, in addition to its own know-how in-house, Epiroc is drawing on external expertise from battery cell and electric drive train manufacturers. ■ The technical solution will vary depending on the type of machine, but everything evolves around the battery electric driveline. ■Customer interaction has always been a key factor in Epiroc’s development work, in addition to increased demands on safety, health, quality and the environment. ■With the zero emission product portfolio, Epiroc is improving health and safety. As a leading OEM, Epiroc considers the mining industry’s carbon footprint and shoulders its responsibility as an industry leader.
SUSTAINABLE INTELLIGENT MINING SYSTEMS Sustainable Intelligent Mining Systems (SIMS) is a three-year European Unionfinanced project to produce demonstrations of future products for the mining industry. Under the project management of Morgan Rody, the SIMS senior project manager, Epiroc is co-ordinating a collaboration of 13 partners, including manufacturers, mining companies and universities. Q: What is the EU’s expectation of SIMS? A: Our focus is on “innovation action”. We start from a research project and produce functioning products to demonstrate that the theory works in practice. The EU has high expectations of concrete results. Seventy per cent of our budget – 13 million Euros [more than $AUD21 million] – comes from the European Commission. So we have to deliver.
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Q: What type of projects are you working on? A: Battery solutions are a big thing and there’s a lot happening in this field. For example, we compared how great the difference is between diesel and batteries. What level of particulates does diesel operation result in? We also have lots of other projects in progress, such as drones, the next wireless mobile standard 5G, better positioning services, thermal imaging and assisted driving systems for diesel-free machines. Also virtual reality, which has become really hot again. We’re aiming to construct a mine in VR so we can demonstrate solutions at events such as trade shows. Many of the projects are concerned with safety, and we’re proud of that. Each person that can be moved out of a dangerous environment is a gain.
Morgan Rody, senior project manager, Epiroc.
Q: Has the SIMS collaboration worked well? A: Extremely well! It’s useful to meet up properly. And all the partners are aware that what they are doing now will change the mining industry.
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BIG CHANGES MOOTED BY DEALER FOR EARTHMOVING MARKET
T
he general sales manager of the new eastern states distributor of John Deere Construction and Forestry Equipment (excepting Western Australia) predicts the brand will make a big impact on the Australian market. RDO Equipment’s general sales manager Mark Kuhn said that by early 2020, Australian customers will be able to purchase the full line of John Deere products, including quarryspec equipment such as wheel loaders, dozers, backhoes, excavators and articulated dump trucks. The products will be sold and serviced by a strategic dealer network, supported by a new John Deere parts depot and a highly trained team. Kuhn said even before the launch in May this year, there had been a positive reception for RDO. “People are looking forward to this change,” he said. “They’re excited about the expanded product range – everyone wants more product – and they’re excited by RDO’s approach to partnering with customers.” He said the RDO customer experience started with getting the basics right. “It’s actually simple stuff that makes good customer relationships. It’s getting back to people, it’s letting them know what’s going on, doing what you say you will do and being accountable. “We say that the real work for our customers begins after delivery, with our plan to support them. That might involve cross-training their staff or developing parts consignments so they have parts ready the moment they need them. We aim to tailor our service to the customer and have plans in place before our customers have a problem. This is how we build customers for life, another core value for RDO. “We have put together a strong team here in Australia, including lots of industry veterans with really solid experience, and all of our people are passionate about the business. We’re 100 per cent focused on the John Deere product.” Kuhn said RDO had big plans for the Australian market, including consolidating and growing its forestry market share over the next three years and bringing the full John Deere construction range to Australian 26
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The Deere ADT 460E will be amongst the new Australian offerings for interested quarrying producers.
dealerships inside 12 months. “There’s still a lot of major infrastructure work across Australia so we expect our first year will include a focus on graders and wheel loaders. And we know there’s a lot of excitement in the market about the new products coming in over the months ahead, including the excavator range,” he said. “The Australian market is very eager for the full line of John Deere equipment. They know that John Deere means quality and reliability – and RDO means an exceptional customer experience.” Jeff Kraft, the managing director of John Deere Construction and Forestry’s AsiaPacific and Africa division, says the OEM is excited about what the new distribution agreement means for the Australian market. “This is a strategic partnership for us. We see the Australian market as an important part of our Asia-Pacific and indeed our global brand footprint,” Kraft said. “We’ve made strong investments in this market and we’re looking forward to working closely with RDO to expand John Deere Construction & Forestry’s profile in Australia. We foresee a very positive future here.” RDO will offer Australian John Deere customers an initial eight dealership sites, mostly utilising its existing Vermeer facilities that in the past have supported productionclass machines for the quarrying and aggregate industries. Each is armed with
advanced machine monitoring, remote diagnostic capability, and world-class parts availability. Wheel loaders are available from dealers now, with articulated dump trucks and dozers due by the end of the year. Ron Offutt, a potato farmer in Casselton, North Dakota, established RDO, the world’s largest John Deere dealer, in 1968 when he was 26 years old. More than 50 years later, RDO Equipment has more than 80 locations in the United States, and partnerships in Australia, Africa, Mexico, Russia, and Ukraine. RDO first came to Australia in 2012 when it acquired a 50 per cent interest in Vanderfield, a 14-store John Deere agricultural equipment dealer based in Toowoomba. In 2015, it made a further investment in Vermeer Australia. RDO is now also the world’s largest Vermeer dealer. The company became the John Deere Construction and Forestry Equipment distributor for most of Australia on 1 May, 2019 and will support customers from eight branch locations. The distributor for Deere products in the Western Australian market is AFGRI Equipment. It will service the WA market from five strategically placed branches in Geraldton, Albany, Esperance, Boyup Brook and Perth. • Source: RDO Equipment
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The Menhere family business, pictured with their old and new Komatsu wheel loaders.
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FAMILY BUSINESSES KEEP
FAITH WITH EARTHMOVING EQUIPMENT They may be separated by kilometres of coastline but two family companies continue to demonstrate their longevity and durability through decades of service – and their commitment to continuity in their earthmoving fleets.
M
enheere Bros has been operating the Ocean Grove Quarry - the last remaining active site on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula - for nearly 40 years. The family company’s director Mark Menheere said the family-run business has relied on Komatsu wheel loaders across the generations. “My father Lofty started the business nearly 60 years ago,” Mark said. “He ran it when I was a boy and I had my go at it as managing director for 30-odd years before stepping down. Now my eldest boy Matt is running the show at our quarry and my other son Ryan runs the earthmoving side of things. “Dad is a Dutch immigrant who was in the army and also a truck driver,” Mark added of his family history. “He decided he wanted to come and have a go in Australia and started his business. “I can remember in the early days he had a couple of single-axle trucks, which would be five or six cubic yards by the old imperial measurement [4.5m to 5.4m in today’s metric system]. He didn’t have his own loader then and would sometimes have to load his truck by hand with a shovel, doing so two or three times a day. Now he comes down to the quarry and sees the latest Komatsu 28
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WA380-6 wheel loader in action, which goes to show much things have changed just in his lifetime.” Indeed, the Menheere business has come a long way from shovelling up to three times a day. The manner in which Menheere Bros adopted machinery to work more productively started with Lofty Menheere and continues to this day. “His first loader was a Fordson and was cable-operated, no hydraulics,” Mark said. “That was a big thing for the business. Then he bought a Hough loader - Hough later being acquired by Komatsu – before switching to Komatsu proper about 30 years ago with his first WA250 wheel loader. We put 13,000 hours on that before selling it. Considering how long we’d had it and the amount of work it had done, we got a really good price for it. That’s one of the reasons we’ve stuck with Komatsu loaders ever since.”
RELIABILITY ACROSS TIME Another key reason for this loyalty is the brand’s reliability across the generations. “We’ve had a great run with our WA380 loaders,” Mark said. “We bought one which now has about 14,500 hours on it and
remains in our fleet as a back-up machine to the new one we bought recently. “They have been really reliable, which is a huge factor. If you’re in the quarry and you can’t load out because of a breakdown or fault, you’re in real trouble.” Mark doesn’t readily recall too many occasions when his equipment has let him or the business down. “You don’t so much remember the times when things have gone right as much as when they go wrong,” he said. “If you had to recall sometimes that a machine has let you down, well, you do remember those. Luckily, with our Komatsu loaders, 99 per cent of the time they just start up and away you go. We’ve actually come to take that for granted.” When it came time for a new wheel loader, Mark’s son, Matt Menheere, who has taken on the company’s reins as director, knew exactly what he wanted. “I was confident in another WA380-6 wheel loader because we’d had such a good run with the previous one,” Matt said. “Nothing much went wrong with it, at all, for a good 12 to 13 years - I think there was a little solenoid problem that Komatsu got right to the bottom of and repaired straight away - so there was no need to change. “We’ve been really happy with the later model. There aren’t huge differences between it and our older model, but it has more power and is more efficient. It rides more smoothly and is more comfortable.” Matt also requested on-board scales and an auto-grease system for the new WA380. “We had the same on our other 380 and it
makes a difference to our operations,” he said. “The scales allow us to meet changing responsibilities for loading and measuring, both from a sales perspective and for occupational health and safety. And the auto-greaser is handy because it’s timeefficient, providing for weekly rather than daily preventative maintenance.” With Menheere Bros’ Komatsu loyalty firmly entrenched, Matt could not envisage changing brands. “No, we were happy with our old ones, we’re happy with our latest one and we expect to be happy when rolling over our Komatsu loaders in the future. “We keep an eye on the market and do some research, but we don’t see value in going to cheaper brands. A reliable machine can save you a lot of money. Conversely, you don’t want to be repairing expensive machinery and facing production loss. “It’s the old adage: ‘The poor man pays twice’! If you buy a cheap machine that breaks down it very quickly becomes an expensive one.”
Bashford & Sons’ new Komatsu D155A-8 (left), alongside the older D60A-3.
A LIFETIME OF BULLDOZERS Further north, another family company – J&M Bashford & Sons – has acquired a new Komatsu machine for its heavy equipment fleet. John Bashforth is a fourth generation farmer, quarry and machinery operator in the Byron Bay region of New South Wales, and
tends not to turn over his heavy equipment often. He is the CEO of J&M Bashforth & Sons, one of the NSW northern coast’s renowned and most prolific operators, with more than 30 machines and a like number of operators working across three primary sectors - quarrying, development and general machinery for local farmers and builders. John bought his third Komatsu bulldozer
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The PC138-US is the latest addition to the Bashford fleet.
Father and son Mark and Matt Menheere with the Komatsu WA380-6 wheel loader.
at the end of June, almost half a century after his father Jack purchased the family company’s first. The three machines have seen continuous service. The original, a D60A-3, which John believes to be only the second Komatsu bulldozer sold in Australia, saw a relatively “brief” 18 years of action on the family’s quarry. The second, a 155A-1, is the long service record holder, with 31 years’ hard work before it was replaced only recently by a high technology Dash 8 version of the same machine. The core of the family company’s business is its “near to unique” quarry, set just 12 kilometres inland from Australia’s most eastern point – the Byron Bay lighthouse. John’s father Jack discovered the quarry in the mid-Sixties while clearing for the farmer that owned the property. The quarry’s chert resource – a hard, fine-grained quartz silica with unique self-compacting properties that make it highly prized for base material in building developments and on-roadwork – has long provided certainty to each of the Bashforth company’s divisions. Jack supplied the first machinery to start the new Ocean Shores Development, and was awarded a contract to produce roadbase from a quarry on-site for the 30
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road infrastructure. It was in 1970 that then 16-year-old John, underaged and unlicensed, operated the first Komatsu D60A-3, to win and load material to, back then, one of the state’s largest residential and lifestyle developments, Ocean Shores. “Fifty years on, we’re working on what could be the last phase of the Ocean Shores development,” John said. “The on-site quarry closed years ago, and returned to nature. The roadbase we use today is produced from the Myocum operation and the same equipment, somewhat upgraded.”
‘MECHANICAL THERAPY’ The Bashforth company today has permission to extract 100,000 tonnes of chert per year from the site and each year it comes within 5000 tonnes of its allowance. “In fact, for the last two years we’ve been within 1500 tonnes,” John said. It’s a fine balance made achievable by a number of operational rules that John, and lately his son Luke, have put in place. “We have our machinery serviced on-site by its supplier to ensure continuity of mechanical knowledge and as much as possible we assign one operator exclusively to a machine,” John said. “The driver on the new
Dash 8 was on the Dash 1 before that and he knows how to achieve the best result while treating the machine like he owns it.” Extracting chert is an exacting process and John says the weight and size of the D155A-8 is well suited to the task. “There’s no need for a larger machine and the hours we need to fulfil our quota are well within the dozer’s capability,” he said. According to John, the two machines are similarly productive but the Dash 8 does it with substantial improvements in driver comfort, vision and safety. “I receive Komatsu’s monthly KOMTRAX report which enables me to understand the operating functions, like idle time, and how much time has been spent ripping and dozing, and how it can improve,” John said. “The good news is that it’s pretty much in-line with what my operator is doing.” John literally grew up with machines, as his father Jack, grandfather Edgar, his brother Norm and great-grandfather Alfred all operated woodcutting, sawmilling and dairy farming operations in the Brunswick Heads region of northern NSW. “I can still recall the old Cletrac 22 tractor that they used to snig the logs to the mill with,” he said. John was driving machinery well below the legal age and can recall as a 10- or 12-year old working to the mettle on some Saturdays and Sundays. “Bill Simpson, who was a tip truck driver that subcontracted to Dad, would pick me up at 4:00am in the morning, take me out to a farm pit where I would push material all day. There was no need to go to a gym in those days,” he joked. “The stick shift machines and the steering sticks weren’t power assist!” Today John still enjoys getting on the equipment when business pressures permit. “I call it ‘mechanical therapy’,” he said. John tried to point his son Luke in a different career direction. “I gave him a ballpoint pen and said: ‘That’s worth $1.50 and it will earn you as much as that excavator over there’,” John said. However, Luke, with a bachelor degree of civil engineering, went onto work in the extractive industry. After two years with a multinational company, he returned to the family business and enjoys his machine time. “We’re mirror reverse,” John said of his son. “He’s an engineer who enjoys time operating and I’m an operator performing an engineer’s job.” • Source: Komatsu Australia
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GARNET PRODUCER STAYS TRUE TO ROOTS WITH EXCAVATOR PURCHASE
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MA Garnet Group (GMA) mines, processes, exports and distributes the highest quality garnet globally. Established more than 35 years ago, GMA is now the world’s largest and most advanced garnet mining and processing operation, supplying garnet abrasive to the waterjet cutting and protective coating industries. Garnets are a group of silicate minerals used as gemstones and abrasives. Mined garnet comes in many forms and is utilised for abrasives, cutting and filters. In Western Australia, garnet is a mineral sand and is considered one of the optimum products in the world for industrial applications such as waterjet cutting and sand blasting. Operating in the midwest region of Australia, GMA was established in the 1980s when it started exploration along a small stretch of coastline in the town of Port Gregory where geologists found small garnet deposits. In 1983 GMA established a dry processing plant in Geraldton, a significant milestone for its operation, where it is still located today. The garnet-bearing sands in Western Australia have a unique geological history of erosion and disposition, resulting in them comprising the highest quality garnet available anywhere. GMA took delivery of its first Volvo machine in 1989 and, more than 30 years on, is still running a fleet of Volvo earthmoving vehicles. Indeed, as the very first business to purchase the Volvo L350F wheel loader in Australia, GMA Garnet is now the first Australian company to own Volvo’s largest excavator – the EC950E. With a knockout bucket breakout force of 478kN (ISO 6015) and an arm tearout force of 420kN (ISO 6015), the 90-tonne EC950E is considered groundbreaking for its class, offering an enhanced digging force when working with hard and heavy materials. As well as a higher digging force, the crawler excavator offers quick cycle times thanks to an enhanced hydraulics system which increases pump power for a fast and smooth 32
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GMA’s EC950E excavator feeds an A60H articulated hauler at the company’s Geraldton operation.
operation. The EC950E is built with protected components, including a heavy-duty boom and arm, and a strong frame structure, and can be relied on for longevity and sustained uptime in demanding applications. It is equipped with a wide track gauge, long track length, retractable undercarriage, and an optimised counterweight that makes it adaptable to challenging environments. GMA employs a variety of Volvo machines at its operations north of Geraldton. It has A45G and A60H articulated haulers for carting ore from various pits to plant and backloading of waste from plant to pit. The GMA team is convinced the addition of the A60H, Volvo’s largest hauler, has increased productivity due to the extra payload. They also operate Volvo L350H wheel loaders in the processing plant to load ore into hoppers and tailings onto trucks, while its excavators are used on the front line, getting product out of the ground and into the trucks. To meet the requirement of moving upwards of 10,000 tonnes of materials per day, the ability to maximise operator productivity is essential. GMA’s operators have shared
their appreciation of the ergonomic layout of the instruments and controls in the Volvo machines, making for better comfort and reduced fatigue. The new EC950E features a spacious cab, offering a low noise environment and more comfort. GMA focuses on strong partnerships and an unwavering dedication to its customers. Much like CJD Equipment and Volvo Construction Equipment, the company’s values comprise trust, teamwork and care for people and the environment. These collaborative values, coupled with strong aftermarket service and quality, have built such an enduring relationship between GMA and CJD Equipment over the past 30 years. The GMA Garnet Group has always led the way in the innovation and development of new products for the global abrasive blasting and waterjet cutting industries. With such an innovative outlook, it is no surprise GMA was the first to acquire the EC950E heavy-duty excavator. • Source: CJD Equipment
HEAVYWEIGHT LEADS ‘FORMIDABLE’ EXCAVATOR RANGE Volvo Construction Equipment’s EC950E crawler excavator may be considered the “Muhammad Aliâ€? of its heavyweight division but it is not the only quarry-spec machine available to producers. Volvo CE’s line-up also comprises: • The one with the small bum. With powerful, fuel-efficient Volvo engines, a perfectly matched hydraulic system and a robust body, the short-swing radius excavators offer productivity, stability, ease of use and safety in confined or restricted working conditions. Available in both compact (from 1.8 to eight tonnes) and general purpose (from 14 to 30 tonnes) getting around site on these versatile machines is assisted by automatic two-speed travel for optimised traction plus hydraulic travel pedals for easy and accurate track control. • The one with a ‘higher’ purpose. To provide the most versatile machine possible on demolition job sites, the EC480EHR is 28 metres high. It is purpose-built to suit the needs of heavyduty demolition with both high reach/
medium reach and digging capabilities combined as one. It also features a patented modular boom system, which includes an innovative hydraulic modular joint with hydraulic lock mechanism to release digging equipment and change from the high reach demolition boom to a medium reach configuration in a simple and swift operation. • The heavyweight one. With a knockout bucket breakout force of 478kN (ISO 6015) and an arm tearout force of 420kN (ISO 6015), the 90-tonne class EC950E offers enhanced digging force, particularly when working with hard and heavy materials. Constant high
hydraulic pressure delivers power to the machine when needed. Built with protected components, including a heavy-duty boom and arm, and a strong frame structure, the EC950E is reliable for longevity and sustained uptime in demanding applications. Founded in 1974, CJD Equipment is a privately owned Australian company and provider of world-class plant and equipment. Partnering with international manufacturers, CJD offers a diverse range of products from reputed brands, including Volvo CE, SDLG and Kenworth and DAF trucks. CJD has partnered with Volvo CE for more than 25 years, supplying Australia’s construction and earthmoving industries with high quality products, along with national after-market service and support. CJD’s dealer network encompasses capital cities and regional centres, providing 24/7 sales, parts and service support from more than 500 highly experienced staff. • Source: CJD Equipment
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EARTHWORKS PROGRAMS
PROVIDE ACCURATE GRADES, CONTROL On opposite sides of the Tasman Sea, a digital product suite is proving invaluable for two construction companies utilising excavators on a range of projects.
U
nited Civil Construction was established more than 40 years ago in New Zealand with the formation of United Carriers Group. When the group separated its construction operation in mid-2006, United Civil was formed. The civil construction company has more than 120 trained and experienced staff who have worked on projects from Auckland up to Cape Reinga, at the northern end of the North Island. With a focus on benefitting its people and the communities in which it serves, United Civil puts health and safety at the core of its operations. It is also committed to building all of its projects in a sustainable manner that does not harm the environment. With its surveying technology not delivering the desired effect, United Civil sought change. The management team knew technology played a key role in expansion and that as a high growth company, data could be an underused resource in the construction industry. As such, the team began searching for a technology partner that would provide robust, highly useable machines and high quality data that could be used throughout its projects. After a competitive evaluation process with three leading brands, Mark Daglish, the survey manager at United Civil, said: “We selected Trimble as our technology partner due to its ease of use and the overall quality of the product suite. Trimble also stands out for its commitment to innovation and safety which aligns our two organisations.” United Civil has deployed the Trimble Earthworks Grade Control Platform (Earthworks) on one of its Hitachi excavators, alongside the Trimble Business Center office software. Earthworks is the industry’s first integrated 3D aftermarket grade control system with excavator automatics capabilities. The platform includes intuitive, easy to learn software that is extremely customisable and allows each operator to personalise the interface to maximise productivity. Trimble 34
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United Civil has deployed Earthworks on its Hitachi 225US LC excavator.
United Civil’s excavator is fitted with the roof-mounted Earthworks platform.
Business Center is an office software tool that can create accurate, integrated 3D constructible models for survey, construction and marine applications. Together, these solutions enabled United Civil to optimise its decision-making and efficiency in the office and on the job site. The
implementation was simple, with little training needed thanks to the familiar interface present across Trimble’s solutions. Daglish said: “The excavator component was easy to get started – it was up and running immediately that day. Sitech NZ was a phenomenal partner too, supplying the team with guidance on
the machines and educating them on how technology will truly make a difference to their work day.” United Civil reaped several benefits from its deployment of the Trimble packages, including: ●• Improved health and safety. With a 3D view of the project and grade progress inside the cab, the operator doesn’t have to rely on stakes or a grade checker to dig to correct depths. Daglish said: “It’s going to save survey time and increase the safety of the team working on the site, particularly in the trenches.” • Better data sharing. Users can remotely send and share data across machines. “Trimble is automatically recording data and feeding it back to the site team,” Daglish said. “In addition, it’s able to connect and download updated designs from management which saves us a huge amount of time and reduces human error.” • Faster and more efficient data. With all the data in front of personnel on the machines they work, tasks could be completed in record time. “We’ve doubled productivity thanks to Trimble. We have total confidence with the client that the job will be done to the design, with fewer errors than ever before,” said Daglish. ●• Better equipment utilisation. United Civil was impressed at the high levels of technology uptake by the team. “The operators have been very impressed with how user-friendly Trimble’s technology is,” Daglish said. “We have a diverse team. Trimble is easy to use, and the benefits of the technology are clear, meaning that driving uptake internally is easy. This is good news for everyone.” Daglish said United Civil’s commitment to the Trimble programs was ongoing. “Our goal is to have a continual investment in the technology that will help us stay ahead of the competition in both price and performance. We are currently planning for additional installations on a grader and excavator along with multiple field GPS units for site engineers. With Trimble this allows us to hit the ground running, making it easy for our staff to adapt and see results.”
JOBSITE TRANSFORMATION The construction industry is known for its slow adoption of technology but southeast Queensland group Bielby Holdings has been challenging this stereotype for the past 15 years, employing technology as its number one tool to transform the jobsite.
Much of the work done with Earthworks at Beilby was entrusted to its Caterpillar 313F excavator.
Shannon Watson at the helm of the 313F excavator.
Bielby was established in the 1980s and has successfully delivered more than 150 major transport, earthworks and infrastructure projects along the eastern seaboard of Australia. The organisation has been using Trimble machine control for more than a decade – making the technology mission critical to its operations. Trimble’s technology was originally deployed by Bielby for a grading project that involved replacing pavement without stopping nearby traffic – the team did not want to use traditional string lines for this job, due to safety reasons. Following the project, the team found it had increased productivity, tightened tolerances and had virtually no reworking. Since then, Trimble’s technology has been used across numerous Bielby jobs as the team realised and enjoyed the enormous advantages gained. After continued use and investment over the years, Bielby now operates no-peg sites, relying on Trimble solutions for accurate grading and control. In addition, Bielby started using the Earthworks grade control platform and it is now the standard for all Bielby’s projects, providing improved safety, productivity and accuracy. Much of the work done with Earthworks was entrusted to Shannon Watson and the organisation’s Caterpillar 313F excavator. This was Watson’s first time using machine control
technology after more than a decade spent in the mining and construction industry. “I love it,” Watson said. “It is mind blowing what you can do with Earthworks. It is making the job easier, as we are able to be more precise and efficient. In addition, it’s also engaging me as an operator.” Watson explained the simplicity of the Earthworks software, suggesting it is as easy to use as a smartphone. Earthworks has been built on the Android operating system for a positive user experience. While Watson has spent more than a decade in the industry, she has been an excavator operator for under three years. She said using Earthworks had helped her with the visualisation of jobs. “I’ve found that when I’ve worked on something with Earthworks, if I then jump into the smaller excavator without it, I can ‘see’ the job in my head really clearly and that makes it easier to achieve,” she said. Sitech Construction Systems worked with Bielby from the beginning. “Bielby Holdings was an early adopter of Trimble machine control technology and has continued to upgrade and utilise our technology to be a highly competitive and efficient business,” Sitech’s Brent Daniels said. “We’re proud to have helped this company continue to grow and succeed.” • Source: Trimble
Quarry September 2019 35
LOAD & HAUL
HEAVY-DUTY HANDLER BOOSTS PRODUCTION IN REHANDLING TASKS
T
he Caterpillar 990K aggregate handler is designed to handle greater payloads in aggregates yard applications. With as much as a 25 per cent payload increase compared to the standard 990K wheel loader, the handler enables customers to load trucks faster and to move more material in load and haul and stockpile handling tasks. The 990K has a payload of 20 tonnes and a full turn static tipping load of nearly 44 tonnes. The additional counterweight maintains machine stability, and the robust 990K structure ensures durability in the aggregate handler configuration. The loader makes best use of general purpose and coal buckets for increased volume. The aggregate handler is available in standard lift configuration with a 4.1m dump clearance, and in high lift configuration with 4.6m dump clearance. The increased capacity and high dump clearance enable customers to load large trucks with a better pass match for faster material handling at lower cost per tonne. The 990K complements the smaller 986K and 988K aggregate handlers in the Caterpillar large wheel loader line. The aggregate handler, however, is not designed for use in
quarry face or other shot rock applications. The 990K aggregate handler is built on the proven features of the 990K wheel loader. The 990K powertrain offers plenty of “grunt”, with improved fuel efficiency. The Cat C27 engine powers the loader and delivers net power of 521kW. A lower engine speed helps drive economical fuel use. Additional fuel savings can be accrued with the ECO mode (on-demand throttle), engine-idle shutdown system, and engine-idle kickdown/auto-resume system. The Cat exclusive, fieldproven impeller clutch torque converter uses a lock-up clutch, providing direct drive to boost fuel economy, trim cycle times, and reduce heat — especially in load and haul applications. The system allows operators to balance rimpull and hydraulic power for optimum loading efficiency. The positive flow control implement hydraulics use a variable displacement, electronically-controlled pump to precisely apportion oil flow based on operator control inputs.There are a number of drivetrain options available. The integrated axle cooling and ride control options are particularly beneficial in load and haul work. The operator station features Cat’s Vital Information Management System (VIMS 3G), which provides customisable operator profiles, a cycle timer and an integral payload control system, which provides “on the go” payload weighing. The graphical information display is easy to use and keeps key information in front of the operator. The Cat Comfort III seat provides integrated seat-mounted controls for smooth, comfortable operation. Transmission controls, integral with the STIC steering lever, allow convenient travel control. The 990K is equipped with the Cat Vision rear-view camera system and an in-cab display to show the operator the area behind the loader. The Cat Detect object detection system, available as an option, builds on the camera system with radars and in-cab software that provide notification to the operator when an object is detected within the radar coverage area. The systems are designed to enhance operator awareness, especially in congested loading areas. • Source: Caterpillar of Australia
The Caterpillar 990K aggregate handler is suitable for loading trucks and stockpiling. 36
Quarry September 2019
CRUSHING
MODERN PLANT BOOSTS
OUTPUT FOR RURAL FAMILY BUSINESS A second generation aggregate producer is set to double its production capacity with the opening of a $15 million advanced fixed crushing and screening plant in Victoria’s Benalla region. Myles Hume reports.
L
ima South Quarry is a second generation Victorian business, located 200km northeast of Melbourne. Its success rests largely on the extraction, crushing and screening of its in-demand hornfels blue metal aggregates, and the supply of railway ballast in the region. The quarry first commenced commercial operation in 1998 under the ownership of Geoff and Coral Day. Their son Ashley purchased it from them in 2008 and has since overseen a significant transformation of the operation, including two extensions, taking the total extractive area to 12ha today. Under his direction, Ashley Day has also expanded the Lima South workforce from a few men to 64 employees, seeing the operation’s annual output increase by 2500 per cent in the past eight years. A third extension application is awaiting imminent approval that would double the quarry’s footprint and extend its life for another century, based on forecasted sales. Lima South Quarry boasts its own 10-truck transport fleet that is supplemented by about 20 sub-contract drivers who transport Lima South rock as far afield as Melbourne (200km), Mildura (540km), and Albury (150km). In keeping with the quarry’s aim to remain self-sufficient and efficient, Day
has also established a NATA-accredited laboratory to test grade specifications on-site, eliminating delays associated with external testing services. According to the company’s sales and account manager Brendan Tipple, Lima South’s flagship product is its highly sought after hornfels blue metal aggregates, which are predominantly used for asphalt, spray sealing, railway ballast and now concrete applications. The aggregate is said to have superior properties, including a polished stone value of 60-61 for higher skid resistance, and a Los Angeles abrasion value of eight to 10. The product is only one per cent absorbent, soaking up less bitumen, binders and cement than basalt or other aggregates.
PRE-CAST PRODUCTS In addition to its annual spray sealing contracts, Lima South’s extensive list of projects include the supply of more than 200,000 tonnes of 63mm railway ballast for the Sydney to Melbourne Ballast Rehabilitation Program, as well as the recent provision of specialty leachate aggregates for construction of a new landfill cell for the local authority Benalla Rural City. Most notably, however, Tipple said the Quarry September 2019 37
CRUSHING
company has been supplying Downer EDI’s asphalt plants in the region. In recent months it also has begun supplying its products to LS Precast, a related company of Lima South, located 35km north in Benalla. Established last year, LS Precast employs more than 300 people to produce precast elements. It has secured a major contract with the Victorian Government’s $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel project, slated for completion by the end of 2022. “So, in effect, the aggregates from here in Lima South will be in the concrete precast panels for the West Gate tunnel, bridges and overhead roads, as well as all of the precast beams,” Tipple said. “We’ve been supplying LS Precast for the past six months or so and it is beginning to ramp up.” Concurrently, Lima South is pursuing a contract to provide about 300,000 tonnes of railway ballast for the Australian Government’s $235 million North East Rail Line upgrade, which will see improvements to the entire rail line from Melbourne to Albury/ Wodonga. As such, this ever-increasing demand for Lima South products has been the catalyst for change.
ADVANCED REPLACEMENT PLANT Until now, the company had relied on significant track-mounted mobile aggregate plant. From this month (September), Lima South Quarry is set to undergo a significant operational transformation as it switches over to a new $15 million fixed crushing plant, which has been installed over two stages this year. Astec Australia and Nepean Conveyors Roxon Australia, under a unique value based partnering arrangement, have collaborated to design, supply, deliver, install and commission the new fixed plant complete. The turnkey scope of supply has included all structural, mechanical and electrical components for 20 fixed conveyors, as well as the structural steelwork for the crushers, feeders and screening equipment. For Astec Australia, it is to date the largest supply of the manufacturer’s equipment in an Australian aggregate plant and showcases its range of products. The resulting plant will double the quarry’s production capabilities, and free up the existing mobile aggregate plant for contract work that can produce between 30,000 and 40,000 tonnes per month. Initially the plant will produce 7mm, 10mm, 14mm and 20mm aggregates, and ballast, 38
Quarry September 2019
The secondary stage of the modern fixed plant comprises an Astec 8243-38LP horizontal screen (top, against the quarry face) and a Kodiak K400+ cone crusher (bottom right).
The circuit comprises nearly a dozen conveyors, including Roxon HC100 bulk material belts.
with stage two expected to deliver further varieties of crushed rock. The new operation, which runs off mains electricity, will considerably reduce the quarry’s diesel consumption, and will be easier to operate than the original mobile plant. The plant’s key features include two Astec 7.3m x 2.4m (24’ x 8’) 8243-38LP horizontal screens, the first two screens of this size sold outside of the US, and a 1250mm x 3000mm (49” x 118”) Obex pan feeder. The quarry has also invested in a 4500EVTA VSI comprising twin 223kW motors, also the largest and most powerful vertical shaft impactor that Astec has supplied in Australia. Other components include a 15m x 6m (50’ x 20’) primary feeder, secondary and tertiary Kodiak K400+ cone crushers and a third horizontal screen, which is an 8203-38LP model. Day said that “the quality of the plant,
the attention to detail and level of project management and customer engagement was beyond our expectations”. Astec Australia’s national account manager Adam Gordon said an Astec 90-tonne, tracked-mounted jaw crusher – which had been previously supplied to the quarry – has been relocated to the pit where it will now conduct in-pit primary crushing, before the material is loaded on to dump trucks and driven 300m to 400m to the new plant. On arrival, he said the rock is tipped into the dump hopper and brake control-fed into the plant. The material passes through a secondary crusher before being processed on the first of the 8243-38LP horizontal screens. From the screen, oversized material then heads for further reduction to the tertiary 298kW cone crusher, which operates in closed circuit with the second 8243-38LP
screen. Sized products are sent into various directions for further processing or sent directly to product stockpiles. “For further processing Lima South Quarry has gone a step further and introduced the 447kW VSI and that works in closed circuit with a secondary screen,” Gordon said. “Any surplus material, whether it be 14mm or 20mm aggregate or whatever, they can selectively and proportionately return it to the VSI for further reduction, which means the plant has the flexibility to make what they need to sell and is effectively made ready to order.”
The two Astec 8243-38LP screens are the first of their size to be installed outside of the US. A 8203-38LP horizontal screen rounds out the circuit.
COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP This approach, Gordon said, means if the plant generates throughput of 5000 tonnes on any given day, then almost 5000 tonnes of usable material will leave the gate the next day. “This reduces the presence of surplus stockpiles, which incrementally increase in size, and it also minimises their dead stock,” he said. The phase one installation of the Astec fixed
plant at Lima South Quarry is the culmination of a collaborative and comprehensive process between the equipment manufacturers and the quarry operator. In the coming years, as the quarry develops and extends, Gordon said Lima South planned to eliminate the need for dump trucks and had factored in the capability of extending the conveyor circuit closer to the pit.
Gordon said he had worked closely with Day, which involved visits to quarries in Tasmania, New South Wales and study trips to the US. He said Lima South had taken the components of other best practice operations and adapted them to suit its own requirements, which had resulted in an advanced version of the typical Australian crushing plant. •
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Inappropriate operator behaviour on active plant and equipment can pose safety risks
SAFETY
HEALTH, SAFETY BREACHES IN THE WORKPLACE ARE NEVER ‘TRIVIAL’ MATTERS
It might at the time seem like a ‘bit of fun’ but two recent workplace incidents highlight why employers and employees – especially in the extractive industry – should be mindful about safety. Shane Koelmeyer outlines the circumstances and why the employees were judged to be at fault.
A
ccording to the Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) most recent annual report, unfair dismissal applications are by far the most common type of application lodged with the FWC. In the 2017-18 reporting period, more than 13,000 unfair dismissal applications were lodged by employees across Australia. Clearly, unfair dismissal continues to be one of the main areas of dispute between employers and employees. The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) sets out the matters that must be considered by the FWC when determining whether a dismissal was in fact unfair. One of the most important matters for consideration is whether there was a “valid reason” for the employee’s dismissal. Over the years, case law has established that a valid reason must be sound, defensible and well founded, and should not be capricious, fanciful, spiteful or prejudiced. It is often on this question of whether there was a valid reason for dismissal that employers and employees clash. Employers may view an employee’s conduct, performance or safety breaches as extremely serious but the employee views those same things as minor infractions not warranting attention, let alone the kind that results in loss of employment.
A ‘COOL AS HELL’ PHOTO Two recent cases from the FWC highlight this kind of discrepancy in the characterisation of events. An employee at a mine site was dismissed 40
Quarry September 2019
An example of some booster charges – not recommended for ‘show and tell’ indoors.
after he posed for a photo standing on top of a piece of heavy machinery that was parked, but still running. In the photo (that was posted on Facebook) the employee was pictured standing on the machine with one foot on top of the cab while holding a large metal roof bolt in his right hand. The employer considered the employee’s actions a serious breach of its safety policies and rules, as well as conduct that was capable of causing harm to the employer’s reputation and business. Upon discovering the photo, the employer
informed the employee of the seriousness with which it was treating his conduct and asked him to show cause as to why his employment should not be terminated. The employee responded with a somewhat sarcastic email in which he said he posed for the photo because he thought “it’d just look cool as hell”. The employer subsequently terminated his employment. In determining the employee’s unfair dismissal claim, the FWC considered all the relevant policies and procedures of the
employer related to safety, including those concerning the isolation of machinery. The FWC also considered recent developments at the mine site where the main operator of the site had contacted the employer about a spate of injuries, insisting that the employer do more to prevent safety incidents. The FWC found the employer had a range of safety policies, rules and procedures in place and the employee had been trained appropriately in these. On this basis, he should have known that climbing on top of a piece of heavy machinery that was still running was a breach of the employer’s safety policies, procedures and rules. Further, the FWC accepted there were valid reasons for dismissal, in that the employee’s actions were not only risky in terms of safety, but also risked the employer’s reputation and business interests because one of its biggest partners had recently warned it about its safety record. At the hearing of the matter, the employee accepted that his conduct was out of line and was a silly thing to do, but he did not accept that he could have fallen off the machine or that his conduct amounted to a breach of the employer’s policies or procedures. The FWC commented: “These refusals, together with the contents of his response to the ‘show cause’ request demonstrate [the employee’s] lack of genuine remorse and acceptance of accountability for his conduct.” The FWC found there was nothing unfair about the employee’s termination and his application was dismissed.
DISMISSAL AT 20 PACES Everyone has different hobbies, activities or interests they want to share with their friends and colleagues at work. However, not all interests are appropriate for the workplace. In Rodger v ACT Government – Transport Canberra and City Services T/A ACTION [2018] FWC 6970, the FWC held that an employee’s conduct in bringing ornamental duelling pistols and inert booster charges in to work to show his colleagues created a risk to safety and constituted misconduct. In June 2017 the employee’s service was terminated after an investigation by his employer found that in January 2017 he brought two explosive booster charges to work and, on a previous occasion, had brought two duelling pistols to work. The employee lodged an unfair dismissal application submitting that his dismissal was unfair given his unblemished 17-year work record, and that his
A matched pair of engraved, gilded muzzle-loading percussion-lock duelling pistols from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Again, not an ideal exhibit for workplace engagement!
misconduct did not warrant dismissal. The employer argued there was a valid reason for dismissal as the employee’s conduct in bringing the items to work created a health and safety risk to employees and others in the workplace. The employer submitted that the employee’s behaviour constituted misconduct under the applicable enterprise agreement and had the potential to bring the employer into disrepute. While the employee agreed that he brought the items into work to show his colleagues, he argued the items were not active and as such were not a genuine risk to health and safety. The employee said he explained to his colleagues that the items were not active and at no time did his colleagues raise any concern about a risk to their health and safety. The employee also submitted that he brought the booster charges into work to make an effort to talk to his colleagues. Although it was in dispute whether the items were operational or not, the FWC was satisfied that by bringing the booster charges and duelling pistols in to work the employee nevertheless created a risk to health and safety. The deputy president remarked that:
While it is clear from their statements that none of the employees who saw the charges/guns felt intimidated or concerned about them being in the workplace, this is in my view due to good fortune rather than the absence of any risk to safety. Other employees may have reacted very differently in the circumstances and may have legitimately been fearful for their safety. The FWC also found that the employee’s conduct in bringing the items into work had the potential to bring the employer into disrepute. For the FWC, it was irrelevant whether the items were operational or not, as the employee had no legitimate reason to bring them into work. Accordingly, it was held that the employee’s
behaviour was misconduct, which was a valid reason for the termination of his employment. The FWC dismissed the employee’s submissions that the dismissal was unfair given his unblemished record, noting his misconduct outweighed this consideration. The FWC found the dismissal was not harsh, unjust or unreasonable and rejected the unfair dismissal application.
LESSONS FOR EMPLOYERS Employers have obligations to ensure the health and safety of all employees. This obligation requires employers to minimise or eliminate both physical and psychological risks to health and safety. This duty was recognised by the FWC in this matter where it was agreed that the employee created a risk to health and safety by bringing the booster charges and firearms into work – or, in the first case, by posing on a piece of running machinery. Employers are entitled to expect high standards of conduct from their employees. This includes expecting that employees will not act in a manner that negatively impacts on the reputation of the employer. Where an employee engages in inappropriate conduct, an employer is within its rights to treat that conduct as serious in nature, even if the employee considers it trivial or not their fault. These cases demonstrate that, even if an employee doesn’t think their conduct is grave enough to warrant dismissal, the FWC will treat serious matters seriously and valid reasons as valid, despite an employee’s characterisation to the contrary. • Shane Koelmeyer is the director of Workplace Law, based in Sydney. Email skoelmeyer@workplacelaw. com.au or visit workplacelaw.com.au
Quarry September 2019 41
2019 IQA EVENTS ACT BRANCH
NORTH QUEENSLAND BRANCH
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BRANCH
15 Nov
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
3 Sept AGM and dinner meeting, Imperial Court Restaurant 22 Nov Annual golf day, Joondalup Resort
Dinner meeting
NSW BRANCH 23 Oct Sixth Annual Quarries and Concrete Seminar
NSW ILLAWARRA SUB-BRANCH 30 Nov Races day/Christmas function (Venue TBA)
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH 8 Nov
Dinner meeting, Adelaide
QUEENSLAND BRANCH
VICTORIAN SUB-BRANCH
24 Sept 15 Nov
12 Sept 21 Nov
Breakfast meeting, Brisbane Lunch meeting, Brisbane
Dinner meeting, Ballarat Dinner meeting, Bendigo
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 47) or visit quarry.com.au
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND SUB-BRANCH 23 Oct Safety and Health Seminar, Rockhampton
PDP WORKSHOPS & EVENTS To register for the courses below and for further information, visit: quarry.com.au/Education/ProfessionalDevelopmentProgramsCalendar.aspx
EFFECTIVE RISK MANAGEMENT WPDP 2 September, 2019
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 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 conference.quarry.com.au
42
Quarry September 2019
The IQA and the quarrying industry at large recognise the importance of managing safety risks. Effective risk management processes are vital in realising significant gains in safety performance. This webinar will assist operators in ensuring their risk management processes are effective. It will consider why such processes fail, identify risk profiles, provide advice on effective risk management processes and cover some incident investigations. Participants will be given practical examples of how small-scale quarries have achieved significant safety improvement through managing risk. The webinar is recommended for managers, supervisors and key support personnel.
HAZARD AND RISK IDENTIFICATION PRINCIPLES WPDP 9 September, 2019 Hazard and risk source identification are key steps in risk management. 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.
IQM CONEX 2019 Palm Garden Hotel Malaysia 15-16 October, 2019 The theme of the Institute of Quarrying Malaysia’s (IQM) annual conference and exhibition is “Innovative Quarrying Technology – Industry 4.0”. It recognises the quantum leap into the era of Industry 4.0 (cyber-physical systems) will require the quarrying industry worldwide to stay competitive and evolve quickly through cutting-edge knowledge, skills and innovative practices. The role of Industry 4.0 in quarrying will be explored and discussed across a range of presentations, including smart equipment manufacturing, the latest trends in rock fragmentation/blasting, smart and autonomous features in transportation, and cyber-security risks and safety precautions in data management. For more information, contact the IQM secretariat, tel 60 3 8062 4194, mobile 60 12 219 7519, email nirmala@iqm.com.my or visit iqm.com.my/news&events.htm
The Institute of Quarrying Australia
FROM THE CEO
SAFETY RESET TO SHARPEN ATTENTION ON WORKERS’ HEALTH, SAFETY The Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines & Energy (DNRME) recently initiated a “safety reset” from the end of August for all mines and quarries across the state. The IQA fully supports the safety reset initiative and encourages all members to review their risk management procedures. For more information about the Queensland safety reset, visit the DNRME website: dnrme.qld.gov.au/miningresources/initiatives/safety-reset The safety reset is a crucial first step in refocusing the industry’s attention on what should be everyone’s number one priority – the health and safety of workers. This is a timely reminder of the importance of safety and the IQA can support sites with training required on a broad range of topics to improve safety outcomes. Any sites needing to update aspects of training for their staff from accredited courses to areas such as slope stability, electrical awareness or risk can contact the IQA via email: education@ quarry.com.au
With the new financial year well under way, it is important for us to keep our eyes firmly on “The Future of Quarrying” in Australia today. As such, membership to the IQA has many benefits. Primarily, Institute membership is a formal recognition of an individual’s professional achievement, development and competency. By becoming a member, career prospects may be enhanced. In the past 12 months the IQA Board has worked diligently to execute its vision of “educating and connecting our extractive industry,” with the upcoming 12-month period to 30 June, 2019 set to deliver tailored training programs, specific to the extractive industry, that are required to attain CPD accreditations and certification on many specialist topics. The IQA conference in Geelong, from 1 to 3 October, 2019, further focuses on “The Future of Quarrying” up to 2024, with several highly successful and experienced speakers talking to critical topics for 2020 and beyond. These include keynote speakers Robert Mellor (BIS Oxford Economics) and Sean Taylor
IQA NEW MEMBERS
(Komatsu Australia), whose vast experience and expertise is discussed in more detail in “The Future of Quarrying” editorial on pages 14-15. We look forward to seeing you at the IQA conference in Geelong next month. To register for the conference, visit conference.quarry.com.au To renew your membership or join the IQA, visit quarry.com.au KYLIE FAHEY Chief Executive Officer Institute of Quarrying Australia
IQA BRANCH CONTACTS BRANCH
ACT
Peter Hewson: 0429 001 476
Boris Jurak
VIC
NSW
Gemma Thursfield: 0402 431 090
Colin Somerton
VIC
Northern Gemma Thursfield: 0402 431 090
Peter Addison
VIC
Hunter Gemma Thursfield: 0402 431 090
Reece Naylor
NQLD
Member
Alison Young
NSW
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Member
David William Saville
NSW
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Member
David George Gregson
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Member
Adam Wilkinson
VIC
GRADE
NAME
WA
Associate
Andrew William Troughton NSW
Associate
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Associate
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Fellow
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Andrew Johnstone Ben Smith
GRADE
NAME
BRANCH
Associate
Amanda Love
Associate Associate
Brendan Green
Associate
Daniel William Cleary
Associate
Chris John Bannister
Associate Associate Associate
Cameron Mansell
Associate
Emma Jayne Darling
Associate
Michael Griffin
Associate
Allan Walton
Associate
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
VIC
Member
Andrew Hauser
VIC
Gladstone Jennifer Milward: 0419 782 688
QLD
Member
Sean Lynch
VIC
Townsville Jennifer Milward: 0419 782 688
VIC
Member
Ziggy Gregory
WA
Cairns
Warrick Prowse
NSW
Member
Stephen McNair
VIC
Associate
Paul Mitchell
NSW
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SA
Darren Bass
QLD
Associate
David Camilleri
VIC
Member
Luke Tavener
QLD
Associate
Michael Willmott
VIC
Member
Jason Barrett
VIC
T/Member
Mark Provost
QLD
Associate
Jonathan Kristopher Milligan QLD
Associate
Corrie Beythien
SA
Chris Wilson: 0438 134 752 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
Quarry September 2019 43
IQA NEWS from a number of technical presentations on native vegetation, progressive rehabilitation, blasting technology and ways to reduce energy costs.
For more information, contact the seminar secretariat, tel 0419 782 688 or email qldadmin@quarry.com.au
“These IQA events are important to encourage people to connect, network with industry leaders and ultimately to develop themselves in their careers,” Bellman said.
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND SUB-BRANCH NEWS
By Kylie Fahey
The South Australian WIQ hosted its third annual conference at Adelaide Pavilion in July.
NEW SOUTH WALES BRANCH NEWS Registrations are now available for the Sixth Annual Quarries & Concrete Safety Seminar, which will be held at Rydges Campbelltown on Wednesday, 23 October. The seminar, featuring a full day program of expert and industry speakers, is co-hosted by the CCAA and the IQA.
Michelle Connelly and Annie Harvey enjoy the opportunity for networking.
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH NEWS The IQA held its third Women in Quarrying (WIQ) conference in South Australia, at the Adelaide Pavilion on 12 July. The conference attracted more than 90 delegates from a number of quarries, suppliers and the SA Department for Energy & Mining (DEM). “The WIQ initiative promotes networking among members of the quarrying industry and encourages and creates opportunities for personal and professional development,” WIQ SA co-ordinator Sarah Bellman said. “The conference saw a number of delegates attending their first conference and welcomed attendance from diverse sectors of the industry which provided the opportunity for anyone in the industry to connect, network and share experiences. “We are seeing through conferences like this the industry is creating new ways to encourage conversations on diversity and inclusivity. These are conversations that ultimately improve our workforce capability.” The conference had a strong focus on leadership, with keynote presentations from Alex Blood (the executive director of Mineral Resources Division, DEM), Mary Thompson (managing director of McLeod Rail) and Dayle Stevens (the general manager for technology at AGL Energy). Delegates also had the opportunity to learn 44
Quarry September 2019
Dr Sean Brady, a forensic structural engineer who specialises in identifying the cause of defects and failures in construction and engineering, is the keynote speaker. Dr Brady is currently undertaking a review into mining and quarrying incidents in Queensland. His presentation will examine how the automation of industry systems, whether by computers or by robots, can have very unexpected, comical or even destructive effects. The seminar theme is “Understanding and managing critical risk” and will include sessions covering: • Critical control management in the quarry industry. • The use of drone technology to collect and process aerial observational data. • Case studies from Boral Construction Materials and Hitachi Construction Machinery. • Respirable crystalline silica. • The NSW Regulator’s report on competencies. • The IQA’s report on professional development and training. • Mental health, a panel discussion facilitated by Scott Tipping (Hanson). The seminar is sponsored by the New South Wales Government (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment – NSW Resources Regulator). Hitachi Construction Machinery is the gold sponsor of the seminar. A trade exhibition will be held in conjunction with the seminar. At the time of printing, trade exhibit sites and sponsorship packages are still available. To register for the seminar, visit the IQA website: quarry.com.au/IQA/events
The Central Queensland sub-branch hosted its annual golf day on 19 July. About 43 players enjoyed a day on the green at the Rockhampton Golf Club. The golf day sponsors were Orica, REO Heavy Equipment Repairs, Inline Drilling (Qld), Komatsu, The Caves Quarry, UKW Spares and The Achieve Group. The sub-branch’s next meeting will be a safety and health seminar in Rockhampton on 23 October.
Central Queensland sub-branch chairman Darren Wardle thanks golf day sponsors The Achieve Group (left) and Inline Drilling for their support.
NORTH QUEENSLAND BRANCH NEWS The Cairns sub-branch of the North Queensland branch hosted its annual golf day in Cairns on 26 July. The event was well attended by local members and well supported by sponsors which included NQ Equipment, TUFF Tyres, Pioneer North Queensland (PNQ), Apex Drill & Blast, UKW Spares, King Bars, Brown & Hurley, Construction Sciences, RPS Group, Hitachi Construction Machinery, BSC Bearing & Power Transmission, Orica, Hastings Deering, Cobbe Contracting, Komatsu and Impact Drill & Blast. The winning teams on the day were Team Moody Kiddell & Partners (first place), Team 1 PNQ (second place), Team 1 Orica (third place). Hitachi & Applied IT finished as the NAGA/last place. The branch’s next meeting will be its annual golf day in Townsville on 13 September, followed by further technical and dinner meetings in Townsville on 8 October and Cairns on 30 October. By Jennifer Milward
THEN & NOW
KEN MAWSON: A RARE
TALENT BEYOND ROCKS AND NUMBERS Ken Mawson, one of the industry’s oldest and most esteemed leaders, has passed away peacefully, aged 97, after a long, healthy and productive life. John Mawson reports.
K
en was born in Cohuna, the oldest of EB (Barney) and Annie Mawson’s five children. Growing up in a small country town at the edge of the Redgum Forest and irrigated dairy farms along the Murray River, Ken enjoyed what he described as a “lucky” childhood. The Great Depression had engulfed Australia and times were difficult but the Mawson family was frugal and resourceful, making ends meet through Barney’s hard work and business acumen. Eventually prosperity returned to the Australian community. Ken, having successfully completed all the schooling Cohuna could offer, was enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at the local butter factory. Ken excelled at school in Cohuna and had a great thirst for knowledge which his aunt Rehna, Annie’s sister, recognised. Rehna’s son was the same age as Ken and she offered Ken the opportunity to join them in Melbourne and continue his education. Attending Box Hill and Melbourne high schools and Burnley College, Ken thrived on the opportunity his extended family provided. After school, he went to Melbourne Teachers’ College and earned a scholarship to the University of Melbourne, where he studied commerce. Following university and after being rejected from military service because of his “poor skin”, Ken took up a teaching position at Melbourne High School. During one of his regular visits home after the war, Ken saw that his father’s employees were earning more driving trucks than he was as a teacher. The lure of the country was strong and the opportunity was great so Ken made the move back to Cohuna. In 1947, Ken married Olive Stanton. Olive, a talented musician and teacher, grew up in Rutherglen and had met Ken at teachers’ college. They formed a strong team and were very happily married for 72 years until Ken’s passing. Upon his return to Cohuna, Ken started work with his father and brother Bernie driving trucks and building timber bridges. The civil construction, cartage, woodcutting and farming business Barney had begun with
Ken Mawson (left) and his brother Bernie (right) presented Jack Price (centre), a contemporary of their father Barney, with a souvenir clock in 2000.
From left to right: Ken Mawson and brothers Lloyd and Bernie cut the Mawsons’ centenary cake in 2012.
his father and brother about 35 years earlier was sound and steadily expanding. Ken recognised that for the company to grow and prosper, more structure and sophistication was needed for the enterprise. And so it was that Ken’s formal commerce training came to the fore, as he began his career as a modern manager at a little desk in the corner of his parents’ dining room at 139 King George Street, Cohuna. Laying the administrative foundations that facilitated Mawsons’ orderly growth and efficient management, Ken, along with Barney, Bernie and younger brother Lloyd (who joined the company in 1955), formed EB Mawson & Sons in 1960. By then the need for quarry products to provide material for civil construction and work for the Mawson tip trucks had been well recognised and the new company was operating four quarries and several sand pits. Ken’s experience overseeing these businesses enabled him to develop a full, intimate understanding of hard rock, gravel and sand operations. That expertise placed him in an excellent position to guide others and lead the Australian division of the Institute of Quarrying in years to come. Life for Ken was not all crushed rock and numbers though; he was a devoted father, keen sportsman and a proud community leader. Ken was president of the Cohuna
Tennis Club, an elder of the Uniting Church, a founder of the Cohuna Chaplaincy Foundation and served on the Cohuna and District Hospital Management Board for more than 30 years. He was head of the Masonic Lodge in Victoria and the Australian and International President of the Institute of Quarrying (from 1989 to 1990). Ken served for many years on the Victorian Government’s Extractive Industries Advisory Board and as a trustee for the Institute of Quarrying Education Foundation. The Kennett Government also appointed him a commissioner for the newly-formed Gannawarra Shire. In 2006 his exceptional service to the community and the quarrying industry was recognised with an Order of Australia Medal. In 2007, after 61 years of diligent, selfless, hard work, Ken sold his share of EB Mawson & Sons to Adelaide Brighton. Ken and Olive moved to a peaceful retirement in Torquay and, while he remained vitally interested in the continued progress of the Mawson business, he relished the time he spent with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren by the sea. • John Mawson is the managing director of Mawsons Concrete & Quarries, Cohuna, Victoria.
Quarry September 2019 45
GEOLOGY TALK
SO, WHAT’S IN YOUR SMARTPHONE? ELEMENT (GRAMS)
PRIMARY USES
Aluminium (31.14g)
Case
Silicon (8.14g)
Glass screen
Copper (7.84g)
Electrical conductor
Cobalt (6.59g)
Rechargeable batteries
Chrome (4.94g)
Rechargeable batteries
Nickel (2.72g)
Electrical connections, capacitors and batteries
Lithium (0.87g)
Rechargeable batteries
Tin (0.66g)
Solder for electrical connections
Magnesium (0.65g)
Alloy with aluminium
Tungsten (0.02g)
Heat sink and the mass for phone vibration
Gallium (Ga) (0.01g)
GaAs (gallium combined with arsenic) is used to make light-emitting diodes (LED)
Arsenic (As) (0.01g) Gold (0.014g)
Circuit board
For every 0.014g of gold in a smartphone, the amount of high grade ore needed is about 1.6kg.
Table 1. Twelve typical elements in a smartphone.
‘Honey, I’ll put you on hold!’ Bill Langer takes a moment away from his ‘mineral-laden’ smartphone to explain how many fractions of minerals are present in the average unit and contribute to its functions …
of sand. The amount of high grade ore needed to obtain that amount of gold is about 1.6 kilograms. For lower grade ore the sample might be twice that size. Of course, mining other elements can be much more efficient. For example, silica sand is used to make the screen of a smartphone. Most commercially worked silica sand deposits are at least 90 per cent pure, and very little of the material is lost during processing. So the tablespoon (15cm3 or so) of silica sand used in a smartphone might require mining a heaping tablespoon of sand. Add to those two samples all the other types of ore that have to be mined to get the remaining 73 elements and you have a pile of rock that weighs somewhere around 34kg – just to make one 130g cell phone! I gotta go! Pam just sent me a text message on my mineral-laden smartphone! •
B
ack in the mid-1980s my wife Pam and I were working with a realtor to look at houses. The fellow had a newfangled device called a mobile phone. It was about the size of a shoebox, and had a handset like that on a traditional household phone of the time (if you can remember what that looked like). We were really impressed that he could call the office from his car. Since that time mobile phones have evolved from simple communication devices into multi-function smartphones. As the phones became more complex, the list of elements needed to create them grew. There were about 25 to 30 elements that went into the 1980s device. Today about 75 different elements (almost threequarters of the periodic table) are needed to meet all the special functions of our smartphones. Twelve of the elements in a smartphone, the amount of the element in the phone and
46
Quarry September 2019
their primary uses are shown in Table 1. These elements are refined from minerals extracted all across the globe. You might wonder how much material is mined to make one smartphone. Let’s start by looking at how much gold ore is mined to produce the 0.014 grams of gold used in a smartphone. For this exercise we will assume that a mine is capable of producing high grade ore, which is about eight to 10 grams of gold per tonne of ore (eight to 10 parts per million), and that the recovery of gold from processing the ore is 90 per cent. First, there is no such thing as an average gold mine or average “any type of mine”. Similarly, the amount of gold or other metal recovered during processing also varies depending on the type of ore and the method of processing. So, the values I give above are very generalised. The 0.014 grams of gold used in a smartphone is about the size of a grain
Bill Langer is a consultant geologist. Email bill_langer@hotmail.com or visit researchgeologist.com
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