Australian Mining March 2016

PILBARA SPOTLIGHT MATERIALS HANDLING VOLUME 108/2 | MARCH 2016

MAINTENANCE

BATTLING BLAST FUMES

CUTTING NOXIOUS AND DANGEROUS FUMES ON SITE

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COMMENT

ROCK BOTTOM OR REVIVAL? HAS MINING FINALLY HIT THE BOTTOM, AS IT SEES A LATE RESURGENCE DESPITE ONGOING COMMODITY WEAKNESS?

COLE LATIMER

ozmining@cirrusmedia.com.au

T

he majors are all posting losses, cutting dividends, and having their credit ratings cut, suffering in a sharp downturn from record highs that have placed many miners in an unassailable financial position.

We’ve seen the closure of essentially all the manganese operators in Australia, apart from GEMCO; juniors collapse, and nickel struggling to survive in this country.

It’s a wholesale slaughter for much of the mining industry, and thousands are losing their jobs.

And many analysts are stating that this isn’t even the bottom of the downturn, and things are likely to continue to get worse before they get better, with ‘little light on the horizon’.

Moody’s Investor Service has indicated it is looking at ratings downgrades for 175 mining and energy companies around the world.

“We believe that the current severe downturn in the mining industry represents a fundamental shift in the operating environment and that, as a consequence, a wholesale recalibration of ratings is required,” Moody’s said in a recent sector comment.

“Stress on companies in the metals and mining industry could surpass what we saw during the 2008/2009 period.”

But it isn’t just the ‘outsiders’ who have a pessimistic view.

The heads of major miners also expect the downturn to get worse before it improves, as the industry begins tearing through existing cash reserves.

Anglo American head Mark Cutifani and current Vedanta Resources CEO – and former Rio Tinto chief – Tom Albanese are both pointing to more turmoil for the mining industry in the coming months.

“This is exactly where we were in the late 1990s,” Albanese said at last month’s African Mining Indaba.

“We’re all quite hesitant to say to say the bottom is here and has turned.”

Cutifani gave a similar outlook, talking of ‘grim’ markets and more job losses ahead for the industry at a mining industry event earlier this week.

“Things may still get worse before they get better,” Cutifani said.

“We can’t rely on a reversal of this price slump any time soon. For many of us in the industry, 2016 is already shaping up to be the most challenging yet.”

He went on to state that no miner has been untouched by the downturn.

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER MARTIN SINCLAIR Email: martin.sinclair@primecreative.com.au EDITOR COLE LATIMER Tel: (02) 8484 0652 Email: ozmining@primecreative.com.au JOURNALISTS BRENT BALINSKI Tel: (02) 8484 0680 Email: brent.balinski@primecreative.com.au BEN HAGEMANN Tel: (02) 8484 0884 Email: ben.hagemann@primecreative.com.au

So what can the industry to make it through this bitter slump?

The best advice would be to ignore the market, ignore the analysts, and focus on what they do best – mining.

“The survivors were the ones that enjoyed the benefit when China kicked in starting in 2003.

Those who can manage their balance sheets the best in this period of time, manage their assets the best, stay opportunistic. We could be OK,” Albanese said.

“We’re putting all our efforts into basically meeting our debt requirements, refinancing where necessary and again recognising the balance sheets are king.”

And herein lies a problem, as many miners are burning through what little cash reserves they have remaining.

A study by Banc De Binary outlined how ongoing weakness both in demand and commodity prices has seen miners turn to their existing cash reserves to prop up their operations.

Mining companies are starting to burn through their cash reserves as demand for commodities falls further, especially from the vital Chinese market,” Oren Laurent, founder of Banc De Binary, said.

“As a result of the global turndown in the price of several key resources over the last year, many mining companies are having to reduce their cash piles and add to debt in order to maintain investment or pay dividends.

“Mining companies are being forced to explore all options to arrest their use of cash reserves.”

There’s going to be a lot of pain, and very little gain, for the industry for a while now. All it can hope to do is bunker down, work hard, and try to outlast the storm.

Albanese explained it best: “Our peers in the sector are doing exactly the same thing. The businesses are just hunkering down and getting that done. Those businesses that are best at it will be best recovering.”

Focusing on where they can make the difference – better mining, better technology, and smarter collaborations – is what will ensure they can outlast and survive, because a revival isn’t near and we’ve yet to reach rock bottom.

PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR ZIBA MAHABAT Tel: (02) 8484 0625 Email: ziba.mahabat@primecreative.com.au SALES MANAGER JONATHAN DUCKETT Tel: (02) 8484 0866 Mob: 0498 091 027 Email: jonathan.duckett@primecreative.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGNER LOUIS SANTOS SUBSCRIPTION RATES Australia (surface mail) $140.00 (incl GST) New Zealand A$148.00 Overseas A$156.00 READER SERVICES 1300 360 126

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FRONT COVER

On the front cover of this edition we’ve focused on blasting, and the latest technology designed to overcome that perennial blasting issue – potential nitrous dioxide, with new technology and developments aimed at eliminating this problem. We’ve also looked at conveyor repair techniques, new drills, a unique joint venture between one miner and a bio-waste disposal company, and part two of Australian Mining’s behind the scenes visit to a dragline wire rope factory in the US.

Average Net Distribution Period ending September 2015 7,827 PRINTED BY MANARK PRINTING 28 Dingley Ave Dandenong VIC 3175 Ph: (03) 9794 8337 Published 12 issues a year

CONTENTS

IN FOCUS

PILBARA SPOTLIGHT

10-11

RAMPING UP ROY HILL Implementing supply chain electrical infrastructure

20-21

FROM IRON TO DRAGLINE: PART 2 A new twist on a dragline steel rope manufacturer

ON SITE

12

REDEVELOPING OUR HISTORY Australian Mining goes on site to Heron Resources’ prospective operation

MATERIALS HANDLING

14

MORE THAN A QUICK FIX Cutting conveyor downtimes

MAINTENANCE

22

DRILL, BLAST & GEOMECHANICS

16

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR Fighting noxious fumes

BEARING DOWN ON DOWNTIMES Battling bearing fatigue and predictive maintenance

RELIABLE ROD HANDLING Cat’s latest drills TIGHTER DRILLING, HIGHER RETURNS Tight radial drilling and fracking

DIAMONDS

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18

PICKING A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH New machinery lifting diamond processing

REGULARS

INDUSTRIAL COMMENT

6

NEWS

8

PRODUCT SHOWCASE AUSTRALIANMINING

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26-27 MARCH 2016

PROSPECT AWARDS

28

EVENTS

30

INDUSTRY COMMENT

CYBER SECURITY

AND MINING IN THE AGE OF AUTOMATION AS MORE MINING OPERATIONS BECOME COMPUTERISED, WHAT ARE THE NEW RISKS ARISING? WATCHGUARD TECHNOLOGIES DAVID HIGGINS WRITES*.

A

utomation in mining has proved to be an attractive proposition for the industry given its potential benefits.

With this new trend comes a cautionary tale of the limits and risks behind new and existing technologies, notably in regards to Cyber Security.

In a little more detail, the role that Cyber Security has to play within mining automation could be protecting confidential or valuable information or restricting access to mechanical systems among many other elements of an operation that require strict control and management.

Automated systems that are compromised pose a safety and security risk to both the human and logistics of mining organisations. Automation also demands the use of technology to streamline operations and deliver efficient results.

Technology in automation relies on computers. Computers are everywhere and inside most of the things we use on a day-to-day basis. As we network these computers, we create additional paths of access that were previously unavailable to cyber criminals. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of devices, electronics, software and other objects such as fridges, TVs and even mining equipment. Many of these computers lack the processing power to contribute

to larger attack networks and some pose a risk in other ways such as providing a loophole into stronger segments of a network or simply being taken offline. Other networked equipment or systems place a more crucial role and must be protected to avoid catastrophe. Specifically in mining, robots and other tools have the potential for physical damage or operation downtime. Without taking precautions against unwanted intruders into a network, an organisation is leaving its doors open enough to allow for problems that could have been avoided.

It is evident that cyber-crime is affecting the mining industry. Malicious network security events are growing in number as they prove to be effective business models for attackers. Mining executives have increased awareness of the benefits of establishing security infrastructure best practices as well as educating internal teams to minimise vulnerabilities and the risk of being breached. That being said, this awareness is still developing to a point of industrywide understanding and willingness or ability to take action.

The Australian Government is in the process of reviewing mandatory data breach disclosure laws as similar laws have already been established in other countries such as the United States due to major breaches of customer or confidenAUSTRALIANMINING

tial information and systems. We’re also starting to see attacks on utilities with the recent hacking of Ukraine’s power plant resulting in major power blackout for several hours. Mandatory data breach disclosure laws in Australia will require additional efforts from all organisations to improve the security of their information as well as their ability to monitor and report on the flow of information both internally and externally.

It is recommended that organisations establish a layered approach to security to mitigate the risk of being affected cyber-attacks. This requires the use of several highly effective security systems working cooperatively to stop threats at different stages of an attack. Some threats are sophisticated enough to bypass general security systems such as Anti-Virus, Intrusion Prevention or Anti-spam before being detected and quarantined by additional systems such as an Advanced Malware Detection provider. Alternatively, they may be able to bypass several security systems before being detected and managed by another part of an organisation’s defences. This is often referred to as the “Cyber Security Kill Chain”.

Other examples of potential threats may be an email from a trusted employee such as a Vice President sent to an employee requesting critical or sensitive data. This is labelled as being a Spear-Phishing at-

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tack that directly targets individuals to gain access to an internal system, or larger organisation through a trusted supplier.

Without training for scrutiny and awareness, most employees are vulnerable to these socially sophisticated attacks and can cost organisations considerable amounts of resources to resolve issues arising from a breach.

Additionally, a key element in effectively managing network security is visibility of activity on a network. To do this, detailed network monitoring tools are an essential part of implementing layered security solutions and managing network issues.

Some mining operations do not have the scale and resources to justify significant spend on an IT department and several appliances or services to provide effective layered security. Small and midsized organisations are now the preferred targets for cyber criminals given that they are easier targets than larger organisations. As a result, it is recommended that these organisations utilise a single Unified Threat Management appliance that leverages several top-performing security suppliers to minimise cost and management requirements, whilst delivering enterprise level security protection.

David Higgins is the regional director, ANZ, for WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. an integrated, multi-function business security solutions company.

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NEWS

SENATE TO INVESTIGATE BLACK LUNG RESURGENCE THE RE-EMERGENCE OF BLACK LUNG AMONGST QUEENSLAND COAL MINERS HAS LAUNCHED A SENATE INVESTIGATION INTO THE ISSUE. Over the last six months five cases of black lung have been reported amongst Queensland miners, with the CMFEU unveiling a list of another 40 people who either could have Black Lung or had already died of it.

CFMEU industry health and safety representative Jason Hill said he believed coal mines had been exceeding the mandated dust levels for a long time, and that the “system” had let miners down.

Each of the five miners diagnosed to date had worked at least one mine out of the Oaky Creek, Grasstree or Carborough coal mines.

The most recent case was an unnamed Middlemount man who had been working underground since the 1970s, who was di-

agnosed with the symptoms of black lung

by Dr Robert Cohen, an expert in the field of coal worker’s lung diseases.

Now a Senate committee will be launched

RIO RELEASES LATEST RESULTS, CUTS PROGRESSIVE DIVIDEND Rio Tinto has reported a massive 51 per cent dropping in full year profit, and an $866 million net loss.

The miner’s underlying earnings fell from US$9.305 billion to US$4.540 billion year on year, while net cash generated dropped by a third from US$14.286 billion to US$9.383 billion.

It has also dropped its progressive dividend.

“With the continuing uncertain market outlook, the board believes that maintaining the current progressive dividend policy would constrain the business and act against shareholders’

into the re-emergence of this disease.

Head of the Senate committee on health, Deborah O’Neill, announced two hearings to take place in May looking into the detection and treatment of the affliction.

“The committee will examine issues around the detection of the illness and treatment for sufferers (and) whether reduced federal government hospital and health funding has affected the ability for the public health system to respond to the re-emergence of this disease,” O’Neill said.

“There are a number of worrying factors to this outbreak, with reports of one case in NSW, and rising concern among mining communities and health professionals in Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.”

long-term interests,” Rio Tinto chairman Jan du Plessis said.

“We are replacing the progressive dividend policy with a more flexible approach that will allow the distribution of returns to reflect better the company’s position and outlook.”

Walsh blamed market weakness for the poor results, with “continued deterioration in the macro-environment [generating] market uncertainty”.

Rio Tinto sees little respite for the year, stating that “China’s high debt levels are expected to constraining the central government’s ability to broaden its stimulus policies, limiting the scope for meaningful investment in 2016”.

“The macro-economic consensus points to a moderate improvement in global growth in 2016.”

AUSTRALIAN MINING GETS THE LATEST NEWS EVERY DAY, PROVIDING MINING PROFESSIONALS WITH THE UP TO THE MINUTE INFORMATION ON SAFETY, NEWS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MINING AND RESOURCES INDUSTRY.

EDI BENEFITS 84 COMPANIES The Federal Exploration Development Incentive (EDI) has seen broad industry coverage in the first year, with $70 million spend on greenfields exploration to the benefit of company shareholders.

The $100 million EDI fund attracted 84 applications from small exploration companies with no taxable income, with an expected flow-down of $21 million in credits to their shareholders.

Resources minister Josh Frydenberg said: “Throughout this period of lower commodity prices, the Government remains

focused on implementing the initiatives and working with industry to ensure Australia’s resources sector remains strong going forward”.

Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) chief executive officer Simon Bennison the benefits would flow on to thousands of Australian shareholders.

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PILBARA SPOTLIGHT

RAMPING UP ROY HILL

AS THE RESOURCES INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO BE HIT BY A WEAKENED IRON ORE PRICE, MINERS ARE TURNING TO WAYS THEY CAN CUT COSTS, RAISE EFFICIENCY, AND BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE.

“

Commodity prices are getting weaker as uncertainty increases and demand slows,” Schneider Electric global Mining, Metals and Minerals segment operations management centre of expertise senior manager Greg Johnson told Australian Mining.

“We’re seeing a swing now to operational efficiency [from the days of more and more tonnages],” he explained, as little can be done about commodity

prices, but we can control cost.”

Energy and power has been one of these key focuses.

“We’re seeing a doubling down on efficiency…especially in energy and water and cost implementations around this.”

This focus on energy, and the implementation issues surrounding it is compounded for the major miners who operate in remote areas as they face the addition hurdle of ensuring constant, reliable power.

This becomes particularly difficult for

projects, such as the Roy Hill iron ore mine, which operate in harsh environments such as the Pilbara, and the strict environmental, safety, and cyclone parameters operating in regions like these require.

The Roy Hill project is a 55 million tonne per annum, and one the largest iron ore operations in Australia.

It has more than 2.3 billion tonnes of iron ore resources, and is ramping up to its full production levels of approximately 350 million tonnes per annum.

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At this operation Schneider Electric was brought in by overall site contractor Samsung C&T to deliver an integrated solution for Roy Hill’s port and wharf facility that provided reliable power within timeline constraints within Roy Hill’s stringent strictures as well as compliance with Australian standards.

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PILBARA SPOTLIGHT

It worked closely with Samsung C&T to develop the offering, covering the fabrication, delivery, and installation of 14 switchrooms and the distribution, variable speed drives, uninterruptible power supplies, DC battery charges and cooling equipment, transformers, distribution boards, and power management systems which will power all facilities at the port and wharf facility.

Within the switchrooms it installed variable GHA 33kV HV, PIX 6.6kV MV, and 400V Okken LV switchboards; 6.6kV MV variable speed drives; Uniflair HVAC ; LV power distribution boards; transformers; and a total power management system.

In addition to the electrical distribution solution, Schneider Electric has also supplied support directly to the Roy Hill iron ore operation for the demand chain planning of the project.

“The high throughput projection and linear nature of the Roy Hill demand chain – a single mine, process plant, rail track, car dumper and shiploader operating out of a tidal and capacity constrained port – requires Roy Hill to be able to optimise their operation from resource through to market,” Schneider Electric explained.

“In order to achieve this Demand Chain Planning and Scheduling Software was required.

“This allows all operations to be completely integrated and underpinned by world-class optimisation technology,” the company said.

“Schneider Electric’s StruxureWare Supply Chain Operation Advanced Planning & Scheudling (APS) software addresses the demand planning and scheduling complexities inherent at Roy Hill.

“While the demand chain model is configured for future steady state production planning and scheduling, it also includes simulation analysis that allows Roy Hill

to test sensitivities around demand chain performance prior to capital investment.”

According to Schneider, since working together on this project it has formed a global partnership with Samsung C&T to continue working on similar projects.

“This partnership will help to bring connectivity, sustainability, reliability, and safety to other projects around the world,” Schneider Electric said. AM

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ON SITE

REDEVELOPING OUR HISTORY HISTORICAL MINES CAN PROVE TO BE VALUABLE ASSETS WITH THE RIGHT INVESTMENT IN EXPLORATIONS; HERON RESOURCES IS GAINING ON A PROFITABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE OLD WOODLAWN MINE IN NSW.

I

t can be very hard to pick out the good news in the current mining climate in Australia, but thankfully we have companies like Heron Resources putting good legwork into developments during the downturn to ensure we have some new successes at the other end of the cycle.

Heron Resources is currently carrying on development of the old Woodlawn mine near Goulburn NSW, a copper/zinc/ gold/silver play that has attracted a great deal of attention from analysts looking for some light at the end of the tunnel.

Exploration at the Woodlawn site has uncovered the ever increasing extent of a profitable geology, alongside a unique and fascinating co-operative sustainability operation with global waste disposal contractor Veolia.

The company recently completed its feasibility study drilling program at the Woodlawn mine, with several high grade lens intercepts resulting in buy recommendations from analysts.

Apart from significant samples revealing gold levels of up to 47.2g per tonne, and 58.7 per cent zinc from a three metre interval, review of the downhole electromagnetic (DHEM) models for the Kate Lens extension position revealed the presence of a significant conductor with dimensions in order of 150m long and 200m deep.

Importantly, a single drill hole in the southern part of this plate intersected some 16m of disseminated, banded and semi-massive pyrite and minor chalcopyrite which was associated with moderate

WOODLAWN’S OLD PIT IS THE RESTING PLACE OF MUCH OF SYDNEY’S PUTRESCIBLE DOMESTIC WASTE, BURIED UNDERGROUND AND TAPPED BY VEOLIA FOR METHANE FUEL FOR THEIR ON-SITE BIOREACTOR. IMAGE: GOULBURN POST.

to strong silica, chlorite and sericite alteration, indicating proximity to potentially significant mineralisation.

Managing director Wayne Taylor said the drilling results provide further encouragement for finding the depth extension to the Kate Lens adjacent to this intercept.

“The hole is scheduled for DHEM surveying to better target the next round of drilling,” Taylor said.

“There remain a number of identified DHEM targets that are still to be drill tested within the immediate Woodlawn mineral system. This includes to the north of the WNDD0053 intercept in the Kate Lens, and below the previously mined C Lens. These are high priority targets for the next phase of drilling.”

The Woodlawn mine is part of a fascinating sustainability Eco-Precinct operated by Veolia Environmental Services, where a large portion of Sydney’s domestic refuse (around 500,000 tonnes annually) is buried in the old Woodlawn

pit where it is tapped in a methane gas drainage project.

The precinct also includes a bioreactor which uses the methane, wind farm, agriculture, as well as a barramundi farming operation which utilises waste heat from the energy generation process and hydroponics to remove excess nutrients.

In addition Veolia also runs the Woodlawn Mechanical and Biological Treatment (MBT) facility, which takes organic content from their mixed waste stream to convert into compost, which is then used for mine rehabilitation at the site.

Heron Resources managing director Wayne Taylor said the prospective mining operations would have no impact on the Eco-Precinct, demonstrating a kind of synergy between the companies and their business concerns on the same site.

“We would definitely expect to see this [relationship] continue as there is physical separation between the pit landfill activities and underground,” he said.

“There is a network of collection pipes within the landfill that provide the pathways for the gas to be removed as it is generated (also methane is lighter than air so there is a natural tendency to rise away from the underground).”

With the Phase 2 drilling campaign at Woodlawn now finished, Taylor said resource re-calculation and metallurgical testwork programs were all progressing well.

“We see ourselves delivering the feasibility results as anticipated late in the second quarter of 2016,” he said.

Taylor said the main thing to watch for on the horizon is the strengthening of the zinc market into the second half of 2016, which should bring greater investor attention to the sector.

“Woodlawn’s post feasibility study and funding for mine, combined with the benefits of the established infrastructure at the site, project approvals and permits and community support will facilitate a rapid progression to production,” he said. AM

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MATERIALS HANDLING

MORE THAN A QUICK FIX CONVEYOR BELTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART AND PARAMOUNT TO THE OPERATION OF ANY PLANT IN THE MINING INDUSTRY.

T

hey are even taking a major role in the next stages of the industry, as automation becomes more prevalent and many miners look to move to truckless operations in a bid to boost efficiency.

However, due to the abrasive nature of the materials transported, conveyor systems are constantly exposed to heavy wear and impact damage.

Sharp stone edges and other abrasive media gradually cut off rubber parts, causing wear and premature failure to its components.

If these issues are not addressed as soon as possible, small rips or tears can grow into a massive problem, and eventually, the entire belt may completely fail, requiring extensive repair or even replacement, all for the sake of minimal preventative or reactive maintenance before a catastrophic failure is imminent.

These broken conveyor belts, and associated unscheduled downtimes, in production environments can lead to significant production and financial losses.

The working environment of the conveyor belt in these challenging industries requires tough, durable repairs able to withstand the abrasion and impact attack.

Some repair methods can be time consuming as well as requiring special equipment and hot work. Alternatively, the belt could be replaced but this is an expensive alternative that also increases downtime.

Common methods for conveyor belt repair

During the vulcanisation process, several factors must be taken into account to ensure an appropriate repair.

As a vulcanised repair must be performed by a skilled and trained professional, it often requires time for a specialised vulcanising crew and equipment to be brought on site, which can require long shutdowns.

The time required for the procedure itself must be taken into account as the cooling phase can take several hours to reach the cooling limit temperature.

The process needs specific conditions regarding temperature, compression and dwell time of the equipment, in addition to a moisture free work area, which can be difficult to achieve in certain circumstances.

The condition of the belt would also affects the efficiency of the repair.

For instance, an old, dirty or unevenly worn belt will not always cure uniformly, which can often result in a weaker bond and can cause the repair to fail.

The equipment is bulky and maybe difficult to install on site. It is also not practical on longitudinal repairs.

Mechanical fasteners

Mechanical fasteners are formed by using special components manufactured from steel.

The speed and simplicity of installation and repair presents major advantages over the vulcanisation process.

Depending on belt width and thickness, most metallic clips can be installed

CONVEYORS ARE THE ARTERIES OF THE MINE

There are three main methods available for conveyor belt repair – hot vulcanisation, mechanical fasteners and cold bond resins.

Hot vulcanisation

Vulcanisation is a chemical process which consists of forming cross-links between individual polymer molecules by treating the rubber with heat and pressure.

The rubber is compressed between two metal plates, resulting in a strong chemical bond.

By using vulcanisation, damaged or lost sections of the belt can be replaced without excessively affecting the belt strength.

The repair of the belt is carried out on a trimmed, cleaned, and localised area.

If the belt damage is large, more than 25% of the belt width, vulcanised splicing would be the preferable repair method.

Vulcanisation offers a strong, long-lasting repair with minimal risk of snagging, tearing and other wear to the belt.

EFFECTIVE MAINTENANCE OF CONVEYORS CUTS DOWNTIMES

AUSTRALIANMINING

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MARCH 2016

Keep it Safe, Keep it Clean When conveyors shut down, core staff are often overwhelmed and maintenance of conveyor belt cleaners, skirts, impact beds and other conveyor accessories are often overlooked or service is performed by people who are not trained to service the equipment. Unless conveyor accessories perform at optimal levels, belt damage, carry-back and spillage can result.

in less than one hour with simple hand and power tools as an emergency fix or temporary installation. They are also safe to install, since there is no exposure to heat or chemicals, and they can be used to patch holes, repair rips and edge tears, and bridge soft spots.

However, unlike vulcanisation, mechanical fasteners penetrate the belt, leaving holes where bacteria can accumulate, which can cause sanitation problems.

They are also not as strong as vulcanised repairs, so tensile strength can be compromised, and they are subject to damage from corrosion, impact and abrasion.

Cold bond resins

As discussed above, hot vulcanising is a well-established process, but can be very time consuming and often highly expensive; metallic clips on the other hand provide a good emergency system, but if damaged by corrosion or impact, the clips can cause extensive damage to the conveyor belts and rollers. Cold cure flexible rubber repair resins offer a rapid and reliable alternative to metallic clips and vulcanisation techniques for ripped, worn and holed conveyor belts.

These flexible materials can be used in-situ where high build, durability and elasticity, as well as good abrasion and tear resistance are required. They are easy to apply without the need of specialist tools and they cure at room temperature, eliminating the need for hot work, additionally they will not corrode and resist a wide range of chemicals.

Cold bonding repair solutions for conveyor belts These materials can be used to repair belt components affected by cover gouges, fabric damage, holes, scoring, wear cuts and tears to belt covers.

Worn areas

The surface or cover of conveyor belts used in mining typically become worn and frayed due to abrasion and daily use. This exposes the reinforcement layer within the belts, which, if left exposed, can absorb moisture and lead to the complete delamination of the top cover.

Cold bond resin materials have the ability to resurface these worn areas on-site and in-situ, in a fraction of the time that it would take to perform a conventional repair.

For rips and tears longer than 15 centimetres, or where the ultimate strength of the belt is questionable, it may be advisable to incorporate mechanical fasteners at approximately 3 7.5 cm centers. These ultimately become an integral part of the repair.

Holes in the belt may be filled with a flexible resin incorporating layers of reinforcement sheet. If these holes are large or the belt strength questionable, it is best to square off the damaged area with a razor knife and peel back the surface rubber over the plies.

Another piece of similar conveyor belt is then cut, stepped and bonded in place, essentially creating a four-sided lapped joint.

Joints and splicing

In any conveyor system, the joint portion is the weakest area in the belt. Failure of joints or splices can lead to an increase in plant downtime as well as maintenance costs.

Flexible repair resins can offer a good tensile strength and therefore can be used to join and splice conveyor belts or rebond filler strips in vulcanised joints.

The following application procedure highlights the main steps to perform a splicing repair with Belzona 2000 Series of Elastomers.

The belt was first cut out, prepared and treated with the appropriate conditioner to achieve maximum adhesion to the belt substrate. Masking tape was placed just inside the conditioned area and the flexible material is mixed in accordance with the instructions for use. The following specific application know-how should be followed.

1. Delaminated fingers For delaminated fingers, a piece of polyethylene sheet is placed under the damaged area. The material is then mixed and applied to fill the area and finish flush.

2. Finger splicing a joint The split joint is laid onto a flat surface and all surfaces of the fingers to be bonded are individually wet out with the Belzona product. The fingers of the joint are aligned using a straight edge and a final surfacing layer of elastomer material is applied before wrapping in polyethylene sheet and clamping firmly in position.

Once cured, any excess material can be removed with a sharp knife. All masking tape is removed immediately after application and before the material cures.

ESS provides competency based technicians to specifically monitor and maintain Conveyor Belt Cleaning, Sealing and Support systems.

ESS technicians are able to inspect conditions and produce a condition report and maintenance plan that can be actioned by Owners, Contracting companies or ESS technicians in a manner that prioritizes the maintenance based on risk analysis ESS offers a range of flexible maintenance and monitoring services to ensure optimum performance from the plants conveying systems. We tailor our services to your requirements.

ESS Maintenance and Monitoring Services Include; • Installation and Commissioning • Service and Maintenance • Inspection and Reporting Services • On site trouble-shooting • Site Compliant Vehicles and Equipment • Maintenance Contracts • Conveyor Accessory Maintenance Training

Fastener sealing and protection

Clip joints are often used to join conveyor belt ends. However, metal clips are subject to corrosion, impact and abrasion damage, which can cause premature failure of the fasteners. Gaps between fasteners will allow material in transit to fall through the joints, causing an issue of safety. Exposed, worn and damaged fasteners can injure personnel and damage packaging being transported. Cold bonding resins can be used to seal metallic clips and thus protect them from corrosion, mechanical damage and extending the life of the joint. AM AUSTRALIANMINING

Proudly Manufactured in Australia 15

MARCH 2016

DRILL, BLAST & GEOMECHANICS

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

NEW RESEARCH IS WORKING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXPLOSIVE FORMULATION THAT ELIMINATES NOX FUMES.

M

ining has made leaps and bounds in safety over the last decade, yet there are some aspects of the industry that are ever-present, despite the advances being made.

When it comes to blasting, this issue is nitrogen dioxide, more commonly known as blast fumes.

For the majority of operations in Australia, miners use a mixture of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil or ANFO for their shotfiring.

However the blasting of these ANFO explosives can cause those familiar orange post-blast clouds of nitrogen dioxide, or NOx, that rise into the air.

Post-blast NOx fumes from overburden blasting may occur in a variety of geological conditions, particularly in wet ground, a problem that is becoming more prevalent as 2016 gets off to a particularly wet start in the much of the country.

NOx and nitrogen dioxide are toxic gases and can cause serious health risks to personnel exposed.

When the NOx fumes are breathed in they turn to nitric acid inside a person’s lungs, can cause chemical burns on people’s skin, and dye it yellow.

This highly visible, and indirect effect from blasting can have an impact well outside the mine’s boundaries.

Increased government and media scrutiny of post-blast fume generation and risk control has had a direct impact on the industry’s licence to operate.

These clouds of NOx can creep across

the mine’s boundaries into the surrounding area, causing serious problems for local residents near the mines, particularly in regions such as the Bowen Basin or Hunter Valley where mines are located close to communities.

However steps are being taken to not only address this issue that affects both coal and hard rock miners, but to eliminate it completely.

CRCMining, in conjunction with the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at the University of Queensland, is “developing an alternative explosive formulation that has the potential to completely eliminate the hazard of post-blast nitrogen oxide fumes,” the group stated.

As part of CRCMining’s research roadmap to deliver outcomes that solve grand industry challenges in surface and underground mining, the Centre is developing safer, innovative blasting solutions.

A novel formulation that substitutes the use of AN with hydrogen peroxide (HP) as the main oxidising agent has been developed and recently patented by CRCMining.

The project, titled ‘Alternative and sustainable explosive formulations to eliminate nitrogen oxide emissions (2014-2015)’ is led

by Dr. Italo Onederra and Miguel Araos, with funding from ACARP for the first stage of development.

The project is focused on the elimination of the NOx hazard by applying scientific principles rather than procedural methods, which are prone to variability and affected by the operating conditions on the ground.

AUSTRALIANMINING

To date several unconfined detonation tests for a wide range of densities and charge diameters have been conducted.

Results to date have shown favourable performance characteristics.

Testing shows one of the typical relationships found between density and VOD for a chemically gassed and Glass Micro Balloon sensitised HP/Fuel based explosive mixture for a 100 millimetre diameter charge.

This relationship also shows the corresponding sample of two consecutive frames of the detonation process recorded at a speed of 90,000 frames per second (fps). Results from fully instrumented single-hole tests conducted in a limestone quarry have also confirmed the rock breakage performance of HP/fuel-based explosive mixture Further work continues with the future commissioning of a prototype mixing and delivery unit, the successful completion and analysis of data from multiple-hole trials, and further characterisation work associated with product stability and performance in different geotechnical environments.

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MARCH 2016

“With the explosive formulation delivering the expected outcomes, Australia is now at the forefront of mining explosives innovation,” Onederra said.

“The development of this technology will aid in the elimination of the hazard of post-blast NOx fumes from blasting, which will reduce risks to mining personnel and has the potential to substantially reduce the operational costs associated with ensuring appropriate standards of safety both prior to and post the blasting process,” CRCMining said.

“Future benefits may include the elimination of the potential risk of AN discharge into groundwater systems.

“There will also be potential improvements in overall community safety associated with manufacturing and transportation processes. The development process will also incorporate the use of sustainable and renewable fuel sources into the testing program.”

Following this early testing phase, CRCMining is now seeking potential mining partners to launch the next stage of the project and secure additional trial sites. AM

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DRILL, BLAST & GEOMECHANICS

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NEW ROCK DRILLS WITH LONGER LIFE SPANS ARE COMING.

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at has released a new rock drill for the 2016 market, with claims to best-in-class productivity and a reliable rod handling system.

The MD5075C Track Drill is expected to deliver three times the lifespan of competing machines, according to the American manufacturer.

With capacity to drill 3-4.5” holes to a depth of 31m, the rig runs on a 300hp fuel efficient C9 engine designed to meet emissions standards around the world.

The drill compressor with variable air control produces 350 cfm @ 150 psi (9.9 m3/min @ 10.2 bar).

There is also a choice of two rock drills, either the HPR5123 or HPR4519 for matching application to the highest production rate, suited to 45/51mm drill or 45mm drill rods respectively.

The cabin boasts a number of new features to ensure operator comfort, including shutdown methods and responsive controls to minimise fatigue on the job.

Isolator mounting ensures less vibration in-cab, and a new sixway adjustable seat means the operator can better customise their seating position.

The control system includes a range of modern features including touch screen navigation for Drill Assist, rearview camera, tram, water, rock drill auto-lube, alerts, drilling and target depths, penetration rate, machine performance, total hours and service.

The MD5075C also incorporates technology to assist in operations and equipment management. To support the operator, Drill Assist monitors main hydraulic systems and automatically adjusts to pre-programmed parameters. It incorporates

anti-jam, anti-plunge and antiplug, which combine to boost productivity and increase the life of the drill string.

High resolution display with simple icon design aids navigation and control while monitoring performance of pressures, rotation and hole depth.

Cat also advertises that all AUSTRALIANMINING

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MARCH 2016

parts of the drill can be maintained without removing the drill from the feed, including remote located fuel filters for easy access, ensuring less downtime in the event of necessary repairs.

In terms of fuel, it has additional fuel filtration to ensure further reliable engine operation and extended component life. AM

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NEW RADIAL DRILLING SYSTEMS.

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Thermal Imaging Cameras for Non-contact Temperature Control & SCADA Electrical System Monitoring TIGHT RADIUS DRILLING IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO FRACKING

N

ew coal seam gas field testing of Tight Radius Drilling (TRD) technology at an operation in the Bowen Basin is delivering successful results.

These tests, of the technology developed

by CRCMining, are the first time that the radial drilling system has been deployed under the Petroleum and Gas legislation.

Originally developed for coal mine gas drainage, Tight Radius Drilling is an alternative to fracking.

The system uses high pressure water jets connected to the surface via flexible house, and is deployed from a conventionally drilled vertical well to create a series of lateral, horizontal boreholes in coal seams.

These boreholes then allow the trapped gases to be drained.

According to CRCMining, one of the key advantages of this water jet drilling system over hydraulic fracturing are the drilling rates, which in the Tight Radius Drilling systems can be higher than four meters per minute.

“Over a six hour drilling period, TRD has been demonstrated to drill over 350 metres within the coal seam,” CRCMining stated, “significantly increasing connectively to the gas reservoir at a very low cost.”

“It is a rapid, continuous, flexible and controlled drilling system, [and] trials have proven TRD provides greater costs savings than other surface to in-seam techniques as TRD is more effective in capturing fugitive carbon emissions with lower production risks.”

This technology can also be used for the commercial production of coal bed methane as well as for the seam drainage

Wireless Accelerometers and Pressure Sensors for Monitoring Equipment without Attending Site

ALLOWS DESGASSING IN DIFFICULT TO DRAIN AREAS

ahead of coal mining operations.

“TRD also enables low-cost, targeted de-gassing in difficult drain areas; as a step change for safety in coal seam gas extraction, TRD enables remote operation and eliminates rod handling during drilling.”

Trials began a few years ago at BHP’s South Walker Creek coal mine, located 40 kilometres west of Nebo in the Bowen Basin.

These trials have been aimed at validating comparative modelling between medium radius drill and TRD, with data demonstrating how tight radius drilling outperforms traditional drilling.

Five well trials have been carried out successfully, below cost, and gas production from the wells continues to increase, CRCMining said.

It allows for multiple laterals for redundancy and flexibility in difficult geology; multiple seam simulation; showed 300 metres plus of laterals with no ‘mud cake’ skin effects; and has an ability to connect to the reservoir. AM AUSTRALIANMINING

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MARCH 2016

IN FOCUS

FROM IRON TO DRAGLINE BEN HAGEMANN CONTINUES HIS TWISTED TALE OF A SEEMINGLY ORDINARY FACTORY VISIT TO ONE OF THE OLDEST STEEL WIRE ROPE FACTORIES IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE.

A

s a former construction rigger, I was certainly interested when offered the opportunity to take a tour of one of the oldest wire rope factories in the United States, but little did I realise just how emotionally varied my reaction to the place would be.

They say you should “never visit the sausage factory” but I couldn’t disagree more. It’s a little bit like when you find out where babies come from: Horrifying and weird to begin with, but before long you’ll be utterly fascinated with the process.

The Wirerope Works factory in Williamsport, Pennsylvania has a long history of producing one of the most essential components of progress in the 20th century, and although cheaper imports from China and India continue to flood the market,

the caretakers of the Bethlehem Wire Rope brand are still proud to produce a product of the highest quality on local labour and materials.

I arrived at the factory with a junket of journalists, exhausted from touring a gamut of other factories in the region for several days, and fighting off a vicious head cold, so perhaps one could have forgiven me for being a little bored at first. But not for long…

Walking into the front offices of Wirerope Works on Maynard Street, it’s clear there’s pride in the product here. Foot-long samples of rope in varying configurations and gauges lie on polished timber plinths in the foyer, cleaned of oil with sharp edges ground smooth for safe handling by visitors.

On the walls hang photographs of major construction projects which were supplied

THE 7 INCH ROPE IS COMMONLY USED TO FIT OUT DRAGLINES FOR SURFACE MINING.

with Bethlehem brand wire rope: Madison Square Gardens, the restringing of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Niagara Falls tightrope.

Our hosts are all of a distinguished vintage, and they usher us into an opulent but small boardroom, resplendent in walnut lining (I’m later informed it’s faux timber) with a long table and large sumptuous leather chairs. I can tell they’re pretty excited to have us here. There’s a distinct chemistry between these guys, a lot of joking around and backhanded compliments: They’ve worked together for a long time.

Lamar J. Richards, the executive vice president of Wirerope Works, explains to us some of the history of the plant (see Australian Mining February 2016), but one of the most touching stories he tells us is about how the present owner, Tom Saltsgiver, came to buy the company and keep it alive for the sake of the local economy in Williamsport.

The owner of a successful modular housing manufacturing plant, Saltsgiver picked up the Bethlehem factory while it was in some very dire straits, and did so against the better advice of friends, family and colleagues, according to Richards.

“There was an effort by local people to see if they could put together a coalition to buy the company and keep the manufacturing here in Williamsport,” he said.

“The concern was that with a competitor buying there was a good chance we would ultimately be folded up and moved.

“In trying to put together that coalition [Saltsgiver] came in for a tour and went through the place, and then he indicated that he was interested in buying.

“He had the financial wherewithal to do that because the business he was in at the time was modular home building, and he had a plant about 20 miles from Williamsport.

“Back in 2003-4 housing growth was going great, and he had this financial business and he had the ability to get financAUSTRALIANMINING

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MARCH 2016

ing without any question.

“In the face of us being in a tough market, under the previous ownership we were undercapitalised. We didn’t have two pennies to rub together, and in the face of that our current owner stepped up, bought the place and put up working capital to keep the place running.”

Inability to secure raw materials meant many workers had to be laid off, and upon purchase the company called up 88 people to come back to their jobs.

About a year in from the purchase, Richards explains, Saltsgiver invited staff for a dinner with him and his wife.

“Our owner is extremely laid back, you would never think he was the owner of companies, or that he’s a multi-millionaire,” Richards said.

“So we go to this dinner, and my predecessor asked Tom to get up and say a few words, so he gets up and he says, ‘So I guess you folks would like to know why I bought this place?’ and we all sat there and said ‘Yes sir, we would’.”

So Saltsgiver tells the story: “Well, when I was looking at it to buy it, all my friends in the area who knew about the busi-

ness said, ‘Don’t even think about it, don’t even think about it, it’s a bad deal’.”

“My financial advisors all looked at it and said that’s a disaster, don’t touch it.

“And my family, they said, ‘We don’t know anything about the steel business, don’t do it, we know modular homes we’ve made a good living doing that, don’t throw your money away here’.”

Richards said thus far it looked like three strikes, and surely that would have been the end of it for the prospective buyer, but he continues: “and this stuns me to this day, because he said: ‘I prayed about it, and I felt that God had answered my prayer and told me to proceed’.”

As it turned out, the newly renamed Wirerope Works became profitable after 18 months of capital support. Shortly after that, the housing bubble burst.

“It’s not often you’ll find an individual who’s willing to gamble millions of dollars based on his faith,” Richards said.

After this brief history lesson we are handed hardhats and earplugs and instructed that it will be very difficult to hear anything inside the factory. They weren’t

IN FOCUS

wrong. Although the tour from that stage onward was sparse on information, I found myself going from a sense of bewilderment at the extreme conditions of the workplace to being strangely entranced with the manufacturing process.

One of the first things shown to us is the floor. The factory is tiled with timber bricks, grain pointing upward and creating a very unique effect where the timber had been polished by decades of wear. The timber floors are a result of Williamsport’s logging history, when wooden blocks were cheap and readily available in bulk. To this day when any flooring needs repairs or replacement, Wirerope Works still uses the original material. To walk on it is remarkably different from concrete, and where I can compare the two it is noticeably easier underfoot. Bear in mind the factory is 620,000 square feet, so a lot of what essentially was scrap lumber had been put to good use.

First we are shown the raw material: 4mm steel wire in loose looking coils about 6 foot across, lifted by forklifts and taken through to a hydrochloric acid bath which will strip off any contaminants. Having been battling a common cold for a few days, I didn’t need to be told the fizzing pool before me was acid.

Plumes of vapour were pouring off the bath, and before I could think of doing anything about it the congestion in my head loosened and poured down the back of my throat, and I suddenly I could breathe more clearly and easily than I had done for days!

I realised it was the corrosive vapour that had cleared my head, and it might soon start to work on the tissues of my sinus. I tried to hold my breath while our host laughed and tried to explain, incoherently over the roar of the factory, the process of treating the raw material.

A small crane cabin with a lifting arm, fronted by glass and inhabited by a doleful looking man, runs back and forth along the length of the acid pool, picking up the large coils out of the bath and moving them down the line, gradually shuffling each one over the course of hours before they were considered clean enough to be taken for heat treatment in the furnace.

The operator did not wear any respirator or breathing apparatus, and I wondered if it were possible to build up a tolerance to acid fumes, or did it just slowly eat away at one’s alveoli? He’s still working here, I supposed.

We all back away from the deadly head-cold cure and are led to the furnace, where 12 of the washed coils are set up to

FINISHED 7 INCH PRODUCT READY TO BE FITTED WITH END TERMINATIONS FOR USE AS BOOM PENDANTS.

feed wire through an oven blazing at 1000 degrees Celcius, only 360 degrees shy of melting point.

I realise wearing my jacket, despite the cool Pennsylvania humidity, was not the smartest thing in the world to do and we walk past the contained inferno, pouring with sweat.

It’s becoming amply clear to me that this is an extremely dangerous workplace, and we continue to the other side of the furnace where the cherry glowing wires are fed down into a simmering oil bath for quenching.

We file past, only a couple of feet from the long vat of hellbroth with no rails or guards and I think to myself, ‘this must be the single most dangerous thing I have ever stood near’.

Having been a labourer and rigger for most of my adult life, I have certainly worked in some unsafe conditions, from high rise buildings with no fall arrest equipment to a uranium mine with no proper PPE, but even those experiences didn’t seem to come close to standing next to this long vat of near-boiling oil.

What would happen if one of us stumbled, reaching out for grip and finding only oil that could burn off a limb in seconds, or worse, what if one could fall in altogether! I reassured myself a victim of clumsiness would pass out almost instantly from the shock of the burn. Small comfort as we tried to stay as far away from the vat as possible, with a few feet of leeway for space.

Once cool enough, the wire passes through hydrochloric acid to wash off all traces of contaminant, and I hold my breath as we walk the length of the pool, our host taking deep breaths as if it were fresh spring air and not lung melting fumes, laughing as he watches the visitors squirm…

Does he know something I don’t? I sure hope so.

A coating of zinc phosphate, another rinse, and another final coating prepares the wire for extrusion, which has two key functions. The most obvious is for achieving the correct gauge of wire required for twisting into the various rope products, but extrusion also means the steel wire is stretched to align the moleculs of the steel in a single direction, which strengthens and increases the breaking strain of each wire.

However, the most important part of all of this is the stranding process, and here is where AUSTRALIANMINING

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my reactions turn from shock to awe. As a rigger using steel wire rope on a daily basis for slinging, I had often wondered how the rope was produced, and here it was before my eyes: The factory floor - acres of it - was full of lines of planetary stranders, all with sets of wires in large bobbins, as many as 64 wires on a single machine, feeding into a single, oily strand of rope. The factory had machines of all sizes hard at work, furiously spinning to produce the some 1200 different combinations of wire rope that come out of the factory every three months.

The machines are clearly dangerous, spinning at a rate of knots. Later that evening I met a local teacher in a bar who tells me about a worker he knew of who was dragged into a strander and ripped to pieces. I didn’t need to be told this was possible; that much was obvious. But my bewildered reaction to the hazards in this workplace was quickly being replaced with a gripping fascination for the manufacturing process.

We’re led past rows and rows of finished product on massive timber spools printed with the Bethlehem logo and our guide Norm Szamocki, director of operations, screams at us that this is the product they affectionately refer to as “Tank Yank”, their product which is used by the US military to kit out their M88 Hercules recovery vehicle, usually deployed for rescuing inca-

pacitated tanks. This is the same machine and cable that helped the people of Iraq to drag down the Saddam Hussein statue in Firdos Square, Bagdad, an event in which the people who manufacture Bethlehem wire rope were proud to have a hand.

Finally, we come to the heart of the factory: We stand, astonished, gazing up at the 12 foot tall, 800 tonne closing machine, designed to produce the 7 inch rope for dragline boom pendants, and construction cable like that used to build the Brooklyn Bridge.

The already huge strands are all dragged into a central point, slowly weaving the helical pattern of wires around a hefty centre rope into a single massive cable which will one day end up on a dragline somewhere in the world.

The whole process is mesmerising, and it occurs to me that this place is like a Disneyland or Mecca for riggers. It’s a real privilege to see how this is product made, the effort that goes into ensuring the finest quality product is produced for a discerning market that eschews the cheaper overseas manufacturers.

With a history spanning 120 years, the Wirerope Works factory has seen plenty of hard times, but it’s also had a lot of luck.

With good leadership at the helm from the likes of Saltsgiver and Richards, and ongoing demand for steel wire rope, the old Williamsport factory could continue to produce its quality bespoke products for another 120 years. AM

MAINTENANCE

BEARING DOWN ON DOWNTIMES

A

CUSTOM BEARINGS ARE HELPING ONE MINER SLASH ITS DOWNTIMES AND ASSOCIATED COSTS.

s the mining industry continues to contract, and the market remains bearish on gold, operators are looking at ways to maximise their existing operations and equipment.

At one of Australia’s longestlived gold mining operations, the Mount Charlotte mine, KCMG is reaping the benefits of a technology transplant from bearing specialist Schaeffler Australia that has cut tube mill maintenance and costly breakdowns.

Mt Charlotte has already celebrated more than 50 years of continuous operation, a major milestone in Australia where most mines are lucky to reach their 21st birthday. Collectively, Mt Charlotte and Fimiston produce more than 800,000 ounces of gold a year, placing them amongst the world’s top tn gold production operations.

According to miner KCMG, it is committed to continuous improvement across all areas, including a core value of ‘Continuous Improvement’, finding better and more efficient ways to operate and keeping its sites productive.

One way it which it has recently addressed the issue of ongoing maintenance and effi-

ciency onsite is by examining its tube mills processing operations.

The tube mills are exposed to adverse environmental conditions; high temperatures during the day and low temperatures at night.

Previously the tube mill was equipped with a sliding base housing at the floating bearing location. Bearings were failing on an annual basis; this always meant that production was disrupted for several days at a time and had flow on economic effects with estimates forecasting this downtimes costing the miner approximately $45,000 per hour.

There needed to be a better way to operate, and overcome this ongoing failure.

KCMG approached Schaeffler Australia to develop a solution, introducing new housings and bearings.

Schaeffler Australia supplied KCMG with a complete package consisting of custom-fabricated sliding sleeve housings and FAG spherical roller bearings for tube mill processing of output from KCMG’s Kalgoorlie gold mines including the Fimiston Open Pit (Super Pit) mine and the Mt Charlotte underground mine.

Schaeffler’s package of sliding sleeve housings and spherical roller bearings means floating

bearing displacement no longer takes place between housing and sliding plate but between sliding sleeve and housing bore.

Lubricant is constantly fed between sliding sleeve and housing bore, ensuring a low co-efficient of friction when thermal expansions take place inside the 7000mm long, 3000 kW tube mill with a speed of 14 U/min (with load acting on locating bearing: 1 600 kN and load acting on floating bearing: 1 800 kN).

“Sliding sleeve housings are a long-lived, field-proven design for grinding mills,” explained Schaeffler Australia industrial sector and product manager Martin Grosvenor.

“This principle has been especially designed for these applications and can be used for these machines.”

Now bearings are no longer failing on an annual basis.

As there have been no more shutdowns to carry out repairs, KCMG has been able to increase its production volume.

In this way, the customer no longer needs to shut down the plant for up to two days at a time to replace damaged bearings, saving an average downtime cost of approximately $45,000 per hour.

Ongoing reliability is assured by the premium quality AUSTRALIANMINING

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FAG roller bearings from global Schaeffler group, which employs more than 82,000 people globally, including more than 6,000 at 16 research and development centres dedicated to high-performance, low-maintenance bearing technology.

Schaeffler is also introducing its X-Life bearing ranges throughout Australia, using cutting-edge manufacturing technologies that enable them

to achieve a better and more homogeneous surface over the entire contact surface between rolling element and raceway, the company added.

“Under identical operating conditions, the useful life of Xlife bearings being introduced to Australasia is significantly longer than conventional bearings.

Alternatively, operating loads can be increased over the same lifetime as before.” AM

THE BEARINGS SLASHED $45K DOWNTIMES

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DIAMONDS

PICKING DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH DIAMOND SORTING HAS TAKEN ANOTHER STEP FORWARD IN PRECISION WITH THE FIELD TESTING AND RELEASE OF A NEW X-RAY TRANSMISSION MACHINE, CURRENTLY IN USE ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA.

S

orting solutions manufacturer Steinert has made some rapid advances in precision diamond sorting over the past year thanks to continuing development of XTS technology.

The new XST machines are capable of reliably detecting diamonds of different sizes, from large diamonds locked within kimberlite, all the way down to diamonds as small as 3mm in diameter, a previously improbable achievement.

STEINERT Business Development Manager Kai Bartram said the XTS unit is designed to recover diamonds with a size of 4mm and larger, but even 3mm large diamonds can be recovered efficiently due to the sophisticated algorithms paired with a high pixel resolution of 0.5mm.

“The STEINERT XTS is outstanding for the recovery of large diamonds but precise and reliable while finding the small diamonds, which are harder to detect,” he said.

Currently in use in South Africa, the testing phase demonstrated the XRS unit’s capacity to achieve 100 per cent recovery.

During the test work, separation algorithms were further developed for detecting and ejecting diamonds and hardware optimisations were carried out at the same time, which meant the equipment had to be re-designed to fit the client’s footprint requirements.

During this process, STEINERT

integrated the latest developments in the detection equipment as well as improvements in the algorithms developed during the test work.

STEINERT chief technology officer Dr. Uwe Habich said the result of the algorithm development was that they were able to customise the sorter to fit the required footprint, while retaining the maintainability through using standard components.

“We have improved all areas of performance including detection and ejection into a secure area, all while obtaining the lowest possible yield to increase the diamond by weight ejected,” he said.

During commissioning, a 2-carat diamond was recovered from tailings material that was fed to the machine, while shortly after a 50-carat GNT type 2, 75 per cent unbroken diamond was recovered, demonstrating the wide versatility of the XTS system.

Steinert Australia general manager Johan van Zyl said the machines were specifically built to ensure recovery of large diamonds without the risk of value loss through destructive crushing.

“If your ore body does contain large free diamonds, or even large diamonds encased within pieces of kimberlite, if your crusher is set to 20 or 30mm, quite often a larger diamond will be broken up in shards in the crusher,” he said.

“That’s not good for anybody, once its broken its worth very little.

AUSTRALIANMINING

“The X-Ray transmission sorter, before you go into DNS and downstream and the final concentration processes, will be able to pick up these large free diamonds and remove them from the crushing stream, so they don’t go into the crusher.”

Steinert now lays claim to being at the cutting edge in diamond recovery and diamond sorting technology, with its main advantage being that it detects different x-ray absorption levels of different material types.

The resulting X-ray images relate to the atomic make-up of each particle going through the detection zone of the machine.

Therefore, a diamond, which consists of carbon atoms, appears as a light-grey x-ray image when compared to denser waste rock and, because this is sorting on an atomic level, all diamonds, no matter what their physical characteristics, can be detected using the XTS technology.

“The difference with the current Xray machines for fines recovery is what’s called an X-ray luminescence machine, whereby the diamond is lit with florescence under X-ray radiation, and then you have a colour camera basically picking up a flash,” van Zyl explained.

“With the XTS sorter you have an Xray source on one side of the material and a detector on the opposite side, and you measure the amount of radiation transmitted through the material to determine what

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each particle is made up of.

“The major benefit of XTS over X-ray luminescence sorting is that not all diamonds luminesce; it’s dependant on the nitrogen content of the diamond.

“But because our XTS sorters are looking for the carbon signal, we don’t miss any diamonds the way an X-ray luminescence machine could do.”

From a practical perspective, the diamond ore is presented to the sorter via a vibrating feeder which feeds it onto a belt as a single particle layer.

The ore travels on the sorter belt and the individual particles are scanned as they pass through the X-ray beam.

The particles attenuate the transmitted X-rays which are detected and recorded.

The signals are processed through an advanced algorithm that enables the program to differentiate between the less-dense carbon of diamonds and the denser minerals of kimberlite and other waste rock.

STEINERT sensor sorting technology is most relevant to today’s mining conditions where, increasingly, challenges such as low-grade ore reserves, high-energy costs, water shortages and stringent environmental legislation need to be overcome.

Sensor-based sorting has brought about significant innovation in mineral processing technology and upfront beneficiation and it’s time has certainly come in South Africa.

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS

THE WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS THE WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS HAVE LAUNCHED FOR ANOTHER YEAR, FOCUSING ON WOMEN EXCELLING ACROSS A NUMBER OF FIELDS

W

omen are consistently achieving greatness and excelling in their chosen fields within the mining, engineering, manufacturing and process control industries and we think their talent should be acknowledged.

The 2015 Women in Industry Awards recognises and rewards the achievements of women working in the industrial sectors, and aims to raise the profile of women within industry, as well as promote and encourage excellence.

Australian Mining has teamed up with Manufacturers’ Monthly and PACE to acknowledge women who have achieved success through their invaluable leadership, innovation and commitment to their sector.

The program aims to recognise women who are leading change in their chosen field and breaking down the barriers in what can often be maledominated industries.

The awards seek to single out and reward women who have created innovations, driven productivity, spearheaded change, and provided social and economic benefits through their fields.

The only awards program of its kind to encompass mining, manufacturing and engineering, it also encourages the industrial world to raise the profile of women working in the differing sectors by embracing diversity and flagging clear paths for the next generation to follow.

And with so many thought-leaders together in one room on the night of the awards, it provides a forum for women to meet and exchange information, ideas and solutions to problems and offers individuals an opportunity

to expand personal and business networks, maintain awareness of industry developments and make a contribution to other women in the industrial sectors.

Editor of Cirrus Media’s industrial publication Australian Mining, Cole Latimer, said the program was important in recognising the contributions being made to the changing face of industry.

“Though female participation has risen across all industrial sectors in Australia, companies are still focusing on more innovative attraction and retention strategies to foster this growing talent and support young women working in the sector.

“Women already working in the sector make up a big part of these support programs.

“They are paving the way for others and achieving great success, and we thinks this needs to be recognised in its own right.”

Any women working in the industrial sector can enter the awards, with the event culminating with a cocktail event to be held next year.

So help us recognise the women making a difference today!

CATEGORIES FOR NOMINATION • BDM of the Year • Employer of the Year • Excellence in Engineering • Excellence in Manufacturing • Excellence in Mining • Industry Advocate • Marketing/Communications • Mentor Award • Rising Star Award • Social Leader

LAST YEAR’S AWARDS SAW MORE THAN 150 ATTENDEES

Platinum Sponsor After the success of the 2014 inaugural Women in Industry Awards, Pacific Merchandising has upped its commitment to the event. The company is the Platinum Sponsor for 2016.

Recognising excellence amongst women in male dominated industries is a great way to provide inspiration and leadership for change. Pacific Merchandising looks forward to wonderful entries from some of the innovative women out there in the field.

Pacific Merchandising is an experienced industry specialist supplier of promotional merchandising to Mining, Oil & Gas, Construction and Transport and Australian Trade Unions.

A one-stop shop with expert help from sourcing to art design, decoration to manufacture, and gift packaging to freighting, the company specialises in leading global brands and wholly Australian craftsman designed and manufactured goods, such as custom belt buckles (and keyrings).

Pacific Merchandising 1300 88 77 95 www.PacificMerchandising.com.au

Excellence in Engineering ABB is one of the world’s leading power and automation engineering companies. It provides solutions for secure, energy-efficient generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, and for increasing productivity in industrial, commercial and utility operations. Ultimately, the company helps customers meet their challenges with minimum environmental impact and with safety and quality as the highest priority.

ABB’s portfolio ranges from light switches to robots for painting cars or packing food, and from huge electrical transformers to control systems that manage entire power networks, mining operations and factories. Its products and solutions serve a number of industries including mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, paper, transport, marine, consumer, automotive and building industries. Employing 145,000 people across 100 countries, including nearly 2000 people in Australia, ABB understands what it means to provide a workplace that is career enriching and culturally safe. The company encourages individualism, values diversity and understands that culture forms part of everything it does.

ABB in Australia is proud to support the Women in Industry awards and to recognise and acknowledge the value of a diverse workforce. The company looks forward to playing its part at the event and wishes the best of luck to all participants.

ABB Australia 1800 222 435 new.abb.com/au

Excellence in Mining Mining Machinery Developments Australia ( MMD Australia) is a designer and manufacturer of material processing equipment used in varied types of surface and underground mining operations worldwide. In particular, MMD extended the technology of mineral degradation with the original development of low profile high capacity compact sizing machines in 1978.

MMD Australia is an equal opportunity employer which encourages women to join, not only the mining industry, but the varied industry sectors in Australia and abroad.

Today the company celebrates the excellence women bring to our environment and encourage all similar organisations to join it.

MMD Australia 07 3193 2800 www.mmdsizers.com

THE AWARDS RUN ACROSS 10 CATEGORIES

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

SUPERCHARGED SIMULATION SOFTWARE

TEREX TO LAUNCH NEW TRUCK AT BAUMA 2016

RungePincockMinarco (RPM) has launched the latest version of their simulation software, HAULSIM featuring enhancements that simplify haulage simulation for users around the globe. According to the mine haulage simulation solutions specialist, the development of HAULSIM 2.0 was based on feedback received from their global user base.

RPM Product Manager, Adam Price explained that feedback from their customers indicated they wanted more from the solution. The development team worked with the customers to deliver a supercharged version of HAULSIM offering best-in-class simulation features for complete optimisation of mine haulage fleets.

Key improvements made to the software’s innovative 3D user interface have simplified haulage simulation with new features including in-built pivot grid reporting and the ability to add, remove and edit roads and locations directly in the 3D scene. New features in the user interface also include enhancements to the navigator, now with extra validation steps helping guide users through the model construction process.

Terex will launch its new generation of articulated trucks at Bauma, in Germany, later this year.

The Generation 10, 38 tonne TA400 articulated dump truck will be launched at the event.

The machine, the largest in in the articulated range has a number of improvements in quality and durability, Terex stated, and has been designed as part of a major product renewal program.

The durability of truck components as well as upgrading hydraulic hoses, electrical interfaces, transmission mountings and brake pipes have been a major focus.

In order to prolong hydraulic component lifecycles, Terex Trucks has also introduced magnetic pressure filters to reduce the risk of contaminants entering the system, improving hydraulic oil cleanliness.

Enhancing safety has also been key, with a focus on the force-cooled multi-disc brakes.

Supported by an electronic activated exhaust brake and a six-stage modulating transmission retarder, the TA400 benefits from longer brake component lifecycles. “The transmission now features high performance oil that extends time between service intervals to 6,000 hours, and the powerful drivetrain maintains traction in even the most difficult terrain thanks to longitudinal and limited slip transverse differential locks,” Terex said.

It features automatic adaptive shifting and a pre-selected two-speed transfer box for greater productivity in all operational conditions.

The new Generation 10 TA400 introduces the Stage IV compliant series of engines for the European market.

A Stage IV system features the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), combined with Exhaust Gas Regeneration (EGR) technology and a Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT).

Its new design has also removed the need for a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), with all trucks fully compliant with the new European Stage IV system. Greater operator comfort has been part of the new trucks’ design.

Anti-vibration mounts for the engine and cabin, as well as cushioned stops on the steering cylinders have been integrated, and the cab features an improved air conditioning and ventilation system.

Machine performance information has also been improved, including transmission diagnostics that informs the operator on the status of the machine, including the oil quality, oil level, filter life, and fault codes/service indication.

• Terex Australia www.terex.com

BLADDER INTEGRITY SYSTEMS Hydac announces the introduction of a new product designed to detect problems in the bladder of a hydraulic accumulator.

Hydac is an established name in the hydro-pneumatic accumulators segment with over 50 years of experience in the research, development, design and production of accumulators.

Hydac’s accumulators are pressure vessels designed and built to store fluids under pressure. The vessels are charged with nitrogen,

SIMPLIFY HAULAGE SIMULATION

HAULSIM 2.0 also incorporates enhancements made to the functionality of the software such as the ability to reassign trucks, depending on the stoppage event; and complete enterprise enablement allowing users to also have access to model repository functionality to manage version control and multiple scenario models through RPM’s Enterprise Planning Framework.

Users simulating mine haulage can control uncertainty, optimise outcomes and reduce operating expenditure more easily than ever before.

• RungePincockMinarco www.rpmglobal.com

which is separated from the fluid section by a piston, a bladder or a diaphragm. If not correctly engineered, applied or maintained, hydraulic accumulators can present a high safety risk to personnel and equipment. The new product released by Hydac alerts personnel to any problem in the bladder.

The Bladder Integrity System (BIS) consists of a BIS bladder, a BIS adapter and electronic components BIS 1000. When fluid penetrates the bladder, it is detected by the bladder integrity system, which transmits a signal. The temperature and the pressure can be monitored electronically.

Hydac offers different types of bladder integrity systems to suit specific requirements. The BIS is available with a bladder accumulator as initial equipment. A retrofit version is also available, both for Hydac bladder accumulators as well as for other brands.

Key advantages of Hydac bladder integrity systems include planned repair and maintenance interval; reduced downtime; ability to monitor pressure and temperature during operation; and better performance enabled for the whole hydraulic system.

• Hydac International 1300 449 322 www.hydac.com.au

TRENCH PROTECTION SYSTEMS Air Springs Supply has introduced a new trench protection system designed for quick installation to ensure worker safety during trenching or excavation works on site.

Trenching and excavation works typically involve risks of collapse and burial. The recently published Excavation Work Code of Practice of WorkCover NSW, based on the national code developed by Safe Work Australia typically applies to excavation work, including bulk excavations more than 1.5 metres deep, trenches, shafts and tunnels.

SMARTSHORE, available from Air Springs Supply is a new trench shoring system that can be set up quickly to provide a pneumatic protection shield and guard against cave-ins during excavations.

Based on a new technology, the system reinforces the walls of trenches and can replace the use of conventional shoring, which is not only cumbersome to handle and install, particularly for trenches of limited depth but also involves the transport of unwieldy material to remote sites.

SMARTSHORE cushions are equipped with handling straps, a quick air connector and a safety valve to avoid the risk of bursting. Key advantages include high resistance construction with anti-burst design; reusable and easily maintained; easy handling and setup with each cushion weighing only 13kg.

• Air Springs Supply www.airspringssupply.com.au AUSTRALIANMINING

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THE LARGEST IN THE ARTICULATED TRUCK RANGE

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

DRAGLINE BRAKES Eaton has developed new floating housing brakes for heavy duty dragline applications.

The air-cooled, spring-applied brakes feature long wearing friction material and a rugged rotating disc available in sizes 130 and 138.

According to Eaton, the Airflex brake’s friction pads can hold up to 2400 E-stops before a friction change is needed, requiring replacement only once or twice every three to five years, instead of up to six times in a year.

The company explained that during the replacement process, a ‘quick change’ friction lining can be replaced in minutes instead of the hours needed in traditional braking systems.

Its tapered shaft lock (TSL) also helps to maximise service life by

LIFT TRUCKS eliminating spline wear during freewheeling. It uses a solid rotor and stationary friction material to develop equal torque in either direction of rotation.

The floating housing brake also cuts rotational inertia compared to typical caliper brake systems.

It has 20 per cent less inertia on hoist functions and seven per cent less inertia on swing functions, while its softer braking capability reduces thermal power loading, providing softer braking and less friction and overall motor wear.

The floating housing brakes are compatible with a wide range of motors, and are rated for 32540 Nm to 48918 Nm of torque.

“At Eaton, we understand that limiting downtime is paramount to the success of mining opera-

FEATURES A FLOATING HOUSING

tions; even scheduled downtime for maintenance can eat into the productivity and profitability of a mine,” Mike Williams, product line manager at Eaton, said.

“The Airflex Floating Housing Brake is revolutionary disc brake technology that reduces downtime and maintenance costs by maximising friction life.”

• Eaton www.eaton.com

WHEEL LOADERS Komatsu has released its latest wheel loader, the WA600-8.

The machine, equipped with an EPA Tier 4 Final certified engine combines a lockup torque convertor function and SmartLoader logic to aid fuel consumption and provide high travel speeds.

It consumes 13 per less fuel than the previous model, while the standard bucket capacity has increased to seven cubic metres and reportedly retains material better.

Full rear fenders with steps and handrails at both sides of the machine add convenience for daily inspections. And operators will appreciate enhancements in cab comfort and machine stability. The wheel loader is driven by a 23.15 litre, 529 HP, EPA Tier 4 Final certified, SAA6D170E-7 engine, and features a Komatsu Diesel Particulate Filter (KDPF) and other after treatment compo-

HAS A 7 CUBIC METER BUCKET CAPACITY

nents are designed in conjunction with the engine for efficiency and long life.

According to Komatsu more than 98 per cent of KDPF regeneration is performed passively, with no action required of the operator and no interference with machine operation.

• Komatsu www.komatsu.com

AUSTRALIANMINING

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HAS INCREASED STACKER REACH

Konecranes announces the launch of its new Generation C series of lift trucks in the Australasian market.

First introduced to Europe and North America at the CeMAT Hannover 2014, Konecranes’ Generation C lift trucks have enjoyed considerable success in these markets. The complete range includes 1065 ton forklift trucks, container lift trucks and reach stackers.

Key features and benefits of the C series lift trucks include increased reach stacker lifting performance; enhanced TRUCONNECT remote monitoring system; improved engine performance; common platform diesel engines meeting emission legislation levels EU Stage II/EPA Tier 2, EU Stage IIIA/EPA Tier 3, or EU Stage IV/EPA Tier 4f; low noise engines with up to 6% lower fuel consumption; and optional start/stop function available to further reduce fuel consumption up to 15%, and extend the factual engine service life.

The new Generation C lift truck has been designed with a completely new driver’s cabin and class-leading features to enhance safety, comfort and productivity.

Design highlights of the new driver’s cabin in the Generation C lift truck include class-leading spaciousness and superior visibility made possible by an even more ergonomic layout with integrated seat-mounted controls;and full truck monitoring.

•Konecranes www.konecranes.com.au

PROSPECT AWARDS

THE PROSPECT AWARDS AUSTRALIAN MINING PREPARES TO RECOGNISE INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE IN MINING AGAIN.

T

he Australian Mining Prospect Awards are launching again, and this time it’s our ‘lucky’ 13th Annual night.

Year after year Australian Mining seeks out the best technology, innovations, individuals and companies in the resources industry in an effort to recognise and reward their achievements over the last 12 months.

Whether it is better production rates, higher efficiencies, clever design, smarter technology, or simply someone who comes in each and every day and gives 110 per cent, the Prospect Awards are a forum to highlight the achievements that have been made.

And in the current mining and industrial climate, highlighting the successes being made across mining is crucial to demonstrate that it is still a sector which – despite the volatile commodities and high pressure markets – is still one that is forging ahead to become a better industry.

At last year’s event, which saw protests outside from various environmental and activist groups, hundreds gathered to celebrate an industry which has been doing it tough.

Innovation in safety; smarter ways of making mines more efficient and productive; and instituting better work processes

were all highlighted.

Since our awards in October last year things have become even more stressed, meaning now, more than ever before, the industry needs to take a step back and celebrate their many achievements.

With this in mind Australian Mining is opening nominations again for these awards.

So nominate someone you know who is making mining a better industry, and recognise those innovators today. AM THE AWARDS RAN ACROSS 15 CATEGORIES

THE EVENING SAW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHER TO CELEBRATE MINING

UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY, INDIVIDUALS, AND MINING PROGRAMS WERE IN FOCUS ON THE NIGHT

AUSTRALIANMINING

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EVENTS

CONFERENCES, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS EVENT SUBMISSIONS CAN BE EMAILED TO EDITOR@MININGAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

19TH ANNUAL GLOBAL IRON ORE & STEEL FORECAST CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 8 – 9 MARCH HYATT REGENCY, PERTH The annual Global Iron Ore and Steel Conference is recognised as THE conference to keep yourself up to speed on the global outlook for iron ore and steel demand / supply balance, where industry leaders comment on their future plans, opportunities, challenges, threats and release new announcements that can shift the balance of the market.

The fluctuation of the iron ore market in the past few years has everyone

concerned as to where the industry is heading. The raw material is a significant piece of Australia’s economic mix impacting not just the mining industry but many adjoining sectors.

Topics to be covered at the 19th Annual Global Iron Ore & Steel Forecast include: • Global economic and financial outlook • Iron ore market outlook: Navigating and surviving excess supply • The perspective on iron ore industry from producers • Global supply outlook - Australia - New projects & expansions - The potential rationalisation of the Iron ore Industry and what this means for Australia?

- Volume from Brazil what this means form the

Asian market?

- Will Africa ever happen?

- Will other Pilbara projects get up?

• I ron ore price frontier: Impacts on mine closures and investment decisions •D evelopment and prospects of iron ore futures market •R eality check from the investors •M anaging through the downturn and improving productivity in the new low price era •C hallenges going forward to service supply •R emuneration in the iron ore sector •S teel market outlook Global & Asia •S tatus of China’s steel industry - Examining China’s iron ore demands and future development directions •W hat role other Asian country will play in picking up excess supply •S crap & rolling demand in China Join the most senior iron ore and steel executives, fund managers, engineering

AUSTRALIANMINING

firms, industry suppliers and many more under the one roof for 2 days of discussion, debate and private meetings. No other event provides this unrivalled opportunity to network with key clients and make new business connections.

• Informa 02 9080 4307 www.informa.com.au

PROJECT EVALUATION 2016 8 – 9 MARCH ADELAIDE The event provides a multitude of benefits for those attending, including the potential to hear over 20 technical papers presented over two days; participate in a dedicated VALMIN Code panel discussion; network with your fellow industry professionals; take part it practical workshops; address issues and relevant challenges faced by the mineral project evaluation

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MARCH 2016

and valuation communities; and gain 14 PD hours.

• AusIMM Stephanie Addamo 03 9658 6124 saddamo@ausimm.com.au

16TH ANNUAL MINERAL SANDS CONFERENCE 15 – 16 MARCH RENDEZVOUS GRAND HOTEL, MELBOURNE There’s no better time to join Australia’s must-attend Mineral Sands event to keep you up to date with the latest industry news, developments and trends.

Many analysts predict the market has reached the bottom of the pricing cycle and anticipate a steady recovery in Ti02 feedstock and zircon market conditions going forward.

With much industry debate around the impacts of China’s softening market, what will this hold for the long-term outlook of mineral sands product appetite? Can we expect to see a volume-led recovery? What impacts will new technologies

have on demand?

Speakers include Steve Wickham, Chief Operating Officer - Mineral Sands, Iluka Resources Ltd; Reg Adams, Managing Director, ARTIKOL, UK; David McCoy, Managing Consultant, TZ Minerals; Hugh Stackpool, Equities Research Analyst, J.P. Morgan; Colin Bwye, Executive Director Operations, Base Resources; Robert Sennitt, Chief Executive Officer, Mineral Deposits Limited; Trevor Matthews, Managing Director, MZI Resources Ltd; Mark Teakle, Project Development Manager, Sheffield Resources Ltd; Neil McIntyre, Chief Executive, Diatreme Resources; Dr. Ian Pringle, Managing Director, Broken Hill Prospecting; Paul Vollant, General Manager, Business Development, TNG; Murray Lines, Director, Stratum Resources; Cameron Perks, Geoscientist, Geological Survey of NSW; Carolyn Balint, Senior Principal, Coffey; Jim Cooper, Chief Executive, Port of Portland; • Informa 02 9080 4300 enquiries@informa.com.au www.informa.com.au

The business of

building a strong future

5-7 MAY 2016 MELBOURNE SHOWGROUNDS - INCORPORATING

• NEW MOVING DISPLAYS AREA

• NEW VEHICLE TEST TRACK

• EDUCATION & CAREERS PAVILION

• VTA FREIGHT OUTLOOK CONFERENCE

• TRUCK & TRAILER LEADERS SUMMIT • AUSTRALIA’S RICHEST SHOW & SHINE EVENT

• HERITAGE TRUCK COLLECTION • OVER 500+ EXHIBITORS & 40,000 GUESTS

YOU’LL NEED TO BE QUICK TO BE PART OF THE 2016 ACTION REGISTER YOUR INTEREST AS AN EXHIBITOR AT THE 2016 SHOW NOW! Email your request to simon.coburn@primecreative.com.au or phone +61 3 9690 8766 Platinum sponsor

Experience the Progress.

Visit us at:

Munich, April 11 – 17

Liebherr T 264 – Technology for Your Excellence Superior speed on grade – Highly efficient power train Extended operations – Design focus on increasing refueling intervals High serviceability – Simplified design to reduce maintenance time Low fuel burn – Low empty vehicle weight and efficient Litronic Plus drive system High uptime – OEM quality engineered and built components

Liebherr-Australia Pty Ltd. 1 Dr. Willi Liebherr Drive Para Hills West, South Australia 5096 Phone: (08) 8349 6888 E-mail: info.las@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrMining www.liebherr.com.au

2036-501_003 LEC_082_T264_AustralianMining_AUS_GB_MH Bauma.indd 1

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