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COPPER SPOTLIGHT MAINTENANCE VOLUME 113/05 | JUNE 2021

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COPPER SPOTLIGHT MAINTENANCE VOLUME 113/05 | JUNE 2021

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COMMENT

CASHING IN ON THE COMMODITY PRICE CLIMB THE FIRST HALF OF 2021 HAS BEEN A BUOYANT PERIOD FOR THE PRICES OF SEVERAL COMMODITIES THAT ARE MINED ACROSS AUSTRALIA.

BEN CREAGH

Ben.Creagh@primecreative.com.au

I

ron ore and copper may have stolen much of the spotlight, but the optimism around the upward trend of many commodity prices has been noticeable this year.

In 2020, it was gold in record territory (in Australian dollars terms). This year, iron ore has taken centre stage, hitting records of its own above $US200 ($258) a tonne.

Iron ore’s ascension has emerged despite predictions at the start of the year that its rise, which began in April last year, would cool off.

That wasn’t the case as we went to print and there is growing confidence iron ore prices can maintain a strong position for a while yet.

Copper has also enjoyed enormous rises.

The base metal was expected to improve in 2021, but only the bravest of punters anticipated it would surge past the $US10,000 mark for the first time in a decade.

Increasing industrial and manufacturing output in leading international economies has pushed the prices of both iron ore and copper higher.

For copper, future expectations are also a factor of its run. As we keep hearing, around four times more copper is used in an electric vehicle than a petrol-powered vehicle.

A future of electric vehicles and renewable energy is extremely promising for the copper mining sector.

As it is for miners of nickel and lithium, two other commodities that have provided additional reasons for the industry to be excited in 2021.

A ‘green’ future is also expanding how nickel and lithium will be used. But despite a

strong long-term outlook, 2019 and 2020 were mixed years for the prices of both.

However, promising signs have returned for nickel and lithium, leading to an uptick in activity from Australian producers and at an exploration level.

While we’re looking at commodities, let’s not forget about the turnaround of thermal coal, which had experienced an almost doubling in prices in the year up to late May. Thermal coal may not carry the ‘green’ tag of the aforementioned commodities, but the appetite for Australia’s premium product from our traditional export markets remains strong.

Collectively, the positive movement of these commodity prices is breathing positivity into the Australian mining industry.

And the Australian Government is looking to take advantage of this opportunity to bolster the economy.

From moves to promote our potential as a supplier of critical minerals to funding packages that boost the exploration sector, Australia is being positioned to become much more than a leading exporter of iron ore, gold and coal.

This diversity is needed if the commodity ‘bears’ are this time correct with their forecasts that the prices of iron ore and gold will eventually ease.

Ben Creagh Managing Editor

FRONT COVER

In this edition, we include a series of features looking at projects that have optimised mines or made them more efficient.

This issue reviews the copper sector, from the outlook of the industry’s major miners to the aspirations of a junior company planning to mine the base metal.

We look at how mining companies can improve investor trust when it comes to mergers and acquisitions and establishing an ethical supply chain.

This edition also explores the pursuits of Australian-based companies in South East Asia by highlighting two projects in this part of the world.

And as usual, we cover the latest mining equipment and technology in our products section.

Cover image: Schenck Process’ latest mega screen at the Cobre Panama mine.

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MANAGING EDITOR BEN CREAGH Tel: (03) 9690 8766 Email: ben.creagh@primecreative.com.au JOURNALISTS MICHAEL PHILIPPS Email: michael.philipps@primecreative.com.au NICKOLAS ZAKHARIA Email: nickolas.zakharia@primecreative.com.au MOLLY HANCOCK Email: molly.hancock@primecreative.com.au

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IN INTHIS THISISSUE ISSUE 14

38

14 COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

26 EFFICIENCY & OPTIMISATION

20 INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

42 TECHNOLOGY

What’s to come in copper and diamonds A promising future emerges in Australia for both commodities

Gaining back what’s lost: investor trust Deloitte explains key aspects of its Tracking the Trends report

22 MINING EQUIPMENT

National Group meets mine growth ambitions Caterpillar equipment meets Queensland mine’s requirements

24 REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

Unearthing South East Asian opportunities The appeal of South East Asia to ASX-listed companies

Fine-tuning mine performance The latest solutions enhancing mining operations across Australia

Mining tech pushes operations into the future New technologies prevent downtime and boost productivity

50 MAINTENANCE

Reliable solutions enable consistent and robust output Forward-thinking companies keep mines up and running

58 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Finding golden values in people Gold Industry Group member Kirkland Lake Gold delivers community benefits

60 MINING INFRASTRUCTURE

Ultra-deep bores find their match with innovative solution Crusader Hose provides mine dewatering with Flexibore 400 series hose

61 CRUSHING & SCREENING

G-Vault Urethane Interstage Screen makes an impact on mining Derrick gives expertise for urethane screen surface technology

62 INDUSTRY COMMENT

Austmine targets global decarbonisation with major mining companies Miners join forces to launch Charge On Innovation Challenge

64 EVENT SPOTLIGHT

Tailings management makes a splash AusIMM Mine Waste and Tailings Conference takes place in July

66 SPONSOR THE 2021 PROSPECT AWARDS

Prospect Awards sponsorship opportunities are available to industry The national event returns to Brisbane in 2021

REGULARS 3 COMMENT

54 AUSTRALIANMINING AUSTRALIANMINING6 6OCTOBER JUNE 2021 2020

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NEWS

THE LATEST MINING AND SAFETY NEWS AUSTRALIAN MINING PRESENTS THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE BOARDROOM TO THE MINE AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN. VISIT WWW.AUSTRALIANMINING.COM.AU TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING. FORTESCUE EXPORTS 1.5BN TONNES OF IRON ORE the entire Fortescue team, including our contractors and suppliers, for their hard work, commitment and contribution to our record performance in the past year and the achievement of this significant milestone.”

Fortescue shipped a record 90.7 million tonnes of iron ore in the first half of the 2021 financial year.

“Record shipments of 90.7 million tonnes surpassed any half year since Fortescue’s inception and we are very well placed to meet the sustained strength in demand from our customers,” Gaines said earlier this year.

ore shipment disembarking from Port Hedland in 2008.

More than 8000 ships have departed Fortescue’s Herb Elliot Port in Port Hedland since 2008.

Fortescue chief executive officer Elizabeth Gaines welcomed the achievement.

“Since our first shipment in 2008, Fortescue has now exported over 1.5 billion tonnes to our customers in China and other markets,” she said.

“We are proud of our significant contribution to the Western Australian and national economies through jobs, investment and the flow of taxes and royalties.”“I would like to thank

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

IMAGE: FORTESCUE METALS GROUP.

Fortescue Metals Group has shipped more than 1.5 billion tonnes of iron ore from its Pilbara operations since 2003, reaching the milestone three years after hitting its billionth tonne from Port Hedland.

Founder and chairman Andrew Forrest celebrated the achievement during a visit by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to Fortescue’s Christmas Creek operations.

“From the start, Fortescue’s journey has been to unlock the potential of the Pilbara and build Australia’s economy through the export of iron ore to the developing world,” he said.

“Today, Fortescue is drawing on the talent and expertise of the entire Fortescue family as we build on our capability as a world-class resources company, rapidly evolving into a green hydrogen and energy producer to drive the global transition away from fossil fuels.

“It is with great pride that we welcomed the Prime Minister to our Pilbara operations in his first visit to the Pilbara region of Western Australia to demonstrate how Fortescue is leading the charge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, positioning us as a global leader in addressing the climate change challenge.”

Fortescue’s Pilbara operations were established in 2003, with its first iron

MORE THAN 8000 SHIPS HAVE DEPARTED HERB ELLIOT PORT SINCE 2008.

STRANDLINE LOCKS AND LOADS COBURN FOR CONSTRUCTION Strandline Resources has started construction of the $338 million Coburn mineral sands project in Western Australia.

The company reached a final investment decision in May, paving the way for full development of the project to start.

Strandline expects to reach first production at Coburn in the second half of 2022. The site is being developed into one of the world’s largest mineral sands projects in the world, with zircon, titanium and

rare earths to be mined until at least 2045.

Contractors on site will include Primero for processing facilities; Macmahon for road access, bulk earthworks, dams and drainage; Piacentini & Son for in-pit dozer mining units; and Contract Power Australia for power generation facilities.

Strandline managing director Luke Graham said the company had timed its run at Coburn to perfection.

“The project capitalises on its

robust technical and commercial fundamentals, and Western Australia’s strong position to support growing demand for critical minerals such as zircon, titanium and rare earths,” he said.

“The project is set to benefit from increasing demand and falling supply of its critical minerals following years of under-investment in new projects.”

Coburn has an initial mine life of 22.5 years and will need 150 employees at peak production.

Strandline has, however, outlined the

AUSTRALIANMINING

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possibility of extending Coburn’s mine life to 2060.

Graham is proud that the project will support communities on both a small and large scale.

“Coburn will also provide significant public benefit, employment and new business opportunities as well as export income for the nation,” he said. “Coburn is expected to generate 300 direct jobs during the construction phase and secure 150 jobs during operations over a multidecade mine life.”

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REGIS BUYS IGO STAKE IN TROPICANA Regis Resources has purchased IGO’s 30 per cent interest in the Tropicana gold mine joint venture with AngloGold Ashanti in Western Australia.

The $903 million sale marks the final chapter in IGO’s strategic review of Tropicana, which included a global sales process for its stake in the gold mine.

Regis managing director and chief executive officer Jim Beyer said the acquisition would provide further opportunities for the company.

“This is a genuinely

transformational transaction for Regis and one that delivers on our strategic objectives to grow as a safe, responsible, reliable, long life, low-cost gold producer, generating strong financial returns,” Beyer said.

“Diversifying the company’s robust portfolio through the acquisition of a 30 per cent interest in the Tropicana operation will deliver significant improvements in the company’s resources, reserves and annual production, along with providing additional immediate cashflows, all of which adds to

the strength of our platform for undertaking further organic and inorganic growth activities.”

IGO stated that the $903 million from Regis would allow the company to continue its focus on mining battery minerals for clean technology.

For IGO managing director and chief executive Peter Bradford, the outcome of the agreement was ideal for the company.

“Since discovery in 2005, Tropicana has been an important part of IGO’s history and a key driver

of our sustained growth,” he said.

“While IGO continues to believe that Tropicana is a high-quality Tier 1 gold asset with strong upside potential, it is no longer aligned with our focus on commodities critical to clean energy.”

IGO has been operating the Tropicana mine under a joint venture with AngloGold Ashanti for 18 years.

AngloGold, which is the 70 per cent owner of Tropicana, approved the deal after it was announced by Regis and IGO.

PEABODY OFFLOADS MOTHBALLED QLD COAL OPERATIONS MetRes, a joint venture (JV) between Stanmore Coal and M Resources, has acquired the Millennium and Mavis Downs coal sites in Queensland from Peabody Energy.

The operations are currently in care and maintenance with mining to recommence from July 2021.

Output will be ramped up to a production rate of 1 million tonnes per annum. MetRes expects the mine restart to create between 150 and 200 long-term jobs.

Stanmore stated that the

deal included an upfront cash consideration of $1.25 million and a royalty agreement.

According to MetRes chairman Matt Latimore, the company hopes to achieve low-cost mining through an underground expansion.

“The acquisition opens the way to extracting full value from the Millennium and Mavis Downs mines by streamlining operations through auger and open cut mining methods followed by underground extension from the existing highwalls to achieve very low-cost mining, and

stable production of low-ash, highquality Mavis Downs metallurgical coal, a well-established brand in the global marketplace,” Latimore explained.

M Resources subsidiary M Mining planned to recommence rehabilitation works at the site when mining restarted.

Rehabilitation obligations are expected to be around $25.7 million with Peabody agreeing to pay back $12.5 million of rehabilitation costs over two years.

“The acquisition and restart of

PRODUCTION IS SET TO RESUME AT THE MILLENNIUM AND MAVIS DOWNS MINES.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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Millennium and Mavis Downs mine is a shot in the arm for Queensland’s economic recovery and for Central Queensland and we are excited to work with our partners, regional stakeholders, local and state government and long-term customers in bringing this coal back to the market,” Latimore said.

“This project will produce high quality metallurgical coal which is in high global demand and remains an essential component of the steel making process. Queensland is a reliable and high-quality supplier.”

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NEWS

NEWMONT IMPROVES BODDINGTON PRODUCTIVITY WITH AUTOMATION PROJECT Newmont has delivered first production from its new autonomous truck fleet at the Boddington gold mine in Western Australia.

The first machines involved in the achievement included five autonomous trucks, which commenced production between stockpiles and the crusher.

Production was preceded by commissioning and testing in an autonomous operating zone at the mine.

Newmont is investing $US150 million ($194 million) in the complete fleet, which will

comprise 29 new Caterpillar 793F autonomous haulage system (AHS)enabled trucks and seven existing, converted 793F trucks.

Newmont Australia regional senior vice president Alex Bates said first production from its autonomous fleet was an important step in the full deployment of the fleet. “(This) will see enhanced safety and productivity for the mine at Boddington, as well as extending mine life,” Bates said.

“We remain on track to successfully transform our mining operation to an AHS operation by the end of the year.”

The Boddington mine will be the world’s first open pit gold mine with an autonomous haul truck fleet when fully operational this year. Delivery partner WesTrac aims to commission all trucks to AHS seamlessly.

WesTrac general manager technology Alister MacPherson said Newmont had acknowledged that the maturity of AHS in Western Australia was world leading. “(When) combined with the extensive experience across the WesTrac team, the company sees the delivery timeline as readily achievable,” he said.

Boddington is conveniently located

in proximity to WesTrac’s new technology training centre in Collie.

Training of Newmont maintenance and support personnel has commenced, with further training in the operation of supporting systems being delivered through the WesTrac institute in South Guildford. Around 160 assets will be equipped with supporting systems.

“Those range from Cat 7495HD rope shovels, right down to light vehicles that are used by workers within the mine environment and need to interact with the autonomous fleet,” MacPherson said.

TWO AUTONOMOUS CAT TRUCKS AT NEWMONT’S BODDINGTON GOLD MINE.

AUSTRALIAN EXPLORERS BOOSTED BY $100M PACKAGE The Australian Government has extended the Junior Minerals Exploration Incentive (JMEI) by four years with an additional $100 million in funding.

The JMEI extension aims to deliver more jobs for future miners. According to the Australian Government, future mining employment will be limited without further exploration activities.

The JMEI has supported 85 junior mining companies since it was first introduced in 2018. More than half of the exploration companies supported are based in Western Australia.

Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt said the JMEI would give explorers tax incentives and encourage new mine developments.

“The resources sector directly employs more than 260,000 people, with most of these jobs in regional Australia,” he said.

“We want to make sure the industry continues to grow and maximises the benefits for all Australians.”

Pitt said Australia’s resources sector was bolstered by junior explorers.

“Our successful, stable and AUSTRALIANMINING

secure resources sector is underpinned by our world-class junior explorers,” he said.

“These companies ensure the ongoing exploration and the discovery of new mineral resources, including critical minerals that positions Australia to drive the global economy of the future.

“Australia can provide the world with secure supply chains and manufacturing opportunities for rare earths and critical minerals that are vital in the production process of our smartphones, batteries, new tech medical appliances and our

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defence componentry.”

Junior explorers in Australia discover up to 70 per cent of deposits that create new projects.

In April, the Australian Government granted $3 million to expand Geoscience Australia’s Exploring the Future resources program into Tasmania.

“Extension of the Junior Minerals Exploration Incentive complements the existing suite of Australian Government support for greenfield exploration, including the $225 million Exploring for the Future Program run

by Geoscience Australia,” Pitt said.

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COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

COPPER HEATS UP AS GLOBAL DEMAND SPIKES WHILE GOLD MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS WERE THE TALK OF THE INDUSTRY LAST YEAR, COPPER ACTIVITY HAS BEEN SPIRALLING UPWARDS IN THE BACKGROUND. NICKOLAS ZAKHARIA WRITES.

I

t’s no secret that clean energy technologies require a large amount of copper.

After climbing into record territory on the London Metals Exchange this year, there are expectations that the red metal will become as vital as ever as demand for these technologies grows.

Australian copper exports already achieved a record revenue of $10.4 billion in 2020, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

While global copper production is dominated by major mining companies, Cyprium Metals is pushing towards becoming a mid-tier producer in Australia to make its mark on the industry.

The Perth-based company comprises mining executives with strong experience working in both local and international copper projects.

In February, Cyprium made a key move in this direction by acquiring Metals X’s copper portfolio for $60 million.

The buyout includes the mothballed Nifty copper mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, which Metals X placed on care and maintenance in 2019 after acquiring the site three years earlier.

Nifty was first discovered in the 1980s but progress at the site stalled due to a lack of exploration.

For Cyprium Metals, however,

all systems are go at Nifty as the company looks to advance its path towards the mid-tier sector.

“It always was attractive for us in terms of the size, the copper metal, in terms of the fact it’s a stressed asset, that it’s in Western Australia, and the infrastructure surrounding it,” Cyprium Metals managing director Barry Cahill tells Australian Mining.

“We’re really happy to get a hold of it.”

Cahill says Cyprium is firing on all cylinders to make its mid-tier prospects possible.

“Really the focus is on copper production,” he says. “We’re not explorers, we’re resource developers, operators, producers and financiers.

THE NIFTY COPPER MINE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

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“We like to get copper resources and turn them into operating projects and make them commercial – that’s what gets us excited.”

Cyprium is looking to develop the Nifty mine exclusively into an open pit site, unlike previous owner Metals X, which operated an underground operation at the site.

This strategy continued into Metal X’s reset plan at Nifty, but Cyprium has other ideas for how to approach mining of the resource.

“The reset plan didn’t work is the fundamental answer,” Cahill says. “Whatever was in the plan didn’t work. The reset plan involved underground, we’re involving an open pit instead.”

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

Rather than using the Nifty concentrator, Cyprium plans to use a heap leaching method, which it believes is more economically viable.

“We’re producing copper metal plate with the heap leaching instead so it’s a finished product rather than a concentrate, which was done at Nifty previously,” Cahill says.

“Copper metal plate sells all over the world mainly into Asia at the moment, but also into Europe and the United States.”

The company hopes to commission the plant and produce first copper by the end of 2022, followed by full production in 2023, with current targets of 20,000 tonnes of copper per annum.

A feasibility study is also due

by September this year to upgrade the proof of concept study that was completed as part of the due diligence process prior to the purchase, Cahill continues.

“Metals X released their scoping study last year,” he says. “We don’t agree with the concepts in there, but it goes to show there’s a lot of data available to turn into the feasibility study.”

A cause for copper

To be a copper producer in 2021 comes with its own success and opportunities.

“I’d love to be a copper producer this year,” Cahill says. “Who wouldn’t? You’d be laughing.”

Like many miners, Cahill sees copper demand only increasing in the long run.

He says copper does not fluctuate

to the extremes of speciality metals, making it a safer choice of investment for a new technology future.

“From our point of view, copper is a safe bet for worldwide electrification,” Cahill says.

“No matter what you do with electrification, it all requires copper, and copper production is required for all of those things.

“It’s such a safe bet without having those fluctuations of supply and demand. That’s why we went for copper.”

A large slice of Australia’s copper is exported from BHP’s Olympic Dam mine in South Australia, which is one of the world’s largest deposits of the mineral.

BHP, which last year became the world’s top copper producer, has a massive portfolio in the base metal, including the Escondida joint venture operation in Chile, the largest copper mine in the world.

Speaking at the CRU World Copper Conference in Chile, BHP president minerals Americas Rag Udd says copper demand is expected to double in the future.

“In a Paris-aligned, 1.5-degree scenario, we expect that investment in areas such as copper-intensive solar generation, nickel-intensive batteries, and steel-intensive wind turbines will contribute to a more than doubling of the amount of primary copper and a quadrupling of the amount of primary nickel demand over the next 30 years relative to that was produced over the last 30 years,” he says.

Udd says industry efforts decarbonise will also increase

commodity demand for new infrastructure.

“This effort will require substantial investment in infrastructure and the technologies that will leverage them,” he says.

BHP has also revised its internal EV penetration forecast as demand climbs, with Udd pointing to these vehicles requiring significantly more copper to manufacture than petrol-based cars.

“Policy signposts for rapid EV adoption were distinctly favourable over the last 12 months and we have revised our internal EV penetration forecasts upwards,” he says.

“These vehicles use four times as much copper as petrol-based cars, and they will also need more infrastructure to connect charging stations to the grid.”

Goldman Sachs states that “copper is the new oil” in a report released by the company in April.

“We estimate that by mid decade this growth in green demand alone will match, and then quickly surpass, the incremental demand China generated during the 2000s,” the report explains.

“Ripple effects into non-green channels mean the 2020s are expected to be the strongest phase of volume growth in global copper demand in history.”

The report anticipates that by 2030, copper demand from electrification will grow by almost 600 per cent to 5.4 million tonnes.

If there is a “hyper adoption” of sustainable technologies, copper demand would increase by as much as 900 per cent to 8.7 million tonnes.

CYPRIUM PLANS TO TURN NIFTY INTO AN OPEN PIT OPERATION.

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Future opportunities

With copper demand stirring, and strong optimism from the world’s leading producer, Cahill is eager to progress Cyprium’s assets to help meet future supply needs.

“To get Nifty back up and running properly is going to require a lot more support from stakeholders like government and government departments,” he says. “We want to be copper producers – we’re not talking about it, we’re doing it.”

Through the Metals X copper acquisition, Cyprium also secured the Maroochydore and Paterson Exploration projects, both in the Paterson Province in Western Australia.

Cyprium’s new assets join its Nanadie Well project and an 80 per cent interest in the Cue copper project in Western Australia.

Drilling at Maroochydore has unveiled a resource of 486,000 tonnes of copper and 18,500 tonnes of cobalt.

“We have a view with our intellectual property that we can crack the metallurgy there (at Maroochydore),” Cahill says.

“Nifty is hopefully running to full production in January 2023, so we need to have Maroochydore ready for our next project after Nifty.”

Cahill anticipates that Maroochydore will follow suit and enter production by 2025 at 20,000 tonnes of copper per annum.

“The approval process on a new build might be a bit longer and the cost is much greater,” he says. “But we’re very bullish on it.”

The Paterson project is a joint venture (JV) with IGO, which has committed $32 million to earn a 70 per cent interest in the project.

The JV was formed in 2020 with IGO agreeing to fund exploration activities for six-and-a-half years.

With Paterson located near Nifty, Cahill is excited to see what IGO can help it achieve there.

“We’re quite happy with the expertise of IGO in terms of their exploration,” he says.

“They have other tenements in the Paterson Province and we’re happy to let them do their due and ride off the back of it.”

Cyprium’s strategy to turn itself into a mid-tier company looks promising, and Cahill hopes it can build a presence in the Western Australian copper sector with the three acquired assets.

“By sheer luck, we’ve ended up solely in Western Australia,” he says.

“One of the things we’ve taken into our strategy is our regional presence, which is why Nifty, Maroochydore and Paterson work so well for us.” AM

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

DIAMONDS CONTINUE TO SHINE AMID DARKNESS AUSTRALIA IS DETERMINED TO REVIVE ITS DIAMOND MINING SECTOR DESPITE LOSING ITS STATUS AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST PRODUCERS. AUSTRALIAN MINING SPEAKS WITH STATE GOVERNMENTS, LUCAPA DIAMOND COMPANY AND FITCH SOLUTIONS ABOUT AUSTRALIA’S PROSPECTS.

I

CREDIT: LUCAPA DIAMOND COMPANY.

f there is one thing well known about Australia, it is that the country possesses vast quantities of resources and materials buried in the ground.

The closure of one mine doesn’t usually mean the end of an era.

This not only applies to the traditional materials driving Australia’s economy such as iron ore and coal, but also resources that contribute less to GDP such as diamonds.

Lucapa Diamond Company managing director Stephen Wetherall says it’s unfortunate one of the world’s largest mines, the Argyle operation in Western Australia, has closed its doors.

“Australia has gone from being one of the largest diamond-producing countries in the world to one of the smallest,” he tells Australian Mining.

“We’re trying to change that. We certainly do see a future here.”

Lucapa has been in talks to acquire the Merlin diamond mine in the Northern Territory (NT) since late 2020.

The NT is mineral rich with large underexplored areas, providing tremendous opportunities for mineral discoveries, according to the NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade.

“The resources sector is a key priority for the Northern Territory.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade encourages all mining including for diamonds,” the Department states.

“The NTGS (Northern Territory Geological Survey) is planning major geoscience programs under the

A 213-CARAT DIAMOND RECOVERED FROM LUCAPA’S MOTHAE MINE.

AUSTRALIANMINING

expanded Resourcing the Territory program, which are designed to assist exploration for all commodities, including diamonds.”

Beyond the NT, Lucapa is also running a primary resource exploration program in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia in search of Australia’s next diamond mine.

The project, called Brooking, is within 50 kilometres of the Ellendale mine, which Burgundy Diamond Mines is set to operate after securing an agreement with Gibb River Diamonds to acquire the site.

Ellendale is one of the mines that is largely responsible for Western Australia’s known diamond resources, which, according to the state’s Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS), sit at 90.5 million tonnes at 0.137 carats per tonne for 12.4 million carats of diamonds.

Wetherall believes there is a “very high” likelihood of further economic kimberlite discoveries in Western Australia given those found at the Ellendale and Argyle sites.

“We wouldn’t be running our exploration program if we didn’t believe there was potential for the next diamond mine in Australia,” he says.

The DMIRS also shares Wetherall’s confidence, stating that it is optimistic that Western Australia will regain its position as a significant producer of diamonds.

To make diamond mining attractive, the state government announced a reduction in the precious stone’s royalty rate from 7.5 per cent to 5 per cent in July last year.

“This will ensure that all new diamond mines will be subject to the same royalty rate that applied to the Argyle diamond mine,” a DMIRS spokesperson says.

“The Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) provides highquality geoscience information for use by companies seeking to explore for mineral and petroleum resources, including the Diamond Exploration and Prospectivity of Western Australia 2018 data package, a compilation of diamond exploration, geology, geophysics and administrative data

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layers.”

In addition, the DMIRS also provides up to $10 million a year in competitive grants to successful applicants as part of the GSWA’s exploration incentive scheme cofunded exploration drilling program, with the next round opening in August.

The grant returns up to half of direct drilling costs associated with minerals exploration drilling and covers all commodity types, including diamonds. The government also promises to tie these incentives with a policy environment that supports development “in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.”

Fitch Solutions commodity analyst Carly Cassidy says Australia poses relatively low risks of resource nationalism compared with key producing diamond countries across Africa. However, Africa’s diamond reserves are not up for debate.

Cassidy says according to the United States Geological Survey’s latest industrial diamond reserve data, 42 per cent of the global diamond reserves can be found in South Africa, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“Africa remains a key diamond mining jurisdiction due to its high reserve base,” Cassidy says. “For comparison, Australia boasts just 1.8 per cent of global industrial diamond reserves.”

Lucapa, which has assets on both continents, is recognised for owning two of the world’s five diamond mining operations with the highest average dollar per carat. They are both in Africa – the Lulo diamond mine in Angola and the Mothae diamond mine in Lesotho.

Both operations are producers of large, high-quality white coloured diamonds not strange to the diamond mining community.

Wetherall says the enviable status of each mine is attributed to their higher frequency of diamond recoveries compared with other mines.

Given that the average dollar per carat of a diamond globally is around $US120 ($155) on an annual basis, the Mothae mine far surpasses this with its average of $US1800 per carat.

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

CREDIT: LUCAPA DIAMOND COMPANY.

THE LULO DIAMOND OPERATION IN ANGOLA, AFRICA.

“It implies nearly 16 times better quality diamonds than the world average. The reason for this is the frequency of large and high value diamonds that are far more frequent than most other resources in the world,” Wetherall explains.

“It is the content of large, valuable stones within a single kimberlite pipe that results in much higher price. It’s not specific to a continent or country.

“We are just very fortunate that the resources and kimberlite we’ve invested in have preserved these large

diamonds from the earth’s mantle.”

Lucapa’s luck and diamond quality are comparable to those recovered in Australia, Russia and Canada, Wetherall says, including those found

by London-based Gem Diamonds and Canada’s Lucara Diamond.

The company’s solid market position starts with the right focus, which has been to target “very niche and highvalue large stones.”

This approach has transformed Lucapa from running a singlecountry operation into a diamond

1

mining company with two niche, high producing assets and three primary source exploration projects across Australia and Africa.

Lucapa’s focus has also motivated it to develop the Lulo mine from scratch, starting from exploration, source delineation and mine construction, to developing an operation that has now been running for six years.

The investment has delivered big rewards for Lucapa as Lulo is now positioned as the highest-price alluvial diamond mine in the world, according

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to Wetherall.

“Our revenues have been so strong that we’re going to report record revenues for the first six months of the year (as of April),” Wetherall says.

“We planned three diamond sales for the period of April to June, so it was a really, really strong start to the year from a mining and operational point of view. And by no means are we at the optimal or highest level of throughput yet.”

Lucapa has expanded Mothae from a 1.1-million-tonne-a-year operation to a

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RARE, COLOURED DIAMONDS FROM THE ELLENDALE DIAMOND MINE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

to enjoy the higher prices as others, such as Petra Diamonds reported a 16 per cent year-on-year improvement in first quarter revenue this year.

In April, BlueRock Diamonds also reported a recovery in its average diamond prices, which surpassed preCOVID levels and its 2019 average price, according to Cassidy.

“Over time … consumers have become more comfortable, making more expensive purchases online as luxury shoppers have limited travel,” Cassidy says.

As a rivalry with laboratory-grown diamonds develops, authentic gems are predicted to retain their solid position of demand due to their

different value proposition.

Cassidy says although there are no material differences between the two types of diamonds, their long-term retention value will separate them in the eyes of the consumer.

“As there is no limit to the theoretical supply of man-made diamonds, prices are set to decline over time,” Cassidy says.

“On the other hand, as the global supply of mined diamonds, and different colour complexities wane (most recently with the closure of the Argyle diamond mine), prices for mined diamonds will hold or increase value.

“We expect consumers to (prefer)

mined diamonds for significant jewellery purchases, such as bridal jewellery, while lab-grown diamonds may be increasingly used for industrial purposes.”

Cassidy believes the unrivalled competitiveness of mined diamonds will continue in the long-term.

This will set the stage for the Australian and global mining sectors to develop their diamond mining sectors and encourage project development.

In the meantime, diamond mining companies will continue to tell of the sector’s glistening performance underpinned by the world’s unquenchable desire for the gems. AM

CREDIT: LUCAPA DIAMOND COMPANY.

1.6-million-tonne-a-year mine.

Despite Lucapa achieving record throughput at Mothae, Wetherall says there is still room for expansion in terms of its annual production volume.

This also applies to the Lulo mine, which has reached record throughput as well.

“We are also looking at other projects that we can acquire into our operation,” Wetherall says.

“We have a very exciting kimberlite exploration project on the very same ground our Lulo mine is on; (we want to) successfully discover a kimberlite pipe that could be our production pipe in the future.”

Wetherall’s appetite for growth is not without substance. The company has rebounded from a position where it had to suspend operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, to enjoying a strong revival in demand for diamonds.

“When diamond production was materially reduced worldwide, the consumption of diamonds in the retail end continued to happen,” Wetherall explains.

“Demand from online purchases and e-commerce growth continued, so a large portion of the world’s quality diamond inventory was eaten away.

“When economic activities restarted, we saw a significant demand for diamonds, which then drove a recovery in the diamond prices. Large and higher quality diamonds are now at prices higher than pre-COVID-19 levels.”

Fitch’s Cassidy agrees, saying that diamond prices started to recover as early as the start of the pandemic.

Lucapa was not the only company

CREDIT: GIBB RIVER DIAMONDS.

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

THE MOTHAE MINE IN LESOTHO, AFRICA, HAS GROWN INTO A 1.6-MILLION-TONNE-A-YEAR OPERATION. AUSTRALIANMINING

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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

GAINING BACK WHAT’S LOST: INVESTOR TRUST DELOITTE HAS DONE THE MINING INDUSTRY A SERVICE BY PEELING BACK THE LAYERS TO LOOSENING INVESTOR TRUST. MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN PRESENT TWO AREAS WHERE TRUST CAN BE STRENGTHENED.

I

t is no secret that a decline in investor trust in the mining sector can be linked to companies engaging in a highly priced mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transaction that offers little promise for real growth.

In Deloitte’s 2021 Tracking the Trends report, it highlights that mining companies are on a journey to win back investor trust.

One way of achieving this is by engaging in an M&A deal that will almost certainly deliver additional value to shareholders.

Deloitte Australia partner, corporate finance, Nicki Ivory, says there needs to be a particular purpose for joining two companies together.

“It shouldn’t be growth for the sake of growth, the kind we’ve seen historically, where there is a huge, inflated price or a big control premium,” Ivory tells Australian Mining.

“M&A between big and small companies have historically struggled to provide value.”

What Ivory believes to be an ideal M&A deal is one that involves two companies of a comparable size.

This approach will open up a different narrative on why the transaction takes place.

Such a strategic and deliberate use of M&A implies that an agreement is more of a merger than a takeover, which the deal between Northern Star Resources and Saracen Mineral Holdings represented when it was finalised earlier this year.

Touted as a merger of equals by the measure of their relative share prices, production, reserves and resources, and management team, Ivory suggests the concept of paying a high premium should slip into the background.

“It is about forming something bigger and better than the individual units,” Ivory says.

“The term collaborative is a really good way to join together benefits for both the sector and shareholding groups. Benefits and synergies are being joined together without having to incur a massive premium.”

A different type of M&A agreement that the mining sector may now

SUPER PIT GOLD MINE CO-OWNERS NORTHERN STAR AND SARACEN MINERAL HOLDINGS MERGED THIS YEAR.

witness is a consolidation of different scales, Ivory says.

Companies might make an investment along their supply chain to, for example, secure volumes of critical minerals.

Ivory also pre-empts a disruptive kind of M&A, such as that portrayed

by Wesfarmers’ interest in acquiring Lynas Rare Earths in 2019.

“You’ll see people you wouldn’t usually see investing in mining suddenly being in mining.

Wesfarmers, for example, owns a chemicals business,” she says.

“But its proposal was about integrating the future-looking minerals (from Lynas) to Wesfarmers’ chemicals business.

“Tesla has also made comments that they wanted to get closer and closer to critical minerals to ensure it has certainty of supply down the line.”

If there’s one rule of thumb that mining companies need to go by to preserve shareholder trust before conducting M&A, it is to ask themselves whether they are pursuing a deal to build an empire.

AUSTRALIANMINING

Trust in supply chain

Investor trust also increasingly clings to a mining company’s efforts to reduce risk in its supply chain.

With the spotlight intensifying on this area following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain certainty ensures a continuous mining operation and an ethical reputation.

Most mining supply chains today extend to a global scale, putting a company’s reliance on certain third parties under question.

“There’s a number of mining companies whose approach to the pandemic was to focus on stocking up,” Deloitte Australia partner, consulting, Chris Coldrick says.

“Much of that inventory is now being consumed. The question for those companies is, are they any better equipped than before?”

A way around this dilemma, according to Coldrick, is to understand supply chains in a granular way.

This allows companies to identify their vulnerable areas, whether it be financial, geographic or socio-political.

“If your supplier is operating in

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a place with high COVID-19 cases, you’d expect a disruption. If they are under financial duress, you’d also then expect a disruption,” Coldrick says.

“Being able to anticipate that and take mitigation actions sooner than later is quite powerful.”

One step to identify these risks is by maintaining visibility of the extended supply chain. This will lead to opportunities for mining companies to have pre-emptive conversations with suppliers about vulnerabilities.

“I doubt anybody was anticipating some of the things that are happening right now at the start of the pandemic,” Coldrick says.

“Even as we’re recovering from the pandemic, there are still disruptions.

Having the facts ready will help you respond better to whatever disruptions that come your way.”

As mining companies address two of the many strategic factors that contribute to shareholder trust, they will be a step closer to increased resilience amid volatility.

The keys to combatting uncertainty are in a mining company’s hands. AM

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MINING EQUIPMENT

NATIONAL GROUP MEETS MINE GROWTH AMBITIONS NATIONAL GROUP HAS DELIVERED CATERPILLAR EQUIPMENT THAT’S READY TO TACKLE CHALLENGING ACTIVITIES AT A BLACKWATER MINE IN QUEENSLAND. CAT 775G SERVICE TRUCKS AND 24 MOTOR GRADERS MAKE THE LIST.

T

he mining industry’s reputation as a well-oiled machine is backed by the amount of hire equipment that National Group has sent to Australian mines

this year.

With multiple pieces of heavy earthmoving equipment sent out each month, National Group supports the continuity of Australia’s iron ore, metallurgical coal, gold, bauxite and manganese operations.

This includes the delivery of two Caterpillar 775G service trucks and one Caterpillar 24 motor grader to a Blackwater mine in Queensland.

All equipment was assembled at Hastings Deering’s factory in Brisbane, before being delivered by National Heavy Haulage to National Group’s Toowoomba yard in the Darling Downs region.

This is where the machines start to come alive. Both 60-tonne 775G service trucks were set up to deliver reliable performance and low maintenance as soon as National Group put on their service modules and completed final assembly.

The Cat 24 grader went through its final assembly stage and was mine-spec ready at National Group’s

Blackwater yard.

National Group managing director Mark Ackroyd says the 775G trucks were recommended based on the mining company’s use, capacity and size requirements.

“The 775G truck builds its credibility on Caterpillar’s 40-year history in building trucks. The mining company needs this type of service truck because they’ll be tasked to service a large portion of the mine,” Ackroyd tells Australian Mining.

“Accounting for the number of pits and haul roads, they required extra capacity within the mine. It wasn’t ordered as a replacement piece. And to avoid capital expenditures, they chose to hire the equipment from us.”

The 775G trucks are equipped with the latest Gecko service module and a reliable dispensing unit capable of carrying 42,000 litres of fuel.

They have been designed to ensure safe ergonomics to reduce driver fatigue and increase productivity.

The 775G trucks also boast an “exceptionally smooth” shifting and ride quality thanks to Caterpillar’s new planetary powershift transmission control strategy.

The strategy, called APECS, incorporates an electronic clutch

pressure control that aids in torque shift management, retaining momentum through long shifts that support a 24/7 mining operation.

Mining operators are treated to seven different ways to conserve fuel as they are free to customise two fuel economy modes for the desired levels of savings.

Featuring Tier 4 final emission controls, Caterpillar has moved towards a low-carbon future by integrating a nitrogen oxide reduction system technology that produces cooler temperatures in the combustion chamber.

The Cat 24 motor grader is also favoured for its power. Suitable for applications in wide haul roads, the Cat 24 is equipped with Cat Grade Control to help operators maintain the desired cross slope.

It is powered by the Cat C27 engine to handle various working altitudes and offers 11 per cent additional weight to generate more traction and blade down pressure than the 24M

motor grader.

Operators can also rely on its consistency throughout changing ambient conditions as its consistent power-to-the-ground changes its realtime engine power levels to offset the shortcomings of the cooling fan.

These attributes validate the mining company’s choice to specifically hire the Cat 24 grader.

Most importantly, Ackroyd says safety is at the top of the mining company’s mind.

The Cat 24 grader, for example, is designed with 15 tie-off points around the engine enclosure and cab as a secure tie-off hook for operators and technicians when carrying out service operations.

It also comes with a standard rearview camera to expand the operator’s visibility from the cab to areas behind the machine.

“Safety, reliability and quality are the three deciding factors for any mining company,” Ackroyd says. “To further help them achieve this, our skilled workforce can do maintenance for the hire equipment on site as well.”

From early discussions to assembly, delivery and maintenance, National Group is committed to providing an end-to-end solution. AM

THE CATERPILLAR 24 MOTOR GRADER IS PRAISED FOR MANY FEATURES INCLUDING ITS POWER. AUSTRALIANMINING

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REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

MEDUSA MINING’S CO-O GOLD MINE MILL COMPLEX AREA IN THE PHILIPPINES.

UNEARTHING SOUTH EAST ASIAN OPPORTUNITIES SOUTH EAST ASIAN MINING PROJECTS ARE AN APPEALING INVESTMENT TO SOME ASX-LISTED COMPANIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO UNCOVER LOW-COST DEVELOPMENTS IN UNDEREXPLORED REGIONS.

T

he importance of tapping into future critical mineral supplies is a challenge that the world is preparing for.

The Australian Government is aware of this, creating the Critical Minerals Facilitation Office in 2020.

Last year, resources technology and critical minerals were also signposted as the top priority in the government’s $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative and National Manufacturing Priorities.

While major mining companies are securing export deals for renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) supply chains, smaller companies are also looking abroad to ride the critical minerals wave.

Pan Asia Metals is one of those companies. Listed on the ASX in October 2020, Pan Asia Metals has three tungsten and lithium projects in Thailand, in addition to a tungsten project in New South Wales.

Tungsten is widely considered a critical mineral and is generally used to produce hard metals.

Lithium, also a critical mineral, is primarily used for ceramics, lubricants and polymers. The future of lithium is anticipated to increasingly move towards its key use for lithium-ion batteries.

Pan Asia Metals was formed in 2017 by then directors Paul Lock, David Hobby, David Docherty and Thanasak Chanyapoon.

Lock, Pan Asia Metals managing director, says the company finished up exploring in Thailand partially “by design and part by accident.”

After initially targeting projects in Myanmar, a move held up by policy and licencing roadblocks, Pan Asia Metals developed a deep understanding of the South East Asian tin-tungsten belt.

“This belt contains some of the biggest tin producing regions historically, particularly Perak in AUSTRALIANMINING

Malaysia and Phang Nga in Thailand, where our Reung Kiet lithium project is,” Lock tells Australian Mining.

The company’s other sites include the Khao Soon tungsten project, and Bang Now lithium project, both in Thailand, along with the Minster tungsten project in New South Wales.

With the vision of becoming a lowcost speciality metals miner, Lock says South East Asia and East Asia both offer a cost-effective environment for junior explorers.

“Being in South East Asia, we have cost advantages and our markets are literally next door,” Lock says.

“We are looking for opportunities to secure projects which have the potential to be situated at the bottom of the opex (operational expenditure) and capex (capital expenditure) cost curves, and which offer the potential for value adding.”

With a joint ore reserve committee (JORC) mineral resource estimate scheduled for release this year, the

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company is also planning to undertake further drilling.

“We have been drilling at the Khao Soon Tungsten project and just released final assays, which are peer group leading,” Lock says.

“We will do some further drilling with the aim of delivering a JORC mineral resource later this year.”

Pan Asia Metals also plans to build off the EV momentum as it grows.

The company is intending to use its lithium for lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide, both used in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

“For lithium, we will be targeting lithium carbonate or hydroxide, we don’t feel that there is any urgency for this decision as lithium-ion battery (LIB) chemistry is evolving and where it was until recently all about lithium hydroxide,” Lock explains.

“The LFP batteries, which will be used in lower end applications, use lithium carbonate, so there will be strong demand for lithium carbonate

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

– we will make this decision closer to completion of our PFS (pre-feasibility study).”

Asia Pacific Metals sees Thailand as an adequate buyer for its future lithium supply.

“In Thailand, there is a big focus on EV and LIB production. Thailand may not be as large a manufacturer of these as China, South Korea and Japan, but it will be large enough for our purposes,” Lock says.

“For tungsten, this is a harder question, it is a growth area and there is a lot of development happening in

additive manufacturing and specialty alloys, and hence new applications.”

Lock says there are unique advantages to South East Asia compared with major mining countries.

“I don’t see South East Asia as a metals producer like we see in Australia, Canada, Africa or South America, but for the metals producers in South East Asia they are generally low cost and very close to their markets,” he says.

“There are huge advantages to this geography that most exploration and mining companies do not have.”

Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) chief executive officer Tania Constable says Australian-based mining companies have the ability to grow projects in South East Asia.

“Developing the potential for mining in South East Asia and encouraging Australian mining expertise in the region will ensure that mining is able to combine social contribution, responsible environmental management, leading practice governance to deliver positive local and regional community, environmental and economic outcomes,” Constable says.

On the other hand, the MCA has flagged Asia’s overall demand for Australian commodities and METS (mining, equipment, technology and services) companies.

“The Australian METS sector is focused on exports and has long experience in meeting the particular needs of different regions and geologies,” Constable says.

“Increasingly, equipment is digitally integrated, allowing more data to efficiently target resources, operate more safely and minimise environmental impacts.”

PAN ASIA METALS’ PAUL LOCK (LEFT) AND DAVID HOBBY.

Australian-based Medusa Mining is a gold mining company looking to expand its foothold in the Asia Pacific region by taking advantage of these conditions.

The company has operated the Co-O gold mine in the Philippines since 2006 and owns multiple exploration projects set up within the area. The CO-O mine reached its million-ounce production milestone in 2020.

DRILLING AT PAN ASIA METALS’ KHAO SOON TUNGSTEN PROJECT. AUSTRALIANMINING

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“(The) Co-O mine has a proven history of successfully mining and developing a narrow-vein high-grade deposit,” Medusa Mining chief financial officer Patrick Warr says.

“The tenements are in the right geological address with the surrounding areas very prospective.”

Warr believes the Philippines is a prospective area for mining, saying it is a historically proven country that is endowed with rich mineral deposits.

Corporate tax rates in the Philippines have been reduced to 25 per cent, while the government has also lifted a ban on new mining and exploration licences through Executive Order 130.

“The Philippines is a known rich area of mining,” Warr says. “(The) government recently lowered corporate tax rates, and Executive Order 130 may further boost the economic development in the mining industry.”

According to Constable, the MCA supports these efforts from Australianbased miners.

“The MCA champions and supports a strong mining sector in Australia and at operations around the world,” Constable says.

“The mining industry continues to sustain economic growth and prosperity in Australia, at operations around the world and in the countries which import mined products and are developing their own mining sector.” AM

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TWO OVERLAND CONVEYORS DELIVER MATERIAL FROM THE PRIMARY CRUSHERS TO THE SECONDARY CRUSHERS.

IF GIANTS COULD ROAM THE EARTH – NEW MEGA SCREENS FOR MAJOR COPPER PRODUCER FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS HAS STRENGTHENED A RELATIONSHIP WITH SCHENCK PROCESS BY INVESTING IN MEGA SCREENS THAT WILL DRIVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE MASSIVE COBRE PANAMA COPPER MINE.

C

anadian-based First Quantum Minerals (FQML) is one of the world’s leading copper producers, exporting to customers worldwide.

While its focus is on copper, FQML also produces nickel, gold, magnetite, zinc and other by-products.

The company operates mines in

AARON FIELDS.

several countries and employs around 20,000 people worldwide.

With its history dating back to the mid 1990s in Africa, the company has steadily grown, largely through project development and acquisition.

In 2010, FQML made four acquisitions, which included Trident/ Sentinel in Zambia and Ravensthorpe Nickel in Western Australia.

Following a corporate acquisition in 2013, First Quantum assumed an 80 per cent equity interest in the Panamanian company that holds the Cobre Panama concession. Since then, it has increased its interest to 90 per cent.

Spanish for ‘Panama Copper’, Cobre Panama is one of the largest new copper mines opened globally in the past decade.

Located 120 kilometres west of Panama City, the production complex includes open pit mining, a processing plant, a 300-megawatt power station and an international shipping port.

At full current capacity, the plant can process 85 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of ore to produce AUSTRALIANMINING

more than 300,000 tonnes of copper per year along with gold, silver and molybdenum.

Although FQML’s head office is in Canada, the company also has offices in the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa. FQML’s Australian office has been described as the ‘epicentre’ of the company’s projects capabilities.

FQML has a reputation for being bold, taking calculated risks and doing things a little differently.

Over the last few years, the company has commissioned the design of some of the largest mineral process equipment ever made.

In 2017, First Quantum approached Schenck Process regarding the supply of mill discharge screens for Cobre Panama’s SAG mills, which are among the biggest in the world. The resulting design was a monster mill discharge screen, that was later dubbed the ‘Beast’.

Commenting on his company’s involvement in the project, vice president for original equipment at Schenck Process – Amit Parimoo says, “By the time we got involved, they

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were already quite advanced with the design and construction of the plant.

“As well as designing a screen that could handle the throughput volume from the mills, it also had to fit within a tight footprint. That was the most challenging part for us.”

Schenck Process delivered three of these screens to Cobre Panama in 2018 and the processing plant went into commercial production in mid-2019.

The same screens were subsequently retrofitted at First Quantum’s Sentinel operations in Zambia.

Based within FQML’s projects group in West Perth, project manager Aaron Fields is a professional mechanical engineer with more than 25 years of experience managing mineral processing projects in both Australia and overseas.

Having joined FQML in 2017, Fields became involved in the Cobre Panama development and remains part of the team responsible for the mine’s ongoing success. Thinking back to the start of the project, Fields recalls the initial stages of the plant’s design.

“When First Quantum bought the

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AMIT PARIMOO.

Cobre Panama mine and restructured the project, it was conceived for a 74mtpa throughput,” he says.

“Mid-project, we increased that to 85mtpa by making some changes to the milling and flotation circuits, but there were already elements of the plant that were capable of 100mtpa. We always had the intention to ramp up quickly to 85mtpa and then stretch beyond that to 100mtpa.

“Despite the challenges of COVID, we are currently doing well as we work towards our 85mtpa continuous throughput target. Also, over the last six to 12 months we have scoped some concurrent, complementary projects that should allow us to reach 100mtpa and beyond.”

One of these improvement projects involves the installation of a new screening facility between the complex’s primary and secondary crushers.

The intention is to minimise fines in the feed to the secondary crushers, freeing up valuable crusher capacity.

The installation of a third secondary crusher is also planned.

The new screening facility will require three screens each capable of handling up to 8000 tonnes per hour of primary crushed ore, with the oversized material feeding the secondary crushers and the undersized material bypassing the crushers and heading directly to the grinding mills.

Based on the positive experience that FQML had with the supply and performance of their mill discharge screens, the company once again approached Schenck Process for assistance.

“When we develop a good relationship with a supplier and they prove to be what we would like them to be in terms of technical innovation and support, we tend to go back and work with the same people. This was

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definitely a factor in our decision to work with Schenck Process on this project,” Fields says.

Responding to FQML’s requirements, Schenck Process’ Australian-based engineering team created a new hybrid design which it says will be the largest multi-slope banana screen ever to be built.

The result is a screen that measures 4.3 metres wide and 9.7 metres long.

Like Schenck Prosses Beast SAG mill screens, the excitation force of the new SLD4397DXX ‘mega’ screen is delivered by four DF704 exciters mounted on two unitary beams.

But unlike the Beast, the new screen’s drive assembly incorporates a unique twin gearbox arrangement driven via a single motor, ensuring effective exciter phasing.

FQML’s board gave the green light

to Cobre Panama’s improvement project in December 2020. Pleased with Schenck Process’ new design, in January FQML awarded the company an order for the three new screens.

These huge machines will be built at Schenck Process’ new Jandakot production facility in Western Australia and are expected to be shipped to site by the end of 2021.

“We are really pleased to be chosen to play such an important role in the ongoing success of Cobre Panama.

Our purpose-built production facility in Jandakot is equipped with four 40-tonne cranes, allowing our teams to safely handle very large equipment with ease,” Parimoo says.

“With a total transport mass of around 89 tonnes, these huge screens will challenge our facility’s impressive lifting capability.” AM

COBRE PANAMA’S COMMINUTION PROCESS EMPLOYS SOME OF THE BIGGEST MILLS AND SCREENS IN THE WORLD.

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EFFICIENCY & OPTIMISATION

WHY STRATEGY AND COMMUNICATION ARE ESSENTIAL AQURA TECHNOLOGIES FOCUSES ON TWO KEY PARTS WHEN HELPING TO OPTIMISE A MINING OPERATION IN AUSTRALIA – STRATEGY AND COMMUNICATION. critical for safe and efficient operations.

And with wearables leveraging technology like LTE, tracking loneworkers and keeping non-qualified staff out of restricted areas with geofencing becomes easy to deploy.

Bringing the field to the decision makers

AN OVERARCHING STRATEGY IS KEY TO COORDINATE DATA FLOWS FROM INVESTMENTS.

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qura chief operating officer Alan Seery believes many mining companies will face hurdles with the coming deluge of data that results from deploying new digital technologies in the field.

These technologies will promise a range of optimisation benefits, but will also add further complexity if not done right. To provide support in this area, Aqura focuses on working with companies to identify broader business benefits when looking to technology to support mine optimisation.

“At the very core of Aqura’s focus is to help organisations to bridge the gap between the field and the decision makers. It is about making things operate quicker and having those abilities to communicate quickly, securely and efficiently between field operations and planning,” he says.

“Creating a sound data connectivity strategy is the first step and then you can go from there. In the mining industry there is a lot of siloed thinking and it becomes a barrier when trying to optimise a mine to realise benefits.”

Aqura suggests involving other internal stakeholders when looking at digital projects in the field. This can be as simple as communicating with other business groups to call out the objective of a project.

Seery says many resources businesses are focused on delivering disparate projects and what ends up happening is that many projects surface on site, all competing for a very tenuous Wi-Fi connection and then the project falls over at the last step – not being able to get the data back from the source.

“Take the time to circulate ideas internally. You’ll be surprised how many others come back and have the similar needs, and when these come together as a strategy, the outcomes are the winner and the business case becomes more compelling,” Seery says.

He says the resources industry is increasingly benefiting from Private LTE network technology to further facilitate automation, analytics and remote communications.

“When coupled with the reach, security and guaranteed reliability to support simultaneous data streams AUSTRALIANMINING

offered by LTE, our Industrial IoT communications platform further expands the ability of operators to harness the benefits from a digitallyconnected operation,” Seery explains.

“Aside from the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) sensors on equipment being installed as standard from the factory, you can have thousands of next-generation IoT sensors on a site running off batteries which last up to 10 years. The cost to deploy LTE-based IoT sensors is low, but the power of insight they deliver is considerable.”

The benefits of a cohesive connectivity strategy doesn’t just end with IoT data. Safety is a considerable beneficiary. Rather than sending four people down a mine you send one with a camera and do a high-definition remote video conference, which creates a safer working environment and enables centralised experts to support a number of work fronts.

Communication across sites is critical. Seery says with the increasing span and complexity of site topologies and infrastructure, locating and communicating with people on site is

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“We had a client recently, which had a case where they needed to be more connected in the field to be more efficient in its decision making,” Seery explains.

“This was in exploration, so they needed to be able to get the drill data, process it on site and then get the results to the geologists in the head office and production planners in order to optimise their drill patterns.”

Seery says the solution for the customer had to provide coverage over drilling areas and be able to send data back to the head office almost immediately.

“We assembled a solution that gave them a large area LTE, which connected all the drilling rigs, their drill camp, an edge-computer solution and ultimately allowed them to send aggregated data back via satellite to head office in near real time,” he says.

“That cut their decision time down to hours and they now have daily updates. In consultation with their CBD-based geology team, they are able to target areas of interests, which significantly cuts down costs on drilling and has translated into more efficient drilling programs.”

Seery finds that generating data from the field in almost real time and being able to transfer to decision makers the same day is a hurdle most remote mining companies face.

“Remote operations means you need to be able to connect to make adjustments and optimise to reduce your cost and enhance the returns of your people and physical assets on site,” Seery says.

“As more and more operations move to remote operations and planning, understanding what’s going on in the field in near-real time will be crucial and an end-to-end connectivity strategy will be more critical than ever and create a more efficient company in the long run.” AM

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EFFICIENCY & OPTIMISATION

RELIABLE RADAR FOR SOLID MINING MEASUREMENTS FOR CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENT SOLUTIONS SUITED TO APPLICATIONS ACROSS INDUSTRIES, VEGA HAS SPENT 20 YEARS DEVELOPING ITS RADAR TECHNOLOGY. MANAGING DIRECTOR JOHN LEADBETTER EXPLAINS EXACTLY HOW VEGA’S PRODUCTS HAVE BECOME BEST-IN-CLASS.

T

he ‘family-owned’ value is one made popular by businesses the world over for good reason. It speaks to reliability, a supportive nature, and a breadth of knowledge developed through generations.

At Vega, these traits are held to the highest standard, in order for the third-generation business to survive and thrive in the modern world.

John Leadbetter has worked with Vega for 24 years – more than two thirds of the time that the company has been involved with the Australian mining industry – and has used various roles to understand what makes an effective product.

When it comes to measurement sensors and radar technology, Leadbetter says it’s Vega’s main directive to be an industry leader, supplying some of mining’s biggest names with reliable measurement equipment.

“We’ve shown through the years in the sort of applications you would input these devices, this is the bestin-class,” Leadbetter says.

“There’s always competition, but the one thing Vega has looked at is staying one step ahead. A tremendous amount of resources, time and money are put into research and development.

“So, we’re always developing the next generation, which comes from feedback from customers and Vega subsidiaries.”

The VEGAPULS 69 is one example of Vega’s industry leading offering.

The 80 gigahertz radar sensor specialises in detecting and measuring bulk solids up to 120 metres away, regardless of dust or vapour in the environment. This allows the sensor to be used across a broad range of industries for materials handling, but especially in mining.

Leadbetter says the rise of radar technology has been unbelievable over his tenure at Vega. Back in 1991, the company’s first radar products weighed up to 62 kilograms. Now, the VEGAPULS 69 weighs three

VEGA AUSTRALIA MD JOHN LEADBETTER.

kilograms, and can be powered by a 12-volt battery, or solar panels. It’s on such developments that Vega prides itself.

“You’ve got to keep up with technologies,” Leadbetter says. “All staff consistently go through upgrades in knowledge because if you don’t understand the products that you’re selling, you’re doing the customer a disservice.

“Vega is proud of a number of things: its German quality – it’s the best available – and the quality of the people employed at Vega.

“Vega is here for the long term, so we’re all about customer satisfaction and we take any feedback, positive or negative, because that’s how you improve.”

Leadbetter emphasises how important customer feedback is in ensuring Vega’s products are up to scratch. So much so that equipment like their VEGAPULS 69 undergoes a sort of free trial in a real mining environment before being made publicly available.

“Radar is our number one product, there’s a tremendous amount of knowledge, experience and development and we work hand in hand with the marketplace,” Leadbetter says.

“For the next generation, we will release beta-units to the market and

AUSTRALIANMINING

put them through a real-life situation, not a laboratory situation. We want to make sure our gear works for the customer, not for a testing house.”

The VEGAPULS 69 is both wear and maintenance free, due to its non-contact nature. But Leadbetter still says his favourite thing about the sensor is its versatility.

“The most impressive thing about the 69 is it’s a radar that you can confidently apply to multiple industry groups and say, ‘I have the solution for that’,” Leadbetter says.

“It’s multipurpose, from grain measurement, to vehicle sensing, or anti-collision technology, the VEGAPULS 69 is an advisory device with a multitude of functions.”

In the age of wireless storage and communication, the VEGAPULS 69 comes with optional extras for remote control and monitoring.

“One of the latest developments we introduced to make customers’ lives easier was to implement Bluetooth communication,” Leadbetter explains.

“The customer can now choose to communicate with the devices in the field through a smart phone or tablet to avoid connecting wires or being put in dangerous situations.”

If Vega can be trusted by the Bureau of Meteorology to detect nationwide tsunami warnings (and it is), then it may just be good enough for the best in the mining business.

Vega presents second-to-none radar sensor technology, because in a country where mining keeps the lights on, no one can afford a mismeasurement. AM THE VEGAPULS 69 CAN DETECT BULK SOLIDS UP TO 120 METRES AWAY.

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EFFICIENCY & OPTIMISATION

INTEGRATING INNOVATION FROM PIT TO TAILINGS WEIR MINERALS’ INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS TEAM ENABLES MINING OPERATIONS TO ADVANCE THEIR POTENTIAL THROUGH FORWARD-THINKING PROBLEM SOLVING THAT CAN BE ADOPTED ACROSS MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES.

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ustainability has been a key talking point for the mining industry in recent years.

This has driven demand for more efficient operations that not only cut carbon emissions, but also save time and money while boosting productivity.

Weir Minerals recognises this demand and offers tailored solutions for mining operations that make them more sustainable and efficient in the long term. The company’s integrated solutions team focuses on providing customers with an outcome that is optimised using multiple Weir Minerals products and services.

This approach encourages innovation and collaboration alongside the customer by developing a deep understanding of their requirements.

Weir Minerals’ integrated solutions are backed by a team of in-house experts that collaborate and identify the most effective way to address an industry challenge.

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The minerals processing equipment supplier achieves this through process audits during site visits, with the team then using flowsheets, mass balances and 3D layouts to deliver the solution.

Weir Minerals general manager

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AUSTRALIANMINING

sales, Julie Truss, says the integrated solutions team ensures the customer’s operation is optimised through the company’s approach.

“The mining industry is facing some quite specific trends which require innovation and constant improvement to allow them to deliver natural resources to the world markets in a sustainable and efficient way,” Truss tells Australian Mining.

“The word efficiency means more than just power usage; some of those sustainability themes are starting to become apparent in customer decision making.”

Truss, who has almost two decades of experience at Weir, has delivered multiple optimisation projects utilising the company’s integrated solutions approach.

An example of this approach has resulted in Weir optimising a gold-silver mine in New South Wales, where the company changed the site’s equipment and circuit configuration, resulting in a 5-10 per cent increase in throughput.

The mining company has since commenced working with Weir on the next iteration of the circuit.

Truss says industry trends of using lower-grade ore stockpiles and sustainability need to be addressed through customer and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) collaboration.

“Weir’s integrated solutions aim

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to improve the process efficiency for our customers,” Truss says. “We want to ensure that throughout the whole circuit, the ore is classified correctly and transported optimally while the equipment uses the least amount of power possible.”

Weir’s focus on the correct application of its OEM equipment as part of the integrated solutions has allowed operations to become more sustainable.

By manufacturing, supplying and installing its solutions, Weir has complete control over its products and solutions, allowing for a truly optimised solution for mining customers.

Some of Weir’s most well-known products include the Enduron HPGR (high pressure grinding rolls), Warman pumps, Cavex 2 hydrocyclones, TerraFlowing tailings dewatering solutions and GEHO tailings pumps, which all provide significant sustainability benefits.

Truss says Weir’s grinding circuit featuring Enduron HPGR results in an increase of efficiency up to 40 per cent.

Weir’s TerraFlowing solution also enables less water to waste and lower power usage for tailings disposal, while reducing the amount of tailings overall.

The Cavex 2 hydrocyclones are the next generation in Weir’s range that once again operate at high efficiency, ensuring better separation and ore throughput per cyclone.

“Typically, our customers expect an overall cost saving and a process improvement all wrapped together for our solutions,” Truss says. “We work hard with our customers to understand what that problem is.”

Truss says that Weir’s support after providing a solution is what separates it from competing businesses.

This approach enables constant improvement of its solutions.

“Because we’re an OEM, we can redesign equipment the way we need to – we don’t have to pick things off the shelf,” Truss says.

“We have done laboratory and pilot testing, and found certain equipment isn’t right so we have the potential to redesign, which means we can then bespoke manufacture and supply it ourselves to suit the customer’s specific needs.” AM

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EFFICIENCY & OPTIMISATION

LOCAL ENGINEERING, EXPERTISE ALLOW FOR LOW-RISK MANUFACTURING MCLANAHAN CONTINUES TO PROVIDE CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS TO ALLOW MINING COMPANIES TO REALISE THE BENEFITS OF LOCAL MANUFACTURE COMPARED WITH OVERSEAS MANUFACTURE AND SUPPLY.

A

ustralia is known for the size and quality of its mining equipment on the global METS (mining equipment, technology and

services) stage.

With such expertise and high-quality at hand, local manufacturers can offer low-risk fabrication and domestic supply chain opportunities to mining companies.

McLanahan, a global process solutions provider, sets itself apart by providing local engineering, support and customisation.

By providing customised solutions to its customers, McLanahan can design and deliver each project to meet its unique processing, delivery and site requirements.

Example one: Victorian gold project

Located in the Bendigo region, the customer was looking to increase its plant capacity through improving water handling capabilities post-extraction.

The customer had a definitive installation date, meaning that local fabrication was an important factor to have the project delivered and commissioned in time.

McLanahan was engaged to consult on the project by the customer’s engineering firm. The chosen solution was a 10-metre elevated thickener.

The design was customised to meet the specific requirements of site, including bridge modifications.

McLanahan’s local capability and engineering support enabled the bridge to be customised accordingly.

McLanahan was able to incorporate the changes into their thickener design to allow for specific pipe flanges without increasing the delivery lead time on the project.

The customer also requested changes from the standard steel floor grating to fibre reinforced poly (FRP) grating, which required collaboration with the McLanahan engineering and design team.

The modification required an increase in supports for the grating to comply with the FRP grating support requirements.

“As they chose local fabrication,

our engineering team was able to sit down with them and come up with a solution that suited their technical requirements on the same day.

We were able to maintain project momentum and not lose significant time to communication delays,” McLanahan sales specialist Paul Skelton says.

“We responded to changes on the fly because the engineering was done in the same time zone, and we were able to communicate with our Australian sub-contractors without delay and ensure the thickener exceeded the mining company’s expectations.”

MCLANAHAN’S 38-METRE ELEVATED HIGH-RATE THICKENER.

Example two: New South Wales mineral sands project

Located in the Murray Basin, the newly established greenfield site will be aiming to process 500 tonnes of mineral sands per hour.

The customer has a stringent deadline and has announced that the plant is on schedule to be completed and operational by the end of 2021.

Through local design and support, McLanahan is on track to meet the deadline for the project.

The customer came to McLanahan as an expert in mineral processing and dewatering of tailings to collaborate on the bespoke requirements of the project.

McLanahan’s solution is a 19-metre thickener. While the size of the

proposed thickener is a common size in the industry, its unique application meant that local engineering and design support was paramount to complete the project.

McLanahan’s unique offering for the customer was to develop a transportation method to relocate the thickener after five years to another position on site.

The solution was a customengineered transport frame with a flanged thickener design. The modular bolted design allows for sections to be unbolted as required and the thickener tank to be loaded onto the transport frame.

MCLANAHAN PROVIDES MINING COMPANIES WITH THE OPTION OF LOCAL THICKENER FABRICATION.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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With the flexibility of local engineering design support, customisations can be easily integrated and still comply with Australian specifications.

Recently, issues with overseas supply and shipping have caused great concern for operators, which are now weighing up the benefits to local supply.

“Sometimes mining companies source their equipment from overseas,” Skelton says.

“But during the last 18 months, they have all experienced delays in receiving equipment, parts and chemicals they had ordered.

Everything is becoming more difficult when you put international freight in the equation.”

McLanahan has maintained close relationships with local suppliers and is able to choose based on proximity to the mine site.

“It’s about making sure we trust everyone on the supply chain,” Skelton says. “It helps having that closer relationship and high level of communication. You gain from receiving a correct and timely response.”

With many mining companies now actively choosing local manufacturers, the long-term benefits outweigh the risks associated with overseas manufacture, allowing the customer to have closer connections with its equipment manufacturer and faster response times. AM

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EFFICIENCY & OPTIMISATION

OPTIMISE CONVEYOR BELT CLEANER TENSION TO MAXIMISE PERFORMANCE AND LIFE MARTIN ENGINEERING EXPERTS DISCUSS THE TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES BEING APPLIED TO CONVEYOR BELT CLEANERS TO MAKE BULK MATERIALS HANDLING ACTIVITIES SAFER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE.

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iven the number of conveyor-related accidents that occur during routine maintenance and cleanup, every bulk material handler has a vested interest in technologies to help reduce hazards and prevent injuries.

Seemingly mundane tasks such as adjusting belt cleaners and removing spillage often require employees to work in close proximity to the moving conveyor, where even incidental contact can result in serious injury in a split second.

Further, spillage can contribute to the risk of fire by interfering with pulleys and idlers and by providing potential fuel. Even worse, in confined spaces, airborne particles can create the right ingredients for an explosion.

The buildup of fugitive material can occur with surprising speed.

As Table 1 illustrates, spillage in an amount equal to just one sugar packet (about four grams) per hour will result in an accumulation of about 700 grams at the end of a week.

If the rate of escape is four grams per minute, the accumulation will be more than 45 kilograms per week, or more than two tonnes per year.

SENSORS CAN BE USED TO BACK THE BLADE AWAY DURING STOPPAGES OR WHEN RUNNING EMPTY.

adjusted and periodically replaced to maintain effective cleaning performance.”

Tensioning

If the spillage amounts to just one shovelful per hour (not an uncommon occurrence in some operations), personnel can expect to have to deal with more than 225 kilograms of fugitive material every day.

Belt cleaning to reduce carryback

Although there are a number of belt cleaning technologies available to

TABLE 1: MATERIAL LOSS FROM CONVEYORS.

conveyor operators, most designs in use today are blade-type units of some kind, using a urethane or metal-tipped scraper to remove material from the belt’s surface.

“These devices typically require an energy source – such as a spring, a compressed air reservoir or a twisted elastomeric element – to hold the cleaning edge against the belt,” Martin Engineering national sales manager Alan Highton observes.

“Because the blade directly contacts the belt, it is subject to abrasive wear and must be regularly

The ability to maintain the proper force required to keep the blade edge against the belt is a key factor in the performance of any cleaning system. Blade-to-belt pressure must be controlled to achieve optimal cleaning with a minimal rate of blade wear.

There is a popular misconception that the harder the cleaner is pressing against the belt, the better it will clean. But research has shown that there is actually an optimum range of blade pressure, which will most effectively remove carryback material.

Increasing tension beyond this range raises blade-to-belt friction, thus shortening blade life, increasing belt wear and increasing power consumption – without improving cleaning performance.

Operating a belt cleaner below the optimum pressure range also delivers less effective cleaning and can actually accelerate blade wear.

A belt cleaner lightly touching the belt may appear to be in working order from a distance, whereas in reality, excessive amounts of carryback are being forced between the blade and the belt at high velocity.

CONSTANT CLEANING ANGLE AND PRESSURE

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EFFICIENCY & OPTIMISATION

and tensioning throughout all stages of blade life, reducing the labour typically required to maintain optimum blade pressure and extending the service life of both the belt and the cleaner.

Equipped with sensors to confirm that the belt is loaded and running, the devices automatically back the blade away during stoppages or when the conveyor is running empty, minimising unnecessary wear to both the belt and cleaner.

The result is consistently correct blade tension, with reduced power demand on start-up, all managed without operator intervention.

For locations lacking convenient power access, one self-contained design uses the moving conveyor to generate its own electricity, which powers a small air compressor to maintain optimum blade pressure at all times.

Maintenance

EASE OF SERVICE SHOULD BE A KEY ELEMENT IN ANY BELT CLEANER TENSIONING SYSTEM.

“The passage of material between the belt and the blade creates channels of uneven wear on the face of the cleaner,” Martin Engineering chief executive officer Emeritus Todd Swinderman explains.

“As material continues to pass between the blade and the belt, these channels increase in size, rapidly wearing the blade to a jagged edge.”

A common source of blade wear that often goes unnoticed – even with a properly installed and adjusted cleaner – is running the belt empty for long periods of time.

Small particles embedded in the empty belt’s surface can create an effect like sandpaper, increasing the wear rate of both the blade and the belt. Even though the cargo may be abrasive, it often has moisture in it that serves as a lubricant and coolant.

Another potential source of wear is when the cleaner blade is wider than the material flow, causing the outside portion of the cleaning blade to hold the centre section of the blade away from the belt.

As a result, carryback can flow between the belt and the worn area of the blade, accelerating wear on this centre section. Eventually, the process creates a curved wear pattern sometimes referred to as a ‘smiley face’ or ‘mooning.’

As urethane cleaner blades wear, the surface area of the blade

touching the belt increases. This causes a reduction in blade-to-belt pressure and a corresponding decline in cleaner efficiency.

Therefore, most mechanicallytensioned systems require periodic adjustment (re-tensioning) to deliver the consistent pressure needed for effective carryback removal.

To overcome the problem of the blade angle changing as the blade wears, a radial-adjusted belt cleaner can be designed with a specially-

engineered curved blade, known as CARP for Constant Angle Radial Pressure.

With this innovative design, the changes in contact angle and surface area are minimised as the blade wears, helping to maintain its effectiveness throughout the cleaner’s service life.

Air tensioning

New air-powered tensioning systems are automated for precise monitoring AS THE CENTRE OF THE BLADE WEARS UNEVENLY, THE OUTER EDGES CREATE A ‘SMILEY FACE’ OR ‘MOONING.’

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“Even the best-designed and most efficient of mechanical belt cleaning systems require periodic maintenance and/or adjustment, or performance will deteriorate over time,” Highton says.

“Proper tensioning of belt-cleaning systems minimises wear on the belt and cleaner blades, helping to prevent damage and ensure efficient cleaning action.”

Belt cleaners must be engineered for durability and simple maintenance, and conveyors should be designed to enable easy service, including required clearances for access.

Service chores that are straightforward and ‘worker-friendly’ are more likely to be performed on a consistent basis.

The use of factory-trained and certified specialty contractors can also help ensure that belt cleaner maintenance is done properly, and on an appropriate schedule.

Further, experienced service technicians often notice other developing system or component problems that can be avoided if they are addressed before a catastrophic failure occurs, helping conveyor operators avoid potential equipment damage and expensive unplanned downtime.

By setting the cleaning goal necessary for each individual operation and purchasing a system adequate for those conditions as laid out in CEMA standards, it’s possible to achieve carryback control and yet obtain long life from belt cleaners.

The bottom line is that properlyinstalled and adjusted belt cleaners help minimise carryback and spillage, reducing risk and overall operating costs. AM

EFFICIENCY & OPTIMISATION

THEJO’S END-TO-END OPTIMISATION OF AUSTRALIAN MINES THEJO AUSTRALIA HAS SET ITS SIGHTS ON BECOMING A ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS AND MAINTENANCE FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MINING AND MATERIALS HANDLING INDUSTRIES AS IT ROLLS OUT A RANGE OF NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.

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hejo Australia has come into its own as a company over the past year, tripling its turnover and setting even bigger targets for the future.

Managing director Shine James says Thejo Australia, which was first established as a subsidiary of India’s Thejo Engineering in Western Australia in 2012, expects its targets to double again in 2024-2025.

Thejo Australia plans to achieve these goals by securing at least one substantial contract every year.

“This year, we have already achieved that target by winning a contract to supply conveyor belts to a major mining company in Western Australia,” James tells Australian Mining.

Specialising in mining conveyor systems, Thejo focuses on developing solutions and products to reduce downtime at mines and extend the time between shut-downs.

Regional manager Mark Meredith says the company’s four main area of offerings, to maximise its clients’ production times, include: wear, corrosion, belt cleaning, project installation and maintenance.

With 20 to 30 major competitors around Australia, Meredith believes Thejo’s ability to develop its solutions in-house is what differentiates the company from its competitors and makes it unique.

From on-site activities, to working with its engineering team in India to provide solutions, to giving customers options and then installing the product on site, the company ensures lower costs for its clients with this end-to-end capability.

“Through our broad range of products, we are able to find the right

product to suit the type of wear,” Meredith says.

“Our a range of wear products that we manufacture includes, but is not limited to a broad range of rubber, ceramic and pulley lagging products that we manufacture in India; it is a matter of using a combination of those to improve the customer’s issues on site.”

Thejo is one of only a few companies around the world, that offers a comprehensive line of corrosion resistant rubber linings for both hot and cold lining processes.

Despite Thejo not yet having a major presence in this line of work in Australia, Meredith says the company is exploring options for international expansion of this expertise.

In 1991, Thejo India launched its global business outlook by expanding into the Middle East market, establishing a joint venture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called Thejo Hatcon Industrial Services.

Meredith says the company’s focus on corrosion protection was then to grow the market across the various mining processes that use any type of chemicals in their production processes.

Thejo formulates and mixes its own rubber compounds, manufacturing the various rubber lining materials, fabricating vessels and pipelines to carry out the rubber lining at its factories, ensuring production and cost control without compromising quality.

To ensure mines reach full production optimisation, Thejo also manufacturers belt conveyor accessories, belt cleaners, belt trackers,

THEJO DEVELOPS SOLUTIONS AND PRODUCTS TO REDUCE DOWNTIME.

belt support systems, belt seals and engineered belt conveyor transfer chutes, which assist in optimising the performance of the conveyor systems.

Meredith says the Perth-based subsidiary is working on introducing these products in Australia to showcase the benefits of these systems to the market.

Thejo’s final solution that gives it an edge is the project maintenance work it offers. Since the addition of Brion Griffiths, who has taken over as Thejo Australia’s operations manager, the company has recruited local talent and built an experienced service team, offering products of optimum value with a full-circle solution.

“Due to the size and nature of our business, we have been able to secure high-quality products, which will expand the business for us,” Griffiths says.

“We need to make sure as a

THEJO OFFERS A BROAD RANGE OF PRODUCTS TO OPTIMISE MINING. AUSTRALIANMINING

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business, that whatever we introduce, we need to get it right. It is about completing the loop for our customers.”

Looking to the future, Thejo plans to grow its global business by three to four times, with expansion in Australia a key part of this goal.

Despite being relatively new on the Australian mining scene, Griffiths says the company is determined to expand its presence into the Pilbara region and has procured specialised equipment required to undertake these works.

“In the next two years we will be targeting contracts in the Pilbara, where we can start getting into a market that is very niche,” Griffiths explains.

“We are very fortunate that within our services team we have inherited a lot of team members who have a lot of experience in that region.

“As a growing business, our team is enthusiastic to get out there and show what we can do.”

James says Thejo Australia’s existing presence in the Goldfields region, which is headed by its general manager Glenn Tomkinson, and positive feedback from customers, also positions the company to expand into the eastern states of Australia in the future.

“Every contract we win, we are extending time and time again, so we are able to continue building a partnership with our clients and explore potential contracts in other states,” James says.

“Thejo is committed to employing local Australian talent, with a focus on women empowerment and indigenisation. We still have so much to do and we have plans to increase our team from 60 to 100 people in the near future to ensure we keep on top of our turnover.” AM

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EFFICIENCY & OPTIMISATION

COMPARING APPLES WITH GEARBOXES: STAYING A CLASS ABOVE IN AN INDUSTRY WITH SO MANY MOVING PARTS, PLENTY OF MANUFACTURERS PLAY IMPORTANT ROLES IN KEEPING THE WHEELS SPINNING. BONFIGLIOLI IS ONE SUCH STALWART THAT HAS BUILT A REPUTATION ON BIGGER AND BETTER GEARBOXES.

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ince 1998, this familyowned business has laid claim to its share of the Australian marketplace, providing a sturdier alternative to the usual suspects in mining gearboxes.

Fred Whalley has been a sales manager at Bonfiglioli for 21 years, first working out of a tiny office or from his home in Western Australia.

“The company saw a market for their gearboxes in Australia, but when I first joined nobody really knew Bonfiglioli and we were predominantly known for smaller ‘worm boxes’,” Whalley tells Australian Mining.

“Early days, the biggest challenge was recognition. Our biggest competitor was in Australia 10 years before we ever arrived here.”

Italian founder Clementino Bonfiglioli created the first worm gearbox and subsequently patented the two-stage planetary gearbox, which Whalley says largely contributes to Bonfiglioli’s success.

“We’re standardised with our core products such as in-line, helical and right-angle boxes, but we also have our planetary range. The planetary has been our biggest driving force over the years with our unique combination of standard products and planetary products,” Whalley explains.

“Also, with planetary gearboxes you can choose between electric or hydraulic, which provides customers with quite a unique offering compared to what is available in the market.”

Bonfiglioli supplies some of the largest mining operations in Australia, predominantly in iron ore, and Whalley finds great joy in recounting the company’s growth in 2020.

“Believe it or not, we had our best year ever last year, which is ridiculous considering COVID-19,” Whalley says. “We picked up Bonfiglioli’s biggest project in recent history, a multi-million dollar deal.”

If there’s one key advantage to be jostled over in the market, its delivery time. Whalley says as operations expand, mining companies are asking for delivery times that are largely unable to be fulfilled.

BONFIGLIOLI’S LOCAL ASSEMBLY AND REPAIR FACILITY IN SYDNEY.

Bonfiglioli caters to delivery demand by optimising its build times and maintaining component stockpiles in Australia to cut out international shipping of large parts.

“We tend to stock our gearboxes as components, which means we can stock more in head office and then build from there. We will bring the odd gearbox from Europe into Perth, but nine out of 10 times we have stock modules to give us better delivery times,” Whalley explains.

Equally as important, although not according to some buyers, is the durability of a gearbox. Whalley says the best way to have a long-life gearbox is the correct selection.

When trying to make a sale and a customer claims a product is a lot more expensive, the sales veteran makes sure to ask, “are we quoting apples for apples?”

“In a case like this we often find competitors quote for smaller boxes at cheaper prices, which won’t last for as long,” Whalley says.

Considering the size of operations supplied by Bonfiglioli, the company makes sure to provide the most reliable product available.

Whalley says customers are far better off investing a bit more for a product that will last, especially in such a heavy industry like mining.

“I recently received an enquiry about an operation with 10 of our

AUSTRALIANMINING

BONFIGLIOLI ONLY KNOWS HOW TO CREATE BIGGER AND BETTER GEARBOXES FOR ITS CUSTOMERS.

feeder drives, which had been running for 10 years and they’re only now looking at reconditioning them one at a time,” Whalley says.

Bonfiglioli’s combination box provides another advantage, as its size relinquishes none of the company’s usual power, while allowing it to drop more easily into an application. “(The combination box) is a planetary and HDO box together, for example, forming a right-angle boxed.

This makes it more compact, allowing it to transmit a lot more torque, while fitting into smaller applications,” Whalley says.

On the future of the product’s industry, Whalley expects trends to continue much as they have for the last 20 years – that is, in size.

“I’ve been dealing with virtually

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the same gearboxes, but the sizes have grown. These big mine sites are looking to increase production, so where they used to have one gearbox, they now need two. Looking into the long-term complexities and costs of having two gearboxes, they may then decide they want one bigger box,” Whalley says.

Bonfiglioli’s 300 series gearboxes offer 20 options with a torque range from 1000 nanometre (nm) to 1.1 million nm. It’s a staggering amount of power considering the average torque for a passenger sedan ranges in the low hundreds.

Simply put, industry should expect nothing less than these rough and ready gearboxes to ensure operations can power through the mightiest of mines, time and time again. AM

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TECHNOLOGY

SCHAEFFLER OFFERS 24/7 REMOTE MONITORING TO MINES REMOTE CONDITION MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES HAVE BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF MINING OPERATIONS AS COMPANIES PURSUE PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS AND AIM TO PREVENT UNPLANNED DOWNTIME.

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he technologies are particularly valuable for continuous monitoring of rolling element bearings in mining equipment to alert the technicians if excessive wear is likely to cause unexpected failures.

By relaying continuous data from sensors to a remote monitoring centre, the system also enables 24hour trend analysis to better detect signs of imminent failures.

Most importantly, it eliminates the need for in-person inspections of rotating equipment, which reduces the inherent risks of such operations.

Schaeffler Australia, in collaboration with CBC, works closely with leading mining companies in Australia to set up remote condition monitoring for their assets.

This is further supported by Schaeffler’s remote diagnostic services and CBC’s regular site inspections to assist the mines with preventive maintenance.

“It’s a win-win partnership,” says Rod Baker, CBC’s mining segment manager for Queensland.

they can also lend their expertise to investigating the root cause of the bearing failures to complement the remote monitoring service.

“CBC’s specialists are experts in bearings and are backed by Schaeffler’s global expertise as a bearing OEM,” Baker says.

“So, when the monitoring sensors detect an abnormal vibration or overheating issue with a bearing, we can go in and investigate the root cause of the problem to prevent the same problem from re-occurring.

“Another advantage for the mines in working with Schaeffler and CBC is that both of our companies have an extensive network across Australia.

So, if a customer wishes to discuss a problem with any of our engineers, our teams are readily available to respond in detail.”

What the two companies’ symbiotic relationship has brought about for a major coal mine in Queensland is establishing a system for continuous condition monitoring of all dragline gearbox and motor drive bearings, as well as monitoring the motor and gearbox bearings in an excavator

THE SCHAEFFLER PROCHECK REMOTE MONITORING SYSTEM.

THE DATA FROM THE MACHINES GETS AUTOMATICALLY ROUTED TO THE SCHAEFFLER REMOTE MONITORING CENTRE AND OUR RELIABILITY ENGINEERS ANALYSE THE ALARMS ON A DAILY BASIS SO THAT IF THERE’S A SERIOUS MACHINE PROBLEM, THEY’LL FLAG THAT WITH THE CUSTOMER DIRECTLY.” “Schaeffler Australia is part of an extensive global network. Schaeffler have the technology and expert service to offer the best-in-class online remote condition monitoring services, while the CBC experts also have the technical knowledge and the close engagement with the major mines in Australia as key service providers to the industry.

Together, we form a strong team to support customers with condition monitoring.”

Baker says a key strength of CBC and Schaeffler as a team is that once any bearing issues are identified using remote monitoring,

machine.

Having successfully trialled the system for three years and seeing the benefits in action, the mining company is currently considering rolling out Schaeffler’s condition monitoring solution across all draglines at its other mine sites.

Mark Ciechanowicz, condition monitoring and reliability systems manager for Schaeffler Australia, has been involved with the project since its inception, along with CBC’s dragline technical services manager, Greg Payne.

Ciechanowicz says the first step to set up the condition monitoring

AUSTRALIANMINING

system on the mine’s draglines was to determine the best locations to fit the sensors and processors on the drag, hoist, swing and propel sections of the dragline.

“The first step is always to scope out the machine and determine where to place the sensors and processors,” Ciechanowicz says.

“For example, in this project we set up sensors to measure vibration, temperature and process parameters such as operational speed, direction and load on the motor drives and the gearboxes in all segments of the draglines. We also monitor the lower swing bearings in the swing gearboxes.”

Once the required hardware is installed on-site – which would require anywhere from seven to 10 days for each machine depending on the complexity of the equipment – Ciechanowicz says the next step is establishing a wireless communication via a 3G or 4G cellular network to Schaeffler’s remote diagnostic centre.

This is where the collected data is logged, analysed and the required trigger points established to be able to report the required information.

“The data from the machines gets automatically routed to the

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Schaeffler remote monitoring centre and our reliability engineers analyse the alarms on a daily basis so that if there’s a serious machine problem, they’ll flag that with the customer directly,” Ciechanowicz explains.

“They also use that data to compile a comprehensive machine diagnostic report once every month.

“To analyse the data, we begin by assigning characteristic values to the frequencies of interest for each asset and its components. We can then set up alarms for each one of those frequencies of interest and it will notify us and the customer if there’s an issue, as well as showing what the issue is.”

Further, Ciechanowicz says any connectivity issues that remote mines might be facing could be easily handled by Schaeffler’s technology.

“Our remote monitoring system is designed with sufficient storage capability to store data when there’s a connectivity outage and as soon as the connection is established again, the data will be transferred to the monitoring centre,” Ciechanowicz says.

“In just over the last six months, we have also launched two new online systems, one using cables and the other wireless. So, our digital capabilities are growing further and further.” AM

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TECHNOLOGY

PROVIDING ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TO BOOST MINING CAPABILITIES REDARC GROUP’S STATE-OF-THE-ART ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING AND TESTING FACILITY INCLUDES LEADING TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE ITS PRODUCTS ARE BUILT TOUGH, RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT FOR EVEN THE HARSHEST CONDITIONS IN THE INDUSTRY.

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ith a focus on innovation, REDARC Group designs and manufactures advanced, integrated vehicular power solutions for a range of industries that serve mining and industrial applications.

REDARC is a technology-based group of companies and brands comprising REDARC Electronics, Hummingbird Electronics and REDARC Defence Systems.

REDARC group mining and industrial sales manager Scott Montgomery says its business model is based upon innovation, with an unrelenting focus on quality, performance and customer-centric aftersales service.

“Our team-based philosophy encourages our staff to be the best they can, ensuring we maintain our leading edge in the research, design, development, manufacture and REDARC ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY CHAMBER ENSURES ALL PRODUCTS MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.

customer support of market-leading products across multiple sectors,” Montgomery says.

REDARC is fully integrated and shares in-house resources, including its advanced manufacturing and testing facilities in Lonsdale, South Australia, with supporting locations in New South Wales and a new office located within the Auto Innovation Centre in Victoria.

Considering the impacts of COVID-19 on the economy, REDARC has experienced significant growth.

The company employs more than 250 people, 50 of which are dedicated to engineering design and innovation, and more than 80 staff have been appointed in the past 12 months. Its staff are based across Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe.

REDARC takes its proven, patented products into international markets across the globe.

Montgomery says the company manufactures a range of products, from inclinometers and audio alert systems, to monitoring devices and battery master isolation switches, as well as hand brake alarms and brake controllers.

The company also manufacturers electronics that power sensitive equipment, as well as devices that deliver safety alerts to the operator.

“If any of those fail, you’d have catastrophic consequences. That’s why we manufacture everything to the highest quality,” Montgomery says.

“Our philosophy is, if they can survive in a defence vehicle, then it can survive in a caravan or dump truck.”

REDARC’s advanced electronics manufacturing and testing facility includes leading technology to ensure the REDARC and Hummingbird branded products are built tough, reliable and efficient.

Its electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) chamber tests products based on their noise radiation and performance against international standards.

This ensures that its products do not interfere with other electronics and vice versa.

AUSTRALIANMINING

Montgomery describes the chamber as a world-class facility that also helps decrease the company’s time to release a product to the market.

“By having our own testing facility, we can speed up our product development process, and that’s the biggest benefit from having our own facility,” he says.

In this way, REDARC has set itself apart as one of the few companies to own an EMC facility and be certified to undertake testing on behalf of other companies.

Products also go through accelerated lifetime and environment testing to determine their lifecycle and point of failure.

The highly accelerated life testing and highly accelerated stress screening (HALT/HASS) accelerates 10 years of product life over two days.

It cools products to -100 degrees Celsius and heats to 200 degrees Celsius. The vibration and climatic chamber combination or AGREE (advisory group on reliability of electronic equipment) machine simulates driving conditions and temperature and humidity extremes.

“We put them on a vibration table at a certain temperature because we won’t be satisfied until our products are suitable for use in the harshest conditions in the world,” Montgomery says.

REDARC is also committed to reinvesting up to 15 per cent of every dollar of sales generated into research and development.

“REDARC has a long-term vision.

If you talk to anyone, you’ll find that most companies will set aside 5 per cent,” Montgomery says.

The Surface Mount Technology (SMT) line has extremely high specifications, making it only one of the few SMTs in the world.

Montgomery says this makes REDARC’s circuit boards remarkably tougher and longer lasting.

The SMT line is one of two at REDARC’s facility and has given the company the ability to increase its production capacity by 250 per cent.

It’s hard at work being fuelled by unprecedented demand for REDARC’s products. Their production floor is now running multiple shifts, taking advantage of its capacity.

“In the space that we’re in, we’ve been kept very busy, recently we commenced three shifts running and 24/7 most days a week – the first time in the history of the business,” Montgomery says.

“We have gained the trust of the mining, defence and emergency services industries. We have a good reputation in the market due to our product integrity and our commitment to safety.” AM REDARC PRODUCTS GO THROUGH SIMULATED DRIVING CONDITIONS AND TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY EXTREMES.

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TECHNOLOGY

TOUGH TECH FOR SAFETY COMPLIANCE AS SAFETY REGULATIONS TIGHTEN IN THE MINING INDUSTRY, TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN FORCED TO MOVE WITH THEM. TO COPE WITH DEMAND FOR IMPROVED SAFETY-RATED CONTROLLERS, IFM EFECTOR HAS LED INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE THE COMPLIANCE OF ITS CUSTOMERS FOR YEARS TO COME.

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hile COVID-19 restrictions had some obviously negative impacts on productivity, the pandemic did cause a meteoric rise in the development and implementation of digitised products, according to ifm business sales engineer Jason Woo. Woo says COVID-19 has forced the development of digital transformation in the mining industry to accelerate by up to five years.

Mobile industry sales manager for ifm Australia, Aditya Kunder, agrees that more and more people have enquired about pushing data to the cloud.

“We’ve seen customers changing perspective. The buzzword in the industry is IoT (Internet of Things) and everyone wants their information up in the cloud. COVID-19 has accelerated the digital transformation faster than anyone would have thought,” Kunder says.

With rapid demand comes new products, such as ifm’s latest ecomatController. These ruggedised monitoring tools allow for the maintenance of one mobile machine to be cut from a group to a solo task.

“In the past you would have five people maintaining a machine, now it’s down to just the driver. So, the functionalities on the controller have taken over the requirement for so many personnel, reducing the probability of operators getting hurt,” Woo says.

Kunder explains the necessity for safety-rated products in an increasingly regulated mobile industry.

“In order for a machine to be safety rated you need certain safety controllers or safety sensors.

Our controller has the safety PLC (programmable logic controller) and non-safe PLC in one housing,” Kunder says.

“We then offer the customer the capability to program the controller to suit their application.

“Some machines might not have a requirement for a safety feature right now, but with this new controller you can use it as a non-safety controller, and when a new requirement does

come from the industry, you’ll be ready.”

Woo says a majority of clients ask for safety-rated controllers, exemplifying how industry regulation is on the rise in Australia.

“With safety-ratings (in the past), people didn’t really worry about it. Unfortunately, with incidents happenings throughout the years, government legislation has had to increase on safety,” Woo says.

joined the rest of the industry in battling COVID-19 restrictions.

But working remotely or not, ifm has been able to provide its comprehensive presence in the development of its customers.

“You can’t put a value on our support, but it is what’s most valuable to the customer. It’s a very vital part of our service and we take pride in it,” Kunder says.

Woo agrees that ifm’s support

THE ECOMATCONTROLLER IS A FULLY PROGRAMMABLE AND CERTIFIED SAFETY CONTROLLER.

“Seventy per cent of our customers believe they require safety rated controllers, and the remaining 30 don’t really think they need it.”

Kunder suggests there may be a misunderstanding for the remaining few around the necessity of safetyrated controllers.

To combat this, the tech company provides a comprehensive range of training and support options to ensure there are no misunderstandings with ifm products.

“One of the biggest focuses for us has been to help customers to not be scared by technology, but to make it easy for them to handle,” Kunder says.

This hurdle has been one of several over the past few years, as the company AUSTRALIANMINING

IFM’S ECOMATDISPLAYS COME IN A RANGE OF SIZES, WITH SEVERAL FUNCTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM TO COMPLEMENT THE ECOMATCONTROLLERS.

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services are what set the company apart. Even during the pandemic restrictions, ifm was adaptable and served new and existing customers online through whichever platform they required.

He says there are many companies which have similar products in this area, but in terms of support the competition is nowhere close to what ifm provides its customers.

“We are trained to keep to our motto which is ‘close to you’. That’s why we do our best to support our customers through online digital trainings and inperson trainings,” Woo says.

With such a focus on advanced technology and impressive support networks, one might fear durability has been left behind in ifm products.

However, Kunder assures ifm products have been trialled extensively at the company’s German factories, undergoing tests for all kinds of conditions.

High-tech, highly durable and well supported by those who know best – ifm safety-rated controllers will allow any operation to increase efficiencies and decrease hazards. And to top it all off, Woo claims that ifm is only just scratching the surface. AM

TECHNOLOGY

AUTOMATED MACHINE MONITORING FOR RELIABLE ROTATION THE SKF ENLIGHT COLLECT IMx-1 IS A SMART WIRELESS VIBRATION AND TEMPERATURE SENSOR ALLOWING ENHANCEMENT TO YOUR MAINTENANCE PROGRAM BY HARNESSING THE POWER OF INDUSTRY 4.0.

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eeting growing production demands with existing equipment and facilities while keeping costs low and optimising overall equipment effectiveness are key drivers for any mining companies.

At the core of any modern mine site is an effective stream of automation technologies and services that are often made possible by sensor technology distributed across plant and equipment.

This sensor technology allows mining equipment to continue operating by acquiring real-time data in a safe, reliable and cost-effective manner.

A tried-and-tested method for collecting this sensor-based machine health data has been routine manual walk-around data collection, but this has its own shortcomings. Also, the frequency of manual walk-around data collection can impact an operation’s ability to detect machinery faults proactively – leading to unplanned downtime and catastrophic failures.

As COVID-19 led to hard border closures, manual walk-around data collection was challenged, big time. For sure, there has to be a better and costeffective way of collecting machinery health data.

SKF’s answer to this is the SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 system – automated machine monitoring for reliable rotation.

The SKF Enlight Collect system consists of an autonomous batterypowered wireless vibration and

temperature sensor, a line powered communication and network manager gateway, mobile commissioning app for sensor gateway commissioning and web hosted software for machine health data trending visualisation and analysis.

With the SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 system, machine health data from physical sensors and gateways are channelled to SKF web-hosted software via an MQTT service.

For SKF digitalisation manager Praveen Salian, the SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 represents the importance of using data analytics at a mine site where bearings in services are monitored by battery powered Enlight Collect sensors which are connected to each other.

Then, through an Enlight Collect gateway, they are connected to the cloud where a globally linked community can detect, diagnose and prognose asset health and turn data into useful information to enhance machinery performance.

“If you look into the market dynamics today, data is becoming a key,” Salian tells Australian Mining.

“Customers are looking not only to automate the costly manual walkaround data collection, but also increasing the frequency of data collections for better predictability on asset health.

“When it comes to critical assets, most mining sites will have a 24/7 monitoring systems deployed on critical assets, while balance of plant covering less critical and semi-critical assets are monitored on a routine basis using manual walk-around data

collection method.

“With SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1, data can be collected more often on less critical and semi-critical assets, which means machine faults can be detected much earlier, allowing mining customers to make a betterinformed maintenance decision based on data that deliver on their business objectives.

“So, in a nutshell, the key benefits of SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 is replacing costly manual machinery health data collection and widening the monitoring coverage that was not achievable with manual walk-around data collection due to poor accessibility.

“The SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 is like a plug-and-play system eliminating the need for resource intensive installation and can be commissioned remotely.”

Salian says other benefits of SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 includes data integration and interfacing with third party systems via API (application programming interface), minimising human and technical risks involved in manual data collection process, optimising resources/staff to a high priority tasks rather than data collection along with the flexibility of quick and scalable deployment.

SKF ENLIGHT COLLECT IMx-1 CAN DELIVER MACHINE DIAGNOSTICS VIA THE CLOUD.

“In today’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), data is an asset – it is real valuable information and has become an integral part in diagnostic and prognostic processes,” Salian says.

“More and more sensors deployed in the mining industrial environment are no longer operating as stand-alone device, but connected via internet to a process or to an external service provider providing new value and insight on critical asset performance eventually helping customers to make better informed maintenance decisions.”

The SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 sensors will allow mining companies to build an automated machine monitoring system powered by cloud based IoT solutions and AI driven analytics in a quick and scalable manner.

Currently one gateway supports up to 50 sensors. The number of supported sensors per gateway is expected to increase in the future.

Mining customers can get easily started with SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 on a subscription-based business model and access automated predictive maintenance using their operating budget – the new approach to purchasing reliability and availability. AM

SKF ENLIGHT COLLECT IMx-1.

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MAINTENANCE

BEST-IN-CLASS MINING BRAKES MONITORED REMOTELY IN AN IRONIC TWIST, FAULTY BRAKES CAN BRING ANY MINING OPERATION TO A GRINDING HALT. LUCKILY FOR SUR ENGINEERING, IT RELIES ON GERMAN MANUFACTURER PINTSCH BUBENZER FOR BRAKE MONITORING SYSTEMS.

A

s no one could feasibly monitor every brake on a mine site every day, technology has begun allowing operators to monitor their equipment remotely, easily and safely.

Australian Mining speaks with representatives from SUR Engineering and Pintsch Bubenzer to understand the importance of reliable brake monitoring systems, while gaining an insight into the trust between a supplier and manufacturer in this space.

Pintsch Bubenzer head of sales for mining, Arno Weil, understands exactly how to balance effective maintenance with time management.

“Companies try to minimise the need for maintenance as much as possible, but you must know when you’ll have to do something,” Weil says. “(Pintsch Bubenzer’s) monitoring systems start with simple limit switches which monitor whether the brake is open or closed, or whether there is wear on the lining. This is very simple but effective.

“From there you can monitor the contact pressure of the brake, the reserve stroke of the thrusters, and the pollution, temperature and volume of the oil.

“We can monitor all sorts of things

PINTSCH BUBENZER’S BRAKE TYPE SB28.3 WITH BUEL THRUSTER AND CMB3 BRAKE MONITORING SYSTEM.

depending on the demands of our customers. We offer different solutions from simple up to high level.”

Based in Australia, but involved in more than 50 projects around the world, SUR uses Pintsch Bubenzer products to develop and implement a range of innovative safety features on major mining operations.

SUR Engineering director Gustavo Miller describes the applications of one such product being used at a large operation in Dampier, Western Australia.

“Traditional proximity sensors in motor mounted brakes are replaced by the electronic controllers BCU2001 (brake control unit) from Pintsch Bubenzer,” Miller says.

“Among other things, eliminating those proximity sensors provides additional safety by removing the risk of these sensors being clogged with iron ore dust and providing the wrong signal to the machine control system.”

After decades in the industry, Miller understands what pleases end users in the mining sector. The bulk of his requests revolve around lowmaintenance and highly supported products.

“We see the tremendous help (brake monitoring systems) represent for the end user,” Miller explains.

“We have done some training and assistance for end users in Australia and it really makes a big difference – from having to regularly inspect

components, to now having the machine telling you what is going on and when it needs attention.

“For the mining sector, where you have various specific program routines and maintenance, this is paramount.”

SUR won’t simply hand over a product and claim a job is done. In addition to Pintsch Bubenzer’s support team, SUR provides mine operators with constant support, including product education and in the unlikely case of a malfunction.

Miller emphasises that SUR’s overall goal is to perform the required maintenance activities, while reducing downtime.

“SUR advises on the preferred location to install the required components on each one of the machines, as well as the required electrical connection details in already operating machines with minimum disruption,” Miller says.

Pintsch Bubenzer sales director for Asia, Daiel Hoffmans, says the company has adapted its support services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our service department has received lots of demand which has forced them to think outside the box during COVID-19. We have done a trial with a virtual reality headset which you can wear to directly view our engineers in Germany as they explain how to service your machine, wherever you are in the world,” Hoffmans says.

INSIGHT INTO PINTSCH BUBENZER’S R&D CENTRE WITH THE BIGGEST DYNO TEST BENCH IN EUROPE.

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Miller says SUR believes in the products that the company delivers, thanks to the expertise of Pintsch Bubenzer.

“We have known the product for many, many years; we know what we’re dealing with and we are sure that these really are some of the best products in the world,” Miller says.

“We see the success the company has had in the port business with a considerable majority of the market share.”

SUR and its customers can be sure of the reliability in Pintsch Bubenzer products, as they are extensively tested in Europe’s best facilities.

Weil says what differentiates the mining monitoring systems from other industries is not so much the software, but more the robustness of the sensors.

“We have a huge research and development centre in Germany, and this is what separates us from our competitors. We have two dyno test stands – the biggest in Europe – where we can test the brakes and linings materials,” Weil says.

“We then have climate chambers to simulate high and low surrounding temperatures.

“Everything that’s tough business is our business. If you want a small brake, we are the wrong company. But if you’re looking for 10,000 to 200,000 newton metre brake torque then we are the right partner for you.” AM

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MAINTENANCE

LONGER BEARING LIFE FOR WALKING DRAGLINES WHEN A MAJOR OPEN CUT COAL MINING OPERATION UNDERTOOK AN INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE LIFE OF ITS WALKING DRAGLINES, THE MAIN OBJECTIVE WAS TO MEET PREVAILING OPERATING CONDITIONS AND IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY.

W

hile the mechanical and operational improvements of this project delivered some positive results, the overall success of the program was still limited by some critical application bearings.

CBC was engaged to evaluate potential to improve bearing reliability and operating life for these identified applications.

The company recommended the use of the NTN ‘EA’ long life bearings.

Following technical appraisal, these bearings were put on a controlled comparison trial with the objective

THE INTERMEDIATE GEAR AND PINION BEARING ASSEMBLY.

of doubling the interval between replacements – matching related durability improvements and delivering substantial cost savings.

According to Ross Lee, technical manager, strategic partnerships – bearings at Motion Asia Pacific, the bearings had not been used in a dragline machinery operation prior to this. Historically, they had proven service performance in rolling mills, continuous casters, pellet mills, exciter gearboxes, and dump truck wheel and final drive applications.

He explains how the trial came to be. “This customer operates a large fleet of draglines for overburden stripping. In their endeavours to improve productivity, as well as operating costs and efficiencies, the mines operator set about looking to extending the time between major shutdown maintenance, involving a number of reliability enhancements,” Lee says.

“After statistical analysis of key components on the machines, they also pinpointed specific bearings where premature failure was a key performance inhibitor. So, they approached CBC to seek a solution that would not require costly changes to mating gearing and mountings.”

Lee adds: “We knew that NTN’s EA bearings had extensively demonstrated good results in demanding industrial applications, here and overseas, so we proposed this NTN long life material.”

NTN EA long life bearing data and capabilities were then also

DRAG LINE WORKING ON MINE AT SUNRISE.

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independently evaluated by a customer appointed consulting engineering firm before the agreed trials were conducted on two different draglines.

Lee says the EA bearings were suited to this application because of their greater fatigue cracking resistance, wear strength and peeling resistance characteristics, all of which translate to a longer operating life.

“The NTN EA material composition starts with a specialty case hardening steel. The two-stage heat treatment process is comprises conventional case carburising, plus compound carbon nitriding. Carbon and nitrogen are diffused in the surface layer, stabilising the requisite amount residual austenite to toughen the surface layer,” Lee expands.

“This provides increased fatigue crack resistance caused by surfaceinitiated damage. Moreover, the nitrogen enhances the resistance to temper softening.”

Another reason the NTN EA bearing was put forward, Lee explains, was because of its resistance to distress in the most demanding applications.

“Where exposed to hard debris contamination, EA long life material exhibits higher retained hardness and thermal stability and increased residual compressive stress to compensate for tensile stress concentrations forming around surface indentations, what inhibits fatigue crack propagation,” Lee says. “This in turn extends the rolling contact fatigue life of the bearing, under conditions of high

MAINTENANCE

dynamic loading, diminished and/or contaminated lubrication, and high fitting stresses.”

Further, Lee says the supplied bearings were also identical in boundary dimensions and internal design type to the original bearings in the equipment, so the customer did not have to make any modifications to their mating machinery components, thereby avoiding the cost of additional parts, modifications and perpetuated spares inventory.

“Of course, the EA bearing material will still wear, it will still fatigue, but it will dramatically slow the rate of this damage occurring,” Lee says.

The trial was lengthy and other variables were involved, which meant the two draglines needed to be shut down for unrelated critical repair work to be done after six and nine years’ service respectively.

These shutdowns presented the customer with an opportunity to disassemble machinery and inspect the trial bearings.

Lee says post removal, inspections were carried out by the customer and CBC which demonstrated the EA bearings were all in very good condition with no discernible damage and fit for continued operation.

Inspections of the conventional comparison bearings showed cases of advanced fatigue spalling and ring cracking damage.

manufacturer dragline.

“Because these types of trials take such a long time to materialise, it’s difficult to get a cost saving report on them. But I will say this: if your objective is avoiding bearing failures and therefore unplanned stoppages in a critical machine valued at around $100 million, and if you are extending the interval between complete overhauls of these machines by two times, then the cost implications are pretty massive,” Lee concludes.

Performance features of EA bearings

THE NTN EA PINION BEARING.

“The NTN EA bearings were not re-fitted for continued service due to extended shutdown work scope implications. However, based on historical bearing life data, the clear indicator is that the period between bearing replacement can be doubled.

This corresponds to the calculated life adjustment factor of 2.3 for the EA material,” Lee says.

Likewise, the total cost savings were not fully determined despite the customer realising significant benefits since switching to the EA bearings.

“The customer now formally recognises the benefits of the bearings based on trial results, and specifies their use where draglines are overhauled for intended long-term service intervals,” Lee continues.

Ultimately, word got out to the dragline manufacturer, and now one OEM has also nominated these bearings into machine parts.

Another Australian mining company has also achieved similar life improvements, applying EA bearings in the same applications on a different

The below is based on operating life and strength comparisons of EA bearings compared with standard carburised bearings: •O perating life using lubricant mixed with foreign contaminant is more than five times •O perating life using clean lubricant is more than two times •P eeling strength is three times (rate of incidence ⅓) •W ear strength is two times (wear rate is ½) •F ret strength is 1.3 times (wear rate is about 80 per cent) •O perating life when fitting stress is high equals three times. AM Reference: NTN corporation brochure EA bearing: https://www.ntn-snr.com/sites/ default/files/2017-03/en_large_size_long_ operating_life_bearing.pdf

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MAINTENANCE

FLEXCO FACILITATES SAFER AND SIMPLER MAINTENANCE FLEXCO’S UNIVERSAL LIGHTWEIGHT POLE, CORETECH ROLLERS AND FLEX-LIFTER ALL SHARE THE SENTIMENT OF BEING SAFE AND VIABLE OPTIONS FOR CONVEYING APPLICATIONS.

FLEXCO BASES ITS ENTIRE BUSINESS AROUND SAFETY.

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here is a strong focus for ensuring the safety of both worker and machine in a mining operation.

Injured personnel and machine downtime can reap significant impacts on productivity, causing losses to profit and output.

For example, a worker injury can stop an operation entirely due to internal and external safety implications, so mine sites must be vigilant in preventing any potential hazards before they happen.

Flexco Australia recognises this, as the company pushes for safer mining operations with its range of equipment.

On-site conveying applications are particularly hazardous, which is why Flexco’s universal lightweight pole, CoreTech Rollers and Flex-Lifter all ensure safer operations around hazardous plant and equipment – even during maintenance processes.

“The entire Flexco business is based around safety as our most important deliverable for our customers and internally in our business as well,” Flexco Australia product and marketing manager Ellaina Mackay tells Australian Mining.

Flexco has an internal company vision of safety and quality being the most important factors that drive all facets of its business.

“As a product manager, my primary focus is striving to make products that are easier and safer to use for our customers,” Mackay says.

To further its grasp on its customer base, Flexco has conducted research into work-related injuries in Australia.

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) tells us that 27 per cent of workplace injuries are from lifting, pushing or pulling an object,” Mackay says.

“That’s just one of the many statistics that we’ve found proving that lifting is one of the most common injuries in any industry, especially in mining. It’s something that we’re really working to mitigate.”

One simple strategy that Flexco has adopted to reduce lifting-related injuries is to shave the weight off its products.

The Flexco universal lightweight pole is up to 60 per cent lighter than regular steel cleaner poles.

This allows the pole to be safer to use for workers while maintaining adequate pole strength for conveyor AUSTRALIANMINING

belt cleaning applications.

According to Mackay, the idea sprouted from Flexco’s focus on the customer.

“We started developing this with a key client due to weight being a significant safety issue,” Mackay says.

By offering a nimbler and more manoeuvrable product, the universal lightweight pole has prevented customers from risking any physical injuries when carrying heavy equipment.

“With our lightweight pole, our customers were really impressed that we could take so much of the weight from a standard cleaner pole,” Mackay says.

“People installing them were really happy as well. They went from having to carry a 60-kilogram pole to a 20-kilogram pole.”

“It’s obviously a big benefit to anyone that has to work with these products.”

Flexco’s focus on weight reduction continues with its CoreTech rollers, which are made from a lightweight, corrosion abrasion material that provides more durability than traditional rollers.

They are offered in both HDPE (high density polyethylene) and nylon options, both delivering a more reliable and lighter solution than their steel alternatives. By offering a more durable roller, less changeouts are required, thus reducing the frequency of needing to put a worker at risk when manually changing the product.

When the roller does require a changeout, its lighter weight ensures

that the replacement is easier, safer and more efficient.

“We brought this product to market a number of years ago and we saw huge potential for nylon and HDPE rollers to combat the functionality and safety aspects of steel rollers,” Mackay says.

The CoreTech rollers also operate much quieter than their steel counterparts, ensuring noise levels are at a safer level.

Flexco’s Flex-Lifter enhances maintenance safety by preventing manual handling of conveyor belts.

Instead of using pry bars and manual lifting, the Flex-Lifter features adjustable wings to lift troughed or flat topside belts in a simple manner.

Flexco prides itself on performing thorough tests on all new products ensuring they’re certified for Australian safety standards.

The company’s research and development (R&D) process also focuses on testing its products to guarantee they are suitable for Australian mining environments.

“Our research and development process is quite rigorous. We don’t bring anything to market until we’ve tested it internally and also tested it on our customer’s conveyors as well,” Mackay says.

“Before it’s available to the mass market, these products have been so heavily tested that we know they will perform in the harshest Australian mining conditions.

“We like to pride ourselves in the focus we place on research, development and testing of our products.” AM

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MAINTENANCE

SCHAEFFLER SOLVES CONDITION MONITORING HURDLES THE OPTIME WIRELESS ONLINE SOLUTION HELPS MINING COMPANIES TO MONITOR THE PERFORMANCE OF ROTATING MACHINERY REMOTELY, WITHOUT THE OBSTACLES USUALLY ENCOUNTERED IN OTHER ONLINE OR OFFLINE SOLUTIONS.

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otating machinery is part of a mining activity just as there are many parts to a functioning body.

Its performance impacts the rest of the mine operation, making it in a mining company’s best interest to enhance machine productivity and employ condition monitoring as a solution that preempts issues.

While most mine sites have a form of condition monitoring in place, online condition monitoring has historically been expensive to deploy.

When an operator tries to manually collect data for the purposes of condition monitoring, it is apparent that the breadth and depth of a mining operation is virtually impossible to cover.

Not only is offline condition monitoring time consuming and impractical, it also provides just a snapshot of the machine’s health.

Conversely, the cost of online condition monitoring supports its ability to efficiently prevent catastrophic machine failure and improve equipment uptime.

It becomes even more important with commodities such as copper and iron ore reaching record high prices, emphasising the need for mining companies to avoid downtime.

An online condition monitoring system that’s coupled with analytics can gather data at several points in a day, creating a full view of operations and providing a solid base of meaningful data.

Schaeffler Australia’s Industry 4.0 and engineering solutions manager, Ben Kang, likens the difference between online and offline condition monitoring to sending an email as opposed to posting a letter.

“That email is distributed straight away, almost instantaneously into your inbox or console,” he says.

“Similarly, a person going from point to point, machine to machine, to sequentially collect data and then send that in for analysis, is the equivalent of posting that information by snail mail.”

Schaeffler’s condition monitoring solution, OPTIME, can alleviate

OPTIME IS AN OUT-OF-THE-BOX, PLUG-AND-PLAY SOLUTION.

many of the pain points associated with machine reliability and performance through cost-effective mass condition monitoring.

It is easy to set up and highly cost efficient for mining operations, without requiring operators to spend much time on the analytics side.

Historically, cabled systems are complex to install, incurring a high cost when covering a site as vast as an iron ore mine.

They also require data interpretation, which would call for special expertise and additional expenses.

“On the other hand, OPTIME is a wireless online solution that ensures the prognosis of rotating equipment reliability is addressed using in-built algorithms for expert diagnostics, without the need for analysis by the customer,” Schaeffler Australia industrial services manager Mark Ciechanowicz explains.

“With these prognostics, customers will have visibility on issues far in advance and also know what to do to resolve them.”

The benefits of OPTIME have AUSTRALIANMINING

been evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Schaeffler consultants or engineers have not been able to get to Australia’s mine sites due to stringent border controls.

“In 2020, we had cases where our service engineers couldn’t get to site and consequently their condition monitoring systems came to a grinding halt,” Ciechanowicz says.

“What came out of that experience – and many of our clients took this on board – was that if they had invested in a form of remote condition monitoring, they would be less exposed to these circumstances.

“And long term, it makes more economic sense because you’re removing those costs of flying or driving a service consultant out to site.”

With OPTIME, operators can conduct remote diagnostics from the point of collection to the reporting without being on site via the OPTIME app and dashboard.

With operational ease at the centre of OPTIME’s design, the solution is further set apart by being an out-ofthe-box, plug-and-play solution.

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This applies right from the set up and provisioning of gateways and sensors, through to the automatic creation of a dashboard, allowing companies to start viewing data from the get-go.

It is also designed to prevent any external parties from infiltrating the network as OPTIME operates on an independent Wirepas Mesh network.

Users can communicate completely outside of their existing IT infrastructure without worrying about cybersecurity risks.

On top of this safety focus, OPTIME can monitor hundreds of rotating machines for a few cents per machine per day.

“This is a solution that has been designed and manufactured by a technology company which has its roots in roller bearings,” Kang says.

“All of these algorithms have been developed on top of years of automation, analysis, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

And they work seamlessly behind the scenes to give customers clear, easyto-understand insights that they can action instantaneously.” AM

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

FINDING GOLDEN VALUES IN PEOPLE

CREDIT: KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD.

GOLD INDUSTRY GROUP MEMBER KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD HAS SHOWN THE INDUSTRY HOW A COMPANY CAN NOT ONLY LEAVE A LEGACY BY MINING THE PRECIOUS METAL, BUT ALSO THROUGH ITS IMPACT ON PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES.

Kirkland Lake Gold itself has been constant in its efforts to lift social, education, and health and wellbeing standards in the local community.

Its commitment to community projects over the next three years will reach an eight-figure sum and is designed to involve a number of disadvantaged communities.

Hann says the impetus comes from Kirkland Lake Gold president and chief executive Tony Makuch, who Hann describes as “one of the most generous men I’ve ever met in my life.”

“Right after he approved $1.4 million to help Australian regions recover from bushfires, the pandemic was raging. We were doing a bit better in Australia than in Canada, but he was thinking about how we could help communities recover from AUSTRALIANMINING

CREDIT: KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD.

I

f there has been one thing that mining companies traditionally have not been good at, it is telling the positive stories of their actions to the general public.

Mining companies have responded to many facets of social needs in the regions in which they operate, yet these stories still often fail to reach an audience.

Kirkland Lake Gold vice president operations and co-lead Australia, Ion Hann, says this is definitely changing.

“The mining industry is uniquely placed globally to assist regional communities. There are numerous examples of where the industry is giving back to the communities where it operates. But it needs to get better at telling that story,” Hann tells Australian Mining.

THE FOSTERVILLE GOLD MINE NEAR BENDIGO, VICTORIA.

KIRKLAND LAKE VICE PRESIDENT CO-LEAD AUSTRALIA, ION HANN.

the pandemic,” Hann says.

“So, he initiated a $US20 million ($26 million) fund for Canada and Australia with half of that coming to Australia,” Hann says.

The funds motivated the Kirkland

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Lake Gold team to identify areas that had been most affected by the pandemic, including homelessness, food shortages, mental health, poor education and domestic violence.

Services in these areas saw

significant increase in the demand while at the same time found fundraising curtailed.

“We started looking at the key platforms through which we could make an impact. We’re currently casting our eyes over 40 projects and we’ll probably narrow that down to between 12 and 20 that we’ll pursue,” Hann says.

Central Victoria region has become an obvious focus for Kirkland Lake Gold as the region is its home base in Australia, with the company’s Fosterville gold mine situated just outside of historic mining city of Bendigo.

One of the services already chosen for support is the North Central Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN).

Central Victoria has high youth unemployment and there are 32 organisations within the network that aim to reach disengaged youth who have been affected by the pandemic and are having difficulties securing employment.

“These organisations do a wonderful job in bringing people and jobs together so those who might have left school early and not have the right skills to establish themselves in the workplace can be a productive part of the society,” Hann says.

“Once you meet the people who run these projects, you can’t help but be inspired by the enthusiasm with which they tackle it.”

Hann believes in the huge potential and talent that exists in central Victoria. The area is known for its historic role in mining and metals, dairy and meat products, wineries, defence manufacturing and a significant financial services sector.

Bendigo is also one of the few

CREDIT: BENDIGO TECH SCHOOL.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GET A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING AN ELECTRIC CAR.

remaining cities that supports a manufacturing sector.

With this in mind, Kirkland Lake Gold is supporting the introduction of battery-electric technology development training in Bendigo by partnering with Bendigo Tech School.

The project will achieve outcomes in both diversity and inclusion, and the environment.

“Kirkland Lake Gold has an

AUSTRALIANMINING

industry leading position in batteryelectric mining equipment at the Macassa mine in Canada, where we have the largest fleet of batteryelectric underground equipment in that country,” Hann says.

“In our industry, we’re still working our way through improving diversity and inclusion. Getting young women to be involved in the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and

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maths) stream is a part of addressing that.

“We’re pretty excited about the electric car project. We provided funds so that female students from the high school can build an electric car.”

In this way, Kirkland Lake Gold hopes to introduce a narrative about automotive waste, upcycling and future transport sustainability into the community.

The students were given a handson opportunity to convert and restore a classic four-wheel drive to electric operation.

The vehicle will be available for rent, with revenues going into the school’s future community enterprise projects.

As Kirkland Lake Gold casts a wide net throughout the Victorian region, mental health is also a serious issue that hasn’t missed the company’s attention.

“Unfortunately, it’s something that I suspect will be one of the hidden and growing issues that comes out of the COVID-19 pandemic. I don’t think we’ve seen the worst of it yet,” Hann says.

Through a donation to Anglicare Victoria, Kirkland Lake Gold is helping to increase the awareness of mental health prevention and promotion services throughout regional areas of the state.

“We know that mental health is an issue all around central Victoria, so for us getting involved is a no-brainer.

Our community initiatives work on a number of different levels and it’s going to be good for the city,” Hann says.

“Investing in people and communities leaves a sustainable legacy, even when the mining cycle’s over.” AM

MINING INFRASTRUCTURE

ULTRA-DEEP BORES FIND THEIR MATCH CRUSADER HOSE HAS REFUSED TO BOW DOWN TO THE EVER-INCREASING WATER PRESSURES ON MINE SITES. THE COMPANY HAS DEMONSTRATED HOW TO EFFICIENTLY ACHIEVE MINE DEWATERING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF FLEXIBORE 400 SERIES HOSE.

N

ot many companies are led by a managing director who has held his position for 30 years.

Francois Steverlynck has accomplished this loyalty and commitment as MD of Crusader Hose, nearly matching the company’s 35-year operation with his tenure.

During this time, the Melbournebased company has grown its relationships with the mining, pumping and drilling industries through site visits, networking and trade shows.

Steverlynck has also expanded his knowledge of what mining companies need for water extraction over this period, leading the development of Crusader Hose solutions that overcome dewatering challenges.

“Mines are extending and digging deeper, and are therefore reliant on water transfer systems, which can handle the greater pressures at these deeper depths,” Steverlynck tells Australian Mining.

Under Steverlynck’s leadership, Crusader Hose’s research and development team has invested several years in inventing an ultra-highpressure hose for use in bore water

A FLEXIBORE HOSE WITH A 160-KILOWATT PUMP.

extraction, the Flexibore 400 series hose.

The Flexibore 400 is a standout milestone in Crusader Hose’s history, described by Steverlynck as a “pioneering achievement” that helps mining companies reach their highest levels of productivity and profitability.

Its development was guided by industry advancements, such as upgrades to manufacturing techniques,

as well as Crusader Hose’s experience in the defence sector.

The Flexibore 400 series incorporates loom modifications and higher-calibre polyester fibre used in weaving the textile reinforcement, compared with that in lower-pressure Flexibore products.

“The tenacity of these higher-calibre fibres is unparalleled,” Steverlynck says. “The $800,000 investment in a A SUBMERSIBLE PUMP BEING INSTALLED INTO THE BORE.

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new extruder has brought world-best quality during this very important process.

“As a result, the four-inch Flexibore 400 series hose is the highest pressure layflat hose in the world for ground water pumping, boasting a burst pressure of 100 bar or 1000 metres.

Groundwater can now be safely pumped from 400 metres below.”

Such a company commitment to innovation has enabled Flexibore to become a system of choice for in-pit bores on many Australian mines.

Its recognised position in the industry owes in part to the ease of installing and retrieving the submersible pumps.

Mine operators can simply install the pump using a roller, crane or mechanised spool as the riser pipe in one continuous length, including the installation of a 380-metre Flexibore 400 layflat hose.

It beats the time and process taken to manage a steel or fibreglass pipe, with power cables already attached to the Flexibore’s polyurethane straps.

This capability wasn’t developed overnight and started in the defence sector, one of the company’s other target markets during its history.

In the early 2000s, Crusader Hose spent three years on a defence project, preparing the drawings, manuals and specifications for a fuel transfer hose and reel system as part of an important tender.

“The process was very arduous and time consuming, a level that Crusader Hose had never experienced before,” Steverlynck says.

“But through hard work and guidance from a consultant, we were successful in winning the bid. It was a huge turning point in the maturity and capability of Crusader Hose as a business.”

With mining companies relentlessly pursuing efficiency and safety improvements, Crusader Hose is determined to assist the iron ore and broader mining industry to maintain or even exceed these standards with technologically advanced products and services.

“We will continue to innovate and introduce new technology to solidify our hose systems for vertical and horizontal dewatering,” Steverlynck says. “We are committed to supporting Australia’s mining industry.” AM

CRUSHING & SCREENING

G-VAULT URETHANE INTERSTAGE SCREEN WHEN PURSUING INNOVATION, THE EBB AND FLOW OFTEN LEADS TO FRUSTRATION. THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION, BORN FROM PASSION, TRANSFORMS MARBLE STONE INTO STATUES. WITHIN THE FOUR WALLS OF DERRICK CORPORATION, THE LATTER OF THOSE TWO STATEMENTS RINGS TRUE.

S

ince the development of the urethane screen surface in 1984, Derrick has set its sights on becoming the world leader in urethane screen surface technology.

Over the past 35 years, Derrick’s product development team has perfected a vast array of designs, with openings ranging from 6mm to 38mm.

Each of these products boasts superior open area and cut points compared with existing alternatives.

As Derrick Corporation enters its 70th year of innovation, it continues to raise the standards of solution-based offerings as related to fine screening technology.

The Derrick team understands that with added pressure from management boards and investment teams, a gold producer’s responsibility to achieve production goals as efficiently as possible is a ubiquitous task.

With the third generation of ownership at the helm, Derrick has made it a top priority to address these administrative objectives and many other operational goals.

Enter: Trilogy screens, Derrick’s latest innovation.

With the full potential of Derrick’s thermoset urethane screens approaching its zenith, the jump to thermoplastics was the next logical step.

However, as jumps are often synonymous with ease, this particular transition was limited by process capabilities.

If Trilogy, Derrick’s new thermoplastic screen surface, was to replace its high-performance predecessor, the required fine openings and high open area for this next step could only be achieved by making it small.

But small and mining are not classically sympatico.

This obstacle laid the foundation for possibly the most thought-provoking utilisation of resources in company history.

Ultimately, the development process

led to the most versatile range of screen applications ever seen by the industry.

Rather than create a full-size screen panel, Derrick’s research and development team took small sections of the new screen and mounted them onto a rigid, injectable support structure that could be joined easily to create a truly modular, custom-capable screen surface.

Thus, size and shape would no longer limit implementation of a screening solution.

During the first iteration of this solution, the newly designed Derrick G-Vault Urethane Interstage Screen was deployed to address reported operational deficiencies in interstage gold processing.

These deficiencies were commonplace over the 25-year tenure of wedge-wire screen operation.

With the immediate success of Derrick’s urethane interstage screens in gold processing, operators began

THE DERRICK G-VAULT URETHANE INTERSTAGE SCREEN ADDRESSES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES.

enquiring about the possibility of Derrick offering a complete unit, rather than only a bolt-in interstage screen replacement.

Predicated on the success of Derrick’s pyramid screens, which are primarily used in oilfield applications, the development team decided to move forward with Trilogy screen technology.

Building on the urethane template, the team created its first urethane interstage screen for gold processing.

The result is a screen that increases fluid-handling capacity where high wear is common.

These revolutionary screens offer all the benefits of urethane screens while increasing open area percentage.

“This urethane interstage screen named G-Vault features non-blinding

DERRICK HAS EXPERTS IN URETHANE SCREEN SURFACE TECHNOLOGY.

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polyurethane screen surface as opposed to wedge wire,” Derrick new product application specialist Patrick Stasio explains.

The G-Vault is a turnkey solution for operations.

For a brownfield, no structural change to the drop-in replacement adaptability is required.

Future and existing operations will also benefit from the modular screen components, which will eliminate replacement of entire wedge-wire units.

The urethane interstage screen offers easily replaced screen panels, elimination of pegging or blinding, uninterrupted flow and fewer logistics problems.

All of these features result in clear operational benefits.

In addition to these benefits, the G-Vault’s easy bolt-in replacement gives operators the opportunity to easily replace screens on site, eliminating the need to ship and store a plethora of wedge-wire screens.

And unlike maintaining a stock of complete wedge-wire screens, all G-Vault modular screen components can be stored in a designated, low-profile location that is readily accessible to operators.

Under the Derrick umbrella, replaceable components are stored in country.

Alternatively, Stasio quips, “In a worse-case scenario, I can get a box of these screens from our manufacturing facility in Buffalo, New York to Australia in seven days, compared with someone who has to order a new wedge-wire screen and wait up to a month for delivery.

“We always try to help companies the best way possible. We give them the best, most efficient and long-lasting piece of equipment because we value our relationships with customers.” AM

INDUSTRY COMMENT

AUSTMINE FACILITATES GLOBAL DECARBONISATION CHALLENGE FOR TRUCK FLEETS THE METS SECTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION HAS FORMED A MAJOR PARTNERSHIP FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING CONCEPTS FOR LARGE BATTERY-ELECTRIC HAUL TRUCKS WITH THREE LEADING INTERNATIONAL MINING COMPANIES.

B

HP, Rio Tinto and Vale have come together as founding patrons to launch the Charge On Innovation Challenge.

Facilitated by Austmine, this challenge will encourage technology development to support the mining industry’s decarbonisation efforts.

This is a global competition for technology innovators across all industries globally to develop new concepts for large-scale haul truck electrification systems to help significantly cut emissions from surface mine operations and unlock safety, productivity and operational improvements.

Expressions of interest are open until June 30. More information can be found at www.chargeoninnovation. com.

to major industry challenges, such as decarbonisation.

“We are confident that we will find a solution to the delivery of electricity to trucks in the complex and dynamic operating environment of a large surface mine,” Gibbs Stewart says.

“We also expect that the Challenge will attract companies from a broad range of sectors including mining, automotive, aerospace, agriculture and defence to deliver selected charging concept(s) to create a standard product that can interface with all trucks.”

A BHP TRUCK OPERATES IN THE PILBARA REGION.

What is the purpose of this challenge?

IMAGE: BHP.

The Charge On Innovation Challenge is designed to find innovative concepts for interoperable methods to deliver electricity to large batteryelectric haul trucks, which in turn will cut emissions from surface mine operations and unlock significant safety, productivity and operational improvements.

Current stationary charging systems require substantial time to charge large trucks, which would result in significant lost productivity.

The mining industry needs multi-megawatt scale fast charging concepts and this Challenge is seeking solutions capable of delivering around 400 kilowatt hours (kWh) to charge (and propel) a truck within the truck’s haul cycle (load, travel, dump, return, queue).

Austmine chief executive officer Christine Gibbs Stewart says the founding patrons have partnered with Austmine due to its past success in delivering international supply challenges.

She believes the Australian METS sector is equipped to provide solutions AUSTRALIANMINING

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While METS companies are encouraged to submit innovation solutions, resource companies that maintain substantial haul truck fleets are also invited to join the founding patrons – BHP, Rio Tinto and Vale – to benefit from the process.

In a statement announcing the challenge, BHP Minerals Australia president Edgar Basto says he expects it will stimulate innovative ideas, some of which could be immediately applied to existing diesel-electric equipment and help fast-track implementation of longer-term solutions.

“We understand that these challenges will not be solved overnight, but together we can find the best concepts that can be applied across the industry,” Basto says.

Rio Tinto group executive safety, technical and projects Mark Davies says the global call-out to innovators could change the way haul truck systems operate in the mining sector.

“Innovation is the key to decarbonisation, and we expect the Challenge will deliver exciting new concepts that could drive huge longterm benefits for our industry and the environment,” Davies says.

“Partnerships and collaborations across a diverse range of sectors can drive significant technological change.

This is an important, industry-wide approach that has potential to create new jobs and opportunities for suppliers, both globally and locally.”

Carlos Mello, ferrous engineering director at Vale, says mine electrification will require considerable integration of infrastructure into mine planning and operations.

“We need to develop faster charging infrastructure in parallel to the development of battery-electric trucks, to ensure we create a complete electric haulage system,” Mello says.

To submit a proposal or to join as a patron, visit www.chargeoninnovation. com. Short-listed candidates will be expected to pitch their concepts later during this calendar year. AM

2021

AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT

TAILINGS MANAGEMENT MAKES A SPLASH AUSIMM CONTINUES TO LEAD EFFECTIVE TAILINGS MANAGEMENT TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ON MINE SITES, SHOWCASING THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS SPACE.

T

he mining industry continues to progress towards its sustainability goals as the benefits of a circular economy unearth the necessary changes required when dealing with mining waste.

The latest innovations in mining waste tailings management enhance health and safety of mine environments for all industry professionals, while ensuring environmental impact is minimised.

To highlight the advantages of efficient tailings management, AusIMM’s Mine Waste and Tailings Conference welcomes global industry professionals to Brisbane and online on July 1-2, 2021.

In collaboration with the University of Queensland, the conference will focus on aspects of waste rock and tailings management through its new hybrid (in-person and online) format.

The conference aims to address current and future challenges impacting mining systems reengineering and will feature technical presentations, expert panel discussions, a full trade exhibition and virtual booths, networking functions and online connections.

Delegates will have the opportunity to discover the latest innovations in tailing management with global experts providing their insights as part of the conference’s keynote presentations.

University of Queensland Geotechnical Engineering Centre, professor of geotechnical engineering, David Williams, is one of the keynote speakers presenting at the conference.

According to Williams, miners are working towards achieving the aims set out by the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management.

The Standard’s primary goal is to achieve zero harm following the disastrous dam collapse at Vale’s Córrego do Feijão mine in Brazil in 2019.

“Tailings are the product of processing ore for a commodity and can comprise the majority of crushed and ground disseminated gold-bearing ore to as little as 5 per cent of high-grade iron ore or high-grade run-of-mine

UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PROFESSOR DAVID WILLIAMS.

coal,” Williams tells Australian Mining.

“The tailings, and associated tailings water and rainfall runoff, need to be managed to achieve the aim of the new Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management of zero harm to people and the environment.”

Due to recent tailings dams failures, Williams stresses confidence in tailings management must be restored to avoid financial turmoil.

“The rate of tailings dam failures is about 100 times that of water dams and failures have led to mass fatalities, which is unacceptable,” he says.

“The rate and consequences of tailings dam failures has led to a loss

of confidence and trust in tailings management, and threatens the mining industry’s financial and social licences to operate, and their control of their industry. Hence, tailings management is of high importance to all associated professionals.”

Tailings management affects a wide array of mining stakeholders, adding to why it is vital to manage correctly, including contractors, mine operators, regulators and communities.

Williams is also a facilitator of AusIMM’s online course, Professional Certificate in Tailings Management, which covers geotechnical, geochemical, governance, closure and socio-economic factors of tailings management.

Immense support from the industry towards better tailings management practices has resulted in sold out intakes since the course’s inception.

Williams says AusIMM’s Mine Waste and Tailings Conference and online course open the door for the industry to discover the best way to progress tailings management.

AusIMM’s online course aims to upskill and retrain professionals who are already working in a tailings management role, while young professionals attending the conference can ensure the mining industry maintains a consistent relationship with community demands.

“The minerals industry has a long history and an assured future, given the escalating demand for minerals,”

Williams says.

“Innovative young professionals are needed in the industry to ensure that mining and processing are made compatible with community expectations, and to take over from the current generation of professionals.”

AusIMM’s overall aim is to raise the bar for mine waste and tailings, which is vital to sustain mine approvals.

“Options and opportunities are closed off and rendered unachievable if not considered early in the planning of new mines, and sustainable development principles need to be carried through construction, operations and rehabilitation to add value postmining,” Williams says.

“The conference in particular will draw out how current mining and processing systems can accommodate opportunities post-closure, and explore how other professionals can be brought into partner with the industry to transition mine sites to the next land use.” “(It) is hoped there will be a realisation that we can contribute to raise the performance of mine waste and tailings facilities.

“To help restore confidence and trust in the capabilities of professionals in the field to steward these facilities and protect the communities and environments that surround them.” AM To find out more on AusIMM’s Mine Waste and Tailings Conference and Online Course visit www.ausimm.com

PROPER MINING WASTE TAILINGS MANAGEMENT CAN IMPROVE HEALTH AND SAFETY OUTCOMES.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT

SPONSOR THE 2021 PROSPECT AWARDS NOW

2021

AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS

THE PROSPECT AWARDS ARE RETURNING IN 2021, WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME A SPONSOR AVAILABLE.

T

he Australian Mining Prospect Awards are fast approaching, with the stage set for a return to Brisbane on October 14.

Each year, the awards highlight the mining industry’s vigour for innovation and excellence, recognising some of the industry’s best and brightest companies and personnel.

Part of what makes each year’s Prospect Awards a success is its industry sponsors that support the long list of awards up for grabs.

The current crop of sponsors for the 2021 Prospect Awards includes a list of reputable brands with a global mining presence.

The pandemic continues to present significant challenges to the entire mining industry through a string of global supply chain issues, ongoing interstate and international travel bans and adjustments to working arrangements.

But the mining industry showed it could respond, delivering innovation, strategy and commitment towards achieving a successful outcome.

Records were set for 2020 in iron ore, gold and copper exports, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

A total of $270 billion was injected into the Australian economy last year from the resources sector, 62 per cent of the nation’s export revenue.

The Prospect Awards ensure that the efforts of mining and METS (mining equipment, technology and services) companies do not go unnoticed, with last year’s awards demonstrating the innovation and prowess of the industry in a time of reflection on the pandemic.

With this year’s event returning to a physical venue, now is an opportune time to sign up as an award sponsor.

Sponsors will have their name associated with their chosen award, along with the opportunity to present the award to this year’s winner. Tickets to the event will be provided to sponsors along with acknowledgement in both pre and post event coverage.

Many of this year’s sponsors have returned after endorsing previous

Prospect Awards shows.

Coal Mine of the Year award sponsor SEW Eurodrive designs and develops power transmission systems and motor control electronics.

The Coal Mine of the Year award recognises a strong performing coal mine or one that has undertaken an innovative project or program.

SEW-Eurodrive national service manager IG, Daniele Dallari, says the company’s return helps showcase the industry’s potential.

“This award acknowledges the nominees who demonstrated the highest level of productivity, efficiency and safety. The awards provide an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the industry,” Dallari says.

SEW-Eurodrive considers the Prospect Awards to be a key event in the celebration of the workers and the innovators that add to the prosperity of Australia’s mining sector.

Epiroc is sponsoring two awards this year, including Contract Miner of the Year and Hard Rock Mine of the Year. Contractors are an essential part of Australia’s mining industry due to their ability to provide local employment. The Contract Miner of the Year award recognises the excellence in contract mining, engineering, projects and services.

The Hard Rock Mine of the Year Award showcases a hard rock mine that has shown innovation or strong performance. Hard rock mining includes the extraction of gold, silver iron, copper, zinc, nickel, tin, lead and more.

“The Australian Mining Prospect Awards celebrate the vibrant and innovative mining industry and this aligns with Epiroc’s values, vision and mission,” Epiroc Australia general manager Terry Browne says.

“Epiroc, as a leading global productivity partner with cuttingedge technology developing and producing innovative, safe and sustainable drilling, excavation and construction equipment tools, coupled with world-class solutions for automation and interoperability.”

Liebherr is sponsoring this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

“The Liebherr Group values pushing the limits with innovative AUSTRALIANMINING

and visionary thinking to discover new solutions for the challenges of tomorrow,” Liebherr-Australia executive general manager Grahame Player says.

“The Australian Mining Prospect Awards celebrate these solutions and successes, which is why LiebherrAustralia has been a proud sponsor for three years running.”

Safety is another important facet in Australia’s mining culture.

This year’s Safety Advocate award sponsor is belt conveyor specialist, Flexco, which is another longrunning partner of the Awards.

“Recognising the companies and individuals that make excellence their first priority is extremely important to Flexco as a business, specifically in the Safety Advocate category that we’re sponsoring in 2021,” Flexco managing director Mark Colbourn says.

“We truly believe that safety is the most important priority when doing business in the mining industry, and we want to reward those that champion safety in their workplace.”

Innovative Mining Solution award sponsor Austmine is also returning to promote the industry’s prowess in this area.

“The Australian Mining Prospect

THE PROSPECT AWARDS’ GALA EVENING WILL TAKE PLACE IN OCTOBER.

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Awards and similar events are critical in raising the profile of Australian innovation and technology,” Austmine chief executive officer Chris Gibbs Stewart says.

With nominations now open, the categories for this year’s awards include: •A ustralian Mine of the Year (sponsored by National Group) •C oal Mine of the Year (sponsored

by SEW-Eurodrive) •C ontract Miner of the Year (sponsored by Epiroc) •H ard Rock Mine of the Year (sponsored by Epiroc) • I nnovative Mining Solution (sponsored by Austmine) •S afety Advocate award (sponsored

by Flexco) •M ine Manager of the Year (sponsored by CRC) • Lifetime Achievement award (sponsored by Liebherr) • Indigenous Engagement Award • Excellence in IIoT Application •E xcellence in Environmental Management •E xcellence in Mine Safety, OH&S • Minerals Processing of the Year. AM For more information on sponsoring the Awards, contact jonathan.duckett@primecreative.com.au.

THE MINING INDUSTRY HAS MOVED TO A NEW PHASE FOLLOWING THE MINING BOOM, ONE WHERE PRODUCTIVITY, INNOVATION AND SAFETY HAVE EMERGED AS ITS KEY PRIORITIES COPPER SPOTLIGHT MAINTENANCE VOLUME 113/05 | JUNE 2021

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PRODUCTS

TRUFLO PUMPS’ UNDERGROUND MINING JUMBO DEWATERING PUMP This achievement in underground mine dewatering technology is specifically designed to embrace Truflo Pumps’ many benefits and superior engineering. Cost savings of up to 80 per cent are common using the Jumbo pumps, compared with a conventional eight- or 20-kilowatt submersible face pump. Maintenance is also fast, simple and low cost.

With discharge head pressure up to 75 metres and flow rates out to 14 litres per second this is a high-performance compact pump.

With a rapid automatic priming system to provide simple, fast and safe operation, Jumbo pumps are fitted with a true “run dry” seal, which is not lubricated by the fluid pumped. It is an Australian product which has seen consistent development with rapidly growing international appeal and utilisation.

MINING-PROOF COMPUTING FROM NEOUSYS Neousys Technology’s SEMIL-1700GC is a waterproof GPU computer built for mining trucks that constantly operate under extreme conditions.

Preinstalled with an NVIDIA Tesla T4 or Quadro P2200, the SEMIL1700GC is IP67 rating certified with special moulded o-ring. The chassis is corrosion resistant due to reinforced stainless steel and aluminum, and offers true fanless patented thermal design for CPU/ GPU (no throttling up to 62 degrees Celsius ambient). The system also comes with ignition control, wide range DC input and complete M12 connectors to ensure rugged connection in severe shock and vibration environments.

• neousys-tech.com

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TOP OF THE RANGE ELECTRIC WINCH

SAVING SENSITIVE STRUCTURES WHILE REDUCING RISK

Dynamic Rigging Hire has added a 4.5-tonne hydraulic winch to its range. With a 15-kilowatt, four-pole electric power unit, fitted with 200 metres of 18mm wire rope, this new Australian-made winch will find applications in mining, construction, tunnelling projects and numerous other major infrastructure projects.

The winch features a load cell pin in the sheave to measure line pull, line distance measurement, an Archimedes screw with fairlead rollers, and a built-in overload protection system with highly visible light tower.

A cabled remote control allows the operator to work safely away from the winch and to site the load. The winch being electrically powered means it is very quiet in operation and has no engine emissions.

Orica advanced vibration management (AVM) software allows operations to combine blast designs, drill holes and vibrations measurements to understand blast outcomes ahead of time.

The technology was designed to conserve sensitive structures and maximise blast outcomes, complementing Orica’s BlastIQ digital blast optimisation software suite.

Not only can the technology avoid damage to sensitive structures, but it allows operations to blast closer to structures than may have previously been believed.

Thus, some operations may have the potential to widen their scope of resources and increase the life of the project.

With more than 140 years’ experience, Orica continues to push the mining sector towards optimal digitisation.

• dynamicrigginghire.com.au

• orica.com

AUSTRALIANMINING

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PRODUCTS

SLIMLINE DESIGN – HIGH CODING LEVEL

CONTINUOUS NORTH SEEKING SOLID STATE GYRO SURVEY TOOL

Control Logic brings you the AZM150 Solenoid Interlock by Schmersal.

Characterised by its slimline design and 1500 newton interlocking force, the range features a total of eight different actuator approach options and three different actuator types (straight, angled and flexible) allowing for highly versatile installation.

Typical of all Schmersal products, the AZM150 solenoid interlock is designed for high safety standards. The interlock comes with a low coding level as standard, but is also available with an optional high coding level.

Schmersal is the only manufacturer which can offer electromechanical safety switches and solenoid interlocks with high coding levels.

The GyroMaster uses SPT’s Navibore Technology to register data points every centimetre for industry-leading orebody mapping. It’s capable of surveying in any inclination and customers can automatically create highly accurate independent surveys. The GyroMaster can be used in magnetic environments as it measures the projection of the angular velocity of the earth on its axis of rotation. Improve your team’s efficiency by doing two tasks at once. With the company’s Core Retriever overshot assembly, you can pull cores and survey simultaneously – increasing drilling productivity and deliver great results.

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SANDVIK AUTOMATION HITS TRIPLE DIGITS

SAVING TIME, SAFETY AND BEARDS

A Sandvik LH621i loader has become the original equipment manufacturer's 100th automated load and haul unit to be delivered in the Asia Pacific region, 13 years after the first.

Sandvik’s AutoMine systems are installed across 30 sites in Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines, providing autonomous and tele-remote operation for a range of underground and surface equipment.

Using the system, operators can simultaneously control or monitor multiple machines from a remote location, increasing safety, productivity and profitability.

“The digitalisation field has developed significantly over the years and we have adapted to meet the industry needs along the way,” Sandvik technical support manager for mine automation Ty Osborne said.

The JSP Powercap Infinity is designed with filters and sensors to replace the old-style air tubes down the user’s back connected to heavy waist belt air filtering systems.

The new technology addresses industry reports that attaching these hoses and filters to a full kit can be restricting and potentially dangerous.

Aligned with Australian safety standards, the Powercap Infinity means workers can now wear the headwear with an unshaven face and removes the need for a slow and tedious face fit test.

The PowerCap Infinity is the very latest in PAPR technology, combining decades of innovation from JSP in the fields of respiratory, head, eye and face protection. Sonis ear defenders can also be added to complete the wearer's above the neck protection.

• rocktechnology.sandvik

• jeatech.com.au

AUSTRALIANMINING

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EVENTS

CONFERENCES, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS EVENT SUBMISSIONS CAN BE EMAILED TO EDITOR@AUSTRALIANMINING.COM.AU Resources Technology Showcase Perth | June 21-22 The Gold Industry Group will present an inspiring two days at the Perth Convention Centre, filled with innovative technologies from the mining, resources, defence and space industries.

The event is targeted towards students from primary and high school who can roam the exhibition learning about virtual reality, drones and robots, and how they can be applied across Western Australia.

The showcase will feature hourly TEDtalk style seminars where visitors can witness the various technologies in action.

Perth’s Elizabeth Quay will be used to showcase large-scale mining equipment like haul trucks, courtesy of showcase partner WesTrac. Other partners will include Fortescue Metals Group and Telstra. Register your interest now for school excursions or public visits.

• rtsperth.com Mill Operators Conference Brisbane | June 23-25 AusIMM is running the Mill Operators Conference for the 15th time, offering it in a hybrid format this year.

This conference will focus on best practice in all areas of plant operations practice and management, tailings and water management and geometallurgy.

AusIMM chief technical officer Greg Lane, BHP Nickel West principal – business development James McQuie

and Curtin University senior research fellow Teresa McGrath are among the keynote speakers who will present at the event.

Mill Operators will welcome more than 600 industry professionals to hear from leading experts, participate in robust discussions, view the latest mining innovations and meet with their industry peers at networking events over the three days.

• milloperators.ausimm.com Diggers & Dealers Kalgoorlie | August 2-4 Diggers & Dealers is celebrating its 30th year as a leading Australian mining investment event in 2021.

Diggers & Dealers combines corporate presentations by listed mining and exploration companies, alongside a large exhibition area housing more than 160 exhibitors from the sector.

Delegates include miners, explorers, brokers, bankers, investors, financiers and mining service industries from around the world. The event provides a unique opportunity for industry professionals to meet and network, visit regional mine sites, engage with media, raise finance, invest in projects and generally engage with the resources sector at an executive level in a mining community setting, Kalgoorlie. An entertainment program ensures that delegates experience the best of the style and hospitality of Kalgoorlie, the unofficial gold mining capital of Australia.

• diggersndealers.com.au

AUSTRALIANMINING

International Uranium Digital Conference 2021 | Online August 3–4, 10-11 After a highly successful digital conference in 2020, experiencing the largest attendance in over five years, AusIMM is once again hosting the 2021 conference as an online experience available to all professionals across the globe.

Uranium 2021 will offer unparalleled opportunities to collaborate with the world’s most knowledgeable uranium and nuclear experts on the current state and the turnaround of the global uranium industry. Presentations will explore the growing global demand for more new uranium production and the opportunities to re-commence standby projects and explore new projects.

• ausimm.com/uranium Women in Industry Awards Melbourne | August 17 Women across typically maledominated industrial sectors will be honoured once more at the Women in Industry Awards. The event aims to acknowledge the exceptional women who have achieved success through their invaluable leadership, innovation and commitment to their sectors.

These may be women you work with, women whose achievements are inspiring you from afar, or women who are providing you with invaluable guidance and support.

Potential sectors for recognition have

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included quarrying, mining, road transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management, rail and infrastructure.

Past winner and 2021 ambassador Rachel Ashfield said the awards “give you an opportunity to highlight key aspects and career defining moments of your many years of success and dedication.” Nominations close June 25.

• womeninindustry.com.au BULK 2021: Australian Bulk Handling Expo | Melbourne September 8-10 The Australian Bulk Handling Expo, conference and awards will bring the bulk handling industry together into a standalone exhibition in 2021.

It will share the same location as MEGATRANS, which integrates intrinsically with the logistics and multimodal freight sector.

BULK2021 is supported by the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling (ASBSH), which will host an industry conference, while the trade expo will showcase the latest in bulk materials handling equipment and technologies.

Exhibitors include Vega, SEWEurodrive, Mideco, Bonfiglioli, Minprovise and ESS Engineering.

BULK2021 will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre over three days. BULK2020 ticketholders will be able to use their tickets to join the rescheduled expo.

• bulkhandlingexpo.com.au

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