Australian Mining June 2022 by Prime Creative Media

COMPANY PROFILE INDUSTRY OUTLOOK VOLUME 114/5 | JUNE 2022

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

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COMPANY PROFILE INDUSTRY OUTLOOK VOLUME 114/5 | JUNE 2022

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

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COMMENT

THE FUTURE IS NOW MARCHING FORWARD WITH GREATER EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION.

PAUL HAYES paul.hayes@primecreative.com.au

he world may not seem as simple as it was – and I’m sure we all like to look back fondly on “the good old days” from time to time – but there’s no denying that modern technology has created any number of welcome efficiencies for all walks of life. Whether it’s being able watch any movie or TV show we want at any time or immediately having a video chat with our friends and family across the world, we live in a more efficient age. And that efficiency certainly extends to the mining industry. Greater levels of optimisation have positive effects right across the resources sector, from more efficient and effective extraction methods to a reduced carbon footprint to more secure data storage to on-site health and safety. Create of efficiency and optimisation can unlock much of the untapped potential on a mine site, whether above or below the ground, and this issue digs into how sites and companies all around the country are using technology and other solutions to work smarter, not harder. Elsewhere in this issue of Australian Mining, we take a deep dive into the history of National Group as the mining-services company celebrates its 25th anniversary. Chief executive officer and managing director Mark Ackroyd is as interested in the future as he is in the past. After using his life savings to start the business with a single bulldozer in 1997, Ackroyd sees this milestone as the start of National Group’s next growth phase – and the new chapter in what has been quite a journey.

We also shine a light on Australia’s burgeoning critical minerals industry. The country is starting to take advantage of what is a major opportunity for the future, but two Monash University academics explain that feeding the world’s green transformation won’t be a walk in the park and there is work to be done. Speaking of shining a light, this month we also put the spotlight on women throughout the sector with the Women in Industry Awards. Designed to celebrate commitment, diligence and dedication, these awards showcase women in traditionally maledominated industries such as mining, road transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management and rail and infrastructure. Any opportunity to recognise the incredible achievements and dedication of the women who work in these areas is a welcome one, and Australian Mining is proud to be a partner in the Women in Industry Awards. We congratulate all nominees and winners, each of whom should be incredibly proud of the work they have achieved and the dedication and commitment they have shown throughout the industry and their careers.

Paul Hayes Managing Editor

FRONT COVER

This edition of Australian Mining, takes a closer look at efficiency and optimisation in the mining industry. Modern mining is getting more efficient seemingly by the day, and companies all around Australia are making great strides in ensuring they move with the times and use technology – improved software, mobile data centres, industrial sensors, real-time monitoring, to name a few – to work smarter, not harder. We also look at onsite safety, the used equipment market, underground mining, and more. And, as usual, we cover the latest mining equipment and technology in our products section.

Cover image: National Group

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IN INTHIS THISISSUE ISSUE 52

34 22

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

Tracking the cultural shift in Australian mining In part two of a series inspired by Deloitte’s Tracking the Trends 2022 report, Australian Mining examines a movement towards reimagining work to align with social purpose.

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY

COMPANY PROFILE

Celebrating women in Australian industry Recently held in Melbourne, the Women in Industry Awards celebrate commitment, diligence and dedication. Truly unstoppable: National Group celebrates its 25th anniversary Customer focus defines its proud history, but the company says the best is yet to come.

EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

Smart mining simplified ifm’s mining industry specialist Sam Rupasinghe discusses how to

implement smart mining processes from the bottom up.

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

MINING SERVICES

INNOVATION

Saving stranded innovation Adrian Beer, chief executive of METS Ignited, outlines the critical part mining plays in the clean energy future, and the stranded technologies that could revolutionise the industry.

Critical minerals: The challenges that lie ahead Through the work of Tier 1 miners, midtier companies and juniors, Australia is rapidly realising its critical minerals 72 MINING SERVICES opportunity. But feeding the world’s green CAPS expands rental capability transformation won’t be a walk in the park. When it comes to providing rental options for the mining industry, CAPS Australia has flexibility and applicability 56 INDUSTRY OUTLOOK front of mind. The road to becoming a registered engineer To provide professional engineering services in Queensland, engineers need to be registered. We speak to AusIMM REGULARS assessor Peter Hills about the process. Connecting the dots To enable the mining industry’s transition to cloud-based technology, Vocus Group is developing fibre network cables and satellite technology to improve connections in remote areas.

5 COMMENT 10 NEWS

84 PRODUCTS 86 EVENTS

70 AUSTRALIANMINING AUSTRALIANMINING 6 6DECEMBER JUNE 2022 2021

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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. PEAK MINE LIFE EXTENDED TO 2035 Aurelia Metals has received regulatory approval to extend the life of its Peak gold and base metals operations up until 2035. The New South Wales Government has issued development consent for the New Cobar Complex, a State Significant Development (SSD) that amalgamates the existing approved underground mining of the Chesney and Jubilee deposits, and development of new underground workings at the Great Cobar and Gladstone deposits. The approval allows the establishment of a new underground mine at the Great Cobar copper–gold deposit, increasing the company’s exposure to a critical, future-facing commodity experiencing significant demand and record prices.

The Great Cobar Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) released in January supported the development of a new satellite mine based on initial mining at Great Cobar with a maiden 840,000-tonne Ore Reserve to offset mining depletion at Peak. The PFS also showed mining Great Cobar could deliver 2.3 million tonnes to the Peak mine’s process plant over a nominal five-year production period to produce highquality copper–gold concentrate and gold–silver doré. The investment of $65 million in the underground mine delivers economic benefits to the Central West NSW region, including sustaining 400-plus jobs at the Peak operations and an additional 140 jobs during the construction phase.

Aurelia anticipates it will commence development of the Great Cobar exploration drive in mid-2022. Aurelia chief executive officer and managing director Dan Clifford said the company had reached a critical milestone in its strategy to optimise its assets through extending mine lives, as well as positioning itself as “copper-ready” – a commodity that will be the foundation in a global shift towards a decarbonised society. “Our team has done a great job in bringing the project online at a time where copper prices are collecting more than US$9000 per tonne,” Clifford said. “We are also excited by the fact Aurelia is one of the only producers in the region to bring a new copper deposit into production in just two

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.

years’ time, a catalyst that will deliver significant value for our shareholders and stakeholders, in particular the communities where we operate.”

KGL CAPITAL RAISE BRINGS IN $23 MILLION Australian copper explorer and developer KGL Resources has raised $23.04 million from its onefor-six non-renounceable entitlement offer of fully paid ordinary shares in the company. KGL is focused on the delineation and development of the high-grade resource at the Jervois Copper Project in the Northern Territory and establishment of a world-class, lowcost copper mine. KGL managing director Simon Finnis said the project feasibility study was on target for completion in mid-2022. “The study was extended to allow for potential business-case advantages to be investigated and incorporated, including the benefits of the Glencore offtake agreement and the updated Jervois mineral resource,” he said. The funds raised under the entitlement offer will allow the completion of the feasibility study and the continuation of the front end engineering design (FEED). Based on the outcomes of the study, the funds will also go towards

KGL IS FOCUSED ON THE DELINEATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESOURCE AT THE JERVOIS COPPER PROJECT IN THE NT.

placing orders for long lead time items and commencement of early works. KGL received valid applications AUSTRALIANMINING

under the offer for 62.27 million new shares, representing about 95.2 per cent of the new shares offered to shareholders. The applications

JUNE 2022

included participation by KGL’s major shareholders, KMP Investments and Denis Wood (on behalf of his controlled entities).

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in accordance with PAS 2060, see www.castrol.com/cneutral for more information. The C02e emissions are calculated in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Product Life Cycle Standard and includes life cycle emissions. The demonstration of carbon neutrality will be assured by an Independent Third-Party and certified to BSI’s PAS 2060 carbon neutral specification. See www.castrol.com/cneutral for more information.

NEWS

CALL FOR MORE PROTECTION FOR COAL INDUSTRY Adani Australia chief executive officer and country head Lucas Dow has called on all political parties to protect the nation’s prosperity by ensuring coal communities can access reasonably priced finance and insurance services. In a presentation at the Sydney Mining Club, Dow recounted the testimonies to an Australian Parliamentary Inquiry by small and family-owned companies in central Queensland and the Hunter region where rising insurance and finance costs are threatening their livelihoods. Other small north Queensland businesses testified to the Inquiry

that they could not get cover at all because they did not meet insurers’ requirements that not more than 25 per cent of their business be in or supporting the coal industry. “Coal is Australia’s second most valuable export after iron ore,” Dow said. “Miners and the businesses that support them are proud they are helping our nation pay for things like the National Disability Insurance Scheme, schools, roads, and national security. “Australia’s miners are proud that no other country does mining as well as we do. “But while demand for Australian

coal remains strong, the prosperity and sustainability of coal mining communities is being put at risk by the actions of banks and insurers. “Banks and insurers denying service to businesses directly and indirectly involved in the coal and the gas sectors is an unacceptable risk to an industry that helps fund the way of life many of us take for granted. “It’s time for our political leaders of all colours to step in and act where the market has failed.” Dow said the answer was an unequivocal commitment from Australia’s political parties to support the introduction of a self-

COAL IS AUSTRALIA’S SECOND MOST VALUABLE EXPORT AFTER IRON ORE.

sustaining coal industry mutual insurance fund. A mutual insurance fund was one of the key recommendations of the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth’s Inquiry. “The industry has done its homework and has developed a mutual insurance fund model that would be self-sustaining within five years,” Dow said. “The challenge is getting the fund off the ground initially, and to do that we’d need the Government to provide an initial drawdown facility to ensure fund solvency in the early years of the fund. “Importantly, this would not be a handout and would only take the form of a contingent liability in the event of potential extreme payout events. Should the drawdown facility need to be accessed, the government would be repaid at commercial rates. “This goes beyond a lip service pledge of support for the 50,000 Australian voters and their families who directly work in the coal sector, it goes beyond energy security, it’s about backing Australians and Australian industry. “This is real action that will secure jobs and billions of dollars in investment and taxes. “Now is not the time for our political leaders to turn their backs on those whose hard work directly contributes to our national prosperity and way of life.”

SEMINAR SERIES A HIGHLIGHT OF MINING AND ENGINEERING EVENT The Queensland mining sector’s thought-leaders are gearing up to share their insights at the Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition (QME) from July 19–21, with the informative Seminar Series program. The QME Seminar Series, sponsored by Komatsu, will feature panel sessions, keynotes and thought-provoking topics including innovation, industry outlook, exponential technology, workforce, sustainability and occupational health and safety. With thousands of attendees expected and more than 280 confirmed exhibitors, the Seminar Series promises to be another major drawcard in an action-packed week. QME Seminar Series sponsor Komatsu’s regional manager mining Scott Harrington said it was

important to hear from different voices in the sector, from sitebased executives right through to consultants and academics. “The topics covered by the Seminar Series are topics that we’re passionate about in our business: how technology is changing the face of the work site, the future of automation and AI, the importance of diversity and opportunities for industry growth through collaboration,” he said. “It’s the collective wisdom of the entire industry that will push us towards a sustainable future.” One of the speakers headlining the first panel session on day one is Christine Gibbs Stewart, chief executive officer of national METS industry association Austmine. Gibbs Stewart is keen to discuss the possibilities surrounding the AUSTRALIANMINING

electrification of mining equipment. “Electrification of the mining industry is seen as a key strategy in the reduction of our carbon footprint” she said. “Our members are leading the way in this by creating and implementing technology that is good for both industry and the environment. “There are many initiatives to advance electrification and it is one area where the industry has come together to collaborate. Initiatives like the Charge On Innovation Challenge, looking at the electrification of large haul trucks will no doubt accelerate technology adoption in this area and be significant in reducing our environmental impact.” Day 3 of the Seminar Series will see Professor Neville Plint from the University of Queensland’s

JUNE 2022

Sustainable Minerals Institute outline and address complex problems the industry needs to solve on the path to sustainability. “As society develops, metals and minerals play an important part in building cities, feeding a growing population and keeping us connected,” he said. “But there are challenges along the way that don’t have easy answers – challenges in sustainably accessing, processing and exporting those necessary minerals and metals. “The Sustainable Minerals Institute involves some of Australia’s leading experts in research to seek out answers to those challenges, and we think it’s important to collaborate and partner with industry as we do so. “QME is a great opportunity to further that collaboration.”

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STUDENTS CRACK THE MINING CODE Year 7 students from Clermont State High School cracked the code to a magnitude of exciting career opportunities at the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy’s (QMEA) recent Mining for Code workshop. QMEA director of skills, education and diversity Katrina-Lee Jones said choosing a professional or trade pathway after school might be a daunting concept, but if the next generation was looking to work with innovative technologies in a sector with sustainability at the forefront, they need to look no further than resources. Thanks to the support of Glencore Coal, around 40 students from Clermont State High School worked alongside industry professionals to test their science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) skills as they completed activities in programming, automation, and route optimisation. Students programmed a “mining truck” (EV3 Robot) to travel autonomously from a designated “mine site” to another area simulating a “processing plant”, where it was then unloaded before travelling back to the “mine site”. Glencore Coal human resources manager Anthony Exelby said the diversified global mining company, and the resources sector in general, had myriad professional and trade roles that students could pursue through STEM or vocational pathways after school. “The subjects that students choose in their senior high school years heavily influence the study and training-based options available to them upon graduation,” he said.

AROUND 40 STUDENTS WORKED WITH RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS AS THEY COMPLETED ACTIVITIES IN PROGRAMMING, AUTOMATION AND ROUTE OPTIMISATION.

“By engaging with students in the early stages of the senior school journey, we aim to not only show them the various exciting career opportunities on offer in the resources industry, but also encourage them to continue excelling in STEM subjects.” Jones said professionals with strong STEM backgrounds were highly sought after in the resources sector.

“Students are often pleasantly surprised to learn about the hightech and rapidly evolving careers in the mining industry, and QMEA workshops are all about demonstrating how STEM subjects can play an integral role in shaping a student’s education pathway after school,” she said. As Australia’s largest and most successful industry-led education and schools training

initiative, the QMEA seeks to broaden student and teacher knowledge of career opportunities in resources. The academy encourages a talent pipeline into vocational and professional careers, with a focus on female and Indigenous participation. The QMEA engages with over 90 schools and is a partnership between industry and the State Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program.

LATROBE VALLEY MINES SET FOR REHABILITATION The Victorian Government plans to improve the management of coal mine land in the Latrobe Valley once production has ceased. State Resources Minister Jaala Pulford announced enhanced provisions will be applied to Victoria’s declared mines, making rehabilitation a priority. The provisions will allow for better preparations for land rehabilitation with future generations in mind as Victoria transitions away from coal-fired energy. Under state legislation, mine rehabilitation and post-closure arrangements are operator-led

and funded; these new provisions will strengthen the requirements for operators to deliver on their obligations. The State Government will amend Victoria’s Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 to ensure rehabilitation liabilities of declared mines remain the responsibility of the mining industry, in line with similar provisions passed by the Federal Government for decommissioning offshore infrastructure. A trailing liability regime will also allow the state’s mining monitors to issue remedial directions to

AUSTRALIANMINING

former title holders for any required future works. As with the federal scheme, the intent is for this legislation to be backdated to the day of announcement. A consultation paper on the provisions will be available later this year, allowing the community, mining industry, relevant agencies and other interested parties to have their say. The Government will also shortly release its Draft Declared Mine Regulations for public comment. They aim to set clear standards for the rehabilitation plans being developed for the Latrobe

JUNE 2022

Valley’s three coal mines and ensure mine operators know their responsibilities. Rehabilitation bonds for the state’s declared mines will also be reassessed later this year in line with the recommendations of the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry. “Provisions need to be in place for the long term when it comes to the management of the land where large-scale mining has taken place,” Pulford said. “This will provide Victoria with the contemporary tools required to ensure rehabilitation remains the responsibility of the coal mine operators.”

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MENTAL HEALTH AT THE MINES UNDER MICROSCOPE

NEW RESEARCH WILL GATHER DATA ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT, HARASSMENT, MENTAL HEALTH, DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE AND SAFETY ISSUES IN MINING.

The Western Australian Government has appointed the Centre for Transformative Work Design, part of the Future of Work Institute at Curtin University, to undertake a four-year research project to gather and evaluate data on sexual assault, harassment, mental health, drug and alcohol use, and emerging mine safety issues. The landmark study forms part of the WA Government’s Mental

Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) program, which was launched in December 2021 to address health and safety in the state’s mining industry. The preliminary findings, expected to be completed by September this year, will be used to further develop mental health and workplace culture initiatives and improve safety outcomes for mine staff.

A panel consisting of staff from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, the Mental Health Commission and the Department of Communities reviewed the submissions received as part of the tender process. The Centre for Transformative Work Design focuses on researching and understanding work design to encourage wellbeing and greater productivity.

WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston said the Government would continue to work with industry and the community across all sectors to eliminate all forms of harassment, bullying and discrimination in the workplace. “Workers and their families are the backbone of WA’s mining sector and we remain committed to ensuring they work in a safe environment,” he said. “Important steps have already commenced to create safe, genderequitable and inclusive workplaces through the implementation of the Stronger Together: WA’s Plan for Gender Equality plan and the WA Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Strategy. “Health and safety champions such as the Centre for Transformative Work Design will play an important role in shaping our future workforce.” Another project will be an independent review of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety’s (DMIRS) capability and enforcement model for incidents of sexual harassment and assault. The MARS program will also provide ongoing support to DMIRS’ Mentally Healthy Workplaces Grant program and support women in the sector through future education and awareness campaigns. DMIRS manages the MARS program in partnership with the Mental Health Commission, the Equal Opportunity Commission, the Department of Communities and the Women’s Interests Minister.

ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVAL FOR FINNISS LITHIUM PROJECT The Northern Territory Government has granted Environmental Approval for the Finniss Lithium Project BP33 mine, with Core Lithium to develop and operate an underground lithium mine on the Cox Peninsula, about 33km west of Berry Springs. This approval follows the assessment of potentially significant environmental impacts by the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) in consultation with key government authorities. The approved mine forms one part of the wider Finniss Lithium Project, which has been recognised by the Federal and NT

governments as being significant to the economy and holds major project status. The mine has a capital investment value of $33.79 million and will create about 60 jobs during construction, and 120 to 150 jobs during operations. Global demand for lithium is expected to increase significantly over the next two years, driven by its use in rechargeable batteries, electronic devices, and storage of renewable wind and solar energy. Territorians are invited to comment on development proposals requiring environmental impact assessment as a provision AUSTRALIANMINING

of the environmental regulatory regime. Comments can be made on open consultations via the NT EPA’s consultation hub. NT Environment Minister Eva Lawler said the Government’s reformed environment protection legislation, which commenced in 2020, provided Territorians with an improved environmental regulatory regime. “This environmental approval follows a thorough assessment of potentially significant environmental impacts by the NT EPA – it is the second to be granted under the EP Act, and the first for a mine,” she said.

“We will continue to work with Core Lithium on this project to ensure the best outcomes.” The move comes in the wake of the execution of a crushing services contract with CSI Mining Services for the project. Run-of-mine ore will be stockpiled prior to feeding into the CSI crusher circuit, and the crushed ore will then be stockpiled before being processed by the dense media separation plant to make spodumene concentrate for export. The crusher civil works are nearing completion with CSI expected to start mobilising to the project during June.

JUNE 2022

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PACIFIC BAUXITE BOUNCES BACK ON BOURSE

PACIFIC BAUXITE HAS EMERGED FROM ITS RECAPITALISATION PROCESS IN A STRONG POSITION.

Western Australia-based Pacific Bauxite is back on the bourse, following a successful recapitalisation process which raised equity capital of $4.5 million via the issue of 22.5 million new shares. With a strong, well-capitalised balance sheet that is free of all debt and creditor claims and a cash balance of more than $4 million, the company says it is wellpositioned to kick off its planned

exploration programs on its current projects. Non-executive chair Peter Lewis said Pacific Bauxite had emerged from the recapitalisation process in a significantly stronger position after two years of planning and hard work. “We are now well-funded to complete our planned exploration activities,” he said. “We have a fantastic set of assets which have the potential

to deliver significant value to shareholders.” The company is dedicated to pursuing early-stage exploration opportunities that are strategically aligned and have the potential to deliver value and growth for shareholders. With a strong focus on green metals, Pacific Bauxite aims to advance its highly prospective land holdings in an emerging premier nickel and platinum group

elements (PGE) jurisdictions, with the focus initially on exploration activities at its recently acquired PGE Projects (Sylvania, Challa, Bulga, Boodanoo and Melbourne) located in the Eastern Goldfields and Pilbara regions of Western Australia. The company will also look to progress its Darling Range PGE Project exploration licence application to grant to enable ground exploration activities.

ANGEL NICKEL PROJECT TAKES FLIGHT Emerging Australian company Nickel Mines has received a licence to begin commercial sales from its 80 per cent-owned Angel Nickel Project (ANI) to Indonesia. The Izin Usaha Industri (‘IUI’ or ‘Industrial Business Licence’) was issued to the project’s Indonesian operating entity, PT Angel Nickel Industry, and first sales from ANI will occur later this month. Nickel Mines aims to be a globally significant, low-cost producer of nickel pig iron (NPI), a key ingredient

in the production of stainless steel. The company currently also holds 80 per cent economic interests in the Hengjaya Nickel and Ranger Nickel projects, both of which operate two-line rotary kiln electric furnace (RKEF) plants producing NPI within the Morowali Industrial Park in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. It owns a similar economic interest in the Hengjaya Mineralindo nickel mine, a large-tonnage, high-grade saprolite deposit in the region. In 2021, the Angel Nickel project

AUSTRALIANMINING

was acquired, comprising four RKEF lines and a 380MW power plant, currently being constructed at the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park. As at the end of April, ANI had produced 2975 tonnes of nickel metal (in NPI), with three of the four lines having entered commissioning. All producing lines are continuing to ramp up production levels in line with expectations, with all output to date having been stockpiled awaiting the receipt of the IUI licence.

The project’s fourth line is scheduled to commence commissioning by mid-May. Nickel Mines’ managing director Justin Werner said the company had been stockpiling NPI since late January, and the recording of the first sales from ANI would mark another important milestone for the project. “Importantly, the project will begin to make a significant contribution to the company’s financial performance in the current quarter,” he said.

JUNE 2022

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22/02/2022 10:08:18 AM

NEWS

BRAND NEW BRAND FOR EMPLOYER GROUP After 104 years in operation, the national employer association for Australia’s resources and energy industry has a new brand. The Australian Mines and Metals Association is now the Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA). AREEA chief executive Steve Knott said the association’s members, board and staff were excited for a new brand that reflected the full breadth of the group’s membership network. “Everyone involved in our national network recognises and is proud of our 104-year-long heritage as the AMMA,” he said. “However, today AREEA’s membership is much more diverse than when we were founded way back in 1918. Our modern membership network spans every sub-sector of the resources and energy industry, including mining, oil and gas, exploration, construction, blasting, maritime, smelting and refining, transport, facilities management, and even renewables. “AREEA’s membership base is the most diverse and nationally representative across the Australian resources and energy industry. “Given many have become accustomed to referring to us as the

THE NEW BRANDING BETTER REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF THE AREEA’S MEMBERSHIP.

‘Australian resources and energy group’, our new AREEA brand also reflects how most of the market has understood us in recent years.” With the re-brand, AREEA has launched a new website, that features a member portal with resources, templates, tools and other information exclusive to members.

With the new brand and website, AREEA still offers and delivers the same exceptional services and representation that its members have relied upon for more than a century: • Expert support and advice across all areas of workplace and employee relations

• Influence and advocacy at all levels of government on critical policy matters • Leading initiatives across people and culture, mental health and wellbeing and diversity, equity and inclusion • News, information, events, awards and much more

E h e l p

CALIDUS JOINS RANKS OF GOLD PRODUCERS Calidus Resources has poured the first gold at its Warrawoona project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.The Warrawoona Gold Project is one of the highest margin and significant undeveloped gold projects in Australia. At the start of April, the company told investors production would follow two weeks after the start of milling, with the first bar

scheduled before the end of May. Calidus managing director Dave Reeves said pouring first gold on time and budget was the culmination of an incredible effort by all employees and contractors involved at Warrawoona. “With production underway and revenue being generated, we have begun to lay the foundations for ongoing growth,” he said.

The project has entered the ramp-up phase, with the elution circuit currently commissioning. The company said this paved the way for the first bar sourced from the leach circuit to be poured mid-May. “Cashflow from Warrawoona will provide opportunities to increase production via the development of our Blue Spec deposit and help fund our highly promising gold and

lithium exploration,” he said. A positive feasibility study completed in September 2020 outlined a high-margin gold operation with average production of 90,000 ounces per annum at $1290 ounces AISC, over an initial eightyear mine life via a two million tonnes per annum conventional CIL processing circuit with single stage crush and SAG mill.

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FUNDING TO EMPOWER ABORIGINAL OPPORTUNITIES The WA Government has committed $14.6 million to ensure developments in the state’s resources industry to deliver improved outcomes for Aboriginal people. The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety will establish an Aboriginal Empowerment Unit to develop and implement its Aboriginal Empowerment Initiative (AEI) program.

The program will ensure mining and resources projects and policies are developed in a culturally respectful way, and improve Aboriginal people’s access to information on activity on their lands. The program will also create new Aboriginal liaison officer roles to meet with Traditional Owners to share information and promote best practice engagement between industry and Aboriginal people. The AEI aims to promote and help

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maintain strong relationships and partnerships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the broader community and the State Government to create and expand economic opportunities in the resources industry. Part of the funding will be used to create up to 29 jobs at the unit from 2022–23 to 2025–26. WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston said it was important the state’s mining and petroleum

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activities also deliver improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. “While there has been much progress, there is still more work that needs to be done to strengthen the capacity of their involvement in resources development,” he said. “This includes being part of the decision-making on future economic development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities.”

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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

TRACKING THE CULTURAL SHIFT IN AUSTRALIAN MINING EVOLVING MINING BUSINESS MODELS CAN OFTEN MANIFEST AS UPDATED INVESTMENTS AND VENTURES TO GLOBAL CLIMATE-CHANGE COMMITMENTS.

IN PART TWO OF A SERIES INSPIRED BY DELOITTE’S TRACKING THE TRENDS 2022 REPORT, AUSTRALIAN MINING EXAMINES A MOVEMENT TOWARDS REIMAGINING WORK TO ALIGN WITH SOCIAL PURPOSE.

ver the last 14 years, Deloitte’s annual Tracking the Trends report has sought to monitor changes in the Australian mining industry, defining the most important issues that will impact companies and individuals over the coming 12–18 months. Released in February, the 2022 report places strong focus on topics concerning low-carbon targets, effective company structure, and attracting workers in a competitive labour market. In its latest assessment, Deloitte suggests a growing sense of urgency among miners to meet sustainability commitments and retain employee engagement. This has resulted in a mass restructure of value chains, and a movement towards reimagining work to align with social purpose. As Deloitte points out, these growing changes in sentiment bring a rare opportunity for business leaders to

investigate where out-dated practices could benefit from change. These new approaches could utilise Industry 4.0 and digitalisation, offering data-driven solutions to employee fatigue, or pivot the way investors value green-energy alternatives. Steven Walsh is the national mining and metals leader and partner in the consulting division of Deloitte Australia. He is a trusted voice on innovative enterprise systems and specialises in the topic of how people and technology can support broader organisations. Walsh told Australian Mining that paying attention to which voices are steering the conversation around this progression was key, noting the importance of integrating diverse perspectives across the board. “Getting in touch with the culture of an organisation requires a shift in approach to authentically listening and continually sensing, gathering feedback and adapting,” he said. AUSTRALIANMINING

“This will ensure the most important aspects of the organisation’s aspirations are being realised, consciously addressing bias and wiring in inclusive practices that support a diverse workforce is paramount.”

Showing up for change

In the report, Deloitte references the evolving priorities of consumers, suppliers and investors to “spur new business models”. This often manifests as a reworked company portfolio, publicly relating updated investments and ventures to global climate-change commitments. “The speed of portfolio realignment will depend heavily on the make-up of the current assets and the pressure the company is feeling from its key stakeholders,” Walsh said. “The timing for every company will be different and that will determine which remain in fossil fuels and which transition to other operations.” Circular value chains are also cited as a critical new approach, as

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companies aim to minimise their environmental impact through adopting reprocessing, metals recycling, and urban mining initiatives. A key question remains, however, regarding how to best coordinate a transition to clean energy while still fulfilling existing material demand. Walsh suggested this gradual handover would naturally occur under investor and consumer pressure, leaving traditional fossil fuel production less profitable over time. “Deloitte works with many mining companies, from global diversified organisations to mid-tier single-asset operations,” he said. “This work on climate has mostly focused around understanding the timing and scale of emerging risks, developing a roadmap to effectively mitigate the downsides and secure the opportunities.” “We now start to see many of these clients move to the implementation strategies, investing in both portfolio realignment and major capital allocation assessments.”

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

Connecting with social purpose

The increasingly competitive labour market is just one lasting effect of the COVID pandemic, and it has come about as workers seek employment better suited to their needs and qualifications. As a result, Deloitte said recruiters must “re-evaluate their employee value proposition and transform ways of working”. Trend five in the 2022 report – Evolving mining’s world of work – stipulates that the fundamental step towards meeting these demands is a two-fold commitment to updated social norms. The first commitment is transitioning to green energy as a primary pillar of the mining economy, and the second is further implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the workforce. “A current topic which needs to remain front of mind – and not be lost back into ‘old ways of working’ – is the experience that organisations are creating for diverse talent,” Walsh explained. “There is attention in the industry at the moment on understanding the challenges that diverse talent has faced; this isn’t a quick fix and needs intense focus in order to address systemic challenges and create an environment where everyone can bring their best selves to work.” By aligning with widespread sentiment concerning the urgency of climate action, companies stand to cultivate a more attractive launchpad for diverse talent. Deloitte’s report refers to this as “unleashing individual and team potential” by accounting for social motivations in their employment portfolio. This concept is backed by Walsh’s comments. “Organisations should continue to challenge assumptions and

DELOITTE’S TRACKING THE TRENDS REPORT IS NOW IN ITS 14TH YEAR.

STEVEN WALSH, NATIONAL MINING AND METALS LEADER AND PARTNER IN THE CONSULTING DIVISION OF DELOITTE AUSTRALIA.

mandates on where talent can be found,” he said. “Instead of creating rigidity in location policies and making recruitment in tight markets even harder, they should explore how global talent can be connected into a virtual team.” This new approach might look like defining a social impact agenda, integrating new training and HR tools, reducing barriers for underrepresented groups, and maintaining flexible working arrangements. Additionally, the report explores emerging role types not previously associated with the mining industry. This comes with an intentionality around the interconnectedness of humans and technology, exploring the overlap between data analysis and industry communications. “Mining companies looking to capitalise on data and digital trends are considering the redesign of work as they move toward more integrated operations centres, also known as nerve centres,” Walsh said. “Considering what skills and roles are needed to support the nerve centres to achieve the desired business outcomes is key. “This includes understanding whether they will build these capabilities in-house or outsource them to external partners. “With a greater shift to data at the edge, we anticipate that teams delivering maintenance and geoscience services will see their capabilities drastically evolve. AUSTRALIANMINING

“We anticipate the increased reliance on roles such as team performance scientists, safety experience architects, intelligent asset care leads, and specialist rock engineers.” The report places emphasis on viewing innovation as a tangible objective, urging players in the sector to evaluate what disruptions to the status quo might truly mean in their workplace. It suggests that a necessary shift in where the industry places value – while still maintaining reasonable profit margins – may assist in generating long-term sustainability. In practice, this will mean companies should aim to become “truly agile” in a forward-thinking approach, utilising the differences of background and thinking of a diverse employee pool.

Empowering ground-level decision-makers

In trend eight – Unlocking value through integrated operations – Deloitte advises that insights gained through interfacing with technology may be the key to unlocking greater business potential. According to the report, the traditional value chain places limitations on authority and the ability for lower-level employees to initiate change, creating a compartmentalised ecosystem of work that draws focus away from collaboration. According to Walsh, an industrywide shift in business structure would benefit organisations more holistically.

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“As the world of work continues to evolve at an ever-increasing rate, leaders need to embrace innovation and more adaptable ways of working,” he said. “Organisations must resist the temptation to over govern or ‘engineer’ the work, squashing the benefits of innovation and adaptability that they were originally seeking.” Deloitte suggests that leaning towards new frameworks of business hierarchy, clarifying the responsibilities of each role, and acknowledging the benefits of flexibility to meet individual needs are the next steps in maximising employee potential. “We are seeing a number of organisations start to explore what the ‘return to the office’ looks like,” Walsh said. “Virtual working for some roles and types of work has been proven to have a positive impact on productivity and there are continuing benefits to be had. “Virtual ways of working also open up opportunities to more diverse talent groups rather than shifting focus back to site-based roles on rigid rosters, which then limits the talent market.” The overarching sentiment of Deloitte’s reporting suggests longterm feasibility in a thorough reshaping of how the mining industry works, placing stronger focus on both diverse business practice and employee body profiles. AM

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CELEBRATING WOMEN IN AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY

RECENTLY HELD IN MELBOURNE, THE WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS CELEBRATE COMMITMENT, DILIGENCE AND DEDICATION. ining, road transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management and rail and infrastructure are all traditionally male-dominated industries. And the Women in Industry Awards are designed to provide an opportunity to recognise the achievements and dedication of the women who work in these areas. The awards were presented in partnership with Australian Mining to celebrate not only the winners and nominees, but all women in these

industries for their commitment, diligence and dedication. Engineers Australia chief executive officer Bronwyn Evans was a notable double winner, taking home the Woman of the Year and Excellence in Engineering awards. BAE Systems, sponsor of the Excellence in Engineering category, said it was especially proud to sponsor the award. “We have female engineers to thank for many of the world’s greatest innovations, yet they make up only 12 per cent of engineers employed in Australia,” the company said. “Awards such as these are important to not only celebrate achievement, but

to also provide inspiration to others to break down barriers and excel in the engineering industry.” Speaking on the night, Evans said there was still more that needs to be done to increase the number of women in the industry. “Nights like tonight are important so we can celebrate our successes. However, we still need to have difficult conversations about education, bias, assumptions and missed opportunities for women in industry,” she said. “We know we will have succeeded when women are represented 50 per cent top to bottom. “I urge all of us here tonight to use our profiles and our influence to be

role models and to be champions for the amazing women who are joining our industries and professions.” A woman seeking to do just that is Christine Morris, director of strategy and performing at Komatsu Mining and winner of the Excellence in Mining award. Morris developed the DIAMOND program at Komatsu, a mentorship program for female employees. DIAMOND stands for Developing Individuals and Mentoring Opportunities, Notifying Direction. It is also a play on the phrase ‘diamond in the rough’. “It’s aimed at our female employees, discovering their hidden talents and

MELBOURNE PLAYED HOST TO THE AWARDS.

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then working with them, mentoring them and assigning them with mentors from our executive team,” Morris said. Commenting on the award, Morris expressed how proud she was to win for herself and her company. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else. It’s just one of those organisations that’s accepting of ideas and it’s very progressive,” Morris said. Sponsored by BOC, the Safety Advocacy Award was won by Stephanie O’Dwyer, BlueScope Steel’s manager of health, wellbeing and innovation. “BOC believes the awards are an important event, and it’s critical companies continue to support the participation of women in industry and shine the light on the women who are true role models in leadership,” BOC said. O’Dwyer was the driving force behind BlueScope’s first health and wellbeing strategy. Rather than take a top-down approach to the health and wellbeing strategy, O’Dwyer was able to tailor it to meet the needs of the employees by going straight to them. “We got representation from each of the business units and just started to connect those people and empower them to go forward

THE AWARDS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNISE THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND DEDICATION OF THE WOMEN WHO WORK IN TRADITIONALLY MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRIES.

and have more conversations about what wellbeing in the workplace is,” O’Dwyer said. Australian Mining congratulates all nominees and winners. They should be proud of the work they’ve achieved

and the dedication and commitment they’ve shown in their industry. Other winners from the evening included Jo Withford, Social Leader of the Year; Larissa Rose, Mentor of the Year; Megan McCracken, Industry

Advocacy Award; Shay Chalmers, Excellence in Manufacturing; Catherine Baxter, Excellence in Transport; Lacey Webb, Business Development Success; and Monique Yap, Rising Star of the Year. AM

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THE EXCELLENCE IN MINING AWARD IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY WEIR MINERALS

EXCELLENCE IN MINING

CHRISTINE MORRIS WAS A SURPRISED – BUT VERY DESERVING – WINNER. hen the winner of the Excellence in Mining category of the Women in Industry Awards was announced, Christine Morris, director of strategy and performing at Komatsu Mining, was not expecting to hear her name. “Very, very unexpected, that’s for sure,” she said. “They said my name and I was actually in sheer disbelief, going, ‘You’ve got to be kidding’. “It was great. A super, super proud moment.” The Excellence in Mining award recognises individuals who have made a positive contribution to one of the many facets of the mining industry. With over a decade of experience at Komatsu, Morris has been a pioneer in establishing a mentorship program for female employees. The program, called DIAMOND, ensures the employees are connected while developing them as individuals and leaders. DIAMOND stands for Developing Individuals and Mentoring Opportunities, Notifying Direction. It is also a play on the phrase ‘diamond in the rough’. “It’s aimed at our female employees, discovering their hidden talents and then working with them, mentoring them and assigning them with mentors from our executive team,” Morris said. The program matches the members of executive teams at Komatsu to a female employee. They will then work together to help the employee grow and develop within the company. Komatsu has taken on the DIAMOND program with gusto, growing the organisation from 13 per cent female employees to 18 per cent in two years. A specific focus for Morris has been to shift the current mindset of businesses to look within their company and develop those individuals they already employ. “The DIAMOND program is about giving those mentoring opportunities to our people and helping them to understand what their potential is,” Morris said. Discovering that there were women in the workplace who had been in the same role for 10 years,

CHRISTINE MORRIS (LEFT) DESCRIBED THE WIN AS A “SUPER PROUD MOMENT”.

Morris created the DIAMOND program to help realise their aspirations of doing things differently. “This award means a lot to me because it’s recognising that you can get through many barriers and obstacles to achieve your dreams, and I feel really passionate about that,” Morris said. The long-term plan for the DIAMOND program is to expand out to a wider industry audience. Morris recognised that winning this award will help to foster a community of like-minded people and raise the profile of Komatsu. Morris has a passion for improving the profiles of all working women, as well as supporting women’s issues in the community. As chairperson of the KMC Global AUSTRALIANMINING

Women’s Network and member of the KMC Global Diversity and Inclusion Council, Morris has been able to expand her passions to a wider reach. These passions have been supported by Komatsu, with Morris adding that she is “super proud of the commitment the company has shown”. In operation since 1921, Komatsu’s defining principles are built on creating a sustainable future through technology, community commitment and talent development. The company employs over 60,000 people worldwide and provides essential equipment, technologies and services for many industries. For mining specifically, Komatsu’s autonomous haulage systems have increased productivity, enhanced

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safety and reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Seeking to provide sustainable growth for people and communities, Morris has helped the company toward its vision with the DIAMOND program. “This award is huge. It’s a step one in a very long process of bringing female talent forward,” Morris said. Morris credits Komatsu with being a great organisation for which to work. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else. It’s just one of those organisations that’s accepting of ideas and it’s very progressive,” Morris said. “I’m really excited to be able to sing the praises of such a remarkable company. They are so flexible and such a supportive, inclusive organisation. It’s a huge honour.” AM

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THE SOCIAL LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY KOMATSU AUSTRALIA

SOCIAL LEADER OF THE YEAR

JO WITHFORD HAS LONG HAD A PASSION FOR INCREASING FEMALE REPRESENTATION IN AREAS WITH LOW GENDER BALANCE. ustainable, long-term success of society is a significant focus for the mining industry, and the Women in Industry’s Social Leader of the Year Award seeks to acknowledge women who do just that. This award recognises individuals who have significantly affected positive change within their local or regional communities. This year, Jo Withford, project manager disaster recovery at Transport for NSW, was the worthy winner. Withford has more than 25 years’ experience in road and bridge construction, project planning, construction, maintenance and project management. She has worked in companies across the NT and NSW in concrete, construction and now infrastructure. She applies the knowledge she’s gained to encourage young girls and women to study and stay in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Commenting on the award, Withford described her passion for increasing female representation in areas with low gender balance, such as engineering. “I’ve been a real advocate for females in engineering and I really focus on the primary schools because young girls can’t be what they can’t see,” Withford said. In 2018, Withford was awarded Fellow status with Engineers Australia, which is just one of the many committees of which she is a member. She is also actively involved with HunterWiSE, Transport for NSW’s Women in STEMC Network, and is lead of Transport for NSW’s STEMC Outreach Committee. Withford credits her win to the combination of these endeavours, along with her work in schools. “To be nominated by your peers is a huge honour and to be recognised for the contribution you’ve made is just wonderful,” Withford said. Throughout her career, Withford has developed and maintained a healthy work–life balance, raising her three daughters while also raising awareness for the causes about which she is passionate. “I’m also a mentor with Curious

JO WITHFORD HAS LONG HAD BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND OTHER INDUSTRIES.

Minds, a program for Year 10 girls,” Withford said. “We really need to increase the visibility of females in male-dominated roles.” Withford has held multiple positions at Transport for NSW since 2000, starting as a project engineer. She has since shaped her passion for teaching to mentor young girls throughout the state’s Hunter Region. Transport for NSW seeks to develop safe, integrated and efficient transport systems for the people of the state, putting customers at the very centre of its work. In 2018, Transport for NSW launched Future Transport 2056, a vision to create a modern, connected AUSTRALIANMINING

road and public transport system. With a customer-focused approach, the vision will see a 10-year plan developed to allow individuals to choose how and when they get around. There will also be a new focus on regional NSW, giving communities more options to access the state’s regional centres. During her time with the company, Withford has been part of the site team on the construction of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass and the rehabilitation of Elderslie Heritage Bridge. The Elderslie Bridge project saw her manage the development, design and delivery of the rehabilitation. Withford has continued to be an advocate for both gender equality

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and flexibility for working mothers in engineering. Social Leader of the Year is not Withford’s first award. She was awarded Engineers Australia Meritorious Medal this year and was named one of the Top 100 Women in Construction in 2020, and has been given a slew of other awards thanks to her wide and varied experience in the industry. “I’d really like to thank all the sponsors and the Women in Industry Awards because I think one of the key points is the need to increase the visibility of women working in industry, and without the awards it would be hard to recognise all that amazing work,” she said. AM

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THE WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY IFM EFECTOR

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

BRONWYN EVANS WAS HONOURED WITH TWO AWARDS ON THE NIGHT. n outstanding engineer and trailblazer in her field, Dr Bronwyn Evans AM has been a lot of ‘firsts’ in her career. The first woman to be chief executive officer at Engineers Australia, Evans was previously the first female chief executive officer of Standards Australia, where she was instrumental in improving the standards development process and was elected to a global role on the organisation’s governing President’s Committee. All told, Evans was a more-thanworthy recipient of the Woman of the Year gong at the Women in Industry Awards. “These awards have been able to shine a light on how many amazing women are in such a broad range of industries and then to be singled out as the Woman of the Year was quite amazing,” Evans said. Commenting on her career, Evans said that she had always thought of engineering as a worthwhile career into which a person could grow, but there was still a way to go to make the career accessible for everyone. “We’ve been looking at how we coordinate across groups to really amplify everyone’s efforts,” she said. “There’s so many great initiatives out there looking at enticing kids, particularly girls, into science, technology, engineering and maths.” Evans is highly involved with these programs, running workshops for Year 11 and 12 students, along with teaching university-level engineering students. She is also involved in helping teachers structure their curriculum so they can start at the fundamentals and grow their encouragement with their students. When accepting the award, Evans said there was still much work to do to increase the number of women in industry. “Nights like tonight are important so we can celebrate our successes. However, we still need to have difficult conversations about education, bias, assumptions and missed opportunities for women in industry,” she said.

WHILE HONOURED TO WIN, EVANS (LEFT) SAID THERE WAS STILL MUCH WORK TO DO TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN INDUSTRY.

“We know we will have succeeded when women are represented 50 per cent top to bottom. “I urge all of us here tonight to use our profiles and our influence to be role models and to be champions for the amazing women who are joining our industries and professions.” Commenting on the current state of gender diversity in Australian engineering and manufacturing, Evans expressed her sadness that the industry was missing out on some great female minds. AUSTRALIANMINING

“We’ve got to change some of the representation of what our industry is, what we do, how we contribute and then we have to look at retraining people and giving people insight on the sorts of careers that are available,” she said. Evans has held a plethora of non-executive positions, many on a volunteer basis, in Industry 4.0, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), industry-academia connections, construction and innovation. She is

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a chartered engineer and Honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia. In 2021, Evans was awarded an honorary doctorate by Swinburne University and appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia for significant service to engineering, to standards and to medical technology. Woman of the Year was one of two awards Evans took home on the night, with her name also being called for the Excellence in Engineering gong. AM

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TECHNOLOGY

LEADING THE CHARGE

ABB’S BESPOKE FAST-CHARGING SOLUTION ALLOWS EACH BATTERY-ELECTRIC LOADER TO BE CHARGED IN LESS THAN AN HOUR.

ABB HAS DEVELOPED AN AUSTRALIAN-FIRST CHARGING SOLUTION FOR A MINE IN NSW THAT WILL HELP COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

lencore’s former CSA Mine at Cobar, in regional NSW, is one of Australia’s highest grade copper mines. The underground mine, which operates 24–7, produces about 50,000 tonnes of copper each year. The metal is mined and processed on-site and then transported to the Port of Newcastle for export to smelters in Asia. CSA Mine currently uses diesel loaders as part of its excavation operations. These loaders haul around 50,000 tonnes of copper every year, but produce heat, noise, moisture and emissions, so the 2000m mine must be kept well ventilated. Last year, CSA Mine invested in its first battery-electric loader – the

Epiroc ST14 – which is about 2.5m tall and capable of carrying up to 14 tonnes of copper. Given the mine operates every day, downtime waiting for the dump truck’s electric vehicle (EV) batteries to be charged should be as short as possible. To provide power for Glencore’s battery-electric loader, ABB created a bespoke fast-charging solution, situated 1000m underground, to deliver 150kW of DC power to fully charge each truck in less than one hour. Based on ABB’s Heavy Vehicle Electric Charger technology, the customised plug-in solution is housed in an air-conditioned kiosk rugged enough to withstand extreme operating underground conditions, including high ambient temperatures, humidity, vibrations and dust. AUSTRALIANMINING

The solution also includes stateof-the-art digital tools such as ABB Charger Connect and ABB Ability Energy and Asset Manager, which allow Glencore to monitor its underground charging network and maximise their energy efficiency. “We are committed to reducing emissions across our operation and our investment in a battery-electric loader is an important step forward,” Peter Christen, general manager of CSA Mine, said. “ABB has provided us with a fit-forpurpose fast-charging solution for the loader, which can significantly increase its efficiency by increasing the number of hours it can operate.” Brett Kenley, Epiroc’s electrified solutions product and sales support lead, Australia/Asia Pacific, said the

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company was proud to be part of this milestone project with Glencore to support its electrification journey. “Our Scooptram ST14 batteryelectric loader is a 100 per cent fossil-free loader for underground application,’ Kenley said. “Its energy regeneration ensures low energy consumption and extends driving range. “With the electric drive, this battery loader outperforms diesel equivalents, especially on grade.” According to Sean Stove, head of e-mobility division at ABB Australia, these kinds of solutions are key to reducing the mining industry’s footprint. “From electric vehicle batteries to solar panels, copper is a key element in delivering a zero-emissions future.

TECHNOLOGY

OUR SCOOPTRAM ST14 BATTERYELECTRIC LOADER IS A 100 PER CENT FOSSIL-FREE LOADER FOR UNDERGROUND APPLICATION. ITS ENERGY REGENERATION ENSURES LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND EXTENDS DRIVING RANGE.” This is driving demand for copper, which is expected to grow by 350 per cent by 2050,” he said. “At the same time, manufacturers are increasingly focused on the whole life cycle impact of their products, so need the entire supply

chain to improve its environmental performance. “Our innovative underground charging solution is just one of many ABB technologies helping the mining industry to reduce its carbon footprint and deliver the natural resources for zero- and low-carbon power solutions as efficiently as possible.”

Innovation and emission-free underground mining

When it engineered and delivered a customised electric charging solution for the Epiroc vehicle and delivered on Glencore’s electrification needs, ABB ensured its infrastructure was suited to the underground environment and its challenges. ABB supplied its Heavy Vehicle Electric Charger (HVC-150C), originally built for charging city buses, which can deliver 150kW of power. This equipment is a plug-in-style unit, using the CCS2 outlet. ABB worked with its long-term partner

Trivantage to design, build and test a specially air-conditioned IP66-rated kiosk and switchboard arrangement capable of housing and supplying power to the HVC. “Configuring the fast-charging solution into a kiosk for underground mining is an Australian innovation, which is now being offered to other mining customers,” Stove said. “As part of our 2030 sustainability strategy, we are focused on helping our customers like Glencore unlock the potential of e-mobility with stateof-the-art and intelligent charging solutions.” ABB is also providing on-site commissioning and training for the chargers, which enables ABB and Glencore constant visibility of the equipment and the ability to monitor its charging and power system outputs. The fast chargers run on the ABB Ability Connected Services Platform, part of the ABB Ability portfolio of digital solutions.

ABB’S FAST-CHARGING SOLUTION FOR GLENCORE IS SITUATED 1000M UNDERGROUND AND CAN DELIVER 150KW OF DC POWER.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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The portfolio benefits from cloud connectivity to enhance uptime, scalability and operational efficiencies, as well as to provide real-time remote support services. Network operators have 24-hour availability of the charging infrastructure to perform tasks remotely, such as monitoring diagnosis and upgrades and ensuring reliable and efficient infrastructure. “The solution that ABB have provided us at CSA Mine has fully met a set of new requirements following our investment in a new battery electric loader, enabling us to ensure it is as productive as possible,” Christen said. ABB’s EV charging stations and EV charging infrastructure components, such as substations, energy storage systems and eco-friendly switchgear, are designed so charging stations are scalable and future-proof. By installing this solution from ABB, Glencore’s CSA mine can continue producing copper more efficiently in a safe and environment-friendly way. AM

COMPANY PROFILE

TRULY UNSTOPPABLE: NATIONAL GROUP CELEBRATES ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

CUSTOMER FOCUS DEFINES ITS PROUD HISTORY, BUT THE COMPANY SAYS THE BEST IS YET TO COME. hen asked to reflect on National Group’s 25th anniversary, chief executive officer and managing director Mark Ackroyd is as interested in the future as he is in the past. He sees this milestone as the start of National Group’s next growth phase – and the new chapter in a remarkable journey. Ackroyd founded National Group in 1997. He used his life savings to start the business with a single bulldozer. He risked everything. Today, National Group owns one of Australia’s largest and most modern fleets of earthmoving equipment, used by some of the world’s biggest mining companies. National Group ranks in the top 50 privately owned companies in Queensland in term of revenue and the top 300 in Australia. A number of contract wins have seen the company

double in size in the past three years – it now has more than 220 employees nationwide and plans to add another 100 within 12 months. National Group has emerged as one of Australia’s major private companies, and Ackroyd as one of its prominent entrepreneurs. As National Group turned 25 in May, it has much to celebrate. However, Ackroyd deflects plaudits. He prefers to talk about the growth of National Group staff over the past 25 years; the teamwork, camaraderie and organisation culture; and the long-term client relationships. Most of all, he loves talking about mining. Ackroyd is especially proud of National Group’s expanding focus on corporate social responsibility. Helping the local footy club in a mining town, for example, is about the company supporting communities in which its people live.

For Ackroyd, business is simple. It starts with having good people who understand what clients want, and who will work harder, smarter and faster to deliver it. He wants people who have high integrity, are there for the long haul, and who are genuinely customer-centric. Ackroyd himself has been known to hand-deliver Christmas gifts to clients to thank them for their support, often travelling to a remote mine site from National Group’s Gold Coast headquarters. “I love visiting clients on-site,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to see their operation and listen to how things are going.” Ackroyd still gets a kick out of seeing National Group equipment used up close and personal. He understands the need to experience the mining sector, to see, hear and feel how the industry works. Ackroyd’s optimism is reflected in National Group’s “unstoppable” motto which, for him, is more

CEO AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, MARK ACKROYD.

than a marketing slogan. It’s about solving problems for clients in all conditions, National Group achieving sustainable growth in good and bad mining cycles and, perhaps most of all, it’s about the drive to achieve.

NATIONAL GROUP’S CAT 785 WATER CART AT SOLOMON MINE, WA.

AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2022

COMPANY PROFILE

Overcoming challenges

National Group hasn’t always been unstoppable. Like most entrepreneurial ventures, the business has had challenges. The cyclical nature of mining activity has seen many companies come unstuck over the years. Ackroyd, too, has had challenges. As an eight-year-old, he was paid to wash vehicles at maintenance yards in Maitland, NSW. As a young teenager, Ackroyd drove rollers and loaders on construction projects – something unheard of today. You could say Ackroyd was born into a life of heavy equipment. His father worked in civil construction and trucking and his son expected to do the same. The late-80s saw Ackroyd leave school in Year 10 to start a diesel-mechanic apprenticeship, working on Kenworth trucks. Business beckoned and Ackroyd knew he wanted to work for himself from the very beginning. He dreamed of building things. He’d been around maintenance yards, trucking depots and roadworks all his life, and the next step was turning those skills into a business. For a time, Ackroyd bought old equipment, and reconditioned and sold it. “It was a stressful part of my life,” he said. “I was buying and selling stuff on consignment. Everything extra I earned was spent on equipment. “I worked 80–90-hour weeks and barely slept at times.” By 2000, Ackroyd had a bulldozer and National Group’s first significant contract at Cadia’s gold mine in

MARK ACKROYD (LEFT) AT BMA’S PEAK DOWNS MINE, QLD.

NSW. The business worked out of a small shed in Tomago in the NSW Hunter Region, later moving to nearby Thornton in Maitland. Ackroyd saw opportunities in Queensland coal. China’s emergence was boosting commodities demand and new coal projects were forming in Central Queensland. National Group opened a Brisbane office in 2011 and had a large fleet of equipment for hire. “We had a positive view on coal and Queensland mining generally,” Ackroyd said. “We knew National Group needed a strong Queensland focus.”

In the days when Australia’s mining boom was in full swing, more capital was being raised to discover and produce coal, providing a tailwind for National Group to expand. When the mining downturn began around 2012, however, equipment demand contracted. Many mining-services companies struggled. Perseverance, resilience and self-belief allowed National Group to bounce back strongly. “Our strategy changed as we came out the other side of the downturn,” Ackroyd said. “Our goal

NATIONAL GROUP’S LIEBHERR R 996 B EXCAVATOR AT CHRISTMAS CREEK MINE, WA.

was to develop our fleet on a much greater scale. “We wanted the best equipment from the best suppliers. We bought larger machines to work at larger projects for larger clients. Everything went up several notches.” As other equipment providers took a conservative approach, Ackroyd did the opposite. “Refreshing and expanding the fleet gave us an advantage,” he said. “We won contracts, expanded our client base and quickly got back a lot of momentum.” The next few years saw the company open workshops in Emerald, Nebo, Blackwater and Yatala in Queensland. It added a Toowoomba engine-repair and components facility.

Diversification

As National Group won contracts with Tier 1 miners, Ackroyd built a portfolio of companies. The trucking business was an example. As more companies used National Group’s haulage services, National Heavy Haulage was born. It now has a fleet of Kenworth trucks and Drake trailers, and is adding more. As companies used National Group to buy and sell equipment, National Machinery Xchange was formed. So too were National Drilling Services, International Global Logistics and National Resourcing Services. Nine companies now sit under the National Group banner, providing clients with a unique end-to-end service. AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2022

COMPANY PROFILE

“There was never any great strategy to have a collection of companies,” Ackroyd said. “More clients were tapping National Group’s expertise across a wider range of services. It made sense to form companies that could specialise in a particular area and work with each other across the group. “We could arrange shipping to import equipment for a client, get it through customs, pick it up at the dock and use one of our trucks to get it to the mine. Our people could then assemble and maintain the equipment, and another National Group business could sell or dispose of it at the end of its life.” In early 2019, National Group acquired Wolff Mining, a leading Toowoomba-based provider of technology solutions. The acquisition positioned National Group at the forefront of developments in autonomous bulldozers. Geographic diversification was another focus. National Group turned its sights out west, winning contracts with Fortescue Metals Group, Rio Tinto and other miners in WA. National Group home state of NSW was another priority. The company continued to supply equipment to coal projects in the Hunter Valley and in 2021 achieved

a significant contract when Newcrest Mining signed on for the supply of fully-maintained mobile mining equipment at its Cadia mine in Central Western NSW. Today, National Group’s operations are spread evenly across NSW, WA and Queensland. The company’s decision to focus on Tier 1 miners has also paid off, with these companies making up 80 per cent of its revenue in 2020–21. “We’re far more diversified these days across services, locations and commodities,” Ackroyd said. “A larger client base and more mining sites further spread our operations. “Diversification is the key to delivering sustainable, consistent growth.”

Strong foundations

Rapid growth brought new challenges, the need for enhanced systems, structures and processes chief among them. “As companies become more corporatised, it’s easy to lose sight of what got you there in the first place,” Ackroyd said. “For National Group, it’s always been our understanding of customers’ needs and being responsive. We’ve worked hard to find the right balance between systems that help control and minimise risk, while maintaining the entrepreneurial dynamism of a private company.”

National Group has implemented a range of systems and controls. In 2016, it formed a four-member board with two independent nonexecutive directors. The company also invested in technology, upgraded or expanded its compliance policies, and implemented additional riskmanagement and financial controls. Everything was about building foundations to support a larger business. Strong systems are vital as National Group’s workforce rapidly expands, existing contracts ramp up and new contracts are won. National Group launched an apprenticeship program in 2020 because it wanted to develop maintenance staff in the ‘National way’ and prepare for a looming shortage of diesel mechanics. Five apprentices have since joined. Diversity is another priority. In a male-dominated industry, National Group wants to recruit more female apprentices and other women to technical or management roles – and support them in expanding their career. Corporate social responsibility is another part of National Group’s future. The company wants to do more to support sporting clubs, industry events and charities – particularly those in the regions.

NATIONAL HEAVY HAULAGE TRANSPORTING THE BODY OF A T 282 C DUMP TRUCK.

AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2022

The environment also features strongly in the future. In many respects, the company’s environmental scorecard is determined by stakeholders; manufacturers decide the environmental efficiency of the equipment and customers choose what to use, and when. “Our job is to supply the most energy-efficient equipment,” Ackroyd said. “We’ve done that for a long time because we buy the latest equipment from the top manufacturers. Having a young, state-of-the-art fleet is better for the environment.” Ackroyd expects coal’s share of National Group revenue to decline gradually over time as the world moves to net-zero carbon emissions. He wants to do more work in commodities, such as nickel, that support growth in electric vehicles. As Ackroyd looks back on National Group’s quarter of a century, he said the biggest challenge was staying close to customers. “I want National Group to remain a highly customer-focused company, from the most junior employee to my job and the board,” he said. “I want everybody to stay on the same page about the need to always put customers first. “If we continue to do that, the next 25 years for National Group will be even better.” AM

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EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

SMART MINING SIMPLIFIED IFM HELPS COMPANIES IMPLEMENT SMART MINING PROCESSES THROUGH A BOTTOMUP APPROACH, ENCOURAGING END USERS TO START SMALL AND GROW SUSTAINABLY.

IFM’S MINING INDUSTRY SPECIALIST SAM RUPASINGHE TELLS AUSTRALIAN MINING ABOUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT SMART MINING PROCESSES FROM THE BOTTOM UP.

he term “smart mining” is thrown around a lot these days, but there can still be confusion as to what it actually means. Sam Rupasinghe is the industry specialist for mining at ifm efector, a manufacturer of industrial sensors and solutions of technical process by means of sensors, networking and control systems. He explains smart mining as a process that uses information, autonomous systems, and new technology to enhance safety, reduce operational costs and improve technology. However, he also told Australian Mining about some of the pitfalls that could occur when smart mining is implemented poorly. “A lot of companies see a new type

of technology and decide to implement that across their site – which can backfire,” he said. “Some people take a top-down approach, introducing many new sensors and systems across their whole site, but halfway through the process they realise it isn’t actually achieving the end goal. “Now they’ve spent a lot of money on inflexible equipment and have wasted a lot of resources.” In contrast, ifm helps companies implement smart mining processes through a bottom-up approach, encouraging end users to start small and then grow sustainably. This approach usually means choosing a specific area to digitise, such as a piece of equipment, and adding smart sensors to further analyse it. AUSTRALIANMINING

Information from these sensors is then used to support the smart mining concept, displayed in a useable format that helps the user implement things like predictive maintenance.

Rupasinghe said ifm works backwards with the customer to determine what their end goal is in order to find out where they should start.

SENSOR DATA CAN BE READ AND PROCESSED EASILY.

JUNE 2022

EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS LOOK AFTER SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT AND ALL OF THEM ARE HIGHLY TECHNICAL PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP SEE THE WHOLE PROJECT THROUGH. IT TAKES THE CONFUSION OUT OF THE PROJECT AND MAKES SMART MINING ACCESSIBLE.” “We guide them through the process from the very beginning, asking crucial questions like ‘What are you trying to achieve?’ to find out the best place to begin,” he said. “When we know what the end goal is, we then need to decide on the data required to achieve it and the sensors that can capture it.” ifm will talk with customers about the advantages of its smart sensors, which can measure multiple parameters such as flow, temperature, device status, pressure and more with a single device. This reduces the amount

of installation work needed and doesn’t require much additional infrastructure to support it. The company can also incorporate legacy devices with smart plugs, allowing existing sensors to digitise information. Flexibility in how the information is stored is also a critical component of ifm’s offering. The company has solutions that allow information to be sent to a local network or fed onto the main server – whatever is best for the end user. Rupasinghe said ifm was also flexible when it comes to dashboards, as there are a lot of existing tools already on the market. “Many companies we work with have their own dashboard, so we can feed information into the existing systems,” he said. “If, for example, a reliability engineer doesn’t want to send the information to the main dashboard (as there are often internal rules about sending data), local dashboards can be installed on site PCs or laptops.” ifm’s dashboard has been designed to make it easy for engineers to use. It does not require any programming skills, using a simple drag-and-drop system that allows engineers to perform calculations as required.

The company has also developed machine-learning capabilities that can determine the typical operating conditions and establish limits based on these findings. That means any production anomalies that occur within the alarm thresholds can be detected accurately. After a system has been tested at a site on a small scale, ifm can help the company scale up the software and integrate it into enterprise resource planning systems. Rupasinghe said ifm’s offering is simplified, which means if a maintenance engineer just wants a plug-and-play solution, that is available. “We always try to guide customers to start small. We want to advise them along the way, ask for feedback and support them,” he said. “Different departments look after specific equipment and all of them are highly technical people who can help see the whole project through. It takes the confusion out of the project and makes smart mining accessible.” The COVID pandemic has accelerated the uptake of smart mining, as automation can reduce the pressure to always have staff on-site. Rupasinghe said ifm aims to continue developing its technological

SAM RUPASINGHE IS THE INDUSTRY SPECIALIST FOR MINING AT IFM EFECTOR.

offering to ensure it can continue innovating and bring new packages to market. “ifm never stops developing,” he said. “We invest heavily into research and development and are coming out with new features almost by the week.” AM

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AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2022

EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

ACE’S NEW DEWATERING SYSTEM: A CUT ABOVE ACE HAS DEVELOPED AN UNDERGROUND DEWATERING SYSTEM THAT INCREASES RESIDENCE TIME AND WATER REMOVAL CAPABILITIES.

espirable dust is a constant underground obstacle, particularly in coal mining operations where dust particles are often so small they’re not visible to the naked eye. As a solution, mining companies commonly introduce more water to suppress the dust and manage the health risks. However, this approach increases material degradation and the risk of spillage issues, and traditional fixed dewatering systems are often ineffective at removing large quantities of the suppressant. Enter the new vibrating screen dewatering system from Australian Conveyor Engineering (ACE). ACE senior mechanical engineer Taylor Jobson said the dewatering solution looked to improve one important concept. “If you speak to people in mineral processing or coal preparation plants, it’s all about the residence time, so how long you have the material in that piece of equipment. The more time you have it there, the more opportunity you have to influence the product,” Jobson said. “If you think about a normal transfer, you might have half a second to a second of residence time in that

transfer. So you don’t have a lot of time to do any dewatering in a traditional sort of system.” ACE has manufactured a dewatering system that increases residence time and increases the opportunity for water removal as a result. This is done through a staged process. “Firstly, we focus on the portion of the product that has the highest amount of water,” Jobson said. “As material is conveyed from the feeding point to the transfer, the water sinks to the bottom. “As that goes over the transfer, we cut that material off. We have a hydraulically operated cutter blade that opens and captures the bottom portion of the material. It’s a relatively small portion but it has the highest amount of water content because it’s all sunk to the bottom.” The second phase of the dewatering system sees isolated material move into a screw conveyor, where it is removed from the transfer to be handled and processed on a vibrating screen. “(With this system), when the material is on the vibrating screen, it’s spending more time there – instead of one or two seconds, it’s spending 5–10 seconds on that screen, or maybe a bit longer,” he said.

AUSTRALIANMINING

ACE’S NEW DEWATERING SOLUTION LOOKS TO IMPROVE ONE IMPORTANT CONCEPT: RESIDENCE TIME.

generation reduces the cost of quality compressed air and gases and significantly reduces CO2. Our patented Cerades desiccant dryer is a nice example of such a breakthrough innovation. It provides better air quality, lower energy and service costs, and health and environmental benefits. This saves mining companies “This means there is much more Our ambition is to create a the carbon-neutral compressor extra costs of accommodating opportunity and more time to dewater Thankfully, most companies have decided to the system through the excavation that room. product before putting it back onto of larger the belt.” become part of the solution. It’s aunderground win-winchambers for theor other alterations. Increasing residence time in environment andhasfor the future ofsaid your business. Jobson the system’s water underground environments typically been a difficult task primarily control capabilities have improved the safety and efficiency of ACE’s because of the space constraints. Scan QRthe code and let’s underground work together for a carbon coal mine customers in ACE has the designed vibrating neutral future! New South Wales. screen dewatering system with “One of our installations in NSW, the confines of an underground whenever the conveyor is restarted, the environment in mind, while the customer ends up with 100–200m of equipment can also be retrofitted onto belt that’s full of water,” he said. an existing conveyor. “This creates personnel hazards because it’s not really designed to move water. Then you have to deal with thousands of litres of water on this system and the receiving system. “That was one of the key things this customer was dealing with – that initial start-up moisture – but this new system is able to capture that water and divert it straight into a sump.” As part of Fenner Conveyor’s group of companies, ACE has its own inhouse engineering team to customise the system as needed, along with the service capability to attend to any postinstallation tweaks or requests. Through the success of ACE’s early installations, this new technology is being adopted by mining customers across the east coast, with systems now also in development for various Queensland sites. Jobson said the system was not only UNDERGROUND COAL MINERS IN NEW applicable to underground coal mines, SOUTH WALES HAVE BENEFITED FROM but also suited to any mining conveyor THE DEWATERING SYSTEM. that has moisture or water issues. AM

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EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

SKF: REAL-TIME MONITORING FOR SLOW SPEED BEARINGS SKF HAS DEVELOPED AN INNOVATIVE REAL-TIME MONITORING SOLUTION TO PROACTIVELY LEARN ABOUT THE CONDITION, LIMITS, AND REAL PERFORMANCE OF KEY MINING EQUIPMENT OVER TIME.

KF slew bearings product manager Lionel Martin said the solution is the result of thousands of hours of data monitoring and analysis of bearings. It now has the potential to replace inefficient and risky manual measurements. “Manual data capturing takes place between one and three times a year, depending on the machines,” he told Australian Mining. “(Manual monitoring) has multiple disadvantages. Firstly, it’s quite intrusive. You need to be as close as possible to the bearing to take measurements with manual tools, which can put staff at risk and introduce measurement errors based on human interaction and environmental challenges.” Recent staff shortages and restricted site access due to health regulations have triggered a new approach towards performance monitoring. Automating the process means that not only can bearings be monitored around the clock, but companies are saving a significant amount of money and resources that they can re-deploy elsewhere. The nature of manual monitoring, according to Martin, can also lead to incorrect conclusions which can create doubts around such results. “Manual measurements aren’t very accurate; the repeatability and reproducibility are low, the manual measurement process is not stable,” he said. “You can have someone check the condition of your bearing and then three months later another person will tell you the bearing is in better condition than it was three months ago.” To make measurements more consistent and repeatable, SKF launched a real-time monitoring solution for excavator slew bearings in 2021, with bearings coming preequipped with sensors. The Swedish company has since expanded the solution to a wider range of slow-speed bearings, providing an even more accurate picture of the bearing’s performance. Martin said the solution was oneof-a-kind.

REAL-TIME MONITORING MEANS BEARINGS CAN BE MONITORED AROUND THE CLOCK.

“I have been in this industry long enough and we’ve done enough benchmarking to say that there’s nothing equivalent to this on the market right now,” he said. “The performance monitoring solution can be connected to the machine control signals and generate more insight on how the bearing operates under specific machine operating conditions.” Machine learning using sophisticated algorithms allows the

data to be accurately interpreted and provide a clear indication of wear rates and machine health during operation. “Monitoring the asset between one and three times a year, you will only get lagging indicators,” Martin said. “You will never be able to proactively learn about the condition, limits, and real performance of your bearings over time.” Only real-time performance monitoring allows operators to understand a bearing’s true life and to

SKF’S TYPICAL LARGE SIZE SLEW BEARING.

AUSTRALIANMINING

make intelligent decisions regarding replacements. In some situations, it might not be about avoiding asset failure, but rather ensuring a part is not replaced before the end of its working life. This will save on inventory and cost of ownership, and may even allow for remanufacturing of a bearing rather than buying a new one. It can even help to reduce the carbon footprint of mining companies. Data from the condition-monitoring solution can also provide insights into operator behaviour. If an employee is found to be operating dangerously or inefficiently, the mining company can implement training measures to rectify any issues. With the SKF system, proactive mining companies now have a solution to make smart and cost-effective decisions about maintenance cycles. Such insights are only made apparent with the support of 24–7 connectivity using real-time data analytics. AM

JUNE 2022

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EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

KNOCK-KNOCK ON CONVEYOR IDLERS A MISTRACKING BELT CAN CREATE A RAFT OF MECHANICAL AND SAFETY ISSUES. MARTIN ENGINEERING HAS DEVELOPED A SOLUTION THAT HARNESSES TECHNOLOGY TO ALIGN BELTS EVEN IN THE MOST RESTRICTIVE OF SPACES. BY TODD SWINDERMAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER EMERITUS AT MARTIN ENGINEERING.

n any belt conveyor system that moves bulk materials, the belt must run straight and true to maximise its life, minimise fugitive material and safety hazards, and achieve high system efficiency. There can be many consequences of a mistracking belt, and all result in higher costs and increased maintenance. Even a slight belt misalignment can lead to a variety of issues, from small annoyances to fullblown catastrophes. The most obvious effects include spillage and dust that require personnel to clean up, which is unproductive work that introduces risks from activities adjacent to the moving conveyor. Spillage from non-centred cargo often gets into idlers and pulleys, reducing bearing life and causing them to seize, leading to friction damage on the belt and potentially starting a fire. A misaligned belt can also come in contact with the stringer, causing fraying, shredding or splice damage. Great lengths of valuable belting can be destroyed at surprising speed, and even the support structure itself can be damaged. “I’ve been working around conveyors for 20 years and I’ve seen thousands of belts,” Martin Engineering process engineer Dan Marshall said. “I’ve seen just about every problem that can be caused by a mistracking belt, but one thing I’ve never seen is a belt that runs true right out of the box. All conveyors, no matter how well designed and built, have some belt wander.” A wide variety of circumstances can lead to mistracking, and operators have tried many things to correct the alignment. Some have elected to place an obstacle such as a block of wood in the belt path, so it won’t travel too far out of line. This occasionally improves the situation, but more often it’s just temporary and the belt will eventually slice through the obstacle. Many operators have realised that pivoting an idler is a quicker and more effective way to steer a belt. This approach is called “knocking an idler”, whereby it is struck with a hammer and moved slightly to realign the belt.

MARTIN ENGINEERING’S MULTIPIVOT BELT TRAINER.

Equipment manufacturers have also designed components to help align a belt, and these solutions can be successful in specific applications. They include specially-shaped rollers, angled idlers and devices that apply pressure to the belt edge to push it back in line. “While these mechanisms can improve a belt that’s consistently off-centre in one direction, they do not react to dynamic belt movement, meaning that they don’t correct intermittent belt wander,” Marshall said. “To combat such changing conditions, engineers designed the tracking idler. Unlike the edge correction approach, the device senses belt movement in either direction and pivots the idler slightly to steer the belt back into position. “It doesn’t apply a great deal of force to the edges, which can damage a belt and splices. When the belt is running true, it remains centred, and when it senses a misalignment, it gently corrects the belt.” To accommodate limited space availability, tracking idlers typically have short sensing arms. This requires AUSTRALIANMINING

a large belt displacement to create a small movement of the idler. While these designs do tend to improve tracking, there are limits to how much correction they can deliver, and short sensing arms can actually pinch a belt if the idler pivots too far. To combat this situation, some operators choose to “tie off” a tracking idler to limit its movement. While the practice can help preserve the belt, it doesn’t address significant mistracking. To overcome the limitations of existing belt alignment devices, Martin Engineering has invented and patented a multi-pivot belt tracker which employs sensors, pivoting idlers and geometry to align a wandering belt. The sensors avoid pinching the belt and the engineered geometry amplifies any detected misalignment to create a greater pivot. Multi-pivot belt trainers use longer arms than other designs, positioning the guide rolls further from the pivot roller and closer to the belt edge. This allows guide rolls to sense very slight misalignments and make immediate corrections.

Rather than waiting for a powerful mistracking force, the longer arms require considerably less pressure to move the pivot roller. This results in better correction with no pinch points and less wear on conveyor and tracking equipment, for a longer and more efficient service life. Specific designs are available for both the load-carrying belt path and the return run. “Installing trackers is the economical solution, but operators should do a full analysis and consider addressing other causal issues,” Marshall said. “By focusing solely on belt alignment, plant personnel may miss other opportunities to increase production and relieve some of the burden on their system.” Keeping the belt centred and moving quickly is the key to high production, controlled operating cost and a safer workplace. “Misalignment causes downtime and costs money,” Marshall said. “But nothing causes more downtime and expense than a destructive belt fire or other catastrophe as a result of inattention to mistracking problems.” AM

JUNE 2022

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EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

THE EDGE OF TOMORROW’S MINES AS MINES GET MORE HIGH-TECH, SERVER INFRASTRUCTURE BECOMES A VITAL CONSIDERATION. THAT’S WHY ZELLA DC HAS DESIGNED A MICRO DATA CENTRE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MINING INDUSTRY.

he mines of the future aren’t just producing massive amounts of ore, they’re also creating a truly eye-watering amount of data. As technologies like autonomous vehicles, drones, digital twins, remote monitoring, and the Internet of Things (IoT) become more popular, the data required to operate this new way of doing business is ballooning. Cloud-based storage and access technology can provide a way for miners and their equipment to access this data, but this can become expensive as the sheer amount of information increases. Keeping a dedicated data centre in a server room on-site also has its challenges, as they require constant cooling, can be complex to install and use up a lot of electricity that could be better spent elsewhere. Angie Keeler, chief executive officer and co-founder of micro data centre specialist Zella DC, said finding a solution to these challenges was what led to the company’s creation. “We were born out of the mining industry. We saw firsthand how the environment affected the IT infrastructure used to run mines and that what customers needed didn’t exist,” she told Australian Mining. “So we came up with a solution literally from the edge, in a remote mining town in Western Australia.” Keeler said the concept of edge computing revolved around computing done near the source of the data – such as remote mine sites or satellite sites – instead of relying on the cloud. This means there is little to no delay when it comes to sending and receiving data, providing fast, secure processing. For mines, this means automated technology can respond faster, improving efficiency. Core to Zella DC’s edge computing process is its range of micro data centres, which replace the need for a traditional server room. These micro data centres are about the size of a refrigerator, are centrally managed and controlled and don’t require specialist installation or maintenance.

SELF-CONTAINED DATA CENTRES READY TO LEAVE THE FACTORY.

THE DATA CENTRES ARE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A REFRIGERATOR AND ARE EASILY TRANSPORTED TO SITE, AVOIDING THE NEED FOR SPECIALIST INSTALLATION.

ONCE ON-SITE, THE FINISHED DATA CENTRES ARE EASILY INSTALLED, AND THEY ARE ROBUST ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND OFTEN-HARSH MINING CONDITIONS.

Keeler said the two the challenges that traditional server installations face is the time required and the associated costs. “Server rooms can be expensive to run, as they need to be kept cool while operational,” she said. “This means you need to set up dedicated spaces for the technology and often need to pay for specialists to visit the site to install the equipment. “Sending teams to mine sites is expensive, which often includes AUSTRALIANMINING

training, health and safety inductions and paying for the flights.” Zella DC’s micro data centres can be commissioned and installed within an hour and are set up with everything needed to get started as fast as possible. The micro data centres are self-contained and IP65rated, which means no air enters or leaves. As a result, the centre is only cooling itself and not the room around it and isn’t affected by nearby dust.

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In addition, with a Zella Pro users can always match cooling and energy efficiencies with IT loads. By programming the units to shut down during nonproductive times (like weekends and holidays) users can further lower their energy bills. Durability is always a key requirement for the mining industry, and that’s why Zella has designed the micro data centres to work anywhere.

EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

The fact they are self-contained means the micro data centres can even operate underground in high-dust environments. With heat, dust and cyclones among the key challenges mining companies face, the equipment was especially designed to handle them. The Zella devices are also highly automated and can detect when they are needed – only working as hard as they must. Keeler said feedback was critical to improving the design of the micro data centres, which is why robustness was a high priority. “Our customers are often telling us about how impressed they are with its durability,” she said. “We once had a customer say they were invincible. They had shipped it 700km across rough terrain, fully populated and set up from Perth. As it was just about to come off the truck, a major storm hit, which pushed it to the ground. “The customer was concerned, but when they opened it up they found that everything was working perfectly.” Another customer sent their micro data centre from rural Australia to another one of their sites in Africa, and then eventually to South America, with no issues. Some of the prototypes are still operating on-

ZELLA DC CEO AND CO-FOUNDER ANGIE KEELER.

site 11 years later with no problems having been detected. Redundancy is a core part of this resiliency. Zella DC can offer dual systems to ensure that if something does go wrong with a particular component, the data centre can continue operating. The micro data centres are also designed to ensure they are very low maintenance.

Keeler said another key benefit of edge computing is increased security. “Security is of paramount importance and has been our number-one focus,” she said. “The mini data centres can run ‘off the grid’ to reduce the risk of cyberattacks and incorporate only one IP address. We use militarygrade encryption and components to protect passwords and data as well.”

Post a Load

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Zella’s remote access network allows infrastructure managers to see each data centre from one location. The company operates across six continents, servicing industries such as defence, transport, manufacturing, and the government sector. “Mini data centres are a scalable and standardised solution that help mines manage their data, easily and effectively,” Keeler said. AM

EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

FLSMIDTH: YOUR DIGITAL PARTNER OF CHOICE PROVIDING CUSTOMERS WITH A PIT-TO-PORT RANGE OF PRODUCTIVITY-ENHANCING EQUIPMENT, SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS IS THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF FLSMIDTH, A COMPANY THAT ISN’T CONTENT TO REST ON ITS LAURELS.

ounded in 1882, FLSmidth continues to grow its customer base and range of services for those customers around the world. The company plays a key role in delivering sustainable productivity to the global mining industry, focusing on using innovative technology, digital solutions, and strong partnerships to do so. Optimisation is a major focus for the company and it has invested a substantial amount of time into making sure customers have access to the most innovative equipment and services available. But optimisation is not a one-time event, according to FLSmidth regional digital manager Julio Rodriguez. “It’s not something you do at one point in time and clap your hands and say, ‘job done’. It’s a continuum,” Rodriguez told Australian Mining. “You need to routinely go back and confirm the overall performance as the customers’ demands and objectives are continuously evolving. This could be due to ore grades, regulation, or market conditions. “FLSmidth’s solutions are evergreen, to use an industry term.” FLSmidth is committed to providing proactive aftermarket support and a large part of this process is its remotesupport program, which includes condition-monitoring and service exchange. This delivers continuous improvements to a mine’s productivity and sustainability. This support helps customers optimise planned and unplanned maintenance activities that might otherwise spot a problem too late or overlook it entirely. Mines can be more proactive so uptime can be maximised and maintenance costs can be reduced. Another strength of FLSmidth is the company’s ability to provide equipment and services across the entire flowsheet. “From the mine pit all the way to when the product gets put on a ship or a train,” Rodriguez said. FLSmidth has a wide range of smart digital solutions that ensure customers always get the best plantwide optimisation based on site characteristics.

WHEN COMBINED, FLSMIDTH’S DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CAN GIVE MINERS THE ABILITY TO RUN SMOOTHLY AND EFFECTIVELY THROUGH ALL STAGES OF PRODUCTION.

Digital solutions such as LoadIQ smart sensor technology monitor and adjust current mill load and capacity in real-time, boosting throughput performance for all grinding conditions, reducing excessive power consumption and increasing energy efficiency. Smart sensors, cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence (AI)-based software work with each system and operate to achieve optimal capacity, with a minimum 3–6 per cent increase in throughput. Elsewhere, the ECS/ProcessExpert advanced process control system uses AI technologies to optimise plant operations. It enables mining companies to reduce energy consumption, downtime, maintenance, and process and quality variability. It also stabilises key processes, and manages and corrects process disruptions, such as mill load target optimiser – automatically adjusting the mill load according to weight target and process conditions. ECS/ProcessExpert also can be incorporated with other FLSmidth smart sensors, like PlantVision camera-based measurement system or KREBS SmartCyclone automation technology.

AUSTRALIANMINING

For grade tracking and 3D stockyard visualisation, FLSmidth has the BulkExpert Stockview digital solution which tracks material distribution based on process signals of bulk stockyard machines. At any time, the digital twin of the pile provides an operator with inventory information, even the inside of the pile. “Moving forward, a key vision for us is to combine all of these optimisation solutions across the whole flowsheet and not just optimise individual units, or process islands, in the operation,” Rodriguez said. A primary feature of FLSmidth’s remote access solutions is the SiteConnect insights app, which allows customers to access real-time insights on the performance of their site no matter where they are. “You don’t have to rely on individuals looking at screens 24–7 anymore,” Rodriguez said. “Now you can have AI monitoring the system for you that can pick up any anomalies and inform you on your mobile phone. “This is about visualising the data in real-time – the first transparent step in the process before the data is analysed and a solution is arrived at for the customer.”

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What can customers expect for the future at FLSmidth? According to Rodriguez, the future is in subscriptions. “We’re investigating a new model where we lease everything,” he said. “Customers should be able to buy a subscription and have access to our solutions and any updates or routine maintenance that goes along with that.” Called Software as a Service (SaaS), customers will be able to use it as they would any other subscription service. “It’s all about continuous improvements. We give you the hardware and software, and the software is continuously checking and updating,” Rodriguez said. FLSmidth wants to broaden horizons and adapt to changes with their customers to provide services and solutions that see them through their whole mining lifecycle. This goal will be facilitated by recent partnerships FLSmidth has announced with Microsoft and AVEVA. The latter will allow FLSmidth to use AVEVA technology to securely integrate and provide various digitally enabled, datadriven services to mining customers and accelerate the digitalisation of mining operations. AM

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EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMISATION

OPTIMISING CRUSHER CIRCUITS: EXPLORING UNLOCKED POTENTIAL MINPROVISE IS FOCUSED ON HOW OPTIMISATION CAN HELP TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION WHILE IMPROVING YIELD QUALITY AND QUANTITY. MINPROVISE IS FOCUSED ON HOW CRUSHER CIRCUIT EFFICIENCY CAN IMPROVE YIELD THROUGH OPTIMISATION.

ining, and crushing in particular, is as old as farming or sailing. It’s used to liberate diamonds, extract gold, supply iron ore and produce the concrete from which our cities are built. Mining consumes a significant portion of the world’s energy, and the responsible path ahead must involve optimisation of mining activities. That includes reducing the energy consumed while maintaining production, as well as improving yield quality and quantity. Optimisation within the crushing arena is still a relatively unexplored area. As a company serious about innovative solutions, Minprovise is focused on how crusher circuit efficiency can improve yield through optimisation. “The art of crushing rocks will always consume energy, but how that energy is applied can improve yield through efficiency,” Minprovise general manager of engineering John Minnaar said. Minnaar explains that in most precious metal and base metal applications, wet processing is applied after crushing, with a focus on stabilising and optimising the process. A stable and steady process flow ensures efficient application of chemicals and maximum extraction of the product. The upstream crushing circuit is usually oversized with a buffer stockpile separating the circuits. This

is due to the surging nature of the crushing process. “Crushers are not often optimised or given much attention beyond maintenance if they keep up with feed demand,” Minnaar said. “Many circuits are inefficient and power-hungry. We are aiming to change this. “In the case of iron ore and aggregate, the crushing process requires a stable flow to produce the final product. In the modern mining era, it’s easier to design a larger crushing plant with sufficient capacity to compensate for losses due to surges and breakdowns, but we have an innovative solution to optimise even these power-hungry plants. “Operating a crushing plant can be compared to driving a 4x4 vehicle. “When driving in rough terrain, the vehicle is subjected to high, and sometimes low, power demands. The shock loading on the vehicle can cause parts to fail prematurely, while the fuel consumption is extremely high. “When the same vehicle is used to commute, using sealed city roads, fuel consumption is reduced and moving parts last a long time. It’s not as exciting as offroad, but the efficiency of smooth and stable use is much more cost effective. “Crushing circuits are similar. When the feed tempo is consistent and the equipment balanced to the production demand, production cost is reduced and equipment lasts longer due to fewer impact loads. “If the equipment is pushed to its limits without consideration to cyclic loading, the entire circuit is subjected AUSTRALIANMINING

to unnecessary impact, wear and tear, risking failure or require more frequently needed maintenance cycles.” Another consideration often overlooked is a plant’s bottleneck. A healthy plant is operated to the maximum capacity of the bottleneck equipment (this determines the overall plant capacity) while configuring all other equipment to achieve this consistent maximum. Minnaar feels understanding the principal of the bottleneck seems to be lost in modern mining, where quantity can often trump quality. Minprovise advocates for better quality, resulting in more long-term revenue and fewer shutdowns. As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) crusher agent and specialised crusher maintenance service provider, Minprovise sees the best and the worst of operating philosophies. The most common mistakes made are not optimising crusher circuits. Minnaar points to the company’s years of experience teaching operating teams to adjust their equipment set-up and process philosophies to achieve a more consistent production rate, reduce unwanted component failure and operate plants more efficiently. This overall optimisation of any

circuit results in greater revenue for companies and shareholders. Minnaar has found that many mines operate an ageing fleet of crushing equipment requiring high maintenance costs and unplanned downtime. The cost to frequently replace worn parts often exceeds the value of upgrading the equipment to the latest technology. “At Minprovise, we have the knowledge, technology and control systems to assist clients in the optimisation of their crushing plants. The 80–20 rule applies here,” Minnaar said. “Having the correct equipment selection and set-up takes you 80 per cent of the way; the last 20 per cent is optimisation achieved through online monitoring of the process and actively controlling characteristics of the circuit; for example, crusher gap control. “These incremental improvements further increase revenue for our clients. “While mining may well be an ageold pursuit, crusher circuit optimisation is modern and achievable. It’s an innovative solution that fine tunes the circuit to produce better quality yield with fewer shutdowns, less risk, less expense and less waste. “It shifts the conversation from replacement component price comparison to sophisticated extraction of quality product.” AM

“CRUSHING ROCKS WILL ALWAYS CONSUME ENERGY, BUT HOW THAT ENERGY IS APPLIED CAN IMPROVE YIELD THROUGH EFFICIENCY,” ACCORDING TO MINPROVISE GM OF ENGINEERING JOHN MINNAAR.

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COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

CRITICAL MINERALS: THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD THROUGH THE WORK OF TIER 1 MINERS, MID-TIER COMPANIES AND JUNIORS, AUSTRALIA IS RAPIDLY REALISING ITS CRITICAL MINERALS OPPORTUNITY. BUT FEEDING THE WORLD’S GREEN TRANSFORMATION WON’T BE A WALK IN THE PARK.

ritical minerals play an important role in sustaining the financial wellbeing of the world’s major and emerging economies. They are used in the manufacturing of mobile phones, flat-screen monitors, wind turbines, electric cars, solar panels, and many other high-tech applications. While the demand for critical minerals is projected to grow due the rapid deployment of clean-energy technologies as part of the global energy transition, they are currently at risk of geological scarcity, geopolitical issues and trade policy.

Opportunistic co-production

As the largest mining company in the world, the lion’s share of BHP’s revenue come from its iron ore operations. When considering the US Geology Survey’s 2022 list of critical minerals, nickel, zinc and cobalt are the only critical minerals the company currently produces. BHP produces nickel from its Nickel West operations in Western Australia, along with cobalt as a co-product. Zinc is produced as a co-product from the company’s Olympic Dam operations in South Australia. Tackling small, technically challenging, diverse and imperfect markets to mine critical minerals might not necessarily suit BHP’s business model; however, the company has the potential to extract additional minerals as co-products to contribute to the global critical minerals supply.

Take for example Olympic Dam, Australia’s largest copper mine. Its ores include critical minerals such as cobalt and tellurium, along with the host mineral, copper, which is economically assisted by uranium and gold. If Olympic Dam could extract all of the critical minerals from its ore

battery-grade lithium carbonate; however, Serbia revoked the licenses to explore and mine lithium at the project in January. In its first quarter report released in April, Rio Tinto said it was “exploring all options” and “reviewing the implications” of its activities, with hopes to turn the decision around. In March, the company completed

CRITICAL MINERALS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SUSTAINING THE FINANCIAL WELLBEING OF THE WORLD’S MAJOR AND EMERGING ECONOMIES. THEY ARE USED IN THE MANUFACTURING OF MOBILE PHONES, FLAT-SCREEN MONITORS, WIND TURBINES, ELECTRIC CARS, SOLAR PANELS, AND MANY OTHER HIGH-TECH APPLICATIONS.” streams it could add significantly to its gross resource value and become a prominent contributor to the global critical minerals demand. Nevertheless, there are many challenges in extracting these critical minerals. For example, rare earth elements often have low variations in density with their gangue, the commercially worthless material that surrounds a mineral, and can be difficult to extract as a result. Rio Tinto is also focused on major commodities, but the world’s second-largest miner has recently been proactive in developing critical minerals supplies across its global sites. The company’s Jadar project in Serbia has the potential to produce approximately 55,000 tonnes of

its acquisition of the Rincon lithium project in Argentina after receiving approval from Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB). The major miner purchased the Rincon project from Rincon Mining for $825 million, a transaction that was first announced in December 2021. In January 2022, Rio Tinto announced the construction of the first module of a commercial scale scandium production plant at its Fer et Titane metallurgical complex in SorelTracy, Quebec. Rio Tinto invested $US6 million ($8.4 million) into the building of the module, with an initial capacity to produce three tonnes of the critical mineral, scandium oxide per year, which would make up

approximately 20 per cent of the current global market. These initiatives are a step in the right direction to assist in the global supply of critical minerals, but as long as Rio Tinto mines iron ore that will remain a central focus of the company. Smelters and refineries The production of critical minerals relies on smelters or refineries, and it is often more cost-effective to retrofit existing facilities than to build new dedicated facilities. This offers an opportunity for smelters and refineries to produce more critical minerals as co-products. Olympic Dam is an example of many operations globally where latent capacity exists to produce critical minerals, but where a combination of business focus and advances in technology are required to unlock the capacity. Rio Tinto’s construction of a commercial scale scandium oxide plant at its Fer et Titane metallurgical complex is an example of what can be done. Other existing refineries and smelters can potentially be adapted to increase co-production of critical minerals, where they are present in ore flows, or even to allow for campaign processing of ores from dedicated critical minerals mines close to a facility.

Mine waste could offer a solution

There is also potential to recover critical minerals from mine waste. COBALT CAN BE EXTRACTED FROM ORE STREAMS IN COPPER MINING.

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COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

A large proportion of the world’s gallium is produced from red mud, which is a by-product of the Bayer process – a chemical process for refining aluminium-containing ores in alumina. The extent to which critical minerals exist in historic mine tailings and other waste streams is subject to a great deal of uncertainty. In the past, miners did not necessarily assay for minerals that held no value at the time, and historic records are often incomplete. However, more and more resources are being committed to tailings investigation. In April, Geoscience Australia teamed up with the University of Queensland, RMIT University and the Geological Survey of Queensland to develop a first-ever national database of mine waste sites across the country and the minerals that could potentially be present. The Atlas of Australian Mine Waste from the Australian Government’s $225 million Exploring for the Future program highlights new opportunities to recover valuable minerals, a concept known as secondary prospectivity. Where potential exists, many miners would likely welcome the reprocessing of their tailings if it left the tailings in a more stable and sustainable state. AM

LITHIUM IS AMONG THE CRITICAL MINERALS MINED IN AUSTRALIA.

NICKEL IS PRODUCED FROM OPERATIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Dr David Whittle is a Research Fellow in the Department of Civil Engineering at Monash University and a co-founder of the Critical Minerals Consortium. Mohan Yellishetty is an Associate Professor in Resources Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering at Monash University, and co-founder of the Critical Minerals Consortium. He has been recognised as one of the leading experts in the area of sustainable mineral resources.

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WORKPLACE SAFETY

WORKPLACE INJURY CAN AFFECT MORE THAN YOUR CAREER WHEN JAMES WOOD SUFFERED A MAJOR ON-SITE INJURY IN HIS 20S, IT TOOK A TOLL ON HIS WHOLE WORLD. NOW HE WORKS TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT ACCIDENTS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE. SAFETY IS ALWAYS VITAL IN A WORKPLACE AS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AS A MINE SITE.

afety on the job site should always be of paramount concern, and no one knows this better than James ‘Woody’ Wood. Woody, a diesel mechanic, was working at a coal mine in the Hunter Valley, NSW, when an accident changed his life forever. On the day of the incident, Woody was working on a routine job of repairing a snapped power steering belt on a truck. Realising that smoko was in five minutes, and keen to get back to take a break, Woody started to drive the truck back to the parking bay, putting his foot down. “I got a little bit too quick for the conditions and lost control of the truck. We ended up rolling down the side of the hill on the site,” Woody recalled. The details of the incident are hazy. Woody can’t remember getting thrown out of the cabin or rolling down the side of the hill. Nor can he remember breaking his back and damaging his spinal cord. Woody learned the details of the accident while spending three months in hospital, recovering. But that recovery was just the start of Woody’s battle. “I had to learn to live all over again,” he said. “The only way I can get around is by using my wheelchair. You can’t just sit in a wheelchair and know how to use it. Someone had to show me how to push it, how to turn it and how to lift myself in.” A surprising factor of his accident was how it affected his friends, family and colleagues.

Although he was the one who got physically hurt, the mental toll his injury took on those closest to him was hard to watch. “I couldn’t understand how something that had happened to me was upsetting my workmates,” Woody said. “I had a couple crying in my hospital room. “My family? Same thing.” Woody comes from a big family as one of six siblings and said that each family member was affected in different ways. His girlfriend at the time was also affected, ending the relationship after learning that he would be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Woody harbours no hard feelings, however, adding that he admires and respects her decision. “It’s a bloody hard thing to say and hear. But if we changed our behaviour at work and didn’t get hurt, it could be a complete scenario that could be avoided,” he said. After struggling with the mental and physical recuperation that comes after a life-changing incident, Woody started to visit work sites to tell his story and educate workers on safety. He wanted to give workers something better than the standard safety chats. He wanted them to see the real-life consequences of decisions and show them that accidents can happen to people just like them. A few years later, in 2001, Woody started CNB Safe. “I started doing the talks 25 years ago,” he said. “Since I started, I’ve had other people that have had workplace injuries approach me and say, ‘We really like what you do with AUSTRALIANMINING

workplaces. How do we do the same thing?’. So I’ve sort of taken them under my umbrella. “We’ve put together a team of six of us that have all had a workplace injury or a relative who has, and we go and share our stories at workplaces. “It’s a useful tool for workplaces to engage one of our speakers, because it ties in so much of the safety training that they give. You can give them training and give them procedures and rules and systems, but unless you give them the reason for it, you’re wasting your time. “What we try and do is give the reason. We say, ‘Look, this is how we got hurt. Use the training and the systems and the procedures that you’ve got, or you’ll you end up like us’.” The CNB Safe team consists of: Alan Newey, who had his right arm ripped off by a conveyor belt; Greg Smith, who pushed his fatigue too far and fell asleep at the wheel, hit a tree and broke his neck; Rohan Sykes, who suffered burns to nearly 40 per cent of his body; Michelle Rath, who received a phone call telling her that Alex, her 23-year-old son, had been killed in a workplace accident; and Michael Weston, whose workplace stress and pressure caused his body to give in, resulting in an acquired brain injury (ABI). Alongside his safety talks, Woody has written a book called 12 Reasons NOT to get hurt at work. The book details Woody’s experiences after the accident. Drawing on the common questions he often gets asked at his talks, Woody put together the book as an additional resource for work sites.

THE CNB SAFE TEAM SHARE THEIR STORIES AT WORKPLACES.

JUNE 2022

WOODY HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A BOOK CALLED 12 REASONS NOT TO GET HURT AT WORK.

“It’s just another way of sharing information,” he said. “We all learn in different ways. I’ve always been a big reader and that’s the way that I absorb information. “Some people take a lot out of listening to me in person, face-toface, but I thought, well, it’s just another avenue sharing some of the information or some of the ways that my accident changed my life.” 12 Reasons NOT to get hurt at work is also available as an audiobook in hopes that the information will reach further into the field. “I’m not a safety expert,” Woody said. “When I was in mining there was very little safety training. I would like to think there is more safety training now. If only I had thought about how an accident would change my life, I definitely would have put in more effort to make sure I went home safe every day.” AM Visit cnbsafe.com.au for more information.

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

THE ROAD TO BECOMING A REGISTERED ENGINEER TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES IN QUEENSLAND, ENGINEERS NEED TO BE REGISTERED. WE SPEAK TO AUSIMM ASSESSOR PETER HILLS ABOUT THE PROCESS.

he Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland (BPEQ) is striving to improve the Queensland mining industry’s compliance with the Professional Engineers Act 2002. In doing so, the independent statutory body is encouraging more mining engineers to register themselves as part of the registered professional engineer Queensland (RPEQ) system. Despite engineers’ importance to mining, the industry does not have the same representation of RPEQs as other sectors and, given engineering misconduct can have major consequences to health and safety, as well as project integrity, registration is critical. Becoming an RPEQ is a fourstage process. Once an engineer has graduated from a recognised tertiary institute with a four-year undergraduate degree in engineering (or equivalent), they will then need to gain 4–5 years’ experience working as an engineer and carrying out professional engineering services under supervision. The application and assessment process can then commence; however, it is advised that engineers should start

preparations long before they are ready to apply. This starts with the continuing professional development (CPD) logbook where engineers must complete a minimum of 150 hours of structured CPD in a three-year period leading up to their application. The logbook enables engineers to keep track of their experiences during their studies and early working life, whether it be attending workshops, conferences and events, preparing and presenting papers, or logging course units from university. Engineers previously had an obligation to complete the CPD logbook, but it was not a requirement for the application process. That changed in 2015 when it was found a higher percentage of engineers weren’t passing their first audit and not keeping track of the required CPD and hours of work connected to this. Peter Hills, Pitt & Sherry senior principal geotechnical engineer and Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) assessor for BPEQ, said engineers who can demonstrate their technical experience would be better positioned come the assessment. “There are 10 categories for professional development that

underpin the RPEQ, and the value of those various categories depends on the degree of technical involvement and activity from the person involved,” he told Australian Mining. “So undertaking further university study, undertaking short courses, attending conferences, giving papers, and so forth are worth a lot more and you can do as much of those as you like. “The easier activities such as private reading and on-the-job skill enhancement are limited in how many hours you can do, and we have tailored the scheme to weight towards the more active, getting-involved and learningnew-things-type activities.” Once the engineer has satisfied the initial examination regarding their CPD logbook, a registered assessor will consider their sponsors. “Engineers are required to have three sponsors who they nominate, and the assessors make contact with the sponsors and obtain feedback

RPEQ REGISTRATION IS CRITICAL TO PREVENT ENGINEERING MISCONDUCT IN THE QUEENSLAND MINING INDUSTRY.

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from them on the capability of the individual,” Hills said. “If the sponsors are an RPEQ or a chartered professional, that rates a lot higher in the assessment than if it’s someone at a similar level.” Once assessors are satisfied with an engineer’s sponsors they will then proceed to an interview where they will be asked about the documentation they’ve provided, that they understand what being an RPEQ entails and their responsibilities under the Professional Engineers Act 2002. If the interview is successful, the assessor will recommend the engineer to the BPEQ, which will enable them the right to register as an RPEQ. Hills said it was important for any budding mining engineer interested in becoming an RPEQ to be vigilant about their preparations. “The important thing not only individuals should be aware of, but also companies with new graduates, is the requirement to work towards it (the RPEQ),” he said. “Because if you don’t have your three years of professional development logged when you apply, then you’re already three years away from a successful application. “People need to be thinking about that … pretty much from day one and their mentors and managers should be pushing them in that direction to make sure they’re doing that.” It’s also important engineers have clarity about the process of becoming an RPEQ and that their achievements recorded in the CPD logbook align with what’s required by the BPEQ. This is accessible via AusIMM. “People need to look at the information on chartered professionals and registration on the AusIMM website as soon as they start thinking about becoming an RPEQ,” Hills said. “They need to be quite clear on what they’re doing in terms of professional development so that from day one they’re doing relevant stuff.” AM

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MINERAL PROCESSING

IRON ORE PLANT BENEFITS FROM ENGINEERED UPGRADES ON ROTARY SCRUBBERS AN ESTABLISHED IRON ORE PROCESSING FACILITY IN WA HAS ADVANCED THE CAPABILITIES OF ITS ROTARY SCRUBBERS WITH MCLANAHAN’S NEW TRUNNION BASE ASSEMBLY.

hese particular rotary scrubbers had been installed at the Western Australia site in 2009 and were beginning to show the wear of intensive use from over a decade of operation. Due to its longstanding history as a trusted original equipment manufacturer (OEM), McLanahan was engaged to implement a design upgrade solution. “We were also aiming to extend the wear life of the barrel, which was previously a large welded structure with a shrink-fitted ring all the way around,” McLanahan mechanical design manager Ben Freeburn said. “It had begun to show some cracking, which was not all that surprising considering that these machines do in the order of two million cycles every six months. So we worked with the customer to implement a deep steel forging design that was a lot more durable.” While the engineering team worked on retrofitting this new support frame, discussions with the customer resulted in the expansion of the project. The process of manual precise alignment was time-consuming

TRUNNION ROLLER ASSEMBLY.

and presented some safety risks, so McLanahan proposed an upgrade to the trunnion base assembly that incorporated self-aligning features to remove risk and reduce maintenance downtime. The washdown of crushed rock and ore in these suspended cylindrical barrels is a key step in the ore processing cycle but presents challenges relating to the barrel suspension technique. “We were able to tackle a couple of issues in one go with this project,” Freeburn said. “With rotary equipment, there are two main support methods – hydrostatic bearings and trunnion rollers. “While the hydrostatic solution has the benefits of high-capacity support and low friction, it does require complexities such as filtration, accumulator banks and complex hydraulics. In particular, it is important to have a robust sealing arrangement at the full barrel diameters to keep water and dust particles out of the main journal. This is nearly impossible to achieve in a mining environment.” Conversely, trunnion rollers can support heavy loads on a much simpler apparatus, but the downside is that AUSTRALIANMINING

they are sensitive to misalignment, causing the barrel to thrust back and forth. The mechanical design engineers at McLanahan sought to create a self-aligning system, rendering the trunnion base assembly as the superior option on various-sized rotary machines. Freeburn likens this mechanism to “a swivelling shopping trolley wheel” that auto-corrects when misaligned due to a vertical axis offset. He said this design was unique in its flexibility, as it had proven success operating on a broad weight and size range. “It improves the reliability of the machines more than anything,” Freeburn said. “On customer sites where these changes have not been implemented yet, we are seeing reoccurring issues because a single component has shifted 2mm and it has ended up costing them in downtime for realignment.” This project was not only successful in adjusting the trunnion rollers to skew on a horizontal axis, but also incorporated the ability to correct three-dimensionally in any plane of misalignment via a spherical seat. “Our engineering team conducts frequent site visits, which helps to

strengthen our relationship with each customer and deliver them more tailored support,” Freeburn said. “Whether it is upgrading existing machinery or extending the equipment’s wear life, McLanahan has over 185 years of expertise to back our services. Through that experience, we have a very intimate knowledge on the capacity and design limits of these trunnion rollers.” Other upgrades included a park brake, integrated jacking system and a cassette-style trunnion roller changeout frame co-developed with the site maintenance crew to ensure a holistic integration of this equipment upgrade into existing site operations. “The park brake is an essential safety implementation, as it allows the operators to stop the machine via a hydraulic pump, support the full weight of the barrel, secure it from rotation, and work on it without causing back injuries or slipping,” Freeburn said. “It is all about working with the customer to understand their plant layout and requirements. “The key takeaway from this outcome is that if you prioritise a collaborative working relationship with the customer, it will benefit the outcome and solution.” AM

MCLANAHAN’S EXPERIENCED TEAM HAS INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CAPACITY AND DESIGN LIMITS OF THE TRUNNION ROLLERS.

JUNE 2022

EFFICIENCY

CONNECT, SCAN AND OPTIMISE WHEN IT COMES TO COMPRESSED AIR INSTALLATIONS, ATLAS COPCO WANTS TO MAKE SURE ITS CUSTOMERS ARE ALWAYS CONNECTED AND INFORMED.

s Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change”. A compressed air system is one of a mine’s biggest energy consumers. Gaining energy efficiency can have a big impact on costs, while also helping to reduce CO2 footprint. Atlas Copco wants to make sure its customers are always connected and informed.

Connect

In a world where smartphones have become so ubiquitous, there are already more connected devices than people in the world, so it makes sense that being connected has also become a normal part if modern industry. Being connected means instant visibility, and the Atlas Copco SMARTLink range of monitors captures live data from compressed air equipment and translates that information into clear insights. Users can check uptime, energy efficiency and CO2 emissions at a glance. SMARTLink offers easy followup of the energy consumption of compressed air installation. Users can get a quick overview on the dashboard or delve deeper into customised reports. Uniquely based on machines’ actual working conditions, recommendations present real opportunities to improve the efficiency of an air system. Connecting via an SMARTLink Energy Plan means compressors’ data will be fed into the Atlas Copco Big Data Framework. This allows the company to activate diagnostic supervision of compressors, enabling

it to spot and fix any deviations at an early stage. Based on algorithms and expert analysis, proactive troubleshooting keeps customers’ energy efficiency at its top level.

THE ATLAS COPCO SMARTLINK PRODUCT IS DESIGNED TO CONNECT A MANUFACTURER TO AN EASIER LIFE.

Scan

Atlas Copco offers a compressed air auditing and leakage detection system so businesses can have a deeper understanding of their systems. AIRScan is a compressed air auditing and leakage detection service. An AIRScan energy audit includes a full survey of the compressed air net parameters, including energy consumption of the equipment, flow rates and pressures, to get an accurate picture of the compressor room. With measurements performed during operation, production does not need to stop during an audit. The logged information is used to simulate several energy-saving scenarios. The system’s unique and proprietary analysis software can simulate different configurations of a compressed air system, allowing insight into realistic savings figures. The AIRscan report provides a clear summary for decision-makers, as well as an in-depth analysis of problems and solutions for technical staff to help to improve system performance. It is estimated that after five years, 20–30 per cent of the energy used by a compressed air system is wasted on leaks. A leak as small as 3mm can be very expensive, with an energy loss equivalent to 16 tonnes of CO2 emissions. During an AIRScan leak detection survey, a state-of-the-art acoustic camera detects 40 per cent more leaks than traditional tools, at twice the speed. The air leaks report

ATLAS COPCO OFFERS A COMPRESSED AIR AUDITING AND LEAKAGE DETECTION SERVICE CALLED AIRSCAN.

includes the savings potential and a priority list for repairs. Knowing the condition of compressed air equipment and being able to respond proactively is the surest way to achieve maximum availability and protect the investment. The AIRScan vibration analysis is a health check for the compressor element, gearbox, coupling, drive train and other rotating components – a powerful tool in preventing expensive breakdowns. Air purity is also vital. Compressed air that contains unwanted substances like water, oil or solid particles may impact the quality of a mine’s final product, while companies may need to comply with quality standards. The AIRScan analysis uses advanced tools to check the purity of compressed air. It comes with a clear report, including recommendations on achieving the air quality you need.

Optimise

If a compressed air system has multiple compressors or blowers, they have to be started, stopped and regulated to meet fluctuations in air demand.

THE USE OF AIRNET PIPEWORK THROUGHOUT THE FACTORY WILL PROVIDE A LEAK-FREE ENVIRONMENT.

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In a traditional system, output pressure often exceeds required pressure, resulting in a cost increase. The Atlas Copco Optimizer 4.0 and Equalizer 4.0 are designed to offer a much smarter solution. By automating compressor operation, these master controllers increase system stability, minimise wear and achieve optimal energy efficiency. Additionally, Atlas Copco offers AIRNet piping systems for any compressor piping systems that have excessive leaks or are undersized or inadequately designed. A high-end aluminium system designed to save the money that other piping systems spend, AIRNet is sized, planned and installed to support sustainable operational excellence in the production process. AIRNet piping systems can influence the total cost of ownership and the level of production efficiency by optimising the sizing, planning and installation of the piping. Heat generated in air compression is diverted to the cooling system and released into the atmosphere. The thermal energy that would otherwise be wasted from this can be put to good use with Atlas Copco’s Energy Recovery, which recovers the heat so it can be used for workspace heating, hot water or industrial processes. Compressors of any age or type can benefit from the processing capability of the Elektronikon Mk5 Touch controller, which offers the most advanced control algorithms and connectivity via SMARTLink and results in improved machine control and energy savings. Businesses seeking to unlock potential savings of their compressor rooms can discover how they can be better connected, informed and optimised. AM

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MINING SERVICES

VOCUS’ LEO SATELLITES WILL COMPLEMENT ITS FIBRE INFRASTRUCTURE.

CONNECTING THE DOTS TO ENABLE THE MINING INDUSTRY’S TRANSITION TO CLOUD-BASED TECHNOLOGY, VOCUS GROUP IS DEVELOPING FIBRE NETWORK CABLES AND SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE CONNECTIONS IN REMOTE AREAS.

ustralia is home to hundreds of mining leases that are being mined and explored across northern and western parts of

the country. But border closures and fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) travel bans due to COVID-19 restrictions have affected mining companies’ ability to source skilled workers. This situation is shifting many companies further towards automated and virtual means of conducting mining and exploration activities. However, these technologies require a fast and low-latency network connection, which is costly and often unavailable in remote mining areas. Vocus is developing multiple solutions to get rural mining areas up to speed through capable fibre network connections and satellite internet technology. “Smaller mining companies are going to want to be highly leveraged around their cloud infrastructure,” Vocus national general manager government and special projects Michael Ackland said. “Rather than smaller miners buying their own servers, they adopt ‘pay as you use’ servers, which are currently based on Australia’s east coast.” Vocus’ Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore Cable will allow mining companies to

hook up their cloud infrastructure to Singapore rather than Melbourne or Sydney, which will improve latency and cost. This will be the first international cable connection into Darwin and amps up the connectivity of much of northern Australia through stronger fibre infrastructure. Vocus is also developing Project Horizon, which will deliver fibre infrastructure from Geraldton to Port Hedland, Western Australia, and then on to Singapore via the DarwinJakarta-Singapore Cable. The company expects these projects to significantly strengthen the internet connection in remote regions of WA.

To complement its fibre services, Vocus is investing in LEO (low earth orbit) satellite-based telecommunications. In 2021, Elon Musk’s company SpaceX launched its Starlink satellite internet in a beta phase to Australian customers. It has delivered higher download and upload speeds that outclass fixed wireless connections. The technology was also hailed as a breakthrough for delivering internet to areas without fixed-line connections, a situation with which northern Australia has struggled. Rather than relying on fixed cables, LEO technology will provide an internet connection anywhere the sky is visible. For mining companies, there

MINERAL EXPLORERS CONDUCTING DRILLING CAMPAIGNS CAN BENEFIT FROM STRONGER TELECOMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITIES.

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is a strong value incentive to such a technology. According to Ackland, mine sites have been deploying edge computing systems to enable more remote operational capabilities. Edge computing is conducted on-site to deliver enough processing power to run remote operations across a mine operation. The need for edge computing has grown during the COVID pandemic as more operations require remote access. However, this can be costly, with Vocus’ “as a service” approach for satellite internet allowing mining companies to save costs and rely on the cloud rather than expensive edge technologies.

MINING SERVICES

“We’ve seen a lot of emergency deployments of edge computing where people are putting server racks inside shipping containers and pumping energy into them to keep them cool,” Ackland said. “From a mining perspective, you’ve got to have reliable low latency highspeed secure connectivity. “Those are the keys to be able to move things away from the edge in terms of the amount of personnel you need to have in potentially high-risk situations – or indeed with COVID – moving people in and out has become more difficult, and the more it can be done remotely the more we can keep production running.” Vocus’ vision for LEO satellites is for them to complement fibre infrastructure through satellite ground stations. The company is a founding partner and shareholder in Australian-based and run Quasar Satellite Technologies, which will deliver the “ground stations as a service” offering. “The fibre network that we’re deploying in WA is going to allow for the creation of satellite earth stations,” Ackland said. “Those satellite earth stations are going to need to be within 500km of the point you’re trying to get communications.” Ackland said the satellite ground stations need to be connected to fibre. For satellite providers, the industryfirst Quasar phased array antenna will allow multiple satellite companies to leverage the same ground station infrastructure. By bringing Quasar’s technology together with Vocus’ fibre infrastructure projects, the company is preparing to provide mining companies with a reliable, stable and low-bandwidth connection. This will cut costs and deliver stable internet by preventing the need for bespoke ground infrastructure. “What we’re seeing with LEO technology is improved connection to satellite services,” Ackland said.

VOCUS IS IMPROVING CONNECTIVITY BY INSTALLING FIBRE NETWORKS.

“For mining companies, you could effectively pull this out of your truck, power it up and have the ability to feed data or have it analysed live through your connection to cloud.” The next wave of mining operations will adopt more smart technology, including autonomous haulage and real-time analysis. Autonomous equipment relies on a strong internet connection to maintain full control over driverless vehicles at a mine site. Even mineral explorers conducting drilling campaigns can benefit

VOCUS IS AIMING TO CONNECT PARTS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND THE NORTHERN TERRITORY TO SINGAPORE WITH FIBRE CABLE.

AUSTRALIANMINING

from stronger telecommunications capabilities. Drilling campaigns usually rely on manually putting data on a hard drive for future analysis. But with border closures remaining a potential issue, LEO technology enables explorers to instead process drilling results in real-time. The mining companies of the future also plan to take advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, which are becoming essential to more efficient maintenance practices along with off-site processing of drilling information. “If you were conducting a drilling campaign with LEO technology you could have live feeds going back to data processing,” Ackland said. “This allows for a far more real-time approach for where it is best to drill; that interactivity is going to lead to more accurate finds and more accurate campaigns. “AI has the ability to compute vast amounts of information, such as analysing drilling data while you’re still out in the field, so you can imagine the benefits of doing that while mobilised, such as an improvement in the productivity of searching resources.”

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Vocus is receiving strong backing from the mining industry for the installation of fibre networks and LEO technology. Companies are aware that this infrastructure will increase their ability to unlock more productivity and efficiency in some of Australia’s most significant mining regions. Vocus’ network operations centres also feature a high level of security to ensure its services are safe, private and reliable. “The bottom line here is that a lot of this operational technology that is being deployed, until now, has been almost exclusive to the bigger end of town,” Ackland said. “A combination of LEO and fibre network competition is going to change the game for these junior miners. “Things are about to get a lot cheaper in terms of their ability to access and leverage this technology and it is quite an exciting time in telecommunications development for mining sector.” As the world evolves alongside technology, Vocus is working hard to connect remote areas of Australia to future opportunities through internet services that drive down costs and time. AM

DRILL AND BLAST

ONE TECH PLATFORM CAN MAKE EACH BLAST SMARTER THAN THE LAST AUSTMINE MEMBER HEXAGON MINING SHARES ITS INSIGHTS AND EXPERIENCE OF SMARTER DRILL AND BLAST PROCESSES. MINEMEASURE PROVIDES ACCURATE BLAST INFORMATION THAT IS USED TO RECOVER ALL OF A MINE’S RESOURCES.

Hexagon’s Power of One approach, a holistic, life-of-mine platform connecting sensors and software, infield apps and cloudware. MineMeasure represents a scalable, platform-agnostic answer to challenges previously addressed by point solutions and multiple vendors. Here’s a closer look.

Blast design and high-precision drilling

here are few certainties in mining, but reduced ore yield is all but guaranteed if errors are made at any stage of the complex, multi-layered, drill and blast (D&B) process. The potential for wasted energy, time, and opportunity costs business more now in an age of declining grades when miners are digging more earth for less ore. In the mining cycle, D&B is arguably the first and most important step to get right. D&B operations impact the entire mining process, from equipment efficiency through crushing and grinding circuit performance to recoveries and final-product quality. Costs and energy usage increase throughout the comminution process. Efforts targeted at optimising the blasting process can pay huge dividends downstream, reducing costs and energy consumption. A correct blast not only optimises cost, but also improves the total cost profile of the entire mine. Correct fragmentation means easier digging, reduced shovel cycle times, reduced rework, less oversize causing downtime at the crusher, lower-cost crushing, and improved tonnes per hour (TPH) through the processing plant. A continuous D&B feedback loop underpinned by technology not only increases the profit from every blast, but also increases a mine’s purchasing power over one of the most expensive parts of the process – explosives.

Hexagon’s MineMeasure is a tailored portfolio for D&B, improving yield, fragmentation, and dilution by combining blast design software, high-precision drills, blast movement monitoring, fragmentation analysis, and enterprise analytics. From one platform, MineMeasure ensures data does its best work, empowering customers with a feedback loop, calibrated to increase profit from every blast. It’s a good example of

A well-designed blast pattern and the effective execution of the blast plan using high-precision drills are an important part of an effective D&B operation. MineMeasure includes a comprehensive software utility for D&B and reconciliation. Rather than risking high-wall stability problems, uneven blasting, poor fragmentation, unnecessarily high energy costs, and dangerous working conditions, MineMeasure incorporates charge and blast design templates that are based on sound engineering principles and methods proven in mines worldwide. The portfolio features machine guidance for drills (as well as dozers and loading equipment). This ensures that drilling is performed to the right

position and elevation. It provides accuracy and instantaneous feedback, meaning improved loading times across the fleet, less mis-routed material, fewer hours of rework on ramps, roads, and benches, and fewer over- and under-drilled holes. It is proven to improve both the quality of material produced and fragmentation with precise drillhole placement and depth. Integration with Hexagon’s operational management hub means a single source of reporting and support.

Blast movement monitoring, fragmentation analysis and blast optimisation

Preparing for the D&B stage, mine operations have already spent significant amounts of money (running into the millions) to accurately locate the ore body and maximise the information known about the surrounding geology. Proven

THE ACQUISITION OF MINNOVARE WILL ACCELERATE AND ENHANCE MINEMEASURE.

AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2022

DRILL AND BLAST

fragmentation analysis and blast monitoring solutions minimise loss and dilution and deliver the data necessary for the next blast pattern design. Acquired by Hexagon in 2020, Blast Movement Technologies (BMT) is an integral part of MineMeasure, providing accurate ore location information for open-pit mines. Via sensors and software, BMT provides accurate blast information that is used to recover all of a mine’s resources. It ensures that, post-blast, the mine retains a full vision of where its ore body moved to. Hexagon’s Split Engineering systems are flexible and can monitor in different areas and process along with the operation automatically, such as in shovels, excavators, loaders, haul trucks, crushers, conveyor belts, mill feed and screen decks. The entire

process can be connected from pit to plant for a unified approach to fragmentation management. Monitoring trends in size at each point in the comminution circuit enables operational adjustments in real time. Alarms can be created for oversize events, reducing the downtime from inefficiencies caused by blockages and broken screen decks.

Precision drilling underground

In January 2022, Hexagon acquired Minnovare, a leading provider of drilling technology that improves the speed, cost and accuracy of underground drilling. Minnovare specialises in eliminating the manual, labour-intensive, and unproductive processes in underground mining that lead to blast-hole deviation, dilution, and

MINEMEASURE INCORPORATES CHARGE AND BLAST DESIGN TEMPLATES.

downtime. Its advanced hardware and data-capture software combine to deliver drill-data faster and more accurately than ever before, improving the efficiency, productivity and

overall profitability of underground drilling operations. Its solutions combine sensors, software and data analytics to address deficiencies in existing drilling processes across the resource definition, development and production phases. The acquisition will enhance MineMeasure and accelerate Hexagon’s underground development roadmap.

A uniquely holistic approach

“DRILL TO MILL” AND “PIT TO PLANT” ARE DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE DESCRIPTIONS FOR COMPLEX PROCESSES.

1988

The ability to tailor fragmentation outcomes and to minimise ore loss and dilutions through blast movement monitoring are proving to be highly sought after. This uniquely holistic view of the operation combines key knowledge banks, such as geology behavior, effects on powder factor, blast design, planning and fleet management. MineMeasure’s comprehensive D&B approach delivers the power to improve the most vital part of the mine, where everything starts with the drill and blast, without losing purchasing power over the bulk commodity blasting material. All from a single technology vendor. That’s the Power of One. AM

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HEAVY INDUSTRY

WORKING AS ONE ENTITY FOR ALL CUSTOMERS ‘ONE MOTION’ AUSTRALIA HAS EXPANDED ITS SERVICE OFFERING FOR HEAVY INDUSTRY.

ines, quarries, and other businesses in the heavy-industry sector are set to reap the benefits of Motion Australia consolidating all of its subsidiary businesses into a single entity. According to national sales manager Grant Gray, the company arrived at this full-circle solution after engaging in important conversations with key suppliers and customers. “Customers were saying to us, ‘We love dealing with you but is there any way we can deal with you as one entity?’” he said. “This prompted us to begin exploring ways that we could mature our business and drive home our desire to streamline our services and foster an ease of doing business. “This is a very exciting time for us

as a business and for our customers; in fact, we are already having conversations about how this broader offering under the one business group will be of benefit to them. “For example, if a customer is looking for bearings and transmission solutions at one of our BSC or CBC locations, they can now also enquire about more advanced industrial solutions such as fluid transfer, hose fittings and connections through our other businesses like Hardy Spicer, CRAM and AIP.” These iconic brands have come together under Motion Australia to create a wholly-owned general parts company. Customers in Australian mining and quarrying sectors now have unmatched coverage of products and services, with access to over 600,000 unique parts from more than 2300 world-class suppliers around the globe. AUSTRALIANMINING

“From a mining and quarrying perspective, we are often dealing with critical deadlines, expensive pieces of machinery and remote harsh conditions,” Gray said. “Particularly on younger mining and quarrying operations, we are looking to understand what their critical parts are by looking at ways that we can extend the life of these components and support their needs surrounding stock, inventory, supply chain, and logistics in the current market climate. “With the transition to One Motion, we want to harness our mechanical and hydraulic engineering expertise by ensuring we have accredited inhouse capabilities, which include rigging, hydraulic sealing, hose manufacturing, seal refurbishments and fully equipped workshops for manufacturing, repairs, welding, fabrication, and design,’ Gray said.

JUNE 2022

“We have a fantastic offering as a larger entity, and we back it up with a very strong workforce and we want to align ourselves with other businesses that have a fantastic footprint by focusing on three key criteria: maintaining the largest stock holding, the largest national footprint, and the largest technical workforce in the country.” While Australian mining operations are considered highly efficient, the cost of production and variable commodity prices still present unique challenges to the market, according to Motion Australia technical manager of strategic partnerships Ross Lee. “Mining applications present the most punishing operating conditions for products in Motion Australia’s scope such as bearings, shaft seals, power transmission drive units, fluid power systems, hydraulic

HEAVY INDUSTRY

WITH THE MOVE TO ONE MOTION, THE COMPANY WANTS TO HARNESS ITS EXPERTISE ACROSS THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OR MINING AND OTHER HEAVY INDUSTRIES.

cylinders seals, hoses, and driveshaft assemblies,” Lee said. “As we continue to expand our capabilities in these products and services, we are also focusing on more advanced ways to avert downtime and maximise production continuity, crucial to our customers’ bottom-line results.” A few of these ways, according to Lee, are an increased focus on predictive maintenance and remote condition-monitoring of machine health, application of best and safest practices for maintenance procedures, and utilising the latest in machinery component technologies. “Beyond supporting the supply of quality industrial products, Motion Australia’s service scope looks to address the unsatisfactory service life of equipment components by employing countermeasures such as improved part capability, engineering design analysis, and best practices for mounting, installation and adjustment,” Lee said. “This also encompasses optimising lubrication procedures and providing frontline sealing protection for machinery modules exposed to harsh operating environments. Plus rapid response services in the event of equipment breakdown.” Motion Australia is consulted on a wide range of mining and quarrying

equipment operating issues every year, which continuously adds to the company’s application-problem knowledge base for utilisation across their nationwide technical support network. On- and off-site, maintenance support services represent a key aspect of the company’s expanding level of frontline support to the mining and quarrying industries. “The challenges we are seeing now in these industries are uncertainty surrounding supply chain, transport and logistics, as well as demands around inventory,” Gray said. “We are still currently seeing some shortages globally, so our aim is to help supply align with demands in production right now. “We will achieve this by offering more comprehensive programs and increased efficiencies, ranging from cost savings to automated inventory management solutions to asset management. This will happen by leveraging our technology, expertise and the established processes we bring to the table as a larger organisation. “If you look at the multitude of businesses out there, it’s all about ensuring that you have the bandwidth of offerings and we are pleased to be able to say that we do,” Gray said. “These industries are not new to us, and our businesses are not new to our

customers. Many of our businesses are long-term entrenched companies that have been doing what they do for more than 100 years. “So, you know, this is not our first rodeo.” Motion employs more 60 expertlevel engineers around Australia, each with their own specific skill set in their field. “Our team has extensive practical experience and knowledge, and they truly excel talking directly with end users on-site to understand every individual application and how to achieve the best outcomes for each one,” Gray said. The changes customers can expect to see as these internal industrial solutions businesses transition to a single entity are many and varied. But there is one key area of growth that is certain: customer relationships. “Now we can approach the customers that we have built up a level of trust and transparency with over a long period of time and start to have a dialogue about what other offerings we have as a company,” Gray said. “Already having these relationships established lays the groundwork for us and makes the job a little bit easier. But, above all else, we want our customers to feel comfortable to come and talk to us about what’s next.” AM

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INNOVATION

SAVING STRANDED INNOVATION ADRIAN BEER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF METS IGNITED, OUTLINES THE CRITICAL DUAL ROLE MINING PLAYS IN THE CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE, AND THE STRANDED TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD REVOLUTIONISE THE INDUSTRY.

ociety is in the middle of a clean energy transition, which has come with an increasing demand for critical minerals and metals. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) has become the number-one priority for many shareholders. Governments’ industry priorities are changing, investors are focused on emissions through the value chain, and technology can trace the provenance of minerals through the supply chain. METS Ignited chief executive Adrian Beer told Australian Mining the industry was facing a multidimensional transformation. “The first dimension is supply-side,” he said. “We are seeing a huge increase in demand in the minerals required to supply, transport and distribute clean energy – the battery minerals and rare earths for magnets in turbines. “On the flip side, there’s also a dramatic shift in the process of mining and the equipment used to reduce environmental impact, such as the electrification of mines, optimisation and alternative mining methods.” The mining of critical minerals often has shorter cycle times in smaller satellite deposits. This changes the economies of scale when compared with traditional operations, which can have decades to generate returns on their capital investment. This fundamentally alters how investment decisions are made, which ore bodies are mined, and what markets are prioritised to supply. Scale also affects the equipment and technology vendors. Long-life assets could previously invest millions into research and development to overcome specific challenges, benefiting research institutions, or the large engineering companies at the forefront of innovation. Beer said this model was less economically viable as mines become more agile. “Those outside the industry think that mining is slow to embrace change, but most of the technologies like autonomous mining vehicles were implemented decades ago,” he said. “The biggest struggle the sector is facing isn’t change, it’s the maturity of the processes to manage that change. Many of our large miners try

to solve problems themselves, as their operations are unique and therefore need bespoke technology.” “Their focus was to invest directly in research collaborations to solve their unique challenges. It is not their role to commercialise those solutions. “Without a translation engine for these research outcomes, such as Australia’s vendor community, our local economy is missing out when it comes to the delivery of problem-solving technology.” Beer uses Sweden as an example of a region with a mature vendor environment. Mining in the Arctic Circle takes place underground and at low grades, making it a highly complex environment within which to operate. The Swedish Mining Clusters invested into “vendors”, into companies that find commercially viable ways around the common problems different companies were facing. These solutions are translated into products and services sold and made available around the world. Beer said these vendors command a significant amount of market share globally. If you can provide and economic solution in the Arctic circle, it is likely to work well elsewhere. “In Australia, we are missing that investment link in the go-to-market,” Beer said. “We need to support our home-grown technology vendors to commercialise these stranded technologies if we want our local economy to realise its full potential.” METS Ignited is an industry growth centre that was initially set up to commercialise innovation in the mining equipment, technology and services sector. The organisation is nearing the end of its initial government funding and in transition towards long-term sustainability – releasing these stranded technologies. It partners with research centres and mines to determine the readiness level of the different technologies and help vendors partner with investors to make them commercially available. “In Australia, our mining companies have sustained investment for such a long time that we have world-leading researchers,” Beer said. “They’ve created software applications, advanced data analytics, automated technology and helped optimise mineral processes at mines around the world.

AUSTRALIANMINING

METS IGNITED CHIEF EXECUTIVE ADRIAN BEER BELIEVES THE MINING INDUSTRY NEEDS TO BETTER SHOWCASE ITS USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

“However, vendors are the vehicle for commercialising these research outcomes, which often only make it to proven pilots or prototypes that haven’t been fully rolled out. “This is a revenue opportunity for our research sector, which needs to attract new investments, and as mines get smaller and the life of mine becomes shorter. Vendors commercialising these technologies in partnership with research helps to create jobs and grows our economy.” Innovation around emissionreducing technology is becoming increasingly more important as mining companies move towards their 2030 emissions targets. Beer said the industry was bucking against public perception and sharing

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technology for the benefit of the sector. “Our biggest challenge is the branding issue that is facing the mining sector, and we have ourselves to blame,” he said. “While we are supplying the minerals that a clean energy future depends on, we’re not showcasing what we do as an industry. “Our sector is built on sustained innovation, technologies in high demand across multiple other sectors. “Our future is bright, but challenging. “We need the best and brightest to come into our sector – and realise we do care, we do invest, and we are looking for technology to make a difference.” AM

UNDERGROUND MINING

CJD TECHNOLOGY DRIVES SUCCESS OF UNDERGROUND MINING FLEET BYRNECUT PREFERS WORKING WITH LEADING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY TO STAY ‘A CUT ABOVE’ COMPETING UNDERGROUND MINING CONTRACTORS. ONE WAY THEY ACHIEVE THIS IS BY RELYING ON CJD EQUIPMENT. BYRNECUT INVESTED IN A FLEET OF VOLVO MACHINES, INCLUDING THE VOLVO L120 SERIES WHEEL LOADERS

ounded in 1987, Byrnecut has established itself into a highly specialised underground contract mining company in the global sector, operating a multi-million-dollar fleet of equipment. “The thing that sets us apart is our willingness to embrace technology,” Max Woods, Byrnecut group plant asset

manager, said. “The way we see it, we can’t afford not to successfully adopt new technologies. “Often, we will see other operators in the industry bring in a new product or system for a few months and abandon it at the first sign of trouble. Whereas, we have a reputation of committing to making technology work to its full potential.”

BYRNECUT USES VOLVO A40 ARTICULATED HAULERS CONVERTED INTO WATER TRUCKS.

AUSTRALIANMINING

Through CJD, Byrnecut has invested in a fleet of Volvo machines, including the Volvo L120 series wheel loaders, the Volvo A40 articulated hauler converted into water trucks, and the ECR235E excavator. “The majority of contractors or owner–operators in the industry are using Volvos because of the quality of their machines and their lower rated exhaust emissions,” Woods said. “All of the latest series of Volvo machines are US tier-four final or stagefour specification for exhaust emissions. “So within our business, Volvo is pretty firmly entrenched as the preferred product for underground mining applications.” But with an underground mining presence spanning across more than 15 countries, Byrnecut’s competitive advantage extends beyond acquiring a premium fleet and a sophisticated approach to technology. “As a contractor, we prioritise management of our resources and assets across multiple projects and varying workloads, which has contributed greatly to our success over the years,” Woods said. “And above all else, our most valuable asset as a business is our people.

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“The underground mining industry is unique and attracts people who are passionate about the work they do. We have a good number of seasoned employees who have been with the business for a long time and are wellrecognised across the industry.” A lot of Byrnecut’s decision-making on how resources are allocated for operations is based on the feedback of its experienced operators. “Before we scale any new technology, we require operator acceptance,” Woods said. “Typically, when we look at a new machine, whether it’s a new model or manufacturer, we have operators participate in our operational risk assessments. “They will observe every machine’s performance in terms of operability. Equipment is assessed for longevity, serviceability, maintenance acceptance, and any other characteristics that might make it advantageous for our business to invest in long-term. “For example, Volvo is very focused on ergonomic designs and operator comfort, which is something our team appreciates.” Another thing to consider when testing a new machine is how well it can meet specifications for underground mining applications in accordance with mining design guidelines (MDG 15), Woods explained. To assess the performance of a piece of equipment, Byrnecut organises a “pre-delivery”, where the company brings a standard machine up to the required specification and observes how it performs on an underground mine site. “CJD in particular are well versed in preparing the machines for underground mining operations,” Woods said. “We have monthly product health meetings with CJD, where we review our product usage to see if there’s any areas that they can assist us with improvements and maintenance. “We also do safety checks and software updates with them on a servicing plan.” “Our working relationship with CJD is strong. We have an expectation of their technology, and they deliver on that expectation with the extra mile included.” AM

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MINING SERVICES

CAPS EXPANDS RENTAL CAPABILITY WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING RENTAL OPTIONS FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY, CAPS AUSTRALIA HAS FLEXIBILITY AND APPLICABILITY FRONT OF MIND.

APS Australia offers one of the widest ranges of industrial air compressors in the country. In a world where mining supply chains are incurring more disruptions than ever before and sourcing locally has never been more important, hire options have become increasingly popular – and necessary. CAPS national rental coordinator Rhys McIntyre believes this demand can also be put down to distinct financial preferences within the mining sector. “A lot of the mining companies rely a lot on operational expense instead of capital expenditure,” he told Australian Mining. “So it’s quicker and easier to get the required machines onsite through rental. “If sites need a short-term, mediumterm, long-term solution, they can come to us and we can provide it.” Indeed, everything from portable diesel air compressors to electric air compressors, dryers, receivers for a complete air solution can be rented from CAPS. It’s one thing to hire a machine, it’s another to ensure that machine is applicable to a particular mining environment. And that’s why standardisation is so important. “Over the last three years, we’ve been focused on standardising our equipment,” McIntyre said. “This helps ensure safety, interoperability, and compatibility of equipment we supply to sites. “If a customer wants multiples of one type (of air compressor) and

CAPS NATIONAL RENTAL COORDINATOR RHYS MCINTYRE WITH THE COMPANY’S RENTAL FLEET.

comes to us and says, ‘We want 8000 CFM (cubic feet per minute) at –20 to –33 (dew point)’, CAPS can provide 8x1000 CFM portable diesel machines connected to fuel tanks and plumbed into desiccant dryers and air receivers.” CAPS also has its rental purchase option (RPO) available for all stocked rental machines. Customers can rent for a minimum of 12 months up to 48 months and have the option of purchasing the equipment on any anniversary. The monthly rental rate of the equipment is reduced every 12 months as it wears.

CUSTOMERS CAN ACCESS A COMPLETE AIR SOLUTION THROUGH CAPS’ RENTAL OPTIONS.

AUSTRALIANMINING

McIntyre said the RPO was about giving mining companies greater flexibility. “It can often be hard to get capital expenditure approved, so what we offer with the RPO is, it’s like a rental but at every 12-month anniversary they’ve got the option to purchase it,” he said. “So it gets to four years and the capital expenditure might be $20,000 instead of $150,000 to buy it originally. This is a more palatable figure for capital expenditure.” CAPS has its own ISO (International Organization for Standardization)accredited engineering division to ensure all rental machines can be customised to an operation’s unique requirements. “All of our equipment is mine-spec (mine specification) as standard,” McIntyre said. “We have standardised our product modifications across the range so all machines are compliant with mine site specifications and will withstand the hot and harsh conditions.” Once equipment has been commissioned, CAPS has service centres across the country to attend to all rental equipment servicing requirements or product alterations. As a trusted partner to the Western Australia mining industry, the company has an especially strong presence in

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Perth and Kalgoorlie, though it has also established itself in Mackay, Queensland, and elsewhere in Australia. CAPS has had a presence in Newcastle, NSW, for over 30 years and the company recently opened up a dedicated rental facility in the city to add to its support of the area. “Newcastle’s a really strong hub for the Hunter Valley coal mining region and is going to be our large east-coast rental hub,” McIntyre said. “So we’ll be offering a lot of the larger portable diesels and large electric compressors with all the necessary ancillary equipment such as dryers, fuel tanks and air receivers to suit.” CAPS has also launched a service hub in Launceston, Tasmania, assisting companies and contractors with all of their air compressor service, repair and rental needs. With more than 42 years in the books, CAPS’ reputation alone solidifies the company as an important part of the Australian mining equipment, technology and services (METS) industry. You can’t build a reputation without a focus on product excellence, premium service and having an affinity for innovation. CAPS has these in spades. AM

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EQUIPMENT

LIEBHERR BRANCHES OUT IN THE WA GOLDFIELDS LIEBHERR-AUSTRALIA RECENTLY OPENED ITS THIRD WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MINING BRANCH TO MUCH EXCITEMENT. THE OPENING OF THE KALGOORLIE BRANCH REPRESENTS A RETURN TO THE REGION FOR LIEBHERR.

he official opening of Liebherr’s Kalgoorlie branch was held on Thursday April 28, with employees, customers, partners, and community members joining at the Kakarra Road site to celebrate. Located 588km east of Perth, the location will allow Liebherr to provide fast and efficient parts and services to its large customer base in Kalgoorlie and the surrounding areas. The Kalgoorlie branch marks Liebherr’s return to the region and represents the recent growth the

company has experienced in the district. Located in the heart of the WA Goldfields, the expansion signifies Liebherr’s diversified portfolio, not only of equipment and services, but also a wider range of commodities. Since 2018, Liebherr has grown from fewer than five excavators to now more than 30 machines within a 600km radius of Kalgoorlie, including mining excavators, off-highway trucks, and dozers. Liebherr has continued to expand its products worldwide and the company has grown steadily throughout its six-decade-plus history.

While the company’s offices can be found throughout the country, the new opening marks a reappearance in the region for Liebherr. The company was present in the area through an agent between 1986 and 1990, before taking over as the official original equipment manufacturer (OEM) dealership from 1990 to 2006. “Returning to Kalgoorlie marks the success we’ve had in recent years in growing our equipment fleet in the region,” Liebherr managing director Trent Wehr said. “We have always been committed to providing the best support to our customers and

THE OPENING WAS ATTENDED BY EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS, PARTNERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

THE NEW LOCATION WILL ALLOW LIEBHERR TO PROVIDE FAST AND EFFICIENT PARTS AND SERVICES TO ITS CUSTOMERS IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

AUSTRALIANMINING

establishing the Kalgoorlie branch will only further enable us to provide these services.” As with all Liebherr operations, customers can expect a high level of service and support from the Kalgoorlie branch. The branch features a 1000m² warehouse where customers will be able to find necessary parts and Liebherr tooling. The site will also be supported by full-time parts personnel. Customer support and service teams will use the branch as a hub when travelling between sites and, along with the parts warehouse, the new branch will also feature a 180m² office space. Having the branch in Kalgoorlie will also provide support in the form of fast access to spare parts and critical customer service for customers and their equipment in the region. An exciting component of the branch is how it will cater to growth. Located on a 10,000m² block, future expansion could allow for equipment to be built on the premises as demand grows. The branch has enough room to store equipment on-site, along with a fully equipped wash bay. The Kalgoorlie facility will be supported by the main mining branch in Perth, along with LiebherrAustralia’s head office, national distribution centre, and production facility in Adelaide. Customers can now find Liebherr branches in Mackay, Queensland; Mt Thorley , NSW; and in Perth and Newman, WA; along with the head office and national distribution centre in Adelaide, SA. AM

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INDUSTRY EVENTS

QME: BACK IN MACKAY AND BIGGER THAN EVER

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TAKING PLACE IN MACKAY IN JULY, QME WILL ILLUSTRATE THE WORLD-CLASS CAPABILITIES OF THE QUEENSLAND RESOURCES SECTOR, SHOWCASING INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE ON A LARGER SCALE THAN EVER BEFORE.

ueensland’s mining industry has weathered the last two years particularly well, and the scale of this year’s Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition (QME) is a strong reflection of the sector’s resilience. Returning to Mackay from July 19–21, QME will see Queensland’s innovation, excellence and world-class capabilities on display once again. With a packed roster of over 280 exhibitors, including Atlas Copco, Mastermyne, RYCO 24•7, Volvo Penta, ABB Australia, WEG and Fulton Hogan, 2022 sees QME serve up one of its biggest-ever celebrations. Mackay Regional Council mayor Greg Williamson said the biennial event was a highlight on the local calendar and an excellent opportunity to showcase the region’s extensive mining capabilities. “QME is a barometer of the resources sector’s confidence and operational scale in Queensland, and in 2022, it looks to be the best in nearly a decade,” he said. “We’re so proud of what QME brings to Mackay and are thrilled to host the exhibition at the Mackay Showgrounds once again.” Beyond the exhibition floor, QME features a free-to-attend seminar series, live demonstrations and presentations, plus exclusive industry events like the QME Opening Party and the Queensland Mining Awards. Exhibition director Samantha Martin is excited to see the industry’s engagement with the QME program. “QME 2022 is breaking records in so many ways – our outdoor space is set to

QME IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS ON THE AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES INDUSTRY’S ANNUAL CALENDAR.

be nearly 300 per cent larger than QME 2018, and we’ve got exhibitors from all over Queensland and Australia who are eager to meet with customers face-toface once again,” Martin said. The Opening Party on Tuesday July 19 – hosted by QME in conjunction with the Queensland Resources Council – is expected to attract hundreds of guests and will be sponsored by Hastings Deering. Hastings Deering chief executive officer and managing director Mark Scott said the event will be an unmissable opportunity to network with the people who make things happen in the industry. “We’re proud to partner with QME once again as they celebrate nearly three decades of showcasing the best our industry has to offer. It’s never been

ANYONE PARTICIPATING IN OR SUPPLYING TO QUEENSLAND’S MINING INDUSTRY IS WELCOME TO ATTEND THE EVENT.

AUSTRALIANMINING

more important to connect with our peers, as that’s where true innovation happens.” The QME Seminar Series, sponsored by Komatsu, will feature panel sessions, keynotes and thought-provoking topics including innovation, industry outlook, exponential technology, workforce, government and policy, and occupational health and safety. With thousands of attendees expected and an expanded exhibition floor, the Seminar Series promises to be another major drawcard in an actionpacked week. Noteworthy industry experts speaking at QME’s Seminar Series include Ian MacFarlane (Queensland Resources Council chief executive), Melanie Saul (Pembroke Resources ESG manager) and Professor David Williams (director of the Geotechnical Engineering Centre at University of Queensland’s School of Civil Engineering). Joanne Bergamin (QEM Limited’s director of communications) will also be there, as will Kristy Purdon (Anglo American work management superintendent), Lydia Gentle (BHP maintenance manager) and Tanya Cambetis (Glencore execution specialist). It’s not just industry suppliers exhibiting at QME. The Mining House Pavilion will play host to major mining

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companies such as Anglo American, BHP, Bravus Mining & Resources, Glencore, MacKellar Group, Multicom Resources and Whitehaven Coal. The Queensland Resources Council is a strong supporter of the event, and chief executive Ian Macfarlane said an expanded QME was an excellent reflection on the sector’s strength over the past few years. “Mining is one of the top three drivers of the Queensland economy, and the royalties from the sector are essential to Australia’s continued economic growth and jobs,” he said. “One in every six jobs in the state is supported by the resources sector, and in the last financial year we contributed a record $84.3 billion dollars to the Queensland economy. “With this in mind, it’s fantastic to see the sector coming together at QME to discuss the next wave of innovation and how we can continue to stay at the leading edge of technology and sustainability for the future.” Anyone participating in or supplying to Queensland’s mining industry is welcome to visit the three-day event. In particular, engineers, management and site personnel will benefit from the program and exhibition. AM QME will be held from July 19–21 at the Mackay Showgrounds. To register for free, visit qmeexpo.com.au

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EQUIPMENT

SOURCING USED EQUIPMENT FROM ACROSS THE WORLD RITCHIE BROS. IS A WORLD LEADER IN THE USED EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY, AND THE DEMAND FOR THE COMPANY’S SALES PLATFORM CONTINUES TO INCREASE AMID GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS.

riginal equipment manufacturers (OEMs) play a critical role in the Australian mining industry, as they engineer and innovate equipment to keep the sector turning. However, as global supply chains tighten, it’s important mining companies and contractors are able to source machinery through different avenues. Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the used equipment market has experienced strong buyer demand, filling the global supply chain gap for new equipment. A frontrunner in the used equipment industry, Ritchie Bros. has cast the net wide, leveraging its connections to source machinery solutions from across the globe.

Every month, thousands of people across the world buy equipment at Ritchie Bros.’ unreserved auctions, it’s 24–7 online retail channel Marketplace-E, and through private treaty. To complement the equipment, the company provides the services and information needed to buy with confidence. “We’re in every continent in the world,” Ritchie Bros. Asia Pacific sales director Finlay Massey told Australian Mining. “We’re located in South America, North America, Europe, South-East Asia, Africa. We’ve got fulltime employees in all of these areas. “This gives you the ability to inspect equipment in the various countries, do the local negotiations on the purchasing side and do physical inspections, as well as supply photos and downloads and all the necessary information the buyer would need.”

It’s not only about sourcing the equipment but having the ability to get it to Australia quickly. This is where Ritchie Bros.’ global shipping and importing expertise comes to the fore. “We sourced a very low-hour Caterpillar 994K wheel loader from Europe and shipped it into Australia which ended up going to a major iron ore miner. That arrived in two months,” Massey said. “A customer recently enquired looking for a low-hour late-model Caterpillar D10T dozer. We sourced one in Japan and can have it here in five weeks.” Ritchie Bros.’ sourcing capabilities not only come from the company’s global footprint but also its understanding in commodity markets. “Commodity prices aren’t just domestic to Australia, they’re global,” Massey said. “Historically, Indonesia

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE BUY EQUIPMENT THROUGH BROS.’ SALES CHANNELS EVERY MONTH. RITCHIE BROS.RITCHIE HAS THE CAPABILITY TO SOURCE USED EQUIPMENT FROM ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE.

AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2022

has been a very strong sourcing place to find equipment for Australians. “At the moment, coal prices are up, their demands up as well, so the used equipment supply from Indonesia has decreased compared to where it was 12 months ago.” While rising commodity prices create their own unique buying behaviours, they typically lead to higher cash flow for mining companies, creating greater appetite for growth and increased desire for equipment. This puts Ritchie Bros. front and centre. Ritchie Bros.’ 2022 Australian Unreserved End of Financial Year (EOFY) Auction is taking place from June 22–23 and stands as the perfect opportunity for companies to capitalise on any outstanding tax opportunities. Massey said the EOFY auction is a popular event because companies will be looking to make some closing deals before the new financial year begins. “Many companies don’t know their current financial situation until very late in the financial year,” he said. “So having our auction at the end of the financial year gives them an opportunity to have their facts and figures right when looking to buy or sell. “You’ve got some companies that need to offload assets at that time of year, and you’ve got others that need to acquire assets in order to take advantage of the 100 per cent write off which is on offer.” As Ritchie Bros. continues to expand its global footprint, the company’s sourcing capabilities will only increase, enabling used equipment to be located and shipped more quickly. And in a mining industry where speed and efficiency come first, Ritchie Bros.’ sales platform is only going to grow in popularity. AM

2022

AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS

Perth, November 2022

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN Australia’s premier Awards for the mining and minerals processing industry

prospectawards.com.au PRESENTED BY

Australian Mining June 2022

Articles inside

EVENTS

MINING SERVICES

INNOVATION

PRODUCTS

MINING SERVICES

NEWS

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

COMPANY PROFILE

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK