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COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY VOLUME 111/8 | SEPTEMBER 2019

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

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COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY VOLUME 111/8 | SEPTEMBER 2019

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

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COMMENT

GOLDFIELDS EVENT A SOLID GAUGE OF MINING STRENGTH BEN CREAGH

Ben.Creagh@primecreative.com.au

WHAT WAS THE STAR ATTRACTION AT THIS YEAR’S DIGGER AND DEALERS MINING FORUM AT KALGOORLIE-BOULDER?

At more than $2220 during the gala dinner that closed Diggers and Dealers, the gold price had the event buzzing. About the only thing the gold industry didn’t deliver was the rumoured change of ownership for the Super Pit mine. However, gold wasn’t the only star attraction. Iron ore is, of course, enjoying a brilliant run of its own, and the miners of the steel-making material extended the positivity. Nickel, meanwhile, is also in a healthy position and the miners of the region’s other major commodity didn’t hold back about the prospects for the metal as the electric vehicle industry expands. Interest also followed the likes of rare earths, copper and lithium, which all continue to receive attention for their potential in the years ahead for similar reasons. There was growth and opportunity at almost every turn at an event that was as big as ever in 2019 – a great sign for the industry and an encouraging sign for one of Australia’s most well-known mining regions.

ining events can often be a barometer of the health of the Australian mining industry. If the 2019 Diggers and Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie-Boulder is any guide, then, the industry is in great shape. At least in Western Australia. Registrations for this year’s event reached more than 2400 delegates, just below the record 2440 that were in attendance at the height of the boom earlier this decade, but above the 2350 that attended in 2018. It was a great result for the Western Australian mining industry and a welcome boost for the economy of the Goldfields city. Locals from Western Australia were, as expected, the leading attendees with 70 per cent of the delegates. However, attendees from the Eastern States contributed 25 per cent of the delegates, with a further five per cent coming from overseas. Encouragingly, the statistical efforts of the event were backed by optimism on the stage from the 50 executives that presented over three days for Australia’s leading mining companies. As is often the case in Australia’s gold capital, the precious metal led the way. While the attendance was worth noting, it was nothing compared with the commotion that followed the surging Aussie dollar gold price that crept higher throughout the event.

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AUSTRALIANMINING

In this edition of Australian Mining, we review the key highlights from the 2019 Diggers and Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. We look at the resurgence of the Victorian gold sector by talking to a number of companies that are ramping up activity in the state. Australian Mining speaks to a selection of leading technology companies to find out what their plans are. This issue also features coverage of the diversity and inclusion programs that have been launched on both sides of Australia. And as usual, we review the latest mining equipment and technology in our regular products spread.

Cover image: National Group (Red Empire Media).

Ben Creagh Editor

DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

FRONT COVER

PRIME CREATIVE MEDIA Suite 303, 1-9 Chandos Street Saint Leonards NSW 2065, Australia www.primecreative.com.au © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2016 All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

SEPTEMBER 2019

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CONTENTS FUTURE OF MINING

DIGGERS AND DEALERS INSIGHTS FROM THE 2019 EVENT Gold shares the spotlight in Kalgoorlie-Boulder

48-49

12-13

MINING’S FINAL FRONTIER The infinite reserve of outer space elements

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

INTERNATIONAL

50-52

VICTORIAN GOLDFIELDS REVIVAL Exploring Victoria’s gold mining landscape

ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY BMC Minerals’ Yukon prospects in Canada

15-17 COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

MINING EQUIPMENT

ELECTRIC VEHICLES DRIVE LITHIUM SECTOR Is the lithium industry ready for the boom?

LIFT ASSIST DRIVES SAFETY BENEFITS Thiess and Nivek’s collaboration at Mt Owen

19-20 TECHNOLOGY

INDUSTRY COMMENT

REALISING DIGITAL MINES’ POTENTIAL Future of technology development in mining

54-55

THREE DECADES OF TRANSFORMATION How maintenance has changed in the METS sector over the years

22-24 COMMUNITY PRESERVING AUSTRALIA’S CULTURE Indigenous influence at Australian mines

PROCESSING

56-57

LINCOM DELIVERS NEW CRUSHER The crusher that ticks processing boxes

27-28 COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

MATERIALS HANDLING

A GOLD ROAD TO GRUYERE AND BEYOND What’s next for Gold Road Resources?

58 30-31

MINING EQUIPMENT A SITE VISIT FOR THE AGES National Group’s super showcase at Peak Downs

MATERIALS HANDLING A NEW ERA OF CONVEYOR MONITORING Fortescue’s digital approach to conveyor health

ENVIRONMENT

34-35

LANDMARK MOMENT IN CLIMATE BATTLE Discussing BHP’s climate investment program

EASY TRACKING ON SHAKY GROUND Innovation in the conveyor market arrives

TRAINING & EDUCATION HYDAC’S LEARNING HUB Teaching hydraulics, automation and control

TRACKING THE TRENDS LEARNING FROM THE PAST Avoiding project mistakes made during the boom

36-37

ENERGY

UNEARTHING GREATER OPPORTUNITIES Total Oil’s investment in research and development

PROFILE METS IGNITED WELCOMES NEW CEO A new chapter of innovation for METS sector

PROSPECT AWARDS

62-64

MINING SERVICES

SECTOR LEADERS ON MINING PROSPECTS Speaking with the sponsors of the 2019 event

42-43

METSO-OUTOTEC MERGER The possible impact of the major agreement

INNOVATION

DIGITAL MINING

PUSHING TOWARDS INNOVATION Advitech drives mining industry improvements

44-45

A GUIDE TO USING BIG DATA Rockwell Automation explains how to use data

PRODUCT FOCUS MATERIALS HANDLING

QUALITY AIR UNDERGROUND Minova provides breathing protection for miners

46-47

CONVEYOR MAINTENANCE TIPS How to prevent major conveyor belt issues

REGULARS NEWS 9-10

PRODUCTS 68-69

AUSTRALIANMINING

EVENTS 70

SEPTEMBER 2019

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NEWS

THE LATEST MINING AND SAFETY NEWS AUSTRALIAN MINING AND SAFE TO WORK PRESENT THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE BOARDROOM TO THE MINE AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN. VISIT WWW.AUSTRALIANMINING.COM.AU AND WWW.SAFETOWORK.COM.AU TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING. ANGLO AMERICAN GIVES AQUILA PROJECT GREEN LIGHT ANGLO AMERICAN’S AQUILA COLLIERY IN QUEENSLAND.

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

Anglo American will extend the life of the Capcoal underground metallurgical coal operations in Central Queensland by six years after approving the Aquila project. The company plans to spend $US226 million ($325 million) to revive the Aquila operation, which was placed under care and maintenance earlier this decade due to low coal prices. Development of the Aquila project is set to begin in September and first longwall production is scheduled for early 2022. Anglo American claims it will be developing Aquila into one of the most technologically advanced underground mines in the world,

technologies. “Anglo American has been at the forefront of embracing innovation to drive the next level of mine safety and performance, and our Aquila mine will be developed as one of the most technologically advanced underground mines in the world,” Mitchelson said. “We will pursue remote operation of the Aquila longwall, ensuring our people are removed from harm’s way, and the continued digitisation of our operations, using new technologies such as our Australianfirst intrinsically safe underground electronic tablets.” Mitchelson said Aquila would provide ongoing employment opportunities

with features such as a remotelyoperated longwall. The company will adopt its FutureSmart Mining program, which aims to apply innovative thinking and advanced technology to address operational and sustainability challenges. Aquila’s development will extend the mine life of the Bowen Basin operations to 2028. The project has been designed to annually produce five million tonnes of coking coal. Anglo American’s Metallurgical Coal business chief executive, Tyler Mitchelson, said the company was leveraging the innovative work already under way at its existing sites and scaling the development of new

for the company’s workforce at the adjacent Grasstree underground mine as it moved towards closure. “Importantly, the project will provide continuity for our local workforce, with planning under way to transition employees to Aquila from Grasstree, as it approaches its end of life,” Mitchelson added. Anglo American manages the Capcoal open cut and Grasstree underground operations at the Capcoal complex. The underground operations are 70 per cent owned by Anglo American, with Mitsui & Co holding the remaining 30 per cent.

BHP PLOTS MASSIVE AUTOMATION ROLL OUT ACROSS AUSTRALIA BHP will potentially introduce up to 500 autonomous trucks at its Australian open cut operations, a tenfold increase on the company’s existing fleet at the Jimblebar mine in the Pilbara. The hundreds of autonomous trucks would operate across BHP Mitsubishi Alliance’s (BMA) coal sites and BHP’s iron ore business. BMA asset president James Palmer said BHP would prepare its workforce for the arrival of the autonomous haulage fleet.

mine, where it operates a fully autonomous haulage fleet. The company has also created training and upskilling opportunities for its workforce through the development of its integrated remote operations centre (IROC) in Brisbane. More than half of IROC’s mine control team were heavy vehicles operators, according to Palmer. BHP, meanwhile, plans to add 400 permanent jobs across its BMA sites – half of which will be recruited

“Over time as we progress – yes, let’s be transparent – this will likely mean our business has fewer operators physically on the equipment,” Palmer said. “But it will mean more controllers, more builders and more technicians. It will mean less physical and less routine jobs. But it will mean more dynamic, fulfilling careers.” BHP has reported a reduction of 90 per cent in significant incidents involving trucks at the Jimblebar

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

from regional communities – on top of the 400 full-time jobs already generated within the coal division. “We’ve heard the strong calls from our workforce – and indeed the communities where we operate – to reduce long-term labour hire and create more permanent employment,” Palmer said. “As the world continues to change – and so too does our industry and indeed BMA itself – we must not lose sight of our position within a larger ecosystem.”

NEWS

LEADING WA CONTRACTORS SECURE $250M OF RIO TINTO WORK Rio Tinto has awarded $250 million worth of contracts to BGC Contracting and Monadelphous Group for work at the Robe River Joint Venture’s West Angelas iron ore mine in the Pilbara. In 2018, Rio Tinto approved a $579 million investment alongside JV partners Mitsui & Co and Nippon Steel to develop Deposits C and D at the Western Australian operation. BGC Contracting has been awarded a contract for earthworks and civil construction of the two new deposits. The contractor’s work will include constructing the concrete foundations for the new iron ore facilities, in

addition to utilities infrastructure and heavy and light vehicle road networks that will connect the existing processing plant with the deposits. BGC Contracting is due to commence work on site in early October 2019, with the contract scheduled for completion in December 2020. The West Angelas project will display the multidisciplinary capability of BGC’s construction team to deliver the large earthworks and civil works project, according to BGC Contracting chief executive Greg Heylen. “This latest contract award is a further step in the company’s diversification

strategy,” Heylen said. Monadelphous, meanwhile, will supply and install the structural, mechanical, piping and electrical and instrumentation works associated with the construction of new iron ore facilities, as well as modifications to existing plant. Perth-based Monadelphous will immediately commence the work, which is scheduled for completion in April 2021. Its share of the contracts is worth in excess of $100 million, according to a company ASX announcement. Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Chris

Salisbury said the contract awards were further demonstration of the company’s commitment to buy locally as it invested in a strong pipeline of development projects. “This pipeline will continue to provide opportunities for WA businesses to compete as we look to local components to support our mines of the future,” Salisbury said. Rio Tinto expects to deliver first ore from the expansion projects in 2021. The development of the new West Angelas deposits will help the company sustain production of its premium Pilbara Blend iron ore product.

THYSSENKRUPP SELLS MORE CRUSHERS TO NORTHPARKES Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions will supply the first double mouth jaw-gyratory crusher to be sold in the world to the CMOC-Northparkes block cave underground mine in New South Wales. Northparkes is also the first mine to use Thyssenkrupp’s standard indirect fed jaw-gyratory crusher BK 63-75, which was intended for the mine’s newly developed block caving concept. “The first BK 63-75 crusher of its kind was commissioned underground

at Northparkes in 2003, followed by a second installation in 2009,” engineering superintendent of the Northparkes E26L1N block cave mine project, Ian Smith said. “Northparkes has worked closely with Thyssenkrupp over the years to develop and make improvements to these crushers and has developed great confidence in the reliability and robustness of the BK 63-75 crusher. We look forward to the new DBK 6375 being commissioned.” The BK 63-75 solution for block

caving mines is the basis of the double mouth jaw-gyratory crusher’s development, coupled with consultation with Northparkes to meet the mine’s “very specific” operating objectives. Thyssenkrupp has developed a new, patented spider for the double mouth crusher to give the opportunity to feed the crusher from both sides, removing the need for a primary crusher feed hopper and primary apron feeder. “What makes this order significant is that this will be the first ‘double-

mouth’ jaw-gyratory crusher supplied in the world,” Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions Australia head of sales Ben Suda said. The double mouth crusher dramatically reduces excavation requirements in an underground operation like Northparkes, leading to a sizeable reduction in installation cost, according to the company. The CMOC-Northparkes mine is an 80:20 joint venture between China Molybdenum (CMOC) and the Sumitomo Groups.

GLOBAL RUSH FOR GOLD CONTINUES TO SURGE Global gold demand has continued to grow in the second quarter this year off the back of sustained central bank buying and growth in gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Demand grew to 1123 tonnes during the June quarter, representing a rise

of eight per cent on the same period last year, according to the World Gold Council’s latest gold demand trends report. Combined with the first quarter of the year, gold demand increased to 2181.7 tonnes in the first six

months of 2019, an uplift of eight per cent compared with the first half of last year. The central banks bought 224.4 tonnes of gold in the June quarter, taking first half buying to 374.1 tonnes – the largest net first half

DEMAND FOR GOLD HAS RISEN ALONG WITH PRICES.

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

increase in global reserves in the company’s 19-year quarterly data series. In a continuation of recent trends, buying was spread across a diverse range of largely emerging market countries. The price of the precious metal broke through $US1400 ($2062) an ounce for the first time since 2013, with the price rise in the Australian currency reaching all-time record highs. This was driven by lower interest rates, political uncertainty and further support coming from strong central bank buying. World Gold Council head of market intelligence Alistair Hewitt said June was a big month for gold given the price surge and strong activity from central banks. “We also saw an uptick in sales at an individual level as investors took advantage of June’s price rally to lock-in profits; jewellery recycling and retail bar and coin liquidations both rose,” Hewitt said.

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DIGGERS AND DEALERS

THE CAT R2900 UNDERGROUND LOADER ON DISPLAY AT DIGGERS AND DEALERS. IMAGE: WESTRAC.

GOLD SHARES SPOTLIGHT WITH AUSTRALIA’S MINING STRENGTHS MINING’S CONTRIBUTION ACROSS A DIVERSE RANGE OF COMMODITIES HAS BEEN PUT ON SHOW AT KALGOORLIE-BOULDER’S FAMOUS MINING EVENT, THE DIGGERS AND DEALERS MINING FORUM. BEN CREAGH WRITES.

he surging gold price may have been the obvious topic on everyone’s lips at the 2019 Diggers and Dealers Mining Forum. But the Kalgoorlie-Boulder event, as much as ever, also showcased the diversity of an Australian mining industry that is mostly enjoying improved market conditions. Gold pundits did, of course, have reason to celebrate as prices reached more that $2200 an ounce in the local currency during the event. There have also been many highs worth recognising amongst Australia’s gold miners, not the least Kirkland Lake Gold’s growth at the Fosterville mine in Victoria. In Western Australia, there is also the recent launch of the Gruyere mine by joint venture partners Gold

Fields and Gold Road Resources. Despite a healthy gold sector, the precious metal shared the spotlight with a range of commodities, including iron ore, nickel, copper, lithium, rare earths and bauxite. The broad and enduring contribution of the mining industry makes to the Australian economy was highlighted by former Prime Minister John Howard, the event’s keynote speaker. Howard went into bat for the mining industry, defending it against modern attacks from mainstream Australia. He is perplexed that mining is now in a position where the industry has to apologise for its existence and has reason to worry about the future despite its strong contribution in the country. “I talk of course about the AUSTRALIANMINING

constant attacks in the name of climate change zealotry on sections of your industry, particularly but not least the coal mining industry – it goes beyond that,” Howard says. “There seems to be a collective determination in some sections of the Australian community to vilify what we do best, to vilify those industries with roots we have succeeded.” Howard, who was Prime Minister between 1996 and 2007, credits the mining industry for being one of the salvations of an Australian economy that mostly defied a decade of global challenges. “I don’t need to remind an audience like this of how much we are in debt to the mining industry for the salvation of the economy of this country after the global financial crisis (GFC),” Howard says.

SEPTEMBER 2019

“There are a number of reasons why this country dodged the bullet so to speak in the time of the global financial crisis.” He jokes that one reason why Australia emerged from the GFC in a strong position is that the country’s economy was in good shape in the first place. “Arguably more important of course was the contribution of the resources sector to the salvation of the strength of the Australian economy,” Howard says. “And the way at which we were able to draw upon the contribution of our resource trade with North Asia and other parts of the world.” Howard’s mention of resource trade coincided with news that Australia has delivered a record fullyear export surplus of $49.9 billion, a more than doubling of the amount

DIGGERS AND DEALERS

from the years when his tenure as PM finished. The two companies that drive this trade more than any others – BHP and Rio Tinto – outlined their ambitions at Diggers and Dealers that will enable them to make even bigger contributions. BHP, for example, used the forum to again talk up Nickel West’s ongoing revival and future potential. Like the gold price, the value of nickel has moved in a positive direction this year, another reason for the resource-rich Goldfields region to be encouraged. BHP expects better times to continue for the nickel sector, particularly in the long term as demand grows alongside the emerging electric vehicle sector. Nickel West asset president Eddy Haegel says BHP analysis forecasts that electric vehicle sales will grow at a compound annual growth rate of between 19 and 36 per cent by 2030. “We do not expect to see a big impact on nickel demand from batteries until the mid to late 2020s. Only then do we expect to see serious industry investment by class one nickel producers,” Haegel says. “However, we at Nickel West will not rest waiting for that day to arrive. We are actively developing options to position ourselves for a once in a generation opportunity.” BHP aims to meet the emerging demand by transitioning to new mines while replenishing its reserves, which have already risen from 654,000 tonnes in 2016 to 1.506 million tonnes now. The projects driving this progress include Mt Keith Stage H, which will be completed this year, and the in-development Leinster B11 site, its first block cave. BHP is investing further in Nickel West by launching a greenfields exploration campaign, increasing brownfields exploration, debottlenecking of its key facilities, and trialling the HPOX technology for nickel. For its greenfields exploration, BHP has secured a tenement package (called Seahorse) that covers an area of approximately 13,000 square kilometres in south-east Western Australia. “With a stable platform to build upon Nickel West now has an opportunity to make a series of no regret investments,” Haegal says. “These investments would use the next few years to position the asset and de-risk future larger investments that have the potential to realise Nickel West’s full potential subject to the world evolving as we expect. “These pathways have the

WE ARE ACTIVELY DEVELOPING OPTIONS TO POSITION OURSELVES FOR A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY.” potential to create a BHP scale business. These pathways build upon themselves offering the potential to grow Nickel West.” BHP already sells 75 per cent of its nickel production to the battery sector and with these plans will only expand on this figure in the coming years. Rio Tinto, meanwhile, has highlighted its commitment to exploration and making the next greenfields discoveries in Australia. The company has generated exploration buzz at its Winu coppergold project in the Paterson Province of Western Australia over the past year. Despite Winu being at an early stage, Rio Tinto has released two sets of drilling results from exploration at the site to outline the promise of the project. The company is undertaking an extensive drilling program at Winu this year, with 12 drill rigs and a 190-person camp currently at the site. It also expects that technology will play an important role as the project advances. Rio Tinto has also partnered in the Paterson Province with Antipa Minerals in search of copper-gold mineralisation through the Citadel joint venture project.

Winu and Citadel reflect the company’s exploration strategy across its global operations in terms of technology and partnerships. Rio Tinto group executive, growth and innovation Stephen McIntosh says the company wants to show that its “door is open” to partner with junior or technology companies for exploration. “We don’t have an exclusive licence on good ideas for exploration. We want people to come to us with their good ideas,” McIntosh tells reporters at Diggers and Dealers. “We’ve got the funding and we’ve

following an encouraging start to the century. Rio Tinto plans to make technology a priority to tackle the exploration issue, with a focus on finding assets that are in plain sight or hiding under shallow cover. “What we are going to see is the rise of AI (artificial intelligence) and the rise of data science coming in to our sector,” McIntosh said. “We already have enormous amounts of data and clearly we already have a data science capability working within the group that is maturing very quickly, so we can

FORMER AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD.

got the ability to scale in a way that very few organisations have. We have this world-leading track record of discovery success and it is a core part of the business.” McIntosh laments a lack of exploration discoveries in the mining industry over the past decade

leverage the scale of that. Growth aspirations such as these were a common theme amongst the companies that presented at Diggers and Dealers, ensuring that Howard’s opinion of the industry’s value to Australia remains true now and into the future. AM

UNFULFILLED RUMOURS SWIRLED ABOUT THE SUPER PIT’S FUTURE AT DIGGERS AND DEALERS.

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

KUDZ ZE KAYAH PROJECT Key Feasibility Results Minerals Reserve Estimate ABM Deposit 15.7Mt @ 5.8% Zn, 1.7% Pb, 0.9% Cu, 1.3g/t Au, 138g/t Ag. Project Construction 20 months Average Annual Metal in Concentrate at ‘Steady State’ Zinc 106.8 kt Copper 14.4 kt Lead 25.3 kt Gold 56.5 koz Silver 7.8 Moz Average Mill Process Rate 2.0 Mt per annum Initial Mining/ Processing life 9 years - Strip ratio 10:1 Anticipated Site Operating Costs US$69.83 $/t ore Annual EBITDA US$245 m LOM EBITDA US$1,981 M

KUDZ ZE KAYAH ZINC - SILVER PROJECT YUKON, CANADA

EDITDA - Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation LOM - Life of Mine

NPV US$527 million IRR 39.6% NPV - Net Present Value after tax @7% discount rate (30 June 2019) IRR - Internal Rate of Return after tax (30 June 2019)

Net Revenue % by metal produced

“BMC Minerals thanks our staff, contractors, First Nations associates, independent partners and all the Yukon people that have helped deliver the successful Kudz Ze Kayah feasibility results.” Feasibility results based on: LOM copper price of $US3.11/lb; LOM zinc price of $US1.08/lb; LOM lead price of US$0.95/lb; LOM gold price of US$1,316/oz.; and LOM silver price of US$17.56/oz. Full announcement July 15, 2019 - BMC Minerals announces positive Feasibility Study results for the Kudz Ze Kayah Project, Yukon, available on the Company’s website and lodged with SEDAR.

Estimated payback after Tax

2.0 years

First Concentrate Sales set for 2022

Further information www.bmcminerals.com www.kudzzekayah.com

To find out more contact: Scott Donaldson, CEO BMC Minerals M: +61 429 081 116 E: scottd@bmcuklimited.com Neil Martin, Executive Director E: neilm@bmcuklimited.com George Smith, Group Engineer E: georges@bmcuklimited.com

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

THE REVIVAL OF THE VICTORIAN GOLDFIELDS THE ROMANTIC TALE OF VICTORIA’S RESOURCE RICH LANDSCAPE HAS ENTERED INTO A NEW CHAPTER, AS JUNIOR AND MID-TIER COMPANIES EXPLORE THE STATE’S UNCHARTERED DEPTHS. ALEX GLUYAS WRITES.

he Victorian Goldfields is a region synonymous with the heights of the 1850’s Victorian gold rush and quite literally, a rich history of highly prospective gold deposits. Victoria’s gold activity has often flown under the radar, given the cyclical nature of the industry, but has recently been reinvigorated thanks to exceptional results coming from Kirkland Lake Gold’s Fosterville mine near Bendigo. The company produced a record 140,701 ounces of gold during the second quarter of this year, a whopping 82 per cent increase on the 77,462 ounces in the same period last year. Fosterville’s output has been

boosted by skyrocketing grades in the site’s Swan Zone and whispers of the results have spread far and wide. A by-product of this has been an influx of junior and mid-tier gold miners exploring the depths of Victoria’s Goldfields, bringing back an undeniable buzz to the state. AuStar Gold is an emerging company with two operations in Victoria and the company’s chairman Frank Terranova is noticeably excited about what he considers to be “one of the most prolific gold belts in history.” His justification for the resurgence of gold mining in Victoria is simple, “if you want to find gold, go where gold is found.” Historically, that’s exactly what the juggernauts of the gold mining

industry have done, capitalising on deposits near the surface often discovered by junior companies. “Every prolific belt in the world is often started by juniors, the big guys come in and take the low hanging fruit, then it becomes a matter of economics and scalability,” Terranova says. “Juniors can then get more bang for their buck as they are better at managing small and emerging assets once the majors leave.” Terranova emphasises that if there is a new discovery, such as a replica of the Fosterville mine, it will undeniably lead to the reintroduction of majors to the region. The process is cyclical, and these cycles can often take a long time and with junior companies, Terranova

AUSTAR’S MORNING STAR OPERATIONS IN THE WALHALLA TO WOODS POINT GOLD FIELD. AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

says its either “you grow or you go.” What he means by this is, juniors must either grow organically through exploration or find capital. AuStar has taken the exploration route, capturing an abundance of regional exploration ground, while focussing on its Rose of Denmark and Morning Star sites in Victoria. Terranova says there are obstacles to accessing the worldrenowned high-grade gold that often lies hundreds of metres below the surface. “There won’t be a lot of new infrastructure built because of the geography and topography in Victoria, so those who have plants and infrastructure built are at a massive advantage,” he says. “The topography in particular

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

is quite steep and deposits are often in parts of vegetated area with forest meaning it takes a bit longer to ensure you’re doing things right.” Naturally, as Terranova explains, “time is money, so the longer it takes, the more expensive it becomes.” AuStar has a slight advantage over the pack of gold hungry juniors in Victoria, owning one of the only gravity plants in the area. The company’s plans are to leverage this by creating sufficient inventory, while also growing its Rose of Denmark operations. So profound has the renewed interest in the Victorian Goldfields been, that Kalamazoo Resources has raised capital to further its ground magnetic surveys across what it considers to be “high priority prospect areas.” The goal of these surveys is to act as an early-stage or ‘screen’ of prospective areas for potential economic gold mineralisation. Essentially, the process reduces the amount of ground disturbance and exploration drilling required to effectively explore prospective areas. Kalamazoo chairman Luke Reinehr says the company is focussed on the Castlemaine Goldfields for these ground geophysical surveys, given the vicinity has been largely unexplored in this way for decades. “There has been no ground

DRILLING AT CHALICE GOLD’S PYRAMID HILL OPERATIONS.

geophysical surveys conducted within the Castlemaine Goldfields since the 1960s,” he says. “The early stage application of modern ground geophysical survey techniques to high potential gold prospects is a key

HISTORIC HEADFRAME AT WATTLE GULLY GOLD PLANT, CASTLEMAINE.

AUSTRALIANMINING

feature of Kalamazoo’s low impact exploration strategy.” Kalamazoo’s excitement emanates from Kirkland Lake’s dream run at Fosterville, which has the junior company optimistic about surrounding areas. “The fact that the Fosterville area has been mined for many years, changed ownership several times, has a great orebody and has now been discovered at 800 metres plus depth, proves that there is more to be found,” Reinehr says. “With the Castlefield Goldfield for example, having historically produced five million ounces of alluvial gold, also proves that these high-grade gold deposits occur outside Fosterville.” Reinehr argues, however, that Victoria’s high gold prospectivity has always been recognised given that its geology is 100 times richer than the global average. “It is more of a case that for many years, it was considered Victoria was a difficult jurisdiction to explore in,” he says. “The extremely rich grades discovered at Fosterville have provided the incentive for junior explorers to operate in Victoria in a smarter way and with sensitivity to the environment and local communities.” The sentiment seems to be pervasive among junior miners, as Chalice Gold has also taken notice of the untapped potential of the

SEPTEMBER 2019

state’s goldfields. Chalice chairman Alex Dorsch describes the resurrection of the region almost romantically, given what he calls a “checkered history.” “Historically it’s been very prolific in terms of high-grade gold and wealth generation for the state, but in the last 30 years or so it’s been a little bit unloved,” he says. “The catalyst for that change is the Fosterville gold mine, where Kirkland Lake are going from strength to strength – Victoria had dropped off the global radar when it really shouldn’t have.” While Chalice is still in the prediscovery phase of its Pyramid Hill project, which encompasses the company’s Victoria operations, looking at the results from Fosterville has inspired them. After looking at the Bendigo zone, Chalice quickly snatched up 5000 square kilometres of exploration land within a week, conducting a large scale program over two thirds of the region through geophysical and geochemical surveys. The focus for the company has now become more confined to Pyramid Hill after selling its Canadian operations to Assisko in July. Chalice spent $12 million over two years on drilling in Canada, but has shifted its exploration focus to Victoria, while still keeping shares and royalties in its North American operations.

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

The result gave Chalice over $30 million in working capital, including $20 million in cash, putting them in good stead to ramp up exploration within the Victorian Goldfields. A large focus has been drilling underneath the Murray basin, an area that is rich in gold deposits but difficult to explore given it lies nearly 70 metres below the surface. “Victoria has a lot going for it and where we are drilling is very much virgin terrain, the holes we’ve drilled in the area are the first real test and to be the first to hit gold in the basement is understandably very exciting,” Dorsch says. With more than 50 metres of cover on it, the prospect is unique given how uncommon untested greenfield discoveries are within the Victorian Goldfields region. The context of this interest with Victoria coincides with strong activity within the Australian and regional gold market, as prices reach never before seen heights amid tighter government regulations. As the gold price moved towards record highs, the Victorian Government introduced a 2.75 per cent royalty to gold miners, in line with all other Australian states in May. Industry bodies such as the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA)

questioned the government’s lack of consultation with the industry’s miners prior to announcing the plan. “The Andrews Government has not consulted or listened to regional communities that rely on highly paid, high skilled jobs that mining delivers in Victoria,” MCA Victoria director James Sorahan says. “A new 2.75 per cent gold tax would add to uncertain project approval and regulatory regimes and regulatory duplication and inconsistencies.” Dorsch also expresses his disappointment at the lack of engagement with mining companies, despite the outcome not specifically affecting Chalice. “It is pretty unfair, there was no consultation, no warning, the government had just released a road map to encourage more mineral exploration in the state, then to have a new royalty slapped on straight away is a bit of a contradiction” he says. The royalty, while poorly received by miners, doesn’t look like it is capable of stopping the momentum of the gold market and a potential revival of the Victorian Goldfields. But as seen in the past, to predict the future of the precious metal remains a challenging task. AM

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COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

TESTING MATERIAL AT LITHIUM AUSTRALIA’S VSPC LAB.

ACCELERATING EV GROWTH DRIVES LITHIUM SECTOR THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE BOOM IS IMMINENT AS COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD CONTINUE TO REDUCE EMISSIONS OUTPUT, BUT IS THE LITHIUM SECTOR PREPARED FOR WHAT’S TO COME? ALEX GLUYAS WRITES.

building sense of anticipation has surrounded the lithium industry for a while now as the global transition to electric products comes to fruition. The battery-making commodity hasn’t, however, had an easy ride since the apex of 2018 when the lithium price had companies and investors salivating. Since then, the price of lithium has slid as the sector in China has come under pressure from weaker macro environment sentiment, with the United States and Chinese governments failing to agree on the current trade dispute. This coincides with weaker than expected economic growth, alongside tighter credit and financial liquidity across a number of industries, according to lithium

producer Galaxy Resources. Lithium prices have also continued to soften as battery materials and cell manufacturers have undertaken significant destocking while maintaining a low inventory. The 2016-2018 period saw a substantial increase in lithium prices that incentivised a proportion of new supply. Since its drop at the beginning of this year, however, there are differing opinions on whether lithium will live up to expectations. For many, the future is robust, with Galaxy telling the market that lithium is in a league of its own in regard to expected demand growth, which represents a compound annual growth rate of 15 to 20 per cent through to the middle of next decade. This is expected to be driven by the growth of electric vehicle (EV) production and sales across China, Europe and the United States, which AUSTRALIANMINING

have already shown signs of promise. An earlier than expected announcement from the Chinese Government to transition from the China 5 to China 6 emissions standards has led to a rushed destocking of traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and distributors. Lithium Australia managing director Adrian Griffin says this is an important aspect to consider, given the pervasive sentiment of countries banning ICE engines and turning to EVs. “Look at the EV demand, within that, countries that have said they are going to ban ICE engines include China, India and most of Europe,” he says. “If you look at current vehicle production through to around 2030, where most bans converge, you are

SEPTEMBER 2019

looking at a large number of vehicles that need to be produced on an annual basis.” As Griffin points out, in order to meet the demand for vehicles that replace ICE engines, a large amount of lithium carbonate will need to be produced. It begs the questions to the lithium sector, is the supply for the commodity able to match the rapidly accelerating demand? The main driver has been lithiumion battery applications, given lithium is the core material used in the cathode of such batteries, while also being used in the separator material. Traditionally, consumer electronics represented the largest subset of the lithium-ion battery bucket, but this has now been exceeded by the fastest growing end market – EVs. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

It seems the stage is set for an EV boom and Australian mining companies have responded by ramping up exploration to discover new lithium deposits. Predominately, Western Australia has dominated the lithium landscape in Australia, however, a recent discovery by project generator company Strategic Metals Australia (SMA) in North Queensland highlights the potential the country’s landscape offers. The lithium province is in the Georgetown-Forsayth area, and consists of multiple pegmatites and lithium mica replacement mineralisation. SMA’s discovery “opens up the potential for Queensland to become a significant miner and processor of Lithium salts for battery manufacture in the state,” according to exploration director Bradley Crighton. He tells Australian Mining that the discovery is “quite significant for the east coast of Australia because there’s no other major lithium resources on the east coast, all are in Western Australia.” The Forsyth region has previously been known for gold mining, however, a few larger companies have come through and identified lithium bearing pegmatites. This provides the opportunity for spodumene to be extracted from pegmatites, a lithium mineral known for its high lithium content. While spodumene used to be the primary source of lithium production, the industry transitioned to extracting the commodity from brine given the significantly lower operating costs. Exploding demand for lithium has many companies in the industry turning back to spodumene given the lower capital costs and shorter

LITHIUM-ION CELL ASSEMBLY AREA INSIDE LITHIUM AUSTRALIA’S BRISBANE LAB.

that production and sales of battery electric vehicles in the second quarter of this year totalled 289,000 (a 41 per cent year on year increase) and 283,000 (35 per cent growth year on year), respectively. It comes as China clamps down on its environmental regulations, having announced the implementation of new vehicle emission standards in numerous provincial regions, including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Hebei and Guangdong. Starting July this year, sales and registrations of new vehicles and all existing ones in these regions have to comply with some of the strictest rules on automobile pollutants. These include substantially fewer pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matters, as well as introducing limits on particulates and ammonia. Despite the perceived market softness in China, Galaxy has maintained its confidence in companies within the EV supply chain, given the deployment of capital within the sector. Notably, Galaxy has told the market the significance of Chinese conglomerate Evergrande’s $US23 billion ($32.7 billion) investment in building three manufacturing facilities for EVs, batteries and electric motors in Guangzhou in the Guangdong province. It’s not just China that will require lithium to drive its transformation, as Europe continues to emerge as a high growth region for EV demand this year. The first five months of 2019 saw

plug-in vehicle registration increasing 55 per cent year on year to 227,300 units, while plug-in vehicle deliveries reported in the United States in the second quarter of 2019 were 87,450 units, a 27 per cent increase year on year. Automobile companies are catching onto the trend too, with BMW announcing it will be accelerating its electrification plan by two years with the launch of 25 EV models by 2023. Volkswagen reciprocated this sentiment, announcing it plans to install 36,000 electric car charge points across Europe by 2025 and a $1.5 billion investment in Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt.

STRATEGIC METALS AUSTRALIA PEGMATITE DRILLING AT ITS COOLABAH SITE.

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

time to production compared to brine operations. “Spodumene from a geological perspective will be more popular if it’s high grade, it’s about the economics of it, it also makes mines more profitable,” Crighton says. Griffin alludes to a similar response: “If you are looking at where people are investing their money, larger brine producers are investing in spodumene,” he says. The rapidly growing desire from China for spodumene is exemplified by Galaxy sending 100 per cent of spodumene offtake volumes there in 2019, a shift from last year when the company sent shipments to Korea and Japan as well. In a noticeable attempt to match the booming Asian demand for battery minerals, Crighton tells Australian Mining the significance of the Imperium3 Townsville consortium. With construction expected to start next year, the project will be Australia’s biggest lithium-ion battery plant with annual production targeted at 15 gigawatt hours. The mammoth $2 billion project was heavily backed by the Queensland Government, which provided $3.1 million for a feasibility study into the project, reinforcing the potential it sees in the lithium sector. It marked yet another sign of Australia’s lithium industry frantically ramping up production and processing of the materials as it attempts to keep up with the global battery revolution. While new discoveries and increased exploration seems to be permeating the sector, it begs the question of whether it will be enough to match the undeniable craving that will only grow. AM

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TECHNOLOGY

REALISING THE POTENTIAL OF DIGITAL MINES LEADING GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES SPEAK WITH VANESSA ZHOU ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS WILL BRING TO THE MINING INDUSTRY.

igitalisation, electrification and automation are three trends that are transforming global mining operations. They continue to grow at an unprecedented rate, according to ABB Australia head of mining Stuart Cowie. The challenge for companies is not procuring these technologies, but integrating them into mine operations in a holistic way. “Technologies integration should be performed in view of the larger transition to a mine of the future,” Cowie tells Australian Mining. The future of mining will be characterised by horizontal integration, remote operation centres, the mine-to-port value chain, electrification of assets, data management for a continuous improvement process and increased collaboration. For others, transformation is all

about reimagination. “Think left, think right, think low, think high, overthink things you can think of, if only you can try,” Accenture natural resources industry lead Ann Burns, speaking at the Austmine 2019 conference, quotes Dr Seuss. “There is increased connectivity, data analytics and automation, all brought in by this next wave of industrial revolution. But to what end?” Burns encapsulates the goal of this mining transformation in “triple zero” – zero harm, zero loss and zero waste – believing that the purpose of this next industrial revolution has to be more than just “being agile” or to transition to digital operations. ABB, for example, is developing applications that allow risky activities to be conducted from a control room, mapping activities to remove from dangerous areas. The technology company is also focussing on analytics, artificial

intelligence (AI) and machine learning to orchestrate and predict autonomous-based activities in mines. Examples of this include autonomous fleet coordination, predicting time to perform a task and being able monitor and control ventilation systems by recognising the location of people and vehicles. These are intended to provide high levels of visibility and control over machines, plants and systems. “With the ability to adapt and learn in changing situations, and act in sometimes sudden and critical situations, technology can help improve productivity, energy efficiency and safety,” Cowie says. ABB’s MineOptimize also optimises safety processes to reduce the impact of wear and tear on machines, making it less likely they will malfunction and potentially injure an operator. ABB Ability MineOptimize is a framework that simplifies and

ABB’S APPLICATIONS ARE SET UP TO CONTROL OPERATIONS IN REMOTE LOCATIONS.

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

unifies engineering, optimised solutions, digital applications and collaborative services to bring new levels of performance across the mining enterprise. Collectively, this framework helps mining end-users achieve the most efficient design, build and operation of any mining or mineral processing facility. “Of course, safety remains a critical concern of mine operators,” Cowie says. Rockwell Automation also sees “an interesting direction” and a huge opportunity in the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve safety in mining. “IoT has the ability to interact with lots of different types of data, be that the control system’s data or historical data, and access to other different types of data bases that assist with maintenance, electrical and mechanical tasks,” Rockwell Automation global industry technical consultation, mining, Mike Smith says.

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TECHNOLOGY

A CONTROL ROOM AT ONE OF SWEDEN’S MOST MODERN MINES.

This allows mining operators to fault-find more quickly, or in other words, “find the needle in the haystack,” and get the required assistance in a timely manner. IoT now also provides both real-time and predictive data to operators, helping them make informed decisions that reduce ore variability and operating costs, according to Cowie. Importantly, it provides visibility across the mine-to-market value chain and can be targeted to build a collaborative approach across the board. IoT can also display the data that previously could not be wellrepresented visually or collected without putting workers in an unsafe environment, Rockwell Automation enterprise account manager Murray Phillips says. “IoT providing data to analytics modelling solutions gives the ability do a prospective continuous scanning to look for conditions that are similar to the event to help avoid a trip or fault condition in unsafe situations before an operator gets there,” Phillips says. There is also augmented reality, virtual reality and other graphical webpages and reports, allowing data to be displayed in the most appropriate medium depending on the type of user needing the data, rather than being operator-

THINK LEFT, THINK RIGHT, THINK LOW, THINK HIGH, OVERTHINK THINGS YOU CAN THINK OF, IF ONLY YOU CAN TRY.” focused and displaying everything on Abnormal Situational Awareness (ASM) based greyscale screens. “The IoT can put all of those inputs together and provide a lot more context about what it is you’re looking at, who worked on it last, how it’s been performing and what its previous faults were,” Smith says. Cowie says the challenge for many operators now is connecting equipment, system and technologies to drive impact through the mine’s entire supply chain. Integrated remote operation centres (IROCs) are an example of how everything from drill control to the dispatch of trucks in a pit can be monitored and controlled thousands of kilometres away from where physical assets are located. In fact, remote working is an important factor in generation change, according to Cowie. “The baby boomer generation will soon be at pensionable age and the young generation prioritises remote working, so having an IROC in a city centre is key to bringing efficiency and attracting talent to our industry,” he says. AUSTRALIANMINING

Indeed, efficiency appears to be on the agenda of mining companies. Unsurprisingly so, as efficiencies could drive output and in turn generates revenue. Automation, like digitalisation, has the potential to future-proof mining operations by increasing productivity and enabling more sustainable use of resources, and simultaneously lower input costs, according to Cowie. Many technologies are readily available to assist mines, from robots and drones, to AI and virtual, augmented and mixed reality, to digital twins, 3D and 4D printing. “By partnering with an experienced leader in the field, it will make piloting, learning, adapting and connecting these different technologies easier, and will help prioritise and embed the right solutions that will drive the biggest impact to an operation,” Cowie says. Electrification, particularly the transition to electric vehicles, will also eliminate the need for many diesel machines, improving the working environment

SEPTEMBER 2019

and boosting companies’ sustainability credentials. Cowie is seeing progressive companies investing in fullyelectric or hybrid-electric vehicles to eliminate the use of diesel, cutting both costs and emissions. However, electric mines also present challenges for operators in terms of infrastructure, maintenance and operating constraints, according to Cowie. “Solutions are being developed that prioritise total cost of ownership,” he says. “The transition from diesel to battery equipped mining vehicles is the subject of a global collaboration between ABB, Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG) and the Canadian Mining Innovation Council (CMIC). “We are also working with LKAB, Epiroc, Combitech and Volvo Group on a sustainable underground mining project, which aims to test smart, autonomous battery equipped vehicles by 2020.” With today’s technology development geared toward future-proofing mine sites around the world, mine operators appear to continue looking at ways to become more energy efficient, be less diesel dependent and further their social licence to operate, while ensuring a safer and more productive operation. AM

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COMMUNITY WAANYI ELDER BARRY DICK CUTS THE RIBBON AT THE CENTURY MINE’S REOPENING.

PRESERVING AUSTRALIA’S SACRED CULTURE MORE AND MORE MINING COMPANIES ARE SHARING THE RICHES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LANDS IN WHICH THEY OPERATE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO FIRST WALKED THE GROUND. VANESSA ZHOU WRITES.

ndigenous Australians are increasingly being offered a presence and integral roles at Australia’s most prominent mining operations. Fortescue Metals Group, for example, is a company that owns and operates three iron ore mines in the Pilbara with a strong contingent of Indigenous workers and contractors. From the outset, the company has also been committed to ensuring the communities surrounding these sites benefit from its success, according to Fortescue chief executive Elizabeth Gaines. “We are in a privileged position of being able to empower these businesses with the capability and capacity to effect positive change in Aboriginal communities across

the Pilbara,” Gaines tells Australian Mining. “Through our Billion Opportunities initiative, we’ve provided our Native Title groups and their members the chance to build sustainable futures for their communities through the provision of business development to provide genuine economic opportunity.” Fortescue continues to strengthen its commitment to Indigenous people and awarded its largest contracts yet to 100 per cent-owned Aboriginal businesses in June. The two contracts, worth a combined $179 million, brought Fortescue’s total value of contracts to Aboriginal businesses and joint ventures (JV) to $2.3 billion since 2011. In July, Fortescue celebrated the latest 24 students who graduated AUSTRALIANMINING

from its Vocational Training and Employment Centre (VTEC) as they started traineeships across its Pilbara mines. “Fortescue’s VTEC program is based on the simple, but compelling idea that after successfully completing training, you are guaranteed a job,” Gaines says. “Since VTEC began in 2006, more than 836 Aboriginal people have been offered employment.” Fortescue breaks down the social barriers that prohibit many Aboriginal people from gaining employment with the VTEC program. “Fortescue adopts a ‘hand up, not a hand out’ approach to working with Aboriginal businesses and communities. … We are proud of our long-standing relationships

SEPTEMBER 2019

with the Aboriginal businesses that work across our operations, which are complemented by excellence in safety and operational performance,” Gaines says. Fortescue is just one of many leading mining companies now incorporating extensive Indigenous programs within their company. Fourteen of Australia’s leading organisations, including BHP, Rio Tinto and Woodside Energy, joined forces during National Reconciliation Week to support the recognition of Indigenous Australians in the nation’s constitution. This path is outlined by the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which begins: “Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjacent islands,

COMMUNITY

and possessed it under our own laws and customs. “This our ancestors did, according to the reckoning of our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from ‘time immemorial’, and according to science more than 60,000 years ago… “How could it be otherwise? That peoples possessed a land for 60 millennia and this sacred link disappears from world history in merely the last 200 years?” The 14 institutional heads of these organisations verbally proclaim their support of Indigenous communities,

breaking contract last year to the Waanyi ReGen JV, a partnership between the Waanyi People and Downer, for the mining of in-situ resources adjacent to the existing Century open pit. The company will share 50 per cent of the profits from the contract mining to the Traditional Owners, on top of ongoing compensation arrangements. “When New Century approached the Waanyi People about the prospective recommencement of hard rock mining at the Century mine, the Waanyi People

employment program that provides the community with a pathway to full-time work across the company’s operations. The Indigenous employment program is offered at its Mount Isa and Ernest Henry mining operations in Queensland. Participants receive ongoing support through each stage of the program, from the work-readiness course through to mining school, including mentorship from fellow Indigenous employees, according to Glencore. Upon completion of the program,

CARPENTARIA LOCAL ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL CHAIRMAN MURRANDOO YANNER AT THE CENTURY MINE’S REOPENING.

recognising the Uluru Statement as an “historic mandate” to create a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood. This commitment reflects how resources companies are rising up to their responsibility of taking care of the Aboriginal communities around them. For New Century Resources, the Indigenous community adds value to the company by helping bring local knowledge, connection to the country and an eagerness to be involved in the Century mine’s land rehabilitation in north west Queensland. New Century awarded a ground-

expressed a keen interest in not only being recipients of the typical compensation payments associated with Native Title and Cultural Heritage arrangements, but also in taking responsibility for the operations and benefiting as an owner,” New Century head of corporate affairs and social responsibility Shane Goodwin says. New Century’s open and transparent approach to engaging with the Traditional Owner groups since acquiring the Century mine in 2017 led to the execution of the mining services agreement. Glencore, meanwhile, has established a $1.3 million Indigenous AUSTRALIANMINING

participants could progress into full-time employment either with Glencore or one of its contracting partner organisations. In July, Glencore took home the North Queensland Regional Training Award for the Large Employer of the Year category. “Sponsored education programs like the school leavers, graduate, Indigenous employment and apprenticeship programs provide training opportunities and an invaluable foot-in-the-door to the mining sector,” Glencore chief operating officer, zinc assets Australia, Greg Ashe says. “With such a diverse business and

SEPTEMBER 2019

workforce, training is an investment, and tailoring our programs to suit the needs of business and our employees within a broad range of operational areas is essential.” A Rio Tinto spokesperson concedes that the mining giant could not operate “without working in partnership with the Traditional Owners.” The company recognises that its mines, such as the Amrun bauxite project in Far North Queensland, operates on traditional land. “The composition of our workforce and our approach to business is a reflection of this,” a Rio Tinto spokesperson tells Australian Mining. “More than $277 million was spent with Western Cape suppliers on the Amrun project, and 400 Indigenous people, including 120 local Aboriginal people, have been employed throughout construction. At Weipa, about 26 per cent of the operational workforce is Indigenous.” In fact, the Wik-Waya Traditional Owners who Rio Tinto works in partnership with own the land Amrun is constructed on and named the bauxite project after the area in a Wik-Waya language. The $2.6 billion Amrun project has been recognised with the Best Company Indigenous Procurement Initiative Award at the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Indigenous Awards in May for creating sustainable Indigenous procurement and employment opportunities. This initiative has extended Indigenous participation beyond the construction phase of the project into operations. As of 2018, 69 Western Cape businesses, including 17 Indigenous businesses, had supplied goods directly and indirectly to the Amrun project, according to Rio Tinto. “Our commitment is to ensure ongoing opportunities are available for local and Indigenous businesses and community members,” the company spokesperson says. “We recognise … a shared desire to operate respectfully and for mutual benefit for current and future generations.” Australian mining companies are demonstrating they have the capability to develop honest and trusting relationships with Australia’s Indigenous people through these initiatives. These growing relationships, along with the values that are being exchanged, are not only vital to the success of a mining operation, but also show they can improve the quality of life in local communities. AM

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

A GOLD ROAD TO GRUYERE AND BEYOND GOLD ROAD RESOURCES HAS JOINED THE RANKS OF AUSTRALIAN GOLD PRODUCERS. WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE COMPANY NOW IT HAS REACHED THIS MILESTONE? BEN CREAGH FINDS OUT.

old Road Resources put its growth aspirations in motion a long time before first gold was poured at the Gruyere operation in Western Australia. The company, now worth more than $1.35 billion on the Australian Securities Exchange (at the time of writing), has earned a reputation for growth since making the greenfields discovery in 2013. Three years later, Gold Road announced its maiden reserve at Gruyere, delivered a feasibility study and formed a 50:50 joint venture with Gold Fields to cement its place as an emerging player in the precious metals sector. Gold Road and Gold Fields started construction of Gruyere the following year and by the end of 2017 had appointed Downer as its mining services contractor. These achievements alone add up to a consistent accumulation of milestones for the company, which has overcome occasional development hurdles along the way to become a significant gold producer. Gold Road’s most recent obstacle was a delay to commissioning of Gruyere’s processing plant that, despite the announcement of first gold at the start of July, had not been achieved at that point. Delays to the commissioning of

the ball mill, part of the 8.2 million tonne a year processing plant, even forced the JV to delay first production by a month in June. Gold Road chief executive officer Duncan Gibbs says the reason for the issue bringing the ball mill online was unexpected at the time. “We had some delays with that,” Gibbs tells Australian Mining. “Construction wise it was basically complete, but we had some delays programming the process control system, which was a little surprising for us.” Aside from the processing plant delay (which was subsequently commissioned in early August), the JV continued mining ahead of schedule with more than two million tonnes of mined ore stockpiled, ready for the ramp up. Gruyere, the first large-scale gold operation to be developed in Australia since Tropicana at the start of the decade, is designed to annually produce an average of 300,000 ounces over a 12-year mine life. By reaching this level, it will become one of Australia’s top 10 gold mines by output. In 2019, Gruyere is expected to produce between 75,000 and 100,000 ounces of gold, down from the 100,000 to 120,000 ounces forecast prior to the commissioning delays. Gruyere is being ramped up to reach its targeted steady-state production rate by November,

THE BIGGER OPPORTUNITY FOR US IS TO TRY AND FIND ANOTHER DISCOVERY SO THAT’S REALLY WHAT WE ARE FOCUSSING ON – THE NEXT GROWTH PLATFORM.” when the site will also be officially opened. The mine puts Gold Road, with its 50 per cent share, halfway to a goal of becoming a 300,000 ounce a year producer in its own right. Gold Road’s growth aspiration will be driven by its considerable exploration assets, which centre on the 6000 square kilometres of tenements along the Yamarna gold belt. Gibbs says the company’s aim beyond the Gruyere ramp up will continue to be to find a second significant source of gold production at the tenements. “The bigger opportunity for us is to try and find another discovery so that’s really what we are focussing on – the next growth platform,” Gibbs, who became Gold Road CEO in August 2018, says. “But if we have got Gruyere in this district it gives us some options of course. We have some micro deposits

and we have got the ability to take them to Gruyere.” Gold Road will target discoveries that are at least a million ounces in size. The company has a $20 million exploration budget in 2019, most of which will be used towards finding another greenfields discovery. Gibbs reinforces Gold Road’s long-standing focus on greenfields exploration, saying he believes the budget is at “about the right rate” for where the company is placed. “Right now we are out there looking for a big one. I don’t think we have found it yet, but we have found other economic mineralisation – probably the most advanced we have got at the moment is Gilmour,” Gibbs says. Gilmour, about 55km south of Gruyere, is described by Gibbs as a high-grade quartz vein system, a different deposit to the company’s 2013 discovery. Gold Road aims to deliver a resource for Gilmour by the end of the year and hopes the project could move the company closer to developing its first standalone mine. “If this is all we find in the area there is no doubt we can make money out of it on the grades we are seeing by taking it to Gruyere,” Gibbs says. “The first prize for us is really finding other deposits in the area for a standalone operation. Then this might feed into another mine.”

THE 1139 OUNCES PRODUCED DURING THE FIRST POUR AT GRUYERE.

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

COMMODITY SPOTLIGHT

AN AERIAL SHOT OF THE FULLY CONSTRUCTED GRUYERE GOLD MINE.

Gold Road’s greenfields strategy extends to an earn-in joint venture with junior Cygnus Gold over 5000 square kilometres of tenements in the Yilgarn region in south-west Western Australia. Better known as a region for

farming, the Yilgarn tenements are at a similar stage to where the Yamarna belt was 10 years ago due to the limited exploration that has been performed in the area, according to Gibbs. However, the Yilgarn opportunity

reflects Gold Road’s now-rare gold mining strategy in Australia to identify greenfields prospects. And if Gruyere has proven anything, Gold Road is geologically equipped to unearth another monster in underexplored ground.

“We have got this big land package (at Yamarna). What’s the aim of that? It is to find another million or two million ounce plus discovery which we can develop as a standalone operation,” Gibbs concludes. AM

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A SITE VISIT FOR THE AGES NATIONAL GROUP AND PARTNER WALKINSHAW ANDRETTI UNITED ORGANISED A SHOWCASE AT THE BHP MITSUBISHI ALLIANCE PEAK DOWNS MINE SITE… WITH A TWIST. ALEX GLUYAS WRITES.

uper cars are usually seen zipping around race tracks across the globe at speeds of up to 300 kilometres an hour, a sight that provides spectators and drivers alike with an incomparable adrenaline rush. It is very rare, however, to see these vehicles at a mine site. Recently, National Group and its partner, WAU Race team, brought these pulsating race cars to the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance’s (BMA) Peak Downs coal operation in Queensland. It was an opportunity for National Group to highlight a longstanding relationship with BMA that has moved from strength to strength at the mining giant’s Bowen Basin operations. Holding the site visit at Peak Downs was particularly fitting given the growing presence National Group has at the mine, delivering the first of

a series of excavators to the site earlier this year. It follows the delivery of five Liebherr ultra-class T 282C trucks in September last year, building on what is becoming a powerful relationship between the two, now reinforced by the race car showcase. National Group’s founder and managing director Mark Ackroyd was onsite for the showcase. He tells Australian Mining that it provided a thrilling experience for both operators and race car drivers. “The atmosphere was exciting for the operators, the race cars and their drivers pulled up and there was some disbelief they were on site,” Ackroyd says. “There were photographs, autographs and everything, it was something they haven’t seen before. Even the race car drivers were amazed at some of the mining equipment too. “We’ve been working with BHP for

some years now, we took the supercars on site where we could engage with our customers and show the appreciation we have for them.” National Group’s clients have the opportunity to go behind the scenes at supercar race events around the

THERE WERE PHOTOGRAPHS, AUTOGRAPHS AND EVERYTHING, IT WAS SOMETHING THEY HAVEN’T SEEN BEFORE. EVEN THE RACE CAR DRIVERS WERE AMAZED AT SOME OF THE MINING EQUIPMENT TOO.”

NATIONAL GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR MARK ACKROYD (MIDDLE) WITH WAU SUPERCAR DRIVERS SCOTT PYE (LEFT) AND JAMES COURTNEY.

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

country, where they experience firsthand the exhilarating buzz of race car driving. As Ackroyd says, it’s a show of appreciation for customers that remain loyal to the company. “Anyone can go to the races, the tours we provide customers with, provides in-depth pit tours,” he says. “Rather than sitting in the crowd with cars speeding around so quickly you can barely see them; our customers are able to get close up to the vehicles and drivers.” Indeed, the recent trip to Peak Downs exemplifies the company’s focus on its customers, with WAU race team drivers James Courtney and Scott Pye making an appearance at the site. The meet and greet session and autographs that ensued left many site operators star struck as the two posed for photos next to the colossal mining equipment National Group has supplied to BMA at Peak Downs. While operating across different industries, it is easy to draw comparisons between National Group and racing teams, as described by coteam principal Bruce Stewart. “The National Group and the Walkinshaw Andretti United race team are similar in a number of ways. We both deal with machinery at the cutting edge of technology and understand the importance of every team member coming together to achieve sustained success,” Stewart says. While differing in purpose, Pye and Courtney were still able to recognise the sheer magnitude of some of National Group’s mining equipment in comparison to the nippy race cars. “Being down in the pit looking at our car next to the T282 dump trucks, it makes it look like a matchbox car in comparison,” Pye says. His counterpart Courtney was equally in awe, “before coming up to the Bowen Basin, we got told the National Group’s machines were big, but you don’t realise just how massive they are until you get here and see them in person. They are monsters.” AM

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ENVIRONMENT

A ‘LANDMARK MOMENT’ FOR MINING IN THE CLIMATE BATTLE BHP’S $US400 MILLION CLIMATE INVESTMENT PROGRAM HAS SET THE TONE FOR MINING COMPANIES TO STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND FACE THE MUSIC. ALEX GLUYAS WRITES. MINING COMPANIES ARE RETHINKING THEIR OUTLOOK IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE.

“

he evidence is abundant: global warming is indisputable,” were the defiant words spoken by BHP chief executive Andrew Mackenzie. In a powerful speech delivered by one of the most influential figures in the mining industry, Mackenzie announced a $US400 million ($571.1 million) climate investment program to tackle what he described as an “existential” crisis. Over the next five years, the program will scale-up BHP’s low emissions technologies that decarbonise its operations, driving investment in nature-based solutions. The landmark decision focuses on the establishment of a medium-term, science-based target for scope one and two emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. But most notably, the mining giant will turn its attention to scope three emissions. Its significance shouldn’t be underestimated, according to Australian Centre for Corporate Responsibility chief executive officer Dan Gocher, who describes this as a “landmark moment.”

In the past, a focus for mining companies has been on scope one emissions, which are those burnt by companies themselves, and scope two emissions, which are those sourced from the grid. Scope three emissions, however, are described by Mackenzie as being “generated as customers transport, transform and use our products to serve the needs of billions of people and they are almost 40 times higher than the emissions from our own operations.” The new program will see BHP work closely with its shippers, processors and users of its products to reduce these emissions. “Those who enjoy the benefits of our products should be able to do so with less and less impact,” Mackenzie says. BHP’s CEO referenced last year’s International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) report that revealed projected physical impacts and risks of global warming are much worse at two degrees than 1.5 degrees. This led to BHP updating its climate portfolio analysis in 2020, as the company will evaluate the potential impacts of a broader range AUSTRALIANMINING

of scenarios and a transition to “well below two degrees.” Mackenzie also revealed that BHP would strengthen the link between executive remuneration and emissions performance from 2021. “For many years performance against emissions targets has been considered in BHP’s executive remuneration plans. From next financial year we will clarify and strengthen this link and further reinforce the strategic importance of action to reduce emissions,” he says. While admitting there is “no one simple silver bullet” to solve the issue, Mackenzie says the risks involved with the crisis could be “existential”, requiring a holistic approach from the mining giant. Gocher hopes BHP’s plan is the catalyst for widespread collaboration within the mining community, given recent responses by other major companies regarding the issue have fallen short of what is required. “Rio Tinto said it was out of their hands earlier this year, they faced a shareholder resolution about scope three emissions, and they pushed back. Glencore falls somewhere in the middle, they’ve set a cap

SEPTEMBER 2019

on production which has come from pressure from investors to accept responsibility,” Gocher tells Australian Mining. “BHP is trying to be ahead of its peers, and they’ve bought some time and set a target, hopefully that leads to healthy competition in the industry now.” Indeed, with growing angst among the wider community, Gocher says it is becoming increasingly hard to ignore the mounting expectations regarding climate change. “Companies can’t ignore the protests and it’s not just from school kids, it’s also activists and the community,” he says. “It’s a funny place Australia, our climate politics is a bit behind and companies such as BHP spend a lot on marketing, they are aware of the risks of ignoring climate change.” This is seemingly apparent among executives at BHP, with Mackenzie responding adamantly to the global outlook on climate change. “As we have seen from activism and debates from schools to parliaments all around the world, we see this period as an escalation towards a crisis,” he says.

ENVIRONMENT

“However, the global response does not yet match the severity of the threat, in part because of the outright complexity of the problem. So, we must tailor our response to address this complexity and start with an acknowledgement that solutions will take on a range of forms.” Mackenzie emphasises that a combination of solutions is necessary to tackle the climate crisis, given that sometimes the contribution of any one solution can be exaggerated. Pointing to the aura surrounding electric vehicles, Mackenzie explains they are considered to be lower carbon than internal combustion engines, but the climate effect is redundant if power is generated from fossil fuels being released further up the production chain. Consequently, “there is an opportunity cost for any decision we make,” making it necessary for an ‘all of the above approach.’ A consistent theme which Mackenzie highlights is that climate change is not a “sovereign issue,” rather, it requires a “coordinated global response.” It represents a call to arms of sorts from BHP and while Gocher says the $US400 million is “a drop in the ocean” for a company this size, it could still spark a sentiment that permeates around the globe. “I’d like to think the leadership

BHP WILL FOCUS ON CUTTING DOWN ON SCOPE THREE EMISSIONS.

E Q U I P M E N T

P A R T S

“Instead we require a considered and orderly transition to a lower carbon world in which resource companies, like BHP, have both critical expertise and a key role to play and hence are worthy of continued investment.” While it certainly is a step in the right direction, the significance of BHP’s announcement will be amplified considerably if other major miners follow suit. AM

cycle carbon footprints of its actions and purchases. This extends right through the supply chain to include producers’ businesses and retail customers, which will be required to grasp the impact they are having, while working alongside governments to address climate issues. “We cannot just back the horse with the best PR campaign,” Mackenzie says.

and language shown by BHP will force its peers to step out of the shadows,” he says. “A lot of companies are too shy to act on the issue; they don’t want to stick their necks out.” These companies stand in contrast to BHP, which is now adopting a diverse approach to the climate crisis, based on technology-neutral regulation and leadership that focuses on the trade-offs and full-

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TRACKING THE TRENDS TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING HOW CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE BEING DEVELOPED.

LEARNING FROM THE PAST TO BUILD SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS MINING COMPANIES ARE TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH WITH THE LATEST WAVE OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT AIMS TO AVOID THE MISTAKES MADE DURING THE BOOM. BEN CREAGH WRITES.

he mining boom at the start of the decade was a period of growth not previously seen in the industry. Companies around the world committed to multi-billiondollar mega projects to develop the mines that are driving the production of all major commodities today. As Deloitte’s 2019 Tracking the Trends report explains, a downside of the rapid development was common stories of project cost blowouts, subpar returns and impairment charges. Undeterred by these setbacks, mining companies commonly moved on with a development-at-all-costs mentality to capitalise on the surging commodity prices of the time. Then the mining downturn arrived… and with that, companies adopted a more cautious approach that avoided the risks of capital projects. They instead introduced leaner business models, with a focus on lowering their cost base and improving productivity at existing

operations. As a result, global mining capital expenditure declined from a peak of more than $US80 billion ($117 billion) in 2012 to below $US30 billion in 2016. Since that low, market conditions have improved and companies have launched a new wave of projects in an effort to meet emerging supply shortages. By 2020, it is expected that capital project expenditure will again be above $US40 billion. Australia has been a leader in the resurgence, with the Pilbara iron ore industry a standout example of an area where project activity has returned. Over the space of six months in 2018, Fortescue Metals Group (Eliwana), BHP (South Flank) and Rio Tinto (Koodaideri) approved major new developments in the region. The iron ore majors, joined by companies across a vast range of commodities, have committed to projects with a focus on learning AUSTRALIANMINING

from the mistakes made during the boom. Deloitte consulting partner Lewis Stewart says the fundamentals of capital projects to manage and optimise performance, time and money haven’t changed. However, he believes companies are now rethinking how they strategise the scope for these projects. “The reality is that if you start off with something that’s over optimistic from a scope point of view, that in itself, is the beginning of the end as far as its ability to succeed,” Stewart tells Australian Mining. “One of the most typical things we see is this natural optimism bias that comes into the estimation process before the project reaches the final investment decision and moves into construction. “People will want to make a billion dollar project look like something that will only cost $500 million if that’s the hurdles rate to investment approval.” Stewart says an appetite to take

SEPTEMBER 2019

risks in order capitalise on high commodity prices has led to some junior and mid-tier companies pushing projects through the exploration stage into construction quickly. “There is an up and downside to that. The reality is that whilst some companies will succeed, there is a downside where companies have fast tracked through discovery and studying the asset too quickly to end up with a situation where the geology of the rock is not as plentiful or as easy to extract as first thought,” Stewart says. “They end up with a different project as a result and to get some value out of it have to invest more capital.” The mining industry has, however, changed since the mining boom, particularly from a technology perspective and how it partners, to avoid past mistakes. Mining now has an arsenal of digital tools that can be used to enhance the planning and modelling of capital projects. Projects are

TRACKING THE TRENDS

no longer hampered by siloed information systems that restrict efforts to share data across the supply chain. Instead, mining companies, often the majors, are adopting systems that efficiently distribute data across the supply chain, enabling consistent reporting and predictive analytics. “There is an increased expectation and demand for digital capital projects, which ultimately digitise all of the information that sits at different levels across the project,” Stewart says. “Companies can provide that information and key insights to the people that have to make decisions at the execution stage – whether that is the guy running an area on the site or someone who takes more strategic decisions at a steering committee level.” Mining has followed industries such as property and oil and gas by adopting technologies like building information modelling (BIM), a solution that provides a 3D model of a project in development. The value of BIM goes beyond the project and commissioning stages, Stewart adds. “Ultimately you have a digitised engineering data library that can be handed over to operations to support maintenance of the physical asset

CAPITAL PROJECTS HAVE MADE A COMEBACK SINCE THE LOWS OF 2016.

For example, machine learning and artificial intelligence are showing potential to play a key role in ensuring project success, Stewart continues. “The use of machine learning and artificial intelligence are starting to enable operations to continuously monitor assets and either augment operating parameters or provide key decision support to operators, in order to enable higher availability

and provide a digital asset which can form the foundation to build digital twins,” Stewart says. “That digital asset is becoming quite prevalent in speeding up engineering design and handover from construction to operations.” The digital element of capital projects continues to develop as companies explore more uses for the advanced analytics solutions they have introduced.

and reliability of productive assets,” Stewart says. “If you can break the paradigm of how available and reliable an asset is then you can potentially look at building a smaller asset and still get the same production throughput, which then gives upside to the total CAPEX for some processing assets.” Mining companies are also rethinking how they partner with contractors and suppliers on their capital projects. In the past, they often took a traditional EPCM (engineering, procurement, construction management) approach to deliver projects. Now, companies are considering alternative strategies, according to Stewart. “I think people are trying to understand, both on the contractor and supply side as well as the buyer side, what the right mix is to get the best out of a project,” he says. “That could mean a big partnership or a more discrete partnership where they are working in an integrated way, side by side with common goals.” These new strategies, and more, are changing how capital projects are designed and developed, creating an industry that wants to be better prepared for both ends of the mining cycle. AM

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METS IGNITED WELCOMES ADRIAN BEER AS CEO AS THE METS SECTOR ENTERS A NEW CHAPTER OF INNOVATION, AUSTRALIAN MINING SPEAKS WITH METS IGNITED’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ABOUT WHAT LIES AHEAD IN MINING.

drian Beer has been appointed METS Ignited’s chief executive officer to guide the industry growth centre’s transition into the “delivery phase”. Beer has taken the reins from predecessor Ian Dover at a time when the “challenges facing the industry are increasingly complex”, a concern he says also presents an array of opportunities. “The rate of innovation has never been greater as we’re moving rapidly from data to analytics, from automation to robotics, and digital twins,” Beer tells Australian Mining. Beer has returned to the Australian METS sector after almost 10 years in global roles with engineering giants Generic Electric and ABB. “METS companies have a long history of providing reliable and unique solutions to mining industry challenges. Australia has been a fantastic incubator for innovation, with some of the world’s leading technologies being developed in this country.” He says, as METS Ignited CEO, he will advance the industry growth centre’s priorities, which are well under way through a number of initiatives. METS Ignited has driven growth in the sector with $30 million in funding for innovation through its collaborative project funds, and supporting METS scale-ups in securing millions of dollars in new contracts and investment through accelerator programs. The focus will now be on ramping up and the scaling of Australian METS companies to help them become established beyond local markets, according to Beer. “My focus will be on pushing to deliver more through stronger partnerships and encouraging more collaborative engagement across sectors,” Beer says. “We also have more engagement work to do – on STEM and gender equality – there is too much brain power out there we are not yet

METS IGNITED’S NEW CEO ADRIAN BEER.

WE ARE INCREASING SAFETY, RELIABILITY, CONSISTENCY AND EFFICIENCY – BUT TO ACHIEVE THIS WE NEED A MIX OF EXPERIENCE AND INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE, AND A NEW SET OF ROLES, SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES IN THE METS SECTOR TO SUPPORT THEM.” tapping into, not to mention the fact that our young people don’t seem to have visibility of the opportunities for innovation within METS.” Beer insists the fundamental objectives for the sector remain the same, but there is an urgent need for the industry to “move much faster.” “The rate of commercialisation of innovative solutions is still not where it needs to be,” Beer says. “While we have seen and shown many amazing examples of innovation taking place between individual METS companies and the AUSTRALIANMINING

mining sector, we have yet to reach a point where we have established a sustainable collaborative ecosystem; where many companies co-operate together at an industry level to develop the next generation of technologies.” Beer acknowledges that automation has been prevalent for some time in the sector, but asserts that it hasn’t been scaled to a level of broad adoption. He says a number of significant projects have already been delivered through engagement across multiple

SEPTEMBER 2019

local METS organisations. However, the next phase will not be driven by technology alone. “We have to become more collaborative locally to increase our global reach,” Beer explains. “We need to look at how we can co-operate commercially and how we can embrace and effectively adapt our traditional models so we can encourage and attract new ideas, and sustain investment in research, technology and innovation.” Beer also points to economic analysis that suggests the mining sector can transition more jobs to future work than will be lost due to automation. The greatest benefit to Australian mining will come from “grass-roots integration and the application of data analytics,” he continues. “When we take into consideration the effect automation has already had on the sector the traditional roles and job functions that were displaced have now been offset by the increase in a whole range of new roles that are required to deliver the outcome,” Beer says. “We are increasing safety, reliability, consistency and efficiency – but to achieve this we need a mix of experience and industry knowledge, and a new set of roles, skills and capabilities in the METS sector to support them.” Beer highlights the work METS Ignited has done in this space, such as delivering workshops and masterclasses on digital disruption and machine learning in mining, and making $4 million in funding available for industry-led projects addressing analytics, automation and robotics. METS Ignited will continue to back METS and mining companies in adopting these technologies and developing the corresponding capabilities. Realising the challenges faced by mining, Beer emphasises that “Australia has an amazing track record for innovation” and that he is “extremely excited by the opportunities that lie ahead for the METS and mining sectors.” AM

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MINING SERVICES SHAKE UP SPARKED BY METSO-OUTOTEC MERGER AUSTRALIAN MINING TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THE IMPACT THAT THE PROPOSED MERGER BETWEEN METSO AND OUTOTEC WILL HAVE ON THE INTERNATIONAL MINING INDUSTRY.

etso and Outotec are merging to create a leading global company in process technology, equipment and services for the minerals, metals and aggregates industries. The proposed new company – called Metso Outotec – will leverage off the individual strengths of each organisation, including technology, research and development, product and process excellence, and their global footprint. Together, they expect to benefit from a presence across a large number of geographic markets and knowledge across a range of mineral applications, particularly copper and high growth minerals that are used in the battery technology industry.

The two Finnish companies have a significant presence in the Australian mining industry, including recent growth in these focus markets. Metso, for example, won a contract in April to supply pyro-processing and comminution equipment to Albemarle Corp for the Kemerton lithium plant being developed in Western Australia. Outotec, meanwhile, has this year been contracted by OZ Minerals to design and deliver a mine paste backfill system at the Prominent Hill copper-gold operation in South Australia. Metso chairman Mikael Lilius says the combination will deliver a broad presence across the minerals, metals and aggregates value chains, and an even stronger platform for growth and innovation. “Metso Outotec brings together

a long history of technological leadership, customer focus and excellence in project execution. Metso Outotec will be further supported by the realisation of the significant synergies potential in the combination,” Lilius says. Metso and Outotec expect to secure all of the required approvals they need to complete the deal by the second quarter of 2020. The boards of both companies unanimously recommended that the deal go ahead prior to making the proposed merger public in early July. Outotec chairman Matti Alahuhta describes the planned merger as an industry-shaping combination that joins two uniquely complementary companies. “It builds on Outotec’s leading technology competencies and Metso’s excellent service

METSO’S EXPERTISE HAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE TRUCK BODIES THIS YEAR.

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

capabilities,” Alahuhta says. “Metso Outotec’s global operating network, scale, wide technology and service offerings and sustainable development principles will unlock significant benefits for all stakeholders.” Metso Outotec will have a foothold across the full minerals processing and metals refining value chain, including the ability to deliver end-to-end solutions across the entire process from crushing to end products. The combined company will own a portfolio of technologies in comminution, beneficiation and metals refining. Metso and Outotec believe the enhanced scale and combination of technological and service expertise will enable the enlarged entity to offer more integrated solutions and

MINING SERVICES

supply larger process outcomes to industry. In technology, they expect to offer a platform that will have critical scale to continue to drive innovation and differentiated service offerings. The combined company will benefit from existing patents, applications for patents, global research and development (R&D) specialists, and in-house R&D centres. The merger excludes Metso Flow Control, a services arm of Metso that will become a separately-listed entity and independent flow control equipment and services company called Neles. Lilius believes the timing is right to establish Neles as a focused standalone flow control company given its product portfolio and service offering. “Neles will have the means to capitalise on both organic and inorganic growth opportunities, while continuing to focus on our customers’ needs and delivering intelligent solutions,” Lilius says. “I am confident that a focused flow control company with an attractive product offering, proven track-record of strong performance and compelling growth prospects will unlock further value for Metso’s current shareholders and new investors alike.” The merged company is, however,

set to benefit from the agreement Metso secured in June to acquire McCloskey, a Canadian mobile crushing and screening manufacturer. Metso and Outotec believe McCloskey will complement their combined business profile, expanding the aggregates business and strengthening their reach, especially to general contractors. The companies had a combined 15,630 employees globally, with close to 100 nationalities, at the end of March 2019. They claim to share common cultural values as organisations, including a strong commitment to sustainable development. By merging, Metso and Outotec plan to join forces in the development of solutions that meet the sustainability goals of their customers. Metso chief executive officer Pekka Vauramo says Metso Outotec will have the capabilities that drive sustainable growth, while providing high-quality technology, equipment and services. “We will have an extensive global presence, complementary offering, strong services and a large installed base,” Vauramo says. “We also have excellent people – the best talent in the industry.” The companies have named

AUSTRALIANMINING

THE MERGER SIGNING CEREMONY: (FROM LEFT) MARKKU TERÄSVIRTA, OUTOTEC PRESIDENT AND CEO; MATTI ALAHUHTA, OUTOTEC CHAIRMAN; MIKAEL LILIUS, METSO CHAIRMAN; AND PEKKA VAURAMO, METSO PRESIDENT AND CEO.

the combined entity’s proposed management team, with Vauramo to become CEO of Metso Outotec. Current Outotec CEO Markku Teräsvasara will become deputy CEO of the merged company. The companies have also proposed that Metso Outotec’s board will include six directors from the current Metso board and four from the current Outotec board. Teräsvasara reinforces the benefits that the larger scale and combined strengths of both companies will deliver. “The combination of Outotec and Metso marks an important milestone in each company’s history and in Outotec’s strategic

SEPTEMBER 2019

development,” Teräsvasara says. “Outotec has a highly compelling portfolio of technologies and capabilities that will be a key catalyst for unlocking many of these benefits.” In 2018, the companies had combined global sales of €4.2 billion ($6.7 billion). The complementary portfolio and global footprint are expected to deliver synergies worth at least €150 million from cross-selling opportunities within three years. Once the deal has been completed, Metso shareholders will own 78 per cent of the enlarged company and Outotec stakeholders the remaining 22 per cent. AM

DIGITAL MINING

A ROCKWELL AUTOMATION GUIDE TO USING BIG DATA THE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY HAS ANSWERS TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN MINING AT THE MOMENT: HOW TO EFFECTIVELY USE DATA. BEN CREAGH WRITES.

he benefits of digital projects or initiatives in the mining industry are already well known. Digital technology, most importantly, helps drive the health and safety of workers at mine sites. It also improves operational efficiency, the utilisation of assets, lowers costs and enables integration of supply chains. These benefits have pushed companies to investigate and then launch technology projects that aim to transform the industry into the digital age. With technologies like sensors, for example, mining companies are generating more data than ever before. But herein lies one of the greatest challenges in modern-day mining: how do companies take advantage of this data? A McKinsey study found that mining companies currently use less than one per cent of the data they create. According to Barry Elliott, vice president, enterprise accounts: heavy

BARRY ELLIOTT OF ROCKWELL AUTOMATION.

industries at Rockwell Automation, this is due to a disconnect between collecting data and then efficiently using it to inform operations. “Data been around a long time, but actually doing something meaningful or forming it into something meaningful is the challenge,” Elliott says. “Less than one per cent of data is being used today. There is a significant upside to this, but again, it becomes intimidating because there is a tonne of this data, so what do you

actually do with it?” Rockwell Automation approaches taming data in four key ways, starting with a focus on having analysis of it in the right place. A technology like cloud computing has grown in popularity in not only the mining sector, but all major industries that are developing with digital technology. Despite the potential to use the cloud to store data, Elliott warns against focussing on it as the single source for storage across an enterprise. “Make sure you put some careful attention around this,” Elliott advises mining companies. “What are you looking to achieve? What data are you going to collect? Then provide that to the right people in a manner that is intuitive for them to interact with.” Rockwell Automation suggests mining companies consider implementing a scalable approach for the management of analytics at an enterprise, system and device level. This will allow companies to produce, analyse and react to information as close to the source as

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND BIG DATA MINING IS PART OF THE NEXT TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT. AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

possible. Elliott says companies will be significantly more agile by having scalable analytics, giving them faster decision making, improved network speed and performance, the ability to solve problems when they occur, and less risk and cost. “(The data then) doesn’t have to move up to the cloud and back again depending on where your operations are, and most mining companies have operations all over the globe in remote places,” he says. “Issues like latency become a problem there where you simply cannot have the same level of performance in one location to another.” The second approach of Rockwell Automation for taming big data is to help ensure it is given to the right people, for example, mine managers will get the information they need separately from what a maintenance technician receives. Elliott says there is now a lot of technology available that enables mining companies to transfer the right

DIGITAL MINING

data to their people in a simple and intuitive way. “It is really no surprise that someone running a mining operation uses different data to someone in maintenance. However, it is the same data that they look at, but it is just put together in a different way for their specific needs,” Elliott says. For the mine manager, the information may be presented on a high-level operations data platform, whereas the maintenance technician will receive specific data covering the status of operating assets. The third approach of Rockwell Automation is to provide the data in the right context so it is used in an efficient way to benefit operations. Elliott says legacy systems at organisations often create a data “scavenger hunt” where hours are wasted and there is unnecessary equipment downtime because the right information can’t be found when it is needed. He urges companies to develop systems that work together, something that is also increasingly possible with advances in technology. “Today’s technology can help you pull together data from completely disparate sources in a simplistic way and give it to people as they need it,” Elliott says. “You can drastically reduce downtime when a failure occurs or

A PLATFORM FOR DATA ANALYSIS.

when a maintenance activity takes place have the information required to perform that activity. “Instead of having your equipment down for multiple hours you are potentially reducing that to a single hour period depending on what the nature of it is.” The final approach of Rockwell Automation is to develop a data management system that creates meaningful interactions between people. Elliott says technology should not be viewed as a panacea in this

regard and organisations often need to address a multitude of other areas first. Rockwell Automation, however, points to a technology like virtual reality (VR) as an initiative that has the ability to create these interactions. For example, VR can enable a virtual walk-through and flyby assessment of conveyor systems on mine sites without requiring a field person to personally inspect the equipment. Elliott is convinced these

approaches will work for mining companies navigating a digital transformation, but reinforces that they should not approach them alone. He says forming partnerships with industry and technology groups will help guide companies through the process. “Create meaningful partnerships with your suppliers and industry peers where you have aligned outcomes and accountabilities that really enable you to step-change the speed at which you implement technologies and pursue initiatives,” Elliott concludes. AM

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MATERIALS HANDLING

CONVEYOR MAINTENANCE TIPS AND TRICKS CONVEYOR EXPERTS JASON COE AND ADAM WRIGHT FROM FLEXCO SIT DOWN WITH BEN CREAGH TO DISCUSS COMMON CONVEYOR BELT ISSUES AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM.

hen it comes to conveyor systems, it’s not always easy to spot a common problem and what can appear to be a small issue can very quickly escalate into lost productivity, safety issues, costly repairs and hours of downtime. Jason Coe, national heavy duty field specialist, and Adam Wright, Western Australia manager at Flexco are experts in the conveyor belt field. With more than 25 years of experience between them they share their top tips for conveyor maintenance and failure prevention with Australian Mining.

Q. What are the key causes of conveyor problems and failure?

AW: Carryback is one of the main causes of conveyor issues. On top of that there is also the issue of mistracking, spillage and slippage.

on the conveyor pulleys, it mainly happens on the drive pulleys. There can be build up on the pulley or the pulley could be lagging, especially if the lagging is installed incorrectly. Usually what happens is the lagging just won’t grip and this can cause the conveyor to burn out, have premature belt wear or even cause a fire. You can prevent this from happening by making sure that the lagging is correctly installed, that it is in good working order and it is free from any build up and damage. Regular maintenance is key – as well as keeping the conveyor and all associated parts clean. ADAM WRIGHT OF FLEXCO.

Q. What is carryback?

JC: Carryback is the fine product that gets stuck to the belt. It can get carried down the line and cause all sorts of issues. It can get caught on rollers and idlers, which then causes the belt to flap. It can also drop onto the conveyor structure causing hang

JASON COE OF FLEXCO.

up issues and making a mess on the ground.

Q. How can carryback be prevented?

AW: One of the ways to prevent carryback is to use belt cleaners. The idea behind the cleaner is to remove carryback from the conveyor itself and into a controlled environment. You can never get rid of carryback entirely, but a cleaner is there to do the best possible job.

Q. What is mistracking?

JC: Mistracking is when the conveyor belt drifts off onto one side and runs into the structure. This then causes belt damage and can cut into the structure and cause significant damage.

Q. How can mistracking be prevented?

AW: Industry standard is actually a quick fix, which is tracking frames. They are cost-effective and serve the purpose of essentially tracking the conveyor back centrally. Whenever there is the issue of mistracking you have the potential to install a tracking frame that will grab the belt and put it back centrally. It stops the belt from digging into the structure and causing damage. AUDITS ARE ESSENTIAL TO HELP MANAGE COMMON CONVEYOR ISSUES.

AUSTRALIANMINING

Q. What is slippage and how can it be avoided?

JC: Slippage is when the belt slips

SEPTEMBER 2019

Q. What does spillage entail and how can you prevent it?

JC: This is when excess product falls off the conveyor belt and gets carried down the line. Mining companies want as much product shipped as possible so the less on the ground the better. Spillage can cause downtime and more resources spent on cleaning up the spillage. From a safety point of view, you want to keep the product on the belt. To prevent spillage, you should be looking at your chutes and making sure that the belt is centre at all times.

Q. Is it common for a conveyor to have more than one of these issues at the same time? AW: Absolutely. A lot more can happen when there is carryback – it can build up on your return rollers, causing the belt to flap and then the cleaners won’t work properly which results in lagging issues. There is so much that can happen as a result of carryback. If you have an issue at the head pulley, which you don’t get sorted it will affect everything down the system.

Q. What do you recommend in terms of a maintenance strategy?

JC: Conveyors, especially belt cleaners should be looked at on a weekly basis. One absolutely essential thing is that conveyor systems need to be kept clean. They should be hosed off on a regular basis – they

MATERIALS HANDLING

Q. Another crucial part in managing conveyor systems is the auditing process, why is it important and what benefits does it provide?

JC: Audits are great because things constantly change. Conveyors get sped up so the original cleaners that may have been put in from construction when the belt was running at a much slower speed and may no longer be fit for purpose. All four key issues can be focussed on during audits. You can pick them up and record them and put them in front of decision makers on site. Regular audits are a huge advantage for mining companies.

Q. What happens during the process of an audit? CONVEYOR ISSUES CAN ESCALATE QUICKLY WITHOUT PROPER INSPECTION.

have moving parts that need regular maintenance and it’s important that these are all working as best as they can be.

Q. Why is a visual inspection so important?

JC: Some of these conveyors work 24/7, you might have walked the belt yesterday but something may have

been caught up in it the next day. It’s so important to prevent any issues by physically walking around the belt. You can get caught up watching a computer system or just assume things are okay but it’s not until you really walk the system and start recording what’s happened that you get a real understanding of how it’s working.

Q. Do you need a certain skill set or tools for a visual inspection?

AW: Yes, it’s really important not to just throw people out in the deep end. We see people still learning, trying to do inspections and quick fixes but this is such a specialist area that training should be implemented before carrying out these tasks.

JC: We walk around the belt and visually inspect the entire conveyor from the tail to the head. We look at all the pulleys, watch the belt run, look at the underside of the conveyor and see if the cleaners are working. Main key is to just walk the conveyors – it’s so important to visually inspect what’s going on. AM This interview was originally published on the Flexco Mining Matters podcast. Readers can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

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8/08/2019 12:39:50 PM

FUTURE OF MINING

SPACE: MINING’S FINAL FRONTIER AS THE PRESSURE TO SHIFT FROM NON-RENEWABLE TO RENEWABLE RESOURCES SPREADS ACROSS THE INDUSTRY, THE OUTER SPACE PRESENTS AN INFINITE RESERVE OF HIGHLY-VALUED ELEMENTS. AUSTRALIAN MINING REPORTS.

utomation is not only making waves at earth-bound mines, but is also set to impact extreme extra-terrestrial environments that will potentially open up to the industry. The concepts of safety, productivity and sustaining costs are premature for the space resources mining field, but increasing automation in the mining industry, as clearly seen in Australia, is directly applicable to what will be needed when mining commences in space. Such is the forethought of Centre for Space Resources Colorado School of Mines director Angel AbbudMadrid, who has more than 30 years’ experience in space projects on NASA’s low-gravity facilities, the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. “Just like terrestrial resources have been the driving force and the means for humans to explore every corner of our planet and to live off the land in ever more extreme environments, while becoming the main economic engine of our technological society, so resources beyond Earth will enable us to explore further into space, to stay longer in planetary bodies, and to expand our economy outside our planet,” Abbud-Madrid, who will speak at AusIMM’s Mining Geology 2019 conference in Perth during

November, says. “The extremely high cost of human spaceflight makes the development of these automated systems an imperative for any resource extraction plans.” The space resources field is at an

early stage of development, where resource identification, exploration plans and its technology are just starting to take shape. But there are technological advances the space resources field has seen, the biggest of which

CENTRE FOR SPACE RESOURCES COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES DIRECTOR ANGEL ABBUD-MADRID.

AUSTRALIANMINING 48 SEPTEMBER 2019

includes the rapid development of robotic systems, machine learning, artificial intelligence, materials, electronics, communications and advanced manufacturing. These technologies are bringing space mining from “science fiction”

FUTURE OF MINING

to “realistic objectives,” according to Abbud-Madrid. As technological advances in the mining industry will have a tremendous impact both on Earth as in space, certain adjustments need to be made to autonomous systems to conduct mining in space. For example, the Earth is accustomed to abundant energy, oxygen and water, a large industrial infrastructure and labour force, and has designed systems to operate under the Earth’s gravitational force, atmosphere and temperatures. “None of these elements are similar in space,” Abbud-Madrid says. “The extreme environment is characterised by the lack of a thick atmosphere, gaseous oxygen, liquid water, a fully developed industrial base and a human workforce in planetary bodies.” Space also has low gravity levels and extreme temperature variations, which make the process of space resource extraction and utilisation “a new and challenging task.” Existing technology systems on Earth will be modified to require less power, mass and volume, and to operate with a much higher level of automation and less direct human involvement, depending on the conditions of the planetary destination. “Technologies for extracting

THE EXTREME ENVIRONMENT IS CHARACTERISED BY THE LACK OF A THICK ATMOSPHERE, GASEOUS OXYGEN, LIQUID WATER, A FULLY DEVELOPED INDUSTRIAL BASE AND A HUMAN WORKFORCE IN PLANETARY BODIES.”

resources on Earth have been around for hundreds of years. Much of what we have learned in our planet will be surely applied as we start extracting resources in space,” Abbud-Madrid says. Advanced technologies will have to be developed to work under the challenging environments of space. Though the first 60 years of space activities have mainly focused on scientific exploration, operations in low Earth orbit (LEO) and communication satellites, the space resources field holds the potential to “radically improve the status quo.” This will be achieved by lowering transportation costs beyond LEO, expanding operations in cislunar space (a volume within the Moon’s orbit) and providing a sustainable robotic and human presence on the Moon. “Resources in space are practically limitless. These include water, oxygen, many volatile substances,

silicon, metals, rare earths, and radioactive elements, as well as intangible resources such as solar energy, low gravity, ultra-high vacuum, and the ability to see our Earth from above,” Abbud-Madrid says. “But … it is only in the last few years that the use of extraterrestrial resources for enabling further exploration and potential new commercial activities in space has become apparent and pursued internationally and by the public and private sectors. “In the long term, one can envision the possibility of importing resources from space.” These possibilities include beaming solar power from orbit to supply unlimited and constant energy to our planet, bringing metals and other high-value elements such as iron, nickel, platinum group metals, rare earths and Helium-3 to earth. Abbud-Madrid believes the

world will see the first missions to the Moon aimed at quantifying its resources, and demonstration of automated excavation, drilling, extraction, processing and manufacturing technologies on the lunar surface. The space resources mining field will also advance early design of the equipment needed for an eventual large-scale production of propellants and human consumables. “Realising the need to start training the first generation of professionals who will be involved in space resource exploration, mining, and production activities, the Colorado School of Mines last year created the first program in the world aimed at educating scientists, engineers, economists, entrepreneurs, and policy analysts in the multidisciplinary field of space resources,” Abbud-Madrid says. “With less than a year in existence, the program has enrolled 45 students from four continents, 12 countries and a variety of professional backgrounds, demonstrating the widespread interest to start preparing for this new frontier in the mining profession.” AM AusIMM’s Mining Geology 2019 conference will be held in Perth on November 25–26. For more information, please visit www.mininggeology.ausimm.com. TECH ADVANCES IN THE SPACE MINING FIELD HAVE TURNED SCI-FI INTO REALITY.

AUSTRALIANMINING 49 SEPTEMBER 2019

INTERNATIONAL

THE KZK EXPLORATION CAMP IN YUKON, CANADA.

BMC EMBARKS ON A ‘ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY’ AS BMC MINERALS REVELS IN THE PROSPECTS OF ITS KUDZ ZE KAYAH PROJECT, ALEX GLUYAS DISCUSSES WHAT THE YUKON SITE MEANS FOR THE COMPANY’S FUTURE WITH CHIEF EXECUTIVE SCOTT DONALDSON.

nknown to most people outside of television show “Yukon Gold”, the Yukon Territory is synonymous with a backdrop of majestic mountain ranges and an abundance of alpine-fed lakes. The region, which lies in the north-west of Canada bordering with Alaska, is as much aesthetically pleasing to tourists as it is enticing to

mining companies, given the range of base and precious metal deposits that scatter its vast landscape. Having just completed a feasibility study on its Kudz Ze Kayah (KZK) project in southeast Yukon, BMC Minerals has indicated a significant interest in the region. Centred around the ABM deposit, BMC has reported encouraging results at the zinc-silver dominant polymetallic volcanogenic massive AUSTRALIANMINING

sulphide prospect. The myriad of minerals on offer also includes copper, lead and gold credits and the company’s chief executive officer Scott Donaldson says once operating, BMC “will be spoilt for choice in terms of metal focus.” Indeed, the prospects are rousing given the feasibility study reinforces the pre-feasibility study BMC completed on the project in 2017.

SEPTEMBER 2019

It has confirmed a project with “compelling economics,” according to Donaldson, which includes a net present value after tax of $US527 million ($749.4 million), an internal rate of return of 39.6 per cent after tax and a payback period of two years. The feasibility study outlines the development of a project with mining and processing occurring at an expected rate of two million tonnes per annum, with ore mined

INTERNATIONAL

GEOLOGISTS AT WORK IN THE KUDZ ZE KAYAH CAMP CORE ROOM.

export to market. The products from the site are expected to be shipped to mineralhungry markets around the globe, with Donaldson highlighting the south-east Asian market as a main focus, as well as the European smelter market. “We are currently in discussions with buyers over concentrate sales agreements. There is a lot of interest as our concentrates are high grade and contain such high levels of precious metals credits,”

Donaldson says. The markets are craving concentrate that will be made into metals serving a “good balance between old industrial applications and new technology uses.” In terms of zinc prospects, Donaldson highlights its use to protect steel against corrosion, the most important market for the metal, representing 60 per cent of use worldwide. The growth of copper in the electric vehicle revolution has

made it the third most used metal in industry following iron and aluminium, which is also an exciting prospect for the KZK operations. Silver’s growing demand for emerging battery technology also has BMC optimistic about the Yukon operations, according to Donaldson. “The move to develop non-lead based batteries in more modern battery technology has seen the increase in industrial use of silver,” he says. “There is also new zinc battery technology which shows great promise and of course today over half of all silver produced is used in industrial and emerging technologies, chiefly solar energy and other alternative power sources.” A key focus for BMC has been on community and environmental standards around the site, ensuring the effect on the surrounding habitat of sites is minimised. The company continues to work closely with Kaska Nation representatives and consultants to ensure that all parties are satisfied that the targeted project standards will be achieved. BMC inherited an extensive body of baseline environmental studies that have been strengthened over the past four years. They have helped the company meet the rigorous Yukon Environment and

SMC Corporation Australia | New Zealand

from both open pit and underground sources. BMC has forecast annual production for the project at 235 million pounds (106,594 tonnes) of zinc, 32 million pounds copper and 56 million pounds lead. The feasibility study also estimates the mine will produce 7.8 million ounces of silver and 56,500 ounces of gold per annum. The ABM project is forecast to cost $US381 million ($542.6 million) to develop over a 20-month construction period, with an expected initial mine life of nine years once complete. Underground development is anticipated to commence in production year three, while underground ore production is expected to start in production year five. The processing plant design on the site will use conventional flotation technology to produce separate zinc, lead and copper concentrates, with the copper and lead concentrates expected to contain significant precious metal credits. BMC has scheduled first concentrate sales in 2022, with concentrates to be transported via existing highways to the port of Stewart in British Columbia for

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AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

INTERNATIONAL

Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) process for submission of the project development proposal. “Currently, YESAB is preparing the draft screening report for the project. We expect to receive that before the end of the year. This will be available for public and other comment and culminate in a final screening report and recommendations for the YESAB decision body in 2020,” Donaldson says. The project proposal is supported by the collection of 22 years of baseline data, 17 years by the previous owners, Teck Resources, and five years by BMC. BMC’s preparation of the project proposal has included consultation and engagement with Kaska First Nations, government, affected communities and businesses, and other stakeholders, according to Donaldson. While the glacial weather conditions in northern Canada are hostile for those not accustomed to the area, for locals who will be working on site, Donaldson says it’s “business as usual.” “Although it gets pretty cold up here for the Aussies, the Yukoners are very used to it and its business as usual in most weather conditions,” he says. “The Yukon Territory has a long history of exploration and mining dating right back to the Klondike gold rush days that everyone is familiar with. Yukoners are, therefore, familiar with and understand mining, this is a real positive.”

WATER QUALITY COLLECTION AS PART OF KZK’S ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE STUDIES.

Donaldson also points out the stable geopolitical scene that, coupled with the mineral-rich land, combines to make an exciting opportunity for BMC. “The regulatory regime is well developed and easy to understand. Combine this with some of the world’s best geology for base metals

KZK LANDSCAPE IN YUKON.

AUSTRALIANMINING

and you can see why we want to be operating here.” The opportunities aren’t confined to the ABM deposit either, as there is a firm belief by BMC that the Yukon district remains highly prospective in terms of the potential for future discovery. Donaldson points towards the compelling drill targets that lie within three kilometres of ABM and the “promising” Fyre Lake copper/ gold project to the south, which has resource estimates of more than 10 million tonnes. Looking ahead, however, Donaldson turns to the Finlayson Lake District, which he says “remains highly prospective in terms of the potential for future discoveries.” “We are currently planning additional work with the aim of building a mineral resource base that could significantly extend the life of the project,” he says. BMC has steadily built off the back of a string of acquisitions around the KZK district, following up its 2015 acquisition of the project by purchasing Wolf in 2016, taking an option to purchase over Fyre Lake (Kona) in January 2017, and in March 2018 BMC purchased Tsa Da Glizsa expanding the Fyre Lake claims area. Donaldson emphasises that “good projects are hard to find,”

SEPTEMBER 2019

THE REGULATORY REGIME IS WELL DEVELOPED AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND. COMBINE THIS WITH SOME OF THE WORLD’S BEST GEOLOGY FOR BASE METALS AND YOU CAN SEE WHY WE WANT TO BE OPERATING HERE.” which explains the high level of commitment being applied to the KZK project. “We believe that there is a growing significant supply and demand gap for many base and industrial metals due to a lack of successful new production assets being brought online,” he says. “The KZK project, being a polymetallic deposit, predominantly zinc and silver with significant copper, lead and gold credits provides a natural hedge across the suite of metals.” The potential for KZK and BMC’s wider Yukon prospects has Donaldson excited with the company “looking forward to developing a low cost, high margin project.” AM

MINING EQUIPMENT

NEW LIFT ASSIST ARM DRIVES SAFETY EFFICIENCIES AT MT OWEN THIESS’ HUNTER VALLEY-BASED MT OWEN TEAM HAS COLLABORATED WITH LOCAL COMPANY, NIVEK INDUSTRIES, TO TAKE THE HEAVY LIFTING OUT OF DAILY MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS. VANESSA ZHOU TRAVELS TO THE MINE TO FIND OUT MORE.

IMIC Group’s global mining services provider, Thiess, strives to keep everyone safe everyday, empowering its team to continuously explore safer ways of working. The practical design partnership between the Thiess Mt Owen team and Nivek tackled the weighty challenge of tooling – specifically the issues fitters had handling heavy tools for long periods in often cramped conditions. The teams collaborated to develop the ingenious new Lift Assist 40 (LA40) tool manipulator arm. Thiess maintenance coordinator David Crick says the LA40 arm is designed to take the weight out of a wide range of tooling, including rattle guns, impact drivers, pneumatic torque guns, air sanders and more. With a safe working load (SWL) of up to 40 kilograms, the LA40 allows heavy tools to be suspended by the LA40 arm, relieving

the strain from the operator. “At Thiess, we’re passionate about keeping everyone safe everyday – that’s number one,” Crick says. “The goal of the LA40 is to keep fitters’ hands safe at all times and keep fingers and hands out of crush zones – especially when loosening and tightening nuts and bolts.” Fitter Jess Briggs works at the Mt Owen maintenance workshop and says the safety benefits of the LA40 arm are clear. “Previously, you’d be bolstering yourself up and pushing into something that’s vibrating back at you. It’s bad for your posture and the weight of the torque gun is substantial against your body, so the LA40 has made a big difference,” she says. “You’re hardly doing a five-minute job – when you’re doing a series of maintenance jobs, it could be hours at a time. Holding and using heavy tools is more physically demanding. The LA40 is designed to reduce fatigue and improve productivity every shift.” Thiess workshop trainer Adam

NIVEK INDUSTRIES’ LIFT ASSIST 40 ARM ATTACHED TO THE TRACKED ELEVATING DEVICE.

Geosits says using the LA40 in conjunction with TED is a great solution – fitters can reach all the bolts on a D11 cutting edge only moving TED once in the process “Jess is able to do two things at once: putting the cutting edge back on the dozer using the cutting edge

LA40 HELPS REDUCE FATIGUE AND IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY EVERY SHIFT.

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

cradle mounted to TED’s turntable and bolt it in place with the assistance of the LA40 arm attached to the front of TED,” Geosits says. “The LA40 has turned cleaning dozers into a one-person job rather than two, and that’s a huge efficiency.” Thiess’ maintenance crew were directly involved in the development of the LA40, visiting Nivek’s workshop several times throughout the design and trial process. “Having the team from Mt Owen come to the workshop was a massive benefit. Before our products hit the market, thorough, real world trialing is an important part; we want to make sure that they don’t just look good, but that they perform reliably in workshop and field situations,” Nivek Industries marketing manager Rachel Fraser says. “We want to make sure that they are simple to use, that they are quick to set up, that they’re not going to break down, and won’t be shelved.” Although the arm can be mounted to any vertical surface via the fourbolt plate, its greatest ally in the field is Nivek Industries TED – Tracked Elevating Device. When mounted to this mobile work platform, the LA40 can be used almost anywhere as TED provides greater access to confined or elevated jobs. When it comes to practical, fieldtested, durable design, the LA40 arm can prove itself every hour of every shift. AM

INDUSTRY COMMENT

MAINTENANCE: 30 YEARS OF METS SECTOR TRANSFORMATION AUSTMINE TALKS TO ITS MEMBER GROUPS TO FIND OUT HOW MAINTENANCE IN THE METS SECTOR HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST THREE DECADES. to measure condition monitoring variables and the use of IT to maintain and analyse fluid data,” Adsett says. “These systems can easily identify similarities between what is running correctly and what is not, and when driven by powerful online systems, the diagnosis is more systematic, faster and allows for real-time decision making.”

Focus on safety

he days of running assets into the ground are long gone. The management of mining machinery has become a datadriven field with an expectation that potential disruptions or failures will be predicted, prevented and controlled. In this article Austmine and members Dingo, Techenomics, AssetOn, H-E Parts and Polymathian, explore what has propelled the transformation of maintenance, and what lies ahead.

Mining maintenance: 30 years ago

Rigid workflows. Little predictability. Reactive processes. That was the world of mining maintenance three decades ago. According to Paul Higgins, executive chairman of Dingo, it’s a stark contrast to today’s predictive maintenance procedures. “There were no proactive maintenance strategies. Work was completed according to a schedule and workflows were designed around breakdowns,” he says. “Mines used manual methods to process and analyse operational

TECHNOLOGY HAS BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO MAINTENANCE PROCESSES.

data because the volumes were manageable. Paper reporting was the predominant method for sharing information. “This proved to be effective in the past, but it doesn’t scale to meet the needs of the modern digital mine.” Louis Okada, marketing manager at Polymathian, describes the difficulties that these reactive maintenance strategies created for workforce planning. “With limited computer power and data availability, the workforce needed to be highly experienced and knowledgeable to effectively maintain equipment. If there were problems that couldn’t be solved, workers needed to seek expert advice. Meanwhile, the manual nature of planning and scheduling meant under or over resourcing was common,” Okada says.

What has changed for mining maintenance? The impact of the Information Age

Technology has disrupted our daily lives, and maintenance is no different. Okada lists the key innovations that have caused a fundamental shift in maintenance procedures. AUSTRALIANMINING

“Sensors are now more sophisticated, cheaper, smaller and internet enabled. Software tools do a lot of the heavy lifting, automating a large portion of manual tasks,” Okada says. “Gigabytes of data are collected daily and are made easily accessible with micro-services (APIs). “Advanced scheduling and planning tools assist with mobilising workforces for maintenance tasks.” Dingo’s Higgins agrees and says the value proposition for miners has fundamentally shifted from how well a mine extracts resources to how well a company acts on information to optimise production, reduce costs and improve safety. “In short, data is rapidly becoming a competitive differentiator in both maintenance and overall mine operations,” Higgins says. For maintenance, this paradigm shift means a dramatic movement from reactive practices to preventative and predictive maintenance. Techenomics chief executive Chris Adsett says new technologies and data analysis are transforming the industry. “In our space, we have seen the evolution of more reliable equipment

SEPTEMBER 2019

While technological change has led to data-driven maintenance, a crucial focus on safety has also shifted the landscape. Andrew Murray, WA sales manager at H-E Parts International, says the utilisation of a hierarchy of controls in jobs and across sites has led to significant improvements in safety outcomes. “Changes in planning, engineering and design have not only reduced downtime, but limited exposure to risk for organisations and their people,” Murray says. Stuart Burckhardt, director of AssetOn, also highlights the safety benefits for optimised maintenance practices. “Improvements to machine design which have been brought about through competition, legislation and continuous improvement have led to vast improvements in safety,” Burckhardt says. “Large mining assets today are inherently safer and easier to maintain and operate while delivering higher productivity than equivalent assets from 30 years ago.”

What challenges lie ahead for mining maintenance? Digging through the data

Mining organisations are facing mountains of data. Many of them don’t know what to do with it. As Dingo’s Higgins puts it: “In the absence of the systems, processes and people to unlock the value contained in these huge volumes of data, Big Data can quickly become counterproductive, creating noise, confusion and unnecessary work.” Burckhardt from AssetOn agrees, saying: “Vast quantities

INDUSTRY COMMENT

of maintenance information held by individuals, or in disparate systems, need to be codified into a standardised digital format. Without this standardised content, data cannot flow easily between systems and the broad benefits of digital technologies cannot be realised.â&#x20AC;?

Culture is the key

Managing and influencing culture is emerging as a key issue for mining leaders. As Burckhardt describes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;we see a major inflection point for maintenance in the mining industry. While the business fundamentals have not changed, the capacity to leverage technology to reduce the requirement for human capital is greater than at any previous time in history. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As digital transformation sweeps across maintenance organisations, the very real fear of job losses or significant changes to established work patterns comes with it. This mindset puts up barriers to adoption of new technologies as workers fear the change that comes with digitisation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ensuring mining maintenance personnel have a positive mindset towards change, by understanding their medium and long-term opportunities and risks, will benefit

both them and the industry and will be key to remaining competitive.â&#x20AC;?

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next for mining maintenance? Integration across the valueÂ chain

Looking ahead, technological change remains central to the possibilities of mining maintenance. Integrating operations across the value chain remains central to a complete maintenance strategy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A fully integrated network makes it easier to monitor every facet of an operation, including equipment health. Operators can use a blend of smart sensors, condition data and analytics to detect impending issues, determine when repairs need to take place, and prescribe exactly what needs to be done,â&#x20AC;? says Higgins. Murray from H-E Parts International reiterates the point. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Agnostic systems will allow various communications with central operating hubs on the same platform to ensure mobile equipment and plants are running at maximum efficiency and producing as required,â&#x20AC;? Murray says.

Automation and artificial intelligence

Could we see equipment scheduling

OPERATORS CAN USE A BLEND OF SMART SENSORS, CONDITION DATA AND ANALYTICS TO DETECT IMPENDING ISSUES, DETERMINE WHEN REPAIRS NEED TO TAKE PLACE, AND PRESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.â&#x20AC;? its own maintenance? Higgins certainly thinks so. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Next generation equipment could even utilise artificial intelligence (AI) to schedule its own maintenance and repair, while shifting tasks to other equipment included in the network. Proactive maintenance also means that spare parts can be ordered well in advance, avoiding express shipping costs and delays, and improving inventory management,â&#x20AC;? Higgins says.

Mobility for maintenance

Maintenance comes with a lot of paperwork and red tape. AssetOnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Burckhardt believes that mobile technology will change this. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mobile devices have become cheap and ubiquitous. However, the content and applications needed to take full advantage of the technology have lagged,â&#x20AC;? he says. As more content and applications get developed and deployed, mobile

devices will become a staple of the maintainerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toolkit, becoming an extension of their own knowledge and experience that is available wherever they go. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Further, increasing compliance requirements and focus of improving safety have ballooned the volume of paperwork and data entry needed. This has had a detrimental effect on cost and productivity. By building these requirements into smart systems and devices, compliance can be administered at the source rather than double or triple handling, greatly reducing the administration time.â&#x20AC;? AM Austmine is proud to be celebrating 30 years of support and advocacy for the Australian METS sector. As we lead up to our anniversary date in November 2019, we will be examining the significant transformations and key innovations driven by Australian METS and their effect on the global mining industry.

The weight is over

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

PROCESSING

LINCOM MAKES MARK WITH COMPACT MOBILE IMPACT RECIRCULATING CRUSHER THE LEADING EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER HAS MADE AN IMPACT WITH THE DELIVERY OF A NEW COMPACT MOBILE RECIRCULATING CRUSHER IN NEW ZEALAND. AUSTRALIAN MINING WRITES.

incom Group’s size reduction crusher has been successfully processing concrete for Auckland Quarry, a quarry in the city’s central suburb of Mt Wellington. Auckland Quarry was incorporated in 2015 to meet the needs of the construction industry in the city. With the closure of inner-city quarries in Auckland, contractors were forced to travel greater distances to obtain aggregate supplies and tipping. The business came about due to the growing demands of customers and to resolve the growing inefficiencies caused by Auckland’s growing urban sprawl. Given the increasing city traffic and distances to sites, job efficiency had been greatly affected, costing everyone time and money. Auckland Quarry became a solution by bringing the quarry and its services to the city doorstep, while maintaining quality and service. The quarry is a busy city yard, handy for tippers to offload concrete at rates per volume / tonne of material. Aggregate products can also be collected to meet specifications. “Given the growing distance of legal tipping sites and the increasing cost, we aim to operate an efficient solution at the best rate. We offer concrete tipping solutions with a focus on recycling and sustainability,” Auckland Quarry director Jason Boggs says. Concrete recycling is the smart, cost efficient and environmentally friendly way to reuse aggregate left behind when concrete structures are demolished. Lincom, a leading provider of material processing equipment, has delivered the Powerscreen Trakpactor 260SR to the Auckland customer. The equipment supplier combines industry expertise and experience

with its product offering to help solve material processing needs within industry sectors. Lincom achieves this with focus on safety and efficiency of production, maximising the return on investment for customers.

a crushed all-in 150 millimetre material, producing a GAP 40 product. “For some time, Jason has been asked to supply a spec’d product, something he couldn’t do before. He now can make a GAP 20, GAP AUCKLAND QUARRY CHOOSES LINCOM’S POWERSCREEN TRAKPACTOR 260SR.

‘’The 260SR crusher has proved ideal as a recycling machine, with metals such as rebar being removed with an overband magnet belt,” Boggs continues. Lincom sales manager – North Island NZ Caolann Fitzpatrick says the machine is being fed with AUSTRALIANMINING

40 and GAP 65 all by changing the machine’s screen media,” Fitzpatrick says. GAP 20 is an excellent compacting metal that will create a great firm base. It is a long-lasting metal and is a proven base course for driveways and under paved areas.

SEPTEMBER 2019

GAP 40 also works extremely well when used for a firm base. The most popular applications would be for a top course road material, subdivisions, void filler on roads, subbase material under driveways, and it is a long-lasting metal which compacts to a solid base. GAP 65, meanwhile, is a commonly used below the base course. It is best used for subdivisions, road work, and as a subbase material as it is a longlasting metal. Commenting on the benefits of working with Lincom, Boggs says the company helps with the selection of the right gear for what is needed. “The sales personnel go above and beyond to provide the technical data and backup to help make an informed decision,” he says. “The after sales service is an important aspect of why we choose to work with Lincom. From the parts guys to people like Fitzpatrick, who you can ring at the drop of a hat and ask for help in getting what you need when you need it. ‘’It’s great to work with guys we know we can know and trust. They have always been there to help, advise, encourage and make sure that you get what you need.” Auckland Quarry has tested the crusher in a recycling application and has been satisfied with the machine’s solid performance, versatility and mobility to move from site to site. The Powerscreen 260SR suits the site’s high recycling rate targets. The 260SR is the ultimate concrete recycling machine. With its twin apron, the CCS can be adjusted independently of one another at the push of a button. This gives the customer the ability to quickly change the settings to suit different applications and deliver the highest reduction ratios possible, according to Fitzpatrick. The quarry’s concrete recycling turns unwanted concrete into a new product. Instead of paying fees to dump the old concrete, the operation

PROCESSING

is providing a sustainable solution for unwanted concrete. Reinforcing steel embedded in the concrete is also not a problem for Auckland Quarry’s equipment. With the use of a pulverising attachment on an excavator, Trakpactor 260SR breaks it down into small chunks to then be able to put it through the mobile crusher. Lincom worked closely with Auckland Quarry to understand specific requirements and to provide the best solutions. The company supplied the Powerscreen Trakpactor 260SR as per customer requirements, including: replaceable tine bar cartridge style grizzly feeder; load management system to control feeder speed; crusher chamber – patented hydraulic overload protection and adjustment system; 4 Bar rotor and twin apron design; economical to operate with HPTO clutch and highly fuel-efficient direct drive system; crusher speed and conveyor height controlled with user-friendly PLC system; modular conveyor with raise/lower facility to aid clearance of rebar; dust suppression system; quick-detach post-screen to convert to standard Trakpactor 260; and recirculating conveyor. “Another great feature on the machine is the access around the crushing chamber. The platform

THE SALES PERSONNEL GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO PROVIDE THE TECHNICAL DATA AND BACKUP TO HELP MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.” around the chamber lets you change the blow bars and service the machine with ease,” Fitzpatrick says. The Powerscreen Trakpactor 260SR horizontal shaft impactor is a compact track mobile crusher designed for the recycling and demolition markets. The plant is capable of processing a wide range of material at a high output, making it versatile, easy to operate and fuel efficient due to its direct drive system. Featuring the Powerscreen Trakpactor 260SR fixed hammer horizontal impactor, the plant offers excellent reduction and a high consistency of product shape alongside its key features, including the hydraulic overload protection. “We like the low noise levels of the Trakpactor 260SR, especially when working in urban environments,” Boggs says. He believes any industry that

LINCOM NZ NORTH ISLAND AREA SALES MANAGER, CAOLANN FITZPATRICK (L) AND AUCKLAND QUARRY DIRECTOR JASON BOGGS.

requires an end product to be crushed, screened or stockpiled can benefit from the vast range of equipment Lincom offers. “The mobile crushing plant makes your quarry business much easier and more efficient,” Boggs says. “The crusher has a post screen and recirculating conveyor, which allows the product to be produced from one machine. We are impressed with the plant’s overall versatility to relocate easily on site. The crusher is easy to transport from site to site, and we will be using this machine at various locations.” Fitzpatrick adds: “Unfortunately, space isn’t a luxury we have here in Auckland so when choosing the right machine with Jason, it had

to be compact and still deliver the required throughput.” Lincom meets and complies with the relevant standard requirements and machinery guidelines to provide safe work practices for its full equipment range in mines and quarries. By meeting these standards, Lincom puts steps in place to ensure the safety of workers and the proper functioning of the plant. These codes of practice also assist with the risk assessment of the machine during commissioning. “Anywhere, anytime, no matter the location, time or situation, we pride ourselves on delivering the right solution and after-sales support,” Lincom states. AM

PDS Asset Management Software

Reduce Unplanned Downtime Maximise Productivity Increase Profitability PDS Software is designed to meet the specific needs of our partners in the resources sector. Our cloud based asset management and condition monitoring applications eliminate paper based reporting and complicated spreadsheets. PDS Idler, PDS Wear, PDS Inspect & PDS Complex are a multiplatform* subscription-based solution for your reliability engineering needs. For more information or a product demonstration contact sales@pdsglobal.com

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AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

MATERIALS HANDLING

EASY TRACKING ON SHAKY GROUND REMA TIP TOP’S TRU-TRAC TRACKERS DEMONSTRATE THAT INNOVATION IN THE CONVEYOR MARKET HAS BEEN IN MOTION FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

TRU-TRAC INSTALLATION ON A CONVEYOR BELT.

istracking of conveyor systems is an all-too-common occurrence in the mining industry, leading to considerable costs to human safety, productivity and power consumption. The root cause of mistracking often falls outside of a system operator’s control. Mine site vibrations and ground problems, for example, can cause conveyors to be misaligned. Other causes, such as structure alignment, splice joins, atmospheric conditions and feed discharge angle, are also familiar problems. Rema Tip Top identified a number of tracking issues on four stacker conveyors during an inspection at a Hunter Valley coal terminal. The worst of the stackers had belt mistracking of more than 120 millimetres to the left on both the carry and return, contributing to spillage and lost production. Each of the stackers had mistracked on a daily basis, causing an average of 20 minutes downtime every belt drift trip and up to 140 minutes downtime per conveyor each week.

SKEW SPLICES, MISALIGNED PULLEYS AND BENT FRAMES AND STRUCTURES ARE PRETTY MUCH A DAY TO DAY THING. TRU-TRAC CAN RESOLVE ALL THOSE.” There was a sigh of relief when Tru-Trac return units were installed onto each of the stacker conveyors immediately eliminating belt drift trips. Encouragingly, not a single belt trip was found in the first six months following Tru-Trac’s installation. “Tru-Trac is a suitable solution for many common issues that mine operators often encounter,” Rema Tip Top product specialist Danny Walsham says. “Skew splices, misaligned pulleys and bent frames and structures are pretty much a day to day thing. TruTrac can resolve all those.” Tru-Trac works differently to other traditional belt trackers. The unit doesn’t need any contact to activate it as its design works on achieving equilibrium all the time. This design features a bearingfree pivot arrangement and tapered roller, which actively track a belt through micro-adjustments to ensure it is centred. AUSTRALIANMINING

In normal circumstances, belt edges could be damaged by other products as they require a 90-degree contact with the belt. “In the case of Tru-Trac, the unit steers the belt across the centre, not requiring that 90-degree contact,” Walsham says. Tru-Trac is available in a range of sizes, including flat return (600–1600 millimetres), dual return (1400–2800 millimetres) and taper trough (600– 1500 millimetres). The flat return tracker is known for its simplicity, for example, an inner, stationary drum attached to a pin allows it to pivot laterally, on exactly the same plane as the belt and an outer drum that rotates around the inner assembly. “As the belt begins to drift off centre, it comes into contact with the tapered side of the tracker and as the belt runs over the smaller diameter of the tapered side, there is a change in force, causing the tracker to pivot forwards, steering the belt back

SEPTEMBER 2019

toward the centre,” Rema Tip Top explains. The Tru-Trac dual return, V-return and taper trough trackers operate on the same principle as the flat return tracker. Tru-Trac dual return is ideal for accommodating excessive forces in wide belts and heavy loads, while the V-return has been designed for V-return conveyor belts. The taper trough trackers, on the other hand, have shown a high tracking performance on the load carrying side. Its heavy-duty tracker is suitable for heavy loads and wide belts exceeding a speed of four metres a second. Walsham says the trackers do not require maintenance and last up to seven years, with sealed bearings not requiring any greasing. When it comes to the dual return trackers, operators can expect their rollers to last from one to three years before needing a change-out. Tru-Trac’s durable design enables it to operate in all conditions, with quick activation on both wet and dry belts above and below ground. Rema Tip Top has four warehouses around Australia, holding sufficient stock to supply its customers around the entire country, including 300 millimetre to 2.8 metre-wide systems like Tru-Trac’s wing rollers and centre rollers. The company has a dedicated team that trains and instructs site operators on identifying the most effective positioning on their system for installation. Walsham says the process, which complies to the Safe Work method, is “quite simple” and “doesn’t take long at all.” Tru-Trac flat return tracker, for example, can be installed on the clean side of the belt, with its tension adjusted easily using supplied mounting brackets. Tru-Trac is manufactured at Rema Tip Top’s premises in Centurion, South Africa and is exported to 68 countries, including Australia, the United States, China, Brazil, Russia and Canada. Rema Tip Top’s strong footprint in the Australian market, stretching from Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria to Western Australia, allows for the fast delivery and installation of Tru-Trac systems nation-wide. AM

MATERIALS HANDLING

FORTESCUE’S ORE PROCESSING FACILITY AT CLOUDBREAK.

A NEW ERA OF CONVEYOR MONITORING FORTESCUE METALS GROUP IS LEADING THE WAY IN MONITORING THE HEALTH OF ITS CONVEYOR ASSETS, INTRODUCING A NEW PAPERLESS INSPECTION SYSTEM. AUSTRALIAN MINING WRITES.

onveyor systems play an integral role in almost all mining operations, carrying extracted materials from one location

to another. Their importance means that companies must ensure that conveyors are performing at optimum efficiency – a failure to do so can be costly. Historically, mining companies have used paper-based systems that track and maintain the asset health of conveyors. For Fortescue Metals Group conveyor specialist in asset management, Derek Moulton, the process could only be described as “cumbersome.” “The process was very manual, the papers were hard to fill out in the field

without photos of the conditions and they often had iron ore dirt on them rendering them difficult to read and upload into the work management system,” he tells Australian Mining. Moulton proposed a paperless asset inspection system to be conducted in the field that could be accessed anytime via iPad, phones and tablets (IOS and Android) – capturing asset health with software provided by a third party. Data that analyses the health of assets is accessed live through any dashboards. For Fortescue, reports of all inspected assets are sent to the stakeholders of each site enabling them to see the condition of their plants, thanks to high definition images that were taken out in the field

from the conveyor technicians. Fortescue is focussed on the efficiency of its conveyor systems, introducing a relocatable conveyor at its Cloudbreak iron ore mine in Pilbara last year. The five-kilometre conveyor included a semi-mobile primary crushing station which feeds directly into the Cloudbreak ore processing facility at the Chichester Hub. Fortescue chief operating officer, Greg Lilleyman said: “The long and shallow nature of the ore body at the Chichester Hub presents unique challenges and opportunities. We adapted the relocatable conveyor technology frequently used in underground mining operations, allowing our team to respond to the requirements of the mine plan with

greater flexibility. “Together with the rollout of autonomous haulage technology (AHS) across the Chichester Hub, this innovative conveyor system is contributing further productivity and efficiency improvements. “While there has been a very key focus on operational improvements at the mine site, more and more we are seeing opportunities through the use of data analytics to optimise performance and outcomes and this remains an area of opportunity and focus for us.” Fortescue’s latest development for examining and maintaining the health of conveyor assets has been emblematic of its innovation on what is perhaps the backbone of mine sites around the world. AM

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SEPTEMBER 2019

TRAINING & EDUCATION

A HYDRAULICS, AUTOMATION AND CONTROL LEARNING HUB AS MINING COMPANIES FACE INCREASED PRESSURE TO ENGINEER THE LATEST HYDRAULICS TECHNOLOGY, HYDAC IS PROVIDING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TRAINING TO WORKERS. AUSTRALIAN MINING WRITES.

ining engineers are facing a whirlwind of change as technology and innovation continues to advance at a rapid pace. Subsequently, it has become essential to consistently update their knowledge base in order to keep up to date with the latest equipment. This, coupled with additional demands from customers for companies to adapt and evolve, has led to the introduction of HYDAC’s training centre. For companies in the fluid power industry, the challenge posed to them has been to improve reliability, reduce the size and weight of components and systems, while also reducing the environmental impact of their work. To stay competitive, fluid power companies must now be open to the concept of lifelong learning for their staff and supporting them through continuous improvement, according to HYDAC. Its training centre offers 10 practical courses on a variety of topics with some being nationally recognised. The courses range from understanding the basics of hydraulics to electro-proportional

HYDAC MOTION AND CONTROL TRAINING ACADEMY.

control, thermal optimisation, sensors and measurement, predictive maintenance and Industry 4.0 related technologies Having worked at HYDAC for more than two years, trainer Ian Moore says one of the biggest benefits of the training is it allows students to ‘learn-by-doing’. “Most people are tactile learners, the best way is to learn by doing,” Moore says. “The training offers a mixture of two formats, which include hands

HANDS-ON TRAINING USING HYDAC TRAINING RIGS.

AUSTRALIANMINING

on and classroom components, a combination of both mix well together.” Getting out of the classroom has allowed students to get their hands on the products and practice using HYDAC’s latest technology, such as the electro-hydraulic training rigs and control technology products. Despite the company being based in Germany, HYDAC’s Australian training centres are the only ones that offer the service to personnel outside the company. Given the increased reliance on automation around mine sites in particular, Moore says the move to offer the training industry-wide is beneficial to both HYDAC and mining companies. For hydraulics in particular, the risks of not engaging in training are vast, according to Moore, given that the “mining industry is one of the most dangerous industries going around.” “The basis of fluid power is to work at a level with more heavy material involving minimal input, it’s multiplied power and because of that, there are a lot of forces and pressure involved with pressurised fluid,” Moore explains. “When we’re talking about hundreds of bars of pressure, the equipment itself becomes a dangerous weapon if they’re in the wrong hands.”

SEPTEMBER 2019

As equipment becomes more sophisticated, Moore points out that training is essential to ensure engineers keep up to date with the latest technology. “In recent years there has been a move towards automation, particularly machines that run themselves, such as self-driven mining trucks, this is at the forefront of HYDAC’s mind,” he says. “HYDAC is really into automation and moving into new technologies like augmented reality, that’s where we are pushing forward.” While the most popular course being offered at the training centre is the level one entry course, there has also been interest in the more complex and sophisticated learnings associated with hydraulics. Each course is aligned to a unit of competency related to hydraulics, ranging from level one to five, with content based on federal guidelines for the engineering sector. The courses are held in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Newcastle and represent the only manufacturing company in Australia that offers real-time training. Having worked in hydraulics for nearly 10 years across different fields, Moore says he has noticed a lack of education when it comes to equipment. “I’ve done training sessions where people working in hydraulics have just been amazed at what they don’t know,” he says. “It just astounds me how many people working in the industry aren’t trained or don’t have the adequate knowledge regarding this equipment.” The popularity of HYDAC’s training centre has led to the company being recognised as an ABA100 winner for training excellence and has Moore thinking about what’s ahead, admitting that the concept of training through virtual reality (VR) isn’t far away. While HYDAC continues to improve the capabilities of its own hydraulic engineers, the wider mining industry is also set to reap the benefits of a more knowledgeable and experienced workforce. AM

ENERGY

UNEARTHING GREATER OPPORTUNITIES WITH TOTAL OIL AUSTRALIA TOTAL CONTINUES TO SIGNIFICANTLY INVEST ITS RESOURCES IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF LUBRICANT PRODUCTS DESIGNED FOR THE MINING, EARTHMOVING AND CIVIL CONSTRUCTION SECTORS.

s one of the leading energy majors, Total has spent over US$1 billion ($1.48 billion) on research and development (R&D) in 2018 and employs over 4000 researchers globally. The company is committed to providing better energy that is safer, more affordable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. In Australia, Total provides a strong offer of premium quality lubricants that meet (and/or exceed) the specifications of the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to the mining sector. The company has successfully maintained a local presence through an extensive distributor network that dates back to 1955. Today, this distributor network is still an integral part of Total Oil Australia’s growth. “Total Oil Australia has been building its mining offering for the region, investing in growing the technical expertise required within the mining sector,” national mining manager of Total Oil Australia Andrew Druwitt tells Australian Mining. “In the past 12 months alone, we’ve delivered over 10 million litres of lubricants into the Australian mining market. “Since our company’s inception in 2011, we’ve managed to become a major lubricants supplier into the mining industry.” Total Oil Australia benefits from

A TOTAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN AT THE CENTRE DE RECHERCHE DE SOLAIZE.

Total’s state-of-the-art research facilities, where its lubricant products are developed in close cooperation with many major global equipment manufacturers and has risen to become a world leader in the development of fuel economy lubricants, underlining the global group’s commitment to carbon emissions reduction. Total’s rapid ascent in Australia lies in finding and promoting the company’s point of difference: its people. The company places a high emphasis on building a strong skillset around both products and technical expertise and its ability to work with clients on continuous improvement programs that drive down costs, lower energy consumption, while at the same time

AUSTRALIANMINING

reducing environmental and carbon footprints. With the rapid onset of changes in OEM heavy earthmoving equipment manufacturing specifications, Total’s continual investment into global research and innovation provides significant value to the market by remaining abreast of technological advancements. “Innovative solutions are one of Total’s biggest commitments, and our Total Rubia Works range is specifically designed for the mining and heavy earthmoving markets,” Druwitt says. “The Total Rubia Works 4000 15W-40 product meets the latest API CK-4 and ACEA E9/E7 performance classifications and is included in the JASO Diesel engine oil list for DH2. Not only does Rubia Works 4000

SEPTEMBER 2019

15W-40 pass the stringent Komatsu Hot Tube Test, it is also one of the few products that performs well in the more severe 290° Celsius version of this high-temperature oxidation and deposit test. “This is an example of the commitment from Total to producing quality products, particularly within the mining, earthmoving and construction sectors.” Total is determined to provide the best mining offer of products and services designed to assist customers reduce total cost of ownership. The company supports this ambition by providing services that complement its lubricant products, through reliable technical support, engineering and facilities and strong key account management. “We have invested heavily into the Australian market through the construction of bulk lubricant facilities in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia thus contributing to security of supply to our clients,” Druwitt says. “Total is aggressively growing its products and services across all of the Australian states and territories, and mining forms an integral part of this growth strategy.” Total Oil Australia, after all, stands on the support of a family of 100,000 employees in more than 130 countries, and has been innovating for nearly 100 years to meet customer needs and expectations throughout the world. AM

PROSPECT XXXAWARDS THE PROSPECT AWARDS WILL BE HELD IN BRISBANE FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.

SECTOR LEADERS WEIGH IN ON MINING PROSPECTS THE 2019 AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS SPONSORS – ALSO THE INDUSTRY’S LEADING COMPANIES – ARE WITNESSING SOME IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE MINING SECTOR. VANESSA ZHOU WRITES.

ow in its sixteenth year, the Australian Mining Prospect Awards evening is considered the Oscars of the Australian mining industry. Putting the spotlight on the sector’s shining stars, the awards celebrate the achievements and innovations seen in this constantly-evolving industry. The fact that the mining industry is experiencing growth is testament to the diversity and talent of the professionals working within the sector. “My observation is that the mining industry has been extremely strong,” SEW Eurodrive sales and operations manager in Far North Queensland, Daniel Dallari says. “It’s showing that it’s a resilient industry at present and moving forward into the future.” Indeed, there are many things to celebrate in the industry. BGC Contracting, the Prospect Awards

I BELIEVE HAVING AN EVENT DEDICATED TO RECOGNISING THE VALUE OFFERED BY THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY OFFERS AN INCENTIVE TO PUSH BEYOND LIMITS AND PRODUCE WORK OF GREAT VALUE TO THE WIDER MINING SECTOR.”

sponsor for the Contribution to Mining Award, is seeing an ever-increasing demand for battery minerals beyond the demand for Australia’s traditional natural resources. The strength in the iron ore market has also underpinned a stable business year, while the battery mineral sector and complementary minerals, such as tin and nickel, have also demonstrated a continued emergence, according to the Minerals Processing of the Year category sponsor CDE Meta Australasia regional manager Daniel Webber. AUSTRALIANMINING

“Excitingly, CDE has been involved in Centrex Metals’ phosphate project in Queensland and we see this minerals criticality going forward as Asia’s population continues to grow and demand more food,” Webber says. This positive growth has also been seen in the mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector. Industry body Austmine (this year’s Innovative Mining Solution category sponsor) is confident that the METS sector is at the forefront of mining innovation on a global scale.

SEPTEMBER 2019

Meanwhile, CRC national marketing manager Simon Hatton says the adoption of digitalisation and technology will continue to greatly impact on the industry moving forward. The Australian Mine of the Year category sponsor, National Group, for example, has developed the ability to implement and optimise its semi-autonomous tractor system technology. This application in mining production is a world first. “Life-saving, productionenhancing and operation-improving technologies, equipment and services are being developed and offered every year by METS companies here in Australia,” Austmine states. Epiroc also shares the same sentiment about Australia’s contractors and mining companies, hailing them as “among the most innovative miners in the world.” Australian contractors have the ability to surf through “the turbulent

PROSPECT AWARDS

mining economy,” while remaining leaders in innovative thinking and productivity. “They deserve to be celebrated,” says Epiroc business line manager, underground rock excavation, Shaiful Ali. CDE is seeing a purposeful drive from all miners to eradicate wet tailings facilities in response to recent dam incidents. The holder of 13 patents in materials wet processing industry envisions the transformation of waste ores into valuable, high-grade products, and the elimination of settling ponds and tailings dams. Metso, the sponsor of Excellence in Environmental Management category, remains confident that the future of humanity can be “amazing and sustainable,” with the supply of raw materials needed to build such future in an environmentally responsible and sustainable way. “Unless our industry is able to demonstrate its environmental benefits, humanity will continue to find different ways to fulfil its needs for base metals, building materials and energy,” Metso head

EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER EPIROC SPONSORS TWO PROSPECT AWARDS CATEGORIES THIS YEAR.

of marketing and communications Peter Newfield says. Newfield adds that one of the industry’s biggest challenges is its

THE EVENT HAS MADE HISTORY SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2004.

licence to operate and that is driven by public opinion. With innovation – which is at the heart of the Prospect Awards – businesses will remain sustainable and the mining industry long-standing. “The Minerals Education Coalition recently released a series of striking statistics stating that every American baby will require 9150 kilograms of iron ore, 211 kilograms of zinc and 6500 kilograms of phosphate rock among other minerals in its lifetime,” Webber explains. “These resources are not infinite by any means, and central to sustainable mining operations is the essential need to innovate to recover

and beneficiate every available ounce of material processed.” Ellaina Grixti, national marketing coordinator for Flexco, sponsor of the Excellence in Mine Safety and OH&S category, says there cannot be improvement without innovation. “I believe having an event dedicated to recognising the value offered by those in our community offers an incentive to push beyond limits to produce work of great value to the wider mining sector.” “Importantly, the individuals and companies acknowledged for their contributions to nextgeneration technologies … inform wider community members on how sustainable mining and minerals

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AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

8/8/19 2:20 pm

PROSPECT AWARDS

CRC INDUSTRIES’ SIMON HATTON PRESENTS THE 2018 MINE MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARD TO BHP’S ELSABE MULLER.

operations inhabit the very core of a thriving, healthy economy,” Webber adds. The Prospect Awards also highlight best practices and offer an important platform for great stories to be shared, says BGC Contracting chief operating officer Andrew Taplin. This has allowed others in the industry to improve their business performance, and in turn, enhance the mining industry’s performance branding. Taplin believes the industry has been innovating for decades and will continue to do so. “At BGC Contracting we consider it very important that organisations who are performing at the pinnacle of industry, receive the recognition deserved,” he says. “This is an interesting chapter for our industry as we are able to contribute to the delivery of green technology solutions globally.” The mining industry in Australia has, indeed, gone through numerous positive changes in the last decade, let alone the period of a lifetime, says Liebherr Australia executive general manager, sales and marketing, mining Tom Juric. As a third-generation familyowned company, the concept of lifetime achievement is important to Liebherr. Its company founder Hans Liebherr dedicated his life to building the company that bears his name, and there are similarities

between the attributes encompassed by the Lifetime Achievement Award and what Hans Liebherr, his children and now grandchildren, The Liebherr Group, stand for, according to Juric. Hatton also believes the awards act as a reminder to the industry as to what is important in Australian mining. This includes minimising

the sector’s environmental footprint, ensuring a safe working environment and highlighting what the sector can give back to local communities. “We need to be innovative to support our customers by providing them with safer and greener products as they endeavour to reduce their own environmental footprint, without compromising

THE AWARDS PRIZE INNOVATION AND RECOGNISE THOSE THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

their people or productivity,” Hatton says. National Group appears to work in the same tangent, demonstrated by its commitment to innovation and the development of sustainable practices. “We have been recognised for our innovative practice through winning multiple awards, including Contract Miner of the Year at the 2018 Australian Mining Prospect Awards,” National Group managing director Mark Ackroyd says. “We believe that recognition should be given to Australian mines and managers who are investing additional time and resources into innovative and sustainable projects.” National Group has been rewarded for its forward-planning, and is now well-positioned in the industry due to the accessibility of its heavy earthmoving equipment, particularly the ultra class range. All in all, the Awards have provided a great opportunity to share new ideas and perspectives of the industry’s greatest challenges, including in areas such as safety, environment, innovation and community interaction. “Acknowledging these key issues is critical to mining’s sustainability,” Austmine states. “Safety is the most important factor on any Australian mine site, and we have no doubts that innovation and creativity will continue to flourish in the coming years,” Grixti concludes. AM

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AUSTRALIAN MINING PROSPECT AWARDS

E L A S N O W O N S ’ Y R S T S T U D E IN K E H T C I S S I T ’T M NIGHTS N OF o c O . s D HT rd a G NI p ec t aw p

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INNOVATION

PUSHING MINING ONTO AN INNOVATIVE PATHWAY ADVITECH USES ITS KNOWLEDGE IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS AND MANUFACTURING TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE MINING OPERATIONS. AUSTRALIAN MINING REPORTS.

dvitech Group’s humble beginnings have built the platform it stands on today. From a single engineering consulting company that supported the manufacturing industry, the group has grown into five entities backing more than one sector. The manufacturing expert retains its founding capabilities, while also driving innovation forward in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Advitech Group provides STEM&M (the second M to stand for ‘manufacturing’)-based products and services to the mining and heavy industries. Its range of products and services include engineering design, project management, environmental assessment, sustainability, remote communications, monitoring systems, decision support and noise control solutions. Organic growth and a number of acquisitions have combined a workforce in five highly specialised technical sciences companies – Advitech, Novecom, Hushpak Engineering, Acubis Technologies and Simulation Modelling Services (SMS) – collectively known as The Advitech Group. The group is collaborating internally, while taking the skills available in one company and complementing them

with those in other companies. The strategy paves the way for innovative solutions that cannot be accomplished by one company alone. Each member company brings strength to the group from its area of speciality. In the area of environment, for example, the group’s expertise isn’t limited to biodiversity and archaeology. The member companies have recently completed development of automated noise classification capabilities on the back of artificial intelligence, incorporated into environmental noise monitoring systems. “We’ve managed to combine the skillsets across three of our member companies to develop intelligent noise classification to automatically determine whether monitored noise is mine related,” Advitech Group director Steven Smith tells Australian Mining. “Our classification system has helped mining operators adhere to their noise limits by identifying whether measured noise is mining or non-mining related. If the noise isn’t related to mining, there is no need to amend operational activities and companies can minimise unnecessary loss of productivity and income.” When it comes to engineering, Advitech rises to the challenges of structural, mechanical and process engineering, while remaining adept in other crucial components of engineering, such as project management and functional safety.

ADVITECH CONDUCTS TESTING IN THE BOWEN BASIN.

AUSTRALIANMINING

ADVITECH MD STEVEN SMITH STARTED OUT AS AN ENGINEERING TRAINEE.

The key to Advitech’s innovation leadership is in identifying people that have the right skillset, and to hire and retain them. According to Smith, it boils down to “having good staff working for you” and people who know what they need to be doing. “We’ve got a flat structure in the group, so I’m able to maintain a fair bit of contact with the staff working in Advitech,” Smith says. Though the group comprises both younger and more experienced personnel, everyone is part of an internal training framework called the Advitech Group Academy. The company invests in inviting external speakers and having senior personnel train its staff members, alongside externally run courses. “We also build specific development opportunities for our people, and we recognise their need to participate in the kind of work they have not done before. This strategy facilitates their professional growth, while building a diversity in skills in the group,” Smith says. “Interestingly, a lot of our staff members have not come from a mining background. One of our specialist mechanical engineers came from the defence sector, one senior risk and functional safety engineer came from the British nuclear industry, and our

SEPTEMBER 2019

engineering manager came from a background of hoisting systems in high rise buildings. “But all three of them have brought their multi-sector experience to the mining sector to offer third-party design reviews of mine hoisting systems.” The Advitech Group also develops its own hardware and software solutions for the mining sector, on the back of internal R&D consultation involving people of varying backgrounds and close connections into the industry. After all, the group is conscious of the need to continually evolve. It is developing product offerings that are “much more advanced” and address the business needs of its customer base. This effort is part of The Advitech Group’s move to “always look to extend itself” and “remain relevant” across the various elements of the mining industry. “We recognised some time ago that being a small to medium-sized consulting firm would limit the opportunity for us to grow, so the three owners of Advitech decided to invest in a broader range of activities,” Smith says. “And we finished up with a group that is greater than the sum of its parts.” AM

PRODUCT FOCUS

BREATHING QUALITY AIR UNDERGROUND THE DAILY CONTACT UNDERGROUND WORKERS HAVE WITH HARSH MINING ENVIRONMENTS REQUIRES THAT COMPANIES CONSIDER ALL ESSENTIAL PARTS OF MINE VENTILATION. WITH 20 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE, MINOVA PROVIDES THE OPTIMUM PROTECTION MINING NEEDS.

entilation controls remain a core risk management area at underground mine sites, especially at a time when pneumoconiosis, or black lung, has re-emerged. Having the appropriate ventilation controls in underground mines is considered a must, and therefore attracts the attention of statutory ventilation officers in the coal and metalliferous sectors, according to Minova New South Wales sales and services manager Robert Holstein. The Mine Ventilation Conference hosted by the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) in Perth last month brought industry stakeholders together to celebrate the sector’s achievements. But the conference also challenged mining companies to reach another level of safety. Significant research and development (R&D) in ventilation over recent years has helped ensure operators maintain and improve levels of safety in underground mining. Minova, for instance, has developed a range of cementitious and chemical-based products and systems used in the design and construction of underground mine ventilation structures and bulkheads. “Minova offers the largest range of live tested, explosion rated ventilation control devices, which are tested at world-renowned facilities, including the Lake Lynn mine in the United States and the Londonderry explosion test chamber in Australia,” Minova senior technical services engineer Douglas Pateman says. The company, which diversified into contract design and installation of ventilation control devices (VCDs) in 1999, has also been manufacturing products for the sector over the past 15 years. The steel-fabricated VCDs offer many key benefits, including increased cleanliness of the air for worker protection, reduced re-entry time after a blast due to improved quality of air control and cost

efficiency of the operating system. Minova’s success is underpinned with its conformity with underground coal mine legislation, as well as site specific requirements. In addition, Minova takes an innovative approach to design with ventilation plug and concrete seals that can be individually designed to suit the strata conditions and roadway dimensions of most underground mines. The company couples its experience installing ventilation seals at coal mines with expertise in full underground roadway evaluation and the subsequent design and contract installation of explosion rated seals and structures. Minova will often construct these seals using its pumpable, highvolume output grouts, including Tekseal and FB200 to ensure rapid placement and strength gain. Users can also choose to have their VCD designed, built and delivered to site for self-installation and maintenance. But Minova offers its service in audits management and stock control, or even full service and installation to allow mine workers get on with their normal operation. “All product designs are assessed by Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ), ensuring the highest levels of safety are met for each design,” Minova commercial and operations manager in Queensland David Hewitt says. The full range of steel fabricated products can also be customised to suit any roadway dimensions and mine layout, with engineering design undertaken to Steel Structures Standard AS 4100. Minova also puts an emphasis on the longevity of its steel structures, which are sand blasted and coated with a high-build acrylic resin applied directly to the bare steel. The VCDs are equipped with convenient and rated lifting points, allowing easier and safe handling during installation. Minova also includes high quality air to enhance the wellbeing of workers by designing ventilation

AUSTRALIANMINING

stoppings, which are available in a range of rated and non-rated types to suit an underground mine’s ventilation requirements. The company ensures its installed structures are fully rated and completed according to full design specifications. Operators can also manage air overpressures from stope firings better with enhanced control over the airflow in primary ventilation

Pateman says. “Blastflow louvre regulators maximise the time available to underground operators by allowing them to work in a controlled ventilation environment right up until the time of the blast. “Once they are adjusted, airflow is regulated immediately before and after the blast.” Minova is also able to configure its Blastflow regulators to allow remote

CONSTRUCTION OF A MINOVA STOPPING IN AN UNDERGROUND COAL MINE.

circuits with Minova’s Blastflow regulator. “Primary airflow into separate working areas or stopes is controlled by airflow regulators that have traditionally been drop board regulators. Blastflow minimises handling risks with single person adjustment of a regulator,”

SEPTEMBER 2019

control from a mine’s control room, further improving the efficiency of a mining operation. The products and services, and the meticulous attention paid to each of them, reflect Minova’s experience and capability in engineering, design, manufacture and contract installation of ventilation systems. AM

PRODUCTS

DELTA GREASEMAX LUBRICATORS

MOBILE SMARTWELD 500 AIR

GreaseMax lubricators have a proven track record for lubrication of equipment in mines, quarries and mineral processing plants. Their applications cover a wide range of mining equipment, including conveyors, pumps, motors, drives, flotation cells, drills and cranes. They can be applied for bearings operating in dusty or wet conditions, and have the capacity to pump through long feed lines. GreaseMax minimises or eliminates lubrication-related failures with labyrinth-related functions, improved through continuous greasing and purging, which prevents foreign matter ingress. The benefits are widespread, which include a reduction in physical access and safety issues.

Mobile Energy Australia has developed a three in one versatile welding package. The package comprises a 500 Amp welder, 65 cubic feet per minute rotary screw compressor and 38 kVA 50 hertz generator. The multi-function package is designed for use as a mine specification, standalone, flexible work station to work in all Australian conditions. Mobile Energy has also included the option for a breathing air package with CO monitor to connect to a welding hood. The standard Smartweld package uses an Essab Warrior welder and provides compressed air for arc air gouging with 10-millimeter rods. Plasma cutting, wire feeder, MIG and TIG functions give users work flexibility in one machine. The design has considered the ease for servicing and savings for ongoing maintenance costs.

• greasemax.com.au

• mobileenergyaustralia.com.au

BAC DUST CONTROL DRAWERS

ABB ABILITY VENTILATION OPTIMISER

BAC Systems has released a dust-control upgrade, available on a range of its BAC drawers. When opening a drawer, not only are the contents of that particular drawer exposed to dust, but also the drawer below. As the drawer comes out, air (with dust) rushes in to fill the void. When selecting parts from this drawer, the dust then begins to settle upon the items in the drawer below. The BAC dust control drawer system prevents this dust settling by sealing all closed drawers with a dust shield, completely covering each drawer. The shield is embedded within the cabinet, remaining within the cabinet as the drawer is opened, making access easy and dust protection assured.

ABB’s optimiser is proven to reduce ventilation costs, extend the lifetime of ventilation systems and create a lasting, healthy and safe working environment. The system improves safety conditions through built-in functionality in case of a fire, such as preventing the spread of smoke and enabling faster exhaust of hazardous fire gases. ABB’s ventilation optimiser is a modular solution designed to be scalable, configurable and easy to maintain using standardised components, and can be fully integrated into ABB’s 800xA control system. It can also be configured with three implementation levels to suit individual mine requirements, including basic control, ventilation on demand and sensor feedback.

• bacsystems.com.au

• new.abb.com/mining

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

PRODUCTS

KOMATSU HYDRAULIC BREAKERS

CATERPILLAR ELECTRIC ROPE SHOVEL

Komatsu has released a range of hydraulic breakers to fit its own excavators and work with machines from less than one tonne to more than 85 tonnes. The range of breakers has operating weights from 65 kilograms to 5589 kilograms, making them suited for mini, medium sized and large excavators. Komatsu’s heavy range of breakers are available in both two-speed option and fully variable speed version. The fully variable speed versions automatically change their frequency to different conditions or material hardness, which increases productivity across varying applications. The breaker range offers several unique advantages, including variable frequency and energy system on selected models for higher productivity and lower maintenance costs.

Caterpillar has developed a propel drive system upgrade for its CAT 7495 and 7495 HF electric rope shovels. The upgrade reconfigures the crawler undercarriage to allow drive shaft and tumbler replacement from the outboard side, which improves access and decreases downtime. Improved component design also extends the durability and increases component life to further reduce costs. Caterpillar engineered the upgrade to be a direct replacement, with no machining of the crawler frame being required for installation.

• cat.com

• komatsu.com.au

PRODUCTIVITY DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS

FLEXCO ULTRA LIGHTWEIGHT CLEANER POLE

PDS asset management software is an affordable software as a service (SaaS) solution, designed to meet the specific asset reliability needs of the resources and bulk handling sectors. There are four modules – inspect, wear, idler and complex – each designed to capture condition monitoring inspection data and to report on asset health in a user-friendly, industry specific manner. Use of these PDS tools results in reduced unplanned downtime, and improvements in productivity and profitability. PDS, a cloud-based, multi-platform solution, is available for web, iOS and Android. Modules are also adapted for phone, tablet and PC. PDS eliminates paper and complicated spreadsheets, taking data from the pit to boardroom seamlessly.

With manual handling accounting for over 30 per cent of Australia’s workplace injuries, Flexco wanted to limit the amount of manual handling needed during cleaner installation by creating a lightweight pole. Flexco’s solution presents a weight reduction of up to 60 per cent when compared with standard mild steel cleaner poles. An easier product to lift, carry and install allows operators to optimise safe lifting procedures on site. Adding to the benefits of the lightweight pole is the universal plate, which allows a variety of Flexco primary and secondary cleaners to be fitted to the pole. The versatility of the plate makes it easy to stockpile during unscheduled downtime. • flexco.com

• pdsglobal.com

AUSTRALIANMINING

SEPTEMBER 2019

EVENTS

CONFERENCES, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS EVENT SUBMISSIONS CAN BE EMAILED TO EDITOR@AUSTRALIANMINING.COM.AU World Gold Conference 2019, Perth, September 11-13

will continue to evolve in the future. • miningleadership.ausimm.com

Australian Nickel Conference, Perth, October 15

The World Gold Conference is a joint venture between The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (The AusIMM), the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM). The event will provide a holistic exploration of gold mining, including exploration, geosciences, mining (including geotechnical aspects), metallurgy (processing), environment and related themes. Various workshops will be incorporated within the program and keynote speakers from Nothern Star Resources, Minerals Council Australia, Goldcorp, Regis Resources and Optiro will also feature. • worldgold.ausimm.com

Mining Indonesia 2019, Jakarta, September 18–21

The Australian Nickel Conference (ANC) is the premier event for nickel producers and explorers as Australia’s only dedicated nickel event. In the context of a consistently rising nickel price, companies are once again discussing feasibility studies, mine construction and expansion plans. The ANC brings the industry together to provide a spotlight on the established players and emerging stories in the industry. In addition to offering nickel companies the chance to present their stories to the market, the conference offers an opportunity to meet industry players and network with them between sessions. • australiannickelconference.com

Leadership Summit 2019, Sydney, September 17–18 Today’s leaders are facing a challenge in engaging and effectively leading diverse teams. The context of leadership is also changing rapidly due to new technologies, automation, workplace inclusion, community engagement and changing demographics. This changing workforce calls for a corresponding shift in leadership approach, from an authoritative style to one characterised by empowerment and enablement. The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) will present case studies from Australian leaders where transformative change has been successfully enacted in workplaces, both within the resources sector as well as other industries. The Summit program will offer an outlook of how leadership

The 19th International Mining and Minerals Recovery Exhibition is Asia’s largest international mining equipment exhibition. It is a professional platform for the mining industry to do business, attracting attendees that range from decision makers, major equipment importers, distributors to agents. The exhibition opens opportunities for both international and domestic companies to demonstrate their products, services and projects to a highly targeted audience. The event also hosts the Indonesia Coal Mining conference, where leading coal buyers, producers and traders share market updates, current projects and price projections. Mining Indonesia will attract 16,000 attendees from 29 countries. • mining-indonesia.com

Australian Mining Prospect Awards, Brisbane, October 10 The Australian mining industry’s biggest awards celebration is heading to the Sunshine State for the first time this year. With coal becoming the nation’s biggest mining export in 2019, the timing couldn’t be better to celebrate the industry’s contribution in Queensland. The 2019 Australian Mining Prospect Awards will take place at Moda Events in Brisbane on October 10, honouring the best and brightest of an industry that prides itself as a cultural and economic cornerstone. • prospectawards.com.au

AUSTRALIANMINING

International Mining and Resources Conference and Expo (IMARC), Melbourne, October 29-31 IMARC will host its sixth annual conference at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre this year. The program will cover the entire mining supply chain from exploration, to investment as well as production to optimisation. It will also explore the new technologies available and the revelation of new global opportunities. Brand-new conferences on energy, the environment, workforce engagement will feature alongside mine and plant optimisation. • imarcmelbourne.com Longwall 2019, New South Wales, October 30–31 The annual conference is putting

SEPTEMBER 2019

safety and operator health under the microscope. Longwall 2019 will gather longwall mining operators alongside industry stalwarts, sector experts and technology specialists as it delves deeper on the human element behind the technology. The conference will also present ongoing commentary on automation development, success stories and lessons learned through innovation and optimised operational processes. Longwall 2019 will dedicate two days to glean operator insights, case studies and industry updates centred around safety, production, innovation and automation. • informa.com.au Future Mining 2019, Sydney, November 19–20 The 4th International Future Mining Conference is headlined by the theme ‘Get future ready’. Top researchers and industry leaders will present the future mining industry’s needs in the digital age. Delegates will also have the opportunity to listen in on how to best achieve operational excellence while keeping mining operations safe, cost competitive and environmentally responsible when faced with challenges, such as deeper orebodies and lower grades. With many internal and external factors impacting the future of the mining industry, the key is to prepare and get future-ready, according to AusIMM. The conference will provide delegates with the tools to do so, exploring topics such as automation, communication, smart data management and efficient extraction of mineral resources. • futuremining.ausimm.com

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