Australian Mining June 2016 by Prime Creative Media

TASMANIA SPOTLIGHT MINERALS PROCESSING VOLUME 108/5 | JUNE 2016

TOP 10 MINING TRENDS

OLYMPIC DAM IN FOCUS

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COMMENT

SIX MONTHS OF SAFETY THE MINING INDUSTRY HAS SET A NEW BENCHMARK.

COLE LATIMER

info@australianmining.com.au

t’s the halfway mark of 2016 and it looks like we’ve achieved something amazing in the mining industry. We have gone a full six months without a single fatal incident. This is astounding. In the years that I have been on this magazine I’ve never witnessed a nation-wide year of safety such as this, with Western Australia’s zero fatality year in 2012 a high watermark for me personally. While we can’t say we have achieved a zero-harm industry, this can truly be a benchmark for the industry to continue to work to; as it stands the fact we have managed it once means we can manage it again. But how did this happen? In the midst of the cutbacks, with decades of experience being shown the door, we somehow managed to not ignore safety in this period of transition, and actually increase safety levels. After the shocking run of the last few years, which recorded a high number of fatal incidents, the industry should commend itself for addressing the major concern of the sector: ensuring every worker makes it home at night. But the safety record is not wholly unblemished. In the midst of this, we cannot forget that poor safety and personal protective equipment processes in the past are having an effect on miners now in the shape of Black Lung. Last month an eighth worker – only in his 40s and the youngest yet – was identified as suffering from Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis (CWP) or Black Lung, and was diagnosed only a week after the seventh case. The CFMEU confirmed the latest case, adding that the man worked as a contractor at a number of mines in Queensland and New South Wales. It went on to state the group is aware of at least 12 potential cases, with the announcement of more confirmed Black Lung afflicted workers sending shockwaves through the industry. We thought we had Black Lung in the bag and had safety measures in place to ensure that workers today didn’t have to face the same afflictions their forefathers did a century ago, that is what the evolution of the mining industry is about. Yet we dropped the ball a few years ago, and the results are beginning to show. But, inversely, part of this is also about better

MANAGING DIRECTOR JOHN MURPHY EDITOR COLE LATIMER Tel: (02) 8484 0652 Email: ozmining@primecreative.com.au JOURNALIST SHARON MASIGE Tel: (02) 8484 0854 Email: sharon.masige@primecreative.com.au PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR ZIBA MAHABAT Tel: (02) 8484 0625 Email: ziba.mahabat@primecreative.com.au

FRONT COVER

detection methods, which indicates a rise in safety. Are we just seeing a rash of CWP cases now because we have better means to detect them, and that a good thing in of itself? While it shows an increased focus on detecting the long term after effects of CWP, and demonstrates a commitment to identifying those afflicted so that proper measures can be taken, it is a bit of a case of shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted. The mining industry is on the right track, and it has shown that ‘zero-harm’ can be close to being achieved, it just needs to continue to work towards that ever nearer goal. In the meantime, it needs to implement processes to correct mistakes of the past, and not rest on its laurels, to make sure that every miner makes it home at night.

Cole Latimer Editor

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AUSTRALIANMINING

On the front cover: In this edition of Australian Mining we showcase one of Australia’s top mines, Olympic Dam, looking at how it developed, its new strategy, and how it will access its new Southern Mine Area – which contains 70% of its total deposit. We also shine a spotlight on miners in Tasmania, focusing on an innovative tungsten junior in the state. We also look at how the race for lithium is heating up, and which companies are making the leap to this material. Australian Mining also investigates the top trends that will impact mining in 2016, in this edition looking at the first five, and what they may mean for your operations. The latest in drilling technology is also on show, with new drills and bits from the major OEMs. Front Cover image: Aaron Bunch

JUNE 2016

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COMMENT

SIX MONTHS OF SAFETY THE MINING INDUSTRY HAS SET A NEW BENCHMARK.

COLE LATIMER

cole.latimer@primecreative. com.au

FRONT COVER

Cole Latimer Editor

AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

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

CONTENTS

MINERALS PROCESSING

TASMANIAN SPOTLIGHT TUNGSTEN IN TASMANIA The story of one junior’s revival of an old mine

10-11

LITHIUM THE RACE IS ON A new gold rush is emerging for lithium

SUSTAINABLE METAL RECOVERY An eye on bioleaching processes

WEAR & LUBRICATION ROLLING BEARING GREASES Cutting lubrication issues

HARD ROCK MINING

30-32

AUSTRALIAN MINING ONSITE

14-15

SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S SAVIOURS? The past and future of the Olympic Dam mine

MAKING ZERO THE NEW HERO Zero emission loaders hitting the site New underground drilling machinery

EVENT WRAP

34-35 FINANCE

HOW THE FEDERAL BUDGET AFFECTS YOU What lies in store for mining?

MASSMIN 2016 The latest in underground developments A ROUND UP FROM THE DOWNTURN A barometer of junior miner sentiment

MATERIALS HANDLING

36-40

QUARRYING, CRUSHING & SCREENING

18-20

BLENDING OF SCREEN MEDIA A three step method to maximise output

EXAMINING LAGGING FRICTION Does lagging optimise your conveyor performance? SCALING NEW HEIGHTS Heavy lifting at Sino Iron Ore

MAKING THE GRADE A face to face with Metso’s Urs Pennanen

TRENDS

PARCHED PROCESSING: DRY TAILINGS New iron ore processing techniques

42-47 22

TRACKING THE 2016 TRENDS: PART ONE The first of a two part series examining the top 10 mining trends for the year

REGULARS

INDUSTRIAL COMMENT

NEWS

PRODUCT SHOWCASE AUSTRALIANMINING

48-51 JUNE 2016

PROSPECT AWARDS

EVENTS

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INDUSTRY COMMENT

MINING’S INNOVATION IMPERATIVE

AUSTMINE’S CEO CHRISTINE GIBBS STEWART OUTLINES THE CHALLENGES FACING METS COMPANIES IN AUSTRALIA, AND THE STEPS BEING TAKEN TO OVERCOME THESE HURDLES.

nnovation is the mining and METS industry’s buzzword right now, and with good reason. It’s long been a core value of Austmine’s, and a value many of our members pride themselves on embodying in their products, services and approach. Most in the sector are agreed that for Australia to remain competitive in the years to come, the way we do things needs to change – dramatically. This is where innovation comes in. When we refer to innovation, we’re not simply referring to the next big invention, we are also encompassing incremental innovation, or a re-thinking of how we use equipment, technology or processes that we already have in place. This concept of re-thinking is key for innovation to succeed in the mining and METS sector. We must change how we think about innovation, about how we partner to achieve innovation and

what innovation looks like. The big challenge we all currently face, is that there are several systemic barriers when it comes to innovation and technology adoption and utilisation. Many miners have made reference to a need for better utilisation of existing technologies, particularly following the furious investment phase of the mining boom. At IMARC in November 2015, Anglo American’s Group Director of Technical, Tony O’Neill noted that challenges as a sector generally came from adoption and system issues, as opposed to a pure lack of technological innovation. A challenge for METS companies has been ensuring miners use their technology, equipment or systems to full capacity once installed on the mine site. A lack of training, personnel changes, and cultural attitudes all contribute to a high-tech piece of kit not being used to its optimum capability following installation.

Therefore, the recognition from miners that they need to get “fit” and be smarter on-site is good news for METS, providing it filters down throughout the ranks, and is enforced from the top. The best industry-wide example of under-utilisation is that of data, or big data, given the volumes collected daily by mining operations. Every mine site around the world gathers vast quantities of data, in a variety of formats, from driverless trucks, through to manual sampling orebody data, and video imagery from drones or surveyors. The major challenge for the industry, METS and miners alike, is how to process, prioritise and act upon this data from both an operational and strategic point of view. Along with the opportunity for METS and miners to tackle the productivity challenge via better utilisation of existing equipment and technology, the need for new innovation remains critical. The Federal Government’s “Ideas AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

Boom”, as part of the National Innovation and Science Agenda, is a call to action to encourage greater innovation across the board. The METS sector is a leading light in this regard, with new innovations being launched by Australian METS on a regular basis. In fact, in our 2015 survey, 63% of METS companies reported that innovation was core to their business strategy and 81% of companies reported that they launch a new product or service continuously or every few years. Examples of leading innovators including a relatively new company Vayeron, who has developed an intelligent conveyor roller monitoring system which predicts and reports potential failures, significantly reducing downtime and maintenance costs, whilst improving safety. Or WA company, Safescape, who designs and manufactures the Laddertube, a state of the art escapeway system designed specifically for use in underground

mines and is unaffected by water, salt or other mineral deposits. However, we see many innovations fall by the wayside early in their development, for reasons such lack of onsite testing opportunities, difficulties in accessing decision makers, a shortage of potential commercial partners and inability to obtain funding. To help address some of these issues, Austmine introduced our inaugural Innovation Mentoring Program, sponsored by METS Ignited. This is a program for the mentoring of individuals aimed at creating the next generation of innovators. Demand for this program was exceptionally high, and we have paired expert and experienced innovators from within mining and METS with new and aspiring METS innovators. The program began in February 2016 and this first round will wrap up in July 2016, with the second round kicking off in September 2016. AM

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NEWS

ONE DOLLAR COAL MINE REOPENS, CREATES NEW JOBS The Isaac Plains coal mine reopened, highlighting the promising long term prospects for the state’s resources sector. The mine, recently acquired by Stanmore Coal for a dollar, had been put into care and maintenance in 2014 by previous owners Vale and Sumitomo due to low coal prices. First coal was produced at the operation in April 2016. QLD premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said despite difficulties in the mining sector, demand remained strong for the state’s resources and expertise. “As the re-opening of Isaac Plains here in Central Queensland shows, investors still have confidence in Queensland,” she said. “We have new faces, like Stanmore Coal, and new investors who are calling the bottom of

the market, stepping up and creating jobs, like the 150 jobs here at Isaac plains.” She added that other major companies including QGC and Rio Tinto are investing billions of dollars in gas and bauxite, where the markets are stronger. Minister for natural resources and mines Anthony Lynham said the government was aware of sustained lower

prices, particularly in coal, and the flow on effects it had for regional communities. He added that initiatives like the 50 per cent exploration expenditure discount as well as ongoing royalties freezes and low payroll tax rates had to be nurtured. “The Coordinator-General’s powers to cut red tape are available to support businesses, as has happened here

at Isaac plains, with the Carmichael coal mine, rail and port project and at MMG’s Dugald River in the north west.” Stanmore Coal’s Isaac Plains East expansion has also been declared a prescribed project, which Lynham said will help extend the life of their existing open cut operation to more than 10 years and possibly expanding it into an underground operation in the future. It comes only weeks after the state also declared MMG’s Dugald River zinc mine a prescribed project. “Our government supports the sustainable development of our resources for the jobs and economic development this offers and we will keep working hard to support companies like Stanmore Coal turn their plans into reality.”

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

CHINA’S COAL CUTS LIFTING PRICE Planned Chinese coal production cuts are finally making an impact on price, with expectations of a 20 per cent price growth in value by the end of 2016. Earlier this year the country announced a swathe of governmental initiatives to address oversupply in coal and iron ore. In January it declared it would not approve any new coal mines for the next three years, in a bid to cut growing stockpiles, as well as increase its alternative energy supplies. The country also plans to reduce national output by around 60 million tons in 2016, and around 500 million tonnes of coal over the next three to five years, with the Shanxi province slashing around 100 million tonnes of production alone by 2020. In March China’s government then stated it would lay off close to two million workers in its coal and steel industry to help cut

market oversupply. An official at China’s human resources and social security ministry said the nation’s industries expect to cut around 1.8 million workers as it seeks to reduce capacity, and address the growing stockpiles in the country. This plan to slash the country’s coal and steel workforce came only days after Chinese coal companies pushed the government to set a price floor for coal to protect against bankruptcy and stem job cuts. Additionally, the government has taken further steps to reduce output, cutting operating days from 330 to 276 per year. New data by Citigroup predicts the coal price may rise by 20 per cent on the back of these changes, according to Bloomberg, as coal production fall around nine per cent, more than offsetting the predicted 3.4 per cent decline in demand.

K+S GROUP TO LAUNCH NEW SALT MINE German salt and potash miner K+S has acquired mining licences for the Ashburton salt project. On the back of this acquisition it has also begun planning the construction of a solar salt production facility near Onslow, in Western Australia. K+S is planning production as early as 2022, with early capital estimates for the project forecasting expenditures of around $350 million. The acquisition is part of the miner’s wider Salt 2020 growth strategy, and the company’s expansion in to Asia Pacific, with the licences representing the first step in to Australia for the business, joining other salt producers like Rio Tinto – which produces salt at Dampier – and Mitsui, which also has Onslow salt operations. AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

“We want this project to give a boost to our planned expansion into the Asian markets. We see big potential there, and want to sustainably participate in the expected growth there in the future. The purchase of the licenses is the foundation to achieve this,” Mark Roberts, the board member responsible for the K+S Group’s Salt business unit, said. K+S plans to produce around 3.5 million tonnes of solar salt annually from the project, which will likely create 75 new, fulltime jobs in the region. The salt will be used in the chemical industry. The German firm is preparing its EIS and carrying out a feasibility study on the project, with approvals expected to take three years, and final decisions on the solar salt production facility slated for 2019.

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TASMANIAN SPOTLIGHT

TUNGSTEN IN TASMANIA

AUSTRALIA’S SMALLEST STATE MAY SEE THE STRONGEST REVIVAL AS THE MINING INDUSTRY SLOWLY CLAWS ITS WAY OUT OF THE DOWNTURN.

hile Australia recovers from the massive readjustment suffered following the boom, not all states and territories strengthened their mining industries at the same speed. In this year’s annual Fraser Institute survey, a global survey which ranks 109 mining regions around the world, Tasmania ranked as one of Australia’s top regions, and the 30th best place in which to mine globally. The state was one of the best Australian performers in terms of improvement, and much of this is being driven by innovative juniors on the island. One junior in particular is pushing Tasmania’s mining industry forwards, by looking backwards. Elementos Resources is looking to the previously successful Aberfoyle mine, which operated in Tasmania’s northwest for 18 years, dubbing the new operation the Cleveland project. According to the miner it has grades of 0.8 per cent tin, and 3 to 3.35 per cent copper, and a large tungsten lode. It has even exited its other assets to

focus fully on the polymetallic deposit, with CEO Tim McManus stating, “Our primary focus remains on the staged development of our Cleveland tin, copper, and tungsten project in northwest Tasmania and getting to positive cash flow in the shortest time possible.” Speaking to McManus, he explained to Australian Mining the urgency behind the company’s move, pointing to the massive tin deposit still available, the untouched tungsten lode, and the ease of access to these metals. “There’s been a lot of development already done, there’s 11 kilometres of development, the portal is already done; all we realistically have to do is dewater the pit. “The main focus will be the tungsten porphyry deposit.” He went on to outline its prospectiveness. “Wolf Minerals’ Hermerdon tungsten and tin project (in the UK’s south) has grades of 0.18 per cent, and that is considered a great resource; our drilling has uncovered 160 to 170 metres at 0.3 per cent. “The only development needed to access this tungsten is a 100 metre drive from the existing decline.” Getting the project up and running is AUSTRALIANMINING

not a concern for McManus, who stated Aberfoyle was one of the first mechanised mines in Australia, adding that the location could hardly be better. “We have two power lines running across the project, a sealed drive way into the site, and a local workforce,” he said. This existing power supply also supplies Grange Resources’ nearby Savage River iron ore mine. It also located with clear access to ports

JUNE 2016

ELEMENTOS IS HOPING TO REOPEN THE FORMER ABERFOYLE MINE

TASMANIAN SPOTLIGHT

at Burnie, less than 60 kilometres to the north. “It ticks a lot of boxes.” This local workforce will play a major role in getting the mine running once more, McManus stating, “We have a great community engagement program, and plan to only hire locally from Waratah and the surrounding regions.” But it is not just community engagement where Elementos is gaining ground; the miner is also making strides in terms of technology.

A world first

Elementos has partnered with Australian geophysical services company Geo9 to conduct a world-first mapping system trial at its Cleveland mine. “There have been small attempts to map the area, we’ve done more than 2000 drill holes, and there are around 80 old drill holes, as well as information in the state’s core library.” The system will be used to generate high resolution 3D maps of the site’s ore bodies at depth, enabling more efficient selections of follow up drill targets and resource development zones. Geo9’s mapping system is the first application of modern geophysics techniques at the site, McManus stating that it is virgin ground but still very well drilled in terms of historical data. It is hoped to identify potential tin-copper extensions along strike and at depth,

the potential size of tungsten porphyry systems to depth and possible extensions to surface, and to determine other resource opportunities containing high grade lead-zinc-silver on surface. Geophysical techniques use non-invasive technology to measure the type of physical characteristics underground. Geo9 uses electro-seismic methods for groundwater exploration, a process which converts seismic energy to electromagnetic energy. They also use a resistivity survey which directs a current on the ground’s surface and measures how strongly the rock underneath opposes it. This allows them to determine geological faults, boundaries and fracture zones. Geo9 have previously applied their mapping system to energy exploration, groundwater, dam seepage, liquid solution contamination, and geotechnical applications. This is the first time it has been used in mineral exploration.

From the tail to the face

Before Elementos starts full operations on the site it will begin by reprocessing the tailings next year, with pre-feasibility work already carried out, after planned approvals are received later this year and in early 2017. The tailings and open pit phases of the project consist of tin and copper. “The tailings will help us [get started], an open pit is the next step,” McManus said.

“Around 95 per cent of it is indicated resource.” From there the miner will continue on to the last stage, underground mining at Cleveland, focusing on tin, copper, and the untouched tungsten bismuth lode, for which it has already carried out a scoping study. However, McManus added that the size of the lode may encourage the miner to operate it as an open pit tungsten operation, differentiating it from other players in the field.

THE TUNGSTEN IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM EXISTING DECLINES

“We have a really low cost, long term operation, with plans to mine out around 50 million tonnes. “What sets us apart from the others is our tungsten and tin which is a very strategic resource, and very scarce, and with the state of the site and infrastructure, we will be a low cost producer.” AM

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LITHIUM

THE RACE IS ON A NEW ‘GOLD RUSH’ IS ON. SHARON MASIGE WRITES.

rowing demand for electric vehicles is driving the need for more of the metal. With global demand for lithium at more than 32 thousand tonnes per annum, and estimated to increase by more than 10 per cent each year, juniors are rushing to gain a foothold in the market. But is it too early to predict its long term economic viability in Australia? Once dubbed by Goldman Sachs as “the new gasoline”, lithium has cemented its place as a key component in rechargeable batteries amidst the push for more sustainable reusable energy sources. In January this year, managing director of Lithium Australia Adrian Griffin said the demand will continue to grow due to shifting attitudes towards power, particularly in terms of renewable energy and the move to portable power. “The types of power being generated in the future are going to require storage and lithium gives you the ability to store that power,” he said. The push for greener car alternatives has added to lithium’s bouyancy, with The Economist pointing to ‘new energy’ vehicle sales in China nearly tripling to 171,000 in the first ten months of 2015, compared to the same time period in 2014. Tesla Motors is one of the pioneers in the use of lithium-ion batteries, having recently altered their mission to produce 500,000 cars a year by 2020, to 2018 with

each of them requiring batteries. Other manufacturers have also adopted the use of lithium-ion batteries such as Toyota’s Prius hybrid. Tesla’s chief technical officer J.B. Straubel, said, “There’s so much hype in the lithium market right now…people look at it as this magical element.” The company’s US$5 billion battery factory in Nevada, named the Gigafactory, alone is set to produce more lithium-ion batteries than all other lithium battery factories in the world combined. During an event for the Model 3, Tesla’s first mass market vehicle, CEO Elon Musk said, “In order to produce half a million cars a year, we would basically need to absorb the entire world’s lithium-ion production. That is why we are building the Gigafactory. This is a vital element.” Add to that the Tesla Powerwall, a home battery storage unit, and even more lithium may potentially be required. With this production of electric vehicles expected to grow, several junior companies are rushing to enter the lithium market. Thirty-five ASX listed companies are involved in lithium exploration or have development plans, with a third of these moving into the lithium sector within the last five months. Lithium is produced either from lithium brines in salt lakes, or mineral rock deposits (spodumene). The world’s largest spodumene deposits are WA’s Greenbushes, approximately 250km south

SALT LAKES ARE A MAJOR SOURCE OF THE MATERIAL

AUSTRALIANMINING

of Perth, whereas the largest salt brines are found in South America; particularly Chile and Bolivia.

Juniors leading the pack

Pioneer Resources also invest in lithium, with a number of projects including the Mavis, Pioneer Dome, and Phillips River. At the RIU Resources Round Up in Sydney in May, managing director of Pioneer resources David Crook told Australian Mining the Phillips River Project had the highest lithium value from a stream sediment sample in Australia, according a report by Geosciences Australia. In April this year, the company entered an Option Agreement to acquire 90 per cent interest in the Donnelly Lithium Project in WA’s Greenbushes mineral field, which involves two exploration licenses over an area of approximately 220 square kilometres. Similarly, Altura Mining completed a Binding Offtake Agreement (BOA) with China based Lionenergy for the Pilgangoora Lithium Project in the Pilbara. The agreement stipulated that Lionenergy will take 100,000 tonnes of six per cent Li2O grade spodumene concentrate annually for the next five years. Adelaide Resources was also granted an exploration license over a potential lithium brine in South Australia. Not only does it hold a license for another potential brine in the Eyre Peninsula, it also recently put in an application for hard rock lithium opportunities at Northern Territory’s Davenport Ranges. Overseas exploration ventures are also sought, with Lithium Australia, and Alix Resources, beginning exploration in Sonora, Mexico, in the hope of discovering lithium. But so far in Australia only Galaxy Resources is producing lithium, at its Mt Cattlin mine. Even gold companies, which are seeing

JUNE 2016

a revival of the metal, are considering exploration as managing director of Kidman Resources, Martin Donohue said, while Kidman remains primarily in the gold sector, it is testing old drill sites for potential lithium pegmatites. “We hadn’t paid any attention to the lithium potential of our ground because we were so focused on gold but in the last month we have had at least four separate approaches from companies enquiring as to whether we would sell our lithium rights and that sort of made us sit down as a board and say… ‘perhaps we had best take a look ourselves at what we might unknowingly be sitting on’,” he said. Iggy Tan, managing director of Altech Chemicals and former managing director of Galaxy Resources – and central to starting up Mt Cattlin’s mine – told Australian Mining it is not surprising that several companies are exploring, however not all of them will become producers. “Not all projects are going to go ahead, it depends on grade and how well they can develop processing in a short period of time,” he said. One company however, has increased their market share significantly with their production of lithium. The Olaroz lithium facility (Salar de Olaroz) in Argentina, a joint venture by Australian firm Orocobre and Toyota Tsusho Corporation, was the first new lithium brine built in twenty years. In the last six months, its share price has increased by 133 per cent, getting it closer to its maximum output production rate of 17,500 tonnes per annum. In the first quarter of 2016, the mine produced 2332 tonnes of lithium carbonate, with the second quarter expected to produce 3000 tonnes. Although continued rising demand is acting as the foundation for a renewed lithium market, it remains to be seen if this early flurry of exploration will pay, both literal and figurative, dividends. AM

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AUSTRALIAN MINING ON SITE

SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S SAVIOUR? AUSTRALIAN MINING TOURS OLYMPIC DAM AND DISCUSSES THE PAST AND FUTURE OF THE OPERATION. COLE LATIMER WRITES.

lympic Dam has always been a mine driven to explore, with the imperative to push further a part of the operation’s DNA, no matter the owner, from Western Mining through to BHP. The sheer size of the mine and its importance to Australia, particularly to the psyche of South Australia, cannot be overstated, yet it is a mine that almost didn’t exist. Initially discovered through aerial surveys, the deposit was almost missed after the first nine initial drill holes showed nothing, and it wasn’t until the tenth hole copper was uncovered. This mix of copper, gold, and uranium in the deposit – which itself creates additional processing and extraction issues – was formed through multiple instances of fracturing and mineralisation which came out of the site’s underlying granite. These instances, although enriching the deposit, created a complex pattern of mineralisation and alteration which spreads outwards from the core, and changes at depth. Olympic Dam’s asset president Jacqui McGill is upfront about the deposit, “Olympic Dam is BHP’s most complex operation,” she told Australian Mining. Head of resources planning and development, Justin Bauer added, “It is heterogeneous, the minerals are everywhere.” But these scattered minerals hold a massive wealth – it is the world’s largest single uranium deposit, fifth largest copper deposit, and one of the world’s larger gold deposits, although the iron ore that hosts the other metals is ignored, as general manager of surface operations Aimee Allen explained “the iron isn’t the right quality to bother obtaining”. A mine with such a unique, one-off mix of geology and metals has always proved a

challenge, but one that its series of owners have always been eager to surmount. From the start the mine has been approached differently due in part to the different approach required because of the uranium, with a regional and local mentality that runs throughout the business. This even shows itself in its output, smelting in Australia and producing its own copper cathode and anode – as well as yellowcake and gold and silver – as opposed to simply digging and shipping like the majority of other copper and base metal mines in the country. Yet, the mine was always set to play a major role in Australia, and its psyche, and is marked as one of a string of phenomenal discoveries by geologist Roy Woodall, who counts the Kambalda nickel field, Yeelirrie, and the East Spar oil field amongst his findings. But as the commodity downturn continues, it has been forced – along with the rest of the resources industry – to reexamine the way it does business, and the future of operations.

Olympic Dam’s new frontier

Despite more than a quarter of a century of operations, the mine still had a number of surprises up its sleeve. From the unique polymetallic makeup of the mine, the decision to process copper cathode and anode on site rather than simply dig and ship, installing fresh air vents every 750 metres to provide high levels of access to fresh air, to implementing the world’s longest fully automated underground train system, Olympic Dam manages to make it seem like a simple everyday occurrence for the industry. However, in 2007 it managed to shock the market by announcing that it had increased its resource by 70 per cent, almost overnight, which the miner dubbed its Southern Mine Area AUSTRALIANMINING

Much of this is due to the shape of the deposit, and the way in which it was originally mined. According to McGill, the deposit is shaped almost liked a guitar, and despite the high levels of metal already produced at the operation, it had essentially only mined “the neck of the guitar/deposit”, leaving the vast majority of it relatively untouched. BHP is now chasing this ore down via an expansion of its underground operations to access the shallow deposit. It is delineating new stopes – with plans to proceed at a rate of 35 stopes per year – and over the next five years will construct 120 kilometres of new underground tunnels, expecting to drive down a few hundred metres more. It has begun early work on the first stopes, with mining under way on the blocks known as the Violets. However, there has been some division in South Australia over BHP’s choice of extraction, as it makes expands via greater underground mining instead of the open cut pit it initially focused on –which would have brought about more jobs – as well as introducing a heap leaching process. South Australian senator Nick Xenophon told Australian Mining the mine is of major significance to the state, but voiced his disappointment over the expansion decision, saying more could be done to support the people of South Australia in terms of employment, adding the recent series of job cuts at the mine did not aid the situation. McGill responded to Xenophon’s statement on employment levels, saying “[while] we may have gone hard on cuts, we’ve focused on ensuring the right levels of staff for the operation, it was about creating a more sustainable Olympic Dam”. “We’ve finished with these staff chang-

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es,” she added. McGill went on to state it is actually advertising roles, approximately 120, for underground positions. As a uranium mine, any focus on the metal as power source always brings the spotlight on to Olympic Dam. Unsurprisingly, on the back of South Australia’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission which investigated – and supported – the state potentially becoming a site for storage of intermediate and high level (spent fuel) nuclear waste, the many tunnels of Olympic Dam were highlighted as a possible storage site. This notion was quickly mooted by asset president Jacqui McGill, “We’re a resources company, not a waste repository.” “That’s not in our business model and it’s not in our plans.”

Productivity measures

As Olympic Dam looks forwards to the development of its Southern Mine Area, it is investigating a range of different technologies and processes to maximise productivity and take full advantage of the Southern Mine Area, as well as debottlenecking current process pinch points, to push its operations to US$1 per pound unit costs. “Over the next five years, with the current mine and surface facilities and without major capital, we could grow annual copper production to approximately 230,000 tonnes,” McGill said. “This would enable us to refine enough copper to build 14 million electric cars; and the uranium we produce could power Australia with low-carbon electricity.” One of the major leaps in productivity forecast is through effective and cohesive vehicle utilisation. Olympic Dam’s general manager of underground operations, Troy Wilson, explained that Olympic Dam is examining

AUSTRALIAN MINING ON SITE

a range of different options to achieve its forecast rapid growth in truck and jumbo productivity. These include payload and speed monitoring systems, automated or tele-remote control machines, and capacity matching of machines – having the right machine loading the trucks. Part of this capacity matching has seen trucks efficiencies slightly reduced in order to lift the operating efficiency of the hoist system, providing increased productivity despite the apparent efficiency loss. A massive smelter shutdown, for maintenance and upgrading, is also on the cards for FY18, running to approximately 40 days in length. Getting feedstocks and blends right for the smelter has been a major focus, and integrating its smelting and refining into its proposed heap leach process may be a key component in the mine’s future operation.

The hard word?

Another arm of this productivity push has been a focus on greater communication with its staff, contractors, and suppliers. Part of this change in tack is due to the company’s focus on cost cutting measures, as well as a way to increase safety and morale on site. “We are asking our leaders to create a culture of ‘why’ where employees are encouraged to question everything and provide feedback when they think things could be done differently,” McGill said. This environment has seen a number of developments and cost-saving initiatives come from straight from staff, such as a low cost safety solution for the detection of forklift operations or the costs of buying as opposed to renting equipment. These initiatives are also likely to be rolled out across BHP’s other businesses, creating further cost savings throughout the company. Closer communication with contractors also resulted in surprising cost savings and stronger relationships. One rental firm found when equipment was returned from Olympic Dam, it was often low on fuel, forcing the company to charge the miner

to refill the machines and charge Olympic Dam the costs. In order to develop a stronger relationship, built in part by this increased communication, the rental equipment company simply asked if they could refill on site before the machines left the premises, saving them time and Olympic Dam money. Speaking to one contractor, he noted the increase in communication with staff on site, and the easier process for getting him on site faster, without compromising safety. “Previously, the company in charge of getting us on site was slower, I once arrived and had to spend two days doing nothing because the paperwork wasn’t completed for me to actually enter the site,” he told Australian Mining. “Now it’s much easier and straightforward.”

Heap leach

Much of the future of the project relies on its heap leach, which will work to take Olympic Dam to the next stage in its evolution. Currently it is trialling the method as a cheaper way to process ore on site, and despite the mine’s mineral complexity, a simplification process. Bauer explained Olympic Dam is moving away from some of the aspects of the mine’s current surface technology as part of its productivity pushy, as it is lower cost to build and operate, the mine’s general manager for underground operations Tory Wilson adding that it essentially trades strong acid and heat for a weaker acid and time. The leach differs from others in the industry, which can take 12 to 18 hours minimum, as Olympic Dam’s can take up to a year. “To do the various cycle work that we need to do, we have to take time to do that. Because what we want to test is not just that it’s successful on one ore type, but it covers the broad range, with the feedstock that it would see year in, year out, to de‐risk the project,” McGill said. “The other thing that we’re actually testing is the whole surface supply chain, AUSTRALIANMINING

so taking that ripios from the heap leach, crushing it, grinding it, floating it, producing concentrate, and then putting it into test units for a smelter. So we actually have to test that process end to end.” However, a decision on its implementation won’t be made in the near term, McGill explaining that a heap leach decision will be made after trials, by FY19.

between education sites in Roxby Downs, Woomera, and Andamooka that targets education, high school completion rates, and post-school destinations. Indigenous engagement is also key, with BHP focusing on building strong relationships with three local Aboriginal groups, the Barngarla, Kokatha, and Kuyani peoples.

A local mine for local people

Looking forward

The town of Roxby Downs was purpose built for the mine, and in turn the mine has sought to support the local community and region through a series of different social programs. “We work collaboratively with our local communities to develop key partnership that seek to enhance quality of life in areas including health, education, community capacity building and the environment,” McGill said. One of its unique support programs is Arid Recovery, where Olympic Dam works alongside a conservation research initiative focused on rebuilding the region’s arid lands and reintroducing native species wiped out by feral animals, such as the bettong and bilby, and teaching them to avoid predators such as cats and foxes. It also participates in Mining Minds Building our Community, a partnerships

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With all these growth plans, McGill remains realistic about the future. “We have to match what is sustainable [in terms of growth and output] with business performance on the copper cycle, and we’ll look for opportunities to maximise output for Olympic Dam,” she said. However, Bauer added, “The combination of the heap leach test work in Adelaide and this potential upside [from the Southern Mine Area] here gives us a way to de-risk the resource and de-risk the technology, which is a great thing.” Time will tell for the mine as it begins to access its major Southern Mine Area, and heap leach trials show positive result, as to what role it will play not only in South Australia’s mining future, but the nation at large. AM Australian Mining attended as a guest of BHP.

FINANCE

HOW THE FEDERAL BUDGET WILL AFFECT YOU WITH THE RELEASE OF THE LATEST FEDERAL BUDGET THERE HAVE BEEN FEWER CHANGES THAN EXPECTED, WITH SMALL BUSINESS AND MIDDLE INCOME TAX PAYERS THE BIG WINNERS, BUT HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE MINING SECTOR?

he outlook, broadly for the industry, isn’t overly favourable with mining investment expected to fall by 27.5 per cent in 2015-16 and 25.5 per cent in 2016-17, as the industry still reels from the downturn. Mining itself has also dealt a major blow to budget estimates, being directly blamed for a shortfall in expectations. “The largest contributor to the expected forecast error in 2015-16 is from the shortfall in company tax. In 201516, company tax is estimated to be $3.5 billion (5.1 per cent) lower than expected in the 2015-16 Budget. This is primarily driven by the fall in commodity prices in recent years, lowering profitability in the mining sector,” the budget papers stated. Yet the government is pinning forecasts for the domestic economy using what may be inflated spot prices. It has forecast a spot price of US$55 per tonne for iron ore, a rise from previous estimates of US$39 per tonne; US$91 per tonne for coking coal compared to US$73 per tonne in the last budget; and US$52 per tonne for thermal coal, which remains unchanged from previous budget estimates. Despite this potentially unrealistic forecast – or because of it – the government is stepping in to build a new foundation for the next wave of mining. The resources industry has been supported by the Federal Government with one of the largest major national initiatives, a program designed to reinvigorate exploration.

The National Resources Development Strategy – Exploring for the Future, is a $100.5 million program designed to boost productivity and competiveness of the sector. “The 2016-17 Budget delivers a strong boost to the productivity and competitiveness of this sector with $100 million provided to Geoscience Australia for mapping mineral, energy and groundwater potential in northern Australia and South Australia,” national minister for resources and energy Josh Frydenberg said. According to the government, “The $100 million Exploring for the Future programme will produce precompetitive geoscience data, to be released on an annual basis over the next four years. Geoscience Australia estimates that around 80 per cent of Australia remains under-explored, in particular, areas in the Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia, and South Australia, which will be the focus of this initiative. This will im-

EXPLORATION WAS IN FOCUS IN THIS YEAR’S BUDGET

AUSTRALIANMINING

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prove Australia’s long term exploration prospects and help address declining new onshore exploration.” Frydeneberg added: “The benefits for doing so are clear. In 1996, Geoscience Australia undertook $3 million of analysis in the Browse Basin. This helped identify the Ichthys field, which will produce more than $70 billion in export earnings over the next forty years.” “Further, data compiled across South Australia in the 1960s, costing around $350,000, helped identify the resource potential of the Olympic Dam and ultimately to the discovery of ore more than 300 metres underground,” he said. “At a challenging time for the resources sector, this important initiative will help ensure that Australia’s strength in innovation is furthered, and that we maintain our competitive edge in this world-leading sector.” The initiative was welcomed by mining lobby groups. The Minerals Council of Australia called it a “strong pro-growth budget”. “It balances a careful approach to spending, the maintenance of a strict approach to tax integrity and lays out a medium term plan to promote investment and growth,” Minerals Council chief executive Brendan Pearson said. “The minerals sector welcomes the Government’s commitment to a $100.5 million initiative over four years to produce mineral, petroleum and groundwater resource data in targeted areas in northern Australia and South Australia to help identify new greenfield exploration sites. “This is a critical investment to identify the next sources of Australia’s minerals wealth.” The Queensland Resources Council echoed the Minerals Council, stating “it is pleasing the Turnbull Government has an eye to high-tech jobs of the future in the resources sector”. “Exploration is the R&D, or building blocks, for the resources sector, getting the sector ready for the inevitable future upswing,” QRC chief Michael Roche said. However, greener mining initiatives have been scrapped in the new budget, with the Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund and the Coal Mining Technology Abatement Support Package closed, while the Carbon Capture and Storage Flagships funding has been reduced. AM

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QUARRY, CRUSHING & SCREENING

PROFESSIONAL BLENDING OF SCREEN MEDIA DELIVERS IN QUALITY AND PROFITS A THREE STEP METHOD TO MAXIMISE OUTPUT AND LIFT EFFICIENCY. HAVER & BOECKER AUSTRALIA’S OPERATION MANAGER JAN AVERHAUS WRITES.

hey say good things come in threes. In the case of screening for mining and quarry operations, profit comes in three distinct phases: layered, basic and sharp screening. But how good they are – whether they maximise efficiency and improve the potential for success – depends on having the right screen media on the deck for each of the three phases. A relatively new method for achieving that goal is a blended screen media approach that incorporates the ideal screen

media for each phase and the ideal mix of media for the process overall. The goal in implementing a blended solution is to find the optimal combination of open area and durability. Hit the sweet spot and you’ll maximise product quality and profits by increasing efficiency of classification while minimising downtime and maintenance costs.

Three Distinct Phases and Outcomes

During the first phase of screening, the layered phase, a deep bed containing AUSTRALIANMINING

coarse and fine particles hits the screen at the feed end of the deck. In the basic phase, the particles begin to stratify as fine material settles at the bottom and larger material climbs to the top of the bed. The sharp phase occurs toward the discharge end of the deck. It’s during this final phase that the near-size particles move into direct contact with the screen media and have the last opportunity to fall through the openings. There are typically two scenarios mines and quarries want to avoid when it comes to screening.

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The first situation is the result of a deck that completes screening too early. In this scenario, particles travel only about a third of the way down the deck until all the undersize material has passed through the openings. While the main mission – classifying the material – is still achieved, the entire deck isn’t being used to its full capability. The results are diminished profits from premature screen media wear. Consider this example: An operation produces 400 tonnes an hour and charges $10 per tonne. Due to high abrasion, the media with high open area wears out

Keep it Safe, Keep it Clean quickly and needs to be replaced after only two weeks of operation. Replacing the top deck takes two people roughly four hours. At about $4,000 an hour of product not being processed and sold, that screen changeout costs $16,000 in lost revenue alone. The second scenario involves screening that does not finish completely. In this case, undersized particles travel over the discharge end and contaminate the material. This can double a company’s production cost if the material needs to be re-screened, not to mention the lost efficiency and time. And if the material ends up too contaminated to be sold, profitability is lost altogether. In the worst-case scenario a company may not recognise it is producing contaminated product, which can lead to costly warranty claims and negative image. Consider this example: The same operation produces 400 tonnes an hour and it costs the company $6 per tonne to produce the material. Due to insufficient open area at the discharge end of a vibrating screen, the media does not allow the near-sized material to pass. As a result, the final product is contaminated and must be reworked. This means that the company needs to rework its material for a total cost of $12 per tonne. With a sales price of $10 per tonne, the company is losing $800 per hour until all of the material is re-processed. A possible third scenario, optimal screening, is the ultimate goal of every operation. The bulk of undersized material passes through the openings about twothirds of the way down the screen deck and the last third of the deck allows all the near-sized particles to find an opening. The final product meets specification and can be sold for top dollar. However, while a company is often satisfied with achieving optimal screening, it seldom recognises the potential to increase profits even further. Consider this example: The same operation produces 400 tonnes an hour and

charges $10 per tonne. Its screening is considered optimal and it is producing high quality product. Due to greater impact at the feed end of a vibrating screen, the screen media at that end wear out sooner than the remaining panels and need to be replaced. Replacing the first section takes two people roughly one hour. At about $4,000 an hour of product not being processed and sold, that screen change-out costs $4,000 in lost revenue. In all three scenarios, the key to achieving the most profitable screen surface is finding the right balance between wear life and open area - the amount of open space on a screening surface. Increasing open area normally leads to a decrease in wear life while reducing open area usually increases the wear life of the screen media.

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

A Professional Approach

Customised solutions that blend screen media types on the same deck ensure the longest product life, limit downtime and maximise profit potential. A professional analysis will determine the right combination of open area and wear life appropriate for each of the three phases of screening. But determining the ideal blended media solution requires much more than trial and error. It requires a trained professional to delve into the numerous intricacies that impact the bottom line. A professional specialising in optimised screen media generally follows five integral process steps, which can be applied to deck types using tensioned screen sections or modular screen panels:

ESS provides competency based technicians to speciﬁcally monitor and maintain Conveyor Belt Cleaning, Sealing and Support systems. ESS technicians are able to inspect conditions and produce a condition report and maintenance plan that can be actioned by Owners, Contracting companies or ESS technicians in a manner that prioritizes the maintenance based on risk analysis ESS offers a range of ﬂexible maintenance and monitoring services to ensure optimum performance from the plants conveying systems. We tailor our services to your requirements. ESS Maintenance and Monitoring Services Include; • Installation and Commissioning

Vibration Analysis

Using a wireless tool specifically designed for vibrating screens, the professional can detect faults and conduct measurements of the machine’s dynamic operating conditions. Prior to making any changes to the screen media, the measurements are imported to a computer system that uses a

• Service and Maintenance • Inspection and Reporting Services • On site trouble-shooting • Site Compliant Vehicles and Equipment • Maintenance Contracts • Conveyor Accessory Maintenance Training

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A COMPLETE OUTFIT CAN IMPROVE YOUR OPERATIONS

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QUARRY, CRUSHING & SCREENING

tuning wizard to optimise mechanical performance through recommended machine settings.

Machine Inspection

The results of the vibration analysis also build the foundation for a complete machine inspection of body components, the suspension system and wear parts. Special attention is given to screen media supporting parts such as bar rails, rail liners and tension rails.

Screen Media Audit

A complete review of the current screen media setup is conducted. Using a consultation guide, the audit will take the phases of screening into account while evaluating material characteristics and overall product quality. The professional will also examine environmental factors, screen condition, signs of premature failure and any blinding and pegging occurring. Blinding happens when moist granules fill the opening and clog the screen surface, while pegging refers to aggregates mechanically lodged in the opening of a screen.

Screen Media Recommendation

The results of the vibration analysis and the screen media audit build the framework for the screen media recommendation. Recommendations will be based on the correct balance between performance and durability, while catering to the appropriate phase of screening. The professional will recommend screen media technology based on categories such as anti-pegging and anti-blinding characteristics, open area and wear life. All recommendations should be visualised using computer software that allows for the personalised configuration of a deck.

The market boasts numerous screen media options, and each offers a unique set of features for individual applications. Some of the most effective products that professionals may consider during their blending approach are the following:

Screen Media Implementation

Polyurethane

After all recommendations are discussed and a solution is agreed upon, the final process of implementation can begin. Implementing the blended screen media gradually, by replacing one screen section at a time allows the professional to monitor the levels of production and effects of the adjustments. With each change, production rates and final output qualities are evaluated to ensure the screen media combinations are becoming more efficient. This process is continued until the best possible results have been achieved. It’s all about making modifications for better ROI — using the proper media for each phase of your unique screening operation.

Screen Media Options

Whether feed materials are wet, dry or exceptionally abrasive, selecting the correct screen media is the key to a professionally blended deck. Open area and wear life requirements are different during the individual phases, requiring a unique approach to each.

SCREEN MATERIAL CHOKE DEPENDS ON OPERATION SIZE

Among the more durable materials used in screen media, polyurethane provides a long wear life with little maintenance. The flexible polymer is resistant to tears and abrasion, while premium polyurethane products also offer tapered openings that reduce blinding and pegging. This makes the material a good choice in higher wear areas in both wet and dry applications, but these positive characteristics traditionally come at the expense of open area.

Woven Wire

At the other end of the spectrum is woven wire. It is commonly referred to as wire cloth or wire mesh screen and it comes in a variety of alloys, weave types and diameters. Woven wire offers some of the greatest open area and can be used for a wide range of applications. It also is known to make the “cleanest” cut when referring to accuracy. These strong advantages come at the expense of wear life, but fortunately not all woven wire is the same. When selecting woven wire, it is critical to insist that the wire be very high AUSTRALIANMINING

in carbon content to allow for optimum characteristics in tensile strength and ductility. This high quality alloy can only be achieved by drawing the wire using a patented process.

Hybrid Screens

The newest screen media technology is hybrid screens. Hybrid screens combine the excellent wear life characteristics of polyurethane with the great open area of woven wire cloth. This combination lasts up to six times longer than traditional wire cloth but offers as much as 80 percent more open area than modular polyurethane. The hybrid’s tapered openings either accept or reject near-size material to provide a self-cleaning effect, which eliminates nearly all blinding and pegging.

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VIBRATION ANALYSIS BUILDS THE FOUNDATION FOR COMPLETE MACHINE INSPECTION

The result is a screen that is extremely durable and highly productive.

Self-Cleaning Screens

Self-cleaning screens combine individual wires using flexible polyurethane strips, allowing the wires to move at frequencies higher than the G-force generated by the vibrating screen and eliminating blinding and pegging. The unique design of flat lying wires even offers higher open area than woven wire, while outlasting it by up to 25 per cent. AM

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QUARRY, CRUSHING & SCREENING

MAKING THE GRADE AUSTRALIAN MINING SITS DOWN WITH METSO EXECUTIVE URS PENNANEN.

ining is undergoing one of its swiftest and widest ranging evolutions in its history. The Industrial Internet of Things, greater communications, and inter-operability means people and machines can interact from different sides of the globe. This capability is a boon for international operators and machinery companies, who can track, monitor, and control their equipment, and communicate with those using it from anywhere in the world at any time. But despite all this, there is much to be said for the face to face, developing relationships, and seeing the equipment operating on site. Crushing, quarrying, screening and minerals processing equipment manufacturer Metso’s senior vice president Urs Pennanen is one such man who values the strength of building relationships face to face, and meeting with customers to get feedback on site. He recently visited Australia on a whirlwind tour from the company’s head office in Finland, visiting a quarry outside of Wollongong –and meeting with Australian Mining – before he headed to Queensland to meet with more customers. “It’s essential to meet with customers in all parts of the world,” Pennanen told Australian Mining, as we caught him in a brief moment between catching his next flight. “Our company wants to have a good understanding of the very different challenges our customers and equipment faces around the world.

“It’s about relationships, and importantly, learning what happens at the site: so that is why I am here.” The ‘here’ itself was a quarry where Metso’s machinery has been operating, as Pennanen took in the site first hand to develop his – and in turn the company’s – understanding of the trials different regions create for the machines. Part of this learning has translated into innovation at Metso’s 80 service facilities around the world, which work closely with the company’s crushing and screening users. He went on to say this close relationship with crusher and screen users allows for greater knowledge transfer between users and the company, as innovations may be developed in the field for unique operating regions, such as in Australia. One of these areas of knowledge – and the reason for Urs Pennanen’s following Brisbane visit –is the field of blasting. It is a well-known fact that crushing and milling is the most energy intensive aspect of most mining operations, accounting for nearly half of all energy usage on mines, and 10 per cent of the world’s entire energy usage. Better blasting prior to crushing and milling can ensure, through increased fragmentation, less energy intensive grinding and better throughput, with less need for additional grinding due to oversized rock. Research done by blasting experts such as Orica’s Dr. Geoff Brent has focused on how to improve fragmentation to deliver a step change in mine processing. “Independent modelling has indicated AUSTRALIANMINING

PENNANEN BELIEVES IN RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

that increasing the explosive energy by several fold can lead to increases in mill circuit throughput of up to 40 per cent and savings of tens of millions of dollars annually,” Brent said. A better fragmentation combined with more efficient milling can affect a step change and overcome the issue of declining ore grades, as more ore needs to be ground and processed in order to achieve production targets. More efficient blasting methods have the potential to generate this step change in mine productivity, particularly in complex or lower grade ore bodies, which in turn can render ore bodies that might ordinarily be uneconomic both affordable and practical to extract.

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With this focus on better entire stream of mining process, Pennanen is communicating with blasting experts on how to provide this increased productivity to customers. He explained it was again about knowledge transfer, adding the company was not seeking to compete with these blasting firms, even though Metso has a depth of expertise in blasting and fragmentation due to its continual focus on optimisation, and what works for the users. “We want to remain grounded and work hard,” Pennanen said, “it’s core to our entire philosophy.” “It’s essential we meet with these centres in all parts of the world to understand what we can accomplish with these working relationships. “[However] the customer remains the centre of our operations and focus.” These site visits also allow Metso to see quarry innovations – utilising its equipment – in action, as well as installers efficiency and how sustainability is being achieved. Safety is also a major focus, Pannanen stating,” Everyone is responsible for safety.” “OH&S is always very important.” As he prepared to jet off on the final leg of his trip, Pennanen reiterated his pride at the relationships being built, and achievements being made by the company in Australia. “I’m always impressed by the dedication of the teams, how they go above and beyond, and build strategic relationships.” AM

QUARRY, CRUSHING & SCREENING

JAW CRUSHER SANDVIK have released the new QJ341+ jaw crusher with a double deck pre-screen that provides high amplitude for separation. It is suitable for quarrying applications as the prescreen ‘screens out’ the fines in feed material prior to entering the crushing chamber. The removal of large amounts of fines creates greater efficiency and productivity, as well as less wear on the crusher. The crusher also features a new telescopic natural fines conveyor to complement the pre-screen. The conveyor has a discharge height of 3.1m to tackle the increased flow of pre-screened material. The dirt chute has been designed with a steeper angle for faster transfer of material while also increasing the ability to deal with sticky material. The three position dirt chute enables material passing the pre-screen grizzly to be diverted either to the main conveyor or the natural fines conveyor, in the middle position, it allows a screened product to be produced out from the fines

conveyor. All of this is done by positioning the three way chute without removing any media from the pre-screen. The crusher features an improved self locking hopper for quick set up from ground level, with added improvements to the main conveyor to reduce drag. It is fitted with bent axis and radial piston motors throughout, re-

ducing hydraulic flow rates and increasing durability and fuel economy. It also features other characteristics of the standard model including reversible jaw and hydraulic drive which allow the crusher to start under load and hydraulically adjustable CSS setting.

SUPER FINE CRUSHER DEVELOPED SOUTH Australia’s IMP technology (IMPTEC) have developed an energy efficient super fine crusher that reduces communition costs. The machine is used to convert black sand or iron sand waste into a replacement for Portland cement. IMPTEC director John Doherty called the machine a game-changing invention that could become a leader in the mining industry. “What we’re involved in is reducing the amount of energy, which is usually electrical, and the cost of media. You can also include lower maintenance

costs because it’s just one machine,” he said. He added that it reduced approximately 30 per cent of costs. Communition is a necessary process for producing cement, particularly Portland cement. “Our semi-commercial unit takes in two orders of two tonnes per hour,” Doherty said. “If it approves itself over the next few months, it would be good. We’re looking at scaling up to 100 tonnes per hour.” Transforming this black sand or granulated slag into cement is considered a world first. IMPTEC received the State-

wide Super Innovation in Resources award for the crusher at the South Australian Resources Industry Awards last month. AUSTRALIANMINING

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One of the judges, Bill Skinner, leader of the Minerals and Energy strand at the University of South Australia, said that as

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MINERALS PROCESSING

PARCHED PROCESSING: DRY TAILINGS NEW IRON ORE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES ARE CREATING ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE BENCHMARKS.

he mine tailing dam spill at BHP and Vale’s Samarco iron ore operations last year killed 19 people and had devastating effects on the environment. Occurring in Minas Gerais, a south-eastern Brazilian state, the spill injured more than 50 people and contaminated the water supply of several towns. But can these tailings dam environmental disasters potentially be avoided with new processing technologies? Brazilian company New Steel have developed a new dry iron ore tailings process to make mining more environmentally sustainable. It involves the dry recovery of iron ore fines and super fines from mining wastes, low grade run of mine (ROM), or compact itabirite. The method does not use water to process iron ore, instead it transforms mining tailings – with low iron content and no commercial value – into high iron content and low contaminants, making it economically viable. As iron ore must be composed of grades of at least 58 per cent, mining companies stack the lower grade material on tailings dumps. This material with low iron content is then processed and iron is separated from other materials, particularly silica (sand), from these stacks. In doing this, the company can produce a highly pure iron ore concentrate on an industrial scale by obtaining a premium product of up to 68 per cent iron, as well as being able to make use of particles as small as 0.01mm, thus generating high recovery rates compared to existing methods. The moisture content of the ore is reduced through a mechanical stir dryer (using natural gas or biomass), and is classified into various fractions. The ore is then separated magnetically using a magnetic separation unit (FDMS). The drying process increases particle segregation, with the technology’s air classifier able to separate particle sizes down to 0.01 mm. Whereas existing dry separation processes work for relatively coarse particles greater than 0.55mm, the FDMS technology can separate fine particles up to 0.01mm, increasing efficiency. The technology aims to improve the recovery of iron ore still contained in wastes or low grade ROM making it possible to obtain iron ore concentrate with 68 per cent iron, and ultimately providing high metallurgical and mass recoveries. New Steel CEO Gustavo Emina said, “Before the invention, the only technology available to raise the content of very fine iron ore particles was flotation, but

flotation is water-sensitive and is not economically sustainable in the current scenario of pricing, making any new project unfeasible, as it demands high spending.” Emina explained to Australian Mining, “In this dry process no water is used thus there is no need for tailing dams.” This will have significant benefits compared to wet processing methods as the effects of tailing dam bursts have not only been felt in Brazil, but more recently in the Solomon Islands as well. The collapse of the dam on the island’s Gold Ridge mine released millions of litres of toxic water containing arsenic and other heavy metal tailings into waterways towards communities further downstream. The project, sold by St Barbara to local landowners, already faced a number of previous environmental concerns due to heavy rainfall, flooding, and cyclones with its tailing dam close to collapse. Last year the government declared the mine a disaster area after tropical cyclone Tracey brought heavy rains that filled the dam to near overflow. Emina further outlined the advantages of the process; such as heightening the value of otherwise marginal deposits and increasing the output and export capacity of iron ore producers through beneficiation of their mining waste. It reduces the impact on the environment by storing and recovering tailing stockpiles to produce a higher ore grade, and avoiding environmental issues asAUSTRALIANMINING

sociated with tailing dams such spills and seepage. Other advantages include a low energy consumption rate and its ability to increase the life of a mine. Dry processing plants also have a reduced size compared to traditional facilities. As the waste generated after the iron ore is extracted is mainly sand, it can be used as a byproduct in the construction of houses, schools and other facilities, enhancing its sustainability. “The greater efficiency of the FDMS generates a dry clean waste with five per cent iron that can be used by the cement or ceramic industry,” Emina added.

JUNE 2016

The technology has been undergoing trials since 2010 in Brazil with the company’s operation of the first experimental dry processing plant in Minas Gerais. The Brazilian Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) ranked the patent application as a Green Patent due to its sustainability. New Steel also received an award in the innovation category at the international Platts Global Metals Awards, considered the ‘Oscar’ of mining. The patent has been approved in the United States and is also being processed in 26 other countries. Negotiations to implement the new technology in the US are underway. AM

MINERALS PROCESSING

ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE METAL RECOVERY

s high grade precious metal ores become more scarce, and existing deposits are taken to depths of around 1km, a new method has been developed to recover the metals in a more environmentally sustainable manner. The BioMOre project uses a combination of already existing technologies – hydro-stimulation and in-situ bioleaching – for metal recovery. The project is part of the European Union’s (EU) Horizon 2020 research and innovation program

which aims to create more jobs and increase economic growth through research and discoveries. It is the EU’s largest ever innovation programme providing nearly 80 billion euros ($163 billion) of funding between 2014 and 2020. The process uses controlled stimulation of pre-existing fractures together with in-situ bioleaching by using sulphuric acid and bacteria. Bioleaching uses bacteria, rather than chemicals, as a catalyst to dissolve metal crystals into sulphates and pure metals. In future full scale models, two parallel drill holes are required; one to inject the leaching sub-

stance into the deposit, and the other to transfer the dissolved material to the process cycle. The metal separation will occur in a downstream bioreactor, with copper being used in current trials. Tests will be conducted at an already established underground facility in Poland. It will comprise of two 100 cubic meter ore blocks with boreholes drilled horizontally, enabling the leaching process to be tested in a real environment. CSIRO environmental microbiologist Dr. Suzy Rea, head of a bio-prospecting survey that discovered potential bioleaching bacteria in Western Australia’s

Wheatbelt, said, “Bioleaching is already commercially up and running, about 15 – 18 per cent of the world’s copper supply is actually done via bioleaching.” Bioleaching extracts between 80 and 90 percent of copper from the ore. This new approach is expected to decrease extraction and processing costs by keeping all waste rock underground. This in turn lowers infrastructure investments, minimises waste heaps and tailings, avoids open pit and underground mining, and minimises excessive remediation costs. It will also lead to less injuries

as most of the work will be conducted on the surface. It will also be more beneficial for the environment with no dust exposure and less chemical impact. With traditional extraction methods, greater drilling depths present both technological, economic and environmental impacts. If successful, the project is expected to access ores deeper than 1.5km and at temperatures between 50 and 60°C both in new and existing mines, providing a much needed resource for the ever increasing need for precious metals. AM

HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING FOR DRILL CORES TerraCore’s Hyperspectral Core Imaging Systems (HCIS) provides hyperspectral image data to identify minerals in chip trays, drill cores and other materials. The system is capable of imaging approximately 305m of chip trays or core boxes per minute with a spatial resolution of ~1.0mm and a spectral resolution of up to 3.5nm. The system uses non-destructive imaging of drill core trays at various spatial resolutions and high acquisition speeds. Its data can be used to determine subtle variations in minerals, suitable for mineral exploration, geometallurgy, and geotechnical logging. It is coupled with a remote processing architecture that enables image

data processing services worldwide, and TerraCore can provide system and diagnostic checks from their regional Data Processing Centres. TerraCore claims the HCIS is the only hyperspectral core imaging system in the world to include visible to near infrared (VNIR), as well as short wave infrared (SWIR) and long wave infrared (LWIR) wavelength ranges. The system’s daily acquisition rate for imaging is between 500 – 2000m depending on core tray sizes, core preparation, the amount of core per box, and daily shift duration. Some operations have achieved daily rates of more than 3000m in a 12 hour shift on some operations, allowing for large data coverage of the particular geoAUSTRALIANMINING

logical environment under investigation. The system works in conjunction with IntelliCore, an online platform that enables users to view, interrogate, and integrate their spectral data into a centralised location. The data can be accessed in real time in any location with internet capability, and enables viewers to see scales from the size of an individual pixel to the size of the entire drill hole. IntelliCore enables both natural and false colour images. Multiple data sets can be overlaid on core tray images, allowing geologists to generate a large amount of information about their core without having to sample it. The platform’s dashboard allows users to view multiple data sets and

JUNE 2016

associated plots alongside the core to make direct visual comparisons between them. Various image and statistical products are available from their colour and hyperspectral image sets. These include the IntelliCore Benchmark which provides mapped mineralogy products, high resolution colour image products and information related to spectral features; IntelliCore Focus which provides additional insight though spectral ratios, mineral composition, spectral indices, or hydrocarbon identification; and IntelliCore Fusion which provides customised spectral data products that deliver geological intelligence to address mining, geological, or processing issues. AM

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WEAR & LUBRICATION

NEW RANGE OF GREASES FOR ROLLING BEARINGS SCHAEFFLER HAS RELEASED A NEW RANGE OF FAG ARCANOL GREASES TO GIVE ROLLING BEARINGS A LONGER OPERATING LIFE AND HIGHER OPERATIONAL SAFETY.

olling bearing damage can lead to significant downtime or costs due to improper use or maintenance. The company’s research has indicated that more than 40 per cent of all cases involving rolling bearing damage are caused by poor lubrication. The range of greases are designed for rolling bearings in a range of industry applications including gearboxes, electric motors, pumps, compressors, linear systems, fans, conveyancing equipment, and machine tools. Mark Ciechanowicz, industrial services manager at Schaeffler Australia said, “Using high quality greases in the correct amounts at the correct times is an environmentally harmonious way to make the best use of materials and keep machinery running smoothly.” “Some of the biggest environmental concerns arise when machinery is not working efficiently, or breaks down and causes spillages or waste. “Applying a high quality grease such as Arcanol not only reduces the risk of this,

but it also extends the life of the bearings, making the piece of machinery run smoother and more efficiently.” Rolling bearings are used in machinery for operations in mining and energy, manufacturing and materials handling, bulk materials handling, and oil and gas operations, where extended service life and caused by premature failure is important.

40 PER CENT OF ALL CASES INVOLVING ROLLER BEARING DAMAGE ARE CAUSED BY POOR LUBRICATION

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HARD ROCK MINING

MAKING ZERO THE NEW HERO ATLAS COPCO HAS LAUNCHED ITS NEWEST ZERO EMISSIONS UNDERGROUND LOADER, SETTING A NEW BENCHMARK IN OPERATOR SAFETY.

he new Scooptram ST7 Battery has been designed to lift environmental standards in underground mines, lower energy costs as well as operators’ exposure to diesel particulate matter, and may lead the way for the redesign of mines. Traditionally, underground mobile equipment in the mining sector has relied on diesel engines which release emissions, and must be ventilated via costly systems. In terms of straight component efficiency, these diesel systems drive trains typically only achieved around 30 per cent, while electric systems can achieve around 70 per cent component efficiency. While there are already electric loaders in underground mines, these units have to be tethered via an electric cable, limiting their limited range and creating other operating challenges. “As the trend for deeper mines continues and mining companies seek to gain more control over their operations, the Scooptram ST7 Battery answers this challenge with automated functions; for example, the ability to control multiple loaders from a safe, remote location, planning and repeating the perfect production cycle every time,” Atlas Copco has stated. “Loaders and trucks consume about 80 per cent of the diesel fuel underground,” Lars Senf, vice president marketing at Atlas Copco Underground Rock Excavation division, explained. “The loaders are most often used in dead ends of the mine, which are the most difficult to ventilate. To make the greatest impact on work environment and ventilation costs, it was an obvious choice for Atlas Copco to launch a battery driven loader as

our first product of this type.” The design of this underground loader, and its battery power capability, has been driven by new developments in battery technology. “This has made it possible to create powerful and productive equipment with zero emissions. The Scooptram ST7 Battery is the first step in powering heavy, mobile equipment underground and in the future we might see a broader range of battery powered equipment including loaders, trucks and drills,” Atlas Copco added. “All the obvious benefits with battery power adds up to something that might not be as obvious, like a reduced environmental footprint, higher worker satisfaction, and a better standing in the community,” Erik Svedlund, product manager – Electric Vehicles – Underground Material Handling, said. The Scooptram ST7 Battery was officially launched at MassMin 2016. Speaking to Atlas Copco business line manager – underground rock, Wayne Symes, at the event, he told Australian Mining that “this is just the start” in terms of the technology. “We don’t plan to stop at this seven tonne loader. “We want to roll this technology option out – eventually – across our range, including trucks and other underground machinery,” he said. Symes explained that the issue of energy and operational costs, and emissions, had been key in the development of the new AUSTRALIANMINING

loader, stating that standards are exacting when it comes underground mining and increasing operability was a major factor. Commenting on the subdued release of the battery operated loader, Symes admitted there had been a bit of stealth around its development, adding Atlas Copco was excited about the opportunity to launch it at Mass Min. “We want to build machines that are helping people.” AM

JUNE 2016

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HARD ROCK MINING

SANDVIK HAS RELEASED ITS NEW TUNNELLING JUMBO, THE DT912D.

TUNNELLING JUMBO

his new high reach, single boom machine is completed self-contained, and is driven by the most powerful engine ever installed on a diesel-hydraulic jumbo – the fuel efficient Cummins Tier 4 Final 205 kW diesel engine. Equipped with an onboard four cubic metre compressor and a 1000 litre water tank for air-mist flushing, the jumbo’s intelligent control system provides increased productivity to operators, according to Sandvik. Designed for fast and accurate drifting and production drilling of 12 to 125 m² cross sections, the 24-tonne jumbo, the DT912D is an optimal machine for multifaceted operations that will take excavation efficiency to another level. It has a 25 kW high frequency RD525 rock drill or an optional RD520, and features as standard an electric controlled drilling system with added automatic functions, including one-hole automatics and a SB150 universal boom for large, optimally shaped coverage and full automatic parallelism. In addition to face drilling, the versatile boom can also be used for crosscutting, bolt-hole drilling and extension drilling. It can drill hole lengths up to 6180 millimetres. The DT912D offers rapid, safe and balanced tramming due to its 4-wheel-drive centre articulated carrier. It has a turning width of 4500 millimetres, a tramming/ drilling with of between 2500 and 3000mm, a tramming/ drilling height of 3590mm, and a tramming length of 14,900 mm. Its FOPS/ROPS complied cabin is ergonomically designed and well insulated to minimise noise and vibration; the noise level remaining under 73dB (A) at all times. As an option the cabin is also available with a cabin lifting system allowing improved visibility for tramming and drilling. The DT912D also features Sandvik Intelligent Control system Architecture (SICA) with comprehensive built-in diagnostics and user-friendly controls for ease of use and maintenance.

PRODUCTION DRILL ATLAS COPCO HAS DEMONSTRATED THE EXTREME PRECISION OF ITS NEW SIMBA S7 PRODUCTION DRILL BY PERFORMING POOL TRICKS SHOTS IN AN UNDERGROUND MINE.

he new fully automation ready model is the latest for the drill range which was originally launched in 1960. The Simba S7 is a compact long-hole production drill rig built to be highly manoeuvrable in small to medium drifts. Designed for hard rock drilling, it uses the COP1838+ and MUX+ hydraulic top hammers. In terms of safety the machine features a FOPS and ROPS approved cabin, as well as automatic drill stoppage to prevent accidents

involving personnel or equipment. “This winning concept is the combination of the long since developed control system RCS, the integrated angle instrument, and the automated software options,” Atlas Copco’s Mikael Larslin said. “Together, this is what makes it possible for the rig to adapt according to rock conditions as well as to drill with high precision,” he said. “Simba S7 increases flexibility and precision while the operator-friendly work environment ensures safety and work satisfaction.” AUSTRALIANMINING

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EVENT WRAP

MASSMIN 2016

ith the future of mining headed underground, OEMs, contractors, and scholars came together at this year’s Seventh International Conference & Exhibition on Mass Mining (MassMin) to address current and potential issues expected to arise. The conference provided a platform for engineers, operators, technicians, companies, and academics in the mining industry to discuss the latest technologies, as well as upcoming challenges and opportunities. MassMin has run every four years since its beginning in 1982, with Sydney’s Australia Technology Park playing host between May 9 and 11. It’s the second time Australia has been selected as host, with Brisbane wielding the baton in 2000. Other years have seen it take place in Canada, South Africa, and Chile. Nearly 600 delegates from 23 countries attended MassMin, including more than 40 exhibitors from companies such as Orica, Caterpillar, and RockTek. Universities including Monash and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) were also in attendance.

A wide range of mining technologies were on display, with Sandvik unveiling their new DD422i underground drill. They also showcased their teleremote operator units which could allow users in Australia to operate an LHD in Finland. The unit’s interface identified the exact position of the trucks tray to enhance accuracy of loads and increase efficiency. Atlas Copco provided a Scooptram training simulator which I had the chance to experience, and after finally getting a handle on which lever moves the vehicle and which moves the tray (with several crashes against the cave wall that would have seen the end of an operator’s career) I was able to successfully scoop the ore; only to have the majority of it fall everywhere but within the truck’s tray, spilling over the cab and floor. UNSW’s exhibition took mass mining technology to another level, featuring virtual reality headsets aimed to help students familiarise and navigate conditions in underground mines without having to physically travel to the site, as well as understanding bolting systems in multiple dimensions. Professor Gideon Chitombo, chair of Minerals Industry

Engagement at the University of Queensland, and one of MassMin’s co-chairs, highlighted the future direction of mass mining being underground due to lower grade deposits. “If you look at the future of the resource industry mining anywhere, we are getting deeper, resources are in more challenging geological, geotechnical environments, and the grades are getting lower and lower,” he told Australian Mining.

VR TECHNOLOGY FOR FAMILIARISING WORKERS WITH BOLTING WAS SHOWCASED

AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

He went on to identify block caving as one of the most economically viable methods for these deposits. “Obviously there could be other methods but I think the most profitable is most likely to be block caving, which is geared toward massive and low grade deposits. “So really we need to make sure that this method continues to be viable, economic, profitable, and also sustainable in terms of the impacts, like the social [and] environmental impacts so it is an important method for the resource industry to continue improving as conditions change.” The event was also filled with a range of presentations over the three days by academics and industry professionals, addressing topics such as the geotechnical challenges with cave monitoring and ways to manage stress and seismicity in inclined sublevel caves. Keynote speakers included presentations by University of Adelaide’s professor of Engineering and Management Steve Begg on the value of good decision making in the industry, while Monica Quinteiro and Asa Sundqvist from Swedish mining company LKAB addressed the topic of female mine managers. Professor Fidelis Suorineni, chair of Geotechnical Engineering at UNSW’s School of Mining Engineering and another one of the chair’s at the event, identified this year’s focus not only

on technology but on collaboration between companies and universities as well, with future direction of mining resting on this continued collaboration. “We’ve realised that in order to solve most of the complex mining problems, we have to put heads together rather than sit or in the traditional sense of doing research in silence; that doesn’t seem to work today. And I think that is also one of the drivers for a lot of emphasis on collaboration now both within companies and within academia,” he told Australian Mining. “In the past various operating companies seemed to sort of safeguard their strategic development and vision, now everybody’s saying we have to open up and share the knowledge that we all have acquired over the years. So if that goes into technology development then it becomes cheaper for everybody.” The event was an overall success with Chitombo, who was also chair of Brisbane event in 2000, saying it was well attended by delegates worldwide. “It is actually attracting interest globally and also by a number of the major mining companies because they realise that the future of metal mining is going to be underground,” he said. “Yes there will always be large open pits, there will always be, but I think you’ll find that there’ll be more and more of these underground options.” AM

EVENT WRAP

A ROUND UP FROM THE DOWNTURN DESPITE THE DOWNTURN IN THE RESOURCES INDUSTRY, A GENERAL POSITIVITY WAS FELT AMONG JUNIOR EXPLORERS AT THIS YEAR’S RIU RESOURCES ROUND-UP.

he two-day event, held at Sydney’s Sofitel, provided a good barometer of how the industry is progressing, this year playing host to 48 exhibitors, with nearly 150 registered attendees. Explorers, investors, and technology companies such as Ausgold, Alkane Resources and TerraCore attended the round up. It also hosted 45 presentations including 39 from resource companies, all highlighting the next wave of Australian discoveries. Since its beginning in 2004, the event has increased in size, despite fluctuations in the industry. Doug Bowie, manager for resources at the organiser Vertical Events, spoke to Australian Mining, saying there was a good spirited attitude during the event. “It was very positive after a couple of years of dark times for the industry,” he said. “It has seen its ups and downs; It started very quietly and by 2010-2011, it had close to 1000 people,” Bowie said. The improved mood is little surprise for those watching the industry. Earlier this year on day one of the Paydirt 2016 Latin America Downunder conference in Perth, PCF Capital Group Mines online managing director Liam Twigger said the worst is over for global mining equities, ending what he called a four year ‘Nuclear Winter’. “Since January 1 this year, more than $860 million had been raised by the ASX for mining and exploration companies,” he said. “This is more than 50 per cent higher than the same time last year. Internationally, over US$2.7 billion has been raised in North America for the mining sector.” He added sentiment is changing rapidly, and that gold was at the front of this transformation in investment interest. “In an environment where interest rates around the world are heading lower or negative, and governments are trying to outdo one another in depreciating their currencies to make their exports more attractive, it is no wonder investors are seeking a store of value,” he said. One company at the Round-Up was excited about their future in gold exploration. Kin Mining, who also had a presentation at the event, recently completed a scoping study on the outcome of their Lenora gold project in Perth, which yielded positive results in terms of profit returns. The study determined that the project was both economically and technically vi-

THE EVENT PROVIDES BAROMETER FOR JUNIOR MINERS’ SENTIMENT

able, with a base case of $1500 per ounce and $461.6 million total revenue. Kin Mining executive director Trevor Dixon said, “It transforms the project from valuable in ground resources, to potentially an economically viable mining operation. This study demonstrates to the market that Kin Mining has a genuine likelihood of becoming a gold producing company in the near future.” At the event, Dixon told Australian Mining he was happy with the report and what it found. “It gave the market the idea that they [Kin mining] are undervalued,” he said. AUSTRALIANMINING

The company was listed on the ASX in 2013 and Dixon described how they had to list themselves during difficult times in the industry, but are now positive about their results. Securing the Lenora project from the administrators of Navigator Australia was one of their biggest milestones since listing. In terms of the exploration process, Dixon highlighted persistence as a key approach. “We don’t mind plenty of dust, as long as there’s something in it. We’re prepared to do the hard yard if that’s what it takes to get there,” he said.

JUNE 2016

“Having that clear vision is half the battle.” PepinNini Minerals also showcased their company at the event, with managing director Rebecca Hollard-Kennedy providing a presentation as well. The company’s focus is on greenfields exploration, particularly in gold and diamonds, copper, nickel, and lithium. Exploration manager Nicole GallowayWarland emphasised the strength of the company was exploration, particularly on uncharted areas. “We love exploring, that challenge is quite important,” she said. Their most recent undertaking is the Musgrave project in South Australia which has copper, nickel and platinum group elements (PGEs) prospects. They are also exploring lithium brines in Argentina with the Salta Project having a high potential for the mineral. [Read more about lithium on page 12]. As they do not primarily focus on one mineral, they are able to juggle between different exploration activities. “It also means that as the matter goes up and down, we can be attractive to our investors,” Galloway-Warland added. The rising positive sentiment at the Round-Up from juniors demonstrates a trickle up economy in terms of mood, acting as a barometer for the industry in near future. AM

MATERIALS HANDLING

EXAMINING LAGGING FRICTION DOES YOUR LAGGING OPTIMISE YOUR CONVEYOR’S PERFORMANCE? FLEXCO CHIEF ENGINEER BRETT DEVRIES EXPLAINS.

onveyor lagging has long been used to both protect conveyor pulleys and to increase the available friction for driving the conveyor belt. A primary consideration in the choice of lagging is the coefficient of friction. Designers use the friction coefficient in the pulley wrap factor equation to calculate the drive capacity of the conveyor, so the behavior of lagging friction under real world conditions is of extreme interest. Through advancements in research and testing, lagging is available in various designs with differing stated capabilities and strengths. As belt technology innovates with increasing tensions and more power delivered through the drive pulleys, a correct understanding of the source of friction – a primary consideration in the choice of lagging - is necessary. Pulley lagging is available in a myriad of styles and materials. The most common types are autoclave rubber, sheet rubber, strip rubber, and ceramic imbedded in rubber (CIR). All exhibit different coefficients of friction by nature of their design, creating a confusing choice for the conveyor designer. Some established design charts for friction exist like those contained in CEMA’s Belt Conveyors for Bulk Materials 7th Ed., and the DIN 22101 standard, but they are generalised, come from best practices, and assume a constant coefficient of friction. In contrast, values published by lagging manufacturers may vary significantly from the charts. Additionally, there is no standardised test for determining the lagging friction coefficient or an industry standard for applying a safety factor against slippage. So how does one decide which is the best choice of lagging for their conveyors?

Testing, testing, testing

The engineering team at Flexco, as part of their continuous efforts to improve not only their lagging solutions, but the lagging’s

performance with other belt conveyor components, developed a test apparatus for measuring lagging friction in which friction coefficients are measured under uniform pressurised loading using a tensile test machine. Applied pressures range from 5 to 100 psi, including some measurements to 120 psi for various lagging types. Five different types of cold bond strip lagging were measured to find the coefficient of friction versus increasing pressure. Test conditions were also varied. Each lagging type was measured under conditions termed “Clean & Dry”, “Wet”, or “Muddy”. Determine a way to measure the friction: The test fixture was designed to be used with a standard 50kN tensile test apparatus. The test fixture used floating pressure plates that are guided by track rails along the bottom edge. Belt samples are secured to the pressure plates such that the bottom covers of the belts face inwardly towards each other. Between the pressure plates is the steel shear plate with lagging samples bonded to it. The design of the fixture uses Newton’s principle of equal and opposite force reactions to assure the load is equivalent on each side. The pressure plates are substantially thick to prevent flexure. There is a load cell located between the large airbag and the first pressure plate to measure the applied load. The tensile tester has a load cell attached to the shear plate via pin connection on the protruding tab. The effective area of the steel shear plate is 64 square inches. The airbag is capable of applying loads in excess of 6400 pounds, allowing for measurements to 100 psi if the entire area is used. The test procedure consisted of placing the shear plate between the pressure plates. Air pressure was then applied and allowed to stabilise to the proper reading. Next, the crosshead translated vertically upward at 50.8 millimetres per minute for a distance of

6.35 millimetres, while data was recorded regarding the position of the crosshead and the vertical load measured. While the data from the pressure load cell was not dynamically recorded, it was observed from the digital display that it did not vary during the test. Each test set was a unique combination of conditions (clean & dry, wet, or muddy), lagging type, and pressure and was repeated five times. Compressed air was used to blow off debris or dust generated during testing.

Analyse Stage 1 results

Pull force vs. Displacement, 30 psi, plain rubber lagging, clean & dry conditions: AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

The classical representation of the friction force between two solid objects is that there exists a static coefficient until

AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOURCE OF FRICTION IS NECESSARY

the start of motion, which then quickly drops to a lesser value know as kinematic friction. The lagging in these tests behaved differently. The measured extraction force vs. displacement curves do not contain a local maximum force with a rapid decay to a lower value as would occur in classical friction. Upon visual inspection, it was clear that there had been movement between the lagging and the belt samples, so the absence of a transition was not due to insufficient applied force

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or displacement. This indicated non-classical friction behavior. This led to the question of how to measure a friction coefficient at all, since the pull force had not yet stabilised even though slip had clearly been observed.

relative friction performance. Three summary graphs were made. The constant coefficients that existing conveyor belt design standards (CEMA & DIN 22101) assume are also included for reference.

Pull force vs. Displacement, 60 psi, plain rubber lagging, clean & dry conditions: Another aspect observed was that a doubling in the pressure was not resulting in a doubling of the extraction force. See Figures 1 & 2. This violated classical friction theory which states there is a constant coefficient of friction, which is independent of pressure. After additional research was done regarding the dynamics of a belt traversing a pulley with a 180° wrap, 6.35 millimetres of crosshead movement was selected as the measurement point for the lagging friction coefficient.

Analyse Stage 2 results

Using 6.35 millimetres of crosshead movement as the threshold for developing friction, the coefficient of friction vs. pressure test results of each combination of lagging type and conditions were graphed. Exponential curves were fit to the data to allow for automated calculation of the coefficient of friction. The curves showed a general downward trend in coefficient of friction as the pressure increased, except for the medium and full ceramic lagging samples. For these, it was observed that the coefficient of friction peaked at 30 psi. It is inferred that this is the requisite pressure for the 1mm tall surface nubs to fully engage with the belt. After the peak, the ceramic plots all trended downward like the other samples. Using the fitted exponential curves, it was possible to consolidate several of the lagging types onto one graph to illustrate the

pressure arises from the belt tension wrapped around the pulley. Where p = 2 x T/(BW x D), we see that wrap pressure is a function of belt tension. Since drive pulleys remove tension and thereby, pressure, from the belt, the results show that the coefficient of friction is changing as the belt traverses.

Applying the results

So what should a conveyor designer do? The new data suggests the reason the pulley wrap factor Clean & Dry - conditions were as optimal as possible. The lagging and belt were in new condition.

See Figure 3. Friction factor vs. pressure. Clean & dry conditions: Wet – conditions are dew-like. Water was sprayed onto the lagging with a trigger sprayer until water dripped from the lagging. This data does not represent lagging that is hydroplaning or immersed in water.

A DOUBLING OF PRESSURE DOES NOT ALWAYS RESULT IN A DOUBLING OF EXTRACTION FORCE

equation has worked is because of generous safety factors in the assumed friction coefficient, especially at pressures below 70 psi. However, since available friction is pressure dependent, it is difficult to know the actual safety factor and correct results are not assured using this equation when pressures increase. Ideally, the equation would be modified to include pressuredependent friction. However, an analysis shows it cannot be solved by conventional means. An approximation method must be employed.

Utilise an approximation method

See Figure 4. Friction factor vs. Pressure. Wet conditions: Muddy – samples were painted with an Illinois basin coal fines slurry. The slurry was a mixture of clay and coal particles of unknown distribution. Ratio by weight was 3:2 coal fines to water. See Figure 5. Friction factor vs. pressure. Muddy conditions.>

Friction force is usually expressed as coefficient of friction multiplied by a normal force. Normal force is distributed over the apparent area of contact and could be expressed as a pressure. So, pressure multiplied by the coefficient of friction is the friction force per unit area between the two apparent areas, otherwise known as shear stress. Conceptually, this could be considered the grip or traction that the lagging has on the belt. Graphs (Figures 6-8) were made showing the theoretically available driving shear stress. Curves were created from multiplying pressure by the measured coefficient of friction equations.

Discuss the results

These results showed a strong dependence of lagging friction on pressure. In practice, AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

MATERIALS HANDLING

See Figure 6: Available driving shear stress. Clean & dry conditions. See Figure 7: Available shear stress. Wet conditions. See Figure 8: Available shear stress. Muddy conditions. As the pressure increases, the available shear stress increases, but at a diminishing rate. The graphs suggest maximum grip for each of the different lagging styles. This is predicted by the origin of the friction force. Friction force arises from adhesion in the areas of true contact between surfaces. True contact area is much less than the apparent contact area for most substances and can linearly increase with increasing pressure. But not

rubber. Since it is homogenous and soft, true contact quickly approach apparent contact area. If the true contact area is approaching the apparent contact area, and friction is the result of adhesion forces between the surfaces, then there will be a limit at the maximum shear stress value those adhesion forces can sustain. From a practical standpoint, the goal of the conveyor designer is to assure the belt will be driven under all foreseeable conditions. One method to achieve this is to use a safety factor. Once the effective shear stress required to drive the belt is known, it can be compared against a theoretical maximum

available value and a design safety factor calculated. It should be noted that there are three ways to increase the safety factor. Increase the T2 tension. This can be an inefficient way to improve safety factor in some cases since the available shear stress increases slowly at higher tensions. Change the lagging type. Full ceramic lagging showed the best performance for pressures exceeding 50 psi. Increase the pulley diameter or wrap angle to increase the contact area. Pulley diameter plays a pivotal role in driving the belt as compared to the pulley

wrap factor equation. With the new method, traction is being increased by placing more lagging area in shear due to the extra circumference generated by a larger diameter. This improved method for calculating conveyor drive capacity is based on the induced shear stress at the interface of the belt and lagging. It originates from measured coefficient of friction data and a modern understanding concerning the origin of rubber friction. It provides the designer with improved accuracy and confidence. Gone are the assumed coefficients of friction that do not match measured data. The improved method

also captures and quantifies two intuitive concepts: there is an upper bound for frictional adhesion and larger pulley diameters have more traction. A consequence of this approach is the potential for the designer to avoid excessive T1 tension by increasing the pulley diameter or adjusting the lagging type. Since T1 tension commonly guides the selection of the belt minimum tension rating, reducing it may save on belting costs. Depending on the length of conveyor, large savings may be possible by selecting a lower tension rated (and less expensive) belt and choosing instead to invest in a larger diameter pulley and ceramic lagging. AM

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ONSITE MAINTENANCE SCALES NEW HEIGHTS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST CRANE INSTALLATIONS AT CITIC PACIFIC MINING’S SINO IRON PROJECT IS BENEFITING FROM THE SAFETY, EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY OF KONECRANES CXT AND SM CRANES.

he size of even the most average equipment and machinery encountered in the mining industry far outweighs that of other industries. With this in mind, miners need equipment that lift and shift these heavy loads securely and safely. Konecranes has developed hoists and winches that can get this job done. Konecranes recently supplied a total of 125 units – a mixture of CXT wire rope hoists and SM winches from 1.5 tonnes to 125 tonnes lifting capacity – to date to the Sino Iron project, Australia’s largest magnetite mining and processing operation located at Cape Preston, 100 kilometres south west of Karratha in WA’s Pilbara region . The SM winches, in 75T and 125T options, are generally used for process related tasks in the ball mills, aggregate mills and magnetic separators, such as loading new balls into the mill, while the CXT monorail hoists handle the comparatively lighter loads and are generally performing non-process related tasks such as service and maintenance. “The Konecranes units certainly benefit our operations, particularly where there’s no pedestrian access,” Alan She-

pley, senior co-ordinator, Maintenance Services, CITIC Pacific Mining, said. Konecranes has just recently completed the assembly and installation of several new 75t and 125t SM cranes for the concentrator at Sino Iron. Konecranes Branch Manager for North

West WA, Steven Greenshields said the operation went very smoothly. “It has to date been a safe and highly successful build and install carried out by an on-site install team,” he said. To provide further support to the Sino Iron project, Konecranes has two techni-

cians permanently stationed on site for 12 hours a day, every day of the year to perform service and maintenance on all the cranes, for which Konecranes has the maintenance contract – reducing downtime when servicing or maintenance is required. AM

ANALYSERS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE OF BULK MATERIALS

ulk material analysis technology provider Scantech has develpoed a range of coal analysers to enhance quality assurance and minimise costs related to routine sampling. The range includes the Coalscan 9500X, 2100, and 1500 analysers. The Coalscan 9500X elemental and moisture analyser monitors sulphur, ash, moisture, energy/heat value and the particular constituents of coal. It is available in three sizes and caters to conveyer belt widths of up to 240cm and depths to 53cm. It also provides real time data approximately every two minutes, with aver-

ages for the current shift, hour, or shipload. The Coalscan 2100 ash analyser provides analysis of coal after crushing, between washery and stockpile or load out bins, during reclaim from stockpile, and on delivery to power stations and steel plants. Results can be viewed either from the plant’s process control system or through the optional superSCAN support display system. The Coalscan model 1500 ash analyser also measures the amount of ash in coal beds, as well as the levels of natural gamma radiation relating to potassium, thorium, and uranium.

It uses no radioactive source and is suitable for coal with high iron or calcium content. Scantech also provide a range of geoscanners including the Geoscan-C, M, and blend scan. The Geoscan-C features automatic bed depth correction and is suitable for raw mix proportioning and stockpile building in the cement industry. The Geoscan-M is primarily used for mineral applications such as concentrate and ore analysis. Blendscan is a software solution for plant blending control and is used to optimise and automate quality control of conveyed materials. AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

Scantech’s TBM200 series of moisture monitors controls dust suppression systems, dewatering circuits, and dryer settings to enhance efficiency in transportation and during transfer points. The company also has a conductive material moisture analyser, the CM100, suitable for measuring the moisture of coke as well as magnetite ore and metallic (sulphide) concentrates. The CIFA350 analyser monitors the amount of carbon in fly ash, providing process control for coal burning power stations. It improves the quality of fly ash and creates more efficient

boiler operations, reducing carbon dioxide emissions per unit of electricity. Scantech minerals consultant Henry Kurth spoke to Australian Mining at this year’s Seventh International Conference and Exhibition on Mass Mining (MassMin 2016) explaining that their systems provide continuous analysis of materials and good representations of its quality. He said as their focus was to “measure the actual quality of the product and see if it can be improved” with each analyser customised for each application due to the vast differences in the way materials are processed. AM

MATERIALS HANDLING

GETTING THE LOADS RIGHT NEW HAUL TRUCK LOAD MONITORING SYSTEMS ARE INCREASING PAYLOAD PRODUCTIVITY

rimble have released the Loadrite H2250 Haul Truck Monitor for rigid body haul trucks. The monitor is an in-cab display and sensor system used in combination with InsightHQ cloud reporting and data analysis. InsightHQ is a web-based management portal which consolidates live, operational information from loadrite devices across the site, providing real-time productivity and performance reports for extraction, processing and load out operations. The H2250 provides near real-time reports of haul truck production and process monitoring, increasing production and limiting costs. It enables managers, operators and supervisors to monitor and improve the

processes and handling of the quarry haul fleet. Automatic haul truck load counting and payload measurements are made within a three per cent accuracy, with the system also featuring cycle time analysis, truck speed monitoring and location based material tracking. Benefits include reducing cycle times, lowering transport costs by optimising payload, and supporting safe operation of haul trucks. Johan Smet, general manager of Trimble Loadrite said, “Trimble’s haul truck monitoring system is unique to the industry.” “The system calculates payload data with innovative weighing algorithms that provide greater accuracy than traditional truck scales used for quarries and small mining operations.

“Secondly, it fits seamlessly into Trimble’s Connected Quarry system, providing site managers near real time visibility across their entire operations, allowing them to see how their decisions affect operations as a whole, rather than just a single step in the process.” The H2250 productivity reports identify material movement issues and provide graphical reports of truck activ-

ity, loading time, haul time, and queuing time. Its speeding reports highlight operator skill gaps and haul road design issues, which improves fuel consumption, machine operation, and reduces machine wear. The dashboard shows each truck’s cycle count and daily tonnages, with on screen alerts for speeding, roll over, tray-up, and overloading alerts. AM

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TRENDS

TRACKING THE

2016 TRENDS

Part 1

THE FIRST OF A TWO PART SERIES EXAMINING THE TRENDS THAT WILL DRIVE THE MINING INDUSTRY IN 2016. COLE LATIMER WRITES.

ining is changing. We are currently in an era of extreme volatility in terms of commodities, where we can experience the swiftest growth in value, and one of the sharp drops, all within a few weeks of one another. Up to this point it has been a tale of decline, of enormous readjustment as the resources industry saw prices whip from unsustainable highs to unsustainable lows, where commodity values could no longer keep afloat many of the smaller to mid-cap players. According to Deloitte, “mining companies are struggling to recalibrate.” Much of this is down to the not wholly unexpected economic transition underway in China, which is turning the corner from a heavy industrial focused economy to one supporting its burgeoning middle class, which is have deep and long lasting effects on the resources industry. However, there seems to be life returning to the industry in terms of growing demand, particularly for gold, despite dire market predictions. The industry appears to have reached the bottom of the downturn and is slowly making its way to a more sustainable median. Companies that emerge from this great reckoning will do so stronger and smarter than when they first entered this cycle of the industry. Iron ore, which has ridden a short rally wave that soon receded, even drew positive forecasts, with Citibank and even Western Australia lifting their forecasts compared to early 2016 predictions. As we move to the mid-point of 2016, we examine the apparent trends that will be defining 2016, and what way the industry will move. Deloitte has outlined the ten trends that will affect miners. In this edition, Australian Mining examines the first five.

1. Going Lean: operational excellence

Belt tightening has been a consistent theme for the industry over the last two years. According to Deloitte’s report a relentless focus on cutting costs has translated into enterprise level productivity improvements. “With the downturn in commodity markets, most organisations stopped discretionary spending and improved operational efficiencies,” Deloitte Brazil’s mining leader Eduardo Raffaini said. “But that doesn’t mean the extreme diligence can now end, it’s important for companies to consider the full range of potential scenarios – from their options to grow should the market turn, to their response strategies if prices continue to plummet.” It stated that “whilst there is no ‘right’ solution to this quandary, industry leaders are tackling this issue in a number of ways”. “One strategy involves a continued investment in innovation; from automation and enhanced drilling systems to data analytics and mobile technologies, companies embracing innovation are improving mining industry whilst reducing people, capital, and energy intensity.” For a long time industry heads have said mining could learn more about productivity and efficiency by studying the manufacturing industry. Unsurprisingly, BHP chairman Jac Nasser – a former president of automotive manufacturer Ford – advocates mining study the manufacturing industry for efficiency measures. “Although there are as many differences between the AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

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TRENDS

automotive and mining sectors as there are similarities, forward thinking mining can likely make unanticipated productivity gains by taking lessons from this example – including reforming industrial relations, co-opting suppliers into the cost equation in an effort to extract efficiency, and shifting from traditional commandand-control hierarchies into a world of matrix or networked structures where human ingenuity is not overly hampered by rigid processes,” Deloitte said. Even Rio Tinto’s former head of technology and innovation Greg Lilleyman said, “There may well be technologies from manufacturing, food processing, oil and gas or aerospace which are ripe for application [in the mining industry].” In today’s market place, finding these operational efficiencies is more important than ever.

2. Ensuring innovation: preparing for change

Innovation is more than just a buzzword for mining; it’s an entirely new take on how they do business. They are quite literally reinventing the wheel in many cases. “When we refer to innovation, we’re not simply referring to the next big invention, we are also encompassing incremental innovation, or a re-thinking of how we use equipment, technology or processes that we already have in place,” Austmine chair Christine Gibbs Stewart explains. This view was supported by Deloitte, which labelled innovation as a new critical theme for miners. “Solutions once considered unviable or inapplicable to the industry continue to be adapted to suit the needs of mining companies,” it said. Many of these innovations centre around automated and semi-autonomous processes. But the problem of capturing these efficiencies hinges on uptake, a problem the industry seems to have difficulty with; automation is being seen as the next step, rather than as the new normal. “Despite this dizzying array of technologies, many miners remain at the early stage of the adoption curve – placing a majority of their innovation focus on technological optimisation of old techniques in a bid to reduce costs or discover deposits more efficiently,” Deloitte said. “To evolve, companies need to expand their innovation focus beyond technology to also consider new ways to configure and engage externally.” It listed a number of game changing technologies that will disrupt the mining industry. These include: Networks: This is the interconnectivity brought about Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and feeds into the Big Data movement. As machinery sensors become more prevalent miners now have greater oversight of how their equipment truly operates, giving them more flexibili-

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND BIG DATA WILL LIFT PRODUCTIVITY

ty in their usage and maintenance. This in turn is driving the predictive maintenance trend, which reduces the likelihood of costly, unplanned and unscheduled downtimes, instead allowing users to push get a realistic pattern of usage and the ability to predict when machinery will fail and wear rates and maintain/repair accordingly. OEMs will soon offer uptime guarantees, which will be supported by users’ in-field operational data. Machine learning: As automation becomes more widespread, the potential for machines to perform increasing complex tasks grow, lifting safety and productivity on site. According to Deloitte, an end game for this is the continued growth of centralised remote operating hubs, such as Rio Tinto’s Mine of the Future remote operations hub or its Processing Centre of Excellence, as well as similar remote control hubs run by Roy Hill, Fortescue, and BHP from Perth. Geonomics: Geonomic solutions are already seeing usage to a degree in mining, being used for in-situ mineral extraction processes as well as bio-remediation programs that use natural enzymes to clean contaminated sites through metal leaching and drainage. Wearables: Similar to machine sensors, but for the miners themselves. Systems like FitBit, incorporated into miners’ clothes and PPE can measure and monitor their performance and health. These are already being rolled out in terms of fatigue management systems that monitor haul truck drivers’ tiredness; heat measurement vests that monitor if workers are at risk of heat stress; and RFID systems that track workers locations on site and can be used to alert others if they face an emergency situation. Airships: Pegged as the potential transportation of the future, new heavy haulage designs are being developed by Lockheed Martin that can lift heavy mining trucks to remote mining locations fully assembled and ready to roll on to site the moment they land. AUSTRALIANMINING

Australia is working to address this issue with Austmine’s inaugural Innovation Mentoring Program, sponsored by METS Ignited. This is a program for the mentoring of individuals aimed at creating the next generation of innovators (See page 6 for more). However, the next innovation wave needs to be supported by full information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) collaboration, as well as enhanced asset management procedures, if its full impact is to be felt.

3. China’s economic transition

“If you believe that China is one of the most significant factors in the global mining market – whether it be capital, consumption, stockpiling, project construction or its announced infrastructure initiatives – then it’s imperative to pay attention to the economic and political issues shaping the country’s future,” Deloitte Canada’s global leader for mining M&A advisory, Jeremy South, stated. Because of this China and its demand still remains at the heart of the global resources industry. China once consumed 60 per cent of all seaborne iron ore, and despite its waning appetite it still has the largest influence on many metals due to its overwhelming demand for raw materials – relative to other nations. However, unlike many other nations China has a highly interventionist government, which dictates market controls. “Beyond interfering with the free movement of markets, the government’s fiscal intervention may threaten its ability to fund new programs designed to spur future growth,” Deloitte reports. In particular, the mining industry has been keeping a close on three primary initiatives: the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), created to fund a range of commodity intensive energy, transport and infrastructure projects across Asia with a capital pool starting at what the Financial Times believes is US$100 billion; the One Belt, One Road program

JUNE 2016

designed to spur trade between China and its neighbouring countries along the Silk Road; and the megacity project, which aims to link Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei into a single city of 130 million people. Despite these transparent plans, China’s trade regime remains opaque, with Deloitte stating that “without access to transparent official data, miners remain in the unfortunate position of making forecasts based on potentially flawed information”. The 13th five year plan released in March has given some clarity on the nation’s direction. Some small steps have been taken in the country to address glaring oversupply issues – which many majors are now addressing by focusing on lowering output guidance – by shutting underperforming or low quality operations. An official at China’s human resources and social security ministry said the nation’s coal and steel industries expect to cut around 1.8 million workers as it seeks to reduce capacity, and address the growing stockpiles in the country. The latest plan to slash the country’s coal and steel workforce came only days after Chinese coal companies pushed the government to set a price floor for coal to protect against bankruptcy and stem job cuts. The country plans to reduce around 500 million tonnes of coal production over the next three to five year, mainly by closing more than 5000 coal mines around the nation and relocating around one million workers, setting aside 30 billion yuan ($6.5 billion) to aid relocation of the workers. China also has also announced it will not approve any new coal mines for the next three years. These swift, if brutal, movements appear to already be paying dividends for the nation. New data by Citigroup predicts the coal price may rise by 20 per cent on the back of these changes, as coal production falls around nine per cent, more than offsetting the predicted 3.4 per cent decline in demand. In terms of iron ore, the rallies seen in the first half of 2016 have lifted the price out of the doldrums experienced in late 2015 to settle around the US$55 per tonne watermark, which provides a stronger foundation for continued growth in the market, although it does put the industry at risk of more marginal players returning to the sector and adding to the oversupply issue. A national focus on copper intensive industries as part of its six strategic industries is also boosting the base metal’s future. According to Wood Mackenzie, China’s plan to generate 15 per cent of its total GDP from industries such as IT hardware, energy storage and distribution, and new energy vehicles (which according to BHP

TRENDS

Olympic Dam asset president Jacqui McGill uses three times as much copper as conventional vehicles) all bode well for copper. This may drive reinvestment into its own coal and base metals industry later in the year, however most pundits believe China will focus its investment efforts outside its borders, spurred by long-term currency weakness driving them to invest in foreign assets before the yuan is further devalued and they lose purchasing power. “This may lead to a short-term increase in outbound direct investments from Chinese state owned enterprises interested in both mining companies at the later stage of the production cycle and fixed asset investments in infrastructure that improves over time,” Deloitte said. This has been evidenced by China’s Zijin US4298 million cash investment made in Barrick Gold’s subsidiary, and China Molybdenum’s recent spree – acquiring Anglo American’s Brazilian niobium and phosphates operations for US$1.5 billion and Freeport McMoRan’s holdings in the world’s largest copper and cobalt resource, the Tenke Fungurume mine, for US$2.65 billion in cash – only further vindicating market forecasts. This short term resurgence is unlikely to be the new normal, with Goldman Sachs stating, “We find that the likelihood of a sustained improvement in Chinese demand during 2016-17 is low, and we remain strongly of the view that the structural bear market drives that have contributed to metals declining 20 per cent over the past year and 50 per cent over the past five years remain intact.” However Deloitte has outlined a number of ways in which miners can prepare for upcoming incipient shifts. One of the major methods to right the downturn is to not expect a return to double digit growth rates in China. “Companies seeking to navigate the new normal must now plan for scenarios in which China is unable to return to its previous levels of importing and consuming commodities,” Deloitte’s report stated. “Capital allocation, economic feasibility studies and even cost management programs will all need to be recontextualised in anticipation of more limited Chinese growth rates.” Following from this, it encouraged miners to develop plans relative to China’s investment initiatives such as the AIIB; One Belt, One Road, and the megalopolis, playing a role in the development of these programs.

4. The new normal: What goes down must come up

Mining is a cyclical industry, what goes up must come down, and the inverse is true: mining cannot stay depressed forever. Many in the industry are predicting the first green shoots emerging of the next wave of exploration, as well as less volatility ahead.

In fact, renewed growth in gold due to its investment safehaven status, and active steps finally taken by major iron ore producers to right the current oversupply are building upon the foundation for the next swing, regardless of reduced Chinese demand. However, in the current period this may be brutal market economics at play rather than a full recovery. According to Deloitte data, commodity production is still not falling as fast as economic factors should dictate, as a weaker Australian dollar and readjustment in labour costs keep marginal assets artificially buoyant. “In other cases, majors are producing certain commodities, like iron ore, in a bid to consolidate market share,” Deloitte said. These actions were posited by UBS analyst Daniel Morgan, who warned, “Prices can get too low, and the power of the major producers may increase too much, returning the industry to the oligopoly.” “Other commodities with flat cost curves, like potash, may be subject to similar market plays, with Belarus’ stateowned producer Belaruskali reportedly running mines at almost full capacity and aggressively discounting prices to gain a foothold in the US and China,” Deloitte said. “This has introduced new supply side dynamics into the mining industry, as mid-cap producers in bulk commodities are increasingly edged out of the market.” The high costs of rehabilitation have also seen some operations keep their doors open rather than incur prohibitive site remediation costs, or even sell their operations at basement prices in an effort to divest themselves of their environmental obligations. Motivations such as these saw Rio Tinto sell its Blair Athol mine for $1, handing over all environmental rehabilitation costs to Linc Energy as part of the deal, whilst Vale and Sumitomo carried out a similar deal, selling the Isaac Plains coal mine to Stanmore Coal for $1, with Stanmore taking on the $32 million rehabilitation obligations. In terms of looking forward, Deloitte also pointed to the need to begin refocusing on exploration. It noted although current oversupplies muddy the water in terms of future shortages, given the often long lead time from discovery through to production, long term thinking is required “Exploration is the lifeblood of a business based on finite resources; unfortunately investment in exploration remains subdued,” Deloitte stated. “According to SNL Metals & Mining, global exploration spend declined 26 per cent in 2014, with budgets falling to US$11.4 billion, compared to a peak of US$22 billion in 2012.” In 2015 the situation became even more dire, with many miners such as BHP AUSTRALIANMINING

and Rio Tinto looking to make quick cost savings by dramatically slashing their exploration budgets, with BHP announcing last year it saved US$142 million through cutting exploration expenditure alone. This in turn led to a consistent decline in geoscientist and geotechnician employment levels, rising to more than 40 per cent as of the first quarter of 2016. “Big cuts in growth capex and exploration budgets may have far-reaching consequences for miners,” Deloitte Chile’s mining leader Christopher Lyon said. “Whilst supply adjustments make sense given current industry fundamentals and price signals, is the mining industry taking this too far?” he asked. “If the industry does not find ways to ensure a pipeline of new deposits and think through the viability of traditional mining methods, it may find itself without a great deal of growth optionality.” The need to position for growth becomes even starker when you consider the difficulties associated with finding high grade assets in stable regions, Deloitte said.

MINERS NEED TO PREPARE FOR SHIFTING ENERGY DEMAND

JUNE 2016

“Companies that don’t take the opportunity to stake early claims will find themselves competing for key reserves once markets turn, hampering their longterm prospects and profitability.” This sentiment was echoed by Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche, who said, “Exploration is the R&D, or building blocks, for the resources sector, getting the sector ready for the inevitable future upswing.” However, the message appears to have finally reached the major players – and Australia’s governments – as they refocus on exploration activities. BHP has announced a renewed focus on exploration as part of its rejigged strategy. Speaking at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch conference last month, BHP head Andrew Mackenzie outlined the miner’s focus on strengthening its assets and taking proactive action to build now for future commodity strength. “Although we remain confident in the long term outlook for commodities, we are not waiting for prices to recover. We have

TRENDS

everything we need in our portfolio right now to significantly increase the value of the Company,” he said. Part of this value adding will be through increased exploration and identification of new potential assets. “We are increasing our exploration activity to take advantage of falling costs as others pull back,” Mackenzie stated. “We have embarked upon one of our most significant oil exploration programs, accelerating activity in our three priority basins,” he said. “Following the positive exploration results at Shenzi North, we plan to drill a further exploration well (Caicos) in July 2016 on our nearby Green Canyon 564 lease. We will also increase the number of copper targets we test this year by 38 per cent. “We have established a new global technology function to implement integrated programs to unlock resources and lower costs. We have opportunities identified at a number of our major assets that we expect to create significant value over time.” This focus on exploration came only days after the Australian Government announced its intention to support resources exploration in the country, allocating more than $100 million to the industry over the next four years. The initiative, dubbed The National Resources Development Strategy – Exploring for the Future, is a program designed to boost productivity and competiveness of the sector. “At a challenging time for the resources sector, this important initiative will help ensure that Australia’s strength in innovation is furthered, and that we maintain our competitive edge in this world-leading sector,” national resources minister Josh Frydenberg said. At a state level, Western Australia is also supporting future growth with the announcement of $30 million in funding from 2017 to 2020 for the Exploration Incentive Scheme. “The support of the EIS also perfectly complements the $100 million announced in the Federal Budget last week for the Exploring for the Future initiative which enables Geoscience Australia to make available pre-competitive data for State based geological survey divisions and industry,” the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies said. Other initiatives can also be taken to move out the slump, which is nearing its end. By focusing on agility, and the capability of scaling production, labour and other inputs/outputs as needed; the aforementioned predictive analytics capabilities created through the innovative use of Big Data have help organisations prepare their sites for events that may shift market and operational fundamentals. Deloitte also called on miners to work collaboratively, both in terms of partnerships and in working together to cut over-

supply and right market fundamentals. “Miners are playing a sector-wide game of chicken, wither everyone hoping someone else will blink first,” Deloitte said. “Whilst not universally acceptable, it likely follows that companies will ease back on production in an attempt to bring balance back to the market rather than waiting to be pushed against the wall.”

5. A shift in energy demand: preparing for inevitable change

The changing face of the global energy mix, and the movement away from thermal coal as the world’s primary energy source, means miners will have to change their fundamental view of commodities. This is being driven both by Climate Change concerns, the push to cut energy costs and reduce carbon emissions, and consumers demanding more renewable energy sources. “Australia, like the rest of the world, is transitioning towards a lower emissions energy future. As part of this transition we are seeing a reduction in the use of coal and an increase in the use of renewables,” Australian Federal resources minister Josh Frydenberg said. South Australians know this better than

most. Just last month we saw the end of coal-fired generation in this state with Northern and Playford B power stations shutting down.” The two largest, fastest growing coal consumers have been China and India, which in 2013 consumed 60 per cent of the world’s coal between them; however China is planning to reduce output and turn towards more sustainable energy means. Last year the country announced plans to reduce coal consumption by 160 million tonnes, following the National People’s Congress. China’s ongoing pollution and smog issues were the main focus of the NPC, with Chinese president Xi Jinping stating that the government will be increasing focus on the nation’s environmental standards and regulations. “We are going to punish, with an iron hand, any violators who destroy ecology or the environment,” Xi stated. The country also plans to supply one fifth of all its power from non-fossil fuel source by 2030. However the Minerals Council of Australia believes that this isn’t an indicator of a total dumping of coal. “China’s evolving environmental poli-

cies are being confused with a policy shift away from coal,” it has previously stated. “Coal currently accounts for 80 per cent of China’s electricity output and all leading energy forecasting agencies analysts agree that ongoing industrialisation and urbanisation will drive robust coal demand for decades to come.” The International Energy Agency expects that coal will continue to dominate China’s energy mix to 2035, and that “China continues to import substantial amounts of coal, remaining a strong force in global coal markets”. While China is not stepping out of coal completely, alternative power sources are making inroads into its supply mix that will dent the thermal coal market. Part of this is turning towards gas, with China aiming to use natural gas for more than 10 per cent of its primary energy consumption by 2020. On the back of this China and Russia have signed a US$400 billion gas supply deal. The deal, between China’s CNPC and Russia’s Gazprom will run for 30 years and supply around one trillion cubic meters of gas. In terms of renewables, China plans

MINERS AND OEMS WILL SEE CLOSER COLLABORATION

AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

TRENDS

For sale by private treaty

Coal sizing units

to increase its wind power capacity from 96GW to 200GW, and solar from 28GW to 100GW. In Europe, Norway derives 98 per cent and Australia 57 per cent of their power from hydro sources. Nuclear power is also likely to play a greater role, with France producing 77 per cent and Sweden producing 41 per cent from nuclear sources, with the World Nuclear Association expecting installed capacity to grow 60 per cent globally to 2040. This paints a dire picture for thermal coal, which is suffering from similar oversupply and undervalue issues as iron ore, and has already driven US majors such as Peabody Energy, Alpha Natural Resources, and Arch Coal to declare bankruptcy. According to Deutsche Bank’s supply and demand models, thermal coal is running a 30 million tonne surplus, which is predicted to rise to 68 million tonnes in 2018. Yet, thermal coal is far from dead. “Most major energy forecasters agree that coal will remain a critical component of the global energy mix for years to come,” Deloitte said. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) believes fossil fuels will continue to supply close to 80 per cent of the world’s energy through to 2040, although coal will lose market share – dropping to roughly a fifth of the global energy mix. Despite this the overall coal consumed will rise in production levels as energy demand grows apace. China demand alone, despite its plans to reduce coal consumption levels, is predicted to grow to close to half a billion tonnes by 2019. When it comes to miners themselves, Australia has seen a shift towards solar power for operators whose mines are located in remote areas, with Sandfire Resources installing solar power at DeGrussa, Galaxy at Mt Cattlin, and Rio Tinto at the Weipa mine. Lithium is also set to play a greater role in the energy production chain, and will strengthen its role as a key component in

LOWERED COAL DEMAND WILL LEAD TO ASSET DIVERSIFICATION

renewable energy sources (read page 12 to find out more). The future looks uncertain, however “although forecasts for global energy demand are not assured, one thing is certain: there will always be a need for electricity,” Deloitte Argentina mining leader Edith Alvarez said. “That means mining companies should be asking which commodities will be required across the entire power generation value chain.” So what strategies can they implement? Becoming more agile, and able to respond to region specific market demand will allow coal miners to maintain strength, however pure coal plays will not survive long into the future. “As the global energy market shifts, mining companies will need to keep pace by considering the full range of market angles,” Deloitte said. “As new technology demands expand, this will open up opportunities for commodities in related industries, including lithium and/or other metals and minerals used in battery storage, solar panels, and wind turbines.” The increasing focus on slashing carbon emissions, and the introduction of wider ranging carbon pricing schemes means longer term strategies are needed. “As miners develop their long term energy strategies, they will need to determine how their processes must change if carbon pricing reporting becomes mandatory rather than a voluntary disclosure.” With these in mind miners can build a more sustainable portfolio for the next wave of mining. AM

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to buy. Through a private treaty procedure, Ritchie Bros. is selling two 2012 MMD 500 TPH coal sizing units located in Roma, QLD, Australia. Ritchie Bros. will conduct confidential negotiations between the seller and prospective buyers, and manage all financial transactions.

To arrange an inspection and make an offer, please contact Richard Tucker +61.418.155.734

rbauction.com/privatetreaty Ritchie Bros. (NYSE & TSX: RBA) is one of the world’s leading asset disposition companies, with offices and auction sites around the world, and sold more than US$4.25 billion of equipment in 2015 alone.

This is the first half of a two part series looking at the trends that will affect the global resources industry this year. Read the July edition to see part two of the trends that will be defining your industry. AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

TOP HAMMER DRILL

Sandvik has developed a new rubber tyred compact hammer drill rig for surface operations. The Commando DC130Ri drill rig comes with a number of upgraded features, with a modular design and practical layout of components, new efficient rock drill and a new intelligent control system with large on-board touch screen core features of the new machine. The fully remote-controlled, hydraulic and self-propelled compact size drilling unit, with 4-wheel carrier, is designed for drilling 22-45 mm holes. A new RD106 rock drill provides 5.5 kW output power, and a new intelligent drilling control system, form the basis for Commando DC130Ri’s high penetration rates. Performance is enhanced with the machine’s large drilling coverage area, and a new forward pointing feed that allows it to drill closer to structures than before. The machine also possesses the functionality to have roll-over for the feed, change drill steels on the

3D MODELLING SOFTWARE

rock drill, and to adjust the drill rig to challenging environmental conditions with additional appliances such as the fuel powered engine heater. The 7” on-board touch screen enables effective monitoring allowing changes to machine functions. It provides different views for adjustment, aligning and drilling, as well as diagnostics for trouble shooting purposes. The Commando DC130Ri may also be equipped with several optional control system features, such as the torque control and automatic feed-percussion-follow-up, which enables automatically adjusted drilling in varying conditions. Additionally, the new control system enables the use of the TIMi aligning and inclination system as well as the SanRemo remote monitoring service. The Commando DC130Ri is equipped with four high-torque tramming motors and skid steering. The machine is well balanced, with an optimised centre of gravity which means it is able to reach steep slopes without any problems. In case of higher inclinations,

a hydraulic winch with automatic rope tension control is available as an option. For added drilling stability, the Commando DC130Ri comes with extendable front ground legs as a standard. Commando DC130Ri has a completely modular design and component layout that allows easy reach to all service points and components. The whole carrier is divided into four main modules, which can be dismounted when making major overhauls. Better collective placement of the hydraulics, and optimised location of the electrical cabinet, has allowed the hosing to be significantly reduced and the electrical wiring minimised. A completely new cover system has two large side doors with gas springs, and a removable middle roof section that provide easy, and twodirection access, to all service points. The Commando DC130Ri is equipped with fuel-efficient and low-emission CAT C2.2 Tier 3 engine. • Sandvik www.sandvik.com

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JUNE 2016

ARANZ Geo announces the release of Leapfrog Central, a new model management platform designed to support continuous 3D modelling in mining applications. ARANZ Geo is the developer of the successful 3D geological modelling software, Leapfrog. The new Leapfrog Central platform has been developed in collaboration with world-leading mining and exploration companies to allow users to control, manage and track the evolution of models from a central point of truth, leading to improved decision-making. Since its launch 11 years ago, Leapfrog has continuously challenged the way models are built and updated by delivering the time and opportunity to consider multiple hypotheses and build multiple models. Models are dynamic and readily updated with new information, sometimes daily. ARANZ Geo Product Director Tim Schurr explains that the continuous modelling approach, unlike the single static model, creates a lot of models but addresses the need for models to have the very latest data to support decision-making. The Leapfrog Central platform ensures everyone from geologists to managers and engineers has access to a central point of truth with the most up-to-date and relevant model. Displaying the evolution of models over time in 3D, Leapfrog Central allows documents, images, annotations and geotags to be attached to models to help build a complete picture. Discussions including suggestions and comments are also documented, giving managers and collaborators full transparency of the model development process. Describing Leapfrog Central as a great step forward for 3D modelling software, beta partner user Otgonbayar Togtokhbayar, Geology Manager at Rio Tinto Oyu Tolgoli says the model management platform has really changed the way they work as it allows them to markup areas for attention or discussion for further improvement while eliminating version control issues. • ARANZ Geo www.leapfrog3d.com

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

TOWER LIGHTS Atlas Copco have extended their range of HiLight towers to seven models, including four LED solutions, suitable for the industrial sector. The range includes the H5+, B5+, V5+, and E3+ LED light towers, as well as the H4, V4, and E2 metal halide varieties. They feature a fully directional optic lens which enhances efficiency by minimising ‘dark spots’ and maximising practical light coverage. Depending on the model, a single LED light tower can illuminate an area up to 5000m2 at a brightness of 20 lux. They also have a run time of 260 hours before refuelling, and use less than 0.5 litres of fuel per hour. The towers also feature power packs that optimise the power output and improve efficiency by protecting against under-loading of the engine. Their heavy duty floodlights benefit from high ingress protection (IP) and impact protection (IK) ratings. Product marketing manager for Light Solutions at Atlas Copco Portable Energy, Sergio Salvador, said the additions to the HiLight range make sites brighter, safer, and more productive. The latest edition to the range is the Hi-

TOP HAMMER DRILL BITS Sandvik has created a new design for top centre drill bits. According to the company they feature the largest upgrade to face drilling bits in decades. Following field testing of the new bits, Sandvik recorded up to 80 per cent longer grinding intervals and up to 60 per cent long bit lives, which results in higher productivity due to longer service life, and a safer working environment due to fewer bit changes. “The top priority when developing the new top centre rill bit was to increase service life,” Sandvik stated,” since the main reason for discarding a drill bit is excessive wear on the diameter, the simplest way to achieve longer service life is to add more gauge buttons.” “However, this can prove problematic because of the minimal space available; furthermore an increase in the number or size of the carbide buttons generally decreases the penetration rate: the same impact force yields a lower net for per button.” Sandvik believes it has now solved this problem with a ‘raised font’ elevating two or three front buttons – depending on the diameter size – by a few millimetres above the gauge buttons located on the periphery of the bit. These front buttons are set at

Light H5+ which has four LED lamps that each project 350W of light. Their compact size enables ten units to be moved on standard 13m trucks The B5+ has a vertical hydraulic mast which enhances the safety of workers by illuminating a large area. The LED lamps in the V5+ are designed for portability and performance, with the lights suitable for tough mining conditions and general construction work. The V4 can illuminate an area of 4000m2 and users can load 20 units of them per truck. They also feature a spillage free frame and the HardHat polyethylene canopy, protecting against corrosion and enabling durability in harsh conditions. The H4 counterpart has a heavy duty galvanised steel canopy, a hydraulic mast, and can cover an area of 4000m2. The E2 and E3+ – illuminating an area of 2000m2 and 3000m2 respectively – are electric models, and users can connect them to any power source including electrical generators, auxiliary power or directly into the grid. • Atlas Copco www.atlascopco.com

SURFACE DRILLS

a slight angle relative to the symmetric axis of the bit, the raised front also creates a recessed hole bottom pattern that alters the rock breaking action to achieve improved performance. In addition, the top centre bit also features a new cemented carbide grade, the GC80. “The problem with carbides that exist on the market today is that they are either wear-resistant or tough,” Sandvik Mining top hammer tools product manager Robert Grandin said. “When developing the GC80,

we wanted to combine the best of those two worlds in order to get as much as possible out of the top centre design. “The new bit design essentially delivers more drill metres per shift compared with a standard bit, thanks to fewer bit changes.” The top centre drill bits are available in bit sizes 43, 45, 48 millimetres, with 2-3 raised end buttons and 7-8 gauge buttons in grade GC80 and connections R32, Sandvik Alpha 330, and R35. • Sandvik www.sandvik.com

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JUNE 2016

VersaDrill Canada has delivered its new KmN 1.4SM surface drill, also called the VersaMobile. This new revolutionary product, developed in its Val-d’Or installations, is a unique combination of performance and lightness. This tracked drill can dig up to 1600 metres in NQ while significantly reducing its environmental footprint (about 25 kPa). Its design is perfect for results on sensitive grounds and in damp areas. The drill is also equipped with a rod manipulator and, thanks to tried and tested technology, does not have a hydraulic tank. This machine follows the release of VersaDrill’s GT8 multifunctional drill. Entirely designed and manufactured in Canada, the GT8 is a compact and sturdy rig strong enough to perform mining drilling, yet versatile enough to be utilised in geotechnical applications. Whether used for geotechnical projects, environmental works, diamond drilling or RC and DTH drilling, the GT8 delivers results and solves the need many companies have, which is to remain active and productive in a more difficult economic context. Thanks to VersaDrill’s world-known signature drill head, the powerful and multifunctional GT8 has a drilling capacity of up to 1 970 feet with a maximum torque of 8 270 feet-pound. It is built with reliable and simple components for affordable maintenance and continued operation under any conditions. • VersaDrill www.versadrillcanada.com

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

WHEEL LOADER Komatsu has released the new WA5008 wheel loader equipped with a Tier 4 certified engine. The loader features a 279kW SAA6D140E-7 engine and uses an enhanced lockup torque converter function in combination with SmartLoader Logic to produce optimal engine torque for improved acceleration, low fuel consumption, and higher travel speeds. The loader’s bucket capacity has increased to almost six cubic meters, enhancing productivity and efficiency by enabling easier fills and better material retainment. It also consumes up to five per cent less fuel than its Tier 4 interim predecessor due to its optimisation of engine power and improved

power train and hydraulic efficiency. It is suitable for loading on-highway trucks or smaller rigid trucks, articulated trucks, or for load and carry applications. Product manager for Komatsu America Rob McMahon said, “Operators will also appreciate enhancements in cab comfort and features like the integrated load meter and full automatic digging function.” The loader features an improved Komatsu Diesel Particulate Filter (KDPF) with increased capacity. It has several in cab enhancements including new air-suspension, high-back heated seats that soften machine vibration for operator comfort, seat mounted electronic pilot control levers, Auto

Idle Shutdown to save fuel and reduce idle time, and a 30 centimetre full colour, high resolution monitor. The loader also uses the Komtrax

telematics system and monitor that provide machine metrics. • Komatsu www.komatsu.com

CAVING TOOL MOBILE JAW CRUSHER

RAISE BORING PILOT BITS

Deswik used this year’s Mass Mining event in Sydney to launch IROCK has launched new mobile jaw crushers for mining apits new hard rock mining cav- range of bits plications. Sandvik has developed a new tool. raise boring pilot holes. The new TJ-3046 Tracked Jaw Crusher has been designed for for ing drilling The cave flow modelling medium scale mining and quarrying operations, and features a Dubbed the RR880, the focus of its new deas part of its protection in 2.33 cubic metre feeder as well as grizzly pre-screening. signtool, has developed been on improving gage 2016.1 software release, will associated be Its feeder drive features a long control system for continuous, order to overcome the issues with launched at resulting the underground uninterrupted feeding, while an optional level sensor can be afgage wear and bit change outs. miningraise event last month. fixed to the jaw to control the feed rate to the crusher. “Most boring applications begin with Integrating with the Deswik The crusher itself has an inlet opening of 1.17 metres by 76 centhe drilling of a pilot hole; the general length suite, Deswik.Caving timetres, and is built with a hydraulic wedge adjustment to provide of asoftware pilot hole varies from 30 - 1000 meters, simulates cave flow for the Lifewith standard drill pipes of 1.5 meter length,” ing the time and cost of changing tools, Sand- operators greater product sizing control, down to 5 centimetres. vik claims. of-Mine of a caving operation IROCK’s TJ-3046 high swing jaw has an aggressive crushSandvik explained. “With the new Sandvik RR880 pilot bits, ing action which speeds up material movement into the crushfor several outcomes such asin pulling the “The time and cost involved recovery, dilution producpipes out from a deepand pilot hole is significant you can drill longer between bit changes. Few- ing chamber. Its 1.22 metres crusher discharge conveyor can stockpile up andtion the scheduling. service life of pilot bits is therefore cru- er bit changes means shorter project times and Usersit can create multiple cial when comes to keeping down cost and increased profit at the end of the day”, Göran to 3.5 metres. Strand, product line manager for Sandvik Mincaving scenarios withproject.” differA dirt conveyor comes as standard on the 50 tonne machine. time for any raise boring ent ring sizes, and The jaw crusher also features remote control capabilities, with The RR880 bitsschedules, provide increased durabil- ing, said. characteristics. a wireless remote capacity allowing operators to tram the tracked ity flow and hole straightening, with up to 35 per • Sandvik The caving scenario prepares machine around site, while its hydraulic folding sides provide cent longer bit life than its predecessor, slash- www.sandvik.com a block model and schedules faster installation and set-up at new jobs. DRILL BITS production for a flow simulation. An operator friendly electronic crusher control system with touch According to the BUCKETS company, screen HMI has been designed with ease of use in mind, and sim‘SEVERE DUTY’ DEVELOPED compact and versatile than before. beenthe replaced with Atlas Copco have developed new top buttons have now Deswik.Caving is suitable for plifies crushing, service, and maintenance procedures. There are now 30 per Atlas Copco Secoroc’s unique, hammer drill bits. use in all caving environments, Powered bypatented a 260kW Cat C-9 ACERT Tierapproximately 3 engine, the crushcent fewer per bits hour, in thewhile rangeits forefficient topham– Trubbnos. is the for all new rangefrom of toptection rocks trapezoid and othershapederbuttons including block caving,a new sublev-centimetresPowerbit has an output rate of 445 tonnes to 1.82 metres Doosan has developed rock drilling applications –levels. makIn addition thedirect patented hammer drill bits for surface drilling materials. el caving, andduty incline caving. larger Doosan driveEnduro systemExresultsmer in minimal fuel consumption excavators. range of severe buckets surface gives high strength ing bit choice so much easier. from Atlas Secoroc. An They’re builtweartra abrasive strap also treatment Deswik.Caving is based on the The buckets • IROCK have Copco been built for crawler excavators. Atlas Copco Secoroc is known for to take on any rock, from hardastostandard. soft, in all types of rock. comes PGCA cellularare automata mod-with abrasive www.irockcrushers.com resistant materials The buckets designed and protection from abrasive to non-abrasive. • Doosan Equipment Powerbit has been put through more the quality of its tophammer shank developed byneed Gavin Power,for increased when foreloperators who buckTheyrocks, give drillers meters be- than 20 series of test at 13 test sites all adapters and drill rods. A tried and www.doosanequipment.eu a recognized geotechnical open more ets that can work in abrasiveen-digging in loose fore operations, the first regrind, gineer in the caving industry. with and many more over the world. A total of more than 50 tested combination of material choice, materials in heavy digging and pit, or quarry km has been drilled in a great varie- heat treatment, and the unique T-WiZ metersshell between regrinds. Theapplications. integration of this prov-the side cutters, bottoms, loading The development en flow modelling tool withside wear plates, and weld-on engineers have ty of rock conditions. At these sites, threads, means high up-time and efThe buckets are approved looked at allthe aspects Deswik’s of advanced built from sim- of drill bit tech- service life is up to 20 per cent better fective drilling. for use withrange Doosan’s DX- shroud also With the launch of Powerbit, drillnology to ensure the longest possible than the competition and the penetrascheduling, visualisation 140LC-5 through to its DX-andilar material. servicegussets life for Powerbit. The bit shape tion rate is up to 10% more effective ers now have a top-of-the line range planningcrawler strengths provides a Reinforcing have 530LC-5 excavators. is entirely new and powerful resource for thebeen added to increase the the bit body steel than other leading bits on the market. of drill bits to match. Tests show that They arenew available in both Extensive experience, together with these bits work extremely well in any and fitting stronger. cavingand industry. machine pin-on wedge-lock style. strengthisofharder •According Deswik to Doosan, its se- joint on theMoreover, bucket. the new button technology thorough research, simulation and test- rock formation. is so effective www.deswik.com Front wear pads havethat beenit is patented many ing, have allowed Atlas Copco Secoroc • Atlas Copco vere duty buckets are availaover.extra The proprevious semi-ballistic to make the Powerbit range much more www.atlascopco.com to provide ble in sizes ranging from 45 includedtimes AUSTRALIANMINING

JUNE 2016

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

AUTOMATIC LUBRICATION SYSTEMS Automatic lubrication systems reduce maintenance time by utilising small amounts of fresh lubricant that are added every hour of operation, ensuring that contaminants are kept well clear of bearings and other key components due to a collar of fresh grease. In this way, wear and tear is kept to a minimum and mechanical components can achieve maximum life. On top of that, equipment can be kept in production longer, saving maintenance resources for more important jobs. Using a 12V DC electric operated pump with progressive divider valves, the Beka Max system develops up to 4,200 psi of grease pressure and uses standard heavy-duty workshop grade (NGLI#2) grease.

In addition, the Beka Max progressive distribution system ensures that if any point on the chassis does not accept grease, the pump will give a visual alarm. This means that with a glance operators can know instantly that every grease point is receiving its correct amount of lubrication – giving operators peace of mind that their expensive equipment is running well. Alemlube has compared the greasing labour and lubrication related running costs of a large heavy duty interstate truck fleet. The key cost components checked were greasing labour, grease cost and shackle pin and king pin replacements – these are the key greased front suspension components which require costly parts and repair costs

when worn. The results of the research were surprising. Shackle pin life of 600,000km and king pin life of 1,200,000km was the best previously attainable by diligent hand greasing and normally attainable by liquid grease lubrication systems. That meant that during the life of the truck, costly downtime was required to replace these key components. With Beka-Max systems, the ability to use heavy duty #2 greases produced a major reduction in wear and tear – virtually to zero. The fleet operator now fully expects the shackle pins and king pins to last the full working life of the truck. No downtime or parts costs. • Alemlube www.alemlube.com.au

PORTABLE IMPACTOR Terex Minerals Processing Systems has released the new CRH1313R portable impactor and screen plant for high throughput production. The mobile plant is a complete stand alone closed circuit unit with three product capability, with the Terex Cedarapids CRC1150 portable cone plant as a new addition to the range. The plant features a high production Cedarapids IP1313 impactor with a three or four bar, 1270mm rotor powered by a Tier 4, 335kW diesel engine, direct drive to crusher, and a 150kW generator. The crusher is powered by a 223kW motor and drive, all mounted on a rubber isolated frame. It maximises uptime with a heavy-duty under-

crusher pan feeder that protects the conveyor belt from damage by absorbing the crusher’s high velocity discharge. It enables more capacity through its 1515 x 4875mm patent pending dual slope 2-deck screen which handles heavier loads. A rugged 1220 x 4875mm high stroke Cedarapids “Advantage” feeder with 1525mm grizzly bar or optional stepped tine style grizzly section feeds the impactor. The portable cone plant also features the new TC1150 cone crusher, which uses high efficiency roller bearings, automated cone controls, and larger closed side settings. It also includes an oversize cone feed hopper extension with overflow chute, metal detector, ‘straight

AUSTRALIANMINING

line’ undercrusher conveyor, and service platforms. For easy maintenance, the plant features conveniently located grease banks

JUNE 2016

and a ground access cone lubrication module. • Terex Minerals Processing www.terex.com.au

PROSPECT AWARDS

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

he Australian Mining Prospect Awards are launching again, and this time it’s our ‘lucky’ 13th Annual night. Year after year Australian Mining seeks out the best technology, innovations, individuals and companies in the resources industry in an effort to recognise and reward their achievements over the last 12 months. Whether it is better production rates, higher efficiencies, clever design, smarter technology, or simply someone who comes in each and every day and gives 110 per cent, the Prospect Awards are a forum to highlight the achievements that have been made. And in the current mining and industrial climate, highlighting the successes being made across mining is crucial to demonstrate that it is still a sector which – despite the volatile commodities and high pressure markets – is still one that is forging ahead to become a better industry. At last year’s event, which saw protests outside from various environmental and activist groups, hundreds gathered to celebrate an industry which has been doing it tough. Innovation in safety; smarter ways of making mines more efficient and productive; and instituting better work processes

were all highlighted. Since our awards in October last year things have become even more stressed, meaning now, more than ever before, the industry needs to take a step back and celebrate their many achievements. With this in mind Australian Mining is opening nominations again for these awards. So nominate someone you know who is making mining a better industry, and recognise those innovators today. AM THE AWARDS RAN ACROSS 15 CATEGORIES

THE EVENING SAW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHER TO CELEBRATE MINING

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

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MINING: AUSTRALIA’S MOST RENOWNED INDUSTRY

Mining’s biggest night

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Don’t miss the Australian mining industry’s night of nights - the 13th annual Prospect Awards are back for 2016. Twelve awards will be up for grabs, recognising innovation and excellence within the Australian mining industry. Make sure you don’t miss any of the action! Head to www.prospectawards.com.au for more information.

For more information regarding nominations, please contact Cole Latimer - Editor, Australian Mining: 02 8484 0652 or cole.latimer@primecreative.com.au For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jonathan Duckett: 02 8484 0866 or jonathan.duckett@primecreative.com.au Platinum sponsor