Mining Magazine Summer 2023

GLOBAL STANDARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE REPORTING

NSW MINING INDUST � Y SHAKEUP HEALTH CHECKS SAVING MINERS’ LIVES

Established in 1995, Field Machine Tools has thrived as a privately owned Australian company supplying portable maintenance machines and engineering solutions to clients across Australia. The business aims to flatten production downtime by providing operators with the most complete scope of products and accessories for industries across Australia and beyond. 1300

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Kody Cook

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Danielle Harris

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National Media Executives

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Brett Thompson

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Marketing Associates

James Holgate Rhys Dawes

Isabella Predika

EDITOR’S WELCOME

As the weather starts to warm up, and 2023 begins to wind down, it is a pleasure to bring you the final edition of Mining Magazine for the year. And what better way to charge into summer and the new year than with a copy of Mining Summer tucked under your arm?

The close of another year brings us one step closer to achieving the net zero emissions goals set by the industry. To tackle these challenges, countries around the world are working harder than ever to build reliable critical minerals supply chains. As such, Australia’s critical minerals industry was never far from the spotlight in 2023, with overseas tours to secure international partnerships, and the Federal Government pledging a $2 billion expansion in critical minerals financing.

In the final magazine of the year, we take a deep dive into tungsten and unpack the revival of tungsten projects in Australia and the mineral’s significance in the green transition.

Mine rehabilitation continues to be a priority for the industry, and in this edition of Mining we hear from Ravi Naidu from Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (crcCARE) about how a unified national approach to rehabilitation and remediation of mine sites across Australia is needed going forward.

This edition also includes articles from health experts examining the dangers of silica dust, the increase in silicosis diagnoses in former miners and the mobile health units offering free lung screening in Queensland.

Innovations in mineral exploration are continuing to drive the industry, including Sydney University’s creation of the first digital map of lithium content in Australian soil and drone-based magnetometry facilitating exploration in remote and inaccessible locations.

With additional features on creating ESG roadmaps and engaging with artisanal miners, Mining Summer is full to the brim with the latest topics that are rocking the mining industry.

2023 has seen a great deal of progress and innovation across the industry and all the signs are pointing to 2024 being another big year for the industry. I wish all Mining readers happy holidays and a safe new year.

As always, if there’s a topic, project, technology or challenge you’d like to read in future editions, please feel free to flick me an email – I’d love to hear from you.

JOBS AT RISK AFTER MOUNT ISA MINES CLOSURE ANNOUNCEMENT

Glencore has announced that the Mount Isa Mines underground copper operations and copper concentrator will be closing in 2025, after operating for 60 years.

Mount Isa Mines’s other metals assets –including the copper smelter, George Fisher Mine, zinc-lead concentrator, and lead smelter in Mount Isa, as well as the copper refinery in Townsville – will all continue operating.

Glencore has conducted a range of studies and reviews seeking to further extend the life of the underground copper mines, but it has not been possible and the mines have reached the end of mine life.

The studies revealed that the remaining mineral resources are not economically viable due to low ore grades and areas where, due to geological conditions, safe extraction can’t be achieved using current technology. All of this is coupled with ageing infrastructure.

Glencore’s Lady Loretta zinc mine, located 140km north-west of Mount Isa, which was a finite orebody with a seven-year mine life, is also set for closure in 2025.

Glencore’s Chief Operating Officer of Zinc Assets in Australia, Sam Strohmayr, said that Glencore knows that the decision will be disappointing for its people, its suppliers, and the Mount Isa community.

“The reality of mining is that mines have a beginning, middle and end. And unfortunately, after 60 years of operation, Mount Isa’s underground copper operations have now reached that end,” Mr Strohmayr said.

“We want to give our people as much time as possible to consider the best options for them and their families, which is why we are notifying our workers and the community almost two years before these mines close.

“Our focus over the coming months will be to work closely with our people and contractors, our suppliers, and the Mount Isa community to provide support as we move towards closure of these assets.

“Our Mount Isa underground copper mines, copper concentrator and supporting services currently employ around 1,200 people.”

Mr Strohmayr said that it’s too early to put a figure on how many people may receive redundancies until Glencore works through a process of speaking to each worker and discussing options around retention, redeployment, and retraining.

Mr Strohmayr said redundancies are the last resort and will be offered only when other options have been exhausted.

“Glencore will continue to invest in the long-term future of Mount Isa Mines, including the George Fisher Mine with a current life of mine to 2036, and our zinc-lead concentrator and lead smelter.

“We also expect the copper smelter and refinery to continue operating to 2030, subject to approval of additional capital investment.

“These are important strategic assets, not just for Glencore but for the North West Minerals Province and the future of Queensland’s critical minerals industry.”

LAWSUIT WARNING ISSUED TO CO � E LITHIUM

Tesla has issued Core Lithium a notice, warning about potential legal action after the Australian lithium producer failed to materialise a 2022 supply agreement by the set deadline.

The two companies failed to reach a deal by 26 October 2022, as decided earlier, and now Tesla is looking to take “all available legal remedies” unless the parties mutually resolve the matter, Core Lithium said in a presentation in August.

The notice of a potential legal claim is related to a binding term sheet the companies signed in March last year to negotiate the terms of a supply agreement under which Tesla would have received spodumene, a lithiumrich mineral.

The lithium producer was negotiating with Tesla to supply 110,000t of spodumene from its Finniss project in Australia’s Northern Territory.

NEWMONT OFFICIALLY CLEARED FOR NEWCREST AC Q UISITION

Newmont Corporation has announced that all of the government regulatory approvals necessary for the acquisition of Newcrest Mining have now been secured, after the Securities Commission of Papua New Guinea (SCPNG) granted it the necessary exemptions.

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has also indicated its approval of the proposed transaction.

Newmont’s President and CEO, Tom Palmer, thanked Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) Government and said that Newmont is looking forward to building strong and mutually beneficial partnerships with the government and people of PNG to generate lasting shared value and meaningful economic development through the Lihir gold mine and the Wafi-Golpu gold and copper project.

“As the world’s leading gold company, we recognize PNG’s significant, untapped economic potential and support providing its citizens the opportunity to invest in and benefit from our operations, projects and social contributions,” Mr Palmer said.

Newmont also announced that it has taken steps to establish a dedicated Business Unit in PNG with the appointment of Alwyn Pretorius, who will assume the role of Managing Director and be based in Port Moresby. Newmont also plans to establish a secondary listing of Newmont stock depositary interests on the PNGX from closing of the transaction.

On 14 May 2023, Newmont announced its definitive agreement to acquire Newcrest.

The combination is expected to create a world-class portfolio of assets with the highest concentration of Tier One operations, primarily in favourable, low-risk mining jurisdictions.

Newmont and Newcrest anticipate the transaction closing in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Newmont stockholders voted on the proposed transaction on 11 October 2023, and MDT and Newcrest’s shareholder vote took place on 13 October 2023.

UPDATED FEASIBILITY REPORT FOR MAJOR KAOLIN PROJECT

Andromeda Metals has released the results of an updated Definitive Feasibility Study (2023 DFS) for its Great White Deposit, following the conclusion of a commercial strategy review. According to the company, the Great White Project is construction ready, with the required permits in place.

The study found that the project’s Net Present Value (NPV) increased by 65 per cent to $1,010 million, and average annual earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation increased by 59 per cent to $130 million.

The increased NPV compared to the 2022 DFS, primarily results from:

♦ Strengthened global prices driven by geopolitical risk and global and regional supply shortages

♦ Enhanced product mix and partner portfolio

♦ Established high value in use of Andromeda products in key market segments

♦ An updated mine development plan (based on the Mine to Market response) that supports an accelerated sales profile and reduced costs across the life of mine

♦ Improved weighted average product margin by 34 per cent to $450/t of product

The commercial strategy review confirmed The Great White Project’s kaolin core product portfolio and identified a value in use that is above market in established and growing segments for high quality ceramic tiles and porcelain tableware.

Andromeda’s complementary product portfolio was defined as Great White HRM™ and industrial sand co-products.

In addition to the current established use of this product as a rheology modifier, the global market for low-carbon concrete production has been identified as a further opportunity to be commercialised.

Industrial sand co-products (not commercialised in the 2022 DFS) will be sold to meet the regional shortfall in the construction and infrastructure markets.

Subject to additional funding, the commercial strategy review identified an opportunity for High Purity Alumina (HPA) to become part of Andromeda’s complementary product portfolio. Technical and market validation is proposed to restart, after the project’s commissioning.

It is estimated $8-10 million will be required to complete a prefeasibility study on HPA, the commercialisation of which is not included in the 2023 DFS.

Andromeda said it is focused on the sustainable development of its future operations, through a low-impact approach to mining and processing over the life of the Great White Project, and effective, ongoing, and transparent consultation across all stakeholders, including First Nations people and the local community.

Andromeda Metals’s CEO and Managing Director, Bob Katsiouleris, said that the 2023 DFS represents the outcome of a rigorous commercial and business strategy review for commercialising our construction ready project, to meet rising market demand.

“As we move to finalising debt funding, the 2023 DFS will underpin our funding strategy for the remaining capital required to move towards anticipated construction and into production.”

RESOU � CE ESTIMATE UNCOVERS SECOND LARGEST GRAPHITE DEPOSIT IN AUST � ALIA

Anew mineral resource estimate for International Graphite’s Springdale Graphite Project in Western Australia has exposed the site as the second largest known graphite deposit in the country.

The estimate was prepared by independent consultancies, OMNI GeoX and Trepanier, and is 3.4 times the previous estimate.

International Graphite Chairman, Phil Hearse, said that the results from an extensive drilling campaign in 2022-23 had surpassed all expectations.

“Not only have we significantly increased the size of the mineral resource, 27 per cent of it (by contained graphite) is now at an ‘indicated’ category which provides a strong foundation for future technical and economic studies,” Mr Hearse said.

“This is a huge achievement for the business and an important milestone as we drive to establish ourselves as one of the first vertically integrated producers of battery anode graphite. These results show that Springdale has the mineral resource base to underpin our mine to market vision for decades to come.”

International Graphite Managing Director and CEO, Andrew Worland, said that the company set out to upgrade the existing mineral resource and expand it.

“To expand it by almost three-and-a-half times, improve the overall grade, and have over a quarter now classified as ‘indicated’, is testament to a well planned and executed program by our technical team,” Mr Worland said.

“We have only scratched the surface at Springdale.

“So far, exploration has been limited to approximately ten per cent of the Springdale tenement areas. More than 80 per cent of the aeromagnetic anomalies on a portion of our tenure has yet to be tested.

“It is notable that ten per cent of the new mineral resource estimate stems from an exciting new graphite discovery at Mason Bay, 2km east of Springdale. Further drilling will seek to expand this resource.”

Mr Worland said that across Graphite International’s tenements, there is significant potential for further mineral resource growth to be defined if it follows the same exploration model.

“Graphite mineralisation at Springdale is fine flake and ideally suited to a streamlined flowsheet producing a single concentrate feedstock for downstream processing and the lithium-ion battery market.

“Our team is now working to optimise the mine development pathway, planning further infill and exploration drilling and integrating Springdale with the company’s planned Graphite Battery Anode Facilities in Collie, Western Australia.”

CHINOVA LOOKS TO SELL AUSTRALIAN COPPER - GOLD OPE R ATIONS

Chinova Resources, owned by Chinese organisation Shanxi Donghui Energy Group, has announced that its Australian copper-gold operations are up for sale, with the intent to have a deal finalised by the end of 2023.

The operations in Queensland state include the Osborne copper gold processing plant, Mount Elliot mine, infrastructure including an airport, roads and a power plant, and a number of development sites. The mine is near the town of Cloncurry, 660km west of the port of Townsville.

Chinova Resources Executive Director, Theo Tsihlis, said that the Chinova package has had good interest from large, established, international miners, as well as ASXlisted junior to mid-cap mining companies looking for a relatively large acquisition to propel them onto the radar of institutional investors.

“Some multinational private equity groups have also shown interest,” Mr Tsihilis said.

“We would be expecting that an offer would be north of $300 million, and we would like to conclude it this year.”

Shanxi Donghui Energy Group bought the mine from Ivanhoe Australia in 2013.

Forecast production for 2024 is 7,900t of copper and 39,400oz of gold. A sales agreement for supply from Osborne is in place with commodity trader Hartree Partners.

Development projects include the Mt Dore copper heap leach project, which has an eleven year mine life and the Merlin molybdenum rhenium copper project. Its mineral resources estimates include 3.9 million tonnes of contained copper, 6.8 million ounces of contained gold, 96,000t of molybdenum and 12,000t of cobalt.

RIO TINTO TO RAMP UP GUDAI - DARRI IRON MINE PRODUCTIVITY

Rio Tinto has announced that it is looking to incrementally increase production capacity at its latest iron ore mine, Gudai-Darri, a process which is expected to cost approximately $130 million.

The $3.1 billion Gudai-Darri mine is located in the Pilbara, Western Australia, and began production in 2022, reaching its planned annual capacity of 43 million tonnes less than 12 months from first ore.

The planned capacity increase will be achieved through upgrades within the plant including chutes and conveyor belts, as well as utilising an existing incremental crushing and screening facility already onsite.

The larger operation will require an additional mining fleet, including haul trucks and diggers, as well as a small expansion

of the product stockyards. The capacity increase is subject to environmental, heritage and other relevant approvals.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Managing Director of Pilbara Mines, Matthew Holcz, said that what Rio Tinto has learnt during the rapid ramp-up of Gudai-Darri has given it the confidence to find better ways to increase capacity at its newest and most technologically advanced mine.

“Rather than taking a capital-intensive approach to replicate existing infrastructure, we have now identified a low-capital pathway to creep capacity to 50 million tonnes a year,” Mr Holcz said.

The capital intensity of any increase in capacity of Gudai-Darri is expected to be around $10 per tonne.

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MOVEMENT IN THE INDUSTRY

Your industry personnel roundup – here we cover who’s moved where, which boardrooms have been shaken-up and the new leaders making big decisions in organisations across the industry.

Fortescue Metals Group underwent arguably the biggest shakeup in the industry’s recent months, losing its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and the Director of Fortescue Future Industries all in the space of a week.

Mere days after attending the company’s 20-year anniversary celebrations, then-CEO Fiona Hicks was the first one to jump ship, leaving the company on 28 August – less than six months into the job. Hot on the heels of Ms Hicks’s announcement was CFO Christine Morris's departure on 31 August – a mere three months into the role. Fortescue Future Industries Director, Guy Debelle, quickly followed suit, with his exit from the company announced on 1 September.

Venture Minerals announced its new strategy aiming to recruit new talent and skill sets to the company’s Non-Executive team. Part of this strategy was the appointment of a new NonExecutive Director to its Board, with Philippa Leggat stepping into the role. A further progression in the strategy will involve the current Non-Executive Chair, Mel Ashton, retiring from his position following the company’s mid-November Annual General Meeting. The company has commenced a recruitment process to secure a new Non-Executive Chair.

Another company that made changes to its leadership team is Newmont Corporation, announcing a number of leadership appointments in efforts to strengthen the company’s operating model and boost safe and productive operations of the company’s expanding portfolio of assets with the proposed acquisition of Newcrest.

Natascha Viljoen joined Newmont as Chief Operating Officer on 2 October. It was announced that Suzy Retallack would take

on the responsibility of Executive Australia, in addition to her role as Chief Safety and Sustainability Officer (CSSO) and will be based in Perth, Australia. This appointment is due to the Australia region being expected to have a significantly increased operational and strategic importance to Newmont’s global portfolio upon completion of the Newcrest transaction in the fourth quarter 2023.

Summit Minerals welcomed a new CEO, with Jiahe “Gower” He stepping into the role and bringing extensive experience in the lithium and battery metals industry to the team.

Lithium Australia announced the appointment of a new Managing Director, with the promotion of the current CEO of Lithium Australia, Simon Linge, to the company’s Board, in addition to his ongoing role. Mr Linge has been Lithium Australia’s CEO since January 2023 and is a highly credentialed executive, bringing more than 25 years of global manufacturing, recycling and engineering services experience to the company.

Rio Tinto appointed a new Chief Executive of Aluminium to lead its alumina business, succeeding Ivan Vella who operated in the role for almost three years. Jérôme Pécresse stepped into the role on 23 October.

Rio Tinto also appointed a new Non-Executive Director to its Board, with James “Joc” O’Rourke commencing in the role on 25 October.

Liontown Resources appointed a new General Manager of Operations to its Kathleen Valley Lithium Project. Aaron Nankivell stepped into the role with his appointment coming well ahead of project start-up, which is on schedule for first production mid-2024.

STAINLESS STEEL SOLUTIONS FOR PILBA R A I R ON P R OJECT

With its vastness and resource potential, Australia is an attractive destination for international companies looking to broaden their portfolios.

One such example of an international enterprise operating in Australia is CITIC. CITIC is the largest conglomerate in China and the largest producer of steel in the world.

CITIC Pacific Mining (CPM) – which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC –developed the Sino Iron Project, which is the largest magnetite mining and processing operation in Australia.

Magnetite is a mineral and a valuable source of iron ore, and is mainly used in steelmaking. The six processing lines in the Sino Iron Project concentrator are designed to process 24 million tonnes of high-grade magnetite concentrate annually.

Ensuring efficient and productive operations is an enormous undertaking, and in order to keep the project running smoothly and guarantee continuous operations, a 500kL fuel farm needed to be completed.

The fuel farm also needed to be well-made and ready to provide fuel to ships coming in to load the magnetite for export.

Background

In order to facilitate the building of this fuel farm, CPM investigated the feasibility of traditional piping methods but quickly realised that doing so would be expensive and time- consuming.

In addition to this, there was also the potential for quality issues, which would mean that pipes would need to be sent back for re-work.

Sourcing solutions to help CPM avoid these problems became a top priority and in order to do so, CPM needed to find and use a solution that was capable of adapting to problems as they arose.

Finding a solution

When dealing with a project involving 330m of piping and located at a remote fuel farm, the margin for error is close to nil.

This was the scenario that was facing CPM Sino Iron plant at Cape Preston in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

For this undertaking, five different sizes of piping, ranging from 28mm to 168mm, were required, and any errors or discrepancies in traditional welding would result in a large loss of time and productivity.

The search for a trusted partner led CPM to Ibex Australia, with CPM electing to use Ibex’s Impress® stainless steel piping system to achieve the desired result on time and well below budget.

An advanced, weld-free pipe system, the Impress® system is used for transporting fluids and gases used in mining, oil and gas, wastewater management, and many more.

The results

Utilising Impress® press fit technology meant that the installation was able to be completed in a fraction of the time it would have taken using traditional methods. As well as this, no quality issues were found with the pipes, meaning they could be installed and put to immediate use.

The decision to use Ibex’s Impress® system saved CPM a great deal of time and money and ensured that the project was completed on schedule.

Key features like no welding, low labour costs, easy installation and reliable results make the product a ‘no brainer’.

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SIX � E A SONS MINERS SHOULD CA � E ABOUT SILICOSIS

When people think of the dangers of mine sites, they often conjure up images of heavy equipment, large haul trucks and explosive blasts. Less thought of are the subtler, long-term hazards that can affect the health and wellbeing of miners, including those that do not reveal their consequences until years later.

Silicosis is the oldest occupational lung disease on record, but despite its age and history, there has been an alarming increase in cases emerging in Australia recently, including a worker at the Boddington gold mine being diagnosed in October 2023.

Silicosis is an irreversible, debilitating and potentially fatal lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica particles, commonly found in dust-generating activities such as mining, construction, fabrication, and installation of materials like engineered stone. These silica dust particles are invisible and 100 times smaller than a grain of sand, meaning they can travel deep inside the lungs and wreak havoc.

Alongside this rise in silicosis diagnoses comes an increase in knowledge and awareness of the disease and its causes, and a determination to stop it at the source.

In June 2023 the Federal Government established The National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry Bill 2023 in the hopes of identifying and eliminating the causes of deadly occupational respiratory diseases like silicosis. The Bill puts in place a national registry for reporting all occupational respiratory diseases and makes the reporting of silicosis

mandatory. The Bill is intended to support the identification of industries, occupations, job tasks and workplaces where there is a risk of exposure to respiratory disease-causing agents.

The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) has some concerns with the parameters and practical elements of the Bill, but has said it firmly supports the government’s introduction of a respiratory disease registry.

The silicosis epidemic

Curtin University estimates that more than 275,000 Australians are now at risk of diseases caused by breathing in silica dust – more than the entire population of Hobart and Launceston combined – and this number is expected to increase.

TSANZ CEO, Vincent So, said that regardless of whether coal, gold, or something else is being mined, it is always embedded in rock and layers of rock need to be cut through to get to the mineral.

“Stone contains silica and the cutting process will liberate this in dust form,” he said.

According to Mr So, there are six reasons miners should care about silicosis:

It is progressive and irreversible

Silicosis is a chronic lung disease that progresses over time. Once silica particles enter the lungs, they cause inflammation and scarring, leading to the formation of scar tissue which causes the lungs to harden and contract. This scarring restricts a person’s ability to breathe properly and often causes breathlessness. There is no cure for silicosis, and the damage it causes to the lungs is irreversible.

It has significant health impacts

Silicosis can have severe health consequences for affected individuals. One of the biggest challenges with the disease is that symptoms often occur late in life, with many sufferers not noticing their onset until much later.

Symptoms typically include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain and fatigue.

As the disease progresses, however, it can lead to more serious complications like lung infections and failure, and an increased risk of developing other conditions, including tuberculosis, lung cancer, emphysema and some chronic skin and joint problems.

It is an occupational hazard

Silicosis is primarily an occupational disease, affecting workers who are exposed to high levels of silica dust. Industries whose workers are at a high risk of silica dust inhalation include mining, construction and sandblasting.

It significantly impacts sufferers’ quality of life

The breathing difficulties and reduced breathing capacity caused by silicosis can make it challenging to perform everyday tasks, affecting a sufferer’s physical capabilities and overall wellbeing. As such, the disease can limit a person’s ability to work, participate in activities and enjoy an overall fulfilling life.

It has economic and social implications

Silicosis has far-reaching consequences beyond just an individual level; families are greatly impacted, both emotionally and economically, as they support their loved ones through the difficulties associated with the disease. This economical support may be necessary if silicosis-affected individuals face financial hardship due to having to change work, a reduced ability to continue working, and for medical care.

It is preventable with proper measures in place

One of the characteristics contributing to the

tragic

reputation of silicosis is the fact that it is largely preventable. Through proper workplace controls, such as effective dust control, wet cutting, adequate ventilation, and the use of personal protective equipment, exposure to silica dust can be minimised.

Mr So said that minimising dust generation is important in mining, and one way this can be achieved is by adding water to the cutting process – so called wet-cutting.

“Mechanising the process without workers being in close vicinity would help as well. If possible, extractor fans would reduce dust exposure and finally, exposed workers need to wear adequate personal protective equipment – minimum P2 masks.

“In addition to the dust minimisation, removal, and wearing personal protective equipment, it is good practice to check the functioning of the equipment regularly and conduct workplace air monitoring to ensure that the safety measures in place are delivering the desired result,” Mr So said.

SafeWork Australia, as the national source of information on current regulation, can provide guidance on what more can be done to protect workers.

Preventing silicosis at the source

Mr So said that if these preventive actions are not used, which is frequently the case in Australia, then unnecessary suffering and loss of life may occur.

“We recommend industry liaise with SafeWork Australia, Lung Foundation Australia, and the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand to source appropriate information material for workers and employers to increase their awareness of the potential risks associated with working in mining.

“For the safety of the miners’ families, workers should be advised not to leave the workplace wearing clothing contaminated with dust.”

Mr So said that current cases of silicosis are likely based on past exposures, before the dangers of the disease were fully appreciated.

“Silicosis is preventable and using elimination, removal, and protection measures plus education and awareness should help prevent an increase in new silicosis cases. We are now aware of the problem but need to stop exposures to prevent further disease.”

Mr So recommends miners that are exposed to respirable crystalline silica to contact the SafeWork office in their state and to contact their GP if they display symptoms.

“Silicosis requires long term specialist management. While currently there is no specific treatment for silicosis, there is a lot of ongoing research, and some treatments may come online in the near future.

“The best way forward now is for industry, workers, and health professionals to work together to provide the safest workplace for all.”

Vincent So is CEO of The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ).

TSANZ is the only health peak body representing a range of professions (medical specialists, scientists, researchers, academics, nurses, physiotherapists, students, and others) across various disciplines within the respiratory/sleep medicine field in Australia and New Zealand.

FOUR FIFO G � EEN FLAGS

Fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) is an often inevitable aspect of working in the mining industry, and the long hours and shift work can take a toll on physical health and wellbeing. However, there are key amenities that mining operations can offer FIFO workforces to showcase a commitment to alleviating the burden of FIFO lifestyles and securing the physical and mental health and wellbeing of their workforce.

Healthier meal options

When it comes to maximising output in a FIFO workforce, a fundamental step is ensuring the food they’re consuming is healthy and nutritious. Working longer hours and being away from family can make it easy for workers to default to unhealthier comfort foods when onsite.

Results from a study conducted in 20221 which surveyed FIFO workers in Australia’s mining industry found that although workers had good physical health status (91.2 per cent), 71.4 per cent were overweight/obese (BMIs were calculated using participants’ self-reported height and weight).

Ensuring that workers have access to a large range of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as wholemeal options can help workers maintain a healthy lifestyle onsite.

Some newly-developed FIFO accommodation facilities offer workers expanded menus and a wider range of dining options, as well as smoothie and juice bars.

Holistic wellbeing facilities

Hand-in-hand with offering more nutritious meal options comes the need to provide a more comprehensive approach to health and wellbeing. Having a dedicated team onsite committed to supporting the wellbeing of workers is also an important step in a holistic health approach.

Incorporating this holistic approach is a focus for mining companies that are creating new FIFO facilities or revitalising existing locations. Plans for future FIFO accommodation incorporate a range of fitness options for workers to utilise, such as gyms, swimming pools, indoor fitness centres, multipurpose sports courts and running tracks.

Complementing these facilities are onsite health and wellbeing teams offering workout classes, nutrition consultations, health coaching and personal training.

Advanced accommodation

Traditionally, the FIFO lifestyle involves workers spending extended amounts of time away from their family and friends, which can often lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

A critical factor in bolstering FIFO workers’ mental health is facilitating their continued connection to their loved ones offsite. This means providing reliable, fast internet connections, as is being rolled out at FIFO sites across the country.

Emerging FIFO accommodation facilities are also offering larger, more inclusive lodging options for workers. These pod-like rooms are suitable for singles or couples, and offer larger beds, adjoining ensuites and kitchenettes in the hopes of encouraging a more diverse workforce.

This new kind of accommodation prioritises worker comfort, boasting air conditioning, increased privacy and security and a personal laundry with washer dryer – negating the need for workers to use communal laundries.

Engaging entertainment

FIFO workers work hard so providing outlets where they can unwind is important for mental wellbeing. Giving workers enjoyable, fun ways to spend their free time can go a long way in building their happiness and improving their mental health.

Mining companies acknowledge this, and emerging FIFO facilities are expanding to include broader recreation options, including cinemas, mini golf courses and golf simulators. Other FIFO recreation facilities offered across Australia include beach volleyball, walking and cycling paths.

FIFO work can be unavoidable, but mining companies are increasingly working hard to ensure that their workforce is taken care of and able to perform at their best, and this endeavour starts with FIFO.

THE MULTI - TALENT FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY IN AUST � ALIA

The mining and metal industry's products support and enable many sectors around the world, including but not limited to consumer electronics, agriculture, critical infrastructure and transportation. The demand for metals and minerals is expected to increase as the global energy transition continues to accelerate.

An increasing number of miners are enhancing their efficiency by implementing low-carbon technologies and methods, by collaborating with processors to produce metals that meet consumer demand for eco-friendly products and by accessing financing linked to sustainability. A wide range of modern technologies are creating value and contributing to the achievement of economic growth and a future with lower carbon emissions.

Due to the vast scope of the mining industry, this article will focus on mining pump applications and their potential to decrease carbon emissions, promote a safer work environment and generate consistently low operating costs.

Expectations in the mining industry

The expectations for mining equipment can be categorised as cost, performance and HSE (Health, Safety and Environment).

Performance is the primary factor, denoting satisfactory outputs and desired metal qualities. Operators can increase profitability by using mining pumps with lower running costs; nonetheless, not at the expense of reliability or safety. Pumps with high dependability require less maintenance. The fewer times maintenance personnel need to inspect or repair the

pump, the better. More preferably, personnel could dismantle the entire pump simply and safely without relocating it to a work stand.

Moreover, the industry prefers a full-proof pump that can withstand the harsh conditions of mining. In certain instances, it is important to consider factors such as pH levels and salinity when selecting building materials. In specific regions of Western and Southern Australia, the water contains salinity levels up to 33 times greater than seawater, attributable to an inland sea that existed several hundred thousand years ago.

An omnipresent factor: mine dewatering

Water can enter mines through two different means: artificially added to remove overburden, waste or rock debris along with facilitating the washing of crushed ores, or naturally as underground water. Mine dewatering serves multiple purposes, including active dewatering of both ore and waste rock, which is essential to ensure continuous operation. Additionally, maintaining dry pit floors and underground workings is necessary to minimise the risk of sudden flooding or mudslides. Releasing pore pressures in open-pit slopes and underground workings is critical to avoid pit bench failures or collapse in underground operations.

Main applications for progressive cavity pumps in mining

SEEPEX progressive cavity (PC) pumps are versatile and are used in many environments, whether above or below ground. Many are operating in flocculants plants, as their functioning principle preserves the shear-sensitive flocculants used in thickening processes. SEEPEX PC pumps also offer dependable and cost-efficient solutions to recover thickener underflows and transfer abrasive mineral pulps or tailings. Reagents used in flotation circuits (PAX, GUAR, MIBC) are easily measured and added with pinpoint accuracy. With high pressure outputs available, many mines rely on SEEPEX pumps for their underground mine dewatering pumps or for filter press feeding applications. Other applications where SEEPEX pumps are acknowledged include the preparation and loading of viscous explosives emulsions from mobile manufacturing units for rock blasting.

Energy savings with SEEPEX PC pumps from SEEPEX are well suited for transferring abrasive, corrosive and even shear-sensitive media with minimal wear, particularly those with high solids content. The pumps operate at low speeds and possess a clear flow passage, resulting in low shear and smooth flow. Compared to other pump types, the low installed power of SEEPEX pumps allows customers to achieve significant energy savings.

A noteworthy feature of SEEPEX pumps is the lack of gland seal water, which eliminates additional costs such as water pumps, sumps or similar expenses. Moreover, SEEPEX's PC pumps foster flow stability by ensuring constant flow irrespective of backpressure or solids content variations. Additionally, unlike other pumps, PC pumps from SEEPEX can operate effectively at any point on their curve, rendering them even more valuable in changing conditions, as they have no BEP (Best Efficiency Point). Hammering is unnecessary as the pumps offer minimal pulsation flow and are reversible for back flushing.

Mining is an energy-intensive industry, and pumps can help to reduce a mine’s energy consumption and overall carbon footprint. SEEPEX pumps offer reduced life cycle costs because energy and water consumption are much lower compared to alternative pumping methods. Moreover, SEEPEX covers maintenance needs with inclusive, easy maintenance features that facilitate quicker, safer and more cost-efficient maintenance. Pumps can be mounted on simple baseplates with a variety of gearbox and drive combinations, or on engineered skids that can optionally include solid control hoppers, discharge piping and non-return valves for safe operation.

Why choose SEEPEX?

SEEPEX pumps are capable of handling abrasive, corrosive, and shear-sensitive media with ease. They provide a dependable and cost-effective solution for conveying mineral pulp with the appropriate solid content to ensure operational efficiency. With a wide range of materials available, SEEPEX ensures optimal compatibility with corrosive substances, while the PC pump principle preserves the integrity of viscous and shear-sensitive flocculants. SEEPEX pumps ensure high efficiency, allowing you to reap all the benefits of positive displacement pumps, even when handling media with high solids content.

With SEEPEX, clients receive top-tier engineering services utilising an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) approach, backed by a global presence and local spare parts and maintenance support.

CONTACT SEEPEX

SEEPEX is one of the world's leading specialists in the field of pump technology. The product portfolio includes progressive cavity pumps, pump systems and digital solutions. SEEPEX also offers innovative solutions for conveying aggressive or abrasive media with low to high viscosities. Since 2021, SEEPEX has been part of the Ingersoll Rand Group, a global supplier of mission-critical flow creation and industrial solutions, consisting of more than 40 renowned brands. Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR), driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and ownership mindset, is dedicated to helping make life better for our employees, customers and communities. For more information, visit www.IRCO.com

Mines will face water issues at some point during their operation and it is a frequent problem

PC pumps can aid in wastewater management for remote mining camps that house the mining crews, too.

TTHE TUNGSTEN � EVIVAL

By Rebecca Todesco, Editor, Mining Magazine

Australia’s Critical Minerals List contains more than 25 minerals, all of which have been flagged by the Federal Government as essential to modern technologies, economies and national security. As Australia ramps up mineral exploration in its race to net zero, there has been one critical mineral whose name has been bounced around more than usual.

he minerals involved in electric vehicle (EV) production, like lithium and cobalt, as well as some rare earth elements, have featured heavily in recent news stories, in part thanks to the increasing prevalence of EVs.

Tungsten, like many other critical minerals, flies below the radar in terms of public consciousness, despite being crucial to many everyday technologies such as electrodes, heating elements and even light globes.

Tungsten – also known as wolfram due to its primary ore mineral being wolframite – has found itself in the spotlight in recent months due to its unique qualities and potential applications in emerging technologies.

Assistant Director of Mineral Resource Assessment at Geoscience Australia, Alanah Hughes, said that tungsten alloys are some of the hardest metals and that tungsten is in possession of the highest melting point of all metals.

“Demand for these so-called ‘hard metals’ is currently being driven by electronics, construction, aerospace and military applications,” Ms Hughes said.

“Many of us use tungsten in everyday items such as light globes, and it is becoming more popular in modern jewellery. It is also used for computers and other electronics because it is such a good conductor of electricity and won’t overheat.”

Tungsten alloys are also used in cutting and drilling tools as some compounds are almost as hard as diamond. In addition to this, the mineral is also valuable in aviation, space and defence uses and even in darts and high-performance race cars.

Recent months have seen the revival of tungsten mining projects and operations around the world, and Australia is no exception. Following the suspension of operations at Wolfram Camp in 2016, the Kara mine in Tasmania became the only operating tungsten mine in Australia.

Now, however, another two mines have joined Kara – Mount Carbine in Queensland and the redeveloped Dolphin mine on King Island, Tasmania – bringing the total of operating tungsten mines across the country to three.

According to Ms Hughes, there has also been a recent discovery of a smaller, high-quality tungsten deposit 2km north of the Dolphin mine. Venture Minerals – owner of the Mount Lindsay deposit in Tasmania – is actively working towards tungsten production at this location by 2025.

In addition to this, EQ Resources was awarded the tender for resource exploration operations across a 480km² area, which includes the abandoned tungsten mine Wolfram Camp in July 2023. The tender could provide an opportunity to turn former mines into assets. Situated 90km west of Cairns, miners have been extracting wolframite from the site since the 19th century.

Impacts on supply chain instability

Director of Mineral Resources Advice and Promotion at Geoscience Australia, Allison Britt, predicts that the revival of Australia’s tungsten mines will have a significant impact considering the supply chain instability currently facing the industry.

“Recent military conflicts have changed access to tungsten. Russia, who used to supply three per cent of global supply, now have less readily available stock. This has created increased dependency on products from China – which has limited export licences for its products – and while they hold the largest resources of tungsten in the world at 47 per cent, and are by far the largest producer at 84 per cent, they are also the world’s largest consumer of tungsten.”

Ms Britt said the development of alternative supply chains of tungsten for Australia is now strategically important due to it being recognised as a critical mineral by not only Australia, but also the EU, the UK, Japan, Korea, India and the US.

“This is because of its importance to modern technologies for its hardness, stability and high melting point, which are particularly valued for military technologies, such as armourpiercing shells and armoured tanks.”

This revival of tungsten mines and mining not just in Australia but around the world can be attributed to increased demand and restricted supply chains.

Wolframite ore from Wolfram Camp mine, Queensland. Photograph by Yanbo Cheng, Geoscience Australia.

“The easing of COVID restrictions saw a rebound in manufacturing activity and tungsten demand, with a subsequent increase in price,” Ms Hughes said.

The price per tonne of tungsten has doubled over the past three years from a low in January 2021 of AU$269.77, to highs of AU$537.84 in October 2022 and AU$537.55 in September 2023.

Australia’s tungsten potential

On Australia’s Critical Minerals List, Australia’s geological potential for tungsten is listed as high, with prospective tungsten projects across the country.

According to Senior Mineral Systems Geoscientist, Yanbo Cheng, most tungsten mineral deposits around the globe are genetically related to granitic rocks, with tungsten mineralisation having been found in a number of different of mineral systems, such as granite-related sheeted-quartz veins, pegmatite, greisen, breccias, carbonate replacement/skarn, porphyry and orogenic gold-type deposits.

Mr Cheng said that Australia’s granitic rocks and geology demonstrate diverse features, including some good endowment for tungsten mineralisation.

“Although the currently active tungsten mines are on the eastern side of Australia, the largest reported tungsten resources in Australia are in Western Australia.”

Mr Cheng said that the O'Callaghans deposit – which is the largest tungsten resource in Australia – is a skarn type mineralisation associated with the O'Callaghans Granite and contains 0.23 million tonnes (Mt) tungsten trioxide (Newcrest Mining Limited, 2023).

After O'Callaghans, Australia’s second-largest reported tungsten resource is located at Mount Mulgine, which is an Archean porphyry tungsten-molybdenum system. According to the owner of Mount Mulgine, there is a combined Mineral Resource estimate of 219 Mt at 0.11 per cent tungsten trioxide (Tungsten Mining, 2023).

In addition, there are several other prospective tungsten projects in the Northern Territory and South Australia.

“Overall, there is a full spectrum of granitoids and the right geology for the formation of tungsten deposits in Australia, which is comparable to the tungsten fertilised terranes in other parts of the world, for example in south China and northwest Canada. Geologically the mineral potential for tungsten resources in Australia is high, but to realise this potential, more data and exploration is needed in the future,” Mr Cheng said.

Capitalising on Australia’s geological potential

“Although tungsten resources are found throughout the world, China generates more than 80 per cent of mine production and dominates global consumption. In response to the recent growth in global tungsten demand, customers have been seeking alternative sources of supply and have been looking to Australia with our high-quality tungsten deposits. However, we are still considered a minor producer on the world stage.”

According to Ms Hughes, “Tungsten is used in a number of critical technologies that are expected to grow in the next decade and Australia is well-placed, in terms of mining and minerals extraction expertise, to develop our tungsten resources and improve connections with emerging markets.”

Ms Hughes said Australia has an opportunity to develop strategically important projects to attract international investment, enhance domestic capability, and, importantly,

Mount Carbine mine, Queensland, in 2015. Photograph by Yanbo Cheng, Geoscience Australia.

Tungsten price chart over the past three years between October 2020 and October 2023. Tungsten price is in Australia dollars. Information from S&P Global.

demonstrate the sector’s ability to create economic opportunities for Australian communities.

“Australia has robust regulatory frameworks and highly regarded ESG credentials, helping to ensure that we are a premier destination for investment.

“Geoscience Australia is supporting decision-making throughout the value chain as demand for critical minerals is predicted to grow, whilst ESG considerations from production and processing are increasingly scrutinised.”

Despite Australia’s high geological potential for tungsten, and second-place ranking for tungsten resources after China, Ms Hughes said that on a world scale, Australia’s production is minor.

“Australia has a real opportunity to grow this sector of the economy by providing responsibly sourced tungsten to our global partners, and building stronger and more diverse supply chains.

“Australia’s mineral endowment makes us an attractive destination for mineral exploration, and our mining sector is underpinned by robust ESG credentials and legislative frameworks that will support investment in downstream processing and value creation.”

According to Ms Hughes, Geoscience Australia publishes an annual review of exploration expenditure, commodity trends and significant results in the Australian Mineral Exploration Review and during the 2022 calendar year, Australian exploration expenditure for minor metals, a category which includes tungsten, increased by 66 per cent from the preceding year. Tungsten intercepts were reported in Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia whilst in the Northern Territory tungsten was encountered in association with molybdenum and copper.

“The owners of the Dolphin tungsten mine on King Island are looking into the feasibility of downstream processing of tungsten concentrate,” Ms Hughes said.

Anticipating tungsten demand

Mr Cheng said that tungsten consumption is likely to be influenced as the transition to renewables accelerates and new technologies, such as using tungsten in lithium-ion batteries, emerge.

“Australia is well-placed to become a leading supplier of critical minerals like tungsten as the world moves towards net zero emissions targets.

“Geoscience Australia has a proven record of expanding and delivering innovative knowledge in mineral resources and multiple successes developing novel resource exploration concepts and tools. These include the mineral systems concept and the Eureka prize-winning Economic Fairways Mapper developed in collaboration with Monash University, as part of the ongoing Exploring for the Future program.

“Extracting critical mineral resources from different mineral systems is an emerging field, and there is enormous scope for both academics and mineral explorers. Like many other critical minerals, tungsten resources can be discovered in a variety of mineral systems associated with diverse types of granitic rocks,” Mr Cheng said.

“Australia’s pre-competitive geoscience from government and academia, combined with world-leading mineral exploration, and development and production experience within the Australian mining industry will accelerate new discoveries and projects in brownfield and greenfield areas in the upcoming years.”

Wolframite ore from Mount Carbine mine, Queensland. Photograph by Yanbo Cheng, Geoscience Australia.

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INCREASING MINERAL INVESTMENTS IS FUTU � E C � ITICAL

By Tania Constable, Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Council of Australia

Australia is at risk of ceding its advantage to global competitors as the world’s economies jockey for prime position in the emerging clean energy mining boom.

The Mineral Council of Australia’s (MCA) recently released report Future Critical: Meeting the minerals investment challenge highlights that Australia is at risk of dealing itself out of trilliondollar critical minerals markets unless it gets serious about addressing rising costs, declining productivity and increased policy risks.

Deepening investment uncertainty, exhaustive delays in environmental approvals and the proposed introduction of rigid and costly industrial relations laws are combining to blunt Australia’s ability to fully capitalise on this once-in-multiplegenerations mining boom.

All-industry productivity has halved since the Hawke-Keating reforms of the 1990s and mining capital stock has plateaued at $933 billion over the last five years. In addition to this, Australia has the third highest company income tax rate among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

The MCA report highlights the crucial role minerals and resources play in Australia’s economy and communities, as well as their inherent connection

to Australia’s long-run prosperity and the funding of government services, and the risks of missing an impending golden opportunity to secure the nation’s prosperity for decades to come.

Over the last 20 years, mining has been either the first or second largest contributor to Australia’s economic growth.

From 2012-13 to 2021-22, mining companies have paid $252 billion in wages to hard working Australians, on top of $295 billion in taxes and royalties that help fund hospitals, schools, aged care, childcare and infrastructure.

The mining industry’s strong links across the entire economy has resulted in benefits from its activities being widely distributed – spending on domestic goods and services by mining companies accounts for five per cent of the total intermediate use by all industries across the Australian economy.

The MCA report shows that for every new job created in mining, 6.14 new jobs are created across all industries.

If a major expansion of mining were to occur – similar to the previous mining boom earlier this century – households would be $11,700 better off, real wages would be 9.4 per cent higher and the economy $290 billion larger by 2030.

However, time is running out for Australia to catch the wave of mining investment needed to achieve the collective global pursuit of net zero emissions.

Catching the mining investment wave

As global demand for minerals and metals intensifies, Australia’s global competitors are responding rapidly. Governments in other mineral-rich nations are clearing the path, enticing investment with targeted policies, streamlining approvals, breaking down barriers and embracing this opportunity.

The pathway to delivering global net zero emissions is uncertain, but current policy settings are minerals-intensive.

Astronomical volumes of minerals and metals will be required to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The International Energy Agency estimates that by 2030 alone, 50 new lithium mines, 60 new nickel mines and 17 new cobalt mines will be needed to supply the materials required to meet demand for battery storage.

Business management consultant McKinsey estimates that up to US$4 trillion in investment in mining, refining and smelting will be required by 2030 to hit net zero targets. For mining alone, that represents an increase of US$160 billion a year to 2050 –more than double current levels of investment.

The challenge is immense.

Although the sustainability of the Federal Government’s fiscal position depends on the mining industry’s profitability and mining has been consistently at the forefront and is a critical driver of Australia’s productivity growth, Australia’s labour productivity and investment growth are in severe decline.

Capital investment has traditionally played a central role in Australia’s productivity growth, including the flow of foreign

capital, but remains under siege due to increased competition from global competitors.

Of great concern, the report shows that the mining industry’s net capital stock is plateauing at a time when it should be accelerating to take advantage of the boom in critical mineral production, a further dent to the nation’s lagging productivity.

While Australia has the attributes, the workforce, the expertise, and the array of deposits required to be a leading global supplier of the critical minerals, governments have a critical role to play.

Stepping stones for governments

The push to unlock this opportunity must be supported with enabling government policy that improves Australia’s competitiveness in attracting investment, clears regulatory impediments, and boosts productivity.

Government must aim to eliminate existing policy impediments to mining activity in Australia that include:

♦ Regulations that seek to address environmental, heritage, culture or safety issues but create excess regulatory burden without benefits

♦ Policies that affect decisions about whether to explore for new reserves, change production plans, and expand or develop new mines

♦ Under-provision of public goods such as transport infrastructure, national security and cyber security that impair the mining industry’s ability to operate

♦ Political factors that present difficulties in gaining community support for projects, as well as the political process delaying or preventing investment

As the report clearly argues, maintaining Australia’s competitive edge in mining will require immediate and coordinated action by governments to ensure a prosperous future for all Australians.

The report provides a key message to federal, state and territory governments; the opportunity is there for the taking.

Future Critical: Meeting the minerals investment challenge can be viewed in full on the MCA website: https://minerals.org.au/resources/future-critical

SAVING ENERGY AND MONEY IS IN THE AI R

With compressed air being responsible for ten to 15 per cent of industrial electricity use Australia-wide, an air audit can reveal surprising opportunities to reduce energy consumption and overall business costs.

Compressed air systems using outdated technologies, poorly sized equipment or inadequate control systems which are operating with unknown air leaks can lead to inefficiency and overspending. Energy efficiency air audits can identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and operating costs, while increasing system reliability, productivity and even equipment life.

Why is an air audit necessary?

Compressed air is an inefficient form of energy, with 90 per cent of the input energy normally discharged to the atmosphere as waste heat. Additionally, compressed air systems are often poorly set up, maintained and controlled which creates further inefficiencies. It is not unusual to find a system using only 50 per cent of compressed air productively. This is not only costly from a sustainability standpoint; wasting energy means wasting money. This is why both government and industry bodies recommend that businesses take measures to improve the efficiency of their compressed air systems.

CAPS Australia delivers a complete range of auditing solutions that are at the forefront of the compressed air industry. With a ‘whole system’ approach that provides long-term, sustainable and financially rewarding solutions, CAPS has consulted for some of Australia’s largest and most well-known companies, helping them obtain government grants, achieve environmental goals, reduce lifetime costs associated with compressor equipment and improve efficiencies.

What does an air audit involve?

Not all audits are the same, but the most effective are designed from the ground up to be a comprehensive system analysis tool that considers a broad range of variables beyond the compressor itself.

A comprehensive audit should include analysis of:

♦ Air demand – an analysis of system operations such as air flow, pressure, power consumption, air usage and quality

♦ Pressure drops – regulation of air pressure used by end devices

♦ Leak reduction – detect and eliminate artificial demand

♦ Control methods – identifying what is the most efficient system (start/stop, load/unload, throttling or variable speed), based on operating needs

♦ Compressor selection – whether you are best suited to reciprocating, rotary screw or centrifugal compressor technologies

♦ Alternative technologies selection – whether you would benefit from electronic controllers that would match demand across multiple compressors, waste heat recovery that recycles ‘electrical compressor waste’ for secondary uses in your facility, and other ancillary equipment that will minimise the impact on your efficiency

♦ General – analysing whether the location and arrangement of your compressed air equipment is ideal, along with a review of current system maintenance

The audits CAPS provides are typically non-invasive, low-cost and simple to undertake, yet provide highly valuable insights into the operation and efficiency of your system. Designed around you, with easy-to-understand, meaningful and implementable reports, CAPS makes recommendations for smarter alternatives which can reduce energy use and enhance your bottom line.

Big picture thinking for smarter, greener outcomes that ultimately improve overall site profitability are key to longterm sustainability journeys. CAPS identifies cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities to reduce greenhouse gases, meet long-term objectives like productivity targets and social responsibilities, and manage upfront, maintenance and lifetime costs.

If your system hasn’t been measured, how will you know how much you can save?

Learn more at www.caps.com.au

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THE CHANGING FACE OF INDUSTRY IN NEW SOUTH WALES

By Rebecca Todesco, Editor, Mining Magazine

The decisions and legislations of state governments can have a significant impact on the mining and resources industry. New South Wales is no exception, with coal royalty hikes and the 2023–24 State Budget announcement shaking up the state’s mining industry over recent months.

With the current coal cap due to expire on 1 July 2024, and in the lead-up to the 2023–24 State Budget, the New South Wales Government opened consultation on the coal cap in place and called on mining industry leaders to have their say on coal’s future in the state.

As part of the consultation process, the State Government wrote to relevant parties and invited them to give their feedback on the future of the cap.

The government sought input from these industry parties to help it:

♦ Review the impacts of the Coal Market Price Emergency directions on the coal industry and electricity market

♦ Understand the likely impact on domestic coal and electricity prices from when the directions are due to expire on 1 July 2024

♦ Consider whether potential alternative policy options are necessary to minimise the impacts on electricity bills once the directions expire

♦ Understand the effects of a possible new coal royalty rate system, or adjusting existing royalty rates, to respond to market conditions

At the conclusion of the consultation period, the New South Wales Government announced in early September the updates that would come into effect following the coal cap expiration.

It was announced that under the new scheme, coal royalties would increase by 2.6 per cent from 1 July 2024,

replacing the emergency domestic coal cap and reservation measures the previous government had introduced in December 2022.

When the updates were announced, the State Government said it intended to use the funds raised from the new measures to rebuild the state’s essential services, as well as providing families with cost-of-living relief.

Coal royalty raise rebuttal

The updates to the coal royalties scheme were not welcomed within the industry, however, with the New South Wales Minerals Council’s CEO, Stephen Galilee, saying that the increase in coal royalty rates would “impose a significant additional impost on coal producers at a challenging time of lower coal prices and increased operating costs”.

“It puts an uneven and unfair burden of budget repair on our coal producers and coal mining communities,” Mr Galilee said.

“The coal industry directly employs nearly 30,000 people in New South Wales and supports 180,000 indirect jobs. Nearly 7,000 New South Wales businesses are part of the mining supply chain.

“Coal remains New South Wales’s most valuable export commodity by far and continues to deliver over 70 per cent of electricity used in homes and businesses across New South Wales.”

Mr Galilee said the announced royalty increase will mean the state’s coal producers will pay at least 30 per cent or more in royalties than they do under the existing royalty arrangements, continuously throughout the commodity price cycle, including when coal prices are low.

“A 30 per cent increase in taxes is not insignificant and has the potential to impact future investment decisions and jobs in the New South Wales coal mining industry.

“When coupled with the cyclical nature of coal prices, it’s difficult to see how this increase in royalties will not impact future jobs and investment,” Mr Galilee said.

Throughout the State Government’s consultation process, the New South Minerals Council remained a firm advocate for wanting to retain the preexisting royalty structure and rates. According to Mr Galilee, one of the reasons for this stance is the fact that New South Wales’s coal royalty rates are already higher than the rates for other minerals.

Mr Galilee also said that the coal royalty rates could have a negative impact on the state’s attractiveness as a mining jurisdiction.

“It’s important to understand that mining in New South Wales doesn’t operate within a vacuum. New South Wales competes for mining investment with other states and international mining jurisdictions.

“Any additional costs on production have the potential to reduce our competitive advantage.”

Mr Galilee said a perfect example of this is the surprise high royalty hike that happened in Queensland beginning 1 July 2022, which he believes has hurt that state’s standing with key overseas investment markets.

“At the time, the out-going Japanese Ambassador said the royalty hike in Queensland sent shock waves through Tokyo.”

Despite the announcement, Mr Galilee commended the State Government on its consultation process in the lead up to the coal cap updates.

“We appreciate the time the government took to consult with our industry here in New South Wales, rather than ambushing us with a significant royalty increase, as happened in Queensland after their state election,” he said.

“That being said, the increase in coal royalty rates by the New South Wales Government will put an increased burden on coal producers as coal prices have been falling and increased operating costs.”

New South Wales Budget reconstruction

When delivering the updates to the coal royalties, the State Government’s decision to raise coal royalty hikes was also intended to mitigate a $1.3 billion write-down in royalties revenue that was predicted for the 2023–24 State Budget

The 2023–24 State Budget was announced in September 2023 and includes initiatives and funding that is intended to assist coal-producing regions and furthering opportunities for the state to leverage its critical minerals potential.

Mining royalties are forecast to deliver the New South Wales Government $13.2 billion over the next four years, including $2.7 billion from the higher royalty rates.

Mr Galilee said that the royalty rise –the single biggest revenue decision taken by the New South Wales Government in the 2023–24 State Budget – confirms the important role mining is playing in repairing the state’s budget position.

“The industry takes its royalty and taxation obligations seriously. Coal royalties raised over $4 billion in the last financial year, more than double two years ago.

“Our coal industry is very aware of our need to contribute to the New South Wales Government’s ongoing budget reconstruction, however, there comes a point where treating our coal sector like some sort of ‘magic pudding’ will impact our attractiveness for investment.”

Mr Galilee said that taxes paid by the coal sector in New South Wales have also been increasing, with coal mining royalties at record levels. He also said that it was disappointing that the government

is deciding to scrap several key miningrelated funding programs, especially on the back of the extra billions to be delivered in mining royalties.

“These cuts will negatively impact mining communities, taking away important infrastructure spending designed to improve and upgrade facilities in regional mining towns that contribute so much to the community.

“Scrapping the Critical Minerals Activation Program and the Coal Innovation Program will make it more difficult to pursue long term economic development opportunities for regional mining communities, including opportunities relating to emissions reductions.”

In response to the 2023-24 State Budget Mr Galilee said, “It’s very disappointing that the human face of the New South Wales mining industry seems to be so often forgotten.

“Mining communities deserve much better than this, including a fair share of the mining royalty revenue that their hard work delivers.”

Mr Galilee attributed the billions delivered in royalty revenue to date to the working people of the state’s regional mining communities.

“Without our mining workers, their families and their communities, there would be no mining, and no royalties.”

SKILLS SHO R TAGES TH R EATEN INVESTMENT AND JOBS G � OWTH

By Tara Diamond, Australian Resources & Energy Employer Association Deputy CEO

As it has throughout history, the resilience of Australia’s resources and energy industry continues to rise above all. Despite this, the impact of ongoing labour and skills shortages continues to be felt across the resources and energy industry.

In the face of domestic policy pressures and global economic and geopolitical headwinds, the number of projects, jobs and capital investment on the horizon is only trending upwards.

AREEA’s latest Resources and Energy Workforce Forecast (2023–2028) report, released in August 2023, shows 103 major resources and energy projects in Australia’s investment pipeline – either already committed or considered advanced by AREEA’s analysts – likely to enter production between the second half of 2023 and end of 2028.

The 2023–2028 forecasted projects are worth about $142 billion in capital value and promise nearly 30,000 new production-related jobs.

Factoring in hundreds of additional projects in earlier feasibility – and the employment benefits across construction and production – the resources and energy sector could easily account for more than 100,000 new job opportunities.

Western Australian muscle

The strength of Western Australia should come as no surprise. The state remains the country’s mining and energy powerhouse, directly employing 166,000 people or roughly 53 per cent of the national industry workforce.

While overwhelmingly the largest and most mature jurisdiction, Western Australia has still added 45,000 new workers over the past two years, and increased its projected workforce growth by 14 per cent since AREEA’s 2022 forecast.

Western Australia has 46 projects advanced in its five-year investment pipeline, which, according to AREEA’s modelling based on Department of Industry project data, will create demand for 12,800 new workers.

A boom in lithium and other critical mineral developments is a key driver.

Our modelling shows critical minerals, and lithium prominently, will need 2,900 new workers over the next five years. Iron ore accounts for 3,900, gold just under 1,000 and other minerals about 2,200 forecasted jobs.

Skills in highest demand will include operators – with more than 4,000 likely to be needed – as well as heavy diesel fitters, other trades, engineering and geology roles.

However, the skills shortage crisis is far from over – posing a real threat to $92 billion of major project investment in Western Australia’s five-year outlook.

Overcoming skills shortage challenges

The biggest challenge for Western Australia’s resources companies will be finding those almost 13,000 extra workers.

Over the past five years skills shortages have become progressively worse, to the point that labour supply is as big a factor in approving growth projects as commercial considerations.

The industry’s existing labour force is unlikely to offer any real relief. Creative solutions for short-, medium- and long-term outcomes must be examined and this is where government, industry and social and training stakeholders need to work more closely towards coordinated outcomes.

As the resources and energy industry’s employer representative body, AREEA acknowledges the Federal Government’s recent Employment White Paper, Working Future.

AREEA urges the government’s jobs plan to incorporate solutions to well-known problems in the training pipeline by

improving VET and other training outcomes, labour mobility and access to skilled migration.

Strong additional investment in TAFE and apprenticeships is essential – especially advanced skill apprenticeships – with better links between secondary school, vocational education providers and universities.

AREEA welcomes the Federal Government's commitment to a national skills passport – making it easier for businesses and workers to plug employment gaps and for portability of qualifications across jurisdictions.

On the other hand, the Federal Government has embarked on the most significant changes to Australia’s workplace relations system since the Fair Work Act took effect in 2009.

New laws from June 2023 are forcing employers into multienterprise bargaining, have provided unions with greater workplace influence and given the Fair Work Commission more interventionist powers.

Further, should the ‘Closing Loopholes Bill’ be passed into law, AREEA believes workplace flexibility will be diminished – not enhanced – with casual employment, labour hire and independent contracting all under attack.

AREEA maintains that the government cannot continue to ignore the direct correlation between the strength of the Australian resources and energy industry and the nation’s economic wellbeing.

Budget windfalls in Western Australia, Queensland and the recently updated Federal Budget surplus of more than $22 billion were delivered on the back of record resources export volumes, royalties and taxation revenues.

These receipts are integral to public investment in the services we need such as Medicare, hospitals, schools, aged care and infrastructure.

If employment strategies are not focused on nurturing opportunities in the resources and energy sector, AREEA believes

revenues foregone will impact the future standard of living of all Australians.

Even as AREEA continues to lobby against the government’s productivity- and jobs-killing IR agenda, we’re ramping up our industry support – from onsite training, advisory boards, workshops and briefings to webinars and workplace resources.

Recently, we released a comprehensive culture and leadership report, a national workplace sexual harassment campaign titled ‘That’s why I speak up’, a female role model toolkit, and a workforce insights and remuneration analysis.

The commitment of employers in the sector to career development and opportunities for women is starting to pay off.

For example, in managerial and specialist roles, we know women are being promoted, on average, at an earlier age than men.

From trades to surveyors, geologists and engineers, it’s not about just welcoming women to a sector traditionally dominated by men.

The industry needs women’s skills to grow, innovate and thrive.

Building the future at a primary school level

AREEA’s Bright Future STEM Primary School Program is another exciting initiative. In 2023 we hit new heights, thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of AREEA’s organising team –including our role model industry partners.

Through STEM-related activities – and with the help of these generous partners – a record 10,000 Year 5 and 6 students (more than double last year’s total) drew positive connections between their schoolwork and future opportunities in the resources and energy industry.

The 2023 program:

♦ Engaged with 10,000 primary school students

♦ Visited 102 schools across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory

♦ Featured industry role models from 20 member companies – Agnico Eagle, AngloAmerican, Byrnecut, ConocoPhillips, Deepcore Drilling, Fortescue, Gold Fields, Howden Australia, INPEX, Mandalay Resources, Monadelphous, Newmont Australia, Pembroke Resources, Santos, Sibelco, Sodexo, Stawell Gold, Thiess, UGL and VIVA Energy

♦ Designed and developed STEM activities featuring VR Headsets, Edison (Robots), Dr Eureka, Gravitrax, Snap Circuits and Turing Tumble

The resources and energy industry is forecasting major growth in STEM-related careers.

Paradoxically, study in these subjects has declined in recent years.

The Bright Future STEM Primary School Program is a commitment to turning this around.

In particular, opening the eyes of girls and boys to future opportunities in the industry, based on innovation, sustainability, diversity and growth.

This 2023–2028 report is the fourth in AREEA’s Workforce Forecast series, and the hope is that it will add value to member companies and their requirements across workforce planning, talent retention strategies and labour market analysis.

The full report is available to read at: www.areea.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230901_AREEA_Resources_Energy_Workforce_2023-2028.pdf

TAILINGS MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR P R OFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD

By Professor Andy Fourie, Director of The University of Western Australia’s Future Tails Program

Although there have been a number of high-profile failures of tailings storage facilities (TSFs) in recent years, including one in Australia in 2018, the failure of the Feijão (sometimes referred to as Brumadinho) TSF in Brazil in January 2019 has changed the industry irreversibly.

Video footage of the Feijão TSF failure provided graphic imagery of the sudden nature of the failure, and the devastating flow of liquefied tailings that ensued. More than 260 fatalities occurred due to the flow failure and major legal proceedings are currently underway, with costs estimated to equate to many billions of dollars.

In reaction to the Feijão failure, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) was developed, with the standard being launched in August 2020. Among the many requirements detailed in the GISTM was the need to have personnel with dedicated and explicit responsibilities related to the management of TSFs.

Particular roles that the GISTM requires are an Accountable Executive, an Engineer of Record (EoR) and a Responsible Tailings Facility Engineer (RTFE). Although some companies have different terms for the latter position – such as Responsible Tailings Facility Person – the intended roles and responsibilities are the same, and require someone with engineering qualifications and experience.

Meeting expertise demand

The specific roles identified in the GISTM, as well as the associated increase in demand for planning, design and construction supervision engineers in the tailings field has led to a rapid and dramatic increase in the demand for people with expertise in this field.

Recent estimates from a study conducted in the US indicated a looming shortage of more than 20,000 professionals in this particular field.

Unfortunately, tailings engineering is not taught as a dedicated unit (e.g. a semester-long course) at any universities internationally (to our knowledge).

University curricula are already crammed with traditional technical courses and increasingly with predominantly nontechnical courses. Training in the specialised field of Tailings Engineering has thus become the responsibility primarily of industry, with many industry-university partnerships having been developed in the past two or three years to tackle the shortage of suitably qualified engineers.

Future Tails is one of these partnerships.

The Future Tails program

Future Tails is a program funded by BHP and Rio Tinto, based at the University of Western Australia (UWA) in Perth, Australia. The primary focus of the program is to provide education to prevent future catastrophic failures of TSFs.

To this end, Future Tails has three components: targeted research, preparation of a guidance e-book dealing with tailings engineering, and provision of relevant training. This article deals with only the third of these components; provision of relevant training.

There are four levels of training under Future Tails:

♦ A series of concise videos, prepared for senior executives (e.g. Board members) and those who may be appointed as an Accountable Executive

♦ Senior engineers – the target being Engineer of Record level engineers. This training comprises two to four day workshops and seminars that focus on technical aspects of tailings engineering, seeking to bring findings of current research internationally to local senior engineers

♦ Junior to mid-level tailings engineers plus those with overlapping tailings related responsibilities who may be more senior but lack a tailings background. This training is provided through a newly-developed Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management developed at UWA, to be followed by a Master of Engineering degree in Tailings Management

♦ A series of training modules developed specifically for site operational personnel, including those workers responsible for day-to-day activities required for safe management of a tailings storage facility

Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management

The Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management is an online program that has been developed to provide training for graduate and mid-level engineers working in tailings related fields, as well as senior engineers who may be transitioning from other, related fields of engineering.

It is also relevant to senior personnel who have no training in tailings engineering, but whose responsibilities include aspects of tailings engineering that potentially influence the performance of TSFs. An example is those responsible for planning activities, where inclusion of sufficient land for tailings deposition throughout the life of an asset is critically important, but not always adequately recognised.

The Graduate Certificate is a formal qualification that will be awarded to the candidates who satisfy all the requirements of the twelve micro-credentials that make up the qualification.

The concept of micro-credentials is relatively new to many universities. The intention is to provide relatively short modules that students can take while working in industry, the intention being to ‘stack’ these modules (micros) towards an eventual university-accredited qualification.

The Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management at UWA is one such qualification, and comprises twelve micro credentials, each counting for two credit points. The micros are offered online, with bespoke training material having been prepared for each of the twelve micros.

Students are able to work through the learning material at their own pace, with worked examples provided, where relevant to the material being covered.

There are no time-specific online lectures, as the intention is to enable students from across the globe to participate. However, each micro does have two one-hour online discussion sessions, where students are able to pose questions regarding the material covered. These discussion sessions are recorded and made available through the UWA Learning Management System (LMS).

As the Graduate Certificate is a formal university award, assessments are necessary. These are usually an online test (or tests) and a written assignment (or assignments).

Four tranches of micros run throughout the year, as outlined in the table below.

Each micro runs for eight to nine weeks, with up to three micros running concurrently. In accordance with UWA’s expectations of the work required for two credit points (i.e. one micro-credential), the expected time commitment, for an average student, is fifty hours including all time spent on self study.

The twelve micros are batched into four units, where a unit is the UWA equivalent of a semester-long course and thus worth six credit points. There are four units making up the Graduate Certificate, these being Introduction to Tailings Management, Tailings Operations and Water Management, Tailings Risk Evaluation, and Tailings Governance.

As mentioned, each of these units is made up of three micro-credentials. The table below helps explain the structure of the Graduate Certificate, with each micro-credential worth two credit points.

The first seven students graduated from this program in July 2023. Four of these students were from Australia, the remaining three being overseas students.

Up to the end of 2022, 172 students had participated in the Future Tails program, with 76 per cent of these students being from either BHP or Rio Tinto.

Keeping tailings training accessible

The online nature of the Graduate Certificate program has enabled students from across the world to participate. Although most of the students to date have been based in Australia (71 per cent), we have had students from 16 different countries participate, with Chile, the US and Canada providing a number of students. We have also had several students from developing countries participate, including from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Madagascar, Panama, Peru and Zambia.

As we receive feedback from students and from our sponsors (BHP and Rio Tinto), the micro-credentials will be reviewed and revised where necessary. With the tailings industry moving and transforming rapidly, it is essential that material be regularly updated, otherwise there is the risk of irrelevance.

Monthly meetings with project sponsors have proved invaluable in helping to work towards constant benchmarking of what material is covered in the Graduate Certificate. The option will be provided in the future to upgrade the Graduate Certificate to a Master of Engineering degree by completing additional, technical courses and a thesis.

Finally, it is stressed that the Graduate Certificate, although funded by BHP and Rio Tinto, is open to anyone with an interest in improving their skills and knowledge related to tailings.

Further information, including entry requirements for admission to the Graduate Certificate can be found here at https://www.uwa.edu.au/study/-/ media/UWAFS/Docs/Graduate-Certificatein-Tailings-Management-Flyer-V2.pdf

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MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF POWERING EXTREME APPLICATIONS

Vehicles that operate to the maximum, like the large-scale haul trucks that populate mine sites around Australia, need batteries that can rise to the occasion and keep pace with the extreme performance levels required.

Not all vehicles are made the same, so why would they use the same batteries?

When it comes to powering vehicles in the mining industry, OPTIMA batteries step up to the plate with its range featuring a series of colourcoded, high-performance AGM batteries known as REDTOP®, YELLOWTOP® and BLUETOP®

The RED, YELLOW and BLUE top batteries cater for Automotive, Deep cycle and Marine applications respectively. Each colour in OPTIMA’s range is designed to provide the application with the most power for the longest period of time, and the unique casing design of each specific battery enhances the advanced Spiralcell Technology®

State-of-the-art technology

The unique Spiralcell Technology in OPTIMA’s range permits more tightly compressed cells within the battery, which extends the battery’s life and gives it superior vibration resistance. As well as this, each model is 99.99 per cent pure lead and features solid cast inter-cell connections for increased durability and maximum plate height.

These features allow the battery to live up to twice as long as traditional batteries.

The extreme applications and unique demands of mine site trucks require more from a battery and with both deep-cycle and starting capabilities with patented Spiralcell Technology, OPTIMA YELLOWTOP batteries can fulfil those needs.

Powering extreme applications

The combination of premium starting power and impressive cycling capabilities makes the heavy-duty OPTIMA YELLOWTOP perfect for today's accessory-packed vehicles, with its low internal resistance providing more consistent power output and faster recharge times.

The deep cycle characteristics of the battery, coupled with its extreme resistance to vibration, provides performance vehicles with the repetitive power they require, housed in a convenient spill-proof package.

Other key characteristics include being leak proof, mountable in almost any position, maintenance-free, having more than 300 discharge/recharge cycles, a three-times longer service life and 15-times more resistance to vibration.

YELLOWTOP batteries feature thicker, spiral-wound highdensity plates for durable, sustained power delivery that can last hundreds of cycles without losing capacity.

Manufactured by Clarios – a world leader in advanced energy storage solutions – OPTIMA YELLOWTOP batteries meet the ever-increasing demand for smarter applications.

All the batteries in the OPTIMA range are manufactured with sustainability, safety, and reliability in mind. Clarios’s supply chain management aims to contribute to the ongoing progress of the community and the planet by adding value every step of the way.

R&J Batteries is your OPTIMA Batteries distributor in Australia with 24 branches and a strong network of more than 10,000 stockists across the nation. For more information about OPTIMA Batteries, visit rjbatt.com.au or call 1300 769 282

MOVE OVER LITHIUM, THE � E’S A NEW BATTE � Y IN TOWN

By Tess Macallan, Journalist, Mining Magazine

The demand for lithium-ion batteries is powering a thriving lithium mining industry in Australia, which is home to some of the largest reserves of the soft, silvery-white metal. Despite its commercial success, however, current lithium-ion storage technology suffers from limitations including insufficient energy density, relatively high costs and potential safety risks. Recognising these challenges, researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) have been exploring an alternative solution: zinc-air batteries.

In the midst of a global transition to renewable energy, lithium is leading the energy storage landscape. Lithiumion batteries have long been heralded as the most viable solution for powering the world’s smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.

However, Dr Muhammad Rizwan Azhar, who led the ECU project, said this technology is far from perfect.

“There are significant concerns regarding their safety due to their flammability. Additionally, lithium-ion batteries are often criticised for their relatively low energy density.”

Over recent years, other possible alternatives have attracted interest, including aqueous metal-air batteries, which use metals like zinc, iron, magnesium or aluminium combined with oxygen from the air to generate electricity.

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are particularly promising due to their large theoretical energy density, meaning they can store a significant amount of energy per unit of weight (1,353 watt-hours per kilogram). They also offer a lower cost, inherent safety and are considered more environmentally friendly.

“In contrast to lithium-ion batteries, zinc-air batteries are not flammable, making them a safer alternative,” Dr Azhar said.

“Moreover, they exhibit a higher energy density compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. This combination of safety and enhanced energy storage capacity makes zinc-air batteries a promising contender in the field of energy storage technology.”

A recent breakthrough

Until now, rechargeable zinc-air batteries have faced significant limitations, primarily concerning their short lifespan and reduced performance due to a higher voltage gap.

Dr Azhar said his team has been involved in the research of zinc-air batteries for at least the last five years and has gone through extensive iterations of designing/redesigning of cathode materials.

“Design tuning of cathode materials is important to overcome the performance and stability issues of ZABs without losing their efficiencies in terms of energy storage capability,” Dr Azhar said.

“During this process we have developed various materials that have shown promising results, with findings having been published in reputable international journals.

“Our main aim has been to design cathode materials through cost-effective and facile methods but maintain a high level of performance in ZABs.”

Dr Azhar said the research mainly focused on designing new materials for ZABs using cheap, locally available raw materials in Australia and major parts of the world.

“Metallic zinc was employed as anode for ZABs. For the development of the cathode, two types of materials are utilised, each playing a vital role in controlling oxygen evolution reaction (OER, involved in charging of battery) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR, involved in discharging of battery).

“We employed the combination of transition metals such as cobalt, nickel, iron and carbon materials. Mostly, carbon-based materials show better ORR performance while transition metalbased compounds show better OER results.

“In this research, we created a synergy between carbonbased and transition metal-compounds through step-by-step synthesis method. The synthesised materials showed excellent performance in ZABs with ultra-long charging/discharging stability (950 hours).”

Dr Azhar said the major advantages of these batteries are their incombustibility, high energy density and environmental benignity.

“Furthermore, the structural design of our newly designed material with cages of cobalt – carbon – nitrogen (ZIF-67) and laminated nickel – iron layered double hydroxide with some extraction of cobalt from ZIF-67 provided smoother electron transfer from oxygen which improved the overall performance of the battery.”

Potential applications in Australia

Rechargeable ZABs can be used in almost every domain, just like lithium-ion batteries.

“ZABs find application across various sectors, and are particularly suited for battery energy storage systems (BESS) in both urban and regional landscapes,” Dr Azhar said.

“They are even better suited to regional areas and off-grid markets due to their high energy density and high safety.”

Furthermore, these batteries show excellent potential for low-speed vehicles such as micro mobility options and both short and long/haul trucks.

Dr Azhar said ZABs could also help decarbonise Western Australia’s mining industry.

“With the Western Australian Government’s initiative of offshore wind, the integration of ZABs with offshore wind and solar energy provide an excellent opportunity to store the harvested energy, leading to reduced load on grids and moving away from fossil fuels.”

The future with zinc

As of now, lithium-ion batteries are the dominant technology in the field of batteries and Dr Azhar said that’s not going to change anytime soon.

However, lithium is a finite resource and relying solely on lithium-based batteries poses limitations on shifting from fossil fuels to renewables.

“The energy density of lithium is around one third of zinc-air batteries,” Dr Azhar said.

“Furthermore, fire risks are high for lithium-ion batteries compared to non-flammable ZABs. Hence, robust ZABs will provide high energy density, at affordable price and in a safer manner.”

Moreover, the recycling process for ZABs is less complex and difficult in comparison to lithium.

The rise of zinc-air batteries is unlikely to significantly impact demands for other critical minerals such as nickel, iron and cobalt, as these are used as cathode materials in both ZABs and lithium-ion batteries.

“On the other hand, applications of zinc have been limited to cathode protection (reducing rusting of iron and steel), personal care products, pharmaceuticals and non-rechargeable zinc batteries,” Dr Azhar said.

As a result, there is currently relatively low market demand for zinc. With increasing production of rechargeable ZABs, the production and mining of zinc are set to experience a boost in Australia and globally.

“The findings of our research provide an excellent opportunity for mining companies to consider the production of battery minerals and metals,” Dr Azhar said.

“Moreover, vertical integration of zinc mining companies seems very promising in the near future, particularly as Australia is among the largest zinc producers in the world.

“All the required minerals required for ZABs are available in Australia. This eliminates the supply chain issues in unprecedented situations such as global pandemics.”

As the clean energy transition ramps up, the integration of zinc-air batteries presents a unique opportunity for Australia. Supporting innovations in green energy technology can help combat climate change and position the nation as a global leader in batteries and electric vehicle production.

TREATING RESOURCE -

R ICH WATER

With demand for minerals skyrocketing, mine companies are determinedly looking for ways to expand mineral yields and increase profits. Now it seems that contaminated mine water could hold the key to easy mineral recovery and unlocking value.

Mine water is proving itself to be an increasingly valuable asset, with every litre of water holding recoverable dissolved minerals –which could add value and increase profits for mining operations. This once-overlooked inconvenience is rapidly changing from industry annoyance to valuable asset with companies embracing advancements in environmental technology for mineral recovery.

Water treatment solutions

Queensland-based company Mine Water Solutions has been testing and treating mine water across Australia, helping mine owners and operators across the country capitalise on this often discarded resource rich water.

Through a simple process, the company doses the contaminated water with its signature solution Catalyst365 which instantaneously separates the dissolved minerals, allowing them to settle into a dense sludge, ready for recovery. The now-neutralised excess water is pumped off, leaving the valuable resources separated and ready for collection.

Forgotten copper

Mine Water Solutions conducted analyses on an abandoned copper mine in the Northern Territory, which had more than 650ML of contaminated water. The results identified that each litre of the pit water contained 5g of copper oxide and copper hydroxide.

This represents over 5t of these compounds per megalitre, and a recoverable resource value of more than $29 million. Furthermore, these findings only relate to the dissolved minerals in the water and do not include any of the submerged underlying resources lying dormant under the water.

Other examples of mine water’s resource recovery potential include the well-known Queensland gold mine at Mount Morgan, where the pit water contained over 34g of a dry powder residue in every litre of water. This discovery was far greater than that of a Western New South Wales gold mine, in which it was found that the mine’s discharge water contained 16g of dry powdered mineral residues per litre.

Many mine owners and operators remain unaware of how valuable mine water can be, and the minerals and resources that can be recovered.

After the initial recovery of minerals from contaminated water, the Catalyst365 treatment opens the door for safe access to the once isolated resources. The treatment also offers a potential solution to the reprocessing of tailings dams and the reactivation of the mines.

This low cost treatment enables ease in mine site remediation and allows the neutralised water to be recycled for operational use.

The Catalyst365 is proudly Australian developed, owned and delivered, and is providing a valuable and effective mineral recovery solution in helping mines capitalise on this resource rich water.

Knowing that the water at each mine will have a different composition, Mine Water Solutions’s treatment is customisable, offering bespoke solutions for each application. The company also offers confidential evaluations of contaminated water – all that’s required is a sample of your pit water.

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A UNIFIED APPROACH TO MINE REHABILITATION AND � EMEDIATION

By Professor Ravi Naidu, Managing Director and CEO of the crc for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (crcCARE) and Laureate Professor and Director of Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER)

Mining is one of Australia’s leading industries, contributing eight per cent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), and employing more than 200,000 people. With mining playing such a significant role on the national landscape – socially, physically and economically – there comes huge responsibility.

Australia is one of the world's top five producers of iron ore, lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), mine sands and coal; in the past year, the industry contributed a record AU$455 billion in export revenue, accounting for two-thirds of all export revenue.

Mining operations are finite by nature and mining is only one of many land uses that can occur in the one place over time. Likewise, during development and operation, mines can bring significant social benefits to regional areas through economic development, employment, capacity building and infrastructure, but many communities are also displaced from their ancestral lands or farms, or have had their land degraded to the point where it poses a significant threat to people’s health and livelihoods.

Preventing these potential negative long-term impacts before they occur needs to be a part of every mining company’s strategy and its environmental and social responsibility.

Historically, mining companies have been able to get away with little accountability for their impact on the environment and upon affected communities – especially First Nations. In the absence of clear environmental laws setting standards and processes following mine closure, miners in the past were able to abandon their sites, leaving a plethora of headaches for future generations and safety hazards including contaminated land and water, which killed wildlife and impacted the livelihoods and health of local communities.

There are approximately 80,000 abandoned mine sites around

Australia that have created a serious environmental, social, and economic burden. This is a picture seen worldwide; with approximately 500,000 abandoned mines in the US, at least 10,000 in Canada and at least 1,500 and 12,000 old coal mines, respectively in the UK and China. Thankfully there has been much improvement over the past few decades in both mine design and in the management of mine closures, discouraging operators from simply walking away and abandoning mine sites. Worldwide, ESG (environmental, social, governance)-focused regulations, codes and principles now influence mine design, development, operation and closure. The aim of these ESG frameworks is to navigate and balance the long-term benefits to people and the planet as well as making a profit in the short term.

Making ESG a priority

The roots of ESG go back to the 1960s when socially responsible investing was first introduced. This approach has grown as investors have demanded increased attention to ESG-related matters. Nowadays, the industry is subject to considerable scrutiny, both from within

the environmental science research community and from government bodies who actively monitor the industry's trajectory towards sustainable development. However governing policies vary widely from state to state and territory, and adherence to ‘best practice’ is unfortunately still optional.

The Minerals Council of Australia is publicly committed to the development of policies, strategies and partnerships that support and improve mining’s ESG performance; these include climate change action plans, water accounting frameworks, tailings management, First Nations partnerships, commitment to sustainable development, site-level ESG management and performance and more.

Companies currently need to demonstrate to regulators that rehabilitation objectives have been met before their bond is returned and mined land can be divested. However, too much is still left to the discretion of individual companies: for some, social and environmental sustainability are central to their operations, while others do the bare minimum.

Two things that would radically improve the situation are:

1. Currently, all states and territories have different governing policies regulating the industry; harmonising these would enforce a more uniform approach on company managers

2. Companies need to recognise that investing in research will not only ensure we protect the environment and local communities with the best

new methods and technologies, but will also return huge financial savings later on during mine closure

The direct impacts of mining on the environment can be divided into two categories: firstly, physical impacts, such as land clearance, excavation and the movement of topsoil; secondly, chemical impacts from spillages of oil or petroleum, mine drainage and contamination from the use of foams and solvents.

All mine sites have been physically degraded by excavation, erosion and land clearing; most will also have been chemically contaminated.

Unpacking mine rehabilitation

Sites that have been physically degraded require rehabilitation –meaning they will need to be revegetated, topsoil cleansed and replaced and water courses and hydrology restored.

The removal of topsoil means loss of organic matter as well, which in turn has implications for carbon sequestration. For rehabilitation to happen effectively, assessments need to be made on the state of these sites at an early stage –preferably before mining begins – their geographic location and their likely future uses. These factors will determine whether native species will be planted, or whether it’s preferable to use introduced species. Whichever is chosen, a small parcel should be revegetated first to determine optimal growth conditions, then when that’s achieved, larger scale revegetation can proceed.

We know that planting trees into a disturbed slag heap doesn’t work, so careful attention must be paid to symbiotic associations, such as soil rhizobia and microfauna essential to sustaining native surface vegetation.

While it’s impossible to take a site back to its original state, ideally it should be returned to a comparable state – or one suited to future uses, such as agriculture. Revegetation is a slow process, so even where successful, the indirect impacts upon climate change from loss of (carbon-sequestering) trees, increasing net emissions over so many years, must also be calculated when assessing environmental impacts.

This is where building an ESG approach into the early design phase of mine development is essential. A green approach that focuses on minimising emissions and erosion will reduce land degradation and assist rehabilitation and hence reduce net carbon and other emissions.

Characteristics of mine remediation

Where chemical contamination (for example, due to the production of toxic dust or acid mine drainage) has occurred as well as land degradation, a mine site will also need remediation.

This is done by first assessing the site and the severity of contamination, before proceeding with clean-up. Factors that need to be considered include the relevant governing policy (which varies according to state or territory), assessment of risks and an estimate

of the threshold required to create a safe and healthy environment. These thresholds will vary depending upon the geographical, environmental, economic and social location. For example, nearby fragile coastal ecosystems, farms or residential properties will demand much tougher thresholds in order to ensure no undue risks are allowed.

Clearly there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Closure of mine sites will always require a carefully tailored approach, taking into account whether sites need rehabilitation only, or remediation as well; the attributes of the natural ecosystem; its proximity to communities and its likely future land uses. This means there is no off-the-shelf solution and that approaches will vary site by site. However, today we have the ability to convert technologies based on site specific details, enabling a generic response.

Unfortunately, discrepancies in policy between state and territories create confusion and variability in interpretation of what may be required, which means that many mining companies have to operate under different sets of often conflicting rules.

A uniform national approach to rehabilitation and remediation of mine sites across Australia is urgently needed. Also, while there are policy end points determining what is required when remediating land after mining, we currently have no policy end points for land rehabilitation. This means rehabilitation is often largely left to the discretion of individual companies and their social conscience. This needs to change.

The residual impacts of mining operations

Where rehabilitation and remediation are not performed or are performed inadequately, the impacts can be extensive and very long lasting (Iron Mountain Mine, in Northern California, is one famous example. Mining operations ceased there in 1963 and it’s still considered one of American’s most toxic waste sites).

Areas of land, water and surrounding water bodies where mineral extraction and ore processing have taken place result in significant environmental damage. Land clearing and excavation increase erosion, altered landscapes change water flow, and the loss of

vegetation causes a net increase in emissions due to the carbon sequestering function of vegetation.

Mine waste comprises metalliferous and non-metalliferous materials generated from tailings, wastewater, acid runoff, waste sand, silt, clay, millings, drilled muds, crushed gravels and rocks, dust and powdery waste. This waste can contaminate topsoil, which is then released into the atmosphere and hydrosphere. Mine voids fill with water, creating pit lakes that present serious water quality problems such as acidity and toxicity.

Environmental contaminants are also released into the environment as a direct result of mining operations, such as grinding, concentrating areas, and disposal of tailings and wastewater.

Mines that have not been satisfactorily closed pose real and ongoing threats to human safety, health, and the environment, making them a primary global concern. These mine sites contain abundant metal sulphide minerals and, long after mining has ceased, these zones continue to release toxic materials and liquids from their built-up residue, posing a dangerous hazard to humans, wildlife, air quality, ground and surface water. These high-density heavy metal(lid) s are also persistent toxic chemicals, meaning it cannot be assumed their dangers will dissipate over time; they are bioaccumulative, and will work their way up the food chain, potentially affecting humans. These factors therefore not only negatively affect wildlife but also the people, communities and industries reliant on these resources.

The extent to which companies invest in environmental sustainability research varies widely and depends upon internal corporate governance. It’s unfortunate that environmental sustainability currently depends too much on the attitudes of individual managers (who may have little or no expertise in sustainability) and the influence of environmental officers within each company.

Some companies remediate land after mine closure, but not all of them. Some are very focused on implementing an ESG framework while, for others, research and implementation of ESG principles is less important, and they only carry out the bare minimum. There is currently no national oversight or yardstick for measuring company performance.

At crcCARE, our partners benefit directly from the support and guidance we provide from a rehabilitation and remediation perspective. If these principles are taken seriously from the early design phase, companies find they can reduce rehabilitation and remediation costs later on, as well as curbing the risks of more serious impacts on the environment and communities, especially First Nations. Unfortunately, some companies still retain an oldfashioned view that these issues are secondary to ‘core’ business; however there is mounting evidence that this kind of approach leads to greater risk of environmental damage, negative impacts on communities, protracted and far more expensive closures and potential legal costs and reputational damage.

BHP is one example of a company that takes ESG seriously. It is very focused on research and investing in the science that underpins sound ESR policies. The company’s funded research has enhanced the body of knowledge on forever chemicals and their effects on groundwater quality, soil ecotoxicology, petroleum and hydrocarbon remediation and the development of technical guidance for clean-up of petroleum and hydrocarbon contamination. By investing in this research, BHP is creating a more environmentally sustainable company, reducing future risks and costs, and building better relationships with communities. Furthermore, its research also benefits other companies. These days, an ESG approach is not only seen as preferable for investors on conscience grounds, it’s also a way of mitigating risk, cutting costs and identifying new opportunities. Australian governments now need to start developing a standardised approach to mining rehabilitation and clean-up across the country. Mining companies also need to work with each other on this front, sharing knowhow and technology, as the industry overall will benefit significantly if they combine their efforts on research. The ability to successfully rehabilitate and remediate mined areas is fundamental to the mining industry’s social licence to operate. Companies will find that by investing early in the best new ways to do this, they save money in the long term, increase their standing in the community and, importantly, protect the environment and the communities who depend upon it.

ENGAGING WITH ARTISANAL MINE � S: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VALUE

By Rob Karpati, The Blended Capital Group

Artisanal scale mining (ASM) often shares land concessions with large-scale mining projects. As extensions of neighbouring communities, these miners are a unique stakeholder group that are integral for the community relationship focus of larger mining companies.

There are 45 million artisanal miners operating in more than 80 largely underdeveloped countries around the world. Including their families, there are more than 200 million people who are fully supported by ASM, and the World Bank estimates1 that another 134-269 million people sell food, shelter, clothing and equipment into the sector.

These figures show that ASM is often deeply integrated into nearby communities, with not only the miners themselves, but also the businesses that sell products and services to the miners often originating from these communities.

At a global level, 30 per cent of artisanal miners are female, and in Africa it is more like 50 per cent – another statistic that underscores the community inclusion side of ASM.

In the past, ASM was often on the ground before large mining projects were contemplated, and may even have been there for many years prior. The fact that ASM is present and active can be an exploration indicator for potential large projects, indicating the possibility of valuable mineral reserves.

Shifting focus to Australia

Companies like Rio Tinto, BHP and Fortescue, along with many mid-sized mining companies, operate projects across all continents. As a country with a strong mining industry, there are many Australian mining majors that also operate on international and global scales.

A basic reality that many of these projects face is that artisanal miners are present on or near their formal land concessions. How artisanal miners are engaged and what collaboration looks like can significantly affect conflict, PR and legal risks for large projects, while also directly impacting their ability to earn social license with broader communities in the vicinity of projects.

Recognising that artisanal miners are unique stakeholders as well as potential extensions of communities is a key part of ensuring that relationships are geared to long-term success and win/win value.

Transparent dialogue and collective solution design may lead to large projects supporting ASM activities in different ways:

♦ Training and supporting the implementation of good practices in and beyond safety for the artisanal miners, given the natural expertise and resourcing that large projects have

♦ Equipping artisanal miners to increase their productivity while also reducing risks is a natural approach toward LSMASM collaboration

♦ Supporting formalisation paths for artisanal miners, where they are organised in ways that make sense to them while specifically reducing vulnerabilities to intermediates and potentially corrupt value chain players

♦ Remembering that artisanal miners and those who sell various goods and services to these miners may be community members. This is also a natural opportunity area for integrating local content strategies, which may broaden sustainable development in the region while directly adding value to artisanal miners, to the large project itself and to small businesses in local communities

Success starts with open earnest engagement, and remembering that ASM may have been on the ground first and are part of the broader context of earning social license can be a vital part of stakeholder engagement.

For projects that are on or adjacent to Indigenous lands, respecting and collaborating with artisanal miners may also be instrumental in moving toward free, prior and informed consent as trust is gradually earned.

Engaging with ASM

Successful engagement with artisanal miners goes well beyond the social teams that are often part of a large project’s organisation.

When thinking in terms of equipping, training and facilitating the implementation of strong practices for artisanal miners that share land concessions with large projects, dialogue that includes social teams need to be followed by support from different parts of large mining organisations. This may mean engineers, geologists and various other core mining professionals that support technical upgrades of various kinds. It may also mean lawyers and more administrativeoriented support staff when it comes to facilitating formalised organisation of artisanal miners in ways that reduce their potential vulnerability.

Support functions like procurement may also be involved, depending on whether there are opportunities to leverage local content strategies with ASM miners sharing land concessions.

A key thing to remember is that fit-for-purpose support may come from different parts of a large mining organisation, depending on what solutions are agreed to and what needs to be delivered.

ASM engagement in practice

Mining news can have a tendency to focus on failures, and so both success and failure when it comes to engagement with ASM has been on display.

In Peru, conflict in the Las Bambas and Tia Maria projects has been broadcast, with a variety of root causes and community concerns that include issues with artisanal miners found on land concessions.

In Tanzania, Barrick Gold engaged security in removing artisanal miners from its land concessions, allegedly resulting in the deaths of dozens of miners and the result of this situation currently being litigated in Ontario courts.

Successful engagement does not often tend to make its way into the news, for the simple reason that success results in quiet collaboration. Newmont Gold is an example of a large mining company with successful relationships with artisanal miners.

The economic results for large projects in cases of both success and failure are clear – collaborative productivity enhancements or value destruction through conflict.

For artisanal miners themselves and for neighbouring communities, outcomes are similarly clear, with collaboration resulting in enhanced dignity and the potential for sustainable development, whereas conflict results in further immiseration.

The business case for artisanal miner engagement makes sense and can be estimated. Project economics are improved in a number of ways:

Reduced conflict risk

Put simply: blockades cost money, and violence costs more money. Materially reducing conflict risk improves project net present value (NPV) as these risks do not play out on projects.

Reduced security costs

Collaboration can change the profile of what security is needed and what security it makes sense to have.

Enhanced productivity through collaboration

Collaboration can have exploration and broader benefits.

Faster path to land rights

Social license that is partly earned through ASM collaboration is the fastest, lowest risk way of securing concession rights.

Along with the benefits of relationships angled towards collaboration instead of conflict, building trust with artisanal miners can contribute to earning social license with broader communities in the region, keeping in mind that artisanal miners are often extensions of these neighbouring communities.

Impacts on results can be very significant, along with external benefits that will result for artisanal miners as well as for communities in the area of influence of a project. Being disciplined and clear on theory of change implications that outline these impacts is an essential part of developing the understanding that is key to success.

As with broader community engagement that leads to earning social license, successful engagement with artisanal miners needs to be culturally grounded in the large mining company.

Respecting and valuing the perspectives of artisanal miners is a starting point for earnest dialogue that seeks out win/win solutions. Patience is essential – the speed of trust cannot be bypassed as part of this dialogue.

Looking deeper, solutions that build mutual LSM-ASM value require flexibility in LSM functions. Value is long term and may require doing things that are outside of leveraged LSM business practices, such as collaborating offline and in environments where legal contracts are not as formally documented as they may be with other stakeholders. This might be necessary in a situation where a contract supported by digitised business flows may not be fit for purpose with potentially illiterate artisanal miners who do not have the educational context for engaging on that level.

Taking a proactive stance on engagement with artisanal miners who share land concessions with large mining projects brings value to the large mining community, to artisanal miners themselves and to broader communities that are in the area of influence of the project.

Success requires earnest, respectful engagement and collaborative solution design that integrates the voices of artisanal miners. This work is essential for delivering sustainable value and development as trust becomes the norm in relationships.

Large scale projects are natural focal points in formalisation initiatives, which also require highly capable socio-economic, data, safety, mining practice, digitisation, communication and engagement expertise.

Delivering success makes strong business sense as conflict and other risks are converted into collaborative productivity improvement opportunities for large projects, catalysing potential sustainable development in neighbouring communities and enhancing both dignity and productivity for artisanal miners themselves.

THE � OLE OF DRONE - BASED MAGNETOMETRY IN ADVANCING MINE � AL EXPLORATION

By the team at SPH Engineering, with input from Dr Janis Karuss, Lead Geophysicist at SPH Engineering, and Trevor Grace, Director at AEROPHYSX

The use of drones in the mining industry has been taking off over the last few years, with an array of drone-based technologies being utilised to streamline mining operations, as well as for asset management and monitoring. Drone-based magnetometry is one of the technologies that is gaining traction in the mineral exploration sphere overseas and is under rapid development in Australia.

In the world of mineral exploration, searching for valuable deposits requires advanced techniques and tools. One such tool is magnetometry, which utilises the Earth's magnetic field to identify potential mineral resources.

Magnetometry, in simple terms, involves measuring the strength of the Earth's magnetic field at various locations. The magnetic field is not uniform globally; it exhibits variations and anomalies. These anomalies can be attributed to objects with magnetic properties beneath the Earth's surface. For instance, underground large ore bodies or metallic structures can alter the nearby magnetic field.

Mapping these magnetic anomalies meticulously can offer insight into geological properties and potential mineral deposits.

Choosing the right survey methods

When it comes to mineral exploration, magnetometry has proven itself highly useful. Certain minerals, like iron or nickel, exhibit strong magnetic properties, making them detectable through magnetometry surveys. Minerals without inherent magnetic properties can still be identified indirectly by the changes they cause in the surrounding magnetic field.

Creating an exhaustive list of minerals that can be discovered using this method is challenging, as the focus is on identifying magnetic signatures that deviate from the norm, indicating potential areas of interest.

Mr Grace said that magnetometry does not actually directly detect minerals but instead maps out the geological structures that influence the magnetic field.

Mineral exploration teams can strategically plan future drilling locations along these paths by understanding the magnetic response of specific geological formations or fault lines. The information provided by magnetometry assists geologists in making informed decisions and optimising exploration projects.

Over the years, methods of magnetic surveying have evolved and advanced to meet the demands of mineral exploration.

Mr Grace said close collaboration between clients and geologists is an essential key to establishing clear objectives and realistic expectations. While magnetic surveying cannot directly pinpoint minerals, it can isolate areas of interest within the magnetic structure.

Factors such as line spacing resolution, linear versus nonlinear structures, and flying height in airborne surveys all come into play in magnetometry. Additionally, designing an effective survey strategy requires careful consideration of budget constraints, target identification and the desired level of detail.

In recent years, drone-based magnetometry has been used increasingly in mineral exploration. The process involves using drones equipped with magnetometers to map the Earth's magnetic field.

Drone-based magnetometry offers unique advantages and limitations compared to other methods, such as ground-based surveys or satellitebased measurements.

Dr Karuss said the drone-based magnetometry provides a cost-effective solution for covering medium-sized areas that are otherwise challenging to access on foot or by larger aircraft. The method offers a middle ground between ground-based and standard airborne magnetometry, providing better resolution and lower costs than the latter.

In terms of the size of areas that can be effectively surveyed using drone-based magnetometry, Dr Karuss said that a few square kilometres are within a reasonable range. Larger areas – such as countrysized regions – may require alternative approaches due to budget considerations and constraints.

However, the ability to access remote and inaccessible locations makes dronebased magnetometry an invaluable tool in mineral exploration.

A drone with SPH Engineering MagNIMBUS magnetometer. Image credit: SPH Engineering.

Example of how drone-based magnetometry can improve the accuracy of magnetic data. Image credit: AeroPhysx.

Mr Grace highlighted the significance of resolution in drone-based surveys, due to the fact that drones can capture data with unmatched precision by flying at lower altitudes..

With modern technology, high sample rates of up to 1,000Hz can be achieved, resulting in quality data that surpass regional surveys. This level of resolution is particularly advantageous in mountainous terrains, where conventional aircraft face limitations due to safety concerns.

Despite its benefits, drone-based magnetometry also has its limitations. Mr Grace said there are obstacles when operating in large and inaccessible areas or when simultaneous gammaray surveys are required. Weight limitations constrain endurance, making it logistically challenging to cover extensive regions. Moreover, risks, such as encounters with dangerous animals, rugged terrains, or hostile locals, require careful planning and emergency procedures. These challenges may prove especially difficult for monitoring in the extensive, remote expanses of Australia where the country’s mineral resources are largely located.

Dr Karuss said that climate and weather conditions can also impact drone operations, particularly in polar regions where sudden strong winds and adverse weather changes can jeopardise the equipment. In addition, extreme heat – such as that found in certain parts of Australia – can have an impact on drone batteries as they can lose capacity and efficiency in high temperatures.

Although certain drones are more resilient to such conditions, it remains a limitation when choosing the right approach.

Magnetometry mastery

Mr Grace has 40 years of experience in exploration and magnetics, and he placed emphasis on the importance of skilled personnel for data acquisition and processing, ensuring the delivery of accurate and reliable results.

"It takes more than just flying a drone. A professional approach is necessary to analyse and utilise the acquired data effectively," Mr Grace said.

Mr Grace also referenced the crucial steps in the workflow when embarking on a magnetic surveying project for mineral exploration.

The process begins with obtaining the area information from the client as a file, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of the terrain characteristics. Factors such as topography, accessibility, and potential obstacles like power lines or cell phone towers are carefully considered during the project design phase.

Photogrammetry is often employed as a preliminary step to optimise data collection, providing a high-resolution base for flight planning. At this point in the process, the need for adaptability and client input in defining project goals and budgetary considerations is essential.

"The geological structure plays a significant role in determining the flight line direction. Aiming for a 90-degree approach angle allows for accurate correlation between survey lines,” Mr Grace said.

Addressing logistical and technical considerations

Addressing the challenges of remote areas, Mr Grace said logistical support, such as accommodation and vehicles, is extremely important.

In certain instances, preliminary reconnaissance or local support is required to ensure a smooth operation. Additionally, crew fatigue, communication with the field team, and safety protocols must be meticulously managed to uphold data quality and personnel wellbeing.

Dr Karuss said that acquiring highquality data and understanding the measurements obtained is key, and also echoed Mr Grace's sentiments about the need for proper training and knowledge in the field.

"It's not just about collecting data; it's about collecting accurate and reliable data," Dr Karuss said.

Investing in training programs and seeking guidance from experienced professionals is vital to ensure a strong foundation in geophysical surveying.

Both experts agreed that the reputation of drone-based magnetometry in mineral exploration has suffered due to subpar data collection and misinterpretation. Mr Grace said that businesses should approach this technology seriously and invest the necessary resources to deliver reliable results.

"Mag has gotten a bad name due to the prevalence of low-quality data," Mr Grace said.

"To regain trust, it's essential to conduct surveys properly and implement compensation techniques to minimise noise and oscillation distortions."

Drone technology, when utilised effectively, has the potential to revolutionise the mining industry. By adhering to a well-structured workflow, employing skilled professionals, and prioritising data accuracy, businesses can harness the full potential of drone-based magnetometry.

As technology advances and further improves, the mining sector can capitalise on drone-based magnetometry's potential in enhancing exploration, resource allocation, and decision-making.

Although the method is not without its challenges, possessing a broad understanding of its capabilities and constraints can help mining professionals judiciously integrate drone-based magnetometry into their practices, fostering advancements in mineral exploration.

The success of any drone-based magnetometry project relies on meticulous planning, skilled execution, and accurate data processing. As the mining industry continues to embrace technological advancements, especially in Australia, it is essential to prioritise expertise and quality to unlock the true benefits of drone technology in mineral exploration.

To learn more about SPH Engineering and applications for drones in the mining industry, visit www.sphengineering. com/applications/mining

« Case study: Gold exploration in Guinea. The gold sits in quartzsite veins, which are non-magnetic but are associated with slightly more magnetic surrounding material. Image credit: AeroPhysx.

Drone-based magnetometry merged with regional data. Image credit: AeroPhysx.

MAPPING AUST � ALIA’S LITHIUM FRONTIER

By Rebecca Todesco, Editor, Mining Magazine

As the green energy transition ramps up, demand for the minerals that will drive the transformation, like lithium, shows no signs of slowing down. With this skyrocketing demand comes the need for a better understanding of lithium deposit concentration and distribution across Australia.

Lithium has been recognised as a critical mineral by countries across the world, including Australia, Japan, Canada, and the US. With the essential role it plays in the sustainable clean energy future, Australia is well positioned to capitalise on its position as a global leader in lithium supply.

Despite this advantageous position, comprehensive investigation into spodumene-similar deposits across Australia has yet to be executed. Without this kind of in-depth investigation, the immediate expansion of Australia’s lithium industry would be difficult.

The absence of this knowledge is a gap that a team of researchers from the University of Sydney, led by Dr Wartini Ng, attempted to fill, working to complete the first digital map of lithium content in Australian soil.

“There has been an ongoing demand for lithium – the primary raw material for batteries which can be used in electric vehicles worldwide,” Dr Ng said.

“As one of the largest producers of lithium, we aim to delineate potential anomalous areas of lithium within Australia.”

The University of Sydney research team utilised a method known as digital soil mapping to carry out their study. Also known as predictive soil mapping, digital soil mapping is the computer-assisted creation of digital maps of soil properties and soil types.

“Digital soil mapping is a methodology to create digital maps of soil attributes across a landscape by coupling the soil attributes of interest (could be either laboratory or field measurement) with spatial earth observations (satellitesensed) data using machine learning models,” Dr Ng said.

“We know that the formation of soil is affected by key factors, including climate, organisms, topography, parent material, and age.

“For this study, we mapped the concentration of lithium in soils, which is commonly found in mineral deposits such as spodumene.”

Looking for lithium

Dr Ng said the lithium content in soil is affected by environmental conditions that drive the mineralisation process,

including elevation, slope, precipitation and other geochemical variations.

The digital soil mapping framework, usually used for spatial soil analysis, remained the same throughout the study, with the research team simply choosing the target soil attribute of interest, that is, lithium concentrations collected from the National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) project.

“We used a range of earth observation data that we know correlates well with soil, in particular, the barest earth image of the Australian continent, which revealed the surface of the soil.”

Dr Ng said that to conduct the study the team trained a machine learning model with the lithium concentration from the NGSA survey as a target.

“The model simply learned how lithium concentration varies from site to site as defined by their environment. By learning this pattern, the model can predict lithium concentration throughout Australia.”

Analysing the results

The goal of the research team was to create a digital map of lithium content in Australian soil, and they did.

“In this study, we generated the first digital soil map of lithium in Australia. The predicted lithium maps correlated well with the current existing lithium mines and identified several potentially anomalous lithium areas that had yet to be verified, in which ground-truthing is required.”

Predicted spatial distributions of aqua-regia-soluble Li (mg kg−1) in alluvial soils across Australia for both top outlet sediment (TOS) 0–10 cm and bottom outlet sediment (BOS) depth ~ 60–80 cm.

In the past the lithium exploration taking place in Australia has been primarily focused in Western Australia, but the team’s lithium map indicates other regions in Australia that are anomalous in lithium.

The study and the resulting map of lithium distribution suggests that although the highest lithium concentrations are located near the Greenbushes deposit, as well as near Mount Marion and Earl Grey in Western Australia, elevated concentration of lithium in Queensland, southern New South Wales and parts of Victoria indicate that other locations may have a potential role to play in Australia meeting future lithium demand.

Looking towards the future

“This is the first study in which we apply the digital soil mapping methodology for critical minerals. Anomalous lithium concentrations do not translate to exploration targets but we hope to trigger further detailed work using our approach,” Dr Ng said.

Despite the low prediction accuracy, Dr Ng said that the team’s work paves the way for the development of digital maps for other geochemical elements. The report published by the team post-study acknowledges that the map is not conclusive, stating that “the model performance was on the low side and inclusion of the results into a prospectivity framework needs to consider the model uncertainties”.

As well as being the first step towards creating digital maps for other geochemical elements,

the map offers a good starting point for lithium companies hoping to broaden their prospects to look into further investigation and exploration.

“The industry could potentially explore the identified elevated areas for groundtruthing and identify suitable areas to mine and increase the amount of lithium produced in Australia in its ongoing effort of global energy transition,” Dr Ng said.

“This work provides a framework to better understand the process controlling soil lithium concentration and the modelling work effectively delineates regions with locally higher lithium source potential. This approach could be used for future prospecting.”

WO � KWEAR THAT WOMEN WANT TO WEAR

By Rebecca Todesco, Editor, Mining Magazine

Increasing women’s participation in mining is a priority across the industry. However, with a lot of companies focused on the big picture issues and barriers they can remove, it’s easy to overlook the smaller obstacles dissuading women’s participation – sometimes it’s as simple as the clothes on women’s backs.

Mine worker, business owner, fashion designer; why not all three? Kym O’Leary was working on a mine site in Queensland when she saw an opportunity to eliminate a barrier that was preventing women from reaching their full potential in the mining workforce.

Ms O’Leary started at Anglo American onsite in Middlemount, Queensland, as a Commercial Graduate. As part of the graduate program, participants are rotated around different commercial functions and then at the conclusion of the program are offered a role in one of those areas.

“I was most interested in management accounting on site. I secured the role at Foxleigh Mine in Middlemount as a management accountant,” Ms O'Leary said.

“That mine is quite small. My manager was pregnant at the time and being quite a small mine, they hadn't got a replacement in.”

Ms O'Leary’s manager asked her to come along to meetings, to sit in the back and take notes and use the opportunity for professional development. It was during one such meeting that something clicked for Ms O'Leary.

“I went along to this leadership team, sat in the back corner. I noticed that there were all the men – there were about seven sitting really comfortably in their high-vis – and there

was Steph, very pregnant, wearing an open hi-vis shirt with a singlet underneath.

“She just didn't look comfortable, but she was making do because there were no options. Then the conversation started, and it was about having women in industry and how do we attract more? We were trying to get more women into the industry and then the penny just dropped for me.

“I was like, why are we not offering women workwear that's suitable for all of women's life stages?

“We wanted to have more women in the industry, but we weren't providing them with workwear, for instance, when they were pregnant. There was that sub-message coming through that we want you, but again, if you come along there'll be no workwear for you.

“That just didn't sit right for me.”

Later that night when she returned home, Ms O'Leary turned to the internet to locate a comfortable uniform option for her manager, quickly finding out that there was nothing available worldwide.

Seeing the opportunity present itself, Ms O'Leary seized it.

Taking things into her own hands

Witnessing her manager being pregnant onsite created an opportunity for Ms O'Leary to merge her passions for mining and fashion, creating her dream career.

“I'd always wanted to have my own business and I was always interested in fashion, but just never thought I'd cut it on the catwalk sort of thing – I never considered myself creative enough for a career in it.

“When the opportunity came up to have a clothing brand, it ticked all the boxes for me. I still really loved the mining industry, I loved fashion – let's merge the two. And that's how I got started.”

Ms O'Leary embarked on her mission, determined to create a comprehensive line of women’s workwear that could cater to those with different needs.

The COgear range is a small but considered workwear range made with the company’s mantra in mind – women should never be uncomfortable at work – and every garment undergoes onsite trials.

As well as women’s pants, COgear offers two style options of maternity pants (over tummy and under tummy), maternity shirts and a four-in-one jacket with removable fleece vest which can be converted to a maternity fit by adding an extension piece. The range also offers hard hat liners that are designed to prevent hair breakage when wearing a hard hat.

A decade on

Reflecting on the past decade, Ms O'Leary said there was no clear roadmap that she followed in launching COgear, admitting to making numerous mistakes along the way and often learning through difficult and costly experiences.

“Our approach nowadays is to release a new style only after it’s been field tested and we have a customer for the style. This lesson was learned the hard way. When we initially launched our first maternity garment, we did so without validating the design in an industry setting which resulted in poor sales.”

Despite these mistakes, Ms O'Leary said the first maternity design served the purpose of raising awareness about the lack of maternity hi-vis options for women.

“I like to believe that I contributed to shedding light on this broader issue, even if it came at a cost,” she said.

An especially difficult situation that served as a turning point for Ms O'Leary was when she was travelling across the countryside visiting workwear retail stores to promote COgear’s maternity shirts .

“On this specific day, while I was on the Sunshine Coast, I was explaining our range and the importance of maternity hi-vis gear. The man I was speaking with burst into laughter, questioning why a pregnant person would ever be on a mine site.

“In response, I shared that I had personally worked onsite and that my manager was pregnant.”

Ms O'Leary said that although this encounter was emotionally challenging, upon reflection, it highlighted the substantial education required throughout the industry and the need for inclusive products and workwear.

Ms O'Leary reflected that when COgear started more than a decade ago it was slightly ahead of the industry’s readiness for a women-only hi-vis brand.

“This presented challenges, including lower sales in the initial five years. However, the early start allowed me a decade to establish connections with women, gain insights into their needs, and determine how we could provide assistance.”

From the workers’ mouth

Over the years, COgear’s range has worked its way onto mine sites around Australia, with women in the industry quick to share their feedback on the range with the team at COgear.

A customer of the cargo pants said they are her go-to workwear, and that they’re not “repurposed, boxy men’s cargos. They’re intentionally designed to complement a woman’s frame, without sacrificing the functionality of work pants.”

Another wearer said they love the fit and feel of the cargo pants, citing her previous difficulty finding pants a small size –“I’ve never had women’s pants that fit so well for my no hips.”

About the four-in-one jacket, one testimonial said, “The arms are long enough but not too long that they get in the way of work.”

Looking ahead

Ms O'Leary said that COgear was built on the foundation of listening to its customers, and this is something she said won’t change.

“We’ll continue to engage with our customers to understand their evolving needs, making sure our workwear solutions stay true to our beliefs that women should never feel uncomfortable at work.”

Listening to the needs of the brand’s customers led to Cogear’s latest clothing innovation – HMZ.

“COgear had received requests to offer women's pants in multiple lengths. However, as a small business, we couldn't afford to hold additional stock due to cash-flow constraints. This prompted me to explore an alternative approach – could we meet the demand for different leg lengths more intelligently?

“After brainstorming with my husband one evening over dinner, I began experimenting with the notion of an adjustable hem, inspired by a bag of chook feed – a memory from our upbringing on farms.

“I had to think outside the box and this is how HMZ was born,” Ms O'Leary said.

HMZ – pronounced ‘hems’ – allows individuals to adjust the length of their pants through patented tear-away hems.

“HMZ offers a convenient way for individuals to tailor their workwear, aligning with COgear’s mission to ensure women are always comfortable at work.”

HMZ is patent-pending and also offers an expanded range of size options from 12 to 48, providing customers with more fit choices.

Increasing the participation of women in the mining industry is an ongoing project, and ensuring they are comfortable in the gear they’re wearing can go a long way in eliminating these barriers.

EMPOWE � ING WOMEN IN � ESOURCES: THE SISTERS IN MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

By Tess Macallan, Journalist, Mining Magazine

An inclusive and diverse workforce means a stronger, more productive mining industry. With the recent launch of its Sisters in Maintenance program, Thiess is providing new pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to enter the industry.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Thiess’ Sisters in Mining, a program supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to transition into the mining sector as trainee haul truck drivers.

Building off the success of Sisters in Mining, Thiess has launched Sisters in Maintenance, a 12-month preapprenticeship traineeship program that leads to a Certificate II in Engineering upon program completion.

Thiess Group Manager Diversity and Inclusion, Nevinia Davenport, said, “The Sisters in Maintenance program is born out of Thiess’ reconciliation commitment to ensuring the economic benefits of mining contribute to, and empower, the cultural and social aspirations of our First Nations peoples through the creation of long-term employment opportunities.”

Supporting skills development

The 2023 program is based in the Pilbara and will focus on maintenance

to help address skill shortages in a traditionally male-dominated area of the sector. Modules are undertaken at TAFE before the participants are deployed to the site.

“Once on site, the participants have a number of site maintenance rotations to provide exposure to the areas of the operations such as auto electrical and heavy diesel fitting,” Ms Davenport said.

The program features a strong focus on health and safety in the work

environment, as well as practical manual handling components.

Diversity and Inclusion Officers, TAFE mentors and Thiess Training Advisors provide support for the participants.

The inaugural year of the program was available to local indigenous women in the Port Hedland area.

“Our programs aim to tackle several challenges that women face in the industry,” Ms Davenport said.

“One of these is the disparity in educational qualifications between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their industry colleagues. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are over five times as likely to have the completion of high school as their highest form of qualification. This indicates a significant gap in access to higher education and professional development opportunities.

“Thiess’ programs aim to bridge the education gap and create equal opportunities for women to thrive in their careers.”

Ten years of Sisters in Mining

Launched in 2013 in partnership with Wesfarmers Curragh, the Sisters in Mining program features an induction program to kick-start participants' careers as Thiess trainee-haul truck operators.

Studies undertaken during the traineeship lead toward a

nationally-recognised Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations –supported by life skills training and ongoing mentoring support throughout the traineeship.

“Sisters in Mining has been maximising employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women in Central Queensland for more than ten years,” Ms Davenport said.

The program has supported 75 women through to successful completion, with around 90 per cent of those women being offered permanent employment at Thiess.

“As a society, we still have a long way to go to change the perception that organisations are employing women to hit a target,” Ms Davenport said.

“While we have these targets, it’s not our motivation.

“We know that inclusive and diverse workplaces improve business performance. Teams that are more diverse are safer, more productive and have a better culture.”

This year, the company’s Lake Vermont team hosted 12 new trainees during the induction program and welcomed six new full-time employees across its projects following successful completion of the program.

Alumni have also gone on to be recognised by industry. Lisa Campbell, a Multi-skilled Operator from Lake

Vermont, was named a finalist in the 2023 Exceptional Indigenous Person in Queensland Resources category at the Queensland Resources Council Indigenous Awards.

In 2022, Nicole Shibasaki, a Dispatch Officer for Thiess, was named the Exceptional Indigenous Person at the same awards.

Pathways to success

Sisters in Maintenance also provides a pathway into the mining industry with the option to proceed to a full-time apprenticeship or consider other positions in Thiess’ diverse team.

As a 2023 participant, Philomena is one of the first women to undertake the program. She said she came across Sisters in Maintenance on social media.

“I was scrolling through Facebook and an advert kept popping up so I clicked on it and applied. It sounded like a really good opportunity and something different.

“It has been a great experience so far, I have learnt a whole different side of something I previously knew nothing about. Everyone has been very supportive which makes it much more comfortable.”

With the program still far from over, Philomena has yet to decide where her new skills will take her.

“I’m hoping to gain more knowledge and upskill myself around the maintenance side of mining,” Philomena said.

“From there, I’ll just continue to pursue what interests me.”

Philomena offered words of encouragement for those who might be considering applying for Sisters in Maintenance.

“Get out of your comfort zone, be confident, try something different and never doubt yourself. It’s an amazing program and it is still a learning process and everyone is respectful, supportive and friendly.”

GLOBAL FOCUS ON ESG IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN

Environmental, Social, and Governance factors are the pillars upon which the future of responsible business stands:

Environmental factors

These consider the impact a company and its value chain have on the natural environment and associated risks to business operations. In an era in which climate change is a global concern, understanding the environmental footprint of a business is crucial. This is particularly true in the mining industry, with its resource-intensive operations.

Social factors

Tracking social factors involves assessing the impact a company has on its employees, supply chain and the surrounding community in which it operates. These factors extend beyond profits to the wellbeing of individuals and society at large. In mining, social factors encompass safety, community engagement, First Nations People, and the livelihoods of those living in surrounding areas.

Governance factors

Governance factors consider how a company is engaging in transparent and ethical operating practices. It is about ensuring that the organisation conducts itself with integrity, fairness, and accountability. In mining,

By James McGuire, APAC ESG lead at ISN

In our increasingly interconnected world, responsible business operation has become a normal, critical part of doing business. Consumers, investors, and other company stakeholders are demanding businesses take responsibility for their current and future impacts on people and the environment. When assessing the role corporations play in a more sustainable future, many will turn their focus to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors that help define and measure sustainable business.

governance extends to issues such as the ethical sourcing of minerals and responsible corporate behaviour in the extraction process.

Given the wide variety of topics encompassed in ESG, companies often identify which are material, or prioritised by company stakeholders. Materiality is a concept that helps companies decide what information to report on their ESG performance. It means that companies should focus on which issues are most relevant and significant for their business, their stakeholders, and society at large.

Some examples of ESG topics that may be material include human rights, data privacy and security, occupational health and safety, and the environmental and social impact of products and services. A useful tool to help organisations navigate materiality is the SASB Materiality Finder. This tool supports organisations to gain both quantitative and qualitative information for material ESG topics. This type of information is often reported using a standard or framework such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) as guidance. This initiative has emerged as a crucial tool in the journey towards sustainability.

Through customer feedback and research ISN has established three key components to support integrating ESG into the value chain.

First component: education

The first step in the ESG journey is education. With a multitude of

sustainability standards and frameworks available, and untold numbers of potential data points to capture, it can be difficult for organisations to discern where to begin and which path to take when it comes to data collection. This is particularly true for smaller companies and suppliers who might find ESG terms unfamiliar.

Particular emphasis should be placed on the importance of helping organisations, especially those in the mining sector, understand how ESG information can benefit their businesses. Providing simple explanations and illustrating how ESG can positively impact operations can go a long way in encouraging cooperation. For example, in the mining industry, education can involve explaining how responsible resource management not only reduces environmental impact but also contributes to long-term business sustainability.

Second component: capturing reliable data

A sustainable business should account for all three ESG pillars: environmental, social, and governance. In the mining industry, a natural starting point might be capturing environmental data related to resource consumption, such as fossil fuels, water, and energy. However, the list of data points to capture can vary based on materiality and shared expectations in the value chain.

Setting goals and capturing reliable data is crucial, and technology can play a pivotal role in this step. It simplifies the process, reduces the burden on industry suppliers, and ensures a consistent framework for data collection.

Setting long-term goals with defined interim benchmarks is important to keep the company on track. For instance, mining companies can set goals related to reducing water usage, which is not only environmentally responsible but also a cost-saving measure.

Third component:

measuring progress

Data collection is not the final step in achieving the ESG objectives that the company has established with intermediate milestones. It is also essential to monitor the progress and evaluate the performance against the ESG goals. One main way to do that is by reviewing aggregate data from the vendors that supply goods and services. It's not just about data collection; it's about analysing data to track year-overyear progress. This analysis not only shows how far the organisation has come but also identifies trends and provides insights into why the data is what it is.

However, presenting this progress to stakeholders at the C-suite or Board level requires simplicity – they are often juggling numerous priorities, and complex data can be overwhelming. Technology plays a vital role in simplifying complex information into easily digestible and visually approachable formats. Visualisation is particularly important in conveying the journey towards ESG goals. Integrating ESG into the value chain is an essential step for companies in the mining industry and beyond. Education, capturing reliable data, and measuring progress are the three key components that can guide organisations on this path. The GRI and similar frameworks provide valuable tools to navigate this complex terrain. By following these principles and embracing ESG, companies not only meet stakeholder expectations but also contribute to a more sustainable and responsible future.

HEALTH,

ESG road map

By following an ESG roadmap, such as the example below, mining companies can embark on a journey towards sustainability that aligns with global expectations and contributes to a more responsible and environmentally conscious industry.

1. Impact and materiality assessment:

Gain a baseline understanding of a company's ESG Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). For a mining company, this may include assessing the environmental impact of mining activities, social aspects such as worker safety, and governance measures such as transparency in reporting.

2. Data collection:

Use data to determine actionable goals. In the mining sector, this can involve tracking resource consumption, emissions, and social wellbeing indicators in mining communities.

3. Establish objectives:

Create initiatives to achieve these goals. What actions is a company going to take? What is the timeline? What resources are needed? For example, how might a company report on mandatory requirements such as emissions standards or modern slavery reporting?

4. Obtain stakeholder buy-in:

Gain company support, as even the best objectives and initiatives require this in order to be successful. In mining, this means securing commitment from leadership to invest in sustainable practices. A fundamental way to measure buy-in is by analysing the perception and knowledge of stakeholders through perception and feedback surveys – these should include all relevant stakeholders within an organisation and its supply chain. Then use these results to achieve greater buy-in of stakeholders.

5. Review and report:

Continuously review progress against the internal targets set. Regular reporting is essential, not only to track progress but also to remain compliant with mandatory reporting standards such as emissions and antimodern slavery reports, and communicate achievements to stakeholders, including investors, regulators, and the local community.

The mining industry, like many others, is navigating the changing landscape of stakeholder expectations, and ESG is at the forefront of this transformation.

The integration of ESG principles into the value chain is not just about compliance; it's about ensuring the longterm sustainability of the industry while positively impacting the environment and

communities where mining operations take place.

Education, data collection, and progress measurement are the cornerstones of this journey, and organisations that embrace these principles are not only meeting current demands but also positioning themselves for a more sustainable future.

A NEW ERA OF CLIMATE - � ELATED FINANCIAL � EPORTING: WHAT MINERS NEED TO KNOW

The industry is entering a new era of sustainability disclosure which relates to changing stakeholder expectations in the mining sector and beyond.

On 26 June 2023, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) issued its finalised sustainability and climate change disclosure standards, the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 and S2. The ISSB standards are intended to set a global standard on disclosures to the market related to sustainability and climate reporting.

On 27 June 2023, the Treasury released the government’s proposed position on mandatory climate reporting for consultation, summarising how the IFRS S2 climate change disclosures standard will be applied to the Australian context. On 23 October 2023, the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) released the Exposure Draft ED SR1 Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards – Disclosure of

Climate-related Financial Information to propose climate-related financial disclosure requirements, with an invitation for feedback.

To align with the ISSB’s disclosure expectations and definition of materiality, each entity will have to determine what information could be reasonably expected to influence decisions by potential investors, lenders, creditors and other such key stakeholders. This may mean providing additional disclosures in financial statements and sustainability reports.

When and how will the standards affect you?

The Treasury proposal would see the largest Australian companies and financial institutions making climate disclosures commencing in the 2024/25 reporting period, extending to smaller companies for the 2027/28 Reporting Period.

It captures entities required to report under Chapter 2M of the Corporations Act and that fulfill two of the below three thresholds:

In addition all entities would be included that are required to report under Chapter 2M of the Corporations Act that are a ‘controlling corporation’ under the NGER Act.

If your company is directly captured, then it requires some vigilance to understand and plan for the disclosure requirements.

Even if your business is not captured, it will be part of a broader ‘value chain’ where captured customers and business partners may need to consider risks associated with your business. For instance, your business emissions are likely to be a source of ‘scope 3 GHG emissions’ for your customers, investors and banks. It will be prudent to be aware of such stakeholders who are likely to be captured.

It is those impacted as part of groups two and three (earnings $50-$200 million) who are most at risk of not being compliant. With most not having begun what is generally a three-to-four-year process, these businesses must act now to meet their FY27 and FY28 deadlines respectively. It is therefore critical for reporting entities to familiarise themselves with all aspects of these standards and conduct gap analyses of any current reporting.

The opportunity for mining equipment, technology and services companies

There are estimated to be up to 4,000 mining equipment, technology and services (METS) businesses employing 390,000 workers in Australia. Many of them import products from countries that include China – where environment, social and governance (ESG) is still a distant whisper amongst manufacturers, compared to Australian miners’ board rooms. This divide will narrow with the ISSB’s scope 3 GHG emissions disclosure requirements. Alongside it, there are growing state-based scope 3 GHG regulations; and ESG standards such as the Science Based Targets Initiative’s Net Zero standard and new Steel sector standard.

Savvy METS businesses are seeing a limited window of opportunity over the next year to differentiate themselves

ahead of their competitors with an ESG framework; a simple sustainability report; and decarbonisation targets that rely on reputable, customer-aligned ESG standards.

Alignment with existing standards

With the IFRS S1 and S2 standards set to replace the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), it can be expected that entities already reporting in line with the TCFD have made a good start to their journey.

The IFRS S1 standard appendix also refers to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) standards, which can be used in the absence of an IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standard that specifically applies to a sustainability related risk or opportunity. There is a window here for hitting two birds with one stone, in terms of GRI and ISSB aligned reporting.

The new GRI Mining Sector Standard (being finalised in coming months) is the most comprehensive and current ESGfocussed mining sector standard out there – which can serve to complement the IFRS S1 and S2 standards.

It is expected that the GRI will continue to be a dominant ESG standard in the mining sector, with its focus on sustainability ‘impact materiality’. The ISSB/SASB standards will, on the other hand, address ‘financial materiality’. Both groups of standards can therefore work well together, to begin to address ‘double materiality’ (impact and financial materiality) which has become a requirement in Europe under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. It is foreseeable that such a regulation will in future find its way to other developed OECD countries like Australia.

Transition risks and opportunities

Within operational mining companies, ‘transition risks’ and related mitigations are typically measured and assessed through GHG emissions, decarbonisation projects and targets (including renewable energy, fuel switching, energy efficiency and carbon offsets), and other risk/resilience strategies such as the application of internal carbon pricing to minimise carbon-risk exposure.

However, such initiatives are less common within exploration companies and OEMs/suppliers. As a result there will tend to be a larger gap for these companies that are caught by the requirements.

Decarbonisation of mine site power supply has been made easier with improved economics of renewable energy, in particular wind, solar PV and battery systems. However there remain a number of harder-to-abate emissions sources for miners – including switching away from diesel vehicles and equipment.

The IFRS S2 standard strives for companies to begin to frame ‘opportunity’ in terms like ‘business model’, ‘value chain’, ‘strategy’ and ‘financial performance’. In an industry which has traditionally been fossil-fuel intensive, there are few better examples of economic sectors that can capture climate change and sustainability related financial opportunities like the critical minerals sector, along with other metals miners seeking to supply ‘green’ metals.

Physical climate risks

Physical climate risks have been a newer entrant on the agendas of mining companies and suppliers – but are potentially significant considering the potential scale of impacts of climate change on mining related activities (upstream and downstream) – such as from water supply shortages, and extreme weather events. Accessing reliable climate change data, and drawing on expertise to assess the risks, will be important.

Transitional climate reporting liability relief

The government will afford some protection from false or misleading representation claims in relation to forward-looking statements for the first three years (e.g. transition plans, scenario analysis). The aim is to address liability concerns and encourage companies to make best efforts in making disclosures.

Where can you start?

Preparing to disclose against the Standards can be seen as an opportunity for entities to strengthen existing processes. This features a gap assessment against the Standards and development of a roadmap for future climate change and sustainability reporting. Key stages include:

1. Conduct a gap assessment to understand:

» When and how the changes will impact your company

» How your current internal and external reporting and practices compare with the new standards

» Is training required to bring your executives and Board up to speed?

2. Assess materiality:

» Is your materiality up to date? Have you identified the correct climate-related risks and opportunities?

» For entities that already undertake materiality assessments for sustainability reporting, how can the ISSB’s definition of materiality be used to enhance the current process to bring financial considerations more explicitly into the approach to determining materiality?

» What value, trade-offs and interrelationship dynamics exist between risks and opportunities?

» What information is required for ‘primary users’ of general-purpose financial reporting i.e. existing/potential investors and lenders, to assess the effects of risks and opportunities? For example, the effect of climate change on their financial position, financial performance and cash flows, etc

» How can you leverage materiality assessment results to challenge and enhance the business strategy, including validation of the appropriateness of climate-related risks and opportunities?

3. Scenario analysis and strategy will help to further identify, assess and address climate-related risks and opportunities. This includes assessing what are the current and anticipated effects of risks and opportunities in relation to:

» The short, medium and long term –considering your life of mine plan, acquisitions/disposals etc

» The business model and value chain

» This category of the IFRS S2 standard was self-assessed with the lowest level of preparation by eleven leading ASX listed mining companies (at around 60 per cent level of preparation) in the free questionnaire set-up by Decarbonate (www.decarbonate. com.au). If larger mining companies have such gaps, then gaps are likely to be even greater for smaller mining/service/OEM companies

» The business strategy and decisionmaking (including any transition plan)

» The financial position, financial performance and cash flows

» Scenario analysis of climate resilience, transition risks and physical risks

» Qualitative scenario analysis is initially acceptable to inform disclosures, moving to quantitative scenario analysis by the end of the transition period

» Assessing the likelihood and severity of impacts

Other questions include:

» Do you have a transition plan that can be disclosed, and any climate-related targets? (required from commencement)

» Do you have a plan to prepare scope 3 GHG emissions? (required from the second reporting year)

» What sector/industry based metrics would you report against? (required by 2027/28)

4. Assess data requirements and identify gaps:

» An issue for many companies is likely to be collecting data. Are there effective processes in place for gathering data and for integrated reporting?

» What systems and processes must be created and implemented to ensure effective data monitoring and reporting? For example, an existing procurement system could be modified to add data fields/categories and emissions factors that enable automated scope 3 GHG emissions reporting

» Do you have a dedicated and (ideally) experienced team for oversight and collection?

» Have you performed a gap analysis to identify where this data exists and is currently reported on, where the data is collected for other business activities but not reported on, and where there are absolute gaps in source data?

5. Map processes, controls and systems:

» Have you mapped current processes and systems (including key controls) to enable identification of data/quality/ reporting gaps, improvements and capability requirements?

» Less mature entities tend to collect data manually in spreadsheets owned by a wide set of data owners, with a highlevel of manual entry and increased likelihood of errors

» More mature entities, on the other hand, tend to have automated processes that are supported by systems and relevant controls around data accuracy, completeness and reporting. Are you aware of the options available?

6. Build a roadmap and take action:

» Have you built a roadmap (and taken action) to close any potential sustainability and climate related data gaps, optimise processes and governance structures (with suitable roles and responsibilities), identify new control processes and develop plans to uplift systems?

» Data integrity – is data complete, relevant, reliable and verifiable? This can help to prepare for eventual assurance over the information

7. Communicate:

» Have you socialised ISSB requirements within the business, and with relevant value chain partners?

» Have communications been planned/ diarised? Disclosing against the Standards requires a shift in mindset from financial reporting of transactions, to sustainability/climate related information encompassing the entire value chain. This will require increased collaboration in order to understand and respond to material risks and opportunities appropriately. Entities will need to ensure active engagement and buy-in exists across the Board, management, asset level, business partners and the value chain

8. Improve: Achieving all of this will take time and a continuous improvement mindset. Entities need to adopt an iterative approach that evolves by incorporating lessons learnt. The above stages should be periodically revisited as required, and in line with annual reporting processes

Whether your business falls under the IFRS S2 requirements or not, now is the time to have an ESG and climate change framework, in particular for those companies seeking to grow or cement their relationships with customers, investors, lenders, communities and other key stakeholders.

The standard provides an opportunity to strengthen existing processes and to further align to changing stakeholder needs within the emerging low-carbon economy.

Disclosing such forward-looking information is new for many entities in the mining sector, and it may require hiring experts to support you. The good news is that once you have gone through the preparation process the first time, with a roadmap for action, then subsequent reporting should become much more streamlined.

Brendan Tapley is Managing Director for Decarbonate, an ESG and climate change consultancy specialising in the mining and energy sectors. He is also one of four people in Australia to sit on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Mining Sector Standard Working Group.

� OUTINE CHECKUP GIVES A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE

The majority of early cases of mine dust lung diseases, including silicosis, often display no symptoms and so regular checks play a critical role in identifying and diagnosing these conditions before they worsen. With this in mind, a new service in Queensland is bringing these health checks to even the most remote corners of the state.

In 2020, Graham Bowcock went to his personal doctor for a routine checkup, asking about a pesky, persistent cough he had after his wife insisted he get it checked. It is because of his wife’s persistence that Mr Bowcock is still alive today and about to celebrate his 74th birthday.

Mr Bowcock was diagnosed with silicosis and lung cancer and was given no more than six months to live. That was unless he underwent emergency surgery to have the cancerous part of his lung removed. He did, and the surgery gave him an extra three to five years to live.

Speaking about his experience, Mr Bowcock said, “You realise you’re not totally bulletproof.”

Celia Bowcock can still remember the moment she was told her husband was going to die.

“It was devastating. I think I aged ten years in three minutes.”

The prevalence of silicosis

Mr Bowcock’s story is not uncommon, and recent months have seen an increase in silicosis diagnoses across the country, including in retired and former miners.

Mr Bowcock spent 37 years working in mineral mines in North West Queensland, where doctors believe prolonged dust exposure resulted in him contracting a mine dust lung disease.

Despite his time in the mines resulting in his silicosis diagnosis, Mr Bowcock said he “loved every moment”.

Following Mr Bowcock’s initial diagnosis and treatment, he reached out to Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) after hearing about their former workers program. Through the RSHQ program, retired and former Queensland mine and quarry workers can access a free lung check every five years, for life.

The symptoms of silicosis often don’t appear until after many years of exposure and as such, those that no longer work in the industry and have at least three years' experience in coal, mineral mines, or quarries are eligible for the program. These lung checks are continuing to detect mine dust lung disease cases as more and more former and retired workers get tested.

The Director of RSHQ’s Health Surveillance Unit, Evan Pengelly, said that in addition to free medical testing for former and retired mine and quarry

workers, RSHQ can oftentimes assist with travel expenses too.

It was this health check program that helped Mr Bowcock confirm his mine dust lung disease diagnosis and connected him with the Mine Dust Health Support Service to access compensation and support.

Helping more people get tested

Three years on from Mr Bowcock’s initial diagnosis, accessibility to this free lung check program has expanded with the addition of a mobile health unit.

Operated by Heart of Australia in partnership with RSHQ and the Queensland Government, the HEART5 truck visits locations across regional and remote Queensland. It offers free screening for former workers to help detect mine dust lung diseases like coal worker's pneumoconiosis – commonly known as black lung – and silicosis.

HEART5 is equipped with state-ofthe-art medical equipment to provide the required screening examinations, including a lung function test and chest X-ray, and any tests needed to investigate possible abnormalities, such as highresolution CT scans.

Since its launch in February 2022, free checks on board HEART5 have helped detect 57 cases of mine dust lung disease diagnosed in former workers.

“RSHQ is proud to partner with Heart of Australia to deliver this free, lifesaving service,” Mr Pengelly said.

“I really urge all former and retired mine and quarry workers to have their free lung check.

“Lung disease can sometimes take ten-plus years or more to develop after a worker finishes in the industry. If you are diagnosed early, that means you can access treatment as soon as possible – potentially slowing the progression of disease – and apply for workers’ compensation entitlements.”

“These tests can be life changing for workers, like Graham,” Mr Pengelly said.

Following his own experiences, Mr Bowcock strongly encourages others like him to get checked.

“It costs you nothing, so do it. There is treatment available and you can add years to your life.”

Mr Bowcock had his surgery just two days before his 71st birthday. He is about to turn 74, and while he still has pain and struggles to breathe with certain exercises, he’s grateful for the time he has left, and so is Mrs Bowcock.

“If I hadn’t been there, he wouldn’t have asked about the cough,” Mrs Bowcock said.

Her advice for other family members in a similar position is simple: “Just drag them to a doctor and get them tested.

“It’s better to find out it’s nothing than it’s too far down the track to do anything about it,” she said.

Booking in to get checked

Former mine workers can request a free lung health check at a local authorised doctor or onboard the mobile service by contacting the Mine Dust Health Support Service.

Any retired or former Queensland mine and quarry worker concerned about their lung health or experiencing symptoms is strongly encouraged to contact the Mine Dust Health Support Service to request an appointment.

Lung health checks are now compulsory in Queensland for all current workers employed at a mine or quarry, and workers are encouraged to speak with employers about when their next check is due.

“If you work in an area where there is silicosis or other mine dust lung diseases, I honestly believe you should get checked regularly because you need to get on top of it before it gets on top of you,” Mrs Bowcock said.

Workers experiencing symptoms or hoping to book an appointment can call the Mine Dust Health Support Service on 1300 445 715

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