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NEWS THIS MONTH
ADBLUE SUPPLY BOOSTED BY STRIKE ENERGY
Urea is an ingredient in AdBlue which reduces road haulage emissions.
Strike Energy and Leigh Creek Energy (LCK) have taken pivotal steps to solidify Australia’s domestic supply of urea, as the country deflects an AdBlue shortage.
Urea is a key ingredient in the diesel exhaust fluid, AdBlue, which is used by diesel-powered vehicles to reduce emissions and meet environmental regulations. The developments follow the creation of a government taskforce which has been managing the shorter than usual supply of urea from China.
Strike Energy’s Haber project in the Narngulu Industrial Area, near Geraldton, Western Australia, looms as a promising measure to secure Australia’s domestic supply of the resource.
The $3 billion urea manufacturing facility received Major Project Status from the Federal Government in early February which will streamline approvals, support and coordination of the project.
The facility is expected to produce 1.4 million tonnes of urea per year – powered by hydrogen and natural gas – creating about 1135 full-time jobs over its three-year construction and 300 full-time jobs once operational for a 30-year lifetime.
Federal Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the facility was important for people and the environment.
“The facility has the potential to deliver significant emissions reduction to Australia’s urea manufacturing sector through the use of advanced ammonia and gas processing technology, as well as dedicated clean hydrogen,” Taylor said.
“THE FACILITY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DELIVER SIGNIFICANT EMISSIONS REDUCTION TO AUSTRALIA’S UREA MANUFACTURING SECTOR THROUGH USE OF ADVANCED AMMONIA AND GAS PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY, AND CLEAN HYDROGEN.”
ANGUS TAYLOR FEDERAL MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND ENERGY
The Leigh Creek urea project (LCUP) has also presented as an important supply of Australian urea, particularly as multinational Incitec Pivot will be closing its Brisbane manufacturing hub in December. At the request of the Austalian Government, Incitec Pivot has increased its AdBlue production by about three million litres per week to satisfy the demand curbed by overseas markets.
Located 550 kilometres north of Adelaide, the LCUP will initially produce one million tonnes of urea per year, with the potential to double this in the future.
The December quarter of 2021 saw Leigh Creek Energy progress stage 2 of the front-end engineering and design (FEED), secure an offtake agreement for 500,000 tonnes per year for five years, and secure ministerial approval under the Aboriginal Heritage Act.
Leigh Creek managing director Phil Stavely said the project had ticked off a significant milestone in sustainable operations.
“At LCK, we are very proud of the forward steps we are taking in our development of ESG (environment, social and governance),” Stavely said.
“Critical is the fact that LCUP will be carbon-neutral from 2022, eight years earlier than previously planned.” •
CONSTRUCTION GROGGY IN THE NEW YEAR: PCI
The Australian Performance of Construction Index (PCI) fell by 11.1 points over the Christmas/New Year period, with COVID-19 isolations and supply chain disruptions wreaking havoc.
Presented by the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) and the Housing Industry Association (HIA), the seasonally adjusted Australian PCI fell to 45.9 during December and January – where results below 50 points indicate contraction of the industry.
“The Australian construction industry continued its volatile run of the past six months with a slump in performance over December and January,” Ai Group’s chief policy advisor Peter Burn said.
Overall activity fell 18.9 points to a score of 41.1, with apartments and commercial activity the biggest losers in the category, falling to 34.9 and 29.3 points respectively.
New orders fell 10.8 points to a score of 47.7, while employment was the only metric to remain above 50 points, scoring 56.5.
HIA economist Tom Devitt said the next 12 months in construction would look far different from 2021 but activity would be positive. “Home builders are still limited by the availability of land, labour and materials. The HomeBuilder pipeline has only recently started reaching completion, with many more completions to come,” Devitt said.
“Ongoing demand as part of the shift in homebuyer preferences towards more space and greater amenity will continue to keep builders busy into 2023.” •
HARD ROCK PROPOSAL MADE EASIER BY PROPER PLANNING
A development group in New South Wales is proposing to extract 500,000 tonnes of a rhyolite resource but has quelled community concerns thanks to robust management practices.
Ironstone Developments first proposed the Deep Creek Quarry, 50km north of Newcastle, in 2020.
The project could employ up to 10 full-time staff and generate more employment for the local construction and road freight community.
Although a local “action group” has expressed concern for the creation of noise, dust and water pollution, Ironstone’s Environmental Assessment (EA) has countered its public submissions.
“The sealed quarry access road was repositioned on multiple occasions to adopt a location that would minimise noise and dust impacts on adjoining properties,” a spokesperson told The Dungog Chronicle. “Noise and dust impact assessments for the quarry have shown that no privately owned dwelling will be impacted above the health and amenity criteria.”
The rhyolite resource is expected to satisfy Transport NSW’s demand for high friction road aggregates, according to the EA.
“This material improves grip and is often used in areas where the additional grip allows for increased road safety,” the EA stated. “The site is strategically located to be able to efficiently supply the resource for road infrastructure throughout NSW while utilising the established distribution network nearby.”
The EA acknowledged the responsible nature of the proposed site location.
“While alternate areas of resource are present within the wider land owned by the proponent, the adopted resource area [has] the highest resource value and can be extracted with the lowest possible environmental impacts,” the EA stated.•
OCEAN REEF MARINA MAKES BREAKWATER MILESTONE
“IN TOTAL, THE OCEAN REEF MARINA PROJECT WILL CREATE AROUND 8600 CONSTRUCTION AND 900 ONGOING JOBS IN WA AND WILL INJECT $3 BILLION INTO THE STATE’S ECONOMY”
JOHN CAREY WA LANDS MINISTER Western Australia’s $250 million Ocean Reef Marina project, north of Perth, has made significant progress, with the partially constructed northern and southern breakwaters crossing over.
Once complete, the $62 million breakwaters will be feature up to 650,000 tonnes of limestone, most of it sourced from DevelopmentWA’s Neerabup quarry – a 20km drive to the northeast of the state.
The southern breakwater was due to reach its intended length of 1.18km before the end of March 2022, while the northern breakwater was completed in October 2021.
“The Ocean Reef Marina is a really exciting project for Perth and Western Australia, and the crossing of the breakwaters represents a significant milestone which allows other works within the Marina to get underway,” the WA Government’s Lands Minister John Carey said. “In total, the Ocean Reef Marina project will create around 8600 construction and 900 ongoing jobs in WA and inject $3 billion into the state’s economy.”
Another 300,000 tonnes of granite is still required for the project, mostly to be sourced from WA Bluemetal Quarries, in Byford, south of Perth.
In April 2021, WA Limestone director Steve Della Bona said the company was proud to help in transforming the beachfront.
“WA Limestone is proud to be associated with this contract that will add such a huge infrastructure boost to the area and significantly better boating facilities to the local community,” he said.
Italia Stone Group has also contributed aggregates to the Ocean Reef Marina project. •
A WA Limestone excavator works on construction of the breakwaters for the Ocean Reef Marina project.
HANSON TRANSPARENT ON BASS POINT EARTH MOUNDS
As a courtesy to the local community, Hanson Australia has applied to construct further earthen amenity barriers at its Bass Point Quarry in New South Wales.
The quarry has moved hundreds of thousands of tonnes of earth along its borders since 1994, many from the nearby excavation of the Shell Cove Marina. The mounds were originally approved as they suited the natural landscape of Bass Point and provided makeshift sound barriers for quarry operations.
Now, Hanson has reached a point where further mounds would fall outside the approved conditions of the original environmental assessment.
“To avoid any doubt about the locations of amenity barriers and importation and use of [virgin excavated natural material/excavated natural material], it is proposed that the modification application clarify these processes and locations for the benefit of the local community,” stated the modification report compiled by RW Corkery & Co on behalf of Hanson.
This is the third modification to the project approval. Hanson Australia is confident it will be approved.
“The amenity barriers ... are not required to mitigate unacceptable views of the operation [but] would have the benefit of obscuring operations in some locations and allow for the creation of a landform ... consistent with the nearby Bass Point Reserve,” the report stated. •
HOLCIM LEADS THE RACE ON CIRCULAR CONSTRUCTION, INDUCTIVE CHARGING
Holcim is partnering with German start-up Magment to develop a concrete-based solution to inductive charging of electric vehicles on roads.
Holcim has partnered with Bloomberg Media to develop the Circular Cities Barometer, an initiative to advocate for circular construction in fast developing urban settings.
The partnership was announced in an interview between Holcim chief executive officer Jan Jenisch and Bloomberg Green general manager Lauren Kiel at the Bloomberg Year Ahead virtual summit.
Jenisch explained the need to transition the construction economy from a linear to a circular one.
The two parties will unveil the Barometer’s first results at Bloomberg’s Green Earth Summit in April.
Jenisch listed ways Holcim has positioned itself as a leader in recycled construction materials. He said the company in 2021 alone had recycled more than 50 million tonnes of materials and was also “reducing building materials by empowering smart design”. Holcim is developing an innovative lightweight flooring system with Swiss University ETH which aims to achieve 50 per cent fewer contained materials and an 80 per cent lower carbon footprint, compared to traditional structures.
Jenisch added Holcim is repairing and renovating buildings to make them last longer. “In Europe, 80 per cent of today’s buildings will still be in use by 2050, so we need to make them
“WE EXPECT ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION TO BE LIVING IN CITIES BY 2050, ADDING ANOTHER 2.5 BILLION PEOPLE”
JAN JENISCH HOLCIM CEO energy efficient,” Jenisch added.
The Circular Cities Barometer was inspired by the world’s exponential growth in urban areas, both in population and construction. Jenish said 70 per cent of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050, adding another 2.5 billion people.
Holcim has also partnered with German start-up Magment to develop a concrete-based solution to electric vehicle charging.
The magnetisable concrete technology allows electric vehicles to charge wirelessly while moving along the road surface through a process called inductive charging.
Holcim’s global innovation centre head Edelio Bermejo said collaboration like this would solve the problems of the future. “With Magment, we are excited to be developing concrete solutions to accelerate electric mobility. Partnering with start-ups all over the world we are constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation to lead the way in sustainability.”
The magnetisable concrete is being trialled by researchers at Purdue University in Indiana, USA.
Once the product’s feasibility is assured, real world trials will take place for North American highways and other applications such as industrial floors to charge robots and equipment such as forklifts. •
ADBRI BEATS THE CLOCK WITH ALCOA EXTENSION
Adbri has extended a contract with Alcoa of Australia for the supply of quicklime, with just weeks to spare before the expiration of the previous agreement.
Adbri subsidiary Cockburn Cement (CCL) will earn between $25 million and $35 million from the one-year deal beginning 31 January, 2022.
This minimum and maximum will be contingent on Alcoa’s requirements over the timeframe.
Adbri managing director and chief executive officer Nick Miller said he was grateful to Alcoa for renewing the deal.
“We thank Alcoa for continuing to work with CCL around the supply of quicklime to their operations in Western Australia,” Miller said.
The previous arrangement was due to expire at the end of January, potentially leaving Adbri without one of its most significant quicklime buyers.
The contract expiration had previously been extended from June 2021 to September 2021 before moving again to January 2022.
Previous agreements with Alcoa were for the supply of quicklime to its Wagerup operation but it wasn’t disclosed where the latest supply would be delivered.
In Adbri’s half yearly report to June 2021, the company cited several feasibility studies into potential developments for new lime kilns.
These new kilns could be in Kalgoorlie, Bunbury or Kwinana in Western Australia, Adbri stated. •
ROMAN GLADIATORS CALLED ABANDONED QUARRY HOME
Swiss archaeologists have found a 1600-year-old Roman amphitheatre that was built into an even older abandoned quarry, dating it as the youngest amphitheatre in the Roman Empire.
The dig was initiated while monitoring construction of a nearby boathouse along Europe’s Rhine River.
Aargau Cantonal Archaeology were already aware of an ancient quarry site in Kaiseraugst – named after the ancient Roman city of Augusta Raurica – but the amphitheatre was a complete surprise, according to a translated statement from the Swiss Department of Education, Culture and Sport.
The new discovery measures 50 metres long and 40 metres wide and included sandstone blocks used for an entrance. Other clues pointing to it being an amphitheatre include signs of wooden grandstands and stone blocks and mortar. A coin discovered on the dig dates the site back to between 337 and 341 ACE.
“All the evidence together — the oval, the entrances and the post-placement for a tribune [elected official] — speak for the interpretation as an amphitheatre,” the translated statement read.
The site was likely used to watch gladiators fight and politicians present, according to an article in Live Science.
The article continued to say this kind of amphitheatre – accommodating up to 20,000 people – would have paled in comparison to Rome’s Colosseum which seated about 50,000 people. •
The Roman amphitheatre, located near the banks of Kaiseraugst, Switzerland.
GRANITE SHORTAGE CAUSES US HEADSTONE HEADACHE
THE US MIDWEST REGION IS EXPERIENCING A SHORTAGE OF CEMETERY HEADSTONES - WITH LEAD TIMES JUMPING TO AS HIGH AS SIX MONTHS. The United States’ Midwest region has become another victim of supply chain delays, this time in granite, as states like Missouri suffer from a shortage of cemetery headstones.
One local supplier, Joplin Granite Co, told KSN local news its lead times for headstones had stretched out past six months.
“The quarries are having their problem with the worker shortage, we are having problems with getting it from the quarries for those same reasons, and because of the situation with COVID and the excessive deaths. It is a complete supply and demand issue,” said manager Eric Green.
The lead time for a standard headstone used to be about one month, according to Green, but is now calling for the community to understand this won’t be possible for some time.
“We just need our families in our community to know that, yes, we’re doing everything that we can, but it’s kind of out of our hands,” he said.
Each headstone costs between $USD500 to $USD1000 ($AUD700 to $AUD1400), but these issues with supply and demand could see costs increase significantly.
There is no evidence this shortage has extended to Australian shores. •
Granite statues in a cemetery in Barre, Vermont, USA.
‘KOOL’ AMPHIBIAN VOTED VICTORIA’S FOSSIL EMBLEM
Museums Victoria has announced the official state fossil emblem for Victoria following a public vote: a car-sized amphibian from the South Gippsland region resembling a newtcrocodile combination.
Koolasuchus cleelandi (Cool-aSOO-cuss clee-LAN-die) lived about 125 million years ago and measured up to four metres long.
Most noteworthy about the animal is it’s said to have survived for about 50 million years after its relatives went extinct.
The emblem was voted by the Victorian public after weeks of careful consideration, alongside seven other candidates all celebrating significant parts of Victoria’s unique palaeontological heritage.
In September, as the candidates were announced, acting director of the Geological Survey of Victoria Grant Clarke said he was pleased to see the growing interest in Victoria’s history.
“Helping select our state fossil emblem is a great way to celebrate and explore Victoria’s unique and amazing geological history,” Clarke said.
“Since its inception in 1852, the Geological Survey of Victoria has been documenting fossils and their occurrence in Victoria’s rock record.
Victoria now joins a majority of other Australian states and territories in celebrating its palaeontological heritage with an official fossil emblem. •
