Quarry Feb 2020

How the downstream benefits of a heavy-duty mining-spec rig will benefit quarrying

SMART RIG DOES ITS PART FOR SCIENCE A smart drill rig is assisting with the development of a new educational precinct

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INTELLIGENT RIG PUT TO WORK ON HARD ROCK

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OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF QUARRYING AUSTRALIA

FEBRUARY 2020

INNOVATION PROTECTS, STRENGTHENS WETLANDS A wetland filtration system leads to the Institute of Quarrying’s most prestigious award

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IN THIS ISSUE FEBRUARY 2020

VOLUME 28, ISSUE 02

FEATURES 31 FASTENER TECH PAVES WAY FOR WIDER APPLICATIONS An Australian-owned company has conducted successful trials with its patented nut system.

33 MANUFACTURER BOLSTERS ONLINE PARTS RANGE Komatsu Australia has now expanded the range of parts and components for order via its online customer portal.

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LIMESTONE RIG How the downstream benefits of a heavy-duty mining-spec rig will benefit quarrying operators.

26

TOEING THE LINE Why explosives quality can contribute to unsatisfactory blasting outcomes.

38 REFORMED SITE CONNECTS TOWN TO ITS COLONIAL ROOTS How a small Tasmanian community has paid tribute to the ‘unsung heroes’ of a colonial era sandstone quarry.

39 ‘MR NOW’ WITH A HEART OF GOLD Peter Byrne recalls the life and kindness of late IQA member Sir Theophilious George Constantinou.

42 COMMISSONER WELCOMES INDUSTRY RESPONSE TO RESET

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ROOM FOR SCIENCE How a smart drill rig is doing its part for academia in the west of Sweden.

FEBRUARY 2020

OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF QUARRYING AUSTRALIA

SMART RIG DOES ITS PART FOR SCIENCE A smart drill rig is assisting with the development of a new educational precinct

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QUARRY

How the downstream benefits of a heavy-duty mining-spec rig will benefit quarrying

WETLANDS FILTRATION An operator has received the Institute of Quarrying’s most prestigious award.

FEBRUARY 2020

www.quarrymagazine.com

INTELLIGENT RIG PUT TO WORK ON HARD ROCK

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Queensland’s Commissioner for Mine Health and Safety encourages quarrying to ride the momentum from the recent ‘safety reset’.

INNOVATION PROTECTS, STRENGTHENS WETLANDS A wetland filtration system leads to the Institute of Quarrying’s most prestigious award

Quarry February 2020 4

COVER ADVERTISER: The Epiroc SmartROC T45 has been developed and designed for high performance in aggregate and limestone applications.

For more on the SmartROC family of rigs, turn to page 25 or visit: epiroc.com/en-au

EVERY MONTH 06 FROM THE EDITOR

43 IQA NEWS

08 FROM THE PRESIDENT 10 NEWS THIS MONTH

News from Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia

16 PRODUCT FOCUS

45 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

40 IQA CALENDAR

46 GEOLOGY TALK

41 FROM THE IQA CEO

Magnesium cement could cut emissions

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EDITORIAL

A DECADE FOR THE INDUSTRY TO MAKE ITS OWN

W

elcome to 2020! While a new decade promises a fresh start and the opportunity to reset, there are plenty of ongoing challenges. For the quarrying and extractive industries, the biggest of these will be regulatory reforms that ensure they have the capacity to produce the construction materials demanded by our cities and regions.

State governments, including Victoria and New South Wales, have in recent years developed strategic plans that map out population growth and the quantities of materials required. They have also identified new sources for aggregates and encouraged the recycling of construction materials to alleviate the burdens on quarries and sustain future reserves. The Victorian Government’s work on reforms to the approvals process for brownfield expansions and greenfield applications has been encouraging for the local industry.

Nevertheless, it was bewildering in December when an application by Australia’s largest recycler Alex Fraser Group to extend the life of one of its operations in Melbourne’s southeast was roundly rejected by the City of Kingston (see page 14). This was seemingly in defiance of the Victorian Government’s own strategic plan and in spite of solid evidence of Alex Fraser’s positive work in the recycling sector, eg its Clarinda site transforms up to a million tonnes of glass and construction and demolition materials per annum into high quality construction materials – an amount that is virtually equal to a large-scale extractive operation. It illustrates the disconnects between state and local governments; the states may have to be more interventionist for their regulatory reforms to be successful.

While it is reasonable for the industry to seek reforms to accelerate the approvals process, in turn there are high expectations on quarries to improve. The New South Wales Resource Regulator’s recent respirable dust management review program (page 11), coupled with the Queensland Government’s own 6

Quarry February 2020

“safety reset” in the second half of 2019 (page 42), shows that governments may become more interventionist in health and safety matters. If operators are keen for less, not more, regulation, then they will have to be more proactive in their implementation of health and safety on-site. It is encouraging the IQA has announced related education and training initiatives to assist its members and the broader industry accordingly (pages 8, 41).

Finally, another ongoing challenge for the industry is to improve its public perception and protect the social licence to operate. The vociferous demonstrations at the International Mining and Resources Conference in Melbourne in the last quarter of 2019 underlined the low esteem in which mining and other extractive industries are viewed, particularly among young people. The industry needs to better communicate why quarries are vital, as well as educate students about the career paths they have to offer. How many young people would be aware of environmental and sustainability roles within quarrying? Indeed, that their best chance of making the world a better place could be within the industry itself?

Further, new quarry developments in the suburbs and regions need to better emphasise local benefits for communities and assure them they are not simply there to “feed” the insatiable infrastructure appetites of capital cities. How the industry presents and conducts itself will determine community sentiment and support.

It’s the start of a new decade – but the industry’s widespread challenges remain. Unity, goodwill and cooperation with regulators and local and state governments, and a closer relationship with communities, could make it a memorable era for the quarrying industry.

DAMIAN CHRISTIE Editor

Published by:

AN ONGOING CHALLENGE FOR THE INDUSTRY IS TO IMPROVE ITS PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND PROTECT THE SOCIAL LICENCE TO OPERATE.

11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne VIC 3205 T: 03 9690 8766 www.primecreativemedia.com.au Publisher Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au

Editor Damian Christie damian.christie@primecreative.com.au

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Business Development Manager Les Llyefalvy les.ilyefalvy@primecreative.com.au

Client Success Manager Ruby Viju ruby.viju@primecreative.com.au

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Art Director Blake Storey Design Jo De Bono Subscriptions T: 03 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au The Publisher reserves the right to alter or omit any article or advertisement submitted and requires indemnity from the advertisers and contributors against damages or liabilities that may arise from material published. © Copyright – No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the publisher.

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

IQA TO INTRODUCE RCS EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO THE INDUSTRY The Institute of Quarrying

A

lot has changed over the past 20 years and one thing is for sure: you can expect to see even more change as technology advances at a rapid pace. As 2020 gets underway, it is time to reflect and decide how our industry will tackle the next 20 years, especially as standards are lifting, along with community and customer expectations.

Take for example, respirable crystalline silica (RCS). The Australian Exposure Standard has recently been lowered from 0.1mg/m3 to 0.05mg/m3.

This means the industry will have to do a lot more to be in a position to meet this new standard.

The risks of RCS have been known for a very long time and as a minimum the last line of defence, ie the wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), has largely protected our people.

While PPE worn in hazardous areas will likely always be required, it is no longer acceptable to rely on that alone and we must do more to eliminate, substitute or engineer solutions to prevent dust from becoming airborne.

This requires new thinking and a reinvigorated commitment to search for the best possible solutions.

As standards increase so must we in terms of our education, knowledge and learning about respirable dust.

The challenge to develop new ways to improve must be based on sound education and this is where the IQA is focusing on educational development.

Some of the best examples in the workplace of effective and sustainable dust controls I have seen are the result of innovation from people on the front line who understand the problem of how and where airflow liberates finer particles and, after many engineering iterations, have found the right level of control.

Their learning has taken considerable

8 Quarry February 2020

Australia

time to find the right answers through continuous improvement.

The IQA will provide education programs on RSC designed to fast-track knowledge and learning of this risk and the latest modern controls, and will soon be delivering these programs throughout Australia to ensure the industry can keep improving and responding to the new standards.

It is very important that the industry unites and supports these new programs and that we work together to share learning and minimise dust emissions for our people, the community and the environment.

In 2020 and for the next 20 years, the question will be posed: How committed are we to learn from the past and commit to the future with education and learning to meet these challenges and the many more that will come before us?

On behalf of the board, it’s with great pleasure we announce the appointment of the first ever IQA Official Historian. Danny Duke is well known throughout the IQA, having served in a number of capacities, from President to recently being the Honorary Secretary of the Australian Institute of Quarry Education Foundation.

Danny will be in touch with branches and sub-branches periodically to obtain information on past members who have contributed significantly to their operations. If you have any information or material to recognise those industry representatives who have made a major contribution to the industry, feel free to liaise directly with Danny via email: admin@quarry.com.au SHANE BRADDY President Institute of Quarrying Australia

Educating and connecting our extractive industry

quarry.com.au THE CHALLENGE TO DEVELOP NEW WAYS TO IMPROVE MUST BE BASED ON SOUND EDUCATION AND THIS IS WHERE THE IQA IS FOCUSING ON EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

The Institute of Quarrying Australia’s goals are: 1. To provide world class professional development for the extractive industries.

2. To establish an Australasian Academy of Quarrying.

3. To align service offerings with industry needs.

IQA CONTACTS: Chief Executive Officer Kylie Fahey PO Box 1779 Milton BC QLD 4064 Phone: 0477 444 328 ceo@quarry.com.au Company Secretary Rod Lester Phone: 0408 121 788 rgl@rlester.com.au Finance Officer Gemma Thursfield Phone: 0402 431 090 gemma@quarry.com.au General, membership and financial inquiries should be directed to admin@quarry.com.au or phone 02 9484 0577.

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NEWS

QUEENSLAND PRODUCER LOCKS IN ADANI CONTRACT ‘WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE WAGNERS WORK WITH US TO DELIVER OUR PROJECT TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD’ DAVID BOSHOFF, ADANI CARMICHAEL PROJECT

Wagners has secured a contract to operate the South Back Creek Quarry for Adani’s Carmichael coal mine.

Construction materials producer Wagners has secured a $35 million contract to build and operate a quarry for Adani’s Carmichael project for the next five years.

The ASX-listed Toowoomba company will manage the South Back Creek Quarry for the Indian energy giant as Adani forges ahead with its $2 billion thermal coal mine and rail project in the Galilee Basin, 160km north-west of Clermont, Central Queensland.

Wagners will deliver quarry materials for supporting infrastructure on the mine and rail network, such as roads, camps, pads, dams and mine civil works.

According to the Australian Financial Review, Wagners plans to hire about 40 people. It would immediately

commence works for the $17.5 million first stage, which will involve the extraction and supply of 735,000 tonnes of materials over 15 months.

A second stage of works, also worth $17.5 million, will commence in late 2020 or early 2021 after Wagners secures a “notice to proceed” from Adani in late 2020 or early 2021. The lifetime of the project is expected to be about five years.

Carmichael project director David Boshoff said Wagners is renowned for its expertise in developing and operating hard rock quarries. The company itself commenced quarry operations 25 years ago to support its own pre-mixed concrete business.

Today, it has diversified into cement, fly ash and lime production, contract

crushing and bulk transport. It has also developed an earth-friendly concrete product that employs fly ash and slag as substitutes for Portland cement.

Boshoff said it was reassuring to have Wagners onboard, as “it is proof in point of the exceptional standard of expertise that our Queensland resources industry has to offer”.

“We are proud to have companies like Wagners working with us to ensure our project is also delivered to this high standard,” he added.

According to a 2013 Environmental Impact Statement, the South Back Creek Quarry will use a single quarry face that progressively extracts in a southerly direction. It is one of several operations that will supply the overall project.

Material will be removed from the quarry face with an excavator loading into a jaw, followed by a suitable secondary and tertiary screening and crushing process.

Stockpiling of the material will generally occur in a dedicated stockpiling and processing area to the east of Elgin Road. The quarry is expected to supply the project on a short-term basis and is in close proximity of rail corridor (19km) to minimise haulage requirements.

“We have more than $500 million in contracts now awarded for the Carmichael Project and we are reaching out to all corners of the state to help us deliver them,” Boshoff said. •

SITE ACQUIRED IN MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR DEAL An Australian property company has outbid six other developers with a $31 million offer to transform a former quarry into a major neighbourhood development.

Frasers Property Australia has settled the acquisition of a 48.7ha Brisbane infill site that comprises the former Keperra Quarry, 9km northwest of the CBD. The land has approval for the development of a masterplanned residential community with up to 700 homes and about 60 per cent open green space, as well as a 7000m2 neighbourhood retail and childcare centre.

The former quarry was operated by

10 Quarry February 2020

Lantrak, which extracted granite from the site.

Brookfield Residential Properties secured approval for the residential development for material change of use in 2017.

Colliers International listed the site last year and fielded more than 140 inquiries.

“The scarcity of available zoned sites of this scale within a 10km radius of the CBD led to strong interest and seven offers from major national and international developers,” said Colliers’ Brisbane development sites director Brendan Hogan.

Frasers Property Australia’s Queensland residential general manager Scott Ullman

Frasers Property Australia has purchased land comprising the former Keperra Quarry near Brisbane.

said the site is one of the most elevated areas of land in Brisbane, ranging from 80 to 190 metres above sea level. •

NSW REGULATOR VOWS TO PRIORITISE DUST CONTROL

Hanson Australia has expressed confidence its proposed Sancrox Quarry expansion can be implemented with minimal environmental impact and promote greater market competition.

Respirable dust management will form part of every health and safety inspection at New South Wales quarries for the foreseeable future, as inspectors caution operators against an over-reliance on personal protective equipment (PPE).

The NSW Resources Regulator’s chief inspector of mines Garvin Burns says the decision to intensify the focus on dust control measures comes in response to a three-week intervention program across the state late last year.

Inspectors made unannounced visits to 24 quarries and issued noncompliance notices at every site. In total, seven prohibition notices were issued, resulting in parts of plant being shut down or prohibiting access to areas when plant was running.

More than 60 improvement notices and 10 notices of concern were issued.

Not all compliance notices related to dust management.

Burns said the intervention program commenced after a review of dust monitoring results in May indicated some quarry workers were being exposed to dust above legal limits.

Burns added it was not all bad news.

He said inspectors witnessed some “good [safety] controls in place in terms of things like sprays and screens and hoods, and workers understood the importance of these” and some quarries also reacted very quickly to the notices that were issued to them.

“But we also had operations where there were slack piles of dust under rollers and conveyors, float dust that was piled up a foot deep, and that dust is constantly getting disturbed when workers walk through those areas.”

Burns said inspectors were disappointed to discover some operators believed employees wearing PPE could work in heightened dust conditions.

“There’s a multi-tier approach to managing dust,” Burns said. “First, you manage or eliminate it at its source if you can. If you can’t, you suppress it.

And if you can’t eliminate or suppress it, you keep people out of it.”

Burns said Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) had developed “extremely good” guidelines

OPERATOR MAKES CASE FOR SITE EXPANSION

Mines inspectors made unannounced visits to 24 quarries in October and issued non-compliance notices at every site.

specifically for the management of crystalline silica dust.

The construction materials producer released its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) report in December 2019. It assesses the impact of an enlarged quarry footprint (from the existing 17ha to 48ha) that would extract more than 500,000 tonnes of material per year from more than five million tonnes of reserves.

“If quarry operators were to pick up and read that guideline properly and implement some of its recommendations, they would be in a much better place.”

The operation, located 8km west of Port Macquarie, New South Wales, would also involve construction of a new concrete batching plant, asphalt production plant and concrete recycling facility.

The IQA is releasing a number of educational resources for hazard and risk identification, effective risk management, and worker health education this year.

The company also wants to perform 24/7 operations, including production and maintenance and around-the-clock truck movements and equipment loading.

IQA President Shane Braddy said the organisation was working closely with industry to ensure quarries and workers have access to resources that will support them to meet their obligations and minimise risk.

“There were no significant environmental impacts identified [in] the EIS that cannot be mitigated by appropriate ... measures and management strategies,” the EIS concluded.

“Quarries need to understand the hierarchy of controls and ensure workers are protected,” he said. “The IQA is building on available industry guidelines and will be conducting very specific training in 2020.”

According to Hanson, an expanded Sancrox Quarry would employ 25 people. An approved 24-hour site operation would aid projects requiring materials outside standard construction hours.

The CCAA’s CEO Ken Slattery said the organisation has always engaged closely with regulators in NSW and around the country on issues that impact the industry, including dust management. “CCAA will be releasing enhanced guidance reflecting new workplace requirements [soon].”

“Should 24 hours/seven days a week operation not be sought, Hanson [could not] bid on such projects, thus limiting competition in the market,” the EIS said.

“Reduced competition could potentially have negative flow-on consequences.” •

Burns said the Resources Regulator would continue to educate managers and quarry workers to better understand their obligations and the risks.

“Our process for the next 12 to 18 months will be that no matter what principal hazard we go to assess at quarries, as part of that inspection we will look at how they are managing respirable dust,” he said. •

Hanson is proposing to expand its Sancrox Quarry site in NSW from 17ha to 48ha.

Quarry February 2020 11

NEWS

QUARRY HELPS PROTECT TOWN FROM BUSHFIRES A Boral quarry and its employees have been influential in the battle against destructive bushfires across the mid-north coast region of New South Wales.

Holding dams at the company’s John Rivers Quarry, 45km south of Port Macquarie, provided a crucial water source to protect its nearby community during the disaster that destroyed hundreds of homes in the state in November.

Due to extreme conditions limiting the Stuarts River water source, the quarry’s 10,000-litre water cart transported water from its settlement ponds to frontline fire trucks. It also opened its gates to the fire service to allow it to fill its own vehicles.

“Over a four-day period, in excess of 150,000 litres of water was supplied to the Rural Fire Service,” John Rivers Quarry manager Mathew Miller said.

The site itself is registered with the NSW Static Water Supply program, which identifies properties with sources of water supply such as dams, creeks or swimming pools that can be used for firefighting.

Johns River Rural Fire Service deputy captain Chris Bawn said the area had an “intense drought” classification.

“There’s no town water where we are. It’s all either tanks or dams and there’s not much in either of those – or the rivers. So Boral, being fairly local to the area, was able to replenish supplies, which was extremely helpful.” •

Boral’s water cart delivers water to fire trucks responding to a fire near Johns River township.

12 Quarry February 2020

PRODUCER PUTS THREE QUARRIES ON THE MARKET ‘THE THREE QUARRIES WORK WELL TOGETHER AND COVER A WIDE AREA IN MACKAY’ GROMAC QUARRIES SPOKESPERSON

A Queensland construction materials producer is selling three operations within its seven-quarry network.

Gromac Quarries has put its central Queensland operations – the Sarina, Hatfield and Blue Mountain quarries – and their fixed assets on the market. It is offering a range of package deal options comprising freehold and licensing arrangements, with or without machinery assets.

According to the company, the quarries are positioned to competitively tender for future projects planned throughout the Mackay region, including the $150 million Walkerston Bypass.

Sarina and Hatfield are well placed to supply the $10 billion to $12 billion Dudgeon Point Coal Loading Facility and future upgrades to the Goonyella and east coast rail network. The quarries are also appropriately located for the upcoming Clarke Creek Energy Project.

At present, the quarries provide product for the ongoing maintenance of the Goonyella line for rail freight operator Aurizon and Queensland Rail, and various road projects and upgrades for local councils and the Department of Transport and Main Roads, including the Eaton range project.

“The three quarries work well together and cover a wide area around the Mackay district,” a Gromac Quarries spokesperson said.

“They have large quantities of good quality reserves and have good relationships with local councils, Department of Main Roads, local contractors and the rail systems that they supply material to. The quarries have a long history of supplying quality materials to high profile projects in the area.”

Gromac acquired Sarina, which is owned under freehold title, in May 2011. Located on the Bruce Highway, about 5km south of Sarina, this early stage development has approval to extract between 5000 and 100,000 tonnes of rock and aggregate per annum, with conditions.

The Blue Mountain Quarry is well placed to expand into the aggregate market.

The Blue Mountain Quarry, accessed via the Peak Downs Highway, is also freehold and is permitted to extract between 100,000 and one million tonnes annually, with conditions.

Gromac’s Hatfield Quarry is located in Bolingbroke Road, Koumala, about 35km from Sarina.

It operates under a licensing agreement to extract between 100,000 and one million tonnes per year, with conditions.

Its key products to date include road base, cement-treated road base, armoured rock, flood rock and mattress rock, and ballast, among others. According to the company, the quarry’s full potential is yet to be realised and could be expanded into the aggregate market.

Gromac’s preferred approach is to sell all three quarries as a package deal with or without machinery assets. They have put forward three sale options for interested parties but the company is prepared to consider alternate sale structures, including offers for part of the business.

The sale of the quarries will include various fixed assets that include weighbridges, associated buildings, bore pumps and water lines, access grids and a jaw crusher at Hatfield.

The machinery assets range from new low-houred to well-maintained 10,000 to 15,000 hour machinery and plant.

Offers for the site close on 20 February, 2020. For more details, contact Ray Gross, email ray@gromac.com.au •

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PAGE 13

NEWS

PM’S DEREGULATION PLAN TO SPEED UP APPROVALS The Morrison Government has unveiled a new deregulation agenda that could significantly reduce wait times for environmental approvals for quarries and other major projects.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said better use of technology could transform the approvals process and accelerate economic activity.

To speed up assessments, the Federal Government would develop a nationally consistent, digital environmental approvals regime and a biodiversity database to store and share information. It would also modernise Australia’s business registers to make business/ government interaction easier and faster.

“It takes ... 3.5 years for a complex major project to navigate the state and Commonwealth environmental assessment process,” Morrison told the Australian Financial Review. “It’s estimated this timeframe could be reduced by between six and 18 months through better use of technology.”

Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia CEO Ken Slattery said the organisation supported the Federal Government’s deregulation agenda as important steps in speeding up the supply of vital infrastructure.

He said while federal deregulation of infrastructure may not be directly applicable to quarries, which typically take around eight years for approval, he expected an acceleration of infrastructure projects to have a pullthrough effect on the industry.

“Anything that smooths the pathway for developments is going to be important to the industry,” he said. •

RECYCLER URGES GOVERNMENT INTERVENES AFTER REJECTION MURPHY WARNED CLARINDA’S CLOSURE WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO THE LOSS OF A ‘MAJOR METRO QUARRY’

Alex Fraser Group has called on the Victorian Government to intervene after the City of Kingston denied its application to extend the life of the Clarinda Recycling Facility, in Melbourne’s south-east.

In November, the Kingston City Council voted down Alex Fraser Group’s application to extend the operating permit for its glass and construction and demolition (C&D) recycling site in Clarinda, near Clayton. The permit ends in 2023. The company had applied to the council for permission to stay until 2038.

The 22ha facility recycles and transforms up to one million tonnes of glass and C&D materials each year into VicRoads-approved, high quality, sustainable construction materials.

It is a key component of Alex Fraser Group’s site network in Melbourne and is set to increase its recycling by 200 million bottles per year, including glass from the City of Kingston’s own kerbside collections.

Alex Fraser Group’s managing director Peter Murphy warned closure of the Clarinda site would be “equivalent to the loss of a major quarry in terms of resource availability” and could mean Victoria would have to establish “a new major metro quarry to offset the shortfall of one million tonnes of materials”.

Murphy said it was appalling that the City of Kingston voted against the application without due consideration of Victoria’s broader environment, resource recovery or waste policies.

“If the Victorian Government allows the Clarinda Recycling Facility to be shut down by Kingston City Council, it will be disastrous for the state’s recycling capacity, and for Victoria’s infrastructure program,” Murphy said.

He warned there would be further disruptions to kerbside recycling, with recyclable glass at risk of being stockpiled or sent directly to landfill.

PM Scott Morrison has announced measures to transform environmental approvals.

14 Quarry February 2020

“This decision by Kingston City Council will also cut off the supply of construction materials urgently needed for Victoria’s ‘Big Build’ – driving up costs, increasing trucks on south-eastern roads and blowing out construction timelines of major projects.”

An Alex Fraser Group truck leaves the company’s Clarinda site, in Melbourne’s south-east, which may have to close in 2023.

Alex Fraser Group now has the option of appealing the council’s decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal or to refer it to the planning minister.

A spokesperson for the Victorian Government told Waste Management Review the government recognises the important contribution Alex Fraser makes to the recycling sector but also the concerns of local residents.

“The planning minister will consider any formal request for assistance on its merits if and when it’s received,” the spokesperson said.

Brian Hauser, the Victorian and Tasmanian state director of Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA), told Quarry that while the CCAA continues to work closely with the Victorian Government to ensure the delivery of key construction materials to support affordable infrastructure for Victoria’s “Big Build”, it was regrettable the state’s complex and slow approvals process for the release of extractive materials was also impacting on “secondary and recycled materials”.

“The government holds the levers around managing appropriate planning decisions, fit for purpose specifications and sustainable procurement.

“Victoria needs stronger state government leadership to secure these vital resources for state-shaping infrastructure to benefit all. Parochial and NIMBY local council decisions are not in the spirit of wider community benefits.” •

WATER PARK, ESTATE PROPOSED FOR FORMER SAND QUARRY

ARCHITECT QUARRIES RUBBLE ON-SITE FOR RESTORATION A French architect has developed a new “on-site quarrying” concept that recycles rubble from a demolished structure for a new building on the same lot.

Anna Saint Pierre’s in-situ recycling technique – aka Granito – has been adopted by SCAU, the architecture firm for whom she works. Saint Pierre is proposing to reprocess 182 tonnes of unwanted granite façade from the current structure into terrazzo granite tiles for the upgraded Le Parissy office block SCAU originally constructed in Paris in 1997.

Perry Group’s proposed Te Awa Lakes development in Hamilton, New Zealand.

A disused quarry could be transformed into a water-based adventure park and medium density housing if its proponents convince local authorities to rezone the land.

New Zealand’s Perry Group is seeking a planning rule change from the Hamilton City Council to convert its 62ha riverside site into the proposed Te Awa Lakes development.

The area, which would act as a northern gateway to Hamilton city, on NZ’s North Island, is currently classified as industrial land. However, the developers have embarked on a week-long commissioner’s hearing process to secure a residential classification and pave the way for the five-year, billion dollar project.

Perry Group’s vision is to turn the former Perry sand quarry into a residential development with 860 new medium-density homes, including single family homes, terraced accommodation and apartments.

It would also feature lakes and a water-based adventure park with cable tow water skiing. The development would be linked to bike trails, river activities, cafes and restaurants, convenience shopping and modern workspaces.

The developers hope to get the

project underway in 2020 with infrastructure, piping water and wastewater already in place to support the full development.

“Te Awa Lakes will be a master planned community designed to complement the existing growth strategy for the city,” Perry Group chairman Simon Perry said on the Te Awa Lakes website.

“Planning it as a single entity like this means we can ensure that every aspect of the design and construction is top notch. It also means we can be efficient with our layouts and amenity spaces, creating high quality homes on smaller lot sizes but with fantastic outlooks.

“This helps keep land and building costs down, meaning our offerings will be affordable for a wider range of families and individuals.”

According to stuff.co.nz, a key question is whether the former quarry could be used for industrial purposes, something that had been challenged by New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra.

The façade’s stones, fashionable in the 1980s and 1990s, came from quarries in Brittany, but needed to be removed and replaced by metal panels to adapt the building to thermal insulation standards.

Saint Pierre was awarded the Best Conscious Design prize for Granito in 2019 by WantedDesign, a New Yorkbased platform for the design and international creative community.

She told WantedDesign unwanted buildings could be considered future “quarries” – a starting point rather than an end point in the life cycle of building materials.

“Mass-produced rubble is today the subject of increasing regulations and, in the perspective of circular transition, reuse and recycling can become a source of creation for the building trade,” Saint Pierre said. •

In total, 42 of the 61 submissions have supported re-zoning of the quarry site.

The hearing will also hear evidence from groups including mana whenua and the Waikato Regional Council. •

Different grades of recycled crushed materials collected by Anna Saint Pierre.

Quarry February 2020 15

PRODUCT FOCUS GYRATORY JAW CRUSHER thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions Australia has recently been awarded a contract to supply a new primary gyratory jaw crusher for Roy Hill’s iron ore mine near Port Hedland, Western Australia. It is the first above ground gyratory jaw crusher to be installed in Australia, and is based on thyssenkrupp’s BK 63-75 design. The crusher is characterised by an especially enlarged, serrated feed opening. Jaw gyratory crushers can handle much larger chunks of material than comparable gyratory crushers of the same mantle diameter and feature a higher crushing ratio, with less tendency of clogging and bridging.

More information: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions Australia, thyssenkrupp-australia.com/en/

To submit new product and equipment releases, email: damian.christie@primecreative.com.au

EXPERIENCED SERVICE PROVIDER Drilltek, established in 2009 and operating out of Caboolture, north of Brisbane, specialises in drilling and blasting solutions to the mining, quarrying and civil sector.

This Australian-owned company has a combined 80 years’ experience in the drill and blast industry with directors Wesley and Trevor Rose and blasting technician Les Pilkington. The company’s services include blast design and mark-out, blast monitoring, laser profiling and bore tracking, construction and trenching blasting, proximity blasting (inner city blasting), down the hole loading, tie and fire, and blasting advice and consulting. Drilltek’s equipment fleet includes Epiroc (pictured) and Furukawa drill rigs, capable of drilling 38-150mm holes and a drilling depth of 0-28m, with an automatic rod changer.

More information: Drilltek, drilltek.com.au

VERSATILE, PORTABLE TROMMEL The M412 tracked trommel is suitable for screening light material through to recycling demolition waste, in particular, cleaning dirty material up to 500mm in height. The trommel is equipped with fold-out stockpiling conveyors and is ideal for moving around the quarry and from one site to the next. The 21-tonne unit has an output of up to 300 tonnes per hour, with a hydraulic push feeder and a 25-200mm screen opening, which can accommodate oversize rocks of up to 600mm. The M412’s drum diameter and length respectively is 1.25m and 4m. It is powered by a 50kW Caterpillar C2.2 diesel engine.

More information: OPS Screening & Crushing Equipment: opsaust.com.au Screenmasters Australia: screenmasters.com.au Tricon Equipment: triconequipment.com.au

DEBLINDING RODS Kinder’s K-Deblinding Rods ensure that bulk materials continue to flow during the screening process. They feature elastic polyurethane rods that are fixed to the screen, which takes advantage of the machine’s vibration to move and bounce on the surface of the mesh to prevent particles wedging and blinding the screen. To avoid tangling of separated K-Deblinding Rods, they are joined using separators according to the number of mobile rods.

K-Deblinding Rods streamline screen cleaning, which is a vital production process in achieving optimal productivity and long-term viability.

More information: Kinder Australia, kinder.com.au

16

Quarry February 2020

QUARRIES FOR SALE GROMAC CENTRAL DIVISION

• SARINA • HATFIELD • BLUE MOUNTAIN, QLD OFFERS INVITED FOR THE SALE OF QUARRY SITES AT SARINA, HATFIELD AND BLUE MOUNTAIN, CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

SARINA

HATFIELD

BLUE MOUNTAIN

n

Located on the Bruce Highway, approximately 5kms south of Sarina, Queensland.

n

Located on Bolingbroke Road, Koumala, approximately 35km from Sarina, Queensland.

n

Located approximately 40kms south west of Mackay, QLD and is accessed via the Peak Downs Highway.

n

Owned under freehold title

n

Operated under a licence agreement

n

Owned free hold

n

Development approval 5000t – 100,000t

n

n

n

Weighbridge including computer and software

Development approval for 100,000t – 1,000,000t

Development approval for 100,000t – 1,000,000t

n

Licence renegotiation March 2022

n

Access via a road easement

n

Office building with fixed desks and cupboards

n

Weighbridge including computer and software

n

n

Workshop building

n

n

Two water tanks adjacent to office with pressure pump

Office building with fixed desks and cupboards

Sale of a parcel of freehold land encompassing the quarry or licence agreement

n

n

Workers camp consisting of four demountable buildings, cement tank, pressure pump, roof structure

Weighbridge including computer and software

n

Demountable office building

n

Shipping container adjoined to office building used as store room

n n

Bore pump and water lines Pugmill with Genset

n

Bore pump and water lines

n

Two access grids

n

Underground fuel tank

n

Jaques Jaw crusher

n

Shipping container containing fuel pump

n

Pugmill with Genset

High quality mineral resources across all quarry sites, capable of meeting market demand across all quarry products. n n n n n n n

Ballast Precoated Aggregate Road Base Armour Rock Flood Rock Crusher Dust Cement treated base “Pugged”

n

Concrete Aggregate

n

Aggregate

n

Gabion Rock

n

Drainage Rock

n

Mattress Rock

n

Shot Rock/Blast Rock

Note: All sites are capable of producing the full range of quarry products

All quarries benefit from close proximity to the Hay Point Port, one of the largest coal ports globally, the Goonyella rail system and the growing central Queensland city of Mackay. There are no operational constraints at the sites, with the exception of development and environmental restrictions.

OFFERS CLOSE 20 FEBRUARY 2020 FREEHOLD OR LEASE WITH OR WITHOUT MACHINERY

Contact Ray Gross for further details Mobile 0407 595 253 | Email: ray@gromac.com.au

DRILL & BLAST

INTELLIGENT RIG

BEGINS WORK AT LIMESTONE MINE A new, heavy-duty mining-spec drill rig has been put to work in hard rock conditions, utilising the quarrying expertise of a drill and blast service provider.

As Damian Christie reports, it is the downstream benefits of the rig that will most benefit extractive operators.

18

Quarry February 2020

F

ullbore Mining has been operating predominantly in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia for more than eight years. The company comprises 35 staff, many with more than 15 years of blasting experience in the quarrying, construction and mining sectors.

About 75 per cent of the company’s work is with quarries, which includes contracts with the larger extractive businesses in Boral, Holcim and Hanson, and smaller independents and small to medium enterprises.

Fullbore Mining offers contract drilling, rock on ground services, blast design and surveying, laser profiling and bore tracking, shotfiring, and explosives transport and storage. Its project work has included crushing contractors, road cuttings, windfarms, shafts and trench work.

“We provide comprehensive drill and blast services,” Reza Ghaemi, the business

development manager at Fullbore Mining, told Quarry. “We survey and design the blast, using the latest technology in the market.

We drill, using GPS drilling system and boretrack blastholes . We obtain supplies from an approved explosive supplier to provide shotfiring services.”

“Our background – and our bread and butter – is in quarry work,” added Luke Martyn, the managing director of Fullbore Mining. “That’s where we’ve developed our skills and we’re really proud of that. The quarrying industry is full of a lot of interesting, knowledgeable individuals and it’s been built up over a long period of time. We have to be very particular about how we do things in quarries and we have to be very accurate about what we do.

Our focus in the next few years is to develop the company and get into the mining space.”

Fullbore’s inventory includes a modern fleet of 23 top hammer and down the hole

The Leopard DI650i is suitable for drilling applications in surface mining and large-scale quarrying operations.

“The F-Class Portable Plant exceeds expectations and has boosted production by 25%.”

Merv Pidherney, Pidherney’s owner

HAVER & BOECKER

NIAGARA

Since opening in 1964, Merv Pidherney has invested in top quality equipment for his operation. That’s why he chose the F-Class Portable Plant. The vibrating screen’s innovative double eccentric shaft maintains consistent performance under surge loads while reducing blinding and pegging. The plant can be set up in under 30 minutes, and lowered in less than 5 minutes for easy screen media change-outs.

1-800-325-5993 | www.havercanada.com

The new F-Class Portable Plant helps you achieve unimaginable profitability with portability.

Luke Martyn, with father Wayne Martyn.

Visit us at booth S5936 to learn how.

DRILL & BLAST

(DTH) intelligent drill rigs, equipped with a GPS guidance drilling system which ensures more accurate drilling, eliminates the need for surveyors to mark out blast holes on the bench, and increases safety for the drill and blast crew. The rigs are fitted with the most advanced drilling control systems available in the market to “unite man and machine” and reach maximised productivity while potentially reducing fuel consumption on regular drill rigs, generating savings for clients’ operations.

The bulk of Fullbore’s drill rig fleet consists of Sandvik Pantera DP1100is and DP1500is, as well as a few DR500 machines. The company has in recent months acquired the Sandvik Leopard DI650i mining spec rig for work on a five-year project at a large limestone mine (whose name was not disclosed for this story). The mine, which is an ongoing 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation, has an annual output of seven million tonnes, and the DI650i will be working non-stop over that five-year period. Fullbore will supplement the Leopard with other drilling equipment regularly in peak production periods.

HEAVY-DUTY CRAWLER The Leopard DI650i is a diesel-powered DTH crawler rig which has been designed for high capacity production drilling applications in surface mining and large-scale quarrying operations. The 25-tonne rig is equipped with

Sandvik’s Australian surface drilling and exploration business line manager Scott Wright (centre, right) formally presents Luke Martyn (centre, left), the managing director of Fullbore Mining, with the keys to the new rig.

the HTRH6 rotary head, with a hole diameter of 115mm to 180mm and maximum rotation torque of 4300 Nm, as well as 89mm, 102mm, 114mm, 127mm and 140mm diameter drill pipes and optimal size DTH hammers (101mm, 127mm and 152mm). The HTRH6 is

divided into four modules: the drive module, which generates high torque; the bearing module, for carrying high loads; the separate air inlet, for sealing maintenance; and the separated floating spindle, for serviceability.

The output of the Caterpillar C15 Tier 3

LEOPARD DI650I : OPTIONAL EXTRAS The Leopard DI650i is replete with options – from reverse cameras to compressor flow control systems to central lubrication systems to wireless and GPS control systems. The TIM 3D drill navigation system offers accuracy within 10cm based on Global Navigation Satellite System positioning signals and a correction signal – and through a twoway wireless connection can guide operators through all stages of the precision drilling process, from tramming, hole positioning and feed alignment to the drilling and reporting. This includes transferring drill plans and surface models and hole quality reports between the rig and the control room.

The DI650i also utilises the TIMi angle measurement system for vertical holes and depth measurement, with additional options for inclined holes, GPS-aligned

20

Quarry February 2020

holes, and feed auto-alignment.

This aligns with Fullbore Mining’s own goal to provide its customers with low cost operations that increase productivity, improve fragmentation, streamline time management and minimise fuel burn.

The rig also has an optional rotational head: the MRH6 (top left), which is optimised for hole diameters of 127203mm and DTH top hammers of 152-165mm. The MRH6, which has a maximum rotation torque of 5800 Nm, is designed for heavy-duty applications and its gearbox can carry heavy loads. A patented bearing prevention mechanism eases bearing service and enhances durability. A separate floating spindle provides serviceability and the carriage can be separated for rapid replacement and maintenance.

The MRH6 rotary head option.

The standard HTRH6 rotary head.

engine is 403kW (or 1800 revolutions per minute), with an air delivery of 28.3m3 working pressure up to 30 bar (435 psi). The Leopard’s production capability is 2.1 million tonnes per annum. It has a fixed boom reach of 4188mm and collaring height of 714mm, with feed swing drilling angles of 30o and feed tilt drilling angles of 58o. According to Sandvik, the Leopard DI650i consumes up to 15 per cent less fuel per hour compared to conventional DTH drill rigs.

The DI650i’s other standard components include diesel-driven, hydraulic pumps and on-board compressor, a track-mounted carrier, electric load-sensing hydraulic and programmable logic controlled electrohydraulics systems, and an X-200 dust collector. The FOPS/ROPS-certified, ergonomic iCab offers a significantly low noise level of 78 decibels (dB). It features a touchscreen interface for the operator to set parameters and turn to trouble-shooting functions and the Sandvik iTorque drilling control system, which can be programmed

with diverse drilling “recipes” for different rock conditions. In turn, the DI650i fits Fullbore’s philosophy of maximising productivity by investing in a feed alignment system that is designed to minimise hole set-up time and assist drilling in the desired direction and depth.

“We chose this rig because of the hole size and the ground conditions,” Martyn said.

“The machine has a high air capacity and it’s capable of drilling up to a 203mm hole. The Pantera DP1500i is capable of drilling up to 152mm but is obviously nearly a third of the air capacity of the Leopard. We need that air to be able to drill the geology at this mine site, to be able to push the cuttings out of the hole.”

Michael Forrest, the sales support manager for Sandvik, who worked with Fullbore Mining in the selection of the drill rig, said that the Leopard DI650i has been designed for mining applications but “also has the flexibility to be used in large scale quarry operations. As a DTH drill, it is generally more suited to the harder rock formations but flexible enough to

ESSENTIAL SPECS:

THE LEOPARD DI650I T3 SURFACE DRILL Hole diameter

115-203mm (4.5”-8”)

Drill pipes

89mm, 102mm, 127mm and 140mm (3.5”, 4”, 4.5”, 5”, and 5.5”)

DTH hammer

101mm, 127mm and 152mm (4”, 5”, 6”)

Engine output

403kW/1800 rpm (Tier 3)

Air delivery

28.3m3 per minute working pressure up to 30 bar (435 psi)

Production capacity

2.1 mt/a, one shift operation

Total weight

25 tonnes (dry weight)

DRILL & BLAST CONTACTOR QUARRY | MINING | CIVIL SILENCED DRILL RIG NOW AVAILABLE Production Drilling Rockbolt Drilling Grout Drilling Technical Drilling Pre-split/Line Drilling Exploratory Drilling Environmental Drilling

Quarry Blasting Laser/Scan/Bore track Construction/Civil Blasting Trenching Rock Popping Blast Design and Mark up Rock on Ground Service

Upper Caboolture QLD 4510 | 0417 906 648 | drilltek@bigpond.com | drilltek.com.au/services

DRILL & BLAST

work in varying ground conditions”.

“Machine model selection really comes down to the application requirements of the end user, and with Sandvik’s broad range of surface boom drills we have the customer needs covered,” Forrest added. “All Sandvik i-series surface boom drill rigs have scalable automation in various levels. These include our DI650i, DX800i, DX900i, DC400Ri, DC130Ri and DC300Ri models.

“The Leopard DI650i, like our other i-series drills, uses the common control SICA platform. All machine and scalable automation information is seamlessly integrated on one touch display. This allows the integration of smart features to be easily adapted to the machine as the owner sees fit or as their requirements change.

“It also means that this system will be capable of handling all our newer software improvements in the years to come. This includes our currently available options like the TIM 3D GPS hole navigation, one-hole full cycle drilling automatics, auto boom and feed alignment, automated feed to tram positioning, and the AutoMine tele-remote feature [which became available in Q4 2019].”

Forrest said the compatibility of the i-series drills means operators do not need to undertake intensive training on the DI650i.

“With the Sandvik SICA control system utilised in our i-series surface drills, there are levels of commonality between all models and with on-board systems like the iTorque control which is also standard. This allows non-familiar operators to learn quickly while maintaining consistent productivity.”

Nonetheless, Forrest said Sandvik can customise training packages upon request, and the cab allows for seating for a trainer or a service technician behind the operator’s chair.

Martyn spoke highly of Forrest’s counsel and advice in Fullbore’s selection of the Leopard DI650i. “Michael has been really great to deal with. We originally went through the specs on the machine about two years ago. Back then, the Leopard wasn’t available – but Michael was liaising with the factory during the design process. Sandvik has listened to the customer about what works and doesn’t work on its rigs, and they’ve pulled it off pretty well, by all reports.”

According to Sandvik, the Leopard DI650i encapsulates safety in its design and serviceability and conforms to European drill rig safety standard EN16228. In addition to the iCab, the rig features swing-out rear cooler covers for operators and technicians to fully access the cooler module for service and

22

Quarry February 2020

All machine and scalable automation information is seamlessly integrated on a one touch display.

The cab allows for seating for a trainer or a service technician behind the operator’s chair.

inspection. All other maintenance tasks can also be undertaken at ground level.

Martyn said Sandvik’s aftermarket service, at least based on other rigs in Fullbore’s fleet, is extremely good. Given the DI650i is the first of its range to operate on Australia’s east coast (the others are in Western Australia), he is uncertain how quickly spare parts will be available. However, the compatibility of the machine with Sandvik’s other drill rigs, along with the scalable automation feature, gives him confidence that Sandvik will deliver.

“One of the reasons we bought this machine was because of the ease of maintenance, and tried and tested componentry,” he said. “We are very familiar with a lot of the components that make up this machine. It is a similar brand and make to that of the Pantera series, and it is of a robust nature. The automation, the new technology and the fuel burn are meant to be very good as well.”

Given the DI650i is not your typical quarryspec drill rig, Martyn cautioned operators about what they should be looking for in a new drill rig. “I suggest for other contractors, just do your homework and try to make a determination on what sort of machine best suits your quarry’s needs,” he said. “They all have different features, they all have different pluses and negatives, and you’ll just have to go through and try to make the best decisions.

“For quarry owners, I’d suggest you seriously look at your operation and what you’re good at, and try to make your money in that area.

When it comes to the drill and blast process, I’d say to quarry owners to employ the most knowledgeable contractor, a top service provider, and focus on the areas where they know how to make money and focus on that, rather than being distracted by the drilling.” • Source: Sandvik Mining & Construction

DRILL & BLAST

The SmartROC T35 is equipped with a noise reduction kit that lowers noise levels by about 10dB.

INTELLIGENT DRILL RIG MAKES ROOM FOR SCIENCE

A smart drill rig is doing its part for academia on a mountain side overlooking one of Scandinavia’s most prestigious educational precincts.

G

othenburg is Sweden’s second largest city with a population of more than one million residents in the metropolitan area. The city is located on Sweden’s west coast, with a picturesque archipelago, and it teems with its iconic trams. You will also find 30,000 planted trees, 810km of bicycle lanes and a fish market hall in the shape of a church.

Furthermore, Gothenburg is a centre for research with about 3000 researchers, teachers and doctoral students at the University of Gothenburg. Here, world-class research is being conducted.

The university offers some 1400 courses and 190 programmes, making it one of the most popular universities in Sweden.

Two of the university’s eight faculties – the Sahlgrenska Academy and the Faculty of Science – are located at Medicinareberget (Medical Student’s Mountain, where education and research in health, medicine

and dental care is conducted. The facilities are now being expanded with a new building for future research by the Faculty of Science.

Since the work site is located on a mountain in central Gothenburg, there are several challenges and strict requirements for rock excavation.

Skanska, the project’s prime contractor, selected Stens Bergborrning AB as the sub-contractor for the drill and blast operations of the project.

“There are four key factors to make a project like this a success,” Skanska’s production manager Henrik Lindström said.

“They are safety, noise reduction, dust management and vibration control. This was very important when we discussed what sub-contractors to bring on.

For the drilling operations, Stens Bergborrning AB checks all the boxes – largely thanks to their choice of drill rig.”

SPECIFICATONS:

EPIROC SMARTROC T35 Drilling method

Tophammer

Hole diameter

64 mm - 115 mm

Rock drill/DTH

COP SC19 ; COP

hammer size

SC25-HF

Maximum hole

33.5m

depth Engine

168kW

Air capacity (FAD)

127 l/s

Height

3400 mm

Length

11,000 mm

Width

2490 mm

Weight

15,300 kg

Quarry February 2020 23

DRILL & BLAST

Drill rig operator Victor Åkesson is a second generation member of family-run contractor Stens Bergborrning.

Stens Bergborrning’s Epiroc SmartROC T35 is perfectly suited for navigating the rocky mountainside overlooking the University of Gothenburg.

OSCILLATING CRAWLER TRACKS The drill rig in question is the SmartROC T35 from Epiroc. It is equipped with a noise reduction kit that lowers noise levels by about 10dB, which makes it possible to have a conversation next to the drill rig with little interruption.

For this particular project a central dust collector is employed, creating a closed system for dust management.

Apart from drilling for blasting, the rig will also be used for rock reinforcement and 24

Quarry February 2020

bolting. The hole diameter used for drilling in this application is 64-70mm and further into the project 45-52mm drill bits will be used.

There will be four benches in total, reaching 20m meters down. This means each bench will have a height of about five metres. Blasting times are strictly regulated and limited to two times per week - on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30am.

Now, drilling in close proximity to existing buildings in an urban environment is always challenging.

Considering that these buildings are research facilities in full operation with extremely sensitive equipment makes the challenge even greater.

Add to that a rough and unprepared terrain and you have a perfect application for the SmartROC T35. A key feature that gives the drill rig its outstanding terrainability are the oscillating crawler tracks.

Another challenge is to co-ordinate operations such as overburden removal, drilling, blasting, hauling, and rock reinforcement. This means that planning and communication is essential.

“These drill rigs are the best on the market,” Victor Åkesson, a drill rig operator from Stens Bergborrning, said. “Especially when it comes to terrainability and stability. Hands down.

“I have seen people dropping their jaws.

They don’t understand how this machine can climb terrain like this without tipping over. Excavator operators sometimes come up to me, saying that they would love to have oscillating crawler tracks as well.” Åkesson started his rock drilling career at the age of 15. He would accompany his father and founder of Stens Bergborrning, Sten Åkesson, to different projects.

The younger Åkesson is now an integral part of the company.

“This drill rig has been running for about 1200 hours since we bought it and just keeps on going,” he said. “This mountain that we are standing on has to be removed by the summer next year [mid-2020] so we really need this kind of reliable equipment.”

It is estimated that about 100,000 cubic metres of rock will be excavated before their job is done.

That might not sound like much if you were operating in a quarry. In a challenging urban development project like this with blasting limited to two times per week, with adjacent research facilities and strict requirements, it is a huge amount.

Noise levels are measured continuously on-site and the SmartROC T35 is way below required limits. Noise mainly comes from other machinery.

When the project is finalised and the new university building is in place, researchers can look out the window on the top floor and maybe they will spot that famous church – the one that has sold fish since 1874. • Source: Epiroc

DRILL & BLAST

TOPHAMMER DRILL RIG

PUSHES ENVELOPE IN ENERGY, FUEL EFFICIENCY

T

Maximum hole depth

36m

Engine/engine speed

42kW Caterpillar diesel engine (CAT C9.3/CAT C9, Tier 2 4 Final and add blue or Tier 3/Stage IIIA) @ 1900rpm

Air capacity

223 l/s

Height

3300mm

Length

10,700mm

Width

2500mm

rod handling system for the standard long feed boom for a hole length of 36m comprises five 6.1m extensions rods and a 7.3m starter rod.

On the folding boom, for a maximum length of 29m, the rod system includes seven 3.6m extensions rods and a 4.2m starter rod.

For fuel efficiency and high productivity, the SmartROC T45 has been designed to only use up energy for its assignments. Its Caterpillar turbo-charged diesel engine (Cat C9, Tier 3 and Tier 4), 12 bar Epiroc C146-07 screw-type compressor and standard automatic radiator fan are programmed to automatically adjust to changes in the operating mode. For example, if the rig is tramming or idle, the compressor puts no load on the engine and reduces engine speed.

The other standard components on the T45 include a crawler-type two-speed undercarriage with track oscillation system, an air flow switch, a rock drill lubrication system, a dust pre-separator and a dust collection system (DCT200). The main digital components include COP Logic, a toe-hole drilling system and AutoPos. According to Epiroc, the 1900 rpm hydraulic system does not use or require as much oil as other rigs, and the hydraulic tank is therefore a third of the standard size for its type. Biological oil can also be used at exactly the same cost as regular oil.

The options available for the rig include more automation and software features (eg Rig Remote Access, Measure While Drilling and ROC Manager), hole and inclination systems (including GPS and laser plane receiver for hole depth), hole navigation systems prepared for Trimble SPS and Leica, conversion kits, parts and services (eg COP Care, ROC Care), a water mist system and radio remote control.

Both the standard and optional features are designed to create more uptime for the producer plus greater easy drilling access. The T45 is also equipped with valves located closer to actuators for intuitive troubleshooting. Epiroc also offers service solutions to ensure that the equipment is safe, productive and reliable. •

Weight

18 tonnes

Source: Epiroc

he Epiroc SmartROC T45 is an efficient, productive tophammer drill rig developed and designed for high performance in numerous applications, including aggregates and limestone. Its proven, intuitive control system offers quarrying producers precise drilling and consistent operation, leading to improved blasting results. The rig is also designed to be fuel-efficient, only expending the amount of energy that the work demands.

The T45 features an automatic feed alignment that enables the operator to maintain the desired angle when drilling, fundamental to the operator’s optimal blasting requirements.

In particular, the rig’s automatic rod adding system enables the operator to supplement rods to the desired drilling depth. The rig can then drill to the exact desired depth with minimal error while the operator supervises until the work is complete and the rods picked up accordingly.

With engine power of 242kW at 1900 rpm, the SmartROC T45 offers a maximum hole depth in folding boom of 28m, with a hole diameter of 89–127mm. In fixed boom, the hole depth is 35m, with a diameter of 89–140mm.

The standard and folding booms consist of hydraulic chain-driven rods with hose guides and double rod supports with moveable lower guides/dust hoods. On the standard boom, the long feed extension is 1900mm, with a maximum feed rate of 0.9m per second (m/s), maximum feed force of 40 kiloNewtons (kN) and tractive pull of 50kN. On the folding

The Epiroc SmartROC T45 is designed to create more uptime for the producer plus greater easy drilling access.

boom, the feed extension is 1150mm, also at a maximum feed rate of 0.9m/s, with a feed force of 20kN, and a tractive pull of 30kN. The rig is equipped with various hydraulic rock drills: the COP SC25-E and the COP SC25-EX for the folding boom, and the COP 3060 and COP 3060 EX for the standard boom. The 25kW COP SC25-E and COP SC25-EX drills offer a maximum hydraulic pressure of nearly 200 bar, at impact rates of up to 55 hertz (Hz) and maximum torques of up to nearly 2000 Newton metres (Nm). The 30kW COP 3060 and COP 3060 EX offers maximum hydraulic pressures of nearly 240 bar, at impact rates of 50Hz and a maximum torque of 2450Nm. The carousel-type rod handling system has numerous options for the standard and folding booms. The standard boom for maximum hole length (of 35m) features seven 4.2m extensions rods and a 6.1m starter rod. The

ESSENTIAL SPECS – SMARTROC T45 TOPHAMMER DRILL RIG Hole diameter

89-140mm

Rock drill/DTH hammer size

COP SC25-HE and COP 3060 rotary heads

Quarry February 2020 25

DRILL & BLAST

TOEING THE LINE:

BLASTING PRACTICES TO CONTROL QUARRY FLOORS, CORRECT TOES It is all too easy to blame geology for the toe and elevated floor problems in quarries. Anthony and Calvin Konya explain how the quality of explosives and other factors can contribute to inconsistent, unsatisfactory blast outcomes – while outlining measures that will keep these factors within the correct margins of human error.

T

he problem of toes and elevated floors after a blast can be traced back centuries to when explosives were first employed in mining and quarrying. Why do they occur? Geology is commonly blamed as the cause of toes, but how does geology change so rapidly that one shot results in a decent floor while the next is elevated?

A better approach – than attempting to blame factors that are beyond the shotfirer’s control – is to try to solve these problems by following a systematic approach to identify what is causing the toe. This will reduce excess blasting, uneven floors, and possibly mechanical removal. In most cases the toe is not caused by geological conditions but is a direct result of the explosive product, pattern design or drilling inconsistencies. Moreover,

26

Quarry February 2020

if a geological condition is causing this issue it should not simply be written off as a given that the toe must occur. A good shotfirer or blast engineer will quickly modify the blast pattern to account for the geological change and eliminate the problem.

GEOLOGICAL FACTORS Geology seems to be the scapegoat of shotfirers and explosives companies globally, as the ever-changing nature of the rock makes blasting a highly dynamic and slightly unpredictable environment. However, what sets a good shotfirer apart from the rest is the ability to understand and cope with geological difficulties. Can geology cause problems with toes and elevated floor? Of course it can. Should a good shotfirer know

how to change the blast pattern to eliminate these problems? Certainly.

The first problem that could cause a toe or elevated floor is a hard seam (Figure 1).

This can be due to a harder material such as a granite intrusion into a limestone quarry, a reduction in the amount of bedding planes or jointing in a certain region, or even the grain size of certain sandstones. No matter the cause of the seam, they can all be treated equally from a blasting perspective.

Two types of hard seams can exist in a quarry. The first is a vertical seam such as an igneous intrusion or a vertically dipping bed. Floor issues associated with this type of seam will often be isolated to this specific bed and will show up along the strike.

The method to correct the floor problems

with this type of geological condition will depend upon the direction in which the blast is progressing. If it is proceeding along the strike (parallel to the bed) the spacing between boreholes around this seam can be tightened up slightly. If the blasting is progressing perpendicular to the bed, the burden should be reduced when blasting in and behind this bed.

The second type of hard seam that could influence toe creation would be a tough, horizontal seam located at the foot of the blast. While the burden would typically be reduced to account for this hard material, the rest of the material may be easily blasted at the current burden. The goal is not to sacrifice the economics of the operation by reducing the burden just to deal with a toe, or to accept the presence of the toe; the ideal solution would be to put a heavier charge into this hard seam, such as emulsion if the borehole is normally loaded with ANFO, which comprises a mixture of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil. If packaged

Hard Seam

Bedding/Jointing

Burden

Spacing

Figure 1. Geologic factors affecting toes and methods for corrections.

emulsion is used, this area could have a larger diameter emulsion. If the borehole is normally loaded with bulk emulsion, a cast booster could be placed into this area. In this manner the hard seam will be dealt with

by adding additional energy without adding significant cost to the operation.

It is not only a hard seam that can create a toe. A soft seam can have the same effect but for a completely different reason. If a

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2EDUCTION IN NOISE s %ASIEST SCREEN TO REPLACE IN END TENSION MOBILE SCREENS LIGHTER COMPACT AND EASIER TO PLACE INTO POSITION #ONTACT A ,OCKER REPRESENTATIVE FOR PRICING AND ADVICE TODAY

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DRILL & BLAST

soft seam located within the blast is not properly dealt with, the seam will blow out, significantly reducing the energy in the borehole. This is similar to an over-confined charge with too large a burden, which is one of the major causes of toe and elevated floor problems. In this case, soft seams should always be decked across to ensure proper breakage to the full depth of the blast.

Another geological situation to consider is where vertically oriented bedding or jointing exists between boreholes. In this situation, there may be one or more bedding planes between boreholes. If a toe is forming in between boreholes, this is likely to be due to the bedding planes limiting the interaction of boreholes in the same row. To combat this situation a slightly closer spacing should be used throughout the pattern.

In situations where vertically oriented bedding or jointing exists between a borehole and the free face, the bedding planes limit the explosive energy near the free face and at the toe, creating areas in the rock that receive little to no explosive energy and are simply pushed on as the remainder of the material breaks. This is especially prevalent if the rock is harder and stuck to the floor but the planes are lightly cemented together. To account for this situation the burden of the blast should be reduced (with an accompanying decrease in spacing).

EXPLOSIVE CONUNDRUMS After geological problems have been considered, the next items to be investigated are the explosive products. Often, operators believe that the explosives used in blasting are carefully made to ensure proper consistency and mixture. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as commercial explosives are made in large quantities and are not major profit producers. As a result, explosives need to be carefully tested – or at the very least stored for future testing should a problem occur.

How do poor explosives generate toe and elevated floor problems? If an explosive is improperly manufactured the energy released during detonation can be much lower than expected, causing a state of overconfinement. This leads to poor breakage at the bottom of the shot because it is the hardest area to pull. In addition, a shotfirer may notice significantly higher ground vibration, poor fragmentation and throw, and cratering of boreholes on shorter benches.

The first explosive to consider is ANFO, with the goal being 5.7 per cent fuel oil. If the product is over-oiled it will produce carbon

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Quarry February 2020

STIFFNESS RATIO

TOE PROBLEMS

1-2

Major toe problems

2-3

Toe problems possible

3-4

Toe problems unlikely

4+

Toe problems should not occur

Table 1. The stiffness ratio is the bench height divided by the burden.

Figure 2. A cone driller placed on a borehole moved by a blaster immediately prior to loading to minimise material falling back.

monoxides and suffer from slightly lower energy. If the product is under-oiled it will produce nitrous oxides and have significantly less energy. Through worldwide studies carried out by the authors, the average oil percentage in ANFO is between three per cent and 3.5 per cent, causing a loss in energy of about 40 to 60 per cent.

The other explosive product that needs to be considered is emulsion. While the testing of emulsion is difficult, two important features that should be tested are the sensitivity and the crystallisation of the emulsion. It is crucial to test sensitivity when chemically gassing emulsion. This is typically done on the bench with a cup density test. Site specifications should clearly state that a cup density test is to be done at the bottom of the first hole and, at minimum, at the bottom of every hole starting a new row. The 20-minute density should be recorded on the blast report.

Crystallisation of the emulsion is a major concern, as crystallised emulsion yields much less energy and can completely desensitise.

How bad can this be? The authors have worked with emulsion manufacturers to revamp their processes after it was found that inserting a cap into a packaged emulsion could cause shock crystallisation to the entire package. With complete crystallisation the emulsion will not fire, while with partial crystallisation the emulsion will fire but with much less energy. It is possible to test for crystallisation by rubbing emulsion between the hands and feeling for any grit, which is a sign of crystal formation.

BENCH HEIGHT Another cause of elevated floors and toes that frequently occurs during blasts is the firing of a short bench. A short bench is not defined by a certain height, but instead by a

figure commonly referred to as the stiffness ratio. The stiffness ratio is simply the bench height divided by the burden (Table 1), which means that a 10m bench that is being shot with a 2.2m burden (75mm packaged emulsion) would have a stiffness ratio of 4.5.

As anything above a stiffness ratio of four is considered a high bench, floor problems would not be expected with this bench.

However, if bulk emulsion were used in a 150mm diameter borehole, this would yield a burden of 4.4m and a stiffness ratio of 2.3, indicating that toe problems are likely, as the shot will now function under more of an uplift mechanism.

SUB-DRILLING The most common cause of sporadic toes and elevated floors after a blast is insufficient sub-drilling for one or more boreholes. It is important to understand that a sub-drill increases the tension zone of the bench to the grade of the floor and an ideal sub-drill for this is around 30 per cent of the burden.

The first step in ensuring toe problems do not occur is having a properly designed depth for the sub-drill. Furthermore, the sub-drill needs to be regularly checked to ensure accuracy in terms of both the depth and placement of the bottom of the borehole.

The first step after a driller has completed drilling a hole, before moving the drill, should be to check with a tape measure the total depth of the borehole. Often the driller will not have reached the proper depth for the shot and can now immediately and easily put the steels back into the hole to finish drilling. This final depth should also be recorded on the drilling logs. The driller should then place an upside-down cone or other device into the borehole to stop material falling back in – before the drill is moved on (Figure 2).

However, material will often find its way into a borehole both from the surface and from slumping on the sides of the hole. To combat this, a system must be put in place to ensure the shotfirer always has at least 30 per cent of the burden available in the sub-drill. To begin

Figure 3. Borehole tracking systems show 3D profiles of borehole paths and the face of the shot.

with, before any explosives are placed, the shotfirer should measure each hole on the morning of the blast. If a borehole is found to be short where the driller has documented

GAP 40

FB446

116 t/h

Loads 53

DRILL & BLAST

bridge, and then shear along the walls until compacting and forming a new bridge.

This mechanism occurs until the pressure has been released through breaking of the burden. Inadequate stemming materials such as sand, water, or cement/plaster do not allow for this bridging/shearing/bridging mechanism. For this reason, along with many others, angular gravel stemming material should always be used to stem the borehole.

The other reason why stemming blowouts occur is improper stemming height. For a reasonably designed blast, the stemming should be at least 70 per cent of the burden.

However, if improper material is used, short benches are encountered, the timing of the pattern is too fast, or numerous other improper blasting principles are employed, the stemming will need to be increased beyond this figure – up to 110 per cent of the burden.

In many instances of poor blasting even this increase in stemming will not ensure complete retention, but will give the material additional time to hold.

Figure 4. Poor stemming causes blowouts, as pictured, which can lead to overconfinement issues.

that it was to the proper depth, the shotfirer can try to blow this out using compressed air.

If this material is not cleaned out to full depth and the fallback is sufficient, a high spot will develop on the floor of the excavation.

Another option for short boreholes is to bring the driller back to make the hole deeper.

All boreholes should be measured again immediately before loading, with these depths documented on the blast report.

All attempts should be made, including the use of compressed air, to clean holes of all fallback and ensure they are loaded to the proper depth. The site should then determine the average depth of backfill by comparing the drill log depth to the blast report depth for each borehole. The sub-drill should then be increased by this amount of depth to ensure the proper depth of borehole is always available.

However, what happens if the sub-drill has been increased and the entire borehole is open when the shotfirer measures it before loading? Will explosives be wasted? The answer is no, as the shotfirer can simply add drill cuttings to raise the bottom of the borehole to its proper depth.

The next consideration is whether the bottom of the borehole is in the correct location, or whether it has wandered 30

Quarry February 2020

significantly during the drilling process.

Drill deviation is a large concern and can dramatically increase toe and floor problems.

The longer the borehole, the greater the possibility of large drill deviation, especially where a borehole has been drilled at an angle. Methods such as the flashlight test can indicate if wander has occurred, which is almost always the case, but the only true method to find the bottom of the borehole is through a borehole-tracking device. This gives a 3D profile of the borehole and can be combined with face-profiling systems to determine exactly how large a toe burden is present (see Figure 3 on page 27).

STEMMING BLOWOUTS The final aspect to be examined is one that is traditionally not considered – stemming.

When a stemming failure occurs, the energy of the explosive is released and causes a situation similar to that of an over-confined charge (Figure 4). Stemming failures can be easily seen, as on a production blast the stemming should not blow out of the holes but should be completely retained.

Stemming blowouts occur for two reasons, the first of which is the use of improper stemming material. Proper stemming material will lock into the borehole walls, form a

CONTROLLED VARIABLES Toe and elevated floor problems have plagued mines and quarries for decades, but are not always a result of geology or variables that are beyond control. In many situations, simple practices can be applied to deal with geology to prevent toe problems and increase the overall performance of the shot.

Numerous other problems can also cause toes, such as poor or improper explosive products, inadequate sub-drilling, improper drill diameter, and stemming issues. In addition, problems with timing, burden and spacing can also severely impact toes on shots.

It is important to remember that the blasting process is ever-changing and highly dynamic.

A properly trained shotfirer or blast engineer should be able to quickly identify the areas of concern for any type of shot and adjust that shot to give the proper results.

Blasting today is not simply about breaking the rock into manageable pieces, but properly fragmenting and placing that rock to minimise overall quarry costs and environmental effects. • Anthony Konya is the senior project engineer and Dr Calvin J Konya the founder and president of Precision Blasting Services (USA). They are also instructor and director respectively of the Academy for Explosives & Blasting Technology (idc-pbs.com/content/ blastingandexplosivestechnology.html).

Article courtesy of Quarry Management (UK).

MAINTENANCE

An in-service trial at Infrabuild’s Laverton steel recycling mill has measured the Segnut’s performance as a fastener in extreme conditions.

SUCCESSFUL TRIALS

PAVE THE WAY FOR WIDER APPLICATION OF FASTENER TECHNOLOGY An Australian-owned company has conducted successful trials with its patented threaded nut system in the mining, quarrying and construction sectors.

F

astening systems innovator Segnut, an Australian-owned company with a core purpose to bring to market innovative products that provide safer, more efficient industrial solutions, has been buoyed by results achieved during recent trials of its world-first, patented threaded nut system in the mining, quarrying and construction industries.

The Segnut product is a world-first, proprietary threaded nut product that can significantly cut the time taken to remove seized and damaged nuts, reducing maintenance downtime and boosting productivity. It eliminates the need for hazardous removal methods such as oxy cutting (ie gas axing), hydraulic nut splitting and angle grinding, making nut removal significantly safer.

The Segnut has a patented inner section consisting of three segments held captive by an outer retaining sleeve. When the outer sleeve is turned a few degrees in the tightening direction, the Segnut releases from the bolt and falls away. This means a damaged nut can be removed without it having to travel back up the bolt thread.

Positive testing of the product at Rio Tinto’s Bell Bay Aluminium refinery in northern Tasmania, the Infrabuild steel recycling facility in Laverton, Victoria, and a Boral quarry in South Australia will see wider application of the Segnut technology.

At Bell Bay Aluminium, Segnuts were used to secure wear plates on the paste mixers as part of the carbon anode manufacturing process. They were operated at temperatures in excess of 250oC. The securing bolts must be removed from the inside of the machine, making periodic removal of the plates difficult and timeconsuming. It also required maintenance personnel to work in confined spaces and make use of high-risk oxy-acetylene cutting.

Segnut provided a solution that removed the need for dangerous high energy removal methods and significantly shortened the change-out downtime.

“Being a smelting environment with multiple risks of fumes and hot works in the same place, elimination of these practices in the refinery is a high safety priority for the Bell Bay team,” said Segnut’s managing director David Izzard.

Quarry February 2020 31

MAINTENANCE

“Introducing Segnut has been a major step towards achieving that goal. Segnut will now be added to the site’s inventory management system and will be a regular supply item for day-to-day operations.

An in-service trial at Infrabuild’s Laverton steel recycling facility measured the Segnut’s performance as a fastener in extreme conditions. The nuts were used to secure the water-filled insulating jacket on a furnace running at 1300oC, with the nuts themselves exposed to temperatures as high as 450oC. After eight weeks, tests showed the nuts’ oxide coating remained intact and the nut’s structural integrity had not been compromised.

QUARRYING APPLICATIONS These latest trials are amongst several conducted in recent months. Segnut’s product development director Tom Baskovich said tests using the nuts on D10 dozers at a gold mine in Western Australia delivered a 79 per cent reduction in the time taken to remove the nuts from a cutting edge blade and also eliminated critical health and safety issues.

These and other trials are as relevant to the quarrying industry as they are to mining and construction, in that similar safety, efficiency and productivity gains can be realised through the application of the Segnut technology.

This was evident in a trial that was run at a quarry in South Australia earlier this year. Serious lost time injuries had been experienced by the client while changing out cutting edges on front-end loader buckets. Segnut provided a solution to remove the necessity for the use of highrisk nut removal equipment and techniques, such as hydraulic nut splitters or oxy cutting, saving time and improving safety.

The trial resulted in industry recognition with Boral Australia and Segnut receiving the Health and Safety Innovation Award at the Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia Innovations Awards in August 2019.

Segnut trials conducted on fixed plant infrastructure at mine sites have been shown to reduce the risk of fire during conveyor maintenance, which would be another safety gain for the quarrying industry.

“The application of Segnuts on loaders at a quarry in South Australia, where a spate of serious lost time injuries had occurred, 32

Quarry February 2020

The Segnut eliminates the need for hazardous removal methods such as oxy cutting, hydraulic nut splitting and angle grinding.

After an eight-week trial at Infrabuild, tests showed the nuts’ oxide coating and structural integrity had not been compromised.

succeeded in eliminating high risk nut removal methods and brought industry recognition with a Health and Safety Innovation Award,” Baskovich said.

“Further trials have been run in an impact crusher, which is a very extreme, high impact loading environment, as well as on front-end loaders and vibratory screens with

Segnut delivering safety, time and labour savings.”

Baskovich said the trials helped Segnut to understand the challenges presented by harsh mining environments and enabled it to further engineer the product to solve specific problems. • Source: Segnut

MAINTENANCE

Komatsu is increasing the range of parts available through its online order platform.

EARTHMOVING MANUFACTURER BOLSTERS ITS ONLINE PARTS RANGE

K

omatsu has expanded the range of parts that can be ordered through myKomatsu, its online customer portal, to now include components that are not in stock at local distribution centres.

Previously, parts that were not available in Komatsu Australia’s distribution locations in in Fairfield (New South Wales), Morningside (Queensland) and Welshpool (Western Australia) were listed as “out of stock”, and required customers to call the Komatsu Customer Support Centre (KCSC) to order them offline.

Now, the company has improved its offering by allowing these orders to be entirely processed online. Customers are no longer required to make phone orders, increasing efficiency.

If stock is not available in one of its Australian distribution centres, Komatsu’s KCSC team will source parts from the nearest branch or supplier to ensure customers receive their orders as quickly as possible.

Clients are also given the option to be contacted about express delivery if it is required urgently.

“This is another step forward in our drive to ensure that we are always easy to do business with, and helps us deliver a

better online experience to our customers,” Komatsu construction solutions general manager Todd Connolly said.

“Now, when a customer orders a part that’s not held in one of our local distribution facilities, the transaction is processed just like any other myKomatsu online parts order, and we will manage internally the process of getting those parts to customers as quickly and expeditiously as possible.

“That means significant efficiency gains for Komatsu, which in turn ensures we can further improve our levels of customer service. It means that customers will immediately see far more parts available online, rather than getting the ‘out of stock’ message.”

Connolly added the new measure would have additional customer benefits by allowing KCSC staff to focus on other areas of service and technical support.

“An important element of myKomatsu, and one that is greatly appreciated by its users is the fact that we constantly update customers on

the status and shipping time of their orders,” he said.

“This process will also apply to this expanded range of parts, so customers will always be fully informed as to when their parts will arrive.”

To order on the myKomatsu website, visit my.komatsu.com.au • Source: Komatsu Australia

The myKomatsu portal is now considerably easier to use.

Quarry February 2020 33

SUSTAINABILITY

QUARRYING INNOVATION

PROTECTS AND STRENGTHENS WETLANDS

The rehabilitated wetlands, with Baldwin’s Quarry in the background.

A Kiwi quarry operator who engineered a wetland filtration system to prevent run-off in his quarry polluting an adjacent world heritage conservation site has received the Institute of Quarrying’s most prestigious award.

B

aldwin’s Quarry, about 75km south of Central Auckland, is permitted to produce 500,000 tonnes per year. It is currently run by quarry manager Kerry Reilly, with eight staff and has an output of about 200,000 tonnes per year. A Waikato Regional Council discharge consent allows for up to 75m3 per second of treated quarry process water to be discharged into an unnamed tributary of the Whangamarino wetland.

The land was purchased by Kerry Reilly in late 1999 and he was granted consent to open a commercial aggregate quarry. The quarry was sold to Higgins Aggregates in 2011 and later to Winstone Aggregates in 2015.

Despite the site being on-sold twice, Reilly has continued as quarry manager.

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The land is steep and had little flat area for stockpiling or processing in the early stages.

The challenge was to open up stockpile areas, haul roads, and processing areas. In particular, there was a requirement to mitigate the effects from any run-off to the stream which drains the large catchment area of the farm owned by Peter Buckley surrounding the quarry, through the operational quarry area and finally into the Whangamarino Heritage Wetland.

Driven by the need to move overburden, but with respect for the environment and neighbours, Reilly saw the opportunity to solve the initial construction challenges by the formation of a man-made wetland system on the Buckley Farm which would enable the treatment of any silt-bearing stormwater prior

to it entering the Whangamarino Heritage Wetland (Figure 1).

His experience told him that if the flow of water could be slowed it would enable use of natural methods of plant filtration and be a cost-effective, sustainable solution. It would also supplement the on-site settlement systems and silt ponds within the quarry itself.

WETLAND CENTREPIECE The plan was developed from first observing the water flows during and after heavy rainfall.

“I climbed the hill overlooking the Buckley farm and the Whangamarino swamp and came up with the master design,” Reilly said.

“Instead of excavating ponds on the Buckley land, I decided it would be more beneficial to

create the ponds by encapsulation, while also building roads and an observation island in the centre of the new wetland.”

This method had a number of benefits: • It allowed the use of a larger volume of overburden and negated the need to excavate into the sensitive Wetland peat swamp.

• It simultaneously created a road network to enable access for machines to maintain the wetland in the future and for visitors to view the fish and birdlife.

Reilly designed an island as a centrepiece of the wetland which solved several challenges; it provided an ideal viewing area that overlooks the entire project and assists to create a larger pond network and longer water flow path which allows filtration of microscopic fines.

In the formative days of New Zealand, the local indigenous community (iwi) grew and harvested flax in the swamp. The flax was exported to Australia and manufactured into rope and hemp. Over-harvesting and disease killed off most of the flax and the Whangamarino then became overrun by willows, a non-native tree introduced by the early New Zealand settlers.

The creation of the new wetland within Baldwin’s Quarry has allowed for the clearing of the willows from the area. It has enabled unrestricted access for ducks, swans, fish, frogs and birds, all of which can be observed breeding in the wetland.

WHANGAMARINO WETLAND The Whangamarino Wetland encompasses about 7200ha. It is the second largest swamp/ wetlands on the North Island, and was granted world heritage status in 1989. It stretches from the small township of Te Kauwhata in the south to Meremere in the north.

The Whangamarino Wetland is rich in mosses and 13 new species have been added to the list of New Zealand flora from this area.

Lichens are also well represented. A number of threatened plants have been recorded within the wetland, including the water milfoil, the swamp helmet orchid and the club moss.

The birdlife includes the pūkeko, the bittern, the grey teal, the spotless crake, and the North Island fernbird. The pūkeko, essentially a bird of swampy ground, lagoons, reeds, rushes and swamps, is probably one of the most recognised native birds in New Zealand with its distinctive colourings and habit of feeding on the ground. It is found all over New Zealand.

Commonly seen along marshy roadsides and low-lying open country, the bird’s range has increased with agricultural development.

Figure 1. Stages 1 and 2 of the approved wetlands plan set up by Kerry Reilly.

Figure 2. Stage 1 of the wetlands involved creating multiple ponds and a long water flow path.

Unlike many other native birds, the pūkeko has adapted well to new habitats, such as grassed paddocks, croplands and even city parks, a necessity brought about by disappearing wetlands.

When severe weather events strike, the volume of sediment-laden stormwater run-off generated can be horrendous. Not allowing silt-laden run-off to enter directly to the Whangamarino wetland was of utmost priority in the development programme for Baldwin’s Quarry.

Creating a wetland was a low cost, low maintenance sustainable water treatment option. Its creation was enabled by the need for a stockpile area at Baldwin’s Quarry. This allowed removal of overburden to be done in a responsible manner with the Buckley

dairy farming operation and quarry operator agreeing on joint benefits.

As described above, it was an opportunity to treat sediments, and allow clear water to drain to the Whangamarino Heritage Wetland.

The wetland’s island solved several challenges, including creating multiple ponds and a long water flow path, enabling greater pond retention times and promoting the filtration of microscopic fines through the vegetated wetland (Figure 2).

Although work on the development of the wetlands project had been underway for nearly three years, the Waikato Regional Council had no hesitation in retrospectively approving a resource consent (May 2008). This was mainly due to the “full compliance” status issued at a previous audit of the discharge consent

Quarry February 2020 35

SUSTAINABILITY

All ponds now feature prolific growth of grasses and sedges.

The reservoir in Baldwin’s Quarry acts as a safety net to receive run-off in heavy rainfall events. After sediments settle, clean water can be pumped away via the wetlands for further polishing.

conditions in the permit issued for Reilly’s quarry operations.

The wetland’s resource consent conditions were very simple: • To place quarry overburden and clean fill onto rural land to create a wetland area that drains into the Whangamarino Wetland.

• To manage noise, dust, landscape, rock spillage, and trimming of vegetation (to maintain sight distances along the road network).

• That the wetland construction plan be based on a two-stage operation: Stage 1 (shaded in blue) and Stage 2 (shown in green), as per Figure 1.

WETLAND CONSTRUCTION In Stage 1, quarry run-off is directed to the southern end of Pond 1 via a tree-lined stream across the Buckley dairy farm, while the surrounding pasture drains to Pond 3. Water in both ponds 1 and 3 are continuously filtered as 36

Quarry February 2020

it moves in a clockwise direction around the island. Filtered water enters pond 4 via a rock culvert and discharges to the Whangamarino wetland as polished, clean water. The length of the watercourse is approximately 520m. To cater for the huge volumes of run-off generated in severe storm events, a section of the access road around Pond 2 was lowered to form a spillway, allowing excessive run-off to discharge directly to the Whangamarino Wetland without “blowing out” the bunds/roads.

Prior to the construction of Stage 2, the farmer pumped nitrate-laden dairy farm runoff collected in a table drain on the pastureside of the levee directly to the Whangamarino Wetland. During Stage 2, construction of a new levee bund/access road on the southern side created a new Pond 1, allowing additional filtration and to lower the nitrate levels from pasture run-off. Pond 1 is about 400m in length.

In the completed wetland, Pond 1 collects

run-off from both the Buckley farm and the quarry. The combined run-off enters Pond 2 via a rock-lined culvert, as described in Stage 1.

Polished clean water enters the Whangamarino wetland via Ponds 4 and 5.

The wetland development commenced in 2005. For the road network around and within the pond complex, all roads were constructed on peat which requires pre-load to allow moisture to dissipate and the peat to settle and compress. Without the luxury of drilling and placing vertical wick-drains to speed up the removal of moisture from the peaty soils, the pre-load process had to be taken slowly.

Construction in too short a period could have resulted in the roads rolling over into the surrounding peat like a piece of clay on top of a balloon.

The clearing of willows took several years. The Waikato Catchment Ecological Enhancement Trust (WCEET) sponsored the supply and planting of more than 15,000 native trees and shrubs to beautify and enrich the whole development. In addition, Kerry Reilly grew and planted hundreds of cabbage trees and flaxes obtained by harvesting seeds from existing plants already growing within the Whangamarino wetland.

The wetlands project garnered support and interest from many quarters. Dairy NZ realised the opportunity to demonstrate the quarry owner and farmer’s joint commitment to caring for the environment by facilitating in 2012 a field day at the wetland. The association hosted a large contingent of overseas guests, and local farming managers, together with district and regional council representatives.

Coaches were used to transport overseas visitors from the Dairy NZ conference to the wetland area on an educational site visit to promote the results of a farming owner working in conjunction with a quarrying company to achieve an outstanding new conservation habitat.

“It was encouraging to have the confidence of our neighbours,” Reilly said, “including the Waikato District Council and Environment Waikato for issuing the necessary consents to allow this project to proceed and the sponsorship of WCEET for its funding for the trees and shrubs.

“I am confident that this will help lead the way for other industries and farmers to co-operate and demonstrate that we can all work together to create a cleaner New Zealand.”

Reilly said a survey conducted in December 2018 by market researcher Colmar Brunton found 82 per cent of New Zealanders want

tougher rules to protect rivers and lakes from pollution and would support a move to introduce mandatory environmental standards for New Zealand’s waterways, even if it meant regulating intensive farming.

In 2014, the NZ Aggregate and Quarry Association received four nominations for the Mimico Environmental Award. Kerry Reilly received the gold award for Baldwin’s Quarry wetlands project.

In 2015, neighbouring farmers Peter and Judi Buckley received the Waikato River Authority Catchment Improvement Award.

WIN/WIN The project has been a win/win for all concerned. Peter Buckley (who is a past chairman of the regional council) can demonstrate that farming discharge water can be naturally enhanced by Baldwin Quarry’s wetland. The quarry owner can sleep at night when the rain is pouring down, knowing the discharge water is not polluting the environment. The iwi and public can see that

a solid commitment has been made to protect local waterways, and the fish and birds thrive in a clean healthy environment.

Reilly presented his paper – Baldwin’s Quarry, Construction of a Wetland – A Natural Solution – at the Auckland branch meeting of the Institute of Quarrying New Zealand (IQNZ) on 19 March, 2019. It received high levels of interest, as evidenced by the large number of questions and feedback.

At the IQNZ’s joint annual general meeting with the NZ Aggregates and Quarries Association in Invercargill, on the South Island, in July 2019, Reilly received the Lyn Jordan Memorial Trophy for the best technical paper in New Zealand. His presentation also received the international Caernarfon Award, the annual international prize presented for the best paper at any worldwide Institute of Quarrying event that has contributed most to the technical, environmental or strategic advancement of the industry.

“By sharing the journey of this wetland project, I hope that others will be inspired to

Kelly Reilly, the recipient of the 2019 Caernarfon Award, the annual prize presented for the best scientific paper at any worldwide Institute of Quarrying event.

make a similar commitment to return our rivers and streams to clean waterways,” Reilly said.

“The wetlands don’t have to be as large as the ones we’ve created. Building multiple smaller ones will work, we all just need to do our bit for an environment with clean water.” •

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THEN & NOW

RESTORED QUARRY CONNECTS TOWN TO ITS COLONIAL ROOTS

T

he small Tasmanian community of Ross has paid the ultimate tribute to “unsung heroes” behind the town’s architectural beauty by restoring a neglected colonial era sandstone quarry.

The site, which was officially opened in October, has become the town’s latest tourist attraction and events venue, and follows a two-year rehabilitation project involving 15 volunteers.

The 19th century site was one of a series of small quarries that stretched along a ridge in the south-eastern corner of the village, providing sandstone that is still seen in buildings within Ross today, including its famous bridge.

It is also thought the stone, which is high in quartz content, was exported for use in grindstones, flag and paving stones, kerbs and tombstones.

The site straddles land owned by the Northern Midlands Council and a local resident. For many years it sat neglected, overgrown with scrub and filled with spoil, despite community wishes to turn it into an attraction.

The Tasmanian Wool Centre’s Board supported their manager, Debra CadoganCowper, to put a restoration plan into action by securing leases for the land in 2016, followed by funding from the Tasmanian State Growth Community Infrastructure Fund in 2017.

Since then, the rehabilitation effort has seen the construction of a post-and-rail fence, site excavations, gorse and weed removal, boulder relocation, volunteer clean-up days, design and installation of information panels and endemic species planting.

“As part of the project we had an archaeologist provide a conservation report,” Cadogan-Cowper said. “During his visit to the site he was sure there was more hidden under some spoil heaps. This proved correct when some excavation work was completed, making the quarry twice its size.

“This was such a thrill to find more wonderful carved out areas complete with pick marking where the blocks had been cut out. It has turned the area into an amphitheatre which would be perfect for performances.”

38

Quarry February 2020

Volunteers excavate the former Ross Quarry, exposing areas where blocks of sandstone were originally cut.

Interpretation panels were fixed to large sandstone boulders at the opening to the quarry.

A view of the quarry behind the interpretation panels, including the post-and-rail fence.

Although there was little history known about this specific site, Cadogan-Cowper said there was a strong likelihood the original quarry workers were convicts transported to Van Diemen’s Land, now known as Tasmania.

A major motivating factor behind the project has been the acknowledgment of those who were influential in the formation of Ross.

Quarrying continued to be a valuable business in Ross, with many active quarrymen employed until about the middle of the last century.

“People visit Ross to admire its beautiful heritage stone buildings,” Cadogan-Cowper

said. “When they walk through the village, they often remark on what a beautiful place this is.

“But how often do they stop and think about the men that actually carved that stone in the first place? We hope that making the quarry accessible to the public will form that connection now.

“People can visit the quarry and see an example of where the work was done to create the village of Ross that is now so admired.” Cadogan-Cowper said this was only phase one of the project, with more work to be done on the upper plateau of the site.

By Myles Hume

THEN & NOW

SIR THEOPHILUS GEORGE CONSTANTINOU: ‘MR NOW’ WITH A HEART OF GOLD

S

ir Theophilus George Constantinou CBE (known as George) was born in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, the fourth child and second son of George and Maria Constantinou on 24 October, 1959.

His early years of school were in Port Moresby, followed by a time at Nudgee College in Brisbane.

The family business evolved from a welding business (Papuan Welders) to encompass civil construction (Hebou), and construction materials (Rouna Concrete and Rouna Quarries), hotels (Airways), timber (Northern District Sawmills and Cloudy Bay Timbers), and gold (Yodda Mining).

When business got a bit tough, George returned to PNG to help in the family business and his father George Senior sent him to learn the quarrying game at Rouna Quarry with quarry manager Loa Morea.

The quarry was a limestone deposit which supplied the internal concrete and civil construction businesses.

The crushing plant was very basic but served the purpose.

The resource at Rouna finally ran out so river stone and sand was sourced from a traditionally owned flood plain some 40km from the old quarry.

In 2000-01, Rouna Quarry was contracted

by Boral Asphalt in Queensland to supply aggregates for the resurfacing of Jackson’s Airport in Port Moresby. This was a successful project for all parties.

In 2005, George purchased the construction materials operation from Steamships which included a quarry at Nebiri, a large limestone deposit, a block of land closer to town at Six Mile which had a concrete plant, concrete pipe plant, a workshop, a small pre-cast concrete operation, and a basic materials laboratory on the site. He also bought a masonry concrete block plant and an asphalt plant in Rouna.

The business traded as Monier Ltd and had been in operation for 37 years.

George had learnt business skills from his father and elder brother Kostas which he set about utilising in his new venture of Monier.

He slowly started upgrading the business with capital injection for new mobile machinery for the quarry, a new concrete plant and mixers for Six Mile and upskilling the workforce.

George Constantinou had a great passion for PNG and also for the Papua New Guinea people.

In 2013, Constantinou decided to build a new 350 tph crushing plant for the Monier quarry at Nebiri.

The Monier name celebrated 50 years in business in PNG in typical style with a party at the quarry.

Monier’s motto was “Mark of quality”.

George was passionate about it and instilled the motto in everything that Monier did. The company became the best construction materials supplier in PNG and is renowned for the quality of all its products.

The company continued to grow and outgrew some of the fixed plant that it was operating.

In 2013, George made the decision to build a new crushing plant at Nebiri and a new reinforced concrete pipe manufacturing plant at Rouna.

Metso supplied a 350-tonne-per-hour turnkey crushing plant and the pipe plant was a vertical cast pipe plant from Germany.

The asphalt plant was subsequently sold to Hebou and a new casting operation was moved to Rouna along with a heavy vehicle repair facility.

George Senior during this period received a knighthood and 11 years ago passed away after a nasty incident in Port Moresby. As a result, Kostas and George took over the running of their father’s businesses.

George had a great passion for PNG and also for the Papua New Guinea people. He had a heart of gold and a lot of Papuans owe their education, housing and well-being to his generosity. He sponsored netball, rugby union and cricket at the highest level. He could count among his friends people such

as Prime Ministers and tea ladies. He also took on the role of chairman of the Board of Port Moresby General Hospital which was a huge task but which he tackled with his usual vigour.

The hospital became a better place under his guidance. George had a nickname: “Mr Now”.

Due to his contribution to the local business and community sectors, George was also given a knighthood. By then he was using his given name Theophilus, so he became known as Sir Theo.

Kostas has also received a knighthood for his contribution to the family business and the community. That made three knighthoods in the same family which is quite rare.

George never had any children but he used to say that between Kostas and himself they had about 3000 kids.

In 2018, George was diagnosed with cancer and he moved to Sydney for treatment.

Unfortunately he succumbed to the disease on 10 September, 2019. He was buried next to his mother in Brisbane.

George will be sorely missed by every person who ever made contact with him, either for his business acumen or his huge appetite for enjoying all the excitement of life. He was incredibly loyal to his friends and I for one will miss him terribly. • Peter Byrne is a director of Central Sands Supplies in PNG and an IQA member.

Quarry February 2020 39

2020 IQA EVENTS ACT BRANCH 1 March

Dinner meeting

NEW SOUTH WALES BRANCH 7 Feb Graduation dinner 1 March Women in Quarrying Conference

NSW CENTRAL WEST SUB-BRANCH 1 Feb 1 June

Dinner meeting Dinner meeting

NSW HUNTER SUB-BRANCH

12 June Quarrying Safety & Health Conference, Brisbane 24 July Annual Golf Day, Rockhampton 19 August Dinner Meeting & Branch AGM, Brisbane 8 Oct Annual Breakfast Meeting, Brisbane 21 Oct Quarrying Safety & Health Seminar, Rockhampton 20 Nov Annual Breakfast Meeting, Brisbane

NORTH QUEENSLAND BRANCH

QUEENSLAND BRANCH

11 Feb Dinner Meeting, Townsville 11 March Dinner Meeting, Cairns 21 April Dinner Meeting, Townsville 19 June Quarrying Safety & Health Seminar, Townsville 10 July Annual Golf Day, Cairns 26 Aug Dinner Meeting & Branch AGM, Townsville 25 Sep Annual Golf Day, Townsville 30 Sep Dinner Meeting, Cairns/ Tablelands 14 Oct Dinner Meeting, Mackay 27 Nov Christmas Function, Townsville

20 Feb 18 March 26 March 15 May

1 May

1 Feb 1 May

Lunch meeting Breakfast meeting

NSW ILLAWARRA SUB-BRANCH 1 March 1 May

Weekend seminar Dinner meeting

NSW NORTHERN REGION SUB-BRANCH 1 May

Dinner meeting

Site tour & dinner meeting Dinner meeting, Rockhampton WIQ Queensland conference Annual Golf Day

TASMANIA 1 March 1 June

Dinner meeting Dinner meeting

VICTORIAN BRANCH 1 March 1 May

Summer Technical Night Student Presentation Night

VICTORIAN SUB-BRANCH 1 Feb 1 March 1 May

Dinner meeting Dinner meeting Dinner meeting

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BRANCH 20 March The ‘Bowling Stone’ Challenge – Lawn Bowls & Sundowner, South Perth Bowling Club 22 May WIQ Beyond Diversity Conference

All dates and venues for the above branches are correct at time of press. Not all branches had confirmed their activities/ dates. For further information about IQA branch activities, contact your local branch representative (see IQA branch contacts on page 42) or visit quarry.com.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH Dinner meeting, Adelaide

PDP WORKSHOPS & EVENTS To register for the courses below and for further information, visit: quarry.com.au/Education/ProfessionalDevelopmentProgramsCalendar.aspx

CONEXPO-CONAGG 2020

BULK2020

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 10-14 March 2020 The largest construction expo in North America, the triennial CONEXPOCONAGG promises more than 232,000m2 of exhibits and new products from more than 2800 equipment manufacturers, specialising in mining, quarrying, aggregates processing, earthmoving, concrete, asphalt, trucking, rail, and more. There are also more than 150 information and education sessions.

The event has in the past been attended by more than 130,000 unique visitors from 170 countries, including Australia.

For further information about registrations and exhibiting, visit conexpoconagg.com

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 1-3 April 2020 BULK2020 will bring together and showcase the entire bulk handling industry. The trade expo will showcase the latest in bulk materials handling equipment and technologies, including crushing equipment, screening equipment, blending/loading equipment, bulk haulage and earthmoving equipment, buckets and attachments, conveyors/conveying equipment, dust control systems, feeders/feeding equipment, stockpilers, and washing equipment, among others.

BULK2020 has industry support from the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling, which will be working with BULK2020

40

Quarry February 2020

organisers on an industry conference to occur at the event. Quarry is a media partner of BULK2020.

For more information, and for exhibiting inquiries, contact Rob O’Byran, BULK2020 business development manager, tel 03 9690 8766, mobile 0411 067 795, email rob.obryan@primecreative.com.au or visit bulkhandlingexpo.com.au

MEGATRANS 2020 Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 1-3 April 2020 MEGATRANS facilitates cross-industry collaboration in a multi-dimensional and integrated conference and exhibition for the freight and logistics industry. Held in conjunction with BULK2020 (see above, one

The Institute of Quarrying Australia

FROM THE CEO

NEW EXPOSURE STANDARD FOR RCS RAISES THE BAR FOR INDUSTRY In December 2019, Safe Work Australia (SWA) ratified a new exposure standard for respirable crystalline silica to be reduced by 50 per cent to 0.05 mg/m3, lowered from 0.1 mg/m3.

The IQA will continue to work with the industry on all aspects of this change. Specifically, the IQA will be releasing a range of educational materials on RCS.

While there is ongoing debate occurring about the reduction, the standard is in place. At the time of writing there was no consensus on an implementation date.

This will focus on holistic information from general awareness through to detailed face to face workshops. In 2019, the IQA consulted with industry and state regulators on the areas where industry had questions and needed support.

For respirable crystalline silica (RCS), Australia’s work health and safety ministers agreed the revised Workplace Exposure Standard (WES) be implemented “as soon as practicable”. It is up to individual state jurisdictions to implement the WES at their discretion within three years of the decision date, with several states looking to act immediately.

The new standard of 0.05 mg/m3 presents major challenges for both industry and regulators to manage. ticket entry will give recipients access to both exhibitions), MEGATRANS will showcase the latest in artificial intelligence, robotics, automated tracking, telematics and route optimisation, warehouse automation, intelligent fleet systems, blockchain, the Internet of Things, big data and advanced analytics.

For more information, and for exhibiting inquiries, contact Rob O’Byran, BULK2020 business development manager, tel 03 9690 8766, mobile 0411 067 795, or email rob.obryan@primecreative.com.au or visit megatrans.com.au

HILLHEAD 2020 Hillhead Quarry Buxton, Derbyshire UK 23-25 June 2020 Hillhead 2020 is one of the largest outdoor trade exhibitions of its kind in the world and considered the quarrying industry’s showpiece globally. The biennial event is held in a former working quarry in Buxton,

As a result, the training will include information on the new standard, measurement, health monitoring and controls, and communicating with your workforce and the community. Dates for training will be available via the IQA website (quarry.com.au). For more information, email education@quarry.com.au Derbyshire. The 2018 event enjoyed record crowds and exhibits, with 546 exhibitors and almost 20,000 unique visitors from across, the UK, Europe, Russia, Asia and Australia.

The event traditionally comprises outdoor and indoor exhibition areas, along with four areas where there are live demonstrations of working plant and equipment. Attendance is free to all visitors. Registrations for the event are now open. Further information about attending and exhibiting can be found online at the show’s website: hillhead.com

MINEXPO INTERNATIONAL Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 28-30 September 2020 MINExpo International is the world’s largest and most comprehensive global mining event, bringing together worldwide industry leaders who are ready to purchase the latest equipment and services, see innovative new technologies, meet face to face with exhibitors and make valuable new connections. The expo will showcase cutting

To view the SWA announcement, visit safeworkaustralia.gov.au/exposurestandards#revised-workplace-exposurestandards KYLIE FAHEY Chief Executive Officer Institute of Quarrying Australia edge equipment, innovations, services and technologies. For further information about registrations and exhibiting, visit minexpo. com

INTERNATIONAL MINING AND RESOURCES CONFERENCE (IMARC) Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 27-29 October 2020 The seventh IMARC will connect more than 7000 decision makers, resources leaders, policy makers, technical experts, innovators and educators from across 100 countries.

The three-day conference will provide plenty of opportunities for learning and networking and facilitate exhibitions and workshops. As Australia’s largest resources conference, the IMARC program will cover the entire mining supply chain and explore numerous topics, eg exploration, plant and processing, social licence, workforce attraction and retention, and site optimisation. For more information, and for exhibiting inquiries, visit imarcmelbourne.com Quarry February 2020 41

IQA NEWS COMMISSIONER HEARTENED BY INDUSTRY’S RESPONSE TO SAFETY RESET The Queensland resources sector must ride the momentum from the recent “safety reset”, says the state’s Commissioner for Mine Health and Safety who has praised operators planning to implement the concept on a national and permanent basis. Myles Hume reports.

Commissioner Kate du Preez was the guest speaker at the Institute of Quarrying Australia Queensland branch’s annual lunch meeting on 15 November.

Her discussion focused on learnings from mandatory workplace safety sessions held across Queensland in response to a spate of mining and quarrying deaths.

In an interview with Quarry, du Preez said the “safety reset” program had been a crucial first step in refocusing the industry’s attention on what should be the number one priority – the health and safety of its workers.

Du Preez said more than 52,000 mine and quarry workers in Queensland stopped work to attend one of the 1197 safety and health-focused sessions, which operators had to complete within a six-week window by 31 August.

“It has been a tragic year for Queensland’s mining and quarrying industry,” du Preez said. “We experienced five fatalities in 2018–19, with a sixth in early July 2019.

“The safety reset was an opportunity for industry to take stock of its safety and health culture and to get back to basics on safety practices.

“I would like to see the industry, unions and the regulator working together to ensure the momentum of the ‘safety reset’ is not lost and improvements to safety culture across the industry are embedded into everyday practice.”

Due to ongoing investigations, du Preez said she could not comment on emerging trends from the fatal incidents. However, her initial impression is the safety reset process has been successful.

“Integral to this success has been the level

42 Quarry February 2020

Queensland’s Commissioner for Mine Health and Safety Kate du Preez is pleased with the quarrying industry’s support of the “safety reset”.

of buy-in from all levels of the industry – from boardroom to shop floor,” she said.

“This has illustrated to me that most people understand the importance of their safety and health obligations and understand that Queensland’s modern safety and health legislation was written in the shadow of disaster.

“The safety reset sessions I attended were punctuated by a number of personal stories from mine workers and I was heartened to hear that a number of operators were planning to implement the safety reset concept on a national scale and make it part of their ongoing programs to protect worker safety and health.”

Du Preez said many incidents in mines and quarries were the result of ineffective implementation of controls to manage known risks.

Prior to the safety reset, in March 2019, the Queensland Mines Inspectorate implemented a major inspection and education campaign, which targeted three key areas for action to improve the controls that manage identified risks.

Du Preez said the Campaign for Change aims to ensure industry has a clear understanding that it is unacceptable to: • O perate plant without effective guarding in place.

• U se mobile equipment that is not maintained and inspected in accordance with original equipment manufacturer requirements.

• A llow workers to operate mobile equipment without being appropriately trained and competent.

• C onduct work on plant that is not correctly isolated and locked out.

The campaign continues into 2020.

“Everyone who goes to work, whether that is in a mine, a quarry or any other workplace, is entitled to return home safely to their families and friends,” du Preez said.

“No death or injury on a mine or quarry site is acceptable and every workplace should be doing everything possible to protect the safety and health of its workers.”

The Institute of Quarrying Australia

TASMANIAN BRANCH NEWS The Tasmanian branch’s final event for 2019 was the annual Tech and Social weekend, held in Deloraine.

Forty delegates attended, some travelling in from as far afield as New South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand.

Kate du Preez, Commissioner for Mine Safety & Health and IQA Queensland branch chairman David Smith.

David Smith (centre) with Daniel Webber and Jason Hartmann from CDE.

QUEENSLAND BRANCH NEWS Annual lunch meeting, Brisbane The Queensland branch hosted its annual lunch meeting as the last event for 2019, sponsored by Rossco’s Site Servicing and CDE. Guest speakers included Kate du Preez, Commissioner for Mine Safety & Health, who reported on the learnings from the ‘safety reset’. Charlie Stoneman, the regional general manager of the northern region for Hanson was also a guest speaker, continuing the Queensland branch’s series of presentations by industry leaders sharing their career highlights and industry insights.

Site tour & dinner meeting The Queensland branch will kick off 2020 with a site tour of Fulton Hogan’s Blue Rock Quarry, followed by a dinner meeting at the Yatala Motor Inn, on Thursday 20 February, sponsored by Screenmasters Australia.

Bookings are available on the IQA website: quarry.com.au WIQ Queensland conference The IQA is proud to present the first WIQ conference for 2020 at the Glen Hotel, Eight Mile Plains, on Thursday 26 March.

The CPR Group (major supporter of the Queensland WIQ) and Boral will again be the major sponsors of the WIQ Queensland conference. The theme - Untapped resources - recognises the diversity in the industry and the growing need to approach workforce development in different ways as businesses face a number of challenges when attracting and retaining talent.

Through the WIQ network, the IQA has successfully engaged hundreds of people to participate in networking/education events for the first time. It has also provided leadership opportunities for people to be engaged as speakers and on committees for the first time

The group boarded the bus, kindly sponsored by Stopford Drilling and Forze Explosives, to our first stop that was R Stephens Honey. Ewan Stephens, a third-generation family member, detailed the history of the business that has been operating since 1919, with many interested to learn the main production of honey comes from the scarce Leatherwood tree which only grows naturally on the West Coast.

Getting to the west coast in an open sided no- suspension truck back in 1929 was a three-day trek each way and roads were so rough they didn’t return until 1950.

Today, R Stephens employs 14 people to run 2500 hives and each hive can produce between 120 and 300kg of honey per year. The company started exporting in 1956 and their main markets are in both Australia and America.

IQA CEO Kylie Fahey (left) with David Smith and Charlie Stoneman.

and profiled amazing career opportunities and leaders in the industry. The events in 2020 will build on this success and specifically address how to harness one of the industry’s untapped resources – people.

Untapped resources will be varied from quarry to quarry and may involve encouraging both men and women into non-traditional roles, improving recruitment practices that supports attracting a diverse workforce, growing women in leadership roles and recognising what skill sets will be needed in the future.

Ewan Stephens (left), from R Stephens Honey, showcases the company’s processing and packing shed.

In 2020 the IQA will work with the WIQ network to look at the overall diversity of the industry, encourage younger people to engage and look at ways of promoting the wonderful career paths within the industry as a whole.

This conference is not to be missed. It will motivate and inspire frontline staff, provide real examples and case studies for managers who want to broaden the engagement of staff, and showcase achievements of leaders to inspire the next generation. Registrations for the Queensland conference are available on the IQA website: quarry.com.au

Inside Ewan Stephens’ ‘Man’s Shed’ where he houses an array of classic vehicles.

Quarry February 2020 43

IQA NEWS We would like to thank Sue Stanton and Cheryl Cresswell for organising the weekend, as well as our three guest speakers and sponsors Epiroc, Salmon Farm Tour, Forze Explosives and Stopford Drilling.

The next Tech and Social weekend will take place 27 to 29 November, 2019 at St Helens.

Our first meeting for 2020 will be 18 February in Launceston. It will feature presentations from IQA CEO Kylie Fahey and Worksafe Tasmania principal mines inspector Andrew Tunstall.

Corey Baker, of Red Brick Road Ciderworks pours samples for attendees to try.

Next stop was the Graymont Mole Creek Lime Mine, hosted by Leon Porter, site manager, and Brian How, long term mine manager. High grade lime has been mined at this site for 48 years. Graymont recently took over the site, previously known as Sibelco, and now 28 people work there, producing aggregate lime, quick lime and hydrated lime.

Mole Creek has a further 25 years of known mine life, and we were fortunate enough to take a tour of the pit and crushing plant.

For lunch we stopped at the Mole Creek Hotel, a famous local pub that was first built in 1909 and remained unlicensed until 1953. In its early days, the hotel was a focal point for cave tourism.

Next, we returned to view Ewan Stephens’ Man’s Shed where he houses a private truck and car collection. This includes old trucks owned by R Stephens that have been restored.

We then took a short walk into the Alum Cliffs lookout, a feature that got the “geos” in the group talking excitedly about fault zones and upthrusts, etc.

From there it was to 41 South Salmon and Ginseng farm where Ziggy Pyka let us taste his locally smoked salmon and other products.

Last stop for the day was Red Brick Road Ciderworks where Corey Baker gave us the taste of various types of cider and then gin made in-house.

Our group dinner was held at the Deloraine Deli where Rear Admiral Ron Bugg held a presentation on geological history and global warming, followed by Professor Shane Pinner on the mountain huts of Tasmania and Dr Nic Haygarth on early cave tourism of Mole Creek.

Next morning we met up at Ashgrove Cheese where one of the founding brothers, Micheal Bennett, explained all things milk and cheese.

44 Quarry February 2020

By John Stanton

Hanson’s Bruce Hardy (in pink) was awarded best dressed for the event.

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BRANCH NEWS It was another stunning Perth spring day that saw 220 golfers head off in their carts for 18 holes of golf that showcased moments of brilliance, interspersed with downright frustration. Most importantly, everyone appeared to be having fun, which makes the WA branch’s Golf Day at Joondalup a calendar highlight.

It appeared that some players may have felt a little guilty taking part in a fun golf day whiletheir workmates were still at the office.

To salve their guilt, some players were witnessed carrying out the odd fairway excavation and there was plenty of action in the sand “pits”. It was all in a day’s work for an IQA member.

New entrants Matec Pacific took out the event. finishing with a gross score of 59 (net 57.81), including one eagle, 11 birdies, six pars and not a bogey in sight.

Peter Della Bona’s WA Limestone team were in second place, two strokes off the pace with 61 (58.50 net) and third place Maxam was hot on their heels with 62 (58.56 net). The NAGA Award, and now

Associate Associate Associate Associate Associate Member Associate Associate Associate Associate T/Member Fellow Member

Daniel Webber Sarah Grixti Wayne Grech Ralph Barling Michael Vayro Lachlan McRae Lorraine Anderson Robert Davies Kendal Masterton Leanne Muir Stephen Sandiford Stephen Wilson David Salim

Once again, the inimitable Bruce Hardy from Hanson could not be ignored. His fashion style surpassed all others on the field, earning him the title of best dressed golfer for the day.

Finally, thank you to the golf committee, Grant Menhennett and Stephen Elliott, for their help behind the scenes, as well as Royce Sallur for MC duties, Orica for sponsoring the drinks carts and Boral Quarries for sponsoring the sundowner.

A complete directory of all the sponsors is on the website - quarry.com.au - and we thank each and every one of them for making the 2019 WA Golf Day the success it was.

By Celia Pavri

IQA BRANCH CONTACTS ACT

Peter Hewson: 0429 001 476

NSW

Gemma Thursfield: 0402 431 090

Northern Gemma Thursfield: 0402 431 090

IQA NEW MEMBERS GRADE NAME

keenly sought after stainless steel spades sponsored by Drew Martin from Blast It Global, went to Fuel Distributors of WA, with an impressive 13 over par, 85 strokes.

Hunter Gemma Thursfield: 0402 431 090 BRANCH QLD NSW NSW QLD QLD VIC WA WA WA WA WA QLD NSW

Illawarra

Dylan Treadwell: 0418 632 057

Central West Mitchell Bland: 0428 462 987 NT

Darren McKenna: 08 8988 4520

QLD

Jennifer Milward: 0419 782 688

Gladstone Jennifer Milward: 0419 782 688 Townsville Jennifer Milward: 0419 782 688 Cairns SA

Chris Wilson: 0438 134 752 Marie Cunningham: 08 8243 2505

Tasmania Nicholas Palmer: 0418 126 253 Victoria

Eli Carbone: 03 8637 4723

Vic Sub-branch Craig Staggard: 0407 509 424

WA

Celia Pavri: 0417 027 928

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Quarry invites readers to provide feedback on content which appears in the magazine and also at quarrymagazine.com To submit letters of comment to the editor, email damian.christie@primecreative.com.au

SAFETY

VICTORIAN SAFETY REGULATIONS Having a professional interest in mine safety, I read with interest the article by Paul Skidmore titled Mine Safety: Too much, too far? in the July 2019 issue of Quarry (27; 7: 38-39).

However, I make the following comments to clarify the situation in regard to safety legislation in Victoria.

While “all Australian mines and quarries are now covered by safety legislation that embodies a number of key principles�, not all of the principles listed by Mr Skidmore apply to quarries in Victoria. Specifically, the assertion that “a safety management system (aka SHMS) must be in place for a mine or quarry to legally operate� is not the case for Victorian quarries.

Most jurisdictions in Australia have adopted mining regulations based on the Safe Work Australia “model� WHS laws. The exception to this is Victoria where a very different regulatory environment exists for quarries.

Unlike other jurisdictions in Australia, quarries in Victoria are not defined as mines under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and are therefore not subject to the mining regulations.

The definition of a mine in the Victorian OHS Act relies on the definition contained within the Mineral Resources Development Act (MRDA) 1990. Renamed the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 (MRSDA) in 2006, this Act defines a “mine� as being land from which minerals are extracted.

However, contrary to the definition given for a “mineral� in all other jurisdictions, the Victorian MRSDA explicitly excludes “stone� from the definition of a mineral. Rather, the extraction of stone from the land is defined in the MRDA as an “extractive industry�.

Therefore, due to the definition of a mineral in the MRSDA, quarries in Victoria are regulated differently to mines, being subject only to the general duties of the OHS Act and Regulations and not the mining regulations.

As such, they are not required to have in place a safety management system, including principal hazard management plans and principal control plans, to legally operate. The requirement for a safety management system under the Victorian mining regulations applies only to prescribed mines (underground mines and the Latrobe Valley brown coal mines).

DUST CONCERNS I was sitting on the lounge last night looking through the latest Quarry magazine (27;11; November 2019). I got to page eight and read through the article Dust risk on the radar of NSW regulators.

Dust is an issue for all quarry operators and we spend a significant amount of time, energy and resources to control dust emissions.

Having been in the industry for 33 years, and dealing with regulators from various government bodies, I know what the risks are and we are forever looking at and considering alternatives/solutions to dust problems, which can vary from day to day in some instances.

Using dust suppression contributes to blockages, housekeeping, product quality, etc. Dust extraction also has its own issues.

After reading the article I continued to flick through the magazine, and in numerous articles and advertisements I see photos of

NEWS

DUST RISK ON THE RADAR

OF NSW REGULATORS ‘OPERATORS

by their very nature can be dusty places to work and this compliance campaign will be directly testing to see if quarry operators have appropriate controls in place to protect the health of their workers from this risk.�

Inspectors conducted sampling of inhalable dust and examined what actions quarry operators had taken in the identification of excessive GARVIN BURNS, dust.

Exceedances and non-compliance NSW CHIEF were to be reported to INSPECTOR OF the regulator.

MINES Following the announcement, CCAA CEO Ken Slattery told Quarry his organisation engaged with the NSW Resource Regulator to better understand the basis of its increased focus on compliance with workplace exposure standards for respirable dust. “CCAA members are aware of the risks to workers’ health of excessive dust exposure and their obligations to manage this important aspect of their obligations,� Slattery said. “Guidance material produced by CCAA such as the Workplace Health & Safety Guideline - Management of Respirable Crystalline Silica in Quarries, published in September 2018, provides quarry operators with clear and practical guidance on managing this risk. CCAA will continue to support the industry to manage its obligations in this regard.�

Burns said the resources regulator had communicated directly with the CCAA about its intent to commence the intervention and had met with a CCAA representative to discuss the reasons for it. • SHOULD NOT RELY ON PPE AND TAKE OTHER ACTIVE MEASURES TO REDUCE DUST EXPOSURE RISKS’

generally mobile crushers and screens with huge amounts of dust being generated. I know this is what happens when crushing, however given Quarry represents the industry, I’m not sure that the regulators would be happy to see those types of photos in an industry magazine.

I’m not trying to be critical, it’s just that it stood out like a sore thumb to me.

The NSW Resources Regulator recently undertook a three-week program to examine how targeted intervention quarries were managing dust risks.

Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has contacted the New South Wales industry regulator to better understand the basis for a “state-wide blitz� on dust risk exposure.

In late September, the NSW Resources Regulator announced a three-week targeted intervention program to examine how quarries were managing dust risks, with a particular focus on controls and monitoring measures. It came after a review of dust monitoring results reported by mine operators indicated some quarry workers were being exposed to dust at levels well above legal limits. “Our inspectors will look at whether quarry operators are identifying dust

risks and putting in place subsequent controls to protect workers,� the Resources Regulator’s chief inspector of mines Garvin Burns told Quarry. “Operators need to ensure that they are not simply relying on personal protective equipment and have taken other active measures to eliminate or reduce dust exposure risks.�

At the time of writing, nine sites were assessed, with three improvement notices issued for dust management practices. Several were issued in relation to non-compliances for the management of other hazards.

Burns said dust diseases, such as silicosis, were preventable and required appropriate dust controls, atmospheric monitoring and worker health monitoring. “We know quarries

NEW INDEPENDENT REGULA TOR PROPOSED FOR QUEENS LAND separate,

A levy on resource companies will fund a new “arm’s length� health and safety regulatory body in Queensland Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) - proposed by the Palaszczuk Government.

The RSHQ will cover Queensland’s mines, explosives, and petroleum and gas inspectors and assume the safety and health functions residing within the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy. The RSHQ will report directly to the minister, not a department, and be subject to monitoring and review by a

8

independent commissioner for union representatives to mining and quarrying, petroleum take part in 1115 and safety resets at more than gas, and explosives.

219 mines and quarries,� he said.

The establishment of the RSHQ follows “I am pleased that the safety the participation of 49,400 resets have mine and quarry been embraced but this employees in “safety resetâ€? is not the end. meetings Workers, unions, industry between July and the end and government of August. must all continue to work Lynham released figures tirelessly so for the number of that every worker returns mining and quarrying employees home safely who had after every shift.â€? completed ‘safety reset’ meetings, as part of an urgent response to According to Cement Concrete the health and & safety problem across Aggregates Australia estimates, the state. almost 180 Queensland quarry “I can advise that more sites, representing than 49,400 almost 2400 workers, completed workers have joined management the and safety reset. •

Quarry November 2019

GREG DRESSLER Quarry Manager Hunter Quarries/Karuah East Quarry New South Wales

MINE SAFETY:

IS IT TOO MUCH, TOO FAR?

Mine safety may seem intimidating, tedious, time-co nsuming and arduous producers. However, as to quarrying Paul Skidmore explains , it is a positive, inclusiv process compared to the e and productive horrors of yesteryear.

M

ine safety, I can imagine you thinking. “Groan! Too many regulations! No time! No money!

Stops production! Too much paperwork!�

Come now, be honest!

Is that what you thought?

Well, you’re not alone.

This is a common reaction from all levels of the quarrying industry. Or did you think the following: • Mine safety laws protect me and my mates. • My employees and contractors are looked after.

• When I look after safety, my workforce looks after me. • This will save me money in the long term and keep me out of prison. • I don’t want to go back to the way it was.

So, have we gone too far? Is safety now over the top? Should we go back to the “good old days�?

There has always been a balance between production, cost and safety.

Let’s see how safety has changed in mining and quarrying and ask ourselves these questions at the end.

THE ‘GOOD OLD DAYS’ Mining is an old industry.

The oldest known mine is the Ngwenya ochre mine in Swaziland, dated at 43,000 years old.

The ancient Egyptians mined malachite at Maadi between 2600 BC and 2500 BC. Mining was mainly done by slaves, who were disagreeable, needed feeding and were certainly less reliable than a diesel loader!

So, we have been mining and quarrying across the world for a long time. Then, in the 18th century, mining became increasingly mechanised. Mining was motivated by 38

Quarry July 2019

Consider the timeline below: • In 1840, the mining royal commission was set up in Victorian England, following concerns about the mining industry. The findings were that accidents, brutality, lung disease, long hours and highly dangerous and adverse working conditions were normal! The public outcry led to the formation of the Mine Inspectorate in 1843. • In 1851, the first Australian mine safety laws were introduced. • In 1895, the Quarry Inspectorate was formed in England, following the Quarries Act of 1894. • In New South Wales, the Coal Mines Regulation Act was introduced in 1912, followed by the Coal Mining Act of 1973, the Coal Mining Regulation Act of 1982 and the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act 2002. • In 2013, NSW introduced the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act, with the regulation following in 2014. These laws supported the Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations in 2011, which followed the national model WHS laws introduced that year.

To comply with safety management systems, quarry personnel are relying on central safety stations to access paperwork, personal protective equipment, fire extinguishers and first aid kits.

profit and there were no prescribed safety regulations. Children were used as cheap labour and could fit easily into the low tunnels (see illustration above). “Miner’s Lung� disease (pneumoco niosis) was common, leading to many early deaths.

Physical hazards were always present and there was no regulation to protect worker safety.

What do you think so far?

It was certainly cheaper, slaves and kids were quite productive and agile workers didn’t get hurt!

Well, many people around the world felt working conditions in mining were unacceptable. This has led to improvements since 1840 which form the basis of mining safety law in Australia today.

MODERN SAFETY LAWS Even with improved laws, disasters continued to plague mining in Australia.

Up to 286 miners lost their lives from 1887 to 2006 in the mining disasters below: • 1887 – Bulli Mine disaster (gas explosion) – 81 dead.

!RE YOU GET

7E WON T DIRECT YOU TOWARDS A NY PARTICULAR PRODUCT ,OCKER OFFER THE COMP LETE RANGE 7E WANT TO PROVIDE THE BEST S CREEN FOR YOU s 7IRE s 2IPPLE AND 0OLYRIPPLE s 2UBBER s 0OLYURETHANE s 4UFFLEX s -ODULAR OR 4ENSIONED 3CREENS

#ONTACT YOUR LOCAL SCREENING EX PERT

• 1902 – Mount Kembla Mine (explosion) – 96 dead. • 1921 – Mount Mulligan (coal dust explosion) – 75 dead.

TONY FERRAZZA Mine and Quarry Consulting Melbourne, Victoria

Editor’s response: To date, Quarry has not received feedback from a regulator about the levels of dust featured in photos in the magazine.

Largely this is because over the years we have sought to run images that use minimal levels of dust.

Each issue of the magazine is also reviewed by a panel of IQA volunteers who will point out any concerns they have about particular photos, eg whether a picture contains too much dust, personnel aren’t wearing the correct PPE, or equipment is in the wrong place.  When that occurs, alternative photos will be used.

For the November 2019 issue, the panel did not voice any concerns about the background levels of dust featured in some of the photos in the articles.

There is less editorial control over some of the artwork supplied for advertisements, which are designed by the clients.

However, care is taken with images to ensure that the industry is not presented in a negative light – and clients may be advised to replace images which are not considered suitable for publication.

Quarry February 2020 45

GEOLOGY TALK

MAGNESIUM CEMENT COULD CUT EMISSIONS the MOC was retained after being soaked in water for 28 days.

“Both the fly ash and silica fume have an effect of optimising the pore structure in MOC, making the cement denser,” Zhang told Quarry.

“The reactions of fly ash and silica fume with the MOC matrix form a gellike phase, which contributes to water repellence. The extremely fine particles, large surface area and high reactive silica content of silica fume make it an effective binding substance known as a pozzolan. This helps give the concrete high strength and durability.”

Some MOC samples. The use of MOC has previously been restricted to floor tiles, decoration panels, sound and thermal insulation boards.

Australian researchers have developed a new magnesium-based “green cement” by overcoming water resistance issues that have traditionally limited its use. Myles Hume reports.

T

he engineering academics have produced a new version of magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC), which they believe has the potential to replace – or partially replace – conventional cement used in construction materials, resulting in a reduction of emissions.

According to the study, published in The Conversation, MOC is produced by mixing magnesium oxide powder and a concentrated solution of magnesium chloride. The magnesium oxide powder, also called light burnt magnesia, is produced from magnesium mining, while magnesium chloride can be obtained from sea water.

The product can achieve much higher compressive strength than regular cement, while its fast setting benefits and early strength gain are advantageous for construction.

46 Quarry February 2020

Additionally, magnesium oxide can also absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making MOC a green and environmentally friendly cement with lower CO2 emissions.

However, the use of MOC has previously been restricted to indoor applications such as floor tiles, decoration panels, sound and thermal insulation boards, due to its tendency to degrade in strength after prolonged exposure to water and moisture.

Now, the research team led by Yixia (Sarah) Zhang, Associate Professor of Engineering at Western Sydney University, has developed a method to overcome this by adding industrial by-products such as fly ash and silica fume, as well as chemical additives.

Fly ash, a by-product of the coal industry, was found to significantly improve the water resistance of MOC. When combined with silica fume, the full compressive strength of

GAME-CHANGER? Although this particular MOC product demonstrated excellent resistance to water at room temperature, Zhang said it rapidly weakened when being soaked in warm water. The team later solved this by adding phosphoric acid and soluble phosphates.

Overall, the MOC achieved a compressive strength of 110 megapascals (MPa) and flexural strength of 17 MPa at 28 days, a few times greater than those of conventional cement.

The MOC can fully retain these strengths after being soaked in water for 28 days at room temperatures and, in hot water (60˚C), the MOC can retain up to 90 per cent of its compressive and flexral strength after 28 days.

“There is a lot of potential for industry application. Firstly, this material will improve its current indoor applications significantly and expend its outdoor applications,” Zhang said.

“In the longer run, if it can be applied in producing concrete to practically replace the conventional cement used, that would be a big thing to happen for the sector.

“We would like to work further with government and industries to develop new MOC-based products and tailor the mix design to suit the industrial needs.”

Zhang added: “When concrete is the main structural component, steel reinforcement has to be used. Corrosion of steel in MOC is a critical issue and a big hurdle to jump. The research team has already started to work on this issue.

“If this problem can be solved, MOC could be a game-changer for the construction industry.” •

2 APRIL 2020 MELBOURNE

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