Australia Mining by Reed Business Information RBI

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Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition www.qme.reedexhibitions.com.au

22-24 July 2008 Mackay, Queensland REEDMINING&CONSTRUCTIONEVENTS

VOLUME 100/6

JUNE 2008

Electronic ear guides drill

SIRO scientists with the Minerals Down Under National Research Flagship have successfully used an electronic listening post to track and control a drill operating more than 300 m below the Earth’s surface. While there is still a lot of research to be done, CSIRO’s successful trial has demonstrated, for the first time in Australia, that the use of ‘microseismics’ technology has significant potential in delivering cost savings and efficiency improvements in the directional drilling process for exploration and mining applications. The trial was carried out at a coal field test site in Queensland as part of a program to develop and exploit coal seam gas. Normally in coal seam drilling for gas, a vertical production well in the subsurface is linked to another borehole that has been drilled through the main seam where the gas is generated and channelled. The challenge is that when using current methods to try to connect a sub-horizontal borehole to the vertical production borehole, the bit often misses the target. CSIRO’s solution was to use seismic monitoring to identify the location of the drill bit from the noise it generated while drilling. Minerals Down Under Microseismic Team leader Dr Xun Luo said the drill string and bit were navigated sub-horizontally towards the target gas production situated 1200 m from the test drilling site.

CENTENARY FEATURE Hard rock mining 1908-2008

PILBARA SPOTLIGHT Call goes out for workers

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The drill string and bit were navigated sub-horizontally towards the target gas production well situated approximately 1200 m from the test drilling site. Image: CSIRO.

“We used a multiple geophone array to improve the signal to noise ratio, but even so, the seismic data was still rather noisy and contaminated by periodic electrical noise signals,” he said. “However, we applied a sophisticated filtering and cancelling algorithm with the result that we could successfully identify the drill bit location and were able to intercept the target borehole at the first attempt.” A new technology that contributes to reducing the cost and increasing the efficiency of drilling could produce major

benefits for the mining industry. Drilling is a critical component of both the exploration and mining industries. It contributes approximately 20% of exploration costs and 10% of mining costs. For more information about the CSIRIO’s research into microseismics technology, call Xun Luo on 07 3327 4551 or email: Xun.Luo@csiro.au. For more information about the Minerals Down Under National Research Flagship, contact the director Dr Peter Lilly on 08 6436 8613 or email: Peter.Lilly@csiro.au.

Construction and mining equipment market powers on THE Australian construction and mining equipment market grew by 16% in 2007, according to figures released by the Construction and Mining Equipment Industry Group (CMEIG) and ERG International. This rise follows earlier rises of 10% in 2006 and 8% in 2005. All product markets increased sales volume with the exception of dozers

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which declined 12% on 2006 sales. The increase in sales reflected the strength of the Australian economy over the last three years and in particular the amount of construction work and increased demand in the mining market. With the expected slowdown in the growth of the Australian economy from 3.9% in 2007 to around 3.0%

in 2008 the growth in the construction market is expected to moderate during the year ahead. However, the mining market is expected to remain strong throughout the year. The largest volume of sales was recorded in Queensland which had 32% of market sales. NSW recorded 21% of national sales followed by WA and Victoria with 19% each. The

estimated value of the market in 2007 was $4.2 billion. Hydraulic excavators experienced an increase in sales volume of 20% due to strong sales in the less than 8 tonne capacity market. Overall, sales for the construction and mining equipment markets are forecast to remain at current levels over the next two years.

MINESITE VEHICLES Choosing the right tyre

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PRODUCT FOCUS Materials handling

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PROSPECT AWA R D S PROSPECT AWARDS Entries close soon

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Mining Australian

Steps in the right direction

The 2008-09 Budget takes important steps in addressing the critical issues affecting mining.

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Comment Jamie Wade ozmining@reedbusiness.com.au

(also VIC Manager) – Roger Podmore

The Budget signals a critical shift to a focus on building new supply capacity in the Australian economy. The importance of this shift cannot be under-estimated. The Australian minerals sector is operating at the limits of its capacity. Twenty billion dollars for the Building Australia Fund is a spectacular commitment to meeting the country’s infrastructure needs, and used wisely, it is going to help support growth across the resources sector. The minerals sector’s ability to expand has been hampered by chronic skills short-

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he overall Budget strategy is to be commended for longer term planning, for focusing on the need to fight inflation by reining in government spending, for delivering a strong surplus and for tackling capacity constraints. Industry will no doubt welcome the Rudd Government’s Budget commitment to investing returns from a booming minerals and energy sector into nation-building funds for infrastructure and education and training. The Budget recognises the need to address skills shortages by rebuilding capacity in the education system, and the importance of renovating critical social and physical infrastructure in export corridors including in regional and remote Australia.

The Budget signals a critical shift to a focus on building new supply capacity in the Australian economy. ages, congested and poorly functioning export corridors, emerging shortages of energy and water, inadequate social and physical infrastructure in remote and regional communities, and duplicative requirements for occupational health and safety and land access and use. If Australia is to take full advantage of near record terms of trade then capacity constraints need to be addressed so the current minerals expansion driving the econ-

omy is stronger for longer. This budget may not solve these problems overnight, but it signals a determination on the part of the Government to ensure Australia does not miss the opportunities offered by the Chinaled expansion in commodity markets. However, not all issues can be solved in one Budget and the Federal Government has ordered important reviews of vital concern to mining including Australia’s future tax system, higher education and Indigenous economic development. Many of the key reforms to address capacity constraints will not require new spending initiatives. Instead the solution to many of these problems lies in better Federal State co-operation, the elimination of duplicative and contradictory regulatory processes, institutional and intellectual capacity building, the increased efficiency and operability of the native title system, and more appropriate competition policy settings. The Rudd Government has already taken important initial steps in these areas, but these must be sustained and intensified. Labor will certainly be pressed to fulfil its election commitment to introduce a “flow through share scheme” for junior explorers. Such a scheme would enable the transfer of tax deductions of individual exploration companies to their investors.

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Ravensthorpe opens WESTERN Australian Premier Alan Carpenter has praised the contribution of BHP Billiton’s $US2.1billion Ravensthorpe Nickel Operation to regional WA at the official mine opening in late May. The project, 35km east of Ravensthorpe, will employ 650 workers in the south-east of the State and produce up to 50,000 tonnes of nickel and 1,400 tonnes of cobalt per annum over its 25-year lifespan. Carpenter said the project was the culmination of eight years of work by BHP Billiton and three tiers of Australian government. “An historic 2004 agreement saw the State Government contribute $18million, the Federal Government $9.8million and BHP Billiton $9.5million to the development of multi-user infrastructure in the Shire of Ravensthorpe,” he said. New infrastructure developed in the Shire includes the Hopetoun Primary School, Ravensthorpe Airport and Ravensthorpe Entertainment Centre. The Ravensthorpe Nickel project is the single biggest investment in BHP Billiton’s history, including the associated upgrade of the Yabulu refinery in Queensland. WA’s nickel industry is the world’s third largest. BHP Billiton chairman Don Argus said the project had set a new benchmark in the development of social infrastructure for resources projects. “Ravensthorpe Nickel has further developed WA’s nickel laterite technology and enhanced the State’s already formidable reputation for mineral processing,” he said.

FMG sets sails with first shipment FORTESCUE Metals Group (FMG) has loaded its first commercial shipment of iron ore from the “Herb Elliott Port” at Port Hedland for delivery to major Chinese customer Baosteel. The loading took place on 15 May 2008 and had 180,000 tonnes of high quality ‘Rocket” iron ore aboard the Cape size vessel Heng Shan. According to Fortescue’s chief executive officer Andrew Forrest, the operation is the culmination of an extraordinary achievement by some 12,000 people who have worked on Fortescue’s operations since its inception in 2003. “It is a testament to Australian ingenuity, persistence and hard work that Fortescue has managed to achieve this feat in such a short period of time,” Forrest said. “It has been achieved, and I want to recognise, the support of the State Government, all the local people of the Pilbara and the faith of our customers, who recognised the growing demand for the Pilbara’s rich iron ore resources. “In exactly three-and-a-half years since the very first discovery hole was drilled into Cloudbreak, we have planned, designed and built the massive infrastructure needed to start shipping ore. “After nearly 10 million man hours, 200 permits, 13,000 engineering drawings, 330 contracts, 24,000 invoices, megawatts of passion and toil with buckets of sweat, stage one of our project is almost complete,” Forrest said. “The impact of our first shipment will

Fortescue’s chief executive officer Andrew Forrest oversees the loading of 180,000 tonnes of high quality iron ore aboard the Cape size vessel Heng Shan.

have notable consequences. The global iron ore industry is now experiencing an abrupt change in the course of its massive consolidation. “A vanguard of industry juniors has been further energised by our example. Steel mills across Asia, and, the workforces of the Pilbara, welcome a major new low cost supplier and a high quality alternative employer. Australia has a new flagship company that is proudly waving the flag.” Fortescue will complete the last commissioning phases of the mine, rail and port operations over the next few months and is increasing production from its existing operations to 55 million tonnes per annum. “Once this project is fully completed, the mine, rail and port operation will be increased to allow for production to be increased to well over 100Mtpa,” Forrest said. AustralianMining

June 2008

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Contents

Centenary Feature 1908-2008

Hard Rock Mining p18 Grade control system p70

KCGM employs fail-safe network p16

Features MINE SAFETY Groundbreaking mine safety ...................... Driver avoids fatal crash ............................ Fatality forces government to tighten reign .. Injured miner left for three hours ...............

p10 p10 p10 p12

PILBARA SPOTLIGHT Working for the Pilbara ............................. p34 The land of opportunities........................... p36 FIFO from Carnarvon ................................ p37

Concern over shuttle cars ........................... p44 Contract win for collision technology ........ p46 A holy hydraulic boost ............................... p46

Maintaining the plant p57

MINERALS PROCESSING The sound of flotation................................ IsaMill ramps up production...................... Residual frothing measures up ................... Xstrata receives process control .................

p48 p50 p52 p54

MATERIALS HANDLING MINESITE VEHICLES Choosing the right tyre............................... Excavator debuts at Mt Keith ................... Komatsu simulator joins fleet..................... Zinifex dump trucks move earth and ore ... Hitachi excavator brings fleet to life ..........

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June 2008

p38 p38 p42 p42 p44

Uplifting work on pipeline ......................... Calibration planning lowers costs .............. Concrete recycling stacks up ...................... Bags sorted with conveyor..........................

p58 p60 p62 p64

PRODUCT SHOWCASE.............................. p74 www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Headlines

Sign-up for FREE mining news service Subscribe to Australian Mining’s FREE bi-weekly e-newsletter service at www.miningaustralia.com.au and receive relevant and concise reports on all the latest news and technology developments in the mining and resources industry. Australian Bureau of Statistics data issued showed an extra 25,000 jobs were added in April, indicating the Reserve Bank's hoped for economic slowdown may not materialise. However, with the increased numbers entering the workforce, the unemployment level rose to 4.2% from its March low of 4.1%.

Asbestos on minesites THE Queensland Department of Mines and Energy (DME) has released a safety bulletin urging mines to check their brake and clutch assemblies for traces of chrysotile asbestos. According to the bulletin, a nationwide ban on asbestos was imposed in December 2003, but there continues to be circumstances of some friction products containing white asbestos. The safety bulletin recommended minesites not use compressed air for cleaning purposes and/or high speed abrasive sanders on friction linings when working with friction products.

Tough clothing range HARD Yakka has launched a clothing range that has tough fabric and ergonomic pockets. The XTREME workwear line includes a safety vest, trouser, a two-tone high visibility trouser and short.The range features the fabric cordura, which is said to withstand more than three times the amount of wear than standard workwear fabrics. According to the company, the trousers and shorts are made from duck weave fabric, which is proven to withstand twice as many abrasions as regular fabric. All garments are UPF 50+ and provide sun protection.The company has also introduced a new fabric for the high visibility two-tone trouser, a 50/50 polyester face cotton back drill.

Driller’s foot crushed THE Queensland Department of Mines and Energy (DME) has released a Significant Incident Report urging workers to be more careful when operating equipment, after a driller had his feet crushed when the drill rig foot clamps closed unexpectedly. The operator was standing at the bottom of the mast attaching the cyclone pipe. Both of his feet were under the open foot clamps. The driller's offsider accidentally knocked a set of Allen keys off the control console. The keys hit the control lever operating the foot clamps closing both on to the operator's feet. The foot clamps operate under hydraulic pressure. At the time of accident, the engine for the hydraulic pump was running. As the foot clamps are required to hold the drill string in place, they will operate through the accumulator even when the hydraulic pump is not operating. The Significant Incident Report recommended that all controls, where possible, be returned to the neutral position when pressure to a lever is released, and that loose objects be properly secured.

the third force in the Australian iron ore industry. This year, it is anticipated that in excess of 60 representatives of the media will be attending Diggers and Dealers forum.

Bill makes mining fair

Topic is catering

NEW laws passed by Queensland Parliament will repeal the special status granted to some mining companies going back to the Bjelke-Petersen Government which made them exempt from environmental protection legislation. The Environmental Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 will ensure nine mining sites covered for decades by special acts of Parliament comply with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act. The new Bill will ensure that all mines operate under the same environmental standards. The Bill does not affect any other aspects of the Special Agreement Act, and will not affect the right to mine.

Diggers and Dealers THE annual Diggers and Dealers forum will be held in Kalgoorlie from 4 to 6 August 2008. Heading the speakers at this year's forum is Rio Tinto Iron Ore's chief executive Sam Walsh, who will deliver the opening address. Delegates will also receive a progress update from Fortescue Metals who are striving to be

6 AustralianMining

June 2008

Miner suffers facial burns

The Australian Mining website www.miningaustralia.com.au is updated daily with an e-newsletter sent twice weekly. Media releases for Australian Mining can be emailed to: ozmining@reedbusiness.com.au.

ISS Facility Services Australia (ISS) has acquired one of Western Australia's largest catering companies Topic Caterers. According to the company’s managing director, Topic Caterers are looking forward to new opportunities that will no doubt eventuate as a result of the acquisition. Topic Caterers have contracts with Fleetwood Pty Ltd, HWE, Pilbara Manganese, Barminco, Magellan Metals, Crescent Gold and Fox Resources. Services are provided to BHP, Rio Tinto and Woodside.

Rosebery receives boost ZINIFEX has announced that it will invest almost $35 million in its operations at Rosebery to improve efficiency and capacity at the company's west coast Tasmanian mine. According to the company, the major component of the investment would be for the installation of a new 1500 m deep ventilation shaft and exhaust system for the mine, at a cost of approximately $30 million. A further $3 million will be spent on a formal Feasibility Study evaluating options for

future construction, optimisation and expansion of a new milling and concentrating facility.

Xstrata makes an offer XSTRATA Queensland, a wholly owned subsidiary of Xstrata, has announced its intention to make an all cash offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares in Indophil Resources NL for $1 per share, valuing Indophil at $426 million. Xstrata's cash offer is priced at a 28% premium to the closing price of $0.78 per Indophil share on the Australian Securities Exchange and a 29% premium to the volume weighted average price of Indophil shares over the last month on the ASX. The Offer will be financed through Xstrata’s existing credit facilities and cash on hand. Xstrata Copper has management control and holds 62.5% of the issued common shares in Sagittarius Mines.

Suppliers line up for GME MORE than 200 exhibitors have signed up for the Kalgoorlie Goldfields Mining Expo to be held at the KalgoorlieBoulder Racing Club on 28 to 30 October 2008. Leading suppliers who have committed to GME, include Atlas Copco, Hitachi Construction and Mining Equipment, Metso Minerals, Sandvik Mining and Construction, Minepower,

Bradken Mining and CJD. GME has been an important fixture on the Australian mining calendar for over 20 years. This year boasts a GME website that has information about the event, including a directory listing of the exhibitors on show.

Employment levels surge EMPLOYMENT levels rose for a record 18th consecutive month as mining companies continued to hire workers to meet China's insatiable demand for iron ore and coal. The

A miner has received serious burns to his face and eyes as a result of an uncontrolled release from a pressurised line. The Queensland Department of Mines and Energy (DME) has released a safety bulletin urging mines to colour code all valves and pipes after the worker, who was in the process of packing up after a 12 hour shift,.disconnected the pressurised fluid-filled line without dissipating the pressure first. The worker, who was not wearing safety goggles at the time, removed the staple while the hose was still under pressure, causing the fluid to spit in his face. Initial first-aid treatment was carried out by flushing the injured worker's eyes with water. He was subsequently treated by paramedics. Fortunately, he did not lose his eyesight. The DME has recommended all mines install 3-way valves for isolation and de-pressurisation of fluid lines.

New look for mining website The Australian Mining website has a new look and feel! The exciting new site boasts a video portal where users can view mining related documentaries, while still keeping up-to-date on all the latest news. Users can stay informed by reading the feature articles on the easy-to-navigate website, while gaining an in-depth look at the mining industry. The Australian Mining website will also provide your company with detailed information on all the latest equipment and technology. Sign up for the FREE e-newsletter delivered to your personal inbox every Monday and Thursday. Whether you want to listen to Australian Mining’s podcasts with industry professionals or search the website using the related links page, Australia’s premier mining news website couldn’t be any easier to use. With thousands of topic pages, we guarantee you will find whatever information you are looking for. Visit www.miningaustralia.com.au and see it for yourself! www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Measurement switches HAWK Measurement Systems will unveil two measurement switches on Stand 4037 at the 2008 Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition. The first of these, the Gladiator Smart Admittance Level Switch, is designed to detect the level of liquid, slurry or powder in a tank or vessel and is designed to operate in industrial environments. It measures the capacitance (or admittance) between a probe and the wall of the container, detects changes and produces an output using Modbus, HART or Profibus protocols. According to the company, the second switch, the Gladiator Conductivity Smart Switch Series, offers a simple, reliable way of sensing levels of conductive liquids. This new line of point level switches is suitable for any situation where it is necessary to check the level of a liquid in a tank, such as high or low level alarm, constant level control, pump control and empty tank detection. A compact and remote version is available. The compact version combines switching functions, local calibration and diagnostic communications (Goshawk/Modbus). The remote version has a separate amplifier which can be located up to 500 m from the sensor probe. The products have a GSM communication option which allows any authorised user with a computer and a standard modem to calibrate, test or check on the performance of any Gladiator product from anywhere in the world.

Several probe types are available to meet specific applications and all types are resistant to product build-up. ■ Stand 4037 Hawk Measurement Systems info@hawk.com.au www.hawk.com.au

QME entices international guests THE Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition (QME) will provide local and international suppliers with the opportunity to interact with the Queensland Mining community at the Mackay Showgrounds on the 22 to 24 July, 2008. With at least $25 billion worth of mining, construction and related projects under way or on the drawing board in the Mackay region, visitors to the 2008 exhibition will get a first-hand experience of the booming marketplace. Reed Exhibitions’ QME 2008 exhibition manager Soren Norgaard said the exhibition will showcase new products, services and displays by suppliers from the region, Queensland, the rest of Australia and overseas.

“QME 2008 will be an opportunity for visitors to see the latest products and services aimed at the mining, energy, construction and agricultural sectors with suppliers anxious to promote their equipment and solutions to this fast-growing market,” he said. Held every two years, the 2006 QME attracted 480 exhibitors and approximately 10,000 visitors. This year is set to be even bigger with more than 40 companies on the waiting list to exhibit if space becomes available. ■ Soren Norgaard 02 9422 2563 soren.norgaard@reedexhibitions.com.au www.qme.reedexhibitions.com.au

Particle counter and sensor HYDAC will spotlight a particle counter and oil-condition monitoring sensor on Stand 6052 at QME 2008. The company’s contamination sensor 1000 is the latest addition to its online particle counter range of equipment, which tracks the size and number of particulates in hydraulic and lubrication systems in order to monitor performance. The CS1000 is rated for system pressures to 450 bar/6500 psi. According to the company, its advanced circuitry protects against load-dump transients and electromagnetic interference and its enclosure is designed to resist vibration, dust ingression and high pressure jet steam cleaning. ■ Hydac 03 9272 8907 peter.agius@hydac.com.au www.hydac.com.au

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June 2008

The CS 1000 is enclosed to resist vibration, dust ingression and jet steam cleaning. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Mine Safety

GROUNDBREAKING SYSTEM launched in South Africa

Deformation in a mine rock wall as small as 0.1 mm can be picked up with the radar.

Driver avoids fatal crash THE Queensland Department of Mines and Energy (DME) has released a safety alert urging miners to be careful when operating large vehicles after a driver narrowly avoided a serious head-on collision with another vehicle. The driver was taking the last load of the shift to the dump and attempted to drink from a water bottle. The driver’s left hand was used to steer the vehicle while the right hand was used to balance the drink. In doing this, the truck drifted toward the left hand side of the road. As the driver corrected the steering, the water bottle overbalanced. The driver was distracted and lost control of the truck. The truck came to rest on the centre safety rill of the haul road, narrowly avoiding a vehicle coming from the opposite direction. The safety alert commended the minesite’s forward thinking, installing safety rills on the haul road. ■ Mike Walker District Inspector of Mines 07 4938 4121 info@dme.qld.gov.au www.dme.qld.gov.au

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June 2008

ustralian measurement systems company, GroundProbe, has launched a ground-breaking mine safety and alarm system at the Rustenburg Platinum Mine Ltd (previously known as Potgietersrus Platinums Ltd) in South Africa. The new alarm system allows real-time monitoring and control in open cast mines. Geotechnical engineers from Rustenburg, the largest platinum mine in the world, approached GroundProbe last year with the idea of integrating a pit alarm system with safety data generated by GroundProbe’s Slope Stability Radar system. Austrade senior trade commissioner to South Africa Greg Hull said the project illustrated Australian innovation and the ability to meet the needs of an industry. “GroundProbe is a company at the leading edge of the technology of mine safety, with systems that solve very serious problems in opencast mines,” he said. “This collaboration with South African engineering has been able to turn industry driven needs into engineered reality.” Hull said that the new pit system enhances the safety of all who work in open cast pits. “The technology is very much a success story.” GroundProbe’s chief operating officer Dr David Noon said that rock falls are dangerous for people working at the bottom of the open pit mines and can also impact on mine productivity if equipment is damaged. “Our Slope Stability Radar system is a mobile unit that can be placed anywhere at all in a

mine to survey and monitor a mine’s slope stability.” The new pit alarm system responds to the data activated by the radar unit, setting off alarms. Deformations in a mine rock wall as small as 0.1 mm can be picked up by the radar. “With this system you can actually see the boundaries within which the rocks are moving,” Dr Noon said. “We can pick up the exact location of any potential wall failure.” Greg Hull said that Australian mining expertise has been making a substantial contribution to the development of the mining sector, not only in South Africa, but throughout the continent. “This is a sector which is extremely important for Africa’s future,” he said. Australian mining and resources investment in Africa is now estimated at around US$15 billion, with a large proportion of new ventures featuring Australian involvement. Major Australian mining projects are underway in Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and Tanzania, with copper, coal, gold, nickel and uranium among the resources being mined. ■ Dr David Noon Chief Operating Officer & General Manager – Technology & Sales GroundProbe 07 3010 8999 david.noon@groundprobe.com www.groundprobe.com ■ Greg Hull Austrade 02 9390 2191 www.austrade.gov.au

Fatality forces Government to tighten reign THE Queensland Government has announced it will tighten mine safety laws to require all mines to provide information immediately to investigators following a fatality or serious mining accident. The changes were sparked by a fatal underground accident at the BHP Billiton Cannington metals mine earlier this year where employees, acting on the company's legal advice, refused to provide the location of the accident to the mines inspectors who attended the mine to investigate. Following the accident, the CFMEU was told by a source present at the mine after the fatality, that management barred access to employees until the company's legal team arrived on site. Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said the Cannington scandal forced the Government to take action to ensure a similar situation did not arise in the future.

“It was over 28 hours before investigators were provided with the relevant information to enable them to commence their investigation." “To prevent this happening again the laws are to be amended to ensure that persons with relevant knowledge about the location, time and circumstances of a serious mining accident must provide that information to investigating officers," he said. “This will ensure police and Mines Inspectorate officers can get accurate information as soon as possible so they can go about their business of investigating incidents, saving lives and making Queensland's mines as safe as possible,” he said. ■ Queensland Government 07 3405 0970 info@dme.qld.gov.au www.qld.gov.au

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Mine Safety

Detaching baskets have resulted in serious injuries, including fatalities.

Modified work basket hitch MACMAHON Contractors has devised a modified dual purpose work basket hitch which, ensures that a basket hitch will not detach when in use. The bucket, fork and crane jib implements are standard devices used with an integrated tool carrier. Instances of baskets detaching while in use have been reported.

The self-sustaining fairway reduces the risk of collision. Image courtesy of Woodside Energy

Australia’s first safe shipping fairway A safe foundation THE Personal Injury Education Foundation has launched its inaugural Personal Injury Management Conference and Excellence Awards. The conference will be held in Sydney from 19 to 21 October 2008. International experts from compensation schemes across Australia, New Zealand and North America will present on a range of topics, including return to work, industry capability, medical management, scheme comparisons and service delivery to injured workers and motorists. As part of the conference, the foundation will hold its inaugural Excellence in Personal Injury Management Awards. These Awards will showcase achievements being made across Australia and New Zealand. Award categories include excellence in personal injury management; student excellence; innovation in personal injury management and outstanding contribution by an individual. Entries are open until 30 June 2008. ■ Nathan Clarke

Manager Personal Injury Education Foundation 03 9641 1320 nathan_clarke@pief.com.au www.pief.com.au

Wheel motor chalk profiler AN Alcoa World Alumina employee has designed and constructed a chalk profile jig. Komatsu 730E electric drive haul trucks are propelled by electric drive motors, equipped with carbon brushes contacting with the commutators. The bedding of the brushes is achieved through the use of abrasive chalk which makes con-

tact with the commutator while it is spinning. The industry accepted method is to attach the chalk to a stick and insert it inside the motor. This is neither safe nor efficient and is also time consuming. The employee chalk profile jig design sizes the chalk for cutting easily, accurately, quickly and safely.

The prototype chalk profiler sizes the chalk for cutting safely.

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June 2008

WOODSIDE recognised a heightened risk of collision between vessels and the off-shore oil and gas facilities, and security issues on the North West shelf. The Woodside marine team successfully lobbied various authorities to support the establish-

ment of a safe shipping fairway from Dampier to Glomar Shoal. The result is a self-sustaining fairway that reduces the risk of collision, protects the safety of people, the security of assets and the environment in which offshore facilities operate.

Injured miner left for three hours A seriously injured miner went unnoticed for three hours after falling off an elevated platform. The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has released a safety alert urging mines to update their maintenance systems after the miner, who was cleaning the screens of the metalliferous mine’s underground dewatering system alone, fell onto the platform guardrails. The guardrail then collapsed and broke, causing the worker to fall 2.5 m to the concrete floor below. The worker sustained several serious injuries including a fractured foot, broken femur, broken bone in one hand and a dislocated finger. The NSW DPI safety alert recommended preventative maintenance be conducted on site and appropriate procedures be developed and implemented for persons working alone. ■ Rob Regan Director Mine Safety Operations Branch NSW Department Primary Industries 08 8088 9300 mine.safetyalert@dpi.nsw.gov.au www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

The safety program helps reduce the number of work related injuries.

Safety improvement plan WESTNET Energy has developed a safety improvement program in order to establish a ‘safety first’ culture. The program aims to eliminate employee work related injuries and illnesses; improve asset and public safety; and reduce personal and financial losses. Immediate focus was put on three key improvement areas:

travel, communication and safety culture improvement initiatives. The implementation of the safety improvement program has seen a significant increase in hazard reporting, site visits by managers and Health and Safety Executive Committee meetings; there has also been a reduction in the LTI and TRI frequency rates. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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FENNER DUNLOP IS ABOUT LARGEST MANUFACTURER bulk haulage of iron ore.

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industry. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve selected state-of-the-art German and Italian technology for our new plant, which will

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T TO BECOME AUSTRALIA’S OF STEEL CORD BELTING Initial annual production capacity equates to over 100km of 3200mm belt. With it’s nationwide network of branches, Fenner Dunlop guarantees top quality customised conveyor solutions to companies across Australia. We have 70 service technicians in Western Australia alone.

The new West Australian plant will become Fenner Dunlop’s fifteenth global manufacturing facility, strengthening the company’s reputation as a world leader and innovator in conveyor belt technology. Fenner Dunlop. We’re always on the move.

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Communications

KCGM employs fail-safe network Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM), in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, has replaced its data network with a failsafe computer network from Nortel to improve security and equipment reliability on the remote site.

CGM manages and operates the ‘Super Pit’, producing up to 850,000 ounces of gold every year. At 3.2 kilometres in length, 1.4 kilometres in width and more than 450 metres deep, it is also the biggest open pit gold mine in Australia. Due to it’s remoteness from metropolitan centres, KCGM demanded a network that would service sensitive communication equipment against failure and extended downtime. According to KCGM’s senior IS coordinator Shaun Fessey, the company required a fail-safe computer network because replacement parts can often take several days to source. “We approached Nortel for its unique network architecture, which prevents single points of equipment failure from bringing down the network, and for its dedicated security features that allow us to block individual access to the network and manage network access through user profiles, an important precaution in a large, remote site,” he said. The Nortel solution, being sold and implemented by Nortel Power channel partner WJ Moncrieff, includes a com-

bination of Ethernet Routing Switch (ERS) 5530s for the network core and ERS 5520 switches at the network edge. The switches feature Split Multi Link Trunking (SMLT) architecture, which eliminates single points of failure on the network by giving each switch multiple paths to route network traffic. The network also features a Secure Network Access (SNA) technology that manages network access based on individual user profiles as opposed to physical devices, which prevents rogue devices from accessing the network without the proper user authentication. The data network switches have been validated by two independent third-party reports from InfoTech and the Tolly Group, to be resilient to failure. ■ Shaun Fessey Kalgoorlie's Senior IS coordinator KCGM 08 9022 1105 www1.superpit.com.au ■ Nortel Australia 02 8870 5000 www.nortel.com

The remote network is said to require little maintenance, allowing the site to operate at full potential.

16 AustralianMining

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It is believed the new network, with dedicated security features, will allow the super pit to run at full potential.

The KCGM ‘super pit’ has employed a fail-safe network with dedicated security features to prohibit access to individuals.

According to Nortel, a single point of equipment failure will not bring down the network or cause production to stop.

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Centenary Feature: Hard Rock Mining

Drilling DEEP The mining industry is currently seeking to improve extraction rates to access an estimated $600b in metal value contained in sub-economic deep hard-rock reserves. To achieve this, however, improved drilling methods are required. Michael Sheffield writes for Australian Mining.

t Sandviken, Sweden, on 8 December 1848, five years and five days after the barricades fell at Eureka, an event took place that would lift the world out of the Iron Age and into Steel Age modernism. Göran Fredrik Göransson’s production of steel using the Bessemer method enabled a quantum shift in industrialisation. This method revolutionised rail construction, shipbuilding, civil development, building construction, armaments manufacture and world demand for iron ore, coal and limestone which led to a revolution in mine technology, starting with the mechanisation of rock drilling. Steam powered mechanical rock drills, using steel bits produced by Göransson’s company, later to be renamed Sandvik, became available during the 1860s. The days of hammer and tap mining were over. Australia had its early adopters. Hunters Reef company at Bendigo operated a locally invented rock drill in 1869. But, as Geoffrey Blainey notes in his mining history classic, The Rush That Never Ended, “Australia with its host of small mines, tended to be slow to adopt rock drills. They were heavy and cum-

bersome, had to be shifted before the holes they drilled could be fired, and they often broke down.” In 1891, Swedish manufacturer Nya AB Atlas (New Atlas Company – rebirthed after the collapse of AM Atlas in 1890 ) expanded beyond steam engines and steam locomotives into pneumatic tools (riveting hammers and drills in 1901), compressors and rock drilling equipment (with its first rock drill in 1905). Compressed air tools were used to carry the company forward, and in 1952 Atlas gave the post-war mining world ‘The Swedish Method’ – a rock drill light enough for one man to operate, with pusher leg and drill steels with tungsten carbide drill bits and a penetration rate of 8 to10 m/hr (drill metres per hour per operator), double that of its 1928 RWT-80 model and three times the 3 to 5 m/hr capability of its 1907 Cyclop 50. Exponential productivity gains continued through to the end of the century. The Boomer range doubled and then trebled output from 65 m/hr to 180 m/hr between 1962 and 1983. By 2005, three generations of Rocket Boomers had lifted the bar to 450 m/hr.

Hammer and gad drilling for gold in the Blue Jacket Mine, Canowindra in 1899. Photographer: Charles Kerry. Image courtesy NSW Department of Primary Industries Image Library Minerals.

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Machine boring in open stope. Broken Hill South Ltd. Broken Hill. Circa 1919. Image courtesy NSW Department of Primary Industries Image Library Minerals.

Uncontaminated sampling In the 1970s at Kalgoorlie, Bill Metske and Jan Humphries applied thinking from the US oil industry to equip Down The Hole (DTH) hammer drills to retrieve uncontaminated samples from open hole drilling in virtually any geological setting,

activities, but is also respected by many as an art form and its challenges have been understood widely enough to ensure that it has not been seriously proposed as a soft target for automation. Consequently, drilling has developed an entrenched image as a trade service whose man-

What is needed is a transformation of the way that drilling happens, in analysing information from within drill holes and in the way that we make the drills that produce those holes. – Jock Cunningham, CSIRO which improved penetration rates and resulted in significant cost improvements. Reverse Circulation Drilling was an immediate success. Western Australia alone clocked up two million RC-drilled metres per annum in the late 1980s and as Atlas Copco Secoroc’s reverse circulation product manager Fredrik Gabrielsson said, “RC drilling is now the most common method used for surface mineral exploration drilling throughout the world.”

agement and development is best left to those with specialist skills in the area, a service best left to specialist contractors. Accompanying that has been the tacit expectation that, despite labour and capital equipment supply constraints, with the rigours of the procurement process containing cost increases there should be no reason to believe that current drilling technologies and methods might not be scalable to the levels needed to meet forward demand.

Biting the bullet

Information leadership

Drilling is as integral to mining as sweat. But because it accounts for a relatively small percentage of total costs (20% of development and 10% of production costs ) it has not caught the imaginations of mine owners as a fertile field for research and development investment. That is not to say that drilling is taken lightly. It may be one of the industry’s most commonplace

The worm has turned and the nation’s largest mining houses now acknowledge that the time has come to integrate drilling more fully in a vision of a future era in which mining production is as scientifically informed and enabled as metallurgy has become over the last 20 to 30 years. They envisage an era characterised by the convergence of mining production as the appli-

cation of trade skills, intellect and the imposition of collective will on the nation’s ore bodies with new developments in Information Age science and technology to establish the competitive capabilities needed to secure the industry’s future, and the future of a nation dependent on the global competitiveness of its resources sector. That kind of thinking is reflected, in process terms, in BHP Billiton’s holistic approach to the use of down-the-hole geophysics and sample-based scientific information, to produce high-grade products that meet demanding and constantly changing tonnage requirements through an integrated and controlled process that begins as early as the exploration phase and ends with the final blending of products as they are loaded into ships at the port. According to BHP Billiton, under that approach ore types and their physical and chemical properties are identified during exploration and ore body modelling. Mine planning and the mining sequence are controlled to extract ore of the characteristics and in the quantities that are required to produce the final blended products.

Broadening the vision Beyond that, the application of this thinking in the development of a new generation of intelligent, automated mining equipment is seen in the CSIRO’s aspirations for research being Continued on page 21 www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Continued from page 18 undertaken in the Transforming the Future Mine Minerals Down Under Flagship program, which focuses on enhancing knowledge from drilling, geologically intelligent surface mining and nonentry underground mining. According to the CSIRO, the company is committed to designing, testing and marketing effective drilling and logging technologies that will support the development and delivery of a drill rig that will reduce drilling costs, increase rates of exploration, provide a greater quantity and quality of data acquired from bore holes and improve the control of rock fragmentation. CSIRO Transforming the Future Mine’s theme leader Jock Cunningham said what is needed is a transformation of the way that drilling happens, both in analysing information from within the drill holes and the way that the holes are drilled. “In addition to new ways of drilling, we need to equip ourselves to surface mine in geologically controlled machines, that is, in machines that can sense the geology in which they operate, and then pass that geologically-based information back to allow mine design to be updated

www.miningaustralia.com.au

Geoffrey Blainey noted in his mining history classic ‘The Rush That Never Ended’ that “Australia with its host of small mines, tended to be slow to adopt rock drills. They were heavy and cumbersome.” Image courtesy NSW Department of Primary Industries Image Library Minerals.

and kept current, to allow the mine plan to be changed and modified, and to allow new instructions to be issued to the mining machines,” he said. “This would allow us to close the loop on mine design and

machine operation, it would allow the designers and mine planners to work very tightly with the production people, and it would allow us to do that by long-distance remote control.” According to Cunningham,

there has been a change in industry expectation. “Some very senior people in our larger mining companies are willing and wanting to change the way that they operate mines. It’s one thing to have researchers

saying ‘why don’t you do this’ or, indeed, to have them engaged in that work, it’s something else again to have a customer base which shares that same vision.” Cunningham said that this shift is caused by the fact that the industry is now well aware that it is reaching the limit of its ability to secure future demands and targets by scaling up conventional technologies. “The other aspect is that it is increasingly difficult to find people to send out to our remote minesites. “This is recognition of the need that exists to equip our people to perform the tasks that must be undertaken according to Australia’s world-leading industry standards in the demanding conditions under which they must operate. It is also recognition of the need to develop smart machines that can get people out the hazardous spots where they need not be and the difficult jobs which they need not be doing, in the forward-looking workplace that we should be creating,” he said. ■ Jock Cunningham CSIRO Theme Leader Transforming the future Mine jock.cunningham@csiro.au www.csiro.au

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Centenary Feature: Hard Rock Mining

A breath of fresh air for miners A scientific approach is helping solve the challenge of mine ventilation. Michael Sheffield writes for Australian Mining.

he key to aligning mine operations with scientific aspects of the product delivery process that lie upstream and downstream from it, is systems reengineering based on the generation and use of objective, scientific information about what is done and the environment in which it is done. Scientific approaches to the problem, and tools which utilise developments in information science and computing are making this possible. According to the CSIRO, to secure the future of the minerals industry in Australia, technical challenges associated with Australian operations in the future need to be addressed. These challenges include: limited or no outcrop; greater depths of operation; higher rock stresses; increased gas levels; lower grades; scarcer human resources; globally high standards of safety and health; and appropriately strict environmental regimes. That means an increased ventilation challenge with the potential to compromise operational viability. M J Howes said in a paper presented to the Eighth International Mine Ventilation Conference in Brisbane in July 2005, that declines for access and rock

Two miners take a well-earned break: the air in the mine was stifled due to a lack of ventialtion. Image courtesy of NSW Department of Primary Industries Minerals Division.

haulage are replacing shafts for mining relatively shallow deposits of down to 1,000 m below surface. “Where the orebody does not out-

crop and where surface access may be restricted, it is often necessary to drive long dead end headings before a connection can be made back to surface and a ventilation circuit established.” The paper, Ventilation and Cooling Design for Long Declines looked at a mine in tropical Western Australia that will be developed to 2,100 m, and 3,000 m depending on surface access and ground conditions, before ventilation. A window to this challenge is seen at Roxby Downs. Roxby Downs, which takes ‘scale’ to new heights, was chosen as an example of a sunrise opportunity for Australian mining in the 21st century by Donovan & Associates in A mining History of Australia, a National Mining Heritage research project conducted for the Australian Council of National Trusts in 1995. According to Donovan & Associates the Olympic Dam mine at Roxby Downs

reflects something of the industry on the eve of the 21st century. The orebody was discovered in 1975 by advanced exploration strategies and the mine was officially opened on 5 November 1988 after extensive proving up of mineral reserves. Versatile runnertyred mining equipment is used underground to recover the ore and within three years of the mine opening, more than 50 km of underground roadway had been completed, with expectations that this would increase by 8 to 10 km each year. With proved reserves in excess of 450 m tonnes of copper, gold, uranium, silver and lead ores, and a projected annual production rate up to 2.5 m tonnes, the mine is anticipated to continue for centuries to come. Accompanying that ongoing investment in underground roads, Roxby Downs will have an ongoing requirement for ventilation infrastructure. The Olympic Dam Expansion Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) said, the Whenan Shaft, the service decline, the Robinson Shaft and the new No.3 shaft would be maintained as air intakes. Approximately one new ventilation shaft would be required each year. Supplementing that would be a significant ongoing investment in the mine’s secondary ventilation system. According to the EIS, in order to achieve and maintain the proposed level of production, it would be necessary to develop some 28 km/a of underground openings up to years 2000-01. After this initial period, the development requirement would be about 17 km/a.

A dynamic challenge The dynamic nature of the challenge facing the ventilation engineer in this future setting was underscored by C A Rawlins and H R Phillips in the paper Underground Mine Ventilation Planning and Continued on page 24

Workers with candles at hammer and tap at Mt Boppy Gold Mine, New South Wales. Circa 1907. Image courtesy of NSW Department of Primary Industries Minerals Division

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www.miningaustralia.com.au

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The Antiene project was essentially about risk management, we were 99% confident our solution was correct, and it was, but you can’t afford on a major project to suddenly find out there’s an issue and you have to change it. Being able to confirm our solution with Schneider Electric meant we had absolute confidence when we were commissioning the project. It was all going to work on the delivery day.

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Continued from page 22 Design With Regards to Heat Load and Cooling Mechanisms. “As mines extend their search for minerals of economic value deeper and deeper into the earth’s crust, ventilation and refrigeration aspects of mines become more prominent than before. “A ventilation engineer is obliged to include and evaluate all aspects of a mine design philosophy. Only after the different parameters that influence the air requirements have been analysed and evaluated can the total mine design air quality be determined. “Heat ingress into underground excavations will differ depending on the location, mining method, ventilation strategy and various other parameters. Furthermore, heat flow from the surrounding rock surface into the underground excavation increases with a virgin rock temperature increase.”

Airflow In the paper Correctly Estimating Primary Airflow Requirements for Underground Metalliferous Mines, delivered at the Tenth Underground Operators’ Conference in Launceston in April 2008, DJ Brake and T Nixon conveyed the idea that a ventilation solution can never be any better than the airflow requirement on which it is based, and airflow requirements are consistently underestimated. According to Brake and Nixon, the primary ventilation system is a major con-

24 AustralianMining

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They list 12 other causes of underestimation. Failure to provide for leakage in the auxiliary ventilation ducts; leakage in the workings; essential antirecirculation bypass flows; ramps and other underground fixed plant and infrastructure and travel-ways; likely changes in diesel technology; and increased mine resistance. Failure to recognise which is the critical contaminant to be diluted. Failure to understand the impact of both increased mine resistance and leakage on airflow requirements and fan performance and the incremental nature fixedcost of primary ventilation. And lastly, failure to properly assess ventilation planning and implementation lead times.

Real-time monitoring

Miners and onlookers at the mouth of Mount Kembla Colliery after the 1902 explosion. Methane gas is a common source of ignition for explosions in coalmines and can propagate into the more violent coal dust explosions. Image courtesy of the NSW Department of Primary Industries Minerals Division.

tributor to the capital and operating cost of most mines. It also has a major bearing on the health and safety of the workforce. The most important single design parameter for the primary ventilation system is the overall airflow requirement and errors in correctly establishing this value have a wide variety of methods of estimating pri-

mary airflow requirements in a mine. One source of under estimation is the method used to arrive at these estimates. Commonly, Brake and Nixon say, estimates are based “largely or entirely” on airflow requirements indicated by “the total diesel engine fleet capacity (kW) and a statutory requirement, such as 0.05 m3/s per kW or rated engine power”.

An exciting look at a future ability to reenginer ventilation and dust control with tools that make full use of emerging information and computing technologies was provided in the paper Mine Real-Time Personal Respirable Dust and Diesel Particulate Matter Monitoring, by A D S Gillies, H N Wu and T Harvey. This paper evaluated the use of a personal dust monitor (PDM) to give realtime respirable dust reading and the use of real-time atmospheric diesel particulate matter (DPM) monitoring, in a regulatory setting that is moving away from prescriptive requirements towards risk reduction and ‘chain of responsibility’ thinking. PDMs report dust loading data on a continuous basis, allowing mine operators to view dust levels in real time.

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Centenary Feature: Hard Rock Mining

A world apart in underground drilling Far from the Dickensian horrors of ‘the widow maker’ a new breed of remote controlled underground mining machines are being developed with an eye to a wide range of workplace benefits. Michael Sheffield writes for Australian Mining.

ne of mining’s many constants is the imperative that exists to shift dirt and rock quickly enough to reach the targeted ore body before the development capital runs out and then mine the reserves that have been created quickly to meet contractual obligations. That imperative shaped the move to mechanised rock drilling in the 1870s. One of mining’s tragedies is the price of human suffering that has, at times, come at the hands of new technology. Conversely, securing mechanisms which ensure the effective mitigation of risks associated with any productivity improvement initiative before it can be implemented is one of its triumphs. The high human cost of mechanised rock drilling is seen graphically through historian Geoffrey Blainey’s eyes in the text, The Rush That Never Ended. “The slow advent of the mechanised rock drill from the 1870s had intensified the fine dust in Mines. Its drilling speed created far more dust than the old hand drills that were hammered into the rock with the slow blows of a miner’s hammer. One American rock drill was aptly named ‘the widow maker’. The increasing depth of mines made ventilation difficult, and often no current of air blew away the dust from the dead ends where men worked. The practice of employing three shifts of miners, a practice not so common in the smaller mines of earlier years, gave the dust only Sunday in which to rest and settle. In quartz mines the fine particles of silica slowly damaged men’s lungs and bronchial tubes.” This exposed the men to the nineteenth century killer, tuberculosis. “The tubercule germ spread rapidly in the quartz mines, as men in the first stages of the disease passed on the germs by spitting or by shouting close to their mate’s face in order to be heard above the roar of the rock drill,” Blainey said.

This image was drawn in 1953 to celebrate 60 years of operation of the Great Boulder Gold Mines in Fimiston and the technology contribution of Mine Superintendent Colin Yates. The underground mine is now part of Kalgoorlie's Superpit. In the late 1950s Colin Yates and Phil Bartlett, both of the Great Boulder, developed a between level signalling system for winder drivers, using transistors with an equivalent price in today's money of $600 each. The system clamped to the shaft cables and proved very effective for safer maintenance. In the early 1960s mines in the area were at a depth of 1500 metres. Image courtesy of Columbus Group CEO Don Yates.

More than a generation passed before the disease and the means by which it could be prevented were understood. “Once the menace was seen, it could easily be cured by playing water on the dust and by ventilating the deeper workings. However, many miners ignored their water jet and many companies owning deep shafts on narrow leases recoiled at the expense of providing ventilation.” Small companies unable to extend their drives went down, often to extraordinary depths. The Magdala mine at Stawell reached 2,400 feet in 1880.

Before mine ventilation, workers were subject to high levels of dust which led to a dramatic increase in the number of workers contracting tuberculosis.

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Bendigo’s North Old Chum mine, on two acres, went down 2,300 feet, with almost two miles of connections at that depth to other shafts on the Old Chum Line. Tragedy was inevitable. “When the Bendigo field collapsed during World War I it had at least 53 shafts that were 2,000 feet deep and one shaft almost a mile deep,” Blainey said.

Southern lights at Broken Hill Broken Hill in the last decades of the 19th century presented its own challenges. When BHP stopped mining at Bro-

ken Hill in 1939, the seven leases that Charles Rasp and George McCulloch had pegged out along almost two miles of the load line in 1883 had yielded 189 million ounces of silver, 1.45 million tons of lead and 620,000 tonnes of zinc worth a combined £54,000,000. But while these leases were immensely rich they presented challenges that the company’s directors felt Australian mining engineers could not meet. More than four miles long, 500 feet wide and up to 2,000 feet in vertical thickness, the line of load was arranged in up to six ‘lenses’ or ‘margins’, hanging below the oxidised ironstone cap in furled curtains that mirrored Aurora Borealis. Geographer Ian Goghill said in Australia’s Mineral Wealth that the directors of BHP had the foresight to look abroad for the best mining engineer that money could buy. “William Patton, from Nevada’s famous Comstock Lode, came and introduced square-set mining to Australia. Heavy sawn Oregon beams were set in stopes in much the same way that modern buildings use steel girders.” It was a costly solution but for a mine that had already produced more than seven million ounces of silver and 28,000 tons of lead, the wastage associated with a cheaper solution could not be justified. The attendant risk, of course, was fire which burned at Broken Hill in 1895, 1897, 1906 and 1923.

From fire to floods For gold miners tracing out buried rivers of alluvial gold deep underground, the fear was not fire but the real and present threat of flood. Twenty-two minors perished in floods in the New Australian Company’s mine at Creswick in 1882 when, as the result Continued on page 28

The advent of the mechanised rock drill in the 1870s intensified dust in mines. Diamond drill in operation at Broken Hill, early 1900s. Image courtesy Broken Hill City Library www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Centenary Feature: Hard Rock Mining

Make water work harder On the world’s driest continent efficient and effective use of the country’s most precious resource is vital. From mine to mill, if there’s water involved, get Nalco products, services and equipment. Compounds and chemicals. Engineered storage, application and dispersal systems. Industry-leading. Backed by worldwide R&D. And the right people. Experts. Who spend as much time on-site as in a laboratory or office. There’s no substitute for experience. What’s in it for you? Plant performance and reliability. Productivity. Profitability. NALCO. Global leaders / local experts in water treatment and industrial process services.

Modern drilling: boom positioning and the drilling of pre-selected drill plans can be fully automated, semi-automated or manual directed, using new technology.

Continued from page 26 of a measurement error by the mine’s engineer, the drives that they were extending from a new shaft broke through into the mine’s old abandoned (and flooded) workings that were 55 feet closer than they understood them to be. Modern industry standards limit the possibility of such tragedies happening today, but even with its safety standards, mining remains a hazardous occupation.

Current technology Far removed from the world of ‘the widow maker’, today’s intelligent drill rigs incorporate CAN-bus based operating systems and are designed for blast hole drilling, drifting and tunnelling. Their computer platforms support a comprehensive range of applications which allow for the design of drill plans, laser lines and tunnel lines. Boom positioning and the drilling of pre-selected drill plans can be fully automated, semi-automated or manual directed. In-built trouble shooting systems simplify fault diagnosis and minimise down time. Tramming speeds of up to 15km/h and up to 6km/h on 1:8 inclines give quick, efficient manoeuvrability, and mine workers can operate them effectively for extended periods of time.

Non-entry technology

Sherval Nalco 05/11

28 AustralianMining

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NALCO AUSTRALIA 61 2 9316 3000 miningaust@nalco.com.au www.nalco.com.au

Beyond this ‘boys’ toys’ world, research is being undertaken which will allow hard-rock mining to be carried out efficiently by smart machines controlled from outside areas of elevated risk. The development of this transformational non-entry mining technology is a major initiative of CSIRO’s Minerals Down Under research program. By making it possible for mining staff to perform operational tasks tele-remotely from outside areas of elevated risk, CSIRO’s ROES mining system will help mines of the future operate more efficiently by equipping them to access resources that are currently ‘stranded’ due to geological or other constraints. The ROES method deploys unmanned,

remote-controlled machines from a shaft positioned either within or close to an orebody to drill, blast and recover ore. Drilling and blasting are performed using automated platforms that are lowered and raised in the shaft. Rock is extracted from the base of the stopes from conventional drawpoints. Operators use on-line software to design blasting patterns, assess mining conditions, and monitor product quality. The use of remote-controlled, realtime survey options means blasting patterns and stope shape can be modified easily during the production cycle. Vertical or inclined access to the orebody (rather than lateral access) facilitates reductions in development metres required which are expected to lower production costs by an estimated 15 to 20%. The ROES system, now being developed in collaboration with Orica, and with strong interest from major mining companies, incorporates recent advances in communications, remote and automated equipment control, sensing, and machine guidance technologies proven in other projects undertaken by CSIRO and Orica. CSIRO Transforming the Future Mine Minerals Down Under National Research Flagship’s theme leader Jock Cunningham said ROES is important commercially because it has the potential to reduce underground mining costs sufficiently to bring on-stream a large amount of resource that is currently sub-economic and located around existing orebodies. “These resources may be deeper or they may by located in ‘pods’ to the side of an existing mine, but they are of interest because they constitute a resource that is reasonably known and are often close to existing mines and processing infrastructure,” he said. ■ Jock Cunningham Theme Leader National Research Flagship CSIRO 1300 363 400 Jock.cunningham@csiro.au www.csiro.au www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Hard Rock Mining

Estimating underground excavation costs Peter McCarthy and Tony Weston of AMC Consultants give an overview of the cost factors to consider in underground excavation.

arge excavations are required in underground mines for facilities such as crushing stations, loading stations, workshops and pump stations. This note may be of interest to engineers who need to estimate the cost of a large excavation. In a Scoping Study (accuracy ±30-50%), factored costs of similar facilities, including the excavation costs, are appropriate. Alternatively, an excavation cost per cubic metre and a support cost per square metre can be used, together with a factored lump sum for the installed cost of the equipment. Costs should be factored from a site having similar rock conditions. In a Prefeasibility Study (accuracy ±20-25%) a general layout of the facility should be prepared at least in plan view, and a preliminary assessment of ground support requirements made. Sufficient thought should be given to excavation techniques to be able to estimate the volume of rock to be broken by hand-held, jumbo or longhole drilling, and the method of rock removal for each. Excavation, loading and haulage costs per cubic metre for each method can then be applied. Ground support costs can be estimated per rockbolt in backs and walls, plus per metre of cable bolt where required. Mesh and shotcrete (or fibrecrete) costs can be estimated per square metre applied, with shotcrete typically at 75 mm or 100 mm thickness. If estimating shotcrete costs volumetrically, allow 10-20% rebound losses for wet-mix fibrecrete, with a further 10-20% roughness factor. After allowing these factors

and wastage (spillage, left in agitator bowl or dumped) the total shotcrete useage will be 1.8 to 2.5 times that for a theoretical case using the design thickness of shotcrete applied to a design excavation. Overbreak, actual excavation roughness, rework, temporary support and specification of a minimum design shotcrete thickness are some of the other causes besides rebound and wastage. The specification of 50 mm minimum thickness can result in an average actual thickness of 75 mm, depending on the roughness of the actual excavation. In large excavations there is a greater possibility of overbreak. Depending on its purpose, the excavation cost may include the cost of a concrete floor. In poor ground, particularly where well-developed structures are present, substantial overbreak may occur, for example around the crusher pit and crushed ore pass below the crusher. This needs to be considered when estimating concrete volumes. Blinding concrete on final excavation floors in a particular area can reduce overbreak from subsequent adjacent excavations below this level.

A dedicated crew for large excavations may have quality and schedule benefits although initially appearing more expensive. Blinding concrete helps prevent chamfers (overbreak) being created at the intersection between a horizontal surface (a permanent floor) and a vertical face subsequently excavated adjacent to this permanent floor. In a Feasibility Study (accuracy ±10-25%) a detailed design

Sufficient thought should be given to excavation techniques to be able to estimate the volume of rock to be broken by each of hand-held, jumbo or longhole drilling, and the method of rock removal for each.

30 AustralianMining

June 2008

of the excavation should be prepared, showing how the major mechanical components fit into the excavation. Allowance needs to be made also for the installation of the mechanical components including mobile crane access and conveyor cable reels. Sufficient geotechnical work, possibly including stress measurement and 3D modelling, should have been done to enable the orientation to be optimised and the permanent ground support to be specified in detail. A Construction Method Statement should be prepared, explaining the method and sequence of excavation, temporary ventilation, how the broken rock will be removed, any need for temporary ground support, and the method of installing permanent ground support. In many tall excavations a “top down” method is used, allowing cable dowels and permanent back support to be installed prior to taking out the bulk of the chamber. Typical industry practice is to complete mining and support of the chamber before handing it over for civil and mechanical construction.

An alternative is an integrated mining and construction schedule, with concrete and steel work constructed at the top of the chamber off a solid rock floor, eliminating the need for scaffolding and working at heights. Careful blasting techniques will then be required for later stages of excavation to prevent damage, but the overall cost and/or duration of the project may be reduced. Large excavations are now more likely to be made using development jumbos than longhole methods. Access by rubber tyred vehicles allows shotcreting and cablebolting to be safely and efficiently performed. Longhole methods need to take account of more skilled and labour intensive installation of ground support, and the potential for ground movement or relaxation while support is being installed.

Costs should be factored from a site having similar rock conditions. In a Prefeasibility Study (accuracy ±20-25%) a general layout of the facility should be prepared at least in plan view, and a preliminary assessment of ground support requirements made.

Mobile cranes, specially constructed ladderways and systems for working at heights may also be necessary. Longhole methods may also result in overbreak in poorer ground, and efforts to reduce overbreak can result in underbreak with time consuming survey and minor stripping. Temporary ground support is likely to be required in one (temporary) wall, while excavating and installing cablebolts in the backs of a large chamber and in subsequent excavation lifts below this level. Good geotechnical knowledge of crusher chambers is required as there is less flexibility in locating crusher chambers, particularly in relation to a block cave or long conveyors. Conveyor transfer points require some thought in scheduling of excavation sequences, particularly where access is required for two or perhaps even three separate excavation lifts. Good QA and survey systems or generous (0.3 to 0.5m) tolerances are required to ensure that steelwork and infrastructure components fit in the completed excavations. A dedicated crew for large excavations may have quality and schedule benefits although initially appeare more expensive. The interface between a mining contractor and infrastruc-

ture contractor also needs consideration. Schedule delays on the excavation can result in significant costs to the infrastructure contractor and the principal. All of the points mentioned have direct or indirect costs, which are probably not all captured in most costing systems. Actual costs are therefore typically higher than those shown in cost reports. Cost estimation should be based on contractor’s tender or at least a firm contractor’s schedule of rates based on a detailed scope of the work involved within the specific project. Alternatively, the cost may be built up from first principles using a “notional gang” mining crew with hourly labour and oncosts, together with current itemised costs for drilling equipment and consumables, explosives, ground support, concrete, ventilation, maintenance, power supply and supervision. ■ Peter McCarthy Managing Director AMC Consultants 07 3839 0077 pmccarthy@amcconsultants.com.au ■ Tony Weston Senior Mining Engineer AMC Consultants 07 3839 0077 tweston@amcconsultants.com.au www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Hard Rock Mining

Power on for tunnel projects WITH its ability to supply fully integrated packages Ampcontrol has recently been selected to supply temporary power distribution and short term hire systems for a number of major tunnelling projects. These projects include the North-South Bypass Project in Brisbane, the Gold Coast Desalination Project, the Boggo Road Busway in Brisbane, the City West Cable Tunnel in the Sydney CBD and the Northern Sewer Project in Melbourne. The key application of the short term hire system is to provide power supply to the tunnel boring machines, road headers and associated plant. Tunnel boring machines and road headers are the large pieces of equipment used to excavate tunnels. The North-South Bypass Project is the motorway being constructed underground between Woolloongabba and Bowen Hills in Brisbane, Australia. Ampcontrol was selected to supply the equipment due to the

The key application of the short term hire system is to provide power supply to the tunnel boring machines, road headers and associated plant for projects such as the North-South Bypass project in Brisbane.

reputation, engineering expertise and capabilities of the inhouse tunnelling team, protection components and its ability to offer customised packages. The package consisted of a 22 kV switchroom complete with 630 Amp bustie to allow for full redundancy in conjunction with

the isolation transformers which was designed, manufactured and supplied by the Ampcontrol Service division, two 11/22kV 20MVA transformers built by the Transformers team and Ampcontrol’s new IPM relays, specifically designed for hard rock applications, supplied by the Electronics division.

The package also included almost 10,000 m of 12.7 kV/ 22 kV XLPESWA 95 mmsq cables complete with pilots and 425 Amp 22 KV couplers with connecting pins, around 4,000 m of 1 KV rubber cables and plugs for road head applications as well as approximately 3,000 m of 11 kV XPLESWA 50 mmsq distribution cables complete with 800 Amp couplers and connecting pins. Also, task specific substation, transformer and cable packages are being supplied by Ampcontrol’s Cable and Service companies. This project is an example of the versatility and extensive product range that the Ampcontrol Group of Companies can provide. Ampcontrol’s tunnelling service and capabilities also includes turnkey electrical solutions, HV and LV special purpose switchboards and substations. ■ Ampcontrol marketing@ampcontrol.com.au www.ampcontrol.com.au

Crushing and screening in NZ SANDVIK Mining and Construction has appointed Rocktec as its New Zealand distributor for the Sandvik-branded range of fixed and mobile crushing, screening and feeding products, with responsibility for sales, service, spares and consumables. Sandvik Mining and Construction NZ division manager Colin Spann said distributing Sandvik crushing and screening products through Rocktec would give a number of advantages to both companies, as well as to customers. “Our ability to include these Sandvik products as part of our solutions to customers means we can now offer them a full product line.” ■ Sandvik Mining and Construction info.smc-nz@sandvik.com

The 20 surface drills will complete the site’s fleet.

Tophammer surface drills set record AUSDRILL has attempted to overcome the current shortage of skilled operators by placing the biggest order for surface tophammer track drills ever won by Sandvik Mining and Construction. Ausdrill has purchased 20 tophammer surface drills for delivery by the end of 2008. Ausdrill’s Australian operations general manager Andrew Broad said the current manpower shortage in the resource sector made it increasingly important to maximise output through each of the machines. “It’s a simple equation, fewer machines with more grunt mean we can achieve more productivity with less operators. The new 1500s are 30% more productive than our 1100s,” Broad said.

32 AustralianMining

June 2008

“Some of the new units will be used to absorb the expansion of our mining contract business and new work in civil contracts, and the balance to replace some of the older units in the fleet.” Ausdrill worked in conjunction with Sandvik’s design and production staff to get the drill they wanted. The multi-million dollar order was placed late in 2007. Five of the tophammer surface drills have already been delivered. ■ Bert Butter

Sandvik Mining and Construction Australia 0893478670 bert.butter@sandvik.com www.miningandconstruction.sandvik. com/au

The drill mast can be used to penetrate 60 m of solid blue rock in an instant.

Rock drill mast KANGA has launched a drill mast that has the ability to drill through solid blue rock. The drill mast has a rammerextendable rock drill mast. According to the company, the drill mast is compact and manoeuvrable. It can be used with conventional augers for normal drilling in soil or continuously flighted augers. It can also be changed out to run as a down-the-hole hammer or pneumatic hammer. When fitted with continuous flighted augers it can be used for geotechnical applications for undisturbed soil sampling and general testing. The mast has 1.8 m telescopic travel length and can be adjusted hydraulically to drill vertically or at an angle. ■ Lars Ottosson Kanga 1300 344 437 larso@kanga-loader.com www.kanga-loader.com

X-Ray rock sorter detects mineral content APPLIED Sorting Technologies has supplied Vital Metals’ Watershed deposit with x-ray ore sorting machinery to detect the amount of mineral within each rock. The pilot scale x-ray machine ran bulk samples in Perth and provided waste rejection and tungsten recovery over ore samples with a range from +5 mm to 100 mm square mesh in size. In these pre-concentration tests an averaged overall rejection of 55.2% of the feed material was achieved at a “throwaway” tailings grade of 0.027% WO3. The system measures the weight of the valuable material contained within each rock and computes the corresponding rock grade. According to the company, it is effective in ores where the mineralisation occurs as veins or lenses only a few mm in size within the rocks being sorted. The x-ray system looks inside the rocks, adds up the weight of the particles and decides whether a particular rock should be accepted or rejected. In addition, the lack of optical sensors means that the feed can be dusty, muddy or clean, wet or dry and still be sorted. The system combines algorithms adapted from detection of foreign matter in food products together with the digital processing needed for high-speed rock sorting and air blast operation.

The pilot x-ray ore sorter bulk testing scheelite ore samples from the Watershed deposit. ■ John Kennedy Applied Sorting Technologies 03 9850 7622 sales@appliedsorting.com.au www.appliedsorting.com.au www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Pilbara Spotlight

Working for the

PILBARA

Organising a mine shutdown in the remote Pilbara region can be a challenge at the best of times. However, one company is creating a name for themselves in managing shutdowns, maintenance and projects. Catriona Pollard writes for Australian Mining.

ilfinger Berger Services has expanded their services to incorporate large scale mine shutdowns, maintenance and project management. Mine Shutdowns can often prove to be a difficult task. Finding time to carry out mandatory maintenance regimes is easier said than done. Bilfinger Berger Services (BBS) has opened a facility in Newman to help cope with the task of organising a mine shutdown. In addition to the Pilbara facility, BBS operates regional facilities throughout Western Australia, including Perth, Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. BBS provides comprehensive engineering, fabrication, and site services across the state. BBS managing director Mark Elliott said the company specialises in fast response and remote site operations. “We have a significant pool of labour, as well as plant and equipment resources that can be mobilised at short notice from regional operations, from within the state and across the country,” he said. “BBS opened the fabrication workshop in Newman to help provide faster and more localised support to clients. The workshop also provides employment opportunities for local people and is also a skills centre where clients can source highly skilled trades for specialised jobs.”

Pannawonica shutdown The successful shutdown of the Pannawonica Mine in the Pilbara was on budget, incident

free and ahead of schedule. The trainload out facility is the last point before the ore leaves from the mine to Dampier. Bilfinger Berger Services was approached by Pilbara Iron/ Robb River Mining to complete the shut down and provide supervision, labour and equipment to carry out maintenance repairs to the train loadout facility. “We only had limited accommodation, with 30 men plus two supervisors (day and night) and only had 14 days to carry out work including repairing trainload out, carry out structural repairs plus repair ore sizing shoot,”project supervisor Aaron Matthews said. One of the difficulties that marred the project turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Due to the labour market being so tight in Western Australia, Mathews decided to fly in crew. “We hand picked specific people for specific roles and brought a number of people from our Mt Isa facility.” “The logistics alone of getting flights for the crew from Mt Isa was difficult. In addition to that, we mobilized out of Newman which is 800 km away from Pannawonica. This involved getting trucks, utes and equipment to the site.” “All were hand picked and around 80% of the crew were direct BBS employees. As a result the crew delivered exceptional results,” he said. The programmed tasks were completed in 11 days, 3 days ahead of schedule.

required during a blocked chute situation and to provide tie back (stability) to the adjacent 6 m high retaining wall. BBS scope included all of the required earthworks, the difficulty for which was increased due to the proximity to the live conveyor. BBS then tied all required reinforcement, including tie backs to existing structure and one day pour 200 m3 concrete pour.

Yandi mine projects

BBS opened a fabrication workshop in Newman to provide faster and more localised support to Australian clients.

The company proceeded to take on additional tasks in the final three days. “We didn’t have a crew member need any first aid at all, not

The expected 14 day shut down came in three days ahead of schedule and the programmed tasks were completed in 11 days. even a Band-Aid, which is the biggest win for me,” he said. The contract generated more work for BBS and has strengthened relationships with Pilbara Iron and Robb River Mining. Since then they have completed two other successful shut downs and started a substantial project involving fabrication and installation to be used in the Pannawonica Mine. “The Pannawonica shut down was successful because of the crew. As I tell my men, I am only as good as my crew. The people who did the work resulted is us getting the extra projects and so the credit goes to the crew,” Mathews said.

Design and construction BBS recently acquired Tanis IPS, increasing capabilities in the industrial mining maintenance sector.

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June 2008

project management solutions across the mining sector in Western Australia, largely due to their unique process engineering and construction capabilities.

In addition to shutdowns, Bilfinger Berger Services are building a reputation for innovative

“Our reputation for completing work that meets and exceeds client expectations has helped establish a number of long-standing relationships and long-term contracts within the mining sector,” Elliott said . “We are very proud of our world-class in-house process design group. With substantial experience both in Australia and overseas, our chemical and mechanical engineers are providing a unique service to clients.” In Tom Price, BBS have completed a concrete construction for Pillar Iron. The project involved the construction of 600 mm deep slab including 9000 mm deep stiffening beams. The purpose of the installation was to provide a working surface for cranage that was

BBS have also completed a number of design and construction projects for the Yandi mine in the Pilbara region. Bilfinger Berger Services were engaged by BHP Billiton to build an Interim Crushing Plant (ICP) alongside the Yandi II Crushing Plant in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Under the $16 million contract, the ICP was designed to process 5.5 MTPa of iron ore (maximum lump size 1.2 m) to produce iron ore fines with 95% passing 12 mm. The plant consists of three stage crushing and screening with a tertiary circuit and seven belt conveyors. BBS maintained full mine operation while building the tertiary circuit and seven belt conveyors required to crush and screen the iron ore. The project also covered provisions for stacking and train loading the iron ore. Also in Yandi, BBS designed and constructed a $36 million Yandi Iowa Primary Crusher & Overland Conveyor, commissioned by BHP Billiton Iron Ore. BBS also undertook all aspects of the project, including design, procurement, construction and commissioning management, as well as mechanical and LV Electrical Installation works BBS built the Iowa Crusher between the C1, C2 and C5 pits onsite, feeding ore to a 5 kmlong overland conveyor which transports it to the Yandi II Ore Handling Plant (OHP II). BBS and the Iowa construction team completed the works for BHP and HWE Yandi operations, achieving their established performance targets of 100% compliance with the Iowa Project Safety Management Plan, no lost time injuries and maintenance of maximum production from both Yandi I and II Handling Plants. ■ Key contact: Mark Wheeler Business Development Manager, WA 0412 330 375 Mark.wheeler@bbsaa.com.au www.bbsaa.com.au www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Pilbara Spotlight

The golden land of opportunities Joint employment initiatives between industry and government are necessary if mining companies want to continue to enjoy current prosperity and growth. Jessica Darnbrough writes for Australian Mining.

he Pilbara region is often recognised as the mining powerhouse of Australia. The region accounts for 63% or $33.3 billion of the resources sector in Western Australia. The regions proximity to the emerging economies in Asia and its continuing rapid industrial growth all but ensures that demand for resources produced in the Pilbara will drive the resources sector into the future. To address some of the challenges resulting from the rapid pace of growth in the region, The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME) founded the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council (PICC) in late 2006. CME’s Director David Parker told Australian Mining that PICC was an initiative established in recognition of the need to develop a shared vision and strategy to acheive two key objectives: sustainability of the Pilbara towns and increase Indigenous participation in employment in the Pilbara, including strategies to reduce gaps in education and training, health and housing. “Both the Government and Industry are committing considerable funds to a range of initiatives in the Pilbara, however, duplication of effort and lack of joined planning is limiting the potential outcomes of these funding commitments,” Parker said. PICC is made up of member companies BHP Billiton Iron Ore, Chevron Australia, North West Shelf Venture, Woodside Energy, Fortescue Metals Group and Rio Tinto Iron Ore. Rio Tinto Iron Ore employs more than 560 Indigenous people, either as contractors or as direct employees. Ever since the country went into boom overdrive several years

Preparing to blast: The Pilbara region is economically important to Western Australia and Australia.

ago, the same problem has continued to niggle away at mining companies. Employees are crucial to the smooth running of a minesite. Without them, the consequences are obvious. While it is now an age old problem, it is one that keeps rearing its head, threatening to unravel the prosperous times mining companies find themselves in. In an attempt to combat the problem, Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO) signed a landmark agreement with the Western Australian Government that will create hundred of new jobs for Indigenous Australians. State Development Minister Eric Ripper, who signed the Memorandum of Understanding with RTIO’s chief executive

Without employees, mining companies are struggling to keep up with the demand from off-shore markets China and India.

36 AustralianMining

June 2008

Sam Walsh, said the agreement would create jobs for up to 300 Indigenous workers. “This agreement commits both parties to a range of employment and enterprise initiatives,” Ripper said. “It will significantly strengthen future training, business and job opportunities for the local indigenous community. “Mining operations are expanding in the Pilbara and we need to ensure Indigenous Peoples and the traditional owners benefit from this development.” The agreement commits to establishing contracting opportunities between RTIO and Indigenous owned businesses, as well as enabling an Indigenous-owned mine rehabilitation enterprise that acknowledges the traditional owner’s strong interest in the remediation of their land as mine closures occur. RTIO’s chief executive Sam Walsh said the agreement was a milestone in Indigenous involvement in the resources boom, which was largely being driven by the iron ore industry in the Pilbara. “It is vital that the traditional owners and Indigenous people of the Pilbara not only participate in and enjoy the benefits of this extraordinary activity, but that they become better equipped to control their destiny long after mining has ceased,” he said. “It is clear that we need more than a ‘business as usual’ approach, and that no one company or organ-

isation alone can achieve what is necessary. If together we can deliver greater and sustainable Indigenous participation in the Pilbara economy, we will have achieved a great deal.”

Working the State Further to signing the Memorandum, RTIO also created a number of internal initiatives set up to support Indigenous Australians. RTIO general manager of communities Bill Hart told Australian Mining that the company runs an internal trainee and apprenticeship program, of which 20% of the places are taken by Indigenous Australians. “In conjunction with the State, we will run at least nine job readiness programs this year, and we are targeting employing 150 locals,” Hart said. “We have also embarked on Australia’s largest land use negotiation process with all 11 of our Traditional Owner groups. “The financial benefits from these agreements will be significant in the coming five years, but more significant are the nonfinancial benefits.” Some of those non-financial benefits include an understanding of the Indigenous people as well as a localised workforce that does not have to deal with the pressures of relocation and extortionately high accommodation prices. According to Pilbara Real

Estate, rental properties located in the surrounding suburbs of Karratha can cost anywhere up to $2000 a week. In the inner city suburbs of Sydney, rental accommodation costs up $1200 a week. David Parker said one of the most critical issues currently facing the Pilbara region is the retention of employees. “Without an adequate level of social infrastructure, any attempt to address attraction and retention of people in the Pilbara region is severely limited,” Parker said. “To combat the problem, recognition is needed throughout all levels of Government of the economic importance of the Pilbara region and its contribution to the State and national economy. “Better coordination of social investment by all parties is also needed to address the current and anticipated challenges resulting from rapid pace of resources based growth in the region. “I think key members of Industry in the Pilbara have acknowledged that the time is right to relax the boundaries of competition in some areas of business to achieve better outcomes for communities in the Pilbara region. The complex community issues which are occurring in towns in the Pilbara are, to an extent, being addressed by individual companies. However, this task is too great for individual companies to manage alone without Government support. According to Parker, reducing duplication of effort and working together will enable industry and Government to target its expenditure on key areas of need including improving the number of Indigenous Peoples employed in Pilbara mines. RTIO’s communications manager Gervase Greene told Australian Mining that the company, which is responsible for 11 mines across the region, is implementing every initiative possible to combat the worker shortage. “We operate about 1300 km of railway, among the largest privately operated rail systems in the world and about half of this is mainline track which is duplicated for dual direction travel. “ We also operate three ports in two locations: Dampier with a capacity of 140 Mtpa and Cape Lambert with a capacity of 55Mtpa, soon to be 80Mtpa and 180 Mtpa by 2012. “However, one recent highwww.miningaustralia.com.au

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light would include the addition of FIFO operations from Busselton and Carnarvon to match those from Geraldton, Broome and of course Perth,” he said. RTIO’s Fly-in-fly-out operation from Busselton effectively gives miners another day at home by removing the commute to Perth. According to Greene, FIFO from regional centres is one method of many designed to make a career in mining seem more appealing to more people. The worker shortage is a problem that has effected companies since day one but, thanks to the boom, it is a problem that is causing greater concern than ever, forcing companies to take immediate action lest they miss out on golden opportunities. ■ Bill Hart General Manager Communities Rio Tinto Iron Ore 03 9283 3333 Bill.hart@riotinto.com www.riotinto.com ■ David Parker Director Chamber Minerals and Energy Western Australia 08 9325 2955 d.parker@cmewa.com www.cmewa.com.au

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FIFO from Carnarvon

Stockpiles at Parker Point, Dampier. RTIO are currently midway through a feasibility study examining how to boost production from 220 Mtpa to 320 Mtpa, which will include a major upgrade to the existing ports. ■ Gervase Greene

■ Sam Walsh

Communications Manager Rio Tinto Iron Ore 03 9283 3333 Gervase.Greene@riotinto.com www.riotinto.com

Chief Executive Rio Tinto Iron Ore 03 9283 3333 Gervase.Greene@riotinto.com www.riotinto.com

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RIO Tinto Iron Ore will start a fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) commute roster from the regional centre Carnarvon. The program will link residents of Carnarvon and the Ningaloo coast with iron ore mines in the Pilbara. Rio Tinto’s Pilbara Mine Operations managing director Greg Lilleyman said the Carnarvon FIFO program was part of a broader strategy to provide employees with a range of work and lifestyle options. “Rio Tinto Iron Ore operates 11 mines, three ports and a 1,300 km rail network in the Pilbara. We employ approximately 6,500 people and around 6,000 contractors and we will need to recruit many more to cater for our planned expansion to 320 million tonnes in 2012, and beyond that towards 420 million tonnes,” Lilleyman said. “Given the tight labour market across Australian industry, we intend to provide our employees a wider range of lifestyle options, such as FIFO from regional locations around the State. “Our first regional FIFO program started from Geraldton to the West Pilbara in 2006 and we started a program from Busselton to the East Pilbara last year. “We also started two FIFO

commutes for indigenous employees from Broome and Port Hedland to our East Pilbara mines. “By establishing a regional FIFO service from Carnarvon to our West Pilbara mines of Nammuldi, Brockman and Marandoo, we hope to meet two key objectives; to open up a new and sustainable labour market in the Gascoyne for FIFO employees and to significantly increase the employment of Aboriginal people in our business.” Lilleyman said recruitment will start immediately with flights expected to begin mid-year. The program will start with a weekly flight in a light aircraft from Carnarvon to Brockman and Paraburdoo, before returning to Carnarvon later in the day. Rio Tinto Iron Ore will start advertising for Gascoyne residents interested in applying for jobs under the FIFO program in the local media. ■ Greg Lilleyman Managing Director, Pilbara Mines Operation Rio Tinto 08 9327 2000 ExternalRelationsWA@riotinto.com www.riotintoironore.com

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June 2008

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Minesite Vehicles

Choosing the RIGHT TYRE BY GLEN WOLFENDEN

s the radial OTR tyre a better choice for underground mining? These very special vehicles operate in underground galleries and tunnels and carry heavy loads. The conditions in which they work mean the tyres are required to withstand all types of harsh conditions including terrain and sidewall damage. Tyre damage results in unplanned and costly machine downtime with the biggest cost of all being the irrecoverable loss of production. Bias ply and Radial OTR tyres are current parallel choices for equipment operators in those daunting conditions for sharp, craggy surfaces to tight, confined spaces and everything in between. It’s apparent that most underground mining consider bias ply, rather than radial first. Why bias ply tyres are heavily used in underground mining? Considering the current OTR tyre industry development, the tier one tyre manufacturers provide limited production capacity on radial OTR tyres and the bias ply tyres become a supplement accordingly. While bias ply tyres have their own advantages, many users like its greater cut resistance on the sidewalls due to heavy rubber construction. Price, in the past, may also be another factor in some instances.

Special attention has been focused on the sidewall design with sidewall cut protection and extra rubber to minimise damage and puncturing.

Multi-plies of steel belts positioned in a criss-cross manner act as shields to provide resistance to puncturing.

Can a radial OTR tyre achieve a better performance? Duratough Radial Mining Tyres are designed with advanced features to bring more benefits to the underground mining equipment they have been purposely developed, tested and constructed. Unlike many other radial tyres, Duratough are purposely designed to perform in mining and underground applications.

as well as having greater safety when driving. The diamond motion supported by the unique undertread strong steel cord layout support the torque placed on the tread. This greatly improves tread – casing forces and restrains the movement of the tread for superior resistance to wearing and lug tearing. Radial tyres, by nature, have other advantages

Special attention has been focused on the sidewall design with sidewall cut protection and extra rubber to minimise damage and puncturing. Multi-plies of steel belts positioned in a criss-cross manner act as shields to provide resistance to puncturing. It’s about 80% stronger than bias ply tyres. This means reduction in downtime for repair or replacement

over bias ply construction such as driving comfort, fuel economy and retreading. Bearcat was recently appointed the Australian distributor for Duratough tyres. ■ Glen Wolfenden Business Development Manager Bearcat Tyres glen@bearcat.com.au www.bearcat.com.au

Excavator debuts at Mt Keith operation

This Helensburgh Coal SCO5 shuttle car needed an electrical and mechanical overhaul. It can now be monitored remotely.

Shuttle car overhauled IT came into Vale’s Moss Vale workshop for a simple statutory overhaul, but the company’s engineers soon identified that this Helensburgh Coal SCO5 shuttle car needed a total electrical and mechanical overhaul. The Vale team undertook a complete rewiring of all electrics on the shuttle car, designing a new circuit as well as installing an Ethernet system so every aspect of the shuttle car’s performance could be monitored from virtually anywhere. “The shuttle car has PLC capability fitted to monitor critical data and to warn of any problems in advance,” Vale’s design engineer for the project Glen Foley said. ■ The Vale Group

02 4868 1722 engineering@vale.com.au www.vale.com.au

38 AustralianMining

June 2008

BHP Billiton’s Mt Keith operation has received the first of two Hitachi 800 tonne excavators. The Mt Keith Operation machine is the fourth excavator to be commissioned in the world. The first three were delivered to the oil sands project located in Alberta, Canada. Hitachi’s Australian chief operating officer Tak Tagawa emphasised the support structure in place around the country and its implications for all owners and operators of Hitachi mining machinery. “We are investing heavily to ensure that our product support is the best available,” he said. “Two factory-trained engineers are now based in our mining office in Brisbane and on-call to travel anywhere in Australia. “These direct response engineers are backed-up by direct access to the factory in Tsuchiura,

The excavators come with 24 hour, factory -trained engineer support.

Japan, to give the level of support we believe is necessary for our customers in Australia.” The largest in the ultra-large hydraulic excavator class, the EX8000 excavator is described by Hitachi as the perfect match for the ultra class dump trucks now common throughout the mining industry. Configured as a face shovel

for work at Mt Keith Operation and fitted with a 40 m3 bottom dump bucket, the excavator is three-pass loading 240t dump trucks. ■ Peter Ross Hitachi Mining 07 3909 7900 ross@hcma.com.au www.hitachiconstruction.com www.miningaustralia.com.au

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GPY&R MDRE0050/AM

me163729_0050_AM.pdf

Defence Force Reservists thrive when put to the test.

There are many benefits you can gain if your employees are Reservists. Navy, Army and Air Force Reservists learn that there is often a better way to do something and have a committed desire to lead others with confidence, maturity and responsibility. They develop a range of new skills and impart their knowledge to others and are always m keen to find a better way to get the job done, thereby contributing to your bottom line. What’s more, by showing your support to your Reservist employees, the Employer Support Payment Scheme can provide financial assistance of more than $1,000* per week, which may be used for offsetting the costs of releasing Reservists for duty and paying for replacement staff. Discover how your business can be enhanced if your employees are Reservists, and learn about the benefits and obligations you have as an employer. With a range of other support services also available to you, you’ll soon see how a Reservist can make all the difference. Find out more – call 1800 803 485 or visit www.defence.gov.au/reserves *Conditions apply. Visit www.defence.gov.au/reserves for further details.

Australia’s Reserve Forces

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Minesite Vehicles

Komatsu simulator joins fleet THE Mining Industry Skills Centre has added a simulator from South African-based company Thoroughtec to its fleet. According to the Skills centre, this simulator will give the resources industry access to a technically superior simulator which has never before been available to the Australian sector. The simulator, a Komatsu 830e (electric truck) has reporting capabilities, advanced trainer interface and fast console changeout options. The Mining Industry Skills Centre’s chief executive officer Derek Hunter said the Thoroughtec simulator purchase is another step in the Centre’s quest to lead the industry in innovative training solutions. “By purchasing this simulator, we are ensuring that members of the Australian resources sector will have access to superior simulation training tech-

The simulator has a modular approach to its console change out.

The electric truck generates reports around development benchmarks.

nology. This simulator can be used in pre-employment training, operator upskilling and refresher training programs. “Thoroughtec has a range of underground simulators that currently aren’t available on the Australian market and we are excited at the prospect of increas-

extremely satisfied with the company’s products. “In addition to their full range of hard rock equipment simulators, which can also operate from the base simulator we have purchased to support the Komatsu 830e, Thoroughtec has a unique approach to maintenance and

ing our capability to service the underground sector of the resources industry,” Hunter said. “Prior to purchasing the simulator, we conducted extensive research into the simulation products currently available. We also spoke to some of Thoroughtec’s current clients and they were

support which we feel will service the industry to the highest possible standard,” Hunter said. ■ Kathy O’Donnell Mining Industry Skills Centre 07 3872 8526 kodonnell@miskillscentre.com.au www.miskillscentre.com.au

Security and tracking system

Zinifex dump trucks move earth and ore

EZITRACK has released a vehicle protection and tracking system giving vehicle and plant owners personalised, self monitoring of their vehicle. The outer casing has a low sheen black finish, and an internal vibration sensor. The unit comes standard with an internal trickle-charged backup NIMH battery and an internal phone module that is compatible with all phone networks. The device offers remote immobilisation capability when the ignition is off. This adheres to Australian standards. It has an internal black box recorder logging speed, position, time and date from 1 to 255 hours. The device can email the contents of the black box to a private inbox where the information can be downloaded and played back on a PC mapping display.

A fleet of 42 Komatsu 830E dump trucks have been giving exceptional performance and availability at Zinifex Century Mine in Queensland’s Gulf region. The open cut mine is Australia's largest producer of zinc concentrate.The deposit was discovered in 1990 with full commercial production being reached in 2003.Century’s mining fleet moves more than 100 million tonnes of material a year, including approximately 5 million tonnes of ore. The Komatsu 830Es are used almost exclusively for stripping overburden and very occasionally for ore hauling. Some of these trucks have been operating at Zinifex Century Mine since 1998/99 and are now getting towards the 60,000-hour mark. Over that time, they’ve had rebuilds, including mid-life engine rebuilds and wheel motor overhauls, but no chassis rebuilds. The entire fleet averages 88% availability, with mechanical availability for January 2008 finishing at 91%. Mean-time-between-failure for

The device is small, measuring 80mm x 61 mm x 35 mm. ■ Emma Parks

Ezitrack sales@ezitrak.com.au www.ezitrak.com.au

The 42 Zinifex Century Mine Komatsu dump trucks deliver exceptional performance without rebuilds. the month was 50 hours, and mean-time-to-repair was approximately two hours. ■ Komatsu Australia info@komatsu.com.au www.komatsu.com.au

Alemite Lubrequip Express Service Alemite Lubrequip mine site service vehicles go to the action to keep your plant and machinery fully operational and fully productive.

NSW (02) 9939 0711

42 AustralianMining

June 2008

QLD (07) 3889 8480

VIC (03) 8787 8288

WA (08) 9209 3066

SA/NT (08) 8241 7111

TAS (03) 6343 0477 www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Minesite Vehicles

Underground trencher line SEMCO Equipment Sales will be the Australian and New Zealand distributor for Astec’s Underground trencher Line that is manufactured in the United States of America. The trencher line includes trenchers and directional drills that are custom designed. Included in the range is the T560 Crawler model that weighs 15 tonnes, has 185 HP (138 Kw) 8.3 litre cummins diesel and can cut trenches at 10” to 24” width. Options include truck loading conveyor, auto depth and level control, rock saw,

tilting track frame or rigid, enclosed A/C cabin and various boom configurations. According to the manufacturer, the crawler is fully hydrostatically driven for infinite control of power and best possible outputs. It has two speed ground drive and two x speed trencher drive, both variable. ■ Graham Murphy Corporate Accounts Director Semco Equipment Sales 02 9833 6000 mail@semcogroup.com.au www.semcogroup.com.au

Left to right: Industrea Chief Operating Officer Rob Neill, Huddy’s Plant Hire Proprietor Graham Huddy, Brendan Camilleri (Hitachi) and David Harvey (Hitachi).

Hitachi excavator brings life to fleet MOUNT Isa contracting business Huddy’s Plant Hire has swapped hands, and the new owners have committed to an expansion in the near future. The company has been purchased by Industrea, but, Huddy’s Plant Hire proprietor Graham Huddy said that, although the contract for the sale has been signed, it’s essentially business as usual with every effort made to minimise any disruptions that a change of ownership could bring. Under the terms of the contract the company will continue to manage the business for the next two years to ensure a smooth handover operation. According to Huddy, the company has always employed Hitachi products for contract work.

As more jobs came in, the need for new equipment arised. The latest addition to the asset register is a 515-tonne Hitachi EX5500 excavator which Huddy bought for a new contract at Xstrata’s Handlebar Hill lead-zinc mine. The EX5500 joins 11 other Hitachi excavators including two EX3600s, seven EX2500s, an EX1900 and a Zaxis 330. Rigged as a face shovel, the new EX5500 is 4-pass loading 190 tonne dump trucks. Huddy said Hitachi has played an important part in the growth of the business. “All-in-all Hitachi are the best value for money excavators available,” he said. “They are reliable, they are

productive and they keep going. We’ve had excavators from other manufacturers but they haven’t done the job as well.” “The Hitachi excavators deliver the goods for us everytime, and in this business, that’s what we need.” “Additionally, we are very diligent with maintenance scheduling for the excavators and all our equipment, which certainly keeps their performance levels up, but having a quality machine to start with means long-term productivity and reliability.” ■ Peter Ross

Hitachi Mining 07 3909 7900 ross@hcma.com.au www.hitachiconstruction.com

Concern over shuttle cars THE NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has conducted a review of unplanned movements of shuttle cars, where the shuttle car has moved in either a forward or reverse direction contrary to the operator’s intention. This review encompassed the period 1 July 2005 to 31 March 2008. There have been 28 events recorded in the NSW DPI database. Problems with the shuttle car footswitch contributed to 22 of those events. Shuttle cars operate in an underground environment with restricted space. An unplanned movement of a very small distance has the potential to cause death. All coal operations using shuttle cars should review their risk controls associated with the use of shuttle cars. In particular: ■ Identify sources of unplanned movements ■ Identify and implement controls in accordance with the hierarchy of controls to bring the risk from unplanned movement to tolerable level

■

Develop and implement a safety requirements specification for shuttle cars to incorporate the identified risk controls ■ Develop commissioning, testing, maintenance and repair actions to provide for ongoing confidence that the identified risk controls are effective ■ Develop operational procedures, including supervision, and management audit and review, to provide for ongoing confidence that the risk is at a tolerable level Further attention is drawn to Safety Alert SA06-01 Dangerous Unplanned movements – Shuttle Cars and Continuous Miners.

The RT1160 has a backfill blade, hoe, trencher and plow.

Wheel washing system GREENBANK Terotech has recently become the Australian/New Zealand/ New Guinea/New Caledonia and Fiji distributor for MobyDick Wheel Washing Systems. Mobydick Wheel Washing System provides a solution to the problem of dirty and contaminated roads regardless of site conditions. According to the manufacturer, the system is built on eight base models with a range of design variations to meet individual needs.

The water treatment is achieved either through the addition of a flocculent and automatic sludgeevacuation with a scraper conveyor or with large settlement tanks which may be used without flocculent addition. ■ Rob McKay Greenbank Terotech 02 4388 4522 rmckay@halmel.com.au www.halmel.com.au

■ Rob Regan Director Mine Safety Operations Branch NSW Department of Primary Industries 02 6391 3100 mine.safetyalert@dpi.nsw.gov.au www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

The wash water in the systems is re-circulated for further use.

44 AustralianMining

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www.miningaustralia.com.au

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“We’re looking for more distributors” Jim Kenny, MD, Promac, distributors for Amberstone and Patron Saint, Aust and PNG.

“Our OTR tyres advertising campaign is a runaway success. Tyre enquiries are coming in thick and fast. So we need to expand our distributor base, especially in Qld, SA, NT and PNG. If you’re already in the business and could use a lot more, give me a ring on 0418 948 457…… don’t forget we provide a genuine factory-backed warranty on each of our new OTR tyres.”

www.promac.net.au Promac Rental and Sales Pty Ltd - part of the 13184 A4+

Holdings Group

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Minesite Vehicles

Diagnostic heaven for trucks BY JESSICA DARNBROUGH

A diesel fitter has invented a brake diagnostic tool with the potential to slash machine downtime and increase safety. Sam Lichos told Australian Mining that every component in the device was mapped to Australian standards. “When the brake pedal is depressed a three dimensional digital image of the vehicle appears on a screen highlighting the faulty component and its location,” Lichos said. The device can be operated remotely and can identify on a stationary or moving vehicle whether or not there is a problem with a vehicle’s brakes, thus limiting downtime. “The device currently being used in the industry only identifies whether the brakes pass

Contract win for collision technology

Australian standards,” he said. “If they don’t, the vehicle has to be hauled away to a factory where it often takes a couple of days to find the faulty component. This device strips that downtime by locating the problem immediately, without fail.” Lichos said the device has been tested on various loaders such as 769s and 773s with brake problems located in a matter of seconds. The device can be installed in the vehicle or uploaded on to a computer. It can be individually programmed so that the exact truck is in the system and therefore the exact component, down to the part number can be identified if a problem occurs. ■ Sam Lichos 0439 135 781 dynamicbraking@bigpond.com

The brake diagnostic tool can locate faulty components, down to the exact part number, in a matter of seconds, reducing downtime.

Loader backhoes SEMCO Equipment has launched two Terex loader backhoes to complement the four models currently available in Australia. The two models are the 820 Centremount and the 880 Elite loader backhoes. The 820 CM comes standard with synchro shuttle shift transmission, low emission turbo diesel, extendible stick and an air conditioned cabin. The 880 Elite model features ride control servo-controls for the hoe (multi-pattern type); full powershift transmission, standard auxiliary hydraulics (dual flow), a ride control system and a greater hydraulic pump capacity. According to the company, the models have greater stability when lifting loads or handling heavy buckets due to a much greater stabilizer spread. With the simpler design there is less weight over the rear and better machine balance front to rear when loading. The models have lower overall roof height due to smaller diameter tyres, greater stability and better access on restricted sites.

■ Robin Levison Managing Director and CEO Industrea 07 3725 5400 info@industrea.com.au www.industrea.com.au

■ Graham Murphy

Both loader backhoe models have narrow width across the tyres to improve access to small or tight spaces.

INDUSTREA’S wholly owned subsidiary Advanced Mining Technologies (AMT) has been awarded a contract by BHP Billiton in Chile to supply and install collision avoidance technology. AMT will supply and co-ordinate the installation of CAS-CAM collision avoidance technology in BHP Billiton’s Minera Spence copper mine under a US$1.3million contract. It follows AMT securing a major contract with Anglo American Chile, a member of the Anglo American Group, in March as well as sales of CAS-CAM to BMA mines in the Bowen Basin, Queensland and Anglo Coal Australia in Queensland and New South Wales. Minera Spence will be AMT’s sixth CAS-CAM installation in Chile. The Minera Spence copper mining operation is located in the northern region of Chile near the town of Sierra Gorda, 150 km north east of Antofagasta. According to the company, the CAS-CAM system has been selected to reduce the potential for collision between heavy surface mobile equipment, light vehicles and improving safety of employees on-site by eliminating blind spots around heavy surface mobile equipment. Incidents involving poor visibility for drivers are a major source of reportable safety incidents in surface mining operations every year.

Semco Equipment 02 9833 6000 mail@semcogroup.com.au www.semcogroup.com.au

Portable mobile access platform

Pneumatic torque wrench

SPACEPAC Industries has released a portable mobile access platform with a tight turning radius and easy manoeuvring to simplify spotting. According to the manufacturer, the TC6 can be used for sampling, loading, inspection, unloading, venting and connecting hoses. It is suitable for tank truck and railcar access, but can be modified to suit other vehicles or purposes. The company says it has improved safety with a serrated decking on the platform, which is self-cleaning and slip-resistant. The tank car platform is 0.5m by 0.12m, with an installed handrail for fall protection. It allows the operator to easily access most tank car crashbox openings. An optional wheel brake can be used as an alternative to the corner jacks

TORCUP has released a series of industrial pneumatic torque wrenches said to provide continuous and repeatable torque with an accuracy of ±5%. The series ranges in torque from 120 Ft/Lbs to 3,000 Ft/Lbs and is Can be adapted to suit underground conditions said to be the lightest and hostile environments. pneumatic wrench ‘Pound for Ft/lb’. With a constant and smooth speed, the wrench is suited to valve actuation and maintenance. The unit has free speeds to 45 rpm. It has a patented FRL basket design and a variety of reaction arms and anvil extensions.

46 AustralianMining

June 2008

The platform has a 225kg load capacity and tow bar for repositioning. if the unit is on a level surface. Optional fork tubes can be attached to the base of the unit, making the platform readily transportable when using a forklift.

■ Michael Davey Manager Spacepac Industries spacepac@spacepac.com.au www.spacepac.com.au

■ Andy Drewer Torcup Australia 1300 303 818 andy.drewer@torcup.com.au www.torcup.com.au www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Hydraulic excavator powers up

Engine goes eco-friendly

CATERPILLAR has launched a hydraulic excavator that features a power increase and flexible engine for excavating or loading tasks. According to the company, the 345 D series excavator is suitable for heavy construction, quarrying or mining, and comes equipped with a 283kW Cat C13 ACERT technology, which delivers 18% more power compared with the previous 345 C Series model. The excavator comes with alternative power options, allowing the operator to reduce fuel consumption during lighter duty applications by 10 to 15%. The excavator has a hydraulic crosssensing system which ensures utilisation of the hydraulic pumps under all operating conditions. It also has an automatic priority boom and swing operation function. This engages with boom or swing lever activation automatically assigning priority according to operator demand. The booms feature forged steel high load areas such as at the boom foot and cylinder connections. The 4.3m stick combined with the 7.4m long reach boom provides almost nine metres digging depth. Other booms available include a 6.9m reach boom and a 6.55m mass excavation boom. The excavator comes in three configurations: fixed, long fixed or variable gauge to suit different lift and bucket size requirements.

KANGA Loaders and Kubota have joined forces to develop an ecofriendly diesel engine. Design and development teams in both companies put their heads together to meet the needs of emerging industries that look to boost recycling and reuse. According to Kubota, the engine reduces exhaust pollution. The two companies have also committed to ongoing design and development for all new generations of Kanga skid steer loaders and other earthmoving equipment. Kanga Loaders sales and

www.miningaustralia.com.au

marketing manager Lars Ottosson said both companies hope to steer their products into an area that will pay respect to the environment. “Just because we are in the business of making engine-powered materials handling and earthmoving machines, doesn't mean we are absolved of any responsibility to ensure the environment is given the respect and prominence society demands,” he said. ■ Kanga Loaders 1300 DIGGER www.kanga-loader.com

The variable gauge undercarriage has a box section track roller frame for impact resistance. The standard undercarriage suits narrow areas. Standard and long fixed undercarriages are suitable for narrow transport requirements. According to the manufacturer, the excavator was redesigned to avoid stress concentration and improve durability. Positive track pin retention (PPR2) is also available on the 345 D Series to prevent loosening of track pins, while a cast idler provides extended wear life to enhance durability. Idler and bolt on centre guards are

fitted as standard undercarriage equipment for added protection. The cabin features ergonomic controls and a high back suspension seat. The excavator also has the option of a rear view camera and Work Area Vision System (WAVS) for enhanced rearward visibility and job-site safety. ■ Caterpillar 03 9953 9173 www.cat.com

A reduction in exhaust pollution was at the heart of Kanga and Kubota’s innovation and development strategy.

AustralianMining

June 2008

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Minerals Processing

The sound of FLOTATION With the shift to treating larger tonnages, flotation technology has had to flow with the times. Jessica Darnbrough writes.

n recent years, the technology involved in flotation has undergone a significant shift. Today, flotation technology is all about the ability and capacity to treat higher tonnages of ores which are often complex and fine grained. According to CSIRO Min-

Warren Bruckard conducting labscale flotation tests. Image courtesy Christian Pearson.

erals’ Warren Bruckard, mine operators are looking for improved efficiency, reduced energy consumption and footprint. An increased awareness of the environmental impact of flotation and associated unit processes is one of the factors contributing to the increased focus on reducing energy requirements and overall costs. “Today’s operators are increasingly treating complex, lowgrade, fine ores,” Bruckard told Australian Mining. “Although a number of new, more selective reagents have been developed to help meet processor’s demands for higher recovery rates and grades for smelter feeds, it’s important operators know their ore in detail. “The ore’s mineralogy and flotation characteristics help determine the flowsheet required for treatment. This in turn helps determine the flotation equipment needed to operate.” The CSIRO currently has a number of projects underway

A lab-scale flotation unit. Image courtesy Christian Pearson.

investigating the fundamental science of flotation. In one project, researchers have developed a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model that determines the effect of cell design and operational modifications for flotation cells which could result in significant improvements in recovery, energy consumption and capital utilisation. The CFD model calculates

the effect of cell design and operating conditions on hydrodynamics of the slurry, bubble distribution and bubble size. This information is then used to determine bubble-particle attachment rate and flotation cell performance factors. The detailed hydrodynamics provided by the CFD model is useful for understanding batch flotation test results and for the

Researchers are using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model the effects of cell design and operational modifications on flotation cells. Image courtesy Peter Koh.

design and operation of larger flotation cells. According to Bruckard, other projects underway are aimed at meeting inceased demand for flotation technology. ■ Warren Bruckard Science Leader, Flotation CSIRO Warren.bruckard@csiro.au www.csiro.au

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48 AustralianMining

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www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Minerals Processing

IsaMill ramps up production Xstrata Technology is on track to have 100 MW of installed IsaMill power operating by the end of 2008, with two more orders for M10,000 IsaMills bound for the lead/zinc operation at Goldcorps’ Penasquito project in Mexico.

saMill technology is now in its 13th year since the first full scale development went into operation at Xstrata’s lead zinc concentrator in Mount Isa in 1995. It was the first of 14 x M3000 IsaMills to be installed in Xstrata’s Mt Isa and McArthur River Mine (MRM) operations. The initial mill was designed with a 3000 L grinding chamber, powered by a 1.12 MW motor. The duty of the IsaMills at the MRM concentrator was regrinding concentrate to 7 µm. The development of larger IsaMills, as well as ceramic media, has enabled the mill to treat much coarser feeds than it was originally designed for. Feed sizes up to a F80 of 150 µm or greater are now standard, and development work is being trialled at the MRM operation on coarser materials. Operating duties for the technology include tertiary and secondary grinding applications, for ore types including platinum, copper, pyrite, nickel, as well as lead and zinc. Operators, relying on grid power or running diesel generators, face increased power cost. IsaMills can provide energy savings of a 1/3 compared to traditional grinding technologies, such as ball mills or tower mills. This is due to the IsaMill having a horizontal packed bed of grinding media, with up to eight grinding discs rotating through the bed at relatively high speeds. This creates a high probability of high energy intensity media-particle collisions, result-

15 kg samples are required to be passed through the mill a number of times until the required grind size is achieved.

Maintenance on Anglo Platinum PPL A/B operation using 2 x M10,000 IsaMills. The initial mill was designed with a 3000 L grinding chamber.

ing in attrition grinding, as well as limiting short circuiting, as the multiple disc act as independent grinding chambers. This also eliminates the need to enclose the grinding circuit with cyclones, reducing operating and capital cost. A patented internal classifier at the end of the mill retains the oversize particles and media and pumps them back into the mill for further grinding, allowing the ground particles to pass out the mill. The action of the classifier produces a narrow product sizing distribution, with minimal over grinding and under grinding in the mill, which assist in metallurgical response as well as slurry handling and filtration. The other benefit of IsaMilling is the use of inert grinding media. While initial IsaMill operations used sands and slags, most

ity, media size and the media SG, so ceramic media is important in coarse grinding applications due to the larger media size (up to 3.5 mm) and higher SG, compared to sand. Inert grinding is the key to improving the metallurgy of downstream processes after

of the current operations now use ceramic media, that has been developed specifically for IsaMill operation by Magotteaux, called Keramax MT1. Media sources such as sand and slag may make economic sense for use in IsaMills if located near the milling operation. How-

The development of larger IsaMills has enabled the mill to treat much higher coarser feeds than it was originally designed for. ever, the use of ceramics provides media with high SG, consistent hardness and roundness, as well as other properties, which enables increased grinding efficiency, resulting in less installed power compared to similar applications using sand. The energy impacted by the media is a function of the veloc-

IsaMills, as it enables the flotation or leaching of the liberated products to take place without being hindered by ferric ions. Ferric ions are generated by steel media, which coats the newly created mineral surfaces and effects the action of the leaching or flotation reagents. Often other regents are

required to minimise the effects of ferric ions. This is compounded by closed circuit operation in traditional milling operation, where the milled product undergoes cycloning and the underflow is fed back to the mill for further contamination. However with the use of inert grinding in IsaMills, in open circuit operation, results in no ferric ions being generated, and reagent usage is reduced, as only the new surfaces are dosed with reagent. This article was written by Brenton Burford, senior IP coordinator for Xstrata Technology. ■ Lindsay Clark Business Manager Minerals Processing Xstrata Technology isamill@xstratatech.com.au

303SYNR0101

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50 AustralianMining

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www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Is bigger always better?

Absolutely! Outotec has recently produced the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest commercially operating flotation cell, with a net flotation volume of over 300m 3. So is bigger better? Outotec is a worldwide technology leader,

Greater froth stability in the larger units is one reason. Undoubtedly though,

providing innovative and environmentally-

there are both economic and processing benefits to the innovative use of proven

sound solutions for a wide variety of

technologies, such as larger cells.

customers in minerals and metals processing, as well as related process industries. Outotec Oyj is listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange Helsinki. w w w.outotec.com

However, in some instances smaller units actually do the job better. You just need to be sure that the people giving you the advice have access to, and the expertise in, both smaller and larger units. We do. Outotec â&#x20AC;&#x201C; continually striving to do better.

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Minerals Processing

Residual frothing measures up RESIDUAL frother is a major problem in coal and minerals preparation plants. A Hunter Valley based company, TUNRA Clean Coal, has developed a new online device that measures the residual frothing propensity of a feed stream. The Residual Frothing Propensity Detector has been developed to be installed on the clarified water system of a processing plant and convey to the operators the level of frother contamination within that water system. When there is residual frother in the clarified water the propensity for bubbles to form increases. The major problems occur within the feed sumps to the dense medium cyclones, which require high vertical velocities to keep the coal from floating. When residual frother is present it generates froth within the feed sumps which can cause the feed pumps to the dense medium cyclones to cavitate causing the plant to froth out and be shut down. The RFPD works by maintaining a set of fixed conditions while measuring the airflow and vacuum. The RFPD is then able to measure the propensity for bubbles to form at these set conditions for clean water.

The device is then calibrated to the specific frother being used in the coal or minerals processing plant. The changes recorded by the RFPD in the vacuum and airflow, are then directly related to the concentration of frother within the feed source. The RFPD is able to then transmit this data to the plants communication system and provide real time information to an operator indicating the concentration of residual frother in the clarified water being monitored. The RFPD is calibrated to frother, however, measuring the propensity to form bubbles also takes into account effects caused by salt, which when in higher amounts can cause a plant to froth out. The plant operator will benefit by being able to dose the frother at an optimum level, increasing yields in the fine coal circuit. Presently much flotation is done at relatively low levels of frother, meaning a loss of saleable coal. ■ Geoff Curnow TUNRA Clean Coal 02 6574 7081 0400 499 987 tunracleancoal@harboursat.com.au

Minspec appointed WA distributor TRIO Engineered Products has appointed Minspec as its distributor in Western Australia. The TRIO product range includes CT style single toggle jaw crushers, TC standard and short head high performance cone crushers. Minspec is the sole Australian and Pacific Rim distributor of the Brelko range of belt scrapers, Keyskirt sealing systems, Keyliner boltless chute lining systems and spillage control products. The company is the Western Australia distributor for the DAEYANG range of conveyor rollers (overseas branch of Rollent,

P& K Mining Equipment) for Steel and HDPE, rubber disc and impact rollers. Stocks in most sizes are from the company’s Welshpool facility. Minspec specializes in the manufacture of new screens (wet and dry), feeders and bucket elevators. The company recently completed the manufacture of its first apron feeders. ■ Minspec chrisc@minspec.com.au www.minspec.com.au

Mould level processor AMS Instrumentation has released a mould level processor that is able to sample the level of steel in the mould. According to the company, the Ronan X96 ML differentiates itself from competitors through its unmatched service and repair organisation and innovations in technology to improve both safety and the ability to control the level of molten metal. In 1999, improvements in detector and microprocessor technology enabled Ronan to be the first in introducing the RLL Device with source activities generally 100 times less than the normal amount required.

The lower levels of activity provide a safe working environment and exempt the user from having to obtain a specific license, wipe tests and surveys. The company will work with the end user and/or OEM company from the design phase of a project through the commissioning phase to ensure the seamless integration of the level measurement to the mould design and control specifications. ■ AMS Instrumentation & Calibration 03 9017 8225 sales@ams-ic.com.au www.ams-ic.com.au

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www.acromet.com.au 52 AustralianMining

June 2008

Visit RS Online or call to request a copy of the RS Catalogue www.rsaustralia.com

1300 656 636

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Minerals Processing

The process control strategy will automate Xstrata’s key processes.

The sites operational requirements are analysed and a solution is designed to cater.

Xstrata receives process control MIPAC is currently working with Xstrata to help improve operations in its Mt Isa Zinc Concentrator. MIPAC will help Xstrata to automate and optimise key processes in the plant with the provision of a control solution that integrates with existing systems and leads to a significant improvement in throughput and recovery of precious metal. The company is working onsite in Mt Isa to understand first-hand Xstrata’s operational requirements and ensure the solution is designed to specifically meet the operating goals of the plant. The end result will be a control strategy that automates key processes and optimises plant operating strategies. MIPAC’s product manager director Tony Mathison said Xstrata recognised the value of implementing a reliable control strategy. “By undertaking this project Xstrata will substantially increase production and

stabilise operations at these increased levels,” he said. The solution will be implemented using control technology from the CSense(r) online environment. MIPAC is a CSense(r) Solution Partner and using CSense(r) allows for a realtime solution that will be tailored for the Mt Isa Zinc Concentrator and its production objectives. The project provides a plant wide solution for the Zinc Concentrator, including rod mills, flotation, IsaMill fine grind and the SAG mill. It will be implemented in four phases and completed before the end of 2008. ■ Tony Mathison Product Manager Director MIPAC 07 3624 8800 email@mipac.com.au www.mipac.com.au

Power management system SIEMENS has added a power management function to its Simatic PCS 7 control system and Simatic WinCC visualisation system for the production and process industry. The power management add-ons, called Simatic PCS 7 powerrate and Simatic WinCC powerrate, provide a uniform power management solution for all branches of industry. The user is able to locate savings potential, draw conclusions regarding the power behavior of different operating units and obtain information on the status of the plant and the degree of utilisation. The individual functions such as measured value acquisition and processing, cost center management and load management are implemented by means of ready-made S7 modules, faceplates and Excel macros. The operator can therefore use their familiar system environment for comprehensive data management and visualisation. The power management add-ons obtain the power values from switching, protection and measuring devices such as the Sentron PAC3200

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Measures the characteristic values and power values of loads. multifunctional measuring instrument, which precisely measures the characteristic values and power values of loads in industrial and purposebuilt buildings. ■ Siemens 131 773 http://aunz.siemens.com www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Efficient technologies... Process expertise

IsaMill

Jameson Cell

Albion Process

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Inert Media Improves Process Chemistry

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Simple Maintenance Internal Centrifugal Classifier – Retains Media Without Screens Large Scale Mills (3.0MW) Multiple Grinding Stages – Sharp Size Distribution Without Need for Classification Website: www.isamill.com

Easy to Automate

Small Bubble Size – Fast Fines Flotation

High Availability

Frothwashing Small footprint, low cost additions to existing circuits

Website: www.jamesoncell.com

Core Resources is the exclusive global agent for the Albion Process Technology Website: www.albionprocess.com

Process technologies developed on Xstrata sites to be the best and toughest on earth. We specialise in transferring our expertise to your site. Xstrata Technology Ph: +61 7 3833 8500 Fax: +61 7 3833 8555 Email: xstratatech@xstrata.com.au Website: www.xstratatech.com

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Minerals Processing

The system will improve the reconciliation of ore across the supply chain.

Company supplies pit to port management QMASTOR has signed a contract with an Australian iron ore producer for the provision of their Pit to Port.net, SMS3D.net and iFuse systems across the group. The contract will cover software licensing and maintenance for 11 operational sites within Australia and will also provide the resource company with access to QMASTOR systems throughout their global operations across multiple commodities. QMASTOR will supply the client with an end to end ore tracking and inventory management solution. The system will enable management to improve the way they plan, record, track, optimise, account, reconcile and report the tonnage, quality and value of ore across their supply chains. QMASTOR

managing director Trent Bagnall said the company was beginning to make its mark in mining and bulk commodity supply chain management systems. “This contract is the largest in QMASTOR’s history in terms of scope and monetary value and will facilitate the company’s continuing growth and globalisation strategy. Contract revenue is expected to be spread over the 07/08 and 08/09 fiscal years.” ■ Steve Maxwell General Manager 02 4908 2222 smaxwell@qmastor.com.au www.qmastor.com

Analysing the bulk of it THERMO Fisher Scientific has introduced a bulk materials composition analyser. The device analyses and monitors the composition of feed, intermediate and final bulk materials online and measures most base metals and impurities. Its modular design has eliminated the need for lifting equipment.The device comes with various tunnel heights to accommodate different ore and concentrate combinations. ■ Thermo Fisher Scientific scott.marshall@thermofisher.com www.thermo.com/minerals

The device analyses and monitors the composition of bulk materials.

Fluidomat manufactures nine different styles of this coupling.

Coupling applications NAISMITH Engineering has been appointed by Fluidomat to supply its fluid couplings to Australia and New Zealand. The couplings are suitable for high torque soft start applications including conveyors, mining machines, fans, pumps, crushers and paper and cement machinery. The couplings come in nine different styles and are suitable for drives up to 2000 kW. ■ Naismith Engineering 03 9489 9811 Fluidomat info@fluidomat.com www.fluidomat.com

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The spill kit minimises the effect of chemicals on the environment.

Cleaning up spills SPILL Station Australia has launched a general purpose spill kit. The kits range from 32 L to 270 L and come with free training packages. According to the company, the kits are the first step towards minimising the negative outcomes of chemical spills on the environment. ■ Spill Station Australia sales@SpillStation.com.au www.spillstation.com.au www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Maintaining the plant Day of reckoning must arrive when essential maintenance is sacrificed.

s skills shortages bite down, mine operators face the dilemma of running equipment harder than ever to meet demand while having to curtail maintenance because of pressures on staff. Even where qualified staff can be found for major refurbishments or upgrades, the job has to be compressed into a shorter-than-ever time scale so that production losses don’t quickly run into the millions of dollars. “We see evidence of skill shortages all over the country,” manager of the Australian Service Centre of Outotec (formerly Outokumpu Technology) Jason King said. “Concentrators running at full capacity, for example, all too often become victims of premature equipment failure, breakdowns and increased safety hazards, while their personnel are strongly focused on production and demands. “The people on site are often doing the job the shareholders expect, of getting the maximum production down to the wharf as soon as possible to reap the current prices bonanza. But, there is always a day of reckoning. You can’t take everything out of equipment without putting proper maintenance back.” Outotec’s Australian Service Centre is focused on service areas such as process audits and optimisation, preventative maintenance, upgrades and spare parts management. “We are a hands-on team that understands the pressures of production and knows that maximum reliability and efficiency from process equipment can only be achieved in conjunction with an effectively managed maintenance system and customer support services,” King said. Each job completed is supplemented by a comprehensive report so that sites can maintain accurate records and trends on their installation’s performance.

On-site assistance The engineers work closely with customers in areas such as shutdown maintenance, emergency breakdowns and equipment overhauls. They will also assist in the installation, commissioning and calibration of spare parts and new or refurbished equipment. Their regular involvement with customer sites means that their knowledge of those sites’ operations and history can be put to use at any time. Site services include: product technical information and data; troubleshooting of faults and

www.miningaustralia.com.au

a broad range of bulk solids to/from multiple discharge/inlet points with Flexicon’s positive pressure or vacuum dilute-phase Pneumatic Conveying Systems. Fully integrated with your process.

Feed Premature failures and breakdowns of equipment subjected to high demand and low maintenance leads to higher repair costs and low equipment availability over prolonged periods.

free- and non-free-flowing bulk solids from large pellets to sub-micron powders in any direction, around obstructions, over short or long distances, with no separation of blends, dust-free at low cost, with Flexicon Flexible Screw Conveyors.

Batch multiple bulk materials by weight from nearby or distant plant locations, blend the batch and discharge/convey it automatically with Flexicon Weigh Batching and Blending Systems.

Outotec provides its customers with a range of site services designed to help them maintain optimum process performance and technologies as well as a safe working environment.

malfunctions; development of work method statements and safety plans; development of maintenance procedures; and formal training. “Every site is unique and, as such, has specific requirements. In light of this, the Australian Service Centre focuses on flexible support and a prompt response.

Service contracts “Premature failures and breakdowns of equipment subjected to high demand and low maintenance leads to high repair costs and low equipment availability,” King said. “Outotec Service Contracts draw on global experience but are tailored to meet individual customer needs, recognizing that each site is different. The contracts are structured to achieve the desired performance and reliability using skills that have been developed over many years at Outotec’s own production facilities and through global industry knowledge and site experience. “Because of production pressures, some plants may have last updated portions of their minerals processing technology some years ago and are still operating equipment which is no longer performing optimally,” King said. “Mine sites need to have the ability to grow and the flexibility to easily adapt to changing ore qualities. It is therefore a business necessity to ensure that a plant has the optimum technologies and processes in place.” ■ Outotec’s Australian Service Centre 02 9984 2500 karl.deitz@outotec.com

Unload free- and non-free-flowing solids from bulk bags automatically with Flexicon Bulk Bag Unloaders. Untie full bags, retie partially empty bags and collapse empty bags— all dust-free. Available with weigh batching controls.

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.com.au AustralianMining

June 2008

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Materials Handling

UPLIFTING WORK on pipeline Engineers who raised the Titanic aid Nacap’s simple solution to tricky pipeline lifts with a cushion.

ustralia presents many challenges when lifting, shifting and engineering pipelines to ensure safety and security of supply. A huge variety of terrain has to be crossed as they run over hundreds of kilometres, often between States, carrying substances as widely varied as water, petroleum and gas. Between the source of production and the eventual destination, they encounter situations that can potentially impose huge strains on the structure, including hills, gullies, bridges, subsidence and trenches in muddy or sandy locations – often with restricted space in which to engineer the lift. One company with experience in the specialised field is the international Nacap group, which over the past 40 years, has laid more than 40,000 km of underground pipelines ranging in diameter from 250 to 1,500 mm (10” to 60”) and reaching lengths of 2,000 km, for the transmission of oil, gas, water and chemicals. Nacap is helping to ensure safety and security in Australia by using an innovative method of de-stressing piplines as they are shifted and lifted to overcome and circumvent obstacles, obviating risks that could rupture the pipelines and create safety and supply problems. It is using advanced elastomer lifting cushion technology developed by the French company Pronal, the company that provided the enormously strong lifting bags to raise artifacts from the ocean liner Titanic 4 km down on the Atlantic ocean floor. Pronal lifting bags, distributed in Australia by Air Springs Supply, are being used in groups of up to a dozen to gently raise

PRODUCT FEATURES: ■

As well as straight lifting, they can be used for pressing, clamping, tilting and guiding ■ Strokes from 10-585 smm (CLP), with longer strokes provided by combinations of cushions ■ In addition to standard sizes, specific sizes and shapes can be made to order to suit particular applications. ■ Ease of use, with inflation either by compressor or simple air cylinders ■ Inflation pressures up to eight bar, regardless of stroke (CLP models – CPB pressures vary from under one bar, depending on model) ■ Seamless construction from threaded layers coated with chemical resistant elastomer, hot vulcanised under pressure in one operation. ■ Non-slip surface providing maximum friction when stacking two cushions ■ Control systems tailored to particular uses

The Mallaty Creek gas pipeline NSW project, between Nacap and Alinta engineering consultant GHD, involved horizontal movements of up to 1.4 m using Pronal lifting bags braced with geofabric sandbags.

and position sideways pipelines from 8 to 32” in diameter. Guided by strain gauges located along the sections of pipeline, they are precision inflated to provide shifts down to a millimetre or two. While the CLP 67 cushions can each provide up to 67 tons of lifting capacity (enough to hoist a decent size locomotive or truck) they spread

Guided by strain gauges located along the sections of pipeline, the bags are precision inflated to provide shifts down to a millimetre or two when this is all that’s required – or much bigger steps when these are neccessary for the successful completion of the project.

58 AustralianMining

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this force evenly over a broad area of the pipeline and give minute control. This fine lifting capability was employed on another gasline project, Simpson’s Creek, which involved vertical movements. Nacap Construction Superintendent on the project Jack Walsh said Frontier Engineering Solutions was Alinta’s engineering consultant for Phase Two and GHD for Phase Four. “The reason we use them is they give absolute control of the lift and therefore great safety and security of supply. Hydraulics might provide a half an inch of concentrated movement, when we only need one millimetre.” One of Walsh’s larger lifts, using five bags, involved 238 m of pipeline passing through a gully,” he said. Using a diesel 180 cfm compressor, load sensors and the gauges and valving provided with the bags, the pipeline was repositioned to obviate the effects of slope and ground subsidence. “In that job, and indeed in all jobs, safety is number one priority. That’s what we are all

focussed on – the whole team, the load control system people, the stress gauge people, the engineers, the client – we are all focussed on the security of the workforce, the infrastructure and the supply of the contents. “Nothing happens, nothing moves until everyone is happy. Risk management, risk elimination, is paramount. “That’s one of the reasons why the Pronal lifting bags are so good – they treat the lift with kid gloves. They are very central to the task. “With them the lifts become a relatively straightforward twoman job. The bags are easy to position and extremely robust,” Walsh said. Air Springs Supply National Sales Manager Simon Agar said the compact lifting ability of the Pronal bags can be a major asset in mining and infrastructure. “These tough, seamless and versatile lifting cushions can delicately raise loads ranging from pipelines of all types to trucks, tracked vehicles, beams, bridge components, building components, machinery and resource

development structures,” he said. Pronal’s newest cushions range from ultra-thin bags (just 20 mm thick deflated) that can lift weights of up to 67 tons each, to powerful spreading cushions that can exert hundreds of tonnes of force to part plant and machinery components for servicing, or to extract quarried material. Complementary low-pressure CPB Maxi-Lift cushions can be used on land and under water, offering greater strokes of up to 700 mm (or 1400 mm where a pair are employed). “Sometimes it is not necessary or desirable to use cranes, slings or cylinders for lifts that present particular technical challenges in terms of lifting surfaces or surfaces to which lifting force is to be applied. Where considerable investments may be contemplated in custom-engineering a conventional lifting platform, it may be well worth considering the simple principle of pneumatic actuation,” Agar said. ■ Air Springs Supply sales@airsprings.com.au www.airsprings.com.au

Pronal’s newest cushions range from ultra-thin bags (just 20 mm thick deflated) that can lift weights of up to 67 tons each, to powerful spreading cushions that can exert hundreds of tonnes of force to part plant and machinery components for servicing, or to extract quarried material, spread the force evenly over a broad area of the pipeline. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Materials Handling

Calibration planning lowers costs Calibration operations are often long and tedious. The sheer volume of data to be collected can be overwhelming. However, there is a new technology afoot which is helping increase accuracy and cut man-hours. Dirk Kuiper writes.

alibration is an essential element of any instrumentation maintenance program. However, sometimes calibration operations can be long and time-consuming. By planning the process and adding the right tools, efficiency can be improved and costs lowered substantially. Accumulated wear and random variations in a sensor’s environment will inevitably reduce its accuracy over time, so periodic testing is required to guarantee that the measurements being reported actually match the conditions being monitored. Otherwise, any computerized monitoring or control systems, to which the sensor is interfaced, will be unable to detect off-spec conditions and the quality of the product being manufactured will suffer potentially beyond repair. Calibration operations can be long and tedious, even with the aid of an electronic calibrator that automates the tests. The sheer volume of data that must be collected and analyzed can be overwhelming when there are hundreds of sensors to be checked and multiple data points to be recorded for each. The experience of Croda Chemicals Europe (Nr. Goole, East Yorkshire, UK) is typical. They use pressurized vessels to purify lanolin for health care and beauty products. Each vessel needs to be certified at least once every two years to demonstrate that it is safe and structurally sound. That includes a functionality check on all of the pressure instrumentation, as well as on the sensors that monitor the incoming chemical additives and the outgoing effluent. Senior instrument technician David Wright remembers what it was like to perform the numerous calibration operations, with nothing but a piece of paper and a pencil, during the scheduled maintenance shut-downs. The amount of work was daunting, as the technicians were forced to record the data by hand. “It took us a week to perform the calibrations and a month to put together the paperwork.” Today, Croda uses the CMX calibration management software system from Beamex to coordinate the data collection operations and archive the results. “It’s faster, easier, and more accurate than our old paperbased procedures,” Wright said.

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This analysis can be performed automatically with calibration software like CMX, thereby improving the efficiency of creating a calibration schedule and relieving maintenance personnel of the need to remember when a particular sensor is due for calibration work. By maintaining calibration schedules for all of the sensors in the plant in one electronic database, calibration software can reduce the administrative headaches of maintaining individual schedules for individual machines, processes, and operational zones. Automatic archiving functions also eliminate the transcription errors common to handwritten calibration reports and work schedules, saving not only the time required to fill out a paper report, but the time required to do it again when mistakes are discovered.

The bottom line Sensors that are found to be highly stable need not be re-calibrated as often as sensors that tend to drift.

“It’s saving us around 80 man-hours per maintenance period and should pay for itself in less than three years.” CMX runs under the Windows operating system and connects directly to several kinds of calibrators. It is capable of tracking predefined, customized process instruments and calibration standards such as pressure, temperature, electrical, indicator and recorders as well as mass. Multidimensional plant hierarchy with uninstalled, installed, and spare equipment can have multiple functions, multiple procedures, and work orders, including equipment classification. Once a calibration task has been performed, CMX records the calibration history together with timestamps, electronic signatures, record status, and a complete audit trail. These functions are especially necessary in regulated industry, such as the pharmaceutical industry, where routine calibration operations are required to show that quality-critical instruments continue to perform within the defined tolerances. The records that are produced must be stored and be retrievable upon demand to demonstrate to an auditor that the plant in question is being maintained to an acceptable level. CMX complies with the new

legislation, concerning electronic records and signatures, defined in the regulations set forth by the FDA in 21 CFR Part 11.

Calibration planning Calibration software like CMX can also help with the planning of calibration operations. Calibration schedules take into account the accuracy required for a particular sensor and the length of time during which it has previously been able to maintain that degree of accuracy. Sensors that are found to be highly stable need not be re-cali-

It’s faster, easier, and more accurate than the old paper-based procedures. brated as often as sensors that tend to drift. The trick is determining which sensors should be re-calibrated after a few hours, weeks, or years of operation and which can be left as-is for longer periods without sacrificing quality or safety. Doing so allows maintenance personnel to concentrate their efforts only where needed, thereby eliminating unnecessary calibration work. The calibration schedule at Croda is determined by three different criteria. They must first comply with

all governmental and insurance regulations that mandate protection for the plant, its personnel, and its environment. These are Croda’s top priorities and in some ways the most expensive, not so much for the direct costs of complying with the mandated calibration operations, but for the potential cost of failing to comply. In the United Kingdom, as well as in the European Union and the United States of America, government agencies can shut down a plant completely for violating health and safety regulations, including those for calibration. Croda also enforces its own in-house safety and quality standards that require certain sensors to be checked every week, every time an area of the plant shuts down for maintenance, or every year. The most frequent calibrations are reserved for critical sensors such as the pH meters that measure the acidity of the effluent discharged to the river. Wright describes Croda’s third criteria for calibration planning as the “experience of practice.” Management analyzes the history of previous calibration operations and determines the optimal interval between calibrations for sensors that do not require regular checks.

The ROI afforded by an automated calibration planning system will depend not only on the cost of acquiring it, but on the savings it provides. Net returns will be greatest under the following conditions: ■ When the plant is highly regulated. ■ When current calibration procedures are highly labor- intensive due to a large number of instruments, a large variety of instruments, a particularly complicated set of calibration procedures, or a particularly cumbersome set of paper-based reporting procedures. ■ When a large percentage of instruments have discretionary calibration intervals (that is, when most instruments do need to be calibrated at fixed intervals for regulatory, safety, or quality reasons or because access is limited to specific maintenance periods). ■ When the instruments to be calibrated must meet a wide variety of tolerance, safety, and quality requirements, especially when some requirements are stricter than others. ■ When a large number of plant personnel must coordinate their efforts either to perform calibration work or to review the results. ■ Key contact: Beamex World-class calibration solutions info@beamex.com www.beamex.com www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Materials Handling

These new stackers have the facility to slew, telescope and luff – all controlled by an onboard PLC. The stacker can generate a series of radial windrow piles.

Concrete recycling stacks up BY JAMIE WADE

A CONCRETE recycler has found a more efficient alternative to recycling concrete with two Thor stackers from Select Engineering Services. Tony Gilbert of Select Engineering Services said The Alex Fraser Group, which took delivery of two ThorStack2 Model T140-8 units, benefited greatly from the new stackers’ scope of capabilities. “The Group uses conventional methods of building stockpiles using loaders, however, with their unique type of product – recycled and crushed concrete – the residual fines and cement pack down with the operation of the loader which creates serious problems when trying to reclaim,” Gilbert told Australian Mining. “Also, it’s difficult to control segregation and provide product to specification without mixing using the loaders.” The new stackers have the facility to slew, telescope and luff – all controlled by an onboard PLC. The stacker is programmed to generate a series of radial windrow piles combining the slewing and telescopic motions. As the pile builds, an ultrasonic sensor at the head end detects the proximity of the growing pile and raises the

boom for the next series of passes. Discharge of the material is always close to the pile minimising dust, wind segregation and additional generation of fines due to product impacting on top of product on the pile. Eliminating the use of loaders for stockpiling and control of segregation were the major issues for Alex Fraser to update their operations with the installation of the Thor Stackers. “Considering rising fuel, labour and maintenance costs for loaders compared with the low operating and maintenance costs of the stackers (essentially two conveyors and some simple drives) plus the elimination of a dedicated operator, the return on the investment was easily justified,” Gilbert said. Thor-Global have supplied hundreds of stackers world wide including a variety of installations in Australia for coal, iron ore, zinc, aggregates, road base, sand, recycled concrete and heap leaching. ■ Tony Gilbert Technical Sales Select Engineering Services 03 9720 6333 tony@selectengineering.com.au www.selectengineering.com.au

Electric chain hoist for smooth handling DEMAG has launched an electric chain hoist for smooth load handling with hoist speeds up to 6 m per minute. According to the company, the DC pro chain hoist comes with a variety of standard features that are often purchased as extras elsewhere. The device comes with a 24 V contactor control and operating limit switches. The height of the control cable can also be adjusted without the need for wiring. The manufacturer boasts two sizes of suspension bracket, simple installation and commissioning with plug connections and a 10 year maintenance free gearbox, brake and slipping clutch. The elapsed operating time counter and diagnostics interface provides information on the operating status so that maintenance breaks can be planned. Delivery is “off the shelf” so there is no down time. ■ Anthony Maric Technical Sales Support Demag sales@demag.com.au

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The plug fitted chain drive facilitates fast replacement. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Remote rig release KENNARDS Lift & Shift has introduced a rig-release, which can be attached to any crane or other lifting device. A crane hook, which is released remotely from the ground or crane cab, eliminates the need for workers to climb or crawl into difficult positions to unhook rigging. It is designed for specific tasks such as placing vertical poles or columns into position, centre lifting with a choke hitch or lifting into a vat or similar, difficultto-access structure. There are two options available. The first is a manual unit, for use with loads up to five tonnes. The operator on the ground uses a cable to release the hook. The second option, for loads of up to two tonnes, is fully remote. The hook is radio controlled, with the operator on the ground releasing the load. Kennards Lift & Shift’s managing director Allen Besseling said the rig-release was developed in the US by the Caldwell Group, which had more than 50 years experience in designing lifting solutions. “They believe their latest invention will spark a revolution in rigging safety,” Besseling said. “Although we have only just introduced it in Australia, we have had a lot of interest from crane companies. “The process is very simple. The rigrelease hooks to your crane or spreader beam, and you then attach the lifting sling or slings directly to it. “Once the load is set, and the load line is slack, you pull the release cord or activate the radio remote control to release the sling or slings.”

Adjective: 1. Capable of doing many things competently 2. Having varied uses or serving many functions 3. New T2250 Telehandler The rig-release can be attached to any crane or other lifting device.

According to Besseling, the rig-release had obvious safety advantages in certain situations. “The unit has been designed and manufactured so that unintentional release cannot occur,” he said. “From an efficiency point of view, it does away with the need for a person to unhook the rigging, reduces installation time, allows faster work and requires only one person on the ground to release the rigging.” ■ Allen Besseling Kennards Lift & Shift 02 9898 3300 www.liftandshift.com.au

Re-wind hose reels

The customised weighbridge will help ease traffic congestion in Ellenbrook.

Weighbridge solves quarry problem ACCUWEIGH will supply an extra heavy duty weighbridge to Rocla’s Sand Quarry in Ellenbrook WA, which will weigh vehicles that cannot be handled by a standard weighbridge. The heavier weights of vehicles with extra mass permits cause excessive stress to standard weighbridges, which can lead to extensive damage. The customised weighbridge will complement the existing one. It will be above-ground, measure 28 m by 3 m, and be galvanised to prevent corrosion. The dimensions of the bridge were calculated by the company in consultation with Rocla to fit the space available. The bridge’s weighing electronics were designed to be compatible with the facility’s existing weighbridge software package. ■ Gary Bryant Accuweigh Gary.bryant@accuweigh.com.au www.accuweigh.com.au www.miningaustralia.com.au

REEL Tech has launched a series of spring re-wind hose reels. The three instruments come in a variety of sizes and each has a different use. According to the company, each device comes with a spring re-wind motor and locking mechanism. The devices can operate at pressures of 10,000 psi, 1000 psi and 600 psi. Varying frame sizes are also available on request. ■ Reel Tech 09 9583 2368 sales@reeltech.com.au www.reeltech.com.au

The Bob-Tach™ mounting system on the NEW Bobcat T2250 Telehandler accepts your skid-steer loader attachments and provides exceptional versatility for a wide range of applications.

Telehandlers Big Names. Big Equipment. Our Commitment.

For a demonstration or more information Freecall 1800 817 366 Email: asv@clarkequipment.com Visit: www.clarkequipment.com Each device comes standard with a stainless rolled drum.

Bobcat‚ is a registered trademark of the Bobcat Company, a business unit of IR Company.

AustralianMining

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Materials Handling

Bags sorted with conveying solution FOLLOWING the successful installation of the Innovative Conveying System (ICS) into Baileys Fertilisers manufacturing facility in Kwinana, Western Australia a second system has now been ordered. “The existing ICS conveyor that was installed in August 2007 has been operating exceptionally well and has improved our production output significantly by eliminating product spillage and improving general operation,” Baileys Fertilisers general manager David Bonfield said. “The improvements, reliability and after-sales service provided by ICS with the first system we had installed was a major factor in choosing the ICS over other conveyor options for our new system.” ICS operates a policy of utilising data generated from actual field systems to aid in the continual improvement of the design and manufacture of future products. The second Baileys conveyor system will benefit from such improvements. The second ICS will be installed to convey mulch, pot-

Innovative Conveying Systems International is providing a full turnkey solution, including a 12m3 hopper with feeder and full control integration with bagging machine to take the hassle out of conveying.

The ICS will follow a straight conveying path with an incline of 45° before entering the manufacturing facility and being suspended from the roof. The material will then discharge into the hopper for bagging.

ting mix and soil conditioner at a rate of 10Tph from a feeder located outside of the manufacturing facility, approximately 30m to the bagging machine located inside the manufacturing facility. The ICS will follow a straight conveying path with an incline of 45° before entering the man-

veys material to another hopper. “We are excited at the potential conveying solutions that the ICS offers to the chemical manufacturing industry, particularly as the first installation at Bailey’s has already proved itself,” ICS managing director Michael Pietsch said. The ICS can also provide a

ufacturing facility and being suspended from the roof. The material will then discharge into the hopper for bagging. ICS is providing a full turnkey solution, including a 12m3 hopper with feeder and full control integration with the bagging machine. The ICS will run below an existing conveyor which con-

viable conveying solution in the mining, construction and waste management industries for rates of up to 2,000 TPH. ■ Dror Pietsch Innovative Conveying Systems 08 9353 2400 icsi@innovativeconveying.com www.innovativeconveying.com

Submersible drainage pumps go hard

UV resistant covers are available.

Programmable pressure sensor TURCK has released a programmable output pressure sensor with programmable PNP/NPN switch points. The sensor allows the user to select output as two switch points, or 4 mA to 20 mA analogue outputs with one switch point. This switch point or analogue start point can be programmed in the vacuum range to detect pressure in a positive pressure unit. The sensor allows the user to select units of pounds per square inch, bar, inches of water, feet of water, millibar, inches of mercury, metres of water, and kilograms per centimetre squared. The sensor’s stainless steel construction meets IP67 standards, and rotating and non-rotating housing is available. A UV resistant cover for outdoor applications is also available. ■ Micromax 1800 634 766 sydney@micromax.com.au www.micromax.com.au

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GRINDEX has launched a new series of submersible drainage pumps that can operate for longer in demanding conditions due to a redesign of the hydraulics section. According to the company, by preventing abrasive particles from reaching the vulnerable part of the pump, wear resistance is tripled. The new design ensures stable dewatering during the whole pump life. The new pumps have an ergonomic design which makes them easier to handle. They come with a cartridge seal which simplifies service routines because it can be fitted with a simple movement. The pumps feature an electronic motor guard. This stops the pump in such situations as a phase drop out, overheating or if the pump is overloaded. Another refinement is the air valve. In the event of dry running, the impeller automatically functions as a fan to cool the pump motor, bearings and seals when the air valve releases the hot air. Sykes Group is the Australian distributor for the Grindex range of products. ■ Chris O’Brian Group Product Manager Sykes Group 02 4954 3333 cob@sykesgroup.com

The pumps have a longer lifecycle. www.miningaustralia.com.au

AM_JUN08_P65 Page 2 23/5/08 8:19 AM

Sensor transmitter for process control METTLER Toledo has launched a transmitter which provides a versatile solution for process control. The M400 features Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM) technology and covers pH/ORP, oxygen and conductivity measurements. The transmitter accepts any conventional (analog) or ISM sensor. According to the company, the device is installed with pH and oxygen sensors which reduces maintenance costs and offers diagnostic tools that improve performance and reliability of process analytical measurement technology. The transmitter also comes equipped with advanced ISM functionalities such as lifetime indicator, adaptive calibration timer and time to maintenance indicator. The diagnostic tool enables true predictive maintenance, where the time to next calibration or sensor replacement is estimated in real time, based on dynamic process parameters and the current sensor condition. The maintenance can be planned in accordance with the real-time statements gathered from the device. The transmitter in combination with the iSense asset suite enables users of the ISM technology to apply new and effective plant-wide maintenance concepts and options

The transmitter is a singlechannel, multi-parameter unit. with pre-calibrated sensors. While at the measurement point, sensors previously calibrated in the lab or the workbench are exchanged quickly and without hassle. ISense pre-calibrates sensors under stable conditions and provide users with diagnostics information. ■ Elizabeth Rowsell Mettler-Toledo 03 9644 5768 liz.rowsell@mt.com www.mt.com/pro

Motors and drives expand in Western Australia INDUSTRIAL motors and drives innovator Bonfiglioli is expanding again with the opening of a new office and warehouse in Perth. “The extra space and service facilities will be invaluable in servicing rapidly growing demand in Western Australia, particularly from the resources and infrastructure sectors,” Managing Director of Bonfiglioli Transmission (Australia) Malcolm Lewis said. “We are experiencing strong demand across the board for our advanced drives technologies, including Transmittal planetaries and the innovative new heavy duty HDP parallel shaft and HDO bevel helical series,” Lewis said. The Australian operation is celebrating its 20th anniversary of with a growth of more than 30 per cent in the last year.

Manager Fred Whalley runs the premise at 5/40 Inspiration Drive, Wangara in Perth. ■ Malcolm Lewis Managing Director Bonfiglioli Transmission malcolmlewis@bonfiglioli.com.au

Modular heat exchanger TERALBA Industries has launched a high-flow heat exchanger for processing up to 200 tonnes of product per hour at pressures of 580 psi/40 Bar. The heat exchanger uses a bolt-together system to join tubes enabling the system to be re-configured to meet changed or increased applications. The stainless steel tube-in-tube heat exchanger makes it suitable for hygenic and corrosive environments. According to the company, its tight involute configuration means the heat exchanger provides high efficiency heat transfer of slurries in a compact, cost-effective design. The design builds on the attributes of previous models that combine free-draining, compact configuration with heat transfer co-efficients. The heat exchangers can process fluids with up to 85% solids.

The heat exchangers provide a clear drainage passage and is suitable for a range of applications. ■ Lincoln Gainer Teralba Industries 02 4626 5000 sales@teralba.com

Create clean in-spec material every time. The ThorStack 2 maintains your competitive edge, raises your levels of efﬁciency, repeatability and impacts proﬁtability.

• Capacities of 500-1500 t/h

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• Stockpiles to 100,000t • PLC controlled to generate stockpile • Telescopic to 42 metres* • Eliminates contamination • Reduction in loader & operator use • Piles are even-blended,

non-segregation & non-compacted *Model T-140

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SELENG_Ad AusMin.indd 1 www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Maintenance

Measuring welding processes A RECENT survey by gases and engineering company BOC has identified that only 18% of users measure the productivity of their gas-shielded welding processes. According to BOC’s South Pacific technical manager for industrial products Nic Bothma, this is a cause for concern throughout the industry. “It is shocking that the costeffectiveness of gas-shielded welding processes is hardly being measured at all,” Bothma said. “The cost-efficiency of welding can be improved by up to 30% if the right gas mixture is used on the right base material using the right process. “Tailoring the gas mixture can provide a quicker and higher quality result. The best possible weld is achieved when base material, shielding gas, welding wire and equipment are properly matched. “The research indicates a low recognition of the opportunities that exist for industry to improve its welding productivity by taking advantage of more advanced, premium gases which are better suited to many types of welds.” Of all the Australian respon-

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Pure argon is being used as a shielding gas, which can lead to defects. The addition of special additives can influence the arc characteristics.

dents, 90% said they would consider changing or trying another type of shielding gas. Although most global respondents did not believe they could achieve great improvements in productivity by changing shielding gas, 58% said they are likely to use a different shielding gas. The research also found that of those that do measure gas

shielded welding productivity, 48% said they measure the number of components produced per hour, 24% measure the number of welds per welder visual weld inspection, one in three buy an argon CO2 mix only, one in four buy CO2 only and around one third of respondents find it difficult to distinguish between different types of shielding gas.

MIG/GMAW was the most popular form of welding with over 40% of respondents using this method. Beyond the welding parameters, one cost consideration is the non-welding costs such as welding preparation and postweld cleaning. “These costs are minimised by the application of the right shielding gas,” Bothma said. “Labour is the most significant cost in mild steel and stainless steel welding applications. It can contribute over 74% of the cost to produce a weld. “The right shielding gas helps lead to greater productivity which reduces costs.” According to Bothma, using the right shielding gas can increase welding speed, reduce clean up, improve weld quality, reduce inefficient deposition of wire, and enhance satisfaction. ■ Nic Bothma South Pacific technical manager for industrial products BOC 131 262 contact@boc.com

Cairns company joins a Champion QUEENSLAND Air Compressors has joined Champion Compressors’ air compressor service and maintenance network. According to Champion, this move rounds out the company’s presence in the rapidly growing mining and drilling/exploration sector at Far North Queensland. Queensland Air Compressors joins 22 other distributors and service agents throughout the country, including some located in remote areas such as Townsville and Geraldton. It will provide support for Champion’s Cairns customers. ■ Champion Compressors 1300 242 674 reception@champcom.com.au www.championcompressors.com.au

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Fiberscope kit for inspections

Desperate for maintenance workers AN annual survey of nearly 43,000 employers in 32 countries has found companies are increasingly desperate for plumbers, welders and other maintenance staff. According to US-based employment services firm Manpower, the current climate where the knowledge economy is prioritised over practical skills is causing a major void between what employers need and what workers can offer. Educational institutions wound back trade training because of declining demand, but the pendulum has swung too far, with some high schools no longer offering technical training. Parents are also encouraging children to go to college, resulting in an influx of educated workers,

but a lack of practically skilled personnel. According to the company, employers globally are in desperate need of factory and maintenance technicians. Many of these positions rely on detailed skills obtained over many years of experience. The lengthy training required for these jobs are further adding to the shortage. Employers claim these jobs are attractive career choices because unlike knowledge or informationbased jobs, they cannot be outsourced. ■ Manpower 02 9263 8500 www.manpower.com.au

pipelines, power plants, and bridge structures. According to the company, a range of stair access to the scaffolds is available, as well as site access, special solutions, erection and dismantlement services, and transport. The scaffold company claims the system can also be used by the aviation and shipping industries. The scaffold can be custom-laid to contour around

Stainless Steel Reels

www.miningaustralia.com.au

projects, with reference to docking stations as well as tail structures and other maintenance needs. A large range of needles, rigs, mono rails and counterweight systems are also available on request. ■ Mike Haslam Alphasafe 0406 316 758 www.alphasafe.com.au

Direct Drive Reels

logy which allows the device to hold the configuration it is formed into for manoeuvring into tight spots. The insertion portion will also remain straight when traversing across deep channels. ■ Inline Systems 02 9999 2696 info@inline.com.au www.inline.com.au

Mine equipment test service

Maintenance and building scaffolding ALPHASAFE is using the Layher Scaffold System in Australia for various engineering and maintenance purposes. The rosette design of the scaffold is said to give the system incresased flexibility, strength and rigidity. The scaffolds may be used for construction, brick work, spray coating and glazing, in addition to applications in maintenance of petro-chemical, tanks,

INLINE Systems has released a fiberscope kit for use in investigating mechanical parts, buildings and compressors. The kit includes a fiberscope measuring 8 mm x 660 mm with two-way steering, light source, battery cable, A/C adapter and case. It is said to feature a high resolution image bundle. The scope uses a techno-

TESTSAFE Australia has highlighted the need for equipment testing and certificate programs due to laws requiring certification for machine exportation into the European and American markets. Testsafe has been operating for 40 years and is an internationally recognised testing, certification, research and investigation facility. It offers benchmarked testing and certification services to a range of industries. The facility can test mining and transportation equipment for safety hazards and

Cable - Signal Reels

faults and provide safety testing engineers to test onsite equipment. The company also owns fullscale mine fire and explosion tunnels to test and certify equipment response during simulated mine explosions. As a partner to WorkCover NSW, the company is also involved in an array of independent investigations for the mining industry. ■ TestSafe Australia 02 4724 4900 testsafe@workcover.nsw.gov.au www.testsafe.com.au

Lubrication - Fuel Washdown Reels

AustralianMining

June 2008

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Maintenance

Cabinet coolers for tight spaces

The systems include a compressed air filter to filter out moisture or dust.

EXAIR has released new side mount kits to attach its cabinet cooler to electrical enclosures with limited space on the top or side. The side mount kits for the company’s NEMA 12 cabinet cooler are suited for large and small electrical enclosures. The manufacturer claims the cooler and mount kit can be used to cool PLCs, microprocessors, variable frequency drives, industrial computers and robotics. The cabinet cooler is said to be a compact and low cost way to purge and cool electrical control panels. By maintaining a constant low temperature, electronics can be

Equipment repair services protected from heat, dirt and moisture. The coolers convert a supply of compressed air to a temperature of minus 7° C without using refrigerants. The cold air is then circulated through the enclosure to eliminate high temperatures. An optional thermostat is used to minimise compressed air use, and the units have no moving parts. ■ June Lindsay-Lorman

Director Compressed Air Australia 1300 787 688 jlindsay@winshop.com.au http://caa.exair.com

KEY Solutions Group is offering refurbishment and repair services for mining and processing machinery and their sub-components. The group is made up of a network of repair and overhaul providers, including independent manufacturers of mining machinery and a range of specialist repair workshops. It offers mining services from the overhaul and upgrade of comprehensive longwall mining systems and equipment, to the installation of armoured face

conveyors at underground coal mines. The group can also reinforce steel structures with carbon fibre technology, fabricate, weld and repair steel structures, and carry out mechanical repairs on couplings, gearboxes, hydraulic cylinders and fluid power components. ■ Key Solutions Group 07 4956 6090 admin@keysolgroup.com.au www.keysolgroup.com.au

Metallised carbon for high temps Condition monitoring of energy chains TREOTHAM Automation has released a push-pull force detection system (PPDS) as a condition monitoring solution for large energy chain systems. By monitoring the push-pull forces on the energy chain, the PPDS helps avoid damage to, and failure of the system by allowing correct and timely maintenance or remote intervention. According to the company, the online monitoring system has another even easier to use sibling, PPDS easy. This entry-level conditioning monitoring version provides protection from mechanical damage in energy chain applications, with complete monitoring

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of push-pull forces with selectable parameters, emergency system switchoff in the event of overload, and a data logger for up to 40,000 entries. PPDS easy does not have the remote intervention option: the system shuts down if a pre-determined maximum value is exceeded instead of through a permanent reference/actual value comparison as with the ‘big’ PPDS. ■ Mikael Paltoft Managing Director Treotham Automation info@treotham.com.au www.treotham.com.au

PPDS easy shuts the system down if a pre-determined maximum value is exceeded.

METALLISED Carbon has released two new grades of high temperature mechanical materials which operate in difficult environments where oil and grease lubrication cannot be used. The Metcar grades M-343 and M-346 are used in high-temperature applications, and are said to have good wear resistance and enhanced lubrication for bearings and thrusters in submerged and dry environments. The metallised carbon materials can be used in temperatures up to 371 degrees Celsius, and are designed for medium to high loads.Submerged applications include bearings, seal rings for waterhandling pumps, fuels, hydrocarbons, mild acids, alkalis, liquefied gasses, dyes, solvents and heat transfer fluids.

The metallised carbon can be used in dry applications. According to the manufacturer, Metcar bearings are self-lubricating, nongalling and dimensionally stable. ■ Metallized Carbon sales@metcar.com www.metcar.com

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Maintenance services for mines and utilities SPECIALISED Reline Services (SRS) is offering a range of maintenance services for the mining and mineral processing industries. The company is based in Western Australia, but travels around the country according to customer requirements. According to the company, it uses a skilled and experienced workforce in order to meet and exceed safety, reliability and service quality standards. It can provide essential services such as rerubbering, liner handling, bolt torquing, oxy cutting, and site clean-up.

SRS claims safety as its first priority, and has a safety management plan and a full-time safety and training officer. All its personnel are safety inducted, security cleared and drug tested. ■ Peter Nelson Managing Director Specialised Reline Services 08 9926 1197 srs@wn.com.au www.srs.reline.com.au

Intrinsically safe calibrator AMS instrumentation has released an intrinsically safe multifunction calibrator for field calibration and testing in explosive environments. It has calibration capabilities for pressure, temperature and electrical signals and it connects to 20 available Beamex intrinsically safe external pressure modules. According to the company, the MC2-IS is a compact, lightweight portable calibrator with large graphical display, multilingual interface and full numerical keyboard. ■ AMS Instrumentation 03 9017 8225 sales@ams-ic.com.au www.ams-ic.com.au

The calibrator services customers in explosive environments.

Adaptable keypad with integral adaptability EAO has introduced a keypad with integral adaptability that offers greater choice and shorter lead times. According to the company, the modular design of the new m.series keypad enables limitless different layouts without experiencing the long product development times associated with customised products. Each keypad is created by mix-andmatching from a range of standard options, including shape, dimension, colour and material of keys; tactile feedback and length of key travel as well as type and colour of illumination. The vandal-resistant design prevents damage from shock and impact up to

www.miningaustralia.com.au

IK09, and is sealed to IP67 against moisture and dirt. The anti-fraud protection circuit can detect if somebody is tampering with the adaptable keypad, or trying to open or remove it from the equipment. It is also adaptable to support biometric door-entry systems that combine fingerprint recognition with IP67. Switches Plus Components is the Australian distributor for EAO’s adaptable keypad. ■ Switches Plus Components 03 9587 4044 kevin@switchesplus.com.au www.switchesplus.com.au

Strain-relief bushing secures wires

The keypad comes with an antifraud circuit installed.

HEYCO Products has released a strainrelief bushing which clamps wires or cords securely to prevent rotation within an electrical chassis or housing. According to the company, its Double D Lockit seals electrical housing, chassis mounting and cord openings on industrial electronics, motor housing and lighting fixtures. It prevents twisting, pulling and other straining forces on wires and cords. The company claims this is important as stressing current-carrying wires can cause electrical failure. The unit fits into standard Double D

openings, with flat sides on both ends preventing it from turning in the opening. It can be installed without using any tools. The bushing can handle chassis up to 3.2 mm thick, and cords with diameters from 5.5 mm to 11 mm. It comes in various colours and can withstand temperatures up to 125°C. NPA is the Australian distributor for Heyco Products’ strain-relief bushing. ■ NPA sales@npa.com.au www.heyco.com/default1

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Maintenance

Grade control system gives balanced view

Fault-tolerant monitoring controller

TRIMBLE has launched a grade control system that allows earthworks operators to visualise, construct and balance road surfaces. The modular grade control system can be used in applications from mass excavation to finished grade earthworks and compaction. According to the company, the system can improve contractor productivity by providing operators with better information faster, and by offering more control to machine operators working on site. The grade control system comes with optimised automatic blade control settings for dozers. The company developed interface settings that optimise hydraulic performance on the dozer when the grade control system is automatically controlling the dozer blade. No additional sensors or hardware add-on kits are required. The system comes with software that includes earthworks progress information and configurable blade guidance options. Operators can grade to cut/fill maps representing the total earthworks progress on the job site. These cut/fill maps are generated from productivity data collected from each machine equipped with the grade control system and represent the total earthworks progress on the job site. As the machines work, the cut/fill

SIEMENS has released a new controller for high-availability, safe and fault-tolerant applications in the process industry. The Simatic CPU S7-412-3H is part of the lower performance range of the Simatic-S7-400H family of controllers. It is suitable for applications which require high availabilities of monitoring and closed-loop control of temperatures, liquid levels and emergency power generators. The device is also suitable for safe, fault-tolerant solutions with maximum safety integrity levels, such as burners. An optional software package allows a series of safety functions to be added to the controller. Safety functions can be configured by using continuous function charts, either

70 AustralianMining

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The controller comes with an optional safety package. by using the function blocks provided, or with a safety lifecycle tool. â&#x2013; Siemens 131 773 customercare.au@siemens.com http://aunz.siemens.com

The system optimises hydraulic performance on dozers.

Socket suits five bolt head types

maps are updated. The data can be transferred back to the office at the end of a shift, reprocessed and transferred back to the machines at the start of the next shift. New blade tip guidance options display enhanced real-time guidance information to the operator. The operator can configure custom guidance to multiple road elements from each blade tip, as the machine travels across the design.

WURTH has released a 12-sided multiuse socket that suits five different bolt heads. According to the company, the Zebra socket suits the hexagon metric, square metric, bi-hexagon metric, hexagon imperial and external TX bolt head types. The socket is steel and chrome plated, and is only available in multi-socket sets provided by Wurth. The company claims the design works instantly and reliably with all five bolt head types, allowing for a versatile onesize-fits-all tool.

The custom blade tip guidance options allow the operator to configure the system to suit the needs of the fine grade application and provide in-cab real-time guidance information for grade control. â&#x2013; David Grant Trimble 07 3216 0044 trimble_support@trimble.com www.trimble.com

The multi-use socket suits an array of bolt heads. â&#x2013; Wurth 03 9552 9552 info@wurth.com.au www.wurth.com.au

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Extending the wrench range

OTR tyre range extended

ENERPAC has extended its range to incorporate pumping, bolting, pipeline, pre-stressing and post-tensioning technologies. The range includes square and hexagonal drive torque wrenches including W and S rigid steel types. The W low profile hexagonal wrenches, for low clearance bolting applications, weigh between 1.4 and 5 kg and have repeatable torque from 2712 to 20337 Nm, while the S series of double-acting square drive wrenches extends from 2.7 to 31 kg with outputs of 1898 to 34437 Nm. The W wrenches’ small nose radius measurements of 31 to 87.5mm enable them to fit into tight spaces with their hexagon range from 36 mm to 115 mm, while S models offer from 25mm to 63.5 mm with square drive range from three-quarters to two-and-half inches. According to the company, the range includes a family of aluminium cylinders weighing half their steel equivalents, Extreme Products designed for maximum corrosion and temperature resistance and ZE and ZU electric pumps with fewer moving parts that save power while extending reliability and serviceability even on remote sites with variable electricity supplies. The range also includes a full range of sockets crafted in ISO 9001 certified facilities, hydraulic nut families, multiple bolting tasks and high levels of repeatability, bolt tensioners and

BEARCAT Tyres has released a full range of Off-The Road (OTR) tyres covering all aspects of general earthmoving, heavy lifting, construction and mining applications, with built-in durability. The OTR steel-belted radial tyres, incorporate steel cord from Belgium and South Korea, rubber from Malaysia and carbon from the USA. The tyres are designed for initial long wear and re-treading onto the carcass, so as to expand their full working life. The tyres come in a range of compounds (cut-resistant, heat resistant, high speed and standard) and a selection of treads.

The tools replace old bolting and unbolting methods such as flogging wrenches. portable torque multipliers to provide from 1015 to 10,845 Nm of force for tightening and loosening of nuts, bolts and stubborn or corroded fasteners requiring high torque. Portable nut splitters, flange splitting and flange alignment tools (purposebuilt to take manual labour out of the job while safeguarding the integrity of pipelines and flanged machinery) are included in the range.

■ Bearcat Tyres sales@bearcat.com.au www.bearcat.com.au

Thermal imagers

■ Enerpac Australia

02 9743 8988 info@enerpac.com.au www.enerpac.com.au

Bearcat’s Managing Director Mark Bloxham stands outside Bearcat’s Head Office in western Sydney, New South Wales.

The imagers come with a rechargeable internal battery.

FLUKE Australia has launched two thermal imagers that provide an imaging solution for troubleshooting and maintenance of industrial and electrical equipment. Both of the imagers incorporate a patentpending technology that integrates real time infrared and visual images in full screen or picture-in-picture views. The imagers feature a three-button menu for intuitive operation and navigation. Both models have the ability to withstand a drop of 2 m , an IP54 rating to withstand water and dust, a widescreen

full colour LCD display, optimised thermal sensitivity and a temperature measurement range of -20°C to +350°C (Ti25) and -20°C to +250°(Ti10). Users can operate the imagers from a distance and still record small temperature differences. ■ John Piperides Fluke Australia 02 8850 3333 sales@fluke.com www.fluke.com.au

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Maintenance

Inflatable ventilation control and protection MINVENT Solutions has added new solutions to its range of ventilation control, protection and sealing products. According to the company, the bin bag, void plug and shaft plug are all inflatable ventilation and sealing units which protect personnel and infrastructure during construction and maintenance. They are designed to be used during replacement or repairs to wear plates, chutes and impact beds, and prevent gases bleeding inside a void. The products are job-specific and are lowered or raised into the void and inflated over a few hours. Once positioned and inflated, the product acts as an overhead protection system or plug to prevent freefall of materials. It can also be used to displace gases and fumes from the void. The overhead protection system can be used in roasters, furnaces, kilns, reaction shafts, scrubber vessels and silos.

gasses as well as hot air. The shaft plug void sealing system provides emergency and short-term sealing of intake or exhaust shafts. It can be used as a temporary replacement of a permanent cover, and is installed remotely using a long boom crane for safety. Venting tubes are available for the systems to drain away any pressure and gas build up. The company also supplies other systems such as ventilation control units or passline overhead protection units.

The product prevents freefall of materials. They are reusable and apply positive pressure on all surfaces within the subject area. They can also be supplied with positive or negative pressure venting sleeves to remove dust and

■ Bill Roelofs Managing Director Minvent 08 9272 5550 minvent@iinet.net.au www.minvent.com.au

Tough seals for hydraulic rods and pistons OZ Seals has released a seal with double-acting crown backing and up to five sealing edges. According to the company, the Oz Sipring seal’s multiple edges allow for better sealing and smoother operation than conventional seals. The design is said to allow the seal to hold more lubrication in the valleys of the seal profile to reduce friction. The backing crown allows for more effective sealing with less friction and no pump effect. The pump effect is the action of compression of a seal such that an oil ring is left on the rod on expansion, causing drips. The seals are made of a polymer which is said to resist cracking under repeated flexing.

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They also have high load bearing capability in tension, compression and shear. Single action seals with double-acting crown backing are said to be better able to withstand a range of operating temperatures. The seals can withstand temperatures from -50°C to 120°C, and do not exhibit stick slip under low pressure. The seals are available in five configurations and can be used in piston sealing applications. ■ Wilhelm Prinz OZ Seals sales@ozseals.com www.ozseals.com

The seals come in a range of sizes, the largest being 2 m in diameter.

The drives symmetrical design allows both left and right hand configuration.

Bevel helical drives BONFIGLIOLI has launched a heavy duty HDP parallel and HDO bevel helical series. The company launched a smaller series in 2005, but has since extended its range to fulfil the needs of industrial applications requiring torque ratings of up to 140,000 Nm. According to the company, the drives use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) as well as Multi-Body Simulations (MBS) to ascertain the effects of stress transmitted between the various components of the gearbox, resulting in structural rigidity and gear geometry for optimised load capacity and gear and bearing life.The drives input shafts are supported by taper roller bearings. They may be coplanar, sitting 90 degrees apart, for optional mounting positions, or allow both a main and pony drive to be fitted. The roller bearings are used to withstand the forces generated internally and applied externally. The drives output shafts are fabricated from hardened and tempered alloy steel. Shafts may be requested as keyed hollow, solid or as hollow with shrink disc coupling for ease of mounting and dismantling. Large covers allow inspection of gears at any time. ■ Bonfiglioli Transmission malcolmlewis@bonfiglioli.com.au www.bonfiglioli.com.au

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Carbon fibre composite pipeline repair FURMANITE has developed a carbon fibre composite repair technology suitable for use with pipelines that undergo wall thinning due to extensive corrosion. The company used the technology to repair over 28 m of hydrocarbon gas pipeline on Shell’s Leman Alpha platform. The task required 14 different repair designs, with lengths ranging from 1 to 4 m, and involving complex geometries such as elbows and branches as well as stabbings. According to the company, the option to cut and replace the line was dismissed as impractical as the numerous damaged areas would have led to increased risks and logistics issues.

All-weather version grease gun

The carbon fibre repairs were designed against the line’s pressure and temperature range, and are said to have fully restored pressure containment and structural strength. The company claims such repairs can be 10 times stronger than steel, while adding minimal weight. The technology allows composite repairs to be applied while production is online, with no disruption to operations. However, application during a shutdown can maximise the strength of the composite. ■ Furmanite Australia 03 9285 2200 www.furmanite.com

Pipelines that hold flammable material do not have to be drained continuously.

Permanent and preventative leak sealant

The sealant remains in the system to stop future leaks.

www.miningaustralia.com.au

GO Distribution has released a sealant which can plug leaks in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) equipment permanently. According to the company, many facilities from dairy to air-conditioning plants have equipment containing liquid refrigerants. Mechanical wear, vibrations and corrosion can cause leaks. Such leaks increase energy use and can damage the environment. Traditional repair methods involve finding the site of the leak, and either welding, replacing the component, or replacing the entire unit. The Super Seal sealant is said to save

maintenance, time and money. It is a blend of chemicals that react to moisture. When injected into a HVAC/R system, they move through the system together with the refrigerant and oil. A leak causes the chemical to leak out and crystallise into a hardened bond around the exit point, sealing the leak. This allows leaks to be fixed without manually locating the hole. It is also said to be faster than most repairs. ■ Gary Oborne

GO Distribution 02 6026 4886 goborne@bigpond.net.au www.cliplight.com

MACNAUGHT has released an allweather version of its pistol-grip manual grease gun which can handle cold weather. Low temperatures cause grease to thicken, and this The gun is puts extra strain on a greaseable to gun’s working parts. operate rain, According to the company, its hail or shine. K29C Flexigun has an improved leak-resistant follower and pumps greases up to NLGI No.2 at 7500psi, dispensing 0.68gm per shot. The gun allows for single-handed operation and has a short-stroke option to reduce the time taken for general greasing jobs. The short-stroke setting allows the trigger to be returned only partway for the next stroke to begin. The K29C has a two-stage powder coat finish, accepts a 450 g cartridge, bulk or J2 pump supply, and comes with a 230 mm flexible extension and KY coupler for accessing constrained lubrication points. ■ Graham Letters Senior Technical Engineer MacNaught 02 9567 0401 info@macnaught.com.au www.macnaught.com.au

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June 2008

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Product Showcase

Hyperdrive positioning drives The system is filled with silicone liquid.

Cable joint system K.D Fisher and Co has launched a medium voltage cable joint that is suitable for all cable types including polymeric (XLPE, EPR), paper insulated (PILAS, PILC), polymeric to polymeric, paper to paper, and paper to polymeric. The joint is tested and approved to HD 628/ENIEC, 61442 and HD 629 (CENELEC), and also meets NEN 3628 and NEN 3609 standards. Upon completion of the joint, the trench can be back-filled and the connection put into service immediately. The system consists of a joint procedure contained within an inner, lightweight polyester mould housing that is filled with lovisil, a patented silicone liquid. According to the company, the lovisil liquid has the advantage of providing insulation and electrical properties, minimising the risk of partial discharges caused by air inclusion bubbles. It is said the liquid silicone compound ensures trouble-free insulation and superior electrical properties. Comprehensive training, technical advice and project related support is provided for all clients - applicable to all electrical utilities, contractors and installation firms, as well as wholesalers and the industrial sector. ■ K.D. Fisher & Co 08 8277 3288 kdf@kdfisher.com.au www.kdfisher.com.au

SICK Stegmann has released a differentiated hyperdrive portfolio which takes up the automation trend of "format adjustment to measure". The wide variety of system versions, layered according to power output, measurement process or operating comfort, offers economical procurement of solutions according to users' demands and needs. The specific application demands made of Hyperdrive positioning drives involve machine-specific features such as spindle inclination or traversing path, the desired power output of the drive, selection of the measurement system, and the ease of use during the setup and operation of a machine. The drives are available in 25W, 30W, 35W or 45W. The 30W and 45W device versions offer self-retention. This means the drive on the particular axle cannot be turned in a power-free state. Regardless of power output, all hyperdrive positioning drives are available as differing variants with 16 to 1,024 steps/rotation and 64 to 1,024 resolvable rotations. ■ Sick 1800 334 802 www.sick.com.au

External circlip pliers PRECISION Specialty Tooling has released a range of circlip pliers that facilitate removing, replacing, and installing both internal and external circlips. The hand tools can switch between internal and external removal action devices with the flick of a switch. The pliers are supplied with a tip kit which comes with five pairs of alloy colour coded tips that match common sizes of retaining rings. An Allen Key also comes with the pliers to allow operators to change the diameter of the tip that is inserted into the retaining rings. ■ George Rosowski Retaining Ring Pliers 03 9416 7077 info@pretooling.com.au www.pretooling.com.au

Using Hyperdrive, machine auxiliary axles can be adjusted quickly.

Deep cycle batteries

The battery comes in robust casing.

EXIDE has released a range of industrial deep cycle batteries which have been developed for maximum performance in demanding industrial and manufacturing situations. According to the company, the batteries are made with the latest technology and retain all the traditional lead-acid qualities of a long-term deep cycle industrial battery to ensure top end performance in the most difficult conditions. The manufacturer boasts optimum performance in the most extreme circumstances through the ability to fully deep cycle, and a long operating life. The battery has a thick plate design with high density active material and dual post designs with threaded posts.

03 9270 0100 motivepower@ap.exide.com

Motion controller ROCKWELL Automation has launched a scalable and integrated motion controller for machine builders looking to standardise on a single integrated motion control platform. According to the company, the product helps lower system costs, simplifies installation and eases maintenance. The controller supports the use of multiple network cards, including DeviceNet, ControlNet and EtherNet/IP. The device leverages the same control engine, development tools, network and operator interface technologies, and communications services as its predecessor. The controller’s applications were developed using Rockwell programming software, allowing users to move from one control application to another with no additional program development or training.

Scalable and integrated control for various applications.

■ Ross Vaughan

Marketing Communications Manager Rockwell Automation 03 9896 0300 rvaughan@ra.rockwell.com

June 2008

The units operate over an input power range of 18-30V dc.

Analogue output encoders MICRONOR has launched an ENA361M (hollow shaft) and ESA361M (solid shaft) series high resolution analogue output encoders which provide 12-bit resolution. According to the company, the units are rugged with high levels of shock (> 500 g) and vibration (> 30 g) resistance. They can be used in outdoor applications over wide temperature ranges and fluctuations (-40/+85°C) and are protected against humidity and condensation. Standard units are IP67 sealed with IP69K option available for use in high temperature/high pressure wash down applications. These single-turn absolute encoders are offered with a choice of 4-20 mA or 0-10V output and measuring range options of 45, 90, 180 or 360 degrees. The 4-20 mA option includes a red LED fault indicator for sensor break detection and monitoring of power supply. The ENA361 series offers blind hollow shaft in a range of 6 to 10 mm along with either stator coupling or torque stop mounting options. The ESA361 series offers solid shaft in a range of 6 to 8 mm along with standard synchro flange mounting. Quality in Control is the Australian distributor for Micronor.

■ Exide

74 AustralianMining

The pliers can handle retaining rings from 26 mm in diameter to 175 mm.

■ Adrian Hoffman General Manager Quality in Control adrian@qualityincontrol.com www.micronor.com

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Product Showcase

Versatile preset counters

Designed to accommodate up to three padlocks.

On/off switch WEIDMÜLLER is expanding its fieldpower family of products by adding an on/off function and integrated power distribution to it’s decentral maintenance switch. The maintenance switch is based on the power box and is designed to meet protection class specifications IP65. Individual machines and plant components as well as motor feeders and drive sub-circuits can be isolated from the power supply by utilising the maintenance switch power box on/off, allowing maintenance and service work to be performed safely. According to the company, creating an additional T-output to distribute power is straightforward thanks to the push-in connection of the contact block. The power box on/off means users no longer require a separate maintenance switch or separate junction box, which reduces wiring and project planning costs. Installation is done using pre-fabricated plug-in connectors. The PLC can scan the position of the switch via a floating auxiliary contact at the M12 connection. ■ Weidmuller 02 9671 9999 www.weidmuller.com.au

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June 2008

BALLUFF Leuze has launched a preset counter with a multi-colour LED-look display. The counters have a larger 2-line, 6-digit LCD display with sign and leading zero suppression. The display range is from -999,999 to +999,999. The new display technology is based on an economic LCD-technology with alternatively positive or negative red or green backlighting similar to LED displays. According to the company, optimal readability, even in difficult lighting conditions, is guaranteed with the technology. A compact keypad enables direct entry of the presets by digit. Enunciators provide information about the preset and the status of the outputs. ■ Balluff-Leuze 1300 653 893 balluff_leuze@balluff.com.au www.balluff-leuze.com.au

Optimal readability, even in difficult lighting, is guaranteed with the LCD technology.

PLC range upgrade The V4 features incremental developments.

OMRON Electronics has updated both the CS and CJ PLC ranges to v4 firmware. According to the company, the v4 introduces a significant number of additional features, which add considerably to the programming power of Omron's flagship PLCs. CPUs with v4 firmware now support flexible programming as tasks can be created in either Ladder Diagram, Sequential Function Chart (SFC) or Structured Text (ST). V4 firmware CPUs were phased in during 2007 but are compatible with previous firmware versions. CS and CJ programs can be interchanged as both PLCs utilise the same memory architecture. In order to access the new functions, CX-One v2.1 (with CX-Programmer v7.2) is needed. ■ Omron 02 9878 6377 au_enquiry@ap.omron.com

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Entries close 27 June 2008 for

5th Prospect Awards Entries close soon for the 5th Annual Australian Mining Prospect Awards. The Awards program rewards innovation, initiative, hard work and superior performance in a range of mining categories. This year the Awards will be held on Wednesday, 22 October at Dockside in Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cockle Bay. All finalists attend free. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out, get your entries in now. For more information and/or a nomination kit visit www.miningaustralia.com.au/ awards or contact Jessica Darnbrough on 02 9422 2909.

Award Categories 1 Australian Mine of the Year 2 Mine Manager of the Year 3 Best Contract Miner of the Year 4 Best Metalliferous Mine of the Year 5 Minerals Processing Plant of the Year 6 Excellence in Mine OH&S 7 Excellence in Environmental Management 8 Community Partnership of the Year 9 Innovative Mining Solution 10 Explorer of the Year 11 Coal Mine of the Year 12 Most Outstanding Contribution to Mining 13 Australian Mining Employer of Choice Award 14 Trainee or Apprentice of the Year