Digging & drilling sep nov 2015 edition (web)

AUSTRALIA

CHINA

INDIA

JAPAN

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015 • ISSUE 13

BHP OPEN-PIT ORE BODY 32 AUSTRALIA-CHINA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT NORTHERN AUSTRALIA DEVELOPMENT WHITE PAPER

NEW ZEALAND

ASIA PACIFIC

AUSTRALASIA’S QUARTERLY OIL, GAS & MINING MAGAZINE

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Editor’s Letter The Australian Government has been very active recently with initiatives to improve and extend our trade relationships with our trade partners and Asia Pacific neighbours. In June this year, the China-Australia Free Trade agreement was signed. This agreement with our largest trading partner will lock in existing trade and stimulate future growth across a range of areas including goods, services and investment.

LEN FRETWELL Publisher / Managing Editor Digging & Drilling Australasia and Race & Restore Magazines

Tariffs will be removed on almost all Australian resources and energy products, including the 8% cent tariff on aluminum oxide, benefitting our exports worth around $1.3 billion a year. The tariffs on coking coal will be removed on day one and the tariff on thermal coal will be phased out over two years. The Agreement will enter into force after the completion of domestic legal and parliamentary processes in China and Australia, including review by the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, and the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott MP will travel to Singapore for meetings with President Tan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to progress Australia’s economic, defense and security links. Singapore is Australia’s sixth largest source of foreign direct investment and our fifth largest trading partner with total trade of $30 billion. The Australian Minister for Trade and Investment and senior business leaders will join the Prime Minister to promote an Australian economy that is open for business. Following the release of the Government’s Northern Australia White Paper, Prime Minister Abbott will host a high-level roundtable on investment opportunities in Australia’s north with Singapore’s leading investors and the First Ministers of the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia.

Australia remains on track to become the world’s largest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) according to the Australian Government’s Resources and Energy Quarterly released in July. While overall resources and energy commodity export earnings have declined by 11 per cent in 2014-15 to $174 billion, LNG export earnings are on the rise.

The report shows that in 2015-16, new LNG plants will remain the predominant source of gas production growth in Australia, driving a 30 per cent rise in output to 85.1 billion cubic metres (62 million tonnes).

According to the report Australia exported $4.6 billion worth of LNG in the March quarter, slightly below the December quarter as lower oil prices offset higher volumes. Exports are estimated to reach $18.0 billion in 2014-15 and $24.4 billion in 2015-16 due to strong volume growth and modest currency depreciation effects.

The China economy is slowing causing some immediate volatility including its effect on iron ore demand and consequent negative price result which is due to transition of their economy from investment to consumption. The China government has announced a new set of stimulus packages and Beijing has pledged to support seven new strategic industries, including kick-starting 20 major infrastructure projects to counter the sharp slowdown in economic growth.

There are still around 300 million people yet to urbanize in China and in the long term, China’s economic growth should be very fast, compared to the rest of the world.

Remembering that China’s economy has doubled in the past 7-years and considering China’s growing urbanization and its related infrastructure construction, there will be an enormous demand for iron ore and steel.

We are always looking for interesting and innovative energy and resource sector news and I invite energy and resources industry members to contact me directly with any information that may be of interest to our readers. I look forward to receiving your feedback.

Best regards

Len F retwell www.diggingdrilling.com

Race and Restore

WHAT’S IN THIS 06 » ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE 3 EDITOR’S LETTER 6 MOMENTS IN PICS: APPEA CONFERENCE & EXHIBTITION 2015 10 NEWS IN BRIEF: OIL, GAS & MINING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE QUARTER 14 CMC PORTIA GOLD MINE 18 PROJECT POSTCARD: VARIETY BASH 2015 21 PRIME MINISTER TONY ABBOTT TO VISIT SINGAPORE 22 BHP OREBODY 32 26 AUSTRALIA GOVER NORTHERN WHITE PAPER

DIGGING & DRILLING AMP TOWER - LEVEL 28 AUSTRALASIA 140 ST GEORGES TERRACE PERTH WA 6000 TEL: +61 1300 284 637 FAX: +61 (8) 9300 9435 FEEDBACK INFO@DIGGINGDRILLING.COM NEWS INQUIRIES EDITOR@DIGGINGDRILLING.COM ADVERTISING INQUIRIES LEN.FRETWELL@DIGGINGDRILLING.COM • MOBILE: 0417 001 080 EDITOR WRITERS GUEST WRITER SPECIAL FEATURES

LEN FRETWELL ROBIN WHITLOCK, STEPHEN DAWSON, ANDREW BURRELL LESLEY KEMP EMMANUEL SOLOMON

GRAPHIC DESIGNER BRANDON WANG - O SUBSCRIPTION SUBSCRIPTION@DIGGINGDRILLING.COM PUBLISHING DIGGING AND DRILLING IS A TRADING NAME OF LF FAMILY TRUST INFORMATION ABN: 97 893 623 301 VISIT US AT WWW.DIGGINGDRILLING.COM FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @DiggandDrill SISTER PUBLICATION RACE & RESTORE MAGAZINE RACE AND RESTORE COVER CMC PORTIA GOLD MINE

Digging & Drilling Australasia welcomes comments and suggestions, as well as information about errors that call for corrections. We are committed to presenting information fairly and accurately.

Disclaimer: Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Digging & Drilling magazine articles and other information are up-to-date and accurate as possible, as at the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken for any errors or omissions contained herein. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Digging & Drilling Magazine. The publisher, editors, contributors and related parties shall have no responsibility for any action or omission by any other contributor, consultant, editor or related party.

4 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015

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MOMENTS IN PICS »

APPEA 2015

6 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE 7

Why exporters need to

think about credit insurance Australia’s largest resource industry event has defied the “gloom and doom” surrounding the global oil and gas sector to post what industry insiders have described as the most successful show in its 34 year history.

may pose an economic risk. However, while it is common practice for exporters to maintain insurance for the loss or damage of goods, many still consider credit insurance a non-essential investment, so are missing out on the benefits it can provide.”

Organisers have been thrilled with the flood of attendees who have visited the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre (PCEC) to meet with a record 620 exhibiting coExport companies can be exposed to the risks of non-payment for goods and services. Credit insurance can help exporters protect themselves from these risks but many don’t understand the competitive edge it can give them.

Atradius has identified five key reasons why exporters are yet to take up credit insurance: 1) Ignorance

Mark Hoppe, managing director, Atradius ANZ, said, “When dealing with customers overseas, especially in countries with fluctuating economies or civil unrest, the dangers of non-payment are real. This can lead to cash flow troubles for exporters, or even insolvency in serious cases.

Mark Hoppe said, “The Australian Trade Commission, Austrade, has issued warnings to exporters about the dangers of offering credit terms to buyers in some markets

“Credit insurance lets exporters reduce their vulnerability when dealing with customers in overseas markets that

Despite readily investing in other forms of insurance, many organisations still lack an awareness and understanding of credit insurance and its benefits.

Yet, many organisations remain ignorant of the warnings.

It’s important to stay up to date and educated about the current international economic climate.

2) Underestimating risk One of the greatest dangers arising from ignorance is a lack of perception of the real risks associated with payments in the larger global market.

they believe it is expensive. The truth is that other forms of insurance are often more expensive, with higher percentage cost of cover-per-value of asset.

Mark Hoppe said, “Without sound knowledge of international markets and their vagaries, exporters can soon find themselves in hot water.”

Mark Hoppe said, “It is important for exporters to do the research and develop a sense of perspective when it comes to the potential return on investment of credit insurance which, in many cases, can outweigh other forms of insurance.”

3) Complacency

5) Incorrect advice

Sometimes an exporter may be aware of the risks, but remain complacent about the status of its buyers, with the assumption that they will always pay, no matter what.

Inaccurate and incorrect advice from advisors and consultants can leave exporters investing in the wrong sort of insurance for their business operations, or considering other risk reduction methodology that might not be as effective as credit insurance.

Mark Hoppe said, “This assumption ignores the consequences of what happens when those further down the supply chain, such as the buyers’ buyers, fail to pay.”

4) Unaware of real costs Many organisations avoid credit insurance because

Mark Hoppe said, “Don’t be fooled by the advice of one person. It’s important to talk to many sources of advice, educate yourself, and make a reasoned, balanced decision about the best solution for your business.”

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE 9

NEWS IN BRIEF »

OIL, GAS & MINING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE QUARTER

SHELL SELLS STAKES IN AUSTRALIAN GAS AND LNG PROJECTS TO BOOST RETURN ON CAPITAL

The new entity could also potentially gain a higher rating among investors than it would receive within a combined Barrick-Newmont.

‘We are refocusing our investment,’ says Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden, days after issuing ‘significant’ profit warning

“There’s huge investor appetite for an alternative to Newcrest,” said Eagle Mining Research gold analyst Keith Goode.

Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to sell stakes in a gas project in Western Australia for $1.14bn (£690m) as part of its drive to improve return on investment, the oil group said on Monday.

“The next stages of growth for Newcrest are seen as either risky, as in the case for their assets in Ivory Coast, or too long term. What the Barrick-Newmont assets in Asia-Pacific offer is immediate production and cash flow, with growth through exploration potential.”

Shell is selling an 8% stake in the Wheatstone and nearby Iago gas fields and a 6.4% stake in the related Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project to the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC).

as Australia’s biggest gold producer and the world’s fifth largest.

Anglogold Ashanti has also considered spinning off its Tropicana and Sunrise Dam mines in Australia into a separate entity to benefit from investor interest in an alternative to Newcrest, but has yet to act.

The move raises KUFPEC’s holding in the Chevron-led LNG project, in which the state company is already a partner, to 13.4%.

“We are making hard choices in our worldwide portfolio to improve Shell’s capital efficiency,” Shell’s chief executive, Ben van Beurden, who took over two weeks ago, said in a statement.

Newcrest has held the No. 1 spot on the Australian Stock Exchange since 2010, with total production this year seen at about 2.3-million ounces. Number two is Evolution Mining, a distant second at less than a half-million ounces.

“We are refocusing our investment to where we can add the most value with Shell’s capital and technology,” he said, adding that the company would remain a major player in Australia’s energy industry.

However, the miner’s stock has lost three-quarters of its value over the past three years as it has struggled with high costs, disappointing output at its Lihir mine in Papua New Guinea and a 28% fall in the gold price in 2013.

KUFPEC is focused on using Opec member Kuwait’s oil wealth to diversify into energy projects abroad. Wheatstone, one of the super-sized Australian LNG projects due to come on stream over the next few years, is about 25% complete.

With some 80% of its future production committed to Asian buyers, the project is scheduled to cost about $29bn. Chevron expects capital spending on it to peak this year.

A sharp drop in half-year profit and a jump in debt also fuelled concerns it may need to tap the market for capital, while it reported an 11% fall in March quarter gold output from the previous quarter on Wednesday, well above the 7% drop forecast by UBS.

Shell issued a “significant” profit warning for the fourth quarter on Friday, in which it detailed across-the-board problems, less than three months after its third-quarter profits undershot analyst forecasts.

Newcrest also said it had cut 208 jobs over the last quarter at its Lihir mine.

Analysts and shareholders said the company’s weak results would push the world’s number-three investor-controlled energy firm to keep a tighter control on costs after it said 2013 capital expenditure would peak at about $45bn.

ARRAY OF MINES

Shell is not the only big energy company facing increasing investor pressure to hold down spending as costs rise and prospects for higher oil prices wane.

Australia was the world’s second-biggest gold producer behind China in 2013, with output of 10.5-million ounces, according to ThomsonReuters data, but many of its biggest mines are in the hands of foreign-owned miners.

At $1.14bn, the Wheatstone disposal kicks off a year in which Shell said it would significantly step up disposals to keep cash flowing in.

Recent media reports have suggested the company’s divestments could total $15bn this year, equivalent to about 6.5% of its $232bn market capitalization.

Newmont owns Australia’s biggest gold mine, Boddington, and is a 50-50 partner with Barrick in the 800 000-ounces-per-year Super Pit lode 700 km (440 miles) away. Other assets include the Jundee and Tanami gold mines in Australia and Waihi in New Zealand. Newmont’s other main asset in the Asia-Pacific region is the Batu Hijau copper and gold mine in Indonesia.

BARRICK-NEWMONT TIE-UP COULD CREATE NEW TOP FLIGHT AUSTRALIA GOLD PRODUCER Australia could spawn a new mega gold producer if Barrick Gold Corp and Newmont Mining Corp spin off their Asia-Pacific assets, heating up competition with the country’s underperforming market leader Newcrest Mining Ltd.

Besides its half-stake in the Super Pit, Barrick could roll its Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea into the fold, bringing with it close to 500,000 ounces.

“If you have an Asia-Pacific-listed demerged asset, you would get strong Asia-Pacific interest and be more competitive for those investment dollars than otherwise in North America,” said Morgans mining analyst James Wilson.

Still, there’s no guarantee a sizeable number of investors would drop Newcrest for a new Barrick-Newmont combination.

Barrick and Newmont have been holding friendly merger talks, but remain at odds over how to group mines each company owns in Australia, New Zealand and possibly Papua New Guinea and Indonesia into a separate company, sources close to the talks have said.

“If it was to be listed here (Australia) and it was materially cheaper than Newcrest, then maybe you’d consider it, but I would say from what I’ve seen, Newcrest has the better asset mix than the proposed spin co,” said Darko Kuzmanovic, a portfolio manager at Caledonia Investments.

Caledonia does not own Barrick or Newmont shares.

If the two companies’ Asia-Pacific mines were grouped together, annual output could exceed 2.3 million ounces, challenging Newcrest

Barrick gained 1.8% to C$19.37 ($17.55)in heavy trade on Tuesday after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock to a “buy” from “neutral” and investors placed bets on whether it can pull off a bid for Newmont.

10 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015

The Hon. Tony Abbott MP, Prime Minister The Hon. Andrew Robb MP, Minister for Trade and Investment

On 17 June, 2015 Australia signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement with China, our largest trading partner, with total trade worth almost $160 billion in 2013-14, and a growing source of investment.

The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) will lock in existing trade and provide the catalyst for future growth across a range of areas including goods, services and investment.

The Agreement secures better market access for Australia to the world’s second largest economy, improves our competitive position in a rapidly growing market, promotes increased two-way investment and reduces import costs.

It is a win for households and businesses alike.

On day one of the ChAFTA, more than 85 per cent of Australian goods exports will be tariff free, rising to 95 per cent on full implementation.

Australia’s agriculture sector will be able to capitalize on its well-deserved reputation as a clean, green producer of premium food and beverage products. Tariffs will be progressively abolished for Australia’s $13 billion dairy industry.

Australia’s beef and sheep farmers will also gain from the phased abolition of tariffs ranging from 12-25 per cent and all tariffs on Australian horticulture will be eliminated.

Tariffs will be removed on almost all Australian resources and energy products, including the 8 per cent tariff on aluminum oxide on the first day of the Agreement, benefitting our exports worth around $1.3 billion a year. The tariffs on coking coal will be removed on day one, with the tariff on thermal coal being phased out over two years.

Tariffs will be also eliminated on a wide range of Australian manufactured goods, including pharmaceutical products and car engines.

ChAFTA completes a historic trifecta of trade agreements with our top three export markets, accounting for more than 55 per cent of our total goods and services exports. Together, these agreements will enhance our vital trade and investment relationships in the region, assist the process of reform, and foster greater prosperity.

Our FTAs with Korea and Japan are only months old and we are already seeing increased exports compared to a year ago – like a 26 per cent increase in frozen beef prime cuts to Korea and a massive 84 per cent increase in the same product to Japan. Macadamia exports to Korea have more than doubled, and Japan is importing 82 per cent more of our rolled or flaked oats. Increases have also been seen in wine, lamb, horticulture and many other products, and we look forward to further positive outcomes once ChAFTA comes into force.

This signing by Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb and his counterpart, Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng, is yet further proof that Australia is open for business, and is a testament to the strength of the Australia-China relationship.

The Agreement will enter into force after the completion of domestic legal and parliamentary processes in China and Australia, including review by the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, and the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee. Both countries are working to complete these steps and bring the Agreement into force as soon as possible.

The full text of the Agreement is now publicly available online at: dfat.gov.au/chafta, along with materials to assist in understanding the Agreement.

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CMC acquires Maptek Sentry for survey

The Sentry solution is an active monitoring system for tracking movement and notifying stakeholders about potentially unsafe areas of an open pit operation. A long range I-Site 8820 laser scanner and dedicated software help sites measure and analyse unpredictable wall movement.

mapping and kinematic analysis. Sentry allows several areas to be monitored within a single scan extent.

Animations, continual analysis and graphical reports provide comprehensive information for reviewing results to guide future monitoring.

CMC is responsible for removing all of the overburden The I-Site point cloud data which is used in the Sentry and bringing the ore to the surface at the Portia gold solution can also be processed and modelled for mine which lies 100 km northwest of the Broken Hill survey reconciliation, stockpile volumetrics, geological regional mining centre. At Portia the gold occurs in a

14 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE SEMPTEMBER - NOVEMBER2015

and monitoring at Portia Gold Mine Consolidated Mining & Civil Pty Ltd (CMC) has acquired a Maptek Sentry monitoring system, primarily for use at Havilah Resources Limited’s Portia gold mine in South Australia.

2-3 metre layer below 75 metres of clay overburden a site vehicle, gives CMC greater flexibility (about 7 million cubic metres), which is being removed for surveying large areas efficiently. to access the ore.

‘We went with Maptek for several reasons. Price, local At Portia the Sentry solution will be applied to track support, ease of use and the combination of survey movement and stability of walls in the open pit. The and monitoring applications makes the choice obvious’, I-Site laser scanner will also be used for routine survey said CMC Principal Steve Radford. applications throughout the operation. A rugged Maptek ‘Prior to mining commencement we’ve remodelled mount attaching the I-Site laser scanner to the roof of and constructed 35 km of access roads and an airstrip

as well as establishing infrastructure such as workers’ camp, on-site concrete batching plant and maintenance facilities.’

‘In remote environments where you need to ensure worker safety, Sentry provides a diagnostic tracking tool with clear visualisation and analysis capabilities so we can make reliable engineering decisions.’ he said.

For more information, go to ; www.maptek.com

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18 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015

Hope Downs 1 Mine Group Image: Tony Tropiano

The Hon. Tony Abbott MP Prime Minister

I will travel to Singapore for meetings with President Tan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to progress Australia’s economic, defense and security links.

In its 50 years as a nation, Singapore has become a dynamic economic and security partner for Australia.

It is Australia’s sixth largest source of foreign direct investment and our fifth largest trading partner with total trade of $30 billion.

The Minister for Trade and Investment and senior business leaders will join me to promote an Australian economy that is open for business.

Following the release of the Government’s Northern Australia White Paper, I will also host a high-level roundtable on investment opportunities in our great north with Singapore’s leading investors and the First Ministers of the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia.

I am honored to be delivering the 35th Singapore Lecture, entitled ‘Our Common Challenges: Strengthening Security in the Region’ under the distinguished chairmanship of Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Mr Teo Chee Hean.

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE 21

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE 23

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AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS LEADERS HEAD TO INDIA Australia’s biggest ever trade mission to India will formally commenced on 12 January 2015, beginning a week-long series of events designed to enhance trade, education, investment and tourism ties with the world’s third-largest economy.

Australia Business Week in India (ABWI) saw more than 450 business leaders visit India’s major cities to meet their Indian counterparts. The mission also incorporated participation in the Vibrant Gujarat 2015 summit.

Bruce Gosper, CEO of Austrade, said, “This trade mission is an important way to inform India’s business community about Australia’s commercial strengths and for our nation’s business people to get a closer look at what India has to offer”. “The sheer size of the mission makes it an important step in Australia’s ongoing efforts to develop trade, investment, education and tourism ties with India’s economy,” he said.

Led by Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb, the mission is organised by Austrade and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). “The response to this mission has been impressive and indicates that Australian business is aware of the opportunities and interested in engaging with India in a commercial sense,” Mr Gosper said.

“What is important about ABWI is that business people got the chance to meet their counterparts face to face, a type of engagement that spells good news for identifying real commercial outcomes.”

Nicola Watkinson, Australian Trade Commission’s Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner for South Asia, said the ABWI delegation visited multiple cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata Chandigarh, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Ludhiana. Delegates met with leading representatives of India’s business community and attended a series of high level investment roundtables.

“Participating delegates represent a significant cross section of Australia’s industries and services in areas with significant opportunity for Australian companies to partner with Indian colleagues. These include business leaders from resources and energy, tourism, infrastructure, transport, agribusiness and food, financial services, health and medical, as well as education and training,” Ms Watkinson said.

“Australia has strong capabilities which can help India better utilise its natural resources, increase water, food and energy security, and serve the needs of the country’s changing demographic and increasingly affluent population.

“India is looking for ways to improve its innovation output and Australia, with its world-class education system and strong innovation credentials can help,” Ms Watkinson said.

India is Australia’s11th largest trading partner with two-way trade of A$15.2 billion and fifth largest export market, with total exports of A$11.4 billion. Total Indian investment in Australia is near A$11 billion (up from A$600 million in 2006), while total Australian investment in India is over A$6.5 billion.

For further information about ABWI visit: www.austrade.gov.au/India About Australia Business Week in India Organised by the Australian Trade Commission, Australia Business Week in India (ABWI) is led by the Hon Andrew Robb AO MP, Australia’s Minister for Trade and Investment. ABWI is a comprehensive programme of around 170 activities and events covering 14 industry sectors held across multiple cities in India covering New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Ludhiana. ABWI was held from 12 to 16 January 2015, promoting Australia as a trade, investment, education and tourism destination.

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE 25

The Hon. Tony Abbott MP, Prime Minister The Hon. Warren Truss MP, Deputy Prime Minister The Hon. Andrew Robb MP, Minister for Trade and Investment

The Government has released its White Paper on Developing Northern Australia: Our North, Our Future.

This is Australia’s first White Paper on developing Northern Australia, building on our Green Paper and pre-election statement.

It is an essential part of our plan for a strong, prosperous economy and a safe, secure Australia.

With a land mass covering over three million square kilometres, and a population of over one million people, the north has untapped potential. It is home to some of our most treasured icons including the Great Barrier Reef, the wet tropics of Queensland, Uluru, Kakadu and Cable Beach.

The White Paper is a roadmap for achieving our vision for the north by 2035 and we are starting work right away – alongside the people who live and do business in the north. We have set out an ambitious long term reform agenda for the north because a strong north means a strong nation.

The White Paper delivers an initial investment of $1.2 billion. This is in addition to the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to provide concessional finance for infrastructure projects in the north.

The Commonwealth Government has already committed nearly $5 billion of its $50 billion nationwide investment in transport infrastructure to the north (including $3 billion for northern sections of the Bruce Highway, $172.2 million for the North West Coastal Highway and $90 million for the Northern Territory Regional Roads Productivity Package).

The White Paper includes measures to unlock the north’s potential across six key areas: simpler land arrangements to support investment; developing the north’s water resources; growing the north as a business, trade and investment gateway; investing in infrastructure to lower business and household costs; reducing barriers to employing people; and improving governance.

Land in the north has the potential to support greater and more diverse economic activity. But the complexity of land arrangements has slowed development to date.

The Government is supporting simpler and more secure land arrangements in the north, by investing: $20.4 million to support native title bodies to realize their potential and negotiate more efficiently with business; $17 million to support secure property rights for cadastral surveys, area mapping and township leases; and $10.6 million for pilot land tenure reforms to help fund ‘next steps’ for projects that demonstrate the benefits of tenure reform, particularly on pastoral leases.

The Government will also work with the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to: reduce native title costs and delays – the Government wants all existing native title claims settled in the next 10 years; and allow Indigenous Australians to borrow against or lease out exclusive native title land.

The Government will support the development of more water resources in the north by establishing a $200 million Water Infrastructure Development Fund.

The Fund will provide up to $5 million for a feasibility analysis for the Nullinga Dam near Cairns, and up to $5 million for a detailed examination of land-use suitability for Ord Stage 3.

Secure water rights will be a condition for any water delivered through new Commonwealth funded water infrastructure. The Government will also provide $15 million for water resource assessments of the Mitchell River (Queensland), West Kimberley (Western Australia) and Darwin region (Northern Territory).

More business, trade and investment means stronger growth, more jobs, higher incomes and better living standards in the north and across Australia.

The proximity to the fast-growing Asian and tropical regions means boundless opportunities where demand for Australian goods and services is reaching unprecedented levels.

The Government will help attract more investors to the north by:

hosting a major northern investment forum in Darwin in late 2015 to bring together international investors, supported by the new investment prospectus: “Northern Australia emerging opportunities in an advanced economy”; setting up a new $75 million Cooperative Research Centre on Developing Northern Australia; investing $15.3 million to position the north as a global leader in tropical health; providing $12.4 million for Indigenous Ranger groups to expand biosecurity surveillance, with further details on biosecurity to be announced in the forthcoming Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper; and helping business enter new markets and supply chains by increasing access to the Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Program and Industry Skills Fund.

For too long, governments have tied up investment in unnecessary red tape. The Government will end these delays by partnering with the Northern Territory Government to establish a ‘single point of entry’ in Darwin to streamline regulatory processes and cut red tape for major investors.

The Government will also remove excessive regulatory burden by streamlining and simplifying cultural heritage, fisheries, and wildlife trade regulations, and supporting northern industries including fisheries and crocodile trade.

Infrastructure is critical to fast tracking growth and unlocking the north’s economic potential.

The Commonwealth Government will focus on funding high priority infrastructure through: a $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, providing concessional loans for major infrastructure in the north and supporting projects prioritized on the new infrastructure pipeline; a new $600 million roads package to improve key roads in the north, including consideration of upgrades for the Arnhem, Barkly, Flinders, Great Northern, Savannah and Hann highways, the Outback Way and the Tanami Road; a $100 million beef roads fund which will help improve cattle supply chains; investing $39.6 million to upgrade airstrips and subsidies air services in remote Australia; and investing $5 million in rail freight analyses — starting with a pre-feasibility analyses of the Mount Isa to Tennant Creek railway and an upgrade of the Townsville to Mount Isa line.

The north’s workforce needs are unique. Many businesses effectively shut down or cut back during the wet season; working long hours in the dry season.

For example, tourism workers often need to work outside standard hours, while mining or agriculture workers can be required to stay onsite for extended periods of time.

The Government will build on existing initiatives across Australia, including reforms to higher education, skills and training and the $5.5 billion Growing Jobs and Small Business Package to create the right conditions for small business to grow and create new jobs.

The Government is also helping more Australians to work in the north by: assisting the Northern Territory Government to streamline recognition of occupational licenses from other jurisdictions, abolishing red tape and expanding job opportunities; supporting northern business to invest in the skills of their workforce with additional assistance under the Industry Skills Fund; and supporting remote job seekers to work in real jobs through reforms to the Remote Jobs and Communities Programme.

To complement our investment, we will continue to work with Indigenous Australians, the northern jurisdictions and industry so the north can reach its full potential.

The Northern Australia Strategic Partnership — the biannual gathering of First Ministers from the Commonwealth and northern jurisdictions — will be made permanent.

The Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia has been continued for the life of the Parliament to ensure ongoing bipartisan support for developing the north.

Shifting the Office of Northern Australia to the north will also increase links between the north and the Commonwealth.

Northern Australia can grasp its full potential and become an economic powerhouse within our great country.

We will drive down the costs of operating in the north for business; making it a more attractive place to invest and work.

By building a prosperous north, we will build a better future for all Australians.

More information on the White Paper is available at: https://northernaustralia.dpmc.gov.au/

Carnegie’s Perth Project

CETO 6 Progresses

During the quarter Carnegie Wave Energy Limited focused primarily on its Perth Wave Energy Project (the Perth Project) with the CETO unit assembly and test phase, delivery of the desalination plant to the Garden Island onshore site and the construction of the onshore power plant and grid connection. Carnegie also progressed its CETO 6 Project including being awarded a new grant of $11m from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and announcing that the first CETO 6 Project would be located at Garden Island, Western Australia.

C

ETO Unit Assembly and Test Phase During this quarter, the CETO desalination pilot plant was During the quarter, Carnegie has continued to progress delivered to Garden Island and installed onsite, following through the CETO unit assembly and test phase for the completion of manufacturing and Factory Acceptance Perth Wave Energy Project. The assembly and testing Testing by MAK Industrial Water Solutions. The desalination to date has been focused on the buoyant actuators, pilot plant has been connected to the seawater intake bore pumps, energy relief system, tethers, connectors and and storage tanks and the water delivery pipe has been hydraulic pods, as well as the installation and testing of installed, connecting the desalination plant to the Australian instrumentation equipment across all components of the Government plant.

Department of Defence (Defence) water supply system.

Testing is progressing well and includes: system pressure, The ocean outfall pipeline has also now been installed. flow and leakage; pump connector fit and articulation, Commissioning of the desalination plant off electricity buoyant actuator deployment system, ballasting and supply has now commenced and the first freshwater deballasting; process control and instrumentation (permeate) has been produced. Commissioning will communications, data acquisition and system integration; complete shortly and will include meeting Department of desalination plant operation; and CETO unit installation Water potable water guidelines. testing.

Carnegie decided to extend the period of pre-deployment Perth Project plays key part in new ARENA funded CSIRO testing through the winter months to allow detailed testing Project in advance of planned system commissioning in the Carnegie Wave Energy Limited will be part of a $1.3m optimum post-winter weather period. The extension of national study undertaken by Australia’s premier science the assembly and pre-installation testing phase will allow agency, the CSIRO, to develop a wave energy atlas and CETO unit installation and any initial fault finding to occur improve the assessment of wave energy extraction on the outside of the larger winter swells which are currently marine environment. being experienced off the west coast of Garden Island. The Australian Government’s independent funding agency These reduce significantly through September and October, for emerging renewable technologies, the Australian thereby increasing the opportunity and lowering the risk Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) awarded $1.3 million associated with any required intervention after installation. of funding support for the Commonwealth Scientific and This still allows the first project operational results to be Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to undertake the available before the end of 2014. innovative wave resource mapping and modelling project.

Buoyant Actuators Unveiled by Federal Energy Minister Carnegie’s Perth Wave Energy Project, off Garden In April, the three CETO 5 Buoyant Actuators for the Island in Western Australia, will be monitored using inPerth Project were unveiled by the Hon Ian Macfarlane water oceanographic sensors, and the impacts of energy MP, Federal Energy Minister and Ivor Frischknecht, CEO extraction assessed using computation modelling, allowing of ARENA, the Federal Government’s Renewable Energy CSIRO to establish best practice guidelines for assessing funding agency. The buoys were delivered to BAE Systems, the potential impact of wave energy plants. the Project’s pre-deployment location, where the CETO units are now undergoing assembly and the pre-installation CETO 6 Development testing phase.

During this quarter, Carnegie announced further details of the CETO 6 Project development, including the award of Desalination Pilot Plant Progress $11m in new grant funding from the Australian Renewable

Energy Agency for a CETO 6 Project on Garden Island, Western Australia as well as the award of a CETO 6 commercial site at WaveHub, a pre-consented, gridconnected wave energy demonstration facility in the UK. Carnegie also progressed the CETO 6 technology design and development including commencing a $1.8m project with University of Adelaide to research and develop control systems for the CETO technology.

CETO 6 Project Funding Awarded In June, the Australian Federal Government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) awarded Carnegie $11m in funding to support the first CETO 6 Project which will be located at Garden Island, Western Australia. This is matched by the $20m five year loan facility from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation previously announced in March this year.

The securing of this combined funding now allows Carnegie to confirm Garden Island as the location of its first CETO 6 project. All the power generated from the project will be bought by the Australian Department of Defence under Carnegie’s existing power supply agreement for use at HMAS Stirling, Australia’s largest naval base which is located on Garden Island.

The CETO 6 Project will be up to 3MW in capacity and, based on the recent design work, is expected to have a total cost of $31m including design and contingency but excluding corporate payroll and overheads. Design work on the Project has been underway since 2013.

The CETO 6 unit in the Project has a target power capacity of 1MW (1000kW), some four times the current CETO 5 generation being used in the Perth Project. The increased capacity, combined with superior efficiency, delivers

significantly reduced power costs and, when deployed at large commercial scale, aims to be cost competitive in a range of markets globally.

Commenced Control Systems Project with University of Adelaide In July, Carnegie announced that it will partner with the University of Adelaide on a $1.8m project part funded by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant to research and develop control strategies for wave energy converters.

The three year project will specifically focus on understanding and developing novel control strategies tailored for submerged point absorber wave technologies, such as Carnegie’s CETO. Control strategies for wave energy generators focus on maximising power output by matching the wave energy converter characteristics to the oscillating forces of the waves. It represents a significant opportunity to considerably reduce the cost of energy by increasing power output with minimal additional capital expense. Carnegie engineers will work with University of Adelaide to develop control systems to improve the performance of the CETO technology, which could then be demonstrated as part of Carnegie’s CETO 6 Project.

CETO Wave Energy European Activities CETO 6 WaveHub Project During the last quarter, Carnegie was awarded a wave energy berth at the WaveHub purpose built wave energy demonstration facility in Hayle, Cornwall, south west England. This provides a pre-consented, constructed and grid connected berth at the dedicated wave energy demonstration site funded by the UK Government with

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DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE 29

existing infrastructure (subsea cables, onshore power substation, grid connection etc.) and incentives (wave energy feed-in tariff of approximately $500/MWh).

CWE UK signed a Commitment Agreement for the final berth at WaveHub to support an up to 10MW grid connected CETO 6 commercial demonstration project. Carnegie was awarded the final berth at the facility following successful completion of due diligence by DNV GL on Carnegie and the CETO technology.

Corporate Activities Completed $9.35m Capital Raise In April Carnegie completed an oversubscribed $9.35m capital raise via a Share Purchase Plan (SPP) and Private Placement. The funds from the capital raise will be used for the design and development of the CETO 6 Project and working capital purposes.

Carnegie received payments of: - $1,076,713 for the Foundation System; - $89,208 for the Onshore Plant; - $2,003,831 for the Pipeline; - $1,134,320 for the CETO units.

Western Australian State LEED Grant Payments During this quarter, Carnegie received grant payments totalling $1,258,737 from the Western Australian State Government for the completion of milestones for the Perth Project. Carnegie received payments of: - $676,871 for the Pipeline - $581,866 for the CETO Units

Carnegie selected as semi-finalist in the Australian Technologies Competition Carnegie is one of only two ASX-listed companies to be selected as a semi-finalist among 228 entries. Carnegie was chosen as a semi-finalist as Carnegie’s proprietary CETO technology has been identified as an industry leader with innovative characteristics and with the capability to become a game-changer in the energy sector.

Government Grant Payments Australian Federal Government ARENA Grant Payments During this quarter, Carnegie received grant payments totalling $4,304,073 from the Australian Federal Government for the completion of milestones for the Perth Project.

AusIndustry Desalination Grant Payment In June, Carnegie received a quarterly grant payment of $143,436 as part of a $1.27m AusIndustry grant that supports the design, construction and operation of a CETO wave powered desalination pilot plant which will desalinate seawater to produce freshwater.

This is the fifth quarterly payment received and takes the total funds received to date to $949,096 which represents 100% of the construction portion of the grant funding.

Total Grant Funding for Perth Project to Date The Perth Project has received $16.3m in cash grant payments as of 30 June 2014 from the Australian and Western Australian State Government under the ARENA, LEED and AusIndustry Grants.

30 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015

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Geological Survey develops innovative applications and maps to assist explorers One of the Department of Mines and Petroleum’s (DMP) priorities is to encourage exploration and investment in Western Australia’s mineral and energy resources.

This is why DMP’s Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) has developed world-class innovative technology to provide explorers and geologists with geophysical data to help them find the mines of tomorrow.

“Over the past year GSWA have developed a number of innovative applications and layered digital maps to assist explorers and reduce the risk for investors,” GSWA Executive Director Dr Rick Rogerson said.

Digital mapping for explorers A seamless state-wide interpreted bedrock geology digital map has been developed to provide an accurate backdrop for resources exploration.

“The digital map will form the base layer for GSWA maps and spatial products which will give explorers a consistent new summary of the geology of Western Australia. It is also the base layer for many of DMP’s spatial databases,” Dr sea Rogerson said.

Deep mining Dr Rogerson said as well as being more accurate spatially, more information about each map unit is included than ever before.

“This provides a whole wealth of additional information to assist explorers and geologists,” he said.

The 1:500,000 interpre ted bedrock geology map is a complete reinterpretation and update based on GSWA mapping since 2000, the culmination of a decade’s work and understanding of the geology of Western Australia.

“It is a set of intelligent spatial layers, rather than a single map and includes interpreted bedrock faults and folds and areas of significant Cenozoic deposits – a separate layer of rocks less than 65 million years old,” Dr Rogerson said.

“The layers illustrate the regional geological framework of Western Australia in as much detail as possible at this scale, rather than being simply a standalone map.”

The lookup table for the main interpreted bedrock geology layer is coarsely sorted using tectonic subdivisions first and then age, providing the digital equivalent of a map legend.

deep-sea-hydrothermal-vents

“The recent geophysical datasets, acquired as part of the State Government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS), have been extensively used in generating the map,” Dr Rogerson said.

Updates are already planned and will be released incrementally as more information becomes available.

Spatial layers at 1:2,500,000 scale, including geological polygons, structures and tectonic divisions, are the next target, resulting in a new, completely revised State Geological Map – the first since 1998, and the first compiled entirely digitally.

The 1:500,000 scale layers and associated lookup tables are available as a download from the Data and Software Centre at; www.dmp.wa.gov.au/4895.aspx WA Geology smart phone app GSWA has also developed a cutting-edge geoscience and resource information application on Western Australia for people on the move.

The mobile web application called WA Geology makes mapping and geological information available on smart phones and tablets.

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DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE 33

“The WA Geology application is a free, device-independent Geographical Information Systems (GIS) viewer that delivers viewing, querying and integration of a wide range of Western Australian geoscience and resource datasets,” Dr Rogerson said.

Explorers, prospectors and academics can now use tablets and smart phones to access the recently updated 1:500,000 interpreted bedrock geology, mines and mineral deposits and major resources, petroleum datasets and tenements.

The application also shows the location of key infrastructure such as towns and roads, while the state-wide image datasets include geophysics, geology and topography.

WA Geology is built around Geocortex software that uses HTML5 markup language to make the application device-independent.

It provides a connection through a web address that can be copied and pasted into a mobile device’s browser to allow viewing while connected to a network.

“WA Geology was developed from DMP’s extensive and growing digital database,” Dr Rogerson said.

He said that the application put detailed digital geological maps at people’s fingertips, including multiple layers of information such as land use, native title and biodiversity.

There is no need to download the app – users can copy and paste the URL wageology.dmp.wa.gov.au/wageology into a mobile device’s browser or visit www.dmp.wa.gov.au/wageology.

Innovative 3D modelling DMP is approaching the end of what many geoscientists call the “cartoon era” – a two-dimensional view of the Earth.

Significant advances in data acquisition and 3D modelling enabled by the department’s Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) has allowed thewintegration of high-quality surface geological mapping.

The depth data will enable the creation of realistic models in 3D that accurately visualise the Earth’s crust in Western Australia.

The 3D modelling is another tool to assist the resources sector in reducing uncertainty and risk in exploration targeting.

Data has already been made available from last year’s 3D seismic survey of the Harvey/Waroona area as part of DMP’s South West Hub Carbon Capture and Storage program.

34 DIGGING & DRILLING MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015

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