Australian Mining November 2022

MINE REHABILITATION CRITICAL MINERALS VOLUME 114/10 | NOVEMBER 2022

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MINE REHABILITATION CRITICAL MINERALS VOLUME 114/10 | NOVEMBER 2022

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COMMENT

BREAKING THE SURFACE TENSION IT MIGHT SEEM TO SOME AS THOUGH ALL OF THE ACTION ON A MINE SITE TAKES PLACE UNDERGROUND, BUT THERE’S PLENTY HAPPENING ON THE SURFACE.

PAUL HAYES paul.hayes@primecreative.com.au

T

he turn of phrase ‘scratch the surface’ might be apt when discussing surface mining, but not in a literal sense.

It takes a lot more than a scratch to remove the soil and rock that stands between miners and the precious mineral deposit underneath.

In this issue of Australian Mining, we look at some of the equipment, machines and technology that play their own vital parts in the process of surface mining.

From crushing and screen media to mobile processing units to dragline support to automation to conveyor systems to servicing and rebuilding excavators, dump trucks, wheel loaders, dozers and motor graders, there really is a lot happening on the minesite surface.

Elsewhere in the magazine, we look at different examples of mine rehabilitation.

The life of a mine does not end when resources are exhausted and rehabilitation is a critical process of any such operation, especially in the context of companies maintaining their social license to operate.

When Dendra Systems recently hosted the first in a series of networking events exploring rehabilitation and the mining industry’s environmental future, Australian Mining was on hand to document the key takeaways.

We also shine a light on the role of women in the mining industry, examining new research undertaken that looks at innovative

ways employers in the resources sector can be encouraged to provide women with training and employment opportunities in rural areas of Australia.

This issue also features a big splash on the recent Women in Industry Awards, which acknowledge outstanding women across a range of industrials sectors, recognising those who are driving change within the industry.

The awards are an opportunity highlight the exceptional work and dedication of the women in the resources industry.

Finally, Elon Musk makes a somewhat unexpected appearance in the pages of Australian Mining following Tesla’s recent announcement of plans to build its own lithium refinery.

Is this the way of the future? Is this kind of vertical integration a viable option for electric vehicle manufacturers? We look at these questions, as well as a few others, ahead of what could be a major shift in the world of critical minerals and their role in electrification and a carbon-free future.

Paul Hayes Managing Editor

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JOHN MURPHY

ASHLEY PERRY Email: ashley.perry@primecreative.com.au

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER CHRISTINE CLANCY

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER JANINE CLEMENTS Tel: (02) 9439 7227 Email: janine.clements@primecreative.com.au

EDITOR PAUL HAYES Email: paul.hayes@primecreative.com.au JOURNALISTS ALEXANDRA EASTWOOD Email: alexandra.eastwood@primecreative.com.au TOM PARKER Email: tom.parker@primecreative.com.au LEWIS CROSS Email: lewis.cross@primecreative.com.au

SALES MANAGER JONATHAN DUCKETT Tel: (02) 9439 7227 Mob: 0498 091 027 Email: jonathan.duckett@primecreative.com.au SALES ADMINISTRATOR EMMA JAMES Tel: (02) 9439 7227 Mob: 0414 217 190 Email: emma.james@primecreative.com.au DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER MICHELLE WESTON michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

AUSTRALIANMINING

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FRONT COVER

As a leading wear solutions provider to the global mining and resources market, Bradken has come a long way since it was founded a small Australian-based foundry business 100 years ago.

The company helps bulk handling and mobile plants operate at peak efficiency by using innovative technologies and project-focused engineering to design, manufacture and supply quality parts and services.

With a focus on safety, collaboration, innovation and sustainability, Bradken prides itself on providing reliability, certainty and confidence to partners and stakeholders through consistent delivery of products, services and solutions.

Cover image: Bradken

ART DIRECTOR BLAKE STOREY blake.storey@primecreative.com.au

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NOVEMBER 2022

IN INTHIS THISISSUE ISSUE 18

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SUSTAINABILITY

Mine rehabilitation in the digital age When Dendra Systems hosted the first in a series of events exploring the mining industry’s environmental future, Australian Mining was on hand to document the key takeaways.

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CRITICAL MINERALS

Vertically integrating lithium Recent news of Tesla planning to build its own lithium refinery in the US begs the question: Is this type of integration a viable option for electric vehicle manufacturers?

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SURFACE MINING

Boosting conveyor energy savings and sustainability Fenner Conveyors’ next generation of PowerSaver LRR conveyor belt compound creates further energy savings and reduces capital expenditure in the process.

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SURFACE MINING

An all-in-one surface mining solution The Easi-Miner, RITALKA’s continuous surface mining excavator, eliminates the

need for blasting, drilling, and primary crushers regardless of material type or hardness grade.

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SURFACE MINING

Altra Motion limits dragline downtime Altra Motion occupies much of the dragline braking business in the Bowen Basin. The OEM is now looking to replicate the same success in the Hunter Valley.

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INDUSTRY AWARDS

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EQUIPMENT

Meet the winners of the 2022 Women in Industry Awards The awards acknowledge outstanding women across a range of industrials sectors, recognising those who are driving change.

Fit-for-purpose solutions With a long history of supplying topof-the-line equipment solutions to mining companies across Australia, Bradken is continuing to improve its product line.

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NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2021 2022

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AUTOMATED SYSTEMS

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MINE REHABILITATION

Increasing productivity through automation solutions The capture and effective use of data has become an increasingly critical dimension of mining operations. It’s often dependent on tailored solutions like those provided by Position Partners.

Ranger rehabilitation The rehabilitation process of the shuttered Ranger uranium mine recently marked a key milestone, but a report on a neighbouring deposit raised questions of continued mining versus environmental and social obligations.

REGULARS 5 COMMENT 8 NEWS 64 PRODUCTS 66 EVENTS

Innovating for the future Bradken’s technology transformation is supporting the evolution of the mining industry.

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NEWS

THE LATEST MINING AND SAFETY NEWS AUSTRALIAN MINING PRESENTS THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE BOARDROOM TO THE MINE AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN. VISIT WWW.AUSTRALIANMINING.COM.AU TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING. DONE DEAL FOR DARTBROOK Terms have been agreed to recommission the Dartbrook coal mine in NSW, with an alliance between three of its many suitors.

The mine has been soughtafter because it is one of the few sanctioned and undeveloped coal assets in the country at a time when prices for the commodity have been driven to record highs.

Owner Australian Pacific Coal (AQC) said that after receiving an offer for a proposed alliance with M Resources for Dartbrook, its ongoing discussions with its largest shareholder Trepang Services, with respect to AQC’s outstanding debts and the receipt of a conditional non-binding indicative proposal from Tetra Resources and Javelin Private Capital Group, the company entered into a binding term sheet with each of Trepang, M Resources and Tetra Resources for a strategic partnership.

The aim of the parties is to see Dartbrook rejuvenated as a coal-producing mine as soon as practicable.

DARTBROOK WILL SOON BE REJUVENATED AS A COALPRODUCING MINE.

Under the arrangement, M Resources and Tetra will earn a 20 per cent direct joint venture interest each in Dartbrook. In addition, Trepang – if it agrees to extend the existing AQC access and compensation agreement, various easement arrangements and term transfer of water rights on mutually agreeable commercial terms to allow underground mining operations to continue for the duration of mine life extension approvals – will earn a 10 per cent free-carried direct joint venture interest.

AQC will retain a 50 per cent direct joint venture interest in Dartbrook.

If M Resources and Tetra do not achieve production restart at Dartbrook within 27 months, M Resources and Tetra will relinquish their joint venture interest, which will revert to AQC. M Resources will enter into an exclusive marketing services agreement to act as marketing agent of coal sales and an exclusive logistics services agreement for all coal types produced at Dartbrook.

Tetra will be appointed as the operator of Dartbrook.

The partnership is conditional on AQC’s ongoing fully underwritten entitlement offer being completed successfully, and AQC obtaining all required authorisations (including any shareholder approval) with respect to the partnership within 120 days from the date of the binding term sheet.

M Resources will be entitled to appoint a director to the board of AQC, which is also currently

AUSTRALIAN MINING GETS THE LATEST NEWS EVERY DAY, PROVIDING MINING PROFESSIONALS WITH UP-TOTHE-MINUTE INFORMATION ON SAFETY, NEWS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MINING AND RESOURCES INDUSTRY.

negotiating with Trepang to have the right to nominate up to two directors to the board for so long as Trepang maintains a relevant interest of 20 per cent in AQC. The development effectively scuppers the bid by former Australian coal baron Nathan Tinkler, which was three times the offer by M Resources.

SHELL ELECTRIFIES OFF-ROAD MINING VEHICLES A new nine-member consortium will create a pilot program of electrification solutions for mine sites. The consortium will see Skeleton, Microvast, Stäubli, Carnegie Robotics, Heliox, Spirae, Alliance Automation, Worley, and Shell come together to introduce Shell’s mining electrification solution for off-road vehicles.

Shell announced the consortium during an online press briefing held in October. The solution features an end-to-end electrification system that reduces emissions without compromising on efficiency or safety, while aiming to be cost-competitive versus diesel-powered operations.

By combining a high-powered battery solution with ultra-fast charging and a standardised microgrid energy system, Shell’s new

solution can be complemented with renewable electricity generation onsite or through the grid.

Electrification also offers off-road industries the immediate potential to shift away from a long-standing reliance on diesel.

This shift will be critical for hardto-abate sectors like mining, as mobile equipment comprises 40–50 per cent of mining’s CO2 emission.

“It is increasingly clear that no one single organisation can solve decarbonisation alone,” Shell sectoral decarbonisation and innovation vice president Grischa Sauerberg said during the press briefing. “The need for a collaborative effort is particularly evident within carbon-intensive industries like mining, where the challenges are great but the AUSTRALIANMINING

opportunities are even greater.

“To overcome these challenges and unlock these opportunities, Shell is helping to bring together some of the sector’s most innovative companies – with electrification proving an important first step towards the shaping of a clear decarbonisation pathway.”

Shell’s mining electrification solutions for off-road vehicles consists of: power provisioning and microgrids, with an aim to provide a consistent and reliable supply of renewable power in a safe and stable manner; ultra-fast charging, taking approximately 90 seconds via flexible, hard-wearing, and resilient on-site, ultra-fast charge points, which provide assets with continuous operations in the most challenging of environments; and in-vehicle energy

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NOVEMBER 2022

storage through a combination of advanced battery and capacitor technologies that aim to deliver long lifetimes, ultra-fast charging, and high performance.

“The challenge of decarbonisation is immense, but not impossible, providing collaboration and innovation go hand-in-hand at all times,” Sauerberg said. “(This was) on show during the recent Charge On Innovation Challenge, which saw the Shellled consortium of equipment manufacturers, technology partners, industry experts and Shell Energy – our in-house supplier of renewable power – push the boundaries of what is possible for hard-to-abate sectors.

“Our winning solutions are proof of how together the industry can help power progress.”

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NEWS

WA INVENTION DELIVERS WORLD-CLASS REHABILITATION A transformative piece of machinery named the Flora Restorer is facilitating world-class rehabilitation on a globally renowned area of native vegetation in WA. The climate at Eneabba, where the Flora is used, is harsh, with average summer maximum temperatures hovering around 35°C and have been known to climb as high as 48°C. The area sees as average of fewer than 30mm of rain across December, January and February, and winds regularly gust in the 30–40km/h range, making erosion of the sandy soils a constant problem.

Against that backdrop, mineral sands company Iluka Resources has successfully restored 18 square kilometres of Kwongan vegetation, to a point that only a carefully trained eye would notice the difference between established rehabilitated areas and untouched parts of the local environment.

It’s a journey Iluka has been on for many years, but one that’s been aided greatly since Flora Restorer was pressed into action in 2019.

Iluka principal rehabilitation scientist Mark Dobrowolski said the machine took “a whole bunch of individual rehabilitation techniques that were already being used and combines them in a onestop-shop”.

“Flora Restorer is a sort of a one-pass piece of equipment which spreads fertiliser, scarifies the ground preparing the ground surface, and places a diverse variety of seed in on that ground – anything from as big as my thumb to a tiny little dusty seed,” he said.

“And then it rolls a land imprinter over it, creating a dimpled surface, before it sprays an artificial soil crust of bitumen emulsion to hold those seeds in place until it rains.

“We combined all these processes together to improve our germination of the seed we collect so carefully and treat to break dormancy, and then spread out on the ground.

“We’re trying to make sure that we get the best value for germination from that seed that we can in our rehab.”

Native Kwongan is prized internationally for its diversity of species and resilience to the elements. But it’s also hard to generate from scratch due to the climatic extremes.

“Since we used Flora Restorer, we’ve been able to nearly triple the rate of germination of the seed we broadcast in rehabilitation – while using the same amount of seed,” Dobrowolski said.

“At the same time, by combining all the techniques in the one machine,

we can rehabilitate two or three times the area back to native vegetation, back to the Kwongan.

“So it’s a double whammy of increased area and increased quality of rehabilitation.”

While the efficiencies of Flora Restorer are certainly a selling point, Dobrowolski’s favourite piece of innovation on the machine is one that tackles the ever-present threat of erosion.

“Eneabba is regularly the hottest place in the state in summer – in the morning the wind blows from the east at 30km/h and then in the afternoon it blows from the southwest,” he said. “The poor little plant has to survive in that windy, dry environment. It doesn’t want to get sand-blown all its life and sand drifts everywhere, so you need to control that to get those tiny little seedlings to establish.

“My favourite innovation on Flora is a combination of two very old technologies. One is land imprinting to dimple the land. Combine that in our sandy-profiled soils with bitumen emulsion crust, it’s great because it stabilises the land and the little plants can pop up through it and grow.

“The water pools on that surface and it doesn’t erode and gets in the ground, allowing those plants to establish.”

Flora’s capabilities tie in neatly with Iluka’s rehabilitation ambitions to restore the Kwongan landscape to something like how it might have looked before mining started.

The process is also strongly assisted by the company’s painstaking approach to rehabilitating the “right way”.

“Mining, for Iluka, is relatively short term and we move site-to-site,” Dobrowolski said.

“Our reputation is only as good as our last mine and that’s part of my role at Iluka, to ensure we research and adopt the best practices possible for doing rehabilitation after mining.

“In 20 years’ time, people will hopefully look across this site and just see natural Kwongan and won’t be able to see the difference between the natural vegetation and what we’ve rehabilitated.

“We aim to put back a functioning ecosystem which can self-sustain and perpetuate through life.”

The Flora Restorer has already been able to attract wider attention. Last year it was one of three finalists in a hot field for the prestigious WA Government Golden Gecko Award, which recognises environmental excellence in the resources sector. And it’s in the running again this year.

REX AIRLINE AIMS FOR THE SKIES Australia’s largest independent regional and domestic airline, Rex, has announced plans to grow and transform its latest acquisition into Australia’s premier fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) operator.

The company has completed the purchase of National Jet Express (NJE), the regional services arm of Cobham Aviation Services Australia, focusing on FIFO activities.

Rex executive chairman Lim Kim Hai said he would like to pay tribute to the sellers, Advent

International, which had prepared the sale in “the most meticulous and professional way”.

He also paid tribute to the NJE executives and staff who ran the business successfully over the past two years despite the turbulence caused by the COVID pandemic.

“There is no better operator of air services in Australia than the Rex Group, be it for reliability or financial performance,” he said.

“Over the past 14 years, for example, when the entire global

economy has been shaken to the core by the global financial crisis and COVID, Rex has still managed to achieve a positive gross return of 2.9 per cent.

“Rex will overlay this financial and operational prowess on NJE’s core strengths to transform it to be Australia’s premier FIFO operator.

“Resource companies all over Australia can now count on a modern, comfortable and environmentally-friendly fleet

REX HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO BECOME A FIFO OPERATOR.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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for their FIFO needs instead of relying on 30-year-old Fokker 100 aircraft used predominantly by the other operators.

“In anticipation of the surge in demand for NJE’s services, we are looking to lease immediately another two De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 NextGen (NG) aircraft to add to its fleet.

“We will continue to invest in new aircraft and technology to grow the business, especially in Queensland, where resource companies have been facing severe issues with capacity and reliability in recent times.”

In addition to the airline Rex, the Rex Group comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (air freight, aeromedical and charter operator), the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (which has campuses in Wagga Wagga, NSW, and Ballarat, Victoria), and propeller maintenance organisation Australian Aerospace Propeller Maintenance.

NOVEMBER 2022

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NEWS

REPORT FINDS IMPACT OF COAL TAX WAS UNDERESTIMATED A new report has found that the Queensland Government severely underestimated the impact of higher royalty taxes on the state’s coal export sector.

The report by independent analysts Commodity Insights was commissioned by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) to review the impact of the State Government’s decision to add three new coal tax tiers – with much higher royalty rates – to a previous regime.

According to the report, the royalty revenue forecasts from Treasury are based on “extremely conservative and unrealistic coal price forecasts”.

“As a result, they massively understate the revenue collection by the Government and the cost impost placed on the sector. The royalties also clearly reduce the competitiveness of the Queensland coal export sector relative to its competitors by sharply increasing the cost structure,” it said.

The analysis confirms Queensland is the outlier in the world in terms of coal royalty rates, with its new top rate of 40 per cent now 43 per

cent higher than the next nearest rate of 28 per cent, which is nearly four times higher than the average highest rate globally.

The report found the new top royalty rate for metallurgical coal, which is by far Queensland’s most valuable export, is now 2.7 times higher than the nearest competitor and almost five times the global average, confirming widespread industry alarm at the new tax rates.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the Government’s move to double the amount of tax to be paid by coal producers this financial year compared to last year – from $7.3 billion to Commodity Insight’s $12.4 billion forecast for 2022–23 – has dramatically increased companies’ production costs and harmed the industry’s ability to compete internationally for customers.

“International commodity prices may be high right now, but as any exporter knows we need the good times to balance out the bad, when prices are low or even below the cost of production,” he said.

“It wasn’t that long ago, such as in 2020, that coal prices were below the cost of production and some miners were losing money.

“On top of that, regardless of where coal prices are on any given day, companies’ fixed costs like fuel, labour and other consumables are rising every year due to inflation, which is a challenge every business is facing.

“The new royalty regime is another cost impost that will need to be absorbed if Queensland companies are to remain internationally competitive, which means budget cuts will have to be made elsewhere.

“It’s pretty simple – resources companies paying higher tax bills have less money to spend on developing new projects or expanding operations, or on rehabilitation programs, upgrading plant and equipment, investing in low emissions technology or employing more people.

“The State Government’s cash grab to balance its own budget hurts local suppliers and

employment opportunities, and means companies will also have less money to support charities and sports clubs, which they do very generously.”

Macfarlane said he believes the move will hurt regional communities as well as people living in the city, and anyone whose jobs and businesses rely on the continuing prosperity of the state’s minerals and energy sector.

“BHP has already paused future investment in Queensland as a direct result of the royalty hike, which is shocking in itself,” he said.

“The Ambassador of Japan to Australia, Yamagami Shingo, has also spoken out about the damage the royalty hike has done to Japan’s long-standing trade relationship with Queensland – a concerning development which the Government continues to downplay.

“We know companies across the resources sector – not just coal companies – are now seriously considering their future investment options in Queensland.”

FORTESCUE TO EXIT FOSSIL FUELS BY 2030 The pledge is part of a $9.2 billion plan to hit net-zero emissions, and to eliminate fossil fuel use entirely and not rely on carbon offsets by the end of the decade.

Fortescue said its decarbonisation strategy and associated investment, when fully implemented, will reduce annual operating costs by $US818 million ($1.21 billion), avoid three million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions per year, and supply a carbon-free iron ore product.

“We must accelerate our transition to the post-fossil-fuel era, driving global-scale industrial change as climate change continues to worsen,” Fortescue founder and chairman Andrew Forrest said at a CEO roundtable as part of US President Joe Biden’s First Movers Coalition and the United Nations Global Compact.

“It will also protect our cost base, enhance our margins and set an example that a post-fossilfuel era is good commercial, common sense.”

The company’s cumulative $US6.2 billion ($9.2 billion) investment will be made between

2024 and 2028 and include an additional 2–3 gigawatts of renewable energy generation and battery storage, as well as the estimated costs associated with a green mining fleet and locomotives.

Fortescue said it expects the investment to enable the displacement of approximately 700 million litres of diesel and 15 million gigajoules of gas per year by 2030, plus the associated reduction in CO2 emissions.

“There’s no doubt that the energy landscape has changed dramatically over the past two years and this change has accelerated since Russia invaded Ukraine,” Forrest said.

“We are already seeing direct benefits of the transition away from fossil fuels – we avoided 78 million litres of diesel usage at our Chichester Hub in FY22.

“Fortescue, FFI and FMG, is moving at speed to transition into a global green metals, minerals, energy and technology company, capable of delivering not just green iron ore but also the minerals, knowledge and technology critical to the energy transition.”

AUSTRALIANMINING

FORTESCUE PLANS TO HIT NET-ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2030.

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NEWS

OZ APPROVED TO UNLOCK WEST MUSGRAVE POTENTIAL OZ Minerals has been given board approval to develop its fourth operating asset, the West Musgrave copper-nickel project in Western Australia, for direct capital investment of about $1.7 billion.

The go-ahead will unlock one of the largest undeveloped nickel projects in the world and, with expected lowest quartile costs, it is set to generate about $9.8 billion undiscounted cashflow over its 24year operating life.

OZ Minerals chief executive officer Andrew Cole said with all key regulatory approvals now in place, a number of relationship banks have provided credit approved commitment letters for a new $1.2 billion syndicated facility to support development of the project in addition to the existing facilities.

“We are also considering the option to sell down a minority interest in the project to a strategic partner building on the significant inbound interest we have received over the past six months,” he said.

“In addition to the 80 per cent renewable energy sourced from wind and solar for power generation, the

project scope includes a pathway to net-zero Scope 1 emissions by 2038, aligned with the potential transition to an electric haulage fleet at the first engine change out, together with exploring other initiatives to reduce diesel and the application of offsets.

“Our project execution strategy will enable us to mitigate industry-wide cost inflation being experienced globally. An increase in direct project capital to about $1.7 billion is offset by a substantial increase in project value and results in stronger cash flow generation of about $1.9b during the first five years of production.

“To further manage inflationary pressures, we have increased our contingency allowance to about $190 million and our construction schedule allows for first concentrate in H2 2025.”

OZ Minerals chair Rebecca McGrath said the board’s approval of West Musgrave was a fundamental step towards realising OZ Minerals’ strategy to evolve into a modern minerals producer set to supply global copper and nickel markets as the world moves into the de-

carbonisation and electrification era.

“Key to the announcement is the support for the project by the Ngaanyatjarra People, with the signing of the Land Access Agreement after more than five years of collaboration to facilitate a productive long-term partnership,” she said.

“The board considered the value created for all stakeholders when making the final investment decision. We can see the enormous potential of this project for: •o ur workforce in a modern flexible working environment • t he local community in economic and wellbeing opportunities •o ur shareholders in realising our growth potential • g overnments in income from royalties, exports and jobs • c ustomers who we will assist in meeting demand for minerals critical to the electrification and decarbonisation era ur suppliers who we look forward •o to working with to build a modern, low carbon emissions mine.”

Site mobilisation is set to commence next month. Long-lead

items have been secured, along with production slots, and contract partners have been identified for 80 per cent of the material contracts.

The processing plant will be delivered by GR Engineering Services.

LOESCHE GmbH is a key technology partner and provider of the vertical roller mills that support high energy efficiency and low operating costs at West Musgrave.

The vertical roller mills will deliver a paradigm shift in mineral processing with unique operational flexibility and high energy efficiency.

LOESCHE managing shareholder Thomas Loesche said it had been a vision of his to develop drycomminution technologies that enabled better sorting efficiencies, reduced power and consumables.

“We are very pleased to be involved in such an important project” he said. “OZ Minerals is breaking new ground and proving that sustainability does not stand in the way of project development, but rather makes such projects possible.”

OZ MINERALS HAS BEEN GIVEN BOARD APPROVAL TO DEVELOP THE WEST MUSGRAVE COPPER-NICKEL PROJECT.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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NEWS

WA GOVERNMENT BACKS SEXUAL HARASSMENT INQUIRY RECOMMENDATIONS The Western Australian Government has outlined a wide range of actions to tackle sexual assault and sexual harassment in the state’s workplaces in response to a parliamentary inquiry into the fly-in, fly-out mining industry.

The State Government has supported plans to be implemented across key areas such as primary prevention, data and research, a refocused regulatory framework, and better support and advocacy for victims of workplace sexual harassment.

As part of the State Government’s response, a new code of practice will be developed to help improve security measures for workers staying at workplace accommodation.

This code will act as a minimum standard that employers must consider to ensure the safety of their workers living regionally or remotely.

WA Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston said the Government had also committed to funding a community legal and advocacy service centre to provide free guidance and advice to affected Western Australians.

“The State Government recognises the importance of providing victims of workplace sexual

harassment with the opportunity to share their experiences, receive psychological support and promote healing,” he said.

“In line with Recommendation 20, the Government has already committed to changing the law to bring WA’s definition of what constitutes sexual harassment in line with other Australian jurisdictions and to remove the ‘disadvantage test’ complainants.

“The Government aims to introduce these legislative reforms early next year.”

The WA Government also supports the recommendation to establish a culturally appropriate expert group within WorkSafe WA to investigate, assess and deal with reports of sexual harassment and assault offences in the sector. This work will be further enhanced by the findings of the regulatory review being undertaken by Elizabeth Shaw.

“These initiatives build upon a number of existing programs the Government has been progressing.”

Johnston said. “This includes the $8.4 million Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) program that boosts responses to mental health, workplace culture and

mine safety in WA’s mining sector.

“The MARS program oversees a number of projects including the Respect in Mining pilot program, the Thrive at Work in Mining program and a landmark study into mental health, workplace culture and safety across WA’s mining sector.

“Conscious of the landmark study being conducted by the Centre for Transformative Work Design and the regulatory review, the Government will further report to Parliament before the end of 2022.

“We support, or in-principle support, all the report’s recommendations for Government and encourage industry to also consider how they can apply the report’s recommendations.”

WA Women’s Interests Minister Simone McGurk said everyone had a right to feel safe and supported at work.

“We have a vicious cycle, where women aren’t attracted to work in the industry, let alone stay in the industry, because of inappropriate behaviour and a disregard of women’s experiences,” she said.

“We need more women to work in this sector and we need them to be treated with respect. It’s imperative

the mining sector works with the State Government to lead cultural change and prioritise prevention and better supports for victim survivors.

“I would especially like to thank the women who spoke to the inquiry about their experiences – your courage will help make the industry safer for future generations.”

The Minerals Council of Australia said it was pleased the WA Government acknowledged and supported the adoption of all 55 recommendations and welcomed its commitment to working with all jurisdictions. MCA chief executive Tania Constable said the organisation was also working closely with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA on appropriate actions to prevent perpetrators seeking alternative employment arrangements within industry.

The MCA urges the Government to consult the minerals industry on the design and implementation of the range of supported actions.

“It is important that all jurisdictions are consistent in the development and application of legislative and policy settings designed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment,” Constable said.

THIESS SECURES CONTROL OF MACA Thiess Group Investments has secured 51.83 per cent of the shares in MACA, giving the mining services company effective control.

The result is based on acceptances for Thiess’ unconditional cash takeover offer to acquire all of the ordinary shares of MACA for $1.075 per MACA share, and on market purchases made by Thiess.

The MACA directors have now recommended all remaining MACA shareholders to accept the bid prior to the end of the offer period to avoid the risks of becoming a minority shareholder in a Thiesscontrolled entity.

The offer was scheduled to close at 7.00pm Sydney time on Friday, October 7, unless extended

by Thiess.

MACA co-founder Geoff Baker said with the offer having been made unconditional and control having passed to Thiess, remaining MACA shareholders should accept the offer before it closes.

ONE OF THIESS’ FOUNDING SHAREHOLDERS SAID THE MACA OFFER REPRESENTED “AN ATTRACTIVE PREMIUM TO TRADING PRICES”.

“Thiess’ offer is compelling, representing an attractive premium to trading prices prior to the announcement of the offer. My

AUSTRALIANMINING

fellow founding shareholders and my fellow director have accepted the offer and I encourage all MACA shareholders to do so,” he said.

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NOVEMBER 2022

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SUSTAINABILITY

MINE REHABILITATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE DENDRA SYSTEMS RECENTLY HOSTED THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF NETWORKING EVENTS EXPLORING THE MINING INDUSTRY’S ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE. AUSTRALIAN MINING WAS ON HAND TO DOCUMENT THE KEY TAKEAWAYS.

T

he concept of mine rehabilitation is taking on new meaning in the digital age, and one technology innovator is assisting miners to gain a greater understanding of their ecosystem, expediting environmental restoration in the process.

Dendra Systems provides a holistic view of ecosystem restoration and management, offering an end-to-end service to drive faster rehabilitation and environmental reporting.

This includes the market-leading myDendra Insights platform, which harnesses machine learning to provide a wide range of accurate, timely and actionable ecosystem insights at scale.

The company’s environmental management suite furthers myDendra Insights, translating data into decisions and enabling operators

to monitor rehabilitation progress and conduct transparent reporting.

Panel discussion

Dendra places an emphasis on collaboration, so it’s fitting the company is hosting a series of networking events to facilitate discussion specific to the mining sector’s environmental future.

The first such event took place in Perth in September, where Australian Mining facilitated a panel with representatives from the likes of CRC TiME, Tranen Revegetation Systems and Contour Consulting to discuss the importance of technology in mine rehabilitation.

Bryan Maybee is a mineral economist and mine planning engineer with the WA School of Mines who leads the risk, evaluation and planning program at CRC TiME, which is a collaboration of more than 70 leading mining AUSTRALIANMINING

entities, government and community groups addressing the complex challenges underpinning mine closure and relinquishment.

CRC TiME has initiated a portfolio of foundational projects to identify disconnects in knowledge, behaviour and stakeholders that inhibit orderly mine closure and rehabilitation.

Maybee said his work was less concerned with the implementation of technology than what that technology enables.

“When we think about restoration, rehabilitation and mine closure, what really excites me is the role technology can play in linking stakeholders who will be left with the land post-mining to the decisionmaking processes that happen across the mine life cycle,” he said during the panel discussion.

Maybee said it was important to support a partnership model,

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in which different stakeholders can work together and leverage technology to achieve their postmining goals.

Richard Marver, a rangelands botanist, landscape ecologist and director of Contour Consulting, said with demand for rehabilitation increasing as more mines reach the end of their life, the sector must find ways to carry out restoration practices more efficiently.

By expediting information-sharing and decision-making processes – two capabilities Dendra champions itself – the importance of technology cannot be understated.

Maybee said increasing understanding of and interest in closure and rehabilitation outcomes is a key driver for CRC TiME research. “(Interest) is coming from all stakeholders – some of which are the investment community – leading

SUSTAINABILITY

INTEGRATING MINE REHABILITATION INTO MINE PLANNING PRACTICES IS CRITICAL TO ENSURE THE BEST OUTCOMES.

to additional reporting requirements in the mining industry,” he said. “(Mine closure and rehabilitation) is one of the things that’s being used to decide how a company does as far as its ESG (environmental, social and governance) performance.

“As part of that, what we’re doing at the CRC is looking at things like environmental economic accounting, where we’re undertaking a study to see how environmental economic accounting frameworks can be applied into the mining sector.”

Maybee said that while environmental economic accounting is not a specific technology application, technology will enable CRC TiME to carry out these studies.

“Creating these natural capital accounts is hugely data-intensive, so being able to use drones to monitor previously inaccessible areas – which are either too high-risk or perhaps too sensitive to go into – we are able to collect that data and populate those accounts,” he said.

While drones can improve the scope of data capture, technology will also assist in its management.

“When we consider the volume of data we will be processing, we need to start looking at database technologies and at different ways to manage, store,

DENDRA SYSTEMS HOSTED ITS FIRST IN A SERIES OF NETWORKING EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER.

collect and disseminate data, and being able to efficiently and effectively run reports needed for different reporting requirements,” Maybee said.

“For CRC TiME, technology is part of everything we do, whether it be an operational or mine-planning solution. It’s built into all the systems we look at.”

CRC TiME’s risk, evaluation and planning program is focused on promoting the importance of integrating closure and rehabilitation activities into mine planning.

“At CRC TiME, we are researching ways to make sure mine closure and rehabilitation is part of the original mine plan and decision process,” Maybee said.

AUSTRALIANMINING

“We make sure it’s part of how we strategically build our mindset.

“As part of that, we look at where we can use technology to change the way we think about rehabilitation.”

Maybee said there were two ways technology can support this process.

“We’ve got technology allowing us to plan the closure and rehabilitation activities as part of that early planning process in order to get our license and ensure we adhere to the relevant regulations,” he said.

“Once that’s in place and we can consider technologies – such as automated components, which allow us to do certain rehabilitation activities progressively in the same

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location as mining is taking place – we can start to think differently about the way we plan the mine.

“So now, rather than thinking about closing a mine after it’s done, we can start to think about planning the mine for closure and consider that mining is just one use of that land; there will be another use afterwards.

“How do we transition to that post-mining use as part of the initial land use plan we devise right from the start?”

Transparency and regulation

According to the panellists, transparency and regulation are two key drivers of technology innovation in the mining industry.

SUSTAINABILITY

THE EVENT INVOLVED A PANEL DISCUSSION WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM CRC TIME/WA SCHOOL OF MINES, TRANEN REVEGETATION SYSTEMS AND CONTOUR CONSULTING.

With transparency comes the need to communicate and provide stakeholders relevant information to demonstrate performance and accountability. This could be with community groups, investors or government entities.

Mining companies need to demonstrate they are operating in line with legislation, which Dendra field ecology lead Guy Smith said affects many of his customers.

“We’re often guided by regulations and commercials, and the initial discussions we have with customers consider what they are currently

doing to meet the requirements,” he said during the panel discussion.

“Then we step in and suggest how we can help them achieve the same, if not better, results with less effort and less time in the field, and essentially further streamline their current processes.”

Smith said technology innovation is a “moving beast”, with Dendra constantly evolving and changing to respond to industry drivers and through its own internal development.

“We could be flying one drone initially but exploring ways to

develop that into a swarm of drones, which will drive greater return on investment for customers,” Smith said.

As remote technologies advance and the capacity to complete off-site analyses improves, ecologists will spend fewer hours on mine sites in the future.

Damian Grose, founder and general manager of Tranen Revegetation Systems, said this would help to address the current skill shortages affecting the mining sector.

“What we do on the ground works – it needs bodies running around – but if there are better ways to do our work more efficiently at scale, then that’s only going to help,” he said during the panel discussion.

“The more we can get done with technology and machinery, the better.”

For Tranen – which revegetates land through practices such as direct seeding – drones are starting to play an increasingly important role.

“If you look at the on-ground work we do, such as direct seeding large areas, these areas can be quite inaccessible … but drones can now direct seed for us. Drones can cover very large areas very quickly, where it’s very slow to do it by hand.

“And then remote sensing enables us to capture data and target where works need to happen very efficiently and monitor progress.”

However, while drones and remote technology are becoming more prevalent, Smith believes on-ground surveying “will never be fully replaced” due to quality control and the need to confirm remote analyses. He also sees potential for the environmental technology industry to combine different remote surveying techniques into a single package.

“There are a lot of technologies which work independently, such as remote cameras and ultrasonic bat recorders. How can we combine all of that into one central place and get a complete picture of an ecosystem with less field effort?” Smith said.

Gaining that complete picture is not only about optimising surveying processes and technologies, but it also concerns the operational approach and whether rehabilitation is incorporated into mine planning practices.

With environmental experts such as Dendra, CRC TiME, Contour Consulting and Tranen Revegetation Systems at its side, the Australian mining industry has the tools it needs to enhance its rehabilitation strategies now and into the future. AM

THE MYDENDRA INSIGHTS PLATFORM.

DRONES ARE BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGY IN MINE REHABILITATION.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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NOVEMBER 2022

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CRITICAL MINERALS

TESLA SAID CONSTRUCTION OF ITS LITHIUM REFINING OPERATION COULD BEGIN IN LATE 2022.

VERTICALLY INTEGRATING LITHIUM RECENT NEWS OF TESLA PLANNING TO BUILD ITS OWN LITHIUM REFINERY IN THE US BEGS THE QUESTION: IS THIS TYPE OF INTEGRATION A VIABLE OPTION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS?

E

lon Musk is not exactly known for thinking small.

So no one should be surprised when the Tesla chief executive officer and world’s richest person floats the idea of buying a mining company to further aid the growth of his company.

The thinking goes that such a move would give Tesla, a leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer valued in excess of $US500 billion, more control over the critical minerals vital to the batteries at the heart of its vehicles. “(Buying a mining company is) not out of the question,” Musk said when asked about the possibility earlier in this year.

“We will address whatever limitations are on accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

“It’s not that we wish to buy mining companies, but if that’s the only way to accelerate the transition, then we will do that.”

But it seems buying a mining company and controlling the critical minerals vital for EV manufacturing – lithium, nickel and the like – may not be the only way for Tesla to accelerate the renewable transition.

The US-based automotive company has told the Texas Comptroller’s Office that it is assessing the feasibility of building a battery-grade lithium hydroxide refining facility on the Gulf Coast of the state to support its production of EV batteries.

AUSTRALIANMINING

Tesla said the facility, which the company indicated would be the first of its kind in North America, will process “raw ore material into a usable state for battery production”.

If the plant is approved, Tesla said construction could begin as early as the December quarter of 2022, paving the way for first commercial production in the December quarter of 2024.

The plan would see Tesla ship final product from the refinery by trucks and rail to various manufacturing sites to support the supply chain for largescale EV batteries.

Credit intelligence provider Fitch Solutions believes the proposed facility represents an “important shift” in EV manufacturers’ upstream strategy.

“We believe that the increasing popularity of the lithium-

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iron-phosphate cell will drive further interest from other automakers to develop similar projects,” Fitch said in a recent report, ‘Tesla refining project embodies the future of EV supply chain’.

“This planned project … offers strong synergy potential for the local EV supply chain as the US, Canada and Mexico all look to increase lithium mining.”

“You can’t lose”

Musk, for his part, has not been shy about his thoughts on the need to increase lithium refining as the world moves towards a future powered by renewables and driven by EVs. “You can’t lose,” he said of lithium refining in Tesla’s second-quarter earnings call.

CRITICAL MINERALS

LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES LIE AT THE HEART OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

“It’s licensed to print money.”

However, the proposed refining facility is not without its risks.

Lithium supply continues to be an issue in the EV sector and there is a concern over Tesla’s ability to secure a cost-effective, long-term source of the mineral to support the plant. However, other EV manufacturers could also be getting in on the lithium-refining act.

“We expect to see additional automakers looking to vertically integrate their upstream operations in the EV supply chain by also onshoring or nearshoring refining facilities, particularly in North America and Europe, where refining capacity is low,” Fitch said in its report.

“We believe that the main concern underpinning Tesla’s refining project is to secure a cost-effective, long-term source of refined lithium … confirmed by the surge of lithium prices to record highs in September 2022.”

The demand for lithium is becoming ever stronger throughout the world.

The Australian Government’s Resources & Energy Quarterly for the September quarter of 2022 highlighted the insatiable demand for the battery

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AUSTRALIANMINING

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CRITICAL MINERALS

TESLA CEO ELON MUSK DESCRIBES LITHIUM REFINING AS BEING “LICENSED TO PRINT MONEY”.

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“Despite faltering global economic growth in the June quarter, sales and production of electric vehicles continued their rapid growth trend,” the report said. “Global sales of all types of EVs increased 36 per cent in the year to June 2022 compared with the same period in 2021 – with Chinese sales up 110 per cent, European sales up 6 per cent, and North American sales up 27 per cent.

“In China, total EV sales have averaged almost half a million vehicles a month so far in 2022, reaching a peak of 650,000 vehicles in June.”

Fitch believes the recent passing of the Inflation Reduction Act in the US offers further support to automakers’ vertical integration plans.

“The US Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, has driven automakers to source EV battery metals from regionally-based producers and refiners,” Fitch said.

“This is because the bill has introduced a critical metals policy to its EV tax credit, requiring that 40 per cent of metals included in EV batteries must be extracted or processed in North America, or in a country that the US has a free trade agreement with.

“This project will also contribute to Tesla’s goal of reducing its battery price by creating a local, reliable source of refined lithium, and ensure that Tesla vehicles will qualify for US EV tax credits under the recently passed (Inflation Reduction Act) bill.”

As EV manufacturers build more cars to keep up with demand, the need for lithium has soared, sending prices to record levels.

The Resources & Energy Quarterly predicted prices for spodumene concentrate – a raw lithium material – to rise from an average of $US598 per tonne (t) in 2021 to $US2730/t in 2022 and $US3280/t in 2023, before pulling back to $US2490/t in 2024.

Prices for lithium hydroxide – a refined version of spodumene – are expected to lift from an average of $US17,370/t in 2021 to $US38,575/t in 2022 and $US51,510 in 2023, before cooling to $US37,650/t in 2024.

Miners urged to move faster

Looking at the lithium mining market more broadly, current production will fail to meet growth in demand for lithium-ion batteries that are needed for much of the world to meet global climate goals, according to Rio Tinto’s minerals chief Sinead Kaufman.

AUSTRALIANMINING

be short by 50 per cent of the amount

Scan the QRTO code and let’s of work together fortoabuild carbon “WE EXPECT lithium that’s required the electric vehicles.” neutral future!

SEE ADDITIONAL While prices will continue their AUTOMAKERS climb in the coming years, the LOOKING TO Resources & Energy Quarterly expects Australian lithium production to VERTICALLY INTEGRATE increase from 247,000 tonnes of THEIR UPSTREAM lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in the 2021–22 financial year (FY21) to OPERATIONS IN THE 387,000 tonnes in FY23 and 469,000 EV SUPPLY CHAIN BY tonnes of LCE in FY24.

ALSO ONSHORING Relative scarcity and booming prices, combined with a global OR NEARSHORING push towards decarbonisation and REFINING FACILITIES.” hugely increased demand, may “We see, as others do, an enormous demand for lithium as a building stock for lithium-ion batteries,” Kaufman said at the Battery Gigafactories Asia Pacific conference in Perth in September. “Forecasts show that light electric vehicles will make up about 50 per cent of the light vehicles on the road by 2030.

“Which means that lithium consumption … needs to surge way above anything that’s currently been planned to be mined.

“With every project in the world that’s projected to come on, we’ll still

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create the perfect storm that sees EV manufacturers like Tesla take steps to vertically integrate their production processes and invest in mining companies or, indeed, mineral refining facilities.

“Ultimately, lithium is one of the major limiting factors to how big that actual demand number ends up being,” Andrew Miller, chief operating officer of battery metals price reporting agency Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, said at the Battery Gigafactories Asia Pacific conference.

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SURFACE MINING

BOOSTING CONVEYOR ENERGY SAVINGS AND SUSTAINABILITY FENNER CONVEYORS’ NEXT GENERATION OF POWERSAVER LRR CONVEYOR BELT COMPOUND CREATES FURTHER ENERGY SAVINGS AND REDUCES CAPITAL EXPENDITURE IN THE PROCESS. AUSTRALIAN MINING TAKES A CLOSER LOOK.

F

enner Conveyors is placing a greater emphasis on conveyor research and development (R&D) than ever before, resulting in more efficient and more forward-thinking products.

The PowerSaver low rolling resistant (LRR) rubber conveyor belt compound is a clear example – a product that is helping operators simultaneously drive down costs and CO2 emissions.

Since the first generation was launched in 2018, Fenner has supplied more than 140km of the PowerSaver product to the market.

Fenner engineered conveyor solutions (ECS) manager Mike Finlen said PowerSaver answers the call for a more energy-efficient belt compound.

“Many mining projects typically have long, overland conveyors and, from a capital cost perspective, they’re interested in reducing power demand on those conveyors,” he told Australian Mining.

“There’s also a growing focus on conveyor efficiency from an energyconsumption point of view, where

mining companies are trying to be greener. PowerSaver helps them achieve this.”

The PowerSaver compound is applied to the bottom cover of the conveyor belt. It achieves power savings by minimising cover indentation on the pulley cover, helping with easier flow over the idlers. This leads to less friction and more efficient conveying.

Finlen said PowerSaver’s ability to reduce operating tensions and drag on the conveyor means mining companies can downsize their drives and pulleys, reducing their capital expenditure (capex) in the process.

“When we’re talking about conveyors that could be over 20km long, there’s significant cost savings to be had,” Finlen said.

PowerSaver was developed specifically for the Australian market, mindful of the requirements of the major iron ore, bauxite and coal miners, who are the main operators of overload conveyor systems.

The flagship PowerSaver project was developed in collaboration with a major iron ore miner in Western Australia, with the AUSTRALIANMINING

belt compound installed on a series of overland conveyors. The mining company put PowerSaver through extensive acceptance testing before Fenner was contracted. This involved sending the product to the US. “Prior to finalising us as a supplier, the customer asked to have samples of PowerSaver sent to Conveyor Dynamics Inc. in the US to undergo a validation process,” Finlen said.

“Once the results came back and the performance of PowerSaver was proven, the customer had confidence that PowerSaver was a leading material and could achieve its power consumption targets.”

This first generation of PowerSaver was so successful it became a benchmark for low rolling resistant compound standards in Australia.

Fenner rubber R&D manager Upul Silva said while the first-generation PowerSaver can achieve up to a 20 per cent energy saving on a conveyor belt, the second-generation product can achieve a 40 per cent energy reduction.

PowerSaver 2.0 was launched in 2020 following extensive testing and analysis to ensure it complied with the relevant Australian Standards.

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This began with a small-scale dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) to characterise the development compounds before large-scale testing was conducted on an indentation rolling resistance test rig. This was done in partnership with the University of Newcastle Research Associates (TUNRA).

Silva said when the PowerSaver 2.0 was being developed it was the first LRR compound to be tested at TUNRA using the then-new Australian Standard 1334.13.

“The PowerSaver 2.0 compound was developed using specialty polymers, specialty carbon blacks and novel materials,” he told Australian Mining. “It also utilises new mixing techniques to get the optimum compound mix and performance so that we can deliver the best outcomes for our customers.

“There was a lot of work done in the laboratory and in production to try and get that final compound mix right, which has resulted in us developing the best performing compound possible.”

Finlen said that manufacturers previously had to trade-off between

SURFACE MINING

CONVEYOR BELT MANUFACTURED AT FENNER’S KWINANA STEEL CORD FACTORY WITH POWERSAVER COVERS.

achieving a reduction in indentation rolling resistance and maintaining the compound stiffness to ensure durability of the product.

But PowerSaver 2.0 has been designed to achieve both of these variables.

“In the past, when a more energyefficient product has been developed, there’s been reduction in material toughness,” Finlen said.

“One of the things we were very conscious of in developing PowerSaver 2.0 was to not have that level of compromise. We quantify this by a characteristic known as dynamic shear modulus at low strain.

“With PowerSaver 2.0, we achieved a 50 per cent higher dynamic shear modulus at low strain compared to previous compounds.”

Some of the inspiration behind the PowerSaver 2.0 has come from Fenner’s parent company, Michelin, which has global resources and places a particular emphasis on R&D. “Since we joined the Michelin Group in 2018, we’ve been collaborating and sharing data with the company,” Silva said.

“Michelin has 3000 employees at its R&D centre in France, where it develops its own specialty polymers, and I’ve worked closely

with Michelin’s material and rolling resistance experts to develop PowerSaver.”

Having successfully launched the second generation of PowerSaver, Silva said Fenner and Michelin have been working on the third generation of the product for at least a year.

The two companies hope to have PowerSaver 3.0 ready by late 2023.

“PowerSaver 3.0 will have further improvements to rolling resistance and the shear modulus,” Silva said.

“It’s important for us to continue driving the performance that our customers desire so we are not resting on this compound.”

FENNER-MANUFACTURED BELT IN USE AT CUSTOMER’S IRON ORE OPERATION.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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NOVEMBER 2022

Fenner and Michelin have also been experimenting with sustainable materials, which will underpin the development of all future Fenner compounds, including the PowerSaver.

As per Michelin’s sustainability goals, the company and its subsidiaries will need to be producing compounds made up of 100 per cent sustainable material by 2050.

While limiting capex is critical to insulate companies from the current inflationary environment, the mining industry cannot be lost on the broader net-zero imperatives.

Luckily enough, PowerSaver can achieve both goals. AM

SURFACE MINING

FLEXING MPU MUSCLE DYNO NOBEL HAS UNVEILED ITS NEW PREMIUM MOBILE PROCESSING UNIT – THE DYNOBULK FLEX – TO OPTIMISE THE DELIVERY OF BULK EXPLOSIVES DIRECTLY TO THE BLAST HOLE.

M

obile processing units (MPUs) are used in mining operations across Australia to manufacture or blend bulk explosives at the blast hole.

Operational efficiency and maximising productivity are key financial risks for mine operators.

Dyno Nobel has sought to mitigate these concerns with its new MPU, the DYNOBULK Flex.

“As a mining services provider, it’s our job to help our customers reduce their costs and increase their productivity,” Dyno Nobel general manager business development Rebecca Landon told Australian Mining.

“With the DYNOBULK Flex, we can provide this productivity increase with a more capable MPU.” The DYNOBULK Flex is one of the most efficient MPUs, with features like dual-purpose bins and a high-speed product pump driving down operational cost and time.

The MPUs are currently being used by a large multinational coal miner in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, with more expected to be employed across the region.

The Bowen Basin contains the largest coal reserves in Australia, with some of the world’s largest miners taking up residence there to share in the natural deposits.

“The ultimate question that customers have after they use the DYNOBULK Flex is, ‘When can I have more?’” Northern operations and business improvement manager Ben Hyde said.

“So far the feedback has been excellent, and they’ve been really happy with the efficiency.”

With the DYNOBULK Flex, operators can rely on the MPU’s larger carrying capacity and dualpurpose bins to achieve maximum optimisation. This means miners need fewer trips to carry product to the blast hole.

Operators who put the DYNOBULK Flex to work can expect

productivity gains through the use of an optimised bin configuration, according to Dyno Nobel.

The Flex has three bins, compared to two in a standard MPU. One of these bins is for ammonium nitrate, while operators can choose to use the other two bins in a way that suits them – either for more ammonium nitrate or, alternatively, TITAN emulsion.

“It’s all about flexibility and optimisation for the customer,” Hyde said.

The optimisation of the MPU has an additional safety benefit, as the user’s interaction with heavy mining equipment is reduced by the lower number of turnarounds needed to achieve the same volumes.

The DYNOBULK Flex MPU also minimises the assets and time traditionally needed to load a blast, further improving the safety of a site, with fewer trips between storage and bench.

“Safety is our number-one priority, and it impacts everything we do,” Landon said.

Users can also optimise the payload for seasonal changes, with the MPU able to be configured for wet and dry conditions by changing the bin configuration. The truck is designed to enable these configuration changes on-site.

“There’s a lot of benefit in getting the product mix right,” Landon said.

“With the DYNOBULK Flex, operators can deliver the right type of product they need for that particular shot, no matter the season.”

One of the company’s largest clients has seen big improvements and benefits in a range of areas on their sites, and Dyno Nobel wants to encourage more mining operations to see the benefits of the DYNOBULK Flex MPU firsthand.

“Our customers are seeking innovative and practical technologies from us,” Landon said.

“And the DYNOBULK Flex is a great example of a practical technology that is innovative in the way it helps a mine’s day-to-day operations.” AM

DYNO NOBEL’S NEW MPU – THE DYNOBULK FLEX – IS TAKING THE BLASTING INDUSTRY BY STORM.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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NOVEMBER 2022

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SURFACE MINING

AN ALL-IN-ONE SURFACE MINING SOLUTION THE EASI-MINER, INTEGRAL DX’S CONTINUOUS SURFACE MINING EXCAVATOR, ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR BLASTING, DRILLING, AND PRIMARY CRUSHERS, REGARDLESS OF MATERIAL TYPE OR HARDNESS GRADE.

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innesota-based Integral DX, a family owned and operated business with a straightforward vision – ‘embrace those who respect, honour and value relationships’ – is seeking to enter the Australian market with a highly mobile, flexible and reliable surface mining solution.

The founder and chief executive officer of RITALKA, the parent company of Integral DX, is Kevin Wald. The company’s unique name is derived from his children, Riley, Tallen and Kayla, who in the early days of the business were a constant motivation for the long hours of work.

The Easi-Miner was initially designed and manufactured in the 1970s by Huron Manufacturing in South Dakota, and has had multiple owners over the course of its operating life before RITALKA purchased intellectual property rights in 2019.

Over this extended period, the Easi-Miner successfully worked on many mine sites across the US, Canada and Mexico, with several EasiMiner units having been operating in the US for more than 50 years.

Since 2019, Wald has introduced new design features to the Easi-Miner with the aim of attracting interest in larger mining markets, Australia chief among them.

“Upon purchasing the designs for Easi-Miner, COVID hit and caused a significant delay in our ability to inform the Australian market about our machine,” Wald told Australian Mining.

“We believe that Australia is the strongest market actively pursuing surface mining anywhere in the world, and that’s why we’re increasing both our visibility and presence.”

The Easi-Miner’s unique design incorporates a cutting head that rips and loads material onto a primary conveyor, eliminating the need for

primary crushers, while providing real-time updates via a sophisticated control system.

The machine is designed to handle high-volume output, with the primary and discharge conveyors operating at variable belt speeds up to 250m/min, providing a loading capability of approximately 900kg every two seconds.

With a swing arc of 180° (90° to each side) and a maximum ground discharge of approximately 9m, the Easi-Miner is incredibly flexible and able to load material directly into haul truck or trailer of any size.

The machine is designed with high spiral shoulders that allow material to be pushed into the drum centre and cutting teeth to properly size material so it can be loaded on a continuous basis.

“The machine doesn’t just break it out in various-sized chunks from the cut; rather it produces a uniform material size,” Wald said.

EASI-MINER UNITS HAVING BEEN OPERATING IN THE US FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS. AUSTRALIANMINING

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NOVEMBER 2022

“By working in conjunction with the speed of the cut, the depth of the cut, and the teeth orientation on the cutter, you can ensure a material size is produced that meets the next stage of your operation’s value-add process.”

The Easi-Miner operates on a quadtrack crawler system that gives the ability to excavate within inches of a mine wall and extremely close to the thinnest bottom of a seam.

“The quad-track steering ability of the Easi-Miner means it is highly agile and manoeuvrable, especially in opencut mine sites,” Wald said.

“The Easi-Miner can adjust to various open-cut depths and overburdens, handle a 10 per cent grade, while operating at speeds of up to 3.5km/h at a ground pressure of 22 PSI (pounds per square inch).

“The other benefit of the quadtrack system is the ability to get a more consistent cut as the platform is incredibly stable, ensuring a consistent and accurate cutting depth.”

SURFACE MINING

RITALKA IS KEEN TO ATTRACT INTEREST FOR THE EASI-MINER IN LARGER MINING MARKETS, INCLUDING AUSTRALIA.

THE EASI-MINER PROVIDES A LOADING CAPABILITY OF APPROXIMATELY 900KG EVERY TWO SECONDS.

In a single pass, the cutting head can cover an area of up to approximately 4m across and 0.5m deep. The cutting head has been designed to extract the material in a downward motion, allowing it to cover distances in a more effective and efficient way.

The mined materials pass through the digging assembly and dual conveyor system only once before being transferred for transportation or to be windrowed directly behind the machine, eliminating any additional stress to Easi-Miner’s frame and tracks.

Additional production requirements, including the sizing of customised head patterns, pick types, and drum diameters, can be performed quickly, with the machine’s cutting teeth able to be configured to suit site-specific requirements.

The Easi-Miner is also an inherently safe piece of equipment.

“There are no requirements for people to be outside of the Easi-Miner in order to operate the machine, as it’s completely electronically-controlled and capable of storing operating data for future analysis,” Wald said.

AUSTRALIANMINING

The cab is positioned to ensure a clear view of all sides and features a sophisticated air filtration system, a fully adjustable seat, and mounted AC and DC lighting units. All up, the cab is home to more than 30 electronically controlled functions.

In addition, recent design innovations have resulted in greater operational efficiencies.

“Based upon the first 8000 hours of mining incorporating the new design, we have determined that the Easi-Miner operates at a much lower cost per hour than our initial forecasts,” Wald said.

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Doing away with the need for primary crushers, bulky loaders and large haul trucks, the Easi-Miner eliminates the demand for additional attachments, rippers and vertical drills. By removing the doublehandling generally associated with more traditional methods of surface mining, Easi-Miner’s all-in-one design helps cost savings to be passed onto the customer.

Wald and his team believe they have a mobile, robust and innovative equipment solution that is primed for Australian surface mining operations. AM

SURFACE MINING

CAT REBUILD SOLUTIONS ®

CAT® MACHINE OWNERS ARE GIVEN A NUMBER OF BENEFITS WHEN SEEKING TO UNDERTAKE A CAT CERTIFIED REBUILD.

W

henever a major machine upgrade is required, Cat® machine owners have the choice to replace,

rebuild or repair.

There are many factors that influence this decision, including cashflow and the expected lifespan of the machine, but many operators in the mining industry choose one of the cost-effective rebuild options offered by Cat dealers. Advances in technology are also important, with so many new technologies available that support productivity gains and reduce operating costs.

As a business grows, its fleet must evolve with it and navigating the challenges of machinery management requires making the best use of existing machines, while also planning for future operations.

A machine or component rebuild offered by Cat dealers gives the peace of mind of a quality solution with a lower capital outlay. Plus, owners don’t have to buy a new machine to benefit from new technology and other improvements.

Rebuilding is an opportunity to add engineering upgrades and other advances that will help a fleet run smarter and smoother. In other words, operators enjoy many of the benefits of a new machine at a much lower cost.

The decision to rebuild also means avoiding the issue of training staff on completely new equipment, making it easier to get up and running and keep productivity on track. Even better, rebuilding can free up capital for other investments.

Cat dealers offer a broad range of rebuild solutions, including Cat Certified Powertrain, Cat Machine Component and Cat Full Machine Rebuilds.

All three solutions are available for a wide range of machines, including 336 excavators, 777 dump trucks, 988 wheel loaders, dozers and motor graders.

Whichever option you choose, participating Cat dealers offer an extended warranty*, performance and technology upgrades, and competitive low finance rates* for eligible machines.

Certified Powertrain Rebuild

A Certified Powertrain Rebuild covers radiator, engine, transmission, torque converter, final drive, and axle. Components are disassembled and all critical engineering updates incorporated. This option restores the powertrain to like-new performance.

Cat ProductLink™ hardware is installed with all Cat Certified Powertrain Rebuilds, enabling

remote monitoring of machine efficiency and performance.

Certified Machine Component Rebuild

A Certified Machine Component Rebuild is designed to restore an engine or transmission, plus the torque converter, to deliver like-new performance for these components.

Critical engineering updates are included with this option.

Certified Full Machine Rebuild

A Certified Full Machine Rebuild can help recover the performance of your original machine. You can also benefit from the latest engineering updates, and Cat ProductLink™ is installed on all Cat Certified Machine Rebuilds. AM In addition to all of the Certified Rebuild options, your Cat dealer offers a range of non-certified dealer machine rebuilds, performed by a qualified technician with tailored financial solutions available.

Take advantage of current offers, including performance and technology upgrades, extended warranty* and competitive low finance rates* when you rebuild your 336 excavator, 777 dump truck, or 988 wheel loader. To find out more visit cat.com/rebuilds-au or contact your local Cat dealer. * Terms and conditions apply. See cat. com/rebuilds-au for details.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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NOVEMBER 2022

WARMAN®

The proven, trusted industry leader for unrivalled performance and innovation – always. When it comes to specifying your next pump or pump upgrade, it’s not a question of whether you can afford Warman®, it’s whether you can afford not to. alwayswarman.weir Copyright© 2022, Weir Minerals Australia. All rights reserved.

SURFACE MINING

ELECTRIFYING HEAVY-DUTY MINING AUSTMINE HAS ENTERED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH BLUVEINXL, A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY THAT BELIEVES THE SHIFT TO ELECTRIFYING MINE SITES HAS NEVER BEEN MORE URGENT.

A

ustralian mining is changing for the better.

BluVein, with the support of Austmine and leading mining companies, is supporting industry efforts with the development of a safe, standardised, and intelligent charging solution for battery-powered vehicles.

The benefits of mine site electrification are many. The most significant may be the removal of diesel (and subsequently diesel exhaust emissions), eliminating the harmful particles and chemicals associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular disease in workers.

The move away from big dieselpowered machines towards fleets of electric-powered vehicles on mine sites means a technological solution for the rapid charging of batteries is critical.

According to a recent survey undertaken by the research platform State of Play, 89 per cent of global mining executives believe existing mines will become fully electric within 20 years.

Dynamic charging technology may represent the missing piece of the jigsaw towards fully electric mines.

THE MAJORITY OF EXECUTIVES BELIEVE EXISTING MINES WILL BE FULLY ELECTRIC WITHIN 20 YEARS.

BluVein is the result of 12 years of research and development in electrified highways by Swedish technology company EVIAS, combined with 25 years of developing mining machinery, robotics and power systems by Brisbane-based Olitek.

BluVein’s guiding design principles include comprehensive safety systems, standardisation with flexible adaptation to all mine applications and battery fleets, and easy-toinstall-and-operate technology.

BluVein’s advanced charging technology eliminates the typical 2–3-hour downtime associated with existing vehicle charging and charge bay infrastructure.

The BlueVein1 technology is designed to electrify underground mining via a trolley charging architecture that encompasses no exposed high-voltage conductors.

It can be integrated with all heavyduty battery-electric vehicles and is designed for ease of operation.

Electrical contacts are safely enclosed in the ingress-protection (IP)-rated slot of the BlueVein1 rail system, while the hammer mechanism is original equipment manufacturer (OEM)-agnostic to support mines with diverse heavyhaulage vehicle fleets.

BluVeinXL leverages a considerable amount of the

A SOLUTION FOR RAPID BATTERY CHARGING IS VITAL IN AN ELECTRIFIED MINING FUTURE.

AUSTRALIANMINING

34

technology embedded in BluVein1, offering a dynamic charging solution for heavy-duty mining fleets in openpit mining.

Capable of dynamically feeding power to mixed-OEM fleets, BluVeinXL enables the onboarding of smaller battery packs, leading to the ramping-up of faster vehicle haulage speeds, grid-load balancing and maximum fleet availability.

There is a significant ease of ownership with the BluVeinXL technology, as it remains completely machine-agnostic and capable of being deployed on any vehicle, at any mine.

The technology is safe, modular and near-to-ground, which offers easy installation and means it can be being deployed or relocated quickly.

In addition, the fact the BluVeinXL is side-mounted with no overhead vehicle integration eliminates the requirement for any overhead wires or infrastructure.

The BluVeinXL technology helps to ensure increased production, with vehicle fleets not required to frequently charge or swap batteries, along with significant reductions in total cost of ownership as a result of reduced onboard energy, lighter trucks, greater payloads, and faster and steeper haulage.

BluVein has an array of project partners, including Agnico Eagle, Anglo Gold Ashanti, BHP, Epiroc, Glencore, Newcrest, Northern Star, South 32, Vale and ReThink Mining (Canadian Mining Innovation Council), all of whom provide support and feedback to develop and deliver BluVein’s advanced electric solutions.

BluVein’s vision to support as fully electric mining industry is emblematic of the mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector and its role as one of the most advanced, innovative, and internationalised sectors in Australia.

Austmine, Australian mining’s leading industry association, continues to support companies with an unrelenting drive towards the sustainable transformation of mining.

BluVein is electrifying mining with safe, flexible and troublefree technologies, enabling the industry to achieve its mission of decarbonisation by accelerating the shift to battery-electric fleets and a net-zero future. AM

NOVEMBER 2022

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SURFACE MINING

ALTRA MOTION LIMITS DRAGLINE DOWNTIME ALTRA MOTION OCCUPIES MORE THAN 80 PER CENT OF THE DRAGLINE BRAKING BUSINESS IN THE BOWEN BASIN. AS A RESULT, THE OEM IS LOOKING TO REPLICATE THE SAME SUCCESS IN THE HUNTER VALLEY.

F

ounded in 1946, Altra Motion brand Twiflex is a global leader in innovative braking solutions for industrial applications.

The company has solved brake concerns for companies across the Australian mining industry, with its caliper disc brakes a dragline game-changer.

Twiflex first supplied caliper disc brakes for draglines in the 1970s for Rapier 1000 and 2000 series machines, and today – through Altra Motion – has been providing the local dragline industry with market-leading brakes for the past 20 years.

Altra Motion has established a strong foothold in the Bowen Basin region of Queensland, where it occupies 82 per cent of the dragline

AUSTRALIANMINING

braking business, and its credentials are equally applicable to the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales.

Altra has launched a Newcastle service facility to support its NSW customers. It has the personnel to attend to any dragline breakdowns in the Hunter region, providing original equipment manufacturer (OEM) spare parts, facilitating stocking programs, and completing service packages.

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NOVEMBER 2022

Given Altra Motion is the OEM of Twiflex brakes, the company can communicate internationally with its factories if there are any specific product concerns.

“Being the OEM alleviates errors,” Altra Motion national marketing manager Gabriel Brooks told Australian Mining. “As the OEM, we can go directly to our factories overseas for complete solutions to any problems.

SURFACE MINING

“This expedites the service process, replaces the need to go through a third party, and eliminates mistakes.”

Altra Motion NSW sales manager Daemon Flack said “things can get lost in translation” when multiple companies are involved in the service process.

With 26 brands under the Altra Motion name, the OEM can also call on the expertise of its many brands to answer service queries or resolve a product or mechanical engineering issue. This could include the likes of Svendborg, Marland or Ameridrives.

But this doesn’t take away from Twiflex’s capacity as an individual brand, one that offers the most extensive range of industrial caliper disc brakes in the world.

“The depth of the Twiflex brand is extensive, and the factory engineering knowledge is extensive,” Altra Motion business development manager Gregg

MOST DRAGLINES IN THE BOWEN BASIN OPERATE ON TWIFLEX CALIPER DISC BRAKES.

Booyens told Australian Mining.

“If you look at what Altra Motion as a business brings – 20-plus brands with factories worldwide and the depth of support that comes with that. The factory training our technicians receive, it’s not just Twiflex; it’s also Svendborg, Marland and Amerigear, et cetera.

“The depth of training we receive as Altra Motion employees brings more than just Twiflex to the table as far as our customers are concerned and the workshop support and backup we can offer our customers.”

Booyens said the Australian dragline industry was in good hands through Twiflex’s brake offerings, with Altra Motion’s many other brands able to provide their unique perspectives, if needed.

“This is why we’ve been so successful in the Bowen Basin – the ability to provide that holistic, endto-end support from across the Altra Motion business,” he said.

The Twiflex caliper disc brakes can increase brake efficiency and reliability, with the ability to dissipate heat while simultaneously decreasing maintenance costs and improving braking capacity.

Booyens said the Twiflex brake range ticks many boxes.

“If I was a mining company, why would I use a Twiflex brake system? Working with mines for 12 years since I’ve been in Australia, they’ve got three parameters they work around,” he said.

“Number one is reliability, number two is the ease of maintenance, and the third parameter is the total cost of ownership and Twiflex ticks all three.

“You can easily check the installation of brake pads, and because you’re not removing the brake unit off the machine, it’s more cost-effective and there is reduced maintenance time.”

THE TWIFLEX CALIPER DISC BRAKES CAN INCREASE BRAKE EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY.

“AS THE OEM, WE CAN GO DIRECTLY TO OUR FACTORIES OVERSEAS FOR COMPLETE SOLUTIONS TO ANY PROBLEMS THAT ARISE.” Altra Motion Queensland area sales manager Gavin Ellis said there are also fewer parts, given the compact size and simple nature of the Twiflex disc brakes.

“The brakes are easily accessible, and they are easy to remove from the machine; all we are changing is the pads,” he told Australian Mining.

“The entire brake system arrives as a unit at an Altra Motion service facility and we can repair it in-house.

The turnaround time is a couple of hours, so the customer saves money on downtime while we also prevent future breakdowns.

“And that’s proven – we rarely have a customer complaint regarding our brakes.”

ALTRA MOTION’S NEWCASTLE SERVICE FACILITY.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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NOVEMBER 2022

Flack said Altra Motion could also achieve cost savings compared to its competitors, with few other solutions that rival the Twiflex brake system.

Twiflex brakes are often retrofitted onto draglines to replace drum and axial brakes, which have their downfalls.

Other brakes are typically heavier and larger than caliper disc brakes, meaning hoisting equipment is often needed to remove the brake. At the same time, they only have one surface to dissipate heat, meaning they are thermally inefficient and have a high risk of failure.

It can often take up to two hours to realign other brakes and change pads, and changeouts need to happen more often as problems arise from misalignment between the drum brakes and its shoes.

Flack said there are also several sustainability benefits of implementing a Twiflex brake system.

“There’s no risk of oil leaks with the Twiflex brakes because they’re a spring-applied pneumatic release, which means they run on filtered air,” he said.

“The evolution of organic compounds for braking material, such as the pads, is getting better and better. As a result, the brakes are environmentally friendly and have improved safety outcomes, as they’re asbestos-free, meaning there are no respiratory problems related to dust inhalation.”

As Altra Motion ramps up its NSW service capability, the company hopes to replicate its Bowen Basin success in the Hunter Valley. And given draglines play an essential role in both regions, there’s no reason why the OEM can’t.

With 82 per cent of the draglines in the Bowen Basin operating on Twiflex brake systems and more and more Queensland customers converting to Twiflex systems each year, Altra Motion has a clear blueprint for underpinning its NSW ambitions. AM

SURFACE MINING

GATES AUSTRALIA SAYS THE PREDATOR’S ARAMID CORE IS THE STRONGEST AVAILABLE IN V-BELT CONSTRUCTION.

QUARRY SAVES THOUSANDS WITH CRUSHER BELT UPGRADE CRUSHERS ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF A QUARRYING SITE, WORKING CONSTANTLY TO BREAK DOWN LARGE PIECES OF RAW MATERIAL WHILE CONTENDING WITH HIGH VIBRATION, DUST AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS.

O

n a recent site visit to a quarrying and materials recycling plant in Melbourne’s west, Motion Australia successfully carried out a drive belt upgrade that has led to significant cost and downtime savings.

The customer’s primary cone crusher was running off a 250KW electric motor and experiencing rapid changeover requirements as a result of an accelerated wear life on the belt assembly.

According to Motion Australia national product manager Rob Michelson, the standard V-belts were not capable of meeting the site’s highvolume production rate.

“The customer was only getting two to six weeks’ life out of their previous belts, so they called us in to organise a solution,” he said.

“Our power transmission specialists looked over the crusher and identified

where there was cracking due to heat, as well as some marking that indicated excessive slippage.

“We suggested the Gates Predator V-Belts as the best solution going forward.

“They’ve been running on there for about three months now and in downtime alone this change-out has saved them around $90,000.

“They’re extremely happy with the outcome, as are we.”

Michelson suggested that, realistically, if belts are requiring replacement more than once a year, a drive analysis is needed to assess where improvements can be made.

“The added benefit of this customer’s upgrade is that they were able to go from using 10 belts down to six,” he said.

“This has helped provide better overhung load and increase the drive’s bearing life. It’s a bit more compact and creates a much more robust unit.”

AUSTRALIANMINING

DRIVE BELT UPGRADES CAN LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT COST AND DOWNTIME SAVINGS ON A QUARRY SITE.

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NOVEMBER 2022

The 24th International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium (IBS) 2022

BELTS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR REQUIRE A DRIVE ANALYSIS FOR POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS.

The biannual International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium is a global forum to share knowledge on cutting edge science and technology in the field of mining biotechnology and discuss innovative solutions and best practice approaches.

Drawing from the expertise in biotechnology, chemistry, mineralogy, and engineering, mining biotechnology can benefit the resource sector by enabling the extraction of value from low-grade minerals and wastes streams, providing tools for minerals exploration and environmental monitoring, and mitigating harmful environmental impacts.

Achieving the right amount of tension on any belt application is critical. Too loose and it will likely experience excess heat or premature wear. Setting them too tightly, however, will result in added strain on the shaft and bearing components.

Rosynes Hernandez, product manager for power transmission at Gates Australia, said that while standard belts usually feature polyester tensile cords, the Predator’s aramid alternative offers a maintenance-free solution that won’t require constant re-tensioning.

“The Predator’s aramid core is the strongest available in V-belt construction,” she said. “It’s what pulls and holds the tension to transmit high rates of power.

“The grip on the pulley is seriously firm, and the curved sidewall ensures a clean, even wear across the width.

They weigh about half of what a standard V-belt would and are nonself-igniting to mitigate fire risk.”

Rather than using a standard rubber material, the Predator belts are constructed from a chloroprene compound, which boasts superior resistance against both heat and oil.

They are also able to handle up to 2.2 times more power than similarly sized standard V-belts, and include a bareback cover for added protection.

“The great thing about the double layer fabric cover is that it reduces friction and heat build-up, but also allows for a small degree of potential slippage,” Michelson said.

“In these crushing units, there is often a lot of high shock load, so if the drive belt can be a little forgiving without losing power capacity, that’s ideal.”

The conference will cover the following themes: 1. Bioleaching of metals from low grade ores and concentrates 2. Biotechnical pre-treatment of ores and concentrates 3. Biomining of wastes, industrial ecology and circular economy 4. Biotechnical treatment and resource recovery from mine and process waters 5. Biostabilisation, bioremediation and ecological restoration 6. Biomining microbiology, molecular biology, systems biology and synthetic biology 7. Biological mineral formation and minerals exploration, biogeochemistry, and biosensors

As part of the equipment analysis, Motion Australia’s power transmission specialists used the Gates Design Flex Pro Software to obtain a comprehensive reading on the drive’s performance and health. This offered a better understanding of the required changes, so relevant on-site training for installation and aftercare could be carried out.

“All of our power transmission managers are currently travelling around Australia to get this program downloaded into our customer’s systems,” Michelson said.

“It’s going to give them better visibility over their drive performance on a range of different machines, to make sure that they aren’t over- or under-designed.”

The professional Design Flex Pro portfolio allows users to save on time by identifying the most suitable belt products to fit each unique piece of equipment. It can print, email and create PDF files of these design specifications to streamline the estimation of energy consumption, belt pull, cost savings and overall transmission capacity.

“A lot of people already have their eye on the Gates brand when they come to us for these types of applications,” Michelson said.

“They’ve garnered an incredibly strong reputation in the Australian industrial market as a robust product that’s designed for the harshest operating environments.

“These premium belts, handin-hand with such an industryinformed analysis program, truly gives customers the best possible outcomes that will stand to last in the long-term.” AM AUSTRALIANMINING

The IBS 2022 will be held in hybrid format: face-toface at Rendezvous Hotel Perth Scarborough in Perth, Western Australia (WA) and online 20-23 November 2022.

Learn more and register at: https://ibs2022.com.au

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NOVEMBER 2022

SURFACE MINING

A DEWATERING SOLUTION FOR THE DEEPEST PITS THE DRI-PRIME HL270 PUMP IS NOT ONLY THE MOST POWERFUL PUMP IN THE XYLEM GODWIN RANGE, IT’S ALSO ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE.

M

any in Australian mining would likely know the Xylem brand Godwin for its Dri-Prime automatic self-priming pumps.

The company has supported the sector on its dewatering journey for decades, and now it has developed the next evolution in its trusted HL series of pumps: the HL270.

As open pits and underground mines get deeper, the HL270 can pump water further while maintaining its pressure - producing flows of more than 250L per second at 200m head.

Godwin product and applications manager Jordan Thomson-Larkins said the HL270 was one of the largest pumps on the market.

“The availability of high-quality ore near the surface is decreasing,” he told Australian Mining.

THE HL270 MIDWAY THROUGH ITS BUILD.

“And the answer to that is for miners to dig deeper, which results in a deeper hole that fills up with water, whether that’s from the elements or from surrounding groundwater tables.

And they need to remove that water so they can continue to mine the area.

“When miners get a very deep hole, they need a powerful asset that is capable of moving this water vertically up and across quite a distance.”

The Godwin HL270 is designed to help mining companies move water in a single stage, rather than needing multiple pumps connected across various heights.

The UK-made pump is glandpacked rather than mechanically sealed, reducing complexity in maintenance and offering simplistic reliability.

It also operates on a venturi priming system combined with a compressor rather than a diaphragm AUSTRALIANMINING

arrangement, reducing the number of moving parts.

Thomson-Larkins said the design of the HL270 has been carefully considered in order to promote best efficiency points at commonly requested duties.

“The design of the HL270 is all in the geometry of the internal structure,” he said.

“The HL270’s best efficiency point – ie where the pump operates at the maximum hydraulic performance – is optimised to be at the right duty points so the customer can get the most of out every litre pumped.”

While the HL270 can move water at 250L/sec at 200m head, ThomsonLarkins said one of the pump’s biggest advantages is its ability to move 200 L/sec at 200m head at 70 per cent efficiency.

“You want to be able to move large amounts of fluid, but you usually have to trade between moving large

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NOVEMBER 2022

amounts of water or being able to move it across a large distance,” he said.

“There hasn’t been a pump in the market that can do both well, but now Godwin has one in the HL270.”

Thomson-Larkins said many customers had been wanting to achieve outputs of 100L/sec at 100m head, 100L/sec at 200m head and 200L/sec at 200m head – without reducing the reliability or their pump over time.

And Xylem responded.

The HL270 is not only capable of a powerful 250L/sec but is also optimised to perform between 100–200L/sec at 100–200m head – improving efficiency and reliability.

There are HL270s currently being trialled in Indonesia and the US, while a rental unit is now available to the Australian mining industry.

Thomson-Larkins said Xylem wanted to get the unit into the rental market in time for the 2022–23 wet season in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and northern Queensland.

Xylem is also taking orders for HL270 purchases, which will become available as more units are manufactured into 2023.

When installing the HL270, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) can do a completely new build or the unit can be retrofitted to an existing skid, with a Xylem engineer able to attend site to assess the requirements and facilitate the change out.

Water is a critical component of the mining industry – especially in mineral processing, slurry transportation and dust suppression – and it can present itself in different guises. Surplus water is inevitable and it is therefore crucial for mining companies and contractors to have a thorough dewatering strategy to ensure water is relocated quickly and efficiently, and that uptime can be maintained.

Whether the pit is deep or the discharge location is out of sight, the Xylem Godwin Dri-Prime HL270 pump provides a versatile and reliable solution to any dewatering quandary. AM

WOMEN IN MINING

ACADEMICS AT CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY HAVE COMMENCED RESEARCH ON HOW TO INCREASE FEMALE PRESENCE AT MINE SITES.

MINING FOR FEMALE RECRUITMENT IN THE REGIONS AUSTRALIAN MINING TAKES A LOOK INTO HOW EMPLOYERS IN THE RESOURCES SECTOR CAN BE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE WOMEN WITH TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE CITIES.

W

omen leaving the regions weakens communities and compromises regional development.

“The mining industry is a significant employer in regional areas and has shown commitment to increasing gender parity in its ranks.”

That is Larissa Bamberry, Associate Professor in the Charles Sturt School of Business and director of the university’s Regional Work and Organisational Resilience Research Group.

Bamberry understands not only the importance of women working across industries in regional and rural Australia, but also the key role the mining sector plays in that process.

That is a one of the reasons academics at Charles Sturt University have commenced research to better understand the role of the mining industry in providing women with opportunities to train and work outside of the cities.

The research also comes after the Victorian and New South Wales governments set ambitious targets for employers in an aim to increase the numbers of tradeswomen in the construction and building industries.

AUSTRALIANMINING

The Victorian Government introduced the Building Equality Policy (BEP) in January, mandating female representation in at least three per cent of each trade role, seven per cent of each nontrade position, and 35 per cent of management, supervisor, and specialist labour roles.

The BEP also dictates that four per cent of labour hours for apprentices and trainees be performed by women.

The NSW Government launched the Women in Trades strategy in 2018 with an aim of doubling the number of women in trade-related work on major infrastructure projects over five years to 2023.

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“It’s important we better understand what does and doesn’t work when encouraging women to begin a trade career, especially in a male-dominated workplace,” NSW department of customer service deputy secretary of customer, delivery and transformation William Murphy said.

The research unit, dubbed the Charles Sturt Women in Trades team, will be funded by Newcrest Mining’s Cadia Valley Operations.

Cadia general manager Aaron Brannigan said the new project would provide the entire mining sector with a better understanding of what can – and must – be done to attract more women into skilled

WOMEN IN MINING

trades in regional and rural areas.

Importantly, the research will also help to shape their career pathways and opportunities once women do join the industry.

“Our research shows that women leave rural and regional areas to seek work much more so than men, and there are indications that the mining industry has a role in reversing this trend,” Charles Sturt School of Social Work and Arts senior lecturer in sociology Dr Donna Bridges said.

Several workplaces across the industry have already implemented initiatives to promote a larger female recruitment, including Rio Tinto.

The mining giant launched two recruitment campaigns early this year: the Transferrable Pathways campaign and the Women in Leadership program.

More than 3000 women applied across the two campaigns.

Rio Tinto chief executive Australia, Kellie Parker, said the response to these campaigns had been overwhelming and she was encouraged to see women keen to enter the industry as the company worked to create a more inclusive and diverse environment.

“By opening up our operational roles to women without industry experience, but with transferrable

skills and talent, we not only increase representation of women in our business but also diversity across the industry as a whole,” Parker said.

This sentiment was echoed by Women in Industry Award winner Sarah Marshall, who took out two categories at the presentation evening in early September: Excellence in Construction and Woman of the Year.

“The construction industry is an incredibly rewarding industry, and we need to continue to raise awareness of the multiple diverse opportunities that are available to women,” Marshall said.

“It is an industry where anyone can forge a fulfilling and rewarding career regardless of their background or area of specialty.”

Bamberry believes the perception that the regions offer women fewer opportunities is a problem for the sustainability of rural Australia.

“This new project explores this commitment and assesses the impact on the employment of tradeswomen, particularly trades that support mining, such as those in electro-technology and automotive,” she said.

Women currently make up only about 1–3 per cent of all tradespeople.

“The mining, transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management, rail and construction industries are still typically maledominated and have not yet achieved true gender equality,” Seqirus validation specialist Helen Tower, who was named Rising Star of the Year at the Women in Industry Awards, said.

“It’s incredibly important to showcase the depth of talent that women bring to these industries as a means to continue stimulating industry-wide change.”

The Victorian and NSW governments plans include skills and training initiatives for tradeswomen; however, the Charles Sturt Women in Trades team says these are not enough to retain women in the roles once training is complete.

“Our research shows that women leave rural and regional areas to seek work much more so than men and there are indications that the mining industry has a role in reversing this trend,” Bridges said.

Amid the ongoing skills shortage across the country, Australian resource companies are having a harder time than ever retaining workers.

WOMEN CURRENTLY MAKE UP ONLY ABOUT 1–3 PER CENT OF ALL TRADESPEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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“As an industry, we must and can do more to build on our commitment to developing a diverse workforce that is reflective of society and to foster a workplace culture that truly embraces diversity and inclusiveness,” Fortescue chief financial officer Ian Wells said.

“We believe that diversity has been key to our success, and we remain strongly committed to increasing female and Aboriginal employment across the business.”

The Charles Sturt team has found that many employers want to attract more female workers and are seeking further guidance on how to go about it.

“Our research shows that further support for women and employers is needed to strengthen these initiatives, and the mining industry has the resources to contribute,” Bridges said.

Flexibility in the workplace is one way the industry is focusing on retaining women.

“COVID-19 has had a lot of people assessing work–life balance and the importance of family,” PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia national mining leader Debbie Smith said. “We learnt how much can be done from people’s home and there is no reason why those homes cannot be in regional Australia.”

Smith also said there is more governments could do to diversify regional areas and make them more than just mining towns, in turn helping to attract women who are looking to move away from more expensive capital cities.

The Charles Sturt project will focus on supporting women to achieve opportunities to train and work in the mining industry in regional areas and contribute to the sustainability of regional Australia.

METS Ignited chief executive officer Adrian Beer believes the Australian mining industry, especially in terms of recruitment, must continue to evolve as the world around it changes.

“While Australia is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and a strong innovative culture, if we don’t effectively commercialise this capability we will become a less significant player on the global stage,” he said.

“We must open up our market if we want to attract new skills locally, building a sustainable technology ecosystem for the benefit or all of our major industry sectors.

“If we don’t, our local businesses will be overtaken by global competition and this opportunity will go elsewhere.” AM

INDUSTRY AWARDS

MEET THE WINNERS OF THE 2022 WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS THE AWARDS ACKNOWLEDGE OUTSTANDING WOMEN ACROSS A RANGE OF INDUSTRIALS SECTORS, RECOGNISING THOSE WHO ARE DRIVING CHANGE. THE AWARDS ACKNOWLEDGE OUTSTANDING WOMEN ACROSS A RANGE OF INDUSTRIALS SECTORS.

T

he Women in Industry Awards are held each year to shine a muchdeserved light on the exceptional work and dedication of women in the industrials sector.

The 2022 presentation night, held in Sydney on September 8, was no different.

The awards are an invaluable opportunity to recognise not just the nominees and winners, but the hard work and dedication of all women in industries such as mining, road transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management, rail and infrastructure.

A big winner of the night was idoba chief executive officer Sarah Coleman, who took home the Excellence in Mining award.

The Excellence in Mining award recognises an individual who has made a positive contribution to one of the many facets of the mining industry.

“I honestly feel I’ve received this award on behalf of my whole team

of amazing people at idoba, so it’s very exciting to see the team’s work be recognised on a national stage,” Coleman told Australian Mining.

“There is a really strong alignment between the Women in Industry Awards’ objective and the change we are trying to drive in idoba. As a business, we invest a lot in continually building a curious and inclusive environment that empowers diversity.

“Given the calibre of my fellow Excellence in Mining finalists, I have to admit to being surprised and deeply honoured to be named the winner.

“I’ve navigated my share of challenges and setbacks, but overall, I’m very passionate about the growth opportunities the industry offers.”

Coleman is a highly experienced mining and management consulting executive who has worked across operations, improvement, innovation, technology, and asset management.

She founded leading business improvement company ImpRes in 2010, and now heads idoba as its chief executive officer.

AUSTRALIANMINING

Weir Minerals is “very excited and proud” to support the Women in Industry’s Excellence in Mining category.

“Highlighting inspirational female leaders, pioneering initiatives and exceptional talent of today and

IDOBA CEO SARAH COLEMAN WON THE EXCELLENCE IN MINING AWARD.

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tomorrow,” Weir Minerals said.

“The Women in Industry Awards align with Weir’s own global inclusion and diversity agenda to ensure we develop a culture where everyone’s voice is heard, and where we care for, respect and encourage each other,

INDUSTRY AWARDS

helping to champion gender equality within our business and our industry.”

Fulton Hogan, an infrastructure construction, roadworks and aggregate supplier, was also a major winner on the night, coming out on top in multiple categories.

Fulton Hogan general manager Sarah Marshall took home the Excellence in Construction and Woman of the Year awards, while Joanne Jeffs, Barbara Pitos and Nina McHardy were awarded the Social Leader of the Year award, Safety Advocacy award and Industry Advocacy award, respectively.

“Being recognised as Social Leader of the Year was a career highlight,” Jeffs said.

“I have passionately been advocating for people from disadvantaged backgrounds for a number of years and this award recognises how far our industry has come.

“The Women in Industry Awards showcase the amazing work that is being done across many industries and recognise the incredible impact that people and organisations are having on improving the lives of individuals, their families and local communities.”

During her time with Fulton Hogan, Jeffs has championed multiple strategies to develop and deliver best practice processes in diversity and inclusion, social procurement, Aboriginal workforce participation, workforce development and community engagement.

This includes a coaching and mentoring program for the project’s First Nations employees known as the Kicking Goals Program.

“We need to get to a point where everyone who wants to work can secure meaningful employment, without having to overcome the many barriers that exist for so many,” she said.

Marshall has been leading the Fulton Hogan team as general manager for over three years. She has spent her career spearheading positive change in the industry by driving sustainability, improving culture, and making improvements in gender diversity.

Marshall is also a board member of the Australian Constructors Association (ACA) and Executive Sponsor of ACA’s Capability and Capacity Board Committee, deputy chair and board director at the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC), co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion committee at Roads Australia and chair of the CILF Capability and Capacity Group.

“For someone like me that has worked in construction industry for over 25 years, these awards are a reminder of how far we’ve come and how much that is still left to do,” Marshall said.

“I know we can use the power of science to solve so many of the world’s problems, but to fully achieve this we need a diverse workforce of women and men from all backgrounds,” Tower said.

“I believe these awards are an important platform to celebrate women across the mining, transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management, rail and construction industries.

“I’d strongly encourage women at all stages of their career to seek out a mentor who can help them thrive in their chosen industry.”

Tower is a Seqirus Analytical Science and Technology (AS&T) validation specialist at pharmaceutical manufacturing company CSL Seqirus and is an essential part of helping Australia locally manufacture lifesaving vaccines.

“Education plays a huge role in influencing our career choices, so I would encourage schools and universities to further implement educational resources that break down barriers and provide equal access to women interested in pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers,” she said.

Tower was pivotal in creating frameworks that enabled Seqirus to nimbly adapt their manufacturing process to produce the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

The 2022 awards were sponsored by Atlas Copco, Weir Minerals, and Komatsu. Commenting on the awards, Komatsu expressed pride in its sponsorship.

“Komatsu is proud to once again be a sponsor of the Women in Industry Awards to celebrate the successes of the incredible women working in our industry,” the company said.

“All nominees and winners are making their workplaces and communities a better place for future generations, which closely aligns to our core values at Komatsu.”

Fellow sponsor Atlas Copco agrees that diversity in business is a “critical driver” for long-term success.

“The Women in Industry awards is a special way in which we can show our commitment to advancing the gender balance in industry,” the company said

FULTON HOGAN GM SARAH MARSHALL TOOK HOME THE EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION AND WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS.

HELEN TOWER WAS NAMED RISING STAR OF THE YEAR.

JOANNE JEFFS WON THE SOCIAL LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD.

“We must continue to drive positive change and make a difference now and for the next generation of women and men, breaking down barriers and creating new possibilities.

“It is also so important to have senior leaders like myself in the mix for awards – I truly believe that ‘you can’t be, what you can’t see’, so I know that they are so valuable for younger females coming up the ranks.”

AUSTRALIANMINING

Helen Tower, who was named Rising Star of the Year (sponsored

by Atlas Copco) said her award was not just a reflection of her own achievements, but was a testament to her entire team at CSL Seqirus.

The Rising Star of the Year award recognises an individual who has shown significant promise within their chosen industry or who has reached new goals at the start of their career.

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Other winners from the night: age Hahn– Business Development •S Success of the Year •L ouise Adams– Excellence in Engineering •R ebecca Healy– Excellence in Manufacturing •F rances Ross– Excellence in Transport • Danielle Bull– Mentor of the Year AM

INDUSTRY EVENTS

MINING BIOTECHNOLOGY CAN BENEFIT THE RESOURCE SECTOR IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.

EXPLORING BIOTECHNOLOGY AT IBS 2022 THE INTERNATIONAL BIOHYDROMETALLURGY SYMPOSIUM WILL BE HELD IN AUSTRALIA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER TWO DECADES. AUSTRALIAN MINING LOOKS AT WHAT ATTENDEES CAN EXPECT.

A

s Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO has spent decades supporting the mining and resources industry through research. Hosting the International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium (IBS) 2022 is one of the many ways it provides this support.

To be held in Perth and online November 20–23, this global forum brings together representatives from industry, research, innovation and education sectors, as well as government, to share knowledge in the field of mining biotechnology.

MICROBES CAN REMOVE MANY INORGANIC AND ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS FROM ACID MINE DRAINAGE.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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“Attendees to the conference can look forward to learning about cutting-edge science and technology in the field of mining biotechnology, innovative solutions, and best practice approaches,” Kaksonen told Australian Mining.

“They can also connect to experts in the field across the world and find new research partners.”

Drawing from expertise in chemistry, mineralogy and engineering, mining biotechnology can benefit the resource sector by enabling the extraction of value from low-grade minerals and waste streams.

“In a mining context, organisms such as bacteria can be used as natural

INDUSTRY EVENTS

catalysts to extract value from lowgrade ores and wastes,” Kaksonen said.

“Microbes can replace high temperatures, pressures, or harmful chemicals that are often used in mining and can treat effluents and remediate mine sites.”

Microbes can remove many inorganic and organic contaminants from acid mine drainage and metallurgical process effluents. They can also be used to recover valuable elements from waste streams.

“We’re familiar with the use of microbes in brewing beer or making yoghurt but, in a mining context, microbes can be used in countless ways,” Kaksonen said.

This year will mark the 24th IBS in the conference series and, after long delays stemming from the COVID pandemic, the biomining community is eager to get together again.

IBS 2022 is an ideal setting to learn about innovative solutions for various challenges in the mining industry. Some of these challenges include pre-treatment of complex ores, value extraction and recovery, mine waste stabilisation and mine site remediation.

Biotechnology can help to address many of these issues.

IBS 2022 will see a host of keynote, plenary and technical speakers, as well as poster presentations, come together to discuss seven main themes:

BACTERIA CAN BE USED AS NATURAL CATALYSTS TO EXTRACT VALUE FROM LOW-GRADE ORES AND WASTES.

• Bioleaching of metals from low-grade ores and concentrates • Biotechnical pre-treatment of ores and concentrates • Biomining of wastes, industrial ecology, and circular economy • Biotechnical treatment and resource recovery from mine and process waters • Biostabilisation, bioremediation and ecological restoration • Biomining microbiology, molecular biology, systems biology, and synthetic biology

• Biological mineral formation and minerals exploration, biogeochemistry, and biosensors The themes will cover research on how biotechnology can help mining companies extract more value from resources and waste and extend the life of a mine.

“It’s going to be great to explore more opportunities in value recovery from waste,” Kaksonen said. “It’s important that waste be used for beneficial purposes and, if that’s not possible, how it can be secured safety.”

Attendees can look forward to hearing from an array of global experts, including Professor Sue Harrison (University of Cape Town, South Africa), Sabrina Hedrich (Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany), Päivi Kinnunen (Technical Research Centre of Finland), Naoko Okibe (Kyushu University, Japan), Mario Vera (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile), and Axel Schippers (Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Germany).

The presentations will cover research conducted on each of the conference themes, and provide examples on the various ways that biotechnology and microbes can benefit the mining sector, reduce environmental impacts and make the industry more sustainable.

This will be the first year the IBS is held in a hybrid format – face-toface in Perth and online – making the conference more accessible to a broader range of people across the globe and providing a more robust conversation around the issues and opportunities.

“We welcome you to attend IBS 2022, hear about the latest scientific advances and find solutions for industry challenges” Kaksonen said.

“I think people will be surprised at how versatile microbes are and how much they can do to benefit the mining industry.” AM

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EQUIPMENT

FIT-FOR-PURPOSE SOLUTIONS WITH A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPLYING TOP-OF-THE-LINE EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS TO MINING COMPANIES ACROSS AUSTRALIA, BRADKEN IS CONTINUING TO IMPROVE ITS LEADING PRODUCT LINE.

B

radken has come a long way since it was founded as an Australian-based foundry business 100 years ago.

With a focus on safety, collaboration, innovation and sustainability across all aspects of its business, the company prides itself on providing reliability, certainty and confidence to partners and stakeholders through consistent and long-term delivery of its products, services and solutions.

And with experience in delivering wear solutions that work across milling and bulk handling operations, ground engagement tools (GET), crawler systems, and heavy-haul rail, Bradken is well versed across many facets of the resources industry.

Diving deeper into the integral part the company plays in the resources sector, Bradken head of sales for Australasia Fraser Batts spoke to Australian Mining about how its new 9800 undercarriage keeps the company at the top of the list for mining operations.

“A major part of our business is working with the customers across a wide range of mining environments, as they are heavily reliant on what we do for them in terms of keeping

BRADKEN HAS IMPLEMENTED A RANGE OF VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR ITS EQUIPMENT.

their operations productive,” he said.

“Outside of our direct supply to our parent company, Hitachi Construction Machinery, we’re not in a direct supply relationship with other OEMs (original equipment manufacturer), therefore we can supply direct to the market and offer a solution for a variety of machines.

“What we offer is a high-quality solution, which in this case is the undercarriage, and at the front of the machine, the bucket and lip system.”

Tasked with moving 800-tonne machines around sites, the brandagnostic undercarriage system developed and manufactured

by Bradken has received a new

BRADKEN HAS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF CRAWLER SYSTEMS. AUSTRALIANMINING

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addition with the release of the 9800.

Bradken works with customers to design, manufacturer and fit the undercarriage solutions to machines to suit their operational needs, possessing the manufacturing and engineering expertise to provide an application-specific solution.

A particular aspect that emphasises Bradken’s commitment to safety, reliability, and gender diversity is the truly hammerless functionality of the company’s GET installation and removal system.

Many claim to be hammerless; however, GET can be difficult to remove without the use of impact force, creating hazards for maintenance operators.

“We have a number of competitors who claim this and, in reality, it’s not the case,” Batts said. “In the industry, there are sometimes hazardous practices that are required to remove GET that has cemented on to the lip over time.

“We have invested extensive time and innovation into developing our Eclipse GET range to the point where it can changed out by a ‘regular every-day person’ in a safer manner.

“We’ve developed a retention system that doesn’t require huge amounts of force to undo the pin and you additionally don’t need to have a huge amount of skill to be able to

EQUIPMENT

remove the GET using the tools that we’ve developed for our customers.”

This system design has been field-proven over many installations and incorporates customers’ requirements, including eliminating the necessity for hammered intervention in the removal and installation process, thus minimising risk to operators and maintenance personnel.

Going virtual

As part of the evolution Bradken has undergone over its 100 years of operations, and as digital elements become increasingly important in mining, the company has developed a range of virtual reality (VR) training programs to support product solutions.

Based on the hammerless GET, the training allows operators and service technicians to undergo a supported simulation of the installation and removal process, increasing efficiency and allowing safe work practices to be quickly learnt and easily shared.

Batts shared the vision and safety concerns that drive Bradken to provide resources like the digital products and VR training it offers.

“Taking people out of those sorts of hazardous zones is the key to increasing positive safety outcomes,” he said.

VISION AND SAFETY CONCERNS DRIVE BRADKEN TO PROVIDE RESOURCES LIKE VR TRAINING.

“Developing and employing digital solutions has proved to be the most effective way to facilitate that.”

The culmination of 10 years of development at Bradken, the Eclipse GET system and the 9800 undercarriage have evolved from previous systems to the leading innovations they are today.

Supporting quality wear products, providing safer, innovative solutions that enable customers to achieve operational cost savings are valuable services that Bradken provides to the mining industry. “We spend a lot of time face-to-face with customers, working on ways to make their jobs easier,” Batts said.

“Our TCO (total cost of ownership) is competitive, and that’s

been proven out by the amount of growth that we’ve seen with the Eclipse GET system and from our interactions with other heavyweights in the industry.

“If you want peace of mind and you want OEM-quality without actually having to pay the OEM price tag, Bradken is the way to go to achieve lower TCO in the industry.” AM

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INDUSTRY EVENTS

EXPLORING GEOMECHANICS AT AUSROCK AUSROCK, THE PREMIER EVENT FOR ROCK MECHANICS PRACTITIONERS, IS SET TO EXPLORE THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN GROUND CONTROL TECHNIQUES.

A

n ISRM Regional Symposium, AusRock encourages international collaboration and ideas exchange among rock mechanic practitioners and other mining professionals.

The three-day conference will be held in Melbourne between November 29 and December 1.

“It’s the perfect opportunity for like-minded people to come together and discuss the challenges they’re experiencing in the mining industry,” Anglo American head of geotechnical – T&S Group Mining Lesley Munsamy said.

There will be something for everyone at AusRock 2022, including mine planning, rock mechanics, support design enhancements, numerical modelling applications, and more.

“The conference will cover everything from exploration right through to operations,” Jennmar Australia national manager – coal Peter Craig said.

“There will be a broad range of topics covered. It really does have something for everyone.”

The 2022 conference program features keynote presentations from six global experts and more than 80 presentation-accepted abstracts.

Attendees can look forward to hearing from Dr Robert C. Anderson from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Rocscience Australia director Dr Alison McQuillan, and Dr

THE CONFERENCE PROVIDES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ATTENDEES TO COME TOGETHER IN PERSON.

Charlie Li, professor at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, among others.

“There’s quite a good mix of speakers,” Munsamy said.

“It will be great to hear about the challenges in the mining sector from different viewpoints and to have visibility on how solutions to these challenges have impacted the operations positively.”

The conference program will explore the latest innovations, research, case studies, and best practice in ground control techniques, rock mechanics and behaviours, structural stability, mining systems, monitoring and instrumentation, data management and artificial intelligence (AI).

This broad range of topics makes AusRock the perfect environment for those in any area of the resources sector to attend, from rock mechanics and geotechnical employees to consultants and academics.

It will also explore approaches to geotechnical challenges in extreme environments, including deep mining, underwater mining, and planetary science.

As Munsamy explained, the various disciplines involved in the mining operations work together – everything is interconnected to allow a mine to function optimally.

“Surveyors, mine planners, ventilation specialists, mining operators, amongst other functions are some of the key areas that facilitates safe productive mining.

So it all fits together, and we need to be aware of our impact to the mining cycle” he said.

It’s for this reason that such a wide range of people from the industry are encouraged to attend AusRock, to further understand how each component works together to achieve the same safe and productive result.

An added benefit of the conference is the fact that attendees will be able to glimpse into the geomechanics world and how it can affect the stability of a mine.

“Everyone in the mining industry has something to gain by going to this conference,” Munsamy said.

There will also be an exhibit held to explore the latest technologies and AUSTRALIANMINING

AUSROCK IS THE PREMIER EVENT FOR ROCK MECHANICS PRACTITIONERS.

innovations from leading companies like BHP, Minova and Geobotica.

Along with showcasing the latest tech, the exhibition is a great opportunity to talk with exhibitors and other attendees about products and tools that aide problem solving and risk management in the operations.

“Our mines are only getting deeper and they’re becoming more challenging with higher stress,” Craig said.

“Today’s mining methods can generate more difficult conditions as we extract higher volumes. So there’s a learning aspect of the conference as well that you can really only get by being there and talking to people who have solved these problems.”

Both Craig and Munsamy are firm believers that face-to-face conversations surrounding these problems will only enhance attendees’ learning and understanding.

People at the event will also be able to get real-time connection

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to the solutions that they need.

AusRock 2022 will offer delegates the opportunity to network in-person and reconnect with peers and professionals from around the globe.

“Ultimately, we’re very focused on the way that we mine and the way that we can do it safely. And, of course, we’re focused on connecting with our friends and peers,” Munsamy said.

The COVID pandemic meant many interstate geotechnical practitioner societies weren’t able to meet or interact, and Craig hopes AusRock will provide a meeting place to bring those geotechnical practitioners together.

“This is an excellent opportunity for people to come together and share knowledge and experience,” Munsamy said.

“Our ultimate aim is that we make our operations as safe as possible and leave a legacy that we can be proud of.” AM

NOVEMBER 2022

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AUTOMATED SYSTEMS

INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS THE CAPTURE AND EFFECTIVE USE OF DIGITAL DATA HAS BECOME AN INCREASINGLY CRITICAL DIMENSION OF MINING OPERATIONS. IT’S OFTEN DEPENDENT ON TAILORED SOLUTIONS LIKE THOSE PROVIDED BY POSITION PARTNERS.

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osition Partners is a key provider of positioning and machinecontrol solutions for mining, construction, surveying, civil contracting and earthmoving activities.

Mitsui & Co, one of the world’s most diversified trading, investment and services enterprises, lodged an initial investment in Position Partners in 2019 before increasing its stake in 2022 to become the majority shareholder.

With the support of Mitsui’s technology and service networks, Position Partners has accelerated the deployment of digital and automated systems on all types of miningrelated machines and equipment, partnering with customers seeking to increase efficiency and productivity, lower costs, meet environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) targets, and increase safety.

“Position Partners’ strategic alignment with Mitsui & Co. means increased growth, along with an accelerated program encompassing digital transformation across many sectors, all while continuing a deep focus on providing operational technology for mines and their contractors,” Position Partners executive business manager – mining, solar and landfill Andrew Granger told Australian Mining.

“Many of our customers are operating multiple mine sites, each with unique environments and conditions associated with the resource they are mining. The operational technology solutions we offer must meet a diverse set of operational requirements across Australia, New Zealand and south-east Asia.

“We tailor solutions for our customers using fleet management systems, high-precision machine

guidance, rehabilitation strategists, industrial wireless mesh networks, proximity and safety systems, stockpile management solutions, deformation monitoring, and mine survey solutions.

“We are striving to be the best technology partners and application specialists for the specific on-site mine requirements of our customers.”

Mine sites across Australia use a range of advanced technology solutions developed by Position Partners, including the iVolve Mine4D fleet management system (FMS).

This integrated management technology provides managers and supervisors a unique view into site operations, delivering real-time insights into production and allowing decision-making to optimise material movement and manage key assets through a single platform.

POSITION PARTNERS DEPLOYS DIGITAL AND AUTOMATED SYSTEMS ON ALL TYPES OF MINING-RELATED EQUIPMENT.

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The iVolve Mine4D maintenance module provides access to machine data to support proactive maintenance to reduce the impact of in-service failures and unscheduled downtime.

Several tools are embedded in the iVolve Mine4D FMS. The iControl map-based visualisation tool displays data for a complete overview of the state of mining fleets and assets, while the iReport provides on-shift production and maintenance data in real-time.

The iVolve in-cab display gives operators the ability to log-in, complete electronic pre-start reports, input time usage and production data, and monitor utilisation and production statistics. iVolve’s focus on sleek onscreen design ensures a seamless incab experience.

“The effective monitoring of asset and material movements is a critical dimension to mining operations, to

AUTOMATED SYSTEMS

PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE HELPS REDUCE THE IMPACT OF FAILURES AND UNSCHEDULED DOWNTIME.

ensure they are productive, efficient and safe,” Granger said.

“The iVolve Mine4D fleet management system enables mine managers the ability to gather and visualise real-time data in a flexible style of monitoring and reporting, with the ability to access as much information as they require to supervise their operations, while simultaneously keeping track of machine health.”

Position Partners recently announced an agreement with MACA, a diversified contracting group, to retrofit its mixed fleet of 100 haul

trucks with autonomous hardware and software. MACA, with support from Position Partners, will be the first contract miner to deploy artificial intelligence (AI)-powered autonomy for its customers, establishing safer, more productive, and more costeffective operations.

Together with SafeAI, a US company specialising in AI and automation for heavy equipment, the companies will establish one of the largest autonomous heavy-equipment fleets in Australia. SafeAI has built a next-generation autonomous platform that brings the latest in AI

to mining. The company’s platform is interoperable and vehicle-agnostic, enabling mining companies to retrofit any vehicle, from any manufacturer, with autonomous technology.

With advanced multimodal sensors and significant on-board processing power, SafeAI-enabled equipment can independently make efficient, accurate decisions to keep operations running smoothly and safely.

“MACA have been instrumental in allowing Position Partners the opportunity to deploy, service and support many technology solutions,” Granger said.

“The agreement we have reached to automate a mixed fleet of trucks incorporating SafeAI’s retrofit autonomy solution represents a significant step in the arrival of Autonomy 2.0 and the scaling of MACA’s fleet of autonomous vehicles.”

This new interoperable retrofit technology has the potential to unlock newfound scalability and flexibility across Australia’s many fleets of mining vehicles.

“Moving forward, Position Partners will focus on providing tailored service and support to mining companies who embark upon retrofitting their existing vehicle fleets with the SafeAI solution,” Granger said.

Position Partners is focused on supplying integrated and flexible technology solutions for underresourced mining operations.

“Our approach is to provide detailed insights for our customers, to be able to measure and predict the performance of specific mine sites, or multiple sites, so that they know how to best deploy their resources,” Granger said.

“The commonality of data is important, as is the flexibility in the retrieval of data, as our customers often require specific planning, monitoring and measurement tools that are dependent on their specific mining conditions.

“We always seek to stay ahead of the technology curve, so when new digital solutions arrive we are eager and able to employ hardware and software upgrades for the benefit of our customers, as well as provide the service and support they require.

“Optionality is a key part of our future, and Position Partners are here to support that.” AM POSITION PARTNERS SEEKS TO “STAY AHEAD OF THE TECHNOLOGY CURVE”.

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SUSTAINABILITY

IMPROVING EFFICIENCY TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS ATLAS COPCO’S OIL-FREE SCREW BLOWERS ARE DESIGNED TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS BY UPGRADING INEFFICIENT EXISTING SYSTEMS.

I

t may sound daunting, but reducing carbon emissions is something every company can achieve.

Most companies now have emission-reduction goals ingrained in their strategies, and Atlas Copco can help make these strategies a reality.

An easy way for miners to achieve reduction, according to Atlas Copco, is upgrading inefficient lobe blowers located at their process plants. The company’s new ZS4, 5VSD (variable speed drive) and VSD+ oil-free screw blowers are the latest market releases that help to reduce carbon emissions by upgrading inefficient lobe blowers.

Both the ZS4 and 5VSD have a pressure band up to 1.5 bar and can deliver flows from 600 up to 12,000m³ per hour.

The innovative design and control systems have helped to improve the efficiency of mine sites and process plants around the world.

“These units have been in continuous development since 2009,” Atlas Copco product specialist Dillon Smith said.

“Screw blowers work to a specific compression ratio which suits different pressure ranges. The internal compression process of a screw blower results in significantly lower energy consumption, as a very limited amount of energy is transferred to heat.

“That is why screw blowers are an energy-efficient alternative to the classic rotary lobe blower solutions.”

By working closely with mining companies, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies, Atlas Copco has ensured its latest equipment ranges meet the pressure, flow, and environmental demands of the industry.

“The key to the development of these blowers was speaking to the people at the coalface, the OEMs, and understanding the various applications on-site,” Smith said.

“We looked at developing a unit that would be more efficient in operation and then the ZS4 and 5VSD was born.”

ATLAS COPCO’S ZS4, 5VSD AND VSD+ OIL-FREE SCREW BLOWERS HELP REDUCE EMISSIONS BY UPGRADING INEFFICIENT LOBE BLOWERS.

E

H

K

E si

I

si

cr o a By analysing the different applications and investing in developing products that reduce energy consumption and improve production, Atlas Copco has ensured its blowers will go the distance in carbon-emission reduction.

“From a mining standpoint, we see the world pushing more towards sustainable fuel sources to power their operations,” Smith said. “It’s not even a trend, it’s just the way the world is moving.

“These screw blowers will help us focus on reducing a mine’s power usage and start reducing their emissions and carbon footprint.

“They are a more efficient way of producing compressed air because they use dynamic compression.”

The development of the combined blow off and safety valve has increased safety and efficiency in the ZS screw blower range. It allows for a smoother motor start-up under no pressure, AUSTRALIANMINING

fast flow control, and removes unnecessary motor starts and stops and long unload times.

The combined safety valve is set at a fixed pressure to protect the blower and ensures safe termination of pressure relief.

Atlas Copco can configure its product to suit each different mine site’s individual process and application. To provide each site with accurate flow and constant pressure control, the ZS4 and 5VSD blowers come with the option to include the VSD or a VSD-ready package, enabling a remote VSD to efficiently operate ZS4, 5VSD and VSD+ blowers.

“Supplying customers with the VSD installed gives them a complete plugand-play unit,” Smith said. “Being able to customise the units to suit each mine condition can prolong the life and serviceability of the machine.”

Independently certified 100 per cent oil-free or Class 0, Atlas Copco’s

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customers can be sure the ZS screw blowers will deliver quality air that will not affect the yield in their mineral flotation and other processes.

The company also offers a range of maintenance and service plans. These can include access to Atlas Copco’s Smartlink technology, which gives the user the ability to monitor the equipment via real time data.

Depending on the chosen service plan, Atlas Copco can also monitor the equipment for the customer, allowing the company to identify variations in operation and update maintenance schedules and visits to improve uptime and reliability.

“These blowers can withstand hot, harsh and dusty environments,” Smith said. “So they are perfect for our Australian mining conditions.

“I think that all industries, not just mining, are looking to reduce their carbon emissions. And that’s what Atlas Copco can help with.” AM

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MINE-SITE SOLUTIONS

CONVENIENT SITE SOLUTIONS ON-SITE SOLUTIONS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR EQUIPMENT AND MAXIMISE PRODUCTIVITY. HASTINGS DEERING HAS THESE SOLUTIONS COVERED.

H

astings Deering offers both oilsite solutions and hose-site solutions to its customers,” parts marketing and solutions manager Ryan Giles told Australian Mining.

Working with customers and stakeholders on on-site and off-site solutions has been a major factor in Hastings Deering staying at the top of its game.

“We collaborate with stakeholders to establish solutions, initiatives and strategies to help our customers be more successful with Cat equipment,” Giles said.

Hastings Deering’s oil-site solution is fully contained and self-bundled lockable oil storage container, which dispenses clean filtered fluids that result in an improvement in component life, and provide better wear protection and enhanced component reliability.

The oil is secured safely with lockable access doors, and features a waste oil evacuation trolley at ground level.

“These solutions can be customised to meet a customer’s specific need,” Giles said.

Hastings Deering can also supply on-site hydraulic hose solutions to help customers make their workplaces more productive. The company understands that when a hose failure occurs, customers need quick and reliable repair.

“We have a few different hose solutions options to suit a customer’s needs,” Giles said.

The on-site hydraulic hose solution options include a 20-foot solution, a 40-foot solution, and a double 40-foot solution.

“Customers can purchase the solutions outright and own and operate it themselves, or they can hire the asset for a fixed term and choose if the hirer operates it or Hastings Deering builds hoses and manages inventory,” Giles said.

The hose solutions come with a range of features to ensure productivity stays at a high level.

A simplified transaction process means Hastings Deering customers are not subjected to call wait times. It also allows known fixed monthly costs and reduces duplicate replacement costs.

“There is also a convenience to the hose solutions, along with increased productivity and uptime and an improved quality to genuine Cat hoses,” Giles said.

All on-site hose solutions are lined and air conditioned to ensure a clean, cool, contaminant-free environment, and can provide an immediate response to hose downtime and ensure a site’s productivity remains uncompromised.

These solutions help to cement Hastings Deering’s reputation as a company that provides its customers with flexible productivity solutions.

This year marks 90 years since the company was founded by Harold Hastings Deering, a pioneer in Australian mechanisation. From its humble beginnings in 1932, the company is now one of the top Cat dealers in the world.

And it only continues to expand, with a new 25,000m2 business

HASTINGS DEERING’S HYDRAULIC HOSE SOLUTION IS FULLY CONTAINED AND AIR-CONDITIONED IN A LOCKABLE STORAGE CONTAINER.

HASTINGS DEERING’S SOLUTIONS ARE OPTIMISED TO MEET SPECIFIC CUSTOMER NEEDS.

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centre development plan for Mackay, Queensland, announced in August.

Hastings Deering has ensured its solutions stand out in the market by investing in quality designs and providing flexibility to meet specific needs, and customers are reaping the benefits.

“From our customers who have used our on-site solutions, we’ve seen a reduction in contamination, an increase in component life and reliability, and improved efficiency,” Giles said.

“Our quality, flexibility and safety focus has ensured that we have served our customers well across multiple industries and will continue to do so in the future.” AM

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SCREENING

IT’S IMPORTANT TO FIND THE MOST EFFECTIVE SCREEN MEDIA BLEND FOR AN OPERATION’S NEEDS.

MIXING IT UP STEVE FAIR, TYLER ENGINEERED MEDIA MANAGER AT HAVER & BOECKER NIAGARA, SHARES TIPS FOR COMBINING SCREEN MEDIA FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY.

W

ith increased material demand, producers have an opportunity for big business, which is why it’s important to use the most productive tools for screening and sizing.

Rather than sticking to woven wire or polyurethane media throughout the screen deck, some operation managers find they can reduce wear, lessen screen change-outs, and increase open area by choosing strategic combinations of screen media.

What’s the problem?

The first step toward selecting the best combination of screen media involves answering several questions: What material is being processed? Is the screen media reaching a suitable lifespan for the operation? What sort of challenges are occurring with the current screen media and at what phase of screening?

To answer these questions, producers should start by considering the types of materials going through the vibrating screen. Material size, weight and abrasiveness all come into play during the screen media selection process.

For example, screening abrasive material typically requires media with higher wearability to handle the roughness, while materials with large top sizes may require more durable

screens at the feed end due to the constant high impacts.

Producers should next look at the vibrating screen itself and complete a vibration analysis. They should then consider the three phases material goes through as it passes over the vibrating screen deck: layered to basic to sharp.

Producers can customise the screen deck by choosing screen media suitable for each phase and accounting for open area and wear life to maximise productivity.

A vibrating screen operator should also examine wearability to determine whether media in the three phases is reaching maximum potential.

If screen media is being changed too often, consider switching to something more durable.

It’s a good idea for producers to complete a weekly inspection of screen media. Any issues indicate there’s likely a better screen media option for at least one phase of screening, if not all three.

How to choose

Manufacturers create screen media out of several different types of materials, including polyurethane, rubber, perforated plate, and wire.

Producers should look for rubber screen media when screening material with a top size larger than 12 inches (30.5cm), or when an application requires an opening bigger than four inches (10.1cm).

AUSTRALIANMINING

STEVE FAIR, TYLER ENGINEERED MEDIA MANAGER AT HAVER & BOECKER NIAGARA.

Manufacturers can create rubber screens thicker than polyurethane for improved durability. The screens also dramatically reduce noise, handle highimpact applications, and resist abrasion Some manufacturers customise each plate’s thickness to a customer’s application and can create an opening of almost any size. To resist pegging, choose screens with tapered openings.

Many perforated plates come in different abrasion-resistance levels, so producers should be sure to choose a supplier that can match the appropriate perforated plate for the application.

Woven wire is often used to provide maximum open area at the discharge end of the screen deck.

Manufacturers offer wire cloth in different thicknesses and weaves.

Self-cleaning screens excel at alleviating blinding and pegging, and typically offer the most open area.

Because the wires are not woven, but rather bonded to polyurethane strips, they are free to vibrate independently for faster material stratification.

Think installation

After determining the best combination of materials, open area, and opening size and shape, producers should consider how the screen media will be installed.

All screen media options are available in tensionable sections, allowing producers to eliminate the deck conversion expenses.

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This means an operator can blend polyurethane, rubber or metal plate media with woven wire cloth or self-cleaning screens for maximum screening efficiency.

Manufacturer matters

Calling a screen media expert is a fast way to assess an operation and find the most effective screen media blend for an operation’s specific needs.

In addition to offering consultations to help an operation find the best combination of screen media, some manufacturers also provide on-site training to make sure the entire team knows how to properly install it to maximise wear life.

A manufacturer should also provide ongoing support. Find a company that follows up to make sure the screen media works well once in use. A partnership with a service company with integrity will save time and money, while the best combination of screen media will go far in helping improve profits and reduce maintenance headaches.

If unscheduled change-outs or contamination issues eat into profits, it’s time to consider a new screen media combination.

Choosing a variety of screen types, rather than just one, that’s suited to an application can increase productivity, lessen downtime and improve return on investment. AM

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GOLD

CAREER PATHWAYS THROUGH THE GOLD INDUSTRY AUSTRALIAN MINING SAT DOWN WITH CHE WYATT TO DISCUSS HIS ROLE IN THE GOLD INDUSTRY AND THE PATHWAYS HE HAS TAKEN TO GENERATE AWARENESS.

I

n the lead up to the Gold Industry Group’s Let’s Talk Diversity events, which will discuss what is needed to win the hearts of Gen Z and millennials, Australian Mining is exploring the pathways of younger generations into the gold industry.

We spoke with Che Wyatt to gain deeper insight. Wyatt is a 24-year-old Wongi-Yamatji-Noongar-Adnyamantha man who grew up in Esperance, Western Australia. His current role is advisor of Aboriginal engagement with The Perth Mint.

What sort of training or education had you done prior to working in this position?

I worked as a mentor and events officer for an Indigenous scholarship organisation.

How long have you been in the gold industry?

I started at The Perth Mint refinery in 2021, where I worked in production and maintenance roles, including an apprenticeship in mechanical fitting.

I have been in my current role with the people and culture team since August 2022.

Working at The Perth Mint was my first experience of gold. I had barely ever handled it before, and then I was working amongst it, pumping out kilo bars every day. It’s exciting, but you do get used to being surrounded by gold.

Were there any programs, pathways or support that helped to get you into this career?

The opportunity to work at the mint was a case of the right opportunity at the right time. I haven’t taken part in any formal programs, but I have definitely had a lot of support from within the organisation.

The Perth Mint supported me through every role I have worked in, and I had the support of my managers when I moved on from each role.

What are the biggest barriers to securing a job as a young person in the gold industry?

For me it was the awareness of the industry and its diverse opportunities, as I never thought the gold industry

CHE WYATT HAS MADE STRIDES IN HIS FIELD AND HAS BEEN RECOGNISED FOR THE HARD WORK HE PUTS IN.

was an industry that could match my aspirations.

I always saw myself working in Indigenous affairs to support things like Closing the Gap. But I can see how I can use my current role in the gold industry to raise awareness about the opportunities here for other Indigenous people and to help establish good pathways for our Indigenous staff.

Were there any misconceptions about the industry you found to be untrue once you started working?

I thought I might have to serve a long time in one role before getting the opportunity to progress, but I found out early on that your quality of work is more appreciated than time served.

There seems to be a general lack of awareness of the range of opportunities within the organisation, especially around the refinery and the entry-level roles available.

Was working in gold something that you always wanted to do?

No. I’m very passionate about Indigenous affairs and thought that, or maybe football, might be my path.

AUSTRALIANMINING

I played with Subiaco in the WAFL (West Australian Football League), but injuries put an end to that ambition.

I didn’t see the gold industry as an industry where I could exercise that passion. I can, however, gladly say that I was wrong.

Even in my production and maintenance days at The Perth Mint refinery, I was involved with the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) working group. In my current role, what we’re doing and plan to do in terms of reconciliation, Indigenous community engagement and the engagement of our Indigenous staff is helping me fulfil my passions.

Do you feel as if there is attainable career progression in the industry?

Absolutely. My career so far in the industry is a great example of that.

In the space of less than two years, I’ve been offered three great opportunities, two of which have enabled me to learn skills that I’d never thought I would.

I’m now in a role that has me really excited about my career trajectory and my impact on the community.

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With the support of people around me I can see opportunities for further progression into the area of recruitment. My passions are about education and employment opportunities for Indigenous people, and I can see opportunities to use my skills and passions to help recruitment of Indigenous people across the gold industry.

There’s a lot of potential to open pathways for them in mining companies. I see somewhere for me in that space in the future.

How valuable is the gold industry to Australia?

Growing up in the Esperance Goldfields I’ve always had an awareness of the gold industry’s presence, but never quite understood its true value until I worked at The Perth Mint.

The amount of care and work that our people put into our product has helped me understand its true value to the economy.

Also, learning the history of the gold industry has given me a greater understanding of how it has contributed to Australia’s identity. AM

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MINE REHABILITATION

THE RANGER MINE OFFICIALLY CLOSED ITS DOORS IN JANUARY 2021.

RANGER REHABILITATION THE REHABILITATION PROCESS OF THE SHUTTERED URANIUM MINE RECENTLY MARKED A MAJOR MILESTONE, BUT A RECENT REPORT ON A NEIGHBOURING DEPOSIT RAISED QUESTIONS OF CONTINUED MINING VERSUS ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS.

T

he life of a mine, as the resources industry knows well, does not end when resources are exhausted.

Rehabilitation is a critical process of any mining operation, especially in the context of companies maintaining their social license to operate.

But what if there’s potentially more resources to be mined?

The Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory is a pertinent example of that exact question.

Ranger rehabilitation

While Australia hosts almost one-third of the world’s uranium resources, the country only has a handful of operations that actively mine the commodity.

Ranger was one of those operations.

When it was shuttered in 2021 after more than 40 years, the operator was faced with the task – and financial cost – of rehabilitating the surrounding area.

Given the mine is located in the World-Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, that is no easy feat.

“Mining operations cause significant environmental disturbance, and if not managed appropriately may have detrimental impacts,” the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said of the Ranger site.

“Rehabilitation of disturbed sites is the process of returning the land to an acceptable state depending on the agreed values and end land use.

AUSTRALIANMINING

“Rehabilitation typically occurs in multiple stages and can take many years to complete.”

A major milestone in that process was met in early September, when the Federal Government announced it had secured the ongoing rehabilitation of the Ranger uranium mine and the site’s eventual return to the Mirarr Traditional Owners.

Federal Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King introduced a Bill to parliament to amend legislation that would ensure the Government oversees the clean-up beyond 2026, guaranteeing the mine’s operator, Energy Resources Australia (ERA), completes the rehabilitation.

The Atomic Energy Amendment (Mine Rehabilitation and Closure) Bill 2022, introduced into the House

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of Representatives, represents the first step in extending ERA’s authority to continue Ranger rehabilitation until the work is complete.

“The Ranger mine must be restored to a condition similar to (the) surrounding Kakadu National Park,” King said.

“For such an environmentally, culturally and historically important region, only the highest standard of rehabilitation will do.

“The Bill will also enable progressive closing out of the site so areas which have been rehabilitated can transition back to underlying Aboriginal land tenure. This will allow Ranger’s Mirarr Traditional Owners to get on country as soon as it is safe to do so.”

MINE REHABILITATION

ERA, with the support of majority shareholder Rio Tinto, committed to the long-term plans and has been progressively rehabilitating the Ranger project area since the 1990s.

While well advanced in some areas, it became apparent the full process will extend beyond January 2026 and the new Bill is designed to ensure the regulatory framework is extended until rehabilitation is complete.

Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said the Bill had the support of the Northern Land Council and Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, which represent the Mirarr Traditional Owners.

“While a full handover is still some years away, this legislation will give both ERA and the (Traditional) Owners a line of sight for the land’s eventual rehabilitation and return,” she said.

“Ranger’s rehabilitation is a priority for all parties and we all look forward to seeing Ranger being a world-class example of mine rehabilitation.”

The question of continued mining

While the Ranger rehabilitation plan is in place, recent developments regarding the neighbouring Jabiluka uranium deposit have raised other questions regarding the project.

ERA recently commissioned a report that said the Jabiluka uranium assets would be valued at up to $1.2 billion. And while it acknowledged the Mirarr Traditional Owners’ long-standing opposition to the development of Jabiluka as a mining operation, the report indicated the resource retains “strategic value”.

Rio Tinto, however, has been resolute that it wants to prioritise the clean-up of Ranger and will not develop Jabiluka without the consent of the Mirarr Traditional Owners.

Rio’s chief executive for Australia,

RIO TINTO HAS SAID IT REMAINS COMMITTED TO COMPLETING THE REHABILITATION AT RANGER.

Kellie Parker, said the company remained “totally committed to completing the rehab at Ranger to the correct environmental standards”.

The Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation supports Rio’s stance.

“Gundjeihmi welcomes Rio Tinto’s commitment to respect the long-held opposition of the Mirarr to mining at Jabiluka,” Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Justin O’Brien said.

ERA’s report comes as the company is looking to raise funds for the estimated $2 billion bill for Ranger’s rehabilitation.

Rio Tinto has indicated it is prepared to support a proposed rights offering to raise the necessary funding on the proviso that any money raised is dedicated solely to rehabilitation and no mining development.

Responding to criticisms, ERA said it understood that mining at Jabiluka would not happen without the consent of the Traditional Owners.

“As previously disclosed, Jabiluka is subject to a long-term care and maintenance agreement (LTCMA) between the Mirarr and ERA,” the company said in a statement to The Australian Financial Review.

“This agreement ensures that no development of Jabiluka can occur without the approval of the traditional owners. ERA has upheld both the intent and the words of the LTCMA for a number of years and will continue to do so.”

Discussing the broader issue of Ranger’s rehabilitation, Parker said finding a solution satisfactory for the Mirarr people was Rio Tinto’s “utmost priority and commitment”.

THE MINE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE NT’S KAKADU NATIONAL PARK.

AUSTRALIANMINING

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“We are actively seeking to reflect the wishes of the Mirarr people in our approach to the funding of ERA’s rehabilitation commitment, having long understood their opposition to further mining on their country,” she said.

“We believe the successful rehabilitation of the Ranger project area, which is of critical importance to the Mirarr people, Rio Tinto and ERA, can be achieved in a way that is consistent with the Mirarr people’s wishes.”

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has also been clear in its views on Ranger’s rehabilitation.

“The stringent environmental objectives stipulated by the Australian Government require the site to reach a state that is similar to the adjacent area, such that it could be incorporated into Kakadu National Park should that be decided in the future,” it said.

The ongoing situation at the Ranger mine is an example of an increasingly pertinent issue in the resources sector. Mine rehabilitation will be more and more important as environmental, social and governance (ESG) influences investor sentiment more and more.

Fortunately, that is matched by the fact more and more mining companies recognise that rehabilitation is an ongoing process during a mine’s lifecycle, rather than an end-of-life necessity.

Working to establish new growth as early as possible means a better chance for the post-mining land to be usable in the future. AM

PRODUCTS

LASE INTRODUCES NEW TWIXBEAM

THEJO’S HERCULES DYNAMAXX IMPACT CRADLE

The supplementary component TwixBeam consists of two 200mm-high perforated aluminium U-sections bolted to one another. The component lengths range from 0.80– 6.60m. Lightweight components made of aluminium, plus the option of dismantling them, speed up assembly and facilitate their use in cramped conditions; for example when passing the material through narrow manholes.

Depending on the task, matching expansion parts are also available, such as a beam connector, an insertion beam, a spindle strut for stiffening and bracing, and a swivelling spindle for every required angle. Combination with the Layher construction kit is also an important factor: both standard and suspended structures can be built, with Allround standards passed through, with the standard connection, or with the swivelling spindle. Geometry adjustments plus solutions for side protection can also be achieved using standard Allround parts. A combination with the aluminium FlexBeam is also possible.

Dynamaxx Impact Cradle features a patented garland-form bed integrated with a rugged steel frame, which ensures full surface contact with the conveyor belt and provides uniform support across the impact area. The garland cradle is mounted on multiple dampeners that are specially designed to absorb heavy loads and allow multi-axis motion of the bed to diffuse the impact load quickly and efficiently.

The unique garland form of the cradle maintains the natural trough profile of the belt, which helps to maintain relatively lower stress on the belt, avoiding any pinch point. Continuous support at the skirt area prevents material spillage when installed along with skirt sealings.

• thejo-engg.com

• layher.com

SUPERIOR INDUSTRIAL: A LEADER IN FLOATING WALKWAYS

CRUSADER HOSE’S HAMERSLEY REEL SYSTEM Crusader Hose brings an innovative hose reeling system that easily manages large-diameter flexible layflat hose.

Progressive mining companies ready to embrace the many benefits of layflat hose technology will benefit from knowing that the Hamersley reel system is ready to assist in handling Crusader Hose flexible pipelines.

The Hamersley reel system is the simplest, fastest and most compact system available for delivering layflat hose in the field. The interchangeable spools make it quick and easy to handle multiple lengths of layflat hose, with storage and transport being straightforward and trouble-free.

Fabricated for the rapid deployment and retrieval of layflat hose, the Hamersley reel system takes out the manual labour associated with handling large-diameter hose.

The Hamersley reel system is suitable for use in rapid dewatering and industrial applications and complements the Waterlord and Flexiline hose systems.

An ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001-certified company with over 30 years ’ flotation experience, Superior Industrial is a leading supplier of floating walkways for industries such as mining, oil and gas, irrigation, water treatment and sewerage.

The heavy-duty rotational-moulded plastic modules are maintenance-free and non-slip, built to withstand extreme conditions.

They connect to form any size platform or walkway and can be stacked vertically for variable buoyancy and compact storage. Sizes range from 0.5x1m to 3x2m.

With superior quality, reliability and precision manufacturing, all products are expertly fabricated to suit any application and comply with international standards.

Additionally, Superior’s team of design and manufacturing experts offers technical support within all industries.

With a global reach, the range of modules is container-friendly and available for worldwide shipping.

• crusaderhose.com.au

• superiorindustrial.com.au

AUSTRALIANMINING

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PRODUCTS

NEOUSYS POC-451VTC ULTRA-COMPACT COMPUTER

BISALLOY WEAR STEEL: STRONGER STEEL THAT LASTS THE DISTANCE

Neousys Technology, a leading provider of rugged embedded systems, announced its POC451VTC, an ultra-compact invehicle computer with E-Mark certification for in-vehicle applications such as passenger information system, mobile gateway and surveillance.

Powered by Intel Elkhart lake Atom x6425E processor and integrated Intel UHD Graphics, the system delivers 1.8x and 2x performance improvement for the CPU and GPU, respectively, when compared to the previous POC generation.

POC-451VTC provides multiple M.2 and mPCIe slots to install 5G/ LTE, WiFi 5, WiFi 6 and CAN bus modules for in-vehicle applications. In addition, it supports Google TPU for edge AI inference.

And to sustain optimal system performance in high-temperature environments, POC-451VTC has a dedicated conduction-cooled heat spreader to dissipate the heat generated by M.2/ mPCIe modules.

With an increasing demand for lighter, stronger steel that lasts, mining operators are continually looking for ways to push their earthmoving equipment harder, and for longer.

This is where bespoke steel manufacturers come into play with the production of innovative steel designed to withstand the toughest environments.

For over 40 years, there is one company that has built a global reputation for its quality, high performance steel – and it’s proudly Australian.

Bisalloy is Australia’s only manufacturer of quenched and tempered steel plate used for wear-resistant, structural, armour and protection steel applications.

The Bisalloy Wear steel range is renowned in mines, exploration and mineral processing operations, and quarries all over the world.

Equipment manufacturers require quality steel grades to achieve greater wear resistance and simply get more out of their products, particularly buckets, truck bodies, ground engaging and demolition tools, wear plates and liners for chutes, as well as trommels, screens and crushers.

Bisalloy Wear steel is a top choice of many industries dues to its hardness and ability to withstand the most abrasive environments.

• bisalloy.com.au

• neousys-tech.com/en

CEA STOCKS TWINPOWER GENERATOR

ENVIROSOIL AND ENVIROLOC GO HAND-IN-HAND

The Atlas Copco QAC 1450 TwinPower generator is ideal for applications requiring variable power needs that can be set to suit the time of day or specific usage requirements. Featuring two 725kVA generators inside the 20-foot containerised unit, the QAC 1450 TwinPower allows users to run on one engine while servicing the other, providing a built-in back-up as standard.

With two generators in one platform, the QAC 1450 TwinPower provides the flexibility needed to run at 100 per cent power load or low power loads in the most efficient way. What’s more, every feature you need comes as standard.

Anyone in the market for a new generator can get in touch with the team at Atlas CEA’s Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth branch today.

When topsoil moved in mining operations is restored to the site, it normally lacks any nutrients for soil to sustain any growth. When the Erizon product EnviroSoil is applied in tandem with the hydro-mulching product EnviroLoc, impressive results are seen even, with heavily degraded soil.

Replacing the need for truckloads of rare and expensive fresh topsoil, EnviroSoil is a hydraulically applied topsoil alternative for when soil is unable to support revegetation.

Active components include thermally refined organic fibres, high carbon, natural soil conditioners, seaweed extracts and mineral blends, including basalt and microbial inoculants.

The unique combination of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, in conjunction with mycorrhizae, works to stimulate the soil, mimicking the natural cycle and thereby creating a sustainable growing medium for the germination of plants.

The EnviroLoc premium hydro-mulching solution is engineered for superior performance in the areas of erosion control and growth establishment. The thermally refined wood fibres increase water retention and airflow exchange for improved seed germination, while the blend of chemical and mechanical bonding techniques keeps the engineered growth medium in place to promote seed germination.

• atlascea.com.au

• erizon.com.au

AUSTRALIANMINING

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EVENTS

CONFERENCES, SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS EVENT SUBMISSIONS CAN BE EMAILED TO EDITOR@AUSTRALIANMINING.COM.AU

Australian Mining Prospect Awards 2022 Perth | November 17 Taking place in Perth in 2022, the Australian Mining Prospect Awards are a great opportunity to recognise and acknowledge the people and companies in the mining sector for their outstanding work.

The awards honour categories such as Indigenous and Community Engagement, Mine Project Success of the Year, Outstanding Mine Performance, Sustainability Project of the Year, Discovery of the Year and more.

Some of the 2021 award winners included Roy Hill for Australian Mine of the Year and Hard Rock Mine of the Year, Mader Group for Contract Miner of the Year, and Metso Outotec for Minerals Processing of the Year.

This year will be the first time the awards will be held in Western Australia in appreciation of the vibrancy and importance of the state’s thriving mining industry.

• prospectawards.com.au International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium (IBS) 2022 Perth | November 20–23 The biannual International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium is a global forum that brings together representatives from industry, research, innovation and education sectors and government to share knowledge on cutting edge science and technology in the field of mining biotechnology and discuss innovative solutions and best practice approaches.

Drawing from the expertise in biotechnology, chemistry, mineralogy, and engineering, mining biotechnology can benefit the resource sector by enabling the extraction of value

from low-grade minerals and wastes streams, providing tools for minerals exploration and environmental monitoring, and mitigating harmful environmental impacts.

The IBS 2022 will be held in hybrid format: face-to-face at Rendezvous Hotel Perth Scarborough in Perth, Western Australia (WA), and through an online platform from 20–23 November 2022.

IBS 2022 will be hosted by Australia’s national science research agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

The event’s local organising committee includes members from CSIRO and Curtin University.

IBS 2022 is a great opportunity to share the latest scientific advances, find solutions for industry challenges, attend as a sponsor or exhibitor to promote technologies, services and products, and meet experts across the world.

• ibs2022.com.au/ AusRock Conference 2022 Melbourne | November 29 – December 1 Hosted in partnership with AusIMM and UNSW Sydney, AusRock 2022 will be held in conjunction with the International Society of Rock Mechanics Regional Symposium from the end of November to the beginning of December.

Offering a hybrid format so delegates can attend the conference either in-person in Melbourne or online from anywhere in the world, AusRock 2022 follows on from earlier conferences that have successfully covered the various aspects of geotechnical engineering servicing the mining industry and shared best practices.

BHP, Jennmar, DSI Underground and AUSTRALIANMINING

GSS have confirmed their support, with exhibitions set to be held by Rocscience, Minova, MineGeoTech and DSI Underground.

AusRock2022 will focus on new technologies and developments, industry needs, operational problem-solving, and practical case studies which will be required for the future.

• ausimm.com/conferences-and-events/ ausrock Underground Operators Conference 2023 Brisbane | March 27–29 A flagship event in AusIMM’s calendar, the Underground Operators Conference will return in 2023.

Bringing together mining engineers, mine operators, technical service managers and consultants, this conference sets the benchmark for sharing underground operational experiences and industry best practice.

With deposits getting deeper or lower in grade, there is increased pressure to find smarter and more cost-effective ways to extract orebodies.

To address this demand, key discussion topics for 2023 centre around the evolution of digital technologies, automation and artificial intelligence and how these innovations are making it possible to mine at greater depths and lower grades.

• ausimm.com/conferences-and-events/ underground-operators/ World Mining Congress 2023 Brisbane | June 26–29 Inaugurated in 1958, the World Mining Congress (WMC) is the leading international forum for the global mining and resources sectors.

The World Mining Congress 2023 (WMC)

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is a unique opportunity for international representatives of the world’s leading resource economies to meet, find new partners, discuss current challenges, and share the latest research, technology, and best practice.

WMC events have set the scene for international agreements and highlevel discussions that have influenced mining practices and the resource industry for decades. Join senior mining industry owners, investors, national and international government representatives, researchers, educators, regulators, suppliers and operators from around the world in Brisbane for this genuine opportunity to demonstrate real leadership and presence on a world stage.

• wmc2023.org/ Life of Mine Conference 2023 Brisbane | August 2–4 AusIMM, in collaboration with The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals’ Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation (CMLR), is welcoming attendees back to the highly successful Life of Mine Conference 2023.

In 2021, the conference welcomed a record number of attendees from over 15 countries and is set to bring a wider, global audience in 2023. Join professionals, researchers, government, and academia from a diverse range of sectors as the program explores the full lifecycle of a mine, from exploration to rehabilitation.

Delivered both in-person and online, this outstanding technical conference will address current and future challenges affecting the mining value chain, and will present leading examples of sustainability in mining.

• ausimm.com/conferences-and-events/ life-of-mine/

NOVEMBER 2022

CAU034

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NSW/ACT WesTrac 1300 881 064 QLD/NT Hastings Deering 1300 952 701 VIC/TAS William Adams 1300 923 267

SA Cavpower 08 8343 1600 WA WesTrac 1300 881 064 NZ TERRA 0800 93 39 39

*Terms and conditions apply. Visit cat.com/rebuilds-au for details. © 2022 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “Power Edge” and Cat “Modern Hex” \trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

CAU0349 Rebuild 2022 297x235_336_AusMining.indd 1

9/21/22 10:16 AM

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TECHNOLOGY We are a global team unified in a common purpose: creating advanced technology solutions to the world’s water challenges. Developing new technologies that will improve the way water is used, conserved, and re-used in the future is central to our work. Our products and services move, treat, analyse, monitor, and return water to the environment, in mining, quarry, public utility, industrial, residential, and commercial building services settings. We also provide a leading portfolio of smart metering, network technologies, and advanced analytics solutions.

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