Australian Mining May 2014

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VOLUME 106/5 – MAY 2014

SERVING THE MINING INDUSTRY SINCE 1908

www.miningaustralia.com.au

NO.1 FOR MINING TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT SA spotlight

Cutting

truck haulage costs

THE EYRE PENINSULA An iron ore boom

P.12

Productivity

CORE SAMPLES New tech X-ray

P.22

Safety

Print Post Approved PP100008185

T-intersections provide an unlikely saving

MINE FIRES Five tips to stay safe

P.34

Automation

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN For information visit www.miningaustralia.com.au

DRAGLINES An efficiency boost

P.44

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COMMENT

Mining Mining is a global business...

Australian

Cirrus Media Manufacturing & Electronics Group: Associate Publisher – Martin Sinclair Email: martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au Editor – Cole Latimer Tel: (02) 8484 0652 Email: ozmining@cirrusmedia.com.au Journalists – Vicky Validakis Tel: (02) 8484 0964 Email: vicky.validakis@cirrusmedia.com.au Brent Balinski Tel: (02) 8484 0680 Email: brent.balinski@cirrusmedia.com.au Ben Hagemann Tel: (02) 8484 0884 Email: ben.hagemann@cirrusmedia.com.au Group Sales Manager – Tim Richards Tel: (02) 8484 0829 Mob: 0420 550 799 Email: tim.richards@cirrusmedia.com.au Key Account Manager – Sharon Amos Tel: (07) 3261 8857 Fax: (07) 3261 8347 Mob: 0417 072 625 Email: sharon.amos@cirrusmedia.com.au WA Representative – Jamie Wade Mob: 0435 945 868 Email: jamie@wadebusiness.com.au South Africa – Bob Stephen Stephen Marketing PO Box 75, Tarlton, Gauteng 1749, South Africa Tel: 27(011) 952 1721 Fax: 27(011) 952 1607 USA – Jonathan Sismey Cirrus Media 24th Floor, 125 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Tel: (1) 212 370 7445 Fax: (1) 212 370 7441 Email: jsismey@ix.netcom.com Larry Arthur Cirrus Media Suite 203, 3700 Campus Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660 Tel: (1) 949 756 1057 Fax: (1) 949 756 2514 Email: lharthur@ix.netcom.com Graphic Designer – Dave Ashley Production Co-ordinator – Tracy Engle Tel: (02) 8484 0707 Fax: (02) 8484 0966 Subscription Rates – Australia (surface mail) $140.00 (incl GST) New Zealand A$148.00 Overseas A$156.00 Reader Services – 1300 360 126

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and Australia has more to offer the world than just coal and iron ore.

Y

ou can walk on to most sites around Australia and find Aussies, Kiwis, Americans, British, Irish, South Americans, Canadians, and South Africans.

And they’ll be using American, Japanese, Chinese, German, Italian and Russian equipment.

It is an industry that encompasses the entire world like very few others do.

And it was this global alignment, coupled with the ability to tap into market opportunities, that helped Australia through the devastating global financial crisis in a way that many other countries couldn’t do due to their inability to access the same markets.

The mining boom, right after this devastating financial event, put Australia in an enviable position globally.

Comment Cole Latimer ozmining@cirrusmedia.com.au But as the mining boom slows down, what does this mean for Australia, seeing we spent much of this century focused on just digging minerals up and exporting them?

Well, luckily for our nation we also spent a large chunk of this last century developing our skills and technology.

Australia may not be a mining manufacturing powerhouse like the US, Japan, or Russia, but we are damn good at mining, and even though our productivity has been dropping and become stagnant over the last few years, that hasn’t stopped the nation from making innovative tech-

nology and developing smarter ways in which to mine.

We’ve got the skills, we have the ability; the only issue for us is getting these skills into new markets, and to be fair, geographically, we’re in the middle of nowhere, with New Zealand to keep us company.

So how do we do this?

As I type this I’m sitting in Moscow waiting to meet up with Austmine and Austrade who are working to showcase Australia’s ability in technology and technique to Russia’s mining industry, combined with the massive Mining World Moscow ex-

FRONT COVER

Average Net Distribution Period ending Sep 2013 8,031 Printed by Bluestar Print 83 Derby Street, Silverwater, NSW 2128 Tel: (02) 9748 3411 Published 12 issues a year

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hibition where our nation has its own pavilion.

Automation, safety, efficiency; these are sectors where Australia already leads the world (or is ahead) in implementation and trials.

It’ll be interesting to see how a country with such different conditions to our mining environment (the temperature dropping to 20 below zero is a problem I’m pretty sure we’ll never have to face) will take to our unique approach to mining.

While our country won’t stop mining anytime soon, we are heavily reliant on the vagaries of the commodities market, so adding another string to our bow (especially a strong technological one) ensures that our industry, no matter how the commodities markets turn, will continue, and that we will remain an integral part of this global mining industry.

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ON the front cover of this edition we’ve featured the new Cirrus Systems Haul Truck Priority Service, recently trialled as a pilot project in conjunction with Newmont in Nevada, USA. The system has the potential to lessen the time wasted on trafficrelated stoppages for haul trucks, especially through intersections where trucks require right of way priority, which can result in massive savings over the long term.

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AustralianMining

May 2014

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Contents Features

May 2014 issue

Fly-in/Fly-out

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN NORTHERN TERRITORY SPOTLIGHT Uranium mine to restart operations after tank failure Ranger mine in focus .................................. p10 On the road for a new iron ore mine Iron Road’s massive development plan ....... p12 Cutting costs with X-ray vision Saving time on drilling and assays ............... p14 Living amongst the leach tanks A former Ranger employee’s experience ...... p16 FINANCE Miners and business join forces in the Philippines A roadmap to spearhead investment ........... p18 PRODUCTIVITY Workers comp needs real reform Red tape strangling businesses .................... p20 The X-ray revolution in core sampling UNSW engineers strike gold ....................... p22 MINING SCAMS Mining exhibtions cancelled Will the shows promised ever go ahead? ..... p24 TRUCKS Saving money with new haul truck technology Governing haul truck stoppages ................. p26 UNDERGROUND MINING New life for old bolt miners A complete rebuild ..................................... p28 SAFETY Making open pits safer, by design Changing the way the pit is mined ............. p30 Wireless physical assessment’s spike insurer interest The future of workplace assessments .......... p32 Mine site fires Five tips to stay safe ................................... p34 New tech keeping workers cool The next-generation of undergarments ....... p35 MID WEST The Welcoming Mid West Western Australia’s Mid West is looking to the future ............................................... p36 TECHNOLOGY Lastest weatherproof devices We put the newest phones and computers to the test ................................................... p38 ENVIRONMENT Carbon Capture and Storage Scaling up to a viable model ....................... p40 4

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What is the longest amount of time a person should be away from home?….p48

INTERNATIONAL MINING Red dirt in red square Russia’s mining sector needs Australia’s mining know-how ...................................... p42

Remote operations centres

AUTOMATION Money-saving automation draglines on the horizon An efficiency boost ..................................... p44

Regulars INDUSTRY COMMENT ................................ p6 NEWS .......................................................... p8 PRODUCT SHOWCASE ........................ p50-53 JOBS .......................................................... p56 EVENTS ..................................................... p58

Four tips to get the most out of remote operations centres….p46 www.miningaustralia.com.au

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INDUSTRY COMMENT

2014 Mining Insight:

Mining productivity ICN’s national sector manager for mining, Fred Cross, pulls apart the state of productivity in mining.

T

he slowdown in mining invest- 2011, when the study was underment and falling commodity taken. prices has had a significant A similar report on behalf of the negative impact on many Australian Mineral Council of Australia highMining, Equipment, Technology and lighted that Australia’s mineral sector Services (METS) companies. last delivered a productivity increase Clearly the mining sector is in in 2003, but since then, overall proa difficult period, with the widely ductivity in the minerals sector has reported weakening demand, es- fallen by 30 per cent. Adding to this, Australia’s leadership position calation in costs, low productivity, the QRC report showed that the cash is enhanced by some of the highcurrent price of mining commodities costs to produce a tonne of coal have est occupational health and safety and the strength of the Australian nearly doubled since 2005. standards in the world. Small to medollar.

Despite this backdrop, there are dium size businesses (SMEs) feature These factors have led to the can- 26 projects under $500 million at the strongly in the sector and as reported cellation of new major projects and committed stage, with a combined from the METS survey, of the $90 a change in design to existing major value of $4.8 billion, 16 mining pro- billion revenue being generated by projects. Many existing mines have jects with a value of over $500 mil- the METS sector, 20 per cent comes been put in to a ‘care and mainten- lion and six projects with a value of from innovative SMEs with revenues ance’ mode because of low ore over $2 billion. between $5 million and $29 million. yields, until the viability of mining Coal mining investment has Accessing global supply chains is improves. The knock on effect to peaked for the immediate future, a focus for METS exporters with 47 the mining economy is significant but future prospects remain strong. per cent of METS having offices or with a Queensland Resource CounThe driving forces for longer operations offshore, signalling a socil (QRC) report estimating close to term optimism is the continued ur- phisticated and long-term approach 8,000 job losses in the Queensland banisation of both China and India to international markets. Meanwhile, coal industry alone. and the ramp up of international 24 per cent of companies are considA big issue for the industry is energy demands which are set to ering new opportunities offshore, productivity. grow by 30 per cent in the next two particularly in Asia and Africa.

A study by global management decades.

Of those companies that are not consulting firm McKinsey highAustralia’s mining sector is at currently exporting, 18 per cent plan lighted that multi-factor productiv- the forefront of mining technology to do so in the next one to two years. ity was growing up until 2005, but and has built a reputation as a world In the next three months Austrade reA M0 5 1 4 _ 0 0 0 _ B O C 2 0 1 4 - 0 4 - 0 7 T1 6 : 3 6 : 2 2 + 1 0 : 0 0 dropped 0.7 per cent per year until 1 leader in the METS sector. ports that there will be over 200 min-

ing companies visiting various parts of the world to promote Australian technology that make mines more productive and profitable.

The operations and maintenance phase for projects will give SMEs opportunities to demonstrate to the project owners that they are flexible and can respond to needs of the project.

With the average build of a project being three years and the operation being 15 years or more, the maintenance spend over those years is considerable and capable suppliers close to the mine site are highly valued.

The mining sector is going through a tough time, but it will recover. The major mining companies have turned their focus to efficiency and productivity rather than just production. Consequently, innovation and technology is paramount to ensuring Australia develops a sustainable and competitive advantage in the mining sector.

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HEADLINES

The latest mining news and safety Australian Mining presents the latest news and safety affecting you from the boardroom to the mine and everywhere in between. Visit www.miningaustralia.com.au to keep up to date with what is happening.

Tragic deaths, miners killed at Austar Coal Mine Tragedy struck at the Austar Coal Mine at Paxton in New South Wales, with two men killed in an underground collapse on April 15.

A statement by mine owner Yancoal has said a team of seven Austar Coal Mine employees were working underground on the afternoon/ evening shift when a wall collapsed.

It was reported that the other five employees received no physical injuries.

The incident occurred in Maingate 9 Development section of the Stage 3 Austar mine workings.

Police said a wall collapsed in the mine trapping two men 500 metres underground.

Emergency services were called to the mine at 9pm and a major rescue operation was launched for the men, one aged 35 from Metford and one aged 49 from Cessnock, however they were pronounced dead shortly after midnight.

Nickel mine sale could lead to 200 new jobs QCG Resources will buy MMG’s idle Tasmanian Avebury nickel mine for $40 million and is looking to restart production in a quick timeframe, leading to 200 new jobs.

The mine, located 8kms west of Zeehan on Tasmania’s west coast, has been in care and maintenance since February but new owners say they are confident current nickel prices could lead the restart of production.

QCG is a privately owned exploration company and chairman Doug Daws said the mine could be up and running shortly.

“The diligence to which the care and maintenance program has been conducted means that mining could recommence within a short time frame once we are able to make necessary modifications to the milling circuit,” Daws said.

A recommencement of mining at the site would create 200 new jobs.

The $40 million deal is subject to conditions, including QCG raising the funds needed for a $33.25 million closing payment.

The company said it was in talks with a number of finance organisations both in Australia and overseas to help fund the final payment.

Australians for Coal campaign sends 35,000 emails in support of the sector The Australians for Coal website launched to an online storm from activists, but industry insiders say it was this attention that has made the initiative a success.

The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) launched the site last month in a bid to give

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those who support the industry “a voice against the activists and extremists who want to tear the sector down”.

It said the website will set the record straight on a number of issues surrounding the coal sector including community support, job numbers, economic value and the environment.

The #australiansforcoal hashtag was soon hijacked by people making a sham of the campaign.

Tweets started rolling in from all over the country from people against the site and against the industry such as “Because I hate breathing fresh air, eating food and drinking clean water I’m with #australiansforcoal #auspol” But industry sources say that with 500,000 page views and more than 35,000 emails sent from the site in support of the industry, the online green army “missed the marketing memo about not mentioning your opponent’s brand.”

“It was set up to entice the clicktivists to give it lift off and they did. It couldn’t have played out any better,” a source told Australian Mining.

Ex-Monadelphous manager found guilty of fraud, jailed A former Monadelphous project manager has been found guilty of defrauding the company of $30,000 and been sentenced to 14 months jail.

Bruce Alfred Little had pleaded not guilty to a series of offences alleged to have occurred from mid-July, 2006 to March 16, 2010.

The jury found little used company equipment, workers and a surplus in project budgets to carry out work on a pool and deck at his home, as well as other renovations and odd-jobs.

During the six day trial, Monadelphous employees said they agreed to undertake work at Little’s property “because he was a boss and he asked me”.

Costs were charged back to a contract Monadelphous had with Queensland Alumina Limited at the time.

The Crown estimates the total value of the defrauding to total more than $52,000, which includes more than $34,000 in labour costs.

Little had a conviction recorded against him and was sentenced to three years imprisonment, to be suspended after 14 months.

Maules Creek mine offsets package given green light Whitehaven Coal said the Department of Environment has cleared it of any wrongdoing amid claims the company’s Maules Creek biodiversity offsets package was based on false and misleading information.

Australian Mining gets the latest news every day, providing mining professionals with the up to the minute information on safety, news and technology for the Australian mining and resources industry.

Two independent reviews conducted on behalf of activist group Lock the Gate found the land purchased by the mining company to compensate for the removal of box gum trees does not provide ‘like for like’ habitat and were said to be completely different ecosystems.

The most recent review by ecologist, John Hunter, said only one of 53 sites surveyed “was likely to fulfil the criteria of the critically endangered ecological community determination”.

Those against the development of the mine said the reports showed it should not be allowed go ahead.

In an announcement yesterday, Whitehaven said an independent review of its offset package found it was fully compliant the project’s approval conditions.

The company said it welcomed news from the Environment Department that inquiries into allegations the Maules Creek offsets package was based on false and misleading information have been finalised, and that no further action will be taken by the department on the matter.

New production targets at Fortescue Metals Fortescue Metals Group has announced new plans to boost production by 35 per cent over the next quarter.

FMG has recently reached a long-term ore production goal of 155 tonnes per year, thanks to completion of the Kings Valley project, however analysts are concerned about whether the new June targets can be met.

When questioned about the viability of the new

target, CEO Nev Power declared “absolutely it’s realistic”.

Power said that typical mild weather at this time of year will help to increase production.

“The June quarter is always a very strong quarter for us and typically we don’t have any of the major shutdowns through our port assets so we are able to run at sprint rates substantially above (the annual rate of) 155 million tonnes,” he said.

But analysts remain concerned about FMG’s higher iron ore volumes, combined with BHP’s and Rio Tinto’s increased production plans, that this is going to push up supply and place pressure on prices.

Recently the iron ore price has undergone bouts of volatility, leaving analysts with little in the way of consensus on where it will be in the short to medium term, however many suggest the price may fall to $80-$90 per tonne in the next 12 months.

Fortescue has already reduced its debt by US$3.1 billion from a peak of almost $US11 billion in 2012, and increases in production will allow the company to reduce debt by another $2.5 billion.

This will help it to and reach the projected 40 per cent gearing level within the next 18 months, provided that iron ore prices stay between $US110 to $120 per tonne.

New support for mining in Gloucester A new lobby group has formed in the NSW town of Gloucester to challenge the perspective of hard-line, anti-mining protest groups.

Advance Gloucester is a local community group formed to promote and support any commercial enterprises considered to be a benefit to the general population of the town, including mining and exploration.

The group attracted 24 people to its first meeting on April 16, and doubled those numbers at the second.

Advance Gloucester president Bill Williams is a dairy farmer on the Avon River, who said that they are not a pro-mining group, but they do believe that mining is beneficial to the district.

“We believe we can co-exist with mining and we’re only interested in the Gloucester area, we’re not canvassing other areas,” he said.

Williams acknowledged the benefits that mining has brought to the community in the past.

“There are many in our group that often pose the question – what would our heritage be if gold mining wasn’t allowed at Copeland? It attracted newcomers to the area, all keen to make their fortune.”

Another of the founding members, Rod Gloucester, said the group will stand up for farmers and business owners who see the benefit of allowing mining on their property. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA/NORTHERN TERRITORY SPOTLIGHT

Uranium mine to RESTART operations after tank failure Ranger mine is planning to recommence processing at the site, but some say the operation should shut up shop.

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nergy Resources of Australia’s Ranger uranium mine, located in the Northern Territory, is close to restarting production after the site was closed due to an environmental incident in December.

A leach tank at the site’s processing plant ruptured and collapsed, causing an acidic slurry spill.

The incident forced the shutdown of operations and a massive clean-up at the site, with the Federal Government announcing the mine will not be able to restart production operations without regulatory approval and the go ahead from a joint operation taskforce.

In a statement last month, the company said work to dismantle and remove Leach Tank 1 and its associated infrastructure from the processing area is complete.

ERA said the final cleanup of slurry material has also been completed and plans to get the processing plant prepared to restart will conclude this month.

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permission of Minister for Industry Ian Macfarlane and the Director of the Department of Mines and Energy in the Northern Territory, Victoria Jackson.

An internal investigation into the cause of the incident found the rubber lining inside Leach Tank 1, which is supposed to protect the tank from corrosion, had been damaged as a result of wear from a partially failed baffle inside the tank.

The company found the damaged rubber lining allowed the acidic slurry mixture to come into contact with the tank’s steel wall, which ultimately led to the failure of the tank.

The remaining six leach tanks at the site were emptied and underwent inspections.

ERA said it identified the occurrence of metal fatigue in the baffle supports in Leach Tank 6.

It said while the baffles in Leach Tank 6 were operative, the company decided to redesign and replace the baffle supports in all of the leach tanks before they are returned to service.

Meanwhile the company also said it inspected 1,138

critical assets – defined as an asset which could lead to a significant potential impact on the environment or human safety in the event of failure.

It said seven critical actions were identified before any plant restart can occur including tank inspections and thickness testing for all leach tanks and other processing plant tanks.

The report also recommended a further twentyeight actions to be undertaken on specific assets or systems before they are returned to service, which ERA has committed to implementing.

Further to this, fourtyeight non-critical recommendations were made which the company said it will implement in the six to twelve months after the processing plant restarts.

ERA said ongoing monitoring had confirmed the surrounding area had not been affected by the tank failure and containment systems worked as designed to protect Kakadu National Park.

The investigation by ERA is separate to the one being undertaken by the governmentled special taskforce, which has not yet delivered its findings.

Anti-uranium activists are calling for ERA to abandon its work at the site, including plans to forge ahead with an underground mine.

“Instead of accepting the inevitable and cleaning up and exiting, and having a staged and a costed and managed rehabilitation of the Ranger site, ERA is increasingly desperate and is chasing the illusion of dollars by going underground with the Ranger 3-Deep project,” Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Dave Sweeney said.

ERA has previously said it will not develop the underground mine without the consent of traditional owners, the Mirrar people.

However the Gundjeihmi Corporation, which represents the Mirarr people, are waiting for the regulator’s response.

“It would be premature to consider (ERA’s) the statement as conclusive,” spokesperson Justin O’Brien said.

In a speech to shareholders at ERA’s annual general meeting, CEO Andrea Sutton said the company was committed to restoring trust with the Gundjeihmi Corporation.

“This is an important relationship to ERA and while there is no doubt that the leach tank incident interrupted our engagement with the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, we do continue to engage on a range of matters of mutual interest,” Sutton said.

She said protection of the environment was a priority for ERA and that in conjunction with its own monitoring work, the Australian Government’s supervising scientist also closely monitors the impact of uranium mining on the environment and people in the Alligator Rivers region.

“Results from statutory monitoring programmes in 2013 showed that ERA continued to protect the surrounding environment. Our performance has been confirmed by the Supervising Scientists Division, which stated in its 2012-2013 annual report that the environment remained protected during this period,” she said.

“This has been a serious incident, but I would like to acknowledge the efforts of our employees in responding safely to the incident and ensuring no one was injured.” www.miningaustralia.com.au

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA/NORTHERN TERRITORY SPOTLIGHT

On the road for a massive new iron ore mine Iron Road’s Central Eyre Iron project in South Australia is set to provide the state with a much needed magnetite boost.

Vicky Validakis reports.

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he South Australian mining industry has not had the smoothest run of late with a spate of mine closures and the deferral of major projects sending shockwaves through the industry.

But a mid-level explorer with a massive iron ore deposit in the Eyre Peninsula is turning heads as the scope of its proposed project, and what it can offer the SA economy, becomes apparent.

If all goes to plan, Iron Road’s Central Eyre Iron Project could be generating revenue worth more than SA’s wheat, beer or wine sales combined, a massive $3.3 billion.

The company recently released its $US100 million

definitive feasibility study and say the mine has a 25year life span and the potential to produce 21.5 million tonnes of iron ore a year.

Iron Road said the project will require 2000 workers for its construction and 700 to run the mine.

The development will include a 6km long, 600m deep open cut mine plus associated processing infrastructure, a 148 kilometre railway, and a deep water port with a 70 million tonne capacity.

Designated a major development by South Australia’s Labor government, the mine now needs partners to help with its $4 billion price tag, but with a high quality product and solid credentials, the company is confident it can

Site of the proposed port, Cape Hardy.

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The proposed mine site near Wudinna, South Australia.

get the project up and running.

High quality product

Environmental regulations have tightened in Asian markets, particularly China, in response to pollution and energy consumption concerns and this drive for higher quality material is expected to bode well for CEIP, the company’s managing director Andrew Stocks said.

While most Australian magnetite projects produce very fine grained products more suitable for the pellet feed market, Iron Road has chosen the larger north Asian sinter feed market as the main target for the relatively coarse CEIP concentrate.

“And this is key to understanding why this project is what it is,” Stocks explained.

With a 67 per cent iron ore concentrate that has low phosphorous, sulphur, silica and alumina content, a price premium of $6 per tonne will be placed on the ore.

Moreover, the move also improves the project’s cost profile and acts to minimise risk and price volatility.

“The finer you go the more power you use,” Stocks explained.

“Grinding at 130 micron makes a huge difference to power consumption and costs

associated with the plant both from a capital and equipment side and operating side.

“It also makes a huge difference in the handling of materials.”

Stocks said exporting a coarser but higher quality concentrate will help to keep costs down and expose the product to a bigger market.

“We spent a lot of time looking at our market and a lot of time talking to steel mills to see if what we’re proposing really is desirable to a steel maker.

“We want to produce something that people are really going to want.”

In order to prove the product could be sintered Iron Road has undertaken extensive commercial scale test work that indicates that for typical Chinese sinter blends, CEIP concentrate could be successfully substituted for up to 30 per cent of Pilbara or Brazilian fines.

It also showed the CEIP concentrate would be substituted for high grade domestic Chinese concentrate in the sintering and pelletising process.

“In every case we could substitute the other iron ores on a one for one basis, that is take a tonne of Pilbara ore out and put a tonne of Central Eyre in,” Stocks explained.

Stocks said there was also a slight reduction in fuel and a corresponding increase in productivity when replacing Pilbara ore.

“So we may end up displacing some Pilbara ore with this,” Stocks said.

And although iron ore prices have taken a tumble of late, Stocks said the project’s costing are based on a $112 a tonne spot price.

He also said predictions of huge falls and oversupply coming on the iron ore market are overstated, and based on the assumption that all iron ore will come onto the market at the same time.

“If we see someone saying iron ore will be $80 a tonne, I guarantee he believes every ounce of iron ore will be coming on as fast as the proponents say it will come on,” Stocks said.

“It will not come on as fast as people are saying.”

With half the world’s iron ore supply coming from three companies, and Australia producing half the world’s iron ore needs, Stocks said customers are looking for competitiveness.

“Customers want diversity; they don’t like that because if these guys start acting together there’s a monopoly that will keep the price artificially high.” www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Infrastructure

In developing the project, Stocks said it is important to implement technologies already being used at other sites but to also make them work at CEIP. “This is not a proving ground for some engineer that’s got a hobby,” he said.

“We are taking what people are already doing and being smarter about it.”

To this end, upgrading tried and tested processes was a key feature of the DFS and will work to keep both construction and operating costs down.

Stand outs of this approach include using modularisation, in pit conveying and crushing, and a unique processing plant.

All the major processing infrastructure at the site will be built and commissioned as modules overseas and shipped to the site.

Not only will this help to cut costs, it will also prove a de-risking tool for the project.

Project manager Aaron Deans explained modularisation also proved a good fit for the area logistically.

Samples of the ore. www.miningaustralia.com.au

“We’re very fortunate here,” he said.

“We don’t have the bridges, and we’ve got two power lines we need to address but we’re already in discussions with the authorities to jack those up to give us the clearance we need to come underneath.”

This means transport restrictions in the places like the Pilbara don’t apply to CEIP which will be able to import ship loads weighing more than 2000t at heights of up to 40 metres.

Deans conceded that while modularisation did help to keep construction dollars down, the main advantage was that it cut risks.

With the processing plant being commissioned at the yard where it is built, any issues can be fixed there instead of on the CEIP site.

“We’re de-risking the schedule quite significantly,” Deans said.

“If you think in terms of normal construction activities, you do your earthworks program, your concrete, bring your mechanical guys on, start standing steel, and then load your mechani-

cal equipment in. Then you power on and commission it.

“We can actually be doing all those mechanical works, fitting it out electrically, and be commissioning the plant while we’re still running an earthworks program and installing concrete.”

Instead of relying on one plant, three processing plants will be built next to each other, creating flexibility in the case of breakdowns, maintenance issues, or realigns.

Being built vertically also means gravity is utilised, eliminating the need for an extra 70 to 80 pumps.

Further efficiencies at the site will be found with the use of in pit crushing and conveying, which is set to slash diesel costs.

“We’re being smart in the way processing works in order to cut fuel and operating costs,” Stocks said.

Further to this, the mine will decrease its footprint by combining waste rock and tailings in a single area.

Belt filters will receive coarse and fine tailings from the process facility and reduce the retained moisture content to 10 per cent. The filtered tailings, turned to a paste consistency, are then delivered together with waste rock to the designated storage area by conveyor and dispersed from mobile stackers.

“The innovations at the project are around how things have been packaged and put together for efficient outcomes,” Deans explained.

national commodities trader for third party access.

Stocks said the option of connecting its railway with the Australian Rail Network opens up the port to huge area of the country.

“We say it’s an investment enabler and it is,” he said.

“We get people all the time that come to see us about some business case they’ve got that just doesn’t quite get over the hurdles.”

This could also include other resource companies who are struggling to get their minerals to port, or who have to undertake logistically challenging processes to do so.

Construction of the port is simple with pylons used to support the modularised parts of the deck, which come complete with all the pipework and just need bolting into place.

Stocks said the port is expandable, with a modularised off-loading facility meaning the company will receive consumables and also have the ability to receive and send containers.

Stocks said he is not concerned with the amount of proposed ports being “bandied about” in the area.

With no dredging required, and not being at the mercy of bad weather, Stocks said Iron Road’s logistical plans had scope and scale.

“You need scale to build these things – and we have the scale to build it,” he said.

Rail and port

Working with the community is a big part of the mine’s profile, and has been helped along with the employment of Wudinna shire ex-mayor and local farmer Tim Scholz as the community engagement adviser “The company has always said they want to be part of the community,” Scholz explained.

Scholz said the community is mostly supportive of the mine and the economic value it can bring, however sticking points include the six landowners who will be displaced by the mine itself, and the 42 landowners af-

As part of the mine’s development, ore will be transported by a newly built 148km railway line to a port earmarked for Cape Hardy on the Spencer Gulf.

The hope is that the rail line, coupled with what is set to be the only capsize facility in the peninsula, will work together to open up the centre of Australia.

The port will have an initial capacity of 70 million tonnes per annum, but this can be ramped up, with the company already signing a memorandum of understanding with a large inter-

What’s next?

Iron Road says the project stacks up.

fected along the railway route.

Talks to fund the project and find partners and takeoff agreements will get underway now that the DFS is complete.

These talks are centre around countries like China, Japan or South Korea, and may seem like a big ask in current down-turn in greenfield projects.

However, with a bullish and straight talking Stocks at the helm, you get the feeling this project will indeed stick to its word and get ore to port, a job 10 long years in the making.

Australian Mining was a guest of Iron Road.

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA/NORTHERN TERRITORY SPOTLIGHT

Cutting costs with X-ray vision X-Ray technology has been available to geologists for years, but now more than ever exploration companies need to employ every opportunity to save on drilling, assays and time. Ben Hagemann talks to Adelaide Resources and Olympus to find out how a hand-held device can meet that need.

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arlier this year new copper-gold exploration targets were successfully defined on the Yorke Penninsula using technology that reduces exploration costs to a fraction of conventional sampling techniques.

Adelaide Resources Limited managing director Chris Drown said the x-ray based technology, referred to as ‘FPXRF’, was instrumental in the definition of new geological anomalies near the company’s Alford West copper gold prospect, near Moonta in South Australia.

Drown said the FPXRF allowed Adelaide Resources to locate and completely delineate a new target zone, called ‘Blue Tongue’ in a single week during December 2013.

FPXRF stands for Field Portable X-Ray Fluorescence, which can be easily and quickly brought to the field to analyse surface soils for concentrations of metals without the need for costly soil sampling and assay processes.

“Our FPXRF survey around the Alford West prospect now comprises in excess of 10,400 samples sites, sampled in 55 man days, for a total cost of $35,000,” Drown said.

“If we did the survey using conventional soil sampling and assaying techniques, the cost for 10,400 samples would be in excess of $560,000 – and take over 300 days to complete.”

“In Adelaide Resources’ case, this has added approximately 2000 strike metres of new drill targets to the FPXRF survey around Alford West, in addition to the 3500 metre long target zone originally defined in a 1970s auger geochemistry program.

Drown said the potential of this new technology is being rapidly recognised by 14

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Adelaide Resources has cut assay costs by using FPXRF.

explorers and minerals project developers.

Andrew Taylor from Olympus knows the benefits of XRF technology all too well, which is why Olympus bought out Innov-X to produce the DELTA-50.

“It’s a hand held XRF device, a miniature analyser, in layman’s terms it’s got an x-ray tube, and it excites the atoms within the material, in this case core sample, and they give off a characteristic response,” Taylor said.

“Effectively it can determine an elemental breakdown of pretty much anything, if you stick it on soil it’s going to tell you how much iron, chrome, nickel, uranium, anything like that which is in the sample, and if you stick it on a piece of stainless steel you’ll get the same thing, a reading of the percentages of different elements within the material.

“For the way Adelaide Resources are using it, for

mineral exploration, they’re trying to find a mineral deposit whether that’s gold or copper, and essentially you can stick the analyser directly on the ground out in the field, perform the analysis and get an on-the-spot reading, as opposed to taking soil samples which then need to be trucked back to the city to be assayed in a lab.”

The most important thing is that the FPXRF device lets geologists make decisions about where to drill without waiting for assayed sample results to come back from the lab, which is extremely expensive financially and for wasted time.

This saving on the number of samples that need to be assayed extends to drilling as well, as the FPXRF technology can be used by geologists to read sample as it comes out of the ground, whether it’s rock or air-core.

After such precise field measurements of the miner-

als and elements present onsite, only the most relevant samples need to be sent for assaying.

“They can save a lot of money when it comes to drilling, they can be analysing the material coming up from the drill, and they can work out straight away when they’re expecting to hit an ore body, and if they hit nothing they can move on and save the thousands of dollars that might have been spent on drilling further, and if it looks like they’re still in the ore body they can keep on going even if that wasn’t planned, saving on pulling up the rig and drilling more later on,” Taylor said.

The Olympus Delta also has a range of optional extras that make life easier, including an extension arm with controls that forgoes the need for geologists and field assistants from having to bend over constantly to take readings, an obvious

benefit when it comes to occupational health and safety for workers.

The device can also be hooked up to the Olympus Xplorer package, which enables wireless connectivity between the XRF unit and Trimble DGPS equipment, which enables rapid targeting and real-time geochemical mapping, taking a lot of the time out of data analysis and interpretation.

The FPXRF technology has been around for nearly 20 years, according to Taylor, but it’s only in the last five years that sales of the device have really taken off in mineral exploration.

“Initially it may have taken a while to get the older geologists to come around, it seemed like they didn’t think you needed a device like that, but these days there are a lot of proven case studies that have made people comfortable with trusting these machines.” www.miningaustralia.com.au

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA/NORTHERN TERRITORY SPOTLIGHT

Living amongst the leach tanks Opinion

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ack before the GFC I was a newly fledged rigger, and perhaps a little naïve to the ways of operational mine sites, let alone what things would be like at Ranger.

But I’d done a few shutdowns before, including the furnace floor rebuild at the smelter in Kambalda, and was very keen to be sent up to see the Northern Territory and get paid at the same time.

Being Adelaidian, my blood is too thick for such heady northern climes, the steamy regions beyond the tropic of Capricorn.

Given the choice, I tend to prefer my air desert-dry, so the wall of humidity that met me at the doorway of the Darwin airport was like an atmospheric quagmire; to breathe it seemed much more viscous than usual.

It was January – Welcome to the tropics.

The job was to clean out one of the CCD (Counter-Current Decantation) tanks, ready for inspecting and repairing the rubber lining, and to change impellers on the pumps underneath.

A CCD tank is like an enormous, open-topped butter churn, but rather than bovine squeezings the tank is filled with a mixture of milled ore, water, some kind of flocculant (guar gum, maybe) and sulphuric acid.

If I remember correctly, the acid comes from the leach tanks where the ore sits for a while so that the uranium can dissolve into solution, then that solution is decanted in the CCD tank with the help of flocculant, turning the whole lot into a big, bubbly, radioactive milkshake.

Of all the tanks only one of them was shut down so that we could do maintenance, and judging by the look of them, we were the first guys to take on this job in a very long time.

Once drained, the tank was one or two feet deep in the extremely heavy ore slurry and the arms were piled with sulphur sediment, hard as sandstone.

We needed to disconnect the pumps below and hose all the sludge down the drainhole in the middle, a task that we were instructed to do with process water.

Now, process water… little did I know that’s the water that was used to “process” the ore… duh.

This means the water contained traces of the uranium in solution, 16

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Ben Hagemann recounts his time at Energy Resources of Australia’s Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory.

Counter-Current-Decantation can make for a very messy shutdown.

fully dissolved and ready to soak into porous, human skin.

Although we wore gumboots, long gloves and faceshields, naturally we wound up completely soaked after a few minutes of waving a two inch fire hose on high pressure, trying in vain to get the dense rock sediment to lift up and go down the drain.

It took four weeks to clean one tank, and that included digging out the gutter around the top of the tank from a scissor lift, as well as smashing all the piled up sulphur residue off the enormous arms of the churn (crawling around the lattice structure with a gympie hammer, bashing our way through and getting covered in the yellow muck).

If this sounds like a horrifying degree of physical contact with some very noxious material, you’d be right.

It was about two weeks into the job that management finally got around to giving us our radiation inductions.

There I learned that the water with which I’d been soaking myself was actually radioactive, and you shouldn’t let it get on your skin!

We couldn’t know the degree of radiation we faced, as we weren’t is-

sued with personal radiation monitors (not necessary for shutdown crews, we were told) but workers would reassure us that it wasn’t much.

The next week I took myself to the radiation lab during lunch, where the radiation officers expressed bemusement, then horror when I told them that the grey material all over my shirt was ore.

A quick sweep with the scintillometer revealed slow ticking over my body, which was reassuring, but my leather boots crackled like static on a black and white TV. They were, as they say in the uranium game, “hot”, and were promptly discarded and replaced with a fresh pair from the stores, along with a full complement of new socks.

Since then friends have asked me if I gained any super powers in that tank.

Although I was offered more work at Ranger, I couldn’t get back to Perth fast enough.

Let alone the forgetfulness of management when it came to educating a shutdown crew about the full extent of radioactive hazards, Ranger’s production plant was in pretty bad shape, even to my uneducated eye – It was like the mine that time forgot.

There was gridmesh rusted out, full of holes in some spots, so you really had to watch your step on the stairs and catwalks, not to mention the rotted-out, RSJ beams, steel nearly two inches thick you could push a screwdriver through.

I guess that’s what happens when you have sulphuric acid fumes mixing with the sultry, jungle atmosphere – It rots the steel away from under you.

I don’t know whether the site was under-maintained or not, but the fact that a leach tank actually busted open and spilled a full load of radioactive acid slurry last year is a pretty bad sign.

It’s good that ERA is replacing the baffle supports in all the leach tanks, but that kind of corrosion incident points to the prospect that the Ranger plant will be up for a lot more maintenance than that.

It makes me wonder what could happen if ERA were allowed to start a new mine expansion?

Would they look after it? Or would it simply rot away over the years, mismanaged and scraping by on the barest minimum of maintenance?

What do I know? I’m just a simple rigger. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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FINANCE

MINERS AND BUSINESS join force in the Philippines

The failure of the Philippine Government to act on its mining industry is stifling investment and putting the sector at risk. Chris Kennedy writes for Australian Mining.

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ustralia is recognised as one of the most technologically advanced mining nations in the world.

So it is no surprise that it has been making closer ties with nations that are very prospective but not as technically advanced, such as Mongolia, and the Philippines.

A recent visit by Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop, to the Philippines was foreshadowed by a position paper put together by the Australian Philippines Business Council, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other various eminent stakeholders.

In this rare show of co-operation the paper shows a very unhappy view of the mining industry in the Philippines, unless there is government intervention by the Congress and the President of the Philippines.

Adding to the gloomy picture is the Fraser Institutes’ recent international mining survey showing the Philippines in the bottom ten countries as far as jurisdiction for investment in mining goes.

Since 2010, the Philippines attracted AU$6.3 billion in FDI, Vietnam with AU$23.8 billion, Thailand with four times that of the Philippines at AU$25.5 billion, Malaysia with AU$31.4 billion and Indonesia, almost 10 times that of the Philippines, at AU$53 billion.

The position paper addressed the following situations such as: • Revenue-Sharing Bill • Integrated Land Use Management • Policy Process and Progress • Honouring Treaties and Contracts 18

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In the Philippines, Presidential Executive Order 79 was issued in July 2012 with a view of “institutionalising and implementing reforms in the Philippine mining sector, providing policies and guidelines to ensure environmental protection and responsible mining in the utilisation of mineral resources.”

The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRRs) to EO 79 were issued in September 2012. Section 7 thereof states that no new mineral agreements shall be entered into until legislation by Congress, rationalising existing revenue sharing and mechanisms, shall have taken effect.

Despite significant engagement with external bodies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP), the Philippine Government has not yet implemented a revised revenue-sharing mechanism.

As a result, minerals development in the Philippines has stalled.

Delays to the issuances of new exploration and mining permits are resulting in a damaging climate of uncertainty for domestic and foreign mining investment in the Philippines.

According to the paper, a proposed regime in the mining industry for the Philippines desires to meet the following criteria: is internationally competitive, thereby encouraging investments in the Philippines’ mineral resource industry; enables the country to realise its resource potential; achieves an equitable share of proceeds between government and investors; delivers a higher and steady revenue stream to government; is progressive in nature; and is streamlined,

enabling government to collect revenues in an efficient and transparent manner.

However recent well-sourced media reports, buoyed by government statements, suggest that the Philippine Government is considering a revised tax regime that would increase government’s share even further compared to the existing regimes, and result in the Philippines being even more uncompetitive internationally.

The current fiscal regime is already onerous for investors by international standards.

Further, the gross revenue-based revised model now being proposed by the government is even more unreasonable as it implies that revenue be surrendered even when losses are made.

If the reports are accurate, then there seems to be an effort to delay mineral developments beyond the existing operations.

In the meantime, illegal smallscale mining enterprises that do not pay taxes, smuggle production offshore, encourage corruption, harm the natural environment as well as the local community, continue unabated.

For Australia, the Abbott Government recently announced a new approach to determining and managing its foreign aid program based on outcomes.

The government has brought its foreign aid program back under the control of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Abbott Government stated that it is positioning its aid program “to be more effective, efficient, with a focus on our region and aligned

with our national interests.”

It continues by saying that “the program will promote economic development with a focus on aid for trade.”

This is akin to evaluating what is effective aid, which considers the circumstances where a sovereign nation has the asset base and capability to help itself yet does not avail itself of what some might consider as a ‘godgiven gift’.

Australian investors in the offshore minerals sector are broadly supportive of this position.

Players in the mining industry are not advocating for a decrease in existing Australian offshore aid, but rather an alignment.

In this context, Australia’s foreign aid support for managing tragic natural and humanitarian disaster events in the Philippines like Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) should be commended, and maintained. This high level of support for disaster assistance and relief has been clearly proven by the manner in which the mining industry swung into action in the immediate period after the typhoon.

In this regard, the mining industry urges the Australian Government to provide expertise, continuing training, equipment, and other resources to the Philippine Government to bolster the disaster and emergency capability of the government.

Apart from its declared intention of “rationalising existing revenue sharing and mechanisms,” EO 79 formalised the Aquino Administration’s position on the superiority of national laws and policies over local www.miningaustralia.com.au

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ordinances that ban mining, enhanced government’s control over mineral resources, decreed improvements in the regulation of small-scale mining activities and mandated stiffer penalties for mining-related offences. However, while EO 79 was clear in its recognition of existing mining tenement rights, the future of the mining industry remains unclear.

This is in large part due to EO 79’s expansion of the areas closed to mining and the moratorium on new mining agreements.

It appears that this will continue to be the case until a new revenuesharing scheme is passed by the national legislature and the creation of a new inter-agency body tasked to review the performance of existing mining operations, in addition to a number of multi-partite monitoring groups having the same functions.

The position paper urged the Australian Government to share its experiences and expertise, and provide funding to address outstanding issues including: land use management and the development of a more effective process to determine “no go” zones; the process surrounding national wealth valuation planning; the training and funding for successful and efficient interaction with IPs for FPIC and land access; a refreshed and new approach to foreign aid with a link to Australian interests and trade outcomes; continuing assistance to and capacity-building of the Philippine Government in humanitarian disaster relief; and ongoing pursuit by the Philippines of EITI membership.

It has been more than a year and the Philippine Government has not firmed up the revenue-sharing scheme.

This put on hold a considerable number of projects in an uncertain investment environment.

With the exception of the forma-

tion of the Mining Industry Coordinating Committee (MICC) and the Philippines’ EITI, government action on the other “action items” enumerated in EO 79 and its IRRs has been slow, if not absent.

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To date:

• The Philippine Government’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DEN) and Climate Change Commission have not finalised a “no-go zones” map for mining applications, despite this being marked for “immediate implementation perhaps because of the wrong framework.”

• There has been no action to expedite the cultural mapping and delineation of Indigenous People’s areas, and the continuing grant of Certificate of Ancestral Land Titles or Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles even in government areas has added problems.

• Despite circulation of a draft, no real progress has been made on the drafting of a new revenue-sharing bill.

There is paucity of consultations with stakeholders and consideration of the independently-verifiable data in respect of what a competitive fiscal regime would be, which the stakeholders have painstakingly put together and provided to the Philippine Government in the formulation of the new revenue-sharing regime.

• There is slow progress in the DENR in reviewing tenurial applications that have been denied in the implementation of regulation reforming the Tenement Mining System, but which were appealed by the applicant.

• Informal and illegal small-scale mining operations continue unabated, damaging the natural environment, as well as evading taxes, and depriving government of revenues from the Philippines mineral wealth.

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Minerals development in the Philippines has stalled. www.miningaustralia.com.au

AustralianMining

May 2014

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PRODUCTIVITY

Workers’ comp needs real reform, not

‘RED TAPE’ FIDDLING The Abbott Government’s pledge to remove red tape may do workers more harm than good. Sasha Holley and Ray Markey report.

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rime Minister Tony Abbott’s “biggest bonfire of regulation in our country’s history” will allow some organisations to opt out of state compensation schemes and instead operate under the Commonwealth’s scheme, Comcare.

This change is likely to be counterproductive in an already messy system and has the potential to further undermine the viability and fairness of workers’ compensation arrangements in Australia.

Workers’ compensation does need regulatory reform.

It needs real, ‘big picture’ reform, not piecemeal cuts or politicking.

The government is claiming the planned changes will save employers $32.8 million per year in compliance costs, but at the same time workers’ compensation costs appear to be shifting from the state to taxpayers, workers and their families.

Cost shifting arises from two key problems with current workers’ compensation arrangements. First, the negative consequences of regulatory duplication and inconsistency. Second, the impact of financial pressures on the ability of schemes to meet their primary objectives.

Regulatory duplication

Presently, separate workers’ compensation schemes exist across Australia’s nine jurisdictions. This poses an important regulatory burden on firms operating in multiple states. Each scheme has different coverage, injured worker entitlements, scheme governance and business models, employer reporting requirements, claims excess arrangements, and employer premium rates. Their data capture and reporting pro20

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cesses also differ, making it impossible to compare raw injury data and claims performance across jurisdictions in a meaningful way. The repeal will not change this.

Even firms operating in only one jurisdiction are subject to unnecessary regulatory burdens. Governments compete against each other, taking turns in tweaking and reforming their systems to continually reduce premium rates for employers and modify flexible arrangements such as self-insurance.

The high price of low cost

Competition among schemes on employer costs assumes that lower premium rates improve business prospects and jobs (albeit with no evidence of employers relocating to minimise workers compensation premiums).

Pressure on governments to have lower than average premium rates has seen those with higher rates politicised as inefficient and ineffective.

Little attention is directed to the different protections those jurisdictions may offer injured workers. The result is the inevitable “ratcheting down” of premium rates around Australia.

Premium reductions are appropriate responses to reduced administrative costs, improved governance and advances in health and safety performance. However, our report looking at changes to NSW’s compensation legislation suggests reductions can also be made by eroding the protections available under the scheme.

NSW workers’ compensation reforms

The NSW government’s latest workers’ compensation scheme reforms were prompt-

ed by a 2011 actuarial deficit estimated at A$4.1 billion.

The deficit was attributed equally to the impacts of the 2008 global financial crisis on scheme investments, the discount rate used for actuarial estimation, and the expected increase in future liabilities for payments to long-term, seriously injured workers.

The government determined the deficit had to be eliminated quickly. Premium increases were unacceptable. Instead, the reforms sought to truncate the “tail end” of scheme liabilities by ejecting the majority of long-term injured workers from the system.

The changes eliminated or severely restricted access to weekly and medical compensation for many work-related injuries and illnesses. Furthermore, insurers are now unilaterally able to decide an injured worker’s capacity to earn a hypothetical income from a job that need not exist, and reduce their weekly income accordingly. Accepting legal fees for advising clients about an insurer’s decision was also made illegal.

Together the NSW reforms not only managed to eliminate the $4 billion deficit in less than 12 months, but also enabled further reductions in NSW employer premiums of 7.5 per cent in June 2013 and another 5 per cent in January 2014. These came on top of an accumulated 33 per cent reduction in premiums since 2005.

Who ultimately pays?

Our report for Unions NSW found reducing employer premiums and eroding systems of support for injured workers externalises the human and financial costs associated with poor work health and

safety performance. That is, it transfers costs from employers to injured workers.

Without personal resources or family support, these workers can then be left to depend on a Centrelink disability support pension. Similarly Medicare provides a crucial safety net when compensation schemes (and private health insurers) refuse to cover ongoing medical treatment for work-related injuries. Together, these federally funded systems are subsidising premium reductions in workers’ compensation schemes.

Health minister Peter Dutton recently cited a 124 per cent increase in Medicare costs over the last decade, calling the trend “unsustainable”. Social services minister Kevin Andrews made a similar statement with respect to “this relentless growth in [welfare] recipient numbers’. Yet the impact of cost shifting from workers” compensation systems remains unacknowledged.

In order to draw a direct line to increased welfare costs, more information is

required. Broad quantitative data on scheme collections and expenditure, return to work, welfare and Medicare expenditure, along with specific case studies of individuals will help researchers establish the extent of cost shifting in the future.

Drift to failure

If government ministers are serious about reducing unnecessary regulatory duplication, they will focus on delivering nationally consistent arrangements. The recent efforts to harmonise WHS legislation was an important step in the right direction for ensuring the health and safety of workers and provides a clear example of what needs to be done.

It is time for a serious conversation in Australia about the value we place on workers and their health and safety.

Sasha Holley and Ray Markey work with The Centre for Workforce Futures.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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PRODUCTIVITY

The X-ray revolution in core sampling The sale of a revolutionary rock sampling technology has shaken up the oil and gas sector.

U

NSW engineers believed from the outset the technology they were developing would transform the way oil and gas giants did core analysis – a crucial step in the assessment of oil and gas development projects.

So confident in the technology’s potential were the researchers from the School of Petroleum Engineering and their colleagues at ANU that several borrowed money to invest in bringing it to market.

Their belief was rewarded in February when the spin-off company – Canberra based Lithicon AS – was bought by US firm FEI for A$76 million.

For Professor Val Pinczewski, the sale capped more than a decade of work by an ‘inventor group’ of professors, postdoctoral fellows and PhD students led by himself and ANU counterpart Professor Mark Knackstedt.

The buyout generated

Rock samples are x-rayed to determine oil and gas levels.

$4 million for UNSW and $11 million for ANU, as well as returns for the inventor group, which owns part of the intellectual property

The sample is imaged in high-resolution 3D.

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(IP) in addition to personal stakes in Lithicon.

The IP was divided equally among the team, says Petroleum Engineering’s Head of School Professor Christoph Arns.

Pinczewski adds: “All of those people received a return based on the fact they had some of the IP and most of them also invested in the various tranches the company went through.”

For UNSW Deputy ViceChancellor (Research) Professor Les Field, the Lithicon sale was a textbook case of technology transfer from lab to industry.

“It’s a good idea with sound underpinning of science and technology,” he says.

“But getting ideas into industry is about more than just having an idea. We not only needed the technical expertise but also some substantial business and business engagement skills.”

Kevin Cullen, the head of UNSW’s commercialisation company, NewSouth Innovations (NSi), agrees. It was NSi’s business development, contacts and negotiating

nous that laid the commercial foundations for the sale.

“You can put the technology out there, subject to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and you have to hope for the best,” says Cullen. “It’s always a rocky road, but it was one where we could see a route to commercial success.”

Rocking out

Oil and gas exploration and production is expensive and high risk.

When companies find places they think might contain oil or gas, they drill an exploration well to get a better idea of what lies below the surface. These fields or reservoirs can be hundreds of kilometres off the coast and lie in hundreds of metres of water.

To drill a well costs upwards of tens of millions of dollars.

Rock samples from the well are brought back to the surface for analysis. These are known as core samples, and are cylinders of rock that are centimetres in diameter and can run from 10cm to tens of metres in length.

“Conventionally what operators do is send those

samples of rock for laboratory analysis. That costs tremendous amounts of money, particularly if you’re working offshore,” Pinczewski says.

“We also take rock samples but we image them at very high resolution in 3D and then we use those images to compute the sort of properties that conventionally people measure in the lab.”

Effectively, what the technology does is X-ray rock samples to work out how much oil and gas they contain and how quickly it can be recovered.

One of Lithicon’s key selling points is that it doesn’t need much rock to get great results.

Pinczewski says rock samples as small as one cubic millimetre – an “order of magnitude” smaller than a typical core sample – can be used. This alone could save operators millions of dollars.

Running deep

UNSW and ANU initially spun out the technology in 2009 through a start-up called Digitalcore. The company later merged with a Norwegian firm, Numerical Rocks AS, and was rebranded Lithicon.

“What people don’t know is that Numerical Rocks is also a company that was formed by a UNSW graduate who was my first PhD student working in this area,” Pinczewski says. “The two companies that merged to form Lithicon both had their roots at UNSW.” NSi’s Cullen says the merger with Numerical Rocks was a turning point in the company’s fortunes, setting it on a commercial trajectory that ultimately led to the FEI buyout.

However Lithicon owes its success to a confluence of factors.

Arns believes it was having the right mix of technology, timing and personnel.

“We had a whole group www.miningaustralia.com.au

ng

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PRODUCTIVITY

of people working on the same challenge from different angles,” he says. Arns admits there was an element of “luck” in having the right people available at the right time to come together for the project. “Once you have that, you have to make it work, and we did.”

Cullen believes the key was tapping into specific industry skillsets. “The best commercialisation works when you leverage your networks, friends and alumni,” he says. “We don’t know everything about every sector.”

He also backs NSi’s commercial nous.

“It’s about creating con- Samples as small as one cubic millimetre can be analysed. ditions where serendipity can work.” nology. I think there were a ment of the technology over Professor Field, mean- couple of stages where we the past seven years. while, sees UNSW’s invest- were wondering how much It didn’t go unnoticed. ment acumen as a driving money it was going to take to Much larger rivals to Lithifactor. get Lithicon into the league con began circling with their “What universities often where it could get a foothold own similar products. do is seed technology to get it in the industry.”

“We were competing to the stage where somebody Lithicon more than suc- with some of the world’s else can take it to the world,” ceeded in achieving that biggest companies to get this he says. “We’ll invest up to foothold. A consortium of technology into the market,” a certain A M 0 5level 1 4 but _ 0 we’re 0 0 _ not P r o oil d uand c t gas i goliaths 1 has 2 0been 1 4 - 0Pinczewski 4 - 1 7 T 1 says.

0 : 3 6“We’re : 3 2 + going to bankroll the tech- funding ongoing develop- talking about Fortune 500

better – than groups that private companies can put together to develop cuttingedge technological products,” he says.

Imagining the future

companies, and we managed to do it first.”

Pinczewski believes the technology may not have come to fruition if it hadn’t been incubated in a university environment.

“In Australia we have such good universities and people that we can put tothat are every 1gether 0 : 0 groups 0 bit as good – and in my view,

Lithicon’s new owner, FEI, plans to further develop the core technology and apply it to markets outside oil and gas – something Field sees as the next step in the technology’s evolution.

“One of the nice things about this work is that it opens up many more potential applications than the analysis of rock cores,” Field says.

“For example, you can imagine this being used in the biomedical industry to look into the internal structure of bone or biological samples.

“I think there are a lot of different things that we are going to see as valuable offshoots from this into the future. The potential applications are open to imagination.”

This article originally appeared in full in UNSW’s Uniken magazine.

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AustralianMining

May 2014

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MINING SCAMS

Australian Industry and Lifestyle Exhibitions: mining expo no shows A

ustralian Industry and Lifestyle Exhibitions and its owner John Webb are in the spotlight once more over alleged claims of dodgy dealings regarding mining exhibitions.

The Singleton Mining OH&S Expo has been postponed for the sixth time in over a year while the Brisbane Mining Exhibition, which was advertised to run on the same dates of 14-16 March 2014, did not go ahead either.

Exhibitors claim John Webb has no intention of going ahead with either shows, or the other many being advertised around the country.

The Brisbane Mining Expo was originally scheduled to run on 6th8th August 2013, but was postponed by Webb who said the show will be moved to the RNA Showgrounds, Brisbane.

RNA told Australian Mining there was no exhibition booked for March.

Speaking to Webb in February, he said the Brisbane Expo was on track to run in March, stating it would be held at Logan Sports Centre, however that venue told Australian Mining they did not have a booking either.

Webb said his company was in the midst of a sale and blamed this for the lack of readily accessible information online surrounding details about his company’s exhibitions.

He says the Australian Industry and Lifestyle Events website was taken down due to the sale.

Webb shirked responsibility for “misinformation” published on-

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AustralianMining

line by third party websites (such as 10times, Hello Trade and Business Vibes) relating to the dates and locations of mining exhibitions.

But exhibitors who have paid money to exhibit their wares, only to have shows postponed and moved to various locations, aren’t convinced.

One would-be exhibitor said her company had paid $5000 to attend the Brisbane Expo and claims the most recent confusion was a ploy by Webb to retain people’s money.

“We didn’t hear anything from

Many who have paid money to exhibit with Australian Industry and Lifestyle Exhibitions fear the mining shows will never go ahead.

Vicky Validakis reports.

him until eight weeks prior to the Brisbane’s August show and I started trying to contact him or anyone in the company to clarify which convention centre in Brisbane the show was being held at because he had provided two locations on various documentation and websites.

“I thought it unusual that we hadn’t received any information or an exhibitor manual to start ordering requirements and advertising considering the expo was less than eight weeks away.”

The woman said when she spoke to Webb on the phone around six weeks before the August show dates, he assured her the expo was going ahead.

“About an hour later I received an email from his reception’s general email address saying the Brisbane Expo had been postponed,” she said.

“He kept referring to his terms and conditions about postponing whenever he wanted. He told me I couldn’t have my money back because he had already spent it.”

The woman said in August exhibitors arrived at both RNA Showgrounds and the Brisbane Convention Centre expecting the exhibition

to be held, only to find nothing happening.

“Two venues were advertised during the timeframe,” she said.

“He creates confusion and then just wipes the shows. It’s not fair on people who have paid money to be there.”

Another woman said she has had similar dealings with Webb and tried to contact him without success in the weeks leading up to the August show.

After not hearing any information around the August show she started to become suspicious.

“When you Google his name your stomach just lurches,” she said.

In 2009 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found Webb guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct under the Trade Practices Act. Webb was ordered to pay $50,000 in costs, and attend a TPA compliance seminar, after the watchdog found he had misled consumers in claiming former Prime Minister John Howard and then-WA Premier Geoff Gallop supported mining expos he was in charge of promoting.

The woman said she was first www.miningaustralia.com.au

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MINING SCAMS

suspicious of Webb when he requested she pay the full amount for the Brisbane exhibition upfront.

“Up until something like this happens to you, you’re trusting,” she said.

Meanwhile the Singleton Mining OH&S Expo, which was originally slated to be held in August 2012, has been postponed for the sixth time.

Webb told Australian Mining that his customers were aware of terms and conditions in their contracts which stipulates his company: “...has at its sole discretion the right to change the name, Events Venue, Exhibitor’s Stand location Paid exhibitors are yet to see a return on their investment. or size, facilities, dates or timing of the Exhibition. In the event AI&LE for visitors after it was revealed last complex for July, final confirmation changes any aspects of the Exhibi- year the original venue of the Kar- as well as a deposit has not been tion from those represented to the ratha Country Club claimed it had made with the centre.

Exhibitor at the time of acceptance not received a booking for the show.

The Mackay-Bowen Mining & of this contract.”

An online ad says the exhibition Resource Expo is also being adver“In the terms and conditions is due to be held in July this year at tised online to be held on 14-16 of they’ve signed it says that we can Claremont Showgrounds.

May 2014. change the venue and dates,” Webb Talking to an event organiser at However a call to the MacKay said.

Claremont Showgrounds, Australian Entertainment Convention Centre However other exhibitors Aus- Mining was told the exhibition is not reveals there is no booking at this tralian Mining have talked to say booked. venue either. they have received no correspondWebb told Australian Mining the The WA Mining & Engineering ence from Webb around exhibition show will now be held at Leisureplex Exhibition (WAMEX), which compostponements or venue changes. in Karratha. panies have also paid to exhibit at, AThe M 0 Pilbara 3 1 4 _Mining 0 0 0 _& P Resource CM 1 2Australian 0 1 4 - 0 2Mining - 1 9 Tunderstands 1 2 : 0 3 : 5 has 0 + also 1 1 been : 0 0cancelled twice.

Expo is also a cause of confusion while a date has been reserved at the The expo was originally planned

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for November last year but was postponed until April 2014, however there is no listing online regarding the show.

Australian Mining asked Webb how he wanted to respond to claims he was a con artist.

“I say they’re completely false,” he answered.

“We’re not using their money to buy holiday villas.”

However those who have paid money are calling on The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to act.

“I have contacted ACCC and I know about 15 companies that have had the issue,” one woman said.

“Authorities aren’t doing anything – they’ve got no teeth.

“They say there has to be proof Webb has no intention of running a show. But with no venue, no advertising, and postponement after postponement, isn’t it clear there is no intention what-so-ever?”

After being made aware this story was going to press John Webb said: “All exhibitions have been postponed until further notice due to adverse publicity and my personal illness.”

Webb says all exhibitions will be held by the middle of 2015.

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TRUCKS

Trucks at T-Intersections, an unlikely saving Cirrus Systems and Newmont have tested a new method for governing haul truck stoppages, and they’re showing some hefty savings can be had from improved traffic efficiency.

T

he ponderous bulk of a haul truck is as vital to open-cut mining as the explosives used to blow ore out of the ground, and so is the expense.

With production targets leaping up around the world, and more trucks on the haul roads than ever before, traffic control is paramount for heavy haulage.

We all know how dangerous and deadly the consequences of a haul truck collision can be, and because of that, safety relating to efficient traffic systems and driver awareness are top of the priority list, but that has to go handin-hand with every attempt to shave the minutes and seconds off handling times.

A push for efficiency is to only way to production cost savings, and with stripping ratios usually running at the very edge of profitability, the efficiency of open-cut mining must be maximised to ensure the economic rewards.

By shaving the minutes and seconds off haul times, not only does production increase, but haul truck operating costs like general maintenance, oil, rubber, fuel can all be reduced in the face of costs per tonne.

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AustralianMining

That’s why Nevada mining software specialist Cirrus Systems has been working towards an improved Haul Truck Priority Service (HTPS).

Cirrus Systems LLC provides miners with cloudbased solutions that can improve productivity and increase operational effectiveness through real-time use of enterprise resources.

For traffic safety, all vehicles, including haul trucks, are required to stop at various intersections to reduce the risk of collision among mobile equipment.

Current traffic control methods rely on intersection stop signs that are functionally passive, as in the signs are fixed without adjusting to changing traffic conditions and require heightened alertness and activity on the part of all vehicle drivers.

While achieving reasonable vehicular safety, such stop/start cycles in vehicles moving 250-plus tons of ore cause significant wear on the vehicles and the roadway, and reduces overall fleet effectiveness: the haul truck fleet moves less ore, generates higher maintenance costs, reduces equipment useful life, and burns extra fuel.

Fortescue Metals Group identified and quantified the energy costs associated with stopping haul trucks unnecessarily, which equated to 361,000 litres of diesel per annum for the Caterpillar 777 fleet for a single stop sign per payload cycle.

Testing the system

Cirrus recently struck an agreement with American gold miner Newmont to deploy the new HTPS system at one of their mines in Northern Nevada, in order to test for safety, and the savings that could be made possible.

As a pilot project, the primary goals were to prove the functional performance of pre-emptive intersection control for haul trucks, measure operational and economic results, and identify potential enhancements and requirements for future development.

Eighteen vehicles from the mine’s haul truck fleet were instrumented with the necessary hardware to allow the Cirrus HTPS to collect the position and other relevant data from the haul trucks as part of a single-intersection program.

The generated datasets were used to measure haul truck performance during reg-

ular haulage operation within the HTPS environment.

The system is designed to work in medium to hightraffic intersections, replacing passive traffic signs with Cirrus’ proprietary automated system which allows haul trucks and other mobile equipment to be continuously tracked in real-time, giving priority to the haul trucks at the intersection.

Quantitative data included time and speed through the intersection, and a fuel consumption data logger was installed to estimate average fuel saving.

Qualitative data consisted of an assessment performed to evaluate the operator’s work environment, potential human factor challenges, and safety issues while negotiating the intersection.

Savings results

The overall results of the Newmont trial revealed significant decreases in time and increases in speed for all the haul trucks going through that intersection in five of the six possible directions.

The HTPS saved an average of 12.21 seconds and 0.1760 gallons of fuel per occurrence.

In 546 passes through the intersection during the evaluation, for haul trucks traveling in the direction from the open pit to a “main street”, the savings were the equivalent of 1.85 truck hours and 96.10 gallons of fuel.

With the cost per hour for running the haul trucks coming in at $US300, and the fuel cost per gallon running at $US3.50, as an American dollar value this is equivalent to $US555.56 saved in time and a further $US336 in fuel savings.

By using the mine plan for this particular intersection at the Newmont gold mine, these running cost and time savings equated to estimates of more than $US30,000 per year.

When projecting these savings into use at two intersections with a higher volume of haulage traffic, Cirrus have suggested that the savings could amount to more than $700,000 per year.

When looking at projections like that, the HTPS system makes perfect sense from a business perspective to include as an operating outlay, but the most important of all, and the hardest to quantify. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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AM0514_028

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UNDERGROUND MINING

What the Sandvik bolt miner looked like before the rebuild.

How the Sandvik bolt miner looks now: brand new.

NEW LIFE for old bolter miners Bolter miners get a new life with rebuild from the ground up.

B

olter miners used in underground coal mining have a tough life in the harsh conditions in which they operate.

After just four to five years of life underground, they can look almost worn out, but in the case of Sandvik’s MB series of bolter miners, these machines have the inherent durability and strength that allows them to be completely rebuilt to as-new condition.

There are more than 50 of the MB series machines operating in mines in NSW and Queensland, making them the leading machines in underground coal mine longwall development applications, according to said, Sandvik’s project manager of overhauls in mechanical cutting underground coal, Troy Robertson “An important element of the economics of running bolter miners is their ability to be completely rebuilt from the ground up a number of times during their working lives,” Robertson said.

“A key part of Sandvik’s service and support offerings for our MB series machines is our capability of carrying 28

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AustralianMining

out these rebuilds to original equipment manufacturer standards, and with full factory warranty.”

Sandvik bolter miners are electrically powered, trackmounted continuous mining machines designed to excavate longwall development roadways and install roof bolts simultaneously in underground coal mines.

Their ability to carry out simultaneous cutting and bolting greatly speeds up production, resulting in substantial economic and safety benefits.

Sandvik’s MB series bolter miners are safer, uniquely efficient, high-capacity solutions for both rapid entry development in longwall mining and full-scale production in room-and-pillar mining.

The cutter drum is mounted on a hydraulically actuated sliding frame, giving it the ability to sump into the face independently of the mainframe and tracks. And since the roof and rib bolters are mounted on the stationary mainframe, they can be operated throughout the cutting cycle.

Manufactured by Sandvik in Austria, the original

ABM series dates back to the early 1990s, and the range has undergone continuous upgrading and improvements since introduction.

“The main models we sell in Australia are our MB650 and MB670 bolter miners – these fit with the seam heights for most longwall mines looking for bolter miners in their operations,” Robertson said.

“It’s a market segment that’s unique to Sandvik; as a result of our ongoing engineering design, performance, safety and ergonomics, no other supplier has been able to deliver the required combination of production, safety and ease of operation.

“The rule of thumb is that after three rebuilds, with four to six years between rebuilds, the technology in our MB series has developed to the extent that the price to upgrade to the latest specifications ceases to become economical.

“In addition, compliance requirements are ever-changing, and bolter miners have to comply with all the latest safety standards before they can go back underground.”

Today, all MB series

bolter miner rebuilds in Australia take place in Sandvik’s Heatherbrae facility, north of Newcastle, NSW. “We have a dedicated MB series rebuild facility at Heatherbrae, with the ability to take a tired bolter miner and restore it to as-new factory-warranted condition,” Robertson said.

With capacity to carry out six full rebuilds a year, the great bulk of the rebuild work is done by trained Sandvik technicians, including the initial mechanical stripdown, engineering, electrical systems, gearboxes, components, bolting systems, and upgrades, followed by re-assembly, function testing, commissioning, painting and detailing.

Robertson said that Sandvik offered MB series machine owners the only option to ensure fully compliant, factory-certified rebuilds.

“In addition, the only way to access the latest technology upgrades is through our OEM upgrades, which are then backed by full sixmonth factory warranties,” Robertson said.

“Before we start a bolter miner upgrade, we carry out

a full engineering feasibility study, so the customer knows what is legally required, as well as what additional options are available – and the benefits that those options will bring.

“We do a lot of work up front to ensure our customers get the best end-product they possibly can out of our rebuilds, so they know exactly what they will get, with no surprises.”

Robertson said that feedback from customers who have had rebuilds carried out, which includes the major mining houses, has been universally positive.

“Following every rebuild, we ask customers to fill out a feedback form on how well we have performed across a range of critical areas.

“The feedback we receive rates us very highly in the quality of our service and workmanship, the degree to which we keep customers informed of progress, developments and issues, our flexibility once rebuild work commences, and our ability to upgrade machines to incorporate latest technology and innovations,” he said. www.miningaustralia.com.au

AM0513_000_MMD

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AM0514_030

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SAFETY

Making open pits SAFER, by design What began as an international research and technology transfer project has changed the way the mining industry approaches open pit design. Tony Heselev reports.

W

hen CSIRO senior manager Dr John Read brought together a group of industry contacts at a conference in Santiago in 2004 to sound out the idea of pooling knowledge of open pit mine stability, he was pleasantly surprised with the reaction.

The contacts, representing major mining houses, backed his idea, providing the genesis for what is now known as the large open pit mine slope stability project.

Read could not have dreamed that it would have been so successful however, setting industry standards for reliable large open pit mine design around the world.

“There was immediate support from the group for a shared and better understanding of the geological interactions associated with rock mass failure and recognition of the need for new guidelines for reliable slope design,” Read says.

The project has addressed an industry-wide need to improve understanding of the relationship between the strength and deformability of rock and the likely mechanisms of failure in large open pit mines.

It includes innovative geomechanics research, such as three-dimensional structural modelling, and is helping mine managers minimise the risk of loss of life, equipment damage and sustained production losses in the event of slope failure.

The project is coordinated by CSIRO and sponsored by 12 mining companies representing most of the world’s base metals and diamond producers.

By the end of this year, CSIRO and its partners will 30

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have produced four books to guide professionals such as geotechnical, mining and civil engineers and hydrogeologists in the investigation, design and construction of stable rock slopes.

Chapters are written by the people regarded as having the most expertise in each area – often from the sponsor companies.

The first book, Guidelines for Open Pit Slope Design (2009), links project research with best practice in open pit data collection and management; slope design, management and monitoring; and mining and risk management.

“The book outlines how you collect reliable data, prepare a geotechnical model, use data for stability analysis, apply that in mine development and monitor the performance of the mine slopes,” Read says.

“Failures will always happen, but what we’re trying to do is help manage the risk and diminish the likelihood of having a major failure.

“Companies can do this by having better design and monitoring practices to keep an eye on what’s going on,

especially with slope management and the development of pore water pressure within the rock mass.”

The sponsor companies each provided $100,000 a year for the research, publishing and project co-ordination.

Dr Marc Ruest, De Beers Global Mining’s group lead of geotechnical and hydrogeology, says the project has been a long-term commitment that has been extraordinarily collaborative.

“De Beers has benefited significantly from the large open pit project in so many ways. CSIRO has effectively brought together engineers from mining houses around the world to develop a common ground in the critical geotechnical design and implementation issues at our mine,” he says.

“The guidelines devel-

Open pit mining helped along by the CSIRO.

oped as part of the project continue to provide our practitioners with a high-quality baseline for the geotechnical programs at our operations.”

Read says the guidelines have helped mine managers become more aware of the need for reliable data and how to assess that data.

It has also improved their understanding and assessment of rock mass strength and how to use that information to better analyse rock stability. This has helped them maximise safety, ore recovery and financial returns over the life of the mine.

“Risk management is a serious part of the business these days,” Read says.

“Companies make huge investments in these mines and the mines are also huge.

“Some of the pits are up to 1000 metres deep, for

example Chuquicamat in Chile, and some of the walls will be up to 1400 metres high, such as at Pelambres, also in Chile.”

The book is widely used in Australia, South Africa, North and South America.

“You can find it on the desks of the geotechnical people at pretty much every minesite you care to go and visit,” Read says.

A second book, on open pit design and water, was published early this year, expanding on a chapter in the original guidelines.

Read says this book provides mine managers with improved information on assessment and monitoring of pore water pressure in closely jointed rock, and how to incorporate this information into stability analyses.

A third book, Guidelines for Open Pit Design in Weak Rocks, and a fourth, Geotechnical Guidelines for Mine Waste Dump and Stockpile Design, will be released later this year.

Read is delighted that at a meeting in Brisbane last September, the sponsor companies decided unanimously to continue the project in some form, even though it is due to be completed in June when his own involvement in the project will end.

This article originally appeared in full in CSIRO’s Earth Matters magazine. www.miningaustralia.com.au

australia’s Fall Prevention sPecialists

AM0514_000_LAD - 1 2014-04-14T09:34:46+10:00 Aust Mining April 5_Layout 1 11/04/14 11:15 AM Page 1

SAFETY WORK PLATFORMS

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AM0514_032

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SAFETY

Wireless physical assessment’s spike insurer interest The future of workplace health assessments is looking more precise, with insurance companies beginning to recognise a revolutionary medical aid.

Ben Hagemann reports.

M

elbourne-based company DorsaVi is a specialist in body movement technology, and was founded in 2000 by physiotherapist Andrew Ronchi and his brother, Dan. Since 2008 DorsaVi has been producing wireless sensors that are capable of measuring range of motion, and muscle impulses in the body, through the use of biomechanical and electrophysiological technology.

The sensors are stuck to the wearer’s body (usually along the spine) with sticky pads, and use accelerometers to measure the movement of the body in relation to the other sensors.

The sensors wirelessly feed information in real time back to an ordinary computer terminal or tablet, where the results can be immediately viewed by a clinician and their patient, a researcher and their subject, or a workplace assessor and an employee.

There are several products which use these sensors, launched in March 2013: The ViMove is for clinical assessment, ViPerform for sports development and therapy, and the ViSafe is aimed at the OH&S market.

The software for each product is continually upgraded to provide new components for different types of measurement and assessment, and the latest upgrade has been aimed at runners, golfers and other sportspeople to analyse their movements and the risk of potential injury.

Of course, for industrial application the ViSafe is without parallel.

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It enables a doctor or physiotherapist to accurately quantify an employee’s (or a prospective employee’s) range of movement.

ViSafe can tell you in a quantifiable way how far a worker can bend over, in degrees.

This kind of ability to measure bodily movement can allow employers to screen employees at preemployment medicals, and record to the degree their full range of movement.

Pre-existing injuries can become immediately apparent, and the data can be kept to compare with testing after a workplace injury, not only for legal reasons, but to facilitate the rehabilitation of injured workers and their reintegration back into the workfront on suitable duties, in precisely the same was that professional sportspeople can measure their movements and review the information to refine their technical skills.

The ViSafe system can also be worn by a worker while performing duties, to assess the safety of performing particular tasks, such as work in a confined space or lifting objects of a certain weight or shape.

ViSafe is currently used by a number of large employers to assess the ergonomics of different tasks, such as Crown Casino, Coles, Woolworths, Toyota, Toll, and BHP Billiton.

In fact, the basic formula for the systems was developed initially for sports physiotherapy and development, with DorsaVi founders Andrew and Dan Ronchi counting AFL teams among their clients.

ViSafe measures workers range of motion and muscle impulses.

Attention from the insurance industry

With workplace injuries costing the Australian taxpayers billions, it’s little wonder that these devices have captured the attention of the workplace insurance market.

In late march DorsaVi announced a new alliance

with insurer Allianz, which from now on will recommend the use of the ViSafe in Australian workplaces.

DorsaVi CEO and founding partner Andrew Ronchi said the alliance was part of the company’s strategy, to form key partnerships with insurers to build on the their market in occupational

health and safety and help build the Dorsavi’s revenue.

“ViSafe offers unique insights as to where higher risk areas exist in occupational environments,” he said.

“Once risks are identified, ViSafe processes and data capture can be used to re-engineer work environwww.miningaustralia.com.au

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ments to reduce risks and at the same time increase productivity.”

Allianz general manager Norm Cockerell said they were very pleased to recommend such a groundbreaking product for use in the workplace to improve safety and reduce injuries.

“This is clearly good for workers but there are also significant benefits in reducing the economic impact of workplace injury on employers and the broader community,” he said.

He indicated that if the device is able to reduce workplace incidents, then employers will make fewer claims on insurers, enabling to manage their insurance premium costs.

According to Safe Work Australia there were 132,570 worker compensation claims for serious injury or illness in 2011-2013, with 20 per cent of those claims involving back injuries, 42.4 per cent involving sprains and strains, and 13.7 per cent for musculo A M 0 skeletal 5 1 4 _ disorders.

0 0 0 _ SPI In 2008-2009 workplace

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vate patients, and now we do workplace assessments.”

Redrup said that while the device is not a replacement for a physiotherapist, On the ground – Heavy the device has benefits that industry extend to outside of the clinAt Prominent Hill in South ic, and the ordinary sight of Australia the ViSafe has proa physio. vided some fresh perspective “We do have tradespeoon manual handling. ple come in with workers Byrnecut Australia safety compensation claims, and manager had the charge crew we’re able to assess them, but at Prominent Hill tested durthe real beauty of the ViMove ing surface work, and was is that you can give it to a able to identify some key worker and they can wear it risks to the physical health of at work, and we can look at the workers. what they’re doing at work.”

“That was quite interThe ViMove and ViSafe esting, because the utes have The user’s view sensors can be programmed big boxes on the back that Physiotherapist Danny Re- to monitor the wearer for you load the explosives into, drup has been using the Vi- undesirable movement or and it’s just above waist Move device to assess and posture, and warn them if high so it picked up quite a treat patients since 2008. they begin to fall into debili“This was something tating habits. bit of strain as they [workers] were lifting the boxes that really excited us when “It has alarms that can it first came out,” he said. up,” Wilson said. remind the wearer about “We worked with Dor- health risks,” Redrup said.

“That alerted us to an area of manhandling that saVi really early with their “Say you’re driving a we can have a look at, and development… We started truck for eight hours today when we order more vehi- out in sport, treating spinal and you really shouldn’t sit cles we’ll have them modi- injuries in cricketers, and in a slumped position. then in the clinic here we’ve fied to reduce that risk.”

“We can set the device moved - Wilson 1 2 0said 1 4 -that 0 4 -the 2 2 T 1 1 : the 3 0application : 0 4 + 1 0to:the 0 0 to recognise if you’re in a ViSafe is very useful for clinical population of pri- slumped sitting position, injuries cost the taxpayer $60.6 billion, representing 4.8 per cent of the nation’s GDP at the time.

identifying areas in a manufacturing or industrial environment where machinery could be modified to better suit the ergonomics for workers, but the biggest advantage for miners was in enabling education of the workers to improve their manual handling practices.

“They are very useful for identifying bad work practices and manual handling techniques, that’s where a big benefit is, being able to show the bloke what they’re doing in a highly physical environment.

and if you start to slump and you go into that position for more than ten seconds, the machine will start beeping and it’s going to remind you.

“It will also give an overall report once you’re finished, when you bring back the device we can download the information and see, for example, that if your discs don’t like static inflexion, it takes seven hours to recover from two hours of sitting, in regards to a disc, and that sort of data is invaluable when making assessments.

The company

DorsaVi has recently announced their half-year financial result, recording revenues of $387,127 for the second half of 2013, with a net loss after tax of $1.07 million.

The company achieved public listing in December, putting up an initial public offering which was oversubscribed at $18 million, and on December 31 DorsaVi recorded a cash balance of $16.63 million.

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SAFETY

Five tips for mine site fire safety Fire is an ever present risk on site, so Wormald has created five tops to keep your site fire safe.

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lammable liquids, combustible materials, and extremely hot machinery combine to make the mine site a veritable powderkeg.

The risk of fires on mines is ever present.

According to Garry Kwok, the national technical manager with fire protection specialist, Wormald “the hazardous and remote nature of mining puts mine sites at a high risk of fire”.

However, a blaze does not have to be an inevitability.

By following a few simple steps mines can prepare themselves and de-risk their operations.

“Adequate fire protection is not only a financial and regulatory necessity, but an ethical one. Fire protection for the mining industry requires detailed assessments, plans and execution to meet the unique requirements of a site.”

Wormald has put together these five tips for mining site supervisors and operations managers to help keep their mine sites fire safe:

Conduct a thorough risk assessment

A comprehensive assessment of fire hazards is the first step in developing a fire protection plan and mitigating the risk of fire fatalities and damage.

“Fire hazards differ for surface and underground mines, and vary according to a mine’s size, structure, materials, equipment and number of staff.

“Engaging a fire protection expert to conduct a detailed risk assessment can reduce the chance of hazards being overlooked by accident,” said Kwok.

While hazards vary from one site to another, common fire hazards can include mobile equipment and mining vehicles; welding and cutting operations; and storing flammable and combustible liquids, including lubricating oil, grease, and diesel and hydraulic fuel. The mined resources such as coal, coal dust and methane can also compound the risk of fire.

Fire training for staff is important.

Understand compliance and regulation requirements

A breach of fire safety regulation can incur significant costs and put staff at risk, so it is important for site supervisors to understand and comply with regulation requirements.

Fire protection is covered by health and safety standards and legislation, which are governed by states and territories.

In the Northern Territory, Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria, mining is regulated by general work health and safety legislation.

New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia have separate legislation to specifically regulate health and safety in the mining sector.

Select and install appropriate fire protection equipment

Mine sites can be a high fire risk.

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“Site managers must ensure appropriate fire protection equipment is installed and that regulatory and ethical health and safety requirements are complied with,” Kwok explained.

While requirements will vary from one mine to another, fire protection equipment may include fire sprinkler systems, water spray deluge systems, water mist systems, foam systems, vehicle fire suppression systems, breathing apparatus, gas detection units, thermal imaging cameras, fire suppression systems and portable fire equipment.

“Access is a critical consideration when installing fire protection equipment. If a fire breaks out, staff will have to act fast so it is impor-

tant they can access equipment quickly and easily,” Kwok said.

Audit, inspect and maintain fire protection equipment

While appropriate fire protection equipment is vital, it is rendered useless if not in proper working order.

Fire protection equipment should be regularly inspected and replaced or repaired as necessary. Other equipment, such as hoses, pipes and machinery, should also be cleaned regularly as build-up of dust and dirt can increase the risk of malfunction and fire.

“Site managers must keep on top of fire protection and ensure all fire protection equipment and systems are inspected and serviced regularly by a qualified fire protection specialist,” said Kwok.

Train your staff

Training staff is an essential step in protecting people and property against fire. “Site managers should ask themselves, if a fire were to break out in the next 10 minutes, would staff be ready to respond correctly, quickly and confidently? An appropriate response to fire can save lives and reduce damage,” Kwok said.

As with the rest of a fire protection plan, fire safety training should be tailored to the unique requirements of a mine site and its staff. It is recommended that every mine site engages staff confined space entry, breathing apparatus training, fire extinguisher training and lay flat hose training. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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New tech keeping workers cool

ENWARE’S award winning self-contained emergency shower with eyewash

King Gee have recently released a line of next-generation undergarments that looks like it can change the game of workwear design.

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he G2 compression workwear series is heralded with a range of seemingly magical powers, and we’re really not kidding about this.

The G2 project team leader Nicholas Gronier talked to Australian Mining about how the new clothing was developed, and how it can help workers to make it through the day with less effort than before.

“The idea came from a mine site in Coolgardie: On site we do interviews with workers to find out about how people use our garments, what we realised there was that some guys were actually using compression garments while they worked,” he said.

“When we asked why, they told us it was mainly to prevent nipple rash, but the garments were not antistatic, which is a requirement in mines.”

Gronier and his team went away and brainstormed the best ways to make a compression garment designed specifically for work, and they came up with the G2 series, which has a range of features that give it a much greater edge over ordinary sportswear.

First, the new garments are antistatic, to conform to the Australian standards for mining workwear, and the stitching is specially designed to target specific muscles while working to give full range of support through all physical tasks.

“We also wanted to make sure that the garment would be antimicrobial,” Gronier said.

“Normal sports clothes aren’t antimicrobial, people do their exercise for a few hours, maybe a few days a weeks, but miners work for more than eight hours a day, so we have incorporated silver in the clothing for the antimicrobial properties.

All of this is pretty revolutionary, but the biggest kicker of all is that www.miningaustralia.com.au

these clothes can actually regulate your body temperature.

Australian Mining tested one of the shirts to see just how well this worked, and there is a noticeable effect when you put the shirt on, that your skin has cooled, suddenly and considerably so.

Wearing the shirt for an hour during an ordinarily sweaty Sydney commute certainly seemed much cooler and less sweaty than wearing an ordinary shirt.

The fabric of the G2 garments is impregnated with thermoactive nanotechnology, which means there are microscopic capsules of paraffin which are solid until warmed by body temperature. Through movement the capsules release the heat away from the body, keeping workers cool throughout the day: It’s pretty racy stuff, especially for blokes who work 12 hour shifts during a Pilbara summer.

The most convincing thing about these shirts, however, is that they’ve been rigorously tested by the University of Sydney in an independent study, and the numbers are impressive.

Study participants performed a range of work tasks, including a four hour circuit, both with and without the G2 clothes.

Participants who wore the G2 clothes experienced decreased heart rates after performing tasks, 10.5 per cent lower than those without the compression garments, demonstrating that the G2group of workers were less fatigued while performing tasks.

Surveying revealed that upper body muscle soreness during the 24 hours after performing tasks was reduced by 50 per cent, and lower body soreness was reduced by 23.8 per cent.

Overall fatigue ratings in G2 groups were 37 per cent lower than participants in ordinary workwear.

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MID WEST

The WELCOMING Mid West Western Australia’s Mid West is looking towards the future. Chris Kennedy writes.

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n an industry that is going bad globally we are going well,” Rob Jefferies, chairman of the Geraldton Iron Ore Alliance, stated.

“It’s a good time for the design, development and construction of new projects.”

The iron ore industry in the midwest has seen export levels rise from under two million tonnes a year to 15 million tonnes now, via the main port Geraldton, according to Jefferies.

The Alliance includes among its members Top Iron and Asia Iron Australia. Both these companies are attempting to start construction in the third quarter of this year of their respective mines.

“Proceeding well” is how Ben Zikmundovsky, head of projects and executive director of Asia Iron Australia, describes the Extension Hill project in the Mid West.

The Asia Iron group is a 100 per cent Chinese owned partnership. 60 per cent of ownership is by Chongqing Chonggang Minerals Development Investment (CCMD), a State Owned Enterprise conglomerate and 40 per cent by SINOM Investments Limited, a privately owned enterprise.

According to the company the project has already received significant Western Australian and Commonwealth environmental approvals for the development of mine, process plant, village, infrastructure, slurry pipeline transport system, bore field, power transmission and ship loading facilities at Geraldton Port to produce and export ten million tonnes per annum of high purity magnetite concentrate. Sufficient resources and reserves have been identified to support this production rate for at least 40 years.

“We are completing this months feasibility study with engineering due to start in May – once approval is given by the Chinese owners, but we foresee no problems with that – then construction to start in 2015, finish in 2017 then ramp up in the first quarter of 2018. The ore will be transported by slurry pipeline 280 km from site then dewatered and put on a ship.

The port facilities have a finishing date of 2018,” Zikmundovsky said.

“The Mid West has been quite welcoming. We will have 1600 peo36

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ple on site during the construction stage and 400 in permanent positions once construction has finished.

We are considering both FIFO and bussing options as far as staff is concerned. We would like to accommodate local communities, not just Perth people,” he said.

“The government has been very helpful at all levels.”

Top Iron is also a private company which expects to commence mining operations at its Mummaloo deposit south east of Perenjori in the state’s Mid West in early 2015. The company’s intention is to export up to two million tonnes of iron ore per year and this objective is supported by a resource base of more than 70 million tonnes at its Mummaloo and Hong Kong Reward tenements.

Project area comprises two Mining Licenses and five Exploration Tenements covering an area of 368km² which collectively form

Mid West explorers need extra port capacity.

Greater Mummaloo. Drilling completed to date has resulted in the definition of a 101 million tonnes JORC inferred resource According to Bruce Richardson, managing director of Top Iron, the economic benefits of the project will include; • Capital investment within the region of more than $50M; • Direct local employment of 100 workers during the construction phase and 110 for operations; • Indirect benefits from the demand for general goods and services; and • Workforce training and skills development.

Recent agreements with Geraldton Port are a further significant step in the ongoing relations between the mid west and China and importantly with the Shanxi Jianbang Group which is a major investor in Top Iron and the Mummaloo project.

Iron ore produced from Mumma-

loo will be shipped via Geraldton Port’s Berth 5 ship loading facility to Shanxi Jianbang’s steel mill at Linfen where it will be used to produce a range of steel products including reinforcing bar, wire and pig iron for use principally within China.

Oakajee and Karara

Another member of the Geraldton Iron Ore Alliance is Padbury Mining, which is aiming to open up the Mid West through the development of the Oakajee Port.

Last month the junior mining exploration company announced it had a backer that would see the $6 billion project go ahead.

At the time of publication the identity of the mystery Australian partner was still unknown, with Padbury committing to reveal all by the end of April.

While this left some questioning the viability of the project, Padbury’s managing director Gary Stokes called the deal a “game changer for both Western Australia and the Midwest iron ore industry”.

Stokes said there are 21 companies in WA’s mid-west region that needed a port to export their resources from, with the area hosting some 50 billion tonnes of magnetite ore of which 21 billion is compliant with the JORC code.

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MID WEST

(from Geraldton) but Geraldton is not going to be sustainable for them in the longer term,” Stokes explained.

“On a good day in Geraldton you can get a 66,000-tonne ship in.

We’re taking about 240,000-tonne ships.”

A new private company called Midwest Infrastructure (MWI) will become a subsidiary of Padbury Mining and develop the rail and port project. The private investor will take a 60 per cent stake in MWI and Pad- The Oakajee project would see the construction of a 570km rail line. bury will hold a 30 per cent interest.

The multi-user, open access rail at Oakajee and the associated indus- operation plus a smaller-scale hemanetwork will be regulated by the trial estate. The southern mines also tite operation. It is the first major Economic Regulation Authority of intend to connect to the Oakajee port magnetite operation in the Mid West Western Australia. via southern rail infrastructure.

Region.

Stokes said the company was not The State and Commonwealth Karara was established in 2007 undertaking any ground breaking Governments have committed $678 through a joint venture between Gininnovations that would act to stall million towards common-use port dalbie Metals Limited and Anshan the venture and said the company infrastructure, which includes the Iron and Steel Group Corporation. was in talks with large Asian engi- breakwater, navigational aids, chan- Karara’s infrastructure alone repreneering firms about final construc- nel, turning basin and port-related sents an investment of more than $1 tion plans. activities. LandCorp (the WA State billion. Most of the Karara infrastruc“All of the engineering advice Government’s land development ture has in-built surplus capacity to we’ve had is that port and rail is arm) is the proponent for the adja- cater for potential expansion phases. fairly stock-standard stuff,” he said. cent strategic industrial estate.

The key supporting infrastruc“There’s nothing too sophistiAt present the Mid West Devel- ture and logistics chain includes: cated about them from an engineer- opment Commission is acting as a • A new 80km Karara rail spur, coning perspective.” facilitator, liaising between the utilinecting the Karara Project to the Meanwhile the Oakajee Indus- ties providers and miners. It is also common-user rail system at Tilley trial Estate is planned to comprise in the process of acquiring a land Siding, near Morawa. In addition approximately 6500 hectares of corridor for the Oakajee port.

Brookfield Rail has undertaken an land owned by the WA State GovPadbury has also signed numerupgrade of its common-user rail ernment. Of this, 1100 hectares is ous non disclosure agreements that system between Tilley Siding and zoned for strategic industry and 200 enable interested parties to drill furGeraldton, to cater for Karara’s exhectares is zoned for support indus- ther into the data which was acquired pected tonnages; try. The property is currently farmed from Yilgarn (previous owner of • A 180km 330kV powerline from and awaits connection to services in- Oakajee) and subsequently updated Eneabba to Karara, which connect cluding power, water and gas.

by Padbury. the Karara site into WA’s South The northern rail is expected to The Karara Project is located West power grid; link the resource rich Murchison sub 200km east of Geraldton, Western • A 140km water pipeline, supplying region (highly prospective for iron Australia. It consists of a substan- process water from a borefield near A M 0 4 1 4 _ 0 0 0 _ WA T 1 2 0 1 4 - 0 4 - 0 4 T1 6 : 5 9 : 3 0 + 1 1 : 0 0 ore) to the proposed deep water port tial, long-life, magnetite concentrate Mingenew to Karara; and

• The Karara Export Terminal at Geraldton.

The first DSO shipment occurred in March 2011 and Karara started producing magnetite concentrate in November 2012. The major magnetite operation is currently undergoing a six-month commissioning and ramp-up plan.

Recently the board of Karara Mining Limited (KML) has advised that the remedial actions which were approved previously as part of the first phase of debottlenecking have now been completed. These include the upgrade and refurbishment of the tailings filters, construction of a temporary wet tailings facility to allow partial by – pass of the tailings filters and thickener optimisation trials.

The completion of these remedial actions means the Karara concentrator circuit is now capable of producing at approximately 75 per cent of its nameplate capacity – a nominal production rate of 6.61 million wet metric tonnes per annum (Mtpa).

This rate of production has been exceeded on 7 days during March.

The grade of the concentrate during March averaged 65.14 per cent.

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TECHNOLOGY

Samsung’s new foray into THE SPRAY Ben Hagemann recently had the chance to take a look at the latest weatherproof technologies on the market, and what he saw was pretty impressive.

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hunky, ruggedised phones have always been an obvious choice for miners and tradies, but now with advent of smartphones, many people want style as well as substance.

Of course, the stylish slimline smartphones are notoriously delicate, and don’t stand up well to the kind of environment you encounter on a minesite, one of rock and dust and damp, but Samsung has finally taken a step in the right direction.

Supersceding the popular Galaxy S4, the freshly released Galaxy S5 represents a new approach to phone versatility for the Korean company, incorporating dust and water proofing for the first time.

The charger input and headphone jack are both sealed from the elements, and the back cover of the phone incorporates a special rubber seal that will keep water out of the phone’s sensitive components.

The S5 is rated to IP67, which enables it to withstand water to a depth of one metre for approximately half an hour, and is completely dustproof, meaning that it can withstand nearly any material that gets into your pockets, including your own sweat.

Basically, if the handset winds up covered in rock dust or worse yet, muddy drill sample, you can simply rinse it off in a bucket of water.

In addition to that, the back cover of the phone has been practically textured to make it easy to grip in your

hand, and the software also features a ‘one-handed operation’ feature, which at a quick swipe will reduce the screen size allowing you to easily reach the other side of the displayed screen with your thumb.

But how does the S5 actually perform?

At time of writing, I have so far only charged my demo phone once, when I took it out of the box on Thursday, and now it’s Sunday and it’s still going strong with 18 per cent battery left.

Although I haven’t been using it heavily and it’s too soon to get loaded up with a gamut of annoying background apps, this still represents a significant jump in power longevity over my S4, which at best has only ever given me about two days of use.

Compared to the S4, this phone appears to browse the internet and download much quicker than the predecessor.

The handset itself is not very different apart from a few extra millimetres of screen space and sharper corners. But it doesn’t seem to be about the look for the phone for Samsung, who have produced a fast operating phone with practical weatherproofing, one that is very easy to recommend to anyone working in mining.

Military spec brings a tougher tool A room full of journalists were confronted with a large block of ice with what appeared to be a laptop, switched on, frozen inside.

After some quick work from a Japanese ice carving expert, wielding a massive traditional saw, he freed the new machine from the icy confines to reveal that indeed, yes, the new Dell Latitude Rugged 14 Extreme was running like a Swiss watch.

This may not seem like a practical industrial feature for computers in Australia (the ability to survive subzero temperatures, that is) but it’s actually a pretty impressive demonstration of the new Dell Latitude for waterproofing, as well as its ability to withstand the pressure of expansion as the water freezes.

Naturally, The Latitude 14 Extreme shows itself to be perfect for exploration and underground applications: You can smear it down with mud, even rub it into the keyboard, and wash it straight off with a bucket of water.

On top of that, you can literally park a truck

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on top of it, and Dell has done so repeatedly to demonstrate the strength of this machine.

The ruggedized styling is heavy going, with enormous, square corner protectors, and just like the Model T, you can have it in any colour you want, as long as it’s black.

This machine has certainly not been made for its looks, but it has undergone a full body design that has been largely intended for use in military applications where reliability of sensitive equipment is paramount.

This rather amazing machine has also been drop tested from heights up to 30 metres (impact speed approximately 32km/h) straight on to concrete, and the worst it has to worry about is a few scratches.

In official testing to military standard 810G, the Extreme has been dropped 78 times from 1.2m, 1.5m and 1.8m, all with no impact on the actual operating system.

None of this level of shock seems to have any adverse effect on the 14 inch HD touchscreen, which can be spun around inside its frame to turn the computer into an enormous tablet.

The screen also features Direct-View outdoor readable display, which allows the user to read the screen in direct sunlight without any darkening, as is found with conventional displays.

However, for all the toughness of this machine, obviously this is going to come at a weight cost, and that comes in at 3.81 kilograms, making it a fairly chunky piece of hardware.

All in all, with top of the line hardware and the latest Microsoft operating systems, the Rugged 14 Extreme is a formidable piece of equipment, and a perfect upgrade for any mining discipline.

Whether drilling in the desert, or engineering on the go underground, this machine is purpose built to withstand all the punishment a company could dish out. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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ENVIRONMENT

Carbon Capture and Storage:

scaling up to a viable model Australian Mining takes a snapshot on the opinions around a sustainable energy future with the help of carbon capture and storage.

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ourteen years into the new millennium, it seems we’ve finally reached a general consensus that carbon emissions contribute to a climatic environmental situation that could become untenable if tipped beyond a certain point.

Climate change deniers are regarded more and more as fringedwellers, while big mining has come to the table in agreeing that we need strategies for dealing with atmosphere damaging pollutants.

With a range of research projects over the years that have developed carbon capture technology to a certain point, why then have we not yet upscaled the technology to a point where it can be used to capture the carbon from entire production plants and mines?

And most importantly, who should pay for all this? Companies or governments?

Rio Tinto’s energy division chief Harry Kenyon-Slaney, while speaking at an Energy Policy Institute of Australia meeting, said we can’t simply wish away fossil fuels.

“Knowing that coal is here to stay, it is fruitless to keep indulging in idealistic discussions about climate change,” he said.

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He said that global energy demand will grow 69 per cent in the next 20 years, and that industry has an obligation to take action on climate change.

His comments were met with dubious criticism after disappointing revelations that Rio Tinto had stopped funding the Coal21 group, a billion dollar fund to finance clean coal technology.

“As if to highlight Rio Tinto’s own lack of faith in the CCS, Kenyon-Slaney said the company had invested $100 million in the technology. This from a company that earns billions from coal mining each year – earnings that most analysts say is at risk if the world get serious about climate change,” wrote Giles Parkinson for RenewEconomy.

“To put that investment into context,” Parkinson added, “a Perthbased start-up, Carnegie Wave Energy, has invested a similar amount in its new technology. It has yet to earn a dollar, but at least it has faith it will work.”

In April, The Climate Institute released a world-first study examining the role of carbon removal technologies in national climate policy scenarios.

Moving Below Zero: Understanding Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture & Storage contains modelling by economics firm Jacobs SKM, which has found that bio-energy combined with carbon capture and storage, along with other measures, has the potential to contribute significantly to climate change efforts in Australia.

The main premise of the report is that carbon capture technology is central to developing a lower risk strategies to avoid the prospect of dangerous climate change, a future in which atmospheric carbon reaches a threshold whereby temperatures rise unnaturally, preventing the survival of plant life, affecting all forms of animal life throughout the food chain, including humans.

CEO of The Climate Institute, John Connor, forecasts a strict regime for reducing emissions in order to prevent catastrophic climate change in the latter half of the 20th Century.

“Physics tells us that if we are to avoid very dangerous global warming of 2°C or more above pre-industrial levels, Australia and other countries need not only zero carbon technologies like solar and wind but also to go

further, and employ carbon removal technologies,” Connor said.

“We examined a range of carbon removal options including afforestation, bio-char and bio-CCS. “Bio-CCS is potentially the most climate safe technology as it involves removing carbon from the air and storing in in the earth over geological timescales.

“Globally it could remove a substantial amount of carbon pollution from the air – up to 10 billion tonnes of pollution per year in 2050, according to the International Energy Agency.”

While global agents like the IEA and the IPCC are urging the use of carbon removal and include the technologies in their modelling, this is not the case on a national level.

Using Australia as a case study, Jacobs SKM economic modelling concluded that Bio-CCS could play a significant role in Australia, with a capacity to remove and displace up to 65 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2-e) annually by 2050, being around one and a half times the current emissions from all cars in Australia.

To achieve this early and strong action on improving climate is www.miningaustralia.com.au

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needed, with renewables and other low-carbon technologies being critical from today, the report said.

For example, energy efficiency and other renewable energy sources like wind and solar are required to reduce electricity emissions by 50 per cent, from around 200 Mt CO2-e today to 100 Mt CO2-e in 2030 across all scenarios.

Without carbon removal technologies such as Bio-CCS, Australia and other nations will face difficult tradeoffs; it will mean accepting more dangerous levels of climate change, paying more for emission reductions, and purchasing more and more emission reductions from other countries.

The report finds that failure to adopt carbon removal technologies could increase climate action costs by up to $60 billion to 2050.

“Carbon removal technologies are hugely important but they have to be employed correctly,” Connor said.

“If bio-energy is not sourced from sustainable sources and consider energy used at all stages of the process, it can lead to other social and environmental impacts and undermine the viability of, and public confidence in, the technology.”

“With carbon dioxide levels now 40 per cent above pre-industrial levels, it is critical that we begin the conversation now about how to sustainably integrate carbon removal technologies into national climate policies with long term decarbonisation signals and deployment incentives.”

Climate change economist Ross Garnaut, who helped to develops Labor’s carbon tax policy, agrees that fossil fuels will continue as a dominant global energy source.

However, he too says that the commercial deployment of carbon capture and storage is essential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal and gas fired power stations.

“There’s widespread recognition that continuation of current patterns of fossil fuel use will lead us into very dangerous territory, Garnout said in an interview with ABC Rural.

“So the future of fossil fuels is making CCS work so you can use the fossil fuels without creating environmental damage and changing the climate.”

“It needs a lot of investment in research, development and commercialisation, but the techniques are well known and the techniques work.”

But who will foot the bill for this R&D? Overseas, the USA’s first attempt at large-scale CCS, at the coal-fired Mississippi power plant in Kemper www.miningaustralia.com.au

County, has seen costs blowout from $2 billion to more than $5 billion, with owner Southern Co telling an EPA committee in February that the technology was not ready for wider adoption.

“Kemper marks a significant technological milestone but it is only the first step,” Southern Co director of environmental affairs Danny Herrin said.

Many say it’s these sorts of costs that are deterring further development and wide-scale uptake of the CCS. With the federal budget set to be handed down this month, all mining eyes will be glued on changes that may affect the sector.

Last year, $29 million was saved by ending funding for the Coal Mining Abatement Technology Support Package, which helps research and develop ways of reducing carbon emissions from mines.

While half a billion dollars was chopped from the Carbon Capture and Storage Flagships program, aimed at developing large-scale projects for storing carbon emissions from mining and energy projects.

At the time, the budget papers said the remaining $1 billion funding will allow “at least one project to proceed beyond the feasibility stage”.

Many doubt a Coalition government will reinstate this money, and expect even more to be cut in favour of the “direct action” plan.

Meanwhile, while mining see’s the benefits of CCS and is in favour of its implementation, is the sector responsible for its implementation?

BHP coal boss Dean Dalla Valle said the company has spent $200 million on renewable technology research including CCS with a $100 million further committed over the next four years.

While many say this amount isn’t enough, it does show the major coal producers are doing something about the emissions they produce.

And until a large-scale project can be realised here, all eyes are on the Saskatchewan Power’s Boundary Dam coal-fired power plant in Canada which due to start this year as the first commercial project of its type.

The $1.35 billion will see the integration of a rebuilt coal-fired generation unit with carbon capture technology, resulting in low-emission power generation.

If the 110 megawatts (MW) plant can come online this year as planned, it will become the world’s first postcombustion coal-fired CCS project, and provide hope that the technology is a viable one.

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INTERNATIONAL MINING

RED DIRT

in Red Square

Russia’s mining sector needs Australia’s mining know-how. Cole Latimer reports.

A

s the Mining World Russia exhibition wraps up, Australian companies have headed home and are couning their successes at the show, and in the country.

Speaking to a number of Australian companies which participated in the Austmine and Austrade developed trade mission as well as the exhibition, they said it was a positive experience and has helped them get a foot in the door of one of the largest mining markets in the world.

The trade mission was carried out as a political storm grew in the background, however this didn’t work to deter miners, who were focusing on the longer term goals of taking Australian experience and technology into new and willing markets.

But why Russia?

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ment for technical expertise that they just don’t have here,” which includes high end products and experience that many Australian mining and METS companies have.

Bradken added that “there is a real desire for better technology and equipment in the country,” with Gekko’s Nigel Grigg explaining that previously Russia operated with smaller equipment, but lots of it, so now they are looking to larger, single pieces of machinery or technology”.

This point was previously stated by Austmine’s head Robert Trzebski.

“Russia is a huge country with huge potential,” Trzebski said.

“Russia is still much cheaper than Australia, although there are cost pressures, but it does have a tremendous wealth of resources.”

One of the major selling points for the nation is that despite having nearly a

fifth of the world’s mineral deposits, it is still grossly underexplored.

Some of the major challenges lie in the fact that “it is still highly disorganised and state driven”, yet the “opportunities still outweigh the risks, as it is a controlled risk,” he explained.

And this controlled risk has seen Australian companies either setting up with an agent, or going in and doing the groundwork themselves.

Grigg explained Gekko’s own situation, which saw them go from having years of presence in Russia through an agent, and the next day have none whatsoever – due to M&A. A major part of the mission, apart from getting Aussie companies in front of major Russian miners, was to develop and sign off a MoU between Austmine and its Russian equivalent, the Union of Mining Industry.

Trzebski told Australian Mining “the signing of this

agreement is very symbolic, and regardless of the current political situation, the show must go on, and this agreement provides a pathway for Australian companies to do that”.

“It also shows that Russian companies recognise what Australians are doing and want to work with them as they can see the value of our products and services.

“Working in Russia and the CIS is a long term opportunity, and this agreement gives us the vehicle to work on that and really expand Australia’s reach.”

Speaking at the launch of the MoU at Mining World Russia, Australia’s ambassador to Russia Paul Myler commented on the effectiveness of agreements such as these, stating that “when miners talk to miners, good business gets done,” adding that the new agreement is “an opportunity to expand our bilateral trade” with Russia.

Bradken, an Australian

manufacturer of wear plates, crawler shoes, and other heavy duty steel mining consumables, said the week was a success for it.

“The Austmine and Austrade mission went really well,” the company stated.

“We’ve had some positive feedback and interest shown for our products from some Russian miners and will have talks with them on those fronts,” they added.

Gekko added that it had managed to get in front of major mines, such as Polymetal and Polyus, and had teed up additional meetings with major Russian miners later this year, following interest in its products.

“As long as you can show that your technology can provide optimisation, whether that is through cost or productivity gains, cutting energy, or simply improving availability, you have to demonstrate you can maximise their operations,” Grigg said. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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INTERNATIONAL MINING

Immersive Technologies also saw interest in its simulated trainers, which can expose operators to new equipment quickly without the danger of inexperienced operators damaging new machinery.

GE Mining, which hosted a number of Australians on their stand (and won the award for ‘successful international debut’ at the exhibition) has operated in Russia for a number of years, and has been building its presence in the country.

Operated from Australia, the company used the exhibition to showcase its technology, particularly in its collision avoidance systems.

The company also recently saw a success with the installation of its technology in LukOil drills in Russia.

However it was not just the majors and Australian companies working with Austmine and Austrade that were in show.

QSteel, run out of Perth and China, was also at the exhibition.

Speaking to Neil Watt, he explained that QSteel was focusing on Russia as it is one of the major markets, and an area that Australian companies could look to for growth in the mining space, as well as the other typical markets such as South America.

Australian and Russian mining sectors signed a MOU at the Mining World Russia Exhibition.

Risk vs. Rewards?

However as Trzebski stated before, there are potential risks, but the changing environment of Russia is removing a lot of these former barriers to business.

Concerns over funding, and making sure the money is there for work used to be major issues in the country.

But Gekko’s Sandy Gray said this has changed significantly over the last few

Some say the next mining hotspot will be Kazakhstan. www.miningaustralia.com.au

years, explaining that once a company is on the flow sheet, then funding is secure.

“We’ve never had a problem getting paid while operating in Russia due to the funding structure, and we’ve never had to fight for money and have done around $20 million worth of business here,” he said.

Yet Grigg added that “it can still take years to develop these markets, so being

here is definitely a long term decision”.

“At the end of the day, getting in here is not just about selling products, you’re also selling a brand.”

Where to next?

The question of what will be the next big hotspot is one that the mining industry always asks.

In this case, the answer to the question is to continue to look east – this time towards Kazakhstan.

Like many former Soviet states it comes with a raft of preconceptions.

However unlike other nearby CIS countries, it is taking major steps to address the issues inherent within its governmental structures.

Earlier this year Kazakhstan introduced new mining regulations, closely mirroring those of Australia and Canada, which relate to approvals processes, as well as those governing investment.

Following its success in Russia, Austmine is also looking to Kazakhstan, with Trzebski outlining a new mission with eight to ten Australian METS companies within the coming months.

“This’ll be our sixth visit to Kazakhstan,” he told Australian Mining.

Grey added that Gekko is already looking towards the country.

Trzebski explained that “while the currency devaluation has some questioning the country’s stability, the truth is there are still massive opportunities, particularly in base metals and maybe even uranium.”

He went on to add the state of coal, however, is a different one, as the commodity is battered by poor prices globally.

“Kazakhstan has always offered great opportunities, and has always been ahead in the region in terms of adopting technology and implementing new technology.”

This sentiment was echoed by Palaris’ Carr, who stated “Kazakhstan is modernising”.

He went onto say that the country may have even more potential if it effectively implements and follows through on its laws relating to approvals processes and foreign investment.

Gekko’s business development manager said “Kazakhstan has been large in mining for some time, and it is the natural next target for a lot of foreign companies operating in Russia”.

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AUTOMATION

Money-saving automated draglines ON THE HORIZON Dragline automation has received a $600,000 boost, with a technology company and the University of Queensland collaborating to develop a system which could save mining operations millions.

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ineWare is working with CRCMining and the University of Queensland on an 18-month ACARP (the Australian black coal industry’s research program) project set to advance dragline operations one step closer to automation.

Funded by an ACARP grant of more than $600,000 – as well as in-kind support from MineWare and CRC– the joint R&D proMineWare A M 0 5CEO 1 4Andrew _ 0 0 Jessett 0 _ R believes H I 2 the - time 1 is2right 0 1to4 revisit - 0 4the - historic 2 2 T 1problem 1 : 3 3of :dragline 3 2 + 1 0 :Mining 0 0 ject focuses on developing and automation.

implementing a new dig sequencing technology that aims to identify the best sequence of operations and movements for a dragline to excavate in the most efficient and productive way.

MineWare says the technology will give operators instantaneous position, digging and dumping guidance, supporting them to make critical decisions around the sequencing of excavation.

MineWare CEO and project co-leader Andrew Jessett

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said that dragline operations will benefit from improvement in productivity.

“On draglines around the world, we continue to see inconsistencies in operator sequences and techniques, which can result in variations in productivity rates in excess of 10 per cent,” Jessett said.

“By giving dragline operators accurate, instant guidance, we want to close the gap on these variations and improve productivity as a direct result.”

Jessett believes the time is right for industry to revisit what he calls the historic problem of dragline automation and capitalise on the readiness of new and emerging technologies.

He said the project represents a logical stepping stone towards the implementation of an automated dragline system that can bring immediate benefits to open cut mining around the world.

“This project builds upon more than 20 years of initiatives aimed at improving the performance of draglines,” he said.

“While the dream of an automated dragline system is still many, many years away, we’re ready to take another big step, harnessing new digital terrain mapping technology and our Pegasys Dragline Production Monitor to semi-automate key dragline dumping and positioning functions.”

Forming part of a broader plan towards improving dragline performance through automation, MineWare said the project is split into two major stages.

Stage one will see the design of a dragline excavation sequencing system, underpinned by a sophisticated algorithmic approach relevant to all dragline operations worldwide.

Stage two will trial the algorithm on a fully operational production dragline, integrated into MineWare’s Pegasys Dragline Monitoring sysÊvÕ ÊëiV v V>Ì ° tem.

During this stage, operator visualisation and supervisor report tools will be developed to analyse operator-based sequencing of excavation against the sequencing algorithm.

The company said the project’s E,Ê ÕÌ >Ì Ê* Ê £ä° immediate benefit to mining will be the development of the operator as Êv ÀÊÌ iÊ ÃÌÊ`i > ` } sistance technology targeting four key areas – minimising average cycle V ÌÀ Ê>«« V>Ì Ã° and positioning time while digging; increasing compliance to final pit geometry; reducing rework and rehandling of material; and pre-warning against potential pit issues such as spoil bound scenarios.

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around the development of automation technologies that build naturally off the excavation sequencing information provided by the operator assistance technology.

It said additional benefits for mining companies include an increase in coal uncover rates; improved safety by avoiding leaving high/low walls in danger of slumping and reducing the need for surveyors in the pit; increased operational reliability and consistency; and lower duty cycling.

Clarifying the role and importance of dig sequence technology in dragline automation, Jessett said that correct operator decision making is one of the most critical influencers of dragline performance.

“There is a direct link between operator performance and dragline productivity, particularly when it comes to excavation planning,” he said.

“Only the very best dragline operators are well skilled in this area; they need to know when to reposition a dragline, what the optimal sequence of moves is to dig a block and how the dragline should move to get there.”

“The answers to these questions lie at the very heart of dragline efficiency and productivity. By creating a system that allows us to get dig sequencing right everytime, we will have made a significant step forward towards automation.”

Attracting widespread support and interest from mining industry leaders and original equipment manufacturers, the project builds upon the work of several previous ACARP projects and research undertaken by CRCMining on tactical mission planning for mining excavators.

ACARP’s Open Cut Committee has appointed senior representatives from four of the world’s largest coal mining companies as ‘Industry Monitors’ for the project.

While working more productively and saving time and money is not a new direction for the mining industry, R&D into technologies which will speed up the automation process has ramped up of late.

Jessett said the new technology could save the industry millions of dollars.

“Consistency is very important, that range of variability between operators can be anywhere up to 10 or 15 per cent and in dollar terms that’s very significant,” he said.

“When a dragline’s cost is around $30,000 an hour, when you’ve got 10 or 15 per cent variation in that hour by hour, that adds [up] to being a lot of money over a period of time.”

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AUTOMATION

Remote operations centres While the Australian mining industry invests significantly in automation and remote operations centres to reduce costs and increase site safety and productivity, experts say there is a lot more businesses can do to gain extra efficiencies.

T

raditionally, organisations manage their information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) services in silos but this method is being transitioned into a more holistic approach.

From co-location office management to combined monitoring systems, Australian Mining sourced the top four tips for mining companies investing in remote operation centres.

Get it right from the beginning

Laith Habib, national competency lead at business consultancy firm, Ajilon, said companies will find greater benefits by combining IT and OT service management under a shared governance framework and operating model.

Habib says by developing common standards and language which both IT and OT services follow, organisations will increase the chances of making correct decisions the first time.

“A joint IT-OT steering committee can be formed to apply best practices across both realms and ensure the IT team is not sidelined from major operational decisions which can often result in increasing the cost of technology support and maintenance within the ROC,” Habib explained.

He said correct planning is key in ensuring both teams understand the desirable outcomes and are working together to achieve the key goals.

“Establish an enterprise architecture team to integrate IT and OT standards,” Habib advised.

“This will align your technology architecture to the ISA-95 standard and reduce the cost, risk and errors associated with implementing interfaces between IT and OT. “It is important to have a strong technology roadmap and identify and weed out potential inefficiencies, security risks and bad decisions before they happen.”

While implementing a fully redundant communications infrastructure from the beginning will also help to minimise network impacts.

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Experts say remote operation centres should combine their information technology and operational technology services.

operational network capacity should be reviewed in line with future demand to minimise the risk of major incidents and service degradations.

continuity and disaster recovery plans to the overall business continuity plan.

Make sure to monitor

Habib said companies should also identify clear, unambiguous and measurable service level requirements by building relationships between IT, site-based engineers and OT vendors and establishing clear agreements to provide end-to-end support to the ROC. He said this step mitigates the risk of issues arising during service transition and operation.

“Establishing a ROC-specific service transition framework to ensure IT has visibility of OT changes, as well as formalising knowledge management to capture and retain core IP, means the IT team is adequately prepared with knowledge and training to support any changes to the ROC environment,” Habib explained.

“Earlier engagement between the teams will result in more effective testing and desired outcomes.”

Co-location is also seen a tool more companies using ROCs should implement.

“Co-location improves understanding and knowledge sharing as

“It goes without saying that any reoccurring OT incidents need to be addressed immediately at their root cause to reduce downstream impact on IT systems,” Habib said.

Stable and reliable OT provides remote operations centres with better data quality and consequently improves decision making, as well as reducing the effort that IT support teams spend on data fixes and workarounds.

Habib said mining companies should establish end-to-end system monitoring and alerting across both IT and OT as the early detection of availability – and capacity-related incidents will reduce the time associated with incident response and resolutions, and impact on ROC staff.

“Conduct regular joint ROC-ITOT risk analysis and management activities,” he suggested.

He also said greater efficiencies can be found by installing a backup control centre for business critical operations that align IT/OT service

Communicate clearly

well as building relationships and trust between IT and OT staff, leading to a more effective and efficient support services and cost savings through the employment and training of staff with both IT and OT technical skills,” Habib said.

Define success

Habib said ROC stakeholders should be consulted every three to six months to understand under-performing services and assess levels of IT/OT service management maturity and capability.

“Consider Lean Visual Management Boards within the ROC to measure, report and improve service level performance, facilitate the capture and sharing of knowledge, and reinforce key principles and effective behaviour,” he said.

And while defining success is important, Habib said it was crucial to implement the correct measurement parameters.

“By not understanding what to measure, why it is being measured and carefully defining the successful outcome, businesses can lose productive hours, experience higher costs, loss of reputation, or even business failure.” www.miningaustralia.com.au

AD_AMKELMAY_13.pdf

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FLY-IN/FLY-OUT

The fly-in,

fly-out mentality

The approach towards maintaining mental health for FIFO workers has come a long way in recent years, with more attention from the research being conducted to study the effects of extended camp life on the worker.

But how long should a worker be away from their family? Ben Hagemann talks to three professionals who deal with these issues at the coalface, to get their take on the mental safety aspect of FIFO.

I

n 2013 Lifeline WA released a report on the mental health of workers in the fly-in, fly-out and drive-in, drive out industries.

One of the key findings from the interviews conducted during the course of that study was that most FIFO workers had minimal knowledge of the realities they would face once they started living the lifestyle of FIFO transit.

Of course, anyone can know what to expect, the fatigue, the isolation from friends, family and recreation, but how can people psychologically prepare for a lifestyle they’ve never experienced?

Tracey Munn is a FIFO wife, a mother, a counsellor and a psychologist.

She and her FIFO husband have been in a relationship for 30 years, a true success story of the benefits of the mining lifestyle, but at her clinic on the Gold Coast she sees the downside all too regularly.

Around 60 per cent of her clients are FIFO-related issues, requiring individual or relationship counselling.

“In general I’m either counselling miners who are away during the week, who need someone to talk to, and they’re severely depressed, or the partners themselves, who in many ways just aren’t coping at home,” she said.

“In the case of the workers I treat, their mental health issues aren’t usually particularly FIFOrelated, but it’s just what happens, the problems get bigger as a result of being a FIFO worker.

“It’s a very neglected issue: Although there are counselling services around, there’s not so much in the way of crisis intervention.”

Tracey said part of the problem can lie with the way new FIFO workers react to the unfamiliar stresses of being away from their loved ones.

“A lot of men can’t cope with the emotional separation from their partner, so what they do is when they get to camp they switch off...

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Calendar for children with FIFO parents.

I’m away, I’m working, and I’ve got enough stress as it is so don’t bother me with the problems at home.”

The duration of time away can be a major factor in the mental health of workers and their families, Tracey said, especially when it comes to relationship issues.

“I never hear from people who are two weeks on, one week off… it’s predominantly from people on four and one,” she said.

“In my professional opinion it shouldn’t go longer than three weeks, because the fourth seems to just tip situations over the edge.

“Whenever I hear from a partner at home, they always say they want to make a booking [for relationship counselling] because their husband will be home next week.”

Thinking of the children

However, as Tracey points out,

the FIFO lifestyle can be especially stressful for young families, due to the way children react to a parent being absent for extended periods.

Deanne Hislop ran into a problem with her young children two years ago when her husband started working away, and she began working on a solution that is now being used by families in over 12,000 homes in Australia, helping children to understand what FIFO is all about. www.miningaustralia.com.au

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FLY-IN/FLY-OUT

Her company, My FIFO Family, creates resources to help parents educate their children about the reasons why mum or dad has to go away.

“When my husband was at home, he would go out to the shops and my two year-old boy wouldn’t know if Dad was coming back,” she said.

“He couldn’t count, he didn’t know what 15 sleeps was, so he needed a visual aid to keep track of that.

“My little girl would come up with all sorts of things, she’d ask Experts say four week rosters are too long.

‘What does Dad’s other family look like’, really heartbreaking things.” malising it… this is a massive indus- for contractors such as Sodexho and Inspired by the need to help her try because there are so many kids ESS, and knows all too well that the issues of mental health in remote children understand, she developed whose parents work away.” a range of educational products When it comes to picking an ide- camps are related to several factors, such as children’s books, activity al roster, Hislop values a lot of time including preparation for new FIFO workers, maintaining communicapacks and calendars that kids can spent at home. use to keep track of working rosters.

“Two weeks on, two weeks off tion with family, and length of time “I also used to run a family cen- is the ultimate roster, but it’s really away versus time spent at home.

His business, FIFO Counseltre in a remote mining town, so I’d about work/life balance, it needs to been around this a lot and I under- be enough time to get enough work ling, specialises in providing onsite, phone and internet counselling supstand the parents’ point of view, and done at home,” she said. the stress it can place on a family “The longer the swing, the more port for FIFO workers.

“There are two different rosterwhen the child isn’t well adapted to pressure it puts on family.” ing situations: normally it’s two and the situation,” Hislop said. one or three and one for production, “We have a children’s book Managing the camps called My Boomerang Dad, and we Anthony Ward is an experienced and construction is normally four also for0 the A have M 0 4bracelets 1 4 _ 0 0 _ Uolder N I _kids R - camp 1 manager 2 0 1 4 - and 0 3 site - 2 counsellor, 0 T 1 3 : 5 9 and : 3 1one… + 1 1 There’s : 0 0 most definitely to wear at school, it’s a way of nor- having managed 18 different camps a greater impact on people who

www.miningaustralia.com.au

are away for four weeks instead of three,” Ward said.

“With two and one rosters I think that enough time to go away, work, come back and reconnect with family… two and one would be best for production, while a three and one roster would be best suited for construction.”

Staying connected with family through phone and electronic media is the most important part of maintaining one’s own mental health according to Ward, who has been organising a new series of workshops aimed at new FIFO workers and their families.

The workshops were designed to help people learn simple coping strategies and tools to prepare mentally, socially and professionally for the FIFO lifestyle.

“It’s about teaching people the sorts of things they will need to know to cope with FIFO lifestyle, such as how to use Skype or other mediums, some people don’t know how to use them, there are practical things to know like getting the correct internet dongle for 4G network,” he said.

“Sometimes new workers will withdraw from contact with their home life, so the key is making sure people prepare to stay connected with their family and community.”

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

LoadTrak incab consoles

Reduces stresss on AFC and plow chains.

Variable frequency drive for longwall miners CATERPILLAR has developed a new VFD for longwall systems to increase conveyor speed and torque control.

The VFD-A800/W800 VFD for longwall systems is designed to work in conjunction with CAT UEL and CST gearboxes to provide variable speeds for the armoured face conveyor, with increased load sharing between gearboxes and better efficiency in weak power networks.

According to the company “the medium voltage drive controls torque and speed to optimise longwall productivity, reduces wear and breakage of AFC components, and makes efficient use of electrical power”.

It is built to avoid overload stopping and fine tunes AFC speed to match the operator’s rate of production.

The VFD also increases equipment life by minimising stress on drives and chains, while optimising power usage and returning energy to the system when motors are used to brake drives.

“The Cat VFD can be easily retrofitted to existing Cat face conveyor systems. Since the VFD operates on standard asynchronous motors, it does not require a change of the electrical network. In fact it will generate more effective power even from weaker sources,” Caterpillar added.

The system has also been developed to overcome some of the danger of chain breakage as it monitors and shares the load between gearboxes to reduce stress on the AFC chains and on plow chains.

Extending chain life also reduces the need for chain tensioning.

It integrates Cat’s Controlled Start Transmission, which is a planetary drive system with an integrated, infinitely variable multi-disc clutch.

This provides an automatic overload protection, soft starts, and a synchronised heavy-load startup.

The Cat VFD allows for maximum torque at startup and evenly distributes the load between the drives at both ends of the longwall shearer.

“The system immediately reacts to a blockage or chain break with a controlled shutdown,” Cat stated.

“In regular operation the speed of the AFC can be adjusted steplessly to load requirements when the plow or shearer are cutting the same direction or opposite direction of the AFC. Also, the complete longwall can easily adjust to the capacities of the subsequent coal clearance components such as the crusher, stage loader and belt conveyor.”

Importantly, they are designed for use in underground mines, and are housed in separate explosion-proof cabinets, and due to current source inverter technology can be installed as far away as four kilometres from the motors, cutting the need for additional space at the face ends.

It has a rated power of 800kW, has a nominal speed of 1500 rpm with a max operational torque of 210%.

• Caterpillar www.au.cat.com

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WITH the launch of their new LoadTrak in-cab consoles, Loadscan has set out to minimise the risk of errors and inaccuracies caused by manual paperwork systems in mining operations.

This latest addition to their range of load management solutions was developed to ensure maximum efficiency for onsite Eliminates the need for paper reports. reporting in underground mining.

The LoadTrak system was originally developed and tested on trucks at OceanaGold’s Frasers Flat Underground Mine in Dunedin, NZ after OceanaGold installed a Load Volume Scanner in 2011. The goal was to move away from manual handwritten paper based load reporting carried out by the truck drivers. The two-month trial using the LoadTrak system was so successful that OceanaGold decided to install a further five units to their remaining trucks.

LoadTrak can be custom tailored to any site and features an in-vehicle touchscreen console that allows drivers to enter vital load information such as source, type, driver, stope and destination in real-time, while still underground.

• Loadscan www.loadscan.com

Can withstand heavy impacts.

Underground mine basket MANITOU has released a new, safer underground mining basket. According to the company “with the addition of the underground mine basket to the range of mining solutions Manitou has a complete offer for safely lifting personnel in an underground mining or tunnelling application”.

“The development of the underground mining basket is a direct response to users’ need for a safe, robust personnel lifting solution,” Manitou’s mining activities manager Emmanual Amandjules said.

Built to international standards and compliant with Australia’s AS1418.10, the basket is compatible with a range of Manitou’s telescopic handlers, from three to 22.5 tonne machines. In addition to this “all compatible Manitou telehandlers are available in a full underground mine specification, including fail safe brakes, emergency steering, and other underground options”. It has a robust shield design and can withstand a three ton impact.

The base has continuous monitoring of stability and load and comes with an internal hand rail, and IP67 safety sensors.

• Manitou www.au.manitou.com www.miningaustralia.com.au

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Hybrid safety gloves CESTUSLINE has released new mining hand protection gloves.

Dubbed the New crushers lower fuel use.

DM Hybrid, the glove was originally created specifically for the underground mining industry.

METSO has released the new Lokotrack LT220D mobile crusher.

Has molded polycarbonate knuckles.

They are According to the company, this new addition is the most compact track-mounted combination of designed with cone crusher and a screen ever made. a bright, hi-vis colour scheme and feature a molded By “combining a cone crusher and a screen into a single track mounted plant, the Lt220D polycarbonate knuckle. reduces operational costs in several ways, most notably by substantially lowering fuel The DM Hybrid also features flexible TPR impact consumption and reducing the need for maintenance,” Metso said. shields that protect from knuckle to fingertip, with its The unit is also highly transportable. It operates by using a single Cat C13 309-kW engine, with kevlar thread double stitched for added durability. an efficient power transmission system that allows for maximum power output, which results in Additional impact shields extend to the metacarpal decreased consumption without affecting capacity. and carpal regions of the hand for maxiumum impact The greater degree of transportability means quicker set-ups and more production, whilst its protection. hydraulically-operated screening lifting and folding side conveyors allows it to be set up in It also features ripple grip palm technology, which is minutes. It has a total weight of 48 tonnes. level 2 cut resistant and house spaced anti-vibration The machine is equipped with either a HP200 or GP220 cone crusher, and uses an intelligent pods filled with hexagonal memory gel. control system for more reliable processes.

• Cestusline • Metso www.cestusline.com wwww.metso.com A M0 5 1 4 _ 0 0 0 _ P U M 1 2 0 1 4 - 0 4 - 1 1 T1 5 : 3 2 : 4 4 + 1 0 : 0 0

New mobile crushers

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May 2014

PUM2414B

Puma Energy is a new breed of energy company – committed to doing things right.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Sandvik’s new DE Carbide drill bit.

Tailored training plugs knowledge gaps.

Navman Wireless Driving Academy platform NAVMAN Wireless has launched its new offering, Navman Wireless Driving Academy, and says the new predictive analytics gives companies the tools to reduce collisions, injuries, costs and liabilities. The new web-based, predictive analysis platform is designed to help companies reduce collisions, injuries, costs and liabilities for fleets and create extra visibility in identifying the most at-risk drivers.

The company says the program’s Hazard Perception Evaluation allows fleet managers to identify risk in six core competency areas including scanning, space management, knowledge of danger zones, speed management, awareness of other motorists and attitude.

Once the evaluation is complete, drivers are then automatically assigned specific, targeted training modules to address deficiencies.

“It is simple, fast and easy for managers to pinpoint the most at-risk drivers and provide a specific training regime to suit the driver’s behaviours,” said Chris L’Ecluse, solutions specialist at Navman Wireless. To maximise results, the program uses full-motion, real-life video footage and a modular design that allows clients to build custom solutions. L’Ecluse says key benefits of the program include cost efficiency, accurate training and improved driver behaviour.

• Navman Wireless www.navmanwireless.com.au

New ultrasonic flow meters EMERSON Process Management has introduced new “Daniel” multi-path gas and liquid ultrasonic meters that feature a nextgeneration electronics platform. The company said the accuracy, line size breadth, and flexibility make the new flow meters ideal for a number of applications.

Designed for speed, reliability and ease-of-use, Emerson said the ultrasonic flow meters have faster flow sampling rates that increase the data set used to calculate average velocity, allowing better recognition of changing flow dynamics.

Improved calculations for auditing or invoice resolution are also enabled by the electronics’ ultra-fast delivery of key data from the meter’s audit trail.

While access to alarms, events and configuration changes is provided in a matter of seconds. Additionally, the meters’ electronics feature a compact circuit board for increased reliability and maintainability.

• Emerson Process Management www2.emersonprocess.com

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Diamond-enhanced drill bits SANDVIK has announced the release of a new range of drill bits for mining exploration, production and grade control applications.

According to the company, the new Diamond Enhanced (DE) Carbide range of drill bits offer far superior wear and abrasion resistant characteristics in difficult mining conditions.

Sandvik states “the wear and abrasion resistant properties of DE Carbide bits have resulted in increases in bit life by a factor of three to five times – greatly reducing the need for multiple bit changes when drilling deep holes in abrasive formations.

Frequently with deep and abrasive drill hole conditions, less than 50% – and sometimes less than 25% – of a shift, can be spent actually drilling,” Sandvik said.

“With the use of Sandvik’s DE Carbide bits, drill time can be increased to over 80% of a shift.”

• Sandvik www.sandvik.com

The new system meets EMC standards.

New ELV LED Tunnel Lighting System

Emerson’s ultrasonic meters use new electronics with faster flow sampling rates.

ROOBUCK Tunnel Lighting Systems announced the release of what it says is Australia’s first ELV Tunnel Lighting System for use in underground mining. The total system comprises a variable number of LED Tunnel Light modules connected via junction boxes and is powered from a step-down transformer with 32VAC in the secondary. Roobuck said it was designed for general lighting immediately outside hazardous areas in underground mines but the modules can also be used individually for application at other mine site locations like the coal processing plant. The light model is coded RLTA1 and meets EMC standards.

Roobuck said safe operation is assured as it is powered from 32VAC and the whole light module is completely encapsulated, so IP67 standard is guaranteed.

The company said all electrical leads comply with mining standards and are permanently attached to the light. It also said the cable specs can be specified by the customer.

• Roobuck www.roobuck.com.au www.miningaustralia.com.au

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

The new model T-Series camera by FLIR.

MAXI-TUBE comes with a warranty of up to 25 years.

New handheld thermography cameras

Orrcon Steel offers 25-year steel warranty

DESIGNED to help streamline thermal inspections for intensive electrical, mechanical and utility predictive maintenance programs, FLIR has released a fresh line-up of T-Series cameras. The company said flexible ergonomics, fast communication from the field and a holistic thermal imaging solution for greater workflow efficiency are what set T-Series cameras apart. It said a major advantage is FLIR’s unique rotating optical block that lets users easily aim overhead, under equipment and from other tough angles while keeping the large LCD in comfortable view.

Upping the game on its intuitive user interface, FLIR has further simplified T-Series’ touchscreen tools, making it a breeze to access menus, add temperature measurement spot meters and area boxes, change colour palettes, set parameters, and switch imaging modes for example. FLIR said these advancements complement other industry-first benefits that its T-Series cameras are already renowned for, including fast Wi-Fi communication.

• FLIR SYSTEMS www.flir.com

MANUFACTURED in Australia by Orrcon Steel, the new zinc-alloy coated MAXI-TUBE is said to provide exceptional corrosion resistance for tubular steel products used near marine and corrosive industrial environments. Orrcon Steel said independent studies into the durability of MAXI-TUBE show that its high quality barrier to corrosion provides at least 50% greater corrosion resistance than traditional Batch Hot-Dip Galvanised steel. For the first time in Australia, a defined warranty is available for tubular steel products in areas less than 1km from marine and coastal environments.

MAXI-TUBE comes with a warranty of up to 25 years depending on the environment and the application in which the product will be used.

• MAXI-TUBE www.maxitube.com.au A M 0 5 1 4 _ 0 0 0 _ S WI 1 2 0 1 4 - 0 4 - 1 6 T1 4 : 1 2 : 3 1 + 1 0 : 0 0

New loading controller HONEYWELL Enraf has introduced the Fusion4 MSC-L, a new multi-stream controller for loading products from refineries and chemical plants into transports such as railcars, tankers and barges.

Honeywell said the new technology is highly accurate, scalable and versatile with A hazardous area, explosion-proof design.

Fusion4 MSC-L offering a “ground-breaking, intuitive device interface to enable every installation, operation and maintenance function to be controlled in the field using a large display and integrated keyboard that works as a complete hazardous area operating station.”

The controller can operate up to six loading arms simultaneously, providing safe, reliable control for road loading, as well as tank farm transfers and marine and rail terminal operations.

• Honeywell www.honeywellprocess.com www.miningaustralia.com.au

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11th Annual Australian Mining Prospect Awards In this issue we have a brief word from some of the sponsors about their companies and why they choose to sponsor the Prospect Awards.

SEW-Eurodrive

MMD

SEW-Eurodrive is proud to be sponsoring the Coal Mine of the year award at the 2014 Australian Mining Prospect Awards.

As a key supplier to the coal mining industry, we believe in quality and efficiency when it comes to drive technology.

Supplying a range of industrial gear units, motors and drives in sizes in excess of 1MW, we deliver more than just products to heavy industry.

A team of talented engineers develop effective and timely solutions based on customers’ motion requirements, which are backed by aftersales commissioning and product support that is second to none.

We also understand that time is money, so units are delivered within a matter of weeks from our local assembly plants, rather than waiting months for items to be shipped from overseas.

The coal mining industry is one of Australia’s strongest assets – as the world’s greatest exporter of coal, we can be thankful for an industry that has given us global recognition.

SEW-Eurodrive takes great pride in sponsoring the coal mine of the year award, which we hope in turn, encourages the organization in and industry which has greatly supported our company over time.

We hope that this award goes to a fitting recipient to provide them with the acknowledgment they deserve for making such a strong contribution to Australian industry.

SEW-Eurodrive looks forward to further ongoing partnerships with all forms of mining, now and into the future.

Mining Machinery Developments (MMD) designs and manufactures mineral sizing (crushing) equipment and services to the mining, metallurgical, industrial minerals, alumina and other industries.

The core products; Mineral Sizers (crushers) and Feeders offer a solution to problems such as variable ore properties, product requirements, site conditions and environmental issues.

Founded in 1978, to design and manufacture equipment for the UK underground coal mining industry, today MMD size over 60 different minerals world wide, in many varied process industries.

MMD Sizing equipment is available for surface or underground installations, stationary or mobile, and for climatic conditions ranging from arctic to tropical.

The MMD Sizer range now includes, primary, secondary and tertiary Sizers for wet and dry processing of metallic and non-metallic minerals for mining, industrial minerals and quarrying industries.

To complement the robust Twin Shaft Mineral Sizer, MMD has designed and developed a range of heavy duty Apron Plate Feeders, which convey unbroken material to the crushing plant.

Standard widths available are 1500, 2000, 3000 and 4000mm on D4, D7, D9 and D11 Caterpillar sealed and lubricated tractor chain.

The mobile and semi-mobile sizer systems developed by MMD are both high in capacity and compact in size when compared to the traditional technology in this field.

The latest range of MMD Mobile Sizers have the ability to offer mine operators unprecedented levels of productivity, and therefore very low operating costs per tonne.

These energy efficient electrically driven “Green Mining Solutions” are all designed to assist mining companies to achieve the double bottom line of being both economic and environmentally friendly.

MMD is proud to be the long running sponsor of the Australian Mine of the Year award.

Atlas Copco For over 130 years Atlas Copco has supplied the world with mining equipment, making it one of the most experienced suppliers in the industry. Since setting up shop in Kalgoorlie in the 1950s, Atlas Copco has learned from the very specific and in many ways original Australian mining methods, which differ from the rest of the world. On top of higher demands on people and equipment, conditions faced in Australia (especially water) are very often tougher than most. One of Atlas Copco’s highest priorities is reducing people’s exposure to the drilling process and to the hostile environment often found in underground mines.

With our first experience in automation over a quarter of a century ago, and having spent the past 13 years refining our common rig automation platform RCS, the performance of Atlas Copco’s production drill rigs, RCS control system, rock drills, Cable bolting rigs and innovative braking system (SAHR) have set the standard in the industry for productivity and safety.

The Prospect Awards recognise personal and company achievements, and they recognise the new benchmarks these create within the industry.

As a company and as individuals, Atlas Copco and its staff are pleased to support this event the Contract Miner of the Year and Hard Rock Mine of the Year awards because we appreciate how hard it is to be at the frontier of mining.

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Be a leader in Australia’s mining industry and nominate today

www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Nominations are now open for the 11th annual Australian Mining Prospect Awards to be held on 24 October 2014.

A total of 15 awards will be up for grabs on the night, highlighting companies’ innovation and excellence in the mining industry.

All finalists will receive free publicity in Australian Mining and two free tickets to the gala dinner where the winners will be announced.

The categories include: ✔ Australian Mine of the Year ✔ Coal Mine of the Year ✔ Community Interaction ✔ Contract Miner of the Year ✔ Contribution to Mining ✔ Excellence in Environmental Management ✔ Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S ✔ Explorer of the Year

✔ Hard Rock Mine of the Year ✔ Innovative Mining Solution ✔ Mine Manager of the Year ✔ Minerals Processing Plant of the Year ✔ Mining’s Woman of the Year ✔ Peoples’ Choice Award ✔ Young Achiever

For more information visit www.miningaustralia.com.au/awards PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

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MINING JOBS

To advertise a new job contact Hussein Azzan at 02 8484 0852

To see the latest jobs available visit www.miningaustralia.com.au CONVEYOR SYSTEMS SUPERVISOR FENNER DUNLOP AUSTRALIA

LEADING HAND BELT SPLICER FENNER DUNLOP AUSTRALIA

SCRAPER TECHNICIAN FENNER DUNLOP AUSTRALIA

We currently have several well sort after positions for permanent, full time Belt Splicing Supervisors to form part of our Field Service Crew in WA. As a proven leader, you will have the opportunity to grow and develop your skills by working with a team that prides itself on quality.

You will be known as the go to person, your conveyor systems experience along with your leadership skills will showcase your strong coordination ability.

You will be exposed to different clients to promote an impressive selection of products and services.

With multiple positions available, we are looking for talented Supervisors who have the following: • Belt Splicing and installation experience of conveyor belts – specifically steel cord • Ability to liaise with the Clients and Managers to ensure jobs are planned, scoped and executed to the highest standard • Experience in identifying common belt damages/faults and determine method of repair • Exposure to assisting with all OH&S and Human Resources related tasks for the site The key skills required for these roles include: • Determination to provide an exceptional level of professional service to our client • Extensive belt splicing experience • Sound knowledge in high integrity splicing procedures • A commitment to a safety culture of ‘100% Safe Behaviours and Conditions, Today’ To the successful candidate, we will offer housing assistance, competitive base salary and relocation assistance if required.

To find out more about this unique opportunity, contact 1800 689 629.

We require an experienced Belt Splicer on a residential basis with relocation provided.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated individual with a strong work ethic, excellent leadership skills and service focused.

You must have high level technical focus with a ‘hands on approach’ to match.

You will be expected to travel to local and remote mine sites (Groote eylandt, NT) which includes 80% of time away from the Cairns branch.

Key responsibilities include: • Contribute to the company’s overall safety objective of ‘100% Safe Behaviours and conditions, today’ by actively reporting any near misses, hazards or incident • Responsible for belt splicing repairs, conveyor maintenance and installations to fabric, ply, solid woven, and steel- cord belt • Supervise all belt splicing and a crew of 7 x Splicers • Plan, organise, coordinate, control and support the crew’s workload • Identify common belt damage/faults and determine method of repair • Assist with creating splice reports • Ability to work shift work (overtime provided) To be successful in this role you will: • Certificate III in Polymer Processing (preferred) • Excellent knowledge of Belt Splicing and Installations – fabric, ply or steel cord • Strong commitment to safety with and a focus on quality • Good leadership and problem solving skills • Current/valid Australian manual drivers license • Current/valid MR Truck licence • Basic dogger and rigger skills (relevant tickets and licenses) – desirable Relocation assistance will be provided to the right person.

For more information please call 1800 689 629.

We are seeking a qualified Mechanical Fitter/Scraper Technician on a residential basis in Emerald.

This is a great opportunity for an enthusiastic Scraper Tech with mechanical and belt cleaning experience to join our busy Emerald TEAM. You will be responsible for installing scrapers, idlers, rollers, cleaners and mechanical maintenance and repairs to conveyor systems and components.

The ideal person will have previous scraper tech experience on conveyor systems.

As a Scraper Technician you will: • Inspect and assess breakdowns and develop a maintenance plan as required • Maintain and fault find mechanical equipment • Complete audit of belt cleaners and conveyor idlers/rollers • Provide mechanical solutions to cus­ tomer issues • Perform belt cleaner installations • General belt cleaning, maintenance We are looking for someone who has: • Fitter & Turner Qualification (essential) • Must have experience in conveyor and mining industry • Ability to promote mechanical work to our clients • Strong mechanical aptitude • Must be a team player • A self starter with excellent time management • Excellent communication skills • Strong customer service focus • Valid Australian Drivers Licence • HR Truck licence and other relevant tickets • General induction and coal board medical (preferred) If you feel you qualify for this role please apply online or call 1800 689 629.

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If what you do depends on Lime, talk to us.

Mining operations depend on Lime. Which is why industry leaders get their Lime from Sibelco. Whether it’s Quicklime, Hydrated Lime or one of many other limestone products you may require, you’re getting quality, premium Lime. Choose Limil from one of the seven Sibelco plants around Australia and you can look forward to 135 years of Lime manufacturing expertise, the security of long-term supplies and a level of quality and consistency that our ISO9001:2008 Quality Program delivers.

To find out more about Limil, Sibelco and our industry-leading products, visit www.sibelco.com.au

UNM13793

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EVENTS

Conferences, seminars & workshops Event submissions can be emailed to editor@miningaustralia.com.au we brief the speakers and facilitators on outcome based presentations.

Go to mining-productivity.com.au to view the agenda and speakers.

Don’t miss out as space is limited.

Register your interest to attend today by emailing: enquiries@cirrusevents.com.au

National Manufacturing Week (NMW) 2014 May 13-16 Sydney Showground

Australia’s largest manufacturing industry event, National Manufacturing Week (NMW) will break new ground at the Sydney Showground from May 13-16 this year, with a revised floorplan giving more space to sectors and technologies that are driving industry growth.

NMW will incorporate a record 15 Product Zones in 2014, with new zones including the fast growing Digital & Additive manufacturing sectors, along with Cleantech, Engineering Services, Advanced

Mining Productivity Forum July 16 Brisbane

The inaugural Australian Mining Productivity Forum is an invite-only event for 60 senior decision makers from across the region.

The event is designed to maximise interaction and peer learning so attendees can go back to their workplace and implement proven strategies, not just theory.

The mining boom has reached a peak and ‘volume frenzy’ has disappeared so Australian miners are aggressively pursuing productivity improvements via three key levers: Optimising the productivity of the asset base – achieving scale and targeting specific and marketable product blends, using cost effective extraction technologies.

Mining operation productivity improvements – aggressive mine site process improvement initiatives, focused on both technology and people.

Rationalising organisational overhead – seeking standardisation and minimisation of corporate process, and efficiencies through right-sizing and fit-for-purpose administrative functions.

This event will be critical to: Developing Connections This invite only event fosters unrivalled learning and networking opportunities with other senior mining professionals.

It goes beyond the theory with practical case study driven presentations.

Research Alongside our seasoned and connected journalists we carry out exclusive research into the industry to ensure every presentation and every bullet point is crafted to ensure the best return on attendance.

Solutions We have designed each day to maximise the learning outcomes for all delegates.

Productivity is what has to be achieved and

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Materials and Machine Tools, displaying everything from CNC machining centres to laser equipment.

For the first time in Sydney NMW 2014 will also be ‘home’ to Ausplas, Australia’s national plastics trade show.

Held once every three years, Ausplas presents many of the most significant innovations within Australia’s secondlargest manufacturing industry sector and brings with it multiple new opportunities for exhibitors and visitors alike.

In addition to showcasing new cuttingedge technologies and industry sectors, for the first time NMW will also will house an exclusive R&D Hub, providing industry with unique opportunities to speak directly with research providers about their work and opportunities for collaboration and commercialisation.

To find out more please visit www.nationalmanufacturingweek.com.au

2014 Women in Industry 25 June Ivy Ballroom, Sydney

The 2014 Women in Industry Awards recognises and rewards the achievements of women working within the mining, engineering, manufacturing and process control industries, and aims to raise the profile of women within industry, as well as promote and encourage excellence.

Australian Mining, PACE and Manufacturers’ Monthly are partnering to acknowledge the exceptional women who have achieved success through their invaluable leadership, innovation and commitment to their sector.

This is your opportunity to have Australia’s leading publications recognise the women who are driving change in your industry and – in doing so –breaking down barriers and creating new possibilities for the next generation.

These may be women you work with, women whose achievements are inspiring you from afar, or women who are providing you with invaluable guidance and support.

Their achievements may not be creating headlines, but we believe their dedication and exceptionalism should be celebrated.

The accomplishments of these women will be recognised at an exclusive evening event to be held in Sydney on Wednesday 25th of June.

More than just recognition, the Awards also provide an opportunity for new business opportunities and network expansion.

To nominate or for more information please visit www.womeninindustry.com.au

The AusIMM International Uranium Conference 2014 10-11 June Novotel Perth Langley

Despite a significant short-term downturn in uranium prices the annual International Uranium Conference will continue as an annual event and remains the leading technical uranium conference in Australia.

The conference will continue to build upon the AusIMM’s hugely successful series that have been held over the past eight years.

The AusIMM International Uranium Conference 2014 returns to Perth and will include a twoday technical program, workshops, technical tours to Perth sites and much more.

Mark Chalmers FAusIMM The AusIMM International Uranium Conference Chair 2014 Who should attend?

Chief executive officers, vice presidents, directors, managers, engineers, advisors, researchers, government officers, consultants and students of: • Mineral processing • Geostatistics • Resource development • Exploration • Geology • Industrial processes • Mine remediation • Geotechnics • Plant operations • Rehabilitation • Ecology • Policy For more information and to register: http://www.uranium2014.ausimm.com.au/ www.miningaustralia.com.au

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Australian Mining, Manufactures Monthly and PACE Magazine invites you to attend the 2014 Women in Industry Awards in Melbourne. This exclusive event aims to raise the profile of women within industry, as well as promote and encourage excellence. The winners will represent high achievers from mining, engineering, manufacturing and process control industries, from the most senior to the stars of tomorrow.

VISIT WOMENININDUSTRY.COM.AU TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS

TICKETS Date: Time: Venue: Tickets: Dress:

Wednesday 25 June men in 6:30pm pre drinks, 7pm start Wo Industry Awards Presentation Street, Sydney Ivy Ballroom, 320 - 330 George table of 10 (+ $150 per person or $1,200 for a , pre drinks, GST). Tickets include, admission two course dinner and beverages Cocktail/lounge suit

To view finalists or for more information please visit womeninindustry.com.au or contact Nicole Pusic 02 8484 0944

www.womeninindustry.com.au www.miningaustralia.com.au

Supporting partner

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MAKING A COMMITMENT TO LOWERING YOUR COSTS At Caterpillar, our relationship with our customers goes way beyond selling and supporting the machines we manufacture. Our goal is to combine our products and technologies with our mining industry expertise to help you achieve your definition of success — whether that’s controlling expenses by using less fuel, getting the longest possible life out of your equipment through machine rebuilds, optimizing your site with a customized technology solution, or reducing your debt through our structured financing offerings.

Get more information at M I N I N G . C AT. C O M

© 2014 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

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