Quarry August 2023

AUGUST 2023

OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF QUARRYING AUSTRALIA

AUGUST 2023

ENSURING COMPLIANCE

40

Holcim Australia’s Grantville Quarry stays on top of the competition, thanks to a partnership with Delta Rent.

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QUARRY

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www.quarrymagazine.com

STAYING ON TOP OF THE SAND PIT

Steve Franklin, founder of Eltirus, details the remarkable results that can emerge when operators plan, do, check and act.

HEAVY DUTY MACHINES FOR HEAVY DUTY QUARRIES WA Limestone wanted a rock breaker with some “meat on the bones” to handle its hard rock quarry in Onslow.

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IN THIS ISSUE

AUGUST 2023

VOLUME 33, ISSUE 8

FEATURES 20 ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORKPLACE Komatsu Australia explains how the company is improving outcomes.

24 EVOLUTION OF EXCELLENCE Volvo Construction Equipment has launched the 56-tonne L350H2 loader.

26 QUARRY EXPANSION ON TRACK WITH ASTEC

Hopkins Brothers’ quarry expansion is on track as part of the company’s plan.

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STAYING ON TOP OF THE SAND PIT

Grantville Quarry stays on top of the competition, thanks to a partnership with Delta Rent.

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28 ENSURE BELTS CAN HANDLE A TOUR OF DUTY ENSURE COMPLIANCE

Steve Franklin, founder of Eltirus, details the remarkable results that can emerge when quarry operators plan, do, check and act.

Martin Engineering recommends some key considerations to ensure your site gets the most out of the conveyor belt.

32 ALL COVERED

Kinder Australia is helping quarries protect one of their expensive assets.

38 PILE UP THE BENEFITS OF STOCKPILERS

New industry thinking has highlighted the value of local manufacturing.

42 BORAL GETS MORE WITH THE XMOR BUCKET Andrew Rankin explains how a new bucket is boosting productivity.

44 A FORWARD-THINKING CRUSHER

A vertical shaft impact crusher with European sophistication has been a hit.

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HEAVY DUTY MACHINES FOR HEAVY DUTY QUARRIES

WA Limestone wanted a rock breaker with some “meat on the bones” to handle its hard rock.

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RUBBER AND ASPHALT DO MIX

Quarry explores how crumb rubber asphalt is being used across NSW.

46 INSITU’S END-TO-END CORPORATE ADVISORY AND REAL ESTATE DELIVERS

Insitu Advisory and Real Estate’s experience and knowledge comes to the fore with quarries.

48 MANUFACTURING LOCAL MEASUREMENT

Tecweigh’s latest conveyer belt scales are designed for the quarry industry.

AUGUST 2023

OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF QUARRYING AUSTRALIA

ENSURING COMPLIANCE

40

34

QUARRY

18

www.quarrymagazine.com

STAYING ON TOP OF THE SAND PIT Holcim Australia’s Grantville Quarry stays on top of the competition, thanks to a partnership with Delta Rent.

Steve Franklin, founder of Eltirus, details the remarkable results that can emerge when operators plan, do, check and act.

52 WHEN YOU NEED IT, WHERE YOU NEED IT

AUGUST 2023

HEAVY DUTY MACHINES FOR HEAVY DUTY QUARRIES WA Limestone wanted a rock breaker with some “meat on the bones” to handle its hard rock quarry in Onslow.

COVER ADVERTISER: Holcim Australia’s Grantville Quarry utilises two articulated dump trucks and two frontloaders to stay on top of the competition, thanks to a partnership with Delta Rent..

Oli Vibrators Australia is fully stocked and on standby to assist quarries.

EVERY MONTH 06 FROM THE EDITOR

54 IQA NEWS

08 FROM THE PRESIDENT

56 IQA MEMBER

10 NEWS THIS MONTH

60 GEOLOGY TALK

16 PRODUCT FOCUS

Quarry August 2023 3

IN STOCK

IN STOCK

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LIPPMANN L620R 20x6 SCALPER

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IN STOCK

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LIPPMANN L516R 16x5 SCALPER

TEREX M515 HEAVY DUTY ROCK TROMMEL

Heavy duty 16x5 screen box, Cat C4.4 engine, hopper extensions, apron feeder, full remote control operation. $492,500

New & Used units available throughout Australia, Tricon is Australia’s only authorised Terex MDS distributor.

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New AS43

Wash stock

IN STOCK

TEREX M413 HEAVY DUTY ROCK TROMMEL

LIPPMANN LS520 & LS622 MOBILE SCREENS

New & used units available throughout Australia, call for details. POA

Lippmann LS range, 22x6 and 20x5 triple deck finishing screens now available, POA

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SUPERIOR TSSA 150' TELESTACKER

SUPERIOR ALLIANCE LOW WATER WASHER

New Superior Telestackers in stock, 1000TPH, 46m, AS3000 electrics, AS4324 structure, auto stockpile, radio remote control.

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Wash your natural, manufactured or recycled sands with a greatly reduced water demand.

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SUPERIOR TSSA 130' TELESTACKER

Washer & dewater anywhere, anytime. Potential 500TPH output, in stock now!

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TSSA 130’ telestackers back in stock, 1000TPH, AS3000 electrics, AS4324 structure, auto stockpile, radio remote control.

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SUPERIOR RAZERTAIL TRUCK UNLOADER 1000TPH mobile truck unloaders in stock now.

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SUPERIOR GUARDIAN 6203 Superior Guardian 6203 20x6 horizontal screen boxes now available Australia wide (ex QLD & NSW) POA

EDITORIAL

RUBBER HITS THE ROAD

I

nfrastructure is the order of the day around Australia, as local, state, and federal governments invest billions into building, expanding, and maintaining key roads.

These projects have a voracious hunger for construction materials, requiring millions of tonnes of concrete and asphalt. However, governments of all levels are seeking sustainable solutions for these materials.

One such solution is crumb rubber. Made from end-of-life rubber products, like the tyres used on quarry equipment, the highly refined rubber can be used for road surfacing.

It’s an excellent example of how we can recycle and repurpose materials that were once seen as waste, and incorporate them into new applications.

Key players in the industry like Boral have embraced the material, supplying it to local councils for use in a range of asphalt mixes.

The company has been involved in a recent year-long project, supplying thousands of tonnes of the asphalt mix to pave across local council streets.

The performance of each asphalt mix will be monitored in a range

of applications and conditions to measure the benefits, and to generate comprehensive data on the use of recycled rubber-based treatments.

It is part of Boral’s efforts to decarbonise and to process recyclable materials, like construction waste, that would have otherwise been destined for landfill.

As sustainability initiatives grow and develop, it is likely there will be significant uptake of new recycled materials. The industry is well positioned to support these burgeoning material developments as more organisations help to build the “circular economy”.

In this edition of Quarry we are highlighting the businesses that have embraced sustainability and recycling. It has been great to hear about how quarries are getting involved and supporting this important work.

In the next issue, we will be focusing on earthmoving and ground engagement equipment.

If you would like to get involved, please get in touch.

Paul Hayes Managing Editor

Published by:

379 Docklands Drive Melbourne VIC 3008

“THESE PROJECTS HAVE A VORACIOUS HUNGER FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, REQUIRING MILLIONS OF TONNES OF CONCRETE AND ASPHALT. HOWEVER, GOVERNMENTS OF ALL LEVELS ARE SEEKING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR THESE MATERIALS.”

T: 03 9690 8766

www.primecreativemedia.com.au Chief Executive Officer John Murphy

john.murphy@primecreative.com.au Managing Editor Paul Hayes

paul.hayes@primecreative.com.au Assistant Editor William Arnott

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les.ilyefalvy@primecreative.com.au Client Success Co-ordinator Janine Clements

janine.clements@primecreative.com.au Design Production Manager Michelle Weston

michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au Art Director

Blake Storey

Graphic Design

Kerry Pert, Tom Anderson, Louis Romero, Cat Zappia Cover photography

Delta Rent and Ned Meldrum Photography

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Quarry August 2023

A WIRTGEN GROUP COMPANY

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

PLANNING AHEAD The Institute of Quarrying Australia

I

t is always a busy time of year through these winter months and that is also true at the IQA where we have had several exciting developments.

We have announced a significant addition to the IQA team with Clare Murray coming on board as chief executive officer.

Clare will be focusing on meeting our branches, suppliers, and the industry to discuss and implement our new strategic plan and deliver projects to meet our objectives.

Clare takes over from Kylie Fahey, who has left an indelible mark on the organisation in her time with us and we thank her for her contribution.

The new strategic plan was endorsed at our April 23 meeting with members to receive further communication about the initiative in the coming months.

With this plan, we are aiming to support industry participants with compliance and regulation, foster stronger industry connectivity and build a diverse and skilled industry workforce.

We conducted extensive research and an external review with industry stakeholders and our members in designing the strategic plan.

The strategic priorities address the key facets the industry raised through consultation and the IQA is wellpositioned to address these both now and into the future.

These strategic priorities cement our intention as an organisation to provide the best education and opportunities to our members and

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Quarry August 2023

people engaged with the extractive and associated industries.

We managed to reach a significant milestone in the financial year with more than 1600 members which was our highest ever recorded number.

Our members have been and always will be at the heart of everything we do as an organisation.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support which has helped make the IQA a wonderful community.

With memberships due for the 2024 financial year, we encourage all current members and anyone who has thought about joining to sign up to be part of our organisation.

Our industry needs its members involved. I encourage you to join your local committee and/or enable your staff to get involved.

Committees offer a fantastic insight into the industry and help develop our emerging leaders.”

Our branches have delivered a full suite of events already which have focused on improving network opportunities and educational events with more to come later this year.

By joining your local branch and committee you will be able to access these opportunities which will provide you with a terrific insight to become an emerging leader in our industry.

Duncan Harris President Institute of Quarrying Australia

Educating and connecting our extractive industry

www.quarry.com.au

“WITH THIS PLAN, WE ARE AIMING TO SUPPORT INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS WITH COMPLIANCE AND REGULATION, FOSTER STRONGER INDUSTRY CONNECTIVITY AND BUILD A DIVERSE AND SKILLED INDUSTRY WORKFORCE.”

The IQA’s Strategic Plan 2020 to 2025 embodies the following vision, values and strategic priorities: Vision: Educating and connecting the extractive and associated industries.

Values: • A safe and sustainable environment.

• Diversity and inclusion.

• Working development skills, careers and life-long learning.

• Networking, connection, trust and communication.

Strategic Priorities: • Maximise outcomes for industry through education and sustainable practise.

• Increase our relevance.

• A high performing and sustainable organisation.

IQA Contacts:

Phone: 02 9484 0577 Email: admin@quarry.com.au Chief Executive Officer Clare Murray Deputy President Sarah Bellman

Company Secretary Rod Lester

For all education, member and branch enquires please email: admin@quarry.com.au.

KNOW WHAT’S IN THE GROUND | EXTRACT IT SUSTAINABLY | ENSURE COMPLIANCE

Sustainability improvement services There are three specific areas where CO2 emissions can be reduced in a quarry operation.

We work with sites to help them identify the opportunities for improvement, implement them and monitor the results, resulting in reduced emissions and lower cost per tonne. Talk to us about how we can help you meet your sustainability targets.

+61 7 2139 5924 • L2, 127 George Street Brisbane Q 4000 Australia • eltirus.com

NEWS

AQA CEO Wayne Scott.

NZ QUARRY CONFERENCE BRINGS INDUSTRY TOGETHER Some of the brightest minds in quarrying visited New Zealand to discuss the major topics facing the industry.

Queenstown and Christchurch hosted the events including the firstever meeting of the NZ of the Global Aggregates Information Network.

The events had industry leaders visit from across the globe.

AQA chief executive Wayne Scott said the conference was an exciting opportunity for the industry.

“They face the same issues as New Zealand quarries – getting

quarries consented, dealing with neighbours, meeting increasing sustainability requirements – and achieving recognition when many exceed those requirements,” Scott said.

“We all also face the realities of climate change.

“One consequence of more frequent, more savage floods and rising sea levels is that people need ready access to quarry materials to rebuild and make their homes and roads more resilient.”

“You can’t get those materials

IT IS THE FIRST QUARRYNZ CONFERENCE IN CHRISTCHURCH SINCE THE 2010/11 EARTHQUAKES AND MARKS THE INDUSTRY’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY’S REBUILD.

if you face years of delay to get a new quarry consented or an existing one approved.”

The issues discussed at the Queenstown GAIN meeting will flow on into the annual QuarryNZ conference.

Around 600 people were estimated to have attended, including some GAIN representatives.

It is the first QuarryNZ conference in Christchurch since the 2010–11 earthquakes and marks the industry’s contribution to the city’s rebuild.

MCLANAHAN FINALISES DIEFENBACH ACQUISITION McLanahan Corporation announced it has finalised the acquisition of Diefenbach, which was announced in February 2023.

Diefenbach, a leading manufacturer of filter presses and thickeners based in Medolago, Italy, has been designing and manufacturing liquid-solid separation equipment since 1907.

With thousands of installations around the globe, Diefenbach provides solutions for filtration and dewatering applications in a wide range of industries, including chemicals manufacturing, food and beverage processing, aggregates, mining, battery recycling, PET recycling, wastewater treatment and many more.

McLanahan and Diefenbach have been working on projects together since 2013. This new partnership will

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allow McLanahan to better serve its customers around the world, offering a more comprehensive solution to water recycling and tailings management to help customers meet ever-changing processing requirements and to help contribute to sustainable materials processing practices as part of the circular economy.

“As the focus on sustainability and creating a circular economy within the materials processing industry continues to grow, the need for water recycling and tailings management is more important than ever,” said Cory Jenson, EVP – sales and business development at McLanahan.

“This acquisition complements McLanahan’s existing line of tailings and water management solutions and allows us to offer more competitive solutions.”

Diefenbach will continue to operate as an independent brand in the marketplace and continue to support its customers globally.

For the aggregate industry, Diefenbach is partnering with Eagle.

Iron Works, another brand in the McLanahan family of companies, provides a proven line of filter presses and thickeners to EIW customers who are looking to purchase a complete tailings management and water recycling solution from one vendor.

Headquartered in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, United States, the McLanahan Corporation offers more than 188 years of experience in providing processing solutions to a variety of materials handling industries, including quarrying.

L

YO

Th

Bu of ad re

Ex pe

LEADERS IN LOADING. YOUR PARTNERS IN PRODUCTIVITY The New Volvo L350H Wheel Loader Built to take on the toughest of jobs, the new Volvo L350H wheel loader arrives on the back of decades of innovation, revolutionising operations and streamlining productivity. It’s advanced features such as Volvo OptiShift technology ensures smooth gear shifting, and reduced fuel consumption and downtime.

Experience the future of quarrying with the Volvo L350H and unlock new levels of performance, efficiency, and reliability.

Contact your local branch for more information CJD.COM.AU 1300 139 804

EVENTS

The Inside Construction Expo 2023 will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

CONSTRUCTING THE FUTURE

T

he Inside Construction Expo 2023 is shaping up to be Melbourne’s leading event for the construction and infrastructure sector.

Hosted by Prime Creative Media, the Expo will act as a forum to discuss key challenges rising in the construction sector, and what can be done to address them.

Such challenges that have affected the key sector include skilled labour shortages and supply chain disruptions, forcing these areas to adapt and evolve to keep up with the booming national infrastructure pipeline.

Additionally, safety and digital transformation in the construction industry will be discussed.

The Inside Construction Expo 2023 will have a conference program featuring over 100 speakers across multiple stages, and an exhibition showcasing the latest in construction equipment and technology.

The primary aim of the Inside Construction Expo 2023 is to help attendees understand key solutions to the mentioned challenges that have arisen in the sector.

“Inside Construction Expo was created to fill the apparent gap in events targeted at major commercial and civil projects,” Prime Creative Media show director Lauren Winterbottom said.

“With such a large investment in infrastructure, we’re seeing the best in new

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industry developments – from safety to technology – rolled out before our eyes.”

From engineering to sustainability, the Expo will offer diverse perspectives and experiences which will contribute to answering the industry’s toughest questions.

“Throughout the conference, attendees can expect to hear from executive-level representatives from Australia’s major constructors and suppliers, alongside research and education bodies and government figures,” Winterbottom said.

One of the key speakers will be Teagan Dowler, the director and founder of the BCW – which offers services to support organisations at all stages of diversity and inclusion maturity.

Dowler has over 15 years’ experience in the heavy industries with a focus on diversity and inclusion, as well as cultural change and coaching. She has also been the STS Consulting project and capability manager for 12 years.

Recently, Dowler won Mentor of the Year at the 2023 Women in Industry Awards, an event hosted by Prime Creative Media that recognises outstanding women from across male-dominated industries.

Winterbottom said it is pleasing to partner with industry associations and peak bodies to bring the Inside Construction Expo to life.

Of course, the event would not be possible

without the support of a wide range of sponsors – one being Wurth Australia.

Wurth Australia, a subsidiary of Wurth Group, is a specialist in assembly and fastening materials for the Australian marketplace. It focuses on the quarry, automotive, cargo, metal, wood, mining, and construction industries.

Position Partners will also be a proud sponsor of the conference. It is provider of intelligent positioning solutions for surveying, quarrying, mining and building activities.

It also focuses on the distribution and support of intelligent positioning solutions for specifically geospatial, construction and mining projects.

Winterbottom said that the event is already seeing great success through media coverage.

“In the lead up to the event, over 19 industry-leading publications continue to extensively cover the latest in Expo news reaching more than 80,000 decision makers across multiple sectors,” Winterbottom said.

The Inside Construction Expo 2023 promises to be a must-attend event for industry members across the construction and major infrastructure sectors. • The expo will be held from September 20–21 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Visit insideconstructionexpo.com.au to learn more.

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EVENTS The awards recognise outstanding women across several sectors.

WINNERS OF THE WOMEN

IN INDUSTRY AWARDS ANNOUNCED

T

he winners of the 2023 Women in Industry Awards have been revealed.

The awards recognise outstanding women from across a range of industrials sectors, including in mining, transport, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, bulk handling, waste management, rail and construction and infrastructure.

The 2023 Women in Industry Awards were held at Aerial South Wharf in Melbourne.

THE 2023 WINNERS: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS OF THE YEAR Stefanie Frawley from TMX Global.

Stefanie successfully identified a gap in the offerings available to TMX customers, and introduced a new Portfolio Management option. As a result, Stefanie has grown her team from one to seven employees, servicing more than 14 clients in this new offering, and increased revenue from her team by 1000 per cent in the past two years.

INDUSTRY ADVOCACY AWARD Jemma Walshe from Fulton Hogan.

Jemma advocates to ensure time, energy and resources are dedicated to making a difference to the communities that Fulton Hogan works within and has been critical to the establishment and roll out of a number of positive community engagement outcomes.

MENTOR OF THE YEAR Teagan Dowler from The BCW. Teagan has dedicated her career to supporting women in industry. Running online coaching sessions and a career development program, she is tireless in

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her passion for celebrating, supporting, and developing females in industry and has positively impacted the careers of thousands of women in Australia and abroad.

SAFETY ADVOCACY AWARD – SPONSORED BY KOMATSU Giselle Phillips from Fredon QLD. Giselle has been instrumental in pioneering change within the Fredon QLD business; driving the use of technology to streamline the compliance of training and competencies, as well as being proactive in delivering mental health and well-being initiatives.

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR – SPONSORED BY ATLAS COPCO Sophia Kurianski from Jinolo.

In 2021, Sophia founded Jinolo, a 3D collaboration start-up that helps industrial design and engineering teams save time and money when working on designs with external clients and suppliers. Jinolo has already garnered significant attention, with manufacturing, design, and engineering teams using Sophia’s software to collaborate on 3D files.

EXCELLENCE IN TRANSPORT Coralie Chapman from Humes Concrete Products.

Coralie has always had a passion for promoting the various roles in the transport and logistics industry as well as safety around heavy vehicles. She is passionate about encouraging women to choose transport as a career path and strongly advocates for diversity and inclusion for people pursuing “non-traditional” careers.

The 2023 Women in Industry Awards were held at Aerial South Wharf in Melbourne.

KEEP YOUR DUST DOWN Most fugitive material from conveyors like dust and spillage is generated at load zones and transfer points.

Spillage and dust in a conveyor system result in accelerated wear of components, belt misalignment and belt damage.

Giselle Phillips won the Woman of the Year award.

EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING – SPONSORED BY SEW EURODRIVE Elsa Antunes from James Cook University.

Elsa graduated her PhD in chemical engineering in 2018 and in the five years since has shown ambitious leadership and innovation in the engineering sector. She has been promoted to Senior Lecturer, received over $1 million in grants and is instrumental in creating collaborations with industry and government across a range of topics.

EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING – SPONSORED BY PACCAR AUSTRALIA Kristi Riordan from Harvest B. Kristi founded Harvest B. in 2020 to help address global protein needs and sustainability concerns in our food system. With capital support from Woolworth’s venture fund, W23, she has since opened Harvest B’s first factory and a dedicated lab facility to enable rapid cycles of R&D to commercial production.

EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION – SPONSORED BY NAWIC Trudy Grimshaw from Department of Finance, Western Australia.

Trudy found her passion for construction through a winding road of career choices. Currently the Senior Project Director on the Bunbury Hospital Redevelopment, Trudy in all respects demonstrates how women can take a leading role in the construction industry.

The ESS 2000 Skirting System is a cost-effective solution to spillage issues.

The ESS 2000 Series Skirting System is; •

Easy to install

•

Easy to maintain

•

Suitable for high loads

•

Suitable for harsh environments

•

Easily adjustable for a linger sealing life

Installing ESS 2000 Series Skirting Systems can prevent material loss from the conveyor load zone.

With ESS Service crews, correct application and maintenance, spillage-free conveyor load zones are a reality.

EXCELLENCE IN MINING – SPONSORED BY WEIR MINERALS Ashara Moore from BHP. Ashara commenced her career as a Site Engineer, working on projects Australia-wide. Her ultimate goal is to encourage people from all backgrounds to be involved in the resources sector. Ashara firmly believes that mining can be done better – and is determined to be a part of the solution.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR – SPONSORED BY FULTON HOGAN Giselle Phillips from Fredon QLD. •

ENGINEERING SERVICES & SUPPLIES PTY LTD

PH: 1800 074 446 www.esseng.com.au

PRODUCT FOCUS TRICON PROVIDES PREMIUM PUGMILLS Pugmills play a crucial role in the production process by efficiently mixing and blending the necessary materials.

They are used to blend various aggregates together to create a consistent and well-graded mixture. Aggregates such as crushed stone, gravel, sand, or recycled materials like reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) are fed into the pugmill.

Pugmills allow for the addition of binding agents to the aggregates. These binding agents can include cement, lime, or bitumen emulsion. The binding agent is introduced into the pugmill and thoroughly mixed with the aggregates to ensure proper adhesion and strength.

They also help in controlling the moisture content of the roadbase material. Water is added to the pugmill in precise amounts to achieve the desired moisture level.

This is crucial for proper compaction and workability of the roadbase.

The rotating shaft with blades or paddles inside the pugmill thoroughly mixes and blends the aggregates, binding agents, and water. The continuous mixing action ensures a uniform distribution of materials, resulting in a consistent roadbase mixture.

Pugmills can de-air the roadbase mixture, removing excess air voids and improving the density and compaction characteristics of the material. This is achieved by subjecting the mixture to kneading and compression forces as it passes through the pugmill.

The mixed and processed roadbase material is extruded from the pugmill through a discharge opening or conveyor belt. The pugmill allows for precise control over the output rate, ensuring a consistent supply of roadbase for construction purposes.

By incorporating a pugmill into the roadbase production process, the mixing, blending, and homogenisation of materials are efficiently achieved, resulting in a high-quality and durable roadbase material ready for use in road construction or other civil engineering applications.

Tricon Equipment supplies a broad range of pugmills, including the Tricon Phoenix Track Mounted Pugmill, the Lippmann LS-Series Triple Deck High Energy Screeners, and the Superior TeleStacker Conveyor.

For more information, visit triconequipment.com.au

FIRST CHOICE IN HIGH HEAD PUMPING The H range of Selwood pumps offer maximum performance and efficiency for high head, high pressure dewatering.

These pumps offer total heads up to 158 metres, and flows up to 260 litres per second, Selprime automatic self-priming and emission compliant engines, making them ideal for high head and high-pressure applications with the added bonus of being simple to operate and maintain.

The Selprime priming method is a unique Selwood auto-priming pump that utilises a water tolerant diaphragm air pump. The design is environmentally friendly and has none of the problems of oil vapour emissions and oil emulsification associated with other priming systems.

The Selwood range of auto priming pumps are the market leader and are available in Australia from Toolkwip Pumps.

For more information visit toolkwippumps.com.au or call the Toolkwip team 03 8805 0500

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Quarry August 2023

NATIONWIDE BRANCHES. NATIONWIDE SERVICING. 1800 655 860 | WWW.SMARTTECHAUSTRALIA.COM.AU PERTH. BRISBANE. SYDNEY. MELBOURNE. TASMANIA. ALBURY. DARWIN. TOWNSVILLE.

SAND Holcim Grantville has two L260Hs on-site and has been impressed with its handling of on-site conditions.

STAYING ON TOP OF

THE SAND PIT

Holcim Australia’s Grantville Quarry utilises two articulated dump trucks and two frontloaders to stay on top of the competition, thanks to a partnership with Delta Rent.

T

he Grantville Quarry, which is a joint venture between Holcim and Boral, has relied on rented machines from Delta Rent for more than a decade, to ensure it can meet demanding workloads. The quarry supplies Holcim and Boral internally with sand for manufacturing concrete.

Holcim Australia’s Grantville Quarry site supervisor Ron Walker said with the operation being a joint venture, using machinery from Delta on-site provided access to the latest machines without significant up front investment.

Delta’s rental division, established in 2005, offers short, medium, and long-term flexible rental plans to help any site or project-specific requirement. The heavy plant hire division operates across Australia with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.

“As we operate a joint venture between Boral and Holcim we tend not to own our equipment/machinery,” Walker said.

“So, we partner with Delta Rent – giving our employees access to the latest state-of-the-art reliable machines.

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Quarry August 2023

This is imperative as our operation is reasonably high hours for a rental.”

Holcim’s Grantville site, located around 90 minutes from Melbourne, needed machines that could handle the clay track around the site in the wet and sodden tracks in the Victorian winter.

Delta Rent, which has one of the largest rental fleets in Australia, supplied the Victorian operation with two articulated dump trucks and two front-wheel loaders.

The articulated dump trucks are designed for off-road sites which require heavy-duty usage, predictive gear selection, downhill speed control and a high payload capability.

Walker said it was crucial Delta Rent was able to match the needs of the site with machines in its fleet.

“They run through pretty hard conditions in winter and all our tracks are clay, which can become quite wet. Despite the weather conditions, we still need to operate as much as we can,” Walker said.

“Delta Rent provides us with very reliable trucks, along with superior comfort for the operators.”

One of the key features the front end wheel loaders offer is a large capacity of 7.1 cubic metres, allowing 11.5 per cent more material to be loaded than previous models. This enables the road trucks to be loaded and sent out faster, increasing the site’s efficiency.

Delta Rent Account Manager Andrew Hagan said the company focused on the customer’s needs, with a rental and service based model that customers can rely on to help operations run smoothly.

In the case of the articulated hauler, its ability to handle “wet and uneven terrain very well” became a major factor given Holcim’s Grantville site, according to Hagan.

“The turnaround time to get trucks in and loaded was definitely seen as a benefit because they didn’t want trucks lining up at the gate, you just want them out.”

“Fuel burn was also a critical factor to the operation to lower production costs.”

“The support and 24–7 service Delta Rent provides is reliable, consistent, and gives our customers comfort knowing they can access immediate help when they need it,” he said.

Holcim Grantville has two AG45s on site which are made for the conditions and driving the clay tracks.

Delta Rent provides maintenance on the high-risk and capital-intensive machines to ease pressures for workers on-site.

The support system minimises unexpected maintenance and associated downtime.

“We rely on Delta’s after-hours service, so when something breaks down and we need it repaired pretty quickly, they’re onto it immediately,” Walker said.

“I manage the gear and liaise with Delta to do all the repairs and upkeep of the trucks. They’re usually pretty prompt getting out and getting the gear repaired as quickly as they can, which works for us because if the machine isn’t running, it is downtime for us and loss of production.”

Walker, who has spent around 40 years in the industry, really appreciates the level of service and quality of the machines.

“They’ve always been a good company to deal with, and they’re very good at keeping their gear on the move,” Walker said.

“Knowing Delta Rent is there helps us maintain focus on our core business.” • For more information visit deltagroup.com.au

The Volvo L260H’s larger bucket capacity improves efficiency.

Quarry August 2023 19

WORKPLACES

ADAPTING TO A

CHANGING WORKPLACE Quarry sat down with Komatsu Australia’s Colin Shaw to learn how the company is improving outcomes for employees from all walks of life.

M

any companies, including those in the quarrying sector, are attempting to reconfigure their workplaces to be more flexible in the wake of the “great resignation”.

Around one-third of mothers were planning to or were already in the process or had scaled back and exited their jobs in 2021 during the pandemic according to Seramount.

Research from McKinsey from around the same time showed that parents were more likely to leave the workforce than non-parents.

As part of the research, many parents were dealing with exhaustion from juggling their work and home commitments.

Colin Shaw, Komatsu Australiua’s executive general manager of people and strategy, told Quarry the company recognised the impact that happy and healthy families have “If we can make it easier for our people to balance work with having children and raising their families, then, of course, we should,” he said.

20

“It means our people are happier and it means we’re able to keep those incredible employees who might otherwise feel they need to step out of the workforce to pursue their personal goals. It’s a win-win.”

Komatsu changed its paid parental scheme to ensure its workers could better handle these commitments.

The new families at Komatsu program replaced the company’s paid parental leave scheme and is designed to provide benefits and support to all types of families.

Key elements of the program include 16 weeks of paid leave for the primary carer of a new baby, plus four weeks of bonding leave for the secondary carer; plus, special paid leave for our people who experience miscarriage or stillbirth.

The company has also developed a structured return to work program to make it easier to come back into a role, and provides ongoing access to flexible work arrangements.

“We’re really proud of this comprehensive program which really is about our people’s wellbeing,” Shaw said.

EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES Komatsu Australia has won several awards for its HR focus and the positive experience its people enjoy at work. Most recently, it was named in the 2023 AFR BOSS Best Places to Work List.

“Komatsu Australia is always proud to be recognised for our commitment to creating an environment that empowers employees to grow, excel and achieve their personal and professional goals. We really do believe that a supportive and positive work environment is critical to our success,” Shaw said.

Australia’s gender equality scorecard, created by the Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), revealed the mining and resources sector maintained a 14 per cent wage gap between male and female employees.

Quarry August 2023

2019_Au

WGEA director Mary Wooldridge has previously said the pay gap can be due to three main factors including systemic bias, women’s career progression being disrupted due to parenting and caregiving, and differences in pay for female and maledominated industries.

Mining and quarrying have for been a largely male-dominated industry. The Mining for Talent study conducted by Women in Mining (Wim) UK and PwC estimated women make up just eight per cent of board positions in the top 100 mining companies worldwide and 5-10 per cent of the mining industry depending on the country.

One of the key reasons which have been commonly identified is women a lack pathways into the male-dominated industry.

Komatsu has developed its awardwinning Say Again? Program which aims to address workplace sexism and includes training programs to improve outcomes for its female workers.

Komatsu has delivered several programs designed to help its employees balance work and home life.

Shaw said the company had taken an innovative approach to getting more diversity into its ranks.

“We are always looking for opportunities to highlight the benefits diversity can bring to our organisation and address the barriers that may hold us back,” Shaw said.

“We’re doing very well in our entry-level roles, with goals of 30 to 50 per cent women, compared with an industry benchmark which is less than a third of that.”

The company’s approach is that age and gender don’t hinder the employee.

Almost half the current Western Australian apprentices are women.

The company selects apprentices based on potential, not age. A few years ago Komatsu had a 47-year-old apprentice, and in the current intake there are apprentices in their 30s.

“We’re also making inroads on increasing female representation further up the corporate ladder, by thinking more openly about what the key skills are in some of our leadership roles, to enable us to recruit from a wider pool of applicants,” Shaw said.

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WORKPLACES

TRAINING WORKERS FOR THE FUTURE To help ensure its apprentices are given the best shot at their careers, Komatsu takes apprentices from all walks of life through its training academy.

“That means, for instance, that we don’t just look to people with a technical background – which typically means men in our industry – for roles where the key skills are around communication,” Shaw said.

The Komatsu training academy gives apprentices continued training and upskilling to help build the employees of the future for the quarrying industry.

“A big focus of the academy is upskilling people in their current roles, whether that be in leadership and management, operator skill proficiency development or customised technical training,” Shaw said.

“We offer a mix of fully accredited courses and modules, along with purpose-designed operator, technical and management training.”

Komatsu Australia recently doubled its annual training investment to $12 million.

The company’s apprentice development system is focused on the way apprentices are trained in the industry. The program received won the silver award for the large employer of the year and the employing Australian apprentice categories at the National Training Awards in 2022.

“The way our system is designed means that by the time our apprentices complete the program, they’ve achieved a competency

The company has a well-recognised and regarded training program for all apprentices.

level that would take about another year of experience for apprentices trained in conventional programs. It really supercharges our apprentices’ careers and helps them reach their potential,” Shaw said.

The apprentice program is managed

Komatsu was nominated as part of the 2023 AFR BOSS Best Places to Work List.

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through the Komatsu training academy, which has two purpose-built education centres, located in Brisbane and Perth, giving the company a presence on both the east and west coast.

The facilities are designed for hands-on training in the quarrying and mining industry as well as construction to help students gain practical skills.

Students use several simulators with the help of expert instructors to gain experience across a range of machines from utility machines to heavy excavators.

The company currently has over 300 apprentices in training on the west coast and more than 200 on the east coast and plans to build the total to over 600 in the coming year.

“Flexibility for us isn’t just about how you structure a workday, it’s about how you think about what makes a good apprentice, or a good mechanic, or any other role,” Colin said.

“We want our people to feel truly valued, to see real rewards for their commitment and to be able to achieve their goals both in and outside of work.

“We want people to feel like they can bring their whole selves to work.” • For more information visit komatsu.com.au

CRUSHER & SCREEN SALES PTY LTD

IMS DISTRIBUTOR for Australia, Papua New Guinea and South East Asia

Specialist Manufacturers of Quarry, Mining & Recycling Equipment Irish Manufacturing Services Ltd | www.ims-ltd.ie

IMS have produced another high quality Pugmill Blender to their range of Mobile Track and Modular Electric Pugmill and Blenders. The new PM1200-20TB Track Pugmill-Blender offers twin feed hoppers with separate feed conveyors, both fitted with belt scales for independent blending of the raw material, single or twin powder hoppers offering the ability two blend two powders at once or separately along with the option to add two liquids. The plant is totally PLC automated with an improved programme and reporting system which can be operated through its own Wi-Fi to an iPad up to 100 meters away in a loader or site office.

The twin feed hoppers have a large variation in belt speed and with the front of hooper adjustable flow gates and PLC control offers accurate blending, the feed hoppers are five meters long holding 10m3 each with the option of removing the dividing wall making a single 20m3 hopper. The pughead is 50% longer than the top selling single feed hopper IMS-PM1050-16TB track pugmill to ensure well blended material, with the option of two different augur designs to suit different raw material characteristics along with two water spray bars. The hydraulic drive train is powered by a Cat C7 Motor.

John Andersen +61(0)424 181 056 | Chris Wong +61(0)424 180 860 info@crusherscreen.com | www.crusherscreen.com | Unit 4, 181 Sandy Creek Road Yatala QLD 4207 Crusher and Screen Sales PTY Ltd | ABN: 55 150 600 418 Gold Coast QLD 4220 | PO Box 144 Southport QLD 4215

SUSTAINABILITY

EVOLUTION OF

EXCELLENCE

The L350H2 is built to tackle heavy loads with ease.

Building on the success of its predecessor, Volvo Construction Equipment has launched its updated 56-tonne L350H2 loader, with a host of upgrades to increase productivity, fuel efficiency and profitability.

T

he L350H2 is designed to handle the demanding tasks in quarrying, construction mining and other challenging environments, and represents Volvo’s commitment to providing eco-friendly solutions in the heavy machinery sector.

Hayden Grant, national product manager at CJD Equipment, Volvo CE’s national distributor, said the big difference between this L350H2 compared to the existing one is the new drivetrain, new transmission, and new axles.

“Over the years Volvo have built on their experience and worked closely with customers to improve these machines,” Grant said.

“Now, in 2023, Volvo have introduced exciting new features that have made it our flagship loader. These upgrades make it even more efficient and productive.”

ENHANCED PERFORMANCE With its robust construction and lifting capacities, the L350H2 is built to tackle heavy loads with ease. A highly notable improvement on the L350H2 wheel loader is that it boasts a more responsive hydraulics system featuring new lift and tilt cylinders, and an increased hydraulic working pressure for up to 10 per cent faster work cycles and higher productivity.

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Quarry August 2023

Volvo hydraulics are manufactured using high quality components, designed specifically for machines like the L350H2, to deliver superior precision and machine functionality.

At the heart of the Volvo hydraulic system is the load-sensing technology, which continuously monitors and adjusts the hydraulic flow and pressure according to the load requirements. This dynamic system ensures that power is distributed precisely where it is needed, resulting in efficient operation and reduced energy consumption.

“The L350H2 is the ideal production loader for all applications, from load and carry to moving quarried material,” Grant said.

“Its ability to move tonnes per hour, with more tonnes per litre of fuel burnt make it a fantastic piece of machinery in terms of efficiency and sustainability.”

With the additional on-board weighing option, operators can know the current load in the bucket and exactly how much has been unloaded for the current task, whether that be loading a truck or stockpiling.

EASY OPERATION Operators can rely on fast cycle times thanks to the updated driveline, featuring new Volvo axels and all new Volvo transmission.

These updates enable the third generation of

The L350H2 boasts a more responsive hydraulics system.

Volvo hydraulics are manufactured using high quality components.

Operators can rely on fast cycle times.

Volvo Opti-Shift with lock-up converter and Reverse-By-Breaking technology.

Volvo’s new Opti-shift transmission offers smooth shifting with automatic lock-up in second, third and fourth gear, dramatically reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact while maintaining productivity and operator comfort.

In load and haul applications, it’s common for operators to use the gear shifter to change between reverse and forward without applying the breaks. Deceleration is handled by the torque converter in such cases, resulting in energy loss and places a lot of strain on the converter due to heat transfer. Volvo’s Reverse-by-Breaking (RBB) function recognises the speed, direction and throttle position and applies the service

Deceleration is handled by the torque converter.

brake to slow the machine, saving fuel and reducing converter wear.

Already found on the Volvo L110H and L260H, this new Opti-Shift technology integrates the RBB function and the lockup function in transmission to boost fuel efficiency by up to 15 per cent.

With its advanced technology and intelligent features, the Volvo L350H2 not only enhances productivity but also prioritises operator safety and comfort.

From heavy lifting to delicate operations, the L350H2 delivers outstanding performance, reliability, and control, making it a top choice for quarry, mining, and other demanding applications.

Volvo Construction Equipment is well known as one of the world’s best

manufacturers of high-quality, and technologically advanced equipment – and CJD Equipment have been proudly offering their products to the Australian market for close to half a century.

Together, CJD Equipment and Volvo CE provide a range of premium machinery suited to Australia’s unique industry requirements to deliver a range of productivity, fuel efficiency and safety solutions for a highly productive operation.

CJD Equipment has an extensive national support network in place to ensure you are well supported, no matter where or when. • For more information contact your local CJD branch on 1300 139 804 or visit cjd.com.au

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CRUSHERS Hopkins Brothers has enlisted the help of Astec Australia and Scope Engineering to complete the project.

QUARRY EXPANSION

ON TRACK WITH ASTEC Hopkins Brothers’ Midgee quarry expansion is on track as the company looks to cement itself as a major aggregates supplier in Queensland.

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he Queensland quarry has been working behind the scenes with Astec Australia and Scope Engineering to increase the site’s capacity to match the needs of the infrastructure construction industry.

The current Midgee pit, 10 kilometres south of Rockhampton, can produce up to a million tonnes of hard rock quarry products a year, but Hopkins Brothers is aiming to double that output after the modernisation is complete.

The new fixed crushing and screening plant has been custom-designed by Astec to integrate with the existing plant and deliver a high degree of automation in the new operation.

The suite of Astec machinery in the new circuit includes a vibrating grizzly feeder, horizontal heavy-duty scalping screen, two Kodiak K350+ Cone Crushers, four 6203-32LP Horizontal Screens and a 3500EVT Vertical Shaft Impactor.

Astec Australia’s senior account manager Shaun Quinn said the project has extended its relationship with Hopkins Brothers.

“We’ve been working closely with the Hopkins family for a decade,” Quinn said, “and the strength of that relationship is evident in

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Quarry August 2023

the amount of Astec equipment going into this expansion project – nine pieces in all.”

The new plant will enable Hopkins Brothers to produce high-quality alternative sources of

concrete aggregates, sealing aggregates and road base, and the company will offer those materials at competitive rates to the local infrastructure construction industry.

The addition of the new crushing and screening plant is expected to double the output of the existing site.

The expansion works are expected to be complete by December.

Hopkins Brothers’ major investment in Astec equipment will ensure the company continues to play a key role in high-profile projects across the region. The list of the company’s significant projects over the past decade includes Rockwood Weir, the Rail Duplication Project, and sections of the Bruce Highway reconstruction.

“The Midgee expansion project is a major investment for our company,” James Hoseason-Smith, Hopkins Brothers’ general manager, said.

“It’s testament to the growth and maturity of the business in the construction materials sector and aligns with where we see ourselves in the coming years.”

Scope Engineering integrated Hopkins’ specifications and Astec’s equipment to ensure the plant design worked with the topography of the site.

“Topography is always a factor when designing a plant and typically you have a slight fall over the full length of a plant,” Scope Engineering’s managing director Paul Fletcher said.

“Luckily this quarry was flat, so Hopkins went about preparing the site for us to lay out the plant.

“Hopkins knows what products they want to produce and Shaun at Astec selected the right equipment to deliver that.”

The Midgee expansion is close to completion with checks and electrical works to be finalised in coming weeks. The project is on track to be completed by December.

“We’re coming to the final stages of the build,” Hoseason-Smith said, “and we’re extremely pleased with the progress.

“We’ve got the right people working on the right jobs, which makes all the difference.”

“The team from Astec, as well as Scope Engineering and Hitech Electrical Automation, have demonstrated their experience and professionalism in all aspects of their engagement with this project, and we couldn’t be happier with their expert service and advice along the way.”

According to Quinn, there were two key reasons Hopkins Brothers chose to partner with Astec Australia on the project – the performance and reliability of the company’s equipment and the strength of the relationship between the two companies.

“Astec’s aim is always to help our customers succeed and with this new plant at Midgee, Hopkins Brothers will continue to do that.” • For more information visit astecindustries.com

CUSTOM ENGINEERED WEIGHTOMETERS & WEIGHING SOLUTIONS Manufacturer of conveyer belt scales (weightometers) and weigh belt feeders all manufactured in australia

WEIGH BELT FEEDERS Mild Steel Powder Coated for Quarry and Mine installations and Stainless Steel construction for Harshest Environments.

Throughput up to 1,000 TPH CONVEYER BELT SCALES For Belt Widths between 450mm and 2,000 mm accuracies of +-0.5% for a single idler and +-0.25% for a dual idler

Contact Tecweigh Website www.tecweigh.com.au Email sales@tecweigh.com.au Phone 03 9775 0266

Quarry August 2023 27

CONVEYORS

ENSURE BELTS CAN HANDLE A

TOUR OF DUTY

As one of the leading designers and manufacturers of belt conveyor accessories, Martin Engineering recommends some key considerations to ensure your site gets the most out of the conveyor belt’s lifespan.

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ith constant exposure to raw and abrasive materials and harsh weather conditions, few parts wear faster in the quarrying industry than conveyor belts.

Due to the duress of these punishing conditions, most sites have experienced critical failures with conveyor belts, commonly from splice failure, piercing damage or chronic issues including mistracking and frozen idlers.

In some circumstances, damage can strike from a one-off event like tramp metals or oversized lumps impacting the belt from the material flow stream. Often these events can lead to immediate shutdowns for repairs, project delays, and missed deadlines.

Given the significant cost of downtime and lost production on-site, knowing how to avoid conveyor belt wear and extend its performance and life is vital.

While belt cleaners can wear the conveyor belt, they do so at a much lower rate than loading practices do.

Belt wear during loading generally occurs

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Quarry August 2023

over a significant period from abrasive raw materials impacting the belt. Components, like seized idlers from fouling and improperly tensioned belt cleaners, can further contribute to wear. Combined, these factors can create a two-fold dilemma with impact damage and frictional wear.

To reduce loading wear, sites should consider adopting a curved chute design.

Curved chutes allow the material’s stream velocity to closely match the speed of the belt.

Compared to a flat chute, a curved chute will deliver a reduced impact velocity even if the basic discharge angles are similar. The benefits of a well-designed chute can be enhanced by paying significant attention to the selection of liners.

Flat chutes can create greater impacts depending on the drop heights which takes a constant toll on the belt and creates fugitive materials like dust and spillage.

Martin Engineering’s Todd Swinderman recommends viewing wear liners as ‘sacrificial components’ and spending more time improving chute design

with lower friction liners to make them easier and quicker to change.

Improved design can be achieved by utilising discrete element modelling (DEM).

DEM has provided the quarrying industry with a valuable tool for verifying and optimising chute designs as well as predicting conveyor belt wear life.

Since idler and pulley fouling lead to significant belt wear on the unprotected return side, eliminating fugitive materials as much as practical can benefit a company seeking to extend its conveyor belt life.

The US Mine Safety and Health Administration estimates that 85 per cent of all conveyor problems – including wear – come from fugitive materials.

Spillage, dust and carryback in the discharge zone can build up and encapsulate the belt, contributing to belt and conveyor wear, which is why Martin Engineering recommends undertaking adequate belt cleaning.

In severe cases of damaged belting with divots, cracking and skirtboard grooves, the company suggests employing a wash box

Optimise your production by reducing wear part change out frequency Innovative cleaner design reduces belt wear and eliminates the need for re-tensioning.

Properly positioned and tensioned primary and secondary cleaners mitigate belt wear issues commonly associated with cleaners.

using water sprayers along with mechanical scrapers or rotating brush cleaners.

A belt cleaning station can keep a belt, which is in good condition and professionally maintained, in good condition and limit carryback to within 10100 g/m2.

While it is a common expectation that a conveyor belt can be cleaned with an efficiency approaching 100 per cent, even a brand-new belt has macro and micro defects that make cleaning close to 100 per cent practically impossible.

These imperfections can result in as much as 60 g/m2 of carryback passing a belt cleaner station with a new belt. When the belt surface is damaged, the amount of carryback that can be shielded from belt

cleaning in scratches and gouges can be even more significant, on the order of 100 to 200 g/m2.

The Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association established a system for rating the difficulty of the belt cleaning application and for desired levels of carryback exiting a cleaning station in its seventh edition of Belt Conveyors for Bulk Materials.

This aids users in specifying belt cleaning performance, rather than making decisions based on brand preference or price alone.

With these solutions in mind, companies can extend the life of conveyor belts across the work site which will have significant follow-on effects, like reduced downtime and optimising the value of a major cost element. •

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www.magotteaux.com Quarry July 2023 29

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CONVEYORS K-Allshelter successfully installed.

ALL COVERED

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Kinder Australia is helping quarries protect one of their expensive assets – conveyor belts.

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he Australian sun is relentless, with some of the highest levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world.

According to the Cancer Council, the UV radiation is strong enough to cause sunburn in as little as 11 minutes on a fine summer day.

For people, avoiding the damaging rays can be as simple as “slip, slop, slap,” but the same can’t be said about conveyors.

Usually located outside conveyors need to bear the brunt of the elements. Conveyor belts – which are usually the most expensive part of the conveyor – are susceptible to UV and heat. It can cause cracking, or delamination of the top cover, significantly shortening the equipment’s life.

Sean Kinder, business development manager at Kinder Australia, told Quarry that to avoid costly downtime and repairs, quarries can cover up and protect their conveyors with the K-AllShelter.

“K-AllShelter Conveyor Covers have been designed to provide complete and reliable coverage of the conveyor,” he said.

“K-AllShelter Conveyor Belt Covers are manufactured using a wide range of

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optional materials and engineered as a waterproof, durable barrier.”

It’s not just the sun and heat that can disrupt a quarrying operation. Rain, hail, and sleet can alter the consistency and quality of the conveyed materials.

Kinder points to the example of a concrete plant that needs to keep its moisture levels consistent to maintain the relevant specification. Heavy rains would make this impossible, pausing critical production time.

Rain can also create downstream production issues, including screen blinding and clogging issues. Moist materials can also cause hang up in chutes, blocking material flow and creating a spillage risk. In extreme scenarios, the wind and rain could even wash the material off the belt.

Kinder said the K-AllShelter can be custom made to suit all belt widths and models.

“It depends on what you’re trying to do – are you just looking to keep the product dry, or are you looking to protect it from the wind?

Is the cover being used as a guard? Are you looking to reduce dust?” he said.

“We can change the shape of the cover to fit almost any application. Our team will

visit the site and inspect the conveyor, taking measurements and acquiring drawings. From there, we can create a digital model before beginning the manufacturing process.”

“When it is installed, we can also paint the cover to fit with the rest of the environment.

If it’s in a more arid area, we can help it blend into the surrounding colours.”

The conveyor belt covers can be designed and manufactured using a wide range of high-performance materials including galvanised steel, pre-lacquered steel, stainless steel and aluminium and fibre reinforced polyester.

Covering the conveyor is also beneficial to operators from a safety perfective. Moving parts are covered effectively, and dust is contained safely within the covers. It features a patented double lock/hinge system, which allows access from either side of the conveyor.

Service props and struts also come in varying designs, shapes, and sizes.

These handy tools allow operators to gain access inside the cover to conduct routine maintenance.

Service props are fully adjustable systems that hold up the conveyor belt cover safely and

M

9 He

C

Extreme wind flipping conveyor belt.

securely so that any maintenance inside the covers can be easily performed.

Kinder has had positive feedback.

“The sites that have generally ordered a sample to be installed on one conveyor have come back to have them installed on others,” he said.

“The sites are comfortable using them and they can see the value the protection brings.”

The K-AllShellter also feature a dust-tight seal that prevents dust from escaping the conveyor. This also prevents dust from entering the conveyor system and causing damage to the components.

Kinder said eliminating spillage and dust is vital for the company, and one of the reasons it is focusing on the K-AllShelter.

“We are always looking for ways to cut down on the amount of labour our customers need to do. Eliminating spillage means there is less time spent cleaning around the conveyors, and more time focused on tasks that add value.” • For more information visit kinder.com.au

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SUSTAINABILITY

ENSURE COMPLIANCE Steve Franklin, founder of Eltirus, details the remarkable results that can emerge when quarry operators plan, do, check and act.

W

hat would you think of a professional sporting competition that played teams against each other and only measured their results financially and didn’t let the players into how things worked out? Seems like this would be an odd way to manage things and yet this is all too common in business. Perhaps it is time to take another look?

PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT One of the discussions we see in the financial press is the lack of productivity improvement that is currently occurring in Australia. For some reason, this does not appear to be as important to business as it has been in the past. The stark reality

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however is that as wages and costs go up, productivity must go up with it.

At Eltirus, we have a very strong focus on productivity improvement, and we see that those of our clients who wholeheartedly embrace this approach prosper and gain accordingly and those who want to stick to more traditional methods don’t.

The reality is that digitalisation and increasingly Artificial Intelligence are game changers. At the very least, they enable better decisions making, but how do we maximise the value of these technological advances – what frameworks are needed?

HOW DO WE IMPROVE SOMETHING? The primary way you improve anything is

through Statistical Quality Analysis and there is a good chance that I have lost you right there – statistics was certainly not my favourite maths subject, and you would be well within your rights to ask, “what does this have to do with my quarry”?

Back in the 1920s, an American called Walter Shewart made two very important observations: • Data have no meaning apart from their context.

• Data contain both signal and noise. To be able to extract information, one must separate the signal from the noise within the data.

These observations became the Shewart cycle, the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle.

This cycle is incredibly powerful – you plan what you are going to do, put the plan in action, check that the results are as expected and modify what you are doing based on the results – something that you are probably more than familiar with doing.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN PRACTICE? If we look at the PDCA cycle, we see that it is easy to Do. These are the actions that we take every day in the quarry to get the job done. We can also Check the outcomes, lab tests being a good example of where we Check and then Act as needed.

But interestingly in many parts of our business, we don’t have a Plan to Check against. For example, one of the ways to reduce CO2 emissions is to reduce the amount of fleet idling time. To achieve this, you would have to have a Plan (or target) and some way to Check the results against achieved against the plan (a system to record equipment idling time). Without a Plan or the ability to Check the plan, your results are going to be at best, hit and miss.

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO QUARRY PLANNING? Some years ago, we put in place a system we call a Quarry Operating Plan (more commonly known at a QOP). This system is now in place on quarries across the region and interestingly is regularly sought out by

auditors and regulators.

The reason we came up with this system was that we regularly saw life of quarry plans on office walls that were at best, ‘pretty pictures’.

When we checked with quarry management, they generally had no idea of how they were going to achieve the plan displayed. The reasons for this were many, but revolved around the fact that first, it wasn’t broken down into ‘bite sized pieces’ and second, there was no way that it could be translated into the field (through lack of survey).

In the mining world, this progression from long term (>5 years) to medium term (1-5 years) to short term planning is fairly well understood and is often conducted by separate teams. Further, there is a continual reconciliation process conducted to ensure that the three different planning horizons (long, medium, and short) align for the best result against the geology, recovery and market requirements.

If this sounds a little over the top, I can think of many examples from over the years where a quarry manager had made a decision that looked great in the short term but was disastrous to the overall business due to material being sterilised, ramp access dug out or stripping requirements not being fully understood.

One of the reasons that these teams are often separated is to ensure a critical eye is run over the process from multiple angles.

It is also important the overall strategy for the quarry is reflected in the quarry budget.

Where there is a well thought through plan for the site, this can feed into the budgeting process to ensure that senior management will have an accurate view of what material is available for sale and when and what capital will be needed for development. A budget that is not built up in conjunction and aligned with an effective quarry plan is not easy to understand, nor will it result in the best possible outcome.

Having an agreed upon short term plan that is operating in alignment with the overall longand medium-term plan is the first part of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle.

CHECKING THE PLAN If you have a robust plan that all stakeholders are aware of and have signed off on, the next step is to check planned results vs. actual results.

This process of reconciliation helps to identify whether the plan was followed or not and if not, why. This would include what material was extracted and from where and with what quality.

Variance could have been because of the material quality not matching what was expected (indicating a lack of geological knowledge), a change in sales balance or maybe the quarry was flooded (perhaps through poor stormwater management).

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SUSTAINABILITY

Whatever the reason was, a well thought through plan that is reconciled against actuals will ensure that senior management can be confident the site is on track (or not) and gain insight into what has occurred (both good and bad) and the confidence in what changes need to be made.

ACTING ON THE PLAN In the lead up to the Sydney Olympics I was running a very large quarry in the greater Sydney region, and we were continually sold out. My focus was on increasing productivity and output in any way that I could.

One of the things that I was most focussed on was crushing and screening performance. Working with an excellent lab manager, we focused on increasing concrete aggregate throughput and yield and had some huge improvement in both through adopting a Plan-Do-Check-Act approach.

One of the things were working on was how could pull as much of the bottom end of the 14mm into the 10mm and the top end of it up into the 20mm and improve the shape (without running the Barmac).

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The approach we took was to create a detailed plan of the whole process and record the settings and configuration on this sheet, run a test on yield improvement and then from this adjust the plant accordingly.

This worked most of the time, but occasionally we found very unexpected results that perplexed us and so our Check didn’t result in an effective Act. Not being one to let things go, I did a lot of investigation into why we didn’t get the result that we had planned. Invariably, it was because some ‘bright spark’ had decided to make a change to the process that we didn’t know about. Crusher settings were not adhered to, different size screen meshes were used ‘because that was what we had’, resulting in unexplained variations.

Once we understood this problem, we went back to ensuring that the configuration plan (we called it a plant configurator) was better communicated and that everyone knew that there was no ‘freelancing’ on how things were setup and run. This approach can be used in many, many ways.

As a final example – on this same site, I

was curious as to the level of the stockyard floor. No-one could tell me what the design height of the floor was. Given we were sold out, the area was easily accessible, and I brought in a backhoe with the narrowest trenching bucket to dig test pits across the floor.

Imagine my surprise when we found over the years the stockpile floor had continued to increase to the point where there was some 2m of material left behind. In short, there was no Plan for the stockpile floor height and over time, the Do (stockpiling and loading out of those stockpiles) had resulted in an accumulation of lost material. Without a Check process (no survey of the floor level), there was no opportunity to Act, (recover the lost material). Digging the test holes gave us the Check (the depth of lost material) that we needed, and we then could Act (push it up with a dozer and re-screen for sale).

Have a Plan, Do it, Check the actual results and compare how they relate to the Plan – from there you can Act with certainty – the results can be quite remarkable. • For more information visit eltirus.com

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STOCKPILERS

Stockpilers have plenty of benefits to offer the Australian quarrying site.

PILE UP THE

BENEFITS OF STOCKPILERS New industry thinking has highlighted the value of locally manufactured stockpilers as a convenient and flexible addition to the quarry site.

S

tockpilers can perform a range of jobs, from moving materials away from machinery or piling up to 40,000 tonnes of material without having to move the conveyor.

This is especially true in the quarrying and extractive industry where operations need to be able to move materials to specific areas or be able to move up to 450 tonnes an hour.

The stockpilers can offer a clean separation of materials on site as well as the flexibility to suit tailored plant operations which is why Precisionscreen’s Jonny McMurtry said customers had shown an increasing interest in the product.

“We’re getting more and more competitive with manufacturing our conveyors and finding new ways to manufacture them so

our biggest strength is that we can tailor to customers’ needs,” he said.

“We can add options, we can take parts away if needed, we can offer a more tailored solution based on what the customer needs and the materials that they are looking to produce.”

When it comes to imported stockpilers, the convenience can come with headaches.

Imported loaders can lead to expensive ongoing costs, some of which can be initially unforeseen by businesses.

There can be shipping costs and extended wait times if supply chain issues occur on top of ongoing costs like diesel, maintenance, and repairs. Additionally, loaders need a person to operate so the cost of labour and other associated costs need to be factored.

Stockpilers can be flexible option for operations looking to optimise their efficiency on site.

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All these factors can increase project budgets, and timelines and in some cases lead to downtime.

Precisionscreen’s stockpilers, which are built and designed in Brisbane, can reduce several of the associated costs of imported machinery by being by Australians for Australian conditions.

Compared with imported loaders and products, the Queensland company’s designs are made to endure the harsh Australian conditions.

This includes fitting out stockpilers with triple-sealed bearings, heavy-duty channelled frames, and high-depth poly rollers with deeper inset bearings to handle, the harsh and dusty environment of quarry worksites.

McMurtry said with nearly four decades in Australia and an experienced team, Precisionscreen’s knowledge of local conditions is important .

“That is probably the beautiful part of what we offer because our stockpilers are designed and manufactured in Brisbane and in Australia, we can offer options to suit your needs,” he said.

“There are options for stockpilers and loaders from overseas, but we have plenty of customisable options available on our stockpilers.”

Many quarry sites are found in remote areas which means if a machine does not match exact specifications, waiting for replacements or alterations can take considerable time.

This is where Precisionscreen’s tailored approach, which has been used by companies from more than 15 countries

from Australia to Malaysia, for mobile screening, washing, crushing, and recycling equipment shines through.

These tailored options include hydraulic drive, electric drive, or a radial drive on tracked, wheeled or static units with onboard power packs and pre-coated chutes also available.

The product is primarily designed to work in conjunction with other mobile screening and crushing equipment but can also be used and fitted to static plants.

“With stockpilers, we do everything from ten metres right up to 100 feet long so depending on the volumes that are needed we can offer a wide range of lengths or widths to work with what you’re conveying,” McMurtry said.

“Stockpilers give you a more user-friendly and cost-efficient way of loading your material.

“It is a real time saver and cost saver for customers.” • For more information visit precisionscreen.com.au

Stockpilers can help produce a clean separation of materials on the site.

Quarry July 2023 39

MACHINERY Kobelco’s SK500XD is one of the heaviest machines in its class.

HEAVY DUTY MACHINES

FOR HEAVY DUTY QUARRIES WA Limestone wanted a rock breaker with some “meat on the bones” to handle its hard rock quarry in Onslow.

W

estern Australia’s northwest is a rugged environment, characterised by gruelling conditions and tough rock. It is here where WA Limestone, one of the state’s biggest aggregate suppliers, can be found.

Steven Della Bona, director at WA Limestone, said the material is a very hard rock to mine, because it is so dense, abrasive, and hard.

“The wear factors and the damage that it does on your machines is pretty horrendous,” he said.

“You need the right machinery and the right wear parts on your machinery.”

The family-owned company found Kobelco’s SK500XD to be the answer for a heavy-duty machine that can handle abrasive aggregate.

Kobelco’s SK500XD weighs in at 52,200 kg, making it one of the heaviest machines in its class.

It features a heavy-duty boom and arm set

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as well as factory-fitted, triple-plated, hardened steel applied to all key structural sections.

This includes the boom-to-arm connection, the boom centre, and the end of the arm, providing a high level of durability and longevity to the attachment structures.

A specially designed full-length rock guard is installed on the inside of the dipper arm, on top of additional steel plating.

A quadruple track guide frame and reinforced heavy-duty 600mm triple grouser shoe provide reliability in rocky underfoot conditions, making easy work of rough terrain.

The durability of the track links has also increased, while the idler frame has received substantial double reinforcement plating inside and out, resulting in improved undercarriage reliability which prevents premature wear.

The heavy-duty steel bolted underbody guard protects vital machine components and provides additional weight for greater stability.

The additional metal, which helps the SK500XD handle the Onslow quarry site, is a key feature for WA Limestone.

“I was pretty impressed by the extra steel on the track frames and the extra steel and reinforcement around the arm, the excavator frame and the dipper arm,” Della Bona said.

“Being in the conditions that we operate in and especially with the hard rock you need a machine that can handle the bumps, hard rocks and all the stresses and pressures.

“The machine has worked really well and hasn’t let us down at all, it’s been reliable and done everything that we asked it to do.”

It is powered by a Hino Toyota engine, alongside Kawasaki pumps and hydraulics, which delivers 257 kW of power and an average fuel consumption of under 30L per hour. This helps the SK500XD generate a breakout force of 293 kN, and slew torque of 183 kN. The hydraulic system notifies the operator if filter performance is compromised which helps

The SK500XD is powered by a Hino Toyota engine.

manage maintenance and reduce downtime.

“They’re a proven hydraulic pump and hydraulic system so there is no reason why we wouldn’t get a good run out of them.

The company has road-tested several machines over its five decades in the industry. Della Bona, who has been with the company for 38 years, understands what makes a quality machine.

“I was trying to find a dedicated rockbreaking machine and I rang a couple of clients who run them, and they had nothing but good words to say,” Della Bona said.

SCREENS

The SK500XD generates a breakout force of 293 kN.

“I was able to buy that machine pretty quickly and get it up and running and that was a big part of the decision-making.

“I am keen to see how it continues to perform but we’re really happy with it.”

Kobelco has confidence in the machine’s ability to handle the demanding conditions of the Australian worksite providing an extended major component warranty of four years or 6000 hours.

Mark Johnson, Kobelco Australia’s general manager of product and distribution, said the machine has all the tools to be a hit.

CRUSHERS

“It’s engineered for the most extreme environments around the world,” he said.

“It also builds on Kobelco’s excellent reputation for machine reliability, taking it to a new level by providing a factory-installed, comprehensive set of structural reinforcements—not to mention class-leading digging performance and fuel efficiency.

“The result is a machine that is the perfect choice for quarry work.” • For more information visit kobelco.com.au

WASH KITS AND MORE...

PLC PUGMILL HTS-50

BUCKETS

The XMOR bucket features a unique inverted tub and heel segment design.

BORAL GETS MORE

WITH THE XMOR BUCKET

Quarry sat down with Andrew Rankin, manager at Boral’s Wollert quarry, to learn how a new excavator bucket is boosting productivity.

V

ictoria’s Big Build shows no sign of stopping, leading to an everincreasing need for stone, aggregate, and concrete.

Boral’s Wollert Quarry, located about 30km from Melbourne’s CBD, was looking for ways to improve its productivity to keep up with the demand.

Andrew Rankin, the quarry manager and Brendon McNeilly, the quarry supervisor were searching for something that could increase efficiency.

“We had a 65-tonne digger that we were using for loading a haul truck, but we needed to get more efficiency out of it,” Rankin told Quarry.

“The simple answer would be to get a bigger machine, but that didn’t stack up with the rest of the operation.”

That’s when he began working with Australian excavator attachment manufacturer ONTRAC. Instead of acquiring a larger excavator, Boral began using the XMOR bucket.

The XMOR bucket, featuring a unique inverted tub and heel segment design, reduces the total number of passes required to fill a truck, while keeping a suspended load at manageable levels. This allows the buckets

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Quarry August 2023

Wollert saw a 40 per cent increase in tonnes per hour output after installing the bucket.

to excavate more material per bucket scoop, filling more trucks with fewer passes.

“The keel design – I really love that,” Rankin said. “Rather than have the surface contact across the whole base of the bucket, you have it in two areas.”

The wear is directed to the prominent sections of the bucket, so the bolt on heel segments can be replaced quickly and easily on site. These heel segments are, like the

majority of the bucket, constructed from Hardox 500 Tuf - which wears 450 per cent better when compared to mild steel, and 47 per cent better than Hardox 450.

After installing the bucket, Wollert saw almost a 45 per cent increase in bucket capacity in cubic metres and a 40 per cent increase in tonnes per hour output.

This led to a 35 per cent increase in overall tonnage output per day, and a 25 per

The buckets excavate more material per bucket scoop, filling more trucks with fewer passes.

cent increase in truck loads out – with no extra costs to the operation.

Rankin said it would previously take about nine passes per truck. But the XMOR bucket allowed operators to reduce that number by 30 per cent.

“Our permanent operator, Anthony Atkinson, has been using the bucket and loves it. It’s cut down on the amount of passes he needs to do, meaning he can get more production with less effort,” Rankin said.

The XMOR bucket is made from highperformance steel, which decreases the overall weight and provides flexibility where needed.

Rankin said although the bucket is lighter, it can handle the intense wear conditions.

“We’ve been using it for a couple of hundred hours so far and it has handled the wear well,” he said.

Another feature that stood out to Rankin was the full parts list, which allows him to buy the wear parts he needs to minimise downtime. Better yet, the parts can be replaced without welding and can be done at the quarry.

Rankin said the buckets also have even wear, which is ideal for the operation.

“As soon as wear parts go on a bucket, they direct the stone in a certain way that wears certain areas faster than others,

depending on the rock size. We haven’t seen that yet, which is a great thing,” he said.

“The lack of washing can be attributed to the curves in the bucket. They increase the structural capacity as well.

“Steel is expensive. Anything steel or that wears, is one of your costs for fixed plant maintenance. It’s important to reduce those costs as much as possible.”

ONTRAC is a specialised manufacturer of the excavator buckets and the exclusive distributor of XMOR’s proprietary buckets in

Australia. It has spent the past year working with Wollert Quarry.

While excavator buckets represent just one part of the whole quarry operation, Rankin said the collaboration between the teams has led to significant productivity improvements.

“I’ve had interest from other quarry managers in Victoria and interstate. The bucket is suited for the bench and its allaround better productivity.

“What more can you really ask for?” • For more information visit ontracgroup.com.au

Bolt on heel segments can be replaced quickly and easily on site.

Quarry August 2023 43

EQUIPMENT

A FORWARD-THINKING

CRUSHER

A vertical shaft impact (VSI) crusher with European sophistication has been a hit down under after helping reduce up-front costs and save on repairs.

T

he United Nations issued a warning in 2022 that the world was facing a global sand shortage after a surge in demand for the product. Data from the U.N. Environment Programme report into the sand shortage showed demand was expected to reach 50 billion tonnes a year due to population growth and urbanisation.

The ability to shape asphalt and sand is set to become increasingly important not just overseas but also in Australia as a result of this situation.

Patrick Croix, business development manager at Magotteaux said more companies are looking to manufacture different aggregates from existing materials.

“The sourcing of materials in the future will move from natural resources to the cities,” Croix said.

“This is the future, we believe in Europe that from 2050, the material sourcing for highways and buildings will become more from old buildings and roads.

“And there will be a trend in countries

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Magotteaux has been producing high-quality wear castings since 1918 when it was established as a foundry.

who are looking into the circular economy to look to preserve the environment and use what is there.”

While Magotteaux has mainly made its name in Europe, working with major brands

across the continent, the brand’s large range of impactors can easily have applications for the Australian market.

It has grown into a company that today has more than 3000 employees, 28 sales offices

and an annual turnover of $1 billion globally since it began in 1918.

The company, which started in Belgium as a foundry, is recognised in the industry for its differentiated solutions across wear with patented ceramic technology.

Magotteaux’s VSI crusher traditionally comes in three sizes – 2700, 2400, 2100 with the 2100 available in a specific manufactured sand model – and all the units can crush and shape in a single pass and be retrofitted onto installations.

“A lot of other companies say they have a VSI, but they don’t, they don’t have an impact crusher VSI, which means you can improve the shape coming out of a cone crusher,” Croix said.

“We produce and sell a real crusher and it would be hard to find a VSI doing that as successfully worldwide, with the ability to accept big feed size and abrasive stone.”

The VSI can also be adjusted to manage asphalt and concrete cleaning which enables the machine to produce more re-usable

Magotteaux’s VSI can be adjusted to complete asphalt cleaning and sand production which provides versatility.

fractions from each recycled product.

The ability to provide a specific focus on asphalt and sand is important given the high-level shaping which is required to get high-quality versions of those materials.

Given the future trends towards sustainable extracting and manufactured aggregates, the Magotteaux VSI’s versatility would be a useful addition to an Australian site.

“It’s not just about the quantity but also the quality of what you produce, for example, when you’re producing concrete you desire a stable output sieve,” Croix said.

“What we’re finding is customers are appreciating the stable output sieve for sand and a qualification that it is very good.”

Magotteaux’s team of more than 200 sales staff are trained in providing expert advice, services and resources, products, equipment, and systems to find the best solution to optimise a site’s applications.

Australian companies have benefitted from this optimised technology. Magotteaux account manager Darren Bowley said one company

managed to double the life of its impellers.

Other companies have used the VSI in a fixed plant, which has removed the need for up to two cone crushers and the requirement for a separate VSI. This has allowed them to save on upfront costs and the associated costs with maintenance and repairs in the long run.

Most of the units working throughout Europe in the past 20 years or so are in fixed plant applications. These can be mounted onto tracks or semi-mobile platforms.

Bowley said the Mag’Impact is a versatile crusher with high capability and quality.

“It is a highly flexible crusher that can be changed out to suit other configurations.”

“You can essentially move the 2100 crusher from sand to asphalt to rock.

“It enables you to be making manufactured sand one day, but if you want to make recycled asphalt, aggregate, or road base it can do that, it can do all three.” • For more information visit magotteaux.com

Magotteaux’s VSI crusher traditionally comes in three sizes 2700, 2400, 2100.

Quarry August 2023 45

REAL ESTATE

The company focuses on providing end-to-end corporate advisory and real estate advice.

INSITU’S END-TO-END CORPORATE ADVISORY

AND REAL ESTATE DELIVERS

The quarry market can be characterised by unique challenges faced by sellers which is where Insitu Advisory and Real Estate’s experience and knowledge comes to the fore.

T

he quarry market has undergone a period of sustained growth over the past three to five years, off the back of Federal and State government-backed infrastructure projects across the majority of the eastern states.

However, with a shift in the cost of borrowing, inflationary pressures and a continued COVID-19 supply chain and labour hire hangover, there are some headwinds on the horizon to navigate.

As an Australian business InSitu Advisory and InSitu Real Estate believes its endto-end corporate advisory and real estate offering can help provide tailored solutions to suit specific needs.

InSitu Advisory and InSitu Real Estate’s directors have more than 75 years of combined experience in valuation, corporate advisory, and real estate in the quarry and extractive industry markets across

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Quarry August 2023

Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Europe, the USA, and Asia.

This broad exposure to local and international markets in the quarrying sectors enables the team at InSitu Advisory and InSitu Real Estate to deliver relevant, effective and timely solutions to clients who are at different stages in their business life cycle.

Todd Clark, general manager of InSitu Advisory and director of Real Estate said the company was able to offer the complete package for clients.

“From being able to help you acquire a suitable site, to undertaking the greenfield development feasibility, all the way to assisting in the disposal and sale, we can assist across the whole lifecycle which really sets us apart,” Clark said.

“From a real estate perspective, we’re working in a specialist space, but given our experience and working in coincidence with

the Advisory business, it really allows us to put our own touch on things.

“Given we’re in the market from a valuation and corporate advisory perspective and also on the real estate front, we understand what quarrying businesses are looking for because we are dealing with them daily.

“We’re assisting groups who are wanting to diversify some ‘non-core’ assets in their portfolio, or looking to retire and trade out of their assets at the right time and we’re also talking to other who are seeing upside in their business off the back of infrastructure and construction projects and looking to bolt in new quarry sites or businesses into their existing operations.”

Darren Herdman, director of InSitu Advisory and Real Estate said the market had several aspects clients needed to navigate.

“It’s a really interesting market dynamic at the moment,” Herdman said.

“We’ve got a lot of rhetoric in the media around the current economic climate, inflationary pressures, interest rates at a ten-year high, we’ve got diesel prices at an all-time high, a minimum 12-month wait times for plant and equipment off the back of the COVID-19 supply chain hangover, however, we’re still seeing buoyancy at the moment for good quality assets in core markets.

“I think there are some headwinds, but businesses are navigating them the best they can, will be interesting to see where we’re at in the next twelve months.”

The Reserve Bank has revealed it expects economic growth and domestic demand to stall this year due to price pressures.

Meanwhile, Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn said recently while he expects 2023 to be better for the construction industry, however, it will still face “challenges”.

Further to this, Alan Dyer, director or InSitu Advisory and Real Estate echoed the same sentiment on the market.

“From a corporate advisory and due diligence perspective, we’re seeing clients doing more feasibility and analysis work up front prior to acquisition or disposal, including additional resource quantification, market depth reporting on infrastructure projects and waste arisings.

With these factors in mind, Clark said the value of InSitu Advisory and InSitu Real Estate’s experience comes to the fore.

“In a changing market it is so important to get the right advice,” Clark said.

“Partner with someone that can tailor a strategy to suit you to drive value.”

Insitu Advisory and Real Estate is open to working with anyone in the quarry and extractive industry who wants end-toend support for their real estate needs whether they are entering, exiting or expanding in the market. • For more information see insiturealestate.com or insituadvisory.com.

Insitu Advisory and InSitu Real Estate have experience across the Australian markets as well as international markets.

Quarry July 2023 47

WEIGHING Conveyer belt scales are designed for weighing in the quarry, mining, and food industries in all conditions.

MANUFACTURING LOCAL MEASUREMENT Tecweigh’s latest conveyer belt scales are designed for weighing in the quarry industry in all conditions.

I

n an industry that needs tailored solutions and quick turnarounds, Tecweigh’s Australian advantage has shone through for the customers in the quarry sector.

The Australian manufacturer has been producing a range of conveyor belt scales, weigh belt feeders and volumetric feeders for two decades from its Melbourne.

Being an Australian-made brand ensures Tecweigh’s custom-engineered products can perform dynamic measuring in the harshest of conditions.

Barry Gamble, Tecweigh’s business development manager, said being a local manufacturer has allowed the company to keep costs down and ensure continued supply.

“We do all our manufacturing in Carrum Downs, Melbourne, which gives us a fast response time,” he said.

“We can normally deliver what the client needs within seven to 10 days.”

Dynamic measuring is a key component in the quarrying industry which helps relay accurate information to customers.

Without accurate information about how much material is being conveyed, monitoring, storage management and feed metering become incredibly difficult.

To ensure its products are reliable in

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Quarry August 2023

Australia’s often-harsh conditions and provide accurate information, Tecweigh uses stainless steel, hermetically sealed IP68 load cells designed to provide accuracies of ± 0.5 or ± 0.25 per cent for its weigh belt feeders and conveyer belt scales.

The weigh idler system has been designed to be easy to calibrate to provide consistent accuracy. Its volumetric feeders have a range of up to 32,000 litres per hour with single or dual drives.

Its weigh belt feeders can also be manufactured to specific lengths and widths, using powdercoated mild steel or stainless steel, depending on the application.

“Custom designs are our standard.

Whether it is chemicals, crushed stone, sand, coal, or materials that are low density, sticky, or abrasive, we specialise in building the equipment needed to accurately weigh it,” Gamble said.

“Our products are also designed for heavy-duty work and have been proven over time to be accurate in some of the world’s harshest environments.”

With more than 100 years of industry experience collectively among its employees, the company is continuing to

look for new innovations.

Gamble said that in addition to its main range of products, the company is increasing its range with a new loss in weight controller.

“It uses an Australian-designed and built signal conditioner circuit board, deployed at the heart of Tecweigh’s measuring and metering products,” he said.

“The loss in weight controller gives users greater accuracy for dispensing products and provides an extra layer of control over an ordinary volumetric feeder by using feedback from a scale.”

The fact it is based in Australia means Tecweigh can also offer local after-sales support. The company maintains a significant stock inventory for its conveyor belt scales, volumetric feeders, and weigh belt feeders.

It also offers field service support and spare parts supply.

From humble beginnings, Tecweigh has built its bespoke business to provide weighing-in-motion solutions for industries nationally and internationally.

The company has built a long-lasting relationship with its own local suppliers and aims to further grow in the industry. • For more information visit tecweigh.com.au

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SUSTAINABILITY Boral conducted a test for rubber crumb enhanced asphalt with NSW councils.

RUBBER AND ASPHALT DO MIX Quarry explores how crumb rubber asphalt is being used across NSW, and how it could affect the quarrying industry.

B

oral partnered up with several councils in New South Wales to road test a new rubber crumb initiative to improve roads which could benefit the quarrying industry.

The program saw end-of-use tyres from trucks and cars used to modify the polymer in bitumen.

Research from RMIT highlighted that the improved bitumen could have increased durability and reduced degradation.

RMIT Associate Professor Filippo Giustozzi, said research had proven the modified asphalt possessed significant benefits.

“Extensive testing by RMIT University has shown that tyre rubber-modified asphalt is significantly more durable and resilient than standard asphalt to common causes of road

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Quarry August 2023

failure such as oxidation due to UV radiation, rutting and cracking, among others,” Prof Giustozzi said.

“According to recent research, recycling of end-of-life tyres to recycle in new roads can save up to 72 per cent of CO2 equivalent emissions compared to landfill.”

The councils are part of the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) and included Bayside, Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury-Bankstown, City of Sydney, Georges River, Inner West, Randwick, Sutherland, Waverley and Woollahra and Northern Beaches.

It formed the second phase of the SSROC’s Paving the Way initiative to find ways to increase sustainable practices in the local council’s infrastructure projects.

Phase one involved using recycled glass as a replacement for natural sand in roads to help develop the sustainable material further and stimulate regional infrastructure projects.

The crumbed rubber project was also supported by Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) and the Australian Flexible Pavement Association (AFPA).

Bayside Council conducted the test on Willison Rd, Carlton as part test which was completed recently.

Recycled rubber was wet blended prior to production into the bitumen mixture to help it act as a binder when the pavement on Willison Rd was constructed.

“Congratulations to the city works team for participating in this amazing sustainable, environmentally responsible

project, and it’s something that Bayside Council is very proud of,” the council said in a statement.

Data shows around 85 per cent of roads are council-owned which, according to TSA, demonstrates why the project is of value and could stimulate further projects.

TSA’s data indicates only 14 per cent of the 450,000 tyres that reach the end-of-life phase are re-used in new products. The small percentage means many tyres end up in landfill or waste away on-site.

“Developing and scaling local markets for tyre-derived material is crucial in ensuring we recover the valuable resources from end-of-life tyres,” TSA chief executive officer Lina Goodman said.

“For Australians to be custodians of their own waste, we need more local government and industry-partnered projects like this one, to support local jobs, and spearhead Australia’s circular economy for used tyres.”

It is estimated the project used 29 tonnes of crumb rubber for the project which is one of the biggest tests of its type conducted in Australia.

The crumb rubber is estimated to be about 3600 equivalent passenger car tyres which were all sourced from Sydney tyre recyclers.

The new venture could have a wider impact within the quarrying and extractive industry.

While truck and car tyres were used in the initial phase, Boral’s executive general manager for asphalt Tim Richards said quarrying vehicles’ tyres could be incorporated going forward.

“It doesn’t matter where the tyres come from, if it’s recycled it can find its way into the mix and our product,” he said.

“The pilot project will continue, and we expect it will be successful. We will then see if there’s ongoing demand from local government and road authorities.”

SSROC has announced a memorandum of understanding with NSW Transport for the project. The deal will see the two organisations enter a knowledge-sharing agreement to help improve asset sustainability.

The project is also subject to a technical framework developed by AFPA which will test the rubber asphalt’s performance across the trial.

SSROC President and Burwood mayor John Faker said the development could create circular economies for councils and new revenue streams for businesses.

“Roads are the largest assets for local governments and one of our best opportunities to move towards a circular economy,” he said. “(With) recycled rubber, councils are maximising the benefits of waste derived resources in line with the community’s expectations for governmentdriven sustainability.”

Richards said the results were promising.

“We are committed to decarbonisation, and as part of this, we leverage our facilities to process recyclable materials such as construction waste, otherwise destined for landfill,” he said.

“It’s promising to see councils drive initiatives that demonstrate the benefits of repurposing waste.” •

Bayside Council was one of the council’s involved in the project.

Quarry August 2023 51

VIBRATORS Oli Vibrators specialise in industrial vibration technology.

WHEN YOU NEED IT,

WHERE YOU NEED IT

Oli Vibrators Australia is fully stocked and on standby to assist Australian quarries.

Body: Quarries need reliable equipment that can handle the intense conditions. High temperatures, freezing cold, heavy material and constant use can put extreme pressure on components.

M

any quarries are also located in remote areas, operating almost 24 hours per day.

They can’t afford a breakdown.

Sean Brewer, sales executive at Oli Vibrators, told Quarry this is why the vibration motor specialist remains fully stocked and on standby.

“Having our Australian subsidiary and warehouse located in Melbourne is perfect for the many customers we have in the quarry and mining sector,” he said.

“There’s so many OLI vibrators out there in Australia’s crushing, scalping and dewatering screens and a lot of them are purring away 24/7 and getting a real workout. The push for higher productivity and minimal downtime is factored in to all the quarry managers budgets.”

“We’re not just down the road from our manufacturing plants in Italy and Malta, so the need for a fully stocked local warehouse is crucial to our customers and distributors.

As such we need to ensure that our local Melbourne warehouse is well stocked not only with all our faster moving smaller vibrators, but also our big bangers like our six & eight pole motors with huge kilograms of force and proven reliability.”

Oli Vibrators specialise in industrial vibration technology, providing high-quality, European-built industrial electric and pneumatic vibrators, frequency converters,

52

Quarry August 2023

Oli Vibrators specialise in industrial vibration technology.

flowaids and aerators. The company has operated in Australia for more than two decades and has built up expertise in providing the right tools for the job.

Oli Vibrators manufactures its product in Italy, where its head office is located, and Malta. Here, the equipment goes through rigorous testing and quality control to ensure they can handle the extreme conditions.

The Melbourne-based branch liaises with the European manufacturing facilities to ensure it has the core items required for quarries.

Brewer said this is important, as several local quarry plant equipment manufacturers and designers incorporate Oli vibrators into their designs.

“They need reassurance so that when they get a call from a stressed quarry manager looking for a quick supply turnaround time,

we’ll be able to assist quickly and not to let them down,” he said.

He added that while much of the plant equipment found in Australian quarries was imported and not locally manufactured, it was good to see a lot of it comes with Oli vibrators as original equipment.

“Ideally, we would love to supply mainly local manufacturers with our product out of the Melbourne warehouse but realistically our European colleagues are pushing just as hard to get the Oli vibrators on to their own locally produced quarry equipment bound for Australia,” he said.

“We’re happy to offer the after sales support and advice once it’s here. We are also happy to swap out our competitor’s vibrators for the OLI as happens quite a bit, because we have the stock on hand.”

Brewer spends the bulk of his workday

Oli Vibrator’s specialists work closely with the site team to help pick the right tool for the job.

talking with customers, many of whom are the procurement and plant maintenance managers for quarries.

With such a wide range of applications to cover, he helps them find the right size and placement for the company’s range of equipment. Small aerators and fluidisers are often deployed for cement powder, lime, and fly ash applications, while heavyduty vibrators are installed on hoppers and bins. Even the delivery trucks can make use of the equipment.

Oli Vibrator’s specialists work closely with

the site team, using drawings and site visits to help pick the right tool for the job.

Brewer said feedback has been positive.

“They love that we can solve problems for them quickly,” he said. “A site might have a blockage or reduced flow. They give us a phone call or email, and we can work together to get things moving.”

“Oli Group worldwide for many years has strived to stand by our mantra of ‘When You need it, where you need it’, and I think with the huge range of large size and brute force vibrators that we keep on the shelf, combined

with the local logistics network we have finely tuned over the years, we live up to that.

“There is also a vast number of maintenance companies in Australia that specifically service the quarry sector, so they look to us to provide solutions with fast and reliable supply times. I get great satisfaction when I’m presented with a problem where our products can help and when the call comes back to me saying problem solved.” • To learn more, visit olivibra.com/oli-australia/ or call 0458 444 200.

SCREENING TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD TRADING AS

HAWK MACHINERY Quarry July 2023 53

IQA NEWS SITE VISIT The IQA’s newly appointed chief executive officer (CEO) Clare Murray recently visited Holcim’s Oaklands quarry in Victoria with outgoing CEO Kylie Fahey and Porzia Garcia, who coordinated the event.

Holcim general manager Vic/SA agregates Paul Hillyer and quarry manager Peter Maaten provided an overview of the quarry’s history as the group toured the site.

“While Clare has a background in engineering, the site visit was a fantastic opportunity to introduce Clare to a working quarry in her first week,” Fahey said.

“Seeing the unique rock formations and geology of the quarry was certainly a highlight for me.”

Department of Mines, Industry Regulations and Safety inspector Peter Nissen.

Attendees engaged in a Q&A following each presentation.

Panel discussion at the WIQ event.

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Quarry August 2023

OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE IQA BRANCHES

Attendees and Hanson facilitators photographed among the 30-year banksia rehabilitation.

WA BRANCH SITE TOUR AND LUNCH Wednesday May 24 saw the WA branch hosted a dual site tour at the Hanson Red Hill hard rock and Gaskell sand quarries in the northern metropolitan region.

The site tours provided an opportunity to build operational knowledge for participants, while the engaging Q&A lunch forum involved quarry managers, supervisors and supply chain Managers from each quarry.

Attendees also heard from Hanson representatives Alette Nalder and Daisy Tills, who provided detail on the quarrying and environmental rehabilitation. Bruce Fruin provided great insight into the exploration team’s ongoing research.

Thank you to Hanson Australia for its time and assistance in arranging the event, and to the event sponsor B&F Consolidated Group, along with our Young Member Network (YMN) representative Johan Barnard for his ongoing support of the IQA. WA BRANCH 2023 HEALTH AND SAFETY SEMINAR The WA branch hosted the 2023 WA health and safety seminar at Frasers Function Rooms in Kings Park on Wednesday June 21.

This was the first IQA health and safety seminar of this format in WA and it was great success. Inspectors from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulations and Safety, Sam Lee and Peter Nissen, presented on psychosocial hazards and the recent mine safety management system legislative changes. Participants engaged in a Q&A session following each presentation.

Thanks must go to Sam and Peter for sharing their time, knowledge and experience with IQA delegates, and to event sponsor Spring Safety Consultants for supporting another successful IQA WA event.

TASMANIA BRANCH HBMI OPERATIONS SITE TOUR The Tasmania branch was thrilled to host a site tour of HBMI Operations at the Hazell Bros quarry in Leslie Vale on Thursday June 22. The quarry focuses on producing high-quality road-base materials and aggregate, along with concrete for residential and commercial use. After the tour, attendees met for a networking dinner at the Longley Hotel.

The event provided a great opportunity for IQA members and associates to connect with industry peers and gain further knowledge and insight into quarry operations from a unique perspective.

The IQA would like to thank Hazell Bros quarry personnel for their time and knowledge in hosting the tour, as well as the Tasmania branch committee and the support of all sponsors for hosting another successful IQA event.

VICTORIAN BRANCH WOMEN IN QUARRYING EVENT The Victoria branch Women in Quarrying (WIQ) event was held on Friday June 23.

The event started with a tour of Holcim Oaklands Junction quarry and was followed by a lunch at the Craigieburn Sporting Club. The lunch incorporated a panel discussion featuring three influential women in the extractive and associated industries – Donna Findlay, executive director at the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions, and quarry approvals coordinator; Anita Macartney, director/ principal consultant at Mactown Consulting; and Krystle Rapson, operator at Holcim Oaklands Junction quarry – as well as sponsor presentations by Holcim and Astec.

This was the Victoria branch’s largest WIQ event to date and we look forward to growing further in 2024.

The Institute of Quarrying Australia

VICTORIAN BRANCH AND SUB-BRANCH STUDENT PRESENTATION NIGHT The student presentation night was held on Friday June 9 at the Veneto Club in Bulleen.

The event was held to acknowledge and celebrate the academic achievements of the 2022 students graduating from courses in surface operations and extractions at the Box Hill Institute.

Guests were treated to a keynote presentation by Craig McRae, senior coach of the Collingwood Football Club.

McRae’s highly motivating presentation was customised to inspire the graduating students, and provided some excellent messaging for the wider group. It was a wonderful event, and the IQA once again congratulates all the graduating students.

2022 ADVANCED DIPLOMA OF EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES MANAGEMENT RIII60215 First

Family Name

Company

The student presentation night was held to acknowledge and celebrate the academic achievements.

Mitchell

Molnar

Hanson Australia

UPCOMING COURSES AND EVENTS

2022 DIPLOMA OF SURFACE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT RII50120 First Wesley

Family Name

Company

Blackwood

Latrobe Valley Sands

Luke

Campbell

Jarrod

Flint

Hayden

Middlebrook

Andrew John

Prestage

Hanson Australia

2022 CERTIFICATE IV IN SURFACE EXTRACTION OPERATIONS RII40120

Event

Date

Time

Location

North Queensland AGM and dinner meeting | Townsville

Wednesday August 8

6.00pm – 9.00pm (AEST)

North Queensland Club, Townsville

Queensland respirable crystalline silica workshop – Brisbane

Tuesday August 10

9.00am – 3.30pm (AEST)

Kedron Wavell Services Club, Chermside

Queensland and central Queensland site tour, dinner and AGM

Wednesday August 10

4.00pm – 5.00pm, dinner (AEST)

Downer Group Brendale Sustainable Road Resource Centre, Brendale (site tour); Kedron Wavell Services Club, Chermside (dinner)

Thursday August 17

12.00pm – 1.00pm (AEST)

Online

First

Family Name

Company

Michael

Couch

Barro Group

Fatigue risk management and awareness webinar

Matthew

Hyde

Conundrum Holdings

Central Queensland annual golf day

Friday August 18

12.00pm – 7.00pm (ACST)

Rockhampton Golf Club

William

Kerr

Conundrum Holdings

Kosumo

Conundrum Holdings

Tuesday August 22

9.30am – 4.30pm (AEST)

Online (Via Zoom)

Budiwan

Quarry materials production and quality management online workshop

Amy

Lever

Barro Group

Thursday August 29

9.00am – 12.30pm (AEST)

Online

Jayson

Lowther

Prendergast Sand

Psychosocial hazards at work online workshop

Matthew

Maguire

Local Mix

WA introduction to mine safety management systems

Thursday August 31

3.00pm – 4.30pm (WAST)

Online

Quarry August 2023 55

IQA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT DEBBIE MACDONALD - #SEEUSBEUS As the Women in Quarrying representative for the Illawarra region, Debbie MacDonald has lived and breathed the quarry and extractive industry for much of her life.

What’s your current role and what does it involve?

I am the business development manager for Polo Citrus Australia.

I am currently involved in the company’s marketing, sales and any aspect of the business that helps with growth. I am passionate about protecting our industry from the hazards of dust.

How long have been in the industry?

Thirty-something years.

Our family had a quarry and landfill business on the Gold Coast that is now the Gold Coast City Council’s Reedy Creek Waste and Recycling Centre. We also had a mobile crushing business that worked around the country.

What do you enjoy about your role?

I love the diversity of the role – something different happens every day – and getting to meet the wonderful people in our industry.

How do you juggle and balance the demands of your home life/hobbies/ social time and your role?

As my husband works long hours, and we

still have a daughter at home studying, I have decided to work four days a week to manage these demands. And because we now live in Sydney and have two daughters in Queensland, we juggle our time between the two states, but as our roles require travel it works well.

I am a creative person and dabble in many art activities. We enjoy exploring the Southern Highlands and areas of Sydney with friends.

It’s like we are on holidays because so much is still new to us.

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give yourself in your first week in the industry?

The industry is very welcoming, especially if you come to it with an eagerness to learn and no bull#@%t.

I would tell myself that my skill set is diverse and has value.

Can you share a challenging moment and how you worked through it?

Running a business is hard, so there were many challenging times and many fantastic ones.

The collapse of our business in 2014 was definitely the most challenging. I am not

saying it was easy, but we focused on what was important to us, our family, and that is what got us through. It also taught us many lessons and we embraced these and hopefully became better people.

It is a pleasure to now work for Polo Citrus Australia. The company is very familyorientated and although I work as if it is our own business, it comes without the stress of running your own business.

Do you have any regrets?

I am not one to have regrets; it is all part of our journey, the good and the bad. We make the most of what we have, learn and move on.

You can’t be what you can’t see, so what advice would you give women who may never have thought about the extractive industry?

This industry is never boring. It requires hard work and is challenging but is also very rewarding.

You need to come with a willingness to learn and a humbleness to prove your worth through actions. I feel this industry is a lot about respect and seeing things from another’s perspective to get the best results.

Q&A WITH CLARE MURRAY Clare Murray has recently come on board as the CEO of the IQA. Quarry spoke with her to learn more.

What did you do before coming onboard with the IQA? I was originally a lawyer in the commercial construction sector, where I was then headhunted to run an engineering organisation. I worked in regional and remote settings around Australia – in the Pilbara and the Northern Territory.

What was it like to work in regional communities?

It was enlightening to see the challenges and opportunities that regional Australia faces. Trying to find and retain qualified staff is difficult, and the cost of logistics poses another challenge.

56

Quarry August 2023

What inspires you about the quarrying industry?

Concrete is the second most used commodity in the world, after water. The quarrying industry is a vital part of our economy, thanks to the financial revenue it generates and the employment it provides whether directly or indirectly.

The resources produced by our quarries are a central part of Australia’s and the world’s built environment.

What is the most important lesson you have learned?

The most important lesson I’ve learned is that good communication is the key to everything.

How have you been getting involved so far?

It has only been three weeks into the job, and I have already had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand to attend the IOQ Conference.

I have also been reaching out and meeting with members and branch committees. I’ve joined the IQA at an exciting time and am looking forward to getting feedback from our members. We want to know about what people want from us, what we can do better.

What’s the next step for you?

The IQA has developed a new strategic plan that will be rolled out to branch committees in the near future. We’re excited to share it and want to hear feedback from our members.

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GEOLOGY TALK

QUARRIES REVEAL BLASTS FROM THE PAST

Research has determined the quarry is likely to be from the classical period.

The work was conducted by Malta’s Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and Heritage Malta.

New research has revealed a quarry in Malta which is believed to be hundreds of years old.

A

n ancient quarry has been uncovered in Malta recently after trenching works conducted by the country’s Water Services Corporation.

Further research revealed it might date back to the classical period.

The ancient quarry was revealed near Żejtun and Marsaxlokk and close to the area known as Tas-Silg, which has been home to many ancient archaeological sites.

The classical period is commonly accepted to be 1730 to 1820 which could make the recently discovered quarry nearly two to three centuries old.

While the classical period is often linked with ancient Greece and Rome, Malta’s Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and Heritage Malta (SCH) has discovered ancient structures as recently as 2021.

“No associated material has been discovered and, thus, an accurate date cannot be attributed to this feature,” the SCH said to the Times of Malta.

“However, based on the ashlars still in situ and the overall typology of the quarry, a classical period date can be safely attributed to this exciting discovery.”

The SCH has conducted works to find ancient parts of Malta and uncover more of

58

Quarry August 2023

its history which includes the quarry.

An archaeological monitor discovered the area contained rock surfaces featuring cuts and visible tool marks.

A further search revealed the structure was a large quarry with large ashlars being visibly hewn out of the rock.

It comes after studies got underway in Australia to reveal more information about dinosaurs and the prehistoric era.

There is plenty of excitement about new research conducted at Lark Quarry in Queensland which could potentially offer insights into the prehistoric era.

The quarry, located near Winton and northwest of Brisbane, has been a popular location for scientists after they discovered fossilised footprints years ago on the site.

Many people have theories on what dinosaur activity took place in Lark Quarry including the site of a stampede or a popular crossing spot.

A new investigation led by Dr Scott Hocknull, helped by the Queensland Museum and Queensland x-ray, is taking Lark’s fossils in a new direction to new information.

It is not the first-time fossils have been discovered in the area which came in 2009 and earned the location has some of the country’s richest fossil deposits.

Dr Hocknull is using CT scans to look inside the much-discussed fossils to uncover clues from the past and help inform more about the Lark Quarry mystery.

The investigation is already months underway with the initial results showcasing new findings not only about the dinosaurs as well as Lark Quarry.

The area — commonly thought of as a barren wasteland in the dinosaur era — could be reimagined because of Dr Hocknull’s research.

“The trackways suggest that there were periods of time where dinosaurs were coming through the environment, attracted by the food and the insects and the big meat-eating dinosaurs were attracted by those small dinosaurs,” Hocknull told ABC. “It’s an environment … a big open flood plain with plants and a fantastic virginal life of lush growth and plants surrounding to eat.

“What we see with these root systems is there was a meadow of these ancient plants called horsetails. We even have the root systems of plants that … had to be growing in the open air.” •

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