All posts by Paul Moore

Metso boosts stirred mill line-up with new high power giant – the Vertimill® 7000

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Sustainable mining

Metso says it is excited to introduce what it describes as the world’s most powerful vertical screw type stirred mill, the Metso Vertimill® 7000. Developed as a solution to lower total cost of ownership, the large mill allows for more available grinding power. One Vertimill® 7000 grinding mill replaces the need for multiple smaller stirred mills to achieve the same power output.

“The Metso Vertimill® 7000 features the same high energy efficiency as the previous models, but with over 50% more power. In addition, it is equipped with double door access, so less space is needed to open the doors. The unit has also been equipped with side discharge grinding media ports to avoid double handling of the media during service operations. Just like the other Vertimill® models, this new giant can be used for grinding almost any type of ore bodies. Typically, these robust stirred mills are used for regrinding, secondary and tertiary grinding as well as for lime slaking,” explains Graham Davey, Director, Stirred Mills at Metso.

“Metso Vertimill® stirred mills offer the lowest total cost of ownership thanks to their superior energy efficiency, long maintenance intervals and improvement in the profitability of concentrators. With over 500 installations worldwide, the Vertimill® has proved to be a reliable grinding solution,” notes Davey.

Vertimill® grinding mills are part of Metso’s Planet Positive offering and it says provide up to 40% better energy efficiency than ball mills. The robust and vertical design benefits customers through long component lifetimes and as much as a 50% reduction in plant footprint.

For stirred milling technologies, Metso offers a wide portfolio: Vertimill®, HIGmill™, and Stirred Media Detritor (SMD) allowing the optimum mill type to be selected for the process duty. The Metso stirred mills are suitable for a large range of feed and product sizes. All Metso stirred mills are part of the Planet Positive product portfolio, thanks to the cited sustainability benefits they deliver.

Additionally, Metso’s portfolio includes solutions for wear monitoring. VertiSense™ complements Vertimill® stirred mills “by enabling the real-time wear monitoring of screw liners and maximising operational efficiency through intuitive software and analytics.”

Epiroc & Nexgen SIMS partners demo fully autonomous solution for material handling at the face

Automation, Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mine shafts and equipment, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining software, Mining techniques

Nexgen SIMS is a collaborative project run by a consortium of partners coordinated by Epiroc and partly funded by the European Union. It will be completed in April 2024 and aims to develop technologies, methods, and processes for the sustainable mines of the future.

The partners within Nexgen SIMS say they have developed and recently demonstrated a working solution for the work package: autonomous material handling at the face. The demo occurred at a depth of 750 m in Agnico Eagle’s Kittilä gold mine in Finland. It encompassed a fully autonomous cycle of material handling using battery-electric Epiroc underground loaders and mine trucks – evaluating the stope, filling the bucket, moving to a mining truck, and depositing the ore into the box, all without human intervention.

“The demo went perfectly well, meaning that we have demonstrated a viable autonomous solution for this process. In short, we have increased the TRL – technology readiness level – for autonomous mining,” says Vladimir Sysoev, Global Product Manager Deep Automation – Trucks, at Epiroc. The underground loader has LiDAR-based 3D and weight sensors and a processing unit with algorithms to control detection, manoeuvering and connectivity. The solution is integrated with 5G capability and depends on the site’s infrastructure for connectivity.

“These solutions wouldn’t have been possible just a few years ago. That’s also a result of the project, that we have properly tested 5G in an actual mining environment. Everything went according to the plan. It’s been interesting to see how both the predecessor LTE and 5G have developed over time, and they have proved to be very suitable for these applications. The 5G standard is excellent for automation and Big Data solutions, and it is also future proof with ample room for more capacity and reduced latency,” says Sysoev.

The demo contains three autonomous processes that are entirely novel to the global mining industry: evaluating the stope to decide where to dig, filling the bucket with the right amount of ore, and dumping the ore in the mine truck box while minimising spillage. The cycle of autonomous material handling at the face is complete in combination with autonomous tramming and dumping to and from the mine truck. An experienced operator can quickly scan the muck pile and decide where to start digging. The trick is to pick the right spot to excavate the pile evenly, working your way through it efficiently. In addition, stopes tend to be unstable, so there is always the risk of slides.

“Until now, we have been reliant on the human eye to decide where to dig, even if the digging itself can be done semi-autonomously. But here, we have developed algorithms that can make decisions based on the scanned data and feedback from the resistance in the pile. It was hard, but we solved it,” says Sysoev.

How do you know you have filled the bucket with the right amount of ore? That might be relatively easy for a human but much harder for a machine. Scanning the bucket is not feasible since the front of the loader is situated in a very harsh environment at the stope. Nexgen SIMS has solved the problem by measuring the weight in the bucket, thereby determining the bucket fill factor.

The standard procedure is to match a loader with a dumper so that three bucket loads will fill the box. The goal is to distribute the load evenly in the box while minimising spillage. “This was quite tricky to solve. We started by looking at how operators usually work – pick a good spot within the box, dump the load, then use the bucket to distribute the ore a bit if necessary. The algorithms we developed puts the first load in the front of the box, the second in the back, and then finally the third in the middle. The system can also use the bucket to press the ore a bit, which reflects the typical operator movements while dumping,” says Sysoev.

Safety is a major driving force for developing autonomous solutions. Minimising human presence in hazardous areas in mines is imperative, and the solution’s safety is also paramount. “The machines are smart enough to work independently, but for safety reasons they are constantly being monitored. There is a centralised server that orchestrates and manages the traffic in the mines. So, we need to know where the machines are, and how fast they are going, at all times. In addition, operators must have instant access to the machine in case anything goes wrong. For those reasons, the system is designed to immediately stop the machines in case communications goes down, even if it’s for less than a second,” says Sysoev.

Another result of solutions like these is increased productivity. “An experienced operator can on a good day probably move more ore, but one of the advantages of relying on algorithms is that there is consistency – you get the same result every time, which leads to better precision, planning possibilities and productivity in the long run. Consistency is one of the goals we have aimed to achieve.”

According to Jan Gustafsson, Project Manager for Nexgen SIMS at Epiroc, collaborative efforts between partners from a comprehensive set of backgrounds are the recipe for successful innovation now and in the future. “Partnership and cross-boundary cooperation is the way forward. Mining operations have become incredibly complex, and it’s simply not possible to innovate in silos anymore. We are open for more collaborative projects in the future. This is the way we need to work,” says Gustafsson.

He adds: “The Nexgen SIMS partnership has worked really well. We have continued to build on what we laid down during the first SIMS project, between 2016 and 2020, and further developed processes and workflows that have gotten results. We function well as a team. We have accomplished what we set out to do – to develop autonomous solutions and demonstrate them in a real production environment. The next step is to make a marketable product.”

Nexgen SIMS is a consortium of 13 partners collaborating in an EU-sponsored project to develop autonomous carbon-neutral, sustainable mining solutions, building on the successful SIMS project from 2017 to 2020. The partners are Epiroc Rock Drills, AFRY – ÅF Digital Solutions, Agnico Eagle Finland, Boliden Mineral, Ericsson, KGHM Cuprum, KGHM Polska Miedź, K+S Minerals and Agriculture, Luleå University of Technology (LTU), LTU Business, Mobilaris MCE, OZ Minerals and RWTH Aachen University. The project has had a budget of €16 million and has run from May 2021 to April 2024.

Small Mine Development implements ThoroughTec’s high fidelity simulators to address challenges

IoT, Mining equipment, Mining people, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software

As the labour market evolves, mining contractor Small Mine Development has encountered increased staff turnover rates and a corresponding shortage of skilled personnel for critical mining positions. Tackling these challenges head-on, the company has turned to technology, introducing simulator training as a proactive means to both speed up and improve the quality of operator training.

“Faced with these challenges, we have had to perform a lot more training, particularly in our truck driving positions,” stated Keith Jones, General Manager at Small Mine Development. “However, this additional utilisation by less skilled operators has led to increased equipment damage.”

The decision to integrate simulator training stemmed from a desire to provide new hires with a comprehensive understanding of the underground environment before their on-site deployment. “By offering a consistent and comprehensive training program utilising simulators, we aim to equip our employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their roles,” added Jones.

Key features of the simulator highlighted by Jones include its ability to replicate various underground scenarios, such as navigating uneven terrain and responding to emergencies situations, which are virtually impossible to train for using traditional methods. Additionally, the simulator enables trainees to practice develop machine sympathy and gain insight into the way their operating behaviour directly affects mine costs and profitability.

Small Mine Development partnered with ThoroughTec Simulation, a market leader in underground mining simulators, and known for its extensive range of realistic simulators. “We are pleased with the ThoroughTec simulator. Feedback from experienced operators is that it is quite realistic,” noted Jones. When asked about the choice of ThoroughTec as the simulator provider, Keith emphasised the company’s reputation and the versatility of its offerings. “We have a mixed fleet and did not want a brand specific simulator. Being able to switch cabs easily and the fact that ThoroughTec had many of the specific machines we operate, it was an easy decision.”

Thoroughtec stated that Small Mine Development is excited about the launch of its new training centre, with the simulator playing a pivotal role in enhancing the company’s training initiatives.

BEUMER Group secures contract to supply 2 km pipe conveyor to Port of Saguenay

Bulk handling, Mineral commodities, Mining services, Steel and iron ore

BEUMER Group has secured a contract to supply a large two-way pipe conveyor system for a strategic development project at the Port of Saguenay in Quebec, Canada. The conveyor will connect the port with customers in the new industrial port zone, boosting economic growth and supporting the region’s commitment to a more sustainable maritime supply chain. The pipe conveyor is expected to be fully operational in 2025.

Port of Saguennay, Quebec

The Port of Saguenay is located 500 km north of Montreal. The BEUMER Pipe Conveyor is central to the port’s new Multi-User Bulk Transport System, which will increase the port’s ability to both import and export iron ore, pellets, wood ships, salt, aggregates and other ores. It will attract further investment in the region of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. On awarding BEUMER Group the contract, the Port of Saguenay Authority commented that they were particularly impressed with the company’s “engagement, commitment, and flexibility in understanding our requirements, especially regarding the importance to work with the community.”

The pipe conveyor will be roughly 2 km long with a downhill (export) capacity of 4,150 t/h and an uphill (import) rate of 2,750 t/h. It runs along an existing steep and curvy road, reducing the need for truck transport and any associated carbon, dust and noise emissions. Because the pipe conveyor is fully enclosed, it reduces any environmental impacts and protects bulk materials from the sun, rain, snow, and wind. The scope of the contract includes all mechanical, structural and electrical equipment including prefabricated electrical buildings and the control system.

Markus Schmidt, CEO BEUMER Group North America, says: “The Saguenay pipe conveyor project represents a very important milestone, both for this region of Canada and for BEUMER Group’s Minerals & Mining business. The expertise inherent in our global team enables us to deliver a conveyor solution on this scale, meeting the client’s criteria for improving capacity in bulk handling while reducing environmental impacts.”

 

SANY India starts production of SKT105E battery mining truck in Bharat

Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Sustainable mining

SANY India, part of China’s SANY Group, the global manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, has unveiled the SKT105E Electric Dump Truck, the first of its kind to be locally manufactured in India. It said “this groundbreaking addition to SANY’s portfolio marks a significant milestone in the nation’s mining industry.” The unveiling ceremony, held at SANY India’s state of the art factory in Bharat, was attended by Deepak Garg, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of SANY India & South Asia, along with guests and industry professionals.

The SKT105E electric dump truck SANY India represents a new era in mining technology, combining local expertise with global innovation. “Designed to meet the rigorous demands of open-cast mining operations, this fully electric off-highway dump truck boasts exceptional energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. With an impressive payload capacity of 70 tonnes, it stands as a powerhouse asset for mining enterprises across the nation.”

The SKT105E has a high density lithium iron phosphate battery pack with battery capacity of 396 kWh and a charging time of about 1 hour (25% to 95% SOC). The battery pack is made of a customised extruded aluminium casing, which SANY says greatly improves the vibration-proof performance.

Garg, in his address at the launch event, emphasised the significance of the SKT105E in driving sustainable mining practices in India. He stated, “The SKT105E marks a historic moment for Sany India and the Indian mining industry. By localising production and introducing cutting-edge electric technology, we are not only enhancing operational efficiency but also contributing to the nation’s vision of sustainable development.”

SANY India says the SKT105E’s innovative design, coupled with its zero-emission operation, makes it an environmentally friendly solution for mining sites. Its advanced electric propulsion system ensures optimal performance while reducing carbon footprint, thereby aligning with India’s commitment to combat climate change.

Furthermore, Garg highlighted SANY India’s dedication to fostering local manufacturing capabilities and empowering the nation’s economy. He stated: “The SKT105E is a testament to Sany India’s commitment to ‘Make in India’ initiative. By manufacturing locally, we not only create job opportunities but also strengthen the indigenous manufacturing ecosystem.”

The launch event was attended by SANY India’s senior management, staff, and workers, alongside esteemed guests and industry leaders. Key figures were there such as Sauro Ray, Head of the Mining Business Unit; Sanjay Saxena, COO of SANY India; Daryl Lean, VP of SANY Group; Sunil More, Director of Factory Operations; and Sandeep Laroiya, Senior VP of Customer Support & R&D.

Vertex Minerals to expedite gold production with acquisition of Gekko plant

Mineral processing, Mining services, Precious metals

Vertex Minerals Ltd has finalised its acquisition of a Gekko gold gravity processing plant in a strategic move aimed at expediting gold production and optimising operational efficiency. The plant, originally located at the Morningstar Gold Mine in Victoria, will now be relocated to Vertex’s Hill End Gold Project.

Renowned for its modular design and high throughput capacity, the Gekko plant presents an attractive proposition for Vertex to strengthen its gold processing capabilities. With features such as PLC-operated sequenced stop/start capability, remote monitoring, and full spare parts support, the plant is set to enhance operational efficiency while keeping operating costs in check.

Key benefits of the Gekko processing plant include a substantially higher throughput and potential for further upgrades; streamlined operation requiring only two operators; and comprehensive monitoring capabilities covering density, mass flows, and sampling. It has enhanced security measures for gold processing plus full support from Gekko Systems. Plus it features an ergonomic design and state-of-the-art safety systems, with lower power usage contributing to sustainability goals. Gekko says its team will collaborate with Vertex Minerals to help make the project a success.

Macmahon agrees mobile equipment sale at Dawson South

Bulk handling, Coal technology, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment

Macmahon has executed an equipment sale agreement pursuant to which Macmahon has agreed to sell a substantial portion of its mobile equipment fleet at the Dawson South project. The Dawson South project is located in Queensland and forms part of the Dawson Mine, being an open cut steel making coal mine.

The mobile equipment was sold at market rates which were at or above book value, for cash consideration, and is expected to result in net cash inflows of approximately A$44 million to be collected during FY24 and FY25.

Macmahon is currently the mining contractor at the Dawson South project with the existing contract due to end on June 30,  2024. The parties are in negotiations on the terms of the new contract, which is expected to commence on or before July 1, 2024. Macmahon expects to retain its incumbent workforce of approximately 210 employees.

No new capital expenditure is expected over the new term due to the divestment of a large portion of the Dawson South equipment fleet, which will be utilised on the project. Macmahon says it “is focussed on its strategy of improving the cash-backed return on average capital employed in the business and is pleased to deliver a solution that meets the client’s needs, is in line with the company’s strategy, and improves sustainable free cash flow generation.”

Macmahon reaffirms that it expects to deliver FY24 revenue of between A$1.8 billion to A$1.9 billion and underlying EBIT(A) of A$130 million to A$140 million. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Michael Finnegan said: “I’m pleased we have been able to sell a substantial portion of the Dawson South fleet and progress Macmahon’s capital light strategy to improve ROACE performance – where our target was recently increased from 15% to 20%. I would like to thank the Macmahon team who have worked closely with our client to deliver this solution.”

New equipment additions and mining progress at key MinRes operations

Bulk handling, High tech minerals, Mineral commodities, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining

Mineral Resources Ltd has been making progress on a number of fronts across its operations and projects. At its Ken’s Bore surface iron ore minesite, part of its Onslow Iron project, MinRes has welcomed a new Komatsu hybrid electric wheel loader to its growing fleet – the first delivered in Western Australia. It says this electric loader comes with host of benefits – including substantially less carbon emissions compared to mechanical drives – and features a fully regenerative SR hybrid drive system.

It has also commenced preliminary development works to support underground future mining at the Mt Marion lithium operation, it says signalling an exciting new chapter for the world-class mine. Mt Marion is located approximately 40 km southwest of Kalgoorlie in the Goldfields region of Western Australia.

The operation is jointly owned by MinRes (50%) and one of the world’s largest lithium hydroxide producers, Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co Ltd (50%). During Q2 FY24, a diamond drilling program significantly increased confidence in the underground resource in the mine’s upper North Pit. Drilling confirmed the North Pit underground ore body is vertically dipping with a strike length of 500 m and a thickness of 30 to 60 m. Pegmatites were intercepted around 1.2 km below surface.

MinRes also recently announced the underground Mineral Resource at Mt Marion had doubled to 19.3 Mt, with a full underground study targeted for completion by mid-2024. A development contract has already been awarded to locally based specialist underground development contractor, Develop Global, for the establishment of an exploration decline at Mt Marion.

Works include establishment of surface facilities supporting underground mining activity, installation of underground mine infrastructure, excavating underground capital development and exploration drill platforms, and obtaining geological and operational data to support future mining activities.

A key project milestone was recently achieved through the successful first blast fired for the decline box-cut, with significant earthworks now under way to support a target depth of 350 m within the next 18 months. During this time, MinRes aims to complete an additional 80,000 m of reverse circulation and diamond drilling targeting the underground resource below the mine’s Central and C2 pits to further map and define the underground potential.

Chief Executive Lithium Joshua Thurlow said the start of preliminary underground works marked an exciting new phase for one of the world’s few operating hard rock lithium mines. “MinRes has been managing all open pit mining operations at Mt Marion since 2016 and this site is a key asset in our growing world-class lithium portfolio,” Thurlow said. “Recent underground exploration success has confirmed that we’ve barely scratched the surface of this mine’s potential. Having now doubled the underground Mineral Resource, we’re pushing ahead with building the necessary infrastructure and technical expertise to transition Mt Marion into an open pit and underground mining operation.”

MinRes also owns and operates the Bald Hill mine in the Goldfields and operates the Wodgina lithium operation in the Pilbara region under a 50/50 joint venture with Albemarle Corporation.

 

 

Thiess gets six year contract extension at BHP’s Mount Arthur South Operations

Bulk handling, Coal technology, Equipment maintenance, Mineral project development, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety

Contract mining and mining services leader Thiess has been awarded a six-year contract extension with BHP for the Mount Arthur South Operations coal mine in New South Wales, Australia. With revenue of A$1.9 billion, this contract sees Thiess continuing to provide mining services at the Mount Arthur South mine, operating and maintaining mining equipment to support BHP’s production requirements, and working with BHP and the local community towards the planned mine closure.

Thiess Group Executive Chair and CEO Michael Wright said: “This contract extension acknowledges Thiess’ strong safety record and ongoing operational performance, and builds on the longstanding relationship between Thiess and BHP that started more than 30 years ago. We are strongly aligned with BHP in our commitment to diversity in our workforce, as demonstrated by our award winning MASITE program, which has resulted in significant increases in the number of our local Indigenous and female employees.”

Thiess Group Executive Australia East Rae O’Brien said: “Thiess has played a key part in supporting the local economy and community of the Hunter Valley region, dating back 80 years, and we are proud to be given the opportunity to continue our presence in the region alongside BHP.”

Suncor says Fort Hills to get new super size Komatsu PC9000 excavator

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Uncategorised

As the market stands today, the largest available big surface mining hydraulic excavators are generally in the 800 t class – the Komatsu PC8000 (shown in the attached photo), Hitachi EX8000 and Liebherr R 9800. Caterpillar still in theory has the 1,000 t 6090 FS face shovel machine – whose design dates from O&K days in Dortmund (which became Terex O&K then briefly was part of Bucyrus) before its  acquisition by Caterpillar in 2011. But this unit (then it was the RH400) has not been built in some years and the 6090 is no longer listed on the Caterpillar website as it is undergoing numerous upgrades to bring it into line with Cat’s next generation of shovels which has already been done with the 6060 FS and BH (backhoe) models. Back in 2012 Cat also built a 1,270 t model, the 6120B H FS, with hybrid technology, but this project was shelved.

Now it seems there is a new super sized excavator in the market – the Komatsu PC9000. In a recent news story, oil sands miner Suncor stated via Jason Wyman, General Manager for the Mine and Tailings team at Fort Hills, that the mine’s fleet of trucks and shovels that moves approximately 300 Mt of material every year is growing including through this new shovel model.

“The decision to invest in new equipment, specifically 23 Komatsu 980 haul trucks and one hydraulic shovel, was introduced from the annual mine plan,” explains Wyman. “The mine plan outlines production targets and operational strategies, ultimately determining the required equipment. As Fort Hills grew, trucks and shovels were initially purchased in 2014; however, as volumes increased and haul distances grew, rental equipment was secured to meet business plan commitments. This rental equipment comes at a significant premium, affecting the mine’s overall cost structure.”

He adds: “Overall, we have purchased 55 new trucks for the region, with 23 allocated to our Fort Hills site, and 32 to Base Plant. The purchases of the haul trucks and shovels will reduce the mine’s operating cost.”

At Fort Hills, the new trucks and hydraulic shovel he says will be gradually rolled out throughout 2024, including the mentioned Komatsu PC9000, which he describes as the largest hydraulic shovel in the world, arriving towards the end of the year.

”The new equipment will reinforce a commitment to Fort Hills’ competitiveness,” says Wyman. Along with the new fleet come ambitious goals for Fort Hills like driving down the cost per tonne, he adds.

”Given the substantial volume of material moved annually, the new equipment will position Fort Hills as a best-in-class operator, surpassing the limitations of the previous rental strategy. The ownership of equipment allows for more control over maintenance programs, increasing equipment availability and overall efficiency”

Fort Hills’ investment in trucks and shovels he says will help Suncor achieve its goal of being Canada’s leading energy provider by enhancing operational efficiency and reducing costs. “As the new equipment is gradually integrated into the mine’s operations, the team remains optimistic about the positive impact it will have on Fort Hills’ long-term success.”

Komatsu would not comment officially to IM but by its existing nomenclature a PC9000 would be a 900 t machine; and with the 6090 no longer listed, that would indeed make it the world’s largest available hydraulic shovel today. As all of Komatsu’s other shovels are available  in both backhoe and face shovel as well as diesel or AC electric cable power, this is likely to be the case with the PC9000 as well. As the diesel PC8000 has two Cummins QSK60 engines the diesel model is likely to be equipped with dual QSK78 engines.