All posts by Paul Moore

Oxbotica gets $140 million in new investment to deploy its Universal Autonomy™

Automation, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services

Oxbotica, a global leader in autonomous vehicle software, has announced that it has raised $140 million in Series C investment to deploy its operating system for Universal Autonomy™ in multiple commercial and industrial domains around the world. The Series C funding accommodates growing demand from new and current shareholders, with additional investors expected to sign on before the funding round closes in a few months.

The investment round includes financial and strategic partners from North America, EMEA and APAC, including new investors such as Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co Ltd and ENEOS Innovation Partners. Current Oxbotica shareholders who are re-investing include bp ventures, BGF, Halma, Hostplus, Kiko Ventures (IP Group), Ocado Group, Tencent, Venture Science and ZF, amongst other global companies. Following today’s announcement, Oxbotica has raised approximately $225 million to date.

The funding will drive Oxbotica’s geographical expansion in North America, EMEA and APAC, and accelerate the deployment of its ground-breaking autonomy operating system in domains where there is both urgent need and potential to scale, such as agriculture, airports, energy, goods delivery, mining and shared passenger transportation.

It says the latest commitments “signal continuing investor confidence in Oxbotica’s vision for Universal Autonomy™-the ability of any vehicle, of any size, in any place to operate autonomously, safely and sustainably-and its proven record of breakthrough innovations which represent vital advances in commercialising AV technology.” These include Europe’s first zero-occupancy trial on a publicly accessible road in May 2022, metaverse-based testing and collaborative alliances with the insurance sector, amongst others.

Gavin Jackson, CEO of Oxbotica, said: “This landmark investment from world-class investors is a tremendous validation of our strategy to apply self-driving technology where there is persistent and urgent demand-in supply chains, industrial sectors and in decongesting our cities. We share a common purpose with our investors as well as our growing number of customers and partners to make the Earth move more safely, more sustainably and more efficiently. We’re invigorated by their confidence and are moving quickly to accelerate the benefits of autonomy for everyone.”

Paul Newman, CTO and a Founder of Oxbotica, said: “Oxbotica was founded eight years ago on the vision of Universal Autonomy™-providing safe and sustainable autonomy that is independent of workplace and vehicle type. With the greatest engineering talent and experience, using the best of AI, robotics and the metaverse, we are delivering on that promise to create value for our customers, our communities and our planet. We welcome our new investors who share our bold vision to redefine the role of the human in the operation of vehicles.”

Mitsuru Yamaguchi, Senior Managing Executive Officer at Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co., Ltd, said: ‘Oxbotica really sets itself apart from its competitors thanks to its ambitious vision to unlock Universal Autonomy™. We are excited to combine Oxbotica’s world-class AI and robotic techniques with our own pioneering expertise in the telematics insurance arena. This will leave us well placed to develop innovative insurance products and services which will create a safer, greener and more secure society for everyone.”

Erin Hallock, Managing Partner at bp ventures, said: “We are excited to grow our investment in Oxbotica, which has become a global leader in autonomous vehicle software. Our sustained support is a great example of bp ventures’ continued investment in game-changing technology companies. By leveraging automation and digital technology we believe the team can improve safety and increase efficiency across a wide range of vehicles, and support bp’s ambition to accelerate the global revolution in mobility.”

In addition to high-calibre investors, Oxbotica attracts category-defining customers and partners, including Ocado Group, with which the company is collaborating on autonomous goods delivery to fulfil customer orders. The software-defined vehicle from partner Applied EV, driven by Oxbotica, has already operated with no on-board driver on a publicly accessible road in Oxford, marking a key milestone in commercialising its AV technology.

In partnership with Applied EV, bp, NEVS and ZF, autonomous passenger shuttles and industry-specific vehicles driven by Oxbotica will be launched in 2024. Meanwhile, together with Wenco International Mining Systems Ltd., Oxbotica is bringing the benefits of open autonomy to mining to improve safety and sustainability combined with lower operational costs.

Saudi mining giant Ma’aden invests in Ivanhoe Electric plus forms exploration JV

Base metals, High tech minerals, Mineral exploration, Mining software, Precious metals

Ivanhoe Electric Executive Chairman Robert Friedland, and President and Chief Executive Officer Taylor Melvin, have announced that the company has executed a binding Heads of Terms with Saudi Arabian Mining Company Ma’aden. The agreement sets out the binding framework for a strategic investment of $126.4 million by Ma’aden into the common stock of Ivanhoe Electric, giving it a 9.9% shareholding; and the concurrent establishment of a 50/50 exploration joint venture in Saudi Arabia.

This agreement was signed at the Future Minerals Forum taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is expected to be completed by the end of Q1 2023. Ma’aden is among the fastest growing mining companies in the world and the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East, with a vision of being a sustainable mining champion with a global presence. Ma’aden explores for, and mines, minerals within Saudi Arabia including gold, silver, copper, zinc, phosphate and other industrial minerals and has a market capitalisation of approximately $48 billion.

Some $60 million of the gross proceeds are to be retained by Ivanhoe Electric for use in advancing its US mineral projects, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Ma’aden obtains the right to appoint one independent director to the Ivanhoe Electric Board of Directors, bringing the company’s board size to nine members.

Ivanhoe Electric and Ma’aden will establish a new Saudi Arabian exploration Joint Venture which will be owned 50/50 and established for an initial term of 5 years. It may be extended up to 10 years upon mutual agreement. Ma’aden will make available approximately 48,500 km2 of land under exploration license or license application within Saudi Arabia for exploration by the JV.

Ivanhoe Electric will contribute approximately $66 million to the JV, of which up to $13 million will be used to fund the purchase of three new generation Typhoon™ machines which will be owned by the Joint Venture. Prior to the delivery of the new Typhoon units, Ivanhoe Electric will make available an existing Typhoon unit to commence surveying in Saudi Arabia.

Ivanhoe Electric will also provide the JV with a royalty-free license to use Typhoon within Saudi Arabia for the purpose of mineral exploration. The license will remain exclusive to the JV in Saudi Arabia and effective while the JV is continuing. The JV will operate through an equally constituted board of directors and Technical Committee.

Friedland commented from the Future Minerals Forum, currently taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: “Today’s agreement is our first major transaction since successfully completing our IPO in mid-2022. The deal combines a conventional corporate-level investment with a groundbreaking exploration Joint Venture centered around the application of Ivanhoe Electric’s disruptive Typhoon technology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ma’aden’s announced investment is a clear vote of confidence by a major mining company in our US projects and in our vision to re-invent mining for the electrification of everything, by agreeing to become one of our largest shareholders.”

Friedland continued, “This Joint Venture in Saudi Arabia will set us down a new path with Typhoon. This will be the first wide-scale use and deployment of our disruptive geophysical surveying tool to a third party for the mutual benefit of both companies and their stakeholders. When Ma’aden proposed the idea of using the world’s best geophysical surveying tool on one of the world’s most prospective but underexplored land areas in the Kingdom, our entire team jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this new venture with its potential impact on Vision 2030.”

Ma’aden Chief Executive Officer Robert Wilt commented: “Ma’aden’s strategic investment in Ivanhoe Electric is a critically important moment in our journey to becoming a leading supplier of strategic minerals, which will fuel global economic growth over the coming decade. Though our partnership with Ivanhoe Electric we are advancing our capability to unlock the potential of our exploration portfolio to secure supply of strategic minerals and strengthening our international presence. We are continually looking at opportunities like this one to develop Saudi Arabia’s tremendous mineral wealth and Ivanhoe Electric is an ideal partner.”

Typhoon is the brand name for Ivanhoe Electric’s proprietary electrical geophysical surveying transmitter, which can detect the presence of sulphide minerals containing copper, nickel, gold and silver (as well as water and oil). The technology was developed by its former parent I-Pulse to unlock exploration in areas where potential deposits are hidden by cover, where target depths exceed the range of conventional geophysical surveying systems, or where the scale and topography of an exploration target area prevents efficient and cost-effective conventional surveying.

Typhoon achieves this through its unique specifications, which includes a current output of up to 200 amps and a voltage output of up to 10,000 volts. The transmitter uses switches and capacitance systems which generate a very pure and stable transmitted signal, resulting in an extremely high signal-to-noise ratio. Typhoon™ is also capable of transmitting both induced polarisation and electromagnetic signals, meaning that the same transmitter can be used to search for a wide variety of mineral deposit types.

The statement said: “Typhoon was specifically developed to effectively conduct large surveys and identify deep geophysical anomalies in environments that have highly resistive surface conditions, such as those seen in the Arabian Shield. Typhoon is the ideal tool for surveying many parts of Saudi Arabia where the bedrock is hidden by sand and gravel cover that can exceed 1 kilometre in depth – as similarly experienced at Ivanhoe Electric’s Santa Cruz project in Arizona, USA.”

Ivanhoe Electric currently has three Typhoon units and three more will be produced for the Joint Venture in the first half of 2024. Three additional Typhoon units on order with I-Pulse will be delivered subsequently to Ivanhoe Electric. When the construction and delivery of these six new generation units is completed, the global fleet of Typhoon units will have tripled from three to nine.

Melvin commented: “Typhoon is a transformational technology and a unique asset for Ivanhoe Electric. The machines and supporting CGI data analytics can potentially unlock remarkable new business opportunities for us. We intend to increase the number of Typhoon units to meet the future exploration needs of Ivanhoe Electric in the US and to support new opportunities. The Joint Venture with Ma’aden is just our first foray into how we can best capture the value of Typhoon™ outside of exploring our own projects.”

Ivanhoe Electric also controls a data inversion business, Computational Geosciences Inc (CGI). CGI was founded in 2010 to commercialise innovative technology developed at the University of British Columbia, Canada to improve and enhance mineral exploration. The CGI technology consists of sophisticated codes to process geophysical data and build 3D subsurface images that could indicate the presence of various metals and minerals. The data processing and artificial intelligence software developed by CGI complements our Typhoon technology and Ivanhoe Electric says represents the only software product that can process the full spectrum of geophysical data produced by Typhoon efficiently. CGI will process the tremendous amounts of data that will be produced by the Saudi exploration Joint Venture.

 

Osisko plan for Windfall 10 year gold mine in Quebec includes both diesel and BEV fleets

Communications in mining, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Explosives and blasting, Mine ventilation, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining techniques, Power supply for mines, Precious metals

Osisko Mining Inc has filed the technical feasibility study report prepared by BBA Inc on its 100% owned Windfall gold deposit in the Abitibi greenstone belt, within the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec, Canada. The project has total proven and probable mineral reserves of 12.2 Mt grading 8.06 g/t Au and 4.18 g/t Ag resulting in 3.16 Moz of gold and 1.64 Moz of silver. The expected mine life is 10 years, with peak year payable production of 374,000 oz (year 2) and average life of mine annual payable production of 294,000 oz of gold.

Production begins in mid-2025 and reaches the target production rate of 3,400 t/d in early 2029; milling throughput is maintained at approximately 3,400 t/d until 2029 using the early mine stockpile. The Lynx zone is active at project start, while the Main zone does not begin development until mid–2026. Longhole stoping provides approximately 80% of the total production with the remainder comprised of sill development.

The Windfall Project has three primary zones: Lynx (Lynx zone), Main and Underdog (Main zone). All zones trend roughly east–northeast and dip vertically between 45° to 90°. The Main zone is the western portion of the planned mining area and the Lynx zone is the eastern portion. The zones
are accessed by three ramp systems, with two surface portals for transportation and material haulage. The ramps and level accesses (up to the vent raise access) will be 5.2 m high by 5.5 m wide allowing the passage of 54 t haulage trucks as well as secondary ventilation ducting and service piping. Ore access drives towards the ore zone will be 4.5 m high by 4.3 m wide, while development in mineralized material will be 4.5 m high by 4.0 m wide.

Longitudinal longhole mining is described as suitable for the Windfall Project, where the dip of the mineralisation is 45° or greater, and the materialised zones are of sufficient width and grade that the estimated dilution does not eliminate the profitable recovery of the material. Mining will consist of an undercut level and an overcut level, each accessed from the main ramp or an access drift. Each sill will be accessed perpendicularly from the ramp or access drift, and then developed along strike of the vein to the economic extents of the mineralisation.

Once sill development is completed on each level, production holes are drilled between the sills and then blasted until the stoping panel is completed. Following cavity monitoring of the stope, the void is then prepared for backfill. Once a sufficient distance along strike (one to two stope lengths) has been extracted and backfilled, mining can progress either up–dip or down–dip and extraction can recommence opening another mining location.

To optimise material movement, 14 and 18 t capacity LHDs have been selected for mucking and truck loading activities. 14 t capacity LHDs are proposed for smaller profile development headings and stope mucking. 18 t capacity LHDs are proposed for large profile development headings and to load the 54 t trucks at the level accesses. The working schedule for the production and development crews is two shifts per day, at 12 hours per shift, 365 days per year. A utilisation of 85% was assumed for all major equipment.

The main accesses have been designed with two 15 m stockpiles per level, with many ore drives available that can serve as temporary stockpiles. During development, all larger profile headings will utilise the 18 t LHDs, while smaller profile headings will utilise the 14 t LHDs. During production, stopes will be mucked to the level access stockpiles using 14 t LHDs. Once the stockpiles are full, a dedicated 18 t LHD will conventionally load trucks until the stockpiles are empty. During this time, the stope mucking operator can continue to muck the stope to a temporary stockpile or move to an alternate level.

All mining and maintenance activities, with the exception of vertical development and concrete delivery, will be completed by a company workforce using company–owned equipment. A total of 90 units of mobile equipment will be required for the project. Apart from LHDs, trucks, personnel carriers and concrete delivery equipment, all remaining equipment will be battery electric. Battery electric equipment will charge via PTO while stationary (either working or idle).

Specifically, the fleet has an interesting mix of conventional diesel and all electric BEV units – the diesel machines include the primary LHDs and trucks – envisaging the use of initially six Epiroc 54 t MT54 trucks (rising to 10); plus two Epiroc ST14 LHDs (rising to five) and two Epiroc ST18 LHDs (rising to three).

Most of the drills and support machines will be electric – including a large planned MacLean Engineering fleet that includes at peak eight 975 EV Omnia Bolters (inc one High Reach); five MacLean EV Emulsion Chargers (three EC3 for development and two CS3 for production); five MacLean SL3-EV Scissor Lifts; plus support MacLean EV machines including a Block Holer, two Boom Trucks, two personnel carriers and two graders. Electric drills will include five Epiroc Simba ME7C-EV units and five Epiroc M20-EV two boom jumbos. Two Sandvik DL432i longhole drills will also be used.

A large fleet of Kovatera vehicles numbering over 30 units includes various Service Trucks and personnel carriers. The shotcrete machines include a SWATcrete Mobile CRF Unit and SWATcrete Sprayer which will be operated by a contractor.

Windfall will have a fuel bay located adjacent to the garage at –140 RL in the Lynx zone. Fuel will be provided from a 550 m borehole lined with steel pipe from the site’s surface fuel farm. The general fuelling strategy will be for LHDs to be fueled underground, while haulage trucks and light
vehicles to be fueled on surface, with the fuel bay used as required during the shift. The expected maximum consumption for all diesel mobile equipment is 7 million litres of diesel per year. The remainder of the mine’s equipment is proposed to be battery–electric and will require recharging
through the mine’s underground electrical distribution network.

A fibre optic network will be installed through every electrical substation, providing mine–wide network coverage. A LTE network will be installed alongside the fibre network to provide vocal communication between employees and wireless communication for the equipment. The optical fibre and LTE network will be used for gathering critical information for the control of the ventilation-on-demand system. Vehicle and cap lamp tags will allow the software to locate personnel and vehicles anywhere in the mine. Air supply can then be adjusted according to their positions.

The Windfall Project currently has two ventilation raises to surface, which will be used as exhaust raises for the Bobcat and Lynx zones, with three planned raises to surface providing exhaust for the Main zone and two F–zone satellite mining areas. These exhaust raises will be equipped with
fans and will create a pull system with fresh air being drawn down the two portal ramps.

A water management system has been designed to handle 5,200 m3/day of water. This volume includes water from infiltration and mining activities. The planned system will pump dirty water to surface for treatment before being recirculated underground for use in operations. Pumping requirements are tied directly to development and production activities, providing complete dewatering capabilities throughout the mine life.

Proposed to begin once construction is complete, paste will be pumped underground from surface through a borehole and routed to the stope level through 8–in schedule 80 and HDPE piping. Downhole stopes will be paste–filled from their overcut level while uphole stopes will be filled through a pastehole drilled from the undercut level. Pressure monitoring of the paste line will be conducted through pressure transducers located at the bottom of the surface borehole and on each level. The construction of friction loops and implementation of rupture discs are proposed for over pressure protection.

 

 

 

CAML’s Sasa in North Macedonia advancing cut and fill project plus new paste backfill plant

Base metals, Environmental, Mine shafts and equipment, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining project news, Sustainable mining, Water management

Central Asia Metals has provided a Q4 and full year 2022 operations update for the Kounrad dump leach, solvent extraction and SX-EW copper recovery plant in Kazakhstan and the Sasa zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia.In 2022 summary there were zero lost time injuries (LTIs) at Kounrad and two LTIs at Sasa. There was record copper production at Kounrad, above guidance range at 14,254 t of copper produced. Zinc and lead production at Sasa was within guidance range with zinc in concentrate production of 21,473 t and lead in concentrate production of 27,354 t. For 2023 production guidance for Kounrad is 13,000 to 14,000 t. At Sasa, zinc in concentrate is expected to be 19,000 to 21,000 t and lead in concentrate, 27,000 to 29,000 t.

Nigel Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, commented: “I am delighted to report strong production from both of our operations during 2022. At Kounrad, we had a record year and exceeded our guidance, producing over 14,000 t of copper cathode into a broadly strong pricing environment. At Sasa, I am proud of our team’s hard work and efforts throughout the year to ensure that we met our guidance and began progressing the Cut and Fill Project. Two LTIs at Sasa were disappointing, and we have adapted training to mitigate against further similar incidents.”

He continued: “As part of the Cut and Fill Project, construction of the paste backfill plant has begun with good progress and therefore remains on schedule for H1 2023. Additionally, work on the Central Decline continues to progress towards the Svinja Reka ore body, with 1,051 m being developed during the year bringing the total advanced to 1,554 m. At Kounrad, earthworks undertaken by our own team have begun for the construction of the Solar Power Project, which is on schedule for completion during H2 2023. We enter 2023 in a debt-free position and look forward to delivering another year of strong base metal production and beginning the transition to the cut and fill mining method at Sasa. Our 2022 annual results are scheduled to be released on 29 March 2023, when our final dividend for 2022 will also be announced.”In more detail, Kounrad delivered Q4 2022 copper production of 3,569 t, bringing output for 2022 to 14,254 t, a production record for CAML.Copper sales during Q4 2022 were 3,843 t, bringing the total for 2022 to 14,342 t. Earthworks for the Solar Power Project began in Q4 2022 at a 10 ha site close to the SX-EW plant. Project construction being undertaken by Kounrad’s in-house engineering team is expected to be complete in the latter part of H2 2023.At Sasa in Q4 2022, mined and processed ore were 203,483 t and 202,175 t respectively, bringing the total for 2022 to 806,069 t of ore mined and 806,653 t of ore processed. The average head grades for the quarter were 3.11% zinc and 3.54% lead, and for the year were 3.15% and 3.63% respectively. The average 2022 metallurgical recoveries were 84.6% for zinc and 93.4% for lead. Sasa produces a zinc concentrate and a separate lead concentrate. In Q4 2022, 10,500 t of concentrate containing 50.1% zinc and 9,268 tonnes of concentrate containing 71.5% lead were produced. Total production for 2022 was 42,824 t of zinc concentrate at an average grade of 50.1% and 38,439 t of lead concentrate at an average grade of 71.2%.

Sasa typically receives from smelters approximately 84% of the value of its zinc in concentrate and approximately 95% of the value of its lead in concentrate. Accordingly, Q4 2022 payable production of zinc was 4,423 t and of lead was 6,297 t, bringing total 2022 payable production to 18,048 t of zinc and 25,987 t of lead. Payable base metal in concentrate sales from Sasa in Q4 2022 were 4,323 t of zinc and 6,219 t of lead and for 2022 were 17,862 t of zinc and 25,689 t of lead.

The Sasa Cut and Fill Project, which comprises the construction of a paste backfill plant and associated reticulation, a dry stack tailings plant and associated landform, and development of a new decline, will ensure maximum extraction of Sasa’s resources, in the safest way, with minimal water usage and improved tailings management. At Sasa, 2023 will be a year of transition from the current sub-level caving mining method to cut and fill stoping. Therefore, CAML maintains its ore mined guidance year on year of 790,000 to 810,000 t.

Given that a major component of the backfill material will be tailings generated from the Sasa processing plant, it is estimated that over 40% of Svinja Reka’s life of mine tailings will be stored underground. Approximately 30% of tailings will be stored in the current TSF4, and the remainder are expected to be filter pressed to remove much of the moisture and then stacked on a dry stack tailings landform. This is seen as a more environmentally attractive waste storage approach to a traditional wet tailings storage facility. This, in combination with other site initiatives, has enabled CAML to set a target of a 75% reduction in Sasa’s fresh water abstraction by the end of 2026.Development of the Central Decline continues to progress well, with 1,051 metres developed during 2022, and 1,554 metres in total and is on schedule to complete phase 1 to connect surface with the 910 production level by the end of H1 2023. Construction of the Paste Backfill Plant on surface and the associated underground infrastructure remains on schedule to be completed in H1 2023. Additionally, orders have been placed for key items required for the Dry Stack Tailings plant, which will be constructed during H2 2023.Given the ongoing Sasa Cut and Fill Project, CAML expects group 2023 capital expenditure of between $28 million and $30 million, of which between $11 million and $13 million is expected to be committed to sustaining capex. The project capital expenditure also includes construction of the Kounrad Solar Power Project which is expected to cost between $4 million and $5 million.

Fourth M:O Larox filter press delivered to Kamoa Copper as part of debottlenecking program

Base metals, Mineral processing, Mining project news

The Kamoa-Kakula Mining Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) produced 333,497 t of copper in concentrate in 2022, achieving the upper-end of the original 2022 production guidance range of 290,000 to 340,000 t. Kamoa-Kakula’s 2022 production achievement represents a year-over-year increase of 215%.

The 2023 annual production guidance for Kamoa-Kakula is estimated at between 390,000 to 430,000 t of copper in concentrate, following the anticipated completion of the debottlenecking program early in the second quarter of 2023.

Ivanhoe Mines Executive Co-Chair Robert FriedlandFriedland commented: “Kamoa-Kakula has firmly established a track record of excellence during the development of Phase 1 and Phase 2 operations, which has led to an industry-leading growth profile in terms of copper production that will continue as we bring Phase 3 online. Kamoa-Kakula also stands out among its peers as one of the few mining operations worldwide to strongly deliver on its original 2022 production guidance, which is a further testament to the team of engineers and contractors who commissioned the Phase 2 concentrator several months ahead of schedule.”

“With the Phase 3 expansion well on track, including the integration of Africa’s largest single-line blister-copper flash smelter, Kamoa-Kakula is poised to become one of the world’s leading producers of vital copper metal for global markets…a producer that will have one of the lowest, if not the lowest, carbon footprints in the industry. Ivanhoe Mines looks forward to a long, prosperous partnership with the Democratic Republic of Congo government, the Congolese people, our joint-venture partners, and the international investors that have been integral in making these exceptional achievements possible.”

Kamoa-Kakula’s 2022 production guidance was raised from an initial range of 290,000 to 340,000 t, following the successful ramp-up of Kamoa Copper’s Phase 2 concentrator plant, which was commissioned several months ahead of schedule and declared commercial production on April 7, 2022.

During the fourth quarter, Kamoa-Kakula produced 92,761 t of copper. Kamoa-Kakula also reported 93,288 t of copper floated, which includes the contained copper still in the circuit that was floated, but has not yet been filtered to produce a final concentrate. As of December 31, 2022, there was a balance of approximately 5,670 t of copper in the circuit, which will be filtered into a final concentrate once the debottlenecking program is complete. For the full year of 2022, in line with the Kamoa-Kakula’s upper end of guidance, 338,087 t of contained copper were floated.

The difference between floated and filtered copper arises from the current bottleneck in concentrate filter capacity, as the Phase 1 and 2 milling and flotation circuits continue to operate above design capacity. Floated copper is temporarily stored as a slurry in a fully-lined pond, which will be reclaimed into the concentrate thickener and filter press once the fourth Larox filter press is installed as part of the debottlenecking program.

Kamoa Copper’s previously announced debottlenecking program is over 90% complete and is progressing ahead of schedule. All the major equipment for the program, including the fourth Larox filter press from Metso Outotec of Espoo, Finland, has been delivered to the site. The final step of installation will take place over the next few months, with cold commissioning targeted to take place in April 2023. As part of the debottlenecking program, a new Metso Outotec scavenger-cleaner flotation cell on the Phase 1 concentrator is also undergoing final installation.

The debottlenecking program will increase the combined processing capacity of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrator plants to approximately 9.2 Mt per annum and increase the rate of copper production to approximately 450,000 t per annum. During 2022, the Kamoa-Kakula Mining Complex milled approximately 7.1 Mt of ore at an average feed grade of 5.5% copper and produced 333,497 t of copper in concentrate. A total of 2 million ore tonnes were milled during the fourth quarter at an average feed grade of 5.4% copper.

Tonnes of ore milled in the fourth quarter were slightly lower by approximately 3.5%, on a quarter-on-quarter basis due to intermittent electrical power supply disruptions on the DRC grid. Kamoa Copper is working with the DRC state-owned power utility, SNEL, to minimise any future disruptions to operations.

On December 27, 2022, a total of 27,424 dry tonnes of ore were milled through the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators ̶ a daily record for both facilities. This is equivalent to an milling rate of 9.1 Mt per annum (after accounting for availability).

A total of 120,000 t were drawn from the run-of-mine stockpiles in the fourth quarter. While the ongoing expansion of underground infrastructure at the Kakula Mine takes place, ore continues to be drawn periodically from the stockpile to maximise copper production, as the concentrators are currently operating over design capacity.

Kamoa-Kakula’s high- and medium-grade ore surface stockpiles totaled approximately 4.08 Mt at an estimated, blended average grade of 4.05% copper. Contained copper in the stockpiles at the end of December totaled more than 165,000 t (the current copper price is approximately $8,600 per tonne).

Copper flotation recoveries during 2022 from the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators averaged 86%. The Kamoa Copper process engineering team, together with several internationally-recognised external metallurgy specialists, continue to investigate the feasibility of new technologies to economically recover additional copper from the tailings stream of the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators, to potentially increase overall recoveries above Kamoa-Kakula’s 86% design target.

An updated 2023 Integrated Development Plan (Kamoa-Kakula 2023 IDP) for the life-of-mine of the Kamoa Kakula Mining Complex, including both the Phase 3 and Phase 4 expansions, as well as the smelter, is expected to be released during the week of January 30, 2023.

Civmec wins A$330 million order for crushing & conveying installations at Rio Tinto’s Paraburdoo

Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Mineral commodities, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Steel and iron ore

Civmec has secured the award of a major contract worth more than A$330 million for the Rio Tinto Western Range Project at their Paraburdoo iron ore site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The iron ore project includes greenfields and brownfields scope with the construction of a new Run of Mine (ROM) pad, primary crushing facility, overland conveying circuit and modifications to the Coarse Ore Stockpile (COS) and downstream conveying system.

The greenfields scope includes a new primary crushing facility, discharge conveyor and transfer station and a 17 km overland conveying system that transfers the ore through to the existing Paraburdoo COS. The overland conveying system includes multiple conveyor flights, transfer stations and creek crossings to link the new primary crusher to the existing process plant.

To tie into the existing plant, the brownfields scope includes extensive modifications to the current Paraburdoo COS and downstream conveying system. This includes addition of new feed points at the COS, new ore transfer equipment, conveyor replacements, conveyor upgrades, drive replacements and a range of other general modifications to receive the new ore stream.

Civmec will complete a vertical package of work that will utilise most of the company’s in-house capabilities. From the Henderson facility, Civmec will carry out the heavy engineering requirement for the structural and platework fabrication and where viable will assemble modules for transportation to site. On site, the company will deliver the detailed earthworks, civil and concrete components as well as the structural, mechanical, piping (SMP) and electrical and instrumentation (E&I) installation.

The off-site works will commence immediately, while mobilisation to site is due to commence mid-2023. At peak, the project will employ over 400 people on site and is currently scheduled for completion in H1 FY2025.

Civmec’s Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Tallon, said: “We are very pleased to be awarded the Western Range project, which further enhances our long-standing relationship with Rio Tinto. The fact that we will be utilising our manufacturing facilities to supply our construction site teams, across several disciples, strongly aligns with our business model to provide multi-disciplined solutions for our clients. This allows us to start the new year with an order book in excess of A$1.150 billion.”

Codelco furthers sustainability drive with new AES renewables deal for Ministro Hales & El Teniente

Base metals, Environmental, Mining consumables, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining

The evolution towards electricity supplies aligned with sustainable development commitments and significant savings are the main benefits of an agreement recently signed between Codelco and power generator AES Andes. The companies signed an agreement that will allow renewable energy to replace the current coal supply delivered by the generator to the mining company.

The energy company will supply the Ministro Hales and Radomiro Tomic operations with up to 1.6 TWh/year of renewable energy between 2026 and 2040. “Thanks to the commitment of both parties to sustainable development, this new agreement allows Codelco to get closer to an energy supply that comes from 100% renewable energy, one of its main 2030 commitments to the planet,” said the Chairman of the copper company’s Board of Directors, Maximum Pacheco.

Javier Dib, CEO of AES Andes, assured that he is “proud to be able to accompany our strategic clients, and in this case, one of the main copper producers in the world on the path towards more sustainable mining. This is not only excellent news for both companies, but for the entire country.” Codelco’s green supply started in 2021 in Chuquicamata, as a result of the first contract modification signed in 2018 with Engie. In 2022, through the Vice Presidency of Supply, the state-owned company renegotiated with Colbun for its operations in the Central-South District, and now, after the agreement with AES Andes, the copper producer guarantees by 2026 a matrix with 70% energy coming from from non-conventional renewable sources.

Emissions associated with electricity contracts currently represent about 65% of the state company’s total carbon footprint. “Agreeing on 100% renewable energy supplies is essential for our goal of reducing our greenhouse gas impact by 70% by 2030. For this, we must move forward together with all the members of our value chain,” said Nicole Porcile, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability of Codelco.

“This agreement represents an important milestone and adds to those reached by Codelco with other of its energy suppliers and that is part of the strategic plan to achieve the decarbonisation of its energy matrix,” said Mauricio Acuna, Codelco’s Vice President of Supply. In addition to the modification of these contracts, to move towards carbon neutrality, Codelco is making progress in incorporating 100% electrical equipment into its underground mines by 2030, plus accelerating innovations to reduce emissions from mining trucks and participating in initiatives to develop green hydrogen. Likewise, the company promotes the reduction of the carbon footprint of its suppliers, an aspect known as Scope 3.

“We are collaborating so that the entire market moves towards decarbonisation. Within this framework, together with the Alta Ley Corporation, the Association of Industrial Mining Suppliers (Aprimin) and the National Mining Society (Sonami), we developed www.huellaminera.cl, a platform to measure, manage and reduce emissions as much as possible. associated with the inputs and products we receive from suppliers,” added Porcile.














	

	
	

		
			



							


	

				

					

		
				

			Atlas Copco WEDA pumps handle multiple challenges at Zinkgruvan
		

		
		

			Base metals, Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mine shafts and equipment, Mining consumables, Mining safety, Mining services, Water management					

	


		

		
In continuous operation since 1857, Zinkgruvan is one of the oldest underground mines in Sweden. It is located close to the town of Askersund, in an area known for its mining tradition, 250 km southwest of Stockholm, and was acquired by the Canadian Lundin Mining Corp in 2004. Zinkgruvan comprises a well-organised underground structure of tunnels and a processing plant, producing zinc, lead and copper concentrates. To ensure efficient and safe extraction of the ore, Atlas Copco WEDA submersible pumps deliver under extreme conditions to avoid flooding.The mine operates all year round, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, which means three different shifts during a working day for its 460 employees. A halt on site would have a significant impact on its overall efficiency, resulting in significant costs for operators. The role of the dewatering pumps working underground is therefore critical to ensure the correct development of the extraction and to meet productivity targets. Zinkgruvan Mining has chosen Atlas Copco’s WEDA D line of electrical submersible pumps to conduct some of the most demanding dewatering operations. Jan-Erik Mogren, who has been working at Zinkgruvan Mining for over 40 years and has been the Dewatering Pumps Service Supervisor for the last ten, explains: “We have different models of the WEDA D line working underground, up to 1,400 m deep, because the pumps have proven to be very reliable in handling both clean and dirty water with small solids and particles. In harsh applications, common in the mining sector, these suspended solids can cause excessive abrasion and wear to the internal workings of the pump,” However, Mogren goes on to say that “WEDA pumps show good efficiency over time, which is of primary importance to ensure smooth operation at the Swedish mine.”“It excites us to hear that our users value the effort we put into making the pumps more reliable and durable,” says Bart Duijvelaar, Product Marketing Manager, Submersible Pumps at Atlas Copco. “When we add new features, such as the patented Wear Deflector Technology, we must not lose sight of what makes these pumps manoeuvrable and practical at the job site. Also, having the pump controls and protection built right into the pumps, instead of in a separate control panel, simplifies transportation and handling, and prevents undue manipulation of the motor protection.”At Zinkgruvan Mining, operators mine underground from several orebodies, and all extraction activities take place between 350 and 1,400 m below the surface. The main level – where the offices, workshops and dining room are located – is found at a depth of 800 m. The workforce has access to the different levels via elevator, which connects the underground workings with the surface. There is also a ramp system to grant complementary access to vehicles. In this labyrinth of tunnels, several Atlas Copco WEDA D pumps can be found working in a variety of situations.Water is pumped down into the mine for use during drilling and for dust control during the extraction processes. Groundwater leaks through the walls, and it is collected and pumped into water retainment ponds. To control the water level and avoid flooding, Zinkgruvan Mining has different WEDA D models – D10, D40, D50 and D60 – that are used depending on the volume of the pool.When asked about underground dewatering operations, Jan-Erik Mogren said: “It is essential that the pumps are easy to work with and easy to service, and that they have maintained performance over time, so activity underground flows well and safely.” At Zinkgruvan Mining, productivity and the wellbeing of its people go hand in hand. “WEDA pumps have sustained efficiency, even in tough applications, and they are very light. That translates into better ergonomics for our people handling the pumps, which is something we value a lot,” concludes the Dewatering Pumps Service Supervisor.“WEDA pumps offer a very good flow in relation to their low weight and power ratio,” explains Johan Magnusson, Sales Engineer at Atlas Copco. “This is one of the most appreciated features among our customers. For certain applications, it is essential that pumps are easy to transport and use. That, together with our support on-site, are two of the main reasons why the WEDA D line was chosen.”During the mining and extraction of the ores – copper ore and zinc-lead ore – and the subsequent treatment processes, water plays a major role. Ore is secondary crushed and ground in an autogenous grinding circuit. A bulk concentrate is initially produced from the ore before it is separated using a flotation process that involves water. The foam containing the mineral is collected, and then the water is removed using filters and returned to the process. What remains is three different fine-grained concentrates – zinc, lead and copper. Tailings are pumped approximately four kilometres to a dedicated impoundment, from which water is returned for reuse. At Enemossen, Zingruvan Mining’s tailings storage facility (TSF), there is an area of sediment at the surface with water that has been used in the enrichment process – although most of the water involved in the process is pumped back into it or discharged. Due to the constant flow of water and sand to Enemossen, a WEDA D100 was installed with a floating raft to manage the water level of this large water volume. This particular model has been recently upgraded for improved performance and less power consumption in such applications, where the pump has to deal with sand-laden water.Operations at Zinkgruvan Mining are supported by excellent logistics, where again, water is essential. In addition to the nearby highway access that connects the mine with Stockholm and Oslo, Lake Vänern, the largest in Sweden, provides access to coastal shipping via a series of inland canals and the port of Gothenburg.“It is never one factor alone that determines success. Good pumps need to be matched with good people,” says Duijvelaar. “We are very impressed with Zinkgruvan Mining and its expertise. With our support, they were able to deliver a sustainable solution for their dewatering needs. Our conviction that serviceability and repairability should be designed into the pump is reinforced by our customers recognizing our products for exactly that.”

	

	
	

		
			



							


	

				

					

		
				

			Cat invests in lithium ion battery pack specialist Lithos
		

		
		

			Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining					

	


		

		
Caterpillar Inc has announced the company is investing in Lithos Energy Inc, a US-based battery technology company that produces lithium-ion battery packs.


“Caterpillar’s collaboration with Lithos supports our commitment to delivering robust electrified products and solutions for our customers,” said Joe Creed, Group President of Caterpillar’s Energy & Transportation segment. “Cat® equipment – regardless of its power source – is designed to operate in the most demanding conditions. Lithos’ experience manufacturing battery packs for similarly demanding environments will be an asset as we continue our electrified product development.” 


Headquartered in San Rafael, California, Lithos specialises in designing, engineering and manufacturing shock resistant and high performance battery solutions for applications including off-road and marine.


It states: “Lithos High Voltage battery packs are designed for vehicle, marine and off-road applications. These packs can be configured for either high energy or high power applications and use the revolutionary Lithos Gen4 module technology. With an successful Passively Propagation Resistant (PPR) design, advanced high voltage battery management system and an IP67 rugged aluminum enclosure, these high voltage battery packs are designed for the most demanding and safety-critical applications.”


“We are extremely excited to be working with Caterpillar, especially at a time when the leading construction machinery and equipment manufacturer is entering a new age of efficiency and reduced emission operation,” commented James Meredith, CEO of Lithos Energy. “Caterpillar’s forward thinking, commitment to electrification and leadership position on the global stage for equipment manufacturers make this an ideal match. This funding will enable Lithos to accelerate technology development and scale up manufacturing capacity as we look forward to providing increasingly advanced product offerings to our new and existing customers.”


Caterpillar says its investment in Lithos further demonstrates a commitment to support customers in the energy transition with lower-carbon advanced power technologies for its hybrid and full-electric machines and power generation products. The company recently displayed four electric construction machine prototypes, including battery prototypes, at bauma 2022 in Munich, Germany and successfully demonstrated its first battery electric 793 large mining truck at its Tucson Proving Ground in Arizona.

	

	
	

		
			



							


	

				

					

		
				

			Kal Tire says autonomous tyre inspection providing benefits at Centinela
		

		
		

			Automation, Base metals, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software					

	


		

		
Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group says its autonomous tyre inspection stations are providing significant benefits for Antofagasta Minerals at the Minera Centinela copper mine in Chile. Every week on site, 200 tyres are monitored by these stations.


The company adds: “The Pitcrew AI thermal imaging and software captures the data, which reports into our proprietary TOMS (Tire Operations & Management System), automating critical next steps. Maintenance teams are automatically alerted to signs of potential tyre damage and high temperatures, which saves each truck from stopping for 30+ minutes of inspection every week.”


Kal Tire says the autonomous tyre inspection stations eliminate risks to technicians performing manual inspections, reduce inspection times, plus improve productivity and fleet availability. The tyre management and monitoring major adds: “We’re excited to hear about these early results and grateful for our partnership with Grupo Antofagasta Minerals.”


In 2021, after integrating the thermal imaging software of Pitcrew.ai with TOMS, Kal Tire began to bring customers its first automated tyre inspection stations to sites in Australia, Canada, Chile and soon to Mozambique. “As mining trucks pass by, the stations monitor front and rear tyres, and the AI software searches thermal imaging video footage for anomalies such as hot spots, belt edge and tread separations,” says Christian Erdelyi, Manager, Mining Technology Solutions, Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group. “These could all have a serious impact on safety, productivity and downtime.”


While Pitcrew.ai thermal imaging and software captures the data, TOMS makes that data useful and automates critical next steps. For example, a haul truck passes the inspection station, which captures and detects a hot tyre. That finding, and all findings, are reported into TOMS. The system then automates an inspection work order as part of a self-reinforcing feedback loop. Next, TOMS plans tyre change work as necessary based on damage severity. “For us, the ability to identify tyre-related issues in real-time and react quickly to avoid serious tyre issues is critical,” says Erdelyi.