Tag Archives: Almonty Industries

Almonty Industries and Korea Telecom to introduce Mine Safety DX technology at Sandong

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Almonty Industries, through its wholly-owned South Korean subsidiary, Almonty Korea Tungsten Corporation (AKTC), has announced a collaboration with Korea Telecom (KT) to introduce cutting-edge Mine Safety DX technology.

Developed in partnership with KT, this solution aims to enhance worker safety and promote efficient mining practices which is indicative of AKTC’s strong commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance, Almonty says.

The partnership between AKTC and KT is the result of the continuing challenges the mining industry has faced in ensuring immediate response to unforeseen events and instantaneous sharing of critical information in emergency situations. The Mine Safety DX technology, which is being implemented at the Sangdong mine in South Korea, addresses these concerns by using advanced information and communication technology to establish a new safety framework for mining operations.

“We are fully committed to implementing responsible and sustainable mining practices as we reopen the Sangdong Mine while also providing the safest environment possible for our mine workers,” Lewis Black, President and CEO of Almonty, said. “Mine Safety DX technology, developed with Korean Telecom, gives us a previously unheard of level of workplace environment monitoring that ensures the detection of hazardous factors and timely notifications to protect worker well-being. We look forward to sharing this advancement with the rest of the mining community.”

In addition, AKTC will be making this technology, which is a key component of our ESG program, available via open source to allow all South Korean mines access to this important new system.

The communication infrastructure established by KT and AKTC at the Sangdong mine is based on LTE technology. This infrastructure offers superior coverage and simultaneous access, surpassing the capabilities of Wi-Fi and radios traditionally used in mine communication, accoring to Almonty. By utilising “leaky coaxial cables” and “mining designated line amplifiers”, seamless communication is possible even in deep underground sections of the mine, ensuring communication and monitoring capabilities, it says.

The Mine Safety DX solution incorporates various components, including smart devices, access/location management, an AI-based mine safety system and workplace environment monitoring. Smart devices, such as smart bands and helmets with smart tags, provide real-time location information and biometric data, enabling immediate response to underground emergencies and ensuring worker safety. The access/location management component uses Bluetooth Low Energy beacons for precise positioning and notification of workers entering dangerous areas. This AI-based mine safety system enables real-time monitoring of worker safety, emergency messaging and data analysis allowing mine operators to take proactive safety measures, according to Almonty. Workplace environment monitoring ensures the detection of hazardous factors and timely notifications to protect worker well-being.

In addition to improving safety standards, the Mine Safety DX technology also contributes to the efficient functioning of mining operations, according to Almonty. By establishing a robust communication infrastructure, AKTC aims to enhance mining efficiency and productivity.

The collaboration between AKTC and KT aligns with the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s Comprehensive Mine Safety Plan and supports the government’s goal of providing long-distance wide-area communication capabilities by 2027.

“We are proud to partner with KT in developing the Mine Safety DX solution,” Donghoon Kang, Sangdong Mine’s Planning Director at AKTC, said. “This collaboration allows us to prioritise worker safety while also promoting efficient mining practices. We believe that the implementation of this technology will establish Yeongwol-Gun, Gangwon-do, as a mining city at the forefront of technological advancement, contributing to the revitalization of the domestic mining industry.”

AKTC and KT plan to continue their collaboration in developing innovative solutions that not only prioritise safety but also align with ESG principles, Almonty says.

Almonty aims for ‘carbon neutrality’ at Sandong molybdenum mine

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Almonty Industries is expanding its current environmental, social and governance (ESG) program at its Panasqueira mine in Portugal and at its Sangdong project (pictured) in South Korea, with the former set to receive a solar facility in the next 12 months and the latter eying up the use of underground electric fleets.

The solar project at Panasqueira, a tungsten mine, will see a 2.52 MW installation implemented over the next 12 months to produce 4.1 million kWh/y of renewable energy, which represents 21.5% of power consumption at the mine.

At the Sangdong tungsten mine, a third-party report will be concluded over the next three months to analyse the asset’s carbon footprint and how best to minimise it. Given the energy from the grid supplied to the Sangdong project is 100% renewable, the company says it has a “unique opportunity” to push towards carbon neutrality at the Korea site. The underground mine is currently under construction.

Lewis Black, Chairman, President and CEO of Almonty, said: “As we transition into the wider financial ETF markets of Asia and Australia, and our visibility continues to increase as a significant producer of the strategic metals of tungsten and molybdenum once Sangdong and Almonty Korea Moly opens, it has become increasingly important to ensure that we are continually reviewing and developing our ESG which sits perfectly in line with the equator principles around which the Sangdong project is being built.”

He added: “The aim for carbon neutrality at Sangdong is potentially achievable once underground electric fleets can maintain a charge for an entire shift, which is estimated to be technically possible within the next 18 months, but we are extremely fortunate that 100% of our energy comes from a renewable source making the target of carbon neutrality achievable.”

Almonty starts drift development at Sangdong tungsten mine in Korea

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Almonty Industries has commenced drift development at the Sangdong tungsten mine in the Republic of Korea, and is on course to start full-scale mining in early 2020.

The development of some 4,000 meters of 4.5 m x 4.5 m transportation drifts, loading points, passing bays and cross-cuts connecting to orebodies is planned to be completed in 18 months.

Gangwon Mining is the contractor undertaking the work under the mine development contract executed on April 23, 2018, with all the permits for development previously obtained and the required registration of licensed personnel for health, safety, environment, explosive treatment, mechanical and electrical supervision completed.

The official ceremony for the first blast was held at Sangdong on September 26. Promptly after, the first blasting and subsequent development work began inside the Alfonse D portal.

Almonty’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lewis Black said: “The beginning of the mine development work is an important and meaningful step to Almonty for bringing one of the largest and lowest cost tungsten mines in the world back into production after 25 years since its closure in 1993.”

Black added: “We are particularly pleased to have engaged Gangwon Mining, the most experienced and competitive mining contractor in Korea with no record of safety incidents over 20 year.”

The official commencement of underground development work will also change the status of the Sangdong mine to an operating mine, thus allowing the mine to be eligible for diverse local governmental support and subsidies provided by the mining promotion institutions such as the Korea Resource Corporation and the Mine Reclamation Corporation.

This will widen the spectrum of government subsidies significantly, expanding from the previously announced ongoing endowment for the pilot plant which the Korea Institute for Geoscience and Mineral Resources has provided, with the target completion of the pilot plant expected by the end of December.

The completion of drift development and mining of ore in intersecting areas together with the completion of the processing plant, which is planned to be commissioned in the June quarter of 2020, are expected to enable the Sangdong mine to start producing concentrate in the middle of 2020.

The mine is expected to annually produce some 230,000-240,000 metric tonne units when fully ramped up.

The Almonty Korea Tungsten mine was the powerhouse of the economy in the post-Korean War decades, contributing more than 50% of the country’s export revenue as one of the largest global tungsten producers. This mine, along with almost all other metallic mines in South Korea, closed in the 1990s primarily due to low commodity prices, at a time when South Korea was emerging as a manufacturing powerhouse.