Tag Archives: alumina

Mammoet taps Move3D engineering software to help with ball mill replacement at alumina refinery

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One of the largest alumina refineries in Australia needed to replace an ageing ball mill critical to its operation, with Xtreme Engineering, a heavy fabrication company, partnering with Mammoet to provide a solution for the exchange and replacement of the old and new equipment.

The mill was located in the centre of the plant, making access challenging due to narrow clearances and thus the replacement operation required comprehensive engineering.

Recognising the complexity of the task, the importance of the refinery’s continuous operations and team safety, Mammoet used its engineering expertise and advanced technological capabilities to develop a bespoke solution aimed to facilitate a seamless exchange of the mill, all while minimising disruptions within the live plant, it said.

By employing its proprietary Move3D engineering software in combination with traditional 2D drawings, Mammoet engineers meticulously planned every aspect of the operation, taking into account the mill’s challenging location with tight clearances and limited accessibility.

Given the spatial limitations within the work areas, the use of hydraulic cranes or gantries was not viable. Recognising this challenge, Mammoet developed a solution that entailed the use of a ‘jack and pack’ system. With no as-built drawings available, Mammoet used a point cloud scan, provided by the customer, to generate an accurate representation of the plant in its current state within Move3D, facilitating a comprehensive visualisation of the entire operation.

The jack and pack system involved employing self-propelled modular trailers (SPMTs) with strategically positioned cassette towers. Four internal towers placed on the SPMTs, and four external towers positioned on the ground adjacent to the trailers. By adding or removing jacking cassettes, the team could control the height of the mill by redistributing the load between the internal and external towers via the SPMT’s hydraulic suspension.

The process commenced with the removal of the ageing mill. The internal cassette towers were pre-assembled to a specific height on the SPMT, which was then manoeuvred underneath the mill and then raising it until the mill was clear of its foundation. Leveraging the exceptional steering capabilities of the SPMT, the mill was then transported off site, skillfully navigating congested areas. The process was then reversed to install the new ball mill.

Liam Bradburn, Mammoet’s Engineering Manager, emphasised the role of Mammoet’s Move3D software in enabling the safe and successful replacement of the mill. “The customised jack and pack system allowed us to manoeuvre the mill in and out of the live plant with minimal disruption to the existing infrastructure and ongoing production.”

Rio Tinto looks to renewably power Gladstone ops with Australia’s largest solar power project

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Rio Tinto says it will drive development of Australia’s largest solar power project near Gladstone, Queensland, after agreeing to buy all electricity from the 1.1 GW Upper Calliope Solar Farm to renewably power its Gladstone operations.

The agreement will bring more renewable power into one of Australia’s most important industrial hubs and marks another step towards Rio Tinto’s climate goal of halving its global Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions this decade, the mining company said. If combined with more renewable power and suitable firming, transmission and industrial policy, it could also provide the core of a solution to repower Rio Tinto’s three Gladstone production assets – the Boyne aluminium smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery (pictured) and the Queensland Alumina refinery.

Under a new power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with European Energy Australia, Rio Tinto will buy all power generated from the Upper Calliope solar farm for 25 years. The plant will be built and operated by European Energy, at a site about 50 km south-west of Gladstone, pending development and grid connection approvals.

Once approved and developed, Upper Calliope would have the potential to lower Rio Tinto’s operating carbon emissions by 1.8 Mt/y, the company says.

Rio Tinto Chief Executive, Jakob Stausholm, said: “This agreement is a first important step in our work to repower our Gladstone operations and illustrates our commitment to keeping sustainably powered industry in central Queensland.

“The task remains challenging, but we have a pathway to provide the competitive, firmed power our Gladstone plants need and we are continuing to work hard with all stakeholders, including the Queensland and Australian governments, on getting there.

“Competitive capacity, firming and transmission are critical to developing a modern energy system that can ensure more large-scale renewables development in Queensland and help guarantee the future of Australian industry.”

Once approved, construction of the Upper Calliope plant is targeted to start in 2025 or 2026 and, when complete, it will provide enough electricity to meet about 5% of Queensland’s current demand. The plant, which is expected to take two years to construct, will cover 2,400 ha, employ 1,000 people during construction and support 100 direct and indirect jobs when operating.

European Energy CEO, Erik Andersen, said: “European Energy is proud to be a strategic partner in this project with Rio Tinto. Our commitment to providing renewable and reliable energy aligns perfectly with Rio Tinto’s ambitious climate goals. The Upper Calliope Solar Farm is not just a solar power project; it’s a testament to our shared vision for a greener future.

“By supplying renewable energy to one of Australia’s key industrial hubs, we are setting a new standard for industrial energy consumption. This project underlines our dedication to driving the transition towards renewable energy in Australia and demonstrates the potential of solar power in transforming the energy landscape of the region. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Rio Tinto and other stakeholders to create a sustainable and energy-efficient future for Australia.”

Upper Calliope is the first successful applicant in a formal Request for Proposals made by Rio Tinto for renewable power and firming projects in central and southern Queensland.

Rio Tinto says it continues to assess other proposals, solutions and partnerships to help competitively meet the energy needs of its three production assets in the Gladstone region. These assets require more than 1 GW of reliable power to operate, which equates to over 4 GW of quality wind or solar power with firming. Potential further electrification of plant processes could increase their electricity demand in the future.

Rio Tinto, Sumitomo Corp to cut alumina refinery emissions with Gladstone hydrogen plant

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Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation are to build a first-of-a-kind hydrogen plant in Gladstone, Australia, as part of a A$111.1 million ($74.6 million) program aimed at lowering carbon emissions from the alumina refining process.

The Yarwun Hydrogen Calcination Pilot Demonstration Program received the green light after a A$32.1 million co-funding boost from the federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

The program is aimed at demonstrating the viability of using hydrogen in the calcination process, where hydrated alumina is heated to temperatures of up to 1,000°C.

It involves construction of a hydrogen plant at the refinery and the retrofit of refinery processing equipment. If successful, the program could pave the way for adoption of the technology at scale globally, Rio says.

Rio Tinto Aluminium Pacific Operations Managing Director, Armando Torres, said: “This pilot plant is an important step in testing whether hydrogen can replace natural gas in Queensland alumina refineries. At Rio Tinto we have put the energy transition at the heart of our business strategy, and this is one of the ways we’re working towards decarbonising our operations.

“We are proud to be developing this new technology here in Gladstone, in partnership with Sumitomo Corporation, and with support from ARENA.”

The project will consist of construction of a 2.5 MW on-site electrolyser to supply hydrogen to the Yarwun refinery and a retrofit of one of Yarwun’s four calciners so it can operate at times with a hydrogen burner.

The trial is expected to produce the equivalent of about 6,000 t/y of alumina while reducing Yarwun’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 3,000 t/y.

Converting the entire plant to green hydrogen could reduce emissions by 500,000 t/y, Rio estimates, the equivalent of taking about 109,000 internal combustion engine cars off the road.

Construction will start in 2024. The hydrogen plant and calciner are expected to be in operation by 2025.

Sumitomo Corporation will own and operate the electrolyser at Yarwun site and supply the hydrogen to Rio Tinto directly. The electrolyser will have a production capacity of more than 250 t/y of hydrogen.

Sumitomo Corporation Energy Innovation Initiative Director, Seiji Kitajima, said: “We are excited to be delivering this hydrogen project together with Rio Tinto as our long-term partner with the support of ARENA.

“Demonstrating real-world applications of hydrogen in industrial settings with motivated partners is essential to reducing carbon emissions and working toward our company’s vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Through this demonstration, Sumitomo Corporation aims to venture into the commercialisation project to contribute to Rio Tinto’s decarbonisation.

“Sumitomo Corporation is proud to be working on yet another hydrogen project in Australia and contributing to Australia’s own emission reductions goals.”

The pilot plant follows the success of a A$1.2 million feasibility study co-funded by Rio Tinto and ARENA that was announced in 2021.

Rio Tinto says it is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and has targets to reduce Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 from 2018 levels.

Xerotech to test underground mine electrification limits as part of SUBSPACE ENERGY HUB

Environmental, Mine shafts and equipment, Mining equipment, Mining industry recognition, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

Xerotech, a leader of battery technology for heavy-duty non-road mobile machinery (NRMM), has announced a partnership with Switzerland-based VSH (VersuchsStollen Hagerbach – Hagerbach Test Gallery) and other founding members, Amberg Group, Normet, Motics, Alumina and Fortescue Future Industries in the creation of a Sub Space Energy Hub.

This development allows Xerotech to partner with VSH’s leadership in underground mining to fast-track the potential of underground mining electrification and work with other companies and thought leaders in this space, it says.

The new SUBSPACE ENERGY HUB at VSH in Switzerland offers the ideal platform for the harmonised development, prototyping and installation of new technologies that promote best practice in sustainable energy use and storage, combining both above and underground facilities, according to the partners.

Dr Barry Flannery, CEO of Xerotech, said: “This facility provides a platform to continue pushing the boundaries of our next-generation battery technology as we continue to break the limitations of what is possible in terms of NRMM electrification. This will rapidly benefit our customers who are under increasing pressure to find viable ways to electrify vehicles that at one point were thought to be too big or difficult to convert to electric.”

Michael Kompatscher, General Manager at Hagerbach Test Gallery Ltd, said: “Together with the partners like Xerotech, VSH will be transformed into a visionary sustainable and CO2 neutral underground infrastructure where construction and operation of underground space usage will be developed, prototyped and launched. This will be a model ecosystem of sustainable energy storage and delivery, above and below ground, and how it supports green energy use in future cities.”

SRG Global banks contract extensions with South32 at Worsley and BCI at Mardie

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SRG Global Ltd says it has secured significant new contract awards with existing Tier 1 clients, including South32 and BCI Minerals, valued at circa-A$80 million ($55 million).

The South32 term contract is an extension to the existing contract and has a duration of two years for works at the Worsley Alumina bauxite and alumina refinery operations in Western Australia. The scope of works is to provide civil services for the continuous enhancement of BRDA embankments as well as other civil and road maintenance services. The contract will commence immediately and is expected to complete in 2024.

The BCI Minerals contract will see SRG Global continue to provide earthworks and civil services for the construction of evaporation pond embankment walls as well as other civil infrastructure for gas pipeline corridors and drainage at the Mardie salt and potash project in Western Australia. The contract extension applies to existing works that will start immediately and will be complete in 2022.

David Macgeorge, Managing Director, said: “The South32 contract builds on our six-year relationship at the Worsley Alumina site and is evidence of our ability to add value for key clients through our diverse capability.”

Back in October 2020, SRG Global secured a long-term circa-A$100 million contract with Worsley Alumina to provide specialist refractory services, including gunning and casting and installation of refractory products and anchors.

At Worsley Alumina, South32 mines bauxite (pictured) and transports it on an overland conveyor belt to a refinery where the bauxite is turned into white alumina powder. The alumina is then exported to smelters around the world.

He added: “The contract extension at the globally significant Mardie salt and potash project demonstrates our ability to provide value-engineered services to our clients from project inception, and the capability to deliver critical infrastructure for the burgeoning salt and potash sector.”

Metso Outotec and CSIRO to cooperate on SwirlFlow agitation tech for bauxite, alumina sector

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Metso Outotec and Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, have signed a global exclusive cooperation agreement on the delivery of SwirlFlow® agitation technology for the bauxite and alumina sector outside of China.

The combination of the companies’ leading expertise in their respective fields will allow the parties to create the strongest offering to the market for the use of SwirlFlow technology in the refinery precipitation tanks, Metso Outotec said.

“Sustainability is a top priority for Metso Outotec,” Dr Alessio Scarsella, Director of Light Metals at Metso Outotec, said. “In addition to our own investments to develop technology for sustainable alumina processing, we are pleased to be able to announce our cooperation with CSIRO. This will allow us to meet our customers’ growing demand such as lower capital installation, reduced spare parts costs and increase in precipitation tank availability.”

Andrew Jenkin, Research Program Director for Processing at CSIRO, added: “CSIRO’s leading technology in SwirlFlow agitation has been pioneered at a Tier One refinery precipitation tanks, leading to significantly reduced maintenance costs and improved operational time between descaling events.”

SwirlFlow, according to CSIRO, enhances the agitation process by mixing liquids and suspended solids to create a tornado-like vortex in a tank. The solution uses a motor, gearbox and a specially-designed radial impeller with a short shaft near the top of the tank. The system improves agitator reliability, resulting in reduced maintenance and shutdowns. And, due to higher and more uniform wall veolcities, the scale formation rate is also reduced.

South32 to leverage KCC low carbon caustic soda shipping solutions for Worsley

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KCC Chartering AS and a subsidiary of South32 Limited have signed a six-year contract of affreightment (COA) for shipments of caustic soda to South32’s Worsley Alumina refinery in Western Australia.

KCC Chartering is a subsidiary of Klaveness Combination Carriers ASA, a company the refinery has had a relationship with for more than 30 years, servicing the Worsley site with four generations of combination carriers. KCC says it is the world leader in combination carriers, owning and operating eight CABU and eight CLEANBU combination carriers for wet and dry bulk cargoes.

The COA establishes a framework for how KCC and South32 will work together to deliver further reductions in carbon emissions associated with South32’s caustic soda ocean freight to Australia.

The agreed sustainability framework includes detailed CO2 emission reporting and the establishing of trajectories for annual CO2 reductions targets, and arrangements for how to co-operate to reach the set targets, KCC said. It further includes an ambition to jointly establish a pathway towards future zero emission freight.

KCC’s CEO, Engebret Dahm, said: “This contract marks another important milestone in the longstanding relationship between South32 and KCC. In this next era of our relationship, together we will address the main challenge of our generation – climate change. We have jointly set ambitions to considerably reduce shipping carbon emissions through building on KCC’s low carbon caustic soda shipping solution, which already today provides South32 with a 30-40% lower carbon footprint than competing tanker vessels.”

South32 Chief Human Resources and Commercial Officer, Brendan Harris, said: “We are pleased to continue our relationship with KCC and our joint efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime supply chain. It’s partnerships like these that contribute to the decarbonisation of our value chain and promote the responsible production of commodities needed in a low-carbon world. At South32, we are committed to achieving net zero operational carbon emissions by 2050 and have set a medium-term target to halve these emissions by 2035.”

Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corp look at hydrogen pilot for Yarwun refinery

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Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation have announced a partnership to study the construction of a hydrogen pilot plant at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery in Gladstone, Australia, and explore the potential use of hydrogen at the refinery.

The two global companies have signed a letter of intent that focuses on Yarwun as the location for a Gladstone hydrogen plant that Sumitomo has been studying. If the project proceeds, the pilot plant would produce hydrogen for the recently announced Gladstone Hydrogen Ecosystem, Rio said.

The study supports the efforts of Australian, Queensland and local governments to establish Gladstone as a clean hydrogen hub of the future, according to the company.

Rio Tinto Australia Chief Executive, Kellie Parker, said: “Rio Tinto has a long relationship with Sumitomo and we are delighted to partner with them to explore the possibilities of hydrogen, not only for our own refinery, but for Sumitomo to supply industry more broadly in Gladstone.

“Reducing the carbon intensity of our alumina production will be key to meeting our 2030 and 2050 climate targets. There is clearly more work to be done, but partnerships and projects like this are an important part of helping us get there.”

Sumitomo Corporation’s Energy Innovation Initiative Director, Hajime Mori, said: “We are excited about working together with Rio Tinto as our long-term partner to develop this hydrogen project in Gladstone and working toward our company’s vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

“We believe the pilot plant will play a significant role in establishing the Gladstone Hydrogen Ecosystem.

“Sumitomo has commenced the Design Study and Preliminary Master Planning to build the Gladstone hydrogen ecosystem and we will continue to work towards future hydrogen exports from Gladstone.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Steven Miles, said Gladstone is an industrial powerhouse and this partnership presents a great opportunity for the region and for Queensland.

“This is only the beginning of a wave of international collaborations that will lead to new industries and new jobs underpinned by the supply of renewable energy,” Miles said.

“With the Palaszczuk Government’s strong commitment to creating more jobs in emerging industries, we will work to keep Queensland at the forefront of renewable hydrogen and the opportunities that come with it.”

The Sumitomo partnership complements a recently announced feasibility study into using hydrogen to replace natural gas in the alumina refining process at Yarwun and provides the potential for larger-scale implementation if the studies are successful, Rio added.

Monadelphous adds to mining work with BHP, Rio and Codelco contracts

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Monadelphous Group Ltd says it has secured a number of new construction and maintenance contracts in the resources sector totalling approximately A$200 million ($146 million).

In Queensland, Australia, Monadelphous has been awarded a new three-year contract with Queensland Alumina Ltd to continue to provide general mechanical maintenance services at its operations in Gladstone. The company has also secured a 10-month extension to its existing contract with BHP Mitsubishi Alliance for provision of dragline shutdown and maintenance services to its operations in the Bowen Basin.

Monadelphous has secured a number of contracts in the iron ore sector in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

This includes two contracts with BHP under its existing WAIO Site Engineering Panel Agreement. The first is for the refurbishment of cells and rotating equipment on BHP’s Nelson Point Car Dumper 1, with work expected to be completed in the December quarter of 2021, and secondly, an extension to the haul road at the Jimblebar mine, with work expected to be completed in the June quarter of 2022.

A contract has also been secured with Rio Tinto for construction associated with the Marandoo Dewatering Sump Project, with work expected to be completed in the March quarter of 2022.

In Chile, Monadelphous’ maintenance and construction services business, Buildtek, has secured a construction contract with Codelco for work associated with the development of a new underground section of the El Teniente copper mine in Rancagua. Work is expected to be completed in the March quarter of 2023.

The company acquired a majority stake in Buildtek back in 2019.

Monadelphous Managing Director, Rob Velletri, said these new contracts and extensions continued to demonstrate the company’s solid track record of delivering for its customers.

“We are pleased to have secured this work and look forward to continuing to build on our valued long-term customer relationships,” he said.

Metso Outotec to deliver bauxite grinding package to NALCO alumina refinery

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Metso Outotec has been awarded a contract for the engineering and delivery of a bauxite grinding package to National Aluminium Company’s (NALCO) Damanjodi Alumina Refinery as part of NALCO’s fifth stream expansion project in Odisha, India.

Typically, the value of this type of an order is in the range of €12-15 million ($14.2-17.8 million). The order has been booked in the company’s Minerals June quarter orders received.

Metso Outotec’s delivery includes basic design of bauxite silos and engineering and supply of two ball mills with a capacity of 434 t/heach, apron feeders, agitators, slurry pumps, instrumentation, as well as site advisory services.

Kamal Pahuja, President, Middle East and India at Metso Outotec, said: “We are extremely happy to continue our co-operation with NALCO. This is the third order we have received for their current expansion project in Odisha. The other two orders include two energy-efficient flash evaporation plants and two alumina calciners along with a hydrate filtration plant.”