Tag Archives: alumina

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

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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.”

SRG Global bolsters South32 relationship with more Worsley Alumina work

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SRG Global says it has secured a long-term circa-A$100 million ($72 million) contract with South32’s Worsley Alumina operations to provide specialist refractory services, including gunning and casting and installation of refractory products and anchors.

Works under the contract will commence in October 2020 with a duration of eight years.

South32 has also extended SRG Global’s existing engineered access services contract for a further two years, pocketing the ASX-listed engineering firm another circa-A$25 million. This will see SRG Global continue to provide access services at South32’s Worsley Alumina operations until mid-2027, it said.

David Macgeorge, Managing Director of SRG Global, said: “These contracts are a terrific achievement for SRG Global and we are excited to be expanding our partnership with South32 to continue to deliver long-term value for their Worsley operations.”

As part of the Worsley Alumina operations, bauxite is mined near the town of Boddington, 130 km southeast of Perth, Western Australia. It is then transported on the largest overland conveyor belt in the southern hemisphere, for more than 50 km, to a refinery near the town of Collie, where bauxite is turned into alumina.

McConnell Dowell to tackle waste line at Queensland Alumina refinery

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McConnell Dowell says it has signed a design and construct contract with Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL), a Rio Tinto majority-owned subsidiary, for the delivery of a waste line replacement at the Parsons Point alumina refinery in Gladstone, Queensland.

“This marks the start of what is hoped to be a longstanding partnership with QAL and continues our successful relationship with major shareholder Rio Tinto,” the company said.

The waste line replacement project encompasses the scope of designing the new waste line and the augmentation design of the support structure; removing the existing pipeline; augmenting the support structures, including around 1,400 piles within tidal and marine zones; and installing the new waste line – 8.8 km of DN 350 SCH 60 above-ground steel pipeline.

Works have commenced on the project and will be delivered through 2020 and 2021, according to McConnell Dowell.

“McConnell Dowell’s market leading pipeline construction capability, our expertise in working in marine environments, and our commitment to maximising local participation, provides a strong foundation for project success,” the company said.

QAL is an independently managed joint venture owned by Rio Tinto (80%) and Rusal (20%). The refinery produces around 3.7 Mt/y of smelter-grade alumina, according to Rio.

SCEE on board Gove alumina refinery rehabilitation project

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Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Ltd is to help Rio Tinto with rehabilitation works at its mothballed Gove alumina refinery, in the Northern Territory of Australia.

The works, part of a contract valued at more than A$18 million ($12 million), include the isolation and re-routing of electrical and hydraulic services to the refinery. Mobilisation is expected to commence in the March quarter with completion by March 2021.

The refinery, on the Gove Peninsula in North East Arnhem Land, was put on care and maintenance in 2013 with Rio since making the decision to permanently close the refinery.

SCEE Managing Director, Graeme Dunn, said: “We are pleased to secure another significant award in the resources sector, following closely on from our announcements of a number of new resources projects in December 2019.” These projects include a contract to work on the Kemerton lithium hydroxide processing plant near Bunbury, Western Australia.