Tag Archives: Big Bell

Pacific Energy helps Westgold Resources power Mid West region operations

12th March 2024Environmental, Mine operation news, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, Sustainable miningBig Bell, Bluebird, Fortnum, hybrid power, Jamie Cullen, mine power, Pacific Energy, Tuckabianna, Wayne Bramwell, WestgoldDaniel Gleeson

Pacific Energy says it has successfully designed and delivered four industry-leading hybrid power systems for Westgold Resources Limited’s gold mining operations in Western Australia’s Mid West region.

The hybrid systems, which have a combined capacity of 82 MW, have been delivered under a seven-year build-own-operate agreement and comprise 28 MW of solar, 11.5 MW of battery energy storage (BESS) and 42.5 MW of high-efficiency gas generation.

The four systems, located at Westgold’s Tuckabianna, Bluebird, Fortnum and Big Bell facilities, were delivered concurrently and in parallel with Westgold’s operational expansion projects at all four sites. They replace six diesel-fired plants and are expected to collectively displace 38 million litres of diesel every year and cut carbon emissions by up to 57,000 t annually.

The Tuckabianna system, which was fully commissioned in August 2023, achieved an average of 31% solar penetration between November 2023 and January 2024, peaking at 36.9% in December.

Westgold’s Managing Director and CEO, Wayne Bramwell, said powering Westgold’s operations with renewables was at the heart of its Clean Energy Transition project, which is set to improve the company’s environmental efficiencies and reduce operating costs.

“Moving towards renewables works for Westgold as a business because it drives costs out,” Bramwell said. “It also works for the environment because it significantly reduces carbon emissions and it sends a signal about our long-term view of building a sustainable busines.”

Pacific Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Jamie Cullen, said: “This complex project showcases Pacific Energy’s commitment to delivering sustainable, cutting-edge solutions for our clients, even in the very challenging circumstances we encounter in remote locations.

“Pacific Energy and Westgold have worked side-by-side in the Mid West’s tough environment to deliver these systems safely, with zero lost time injuries. And by delivering the hybrid systems concurrently, we’ve been able to identify different response scenarios at each location and implement those learnings across the board to optimise system capabilities.”

Pacific Energy centred the design of the hybrid systems around its virtual generator (VG) BESS technology, which integrates renewable energy sources and dynamically stabilises the power systems, marking a shift away from thermal generation as the primary source of system stability.

An evolution of grid forming BESS technology, VG BESS can mimic the characteristics of rotating thermal generators, providing for the first time the ability to stabilise large-scale power systems without burning fuel or using legacy technologies like synchronous condensers, according to Pacific Energy.

The new hybrid systems also have emergency hydrocarbons-off functionality, which enables mining operations using solar and BESS during system outages and other critical situations, it added.

Cullen said: “We’re approaching our systems design with a future-focused mindset, so they can support the increasing sophistication of renewable energy technologies for years to come, and to ensure we’re delivering the decarbonisation outcomes our clients are looking for.”

Westgold’s Clean Energy Transition initiative accelerates with start up of first hybrid power station

10th August 2023Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metalsBig Bell, Bluebird, Clean Energy Fuels Australia, Clean Energy Transition, Fortnum, hybrid power, Jamie Cullen, LNG, Pacific Energy, renewables, solar power, Tuckabianna, Wayne Bramwell, Westgold ResourcesDaniel Gleeson

The Tuckabianna hybrid power facility – the first of four new hybrid power stations being developed for Westgold Resources – has commenced operations, in Western Australia; a major milestone for the gold miner and its Clean Energy Transition initiative.

The four facilities – at Tuckabianna, Bluebird, Fortnum and Big Bell – are expected to provide substantial reductions in emissions and power costs across Westgold’s operations in the Murchison and Bryah regions of Western Australia, according to Pacific Energy, the provider of these solutions. The system will have a combined installed capacity of 82 MW, providing an expected annual reduction of 38 million litres in diesel fuel usage and approximately 57,000 t/y less CO2-equivalent emissions.

Westgold Chair, Cheryl Edwardes, and Managing Director, Wayne Bramwell, joined business partners, local officials and Traditional Owners on site to open the 17.9 MW facility this week.

The Tuckabianna facility includes a 6 MW solar farm fitted with 11,088 photovoltaic panels, a battery energy storage system with 2.4 MW installed capacity, and a 9.5 MW gas-fuelled power station.

The gas-fired power stations, battery storage and solar farms are owned and operated by Pacific Energy under an Electricity Purchase Agreement, and the LNG is provided by Clean Energy Fuels Australia (CEFA) under an LNG supply agreement. These agreements were signed last year.

These agreements will deliver substantial operating cost savings to Westgold in its 2023-2024 financial years onwards of around A$100/oz ($68/oz) at the then current diesel price and supports its commitment to environmental, social and governance initiatives that will reduce the company’s long term greenhouse gas emissions, it said.

Westgold’s Bramwell said: “Westgold continues to innovate to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and drive our operating costs down. This new hybrid power facility at Tuckabianna incorporates renewable energy and is a great first step along this journey, with power generated from these facilities energising our mines and processing hubs for decades to come. The successful commissioning of Tuckabianna is a testament to the tireless work of Westgold’s project and operational teams, business partners at Pacific Energy and CEFA and construction crews who have delivered our first power station safely and on schedule.”

Pacific Energy CEO, Jamie Cullen, said: “Congratulations to the Pacific Energy and Westgold project teams for delivering the Tuckabianna hybrid station – on time, and most importantly safely and incident free. Tuckabianna is part of a larger project to consolidate six existing power stations into four high efficiency hybrid power stations that incorporate gas, solar and battery storage systems. Collectively this represents one of the largest fully integrated hybrid power systems in the Australian mining sector.

“As a valued client of Pacific Energy since 2015, we are delighted to join Westgold on its transition to a cleaner energy future.”

Westgold Resources gets uses to village life with Sodexo

20th September 2019Mine operation news, Mining services, Precious metalsBig Bell, Cue, gold, mining services, Paul Cooper, remote mining, Sodexo, Steve Norregaard, Westgold ResourcesDaniel Gleeson

Sodexo is set to deliver more services for Westgold Resources after the two companies agreed to broaden their contract to include a fourth mine site in Western Australia.

This contract amendment, which will see the company start work on the Big Bell site, increases the value of Sodexo’s current contract with the Australia-based gold miner to A$40 million ($27.2 million).

Under this contract, Sodexo is scoped to deliver all village, transportation, catering, cleaning, building maintenance and landscaping services at the site.

The Big Bell site, located 24 km northwest of Cue in Western Australia, was launched on June 1, 2019, to support operations at the Big Bell underground mine, as part of the larger Cue gold operations. This would see daily commute times reduced, while ensuring worker facilities are readily available.

Westgold hit first ore at the Big Bell underground mine late last year. It had been dewatering and refurbishing the Big Bell underground mine for over two years. The base load for the Cue 10-year development plan is based around the Big Bell underground mine – which is expected to provide 10.1 Mt at 3 g/t Au from the company’s 2020 financial year.

Sodexo’s existing work with Westgold to provide services to the Cue, Fortnum and Bluebird mining sites is part of a three-year contract that commenced in June 2018. The Big Bell contract will conclude in 2021 in alignment with the contract for these sites.

Westgold Director of Operations, Steve Norregaard, said: “Sodexo continues to demonstrate its commitment to maintaining safety and quality operations for our mining workforce. The Big Bell mine is accelerating fast to become the cornerstone asset in the Cue operations. Sodexo’s facilities management services to the Big Bell mine site give us peace of mind that workers will be provided access to high-quality facilities and a home-away-from-home experience.”

Sodexo CEO Mining APAC, Paul Cooper, said: “Australian mining is a sector where Sodexo continues to excel. The company successfully demonstrated its dedication to service excellence by improving village life across three of Westgold’s existing sites and this supported our proposal for Big Bell. Being awarded the Big Bell contract is testament to a strong working relationship with Westgold, after acquiring Morris Corporation that had previously held the contract for three years.”

Westgold loses HBJ mining contract as it hits first ore at Big Bell

15th November 2018Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining services, Precious metalsAustralian Contract Mining, Big Bell, Northern Star Resources, Western Australia, Westgold ResourcesDaniel Gleeson

Westgold Resources’ wholly-owned mining contractor, Australian Contract Mining (ACM), has had its mine development and production services contract at the HBJ operation in Western Australia cancelled.

The ASX-listed company was advised by HBJ owner Northern Star Resources (NST) that it will terminate the contract on a “without cause basis” effective December 23.

ACM continued to provide complete mine development and production services to NST at HBJ following the A$80 million ($58 million) sale of the South Kalgoorlie operations by Westgold to NST earlier this year.

Westgold was under the impression most of the equipment currently employed at HBJ could be placed into immediate use at project expansions within Westgold’s existing operations. It hopes to continue to offer employment to the majority of both fly-in, fly-out and residential personnel employed at the mine.

Related to this, Westgold announced it had just hit first ore at its Big Bell underground mine (pictured), which is a milestone for the ramp up in its Cue gold operations in the Murchison Region of WA. Westgold has been dewatering and refurbishing the Big Bell underground mine for over two years.

The base load for the Cue 10-year development plan is based around the Big Bell underground mine – which is expected to provide 10.1 Mt at 3 g/t Au from the company’s 2020 financial year.