Tag Archives: Bravus Mining and Resources

Bravus and Skytrans Airlines seal FIFO agreement for Carmichael workers

9th February 2023Mine operation news, Mining servicesAlan Milne, Bravus Mining and Resources, Carmichael, coal, FIFO, Johnathan Thurston, Mick Crowe, Queensland, Rockhampton, Skytrans Airlines, TownsvilleDaniel Gleeson

Bravus Mining and Resources has signed a new deal with Skytrans Airlines that will see the operator operate two Dash 8 300-series aircraft to exclusively service 24 direct flights a week to or from the Carmichael coal mine in central Queensland and Townsville and Rockhampton.

The average flying time for the Dash 8 300 is just 45 minutes between the Carmichael mine and Townsville, and 50 minutes between the Carmichael mine and Rockhampton. The first of the multi-million-dollar planes entered service this month.

Bravus Mining and Resources Chief Operating Officer, Mick Crowe, said the new aircraft would get Carmichael’s workforce to site and back home again more quickly, safely, and in greater comfort.

“Like every mine, the safety and wellbeing of our people, contractors, and suppliers is always our number one priority,” he said. “Our somewhat unique challenge is the remoteness of our operation. Carmichael is more than a 160-km drive to Clermont, and more than 300 km from Queensland’s east coast.

“So that means fatigue risk management and maximising quality of life for our workforce are top of mind when it comes to getting people to work and back home again safely and efficiently.

“These news planes will do just that. Those of our team who can’t drive in from the Isaac Region will be at work or at home in about an hour. That means less of their R&R lost to work-related travel, more time to spend with friends and family, and, hopefully, happier, safer, and more productive workers.”

Skytrans co-Owner, Johnathan Thurston, said: “From a Skytrans point of view, we are very excited to have the relationship with Bravus. This contract is going to create around 20 new jobs for Skytrans, employing local people in Townsville and Rockhampton, so it is great work from Bravus and Skytrans.”

Skytrans CEO, Alan Milne, said the company would establish bases of operation in Townsville and Rockhampton and recruit pilots and flight attendants who live locally to service the contract.

“This is really exciting news for the workers at Carmichael, who are going to receive an incredible level of service, and for Townsville and Rockhampton who’ll see new jobs and investment,” Milne said.

“Townsville and Rockhampton airports will now be formal bases of operation for us with local pilots, flight attendants and maintenance crews, just like we have in Cairns, Brisbane, and Horn Island.

“It’s terrific to see Bravus Mining and Resources continue to back fully Queensland-owned businesses like ours, and we look forward to building on this successful partnership long into the future.”

Bravus reinforces Carmichael local supplier relationship with BCF Concreting contract

20th April 2022Coal technology, Mineral project development, Mining servicesBCF Concreting, Bravus Mining and Resources, Carmichael, coal, Michael Davis, Torres StraitDaniel Gleeson

Bravus Resources has added BCF Concreting to its list of suppliers at the Carmichael coal mine, in Queensland, Australia.

The 100% Indigenous-owned business has been engaged to supply concrete to the operation, with the contract adding to the more than A$1 billion ($743 million) that has been paid to regional Queensland contractors and businesses since construction on Carmichael began.

Michael Davis, Managing Director of BCF, said the company was prepared to deliver extra concrete at short-notice for the mine.

“We were able to step in and work with Bravus at short notice because our technology enables us to both mobilise quickly and mix the right kind of concrete remotely and with precision,” he said.

“We had a team of six and one of our three volumetric mixing trucks on Bravus’ site within a few days and producing concrete not long after that.

“I have to say the Bravus commercial team was also great to work with, and the smoothness of that contracting process, together with the advantages of our new-to-industry technology, meant we were able to get this job done so efficiently.”

Bravus Mining and Resources CEO, David Boshoff, commended Davis and his Rockhampton-based team on their work.

“The Rockhampton region is a world-class mining service centre, but BCF Concreting blew us away with their professionalism, mobilisation time and technology-focused solutions,” he said.

“Responsiveness and on-time delivery is so important for us as we put the finishing touches on the construction, testing and commissioning phase of the project and move into full operations.”

BCF Concreting has a 30-year history and relocated to Rockhampton in 2019, drawn to the region by the promise of work with major projects.

A Torres Strait Islander, Davis said the company had built strong partnerships with Central Queensland’s Traditional Owner groups but had been waiting for the right opportunity to prove their capabilities on a major construction or civil project.

“We had done some subcontracting work on the Carmichael Project before but to be engaged by Bravus directly is a big step forward,” he said.

“We work with technology that’s new to the concreting industry, so part of what we do is about educating clients that the way it’s been done in the past isn’t necessarily the best way.

“Our volumetric mixers are similar to a mobile batching plant mounted onto a truck – we can get to site and start producing concrete within half an hour.

“We are getting traction, though, and as well as working with Bravus, we recently secured a long-term precast supply contract for a pipeline project in Central Queensland.

“The hope is as we win more major project work we can look at relocating the manufacturing arm of our business to Central Queensland to boost skilled employment for First Nations people even further.”

Carmichael has the capacity to produce 10 Mt/y of coal.

DRA Global to deliver Carmichael coal handling and preparation plant

20th January 2021Coal technology, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining servicesAndrew Naude, Australia, Bravus Mining and Resources, Carmichael, coal handling and preparation plant, David Boshoff, DRA Global, mine engineering, QueenslandDaniel Gleeson

DRA Global has won its second major contract on the Bravus Mining & Resources-owned Carmichael coal project, in Queensland, Australia, with the engineering firm set to deliver the project’s A$140 million ($108 million) coal processing plant.

Bravus CEO, David Boshoff, said DRA was known for its exceptional service to the Australian resources sector, and previous work on the Carmichael project building the coal handling plant (CHP) had demonstrated its experience and capability.

The coal handling plant (CHP) and the coal preparation plant (CPP) will work together to prepare and process the coal to meet market specifications at Carmichael.

The CPP is designed to process the coal, using recycled water and density separation processes so that the product that goes into market is more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, DRA says.

DRA will carry out the engineering, design and construction of the CHP and the CPP at Carmichael. Included within this is the supply and construction of coal processing infrastructure; supply and construction of coal sizing and conveying equipment; construction of coal stockpiling infrastructure; and construction of the train load out infrastructure to enable loading of trains.

According to the original project description from October 2013 authored by engineering services company GHD, the project’s coal handling and preparation plant has been designed to receive, size and process a maximum throughput of 74.5 Mt/y run of mine coal, producing 60 Mt/y of product coal. However, this is the maximum approved production level. Initial mine production will be 10 Mt/y with a surface mine capacity of 40 Mt/y, rising to 60 Mt/y when the underground mine comes online.

DRA Global CEO, Andrew Naude, said: “DRA is delighted to have been awarded an additional major contract on the Carmichael project and to be able to continue creating employment opportunities and supporting the Central Queensland region.”

Boshoff said: “The CHP resizes the coal and the CPP processes the coal to meet final product quality requirements and in doing so it is more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. It is these facilities that will see Carmichael coal become some of the better-quality coal from around the world.”

He added: “Every week we are reaching exciting new major milestones on the Carmichael mine and rail projects bringing us a step closer to the reality of completion. We are on track and looking forward to producing first coal in 2021.”