Tag Archives: DRA Global

DRA Global to help Gregory Crinum coal mine get back to business

Coal technology, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , ,

DRA Global says it has been selected by Sojitz as the preferred partner for the restart and operations and maintenance of the Gregory Crinum metallurgical coal mine in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, Australia.

Sojitz Coal Mining announced, this week, that it has officially taken ownership of Gregory Crinum, near Emerald in Central Queensland, from BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance joint venture partners BHP and Mitsubishi Development. This followed a A$100 million ($71 million) agreement the companies signed last year.

Cameron Vorias, CEO and Managing Director of Sojitz Coal Mining, said: “Recommencement of mining operations at Gregory Crinum will deliver significant benefits to all our stakeholders in addition to ensuring security of supply of hard coking coal to our valued customers, as well as providing jobs and strengthening the economy for the people in the Emerald, Springsure and Cappella Area and the State of Queensland.”

Vorias said DRA offered the best solutions in relation to the refurbishment of the processing plant and the overall operations and maintenance philosophy, and “providing true integrated maintenance through their wholly-owned maintenance business G&S Engineering”.

DRA Global acquired G&S Engineering in July, as the company looked to expand its footprint and project execution capabilities in Australia.

The restart of Gregory Crinum will be delivered in two stages with the first stage focusing on the refurbishment of the processing plant followed by the full operations and maintenance contract of the processing plant for the next three years.

Sojitz said previously that the mine will have an annual capacity of up to 3 Mt/y when fully operational, with a life of more than 20 years. It also said restart operations would begin in the first half of its 2019 financial year, with the first shipment of coal in the second half of the year.

The site comprises the Crinum underground mine, Gregory open-pit mine, undeveloped coal resources and on-site infrastructure including a coal handling and preparation plant, maintenance workshops and administration facilities.

Gregory Crinum Mine’s capacity was 6 Mt/y of hard coking coal when production ceased and it was placed into care and maintenance in January 2016.

DRA Global moves from PFS to basic engineering at Kakula copper project

Base metals, Mineral project development, Mining project news, Mining services, , , , , , , , , ,

DRA Global has been awarded the contract for basic engineering services on the Kakula mine portion of the wider Kamoa-Kakula project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The contract scope includes the basic engineering and design associated with all underground mining infrastructure, the concentrator plant and all supporting surface infrastructure.

Kamoa Copper SA, a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines, Zijin Mining Group and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, will develop the new copper mine, which is expected to yield an estimated 6 Mt/y in its first phase alone.

The Kakula deposit has been independently ranked as the world’s largest, undeveloped, high yield, high-grade copper discovery, according to DRA, with a resource measuring 174 Mt at an average grade of 5.62% Cu.

DRA’s project delivery relationship with Ivanhoe Mines started on the high-grade platinum-group metals, nickel and copper Platreef project in South Africa. “It was on this project that DRA demonstrated its experienced capability in project delivery which proved to be a key differentiator for the organisation on Kakula,” DRA said.

DRA was contracted to complete the prefeasibility study (PFS) for Kamoa Copper SA, in 2017. In October 2018, DRA was further awarded the contract to deliver a complete basic engineering package. Work began in October and is estimated to conclude by mid-2019.

In addition to the basic engineering, DRA offers continued support on the early works, which includes equipping the main declines with dewatering and conveyor systems, ventilation shafts and associated surface infrastructure.

Alistair Hodgkinson, DRA Executive Vice President, Projects, said: “The team working on this project has gone above and beyond to meet deadlines and exceed client expectations ultimately to ensure that this signature project starts producing as soon as possible.”

Earlier this month, Ivanhoe Mines revealed the prefeasibility study for an initial 6 Mt/y copper mine at Kakula, in addition to an updated preliminary economic assessment combining both Kakula and Kamoa into an 18 Mt/y operation.

DRA Global helps Asanko gold mine surpass 5 Mt/y capacity

Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, , , , , ,

DRA Global recently implemented an Advanced Milling Control System, using the MillSlicer instrument, on the Asanko gold mine in Ghana.

Asanko is a large scale, multi-pit asset located on the Asankrangwa belt in Ghana. Built in 2015 by DRA Global, ahead of schedule and within budget, first gold was poured in January 2016 and commercial production commenced in April 2016. The mine is now owned 50:50 by Asanko Gold Mining and Gold Fields.

DRA said: “Operations at Asanko prioritise efficiencies, with minimal downtime. Unplanned or forced mill stoppages and breakdowns can often lead to costly setbacks for overall mine operations.

The DRA Global technical processing specialists collaborated closely with the Asanko owner’s team to develop a control system solution that is able to produce real time reporting and enable the mill operators to better optimise the milling process.”

Val Coetzee, DRA’s Senior Vice President Process, said: “This MillSlicer Control instrument provides accurate signals via a number of strategically positioned vibration sensors that are used by DRA’s comminution and control specialists to develop bespoke control systems, specific to an operation. The programme allows for accurate mill charge toe-angle measurement and real time polar plot determination, which is used in the customised control system.”

The milling control system, which was commissioned by DRA in August 2018, uses propriety “rule-based algorithms” assisting the mine’s operation with superior control, maximising energy efficiency and ensuring continual optimal mill performance despite any changes in mine fragmentation or ore type variances, according to DRA.

Coetzee said: “DRA is able to provide remote operational support, data analysis and reporting to assist clients in reducing liner damage, media consumption and ensure that mill operators efficiently maximise throughput at all times.

“This MillSlicer hardware and the DRA Advanced Control System, in conjunction with a number of other initiatives relating to open circuit modifications, use of cameras and feed blending, have successfully contributed to the performance excellence of the Asanko processing plant in recent months.”

Russell Bradford, SVP Metallurgy at Asanko, said: “The MillSlicer hardware has enabled the Asanko team to optimise the mill’s performance by ensuring we always have the right blend of ore at the right tonnages in the mill. Since this technology was implemented, the Asanko processing plant has consistently delivered above its 5 Mt/y design rate.”

The Asanko mine is a 50:50 joint venture between Asanko Gold Mining and Gold Fields managed and operated by Aasnko. In 2018, the mine is targeting 200,000-220,000 oz of gold at an all-in sustaining cost of $1,050-$1,150/oz.

DRA to start work on Yangibana rare earths FEED contract in Western Australia

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DRA Global is to carry out the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contract for Hastings Technology Metals’ Yangibana rare earths project in Western Australia.

Yangibana will be Hastings’ first rare earths project on the Australian continent, containing substantial neodymium and praseodymium resources, according to DRA.

The project currently spans approximately 650 km² and is located in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. A definitive feasibility study (DFS) in 2017, based on a 5.15 Mt reserve, detailed a production rate of 1 Mt/y to produce up to 15,000 t/y of mixed rare earths carbonate.

Following this, Hastings has undertaken to develop the project further, specifically the first phase of the processing plant. The site plot plan has been approved and is ready for detailed engineering and execution to proceed.

The flowsheet for this initial project will comprise of two key elements; beneficiation and hydrometallurgy. This FEED scope of work shall progress the process plant engineering design and place long lead equipment orders to obtain vendor data to progress engineering in critical areas.

“A further outcome of this scope of work will be to define the requirements for detailed design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the Yangibana rare earths project processing facility,” DRA said.

The scope of work will also progress engineering and update the project cost estimate for the processing facility. This element of the project has been fast tracked by Hastings Technology, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of December.

Hannes Zandberg, Project Director at Hastings Technology, said: “DRA brings decades of engineering experience to this project and has a globally proven track record. This has allowed us to set some tight deadlines and, although it is a challenge, our close working partnership with DRA inspires confidence. We are certain that this FEED phase will have a successful outcome and will lead to future collaboration on the Yangibana project.”