Tag Archives: Gold Fields

State of Play report highlights expected solar dominance in future mine power mix

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The State of Play’s latest industry report has highlighted the increasing prevalence of solar use across the Australian mining landscape, with global mining leaders predicting that solar will be the main energy source in just 15 years as the sector shifts to renewables.

The report, The State of Play: Mining Strategy in a Changing World, received input from over 700 global mining leaders, from major mining groups such as Rio Tinto, BHP and South 32. It uncovered mining leaders predicting oil and diesel will only contribute around 20% of the future energy source for the industry, with 79% indicating solar will be the main energy source over the next 15 years.

The predicted shift comes as pressure mounts for the mining sector to do more in the space of renewables with the majority of mining leaders (91%) believing they are viewed negatively by society as a whole with respect to climate, the report states.

State of Play Chair, Graeme Stanway, says the energy transition, alongside a government push to capitalise on green critical minerals, provides a viable pathway for industry to take action and catalyse industry-wide transition.

“Our data shows that both the energy transition and environmental pressures are in the top three global trends that are expected to have the biggest impact on innovation and change in the mining over the next 15 years,” he said. “Society is expecting the mining industry to step up, and as a consequence we are seeing innovations in processing, new energy sources and technologies. Technology like long duration energy storage has come a long way in the last few years, as has the use of artificial intelligence.”

Companies such as Bellevue Gold (solar operation pictured above) are in the process of developing assets with over 80% renewable penetration, while others, such as Gold Fields, have trialled numerous electric vehicles.

Other insights from the report include:

  • 56% of all respondents stating geopolitical alliances will have the biggest impact on global supply chains in the mining industry;
  • 81% of respondents believe battery minerals will offer the most attractive investment returns over the next 15 years;
  • Nearly 70% of CEOs suggested their timeframe for innovation focus was less than three years; and
  • 67% of respondents stated they believed there would be a carbon-based price differential for their commodities in the next five years.

Gold Fields to up the renewable ante at St Ives with A$296 million investment

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The Board of Gold Fields Limited has approved the go-ahead for a A$296 million ($195 million) renewables project at the St Ives mine, in Western Australia, in a move that could boost the operation’s renewable input to over 70%.

The project will comprise:

  • 42 MW of wind power delivered via seven wind turbines;
  • 35 MW of solar power delivered via 60,000 solar panels;
  • A 33 kV renewable energy hub substation; and
  • A 132 kV transmission line.

The project, the largest in the Gold Fields portfolio to date, will provide 73% of the mines electricity requirements and is planned to commence construction in May 2024 and will be operational by the end of 2025.

While previous renewables projects of this nature were built and managed by independent power producers, the St Ives project will be built by Gold Fields, the company stated.

Six out of Gold Fields’ 10 mines and projects are already powered partially by renewable electricity, and, in addition to the St Ives project, the company is studying additional renewable energy projects to meet the company’s decarbonisation commitments.

In 2023, renewable electricity accounted for 17% of electricity consumption across the Gold Fields business, compared with 13% a year earlier, leading to a 5% decline in carbon emissions during the year, the company said. Renewables provided 50% of electricity consumed at the Agnew mine in Australia and 15% of South Deep’s electricity consumption. The Cerro Corona mine in Peru is fully supplied by hydroelectricity, which is classified as 100% renewable. The Windfall project in Canada (which is a 50:50 joint venture between Gold Fields and Osisko Mining) is also supplied by hydroelectricity.

Once operational, the St Ives project will boost renewable energy in Gold Fields’ electricity mix further to approximately 24% and will contribute markedly to achieving the group’s 2030 target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by a net 30% against its 2016 baseline. St Ives itself will reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by approximately 50% by 2030. Gold Fields has also committed to Net Zero by 2050.

“The St Ives renewables project is a clear and tangible signal to our stakeholders of our decarbonisation commitments,” Gold Fields CEO, Mike Fraser, said. “Investing in renewables has obvious environmental benefits, but it also provides the business with cheaper electricity and offers an enhanced level of energy supply security.”

The St Ives renewables project will reduce electricity costs to a third of the previously projected costs by 2025.

The project has received the required approvals from Traditional Owners of the land, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Western Australian Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.

Gold Fields has also advanced plans on other key renewables projects in its portfolio, which include:

  • A 11 MW expansion to the current 8 MW solar plant at its Granny Smith mine in Australia;
  • A 7.7 MW photovoltaic solar plant at the Salares Norte mine in Chile to be added to the current diesel generator sets about a year after first gold production. The project has already received the required environmental approvals; and
  • Adding up to six wind turbines to provide approximately 40 MW of power to the South Deep mine in South Africa. This project is currently in feasibility phase and awaiting final environmental approval.

Fraser added: “All our operations continue to investigate the possibility of adding further renewable electricity sources where it makes technical and economic sense to do so. We are also exploring the most capital efficient ways to fund these projects as part of our disciplined capital allocation. Gold Fields is committed to playing its part in mitigating the impact climate change is having on the world.”

Gekko brings real-time grade measurement to the gold sector

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Gekko has launched “Mark 3” of its online gold analyser, OLGA, the flagship product for the company’s real-time data instrumentation division, which operates alongside other key products such as the Carbon Scout to assist in measuring the recovery of gold real-time in gold processing plants, Nigel Grigg, General Manager – Global Sales & Solutions, Gekko Systems, says.

“We are really excited about these new design elements which will improve value and returns for our clients as well as improve ease of operation,” he said. “Now gold grades can be measured in real time compared with the traditional assay-based process which can often result in two-day delays. Operating management will be able to respond immediately if there is a gold excursion or if the data provides other insights into plant trends. This is a breakthrough technology which is now even more affordable and will deliver higher yields in processing plants.”

The OLGA has at its heart the world-first proprietary “Golden Eye” lens technology developed and designed in Australia’s government-funded CSIRO research laboratories.

This component measures gold grade in slurries and solutions combined including low grade slurry streams down to as low 0.1 parts per million. Other elements are also measured including copper, silver, platinum and nickel. The multiplexing feature will allow for up to four streams within a processing plant to be assessed for gold grades, according to Gekko.

The OLGA is the only real-time online measurement system purpose built for gold, Gekko claims. The unit is typically installed to measure the cyclone overflow stream in CIL leach circuits, around the electrowinning circuit and on flotation feed, tails and concentrate. With the multiplexing function, the OLGA can switch measurement of grade from stream to stream.

“The technology represents a significant step forward in the potential to automate gold leaching circuits,” Grigg says.

Another key feature of OLGA is the dedicated sample feed line, facilitating continuous sampling of large volumes with no potential for cross-contamination. The system also offers additional sample points for ad-hoc samples, providing flexibility and adaptability to changing operational needs. Furthermore, the ad-hoc samples can be analysed as batch samples, minimising sampling errors and substituting the need for other sampling systems.

The OLGA Mk3 has undergone rigorous testing and refinement to ensure its robustness, reliability and accuracy in various operational conditions, while offering low maintenance requirements, Gekko says.

Gekko says OLGA’s development was supported by collaboration partners who assisted and provided critical feedback to improve an earlier OLGA technology design. That collaboration included the management and technical teams at Gold Fields, CSIRO, Orway IQ, Curtin University, METS Ignited and Gekko Systems.

Core to the assessment was an OLGA installation at Gruyere Gold Mine (a JV between Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources) where the OLGA achieved excellent results indicating a strong correlation between the automated OLGA and manual assay data and giving the Gekko team the confidence to further develop the OLGA, Gekko concluded.

Perenti banks ~A$420M of contract works with Gold Fields, AngloGold and Roxgold

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Perenti Limited’s underground mining businesses have been awarded contract extensions valued at circa-A$420 million ($276 million), in three separate projects across Australia and Africa, the company says.

The contract extensions include:

  • A 12-month, circa A$125 million contract extension to continue underground development and production works at the Gold Fields Agnew underground gold mine in Autsralia;
  • A 12-month, circa-A$180 million contract extension at AngloGold Ashanti plc’s Obuasi underground gold mine in Ghana; and
  • A two-year, circa-A$115 million contract extension of existing underground development and production works at the Roxgold Inc Yaramoko underground gold mine in Burkina Faso.

Mark Norwell, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Perenti said: “We pride ourselves on our enduring relationships, so we are especially pleased to be continuing our relationship with these long-term clients. Our Contract Mining division is now led by Gabrielle Iwanow and will continue to focus on safely delivering for our clients and on our strategic objectives. I look forward to providing an update on the business, including the excellent progress we have made on the integration of DDH1, as part of our 1H23 results which will be released to the market in February.”

Gabrielle Iwanow, President Contract Mining, said: “In my first few weeks at Perenti, I have been very impressed with the team’s technical capability and the operational performance that they deliver to our clients. I believe that it is these factors that underpin the strength and depth of our relationships.

“With these contract awards combined with those previously announced, namely circa-A$360 million related to the Sandfire Resources A4 project in Botswana and a further A$111 million related to three Australian surface and underground contract awards, the team has secured nearly A$900 million of revenue for the business. I am very proud to be leading and supporting the Contract Mining team as we collectively work towards delivering our 2025 strategic objectives.”

MLG Oz’s integrated operating model to be tested at Gold Fields sites

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Gold Fields has formally awarded the provision of site services and haulage at its Granny Smith underground gold mine, and open-pit mining services at St Ives for the Swiftsure deposit, to MLG, the mining services provider says.

The letter of award from Gold Fields is subject to both parties reaching agreement on formal terms.

Along with these new opportunities, MLG has also successfully extended its contractual arrangements to support Gold Fields’ Agnew site in a planned cut back of its Barren Lands open pit.

The Granny Smith contract is for a three-year term with an option to extend for another two years, with the contract expected to contribute some A$9 million ($5.9 million) in additional revenue in MLG’s 2024 financial year.

The Swiftsure open-pit mining services at St Ives comes with projected revenue of circa-A$20 million, with the project comprising a single open-pit gold mine incorporating load and haul services. The initial project is expected to be completed in eight months, starting in January.

The planned cut-back of the Barren Lands open pit at Agnew involves supplying the necessary mining equipment to execute drill and blast and load and haul activities, with the works having commenced in November 2023 and expected to continue through to March 2024.

MLG founder, Managing Director and majority shareholder, Murray Leahy, said: “We are delighted to expand our integrated services model across Gold Fields’ portfolio and to bring our site services expertise to their Granny Smith operations. MLG can now provide a consistent approach across all of Gold Fields’ Australian mine sites. In addition, the award of the open-pit mining scope of works at the Swiftsure deposit at St Ives, and the extension of works at the Barren Lands open pit operation at Agnew, acknowledges the breadth of service and overall capabilities across MLG’s integrated operating model.”

ICMM looks to advance water stewardship across mining sector with new framework

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ICMM has published a Water Stewardship Maturity Framework designed to help mining and metals companies enhance their stewardship of shared water resources in ways that are socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, it says.

Featuring a range of leading practices and real-world examples from different operating contexts, the framework addresses risks and priorities applicable at individual asset and corporate levels. It identifies five elements of water stewardship: governance and strategy; understanding water context, risks and opportunities; integration in business planning and decision making; performance and measurement; and transparency and reporting. It also outlines three progressive stages within these elements – basic, advanced and leading.

The framework is intended to support users to effectively manage water as a shared resource, acknowledging its critical importance, not only to the business, but also to the broader local catchment and its stakeholders, ICMM said. It supports the integration of water’s pivotal role into various corporate agendas, such as climate resilience, cultural heritage protection, nature-positive approaches, social performance and inclusion, and operational excellence.

The framework aligns with leading external guidance and reporting initiatives, including the Global Reporting Initiative, Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosure and the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosure.

Rohitesh Dhawan, CEO and President, ICMM, said: “Access to water is a basic human right and a fundamental requirement for healthy, functioning ecosystems. We live in a world of increasing pressure on water resources, compounded by the impact of climate change. We hope that ICMM’s Water Stewardship Maturity Framework will be a valuable tool to advance water stewardship across our industry and to navigate the challenges in delivering critical minerals for a more sustainable future.”

Martin Preece, Interim CEO, Gold Fields, said: “ICMM’s Water Stewardship Maturity Framework will help companies like ours to advance sustainable water management. Water Stewardship is one of our six key ESG priorities, as water is a critical resource we share with our host communities and host countries. The self-assessment and verification process carried out by all our mines, gives us the confidence that we are managing water responsibly and helps us build trust with our stakeholders, particularly host communities.”

The new framework, developed with input from water and environmental experts from ICMM’s membership, draws on members’ experiences, providing clear pathways and examples to support enhanced water stewardship practices across the industry, ICMM said.

MACA takes delivery of first Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drill rig at Gruyere

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MACA says the first of six Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drill rigs has arrived at the Gruyere gold mine as part of a complete replacement of an ageing mixed fleet at the open-pit operation.

This compact yet imposing rig boasts a single pass depth of 14 m and capacity for holes some 32.3 m deep, further enhancing the capabilities of MACA’s strong fleet at Gruyere, it said. MACA, owned by Thiess, was recently awarded a five-year contract extension at the operation.

Gruyere, jointly owned by Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources, is 1,200 km northeast of Perth. The long-standing partnership began in 2017 and was founded on an aligned focus for safe mining practices and operational excellence.

The strengthened drilling fleet – which will amount to nine rigs in total – will assist MACA to achieve production goals, it says.

The six Sandvik DR410i units will also be joined by two Leopard DI650is and a Pantera DP1500i, representing MACA’s significant investment in leading mining technology to deliver value to clients, it said.

Cat R2900 XE

Cat R2900 XE diesel-electric LHDs brought into Gold Fields net zero plan

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As part of a strategy to reduce carbon emissions from its operations and achieve a ‘net zero’ status by 2050, Gold Fields is investing in three Caterpillar R2900 XE diesel-electric loaders for its underground mines in Western Australia.

The gold miner’s ESG strategy, launched in December 2021, was at the same time embedded as one of three pillars in the company’s strategy. Gold Fields has demonstrated this focus over the last few years, especially when it comes to its efforts to decarbonise its mining operations.

In addition to constructing and commissioning several solar plants, renewable microgrids and low-carbon gas turbines across some of its operations in South Africa and Australia, Gold Fields has been at the forefront of decarbonising the load and haul part of the underground mining cycle.

In 2021, Gold Fields started trialling a Sandvik LH518B 18 t battery-electric underground LHD, in addition to a 50-t-payload battery-electric Z50 truck, also from Sandvik. The machines were put through their paces at the Hamlet North mine, part of the St Ives operation, near Kambalda in Western Australia. The results of these trials were shared with members of the Electric Mine Consortium (EMC).

Rob Derries, Unit Manager: Innovation & Technology at Gold Fields Australia, says the results from testing the loader and truck at St Ives have shown the need for an alternative to assist the battery swap functionality for its local underground mines.

“The depth of our mines and the resultant ramp inclines indicate that a battery swap system alone will be a challenge from an infrastructure or financial perspective when rolling out on a larger fleet-wide basis,” he told IM.

Alongside this work, Gold Fields has trialled a hybrid diesel-electric drive Komatsu WX22H (formerly the Joy 22HD), which uses a Kinetic Energy Storage System to capture and reuse braking energy from each of the four wheels, reducing fuel burn and boosting productivity, according to the OEM and Gold Fields.

In 2021, Gold Fields started trialling a Sandvik LH518B 18 t battery-electric underground LHD

Now, the company has committed to bringing three Caterpillar R2900 XEs into two of its underground mining operations, according to Derries.

Built on the platform of Caterpillar’s most popular underground loader, the R2900G, this LHD features a switch reluctance electric drive system alongside a Cat C15 diesel engine, which offers up to 335 kW of power. The OEM says the machine comes with about 30% increased fuel efficiency compared with the R2900G, with its lower engine revolutions per minute resulting in reduced fuel burn, heat, noise, vibration and exhaust emissions.

Derries said Gold Fields does not consider the R2900 XE a “hybrid” machine given it has no battery or energy storage component on board, but stressed that it still offers the reduced fuel burn and productivity advantages the company is looking for as part of its modernisation strategy.

“From the field-follow trial reports we have seen, it can produce a 35% fuel burn reduction,” he said. “This is why we consider it to be part of our plan to transition our operations to zero emissions, just like the Epiroc machine we are working on.”

Last year, Gold Fields entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Epiroc to develop and test a proof of concept for the 65-t class Minetruck MT65 E-Drive with the aim of having a prototype diesel-electric truck running at the miner’s Granny Smith mine, near Laverton in Western Australia, in late 2024.

Derries says the company is also continuing discussions with all OEM partners on potential battery-electric vehicle deployments at its Australian underground mines, explaining that variations on trolley infrastructure, battery charging and battery swapping were being evaluated.

EMC collaboration builds confidence

The field-follow trials Derries references were integral to Gold Fields making the investment in the Caterpillar diesel-electric vehicles.

“In Australia, there were four field-follow units that Cat sent out, all of which went to EMC member operators,” he said. “The feedback and learnings that came back from these trials, which was shared internally within the consortium, provided the confidence we needed to make the investment decision.”

The EMC is a growing group of leading mining and service companies, all of whom are driven by the imperative to accelerate progress towards the fully electrified zero CO2 and zero particulates mine. In the short time since establishment, the consortium’s membership has grown almost two-fold with over 40 equipment trials in 15 different locations mobilised.

Outside of these Caterpillar R2900 XE field follow units, Westgold Resources took delivery of the first commercial R2900 XE at its Midwest operations in Western Australia, as part of an agreement with WesTrac. The mining company has since agreed to purchase another six of the diesel-electric vehicles.

A separate R2900 XE is due to be delivered to another mining operation in Australia later this year, IM understands.

Derries says Gold Fields has felt the benefits of signing up to the EMC.

“The EMC is a great platform for operators like us to gather information without having to trial everything out there,” he said. “Like the companies that shared their data from the R2900 XE field-follow trials, we shared the learnings from our Sandvik trials – not just our operational performance data.

“We were then able to do a cross check between our battery-electric trial data and the field-follow trials from the Caterpillar machines, giving us the confidence to invest in the three LHDs.”

Derries says the new units are expected to arrive at its operations in the next 12 months.

IMARC 2023 organisers preparing for ‘grand slam’ event

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The world’s mining and resource leaders are heading to Sydney, New South Wales, for the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) from October 31 – November 2 in what has become a “grand slam” event of the industry, globally, event organisers says.

IMARC Chief Operating Officer, Anita Richards, said this year’s event was looking to be the largest ever, with over 520 speakers from global giants such as BHP, Fortescue, MMG, Gold Fields, Wesfarmers, Worley, Perenti, IGO, the US Departments of Energy and Defense and the ICMM, coming together to collaborate on themes including digital transformation and innovation; sustainability, social value, environmental resilience, people and culture; trade, investment and project opportunities; and energy transition.

She said: “The mining and resources industry is evolving rapidly to meet the growing energy demands of today while developing the minerals needed for a decarbonised economy – under unprecedented scrutiny from communities, regulators and investors.

“IMARC 2023 comes at a time when explorers and miners are diversifying portfolios to align with future demand, triggering the highest level of M&A activity across both mining and METS we have ever seen.”

This year’s conference will see the return of the IMARC NextGen Program, which will provide an opportunity for 200 NSW school children to learn about the diverse and exciting mining and resources industry.

IMARC 2023 also features:

  • A special ESG focus on creating social value;
  • An extensive look at First Nations engagement, human rights and transparency;
  • A look at best-practice mine rehabilitation;
  • A global perspectives on heritage and environmental custodianship and economic development;
  • A return of the successful Balance for Better Program which promotes equality, diversity and inclusion across all areas of the mining and resources sector.

Richards added: “Mining and resources have never been more important for sustainable economic, social and innovative development across the globe. We need more exploration and development to match surging demand for the critical minerals that are central to the global energy transition. IMARC 2023 is where the most important conversations are being held about how mining and resources can help achieve global development sustainably and equitably.

“IMARC is a key forum to address these challenges, and the global profile of the event is reflected in delegations already confirmed from India, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Chile, Mongolia, United States, South Korea, Japan, Germany and many more.”

At IMARC 2023 a range of new features have been added to the program. These include the Low Emission Technology Australia session to help accelerate innovation in the clean technology sector, the 4,000 sq.m IMARC Mining Pavilion with over 150 exhibitors present and the final of the Unearthed Global Innovation Games where the winners will be announced and their technology displayed.

IMARC 2023 will take place at the ICC Sydney from October 31 to November 2 and will be a celebration of what has grown into one of Australia’s biggest business events, with a record 8,500 delegates from over 120 countries, including upwards of 50 government delegations expected to attend, organisers say.

International Mining is a media sponsor of IMARC 2023 and will be in Sydney reporting on the event.

MACA to replace Gruyere open-pit surface drilling fleet with Sandvik rigs

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Leading Australian mining, civil and minerals processing contracting group, MACA, has selected Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions to supply nine new surface drill rigs as a complete replacement for an ageing mixed fleet at the Gruyere open-pit gold mine in the Western Australian Goldfields, where it was recently awarded a five-year contract extension.

The order, which was booked in the June quarter of 2023, includes six Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drills, two Leopard™ DI650i down-the-hole (DTH) drill rigs and a Pantera™ DP1500i top hammer drill rig. Deliveries began in July and will continue through April 2024.

MACA, part of Thiess, has specialised in mining, crushing, civil construction, infrastructure and mineral processing for more than 20 years. It employs more than 3,000 people across operations in Australia and internationally.

MACA has provided various services at Gruyere, a joint venture between Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources, since the contractor initiated bulk earthworks in 2017. Gruyere is expected to produce an annual average of 350,000 oz of gold through a current mine life of at least 2032.

Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drill rigs (pictured) are compact, powerful and technologically advanced, the OEM says. They are designed for rotary and DTH holes up to 254 mm, with a mast offering a first pass capability of 14 m and a maximum depth of 32.3 m.

The Leopard DI650i is a self-contained, crawler-mounted, intelligent DTH drill rig designed for demanding high-capacity production drilling applications, Sandvik says, while the Pantera DP1500i is a hydraulic, self-propelled top hammer drill rig, ideal for production or pre-split drilling in large quarries or open-pit mines and construction sites.