Tag Archives: Goldfields

Mine Tech DSPA fire protection system moves into WA’s Goldfields region

Mining safety, Mining services, Precious metals, , , ,

Mine Tech says it has completed a successful installation of its DSPA Standalone Fire Protection Aerosol system at one of its client’s sites in the Goldfields of Western Australia.

The DSPA aerosol generators 11-1, 11-2 and 11-3 can be used as a part of a highly effective fire extinguishing system, according to Mine Tech.

The generators are non-pressurised and installed inside a room or compartment that requires protection. After activation, an aerosol cloud is generated, which expands volumetrically, flooding the space and extinguishing the fire, according to the company. The DSPA generators, which offer a 15-year service life, are mainly designed for use in unoccupied and unoccupied areas and are effective on class A, B, C fires, Mine Tech says.

“The DSPA generators 11-1, 11-2, and 11-3 are recommended for the protection of narrow compartments or objects, such as suspended ceilings, raised floors, cable ducts, transport vehicles, switchgears, etc,” Mine Tech added.

RCT and Northern Star carry out ‘history-making’ trial in WA’s Goldfields region

Automation, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , ,

RCT and Northern Star Resources have recently completed an autonomous technology trial in Western Australia’s Goldfields region that bodes well for the future of underground remote operations centres in the state.

In early October, RCT set up a ControlMaster® Automation Centre at the Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) in Kalgoorlie with a network connection to an underground LHD equipped with ControlMaster Guidance Automation at the East Kunduna Joint Venture (EKJV) mine.

EKJV is a joint venture between Northern Star, Tribune Resources and Rand Mining, managed by Northern Star  and located around 40 km away from Kalgoorlie.

The mining method at the Kundana operations is from underground using up-hole longhole stoping with paste backfill.

The project to set up a Remote Operating Centre (ROC) was a combined effort by technical specialists from RCT and Northern Star Resources, RCT said.

Once operational, a Northern Star Resources equipment operator controlled the ControlMaster Guidance Loader from the WASM Kalgoorlie facility and resumed site required remote production rates.

Northern Star Resources currently uses ControlMaster Guidance Automation on its underground LHD fleet at the EKJV from an onsite Surface Control System.

RCT said: “The trial is a history-making event for the Goldfields region and represents an exciting opportunity for both Northern Star Resources and RCT and what can be achieved through the use of smart technology.”

RCT Kalgoorlie Branch Manager, Rick Radcliffe, said: “This trial has helped both businesses to understand what future opportunities there are in autonomous technology, which is not only exciting for both business but the local Goldfields community as well.

“To conduct the trial from the WA School of Mines is also a story worth sharing with the wider mining and METS (mining equipment technology and services) community, to showcase the great innovation coming from the Western Australian Goldfields region.”

ROCs represent great job opportunities for members of the labour force who traditionally would not be able to work on a mine site due to various lifestyle or personal factors, he added.

Chief Executive Officer of Northern Star Resources, Stuart Tonkin, said: “ROCs are proven for surface operations, but this advancement for an underground application is a significant development led by RCT in the Kalgoorlie Goldfields.”

He added: “Northern Star Resources encourages continual improvement and innovation, and we are very pleased with RCT’s commitment to developing practical mining solutions.”

Bis secures four-year contract extension at Glencore-owned Murrin Murrin mine

Base metals, Bulk handling, Mine operation news, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

Bis says it has extended its haulage and site services contracts for Minara Resources at its Murrin Murrin nickel mine in Western Australia’s north-eastern Goldfields.

The multi-year extension will see Bis extend its longstanding partnership with Minara, wholly-owned by Glencore, where it has been delivering a range of services at Murrin Murrin since the operation began in 1998.

Bis’ services at Murrin Murrin include haulage and haul and road maintenance services, calcrete services, and bulk logistics services. The Murrin Murrin site also recently hosted Bis’ new innovative haul truck, Rexx, as part of its trials in working mines across Western Australia.

Bis Chief Operating Officer, Michael Porter, said: “We are proud to have been part of the Minara operations for over 20 years, working in collaboration with Minara to deliver safe and innovative solutions that add value to their operation. We look forward to continuing our successful relationship with our colleagues at Murrin Murrin.”

Commercial launch for CSIRO’s ‘Going for Gold’ process technology

Environmental, Metallurgy, Mineral processing, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , , ,

On the back of successful industry trials and the first gold pour last year, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, says it will transfer its ‘Going for Gold’ process technology to Australian company, Clean Mining Ltd.

The alternative gold recovery process technology, which dispenses with toxic cyanide and mercury currently used in most gold production processes worldwide, could open the door for Australian and international gold miners and end users to capitalise on demand for sustainable processes and products, according to CSIRO Research Program Leader, Dr Chris Vernon.

“Cyanide is used in about 75% of global gold production, and while the industry works to manage the associated risks, there have been recent toxic spills overseas that have caused great concern to communities,” Dr Vernon said.

“Developing an alternative process, which eliminates hazardous chemicals while maximising gold recovery, meets industry and consumer demands for more sustainably-produced gold.”

The CSIRO-developed ‘Going for Gold’ process replaces cyanide with a reagent, known as thiosulphate, creating a relatively cost-effective, non-toxic and safe alternative to conventional cyanide-based gold recovery process, according to CSIRO.

Clean Mining will deliver the new technology solution to a global market of gold producers, offering technology products and licences as well as turn-key processing plant options, plus equipment and product support throughout the mine life.

Clean Mining Managing Director, Jeff McCulloch, says the technology is suitable for new greenfield mines, locations where cyanide cannot be used or is banned, as well as in existing mines looking to upgrade and transition to the new technology.

“This technology provides gold miners with an opportunity to proactively evolve their environmental, social and governance standards,” McCullloch said.

“This new technology literally delivers a new gold standard for the global gold industry.

“The technology is scalable and cost effective, and the process has been tested and proven at an industrial-scale to deliver commercially viable results.”

Clean Mining is currently in negotiations with ICA Mining Services Pty Ltd in the Northern Territory of Australia to commission the first commercial plant to process gold using this technology, and with Nu-Fortune Gold to commission a plant in the Goldfields of Western Australia.

RCT sensor solution passes the test at WA Goldfields mine

Automation, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

RCT says it has developed a monitoring system to improve underground mining operations at a gold mine in Western Australia’s Goldfields.

The miner approached RCT’s Kalgoorlie-based staff to develop a way to monitor the project’s ore passes to ensure they did not get blocked by larger rocks during the transfer of material.

The ore passes – now used to dump waste – are vertical chutes used by the mine’s Epiroc MT6020 haul trucks to dump material to backfill an old stope.

RCT subsequently developed the ore pass monitoring system consisting of a VEGAPULS 69 radar, spanning the 91 m deep pass, and a VEGAMET 391 measurement display to indicate at what depth a blockage may occur.

The VEGAPULS 69 is a sensor for continuous measurement of bulk solids under different process conditions, while the VEGAMET 391 is suited to simple control tasks in level, gauge and process pressure measurements, as well as for inventory management and remote enquiry, according to its manufacturer VEGA.

The display was designed to use its readings to control an associated traffic lamp assembly on the wall of the mine to advise mine staff whether material had been successfully transferred.

RCT said: “Once the system was implemented, the mining company introduced a procedure for operators to ensure the traffic lamps changed back to green after tipping to indicate the pass is clear of material.

“RCT’s technicians also installed a suppression field in the first 20 m of the ore pass and directly above it to stop sharp edges in the pass bouncing echoes and falsely tripping the sensor.”

RCT Kalgoorlie Branch Manager, Rick Radcliffe, said the monitoring system can significantly reduce the downtime associated with blocked ore passes.

“If the pass becomes blocked then operators may not notice until the entire pass is filled up with material and, at that point, it will take a significant amount of time to clear the pass,” he said.

“The monitoring system ensures blockages are identified and cleared immediately.”

Ausdrill’s Barminco to go underground at Regis Resources’ Rosemont gold project

Base metals, Mine operation news, Mineral exploration, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Having recently closed a deal to acquire fellow contractor Barminco, Ausdrill has announced A$171 million ($123 million) in new work across the mining space.

Its Barminco business has sealed a three-year underground mining services contract with Regis Resources at the Rosemont project (worth A$113 million), in addition to receiving the nod to perform decline rehabilitation and development works at Western Areas’ new Odysseus mine. Meanwhile, Ausdrill has booked a 12-month contract from Consolidated Minerals for the provision of exploration drilling services at the Woodie Woodie manganese mine. This comes on top of a similar contract with Bellevue Gold at its namesake project in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.

Ausdrill Managing Director, Mark Norwell, said: “These new projects demonstrate the diversity of the expanded Ausdrill group across different projects and resources, solid progress of Barminco, and the professional service our businesses have been providing to our customers.”

Rosemont has been a fully operational open-pit gold mine since March 2013 and is one of three Regis projects in the Duketon deposit area, 130 km north of Laverton in the Goldfields region of Western Australia.

Regis recently approved expansion of the mine to an underground operation located directly below the current Rosemont open pit, with Barminco to perform development and production work at the underground deposit. In August, the Regis board announced it had approved the development of an underground mining operation directly below the current Rosemont open pit exploiting the maiden underground mineral resource estimate of 1.4 Mt at 5.1 g/t for 230,000 oz of gold.

Barminco will commence mobilisation immediately and expects to employ around 100 staff at the project. Onsite works will commence in the March quarter, including commencing portal development at the southern end of the Rosemont Main open pit.

Barminco CEO, Paul Muller, said: “This project adds to Barminco’s extensive experience in the Western Australia Goldfields, with current mining projects at Sunrise Dam and Agnew. We will draw on our deep capability across Barminco’s people, equipment, systems, processes, and expertise in underground mining to ensure we provide a safe and reliable service at Rosemont and look to build a strong, long-term relationship with Regis.”

Meanwhile, the company has already mobilised on the 14-month contract to carry out decline rehabilitation and development works at Western Areas’ Odysseus mine. The contract builds on Barminco’s 14-years of continuous service for Western Areas at Forrestania, which includes the Spotted Quoll and Flying Fox mines where Barminco is the mining services provider.

Ausdrill’s work at the Woodie Woodie manganese mine, in the Pilbara of Western Australia, will commence next month, will run for 12 months and will require five RC drill rigs and one diamond drill rig to be drawn from the company’s existing fleet.

The company has already kicked off work at the Bellevue gold project, which will require around four diamond rigs to be drawn from the existing fleet.

 

More gas for APA Group in Goldfields region of Western Australia

Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, , , ,

APA Group has executed an agreement to extend and expand gas services to an existing customer in the Goldfields region of Western Australia.

Under this agreement, gas will travel over 1,200 km across the energy infrastructure business’ West Coast Grid.

The expansion contract is expected to generate some A$45 million ($32 million) of revenue, of which A$21 million is renewal revenues, over the five-year agreement period, starting in November.

APA said the contract is the most significant of three it has entered into to support the expansion of the Murrin Murrin Lateral, a transmission pipeline located in south Western Australia that is 84 km in length and has a capacity of 45.6 TJ/d. It connects the Goldfields Gas Pipeline to the Eastern Goldfields Pipeline, which then connects to the Sunrise Dam, Tropicana and Granny Smith gold mines in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia.

The APA Group is also currently constructing the Yamarna Gas Pipeline, which it expects to use to link the Murrin Murrin Lateral to a new APA Group-owned Yamarna Power Station. The Murrin Murrin Lateral is part of the Eastern Goldfields Pipeline System, which also includes the Eastern Goldfields Pipeline, Gwalia Lateral, Mt Morgans Lateral and Yamarna Gas Pipeline.