Tag Archives: Iron ore

Gravitas Minerals after iron ore recovery boost with Kalahari Process

Environmental, Mineral processing, Steel and iron ore, Water management, , , ,

Gravitas Minerals is leveraging its Optima Concentrator™ gravity separator to recover iron ore from tailings facilities and provide ‘value from waste’.

Using hindered settling, fluidised bed and autogenous dense medium separation technology to separate iron ore from gangue based on density, the Optima Concentrator has high throughput capacities of up to 40 t/h sq.m. This, the company says, is the ultimate low-footprint, water-only solution for fine iron ore recovery.

The company is using the Optima Concentrator to develop its so-called Kalahari Process™, which produces an iron ore product with a minimum grade of 63% Fe from various iron ore feed sources. The process has seen great success to date by yielding recoveries of up to 80%. In addition, the process is ideally set up for the direct reuse of water by dry stacking of both the product and tailings streams, according to the company.

An agglomeration stage added to the process can also produce fit-for-handling high-grade pellets, the company claimed. Another option would be to market the product as fines concentrate, a norm in the West African and Indian markets.

Gravitas Minerals Director, Tebogo Kale, said: “By utilising the Kalahari Process, iron ore producers can unlock the full potential of their mineral resource. In so doing, they can prolong the lifespan of their tailings’ facilities by up to 50%, reduce the disposal of iron ore tailings and the associated environmental impact, increase their revenues and ultimately boost profits.”

Fortescue, FFI and Progress Rail collaborate on battery-electric loco deployment

Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

Fortescue says it is continuing to progress the decarbonisation of its locomotive fleet with the purchase of two new battery-electric locomotives from Progress Rail to transport its iron ore to port in Western Australia.

The new eight-axle locomotives will have an energy capacity of 14.5 MWh and will be manufactured at the Progress Rail facility in Sete Lagoas, Brazil.

Fortescue, in December, said it was planning to test locomotives powered solely on green ammonia and other green renewable fuels and technologies at its rail operations in 2022, with two four-stroke locomotives arriving at Fortescue Future Industries’ Hazelmere facility, in Western Australia. These locos will undergo further testing on the new fuel system, joining other two-stroke locomotives which underwent testing earlier in 2021.

Fortescue Chief Executive Officer, Elizabeth Gaines, said on the latest developments: “The purchase of these new battery-powered locomotives marks an important milestone in the decarbonisation of Fortescue’s locomotive fleet and demonstrates our commitment to achieving carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, as we diversify from a pure-play iron ore producer to a green renewables and resources company.

“The new locomotives will cut our emissions while also reducing our fuel costs and our overall operational expense through lower maintenance spend.

“The acquisition builds on the work being carried out by Fortescue Future Industries’ Green Team in Hazelmere to deliver locomotives operating solely on green ammonia and other green renewable fuels and technologies.”

Fortescue is expected to take delivery of its first battery-powered locomotive in 2023.

Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) Chief Executive Officer, Julie Shuttleworth, added: “FFI is a key enabler of Fortescue’s decarbonisation strategy. Our Green Team has made outstanding progress in their mission to transform Fortescue’s trains, trucks, ships and other mobile equipment to operate on zero pollution fuels as soon as possible, and the purchase of these new battery-powered locomotives complements this work.

“Fortescue and FFI are working together to demonstrate that renewables can power the energy needs of Australia’s mining and resources sector.”

Marty Haycraft, President & CEO of Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company, said: “We are pleased to be working with the Fortescue team to determine the application, feasibility and suitability of battery-electric technology for deployment on their railway and to manufacture two of our BE14.5BB locomotives for this important project.

“We look forward to continuing to support our global customers with innovative products and services to help them meet their sustainability goals.”

NRW cements Karara Mining services contract

Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , ,

NRW has followed up on a letter of intent with Karara Mining Limited for mining services works at the Karara Iron Ore mine in Western Australia, sealing a formal contract with the company.

The contract value is circa A$702 million ($502 million) over a five-year duration, with the project workforce averaging an estimated 250 personnel.

Located 200 km southeast of Geraldton in the Shire of Perenjori, Karara is the largest mining operation and the first major magnetite mine in the Mid West. It produces a premium, high-grade concentrate product for export to steelmakers.

With an expected mine life of 30-plus years, Karara’s operation includes a large open-pit mine, complex ore processing and beneficiation plant and significant infrastructure and logistics networks.

The works to be performed include load and haul, drill and blast and run of mine re-handling with the drill and blast component to be undertaken by NRW’s wholly owned subsidiary, Action Drill & Blast Pty Ltd.

In addition, the work includes train loading and rehandling of the product stockpiles together with miscellaneous dayworks at the mine site, camp and access roads.

Key mining equipment required for the project including three 600 t excavators and a fleet of 220 t trucks is being progressively mobilised to site for commissioning, with works commencing in March 2022.

NRW Chief Executive Officer, Jules Pemberton, said: “I am delighted that NRW has now been formally awarded the contract and I look forward to a long and successful partnership with Karara Mining.”

Karara Chief Executive Officer, Changjiang Zhu, said: “NRW is an established Western Australia-based mining and civil contractor with extensive open-cut mining experience gained through a number of successful mining operations in the state. Offering new prime equipment, NRW has the capability to undertake the entire Karara scope of work comprising a broad range of mining, construction and engineering services. We look forward to commencement of mining services early next year.”

Rio Tinto puts call out for locally-made Pilbara rail cars

Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , ,

Rio Tinto has called for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from Western Australia-based manufacturers to build 100 rail cars for its Pilbara iron ore mining operations.

The EOI callout follows its announcement in September it would look for opportunities for Western Australian suppliers to help grow the local rail car manufacturing industry and support local jobs.

Rio will initially purchase 50 rail cars from the successful supplier, followed by an ongoing commitment of 10 rail cars a year for the next five years, it said.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive, Simon Trott, said: “I strongly encourage Western Australian manufacturers to submit an EOI to build these iron ore rail cars to service our Pilbara operations. We’re pleased to offer this opportunity to local businesses to support local jobs and the Western Australian economy.

“As the local manufacturing industry grows, we will continue to look at ways to engage local businesses to be part of our supply chain.”

The EOI supports the vision of the Western Australian Government’s iron ore rail car action group, which was formed to develop Western Australia’s manufacturing capability and which Rio Tinto is a member.

Hancock partners with Uni of Melbourne on ‘game changing’ Carbelec solution

Environmental, Mineral processing, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , ,

The University of Melbourne has entered into a multi-year partnership agreement with Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (HPPL) to develop Carbelec™, a technology that uses electrolysis at low temperature to convert carbon dioxide into reusable carbon and oxygen.

Carbelec is a potential game changer for industries such as steelmaking as it would enable the constant capture and re-use of carbon, balancing ongoing demands for production with the reduction of CO2 emissions in line with government mandates across the globe, the university said.

By capturing and reusing the carbon in a closed cycle, many existing efficient and proven processes will become essentially zero emission. This has the potential to speed-up decarbonisation by removing the challenges of introducing numerous bespoke solutions, according to the university. It is expected that commercial applications of Carbelec would utilise proven renewable energy sources to power the electrolysis process.

The University of Melbourne has successfully demonstrated Carbelec within its laboratories, it said. The partnership with HPPL will enable refinement and then scaling up of Carbelec over a two-stage developmental program.

University of Melbourne’s Dean of Engineering and Information Technology, Professor Mark Cassidy, said: “This partnership will allow University of Melbourne researchers and Hancock Prospecting to establish a comprehensive research and development program which addresses core components to develop this exciting technology. Our aim is to combine our world-leading research expertise with Hancock Prospecting’s ability for real-world practical deployment and, together, develop this technology on an industrial scale.”

Hancock Prospecting Chief Executive Officer, Garry Korte, said the potential benefits of Carbelec should be significant and far-reaching, noting that steelmakers could continue to benefit from the reliable and consistent supply of Pilbara ores, while also achieving their decarbonisation goals with both current and emerging steel technologies.

“Hancock Prospecting’s pioneering spirit is backed by a strong history of successfully partnering in innovative solutions to meet the needs of customers,” he said. “We believe Carbelec can be an important part of a future low-cost energy mix, allowing industries such as steel, cement and even current day baseload power generators to continue to lift the living standards of people in Australia and worldwide.”

Fortescue’s Chichester Hub iron ore operations hit solar power milestone

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fortescue Metals Group’s Chichester Hub operations are now being powered by solar energy following the completion of the 60 MW Alinta Energy Chichester Solar Gas Hybrid Project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, the miner confirmed.

Completion of the project with Alinta Energy marks a major milestone in the delivery of Fortescue’s decarbonisation strategy, as the company works towards its ambitious target of being carbon neutral by 2030 for Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

The solar farm will power up to 100% of daytime operations at Fortescue’s Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak iron ore sites, displacing around 100 million litres of diesel every year. The remaining power requirements will be met through battery storage and gas generation at Alinta Energy’s Newman Power Station, FMG said.

Fortescue Chief Executive Officer, Elizabeth Gaines said: “The completion of this project is a practical example of Fortescue delivering on its ambitious carbon neutrality target and demonstrates that renewables can power the energy needs of Australia’s mining and resources sector.

“As Fortescue transitions from a pure-play iron ore producer to a green energy and resources company, this milestone is a critical part of our Pilbara Energy Connect project which, together with the Chichester solar farm, will see 25% of Fortescue’s stationary energy powered by solar.”

Alinta Energy’s MD & CEO, Jeff Dimery, said: “Together, we’ve built a benchmark renewable project with an ambitious partner and, given the abundance of high quality renewables resources in the Pilbara, we look forward to supporting others to do the same.

“I’m very proud of the team and thank Fortescue, our partners, contractors and suppliers, NAIF, ARENA, and, in particular the Nyiyaparli People, on whose country the solar farm sits.”

The project also includes the construction of approximately 60 km of new transmission lines, linking Fortescue’s Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak mines to the solar farm and Alinta Energy’s existing energy generation infrastructure in Newman.

Haver & Boecker Niagara tackles high moisture levels with new elliptical screen

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Steel and iron ore, Water management, , , , , , , , ,

Haver & Boecker Niagara has engineered a new, elliptical motion Niagara XL-Class vibrating screen for a Brazilian iron ore producer that, it says, is ideal for applications challenged with high moisture content.

The new technology can handle capacities up to 3,500 t/h while minimising water usage, with the XL-Class running in an elliptical motion of up to 6 g in this high moisture iron ore screening application to ensure stratification in all phases of screening. The new vibrating screen also features an elliptical exciter drive that offers a bearing life up to 75,000 hours.

“We are dedicated to using innovative technological solutions to enhance our customers’ daily processes,” Denilson Moreno, Haver & Boecker Niagara Sales Manager, said. “Our new XL-Class design is a prime example of that. The vibrating screen’s unique elliptical movement maintains unrivalled screening performance when processing high moisture materials.”

Iron ore, for example, can contain up to 15% moisture, and often behaves like a pasty, clay-like material, prone to blinding on a screen deck. The elliptical movement motion and increased acceleration of the XL-Class ensures the material is stratifying without blinding or contamination, according to Haver & Boecker.

The elliptical motion XL-Class vibrating screen is available in a wide-range of sizes, in either a single module or tandem design.

Haver & Boecker Niagara manufacturers its own brand of Niagara Exciter technology, which functions as the drive system for all elliptical XL-Class vibrating screens. The bridge-mounted exciters are available in five different sizes and offer the largest static moment range on the market, according to the company.

Each elliptical XL-Class machine is custom designed to the operation’s specific application using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), which measures high stress areas and natural frequencies of a vibrating screen. The analysis helps engineers optimise machine performance by giving them the information they need to determine where to reinforce critical areas and reduce the weight of any oversized components, the company explained.

“With more than 15 years of FEA and experimental measurement experience – and nearly 400 high-capacity vibrating screens supplied to the global market – Haver & Boecker Niagara is able to engineer state-of-the-art high-capacity vibrating screens that offer easy operation, low maintenance and unmatched reliability,” it said.

Operations can pair the elliptical XL-Class with the with the company’s signature Ty-Deck Ultra modular screen media to maximise the screening efficiency of high moisture material and address its challenges, according to the company. Ty-Deck Ultra’s accelerated screening action cleans material without the use of water, therefore reducing the need for tailing dams.

With a 50% longer wear life than the original Ty-Deck, the screen media panels are an ideal choice for screening high moisture materials, such as iron ore, Haver & Boecker said.

LKAB starts core logging automation, digitalisation process with Minalyzer CS

Automation, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

LKAB has become the first iron ore miner in the world to implement the continuous XRF scanner Minalyzer CS, starting the process of automating and digitalising its drill core logging workflow.

By collecting data in an automated system, LKAB is aiming to improve the consistency and efficiency of its core logging process, Minalyze said.

LKAB and Minalyze initiated the collaboration in March 2020 when the first scanner was installed at the Kiruna iron ore mine for a test. It was then expanded to Malmberget where data from the Minalyzer CS was used to help geological logging of the drill core. The focus for the tests was to assess the datasets: geochemistry, high resolution images, RQD and specific gravity generated by the scanner and to determine how these datasets can assist in the core logging process.

Following these developments, the two companies plus Sentian, in May 2021, said an artificial intelligence application developed by the trio would be trialled to make drill core analysis faster, with the time to evaluate a drill core reduced from weeks to minutes, with increased accuracy.

LKAB Senior Vice President Exploration, Strategy and Business Development, Pierre Heeroma, said: “The tests with the Minalyzer in Kiruna and the more complex Malmberget geology confirmed that this Swedish technology is disrupting the core logging process – now we have fast access to rich data as guidance when classifying the rocks. Our core logging is now consistent and efficient.”

Annelie Lundström, CEO Minalyze AB, said: “The rest of the iron ore industry should closely follow the transformation LKAB is undergoing. With the Minalyzer they have one of the more automated and digitalised core logging workflows in the world. And they are setting a new world standard for sustainable mining with the fossil-free iron ore and steel making.

“We are very proud to be part of LKAB’s transition into the future.”

TAKRAF’s first Dry Stack Tailings system commissioned in Brazil

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , ,

The first DELKOR Dry Stack Tailings (DST) system to be supplied by TAKRAF Group in Brazil is being commissioned for one of the largest steel producers in the Americas, the company says.

The order for the key equipment for the DST system was awarded in January 2019 and was followed shortly by an order being placed for the supply of a TAKRAF stacker.

The project comprises the following equipment to process iron ore tailings:

  • Flocculant plant;
  • Coagulant plant;
  • 35 m diameter DELKOR high rate thickener;
  • 300 sq.m slurry tank with agitator;
  • Four double-stage centrifugal slurry pumps;
  • Four DELKOR overhead beam filter presses (FP OH): 2 m x 2 m plates;
  • Four compressors with tanks (process and instrument air); and
  • Four TAKRAF belt feeders.

As part of the client’s initiative to improve the sustainability of its operations, the DST system is being built to enable the filtering and stacking of tailings as the deposit area of the existing tailings dam reaches full capacity by year-end.

In addition, by removing most of the water present in the tailing slurry, enabling the material to be safely stacked, the client can benefit from a secure and environmentally friendly approach to tailings disposal.

“Not only does it obviate the risk of catastrophic tailings dam failures, but also maximises the water recovered for return to and re-use by the beneficiation plant,” the company said.

DST will be applied following beneficiation to treat the tailings generated during the iron ore concentration process by flotation. The raw tailings slurry will be first fed to the thickener where part of the water is already recovered. In the next process step, more water is recovered by the filter press to achieve a moisture level of about 14% (dry basis), thus creating a dry filter cake ready to be deposited.

DELKOR’s equipment is built to withstand harsh mining environmental conditions, with the filter presses designed as an overhead beam type suitable for the prevailing operational conditions, it said. These require, among other features, large volumes of material to be processed and easy access to the filter plates and filter cloths for maintenance.

In line with DELKOR’s holistic solutions approach, the DST system was designed as a fully-integrated dewatering process through sedimentation and filtration, with the material being tested in the lab prior to sizing the equipment.

Tiago Carvalho, TAKRAF Brazil Managing Director, said: “TAKRAF and DELKOR’s world-leading technology and expertise to offer a complete DST solution, together with our outstanding technical proposal, based on comprehensive DELKOR testing during the bid stage and collaboration with specialised partners, were undoubtedly convincing factors in the project award.

“All colleagues involved in this project should be commended for successfully bringing this important DST reference to commissioning. This project serves to reinforce TAKRAF Group as a leading global solutions provider and we look forward to successfully delivering future DST projects.”

Austin Engineering seals A$300 million contract with Rio Tinto

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , ,

Austin Engineering Limited has signed a five-year mining products and service supply contract with Rio Tinto Services Ltd, less than a week after the two companies celebrated the manufacture of the 1,000th truck body for Rio’s iron ore division.

The contract is for the supply of dump bodies, lightweight trays for ore trucks, heavy machinery buckets, water bodies and other fabricated products. The contract also covers the provision of “Off Site Repairs” and other associated services for both Austin-supplied equipment and for other OEM supplied heavy machinery.

The contract, effective from December 16, covers supply from all of Austin’s major global facilities including those in Australia, Indonesia, North America and South America. It is an umbrella or call-off type agreement, allowing for the supply of equipment and services to multiple Rio Tinto operations around the world through individual purchase orders.

Austin estimates that the value of services under the contract over its life could be around A$300 million ($213 million), although it is dependent on individual purchase orders. The contract includes pre-agreed pricing for mining buckets and haul truck trays matching Rio’s global fleet, enabling rapid purchasing and order fulfilment. The contract also provides for annual price reviews to manage exchange rate, steel and labour rate variances and any other factors that the parties agree are relevant to pricing.

Under the contract, Austin will use its recently established “Innovation and Technology Hub” to continue to develop its products to help meet Rio Tinto’s objectives to optimise the safety, lifecycle and productivity of its global heavy machinery fleet.

Austin has supplied Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO) operations with its heavy machinery consumable equipment, offsite repairs and other equipment for 33 years, initially servicing Robe River in the Pilbara. Austin delivered its first bucket to Rio Tinto 21 years ago and its first truck body 14 years ago. As mentioned, last week, the two companies held a ceremony in Perth to mark the manufacture of Austin’s 1,000th truck body for RTIO.

Austin CEO and Managing Director, David Singleton, said: “This contract extends our very successful and productive involvement with Rio Tinto for another five years. Rio Tinto is a key customer for Austin’s products and services, and I would like to thank the company for its support in helping to build a strong local manufacturing industry in Australia, and a leading business in this industry globally.

“As a result of this commitment by Rio Tinto, we have the confidence to invest in developing our Austin 2.0, strategy. As part of this, we recently announced a A$6.5 million investment in advanced manufacturing at our facilities initially in Western Australia and Indonesia that will bring new levels of quality, production capacity and flexibility. In addition, our Innovation and Technology Hub in Western Australia is focused on meeting the safety, mine site efficiency and decarbonisation goals of Rio Tinto and other customers in Australia and around the world.”