Tag Archives: Iron ore

Civmec readies for first shutdown maintenance campaign at Roy Hill iron ore mine

Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , ,

Australia-based Civmec Ltd’s maintenance team is about to mobilise to Roy Hill Holdings’ iron ore operations in the Pilbara of Western Australia as it commences the first shutdown campaign of its long-term services contract with the company.

In July, Civmec was awarded a maintenance contract with Roy Hill and the company is now “working collaboratively on planning, drawing experienced personnel from its extensive resource pool to ensure this first phase of a long maintenance campaign is delivered seamlessly”, it said.

Civmec said the outcomes of this first phase of work, due to start this month, will dictate the client’s approach to ongoing maintenance.

The contract includes providing mechanical, scaffolding, electrical, conveyor and shutdown management services, according to the company.

Civmec said this contract, and others recently secured with the likes of Alcoa, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group, was the direct result of investing in dedicated maintenance facilities nationally, together with bolstering its maintenance management team capability, training and recruiting.

Patrick Tallon, Civmec’s CEO, said: “We see the commitment towards the continual growth of a maintenance division as a very strategic move to support the significant requirement to maintain the many new plants that have recently been constructed in the minerals and metals and oil and gas sectors across Australia.”

Civmec has traditionally been thought of as a multi-disciplinary heavy engineering construction company.

Roy Hill is a 55 Mt/y iron ore mining, rail and port operation in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. Civmec previously carried out four contracts as part of the build, included heavy engineering and structural, mechanical, piping and electrical instrumentation packages.

FMG backs Western Australia Aboriginal businesses in latest contract awards

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , ,

Fortescue Metals Group has awarded more than A$6 million ($4.4 million) worth of contracts to two Western Australia Aboriginal businesses, as part of the iron ore company’s Billion Opportunities programme.

Aboriginal-Noongar owned business Kooya Australia Fleet Solutions, Australia’s largest indigenous fleet management and rental company, has been awarded a three-year contract for the supply of light and commercial leased vehicles across Fortescue’s operational sites, while majority owned Aboriginal business Thuroona Services has been given a contract for maintenance work at Fortescue’s rail operations.

Since the inception of Fortescue’s Billion Opportunities in 2011, 270 contracts and sub-contracts valued at A$2 billion have been awarded to 110 Aboriginal-owned business and joint ventures, Fortescue said.

Fortescue Chief Financial Officer Ian Wells said the contracts signified the company’s continued commitment to supporting local content as part of its procurement process.

“By partnering with Aboriginal businesses to build their capability and capacity, we are opening the doors to future work with other organisations which is fundamental to their economic sustainability and prosperity,” he said.

BHP blasts off at South Flank iron ore project in Pilbara

Mineral project development, Mining project news, Steel and iron ore, , ,

BHP has carried out the first blast at its South Flank iron ore project in the Pilbara of Western Australia, as the mining major continues with a schedule that should see first ore come out from the new mine in 2021.

The company officially broke ground on the $3.6 billion development in July, just over a month since it approved construction.

The South Flank project expands the existing infrastructure at Mining Area C, and involves construction of an 80 Mt/y crushing and screening plant, an overland conveyor system, stockyard and train loading facilities, procurement of new mining fleet and substantial mine development and pre-strip work.

South Flank is forecast to produce ore for more than 25 years, and is expected to help BHP Western Australia iron ore division’s average iron grade go from 61% to 62%, with the overall proportion of lump increasing to 35%, from 25%.

Clough is the EPC contractor on the project, with MACA, CIMIC’s CPB, SIMPEC and NRW Holdings also carrying out work at South Flank, which is owned 85% by BHP and 15% by Itochu and Mitsui (collectively).

Lase scanning iron ore rail wagons for Vale at Ponta de Maderia port in Brazil

Bulk handling, Mine operation news, Mine surveying, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, ,

Germany-based Lase has received another order from iron ore giant Vale, with its 3D laser measurement systems now scanning train wagons at the Ponta de Madeira port in Sao Luis, Brazil.

LaseRCDs have been installed to ensure foreign objects – such as humans, animals and tree branches – do not sneak into the cargoes that are destined for international steel markets.

Before the iron ore arrives in Sao Luis, it is transported by train out of the world’s biggest open-pit iron ore mine at Vale’s S11D, in Carajas. One train can total up to 3.3 km in length and consist of 330 wagons, meaning a manual scan is a time-consuming process.

In the port terminal of Sao Luis so called ‘O-type rotary tandem dumpers’ are used, in which two cars/wagons can be unloaded at once without uncoupling through rotating couplings.

For the unloading process, Vale required a measurement system able to both determine unexpected objects on top of the material in a wagon and to undertake “emptiness control” following unloading.

For this solution at tandem dumpers, Lase uses two 3D laser scanners mounted centrally above each wagon as well as the software application LaseRCD, which collects the scanner data and carries out all needed calculations.

“When the wagons are positioned inside the dumper and being fixed by clamps, the laser scanners measure the surface of the material by 3D scan planes and detect it for unexpected objects,” Lase said.

“If nothing is detected, the application signals the prior PLC to tip over the wagons. Afterwards, the emptied wagons roll back to their initial position and the further emptiness control is triggered, where the inner surface of the wagon is scanned and a 3D scan profile image is created.”

This scan is compared with an internally stored image of a totally empty wagon.

“In case of any difference by remaining material inside the wagon, the application generates a signal (three levels of non-emptiness signals) and sends volume data of the remaining material to the PLC.

“In order to protect the laser scanners against dust and rain, they are mounted into stainless steel hoods, which clean the scanner windows by an included air pressure unit. All systems have been implemented in collaboration with our Brazilian distribution partner C+ Tecnologia,” Lase said.

Lase is gaining a good reputation in Sao Luis, with three LaseRCD systems already commissioned for ThyssenKrupp Brazil and another of Vale’s O-type rotary tandem dumpers. The company also has LaseBVC conveyor belt measuring systems in place at S11D.

Metso wins largest global pellet plant order from India’s JSW Steel

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Metallurgy, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Water management, , , ,

Metso is to supply a pellet plant to one of JSW Steel’s large-scale steel operations in India.

The order includes grinding, filtration and a pyro-processing pellet plant, and is the largest global pellet plant delivery to date.

It is also the single largest installation of Metso 2040-60 VPA Vertical Plate Pressure filters. These filters, developed for filtration of metallic minerals, industrial minerals, coal and tailings, are used in heavy-duty dewatering applications.

The order is booked in Metso’s June quarter 2018 orders received.

Metso established its operations in India in 1992, and has since been developing a strong footprint in the market. Today, the company is a leading player in pelletising in India.

Victor Tapia, President of the Metso Mining Equipment business area, said: “Metso has a proven track record of delivering sustainable performance and reliability to the mining industry globally. We are very proud of this order, which further strengthens our position in the Indian mining market.”

Earlier this month, Metso reported a jump in services and sales orders, and profit in the June quarter, noting healthy activity in all of the markets it serves in the three-month period.

Australia resources sector supports record FY18 exports

Base metals, Energy minerals, High tech minerals, Mineral commodities, Mineral exploration, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Precious metals, Steel and iron ore, , , , , ,

Australia’s exports of goods and services surpassed A$400 billion (US$295 billion) for the first time in the 2018 financial year to end June, with resources making up the majority of sales.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed resources exports – including minerals, metals, coal and petroleum – were a record high A$220 billion in the 12-month period. This was a 11% rise from the previous year due to higher exports of coal, gold, base metals and LNG.

Despite lower prices, iron ore remained Australia’s largest source of export revenue with A$61.4 billion shipped.

Coal exports were only just behind, reaching a new record high of A$60.1 billion – up 11%, or A$5.9 billion, from the previous year.

Gold exports, including mined and refined yellow metal, set another record for export values with A$20.1 billion of the precious metal shipped in the 12-month period. This is the first time in Australia’s history gold exports have exceeded $20 billion, showing just how important the weak Australian dollar – relative to the US dollar – has been to the sector’s resurgence.

Exports of base metals and other minerals showed strong growth as a result of higher commodity prices and totalled $38 billion in 2017-18, also a record high.

The Minerals Council of Australia said this resources export revenue was delivering benefits to all Australians.

“The minerals industry and mining equipment, technology and services sector continue to provide high-paying jobs for more than one million Australians, particularly those in regional areas,” the MCA said.

“And, Australia is also poised to seize future opportunities for minerals resources that will come from growth in new consumer, energy and transportation technologies around the world.”

Australia has extensive resources of the rare earth elements, base metals, lithium and precious metals that are essential materials in smart phones, electric vehicles, modern energy systems and industrial machinery, according to the MCA.

“This means maintaining a competitive minerals sector is essential for Australia’s continuing economic prosperity, jobs and regional communities.”