Tag Archives: Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines

Ausdrill presents One Touch drilling

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Ausdrill is bringing One Touch drilling to its Rock Commander blasthole fleet, in the process creating a future where drilling can be optimised for efficiency and precision with minimal manual intervention.

The company, part of Perenti, said the innovative technology is set to transform the way it drills, and the way its operators work.

With just a single touch of a button, a driller can pre-select the hole depth and the machine takes care of the rest. It will touch ground, collar the hole, and then drill down to the required depth, including changing rods and flushing the hole. This means there is no need for manual intervention except for potential finetuning, Ausdrill says.

“One Touch ensures every step is meticulously executed, prolonging component life and reducing wear and tear, making it a safe, highly efficient and cost-saving solution,” it added.

In a video promoting the launch, Luke Phillips, Area Manager, Drill & Blast Operations, said One Touch drilling sets Ausdrill apart from its competition: “We are bringing this technology that is essentially already existing in the marketplace to the world-class Rock Commander fleet.”

The move coincides with the recently awarded five-year contract at the Northern Star Resources-owned Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) Fimiston open-pit gold mine in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

The circa-A$160 million ($104 million), 60-month contract – the largest ever Australia surface mining contract Perenti has received – incorporates activities that commenced March 1, 2022, and will continue to March 2027. It includes the provision for up to 14 production blasthole drill rigs to support ongoing operations.

Phillips said One Touch drilling and the KCGM contract form an integral part of the Ausdrill technology roadmap.

“The stages thereafter will be a semi-autonomous approach to how we work, and mine and drill in and around underground work,” he said.

Ian Chisholm, a Driller at the Fimiston Open Pit, referred to the technology as “cruise control” for a drill rig.

“You just push the button and everything is done for you,” he said, adding that the rest of the process is made up of monitoring tasks.

Phillips added: “One Touch drilling benefits the client because it has the potential to remove human error in regards to rework or redrilling holes. [It also] reduces or removes damage because it is a semi-autonomous product, and it’s something that our trainees can engage with at an early grassroots stage.”

Related to this, SITECH WA, a provider of innovative technology solutions for mining operations in Western Australia, recently announced a strategic partnership with Ausdrill to introduce Trimble Groundworks machine guidance technology across Ausdrill’s Rock Commander fleet.

The integration was referred to as a milestone achievement for both companies, with the successful implementation of Groundworks on Rock Commanders at BHP WAIO laying the foundation for this partnership. The synergy between Rock Commander and Groundworks has solidified this decision, further influencing its adoption at KCGM’s Fimiston gold open pit (the Super Pit).

Trimble Groundworks boasts a user-friendly interface that enhances job site safety, accuracy and operational efficiency, according to the company. Operators of all skill levels can quickly adapt to and leverage the system’s capabilities, making it a powerful tool for mining professionals. Real-time spatial information provided by Groundworks also significantly enhances safety by alerting operators to exclusion zones and potential hazards.

One of the notable benefits of this integration is the elimination of the need for manual marking of drill patterns, resulting in substantial labour cost savings, the companies said.

FLSmidth to deliver MissionZero comminution equipment to KCGM gold operations

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Northern Star Resources Ltd has placed an order for a wide range of FLSmidth mineral processing technologies for its Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) Operations’ mill expansion project, according to the Denmark-headquartered OEM.

KCGM Operations are east-northeast of Perth in Western Australia, part of one of the richest goldfields in the world, the so-called Golden Mile close to the city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

The order is valued at approximately DKK 515 million ($75.1 million) and was booked in the June quarter of 2023. The equipment is due to be delivered during 2024.

Under the agreement, FLSmidth will supply a range of MissionZero products covering most of the flowsheet, including SAG mill, ball mill, primary crusher, pebble crushers, flotation cells and a pre-leach thickener. In addition to these technologies, the order also includes spare and wear parts. Upon installation, these technologies will substantially reduce the mine’s energy consumption.

The 20 MW grinding mills will be the highest power, gear-driven mills in the world and the ball mill will be the first gear driven 28 ft (8.5 m) diameter ball mill, according to FLSmidth.

“This order is yet another important milestone in our ambition to enable zero emission mining by 2030, and we are very pleased with Northern Star Resources’ contribution to fulfilling this ambition,” Mikko Keto, CEO at FLSmidth, said.

This week, Northern Star announced the final investment decision on the KCGM Mill Expansion project, agreeing to invest A$1.5 billion ($1 billion) to boost the mill’s capacity to 27 Mt/y, from 13 Mt/y.

Northern Star Resources’ Managing Director, Stuart Tonkin, said of the FLSmidth order: “Northern Star’s purpose is to generate superior returns for our shareholders, while providing positive benefits for our stakeholders through operational effectiveness, exploration and active portfolio management. Being a responsible producer for the benefit of our shareholders, employees, other stakeholders and the communities in which we operate is key to our sustainable operations. We are pleased to partner with globally leading technology suppliers like FLSmidth in advancing our five-year profitable growth strategy.”

Perenti secures largest ever Australia surface mining contract at KCGM’s Fimiston mine

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Perenti Limited says its Ausdrill subsidiary has been awarded a new surface miningcontract at the Northern Star Resources-owned Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) Fimiston open-pit gold mine in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

The new circa-A$160 million ($110 million), 60-month contract incorporates activities that commenced March 1, 2022, and will continue to March 2027.

Ausdrill has been contracted to provide up to 14 production blasthole drill rigs to support ongoing operations.

Given the scale and quality of its existing Ausdrill fleet, Perenti does not expect any new capital outlay to support this contract, it said.

Mark Norwell, Managing Director & CEO of Perenti, said “We continue to remain focused on supporting the families, friends, and colleagues of Trevor and Dylan following the tragic incident at the MMG-owned and Barminco-operated, Dugald River mine in Queensland last week. However, over the weekend Ausdrill executed a material contract and in-line with our disclosure obligations, we are providing the market with an update.

“We have secured our largest ever surface contract in Australia, which continues our relationship at one of Ausdrill’s first ever projects. We are very proud to be part of Kalgoorlie’s history and we look forward to continuing to deliver certainty and value for Northern Star, our employees and business partners.”

He added: “Since the release of our operational update on 19 December 2022, we have continued to deliver on our strategic objectives and while we have seen some strengthening of the Australian dollar relative to the US dollar, we have seen overall margin improvement and continued to win or extend existing contracts, positively resolve commercial negotiations and further simplify our business. Market conditions continue to remain favourable into the second half of financial year 2023 in support of further delivery against our 2025 strategy. We look forward to providing additional details when we release our first half 2023 results tomorrow.”

Paul Muller, President Contract Mining at Perenti, said “Ausdrill began with two drill rigs in 1987 at the Fimiston mine. Since then, Ausdrill has continued to expand its services to include blast hole and grade control drilling, utilising a fleet of drill rigs specifically designed and manufactured (in-house) to meet the unique specifications required by the Fimiston open-pit mine.

“We look forward to continuing to provide our value-add expertise to the KCGM operations while extending our long-standing relationship with our local and regional stakeholders.”

SRG Global continues engagement with Kalgoorlie Super Pit after signing pact with Northern Star

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SRG Global Ltd’s 25-year history with the Kalgoorlie Super Pit in Western Australia is set to continue after it signed a new five-year term contract with the mine’s current owner, Northern Star Resources.

The agreement is one of two new contracts – the other with Meridian Energy – the ASX-listed company has secured, which are valued at circa-A$90 million ($63 million).

The scope of works of the Northern Star contract includes the provision of geotechnical ground support, rock fall protection systems, depressurisation drilling and rope access services at the Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines gold operations. The contract will commence immediately and is expected to complete in 2027.

David Macgeorge, Managing Director, said: “The Northern Star contract continues SRG Global’s over 25-year history at the Kalgoorlie Super Pit and provides a platform to further strengthen our relationship with Northern Star through the provision of geotechnical services.”

DDH1 drilling contractor debuts on ASX after stellar IPO

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DDH1 Ltd has officially commenced trading on the Australian Securities Exchange following an initial public offering last week that saw the drilling contractor secure gross proceeds of A$150 million ($115 million) through the issue of around 40% of its shares.

The IPO proceeds were used to allow existing shareholders to realise part of their investment in the company and to repay company borrowings, the company said. The IPO was one of the largest by a Western Australia-based business in the past decade, according to DDH1.

“The ASX listing marks a significant milestone in the evolution of DDH1, which was established in Perth in 2006 with the vision to create Australia’s premier mineral drilling contractor,” the company said. “Over time, DDH1 has earned the custom of Australia’s premier mining companies through its repeated and meticulous service offering of gathering the critical geological data that supports the decision making in respect of all mining activity through the complete cycle of a mine’s life.”

DDH1 has a portfolio of approximately 102 clients, with a financial year 2020 pro-forma revenue of A$249.8 million. Its earnings are diversified across multiple commodities and geographies, with a client base that includes Newcrest Mining, BHP, Evolution Mining, Gold Fields, Independence Group, Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines, Newmont Corp, Ramelius Resources, Rio Tinto, Roy Hill Iron Ore and St Barbara.

It offers both surface and underground drilling services, with diamond coring and reverse circulation rigs on offer.

Sy Van Dyk, DDH1’s Managing Director and CEO, said: “The growth and success of DDH1 to date is testament to the commitment of the whole team, which strives to ensure the safety of all stakeholders while delivering exceptional service to our clients.

“Our long-term client relationships are built on the provision of quality drilling services and a deep understanding of our client’s business needs. The company’s significant market position reinforces the strong levels of industry recognition.”

He concluded: “There is growing demand in the Australian mineral drilling sector for DDH1’s services because of increased exploration, development and production spending by minerals exploration and mining companies. As an ASX-listed company with a strong balance sheet, a committed shareholder base, a disciplined approach to growth and access to capital markets, DDH1 is well positioned to pursue its growth strategy.”