Tag Archives: Moranbah North

Anglo American’s longwall automation milestone recognised in awards ceremony

Anglo American’s innovation-led approach to sustainable mining, FutureSmart Mining™, and a willingness to collaborate with industry parties, has enabled it to achieve a major milestone in longwall operation: 100% machine automation.

This work was recently recognised at the Queensland Mining Awards where team members received the METS Ignited Collaboration Award.

Billed as delivering a significant step change in the safety and efficiency of underground mining, the ability to remove people from hazardous situations at the face and, instead, relocate them to a purpose-built Remote Operations Centre (ROC), has enabled the company to deliver a breakthrough in performance being recognised across the underground coal mining industry.

Anglo American says the development of industry-first systems and technology for this project were completed through working collaboratively with partners including Restech, Aurecon, Komatsu, Eickhoff, Marco and GTick systems.

The miner achieved its first longwall shear fully controlled from surface in late 2018 at its Grosvenor mine in Queensland, Australia, with this milestone achieved on its Komatsu Mining longwall equipment.

Yet, it was the Moranbah North mine that became the first of the company’s three operating longwalls to achieve the 100% automation mark (pictured above).

This mine uses SL 900 shearers from Eickhoff, with a team of operational and engineering experts monitoring the longwall mining process from start to finish. These operators, located in the ROC above-ground, are able to analyse the data and drive safer operations, better decisions and achieve mining excellence, the company says.

Head of Transformation for Anglo American’s Steelmaking Coal business in Australia, Dan Reynolds, said Moranbah North has now become Australia’s most capable remotely-operated underground steelmaking coal mine, with the company’s other mines – Grosvenor and the recently-commissioned Aquila – following close behind.

“All three underground mines are now fully remote-capable, allowing operators to work from state-of-the-art ROCs on the surface of the mine,” he said.

Aquila, Anglo American’s most recently commissioned mine, is also remote-capable, allowing workers to work from a Remote Operations Centre above ground

Step change

The key drivers behind automating longwall operations were to improve safety by reducing personnel exposure to underground hazards; reduce operational variability, to deliver more stable operations and improve efficiency; and improve sustainability of operations, through ensuring automation resilience in various operating conditions.

Much of the technology required to achieve these improvements did not yet exist when Anglo American was considering such a move, and previous industry attempts at achieving sustainable autonomous and remote operations had fallen down, Anglo American said, due to:

  • Enablers not being defined to the level required;
  • Key operational systems being unavailable;
  • OEM operating logic not providing the required operational solutions;
  • The technology enablers not being available; and/or
  • The workforce not being suitably prepared.

Anglo American saw collaboration as a key tool able to overcome these issues, recognising that significant leaps forward in technology were required, including the development of various automation-enabling applications.

“Working with operational teams, the Underground Technology and Automation team developed a leading practice target operating model for integrated remote operations and automation and technology enablers after extensive workforce collaboration,” Reynolds said.

Anglo American says its Steelmaking Coal business has delivered a breakthrough performance in the development and implementation of autonomous longwall technology and remote operations for the underground coal mining industry

“It was identified early in the project that a step change in the supply of systems and technology would be required to achieve project goals. This was reached through working with the OEM and third-party technology providers, which ensured the technology and the software systems provided the solutions that met our mining requirements.”

This work required the team to work collaboratively across its underground operations and corporate partners to develop a series of industry-first safety and production systems that were required to “unlock” autonomous longwall operations, the company said.

The list of innovative, industry-leading processes and systems that the partners have developed, include:

  • A longwall remote operations framework
  • Autonomous shearer:
    • Auto duck – system solution
    • Auto gate road entry – system solution
    • Anglo Seam Steering – system/technology solution
  • Integrated remote powered roof support (PRS) control:
    • Integrated face controller – system/technology solution
    • Remote strata control – system solution
    • Enhanced logic solutions – system solutions
  • A Remote Operating Centre longwall system manager:
    • Integrated central interface solution for longwall remote management comprising:
      • Auto gate road entry
      • Anglo Seam Steering
      • Auto alerts
      • ROC reporting
      • Auto blockage detection
      • Longwall positional control
      • Creep management.

The high levels of collaboration between internal teams and third-party providers enabled these systems to be developed, according to Anglo American.

“The outcomes of this work are significant,” Reynolds said. “It is delivering a significant step change in the safety, stability and sustainability of underground mining.”

The company shed a bit more light on these innovations – many of which have been spoken of by suppliers and mining companies as the missing pieces of the fully-autonomous longwall mining puzzle – in its Queensland Mining Awards application.

“Auto duck”, for instance, allows the shearer to automatically cut under roof supports in challenging strata conditions.

“Auto gate road entry” involves the longwall shearer becoming more “intelligent”, using existing data from scanned files, PRS height data or manual measurements to determine the next cut height for the gate road.

“Seam steering” identifies whether the longwall is in or out of the coal seam by automatically detecting the tonstein band position. This, Anglo American says, is a valuable stratigraphic measure.

“Blockage detection” is conducted using eight cameras across the longwall face, which automatically detect if a face blockage is seen, alerting a ROC operator as necessary.

Similarly, “longwall alerting” sees a ROC operator alerted of potential events or issues. “Tailgate lag control” automatically identifies if the tailgate drive is lagging the face line, while “strata management logic” enables automation of shields.

The company says its Steelmaking Coal business has delivered a breakthrough performance in the development and implementation of autonomous longwall technology and remote operations for the underground coal mining industry.

Mastermyne’s Aquila coking coal contract extended by Anglo

Anglo American has extended the stay of Mastermyne Group at its Aquila coking coal project in Queensland, Australia, with the ASX-listed contractor set to continue development of the underground mine for at least the next 12 months.

Mastermyne has been engaged since August 2019 to undertake roadway development in the mains and gate roads, and all outbye related services for the establishment of the new longwall operation at Aquila.

The contract variation will extend the current contract to March 2022 and includes the operation of an additional roadway development unit.

Mastermyne currently employs 178 full-time personnel under the contract, with a further increase of around 60 full-time personnel required for the operation of the additional roadway development unit. Up to half of the personnel for this third development unit at Aquila mine will be relocated from Anglo’s Moranbah North coal mine (currently suspended), following the completion of planned activities. Mobilisation of the additional workforce at Aquila will be completed by March 2021.

The contractor says it continues to supply development equipment from its fleet, including a continuous miner and ancillary development equipment for the project.

Total revenue generated from the variation and extension to the mining contract is expected to be approximately A$60 million ($47 million).

Mastermyne CEO, Tony Caruso, said “We have been working to deliver major underground infrastructure and roadways safely and efficiently, and we look forward to continuing our work with Anglo American to deliver their new longwall project, producing premium high-quality hard coking coal.”

Anglo’s 70%-owned Aquila project will extend the life of its existing Capcoal underground operations by six years and continue to use the associated infrastructure at the Capcoal complex as its nearby Grasstree mine approaches end of life, Anglo says. The project is scheduled for first longwall production of coking coal in early 2022.

Anglo American to test pressure sensor tech following Grosvenor methane ignition incident

A trial of pressure sensors to remove power from the longwall face and the expedition of longwall automation are two of the areas Anglo American is hoping will improve safety at its underground coal mines in Australia, following a methane ignition incident that occurred at its Grosvenor mine, in Queensland, on May 6.

The company began to brief its Queensland-based workforce on the progress of its expert investigation into the methane ignition last week, with Tyler Mitchelson, CEO of Anglo American’s Metallurgical Coal business, saying the company’s focus continues to be on providing ongoing support for the five personnel injured during the incident, four of whom have now been released from hospital, while the fifth remains in a stable condition.

While investigations were progressing and may take some time to formally conclude, Mitchelson said the company would continue to review controls in place across its underground mines as any technical or other findings become available from the investigations.

“We know from our expert analysis that there was a significant and unusual overpressure event on May 6, where a large amount of methane was released into the longwall area, and, seconds later, a brief ignition occurred,” he said. “At this stage, the ignition source has not been conclusively determined and testing continues.

“We also know that in the hours leading up to the incident, there were no non-compliant methane readings in the longwall area.”

Since 2016, the company has invested around A$230 million ($161 million) on gas drainage and gas management activities at the Grosvenor Mine, according to Mitchelson.

“Despite this investment, and extensive controls in place to prevent an underground ignition of methane, we need to further improve our controls to respond to the specific combination of factors of an unusual and large overpressure event in the vicinity of the longwall with a potential ignition source,” he said.

“By drawing on technical learnings and information as it becomes available from the investigations, we have begun a review of our site methane management controls, which includes assessing additional technology options and applying any further improvements across our underground mines.”

As a first step, the company is beginning a pilot study at its Moranbah North mine to assess the use of pressure sensors to remove power from the longwall face as an additional control if a significant overpressure event occurs, he said.

“Whilst pressure sensors are already in use today, across the industry they have not been integrated for this particular purpose,” Mitchelson explained. “Learnings from the pilot will be incorporated across our underground mines and shared with industry.”

Mitchelson said the company has already invested “considerably” in progressing the automation of its longwall equipment, and “expediting this work will also be part of the solution to reducing risks in underground mining”.

Among more recent elements of longwall automation the company has pursued is the ability to operate its longwall shear from an above-ground remote operating centre at the Grosvenor mine.

The company added: “As the largest underground coal miner in Queensland, Anglo American has been at the forefront of technical innovation and has invested significantly in technology to improve safety in its mines, including additional methane detection equipment above and beyond regulatory requirements, digitisation to improve underground communication, and automation of equipment.

“We will continue to prioritise this work.”

Mitchelson said it was unacceptable five personnel were seriously injured on May 6 and that the company would ensure all relevant learnings from investigations underway and the Board of Inquiry are incorporated across its business.

“We continue to support our injured colleagues and their families as they continue their recovery,” he said.

He reiterated that safety comes first, and mining would not resume until it was safe to do so.

While mining activities have been suspended, the Grosvenor workforce has continued to be supported on full pay since the incident to enable the company to work through its future plans, step by step.

Mastermyne gets three more years at Moranbah North, Grosvenor

Mastermyne Group has had its Moranbah Region Umbrella contract with Anglo American’s Metallurgical Coal division renewed for a three-year term, it said.

The contract extends the existing contract at Moranbah North and Grosvenor mines, in Queensland, Australia, and commences from November 15.

Mastermyne said the pact includes an option to extend for an additional two years at Anglo American’s discretion, with work under this contract estimated to contribute revenues of around A$250-$300 million ($170-204 million) over the three-year term.

The scope of work includes design, supply and installation, recovery and maintenance of ventilation structures and devices; installation of secondary support; outbye support and maintenance activities; conveyor belt installations and recovery; and development services.

Moranbah North is an underground longwall coking coal mine that began operating in 1998, while Grosvenor, also a longwall coking coal mine, produced its first longwall coal in May 2016.
Mastermyne said the revenue and earnings from the contract extension have been included in the company’s current 2020 financial year guidance.

Mastermyne CEO, Tony Caruso, said: “The company is very pleased to see the continuation of this long-term relationship, built with Anglo American over the past 17 years. Moranbah North and Grosvenor mines supply high-grade metallurgical coal to the international market for steel production, and we are pleased to support their successful operation.”

Mitchell’s UIS drilling contract extended by Anglo American

Mitchell Services has won a contract extension from Anglo American that will see it continue underground coal drilling and gas drainage services at the miner’s Grosvenor and Moranbah North coal mines, in Queensland, Australia.

The variation to the ASX-listed company’s Underground In-Seam (UIS) drilling contract with Anglo American will see Mitchell provide up to six UIS rigs and provide specialist underground services at the sites.

It also resulted in the extension of the contract expiry date to December 31, 2021 with a further two-year extension option available.

Mitchell said: “Whilst the company anticipates a significant long term revenue and EBITDA benefit as a result of this extension and scope increase, the company notes that, given the timing of the variation, the expected start date of the additional rigs and the anticipated level of associated ramp up, the variation is not likely to have a material impact on the recently provided financial year 2019 revenue and EBITDA guidance numbers of A$110-$120 million ($77-84 million) and A$21-$23 million, respectively.”

Brain Industries devises versatile self-filling tanker for sludge, slurry clean up

An underground coal mine in Australia is piloting the use of a self-filling tank to help clean up sludge and slurries.

The mine in question is Anglo American’s Moranbah North coal operation in Queensland and the product is a new hydraulics-fitted version of Brain Industries’ self-filling tanker, Brain said.

Brain’s Managing Director, Gillian Summers, said the tanker is an advancement on Brain’s air-driven model which enables vacuum recovery, haulage and dumping of heavily solids laden slurries and sludges containing lumps up to 150 mm in size.

Summers said the new 6 cu m tanker has been produced in response to calls from the underground mining industry for more versatility and can be run from any LHD.

She said powerful jet pumps mean Brain’s self-filling tankers vacuum-load continuously to achieve high loading rates. Also, it is constructed aluminium free to comply with mining regulations.

“While the new hydraulics version was produced for underground mines, our self-filling tankers are also suited to applications in hard-rock mining, tunnelling and contract cleaning services,” she said.

“With no moving parts in contact with the material, continuous loading of large lump solids, including waxy, fibrous and abrasive materials, is possible without detriment to the pump.”

Loading stops automatically at a high level when handling wet materials, according to Brain. Excess water can be drained from the tailgate valves to allow top-up of load, maximising hauled solids.

Summers said the tanker is not only easy to use but easy to empty, with the use of a 250-mm diameter dump hatch or full-sized rear door.

Existing customers can also benefit from this new technology, with the company’s line of air driven self-filling tankers able to be retrofitted with hydraulics.

Brain’s self-filling tankers can be skid-mounted or trailer-mounted. The skid-mounted unit is made to be transported on a flatbed trailer or truck using the side-accessed forklift sockets, with the multi-purpose vehicle unit also able to be transported above ground in this way. The trailer-mounted self-filling tanker has a rocker arm, load sharing wheels with oil-filled hubs and solid tyres, Brain added.