Tag Archives: Piacentini & Son

Strandline kicks off Coburn open-pit development with dozer mining units

Energy minerals, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, , , , , , ,

Strandline Resources says rapid construction of its 100%-owned Coburn mineral sands project in Western Australia has facilitated commencement of open-pit mine development (starter pits) two months ahead of schedule.

After successful early mobilisation of the mining contractor (MSCS) in April 2022, construction of the temporary tailings storage facility is almost finished, and pre-strip mining will commence from next week, it said.

Mine development will now run concurrently with finalising the construction of the processing and supporting infrastructure, which remains on-budget and on track for first production of heavy mineral concentrate later this year.

The Coburn definitive feasibility study, released in June 2020, outlined a mine life of 22.5 years at a mining rate of 23.4 Mt/y.

Detailed mine planning optimisation by AMC Consultants, using the latest infill drilling data, has resulted in an enhanced pit design for the first two years of the mine plan, which contains less overburden (lower strip ratio) and potentially reduced mining costs compared with assumptions contained within this study, the company noted. The strip ratio has reduced from an average of 0.7 to 0.5 over the first two years of the mine plan, due primarily to optimising and scheduling more ore closer to surface on the eastern side of the deposit.

The three dozer mining units, in the meantime, have been delivered and assembled on site, ready to be moved into position for mining first ore later this year. These dozer units were designed and constructed by Piacentini & Son and form a key part of Coburn’s efficient dry mining methodology, capable of receiving, screening and pumping ore from the mine to the processing facilities at an average rate of 3,100 t/h, based on two units in operation at any one time, Strandline says. The in-pit dozer mining units are designed to be frequently relocated as the mine progresses through the mine plan.

Commissioning of the sub-systems associated with the wet concentration plant and hybrid power station is expected to commence from July as construction verification works ramps up, the company added.

Strandline Managing Director, Luke Graham, said commencement of pre-strip mining represents another important milestone for the project, ensuring the company remains on track for first production of heavy mineral concentrate in the December quarter this year.

“Construction continues to advance strongly with commissioning of the wet concentration plant and hybrid power station set to commence next month,” he said.

Strandline’s Coburn mineral sands project to go mobile with Piacentini dozers

Comminution of minerals, Energy minerals, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , ,

Strandline Resources says it has taken another important step towards development of its Coburn mineral sands project in Western Australia by appointing Piacentini & Son to design and construct three mobile dozer mining units for the project.

The scope of the A$21 million ($15.3 million) fixed-price contract forms a key part of Coburn’s efficient dry mining methodology, capable of receiving, screening and pumping ore from the mine to the processing facilities at an average rate of 3,100 t/h, based on two units in operation at any one time, it said.

The contract follows Strandline’s recent A$18.5 million equity raising to advance early works development activities while finalising the balance of project funding. Strandline says it is making solid progress towards definitive finance documentation and conditions precedent for the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility A$150 million loan facility and is advancing discussions on the commercial debt tranche which is expected to stand alongside.

Coburn has a JORC compliant mineral resource of 1.6 Bt at 1.2% total heavy mineral (THM), classified as 119 Mt measured, 607 Mt indicated, and 880 Mt inferred. The ore reserve comes in at 523 Mt grading 1.11% THM for circa-5.8 Mt of contained heavy mineral, underpinning an initial mine life of 22.5 years at a mining rate of 23.4 Mt/y.

Last month, Strandline appointed Macmahon as the principal contractor to provide site-wide civil and bulk earthworks construction services for the project. The company is also expected to carry out contract mining at the site.

Strandline says the in-pit dozer mining units from Piacentini are designed to be frequently relocated as the mine progresses through the mine plan.

The parties have agreed final contract documentation based on a fixed price, fixed schedule arrangement, in line with the assumptions contained within the Coburn definitive feasibility study, Strandline added.

“The agreement is subject to standard conditions precedent regarding the development of the project and Strandline releasing a formal notice to proceed to commence the works under contract,” the company clarified.

Cat, WesTrac highlight XE wheel loader range in Western Australia

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

Caterpillar, last week, invited dealers and key clients from across Australia and New Zealand to a special showcase event for its latest wheel loaders, articulated trucks and a range of other equipment.

The machines were put through their paces at Quarry Farm, south of Perth, in Western Australia, with 2019 national Load and Haul Event centred around Cat’s new XE range including the Cat 988K XE and 972M XE wheel loaders.

Cat said: “The XE range is proving incredibly popular for a broad range of applications across construction, earthmoving and smaller mining operations, and is closely based on the popular predecessor models with additional features providing greater productivity, efficiency and even better all-round performance.”

The new Cat 988K XE is the first large wheel loader offered by Caterpillar with a high-efficiency electric drive system, delivering 25% greater overall efficiency and up to 10% more productivity in load-and-carry applications than the 988K loader, according to Cat.

“Delivering high-production in all loading applications, the 988K XE is recommended for demanding job sites where fuel efficiency makes a difference in the machine’s total cost of operation,” the company said.

The new loader features switched reluctance technology and leverages more than 15 years of Cat electric drive experience as well as more than four years of stringent testing in a range of applications, according to the company.

The Cat C18 ACERT™ engine, mechanical dropbox, driveline and axles from the legacy of the 988K remain in this electric drive machine, providing a consistent, trouble-free operation, Cat says.

Cat’s 972M XE wheel loader, meanwhile, features a continuous variable transmission that results in smooth shifts, fast acceleration, and speed on grade, while also delivering exceptional fuel economy, Cat says.

“While designed with the construction sector demands in mind, these characteristics will make the 972M XE a popular choice in quarry and mining operations with the need to deal with steeper grades, tighter loading areas, and greater pressure on cost per tonne,” it said.

Among other recent additions on display was the 986K wheel loader, 6015B hydraulic shovel, and the 745 and 740 GC articulated trucks.

There was a cameo appearance by the Piacentini Panther Low Loader, designed by Bunbury-based contractor Piacentini & Son, which has been developed to improve safety and efficiency when loading and transporting heavy equipment around mine sites, the company said.

Jarvas Croome, CEO of WesTrac which hosted the event and is the Caterpillar dealer for Western Australia and New South Wales, said industry would welcome the further refinement of this popular range of construction and earthmoving equipment.

“Activity is increasing across Australia with a large number of infrastructure and major construction projects underway, while there’s also a lot of movement in mining,” he said.

“The highly versatile Cat XE range is going to be a popular choice for fast, efficient operations across all sectors, not to mention providing improved environmental performance for operators.”