Tag Archives: PNG

COSOL to expand SAP, ERP offering to Ok Tedi Mining

Base metals, Communications in mining, IoT, Mine operation news, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , ,

COSOL is to expand the work it is currently providing Ok Tedi Mining, in Papua New Guinea, with the ASX-listed company set to enhance and optimise the exploitation and efficiencies of its core SAP ERP business systems for the copper-gold miner.

The company is currently providing the miner with special projects work as part of a digital transformation program and support services.

The expanded engagement is valued at approximately A$2.2 million ($1.4 million)/y over two years.

COSOL said: “The expanded engagement builds on the existing support arrangement provided by COSOL for Ok Tedi Mining’s SAP, Ariba, SuccessFactors, core HR and payroll systems.

“In addition to the continued core systems support, COSOL is driving the expanded digital transformation program focusing on digital workspace collaboration and business intelligence.”

A key component of the program will be the sustainment and modernisation of the copper and gold miner’s underlying IT infrastructure to underpin the move to a hybrid cloud platform, COSOL said.

COSOL CEO, Scott McGowan, said: “This expansion of services reinforces COSOL’s engagement approach in being more than simply a technology services provider. While our extensive capability in enterprise asset management generally, and SAP specifically, underpins our operations, it is our understanding of our clients’ business drivers, priorities and the underlying data that supports our clients’ digital transformation.

“Flexibility to adjust to, and provide value in, the dynamic business environments our clients operate continues to be a hallmark of COSOL’s growth and success – both domestically and internationally.”

OK Tedi boosts operator safety with new Immersive Technologies collaboration

Base metals, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , ,

Immersive Technologies and OK Tedi have established the first fully-integrated Operator Performance Analytics (OPA) system as part of the Papua New Guinea miner’s focus on operator safety, Immersive says.

Following the successful delivery of continuous improvement projects and managed services by Immersive, OK Tedi opted to establish an OPA installation on-site with the dual goals of improving safety and machine care among their operators, Immersive, which is now part of Komatsu Ltd, said.

Using the OPA electronic operator scorecard, OK Tedi was able to drill down to individual operator performance indicators. These indicators can be used to see how an operator compares with their peers or are trending over time. “Ranking of all operators additionally provides a unique opportunity to motivate personal ownership of safety statistics and performance, while providing management an effective tool to identify training needs to improve overall mine site productivity,” Immersive said.

OPA data can also be filtered specific to machine errors, performance on different machines, performance over time and training history to locate the root cause of a performance trend. An initial dataset was analysed using six months of machine operational data from the field and simulator data, with this data used to identify outlier operators in terms of risk rating or performance against key metrics (such as spot time, average speed loaded and average tonnes per km/h).

Masket Siune, Superintendent Mine Business Improvement & Training OK Tedi, said: “OPA has enabled quicker analysis of mine operator performance to identify trends or patterns to mitigate risk relating to equipment reliability and operator productivity metrics.

“We now have a reliable operator data platform that gives real comprehensive data view to approach our operators and discuss training development needs or for reward and recognition for the outstanding performance based on both risk and productivity criteria.”

With multiple operational data sources integrated within OPA, OK Tedi easily identified a high incidence of high peak frame bias events, therefore prioritising simulator training for those operators contributing the highest error counts, Immersive said. Once underperforming operator groups or individuals are identified, these can be selected and assigned to a training needs analysis report.

Simulator training can then be conducted and training data automatically sent back to OPA —without manual intervention. Typical training scenarios for errors could require operators to navigate loaded trucks over rough road conditions or load and dump using the correct procedure. In turn, this can be used for assessment of training retention and impact.

Alex Da Silva, Global Professional Services Manager at Immersive Technologies, said: “At OK Tedi, analysis that previously took days or weeks, now takes minutes, integrating disparate data systems with simulator generated data provides a single, powerful platform for workforce development planning.”

OK Tedi, which mines copper, gold and silver in the Western province of PNG, plans to extend the use of OPA to additional machines types to further support its operations, according to Immersive.

GR Engineering to take on Woodlark gold process plant in PNG

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining project news, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

GR Engineering Services looks like being rewarded for all of its hard work in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Geopacific Resources’ Woodlark gold project.

The ASX-listed mine developer says it has issued GR Engineering with an EPC letter of intent for the 2.4 Mt/y carbon in leach (CIL) process plant (modelled above), tailings line and other supporting infrastructure at the PNG project.

The final EPC contract is expected to be in the form of a guaranteed maximum price and will be signed following agreement of the final terms and conditions, Geopacific said.

“The company has selected an EPC contracting structure to de-risk the largest component of the capital expenditure requirement. Other remaining establishment capital costs also include site-based infrastructure and a mining fleet,” the company added.

In the meantime, Geopacific says it may instruct GR Engineering to commence an early works program to procure tenders and pre-order long lead time items such as the SAG and ball mills.

The processing plant will be constructed between the Kulumadau and Busai pits which are around 4 km apart. The project currently has 1 Moz in gold reserves, with significant upside from the 600 km² exploration licence, Geopacific said. The grade for the first five years is over 1.5 g/t Au with all-in sustaining costs estimated at A$866/oz ($586/oz).

GR Engineering is currently finishing off work on a crusher replacement project for Ok Tedi Mining in PNG.

Geopacific Managing Director, Ron Heeks, said: “GR Engineering has a strong reputation in successfully designing and constructing processing plants on time for a guaranteed maximum price. Geopacific is confident that their recent experience in PNG and strong track record in constructing similar projects will greatly de-risk the construction of Woodlark. We look forward to finalising the EPC contract, and advancing the development of Woodlark.”

GR Engineering Managing Director, Geoff Jones, said: “Our clients are increasingly seeking certainty and a track record of performance and GR Engineering has been able to demonstrate this to Woodlark, including by reference to its successful project outcomes in the turnkey design and construction of mineral processing plants in the gold sector.”

Telstra LTE solution improving communications at Newcrest’s Lihir gold mine

Automation, Communications in mining, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , ,

Telstra Mining Services says it has implemented Papua New Guinea’s first private 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution) mobile network at Newcrest’s Lihir gold mine.

The next generation wireless communications platform will allow for greater levels of safety, remote operation and automation, according to Telstra, which worked with Newcrest to provide design, staging, site deployment and testing of the network.

Every kind of production vehicle asset, including trucks, drills, excavators, dozers, shovels and barges have now been connected and operationally proven over LTE. This process has revealed significant performance improvements in terms of reliability, speed and latency, according to Telstra. “The network has been able to resolve challenges with existing Wi-Fi connectivity and is making Newcrest’s safety and productivity systems more effective,” Telstra said, adding that fleet efficiency and real-time visibility have benefited from an 80% improvement in communications reliability on LTE-enabled assets.

The gold deposit at Lihir is within the Luise Caldera, an extinct volcanic crater that is geothermally active, and is one of the largest known gold deposits in the world, according to Newcrest. Most of the ore is refractory and is treated using pressure oxidation before the gold is recovered by a conventional leach process.

In the financial year ending June 30, 2018, Lihir produced 955,156 oz of gold. Since production commenced in 1997, the site has produced more than 10 Moz of the yellow metal.

Dr Jeannette McGill, Head of Telstra Mining Services, said Newcrest’s decision to invest in Private LTE technology further validates it as a dependable and scalable networking platform for the mining industry and one that enables mining houses to digitally transform.

“We’ve provided Newcrest with a tailored platform that will underpin its safety and digital mining ambitions and will help improve productivity and deliver new value and efficiencies to the business,” she said. “They’ll be using it to further modernise the mine site to enable the use of current and future mining applications, including tele-remote and autonomous systems, more extensively.”

The platform is completely independent from public mobile networks, according to Telstra, with Newcrest having been provided with its own dual-frequency base stations, LTE core and SIM cards, with the network’s configuration and coverage designed and implemented to meet the Lihir mine’s safety strategy and long-term mine plan.

Telstra Mining Services’ solution also includes ‘HetNet’ functionality that allows the Newcrest vehicle fleet to seamlessly switch between LTE and existing Wi-Fi networks without impacting critical mining applications.

Newcrest complemented the LTE technology solution by implementing new towers, data centres and redundant power systems across the site, according to Telstra.

McGill added: “Newcrest and Telstra Mining Services took what has become a best-in-class preliminary deployment approach with the network. Designing it for full production but initially deploying at two sites allowed Newcrest to validate the design principles, implementation techniques and practical capabilities of LTE before scaling their investment.”

Newcrest’s pragmatic approach, combined with flexibilities in the solution from Telstra Mining Services, enabled the desired outcomes and learning to be achieved within a relatively short timeframe, despite the remoteness of the Lihir operation, according to Telstra. Future phases of the project will further enhance coverage in-line with Lihir’s 20-year mine plan, and provide for expansion of coverage and capacity across the mine, processing plant, port and camp.

Chris Jordaan, General Manager, Newcrest Lihir, said: “The Lihir mine extends 300 m into a volcanic crater and our workers can often be exposed to elevated temperatures. Tele-remote and autonomous mining technologies are fundamental to working the hot work areas that will become more dominant features of our operation in the future.

“The Private LTE network will be a great enabler for these technologies and, coupled with the existing in-pit Wi-Fi network, we have been able to create a heterogeneous network that covers the whole mining lease.”

Gavin Wood, Chief Information & Digital Officer at Newcrest, said: “Safety is Newcrest’s number-one priority and the network Telstra Mining Services has built with us at Lihir will enable safer and more efficient mining using new technologies. The success of this project was 100% driven by leadership and personal commitment of the Lihir’s OT/IT team working together with Telstra Mining Services.”

LTE is a future-ready platform for wireless communications in mining, providing dependable and scalable communications that the next generation of machines, systems and workforce applications will require. Having been proven in carrier networks, it’s now seen as the mining industry’s next step for connectivity.

LiDAR proves up potential new resource at Kingston’s Misima gold project

Mine surveying, Mineral exploration, Mining project news, Mining services, Mining software, Precious metals, , , , ,

A recent LiDAR survey has confirmed the location of a large stockpile of mineralised material at Kingston Resources’ Misima gold project in Papua New Guinea.

The light detection and ranging (LiDAR) survey provided a highly accurate and detailed model of the surface terrain, which has assisted in identifying historical mining topography, current and historic artisanal mining, as well as identifying potential geological features and determining water drainage patterns, Kingston said.

This near-surface stockpile is not accounted for in the current 2.8 Moz indicated and inferred gold resource at Misima, according to the company.

“This information will assist and enhance the broader drilling and exploration programme,” Kingston said. “A stockpile of mineralised material left in place by former owner Placer Dome (since acquired by Barrick Gold) has been confirmed at the Cooktown Dump, a large area adjacent to the Tonowak Pit reported to contain 3.6 Mt of low-grade material averaging 0.5 g/t to 0.7 g/t Au.”

This dump, which was capped with topsoil and rehabilitated during the closure process, remains intact, with its current position matched against mine survey files created during mine closure, according to Kingston.

“While the grade of the Cooktown Dump is modest, it is important to note that it represents loose rock, at surface and close to the likely location of a future processing plant,” Kingston said. “All of these factors reduce mining and processing costs.”

By calculating the volume of the Cooktown Dump LiDAR model and cross-referencing this against Placer’s Mine Closure Plan and survey files from 2000 to 2004, the company has set an exploration target for the dump of 3.6 Mt at 0.5 g/t to 0.7 g/t Au for 58,000-81,000 oz of gold.

The company’s exploration strategy is now firmly focused on discovering and defining near-surface satellite mineralisation at prospects including Ginamwamwa, Quartz Mountain, and Ara Creek.

“Adding near-surface resources is likely to enhance the economic potential of any possible future mining operation. The close proximity and minimal mining costs of this stockpile make it an excellent early feed source to any future development plan,” Kingston said.

The tonnage figure of 3.6 Mt is taken from information and tables within the Misima Mine Closure Plan published in 2000. To check this, a digital model of the Cooktown Dump was created from the LiDAR data using Surpac software, assuming the dump was constructed on a flat surface as described in the closure report. The volume within this model is 2.44 million cu.m.

Using a bulk density range of 1.8 to 2.0 t/m3, this equates to approximately 4.4 Mt to 4.9 Mt. After taking into account the fact the dump is covered with a layer of topsoil capping, the current dimensions agree closely with the reported tonnage. The dump dimensions have also been checked against mine survey records from 2002 and 2004, both taken during the mine closure process, and the survey records match the 2018 LiDAR topography. As a result of these validation checks against the original report, the company has chosen to express the exploration target tonnage as 3.6 Mt rather than an indicative range.

Kingston Resources currently has an earn-in agreement for Misima where it can receive a 70% stake in the project by completing a stated amount of exploration work.