Tag Archives: Saudi Arabia

CR Powered by Epiroc plants roots in Saudi Arabia with Rasi Investment Co partnership

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

CR Powered by Epiroc says it has solidified its presence in the rapidly growing mining sector of the Middle East by signing a dealership agreement with Rasi Investment Co., a prominent investment firm in Saudi Arabia involved in mining, contracting, real estate, IT and trading.

This strategic partnership, facilitated by Austrade, represents a significant advancement for CR Powered by Epiroc in meeting the increasing demands of Saudi Arabia’s dynamic mining industry, it says.

Eng Meshary Al-Ali, Chairman of Rasi Investment Co, stated: “Partnering with CR Powered by Epiroc, the leading supplier of ground engagement tools (GET) and digital solutions, enables our mining operators in the Kingdom to source application-appropriate tools while considering engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain variables. This collaboration will help reduce downtime and increase productivity by at least 5%.”

As Saudi Arabia ramps up its adoption of advanced mining technologies, the heavy equipment market is projected to exceed $4 billion. The Kingdom is actively seeking to tap into its untapped mineral reserves, which have surged from a 2016 estimate of $1.3 trillion to $2.5 trillion, according to Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Al Khorayef. These reserves include essential resources such as copper, gold, phosphates, zinc, and uranium, underscoring the need for cutting-edge mining equipment and digital solutions.

In alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, the country’s comprehensive roadmap for economic development and diversification, the mining sector has been identified as the third pillar of the Kingdom’s economy, alongside petroleum and petrochemicals. By 2030, the sector is expected to contribute 240 billion Saudi riyals ($64 billion) to the GDP, marking a fourfold increase from 2015 levels.

Chairman Eng. Meshary, also the CEO of Golden Compass, one of the leading mining service companies in Saudi Arabia, emphasised the importance of this alliance: “By choosing a trusted partner like CR Powered by Epiroc, we are establishing a robust alliance that will ensure our products perform at their peak in the Kingdom, leveraging GET and digital solutions to generate valuable data that underpins new insights and enhances mining operations.”

Paul Scutt, CEO of CR Powered by Epiroc, added: “We are excited to announce this partnership with Rasi Investment Co as our authorised dealer in Saudi Arabia. This agreement is a critical milestone for CR Power by Epiroc as we expand into key regions vital to the future of mining in the Middle East and globally. Rasi Investment Co’s extensive local market knowledge, combined with our cutting-edge technology, will allow us to deliver exceptional value to our customers. We look forward to a successful collaboration that drives innovation and efficiency in the global mining industry.”

Miguel Guimaraes, Head of East Australasia and India of CR Powered by Epiroc, added, “This alliance with Rasi Investment Co establishes a strong footprint in the Kingdom with a trusted local partner well-established in the mining sector. Our proactive collaboration is a step forward toward realising Saudi Vision 2030, supporting local industrial development, creating jobs, boosting productivity in mining projects and reinforcing the mining sector’s role as the economy’s third pillar.”

David Shao, Global Engagement Manager at Austrade, highlighted the international reputation of Australia’s METS sector, saying: “Saudi Arabia is an important trading partner for Australia. Two-way goods and services trade totaled $2.7 billion in 2023. As the mining sector in Saudi Arabia evolves, there are opportunities for enhanced safety and productivity through closer economic ties with Australia, a recognised leader in the METS sector.”

DynoNobel-Saudi

Dyno Nobel to partner with SCCL on Saudi Arabia technical ammonium nitrate plant

Explosives and blasting, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

Incitec Pivot Limited’s Dyno Nobel says it will partner with Saudi Chemical Company Limited (SCCL) to investigate the development and operation of a technical ammonium nitrate plant in Saudi Arabia.

Under a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into between the parties last month, Dyno Nobel will provide a range of expertise to assist the development and operation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s first ever Technical Ammonium Nitrate (TAN) Plant.

Dyno Nobel says it brings to the partnership global expertise in developing and operating plants across three continents and world-class project management and manufacturing skills. It will support the project’s Front End Engineering Design and project services for the development of the 300,000 MTPA TAN plant in Ras Al-Khair, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

A key part of the MoU is the future establishment of a joint venture with SCCL and the investment company for construction and operation of the plant. The joint venture would supply TAN and nitric acid to Saudi regional mining and industrial users and enable Dyno Nobel to supply TAN to its international mining customer base, Incitec Pivot says.

Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific President, Greg Hayne, said: “We are very pleased to partner on developing this exciting project which provides significant potential for the development of the Middle East’s mining industry.

“Our team’s technical knowledge and TAN expertise is an excellent fit and a key advantage for the project.

“The project also aligns with our long-term strategy to grow our global footprint and further expand our manufacturing operations and sales in the broader Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.”

Incitec Pivot Limited Chief Technology Development Officer, Rob Rounsley, said: “This partnership aligns with our EMEA blasting technology strategy to support surface and underground mining, civil tunnelling, quarrying, and general construction across the Saudi and EMEA mining sectors.”

EV Metals Group and Metso to build lithium chemicals plant in Saudi Arabia

Energy minerals, Environmental, Mineral project development, Mining services, , , , , ,

EV Metals Group plc (EVM), a global battery chemicals and technology company, has signed a technical partnership frame agreement with Metso for a Lithium Chemicals Plant (LCP) to be built in Yanbu Industrial City in Saudi Arabia.

The agreement signed at the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, outlines plans to engage Metso as EVM’s Technical Partner. Metso will provide technical, operational, maintenance and systems support to achieve best-in-class operational performance and asset management.

Metso will provide technical collaboration for EVM’s flagship LCP project, establishing the area as a globally significant midstream hub to produce high-purity chemicals required by electric vehicle and battery cell manufacturers. Metso’s advanced alkaline leach technology is already being deployed in different LCP projects around the world.

The technical partnership with Metso will support EVM to achieve a world-class environment with global standards of operating performance for its LCP while developing local employees’ skills and capabilities, the OEM says. Metso’s collaboration will be applied through all phases of the project, from project sanction to steady state operations.

EVM’s CEO, Luke Fitzgerald, said: “The technical partnership with Metso is a significant development to accelerate the progress of our LCP. EVM will take a collaborative approach to securing all requirements necessary to ensure successful start-up and operation of the LCP, fully aligning with the goals of Vision 2030. Metso is the ideal partner to provide processing technology and equipment for the entire lithium production chain, from mine to battery materials.”

Metso’s Services business area President, Sami Takaluoma, added: “We are extremely glad that EV Metals Group has shown their confidence and appreciation for the high quality of our technological expertise and end-to-end knowledge in sustainable solutions and services. We look forward to further developing our partnership. We are also committed to strengthening our service capabilities in the region to serve the growing customer needs.”

Metso says it provides sustainable technology and equipment for all ore types, including the critical minerals required for the energy transition, supported by its unique Planet Positive offering.

ERG debuts world-first smart exploration rover at Future Minerals Forum

Automation, IoT, Mineral exploration, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) is looking to change the early-stage mineral exploration process with a ground-breaking smart exploration rover, NOMAD, launched at the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today.

A remotely-operated soil sampling robot, NOMAD has been specifically designed to thrive in challenging terrains, such as those found in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as contribute to a smarter, greener and more sustainable economy.

NOMAD, based on Mars rover technology and developed by ERG Technology Intelligence, a division of ERG, incorporates three core elements that, according to the company, makes it fit-for-purpose in exploration contexts:

  • A remote, all-wheel drive semi-autonomous navigation system, key to navigating the Kingdom’s challenging terrain;
  • The inclusion of a multi-sensor platform that allows for efficient and immediate scanning of samples, integral to efficient, safe and methodical sampling; and
  • A built-in, percussion soil drill, that drills 800 mm into the earth’s surface, to fast-track sampling and transfer to scanning trays.

These features boost efficiency by taking more than 120 samples per day, which, the company says, is a major improvement on the maximum of 30 samples that can be achieved manually.

“With rising temperatures and increasingly arduous geological work conditions, NOMAD can perform formerly manual work more safely and proficiently, while allowing exploration of larger surface areas at pace,” the company explained.

Chile-based robotics company, Godelius, has partnered on the NOMAD development, while the unit incorporates Geotek’s BoxScan multi-sensor platform, which includes a BoxScan X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) sensor for chemistry analysis, a hyperspectral sensor for mineralogy assessment, a magnetic susceptibility laser profiler for magnetic property analysis, and a high-resolution line scan imagery solution for detailed visual data.

“This solution was chosen strategically based on their comprehensive range of exploration capabilities as a multi-element geochemistry solution,” Aaron Baensch, Head of ERG Technology Intelligence, told IM. “NOMAD’s uniqueness lies in its integration of these sensors in a single, mobile, fit-for-purpose drilling and scanning unit, making it the first of its kind to combine these advanced technologies.”

NOMAD can take more than 120 samples per day, which, ERG says, is a major improvement on the maximum of 30 samples that can be achieved manually

Once samples are collected by NOMAD, it returns to a central, remote, mobile analysis base station which houses the robots and also re-charges the batteries that power them. The base station, part of ERG Arabia’s complete end-to-end smart exploration solution, conducts analysis of the collected sample on site, working to fast-track operations, by helping the geology teams on the ground to make decisions in real time.

“This level of agility is integral to developing a more responsive and sustainable mining sector,” ERG says.

Baensch added: “With NOMAD, we aim to analyse a wide range of characteristics beyond just ore grade, including: elemental composition, mineralogy, magnetic properties and visual data. The units are equipped with low-level sensitivity sensors to detect even trace amounts of elements and minerals.”

The unveiling of the first NOMAD follows successful field testing in Ad Dawadmi, a location where ERG has exploration assets, in December. This focused predominantly on the navigation, autonomy and drilling aspects of NOMAD, according to Baensch.

“The terrain in the areas tested comprised shallow cover over residual regolith and proved the suitability of implementing NOMAD in the region perfectly,” he said. “The robot excelled in boosting operational efficiency by an astounding 400% compared to conventional manual exploration methods.”

In addition to deploying the unit for ERG Arabia’s use, the company is also seeking partnerships with industry, government and research institutions as a means to contribute to sector-wide exploration progress.

IMARC 2023 organisers preparing for ‘grand slam’ event

IoT, Mining events, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The world’s mining and resource leaders are heading to Sydney, New South Wales, for the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) from October 31 – November 2 in what has become a “grand slam” event of the industry, globally, event organisers says.

IMARC Chief Operating Officer, Anita Richards, said this year’s event was looking to be the largest ever, with over 520 speakers from global giants such as BHP, Fortescue, MMG, Gold Fields, Wesfarmers, Worley, Perenti, IGO, the US Departments of Energy and Defense and the ICMM, coming together to collaborate on themes including digital transformation and innovation; sustainability, social value, environmental resilience, people and culture; trade, investment and project opportunities; and energy transition.

She said: “The mining and resources industry is evolving rapidly to meet the growing energy demands of today while developing the minerals needed for a decarbonised economy – under unprecedented scrutiny from communities, regulators and investors.

“IMARC 2023 comes at a time when explorers and miners are diversifying portfolios to align with future demand, triggering the highest level of M&A activity across both mining and METS we have ever seen.”

This year’s conference will see the return of the IMARC NextGen Program, which will provide an opportunity for 200 NSW school children to learn about the diverse and exciting mining and resources industry.

IMARC 2023 also features:

  • A special ESG focus on creating social value;
  • An extensive look at First Nations engagement, human rights and transparency;
  • A look at best-practice mine rehabilitation;
  • A global perspectives on heritage and environmental custodianship and economic development;
  • A return of the successful Balance for Better Program which promotes equality, diversity and inclusion across all areas of the mining and resources sector.

Richards added: “Mining and resources have never been more important for sustainable economic, social and innovative development across the globe. We need more exploration and development to match surging demand for the critical minerals that are central to the global energy transition. IMARC 2023 is where the most important conversations are being held about how mining and resources can help achieve global development sustainably and equitably.

“IMARC is a key forum to address these challenges, and the global profile of the event is reflected in delegations already confirmed from India, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Chile, Mongolia, United States, South Korea, Japan, Germany and many more.”

At IMARC 2023 a range of new features have been added to the program. These include the Low Emission Technology Australia session to help accelerate innovation in the clean technology sector, the 4,000 sq.m IMARC Mining Pavilion with over 150 exhibitors present and the final of the Unearthed Global Innovation Games where the winners will be announced and their technology displayed.

IMARC 2023 will take place at the ICC Sydney from October 31 to November 2 and will be a celebration of what has grown into one of Australia’s biggest business events, with a record 8,500 delegates from over 120 countries, including upwards of 50 government delegations expected to attend, organisers say.

International Mining is a media sponsor of IMARC 2023 and will be in Sydney reporting on the event.

Ma’aden brings in Darkstone for Mansourah-Massarah TSF contract

Mineral project development, Mining services, Precious metals, Water management, , , , , ,

Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) has awarded Darkstone with a SAR105 million ($28 million) construction contract for the second phase of its Mansourah-Massarah gold mine tailings storage facility (TSF) construction project.

Darkstone Arabia Ltd, a company engaged in industrial mechanical and electrical maintenance, mechanical engineering, civil, construction and MEP works, was awarded the procurement and construction contract by Ma’aden this month, with the engineering portion assigned to ATC Williams, a leader in the provision of solutions for tailings, water and waste, to aid in designing the tailings and water management system.

Mansourah-Massarah is an open-pit mine in the Central Arabian gold region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, approximately 500 km southeast of Riyadh. The project has expected production of 250,000 oz/y of gold over an estimated life of 12 years.

As part of the contract, Darkstone will perform several tasks, including:

  • Construction of the waste management system, including floor and perimeter embankment, piping, mechanical works and HDPE geomembrane;
  • Waste distribution system;
  • Water management system;
  • Conducting laboratory tests; and
  • Carrying out various related activities.

Metso builds out Ma’aden relationship with Mansourah & Massarah LCS contract

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , ,

Metso says it has signed a two-year Life Cycle Services (LCS) contract with Ma’aden’s Base Metals and New Minerals company’s new gold processing plant at the Mansourah & Massarah site in Saudi Arabia.

Metso will support the customer in commissioning, ramping up and optimising the new greenfield site, covering both maintenance and plant operations, it says. Other elements of the agreement are field services and recommendations for wear and spare parts management, and advisory and training services.

The agreement demonstrates Metso’s service expertise, and it is an important continuation of the greenfield mineral concentrator and gold processing plant agreement signed in 2019, it said. This contract, related to Outotec at the time, saw a consortium of Outotec and Larsen & Toubro awarded with an engineering, procurement and construction contract to build a greenfield mineral concentrator and gold processing plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Mansourah & Massarah operation has been built in the Central Arabian gold region, with the processing plant capable of up to 4 Mt/y throughput. The concentrator and the gold processing plant has been designed to produce an average of 250,000 oz/y of gold over the life of mine.

The customer has the option to extend the contract by one year.

Kamal Pahuja, President Middle East and India market area, Metso, said: “We are very delighted with the customer’s continued trust in Metso. By choosing Metso’s Life Cycle Services contract, Ma’aden will receive comprehensive and top-notch service solutions as well as on-site technical expertise and support. We are committed to safety and sustainability objectives and will work with and support the customer in achieving their operational objectives. We are also committed to strengthening our service capabilities in the region to serve the growing customer base.”

Duncan Bradford, Executive Vice-President, Ma’aden Base Metals and Minerals BU, said: “Our aim is to lift the productivity of the new plant to the target level, strengthen the skills of our Saudi employees, and achieve our production and safety targets. The new plant will use three different methods of gold processing, including the first autoclave in Saudi Arabia; this requires a lot of know-how and proactive planning for trouble-free operation and maximum productivity. Metso already has a comprehensive range of key equipment for the plant flowsheet, and we will be able to benefit from Metso’s technological and service expertise.”

Mammoet showcases lifting capacity at Ma’aden-owned phosphate operation

Energy minerals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , ,

The Ma’aden Waad Al Shamal Phosphate Company (MWSPC), based in Saudi Arabia, is the latest company to have benefitted from Mammoet’s specialised logistics offering.

MWSPC operates some of the largest and busiest fertiliser plants anywhere in the world, including the Umm Wu’al Sulphuric Acid and Power Plant. This plant is in a new industrial city in the extreme northeast of the kingdom. Structured around three sulphuric acid trains containing a total of nine vast process towers, it produces almost 14,000 t/d of fertiliser a day.

When the company was looking to upgrade the facility, and replace the original towers with cleaner, more efficient equivalents, it needed to keep downtime to an absolute minimum. To compound the issue, the towers had originally been stick-built; not designed to be lifted in one piece when they needed to be replaced. The conventional approach for dismantling them piece-by-piece would take several months for each train.

Fluor, the project consultant, reached out to Mammoet to lift out the old towers in one piece. With careful planning, sophisticated computer modelling, the right equipment, and an expert team, Mammoet was able to develop the solution to delicately lift out the old towers intact, then manoevre the modular replacements into position.

To convince MWSPC and Fluor that this unlikely operation could be achieved, Mammoet prepared a detailed engineering study. Three dimensional digital models of each tower were supplemented by a series of ultrasonic tests to reveal their true structure and strength. A finite element simulation showed how they would respond to the pressure of being hoisted out of the plant. And a series of bespoke frames and slings were designed to safely cradle the towers throughout the move.

A key requirement was to draft in the right equipment, and Mammoet had two crawler cranes – the 1,600-t capacity CC8800-1 and 1,250-t capacity CC6800 – and the 3,200 t MSG-80 ring crane in place for this. With this combination, it became possible to reach far above the tight confines of the site, extract all nine of the towers, move them to a central staging area, and hoist the replacements into position, according to the company.

Abdullah Terkaoui, Project Manager for Mammoet, explains: “Our methodology enabled our customers to reduce the planned shutdown schedule for each train from 120 days to 45 days. Then, as the operation progressed, further time savings were realised: the complete shutdown of the first train was completed in 30 days; the second shutdown, where the lifts took only seven days, enabled completion in 22 days; and, for the third, the lift took just three days, with a total mechanical completion in 19 days.

“This meant that, thanks to the entire project team and everyone involved, all three shutdowns were completed two months (64 days) ahead of the original schedule – representing a time saving of over 50%.”

Nayef Rowily, Project Director for MWSPC, stated that considerable effort was put into reviewing Mammoet’s plan repeatedly, while keeping in mind the nature of the job, which involved integration in a brownfield and MWSPC’s strong desire to maintain production: “This was accomplished through excellent teamwork, including assessing all risks associated with the scope. Ultimately, we are pleased with Mammoet’s performance across all three SAP train tower replacements. They surpassed our expectations, and the site team did an exceptional job in delivering the project in record time. The MWSPC team takes pride in this significant achievement and recommends Mammoet’s expertise on a global scale.”

Metso Outotec, thyssenkrupp Uhde to develop phosphogypsum processing options for Ma’aden

Energy minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec says it and thyssenkrupp Uhde have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ma’aden in Saudi Arabia for developing a novel circular concept to improve the sustainability of Ma’aden’s phosphate operations.

The aim is to design a groundbreaking integrated complex for processing of phosphogypsum, a waste by-product from phosphoric acid production, to reduce the amount of solid waste and allow the capture of CO2 emissions.

The new circular process will be incorporated into Ma’aden’s phosphate operations to support the company in achieving its ambitious sustainability goals aligned with the Kingdom’s objectives, Metso Outotec said.

For the development of this process, Metso Outotec’s extensive know-how and experience in the field of fluid bed and sulfuric acid solutions will be used.

Hannes Storch, Vice President for Metals and Chemicals Processing at Metso Outotec, said: “We are honoured to be part of this unique initiative. Decarbonisation and circularity are relevant for all industries, and the new concept to be developed for phosphogypsum processing will be a major step forward in the fertiliser industry, contributing to efforts limiting global warming.”

Immersive Technologies equips EPSA with simulator program to train up truck operators in Saudi Arabia

Careers in mining, Energy minerals, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , ,

Immersive Technologies and earthmoving contractor EPSA have partnered on a new simulator training program in Saudi Arabia for community workforce development at a phosphate project.

The two companies, who have been involved in a number of joint community workforce development projects in the past, are pursuing a Komatsu HD785-7 truck simulator training program with a focus to enhance operational readiness and support EPSA’s strategy to train a growing Saudi Arabian workforce.

For the majority of operators, the simulator training program represented the first opportunity to get behind the controls and gain hands-on equipment operating experience, according to Immersive.

“Simulation provides a safe and risk-free environment to not only build basic machine operation skills, but also specific techniques related to safety, machine care and production optimisation,” it said. “One of the main project objectives was to streamline the training process at EPSA mining operations to ensure long-term operator productivity and reduced risks associated with newly developed workforces.”

Deploying simulation technology has, according to Immersive, aided in EPSA maintaining a level of zero percentage of lost time injuries from the project’s start and has also helped EPSA reach Saudization milestones with more than 80% of the current haulage operators being Saudi Arabian.

Mahfoud Snacel Training Manager of EPSA (pictured on the left with Lucas Natoli, Regional Manager for Immersive Technologies in Europe & Middle East, on the right), said: “EPSA aim to deliver a high degree of equipment availability and production levels for our mines. We also have an ongoing focus on improving safety. Our partnership with Immersive Technologies has helps us prepare workforces to meet these goals and to support a culture of safety and benefit to all workers.”

Johan Stemmet, Regional Vice President – EMEA & CIS for Immersive Technologies, added: “Immersive Technologies is fully committed to supporting EPSA’s strategic workforce development strategy. This includes ensuring the mining communities have the right people, process and technology to develop safe and productive workforces.”

EPSA also uses workforce development solutions at Isaac Downs in Queensland, Australia, and have acquired two PRO5 Simulators at its open-cut coal mine in Australia.