Tag Archives: Simon Tyrrell

Metso Outotec set for SAG mill Premier at Northern Star’s Thunderbox

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

Metso Outotec says it will deliver a high-capacity, high-powered Premier™ SAG mill to Northern Star Resources Limited’s Thunderbox gold mine expansion project in Western Australia.

The typical value of such a delivery is approximately €15 million ($17.7 million) depending on the final scope, according to the OEM. The order has been booked in the company’s Minerals’ first half of 2021 orders received.

On award of Northern Star Resources’ largest mill to date, Northern Star’s General Manager Processing, Simon Tyrrell, said: “The Thunderbox expansion increases the operation’s hard-rock processing capacity to 6 Mt per annum from the current 3 Mt/a, and decreases processing costs as outlined in our 2021 Investor Day Presentation.

“Northern Star’s selection of Metso Outotec for the mill supply is supported by their locally-based expertise, large mill supply history and ongoing collaboration with Northern Star.”

Earlier this month, GR Engineering Services executed an engineering, procurement and construction contract with Northern Star Resources in relation to the expansion project.

Christoph Hoetzel, Head of Grinding Business Line at Metso Outotec, said: “We are pleased to be chosen as a supplier for the Thunderbox expansion. The gear-driven Premier SAG mill to be delivered will feature 18 MW of motor power.

“With the Premier mill range, we advance our unrivaled innovation legacy providing our customers with most reliable technology, engineered to exceed their specific requirements. We are looking forward to continue the collaboration with Northern Star Resources and to be part of their success story.”

The Premier horizontal grinding mills are customisable solutions built on state-of-the-art grinding mill technology, process expertise and design capability, the company says. The Premier horizontal grinding mills are engineered to “excel and create vast possibilities” for customers and applications.

These mills can be integrated with Metso Outotec mill reline equipment and are supported by the company’s extensive services network to ensure optimisation during the mills’ lifetime, the company says.

GR Engineering to help double processing capacity at NSR’s Thunderbox

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

GR Engineering Services says it has executed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Northern Star Resources in relation to the Thunderbox 6 Mt/y expansion project in Western Australia.

Located 45 km south of Leinster, the Thunderbox operations currently have a 3 Mt/y processing capacity. The asset was owned by Saracen Mineral Holdings prior to a merger with Northern Star.

The works will involve the design, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the project, with the contract sum amounting to A$101 million ($74.3 million) and work is expected to start immediately.

GR Engineering has carried out several projects on the Thunderbox operations, including EPC work on the Thunderbox paste plant work, which has seen a new 150 cu.m paste backfill plant built.

Commenting on the recent award, Geoff Jones, GR Engineering Managing Director, said: “GR Engineering is excited to continue working with Northern Star, one of the world’s leading gold producers, to safely deliver the Thunderbox Expansion project. We have worked with the Northern Star team over many years and see this award as a strong endorsement of our proven EPC delivery capability.”

On award of Northern Star’s largest infrastructure project to date, Northern Star’s General Manager Processing, Simon Tyrrell, said: “The Thunderbox expansion increases the operation’s hard-rock processing capacity to 6 Mt/y from the current 3 Mt/y, and decreases processing costs as outlined in the 2021 Investor Day Presentation. Northern Star is pleased to be working with GR Engineering again, a local company with vast project delivery experience in the Australian mining industry.”

In this same presentation, the company said the processing capacity boost would involve the addition of a new 18 MW mill and classification circuit; new leach tanks, elution and gold room upgrades; and new tailing thickener and tailings pumping. The plant would be designed for 100% fresh ore, NSR said.

DRA under budget and ahead of schedule at NST’s Jundee expansion project

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DRA Global says it has completed its engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract under budget and ahead of time for Northern Star Resources at the Jundee gold mine, near Wiluna, Western Australia.

The Jundee mining operation is situated in the Northern Yandal Greenstone Belt, with the mine yielding a record 300,000 oz for Northern Star in the year ending June 30, 2020.

Jundee’s processing circuit comprises a two-stage crushing circuit, SAG and ball mill, and conventional carbon-in-leach plant. The ball mill upgrade, undertaken by DRA, increased processing plant capacity to a nominal design throughput rate of 2.7 Mt/y, from 2.2 Mt/y.

DRA delivered the EPCM project scope under budget and ahead of time, with ore commissioning achieved some six weeks ahead of schedule in a total duration of 35 weeks, it said.

“DRA’s project team achieved this outcome by working in close collaboration with the Northern Star project and operations team, the equipment vendors and construction sub-contractors,” it said.

Delivery of the project required overcoming challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, including risk mitigation strategies being initiated to maintain the accelerated project schedule, according to the company.

Northern Star’s General Manager Processing, Simon Tyrrell, said DRA had consistently met and exceeded performance expectations through a collaborative approach to the Jundee ball mill project delivery.

DRA was engaged on the EPCM contract after having completed an engineering and cost study which included scope definition, design, planning, capital and operating cost estimation. The project follows several previous plant upgrades and studies successfully completed by DRA at the Jundee gold mine, which have contributed towards the continuous production growth seen at the mine over the last four-to-five years, DRA said.

The process plant shutdown and tie-in of the new ball mill was performed in conjunction with the Northern Star operations team and contractors without incident, and the process plant has since ramped up to run consistently above nameplate design capacity, the company added.