Tag Archives: Singapore

Anglo American tests out sustainable biofuel in shipping operations

Bulk handling, Environmental, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

Anglo American says it has successfully trialled the use of sustainable biofuel to power a chartered capesize ship during a voyage from Singapore to South Africa.

The biodiesel blend, produced by converting waste cooking oil from Singapore’s food and beverage industry, reduces carbon dioxide emissions compared with using 100% conventional marine fuel.

Peter Whitcutt, CEO of Anglo American’s Marketing business, said: “Low emission ocean freight is crucial in driving the long-term sustainability of the maritime industry. Shaping an effective transition requires a comprehensive framework of complementary solutions, in which alternative marine fuels have an important role to play.

“We are partnering with like-minded industry players to improve our understanding of factors likely to impact the future scalability of this solution. The success of this trial marks an important step forward in establishing biofuel as a viable option, aligned with circular economic principles. These efforts also reinforce our commitment as an organisation to reduce emissions across the entire value chain, as we work towards carbon neutrality across our operations by 2040.”

The trial conducted onboard the ‘Frontier Jacaranda’, a capesize bulk carrier owned by Japanese shipping company NYK Line, was instrumental in verifying the stability of the biofuel in storage and its performance as a fuel, Anglo said.

Data gathered is providing new insights into wider efforts to introduce biofuel to the maritime sector, paving the way to improving its cost-effectiveness and using higher percentage blends in future trials, the company added. The conversion of waste cooking oil into fuel for transportation aligns with the principles of the circular economy, by providing a fresh and environmentally beneficial use for what would otherwise be disposed of.

Toyota Tsusho Petroleum supplied the biodiesel blend, consisting of 7% biofuel and 93% regular fuel. This combination reduces carbon dioxide emissions by around 5%, is compliant with the International Standard Organisation’s requirement for marine fuels and requires no substantial engine modifications, according to the company.

Anglo American partnered with Singapore firm Alpha Biofuels, which converts waste cooking oil into biofuel, to blend this sustainable biodiesel via shore tanks in Singapore.

Anglo is investigating several ways through which to reduce carbon intensity in its ocean freight operations, including the use of ammonia as an alternative marine fuel, as well as adding capesize+ vessels into its chartered fleet fuelled by LNG which reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 35%.

Rio Tinto cements new Singapore-Western Australia freight shipping route

Environmental, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rio Tinto says it has secured a new commercial freight shipping service connecting Western Australia’s Pilbara region to the major international shipping hub of Singapore.

The service will provide the company with a quicker, cheaper and cleaner alternative to the existing freight delivery route via Perth, helping to drive regional economic development and local job creation, according to the miner.

The regular freight service commenced with the arrival of the MCP Graz at the Port of Dampier from Singapore today. The vessel delivered essential maintenance supplies for Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s operations in the Pilbara, including rail wagon wheels, wagon parts, oil and lubricants. Future shipments are expected to include tyres for heavy earth moving equipment, conveyor belts, rail wagon and locomotive parts and mining consumables.

The service is also open for use by local businesses in the northwest of Australia, providing companies operating in the region with better access to international markets and more efficient movement of freight, Rio said.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Managing Director of Port, Rail and Core Services, Richard Cohen, said: “This is an important new service that connects the Pilbara to the rest of the world via the major international shipping hub of Singapore. It will provide a number of benefits by delivering cheaper, cleaner and faster freight to the region.

“It is an important breakthrough not only for our business, but it will also provide a great opportunity for the local Pilbara economy by helping to unlock small business growth and supporting job creation.”

Rio Tinto expects the service to reduce the lead time for goods in to the Pilbara by six to 10 days compared with freight via Fremantle. Additionally, it is expected to provide an annual saving of around three million litres of diesel fuel by reducing road train travel from Perth by more than 3.8 million kilometres.

Over time, Rio Tinto is hopeful more than 50% of its freight requirements to the Pilbara will use this service, increasing the speed of delivery and lowering costs. The vessel capacity of the freight service will be 350 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent) with Toll Global Forwarding (a division of Toll Group) and other freight forwarders offering a service for smaller volumes on the vessel, the company said.

Peter Stokes, President of Global Logistics for Toll Group, said: “This dedicated container vessel service from Singapore to Dampier will enable enormous possibilities to deliver more efficient supply chains to the Pilbara region.

“Toll Group is heavily invested in the north of Western Australia and is one of the largest employers in the Pilbara region. We are proud to be partnering with Rio Tinto on this landmark project which will provide businesses in the north with a significant opportunity to access international imports and exports.”

Viva Energy, the supplier of fuels and lubricants and supply partner to Rio Tinto, expects to reduce its road transport travel by 350,000 km/y through use of the new service.

Viva Energy Sales Manager, Gavin Syminton, said: “Over and above any commercial benefits, there are also a number of other positive aspects to the initiative including increased opportunities for local employment through infrastructure investment, the reduction of our carbon footprint and a shorter, more efficient supply chain.

“As we continue to work closely with Rio Tinto, we hope to further connect our business and community through this opportunity while making the region a more sustainable place to live.”

Xylem continues sustainable water technologies investment with new R&D hub

Environmental, Mining equipment, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , ,

Xylem, a leading global water technology company, has launched a new multi-disciplinary centre for water, wastewater and energy technologies at the company’s regional headquarters in Singapore.

The expanded headquarters brings the company’s regional R&D capability into a new Xylem Technology Hub Singapore (XTHS), alongside its regional leadership and personnel, the company said.

It explained: “The XTHS represents Xylem’s continued investment in sustainable water technologies, and research at the new centre will focus on developing breakthrough technologies in water distribution and water and wastewater treatment.”

Xylem is well known in the mining industry for its own and other brand series of mine dewatering and slurry pumps and accessories.

One of the first projects Xylem is pursuing at the centre is a collaboration with A*STAR’s Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC). Xylem will combine its leading expertise in water technologies with IHPC’s expertise in computer modelling and simulations. Together, they will evaluate fluid-structure interaction in pipe flow to develop a new computational fluid dynamics model tailored for Xylem’s applications such as SmartBall and PipeDiver, it said. The model will then be applied to the design and testing of other advanced products and solutions to be deployed in treatment plants and water distribution networks.

Patrick Decker, President and CEO of Xylem, said: “This new multi-disciplinary centre will create ample opportunities to innovate and collaborate with our customers, as we work with them to tackle the region’s greatest water challenges, including water scarcity, affordability and infrastructure resilience.

“Bringing research and development capability into our regional headquarters in Singapore puts all of Xylem’s market-leading technology capability in one location, focused on the region’s water technology and infrastructure solutions.”

In addition to the research and development hub, Xylem’s new office will feature a customer experience centre and training centre, bringing together all of Xylem’s sales, customer support and technical capabilities for Southeast Asia, it said.

Work at the centre will also be supported by Xylem’s ongoing partnership with PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, to address challenges brought about by climate change and increasing water demand. Xylem continues to work with PUB on the development and implementation of technologies in common areas of interest, such as high-precision leak detection and condition assessment technologies, and using data analytics to pinpoint water loss.

PT Anggun Makmur Energy and CIC enter ‘clean coal’ offtake agreement

Coal technology, Environmental, Mining services, , , , , , , , ,

PT Anggun Makmur Energy (PT AME) is to supply steam coal to power plants in Vietnam as part of an offtake agreement agreed with Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC) on behalf of its trading platform registered users.

The total contract value is $8.5 million, with the first coal shipment produced by “clean coal technologies” commencing in October 2019.

This agreement will reduce cross-border transaction costs and achieve greater trading synergies in the region, strengthening Singapore’s role as an international trading hub, according to CIC. It also has the potential to influence expansion into other markets in Asia, such as China and the Philippines.

Coal dominates world power generation and is an important and crucial commodity for Asia Pacific, according to CIC. The International Energy Agency, in 2018, estimated Asia produced 70% of the world’s coal, with coal demand projected to grow 5% year-on-year to support the growth of Southeast Asia.

CIC said: “Despite its strong demand, low-cost coal runs counter to the global trend that is looking to cut carbon emissions. As coal continues to be the dominant fuel for power generation in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific, the development of clean coal technology and innovative solutions can reduce the environmental pollution that coal brings to the world.”

PT AME is an Indonesia-based coal miner that, through its mining practices, is enabling independent power plants (IPPs) to comply with global CO2 emission standards. Its mines generate less coal ash than others in the industry, according to CIC.

“Their (PT AME’s) technology is able to revive the region’s economically dead mines or old mines with good coal, producing lower volumes of waste material when extracting one-unit tonne of coal,” CIC said. “The overall cost of coal mining is also reduced by up to 80%, providing cost savings to the operation and maintenance of IPPs.”

Peter Yu, Chief Executive Officer of CIC, said: “This partnership with PT AME marks a significant milestone achieved by CIC that will facilitate intra-ASEAN trade and strengthens Singapore’s role as an international trading hub in the digital realm.”

Pak Djoko, President Director of PT AME (pictured left), quoting a 2017 report from Danish Energy Agency, said Vietnam’s import share of total primary energy supply is set to increase to 37.5% in 2025 and 58.5% in 2035 with high demand on imported fuel, especially coal.

He added: “We believe that PT AME will be able to use best practices garnered from our experience in the Asia-Pacific region in supplying the necessary energy source, to meet the demands of Vietnam. Moreover, CIC’s eTrade Platform extensive network and market knowledge will allow us to enter the Vietnam market with confidence and help bring our sustainable and environmental-friendly mining practices to the country.”

CIC is a Singapore-based platform backed by Enterprise Singapore, and is a joint venture between ZALL Smart Commerce Group, a business-to-business (B2B) platform in China; Singapore Exchange; and Global eTrade Services, a subsidiary of eGovernment products and services provider CrimsonLogic. CIC aims to create an interoperable global B2B physical commodities trading platform with global connectivity.

Pioneer Solutions on the complexities of mining truck design and development

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

Developing a new mining truck is a large, complex task where numerous questions and challenges must be resolved, according to Christopher B Althausen, Director of Sales & Marketing at Pioneer Solutions LLC.

Althausen will be speaking at the upcoming Truck & Shovel Conference, in Singapore, on September 19, presenting, “Mining truck design and development: challenges, hurdles and solutions“.

During his presentation, he will do his best to answer these questions: How should the project be started? What design methodologies and standards should be used? What are the best strategies for technological advancements, autonomy, electrification and safety? How should manufacturing, prototyping, testing, and support be planned, executed, and managed?

While all these topics are important, his presentation will focus on two foundational design elements critical for developing a new mining truck with competitive, low cost-per-tonne performance: (1) developing an efficient, whole-machine concept and (2) designing reliable structural components.

To hear Althausen speak at the event – along with 17 other speakers – click here to register.

Truck & Shovel conference gains Singapore Mining Club support

Automation, Careers in mining, Communications in mining, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The inaugural Truck & Shovel conference is now just over seven weeks away and the stage is set for an exciting event looking into the future of the global loading and haulage industry.

With topics such as automation, digitalisation, fleet management, and tyre and fuel optimisation on the agenda, there will be much to discuss at the 1.5-day event, taking place at the InterContinental Singapore, Middle Road, on September 19-20.

In addition to gaining the support of Komatsu Mining (Platinum Sponsor), Zyfra Mining (Gold Sponsor) and Mining Industry Professionals (Media Sponsor), IM Events is pleased to announce that the Singapore Mining Club has backed this global event.

Truck & Shovel 2019 will now be held in association with the Singapore Mining Club, an influential group that exists to promote development of Singapore as the pre-eminent regional hub for the management and financing of mining enterprises.

We chose Singapore for this global event for several reasons, including:

  • Many of the big mining companies have procurement and marketing hubs in this Asian metropolis;
  • It acts as a gateway through to key mining hubs such as Australia, India, China and Indonesia, and;
  • It has good transport links and an excellent reputation for event hospitality.

Taking place in Ballroom I and II of the InterContinental Singapore, this event has attracted a number of high-profile speakers that have masses of industry knowledge to share with delegates.

We plan to kick off the day with a keynote from Komatsu Mining’s Jason Knuth (Senior Manager – Data Solutions) and Simon Van Wegen (Product Manager – Data Solutions) on ‘Data-driven designs for dynamic mining environments’.

The duo, who have spoken at many high profile conferences around the world, are set to reveal how advanced mining original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are leveraging the plethora of data nodes on smart equipment to adapt equipment and design solutions for the modern mine environment.

Mikhail Makeev, Global Business Director, Zyfra Mining, is set to continue this digitalisation theme during his catchily-titled ‘How to make your mine “rock”’ presentation. The company has automation and fleet management expertise that it has applied across many mine sites, with Makeev keen to share details on these experiences.

Automation

For those focused on surface mining automation, Truck & Shovel tackles the concept from three different angles.

Drew Larsen, Director of Business Development, ASI Mining, will provide a business case for haulage automation with a presentation titled: ‘Autonomous Mining – more feasible than you might think’. The company, 34% owned by global mining OEM Epiroc, began work on a project with Barrick Gold to retrofit and automate a fleet of Komatsu 930-E Ultra Class haul trucks at the Arturo joint venture operation in Nevada, last year, and is expecting to issue news on projects with other miners in the near future.

Tony Cutler, Principal Consultant, OTR Global, will be tackling automation from a different stance in his ‘Factoring tyres into autonomous haulage’ presentation. Research from the leading mining OEMs offering autonomous haulage systems (AHS) indicates these systems have the potential to prolong tyre life, a claim Cutler will interrogate up on stage.

And Steve Russell, Director – Mining, Scott Technology Ltd, will be looking at autonomous refuelling in his talk. With a title of ‘Robofuel Robotic Refuelling – A safety and productivity initiative for the 21st Century Mine’, he will highlight case studies that showcase just how effective this process is in an open-pit mining context.

Equipment design and innovation

The look and feel of loading and haulage equipment hasn’t changed dramatically over the past few decades, but with mining companies and OEMs now receiving data in real time about how trucks and excavators are operating and interacting with each other, one would expect these design blueprints to, in the future, be altered in some way – for example Komatsu’s cabless haul truck concept.

Taking on this topic at the event will be Christopher B Althausen, Director of Sales & Marketing for Pioneer Solutions LLC, and Brad Rogers, CEO of Bis Industries.

Althausen’s presentation, ‘Mining truck design and development: challenges, hurdles and solutions’, looks at his and his company’s experiences approaching haul truck design over many decades. Rogers’ talk, meanwhile, focuses on ‘Innovation in minesite haulage’. With Bis Industries now having successful trials of its revolutionary Rexx haul truck in its back pocket, delegates will look forward to hearing all about the proven productivity benefits of using this 20-wheel machine.

Maximising payload

The first day of the event will finish with a packed session on truck bodies and excavator buckets where four speakers will highlight just how effective customised solutions can be in the open-pit mining environment.

Carl Samuelson, Global Business Support Manager, Metso Haul Truck Solutions, will talk about successes the mining OEM has had with its hybrid haul truck tray, the Metso Truck Body, while David Pichanick, Global Manager Market Development & Innovation, Austin Engineering, will reveal how thinking ‘outside the box’ and changing the way the company uses materials in dump bodies and buckets has had an impact on safety and productivity. Tom Smith, Engineering Manager at DT HiLoad, rounds out the truck body talk, presenting, ‘HERCULES: The Strongest Tray in Earth’.

Ian Cornfoot, Managing Director of G&G Mining, has the honour of closing day one with a presentation on the use of customised excavator buckets titled, ‘Moving Rocks Not Steel – “Productive innovations in earthmoving buckets”’.

Fuel efficiency and management

As has been well documented, fuel efficiency is key when it comes to open-pit mining, with optimised fuel selection and management often keeping the cost per tonne down.

This topic kicks off day two of the event, with Kevin Dagenais, CEO of Blutip Technologies, looking at the use of predictive modelling techniques to target mining inefficiencies in this space. Sean Birrell, Group Product Officer, FluidIntel, follows closely behind him on ‘Analytics opportunities in fuel and lubricant management – unseen risks & untapped value in your supply chain & operations’, with Joao Silveirinha, Chief Technology Officer of Banlaw, rounding out the fuel talk with a talk titled, ‘Digital Transformation and Automation as it relates to the management of Hydrocarbons in Mining’.

Safety and training

The last session of the conference is all on safety and training, with two speakers keen to talk up the benefits of these in open-pit mining where accidents can cost lives and machines.

Daniel Bongers, Chief Technology Officer of SmartCap Technologies, will present, ‘Zero fatigue incidents achieved – moving to alertness monitoring’ in his 30-minute slot, with Graham Upton, Director of Business Development at simulator specialist, Doron Precision Systems Inc, following him with ‘Shovel and Truck, side-by-side Coordinated Training’.

For details of how to register for this event, or access the full program, please visit the website: https://im-mining.com/truck-and-shovel/

Please note, all company delegations of two or more people are entitled to a discount. Get in touch with Editorial Director, Paul Moore ([email protected]), or Editor, Dan Gleeson ([email protected]), for more information.