Tag Archives: Western Australia

Macmahon’s Decmil to upgrade logistics links for Mount Holland lithium project

Energy minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining services, , , , ,

Macmahon Holdings Limited subsidiary, Decmil, has been awarded a A$123 million ($83 million) road upgrade contract by Covalent Lithium Pty Ltd on the Mount Holland lithium project in Western Australia.

The scope of works includes upgrading the logistics link between the Great Eastern Highway and Covalent’s Mount Holland site, with approximately 113 km of road upgrades to take place.

Decmil commenced work on the project in August 2023 following receipt of a Limited Notice of Award in July 2023. Approximately A$59 million of works had already been completed during the 2024 financial year. Work under the full contract award is expected to directly create 220 jobs at its peak and be completed by April 2025.

The remaining value of the project works adds a further A$64 million in revenue to Macmahon’s secured order book supporting the 2025 financial year revenue guidance range of A$2.4-2.5 billion.

Macmahon’s CEO and Managing Directo, Michael Finnegan, said: “Decmil is off to a strong start in converting our A$11.6 billion tender pipeline having now secured approximately A$240 million of new work since Macmahon acquired the business in August 2024.

“The contract award at the Mount Holland Lithium project is the team’s second major road upgrade project since joining Macmahon, demonstrating Decmil’s strong credentials in this area, and I look forward to the successful delivery of the project for Covalent.”

Covalent has developed and is now operating the Mount Holland project, which, it says, is a unique, fully integrated producer of battery-quality lithium hydroxide in Western Australia. The company says it is targeting 75% recovery of spodumene in its concentrator and expects to produce more than 380,000 t/y of spodumene concentrate.

Decmil wins A$61 million Marble Bar Road upgrade works from HanRoy

Mining maintenance, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , ,

Macmahon Holdings Limited subsidiary, Decmil, has been awarded the A$61 million ($42 million) Marble Bar Road Upgrade project in Western Australia.

Decmil received a notice of award from HanRoy Iron Ore Projects Pty Ltd (HanRoy) for approximately 23 km of road construction upgrade works to Main Roads Western Australia standards on Marble Bar Road. Works are expected to commence in October 2024.

HanRoy is part of Hancock Prospecting, which is currently developing the McPhee iron ore project in the northeast Pilbara region of Western Australia, some 100 km north of Roy Hill Mine and 30 km north of Nullagine, with an expected production rate of approximately 9.5-9.7 Mt/y (wet). Primary crushed ore will be hauled via road train from McPhee to Roy Hill for processing, transport to the port and shipping. The Marble Bar Road is part of this route.

MacMahon CEO and Managing Director, Michael Finnegan, said: “I am pleased to see Decmil continue their great start of securing new, strategically aligned work. We look forward to delivering the Marble Bar Road upgrade project and continuing to build our relationship with HanRoy.”

Epiroc to supply SmartROC D65 drill rigs, spare parts to Pilbara Minerals’ Pilgangoora

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

Epiroc says it has won a large order for surface mining equipment from Pilbara Minerals that will be used at its Pilgangoora operation in Western Australia.

The world’s largest, independent hard-rock lithium producer, Pilbara Minerals has ordered a fleet of 14 Epiroc SmartROC D65 surface drill rigs for use at the site.

The equipment order was booked in the September quarter 2024, with the company set to provide not only the rigs but also spare parts. The fleet will be delivered from September 2024 through early 2025.

“Lithium plays an increasingly important role as the world keeps transitioning to electrification to reduce emissions, including producing more hybrid and electric vehicles,” Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, says. “We are happy to support Pilbara Minerals to optimise its operation.”

Epiroc’s SmartROC D65 drill rig is built tough and is loaded with intelligent features that improve safety and productivity, the OEM says.

Pilbara Minerals has been progressing its lithium asset through the Pilgangoora P680 Expansion project. This could see the company step-up its production run-rate at the operation to a total of circa-680,000 t/y of spodumene concentrate across the combined Pilgangoora operation.

Cat 992 wheel loaders help boost throughput at Metro Mining’s Bauxite Hills mine

Base metals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, , , , , ,

Metro Mining Limited has boosted throughput rates of its screening system at its Bauxite Hills operation in Western Australia thanks to the commissioning of two new Caterpillar 992 wheel loaders.

This followed the commissioning of a new apron/wobbler feeder screening circuit in May.

The company is undergoing an expansion at the bauxite mine, with the company saying integration and optimisation activities being undertaken with the expansion are delivering the anticipated increased production capacity, with a new monthly shipment record of 720,000 t (wet) achieved in August 2024. This is an increase of 13% over July 2024 and 29% over July 2023, despite a two-day shutdown during the month to replace conveyor belts at the barge loading facility and planned maintenance of the transhippers. This takes the quarter-to-date shipments to 1.4 Mt (wet) and year-to-date production to 2.9 Mt (wet), in-line with annual guidance of 6-6.4 Mt (wet).

A new daily record of 32,022 t (wet) was also set during the month.

By month-end, the two main expansion components, the wobbler screening circuit/barge loading facility and OFT Ikamba, were operating at nameplate and 92% capacity, respectively, the company noted.

Two Cat 992 wheel loaders were commissioned during August. Their bucket capacities of 23-27 t, depending on product density, are approximately double that of the existing 988 loaders. They complement the increased throughput of 1,500 t/h being achieved with the new wobbler screening circuit, while also being safer and more fuel efficient, Metro Mining says. An additional assist tug will be mobilised in September.

Additional Scania R770 prime movers, capable of hauling up to 230 t with a quad trailer configuration, will replace lower powered fleet, the company added.

As the new flowsheet is optimised, along with more favourable ore moisture and tides, Metro expects to see similar gains in monthly production and shipping rates in the coming months, it says.

Weir to supply Enduron HPGR for De Grey Mining’s Hemi gold project

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

Weir has been awarded the contract to supply a large ø2.4m x 2.25 m Enduron® HPGR (high-pressure grinding rolls) for De Grey Mining’s flagship Hemi gold project in the Pilbara of Western Australia.

Hemi has a mineral estimate of 10.5 Moz and at full capacity, the processing plant will have a nameplate throughput of 10 Mt/y.

Peter Holmes, Project Director of De Grey Mining, said: “De Grey Mining is pleased to partner with Weir on one of its key long lead items for its Hemi Gold Project and appreciates Weir having a local service facility to provide the required support to our site and the region.”

Bjorn Dierx, Global Product Manager for Enduron HPGRs, said: “Our partnership with De Grey Mining further expands our footprint in sustainable comminution. Our proven track record of developing highly engineered solutions for the industry, together with our capability to partner with our customers to bring projects to life, ensures that De Grey Mining will be in good hands to achieve its productivity, sustainability and project execution targets.

“The Hemi gold project will benefit from Weir’s state-of-the-art Enduron HPGR technology, which delivers operational flexibility, grinding efficiency and equipment availability. Importantly, Enduron HPGRs also provide significant improvements versus traditional tumbling mill technology with energy savings of up to 40% and in turn, a lower carbon footprint. This will be the fifth, similar-sized Enduron HPGR in the Pilbara region alone, which is a testament to its credibility in high capacity, hard-rock grinding.”

Weir recently opened its Port Hedland Service Centre, strategically located to support its customers in the Pilbara region in Western Australia. The centre features facilities for Enduron® HPGR servicing, including tyre roller assembly, and will allow De Grey Mining to benefit from product training in close proximity to the mine site.

Kristen Walsh, Regional Managing Director of Weir’s Minerals Division, said: “This win further underscores Weir’s commitment to making mining more sustainable and demonstrates the substantial opportunity that can be made to CO2 emissions reduction when choosing an energy-efficient technology in a large greenfield project.”

MMSRed5

MMS adds to Red5 remit with new 12-month load and haul contract

Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, , , ,

In what it says is another significant win, MMS has been awarded a second contract with Red 5 (formerly Silver Lake Resources), in Western Australia.

Over the 12-month contract, MMS will deliver load and haul services; deploying a 100-t fleet including a near-new Hitachi EX1200 excavator.

This contract solidifies the partnership between MMS and Red 5, which also includes a 49-month contract signed that commenced on April 1 to work on the Silverlake Mount Monger operation.

MMS says it has gotten off to a strong start – having already mobilised equipment to the site and successfully completed the first month of production. The extracted ore is already on its way to Red 5’s Randalls mill for processing.

MMS says its primary contract with Red 5 is currently progressing exceptionally well, and is on track to commence operations at the Flora Dora open pit by the end of the month.

MMS General Manager, Josh Conley, said: “Securing this second contract with Red 5 is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. We’ve consistently delivered outstanding results on our existing contract, and this new project allows us to further showcase our expertise in providing efficient and reliable mining solutions.”

Fabrum, Fortescue commission Australia’s largest liquid hydrogen plant at Christmas Creek

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , ,

Australia’s largest liquid hydrogen plant at a mine site is now operational at Fortescue’s Green Energy Hub at Christmas Creek in Western Australia, according to Fabrum, a company that played a significant role in delivering an end-to-end liquid hydrogen ecosystem for the plant.

New Zealand-based Fabrum collaborated on the design, build and commissioning of the liquid hydrogen plant at Christmas Creek, which comprises a hydrogen liquefaction facility, liquid hydrogen storage and a liquid hydrogen refuelling station. Liquid hydrogen from the plant will be used to power Fortescue’s zero-emissions mining equipment prototypes including its offboard power unit and its hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype (the hydrogen-powered T 264 haul truck prototype that arrived this month). The liquid hydrogen plant can produce circa-350 kg of liquid hydrogen per day and has circa-600 kg of storage.

Christopher Boyle, Fabrum’s Executive Chair, said: “We’re delighted to be developing world-leading hydrogen technologies for our partner, Fortescue, to help the company achieve its decarbonisation goals. While others in the industry might see the decarbonisation challenge as too big, Fortescue is leading the way in adopting new technologies to enable a zero-emissions economy. Together, we’re demonstrating the future is here now – and that our liquid hydrogen production and refuelling technologies can enable industry to power operations and transport today.”

Fabrum’s liquid hydrogen production system

Dino Otranto, Fortescue Metals Chief Executive Officer, said: “Fortescue is moving at rapid speed to decarbonise and the completion of our hydrogen facility, which is the largest gaseous and liquid hydrogen plant on any mine site in Australia, is testament to our commitment to leading heavy industry in decarbonising. Hydrogen and fuels made using renewable energy will have a role to play in decarbonising mining, whether it’s in buses, heavy mining equipment such as haul trucks and excavators, or producing green iron.

“This renewable hydrogen plant is versatile, enabling us to produce gaseous and liquid hydrogen to be used to power our mining equipment prototypes, while also providing the added benefit of refuelling our fleet of coaches at Christmas Creek.”

Dr Ojas Mahapatra, Chief Executive Officer of Fabrum, added: “This is the first project we’ve collaborated on with Fortescue, an investor in Fabrum, and it highlights the great opportunities we see to help each other be successful in the future. This project also represents our entry into the mining and minerals industry to add to our work in heavy transport, aviation and other industries. It’s an exciting time for Fabrum as we continue to grow rapidly to meet increasing global demand for hydrogen production systems and other technologies.”

Aquirian’s drill technology, bulk emulsion set to be delivered to WA gold mine

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

Aquirian Limited says its Western Energetics operations in Western Australia have begun supplying a combined energetic and technology package to a gold mine in the state.

The package includes the delivery of bulk products, initiating systems and Collar Keeper® Systems, with the package potentially contributing A$4-5 million ($2.6-3.3 million) in revenue annually.

“This packaged supply of our drill technology and energetics reinforces the unique offering we can provide our customers to optimise their blasthole outcomes,” the company said.

Aquirian, via its wholly owned subsidiaries, acquired the assets and land comprising the Wubin ammonium nitrate emulsion plant from Hanwha, recently, with the company also setting out plans to offer Hanwha’s patented X-Load™ range of products in Western Australia.

The facility was built and commissioned in 2020 and is production-ready, with licensing to produce 110,000 t/y of ammonium nitrate emulsion. It was put into care and maintenance in 2021 as part of Hanwha’s strategic decision to exit the bulk explosives market in Australia, with Hanwha selling its other emulsion production assets in Queensland and New South Wales to Orica earlier this year.

The Collar Keeper System, meanwhile, is a combination of Aquirian-developed, retrofittable drilling apparatus combined with its existing Collar Keeper. The technology represents a step change in managing blasthole quality and is targeted to provide a unique solution to a range of different blasting environments with global applications, the company says.

Aquirian announced back in July that Western Energetics had completed the reactivation of the Wubin emulsion facility ahead of schedule and commercial production had commenced. The facility’s productivity continues to grow, enhancing its production capability, the company noted.

The plant currently produces at an instantaneous rate of 20 t/h, with a weekly production of 400 t, limited by outbound trucking. The commencement of the first triple haulage trucks this week (pictured) will enable weekly production to increase further, Aquirian says.

Brockman to work on Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant for Rio Tinto

Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , ,

EVZ Limited’s wholly owned subsidiary, Brockman Engineering, has been awarded a bulk process water tanks package by Rio Tinto as part of the seawater desalination project at Parker Point, Dampier.

The ASX-listed company said this “major contract” had a total contract value of A$23 million (15.1 million).

The package includes design and procurement, with works expected to commence immediately on the design and procurement activities before a planned mobilisation to site in December 2024 for anticipated completion in the last quarter of 2025.

This project will contribute to EVZ Limited’s revenue and earnings in its 2025 and 2026 financial years as part of its diversified project portfolio across the Energy & Resources sectors.

Back in June 2023, Rio Tinto announced plans to invest $395 million in a seawater desalination plant in the Pilbara, Western Australia, to support future water supply for the company’s coastal operations and communities in the region.

The proposed Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant was to be located within Rio Tinto’s existing iron ore port operations at Parker Point, and would have an initial nominal capacity of four gigalitres annually with the potential for this to increase to eight gigalitres in the future. The project includes construction of a new supply pipeline to connect to the existing water network.

Draslovka’s glycine leaching tech to be tested on gold, nickel tailings at Windarra

Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining services, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

Draslovka a.s. subsidiary Encore Minerals, a company established with the specific aim of progressing waste to value opportunities, has entered into an agreement with Poseidon Nickel to retreat and monetise gold and nickel tailings in Western Australia.

Draslovka’s proprietary Glycine Leaching Technology (GLT), comprising the GlyCat™ process for precious metals and GlyLeach™ process for base metals, will be an enabler for the extraction of
realisable value from Poseidon’s gold and nickel tailings at its Windarra property and potentially from a third-party tailings resource at nearby Lancefield (the Windarra Tailings project), Draslovka says.

Previous metallurgical test work for the Windarra Tailings project had shown potential improvement in recoveries and costs for the site’s gold resources. The test work also established the potential for a technical, economically viable and low-intensity process for recovery of nickel from nickel tailings. A previous feasibility study for the gold resource using conventional cyanidation showed net operating cash flow of A$30.6 million ($19.9 million), a net present value (8% discount) of A$21.7 million and an internal rate of return of 50.6%, assuming a gold price of A$2,500/oz.

The next step is to undertake a technical program to optimise the project with both the gold and nickel resources, which will lead to an updated feasibility study and a final investment decision. If
successful, the project will lead to the construction of the first GLT processing plant for tailings.

Ivor Bryan, Chief Technology Officer of Draslovka Mining Process Solutions, said: “We are excited to play an integral role in enabling the retreatment of the gold and nickel tailings at the Windarra Tailings project by supplying GLT, which has been developed to extract precious and base metals.

“GLT is revolutionary for the mining industry. It has the potential to save mining companies billions of dollars by significantly reducing processing costs, enhancing a mine’s sustainability profile, extending mine life by lowering the cut-off grade and unlocking value hidden in a mine’s tailings. I believe the results at Windarra will be a powerful example of how GLT is a simple yet very effective means to retreat and monetise tailings.”