Tag Archives: Western Australia

Fortescue adds to Billion Opportunities program with Iron Bridge contracts

Mineral project development, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fortescue Metals Group has continued its longstanding commitment to Aboriginal procurement and delivery of benefits for its Native Title partners, with over A$13 million ($10.1 million) of new contracts awarded as part of the company’s Iron Bridge Magnetite project.

Two contracts have been awarded to 100%-owned Aboriginal-owned business Jukawalyi Resources Pty Ltd, and the Yulu Joint Venture (a joint venture company between Njamal Resource Enterprises Pty Ltd and Icon SI (Aust) Pty Ltd).

Both companies are owned by members of the Njamal Native Title group, who are the traditional custodians of the land where Iron Bridge is located.

Under the contract, Jukawalyi will provide light vehicles for the Iron Bridge operations. The future sustainability and ongoing success of Jukawalyi will be further supported with Fortescue acting as a guarantor for the purchase of the vehicles, through Fortescue’s guaranteed leasing facility with ANZ, it said.

Yulu JV was awarded a contract to complete a portion of the non-mining process infrastructure work, including designing and constructing the main ore processing facility administration building, laboratory building and associated facilities.

The Iron Bridge, operated under an unincorporated joint venture between Fortescue subsidiary, FMG Magnetite Pty Ltd, and Formosa Steel IB, covers the development of a new magnetite mine, including processing and transport facilities. The $2.6 billion development is expected to produce 22 Mt/y (wet) of high grade, magnetite concentrate, with first ore in 2022.

Fortescue Chief Executive Officer, Elizabeth Gaines, said: “Fortescue is proud of our strong relationships with Native Title groups across the Pilbara, which is delivering significant benefits including jobs, training and business development opportunities for Aboriginal people, their families and their communities.

“Empowering businesses like Jukawalyi and Yulu JV to make long-term, beneficial business decisions is at the heart of our Billion Opportunities initiative. These contracts will provide the opportunity to build local capability and asset ownership for these local Aboriginal businesses.”

Jukawalyi Managing Director, Joanne Taylor, said: “As a small family-owned business based in Port Hedland, the ability to access finance in addition to the contract with Fortescue is transformative, providing us with the ability to take our business to the next level.”

Yulu JV owner, Troy Eaton, said: “We are proud to secure this work for such an important project. With the Pilbara positioned for ongoing development, the securing of this project leaves us well-positioned to capture future opportunities for both Yulu JV and the Njamal People.”

Since its inception in 2011, Fortescue’s Billion Opportunities program has awarded over A$2.7 billion in contracts and sub-contracts to Aboriginal businesses and joint venture partners.

DOK-ING Extra Low Profile Dozer wins plaudits in Australia underground mine site trial

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Mine Tech Australia says one of its clients in Western Australia’s Goldfields region is putting a DOK-ING XLPD Extra Low Profile Dozer through its paces.

Back in June, the company said it recently completed DOK-ING XLP system testing and operator awareness training in the lead up to mobilising the unit for this underground mine site trial. That trial is now underway.

“The client’s team on site have been putting the XLPD through its paces in real-life work environments and we have received overwhelming support for its effectiveness, versatility, and application in difficult underground mining applications working alongside their team of handheld mining specialists to improve their turnaround time for scraping-out slots and other development works,” the company reported.

The XLPD Compact Robotic Dozer presents a very low profile remote-controlled machine with the goal of increasing productivity and safety in material handling operations.

Being designed to withstand the most severe working conditions in the mining industry, the XLPD has proven to be a safe and effective asset, Mine Tech, one of DOK-ING’s regional dealers, said.

As part of the Extra Low Profile segment, the dozer is suitable for activities in construction works, cleaning of production panels, sweeping and vamping activities, cleaning under conveyor belts and other hazardous environment operations, it said. This is where numerous attachments such as bucket, ejector bucket, dozer blade, brush and gripper tools come in handy.

WA Kaolin’s Wickepin kaolin processing plan gains momentum

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WA Kaolin Ltd says building works have commenced at its wholly owned Wickepin kaolin project, in Western Australia, as the ASX-listed company looks to start up production from a “world-leading” kaolin processing plant.

AUSPAN, one of Australia’s leading steel frame construction companies, has been contracted to carry out the Stage 1 Building Structural Design and Construction at the project. The company has now mobilised to site to commence its work program with a team of around 20 ramping up over coming weeks.

The concrete batching plant was delivered to site on January 6, and work has commenced on the footings and part of the slab being laid ahead of the plant build, WA Kaolin said.

A 2020 definitive feasibility study completed by BDB Process on the Wickepin kaolin project showed the potential for the project to ramp up to 400,000 t/y through the development of the processing plant and extraction of the 30.5 Mt of high-grade premium kaolinised granite reserves within the existing Mining Lease.

The company plans to use its proprietary dry K99 processing method on ore from the two existing open-pit deposits at Wickepin. This involves drying and beneficiation through physical separation with no chemicals required. The simple and proven process is already operating on a small-scale commercial basis in Kwinana where the company operates a small plant, WA Kaolin says.

Andrew Sorensen, WA Kaolin CEO said: “Our 2021 work program has already commenced in earnest with the arrival of the crew and equipment to proceed with the initial building works of the kaolin production plant. At this point, we are on track to commence the build in February and will provide regular updates to the market as we proceed.”

Ben Richardson, General Manager, AUSPAN, added: “Mobilisation is well under way and construction on site is ramping up following the Christmas break. Footings are almost complete and we will be ramping up to a construction team of approximately 25 by early February.

“It is exciting to be working with WA Kaolin on this world-leading Kaolin processing plant. With approximately 100 t of structural steel already delivered to site, the landscape is about to change with the commencement of structural steel installation.”

WA Kaolin’s plan is to increase production at Wickepin to 400,000 t/y by 2023 with further modular increases to capacity to be implemented in tune with market demand.

LGA brings in narrow-vein mining specialist for Second Fortune gold project work

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Linden Gold Alliance Pty Ltd says it has awarded a two-year A$45.7 million ($36.4 million) contract to Mako Mining for carrying out underground mining services at the Second Fortune gold project in Western Australia.

Mako is a specialist narrow-vein underground mining contractor with a proven track record of successfully mining narrow-vein orebodies and has held an ongoing 10-year contract at Western Areas Forrestania nickel project, also in Western Australia, LGA said.

“Mako Mining’s performance at Forrestania has included consistently meeting production and development targets whilst maintaining an enviable safety record with zero LTIs recorded since the company’s inception,” the company added.

The contractor has an extensive fleet of narrow-vein underground equipment, coupled with the required management and operator skill sets to ensure productivities are maximised, LGA believes.

“Along with LGA’s extensive technical expertise in narrow-vein gold mining, this alliance of companies will provide the project with the best opportunity to exploit this terrific high-grade narrow-vein resource,” the company said.

Mako mobilised to Second Fortune during November to commence underground works in December.

LGA’s General Manager of Operations, Andrew Rich, said: “The appointment of a leading narrow-vein underground mining contractor is an exciting time for both companies and allows LGA to continue its development plans to exploit the resource at Second Fortune in a safe, efficient and productive manner.”

LGA acquired Second Fortune in September 2020 from Anova Metals Ltd with dewatering and rehabilitation completed during the December quarter. First ore production is expected during March 2021.

The Second Fortune project area was originally mined during 1941 to 1988 from a small open pit and underground via shaft and handheld methods. Anova acquired the project in 2017 and completed infrastructure upgrades and Stage 1 of underground mechanised mine development, including dewatering of historic workings and portal establishment. Following Stage 1 completion, the mine was put into care and maintenance.

BHP factors wind fence into Pilbara Air Quality Program

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BHP has unveiled its plans to construct a wind fence at Finucane Island, in Port Hedland, Western Australia, as part of the company’s Pilbara Air Quality Program at its iron ore operations.

The fence would be the first of its kind in Australia, and designed for the Pilbara’s unique weather conditions, it said.

BHP Port General Manager, Nilson Davila, said: “We recognise we have a shared responsibility to address dust issues at Port Hedland. The wind fence will be constructed using global best practice dust management and air quality control technology.

“This planned investment forms part of our Pilbara Air Quality Program and demonstrates our commitment to improve air quality in the area and contribute to the revitalisation of the West End.

“Subject to government approvals, the 30-m high fence supports our intention to improve and build on our existing dust control measures as we continue to increase production towards 290 Mtpa in the medium term.”

It is intended to be located on the western side of BHP’s Finucane Island port operations, and will include mesh panels designed to reduce wind speeds, shielding the stockyard and reducing the potential for dust lift-off, BHP said.

The system has been designed to deal with the extreme wind conditions often experienced in Port Hedland. As the wind speed reaches a certain limit, the mesh curtain opens to let the air flow through the fence.

“We continue to work closely with government, industry and the local community to further improve air quality controls at our operations and for the communities in which we operate,” Davila said. “We want to help improve local amenity while also continuing to provide jobs and economic opportunity for the region.”

The project is still subject to all necessary internal and state government approvals.

Tronox’s Cooljarloo mine feels the benefits of Weir Minerals Total Asset Management Plan

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Weir Minerals says it has further strengthened its partnership with Tronox following the signing of an exclusive arrangement to take ownership of maintenance, asset management and optimisation of the mine’s key assets.

Weir Minerals’ Total Asset Management Plan is a “unique and innovative” service contract that is revolutionising mining operations, with improved performance and a reduction in unplanned maintenance time, the company says.

Such a plan was successfully implemented at the Tronox mine in Cooljarloo, Western Australia, with Weir Minerals managing 20 assets including slurry pumps on the plant, two floating dredges and a floating concentrator which processes over 3,000 t/h of heavy mineral concentrate.

Tronox produces more than 770,000 t/y of heavy mineral concentrate using a dredging operation and dry mining techniques at Cooljarloo, Tronox says. The dredging operation recovers heavy minerals from the sand and clay using a series of gravity spirals, with the dry mine using earthmoving equipment to extract ore located above the water table, feeding it to a land-based concentrator for separation using a hopper and conveyor system.

Daniel Fleckhammer, Weir Minerals Director, said: “The Weir Minerals team worked closely with Tronox to determine what their goals and vision for their mine were. The team then developed a tailored Total Asset Management Plan which aimed to look after the customer’s assets, improve their wear life and keep the mine running.”

Weir Minerals successfully helped Tronox reduce its maintenance costs by 10% and cut unplanned maintenance by 30%, according to the company. The miner is also now able to transition from a six-month shutdown cycle to an eight-month shutdown cycle, which will save the mine over A$1 million/y ($774,802/y) on maintenance costs. Weir estimates this increased reliability is potentially worth over A$1 million/y in additional productivity.

Dave Netherway, Tronox Maintenance Manager at Cooljarloo, said the Total Asset Management Plan the company has in place with Weir Minerals means it pays “on a cents per tonne” arrangement based on the throughput through the plant.

“Weir have skin in the game with the way we operate,” he said.

Being located on site, the Weir Minerals team is prepared for crucial maintenance and gains vital insights into the customer’s issues.

“By leveraging their worldwide expertise in pump technology, the team proactively evaluate each asset and provide outstanding service to Tronox,” the company says.

A clear set of key performance indicators developed in conjunction with Tronox enable Weir Minerals to increase savings and improve the reliability of assets, it says. Both companies work towards a common goal that is mutually beneficial to all.

Ian Rennie, Tronox Site Director at Cooljarloo, said: “If other companies around the world are looking at this type of agreement, I’d really encourage them to explore it. At Tronox, we’ve only been touching the surface for a year now and we really see some huge benefits already.”

RCT’s EarthTrack tool to improve efficiency, productivity at Silver Lake’s Mount Monger

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Silver Lake Resources has upped the efficiency of its earthmoving fleet at Mount Monger in Western Australia following the implementation of RCT’s EarthTrack® information monitoring tool.

RCT recently commissioned the EarthTrack Payload Management System on Silver Lake Resource’s mixed fleet consisting of five Cat 777F dump trucks, one Hitachi 1200-6 excavator and one Hitachi 1900-6 excavator.

The solution provides Silver Lake’s machine operators with real-time information about payload distribution and optimal load weights at the Mount Monger gold operation in Western Australia’s Goldfields region, RCT says.

Site managers can now closely monitor machine and operator productivity, prevent truck strut damage from over loading, reduce tyre wear and achieve better fuel consumption to significantly reduce overall running costs, according to the company.

The system transmits payload data from the truck being loaded to the loading tool – in this case the excavator – which enables the loader operator to fill the truck trays to the optimal weight.

One of the EarthTrack system’s key features is that it monitors payload distribution in real time and alerts the operator of an uneven distribution, allowing them to take action to avoid strut damage. At the same time, the system’s external LED Payload Display relays the load weight to any personnel in visual range of the display.

RCT Account Manager, Scott Phillips, said the system will maximise efficiency and productivity of Silver Lake’s mining fleet.

“This solution enhances the excavator operator’s ability to load dirt in an effective manner that ensures optimal loading conditions with every bucket,” he said. “Ineffective loading can lead to strut damage and wear and tear to machines which results in costly maintenance downtime to the mining fleet.

“This tool will enable site personnel to make better decisions to ensure smooth and consistent operations while allowing site management to monitor the operation closely.”

Albemarle to double capacity at Silver Peak lithium brine operation

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Albemarle Corp has confirmed it will expand capacity at its lithium production facility in Silver Peak, Nevada, USA, and begin a program to evaluate clays and other available Nevada resources for commercial production of lithium.

Beginning in 2021, the company plans to invest $30-$50 million to double the current production at the Nevada site by 2025, making full use of its brine water rights. Additionally, the company plans to commence exploration of clay and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region this year.

The company explained: “As global demand for electric vehicles grows, North America automotive manufacturers are seeking to regionalise their supply chain for greater security and sustainability. Albemarle’s investment in Silver Peak, which produces lithium from brine extracted from the Clayton Valley basin, will support this increased demand for domestic supply of lithium.”

Eric Norris, Albemarle President, Lithium, said: “As a leader in the lithium industry, our priority is to optimise our world-class resources and production. This includes Silver Peak, a site uniquely positioned as the only lithium-producing resource in the United States.

“This investment in domestic capacity shows that we are committed to looking at the many ways in which Silver Peak can provide domestic support for the growing electric vehicle market.”

In addition to examining clay resources, Albemarle is seeking ways to optimise lithium extraction from its brine resources, including those in the Clayton Valley. Through a US Department of Energy-sponsored research project with Argonne National Laboratory, the company is investigating a process to streamline production of lithium hydroxide, which is principally used in electric vehicle batteries, from brine resources.

Albemarle’s domestic resources also include the historic 324 ha Kings Mountain, North Carolina, lithium site, which, it says, is one of the richest spodumene ore deposits in the world and home to the company’s global lithium technical centre and piloting operations, as well as lithium-containing brines in Arkansas.

Gold Road energises UEA renewables hub at Yamarna exploration camp

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Gold Road Resources’ Renewable Energy Hub at its Yamarna exploration camp in Western Australia, designed and delivered by Unlimited Energy Australia, is now operating on renewable energy.

The hub was officially opened by WA Minister for Mines and Petroleum, Bill Johnston, at the end of last year.

The 187 kW system is comprised of a surface-mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar array including up to 580 solar panels with 60 cells each, combined with a 408 kWh TESVOLT lithium-ion energy storage system.

Unlimited Energy said the drive for this custom-designed system was the requirement to offset the use of existing on-site diesel generators, thereby reducing the associated carbon emissions, as well as the cost of diesel and related logistics and maintenance costs.

In this regard, the hub can reduce diesel runtime from 24 hours to 2.4 hours, producing in excess of 1 MWh of renewable energy every day, according to Unlimited Energy.

Sharon Goddard, General Manager – Social Performance & External Relations Gold Road Resources, said: “The minimum impact on the environment, modular design, ability to relocate, economic viability and extendibility of the system are the main benefits that led Gold Road to install Unlimited Energy Australia’s renewable energy solution.”

The modular energy hub design enabled fabrication to be completed off-site, thereby minimising installation time on the remote site, as well as the ability to relocate or repurpose the system to meet a variety of potential future exploration needs if required, according to Unlimited Energy.

In the early stages of the project, Unlimited Energy developed an Energy Optimisation Plan. Decisions pertaining to the technology solution, system sizing and installation were derived from the substantial amounts of load and demand data collected from the site.

Unlimited Energy Australia’s CEO, George Zombori, said: “We design energy solutions that meet the specific needs of our clients and make good economic sense. Tracking a client’s usage patterns is critical in designing a solution which drives energy and cost saving strategies.”

The company added: “The innovative design significantly expedited the installation process delivering a system that is reliable, re-deployable, modular and scalable.”

Torsten Ketelsen, Managing Director Unlimited Energy Australia, said: “We know that there is a perception that battery storage technology is an emerging technology, so eliminating the risk was of utmost importance to us. Our TESVOLT technology selection ensures one of the safest battery cells on the market, long-term performance warranties and batteries that have been tried and tested in conditions common in such remote Australian locations.

“Our successful deployment of this system will certainly provide confidence to the resources sector that these technologies are now readily available, technically advanced and economically viable to serve their energy needs.”

Alltype Engineering gassed up in Western Australia

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WestStar Industrial’s engineering construction contracting business, Alltype Engineering, has been awarded contracts to a total value of circa-A$8 million ($6 million) across multiple clients and projects, including A$5 million of contracts in gas transmission.

APA Group has contracted Alltype to deliver multiple gas offtake and metering facility projects throughout the Midwest region of Western Australia. These turnkey multidiscipline projects involve civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation scopes, both workshop and site, with remote area working conditions and logistics and eight off-workshop fabricated gas skids to be completed off site.

Included in the projects are a gas lateral offtake and metering station for the Beyondie sulphate of potash project (pictured), a gas lateral offtake and metering project for the Lakeway SO4 potash project, and gas lateral offtake and metering work for Capricorn Metals’ Karlawinda gold project.

WestStar is also scheduled to build a gas lateral metering station for Primero Group at the Kalium Lakes potash project.

WestStar said: “These newly awarded contracts for Alltype continue to demonstrate its strength and reliability in working successfully with APA and the Australian gas industry, including both upstream and downstream projects.

“Furthermore, having fabricated, assembled and FAT tested over 20 modularised gas skid process packages in the last two years, Alltype continue to leverage off this experience and knowhow to fast track aggressive timeline projects with full supply chain control.”

Alltype has commenced the works for APA Group, which are planned to be completed by the March quarter of 2021.

In addition to this work, Alltype says it was awarded its first contract from Newmont at the Boddington gold mine, also in Western Australia. This contract had an aggressive timeline for completion of urgent fabricated plate and piping componentry for a shutdown, which was achieved. The balance of works is in the process of being completed, it noted.

Still in Western Australia, Alltype says it continues to provide goods and services for the three major iron ore developments in the Pilbara, being BHP South Flank, Rio Tinto Gudai-Darri and FMG’s majority-owned Iron Bridge project.