Tag Archives: Western Australia

Scott Technology wins sample prep and analysis lab contract from Rio at Robe Valley

Automation, Environmental, IoT, Metallurgy, Mineral processing, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

Scott Technology has been awarded a further multi-million dollar contract by Rio Tinto to provide and commission the equipment for a new sample preparation and analysis laboratory at the Robe Valley iron ore mine site in Western Australia.

This is the second significant iron ore sample laboratory project awarded to Scott Technology by Rio Tinto in 2020, building on the inaugural order for an automated lab at the Koodaideri project.

The automation and robotics solutions provider said this latest contract builds on the decades-long relationship between the two businesses and Scott’s expertise and experience in this area.

The Robe Valley project scope comprises equipment from Scott Technology’s Rocklabs business as well as third-party supply. Work has begun on the development and planning for the new laboratory, which is expected to commence operation in June 2021.

Rio’s majority-owned Robe Valley operation produces ore from mines at the Mesa A hub and Mesa J hub, with coarse ore from both processed to lump and fines in the process plant at Cape Lambert.

John Kippenberger, CEO of Scott Technology (pictured), said: “Scott has demonstrated success at many iron ore mine site laboratories in recent years, with our Rocklabs crushers and mills providing safe, reliable, productive operation for our clients. We are excited to be working with the Rio Tinto team on another important mining laboratory project.

“This comes on the back of the positive Rio Tinto Koodaideri project work, which is currently underway and also in Western Australia. As recently announced, building work and site mobilisation has commenced at Koodaideri, in line with the original timetable.

“This latest contract award further cements Scott’s evolution in the mining sector from a world leading supplier of sample preparation equipment, to a complete end-to-end automation and analysis solution provider.”

Kippenberger said the iron ore sector was continuing to experience positive interest and investment in automation given the underlying strength in demand for the steel raw material, which boded well for the company picking up more contracts.

“We see an increasing opportunity for our business, for more projects of the same scale with both existing and new customers as they seek increased safety and greater productivity,” he added.

The Robe Valley is around 140 km southwest of Karratha in the Pilbara region, with the Robe Valley deposits owned by the Robe JV, which is 53% owned by Rio Tinto, 33% by Mitsui Iron Ore Development and 14% by Nippon Steel Sumitomo Metals Corp.

The primary requirement of the Robe Valley Sustaining Project is to sustain production from the Robe Valley from the year 2020.

Weir Minerals addresses pump impeller and throatbush wear life

Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Precious metals, Water management, , , , , , , , ,

Weir Minerals says its Warman® Wear Reduction Technology (WRT®) impellers and throatbushes for slurry pumps can help miners reduce operating expenses through improved efficiency, reliability and wear life.

An upgrade compatible with all Warman AH®, M and L series slurry pumps, the streamlined parts offer total ownership cost reductions, according to the company.

Warman WRT technology is the culmination of decades of research into the wear patterns and hydraulic performance of the Warman AH pump’s impeller and throatbush, the company explained. Together with a unique vanelet on the back shroud, replacing the five-vane impeller with a modern four-vaned design improves fluid guidance through the pump and represents a step change in impeller design, it said.

This technology has already proven its worth in the field, such as at Blackham Resources’ Matilda gold mine in Western Australia. Here, the installation of Warman WRT technology more than doubled impeller wear life in a demanding application involving abrasive, highly viscous slurry, Weir Minerals said. The new impeller and throatbush reduced total ownership costs for the pump by A$27,000/y ($19,117/y) due to the parts’ higher efficiency and longer wear life.

Marcus Lane, Global Product Manager, Centrifugal Pumps, said: “What I love about our Wear Reduction Technology is how it improves on everything our customers expect from the iconic Warman AH pump range.

“It uses best-practice design techniques leveraged by the world’s top slurry pump engineers to maximise hydraulic efficiency and reduce operating costs without increasing the pump’s complexity. Its advanced wear materials improve reliability and reduce time spent maintaining the pump.

“It simply makes the world’s most famous slurry pumps even better.”

Not only do the hydraulic refinements lower the pump’s lifetime consumption, but they reduce the net positive suction head requirements of the pump, making the upgrade an ideal way to compensate for process or feed changes which have left a Warman AH pump overtaxed, the company said.

“I’m so proud of the way Warman constantly innovates for existing customers,” Lane said. “Retrofitting WRT technology into an installed pump couldn’t be easier – next time you need to replace your impeller and throatbush, simply install the Warman WRT parts instead. Nothing changes in your setup, fitment, or general maintenance practices. The pump doesn’t need a speed change and the entire process uses existing maintenance tools.

“Really, the only thing that changes is that your pump is now a lot better at its job.”

Fenner Dunlop presses ahead with Western Australia expansion plans

Bulk handling, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , ,

Fenner Dunlop is to once again expand its Kwinana manufacturing facility in Western Australia, with a third steel cord press line set to boost capacity by 50%.

Since opening the A$70 million ($50 million) manufacturing facility in Kwinana, in 2009, the company has looked to progressively expand its capabilities in line with market demand.

The original facility, built specifically to produce steel cord belting, represented, at the time, the largest investment in conveyor belting manufacturer ever made in Australia by any company, according to the company.

In 2013, an additional A$20 million was invested to install a second press line to double the plant’s production capacity and increase the Kwinana workforce by 30%.

“Australian manufacturing has survived many challenges over the past decade,” the company said. “The COVID-19 crisis in 2020 has demonstrated the value of Australian manufacturing to the economy and to the mining sector in particular.

“While other companies are contracting and moving their manufacturing operations offshore, Fenner Dunlop continues to support the local economy and is proud to be the largest conveyor belt supplier in Australia and the only company to manufacture the complete range of conveyor belts for all mining applications locally.”

Today the facility houses two of the world’s largest steel cord press lines and has the capability to produce steel cord and rubber ply belting up to 3,200 mm wide and up to 50 mm thick.

Steve Abbott, Chief Operating Officer, said: “Kwinana is close to its main customers, allowing us to provide a quality product with reduced lead times while keeping the investment in Western Australia.

“Our customers have the convenience of dealing with a global business, supported by a state-of-the-art conveyor belt manufacturing facility in their backyard and the assurance of technical support that understands the local operational environment.”

These customers include Rio Tinto, BHP and many more.

Fenner Dunlop says it is once again partnering with Siempelkamp to commission the third line, which is the finest multi-piston press and associated equipment in the world, continuing the longstanding partnership in the production of high-quality conveyor belts.

The third line will increase the plant‘s capacity by a further 50%, and additional investment will support the efficient manufacture of fabric conveyor belts for Western Australian customers, the company added.

Abbott said: “The plant expansion is part of our longer-term strategy, following the plant opening in 2009 and the initial expansion in 2013. While the expansion is a reflection of our success, it allows us to maintain our responsiveness in quoting, production and delivery to meet the constantly changing requirements of our customers.”

The A$23.5 million investment is part of Fenner Dunlop’s commitment to grow its conveyor belt production to meet the increasing demand in Western Australia, it said.

The manufacturing plant also incorporates a testing and R&D laboratory to ensure all work is done to the highest quality and safety standards and all systems are under constant review and continual improvement.

Site work is scheduled to start in March 2021 with the commissioning in December 2021. The new press line will start full production in January 2022, according to the company.

MACA wins three-year contract extension at Ramelius’ Mt Magnet gold mine

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

Contract miner MACA has been given an extension to its contract at Ramelius Resources’ Mt Magnet gold mine, with the ASX-listed company set to continue providing mining services at the Western Australia operation for another three years.

The project extension will consist of open-pit mining services including drilling and blasting, and loading and hauling, MACA said.

It is expected the project extension will generate approximately A$130 million ($93 million) in revenue for MACA over the three-year term.

MACA says its total work in hand position now stands at a healthy A$2.3 billion.

Mike Sutton, MACA CEO and Managing Director, said: “We are pleased to continue our relationship with Ramelius Resources at Mt Magnet for a further three years. The services we provide at Mt Magnet and Edna May for Ramelius make up an important part of MACA’s work in hand in the gold sector.”

Bis to deliver off-road bulk load and haul services to Roy Hill

Bulk handling, Mine operation news, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , ,

Bis and its innovative haulage solutions have been selected for a major contract from Roy Hill at its iron ore mine in the east Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The new contract follows a competitive tender process and includes off-road bulk load and haul and site services, the resources logistics company said.

Bis CEO, Brad Rogers, said: “Bis has more than a century of experience in mine site haulage, and we are thrilled to welcome Roy Hill as an important new customer.”

Bis’ industry-leading safety record and Zero Harm approach to people, community and environment, in addition to the company’s culture of innovation, was integral in the company being awarded the contract, it said.

Rogers added: “This award highlights Bis’ strong reputation and capability across mining projects in Australia and Indonesia. We look forward to building strong relationships with the Roy Hill team and supporting their iron ore operation and delivering the contract efficiently and safely.”

Mobilisation to site will commence shortly, with a contract start date in September 2020, Bis said.

Roy Hill has an integrated mine, rail and port facilities and produces 55 Mt/y of iron ore, with approval to increase to 60 Mt/y.

Classic Minerals enlists Gekko gravity unit for processing Kat Gap gold

Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , ,

Western Australia-focused gold exploration and development company Classic Minerals says it has secured a Gekko gold gravity processing plant to be used for future on-site processing of gold ore at its Kat Gap gold project.

Kat Gap, around 120 km southeast of Southern Cross, Western Australia, has an existing 93,000 oz JORC resource with strong exploration upside and scope for high grade open-pit mining, the company says.

Gekko is a leader in the manufacture of gold processing plant and machinery with its plants boasting small footprints and low environmental impact.

An added attraction to Classic is that the Australia-made Gekko plant is modular and mounted on containerised elements providing for scalability and ease of modification, it said. The plant has a 30 t/h capacity and is scalable to a Gekko Python plant (pictured) with a processing capacity of 250 t/h, Classic added.

“Also, the mobility associated with the modular construction enables Classic to locate the plant adjacent to the orebody, which further minimises cartage and processing costs,” it said.

Classic’s purchase is for a two-stage gravity concentration plant from Gekko, which will be provided fully refurbished to new condition. The two-part plant will form the basis of the processing facility to be set up and operated by Classic at Kat Gap.

The company said: “Classic is now on track to set-up, commission and test the Gekko plant and commence processing of the gold rich ore at Kat Gap. The Gekko plant is ideally suited to processing Kat Gap ore, which has a unique high gravity gold concentration. Classic will have the capability and capacity to commence production as soon as the mining approvals (MLA 74/249) have been granted.”

To provide an immediate revenue stream, Classic has also commenced negotiations to toll treat any initial parcels of ore from Kat Gap, while the full-scale plant is configured to suit Kat Gap ore, it added.

MRL and Metso Outotec NextGen II crushing plant installation on track

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mineral Resources and Metso Outotec’s plans to deliver their NextGen II modular crushing plant to BHP’s Mt Whaleback mine remain on course, with the fabricated steelwork having arrived in Western Australia.

In January 2020, the joint venture awarded a fabrication contract to three separate companies in Turkey: Birikim and Mass Makina, in Ankara, and Bilim Makina, in Bursa, around 100 km south of Istanbul.

The contract was to procure, fabricate, trial assemble, surface treat, and deliver to the port about 1,400 t of fabricated steel work. This effort was led by Mineral Resources Technical Director, David De Haas, and Fabrication Manager, Michael Killeen.

Mineral Resources’ wholly-owned subsidiary, CSI Mining Services, has now received this infrastructure, with all NextGen II works to be assembled at CSI’s Kwinana workshop during a six-week period, working 24/7.

The assembly of the 12 Mt/y plant will be completed on site at BHP’s Mt Whaleback mine, replacing the existing CSI crushing plant at the iron ore operation. This contract was announced last month.

“The manufacture of NextGen II has been completed in very difficult times internationally as the coronavirus pandemic swept the world and the whole team is to be congratulated for their efforts,” Mineral Resources said.

“We look forward to the successful construction, installation and commissioning of the new plant at Mt Whaleback, and are confident this will be the first of many opportunities for this ground-breaking approach to deliver safe, reliable production for the hard-rock crushing industry.”

The company concluded: “CSI is already the world’s largest crushing contractor and NextGen II will help us maintain our position as the partners of choice for the mining industry.”

The first 12 Mt/y portable and modular NextGen crushing plant was installed in 2018 at the Pilgangoora lithium project, owned by Pilbara Minerals, in Western Australia.

RCT pushes dozer operators in a new direction at Pilbara iron ore mine site

Automation, Communications in mining, IoT, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , ,

RCT says it has completed its latest automation and control project for a major mining company at one of its iron ore operations in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

The autonomous solutions specialist supplied and commissioned its ControlMaster® Line of Sight solution on one Caterpillar D10T2 dozer and one Cat D11T dozer and the associated remote control devices for operators.

Site operators can now stand at a safe location overlooking the production area and direct the dozers to push the site’s coarse ore stockpiles and other required activities, RCT said.

RCT Account Manager, Phill Dean, said the technology will protect site personnel while ensuring effective production.

“This project is part of a long-standing relationship delivering leading-edge technology to the major iron ore producer to ensure smooth day-to-day and ad-hoc business activities,” he said.

“The ControlMaster technology integrated seamlessly into both dozer’s operating systems enabling the operators to access the machine’s full range of functionality available by the OEM.”

RCT will provide ongoing after sales support, scheduled servicing and onsite technical assistance as required, it said.

GR Engineering to turn the lights back on at Davyhurst gold processing plant

Comminution of minerals, Metallurgy, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , ,

GR Engineering Services has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Ora Banda Mining associated with the restart of the existing Davyhurst gold processing plant, in Western Australia.

The EPC contract price is A$10.8 million ($7.6 million) and will be undertaken on a fixed price basis, which includes a provisional sum component.

The scope of works include the refurbishment, optimisation and recommissioning of the existing 1.2 Mt/y processing plant, borefields and associated infrastructure. Work will start immediately and is expected to be completed in the March quarter, GR Engineering said.

GR Engineering Managing Director, Geoff Jones, said: “We are excited to be working with Ora Banda’s management team and look forward to Ora Banda becoming Australia’s newest gold producer.”

Ora Banda’s definitive feasibility study for the Davyhurst Restart project outlined a production target of 418,000 oz of gold over an initial five-year mine life based on an ore reserve of 460,000 oz (6.1 Mt at 2.4 g/t Au) from six deposits within 50 km of the existing plant.

A conventional gold three stage crushing circuit followed by a carbon in pulp processing plant will produce gold doré bars, according to Ora Banda, which hopes to commence mining in the December quarter and pour first gold in the March quarter.

Schlam Engineering, DT HiLoad and The Pilbara Clean Machines unite

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

The Schlam Group – Schlam Engineering, DT HiLoad and The Pilbara Clean Machines (TPCM) – has been amalgamated under one name, Schlam.

The move, which will unify the three companies under the one banner, purpose and set of principles, the company says, was initiated to better to reflect Schlam’s status as a “globally relevant company wholly focused on making mining equipment more productive”, it said.

Schlam Chief Executive Officer, Ryan Schlam, said the move would provide a stable platform for future growth.

“Bringing the group together under the one name will better position us to achieve our purpose of ensuring that the customer experience is exceptional,” he said.

“How we will do this is by solving the whole of equipment maintenance and payload challenges that keep our customer’s mines from being better tomorrow than they were today.”

The new brand has been partitioned into three distinct but related divisions covering Payload Solutions, People Solutions and Engineering Solutions.

According to Ryan Schlam, the roots of the company are secured deep within the People Solutions division.

“For almost 25 years we have been providing the industry with superstars in equipment maintenance, rebuilds and shutdowns,” he said.

“Be it mechanical, electrical or fabrication, our people are ready to join your team for as long as you need them, or to bring their expertise and field equipment to your site at a moment’s notice.”

Previously known by the name DT HiLoad, the Payload Solutions division will continue to manufacture and develop products such as the Hercules and Bullant trays, and Barracuda buckets for Tier 1 clients on six continents. Hercules truck trays are currently in place on the Cat 793s at BHP’s Eastern Ridge (Newman East) operation in the Pilbara. These trucks have just started to move to autonomous mode.

Ryan Schlam says the company’s growth was only possible due to its engineering mindset and holistic view of equipment productivity.

“Engineering is at the heart of everything that we do,” he said.

“Productivity problems don’t solve themselves and our Engineering Division will give customers access to people and technology that will enable them to help them rethink and reinvent how they’re currently doing things.”

The three divisions will be headquartered at the company’s offices in Forrestfield, Perth, in Western Australia.