Prometheus Materials has designed a zero-carbon concrete. Credit: Prometheus Materials’ website
Cement is well-known as one of the world’s widely consumed building materials, but an American company is changing the recipe with underwater ingredients.
Zero-carbon concrete is not new as an industry abroad, and Australia seeks to decarbonise operations and cement from its carbon emissions.
Prometheus Materials used microalgae to produce an alternative to traditional Portland cement. The company says the microalgae cement produces little-to-no CO2 and recycles 95 per cent of its water during production.
Alongside the carbon emissions benefits, the bio-cement has proven in recent tests to be incredibly absorptive for sound for noise reduction.
“Our latest ASTM testing results embody our commitment to innovative design,” president, chief executive, and co-founder of Prometheus Materials Loren Burnett said.
“We’ve developed a novel material that provides a zero-carbon alternative to traditional concrete while delivering additional performance benefits and applications. We’re proud to pave the way toward a more technologically advanced and environmentally responsible future for the construction industry.”
With significant investment from the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Prometheus has created an initial pre-cast bio-concrete product line that includes masonry units, segmented modular blocks and acoustic panels, and pavers.
The company still faces barriers to being approved as part of local building codes but is confident that with education, more people will engage with bio-cement.
“They’re doing a $75 million rehab on that building [Hellems Arts & Sciences building], and we will be on the interior walls. They want to put our blocks on interior walls that are highly visible to traffic, with storyboards to tell the story that these blocks are our zero carbon alternative material blocks made out of algae, originally invented at the University of Colorado,” Burnett said.
Evolution Mining has released an updated mineral resource estimate for its Ernest Henry project.
Ernest Henry is located 38km north-east of Cloncurry, Queenslandand is a large-scale copper-gold operation. Its mine life was extended in June of this year.
As of June 30, the Ernest Henry mineral resource is estimated at 101.5 million tonnes at 1.25 per cent copper and 0.73 grams per tonne (g/t) gold for 1.3 million tonnes of contained copper and 2.4 million ounces of contained gold.
This is an increase of 6.7 million tonnes, 76,000 ounces of contained gold and 63,000 tonnes of contained copper compared to the December 31 2022 mineral resource estimate (MRE).
The new MRE was said to be informed by results from 26 new drill holes completed from January 1 to March 8.
The new MRE will now inform the Ernest Henry extension feasibility study engineering work following the results of the mine extension pre-feasibility study that demonstrated an opportunity to extend the Ernest Henry mine life by 17 years to 2040.
“Ernest Henry continues to demonstrate its world class status with additional mineral resource growth since the previous estimate with the addition of only 26 new holes,” Evolution Mining chief executive officer Lawrie Conway said.
“This is the fourth increase in the first 18 months of 100 per cent ownership, with a net increase of 41–44 per cent in contained metal over this period.
“Resource increases outside the mine extension feasibility study footprint highlights the excellent potential for further resource growth and the potential to operate the plant at full capacity over the full 17-year mine life extension to 2040.”
Glencore Queensland Metals mines zinc and copper in the Mt Isa region. Image: Glencore
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has visited Glencore’s Mount Isa mines to discuss the importance of metals and minerals.
The Mt Isa copper-zinc mines are located in Mount Isa, Queensland, and are home to the only copper smelter and refinery in the state.
Glencore head of zinc and copper business Sam Strohmayr said the company had been looking forward to welcoming the Prime Minister to the site.
“We were delighted to host the Prime Minister and pleased that he was able to take time to visit our zinc operations,” Strohmayr said.
“We were also grateful to have the opportunity to discuss the increasing importance of metals and minerals in Australia and the contribution our operations make to the region.
“Mount Isa is one of Australia’s most successful mining towns and this is in large part to the support we get from the community.”
Glencore’s Queensland metals business employed over 4400 people in 2022, and contributed $2.4 billion to the economy.
This number included $1.7 billion spent on goods and services, which allowed the company to work with approximately 2130 local suppliers.
In 2022, Glencore spent $1.25 billion in investment commitments in transition metals, including spending $475 million to acquire the remaining 56.25 per cent interest in the MARA copper project in the Catamarca province of Argentina.
Quarries need reliable equipment that can handle intense conditions. High temperatures, freezing cold, heavy material and constant use can put extreme pressure on components.
This is why Oli Vibrators Australia is fully stocked and on standby to assist Australian quarries.
Many quarries are also located in remote areas, operating almost 24 hours per day. They can’t afford a breakdown.
Sean Brewer, sales executive at Oli Vibrators, told Quarry this is why the vibration motor specialist remains fully stocked and on standby.
“Having our Australian subsidiary and warehouse located in Melbourne is perfect for the many customers we have in the quarry and mining sector,” he said.
“There’s so many OLI vibrators out there in Australia’s crushing, scalping and dewatering screens and a lot of them are purring away 24/7 and getting a real workout. The push for higher productivity and minimal downtime is factored in to all the quarry managers budgets.”
“We’re not just down the road from our manufacturing plants in Italy and Malta, so the need for a fully stocked local warehouse is crucial to our customers and distributors. As such we need to ensure that our local Melbourne warehouse is well stocked not only with all our faster moving smaller vibrators, but also our big bangers like our six & eight pole motors with huge kilograms of force and proven reliability.”
Oli Vibrators has a strong presence in Australia.
Oli Vibrators specialise in industrial vibration technology, providing high-quality, European-built industrial electric and pneumatic vibrators, frequency converters, flowaids and aerators. The company has operated in Australia for more than two decades and has built up expertise in providing the right tools for the job.
Oli Vibrators manufactures its product in Italy, where its head office is located, and Malta. Here, the equipment goes through rigorous testing and quality control to ensure they can handle the extreme conditions.
The Melbourne-based branch liaises with the European manufacturing facilities to ensure it has the core items required for quarries.
Brewer said this is important, as several local quarry plant equipment manufacturers and designers incorporate Oli vibrators into their designs.
“They need reassurance so that when they get a call from a stressed quarry manager looking for a quick supply turnaround time, we’ll be able to assist quickly and not to let them down,” he said.
He added that while much of the plant equipment found in Australian quarries was imported and not locally manufactured, it was good to see a lot of it comes with Oli vibrators as original equipment.
“Ideally, we would love to supply mainly local manufacturers with our product out of the Melbourne warehouse but realistically our European colleagues are pushing just as hard to get the Oli vibrators on to their own locally produced quarry equipment bound for Australia,” he said.
“We’re happy to offer the after sales support and advice once it’s here. We are also happy to swap out our competitor’s vibrators for the OLI as happens quite a bit, because we have the stock on hand.”
Brewer spends the bulk of his workday talking with customers, many of whom are the procurement and plant maintenance managers for quarries.
With such a wide range of applications to cover, he helps them find the right size and placement for the company’s range of equipment. Small aerators and fluidisers are often deployed for cement powder, lime, and fly ash applications, while heavy-duty vibrators are installed on hoppers and bins. Even the delivery trucks can make use of the equipment.
Oli Vibrator’s specialists work closely with the site team, using drawings and site visits to help pick the right tool for the job.
Brewer said feedback has been positive.
“They love that we can solve problems for them quickly,” he said. “A site might have a blockage or reduced flow. They give us a phone call or email, and we can work together to get things moving.”
“Oli Group worldwide for many years has strived to stand by our mantra of ‘When You need it, where you need it’, and I think with the huge range of large size and brute force vibrators that we keep on the shelf, combined with the local logistics network we have finely tuned over the years, we live up to that.
“There is also a vast number of maintenance companies in Australia that specifically service the quarry sector, so they look to us to provide solutions with fast and reliable supply times. I get great satisfaction when I’m presented with a problem where our products can help and when the call comes back to me saying problem solved.” •
Kinder Australia is helping quarries protect one of their expensive assets – conveyor belts.
The Australian sun is relentless, with some of the highest levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world.
According to the Cancer Council, the UV radiation is strong enough to cause sunburn in as little as 11 minutes on a fine summer day.
For people, avoiding the damaging rays can be as simple as “slip, slop, slap,” but the same can’t be said about conveyors.
Usually located outside conveyors need to bear the brunt of the elements. Conveyor belts – which are usually the most expensive part of the conveyor – are susceptible to UV and heat. It can cause cracking, or delamination of the top cover, significantly shortening the equipment’s life.
Sean Kinder, business development manager at Kinder Australia, told Quarry that to avoid costly downtime and repairs, quarries can cover up and protect their conveyors with the K-AllShelter.
“K-AllShelter Conveyor Covers have been designed to provide complete and reliable coverage of the conveyor,” he said.
“K-AllShelter Conveyor Belt Covers are manufactured using a wide range of optional materials and engineered as a waterproof, durable barrier.”
It’s not just the sun and heat that can disrupt a quarrying operation. Rain, hail, and sleet can alter the consistency and quality of the conveyed materials.
Kinder points to the example of a concrete plant that needs to keep its moisture levels consistent to maintain the relevant specification. Heavy rains would make this impossible, pausing critical production time.
Rain can also create downstream production issues, including screen blinding and clogging issues. Moist materials can also cause hang up in chutes, blocking material flow and creating a spillage risk. In extreme scenarios, the wind and rain could even wash the material off the belt.
Kinder said the K-AllShelter can be custom made to suit all belt widths and models.
“It depends on what you’re trying to do – are you just looking to keep the product dry, or are you looking to protect it from the wind? Is the cover being used as a guard? Are you looking to reduce dust?” he said.
“We can change the shape of the cover to fit almost any application. Our team will visit the site and inspect the conveyor, taking measurements and acquiring drawings. From there, we can create a digital model before beginning the manufacturing process.”
“When it is installed, we can also paint the cover to fit with the rest of the environment. If it’s in a more arid area, we can help it blend into the surrounding colours.”
The conveyor belt covers can be designed and manufactured using a wide range of high-performance materials including galvanised steel, pre-lacquered steel, stainless steel and aluminium and fibre reinforced polyester.
Covering the conveyor is also beneficial to operators from a safety perfective. Moving parts are covered effectively, and dust is contained safely within the covers. It features a patented double lock/hinge system, which allows access from either side of the conveyor.
Service props and struts also come in varying designs, shapes, and sizes. These handy tools allow operators to gain access inside the cover to conduct routine maintenance.
Service props are fully adjustable systems that hold up the conveyor belt cover safely and securely so that any maintenance inside the covers can be easily performed.
Kinder has had positive feedback.
“The sites that have generally ordered a sample to be installed on one conveyor have come back to have them installed on others,” he said.
“The sites are comfortable using them and they can see the value the protection brings.”
The K-AllShellter also feature a dust-tight seal that prevents dust from escaping the conveyor. This also prevents dust from entering the conveyor system and causing damage to the components.
Kinder said eliminating spillage and dust is vital for the company, and one of the reasons it is focusing on the K-AllShelter.
“We are always looking for ways to cut down on the amount of labour our customers need to do. Eliminating spillage means there is less time spent cleaning around the conveyors, and more time focused on tasks that add value.”
A new process could offer a solution to reducing carbon emissions in iron and steel making.
BioIron™ uses raw, sustainable biomass and microwave energy instead of coal to convert Pilbara iron ore to iron in the steelmaking process. BioIron has the potential to be carbon neutral and can result in net negative emissions when linked with carbon capture and storage.
We have proven the process works using a small-scale pilot plant, and now we’re planning to test it on a larger scale.
Why is low-carbon steel important?
Making steel – the process of converting iron ore into iron and iron into steel – uses a lot of energy. Because of this – and the fact it’s used in so many things – steel making is responsible for around 8% of all global emissions.
Most of these emissions are created during the industrial process transforming iron ore – the raw material – into metal. Decarbonising the way iron (and therefore steel) is made could make a significant contribution to reducing global emissions.
We worked with experts from the University of Nottingham, England and Metso Outotec, a specialist in sustainable technologies, to prove BioIron works on a small scale, and now we’re scaling it up to a continuous pilot plant with a capacity of one tonne per hour.
Rio and Metso strengthen BioIron partnership
Metso has been awarded a detailed design and engineering contract from Rio Tinto for its continuous pilot plant (CPP) on behalf of the BioIron process.
The BioIron process uses raw biomass instead of metallurgical coal as a reductant and microwave energy to convert Pilbara iron ore to metallic iron in the steelmaking process.
According to Rio Tinto, it has the potential to be carbon neutral and can result in net negative emissions when linked with carbon capture and storage.
The new contract awarded to Metso from Rio Tinto serves as an extension of the work both companies have been doing together on the development of the BioIron process since December 2022.
Rio Tinto proved the effectiveness of the process using ores from its mines in Australia in a small-scale pilot plant in Germany after testing by Rio Tinto, Metso and the University of Nottingham’s Microwave Process Engineering Group was conducted for 18 months.
Through this new contract, Rio Tinto aims to move further towards the full-scale implementation of the BioIron technology through the CPP operation, and Metso will deliver the detailed design of the CPP’s reduction furnace and other equipment for the BioIron process.
Rio Tinto general manager of steel decarbonisation David Leigh said this is an important step in developing the BioIron technology.
“This work is the key next step in the development of the BioIron technology and builds on the success of the research and development team,” Leigh said.
Metso director of ferrous metals Matthias Gabriel echoed similar sentiments.
“We are very excited to continue the close working relationship with Rio Tinto and to provide engineering and design support as we move to the next phase of development of the BioIron technology,” Gabriel said.
Pitchers Partners has released its Dealmakers: mid-market M&A in Australia 2023 update, where it found that the mining sector contributed significantly to the country’s M&A (mergers and acquisitions) value through the Newmont acquisition of Newcrest.
Pitcher Partners is an association of independent accounting and business advisory firms located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and Sydney.
Its latest dealers M&A (mergers and acquisitions) update found that international corporate buyers accounted for $48 billion of M&A activity in the first half of 2023. As a result, this has delivered the strongest six-month interval for offshore M&A values since 2018.
“Across all markets, foreign interest was led by North American dealmakers who contributed 77 per cent of deal value as they explored opportunities in Australia’s rich technology sector, as well as mining and resources, finance and healthcare,” the report said.
The overall value of global M&A was down by 35 per cent compared to the first half of 2022 and with a 37 per cent slump in the mid-market.
However, it was good news for Australia as the country’s M&A value increased by 13 per cent compared to the first half of 2022. Australian transactions in the first half of 2023 were worth $64.8 billion, coming from 390 deals. The number of deals has decreased by 26 per cent compared to those recorded in 2022.
The value figure is said to be influenced by the $26.6 billion Newmont purchase of Newcrest, which has made up approximately 41 per cent of the total deal value in Australia during the first half of 2023.
“Energy, mining and utilities made up 78 per cent of deal value in the first half of 2023, and even without the inclusion of the Newcrest sale, the sector still made up 50 per cent of total sales,” the report said.
Pitcher Partners Sydney corporate finance partner Andy Hough said that while values remain strong, Australian deal volumes were the lowest in more than five years, which he attributed to deals taking longer to complete in comparison to 12 months ago.
“Due diligence is becoming an increasingly drawn-out process, with factors such as environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) and increased regulatory burdens leading to a greater depth of scope,” Hough said.
“While that has negatively impacted on deal numbers in this half, it should result in an uptick of completed deals in the second half of the year,” Hough said.
WA Limestone wanted a rock breaker with some “meat on the bones” to handle its hard rock quarry in Onslow.
Western Australia’s northwest is a rugged environment, characterised by gruelling conditions and tough rock. It is here where WA Limestone, one of the state’s biggest aggregate suppliers, can be found.
Steven Della Bona, director at WA Limestone, said the material is a very hard rock to mine, because it is so dense, abrasive, and hard.
“The wear factors and the damage that it does on your machines is pretty horrendous,” he said.
“You need the right machinery and the right wear parts on your machinery.”
The family-owned company found Kobelco’s SK500XD to be the answer for a heavy-duty machine that can handle abrasive aggregate.
Kobelco’s SK500XD weighs in at 52,200 kg, making it one of the heaviest machines in its class.
It features a heavy-duty boom and arm set as well as factory-fitted, triple-plated, hardened steel applied to all key structural sections.
This includes the boom-to-arm connection, the boom centre, and the end of the arm, providing a high level of durability and longevity to the attachment structures.
A specially designed full-length rock guard is installed on the inside of the dipper arm, on top of additional steel plating.
A quadruple track guide frame and reinforced heavy-duty 600mm triple grouser shoe provide reliability in rocky underfoot conditions, making easy work of rough terrain.
The durability of the track links has also increased, while the idler frame has received substantial double reinforcement plating inside and out, resulting in improved undercarriage reliability which prevents premature wear.
The heavy-duty steel bolted underbody guard protects vital machine components and provides additional weight for greater stability.
The additional metal, which helps the SK500XD handle the Onslow quarry site, is a key feature for WA Limestone.
“I was pretty impressed by the extra steel on the track frames and the extra steel and reinforcement around the arm, the excavator frame and the dipper arm,” Della Bona said.
“Being in the conditions that we operate in and especially with the hard rock you need a machine that can handle the bumps, hard rocks and all the stresses and pressures.
“The machine has worked really well and hasn’t let us down at all, it’s been reliable and done everything that we asked it to do.”
WA Limestone partnered with Kobelco to optimise its operations.
It is powered by a Hino Toyota engine, alongside Kawasaki pumps and hydraulics, which delivers 257 kW of power and an average fuel consumption of under 30L per hour. This helps the SK500XD generate a breakout force of 293 kN, and slew torque of 183 kN.
The hydraulic system notifies the operator if
filter performance is compromised which helps manage maintenance and reduce downtime.
“They’re a proven hydraulic pump and hydraulic system so there is no reason why we wouldn’t get a good run out of them.
The company has road-tested several machines over its five decades in the industry. Della Bona, who has been with the company for 38 years, understands what makes a quality machine.
“I was trying to find a dedicated rock-breaking machine and I rang a couple of clients who run them, and they had nothing but good words to say,” Della Bona said.
“I was able to buy that machine pretty quickly and get it up and running and that was a big part of the decision-making.
“I am keen to see how it continues to perform but we’re really happy with it.”
Kobelco has confidence in the machine’s ability to handle the demanding conditions of the Australian worksite providing an extended major component warranty of four years or 6000 hours.
Mark Johnson, Kobelco Australia’s general manager of product and distribution, said the machine has all the tools to be a hit.
“It’s engineered for the most extreme environments around the world,” he said.
“It also builds on Kobelco’s excellent reputation for machine reliability, taking it to a new level by providing a factory-installed, comprehensive set of structural reinforcements—not to mention class-leading digging performance and fuel efficiency.
“The result is a machine that is the perfect choice for quarry work.”
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