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Kinder Australia keep quarries’ conveyors covered

K-AllShelter conveyor belt covers are manufactured using a wide range of optional materials. Image: Kinder Australia

Kinder Australia is helping quarries keep dust down while protecting material from the elements with its K-AllShelter Capotex covers.

Quarries can be a harsh and unrelating place for conveyors and the material they move.

Being exposed to the Australian elements can invite disaster. Rain adds more complications to the mix, as adding water to quarried material can quickly alter the consistency and lead to screen blinding, clogging, chute hangups and blockage.

Heat and humidity can interfere with material quality and flow, while the sun’s harsh ultraviolet rays can shorten the belt life.

Strong winds can blow material off the belt, and in some cases, even flip the belting entirely. This also has the added problem of creating dust emissions.

Peter Laskey, a Kinder Australia field application specialist, told Quarry that dust prevention is becoming even more important in the sector.

“We are seeing quarries around the country looking to minimise dust as much as they can,” he said.

“Regulations are strict and it’s important to ensure the safety of the nearby workforce.”

One Victorian Quarry reached out to Kinder Australia to rectify its onsite dust issues. The site had recently improved one of its transfer points to deal with dust that had been building up.

However, following the transfer point upgrade, dust was being redirected to a different point of the conveyor system. Two vertical shaft impactors were frequently creating excessive dust emissions, particularly around the front of the transfer site, during the start up and production phase.

Baffles were previously used, but this solution was not enough to combat excessive dust emissions during normal production.

K-AllShelter features:

• Cost effective

•Self-supporting (no support structure required)

•Accessible from both sides of the conveyor

• No sharp edges

• Build-in inspection points available

•Site specific wind load report available to confirm compliance to Australian Standard

Laskey said the K-AllShelter Capotex conveyor cover was the proven, cost-effective dust suppression solution.

“The K-Shelter Capotex conveyor cover was chosen for its lightweight, high strength and easy to install features. The covers feature a dust-tight seal that prevents dust from escaping and causing problems on site.

“Future conveyor maintenance is made simple and hassle free due to the conveyor covers being hinged on both sides and due to the Caposafe Service Prop. The prop holds the cover and lets the maintenance team get access easily.”

K-AllShelter conveyor belt covers are manufactured using a wide range of optional materials and engineered as a waterproof, durable barrier. They can be custom made to suit all belt widths and models.

They help to provide durable protection from extreme environmental elements and help to control moisture levels of conveyed materials. Covering the conveyor is also beneficial to operators, improving safety by covering the moving parts.

Laskey said the dust emissions were eliminated following the installation of the covers, as the dust would settle onto the belt instead of becoming airborne.

“The customer was very happy – they saw how well it contained dust and decided to continue it to the head pulley. Once they saw how effective it was, they decided to go for the whole length of the conveyor,” he said.

“This is a classic example of how Kinder Australia works to find the right solution for a site. Our team looked at one part of the system, got that right, then moved to another. It’s not about isolating the symptom – we want to rectify the problem itself.

“We’re a solutions-based company with a large engineering base. Kinder is always working on new ways of solving problems that work best for each site.” •

For more information, visit kinder.com.au

Steve Franklin: Could tech in Tennessee affect Australian aggregates?

STEVE FRANKLIN

AGG1 co-hosts with World of Asphalt. Image: Steven Franklin

Steve Franklin, founder of Eltirus, attended the AGG1 Academy & Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. He reports what he found at a key event for the North American aggregates industry.

Co-hosted with the World of Asphalt, the AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo witnessed a record-breaking attendance.

More than 15,800 industry professionals participated in the three-day event, marking a significant 38 per cent increase from the previous record of 11,400 attendees in 2022.

This surge in attendance underscores the event’s growing importance and influence within the aggregates and asphalt industries.

The show not only set new records in attendance but also expanded its reach in terms of educational sessions and exhibitors, offering more than 120 educational sessions and featured over 400 exhibitors across 18,000 square meters of place with attendees from all over the world, including as far as Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Europe to engage with the latest innovations, technology, and education in the field.

Who was there?

The exhibitor area was well represented by equipment manufacturers and equipment.

In terms of aggregate equipment suppliers, all the companies that you would expect to be there were – Caterpillar, Epiroc, Develon, HD Hyundai, John Deer, Komatsu, Liebherr, Sandvik, Volvo, and more.

On the technology side, I saw Carlson, Inform, Loadrite, Price Bee, Topcon (to name but a few).

I also ran into a range of people from companies that I know who were not exhibiting, but nevertheless there catching up with customers and prospects.

Aggregate equipment suppliers were at the event, including Liebherr. Image: Steve Franklin

Electric and autonomous equipment

I was much disappointed to see very little in terms of this type of technology. The only notable machine was a small electric wheel loader. The big news in the North American market in terms of autonomous operation is of course the Luck Stone Caterpillar trial at their Bull Run quarry, however I didn’t hear any discussion of this at the show.

Automated environmental monitoring

Monitoring of environmental performance can be a pretty time-consuming affair when done manually. I have often thought there should be an easier way of doing things and I saw just that at AGG1.

Sauls Seismic provides a fully managed service that provides, installs, and manages IoT sensors that measure ground vibration, rainfall, water flow and water level, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, conductivity, weather and dust deposition.

I have never seen a company that has all the environmental sensors that a site might need, installs, and maintains them and provides access to the data in a consistent format through a public API. Is there such a service in Australia – if so, please let me know.

Inventory management

Using drones for stockpile management is a big step up from manual measurement in terms of accuracy.

However, I am sure that you will also know that the approach can result in variable outcomes at time.

All it takes is someone to start changing densities, mis-pick the material type, alter the elevation of a stockpile base or boundary for you to see big swings in tonnages. In short, it is a good approach, but not an infallible one.

Enter Stockpile Reports (SR). Famous for their app that allows you to measure a stockpile using your iPhone (and more recently using the new Apple Vision Pro VR goggles), they also offer an enterprise inventory management service. So, what do I mean by inventory management service and how is this different to the way that we are used to measuring stockpiles with say Propeller or DroneDeploy?

Stockpile Reports is the only automated, controlled, and scalable third-party solution for managing bulk materials inventory that provides third-party verification and stockpile measurement accuracy scoring. Whether the imagery is captured with planes, drones, phones, or installed cameras, their patented technology ensures precision with reports that auto-correct obstructions, provide an objective surface score, and measure confidence in toe and base calculations.

The thing that really makes it stand out is the fact that your stockpile volumes are verified, and SR stand behind the numbers.

They also provide API access to the data and sensors that can provide real time analysis of stockpile volumes using fixed cameras that help identify potential stock-outs. It is amazing technology.

More than 15,800 industry professionals participated in the three-day event. Image: Steve Franklin

Aggregate and concrete plant scheduling

I think we can all agree that keeping quarry production and sales teams can sometimes get out of sync, with less than desirable outcomes.

Plant Demand aims to help alleviate this problem by putting in place a system that helps to keep everyone on the same page by helping to improve stock level visibility and reduce potential stock-outs. Increasingly common in North America, I think it has the opportunity to help businesses in our region too.

Logistics optimisation

Whether you deliver ready-mix concrete, cement, aggregates, asphalt, or any other building materials, effective transport planning can mean the make a big difference to the bottom line. Inform, a German company provides a remarkable AI based system that claims to increase truck fleet performance up to 30 per cent by calculating an optimised delivery schedule and fleet configuration for the next day based on service levels.

I am sure that to anyone who runs a fleet of trucks, 30 per cent improvement sounds like a big number. With this in mind, I was looking to talk to people at the show who had experience of Inform and could validate the sort of improvement that they are promoting.

One former managing director of a European aggregates operation who had experience of the system confirmed that they had indeed seen improvements on the order of 25-30 per cent in fleet productivity through the use of Inform and that its approach to fleet sizing or redistribution, truck right-sizing, fleet size/mix, haulage contracts made a profound difference to how they ran their fleet.

Quoting and sales price optimisation

Price Bee was very kind in allowing us to co-show with them at AGG1. I was amazed by the interest their product generated at the show, with many, many people stopping by to see their integrated quoting and pricing system for aggregates, concrete and asphalt.

Having seen the system from its inception many years ago, it was very interesting to get a deep dive into the software and how it can help providers. Even more so was to see the progress they have made into the North American market with a number of big-name customers.

If you haven’t seen Price Bee, it provides a fast, effective way to quote aggregates, concrete and asphalt (if you are using Excel for quotes, you must see this), but it also integrates pricing optimisation into the quote to ensure that different customers are charged the right pricing tiers and works to help you maximise price across the board.

Fleet management

Last but not least, great to see a home-grown technology solution at the show – Komatsu’s Smart Quarry Site system which was well represented and created a lot of interest.

Summary

Probably the most noticeable trend at AGG1 this year was the focus on digital transformation. The vast majority of producers I spoke to have an accelerated interest in this area and were working on projects to change how they did business. •

If you would like to know more, you can contact the author at steve.franklin@eltirus.com

First Quantum uncovers copper at Honeymoon

OLIVIA THOMSON

The Honeymoon uranium project. Image: Boss Energy

A drilling program carried out by First Quantum Minerals at Boss Energy’s Honeymoon uranium project in South Australia has intersected copper and gold mineralisation.

The mineralisation was uncovered below the Yarramba Palaeovalley along the Honeymoon tenements.

Three holes at the Atlas target, 4km east of Honeymoon, were drilled as part of the campaign, totalling 1029.5m.

Recent assays from Atlas include:

23CURDD002: 16m at 0.27 per cent copper (Cu) and 0.1 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) from 288m
23CURDD006: 47m at 0.19 per cent Cu from 404m, with several narrower zones of 5–6m containing up to 0.5 per cent Cu and 0.12g/t Au.

“The intercepts are proof of process; evidence for movement and precipitation of copper (~gold/~zinc) within the Bimba Formation in the target area,” Boss Energy said.

Two holes equalling 701.6m were also drilled at the Pandora target, located 8km south of Honeymoon.

“One hole intersected an interval of stratiform low grade zinc-bearing stratigraphy, inferred to be the upper portion of the Bimba Formation,” Boss Energy said.

“This zone potentially lies outboard of a lower copper (~gold) zone, at the currently untested base of the Bimba Formation.”

One deep hole totalling 742.3m was also drilled at the Yarramba dome target, located 15km north of Honeymoon. However, no appreciable mineralisation was intersected.

The recent drilling carried out by First Quantum Minerals follows a maiden diamond drilling program carried out by the company along the Yarramba Palaeovalley in October 2023.

Boss Energy first entered into an exploration earn-in agreement with First Quantum Minerals in February 2022. The agreement covers the base metals rights of five tenements at the Honeymoon project.

“With a proven track record in discovering and developing deposits, Boss considers First Quantum Minerals an ideal partner in the exploration and potential development of any base or precious metal discoveries at Honeymoon,” Boss Energy said of the agreement.

After the drilling program’s completion, First Quantum Minerals may choose to earn a 51 per cent interest in its agreement with Boss Energy by spending $6 million on exploration within five years, as well as maintaining minimum annual expenditure on the project of $500,000.

If First Quantum follows this path, it will enter into a joint venture (JV) agreement with Boss Energy.

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Construction sector sees rapid rise in artificial intelligence

ASHLEY GROGAN

Image: Treecha/stock.adobe.com

Autodesk and Deloitte have launched the latest edition of their joint report, the State of Digital Adoption in the Construction Industry 2024, highlighting the vital role of artificial intelligence in the years to come. This second iteration of the annual survey compiles insights gathered from 933 construction firms across six markets: Australia, Singapore, Japan, India, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

The report reveals that 30 per cent of Australian companies surveyed are currently trialling or using artificial intelligence (AI). By adopting AI, they aim to enhance operational efficiencies and help solve critical issues facing the construction industry, such as escalating labour shortages, soaring material costs and disruptions in global supply chains.

Additionally, 61 per cent of Australian construction companies surveyed express confidence in AI’s potential to drive down costs. This optimism is particularly noteworthy amid a concerning trend of more construction companies entering external administration than any other industry in the current financial year.

Sumit Oberoi, senior manager of construction strategy and partnerships, Asia Pacific at Autodesk, emphasised that with the challenges confronting Australia’s construction sector, the adoption of AI and technology is imperative for business success and cost reduction in construction.

“Disruptive new technologies combined with a challenging business outlook means that construction and engineering leaders in Australia and across Asia Pacific (APAC) are having to seriously rethink their tools, workforce skill needs and how they interact with clients and contractors,” said Oberoi. “Generative AI has exploded onto the agenda for senior leaders with the rapid adoption of tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney and Github Copilot.”

“No industry is immune from the transformative potential of this technology.

“Generative AI means that a new project proposal doesn’t need to start from scratch, instead leveraging material and pricing based on projects completed by the company with similar specifications.”

A further 33 per cent of Australian construction companies surveyed plan to use AI in future, with AI the most common technology they are looking to integrate into their operations. Australian construction companies surveyed said the benefits of AI will:

Improve efficiency – 76 per cent
Reduce costs – 61 per cent
Increase competitive advantage – 57 per cent
Increase revenue – 53 per cent
Improve margins – 53 per cent
Uncover new ideas and insights – 52 per cent
Enhance relationship with clients – 49 per cent
Create new revenue streams – 43 per cent
Improve employee engagement – 42 per cent

David Rumbens, partner at Deloitte Access Economics, suggested that if every company with intentions to implement AI follows through, AI could become as common in the construction sector as data analytics or mobile apps.

Integrating technologies like these into business operations will be no small feat. The construction industry in Australia contributed over $140 billion to the economy and employs over 1.2 million people, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

According to the report, 76 per cent of Australian businesses are reporting a technical skills gap related to digital technology. Oberoi said, “Priority areas for construction businesses to improve digital adoption include starting small by piloting projects, selecting a digital champion, tracking a range of success measures, building a digital ecosystem and asking whether your business is AI ready.”

“Put simply, construction companies need to get their ducks in a row now so they can implement AI in future years.

“The first step to successfully implementing AI is data standardisation and having an operational common data environment for teams.”

Additional key findings from the report across APAC include:Across APAC, 30 per cent of construction companies are trialling or currently use artificial intelligence in their operations, with a further 39 per cent planning to use the technology in the future.The critical role of technology in supporting business growth is increasingly being recognised. There was an increase in both businesses seeing new technology as assisting with new project work (up from 38 per cent to 45 per cent) and technology as improving internal processes (up from 37 per cent to 43 per cent).Foundational technologies are the most commonly used, with data analytics (47 per cent), construction management software (43 per cent) and mobile apps (40 per cent) providing the backbone of construction operations.Generative artificial intelligence is expected to become as pervasive in the construction and engineering industry as these foundational technologies, with 94 per cent of businesses now having plans to integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning into their businesses.

A processing partnership built to last

ALEXANDRA EASTWOOD

ASTEC and OPS share a decade-long partnership. Image: Astec

Astec and OPS are committed to growing each other and the mining industry.

All hands were on deck at the OPS Screening and Crushing Equipment open days on March 21–22.

Held at OPS’s Perth facility, the expo celebrated 35 years of the company supplying critical equipment to Australia’s mining and quarrying industry.

To mark the occasion, OPS welcomed industry players from across the world to take part in two days of exhibitions, presentations and displays.

Rock-to-road solutions expert Astec was a major participant at the event. The company was also celebrating its decade-long partnership with OPS.

“Both Astec and OPS have seen excellent growth through our partnership,” Astec business line manager – material solutions Adam Gordon told Australian Mining.

“A key factor in the relationship is we know we can rely on OPS to provide quality service and expert technicians ready to rise to any challenge.”

Astec was in attendance to support OPS at its two-day expo in March.
Image: Astec

Gordon said OPS is a trusted distributer of Astec’s bulk material handling and fixed plant equipment to mines and quarries in Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and New South Wales.

And the company distributes Astec’s rock breaker systems, materials handling equipment and ship-loading range Australia-wide.

“Astec manufactures equipment for the entire mineral processing chain, including crushing, screening, handling and washing,” he said.

“It’s big equipment for a big industry, and it requires knowledge, expertise and an extensive range of high-quality products to get the right machines to the right sites.”

Between them, Astec and OPS teams have built hundreds of years of industry experience, including expertise drawn from the 16 respected brands under the Astec umbrella.

“While Astec and OPS are successful businesses in their own right, they’re even better working together,” Gordon said. “We each bring different strengths to the partnership – strengths that we then build on to benefit each other and our customers.

“And with our combined experience, we have the Australian mining and quarrying industries covered.”

According to Gordon, one significant advantage in working together is the companies’ ability to deliver advanced training to teams on the ground.

“We’re very hands-on with our training,” Gordon said. “In fact, we ran multiple, comprehensive training sessions on specific aspects of our equipment at the two-day expo,” Gordon said.

When it comes to ensuring technicians are capable of providing outstanding service to customers, Gordon credits Astec’s tailored approach in ensuring OPS staff members are well equipped to face any challenge.

OPS managing director Shane Czerkasow addressing the crowd at the OPS expo.
Image: Astec

“We have a lot of equipment in the thousands-of-tonnes-per-hour range and it’s all very specialised,” he said. “That’s why our training is personalised in a one-on-one environment, to ensure these technicians are able to deliver next level service to our customers.”

Among Astec’s innovative equipment and technology on display at the OPS event was a virtual reality station where attendees could take a virtual tour of Astec’s ship-loading and modular plant crusher facilities.

“Being able to showcase the scale of our capabilities was a major highlight of the event,” Gordon said.

The recent expansion of Astec’s Omagh manufacturing facility in Northern Ireland is another important factor in the company’s ability to support OPS.

“This expansion has effectively doubled our manufacturing capability, meaning we can supply more equipment more often to OPS, thereby keeping our customers up to date with the latest products and critical support when they need it,” he said.

Gordon emphasised that through Astec’s commitment to continuous improvement, the company is already designing and building equipment for the future, and it’s counting on OPS to be with them on that journey.

“We are very proud to be associated with OPS,” Gordon said, “We’re similar businesses, with the same goal of providing our customers with the best possible equipment to meet their needs.

“We work very well together, and we’re looking forward to a great future of growth.”

This feature appeared in the May 2024 issue of Australian Mining.

Why Hazemag’s Roller Screens are for rain, hail, or shine

ADAM DAUNT

The Hazemag Roller Screen is the next generation of roller screens. Image: Hazemag

European manufacturer Hazemag believes many Australian quarries could benefit from installing a roller screen.

Traditionally, the roller screen has been the domain of limestone producers due to its ability to handle sticky and difficult material.

However, a new generation of roller screens is being developed to help quarries with more than just a sticky situation, especially if they want extra versatility.

“We’re seeing a lot of inquiries at the moment for the roller screen because in the rainy season and winter time, quarries can get flooded with water, and the material can get quite sticky, so they need something that can be used in the dry and wet season,” Hazemag and allmineral managing director of Australia Teddy Craies told Quarry.

It is a familiar story for Craies and project and service engineer Jaco Botha when they visit quarries, especially around the Victorian and eastern coast markets.

When winter strikes and the seasonal conditions worsen, their productivity drops as their equipment struggles to handle the change.

Prescreening can help increase profits. Image: Hazemag

The Hazemag Roller Screen can help quarry operators handle different weather conditions, raw material consistencies and specification requirements.

The Hazemag Roller Screen has a separation surface area featuring disc-fitted rollers. The polygonal-shaped rollers help transport, circulate, and loosen material for the downstream equipment. Fines pass the gaps between the rollers while coarse material is conveyed from the screen to the screen overflow.

Compared to a vibrating screen, the Roller Screen from Hazemag is non-vibrating, which is helpful in specific operations like limestone, clay stone, natural stone, and gypsum.

Hazemag has heard from customers that their roller screens have become an effective pre-screening tool.

“We’ve heard from a few Australian quarries when they’ve approached us about the roller screen, the main reason is their crushers and chutes are getting clogged up during winter,” Craies said.

“The roller screen, in installations across South East Asia and PNG helps the crusher do the job and helps operations in terms of variance in materials and the season and optimised energy utilisation.

“It helps the crusher perform better.”

The Hazemag new generation of roller screens, with gap setting adjusted for product size primary 70mm to 120mm and secondary 20mm to 70mm, is available to the quarrying industry.

This enables operators to adapt to changing requirements and suit material specifications easily. It can handle difficult material, which means less wear and reduced energy consumption for downstream equipment.

“You can put it in front of your primary crusher because it can handle quite a big lump size compared to a conventional vibrating screen,” Jaco Botha said.

“Putting it in front of the primary crusher enables you to get away with a smaller crusher because you’re dealing with smaller sizes.”

Hazemag’s Roller Screen can benefit other machines with a quarry’s downstream set-up.

“This helps the crusher do what it is meant to do and crush the bigger material, not crush things that don’t need to be crushed,” Craies said.

“When you compare it to a vibrating screen, they can’t handle the lump sizes and volume (like a roller screen).

“The roller screen helps pre-screen material which optimises the crusher’s lifespan and the production and energy consumption as well.”

In a traditional vibrating screen, which has two oscillating screens, these types of materials can adhere and bake onto the screen. This enhances wear and the need for maintenance.

The Hazemag Roller Screen has none of this movement, and each roll is equipped with scraper elements to ensure an enhanced clean.

“Each roller has a scraper which helps to scrape and move and then breakdown the separated materials to help get them moving forward,” Craies said.

Hazemag has designed its roller screen with a modular design, available in modules of four or six shafts. The roller screen’s modular nature enables customers to place extra steps between the individual modules.

All Hazemag’s shafts are solid core but can be altered to fit the customer’s application. For example, the welded three-bow disc design is better suited to heavy-duty applications, while the form-locked join design is more versatile.

The roller screen drive system and disc arrangement are selected based on the customer’s application. The chain-link system is where one geared motor drives several shafts, and the individual drive system is where each shaft is driven by a geared drive.

“We can customise it to the customer’s requirements to their needs and application,” Craies said.

“We use all the information, including what the customer is trying to achieve and what their current set-up and footprint are, and we will do some testings to find the best solution for them.”

Hazemag’s updated HAZconnect system enables site managers and operators to access data on all Hazemag machines including the Roller Screen.

The digital maintenance platform enables operators to perform preventative maintenance using detailed data insights from the dashboard on HAZconnect.

“It brings information about the machine to the operator, and they can adjust the settings and gives them control,” Craies said.

“This kind of preventative and digital maintenance lets them reduce downtime.”•

For more information, visit hazemag.com

Queensland invests millions in critical minerals mine expansion

KELSIE TIBBEN

Tungsten is considered a critical mineral under Australia’s Critical Minerals List. Image: Wirestock Creators/shutterstock.com

The Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) will fund the expansion of EQ Resources’ (EQR) Mount Carbine tungsten mine in the state’s north with a $20 million loan.

The funding comes from the Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund, which aims to assist critical minerals development and the manufacturing of battery technologies.

EQR will welcome the funding in two instalments over the loan’s three-year period. The first round will see $12 million provided to assist in doubling the site’s processing capacity and commencing underground drill testing.

The second round of $8 million will be used to continue underground drill testing and start underground trial mining.

Queensland Minister Resources and Critical Minerals Scott Stewart said the Government is committed to developing the state’s critical minerals resources like tungsten.

“The resurgence of tungsten production is another remarkable success story in Queensland’s critical minerals boom,” Stewart said.

“Since returning to operation in 2019, Mount Carbine tungsten mine has become a major employer in the Far North, where 175 workers and contractors are on track to produce about 3000 tonnes of tungsten concentrate every year.

“The existing open-cut mine is forecast to reach its end of life by 2029, but the Queensland Government is committed to supporting these workers and the communities they call home.”

EQR chief executive officer Kevin MacNeill welcomed the funding, which will see drilling kick off this year.

“We are pleased that the opportunity has arisen for such extensive and attractive funding support from the Queensland Government,” he said.

“The provision of financing will support our recently announced expansion program to double capacity at Mt Carbine, but we also consider this a strong endorsement of the company’s corporate strategy to further establish ourselves as a leading and responsible producer of globally relevant critical minerals.”

Ravensthorpe nickel to suspend operations

KELSIE TIBBEN

The Ravensthorpe nickel operations. Image: First Quantum Minerals

While many of the staff members from the Ravensthorpe nickel operation (RPO) will be made redundant, owner First Quantum Minerals is taking steps to keep as many employed as possible.

It comes as First Quantum places the WA site into a care and maintenance process from May 1. All production at the site is expected to cease by late May, with wind-down activities planned over the coming weeks.

“First Quantum acknowledges that its decision will have a significant impact on its employees and their families,” a spokesperson for the miner said in a statement.

“A smaller, dedicated care and maintenance team will be appointed from current RNO employees to ensure the site is safe and preserved for a future re-start.”

In addition to keeping on as many staff as possible, First Quantum will continue to support the Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun communities in any way it can.

“The company remains committed to supporting the local community and will play an active role within the Shire of Ravensthorpe throughout the care and maintenance period,” the First Quantum spokesperson said.

“This will include ensuring a large proportion of the care and maintenance team are based locally and maintaining the current First Quantum-owned housing within Hopetoun.

“Recognising the impact that this decision will have on the region, the company will continue engaging with the Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun communities and provide an appropriate level of community investment and support in the period ahead.”

After first scaling back operations in January, First Quantum again cited lower nickel prices and higher operating costs as major factors in the decision.

“Despite RNO’s best efforts to maintain operations by transitioning to a new operating strategy that involved ceasing mining activities, processing stockpiles and altering its approach to production, the site is incurring significant current and projected losses,” the spokesperson said.

“RNO will continue to meet all its environmental management and monitoring, rehabilitation and other regulatory requirements for the site.”

Ravensthorpe joins the Cosmos nickel mine in WA in entering care and maintenance in 2024, with owner IGO also citing a weakening nickel market as a driver in the decision to shutter the site.

“We still believe there is value in Cosmos; however, in this nickel environment we need to be disciplined with our allocation of capital, while retaining our optionality to restart if market conditions improve,” IGO managing director and chief executive officer Ivan Vella said in January.

Bradken’s Duaplate DX changes the game

KELSIE TIBBEN

Image: Bradken

Duaplate DX is a revolutionary weld overlay material engineered by Bradken to perform under the most extreme abrasive operating conditions.

Trialed in the lower section of a surge bin, the Duaplate DX was installed in an iron ore mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The bin was compared to an identical chute lined with Duaplate D80.

Duaplate DX is manufactured to Bradken’s proprietary composition to create an incredible fine microstructure that provides a substantial improvement in the operational life over traditional chromium carbide based overlay.

To find out more, visit: https://bradken.com/case-studies/duaplate-dx

Product

Duaplate® DX Weld Overlay

Location

Pilbara Region, WA, Australia

Platform

Chute: Lower Section of Surge Bin

Conditions

Iron Ore Processing

Solution

Duaplate® DX Weld Overlay

Mount Isa Mines levels up renewables

OLIVIA THOMSON

APA solar farm at Mount Isa, Queensland. Image: Glencore.

Glencore’s Mount Isa Mines operation is set to source 20 per cent of its long-term electricity needs from APA Group’s new solar farm in Mica Creek, Queensland.

Under a 15-year agreement, Mount Isa Mines can use up to 50 per cent of the solar electricity produced each year at the Mica Creek solar farm (also known as the Dugald River solar farm).

The agreement was first announced in December 2023, where Glencore zinc assets Australia chief operating officer Sam Strohmayr said the partnership will help Glencore reduce its emissions footprint.

“The partnership helps reduce our high-power costs which is one of the elements that make it difficult to compete with our international rivals,” Strohmayr said.

The 88-megawatt farm at the basis of the agreement was officially opened yesterday and is poised to boast 180,000 solar panels across 200 hectares of land. The official opening was attended by Strohmayr.

“APA has been working with us for many years providing reliable electricity for our Mount Isa Mines operations,” Strohmayr said. “We welcomed the opportunity to partner with APA on a renewables project and in the process contribute to a collective effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“There are several benefits from this agreement – not only for us but also for the community. Mount Isa Mines is reducing its carbon footprint, and in the process using renewable energy to help produce energy transition metals, such as zinc and copper, that are needed globally for a low carbon future.”

In October 2023, Glencore announced plans to close the Mount Isa Mines underground copper operations – Enterprise, X41 and Black Rock – and its copper concentrator by the end of 2025. The company cited low ore grades as the cause.

Glencore’s Lady Loretta zinc mine, which was a finite orebody with a seven-year mine life, will also close in 2025.

In response to the Mount Isa closures, the Queensland Government created the $50 million Mount Isa Transition Fund, which aims to boost projects that can commence quickly, create jobs, and build on the region’s reputation as a great place to live and work.

With $20 million going towards shovel-ready mining projects, $30 million will be used to accelerate resources projects in the Northwest Minerals Province. The initiative will be led by the Queensland Treasury and Department of Resources.

Other Mount Isa operations such as the copper smelter, the George Fisher mine, the zinc-lead concentrator, the lead smelter, and the copper refinery in Townsville remain operating.

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