Sandvik has introduced its new Golden Shank, a corrosion protection coating for increased service life and lower drilling cost per metre.
Sandvik’s Golden Shank is equipped with a low-friction, nickel-plated coating with a polymer top sealant for improved corrosion resistance.
Applied throughout the entire shank and flushing slot, this coating minimises wear on flushing seals and rock drill parts while reducing breakages on other rig and tool machine parts.
“Prioritising operator safety and minimising environmental impact through reduced tool replacements are critical considerations in our product development process,” Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions product manager top hammer Thomas Blomfeldt said.
The Golden Shank will enable some customers to potentially double efficiency.”
Sandvik’s field tests have confirmed a 30–100 per cent longer product life.
Even at mine sites where corrosion is not prevalent, Golden Shank field tests have consistently demonstrated two to three times longer performance life.
The extended service life of the shank adapter enhances safety and sustainability for customers by reducing operator handling and heavy lifting, inventory needs and emissions from transportation.
A coating with less environmental impact also improves the sustainability footprint in manufacturing.
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Coal has emerged as the standout commodity from Glencore’s 2023 full year production report.
While copper, cobalt, zinc and nickel production all experienced a downturn, Glencore’s coal production was three per cent higher than 2022 at 3.6 million tonnes (t).
The number was a reflection of higher productivity in South Africa and a year over year easing in external factors that constrain capacity, such as wet weather and blockades.
Nickel production fell by nine per cent to 97,600t, primarily due to the planned shutdown of Glencore’s Murrin Murrin site in WA for routine maintenance.
Cobalt production was six per cent lower than 2022 at 41,300t and copper production was 48,000t lower than 2022.
Despite the slight donwturn, Glencore chief executive officer Gary Nagle remains positive.
“Overall 2023 production was in line with our earlier revised guidance, with stronger second half volumes delivered across our key commodities, including copper, zinc, nickel and coal,” he said.
“Compared to 2022, the moderately lower year-on-year copper and zinc department managed production volumes, primarily reflect disposals of the Cobar copper mine and various South American zinc operations.”
Looking ahead, Nagle said production is looking steady.
“Coal production is forecast to be steady at the guidance range mid-point of 110 million tonnes, excluding any incremental volumes from the recently announced acquisition of a 77 per cent interest in Teck’s steelmaking coal business, currently going through its various approval processes,” he said.
AusCrush commenced a 12-month contract to operate Kleemann machinery at Peculiar Knob in November 2023. Image: AusCrush
AusCrush has deployed Kleemann machines at the Peculiar Knob iron ore mine in South Australia, leading to exceptional results.
AusCrush first commenced crushing and screening iron ore at Peak Iron Mines’ Peculiar Knob operation in South Australia in November 2021.
And the mobile crushing and screening services provider isn’t slowing down.
In November 2023, AusCrush commenced a 12-month contract to operate Kleemann machinery at Peculiar Knob, a high-grade hematite iron ore deposit that has some residual magnetite.
AusCrush’s set-up comprises a Kleemann MC120PRO jaw crusher, MSS802EVO mobile reclaimer, MC0110PRO cone crusher (secondary), MSC953EVO classifying screen, MC090EVO2 cone crusher (tertiary) and a MSC953EVO classifying screen (secondary), as well as a stockpile conveyor that feeds back to the MC0110PRO for all oversize. This creates a closed-circuit loop to maximise throughput.
“We are currently producing two direct shipping iron ore products: a -32mm+13.2mm lump and a -13.2mm+0mm fines product,” AusCrush general manager Morgan Taylor told Australian Mining.
Once the ore is crushed by AusCrush, it is transported to the Whyalla Port, where it is exported for steel manufacturing.
AusCrush understood that because the feed material, the hematite ore, is a high-grade, abrasive product, it would need to be proactive about its maintenance measures.
“The feed is relatively easy for crushing but it’s very abrasive, so maintenance is of the upmost importance,” Taylor said.
“If you don’t get that right, the rock can wear a hole in the side of the hopper within hours.
“We made up four modular wear packages for all our hoppers … and we have two full-time boilermakers and two full-time heavy-duty diesel mechanics working each shift.
“We also have Wirtgen Australia on speed dial for any machinery queries or concerns.”
AusCrush has been proactive about its maintenance measures to avoid equipment breakdowns. Image: AusCrush
Maintenance personnel are set daily tasks to monitor machine components such as skirts, screens, wear plates, belt repairs, jaw and cone liners. After 12 hours of crushing throughout the day, maintenance is completed on night shift to ensure machines are ready to go for another 12-hour shift the following day. With AusCrush producing about 1.68 million tonnes of DSO product per annum, there is no time for downtime.
“We do our maintenance at night and processing during the day to ensure that if something goes wrong, we’ve got open communication with Wirtgen Australia and our suppliers to fix any issues,” Taylor said. “If we crush during the night and have a breakdown, it adds additional challenges, hence the reason for scheduling maintenance. This provides us reliable maintenance free up time during daylight hours.”
AusCrush also schedules monthly shutdowns at Peculiar Knob so machines can be overhauled and start fresh to meet the following month’s targets.
As per Wirtgen Australia advice, the company is also running 24 per cent manganese and higher chrome percentage liner sets in its jaw crushers, which has further limited equipment breakdowns by extending liner life and reducing change-out requirements.
This is improving crushing outputs to approximately 7000 tonnes per day.
The primary machine in the train, the Kleemann MC120PRO jaw crusher, supports a maximum feed size of up to 680mm, boosting production and decreasing day-works.
The MC120PRO feeds the MSS802EVO mobile screener, which has been perfect for the job given its ability to scalp two separate products: the -32mm+13.2mm lump product to one side of the conveyor and the -13.2mm+0mm fines product to the other.
This provides the MCO110PRO cone crusher with oversize feed only, providing optimised crushing conditions for the cone.
Through an inspired maintenance strategy and with the right Kleemann gear to boot, AusCrush is able to consistently produce 500 tonnes per hour, exceeding the expectations of all stakeholders involved.
First Quantum Minerals (FQM) will scale back its operations at its Ravensthorpe nickel mine in Western Australia.
The company said the decision is a result of the significant downturn in nickel prices experienced during 2023, combined with the currently high operating costs in WA.
Approximately 30 per cent of the 420-person workforce will be let go, with contractors to be redeployed by their employers.
FQM said it will lean on ore stockpiles to continue producing nickel, which are expected to be processed over the next 18 months.
Mining is set to resume at the Hale Bopp and Halley’s ore bodies when prices recover as part of the company’s three-year plan.
“Transitioning to a new operating model will allow us to continue to produce and export our nickel product, which is a critical mineral and has a lower carbon footprint than other suppliers,” Ravensthorpe nickel operation general manager Scott Whitehead said.
“The operational changes will ensure Ravensthorpe remains viable longer term and we will retain most of our residential and FIFO workforce, thereby supporting the communities of Hopetoun and Ravensthorpe and providing income for the region and Western Australia.
“It’s important we position ourselves to respond in a timely manner to future improvements in the nickel price by being able to reactivate our mining activities at the preferred time.”
FQM expects Ravensthorpe will produce approximately 16,000 contained tonnes of nickel per annum over the next three years.
Glencore has announced plans to close its Mount Isa copper operations in Queensland by the end of 2025, but said it will keep its other metal assets open.
Operating for over 60 years, the company’s copper mine life has already been extended six years past its original life expectancy.
All three copper mines at the Mount Isa operation – Enterprise, X41 and Black Rock – are set to close, as well as the company’s copper concentrator.
Other Mount Isa mines and operations will remain open, including the copper smelter, the George Fisher mine, the zinc-lead concentrator, the lead smelter in Mount Isa, as well as the copper refinery in Townsville.
Glencore said it has conducted a range of studies and reviews seeking to further extend the life of the underground copper mines, but the end of mine life has been confirmed.
Glencore’s Lady Loretta zinc mine, located 140km north-west of Mount Isa, which was a finite orebody with a seven-year mine life, will also close in 2025.
“We know this decision will be disappointing for our people, our suppliers, and the Mount Isa community,” Glencore Australia zinc asset chief operating officer Sam Strohmayr said.
“The reality of mining is that mines have a beginning, middle and end. And unfortunately, after 60 years of operation, Mount Isa’s underground copper operations have now reached that end.
“We want to give our people as much time as possible to consider the best options for them and their families, which is why we are notifying our workers and the community almost two years before these mines close.
“Our focus over the coming months will be to work closely with our people and contractors, our suppliers, and the Mount Isa community to provide support as we move towards closure of these assets.”
Glencore’s Mount Isa underground copper mines, copper concentrator and supporting services currently employ around 1200 people.
Canadian-based First Quantum Minerals has commenced a maiden diamond drilling program along the Yarramba Palaeovalley on the tenements of Boss Energy’s Honeymoon uranium project in South Australia.
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, which commenced mining operations last week.
“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.
The new drilling program will target basement-hosted base metal mineralisation below the Yarramba Palaeovalley and will cover three high-priority targets identified from extensive analysis and modelling of geophysical and geochemical datasets.
It will consist of at least five diamond core holes for a minimum of 1800m drilling. Global drilling company DDH1 – which was acquired by Perenti last week – will complete the 4–6 week-long drilling program.
The geochemical assay results are expected to return within 1–2 months after the program’s completion.
“This agreement is an outstanding opportunity for Boss and our shareholders,” Boss Energy managing director Duncan Craib said.
“We have a global leader in First Quantum Minerals funding base metals exploration at Honeymoon, giving Boss significant exposure to their success at no cost to us while we focus on our goal of becoming Australia’s next uranium producer.”
After the drilling program’s completion, First Quantum Minerals may choose to earn a 51 per cent interest in its agreement with Boss 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 Minerals follows this path, it will enter into a joint venture agreement with Boss Energy.
Metso has chartered a new path in India after announcing plans to extend its manufacturing capacity of mobile track-mounted crushing and screening equipment.
The company will expand its manufacturing operations in Alwar in India. The Alwar facility will be 35 per cent bigger at 340,000 square metres.
The Alwar facility is one of Metso’s biggest manufacturing facilities. The site employees 1300 people with a production ramp up expected to continue into the next year.
The factory, which originally opened in 2008, was showcased on September 19 with the new expansion. Key features, according to Metso, include automated warehousing, automated assembly lines, modern painting lines and 13,000 solar panels installed to enable increased energy production. After the extension, solar energy covers 85 per cent of Alwar’s total power generation, which is the maximum permitted as per state government guidelines.
President of the Aggregates business area of Metso Markku Simula said the expansion was key for Metso.
”With the increased manufacturing capacity, Alwar becomes the major Metso site for increased domestic business in India and exports to Metso’s customers globally. Additionally, significant investment has been made in engineering and R&D resources, making it one of our key global engineering hubs,” he said.
The increased capacity in India will be used for the manufacturing of mobile McCloskey and Tesab equipment. At the same site, Metso is also producing wear parts and pumps for the aggregates and mining industries.
Metso has announced an expansion of its process piloting capabilities in Finland to keep up with the needs of the battery industry.
This expansion has involved Metso modernising its pilot facility at the Metso Research Centre in Pori, Finland, with expanded capabilities for lithium hydroxide and other battery chemicals process testing.
Metso has also opened a battery materials precursor pilot plant as part of the expansion, which is now available for customer trials.
“Pilot run requests for battery minerals like lithium, nickel and cobalt have increased significantly during the last three years,” Metso director for hydrometallurgical research and development Janne Karonen said.
“Currently, we are working on several battery black mass recycling and precursor projects and have several lithium and other battery chemicals project pilots on our laboratory schedule.”
Metso said the pilot facility expansion complements its front-running piloting capabilities for minerals processing and metals refining, as well as enables minerals and battery industry customers to have end-to-end testing and having its piloting services and technology and equipment deliveries come from one supplier.
The Finland expansion ties into Metso’s 20 year experience in developing sustainable hard rock lithium soda leaching technologies.
The engineering company announced earlier in the week the opening of new manufacturing facilities in Alwar, India.
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