Category: Mines and Quarry

最新澳大利亚市场动态和客户信息。

Hexagon Mining snaps up Perth-based tech company MiPlan

Hexagon Mining has acquired Perth-based technology company MiPlan, a developer of mobile mine software applications for field data collection, fleet management, production management and reporting.

Hélio Samora, president of Arizona-based Hexagon, believes MiPlan’s solutions suite will be a formidable addition to the company’s technology portfolio.

“Safer, more productive mines depend on making sense of their data,” said Samora. “MiPlan’s range of apps represents a scalable, real-time mobile production management solution.”

Samora said MiPlan’s MiiNT platform would be particularly significant for Hexagon as it supports the data management, analysis and reporting needs of any sized operation.

The solution streamlines data flows between traditionally disparate systems and departments, simplifies on-demand data interrogation, trend analysis and reporting over live operational data.

Samora added that blast engineers would welcome the addition of MiPlan’s MiD&B application, which provides immediate enhancements to Hexagon Mining’s blast design solution.

“This will close the loop on design, field data capture, reconciliation and reporting,” said Samora.

The MiFleet solution will enhance Hexagon’s operational offerings and appeal to a wider variety of mining operations. It will deliver lightweight fleet management capability with near real-time infield feedback.

“Applied to our unparalleled suite of technologies for planning, operations, and safety, these solutions will empower our customers to act – not react – on real-time data at any stage of the mining value chain, no matter their location,” Samora said.

MiPlan managing director Robert Daw said the range, experience and calibre of the Hexagon group would contribute to the continued improvement of its existing offerings and provide a great platform for the next generation of solutions that mining businesses need to stay competitive.

“An acquisition by Hexagon held great appeal from the beginning due to our complementary solutions delivering immediate benefit to the market. It is also a big leap forward in our vision of aligned mines,” Daw said.

RCR Tomlinson secures EPC contract at Pilbara lithium project

Lithium developer Pilbara Minerals has awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract at the Pilgangoora project in Western Australia to RCR Tomlinson.

The contract, worth a maximum $148 million, involves the EPC of Pilgangoora’s two million tonnes per annum lithium-tantalum processing plant, including wet-and-dry circuit with concentrator, associated plant and commissioning of the mine.

Pilgangoora’s processing plant is scheduled to start production in first quarter 2018.

The contract has a maximum value of about $148 million with an incentivised target price of $138 million. It has been awarded in two stages, with the first stage being a two-month FEED (front-end engineering and design) program, which will determine the final scope of work, timeline and target price. Pilbara Minerals has committed about $10.3 million to stage one.

Stage two of the contract is dependent on Pilbara Minerals making its final investment decision (FID) for the project, which is expected by March 2017.

The Pilgangoora contract win adds to RCR’s recent activity in the Pilbara region, including the delivery of two processing plants for Fortescue Metals Group at the Solomon iron ore operations. RCR also won a $120 million contract to provide materials handling systems at Rio Tinto’s Silvergrass iron ore mine in August last year.

RCR managing director and chief executive Paul Dalgleish said the Pilgangoora contract win, when added to recent awards, firmly placed the company as a leader in the EPC of processing plants in the mining sector.

“It will also increase RCR’s order book to a new record high of approximately $1.1 billion,” Dalgleish said.

RCR has selected sub-contractors, Primero and Minnovo, to provide it with technical and engineering support at Pilgangoora.

Pilbara Minerals managing director Ken Brinsden said the combination of the three contractors made for a “very compelling offering.”

“Primero’s experience in building and operating lithium plants, Minnovo’s design experience, and the construction capability of RCR ensures Pilbara will be well served,” Brinsden said.

“With project funding discussions well advanced and final environmental approvals now under way, Pilbara looks forward to starting the major construction works by the end of this quarter.”

Meanwhile, Pilbara Minerals has awarded the first stage of a 300-room camp relocation package and reestablishment works contract worth $4.8 million to OTOC Australia.

Terex closes manufacturing facility in China

Terex Cranes will close its crane manufacturing facility in Jinan, China, according to the president of Terex Cranes, Steve Filipov.
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Steve Filipov

In an exclusive interview with American Cranes & Transport, Filipov told the magazine that the plant closure falls in line with Terex Cranes’ recent restructuring, which has involved reducing its worldwide footprint as part of a strategy to allow new product development and accommodate lower demand.

Filipov also said that his team was evaluating the launch of the LC line of crawler cranes, which had been planned to be produced at the Jinan plant. Three prototypes of the first LC crawler, the 330 US ton (300 metric ton) capacity LC 330US / LC 300, have been produced so far.

“I’ve decided not to show the 330 on ConExpo,” said Filipov adding that he doesn’t feel the crane is 100% ready to be on show.

“Right now, the analysis is obviously focused around Oklahoma City where we have a lot of our product. But we have to go through that analysis, and we’ve got some work to do with that product. It was a tough decision to make, but in my mind it’s the right message to the market, that Terex Cranes is going to show a product that’s ready for prime time.”

– See more at: http://www.insideconstruction.com.au/site/news/1050897/terex-closes-manufacturing-facility-china#sthash.mYQJ5q9r.dpuf

Endeavour, Acacia Mining in talks over possible merger

Mining’s mergers and acquisitions (M&A) marketplace may be on the verge of heating up with West African-focussed gold companies Endeavour Mining and Acacia Mining considering a merger.

If the merger goes ahead, it could see one of the largest precious metal companies established in Africa, according to Bloomberg.

Both Endeavour and Acacia have confirmed that they are in “preliminary discussions” with each other and that this “may or may not result in agreement of a transaction”.

Endeavour said that while it often evaluated business development opportunities, its main focus was the “organic prospects in its existing asset portfolio”.

Acacia, a spin off of Canadian-based Barrick Gold, primarily operates in Tanzania, and is the country’s largest gold producers, with plans to extend its reach in West Africa.

Endeavour Mining operates mainly in West Africa, with sites in Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Mali and Burkina Farso.

Together, both companies have approximately $3.8 billion in combined market value, and would rank in the top five African gold mining companies by both market value and ounces produced.

There is speculation that the merger could be a reverse takeover, with Acacia purchasing Endeavour. Sources told Bloomberg that the merger could allow Barrick to reduce its 64 per cent stake in Acacia to around 30 per cent, potentially sending that stake to another buyer.

Alcoa inks major bauxite export deal

Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals (AWAC) has secured its first major third party contract to supply around 400,000 bone dry metric tonnes (bdmt) of bauxite from its Huntly mine in Western Australia.

This comes after the company’s first trial bauxite shipment from WA to China in mid 2016, introducing their WA product to the global market.

The agreement is part of the company’s strategy to grow its third party bauxite business. It also follows the WA state government’s approval for Alcoa to export up to 2.5 million metric tonnes per annum of bauxite for five years to third party customers.

“Bauxite exports have the potential to generate greater value from our WA mineral lease, creating additional revenue streams for Alcoa and the state of Western Australia, while maintaining supply to our three WA refineries,” Garret Dixon, president of Alcoa Bauxite said.

The WA contract is one of three bauxite agreements the company recently signed worth $US126 million, to deliver approximately 2.2 million bdmt of bauxite from its two mines in Brazil – Juruti and Mineração Rio do Norte.

The contracts increase the total value of Alcoa’s 2016 and 2017 third-party bauxite supply agreements to nearly $US600 million.

Alcoa is the world’s largest bauxite miner with 45.3 million bdmt of production in 2015.

It predicts the third-party bauxite demand will double between 2015 and 2024, with China as the biggest importer.

BHP Billiton locks in technology partnership with Hatch

BHP Billiton and technology company Hatch have entered into a collaborative development partnership, which will aim to accelerate the development and deployment of technological advances in mining and mineral processing.

According to Hatch, a collaborative approach like this is the future of technology development in the mining industry.

Damien Harding, Hatch’s performance innovation director, said the partnership’s intent was the future of technology development in the mining industry.

“Our two companies are working together to accelerate the realisation of benefits from potential innovations. BHP Billiton will have access to Hatch’s proven technology-commercialisation experience and deep mining-domain expertise in business process design, operational performance, engineering, and digital systems,” Harding said.

He added that Hatch developed a healthy ecosystem of expert practitioners and collaborating global partners to support the partnership.

“Our essential differentiator goes beyond having the depth and breadth of skills to innovate. It’s also the knowledge and expertise to integrate all the elements we need to rapidly develop and implement holistic solutions that will have a significant impact on the mining industry,” Harding said.

Rio Tinto awards iron ore contract to Decmil

Perth-based mining contractor Decmil has secured a new contract at Rio Tinto’s iron ore operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The $40 million contract will see Decmil design, construct and commission new facilities at the Nammuldi and Silvergrass mines. The project scope also includes modifications and extensions to existing facilities at the Nammuldi mine.

In an ASX announcement, Decmil said the project would start immediately and was expected to be completed in late 2017.

Rio Tinto announced in August that it would invest $338 million to complete development of the Silvergrass mine, which is adjacent to the Nammuldi mine.

After making this decision Rio Tinto awarded RCR Tomlinson a $120 million contract to provide materials handling systems at the Silvergrass mine.

The contract included the engineering, procurement and construction of a new primary crusher, nine kilometres of overland conveyors and associated power lines.

Kingsgate to axe workers at Chatree gold mine

Kingsgate’s Chatree gold mine in Thailand will cease operations from January 1 2017, despite the new mineral bill allowing legal operation of mines in the country.

More than 1000 workers will be sacked from the operations, according to The Bangkok Post.

Earlier this year the Thai government ordered the suspension of all gold mines from January 1 following concerns about potential health and environmental problems.

Kingsgate, along with partner Akara Resources, denied these claims.

Chatree’s mining licence expires on December 31, but the company held a concession to continue operations until 2028.

Last week the Thai Government passed a bill allowing mining with less regulatory restrictions, however Kingsgate said they needed a solid guarantee they would be allowed to continue operations without being disrupted.

Kingsgate chairman Ross Smyth-Kirk told The Associated Press, “We’d need an ironclad guarantee of tenure.”

“It’s been a disgrace. There’s still a lot of gold there still to be taken out, needing expertise of people like ourselves who are prepared to spend big investments to get it out.”

On Tuesday Thai prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is also the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), issued an order for the suspension of all gold mines which also prevents the issuing and renewal of gold mine exploration and concession licenses.

Kingsgate now has plans to develop a new mine in Chile.

RungePincockMinarco to provide software for major zinc miner

Glencore’s majority owned company Kazzinc, one of the world’s largest zinc miners and Kazakhstan’s largest gold miner, has selected RungePincockMinarco (RPM) software to boost productivity.

Kazzinc selected RPM and their Enterprise Planning Platform, which will be implemented in conjunction with SAP. This enterprise approach will complement their planned investment in SAP and enhance their operational planning procedures.

RPM CEO Richard Mathews said their software will support productivity improvements Kazzinc is striving to achieve.

“I firmly believe that continuous data interchange between the mining industries’ two major software providers will drive operational and financial benefits right across Kazzinc’s business,” he said.

Data will be exchanged between the systems using RPM’s SAP certified integration. Kazzinc will use SAP’s Hana platform combined with RPM’s budgeting and forecasting system to deliver operational, plant and maintenance budgets and life of mine forecasts.

Kazzinc will also implement RPM scheduling and simulation applications in their open pit and underground operations which will link into the budgeting solutions.

Adoption of these digital tools and capabilities from RPM will provide improved operating efficiency as well as the ability to develop and deliver more accurate and agile planning in real-time. This will also maximise profit and performance across their mining value chain.

The project will be rolled out across the Kazzinc operations, which include four underground mines, two open pit mines, a concentrator plant and their central planning office.

Plant simulation software for minerals processing

NIAflow_on_Notebook
Haver & Boecker have released plant simulation and optimisation software NIAflow for mineral processing and quarry operations.

NIAflow supports users in every engineering phase, from drafting flow diagrams for product pre-calculation, to plant start-up and simulating parameter changes. It assists operators discover the most efficient configuration for existing equipment, determine the equipment needed to increase production, and perform predictive maintenance.

By using the system to simulate the impact of different feed material scenarios on machine capacities, process parameters and product quality measures, issues can be identified before they happen – eliminating future problems.

NIAflow allows users to analyse more than 90 different process equipment pieces, from crushers and vibrating screens to material washers and conveyers. Beyond equipment, the system monitors the operation’s input, output, and waste piles. The program calculates the mass and volumetric flow rates as well as the valuable content with machine-specific operating parameters to prevent plant bottlenecks before equipment is in place.

The system’s intuitive menu control makes it easy for all levels of experience, with Haver and Boecker able to provide training if necessary.

The software is available for download on Windows-based systems. The NIAflow Aggregates version is the extensive, full version of the NIAflow simulation software that allows unlimited machine input. NIAflow Mining complements the Aggregates full version, and offers additional equipment options, such as classifying and sorting equipment.