Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions launched DeckMapp, a groundbreaking new digital platform for screen deck maintenance, at MINExpo 2024.
This highly innovative, cloud-based software solution is set to transform screen deck maintenance and drive substantial improvements in the efficiency and operational performance of mineral processing plants.
Accessible via laptop, tablet or mobile phone, DeckMapp captures, stores and shares real-time data to present a reliable, single source of truth for all activities within the screen media lifecycle.
According to Matt Cutbush, Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions digital solutions product manager, DeckMapp empowers teams engaged in screening operations with comprehensive tools to view deck history, share deck plans, visualise panel wear patterns and capture feedback, as well as access maintenance plans and activity reports.
Image: Sandvik
“By guiding operators through maintenance updates and wear assessments, DeckMapp ensures consistent data entry across the board, resulting in robust, reliable historical wear data for every screen in your operation,” Cutbush said.
“DeckMapp enhances data quality and formalises maintenance processes, thereby eliminating information inconsistencies that can adversely affect production and profitability due to rework and extended task durations. DeckMapp delivers real-time updates to ensure all team members are aligned, further reducing the risk of miscommunication and operational inefficiencies.”
A key feature of DeckMapp is the optional add-on WearApp, an innovative wear assessment system powered by artificial intelligence.
With WearApp, users simply capture images of worn screening media panels with a smartphone or a tablet. WearApp then applies artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically assess each aperture calculating amount of wear, panel efficiency and remaining wear life. This revolutionary application not only saves substantial time, but also delivers far greater accuracy over traditional manual wear assessment methods.
With DeckMapp and WearApp, plant operators can leverage data-driven insights to make smarter, more efficient maintenance decisions, and significantly reduce cost overruns associated with screen deck maintenance.
These enhanced capabilities will allow processing plant operators to make more informed decisions regarding their screening media maintenance strategies, such as determining optimal replacement times based on actual open area rather than individual aperture wear.
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Revizto uses the unity of BIM intelligence to empower its users. Image: Revizto
Revizto is bringing its project coordination platform to the mining industry, with Thiess one of its trusted mining clients.
Over 12 months ago, Thiess was looking to digitise its engineering coordination workflows across projects and streamline its site-based delivery objectives.
The global mining services provider wanted to visualise its upcoming construction projects by using a platform to better deliver projects digitally, while managing all external project members, its technical query processes and site-based defects.
To address these issues, Thiess engaged Revizto, a Swiss-based company that first launched its coordination software for the architecture, engineering, construction and mining industries in 2012.
“One of the fastest growing 2D and 3D fully integrated collaboration platforms, Revizto has been operating in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region for more than seven years now.” Revizto mining lead Jack Joy told Australian Mining.
The Revizto platform empowers users to access, manage, and collaborate on construction and infrastructure projects through the unity of building information modelling (BIM) intelligence.
Users can access Revizto via a computer or mobile app. Image: Revizto
“Built on a video game engine, Revizto is easy to use and allows fast adoption by project teams across all disciplines and with any level of technical skills,” Joy said.
“Its processing power and ability to bring in hundreds of 3D models and thousands of 2D drawings into the one platform is unmatched, making Revizto suitable for projects of any size.”
Users can also use Revizto via a mobile app, allowing subcontractors and site-based teams to access and use the models and drawings on-site, leading to less redrafts, safer workflows, and higher efficiency.
It was these features, and Revizto’s ease of use, that caught the eye of Thiess.
Thiess senior civil engineer Brett Jenkins told Australian Mining the company operates a greenfield site in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, which includes the construction of the mine infrastructure area.
“Revizto is working with Thiess on this construction to coordinate and collate the various design models and drawings,” Jenkins said.
“Thiess and MACA (Thiess’ subsidiary) are also working together with Revizto to assist with the project management of construction activities Thiess provides to the mining industry.”
Since using Revizto, Thiess’ civil engineering and delivery teams have seen an array of operational benefits.
“Revizto has allowed for the various design models, including the pit and dump designs, to be incorporated into a single program allowing multiple views without the need for installing design software,” Jenkins said.
“Revizto has also allowed for the management of subcontractors with RFIs (requests for information), NCRs (non-conformance reports) and as-built mark ups all coordinated into the single program.”
Since using Revizto, Thiess has saved a significant amount of time and resources. Image: Revizto
Prior to using Revitzo, Thiess would have a person go through each NCR or RFI to ensure they were referenced in drawings, which used a significant amount of time and resources.
“Previously, RFIs and NCRs were managed through emails and folders with information needing to be updated for the as-built mark ups,” Jenkins said.
“Revizto incorporates this into the program, eliminating the requirement to manually update document trackers and as-built drawings, and email documentation to relevant parties.
“The Revizto software also automatically references the relevant drawings and has helped stakeholders visualise the design of the infrastructure, as well as recommending design changes prior to construction.”
After resolving various engineering and design issues with Revizto, Thiess is in talks with the company to bring the platform to other upcoming projects.
The partnership between Thiess and Revizto continues to thrive.
“Revizto’s ability to manage RFIs and NCRs has significantly reduced our manual efforts,” Jenkins said.
“With these improvements, Revizto looks forward to demonstrating its impact at various events across APAC and beyond, highlighting the substantial benefits the company brings to the mining industry.”
Mineral exploration methods are evolving with the advent of new technologies. Image: SRK Consulting
Machine learning has proven a successful tool in expanding the exploration search space into new frontiers and refining areas for follow-up exploration.
Artificial intelligence (AI) could transform mining exploration this decade, enabling companies to analyse larger datasets and develop new geological insights.
That’s the view of Ben Jupp and Stephen Johnson, respectively principal and senior geologists at SRK Consulting, an international resources consultancy.
They believe machine learning in mineral exploration, while still an emerging technology, will become more widespread as miners and explorers use algorithms to test and refine geological concepts currently applied to exploration.
One key area in particular is the application of AI in prospectivity analysis, an area which SRK has recently seen success.
“I’m an absolute convert to using AI in mineral exploration,” Johnson said. “I’ve seen the benefits of using machine learning first-hand through a number of recent projects. The results have been incredibly powerful.”
For Jupp, the key is integrating AI with existing knowledge-driven exploration approaches.
“Essentially, AI allows us to integrate deep technical knowledge about a particular terrain and mineral system into a set of critical inputs to provide a machine learning algorithm,” Jupp said.
An advantage of using AI in prospectivity analysis is the rapid integration and analysis of large datasets by machine learning.
“Using training data such as known mines, machine learning can identify patterns and relationships in the data that geologists might overlook with traditional approaches,” Jupp said.
“Often, exploration companies will pay a highly knowledgeable expert to assist with their exploration targeting and narrow down their exploration efforts. With AI, we can use that knowledge, insight and human expertise to map out critical targeting elements and feed this into the machine learning to analyse and make predictions.”
AI is especially powerful for small and mid-sized mining companies that need to analyse large volumes of data cost effectively.
“For junior explorers with a package of tenements and limited capital, the ability to narrow exploration targeting is crucial,” Johnson said. “AI can help do that and potentially find new value in tenements that have been overlooked or are a lower priority.”
AI also removes human biases and assumptions in exploration targeting.
“A consistent theme in exploration projects is people being drawn to certain areas based on existing data and preconceived ideas,” Johnson said. “With AI targeting, you’re feeding the available data and geological layers into a model to develop a holistic view of the prospectivity of a tenement package.
“There’s no bias or subjectivity about where you should be exploring beyond what the data is suggesting.”
A group of 10 SRK Consulting geologists are using AI to develop prospectivity models for a mining project in the Middle East. Image: SRK Consulting
AI projects underway
SRK’s interest in AI emerged around 2019. Jupp and Johnson were part of a team of Australian and Canadian SRK Consulting experts who competed in OZ Minerals’ Explorer Challenge, a prominent competition that attracted more than 1000 participants from 62 countries.
The SRK Consulting team won the Fusion Prize after reinterpreting and adding value to existing datasets by applying data-driven machine learning to guide a set of knowledge-driven, mineral-system-informed fuzzy inference solutions. The result was three highly ranked iron-oxide copper gold (IOCG) targets and seven secondary targets.
In 2021, SRK began applying these and other machine-learning techniques to help companies reduce their exploration targeting at brownfield and greenfield sites.
SRK has a global partnership with DeepIQ, a leading US developer of generative AI in the oil and gas, utilities and mining sectors. SRK experts have integrated DeepIQ algorithms into their mineral prospectivity analysis at some projects.
SRK has also recently applied machine learning to exploration projects in several regional project areas, including Australia, South America and Europe, with good results.
“There’s a lot of work underway at SRK globally to test and apply AI methodology for mineral exploration,” Jupp said.
Data inputs from left to right, used to inform a machine learning generated prospectivity map. Image: SRK Consulting
Knowledge-driven targeting
SRK’s work with machine learning builds on its work in prospectivity analysis using more traditional knowledge-driven approaches for developing prospectivity maps. Methods such as fuzzy logic in mineral prospectivity analysis aim to quantify intricate relationships between geological attributes to define mineralisation potential.
“The main aim of the prospectivity analysis process is to assist our clients to narrow the focus area for exploration prior to field-based exploration, ideally as specific as the prospect area and even drill target areas,” Jupp said. “One of the key benefits of this method is you’re not reliant on the availability of training data when compared to machine learning methods.”
SRK recently applied fuzzy logic targeting on a project for Astute Metals, an ASX-listed resource company. Astute holds an 80 per cent interest in the Georgina Basin IOCG project in the highly prospective east Tennant province of the Northern Territory.
“We were successful in identifying several promising target areas in the undercover extents of east Tennant Creek,” Jupp said. “Recent drilling by the client at one of these targets intercepted strong indications for IOCG-style mineralisation that will be followed up with additional drilling to be completed later this year.”
In the Middle East, Johnson has used fuzzy logic processes for exploration targeting.
“Through our fuzzy logic approach, we developed a prospectivity model that we followed up with systematic fieldwork to validate,” Johnson said. “The outcome was fantastic because the fuzzy logic results were able to be tested and refined during follow-up phases of field work, with some really encouraging results.”
A machine learning predicted prospectivity map (left) and a structural feature input layer (right). Image: SRK Consulting
Bright future for AI
Jupp and Johnson believe industry hesitance towards using AI in exploration will fade as more results are proven.
“Some explorers have resisted the technology due to concerns that AI could overlook critical steps in the discovery process, but that will change as the industry sees meaningful exploration results from AI,” Johnson said.
“We’ve been getting a lot more enquiries on AI in exploration as interest in this area builds.”
Longer term, Johnson likes AI’s potential to challenge exploration “dogmas”.
“The mining industry has traditionally been influenced by certain dogmas about how and where exploration should be undertaken,” he said.
“Then occasionally someone makes a significant discovery that challenges this dogma and there is a rush to embrace new thinking. That will be true of AI this decade as it contributes to significant new mineral discoveries, and some early adopters are big winners from the AI revolution.”
Key considerations for AI and exploration targeting
Stay abreast of latest trends: AI technology in mineral exploration targeting is moving rapidly. New algorithms are being developed and tested, and more projects overseas are implementing the technology.
Be open minded: Because it challenges traditional approaches to exploration targeting, AI has been met with some resistance, despite the technology’s successful use in the oil and gas sector. View AI as another tool to complement and add to existing geological processes, not replace them.
Access to AI resources: There is only a small group of experts globally who are skilled in mining geology and implementing and interpreting AI-driven data models. Ensure your organisation has access to internal or external resources with knowledge of the latest AI technologies for exploration.
Understand how AI can be used: A mineral explorer could use AI to understand the critical elements that control the location of a nearby mining operation and map out areas in their tenement holding that display similar characteristics.
Focus on data: Like all data-driven models, AI is only as good as the data it analyses. Ensure data being fed into AI models is high quality and based on a clear understanding of the mineral system under investigation.
Use an iterative approach: For some companies, the value of AI is to test data collected from drilling or other exploration, and used to refine and test prospectivity models in an interactive fashion. In this way, AI is a tool to validate existing geological work by providing another layer of analysis.
Communication: Consider how the organisation will communicate the use of AI to internal and external stakeholders. Reporting of AI-generated exploration results could become a bigger issue for listed mining companies over time.
SRK Consulting is a leading, independent international consultancy that advises clients mainly in the earth and water resource industries. Its mining services range from exploration to mine closure. SRK experts are leaders in fields such as due diligence, technical studies, mine waste and water management, permitting, and mine rehabilitation. To learn more about SRK Consulting, visit www.srk.com
Kinder Australia offers the option for customised solutions as well as its DustScrape range to settle the dust for cleaner operations.
In enclosed transfer points, the accumulation of pressure can result in the build-up of dust.
This dust is problematic for conveyor componentry function, operational site cleanliness, as well as environmental and personnel health and safety.
Kinder Australia’s DustScrape has been developed by engineers to effectively resolve and mitigate dust formation, transforming the way industries handle dust-related challenges.
DustScrape does this by incorporating a specialised filter cloth. This cloth captures fine dust particles produced during bulk material transfers.
Its intelligent design allows for air permeability, accommodating the resulting overpressure. By reducing the pressure while containing the dust, DustScrape facilitates the settling of bulk material, ensuring a cleaner and more efficient conveyor system.
Key features and benefits:
1. Quality stainless steel: DustScrape is available in a stainless steel option, ensuring durability and resilience in various environmental conditions and material applications.
2. Installation simplicity: Operators can integrate DustScrape into their existing conveyor systems.
3. Versatility in application: DustScrape is adaptable to conveyor belt widths of varying belt widths.
4. Maintenance free: DustScrape operates without direct contact and requires minimal maintenance.
5. Self-cleaning efficiency: The unique self-cleaning feature of DustScrape enhances its overall effectiveness and longevity.
6. Reduces Dust Up-Drift: DustScrape actively suppresses dust up-drift, for an efficient and reliable containment.
7. Compatibility with Extraction Systems: DustScrape may work together with dust extraction systems if required.
8. Synergy with AirScrape: When paired with AirScrape, the patented sidewall seal (not included) forms an exceptionally effective system that combats dust generation.
Get in touch with Kinder’s field application specialists and engineers to discuss how DustScrape can benefit an operation at conveyorsolutions@kinder.com.au or 03 8587 9111.
Holcim will expand its usage of AI technology. Image: Holcim
Holcim will use artificial intelligence to include more than 100 plants worldwide over the next four years under a new plan announced recently.
The announcement is an expansion of the company’s current use of artificial intelligence, which has already been deployed in 45 plants. The technology is used to predict and prevent failures as part of the company’s approach to preventive maintenance. The inclusion of AI technology is part of Holcim’s Plants of Tomorrow program, which involves over 140 integrated plants and grinding stations across more than 40 countries.
The new plan will see Holcim roll out its AI preventative maintenance solution and pilot a generative AI program. The solution was developed in collaboration with C3 AI, which is a well-known AI software provider.
“AI is a transformative technology that will revolutionise our industry,” Holcim chief executive officer Miljan Gutovic said.
The company will continue to upskill its maintenance teams to use the AI technology to carry out asset management and optimisation in real time.
Overall, Holcim has AI initiatives in several other areas including product quality and process optimisation to autonomous vehicles and computer vision. These initiatives also include the use of unmanned drones for enhanced inspection and safety practices, and smart control systems for efficient energy consumption.
“Already widely embedded across Holcim, AI catalyses operational efficiency and enhances customer service. We will ultimately scale up our use of AI to hundreds of sites worldwide,” Gutovic said.
New report on aggregate usage revealed. Image: Enrique del Barrio/stock.adobe.com
New research from the Mineral Products Association has revealed that the usage of recycled construction aggregates has reached a record high in Britain.
The new report from the Mineral Products Association, which represents the major aggregate firms in Britain, shows that the total volume of recycled and secondary materials reached a record 73.5 million tonnes in 2022.
“The substantial contribution of recycled and secondary aggregates to total supply is a huge but largely hidden success story for the industry. Aggregates producers have been recycling suitable construction and demolition waste for years to meet our construction needs as efficiently and sustainably as possible, whilst meeting stringent technical standards,” MPA director of economic affairs Aurelie Delannoy said.
“As we look ahead, further progress in recycling can be anticipated, supported by the major investments that have recently taken place in the extractive sector. However, it is important to recognise that the availability of recycled aggregates is inherently tied to demolition activity and the availability of suitable waste materials.
“With increasing demands to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and address key infrastructure and housing needs, primary aggregates extraction will remain essential for meeting the majority of demand over the long term.”
Total aggregates supply (million tonnes) in Great Britain, 2022. Image: Mineral Products Association (MPA)
In the report ‘Construction Aggregates Supply in Great Britain: Primary, Recycled and Secondary Aggregates in 2022’ the MPA demonstrates that non-primary materials accounted for over 30% of the country’s total demand for aggregates (which stood at 241.8 million tonnes in 2022, the biggest flow of materials in the economy).
The data illustrates Britian has one of the highest recycling rates in the European region. The breakdown of this figure of this figure showed 60.3 million tonnes of recycled aggregates was compromised of construction, demolition and excavation wastes (CDEW) such as concrete and brick rubble, old rail track ballast and earthworks spoil. Meanwhile, 5.8 million tonnes of asphalt planings were reused in road networks in 2022.
“Whilst the construction industry may well be the country’s largest source of waste, MPA members have become proficient in recovering materials arising from build development and processing them so they can be put back to good use elsewhere in construction,” MPA’s executive director for planning and mineral resources Mark Russell said.
“The most efficient way to process and reuse these materials is close to where they are sourced to minimise transport, and the bureaucracy of the planning and permitting system is often a barrier to delivering the most efficient solutions.
“That said, there are major investments taking place to improve the quality and availability of recycled and secondary materials, giving developers and contractors the confidence to specify them. Even the small amount of soft inert waste that cannot be turned into aggregate is put to good use in quarry restoration and land remediation.”
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. •
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.
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.”•
Taking a more holistic, long-term view of tailings technologies will benefit companies, communities and other stakeholders.
Mining companies are analysing more alternatives to tailings storage facilities (TSF) earlier for new projects as they respond to the global industry standard on tailings management (GISTM) and stakeholder expectations.
Launched in August 2020, the GISTM sets a global benchmark for environmental, social and technical outcomes from tailings management. The goal is zero harm to communities and the environment from tailings facilities worldwide.
The GISTM has been widely adopted by members of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM). These companies had until August 2023 to conform to the GISTM for tailings facilities, with “extreme’” or “very high” potential consequences for not doing so. All other tailings facilities have until 2025 to conform.
Requirement 3.2 of the GISTM necessitates operators of new tailings facilities to undertake a multi-criteria alternative analysis of all feasible sites, technologies and strategies for tailings management. They should consider TSF alternatives over the project life cycle and address environmental, technical and socioeconomic impacts.
The goal is twofold: select a TSF alternative that minimises risks to people and the environment through the TSF life cycle, and minimise the volume of tailings and water placed in external tailings facilities.
Lack of planning can result in catastrophic TSF failure.
The GISTM requires the process to be reviewed independently and disclosed to stakeholders in order to aid public accountability.
SRK Consulting senior tailings engineer Sam Kendall said the GISTM’s requirement for the early evaluation of alternative tailings technologies and strategies has significant implications for new and established mining companies.
“In the context of GISTM compliance, there is increased attention being paid to the assessment of best available practices and/or best available technologies; however, some established mining houses have long been applying these principles,” Kendall said.
“Some miners are drawn to short-term capex (capital expenditure) and opex (operational expenditure) without sufficiently considering the longer-term, less tangible aspects of TSF design, which also derive value.
“For newer companies at the very early stages of project development, the initial selection of a low-cost, status quo tailings management solution can be appealing, particularly when considering time and budget constraints.
“During the initial stages of project development, it can be easy for project managers without specific tailings experience to favour selecting a familiar, cost-effective solution; however, with large-scale uptake of the GISTM, the industry is being encouraged to invest in optimising tailings management to find more sustainable, long term, cost effective solutions.”
A tailings dam on a mine site.
Kendall believes expectations are changing with the implementation of the GISTM and all miners developing new TSFs are expected to demonstrate that they are working towards a defensible evaluation of management options.
“This is an important consideration for mining companies, particularly those looking for early-stage investment from institutions which expect GISTM compliance,” Kendall said.
“More broadly, this process also influences perceptions from regulators, communities and the public. Companies should understand this change and be taking steps now to adapt to it.”
Sustainable growth
According to Kendall, the long-term benefits of comparing TSF alternatives can far outweigh the extra cost and risk, particularly when there are unique project drivers or TSF constraints.
“Examining alternative TSF technologies will help mining companies to implement the optimal result on mine-waste design, now and in the future,” he said.
“Fundamentally, it’s about being future-focused and open-minded about TSF technologies.”
Documenting and disclosing the process used to consider TSF alternatives has other benefits, Kendall said, including project transparency and stakeholder collaboration. Similarly, adopting this approach helps to demonstrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in TSF and cultivate a more holistic view of tailings management going forward.”
Arguably, the main benefit of this approach is the potential to “future-proof” TSF design.
“Given life of mine is often 10-plus years, it is well worth exploring options that have the potential to improve the risk profile of the operation and licence to operate into the future,” Kendall said.
“Business-as-usual-type facilities might not be able to maintain acceptability, as ongoing public disclosure requirements set a high bar for the mining industry in general.”
Kendall acknowledges, however, that this approach adds extra cost and risk for smaller mining companies. Assessing more TSF alternatives requires greater internal resources or use of industry consultants. Documenting the process to select a TSF technology and strategy, and having it independently reviewed, adds other costs.
The main risk for smaller miners when selecting alternative tailings management approaches, such as large-scale filtration (reducing the amount of water transported from a processing plant to a TSF) or co-disposal (combining tailings and waste rock), is reliability and the potential for operational delays.
“These are important considerations that can be addressed with time,” Kendall said.
“Mining companies that don’t adhere to GISTM requirements around TSFs will find it increasingly hard to attract capital from investors or will have to pay a higher cost for that capital.”
Stakeholders have demanded more rigorous and stringent TSF processes after the catastrophic tailings dam collapse at Vale’s Córrego do Feijão mine in Brumadinho, Brazil, in January 2019.
“Investors are scrutinising TSFs in more detail than ever,” Kendall said. “They recognise the immense reputational risk that can arise from a tailings failure, and the potential destruction of mine value.”
Kendall believes it is a good sign that mining companies are starting to adopt GISTM principles for tailing facilities.
“Like many things in mining, change usually starts at the top and works its way down,” he said. “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.”
The key is a different mindset.
“It’s easy to view a TSF as only a cost and focus mostly on its impact on project economics. It’s harder to identify and value the long-term, less tangible benefits of a successful TSF strategy and the damage caused if something goes wrong,” Kendall said.
“The GISTM provides an opportunity for mining companies to show stakeholders the process they went through to choose their TSF. That’s good for the company, communities, investors, and the environment.”
SRK Consulting is a leading, independent international consultancy that advises clients mainly in the earth and water resource industries. Its mining services range from exploration to mine closure. SRK experts are leaders in fields such as due diligence, technical studies, mine waste and water management, permitting, and mine rehabilitation.
