Category: 新技术新产品

介绍国外最新技术和产品

TAKING 3D TO THE NEXT LEVEL

BILBY 3D prides itself as being the biggest and one of the oldest 3D printer retailers in Australia. “We are the old boys on the block, working in the industry for close to a decade now,” Lee Bilby told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

Over these years, Bilby 3D has seen advancements in material invention transform 3D technology and has adapted to the new technologies.

“What excites me the most is the material development; because this has dramatically expanded the possibilities for 3D printing. Material development and 3D printing innovation go hand in hand because the materials get developed that allow machines to do more things and machines develop more capabilities that allow them to deal with more materials,” said Bilby.

Bilby 3D has been manufacturing filaments for the past six years and has partnered with companies like Proto-Pasta in the US for manufacturing metal materials with filaments.

“We started manufacturing filaments in the very early days when the only material available for 3D printing was Acrylonitrile, Butadiene, and Styrene polymers (ABS). Being the traditional material used for injection moulding, ABS is not a great material for 3D printing because it can cause uneven shrinkage in the printed parts, so that you don’t get the desired precision.

“So, polylactic acid (PLA) was invented and has really become the backbone of 3D printing in many ways. PLA material actually does a full state change from a solid to a liquid when you print with it. PLA is actually a great material for a few reasons. From a global perspective, it is a great material because it is biodegradable, unlike ABS which is a petroleum bi-product.

“Today, we are no longer restricted to ABS or PLA plastics and we can manufacture in metals, rubber-like flexible, heat-resistant materials, through to new innovative materials like matte fibre,” said Bilby.

Raise3D’s Australian distributor

Bilby 3D is the Australian distributor for Raise3D, a global 3D printer brand whose latest printer series has won the title of “Best 3D Printer for 2018” by Make Magazine. Bilby said Raise3D’s Pro 2 would officially launch in Australia at the National Manufacturing Week expo, held in Sydney from 9-11 May.

Raise3D Pro 2 is an industrial grade components printer that combines unprecedented resolution capabilities with large build areas, onsite servicing and support, and minimal maintenance requirements.

Some key benefits and design innovations that distinguish Raise 3D Pro 2 include an electronic driven lifting dual extrusion system that is accurate to five microns (<0.005mm) and switches within less than one second between materials, wide filament compatibility (300°C), built- in air filtration, filament run-out detection and the ability to resume printing after power outage.

“Raise 3D Pro 2 model can print to a resolution of 10 microns per layer, that is previously unheard of within the industry, as the standard resolution for 3D printers is generally about 100 microns per layer,” said Bilby.

Sharing knowledge with the industry

3D printing being an emerging industry, consulting is an important part of Bilby 3D’s business. Bilbo 3D supports customers with sales, support and consulting through its wide network of resellers and offices in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

“From very early on, we at Bilby 3D saw our role as investigators. We researched and talked to industry to determine what they needed and how they could use 3D Printing. Our team draws on a diverse range of industry backgrounds, so that our clients can benefit from specialised experience both within their industry and with 3D printing.

“It is through these strong ties to industry that we have learned, developed and shared back that knowledge, to see Australian companies grow through their adoption of 3D printing,” said Bilby.

She also said that she enjoys seeing how 3D printing can make the impossible possible. “To watch an idea that never would have been viable through traditional manufacturing, become a reality because of the small scale production capabilities of 3D printing is great,” said Bilby.

“One example is DreamFarm, who utilised 3D printing from the beginning to iterate and test products on the path to traditional manufacturing. From their small beginnings 3D printing has helped them become a large international company.”

3D printing could in fact be economically feasible, particularly for small quantity productions. She said 3D printing only uses what it needs because it’s an additive manufacturing versus a subtractive manufacturing. Comparing it to CNC-ing a part where the part is cut out of a larger block of material, 3D printing only uses the exact material as needed so it becomes cheaper eventually.

“Many companies need to have parts in order to supply warranty. 3D printing allows them to only manufacture the required quantity rather than having to stock a large quantity, as is common practice through traditional manufacturing,” said Bilby.

Read more at http://www.ferret.com.au/articles/news/taking-3d-to-the-next-level-n2530018#7AvXUt8GdQswVsQq.99

AES 2018: Microgrids ensuring reliable remote power supply

Given many remote communities and Australian mine sites are moving to more renewable energy sources to reduce costs and provide environmental benefits, microgrids are becoming one of the most suitable solutions to ensure the reliable supply of power.

Microgrids can help increase the penetration of renewable energy without compromising the quality and reliability of power supply.

Having a localised source of energy, that could combine solar, battery storage and diesel, means there is less chance that supply will be interrupted, which is a key factor for remote applications such as isolated mine sites.

Mining companies are now considering how energy storage and microgrids fit into their long-term planning, in an effort to displace diesel.

Greg Allen, executive general manager at Carnegie Clean Energy directs all project operations and commercialisation activities for the company, and is currently working on The Aurora Project — a 150MW solar thermal energy project with storage — in Port Augusta, South Australia.

Allen will join a huge lineup of energy experts at the Australian Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition (AES 2018), running from May 23–24 at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

At AES 2018, Allen will explore Australian microgrid case studies that use battery energy storage technology in both network-connected and off-grid applications.

Energy systems in remote communities and pacific islands will also be explored at AES 2018 by speakers including Jiamao Wu, General Manager of Sungrow-Samsung SDI Energy Storage Power Supply, who leads the research and development, production and operation of the company.

Wu has participated in multiple “863 programs”, municipal technology innovation projects, and instructed the construction of multiple PV projects including Olympic nest, world expo and Hongqiao, as well as giving guidance to the third “Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Talents” program as a coach.

Hear from Jiamao Wu and Greg Allen, among other microgrid and energy storage experts, at the Australian Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition. To register for the conference or the free exhibition, visit www.australianenergystorage.com.au/register.

The mill liner that lasts longer

Rubber mill liners.

Fields results show that the new Vulco R67 mill lining rubber compound from Weir Minerals delivers an increase in wear life of 20 per cent.

With a liner that can run significantly longer, operators will experience a measurable reduction in mill downtime, installation and maintenance costs.

“This is a breakthrough in the industry; a rubber mill liner that in extensive global trials delivered on average 20 per cent longer life than comparable composite lifter bars,” Weir Minerals global product manager for mill lining systems Mathias Kuhrke states.

“This means less shut-down time for maintenance, which in this highly competitive environment represents a measurable outcome to our customers’ productivity and bottom line.”

The innovative premium rubber compound is the most wear resistant Weir Minerals has ever formulated. Operators using R67 lifter bars within their mill will not only benefit from the increase in wear life, but they will notice a measurable reduction in installation and maintenance costs as a result of a longer run schedule, according to Weir Minerals.

The making of R67 compound

Weir Minerals has been supplying the Vulco R63 rubber compound to mill lining applications across the globe for over 50 years.

While this technology performs well in most grinding applications, many suppliers are perceived by the market to offer similar rubber compounds with no real differentiation. Weir Minerals identified a gap in the market for a rubber compound that could increase the wear life of its mill liners and outlast the rest.

After extensive field research on the current rubber compounds available to the market, Weir Minerals expert engineers and material scientists developed the unique patented material that forms the R67 compound.

“Using our extensive in-house knowledge, experience and expertise, we were able to develop a new Weir proprietary elastomer that is able to withstand the severe abrasion typical in mill systems applications,” Weir Minerals materials and elastomer development manager Michael Lum says.

“Our Vulco R67 compound utilises new technology and chemistry in elastomer formulary which overcomes the limitations of more traditional elastomer compounds used in the market today.”

The Vulco R67 rubber compound is visually different from others in the market place, with green capped ends on the lifter bars.

“During the product development process we added a green pigmentation to the formulation to visually set our lifter bars apart from the competitors. Now when a mill operator sees the distinct green strip on the lifter bar, they will know they have a premium product,” Dr Lum says.

What customers think 

More than 10 trials spanning four continents have shown significant wear life improvements, in some cases exceeding a 50 per cent increase in wear life.

Weir Minerals is confident the latest R67 rubber technology will help operators across the globe get the most out of their mill.

“Our customers were at the heart of this new compound development and we worked closely with them throughout the field trials. During this time, we encouraged them to provide honest feedback on the R67 rubber compound,” Weir Minerals mill lining product manager Hayden McLean says.

“There’s tremendous value in having a trial partner that documents the downsides as well as the positive benefits. This allowed us to note which applications the new compound is best suited for, or make further improvements to the compound.”

One operation to reap the benefits of the premium R67 rubber compound is Simplot Phosphates. Operating a phosphate mine in Utah, United States, this long-standing customer of Weir Minerals agreed to trial the liner with R67 rubber.

After a nine-month trial, the liner achieved a 29 per cent improvement in wear life and had 20 per cent service life remaining when it was removed. The trial also achieved an estimated 25 per cent reduction in maintenance and reline costs.

Simplot mill maintenance supervisor Bart Smuin comments: “R67 lasts longer, which delivers less downtime and less time in the mill. That is the biggest advantage.”

Weir Minerals’ new Vulco R67 premium rubber compound is setting a benchmark for mill liners worldwide.

OPINION: Digital investments, new business models, digital twins and IoT empower mining companies to leverage industry recovery

After a tough couple of years, the recovery of the mining industry started in 2017, and now is the time to kick it into a higher gear and benefit from being an early mover. Digital investments and new charging models are a couple of the initiatives companies will be pioneering to leverage the industry turnaround in 2018. IoT in combination with digital twins and equipping users to service their own assets are also key trends, predicts Rob Stummer, managing director at IFS Australia and New Zealand.

Industry recovery will boost digital investments

The good news is that the cost cutting and downsizing of the past few years is now at an end, both for the mining companies themselves and their ecosystem of suppliers. Global demand for many commodities is growing. With the macro figures telling us this increase may last for the next few decades, industry players are ramping up their activity. However, many are playing catch-up in the digital space.

When talking to customers and prospects in the industry, I hear the need to tap into digital technologies including cloud, the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, automation, and advanced planning and scheduling to become smarter and more efficient at extracting resources. Part of this is being driven by the downsizing that has taken place over recent years; with fewer staff on site you need to maximise the human resources to hand. Thus, automating manual tasks becomes important.

Mining companies could learn from innovators in related industries, like oil and gas company Songa Offshore. The company has connected IoT sensors to 600 assets on each of their four oil rigs throughout the North Atlantic Basin. The IoT data is fed into the ERP system, IFS Applications, which forms the basis for reducing maintenance costs and increasing productivity by driving operational efficiencies. The main potential optimisation lies in the automation of work orders. If specific data points can trigger automated work orders, this will save significant time and costs.

Other potential investments may come in rolling out beacon technology to improve safety by alerting workers when they are in a restricted zone. Elsewhere, advanced visualisation and planning tools could help contractors speed up the license application process and maximise productivity by being able to better delineate which areas they are already cleared to operate in.

Mining companies will adopt a more service-centric business model

Another key evolution in the industry, driving the push to become faster and more efficient at extraction, involves a change in the way mining companies pay their suppliers and contractors. The traditional “day rate” – the flat-fee rate a contractor is paid per day is increasingly moving to a performance-based system.

Thus, where a mining company might have agreed a contract of $300,000 per day for 100 days, they may offer more or a bonus if the work can be completed in, say, 80 days. This creates new opportunities for those industry suppliers who can become more efficient. Again, the IoT and big data analytics are key enablers here, with sensors able to provide feedback on various environmental and other conditions to maximise productivity. However, technology alone will not produce the desired goals unless organisations can break down traditional siloes between teams which monitor equipment and those focused on other parts of the operation.

These trends can also be seen in terms of the gradual servitisation of the industry, with companies looking to add innovative service and asset management capabilities to their offerings to reduce their maintenance costs. Advanced planning and scheduling technologies in particular will become a game-changer for both mining companies and service providers, helping them better plan and document maintenance without the need to shut down assets as frequently. These are highly sophisticated systems, maximising the human resources on board and incorporating key risk assessments of equipment to ensure any maintenance work is done and recorded according to a strict timetable.

Companies will adopt IoT and digital twins to optimise service levels

The IoT and “digital twin” technologies are poised to have a huge impact on services; reducing costs, maximising data analytics and extending the lifespan of assets. Previously when, for example, a mining truck broke down, the company would have to schedule a service engineer reactively. This approach is highly inefficient as the individual engineer may have little idea what is wrong with the asset, leading to a low first time fix rate.

With IoT sensors, the asset or machine becomes “smart” and is placed at the centre, sending data back to the service centre enabling diagnostics to determine issues that may arise in a day, week or month’s time. It is no surprise that predictive maintenance is where the big benefits are first realised from IoT by asset-intensive companies wanting to optimise their service efforts. The Predictive Maintenance report forecasts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for predictive maintenance of 39 per cent over the time frame of 2016–2022, with annual technology spending reaching $US10.96 billion by 2022.

Now let us add in the concept of digital twins, which represents physical objects in the digital world. Previously, the manufacturer’s or engineer’s knowledge of an asset stopped once it was delivered. But now, via the feedback made possible through IoT, you can start to learn the usage, behaviour and performance of these assets in the real world, and even make engineering changes to improve them over time.

This is a hugely important shift that helps complete the feedback loop, leading to smarter asset design, more efficient service and better performing assets. Such an approach is already being applied in the automobile sector, where connected cars send back huge amounts of data to be analysed and used to engineer better machines going forward, as well as alerting when and where faults may start to appear.

The good news is that it can also be applied retrospectively to legacy products. Mining and construction machine manufacturer Caterpillar has plenty of equipment that is 10-20 years old. But it has been able to fit them with smart sensors to measure tyre pressure, temperature, oil levels and so on. It is a win-win for customer and service organisation alike; minimising equipment downtime and enhancing product development and improving service efficiency. The approach is said to have saved Caterpillar millions of dollars already.

Designed by engineers, operated by you: Self-servicing growing by 50 per cent by 2020

We will start seeing a lot more augmented reality (AR) experiences used to put the customer in control of operating or servicing their own assets. Just think of a Nespresso machine, or a Dyson vacuum cleaner. Both companies have invested significant sums in helping consumers – with the aid of their smartphone and a QR code – to access visually overlaid step-by-step instructions on usage and repair. The same kind of model could be applied to more complex systems within a mining environment, providing detailed and highly customised plans for users to work from – without any of the superfluous information usually found in manuals.

This AR vision shares many of the same benefits as the IoT and digital twin approaches listed above. It will help maximise the time of a limited pool of service engineers, but also create a better customer experience. We can’t underestimate the Apple effect here: with AR being built into iOS handsets, it’s only a matter of time before the firm democratises and monetises such capabilities via an intuitive, user-friendly platform. As well as downloading apps and music, think of downloading an AR experience.

How to get there in reality

There is clearly plenty of opportunity to drive better service delivery, but for mining companies to reap the benefits a few things need to happen. It is important not to think of innovative technology as an end goal in itself. First up, make a value-based business case for any new approaches. That might mean wanting to increase first-time fix rates, offer new outcome-based contract types or simply reducing costs by ensuring engineers are only dispatched when strictly necessary.

Once you have established the business case you might need to break down traditional organisational silos between engineering, design and service. An AR experience, for example, is only as good as the engineering data you are able to populate it with. It works two ways, though, as the feedback from product sensors will help engineering teams design and build better assets going forward.

It is much easier to ensure that data flows throughout the organisation if everyone is using the same enterprise system. The last thing you want is new technologies creating their own data silos. New technologies will deliver greater benefits if integrated with your ERP software, and those benefits will be easier to measure. Ideally, you should be able calculate the actual value delivered by new technology, and compare it with your business case, to maximise the value of future investments.

Ultimately, you need the people, processes, data and systems all optimised to capitalise on these emerging approaches and reap the full benefits.

About the author

Rob Stummer is the managing director, Australia and New Zealand for global enterprise applications company IFS. He has held this position for the past nine years, continually achieving significant growth annually in both revenues and EBIT. Rob holds several degrees, including a Masters from Melbourne University. See: www.ifsworld.com/au

2020年时的矿山

THE NEAR FUTURE OF MINING: GLOBAL PREDICTIONS

January 2018

Insights_Intl-Global-1_1110.jpg

Read the Full Analysis [PDF]

WHEN ROBOTS RUN THE MINES
PREDICTION 1

ROBOTS
By 2020, robots will replace more than 50 percent of miners, and mining accidents will be cut by 75 percent. Half of the miners will themselves be retrained to run the technology controlling the robots.

Robots will be at the forefront of most mineral extraction by 2020, reducing safety risks for miners, maximising output, and streamlining costs. By 2020, we predict robots will replace most miners. Most in the workforce will be retained, but advances in technology and remote mining equipment will transform what that workforce looks like.

The global mining industry is already well-acquainted with autonomous technology. Self-driving trucks and autonomous drillers and muckers are employed onsite at almost every large multinational company’s mines. “Snake robots”—named for their agility—are equipped with Internet-connected sensors and used to navigate narrow mine shafts and collect data. Drones are also beginning to play a role in mapping the topography of a mine and capturing aerial images of inaccessible areas of the mine to identify possible vulnerabilities
and areas of tension. Remote vein miners (RVMs) are being developed to eliminate the need to drill and
blast to excavate rock—potentially reducing rock stress that can lead to seismic events.

The rise of the robot is not a death knell for the mining workforce but will inevitably lead to a demand for
reskilling. Traditional operational positions—drilling, blasting, and driving—will be downsized, but replaced by demand for remote operators and maintenance personnel to create the new version of the miner. Emerging digital mining jobs—engineers, software developers, and data processing and data analytics specialists—are more likely to attract the technologically savvy millennial workforce. By 2020, mining automation and data analytics will be key components of the curriculum for mining engineers.

Digitisation also promises to reduce safety risks for miners. Not only will robots assume the most dangerous tasks, but they’ll also be key to minimising damage if disaster strikes. Snake robots and the smart sensors they’re equipped with will be further optimised to capture real-time data to predict or quickly identify equipment malfunctions and closely track miners’ exact locations and vitals. With the aid of robots and new technology, the number of mining fatalities will be cut in half by 2020.

Mining is in the early stages of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, and further digitisation is just around the corner.

TRANSPARENCY COMBATS CONFLICT
PREDICTION 2

EU CONFLICT MINERALS RULE
Supply chain transparency will take the compliance spotlight for 2020 as companies gear up for the European Union’s Conflict Minerals Rule, effective in 2021.

The EU’s efforts to stem trade in minerals that finance armed conflicts and terror groups will turn a spotlight on global mining companies’ supply chains by 2020.

The EU’s Conflict Minerals Regulation, effective in 2021, establishes supply chain due diligence for imports of tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG)—used to produce phones, cars, and jewellery. The rule aims to ensure
European industries use responsiblysourced minerals, stemming proceeds that finance armed conflict in highrisk areas.

What the rule means for the mining industry:

  • EU-based 3TG importers and their international supply chain partners—smelters and refiners— will need to update their supply chain due diligence
  • Additionally, 3TG importers in the EU will need to identify the smelters and refiners in their supply chains, confirm their due diligence practices comply, and report insufficient supply chain due diligence
  • The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) laid out a five-step framework for the due diligence requirements:
    • Create strong company management systems
    • Identify and assess supply chain risk
    • Implement a program to respond to such risks
    • Conduct an independent thirdparty audit of supply chain due diligence
    • Submit annual reports on supply chain due diligence.

All upstream companies are subject to the due diligence requirements when they import—the riskiest area of the supply chain—as are downstream companies that import metal-stage products. This regulation will likely create a lowest common denominator effect across the global mining industry—for EU-based 3TG importers and their international supply chain partners—requiring the entire industry to put supply chain due diligence at the forefront.

HACKTIVISTS TARGET MINES
PREDICTION 3

CYBERSECURITY
By 2020, activist hackers will launch at least five cyberattacks on mines around the world in Permanent Denial of Service attacks aimed at eliminating the environmental and social threats they pose. They’ll use workers’ connected devices to initiate the attacks.

The mining industry is no stranger to environmental scrutiny. Advances in technology have introduced more sustainable mining methods, including the emerging practice of bioleaching, in which companies extract inerals by using biological assets instead of harmful chemicals. Despite those advancements, environmental concerns ersist, including water and soil contamination, carbon emissions, and impact on animal life. Pressure from environmentalist is set to increase by 2020. In fact, an emerging type of environmentalist—activist hackers (hacktivists)—will soon have their targets locked on the mining industry. By 2020, there will be at least five Permanent Denial of Service (PDoS) cyberattacks on mines around the world, motivated by eliminating the environmental and social threats they pose.

PDoS attacks are the next generation of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks—which temporarily disable operations—and aim for permanent destruction. In a PDoS attack, hackers’ goals include destroying physical equipment and structures, disabling services, and/or wiping out data. For global mining companies in the early stages of harnessing big data, losing seismic and reserves data would be damaging to their ongoing operations.

While the rapid acceleration and adoption of new technology will be instrumental in bolstering mining’s future, it will also be the sector’s Achilles heel when it comes to cybersecurity. The industrial control system, the central hub controlling a mine’s automated operations, could serve as the hacker’s point of entry into the mine’s remote
operating controllers and connected devices. Damage and disruption to automated equipment could also jeopardise the safety of workers in the mines—as many of the systems in place are designed to monitor and
detect dangerous conditions.

COAL STRIPPED OF SOME POWER
PREDICTION 4

RENEWABLES
By 2020, renewables will account for one-quarter of the world’s electricity generation as dependence on coal wanes.

Decreased coal consumption in China—the world’s largest coal consumer—is slowing global demand for the commodity. According to the International Energy Agency, global coal consumption decreased about 2 percent last year. In confluence with the rapid growth of renewables, the world’s energy mix is set for a shakeup. By 2020, we predict that renewables will grow to account for one-quarter of the world’s electricity generation as dependence on coal wanes.

Mining plays an integral behindthe-scenes role in developing renewable energy. Electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panes rely on minerals like aluminium, copper, lithium, and various emerging, rare metals. Powered y new technology, deep-sea mining is allowing mining companies to tap into previously inaccessible reserves of copper, nickel, and cobalt, among others, beneath the ocean floor to fuel increased demand for these minerals.

In 2019, Nautilus Minerals, a Canadian mining firm, is set to launch one of the first large deep-sea mining ventures in the Bismarck Sea with the aid of remote-controlled robots. The excursion is forecast to produce more than 72,500 metric tons of copper and more than 4.5 metric tons of gold. The International Seabed Authority, a United Nations regulatory body, has granted 25 contracts to nations including China, India, Japan, and Brazil to embark on similar deep-sea mining projects.

By 2020, further advancements will be made to overcome one of renewables’ largest hurdles: energy storage. The world’s largest lithium ion battery—built by Elon Musk in November 2017—is a 100-milliwatt (MW) battery storage farm located in Australia. Come 2020, the capacity of energy storage is likely to evolve well beyond 100MW, solidifying renewables’ role in the world’s energy mix.

AN ARSENAL OF AUTOMATION BOOSTS PROFITABILITY
PREDICTION 5

IoT IN MINING
Global mining companies leveraging Internet-connected sensors and automated drillers in mines will decrease their per ton digging costs by more than 30 percent.

In an environment of subdued commodity prices, the value of harnessing technology is clear. Mining companies’ end consumers closely monitor the price of commodities and are sensitive to the slightest uptick. For automakers, for example, steel is a significant expense on their books. When multiplied by a few thousand metric tons, a variance of a few cents on steel price could incentivise automakers to find a new supplier. Global demand is not expected to wane. In fact, steel and mining company ArcelorMittal forecasts a 36 percent increase to automakers’ global demand for steel by 2020. However, which global mining companies win that business is up for debate.

Tapping into new technology is key to streamlining operations, reducing expenditure, and enabling companies to keep their prices competitive. The International Institute for Sustainable Development estimates driverless technology, for instance, increases mining output by 15 to 20 percent, while decreasing fuel and maintenance costs by 10 to 15 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Self-driving trucks are just the tip of the iceberg. Global
mining companies that digitise nearly all their drilling—relying on a combination of automated drillers and Internet-connected sensors—will recognise far more significant savings. By 2020, we predict global mining companies’ per ton digging costs will decrease by more than 30 percent because of automation.

These savings factor in reduced labour costs, increased output, a decrease in the number of safety incidents, and companies’ ability to enhance decision-making capabilities leveraging the vast amount of data collected by smart mines.

Return to BDO’s Energy 2020 Vision: The Near Future of Mining

The top mining trends of 2018

Mining is poised for growth, according to Deloitte’s 2018 Tracking the Trends report.

The latest issue of key mining trends, the 10thedition in the series, focuses on how the Australian, and global marketplace, is navigating this expansion by identifying strategies companies can use during the ongoing industry recovery.

Click here for a snapshot of this year’s trends from Deloitte.

With this growth, rapid change will follow, Deloitte explained, adding that a common modern-day theme — digital technology — would be at the core of this transition.

The industry has progressed from the need for miners to understand and develop digital projects to how they ‘bring digital to life’ at their operations.

This is the opening trend for Deloitte in 2018, and one that offers an overbearing theme for many of the points that follow it in the report.

Digital may be an ongoing trend in the current mining environment, but Deloitte points to the importance of effectively using the data these technologies create, including the ability to organise, manage and process it.

Deloitte Australia national mining leader Ian Sanders described digital technology as an important competitive advantage that miners must capitalise on.

“If you look at the majors, yes, they have the programs of activity up and running. They are looking at their investment dollars, particularly how they invest them and the competitive nature of these investments,” Sanders told Australian Mining.

“Digital is one of those competitive elements — how much do they actually spend on automation? How much do they spend on the back office digital? how much do they actually look at their ecosystem of suppliers and customers, government, other stakeholders and co-mingle that investment within digital is really important?”

Deloitte’s report explained that transitioning to the future digital mine typically started by focusing on core mining processes with the goal of automating physical operations and digitising assets.

It believes the real value from digital technology comes from unlocking the insights within data by rethinking the way information is generated and processed.

Many major miners have been on the front foot in this area, according to Deloitte, with the report using the example of a global company that identified latent system potential across its pit, rail and port network by effectively using data.

However, the report adds that many mining organisations are not yet using all the data they are capturing from operational systems, or are still struggling to improve reporting from legacy systems.

Despite the challenges, Sanders said the full spectrum of mining companies was now looking at digital technology projects — the majors, mid tiers, juniors and services companies.

“I think you have to. Firstly, to be relevant, and secondly, to survive,” he said. “Whether you are a major, junior or mid-tier you are absolutely thinking about it because everyone is thinking about efficiency and digital is a core element of becoming more efficient.

“There are some mid tiers and juniors which are very active when it comes to digital and technology. It’s not as though they have been left behind, it’s how can they extract the investment dollar to best leverage digital within their organisation?”

Technology isn’t the only disruptor in mining — there are also emerging commodities changing the landscape of the industry, according to Deloitte’s trends.

The so-called tech metals, or Deloitte’s commodities of the future — nickel, lithium, cobalt and graphite — are another leading element of change in mining.

Deloitte Consulting mining leader David Cormack said it would have been hard to believe 20 years ago that these commodities would be an affordable way to power batteries.

“But, today that is the reality and a potential growth opportunity, particularly with the emergence of electric vehicles,” Cormack said.

“And although asteroid mining for rare metals still sounds like science fiction today, the market potential in the not-too-distant future could be huge. If mining companies want to get ahead of the trends, they need to delve deeply into emerging market disruptors.”

Deloitte’s 2018 trends include: Bringing digital to life; Overcoming innovation barriers; The future of work; Shifting perceptions; Transforming stakeholder relationships; Water; Changing shareholder expectations; Reserve replacement woes; Realigning mining boards to drive transformation; and, Commodities of the future.

Click here for a snapshot of this year’s trends from Deloitte.

Weir Minerals launches Cerasmooth compound

Weir Minerals has upgraded its polymer-ceramic composite for the Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) market.

Specially engineered for use in FGD applications, the Cerasmooth compound is designed to provide ultimate wear and corrosion resistance.

“We are focused on the continuous improvement of our materials, which is why we have enhanced our existing formulation to improve component wear life and meet the ever more demanding market’s needs,” Weir Minerals executive vice president of engineering Patrick Moyer.

Cerasmooth material was developed for the Warman GSL pump series but can also be used for any acidic, light slurry application.

The FGD application can experience wide variations in pH during operation and also contains erosive components in the slurry. This makes it difficult to select an optimum metal solution to cover the range of possible conditions.

Materials used in this application need to be capable of handling these demanding and varying operating conditions.

“The polymer matrix of Cerasmooth is almost impervious to the extremely acidic environments that can occur in FGD duties, and the ceramic filler provides outstanding wear resistance to the typical erosive particles in the slurry,” Weir Minerals director of research and development Edward Humphries said.

Cerasmooth compound has an equal combination of erosion and corrosion resistance, which work together to deliver optimum life in an FGD circuit, offering customers longer wear life than ever before.

“Significant in-house wear testing has shown that up to 60 per cent improvement over the previous polymer ceramic material offering can be obtained. This has been achieved by successfully improving the bond that holds the wear resistant silicon carbide grains in place during the wear process,” Humphries said.

“In addition, the uniquely formulated composite material boasts increased mechanical strength and improved strain characteristics. “Achieving flexible strength as high as double that seen in first generation materials.”

By utilising Cerasmooth material, operators can significantly improve the service life of their pump compared to metal and rubber liners.

Compared to a rubber lined pump, Cerasmooth compound has an increased ability to withstand the cutting damage that can be caused by pipe scale coming loose from the FGD circuit and passing through the pump.

Cerasmooth material was developed through a rigorous process of testing various polymer binders and ceramic fillers to find the optimum combination to deliver the performance required.

Skills gap becomes key challenge despite rising industry confidence

The dark days of mining’s downturn may be over but the industry’s leaders now have different challenges to grapple with, according to Newport Consulting.

Skills shortages and cost pressures, not unfamiliar issues for the industry, have re-emerged as the key ongoing concerns for mining leaders, Newport’s latest Mining Business Outlook Report revealed.

Despite these emerging challenges, the eighth report in Newport’s series outlines that sentiment in the mining industry is positive, with the number of miners showing cautious optimism increasing by 55 per cent since 2015.

In addition, the report found that almost three quarters of industry leaders are showing renewed confidence in the sector’s growth.

However, it looks as though skills shortages and cost pressures may be a threat to this growth in confidence continuing.

Newport consulting managing director David Hand believes a spate of mining companies are concerned that Australia will face a growing skills gap, particularly in the areas of technology and automation.

“We spoke to many companies of all sizes that voiced concern over a widening skills gap, giving way to a pressing need to upskill and re-train the workforce. Miners must be able to meet the new digital demands of Australia’s mining future,” Hand said.

With a growing gap in the number of technical employees trained to manage future autonomous roles, Hand added there were signs that mining was “getting on the front foot” to ensure its workforce remained agile and flexible.

“Rio Tinto is a prime example of a company leading the field in this area, having recently partnered with the WA Government and TAFE Australia to provide vocational training in robotics for mining workers. The government should follow Rio Tinto’s lead to close this growing skills gap, which is occurring because of technology disruption,” Hand said.

A key takeaway from the report was the push from mining leaders to embrace new technology, with automaton continuing to become vital for operations.

Automation and Big Data were the leading priorities, with 21 per cent of respondents believing automated haulage vehicles will be the top technology influence to impact the market this year.

Drones, which are used to map, survey and explore mines, were considered another key area for investment.

Meanwhile, more than half of mining leaders predicted an increase in commodity prices over the next 12 months. The exception, however, was thermal coal, which was forecast to face price challenges.

After spending more in 2016, many miners plan to continue this trend, with 42 per cent expecting to moderately increase investment in 2017-2018.

FLSmidth SAGwise™ to revolutionise mill liner protection

Posted by Paul Moore on 12th January 2018

FLSmidth has just launched a new SAG mill liner protection solution called SAGwise™ total process control, with an estimate of less than six months ROI. It has been shown in tests that it can reduce damage to the liners by over 40%. FLSmidth told IM: “Extending the life and availability of mill liners is crucial. Weighing up to 4 t a piece, mill liners require a lot of effort to replace when they are worn out, and SAG mill downtime can be around $130,000/h, while lead times can span months. Overall it can cost well over $1 million dollars for a liner package.”

As stated, test results of the new product show reduced damage to the liners of 40% and an ROI of six months (without factoring in reduced unscheduled maintenance). Added this are reduced energy consumption of 6% – significant considering that mills use the by far largest amount of power required for minerals processing. The new solution also saw a production increase of 6% and reduced process variability up to 30%. The SAGwise™ total process control solution employs state of the art process control technologies to reduce critical impacts to the desired targets, stabilising and then optimising the operation of the SAG mill. Multiple process control technologies, such as model predictive control and fuzzy logic are embedded into the solution, modelling both the process and the human operators.

The system is based on acoustic sensors and proprietary process control software to predict and adjust the SAG mill operation according to impacts on the mill and other main process variables. King Becerra, FLSmidth Global Product Line Manager – Process Optimisation told IM: “There are eight audio sensors on a bidirectional mill, four on each side. These have embedded microphones that listen for so-called critical steel on steel impacts between balls and liners rather than between ore and liners. Today, plant operators rely on the personnel close to the SAG mill listening to the mill load and undesirable steel-on-steel impacts to manually adjust the SAG mill operation, reducing undesirable impacts, and run the mill smoothly. But the FLSmidth SAGwise™ system takes this digital audio data and uses techniques such as model predictive control and fuzzy logic rules to assess the mill process parameters.”

“Within seconds it has analysed the audio frequencies as well as taking on board power usage, mill weight and bearing pressure. It can then automatically take corrective action if needed and adjust parameters such as the mill ore feed rate, mill speed or water usage. Whereas an operator might make adjustments every few minutes, SAGwise™ can make more frequent (every 20 seconds or less) and less drastic adjustments.” The reduced damage improves mill availability and reduces downtime. “This can translate to literally multiple millions more tonnes of ore milled,” says FLSmidth.

Jack Meegan, FLSmidth Global Product Line Manager – Mill Liners and Wear Parts told IM: “We took technology that we already have and mated them together to make a solution. We can say to the customer, of course we want to sell you mill liners, but at the same time we want to make sure you are getting more value from your liners as well as your media. With many mines using $10 million or more of liners per year and three or four times this cost in terms of grinding media, the savings  can be huge.”

THE YEAR RENEWABLES BECAME MAINSTREAM

South Australia’s lithium-ion battery grabbed the headlines in 2017, first when Elon Musk announced he’d build the world’s largest battery in 100 days or it would be free, then again when he accomplished it, and yet again when the battery reacted to power surges in record time in December.

But the big battery is really just part of the ongoing renewable energy story of South Australia.

The year kicked off with the South Australian government launching the $550 million South Australian Energy Plan, which includes a $150 million Renewable Technology Fund that will provide $75 million in grants and $75 million in loans to help private companies and entrepreneurs develop eligible projects.

Musk’s now famous battery was one of the first projects to be funded, receiving $20 million to story the energy from the Hornsdale wind farm in South Australia’s Mid North, which is owned by French renewable company Neoen.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill announce the world’s largest battery at Hornsdale Wind Farm in the state’s Mid-North. Picture: Andre Castellucci/InDaily

Global energy companies have taken notice of South Australia’s leadership in renewables and began investing in the state in earnest in 2017.

In August Solar Reserve announced it would build a 150MW solar thermal in Port Augusta, incorporating eight hours of storage or 1100MWh, allowing it to operate like a conventional coal or gas power station.

Electricity retailer Snowy Hydro and Singapore-based renewable energy developer Equis will also build a 100 MW solar farm near Tailem Bend, 100 km southeast of Adelaide. Reach Solar currently have the 220 MW Bungala solar farm about 12km from Port Augusta under construction, with Origin Energy entering a power purchase agreement for the output of the project.

Lyon Group also plans to build a 330MW solar generation and 100MW battery storage system in the state’s Riverland.

Solar technology company Fluid Solar also unveiled its new head office in Adelaide this year, which will run completely on renewable energy, independent of the state’s power grid.

A field trial to develop highly efficient solar energy heliostats made from plastic opened in October, bringing togetherBottom of Form car parts manufacturer Precision Components and the University of South Australia

The concentrated solar research field in the northern suburbs of Adelaide includes 25 heliostats each measuring 7.2 square metre and a 16-metre-tall concentrated solar photo-voltaic (PV) receiver, which can generate about 30 kW of electricity per hour.

Find better ways to store South Australia’s abundant solar and wind energy was a theme throughout the year and in October the latest projects to benefit from the Renewable Technology Fund included a system to capture biogas from a wastewater treatment plant, store it as thermal energy and sell it to the electricity grid.

South Australian company 1414 Degrees has spent almost a decade developing its Thermal Energy Storage System (TESS) technology to store electricity as thermal energy by heating and melting containers full of silicon at a cost estimated to be up to 10 times cheaper than lithium batteries.

The wastewater treatment plant project will use $1.6 million in government funding to help build a 0.25MW/10MWh thermal energy storage device that holds heat generated from the combustion of biogas produced on site.

The Renewable Technology Fund has attracted more than 80 proposals for technologies that include batteries, bioenergy, pumped hydro, thermal, compressed air and hydrogen from companies around the world.

The year ended with the Australian researchers who successfully unboiled an egg turning their attention to capturing the energy of graphene oxide (GO) to make a more efficient alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

The Flinders University team has partnered with Swinburne University of Technology in Victoria, Australian Stock Exchange-listed First Graphene Ltd and manufacturer Kremford Pty Ltd to develop a GO-powered battery, a super-capacity energy storage alternative to emerging lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology.