REMOTE SITES airstrip itself . Australia ’ s Cobham Aviation Services continues to deliver cost efficiencies which in late December 2015 contributed to the company being awarded two new contracts to provide fly-in , fly-out ( FIFO ) services to new and existing clients . Cobham ' s President , Peter Nottage said the new contracts demonstrated opportunities that exist in the closed charter aviation market for innovation , safety and a compelling value proposition .
" We continue to look for ways to reduce costs , improve travel times and provide more comfortable aircraft for our customers ," Nottage said . A major new contract with Karara Mining was awarded providing eight flights a week in support of their iron ore operations in mid-west Western Australia . A reduced cabin service is offered for the short 30 minute flight reducing the weight of the aircraft and therefore lowering costs .
" The Karara contract in particular is significant for us , especially in the current market environment , demonstrating our ability to offer innovative proposals ."
An extra flight was also added to the Gold Fields , Granny Smith mine , making it the 4th new contract since June 2015 using more efficient jet aircraft . These sites have gravel runways and Cobham is using aircraft equipped with unique gravel kit capability , to provide these services . Cobham is the only aviation provider in Australia that operates jet aircraft to gravel runways .
Most recently in July 2016 , Cobham announced that its Regional Services business has been awarded a 12 month contract by gold mining company , Doray Minerals Ltd to provide fly-in , flyout ( FIFO ) services to its Andy Well Gold Project mining site in Western Australia . Cobham commenced operating two services a week using an 81 seat BAE 146-200 jet aircraft from August 2 , 2016 .
Nottage commented : " The Cobham Regional Services team has worked hard to establish a reputation for providing safe , cost effective , flexible and innovative services for top tier resource companies that operate in regional and remote areas across Australia . Doray is a new client for Cobham and we ' re delighted to be providing services between Perth and Meekatharra for them . This award demonstrates our competitive offering and unique value proposition , despite current challenging market conditions "
Adelaide-based charter operator Rossair also recently announced it has won a new FIFO contract from WPG Resources to serve the Challenger gold mine site in central South Australia . Under the contract Rossair , a sister company to Air South – will operate up to four flights a week from Adelaide to the Challenger mine site ’ s dirt strip ( a distance of approximately 390 nautical miles ) using a 30-seat Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprop . WPG is recommissioning the underground Challenger gold mine after acquiring it in March .
“ The WPG contract is a significant one and is of a scope that will allow Rossair to build a partnership over the long-term with this welcome new SA mining venture ,” said Rossair Director Mark Lindh . “ Critically , our focus will be on safety , on-time delivery and a comfortable operating environment while in the air for the Challenger FIFO workforce , as the restart of mining and processing at this remote site is a fillip for the state ’ s resources sector .”
Rossair is also actively pursuing other resources-based work in both Western Australia and South Australia , it says “ with a fresh approach to dealing with FIFO operations .”
Meeting Africa ’ s challenges
Limited infrastructure and volatile commodity markets lead mining companies and their logistics and transport partners in Africa to improve via innovation .
Specialist logistics company Bollore Logistics states : “ Rapid changes are afoot in Africa ’ s bustling mining sector – a major engine of the continent ’ s economic growth , but which now faces challenges that include infrastructure limitations and volatile global commodity prices . In response , mining companies are moving to find new ways to adapt flows to and from remote extraction centres in phase with demand , and are seeking improved speed and quality of service from compliancy-reliable logistic and transport partners .”
The company adds : “ Africa boasts one of the world ’ s largest reserves of diamonds , minerals and precious metals like gold , cobalt , bauxite , uranium and platinum . Top producers include South Africa , the Democratic Republic of Congo , Ghana , Botswana and Namibia , whose mining sectors powered Africa ’ s 5 % average annual economic growth over the past decade . That supply found strong demand in recent years , especially from booming economic growth in China requiring enormous imports of industrial and infrastructure materials like steel , copper and aluminum .”
The company adds : “ A major focus in that has been limited national infrastructure and transport assets , whose degree and rate of development differ drastically across borders . The far-flung locations of extraction sites – and absence of trans-African transportation networks – have further complicated efforts to efficiently move goods in and out of mining centres , and modulate those flows as demand fluctuates .”
“ The rate of infrastructure development , the huge volume of material transported over long distances , and the fragmentation of the region imposes detailed planning to respect deadlines , and makes rapidly changing plans very hard ,” explains Helle Rasmussen , Director for Bollore Logistics ’ mining unit in Johannesburg . “ But all that ’ s starting to improve .”
Indeed , recent advances have permitted mining groups and their logistics and transport providers to start increasing the speed , quality and control of African operations . That has come about in part by considerable development of several ports and road systems , reducing maritime and surface transport time and distances between mines , clients , and suppliers .
A greater degree of intra-African networking is also aiding end-to-end commodity storage and transport . Facilities in Zambia ’ s Copperbelt city Chingola , for example , are being used as a collective logistics hub for large extraction
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SEPTEMBER 2016 | International Mining 149