CONTRACT MINING
Sustainable service
In July , Thiess celebrated a significant autonomous drilling milestone at Lake Vermont in Queensland , with its fleet of autonomous Epiroc drills safely drilling more than one million lineal metres
A closer alignment with technology suppliers and mining client goals , established pipeline of talent and training , and a contract model able to offer financial certainty and security is putting contract miners in line for more work , Dan Gleeson reports
“ The Thiess Group is focused on driving innovation and change in the industry to deliver sustainable resource solutions for our clients and stakeholders ,” Thiess Group Executive Chair & CEO , Michael Wright , said earlier this year as the company announced interim targets in support of the group ’ s goal of net zero Scope 1 , 2 and Scope 3 emissions from operated fleet by 2050 .
Thiess , like everyone in the mining sector , is facing pressures from stakeholders to change the practices of the past and carry out its business with minimal environmental impact .
The company has launched a mine rehabilitation division , Thiess Rehabilitation , and initiated technology and consulting services as part of these efforts .
At the same time , it has become a lead proponent of autonomous solutions in mining – in both drill & blast and haulage .
In July , it celebrated a significant autonomous drilling milestone at Lake Vermont in Queensland , with its fleet of autonomous Epiroc drills safely drilling more than one million lineal metres .
This drill program is unique in its implementation of several “ firsts ”, including the first Epiroc fully autonomous Pit Viper 275 blasthole rig to operate at a coal mine in Australia , the first project with a fleet of multipass fully autonomous rigs drilling side-by-side globally and the July milestone of becoming the first mining services provider to autonomously drill one million multi-pass lineal metres , globally .
Also in Queensland , Thiess , together with Pembroke Resources , Caterpillar and Hastings Deering , is set to provide 21 autonomous haul trucks , three autonomous drills and a private LTE
network for the Olive Downs Complex to enable full operations to commence in late 2023 .
And , as part of the global commitment to be at the forefront of sustainable mining , Thiess is planning to implement its first autonomy program ( autonomous drilling ) in Indonesia at the PT Harum Energy Tbk-owned Mahakam Sumber Jaya coal mine in East Kalimantan . This commitment is also evident when reviewing an agreement between MACA ( now owned by Thiess ), AVL , Mitsui & Co Ltd and Forsee Power . Focused on creating a modular battery solution able to be tailored to a client ’ s existing site infrastructure , this work could potentially end up in a diesel-to-electric truck retrofit solution that Thiess offers its clients .
STRACON bringing in cultural change
Thiess is not alone in bringing sustainable solutions to clients in line with incoming net zero goals .
STRACON Group says it has prioritised technology solutions as a key component of its strategy to enhance its role as a leading partner and service provider to mining companies .
Through its subsidiary , STRACON Technologies , the group offers a wide range of digital and artificial intelligence solutions , cybersecurity , hybrid infrastructure and energy technology . It says the effective implementation of digital technology can enable mines to achieve improved efficiency , safety and sustainability during their construction phase and throughout their operational life .
Earlier this year , it acquired OMT SpA , a Chilean engineering and technology company specialised in the implementation of communication technologies for the mining
sector . The acquisition , STRACON says , further strengthens its digital technology capabilities and , coupled with the recent addition of AMECO South America ( from Fluor ), expands the group ’ s presence in Chile .
The announcement also marked STRACON ’ s second technology acquisition following its purchase in 2022 of Peru ’ s Deep Pit Technology . Deep Pit ’ s flagship software suite , MineExpert , uses AI to optimise mining production . As part of STRACON Technologies ’ digital solutions group , both OMT and Deep Pit are helping support the digital transformation of mines , the company says .
Such digital transformation aims coincide with the company ’ s automation work , which has been on show at the Quellaveco copper mine in Peru , owned by Anglo American .
STRACON , already the leading constructor and contractor at Quellaveco , recently received a major contract award from the miner related to the mine ’ s ‘ production of fill material and construction of the basal drain – first phase ’.
STRACON has been delivering management and administration ; pre-stripping ; implementation and operation of the autonomous Cat 794 AC trucks and Epiroc Pit Viper 351 drills ; operating the Cat 7495 electric rope shovels ; tailings dam construction ; as well as building all the access roads and a number of other earthworks at the site .
STRACON has previously stated on its use of these autonomous trucks : “ To operate them , it was necessary to implement not only modern technology but also generate a cultural change in our team , not only in the parameterisation but also in the development and operation of an autonomous fleet system that is different from a
46 International Mining | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023