CONTRACT MINING
Palabora Mining Company ’ s Lift II project , a new mining block which will eventually replace Lift I and is being carried out by Murray & Roberts Cementation , will extend the mine ’ s life by more than 15 years
Murray & Roberts Cementation regularly stays the course at projects , according to Chamberlain .
“ We conduct the development and establish the mine infrastructure , and then start ore generation until stable-state stage ,” he said . “ This is then followed by a structured handover , so that clients can become owner-miners . We also set up procurement systems and stores , as well as systems to source and train local labour . This is done alongside formal human resources and safety policies .
“ These systems and policies can then be handed over to the client , easing their transition into operating mode .”
Chamberlain asserts that using an experienced and well-equipped contractor reduces the client ’ s process risks and can bring a project to fruition quicker .
He concluded : “ We are finding an upswing in interest for our services in the field of smaller base metal deposits as well as bringing previously mothballed operations back into production .”
World-first BEV trial
Mining contractors are also more readily getting involved with electrification trials , with a recent example coming from Western Australia and a three-party agreement between AngloGold Ashanti , Barminco and Sandvik .
This pact will see the world ’ s largest underground battery-electric truck , the TH665B , tested at the Sunrise Dam mine , in Western Australia .
The gold operation near Laverton began trailing the prototype 65-t payload Sandvik vehicle on September 14 , in line with AngloGold
Ashanti ’ s aim to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2050 through a combination of renewable energy projects , fleet electrification and lower-emission power sources .
As well as producing zero diesel emissions underground and generating 80 % less heat , the Sandvik TH665B is expected to be up to 25 % faster on a 1:7 ramp than regular diesel trucks , the OEM says .
Darren Kwok , Head of Electrification and Technology for Barminco ’ s parent company Perenti , said : “ As a business we are focused on how we can support our clients to decarbonise their mines and trialling equipment to support this is a critical part of our strategy . Batteryelectric vehicles ( BEVs ) not only have the potential to lower carbon emissions , they can also improve the underground environment for mine workers and boost the efficiency of operations .”
Developed on the back of more than 40 years of electrification experience , the TH665B uses lithium-iron phosphate battery technology . The electric driveline delivers 630 kW of continuous power , allowing for high acceleration and shorter cycle times . It is also equipped with AutoSwap , Sandvik ’ s patented self-swapping system , which can allow for battery swaps in less than three minutes .
Byrnecut out to optimise
Outside of electrification and automation , mining contractors continue to strengthen their ties with the mining technology sector as they seek more sustainable solutions for clients .
Byrnecut has recently implemented Minnovare ’ s Development Optimiser™ system at one of its projects in the Goldfields region of Western Australia . This followed successful deployments of 18 Production Optimiser™ systems at 10 of its projects , along with an initial field trial of the Development Optimiser that yielded a reduction in overbreak and underbreak
over the course of the trial period .
Minnovare , owned by Hexagon ’ s Mining division , says the Development Optimiser substantially improves drilling accuracy , leading to optimal blasts , reduced overbreak / underbreak and increased advance . It also delivers superior setup accuracy – the primary cause of blast hole deviation ; maintains rail trajectory to designed target and parallelity between rails ; and works independently of laserline , levelling and other on-board rig alignment systems , the company added .
Byrnecut has also recently agreed to roll out Sandvik ’ s Remote Monitoring Service solution at nearly a dozen of its Australian mine sites , following the completion of a successful trial of the technology . This will see Sandvik specialists monitor machine performance and operator behaviour on some 95 Sandvik underground dump trucks and LHDs at 11 Byrnecut-operated mines over a 12-month period . Daily and weekly reports will help Byrnecut to identify crucial maintenance areas and to encourage best operating practices , with major potential savings and efficiency gains , Sandvik says .
Sandvik and Byrnecut have also previously worked together to develop a new and improved ground engaging tool , MAKO™ , that is able to reduce downtime and cost-per-tonne mined .
Simulation building skills
Redpath Australia has been embracing the benefits of digital training by putting advanced Sandvik simulators to use , both at its head office in Brisbane and on site .
Wanting to explore the safety and productivity gains of virtual training methods , Redpath has been using simulators for Sandvik ’ s AutoMine ® automation system , LH517i LHD and DS422i cable bolter since July 2023 and a jumbo DD422i simulator from March 2023 . The simulators , which have been provided for periods of between one and six weeks , will help Redpath train new operators and upskill existing team members without disrupting production or entering the mine environment , Sandvik says .
The use of the simulators follows Sandvik and Redpath signing a global framework agreement at the end of 2022 paving the way for increased cooperation and standardising of equipment .
Redpath Australia Managing Director , Gavin Ramage , said : “ We have used simulators in the past and we ’ re likely to be using them more often in the future . We see the Sandvik simulators as a good tool for familiarising our operators with different kinds of gear . And we know that the more skilled that our operators are , the better the safety outcomes , the better the productivity , and the better the result for our clients .”
The simulators for Sandvik AutoMine and the Sandvik LH517i loader have been used to train
48 International Mining | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023