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DT HiLoad specialises in the design and manufacture of dump truck bodies and mining buckets for the resources sector, with a skilled and committed workforce to deliver specific solutions for clients. With catchy product names and slogans including “Hercules, the strongest tray in earth”, “Bullant, toughest underground” and “Barracuda, buckets with bite”, the company says it can provide solutions above and below ground and beyond, with support from parent company Schlam Group. General manager Glenn Brearey said the company had positioned itself as a market leader in the sector by identifying new and innovative ways of solving common problems backed by exceptional customer service across the value cycle. “Innovation is at our core and safety is a priority,” Mr Brearey…

ANTICIPATION is high for the forthcoming Asia-Pacific International Mining Exhibition (AIMEX), which will feature the most comprehensive free-to-attend conference for the mining sector when it returns to Sydney Olympic Park from August 27-29. Alongside the conference will be a massive supplier showcase comprising more than 500 companies from around the world. The event will attract more than 6000 industry personnel, along with an additional 2000 exhibitor personnel over the three days. Displayers include Alfagomma, Cummins, Hitachi, ESS Engineering Services, Dana Brevini, Trinkor/Hilliard, Svendborg Brakes, Fuchs and Austdac, to name a few. The AIMEX conference, sponsored by Davey Bickford Enaex, has been developed with direct input and consultation from key mining personnel and industry associations, as well as key mining companies.…

MICROMINE is a comprehensive and easy to use exploration and mine design solution and can bring benefits to almost every stage of the mining value chain. From prospecting and exploration through to geological modelling using implicit, stratigraphic and/or explicit methods), to resource modelling for geologists and for engineers, Micromine covers life-of-mine design and planning through to daily operations in open pit or underground mines. Product strategy manager Mark Gabbitus spoke to the Australian Mining Review about how the software can improve functionality and productivity on site. “Having data in a single system throughout the process will definitely improve the ability of geologists, engineers and surveyors to collaborate and work together – increasing productivity just by making their lives easy,” Mr…

EQUIPMENT on mine sites can face extreme conditions, so protective coatings are essential to ensure machinery functions to a high standard for its entire life cycle. Unfortunately, the drying time in coating systems has traditionally be a long and drawn-out process, with one day needed for the primer coats, the need for sanding between each coat and a final day required to apply the top coat. Masterblasters owner and general manager Tim Hamblin was confident the company could find a solution and avoid this extensive downtime – and that solution was the three-coat system. “We developed the three-coat system with our paint supplier, Paint-n-Colour Toowoomba, which would allow us to reduce the drying time on coatings by 33 per cent,”…

MODERN mining is a complex business but its core principles are deceptively simple: dig a commodity out of the ground, process that commodity to the point where it is saleable, and then transport it to the customer. In most cases the total resource in the ground has a finite value (subject to variations in commodity prices) and every cost associated with extracting that resource over the life of mine, by definition, diminishes net profitability. The goal then is to focus on cost reduction and production efficiency to increase production, profits and share price. Assets are a significant cost in every mining operation and their effective management should be a core focus for any mining operation. Savvy management monitors the return…

THE storage and inventory management of explosives is a significant responsibility for mining companies. Ultimately, the company and its senior management are accountable for the responsible use and inventory control of all explosives. However, conventional explosives inventory control processes are often lacking in terms of accuracy, auditability and timelines. The problem primarily arises from the timeliness and inaccuracies introduced through manual and paper-based reporting of explosives movements in and out of the company’s magazine. Typically, these paper-based systems require operators to populate complex and often dishevelled tabulated stock sheets with the inventory movements in and out of the magazine. Operators are often inattentive and not inclined to accurately complete paper based stock sheets due to their complexity. By the time…

CORROSION usually occurs when the degradation of metal occurs due to an electrochemical process and rust is a prime example of this. It occurs when iron is exposed to oxygen and water and unlike the greenish patina on copper, rust does not create a protective layer. The corrosion of iron continues as rust flakes off and exposes fresh iron to the atmosphere – which then also corrodes. Think of the impacts of rush on mining equipment, where the extra harsh atmosphere on a mine site, the abrasion, heat, chemicals, and salt would quickly erode equipment, causing it to rust and reducing its lifespan. But what if there was a cost-effective way to increase the lifespan of CAT diggers, Volvo loaders…

MINING equipment and infrastructure in any industry are often subjected to the harshest environmental factors, such as heat, constant impact, abrasion, corrosion and chemical attack. Surface coating technology is making great headway toward protecting this valuable equipment and prolonging service life. After 26 years in the protective coatings industry, Queensland manufacturer, LiquiMix, has developed a range of polyureas that solve many expensive and environmentally sensitive problems facing the mining industry. LiquiMix’s range of Tufflon polyureas contain varying degrees of hardness, impact resistance and flexibility, with added qualities of anti-static, fire-resistance, extra-slip and potable-water approval. All-rounder Tufflon-P80, a polyurea coating designed for permanent immersion (and complies with AS4020 for potable water) is ideal for lining chemical bunds and for use over…