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DMIRS reveals name change The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety will be renamed the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) on December 1, 2023. Approved by WA’s Energy Minister Bill Johnston, the new name better reflects the importance of WA’s energy portfolio and critical role it will play in WA’s decarbonisation ambitions. This renaming doesn’t affect DEMIRS’ other regulatory functions and it will continue to support a safe, fair and responsible community, industry, energy and resources sector. Mr Johnston commented on the name change. “The new Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety identity better reflects the WA State Government’s commitment to a cleaner, greener...

Mapping Australia’s renewable energy, green hydrogen, iron and steel potential The Federal Government has included green hydrogen, iron and steel in its free award-winning Economic Fairways Mapper that helps to rapidly identify economic potential for resources projects. Developed as part of the Exploring for the Future program, the Mapper identifies potential investment hurdles, technical challenges and knowledge gaps, regional availability of renewable energy and how its performance influences iron and steelmaking costs across Australia. By analysing large volumes of renewable energy data to model the costs of steel production and how these vary spatially, the Mapper can provide valuable insight into the economics of building a green steel industry in different regions of Australia. Federal Resources and Northern Australia Minister...

BHP improving Pilbara air quality one seedling at a time Three years after partnering with Curtin University and Greening Australia to trial the use of vegetation barries to capture dust, more than 150,000 seedlings have been planted. As part of BHP’s Pilbara air quality program, seedlings were planted to capture dust in Port Hedland with all plants local native Pilbara species that perform best for dust capture. The planting profile was specifically designed maximise dust capture with the vegetation barrier covering 7ha. BHP port general manager Cindy Dunham says as the plants grow and develop, they will create a dust barrier between the company’s operations and the community. “It’s been...

Liebherr launches R 930 Tunnel crawler excavator to world market Liebherr has expanded its tunnel range with the launch of the R 930 Tunnel crawler excavator. Developed at Liebherr-France SAS in Colmar (France), the R 930 Tunnel replaces the R 924 Compact Tunnel and allows high-level performance in all types of underground applications. The R 930 Tunnel was designed to meet the demands of underground construction sites which often present tight spaces with difficult access. The attachment, which is available in two lengths, features a bearing that can swivel to 2 x 45° angles while the LED headlights considerably reduce the risk of collision with...

Sandvik and SSAB sign letter of intent for fossil-free steel Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions and steelmaker SSAB have signed a letter of intent to purchase fossil-free steel in the production of Sandvik loaders and trucks for the mining industry. The letter of intent ensures that Sandvik will receive deliveries of fossil-free steel from SSAB within the company’s production capacity. Sandvik can also apply for early fossil-free sample deliveries of, for example, a prototype frame, loader bucket or truck box to be used in a demo or concept product. Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions president of business Mats...

Two high grade gold clusters identified at Windanya Two distinct clusters of exceptionally high-grade gold have been identified within Dundas Minerals’ (ASX:DUN) Windanya gold project in WA. Between 478 parts per billion (ppm) and 696ppb gold was identified with most of the anomalous gold values located in the Aquarius anomaly and the Scorpio prospect. At the Aquarius anomaly, seven sampling lines were completed with a peak of 696ppb gold encountered. Other results include 493ppb gold, 483ppb gold and 478ppb gold. Based on these results, Dundas has defined Aquarius as a compelling gold exploration target which has had no record of historical drilling. While five air-core holes and one reverse circulation hole were drilled in...

Schaeffler’s OPTIME Ecosystem providing an easy-to-use lubrication monitoring solution When you talk with as many mining or service and support companies as we do, you hear numerous times that while they enjoy bringing new technologies, they don’t enjoy some of the issues they face in adapting that technology to their daily operations. That is certainly not the case with Schaeffler Australia’s state-of-the-art OPTIME Ecosystem. As the company’s Industrial Services Manager Mark Ciechanowicz explained to Australian Mining Review recently, the OPTIME system was designed to be integrated into a client’s operations as easily as possible. Mr Ciechanowicz said the system is particularly special in the sense that straight out of the box it is very easy to use. “It is really...

Wabtec-Roy Hill partner for the first FLXdrive battery locomotive Wabtec and leading iron ore miner Roy Hill, majority-owned by Hancock Prospecting, have debuted the world’s first 100% battery-powered, heavy-haul locomotive for mainline service. Unveiled as the FLXdrive battery locomotive, at a ceremony at Wabtec’s design and development centre in Pennsylvania, USA, the pink livery symbolises Roy Hill’s commitment to assisting research and those suffering from breast cancer. Wabtec president and chief executive Rafael Santana commented on the unveiling. “This FLXdrive locomotive represents a major step in the journey to a low-to-zero-emission future in the rail industry,” he said. “The FLXdrive is driven from within by our battery technology...

CopperString 2032 receives $1.3b investment from Queensland Government The Queensland Government has announced a $1.3b package to progress work on CopperString 2032. CopperString 2032 is a $5b, 1100km transmission line from Townsville to Mount Isa that will connect Queensland’s North West Minerals Province to the national electricity grid. It includes an increased transmission capacity of 500kV (from 330kV) for the section of line between Townsville and Hughenden for renewable energy for that region. It will connect vast renewable wind and solar resources with critical minerals in mining and processing that can be used to make batteries and renewables. The $1.3b funding will get CopperString ready for construction to begin mid-2024, a...

Fortescue receives first T 264 haul truck from Liebherr Fortescue has received the first T 264 haul truck for its Eliwana mine in the Pilbara, WA. These trucks form part of a deal for the supply of 120 zero emission T 264 trucks to be deployed to Fortescue by 2030. The initial delivered units will be diesel powered and converted to Fortescue’s in-house battery solution — developed by Fortescue WAE — before the end of the decade. Fortescue chief executive Dino Otranto says the company is excited by the delivery of this truck which marks an important step in its decarbonisation journey. “Our...

Boosting Durability and Safeguarding Assets: A Comprehensive Look at Rhino Linings' Australian Product Lineup In the realm of industrial coatings, Rhino Linings stands tall as a beacon of excellence. As a revered player in the industry, Rhino Linings has forged a reputation for delivering top-tier protective coatings engineered to withstand Australia's demanding conditions. With an extensive range of products showcased on www.rhinolinings.com.au, let's dive into the world of Rhino Linings and explore how their offerings are reshaping protection for various industries across the country. The Rhino Linings Heritage Before we delve into the product range, it's crucial to appreciate Rhino Linings' rich history. Established in 1988, the company began as a small venture specialising in spray-applied protective linings, primarily for...