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FIRE represents one of the greatest threats to workers in both open cut and underground mines – it can take very little for a minor outbreak of fire to escalate into a disastrous conflagration. The capacity to stop a fire in its tracks must be a top priority for mining companies, according to Delta Fire Australasia managing director Bob Grieve. The Australian mining industry has made significant, commendable advancements in safety in the 20th century, and in the past 25 years in particular. However, mining remains an inherently high risk and challenging operating environment, where the impact of a fire can have catastrophic consequences; challenges abound both above and below ground. In underground mines in particular, operating procedures have undergone...

GEELONG, Victoria’s largest regional city with a population of 270,000, is 75km southwest of Melbourne in Corio Bay. A large engineering and manufacturing support industry has developed around Geelong’s traditional automotive, petrochemical, aluminium, fertiliser and cement industries. An impressive network of 46 engineering related companies, the Engineering Network Geelong (ENG), was formed in 2009, auspiced by the Geelong Manufacturing Council (GMC). “With Geelong’s traditional industry base in transition, a key role of ENG is to provide linkages for Australian companies to utilise Geelong expertise, capacity and skill sets,” GMC executive officer David Peart said. “Attracted by outstanding quality and service, companies Australia-wide are increasingly using ENG.” With its own major port, airport and easy rail and highway access, Geelong’s transport...

FOR many years, Mine Radio Systems Pacific (MRS Pacific) has been the leading supplier of advanced, integrated communication and safety solutions for confined spaces throughout Australia. The company supplies communication systems technicians to large mining companies throughout WA. Its technicians are in high demand due to their expertise, experience and industry knowledge in the communications sector. “MRS Pacific approached a large Australian iron ore mining company when we heard they required assistance with finding very good quality radio communication technicians,” Mine Radio Systems Pacific managing director Graeme Corbett said. “We were given the tip by a former employee of the company. We filled the initial positions with our full time staff and our customer was so impressed we soon had...

SINCE beginning operations in 1978, Alminco has established itself as a leading supplier of equipment and services to the global mining industry. In addition to providing world-class technology solutions such as the unparalleled Scorpion range of crawler drill rigs, Alminco was recently honoured for its cutting-edge engineering prowess. The company was awarded the coveted Hunter Manufacturing Awards’ 2011 Excellence in Technology award for its Self Drilling Resin Bolt technology, an achievement backed by ACARP and awarded in conjunction with Alminco’s partner Minova. The Alminco Spyder Bolter also won an award, and was highly commended for its innovative application mounted to the Longwall pan line. This year, Alminco has launched two enhanced Diablo Quickdusters – in 1.5 tonne and 4t variants...

WITH a strong portfolio of nickel and gold projects plus cash and current receivables of $126.4 million, WA’s Panoramic Resources is well placed for growth in the next 12 to 18 months. The company’s Savannah and Lanfranchi nickel projects are booming – Panoramic has forecast that it will produce between 17,500t and 18,500t of nickel this year – and its recently acquired Gidgee gold project is showing strong promise. Savannah nickel project More than 200km south of Kununurra in WA’s East Kimberley region, the Savannah project consists of a nickel sulphide ore body, an underground mine, a processing plant and associated infrastructure. The Savannah ore body, a sulphide-rich nickel, copper and cobalt formation hosted by the layered mafi c-ultramafi c...

CALIFORNIA’s Napa Valley is widely considered to be the US’s finest wine region: home to vineyards that produce some of the world’s most highly regarded wines. Yet the valley is more than just a destination for wine enthusiasts – the broad range of sight-seeing opportunities and activities on offer makes it an ideal destination for holiday makers of all ages and interests. The valley is in Northern California, at the north-eastern tip of San Francisco Bay (known as San Pablo Bay in the Napa Valley region), about an hour’s drive north of San Francisco. To the west is the Sonoma Valley, to the north is Lake Country and to the east is the Sacramento Valley. The Napa Valley is actually...

WITH visual imagery the most succinct and effective way to connect with a client, creating a brand identity through images has the ability to set a company apart from its competitors. A leader in the commercial photography industry, Christian Sprogoe Photography (CSP) specialises in mining, resources, engineering, oil and gas, construction and aerial photography – professionally documenting all aspects of a company’s operations and achievements, ranging from long-running projects in remote areas to in-studio photographic work. WA-based chief photographer Christian Sprogoe has more than 15 years of experience focusing his lenses on the industry, regularly travelling throughout Australia and overseas. CSP has been integral in developing, creating and supplying photography for companies and brands including Rio Tinto, Pilbara Iron, Woodside,...

PUMPING solutions specialist Tyco Pumping Systems recently partnered with dewatering expert Integrated Pumping Solutions to release mining specification diesel powered dewatering units for the Australian mining industry. The units, which are based around the new Southern Cross SXSHH high head dewatering pump, are mounted on a rugged steel skid that incorporates a 4000l fuel tank for a 750 kilowatt turbocharged Cummins diesel engine controlled by a digital electronic engine management system and diagnostic system. The units also incorporate an automatic vacuum-operated, self-priming unit which provides rapid and reliable priming in a wide range of applications and operating conditions. The SXSHH high head dewatering pump is the latest in a range of Southern Cross slurry and solids handling pumps which have...

WATER supply is arguably the biggest issue facing Australian mining: several recent catastrophic weather events that left the industry reeling, together with state and national regulations governing all facets of water use, have placed the spotlight firmly on the importance of mine dewatering. Wide-spread flooding in Queensland in January 2011 had severe financial and productivity-related impacts for the state’s mines, highlighting the serious implications of water management on mine sites. The cost of damaged machinery and infrastructure, coupled with the dangers posed to employee health and safety, had the capacity to threaten hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, impacting exports and regional and state economies. According to dewatering specialist Weir Minerals Multifl o’s managing director Paul Avey, one solution...

AS more companies investigate mining opportunities in West Africa, they are finding that operating in the region presents a new realm of risk management considerations. International SOS can assist companies in managing security and medical risks, which are often intertwined. Mining companies operating in Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea and Mauritania have recently had to activate their emergency response and site security plans following political and social unrest, to the point where site evacuations have occurred. Clear and robust emergency plans are only effective when they are underpinned by formal security updates, travel advisories and pre-determined risk ratings. Clear processes for deciding when to go into lock-down or when to begin evacuations are imperative to ensure the safety of staff and the...

BUILT for durability and performance, Acromet’s dry material handling equipment, such as bulk bag unloaders and screw feeders, is renowned for its versatility. The bulk bag unloaders are an alternative to large storage silos, which can be excessive, and small bags, which are becoming increasingly hard to handle. These units typically place a 1t to 2t bulk bag onto a support dish with an opening to pull the bottom discharge spout through. The product then drops into a chamber/hopper where it can be conveyed either pneumatically or mechanically. Key features of the units include an optional massaging system for the products; suitability for either a bottom-spout or no-spout discharge; adaptability to a dust extraction system; the ability to be placed...