Category: Technology & Innovation

Production and maintenance personnel are rostered around the clock to ensure plant equipment availability is maximised and running as smooth as possible while faced with the constant threat of costly downtime. Critical components must therefore be constantly monitored to prevent any potential issues where unplanned repairs will result in a complete or partial plant shutdown. Not only are machine components subject to wear and tear, abrasion, impact, dust, corrosion, humidity, and high temperatures, but there’s also the inherent health and safety risks that personnel face as they perform their day-to-day tasks. This is why intuitive condition monitoring is such an integral part of any reliable industrial operation. The ability to diagnose and eliminate faults before they happen, subsequently improving operational…

Hearing loss is one of the most common occupational health and safety challenges confronting mines across Australia. Whether it’s blasting or crushing practices, the use of earthmoving machinery, or mineral processing applications, mine operators are subject to unavoidable noise generation. This excessive noise can result in workers’ compensation claims as a result of deafness and the impact on quality of life. Settling these claims presents an expensive proposition for mining companies. Reducing the prevalence of this problem reduces the healthcare cost burden placed on companies, which means they can allocate more of their capital to resource extraction and less on compensation. However, detecting hearing loss is difficult as it builds up gradually over time as workers are exposed to noise.…

Working at heights presents many unexpected dangers. A dropped object, no matter its size, weight, or the height it falls from, can be disastrous and negatively impact productivity, operational costs, and the lives of site personnel. Mines, oil and gas platforms, refineries, power generation and petrochemical plants, civil infrastructure projects, and food processing facilities, demand quality, reliable, and engineered systems that protect workers day-in day-out. Although many different types of dropped object prevention systems exist, only one patented system has proven itself for over a decade. Invented by BLH Safety Solutions founder Shane Gill, Stop DropTM Barricading is the original dropped object prevention solution used by the world’s largest oil, gas, energy, and mining companies. With patents in over 50…

BHP (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) have announced their intention to collaborate with technology providers, equipment manufacturers, reagent suppliers, start-ups, and research groups worldwide to improve tailings dewatering and management performance. The mining giants are inviting expressions of interest from innovative thinkers who can help them identify a portfolio of tailings management partners to accelerate the development of technologies that could increase water recovery and reduce potential safety risks and environmental footprints associated with tailings storage facilities. Tailings management is a critical area for safety and sustainability in mining operations, as tailings are the waste materials produced by mining activities. Tailings contain a range of substances, including chemicals, metals, and minerals, which can pose safety risks and environmental challenges…

Epiroc has agreed to acquire Remote Control Technologies Pty Ltd, an Australian company that provides automation and remote-control solutions for mining customers around the world. With this acquisition, Epiroc will be the world-leading automation solutions provider not only for surface and underground rock drilling but also for underground loading and haulage. Remote Control Technologies, known as RCT, is headquartered in Perth, Australia, with customers in more than 70 countries. The company provides automation and remote-control solutions applicable for either a single machine or an entire mixed fleet of machines regardless of manufacturer or type of equipment. RCT also provides data and information systems, fleet and machine management systems, and machine protection systems. RCT has about 225 employees and had revenues…

Whether competing for investors, jockeying for recruitment or finding communications cut through, websites are an increasingly important touchpoint for Australian resource companies looking to make good first impressions. Digital marketing expert and PWD Managing Director Oli Woods says user experience is king for mining businesses trying to stand out from the crowd. Having recently worked with ASX-listed mining contractors NRW, Tiger Tasman Minerals and EV Metals Group to name a few, Mr Wood understands the niche of the industry and the challenges companies are facing. And with a reduction in the number of IPOs in Australia and markets tightening, Mr Wood recommended telling the most compelling messages early — especially investor audiences. “It’s a matter of telling target audiences what…

Weir Minerals has announced a new partnership with XMPro, a leading digital twin platform. The partnership will enable intelligent equipment and services and support miners to achieve higher performance while also reducing the environmental footprint of their operations. The XMPro platform – as a part of the Synertrex digital ecosystem – will facilitate the delivery of event intelligence, predictive analytics, and real-time insights. It allows for data orchestration and value creation from multiple sources, including sensors, miners’ digital ecosystems, and data only available to Weir Minerals as an OEM, like maintenance data and 3D engineering models. The platform identifies critical events by applying AI and predictive analytics, which will provide Weir Minerals’ customers with the next generation of predictive services…

Renewable energy penetration is set to increase on major mine-sites in the Goldfields and Pilbara regions, after one of Australia’s leading independent power producers signs a deployment agreement with a clean energy technology provider. Zenith Energy and 5B have signed an Ecosystem Framework Agreement-Deployment (ESAD), permitting Zenith to be a deployment partner of the 5B Maverick system within Australia. The 5B Maverick system solar array is prefabricated, allowing rapid deployment and increasing the ability of Zenith to expand renewable assets across existing and future sites. Managing Director Hamish Moffat said it’s the next step in reducing emissions across Zenith’s legacy portfolio. “We’ve been looking to increase renewable assets across multiple sites for some time, the question has always been around…