Category: Tech Talk

More and more people are becoming eco-conscious and making choices that create a more sustainable world to live in and for the next generation to enjoy. But while the automotive business, for example, recognised the need for alternatively powered vehicles some time ago, mining, construction and other fossil-fuel-heavy industries are lagging behind. However, there is always an exception to the rule, and sometimes it comes from the most unlikely places, like rockbreakers. From compact rockbreakers for mini excavators, to extra heavy-duty apparatus for 120t diggers, Australia’s mining and construction industries rely on these machines to, well, break rocks. Rockbreakers consist of two major components, a hydraulic hammer and a boom, and come in two main types, mobile and stationary –…

The saying “Time is Money” has never been truer when it comes to preventing seal failure. According to Hydraulic Seals Australia director David Blake, repair costs from machinery downtime, where operators are standing around without equipment, is just unacceptable in the current market. “That’s why it’s critical to supply the best possible sealing system you can provide your customers with at all times,” he said. “When seals are such an inexpensive item compared to the machinery they work in, it just doesn’t make sense to skimp on quality. “Cylinders performing 8000 hours as opposed to 15,000 hours almost doubles your repair costs. With additional down time, it becomes a very expensive shortcut. “When you also consider that some rebuild costs…

Some industries have embraced the move to the digitisation of data; others have remained slow off the mark and potentially stuck in a data vacuum – not knowing what data they actually have, or how best to use it. While the mining industry is a known innovator in many areas, according to Brian Borowsky of My Occ Health Record (MOHR), managing employee health data may not be one of them. “We are bringing powerful technology to the challenge of efficiently managing employee health data,” Brian said. My Occ Health Record is seen as the next generation of occupational health data automation, management, and storage. My Occ Health Record has successfully created a platform that gives employers and businesses a single…

With a philosophy of helping to maximise workforce productivity through the empowerment of employees to be healthier and avoid injuries, Bodycare Workplace Solutions is also improving the bottom line of its partners while promoting an enhanced culture and staff engagement. The trans-Tasman based occupational health specialist also brings a collaborative presence in its work with mining companies and their pre-employment processes. The Australian Mining Review spoke to Head of Strategic Partnerships Rodney Hampel, about Bodycare Workplace Solutions and how it looks to injury-proof a business by providing them with the right information and tools which are easily accessible to clients. Transforming the industry “How we collect health data is going to continue to transform and mould how the industry works…

Over the past decade, engine and turbo technology have increased in complexity and decreased in size as vehicles have been designed, and redesigned, to meet emissions regulations. And where previously, the precision of the settings of the sensitive mechanisms in variable nozzle (or variable geometry) turbochargers was important, it is now absolutely paramount to be accurate. If you want a turbo to operate efficiently, or in fact at all, you cannot guess at the vane setting position for air flow, or risk catastrophic vibrations with an unbalanced core assembly. The Australian Mining Review spoke to GCG Turbos director Brett Lloyd to get the lowdown on building and maintaining these highly sensitive set-ups. According to Brett, the average turbo repair facility…

The motto for The Davey Group might just as well be: “we do everything”. It is an internationally competitive civil, structural and mechanical engineering group of companies offering engineered solutions across a comprehensive range of standard engineered products, specialising in design and construct capabilities servicing numerous industries including government, mining, oil and gas, road transport, agriculture and forestry. The companies within the Group all have their own unique needs and are focused on providing heavy machinery and services to an array of industries. Services   According to Davey Group director Tony Davey, The Davey Group specialises in the delivery of complete turnkey solutions including large, complex industrial equipment, storage solutions, bulk materials handling, processing plants, structural steel buildings and supporting…

With the advent of wireless telecommunications technology throughout the mining and resources industry, a niche market has emerged for businesses with the skills and agility to respond to customer needs. Fast paced and constantly changing, the sector has seen a significant rate of change and evolution during the past decade – and it is a space to which almost every other facet of the mining industry is linked. More and more small businesses are partnering with big miners to uncover solutions and test new technology. Australian Mining Review spoke with radio frequency technologist Doug Pukallus of Powertec about how this Queensland-based SME is breaking new ground in high-speed, high-performance wireless technologies. Not so traditional Powertec is a Queensland-based telecommunications company…

It is one thing to transport bulk fluids to site. But when it comes to the access and storage, that comes with a whole other set of challenges. It is fair to say that not all tanks and storage units are made equal; and companies throughout the fluid supply, distribution and storage sector are seeking out new technologies to underpin safe and accessible storage. Australian Mining Review spoke to Mammoth Equipment’s Wayne Wallis about his organisation’s commitment to providing safe and effective solutions in the delivery and storage of its trademarked AdBlue tanks. Core Business Mammoth has 11 locations throughout the country, strategically located to best service the mining sector, and at the heart of the business is bulk handling.…

Progressive log of drilling, or plods, have traditionally been rooted in paper-based systems that are inefficient and require huge amounts of manual data manipulation. The time involved in paperwork, lengthy email chains and wading through unwieldy spreadsheets or file transfer links too often takes geologists away from where they need to be to ensure the success of a drilling program. They also provide little to no insight about what direction the drilling program should take next and limited transparency between drilling companies and miners. While some larger drilling companies may be tempted to create their own software packages, these too are often expensive and extremely restrictive as they lack the ability for much-needed updates. With the resources sector beginning to…

Installing a speed limiter into any vehicle reduces fuel and operating costs, carbon emissions, enhances road safety and increases the longevity of the vehicle. Quite simply, no other modification to a vehicle can produce such instant all-round improvements. Yet surprisingly, it is not a common device used in Australia … but all that’s about to change. A WA company – suitably named Speed Limiter Australia – has taken the initiative and introduced such a product to Australia. Suitable for a range of commercial vehicles passenger vehicles and, in particular, mining vehicles, the speed limiter is programmed to deliver the performance profile desired, while serving as an effective and efficient tool that will deliver an important contribution to carbon reduction objectives.…