Engineered for Mining Excellence

By Rachel Dally-Watkins 19 June,  2015 FIRST gold has been poured from ABM Resources high-grade Old Pirate deposit, within the greater Twin Bonanza project in the Northern Territory. The company achieved the milestone in mid-June as part of the commissioning of the Coyote Processing Plant in WA, which it leases from Tanami Gold. Utilising the existing plant, 77km from the deposit, significantly reduced the company’s capital expenditure requirements while reducing construction and commissioning risks. The plant has a capacity of 240,000 tonnes per annum with the ability for expansion. The plant’s grinding circuits were operating at 30 tonnes per hour, while gravity...

BY ELIZABETH FABRI   OZ Minerals continues to expand its exploration footprint after entering an agreement to explore for nickel and copper 500km east of its West Musgrave JV project in WA, which recently moved forward to pre-feasibility.   The joint venture in the Eastern Musgrave province in South Australia with unlisted Australian explorer Woomera Exploration will see OZ Minerals commit to drilling seven shallow targets. After drilling is complete, OZ Minerals can earn up to 51 per cent equity in the project by achieving a total spend of $2.5 million in exploration activity within 18 months, and a 75 per cent stake if an additional $5 million is spent on exploration in the following two years. OZ Minerals, which...

Thiess awarded $240m contract in Indonesia Thiess has been awarded a $240m nickel mining contract with PT Halmahera Sukses Mineral in Central Halmahera, Indonesia. Under the 3.5-year contract, Thiess will deliver full mining operations including mine development, haul road construction, hauling and ore loading. Thiess executive chair and chief executive Michael Wright said the company is excited to have received the contract. “We are excited by this new contract award, which underscores Thiess’ expertise and strong track record in the Indonesian mining industry,” he said. “It reaffirms our commitment to providing safe, sustainable and innovative solutions to our clients while contributing to the growth of Indonesia’s nickel industry,...

Apprenticeship and traineeship commencements in the mining industry in 2020 surged to their highest level in seven years, with traditional trades in electrical, metal, automotive and construction driving the growth. This is according to latest statistics by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, with the December quarter rising by 127% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Completions of apprenticeships and traineeships also increased 53% compared to 2019. Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable says the mining industry prioritises upskilling its workforce and being an employer of choice. “Apprentices and trainees that choose the mining industry can expect highly paid and secure jobs,” she said. “It is projected that more than 1,000 apprenticeships will be created by mining...