Editions

Contents

Safety, Strength and Shotcrete: The Incycle Advantage EPCA advancing mining electrification Building skills, building communities Industry-leading dust suppression systems get an upgrade Clean solutions for cleaner air Psychosocial wellbeing to have the biggest impact on Australia’s resources workforce First-of-its-kind automated lab technology at Onslow Iron Queensland company wins Australia’s top safety innovation award Conveyor idler failure got you (shut) down? Australia unlikely to embrace deep-sea mining Aquila mine named innovation award finalist Sandvik launches surface drilling training simulator High-performance polyurethane lined pipe: Built for durability Turnkey dredging systems for Australia’s mining sector Powering forward Port of Brisbane delivers strong trade for FY25 Wind turbines begin 1000km journey to St Ives All Civil makes the switch to Komatsu Pilbara Ports unveils climate action plan BHP greenlights $1.4b Port Hedland investment Understanding motor reliability From aging to agile: Getting sustaining capital right Westrac inspires next generation at RTS Built for strength: ITM Mining’s solutions for hydraulic mining excavators The first intelligent oil-water separator Securing operational technology in mining Specialised engineering for complex mining challenges Mining Matters Cancer researchers unlock ‘DNA code’ of critical minerals The missions making asteroid mining a reality Fosterville expansion gets the green light VHM lays the building blocks for Goschen project CTTW2025 highlights innovation and global partnerships Turning battery waste into a local resource E-Plas champions mining’s quiet achievers Keep your crew cool Tough enough to thrive in the harshest of environments Steuler expands your horizons Think change. Think Breight All-electric forklift. Mine-ready. Built for heavy loads Gold, gold, gold WT Hydraulics and Festo Join Forces to Revolutionise Mining and Industrial Automation Closing the loop: How Acu-Tech supports mining with ESG in action Tecweigh: The Future of Heavy-Duty Bulk Material Weighing Your partner in strategic asset management Driving the future of the mining industry MLT New Generation Super-Screw® FRAS/Oil Resistant Oli Group: Driving innovation and reliability in mining & quarrying Titeline Drilling: Automating the future Billions of Litres, Zero Compromise: Inside Banlaw’s Fuel Management Revolution Lighting Up the Underground Conveyor optimisation specialists Engineering innovation at scale: How Innovative Mining Services is redefining safety, productivity and reliability in materials handling How DTN APAC’s inversion and blast dispersion forecasting help the mining industry Emtivac Engineering: The vacuum powerhouse behind Australian industry A simple solution to a complex problem Powering progress through innovation Leader in Manufacturing Innovation Powering Mining with Practical Solutions Eagle Forklifts: Powering Australia’s mining logistics with smarter, safer machinery The cable management specialists Australia’s spare parts distribution centre The future of mining is in Australia Securing global supply chains at CMC2025 The reality of Australia’s EV uptake The world’s first carbon-neutral lithium product Aussie mine boss – a true Australian success story Practical project support from strategy to delivery Improve worker wellbeing with a new toolkit from Edith Cowan University Liontown’s lithium liftoff Has Australian lithium been left in the lurch? A rocky reporting season for Australia’s resources sector The Australian Mining Review October 2025 Edition ACE: Fast. Safe. Unstoppable. ADT Commercial Security Drill, Baby, Drill! Caman Engineering Australian Floating Decks Professional Services Maximise Your Productivity Bruce Avery Transport The updated 2024 Isuzu D-MAX Introducing the ARB multi-purpose jack base for safer vehicle lifting The updated 2025 Isuzu MU-X Eastern Guruma integrated services Australia’s original lockout tagout manufacturer since 1992 Australia’s most trusted bulk spring water supplier 20 years of excellence Beltscan Systems and Belt Guard VMS Engineering | Precision. Power. Performance. Your Workforce. Skilled, Certified and Site-Ready Varnish removal made easy Johnson Screens: Screening solutions for Australian mining Vytas makes green hydrogen a reality Geotab and Google Cloud partner for data-driven success MATO Australia’s new generation conveyor belt cleaners MLT New Generation Super-Screw® FRAS/Oil Resistant Mineplast Pro: The superior belt solution Power Control Products: Delivering Safe-T-Products’ conveyor safety innovations to the mining industry Conveyor Idler Failure got you (Shut)down? Dredge pumps in Australia’s mining industry TOMRA’s transformative ore sorting technology Broons’ Graderoll just keeps rolling out the door Weir’s new backfill technology From fabrication to full-scale construction, Murchison Mining Services delivers exceptional results Exactly what you need when you need it Bringing you our world of expertise Quest Maritime Services delivering confidence at sea Dy-Mark mine marking toluene free Oli Group: Driving innovation and reliability in mining & quarrying Transmission repairs and replacements made easy Industrial and marine solutions hire fleet with purpose-built winches and power units How DTN APAC’s inversion and blast dispersion forecasting help the mining industry Steuler expands your horizons Gold, gold, gold Donaldson powers up mining filtration with new dust extraction and air solutions For the next generation of mining The industry leader in OTR and LME tyre management ISUZU FX range squares-up for heavy-duty battle Aerial solutions for mining and exploration The value of experience Driving drilling innovation for more than 40 years Leading Australia’s seismic future with eVibe innovation Supporting smarter mining decisions New technology for near surface exploration Precision drilling Australia’s latest rig rebuild PDR05 Driving excellence in exploration and mine site geoscience Innovators in geophysical exploration Innovative high-tech modular plants Bringing home the medal Protoblast – Take control of your blasting process Coral Sea Resort – Real Rewards for Real Work Titanium prospects Building an empire The titanium titan How can investment grow amidst supply chain woes? TechConnect Coal Comfort Turning waste into wealth ASPEC Engineering and the Amrun Project Australia’s specialised electrical experts The creative construction company World-class material handling solutions Cape-ital gains Australasia’s premier geoscience event AusIMM’s parallel conference debut Digitalisation in mining explored Uranium miner looks to produce with ‘invisible mining’ method For the next generation of mining The Australian Mining Review September 2025 Edition

Building skills, building communities

A dual-operator ROPS/FOPS cabin for the Komatsu GD655-5 grader

building skills, building communities

In remote regions of Australia, the road is more than just a means of transport — it is a lifeline. For many Aboriginal communities, reliable access roads mean connection to healthcare, education, employment and cultural exchange. Maintaining these vital arteries requires skilled operators who not only understand heavy machinery but who are also deeply embedded in the local context. Addressing this need, the integration of a two-person ROPS/FOPS cabin onto a Komatsu GD655-5 motor grader represents a step change in how operator training can be delivered sustainably, safely and effectively in regional Australia.

Training where it matters most

Traditional operator training often requires relocation to centralised facilities, sometimes thousands of kilometers away from a learner’s home community. For Aboriginal trainees in remote areas, this presents barriers that extend beyond cost — it disrupts cultural ties, family responsibilities and community obligations.

By bringing training directly to the communities themselves, the grader fitted with a dual-occupant cabin ensures that skill development happens on-country. Trainees learn in familiar conditions: sandy roads, seasonal flooding, corrugated tracks and the challenging terrains that local operators face daily. This context-driven training is not just convenient, it is essential for preparing operators to manage the unique conditions of regional infrastructure.

Safety at the core: ROPS/FOPS design

At the heart of this innovation is the two-person ROPS (Roll Over Protective Structure) and FOPS (Falling Object Protective Structure) cabin. Built to stringent compliance standards, the cabin ensures that both the trainer and the trainee are fully protected in even the harshest environments.

The dual seating arrangement places the experienced trainer alongside the trainee, providing real-time guidance, immediate feedback and a safe way to demonstrate complex grading maneuvers. For the trainee, the ability to observe, attempt and refine techniques under direct supervision dramatically accelerates the learning curve while reducing the likelihood of operator error during early practice.

This design recognises a fundamental truth — operator competence is as much about mentorship as it is about manuals. By embedding training directly into the cabin, safety is maximised without compromising the productivity of the machine.

Empowering Aboriginal communities

The long-term benefits of localised training go well beyond building roads. For Aboriginal communities, initiatives like these foster economic participation, skills retention and local leadership. Operators trained within their own communities are more likely to remain employed locally, ensuring that knowledge stays on-country rather than being lost to external labor markets.

There is also a cultural dimension. By enabling local people to take ownership of critical infrastructure work, communities maintain greater sovereignty over their development pathways. Training conducted in this way reflects the principle of “walking together” — blending technical expertise with cultural respect and acknowledgment of Indigenous stewardship of the land.

Optimising the Komatsu GD655-5

The Komatsu GD655-5 is already a machine of choice for many councils and contractors due to its balance of power, precision and reliability. Fitting the grader with a two-person ROPS/FOPS cabin further amplifies its value.

The grader’s responsive control systems, visibility and durability make it well-suited for the challenging and varied conditions of remote regions. With the dual-seat configuration, it becomes not only a productive earthmoving tool but also a mobile classroom — turning every hour of operation into a learning opportunity without compromising output.

Building capacity for the future

Infrastructure development in remote Australia is not a short-term project — it is an intergenerational commitment. Ensuring that the people who live in these regions have the skills to maintain and expand their own infrastructure is critical to long-term sustainability.

The introduction of training-ready graders addresses multiple layers of challenge at once:

  • Practicality: Training is delivered in the field, reducing costs and disruptions.
  • Safety: Compliance with ROPS/FOPS standards ensures both operators are protected at all times.
  • Capability: Skills are developed on the very machines and terrains that trainees will later operate independently.
  • Community Value: Local employment pathways are strengthened, reducing reliance on fly-in-fly-out labor.

A machine that teaches

The two-person ROPS/FOPS cabin on the Komatsu GD655-5 is more than an engineering adaptation — it is a statement of intent. It demonstrates that heavy machinery can be reimagined not just for productivity, but for education, empowerment and community growth.

By optimising operator training in Aboriginal communities, this initiative turns graders into classrooms, roads into opportunities and trainees into leaders. In doing so, it helps ensure that the very people who rely most on these lifelines are also the ones empowered to build and maintain them.