Keeping mines moving when downtime isn’t an option

Fortescue (ASX: FMG) has commenced construction at its largest solar development at the 440MW Solomon Airport solar farm in the Pilbara. Anticipated to be completed during 2028, the project is set to become the largest solar development in WA, with about 671,000 solar panels to be installed during the build and will supply about a third of Fortescue’s solar capacity required to achieve its net zero goals.  Fortescue metals and operations chief executive Dino Otranto says across the Pilbara, Fortescue is using the region’s sun and wind to generate green power for our sites. “We’re building the solar and wind farms, connecting them through our high-voltage transmission network and backing them with battery storage to provide 24/7 firm power,” he said. “Importantly, each successive solar project is being delivered more efficiently than the last. As technology improves and we gain scale, our installed capital intensity continues to come down — strengthening the economics of replacing diesel and gas with renewable energy.” A proposed 644MW solar farm at Turner River is also anticipated to commence construction later this year.  Together with the existing 100MW North Star Junction solar farm, the Solomon, Cloudbreak and Turner River projects will deliver about 1.3GW of solar capacity — equivalent to powering about half a million Australian homes each year. Construction is also underway at Fortescue’s 133MW Nullagine wind farm. Through Pilbara Energy Connect, Fortescue has already constructed more than 480km of high-voltage transmission lines across the Pilbara. Once complete, the network will extend to more than 620km, physically linking Fortescue’s energy assets to its operations and rail network.   

Volunteers keep WA trail in top shape  A team from Alcoa Australia’s (ASX: AAI) Willowdale bauxite mine recently lent a hand to refresh a section of the iconic Munda Biddi Trail in WA. Stretching more than 1060km from Mundaring to Albany, the Munda Biddi is a world-class long-distance off-road cycling trail.  Senior community relations advisor Scott Hansen says Alcoa Australia has proudly supported the Munda Biddi Trail Foundation (MBTF) for 25 years through funding and employee volunteering. “Alcoa has a long-running partnership with the foundation, a not-for-profit association which supports the maintenance and promotion of the trail,” he said. Recently, employees rolled up their sleeves to clean up a section of the trail near the northern part of Alcoa Australia’s Willowdale Larego mine area. Their efforts included branch trimming, raking and blower vaccing to ensure the trail remains safe and accessible for riders. “Our employees are proud to help maintain this popular trail,” Mr Hansen said.“It’s a great way to give back to the community and keep the trail safe and functional for cyclists.” Alcoa Australia’s involvement with the trail dates back to its planning in 2000, when the company worked with the foundation to determine a safe, practical and enjoyable route and provide on-the-ground help to make the trail a reality.Since then, Alcoa Australia has continued to consider the trail through mine planning processes, including the recent expansion of a Mining Avoidance Zone (MAZ) around Dwellingup. The expanded MAZ is adjacent to several designated conservation areas and includes recreational tracks and trails, including sections of the Munda Biddi Trail, Bibbulmun Track and Nyingarn Bidi Loop. If future mine planning indicates any interactions with the trail, Mr Hansen says Alcoa consults with the MBTF and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions to discuss options that ensure access is not restricted.Past consultation has resulted in Alcoa Australia building dedicated infrastructure such as tunnels and bridges to provide safe, continuous access for riders through operating mine regions. “Our overarching principle is to maintain continuous access for trail users and we want to ensure this world-class trail remains available for generations to come,” Mr Hansen said.MBTF executive officer Therese Logue says the trail’s ongoing success is founded on strong collaboration across both community and corporate sectors, including a longstanding 25-year partnership with Alcoa Australia. “The continued support of Alcoa extends beyond industry operations, with staff actively contributing their time and skills,” she said. “Their hands-on involvement builds a sense of stewardship, directly helping to preserve this iconic trail. “Through partnerships like these, the trail will continue to flourish, and the provision of vital resources help the foundation empower its volunteers to enhance and maintain a high-quality trail experience for all riders.”  

EACON hits autonomous haulage milestone in Australia A retrofitted Komatsu HD1500 haul truck has successfully completed its first fully autonomous haulage test cycle at Norton Gold Fields' Mulgarrie mine in WA.The achievement is part of a tri-partite project between EACON Mining Technology, Thiess and Norton Gold Fields, confirming the successful retrofit of autonomy on Komatsu trucks.Prior to the retrofit, the truck had about 20,000 operating hours and was elected as part of the project to broaden asset life.Following a structured series of testing and validation activities, the retrofitted truck, named Jerry, has met the criteria to operate fully autonomously, demonstrating the maturity of EACON's complete autonomous driving system under Australian operating conditions.The first phase of the project demonstrated reliable integration of EACON's independently developed drive-by-wire retrofit kit, consistent vehicle behaviour under autonomous control and effective tuning of control algorithms to match the truck's native operating characteristics.Comprehensive system-level validation was completed across perception, planning, decision-making and vehicle control, confirming the system's readiness for continued on-site testing and subsequent project phases.EACON Mining Australia chief operating officer Elaine Jin says the milestone reflects disciplined execution and close collaboration across all project partners."Achieving this milestone safely and on schedule validates the maturity of our ORCASTRA system, its adaptability to the Australian mining environment and its proven performance on large scale rigid dump trucks,” she said.Thiess assets and autonomy group executive Ryan Kirkwood says the global mining services provider was proud to work in partnership with EACON and Norton Gold Fields to demonstrate how autonomy could be introduced safely across mixed, brownfield fleets."Thiess has implemented, operated and optimised autonomous solutions for haulage fleets, dozer and drill applications globally for close to 15 years,” he said.“We're pleased to bring our experience to this project to support change management and implementation processes, from commissioning through to successful maintenance with our workforce of the future."Supporting fleet expansion and further validation activities, a second Komatsu HD1500 truck, Tom, has also recently completed retrofit works and is making its way to the Mulgarrie site.Norton Gold Fields chief executive Wei Lin says the milestone demonstrates the potential for retrofit autonomous haulage to be safely introduced into active Australian gold mining operations.“The project has progressed in a structured and measured way, with safety and operational readiness at the forefront,” he said.By enabling autonomy across multiple vehicle brands and models, EACON's open, OEM-agnostic autonomy solution provides a practical pathway for upgrading existing mining fleets and facilitates the transition of autonomous haulage from greenfield deployments to scalable brownfield and retrofit operations.

The NSW Resources Regulator has issued a safety alert following a truck rollover involving a Hitachi 3500 haul truck at Boggabri opencut coal mine.The roll occurred when the operator failed to comply with designated crest and ramp speeds while descending an in-pit ramp.The operator was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured, though they had to be extricated from the rolled truck.NSW Resource Regulator coal principal inspector Bill Barraclough says the hazards of not following site procedures when operating equipment in open-cut mines resulted in the roll over.“Following site procedures when operating equipment is crucial to keeping workers safe,” he said.The haul truck was recovered to allow truck monitoring systems to be downloaded, which identified the operator’s non-compliance to the site’s crest and ramp speed limits.Additional recommendations from the incident suggest mine operators conduct regular crest and ramp speed audits and review speed monitors.