Power Control Products

The low cost, high return Productora copper project in Chile will benefit from seawater processing advantages, easy connection to grid power and nearby port capacity. By Reuben Adams RAPID development of a globally significant coastal copper project in Chile could mean first production as early as 2019 or 2020, according to aspiring miner Hot Chili. Perth-based Hot Chili is behind the US$725 million Productora copper project, regarded as one of Latin America’s fastest post-discovery developed projects. More than US$90 million has been invested in Productora across the past five years, culminating in “robust” pre-feasibility outcomes, announced by the company in March. Hot Chili aimed to deliver at least 66,000 tonnes of copper concentrate and 25,000 ounces of gold per annum across...

Next generation i-ALERT3 takes machine monitoring to new levels 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...

EMERGING iron ore company Brockman Resources has intersected direct shipping ore (DSO) mineralisation at its Sirius iron prospect, within the Ophthalmia project area north of Newman in WA’s Pilbara region, confirming the potential of the project. Results were returned for seven of eight reconnaissance diamond drill holes, all of which intersected iron mineralisation. Highlight intersections included 99.15m grading 62 per cent iron, and 70.05m grading 60.6 per cent iron. The previously reported eighth hole intersected 135.45m grading 61.02 per cent iron. Brockman chief executive offi cer Russell Tipper said the results from Sirius supported the company’s confidence that the wholly-owned Ophthalmia could be developed into a potentially viable mine that could operate in conjunction with its flagship Marillana project, about...

Alcoa welcomes decisions that support WA operations Alcoa today welcomed decisions from the WA Government that will allow the company to continue bauxite mining and downstream alumina refining in the State, while also pledging to enhance the way it operates to meet evolving requirements and expectations. The WA Government has announced that it will approve Alcoa’s latest five-year mine plan  - known as the 2023-2027 Mining and Management Program (MMP) – for its Huntly and Willowdale bauxite mines. In addition, the WA Government has granted an exemption that will allow Alcoa to continue its mining operations if the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) decides to...