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 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 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 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

The creative construction company

The creative construction company

For more than six decades, McConnell Dowell has been transforming complex visions into reality, earning its reputation as the creative construction company. From delivering remote resource and energy projects in some of the world’s most challenging environments to shaping the skylines and infrastructure of major cities, the company has built thousands of enduring, high-quality assets and facilities.

Guided by an engineering-led approach, McConnell Dowell’s expertise spans building, civil, electrical, fabrication, marine, mechanical, pipelines, rail, tunnel and underground construction.

With a workforce of more than 3000 highly skilled professionals across Australia, New Zealand and Asia, customers gain the advantage of deep local knowledge underpinned by global reach and experience.

In 2019, the company was honoured with the prestigious Australian Construction Achievement Award for the Chith export facility, a centrepiece of Rio Tinto’s Amrun bauxite project in far north Queensland. This large-scale, remote wharf development not only overcame formidable logistical challenges but also set new industry benchmarks in speed, safety and construction efficiency.

Comprising a 650m access jetty, a 350m loading wharf and an onshore conveyor system, the facility was designed in partnership with Jacobs and built in an extraordinary 10 months. The project’s success was further strengthened by constructability insights from Bechtel, ensuring innovation and practicality worked hand in hand.

At the heart of the project was a bold modular construction strategy, delivering remarkable gains in time, quality and safety:

  • Wharf substructure: Seven pioneering “jacket” modules (each 680t and 30m high) replaced 100 piles with just 28, dramatically reducing the environmental footprint.
  • Wharf topsides: Six fully pre-fitted modules (600–1400t) arrived complete with services, conveyors, roadways and walkways, enabling rapid “plug-and-play” installation.
  • Access jetty: Built using McConnell Dowell’s innovative cantilever traveller frame, each bent was delivered in just three days, with minimal high-risk marine activity.

This integrated approach saved 300,000 job-hours, cut the schedule by 12 months and allowed the entire marine build to be completed within a single dry season, greatly reducing weather and cyclone exposure.

Efficient jacket & dolphin integration

Dolphin structures were fully integrated into the jacket design. This eliminated the need for separate dolphin modules, reducing piles, crane lifts, welding and on-site fabrication. The result was a safer, faster and more efficient build and a genuine leap forward in marine infrastructure construction.

Offshore fabrication benefits

Managed through McConnell Dowell’s overseas procurement office, all modules were fabricated in advanced, purpose-built facilities with dedicated cranage, paint shops and assembly areas. This controlled environment ensured exceptional quality, simplified logistics and minimised on-site labour. Parallel production at multiple sites accelerated delivery and further de-risked the schedule.

Optimised headstock connections

A strategic horizontal pile cut, while increasing plate thickness, produced a superior weld, simplified painting and delivered a more durable structure. This design struck the perfect balance between permanent material efficiency and construction cost savings, made possible by over-the-top construction techniques and repeatable, safe methodologies.

Smart temporary works

From the outset, the team sought intelligent solutions to reduce labour, improve safety and streamline delivery. One example was the custom trunnion walkways, which provided direct, safe access to heavy-lift ship trunnions throughout installation. These remained in place until modules were set, ensuring efficiency and minimising high-risk activities.

The Chith export facility stands as a showcase of McConnell Dowell’s ability to solve unique project challenges with creativity, precision and innovation.

By integrating leading-edge engineering, advanced construction techniques and a commitment to safety and sustainability, the company continues to redefine what is possible, delivering world-class infrastructure from concept to commissioning and beyond.

In addition to the Australian Construction Achievement Award, the project also received the prestigious Brunel Medal from the Institute of Civil Engineers, an honour reserved for global excellence in civil engineering.

This dual recognition underscores not only the project’s technical brilliance but also its lasting impact on the future of marine infrastructure. The same capability was on display at Groote Eylandt’s Wharf, where a devastating cyclone caused extensive structural damage and halted vital export operations.

McConnell Dowell mobilised to the remote island within days, assembling specialist marine crews, equipment and materials under extreme logistical constraints. The team carried out the safe demolition of the compromised wharf structure, managed complex environmental and safety risks and constructed a robust new facility designed to withstand future weather events. The rebuild restored the island’s export capacity quickly, safeguarding local employment and supporting one of Australia’s key manganese operations.

Whether restoring critical assets in the wake of disaster or delivering transformative new builds in major cities, McConnell Dowell remains committed to shaping infrastructure that connects people, powers economies and endures for generations.