CiDRA Minerals Processing has announced that Anglo American has awarded it a contract to supply SONARtrac process monitoring systems to the Los Bronces Development Project. The systems were chosen to provide flow measurements at multiple key monitoring points on the new slurry pipeline, designed and managed by Ausenco PSI. These critical measurements will be used for operational control as well as leak detection along the pipeline to the concentrator plant. Ausenco PSI, under contract with Bechtel Chile, was responsible for the engineering plan and field engineering support for the expansion project's slurry and reclaimed water pipeline.

As hot as the blast furnaces required to produce steel, China's ever-expanding economy continues to fuel a seemingly insatiable demand for one of the building blocks of the modern world: iron ore. As a result, iron ore has once again been catapulted into the spotlight with prices surging to robust levels. With China representing approximately 63% of the market, and India's needs nipping at China's heels, iron ore supplies can't keep up with demand.

ca_anwendung2_60x60_29_preview.jpg Voith Turbo has developed a new coupling, the TurboBelt 780 TPXL, for the drives of long open pit mine belt conveyors. It has been specially designed for induction motors operating at speeds of 900 to 1,200 rpm. The fluid coupling transmits twice the power previous couplings of the same size could achieve. The controlled start-up with precisely-dosed [...]

FLSmidth has been awarded a contract for the supply of a complete semi-mobile sizer station to gold producer Minera Peñasquito, which is owned by Goldcorp. The mine is located in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, approximately 10 km west of Mazapil. The scope of the contract includes the design and supply of a semi-mobile station with a capacity of 12,500 t/h which FLSmidth claims to be the largest sizer station in the world. An FLSmidth test station has been supplied in order to validate the use of sizer technology for the project and all process equipment will be designed and manufactured by FLSmidth. FLSmidth supplies sizers through fully-owned subsidiary FLSmidth ABON, based in Victoria, Australia. The sizer technology supplied by FLSmidth offers lower expenses compared to traditional hard rock crushing plant technologies such as gyratories according to the group, hence enabling the customer to save total life cycle costs. "The winning of this order, the world's largest sizer station, demonstrates and reinforces our customers' confidence in FLSmidth and our technologies. The contract was won on the basis of a world-class technical proposal and a strong existing relationship with the customer. It is stimulating to see that combined, our strong technological edge and our intimate customer focus strengthen our competitive position", said FLSmidth CEO Jorgen Huno Rasmussen.

Komatsu and AcuMine have recently finalised an agreement whereby 4CAST (Collision Avoidance Safety Technology) will be distributed and supported through Komatsu's Australian, New Zealand and New Caledonian sales and service network. With many looking at ways to prevent vehicle-related incidents in the mining industry, collision avoidance technology is an increasingly recognised solution, according to Komatsu Mining Account Manager Dan Wieland. "AcuMine's 4CAST system offers a number of features and benefits not found on other collision avoidance systems, including the ability to alert operators and drivers according to context, and the inclusion of a handheld system for individuals walking around on the ground," he said. 4CAST modules are available for heavy mobile equipment, such as trucks, loaders and graders, as well as light equipment such as utility vehicles and 4WDs, personnel carriers, small loaders and skidsteers, as well as for individuals 4CAST works by using a combination of GPS and radio frequency signal strength to determine a vehicle's position; each vehicle communicates its position relative to the position of all other vehicles within range - forming a peer-to-peer network. The system provides machine and vehicle operators, and individuals on the ground, with information on other vehicles or individuals nearby, including identification, distance and direction. Whenever necessary, it will raise site-defined alarms and notifications through an operator's display fitted in the cabin. Alarms can be both audible and visual - and can even be site-customised to incorporate prerecorded verbal alerts from a site's safety supervisor, using their own voice. "4CAST is designed for any type of mobile equipment, and it is necessary for all vehicles to have the system on board for them to communicate with each other," said Wieland. "It allows each piece of mobile equipment, vehicle or individual to position themselves using GPS, combining this with radio frequency signal strength to calculate distances between each of them - and then alert drivers and individuals of the distance to the nearest potential threat." For communication, the heavy equipment module works off both the 2.4 GHz and 433 MHz frequencies, while the light vehicle and individual modules work off the 433 MHz frequency only. The 4CAST unit for individuals is about the size of a small mobile phone, clips to a belt, lasts 12 hours on a single charge, and can be recharged off a USB connection. "All modules are based around standard off-the-shelf radio parts, but the clever thing behind 4CAST is it uses context, so it can tell if you're on a haul road, at an intersection, or loading or on a dump site," said Wieland. "For example, if you have two vehicles on a haul road travelling in opposite directions, but separated, they can be quite close but won't be a collision risk; 4CAST's context ability can handle this, and avoid giving a false alert. However, if two vehicles are approaching at intersection, the system knows that, and alarms accordingly. Likewise, it will sound an alert if there are two vehicles on the same road, going in the same direction, but the one ahead has broken down, or is travelling at a slower speed. "4CAST works effectively at both low and high speeds, and has the same sensitivity whether a machine is travelling at 1 km/h or 100 km/h," he said. "This is important, because while most fatalities occur when light and heavy vehicles collide, there is a high incidence of collision between vehicles moving at relatively slow speeds. "We're very excited to be able to offer the 4CAST system, as it is the only one on the market that can offer whole of site coverage, at full speed and which is unaffected by low visibility or environmental conditions," he said. "In addition, this agreement further reinforces Komatsu Australia's standing as a company dedicated to safety and providing customers with effective safety solutions." The relationship between Komatsu and AcuMine began in 2004 when the two companies collaborated on an early collision avoidance system for a mine in Western Australia; since then this has developed into the current 4CAST collision avoidance system.

As recipient of the 2011 Newmont Africa Regional Supplier of the Year, Africa Underground Mining Services (AUMS) has been recognised for their commitment to excellence in service and project delivery. A supplier to the Newmont run Ahafo gold mine in Ghana, West Africa, AUMS has held the contract for delivery of underground mining services at the site since January 2010. The initial scope of works for an exploration decline and level development, trial stoping, raiseboring and 28,000 m of diamond drilling was brought in two months ahead of schedule. AUMS is currently operating a workforce of 150, and has been awarded Stage 3 works to take the next step into an operational 200,000 t/month production mine. Since the establishment of AUMS in 2007, the organisation has grown rapidly, which it says is "on the back of consistently exceeding client expectations and this award by one of the company's largest clients is recognition for the hard work and dedication of the AUMS team. "Having approached the African market with a wealth of experience in underground mining developed in over two decades of operation in Australia AUMS brings unparalleled mining expertise and the highest standards in safety and equipment operation to the West African business." Africa Underground Mining Services is a 50/50 joint venture partner with Ausdrill.

Straits Resources has implemented the Gemcom InSite mine production management solution at its Tritton copper mine located near Nyngan in New South Wales, Australia. The Tritton underground copper mine has been in operation since 2004 and produced a total of 23,936 t of copper in 2011. The statement said that Tritton had opted for InSite to provide a single solution to the operation's data management requirements. The software's data integration and data reconciliation functionalities have eliminated the mine's reliance on time consuming, manual entry spreadsheets and provided a centralised database for the entire site. "We have introduced a central data repository where all mining production information is entered into one system - Gemcom InSite. From here we will draw all of our daily, weekly and monthly production reports", said Katie Yamaguchi, mine geology superintendent at the Tritton mine. "This project will reduce data double handling, improve accuracy of data used for reporting, and provide a single source for all production data." Consolidating data tracking into one central repository has streamlined Tritton's processes and will increase productivity across the operation. The ability to track material movements and stockpiles ensures accurate reporting of actual production activities against targets. Additionally, InSite's production system links data throughout the mining system, significantly simplifying reconciliation and reporting processes. InSite records and evaluates data for service, support and production activities from the mine through to saleable product. Organisations are provided with confidence in data accuracy which results in cost savings, as well as visibility into all areas of production which allows mine and plant operations to rapidly respond to changing conditions.

Bateman Engineering (India), wholly-owned subsidiary of Bateman Engineering has won a contract worth $2 million from Kolkata-based Thiess India. Bangalore-based Bateman will be providing EPM services for the proposed 15 Mt/y Coal Handling Plant (CHP) at the Pakri Barwadih coal project in Jharkand, which has been awarded to Thiess India by the NTPC. Thiess India will execute the project through its Indian joint venture, Thiess Minecs. Pakri Barwadih will be the first of the six mines the NTPC intends to develop. The contract involves construction of site infrastructure and coal processing plants during the first two years, followed by overburden removal, coal mining and operation of processing and rail loading facilities over the entire life of mine. Announcing the tie-up with Thiess India, Thys Greeff, Managing Director, Bateman India, said, "Bateman India's scope of services, includes providing consultancy services for engineering and contract/procurement services for installation of primary crushing unit, coal stockpile area, which consists of secondary and tertiary crushing unit and conveying system connecting primary crushing unit and stockpile area." He added that Bateman India will access the long established expertise and technological resources of the worldwide Bateman Engineering Group, in combination with cost effective services, equipment and material supplied from Bateman's Asian location. R. Srikanth, Chief Executive, Thiess India, said, "Thiess Minecs selected Bateman India to provide Engineering and Project Management Services for the Pakri Barwadih CHP due to Bateman India's proven capability in engineering of material handling systems, best-in-class project management services, and finally, the sharp customer focus that the Bateman India team bring to bear on any project." India's largest power company, NTPC was set up in 1975 to accelerate power development in India. Apart from power generation, NTPC has already ventured into consultancy, power trading, ash utilisation and coal mining. The total installed capacity of the company is 34,854 MW (including JVs) with 15 coal based and seven gas based stations, located across the country. In addition under JVs, five stations are coal based & another station uses naptha/LNG as fuel. The company has set a target to have an installed power generating capacity of 1,28,000 MW by the year 2032.

Sandvik Mining and Construction is close to completing an integrated state-of-the-art manufacturing, assembly, research and development, distribution and aftermarket service centre near Newcastle, New South Wales, replacing six current operations in the region. The new Hunter Valley Site (HVS) will be the third major integrated facility Sandvik has opened in Australia's eastern states over the past three and a half years. The new HVS is being constructed on a 16-ha greenfield site at Heatherbrae, just north of Newcastle and will be one of its largest facilities in the world.

gemcon-43.jpg Gemcom Software International has released Gemcom Minex TM 6.1, the latest version of the industry’s only integrated end-to-end software solution designed specifically for stratified deposits. Minex fully integrates all aspects of min...

Weir Minerals Africa is poised to go into full production with its fully locally fabricated Cavex® ceramic dense medium (DM) cyclone, developed to offer coal companies around the world an alternative to currently available systems. The Cavex DM cyclone features a unique laminar spiral inlet geometry that delivers sharper separation, maximum capacity and longer wear life than conventional involute or tangential feed inlet DM cyclone designs.

Thanks to multithreading, Mintec now offers dramatically faster kriging capabilities in its MineSight suite of software. The interpolation functions in MineSight Basis (MSBasis) are a key part of its ability to build and manage 3D block, stratigraphic, and gridded surface models. Multithreading allows MSBasis' kriging program to operate three to eight times faster than earlier versions on a PC with four processors.