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Know-How | Performance | Reliability
BECKER MINING SYSTEMS AG
We have been at the forefront of technology in Energy Distribution, Automation, Communication, Transportation and Roof
Support since 1964. Together with our customers we create and deliver highest quality solutions and
services to make operations run more profi tably, reliably and safely.
For more information go to www.becker-mining.com/digitalmine
With MineView® and SmartFlow® Becker Mining Systems offers two comprehensive
and scalable data management solutions for your Digital Mine. MineView® is a powerful
state-of-the-art 3D SCADA system, that analyses incoming data from various mine equipment
and visualises it in a 3D mine model. SmartFlow® takes Tagging & Tracking to a new level:
collected asset data is centrally processed and smart software analytics allow for process
optimization and improved safety.
Becker Mining is a trademark of Becker Mining Systems AG. © 2018 Becker Mining Systems AG or one of its affi liates.
MINEVIEW
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 1 www.e-mj.com
DECEMBER 2018 • VOL 219 • NUMBER 12
FEATURES
China’s Miners Promote New Era of Openness and Cooperation
Major reforms within the mining sector and the government will foster
green mines at home and greater investment abroad ....................................42
Defeating the Deleterious
Whether at the head of a circuit or scavenging tailings, today’s flotation
innovations address challenges presented by declining grades, rising
costs and aging plants ..................................................................................52
Staying on Top of Stockpile Management
Smarter, quicker solutions emerge for measuring and controlling
stockpile size and quality ...............................................................................58
Supporting Underground Production
Specialty equipment manufacturers celebrate milestones .............................66
Special Report: Ontario: An Overview
Mergers, discoveries and a new mine signal the dawn of a golden era ..........72
LEADING DEVELOPMENTS
Pan American Silver, Tahoe Resources Create Diversified Silver Miner ..............6
Evrim Signs 3-year Exploration Alliance ............................................................7
PDAC 2019 Offers Educational Sessions, Honors Industry Leaders ...................7
Hudbay Will Acquire Mason Resources ..............................................................7
ICMM Commits to Human Rights Principles ......................................................8
Premier Will Buy Creek Property in Carlin Trend ................................................8
AROUND THE WORLD
U.S. & Canada: Tacora Resources Completes Scully Mine Restart Financing ...12
Latin America: Los Pelambres Expansion Adds 60,000 MT of
Copper Production ..........................................................................................22
Australia/Oceania: Developers Celebrate Pilgangoora Achievements
at Official Opening .........................................................................................24
Africa: Newmont Declares Commercial Production at Subika
Underground in Ghana ...................................................................................26
Asia: Polymetal Begins Building Nezhda Gold Mine in Russia ........................28
Exploration Roundup: Exploration Generating Positive Results at
2 Endeavour Projects......................................................................................30
This month, E&MJ takes a look at stockpile management.
Mining companies are refining their stockpile strategies,
taking advantage of equipment and control-system
advances to refresh stockyard infrastructure to improve
material flow and quality control. On the cover, a stacker
and reclaimer handle iron ore at BHP’s Mining Area C.
(Photo: thyssenkrupp)
DEPARTMENTS
Calendar ...................................................... 38
Classifi ed Advertisements ..........................110
Equipment Gallery ......................................106
From the Editor................................................2
Markets ......................................................112
Operating Strategies .................................... 90
People .......................................................... 18
Processing Solutions ..................................100
Suppliers Report........................................... 94
This Month in Coal ....................................... 34
Flotation....52 Stockpile Management....58 Utility Equipment....66
2 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018
FROM THE EDITOR
The line for the 2018 American Exploration & Mining Asso-
ciation (AEMA) keynote luncheon was long and some miners
were agitated. For $50 per seat, the AEMA had promised
U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary Ryan Zinke,
but he didn’t turn up. Based on the conversations held in
line, however, Zinke’s approval rating among western min-
ers isn’t as high as one would think. The skeptics believed
that is why the DOI dispatched Joe Balash, assistant DOI
secretary for lands and minerals, to address the crowd.
Next year will be a transitional year for the AEMA with its Executive Director
Laura Skaer passing the torch to Mark Compton. Before Balash was introduced
to a large, crowded room, the association took care of some important business.
The new incoming AEMA President Steve Alfers was the emcee. He explained how
Skaer transformed a regional mining association into a leading national voice for
exploration, the junior mining sector and federal lands issues. Skaer was presented
with an award for her 22 years of service and received a standing ovation.
Under Skaer’s leadership, the AEMA fought regulatory overreach and Alfers ex-
plained that the group needed to maintain its momentum. “The collaborative way in
which this association works is impressive,” Alfers said. “As far as expertise in public
lands and operational issues, no one is more informed than the AEMA. We don’t want
to compromise our capacity as a group to stay on top of issues as they pop up.”
The AEMA intends to defend the Mining Law of 1872. “Tenure and security
of title for the mining industry is becoming increasingly important,” Alfers said.
“Twenty years ago, it didn’t take six or seven years to approve a plan of operations,
but it does now. With those timelines, we have an even greater need for security of
title. We should restore patents under the Mining Law.”
Alfers introduced Balash, who is a young man with a big job, but he convinced
the crowd that he was up to the challenge. Before accepting the DOI position, he
was the commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. He managed
an organization that is responsible for one of the largest portfolios of land and water
resources in the world. Today, he oversees four agencies within the DOI, including
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is of paramount interest to western
U.S. miners working on federal lands.
When BLM was fi rst organized, Balash said, they had a badge that depicted the
BLM mission and there were people on it: a cowboy, a miner, a surveyor, a rough-
neck and a forester. The more modern version of the badge has no people. Balash
found this symbolic and said this administration is committed to addressing and
rectifying that situation.
I can’t do his speech justice with this short column, but E&MJ will publish it next
month. Balash talked about all the regulatory overreach that was rolled back in the
last two years. He discussed what the administration has planned for 2019 and be-
yond. The miners in attendance, however, were loaded for bear. During a Q&A period
that seemed to last for 20 to 30 minutes, he fi elded questions, many of which were
very specifi c and technical in nature. He answered all their questions and silenced
the room, and then he too received a standing ovation. It’s been a long time since a
federal regulator received that type of recognition from a room full of miners.
Balash Impresses the Crowd at AEMA Keynote
Steve Fiscor
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Steve Fiscor, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Mining Media International, Inc.
11655 Central Parkway, Suite 306; Jacksonville, Florida 32224 USA
Phone: +1.904.721.2925 / Fax: +1.904.721.2930
Editorial
Publisher & Editor-In-Chief—Steve Fiscor, sfi [email protected]
Associate Editor—Jennifer Jensen, [email protected]
Technical Writer—Jesse Morton, [email protected]
Contributing Editor—Russ Carter, [email protected]
Latin American Editor—Oscar Martinez, [email protected]
South African Editor—Gavin du Venage, [email protected]
Graphic Designer—Tad Seabrook, [email protected]
Sales
Midwest/Eastern U.S. & Canada, Sales—Victor Matteucci,
Western U.S., Canada & Australia, Sales—Frank Strazzulla,
Scandinavia, UK & European Sales—Colm Barry, [email protected]
Germany, Austria & Switzerland Sales—Gerd Strasmann,
Japan Sales—Masao Ishiguro, [email protected]
Production Manager—Dan Fitts, dfi [email protected]
www.e-mj.com
Engineering & Mining Journal, Volume 219, Issue 2, (ISSN 0095-8948) is published monthly by Mining Media International, Inc., 11655 Central Parkway, Suite 306, Jacksonville, FL 32224 (mining-media.com). Periodicals Postage paid at Jacksonville, FL, and additional mailing offi ces. Canada Post Publi-cations Mail Agreement No. 41450540. Canada return address: PO Box 2600, Mississauga ON L4T 0A8, Email: [email protected]. Current and back issues and additional resources, including subscription request forms and an editorial calendar, are available at www.e-mj.com.
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EXECUTIVE OFFICE: Mining Media International, Inc., 11655 Central Park-way, Suite 306, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA phone: +1.904.721.2925, fax: +1.904.721.2930, www.mining-media.com.
COPYRIGHT 2018: Engineering & Mining Journal,incorporating World Mining Equipment, World Min-ing and Mining Equipment International. ALL RIGHTSRESERVED.
The line for the 2018 American Exploration & Mining Asso-
ciation (AEMA) keynote luncheon was long and some miners
were agitated. For $50 per seat, the AEMA had promised
U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary Ryan Zinke,
but he didn’t turn up. Based on the conversations held in
line, however, Zinke’s approval rating among western min-
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 3www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Becker Mining Systems is a system supplier
for mining infrastructure headquartered in
Friedrichsthal, Germany. Since the founding
of the company in 1964, the German min-
ing industry has changed significantly. On
December, 21, 2018 the last piece of coal
will be handed over to the Federal President
of Germany at the closing event of German
Coal Mining. The gesture officially ends the
chapter of an industry in which at times more
than 400,000 miners were employed. Becker
Mining Systems has seized the opportunity
and adapted to this change by evolving from
the main supplier to the German mining
industry to one of the leading suppliers
to the international mining industry. Today
the Becker Mining Systems Group is repre-
sented by its own subsidiaries in Canada,
the USA, Mexico, France, Poland, Russia,
China, Australia and South Africa to be able
to offer local and responsive service to its
customers. As the only worldwide supplier of
complete energy, automation, communication
and transportation infrastructure for the min-
ing industry, Becker’s product range includes
electrical as well as mechanical solutions for
all kinds of underground demands.
Global System Supplier for MiningTwo product segments are being distin-
guished: the segment Electrical consists of the
three product divisions Energy Distribution,
Automation and Communication. A safe
and flexible supply of energy underground
is a necessary condition for mining. Becker
Mining Systems offers complete, tailor-made
energy infrastructure solutions that yield
maximum output at highest safety standards.
The products in the area of energy distribu-
tion include flameproof transformers and arc
resistant power centers (Arc Guard®). Simple
maintenance and exchangeability of critical
wear parts guarantee a maximum uptime and
low Total-Costs-of-Ownership. In the area
of automation, the company offers reliable
solutions that allow for comprehensive mon-
itoring and control of all work processes at
all levels of a modern mine. Even in the case
of widely distributed networks and under
extremely difficult ambient conditions, the
sophisticated field bus devices and automa-
tion controllers of Becker Mining Systems
guarantee a trouble-free flow of information
between the individual plants, machines and
equipment. Another important area is com-
munication. Mobile radio solutions enable
uninterrupted clear communication through-
out the entire mine. These solutions are used
not only for voice transmissions, but also
to transmit data and video signals under-
ground and to the main mine control station
above ground. In addition, Becker Mining’s
radio products provide for greater operating
safety in mines: the location of men and
machines can be clearly determined. With
the Proximity Detection System (PDS100)
collisions can be avoided and emergency
rescue measures initiated more quickly and
more easily. Two data management solutions
are available: MineView® and SmartFlow® are
powerful software tools that not only comple-
ment the product range but make it a unique
advantage for our customers to build on their
existing equipment.
Haulage and Roof support solutions make
up the mechanical segment. Since the found-
ing of the company, Becker Mining Systems
has been developing transportation systems
for men and material underground. Monorails
and floor mounted trains with friction or rack-
and-pinion drives transport men, material and
equipment quickly and reliably - even to the
most remote parts of a mine. The systems
are characterized by the fact that they can
transport heavy loads at high speed on steep-
ly inclined routes. The product portfolio also
includes chairlifts and conveying systems. In
the expansion of underground mining, safety
plays an important role, too. The company
produces support systems for safe face and
roadway expansion. The developed Powered
Roof Supports are also being integrated into
comprehensive longwall complexes, which
are produced in cooperation with other sup-
pliers and already have numerous applica-
tions in Europe and Asia.
Know-How, Performance and Reliability as core competenciesBut it’s not only the product range that leads
to the success of Becker Mining Systems.
Despite growing cost pressure, the group
aims to deliver cutting edge technology
with highest quality that guarantees smooth
operation from installation to system repair.
A local and agile product support and after-
sales service that keeps systems up and
running 24/7 rounds off the product range.
Based on more than 50 years of expe-
rience and implemented by 1,500 Becker
employees around the world, Becker Mining
Systems stands for Know-how, Performance
and Reliability.
For more information visit
www.becker-mining.com.
From Germany to the World
4 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Volvo Penta is a leading global supplier of
engines and complete power solutions. With
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Penta’s industrial engine range provides
optimal performance, maximized uptime and
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For more than a century, Volvo Penta has
led the introduction of new technologies. As
part of the global Volvo Group, they draw
on the resources of one of the world’s most
recognizable names in sustainable transport
solutions to bring cutting-edge technologies
to the market. They leverage on the experi-
ence and expertise of their global company,
and are able to introduce more sustainable
solutions based on proven technologies.
PerformanceVolvo Penta’s main focus is to keep busi-
ness running at full capacity. They strive
to ensure efficiency and reliability in every
detail, maximizing uptime and productivity.
Volvo Penta powered products help reduce
the total cost of ownership and improve cost
control — providing more time to focus on
core business. With advanced engine tech-
nology, Volvo Penta engines deliver a prod-
uct built for reliable, long-term performance
and reaching business goals. To maximize
uptime, most Volvo Penta Industrial engines
can operate for 1,000 hours between service
intervals*. External forces, such as vibration
and dust caked working conditions, put a
strain on the coolers, filters and harnesses
used in off-road equipment. Volvo Penta’s
heavy-duty packages greatly improve the
working conditions for equipment operating
in harsh and challenging conditions.
Engine RangeUniquely designed for construction, mining,
material handling, power generation and
more, Volvo Penta’s industrial engines are
built for versatility and productivity. The 5
to 16 liter engine range offers comprehen-
sive solutions for various off-road machines
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engine interfaces and range architecture
that match the different emission tiers.
Emission Technology Volvo Penta is a leader in introducing new
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future. Since every industrial engine is
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and parts is an option. Volvo Penta’s tech-
nology choice to meet the demands of Tier 4
Final is Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR).
The Volvo Penta SCR solution results in
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is no diesel oxidation catalyst. Together with
a light Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)
system, the engines stand ready to meet the
emission standards with a well-proven tech-
nology. Volvo Penta is continuing to move
forward developing their Stage V compliant
engines for global markets.
Supporting Your Business Volvo Penta engines are supported by their
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distribution system and backed by Volvo
Penta Action Service, 24/7 phone support.
Being part of the Volvo Group means that
Volvo Penta benefits from one of the most
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SummaryWith proven technology built to adapt to
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*To qualify for 1000 hour service intervals our 5 and 8 li-
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Keeping business in motion
Volvo Penta Tier 4 Final engines boost productivity for your business.
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Learn more at www.volvopenta.us/offroad
The Heart thatnever stops
141–690 HP
NEWS-LEADING DEVELOPMENTS
6 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Pan American Silver, Tahoe Resources Create Diversified Silver Miner
Pan American Silver Corp. announced it
has entered into a definitive agreement
to acquire all of the outstanding shares
of Tahoe Resources, creating a new mid-
tier precious metals mining company,
the two companies said. Shareholders of
Tahoe will be entitled to elect to receive
common shares of Pan American and/
or cash in exchange for their shares of
Tahoe. Additional consideration will be
in the form of the right to a contingent
payment in common shares of Pan Amer-
ican tied to the restart of the Escobal
mine in Guatemala.
Tahoe Resources owns and operates
the Escobal silver mine in Guatemala,
the La Arena and Shahuindo gold mines
in Peru, and the Timmins West and Bell
Creek gold mines in Canada.
The company will have a robust growth
profile with the restart of the Escobal
silver mine following completion of the
consultation process and community en-
gagement, Pan American said. Escobal
produced 21 million ounces (oz) of sil-
ver during its last four quarters of undis-
turbed production.
Pursuant to the arrangement, Tahoe
shareholders may elect to receive
US$3.40 in cash or 0.2403 Pan Amer-
ican shares for each Tahoe share, subject
in each case to pro-ration based on a
maximum cash consideration of US$275
million and a maximum number of Pan
American shares issued of 56 million,
totaling US$1.067 billion. In addition,
Tahoe shareholders will receive contin-
gent consideration in the form of contin-
gent value rights, that will be exchanged
for 0.0497 Pan American shares for each
Tahoe share, currently valued at US$221
million, and payable upon first commer-
cial shipment of concentrate following
restart of operations at the Escobal mine.
At closing, existing Pan American
and Tahoe shareholders will own approx-
imately 73% and 27% of Pan American,
respectively. Upon satisfaction of the
payment conditions, Pan American and
Tahoe shareholders will own approximate-
ly 68% and 32%, respectively, of the
combined company.
Michael Steinmann, president and
CEO of Pan American Silver, said, “The
combination of Pan American and Tahoe
will establish the world’s premier silver
mining company with an industry-leading
portfolio of assets, superior growth oppor-
tunities and attractive operating margins.
This transaction doubles our silver reserves
and further improves our cost profile. We
will build on that strong foundation, opti-
mizing these high-quality assets to deliver
profitable growth and superior returns.”
Kevin McArthur, executive chair of
Tahoe Resources, said, “This transaction
allows our shareholders to participate in
the creation of the world’s premier sil-
ver company with the contribution of the
world-class Escobal mine to Pan Ameri-
can’s existing asset base.”
He added, “Pan American’s excellent
track record of developing mines and
fostering strong, mutually beneficial rela-
tionships with local stakeholders gives us
confidence that the combined company
will be best positioned to maximize value
for shareholders.”
The Pan American-Tahoe combination will create a more geographically diverse portfolio.
The transaction is expected to maintain silver exposure while doubling the silver reserves.
NEWS-LEADING DEVELOPMENTS
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 7www.e-mj.com
Both boards of directors for Pan Amer-
ican and Tahoe have unanimously ap-
proved the transaction.
It is anticipated that the special
shareholder meetings of Tahoe and Pan
American shareholders to consider the
transaction will be held in January. The
transaction is expected to close in the
first quarter of 2019.
Evrim Signs 3-year Exploration AllianceEvrim Resources Corp. has signed a
three-year exploration alliance agreement
with Meridian Gold Co., a subsidiary of
Yamana Gold. The alliance allows Evrim
royalty-free access to Yamana’s dataset
in the western United States for gold and
base metal project generation.
The dataset contains information
from more than 7,000 locations ranging
from early-stage exploration to advanced
projects and represents approximately
30 years of exploration work completed
by Meridian and predecessor FMC Gold
Co. It covers a large portion of the west-
ern United States with a particular focus
on Nevada.
“The dataset consists of digital and
non-digital data with proprietary non-pub-
lic information that has not been reviewed
for many years, making it a unique and
valuable asset,” said Paddy Nicol, Evrim
president and CEO. “Western United
States represents a new mining and ex-
ploration jurisdiction for Evrim and re-
inforces our strategy to gain competitive
advantages in areas in which we operate.
We look forward to applying our skillset to
identify new opportunities with this un-
der-utilized dataset.”
During the alliance period, Evrim will
compile a fully digital and comprehensive
dataset to generate new targets and ideas
within the designated area. Should Evrim
acquire a project within the designated
area, Yamana will have the exclusive right
for 60 days to enter into an option agree-
ment to earn a 75% interest.
The option period is independent of
the alliance period and may extend be-
yond the three-year term. At the end of
the alliance, both parties will retain a
copy of the digital database.
Hudbay Will Acquire Mason ResourcesHudbay Minerals Inc. has entered into an
agreement with Mason Resources Corp.
PDAC 2019 Offers Educational Sessions, Honors Industry LeadersThe annual Prospectors & Developers As-
sociation of Canada’s (PDAC) convention
kicks off March 3, 2019, at the Toronto
Convention Center. The technical program
offers delegates ample opportunities to
learn and network. The opening session
and keynote take place Monday morning,
but sessions are planned for Sunday after-
noon. The event concludes on Wednesday,
March 6. The keynote session on Monday
focuses on the next generation. Through-
out the three days, speakers will give pre-
sentations ranging from diamond explora-
tion to geometallurgy to new discoveries.
The program has its educational value,
however, many prospectors flock to the con-
vention to attract attention from investors.
Toronto is a banking center and the TSX
and TSX-V finances more mining startups
than any other exchange. The Core Shack
is packed with prospectors displaying core
samples from different projects around the
world. It’s not uncommon to hear explora-
tion geologists explaining to investors how
to see the minerals in the core samples.
PDAC also offers delegates several op-
portunities to mingle with various recep-
tions throughout the event. Several func-
tions have been organized, such as the
Student-Industry Networking Luncheon,
the Trade Show Reception and the Awards
Gala, where PDAC will recognize indus-
try leadership with six awards. Now in its
41st year, the PDAC Awards Gala is often
referred to as the Oscar’s for the mining in-
dustry. Hosted at the Fairmont Royal York
Hotel on Tuesday evening, March 5, tickets
are limited and pre-registration is required.
This year’s award recipients include:
Peregrine Diamonds, which will receive
the Bill Dennis Award for the discovery of
the Chidliak Diamond District on Baffin
Island, Nunavut. It unveiled 74 kimber-
lites, one of which has a nearly 18-mil-
lion-carat inferred mineral resource.
Don Bubar, who will receive the Distin-
guished Service Award for his efforts with
raising awareness about the importance
of engagement between companies and
indigenous communities.
NexGen Energy, a uranium exploration
and development company focused on
Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin, will
receive the Environmental & Social Re-
sponsibility Award for giving back to the
province by investing in community ini-
tiatives focused on education, health and
economic development.
Gordon Maxwell, a respected geologist
and member of Sachigo Lake First Nation
in northwestern Ontario, will receive the
Skookum Jim for his 35-year career that
has taken him around the world evaluat-
ing projects and potential acquisitions.
Cardinal Resources, which will receive
the Thayer Lindsley Award for the Nam-
dini Project, a rapidly evolving gold dis-
covery in the northeast corner of Ghana.
Nemaska Lithium will receive the Viola R.
MacMillan Award to for its work related
to the Whabouchi project. Located in the
James Bay region of Québec, it is one of
North America’s largest spodumene de-
posits. The company successfully com-
pleted a C$1 billion financing package in
May to build a unique lithium hydroxide
and carbonate production facility, in tan-
dem with a spodumene mine.
For those interested in exploration, PDAC
is a must-attend event (www.pdac.ca).
PDAC delegates inspect specimens at the Core Shack.
NEWS-LEADING DEVELOPMENTS
8 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
to purchase the remaining 86% interest
in the company. The transaction is valued
at C$31 million, with Mason shareholders
receiving C$0.40 for each Mason com-
mon share. The enterprise value to Hud-
bay, net of Mason’s cash and Hudbay’s
current 14% ownership stake, is approxi-
mately US$15 million.
“The acquisition of the Ann Ma-
son project is another step in Hudbay’s
consistent strategy of accretive acquisi-
tions of scarce, high-quality copper re-
sources in mining-friendly jurisdictions,”
said Alan Hair, president and CEO of
Hudbay Minerals. “Ann Mason is an ide-
al fit for Hudbay’s development pipeline
and is at the stage where we can apply
our exploration expertise, advance tech-
nical studies, and leverage our proven
mine development team to create value
for our shareholders.”
The Ann Mason deposit, located in
the Yerington District of Nevada, has
measured and indicated mineral re-
source of 1.4 billion metric tons (mt)
grading 0.32% copper, 0.006% molyb-
denum, 0.03 grams/mt gold and 0.65
g/mt silver and an inferred mineral re-
source of 623 million mt grading 0.29%
copper, 0.007% molybdenum, 0.03 g/
mt gold and 0.66 g/mt silver using a
0.2% copper cut-off.
“We are very pleased with the prog-
ress we have made establishing the
Ann Mason project as a world-class
and highly prospective copper de-
posit,” said Stephen Scott, president
CEO of Mason. “The acquisition by a
well-run, diversified, cash flowing base
metal producer ensures a faster and
lower risk development path for the
Ann Mason project. Given its significant
scale, it is not feasible for Mason to de-
velop the mine on a stand-alone basis in
a timely fashion.”
Mason’s board of directors has unani-
mously approved the agreement and rec-
ommended that Mason shareholders vote
in favor of it. The transaction is expected
to close in December.
ICMM Commits to Human Rights PrinciplesThe International Council on Mining
and Metals (ICMM) has committed its
members to implement the United Na-
tions Guiding Principles on Business
and Human Rights. Speaking at the
UN Annual Forum on Business and
Human Rights, Tom Butler, ICMM’s
CEO, announced the council’s new
performance expectations that will
define what mining with principles
looks like in practice, by setting a
benchmark for the industry’s environ-
mental and social performance.
“ICMM’s Council of 27 CEOs have
shown real leadership in being the first
industry body to commit to implement-
ing the UN’s Guiding Principles on
Business and Human Rights,” Butler
said. “Importantly, other companies will
also be able to publicly commit to our
performance expectations and I hope
this will lead the broader industry to
further improve its social and environ-
mental performance.”
The performance expectations will
apply to all ICMM’s company members
who manage almost 650 assets in more
than 50 countries, covering nearly half
of the world’s iron ore and copper pro-
duction, and more than a quarter of all
mined commodities by value. Therefore,
it will be the most far-reaching initiative
to advance environmental and social per-
formance in the mining industry.
The new performance expectations
were developed with extensive input from
nongovernmental organizations, interna-
tional organizations and academics. The
initiative has CEO-level support within all
ICMM company members, a point that
Butler expanded on in Geneva.
ICMM is currently developing guidance
on how members will validate the perfor-
mance expectations at the asset level, in-
cluding through independent third-party
assessments. This guidance is expected to
be complete in the middle of 2019. The
guidance will be piloted during the second
half of 2019, followed by full implementa-
tion across the membership.
Premier Will Buy Creek Property in Carlin TrendPremier Gold Mines Ltd. has entered into
an option agreement with Ely Gold Roy-
alties Inc. to acquire a 100% interest in
the Rodeo Creek property located in the
Carlin Trend of Nevada. The Rodeo Creek
property is a 510-acre land package con-
sisting of 31 unpatented claims adjoining
The Ann Mason deposit, located near Yerington, Nevada, has measured and indicated mineral resource of 1.4
billion mt grading 0.32% copper. (Continued on p. 38)
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10 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Addressing Water and Site Challenges with Unparalleled Technical ServicesThe world’s constant demand for metals, minerals and aggregates
is driving mining companies to optimize operations in both water-
scarce and water-abundant regions. Complete site-wide water
management strategies that improve mine safety, protect assets
and improve ore recovery are critical for a successful mine.
WSP’s application of proprietary technologies and field tech-
niques greatly increases our understanding of subsurface condi-
tions, which allows us to develop innovative workflows to improve
operational performance and safety.
Groundwater Flow and Transport ModelingMining operations face various challenges throughout the life of
mine related to groundwater from pore pressure to plume moni-
toring to planning for closure. Using cutting-edge modeling codes
and visualization software, WSP develops robust models of existing
and future hydrogeological conditions at mine sites for groundwa-
ter management, including dewatering, pit slope stability and geo-
technical analysis, and environmental applications such as impact
assessments, fate and transport of contaminants of concern, point
of compliance zones, pit lakes and mine closure studies. With a
thorough understanding of site conditions, water quality and future
water needs, mines are better equipped to address critical water
management decisions resulting in safer operations, compliance
with regulatory agencies and cost savings.
In Situ Sensor Equipment Installation Monitoring groundwater pore pressures and slope stability at
depth typically involves vibrating wire piezometers (VWP) and a
time domain reflectometry cable (TDR), which are traditionally
installed in a borehole using steel or PVC pipes as a guide.
Because the pipes require assembly during the lowering pro-
cess, accurately estimating installation hours is a challenge
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To address these challenges, WSP uses a continuous fiber-
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improving efficiency, quality and safety. This innovative meth-
od reduces installation time by an average of 50 percent, and
material costs by an average of 30 percent. Mining operations
receive quicker installations with more reliable estimates and
improved safety at depths over 2,000 feet.
Heap Leach Optimization, Reactivation and ClosureHeap leach operations are a critical part of ore processing at many
mines, generating significant metals production. Optimizing metals
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WSP employs state-of-the-art in situ measurements coupled with
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ery in both oxide and sulfide ores, non-toxic bio-leaching, in situ
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Benefits to Mining OperationsWSP’s mine water services offer significant benefits and value
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leach optimization:
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REGIONAL NEWS - U.S. & CANADA
12 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Tacora Resources Completes Scully Mine Restart Financing
Tacora Resources Inc. announced on No-
vember 27 it has closed on the funding
required to restart the Scully mine in
Wabush, Newfoundland, and Labrador,
Canada. This includes US$212 million
in private equity and senior secured debt
financing, together with existing commit-
ments for up to US$64 million in mining
equipment debt financing.
Mining resumed and construction be-
gan in November. Ramp up is expected
in the second quarter of 2019 to 2021.
The mine also plans to hire about 280
employees, expected to come from the
Labrador West region, the company said.
Tacora purchased all the assets associ-
ated with the Scully mine in July 2017.
Tacora then completed a feasibility study
that confirmed the viability of its restart
plans for the mine, secured life of mine
access to rail transportation services and
ship loading infrastructure, including ac-
cess to a deepwater ports at Pointe Noire
and Sept-Iles, and concluded various regu-
latory matters with the government of New-
foundland and Labrador, including consul-
tations with local indigenous peoples.
“We are extremely pleased to have the
Scully mine restart fully financed and to
move forward with hiring the workforce and
implementing the various commercial con-
tracts and capital projects to bring the Scul-
ly mine back to life,” said Larry Lehtinen,
executive chairman and CEO of Tacora.
Tacora negotiated a 100% offtake
contract through 2033 with Cargill, one
of the largest traders of iron ore in the
world, the company said.
Lee Kirk, managing director of Cargill’s
Metals business, said, “By extending this
agreement through 2033, Cargill is bet-
ter positioned to provide our customers
around the world with greater access to
high-quality iron ore.”
Bunker Hill Works Out Lease ArrangementAfter reaching an agreement with the prop-
erty owner, Bunker Hill Mining has rein-
stated the lease on the Bunker Hill mine.
“We are very pleased to have worked out an
agreement with the mine owner, Placer Min-
ing Corp., to enable us to continue our effort
to ultimately reopen the mine and make it
a productive asset,” said John Ryan, inter-
im CEO. “I believe the discussions we have
had over the last several weeks have unified
our common goal to continue to advance
the project toward production.”
The company also achieved a substan-
tial reduction of its monthly lease pay-
ments spanning the next 12 months. In
addition, if the company achieves certain
agreed goals on its work program at the
mine, the payment concessions can be
extended an additional six months.
The monthly payments will be
$60,000 per month for the next 12
months, a reduction of 70% from the
previous amount of $200,000. The re-
duction in payments will be made up
for by adding the accumulated reduc-
tion to the purchase price of the mine
should the company choose to exercise
its purchase option.
The company is also in discussions
with the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) over payment
obligations Bunker Hill owes.
In other company news, Howard Crosby
announced his resignation from the board.
It appointed John Liu as a director. Liu
has more than 25 years of experience in
private equity investment, consulting and
business management. He is a partner at
Valuestone Advisors Ltd. He was previous-
ly an advisor to Jiangxi Copper Corp.
Highland Receives Wetland Permit for CopperwoodHighland Copper Co. Inc. announced
that its Michigan subsidiary, Copperwood
Resources Inc., has received the amend-
ed wetland, lakes and streams permit
from the Michigan Department of En-
vironmental Quality Water Resources
Division (MDEQ) for its Copperwood pro-
ject located in the Upper Peninsula,
Michigan, USA.
“The receipt of the wetlands permit
is a significant milestone in obtaining
all permits required for the development
of the Copperwood project,” said Denis
Miville-Deschênes, president and CEO
of Highland Copper. “I want to take the
opportunity to thank all stakeholders
and employees involved in the process
that has led to the receipt of this import-
ant permit.”
Following the release of the updat-
ed feasibility study on the Copperwood
project on June 15, the company moved
Tacora will breathe new life into an idled iron ore mining operation in Wabush, Newfoundland.
REGIONAL NEWS - U.S. & CANADA
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 13www.e-mj.com
forward with the finalization of the per-
mitting process. Based on the updat-
ed feasibility study, the company filed
amendment requests, renewals or new
applications for all permits required to
begin mine construction at Copperwood.
After the review of comments received
from public and tribal interests, as well
as recommendations from the U.S. Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency (EPA), the
MDEQ developed the draft permit con-
ditions, which have been accepted by
the company. These conditions include the
preservation of 717 acres of high-quality
wetlands and 93 acres of forested upland
in the headwaters area of the wild and sce-
nic Black River and the creation of 18.3
acres of forested and emergent wetlands
on site at the Copperwood project; and
stream mitigation by creating 13,700 feet
of natural stream channel on site at the
Copperwood project and replacing a cul-
vert on the Two Mile Creek in Ontonagon
County that is blocking brook trout pas-
sage in a tributary to the wild and scenic
Cisco Branch to the Ontonagon River.
On October 24, a combined final public
hearing was held in Ironwood, Michigan,
for the Part 632 Nonferrous Metallic Min-
ing Permit amendment and the Part 55 Air
Discharge permit. This public meeting was
the last major step prior to the grant of the
Part 632 and Part 55 permits. The com-
pany anticipates that the Part 315 Dam
Safety Permit-Tailing dam draft permit will
be issued shortly. The Lake Superior Water
intake application is being reviewed by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). A
final report was submitted by Highland to
the Corps in September.
NAP Outlines Plans to Extend LDI Mine LifeIn its third-quarter earnings report, North
American Palladium (NAP) announced
increased palladium production and a
new plan to extend the mine life at the
Lac de Iles mines (LDI).
Underground production was 565,277
metric tons (mt) at an average grade of 3.2
grams/mt (g/mt) this quarter compared
to 500,560 mt at an average palladium
grade of 3.8 g/mt in the third quarter of
2017. The company produced 56,852
ounces (oz) of payable palladium at an
all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$733/
oz compared to 53,118 oz of palladium
at an AISC of US$688/oz in the third
quarter of 2017.
“We are pleased to report another
strong quarter at LDI, with palladium
production increasing by 7% over the
same period last year based on higher
underground and surface ore produc-
tion,” said Jim Gallagher, president and
CEO of NAP. “These excellent production
results combined with strong palladium
prices resulted in an increase in revenue
of 48% and adjusted EBITDA of more
than $100 million year to date.”
The company announced the results
of a new feasibility study for LDI, which
outlined a new plan to extend the mine
life, generate increased cash flow by op-
timizing resources formerly included in
the Roby open-pit pushback plan, and by
added reserves that were previously left
unmined in the open-pit design. This new
approach will take full advantage of LDI’s
large, lower-grade near-surface resources
and allow for the mining of more resourc-
es at an improved grade than contemplat-
ed in the prior 2017 feasibility study.
NRP to Sell Construction Aggregates BusinessNatural Resource Partners (NRP) has signed
a definitive agreement to sell its construc-
tion aggregates business segment, Van-
taCore Partners, to an affiliate of Sun Cap-
ital Partners Inc. for $205 million before
transaction expenses and customary pur-
chase price adjustments. The transaction is
expected to close by year-end and is subject
to customary closing conditions, including
clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino An-
titrust Improvements Act.
“The sale of our construction aggre-
gates business segment will enable NRP
to substantially accelerate the de-levering
and de-risking of our capital structure and
represents an exit from this business,” said
Craig Nunez, president and COO of NRP.
Credit Suisse Securities is acting as
financial advisor to NRP. Vinson & Elkins
LLP is acting as legal advisor to NRP.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas,
NRP is a diversified natural resource com-
A cross section looking east shows the mining approach to the LDI orebody.
REGIONAL NEWS - U.S. & CANADA
14 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
pany that owns interests in coal, ag-
gregates and industrial minerals across
the United States. A large percentage
of NRP’s revenues are generated from royal-
ties and other passive income. In addition,
NRP owns an equity investment in Ciner,
Wyoming, a trona/soda ash operation and
owns a construction aggregates company.
Para Signs Clark to Work Gold RoadPara Resources has entered into a services
agreement with Clark Construction Group
LLC, which will provide contract mining
services at the Gold Road mine in Oatman,
Arizona. The contract is initially on a “time
and materials” basis, but will evolve into a
unit pricing contract, which is being nego-
tiated. The services agreement is an inter-
im step to ensure work at the mine starts
immediately. Clark has already mobilized
project management to the site, and initial
equipment and operational crews were ex-
pected to arrive by the end of November.
Work presently being conducted at
Gold Road includes upgrading the venti-
lation system to handle higher levels of
production, upgrading of the main decline
and haulage route to manage larger sized
trucks, rehabilitation of secondary escape
ways, and remediation of recently encoun-
tered ground control issues. Maintenance,
testing, repair and general cleanup of the
mill is being conducted. The mill is ex-
pected to be in functional condition by the
end of 2018. Mineralized rock production
is expected to commence in January with
recommissioning of the plant with first
gold pour anticipated in February.
The start of production at Gold Road
has been delayed by 45-60 days due to
unforeseen ground conditions resulting
from the dewatering of the lower levels of
the mine, the company said. Management
determined that the conditions were unsafe
and need to be improved before mining can
begin in the lower levels of the mine.
Para is a junior producing gold mining
company and owns 88% of the Gold Road
mine and approximately 80% of the El Li-
mon project in Colombia.
Fluor Selected for Lithium, Boron Project in Nevadaioneer Ltd. is considering a lithium and
boron mine outside of Tonopah, Nevada,
and it has selected Fluor to provide a de-
finitive feasibility study, and subsequent-
ly, engineering, procurement and con-
struction management (EPCM) services
as the project progresses.
“With the growing demand for electric
vehicles and energy storage, Fluor is ex-
cited to work with ioneer on our first lith-
ium mine project in Nevada,” said Tony
Morgan, president of Fluor’s Mining and
Metals business. “Our team brings the
right combination of technical and exe-
cution expertise. We will leverage our full
suite of integrated solutions tools, includ-
ing our Zero Base Execution process and
fit-for-purpose modular design strategy, to
develop an execution approach to deliver
this project safely and with excellence.”
The mine will extract and process ore to
produce 20,200 tons of lithium carbonate
and 173,000 tons of boric acid, annually.
The full notice to proceed on the
EPCM phase is expected in 2019 with
first production expected in 2021.
Updated PEA Supports Valentine Lake DevelopmentAn updated preliminary economic assess-
ment (PEA) has provided solid support
for development of Marathon Gold’s Val-
entine Lake Gold Camp open-pit project
in west-central Newfoundland. The prop-
erty hosts four identified deposits: Mara-
thon, Leprechaun, Victory and Sprite. The
Sprite deposit is not included in current
mine planning, pending additional explo-
ration drilling to increase the resource.
Gold recovery at Valentine Lake will be
through separate milling and heap-leach-
ing circuits. Standard surface-mining
techniques will be utilized to develop the
Marathon, Leprechaun, and Victory open-
pit mining areas.
The updated PEA estimates that Val-
entine Lake will produce approximately
2.72 million ounces (oz) of gold over a
12-year operating life. Preproduction
capital is estimated at $355 million. Life-
of-mine average all-in sustaining costs of
production are estimated at $666/oz.
A prefeasibility study is in progress
and is scheduled for completion in 2019.
The Valentine Lake PEA calls for the
milling facility to process 3 million metric
tons per year (mt/y) of high-grade miner-
alized material through crushing, milling,
gravity recovery, flotation of gravity tails,
flotation concentrate regrind, cyanidation
leaching of the flotation concentrate, and
flotation tailings via a carbon-in-leach
(CIL) circuit, carbon elution, and a gold
recovery circuit. CIL tails will be treated
for cyanide destruction and routed to a
tailings storage facility.
The heap-leaching facility will process 3
million mt/y of low-grade mineralized mate-
rial from open-pit operations through crush-
ing, heap leaching, and carbon-in-column
gold adsorption. The loaded carbon will be
sent to the mill facility for gold recovery.
“This updated study has benefited from
20,000 m of additional drilling since Febru-
ary 2018, 9,000 metallic screen assays on
historical drill core since the previous PEA
resource, and an internal review of the proj-
ect,” Marathon President and CEO Phillip
Walford said. “For example, initial and sus-
taining capital costs have been cut by leas-
ing the mining fleet instead of purchasing it.
“The Marathon deposit has the poten-
tial to develop an underground mine, but
for now it is more cost effective to find
open-pit resources at $10/oz rather than to
drill for costlier underground resources.”
The Valentine Lake PEA was prepared
by a team of independent consultants,
including Lycopodium Minerals Canada
Ltd., John T. Boyd Co., Apex Geoscience
Ltd., and Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Marathon deposit 3D block model looking
northwest at Valentine Lake gold camp.
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16 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
JENNMAR is a global, family-owned company that is leading
the way in ground control technology for the mining, tunneling
and civil construction industries. Since 1972, its mission has
been focused on developing and manufacturing quality ground
control products. Today, JENNMAR makes a broad range of reli-
able products, from bolts and beams, to channels and trusses,
to resin and rebar. We’re proud to make products that make the
industries we serve safer and more efficient.
A Single Source Provider
JENNMAR’s network of affiliates includes engineering services,
resin manufacturing, rolled-steel and drill-steel manufacturing,
custom steel fabrication, chemical roof support and sealing
products, and even includes staffing solutions and our own
trucking company. This ability to provide a complete range of
complementary products and services ensures quality, efficien-
cy and availability resulting in reduced costs, reduced lead
times and increased customer satisfaction.
JENNMAR Affiliates
J-LOK manufactures state-of-the-art resin anchorage systems
that are designed to complement JENNMAR products and
provide an optimum bolt and resin system. J-LOK equipment is
among the most technologically advanced in the resin industry.
JENNCHEM
JENNCHEM designs and delivers chemical roof support, rock
stabilization and ventilation sealing products to the mining and
underground construction industries.
Mining Services)
KMS (Keystone Mining Services) is JENNMAR’s engineering
affiliate that provides advanced engineering services such as
structural analysis, numerical and 3-D modeling, as well as
conducting research and development of new products.
JENNMAR Specialty Products
JENNMAR Specialty Products is a full-scale steel fabricator
specializing in roll-forming coil, sheet and structural beams to
provide quality arch and corrugated products. In conjunction
with KMS, we can also custom design and fabricate products
for a variety of applications.
JM Steel
JM Steel’s steel processing facility, located on Nucor Steel’s
industrial campus near Charleston, SC, has the processing
capability and extensive inventory to provide a variety of flat
rolled steel products including master coils, slit coils, blanks,
beams, sheets, flat bars and panels.
JENNMAR McSweeney
JENNMAR McSweeney is a leading manufacturer of forged drill
steel products for the underground mining and civil construc-
tion industries, along with a complete line of bolt wrenches,
socket accessories, chucks, augers, and other related products.
JENNMAR SanShell
JENNMAR SanSHell manufactures roof bits and continuous
miner bits for the mining industry as well as specific bits for
construction and metal cutting.
TungsteMet
TungsteMet Carbide Products presents significant growth oppor-
tunities outside of mining. We are eager to help TungsteMet’s
customers in the Construction and Metal Cutting industries.
JENNMAR Civil
JENNMAR Civil is dedicated to providing products and services
to the Civil Construction and Tunneling industries. Products
include various types of rock support bolts, anchoring systems
and resins to support tunneling, geotechnical, foundation and
earth retention projects.
JM Conveyors
JM Conveyors manufactures state-of-the-art conveyor belt struc-
tures, idlers and related components, providing belt through an
alliance partnership with Fenner Dunlap.
CSA (Compliance Staffing Agency)
CSA is an energy industry staffing service that provides trained,
experienced, drug-screened personnel and can supplement an
existing workforce during peak work periods or act as a screen-
ing service for potential new hires.
MARJENN Trucking
MARJENN Trucking provides trucking services throughout the
eastern and mid-western U.S. to transport raw materials, sup-
plies and finished products between JENNMAR plants, suppli-
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We feel it is essential to develop a close working relationship
with every customer to understand their unique challenges and
ensure superior customer service. JENNMAR’s commitment to
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ness. It’s who we are.
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Phone: +1-412-963-9071
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Email: [email protected]
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JENNMAR
In addition to more than twenty strategically located manufacturing facilities, our network of affiliates includes engineering services, resin manufacturing, rolled-steel and drill-steel manufacturing, custom steel fabrication, roof, miner and specialty bits, chemical roof support and sealing products, and even includes staffing solutions and our own trucking company.
JM Conveyors can work with you to design the correct type of Conveyor System, specifically produced to meet any size of belt, condition, tonnage restraints, and preference for the needs of your project. If you can think of it, JM Conveyors can deliver a product specifically suited to your unique requirements.
693 CLYDESWAY DRIVE | LEBANON, VA 24266 | (276) 883-5200 | WWW.JENNMAR.COM
NEWS - PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
18 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Asanko Gold Inc. announced Rob
Slater’s new role as executive vice
president of strategy and the ap-
pointment of Dr. Andrew J. Ram-
charan as senior vice president of
corporate development and investor
relations and member of the Asanko
Executive Committee, effective im-
mediately. Ramcharan joins Asanko
from Sprott Resources where he was managing director
of project evaluation for both debt and equity sides.
Newmont Mining Corp. promoted Tom Palmer to presi-
dent and COO. Since May 2016,
Palmer has been executive vice
president and COO.
Capstone Mining Corp. announced that Gregg Bush, se-
nior vice president and COO, will retire from the company.
At this time, Capstone does not anticipate fi lling the role
of COO with its decentralized operating model.
Compass Minerals Board of Directors and Fran Male-
cha have mutually agreed that Malecha will step down
from his position as president, CEO and board member.
Dick Grant, lead independent director, will serve as
chairman of the board and interim CEO until a perman-
ent CEO is named. Upon appointment of the company’s
new president and CEO, Grant will serve as nonexecutive
chairman of the board.
SilverCrest Metals Inc. appointed Pierre Beaudoin as
COO. He will step down from the SilverCrest Board in
December. He recently led the construction, startup and
operation of the Detour Lake mine.
Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. appointed David Soares as CFO
and Eric Kallio as senior vice president, exploration.
Also, John Landmark, currently vice president, explo-
ration, Australia, will assume the role of vice president, human resources;
Pierre Rocque, vice president, Canadian operations, has been appointed
vice president, technical services; and Duncan King, general manager, Ca-
nadian Operations, was appointed vice president, mining (Kirkland Lake). In
addition, Christina Ouellette, executive vice president, human resources, will
retire from the company following a transition period with Landmark early in
2019. Doug Cater, vice president, exploration, Canada, will retire from the
company. Prior to joining Kirkland Lake Gold, Soares served as CFO of Baf-
fi nland Iron Mines Corp. Most recently, Kallio was vice president, exploration
(Timmins), for Tahoe Resources Inc. John Landmark joined Newmarket Gold
Inc. in 2016 after a long career with Anglo American plc, where he was re-
gional exploration head for a number of countries, and also served in various
corporate roles, including in human resources.
Teck Resources appointed Andrew Milner as senior vice president, innovation
and technology. Most recently, he was vice president, technology production
systems, with BHP.
Suncor announced that Steve Williams will retire as CEO at the company’s
Annual General Meeting on May 2, 2019. Mark Little,
COO, is appointed president effective immediately and
will assume the role of CEO upon Williams’ retirement.
New Millennium Iron Corp. appointed Robert P. “Bob”
Boisjoli as CFO. He succeeds Mark Freedman, who is
now a partner at Ernst & Young LLP. Boisjoli was the
managing director of Atwater Financial Group.
Bridgestone Americas appointed
new sales leaders for the off-the-
road (OTR) and Firestone Ag busi-
nesses in the U.S. and Canada.
Rob Seibert, previously director of
marketing, OTR, U.S. and Canada,
Bridgestone Americas Tires Opera-
tions (BATO), has been named exec-
utive director, OTR sales, BATO. Erica Walsh, previously director of truck bus
radial (TBR) original equipment (OE) tire sales, has been named executive
director of sales, Firestone Ag, BATO. Prior to joining Bridgestone in 2015,
Seibert spent fi ve years at P&H Mining Equipment. Walsh will lead Firestone
Ag sales strategy and execution in North America. Walsh joined Bridgestone
in 2000 where she began her career as a senior engineer in the quality
assurance department. In 2016, she accepted her previous role of director
of TBR OE sales.
Dominique Llonch is the new chairman of Nidec Indus-
trial Solutions and CEO of Nidec ASI. Llonch succeeds
Giovanni Barra, who has been at the helm of the com-
pany since 2013. Before joining Nidec, he held the posi-
tion of general manager, projects, Europe and Africa, in
General Electric.
Western Areas Ltd. announced that
Executive Director David Southam
will resign, effective January 31.
His responsibilities will be assumed
by a number of senior executives,
including Joseph Belladonna, CFO
and company secretary, and Leon-
ard Lau, general manager corporate
development.
Epiroc appointed Martin Hjerpe as senior vice president,
mergers and acquisitions and strategy, starting March
1, 2019. He is currently partner at McKinsey & Co. Hjerpe
will be a member of Epiroc’s Group Management.
Mincor Resources NL announced that Peter Muccilli will
be stepping down as managing director and will be suc-
ceeded by David Southam. The change will take effect
on February 1. Since 2010, Southam has been executive
director at Western Areas Ltd.
Johnson Crushers International pro-
moted Rob Killgore to company pres-
ident. Killgore joined JCI in 2016 and
served as manufacturing manager.
Telsmith hired Don Ruppert, who joins as regional sales
manager covering New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Maryland, Delaware as his primary focus. He has more
than 25 years of experience.
LiuGong Machinery promoted Kevin Thieneman to vice
president. He will also continue in
his role as executive chairman of Li-
uGong North America. Before joining
LiuGong, he served as president of
Caterpillar Forest Products.
Motion Industries announced the ad-
dition of Hal Midkiff as product sales manager, process
pumps and equipment.
Rob Slater Dr. Andrew J. Ramcharan
Tom Palmer
Gregg Bush
Dick Grant
Pierre Beaudoin
Robert P. “Bob” Boisjoli
Rob Seibert Erica Walsh
Dominique Llonch
Rob Killgore
Don Ruppert
Kevin Thieneman
Hal Midkiff
David SouthamJoseph Belladonna
Martin Hjerpe
20 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
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REGIONAL NEWS - LATIN AMERICA
22 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Los Pelambres Expansion Adds 60,000 MT of Copper Production
By Oscar Martinez, Latin American Editor
ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE—Antofagasta plc
announced the approval of the expansion
of its subsidiary Minera Los Pelambres,
which is 60% owned by Antofagasta and
40% owned by consortiums led by JX
Nippon and Mitsubishi. The expansion
will add an average of 60,000 met-
ric tons (mt) of copper per year to the
mine’s production over the first 15 years
of operation.
“The expansion of our world-class Los
Pelambres mine is an important step for-
ward in the advancement of the group’s
organic growth pipeline,” Ivan Arriagada,
the CEO of Antofagasta plc, said. “The
expansion project will add 60,000 mt a
year of low-cost copper production at this
long-life operation and will ensure that it
remains a first-quartile producer for many
years to come.”
The project includes $500 million for
the construction of a desalination plant
and water pipeline to benefit the existing
operation in cases of prolonged or severe
drought, and for a potential further phase
of expansion, the company said.
Construction of this $1.3 billion pro-
ject will start at the beginning of 2019
and first production is expected in the sec-
ond half of 2021. Throughput at the plant
will be increased from the current capacity
of 175,000 mt of ore per day to an av-
erage of 190,000 mt of ore per day. The
plant expansion includes an additional
SAG mill, ball mill and the corresponding
flotation circuit with 24 additional cells.
Annual copper production will in-
crease from 40,000 mt in the first year
at the expanded throughput to 70,000
mt toward the end of a 15-year period, as
the hardness of the ore increases and the
benefit of the higher milling capacity is
fully realized.
A subsequent phase of expansion may
follow, dependent on the receipt of the
necessary environmental and regulatory
approvals, the company said.
Capstone Reactivates Santo DomingoCanada’s Capstone Mining announced
positive results for the Santo Domingo
project, a copper, iron and gold deposit
that they have been studying for years.
The firm, which owns 70% of the mining
company — the remaining 30% is owned
by Korean company Kores — announced
a strategic process to explore several al-
ternatives to develop it, including the sale
of part of the project.
“The technical report updates the
economics of the project, which benefits
from significantly lower energy costs and
several engineering changes, including
the use of desalinated water instead of
seawater,” the company in Canada said.
“The report also includes the addition of
cobalt to resources minerals.”
Darren Pylot, president and CEO of
Capstone, said in a statement that “there
is a shortage of large-scale and high-qual-
ity copper projects, and the completion of
our updated technical report comes at an
ideal time.”
“Capstone, with the support of Kores,
is initiating a strategic process for Santo
Domingo that will evaluate alternatives
related to ownership of the project, and
we will consider the potential of trans-
mission opportunities, given that the gold
reserve and the cobalt resource help to
finance the project,” he added.
Despite having an environmental
permit since 2015, Santo Domingo was
slowed down in its development due to
the volatility of the price of copper.
“We are advancing in engineering
and have received three of the five long-
lead construction permits, and the rest is
expected to be received by 2019,” the
company said. “We are aiming for Santo
Domingo to be ready for construction in
early 2020.”
Leagold Targeting 11-year Mine Life at Santa LuzLeagold Mining has reported the results
of an updated feasibility study of the pre-
viously operated Santa Luz open-pit gold
mine in Bahia state, Brazil. Leagold ac-
The haul trucks at Minera Los Pelambres will continue to roll as Antofagasta Minerals embarks on a major expansion program for the operation.
REGIONAL NEWS - LATIN AMERICA
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 23www.e-mj.com
quired the project in May as part of its
acquisition of Brio gold.
The Santa Luz project has proven and
probable open-pit mineral reserves of 28.2
million metric tons (mt), grading 1.39
grams/mt gold and containing 1.26 million
ounces (oz) of gold. Gold production is es-
timated at 1.06 million oz over an 11-year
mine life at all-in sustaining costs of $856/
oz. Capital costs to complete and restart the
mine are estimated at $82 million.
Santa Luz will continue as a conven-
tional truck-and-shovel, open-pit mining
operation, utilizing a mining contractor.
Processing throughput is planned at 2.7
million mt/y, or a nominal 7,400 mt/d.
Gold recoveries are estimated at 84%
from a blended feed of high-carbona-
ceous material, low-carbonaceous mate-
rial and dacite.
The original processing plant at Santa
Luz was based on carbon-in-leach (CIL)
technology, which did not operate well,
with low gold recovery rates from carbo-
naceous ores. Subsequent metallurgical
testing, including operation of a pilot-scale
plant, has demonstrated that a switch to
resin-in-leach (RIL) will be successful.
The updated plant will include crush-
ing and grinding, RIL, elution, and elec-
trowinning. The crushing section is part
of the original facility and requires only
minor improvements. The grinding sec-
tion will be upgraded to two mills oper-
ating in series, the original SAG mill and
a new ball mill. Most of the construction
capital is related to installation of the
RIL circuit, which primarily consists of a
pre-aeration tank, two conditioning tanks,
and five stirred RIL tanks in series.
As a benefit from the prior operation,
all of the major infrastructure require-
ments for the project are already in place,
including a 138-kV connection to the na-
tional grid. The two tailings facilities will
be modified: one facility will be expanded
with the installation of a geomembrane
liner to accept additional tailings from
the new operation, while the second facil-
ity will be modified to enable 2 million m3
of water storage.
The long-lead-time major equipment
required for the project has already been
purchased and is on site, including the
new ball mill, cyclones, leach tanks,
leach tank agitators, screens (inter-tank,
resin, and vibratory), electrowinning cells,
elution heaters and columns, lime bin,
and various pumps and samplers.
All necessary licenses and permits are
in place for construction and resumption
of Santa Luz operations, with only minor
adjustments needed with respect to the
updated plans for modifying the existing
tailings facilities.
In addition, Leagold Mining has re-
started the RDM mine in Brazil. The
decision follows an unscheduled shutdown
that began in early October due to region-
al drought conditions. As announced on
November 13, the water storage facilities
at the RDM mine had sufficient volumes
to support the restart of operations and
RDM commenced the recall of its work-
force. As of November 20, the RDM pro-
cessing facility was operating at its normal
7,000-metric-tons-per-year capacity.
RDM began production in 2014
and Leagold acquired it from Brio Gold
in May. Located in Minas Gerais state,
about 560 km north of Belo Horizonte,
it’s a conventional open-pit mine with a
carbon-in-leach plant. Average life-of-
mine production at RDM is estimated to
be approximately 98,000 ounces per year
of gold over a nine-year mine life.
Centaurus Divests El Conquista Iron OreCentaurus Metals has divested its Con-
quista Iron Ore Project in southeast Brazil
to privately owned Brazilian mining group,
continuing value realization process from
its Brazilian iron ore portfolio. The transac-
tion is consistent with the company’s cor-
porate focus on base metal exploration in
the world-class Carajás Mineral Province
of northern Brazil, the company said.
Under the terms of the agreement,
R3M will pay R$500,000 to Centaurus in
mid-December and has also granted the
company a 12% production royalty on all
future production from Conquista and a
number of surrounding exploration tene-
ments which are prospective for iron ore.
As part of this arrangement, Centaurus
will receive an upfront payment of R$1.5
million on the commencement of produc-
tion from Conquista as an advance of the
production royalty.
Centaurus Managing Director Darren
Gordon, said the company was pleased to
be able to crystallize value from the sale
of the Conquista Project to R3M, with
the privately owned group being ideally
placed to take the asset forward given the
ownership group is already operating in
the immediate region at the nearby Can-
donga DSO Project, which was acquired
from Centaurus in 2016.
“R3M understand the domestic iron
ore and pig iron markets and see the po-
tential to bring niche DSO assets into pro-
duction relatively quickly,” he said. “Im-
portantly for Centaurus, we will maintain
exposure to the success of the project and
its potential future cash flows via a strong
production royalty.
Horizonte Advancing Long-life Ferronickel Project in BrazilHorizonte Minerals has reported the re-
sults of a feasibility study of its wholly
owned Araguaia ferronickel (FeNi) proj-
ect in the southeast of the Brazilian state
of Pará, approximately 760 kilometers
(km) south of the state capital, Belém.
The project comprises an open-pit nick-
el laterite mining operation followed by a
metallurgical plant based on rotary kiln
electric furnace processing.
Mining would produce 27.5 million
metric tons (mt) of plant feed over a mine
life of 28 years. The plant would produce
52,000 mt per year (mt/y) of FeNi, con-
taining 14,500 mt/y of nickel, for sale to
the stainless-steel industry.
Capital costs to develop the project
are estimated at $443 million, including
$65.3 million for contingencies.
The processing plant and project in-
frastructure will be constructed over a
31-month period. After an initial ramp-up
period, the plant will reach full capacity
of approximately 900,000 mt/y of dry ore
feed. The FeNi product will be transport-
ed by road to the port of Vila do Conde for
shipping to overseas customers.
The feasibility study design allows for
future construction of a second rotary kiln
electric furnace line, with potential to
double Araguaia’s production capacity to
29,000 mt/y of contained nickel.
Horizonte has obtained the prelim-
inary environmental license and water
permit for full-scale operation at Araguaia
and is on track to obtain its construction
license in the first quarter of 2019.
The Araguaia project has two prin-
cipal mining centers, Araguaia Nickel
South and Araguaia Nickel North. Ara-
guaia Nickel South hosts seven deposits:
Pequizeiro, Baiao, Pequizeiro West, Ja-
cutinga, Vila Oito, Vila Oito East and Vila
(Continued on p. 38)
REGIONAL NEWS - AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA
24 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Developers Celebrate Pilgangoora Achievements at Official Opening
Pilbara Minerals recently celebrated a
major milestone with the official open-
ing of the Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum
project by Western Australia’s Minister for
Mines and Petroleum, the Hon. Bill John-
ston MLA. The opening ceremony, which
was held on site approximately 120 ki-
lometers (km) south of Port Hedland in
Western Australia, was also attended by
the federal minister for environment and
member for Durack, the Hon. Melissa
Price, member of parliament; Traditional
Owners, the Njamal people; project and
offtake partners; and employees.
The official opening comes a little
more than four years to the day since
Pilbara Minerals’ first drill hole, which
was followed by an intense program of
resource drilling, feasibility studies, ap-
provals, financing and construction of the
operation, with first shipment of product
recently achieved in October.
Stage 1 of the Pilgangoora project
comprises a 2-million-metric-ton-per-year
(mt/y) mining and processing operation to
deliver life-of-mine (LOM) production of
330,000 mt/y of 6% spodumene concen-
trate (lithium) and 300,000 Ib per year of
tantalite concentrate (tantalum).
During the construction phase, the
Pilgangoora project’s workforce peaked at
more than 800 people, with its current
operational workforce now approximately
200 people.
With first concentrates produced from
Stage 1 in June and the first product
shipment leaving Port Hedland on Octo-
ber 2, a second shipment was expected
to follow shortly thereafter. Both product
shipments exceeded customer specifi-
cation requirements, which was an out-
standing result considering the commis-
sioning and early ramp up phase of the
plant, the company said.
Given the Pilgangoora Project’s scale,
demonstrated product quality and ex-
pected low-cost of operations, the Pilbara
Minerals’ Board recently resolved to pro-
gress the Stage 2 expansion to 5 mil-
lion mt/y, which will grow spodumene
concentrate production to more than
800,000 mt/y.
Pilbara Minerals Managing Director
and CEO Ken Brinsden, said the official
opening provided an important oppor-
tunity to acknowledge the many people
who had contributed to Pilbara Minerals’
success.
“This is a very proud day for Pilbara
Minerals, and I would like to pay tribute
to everyone who has helped us through
our journey from explorer to producer,”
he said. “Every milestone achieved from
exploration through to production and
first shipment since we completed our
first drill hole back in November 2014
is a testament to our great people and
project partners.”
All of the Pilgangoora Project’s pro-
duction is underpinned by binding off-
take agreements with General Lithium,
Ganfeng Lithium, POSCO and Great Wall
Motor Co.
Rio Tinto to DevelopKoodaideri as Most Technologically AdvancedRio Tinto has approved a $2.6 billion in-
vestment in the Koodaideri iron ore mine
in Western Australia, which will allow it
to develop its most technologically ad-
vanced mine. Koodaideri will deliver a
new production hub for Rio Tinto’s world-
class iron ore business in the Pilbara, in-
corporating a processing plant and infra-
structure, including a 166-kilometer rail
line connecting the mine to the existing
network. Construction will start next year
with first production expected in late
2021. Once complete, the mine will have
an annual capacity of 43 million metric
tons (mt), underpinning production of the
Pilbara Blend, Rio Tinto’s flagship iron
ore product.
“Koodaideri is a game-changer for
Rio Tinto,” Rio Tinto Chief Executive J.S.
Jacques said. “It will be the most tech-
nologically advanced mine we have ever
built and sets a new benchmark for the
industry in terms of the adoption of au-
tomation and the use of data to enhance
safety and productivity.”
Employees, members of the Njamal people, along with other dignitaties celebrate the official start of the Pilgangoora project (left). Minister for Mines and Petroleum the Hon.
Bill Johnston helps open the mine alongside Pilbara Minerals Chairman Tony Kiernan. (Photo: Pilbara Minerals)
REGIONAL NEWS - AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 25www.e-mj.com
FEEDING
www.kpijci.com
Koodaideri Phase 1 will help sustain
Rio Tinto’s existing production capacity
by replacing depletion elsewhere in the
system. The project will increase the high-
er-value lump component of the Pilbara
Blend, subject to market conditions, from
the current average of about 35% to around
38%, the company said. It is expected to
deliver an internal rate of return of 20%
and capital intensity of around $60 per mt
of annual capacity, highly competitive for
a new mine considering the additional in-
frastructure of rail spur, airport, camp and
road access required. The operation has
been designed to utilize an increased level
of automation and digitization, helping to
deliver a safer and more productive mine,
which is expected to be Rio Tinto’s lowest
cost contributor to its industry benchmark
Pilbara Blend product. Through the use
of digital assets, advanced data analytics
and automation, the company expects to
significantly enhance the operation and
maintenance of this new mine.
Throughout the construction period,
Rio Tinto expects to employ more than
2,000 people with 600 permanent roles
created once the mine is operational.
TNG Awards FEED Contract for Mount Peake ProjectTNG Ltd. has awarded SMS Group with
a contract for a Front-End Engineering
and Design (FEED) study of TNG’s Mount
Peake vanadium-titanium-iron project in
Australia’s Northern Territory. The project
is based on open-pit mining of a deposit
that has estimated concentrator feed ma-
terial totaling an 81 million mt at an av-
erage grade of 0.37% V2O
5, 6.87% TiO
2,
and 26.38% Fe.
SMS Group is a German company,
headquartered in Düsseldorf.
The Mount Peake mine is located in
south-central Northern Territory about
1,250 km south of Darwin. Magnetite
concentrate produced at the mine will be
trucked about 100 km to a rail siding and
shipped north to a TIVAN downstream
processing plant 10 km from Darwin Port
for production of V2O
5, titanium pigment,
and Fe2O
3 end products.
TIVAN is a patented TNG process for
vanadium extraction that avoids com-
plex and capex-intensive chloride bal-
ancing and operates with a significantly
smaller acid-regeneration circuit. SMS’s
mandate includes all process plant and
equipment required for the Mount Peake
project, including the concentrator and
the TIVAN plant.
Additionally, SMS will provide TNG
with a proposal for a fixed-price Engi-
neering, Procurement, and Construction
(EPC) contract, which will include pro-
duction quantities, production rate and
product quality guarantees.
TNG’s Managing Director Paul Burton
said, “We are extremely pleased to have
achieved this outcome with SMS Group,
including a comprehensive mandate to
produce a fixed-price EPC proposal for
the development and construction of the
entire Mount Peake project. Having SMS
also assume technical and product guar-
antees under the resulting EPC arrange-
ment significantly de-risks the project
and marks one of the most significant
milestones its development history.”
The utilization of a single contractor
for both the concentrator and processing
plant is expected to provide further sup-
port for TNG’s strategy for sourcing proj-
ect debt financing from Australia’s Export
Credit Agency.
SMS has provided ongoing technical
and strategic support to TNG with many
aspects of the Mount Peake project, in-
cluding metallurgical test work, flowsheet
verification, financial modeling, and con-
tributions to an updated definitive feasi-
bility study published in November 2017.
The definitive feasibility study estimat-
ed life-of-mine Mount Peake end-product
production at 243,000 mt of V2O
5, 3.5
million mt of titanium pigment, and 10.6
million mt of Fe2O
3 over a mine life of 17
years. Those totals may be modified by
the current FEED study.
Under current planning, the TIVAN
plant will have initial design capacity to
treat 900,000 mt/y of magnetite concen-
trate. The updated Mount Peake definitive
feasibility study estimated preproduction
capital expenditure of A$853 million,
including all infrastructure, access/haul
roads, mining, rail works, camp, water
supply, concentrator, tailings dam, TIVAN
plant, and port handling costs.
The study also included a proposal
for a Stage Two project expansion to in-
crease maximum TIVAN plant through-
put to 1.8 million mt/y in production
year five. The capacity of the concentra-
tor and process plant would also double.
Stage 2 capex costs were estimated at
A$969 million and would be paid out of
operating revenue.
REGIONAL NEWS - AFRICA
26 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Newmont Declares Commercial Production at Subika Underground in Ghana
Newmont Mining has achieved com-
mercial production at the Subika Un-
derground project, adding higher-grade,
lower-cost gold production at the Ahafo
mine in Ghana, the company said. Sub-
ika Underground represents Newmont’s
third profitable expansion in 2018 and
its 10th completed project since 2013.
The project was delivered on schedule
and within budget for approximately
$186 million in development capital,
according to the company.
“In addition to increasing gold produc-
tion and lowering costs at Ahafo, Subika
Underground leverages the operation’s
existing infrastructure and experienced
workforce to further extend mine life,”
said Gary Goldberg, CEO, Newmont Min-
ing. “The mine provides an underground
platform to explore additional upside po-
tential in adjacent ore bodies and also
includes some of the latest fit-for-purpose
technologies to enhance safety, produc-
tivity and efficiency.”
Beginning in 2019, Subika Under-
ground will add average annual gold pro-
duction of between 150,000 ounces per
year (oz/y) and 200,000 oz/y for the first
five years and has an initial mine life of
around 10 years. Combined with comple-
tion of the Ahafo Mill Expansion project
expected in the second half of 2019,
Ahafo’s average annual all-in sustaining
costs (AISC) are projected to improve by
between $250/oz and $350/oz compared
to 2016. The project has projected rate of
return of more than 20%.
Newmont’s newest mine, Subika Un-
derground, features semiautonomous
loading operations, proximity detection
for vehicles, personnel tracking, and
planned installation of ventilation-on-de-
mand systems.
AngloGold Ashanti Signs Obuasi Mining ContractAngloGold Ashanti announced finalization
of a five-year underground mining contract
at the Obuasi redevelopment project with
Underground Mining Alliance Ltd. (UMA),
a joint venture between African Under-
ground Mining Services (AUMS) and Ac-
cra-based Rocksure International, a whol-
ly-owned Ghanaian mining contractor.
The agreement, valued at $375 mil-
lion over five years, will help develop
mechanized, underground mining ex-
pertise within Ghana’s local mining and
engineering sector. Rocksure, which has
a strong track record in open-pit mining,
will work closely with Australia’s AUMS,
which has significant experience in un-
derground mining. Rocksure will have a
30% stake in the joint venture and AUMS
the balance.
UMA will provide the full suite of
underground mining services at Obuasi,
with major capital equipment supplied by
AngloGold Ashanti. Work is expected to
start in the first quarter of 2019.
In encouraging the creation of the
joint venture, AngloGold Ashanti is
demonstrating its commitment to in-
creasing meaningful local participation
in the redevelopment of the Obuasi
orebody, which has 5.8 million ounces
(oz) of ore reserves and 34 million oz
in mineral resource, and will have an
initial mine life of roughly 20 years.
Around 550 people, predominantly Gha-
naians, will be employed and trained by
the contractors for the duration of the
contract term, allowing for knowledge
and skills transfer.
Obuasi, which has been primarily an
underground operation, was placed on
care and maintenance in 2016 pending
the commencement of the redevelopment
project. In June, the Parliament of Ghana
ratified the regulatory and fiscal agree-
ments that cover the redevelopment of
the Obuasi Gold mine and the Environ-
mental Protection Agency issued environ-
mental permits for the mine.
Rio Tinto Sells Rössing Stake to CNUCRio Tinto has entered into a binding
agreement with China National Uranium
Corp. Ltd. (CNUC) for the sale of its entire
68.62% stake in Rössing Uranium Ltd.,
owners of the Rössing mine in Namibia,
for up to $106.5 million. In 2017, the
Rössing mine moved 25.2 million metric
tons (mt) of rock to produce 2,110 mt of
uranium oxide. Operating since 1976, it
The underground fans at Subika will be programmed for ventilation-on-demand.
REGIONAL NEWS - AFRICA
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 27www.e-mj.com
SCALPING
www.kpijci.com
has produced more uranium oxide than
any other single mine.
The total consideration comprises
an initial cash payment of $6.5 million,
payable at completion, and a contingent
payment of up to $100 million following
completion. The contingent payment is
linked to uranium spot prices and Röss-
ing’s net income during the next seven
years. In addition, Rio Tinto will receive a
cash payment if CNUC sells the Zelda 20
Mineral Deposit during a restricted period
following completion. The total consid-
eration is subject to a maximum cap of
$106.5 million.
The transaction represents the cul-
mination of an extensive assessment of
strategic options considered by Rio Tinto
in relation to Rössing. The transaction is
subject to certain conditions precedent,
including merger approval from the Na-
mibian Competition Commission. Subject
to these conditions being met, the trans-
action is expected to complete in the first
half of 2019.
Orca Gold NearingConstruction StartOrca Gold has released the results of a
feasibility study of its 70% owned Block
14 gold project in northern Republic of
the Sudan that targets average production
of 228,000 ounces per year (oz/y) during
the first seven years of operation. Life-of-
mine production would average 167,000
oz/y across a mine life of 13 years.
Orca is anticipating government ap-
proval for project development in early
2019.
Plant throughput during the first seven
years of Block 14 operation is planned at
5.8 million metric tons per year (mt/y) at
a gold grade of 1.49 g/mt. Capital costs
are estimated at $328 million, including
$36 million in contingency and $185
million for life-of-mine sustaining capital.
The construction period is estimated at
27 months.
Cash costs of production are estimat-
ed at $689/oz during the first seven years
of operation and $707/oz life of mine.
All-in sustaining costs are estimated at
$789/oz during the first seven years and
$783/oz life of mine.
The mine will be a conventional truck-
and-shovel open-pit operation feeding a
mineral processing circuit incorporat-
ing primary crushing, SAG and ball mill
grinding, carbon-in-pulp leaching, strip-
ping and electrowinning. Preproduction
development work will enable the train-
ing of the mining crews and will produce
an estimated 900,000 mt of stripped
waste and 350,000 mt of ore, which will
be stockpiled.
Mining will be completed in eight
years at an average mining rate of 22 mil-
lion mt/y. A low-grade stockpile averaging
0.71 g/mt gold will be created, enabling
processing of higher-grade ore for the first
seven years. The stockpiled ore will be
treated over the last 6.6 years.
The Block 14 feasibility study was
completed by Lycopodium Minerals. The
30% minority interest in the project is
held by a local company, Meyas Nub.
Feasibility Studies Advance 2 Iamgold ProjectsIamgold has reported results from feasi-
bility studies of its joint-venture Côté gold
project in Ontario, Canada, and its Boto
gold project in eastern Senegal.
The Côté feasibility study describes
a project having a mine life of 16 years,
with mill throughput of 36,000 met-
ric tons per day (mt/d). Gold production
would average 367,000 ounces per year
(oz/y) over the life of the mine, including
428,000 oz/y during years one through
12. Mill feed grade would average 0.98
grams/mt gold.
Iamgold plans to make an investment
decision on the project in early 2019.
The Boto feasibility study describes a
project having a mine life of 12.8 years,
with mill throughput of about 7,500
mt/d. Gold production would average
140,000 oz/y over the mine life, includ-
ing 160,000 oz/y for the first six years of
operation. Mill feed grade would average
1.71 g/mt gold.
Iamgold produced 882,000 oz of
gold in 2017 and 654,000 oz during
the nine months ended September 30.
The production derived from the com-
pany’s Essakane mine in Burkina Faso,
Rosebel mine in Suriname, Westwood
mine in Canada, and participation in the
joint venture Sadiola and Yatela mines in
Mali. Sadiola and Yatela are operated by
joint-venture partner AngloGold Ashanti.
The Boto gold project feasibility study
outlines an economically robust project
and is being used to support an applica-
tion for a mining concession in the fourth
(Continued on p. 38)
REGIONAL NEWS - ASIA
28 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Polymetal Begins Building Nezhda Gold Mine in Russia
Polymetal International has started con-
struction at its Nezhda gold project in
northeast Yakutia, Russia. The life-of-
mine plan includes 19 years of conven-
tional open-pit mining from 2019 through
2037 and 17 years of underground min-
ing from 2029 through 2045.
Average annual production is planned
at 180,000 ounces (oz) during the first
three full years of operation and 155,000
oz during the first 15 years. First produc-
tion is planned for the fourth quarter of
2021, with full ramp-up by the second
quarter of 2022.
The Nezhda project is located ap-
proximately 480 kilometers (km) east of
the city of Yakutsk. It is accessed by an
all-season unpaved road, but has no grid
connection. The climate is characterized
by long severe winters and short hot sum-
mers. The relief is moderately mountain-
ous, with relative altitudes above valley
floors not exceeding 600 meters (m).
Processing will be through a con ven-
tional 1.8-million-metric-tons-per-year
(mt/y) flotation concentrator that will
include a gravity concentration circuit.
Combined recovery to concentrate of
85% is supported by extensive external
and in-house metallurgical testing. Grav-
ity gold concentrate will be processed at
Polymetal’s Amursk pressure oxidation fa-
cility, while flotation concentrates will be
sold to third parties.
Preproduction capital expenditures
are estimated at $234 million, includ-
ing capitalized pre-stripping costs. Total
cash costs of production for the open
pit are estimated in the range of $620
to $670/oz, and all-in sustaining cash
costs are estimated in the range of $700
to $750/oz.
The Nezhda deposits includes recov-
erable silver. Reserves and resources
are reported in gold equivalent ounc-
es. Proved and probable ore reserves
currently stand at 38 million mt at an
average grade of 3.6 g/mt gold equiva-
lent, containing 4.4 million gold equiva-
lent oz. Open-pit reserves total 3.1 mil-
lion oz and currently account for 70%
of total reserves.
The Nezhda mine plan calls for five
open pits to be mined over 19 years by
The Nezhda mine (above) is expected to produce 180,000 oz/y during the first three years.
REGIONAL NEWS - ASIA
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 29www.e-mj.com
FINISHING
www.kpijci.com
conventional drill-and-blast, truck-and-
shovel methods, with a subsequent grad-
ual switch to underground mining, which
will last for 17 years. Total expected mine
life currently stands at 27 years, which
can potentially be increased by another
10 years, following additional exploration
to improve confidence in the remaining
mineral resources.
Open-pit mining volumes are current-
ly planned at 2.2 million mt/y of ore at
an average stripping ratio of 9:1 waste
to ore. The underground mine will util-
ize long-hole stoping with partially con-
solidated backfill, a method currently
used to good effect by Polymetal at its
Albazino mine.
The Nezhda concentrator will have
throughput capacity of 1.8 million mt/y.
The flowsheet includes crushing, two-
stage grinding, and gravity and flotation
concentration. Flotation concentrates will
be thickened, filtered, dried and bagged
for off-site processing. Tails will be thick-
ened, filtered and dry stacked in a fully
lined tailings storage facility.
“Nezhda is a long-life, high-grade as-
set with robust economics,” Polymetal
CEO Vitaly Nesis said. “The project is
capital light and will rely heavily on our
successful experience at our Kyzyl mine
in Kazakhstan. Nezhda will contribute to
dividends per share beginning in 2022.”
Polymetal is a public company listed
on the London Stock Exchange. Its pro-
duction in the six months to June 30 to-
taled 619,000 gold equivalent oz from
mines in Russia, Kazakhstan and Arme-
nia. Full-year 2018 production is forecast
at 1.5 million oz.
Eldorado Converting Kı ladağ From Heap Leach to MillingFollowing completion of a feasibility
study into the viability of operating a mill-
ing facility at its Kı ladağ gold mine in
western Turkey, Eldorado Gold has elect-
ed to proceed with construction of the
project. The mine until now has produced
gold via heap leaching; however, the com-
pany stopped stacking ore on the leach
pad in April. Production since then has
been from the remaining inventory on the
pad. Production for 2018 is forecast to
be in the range of 160,000 ounces (oz)
to 170,000 oz of gold.
The new mill is planned to produce
270,000 oz/y over a project life of nine
years. Processing will be based on a con-
ventional carbon-in-pulp circuit. Through-
put capacity is planned at 13 million met-
ric ton per year (mt/y), processing feed
grading 0.81 grams/mt at a recovery rate
averaging 80.1%.
Preproduction capital costs for the
mill project are budgeted at $520 mil-
lion. All-in sustaining costs of production
are forecast at $793/oz. The project is
expected to begin commissioning in late
2020, with first production expected in
the first half of 2021.
Eldorado discovered the Kı ladağ de-
posit in the late 1990s during a regional
grassroots exploration program. The proj-
ect produced its first doré in May 2006
and reached commercial production in
July of that year.
Lydian Given Access to Amulsar to Winterize EquipmentLydian International Ltd. has secured
short-term access to its 100% owned
Amulsar Gold project to undertake win-
terization and preservation work on pro-
cess and mobile equipment. This work,
according to the company, will reduce
damage to equipment and help ensure an
efficient restart of construction, mining,
and commissioning activities once per-
manent access has been established.
“Illegal blockades have prevented
Lydian from accessing the site to per-
form work since late-June 2018,” João
Carrêlo, president and CEO of Lydian,
said. “While we continue to work with all
levels of government to achieve a perma-
nent resolution to the current situation,
we are also evaluating a range of financ-
ing, strategic and legal alternatives avail-
able to the company. In the meantime, it
is important to be able to winterize and
preserve assets at this time. This is a
positive step as we work to re-establish
permanent access.”
Since late June, illegal blockades
have been in place at Amulsar that con-
tinue to prevent the company and its
contractors from entering the site and
resuming construction work. While de-
livery of certain supplies, spares, and
equipment continued during the third
quarter of 2018, no physical construc-
tion occurred. Lydian is engaging and
will continue to engage with local and
national government officials to seek en-
forcement of the law in order to have the
illegal blockades removed.
REGIONAL NEWS - EXPLORATION ROUNDUP
30 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Exploration Generating Positive Results at 2 Endeavour ProjectsEndeavour Mining has reported very posi-
tive results from major exploration drilling
programs near its Houndé mine in Burki-
na Faso and at its Fetekro exploration
property in north-central Côte d’Ivoire.
At Houndé, Endeavour has drilled
203,900 meters (m) over the past 18
months on the large Kari gold-in-soil
anomaly west of the mine. A maiden re-
source estimate for the Kari Pump depos-
it has increased Houndé’s measured and
indicated resources by 40%, while add-
ing high-grade material.
Since May, drilling on the Kari proj-
ect has focused mainly on the Kari Pump
discovery, with more than 71,000 m
drilled to extend and in-fill its mineral-
ization. In addition, more than 20,000 m
have been drilled on the Kari Center and
Kari West discoveries.
The Kari Pump indicated resource
currently totals 11.3 million metric tons
(mt), grading 2.71 grams/mt gold, for
987,000 ounces (oz) of contained gold.
The grade is higher than that of the re-
source at the Houndé mine, which stands
at 2.05 g/mt. The deposit is located 7 km
west of the Houndé processing plant.
Endeavour is planning to start anoth-
er aggressive 200,000-m drill program
focused on extending the mineralization
at Kari Pump and delineating a maiden
resource for both the Kari Center and Kari
West deposits, in addition to testing other
nearby targets.
The Kari Pump maiden resource covers
an area 1.3 km long by 0.8 km wide and
remains open to the east, north, north-
west and southwest. As the mineralization
starts at surface, it is amenable to open-pit
mining. In addition, approximately 45%
of the indicated resource is located within
the oxide and transition zones, compared
to most of the Houndé indicated resource,
which is located in fresh zones.
Elsewhere, at Endeavour’s Fetekro
property in north-central Côte d’Ivoire,
the company has launched a 45,000-m
drilling program that will continue into
2019. The company began exploration
on the property in March 2017 and since
then has drilled 32,000 m, mainly fo-
cused on the highly prospective Lafigué
target. An infill drilling program has been
initiated at Lafigué with the aim of test-
ing the extension and continuity of the
mineralization and converting the current
inferred resources to indicated.
An additional 14 nearby targets have
also been identified based on a recently
completed gold-in-soil geochemical cam-
paign, structural mapping and ground/
airborne geophysics.
Estimated resources at Fetekro cur-
rently stand at 6.8 million mt indicated
grading 2.25 g/mt gold and containing
494,000 oz, and 3 million mt inferred
grading 2.25 g/mt gold and containing
225,000 oz. Current planning calls for
publication of an updated resource esti-
mate in late 2019.
(www.endeavourmining.com)
Exploration BriefsIamgold is continuing exploration drilling
along the Saramacca-Brokolonko trend
25 km southwest of its Rosebel gold mine
in Suriname. Exploration at the Saramac-
ca deposit has supported a declaration of
proven and probable reserves comprising
26.5 million metric tons (mt), grading
1.8 grams/mt gold for 1.54 million ounc-
es (oz) of contained gold. Current explo-
ration is targeting selected areas along
the Saramacca-Brokolonko trend with the
objective of discovering additional zones
of mineralization.
Mineralization representing a potential
new zone has been intersected by wide-
spaced drilling approximately 400 m
northwest along strike of the Saramacca
deposit, extending for at least 1,200 m of
strike length to the northwest onto the ad-
jacent Sarafina-Moeroekreek concession.
Exploration drilling will continue to eval-
uate the resource potential of this zone.
(www.iamgold.com)
Monarques Gold has reported assay re-
sults from 2018 diamond drilling at its
wholly owned Croinor gold project 50
km east of Val-d’Or, Québec. The initial
20,000-m program started in March and
focused on expansion and infilling of the
Croinor gold deposit. The program was
completed in early September, with a
total of 19,935 m of core drilled in 89
holes. Drilling continued with one rig on
the property and a second rig was added
in September to drill an additional 8,300
m before the winter freeze.
“We continue to be impressed by
the high-grade results at Croinor, which
prompted us to drill an additional 8,300
m,” Monarques President and CEO Jean-
Marc Lacoste said. “The success of our
2018 drilling program also shows that we
have a better understanding of the deposit.
The supplementary 8,300-m drilling pro-
gram is designed to pass between planned
stopes, where there are no drill results, to
increase the tonnage in the Croinor deposit
before mining starts, and to drill around
the periphery of the deposit to follow up
on positive assay results to extend the re-
source to the west, where it is still open.”
(www.monarquesgold.com)
Rockcliff Metals is proceeding with a first-
phase drill program at its high-grade Lagu-
na gold property in Snow Lake, Manitoba.
Kinross Gold has the right to earn a 70%
interest in the Laguna and Lucky Jack
properties by contributing a minimum of
C$5.5 million to exploration expenditures
over six years. Kinross is committed in the
first and second year to aggregate mini-
mum expenditures totaling C$1.25 mil-
lion. Rockcliff is acting as the operator.
The Laguna property hosts the past-pro-
ducing Rex-Laguna mine. The 2,500-m
drill program is the first drilling on the
property in more than 70 years. Rockcliff’s
initial reconnaissance exploration program
in 2016-2017 identified seven histori-
cal surface high-grade, gold-rich quartz
zones, with multiple areas of visible gold
and surface grab sample assays from trace
to more than 600 g/mt gold. Follow-up
geophysical programs including airborne
magnetics and surface IP surveys covering
the 6.0-km-long Laguna gold mine trend
identified significant potential extensions
of the known surface gold-rich zones along
strike below a thin veneer of cover.
(rockcliffmetals.com)
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32 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
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NEWS - THIS MONTH IN COAL
34 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
New Hope Acquires Controlling Interest in Bengalla JV
New Hope has reached a binding com-
mitment with Taipower with respect to the
Bengalla Joint Venture (JV). Taipower will
purchase a further 10% interest in the
Bengalla JV by participating in the sale by
Wesfarmers Ltd. of its 40% interest to New
Hope. Mitsui has waived its preemptive
right with respect to the Wesfarmers trans-
action. Once the Wesfarmers acquisition is
complete, New Hope will hold a 70% inter-
est in the joint venture with Taipower and
Mitsui holding interests of 20% and 10%,
respectively. The Wesfarmers transaction is
expected to complete in early December.
Located 4 kilometers (km) southwest of
Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley region of
New South Wales, the Bengalla mine is an
open-cut mine that uses a dragline, trucks
and shovels to supply 8 million metric tons
(mt) of thermal coal annually.
New Hope has also reached a binding
commitment with Mitsui to purchase its
10% interest in Bengalla for A$215 mil-
lion. The economic effective date for this
transaction will be consistent with the
Wesfarmers sale.
New Hope’s final interest in the Ben-
galla JV will be dependent on the actions
of Taipower during the preemptive rights
process for the Mitsui transaction. Fol-
lowing completion of the Mitsui transac-
tion — anticipated to occur in the first
quarter of 2019 — New Hope will own up
to an 80% interest in the Bengalla JV.
“Acquiring a controlling interest in
Bengalla demonstrates New Hope’s long-
term positive outlook for the global export
thermal coal market and our commitment
to the Bengalla mine and its employees,”
said Shane Stephan, New Hope manag-
ing director.
To fund the acquisitions of both Wes-
farmers’ and Mitsui’s interests in Bengalla,
New Hope has entered into a A$600 mil-
lion syndicated corporate debt facility and
a A$300 million facility for performance
bonds, letters of credit and other like con-
tingent instruments.
Queensland Approves EIS for China Stone Coal ProjectMacMines Austasia Pty Ltd. has received
approval from Queensland’s coordinator
general for the China Stone Coal project,
a major step for the development of an-
other huge Australian coal project. Mac-
Mines Austasia is a subsidiary of the Mei-
jin Energy Group, a privately held Chinese
energy company. Meijin is also China’s
top metallurgical coke producer and has
interests in coal mining, steel production
and clean energy production.
The conditional approval of China
Stone’s Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) is a milestone in the project’s path,
the company said. At peak production, the
proposed open cut and underground oper-
ations located in the Galilee Basin would
produce 38 million metric tons per year
(mt/y) with a mine life of 50 years. Sit-
uated just north of Adani’s proposed Car-
michael coal project, it would be the fifth
coal mine in the Galilee Basin to reach this
stage. MacMines has applied for mining
leases to enable the project to proceed and
this next step will take time to complete.
The China Stone project would include
the development of mine infrastructure
areas, a coal handling and preparation
plant (CHPP), a tailings storage facility
(TSF), a rail loop and train-loading facili-
ties, a coal-fired power station and power
station waste storage facility, a private
airstrip, and an accommodation village.
“There are significant local, regional
and state benefits to be derived from the
China Stone coal project, and that en-
vironmental impacts can be acceptably
managed, minimized or offset, through
the implementation of the measures and
proponent commitments outlined in the
EIS,” said Barry Broe, Queensland’s coor-
dinator general.
Critical to the development of the Chi-
na Stone Coal project is the completion
of a railway that links the northern Galilee
Basin to the Abbot Point coal terminal.
This is the key enabling infrastructure for
the project and MacMines said it is con-
sidering options to deliver this outcome.
One the major conditions in his report
requires continual, progressive rehabili-
tation during the life of the project. “As
part of my assessment of the EIS, I have
set conditions in this evaluation report
to avoid, manage and mitigate impacts
on the environment and local communi-
ties,” Broe said. “I consider there to be
significant environmental, economic and
social benefits to be realized by returning
the land to a useful state after mining,
including for grazing and as habitat for
the endangered black-throated finch and
other significant fauna species.”
This report can be found here at www.
statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/resources/cg/
eis-china-stone-coal-project-unsigned.pdf.
The Bengalla mine is an open-cut mine that uses a dragline, trucks and shovels to supply 8 million mt/y of thermal coal.
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and we provide essential technologies and
services to protect workers while making
mining more efficient and cost effective.
Our personal proximity detection sys-
tems are just one example of how we are
revolutionizing safety on mine sites. We fit
each worker with a tag that works with our
system to monitor his or her movements
through the mine, alerting them to potential
hazards such and moving machinery, unsta-
ble environments and even respirable dust.
This information is also sent to provide even
more protection to operators and personnel.
We understand that people are mining’s
most valuable resource and no amount of pro-
duction or deadline is worth risking a worker’s
safety. We are proud of our commitment to
driving the industry towards zero harm.
Smart Solutions and The Internet of Things (IIoT)Smart Solutions is designed to help mining
sites track machine usage, predict when
to schedule preventative maintenance and
improve overall efficiency while reducing
costs. With that in mind, we’ve embraced
the Internet of Things (IIoT) to help maxi-
mize our potential.
We are using the IIoT to grow our Smart
Solutions offerings by allowing us to pro-
cess more data at a higher rate so we can
continuously monitor equipment and mine
sites. This ability to access real-time data
and analytics results in reduced downtime
and improved overall performance and effi-
ciency for customers.
Personalized SolutionsWe engage with customers at their work site
so that we can thoroughly understand their
needs and develop new products, technol-
ogies and services that make mining safer
and more efficient.
Our ideas are inspired by the needs at
each site have become part of our integrat-
ed approach to research, development and
design; resulting in groundbreaking advance-
ments for the mining industry, including fully
automated haulage solutions, and advanced
fleet monitoring and management systems.
We believe our success is dependent on
our customers’ success. We see our custom-
ers’ needs firsthand and help them go beyond
what is necessary, to what is possible.
Global Corporate ResponsibilityWe invest financial and employee volun-
teer resources in nonprofits and non-gov-
ernment organizations, partnering with
our communities and prioritizing pro-
grams that address immediate needs
while building a foundation for the future.
We sponsor and support charitable
efforts in countries across the globe, such
as: feeding the hungry, beautifying parks,
hosting STEM events, participating in youth
outreach events and partnering with Habitat
for Humanity.
Learn MoreTo learn more, visit www.mining.komatsu.
Komatsu, Joy, Montabert and P&H are trademarks of Komatsu Mining Corp. © 2017 Komatsu Mining Corp. or one of its affiliates.
The Komatsu Group has brought together four of the most respected innovators in the
mining industry under one powerful new banner: Komatsu Mining Corp. In total, the
P&H, Joy, Montabert and Komatsu brands have more than four centuries of experience
partnering directly with mines around the world to make them safer and more productive.
We’re proud of our rich past and together
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where we’ve always been headed: forward.
Built for the future of mining.
NEWS - CONTINUED
38 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
NEWS - CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JANUARY 27-30, 2019: 45th Annual Conference on Explosives and Blast-ing Techniques, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Contact: Web: www.isee.org.
FEBRUARY 24-27, 2019: SME Annual Conference & Expo, Denver, Colorado, USA. Contact: Web: www.smeannualconference.com.
MARCH 3-6, 2019: Prospectors & Developers Association of Cana-da’s annual conference, Metro Convention Center, Toronto, Canada. Contact: Web: www.pdac.ca.
MARCH 10-13, 2019: Haulage & Loading, Hilton El Conquistador Resort, Tucson, Arizona, USA. Contact: Web: www.haulageandloading.com.
APRIL 23-25, 2019: MiningWorld Russia, Crocus Expo, Moscow, Russia. Contact: Web: www.miningworld.ru.
APRIL 8-14, 2019: bauma, Messe Muenchen, Munich, Germany. Contact: Web: www.bauma.de.
APRIL 28-MAY 1, 2019: Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM 2019), Montreal, Canada. Contact: Web: www.cim.org.
MAY 7-9, 2019: Arminera, Centro Costa Salguero, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Contact: Web: www.arminera.com.ar.
MAY 18-25, 2019: ALTA 2019, 24th Annual Metallurgical Conference, Perth, Australia. Contact: Web: www.altamet.com.au.
MAY 20-22, 2019: Longwall USA, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Contact: Web: www.longwallusa.com.
MAY 27-30, 2019: Exponor Chile 2018, Antofagasta, Chile. Contact: Web: www.exponor.cl.
AUGUST 27-29, 2019: AIMEX, Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney, Australia. Contact: Web: www.aimex.au.
SEPTEMBER 16-20, 2019: Perumin, Centro de Convenciones Cerro Juli, Arequipa, Peru. Contact: Web: perumin.com/perumin34/.
SEPTEMBER 9-12, 2019: Exposibram, the Brazilian Mining Expo & Congress, Expominas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Contact: Web: www.portaldamineracao.com.br/exposibram.
OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 2, 2019: China Coal & Mining Expo, New China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, China. Contact: Web: www.chinaminingcoal.com.
Oito West. Araguaia Nickel North hosts
the Vale do Sonhos deposit.
The deposits will be mined by conven-
tional open-pit truck-and-shovel techniques
using contractors. No blasting will be nec-
essary. Reverse circulation grade-control
drilling will be completed at a 10-m x
10-m spacing well ahead of mining. This
combined with the use of visual control of
the limonite and transition boundary, face
sampling, stockpile sampling, and ore feed
sampling, supports a comprehensive mine-
to-mill strategy that is designed to maintain
consistent feed to the process plant.
The annual mining rate peaks at 3.5
million mt/y between production years
two and seven before dropping down to 3
million mt/y for the remainder of the proj-
ect life. The mine supplies high nickel
grades in the early mine life, reaching 2%
in production year two. The nickel grade
is above 1.8% for the majority of the first
10 years of production and reduces to av-
erage approximately 1.6% nickel for the
remaining mine life.
Waste will be stored in external dumps
near the pits. Ore will be transported to
stockpile hubs near each deposit. Depend-
ing on plant demand, ore will be hauled
from hub stockpiles or directly from the
pits to run-of-mine stockpiles at the plant.
(Regional News-Latin America - from p. 23)
quarter of 2018, with approval expected
in the first half of 2019.
Boto’s proven and probable reserves
total 1.93 million oz. Initial capital ex-
penditures to develop the project are esti-
mated at $254 million. Life-of-mine
cash costs are estimated at $714/oz,
and all-in sustaining costs are estimated
at $753/oz.
Proven and probable reserves total
1.93 million oz.
The feasibility study confirmed the
preferred development approach to be
a conventional truck-and-shovel, open-
pit mining operation, with a mineral
processing circuit incorporating pri-
mary crushing, grinding, and cyanide
leaching, followed by gold recovery
using carbon-in-pulp, stripping and
electrowinning.
The Boto project team is continuing
to optimize aspects of project design and
complete an infrastructure condemnation
drilling program. The exploration team
has worked to consolidate additional ex-
ploration concessions near the project
and is conducting ongoing exploration
to expand resources in proximity to the
resource pits and identify and evaluate
high-priority exploration targets for addi-
tional mineral resources.
(Regional News-Africa - from p. 27)
Premier’s 40% owned South Arturo prop-
erty in the Carlin Trend, and approximate-
ly 10 kilometers northwest from Barrick
Gold’s Goldstrike operations.
Premier will have the option to acquire
a 100% interest in the project by making
$500,000 payments to Ely Gold over a
five-year period and Ely Gold will retain a
2% net smelter royalty.
Premier is currently participating in
the construction of two new mining op-
erations at its South Arturo joint venture
that are located within 3 kilometers of
Rodeo Creek. Production at South Arturo
is anticipated to ramp-up in 2019 and
the partnership is drilling multiple tar-
gets in an effort to increase reserves and
resources.
“This acquisition is consistent with Pre-
mier’s strategy of growing land positions in
the heart of prolific gold districts,” stated
Ewan Downie, president and CEO. “The Ro-
deo Creek property has seen little exploration
compared to the rest of the Carlin Trend and
we are excited to get to work on this project.”
(News-Leading Developments - from p. 8)
40 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
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CHINA MINING 2018
42 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
During the 20th China Mining conference,
it quickly became apparent that major
changes are taking place. The theme of
the conference, which was held at the
Meijiang Convention Center in Tianjin
during mid-October, was “New Pattern
of Opening, New Model for Cooperation.”
Being the fourth largest city in China and
the 11th largest in the world, Tianjin was
an ideal backdrop for this discussion with
its modern amenities and infrastructure.
Similar to Toronto or Frankfurt, it’s also a
major banking center.
China is well aware of its status as the
largest consumer and, in some cases, the
largest producer of raw materials. It leads
the world in gold production. The country
consumes most of the nonferrous base
metals and iron ore. It mines and burns
three or four times as much coal as the
No. 2 consumer. China’s influence on rare
earth metals is well-documented.
Chinese President Xi Ping has redirect-
ed diplomatic strategy toward internation-
al cooperation with the Belt and Road Ini-
tiative (B&RI). An action plan to promote
B&RI has been developed that promotes
an opening up and cooperation for the re-
sources sector, strengthening policy and
information sharing. Rule changes related
to foreign investment have removed entry
restrictions. Basically, through the B&RI,
China is open for business, and it and its
neighbors will benefit from the policy.
China initiated serious reforms related
to mineral resources in 2017. It canceled
lots of administrative approval items, re-
vised the regulations for geological data,
and abolished regulations related to the
qualifications for mineral exploration. As
far as resource management, the Ministry
of Natural Resources was established in
March 2018, further streamlining regula-
tions by combining several agencies. The
new ministry now manages state-owned
natural resource assets, monitors ecosys-
tems and improves environmental man-
agement. In April 2018, the government
began adjusting the supply and demand
with a notice related to coal and steel.
Large productive operations were encour-
aged to continue, while inefficient capac-
ity was idled. This move pushed seaborne
coal prices higher and it had a moderat-
ing effect on iron ore prices.
At the same time, under the direction
of Mr. Xi, China has embarked on a path
to restore and rehabilitate mines at home
and develop new green mines. The green
development idea begins with using ad-
vanced technology for exploration. Indus-
try standards have been established for
the construction of green mines that cover
six areas: environment, resource develop-
ment methods, comprehensive utilization,
energy and emission reductions, techno-
logical innovation, and enterprise manage-
ment. The plan is to improve the mining
industry’s image and secure the economic
benefits associated with these operations.
A host of mining executives and gov-
ernment administrators gave presenta-
tions and what follows is a summary. The
Chinese include oil and gas along with
mining when they address mineral re-
sources. Also, the term ecological is used
frequently where most developers in the
West simply say environmental. Most of
the program was delivered in Chinese and
E&MJ should be forgiven for what may
have been lost in translation.
Ministerial ChangesMr. Xi promised a “beautiful China” with
clean air and blue skies during the 19th
Party Congress last year and protecting the
environment has become a priority for Bei-
jing. China established two ministries, the
Ministry of Natural Resources and the Min-
istry of Ecological Environment, to oversee
the protection of its natural resources, and
ecology and environment. The move brings
together regulatory responsibilities that
were scattered across many agencies.
A rising political star, Lu Hao, was ap-
pointed to run the new Ministry of Natu-
ral Resources and he kicked off the China
Mining 2018
conference. “For
this conference,
we take up the
theme of ‘Open-
ing New Model
for Coopera-
tion,’” Hao said.
“We will further
open the mining
sector to estab-
lish the new pat-
China’s Miners Promote New Era of Openness and CooperationMajor reforms within the mining sector and the government will foster green mines
at home and greater investment abroad
By Steve Fiscor, Editor
Lu Hao leads China’s Ministry
of Natural Resources.
Zijin Chairman Chen Jinghe delivers a presentation on the history and future development of the Chinese mining
industry during the keynote session.
CHINA MINING 2018
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 43www.e-mj.com
tern of mining cooperation. This year marks
the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and
opening up, and it’s the 40th anniversary
of China’s mining industry’s ever-expand-
ing foreign exchange and development.
Back in the 1980s … international coop-
eration of exploration and development be-
gan with offshore oil and it was carried out
by introducing foreign capital and actively
exploiting mineral resources. Today, we not
only meet the demands for rapid domestic
industrialization, but export mineral prod-
ucts to earn foreign exchange, laying the
foundation for industrial modernization.”
The development of China is intertwined
and integrated with world development,
Hao explained. He believes the world econ-
omy is at the forefront of a recovery. “For
the first time, more developing countries are
faced with resource development growth,”
Hao said. China has also been developing
very fast. In 2017, the investment in ex-
ploration in new resources was 78.2 billion
RMB ($11.3 billion). “In the future, the
door of China’s reforms will only open wid-
er and wider,” Hao said. “We will continue
to promote investment, modernization and
trade liberalization in the mining sector, and
promote a new pattern of mining develop-
ment. At the same time, we will implement
the reform measures related to the environ-
ment and resource optimization.”
At the time, he said, China by No-
vember 1 would reduce or eliminate
tariffs on 1,585 items, covering a wide
range of nonmetallic rare earth and other
minerals. “In addition to reducing tariff
barriers, we will also have a higher level
of openness to trade and services related
to mining,” Hao said. These statements
were made six weeks prior to the arrest of
Huawei’s CFO in Vancouver.
“We should improve communications,
share our experiences, and provide a bet-
ter environmental policy toward mining,”
Hao said. “We should support a modern
trade system to maintain market stability
and reduce risks for both sides. We call
on other governments and the mining in-
dustry to focus on fairness so that others
can benefit from sustainability and green
development. We have a bright future and
the Ministry of Natural Resources will
work with the mining industry to build a
shared community for mankind.”
China’s Mineral Resources (2017)Precious Metals (metric tons) ................. Other Metals (thousands of tons) ............
Gold.......................................... 13,196 Cobalt............................................ 688
Silver ...................................... 316,000 Lithium Oxide.............................. 9,674
Platinum group metals.................... 365 Molybdenum.............................. 30,068
........................................................... Tungsten (WO3).......................... 10,304
Base Metals (millions of metric tons) ......
Bauxite ....................................... 5,089 Bulk Commodities (billions of metric tons)
Copper .......................................... 106 Coal............................................ 1,667
Lead ............................................... 90 Iron ore........................................... 85
Nickel ....................................... 11,181 Phosphate Rock............................... 25
Tin.............................................. 4,500 Manganese........................................ 2
Zinc.............................................. 185 Potash ............................................... 1
Source: Ministry of Natural Resources, People’s Republic of China
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CHINA MINING 2018
44 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
International CooperationZijin Mining Group is a leading Chinese
mining company, especially when it comes
to partnering with mining projects around
the world. The company is mainly engaged
in the exploration and mining of gold, cop-
per, zinc and other metals. In 2017, it was
ranked third among the world’s publicly
held gold miners. Listed in Hong Kong and
Shanghai, Zijin has developed an exten-
sive portfolio of mines and smelters in 24
provinces across China and in nine foreign
countries. The company also holds exten-
sive reserves and it has been among the
most profitable in the industry for years.
Zijin’s Chairman Chen Jinghe delivered
a presentation on the history and future de-
velopment of the Chinese mining industry
during the keynote session. “With China’s
reform and opening up policy and the rapid
development of Chinese economy, Zijin has
achieved significant progress in the past,”
Jinghe said. “However, internationalization
will be the challenge that Zijin will face in
the coming days. And the real meaning of
success will be to play an important role
in global mining markets and enhance the
global competitiveness of its operations.”
He explained that many small- and me-
dium-sized mines have been shut down in
the last two years because of the previously
mentioned supply-side reforms and envi-
ronmental protection issues, resulting in
a supply shortage and soaring marketing
prices for some products, but it also gave
mining companies a chance to catch their
breath. “For now, as the pace of growth for
the world economy slows and the economic
restructuring process accelerates, the level
of resilience, sustainability and the relative-
ly high growth speed of the Chinese econo-
my is still foreseeable,” Jinghe said.
The revival of the U.S. and other
developed economies, and the rise of
emerging economies including India are
propelling the global market, Jinghe ex-
plained. Meanwhile, the average grade
for global mines continues to decrease
as capital expenses and unit metal costs
climb, while the metal prices drift lower.
“The trend of economic globalization is
irreversible,” Jinghe said. “As China is fur-
ther reforming and opening up, more trans-
national enterprises with global compet-
itiveness will emerge at this crucial point.
Those ambitious Chinese companies should
take opportunities to make this happen.”
Echoing those sentiments, Jiao Jian,
vice general manager for China Minmet-
als Corp., discussed how the new open
model for cooperation relates to B&RI
and its influence on the mining business.
“Looking at the global picture, there are
fluctuations everywhere,” Jian said. “The
dollar has gained strength. Market in-
stability is high. But, as far as mid- and
long-term development prospects for the
mining industry, we are still confident.”
He said his confidence was based on
three areas:
• China has unsustainable needs and it
will incent the development of the glob-
al mining industry;
• More than 20 countries have industri-
alization rates that are too low. As peo-
ple seek a better life, the demand for
metals will only increase; and
• Similar to China, other countries, possi-
bly India or Brazil, will emerge with sim-
ilar demands for natural resources.
“The B&RI has now become a reality
bringing economic development to China
and neighboring countries,” Jian said.
“It will improve the demand for minerals
resources for infrastructure, ports, trans-
portation, energy transmission, etc. Neigh-
boring B&RI countries have great potential
for mineral exploration and mining devel-
opment.” He specifically noted uranium,
iron ore, as well as rare earth minerals.
“Globally, the opportunity for mining ex-
ploration and major discoveries are shrink-
ing. In fact, some countries have already
given up, but the B&RI countries boast a
large potential,” Jian said. “The investment
in the mining sector will create more job
opportunities for local communities. The
B&RI will become an important historical
opportunity for metal mining development.”
“China Minmetals has been working
with B&RI countries and it also has great
experience with international coopera-
tion,” Jian said. “We will continue to work
together with colleagues to continuously
grow with B&RI.”
Born from the strategic recombination
of the former China Minmetals and the
MCC Group, China Minmetals is China’s
biggest and most international metal ore
mining company. It is the world’s largest
metallurgical engineering service provid-
er. Headquartered in Beijing, it operates
branches, resource projects, and con-
tracted engineering projects in more than
60 countries and regions.
China Minmetals possesses a unique,
competitive edge. It was the first multina-
tional metal miner to establish a presence
in the full industrial chain from resource
acquisition, investigation, design, con-
struction, operation to logistics, and min-
eral processing.
With a rich reserve of metal mineral
resources, it owns high-quality mines at
home and in Australia, South America,
Africa and other parts of Asia. It has one
of the world’s biggest reserves of copper,
zinc and nickel, and the world’s largest re-
serves of tungsten, antimony and bismuth.
The discussion on New Pattern of Open-
ing, New Model for Cooperation conclud-
ed with a presentation from Li Chaochun,
chairman, China Molybdenum Co. (CMOC).
“CMOC is more than just molybdenum,”
Chaochun said. “We also have uranium and
As inefficient capacity was idled, China’s iron ore production declined. In 2017, China invested 19.8 billion RMB ($2.9 billion) in mineral exploration.
Source: Ministry of Natural Resources Source: Ministry of Natural Resources
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CHINA MINING 2018
46 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
were the leading producer of tungsten.” The
company also owns the Northparkes cooper
and gold mine in Australia and a large stake
in the Tenke Fugurume copper mine in the
DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo),
making it a rising star in the copper world.
CMOC also bought Anglo American’s niobi-
um and phosphate business in Brazil, mak-
ing it the largest phosphate producer in a
country with a lot of agriculture.
“In the future, we are confident that
the cooperation between China and inter-
national community and the integration
of East and West will become a major
theme for the mining sector,” Chaochun
said. “We love and work in this sector
and we are absolutely confident in future
prospects for the industry.”
“The Northparkes operation in Austra-
lia is one of the most sophisticated under-
ground copper and gold mines,” Chaochun
said. “It was the first block cave in Austra-
lia and it uses high technology to remotely
mine with eight pieces of equipment.”
Tracing its roots to Luoyang Molybde-
num and the original Silk Road, Chao-
chun explained how the company expanded
through acquisitions to the point where it
now operates on
four continents.
“Luoyang Molyb-
denum has grad-
ually become a
truly global min-
ing company,”
Chaochun said.
“Today, 70% of
CMOC’s reve-
nues come from
overseas. We are
standing tall in the international arena.”
He encouraged everyone involved in min-
ing at all levels to embrace change and the
new policies of openness and cooperation.
The Leading Gold ProducerShandong Gold Group (SD-Gold) is the No.
1 gold producer in China and the theme of
Chairman Chen Yumin’s presentation was
Shandong Gold, Ecological Mining. He fo-
cused on the strategic layout of SD-Gold
during the 13th Five-Year Plan and the
effects of internationalization and ecologi-
cal mining construction, and affirmed the
group’s business performance and devel-
opment trends in recent years.
SD-Gold was established in 1996 and
in 2015 converted into a state-owned cap-
ital investment company under the Shan-
dong Provincial Government. As such,
it takes the lead in China’s gold industry
in terms of gold output, resource reserve,
economic benefits, scientific and tech-
nological level, and talent advantage. At
present, SD-Gold has four mines ranked
among the top 10 gold mines in China and
“Shandong Gold, Ecological Mining” is the
company’s mantra and slogan.
“Global mining has entered the era
of green development,” Yumin said. “We
must adhere to ecological mining prac-
tices and the harmonious coexistence of
human and nature. Not only can mining
enterprises create great wealth and boost
employment, but they can also turn the
vision of ‘lucid waters and lush moun-
tains as invaluable assets’ into reality, to
win the wide understanding and recogni-
tion of the public while realizing the sub-
stantial increase of economic benefits.”
Yumin stressed that, as global mining
enters the digital age, it is necessary to
speed up the transformation of old and
new growth drivers of traditional mining,
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Li Chaochun, chairman, China
Molybdenum Co.
CHINA MINING 2018
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 47www.e-mj.com
carry out extensive research, and embrace
intelligent mining technology. “As the
global mining enters this era of win-win
cooperation, it is imperative to be open,
inclusive and sharing, jointly promote the
sustained prosperity and development of
the global mining, comprehensively deep-
en international cooperation in the field
of mining industry, strengthen exchanges
and communication in various aspects
such as scientific and technological inno-
vation and management experience, so as
to promote steady and sustainable devel-
opment of the global mining,” Yumin said.
As of the end of 2017, according to
stats from the China Gold Association, SD-
Gold’s output was nearly 44 mt of gold,
ranking 12th among global companies with
total assets exceeding 100 billion yaun
($14.5 billion). During the first half of
2018, SD-Group’s gold output was nearly
23.5 mt, or 19% higher year-on-year.
The Shandong Zhaojin Mining Group
is an emerging Chinese gold producer.
Liu Yongsheng, general manager, Zhaojin
Mining, opened his presentation with a dis-
cussion of the fluctuating gold prices. “We
have put policies in place for reform,” Yong- Zijin has developed an extensive portfolio of mines and smelters in 24 provinces across China and in nine foreign countries.
CHINA MINING 2018
48 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
sheng said. “We are looking at new technol-
ogies for gold exploration and mining, and
we are focusing on green mines. It makes
sense as we have long history working in
green mountains near clean water.” With
mine construction projects, Yongsheng said
he looks for high-quality contractors that
share the same green development vision.
Zhaojin Mining is ranked fourth among
China’s leading gold producers and its
one of China’s largest gold smelting com-
panies. It is a comprehensive large-scale
enterprise, which integrates exploration,
mining, mineral processing and smelting.
Located in Zhaoyuan City, Shandong
Province, Zhaojin Mining works in a region
that has abundant resources and a unique
geological location. The area has a long
history of gold exploration and produc-
tion. According to the stats provided by
the China Gold Association, Zhaoyuan has
a large gold production base and some of
the greatest gold reserves in the PRC.
In recent years, Zhaojin Mining has
focused on gold mining, adhered to tech-
nology leadership and management inno-
vation, and kept strengthening the compa-
ny’s technological and cost advantages in
the gold production field. As a result, it has
increased its gold reserves, gold production
and corporate efficiency year after year.
Yongsheng said the company is con-
sidering a non-polluting smelting pro-
cess. “We want to improve production
efficiency and at the same time improve
recycling rates,” he said.
In the past, he explained, they were
mostly concerned with production effi-
ciencies. “In the future, we would like to
use technology to develop and remediate
mines,” Yongsheng said.
He briefly discussed partnering and
globalization, noting that mining compa-
nies in the western world have a superi-
or understanding of markets. “The other
panelists gave us some good examples on
partnering with which we could learn,”
Yongsheng said.
Yongsheng made it clear that Zhaojin
Mining was seeking a joint development
effort, which caught the attention of the
final speaker, Woo Chan Lee, president,
Barrick Gold China.
“We are simply proud to be associat-
ed with these large Chinese gold compa-
nies,” Lee said. Barrick was the only west-
ern gold company invited to participate in
the China Mining 2018 gold session.
Lee discussed two topics. He informed
the Chinese about the Barrick-Randgold
merger and then talked about Barrick’s
strategy for China and its partnerships
with Chinese companies.
“This merger decision was not a deci-
sion that was made suddenly,” Lee said.
“Barrick Chairman John Thornton and
Randgold CEO Mark Bristow first met in
2015 and found they had similar views on
how gold companies should run. In fact,
Bristow said he modeled Randgold after
the young Barrick of the 1980s.”
The merger, which was announced in
September, will create a gold company that
produces 6.5 million oz/y or more than 200
mt/y with a market capitalization when it
was announced of more than $18 billion.
“The merged company will have the world’s
best gold assets, which includes five of the
world’s top 10 Tier 1 assets and two more
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CHINA MINING 2018
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 49www.e-mj.com
potential Tier 1 assets under development,”
Lee said. “No other company in the world
has more than one Tier 1 asset.”
Lee explained that Barrick’s partnership
culture extends outwardly and internally,
which means partnerships in local commu-
nities and other companies, such as Zijin
and Shandong Gold in China. “Internally,
everyone within the company owns stock
and top executives cannot liquidate their
shares until they retire,” Lee said. “We re-
ally own the company and we are building a
leading gold company for the 21st century.”
The new Barrick will have even more
opportunities to partner with China and
China’s leading companies, Lee explained.
Barrick is alone among major western gold
companies that have made China one of the
pillars in its future strategies. “Why?” Lee
asked. “We believe fundamentally that no
company in any industry in the 21st century
can be a leading enterprise without a close
relationship of trust with China; China is
not only the leading gold producer, but the
largest gold consumer. Chinese companies
have global ambitions and are demonstrat-
ing an increasing ability to operate success-
fully abroad. Our experience has shown
Chinese partners share a long-term busi-
ness orientation. Chinese partners give us
the best insight to the best and most-com-
petitive Chinese suppliers and sources of
capital that do not exist elsewhere. Partner-
ing with China can help reduce risk in other
parts of the world where we operate.
In 2015, Barrick partnered with Zijin
at the Porgera gold mine in PNG.
Last year the company developed a
50:50 partnership with SD-Gold at the
Veladero gold mine in Chile. “On the day
the Randgold merger was announced,
both companies, Barrick and SD-Gold
said they would buy $300 million in
shares of each other’s companies,” Lee
said. We also have a very close relation-
ship with China National Gold.” Looking
toward the future, Lee said he wants to
get to know Zhaojin Mining, China’s
fourth largest gold producer.
The World’s 10 Largest Gold
Producing Countries (2017)Country ..................................Unit: mt
01 China.................................426.14
02 Australia.............................289.00
03 Russia................................272.00
04 America .............................244.00
05 Canada...............................171.00
06 Peru...................................167.00
07 South Africa .......................157.00
08 Ghana ................................130.00
09 Mexico ...............................122.00
10 Indonesia ...........................114.00
China’s 10 Largest Gold
Producing Provinces (2017)Province.................................Unit: mt
01 Shandong...........................177.59
02 Henan..................................85.53
03 Jiangxi .................................39.68
04 Hunan..................................36.74
05 Yunnan ................................26.97
06 Inner Mongolia......................21.89
07 Gansu ..................................20.52
08 Xinjiang................................16.47
09 Fujian ..................................14.78
10 Anhui...................................14.02
Source: China National Gold Corp.
50 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Eriez and Eriez Flotation Division offer best-in-class magnetic
and flotation separation, material handling and metal detec-
tion systems to concentrate ores, recover coarse or ultra fine
particles, remove tramp metals, and convey or feed heavy
material. Eriez Mining equipment includes: Coarse and fine
particle flotation columns, Wet Drum Separators that provide
continuous recovery of magnetite or ferrosilicon in heavy media
operations and/or concentration of ferrous and weakly magnetic
ores, Suspended Electromagnets to remove damaging tramp
metals from conveyed material, Metal Detectors built to handle
harsh environments that can detect tramp and non-magnetic
metals as small as ½”, Heavy Duty Feeders for low-horsepower,
high-capacity mechanical feeding of bulk materials in volumes
up to 2250 tph. In addition, customers can count on Eriez’
Five-Star Service for a 24/7 service hotline, original OEM parts,
on-site field service, equipment remanufacturing and full “as
new” warranties. For more information, visit www.eriez.com.
2200 Asbury Road
Erie, PA 16506 USA
Telephone: (814) 835-6000
Fax: (814) 838-4960
fluidized-
scale units
that is
article
previously
data obtained using this pilot
The objectives o
) to provide a
from a previously
• Increase mill throughput by as much as 15-20%• Reduce energy & media consumption• Produce a coarse tailing stream
Coarse Particle Recovery
Changes Everything!
EFD’s HydroFloat™ Separator radically improves the traditional sulfide processing circuit through Coarse Particle Flotation. Unlike conventional flotation, the HydroFloat Separator recovers particles as large as 800 microns with as little as 1% mineral surface expression. By rejecting the balance as “coarse” tailings, much of the recirculating load is eliminated, thus greatly increasing mill capacity… with NO loss in mineral recovery!
Coarse Particle Recovery using EFD’s HydroFloat Separator can:
Particles approximately 850 microns
Overflow Coarse Mineral
Air
Underflow Coarse Tails
Rejects only those particles that have no hydrophobic
surface expression
For more details download these White Papers at www.EriezFlotation.com
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EXPOSED GRAIN SURFACE AREA IN COARSE PARTICLE
FLOTATION OF LOW-GRADE COPPER ORE WITH THE HYDROFLOAT TECHNOLOGY
Jan D. Miller, C.L. Lin and Yan Wang
Department of Metallurgical Engineering, College of Mines and Earth Sciences
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
Phone: 801-581-5160 Email: [email protected]
Michael J. Mankosa and Jaisen N. Kohmuench
Eriez Flotation Division, 2200 Asbury Road, Erie, PA 16506 USA
Phone: (814) 835-6000 Email: [email protected]
Gerald H. Luttrell
Mining & Minerals Engineering, 100 Holden Hall
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
Phone: (540) 230-7112 Email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Conventional flotation machines are typically limited to a particle topsize of 150-200 microns due to
inherent constraints created by the pulp and froth phases. To overcome these limitations, a novel
bed flotation system called the HydroFloat Separator has been developed specifically for the purpose of
floating coarse particles containing only minute amounts of exposed hydrophobic minerals. Over the last
decade, this technology has been successfully applied to industrial minerals with several full-
installed to recover particles up to and exceeding 3 mm diameter. More recently, sulphide-based test work
has shown that this novel device is also capable of recovering metalliferous values at a grind size
much coarser than currently used in industrial concentrators. In the current study, X-ray microtomography
(Figure 1) was used to experimentally quantify the degree of hydrophobic surface exposure necessary to
recover particles of different sizes using the HydroFloat technology. The data indicate that both p
mass and surface area of exposed grains are critical factors in coarse particle flotation from a low grade
copper ore. Excellent recovery for multiphase particles as large as 850 microns was achieved provided
there was sufficient surface exposure of locked sulfide grains. This article provides detailed 3D analysis of
flotation products using X-ray microtomography, which defines the extent of surface area exposure
necessary for recovery of each size class fed to the HydroFloat Separator. Fundamental issues of bubble
attachment are also discussed as well as process strategies for improved plant operations.
Figure 1 Ð Analysis of locked particles by X-ray computed tomography.
KEYWORDS
Coarse Particle Flotation, X-Ray Computed Tomography, Liberation/Exposure, HydroFloat Separator
OARSE PARTICLE
GRADE COPPER ORE WITH THE HYDROFLOAT TECHNOLOGY
College of Mines and Earth Sciences
Conventional flotation machines are typically limited to a particle topsize of 150-200 microns due to
inherent constraints created by the pulp and froth phases. To overcome these limitations, a novel
specifically for the purpose of
only minute amounts of exposed hydrophobic minerals. Over the last
this technology has been successfully applied to industrial minerals with several full
installed to recover particles up to and exceeding 3 mm diameter. More recently, sulphide-based test work
values at a grind size
. In the current study, X-ray microtomography
was used to experimentally quantify the degree of hydrophobic surface exposure necessary to
ta indicate that both p
mass and surface area of exposed grains are critical factors in coarse particle flotation from a low grade
850 microns was achieved provided
This article provides detailed 3D analysis of
the extent of surface area exposure
. Fundamental issues of bubble
discussed as well as process strategies for improved plant operations.
RECOVERY OF VALUES FROM A PORPHORY COPPER TAILINGS STREAM
Michael J. Mankosa, Jaisen N. Kohmuench, Lance ChristodoulouEriez Flotation Division, 2200 Asbury Road, Erie, PA 16506 USAPhone: (814) 835-6000 Email: [email protected]
Jaisen Hilsen and Gerald H. Luttrell Mining & Minerals Engineering, 100 Holden Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USAPhone: (540) 230-7112 Email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The efficiency of the froth flotation process has long been known to be strongly dependent on particle size. For sulfide minerals, good recoveries are typically achieved in industrial flotation circuits for particles inthe 10 to 200 micron size range. Particles outside this critical size are typically lost in the tailings streams rejected by industrial operations due to inherent constraints associated with the physical interactions that occur in the pulp and froth phases of conventional flotation equipment. In response to these limitations, a series of experimental studies were conducted to determine whether particles lost as tailings could be economically recovered using a suite of novel flotation technologies developed for the upgrading of ultracoarse and ultrafine particles in the industrial minerals industry. For the case of ultracoarse particles, a fluidized-bed flotation system called the HydroFloat separator was tested. The novel flotation device in both laboratory and -scale trials showed that good recoveries of previously lost sulfide values up to 0.7 mm in diameter could be achieved. A sample photograph of coarse middling particles recovered by this technology is shown in Figure 1.Similarly, for ultrafine particles, a new high-intensity flotation system known as the StackCell was tested. This technology, which utilizes high-shear high-energy contacting of slurry and gas, was capable of recovering valuable ultrafine sulfide slimes that were previously lost as waste due to low capture efficiencies. f this article are (i) to describe the unique operating principles of these two advanced flotation technologies and associated ancillary classification equipment, (ii) to present experimental test data showing the metallurgical benefits of this approach for upgrading coarse and fine sulfide minerals, and (iii generic cost-benefit analysis of the proposed system for upgrading tailing streams historically rejected by sulfide mineral concentrators.
Figure 1 Ð Photograph of coarse middling particles recovered as froth concentrate discarded tailing stream using the HydroFloat technology.
KEYWORDS
Coarse Particle Flotation, Fine Particle Flotation, HydroFloat, StackCell
ABSTRACT
froth flotation process has long been known to be strongly dependent on particle size. For sulfide minerals, good recoveries are typically achieved in industrial flotation circuits for particles inthe 10 to 200 micron size range. Particles outside this critical size are typically lost in the tailings streams rejected by industrial operations due to inherent constraints associated with the physical interactions that occur in the pulp and froth phases of conventional flotation equipment. In response to these limitations, a series of experimental studies were conducted to determine whether particles previously lost as tailings could be economically recovered using a suite of novel flotation technologies developed for the upgrading particles in the industrial minerals industry. For the case of ultracoarse particles, bed flotation system called the HydroFloat separator was tested. The data obtained using this laboratory and pilot-scale trials showed that good recoveries of previously lost sulfide values up to 0.7 mm in diameter could be achieved. A sample photograph of coarse middling particles recovered by this technology is shown in Figure 1.Similarly, for ultrafine particlSimilarly, for ultrafine particlSimilarly, f es, a new high-intensity flotation system known as the StackCell was tested. This technology, which utilizes high-shear energy contacting of slurry and gas, was capable of recovering valuable ultrafine sulfide slimes that due to low capture efficiencies. The objectives of this article are (i) to operating principles of these two advanced flotation technologies and associated , (ii) to present experimental test data showing the metallurgical benefits for upgrading coarse and fine sulfide minerals, and (iii) to provide a generic cost-benefit analysis of the proposed system for upgrading tailing streams historically rejected by sulfide mineral
Photograph of coarse middling particles recovered as froth concentrate from a previously discarded tailing stream using the HydroFloat technology.
KEYWORDS
Coarse Particle Flotation, Fine Particle Flotation, HydroFloat, StackCell
SPLIT-FEED CIRCUIT DESIGN FOR PRIMARY SULFIDE RECOVERY
Michael J. Mankosa and Jaisen N. Kohmuench
Eriez Flotation Division, 2200 Asbury Road, Erie, PA 16506 USA
Phone: (814) 835-6000 Email: [email protected] H. Luttrell
Mining & Minerals Engineering, 100 Holden Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
Phone: (540) 230-7112 Email: [email protected] A. Herbst
Mining Engineering, 365A Mineral Resources Building
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
Phone: (304) 293-7680 Email: [email protected]
A new generation of advanced flotation technologies has recently been developed and commercially
deployed during in the industrial minerals industry. One such technology is the HydroFloat separator. This
unique fluidized-bed flotation system has dramatically increased the upper particle size limit that can be
successfully treated by froth flotation. Recent studies conducted using laboratory, bench-scale and pilot-
scale equipment indicate that this technology can also be used to float coarse sulfide middlings that cannot
be recovered by conventional flotation machines. Data collected from pilot-scale tests conducted at a base
metal concentrator indicate that this technology can float composite middlings as large as 700 microns
containing as little as 5% hydrophobic mineral. As such, the crossover of this technology into the base
metals industry has the potential to offer many advantages for recovery, selectivity and capacity through
the use of split-feed circuitry. The split-feed concept, which is often used for upgrading industrial minerals,
involves segregation of the feed into more than one size class followed by separate upgrading of each class
using separators/reagents specifically optimized for that particular size class. An example of a split-feed
flowsheet for sulfide flotation that includes coarse and fine processing circuits is provided in Figure 1. In
this case, a coarser grind size and correspondingly higher mill throughput can be accommodated via the
use of the coarse particle flotation equipment. The objectives of this article are (i) to introduce the key
features of the split-feed circuitry incorporating the HydroFloat technology, (ii) to present experimental test
data showing the metallurgical benefits of this processing scheme, and (iii) to provide simulations of the
split-feed circuitry illustrating the increased milling capacity that may be attained by this approach.
Figure 1 Ð Flowsheet for a split-feed sulfide flotation circuit.KEYWORDS
Circuit Design, Circuit Simulation , Split-Feed Flotation, Coarse Particle Flotation
CircuitFeed
PrimaryGrinding
PrimaryClassifiers
ColumnCleaner
SecondaryClassifiers
ConventionalRougher
Regrind Mill
RegrindClassifiers
Tails
ConventionalScavenger
FinalConcentrate
HydroFloat
Split-FeedSulfide Flotation
HydroFloat Separator
1.604.952.2300
Recovers virtually all particles which exhibit greater than 1% hydrophobic surface expression
FLOTATION
52 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
In 1903, E&MJ received a letter from
a Londoner requesting “attention” for a
flotation method that separated oxide of
iron from copper sulphide, “giving a high-
grade copper concentrate, salable to cop-
per smelters.”
At the time, flotation, as a discipline,
was in its infancy. The solution, being tri-
aled at a couple of mines in the United
Kingdom, represented a much-needed
first and a “great success.” It piped oil
into a watery ore slurry and agitated the
mix. After that, “the oil with its charge
of mineral is separated from the water
and waste rock by running the whole into
a large pointed box, from the bottom of
which the rock and water flow, while the
oil and mineral float on the top and over-
flow for subsequent treatment.”
Word got around and the Elmore
method took off. By late 1916, it was in
use by just under a dozen sizeable copper
mines around the world, a big chunk of
the total in existence back then. It was an
example of the speed at which a flotation
innovation that meets the pressing needs
of the day can go from prototype testing
to market acceptance.
Today’s innovations and improvements
follow a similar trajectory. What has
changed is how “in recent times, ore is
becoming more complex,” according to
flotation expert Virginia Lawson. “It is not
as simple as it used to be.”
Growing challenges only intensify
the race for viable solutions and ensure
the demand for those with a successful
track record. Reports from some of the
more prominent innovators in the space
provide examples.
Certainty Over ProbabilityWith the 30th anniversary of the first de-
ployment of a Jameson Cell imminent,
research and development for the fifth
generation of the solution is under way,
said Lawson, technology manager, Glen-
core Technology.
“Every 10 years or so, you are look-
ing for some changes to address anything
that you’ve learned over the previous 10
years,” she said. “So we are just stepping
into the Mark V and looking for areas that
would improve the performance of the
cells for end users.”
The current and previous generations
featured incremental improvements target-
ing increased capacity, reduced complexi-
ty and extended wear life. “Flotation is a
pretty abrasive environment,” Lawson said.
“You are dealing with fine silicate particles,
often very abrasive, so we’ve been working
with different materials of construction to
improve the wear life. And now, we rou-
tinely see an excess of five years between
replacement of key wear parts.”
With customers dotting the globe and
with the solution deployed to a sizeable
sample of the full range of conditions and
grades found in the sector, feedback from
the field will guide any design changes,
Lawson said. “We are always looking for
ways to improve the cell and make it more
operator-friendly,” she said. “And right now,
we are seeking feedback from operations on
improving the designs for future cells.”
The solution is described as a high-in-
tensity froth flotation cell typically used
Defeating the DeleteriousWhether at the head of a circuit or scavenging tailings, today’s flotation innovations
address challenges presented by declining grades, rising costs and aging plants
By Jesse Morton, Technical Writer
Above, a two-unit Elmore Oil Concentrator, circa 1903.
(E&MJ, February 1903) The Jameson Cell deployed to MMG’s Dugald River zinc mine. (Photo: Glencore Technology)
FLOTATION
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 53www.e-mj.com
HydroFloats Running at Cadia
By Jaisen Kohmuench, Eric Wasmund, Eriez Flotation Division; and Brigitte Seaman, Luke Vollert, Newcrest Mining
In the December 2017 issue of E&MJ, Eriez reported on the eco-
nomic benefits and preliminary metallurgical results of coarse
particle flotation using the patented HydroFloat separator.1 The
major benefits include the ability to increase grind size, resulting
in less grinding energy per ton of processed ore. A result of this
is that the concentrator tailing stream is coarser, making it easier
to de-water and more useful as a building material. The out-
come is improved global recovery while reducing energy costs or
increasing concentrator throughput while maintaining the same
recovery prior to the increase in grind size.
A number of pilot campaigns and engineering studies have
considered the benefits of adding a coarse particle flotation mod-
ule using HydroFloat technology in either the mill circuit or to
scavenge tails. A comparison study based on ore from Capstone’s
Cozamin mine quantitatively showed the benefits of using a
HydroFloat on mill ore versus tails scavenging.2 While there is
greater benefit to placing the HydroFloat in the mill flowsheet,
this approach is more challenging for an existing installation. For
a brownfield installation, coarse particle flotation technology can
be used to re-process the concentrator tailing stream, allowing
for the capture of coarse values that were not recovered from the
primary flotation circuit. A benefit of this approach is that it can
be un-coupled and operated independently from the rest of the
plant. Rio Tinto Kennecott ran a HydroFloat-based pilot plant at
the tailing facility for their Copperton concentrator. They report-
ed an additional recovery of 70% copper and 90% molybdenum
of the coarse fraction was achieved by simply scavenging their
tailings stream before final impoundment.3
Newcrest in Australia — a pioneer in coarse particle flota-
tion — reported the benefits of this technology, as presented
by Brigitte Seaman and Luke Vollert in their paper presented in
Vancouver at World Gold 2017.4 In their manuscript, Newcrest
showed that high recoveries of gold were realized for multiple test
campaigns — including those conducted at a lab-scale — in ad-
dition to pilot work conducted on and off site. This work showed
gold recoveries ranging between 80% and 95% were achieved for
particles nominally 600 x 150 micron. This abundance of test-
ing has helped to de-risk the technology for sulfides. In fact, as
reported last December, Newcrest is building a plant for treating
tails from their Cadia concentrator in New South Wales, Australia.
Cadia’s Coarse Ore Flotation plant for treating tailings was re-
cently commissioned and is now being optimized, as announced
in their recent investor day presentation. This module is based
on two major proprietary unit operations developed and sold by
Eriez: CrossFlow and HydroFloat. The Eriez CrossFlow is a fluid-
ized-bed classifier used to coarsen feed for the second unit op-
eration. The HydroFloat Separator uses an aerated, dense-phase
fluidized bed to float liberated and semi-liberated particles at a
much coarser size than that which can be achieved using con-
ventional flotation. An explanation of how the HydroFloat works
can be found below.1, 2 The installation consists of two modules,
each made up of two CrossFlows and one HydroFloat. A photo of
a similar installation is shown as Figure 1.
A good illustration, which explains Newcrest’s value propo-
sition, reproduced from Newcrest’s Investor Day Briefing Book,
is included.5 The accompanying chart shows two global recovery
curves, includ-
ing one when
coarse ore flo-
tation is used
and one when
it is not. The
x-axes repre-
sent the energy
consumpt i on
required to
achieve a given
gold recovery
and the 80 %
passing size
(P80
) of the ore
produced by the
primary mill.
These results
illustrate quan-
titatively the
expected ben-
efit of coarse
particle flota-
tion in allowing
a coarser grind
size (less grind-
ing energy and installed capacity) for the same recovery. Be-
sides the benefits of lower grinding requirements, other benefits
include the production of coarser tails, which are suitable for
building impoundment walls or other structures.
Newcrest’s forward-thinking mindset and transformative vision
made this innovative application possible, through collaboration
with engineers and vendors and quick adoption of technology.
A number of other important mining companies are at dif-
ferent stages of evaluating and implementing the HydroFloat
technology for improving plant economics and reducing the
environmental footprint of their operations. Anticipated bene-
fits include reduced energy demand, better water recovery, im-
proved overall recovery and coarser tails.
References1. Walker, S., “Squeezing the stone, Improving recovery,” En-
gineering and Mining Journal, December 2017, pp 44-51
2. Wasmund E., “It’s all in the flotation,” Mining Mirror, Sep-
tember 2017, pp 18-22
3. Eriez/Rio Tinto Press release, 2017, available at www.eriez-
flotation.com/news/2017/20/
4. Seaman, B.A. and Vollert, L., “Recovery of Coarse Liberat-
ed Gold Particles Using Pneumatically Assisted Fluidized
Bed Flotation,” Proceedings of World Gold Conference,
Vancouver, 2017.
5. Newcrest Mining Ltd., 2018 Newcrest Investor Day Mar-
ket Release, electronically published October 25, 2018,
and Investor Day Briefing Book published by the Newcrest
Investor Relations Department, October 2018, www.new-
crest.com.au, pp. 30, 37,55, 56 58, 60,61,64.
Figure 1—This installation consists of two modules, each
made up of two CrossFlows and one HydroFloat.
FLOTATION
54 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
as part of the cleaning circuit in a con-
centrator plant.
It creates a high-pressure jet of mixed
air and slurry, which shoots through a pipe,
called the downcomer, that penetrates
and empties into the flotation column.
The downcomer is where particle and
bubble contact first occurs. “The plung-
ing jet of liquid shears and then entrains
air, which has been naturally aspirated,”
Glencore Technology personnel reported
in a white paper. “Due to high mixing ve-
locity and a large interfacial area, there is
rapid contact and collection of particles.”
In the tank, secondary bubble-particle
contact occurs. “The velocity of the mix-
er and large density differential between
it and the remainder of pulp in the tank
results in recirculating fluid patterns,
keeping particles in suspension without
the need for mechanical agitation,” the
company reported.
The bubbles gather on the surface of
the column, and the resulting froth is re-
moved by froth drainage or froth washing.
The key technology in the system is
the downcomer, which features no moving
parts and is based on simple physics to
optimize efficiency and cost effectiveness,
Lawson said. “You create a hydraulic field
and the slurry is drawn up into the down-
comer because there is a pressure differ-
ence as that plunging jet goes through that
orifice,” she said. “It naturally draws air
from the atmosphere, so you don’t actual-
ly have to use compressors, or any energy
associated with compressing air.”
The original seed idea for the downcomer
is attributed to a laureate professor, Graeme
Jameson of the University of Newcastle.
In search of a means to optimize flotation
performance of a lead/zinc concentrator, he
was commissioned by Mount Isa Mines, in
Queensland, Australia, to develop the idea,
which he patented in 1986 on behalf of
Newcastle Innovation Ltd. That year, the
resulting pilot cell was tested. Three years
later, two full-scale cells were installed in
the lead-zinc concentrator at the mine. Two
more were built that year for a similar con-
centrator at nearby Hilton mine.
From there, the technology gained in
popularity and demand, seeing relative
widespread adoption in Australia first
before going global. In the roughly three
decades that followed, the cells were ad-
opted and deployed to plants processing
precious and base metal ores, coal, in-
dustrial metal ores and oil sands.
In 2013, Jameson was named New
South Wales Scientist of the year. That
year, Jameson Cells at Australian sites were
credited with recovering some $30 billion
in export coal. In 2015, the solution won
the Prime Minister’s Award for Innovation
for its role in the Australian economy.
Such accolades and figures point to
the value the cells add to a circuit and
plant, Lawson said. The solution is reput-
edly excellent at fine particle recovery, is
known for the small bubble size generat-
ed without mechanical agitation, and is
pitched as being easy to use and main-
tain. Those qualities are of immense val-
ue to any plant, she said.
For example, for a copper miner, the
downcomer ensures the entirety of the
feed jibes with bubbles in the contact
zone. “Other devices rely on probability,”
Lawson said. “We are now 100% certain
that a particle has an opportunity to at-
tach to a bubble.”
A copper miner, therefore, would enjoy a
higher probability of bubble-particle attach-
ment in a single stage, she said. “You’ve
got the ability to soft wash, which will im-
prove your concentrate grade, and because
the Jameson Cell has such small bubbles,
it has a much greater ability to recover tons
of concentrate,” Lawson said. “In the same
footprint, you are able to recover signifi-
cantly more tons of concentrate, making it
a more efficient use of capital.”
For a molybdenum miner, the down-
comer doesn’t allow the target particles
to behave the way they normally would in
a conventional cell. “Moly flakes tend to
be long and skinny and very flat,” Law-
son said. “Particles of that shape have a
habit of just following streamlines in the
water. The beauty of the Jameson Cell is
it doesn’t allow a Moly particle to behave
according to its shape.”
For a gold miner, the downcomer en-
sures rapid particle-bubble attachment,
which prevents the deposition of calcium
on the surface of the gold. “You need to
recover it as quickly as possible by using
a Jameson Cell at the head of the circuit,”
Lawson said. “Those gold particles are re-
covered fresh out of grinding or regrinding
before they have an opportunity to have
the calcium deposit on their surface.”
Headlines reveal the technology is
currently seeing sustained demand. In
the last few years, even amid the bust and
aftermath of the super cycle, a handful of
majors and juniors adopted the solution
as a part of brownfield projects.
Telson Mining Corp. announced in
the third quarter of 2018 it will test zinc
flotation using Jameson Cell technology,
hoping to increase zinc recoveries and
zinc concentrate grade at the Campo
Morado mine, in Guerrero, Mexico.
In August 2017, Mount Isa Mines reported there were 350 Jameson Cells installed in 28 countries. Above, the
solution at a base metal mine. (Photo: Glencore Technology)
FLOTATION
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 55www.e-mj.com
In July 2017, Glencore Technology
reported it sold two Jameson Cells to
Toronto’s First Quantum Mineral’s Cobre
Panama mine in Panama. At the time,
the company reported that cells were also
being installed at McArthur River mine,
located roughly 600 miles from Darwin
in Australia’s Northern Territory, on a
zinc-cleaning circuit.
In December 2016, Glencore Tech-
nology reported two cells were being in-
stalled on a copper/molybdenum circuit
at the Collahuasi mine in Chile. In the
same report, the company stated James-
on cells had been installed and commis-
sioned at Newmont’s Cadia copper/gold
operations. Two more cells were report-
edly being built for the Cadia operation,
along with “several” others for an African
copper miner. It also reported an earlier
model cell was being upgraded at a coal
operation in Bowen Basin, Queensland.
Those deployments add to the rough-
ly 350 units that were already operating
in almost 30 countries around the globe.
In each case, the cells were selected as
technical solutions to technical problems,
increasingly relating to grade, Lawson
said. “Deleterious elements are there be-
cause of entrainment, and our technology
is essential to eliminate those deleterious
elements,” she said.
Deleterious means beyond the ca-
pability of smelters to handle, she said.
“Things like fluorine and uranium and
other gangue species too abundant for
smelters to deal with,” Lawson said. “In
those cases, we are an absolutely excellent
solution because, with the froth washing,
we can eliminate those materials or those
minerals that are there accidentally, and
produce very high concentrate grade and
improve their return from the smelter.”
Lawson said the cells are ideally situ-
ated at the head of a circuit “where you
might have half your minerals liberated
and then we could remove half of those lib-
erated minerals to final concentrate, mak-
ing the rest of the circuit smaller.”
Adoption is easy as the Jameson Cell
“has direct scale-up from pilot testing,” she
said. “So, if you have an existing operation
and we pilot on your site, then we will know
exactly how our Jameson Cell will operate.”
With four generations in operation, three
decades of history, and field results from
around the world attesting to the viability of
the solution, the primary barrier to adoption
now is normalcy bias, Lawson said. “We
just have to get over some of those barriers
that people have to adopting something dif-
ferent,” she said. “The technology does it,
and it speaks for itself. They just need to be
willing to listen and to adopt change.”
Last month, Glencore Technologies an-
nounced a 25% capital back performance
guarantee on the cells. The guarantee for-
malizes the confidence the company has
in how well the cells will perform, Lawson
said. “Work with us and we will demon-
strate what can be done and that we are
willing to stand by it,” she added.
Coarser is BetterNewcrest Mining Ltd. announced the
commissioning of its Coarse Ore Flota-
tion plant at Cadia Valley Operations in
central west New South Wales. The plant
was calendared to reach full capacity in
December, according to the miner’s quar-
terly report released in September.
The miner credited the new plant with
helping to improve its numbers.
Newcrest reported that “while total
mine production was 8% higher than
the prior quarter,” Cadia’s “gold produc-
tion for the September quarter was 37%
higher.” The increase in gold production
was driven primarily by a return to “ac-
cess to full processing capacity” after an
embankment slump limited mill through-
put. It was “also,” however, “assisted by
increased head grade … and higher plant
recovery due to debottlenecking work in
the flotation circuit and the commission-
ing of the Coarse Ore Flotation plant.”
The miner reported in its 2018 In-
vestor Day Briefing Book that coarse ore
flotation “has demonstrated increased
recovery of coarse particles compared to
conventional flotation technology.” At Ca-
dia, the new plant treats a full flotation
tailings stream coming off a concentra-
tor flotation circuit at a rate of roughly 9
million metric tons (mt) per year. “The
primary objective” of the circuit “is to
recover gold and copper currently lost to
tailings in coarse composite particles,”
meaning bigger than 150 microns, “with-
out additional power input for particle
size reduction,” Newcrest reported.
In its Newcrest 2018 Investor Day
Market Release, the miner declared the
commissioning of the plant had produced
“positive results” and the plant would
“support the life-of-mine (LOM) gold re-
covery improvement.” In the 2018 Inves-
tor Day Briefing Book, it attributed possi-
ble “energy saving(s)” to the new circuit.
The plant cost roughly $30 mil-
lion, and trial operations began in July
2018, according to Newcrest. It centers
on two technologies sold by Eriez, Cross-
Flow and Hydrofloat.
The former “is a fluidized-bed classifi-
er,” Eriez reported. In the CrossFlow, feed
particles sink through rising waters piped in
at the base of the main separator housing.
Smaller particles that fail to sink are “car-
ried over the top of the separator,” Eriez
reported. Bigger, coarser particles settle
and form a fluidized bed that is piped out
through the underflow control valve.
Thus, the CrossFlow is used to coarsen
feed for the HydroFloat Separator, which
floats “liberated and semi-liberated parti-
cles at a much coarser size than that which
can be achieved using conventional flota-
tion,” Eriez reported. The separator com-
bines “flotation with gravity concentration”
for an outcome “that cannot be achieved by
either approach alone,” Eriez reported.
The inverted cone shape of the separa-
tor tank interior helps provide the “gravity
concentration.” Bubbles “dispersed by
the fluidization system, percolate through
the hindered-settling zone and attach
to the hydrophobic component altering
its density and rendering it sufficiently
buoyant to float and be recovered,” Eriez
reported. “The use of the dense phase,
fluidized bed eliminates axial mixing,
increases coarse particle residence time
Cadia Valley Operations has installed both Jameson Cell technology from Glencore Technology, and CrossFlow and
Hydrofloat technology from Eriez. Above, the Cadia Valley processing facility. (Photo: Newcrest)
FLOTATION
56 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
and improves the flotation rate through
enhanced bubble-particle interactions.”
Newcrest reported in the 2018 Investor
Day Briefing Book it is considering putting a
coarse ore flotation system ahead of its flash
float/gravity circuit. Possible advantages in-
clude energy efficiency, low operating cost,
and a small footprint, the miner reported.
At an estimated capital cost of roughly
$70 million, the system could possibly con-
tribute as much as two to three percentage
points to the targeted percentage increase
in LOM total gold recovery, helping, along
with other improvements, to raise the tar-
get LOM gold recovery rate from 72%, as
determined by the prefeasibility study, to
possibly 79%, the miner reported.
The disadvantage is the newness of
the technology, Newcrest reported.
The idea, one of two reported as possi-
ble LOM recovery improvement projects,
would be subject to the completion of a
feasibility study and attainment of the
requisite permits and approvals.
Recovering Single ParticlesMinerals Refining Co. (MRC) reported it is
planning to pilot test its Hydrophobic-Hy-
drophilic Separation (HHS) system at an
American copper mine in the second quar-
ter of 2019.
The system, originally developed and
pilot-plant-proven to capture and dry the
smallest coal fines, will be tested at pro-
cessing roughly 50 to 100 pounds per
hour of ore solids comprised of less than
10 micron particles otherwise destined for
the thickener, Stan Suboleski, Ph.D., pres-
ident, MRC, said. “After the concentrating
plants do multiple flotation steps and give
up on the ore that is too fine for flotation,
that is the ideal place to put HHS,” he said.
Currently, MRC is lab-trialing the sys-
tem using cleaner-tailings samples from
four copper and nickel mines. “Once
we are satisfied that HHS works well on
all four, we will probably be at the point
where we can schedule the pilot test at
one of them,” Suboleski said.
The goal, he said, is to produce a
concentrate that is 20% copper. “At that
point, it becomes something that refiner-
ies would love to have.”
A 20-t/h commercial HHS system for
capturing coal fines is calendared for com-
missioning prior to the end of 2019. The
technology has reportedly been developed
to a point where the miner can recover coal
fines that are now being pumped to the
impoundment as waste. The product, on
average, is of a higher quality than that pro-
duced by the plant. The system also enables
the miner to “dial” in the water content,
usually in the single digits, Suboleski said.
Those capabilities suggest the tech
could be deployed for similar applica-
tions in the hard rock space, he said. “We
think on the mineral side it might have a
future going after really small particles,”
Suboleski said. “We’ve recovered parti-
cles down to single micron size, and even
smaller than that when we were trying it
out on rare earths,” he said. “We don’t
know how fine we can go with this tech-
nology, and that is probably going to be
pretty important on the metals side.”
HHS shares characteristics with tradi-
tional flotation systems. Instead of being
aerated, the slurry is mixed with an oil.
Oil molecules simply perform better at
grabbing hydrophobic particles, Suboleski
said. “It is a matter of contact angle,” he
said. “We can recover particles that are
both larger and smaller than flotation can.”
The system employs several steps. In
the first step, the oil and slurry are mixed
mechanically. “We have to mix this stuff
Bel-Ray has been solving lubrication problems
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FLOTATION
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 57www.e-mj.com
© 2018 Calumet Branded Products, LLC
WWW . B E L R AY . C OM
M a i n t e n a n c e C o s t S a v i n g s
D e c r e a s e D o w n t i m e
E x t e n d C o m p o n e n t L i f e
R e d u c e C o n s u m p t i o n
O u t s t a n d i n g E x t r e m e P r e s s u r e , S h o c k
L o a d a n d A n t i - W e a r P r o p e r t i e s
pretty thoroughly, because if we don’t get
the oil on the coal or the mineral particle,
it doesn’t get recovered,” Suboleski said.
The mix is then piped to a second
tank. “These oil-covered particles are
attracted to each other,” Suboleski said.
“They bump into each other and they
form agglomerates.”
Those agglomerates ensconce water
droplets. “The impurities are hydrophilic,
so they want to go where the water goes,”
Suboleski said. “And when the moisture is
trapped inside, it also raises the impurity
level, lowering the ore grade, which is the
reason that agglomeration has not been
used widely in the past, even though it was
first discovered in the early 1900s.”
The patented method for agitating the
mix to release trapped water and waste
particles was discovered and invented by
Dr. Roe-Hoan Yoon, director, Center of
Advanced Separation Technologies, Vir-
ginia Polytechnic Institute and State Uni-
versity (Virginia Tech). “It largely involves
the application of the correct amount
of energy, although other factors are in-
volved as well,” Suboleski said.
The agglomerate-breaking compo-
nent that is the heart of the technolo-
gy is called the Morganizer, after MRC
Board Chairman E. Morgan Massey, and
former CEO of the A.T. Massey Coal Co.
“The name came from the developers of
the initial unit several years ago and has
stuck, somewhat to Mr. Massey’s embar-
rassment,” Suboleski said.
In sync, the oil-coated ore particles
rise to the top and the impurities and wa-
ter are drain from the bottom of the Mor-
ganizer. The oil-ore mix is then piped into
a vacuum filter, and then put through an
evaporator, which enables the process to
capture and recycle the oil.
The final product, which has, at times,
been of a reportedly high enough quality to
be categorized as “pure carbon,” emerges
dry from a chute. It is the result of roughly
seven years of research and development.
MRC began brainstorming and test-
tube scale tests on the technology in
2011. A proof-of-concept unit was con-
structed the next year. “Based on results
of tests from seven different coal plants,
we went ahead and commissioned a com-
pany that specializes in building pilot
plants to build one for us,” Suboleski said.
“The design and construction consumed
all of 2014 and the first part of 2015.”
The pilot plant was tested for two years.
The feed averaged 58% ash, and the result-
ing clean coal averaged between 4% and
4.5%. “We discovered then that we could
control the moisture,” Suboleski said.
MRC stopped testing in late 2017
and “started our initial commercial plant
design,” Suboleski said. “We now have
our first plant under contract,” he said.
And because it uses minimal water and
otherwise is self-contained, it will operate
under the existing permits for the plant.
Meanwhile, the idea was bandied
about that HHS could be used in the pro-
cess of recovering rare earths from coal
waste. That in turn pushed the envelope
to develop it for hard rock mining appli-
cations, which ran into inevitable hurdles.
“Everybody who worked on this thing is a
coal person,” Suboleski said.
The idea, however, had legs, and lab-
scale testing of HHS at recovering copper
from what was otherwise considered waste
has proven successful thus far. “We’re get-
ting good results from samples of clean-
er-stage flotation tails,” Suboleski said.
“Now we want to broaden out to test sam-
ples from more processing plants — and ore
types — and make sure it is not a fluke.”
STOCKPILE MANAGEMENT
58 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
In tradition-driven industries like min-
ing, deep-rooted habits and customs die
hard. Pre-digital-world miners might have
mistakenly equated task familiarity with
productivity, while managers could lean
heavily on institutional memory to plan
projects and budgets. But things change:
Big Data is driving the industry down a
path in which old policies and practic-
es are regarded with suspicion and new
sources of information shine bright lights
into the dim corners of conventional min-
ing business intelligence. In the process,
one of the most mundane links in the
mining chain, stockpile management, is
being polished by technological tools to a
higher level of operational luster.
Stockpiles fulfill a number of functions
ranging from alleviating feed-flow inter-
ruptions at process plants, to blending of
various ore types or storage of low-grade or
problematic ore for future disposition. At
one end of the application spectrum, ex-
isting stockpiles at defunct mines are pro-
cessed to provide an early source of income
for new mine exploration and development,
while at the other end, shipping-terminal
stockpiles represent a near-final step in the
quality-control chain before mineral prod-
ucts are delivered to the customer.
In line with an industry-wide interest in
maximizing asset utilization, producers are
taking a closer look at how stockpile man-
agement can improve key metrics such as
plant utilization versus plant availability
ratios. They are refining their stockpile
strategy, taking advantage of equipment
and control-system advances to refresh
stockyard infrastructure, and, through im-
proved material flow and quality control,
reinforce their capability to maintain mar-
ket share of their products. High on the list
of upgrade objectives are automation of all
or part of stockpile operations, replace-
ment of aged stacker-reclaimer setups
with new-generation models, and quicker,
more accurate stockpile accounting. Some
mines with particular processing require-
ments have adopted or are in the process
of evaluating bulk ore-sorting technolo-
gy to pre-concentrate low-grade ore from
stockpiles, upgrading it to a level that
makes economic sense for milling.
A sample of recent industry announce-
ments underscores the degree of interest
in stockyard upgrades. In Western Aus-
tralia, Rio Tinto Iron Ore is moving ahead
on a $39 million project to replace stack-
ers at its Paraburdoo mine. The existing
stackers were part of the mine’s original
infrastructure, loading the very first ship-
ment of iron ore from the mine in 1972. In
46 years of operation, they have stacked
more than 800 million tons of ore.
TAKRAF is leading the design and
implementation phases of the stacker re-
placement. The company’s office in Perth
is managing the project, with support
from its office in Brisbane and global
competence centers. The company said
design of the new equipment is under
way and fabrication is scheduled to begin
later this year, with installation and com-
missioning finished in early 2020.
The new stackers feature state-of-the-
art engineering design and mechanical
technology, the latest generation of vari-
able-speed drive control and fiber optic
networking, an advanced anti-collision
system with GPS backup, and automated
operation monitored from the Rio Tinto
Operations Center in Perth.
In a similar project, thyssenkrupp just
announced it is supplying large-scale
stockyard machines for BHP’s South
Flank iron ore project in the central Pil-
bara region of Western Australia. The
contract is valued at approximately $170
million, making it one of the largest fabri-
cation and construction projects the com-
pany has conducted in Western Australia.
The South Flank project is targeting first
ore extraction in 2021. Generating roughly
80 million metric tons per year (mt/y) of
output, it will replace production from the
Yandi mine, which is reaching the end of
its economic life. Thyssenkrupp will pro-
vide two stockyard stackers and a reclaimer
for loading ore trains bound for Port Hed-
land. The machines will have a capacity
of 20,000 mt/h, making them the largest
rail-mounted stackers and reclaimer in the
world, according to the company, which
also noted they comply with the latest Aus-
tralian design-standard requirements and
include technology improvements centered
on safe construction, operation and main-
tenance activities.
Staying on Top of Stockpile ManagementSmarter, quicker solutions emerge for measuring and controlling stockpile size and quality
By Russell A. Carter, Contributing Editor
As part of a contract valued at $170 million, thyssenkrupp will build and install two stockpile stackers and a reclaimer for BHP’s South Flank iron ore project in Western Australia. Shown here are similar machines at work in BHP’s Mining Area C. (Photo: thyssenkrupp)
STOCKPILE MANAGEMENT
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 59www.e-mj.com
Stacking It SafelyAt the Roy Hill iron ore mine, also locat-
ed in Western Australia’s Pilbara region,
guidance and control specialist RCT re-
ported it played a major role in implanting
the mine’s dynamic multiple Geofence
package, which is interfaced to fixed and
mobile asset elements within the bound-
aries of the Coarse Ore Stockpile (COS).
The Geofence technology was interfaced
with two D11T Cat dozers and the radial
stacker infrastructure, including the boom
that can maneuver in multiple directions.
Both dozers were equipped with RCT’s
ControlMaster Teleremote solutions, which
enables the operators to control the ma-
chines from a remote station. Cameras
are installed on the dozers, along with
other cameras on the COS stacker, tertia-
ry crusher infrastructure, and two mobile
communications trailers to give operators
greater spatial awareness during operation.
The virtual perimeter around the doz-
ers’ stockpile area is designed to safe-
guard operators, ensuring that multiple
machines can seamlessly operate in the
same area without risk of collision with
the fixed stacker infrastructure, or the
dozers falling into vaults or driving off the
stockpile boundary. RCT said interfacing
of the dynamic elements on the site was
achieved in partnership with Collision De-
tection technology from Sitech, Trimble’s
global site-solutions dealership network.
According to RCT, a number of factors
had to be addressed for the Geofence to
work effectively. Multiple workshops and
risk assessments were conducted to de-
fine the Geofence boundaries or virtual
perimeters within each element, including
the dozers, stacker boom and five vaults.
Boundaries were designed to be config-
urable with proper access authorization,
allowing flexibility for the operators.
Sitech’s SiTrack software was de-
signed to provide the Geofence boundar-
ies, monitor all interactions and provide
alerts within the boundaries, allowing the
RCT system’s semiautonomous control
over the two dozers. This was achieved by
using High Precision (HP) GNSS equip-
ment to measure and detect the proximi-
ty of the moving assets in the potentially
hazardous stockpile to an absolute accu-
racy of around the +/-25-mm range.
RCT’s Custom group worked with Si-
tech and Roy Hill to develop and deploy
the dynamic Geofence system to interface
with the ControlMaster Teleremote solu-
tions to ensure machine functionality is
inhibited by the ControlMaster system at
different levels of detection on the Si-
TRACK system. The integration resulted
in the creation of a variety of configurable
Geofence boundaries within the site.
Each boundary has different zones to
alert dozer operators of potential danger.
With such a high volume of visual data
being delivered to the operators from nu-
merous cameras, along with the dozer
pitch/roll machine dashboard information
and the Trimble tablet display, Roy Hill de-
cided bigger control-room screens were re-
quired. The operator station was upgraded
from the original two 24-inch (in.) screens
and a 17-in. Trimble tablet to two 40-in.
curved screens and a 32-in. display for the
Trimble screen. A Trimble tablet was also
relocated to the side of the operator chair.
According to the project partners,
conducting dozer functions via remote
control from the operating stations elim-
inates the risks operators are exposed to
at the COS and processing plant, reduces
operator fatigue and increases productiv-
ity. RCT’s Teleremote solution allows for
multiple views from the dozer, which in-
creases operator efficiency while helping
to minimize machine damage and overall
general wear and tear. Downtime associ-
ated with shift changes also is reduced,
boosting productivity even more.
Taking It IndoorsEnvironmental considerations are in-
creasingly influencing stockpile design
and construction. For example, Siemens
announced it is supplying an autonomous
stockyard management system to be used
in a new plant for HBIS Laoting Steel Co.
Ltd., a subsidiary of China’s HBIS Group,
one of the world’s biggest iron and steel
producers. The stockyard management
system comprises a material tracking and
management system (MAQ), an autono-
mous stockyard operating system (MOM),
a Simatic PCS 7 process control system,
consulting, engineering, project manage-
ment and commissioning.
Recent environmental regulations insti-
tuted by the Chinese government prompt-
ed HBIS Laoting to look at using an auton-
omous stockyard management system, ac-
cording to Siemens. The latest regulations
require all newly constructed stockyards
to be enclosed. The consequent high tem-
peratures and dust levels present in these
facilities create hazardous conditions for
human workers, and autonomous storage
and retrieval machinery is necessary for
this type of environment.
The installation, said Siemens, will
allow all machines and conveyors to be
controlled from a single system. This is
achieved using a 3D model of the existing
inventory, which provides information on
the volume and quality of stocked mate-
rial, enabling autonomous operation of all
the plant’s storage and retrieval machines.
Siemens claims the system will enable
HBIS Laoting Steel to not only reduce its
operating costs, but also to achieve a 5%-
10% improvement in system efficiency,
along with 3-7% higher production capac-
ity and improved worker and asset safety.
Geometrica, a Texas, USA-based sup-
plier of domes and space-frame struc-
tures, has built a number of freeform and
dome bulk storage structures providing
dust control and protection from the ele-
ments for mining companies in 35 coun-
tries. Some of the benefits that accrue
from using their structures, according
to the company, include the ability to be
erected by local crews without welding
requirements or heavy equipment, suit-
ability for location on slopes or irregular
terrain, no requirement for interrupting
production during construction, and vari-
ous design capabilities such as resistance
to high loads on the structure apex or en-
capsulation of the discharge point. Geo-
metrica said its structures’ foundations
can be fitted to the terrain and can ac-
commodate changes in elevation of more
than 140 m. Domes can be designed to
withstand wind speeds of up to 150 k/h
and an ice load of 110 kg/m2.
Sorting It OutAustralian producer Northern Minerals re-
ported recently it is evaluating the use of
ore sorting on five stockpiles at its Browns
Range rare earths project in Western Aus-
tralia to improve beneficiation and feed to
the processing facility, which, it said, will
result in an increase in the amount of rare
earth oxides that can be produced by a re-
cently commissioned pilot plant.
Northern Minerals’ Managing Director
and CEO George Bauk said the ore sorting
technology has demonstrated the potential
for the mine to double the mill feed grade,
and the company believes the estimated
A$4 million up-front capital cost of in-
stalling ore sorting technology ahead of the
existing Brown Range Pilot Plant circuit is
STOCKPILE MANAGEMENT
60 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
For more than 65 years, Derrick Corporation
has been leading the industry in the design
and manufacture of high-frequency vibrat-
ing machines and screen surfaces. With a
pioneering spirit driving innovative solu-
tions, the organization is continuously in the
forefront advancing the field of fine particle
separation technology. Known worldwide for
their high-capacity and superior separation
efficiency, Derrick products are used suc-
cessfully around the world. Its advanced
technology allows processors to screen a
wide variety of wet or dry fine materials in
the range of 10 mm to 38 µm.
A Global Family Focused on Pioneering Separation TechnologyDerrick’s global family, comprised of employ-
ees, sales representatives, and distributers,
is strategically positioned worldwide to pro-
vide superior customer service and technical
support to customers around the globe.
The company has a reputation for solving
tough fine screening problems, increasing
efficiency, and ultimately increasing profits
for its customers. Combining its large suite
of wet and dry screening products with
its highly skilled technical staff and an
in-house testing facility, Derrick provides
its customers with optimize solutions and
demonstrates the solution’s effectiveness
under actual field conditions on full-size
machines. Testing is performed using state
of the art equipment and each test is video-
taped to document test programs.
Fine Screening SolutionsDerrick has success stories in nearly every
mining application that requires fine screen-
ing. Its proven fine particle separation tech-
nology has been beneficial in coal, copper
ore, gold, industrial minerals, fertilizers,
iron ore, plastics, silica sand, and many
other fine screening applications, creating
more efficient processes, saving energy, and
increasing profits for the processors.
Derrick Corporation, founded in 1951,
is a family owned and operated company
headquartered in Buffalo, New York. Visit
Derrick.com to discover more about its line
of fine separation machines and read case
studies that demonstrate the impact Derrick
has had on the global mining industry.
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
justified in light of the head-grade improve-
ment demonstrated in testwork to date,
along with the anticipated economic bene-
fits delivered by greater production output.
The company said approximately 80%
of the value of stockpiled sortable frac-
tions can be recovered in 20% of the
mass, representing a four-times upgrade
factor; or, alternatively, 90% of value can
be recovered in 40% of the mass, repre-
senting a 2.25-times upgrade factor. It
plans to install an ore sorting circuit in the
existing pilot plant, directly between the
crushed ore stockpile and the mill feed
hopper. The circuit will divert the feed
from the primary crusher ore stockpile
conveyor over a screen and through the ore
sorting circuit that establishes mill feed
stockpiles of upgraded sorted ore, a sepa-
rate fines stockpile, and optionally a blend
stockpile of fines and upgraded sorted ore.
Rejected, low grade ore is conveyed to the
stockpile for processing at a later stage.
However, not all stockpile improve-
ments hinge on high-tech assistance.
For example, Teck’s Red Dog zinc-lead
mine in northwestern Alaska employs a
detailed stockpile construction recipe
aimed at blending ore to ensure a con-
sistent concentrate quality, based on his-
torical experience gained through build-
ing blended piles from Red Dog’s Main
Pit deposit. That experience enables the
mine to create a workable standard to op-
timize its rich and variable zinc grades.
At Red Dog, optimizing mill feed cur-
rently requires blending weathered, baritic
and siliceous ore types from two deposits
into stockpiles that meet mill requirements.
Ore cuts are run against the models, then
ordered and sequenced to meet predeter-
mined stockpile criteria. Cuts are orga-
nized into roughly 190,000-mt stockpiles
that are built in seven lifts on the crusher
pad. The stockpiles are designed so the
lifts, when mined in strips across the face,
create a relatively consistent feed grade
profile. The blending process is fine-tuned
even further by the dumping sequence. The
mine dumps the coarser, often higher-grade
ore on odd-numbered lifts, as it has a high-
er angle of repose in truck-dumped piles.
The finer, more variable sized rock (typical-
ly lower grade, baritic ores) is positioned
on the even-numbered dozed lifts. This
blending concept is adjusted as production
blasthole assays and pit progression drives
stockpile planning.
Piecing It TogetherDigitalization’s potential for improving over-
all operational decision-making and risk re-
duction has drawn stockpile management
into a select group of functions that con-
stitute a foundation for future productivity
improvements. Skage Hem, vice president,
R&D, at FLSmidth, recently explained how
the pieces fit together: Noting how digita-
lization has the ability to “disrupt conven-
tional mining practices in a positive man-
ner, in the last decade, data analytics has
become increasingly important in order to
optimize processes,” he said. “Advances
in connectivity, software usability and ca-
pacity to store large amounts of data have
created a range of potential applications for
digitalization, all driving productivity.
“An example of one of these productiv-
ity potentials lies in the interplay between
the quality variation of the ore and the
wear state of the equipment. By under-
standing how these parameters tie in to
process performance, energy consumption
and wear rates, it is possible to optimize
all or some of these variables. Once data
is available, it opens up for different types
of maintenance schemes and operational
strategies. Combining these with selective
STOCKPILE MANAGEMENT
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 61www.e-mj.com
www.Derrick.com
5-Deck
Stack Sizer®
Multi-Deck
Dry Sizer
For more than 60 years, Derrick® Corporation has been leading the
industry in the design and manufacture of high-frequency vibratory
screening machines and patented screen surfaces. With a pioneering
spirit driving innovative solutions, the organization is continuously in
the forefront advancing the field of fine particle separation technology.
Known worldwide for their high-capacity and superior separation
efficiency, Derrick products are used successfully around the world.
Its advanced technology allows processors to screen a wide variety of
wet or dry fine materials in the range of 6.2 mm to 38 μm.
mining, stockpile management and sort-
ing of ore, we will realize significant in-
creases in productivity,” he concluded.
Producers interested in exploiting dig-
ital opportunities for improved stockpile
management can choose from a dozen
or so comprehensive mine scheduling
software solutions from major vendors
— Hexagon, Deswick, RPMGlobal, Data-
mine, to name just a few — that include
either integral or optional stockpile mod-
ules; or more-specialized software pack-
ages and services that focus on ore track-
ing and blending, such as solutions from
equipment manufacturers Metso (GeoM-
etso) or FLSmidth (QCX/BlendExpert–
Pile). More generalized decision-support
software also can be used to solve stock-
pile-related problems. Australia-based
software developer Optika Solutions re-
cently provided an example.
Optika was engaged by a large min-
ing company to essentially answer two
basic ore blending questions while the
company’s process flowsheet was still
in its design phase: How to achieve the
best approach to blending, and will the
selected blending recipe allow the com-
pany to meet its production targets? Of
main interest was the potential benefit of
establishing a coarse ore stockpile.
According to Optika, its Akumen an-
alytics platform proved to be the right
tool for this problem through its inbuilt
scenario management and execution fea-
tures. Akumen’s Asset Library was used
as a single source of truth for all asset-re-
lated data, helping to identify and resolve
conflicts in process configurations.
Based on the final overall model devel-
oped by the platform, it was shown that
a coarse ore stockpile between crushing
and the plant would be beneficial from
several aspects such as keeping the grade
of the plant feed within the target range
more than 95% of the time and enabling
the mine to meet operational targets on
throughput and utilization, since it de-
couples crushing and ore processing.
Speeding It UpEffective stockpile management depends
on accurate, timely updates of pile vol-
ume and content. Accuracy and speed of
completion are necessary to make volume
surveys useful, and until recently these
two criteria were often mutually exclusive
or extremely cash- and resource-intensive.
However, the emergence of stockpile eval-
uation using sensor-equipped UAVs, mobile
and stationary LiDAR equipment, satellite
photogrammetry and even smartphone
apps has mostly eliminated the traditional
practice of assigning a survey crew to walk
the site and climb stockpiles in order to
measure them — thus reducing the obvious
risk factor, dramatically speeding up data
collection and analysis, and avoiding the
occasional need to shut down operations
while crews were taking measurements.
The latest generation of sensor-equipped
UAVs, for example, can provide single-digit
centimeter-scale survey accuracy, while the
convenience and low cost of drone opera-
tion allows producers to conduct stockpile
surveys far more frequently and eliminate
outside-party involvement in collection and
analysis of what might be considered sen-
sitive information. The availability of drones
suitable for industrial use and the rising
interest from industrial customers in drone
surveying and inspection has spawned a
large number of UAV-related enterprises ca-
tering to resource and infrastructure indus-
try customers. How many of these fledgling
companies will survive the rough air of the
turbulent UAV services marketplace remains
STOCKPILE MANAGEMENT
62 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Tsurumi Manufacturing Co., Ltd. manufactures, supplies and sells
pumps and related equipment. Submersible pumps are key prod-
ucts. Since its foundation in 1924 in Japan, Tsurumi has driven
the industry as a leading company in submersible pump fields.
For the mining industry, we have pumps equipped with the
impeller, casing, motor frame, outer cover, strainer stand and
flange made of 316 stainless steel — all parts that come in con-
tact with fluids are stainless steel.
This is particularly important because runoff and discharge
from mines and quarries in recent years has caused pollution in
many countries. In fact, more than 40% of the discharge from
mining operations is highly acidic with a pH value less than 4 and
is requiring more and more operators to seek out drainage pumps
to treat that wastewater. This is where Tsurumi can be of service,
as we determinedly develop all stainless steel pumps to serve
these needs.
All Stainless steel pumps can handle chemical fluids of low pH
value (e.g., corrosive acidic fluid). They also stand up to drainage
that contains abrasive materials. In other words, they are durably
designed and built for severe environments that cause aluminum
and cast-iron pumps to break down in a matter of weeks if not days.
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Tsurumi Submersible All Stainless Steel Dewatering Pumps
Tsurumi Manufacturing Co., [email protected]
www.tsurumi-global.com
Moreover, all stainless steel pumps are applicable not only to
mines and quarries but also to a wide range of fields such as waste-
water treatment. Tsurumi also offers seawater-resistant pumps that
employ unique technologies. We are here to serve
you, so contact us no matter what your need.
to be seen, but even major OEMs like Hita-
chi, Komatsu and Caterpillar are spending
money to establish a foothold in the sector,
implementing drone-based hardware, soft-
ware and services to add another dimen-
sion to their connected-worksite scenarios
Dominant players in the sector continue to
offer and expand a variety of solutions that
include drone models designed for profes-
sional and “prosumer” users, tailored drone
mapping and surveying software packages,
and even fully automated drone operation,
service and data analysis.
Among the most recent developments,
Propeller Aero, a cloud-based drone ana-
lytics company, is partnering with drone
builder DJI to create the Propeller PPK
Solution based on DJI’s new Phantom 4
RTK drone. Propeller also announced the
startup of a partnership with Komatsu
America in August, starting with a focus
on construction-site management, but
with the mining industry in mind as well.
Propeller said its PPK Solution is a fully
integrated software and hardware system
that reliably provides photogrammetric
model outputs in geodetic, projected or
local coordinate systems. It provides ac-
curacy of 3 cm from independent check-
points across small and large survey areas
(checkpoints up to 1 km from GCPs). To
capture surveys of this accuracy, all that is
needed is one “smart” control point on the
ground, over a known point if working in
local coordinates. Propeller claims its PPK
Solution has been shown to reduce the
time required to complete a drone survey
by 70% compared with a traditional work-
flow using multiple GCPs across a worksite.
DJI launched the Phantom 4 RTK quad-
copter in mid-October, featuring an RTK
module integrated directly into the drone,
providing real-time, centimeter-level posi-
tioning data for improved absolute accu-
racy on image metadata. Non-RTK drones
require multiple ground control points per
square kilometer, which take several hours
to place. The DJI Phantom 4 RTK has a
centimeter-accurate RTK navigation posi-
tioning system and a high-performance im-
aging system, and potentially reduces the
number of GCPs needed to zero. Sitting
just beneath the RTK receiver on the drone
is a redundant GNSS module to maintain
flight stability in signal-poor areas.
An RTK module is integrated directly into DJI’s new Phantom 4 RTK drone, providing real-time, centimeter-level
positioning data for improved absolute accuracy on image metadata. The drone’s new TimeSync feature continually
aligns the flight controller, camera and RTK module.
STOCKPILE MANAGEMENT
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 63www.e-mj.com
DJI said the RTK module can provide
positioning accuracy of 1 cm+1 ppm
(horizontal), 1.5 cm+1 ppm (vertical),
and the Phantom 4 RTK can produce
the 5-cm absolute horizontal accuracy of
photogrammetric models.
In late October, Kespry, another drone-
based solution provider, and DJI announced
they also are partnering to offer the DJI Ma-
vic 2 Pro drone as part of Kespry’s stockpile
measurement solution for mining compa-
nies. The company claims adding this solu-
tion will enable miners to standardize and
capture stockpile data across all their sites
in the Kespry platform, while continuing to
use the Kespry 2 drone platform to support
mine and site planning operations.
George Mathew, Kespry’s CEO and
chairman, said, “Our goal with the addi-
tion of the Mavic 2 Pro to our solution is
to respond to our customers wishing to
use the Kespry aerial intelligence plat-
form across all mine sites to standardize
how stockpile data is generated.”
Companies that choose to conduct their
drone operations in-house can benefit from
the advantages offered by this type of setup,
but they also face the effort and expense of
training personnel, staying current on drone
technology and regulations, and
maintaining the equipment. For
producers interested in adopting
drone-based activities but don’t
want the attendant hassles of
in-house operation, Airobotics
offers what may be an attractive
solution — a fully automated,
industrial level, multipurpose
drone platform comprising a
high-capacity drone, an automat-
ed base station and cloud-based
software. The system doesn’t re-
quire a pilot for operation.
The drone automatically
launches from a freestanding
base station (Airbase), and flies
pre-programmed or on-demand
missions to collect aerial data.
Once a mission is complete, the drone re-
turns to the Airbase, where a robotic arm
replaces its battery and payload before
deploying the next mission.
Israel-based Airobotics said the sys-
tem is currently being used by sever-
al mining companies, including ICL,
South32’s Worsley Alumina operations in
Western Australia, and the Minera Cen-
tinela copper mine, owned 70% by An-
tofagasta Minerals and 30% by Marubeni
Corp., in northern Chile.
Airobotics’ drone software, according to
the company, is both a complete operating
system and an open platform. Third parties
can build and customize the payloads, along
with software apps to support and manage
new types of missions. The company uses
SimActive’s Correlator 3D suite for photo-
grammetry-based volume calculations.
Airobotics’ fully automated drone system stores and services the drone
in a self-contained enclosure called the Airbase. A human pilot or
attendant is not required to conduct flight missions.
64 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
KalTireMining.com
Defining Tire Management
When Kal Tire set out to serve the coal
mine operators of BC 45 years ago, its
intent was to do more than just be a
supplier of tires. Kal Tire first set out to
define and understand mine operators’
tire challenges and application needs.
The newly formed Mining Tire Group
then developed deep relationships with
multiple premium brand manufacturers
in order to establish a leading offering of
tires specifically suited to the arduous
mining applications. Today, the Mining
Tire Group’s capability has grown to
a comprehensive suite of managed
performance products and services.
The supply process is first underpinned by
Kal Tire’s proprietary Safe Work and Tire
Technician Certification Standards. The
portfolio then fills out with performance
management for tire life, tire operating
costs, operator awareness training,
inventory and logistics support, leading
repair/retread and extended life programs,
tooling innovation and end of life,
environmentally responsible recycling and
scrap management.
Today, Kal Tire provides tire management
services to mine sites across five
continents, operating in a broad range of
commodities and applications, climate
extremes and ground conditions. Its
experience and reach means they are
able to mobilize quickly with highly skilled,
certified safe, tire technicians, specialists
and tire fitment management services.
The management system is built with
proactive maintenance capability at its
core. Proprietary TOMS (Tire Operating
Management System) software integrates
a warehouse of data with practical field
inspections and observations to deliver
optimum uptime between services.
Service capabilities and experience
drive timely rotations, critical pressure
monitoring, special applications such as
chains, rim management and finally casing
management to deliver the most opportunity
for a long and productive tire life.
Rounding out the service is an array of
sophisticated analysis and reporting
tools to deliver measurable cost savings
and key performance indicators to
complement mine site performance
reporting systems.
Beyond world-class mining tire service
and supply, Kal Tire is working hard at
expanding its capability and methodology
in its industry-leading training and
learning foundation for risk management
and safety. The aim is to be the leader
in visible and practical management
techniques for the stored energy and
handling risk inherent in mining tires.
On the learning journey, Kal Tire has
made it their business to participate and
engage in sharing and learning safety
forums, together with industry operators
and customers. Kal Tire’s view is that the
combined knowledge of its customers’
experience and its own is fundamental to
a more complete architecture for safety.
The overall program to-date has developed
a benchmark set of standards known as
the Kal Tire Way. The system ensures
that all current and future tire technicians
working across continents and cultures are
trained to the same Kal Tire Standards.
Facilitated through Kal Tire’s Learning
Management System (LMS), training
assigns specific curriculum to technicians
for their role, tasks and equipment they’ll
use. Technician training can take up to 27
months, depending on the scope of tasks,
to complete. In the end, the fully trained
team member understands not just their
tools and tasks, but also the hazards and
controls of the trade.
An important component of Kal Tire’s
safety and productivity journey has been
the realization of its innovation program.
The program encourages and rewards
ideas from team member field experiences
and funnels them in to a prioritization
process. The output has quickly produced
safety and productivity enhancements into
the field. The following proprietary tools
have been developed:
• The Gravity Assist System is a
mechanical arm that weightlessly
manoeuvres the roughly 36 kg torque
gun used routinely by technicians to
fasten the 70 lug nuts on an ultra-class
tire. The tool reduces incidents caused
by vibrations and repetitive muscular-
skeletal stress.
• The Lock Ring Lifter and Lock Ring
Spreader mechanically manages the
sensitive process of installing and
removing lock rings on haul truck rim
assemblies.
• The Service Trolley provides a remote-
controlled system to operate multiple
rams and bead breakers, increasing
productivity.
• The patented Ram Mount Tool
securely holds the ram in place while
breaking the bead during vertical
dismounts on CAT 797 and Komatsu
930, and our tire deflator cuts deflation
time in half on an ultra-class tire.
Ultra Repair™ is another exclusive
process that uses a stronger cable
replacement patch and unique installation
technology to repair large injuries once
thought impossible to fix on mining’s
largest tires. It removes tires from
premature scrap and waste while also
saving thousands in lost investment.
Kal Tire has a solution for end of tire life
too. A unique process and partnership,
operating currently in Canada, is leading
the way to a global capability for recycling
solutions.
As Kal Tire brings its tire management
solutions to more customers and
communities, the company continues
to grow. Recent acquisitions include the
tire services business of Klinge & Co. in
Australia and the South Africa operations
of Tyre Corporation.
KalTireMining.com
Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group specializes in a complete range of tire
management services in over 20 countries. Our skilled workforce
performs according to our global safety and operating standards,
and focuses on extracting the maximum value from tires and
related assets for mining customers.
As an independent tire dealer with 45 years’ experience, we
ensure customers get the right product for the right application.
Through continuous innovation, we are able to meet the evolving
needs of mining customers and help them make the most of their
tire investments.
Defining Tire Management
UTILITY EQUIPMENT
66 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Underground production crews gain all the
glory for steady advancement. Without the
support of utility equipment, however, their
jobs would be much more difficult. Wheth-
er it’s transferring supplies, delivering fuel,
spraying shotcrete or charging blastholes,
various pieces of utility equipment play a
vital role in underground mining.
Most mining districts have regional
suppliers that build custom equipment
for the mines. Over time, several of these
companies began to export their equip-
ment and services. Others working in
construction or tunneling saw an opportu-
nity to expand into mining. What follows
is a roundup of some of the news from
these suppliers submitted to Engineering
& Mining Journal (E&MJ).
Paus Celebrates 50 Years for ServiceDuring October, Hermann Paus Maschin-
enfabrik held a 50-year celebration for
its employees and customers at its pro-
duction facilities in Emsbüren, Germany.
Since its inception, Paus has grown to
become one of the leading companies in
specialty mechanical engineering.
The company’s founder, Hermann Paus,
was an agricultural engineer who became
involved in mining in 1974 and since then
has been involved in many developments
in the mechanization of underground min-
ing. A visionary, he developed custom vehi-
cles for the mines and was among the first
to design vehicles for trackless mining. His
first customers were in the former Soviet
Union, a region to which the company is
still very much connected today.
As early as 1984, Paus was one of the
first to develop an electrically powered
20-metric-ton truck powered by a 1,000-
volt overhead line to keep diesel exhaust
gases out of the pits.
Paus mining equipment, construction
machinery, lift technology and industrial
vehicles, are used on all continents. To-
day, Paus’ two sons continue to manage
the business, which employs 250 people.
Their motto is: “Paus.... the people who
care,” which means cultivating dialogue
with industry experts and customers.
The company has set high-quality
standards for production and customer
service. Its product line includes robust,
yet comfortable vehicles for transport-
ing miners, as well as service and supply
vehicles.
The Universa 40/50 series and the
MinCa series are designed as platforms.
The quick-change system of the Universa
vehicles allows easy, safe configuration
of various bodies on the base platform.
Depending on the task, whether concrete
mixer, maintenance vehicle with work
shop, scissor lift or tire changer, the mul-
tipurpose utility vehicles meet rugged un-
derground mining requirements.
Supporting Underground ProductionSpecialty equipment manufacturers celebrate milestones
By Steve Fiscor, Editor
The Universa 40 from Paus features a quick-change system for several uses.
MacLean Engineering’s 200th SL3 ScissorLift was
shipped to the Lamaque mine in Quebec.
UTILITY EQUIPMENT
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 67www.e-mj.com
The MinCa 18A is also a multipurpose
utility vehicle, which is offered by Paus with
a number of different “superstructures.”
The range extends from the configuration as
a transporter for personnel or material, as
a fire brigade vehicle to ambulance equip-
ment and combinations of superstructures.
For coal operators, Paus supplies ex-
plosion-proof vehicles, which ensure a
reliable explosion protection for the us-
ers. Some regulators require the engine
temperatures of explosion-proof vehicles
to not exceed 150°C. An extended cool-
ing system is available that, depending
on the version, cools the exhaust gases to
70°C, according to the company. Addition-
al flame arresters on the exhaust and air
intake lines as well as encapsulated elec-
trical components (display, battery, head-
lights, switches, etc.) also ensure greater
safety. Paus integrates gas sensors into its
vehicles to give a warning signal if defined
gas concentrations are exceeded.
The Paus vehicle portfolio also in-
cludes LHDs, dumpers, scalers, graders
and rock-crusher solutions.
MacLean Celebrates 2Production MilestonesTwo production milestone units were
ready to roll off the line at MacLean En-
gineering’s Collingwood, Ontario, manu-
facturing facility in November: the SL3
Scissor Lift No. 200 and BT3 Boom Truck
No. 100, going to mines in Quebec and
British Columbia, respectively.
“We’re known for our bolters, and
increasingly, our battery electric fleet
offer, especially in Canadian mining,
so it’s fitting that our two utility vehicle
production milestones are units being
shipped to mines in Canada,” said Mac-
Lean President Kevin MacLean. “We’re
confident that our utility vehicle pro-
duct line offer of safety, performance,
reliability and parts commonality will
stand the test of time at home and
abroad in the mining world.”
Eldorado Gold purchased the 200th
MacLean scissor lift for the Lamaque
mine in Val d’Or, Quebec. This makes for
a total of 15 MacLean machines on site,
with five more on their way for 2019.
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This fuel and lube truck was designed by Classic Motors for underground applications.
UTILITY EQUIPMENT
68 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
“Eldorado is an excellent corporate
citizen in Val d’Or and a valued custom-
er for MacLean. We’re honored to work
with them at Lamaque — the MacLean
fleet will be well supported by our local
branch for many years to come,” said
Tony Caron, MacLean general manager
for Quebec and Latin America.
Centerra Gold’s Kemess Underground
Project in British Columbia’s northern inte-
rior is the destination for MacLean’s 100th
boom truck. Kemess is a former open-pit
gold and copper mine that is currently in
the feasibility study stage for a block-cave
mining operation. Already on site is a Mac-
Lean ANFO charger, in preparation for un-
derground mining to commence.
“Centerra chose MacLean to be their
mobile unit provider based on previous
positive experiences with our products.
They also want to standardize their equip-
ment and have fewer OEMs on site. Mac-
Lean’s reputation for service and support,
along with equipment reliability and du-
rability, played an important part in their
selection as well,” said Adam Howse, Ma-
cLean business development manager for
Western Canada and the U.S. “From our
end, we’re excited to work with Centerra
to help build Canada’s next underground
block-cave mine.”
MacLean Engineering’s mining di-
vision builds a comprehensive line of
mobile equipment for full-range mining
cycle support across all underground min-
ing methods in ground support, ore flow,
and utility vehicle product categories.
Classic’s Fuel and Lube HaulerFrom its facilities in Utah, Classic Motors
designs and builds underground approved
fuel and lube haulers. These trucks are
available for both metal/nonmetal and
coal applications. In coal, these units are
classified as heavy-duty, nonpermissible
vehicles and incorporate the necessary
braking and emissions controls to meet
that requirement, the company said.
These vehicles can move quickly
over long distances, allowing the op-
erator to fuel and service slow moving
pieces of equipment efficiently. Clas-
sic Motors said it can custom configure
the vehicle to dispense multiple types
of fluids, fuel and emulsion. Compressed
air is also available to power air driv-
en tools and recharge compressed air
starting systems.
Classic Motors also provides the Jeep
J8, Chrysler’s newest vehicle designed for
the underground mining sector. Originally
designed for military use, this Jeep can eas-
ily withstand harsh mining environments.
Equipped with a VM 2.8L Turbo Diesel,
the J8 offers outstanding power and torque
while producing extremely low emissions.
The engines in these units are Mine Safe-
ty and Health Administration (MSHA) and
CANMET approved for both underground
metal/nonmetal and coal operations.
Normet Provides Several Options for One ChassisThe Multimec system from Normet
consists of a series of cassettes, each
for a different purpose, that fit on a
common carrier. A rugged load handling
device allows the carrier to switch cas-
settes in less than a minute, according
to the company.
The diesel-powered carrier can reach
a maximum speed of 9 km/h fully loaded
on a 1:7 upward incline. On the level,
they can reach a maximum speed of 25
km/h. The front axle suspension system
enhances driving safety and comfort and
reduces fatigue by reducing vibration
from wheels to the cabin and improves
handling of the vehicle.
The new Normet FOPS- and ROPS-ap-
proved safety cabin provides great visibil-
ity and a comfortable compartment for
the driver and the passenger. The cabin
is designed for safe and easy entry and
exit. Door openings are wide and hand-
rails and non-slip steps are correctly
positioned. The dashboard is easy and
simple to use. New multifunctional dis-
play (MID) provides driving information
(speed, RPM, temperatures, etc.) and
information can be recorded for analysis.
Enclosed cabin provides noise level less
than 75 dB ensuring safe and comfort
driving. All service points can be reached
from the ground level.
Normet has designed six casettes for
the carrier, including a crane cassette,
lube cassette, fuel cassette (3,500-l
tank), firefighting cassette (water and
foam tanks) and a concrete mixer cas-
sette. The lube cassette has three tanks
(2,000 l, 1000 l, 500 l), a 20-kg greasing
system and a hose reel/pump compart-
ment with pneumatic pumps. The crane
cassette has a lifting capacity 5 tons and
Putzmeister’s Mixkret 3 stands 2.2 m high and has a 3-m3 mixing capacity.
Normet’s Mulitmec system has six cassettes, giving
one chassis multiple uses.
UTILITY EQUIPMENT
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 69www.e-mj.com
3.4-m x 1.7-m platform. The concrete
mixer cassette holds 5.5 m3. It’s also
available with a high pressure washer.
Normet also makes the Charmec LC
605 D(V) charger with a diesel-hydraulic
drive, which is designed for face and pro-
duction charging in underground mines
with tunnels up to 65 m² cross sections
where the maximum face height is 8.8
m. An external emulsion kit is located
in the middle of the unit. It also has a
special container for stick powder boxes,
primers and detonators, making it possi-
ble to bring all the needed materials to
face at once. It eliminates the need for
an additional explosive service vehicle.
A compressor option eliminates the need
for external pressure airline.
Putzmeister Launches 2New MachinesDuring 2018, Putzmeister launched two
new pieces of shotcreting equipment for
underground mining: the concrete spray-
ing equipment Wetkret 4 and the low-pro-
file mixer Mixkret 3.
Wetkret 4 is ideal for narrow galler-
ies in mining, thanks to its heavy-duty
chassis with compact size (1,900 mm
in width and 2,200 mm in height) and
reduced turning radii. It boasts two spray-
ing arm versions, adapting to gallery re-
quirements, one with a maximum vertical
reach of 10 m and the other of 7.5 m.
The shotcrete pump is the most im-
portant component in a mechanized con-
crete spraying system. For 60 years, Putz-
meister has been a recognized leader is
the manufacture of concrete pumps. This
know-how has been applied to the con-
crete pump mounted on the Wetkret 4,
specially designed for concrete spraying,
the company said.
The Putzmeister Wetkret 4 pump
guarantees a homogeneous shotcrete
application, to be able to ensure the re-
quired quality and layer thickness, as well
as reducing rebound. Its concrete flow of
20 m3/h allows for increased productivity.
Wetkret 4 also comes equipped with
automatic synchronization of the additive
dosage with the concrete flow, a FOPS/
ROPS-certified cabin that faces the direc-
tion of travel, hydrostatic transmission,
an integrated air compressor and optimal
weight distribution.
The Mixkret 3 complements Putz-
meiter’s Mixkret family. It is compact
and robust, small in size and turning
radius, and suitable for narrow-vein min-
ing. The perfect complement to Wet-
kret 4, the automated concrete spray-
ing equipment was launched just a few
months ago. It has the same components
as Wetkret 4, facilitating and improving
spare parts management.
It is the only mixer in the market of
its height (2,200 mm) that has a mixing
capacity of 3 m3. The tank’s novel lifting
system offers a wide versatility in terms of
the height of concrete release for a shot-
crete robot.
Mixkret 3 comes equipped with a pow-
erful four-cylinder diesel engine, which
gives it a great capacity for climbing and
transfer, as well as the ability to work at
height. It also has a continuously variable
hydrostatic transmission system without
gear changes, which improves climbing
ability, transfer speed, starting accelera-
tion and fuel consumption.
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Red Valve products are the industry’s first choice for isolation
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70 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Since its beginnings in 1972, the business model at Superior
Industries has been unique to North America’s mining market.
Since then, the 40-year-old company has been the only combi-
nation designer and builder of both conveyor systems and their
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For its conveyor equipment division, this strategy means
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Superior is North America’s Only Manufacturer of Both Conveyors and Components
72 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
MINING IN ONTARIO
Ontario: an OverviewMergers, discoveries and a new mine signal the dawn of a golden era
On September 24th 2018, Barrick Gold
and Randgold Resources announced agree-
ment on a share-for-share merger valued at
US$6 billion, creating an industry-leading
gold mammoth that will focus on assets in
tier-one jurisdictions. This new incarnation
of Barrick will own half of the world’s top
ten tier-one gold assets, and over 77 million
ounces of proven and probable gold reserves.
One month before the Barrick-Randgold
announcement, the Ontario junior commu-
nity received news of Great Bear Resources’
high-grade gold discovery at the Red Lake
camp, which spurred its share price from
C$0.50 in August 2018 to over C$3.30
a mere two months later. Michael White,
president and CEO of IBK Capital, the investment banking firm that
brokered a C$10 million private placement for the Vancouver-based
junior, cited the discovery and financial transaction as an example of
market revival, reflecting: “The public markets for mining and metals
have gone through a period of contraction, but we see that coming to
end and heading into a bull market.”
If the mergers and discoveries in Q3
2018 were early indicators of a new upturn
in the gold sector, tangible evidence came
in the form of Ontario’s first new high-grade
gold mine in ten years, as Harte Gold opened
its Sugar Zone gold mine in Northern Ontario
on October 24th. Stephen Roman, president
and CEO of Harte Gold, suggested the open-
ing of the Sugar Zone demonstrates that
Northern Ontario is open for business: “We
will revitalize the region and town of White
River and employ hundreds of people,” he
stated.
A new provincial government focuses on collaboration
Kenora-Rainy River MPP, Greg Rickford, was sworn in on June 29th
2018 as the new Minister of Energy, Northern Development and
Mines, and Indigenous Affairs in Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive
Conservative cabinet of the Ontario government. Under the previ-
ous Liberal government these three responsibilities had been divided
between individual ministers, and this perceived downgrading ruffled
some feathers. However, Chief RoseAnne Archibald, leader of the
Chiefs of Ontario, voiced her support for the incumbent minister,
declaring him to be, due to his experience working with northern
communities, by far the best choice to work with the Indigenous
Peoples of Ontario.
In his interview with Global Business Reports, Minister Rickford
underlined his commitment to move forward with a resource revenue
sharing program intended to help northern towns and Indigenous
communities share in resource development. Sandra Gogal, partner
at Miller Thomson LLP and expert in Aboriginal and environmental
law, explained how the program can benefit communities and mining
companies alike: “This pilot project would see governments sharing
their mining tax revenues with affected First Nations, with the aim of
encouraging mining development and alleviating the financial pres-
sure on mining companies.”
The theme of collaboration is also evident beyond the traditional
dynamic of mining companies, governments and local communi-
ties, exemplified by the Pan-Canadian SMR (small modular reactor)
roadmap being developed between the Ontario government, nuclear
energy giants Bruce Power and Ontario Power Generation, along with
other provinces, territories and power utilities from across Canada.
“The realization of an SMR industry in Ontario will provide sustain-
able and reliable power to Ontario’s remote communities and support
vital industry that will create jobs and opportunities in the north,”
noted Minister Rickford.
A palpable sense of positivity has returned to Ontario, one of the
preeminent global mining jurisdictions, as players from across the
value chain prepare themselves for the next upswing. GBR has been
on the ground talking to protagonists from across the breadth of On-
tario’s mining sector and the following pages examine and relate its
hopes and concerns.
This report was researched and prepared by Global Business Reports (www.gbreports.com) for Engineering & Mining Journal. Editorial
researched and written by Ben Cherrington, Elisa L. Iannacone and Sofia Messina. For more details, please contact [email protected].
Hon. Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, and Indigenous Affairs, Government of Ontario.
www.e-mj.com E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 73
MINING IN ONTARIO
Toronto’s financial districtThe investment engine of global mining
Toronto is the financial heart of the mining
industry, spearheaded by the Toronto Stock
Exchange (TSX) and TSX Venture, which to-
gether accounted for 59% of all global mining
financings in 2017. Almost 56 billion mining
shares were traded in 2017, with a total val-
ue of C$206 billion, and there was tangible
evidence of renewed investor confidence, il-
lustrated by one of the largest mining IPOs in
TSX’s 165 year-history, as Nexa Resources
raised over C$730 million in Q4.
There are currently four ways companies
can list on the Toronto stock exchanges: Cap-
ital Pool Company programs (CPCs), IPOs,
dual listings and reverse takeovers (RTOs).
Since the introduction and success of the
CPCs, the Special Purpose Acquisition Com-
panies (SPACs) was introduced – the TSX
version of the CPC shell concept.
The Capital Pool Company (CPC) program
introduces experienced investors to entre-
preneurs whose growth and development-
stage companies require capital and public
company management expertise. Different to
a traditional IPO, the CPC program enables
seasoned directors and officers to form a
Capital Pool Company with no commercial
operations and no assets other than cash, list
it on TSX Venture Exchange, and raise capi-
tal. The CPC then uses these funds to seek
out an investment opportunity in a growing
business. Dean McPherson, head of business
development and global mining at the TMX
Group, expanded on the benefits of the CPCs:
“The CPC program has been a huge success
for TSX, with 2,464 created since the start of
the program, 87% of which have completed
qualifying transactions. Currently, we have
78 CPCs trading on TSXV.”
Dean pointed to the qualifying transaction
made by Brazilian based company Sigma
Lithium in May 2018 as a recent example of
this alternative way to list.
The return to dual listings was another
indicator of the global upswing: “Companies
listed on the LSE or the ASX are looking to
our exchanges to access over US$20 trillion
in investor capital,” continued McPherson.
“The last time we saw any significant IPO ac-
tivity was 2012, so there is a general enthu-
siasm returning to the marketplace.”
The TSX and TSXV have been comple-
mented by the rise of the Canadian Securities
Exchange (CSE), which announced that the
first half of 2018 was the strongest six-month
period in its history, with significant increas-
es in number of listings, trading volume and
value traded compared to the same period in
2017. By the end of August 2018, the CSE
had reached just under C$2 billion in issuer
financing, with the mining sector accounting
for the second largest number of new issuers,
behind the booming cannabis space, accord-
ing to Richard Carleton, CEO of the CSE.
In 2019, the CSE plans to introduce a
blockchain clearing and settlement system that
will provide listed companies a venue to list
and trade tokenized securities. As transactions
occur on the exchange, they will be cleared
and settled instantaneously, solving one of the
challenges for junior and mid-size companies
in terms of the non-dilutive effect it will have
for existing shareholders. Carleton explained:
“This will mean dealers will not have to fund
open-position during the settlement period that
we currently have, which will reduce the fric-
tion that currently exists for companies paying
dividends, royalty streams, splits or consolida-
tion distributions to shareholders.”
Canada’s FTS (Flow-Through Share) pro-
gram, introduced by the federal government
in 1972, is a tax driven structure that allows
an individual or corporation to invest in a Ca-
nadian exploration company and receive the
tax benefit from those expenses being spent
on the ground for exploration.
Financial services in the cityIf the Toronto stock exchanges provide the
platform for junior mining companies to raise
capital, it is the financial service institutions
in the city that orchestrate the transactions.
Companies such as IBK Capital, Sprott Asset
Management, Franco-Nevada, Dundee Cor-
poration, and Mackie Research Capital, all
headquartered in Toronto, provide the back-
bone of the financial district that anchors
both the Canadian economy and the global
mining industry.
Dundee Corporation is one of the heavy-
weights of international mining finance.
Founded by Ned Goodman, one of Canada’s
most successful investment leaders, Dundee
74 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
MINING IN ONTARIO
has invested billions of dollars into the mining industry since being
established in 1957. Jonathan Goodman, Dundee’s current chair-
man and CEO, noted that as only around 25% of mines make money
during a mining cycle, investors need to be selective and analyze a
variety of factors and data to determine whether or not an investment
opportunity is solid: “Many things go into a successful investment in
the mining industry. It goes beyond just strong geology. Success in
the mining industry requires synergies between engineering, design,
development, construction and community relations.”
In 2016, Shaun Usmar decided to leave his role as senior execu-
tive VP and chief financial officer at Barrick Gold and establish Triple
Flag Mining Finance. Triple Flag’s first deal was a C$250 million
silver streaming deal with Nexa Resources on its Cerro Lindo mine,
followed by bilateral deals with Steppe Gold and Nevada Copper, and
more recently a C$200 million deal to acquire an extensive royalty
portfolio from Centerra. When asked how Triple Flag has managed
to compete with established players in the financial services sec-
tor, Shaun responded: “We have experience and knowledge within
the mining industry, with a large and sophisticated financial backer
(Elliot Management Corporation) that enables us to offer beneficial
services at a competitive cost of funding to prospective partners.”
Another new player making waves in the market is Cobalt 27, a
company established with the aim of creating a platform that gives
investors exposure to the electric vehicle (EV) space. After going pub-
lic in June 2017, Cobalt 27 exercised 16 contracts and bought the
world’s largest physical position of cobalt outside of the Chinese gov-
ernment, worth over C$300 million today. Since then, the business
has evolved from a physical starting point into a royalty and stream-
ing entity, highlighted by the C$300 million deal which saw Cobalt
27 buy a percentage of the cobalt production from Vale’s Voisey’s
Bay mine in Labrador.
Mining 2.0: Sustainable Cash Flows Has New Meaning
By: Dean McPherson
Head, Business
Development, Global Mining
Toronto Stock Exchange &
TSX Venture Exchange
It is no secret that the end of the most recent mining cycle left
the sector with a bruised reputation. Lower investment returns,
combined with environmental concerns and substandard gen-
der diversity practices, all served to feed negative public per-
ception. On the heels of the commodities boom of the early
2000s, it could also be said that the sector was plagued by the
irrational exuberance and hubris of the previous period.
As a result, the general sentiment was that many investors,
millennials, in particular, were reluctant to invest in the sector.
Heading into 2018, stakeholders were in agreement: the
mining industry needed to embrace progress and effect posi-
tive change to restore the image of the sector in the eyes of
investors and the public. This year, we’ve made great progress
on the road to recovery. In fact, I would say we’re entering
“Mining 2.0”; a new age of responsible and innovation-based
mining, fueled by new sources of demand.
The Momentum Builds for “Mining 2.0” - Mining in 2018 and beyond
With the modern investor in mind, mining companies have
taken necessary steps to evolve and align the mining sector
with global trends; placing an increased focus on corporate
social responsibility (CSR), gender diversity and innovation.
Organizations like Women Who Rock and Women in Min-
ing are relentlessly advocating to increase and diversify the
talent pool. Their grass-roots efforts are gaining widespread
support from stakeholders and companies as women are en-
couraged to pursue leadership careers in the mining industry.
Innovation is a constant pursuit in any industry and mining
is no exception. Companies are continuously seeking ways to
optimize existing processes in order to deliver value to their
bottom-line. Recent innovations include using drone technol-
ogy to make aspects of exploration more efficient and utilizing
new water-saving methods to process ore, as well as automa-
tion efforts in extraction and transportation.
Mining is the foundation of the future; infrastructure and
technology advancements are possible because of mining.
Like many aspects of modern society, the mining sector has
undergone a reckoning and realised it can do better. There is
potential for all stakeholders to benefit as the mining industry
advances. It took a supercycle and a prolonged downcycle to
create our own type of revolution; however, I think we can all
agree the future is looking brighter with “Mining 2.0.”
This article is provided for information purposes only and is not in-tended to provide any type of advice. This article is not an endorsement or recommendation of any specific securities in any industry nor is it an invitation to purchase securities listed on TSX Venture Exchange or Toronto Stock Exchange. Listing on TSX Venture Exchange or Toronto Stock Exchange does not guarantee the future performance of a secu-rity or an issuer.
www.e-mj.com E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 75
MINING IN ONTARIO
Justin Cochrane, president and COO of Co-
balt 27, is bullish about the fundamentals of
cobalt and nickel: “For the rapidly increasing
EV market, three times the amount of cobalt
will be needed to service demand. For nickel,
the market will have to double in size. I be-
lieve that analysts tend to underestimate how
quickly people move from one technology to
another, and the industry is most definitely
moving towards sustainable EVs,” he stated.
As CEO of Victoria Gold, Chad Williams,
founder and current CEO of Red Cloud Klon-
dike Strike, felt that there was a distinct lack
of strategic advisory services dedicated to
mining from a financial standpoint. Since
its establishment in 2012, Red Cloud has
helped over 400 mining companies raise
funds, complete M&A transactions, and mar-
ket assets, among a variety of other services
dedicated solely to the mining industry. De-
spite entering the market at the start of a
downturn, Red Cloud has increased its reve-
nues by an average of 50% per year since its
inception. Williams divulged one of the tac-
tics that has been successful for Red Cloud:
“We often take shares in the companies we
provide services for as a form of compensa-
tion. This has been extremely lucrative, even
in a challenging market,” he explained.
Up in smoke: the legalization of cannabisDespite the renewed sense of optimism sur-
rounding the investment climate for mining,
competition for funding has become fiercer
than ever with the seismic impact of three
new industries – cannabis, cryptocurren-
cies, and blockchain. Since cryptocurrencies
peaked in January 2018, digital assets have
crashed, losing around US$600 billion in
less than nine months. Cannabis, however,
has gone from strength to strength, exempli-
fied by the US$3.8 billion investment made
by Fortune 500 alcoholic beverage company
Constellation Brands in Canadian cannabis
company Canopy Growth in August 2018.
Canopy Growth, founded in 2014, already
boasts a market cap comparable to Barrick,
highlighting the scale of the impact the can-
nabis industry has made.
Executive vice president of IBK Capi-
tal, Adam Schatzker, while recognizing that
these new industries have taken some of the
risk capital out of the marketplace, sees the
capital created by cannabis, cryptocurrencies
and blockchain companies as an opportunity
rather than a distraction: “Mining is notorious-
ly cyclical and can actually benefit from the
great wealth being created from these new
industries… Years ago, the dot-com boom
took investment away from the mining sector,
which was later reinvested into juniors when
equity metal market conditions improved.”
Denis Frawley, founding partner of To-
ronto law firm Ormston List Frawley LLP, lik-
ened the cannabis boom to a magnet, pull-
ing in capital, focus and talent. He suggested
that rather than trying to compete with the
momentum of this new industry, junior min-
ing companies should present themselves as
attractive options for the investment of the
vast amount of new wealth being created,
explaining: “Investors will want to diversify
their holdings, and many of them here in To-
ronto have deep knowledge and expertise in
the mining industry, so will be open to inter-
esting opportunities.”
Jonathan Goodman, chairman and CEO, Dundee Corporation.
76 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
MINING IN ONTARIO
Production & ExplorationMining players across the province extend mine-
life through brownfield expansions
As the largest producer in Canada of gold, platinum group metals and
nickel, as well as the second largest producer of copper, Ontario led
all Canadian jurisdictions in mineral production in 2017. Political
stability, mining tradition, infrastructure, proximity to the financial
markets and the relative ease of finding skilled labor, all contribute to
a favorable mining environment that ensures continuous production,
regardless of the commodity cycle.
Nevertheless, high labor costs, social sensitivities and bureau-
cratic hurdles from a federal and provincial level make it challenging
to move projects forward and transition from exploration to produc-
tion. Stephen Roman, chairman, president and CEO of Harte Gold,
lamented the ever-increasing permitting requirements: “The new
Ontario Mining Act of 2013 was a major blow to exploration and
development due to punitive new rules. For instance, to permit our
bulk sample took three years.”
A dearth of new greenfield deposits in Canada, combined with the
impact of the downcycle and mineral prices that have still yet to fully
recover, has forced mining companies to focus on the development of
brownfield projects. Glencore’s Kidd operation in Timmins, the deep-
est base metal mine in the world with a maximum depth of almost
10,000 feet, celebrated its 50th year of production in 2016, and
recently extended its life-of-mine (LOM) expectancy to early 2022.
Glencore also announced it will move ahead with the C$700-million
Onaping Depth project in Sudbury, and expects to reach full produc-
tion at the deposit, located 2,500 metres beneath the Craig mine in
Onaping, by 2025.
In March 2018, Vale announced it will spend C$760 million over
the next four years to expand its historic Copper Cliff operation in
Sudbury. With six mines, a mill, a smelter, a refinery and nearly
4,000 employees, Copper Cliff is one of the largest integrated mining
complexes in the world. Vale says it is doubling its exploration budget
in the Greater Sudbury Area to C$42 million.
The changing footprint of Canadian diamondsDe Beers, the world’s leading diamond company, 85%-owned by
Anglo American, announced it will not extend the life of Ontario’s
first diamond mine, the Victor mine located in the James Bay Low-
lands of northern Ontario. Mining and processing activities are due
to be completed in Q1 2019, before moving into the formal closure
phase. De Beers will have contributed C$6.7 billion cumulative GDP
impact for Ontario during the life of the Victor mine, according to
Kim Truter, CEO of De Beers Canada. Reflecting on the legacy of the
Victor mine, Truter noted: “The Victor mine has been a wonderful
success story for De Beers, exceeding all expectations in terms of the
life of the asset, the quality of the diamonds and revenue generated
for all stakeholders.”
To enhance its Canadian portfolio, De Beers acquired the Per-
egrine Diamond business in September 2018, which includes the
Chidliak resource on Baffin Island and other assets in the North-
Harte Gold opens Ontario’s first gold mine in ten years with premier Doug Ford. Photo courtesy of Stan Sudol (RepublicOfMining.com).
www.e-mj.com E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 77
MINING IN ONTARIO
west Territories. Initial engagement with the
government and locals has begun, with the
permitting and environmental baseline study
phase to follow, which is expected to take
two to three years to develop.
Mid-tiers add Ontario assets to their international portfoliosOver the past century, the Timmins area
has produced more gold than any mining
camp in Canada. McEwen Mining acquired
the Black Fox project in Timmins in October
2017. Rob McEwen, chairman and CEO of
McEwen Mining, expanded on the potential
of the project, which sits on what is known
as the ‘Golden Highway’: “Our 2018 Explo-
ration budget at Black Fox is C$15 million.
To date, the drill results have been most en-
couraging. Not only have we identified nu-
merous new zones of mineralization on the
property, we are also seeing a continuation
of the mineralization to depth in the mine.
Our exploration program has increased our
resource ounces and the grade.”
One of the major success stories of recent
years in the Ontario mining community is Al-
amos Gold, ranked in a recent BMO study as
the second fastest growing gold producer in
the world between 2014 and 2018. Former-
ly a single-asset producer from its Mulatos
mine in Mexico, Alamos merged with AuRico
Gold in April 2015, and acquired Richmont
Mines for US$630 million in November
2017, adding the Ontario mines Young-Da-
vidson and Island Gold to its portfolio. John
McCluskey, president and CEO of Alamos
Gold, reflected on the enviable position the
company has established: “We have a debt
free balance sheet, a great pipeline of growth
projects, and strong long-term production
from our North American assets that has set
us up to prosper when the cycle turns.”
2018: the boom year for Palla-diumPalladium is a precious metal with industrial
qualities, so that 80% of its consumption is
from the automotive industry. With demand
being driven up by the move from diesel to
petrol and hybrid vehicles, and producers in
South Africa scaling down operations and
announcing cutbacks due to the decreasing
price of platinum, of which palladium is of-
ten a by-product, the price of palladium has
more than doubled from its low of US$473/
oz in January 2016, to over US$1,140/oz in
October 2018.
North American Palladium (NAP) adver-
tises itself as the only pure play palladium
producer, after Stillwater Mining was bought
out by Sibayne Gold. Re-capitalized in 2015
when Brookfield Asset Management (BAM)
mined out, but now provides an economical-
ly viable resource.”
Canada’s newest gold mineOne of the companies to have made the
transition from explorer to producer is Harte
Gold, whose Sugar Zone property in White
River Ontario was officially opened on Octo-
ber 24th 2018. Located between a number
of other producing gold mines, including Bar-
rick’s Hemlo operation, the Sugar Zone asset
is Ontario’s first new high-grade gold mine in
over ten years. Stephen Roman, chairman,
president and CEO of Harte Gold, is in a
confident mood: “When I took over, we had
acquired 92% of the business, NAP is now
focusing on its single producing asset, the
Lac des Iles mine north of Thunder Bay, On-
tario. The site is currently processing over
6,000 mt/d, with the intention to double
capacity to 12,000 mt/d in 2019, and NAP
has managed to reduce its underground min-
ing costs to less than C$40/mt delivered to
surface. Jim Gallagher, president and CEO of
NAP, revealed that the move to a variation of
sub-level cave mining called sublevel shrink-
age mining (‘SLS’) has been a catalyst for
NAP’s change in fortune: “Due to this change
in method, we are now able to go back to the
upper part of the mine which was historically
Rob McEwen, chairman and CEO, McEwen Mining.
John McCluskey, president and CEO, Alamos Gold.
78 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
MINING IN ONTARIO
a market cap of C$1 million. Now we have
a C$250 million market capitalization with
strong growth potential.”
The Harte Gold leadership team was
joined by Ontario premier Doug Ford and the
Minister of Energy, Northern Development
and Mines, and Indigenous Affairs, Greg
Rickford to cut the golden tape and officially
open the mine that has been years in the
making. Roman thanked the town of White
River and the Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg
and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nations for
their continued support, and spoke of how
the Sugar Zone mine will revitalize the com-
munity in northwestern Ontario.
Exploration in Ontario: The hunt for the next world class depositAs impending mine closures for the major
players approach, the eyes of the junior
community are widening with an acute
sense that new greenfield projects of sub-
stantial proportions and quality will have to
be found, or acquired, in the near future.
In a tier one jurisdiction with little threat
of political instability halting production,
the prospect of a high-grade discovery in
Ontario is tantalizing for all involved in the
industry.
The Ring of Fire has yet to catch light, as
the two proposed 300-km all-season roads
necessary to access the remote Eagle’s Nest
project became caught up in lengthy First
Nations consultation. However, a turning
point came in 2017, as Noront Resources
changed its approach, deciding to make the
Indigenous peoples proponents of the ac-
cess roads, enhancing their participation in
the EA process. Regarding the construction
timeline, Alan Coutts, CEO of Noront Re-
sources, expects EA work on the roads to be
completed by the beginning of 2020, with
construction due to start immediately after-
wards: “Construction will start on the Eagles
Nest mine once the permitting process is fin-
ished and physical construction of the roads
has begun,” he said.
A high-grade discovery at Red LakeThe Red Lake Gold Camp, northern Ontario,
is home to Goldcorp’s Red Lake mine, one
of the largest gold camps in Canada and
the world. It is also the location of a hive
of exploration activity, as a variety of juniors
jostle for a share of the spoils in a district
that has produced over 29 million oz of gold
since 1949.
Vancouver-based junior Great Bear Re-
sources (GBR) caused a stir in the Canadian
mining community in August 2018, when
results of its high grade gold discovery at
the Red Lake Camp announced intercepts of
26 g/mt over 16m, and 68 g/mt over 7m.
Since the announcement of the drill results
at the Dixie project hinge zone, GBR’s share
price rose from C$0.50 to C$1.80 in less
than a month, reaching over C$3.30 by mid-
October 2018. Chris Taylor, GBR’s director,
president and CEO, commented on GBR’s
remarkable results: “Not one drill hole has
failed to hit gold at the Dixie limb.”
Toronto-based investment banking firm,
IBK Capital, orchestrated a C$10 million
private placement for GBR on August 24th
2018, which included a C$4.8 million in-
vestment from Rob McEwen. Michael White,
president and CEO of IBK Capital, is bull-
ish about the potential of the discovery: “A
high-grade deposit of this size, concentrated
in a near vertical shoot or hinge, is straight-
forward to mine, and such a discovery could
easily trade through C$1 billion dollars in
value,” he proclaimed.
The best place to find a new mine is in the shadow of an old oneContinuing the theme of juniors focusing ex-
ploration on gold-rich, past producing areas,
Manitou Gold is also following the adage
that ‘the best place to find a new mine is in
the shadow of an old mine’. Its acquisition
of 25% of the Goudreau-Lochalsh deforma-
tion zone (GLDZ belt) came in two separate
Stephen Roman, chairman, president and CEO of Harte Gold. Michael White, President and CEO, IBK Capital.
www.e-mj.com E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 79
MINING IN ONTARIO
transactions: the purchase of four mining
patents in 2017, consisting of over 160
acres of unexplored land adjacent to the
past producing Edwards and Cline mines,
followed by the purchase of Argo Gold’s
RockStar property, totalling in excess of
7,000 acres, in April 2018.
Pat Dubreuil, president of Manitou Gold,
sees Alamos Gold’s success in the GLDZ belt
as an indication of the potential for world-
class deposits there: “Alamos Gold’s explora-
tion activity is quickly proving up 2 million
ounces of defined reserves in the area. They
have been consistently producing 100,000
oz of gold per year and have become one of
the lowest cost producers in Ontario.”
Creating value through the project generator modelWith mineral prices stuttering and a lack
of capital flowing into the junior space, the
traditional junior business model of raising
money for drilling activities is increasingly
spurned in preference of a project generator
model. One such company is Noble Mineral
Exploration (NME), holding the Project 81
property, consisting of over 79,000 hectares
of mineral rights in the Timmins/Cochrane
area of Northern Ontario, located only 3
km north of Glencore’s famous Kidd Creek
mine, which has produced over 150 million
tonnes since 1963. Due to the size of the
land package NME owns, it has been able
to develop its assets with strategic partners
such as Spruce Ridge, MacDonald Mines,
Orix Geoscience, CGG Geoscience and BECI
Exploration Consulting. Vance White, presi-
dent and CEO of NME, expanded on the type
of mineralization in the vicinity of Project 81,
and its potential: “These very large VMS (vol-
canogenic massive sulfide) deposits occur in
clusters which lend themselves to the oppor-
tunity for satellite deposits, and these satel-
lite deposits could host between 30 million
and 50 million tonnes, with an institutional
value of well over C$1 billion.”
Canadian exploration beyond OntarioToronto is renowned for the global reach of
its mining industry, but is also home to a
number of junior companies with operations
in other Canadian provinces. Some of the
provinces outside of Ontario, while serving
up logistical challenges, offer the benefit of
under-explored land that often comes at a
cheaper premium.
In late 2016, Black Widow Resources
rebranded to BWR Exploration, shifting its
attention away from Ring of Fire targets in
Ontario and towards the Little Stull Lake
gold project in Manitoba, which was ac-
quired from Puma Exploration. Neil Novak,
president and CEO of BWR Exploration, ex-
panded on the reasoning behind the change
of direction: “We targeted projects that have
historical resources on them and that needed
further exploration to bring them along the
exploration cycle from historical resource to
a maiden compliant resource.”
Novak, whose previous company Spider
Resources was dubbed the spark that lit the
Ring of Fire, intends to prove this area of NE
Manitoba, adjacent to the Ontario border,
is an emerging gold camp of high potential:
“The aim is to work over a few years with
definition and delineation drilling to ap-
proach the 1 million-ounce range,” he said.
Vance White, president and CEO, Noble Mineral
Exploration.
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MINING IN ONTARIO
Global reachOntario mining’s international footprint
Canada is home to 75% of the world’s mining
companies, many of which will never have an
operation in the country. The TSX and TSXV,
financial cornerstones of the mining industry,
support a network of junior and mid-tier min-
ing companies plying their trade in over 100
jurisdictions worldwide. Attracted by underex-
plored regions with high-grade mineralization
and lower wage costs, Toronto is home to a
plethora of companies attempting to reap the
benefits and navigate the challenges that min-
ing in foreign jurisdictions present.
Dundee Precious Metals (DPM), with cur-
rent operations in Namibia and Bulgaria, and
exploration in Armenia, Bulgaria and Serbia,
epitomizes the global reach of mining compa-
nies based in Toronto. Rick Howes, president
and CEO of DPM, adheres to a philosophy
that respects cultural nuances when operat-
ing in foreign jurisdictions: “Whenever you
operate abroad, it is important to remember
you are a guest in that country. We must be
respectful of culture and traditions, without
imposing foreign ways of doing business.”
Praising the transparency of the Namib-
ian government and the support it has given
its mining industry by creating a regulatory
framework that works for the sector, Howes
suggested that modern mining practices can
sometimes be applied with more ease in
less developed jurisdictions: “The countries
DPM operates in are sometimes more open
to adopting Industry 4.0 mechanisms than
some of the more established Western coun-
tries. Governments are open to new technolo-
gies and want to increase social responsibil-
ity,” he affirmed.
Also headquartered in Toronto with assets
in Africa is Teranga Gold, the largest commer-
cial producer of gold in Senegal. Two years
ago, Teranga Gold was operating in a single
jurisdiction with a single asset, but through
the acquisition of Gryphon Minerals it brought
in three projects in Burkina Faso, and three
joint ventures: one in Burkina Faso and two
in Côte d’Ivoire, which enhanced Teranga
Gold’s West-African pipeline. Richard Young,
Teranga’s president and CEO, detailed how
an organic growth pipeline will significantly
increase its production: “Teranga Gold aims
to expand its production capability from
200,000 oz of gold per year, to 350,000
oz by 2020, and to more than 500,000 oz
within the next five years.”
The Sabodala region in Senegal where
Teranga Gold operates was one of the poorest
areas in the country a decade ago, but recent
government surveys show that today the area
is one of the healthiest. Young attributes this
success to an approach that has seen Teranga
invest in youth education and training, local
economic development, infrastructure, food
safety and nutrition issues within the com-
munities since 2010: “Most CSR programs in
the industry are top down, but Teranga Gold
implemented a bottom up approach. The lo-
cal communities establish the priorities and
develop the programs,” he said.
The rise of mining in MongoliaMining in Mongolia accounts for over 10%
of its GDP, half of its industrial production,
and 40% of export earnings. The Oyu Tolgoi
Rick Howes, president and CEO, Dundee
Precious Metals. Richard Young, president and CEO, Teranga Gold.
www.e-mj.com E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 81
mining project, a JV between Turquoise Hill
Resources (a majority-owned subsidiary of
Rio Tinto) and the Mongolian Government, is
the largest financial undertaking in Mongo-
lia’s history. A Foreign Investment Promotion
and Protection Agreement (FIPA) was signed
between Canada and Mongolia in Septem-
ber 2016, and in 2017, Mongolian private
company Steppe Gold, with head offices in
Toronto and Ulaanbaatar, was the first com-
pany to sign an MOU with the government
for their Gold-2 program.
Founded in 2016, Steppe Gold acquired
the ATO project from Centerra Gold, with
the intention to grow the company through
other acquisitions. In July 2018, Steppe
Gold went public and raised C$25 million
with an IPO on the main board of the TSX.
Aneel Waraich, director and executive presi-
dent of Steppe Gold, expanded on its imme-
diate priorities: “The aim is to have the mine
fully built and start production by Q1 2019.
The ATO project will provide an estimated
37,000 oz AuEq/year, at US$333/oz cash
costs from oxides.”
When asked about Steppe Gold’s longer-
term ambitions, Aneel declared: “To become
Mongolia’s largest mid-tier gold and mineral
producer.”
Canada’s influence in Latin
America
In Latin America, Canadian miners are the
most influential foreign group within the
region’s mining sector. Supported by bilat-
eral trade agreements, institutions such as
chambers of commerce, and a shared deep-
rooted mining tradition, many of the mining
producers and junior explorers active in Latin
America are headquartered in Canada’s two
major mining hubs – Toronto and Vancouver.
One of the Toronto-based companies en-
joying success in Latin America is Torex Gold
Resources (TGR), which came into produc-
tion in 2016 with an U$800 million invest-
ment. TGR is the 100% owner of the More-
Fred Stanford, president and CEO, Torex Gold Resources.
82 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
los gold property, an area of 29,000 hectares in the Guerrero Gold
Belt, located 180 km southwest of Mexico City. In April 2018, TGR
overcame an illegal blockade at their El Limón Guajes (ELG) mining
complex that had lasted six months. Crediting the resistance of the
local community that rallied against the blockaders, Fred Stanford,
president and CEO of TGR, elaborated on one of the biggest chal-
lenges faced by Mexican miners: “Blockades such as this shut down
Mexican mines for up to ten years. However, we were up and running
again in 10 weeks, and still continued partial operations despite the
blockade.”
TGR is developing its own innovative solutions to drive down costs
and increase efficiency at its ELG operation. These include a 1.3 km
long conveyor belt which generates its own energy, the Calix Filtration
Plant – the biggest filtration plant in the world which uses dry stack
calix, and Muckahi mining technology, which Fred Stanford has been
developing for years, and Torex Gold will be testing in Q1 2019. The
Muckahi monorail conveyor system utilizes a slusher and transports
the ore body continuously, requiring a drift half the size of the large
trucks currently in use. Stanford believes the Muckahi technology is
a game-changing innovation that can dramatically improve productiv-
ity: “The aim is to reduce the time necessary for the mining and trans-
portation of the ore body to one third of the current time,” he stated.
Of all the Latin American countries, Chile perhaps is the most
mature mining jurisdiction, accounting for around 40% of the world’s
total copper mine capacity. Toronto-based junior Chilean Metals has
a duel focus, with assets in Chile and Nova Scotia. While appearing
to be a curious combination at first, Terry Lynch, chairman and CEO
of Chilean Metals, compared the geology of the two locations at ei-
ther end of the Americas, as they both sit on continental shelf plates.
Chilean Metals sold its Copaquire project to Teck for C$3 million in
2015, keeping a 3% royalty, which Lynch believes, considering the
scale of Teck’s nearby Quebrada Blanca operation, has the potential
to finance his company moving forward: “Cash-flow from that will
be useful to fund future exploration for Chilean Metals and provide
dividends to its shareholders.”
Ecuador: the new hotspot of world miningFor many years, Ecuador remained relatively underexplored, par-
ticularly in comparison to its Andean neighbour, Peru. However, the
Ecuadorian government has started to support its burgeoning mining
sector with gradual improvements to the fiscal policy to attract direct
investment, culminating in the complete removal of the windfall tax
in August 2018. The government has also decreased royalties on
mining projects and granted automatic approval of up to 40 explora-
tion drill pads for any new mineral concessions issued. Glenn Mullan,
president of PDAC, noted how Ecuador has garnered the attention of
the global mining community: “At PDAC 2018, a day was dedicated
to presentations on Ecuadorian geological case studies, showcasing
the potential of the region to significant foreign investors.”
Christian Kargl-Simard, president, director and CEO of Adven-
tus Zinc Corporation (AZC), was given a global mandate to find
the next world-class base metal deposit, with a particular focus on
zinc. Backed by two major royalty companies and two private equity
groups, AZC spent one year looking extensively at over 220 zinc re-
lated opportunities globally, which was whittled down to a shortlist
of six opportunities. Of these six projects, AZC executed on its Ecua-
dorian target, the high-grade copper-gold-zinc Curipamba project, in
partnership with Salazar Resources, providing AZC with first-mover
advantage in Ecuador for making new discoveries. “We strongly be-
lieve that the best bang-for-your-buck in exploration right now is in
Ecuador,” declared Kargl-Simard, before expanding on the reasoning
behind investing in the Curipamba project: “The Curipamba project
www.e-mj.com E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 83
MINING IN ONTARIO
fits all of our M&A objectives. We were look-
ing for an existing 10 million tonne resource
that was already economic and with the po-
tential to at least double in size. In addition,
the transaction structure supports a rate of
return (ROR) much greater than 15% with
long-term prices, including the cost to ac-
quire the asset,” he said.
Few junior companies can claim to have a
background as intriguing as Aurania Resourc-
es. While researching the historical archives
of the Ecuadorian gold mining industry in the
late 1990s, Keith Barron, Aurania’s founder
and CEO, found documentation that proved
the existence of the gold producing mines,
Logroño de los Caballeros and Sevilla del Oro,
that are now lost somewhere in the Cordillera
de Cutucu. Years later, in the Vatican library,
he found descriptions from 1627 of how to
get to the lost city of Sevilla del Oro.
Barron has a history of success in Ecua-
dor, having co-founded Aurelian Resources
in 2001, which made the Fruta del Norte
gold discovery in 2006 that was sold to
Kinross Gold in 2008 for C$1.2 billion.
He insists that Aurania’s Lost Cities proj-
ect is not a treasure hunt, but the story of
a respected management team with world
class discoveries already under their belts:
“We are conducting a methodical and logi-
cal exploration project and we use modern
geological, geochemical and geophysical ex-
ploration techniques in a geographical area
of high discovery potential,” affirmed Barron.
Toachi Mining was founded by industry
heavyweights Laurie Curtis and Jonathan
Goodman, who created the company from
the restructuring of Ferrum Americas Min-
ing when the opportunity to invest in the
La Plata project in Ecuador was identified.
Alain Bureau, president and CEO of Toachi
Mining, likened La Plata, a polymetallic VMS
(volcanogenic massive sulphide) project to
Agnico Eagle’s flagship LaRonde mine in
northwestern Quebec.
Praising the Ecuadorian governments’ in-
troduction of fast-forward permits for Scout
drilling, Bureau continued: “A streamlined
permitting process is particularly vital for ju-
nior companies, who cannot afford to lose
momentum.”
Mine the mines abroad, mine the markets in CanadaWhen Superior Gold purchased the Pluton-
ic Gold operation in Western Australia for
US$30 million from Northern Star in 2016,
its leadership team and investors were de-
lighted with the transaction, considering the
infrastructure there today would have a re-
placement value of approximately US$2.5
billion, according to Superior Gold’s CEO,
Chris Bradbrook. Having produced more
than 5.5 million oz of gold since 1990, the
Plutonic Gold mine is the sixth largest his-
torical producer of gold in Western Austra-
lia, and has provided Superior Gold with an
impressive cash flow since being acquired
in 2016: “Up until the end of Q2 2018,
Plutonic has generated over US$34 million
for Superior Gold in terms of cash flow from
operations,” said Bradbrook.
Asked to elaborate on the reasoning be-
hind a mining company with assets in Aus-
tralia being headquartered in Toronto, Brad-
brook responded: “Superior Gold’s immediate
strategy is simple: mine the mine in Austra-
lia, and mine the market in North America.”
Closer to home, Peloton Minerals is fo-
cused on three Carlin-style exploration targets
in Elko County, Nevada. The targets are lo-
cated on the same trend as the Long Canyon
project, acquired by Newmont for US$2.3
billion, and Ted Ellwood, president & CEO of
Peloton Minerals, believes the area has the
district-scale potential: “We strongly believe
there is a gold trend of significance there, and
the Nevada Geological Society supported this
idea at their symposium in 2015.”
Kinross Gold has entered into a joint ven-
ture agreement with Peloton Minerals to ex-
plore its Independence Valley project, and the
drilling program is expected to start in 2019.
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MINING IN ONTARIO
On September 12th 2018, Barrick Gold an-
nounced it will eliminate the executive role
of Chief Innovation Officer as part of a broad
decentralization push. Whilst adding that
it will continue to work on innovation, this
news is in line with the trend of major min-
ing companies opting to rely on the service
industry for the development and provision
of new technology.
In the face of stiff competition for funding
from the cannabis industry, and with com-
modity prices suffering, mining companies
have had to look for innovative new methods
to drive down costs and increase productiv-
ity. The epicenter of this wave of innovation
can be found in the small mining town of
Sudbury, Northern Ontario. World-renowned
as the service and supply hub of Ontario
mining, Sudbury is also home to a plethora
of SMEs and organizations spearheading a
technological revolution that is changing the
way we mine.
A trip to the NORCAT Underground Cen-
tre at the Fecunis mine in Onaping, Ontario,
Maestro Digital Mine have installed products
in over 100 mines globally. Acknowledging
that it has taken time to educate the mining
community, Gribbons has noticed an accel-
eration in the uptake of digital connectivity
solutions in the last twelve months: “Five or
six years ago, companies did not put gas sen-
sors in the mines, whereas today it is com-
monplace,” he stated, continuing: “This mo-
mentum will continue to gain traction with
the growing need for mining companies to
reduce costs and become more productive.”
Centric Mining Systems provides enter-
prise solutions software to mining compa-
nies worldwide, with offices in Sudbury and
Perth, Australia. Recognizing that automat-
ed systems and technologies need to work
in unison, Centric’s technology unifies data
streams into a single view and uses analyt-
ics and predictive analytics to interpret data.
Utilizing WipWare fragmentation data, inte-
grated with power consumption and recovery
data from the mill, Centic has created an AI
system then generates workable scenarios
Disrupting the IndustryThe innovations changing the way we mine
allows visitors a snapshot of the future, nur-
turing a robust innovation ecosystem that
supports approximately 60 mining technol-
ogy projects per year. “NORCAT is the only
non-profit regional innovation center in the
world that has an operating mine designed
to enable start-ups, SMEs, and international
companies to develop, test, and showcase
new and innovative technologies in an op-
erating mine environment,” commented Don
Duval, CEO of NORCAT.
One of the mining tech companies to have
tested its products at the NORCAT Under-
ground Centre is Maestro Digital Mine, who
provide a complete automation network back-
bone and rugged IoT devices for underground
mines. “Recognizing the industry’s growing
demand for data, and the challenges that
many of our customers encountered with con-
necting ventilation solutions to their networks,
we identified a gap in the market,” said Mi-
chael Gribbons, co-founder of Maestro.
Creators of the Plexus PowerNet, the
world’s first powered coaxial Gigabit network,
www.e-mj.com E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 85
of information. Chris Novak, CEO of Centric,
explained: “We discovered that we could
tune the drill and blast processes to opti-
mize power usage in the mill and recovery,
all based on fragmentation. By taking those
four verticals: drill and blast, fragmentation,
milling and grinding, and recovery at the
processing plant, we could generate entirely
new answers.”
Another company investing in innovation
to drive down costs is global consulting firm
SRK, which recently acquired Sudbury-based
mine simulation company, Labrecque Tech-
nologies. Gary Poxleitner, SRK’s principal
mining engineer, explained how this partner-
ship can help customers visualize mining op-
erations and plan accordingly: “Once a mine
has been designed, Labrecque Technologies’
software simulates processes that help cli-
ents accurately predict mine production and
work out how best to equip their operations
to maximize profitability.”
Fortifying the foundations: The EPCM companies building the mines of the futureThe lack of new projects during the downturn
forced engineering firms to reevaluate their
approach, downsize, merge and innovate
to enhance their capabilities and become
leaner, more agile entities. However, the
challenging conditions did not mean doom
and gloom for all companies, as a broad
spectrum of EPCM players from blue chip
multi-nationals to new players in the market
proved that adversity can create its own set
of opportunities.
Multi-disciplinary EPCM group DRA
Global has established itself as a credible
and more agile alternative to the blue-chip
engineering and project delivery compa-
nies, according to Wray Carvelas, DRA’s
CEO and executive director. Since 2016,
acquisitions such as the Met-Chem busi-
ness in Montreal and more recently Perth-
based engineering company, Minnovo,
have strengthened DRA Global’s platform
in francophone Canada, francophone Africa
and Australia, enhancing its open-pit min-
ing capabilities. It has also allowed DRA
to re-domicile its corporate holding com-
pany to Perth, in a strategic move to extend
client-facing capabilities to ASX clients,
complementing the Toronto and Montreal
offices, which cater to TSX clients.
DRA offers the full life-cycle of services
to its clients – from concept study through
to commercial operation. Against this back-
drop, it is advancing towards the digital
mine: “DRA Global is investing in the tran-
sition towards predictive maintenance and
prescriptive optimization of mine facilities,
the backbone of which is MOMS (Mine Op-
erations Management System), which is be-
ing used successfully across a number our
operations,” explained Carvelas.
Another South African to have made a
positive impact on the Ontario mining indus-
try is Justin Taylor, president of engineering
firm Halyard, who established the Toronto-
based company in 2012 to focus on small-
er, fast-tracked projects. Halyard has grown
from one employee to a workforce of 22
people in its six years since creation, having
worked for mining companies such as Harte
Gold, Alamos Gold, Hudson Bay Minerals,
Canada Fluorspar, LNS Greenland, Coeur
Silver Tip, Dominion Diamond, Stornoway
Diamonds and Agnico Eagle. Halyard won
the EPCM contract for Harte Gold’s Sugar
Zone property, Ontario’s newest gold mine,
a fast-tracked project that took 15 months
from beginning to completion. Since then,
based on the delivery success of the initial
project, Halyard has been asked to be in-
volved in the expansion of the Sugar Zone
mine. Taylor elaborated on the agility that
Halyard can offer its clients: “We believe
the large EPCM firms struggle to deliver
smaller capital projects (below C$60m) in
a fast-track and efficient manner and this is
the space we operate in.”
Wray Carvelas, CEO and executive director, DRA Global. Justin Taylor, president, Halyard.
86 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
Cementation, recipients of the gold award
in the Mining and Natural Resources catego-
ry as one of Canada’s Safest Employers for
2017, has developed a culture that perme-
ates through the organization, assured Roy
Slack, president of Cementation Canada.
Slack recognizes that innovation is more
than just a cost saving measure: “When you
talk about innovation, it is not necessar-
ily automation, but different processes that
take people away from the face or away from
the greatest risk. Separating people from the
hazards is the next step from a safety stand-
point, through remote operation and the de-
velopment of processes.”
Engineering giant Jacobs acquired CH2M
Hill for US$3.27 billion in December 2017,
and has seen double-digit pro forma revenue
and profit growth since the merger came
into effect. In September 2018, it was an-
nounced that Sirius Potash will continue to
move forward with their Wilton project, and
Jacobs was awarded the material handling
facility (MHF) construction contract, with
construction due to start by Spring 2019.
Jeremy Okolisan, VP of business development
for the Americas for Jacobs MM&T (Mining
Minerals & Technology) division, intends to
leverage the experience of Jacobs Connected
Enterprise (JCE) in sectors such as aerospace,
to provide innovative solutions to the mining
industry: “We want to adapt and bring these
technologies into the mining sector, particu-
larly in the areas of automation, control sys-
tems, monitoring and cyber security,” he said.
OEMs making the transition from diesel power to battery electric vehiclesIn a similar vein to the automotive indus-
try, mining equipment is rapidly making the
transition from diesel-powered machinery to
battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Increasing
global emissions standards, the heightened
awareness of the threat Nano diesel particu-
late matter (nDPM) poses to mine worker’s
health, in addition to the economic and safe-
ty benefits electrical equipment provides, are
all factors contributing to an industry-wide
push to electrify mining.
In February 2018, Sudbury-based RDH
Mining Equipment was acquired by SMT
Scharf AG from Hamm, Germany, subse-
quently creating RDH-Scharf. Gustavo Port-
alier, CEO and MD of RDH-Scharf, accredits
the Canadian-German alliance for enlarging
the company’s global footprint and potential
to take on more projects, as well as increasing
its product line. RDH-Scharf is extending its
regional targets by introducing battery tech-
nology with CODELCO in Chile, and Gustavo
insists that that the adoption of BEVs must
be a wholesale change: “There is no point in
having one battery-operated machine when
there are another ten working with diesel in
the same project. This is a change that must
happen from the start,” he reflected.
Another OEM to undergo significant struc-
tural changes recently is global giant Epiroc,
which listed on the Stockholm Stock Ex-
change as a separate entity to Atlas Copco
on June 18th 2018. Epiroc collaborates with
customers in more than 150 countries, had
revenues of US$3.7 billion in 2017, and
employs more than 13,000 professionals
globally. Epiroc has already achieved over
50,000 hours of automation and interoper-
ability – the ability of different information
technology systems and software applica-
tions to communicate, exchange data, and
use the information that has been exchanged
– in Canada to date. Jason Smith, general
manager of Epiroc Canada, hopes to see the
introduction of Epiroc’s second generation of
BEVs in Canada in 2019. Regarding their
development timeline, Smith commented:
“The first prototypes of the generation 2.0
BEVs are expected to be coming off our pro-
duction lines in Q4 2018, with trials begin-
ning in Europe together with our develop-
ment mining partner.”
The services that support the industrySince winning a five-year contract with Vale
in 2015, Sudbury-based NATT Safety Ser-
vices has focused on providing the full safety
package as a turnkey operation – supplying
rescue teams, developing rescue plans, per-
forming hazard assessments and providing
training. Mark Arnold, general manager of
NATT Safety Service, divulged on the philos-
ophy driving business growth: “We take care
of our client’s health and safety, so they can
focus on their core business,” he declared.
The mining industry contributes to over
30% of all business for Golder Associates,
which provides consulting, design, and con-
struction services in earth, environment, and
related areas of energy. As mining compa-
nies become more aware of water manage-
ment issues across the entire mine site, and
energy reduction becomes an increasing
priority, David Brown, principal of Golder’s
mine environment division, commented on
Golder’s intention to expand its presence in
Ontario and across Canada: “We are start-
ing to see upticks in the market and thus
we are also in the process of attaining more
staff to meet the industry demands,” he
said, continuing: “We would like to expand
our integrated mine water management and
treatment, and climate change and carbon
emission reduction services.”
www.e-mj.com E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 87
MINING IN ONTARIO
Mineral exploration expenditures in Ontario
are forecast to be C$593 million in 2018 – a
projected increase of 13% from 2017, and
an indication that Ontario’s mining indus-
try is at the beginning of an upward curve.
However, the necessity to fully embrace new
technologies instead of passively awaiting
them, and the challenge of attracting and re-
taining the requisite talent to support an in-
dustry on the rise, will have to be addressed.
Recruitment: the scramble for talent and push for diversityEven during the downturn, from the end of the
‘super cycle’ in 2012 until early 2017, there
were over 1,000 unfilled jobs in Canadian
mining operations as the sector struggled to
attract quality talent regardless of the com-
modity cycle, according to Chris Stafford,
president of executive search company C.J.
Stafford & Associates. Stafford has been re-
cruiting for the mining industry since 1981,
and warned that the mining sector recovery,
in the wake of retiring baby boomers, will pose
a new set of challenges: “Mining Industry Hu-
man Resources Council (MiHR) predicts that
over the next 10 years, 88,000 new workers
will be needed to make up for 50,000 retire-
ment exits, alongside other shortages.”
Stafford went on to note that the MiHR
prediction was merely the baseline estimate,
and considering current industry trends and
forecasts, in an expansionary economic sce-
Innovation in a traditional industry: how Ontario can lead the wayDoug Morrison, CEO of CEMI, Centre for Ex-
cellence in Mining Innovation and UDMN,
Ultra-Deep Mining Network, believes that,
for the industry to fulfill its potential, it must
first change its approach: “The most valu-
able asset that we have is time and the min-
ing industry squanders a great deal of it.”
he stated. “It is essential that we adopt a
systems approach to innovation if we are to
make the transition from batch processes to
continuous processes.”
Vic Pakalnis, the CEO of MIRARCO play-
ing an integral role in the cross-sector pollina-
tion between the nuclear energy and mining
industries, expressed a mood of renewed opti-
mism: “The last five years in the industry were
the worst I have ever witnessed in my 40-year
career, but the times are finally turning. The
sector is adopting sophisticated new tech-
nologies from alternate verticals to increase
safety, productivity, and sustainability.”
Ontario has nurtured a vibrant ecosys-
tem of innovation spearheading change. The
wheels are in motion as the industry moves
towards a more efficient, modern mining cul-
ture that breeds greater safety and produc-
tivity. As the march towards digitalized and
autonomous mining gathers pace, Ontario
has positioned itself at the forefront of min-
ing innovation.
Conclusion: navigating the impending upturnThe preeminent tier-one jurisdiction positions itself for success
nario, that figure could rise to 130,000: “The
shortage is real and will continue to plague
the industry unless it broadens its scope for
hiring,” he said, suggesting that mining com-
panies should embrace diversity, and spend
more time with schools garnering the interest
of students early in their education, as Comin-
co had previously practiced to great effect.
The Canadian Institute of Mining’s (CIM)
initiative, Mining 4 Society (M4S), was put
in place to enhance awareness of mining
and increase mineral literacy. CIM president
elect, Roy Slack, emphasized the importance
of nurturing a better public understanding of
the sector: “Mining is essential for the qual-
ity of life we have today and our industry has
made advances in terms of safety, environ-
mental stewardship and working with Indig-
enous peoples.”
Cambrian College’s Mining Engineering
Technology (MNTY) program is grooming the
next generation of miners. INCO and Falcon-
bridge were founding partners of Cambrian
College 50 years ago, and the institution
continues to work closely with mining in-
dustry partners, particularly through its ap-
plied research division, Cambrian Innovates.
Shawn Poland, vice president of Cambrian
College, explained how SMEs can benefit
from Cambrian’s R&D resources: “The com-
panies working with us will still hold their
IP, and look to us for real-world, real-time
solutions for the challenges they are facing.”
88 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Varel Mining and Industrial designs, man-
ufactures, and services application-spe-
cific roller cone bits for the mining and
construction industries. Proprietary design
capabilities, efficient manufacturing, and a
global presence provide a unique ability to
reliably and rapidly deploy industry-leading
drilling solutions. Varel’s leadership in roller
cone bits and rotary percussion systems
is driven by a commitment to innovative
technology, advanced laboratory science,
and decades of practical expertise focused
on improving performance.
Roller Cone BitsVarel roller cone bits provide a comprehen-
sive set of options for fine-tuning drilling per-
formance in any rock and application. Each
bit is a highly engineered product designed
for the task, and easily enhanced with a
wide range of specialized features. These
innovative, often patented, and always-reli-
able technologies apply decades of experi-
ence to fully optimizing ROP, lowering total
drilling cost, and extending bit life. That
legacy and commitment is recognized in
industry-leading bits, including Ridgeback®,
D-Force™, Avenger®, and Target®; and pio-
neering features such as EdgeGuard® shirt-
tail protection and Sidewinder™ cuttings
removal enhancement.
Rotary Percussion SystemPercussion forces in mining blast hole drill-
ing applications are a powerful solution for
increasing ROP and lowering drilling costs.
Varel’s RPS tool and bits provide percussion
versatility, reliability, and performance with
innovative technology that complements
rotary forces. Patented RPS tools efficiently
apply compressed air energy to extend the
benefits of percussion options across a
wide range of formation applications. The
versatile tool mitigates water concerns and
operates in rotary-only mode as needed.
RP bits build on in-depth Varel expertise
to stand up to the demands of rotary
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Based on Ridgeback blast hole mining
bits, the percussion bits feature reinforced
welds, patented HET cutting structures,
and enhanced structural strength.
TechnologyAt the heart of the Varel solution is a
long-standing commitment to technology.
Industry-leading innovation is the result
of a proven process of understanding the
challenge, engineering the solution, and
applying it effectively and economically.
Proprietary software solutions include the
Advanced Modeling Package (AMP) for
standalone modeling of cutting struc-
ture interaction with the formation for
practical, real-world design. The drilling
simulator uses Geoscience and customer
supplied lithology data, along with RC
Pro cutting structure designs, to virtually
approximate ROP and cutting structure
life in different formations and drilling
conditions. RC Pro software for cutting
structure and bearing design facilitates
rapid product development and design
accuracy. Product performance is assured
by extensive metallurgical laboratory test-
ing performed in state-of-the-art facilities,
and advanced seal testing to understand
the effects of friction-related heat pro-
duced at different motor speeds and axial
motion frequencies. Equally important,
Varel field service engineers provide expert
analyses to fine tune applications and
inform the development of new products.
Commitment and ResourcesThe industry was a much different place
in 1947 when Varel began supplying
drill bits for the mining industry. In the
intervening years, it has been a leading
innovator of specialized technologies and
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90 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
OPERATING STRATEGIES
Digital twins are among the newest mem-
bers of mining’s extended family, part of
an industry-wide adoption process aimed
at maximizing the value of its big-data
collection efforts and improving the per-
formance of physical assets.
The digital twin concept isn’t new. It
was developed years ago by the Nation-
al Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) to mirror systems on board re-
mote spacecraft for monitoring and main-
tenance purposes. It gained traction in
the manufacturing sector and has grown
in importance, becoming an integral ele-
ment in the “Industry 4.0” blueprint en-
visioned for manufacturing and process
industries where it joins artifi cial intel-
ligence, machine learning and real-time
data as foundation technologies for future
business optimization. In a nutshell, In-
dustry 4.0 seeks to leverage automation
and data exchange capabilities in devel-
opment of “smart plants.” But, for min-
ing, the implications and potential bene-
fi ts extend beyond the conventional plant
site, reaching upstream into the mine and
downstream to ports and terminals.
Riding on the back of astonishingly
rapid advances in IT (Information Tech-
nology) and OT (Operational Technology)
capabilities, digital twin solutions are now
being offered as an effective technique
for providing a complete digital picture of
a product from design to the end of its
life cycle. Over the past few years, an in-
creasing number of mineral producers see
the concept as a promising tool for opti-
mizing mine to mill operations — and are
using it in a variety of ways. For example,
Tony O’Neill, technical director for Anglo
American, described how the company is
applying the concept in a recent interview
with Bloomberg:
“We’re already starting to use digital
twins to optimize our mining fl eet. We
use them to reduce diesel consumption
on our trucks and we are also putting
digital twins across pipelines, smelters
and refi neries. Today, we use analytics for
real-time drilling analysis, hyper-spectral
core imaging, and geological modeling
software using 3D and virtual-reality tech-
nology to generate and interpret predic-
tive data models.
“Our latest work uses customized
learning algorithms to predict control pa-
rameters required by our plants. Another
important application is condition mon-
itoring and predictive maintenance. The
logical end-point is a fully-integrated,
systematized, and self-learning opera-
tion that will help remove the uncertainty
and huge variability that characterizes
mining today.”
Asked how the company would go
about implementing a digital twin to
make a mining process more effi cient,
O’Neill explained, “A machine, whether
it’s a pipeline, a truck or a smelter, has a
theoretical way of behaving and as soon
as you can start to measure the behavior
as variants, then we can intervene.
“We will use our digital twin to learn
from the physical machine and then to
actually change its behavior [from simu-
lating how it acts in a virtual sense]. By
using a digital twin, we can make our pro-
cesses more effective and effi cient.
“We’ve used digital twins in Chile at
the Los Bronces mining site, where we
implemented them into the haulage fl eet
to track the actual performance,” he con-
tinued. “We’ve got a 500-kilometer pipe-
line in Brazil and we’ve put a digital twin
onto that.”
In addition, O’Neill also mentioned
that “Where people have gone digital,
they’ve generally seen around a 30% im-
provement in their business — made up
of approzimately 15% in productivity and
15% in cost savings.”
Miners interested in adopting the digi-
tal twin concept need to consider the cost
versus benefi ts tradeoffs carefully. As an
executive for South African coal miner
Exxaro Resources recently noted, not all
mines are top candidates for digital twin
implementation.
Exxaro broke ground on its Belfast Im-
plementation Project (BIP) at the begin-
ning of July. Among the mine’s major fea-
tures is a two-stage, 500-tons-per-hour
Miners Turn to Digital Twins forAsset Performance Gains
Anglo American has implemented digital twin projects in applications as diverse as the haulage fl eet at its Los Bronces mine, shown here, and on a 500-km-long pipeline
it operates in Brazil. (Photo: Anglo American plc)
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 91 www.e-mj.com
OPERATING STRATEGIES
(t/h) Dense Medium Separation (DMS)
plant and a Fines DMS and fi lter section.
The plant will primarily produce A-Grade,
export-quality coal (typical 6,000 kcal/
kg) at a projected volume of 2.2 million
metric tons per year (mt/y) and about a
500,000 mt of a secondary-quality prod-
uct (typical 21.5 MJ/kg) for local use or
export. The new mine is located 10 km
southwest of Belfast, in Mpumalanga
Province, South Africa.
It’s the company’s fi rst greenfi eld pro-
ject since 2007, and Exxaro is using a
digital twin approach, also claimed as a
fi rst for South Africa’s coal industry.
Johan Gerhard Meyer, executive head
of projects and technology at Exxaro,
noted that new plant equipment — every-
thing from crushers to water meters — is
digitally enabled and available with sensors.
With the help of the digital twin tech-
nology, Exxaro is aiming for real-time data
from pit to port, enhanced productivity
and safety, as well as a competitive edge.
To have access to reliable real-time data,
the company is looking at OEMs that offer
devices with advanced sensor technology
that could become part of the planned
IoT infrastructure.
Meyer said, “Our approach is like in
the airline industry, we should be able to
monitor [devices] from anywhere in the
world to make sure we have proactive ap-
proaches to reduced downtime.”
A distinct advantage for digital twin
implementation is it’s a brand new
mine, so Exxaro can kit it out with new
equipment.
“People ask me, ‘why don’t you do
it to other mines as well?’” said Meyer.
“The answer is simple: It’s capitally in-
tensive. It’s like asking me to take an old
car and add a new dashboard with a GPS
device or oil temperature [gauges]. It will
cost you money.”
Once the mine has access to real-time
data, on and off site, the digital twin
can be used for simulations. “Like in
the airline industry, you train the pilots
on simulators. So in the corporate offi ce,
we can simulate the mine plans; we can
simulate [what happens] if you do these
benches fi rst and those benches later; or
if the crusher only runs that much, you
can have this type of throughput — so the
digital twin gives you the ability to create
simulated scenarios.”
There is, however, a learning curve.
“You have to be patient and gather a lot of
data to make sure that the digital twin has
the ability to give you better guidance to
run the mine more effi ciently,” Meyer said.
The R3.3 billion Belfast project is cur-
rently under construction, with commis-
sioning planned for 2020. During life of
mine, estimated at 17 years, it will provide
more than 4,700 jobs. This could reduce
unemployment in the municipal district by
2%. However, the move to a digital mine
will also have an impact on jobs.
“You don’t need to employ hundreds
of people to monitor a thousand pieces of
equipment. With data analytics and data
available, you will have less people,” said
Meyer. “We have to be competitive.
“We have to balance our costs. It will
mean less jobs, but we will be there for the
long term. We are also planning phase 2,
which could lead up to 30 years of running
this mine. We would like to be competitive;
not just for the mine, but for the country.
We need to be able to compete with pro-
ducers in China, India and Indonesia.”
The new technologies will affect how
jobs are performed. Staff will have to
be quick learners. Meyer explained, “In
our current mines, our operators would
go by a pump, take some readings, put
it on a piece of paper, then it’s going to
be transferred onto an Excel spreadsheet,
and from there the head of operations will
analyze it and make alternative plans.”
At Belfast, Exxaro wants to push de-
cision-making lower in the operation and
command chain. The company said em-
ployees need to be able to change and
adapt to the new digital era. “Every em-
ployee should be adaptable to work with
new tools, to interpret new data, make
quicker decisions, have ownership of that
decision-making and be accountable.”
While integrating advanced technol-
ogies is a signifi cant focus of the BIP
development — whether it is drones sur-
veying the current construction site or the
digital twin design — the mine plans to
limit innovations and equipment to those
that are fi t for purpose.
Meyer believes that mines of the fu-
ture will be run on solar power, off the
grid, as energy effi ciency becomes an in-
creasingly important part of mine design,
and electric batteries will power 200-mt
trucks operating autonomously.
“You can already see [autonomous
vehicles] at mines in Australia. But [be-
cause] they move 300 million mt/y, then
you can afford to put in a billion dollars’
worth of kit to make sure the mine is
run for 20 years. Here we only move a
few million tons, so you can’t put a bil-
lion-dollar kit on this mine. You’d never
make a profi t.
“It’s about how the curve of the cost of
autonomy will come down so that you can
automate your mine. For now, you have to
kit yourself out with the means you have at
the best price, lowest capital, and then you
drive up productivity at the lowest cost.”
Exxaro said getting real-time data
from pit to port is key. This means not
just having specifi c pieces of equipment
connected to the IoT, transferring data.
The company ultimately wants to monitor
the whole supply chain.
Exxaro Resources, which produces thermal and coking coal from fi ve managed mines in South Africa, intends to
leverage the capabilities of digital twin technology to optimize operations at its R3.3 billion Belfast mine project.
(Photo: Exxaro Resources)
92 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
The Hilliard Corporation was founded in 1905 by designing and
manufacturing a friction clutch which revolutionized the machine
tool industry. Since then, The Hilliard Corporation has evolved from
a single product business into an industry leader in both Motion
Control Products and Filtration Systems, serving a wide array of
industries. Our products are designed, manufactured, and sold
according to our customer’s applications. As a result, we have a
large portfolio of custom engineered products that can be modified
to meet new applications. With over 500,000 square feet of manu-
facturing space and hundreds of highly skilled employees, Hilliard
has continued the tradition of engineering and improving products
to serve our customers around the globe.
One such product improvement/development was the Hilliard
Braking System line of brakes. The concept of caliper disc brakes
has been around since the late 1800’s The first automobile caliper
braking system was patented in 1902, however Hilliard specializes
in larger industrial braking technology. For more than 30 years, the
company has been supplying braking systems for draglines, electric
shovels, conveyors, mine hoists, mills, workboats and elevators.
During that time, we have been able to analyze potential product
improvements and modifications that would increase longevity and
decrease maintenance costs for the end users. One such prod-
uct enhancement centers around the mounting configurations on
our “arm style” line of brakes. The footprint of these brakes are
the same as current competitive lines, however Hilliard’s design
replaces a designated thruster/actuator arm and an adjuster arm
with one standardized arm. These new systems are interchangeable
with existing systems, however the Hilliard system offers continuity
of parts for quicker repairs, less downtime for maintenance, and
reduced parts inventory for the end user, ultimately leading to
increased profitability.
The next development for the brake series came in the form of
the thrusters or actuators. These are the true unsung heroes of any
caliper brake system. Hilliard engineering realized that the thrusters
that were available in the market place were designed with only a
couple of heavily compressed springs inside the housing. Ultimately
this design made them practically impossible to repair onsite, so the
customer was left with very few options, such as carrying extra inven-
tory or taking it out of service completely while the thruster/actuator
was repaired. Hilliard’s brake engineers designed our thrusters to be
fully repairable without specialized tooling by the customer. They
have placed a series of nested springs inside the thruster housing
which will also allow our customers to change torque settings on
spring applied applications easily by adding or removing springs. By
designing our thrusters this way, it makes replacing commons seals
and O-rings a rather simple task, as opposed replacing the thruster
or taking it out of services for hours or days.
Continuing the development of our brake line, we turned our
attention to the modular series. Modular brakes offer a split caliper
design to achieve greater braking torques which is commonly needed
within the industry. Due to the experience we have in braking systems
across many different industries we realized that failures can occur,
and most brake applications operate in harsh environments with
extremely high loads. Most mines push their braking systems to max-
imum limits and eventually seals begin to leak and brakes can fail.
In order to prevent a shutdown of operations from a seal failure, the
design team created our modular series with a unique spring applied
actuating capsule feature for our M900 series. These capsules allow
our customers to keep the brake in service because the brake can
operate utilizing only 1 off the two actuating capsules while the nec-
essary repairs are being made. These modifications were designed to
improve maintenance and eliminate catastrophic failures.
As bulk material handling machinery designs become more
powerful and increasingly efficient, braking system designs must
also progress to satisfy
the demand to con-
trol speed and stop
machines in routine
and, most important-
ly, during emergency
stopping events. At The
Hilliard Corporation,
we pride ourselves on
working for our cus-
tomers’ needs across
of our product lines
including our plate
brakes, rail brakes,
and full line of back-
stop clutches. Hilliard
Braking Systems are
made in America and
Built for the World.
The Hilliard Corporation
94 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
SUPPLIERS REPORT
Diamond processing technology specialist
DebTech delivered an X-ray Transmission
(XRT) sorter to South Africa’s largest dia-
mond mine to optimize its plant through-
put by re-concentrating the product from
the dense medium separation (DMS)
stage. The XRT Coarse Concentrator unit
was delivered to De Beers’ Venetia mine
in Limpopo province. Commissioning took
place in November. The unit’s modular-
ized configuration, where all elements of
the system are designed to fit into two
6-meter containers, makes for optimal
assembly and testing under factory condi-
tions, efficient transportation, and quicker
commissioning on site, DebTech reported.
The company’s XRT technology has been
specifically designed to provide an alter-
native to a high yielding DMS plant.
Partnership for Digitalization UndergroundSandvik partnered with Newtrax Technol-
ogies Inc. to digitalize Hindustan Zinc’s
SK mine. The former will deliver the Op-
tiMine digital platform, which offers fea-
tures for short interval control of the un-
derground operations, including OptiMine
Monitoring, Location Tracking and Mine
Visualization, Scheduler, Task Manage-
ment, and OptiMine Analytics. The sys-
tem will be commissioned in 2019.
Newtrax Technologies Inc. will de-
liver personnel tracking solutions with
cap lamps, tracking, and telemetry data
for the entire mobile underground fleet,
including non-Sandvik equipment, to
include more than 150 drills, loaders,
trucks and other equipment. The Newtrax
offering will be integrated with the Sand-
vik OptiMine digital platform, creating an
integrated mine management solution,
Sandvik reported.
Hindustan Zinc is one of the world’s
largest integrated producers of zinc and
among leading global lead and silver pro-
ducers. SK mine is a highly mechanized
world-class underground zinc and lead
mine with an annual ore production ca-
pacity of 5.5 million metric tons (mt).
Separately, Sandvik reported it signed
an agreement with Nokia to further devel-
op Sandvik solutions for private LTE (Long
Term Evolution) and 5G technology. The
Nokia Digital Automation Cloud platform
will initially be implemented and tested
in the Sandvik test mine in Tampere, Fin-
land. The platform can operate both under-
ground and in open-pit mines, and offers
connectivity for testing and developing
Sandvik technology. It enables operation of
autonomous vehicles, real-time monitoring
of underground and outdoor premises to
keep people and equipment safe, remote
diagnostics and predictive maintenance,
and asset management, control and au-
thentication, Sandvik reported.
FLSmidth to Deliver Kiln for REE ProjectThe Rare Earths Hastings Technology
Metals Yangibana Rare Earths Project, in
Australia, contracted FLSmidth to supply
an acid-bake rotary kiln. FLSmidth will
design and supply the kiln and provide
technical assistance. The Acid-Bake Ro-
tary Kiln incorporates concentrate mixing
and feeding equipment, directs waste gas
to a separate scrubbing facility, and pro-
vides a natural gas-fired heating system
essential for the processing of rare earths.
2K Tons Limestone Per Hour Hauled Above TreetopsDoppelmayr reported Cementos Progreso,
S. A. selected RopeCon to haul limestone
and marl 1.6 km from a crusher, over the
treetops of the hilly San Juan Sacatepéquez
countryside, and to the San Gabriel ce-
ment plant in southeastern Guatemala.
The limestone is mined in a quarry located
roughly 200 meters (m) lower than the ce-
ment plant. By using RopeCon to transport
the limestone, the load crosses the terrain
in a straight line despite the topography.
The system requires no more than four
towers over its entire length, Doppelmayr
reported. The material is loaded on to
RopeCon by a feeder conveyor and unload-
ed at the unloading station via a housed-in
De Beer’s Plant Commissions X-ray Sorter
De Beer’s Venetia mine plant commissions a DebTech X-ray sorter in November. (Photo: DebTech)
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 95www.e-mj.com
SUPPLIERS REPORT
Contact: Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik GmbH
Siemensstrasse 1-9 · 48488 Emsbueren/Germany
[email protected] · www.paus.de · +49 (5903) 707-0
Success
needs
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chute. The system transports 2,100 tons of
limestone and marl every hour to cover the
demand for the cement production.
Partnership: Artificial Intelligence Predicts Gold MineralizationGoldcorp and IBM Canada announced
IBM Exploration with Watson will improve
predictability for gold mineralization. The
solution, codeveloped by the companies,
applies artificial intelligence to predict
the potential for gold mineralization and
uses powerful search and query capabil-
ities across a range of exploration data-
sets, the partnership reported. Developed
using data from Goldcorp’s Red Lake Gold
Mines in northern Ontario, IBM Explo-
ration with Watson leverages spatial an-
alytics, machine learning and predictive
models, helping explorers locate key in-
formation and develop geological extrap-
olations in a fraction of the time and cost
of traditional methods, the partnership
reported. At Red Lake, IBM Exploration
with Watson provided independent sup-
port to drill targets planned by geologists
via traditional methods and proposed new
targets, which were subsequently verified.
Drilling of some of these new targets is
ongoing, with the first target yielding the
predicted mineralization at the expected
depth, the partnership reported. The IBM
Watson initiative recently earned Gold-
corp a prestigious Ingenious Award in the
large private sector category from the In-
formation Technology Association of Can-
ada (ITAC). The ITAC award for Goldcorp’s
Cognitive Journey recognizes excellence
in the use of information and commu-
nications technology by organizations to
solve problems, improve performance, in-
troduce new services and grow business.
Siemens Tapped for Plant Automation, Hoisting, Conveyor SolutionsOLKO-Maschinentechnik GmbH tapped
Seimens to supply two Blair Multi-Rope
machines to the the Woodsmith mine run
by Sirius Minerals, a producer of poly-
halite. One hoist is used as a so-called
production winder for material hoisting.
The other is used as a service winder for
personal transport, with a capacity of 35
tons, Siemens reported. The Polyhalite is
hoisted from approximately 1,450 m be-
low sea level to the surface at a speed of
18 m per second. The delivery includes
a medium-voltage synchronous motor with
an output of 9.3 megawatts and a torque
of 1,550 kilonewton meters for each ma-
chine, which are powered directly from a
medium-voltage Sinamics SM150 (PWM)
frequency converter.
Additionally, Siemens reported ex-
clusive cooperation with MineSense on
COMPANY PROFILE-PAID ADVERTISEMENT
A gradient of 22° is reached where the terrain is
steepest. (Photo: Doppelmayr)
As diverse as the requirements in min-
ing and tunnelling and especially in
underground mining are, Hermann Paus
Maschinenfabrik has been developing and
producing customized quality vehicle and
machine solutions for 50 years.
This year, 2018, Paus celebrates 50
years anniversary. 50 years “Paus.... the
people who care” means cultivating dia-
logue with industry experts and customers.
With professionalism, experience and inno-
vation, successful solutions are created for
customers who meet the requirements for
quality, environmental friendliness, com-
pressive strength, safety and efficiency.
With the life of this philosophy, Paus
has earned itself an excellent reputation
at national and international level in the
industries. With the “Made in Germany”
quality promise, Paus builds individual
and tailor-made mining and tunnelling
machines. On the basis of industrial plat-
form production, suitable vehicle solutions
are supplied for individual tasks. This
means that consistent, high quality is
already part of the manufacturing process.
The Universa 40/50 series and the
MinCa series are designed as quick-change
vehicle platforms. Simple, safe config-
urations of different superstructures on
the base platform are possible. Whether
concrete mixer, maintenance vehicle with
workshop, scissor lift table or tyre changer,
the Universa multipurpose commercial
vehicles from Paus meet underground
mining requirements flexibly, efficiently
and reliably.
The MinCa 18A is also a multi-purpose
commercial vehicle, which is offered with a
range of different “superstructures”: as a
transporter for personnel or material, as a
fire engine or with ambulance equipment.
Further options are available on request!
The smaller MinCa 5.1 is very well
adapted to the cramped conditions, not
only for use in narrow underground mines/
tunnels. As an equipment variant, it can be
configured as a passenger transporter for
five miners and still has room for the equip-
ment. With its 4WD it is perfect for use on
difficult roads. An agile vehicle that is also
available in a hybrid version. Important! All
Paus underground vehicles are explicitly
designed and built for underground and
tunnel construction - advantage: longer
durability and higher efficiency.
Increased safety requirements apply
to vehicles used in underground coal min-
ing. For example, that the engine tempera-
tures of explosion-protected vehicles must
not exceed 150°C. Optionally an extended
cooling system is available at Paus that
cools the exhaust gases to only 70°C.
Additional flame arresters on the exhaust
and air intake lines as well as encapsulat-
ed electrical components (display, battery,
switches, etc.) ensure greater safety. Paus
integrates gas sensors into its vehicles.
The Paus vehicle portfolio also
includes LHD, dumper, scaler, grader and
rock crusher solutions. Other special vehi-
cles are available on request. Everything
is complemented by a worldwide, perma-
nently professionally trained dealer and
service network.
Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik GmbH
96 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
SUPPLIERS REPORT
a solution to provide real-time measure-
ment of ore grade and characteristics
for conveyors. It will leverage both Mine-
Sense’s BeltSense and Siemen’s Simine
MAQ. The goal is to enable customers to
significantly increase efficiency via a sin-
gle view of quality across the entire con-
veying process, Siemens reported.
Hindustan Zinc Buys Load Volume ScannersLoadScan reported Hindustan Zinc pur-
chased two LVS-3CMX load volume scan-
ners for its Zawar mine complex, bringing
the total to four owned by the miner. At
its Rajpua-Dariba mine, the miner uses a
custom-mounted LVS-3CMX model under-
ground to measure ore, and a LVS-3BMP
positioned at the portal to measure truck
loads. The Loadscan LVS is the original
non-contact, automated drive-through
truck-load measurement instrument,
Loadscan reported. As a target vehicle
drives under the scanner, the LVS scans
the load and creates a 3D model. By com-
paring the model with that stored on file
for the same vehicle when empty, the LVS
calculates the load volume to a proven ac-
curacy of +/- 1%, or to the point of resolu-
tion, which is .1m3, the company reported.
Glencore Technology to Deliver Mill to US Gold MineGlencore Technology reported it will de-
liver a M10,000 IsaMillTM for ultrafine
grinding duties to the Haile Gold mine,
located in South Carolina, United States,
in January. The mill will regrind gold-bear-
ing concentrate from 42 microns to below
13 microns, which will improve leach re-
covery of the flotation concentrate, at con-
siderably lower maintenance and grinding
media costs than previously gained, Glen-
core Technology reported. The ability to
regrind to 13 microns should increase re-
coveries and deliver additional value, the
company reported.
Software Company Partners for Smooth RolloutsRPMGlobal signed a strategic partnership
agreement with Quartile One. The part-
nership will reportedly marry the former’s
asset management software with the lat-
ter’s data-driven asset performance per-
spective across the mining value chain.
Quartile One’s expertise in change man-
agement, training and support will ensure
RPMGlobal software rollouts are imple-
mented smoothly, RPMGlobal reported.
The partners began working together in
May, and are now cooperating on rollouts
in Australia and the Ukraine, the compa-
ny reported.
Partnership on Pipeline Transport SolutionsActive Minerals International (AMI) and
OSD Pty Ltd. of Australia entered a bind-
ing agreement to offer the hydro trans-
portation of lump coal and magnetite
slurry via pipeline. The companies re-
ported the solution offering could reduce
OPEX, CAPEX and environmental impact,
compared to traditional transportation
solutions. The partnership allows jointly
sharing intellectual property and pairing
OSD’s pipeline expertise with AMI’s in-
novative low dose additive, Acti-Gel 208.
The agreement covers Australia, New
Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Acquisition for Underground Resource ModelingNew Zealand’s Seequent agreed to ac-
quire Toronto’s Geosoft to unite the for-
mer’s Leapfrog 3D geological modeling
software suite with Geosoft’s subsurface
geoscience and exploration data-driven
tech. Leapfrog helps uncover valuable
insights from geological data and enables
geologists and executives alike to confi-
dently make critical time-sensitive invest-
ment and environmental decisions, Se-
equent reported. Geosoft’s Oasis montaj
technology platform supports advanced
analysis and understanding of the Earth’s
subsurface and subsea environments.
With its release of VOXI Earth Modeling,
Geosoft pioneered the use of high-per-
formance geocomputing and 3D geophys-
ical inversion modeling in the cloud, Se-
equent reported.
With the acquisition, Seequent runs
offices in 20 locations and employs a
staff of 400, serving customers in more
than 100 countries. The headquarters for
both companies will not change.
Moly-Cop to Buy Metso’s Grinding Media BusinessMetso signed an agreement to divest its
grinding media business to Moly-Cop.
The transaction comprises the sale of
Metso Spain Holding S.L.U, including op-
erations in two locations with around 80
employees in Spain (Bilbao and Seville).
The estimated turnover of the business
in 2018 will be approximately EUR 60
million. The value of the transaction will
not be disclosed. It is expected to close
this month, and is subject to customary
closing conditions, including regulatory
approvals. Moly-Cop is a leading global
manufacturer of grinding media used pri-
marily by global copper, gold and iron ore
producers to break down ore in the prima-
ry phase of mineral concentration.
Acquisition Creates Drone Solution GiantJapan’s Terra Drone Ltd. acquired a ma-
jority stake in the leading European drone
The LoadScan volume scanner scans haulers as
they pass and calculates each load at Rajpua-Dariba.
(Photo: LoadScan)
Seequent reports its acquisition of Geosoft positions
it to command a bigger chunk of the underground
geomodeling space. (Photo: Seequent)
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 97www.e-mj.com
SUPPLIERS REPORT
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service provider Skeye. Headquartered in
the Netherlands and with offices in Britain
and Belgium, Skeye, an aerial survey and
inspection company, will become the Eu-
ropean headquarters of Terra Drone. With
the acquisition, Terra Drone became one
of the world’s largest drone service com-
panies, employing more than 250 person-
nel and operating on every continent.
JV Formed for Mining, Civil Construction WorkRaise bore drilling services supplier Mas-
ter Drilling and Italian construction com-
pany Ghella SpA formed the joint venture
TunnelPro to construct major infrastruc-
ture and mining projects worldwide. As a
result, TunnelPro acquired the business
and trademarks of SELI Technologies
s.r.l., an Italian company that previously
contracted with Master Drilling in con-
structing a Mobile Tunnel Borer for use
in the horizontal and near-horizontal de-
velopment of mines. TunnelPro will pur-
sue tunnel boring projects in the smaller
scope civil construction and broader min-
ing industries while also offering select
product supply and professional services
to third parties.
BKT Plans USA PlantBalkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) an-
nounced the construction of a sixth pro-
duction site, to be located in the United
States. The planned location for the site
was undetermined at the time the com-
pany’s board of directors approved the
roughly $100 million project at the end
of October. The project will be executed
by a subsidiary of the company estab-
lished for the purpose. Target markets are
both the replacement market and OEMs
in the states, the company reported. The
remaining tire demand will come from In-
dia. The site will be the company’s first
manufacturing site outside of India.
Devico Turns 30Devico celebrated its 30th anniversary
at the historic Baardshaug Manor in Or-
kanger, Norway. The founder, Viktor Tokle,
marked the occasion with a speech on the
company’s history and achievements. “To
see all the great, dedicated Devico em-
ployees we have today around the world,
remembering the hard work and difficult
challenges on the way to becoming the
global market leader within our field, is
simply incredible,” he said. The company,
founded in 1988, initially developed a sys-
tem for directional core drilling, called the
DeviDrill. The system has been used on
various projects in more than 40 different
countries, and allows continuous measure-
ments and core sampling during steering.
Belarusian Equipment Maker Partners With Robotics GroupThe Skolkovo Foundation partnered with
Belarusian mining equipment maker
Devico, founded in 1988, originally developed a system
enabling continuous measurements and core sampling
during steering. (Photo: Devico)
98 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
SUPPLIERS REPORT
BelAZ to integrate VIST’s automation
technology in the latter’s heavy equip-
ment. VIST Robotics is described as a
resident of the Skolkovo Foundation. The
announcement comes as BelAZ show-
cased the VIST Intelligent Mine project,
a system of using digital technologies to
manage production processes at open
mines, built on Industry 4.0 solutions.
Para Resources to Award Mine Operations ContractPara Resources Inc. reported it is negoti-
ating an underground mining operations
contract for the Gold Road mine, located
in Mohave County, Arizona, USA. Work is
calendared to start in mid-November. The
rehabilitated plant will be commissioned
in December with an expected production
of 250 metric tons per day (mt/d) ini-
tially, graduating to 500 mt/d. The first
gold pour is set for early December. All
the long-lead capital orders have been
placed, the company reported.
Newmont Partners for Biodiversity PreservationThe International Union for Conservation
of Nature (IUCN) and Newmont Mining
Corp. entered a three-year collaborative
agreement to identify ways the latter can
meet its global targets to achieve no net
loss in biodiversity, and net gains where
possible, the miner reported.
The IUCN will conduct independent
reviews at select mine sites using the
Biodiversity Net Gain Protocol. The first
site visit was conducted in August at
Newmont’s operations in Nevada, USA,
and future visits are planned for the
company’s other re-
gions. Data gathered
through the reviews
will be used to de-
sign and implement
enhanced biodiversi-
ty conservation pro-
grams at Newmont’s
global mine sites
and for knowledge
sharing with IUCN
members, the union
reported.
The IUCN is com-
posed of both gov-
ernment and civil
society organizations
with 1,300 member
organizations and
more than 13,000 experts.
New Website for Conveyor SolutionsConverge Engineering announced its new
website, ConvergeBelting.com, which,
the company reported, provides new and
existing customers with a comprehensive
resource for replacement conveyor belting
and accessories. The site provides infor-
mation on conveyor accessories, scales,
sensors, control panels, safety upgrades,
pulleys, take-up frames, bearings, idlers
and power transmission parts.
Consultant Opens Office in MoscowAMC Consultants announced the opening
of its ninth office, located in Moscow. The
office will provide a gateway for clients in
Russia to access the global AMC team,
the company reproted. AMC hosted an
opening ceremony in October to coincide
with MINEX Russia 2018. The Ambassa-
dor of Australia to the Russian Federation
joined senior AMC personnel in officially
opening the office.
Dassault Partners With ATC Williams for Digital TwinDassault Systemes announced it entered
an agreement with tailings solutions con-
sultants ATC Williams to develop water
sustainability management solutions for
Australia’s mining industry utilizing the
3DEXPERIENCE platform. A key solution
will focus on mine tailings management.
The companies will create a digital twin
of future tailings facility operations to
simulate complex water recovery process-
es in the virtual world, and find ways to
preserve as much water as possible from
tailings on a mine site.
Partnership for Digital Twin SolutionAtos, supplier of digital transformation
solutions, and Bentley Systems, supplier
of comprehensive software solutions for
infrastructure construction, announced a
strategic partnership through which they
will offer a complete cloud-based digital
twin solution. The solution is expected
to enable immersive visibility, real-time
monitoring, performance analysis, remote
control, and operational training, the com-
panies reported. Bentley and Atos have
previously worked together on several
manufacturing client projects. The part-
nership was initiated through the Atos and
Siemens Global Strategic Alliance, which
effectively introduced the companies.
Newmont partnered with the IUCN on biodiversity preservation. Above, the latter visits one of the former’s Nevada
sites in August. (Photo: Newmont)
AMC hosted an opening ceremony in early October attended by the Ambassador of
Australia to the Russian Federation Peter Tesch, AMC’s Managing Director Patrick
Smith, and other senior AMC personnel. (Photo: AMC)
100 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
PROCESSING SOLUTIONS
Metso has expanded its digital Metso
Metrics offering with the launch of a new
predictive maintenance solution for min-
ing equipment, aimed to help maximize
the uptime and performance of comminu-
tion circuits. The service was introduced
at the recent Automation Fair conference
hosted by Rockwell Automation in Phila-
delphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Metso said its Metrics solution is de-
signed to provide global mining custom-
ers improved visibility and new insights
into their equipment and processes with
analytics, condition monitoring and pre-
dictive maintenance, backed by expert
support from Metso. The company said
the combination of advanced technology
and expertise will bring Metso services
closer to customers by improving collabo-
ration, asset reliability and optimization.
“Optimization of existing assets and
processes is now the key to drive pro-
ductivity at mine sites. This is where
digitalization coupled with expert sup-
port really comes into play — connect-
ing the right data with the right people,”
said Jani Puroranta, chief digital offi cer,
Metso. “With innovative digital tools
like Metso Metrics, minerals process-
ing plants can shift from reactive-mode
to being proactive and focused on con-
tinuous improvement.”
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
solution is built on the Rockwell Automa-
tion FactoryTalk Cloud platform, powered
by Microsoft Azure. It securely collects
data from hundreds of sensors within
Metso equipment to assess process per-
formance, as well as predict component
wear and failure. Metso performance
teams analyze the data with the support
of advanced machine learning algorithms,
to help customers optimize equipment
operations and processes.
“Mining companies need more visi-
bility to their processes, equipment
performance, and supply chain to im-
prove safety and effi ciency, reduce ener-
gy usage, and, ultimately, inform better
business decisions,” said Blake Moret,
chairman and CEO, Rockwell Automa-
tion. “This connected mine solution al-
lows mining companies to derive measur-
able business value from their operations,
allowing for better collaboration and in-
creased productivity.”
The new offering covers Metso’s pri-
mary gyratory crushers, cone crushers
and vibrating screens. In the future, other
types of minerals processing equipment,
such as mills, will be addressed, accord-
ing to the company. The fi rst generation
of Metso Metrics tools, focused on help-
ing aggregate and quarry producers, were
introduced in 2017.
Modular Trommel Line Offers Long Life, Easier MaintenanceFLSmidth recently introduced a com-
pletely re-engineered trommel chassis
and associated screen media package.
The new trommel designs, said the com-
pany, have been developed using Finite
Element Analysis (FEA) design calcula-
tions to ensure they are structurally sound
and can offer excellent service life.
The re-engineered trommel frames
utilize modular design and standardized
construction principles that provides a
frame with less mass while maintaining
maximum structural integrity. The new
design employs screen media that is cus-
tom designed to be easy and safe to in-
stall and service.
The screening media weigh less than
25 kg each and are fi tted to the trommel
using friction grip rails that don’t require
bolts or pins. Panel fi tting and main-
tenance activities can be carried out
quickly and safely using simple tools,
reducing the time it takes to perform
routine maintenance activities, according
to the company.
Discrete Element Analysis (DEM) soft-
ware, available to customers through FLS-
midth, simulates trommel operation and
Metso Unveils Plant PredictiveMaintenance Solution
The latest version of Metso’s expanded Metrics service covers its primary gyratory crushers, cone crushers and
vibration screens, with other types of equipment to be included in future releases.
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 101 www.e-mj.com
PROCESSING SOLUTIONS
allows an analysis of pulp fl ow through
the unit. The company said its engineers
can advise on how to optimize pulp fl ow
through the trommel to improve both
throughput and wear life of the screens.
The trommel chassis can be custom
made to suit specifi c requirements. The
company said global sourcing plans are
already in place and, in combination with
the modular features incorporated in the
new designs, that allows trommel chas-
sis to be fabricated closer to customers’
sites, providing faster delivery.
“We are excited to deliver this inno-
vative solution to the market because we
believe it will be a key component for in-
creased capacity for our customers. We
recognized the customer’s need for a sim-
ple to use and dependable trommel solu-
tion and we responded. These are suit-
able to any mining operation across the
globe and will deliver on our promise of
sustainable productivity enhancement,”
said Brent Stokes, head of Wear Parts &
Consumables, FLSmidth.
Coatings Cater to Bearings’ Special NeedsHeavy industry demands stronger bear-
ings that can withstand greater loads,
faster speeds, higher temperatures and
the constant threat of contamination.
Bearings in critical equipment are of-
ten pushed to the limits of reliable
performance. The Timken Co. recently
noted that even though it uses special
heat-treating processes to produce highly
durable bearings, some applications re-
quire a superior degree of wear resistance
and corrosion protection.
Timken said it has more than 20 years
applied surface engineering technologies
to bearing rolling elements (balls and roll-
ers) to limit component damage in harsh
operating conditions where standard bear-
ings tend to fall short of customer expec-
tations for long, trouble-free life.
When rolling elements with specifi c
coatings and engineered surfaces are in-
corporated into a bearing, the assembly
may be described as a “wear-resistant
bearing” by Timken. Decades of intensive
research and development have resulted
in a range of coating options that enhance
the performance of bearings in mining and
many other types of industrial equipment.
Timken said it solves complex friction-
management problems in a variety of ways,
including fundamental innovations in tri-
bology, lubrication, surface engineering and
materials science. Understanding friction
and wear at the atomic level helps Timken
engineer custom coatings for bearing com-
ponents that greatly improve the bearing’s
ability to resist corrosion and wear.
The Timken coatings portfolio includes:
PVD Coatings: Physical vapor deposi-
tion (PVD) describes a vacuum-deposition
method in which a solid is vaporized pro-
ducing atoms or molecules that are trans-
ported in a vacuum to be deposited on
the object as a thin fi lm. These coatings
typically provide the highest level of wear
resistance and friction reduction. Timken
has validated bearing-life improvements
up to six times over the standard where
PVD coatings are used in laboratory studies
while in oil-out conditions. These bearings
have been observed to last approximately
10 times longer than those with uncoated
rollers. Timken said PVD is a rigorous coat-
ing process that must be controlled within
world-class production facilities and with
stringent design and quality specifi cations.
Electrodeposited Coatings: Electrode-
posited coatings provide outstanding cor-
rosion-resistance protection for a wide
range of applications. This type of coat-
ing is typically applied on bearings expe-
riencing lighter loads and nonacidic solu-
tions. The degree of corrosion protection
depends on the type of coating and the
application. Some coatings also increase
bearing wear life because they harden the
contact surfaces.
Surface Conversions: Conversion coat-
ings combine excellent wear and corrosion
resistance with an ability to withstand false
brinelling (fretting wear caused by oscilla-
tions or vibrations). While not as durable
as PVD coatings, they offer another way
to improve bearing performance and tend
Designed by FLSmidth with the aid of Finite Element Analysis techiques, the company’s new trommels are said to offer superior service life coupled with maintenance features
that enable quicker, easier service and media replacement.
102 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
PROCESSING SOLUTIONS
to cost less than premium options. Black
oxide coatings, for instance, are processed
in an alkaline bath to convert the bearing
surface to an oxide layer. This helps retain
lubricant on the steel surfaces and mini-
mize wear in applications where bearing
rollers are prone to slip or skid on the rings.
Spray Coatings: Spray coatings such as
powder coat and dielectric coat are main-
ly applied to housed bearings, ancillary
components and backing rings to resist
corrosion. Dielectric coatings also inhib-
it electric arcing by providing insulation
where current passage through the bear-
ing is a damage risk. The housed bearing
units commonly found on conveyors and
other material-handling applications are
good candidates for spray coatings that
can deliver excellent corrosion resistance.
The company warned that coatings
cannot improve the performance of bear-
ings made of substandard steel or having
poor dimensional control. An effective
bearing solution starts with properly de-
signed component geometry and met-
allurgy for meeting clear application re-
quirements, and it must be manufactured
using appropriate methods and quality
processes. Only then will advanced treat-
ments on functional surfaces deliver the
specifi c benefi ts a customer is looking for.
Coatings, according to Timken, can
deliver benefi ts anywhere load, speed and
temperature requirements tax the capa-
bilities of conventional bearings. For ex-
ample, a customer will change from one
type of lubricant to another and discover
they’ve become susceptible to new sur-
face wear as a result. Or a customer may
want to run with a lower-viscosity lubri-
cant to improve the energy effi ciency of
their equipment, but this can damage the
bearing. In such cases, a special coating
can be a cost-effective solution. Ulti-
mately, the goal for all customers is to ex-
tend the life of the bearing and eliminate
maintenance intervals.
More advice for extending bearing life
and reducing equipment downtime is
available online at timken.com/coatings.
Outotec to Design a Copper Smelter in IndonesiaOutotec has signed a contract for the
Front-End Engineering Design (FEED)
of a new copper smelter to be located at
Benete Bay in Sumbawa, Indonesia. The
contract partner is PT Amman Mineral
Industri, a subsidiary of copper and gold
producer PT Amman Mineral Nusa Teng-
gara. The contract, valued at approximate-
ly €10 million, has been booked in Ou-
totec’s 2018 fourth-quarter order intake.
Outotec’s scope of engineering covers
the design of the entire copper smelter. The
engineering will be based on Outotec Flash
Smelting and Flash Converting technology,
and the facility includes an electrolytic re-
fi nery, slag concentrator, precious metals
refi nery, wet gas cleaning, and Lurec sulfu-
ric acid plant as well as effl uent treatment
plant and its associated infrastructure.
Outotec’s design work will take place
in the next nine months and is a continu-
ation of the feasibility study conducted in
2017. Once completed, the new smelter
is planned to primarily process Indone-
sian copper concentrate.
ABB Updates Plant Power Control Software LibraryABB has modifi ed its ABB Ability System
800xA Power Control Library (formerly
MIDAS Library) software to include more
options to communicate with and control
electrical devices throughout the power
infrastructure for mining and mineral pro-
cessing operations. The digital solution
now supports the PLC (Programmable
Logical Controller) Connect functionality
to extend power automation beyond IEC
61850 devices and infrastructure.
Martin Knabenhans, head of product
management for ABB’s Process Indus-
tries business unit, said, “With the addi-
tion of PLC Connect support, this Power
Control release also enables digitalization
for substations that were built without
61850, making it possible to digitalize
existing brownfi eld sites.”
The Power Control Library is part of
the ABB Ability MineOptimize digital
portfolio. It works with ABB Ability Sys-
tem 800xA, which is a platform for moni-
toring and controlling a wide range of au-
tomated industrial processes. The library
is based on the International Electrotech-
nical Commission’s (IEC) 61850 stan-
dard, which creates a common language
for automated substations and power dis-
tribution systems so that technologically
advanced mines around the world are
able to take advantage of its capabilities.
The updated version supports non-IEC
61850 substations through the PLC Con-
nect functionality of System 800xA, to com-
municate with and control a broader range
of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs).
The Power Control Library provides en-
gineers that operate automated mines with
the ability to rapidly troubleshoot electri-
cal system issues through an enhanced
substation control and monitoring envi-
ronment in one control room. It allows a
broader range of electrical and substation
equipment to be monitored and managed
remotely, so that potential issues can be
resolved quickly and safely. This remote
monitoring allows the plant team to solve
problems safely, away from the electrical
substation, thus reducing the time for elec-
trical fault diagnosis and problem solving.
ABB said that since its introduction in
2014, the Power Control Library has been
implemented in more than 20 projects
worldwide and has integrated more than
4,000 IEDs.
ABB’s Power Control Library software now offers a wider range of communication options for plant and mine
electrical systems, allowing them to be monitored and managed remotely.
MINING MARKETPLACE
Resource Center
RESOURCES.MININGMARKETPLACE.COM
Free case studies, white papers, presentations, business forecasts, and more. All designed to help you do business better.
FREE TOOLS FOR YOUR CAREER SUCCESS.
106 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
EQUIPMENT GALLERY
Epiroc launched its second generation of battery-operated machines at a customer event in Örebro, Sweden. It debuted 14-ton and 18-ton loaders, a 42-ton truck and a midsized drilling family, including face drilling, production drilling and rock reinforcement rigs. The battery-driven underground loaders, trucks and drill rigs launched will create benefi ts for miners, including improved health and safety, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and lower operating costs, the company said. “We at Epiroc want to help our custom-ers boost productivity, enhance safety and cut emissions, all while lowering the total cost of operation,” Per Lindberg, president Epiroc, said. “Our second-generation bat-tery vehicles takes us toward a sustainable future with less dependency on fossil fuels.” Customers using Epiroc’s fi rst-genera-tion battery-driven machines, launched in 2016, include, for example, Brazilian min-ing company Nexa Resources, which is us-ing the Scooptram ST7 Battery in Peru, Epi-roc reported. Other customers going electric include LKAB, the state-owned Swedish mining company, which plans to use Epi-roc’s zero-emission vehicles as it expands its mining operation in northern Sweden.www.epiroc.com
Report: 2 Billion Tons Hauled AutonomouslyKomatsu America Corp. announced its FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) achieved the milestone of more than
2 billion tons of surface material moved autonomously. Accordingly, the AHS has offi cially hauled more than all other com-mercial mining autonomous haulage sys-tems combined, the company reported. The system broke the 1-billion-tons-hauled mark in 2016, and the 1.5-billion-tons-hauled mark in late 2017. The sys-tem is deployed to more than 130 trucks in operation to date, Komatsu reported. An additional 150 FrontRunner-leverag-ing trucks will deploy to the Canadian oil sands over the next seven years. The company announced it plans to enhance the AHS’ mixed-operations func-tion to enable manned trucks of any make to interoperate with Komatsu AHS trucks in a blended operation.www.komatsuamerica.com
Ultra-class Truck Launches in 2QCaterpillar announced the Cat 798 AC and the 796 AC will be available in the second quarter of 2019. The elec-tric-drive haulers deliver a 372-metric ton (mt) and a 326-mt payload, respectively. The latter will replace the Cat 795 AC in regions where engine emissions are highly regulated, Cat reported. The AC powertrain for each draws from the Cat 795 AC and Cat 794 AC, which have been operating successfully for roughly 5 million hours, Cat reported. The company is the single source for the entire powertrain.
The drive is a high-voltage system (2,600 volts) that operates at lower cur-rent than most competitors’ systems, the company reported. Both haulers feature the Cat C175-16 diesel engine. It can be confi gured to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 emissions regula-tions, and offers a choice of 2,610 kilo-watts (kW) (3,500 horsepower [hp]) or 2,312 kW (3,100 hp). Simple software changes can adjust system power to help meet production targets or to work smoothly in mixed fl eets, Cat reported. Caterpillar also reported its trucks le-veraging MineStar Command for hauling reached the 1-billion-mt hauled mark. The fi rst six commercial autonomous Cat trucks were deployed in 2013. Subse-quently, the fl eet grew to more than 150, with six mining companies operating Command for hauling in iron ore, copper and oil sands. A fl eet of 70 Cat auton-omous trucks in Australia achieved pro-ductivity increases of 30% at signifi cantly reduced costs, the company reported. Separately, Caterpillar reported its newly announced Cat D11 Dozer features load-sensing hydraulics, high-horsepower reverse, and other technology that en-ables it to move more material at a lower cost per ton than earlier models. The D11 features a redesigned main-frame and components for increased reliabil-ity and durability, the company reported. The larger equalizer bar features an improved bearing design. The elevated sprocket un-dercarriage features a more robust track roll-er frame to extend component service life. www.cat.com
Offroad Tire Series for Dumpers ExpandedMagna Tyres Group an-nounced it expanded the Magna M-Terrain E4 tire series with new sizes. The tires are now available in 750/65R25, 875/65R29 and 800/80R29. The additions are specifi cally designed for articulated dump trucks.
Epiroc Launches 2nd GenerationBattery-run Machines
DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 107 www.e-mj.com
EQUIPMENT GALLERY
The off-road tires have a non-directional E4 tread, which sub-
stantially enhances the performance and the traction of the tire,
the company reported. The all-steel radial construction guaran-
tees better load performance and ease of operation. Heat buildup
is signifi cantly reduced via the state-of-the-art casing.
www.magnatyres.com
Bits ‘Cut Faster, Last Longer’Boart Longyear announced the availability of the Longyear Dia-
mond Bit Series. The series offers a range of color-coded bits,
each of a set hardness on the Mohs scale. Each is optimal for
specifi c mining conditions.
The bits cut faster and last longer, the company reported,
with test results revealing a 60% improvement over the compe-
tition, a 100% improvement in penetration rate, and 23% more
core in the box.
www.boartlongyear.com
Rugged Computers for ‘Harsh’ ConditionsJLT Mobile Computers re-
leased the rugged MT2010
and MT2010K computers.
The latter features an inte-
grated waterproof keyboard.
Both leverage Windows 10,
an Intel Core i5-7200U Kaby
Lake CPU, Intel HD Graph-
ics, and a 1920-by-1200-
pixel optically bonded, projective-capacitive touch display.
The MT2010 weighs 2.7 pounds and is designed to reliably
operate under even the harshest conditions, the company re-
ported. A new 8-megapixel (MP) auto-focus rear camera com-
plements the full-HD front Web cam. An optional high-capacity
battery is available.
www.jltmobile.com
Digital Twin Solutions for Effi cient PlantsSiemens and Bentley Systems introduced PlantSight, which the
companies described as a digital solution targeting more effi -
cient plant operations. The system enables as-operated and up-
to-date digital twins that synchronize with both physical reality
and engineering data, creating a holistic digital context for con-
sistently understood digital components across disparate data
sources, for any operating plant, the companies reported. Plan-
tSight creates quality of information for continuous operational
readiness and more reliability.
Separately, Bentley Systems released its iModel.js library, which
is described as an open-source initiative to improve the accessibili-
ty and analytical visibility of infrastructure digital twins. The library
can be used by developers and IT professionals to quickly and eas-
ily create immersive applications that connect their infrastructure
digital twins with the rest of their digital world, the company report-
ed. iModel.js is the cornerstone of the company’s newly released
iTwin Services that combine iModelHub, reality modeling, and
Web-enabling software technologies within a connected data envi-
ronment for infrastructure engineering, Bentley Systems reported.
www.bentley.com
Analytics Software and Support ServicesHexagon’s Mining division introduced HxGN MineEnterprise CAS
Analytics, a Web-based reporting and analytics platform. The
solution monitors and controls critical risk events by connect-
ing a multitude of data sources via live dashboards, visualizing
all aspects of the company’s collision avoidance system (CAS),
the company reported. Based on situational safety data, users
can identify and analyze the root causes of failing operational
controls. Seeing safety data at a granular level empowers users
to drill down to locate vehicles operating under risk and vehicle
types exhibiting higher-than-average numbers of incident events.
MineEnterprise CAS Analytics’ optimized mobile interface deliv-
ers real-time safety information on tablets or cell phones.
Separately, Hexagon released Mine Monitoring Services,
which it described as an enhanced layer of expert oversight for
its planning, operations, safety and enterprise portfolios. Part-
nering with Hexagon experts, customers can now monitor and
control all aspects of their operation easily and from one loca-
tion. Future versions of the service could cover everything from
Fast lead times and exceptional
value on new slurry pumps for a
wide variety of applications!
www.schurcoslurry.com (904)356-6840
108 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
EQUIPMENT GALLERY
fatigue monitoring, to system and data-
base usage, to enterprise reporting and
more, the company reported.
Hexagonmining.com
Scheduling SoftwareUpgrade ReleasedMaptek Pty Ltd. released Maptek Evolu-
tion 5.1, scheduling optimization soft-
ware. The new version features updates
to the Strategy and Origin modules to en-
hance medium-term, long-term and stra-
tegic-life-of-mine scheduling, reducing
operating costs and maximizing deposit
value, the company reported.
Origin’s multi-objective optimization
algorithm was expanded to handle sched-
uling with solids. Users can now optimize
with solids on NPV and blending, com-
paring multiple confl icting objectives to
defi ne a range of practical solutions for
consideration, the company reported.
Strategy was upgraded with a seeding
function previously featured in Origin. The
simple and intuitive interface allows users
to select previous results, replicate the
sequence of some periods and optimize
further periods, providing greater fl exibility
and control, the company reported. Mul-
tiple solutions can be compared in pivot
tables, providing an easy way to assess the
outcomes. Other features include improved
reporting capabilities and streamlined inte-
gration with the company’s Vulcan system.
Separately, Maptek launched Point-
Studio 8 with a new platform and ribbon
interface. The 3D platform for modeling,
analysis and reporting is delivered on the
Maptek Workbench, which unlocks data
sharing with other Maptek applications.
One of the benefi ts of moving to the Work-
bench is access to the Workfl ow Editor for
building interactive command sequences,
Maptek reported. PointStudio users can
link workfl ow components to data and eas-
ily run automations in context.
Operations will be able to easily iden-
tify overbreak and underbreak with the
new underground reporting tools, the
company reported. Benefi ts include re-
ducing grade dilution and revealing un-
necessary development and pre-blast is-
sues by highlighting unstable areas.
www.maptek.com
Drone Platform OffersSingle-source InfoKespry reported its inventory and drone
data management platform enables mon-
itoring and assimilation of data across
sites, product lines and divisions. Users
can reconcile data from their drone surveys
with data from ERP and other systems of
record for production and sales data, the
company reported. This data can then be
used to make better production decisions,
inform sales teams of available product,
and reduce write-downs by fi nance teams.
By centralizing data on one platform, min-
ers can save time wasted on manual Excel
work and identify discrepancies in inven-
tory data faster to avoid costly issues such
as overproduction, the company reported.
www.kespry.com
Filtration MonitoringSystem Alerts UsersDonaldson Co. Inc. unveiled a Web-con-
nected fi ltration monitoring system that
captures data from dust, fume and mist
collectors, and notifi es users of poten-
tially needed maintenance. The system
leverages sensors and a controller to gath-
er real-time data from a collector, apply
analytics in the cloud, and relay insights
back to the operator through a Web-based
dashboard and email or text alerts. It can
be installed on existing or new dust and
fume equipment, the company reported.
Benefi ts include cost and time savings.
www.donaldson.com
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110 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
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DECEMBER 2018 • E&MJ 111www.e-mj.com
ABB Motors & Mechanical Inc ..................................................................15
Alamos Gold Inc .......................................................................................76
Aurania Resources Ltd .............................................................................83
Becker Mining Systems AG ..................................................................IFC, 3
Boart Longyear .........................................................................................47
Calumet Branded Products LLC (Bel-Ray Co)...........................................57
Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) .......................................................75
Classic Motors..........................................................................................49
Cobalt 27 .................................................................................................74
Derrick Corp .............................................................................................61
DRA ..........................................................................................................87
Dundee Precious Metals ...........................................................................82
Epiroc.......................................................................................................21
ERIEZ – Mineral Flotation Group ..............................................................51
Geometrica...............................................................................................35
Harte Gold Corp........................................................................................72
Haulage & Loading 2019....................................................................39, 99
Hayard......................................................................................................84
Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik GmbH....................................................95
Hilliard Corp.............................................................................................93
Hitachi Construction Machinery Co Ltd ................................................... BC
IBK Capital Corp.......................................................................................75
International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) ................................97
Jennmar Corp ...........................................................................................17
Kal Tire Mining Tire Group.........................................................................65
Komatsu - Japan ......................................................................................19
Komatsu Mining Corp...............................................................................37
KPI-JCI & Astec Mobile Screens .................................. 25, 27, 29, 31, 40-41
Longwall USA 2019 ........................................................................ 104-105
Manitou Gold Inc ......................................................................................79
Motion Industries Inc................................................................................45
Noble Mineral Exploration Inc...................................................................79
Normet .....................................................................................................43
North American Palladium Ltd (NAP)........................................................77
Ormston List Frawley LLP .........................................................................78
Peloton Minerals Corp ..............................................................................83
RDH-Scharf ..............................................................................................85
Red Valve Co Inc ......................................................................................69
The Redpath Group.................................................................................108
Robert Bosch LLC ........................................................................... 109, IBC
Sandvik Mining ........................................................................................33
Schurco Slurry ........................................................................................107
SEMCO Publications - Resource Center..................................................103
Shell...........................................................................................................9
SRK Consulting ........................................................................................86
Steppe Gold Precious Metals Co ...............................................................80
Superior....................................................................................................71
Teranga Gold Corp....................................................................................81
Torex Gold Resources Inc ..........................................................................84
Triple Flag Mining Finance Ltd .................................................................73
Tsurumi Manufacturing Co Ltd.................................................................63
Varel Int’l .................................................................................................89
Volvo Penta ................................................................................................5
Westpro Machinery ...................................................................................67
World Mining Equipment (WME) .............................................................111
WSP..........................................................................................................11
112 E&MJ • DECEMBER 2018 www.e-mj.com
MARKETS
Recent trends among metals markets
continue. Among the precious metals,
palladium prices posted a new record,
while platinum prices declined and the
price of gold held steady. Prices for most
base metals moderated during the last
month, except zinc, which posted a 7.4%
price increase to settle at $2,709 per
metric ton (mt). Iron ore prices dropped
10% to $66.76/mt.
On December 5, palladium closed
at $1,262 per ounce (oz) in New York,
according to Johnson Matthey. The gold
price that day settled at $1,239.50/oz.
For four months now, a demand-fueled
rally has pushed palladium prices high-
er. While this is great news for palladium
miners, it’s not the fi rst time palladium
has traded above gold. It’s just been a
while since it happened. For much of the
late 1990s, palladium traded above gold
before reaching an infl ection point about
15 years ago.
Autocatalysts manufacturers are
scrambling as more consumers switch
from diesel- to gas-powered cars.
While most metals have moved side-
ways this year amid global trade discus-
sion and a strengthening U.S. dollar,
palladium reached record levels four
times during November. Investor hold-
ings in palladium-backed exchange trad-
ed funds (ETFs) have reached their lowest
levels since February 2009. Palladium’s
defi cit is expected to widen to about 1.4
million oz in 2019, adding to a 1.2-mil-
lion-oz shortfall this year.
The ability of miners to increase pro-
duction is limited. Metals Focus in its
Precious Metals Weekly (November 20,
2018) reminded readers that palladium
is one of several platinum group metals
that is mined from polymetallic ore bod-
ies. For the largest palladium producer,
Nornickel, palladium represents 36% of
total metal sales revenue. The company
recently reiterated an essentially fl at pro-
duction profi le out to 2020.
Over the next fi ve years, Metals Focus
is forecasting only a limited supply re-
sponse from South Africa, with additional
ounces from the fi ve growth projects by
cost-driven closures at Implats and Lon-
min. Platinum forms a larger share of
these operations’ revenue and thus the
fall in platinum price has mitigated the
benefi t of rising palladium revenues.
The palladium-rich ore bodies of
Sibanye’s U.S. operations and North
American Palladium’s Lac des Iles have
meant that both operations benefi t and
each is pursuing growth. However, the
250,000-oz additional contribution to
North American production in 2021 will
be partially offset by losses from Vale,
which produces palladium as a byproduct
of nickel mining. Metal Focus said glob-
al palladium production could decline by
2% to 6.7 million oz next year.
Palladium Settles Above Gold
Gold and silver prices provided by KITCO Bullion dealers (www.kitco.com). Platinum group metals prices provided by Johnson Matthey (www.platinum.matthey.com). Non-ferrous base and minor metal prices provided by London Metal Exchange (www.lme.co.uk). Iron ore prices provided by Platts Iron Ore Index. Currency exchange rates were provided by www.xe.com.
(December 7, 2018)
Precious Metals ($/oz) Base Metals ($/mt) Minor Metals ($/mt) Exchange Rates (U.S.$ Equivalent)
Gold $1,247.80 Aluminum $1,962.00 Molybdenum $26,000 Euro (€) 1.139
Silver $14.58 Copper $6,173.00 Cobalt $55,250 U.K. (£) 1.275
Platinum $792.00 Lead $1,965.00 Canada ($) 0.752
Palladium $1,218.00 Nickel $10,815.00 Iron Ore ($/dmt) Australia ($) 0.721
Rhodium $2,600.00 Tin $18,930.00 Fe CFR China $66.76 South Africa (Rand) 0.071
Ruthenium $270.00 Zinc $2,709.00 China (¥) 0.145
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