Suppliers and Equipment

We won't kill driver jobs: BHP

BHP Billiton has confirmed that drivers will still be needed for new trains heading to its Pilbara operations. The confirmation comes after BHP awarded Downer EDI a $292 million five year contract to supply new locomotives to its iron ore operations.

PHIL introduces “first true oil sands body” for mining trucks in that sector

Philippi-Hagenbuch has designed what it describes as “the first off-highway truck body specifically for hauling oil sands.” Its design minimises material “loafing” and carryback while providing a safer environment for truck drivers, longer truck chassis and body life while decreasing box maintenance, it reports.

International patent application filed for TIVAN hydrometallurgical process for V, Ti and Fe

An International Patent Application has been filed for the revolutionary new hydrometallurgical process developed for TNG’s 100%-owned Mount Peake iron-vanadium project in the Northern Territory, Australia. The newly-named TIVANTM Process was jointly developed last year in conjunction with TNG’s metallurgical consultants, Mineral Engineering Technical Services (METS). For the first time using hydrometallurgy, the TIVAN process has successfully extracted commercial grades of vanadium, titanium and iron from the Mount Peake deposit, which is hosted by a similar rock type (magnetite-gabbro) to that which hosts most known vanadium deposits worldwide.

Metso to supply crushing equipment to Fortescue Metals iron ore operations in Australia

Metso will supply crushing equipment to Fortescue Metals Group in Australia. The delivery will be completed by May 2012. The value of the order is approximately EUR34 million. The order comprises 13 units of MP1000 secondary cone crushers. Three units will be delivered to Fortescue’s Christmas Creek iron ore site, and another ten units will go to the Solomon iron ore mine site. Both sites are located in the Pilbara region in Western Australia. The crushers will be supplied to the sites in pre-assembled, modularised form. Metso will also be providing installation and commissioning assistance of all units.

Sandvik commissions biggest surface top hammer drill rig in Africa

The first of Sandvik’s revolutionary new DPi Series surface top hammer drill rigs – the biggest top hammer of its kind in Africa – has been commissioned at Independent Quarries in East London, South Africa and two more are on order. The intelligent self-propelled, self-contained crawler has been introduced to meet the rigorous demands of production drilling, quarry and mine development, pre-splitting and dewatering. There are already 15 DPi rigs operating in other parts of the world.“The new DPi Series reflects 20 years of experience in quarrying and open pit mining in the hole range of 76 to 152 mm, drilling deeper holes more accurately than ever before,” Cornel Burger, Sandvik’s General Manager Operations & Construction, says. The machine’s 33 kW rock drill is now the biggest available on the market.

Metso to supply mineral processing equipment and services to Russian copper company

Metso will supply minerals processing equipment and services to Russian Copper Co ZAO (RMK) for its copper operation in Chelyabinskya region in southwest Russia.

Joy Global bookings up 46% in Q2

Joy Global Inc. had a successful second quarter. The mining equipment manufacturer reported net income of $162 million for the second quarter of 2011, or $1.52 per share, compared to $120 million, or $1.15 per share, for the same period last year. Second quarter bookings were up 46% to $1.5 billion, while net sales jumped 19%.

"We had another outstanding quarter, reaching record levels of performance in order bookings, shipments, operating profit margins and earnings per share,” said Mike Sutherlin, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Sutherlin pointed to Joy Global's recent $1 billion acquisition of LeTourneau Technologies as an important complement to its rope shovel capability, by expanding into the wheel loader and drilling products markets.

Image by Joy Global Inc.

ABB commissions first gearless mill drives project in Canada

Commissioning and start-up of Canada’s first gearless mill drive (GMD) system has been completed at Osisko Mining Corp’s Malarctic project and will increase production capacity at the mine. The system was commissioned by ABB, a leading power and automation technology group.

Image of the Malarctic mine by Osisko Mining

US Department of Justice clears Caterpillar acquisition of Bucyrus

Caterpillar and Bucyrus International have received notification from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that it has closed its investigation into Caterpillar’s planned acquisition of Bucyrus. The DOJ action, in addition to the expiration of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act waiting period, concludes the antitrust review process in the US. The clearance by the DOJ will allow the acquisition, valued at approximately $8.6 billion (including net debt), to proceed as soon as all other conditions to closing have been satisfied. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2011. The implifications of this acquisition were considered in detail in IM, December 2010.

Barminco awarded major underground gold mining contracts by AngloGold Ashanti

Australian contractor Barminco has signed the company's largest contract in its 21-year history with the renewal of its contract with AngloGold Ashanti Australia to deliver underground mining services at the 600,000 t/y Sunrise Dam gold mining operation, located 56 km south of Laverton in Western Australia. The company has been contract mining at Sunrise Dam since October 2003.

First blast signals start of shaft sinking phase at Wesizwe’s Frischgewaagd-Ledig complex

Following the approval by Wesizwe shareholders in March 2011 of the total mine development financing solution offered by the Chinese consortium of Jinchuan, CAD Fund and Micawber, TWP Projects, a Basil Read Group company, has submitted a full EPCM proposal to the company for the new twin vertical shafts (the Main and Ventilation Shafts), a new plant and all surface infrastructure at its Frischgewaagd-Ledig Complex near Rustenburg, South Africa.

Sandvik Mining and Construction signs iron ore project order in Latin America

Sandvik Mining and Construction has signed a major materials handling contract with a major mining company in Latin America. The contract value exceeds SEK1,200 million and will be executed and contribute to SMC business during the years 2011 until 2013.

Veolia announces mine equipment deals in Mexico and Brazil

Crown Solutions, a Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies company, is to supply the initial equipment for a new Water Treatment Plant (WTP) to Coeur Palmarejo in Mexico. The Palmarejo mine is an operating silver-gold mine in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains of …

Alice Springs traditional owners acquire 51% of Australian Contract Miner of the Year

The Alice Springs-based Lhere Artepe Group has acquired 51% of the CDE Group, taking indigenous ownership of the Australian mining and civil works contracting group to 84%. CDE’s current activities include providing services to Fortescue Metals Group’s Christmas Creek iron ore mine in Western Australia through the Downer EDI contracting group, and to Xstrata for the McArthur River zinc mine in the Northern Territory.

Boart Longyear chief bullish on exploration

The head of the world's largest and oldest drilling services company says spending on mineral exploration will hit a record pace in 2011 and grow even more in 2012. The Financial Post reports from PDAC:

And as CEO Craig Kipp is quick to point out in an interview, that is a great space to be in these days. According to a published forecast he uses, global exploration spending will reach a record US$14-billion this year. And if that sounds like a lot, a whopping US$19-billion is expected in 2012.

“The outlook’s pretty good,” Mr. Kipp said in a rather big understatement. He thinks we are starting a three-year run of extremely elevated drilling activity. Mining companies have plenty of cash to burn and are having trouble finding good acquisitions, so it makes sense to spend it on drilling, he said.

Joy Global profits jump 34%

Joy Global Inc.'s fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 34%, but the mining-equipment company's sales and profit were lower than expected, partly because of flooding in Australia that disrupted mine operations.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Chief Executive Mike Sutherlin said a 20-25% increase in steel prices will be offset by higher equipment prices.

"We're looking at higher input prices," Mr. Sutherlin said during a conference call Wednesday with analysts. "I don't think it's a significant, unmanageable risk though."

The Milwaukee -based company's profits and orders for new equipment and service have been improving in recent quarters on rising prices for mined commodities, such as coal, iron ore and copper.

Making use of methane: Methane recovery technology by Australia-based Industrea is getting a lot of attention in China

In October 2010 the Chinese government shut down 1,611 illegal coal mines in an effort to improve an industry whose working conditions have been described as harsh, dangerous, and often fatal.

Last year in China more than 2,600 people died in mining-related accidents, including explosions, floodings and cave-ins, although fatalities have decreased in recent years due to increased safety inspections and the government shuttering illegal mines.

Big new silver mining equipment order for Atlas Copco

Swedish mining equipment manufacturer Atlas Copco has received one of its biggest ever orders from the world's largest primary silver miner.

Connors Drilling, Sanderson Drilling acquire surface diamond division of Swick’s Mining Services

Colorado-based Connors Drilling and sister company, Sanderson Drilling of Western Australia have purchased the assets of the Surface Diamond Division of Swick Mining Services (ASX: SWK) of Australia.