Every year, Mining Magazine celebrates excellence in the mining industry by inviting our readers to nominate people, companies, projects and technologies that they feel have demonstrated outstanding commitment to advancing the state of play in mining over the past 12 months. The shortlisted candidates are then put to the vote.
Congratulations to this year's winners, who are listed below; and thank you to our readers, who took the time to nominate and vote for them.
And the winners are:
Fleet & Equipment
Liebherr - Assistance System OHT - Trolley Guidance System and Crusher Guidance System
Liebherr developed two Assistance Systems—the Trolley Guidance and Crusher Guidance systems—to help to simplify two of the more delicate and complicated activities on a mine site. Both semi-autonomous systems help improve operator efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, increase operational safety, and reduce the risk of damage to the machine. Both Assistance Systems have been successfully validated in a mine this year. The Trolley Guidance System aims to maximise the benefits of using truck fleets on trolley. This system automatically raises and lowers the pantograph to connect and disconnect the truck as it enters and leaves the trolley line. The Trolley Guidance System also takes control of the steering while the truck is attached to the trolley line to ensure the truck maintains a consistent travel path. The Crusher Guidance System automates a truck's movements as it reverses into the fixed, narrow structure of a crusher. The system achieves this in two separate motions: the forward motion, where the Crusher Guidance System aligns the truck with the crusher; and the reversal motion, where the system directs the truck back into the crusher and notifies the operator when it is safe to dump the truck's load.
Operations & Safety
Orica's WebGen™ - Mine Schedule Flexibility
Orica's WebGen™ is a wireless initiating system used to initiate bulk explosives in both the open cut and underground mining. It uses magnetic induction to transmit encrypted arm and fire codes from an antenna to the primers located in the blastholes. The technology removes the in-hole and surface wires, or signal tubes used by conventional initiation systems to transmit firing signals. Eliminating physical connections opens a whole new range of possibilities, including the safe passage of mining equipment over loaded blastholes.
Production & maintenance
Thiess
Thiess has worked with developers to produce two new digital solutions: a mobile warehouse application (app) and mobile maintenance app.
The mobile warehouse app replaces manual paper-based processes with a handheld device operated via a cloud network, digitising the way we manage warehouse inventory. The android-based app is linked directly to the Computerised Inventory Management System and is run on a Zebra handheld mobile computer with built in RF scanners.
The mobile maintenance app will also streamline processes and drive efficiencies. Current processes require tradespeople to manually complete a handwritten job planning sheet (JPS) which is then entered into our internal online system by a Leading Hand, Supervisor or Planner.
The android-based app is also linked directly to the Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS), replacing paper-based processes and duplication of work by allowing tradespeople to create work orders and add parts directly via their handheld device.
Emissions reduction & monitoring technology
B2Gold
B2Gold's Otjikoto operation maintains a fully autonomous hybrid power plant, which was commissioned in 2018 and consists of 6 MW solar and 24 MW heavy fuel oil (HFO) components. Following the success of the Otjikoto hybrid power plant, the company commenced the construction of a similar hybrid power plant (consisting of 30 MW solar and 64 MW HFO and diesel components) at our Fekola operation in 2020, which reached full capacity in Q3 of 2021. The Masbate Gold Project uses an HFO/diesel power plant to generate electricity on site. Prior to 2022, one production generation set (of the six that comprise the power plant, corresponding to 5.5 MW of 35.9 MW total capacity) operated solely on diesel fuel and the other sets operated on HFO.
Indigenous and Community relations
Torex
Torex is currently the second-largest gold producer in Mexico, with operations in Guerrero State, a socially complex area to operate. The Company places a priority on local employment and local procurement and, as a result, Torex's operations are a key economic driver for the State. Currently 99% of the workforce at site is from Mexico, with more than 60% from State of Guerrero. In 2021, almost US $75 million of total procurement spend was in Guerrero, strengthening the region's economy, and creating financial stability for families, business partners, and local and regional suppliers.
Torex partners with host communities through innovative Community Development Agreements called CODECOPs (Convenio de Desarrollo Comunitario Participativo) established with 11 local communities. Under the Agreements, community projects are defined according to local needs and priorities through CODECOP committees established for each community, with committee members selected by each community assembly. This was done to empower local communities on decision-making processes related to community investment, with the community deciding how and when to spend the funds available. Typical projects include infrastructure development and improvements, water and sanitation projects, education and healthcare initiatives, and cultural initiatives. In 2021, approximately $4.1M USD was spent on direct community investments, with the intention of creating healthy, prosperous and sustainable communities.
ESG and the transition
The Northern Goldfields Solar Project
Presented by TransAlta, Stantec and BHP
The 48.2MW Northern Goldfields Solar Project, currently under construction, comprises two solar farms and a battery energy storage system to be integrated into TransAlta's off-grid Southern Cross Energy North network supplying power to BHP Nickel West's Leinster and Mount Keith operations. Once complete, it will constitute one of the world's largest hybrid energy networks servicing the mining industry.
Built, owned and operated by TransAlta and developed in collaboration with BHP and Stantec, the project will reduce emissions from BHP's electricity use at Mount Keith and Leinster by 12% (the equivalent of 23,000 combustion engine cars removed from the road every year), reducing fuel costs and improving the reliability of electricity supply. The project contributes to BHP's medium-term target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions from its operated assets by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. In addition, the project will improve BHP's position as one of the lowest cost carbon nickel miners in the world, reducing emissions from electricity use at TransAlta's Southern Cross.
Safety
Hexagon Mining division - HxGN MineProtect
HxGN MineProtect Collision Avoidance System (CAS) brings protection to mining vehicle operators, vehicles, and assets in open pit mines via a smart antenna and an unobtrusive cabin display unit. The safety solution provides operators with 360-degree awareness for surrounding vehicles and selected assets and offers a technology-led collision avoidance function based on path prediction. MineProtect CAS notifies operators to avoid accidents to keep them and other mine personnel on-site safe. Protecting mine workers in the pursuit of zero harm helps keep mining organisations safe, productive, and profitable.
Mineral Processing
Haver & Boecker Niagara, XL-Class Elliptical Vibrating Screen for High-Moisture Applications
Haver & Boecker Niagara engineered a new, elliptical motion Niagara XL-Class vibrating screen for a Brazilian iron ore producer. The new technology is ideal for screening applications challenged with high-moisture content and can easily handle capacities up to 3,500 tons per hour while minimizing water usage. The vibrating screen runs in an elliptical motion of up to 6g in a high-moisture iron ore screening application to ensure stratification in all phases of screening. It also features a robust elliptical exciter drive that offers a bearing life up to 75,000 hours.
Software
Metso Outotec - Geminex
Metso Outotec Geminex is a metallurgical digital twin that was launched in March 2022. It combines online operational data and expertise, delivering insight-driven performance that gives efficient management of variability in mining, pyro- and hydrometallurgical operations. It enables customers to take a quick digital leap for managing the variability in operations by scenario planning and control while achieving better environmental and financial performance.
Drill & Blast
Orica's 4D™
4D™ is Orica's latest bulk explosives system that enables the real-time tailoring of explosives energy to geology across a blast. The proprietary technology comprises specific blends of emulsion and ammonium nitrate porous prills to suit all hole conditions - dry, wet or dewatered, and can be delivered through both pumped and augered loading methods. The 4D™ bulk explosives system offers an increased ranged of energies that can deliver up to 23% more relative bulk strength for hard rock applications and a 43% reduction in energy for soft rock or technical applications, such as wall control. In softer geology, lower energy can be applied to reduce over-blasting in soft, wet ground resulting in lower explosives consumption and reduces overall blasting cost. Improved vibration control and a reduction in post-blast fume are also expected outcomes through the better matching of energy to rock hardness in wet conditions. Further, by matching energy to geology, mines can achieve a more consistent muckpile with improved excavation productivity.
Load & Haul
Liebherr R 9600 (hydraulic excavator)
Liebherr's R 9600, its latest 600 t excavator and successor to the well-respected R 996B, provides best-in-class force distribution with the highest digging and breakout forces in the 600 t class. The R 9600 also offers class-leading productivity and optimal power transmission. A production study of the R 9600, designed to evaluate the operational efficiency of the machine when compared to the R 996B, demonstrated considerable gains in productivity over its predecessor. This production study determined the R 9600 to be 19.6% more productive and 19.8% faster than the R 996B located on the same site.
Exploration
Drillco - Puma RC5 Exploration Hammer
This new hammer has proven to have superior performance in dry sample recovery under any drilling situation, facilitating the operator's job and improving ore identification.
Bulk Handling
Martin Engineering N2® Twist (TM) Tensioner
The Twist Tensioner is an autonomous conveyor belt tensioning system that continuously monitors and delivers proper cleaner tension throughout the cleaner's service life. The device saves maintenance time by eliminating the need to physically inspect and adjust the belt cleaner tension, and reduces the risk to service personnel by minimizing the need to work near a moving conveyor. The result is more efficient belt cleaning, increased safety, reduced labor and a lower cost of operation.
Mining Services & Support
Metso Outotec & Codelco Gabriela Mistral
The project was executed for more than 6,000 hours without accidents due to the leadership of both companies. .After 15 years of operation, Codelco's Gabriela Mistral Division (DGM), aligned with its sustainable objectives and without expanding its footprint, decided to modernize its two cathode stripping machines, an activity that counted with the advice, supply of components and service by Metso Outotec. This service included the installation, commissioning, and start-up of Chiseling (knife unit), Down Ender (downer unit), DDU (deflector unit), and Rejected Unit.
