The Prospect Awards finalists are based in almost all of Australia’s primary resources regions including the Illawarra, Kimberley, Hunter, South Western Sydney, the Eastern and Victorian Goldfields, Central New South Wales and the Western Coalfields.
The Australian resources industry as a whole deserves recognition for its innovation and productivity.
The resources boom continues to be extremely valuable for economies on a local, state and national level.
The benefits of the Australian mining industry is widespread, with the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) Economic Activity Brief reporting 107,200 persons employed full time in the Australian Metals and Minerals industry in July 2007.
Record levels of growth are expected to continue, according to the MCA report, with world economic growth expected to remain strong at 3.9% a year up until 2012.
While many mines are responsible in some way for the state of the industry, only one mine can be the 4th Annual Australian Mining Prospect Awards Australian Mine of the Year.
One of the finalists in the running for the Australian Mine of the Year category is Callie Underground Mine.
Callie has produced 10 Mt of ore to date and employs over 500 personnel, including over 250 contractors from HWE Mining.
An alliance contract between HWE Mining and Newmont Tanami has integrated the companies’ capabilities, and with current production rates of 2 Mtpa of gold ore the Callie mine is one of the most productive gold mines in the country.
Xstrata’s Beltana Coal Mine is said to be a cut above the rest when it comes to productivity and is also a finalist in the Australian Mine of the Year category.
The mine has taken advantage of high levels of automation, and has churned out strong production figures year after year.
While productivity is a strong measure of performance, workers safety and the employment of sound environmental initiatives is just as important to the wider Australian community.
Springvale Colliery in the Western Coalfield of NSW has come up with an environmental initiative to save water.
The coal mine has developed a system that transfers an average 15 Ml per day to a power station in the region.
The Springvale Delta Water Transfer Scheme and Springvale’s stringent safety and emergency planning procedures are an example of the resource industry’s push to lift safety and environmental standards.
Tahmoor Coal Mine has faced significant challenges over the past 12 months with rock falls threatening a long period of unplanned downtime.
The mine designed a system that mitigated the inherent risks and minimised downtime with no injuries recorded in the recovery of underground equipment.
Myuna Coal Mine, also operated by Centennial Coal, has seen underground innovation through the development of the Hydraulic Advancing Temporary Support System (HATS).
The HATS system allows hydraulic roof props to be remotely installed from a safe location.
The innovation permits temporary roof support to be installed while eliminating the requirement for mine workers to be exposed to an unsupported roof.
Argyle Diamonds is in the running for Australian Mine of the Year with an innovative approach to community relations and recruitment featuring in the mine’s submission.
The mine has introduced plans to enhance Aboriginal employment numbers through targeted recruitment and training practices.
The mine’s initiatives are focused on the employment of significant numbers of apprentices and trainees.
Stawell Gold Mine and Ridgeway Copper-Gold Mine were selected as finalists for commitment to mine optimisation.
Stawell, located 250 km west of Melbourne, has initiated a unique Spare Parts Management Program that has utilised drives and control technology from an industrial automation supplier.
The partnership saved the company more than $150,000 in a single episode and avoided an extended period of unplanned downtime.
Ridgeway Copper-Gold Mine has improved automation technology by further increasing the productivity of two long-hole production drill rigs.
Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mine’s Super Pit has also achieved excellent productivity, innovation in safety standards and blast optimisation.
The Super Pit is said to move 7 Mt per month, with one Mt bearing gold ore, up to a grade of 2.2 grams per tonne.
The joint venture between Newmont Australia and Barrick Gold has also employed advanced communication and positioning systems in order to optimise the placement of equipment at the bottom of the 470 m deep pit.
Mt Whaleback is the biggest single-pit, open-cut ore mine in the world and has been nominated as a finalist in the Mine of the Year category by Australian Mining.
Mt Whaleback’s Six Sigma Business Excellence Team implemented drilling solutions making blast hole drilling a more efficient and less costly task.
Awaba Coal Mine has successfully extended the life of the mine by over two years with an additional two million tonnes of saleable product.
The extension is said to be worth $25 million for the mine based on projected operating cost and maintained current market prices.
Australian Mining congratulates all finalists in the 2007 Prospect Awards.