The Australian Mining Prospect Awards returned to Brisbane this year to celebrate the best and brightest of the country’s mining sector.
From safety to surface mining, technology to performance, the 2023 Australian Mining Prospect Awards had it all.
The 12 awards celebrated a wide range of achievements across the industry, including safety, environmental, discoveries indigenous engagement, and a lot more.
Keep reading to discover the winners of the 2023 Australian Mining Prospect Awards.
Australian Mine of the Year
Celebrating a site that has not only reached production goals but has also taken steps to implement outstanding safety controls and environmental and sustainability programs, the Australian Mine of the Year Award was taken home by a major player.
Roy Hill, a Hancock Prospecting subsidiary and a jewel of the Western Australia mining scene, was awarded the top prize this year for its plans to become the world’s largest autonomous mine.
In conjunction with Epiroc, Roy Hill is working to replace all 96 haul trucks with a fully driverless fleet.
While undertaking the massive overhaul, Roy Hill still managed record iron ore shipments of 63.3 million tonnes in 2023.
oy Hill is also reprocessing material already sent to tailings through the WHIMS plant – a win for the business and environment.
With successes across the board in production, sustainability, safety and innovation, Roy Hill is setting itself up for an even bigger year in 2024.
The Australian Mine of the Year award is proudly sponsored by National Group.
Indigenous and Community Engagement
Recognising a collaboration between an Australian miner and an Aboriginal-owned business or community organisation, the Indigenous Community Engagement category at this year’s Prospect Awards went to BHP’s Banjima land rehabilitation partnership with the Banjima people in WA.
The partnership is an “informal but highly valued” collaboration between Banjima Traditional Owner members, organisations and businesses in land conservation and the re-vegetation of native plants on BHP mining areas located on Banjima traditional lands in the Pilbara.
“Many Banjima people live regionally in Pilbara communities and have barriers that may limit engagement in mining through usual recruitment processes,” BHP said. “The collaboration seeks to address these barriers, grow the regional labour pool, build regional business capacity and increase indigenous representation in mining and land management activities.”
The Indigenous and Community Engagement Award is proudly sponsored by Sandvik.
Excellence in IIoT Application
Recognising an outstanding implementation of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), the Excellence in IIoT Application Award commends technology that enhances mining and mineral processing operations.
Hexagon took home the top spot at this year’s Prospect Awards with its HxGN MineProtect Operator Alertness System, or OAS, which keeps heavy and light vehicle operators alert and attentive throughout long working hours.
The solution employs state-of-the-art sensor technology and advanced algorithms to continuously monitor operators’ alertness levels in real-time.
“While there might be alternatives in the market that focus on safety, HxGN MineProtect OAS surpasses them with its ability to address alertness and safety holistically,” Hexagon said. “Many existing solutions may lack the real-time monitoring capability or may not be tailored for underground operations, limiting their efficacy.
The Excellence in IIoT Application Award is proudly sponsored by ifm.
Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability
At a time when net-zero is at the forefront of discussions on the future of the mining industry, the Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability Award recognises a mine, company or project that has excelled in environmental-mindedness.
The award celebrates an innovative sustainable or environmentally-focused program that has been developed or carried out to protect, preserve and rehabilitate the natural environment, and contributes to decarbonisation as well as waste and emission reduction.
Maven Greentech’s AirX Initiative took out the category at this year’s Prospect Awards.
The company pioneered AirX to be a robot-driven air filter cleaning system tailored for mine sites and workshops. “The war on cost reduction will be won through the innovation of technology,” Maven Greentech said of its AirX Robot system. “The future of the planet will be saved by the very same technology.”
The Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability Award is proudly sponsored by Bonfiglioli.
Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S
With safety at the fore in 2023, this award recognises a mine, company or project that has developed or carried out a program that increased safety, removed risk, or cut worker issues on a project or mine.
The 2023 Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S category of the Prospect Awards was taken home by Engentus for its TopTorque precision reactionless bolting system.
Developed in Western Australia, the system is designed to eliminate some of the biggest hazards from tightening industrial bolted joints with powered torque wrenches.
Engentus’ solution keeps workers safe by using the same power tools to drive a second integrated socket fitting, which directly engages to the end of a custom bolt or stud. The system is digitally controlled for greater precision, adding an extra layer of safety.
The Excellence in Mining Safety Award is proudly sponsored by geographe.
Project Lead of the Year
Awarded to an individual who has led a project or mine site to a successful outcome, the Project Lead of the Year category at this year’s Prospect awards celebrated Craig Hagan, Yancoal head of training and safety culture.
Also taking home the Safety Advocate Award, Hagan’s most recent project saw him implement a culture and change strategy that has reduced total injuries at Yancoal by 60 per cent and lost time due to injuries by 50 per cent over the past three years.
This year alone saw Hagan’s project reduce total recordable injuries after training by 95 per cent.
This type of feat is not to be underestimated, as Hagan’s efforts have drastically improved safety standards for the company’s 4500 employees.
Hagan has helped to implement a new health and safety learning management system for the company, while also developing a strategy for the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and thermal imaging technology.
The Project Lead of the Year Award is proudly sponsored by Regal Rexnord.
Safety Advocate of the Year
Alongside taking home the Project Lead of the Year Award, Craig Hagan has also been recognised as the Safety Advocate of the Year at this year’s Australian Mining Prospect Awards.
Recognising an individual who is committed to ensuring the safety of a mine, the Safety Advocate Award celebrates those who champion safety either for an individual site or company, or for the mining industry as a whole.
As head of training and safety culture at Yancoal Australia, Hagan took out the category for his compelling 30-year history developing, coordinating and implementing continuous safety systems across the industry.
“Craig has been working in high-risk industries for over 30 years, and he’s seen first-hand how critical it is to slow down and focus on what matters,” Yancoal Australia said.
“That’s why Craig believes in safety culture as a way of life, not just a policy or process. The fact that he’s managed to successfully implement systems in construction, transport, resource processing and mining sectors proves that when you take the time to listen to your workforce and consider their needs as an integral part of your business model, you can achieve amazing things together.”
The Safety Advocate Award is proudly sponsored by Flexco.
Innovative Mining Solution
As champions of innovation, Roy Hill has always planned to undergo a transition to autonomous haulage.
After three and a half years of collaborating with two mining technology specialists, 2023 was the year in which the Pilbara-located iron ore mine made it happen.
While the Western Australian mining company investigated available original equipment manufacturer (OEM) solutions, they were not considered suitable to the mine’s operational requirements.
Gina Rinehart and the company board recommended a partnership with US-based ASI Mining and global mining equipment and solutions provider Epiroc.
All three companies signed a contract to get started in February 2020. Together, they developed a world-first autonomous haulage systems (AHS) solution.
The system has not only met Roy Hill’s needs but it has commercialisation potential, thus making autonomy an affordable option for other mining operations.
The Innovative Mining Solution Award is proudly sponsored by Austmine.
Mine Project Success of the Year
As new developments and advancements are made in mining technology every day, the Mine Project Success of the Year Award aims to single out a significant project to represent the thriving broader industry.
Having already taken out the Excellence in IIoT Application category at this year’s Prospect Awards, Hexagon’s HxGN MineProtect Operator Alertness System, or OAS, was again celebrated for its successful implementation at MMG’s Rosebery mine in Tasmania.
Hexagon partnered with MMG, an international producer of base metals, to deploy the HxGN MineProtect OAS on 11 underground mining trucks at Rosebery.
The Mine Project Success of the Year Award is proudly sponsored by Epiroc.
Discovery of the Year
Celebrating a significant discovery at either a greenfields or brownfields site, the Discovery of the Year Award recognises a significant new contribution the broader Australian industry.
International Graphite (IG6) was victorious in the category this year for its Springdale graphite project near Collie in Western Australia.
Having grown from an unknown asset into the second biggest graphite deposit in the country in under 18 months, the discovery puts IG6 on track to become one of the largest producers of battery anode graphite for the global lithium-ion battery market in the world.
While Australia is a key producer of other battery metals, there were no active Australian graphite mines in operation until IG6 sought to break onto the scene.
On a global scale, the Springdale project is now one of the top 15 graphite deposits outside of China, and it is an important new source to help meet escalating world demand for critical battery minerals.
The Springdale tenements were acquired by IG6 in April 2022. The first drilling program commenced in July 2022 and was completed in April 2023.
In that time, the mineral resource estimate increased by an impressive 3.4 times, from 15.3 million tonnes (Mt) at six per cent total graphitic carbon (TGC) to 49.3Mt at 6.5 per cent TGC.
The Discovery of the Year Award is proudly sponsored by Atlas Iron.
Outstanding Mine Performance
Recognising a well-performing rock mine, the Outstanding Mine Performance category of the Prospect Awards celebrates a site that has carried out an innovative project, partnership, initiative or program.
This year saw Anglo American honoured for its Aquila coal mine in central Queensland.
The mine was reopened with an expansion in 2022 and is expected to surpass a five million tonnes in production in 2023.
The crowning jewel of the mine’s resurrection is its longwall shear, which was completed last year on time and within budget and has seen a reduction in operational exposure of 15,000 hours.
An industry leader in autonomous mining, Anglo American is also committed to keeping Aquila’s output going as it transitions to completely carbon-neutral operations by 2040.
Aquila was developed by Anglo American as one Australia’s most technologically advanced underground mines, leveraging the company’s advancements in underground automation technology, remote operations and data analytics.
The Outstanding Mine Performance Award is proudly sponsored by SEW Eurodrive.
Lifetime Achievement
Recognising an individual who has shown a dedicated commitment to contributing to the Australian mining and mineral processing industries throughout their life, the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Prospect Award honoured late Lincom Pacific Equipment chief executive officer Roy Watterson.
Watterson was dedicated to the business he founded and watched grow for 25 years. Under his leadership, Lincom expanded in Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands to become one of the most successful equipment manufacturing suppliers to the Australian mining industry.
Thanks to Watterson’s efforts, Lincom prides itself on a strong foundation of family values, with his son Stephen Watterson taking over the reins of the company as the next generation of commitment to delivering quality service to Australia’s mines.
Watterson’s career left a permanent mark on the Australian mining and quarrying industries, earning him a reputation as a visionary leader. With a natural aptitude for business, he seamlessly navigated the complex world of machinery and sales, leaving a legacy of innovation and achievement.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is proudly sponsored by Roy Hill.
This feature appears in the December 2023 issue of Australian Mining.
