Introducing the winners of the 2024 Prospect Awards: Part two

Taking place as part of the WA Mining Conference and Exhibition for the first time, the 2024 Prospect Awards highlighted the resources sector’s best and brightest. Keep reading to discover part two of the winners.

Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S

The Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S award recognises a mine, company, or project that has developed or carried out a program that increased safety, removes risk, or cuts worker issues on a mine.

Roy Hill’s ‘Safer Summer’ campaign has been successful in all three of these critical areas, promoting knowledge sharing and team engagement during the hotter summer months.

Summer tends to come with inherent risks at work, including thermal stress and distractions.

The Safer Summer program was designed to mitigate safety risks posed by the searing temperatures in the Pilbara and the added distractions during the holiday season, particularly in the lead up to Christmas.

And it was a resounding success, resulting in a 36 per cent reduction in recordable injuries compared to the previous summer period.

Monthly safety topics provided employees with relevant information and practical strategies to enhance safety awareness and best practices, while the ‘We Care Team Safety Challenge’ was developed on an interactive platform for teams to participate and share hazard control initiatives.

The Safer Summer campaign was built on a team-centric approach, emphasising teamwork and a collective responsibility to implement and share controls across the business.

Teams that adopted the focus areas of the campaign and proactively implemented and shared hazard controls were eligible for one of five $5000 prizes to donate to a charity of their choice.

The legacy of the Safer Summer campaign has resulted in a more active hazard control sharing culture at Roy Hill, with teams consistently sharing new hazard controls in meetings and online via the company’s new Hazard Control Shares Viva Engage channel.

Teams are continuously encouraged to share their initiations via this channel, as well as provide feedback or ask questions of their colleagues.

The campaign has also enhanced the culture of continuous improvement with teams actively implementing new controls to reduce risk throughout the year.

According to Roy Hill, the campaign’s focus on teamwork, seasonal relevance, engagement, education, effort recognition and ongoing improvement were key factors in its success.

“The award reflects the ingenuity of our people and a collective commitment to creating a safe and healthy work environment,” Roy Hill said in a LinkedIn post celebrating the win.

“As Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons so eloquently put (it): ‘Oh, what a night’.”

The Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S award was 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 Claude Mocellin for his leadership at South32’s Dendrobium Area 3C extension project in New South Wales.

As the program manager, Mocellin led a multi-year initiative that brought about significant improvements to safety, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

The Area 3C program, which ran from September 2021 to June 2024, was a large-scale undertaking that included the implementation of a gas drainage plant, upgrades to high-voltage power supply, and enhancements to mine ventilation and dewatering systems.

One of the most significant achievements of the project was reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a facility designed to flare pre-drainage gases. This innovation allowed the mine to tap into metallurgical coal reserves more efficiently while also addressing environmental concerns.

Throughout the program, Mocellin placed a heavy emphasis on safety, initiating a cultural shift that improved the overall safety performance of the project.

Under his leadership, the team conducted mock emergency evacuations and rewarded strong safety behaviour, contributing to a program that experienced zero recordable injuries.

The implementation of safety discovery sessions further helped reduce risks by focusing on back-to-basics safety approaches and ensuring that frontline supervisors were supported.

Mocellin’s approach to the project was notable not only for its operational success but also for the way he mentored his team as he pushed for the inclusion of graduates in project teams, fostering an environment of learning and collaboration.

Mocellin’s leadership style, described as ‘more of a coach than a manager’, empowered his team to take ownership of problem-solving and escalate issues when necessary. This resulted in a high-performing team that thrived under his guidance.

The program also had a positive impact on the surrounding community.

Mocellin oversaw multiple community projects that upgraded infrastructure, including the repair and resealing of 3km of public roads and the upgrading of 16km of 4WD tracks for environmental groups.

The project team also participated in annual Clean Up Australia Day efforts on the first Sunday in March at the Illawarra catchment, further strengthening ties with the local community.

One of the key elements of Mocellin’s success was his ability to navigate challenges mid-project, with his negotiation skills critical in resolving any delays, ensuring the project stayed on track while prioritising worker safety.

Mocellin’s leadership in the Dendrobium Area 3C expansion has left a lasting impact on both the project and the community, making him a deserving recipient of the Project Lead of the Year Award at the 2024 Prospect Awards.

His focus on safety, environmental sustainability, and mentorship has set a new standard for project management in the mining industry.

The Project Lead of the Year Award was proudly sponsored by Regal Rexnord Australia.

Innovative Mining Solution

It’s no secret that innovation is key to unlocking new opportunities and maintaining a competitive edge in the mining industry.

Understanding this, IPI Australia – a fixed plant performance improvement specialist – has created a shaft alignment system (SAS) to address common conveyor challenges.

Existing shaft alignment practices require surveyors to repurpose standard survey equipment to approximate pulley alignment based on the construction of a virtual pulley shell, as it sits spatially to the centreline of the conveyor it’s mounted to.

However, confirmation of the alignment is almost never performed because it’s too time consuming.

This is where IPI’s SAS can help.

Intended to be a permanent fixture to pulley bearing housings, IPI’s SAS safeguards correct factory seal alignment, prevents seal displacement during transport and handling, allows for pulley alignment directly off the shaft axis, and eliminates the need for seal adjustment when a pulley is landed on a conveyor structure.

It doesn’t need belt pockets to be pulled to function, reducing pulley installation timeframes and complexity and eliminating bearing contamination risks associated with in-situ shaft and seal alignments.

IPI’s SAS also provides real-time alignment data directly from the axis of the pulley shaft, ensuring accuracy.

According to IPI, no other solution performs the wide range of functions that the IPI SAS does.

“No existing product can ensure correct factory seal alignment and then guarantee that alignment is maintained through to final installation,” IPI Australia general manager Bart Morris said.

“No existing product can prevent housing over-rotation (known to damage seals) during transport and handling. No other product can facilitate shaft and seal alignment of pulleys during installation.”

Other benefits of IPI’s SAS include eliminating the need for building pockets, leading to reduced risks of airborne contamination entering the housing and increasing worker safety, as well as time and cost savings since a SAS can be performed in less than 30 minutes compared to existing seal alignment practices taking over six hours.

Backed by a plethora of benefits, it’s no wonder IPI Australia took out the Innovative Mining Solution award at the 2024 Australian Mining Prospect Awards.

The Innovative Mining Solution award recognises a mine, company, or project that has developed a unique mining solution – which the IPI SAS has done for multiple clients.

Since hitting the market in February 2024, IPI Australia’s SAS has caught the eye of multiple major miners operating in Australia, with one company successfully deploying five generation one SAS’ across its mine sites.

One client used the SAS to confirm the alignment of an overlander drive pulley and to align a bend pulley that was believed to be 9mm out of alignment. Installation of the IPI SAS resulted in the belt avoiding contact with the conveyor structure.

Another client mounted the IPI SAS to a tripper head pulley that was used to correct pulley misalignment responsible for belt edge damage.

Installing the IPI SAS lead to both clients saving money that would have ordinarily been spent on fixing the damage caused to the belt.

Despite seeing significant success with its SAS generation one, IPI Australia hasn’t stopped there. In response to issues faced by installers with non-compliant shaft ends, IPI has redesigned the SAS into a generation two tool, which doesn’t require housing fluid to be displaced, making it easier for customers to complete all parts of a pulley alignment.

SAS generation two also ensures that seals are set correctly and are protected from damage through to service and the correctly aligned pulleys are installed with minimum effort.

IPI Australia firmly believes innovative and efficient approaches to solving problems is key to improving common practices in the mining industry, and both generations of its SAS are an example of that.

The Innovative Mining Solution award was proudly sponsored by Austmine.

Outstanding Mine Performance

This year, Mineral Resources (MinRes) has been recognised at the Australian Mining Prospect Awards for its achievements at the Wodgina and Mt Marion lithium mines in Western Australia.

These operations are key to Australia’s growing lithium sector and have set new benchmarks in performance and growth, earning MinRes the Outstanding Mine Performance award.

Both Wodgina and Mt Marion are situated in iconic Australian mining regions, with Wodgina located approximately 120km south of Port Hedland, and Mt Marion just 40km southwest of Kalgoorlie.

These two projects have significantly contributed to Australia’s global standing as a major player in the lithium market, essential for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies.

MinRes delivered exceptional results during the 2023–24 financial year, with both Wodgina and Mt Marion setting records for lithium shipments.

Wodgina achieved a 41 per cent increase in production, delivering 201,000 dry metric tonnes (dmt) of spodumene, while Mt Marion exceeded saw a 46 per cent increase, delivering 218,000dmt.

These figures reflect MinRes’ commitment to operational excellence and efficiency in a competitive and rapidly growing global lithium market.

The company’s ability to scale up operations at both mines has positioned it at the forefront of the lithium industry, supporting global demand for the mineral as the world transitions towards greener energy solutions.

In addition to its award-winning performance, MinRes is making significant strides at Mt Marion, transitioning the mine to both an open pit and underground operation. 

This evolution signals a new era for the world-class mine, further solidifying its importance in MinRes’ portfolio and its long-term contribution to lithium supply.

The shift to a dual-operation model at Mt Marion is a bold strategic move, designed to maximise resource extraction and improve operational flexibility.

This also ensures continues success for the mine as lithium demand is expected to rise in the coming years.

MinRes’ focus on innovation and efficiency extends beyond just extraction as the company’s investments in leading technologies and sustainable practices have also been crucial in enhancing the productivity of its lithium operations.

This approach not only boosts production but also ensures that MinRes remains a responsible and forward-thinking player in the mining industry.

The success at Wodgina and Mt Marion is a testament to MinRes’ strong operational capabilities and its ability to adapt and thrive in the evolving lithium landscape.

As the company transitions Mt Marion into an open-pit and underground operation, it looks poised to continue its trajectory of growth.

Now, MinRes’ achievements have been recognised industry-wide, with the Outstanding Mine Performance award celebrating the company’s significant contributions to Australia’s mining sector.

The award not only acknowledges the high performance of the mines but also highlights MinRes’ leadership in advancing lithium production in Australia.

MinRes’ Wodgina and Mt Marion mines are well-positioned to play a critical role in the future of energy as the global demand for lithium continues to rise, driven by electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.

The Outstanding Mine Performance award was proudly sponsored by SEW-EURODRIVE.

Mine Project Success of the Year

Robson Civil Projects knows what it takes to get the job done.

So, when Malabar Resources reached out to the company to complete works at its Maxwell underground coal project in New South Wales, there was no doubt the Robson team would be perfect for the job.

Robson’s scope at Maxwell involved underground mine entry works and a 10km access road and conveyer trace. The works also involved the installation of 10 dams and all surface drainage.

And the work was a resounding success.

“Over the course of the project, Robson moved over 1.5 million cubic metres of material and placed 40,000 cubic metres of pavement material,” Robson said.

“Consistent communication and collaboration were essential for the success of the project. Construction methodologies were adapted to site and geotechnical conditions as they were discovered.

“The project’s success can be measured by all parties working together, achieving coal production on the mine in March 2023 and enabling it to meet its first coal train milestone.”

Located east of Denman and south of Muswellbrook in the NSW Upper Hunter Valley, the Maxwell site was previously home to Anglo American’s Drayton open cut coal mine.

Drayton was closed in September 2016 after 30 years of operation and the site was acquired by Malabar in February 2018. Robson commenced its work on-site in May 2022.

Maxwell, approved by the NSW Government in December 2020, followed comprehensive environmental and technical analysis and more than eight years of ongoing consultation with the local community, ensuring the mine can comfortably co-exist with other industries and land use in the area.

The target underground mining area sits on the western side of the Muswellbrook anticline, a prominent regional geological feature. Malabar is seeking to maximise resource recovery within geological, environmental and tenement constraints.

Malabar has ensured the project includes ongoing rehabilitation and remediation activities within the Maxwell infrastructure, and rehabilitation of any remaining disturbance areas at mine closure.

Maxwell is set to produce high-quality coal over a period of 26 years, generating 430 full-time jobs and delivering $86 million into the local economy each year.

The mine will also generate $1–1.2 billion in mining royalties for the people of NSW over its 26-year life.

The project has been completed so far with zero lost time injuries.

“(This) is a testament to the project team’s attitude to safety,” Robson said.

“The project team conducted 433 inspections and audits, successfully addressing all 233 identified actions, which demonstrates our commitment to maintaining high safety standards.”

Further, all disturbed areas of the project have been revegetated, with all works completed in compliance with environmental criteria performance measures.

Robson said receiving the Mine Project Success of the Year award at the 2024 Australian Mining Prospect Awards further underscored the project’s success.

“Congratulations to everyone on the project team, the team at Malabar Resources and everyone else involved in the Maxwell underground project,” Robson said.

“We’re still over the moon about (the win). We’d like to thank the project team who worked so hard on this project. The new trophy makes a great addition to the Newcastle office foyer.”

This feature appeared in the December 2024 issue of Australian Mining.