Sirius Resources NL is a mid-tier exploration company, focusing on discovering gold, nickels and base metals located predominantly in Western Australia.
It currently focuses on its nickel-copper Nova-Bollinger Project.
Sirius is managed and backed by highly successful explorers whose discovery track record includes the Thunderbox gold mine and the Waterloo, Cosmos and Lounge Lizard nickel mines in WA.
In July 2012 Sirius announced the discovery of the Nova nickel-copper-cobalt deposit. The presence of copper and cobalt is expected to provide significant by-product credits, which is expected to significantly reduce the cost of nickel production.
The nickel ore body is arguably the most significant and rich find in Australia in recent memory. Nova mining operations started on Australia Day this year, and production is expected by the end of 2016.
In order for Sirius to compile a definitive feasibility study for the Nova project, Ausenco was engaged and carried out a detailed investigation into the range, capacity and availability of mobile crushing equipment to suit Sirius’ planned development of the project.
Ausenco’s scope included identifying and recommending to Sirius a mobile jaw crusher capable of providing high levels of availability and sustainable crushing of mine ore prior to the material entering the mineral processing plant.
The complete application of this equipment was quite unique, with the mobile crusher required to process materials from site, to be incorporated into the mine site and infrastructure development.
To ensure the range of products could be produced, a crusher with safe, automated and user-friendly hydraulic adjustment
was required.
Once the site infrastructure requirements are met, the mobile crusher will be moved to the fixed crushing plant area, to act as emergency back-up primary crushing for the processing circuit.
The innovative approach taken here is that the final fixed plant configuration allows for the mobile jaw crusher to be tracked into position adjacent to, and incorporated into, the ore crushing circuit.
This provides 100 per cent redundancy for the fixed jaw crusher, should it be down for maintenance, manganese change-out or similar. To allow for this redundancy, it was a paramount consideration during the equipment selection process that the crushing circuit production was not significantly affected by the change in primary crusher.
The fixed crushing circuit planned for the Nova mine development included a primary jaw – the internationally recognised, tried and tested Metso Nordberg C120 jaw.
This was one reason why the LT120 mobile jaw crusher (which included the track-mounted C120 jaw crusher) was proposed by Tutt Bryant Equipment, Metso’s Australian mobile crusher and screen distributor.
Metso account manager Sean Burke worked with the Ausenco engineering team initially and then Sirius staff to provide technical information, equipment specification details and optional extras to ensure the machine’s suitability in this application. This technical support included compilation of a detailed list of recommended spare parts to be held in stock on-site. These spares were delivered on time and Sirius continues to receive ongoing support from Tutt Bryant Equipment’s parts and service departments in Perth.
SPARE PARTS INVENTORY
{{image2-a:r-w:220}}Another reason for matching these C120 jaw crushers was having these process critical components with homogenous spare and wear parts.
Specifying two identical jaw crushers enables the provision of spare and wear parts that can be used in either fixed or mobile applications, which simplifies parts stock management, fitting and maintenance procedures.
This process is further supported by extensive stockholding at Tutt Bryant Equipment’s branch in Perth. It also ensured training for operational staff applied to both units for loading, maintenance and, primarily, process optimisation.
Due to the nature of the mining process, the site conditions and the geographical location, reliability was the priority for Sirius and its project management team.
To ensure the highest level of availability and to simplify the operation of the LT120, Tutt Bryant Equipment recommended the inclusion of the Intelligent Controller (IC) unit, which provides a safe, single point of access to make many necessary machine setting changes. The IC unit sequentially monitors each of the machine parameters, to smooth out peaks and troughs of material feed by adjusting the necessary feeder to optimise production.
Metso IC units have a colour display unit allowing an easier interface with operators, and the IC diagnostics also reduce downtime by quickly troubleshooting any problems.
The LT120 unit was specified and delivered with inclusions such as a rock hammer and boom, full ground accessible auto-grease system, feed hopper extensions and fire suppression.
{{image3-a:r-w:220}}The machine is also fully compliant with the WA Mines Act and specified as per Sirius’ requirements. On-time delivery of the LT120 was a team effort, with Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift providing transportation of the 62-tonne machine. The commissioning took place on time and a collaborative approach was taken, with all parties working together towards the common goal of having the machine ready and all operational staff trained and prepared to get the most out of it.
Sirius contracted the Cross Verwijmeren-Lomag (CV Lomag) joint venture to carry out operation of the LT120 jaw crusher during the construction phase.
Cross Verwijmeren is a full services earthmoving company specialising in earthworks services for exploration, mining and infrastructure projects, and Lomag is an entity of the Ngadju people.
The joint venture partners were provided comprehensive training and quickly became familiar with the LT120.
Sirius Resources’ Dean Mitchell and David English worked closely with Tutt Bryant Equipment in the selection and delivery of the LT120.
Joseph Steinbacher from CV Lomag also paid due attention and diligence in getting up to speed on the equipment’s operational aspects. Tutt Bryant Equipment’s Jason Lawson has recently delivered several days of detailed operational and maintenance staff training, which is included in the service offering.
Tutt Bryant Equipment looks forward to continuing its support for Sirius and its team in the realisation and successful delivery of this exciting project.
Paul Doran is Tutt Bryant’s national business development manager for Metso.