Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan and Minister for Regional Development Alannah MacTiernan officially opened leading Caterpillar dealer WesTrac’s new Technology Training Centre near the South West town of Collie on August 27, 2020.

The centre is only the second such training facility in the world focusing on the technical skills required to operate autonomous equipment for use in the resources sector. The State Government contributed A$2.7 million through the Collie Futures Fund towards the project.

McGowan said the facility complemented Collie’s rich history as a mining and industrial hub, and was significant for the State. “The WesTrac Technology Training Centre is a key contributor to ensuring Western Australia becomes a global centre for excellence in mining technology,” McGowan said.

“It not only provides future job opportunities for people in the South West and across the State, but as the only facility for Caterpillar equipment training in the Southern Hemisphere, will attract trainees from across the country and globally when our borders reopen. The facility will also play a part in establishing a range of new opportunities for Collie and the broader South West region, and provides a great example of developing STEM career opportunities for the next generation of Western Australian workers.”

Joining Mr McGowan, MacTiernan and retiring local MLA Mick Murray at the launch were board and executive members from WesTrac as well as numerous major mining companies.

WesTrac CEO Jarvas Croome said training had already commenced at the facility and interest from major mining operators was strong. “The initial focus is training in fit-out, calibration and maintenance requirements for the conversion and operation of existing Caterpillar haulage vehicles, which are used at most major mine sites around the country,” Croome said.

“We are also planning to expand the range of courses on offer to ensure the facility caters for the skills that will be in demand as the resource sector evolves and the roles associated with that evolution become more technically advanced. WA has the highest number of automated haulage fleets anywhere in the world and the WesTrac Technology Training Centre is a vital resource to support automation projects, as well as equipping existing and future workers with essential technical skills to drive the industry forward. We are excited to have been able to build this facility in Collie and look forward to working with the local community to make the experience for visiting trainees one they will remember. We have already partnered with various local operators to provide catering, cleaning and various other required products and services, and will continue to buy locally wherever possible. We also see plenty of opportunities for local businesses to get involved providing tourism and other experiences to trainees visiting the area.”

In its recent FY2020 report, Fortescue Metals Group outlined its ongoing focus on innovation and technology. Notably FMG said that autonomous haul fleet conversion was completed at Christmas Creek and continued at Cloudbreak during FY2020 with a total of 170 trucks operating autonomously across all operations at 30 June 2020.

FMG’s AHS deployment has increased productivity, while reducing overall mining operating costs and diesel consumption. Over 49 million km have been safely travelled with a 30% increase in productivity. “Fortescue was the first company in the world to deploy Caterpillar (CAT) autonomous haulage on a commercial scale when trucks fitted with autonomous haulage system (AHS) technology began operating at the Solomon Hub in 2012. Today, our AHS deployment represents the largest fleet conversion to autonomous haulage in the industry and demonstrates our unique capability to manage and operate a multi-class truck size autonomous haulage site.”

The company is also building on its bulk materials handling innovations as phase two of the Cloudbreak relocatable conveyors project commenced construction during the year and was completed in early July 2020. The conveyors now cover 10 km, extended from the initial 5 km length. IM understands that FMG built these conveyors in-house but based on the same NRW-owned (ASX:NWH) RCR Mining Technologies (RCR MT) patented innovative design that was manufactured and installed for the first 5 km of relocatables.

RCR MT has also delivered a fifth crushing plant for FMG in 2019 which is an updated truck dump relocatable 3,500 t/h sizing station inclusive of all electricals and relocated one of its previously delivered FEL 2500 crushing stations.

By connecting the western pits to the OPF, FMG says it has realised the benefits of reduced haul truck requirements, operating costs and diesel consumption, increasing overall productivity and mitigating cost increases due to natural mine expansion aligned with the life of mine plan.

Wolff Mining, part of the National Group, is well-known in the Australian mining industry for its implementation and optimisation of semi-autonomous tractor system (SATS) technology. In association with Caterpillar on their Cat Command for Dozing module, Wolff Mining’s technology is a world’s-first application into a mining production environment, providing the ability for one operator to control up to four dozers from a control room.

Mark Ackroyd, National Group Managing Director suggests that “the mining industry faces challenges, some that autonomous equipment will solve. Wolff Mining’s autonomous dozer push for instance continues to increase safety, productivity and mine site efficiency. It has also enabled mine sites to continue to operate whilst some operations elsewhere have ceased due to the current situation. Another key factor that will always have a significant impact on the mining industry as a whole is the value of commodities, which can impact mining companies all the way down to an operational level.”

“If the value of a particular commodity is high, this is an attractive prospect for mining companies and will encourage them to increase their volume of mining for that particular resource, at that particular time. We have seen the price of iron ore skyrocket during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which companies such as Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) have benefitted from. Gold is another stand out, which recently reached over $2,000 per ounce. Mining companies such as Evolution Mining are well placed at the moment due to the high price of gold. But due to the volatility of commodity prices and other known or unknown global factors, the future is not always certain.”

He adds: “National Plant & Equipment, part of the National Group specialises in the dry hire of heavy mining equipment, a model that many companies are adopting versus buying their own equipment. Following a renting model can help mining companies free up capital expenditure, in order to keep something in reserve to pursue other more attractive ventures. Due to this fact, many mining companies are actually choosing to dispose of their mining equipment and rent instead.”

“National Machinery Exchange, part of the National Group caters for the growing need for mining companies to dispose of mining equipment in order to raise capital and reduce costs through leasing versus buying equipment” notes Ackroyd.

But with all this being said, National argues that whether you rent or buy mining equipment, there is another problem that requires a solution. How do you get some of the largest machines of the planet, from one side of the globe to the other, effectively and without incident, time after time? The Liebherr R 9800 excavator for instance can take up to 18 months to manufacture and weighs 800 t. Equipment of this size is unable to be transported in one piece due to the sheer size and the nature of the logistics involved. It is therefore transported in parts and assembled on site at its final destination.

“Few understand the logistics involved in heavy haulage, with multi transport modes often required and global logistics management an integral part of the process. Haulage companies regularly have to liaise with government departments including local councils, with relationships, industry knowledge and extensive planning key to success. Police escorts and road closures are often required in order to move some of the largest loads to some of the most remote places and harshest climates in Australia, and indeed the world.”

“Forward planning is key to the successful delivery of heavy mining equipment” suggests Ian Scott, General Manager of National Heavy Haulage, part of the National Group. “Before we even think about transporting equipment, it is important that we survey the surrounding environment and transportation routes proposed before proceeding to the actual haul itself. All relevant parties must be kept informed, which includes the Department of Transport and State or Territory Police.”

Alongside national heavy haulage, often comes international shipping. Overseas transport poses a whole host of other factors that need to be accounted for and often works hand in hand with domestic heavy haulage when it comes to international transportation.

“International delivery very much operates in a chain structure” suggests Dean Sterling, General Manager of International Global Logistics, part of the National Group. “Each link in the chain of events relies heavily on the next, in order to ensure adherence to tight delivery schedules and more importantly, safety for all parties involved. Multi-transportation modes are common practice, with equipment often reaching the port by road, rail or sea before it continues its journey to its final destination. Like with national transport of heavy equipment, largo cargo for international transport must clear customs and satisfy security laws, with good relationships with the relevant authorities a must.”

In summary, Ackroyd states: “mining is a complex industry where the stakes are high and the rewards great. It takes meticulous planning and flawless execution in order to succeed, with the logistics chain only as strong as its weakest link. The future of mining is both exciting and uncertain. The rise of autonomous mining equipment is promising; it will help improve safety and create efficiencies not seen previously. But past and present global events will forever remind us that the future is not always certain and that planning is key to the long term success of any operation.”