Service: Production drilling and blasting

While primarily an underground gold mine, Sunrise Dam commenced open cut mining at a satellite pit during 2021. Ausdrill has successfully been providing a variety of services, while efficiently and safely working around present-day underground operations.

The Ausdrill team was met with the need to mobilise, facilitate the on-site construction of two new Caterpillar MD6310 drills, and seamlessly take over drilling. Ausdrill provided a project manager with engineering capabilities to offer bespoke blasting knowledge and maximise coal production. Health and safety were also engaged early to create a shared, industry-leading protocol and meet all production milestones.

Ausdrill has delivered two significant projects at Eliwana: crusher pocket access, followed by rail corridors. Both of these projects required meticulous delivery and tight quality control: we provided specialised loading, blasting and timing techniques to keep vibrations and over blast within limits to protect sensitive heritage sites; delivered a perfect crusher pocket opening in the side of a sheer cliff while protecting a nearby dolerite dyke; and completed a 3000 ton concrete pour for a super structure Off Shore Processing facility. Thereafter, expertly blasting within 10 meters of this structure.

The Ausdrill team was met with the need to mobilise, facilitate the on-site construction of four new Caterpillar MD6250 drills, and seamlessly take over drilling just before the height of COVID-19. Our dedicated project lead worked hand-in-hand with our client, OEM, and each sector manager to ensure that the drill delivery plan was created and commissioned in a timely manner. Despite global challenges and record-breaking floods, our competent team met each key milestone, did not lose a single day of production, and achieved an excellent safety record.

The Blair Athol Coal Mine is a coal mine located in the Bowen Basin of Central Queensland, Australia. It is located over the former site of the township of Blair Athol. The mine has coal reserves amounting to 195 million tonnes of coking coal, one of the largest coal reserves in Asia and the world. The mine has an annual production capacity of 12.9 million tonnes of coal. Coal was first discovered at this location in 1864 and has been mined from this area since this time by different companies. TerraCom, a wholly owned subsidiary of Orion Mining, recommissioned the site in 2017.

During this 5+ year team, our Ausdrill team had to contend with vibration restrictions related to a nearby cemetery. We engaged a specialised blasting contractor to ensure we were working to an accurate model for vibration prediction; used fully-programmable electronic detonators to minimise MIC; as well as adjusted our drilling diameters. We also explored time-change and pattern size options, to increase ground powder factor, while keeping under vibration limits.

Huntly/ Myara mine is surrounded by developments, so sensitive drill and blast processes and tight QA/QC have been an essential service during Ausdrill’s 10+ year project delivery. We work with our client to monitor weather patterns and wind direction to control blast acoustics and mitigate any air over pressure issues; and adjusted our drilling diameters, depths and stemming to safely continue work when operating within 50m of major power lines and 20m of a main public road. Situated within a water catchment area, a wildlife breeding zone and flanked by dieback affected areas, the mine site has required tight environmental QA/QC and drainage control – both of which have been successfully provided for over a decade.