Mississauga, Ont.-based mining engineering and consulting firm Hatch has signed a marketing and technology agreement with Newmont Mining that will see the two companies share pressure-oxidation extraction technology.
Hatch will supply Newmont with its exclusive autoclave technology, whereas Newmont, the world’s largest gold miner, will share its proprietary pressure-oxidation and leaching expertise. The technology is applied to refractory sulphide ore and concentrates.
Hatch will now have more options to present to its customers, and Newmont has a means by which to market its technology.
“This is a significant marketing partnership that allows use of Hatch and Newmont’s proprietary technologies to provide processing solutions to other mining companies, especially related to pressure-oxidation,” says Gary Simmons, Newmont’s director of technology.
The Hatch technologies include autoclave design and both direct- and indirect-feed heat exchange systems.
Newmont operates three autoclaves in Nevada — two at its Twin Creeks gold mine, which operates at 10,000 tonnes per day, and another, at the Lone Tree gold mine, which operates at 2,500 tonnes per day.
Hatch-designed autoclaves are also used for nickel, cobalt and copper high-pressure acid leaching.
In response to the burgeoning mining market in Chile, P&H MinePro Services has once again expanded its service centre in Antofagasta.
The US$1-million expansion adds 1,235 sq. metres to the existing 594-sq.-metre plant. P&H also added a 50-ton overhead crane and new machine tools including a boring machine, vertical lathe and radial drill. Existing equipment at the plant includes a 1,000-hp motor-load test bench, a digital dynamic balancer, a vacuum pressure impregnating system with a 244-cm diameter tank, high-tech ovens, and washing and painting equipment.
The same plant underwent a US$2.3-million expansion in 1998, which nearly tripled its size.
Services provided by the Antofagasta shop include repairs and rebuilds for AC and DC electric motors, final drive systems and transmissions, electric shovel crawler frames, and dippers.
P&H MinePro Services is the distribution and support arm of P&H Mining Equipment, a supplier of electric rope shovels, large rotary blasthole drills and draglines.
Caterpillar has inked a 5-year deal with London-based BHP Billiton to supply the diversified miner with equipment worth roughly US$1.5 billion.
The BHP Billiton alliance is the largest in Caterpillar’s 77-year history. BHP is the world’s largest user of mining equipment.
“After a full evaluation of the BHP Group’s equipment and support needs for the coming years, we believe that this alliance with Caterpillar will deliver significant cost benefits,” says Robert Kirkby, president of BHP Billiton Carbon Steel Materials.
Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar had revenue of US$20.1 billion in 2002.
BHP Billiton has 38,000 employees working in more than 100 operations in 20 countries.
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