Suppliers news: MacLean, Gekko, First Drilling

MacLean Engineering hits milestone, announces partnership with Montabert

Collingwood, Ontario-based mining equipment manufacturer MacLean Engineering has had a busy start to 2015.

On Jan. 22 the company celebrated the commissioning of its 400th Series 900 Scissor Bolter, 3,600 feet underground at Vale’s (NYSE: VALE) T3/1D nickel-copper mine in Manitoba.

“We’re proud of the MacLean bolter legacy, and are constantly pushing ourselves to come up with the next game changer in our industry,” said MacLean Engineering president Kevin MacLean.

“I want to thank Vale for believing in our manufacturing vision and product line over the years, and our employees for helping to build and sustain our unique approach to equipment manufacturing,” added MacLean Engineering founder and chairman Don MacLean.

Originally developed in 1984, the MacLean scissor-bolter technology has evolved and gone on to become a staple in the Canadian hard rock mining industry, one that is now increasingly exported to miners around world. The company says the machine’s mobile platform for single-operator bolt and wire mesh installation provides application accuracy, speed, versatility, and, most importantly, greater safety protection as operators are always under protected ground.

Earlier in January MacLean announced a partnership with Montabert, aimed at optimizing MacLean’s drilling product line and providing clients with improved access to parts, repairs and sales support worldwide.

Based in Saint-Priest, France, Montabert specializes in the design, production and distribution of hydraulic demolition and drilling equipment.

MacLean said partnership with spur the “systematic integration of Montabert technology across the MacLean Engineering drilling product line to enhance machine productivity and longevity, deliver improved customer support.”

Gekko Systems shifts focus to Brazil 

Gekko Systems, a mineral processing and modular plant design company has announced that is it shifting its South American focus from Chile to Brazil.

Nigel Grigg, Gekko’s business development manager, said that “the market in Brazil suits Gekko’s range of innovative mineral processing equipment and provides a more sustainable market for the future.”

In accordance with its new Brazilian focus, Gekko recently closed its Chile office and relocated its operations to Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in partnership with Brazilian company Minetec.

Gekko opened its office in Chile thinking that the country would offer access to the larger engineering houses and good business conditions; however the company found there was a disproportionate focus on very large copper projects in Chile. “Brazil offered more opportunities to supply modular plants and equipment to a wide range of mid-tier gold miners,” Grigg said.

Gekko is a gravity specialist and owns the proprietary InLine Pressure Jig and concentrate leaching technology. The firm also supplies energy efficient modular plants, which leverage the latest fine-crushing technologies and pre-concentration.

The company can work with a variety of mineral projects but, specializes in precious metals processing.

Gekko has set up large installations throughout the continent, with projects in Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. Its largest installations are at Minsur’s (LIMA: MINI) San Rafael tin mine in Peru and at Silver Standard’s (TSX: SSO; NASDAQ: SSRI Pirquitas silver mine in Argentina.

Gekko was co-founded in 1996 by husband and wife team, Sandy Gray and Elizabeth Lewis-Gray, in Avoca, Victoria, Australia.

First Drilling Group Acquires Kirkey Specialized Drilling

U.S.-based First Drilling Group has acquired Kirkey Specialized Drilling & Consulting, a Sudbury-based provider of surface and underground specialty drilling and production drilling services.

First Drilling says the purchase is key to its strategic plan to expand geographically and grow its service offerings. First Drilling already has a presence in the U.S. and Australia.

“In acquiring Kirkey Drilling, we are expanding our geographic footprint into Canada, one of the largest underground drilling markets in the world,” said Kyle Rhoderick, CEO of First Drilling. “We are also diversifying our services to add specialty underground drilling, primarily infrastructure, long hole and raise drilling.”

Matt Farr, who with partner, Bill Hancharyk, founded Kirkey in 2007 said the move will help the company grow. “In joining First Drilling Group, we will be able to propel our growth into global markets beyond our home base in Sudbury.”

First Drilling said the management team at Kirkey will remain intact, to ensure continuity for their clients and enhance the First Drilling leadership team.

“We are fortunate to find in Kirkey Drilling shared values with First Drilling, strong leadership from which we can mutually benefit, and an excellent safety record,” added Rhoderick. “Our two organizations are a perfect fit.”

The acquisition brings additional drills to First Drilling’s fleet and Kirkey’s unique excavator mounted surface percussive drills will add new capabilities for First Drilling.

The Kirkey team will benefit from First Drilling’s unique offerings, including underground reverse-circulation drilling, underground multipurpose drills and underground and surface diamond core drilling.

First Drilling was formed from the combination of American firm Connors Drilling and Australian Sanders Drilling. The firm has been known as First Drilling since March 2014.