BHP Billiton drops Ekati brand

London-based BHP Billiton has dropped its Ekati diamond brand in favour of Aurias, a brand already known in markets outside North America.

The company previously sold diamonds under the Ekati brand name in North America whereas Aurias was known in Singapore and Australia.

The Aurias brand will be sold in the U.S., Canada, Australia and Singapore. Further expansion is slated for 2003.

BHP Billiton owns and operates the Ekati diamond mine, north of Yellowknife, N.W.T.

Vancouver-based Ledcor Industries, a mine construction contractor, has received two national safety awards in different countries.

The Associated Builders & Contractors presented Ledcor with a National U.S. Safety Award, which recognizes companies with outstanding safety records. The company also received the Gordon M. Vipond Memorial Award from the Canadian Construction Association.

Ledcor was founded in 1947 and specializes in industrial building projects.

Driltech, Sandvik’s mining and construction division, has signed a 12-year deal with P.T. Freeport Indonesia covering delivery and service of customized equipment for surface mining of copper and gold.

Driltech will deliver drill rigs, tools and spare parts, including roller cone bits.

P.T. Freeport Indonesia is owned by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, one of the world’s largest producers of both metals.

“Our position in the industry as a leading supplier of high-efficiency products and services is strengthened as a result of this agreement,” says Anders Ilstam, president of the Sandvik Mining & Construction, which employs about 8,000 people and generates annual revenue of about $2 billion.

SGS Lakefield Field Research, part of the Socit Gnrale de Surveillance group, has opened an analytical lab and environmental consulting office in Sudbury, Ont. The new facility will service the mining and exploration industries in the Sudbury basin.

In addition to environmental and analytical consulting, the Sudbury operation will offer sample preparation, on-site sampling, and secondary feed services.

Geneva-based SGS has 330 labs in 140 countries and employs 30,000 people.

Stouffville, Ont.-based Mine Radio Systems has bought the assets of El-Equip from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the agent representing El-Equip in receivership.

The assets include all intellectual properties as well as marketing rights for El-Equip products and systems, including Multicom, Multicom Digital, MultiView, MuliTag, MultiRac, MultiBlast, MultiVent, Wavelynx and the Flosonic air flow sensor.

El-Equip had installed systems at 160 mining operations throughout the world, and Mine Radio Systems will continue to service those customers.