Suppliers Roundup (July 28, 2003)

Aussie miner buys concentrator

Giants Reef Mining, based in Western Australia, has purchased a Knelson concentrator built by Australian engineering firm ConSep, under licence by Langley, B.C.-based Knelson Gravity Solutions.

The concentrator will be installed in Giant Reef’s Chariot Gold project, near Tennant Creek, Western Australia, and is scheduled to begin production in October.

The sale brings to 20 the number of concentrators sold in Australia in the past year. ConSep is also the supplier of the ACACIA reactor via a manufacturing and marketing agreement with Knelson.

Terex teams with Daewoo

Heavy machinery supplier Terex has entered into an agreement with Daewoo Heavy Industries & Machinery to distribute crawler excavators and wheel loaders built by the Korean manufacturer under the Terex brand in North America.

The agreement also includes wheel loaders with bucket capacities of 2-5.3 cubic yards.

Terex will begin offering Daewoo equipment in the fall. The company is based in Westport, Conn., and had revenues of $2.8 billion in 2002.

Finning inks Chilean deal

Finning International’s Chilean operation has sold 20 pieces of Caterpillar equipment to Minera Escondida, one of the country’s largest copper producers.

The $55-million deal includes eleven CAT 797B off-road trucks, two D11R tractors, a 9904D wheel loader, and a 24H motor grader.

Delivery of the equipment will take place near year-end.

Minera Escondida is owned 57.5% by London-based BHP Billiton, with the remainder held by Rio Tinto and other companies.

Vancouver-based Finning sells, rents and services Caterpillar equipment.