Mining, processing and equipment briefs

Updates on Rolleston mine, the Texas silver project, National Pump and Energy, BluVein charging technology, Tombola Gold and Alpha HPA. National Pump and Energy expands market hold National Pump and Energy has acquired the Vortex Group of Companies, securing its position as the largest pump rental company in Australia. Announcing the acquisition, National Pump and Energy said it would now have in excess of 6000 dewatering pumps and generators in its hire fleet. The company, which had its origins in Mackay in 2001, now boasts a national footprint spanning 12 branches and more than 450 employees. “We are all very excited by the acquisition of the Vortex Group which will see NPE become the largest specialty pump rental company in Australia," managing director Dave Campbell said. Sumitomo passes Rolleston interests to Glencore Sumitomo Corporation is selling its 12.5 per cent stake in the Rolleston thermal coal mine to Glencore. The sale agreement, signed on August 9, will give Glencore full ownership of the mine, 14km south-east of Emerald in the Bowen Basin. Glencore previously completed the acquisition of ICRA Rolleston’s 12.5 per cent stake in the operation in June this year. The transfer of Sumitomo's share will be completed after the conditions of the SA have been satisfied. Glencore acquired Rolleston in 2003 and has operated the mine since it began production in 2005. Miners back trolley-charging technology Seven major mining companies have signed funding agreements to back BluVein's development of ‘next generation’ trolley-charging technology for heavy mining vehicles. BluVein said project partners included Northern Star Resources, Newcrest Mining, Vale, Glencore, Agnico Eagle, AngloGold Ashanti and OZ Minerals. The support will enable final system development and the construction of a technology demonstration pilot site in Brisbane. BluVein was formed through a partnership between EVIAS and Olitek. Alpha HPA executes definitive agreement with Orica Alpha HPA has executed binding agreements with Orica for the supply of process reagents and the offtake of by-products its HPA First Project in Gladstone. Alpha HPA said the nature of the project meant its use of reagents and its manufacture of byproducts were very complementary to processes at the nearby Orica Yarwun plant. The company plans to develop a $308 million industrial plant in Gladstone producing about 10,000tpa of high purity alumina. It announced in June that it planned to kick-start its Gladstone development plans with a $27.6 million Precursor Production Facility (PPF) to be built within months. Successful fundraising for Cloncurry gold development Tombola Gold says it has received commitments for a heavily oversubscribed $6 million placement, comprising 171,428,571 shares at a price of $0.035 per share. Managing director Aaron Day said the placement was strongly supported by new investors joining the share register as well as continual support by current investors. "These funds will now accelerate activities at the Mount Freda gold complex into production and we are now even closer to producing those gold bars," he said. Earlier this month Tombola said it had fast-forwarded its readiness to begin gold production after good news from project studies and granting of the Golden Mile mining lease. Thomson takes ownership of southern Queensland silver mine Thomson Resources has completed the acquisition of the Texas silver project from MRV Metals, which is in liquidation. The $2.5 million acquisition includes all permitted mine infrastructure, mine and exploration leases, JORC 2012 silver - gold resources and connection to the state power grid. It will also cost Thomson about $3.3 million to replace the existing rehabilitation bonds for the mine leases. The mothballed Queensland mine is located 165km via sealed road from the Thomson–White Rock Minerals’ Mount Carrington silver-gold project and 100km from Thomson’s Webbs silver project in NSW.

Mining, processing and equipment briefs

Industry Queensland

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