AUSROCKS NEWSLETTER WINTER 2019

Newsletter Winter 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

Welcome! What’s been happening An update on the latest from the Ausrocks crew by Carl Morandy, Managing Director including the Safety & Health Conference, Upcoming IQA Conference in Geelong, QLD Safety Reset and Deemed ERC Decisions. 2019 is already half done, with so much already future. One area we see as an upcoming target completed this year it is about time we took for the government is Environmental Page 2 stock and reviewed the good, the bad and the Authority (EA) compliance. We have noted ugly. We had a Federal Election that surprised that there has always been a relaxed attitude most (including the bookmakers) and it looks to certain aspects of each site’s EA conditions, Mining and Quarrying like the QLD state elections will be something however in recent months we have seen the Competencies move to systematic checking against all EA to look forward to in 2020. Bill Taylor provides an overview of the new SSE conditions. This means that if you haven’t read competency requirements coming into effect over the QLD has recently had a very bad run of safety your EA from cover to cover now might be a next 12 months. in Mines and Quarries with a ‘safety reset’ due good time to review it. by the end of August. I hope that all operators Page 2 take a moment to acknowledge the hazards Ausrocks continues to sponsor the Institute of we face in the industry every day and go the Quarrying (IQA) Australia Young Members extra mile to improve safety at your site. We Network which holds site tours and Basalt: The Premier Aggregate don’t know yet what drastic changes are going networking events throughout the year. This Brice Mutton presents the reasons basalt is so highly to be introduced by the government to curb year at the IQA golf day the Ausrocks team regarded in the quarrying industry. the number of fatalities, but we all understand were exceptionally average, so much so that that improvement is required. we were judged the 3rd most average team on Page 3 the day and went home with a prize! As usual One of the longest running Mining Lease Alan has taken all the credit for bringing down Tunnelling Project Update projects was finally approved (Adani), it will be our team’s average score and Dale requested Alan Robertson provides an update on South East interesting to see the central QLD boom that the ‘longest drive’ winner be drug tested. Queensland’s tunneling projects created by this and other projects opening up in the Galilee basin. All we need is another Enjoy the rest of the newsletter, until next time Page 4 flood or cyclone and quarrying activity will – adios amigos. skyrocket again. Interesting Signs and Safety Procedures It seems 2019 has been spent in the field What’s caught our eye this time? defining new resources, this shows the industry is continuing to grow and plan for the Page 4 AUSROCKS NEWSLETTER | WINTER 2019 2

What’s Been Mining & Happening? Quarrying by Carl Morandy Competencies by Bill Taylor On 14 July 2019 Nick and myself attended the At the recent IQA Safety & Health Conference Similarly, the 6 to 20 persons employed IQA Safety & Health Conference at the Luca Rocchi, Chief Inspector of Mines (at the category will require the SSE to hold a Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. The time) recently provided some clarification Certificate IV in Surface Operations. event was very well attended by industry with around SSE notices. It was stated that the easily >50% mining and quarrying companies current deadline of 9th Nov 2019 is only for all In the case of 5 or fewer category we see the in the room. Major topics included the recent SSE’s to be put on the SSE Register (regardless introduction of both an experiential safety performance – which has since become of training). The new training requirements component (2yrs) and training courses in areas a ‘crisis’ as indicated in my opening welcome. only kick in on 1st July 2020. As at 5th May such as A number of operators reported the ‘plateau’ 2019 only 49 SSE’s were on the SSE register. • Introduction to Safety Management effect in their safety performance, with various Systems, and options for continuing to push to ‘zero harm’ The competencies recognised by the Mining • Effective Risk Management, and presented. The Inspectorate presented more Safety and Health Advisory Committee can be • detail on the recent fatalities in a bid to assist found on the following link: Incident Investigation, and the industry to identify what went wrong, and https://www.dnrm.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/p • Electrical Awareness hopefully prevent re-occurrence. df_file/0020/240635/recognised-mining- competencies.pdf Below is a selection of Training Organisations Following on from the conference a number of in Queensland listed on the myskills website tragic incidents occurred at QLD mines which For surface mines and quarries competency who provide training for the Diploma of has prompted immediate action from the QLD requirements increase from training courses Surface Operations Management. The website Government. On 10th July a Ministerial Forum through Certificate level to Diploma level can also be used to find training providers for was held with all key stakeholders, the relevant to the number of persons employed, both the Cert III & IV training courses; outcome was a formal Safety Reset to be with the criteria rising from <5, 6-20 and >20 MinRes Training Institute Pty Ltd undertaken on every Mine and Quarry site persons employed. There are also competency before the end of August 2019. Ausrocks are requirements where blasting takes place Address PO Box 24 FERNY HILLS QLD irrespective of the numbers employed. planning to attend a number of these sessions 4055, Australia to assist with running the event and providing insight where necessary. We see this as an The key difference in the post 01/07/2020 Website http://www.minres.com.au important task for all sites to complete and requirements is the increased competency better engaged the workforce are, the better requirements in all categories. For example, in the result. the case of over 20 persons employed, the previous educational requirements were; Performance Training Pty Limited By now most operations that hold Financial Address PO Box 713 BUDERIM QLD 4556, Assurance (FA) will have received a letter titled • RIIRIS501D Implement and maintain Australia ‘Deemed ERC Decision’. Generally, this is management systems to control risk, and confirming the last known FA amount and http://www.performancetraining.com.au detailing that the cash/security is now held by • BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe workplace, QLD Treasury instead of with DNRME. At (or an equivalent or superior regular intervals (between 1 and 5 years) the qualification). RII Skills Centre department will require operators to apply for This will change to; a new ERC Decision which is essentially a Address PO Box 142 NORTH CAIRNS QLD review of the security held to account for • RII50113 Diploma of Surface Operations 4870, Australia changes in disturbed area etc. The deadline for Management (or an equivalent or lodgment is 3 months before the ERC period superior qualification), and Website http://www.riiskillscentre.com.au expires, make sure you seek assistance well in • RIIRIS501D Implement and maintain advance of the deadline. management systems to control risk (or From 1-3 October 2019 the IQA Conference an equivalent or superior qualification). will be held in Geelong, Vic. Ausrocks will be in

attendance we are sure it will be a fantastic event for all.

AUSROCKS NEWSLETTER | WINTER 2019 3

Basalt is ideal for rail ballast where the main Basalt, The functions are to distribute the load from sleepers or ties, to damp dynamic loads and to provide lateral resistance and rapid drainage. Premier Quality ballast is achieved from basalt due to its high specific gravity, high shear strength, high strength (toughness and hardness), high Aggregate resistance to weathering, rough surface and Its chemical, physical and material minimum hairline cracks. properties surpass all other rock types. Its Occurrence Basaltic rocks are an igneous extrusive or by Brice Mutton As Aggregates volcanic rock occurring as a lava flows Aggregates are the primary constituent for (individually up to 15m thick) and formed by Basalt is economical to produce and provides a concrete and asphalt whether it is for roads rapid cooling at or very near to surface. Whilst long-term performance and high strength and highways or for concrete, particularly high basalt can have some inferior forms, thick material for the construction and engineering strength construction and infrastructure flows exhibiting columnar joining by far infrastructure industries. The material is concrete. Basalts high strength/durability, produce the best quality basalt. Unique important for road and highway pavements, high abrasion resistance, and high bearing columnar jointed bodies may also occur as lava bases and subbases. It’s ideal for concrete for ratio are key physical and mechanical pools around intrusive centres to lava major buildings and infrastructure. Where long properties, higher than almost all other rock outflows. Both columnar-jointed types have term strength and durability is crucial, it types. concentrated footprints, are readily exploitable and prominently quarried. provides the best material for rail ballast. For road and highway aggregates pavements, Basalt importance is reflected in that it whether it is concrete or asphalt, basalt Such quality occurs as fresh, young Tertiary accounts for 55 of Queensland’s 184 registered provides the best rock type to achieve Age (15-30Ma) basalt, which is prevalent as (TMR) hardrock quarries (June 2019 – excl sand important durable and sustainable wear crustal hot spot outpourings throughout the quarries), and, 40% of registered Key Resource surfaces. Basalt doesn’t deteriorate or length of Eastern Australia, from Cape York Areas (KRAs). disintegrate under the action of weathering via down through to SE Queensland into NSW, all freezing, thawing, variations in moisture and the way into eastern and western Victoria. Its The Rock temperature changes, especially extreme high young geological age, freshness Basalt is defined by its mineral content and temperature as occurs throughout most of the (unweathered) and prominent surface texture and has a strict chemical definition. It Australian landscape. A myriad of tests - presence make it ideal to exploit. typically is a grey to black, relatively repeated load triaxial compressive tests, Summary featureless, very fine-grained igneous rock. It resilient modulus, micro-Deval, impact value, Some of the key benefits and virtues of basalt is composed of mineral grains which are abrasion, frost resistance and California are; mostly indistinguishable to the naked eye. Bearing Ratio test, confirms basalt superior

Plagioclase feldspar (at least 65%) is qualities. volumetrically the most important • All round high physical and material constituent. Basalt may also contain minor Concrete is one of the most important building properties, olivine, quartz, hornblende and volcanic glass materials of engineering structures and for • High strength, durability and abrasion but overall has nil to minimal weak and soft construction generally and the quality of resistance are standouts, minerals (primary and secondary). concrete is directly related to the aggregate • Readily occurs and is available in large that is most volumetrically used. For major volumes with consistent quality, Basalt may be porphyritic containing engineering infrastructure ie high rise • distinctive phenocrysts, most typically olivine buildings, bridges etc. requiring high strength Provides for the highest strength (glassy emerald green colour), hence the often or ultra-high strength concretes, then basalts’ concrete, near nil internal impurities referred to rock name “olivine basalt”. The high compressive strength alone, provides for and nil silica (ASR), dominance of plagioclase renders the overall the best aggregate. • Lower equipment wear and operating colour of the rock when broken, to look like costs due to the absence of silica, Whilst concrete requires many other and be referred to by industry as “blue metal”. • Environmentally more favourable with attributes, basalt’s ability to provide optimum The physical and mechanical measures of sizes, high bonds between cement paste and minimal respirable crystalline silica basalt are outstanding. Some important aggregate, and surface characteristics such as issues, and, measures include: aggregate shape and surface texture, all add to • Overall is economically the most cost- making a high strength workable plastic effective - highest quality material to • Mohs’ Hardness – 6, mixture and increased slump values. exploit. • Compressive Strength - 100 to 300Mpa, Importantly, basalt is primarily free of Basalts’ all-round high qualities and • Tensile Strength – 10 to 30Mpa, deleterious minerals and is chemically inert. engineering performance make it – “the • Shear Strength – 20 to 60Mpa, Most significant though is its almost total lack premier aggregate”. • Porosity – 0.1 to 1%, and, of free silica, being unique among almost all 3 • Specific Gravity – average 2.8 t/m . other rock types, and therefore not having the Ausrocks has built a large database and critical concrete alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) expertise on basalt occurrences including issues, a primary cause of concrete future deposits. For further information deterioration and integrity. contact us on (07 3265 3399. AUSROCKS NEWSLETTER | WINTER 2019 4

Network Strategy and is now called the New Tunnelling Western Ring Road (Project 13) from Toowong through Everton Park to Aspley. The tunnel component is called the Inner Orbital Tunnel Projects for and connects into the North West Transport Corridor and Stafford Road at Everton Park.

Brisbane The East - West Link road tunnel from the by Alan Robertson South East to the Toowong roundabout was part of the original TransApex Project in the During the completion of the three recent early 2000's which had input from myself. It major Tunnelling projects in Brisbane, now was proposed to link the Western Freeway at known as the Clem 7, Airport Link and Legacy Toowong to the Pacific Motorway at Buranda. Way (initially called the Northern Link) from With the imminent completion of the early 2000 to 2014, our city stole the title of Kingsford Smith Drive widening, this project "Tunnel Town" from Sydney. With a suite of may come back on the infrastructure agenda. potential new tunnel projects likely for Brisbane in the next few years, this title may Ausrocks was a major contributor to the design again come across the border. The great and operation of the tunnel boring machine positive resulting from these three motor spoil disposal from the Legacy Way project vehicle tunnel projects was the continuity of into Mt Coot-tha Quarry in conjunction with tunnel planning, the concentration of the Quarry management and the tunnel international tunnel expertise in Brisbane for contractors. nearly a decade and the technical advances made in the complete Tunnelling process.

Future tunnel projects in Brisbane are more aligned to public transport and include:

• The Cross River Rail, Interesting • The Brisbane Metro, If you come across any weird or wacky signs, • The Western Ring Road Signs & Safety feel free to email them through to • The East-West Link [email protected]

The Cross River Rail is underway under the Procedures Cross River Rail Delivery Authority (CRRDA) and is a $5.4B 10.2 km rail line from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills which includes 5.9 km of tunnel under the Brisbane River and CBD. There will be 4 new underground stations at For more Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert St and Roma St as well as upgrades to Dutton Park information on and Exhibition Stations. The Brisbane Metro Subway System. (Brisbane AUSROCKS Metro). This public transport system costing around $1B was proposed by the Brisbane City Council as a high frequency rapid transport Visit: system to service the Brisbane CBD. The two- 3/344 Bilsen Road, Geebung, Q4034 line system was proposed to utilise 60 bi- articulated trackless rubber tyres buses each Ring: with a capacity of 150 persons arriving every three minutes at the bus stations during peak (Office Hours) 07 3265 3399 traffic times. 21 km of existing busway will be utilized between the Royal Brisbane Hospital (After Hours – Carl) 0404 778 394 and Eight Mile Plains. The project currently includes 18 bus stations, two of which will link Email: with the Cross River Rail. Tenders were called for construction, but the State Government [email protected] intervened, and a re-design is underway. [email protected];

The Western Link (or Western Bypass) Web: originally in TransApex is currently part of the State Government's Western Transport www.ausrocks.com.au