Mining

The WA state government will be increasing penalties for workplace safety offences to bring Western Australia into line with other States and ensure penalties better reflect the importance of a safe workplace. In a press report, the WA government stated that the amendments will increase penalties for businesses which commit safety offences under the Occupational Health … Continue reading McGowan Government to increase penalties for workplace safety offences →

Researchers from Edith Cowan University have developed a way to modify the atomic structure of iron to create a metal that can strip impurities from water in just a few minutes. The breakthrough, recently published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, offers new applications in the mining, textile and other industries where large amounts of … Continue reading Small technology promises to clean huge volumes of wastewater →

Australia’s manufacturing sector has experienced a tenth consecutive month of expansion – despite significant challenges. The Australian Industry (Ai) Group’s Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI) increased by 1.0 point in July to 56.0 points. According to the index, results above 50 indicate expansion with even higher results indicating a stronger expansion. In July, … Continue reading Construction, mining demand aiding continued manufacturing growth →

GE has announced that Clarke Energy, GE’s distributor and service partner, will provide 11 of GE’s Jenbacher J624 gas engines to Australian energy infrastructure business, APA Group, for its new 45-megawatt (MW) Yamarna Power Station in Western Australia, which is being constructed to supply power to the Gruyere Gold Project. Clarke Energy will engineer, procure and … Continue reading APA chooses Clarke Energy for Gruyere Gold Project →

With swirling accusations of him holding dual citizenship, Senator Matt Canavan has decided to step aside from Federal Cabinet as the Minister for Resources. At a media conference held yesterday, he said that his mother had applied for his Italian citizenship in 2006 without his knowledge or consent, while applying for herself. He also mentioned that … Continue reading Canavan steps down as Minister for Resources →

A $100 million battery storage “gigafactory” is likely to be built in Darwin, with a new consortium planning to establish a large-scale lithium-ion manufacturing plant by the end of 2018. Energy Renaissance will be backed by engineering group UGL (recently bought by CIMIC), and partnering with US battery storage company 24M. The first phase of the plant, … Continue reading Darwin battery storage gigafactory to open in 2018 →

Microland, a global hybrid IT service provider, has announced that it has been positioned as a “Major Contender” in Everest Group’s Peak Matrix for Solutions: IT Infrastructure Services Automation 2017. Everest Group had analysed 15 leading service providers on a combination of analyst assessment and feedback, collated from client interviews. Based on the analysis, Microland emerged … Continue reading Microland a major contender in Everest Group’s Peak Matrix for Solutions →

The Hunter region, particularly Newcastle, is seeing improved manufacturing employment and investment figures, according to the latest State of the Regions report.  In the coastal half of the Hunter, 23,295 people were found to be employed in manufacturing in 2017, compared with 21,499 in 2012 and 17,832 in 2002. According to the report’s co-author Dr … Continue reading Hunter manufacturing returning to pre-mining boom state →

SEEK has released data showing 6.6 per cent more job ads listed on the website this April when compared to last April, with growth across all states and territories. Mining and manufacturing are some of the sectors that have seen growth this year. South Australia leads the nation in job growth, with 18.4 per cent more … Continue reading Australian manufacturing and mining jobs trending up, says SEEK →

The global gear pump market is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of four per cent between 2017-21, according to market research firm Technavio. The report also lists earth-moving, mining, material handling, agriculture and forestry, and automotive as major application segments for the growth in demand for gear pumps. The report found … Continue reading Global gear pump market forecasted to grow more than four per cent annually →

In light of the announcement of the Australian government’s pledge to offer support for auto workers affected by company closures, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) has accused Liberal Senator and Industry Minister Sinodinos of “misleading” auto workers who are likely to lose their jobs when Holden and Toyota close their production lines later this year. … Continue reading ALP claims Coalition is ‘misleading’ auto workers →

Over the past few decades, the manufacturing industry has undergone numerous major upheavals. Right now, we are witnessing the dawning of the next era with Industry 4.0, boosted in Asia by China’s recently announced China 2020 vision, in which they outlined plans to adopt new technologies and industries, marking a shift away from traditional manufacturing, … Continue reading The dawn of the new industrial era with the smart factory →

According to research by Curtin University, corrosion may be costing the Australian economy more than $30 billion each year. Within industrial environments, exposure to things like water, acid or salt causes corrosion of geared motors. This, in turn, reduces the strength of the corroded parts and inevitably means they have to be replaced. In corrosive … Continue reading Corrosion is eating away at Australian industry →

It may sound like science fiction, but wastewater treatment plants may one day turn ordinary sewage into biocrude oil, thanks to new research at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The technology, hydrothermal liquefaction, mimics the geological conditions the Earth uses to create crude oil, using high pressure and temperature to achieve in minutes … Continue reading Making fuel out of sewage →

The new GEMÜ 4242 combi switchbox is suitable for secure and fast applications in most food and other types of process plants. It is small, compact and light, and is ideal for pneumatically operated linear actuators. With its integrated 3/2-way pilot valve made of anodized aluminium or stainless steel, the new combi switchbox 4242 from … Continue reading New switchbox for food processing plants →

NHP has announced a partnership with local IoT experts, Switch Automation, to deliver InfoSyte, an exclusive energy management software solution from NHP tailored for the Australian and New Zealand markets. A powerful cloud hosted energy management platform, InfoSyte has the ability to integrate with energy, water and gas measuring devices along with other facility systems such as building management systems (BMS) and … Continue reading NHP partners with Switch Automation to deliver InfoSyte →

Company tax cuts are a key component of Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison’s plan to drive growth in jobs and wages, spurring on the Australian economy. There’s no question that tax cuts and lower energy prices will enable companies to keep more of the money they make. But it’s not more money per se, but what … Continue reading Management education, not just tax cuts, needed to create jobs and growth →

Cutting tools maker Sandvik Coromant has signed an agreement to become a Premium Partner of leading machine tool manufacturer, DMG Mori. According to DMG, Sandvik Coromant will be the only tooling manufacturer to be named as a DMG Mori premium partner. As a DMG’s premium partner, Sandvik Coromant will work together with the machine tool … Continue reading Sandvik Coromant becomes DMG Mori Premium Partner →

Chemicals manufactured or imported before January 1 2017 will be allowed to be supplied without having to meet Work Health and Safety Regulations’ labelling requirements, according to Safe Work Australia. Safe Work Australia CEO Michelle Baxter said this was decided in response to concerns raised by chemical suppliers in the lead up to Australia developing … Continue reading Safe Work releases new hazardous labelling regulations →

  According to a recent story in caradvice.com.au, the Nissan metalcasting plant is not only working but also thriving thanks to the move to electric vehicles. A new contract to supply vital EV engine castings for Nissan worldwide has seen it return to three shifts, seven days a week, with production at the plant increasing … Continue reading Nissan metalcasting expertise defies local car making downturn →