Improving safety at Goonyella Mine
Purpose built powerline installation drones save time and money
These are the first powerline spans strung with drones in the Australian mining industry. The drones are quiet, unobtrusive to other work on-site, capable of overcoming difficult terrain, and much safer than any alternative.
Our customer
BHP Mitsubishi Alliance’s (BMA) Goonyella Riverside Mine is a metallurgical coal mine in Queensland’s Bowen Basin. It is located 30km north of Moranbah on the traditional lands of the Barada Barna people. Coal from this mine is exported to markets worldwide.
Their objective
BMA identified a need to re-route a 66kV overhead powerline that ran through an area planned to be used for future overburden soil dumping. The relocation would reduce truck cycle times and improve pit efficiency.
The solution
We were engaged to design, manufacture, assemble, supply, erect, install, site acceptance test and commission the 66kV overhead powerline and applies to some ancillary loads along the Ramp 23 corridor.
Working in an operational mine site with plenty of traffic and challenging terrain led our project team to think differently about how to construct the new overhead powerlines, required within a critical delivery window, by September 2024. The site was steep, rocky and unstable underfoot, and it was important the construction minimise impact on existing mining activities and vehicle movements.
Working with Infravision, the team used innovative new drone stringing technology and methods. The TX system combines a stringing drone with an electric smart puller tensioner bundled into a compact, tough off-road trailer.
On this project, three Infravision staff worked hand in hand with seven staff from Yurika, using purpose-built powerline installation drones to string powerline cable across twelve spans of approximately 350m, as well as to attach line safety markers.
The outcome
These are the first powerline spans strung with drones in the Australian Mining industry. The use of this innovative new technology marks a leap forward in safety and efficiency. The purpose-built drones saved time and money, allowing the project to be completed to the critical delivery window.
A faster and more efficient construction method meant saving on labour costs and proved to be far more cost effective than alternatives like helicopter stringing. Drone stringing is approximately 40% cheaper than helicopter stringing.
Helicopter stringing presents greater potential safety risks, and operational impacts to the mine site. The powerline stringing drones are quiet, unobtrusive to other work on-site, capable of overcoming the difficult terrain and much safer than any alternative.
Following the success of this project, we intend to expand the use of this technology on similar projects. The learnings extend beyond Yurika and offer an exciting alternative construction method for the wider industry and help make the work we do safer for everyone.
