Commercial Mining Booster Infrastructure Project A novel approach - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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A novel approach to the manufacture of Boosters for the Mining Industry

Commercial Mining Booster Infrastructure Project

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2 4/12/2017

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The Background

• In 2016 Australian Munitions and

Orica signed contract for the manufacture of Commercial Mining Boosters

• This required the development of a

new capability to be installed at Australian Munitions’ Benalla facility.

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The Plan

• What is a Mining Booster?
• The Existing Benalla Facility
• The Design Process
• New Explosives
• The New Production Facility
• Logistics
• The Benefits to our Customers
• The Wrap Up
• Thank You

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What is a Mining Booster?

• Small Explosive Device comprising:
• A plastic shell
• A sensitiser bottle (filled with PETN)
• Cast Mix Fill of RDX/TNT
• Used to help detonate large charges

(typically bulk emulsion)

• Used extensively across Australia’s

Mining and Construction Industry.

Image Courtesy of Orica Limited

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The Existing Benalla Facility

• Utilises two existing buildings in

Benalla – S05 and S03

• New capability had to integrate with

existing infrastructure

• And allow for quick changeover between

Booster Manufacture and Traditional Defence Stores.

• Uses the existing Meissner Shell

Filling Plant in S03

Satellite imagery courtesy of Google Earth.

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The Design Process

• Requirements Specifications Developed
• Supplier Selection Process – Chorus 2.0
• Multi Stage Risk Assessment Process
• HAZOP Studies
• Plant Risk Assessments
• Input from Orica Subject Matter Experts
• Particular emphasis on PETN – New to Benalla
• Need for High Levels of Automation
• Minimise exposure of personnel
• Ability to compete with overseas labour rates
• Use of modern control systems in Hazardous

Areas

Image Source: https://www.graphicproducts.com/articles/what-is-hazop/

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The Design Process

Concept

Independent Explosives Safety Validation

HAZOP Detailed Design CHAZOP

Five day workshop with input from Orica SMEs, Thales SMEs, Machine Designers and Operators. Three day workshop with input from Orica SME, Thales SMEs, and Machine Designers – focussed on control systems.

Weekly Design Reviews with sub-contractors Input from Orica SMEs when required

An Internal validation of the project management and safety principals being used.

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The Design Process

Build Factory Commissioning Factory Acceptance

Install

Frequent Site Visits, Acceptance Tests and Communication between Project team and Designers An opportunity to test in a workshop environment and confirm machine functionality A series of tests to confirm that all elements of the machine meet the original specification (or any agreed to changes) Involves attempting to break the safety systems to ensure they are robust.

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The Design Process

Plant Risk Assessment Inert Commissioning

External Safety Audit

Live Commissioning

Risk assessment focussing on plant safety (entanglement, cutting etc.) Completed by Internationally renowned explosive safety specialist

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New Explosives

As well as a new Production Facility, New Explosives were introduced. Bodies of work were conducted to understand these. Crude RDX/TNT:

• Lab Testing of Crude RDX Composition to

confirm long term stability

• Performance Testing
• Boosters filled with Crude RDX/TNT were X-

Rayed and Fired against witness plates.

PETN:

• Separation Distance Trials
• Conducted with and without Baffles

between samples

• Probit and FISH Data sourced from Orica
• Testing of “high speed” Near Infrared

Moisture sensing for Dried PETN

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The New Production Facility – PETN Drying

• 24 Stations, each holding

13kg PETN

• Warm air drawn through

PETN by Scrubber

• Approximately 6 Hour dry

cycle

• Typically Operated during

silent hours to minimise Operator exposure.

• Instant Moisture Content

Reading from NIR sensor

• Container used for drying

also used in Bottling process

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The New Production Facility – PETN Bottling

• Manned section and Unmanned

(remote) section

• Handling Empty Bottles, Dried

PETN and Caps

• Automated Quality Assurance

Checks

• Single Shift operation to match 3

shift LAP.

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The New Production Facility – Load, Assemble, Pack

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Logistics

• Increase in HE throughput for Benalla and Mulwala
• Management of Magazines
• Management of Building and Bay NEQs
• Update to DG Manifest
• Large volumes of raw materials
• Management of Incoming goods and returnable

packaging

• Transport of parts to workstations
• Introduction of 24 hour HE operation in Benalla
• Recruitment and training of new staff
• Technical, Mechanical and Electrical support for

afternoon and night shift

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The Benefit to our Customers – Australian Defence Force

• Maintain Skillsets for manufacture of defence

munitions

• Keeping staff (and plant) in a state of readiness
• Maintaining knowledge and a safety mindset ensure we

are always operationally ready for a shift to Defence Manufacture.

• Increase the utilisation of assets in Benalla and

Mulwala that had been underutilised in the past

• Underused machines tend to develop reliability

challenges such as corrosion, erosion, blockages etc.

• Using the plant frequently helps overcome these

challenges

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The Benefit to our Customers – Orica

• Improved Quality
• Including 100% automated checks for weight and

cleanliness

• Consistency of finished product through the use
• f Automation
• Shorter supply chains
• Product for the Australian Market is made in

Australia

• Improved logistics
• Location of the Benalla and Mulwala Sites with

respect to Orica’s Storage Facilities

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The Wrap-Up

• Australian Munitions now has a world class Booster

Manufacturing Facility

• Highly automated
• Incorporating existing infrastructure
• The design process worked through concept – detailed design –

build – install – commission

• Input from SMEs
• Thorough Risk Assessment process
• Resulting in benefits to the ADF and to Orica

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Thank You

• Thanks to the following for input to and content for this

presentation (in no particular order):

• Orica Limited
• Ryan Krake – LAP Video
• Ken Horne – PETN Bottling Content
• James Halacas – Meissner Plant Content
• Mulwala Trials Team
• The Benalla operations team – in particular, those featured in photos or videos