The Australian Mining Prospect Awards have been the premier event for the mining industry since 2004, and last week in Perth was no exception.
This year’s awards were a chance to reward those in the industry who have gone above and beyond and recognise cutting-edge innovation throughout the sector.
Here’s the Prospect Awards winners for 2022.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Ron Sayers
Ron Sayers founded mining services company Ausdrill with a single drill rig back in 1987.
From this humble beginning in his hometown, Kalgoorlie, Mr Sayers grew his business into a billion-dollar ASX200 global mining services company, now known as Perenti Group.
Sayers was passionate about his employees and fostering an outstanding workplace culture, creating an environment where people enjoy going to work, and look out for each other.
Sayers has been described as a ‘legend of Kalgoorlie’ and has received previous accolades for his services to the mining industry.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is proudly sponsored by Liebherr.
Australian Mine of the Year: Kestrel Coal Resources
The most prestigious award of the night, the Australian Ming of the Year award recognises a mine site that has reached its production goals while also implementing commendable safety controls, environmental and sustainability programs and has shown capacity to innovate.
This award is imparted to the winner of one of the other categories, and this year, Kestrel Coal Resources took home the award.
“Through capable and confident leaders, we’re determined to deliver our compelling vision and solid strategy to become the mining industry’s employer of choice — the company where you can do your best work, receive support, learn and develop, and to realise your true potential,” Kestrel underground operations manager Daniel Proffitt said.
The Australian Mine of the Year award is proudly sponsored by National Group.
Indigenous and Community Engagement Award: Atlas Iron
Recognising collaboration between Aboriginal-owned businesses and mining and minerals processing companies operating within Australia, this award was presented to Atlas Iron for its major mining contract with East West Pilbara (EWP).
Atlas Iron awarded a joint venture mining contract to EWP in August 2021 entailing load and haul, and drill and blast services at Miralga Creek.
The major mining contract was the first of its kind to be awarded on traditional land and is unique in that it is not a provision of a particular narrow service or activity, instead being all-encompassing.
The Indigenous and Community Engagement Award is proudly sponsored by Schenck Process.
Excellence in IIot Application: Flexco Australia
With new IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) applications being realised every day, this award seeks to recognise an outstanding implementation of IIoT that enhances mining and mineral processing operations.
And the Flexco Elevate by Flexco Australia was this year’s worthy winner.
The Flexco Elevate belt cleaning monitoring allows mining operations to remotely gather critical data and perform real-time analysis to boost belt conveyor efficiency.
The Excellence in IIoT Application award is proudly sponsored by ifm.
Mine Project Success of the Year: Roy Hill
The Mine Project Success of the Year award was one of five new or updated categories presented at the Prospect Awards this year.
This award recognises a significant engineering and/or contract mining project that has been undertaken on a mine site and was awarded to Roy Hill for its WHIMS Expansion Project.
The Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separator (WHIMS) plant was opened in December 2019 and allowed the capture of high-grade ultrafine iron ore units which would otherwise have ended up as waste.
Roy Hill has since expanded the plant, and the WHIMS Expansion plant (WHIMS 1.5) opened in April 2022.
The Mine Project Success of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Epiroc.
Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability: IGO
This award recognises a mine, company, or project that has developed or carried out an innovative, environmentally focused program.
IGO was 2022’s worthy winner for its Internal Carbon Price and Decarbonisation Fund.
Internal carbon pricing (ICP) is a mechanism adopted by IGO to increase the pace of decarbonisation across its total carbon footprint.
The Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability award is proudly sponsored by Metso Outotec.
Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S: GCG
This award seeks to recognise a mine, company, or project that has developed or carried out a program that increased safety, removes risk, or cuts worker issues on a project or mine.
GCG took home the award for its Real-Time Monitoring App (RTM App), an advanced software solution developed to provide intelligent dust exposure controls management for smarter, faster dust exposure control decisions.
The Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S award is proudly sponsored by Vocus.
Outstanding Mine Performance: Kestrel Coal
The Outstanding Mine Performance is another of the new or updated awards presented for the first time at this year’s gala night.
This award seeks to recognise a rock mine that is performing well and has carried out an innovative project, partnership, initiative or program and merges the Coal Mine of the Year and the Hard Rock Mine of the Year awards into a single category.
Kestrel Coal, who also took home the Australian Mine of the Year award, took this one home.
The Outstanding Mine Performance award is proudly sponsored by SEW Eurodrive.
Innovative Mining Solution: RattleJack Innovations
This award recognises a mine, company, or project that has developed a unique mining solution and was presented to RattleJack Innovations for the company’s SafetySpear.
The SafetySpear is an innovation that protects underground miners from free falling overhead hazards.
The Innovative Mining Solution award is proudly sponsored by Austmine.
Project Lead of the Year: Stacey Brown
Another updated award, the Project Lead of the Year award is an update of the previous Mine Manager of the Year Award, which celebrated those who led a mine to success.
The Project Lead of the Year Award recognises an individual who has led a project or mine site to a successful outcome. This could be an internal project at a mine, or a project led by a contract miner or supplier.
Stacey Brown, general manager, projects at Atlas Iron was the deserving winner of this award.
Brown is an experienced mining executive and oversees an expanding projects team at Atlas Iron. She is responsible for an ambitious pipeline of new projects including traditional hematite operations as well as leading two major magnetite studies.
The Project Lead of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Altra Motion.
Safety Advocate of the Year: Nigel Gould
Recognising an individual or team that is committed to ensuring safety – either for an individual site or company, or for the mining industry as a whole, the Safety Advocate of the Year award was presented to Rio Tinto’s Nigel Gould.
Gould is a fierce advocate for men’s health and is an ambassador for Movember.
Speaking on his win at the Prospect Awards, Gould said it was “an absolute honour”.
“I’m very fortunate to be known around the mine sites as someone people can go to for help,” he said.
The Safety Advocate of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Flexco.
Discovery of the Year: Trigg
The Discovery of the Year Award celebrates a significant discovery at either a greenfields or a brownfields site.
Trigg took home this award for its Lake Throssell greenfields discovery; a multi-element deposit containing essential minerals needed for global food security and to help address climate change – potassium, sulphur and magnesium.
The Discovery of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Bonfiglioli.
Congratulations to all finalists and winners of the 2022 Australian Mining Prospect Awards.