Archive for the ‘September’ Category

New Gold Coast engineering company Proof is putting its stamp of approval on mining companies’ road networks after helping to achieve fleet efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Experts in haul road performance and optimisation, Proof Engineers specializes in road stabilisation and performance monitoring, ensuring reduced maintenance and increasing the longevity and safety of haul roads.

The innovative company uses the engineering skills of building suburban roads and applies these to the construction and maintenance of haul roads on mine sites, while investigating, measuring and recommending soil stabilising solutions to ensure cost-effective and environmentally friendly constructions and maintenance.

Headed by entrepreneurial engineer Sebastian Karsas the company aims to expand its alliances to eventually service any company that requires road performance and stabilisation services.

“We’re relatively new and are still finding our feet, but we have been working with fellow Gold Coast company RST in their development of dust-free road constructions in and around mines,” said Mr Karsas.

“we are currently working with the University or Western Australia in building our business
model and are looking forward to expanding to new operations.”

Specialising  in road performance evaluation and environmental control through high tech monitoring solutions, Proof Engineers will go on to an existing mine site and conduct studies into the current road management status, providing detailed reports on road performance and operations, making recommendations on how to increase fleet performance, operate more economically and be more environmentally sustainable.

Mr Karsas believes safety is of the highest importance to his clients and said without this testing and management, the side effects of having to stop production to fix a road problem even for one day could cost the company millions of dollars.

“Our engineers identify dull or soft spots and structural damage that could possibly lead to dangerous and costly conditions. We recommend a specific treatment and management plan to best suit our clients individual needs,” he said.

- Mining Chronicle – September 2010 Volume 15, Number 8

New Gold Coast engineering company, Proof, is putting its stamp of approval on mining road networks’ after helping to achieve fleet efficiency and environmental sustainability.

With experts in haul road performance and optimisation, Proof Engineers specialises in road stabilisation and performance monitoring, ensuring reduced maintenance and increasing the longevity and safety of haul roads.

The company uses the engineering skills of building suburban roads and applies these to the construction and maintenance of haul roads on mine sites, and investigates, soil stabilising solutions to ensure cost-effective and environmentally friendly construction and maintenance.

Since its launch in February this year, the company have been working closely with mining resource firm Reynolds Soil Technologies (RST) in validating its revolutionary dust suppression applications on road structures across mines globally.

Headed by entrepreneurial engineer Sebastian Karsas the company aims to expand its alliances to eventually service any company that requires road performance and stabilisation services.

“We are currently working with the University or Western Australia in building our business
model and are looking forward to expanding to new operations.”

Saving Companies Millions
Proof Engineers will go on to an existing mine site and conduct studies into the current road management status, providing detailed reports on road performance and operations, making recommendations on how to increase fleet performance, operate more economically and be more environmentally sustainable.

In many cases, Proof has been able to save companies millions, and will implement continual improvement programs to ensure that all products and systems are supplying clients with optimum results.

Mr Karsas believes safety is of the highest importance to his clients and said without this testing and management, the side effects of having to stop production to fix a road problem even for one day could cost the company millions of dollars.

“Our engineers identify dull or soft spots and structural damage that could possibly lead to dangerous and costly conditions. We recommend a specific treatment and management plan to best suit our clients individual needs,” he said.
“We implement real-time monitoring solutions to measure road performance. If the road is defective we recommend the most applicable treatment, which could be from liquid soil stabilisation to bringing in extra additional materials.

“We are able to quantify cost savings In areas people normally wouldn’t notice.”

For instance, a one per cent change in rolling resistance can slow a haul truck down by 26 per cent, also having significant increases in fuel burn and other production cost.

“Weather its sealed or unsealed, we can better the road and quantify financial benefits for the company,” said Mr Karsas.

RST Technical and development director David Handel said this service in invaluable to mining companies in being able to prove how employing soil stabilisation products are imperative to the efficiency on haul roads, but also for improving environmental outcomes.

“Proof Engineers have realised an opportunity in the field that uses engineering principals to better manage road systems and we believe they provide a great service to mines, and similarly, to companies like us,” said Handel.

- Australian Journal of Mining – September/October 2010