Archived News for Engineering Professionals
John Holland has been awarded the contract for the $34.5 million upgrade to Sydney Water’s Warriewood Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).
Warriewood STP serves an area of 25 square kilometres from Palm Beach to the north, Terrey Hills and Duffys Forest to the west and North Narrabeen to the south. The local population is expected to grow by around 11,000, or 17 per cent, over the next two decades.
The capacity of the Warriewood STP needs to increase to reduce the likelihood of wet weather overflows to the environment and maintain the quality of Sydney Water services in the area over the coming decades.
Rail future to be planned through roadmap partnership
A partnership between the Australian, New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland governments and the Australiasian Railway Association has been established to develop a Rail Manufacturing Technology Roadmap.
Space research projects funded
Three new collaborative research projects have been allocated funding totalling $6.1 million under Round 4 of the Australian Space Research Program (ASRP).
Penrice Soda Holdings and GE strike deal over water technology
Penrice Soda Holdings Ltd and General Electrics have struck a deal to provide the coal seam gas (CSG) industry with a new process to remove brine from wastewater.
Offshore LNG projects vie for world first status
Royal Dutch Shell’s recently announced bid to be the first to build a floating liquefied natural gas operation may be thwarted by rival projects in Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, according to a report in the Australian Financial Review.
Sandvik Australia joins AusAMRC
High-tech engineering group Sandvik Australia has become the latest Tier 1 industry member of the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AusAMRC).
WA carbon capture and storage assessment funded
The Collie South West Hub capture and storage (CCS) trial project in Western Australia is to receive up to $104 million in matching Federal and State funding for the completion of a detailed storage viability study.
Curtin research focuses on cement recycling
Curtin University’s Pavement Research Group has partnered with Main Roads WA, the City of Canning, the West Australian C&D waste recycling industry and ARRB Group to complete a major study into cement rehydration and the use of recycled materials in road pavements.
Griffith Uni takes leadership role in UN waste management partnership
Griffith University has been appointed as the Australia and New Zealand sub-regional secretariat of a United Nations global partnership on waste management.
Engineering and manufacturing employment demand set to rise
International recruitment and consultancy firm Michael Page has published its latest figures on employment demand growth, finding that business confidence is bolstering employment growth in the Engineering and Manufacturing sectors.
AIM finds skilled labour shortages growing
The Australian Institute of Management (AIM) has found that Western Australia’s booming commodity sector and the spate of natural disasters across the Eastern seaboard have resulted in unprecedented skilled labour shortages.
WA announces development assessment panels
The Western Australian State Government has announced the appointment of 27 specialists to staff 15 development assessment panels across the state.
New South Wales to audit council infrastructure
The New South Wales State Government has pledged to conduct a two-year review to assess the state’s infrastructure repair needs.
CSIRO exploration technology wins national award
A team of CSIRO Future Manufacturing Flagship scientists has won a major mining industry award for the invention of the highly sensitive magnetic field sensor which sits at the operational heart of the mineral exploration tool, LANDTEM™.
Mixed report on engineering sector
Hays has published its annual report into salary and industry results, finding that the recovery of the engineering sector is uneven, with some areas struggling to fight their way out of the Global Financial Crisis-induced slowdown.
Climate change risks to coastal buildings and infrastructure report released
More than $226 billion in commercial, industrial, road and rail, and residential assets are potentially exposed to inundation and erosion hazards at a sea level rise of 1.1 metres, according to a supplementary report released by the Federal Government.
Auditor slams Frankston bypass
Victorian Auditor-General, Des Pearson, has published a scathing review of the planned $2 billion Peninsula Link and Western Ring Road upgrades, questioning whether sufficient demand exists for their construction.
UOW researchers launch book on rail design
A new book by researchers at the University of Wollongong Geotechnics and Railway Engineering Research Centre is predicted to become a critical resource for Australia’s future heavy-haul railway engineering industry.
Brierty executes $185 million contract with Karara Mining
Brierty (ASX: BYL) has executed a four year $185 million contract with Karara Mining for the hematite mining and associated services at the Karara Iron Ore Project in Western Australia.
Karara Mining is a joint venture between Gindalbie Metals (ASX: GBG) and Chinese steel producer AnSteel. Brierty is no longer in a trading halt on the release of today's announcement.
In February, Brierty had been named preferred contractor on Karara, and with contract terms now settled, the company has commenced delivery of mining services including drill and blast; load and haul; crushing and screening; road haulage and train loading.
Brierty is benefitting from an ongoing mining boom in Western Australia where infrastructure and land development investment has increased, particularly with Chinese interests in iron ore.
Peter McBain, chief executive officer of Brierty, said “the contract is a cornerstone mining project and provides Brierty with the ability to leverage additional opportunities from the development of the burgeoning Midwest region of Western Australia.”
Karara selected Brierty as contractor based on the strength of its team, service capability and professional approach.
The project hosts a JORC Reserve of 977.5 million tonnes at 36.5% iron with an estimated concentrate of 1.027 billion tonnes at 68.6% iron.
The Karara Project produces eight million tonnes per annum of high grade magnetite concentrate and has a 60 – year mine life.
The joint venture also produces four million tonnes per annum of iron pellets at a new plant in China.
The project holds the capacity to expand production to more than 30 million tonnes per annum for more than 30 years.
The company expects Direct Shipping Ore hematite deposits at the project to produce an initial level of two million tonnes per annum in 2012.
Veripos opens in Australian market
UK-based Veripos, a navigation and positioning company, is due to open its first Australian office in Perth to provide sales and service to Australian and New Zealand customers.
NSW rail link questioned
The Federal Government has not undertaken a study to assess the business viability, or received any submission from the NSW state government in support of the planned $2.1 billion Parramatta-to-Epping rail link, according to an article published by The Australian. The project is the subject of an intergovernmental agreement that would see work begin on the rail link this year.