A trusted Caterpillar equipment dealer was recently procured to supply a $740 million precious metal mine in Western Australia.
WesTrac recently sold a Cat 6060 mining shovel to Anglo Gold Macmahon Alliance’s Tropicana Gold Mine, 600km east of Perth.
The mine had scheduled expansion works to begin at the end of 2016 and procured WesTrac for its loading tool capabilities.
“In July 2016 Macmahon commenced an analysis of 600 tonne shovels from all the OEMs to determine which machine was the most suitable product fit for the business and project. Consideration was given to our technical needs, productivity objectives, product support on all levels and the material type to be moved,” Macmahon plant manager surface mining Peter Ranking says.
“Given the current existing Loading Tool fleet on site being all caterpillar and the high level of product support, we have always received the Westrac stock 6060 Face Shovel certainly stacked up in all the key areas of the procurement analysis.”
WesTrac revealed it discounted the equipment.
“Because we had it in our inventory for a couple of years, we did a very keen price with the assistance of Cat HMS Product Grp and Cat Finance was able to help out because they have a very good relationship with Macmahon,” WesTrac mining account manager Richard Otway says.
“Seventy per cent of the build took place at the WesTrac workshop in our Reid Road Facility. We stripped the machine and checked that everything was working and 100 per cent ready for the job. Then we disassembled it to a shipping format so that it could be freighted by road to the site. Meanwhile, Macmahon had prepared a build pad outside the Tropicana workshop, ready with cranes, equipment and accommodation for the WesTrac team to finalise the on-site build. We had over 20 people working shifts around the clock for 17 days to complete the build, then we did the performance tests and checks before walking it down into the pit.”
The Tropicana Gold Mine is jointly owned by Anglo Gold Ashanti, the Independence Group and Macmahon. The site was discovered in late 2005, in Great Victoria Desert. The discovery signalled the identification of a new gold province. Gold production began in September 2013.
Positions are advertised here on Anglo Gold Ashanti’s career website.
Image credit: Camilla Ryals @ Carlon Leong
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