Mining company Mineral Resources Limited (MinRes) has chosen Clarke Energy as its preferred partner for a second time, having reached agreement on a new 26.9 MW power station for its Onslow Iron project now under construction.
Key to the project will be the Ken’s Bore mine operation, planned to produce an estimated 35 million tonnes per annum of iron ore in the West Pilbara, with the first ore scheduled for June 2024. The Clarke Energy design will supply mine and process related infrastructure at Ken’s Bore, enabling processed ore to be hauled by private road to Onslow. Port operations will then transfer the product on to purpose-built transhipping vessels for loading on to bulk ore carriers destined for international markets.
The Onslow Iron project will harness MinRes-led innovations to unlock stranded deposits, and the addition of Clarke Energy’s INNIO Jenbacher J620 power station will add another standout technology to Australia’s newest iron ore mine.
The unbeatable efficiency and performance of this generator, together with the confidence brought about by a 90-strong installed fleet of the 6 series gensets in WA, made it an obvious choice for MinRes.
For Clarke Energy, this contract completes a ‘power wrap’ of MinRes’ new mine and port, encompassing tailored solutions at both ends of the operations. Nine Jenbacher J420s will supply the highly variable load of the Onslow port operations, while eight J620s are set to power through the comparatively high load transients of mining operations 150km inland.
The engine is uniquely future proofed for hydrogen and like all new Jenbacher series 6 engines, can operate up to 25% blended H2/CH4 without the need for retrofits or special orders. From 2025, a direct injection option will become available to achieve 100% H2 operation, helping to facilitate decarbonisation initiatives in the energy supply chain.
MinRes General Manager for Energy Operations and Development, Rowan Hill, said the Jenbacher J620’s proven reliability and efficiency in powering WA remote mine sites played a significant part in the choice of engaging Clarke Energy to design and supply the Ken’s Bore power plant.
“Early in project development, our engineering team established the solution offered by Clarke Energy using the Jenbacher J620 was ideal for our mining operations at Ken’s Bore. Operational costs and reliability were paramount in the decision, but our team gained further insight into the quality of the Clarke product by visiting an operating remote power station in WA.”
Clarke Energy Main Board Director, Australasia and Managing Director, Greg Columbus welcomed the decision, and was reflective on the recognition the 6 Series generators and Clarke’s tailored power station designs are achieving in remote Western Australian mining applications.
“From our humble beginnings in Australia 25 years ago it is very pleasing to see growing recognition amongst WA’s Tier 1 miners and energy producers for the Jenbacher 6 series generator and the exceptional quality of our design and builds in remote, islanded applications.
It has been a pleasure working with the very capable team at MinRes and we look forward to deepening our relationship with one of Australia’s most forward-thinking miners.”
Clarke Energy, part of KOHLER Energy, is a multi-award-winning global business specialising in the engineering, installation, and maintenance support of distributed power generation solutions.
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