Malabar Resources has completed the first full shears of coal from the longwall at its Maxwell Underground mine in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, initiating production at what is planned to be the region’s newest and largest long-life longwall operation. The project, developed under New South Wales planning approval, transitions Maxwell from development drivage to longwall extraction using a high-capacity shearer and shield supports. This step moves the mine towards sustained longwall panel production, with implications for regional coal supply, ventilation design, strata control and long-term equipment scheduling.

ABB has secured a contract to supply both gearless mill drive (GMD) and ring-geared mill drive (RMD) systems for Harmony Gold’s Eva Copper Mine Project, a new open-pit operation about 75 km north of Cloncurry in northwest Queensland. The package will cover large SAG and ball mill installations, combining high-torque GMDs with RMDs for smaller mills to optimise grinding circuit flexibility and electrical efficiency. For process and electrical engineers, the choice of mixed GMD/RMD architecture signals a focus on variable-speed control, reduced mechanical components and lower maintenance in a greenfield copper concentrator.

ABB has signed an agreement with Harmony Gold to supply power and automation solutions for the Eva Copper project in Queensland, targeting higher plant efficiency as copper demand rises. The deal is expected to cover integrated electrification and process control systems for the greenfield operation, enabling coordinated management of crushers, mills and material handling. For engineers, the move signals continued investment in high-availability electrical infrastructure and digital control at large-scale Australian copper projects as they move from design to execution.