Eye in the sky

August 2017 | David Claridge

SIBELCO’S LIMESTONE mine at Mole Creek is already reaping the benefits of a new drone the company has acquired.

A world leader of utilising nature’s raw materials to provide solutions to society, Sibelco has purchased a DJI Phantom drone which will help to better visually catalogue the changing landscape of its Mole Creek mine.

Sibelco Operations Manager, Leon Porter, said one of the main reasons for purchasing the drone is to carry out surveys on its stockpiles, which has already proven successful at its other sites on the mainland.

“In the past, we’d engage with an external survey company to measure the volume of our stockpiles, so the drone has presented a significant cost-saving for our business.  Now, we can fly the drone over the stockpiles, capture the digital images and send these to our Mining Services team which has the software to calculate the figures.

“Our team has undergone all the necessary training to use the drone safely and in line with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations,” said Mr Porter.

Sibelco is a large multinational business with over 25 sites on the mainland.  The Mole Creek site is the only one in Tasmania and produces lime and limestone products utilised by the mining and agricultural industries to treat various types of waste by improving pH levels and minimising their impact on the environment.  Mole Creek Aglime is a ground limestone used in the agricultural industry to increase the pH of acid soils.

For more information on Sibelco and its products visit www.sibelco.com

Photo | Mike Moores