Organisations throughout the industry are gearing up for Asia-Pacific’s International Mining Exhibition in Adelaide this September.
Asia-Pacific’s International Mining Exhibition’s (AIMEX) new home in Adelaide is attracting key exhibitors who are eager to engage with mining professionals from across the region.
For global, high-tech engineering group Sandvik, AIMEX presents a great opportunity to showcase its latest offerings in sustainability, digital transformation and energy efficiency for the mining and mineral processing sector.
Sandvik’s global head of marketing for the company’s screening solutions division – Peter Newfield said AIMEX’s relocation to South Australia makes the event far more relevant to his division’s business, particularly as the region is becoming a central hub for critical minerals such as copper.
“South Australia is very important to the Australian mining industry and is rapidly emerging as a key source for the world’s growing need for copper,” Newfield said.
“With its move to Prime Creative Media and Adelaide, AIMEX has come back onto our radar after many years.”
Newfield said Sandvik has been encouraged by the momentum behind the reimagined event, noting key industry players such as BHP and Magnetite Mines have signed on as exhibitors, and peak industry bodies Austmine and AMEC have shown their support.
“The fact that this year’s Australian Mining’s Prospect Awards will take place on day two of AIMEX is the ‘cherry on top’,” Newfield said.
“We are proud to be sponsoring the Indigenous and Community Engagement award once again, a category which we have supported for several years.”
Sustainable innovation
The mining industry remains one of the most energy-intensive sectors globally, consuming an estimated six to seven per cent of the world’s total energy.
Newfield told ABHR that almost half of this energy is consumed in the comminution process – crushing, screening, feeding and milling. About 40 per cent of the mining industry’s total energy consumption can be attributed to the grinding process.
“Crushing is up to 10 times more energy efficient than conventional grinding. By crushing more and providing a finer feed to the milling circuit, significant efficiency gains can be made in the overall comminution process,” he said.
The Sandvik 800i cone crusher series integrated with the new ACS-c 5 automation system, combine robust mechanical design with powerful, user-friendly automation, supporting diverse operational needs. These machines can be tuned to output a very fine product, which can significantly reduce the load on the downstream grinding process.
Newfield said that leading gold producer Gold Fields was able to take advantage of this in its new crushing and screening plant at the Agnew gold mine in Western Australia.
“According to Gold Fields senior management, the finer feed from their new crushing and screening circuit has improved downstream mill performance, increasing the maximum throughput rate from 155 to 170 tph,” he said.
The company conducted a comminution crushing and grinding survey, which indicates that the new circuit is around 18 per cent more energy efficient than the previous one.
Digital solutions
AIMEX will also provide Sandvik with the opportunity to spotlight its latest digital offerings. Leading the showcase is DeckMapp/WearApp, a cloud-based software platform designed to revolutionise screen deck maintenance.
“This highly innovative solution is set to transform how maintenance is planned and executed, dramatically improving the efficiency and operational performance of mineral processing plants.”
Also on display will be ACS-s, Sandvik’s next-generation condition monitoring system, designed to operate 24/7, the platform provides early detection of anomalies before they result in major failures, giving site personnel the chance to act early and minimise costly unplanned downtime.
“Errors in maintenance and operations can lead to component damage. ACS-s is designed to alert plant personnel to small problems before they can become big ones,” Newfield said. “This is critical to maximising plant uptime, safety and efficiency.”
These technologies reflect Sandvik’s broader ambition to support decarbonisation efforts within the industry. By combining mechanical reliability with digital intelligence, Sandvik’s solutions help mining operations transition towards more sustainable and efficient mineral processing methods.
“At Sandvik, we leverage digitalisation as a cornerstone of our innovation,” Newfield said. “Not only is our latest equipment easy to operate, manage and service, but it also contributes to our industry’s need to reduce its environmental impact.”
Stronger connections
With AIMEX now committed to South Australia for the next decade, Sandvik is optimistic about forging deeper relationships within the region and expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific market.
“Having AIMEX in South Australia allows the mining industry to experience our leading offerings right on its doorstep,” Newfield said.
This year’s Sandvik stand at AIMEX promises to be a highlight, featuring not only live demonstrations of its digital platforms, but also a full-sized mining screen to give visitors an up-close look at the engineering behind its high-throughput equipment.
“We’re excited to showcase our extensive range of crushers alongside our mining screens and feeders, capable of handling up to 8000 tonnes per hour,” Newfield said.
“Our experts will be on hand to discuss how our solutions can help drive process efficiency, plant uptime and safety.”
After a period away from the AIMEX show floor, Sandvik’s return to the event signals the company’s confidence in Prime Creative to deliver a high-quality forum for customer engagement, industry collaboration, and the pursuit of technology-driven sustainability outcomes.
“AIMEX is shaping up to be a great event,” Newfield said.
“We look forward to meeting with our friends in the mining industry and congratulating the finalists and winners of this year’s Prospect Awards.”
AIMEX 2025 will be held at Adelaide Showground from September 23–25. To register, visit aimex.com.au/getinvolved
This feature appeared on Australian Bulk Handling Review.