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Q&A with StrataLock – Queensland Mining Awards Contractor of the Year

08 August 2024 | Queensland Mining Awards

How a small Queensland joint venture is changing the game in mine safety

When Peter Holt started his Strata Linings business 20 years ago, he couldn’t have imagined the potential global impact of the business’s new product, StrataLock
Resin.

StrataLock, a joint venture of Strata Linings and Blackrock Mining, is just getting started.

As the newly-crowned winners of the prestigious Queensland Mining Awards Contractor of the Year Award were still high-fiving around the office, we spoke with Director, Dean Holt about the company and where it’s headed.

Q: How did it feel to hear StrataLock announced as QMA Contractor of the Year?

We were very humbled but terrifically excited. It’s probably the biggest thing to happen to our small company in terms of recognition to date, and it was just pure celebration and enjoyment.

We were already delighted to have won the Austmine Innovation category, since just making the finalist list in that category was the icing on the cake for us. Then, we got Contractor of the Year! That really kicked the celebrations into overdrive.

Considering all the other fantastic innovations and initiatives we heard about during the evening made our win even more incredible. There were many excellent Queensland-based technologies. And it was awesome to witness all the problems people have encountered, and how they go about solving them.

Q: Tell us about StrataLock and the journey you’ve been on to develop the product?

We started about 7 years ago. There were big problems in underground mining in terms of the highly carcinogenic chemicals being used. Due to how nasty they are, the regulator enforces strict constraints on applying the material. Whole areas of the mine must be stood down while this tough work is going on. We were also aware of some recent incidents in the industry, so we embarked on an R&D project to solve as many of those problems as we could.

By the end of the journey, we had addressed every single one. Those constraints no longer apply, so other tasks can proceed in parallel while the product is being applied. The opportunity costs to the mine have previously been significant, so they are now saving considerably.

It’s all new, novel, and inventive chemistry, so we went through a patent process, and that’s now granted. Because it was totally new, we actually had to design and build the manufacturing and application equipment. We manufacture the product in-house, and therefore manage the whole supply chain.

Q: Being a small business, how did you recruit outside expertise to make the R&D happen?

We already had a longstanding working relationship with Blackrock Mining. Together with Blackrock, we formed the StrataLock joint venture. Most of the expertise came from these two entities; however, for occupational hygiene, we brought in outside expertise in occupational hygiene to examine and endorse the safety parameters.

Then there were the mining houses themselves. We held a Demonstration Day to demonstrate the product and process's effectiveness. They provided great feedback, and the development project was modified slightly to ensure the end product met the clients’ needs.

Also, we had considerable consultation with underground workers and unions to gain their insights into the biggest pain points in this type of work. Once we had all that feedback and industry validation, we could really try to optimise the product for the industry, not just what we thought they needed.

Q: Tell us about StrataLock was trialled at Carborough Downs with Fitzroy Mining Operations?

Yes, Fitzroy have been a huge supporter of the project; we can’t emphasise that enough. There’s a fair bit of risk in trialling a new injection product. The environment is a mine becoming unstable, and we’re applying our product to stop that and protect their longwall asset to restore production capability. So it was a bit of a leap of faith from Fitzroy to back us and believe in us. They were fantastic we would not have got to where we are without them.

Q: Do you have other mines interested in StrataLock now?

Definitely, we’re currently going through the onsite research with a few mines in the Bowen Basin. We also have meetings with some NSW mines, to start exploring the technology with them and what discuss the benefits they can leverage.

Q: What does this kind of industry recognition mean to StrataLock?

Recognition like this is huge for small companies like us that don’t have the marketing budget to get the word out about their innovations. There are only a certain number of mines, and news about an award from the Queensland Mining Award program tends to filter through the whole industry.

There’s also the valuable external endorsement of the benefits customers will get. It’s not just coming from us; it’s been assessed through the judging process by an expert panel very experienced in the industry. We know StrataLock is a game-changer in our sector so external recognition goes a long way and certainly helps the conversations on site.

Q: Is there applicability to other sectors apart from coal?

Certainly, the technology can be used to stabilise any weak ground, like tunnelling, for instance. While boring the Snowy Hydro scheme, the toxic gas from injecting traditional chemicals went into the tunnel, causing a huge evacuation. So, tunnelling certainly has potential use cases. We’re also exploring use in stabilising foundations for construction.

Q: What’s next for StrataLock?
We’ll be exploring the potential to get the technology well-accepted in underground mines within Australia to improve safety and productivity outcomes, and then perhaps exporting the technology to improve safety conditions overseas.

Our very big thanks to the BBMC for putting on the event and providing the platform.

It’s been a great experience for everyone involved in the joint venture – we’ll be reliving the night for a while yet!