Can you introduce Terra Nova Technologies (TNT)?

Terra Nova Technologies is a member of the Murray & Roberts Mining Platform group of companies alongside Cementation Americas, M&R Cementation Africa and RUC Cementation in Australia. We are headquartered in San Diego, California, with offices in Boise, Santiago and Perth. Terra Nova Technologies (TNT) provides material handling design, consulting services, design/supply sourcing, and general contracting to the mining industry throughout the world. TNT also offers collateral consulting services for mine operators and engineering houses during feasibility, design, fabrication, construction and operation. In addition, TNT has developed a broad range of services including spare parts and equipment sourcing, system de-bottlenecking, maintenance improvement programs and training. TNT has been operating in Chile since 2017, and we are currently working on our third major EPC project in the country. 
Our main offerings are underground conveyors, overland conveyors, in-plant conveyors, modular crushing stations and mobile stacking systems mobile. In Chile, we are very focused on copper mining, but we also have solutions for other commodities. We also intend to enter the Peruvian market because of its undeniable geological potential. 

How was 2022 for Terra Nova Technologies?

2022 was a remarkable year for the company, with the achievement of three milestones. The first was the start of our second EPC project with BHP. The project was awarded in 2021, but we began execution in 2022. The second milestone was the award of a large EPC project by Antofagasta Minerals in joint venture with Sigdo Koppers, for which we are currently completing the engineering phase. Finally, the third milestone was the inauguration of our new offices, which will improve collaborative work at TNT.

How can Terra Nova Technologies help in the optimization of material handling?

Our solutions regarding dry tailings are there to support our clients as part of their overall water efficiency strategy.  Other concerns driving the industry are energy efficiency and access to clean energy. In this area, we are working with suppliers to evaluate different types of solutions and technologies to minimize energy consumption. Finally, the industry is also focused on reducing operating costs, so we are developing solutions to achieve this. Technologies such as digitalization enable us to efficiently control and monitor the equipment and thus extend its life cycle.

What is your approach to after-sales services?

After-sales service is one of the areas in which we invest to develop our capacity to serve our clients and attract new ones. We have many success stories in implementing improvements to increase system efficiency.

How do you support sustainability?

First, we support sustainability by offering solutions for dry filtered tailings management. Given the catastrophic failures of recent years, the adoption of filtered tailings practices has been encouraged. Filtered tailings increase water recovery and mitigate the risks and costs associated with tailings dams. However, they require specific transport and stacking systems. We are developing technologies to transport and stack these tailings cost-effectively.

Terra Nova Technologies also offers in-pit crushing and conveyance systems, which feature mobile and semi-mobile crushing stations and conveyor belts. These can remove overburden from pits and stack it in a landfill or pit backfill and reduce the need for trucks with fossil fuel engines.

There is also a trend toward component reusage. We are working with a client on a project to reuse a material handling system. Additionally, many of the stacking systems in the region have reached the end of their lifecycle, and our customers, rather than replacing them, are requesting services such as modifications and upgrades to extend the life of the systems and increase their energy efficiency. In this way, we can leverage the large installed capacity in the industry while supporting the ESG goals of our clients.

What are your main goals for 2024?

We believe 2024 will be a year of great promise due to a significant improvement in global macroeconomic conditions. Through innovation and development, we aim to consolidate our current projects and deliver valuable solutions to our customers. Additionally, we intend to expand our business in the region; we are particularly interested in entering the Peruvian market.

As we strive to get closer to our suppliers and peers, we recently joined APRIMIN. We want to be active participants and change agents in the industry.