Believe it or not, our modern world is shaped by shipping containers as much as by computers or...
Designed and manufactured in Australia, our range of off-grid modified containers offers practical, sustainable solutions for remote worksites and operations.
In July 2018, Chilean copper miner Antofagasta struck a ten-year deal with national utility Colbun to provide it with 550 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity from renewable sources, including hydropower, solar and wind, from July 2020.
The deal will make the Zalvídar copper mine the first in the South American country to operate on 100% renewable energy.
Closer to home, Gold Fields’ Granny Smith gold mine is working with mobile and modular power company Aggreko to build one of the world’s largest renewable energy microgrids.
The mine, located in Western Australia, will be powered by 20,000 solar panels and backed up by a 2MW/1MWh battery system. These devices will be integrated into a natural gas-fuelled generation that Aggreko and Gold Fields installed in 2016.
In September 2024, Fortescue announced their climate transition plan, which outlines comprehensive details of how the mining will 100% eliminate fossil fuels from their Australian iron ore operations by 2030 using a number of measures, including solar energy.
“While renewables at mine sites are not a new thing, their roll out is investment intensive and not easy to access should a project enter a new area or if the company needs to rapidly increase the number of facilities,” said Tradesales National Sales Manager Jay McEwen.
“Our relocatable off-grid site offices, crib rooms and toilet blocks help to fill the gap between companies’ renewable ambitions and functionality, by allowing to send them into remote areas without the need to be connected to the grid – renewable or otherwise.”
Tradesales has been building relocatable site solutions – also known as modified containers – for the mining sector for over a decade. These can now be found on sites across Australia for some of the biggest miners, contractors and OEMs in the business.
“We pride ourselves on innovation and we’re always looking to push the boundaries on what we can offer our partners. Collaboration with our clients led to the development of the Hydration Station, the Lubestation and numerous other relocatable infrastructure.”
“While our modified containers all vary in design and purpose, the thing that they have in common is that they are relocatable, allowing them to be deployed easily to remote locations, such as on a mine site, and moved to a different area when needed.”
“With options like renewable power, battery back-up and water tanks to name a few, our range of off-grid solar containers takes this benefit to the next level.”
Beating the heat
As comfortable as mining majors make life on their sites, it’s difficult to get around the inevitable - mining in Australia is hot and hard work.
“Off-grid site offices and crib rooms not only act as a central hub for managing activities, but also provide a much-needed respite from the elements.”
“The site offices and crib rooms come with powerful air-conditioning, power and inverters to charge appliances and computers, and kitchenettes with wastewater tanks,” said Mr McEwen.
While cool air-conditioning may have once been viewed as option, due to the risks caused by heat, WA’s Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 requires employers to provide and maintain a working environment in which workers are not exposed to hazards. This applies to any safety and health risk, including illness from working in the heat.
Tradesales’ off-grid solutions are used by operators and contractors for exploration work and construction of new areas of a site where existing power and water infrastructure may not be available.
They are also used when staff numbers are greatly increased for a limited time such as during a shutdown.
“Shutdowns require companies to rapidly increase the number of people on-site. Relocatable off-grid options allow companies to add and remove extra facilities seamlessly.”
Off-Grid Ablution Blocks
Tradesales’ most recent addition to the lineup is the off-grid ablution block.
“In a remote environment such as in mining, traditional ablution blocks come with several challenges – access to power, access to water, connection to sewerage.”
“Our offering solves these challenges with solar power, an in-built water tank, all sitting on top of a sewerage tank.”
The Tradesales Off-Grid Ablution block features four individual unisex toilet cubicles each with its own external door. Vinyl floor throughout the toilet block allows for easy maintenance and all electrical work is completed to a mine-spec. On top of this in-built water and sewerage tanks are easily accessible for emptying, refill and upkeep.
Peace of mind
“Tradesales has been manufacturing bespoke storage and workplace solutions for the mining industry for over three decades. Due to this experience and our local manufacturing capability, we provide predictable upfront costs, precise timelines, and minimal impact on our client’s operation,” said Jay.
The company can also out-fit other relocatable site solution with solar power to help solve numerous energy challenges that operators face.
Contact Tradesales by visiting www.tradesales.com.au for more information.
