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Water, gas and fuel pipelines run through and under mine sites across the country, playing an integral role in ensuring plant and equipment operates at capacity, often 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

But is the reliability of these critical assets being undervalued or misunderstood by mining operators?

Speaking with Australian Mining, Pipe Tek managing director Myles Brannelly said the importance of pipeline operations on site is “underappreciated”, often only considered when an integrity issue becomes critical.

“Like any element of a supply chain, pipelines are living and breathing assets,” he said.

“Because they are transporting valuable resources safely and efficiently, even minor issues can escalate quickly into major environmental hazards and operational disruptions.

“For instance, the failure of a water pipeline can force an immediate halt to mining operations, stopping extraction and processing, creating significant safety hazards and disrupting the entire supply chain.

“Not only does this delay production but can result in substantial revenue loss, costly repairs and logistical chaos. When fuel availability isn’t reliable, trucks and heavy equipment can sit idle, turning even short interruptions into meaningful productivity losses and increased operating costs.”

Keeping the lights on

With many gas pipelines supplying mines or broader resources regions, gas is playing an increasingly important role onsite. Examples include the Carpentaria and Northern gas pipelines fuelling mines in Mt Isa, Queensland, the Goldfields gas pipeline delivering gas to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and more recently the Tanami gas pipeline, constructed to power two stations servicing Newmont's Tanami gold mine in the remote Northern Territory.