Mining Site Deployed in Days

A Brief Look At Australia’s Mining History

Australia has a strong relationship with mining that dates all the way back to pre European settlement. Aboriginals had mined ochre at the Wilgie Mia site in the Weld Range of Western Australia that dates back between 27,000-40,000 years ago.

Following European settlement, colonial coal mines were established by convicts at Nobbys Head near Newcastle in the late 1700s. The first coal shipment left the colony in 1799, representing Australia’s first commodity export¹.

Since then, the country has mined a wide range of minerals:

• The first official economic metal mining (silver and lead) began in South Australia, in 1841.

• The first copper boom also began in South Australia, in 1842.

• Gold was discovered across New South Wales and Victoria. The famous ‘Gold Rushes’ occurred in the mid to late 1800s

• The resources boom that included uranium, bauxite, manganese and nickel started in the 1950s across Western Australia and Queensland.

2. Workforce Welfare and On-Site Amenities (Site Sheds)

A smooth operation relies entirely on the safety, health, and comfort of its workforce. Containerized Site Sheds provide a modular ‘plug-and-play’ solution to establish a fully functional camp within days.

• Crib Rooms and Lunch Rooms: Insulated, climate-controlled spaces equipped with kitchenettes to allow crews to rest and refuel.

• Ablution and Shower Blocks: Dedicated, private sanitary facilities that maintain strict on-site hygiene standards.

• First Aid and Clinical Spaces: Fully equipped, portable medical buildings to treat injuries immediately on-site, which is crucial when permanent hospitals are hundreds of kilometers away.

• Operational Command: 20ft and 40ft Site Offices serve as the administrative and engineering hubs for daily project management.

SCF Trailerised camp with stairs in place. Quick and easy to deploy to remote sites.

A mining site in remote WA without any site infrastructure. Source WA1 Resources

The same remote site with some site infrastructure including SCF Site Sheds. Source: WA1 Resources

These units are specifically designed for the harsh conditions of the outback, featuring high-performance Rockwool insulation and energy-efficient air conditioning to maintain worker comfort in extreme temperatures.

The range of buildings includes everything required for a fully functional off-grid hub, from 20ft and 40ft site offices and crib rooms equipped with kitchenettes to specialized ablution blocks, first aid rooms, and accommodation units.

Like traditional shipping containers, they are built to ISO container standards so these sheds can be quickly transported via road or rail to remote basins and configured in modular layouts to maximize space, ensuring that even the most isolated project sites meet mandatory health, safety, and welfare requirements for the project team.

The same completed mining camp in WA with multiple SCF Site Sheds to support a FIFO team.A completed mining camp in WA with multiple SCF Site Sheds to support a FIFO team. Source: WA1 Resources

3. Bulk Liquid Storage and Fuel Logistics

Mining operations consume massive volumes of liquids daily, requiring secure, large-scale storage that prevents environmental contamination.

• Fuel Transport and Storage: ISO Tanks can transport significant volumes of diesel and fuel oil to site via train or truck. They can also remain on site and store this as needed, providing projects with a steady stockpile of fuel.

• Mobility: Wheeled Bulk Storage Tanks are utilized for fast-moving exploration programs (such as oil and gas well testing), allowing the fuel and fluid logistics to follow the path of the drilling rig.

SCF ISO Tanks on a road train on the way to a project site

SCF ISO Tanks being delivered to a remote mining project.

Multiple SCF ISO Tanks on a remote mining site, used for storage.

Advanced Well Testing with Frac and Wheeled Tanks

During the critical well-testing phase, managing complex fluid streams is a top priority for safety and environmental compliance.

Frac and Wheeled Tanks serve as the primary on-site interface, providing the robust capacity needed to separate and store gas-rich liquids and saline produced water. These units are engineered for rapid deployment; the wheeled variants, in particular, allow for immediate positioning and setup, ensuring that exploration programs can move from one wellhead to the next without the delays associated with permanent storage installation.

SCF BLS Tanks in a farm configuration on a drill site at sunrise

4. Water Management and Environmental Remediation

Stricter environmental regulations, particularly regarding groundwater protection and progressive rehabilitation, require advanced on-site water treatment infrastructure.

• Flowback Tanks: Rather than building permanent, expensive water treatment plants, sites deploy mobile 20ft and 40ft flowback units. Equipped with internal weirs, baffles, and sediment removal systems, these tanks clarify drilling fluids and contaminated water on-site so it can be immediately recycled for dust suppression. With additional tank equipment, sophisticated Environmental Remediation systems can be setup on site.

• Sump Management: Secure, lined containment setups ensure that drilling muds and processing liquids do not leach into local water tables.

Two SCF Wheeled Bulk Liquid Tanks connected to a truck, in transit to a remote location.

SCF BLS Wheeled Tanks in a farm configuration on a remote mining site.

5. Compliant Storage for Dangerous Goods

Mining requires a steady input of volatile chemicals, explosives, and processing reagents (such as acids for copper recovery or cyanide for gold leaching).

Dangerous Goods (DG) Containers

Built to strict AS1940:2017 standards, these self-contained storage units feature internal liquid-tight bunding to capture spills, internal emergency escape mechanisms, and natural high/low ventilation. They allow hazardous materials to be safely stored at required separation distances from the main accommodation camps.

ISO Pneumatic Tanks

Able to transport and store volatile powders, such as cyanide for gold mining applications.

Dangerous Goods Storge for Mining Inputs

On remote Australian mining sites, Dangerous Goods containers act as essential, self-contained storage hubs that ensure compliance with strict AS1940 standards (The Storage and Handling of Flammable and Combustible Liquids) and state-specific WHS Mines Regulations.

These containers are engineered to safely house chemicals ranging from Class 3 flammables (like fuels and solvents) to Class 8 corrosives, which are common in mineral processing and vehicle maintenance. Key regulatory compliance is achieved through integrated safety features:

Regulatory Standards Checklist for Mine Sites:

• AS1940:2017 Compliance: The primary standard for storing Class 3 liquids.

• Separation Distances: Ensuring the container is located a safe distance from ignition sources and site infrastructure.

• Manifest & Placarding: Displaying clear hazard labels and maintaining a chemical register for emergency services.

• Environmental Protection: Meeting "minor storage" or "package storage" requirements to prevent uncontrolled discharge to the environment.

6. Supply Chain Logistics and Intermodal Transport

Establishing a smooth mining operation requires more than just static infrastructure; it demands a continuous, highly efficient supply chain to move critical parts, heavy machinery, and goods to and from the site. Intermodal Containers represent a cost effective, quick to deploy solution that can easily scale with the project throughout its life. 

Designed specifically for Australian road and rail networks, these containers facilitate seamless, secure transport from coastal ports directly to deep interior mining basins without the need to unpack and repack cargo along the way.

To maximize freight efficiency and protect high-value mining assets in transit, operators rely on specialised intermodal containers that are proven to perform in Australia’s harsh conditions:

Pallet Wide Containers

Traditional shipping containers are not optimized for domestic transport, but SCF's 20ft, 40ft, and 48ft Pallet Wide Containers are specifically engineered to fit two standard Australian CHEP pallets side-by-side. By utilizing internal Vertical Load Bars, operators can double-stack cargo, expanding transport capacity up to 48 pallets per trip. This is crucial for moving high volumes of uniform mining inputs, spare parts, and camp supplies cost-effectively.

Side Door & Tautliner Containers

Loading and unloading irregular, dense, or heavy machinery components in remote yards can be hazardous and slow. Units like the 20ft Double Side Door and 40ft Tautliner (Curtain Side) Containers allow forklift operators full access from both sides. This eliminates the "first-in, last-out" logistical headache of standard end-door containers, accelerating turnaround times on the ground.

Bulk Containers

For smaller-scale or specialized extraction projects, the 20ft Bulk Container provides a hybrid solution, allowing operations to transport bulk ore or concentrated minerals out of the site, and then utilize the same container for palletized equipment on the return journey.

Flat Racks & Transiflats

Irregularly shaped mining machinery, structural steel, and heavy generators cannot fit into a standard enclosed box. Specialized Flat Rack Containers provide the heavy-duty base and reinforced tie-down points necessary to transport oversized freight securely across rugged outback corridors.

By integrating these mobile freight assets into the setup phase, mining companies ensure that the initial mobilization pipeline flows smoothly into a resilient, day-to-day operational supply chain.

Overview of Australia's Major Mines

So now we know what to consider when setting up a mining site, let's look at some of the noteworthy Australian mining projects by size and minerals.

What are Tier 1 Assets?

To be classified as a Tier Asset in the mining industry, it must satisfy the following criteria:

• The project typically has a life of 20+ years.

• It operates in the lowest quartile of the cost curve and is highly profitable even when commodity prices are low.

• It produces significant annual revenue, typically $300-600 million.

These projects are commonly referred to as ‘company-making’, and there are roughly 15-20 current active projects that qualify as Tier 1.

A Breakdown of Tier 1 Mine Types in Australia

Tier 1 Iron Ore Assets

The Pilbara in Western Australia has the highest cluster of Tier 1 iron ore mining assets, and is supported by dedicated heavy-haulage rail networks and private ports. Key projects include:

• The world’s largest single pit iron ore mine in the world, Mount Whaleback, operated by BHP.

• South Flank, one of the highest margin mines in the world due to its high grade and autonomous operations, also operated by BHP.

• Gudai-Darri which features a fully autonomous truck and drill fleet with a large solar farm to reduce the carbon footprint, operated by Rio Tinto.

• Roy Hill, an integrated operation that produces ~64 million tonnes per annum with exceptional profit margins, operated by Hancock Prospecting.

• Iron Bridge, a high grade magnetite operation that produces 67% Fe concentrate which is essential for the ‘green steel’ transition, operated by Fortescue.

Gudai-Darri, one of Australia's Tier 1 Iron Ore Assets. Source: FSC Civils

Tier 1 Copper, Gold and Uranium

These assets are spread across the country and are renowned for their ‘polymetallic’ nature, producing multiple valuable metals from a single ore body. Key projects include:

• One of the most significant ore bodies on earth, Olympic Dam in South Australia produces copper, uranium and gold. It is operated by BHP.

• Australia’s largest gold mine is Cadia Valley in New South Wales, which uses low cost ‘block caving’ methods to extract gold and copper. It is operated by Newmont.

• Boddington, a significant open pit gold and copper mine in Western Australia that is recognised globally for its multi-decade reserve life, operated by Newmont.

• Integrated with Olympic Dam, Prominent Hill and Carrapateena is a high grade copper and gold mine that has a massive, long-life production hub, also operated by BHP.

Boddington gold and copper mine in WA. Source: Perth Mint

Tier 1 Metallurgical Coal

These Tier 1 Coking Coal mines are located in Queensland. This type of coal is also known as metallurgical coal, a specific grade used primarily in the industrial process of steel manufacturing. Unlike thermal coal used for heating to generate steam for electricity, coking coal is high in carbon, porous and strong. These properties enable it to act as both a fuel and reducing agent in blast furnaces used to melt iron ore and convert it into liquid iron.

Key projects include:

• Goonyella Riverside, a mine for high-quality coking coal used in global steel production, operated by BHP and Mitsubishi.

• Moranbah North and Grosvenor, a highly productive underground longwall operation known for producing premium, hard coking coal.

Goonyella Riverside mine. Source: BUMA Australia

Emerging Tier 1 Lithium and Critical Minerals

With the global surge in lithium demand due to batteries and Electric Vehicles (EV), multiple lithium assets have transitioned into Tier 1 status. These are:

• Greenbushes, the world’s largest and highest grade hard rock lithium mine, operated by Talison Lithium in Western Australia.

• Kathleen Valley, considered Tier 1 due to its long life span (>20 years), high grade and strategic offtake agreements with major automakers, operated by Liontown Resources in Western Australia.

Greenbushes Lithium mine in Western Australia. Source: Talison Lithium

A Breakdown of Tier 2 Assets in Australia

Tier 2 assets differ from Tier 1 in that whilst they are still high quality, significant operations, they generally have shorter life spans, higher cost, and moderate expansion potential. They are still profitable in almost all market conditions, but lack the significant scale or multi generational lifespans that characterise Tier 1.

As of 2026, there are approximately 50-60 Tier 2 Assets. These numbers can fluctuate due to a range of factors such as:

• Upgrades, when Tier 3 exploration projects reach ‘Decision to Build’ and prove >10 year lifespan

• Depletion, when mines near the end of life and have only 3-4 years of reserves left

• Commodity prices, which can elevate or demote projects into different tiers. For example, in 2026 Copper and Rare Earth prices have pushed some projects up into Tier 2 as returns now meet the $200m valuation threshold.

The range of Tier 2 Assets account for the following commodities:

• Gold - 25-30 mines

• Copper and base metals - 12-15 mines

• Lithium and critical minerals - 8-10 mines

• Iron ore and coal - 5-8 mines

Australia’s Active and Soon to Be Active Mines

Whilst the Australian economy relies on Tier One assets, which drive significant value and investment across the country due to their low cost curve, longevity and significant revenue generation, smaller projects are just as important. With over 280 active mines, and 1,100² projects currently in various stages of feasibility or construction, the need for purpose built equipment and quick to deploy infrastructure is critical.