Mackay-based specialist underground mining contractor Mastermyne acquired a 50% stake in Capricorn last year, giving the fabrication specialist further contacts at mine level and the financial backing for expansion.

It is not all one way though. Capricorn has in turn given Mastermyne fabrication and overhaul capabilities for its large fleet of hire equipment. The deal also effectively makes both Mastermyne and Capricorn one-stop -shops.

Capricorn started life as a supplier of consumables such as hanging brackets and mine mesh products, before moving into fabrication. Nowadays, consumables and mine mesh make up less than half of its business activity but are still viewed as an integral part of the business moving forward. Capricorn’s product line has now been expanded to include the distribution of calcium chloride and underground roof mesh.

In the fabrication business Capricorn is the leading manufacturer in both Queensland and NSW of purpose-built underground equipment such as hydraulic pipe trailers, quick detach system (QDS) attachments and cable handling equipment.

It is now also actively doing overhaul work on shuttle cars, underground diesel loaders and general hydraulics repairs after opening a dedicated workshop with plans of expanding into longwall equipment repairs and overhauls. To date, Capricorn has completed the overhaul of several shuttle car wheel units and the complete rebuild of an EJC130 among several smaller overhauls.

The Yeppoon facility of Capricorn employs 37 people, with a considerable increase in employee numbers expected in the very near future.

Capricorn Mining managing director Luke Pengilly said of late he has seen the tide change for finding and retaining skilled people.

“We have struggled a little, like most other companies, over the past three years for key managers. But lately we have seen that people are eager to move back to the coast for less than what they can earn at a minesite if it is a good position. They are putting lifestyle and family over money,” he said.

While the original Yeppoon workshop is growing, across the border a major expansion is in the pipeline for the company with a workshop identified and being set up to open soon at Tomago, just outside Newcastle in NSW.

While Capricorn already has a company representative in NSW, the Newcastle workshop will allow it to improve its customer service and also to expand on its current business of fabrication, overhauls and repairs for the underground coal sector.

One of the engineering and fabrication jobs Capricorn has been undertaking is the building of Mastermyne’s latest invention – The Ferret. To initially be used in Mastermyne’s fleet, the track-mounted secondary support rig will be primarily for underground secondary support, but with some application in tunnelling and mining as well as shaft sinking.

The rig requires less compressed air (volume and pressure) to operate efficiently and safely. It has also been designed around operator comfort with ergonomics that allow prolonged operation.

The other area tagged by Capricorn for expansion will be in opencut coal, with fabrication, mobile fleet repairs and maintenance all flagged as opportunities in this sector.