BCI Minerals has marked another important milestone at its Mardie salt operation and potash project with the completion of a new 1,500 t/h salt harvester, a machine that it says stands as much for how it was built as for what it can do. Behind it is a genuine collaboration between specialist partners, each bringing distinct expertise to a single, purpose-built result.
The harvester is a complete Loadquip package spanning design, engineering, manufacture and delivery, brought to life through a network of trusted partners. Loadquip, which designs and builds innovative engineered solutions for the resources industries, has been delivering specialist equipment for more than 25 years and built its first salt harvesters in 2008. Its engineering arm, CMP Engineers, led the design of the Mardie machine from Brisbane.
In Perth, Camco Engineering carried out the steel fabrication and assembly, the physical build of the machine while Fluid Precision, in Brisbane, built and assembled the hydraulic power and engine module, a significant element of the harvester. Between them, the partners turned a Brisbane design into a fully realised piece of heavy plant, ready for the demands of the Pilbara. It is a partnership built not just on delivering a machine, but on supporting its success throughout its operational life.
Loadquip Director Rowan Nicholas, who was the lead designer and project manager, said the result reflected the strength of Loadquip’s in-house capability working hand in hand with its partners.
“Loadquip supplied the complete package: design, engineering, manufacture and delivery. Camco were the main fabricator, and the hydraulic power and engine module, which was a very significant element, were built by one of our other partners, Fluid Precision, in Brisbane. This harvester is the perfect example of the success of Loadquip’s model of bringing together a range of specialist suppliers to deliver a complex machine.”
Loadquip began working with BCI Minerals in April 2024, after BCI saw the design work the company had delivered for other mining operations. The Mardie machine is the first salt harvester Loadquip has supplied to BCI, with two more currently being built for another Western Australian client.
BCI Minerals Superintendent Planning Dannie Richman said the delivery represented an important step forward for the operation. “We are pleased to partner with Loadquip on the delivery of this salt harvester for the Mardie Salt Operation. Loadquip’s engineering capability and collaborative approach have been evident throughout the project, and this equipment represents an important step forward as we progress towards establishing a world-class, large-scale solar salt operation.”
If Loadquip and CMP set the design, it was Camco Engineering that turned it into steel. The Perth-based fabricator handled the fabrication and assembly of the harvester, and BCI worked directly with Camco throughout the build and inspection process, a reflection of a relationship the two companies have built over roughly two years of working together across a range of projects.
Camco Engineering welcomed its role in the build. “Camco Engineering is proud to manufacture and support world-class CMP/Loadquip-designed salt harvesters, and the Mardie harvester represents the latest in design and manufacturing improvements, delivering exceptional reliability, performance and operational capability. We congratulate BCI Minerals on this important step forward.”
For BCI’s procurement team, that hands-on partnership was a highlight. Speaking from a procurement perspective, BCI’s Solomon Patha said the collaboration had been a genuinely positive one. “Working with Greg and the wider Camco team has been a genuinely positive experience, marked by professionalism and a willingness to accommodate our requirements at every stage to deliver the best possible quality for BCI. They are a pleasure to deal with, and we look forward to continuing this relationship.”
The Mardie machine is a 1,500 t/h tow-behind salt harvester built around a modern hydraulic and control system and powered by a Caterpillar C15 engine. A single-side loading harvester, it is designed to be run by one operator driving a large articulated tractor, and can surge to 2,000 t/h when required.