Tag Archives: Kalium Lakes

Alltype Engineering gassed up in Western Australia

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WestStar Industrial’s engineering construction contracting business, Alltype Engineering, has been awarded contracts to a total value of circa-A$8 million ($6 million) across multiple clients and projects, including A$5 million of contracts in gas transmission.

APA Group has contracted Alltype to deliver multiple gas offtake and metering facility projects throughout the Midwest region of Western Australia. These turnkey multidiscipline projects involve civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation scopes, both workshop and site, with remote area working conditions and logistics and eight off-workshop fabricated gas skids to be completed off site.

Included in the projects are a gas lateral offtake and metering station for the Beyondie sulphate of potash project (pictured), a gas lateral offtake and metering project for the Lakeway SO4 potash project, and gas lateral offtake and metering work for Capricorn Metals’ Karlawinda gold project.

WestStar is also scheduled to build a gas lateral metering station for Primero Group at the Kalium Lakes potash project.

WestStar said: “These newly awarded contracts for Alltype continue to demonstrate its strength and reliability in working successfully with APA and the Australian gas industry, including both upstream and downstream projects.

“Furthermore, having fabricated, assembled and FAT tested over 20 modularised gas skid process packages in the last two years, Alltype continue to leverage off this experience and knowhow to fast track aggressive timeline projects with full supply chain control.”

Alltype has commenced the works for APA Group, which are planned to be completed by the March quarter of 2021.

In addition to this work, Alltype says it was awarded its first contract from Newmont at the Boddington gold mine, also in Western Australia. This contract had an aggressive timeline for completion of urgent fabricated plate and piping componentry for a shutdown, which was achieved. The balance of works is in the process of being completed, it noted.

Still in Western Australia, Alltype says it continues to provide goods and services for the three major iron ore developments in the Pilbara, being BHP South Flank, Rio Tinto Gudai-Darri and FMG’s majority-owned Iron Bridge project.

Wirtgen 220 harvester up and running at Kalium Lakes’ Beyondie potash project

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Kalium Lakes has commissioned a recently delivered salt harvester from Wirtgen at its Beyondie Sulphate of potash project (BSOPP) in Western Australia.

The Wirtgen harvester was selected after extensive trials using different harvesting methods and machinery as part of Kalium Lakes’ 10 ha pilot scale ponds program, the company said.

The Wirtgen 220 can produce up to 600 t/h of harvested salts at a consistent floor height and grain size, according to Kalium Lakes.

Those salts harvested are transported to the nearby purification plant for processing into a final sulphate of potash product, the company explained. Similar Wirtgen harvesters are in use in other salt mining operations around the world.

Earlier this week, Kalium Lakes awarded the engineering procurement and construction contract for the 90,000 t/y SOP processing plant at the BSOPP to DRA Global.

The commissioning of the Wirtgen 220 also allowed the company to confirm several operational parameters including salt pavement thickness, harvesting methodology, expected grain size and the estimated timeframes to drain the evaporation pond of brine, harvest, refill with brine and recommence salt crystallisation, Kalium Lakes said.

Managing Director, Brett Hazelden, said: “As we approached the milestone of 30,000 t of SOP brine pumped into our evaporation ponds, it was a timely opportunity to commission the harvester on site and confirm the operational assumptions.

“This very impressive machine has been specifically designed to generate a certain product size to enable the downstream purification plant to operate efficiently. It is also pleasing to see our operation completing another first for the SOP sector in Australia, as we continue to develop this new industry aimed at supplying our local Australian farmers.”

DRA to design, supply and construct SOP processing plant for Kalium Lakes

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DRA Global says it has been awarded the engineering procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the Kalium Lakes-owned Beyondie sulphate of potash (SOP) project in Western Australia.

The scope of work will be the design, supply, and construction of the 90,000 t/y SOP processing plant, with a provision for future expansion to 180,000 t/y, the company said.

“As a total solutions partner, the awarding of the Beyondie EPC contract highlights the confidence in DRA’s specialised expertise,” Greg McRostie, Executive Vice President of DRA Global in APAC, said. “We are excited to be partnering with Kalium Lakes Limited on this innovative Australian project.”

DRA was already involved with the purification plant at Beyondie, having been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management contract last year.

Kalium Lakes locks in Beyondie gas pipeline, SOP purification plant contracts

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Kalium Lakes has been on a contract spree, announcing the award of four contracts in the past week that will move its Beyondie sulphate of potash project, in Western Australia, closer to production.

On Monday, it announced contract awards for the design, supply and construction of its fully-owned gas lateral at the project with Edgen Murray set to manufacture and supply 79.4 km of coated linepipe, Pipecraft to carry out the gas pipeline installation and Primero to design and construct the inlet and delivery station.

This followed, in June, the company securing key contracts with APA Group and Shell Energy Australia for the transportation and supply of gas to meet the requirements of the project.

On Wednesday, the company then confirmed that it had awarded DRA Global’s G&S Engineering a circa-A$20 million ($13.5 million) contract to build the sulphate of potash purification plant at the operation.

The scope of the contract includes completion of all works associated with civil and concrete construction; structural steel assembly and erection; mechanical equipment assembly and installation; platework assembly and installation; piping installation; electrical, instrumentation and controls installation; dry commissioning, and wet commissioning support services in cooperation with Ebtec.

The project aims to commence production at 90,000 t/y of sulphate of potash, before ramping up to 180,000 t/y for domestic and international sale. An initial mine life of between 30-50 years is anticipated for a project designed to be a low cost, long life and high margin producer, Kalium Lakes says.

Kalium Lakes fired up at Beyondie potash project

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Kalium Lakes says it has awarded a contract to design, supply, install and commission a 7.5 MW gas fired power station for its Beyondie sulphate of potash project (BSOPP), in Western Australia, to Clarke Energy.

The scope of the contract includes three Jenbacher 616, 2.5 MW gas reciprocating engines, a Kohler KV440C2 black start generator, high and low voltage switch rooms, auxiliary equipment and the power station controls system, according to Kalium Lakes.

Gas for power generation will be supplied from Kalium Lakes’ owned and operated gas lateral that will also be built as part of the project for the stage one 90,000 t/y SOP production capacity.

The project aims to commence production at 90,000 t/y of SOP, before ramping up to 180,000 t/y of SOP for domestic and international sale. An initial mine life of between 30-50 years is anticipated for a project designed to be a low cost, long life and high margin producer, Kalium Lakes says.

According to the potash developer, the scope under this contract has already commenced with early works to de-risk the project schedule and enable early contractor involvement for optimal integration with the power generation requirements of the project.

Clarke Energy has also provided several smaller, diesel generators for the project from its signature Kohler brand, which will provide power to the village and the remote brine transfer pump stations, Kalium Lakes said.

Kalium Lakes’ Chief Development Officer, Rudolph van Niekerk, said: “Not only has Clarke Energy worked with us to find a technically viable solution for our project, it has gone the extra mile to also achieve the WHS Accreditation which is a requirement for this contract under Kalium Lakes’ funding from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.”

Earlier this month, Kalium Lakes’ board made the final investment decision on the project, allowing development to move forward.

Kalium Lakes draws a liner under Beyondie sulphate of potash ponds

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Jaylon Environmental Systems is to supply and install the evaporation pond liner at Kalium Lakes’ Beyondie sulphate of potash project (BSOPP), in Western Australia, as part of a contract agreed between the two parties.

The contract includes the supply, management of delivery and installation of 1 mm HDPE liner covering a total evaporation area of approximately 400 ha for the Stage 1 BSOPP 90,000 t/y sulphate of potash (SOP) facility.

The BSOPP project aims to commence production at 82,000 t/y of SOP in 2020, before ramping up to 164,000 t/y of SOP for domestic and international sale. An initial mine life of between 30-50 years is anticipated for a project designed to be a low cost, long life and high margin producer, Kalium Lakes said.

Earlier this month, Kalium Lakes secured gas supply and transport for Beyondie SOP project following deals with APA Group and Shell Energy Australia.

In 2017, Jaylon successfully completed the supply and installation of the liner for the BSOPP’s 10 ha pilot scale ponds, according to Kalium Lakes. “Jaylon has now submitted the most competitive and compliant offer for the full project works, resulting in this A$15 million ($10.3 million) major contract award,” the company said.

The scope under this contract has already commenced, with an initial order of A$1 million worth of liner placed in May 2019 as part of early works and first deliveries to site already completed. The balance of the contract scope will commence following a final investment decision (FID) by Kalium Lakes, due shortly.

Kalium Lakes Chief Development Officer, Rudolph van Niekerk, said: “The use of Jaylon during the pilot scale trials continued to validate Kalium Lakes’ de-risking strategy, where we work collaboratively to develop bespoke, low cost and fit for purpose solutions for the BSOPP.

“The use of an evaporation pond liner has been a much-debated topic. For Kalium Lakes, the cost of the supply and installation of the liner represents less than 7% of the project’s total capital cost but results in an increased SOP process recovery of more than 15%.

“Our lined pond design provides a pond system constructed on trafficable, off lake surfaces, allowing for harvesting by heavy machinery months, if not years, ahead of the alternatives.

“With lined ponds there is virtually no leakage of the high value concentrated brines, delivering excellent recovery rates, a smaller pond area, less brine pumping, low operating costs and an extended mine life. It simply is a ‘no brainer’,” he said.

Kalium Lakes secures gas supply and transport for Beyondie SOP project

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Kalium Lakes has secured key contracts with APA Group and Shell Energy Australia for the transportation and supply of gas to meet the requirements of its Beyondie sulphate of potash project (BSOPP), in Western Australia.

These contracts will provide 1 Tj/d of gas to produce 90,000 t/y of SOP and also allows for expansion to support increased production and production of magnesium by-products, according to Kalium Lakes.

Shell Energy’s gas will be used at the BSOPP site for power generation, steam generation and product drying during operations, while APA Group’s 88.2%-owned Goldfields Gas Pipeline (GGP) will transport and deliver gas via a new, purpose built metering and connection facility. Early works have commenced with APA on the design of the new metering facility.

These contracts – and others, such as ones associated with engineering, procurement, construction management and commissioning – are subject to a final investment decision (due shortly) and subsequent notice from Kalium Lakes that it is ready to commence commissioning and production operations, the company said.

Kalium Lakes’ Chief Development Officer, Rudolph van Niekerk, said: “The close proximity and ease of access to the GGP offers significant cost advantages to the BSOPP, which has allowed Kalium Lakes to own and operate its own gas pipeline, spur and gas fired power station with funding provided by the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

“Importantly, the award of the gas supply and gas transport operations contracts to Shell and APA are also within the budget allocated in the BFS and FEED outcomes. We can now also confirm that approximately 50% of our FOB cash operating costs have now been locked in, again on budget.”

The BSOPP project aims to commence production at 82,000 t/y of SOP in 2020, before ramping up to 164,000 t/y of SOP for domestic and international sale. An initial mine life of between 30-50 years is anticipated for a project designed to be a low cost, long life and high margin producer, it said.

Beyondie SOP project advances with Ebtec, DRA, Köppern, Firm Construction contract awards

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Kalium Lakes has awarded the key contracts for the engineering, procurement, construction management and commissioning associated with the development of the Purification Plant facilities at its Beyondie sulphate of potash project (BSOPP) in Western Australia.

The total value across the four key contracts awarded is in excess of A$60 million ($41 million), according to Kalium Lakes, and will see Ebtec GbR, DRA Global, Maschinenfabrik Köppern GmbH & Co and Firm Construction Pty join the project team.

The Beyondie SOP project aims to commence production at 82,000 t/y of SOP in 2020, before ramping up to 164,000 t/y of SOP for domestic and international sale. An initial mine life of between 30-50 years is anticipated for a project designed to be a low cost, long life and high margin producer, it said.

The contracts allow commencement of early works with the full scope subject to a final investment decision (FID), Kalium Lakes said.

“Importantly, all the contracts awarded are within the budget outlined in the bankable feasibility study (BFS) and front-end engineering and design,” the company said, with the agreements confirming the 15-month construction schedule, post FID, followed by a commissioning and ramp-up period.

The consortium Ebtec GbR is an arrangement between K-UTEC AG Salt Technologies and Ebner GmbR to provide engineering, procurement and supervision (EPS) services for the BSOPP, Kalium Lakes said. Kalium Lakes said both parties have worked together recently to provide similar services for a SOP plant in Austria that has been successfully running for several years. Ebtec will supply the process plant and provide equipment installation supervision, followed by the commissioning of the plant.

Ebtec’s EPS contract includes performance guarantees to ensure the quality of SOP production is in line with the requirements of an offtake agreement with fertiliser producer K+S and includes liquidated damages for performance and schedule, Kalium Lakes said.

An engineering, procurement and construction management contract has been executed with DRA, with that company taking the lead on overall BSOPP development and commissioning, according to Kalium Lakes. “DRA brings significant global and Western Australia specific project development experience, combined with SOP specific knowledge and experience that was developed with the involvement of DRA, since the prefeasibility study stage of the BSOPP,” the company said, adding that DRA has developed the basis for the overall project scope, budget and schedule.

Köppern has been awarded the engineering and supply of key equipment associated with the compaction plant for the production of granular SOP, Kalium Lakes said. “Köppern brings SOP-specific compaction experience and have successfully delivered these plants for other SOP projects, including K+S.”

A construction contract with Firm Construction has also been awarded for various construction services for the BSOPP. Firm is accredited under the WHS Scheme with the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner, a requirement of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility financing the company has agreed, Kalium Lakes said.

Kalium Lakes’ Chief Development Officer, Rudolph van Niekerk, said: “Companies with SOP-specific experience and capabilities are hard to find, especially when looking for those that have taken projects from design into execution, then on to production. After years of investigation and months of negotiation, we have compiled a contracting strategy that brings a bankable solution, as well as achieving the next significant milestone to take us into the development stage of the project.”