Tag Archives: Kelvin Andrijich

Alltype Engineering to help bring Lynas’ Kalgoorlie rare earths processing plant to life

Energy minerals, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining services, , , , , ,

WestStar Industrial’s engineering construction contracting business, Alltype Engineering, has been awarded a rotary kiln erection contract valued at circa-A$12 million ($8.8 million) by Lynas Kalgoorlie Pty Ltd in Western Australia.

This contract, in addition to bolstering the WestStar 2022 financial year order, aligns with Alltype Engineering’s strategic plan to focus and deliver on major turnkey construction projects and provide a differentiated vertical service offering incorporating fabrication, SMP and E&I construction works.

Lynas’ new rare earths processing facility in Kalgoorlie will treat rare earth concentrate from its Mt Weld mine to produce rare earth carbonate, which will be packaged and transported to Fremantle Port for export to the Lynas Malaysia advanced materials plant in Gebeng, Malaysia, for further processing.

The scope awarded to Alltype Engineering encompasses the following:

  • Erection of a six-meter diameter by 110 m long, four pier kiln and all structural and mechanical drive ancillaries;
  • Erection of discharge hood;
  • Fabrication and installation of discharge end building;
  • Fabrication and installation of dust chute from discharge end seal;
  • Erection of burner management system and all ancillaries;
  • Fabrication and installation of primary leach overflow rubber lined hopper;
  • Installation of pumps, agitators, heat exchanger and all service piping; and
  • Installation of all electrical and instrumentation works including cabling, infrastructure and instruments.

Alltype Engineering, WestStar says, has a commitment to becoming a market leader in rotating equipment installation projects, supported by key personnel with over 40 years’ experience in this field of expertise.

“For Alltype Engineering, this contract is a result of the experience of its key execution team members in delivering rotary kiln projects successfully in the past with different organisations throughout the Australian resources and mineral processing industry,” it added.

The company will commence preliminary work immediately with works planned to be completed by the June quarter of 2022.

Alltype Engineering Managing Director, Kelvin Andrijich, said: “During our financial year 2021 strategic planning in 2020, we identified a niche market opportunity in the rotary kiln and rotating equipment installation space. It is very pleasing to see that the subsequent business case and execution of this strategy 12 months later has resulted in securing our first rotary kiln erection contract as part of the landmark Lynas Rare Earths Processing Facility development in Kalgoorlie.

“We are pleased that Lynas has recognised the experience and capability of our delivery team and the proven self-execution multidiscipline construction capability of Alltype Engineering in the gas, energy, petrochemical and minerals processing industries.

“Alltype Engineering has previously undertaken balance of plant scopes around rotary kilns on operational mineral sands and lithium processing sites in the past and we are excited to now be completing the entire turnkey package in addition to those works.”

Alltype Engineering goes modular for Rio Koodaideri iron ore plant deliveries

Automation, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining project news, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , ,

WestStar Industrial Ltd’s engineering contractor business, Alltype Engineering, is to help build an iron ore mine plant at the Rio Tinto-owned Koodaideri project in the Pilbara of Western Australia, thanks to a contract award from Laing O’Rourke.

The Phase 1 Structural, Mechanical, and Piping package for the mine plant comes with a value of around A$6 million ($4.4 million) for fabrication works plus associated modularisation scopes, WestStar says.

The execution plan developed by Laing O’Rourke, the managing contractor, is based upon substantial preassembly and modularisation of the structural steel elements at Alltype’s Naval Base facility, in Western Australia (pictured). The contract win takes immediate effect with delivery and install dates up to January 2021, it said.

“The works to be performed leverage off the core competencies of the company with similar delivery strategies utilised for oil and gas, petrochemical and infrastructure projects in the past,” WestStar said.

Koodaideri is a greenfield mine development, around 35 km northwest of the Yandicoogina mine in the East Pilbara mining region. The mine will initially be developed as a nominal 43 Mt/y high-grade, dry processing operation. First production is expected in late 2021.

WestStar acquired Alltype Engineering last year in a deal that involved an upfront payment of around A$5.9 million, along with a deferred consideration subject to Alltype achieving its 2020 financial year targets.

Alltype Engineering Managing Director, Kelvin Andrijich, said: “Alltype Engineering undertook a significant strategic shift in direction in 2017, focusing on multi-discipline construction solutions, technology partnerships with OEMs and leveraging off the well-established industry exposure developed over 35 years of operation. This strategy continues to unfold with our established local fabrication capability and by building upon successive projects delivered of increasing scale and complexity with existing and new clients.

“The support of our new owner, WestStar Industrial, allows the group to execute larger contracts previously constrained by working capital, as well as start to expand the operational footprint to the east coast of Australia where there is further market opportunity for this offering.”