Tag Archives: Kerman Contracting

Kerman Contracting to construct ore storage facility for MRL’s Ashburton Hub project

Kerman Contracting Pty Ltd says it has been awarded a A$60 million ($42 million) contract from Mineral Resources Limited (MRL) to design and construct its Port of Ashburton Ore Storage facility in Onslow, Western Australia.

The scope includes the design, fabrication, supply and erection of an enclosed 284-m-long ore storage facility and associated materials handling. The design is already well underway and on-site construction works are expected to start in January 2023, Kerman said. The facility is part of MRL’s plans to develop the 30 Mt/y Ashburton Hub iron ore operation.

“This project fits perfectly into our core business and will provide employment for about 60 site personnel and opportunities for local businesses,” Kerman’s Managing Director, Chris Kerman, said. “To deliver a world-class facility for MRL we will call upon our previous experience in the design and construction of port bulk storage and materials handling facilities in locations such as Bunbury, Esperance, Geraldton, Port Kembla and Whyalla.

“We are very pleased with the opportunity to design and construct a storage facility with these dimensions in the Pilbara region. Once constructed this facility will be one of the largest enclosed bulk storage buildings in Australia’s cyclone region.”

Scott Automation kicks off Koodaideri automated lab construction

Building work on the Koodaideri automated mine site laboratory in the Pilbara of Western Australia has commenced with site mobilisation now underway, according to Scott Automation.

The company, which was awarded a contract by Rio Tinto to design and build the laboratory back in February, said this important milestone was reached on time, despite COVID-19 restrictions.

“A number of Scott’s design and build activities for the Rio project have been moved to the company’s Australian operations to be closer to the customer,” it added.

The automation and robotics solutions provider’s contract involves the building construction and equipment supply for the robotic sample preparation and analysis laboratory, it said.

The project will be undertaken across multiple Scott manufacturing sites and is scheduled to be installed by mid-2021.

In April, Scott contracted Kerman Contracting for the civil and concrete works, as well as the structural, hydraulic, electrical/communication works and fire protection at the site. The supply, installation and commissioning of robotics equipment are all being undertaken by Scott.

Koodaideri, billed by Rio as an “intelligent mine”, will deliver a new production hub for Rio’s iron ore business in the Pilbara, incorporating a processing plant and infrastructure including a 166 km rail line connecting the mine to the existing network.

Construction on Koodaideri Phase 1 started in 2019 with first production expected in late 2021. Once complete, the mine will have an annual capacity of 43 Mt, underpinning production of the company’s flagship iron ore product, Pilbara Blend.

Scott Technology signs up Kerman for Koodaideri automated lab build

Kerman Contracting is to build an automated iron ore sampling processing laboratory at Rio Tinto’s Koodaideri mine site, in the Pilbara of Western Australia.

The contract award from Scott Technology Ltd will see the company start construction on the lab in the June quarter of this year with estimated completion in February 2021.

The scope includes the civil and concrete works, as well as the structural, hydraulic, electrical/communication works and fire protection, Kerman said. The supply, installation and commissioning of robotics equipment will be undertaken by Scott.

Kerman is also working on Rio Tinto’s other major iron ore expansion project in the Pilbara, the Western Turner Syncline 2 (WTS2) iron ore project.

Kerman’s Managing Director, Chris Kerman, said: “We are very pleased to be awarded the design and construction of the Koodaideri laboratory building. Over the last nine months, Kerman and Scott have been working collaboratively on refining the scope and price. We are now looking forward to getting the project underway and establishing a long lasting business relationship with Scott.”

In February, Scott Technology said it had been awarded a significant contract by Rio Tinto to design and build the automated mine site laboratory, adding that the agreement involved the building construction and equipment supply for the robotic sample preparation and analysis laboratory (graphic above).

Koodaideri, billed by Rio as an “intelligent mine”, will deliver a new production hub for Rio’s iron ore business in the Pilbara, incorporating a processing plant and infrastructure including a 166 km rail line connecting the mine to the existing network.

Construction on Koodaideri Phase 1 started in 2019 with first production expected in late 2021. Once complete, the mine will have an annual capacity of 43 Mt, underpinning production of the company’s flagship iron ore product, Pilbara Blend.

Mondium chooses Kerman Contracting for Rio Tinto WTS2 work

Kerman Contracting is to work on Rio Tinto’s in-development Western Turner Syncline 2 (WTS2) iron ore project, in Western Australia, following a contract award from Mondium.

Mondium was last month awarded a contract to design and construct the WTS2 mine in the Pilbara of Western Australia. It has since agreed to contract out the design, construction and commissioning of non-process infrastructure facilities and an explosives compound to Kerman as part of a circa-A$55 million ($37 million) agreement.

The construction works are due to start in the June quarter, with the contract comprising a fixed plant workshop complete with amenities and office buildings, a heavy vehicle diesel storage and refuelling facility and two remote facility buildings inclusive of offices, ablutions and crib rooms as well as an ammonium nitrate and emulsion storage facility and explosives compound.

Kerman’s Managing Director, Chris Kerman, said: “We are excited about the opportunity to work with Mondium at the WTS2 project and looking forward to building a strong and lasting business relationship with Mondium.

“This contract award builds on Kerman’s previous successful project outcomes in the Pilbara region in particular for Rio Tinto and other major mining companies.”

Back in November, Rio said it would invest $749 million in the development of WTS2 at its Greater Tom Price operations, facilitating mining of existing and new deposits and including construction of a new crusher as well as a 13 km conveyor.

Kerman to work on Wyndham Port facility for Agrimin Mackay potash project

Having recently selected a suitable export site at Wyndham Port for its Mackay potash project in Western Australia, Agrimin has awarded Kerman Contracting the engineering design contract for the facility.

The Wyndham port facility is planned to include a truck unloading hopper, covered storage sheds, granulation equipment, workshops and offices, with Kerman selected on the basis that it has suitable experience and capabilities to undertake both the engineering design and subsequent construction of the above aspects of the facility.

Agrimin said it intends to engage a separate contractor for the design and construction of the associated barge loading facility, while geotechnical and topographic work programs had been completed at the site, with Kerman having commenced the engineering design for the definitive feasibility study.

A prefeasibility study for the Mackay project, 785 km south of the Port of Wyndham, envisaged the process plant having a capacity of 426,000 t/y of sulphate of potash as a dry granular product, with the same study assuming a product mix of 50% granular and 50% standard product.

Kerman, earlier this month, was awarded a contract by Albemarle Lithium on the greenfield lithium hydroxide production plant in Kemerton, Western Australia.

Kerman to work on another lithium project in Western Australia

Kerman Contracting says it has been awarded a contract by Albemarle Lithium on the greenfield lithium hydroxide production plant in Kemerton, Western Australia.

The scope of this project comprises two separable portions – one includes the design and construction of the pyromet buildings, such as the spodumene storage building, the acidified ore handling building and the tailings building. The other separable portion includes the sodium sulphate packaging and storage warehouse, sodium sulphate pallet storage building, lithium hydroxide packaging and storage warehouse and lithium hydroxide pallet storage building as well as the boiler and air compressor buildings.

Recently Kerman has completed projects at Talison Lithium’s chemical grade plant in Greenbushes and the Tianqi lithium hydroxide processing plant in Kwinana, both in Western Australia

“We are excited about being part of yet another project in the lithium market,” said Kerman’s Managing Director Chris Kerman.

Back in August, engineering company Monadelphous Group was awarded a major construction contract at the project, which will initially consist of three production trains, each producing 20,000 t/y of lithium hydroxide, with a potential expansion to five trains that will see production increase to 100,000 t/y by around 2025. Production is expected to start production in 2021.