modular construction Archives - International Mining

Mineral Resources and Metso Outotec’s plans to deliver their NextGen II modular crushing plant to BHP’s Mt Whaleback mine remain on course, with the fabricated steelwork having arrived in Western Australia.

In January 2020, the joint venture awarded a fabrication contract to three separate companies in Turkey: Birikim and Mass Makina, in Ankara, and Bilim Makina, in Bursa, around 100 km south of Istanbul.

The contract was to procure, fabricate, trial assemble, surface treat, and deliver to the port about 1,400 t of fabricated steel work. This effort was led by Mineral Resources Technical Director, David De Haas, and Fabrication Manager, Michael Killeen.

Mineral Resources’ wholly-owned subsidiary, CSI Mining Services, has now received this infrastructure, with all NextGen II works to be assembled at CSI’s Kwinana workshop during a six-week period, working 24/7.

The assembly of the 12 Mt/y plant will be completed on site at BHP’s Mt Whaleback mine, replacing the existing CSI crushing plant at the iron ore operation. This contract was announced last month.

“The manufacture of NextGen II has been completed in very difficult times internationally as the coronavirus pandemic swept the world and the whole team is to be congratulated for their efforts,” Mineral Resources said.

“We look forward to the successful construction, installation and commissioning of the new plant at Mt Whaleback, and are confident this will be the first of many opportunities for this ground-breaking approach to deliver safe, reliable production for the hard-rock crushing industry.”

The company concluded: “CSI is already the world’s largest crushing contractor and NextGen II will help us maintain our position as the partners of choice for the mining industry.”

The first 12 Mt/y portable and modular NextGen crushing plant was installed in 2018 at the Pilgangoora lithium project, owned by Pilbara Minerals, in Western Australia.

Rio Tinto says it has completed commissioning of the $1.9 billion Amrun bauxite mine on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia.

This follows the company completing the first shipment of bauxite back in December, six weeks ahead of schedule.

The mine and associated processing and port facilities will replace production from Rio Tinto’s depleting East Weipa mine, also in Queensland, and increase annual bauxite export capacity by around 10 Mt, the company said. This move comes at a time when higher-grade bauxite is becoming scarcer globally, Rio added.

Rio Tinto Chief Executive, J-S Jacques, said: “Amrun was completed early and under budget, demonstrating Rio Tinto’s productivity and innovation capabilities. By applying fresh thinking we also delivered safety, environmental, cost and timing benefits.”

Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured right), said: “Weipa’s bauxite will be used to make aluminium for mobile phones, aeroplanes, vehicles and many other applications around the world. The Amrun project is one of the sector’s proudest achievements and I am delighted to be visiting this amazing mine and its workers once again.”

In an industry first, according to Rio, Amrun’s 1 km-long export facility was built in modules off-site and then brought to Amrun and connected. “This reduced over-water construction and painting in the culturally significant and environmentally sensitive region and reduced construction time by a year,” Rio said. It also increased safety by removing the need for 300,000 work hours that would have been spent at height and over water.

Rio Tinto Growth & Innovation group executive, Steve McIntosh, said: “Game-changing innovations and collaborations such as these are vital for advancing the future of the mining and metals industry globally in a safe, cost-effective and replicable manner.”

Amrun is about 40 km south of Rio’s existing East Weipa and Andoom mines. The mine, plant and export facility were approved in 2015, with a targeted start date of 2019.

At full production, Amrun will have capacity of 22.8 Mt/y, with options to expand.

MRL and Metso Outotec NextGen II crushing plant installation on track

Rio’s productivity and innovation capabilities on show at Amrun bauxite mine