Tag Archives: Mt Whaleback

CSI NextGen II modular crushing plant starts up at BHP Mt Whaleback

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

Mineral Resources Ltd’s CSI Mining Services team has reached a major milestone with the NextGen II modular crushing plant having now crushed its first ore at the BHP-owned Mt Whaleback iron ore mine in the Pilbara of Western Australia.

The relocatable plant, developed by CSI and Metso Outotec, has been painted in Lifeline WA’s trademark blue and displays the 13 11 14 crisis support number.

The crusher has been on a monumental journey to get to its final home in the Pilbara, transported by a sea vessel from its manufacturing site in Turkey to CSI’s Kwinana workshop.

“The CSI team at Kwinana worked around the clock to assemble the revolutionary relocatable modular design last year, which allows for sustained reliable performance over time with the flexibility required to meet our clients’ changing and challenging production demands,” the company said.

CSI was awarded the contract to design, construct and operate the 12 Mt/y crushing plant back in June. It was due to replace the existing CSI crushing plant at the iron ore operation.

The crushing and screening plant is expected to come with low capital and operating costs, in addition to significant flexibility with its portability. It is assembled in modules and, compared with fixed crushing plants, provides for sustained reliable performance over time with the flexibility required to meet clients’ changing and challenging production demands, according to CSI.

MRL and Metso Outotec NextGen II crushing plant installation on track

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

CSI and Metso’s NextGen crushing plant to go to BHP Mt Whaleback mine

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , , , ,

CSI Mining Services (CSI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mineral Resources Limited, has been awarded a milestone contract to design, construct and operate the latest “NextGen” crushing plant at BHP’s Mt Whaleback iron ore mining operation in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

The contract award includes the supply, construction, installation and operation of CSI’s NextGen crushing plant, which will replace the existing CSI crushing plant at Mt Whaleback. This new scope builds on a 13-year working relationship with BHP and allows CSI to extend its history of safe and successful operations on the site since 2012, CSI said.

BHP has an option to extend the initial five-year 12 Mt/y contract for a further two years, according to the company.

Back in November, Mineral Resources Ltd told investors at its annual general meeting that it had designed a 15 Mt/y capacity portable crushing plant and planned to develop it in joint venture with Metso.

The NextGen crushing and screening plant was expected to come with low capital and operating costs, in addition to significant flexibility with its portability. It is assembled in modules and, compared with fixed crushing plants, provides for sustained reliable performance over time with the flexibility required to meet clients’ changing and challenging production demands, according to CSI.

CSI and Metso have established a partnership to develop and market the NextGen plant worldwide, CSI said.

Mineral Resources Chief Operating Officer, Mike Grey, said: “This contract extension and expansion at Mt Whaleback is a tribute to the fantastic work CSI has been providing for one of our key blue-chip clients for many years now. It is also testament to our team for the innovation and customer focus they have built into the NextGen design.

“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.”

He added: “CSI is already the world’s largest crushing contractor and NextGen will help us maintain our position as the partner of choice for the mining industry.”

CSI will oversee construction of the NextGen plant modules, both in Turkey and at its Kwinana, Western Australia workshop, with assembly of the plant completed on site at Mt Whaleback.

Monadelphous wins more iron ore work off BHP

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , ,

Australia-based engineering group Monadelphous has been awarded a contract with BHP’s iron ore division worth approximately A$240 million ($172 million) over a three-year period.

The contract, which contains an additional two one-year extension options, involves the provision of general maintenance services at BHP’s Mt Whaleback, Jimblebar, Eastern Ridge, Mining Area C and Yandi mine sites, in the Pilbara of Western Australia.

Monadelphous Managing Director, Rob Velletri said the contract built on the company’s long-standing relationship with BHP, on both construction and maintenance projects, over the past two decades.

“We look forward to further developing our relationship with BHP over the coming years, growing our operational footprint in the Pilbara and continuing to strengthen our long-term commitment to the region and the communities in which we operate,” he said.

In 1996, Monadelphous’ engineering and construction division ventured into the iron ore market with BHP on the Yandi II project to construct the crushing and screening plant, while, in 2008, it secured part of the structural, mechanical and piping works for BHP’s Rapid Growth Project 4 at the Newman Hub iron ore processing facility.