INNOVATION July-August 2016

2015 ❖ 2016 Project Highlights

Amec Foster Wheeler served as engineering, procurement and construction contractor for increasing the ventilation capacity at the Newmont Mining Corporation underground gold mine by sinking a shaft and installing four large fans on the surface. The shaft would pass through an aquifer, creating significant challenges.To control water during shaft sinking, the ground was frozen to about 550 metres in depth, the first such application in Nevada.The shaft freezing and sinking was subcontracted to Thyssen. The cantilevered-beam design allowed early installation of plenum and fan ductwork. Amec Foster Wheeler further optimised the schedule by relocating the power houses to enable their early installation, and pre-assembling some major components in the vendors’ facilities and onsite. The project was completed under budget and on schedule. APEGBC members, Amec Foster Wheeler: David Lee, P.Eng.; Allan C. Smith, P.Eng.; Aleksandar (Sasha) Golijanin, P.Eng.; Barlowe Lew, P.Eng. Sinking Nevada’s Leeville Turf No. 3 Ventilation Shaft Through an Aquifer

Container Bulk Handling Optimisation

The Las Bambas project was under construction when MMG Limited purchased the property, near Cusco, Peru, at 4,100 metres above sea level. The plan was to develop a complete logistics system for containerised bulk handling of 1.5 megatonnes per year of copper concentrate. Ausenco worked with MMG to design and implement the concentrate logistics, which comprised delivery from the mine site to a third-party export facility in Matarani. Based on findings from studies and simulation modelling, the Ausenco–MMG team created a system that allowed early export shipping prior to the completion of the new berth facilities. This unique containerised system reduces capital expenditure on truck fleet, minimises environmental risks related to spills, and reduces losses during handling, transfer, and transport. APEGBC members, Ausenco team: Vlad Solodkin, P.Eng.; Bruce Larson, P.Eng.

SuspendedWork Platform Expedites Project and Minimises Impact Hatch has been working with Teck Metals Ltd. on an innovative approach to replace crane rails within the company’s zinc electrolytic and melting plant in Trail, BC, without impacting production. The rail replacement process is being executed from a work platform suspended from the rail being replaced, which allows for safe and ergonomic access to the rail. A traditional approach requires scaffold access, which would affect production. The custom-built work platform provides workshop conditions at rail level, allowing greater work efficiency from ‘production’ type methodologies. The rail replacement started in January 2016; completion is scheduled for July. APEGBC members, Hatch: Chris Graves, P.Eng., Jason Kolba, P.Eng., Bryan Marchand, P.Eng.; Teck Metals: Michelle Fletcher, EIT, John Howe, P.Eng., Rashmi Bhadauria, P.Eng., Tom Stoddart, P.Eng.

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