THE PROBLEM
Due to shifting mine operations, the heavy water cart fill point, at Coal &Allied’s Hunter Valley operations had to be relocated. Suitable locations were limited. The new location had to be close to main haul routes to reduce travel times and ideally would be at an elevated location to maximize gravity feed to the trucks and reduce pumping costs.
As usual on active mine sites, the work had to be conducted without disturbance of the ongoing mining operations and, in accordance with the stringent safety requirements of the mining company.
The project needed to be completed within a tight timeframe on a site that is badly affected by extremes of weather.
THE PROCESS
It was decided the project would be completed on an open book cost plus arrangement. This enabled the engineering team to commence work early on a concept design and to ‘firm up’ the basic design as the works commenced.
Assisted by daily feedback as to costs incurred, the engineering team was able to manage the project budget and tailor the engineering solutions to suit the available budget.
THE SOLUTION
Rio Tinto’s Projects Group engineers devised a scheme whereby an elevated structure would be erected in a central location adjacent to the main haul road.
The construction method used was to stack gabion baskets as a confining structure that was then filled with stabilised fill materials. A substantial reinforced concrete slab was then poured on the top of the structure before the three water retaining tanks were lifted into position.
