Combined Resource Engineering Projects
Western Mining Corporation / BHP Billition
Location: Leinster Nickel Operations. Leinster WA
Project: CRE has undertaken several turn key contracts at the Leinster Nickel Operations Minesite.
- The sinking and lining of the Northern Vent shaft, this entailed the blind sinking and stripping and lining (concrete) of a 5m diameter x 249m deep ventilation shaft. The top 90m of the shaft was constructed through extremely difficult ground conditions that required extensive consolidation prior to it being excavated.
- The refurbishment of the Perseverance Main Haulage shaft, this entailed the replacement of the shaft steelwork such as buntings, guides, sets and services from the 8L to the 11L so that hoisting could be re-established from the 11L. This complete system of works had to be set up so as to minimise the disruption and down time to the mines existing hoisting operations from the 8L.
- The refurbishment of the 11L haulage and material handling system, back when the original shaft was sunk in the 1980’s, a loading pocket was installed in the 11L. This was not used and subsequently left to flood with mine water. CRE was contracted to remove all of the original materials handling system and replace it with a new and much more modern system to allow hoisting from this level.
- The construction of the Replacement Southern Vent Shaft (RSVS). CRE was contracted to construct a 7.5m diameter x 805m deep ventilation shaft. This shaft was constructed utilising several different shaft construction methods.
- Blinks sink and concrete lining to 65m deep utilising our own custom designed slewing headframe, which gives a greater amount of control over different ground conditions encountered.
- Stripping and fibrecrete lining from 65m depth to 79m depth.
- Horidiam shaft stripping from 79m depth to 806m. This was constructed utilising all of our own equipment which has been designed and made to suit “Horidiam” stripping. During this cycle it was necessary in several locations in the shaft to pre-support the ground prior to stripping, using countersunk rockbolts.
- The installation of 3 ore bins in the 10L, one being the 4m diameter x 15m deep coarse ore bin to be used to feed the new UG crusher. This shaft had a large rock box that had to be excavated at the top of the bin and both the bin and the rock box were completely concrete lined with steel railway rails embedded to protect against wear. The other 2 bins were the 6m diameter x 25m deep crushed ore bins which were again installed with a full concrete lining with steel railway rails embedded.
- The installation of the complete 10L materials handling system which entailed the installing of jaw crusher, rockbreaker, overhead and monorail cranes, apron feeders, vibrating grizzly, various conveyors and transfer points, mine service reticulation including fire suppression systems, the complete diesel fuel extension from the 6L down to the new facilities at the 10L including the lubricant storage and distribution facilities.
Moranbah North Coal (Management) Pty Ltd
Location: Moranbah North Coal Mine. Moranbah QLD.
Project: Construction of a 6m diameter x 150m deep ventilation shaft. This shaft required the construction to blind presink and concrete line down to 35m where the remaining shaft was raised bored at full diameter. CRE then concrete lined the raise bored section of the shaft to the bottom.
Peak Gold Pty Ltd
Location: Peak Gold Mine. Cobar NSW.
Project: CRE was contracted to install a 2nd egress headframe and winder on a 4m dia x 900m deep raise bored “New Occidental” shaft and then use this system to fully mesh and bolt the shaft. CRE also supported the “Perseverance” vent shaft which again was fully raisebored prior to relocating and existing 2nd egress headframe and winder from an old shaft on the site to this new shaft.
Ulan Coal Mines Ltd
Location: Ulan Colliery. Mudgee NSW.
Project: Construction of a 5m diameter concrete lined ventilation shaft. This shaft was blind sunk and lined to 50m and then raise bored to 150m. The raise bored shaft was also concrete lined to the bottom.
CRE’s custom designed and built slewing headframe (seen in the accompanying picture) was used for constructing the pre-sink to a depth of 50m. In this design the headframe slews on rail tracks and the kibbles are hoisted and tipped in the way normally done by a crane. This avoids the use of a crane and as such approved man-riding equipment is used at all times. At the completion of the pre-sink the headframe is “parked” in the service bay and the raise drill erected over the shaft. On completion of the drilling, the headframe is re-positioned over the shaft and the lining and or other ground support, stripping etc can be undertaken from the one set up.
