Ironbark No. 1 Coal Mine – Installation of Stacker Structures

Fitzroy Coal Management are currently constructing a new underground coal mine, Ironbark No1, located 50km northeast of Moranbah Queensland Walz Group were engaged to complete full Structural, Mechanical and Piping Installation as well as managing an electrical subcontractor to complete the E&I installation works. These works include preassembly and installation of 9 gantry sections, drive end assembly, Pulley and drive installation and alignment, idler installation and alignment, fire water and air line installation and Electrical and instrumentation installation.

Key highlights included:

Liaising with other contractors to commence and complete works
Sequencing, Assembly and installation Trestle 7
Pre assemble G7 and G8 Gantries and install
Installation of VSL Stress Bars
CST Drive installation and alignment
Underground cable installation from Drive area to Substation

Removal and Installation of R10M Conveyor GRM

BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) Goonyella Riverside Mine (GRM) replaced the rejects conveyor gantries and trestles as part of the Goonyella R10M Conveyor & Trestle Replacement project. This work was part of a planned upgrade to the existing R10M Conveyor required to rectify a series of identified deficiencies during a major 6 week outage.

Walz fabricated the new conveyor gantries and trestles under a separate job number, so our scope for the R10M Conveyor Replacement works involved removing the existing conveyor gantries, GTU and trestles scope and installing the newly fabricated conveyor gantries, GTU and trestles. The work included structural, mechanical, piping and electrical disconnections, removal, installation and reconnections. Walz provided cranes, operators, boilermakers, fitters, riggers, scaffolders and electricians as well as development of complex lift studies, a detailed methodology and commissioning assistance. We provided the following:

150t Hydraulic Crane
80t Hydraulic Crane
28t TIDD
Supervisors, Crane Operators, Riggers, Boilermakers, Fitters, Scaffolders and Electricians (24/7)

With the support of Walz equipment and a professional crew of Walz personnel and key subcontractors, the project was safely and successfully completed LTI free.

BMA Goonyella – Dewatering Screens Project

Coming off the back of successfully completing the installation of the new Horizontal Belt Filter BF703, we were again engaged by BMA to assist with an upgrade of an existing dewatering screen to larger dual screens. The installation of these dual screens would assist operations with rectifying a bottleneck identified in Coal Preparation Plant 1 (CPP1), resulting in increased production rates.

These works require us to work alongside the existing CPP1 to install the new platform that will house the new dewatering screens and associated componentry. Our scope includes the supply and installation of the entire work package, including all structural steelwork, platework (chutes, underpans, feed boxes), a new gantry section and supporting trestle, pipework, handrail, grating, valves and the new conveyor componentry. We will be working alongside a number of our key subcontractors for these works who will be assisting with the civil works, electrical works, modifications to the existing conveyor belt, re-installation of an existing belt weigher and on-site installation of wear lined pipework.

Our team have become accustomed to carrying out complex on-site installations, with this project presenting its own challenges. To successfully complete this upgrade, we will be required to carry out a significant portion of the works during three plant shutdowns.

BMA Goonyella – Horizontal Belt Filter

Continuing our ongoing relationship, we were engaged by BMA to carry out the installation of Horizontal Belt Filter BF703 at its Goonyella mine in Central Queensland. It was our first time working back at the Goonyella mine in recent years and it was a great opportunity for our team to demonstrate our capabilities working alongside a new client team.

Our works for this project included the full turnkey package. We worked alongside BMA to assist with the procurement of key items such as pumps, drives, handrail, grating, valves, pipework and other miscellaneous componentry. We also looked after the fabrication of plate and structural steelwork packages, which were integral to the installation of the new Horizontal Belt Filter being supplied by BMA. This project once again gave us the opportunity to work alongside our trusted subcontractors for the civil, electrical and instrumentation works. Once commissioned, the upgrade would see an increase in the recovery of dry product through the mine.

The project was completed safely and on time, demonstrating our capabilities in this field and establishing our presence as a key contractor for further works at Goonyella moving forward.

BMA Broadmeadow – MG10 & MG11 Conveyors

As BMA’s Broadmeadow longwall mine operations advanced, a need was identified to install new conveyer infrastructure to replace shuttle cars and diesel ram cars to transport coal from the face.

Walz Group was engaged by BMA to complete the structural, mechanical and pipework installation of two new conveyers — Maingate 10 (MG10) and Maingate 11 (MG11). The project was completed in two stages — one for each conveyor — to accommodate operational constraints. We undertook all installation and construction work required to complete both conveyors.

Works were conducted in a live operating environment to maximise operational efficiency. This required careful planning and sequencing to ensure the mine could continue to operate as usual, safely and with minimal impact on production.

Specifically, the works incorporated:

Coffin seals
Drive frames
Drive modules
Belt maintenance equipment
Substation shed and related interface structures
Grouting to all structures including drive areas and transfer foundations
Hand rails
Transfer towers
Gantries and trestles and their associated mechanical components

Ausenco – Carborough Downs Overland Conveyor

Vale’s Carborough Downs underground mine is located in Central Queensland’s Bowen Basin, 180 kilometres southwest of Mackay. Walz Group was engaged to perform the structural, mechanical, piping, and electrical installation of the 5km overland conveyor and upgrade of the coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP). This formed part of a broader brownfields expansion. In total, we constructed almost 6km of conveyor systems (drift, stockpile, reclaim, reflect, overland and surge bin conveyors) and associated componentry.

Our works included:

Structural steel installation — trestles, conveyor gantries, transfer stations
Mechanical installation — belt weighers, scrapers, drive motors, pullies, external gravity take-up
Installation of victaulic and screwed pipework
All electrical installation