Project house DRA has been appointed managing contractor for a feasibility smagnetic iron ore separatortudy on the Khumani iron-ore mine phase-two expansion project owing to its success as the managing contractor and the main engineering, procurement and construction management contractor for the first phase of the Khumani iron-ore project.
The first phase included the construction of the primary and secondary crushing, run-of-mine overland conveying, blending stockpiles, tertiary closed-circuit crushing, washing and screening plant, the fines dewatering and water recovery circuit, jig beneficiation plants, product stockpiles, load-out facilities, rail infra- structure and the mine information system.
With the completion of the Khumani iron-ore project, Assmang negotiated the award of the feasibility study for the upgrade of the mine to 16-million tons a year and a further upgrade to 22-million tons a year with DRA. The early works contract for the upgrade to 16-million tons a year has also been awarded to DRA and construction on site started in December 2008.
Involvement in Phase One
DRA was originally responsible for the phase one feasibility study over a twelve-month
period. The company was invited to tender for the execution of the project and was successful in this competitive bid.
With phase one of the project approved in November 2005, the project started in January 2006 and bulk earthworks started during June 2006.
The design phase of the Khumani mine totalled 612 000 work hours with over 235 people involved in the three-dimensional design. As a result of the skills shortage, certain design elements were executed through the newly established DRA India office, with various other local consultants also employed.
“The skills shortage experienced by the industry did have its impact on the project and it was critical for the project to source the right calibre of staff,” says DRA projects director Wray Carvelas.
A major challenge to DRA, besides the skills shortage, was providing food and accommodation and seeing to the general wellbeing of the construction labour force on site, which amounted to more than 4 200 people at the project’s peak.
This included the construction and management of the contractor’s camp which housed 1 800 people at its peak, the refurbishment and management of the Glosam village and the management of the Kalahari hotel.
“This is DRA’s first venture into iron-ore treatment and the team is proud of its performance in view of the tight delivery schedule and current resource shortages,” says Carvelas.
DRA claims its turnover of engineers is the lowest in the business and attributes this to the company culture of encouraging ownership and initiative.
“The project has set a significant milestone in the mining industry with respect to the fast-tracking of large engineering projects, with 10 000 t of steel and platework being erected in ten months,” says Carvelas.
He
says that a further notable aspect was the minimal amount of site-corrective work that was required during construction.