This project involved the construction of a new tailings pipeline and the installation of pumping stations. The comprehensive project scope encompassed civil, structural, mechanical, and piping works, as well as electrical and instrumentation tasks, culminating in the commissioning phase.
Located about 160 km north of Port Augusta in South Australia, the Carrapateena copper mine can be found on the eastern fringe of the Gawler Craton.
D&S Resources was contracted by BHP for a key segment of the Northern Borefields project, focusing on the construction of a new tailings pipeline and the installation of pumping stations. This comprehensive project scope encompassed Civil, Structural, Mechanical, and Piping works, as well as Electrical and Instrumentation tasks, culminating in the commissioning phase.
The responsibilities of D&S Resources extended to preparing the site, developing operating philosophies, and managing the scheduling. They were also tasked with the development, programming, and testing of pumps, overseeing their site installation, and providing support during commissioning and the final handover process
Scope of work
D&S was tasked with completing the Tailings Pipeline Upgrade, encompassing a range of responsibilities and obligations:
- Procurement and delivery of critical long-lead goods to the site
- Managing civil works projects
- Conducting weekly meetings for program and project management
- Conducting weekly meetings for program and project management
- Developing methodologies for the works provided
- Implementing a Safety Management Plan
- Ensuring quality assurance of the works and maintaining records
- Mobilizing, securing, and demobilizing Plant and Equipment
- Executing bulk earthworks, drainage, and constructing access roads
- Carrying out excavation, trenching, and backfilling activities
- Completing concrete and foundation works
Skills/services demonstrated
- Full-discipline delivery — Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Piping, and Electrical & Instrumentation works handled as one integrated scope
- End-to-end project ownership — from site preparation and operating philosophy development through to commissioning support and handover, not just construction
- Program and project management discipline — weekly program meetings, documented methodologies, and scheduling ownership
- Procurement and logistics — managing long-lead critical goods to a remote site
- Safety and quality systems — a live Safety Management Plan plus QA processes with maintained records
- Civil construction breadth — bulk earthworks, drainage, access roads, excavation, trenching, backfilling, and concrete/foundation works
- Pump development and testing — programming and testing pumps prior to site installation, plus commissioning support
