MINING EPCM
Calibre , a member of WSP , recently completed work on Rio Tinto ’ s Robe Valley Sustaining project , which included the development of three new mining deposits and the construction of supporting infrastructure to continue operations of the two existing operational hubs at Mesa A and Mesa J
Calibre recently completed work on Rio Tinto ’ s Robe Valley Sustaining ( RVS ) project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia . This major expansion included the development of three new mining deposits and the construction of supporting infrastructure to continue operations of the two existing operational hubs at Mesa A and Mesa J . The contractor was engaged throughout the RVS project from prefeasibility to the implementation phase including the preliminary and definitive engineering studies and , from early 2019 , EPCM delivery partner .
Chapman said the project faced several challenges including completion during the height of COVID , recent heritage issues outside the project and navigating long environmental approval timeframes .
“ Our emphasis on the importance of cultural awareness and maintaining consistent engagement with the Traditional Owners was critical to the success of the project ,” he told IM . “ We have taken a leading role in identifying opportunities for community engagement , stakeholders and local business opportunities that provided short- and long-term prospects for these communities to help them thrive .”
Chapman said the Calibre team is passionate about contributing to a more positive future , where people and the environment are at the core of big decisions .
“ Calibre and WSP ’ s teams are stronger together in interpreting challenges and gathering community and stakeholder input to support better decision making with our social performance approach .”
AFRY , as a mining EPC / EPCM provider , is subject to these same stakeholder pressures , with Janne Tikka , Head of Global Mining & Metals , acknowledging the focus changes from project to project and from region to region .
In Sodankylä , Finland , at Anglo American ’ s Sakatti copper-nickel-PGE project , for instance , there is heightened environmental awareness due to the asset ’ s location in a Natura 2000-protected zone – a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union .
AFRY , having been engaged by Anglo American for several years , has carefully considered all environmental and water system related questions as part of this demanding project .
This saw the company conduct comprehensive watershed modelling on the project , with the results used in the Environmental Impact Assessment report and in the environmental permit process for the Sakatti .
“ Long-term effects have also been taken into account in the modelling of water emissions , where climate change is an essential part of the analysis and can significantly affect emissions ,” Tikka told IM . Climate change impacts were accounted for by using scenarios provided by the Finnish Environment Institute , making it possible to predict the effects of emissions in the receiving water body in the long term .
“ The created data enabled Anglo American to communicate and clarify the project details with local stakeholders ,” he said .
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023 | International Mining 31