Pit 1 Stage 2 Area C Preload Project

Project Overview

The works included supply stitch and placement of 210,000 m2 of geofabric material on an existing tailings dam. A 1.5mtr pre-load of oversized rock was then placed carefully onto the fabric. Due to tailings conditions, we were required to work multiple fronts to avoid unsuitable areas developing. A third layer of latterite was placed and compacted to provide a situation where captured water was no longer considered process water.

Challenges

• Remote location as Ranger Mine is located within
  Kakadu National Park
• Worked around culturally significant and sacred sites to local Mirarr Aboriginal people
• Tailings material had high moister content and had to manage pore pressure to ensure machinery didn’t become bogged

Successes

• Project completed before target completion date and under budget
• No defects
• No LTI’s
• Developed a hydraulic rolling machine for the geofabric to reduce manual handling.
• Reduced the amount of rainwater which becomes process water by capturing it in the laterite layer prior to mixing with the tailings material