Meadowbank Gold Project
Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd.
|
Canada
|
2007–2010
8,500 tpd
capacity gold concentrator
28 MW
diesel-power generation plant with heat recovery
US$272 million
CAPEX (Hatch's scope)
−50ºC
Arctic winter conditions
Challenges
- Design facilities for Arctic conditions: ultra-low temperatures, drifting snow in wintertime and wet ground, permafrost conditions in summer
- Manage the logistics of a remote air-and-barge-access location and a 10-week shipping season in mid-to-late summer
- Supply all power and heat from an on-site, diesel-power generation plant
- Operate in a remote, greenfield location with no existing support infrastructure of any kind
Solutions
- Provided detailed engineering, procurement, and construction support services for the 8,500 tpd gold processing facilities and site infrastructure, including power-generation plant
- Waste material from prestripping was used as bulk construction material for erecting dikes and for fill materials around the site
- Eight major buildings were erected during summer so concrete and equipment installation could continue indoors during the harsh Arctic winter conditions
- The power plant was designed to include a heat-recovery system, providing heat to the entire mine site complex
Highlights
- More than 50,000 tonnes of material and equipment were mobilized to the site over a purpose-built, 115 km, all-weather road from Baker Lake
- Equipment and construction materials were procured in time to be all shipped on barges during a short 10-week ice-free period in summertime
- Our procurement and logistics strategy helped meet the construction schedule and improved working conditions for contractors through the winter
- The diesel-fired power plant, heat-recovery, and heat-distribution systems that we designed were rigorous enough for Arctic conditions and resulted in cost savings and schedule improvements
Project numbers
US$272 million capital cost (Hatch's scope)8,500 tpd gold concentrator
28 MW diesel-power generating plant
115 km purpose-built, all-weather road
40,000,000 L diesel-storage facility at Baker Lake
5,600,000 L diesel-storage & dispensing facility at the site
10 bay truck shop & office complex
350 person camp accomodations
50,000 tonnes of material and equipment shipped in 10 weeks