Novo is advancing its flagship Beatons Creek Gold project near Nullagine to production while continuing to explore and develop its highly prospective land package which covers approximately 14,000km2 in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The purpose of the project, located 187km north-east of Newman, was to remediate nine 10m diameter CIL tanks, ranging in height from 11m to 9m.
Details
Key aspects of the works included:
- Ultra high pressure clean of all internal tank surfaces to remove loose scale and chloride contamination.
- Abrasive blast of all surfaces to remove well adhering rust and surface imperfections.
- Profile blast to impart angular profile suitable for polyurethane coating.
- Blow down, and clean out of spent garnet from tank using vacu-load recovery system.
- Spray application of two component polyurea to 2000um on all tank surfaces, building an additional 1000um on highwear areas.
- Completion of 100% of surface area high voltage spark test and DFT mapping of entire tank to ensure coating thickness conforms to required DFT.
Highlights
- Running day shift and night shift to complete the coating works on nine tanks prior to Christmas deadline.
- Whilst on site, the gravity circuit structure was identified as in need of coating remediation, this was able to be factored in and completed within the same time-line with effective re-distribution of labour fronts.
- Completion of nine CIL and leach tanks internal coating, internal coatings on intertank launders, associated boot seals and gravity circuit structure coating remediation within 80 days.
