Lofty undertaking to give ore bin a new lease on life

When one of Mount Isa Mines' tallest structures needed a little TLC recently, it was a job for specialised rope technicians. The copper crude ore bin at the Glencore site boasts a newly resheeted roof, anticipated to see out the life of the asset, after the 54-day project. The 35m tall, 85m long structure acts as a storage facility for mined ore ready for processing. The Mount Isa Mines copper crude ore bin with the resheeting complete. Routine inspections last year identified that the roof needed re-sheeting to ensure the ongoing safety of those working under and around the structure. The task was awarded to a contracting company which specialises in height safety and rope access. The team involved were all IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) qualified rope technicians and capable of completing at heights rescue work. Qualified rope technicians were needed for the roof resheeting task. The project, carried out in February, saw 550 5.2m-long roof sheets installed and more than 7000 screws, with more than 100 anchor points set up for working at heights Mount Isa Copper Operations Maintenance superintendent for planning and assets Dave Anderson said the deteriorated condition of the roof meant access in itself was challenging. “It was identified early that the job had to be carried out by replacing one sheet at a time, old for new, so that the contractors were always working on good footing,” he said. “It was important that we completed the job safely and that we structured our work to ensure as little impact as possible on the copper mine operations and the copper concentrator operations below.” Two large scaffolds were erected to allow safe access to the roof and enable the movement of materials. Two large scaffolds were erected for access on the 35m tall structure. Monitoring and management methods were established to address wind speeds reached 66km per hour on the roof at times. “Safe progress on the job was heavily dependent on compatible weather conditions, meaning during periods of strong winds and extreme heat, work on the roof was suspended until safe progress could continue,” Mr Anderson said. During these periods of ‘tools down’ the crew kept busy, carrying out prep work, moving sheets or completing other tasks on site where possible. “It was a very high risk and challenging task from the outset and I’m pleased to say it was completed safely, with a very high level of team work, good communication and cooperation from all involved departments,” Mr Anderson said.

Lofty undertaking to give ore bin a new lease on life

Industry Queensland

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