COMMODITY 
Copper

CLIENT 
Rio Tinto – Resolution Copper Mining

LOCATION 
Superior Arizona USA

PROJECT TYPE 
Studies and EPCM

PROJECT SCOPE 
Concept, Pre-Feasibility, Feasibility, EPCM

DURATION 
2006 to Present Day

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Resolution Copper Project

EPCM IMPLEMENTATION WORK FOR SINKING No. 10 SHAFT

Work commenced at the beginning of 2006 where RSV USA’s role involved the set-up of the project which included; preparation of a suite of project implementation procedures and a project implementation plan, definition of the scope of work, establishment of the design criteria, preparation of a project schedule, preparation of a capital cost management plan and project reporting structure. The suite of project procedures was prepared on the basis and guidelines of the Project Management Book of Knowledge, PMBOK.

The scope of the project was to conduct the design, estimating and scheduling for the construction phase of a 730m deep, 7m diameter vertical ore hoisting shaft for the Resolution Copper Project to a feasibility level of accuracy (30% engineering and estimate accuracy of ±15%).

The initial scope of work included the project management services, engineering and design drawings, capital and working cost estimates including baseline construction schedules, to a feasibility level of accuracy. The scope of work formed the project baseline for the Resolution Copper Project.

Upon approval of capital funds for the shaft sinking of No. 10 Shaft and surface infrastructure. The scope of RSV USA was initially the design and installation of a dewatering system for an existing flooded No. 9 Shaft which was disused from Magma Copper operations to a depth of 4 600 feet. The dewatering system included the provision of a water treatment facility which was located at the West Plant site and all necessary piping and pumps from the shaft to the water treatment facility, to prepare scopes of work and technical specifications for all surface facilities and infrastructure, shaft sinking equipment, hoist refurbishment, procurement of ropes, sinking headframe, hoist buildings, civil foundations, headframe and other necessary structural steel facilities such as a pipe rack, all services requirements, power, compressed air, water, on site environmental facilities, disposal of rock from the shaft, rehabilitation of the existing underground rail system and rail car dumping facility 1 000 feet below surface at the East Plant site elevation via a tunnel to the West Plant facility. The scope of work included engineering design, procurement, management of the manufacture and fabrication of all Owner supplied equipment, quality control management, on site construction management and commissioning and preparation for the commencement of the shaft sink.

As EPCM consultants, RSV USA were responsible to the Owner’s team for the overall performance of the Shaft Sinking Contractor, Cementation, which included cost, schedule, quality, engineering design, procurement and construction management of the sinking of No. 10 Shaft to its ultimate depth of 6 983 feet below surface elevation.

As the shaft reached 2 400 feet below surface, due to the high geothermal gradient, refrigeration of the ventilation air became essential. RSV USA scope included the following; design of an appropriate refrigeration and cooling system which would maintain the shaft sinking face temperature below 85 º F wet bulb, preparation of scopes of work and specifications for all refrigeration equipment and management of the entire system from the design to procurement, installation and commissioning. RSV USA’s association with a South African specialist ventilation and refrigeration engineering design company, BBE, made this deliverable of this part of the scope of work possible. The refrigeration facility was progressively expanded in capacity as the shaft depth and corresponding shaft sinking face temperature increased to where ultimately three off 6 MW (R) refrigeration units together with heat rejection and heat transfer facilities were ultimately operationally functional to maintain the environmental conditions at the working faces. RSV USA responsibilities also included the overall management of the operation and maintenance of the entire refrigeration system including a water treatment facility. An additional scope also included the design and installation and commissioning of a control and monitoring system for the refrigeration and ventilation system which was subsequently handed over to the maintenance department of Resolution Copper. RSV USA involvement continued until the completion of the shaft sink to its ultimate depth which was concluded in 2014 and has thereafter continued on an ongoing consultancy and site overview basis until the present day.

SINKING/DEEPENING OF No 9 SHAFT

RSV USA involvement with the scope of work of this shaft was concerned with the overall supervision and management of the contractor, Cementation, by providing a technical and managerial resource seconded to the Owner’s team. This work commenced in 2016 and is ongoing with RSV USA resource continuing to provide support to Resolution Copper for this scope of work.

CONCEPT, PRE-FEASIBILITY AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES

Since 2006 RSV USA has carried out numerous studies for Resolution Copper, these included comparative hoisting option studies between Koepe and Blair type hoisting systems, pre-feasibility studies for rock handling and shaft hoisting, ventilation and refrigeration carried out by RSV USA’s associate consultant BBE, entire underground infrastructure and hoisting systems, materials and logistics, electrical and instrumentation and control system for the future underground mine installation, ETAP model studies for the existing electrical distribution system of the entire East and West mine distribution systems.