Sepon Copper Project on schedule
for commissioning in 2005
Construction of the copper hydrometallurgical-process
plant for Lane Xang Minerals Limited (LXML) in Laos is well underway
and on schedule to enable commissioning and start-up for the production
of the first batch of copper in the first quarter of 2005. This contract,
worth in excess of US$160M, is being executed by a joint venture between
Bateman BV and Ausenco Limited of Australia.
The design of the plant is based on the definitive feasibility study
prepared by BATEMAN and it is being constructed close to the Khanong
copper deposit in the Vilabouly district of Savannakhet province,
next to the operating gold-processing plant, also owned by LXML.
Construction commenced last year with the upgrade of the 42 km access
road. The site was cleared of unexploded ordnance and vegetation and
the major earthworks were carried out. Concrete work started in October
2003, with the objective to complete it before the start of the 2004
monsoon season.
Tank construction is proceeding, with most of the tank materials
being constructed out of duplex, super duplex or 316 stainless steel.
Plate supplies are critical and were ordered early to meet the schedule.
Structural and mechanical erection has commenced with the construction
of steelwork for the pipe racks. This will be followed closely by
equipment installation, piping and electrical installation.
Currently there are some 1 200 people on site for the construction,
35 of whom are the joint-venture management team. Approximately 600
local workers are employed on site, drawn from the surrounding villages.
The remainder of the workforce are mostly expatriates from neighbouring
countries. To date, some 2,3M manhours have been clocked up, with
more than 1,5M manhours free of lost time incidents.
Equipment deliveries have started from suppliers and fabricators
around the world. The largest piece of equipment on the project is
the165 t autoclave which is being transported by ship from the German
harbour of Hamburg to the port of Sattahip in Thailand (taking approximately
40 days), followed by land transit across Thailand and Laos to site,
which will take approximately 30 days. This includes crossing the
Mekong River in Laos by barge. A number of bridges in Laos have been
strengthened to accommodate the autoclave load.
The design and construction of the project meets first-world environmental
standards, in line with the continuing commitment by LXML, BATEMAN
and the joint venture to the long term welfare of the Lao people.
For further details, please contact
Tony Cau, BATEMAN General Manager, Copper and Zinc, on
7-3320-3333 or email basemetals@batemanengineering.com.
| LXML have also awarded the joint venture the
construction management of the upgrade of the gold plant. This
will double the capacity of the gold production facility and will
be carried out in parallel with the copper plant construction.
(Further details on this contract will be provided in a future
issue of the Bateman Globe newsletter.) |
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Copyright BATEMAN 2004
