Rapid Growth Phase 4
The Project
The project forms part of the BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s Rapid Growth Project 4 (RGP4) which will expand BHP Billiton’s iron ore capacity in the Pilbara from 129 to 155 million tonnes pa.
MVM Rail’s works involve the reconfiguration of existing rail infrastructure in and around Newman and its surrounding mines to facilitate the operation of the new ore handling facilities being developed at Newman Hub.
Scope of Work
The scope includes the construction and rehabilitation of approximately 18km of track including the installation of 9 new turnouts at Newman hub, Orebody 25, Homestead Siding, Jimblebar Junction and Wye spur and Jimblebar Mine.
The works are predominantly located alongside the existing BHPBIO Newman railway and include several reconfigurations of existing infrastructure which must be undertaken within shutdowns of the operational track.
MVM Rail provide all plant, supervision and management of the works including surfacing equipment and rail tracklaying equipment
Challenges
In addition to the overall logistical challenges of delivering a rail project in a remote location, the RGP4 rail project presents several technical and management challenges which MVM have successfully managed including:
- Maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality on one of the worlds’ heaviest duty railways in an extreme operating environment.
- Honouring BHPBIO’s and MVM Rails commitment to ensuring zero harm to personnel, the environment and local community.
- Minimising the disruption to mining operations arising from intrusive works.
Innovations
Due to increasing pressure on mainline shutdown availability and commissioning resources, the works have had to be restaged so as to minimise the number of changes to the overall rail system.
This was achieved by the development of a coordinated delivery programme involving multiple works on each available shutdown and close coordination between the Client, MVM Rail and related works contractors (including Macmahon).
The major single component of MVM’s contribution was the successful installation of 2 mainline turnouts in a single shutdown at Orebody 25 north and Homestead Siding. This was only the second time this has been undertaken on an RGP project, the first time also being an MVM Rail project as part of RGP3.
This restaging of the works will result in the overall construction and commissioning of the project occurring within 7 major shutdowns as compared to the 12 initially programmed.
Employment/Workforce/Training
The RGP4 project presented a particular challenge to MVM Rail arising from its lack of pre-existing resources in Western Australia.
The project team of 60 personnel were sourced from a combination of existing interstate and new local / West Australian personnel.
In building the project team MVM Rail were focused on our commitments in regard to maximising local and indigenous recruitment, exceeding BHPBIO minimum conditions in both cases.
Operating Fly-in Fly-out projects traditionally results in high employee turnover.
MVM Rail have successfully managed this situation by instigating a development programme which has seen several waged employees selected for development as supervisors / leading hands.
This has not only helped to retain staff and reduced the projects exposure to loss of key staff but has also reinforced the overall standard of training among ground staff, particularly in regard to safety management.
Community
MVM has implemented a coordinated community relations management scheme with Macmahon’s permanent Community Relations Office in Newman.
This has resulted in MVM benefiting from better access to local employment candidates as well as ensuring the local community shares in the benefit of the RGP4 works.