In Western Australia’s rugged Pilbara, RioTinto’s new Western Range mine has a capacity of 25 million tonnes per year and will help sustain production from its existing Paraburdoo mining hub.
A vital feature of the Western Range mine is its primary crusher.
Securing heavy duty machinery
A primary crushing facility in mining is the first stage of ore processing, reducing large rocks and ore lumps into smaller sizes for further processing and transport.
“Primary crusher grouting is used to secure and stabilise the base of a primary crusher. Proper grouting ensures that the crusher remains stable and operates efficiently,” explains Fosroc ANZ’s WA Key Account Manager, Dennis Murray.
Grout is applied at the crusher’s foundational stage. A heavy-duty reinforced concrete foundation is poured to support the crusher’s immense weight and vibrations, then a high-strength grout is applied to secure the foundation and equipment base.
Choosing a high-performance product
Civmec were awarded the civil works contract for the primary crusher and worked closely with project engineers Worley Services to deliver its construction.
Stability, strength and flexibility are critical factors for a major structure such as a primary crusher. With this in mind, the team at Worley specified Fosroc’s Conbextra EP65 Plus for the crusher grouting.
“Then team at Worley have specified Conbextra EP65 Plus on similar projects so have confidence in the product,” Derek explains.
Meeting unique project requirements
Due to Pilbara’s extreme February heat, the primary crusher grouting took place during the night, when temperatures were lower.
“The first stage was completed at 3.40am on the first night, when the ambient temperature had dropped to 27 degrees. The final stage on the second night was completed at 4.45am, once the temperature dropped below 30 degrees,” Derek says.
“With a large volume of epoxy grout, you can’t pour it all in one hit because the heat it generates can cause cracking. That’s why we split this pour across two nights. On the first night alone, the grout temperature reached 94 degrees.”
Derek says Conbextra EP65 Plus’s key properties helped ensure a smooth, successful pour.
“Conbextra EP65 Plus is highly flowable, which is crucial on a big pour like this. I’ve seen competitor products fail because they don’t flow fast enough.”
“Civmec’s team included several experienced product mixers and pourers who worked quickly to execute Worley’s excellent application plan. The site was divided into four, with two opposing sections of grout poured on night one, and the other two opposing sections poured the next night.”
“The Civmec team were excellent. They are extremely experienced and even took a storm delay on the first night in their stride,” says Dennis.
Why Conbextra EP65 Plus?
Conbextra EP65 Plus is a high-performance epoxy-based grout designed for applications requiring extreme load-bearing capacity and resistance to dynamic forces. It is commonly used in heavy industrial and mining environments for securing large equipment. It offers:
- High compressive strength – it provides very high compressive, tensile and flexural strengths, ideal for machinery subject to heavy loads and vibrations.
- Excellent bonding – it forms a strong bond between equipment and its foundation.
- Gap size – it can be used to fill gaps from 10mm to 100mm
- Low shrinkage – it ensures stability over time without cracking or movement.
- Fast cure time – it achieves high strength within 7 days (fully cured at 28)
Product performance plus elite service and technical support
Contractors such as Civmec value Fosroc’s onsite presence at major grout pours.
At the Western Range mine primary crusher grout pour, Dennis was on site throughout, to assist with any technical queries and provide advice at various stages. He also liaised with key stakeholders – including Worley and Rio Tinto – to provide reassurance and validate the pour process. With more than 18 years in the construction industry, Dennis has overseen countless grout pours and is ideally placed to add invaluable expertise.
Project success
“This was one of the best grout pours I’ve been involved in,” Dennis says. “Everything went smoothly, even with the slight delay on the first night.”
As the Western Range mine scales up to full production, its primary crusher is stable, secure and poised to play a vital role at this large scale West Australian mining facility.
Find out more
- Download our Grouting Solutions brochure
- Contact our Specification Team for expert advice about your next grout project
