At the Construction World Best Projects gala event on November 3, Hatch won the Consulting Engineers award for Kenmare Resources’ (Kenmare) Wet Concentrator Plant B relocation project in Mozambique, Southern Africa.
The Moma Titanium Minerals Mine in northern Mozambique, owned and operated by Kenmare, is one of the largest titanium minerals deposits in the world. Mining is principally undertaken using dredges that float in artificial mining ponds. The dredges mine the mineral-rich dunes from the ponds and pump the mineral sands to the floating Wet Concentrator Plant. To increase production at the Moma Mine on a sustainable basis from 2021 onwards, the Wet Concentrator Plant B was moved twenty-three kilometers (km) from its location at the Namalope mine to a new high grade ore zone called Pilivili. Kenmare engaged Hatch to provide full EPCM services for the relocation of the wet concentrator, including the dredge and associated infrastructure at Pilivili.
“We are very proud to be recognized with a Construction World Best Projects award for our work with Kenmare Resources on the Wet Concentrator Plant B relocation,” commented Gordon Jackson, project manager for Hatch. “This record-breaking move was completed safely, overcoming the many challenges brought on by COVID-19, a harsh environment, and a remote, difficult-to-access site. And it was completed only three weeks after the originally planned date.”
At 1,700 tonnes for the dredge and 7,000 tonnes for the concentrator, this project holds a world record for both the largest and heaviest pieces of mining equipment to be transported in one piece, by road, using self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs). It also broke the world record for the longest distance for any item of mining equipment to be moved by SPMTs.
Due to the remoteness of the area, a road had to be purposely built for this move to take place—and it is no ordinary road. To accommodate the sixty-meter-wide Wet Concentrator Plant , the completed road is forty-two meters wide with a cleared area on either side to allow for the overhang of the plant, and covers twenty-three km.
“Congratulations to the integrated project team for the delivery of this state-of-the-art project and for being recognized with this award,” shared Pierre Olivier, regional managing director, Africa Europe Middle East at Hatch. “It is a testament to our commitment of tackling our clients’ toughest challenges.”