Aurukun bauxite project
- Project: Central Zone Engineering Feasibility Study
- Client: Glencore Bauxite Resources Pty Ltd
- Sector: Mining & Resources
- Year: 2020
The Aurukun Bauxite Project proposed a greenfield open-cut bauxite mine near Aurukun in western Cape York. Fraser-Lever undertook multidisciplinary feasibility engineering for the project’s Central Zone, integrating the beneficiation plant, mine infrastructure, product haulage facilities, utilities and water infrastructure to support project definition and investment decision-making.
Project overview
The proposed development included an open-cut bauxite mine and on-site beneficiation plant, with processed product transported by triple road trains to a coastal loading facility for offshore transhipment.
Fraser-Lever’s study focused on the Central Zone, bringing together the beneficiation plant, mine infrastructure area, product haulage infrastructure, process-water systems and raw-water supply from Tapplebang Dam. The work advanced the engineering to feasibility level and supported development of a project cost estimate with a target accuracy of ±15%.
Fraser-Lever’s role
Fraser-Lever provided multidisciplinary feasibility engineering and project coordination across the Central Zone, bringing together process, mechanical, structural, civil, electrical, instrumentation and controls engineering with project management, architectural and estimating capability.
The scope included:
- Central Zone site layout and multidisciplinary coordination
- Beneficiation plant flowsheets, layout and equipment selection
- Heavy and light mobile equipment facilities
- Mine infrastructure buildings and operational support facilities
- Power and utilities
- Fire, potable water, sewage and compressed-air systems
- Process-water infrastructure
- Tapplebang raw-water pumping and 13 km transfer pipeline
- Cost estimating and scheduling
- Project execution planning and construction methodology
The team also coordinated interfaces with mining, ROM, fines containment and access-road requirements while developing the models, drawings, schedules, material take-offs and vendor enquiries required to support the feasibility study.
The engineering challenge
Developing an integrated feasibility design for a remote greenfield operation required multiple infrastructure systems and operational requirements to be considered together from an early stage.
The site is located in a remote area of western Cape York, near an Indigenous community and within a tropical cyclone region. The engineering needed to coordinate the beneficiation plant, mine infrastructure, product haulage and the movement of people and vehicles while integrating with fixed interfaces being designed by others.
The study also needed to address a 13 km uphill raw-water pipeline and provide practical infrastructure for operating and maintaining a large mobile-equipment fleet in a remote environment.
Engineering in practice
Fraser-Lever used coordinated layouts and a 3D Navisworks model to review multidisciplinary interfaces and constructability across the Central Zone.
Structured RAMBO reviews considered reliability, accessibility, maintainability, buildability and operability throughout the design. Detailed drawings, engineering models, equipment schedules, material take-offs and vendor budget pricing were then used to develop a bottom-up feasibility estimate.
The study also identified opportunities to simplify infrastructure and reduce project footprint and cost. Office, control, muster, crib and emergency response functions were consolidated, wash facilities were combined and workshop functions were integrated where practical.
Modular buildings, container-mounted shelters and off-site prefabrication were incorporated where appropriate, while spare generator connections provided flexibility for future expansion. Targeted optimisation studies were also undertaken to address specific process issues as the design developed.
Project outcomes
Fraser-Lever completed the Central Zone feasibility report and Basis of Estimate, providing Glencore Bauxite Resources with a coordinated engineering and estimating basis for further project evaluation and decision-making.
Key deliverables included:
- Coordinated feasibility engineering for the beneficiation plant and mine infrastructure
- 3D engineering models and drawings
- Equipment, material, valve and cable schedules
- Material take-offs
- AACE Class 3 target estimate
- Construction schedule
- Project execution strategy
- Construction methodology
The integrated study improved coordination across plant, mine infrastructure, utilities and product-haulage interfaces while identifying design and delivery risks and embedding maintainability and operability into the developing design. Practical modular and consolidated facility solutions were also developed to suit the project’s remote operating environment.
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