Primary Ventilation Fan for Athena Decline. Goldfields Australia St Ives.

In 2011 Howden Australia awarded CPC Engineering Kambalda the contract for civil and mechanical installation of the primary ventilation fan at the new Athena Decline at St Ives, in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.

The works were undertaken to provide the new Athena gold mine with essential ventilation for underground mining operations and delivered by the Kambalda civil and underground mechanical divisions.

The project comprised 3 weeks of civil construction and 8 weeks of mechanical installation incorporating transporting individual fan components underground, construction and installation of the units.  Installations were completed underground with the fans positioned and aligned with a 70m ventilation shaft to the surface.

Civil works included installation of six major plinths to support the motors and fans and a separate plinth to reinforce the bulkhead wall.  A large concrete slab surrounding the fans incorporated drainage and electrical services and 105 m³ of concrete was laid to complete the works.

The scope of mechanical works involved installation of a bulkhead wall supplied by Howden Australia, two 400kW Dual Axial flow ventilation fans, two 15 tonne monorails and associated steel work.  The project presented unique challenges transporting and installing underground motors weighing in excess of nine tonne each, operating in areas with restricted access and within confined spaces.  CPC is familiar with the numerous challenges underground projects present and skillful at navigating difficult conditions and environments with limited lighting, limited access and restricted ventilation.

CPC has successfully completed numerous surface and underground fan installations for major resource clients across mine sites throughout regional and remote Western Australia accruing valuable experience delivering to unique project specifications.  The CPC crew implemented safe and practical solutions using specialised equipment to overcome obstacles, and were able to transport and install fans securely without incident to schedule.

CPC Engineering provided the following services and personnel:

• Civil works: carpenters and concreters
• Mechanical works: Crew supervisor, fitters, boilermakers, underground machine operators including crane drivers, riggers and IT operators