Cannington Buttress and Tailings Storage Facilities

Project Description:

This project was an expansion on the current mining works, and provided Construction Sciences with 2.5 years work, with earthworks for Cannington Cell 1 Buttress wall and the TSF Expansion 3 project. The works also included geotechnical input with the geotechnical team doing test pits and reports for future works.

Our Role:

Construction materials testing for works include the following:

• Investigate, develop and manage the borrow pit.

• Relocate and reinstate/ remove all impacted services, including vibrating wire piezometers and cabling/ terminal boxes, active and inactive pipelines, Telstra underground communications cable, access road diversions, pipelines, etc.

• Construct the Cell 1 buttress to a crest level of RL 268.5 m, including sand filters.

• Construct a rockfill and earthfill buttress in the Decant Dam.  Note: the mine will maintain the Decant Dam in operation and it will be filled with water during the construction works.

• Construct the Cell 1 spillway, chute and stilling basin.

• Construct a new subsoil drain and seepage collection and interception system around the south-western and south-eastern corners of Cell 1.

• Construct road tie-ins between the top of the buttress and the existing embankment crest roads.

• Reinstate access roads and ramps impacted by the buttress construction.

*Stock image for illustrative purposes only