Lycopodium was awarded the EPCM services associated with the delivery of the process plant comprising three-stage crushing including HPGR, ball milling, thickening, CIL and infrastructure including access road, airstrip, temporary and permanent accommodation, remote borefield. Lycopodium also delivered the pre-feasibility and feasibility study phases.
The Tropicana Gold Project is a greenfields discovery for the Joint Venture (TJV) partners (AngloGold Ashanti Australia Ltd (AGA) 70% and Independence Group NL 30%). The Project was managed by AGA on behalf of the JV Partners.
The scope of the project included the development of the mine, treatment plant, site buildings and all support infrastructure. Responsibility for the execution and delivery of the various scope elements is divided between Lycopodium and TJV. Based on the capital cost breakdown Lycopodium is responsible for approximately 90% of the project execution and delivery and the TJV is responsible for the remaining 10%.
The scope of works is summarised below:
Plant Facilities –
- Primary crushing and stockpile
- Secondary crushing
- High pressure grinding rolls (HPGR)
- Emergency fines stockpiles
- Milling and classification
- Leach feed thickening
- Leach / CIL circuit
- Elution and gold room
- Services
Plant-related Infrastructure –
- Administration building
- Control centre
- Workshop / warehouse
- Environmental, first aid and emergency response team facility
- Laboratory, core shed and core yard
- Tailings storage facility
Support Infrastructure –
- Site access road
- Airstrip – all weather
- Accommodation village
- Communications link from Kalgoorlie to site
- Powerhouse
- Process water borefield
- Potable water
Tropicana was the biggest new Australian gold mine in 10 years, processing a rich and previously untapped gold field
Lycopodium’s scope of services, at a high level, comprises the following:
- Management of all health and safety matters relating to all aspects of the scope of work on the Project. Identification of health and safety concerns and incidents and reporting to TJV accordingly
- Management of all environmental matters including compliance relating to all aspects of the scope of work on the Project. Identification of environmental concerns and incidents and reporting to TJV accordingly
- Investigation into, and design engineering of, all aspects of the scope of work including identification and resolution of alternative approaches
- Staged progress review and reporting at 20%, 50% and 75% engineering, including design review and risk assessment, and revalidation of the capital cost estimate at 75% engineering
- Design drafting and documentation as required for the Project
- The management and coordination of all activities in accordance with Project procedures, including cost control, scheduling, reporting and management of records
- Procurement activities to facilitate contracts / orders with various contractors
- Identification of long lead items and provision of details to TJV
- Providing construction management services
- Commissioning and handover of completed works
Commissioning commenced mid 2013 with first gold poured in Sept 2013.
