Modern Mining August 2023

Procurement and Construction Management) con tractor felt comfortable trusting us with this project, given our track record, experience and specialist skills,” Branch adds. “While the construction and technology used for this project are not unique, they are tried and trusted. Northam already has a large refrigeration plant on its existing No. 1 Shaft, and this new plant mimics that design. This is mainly for the purposes of commonal ity of spares and staff training.” Branch advises that no significant challenges have been encountered during the project to date, adding that the company collaborated with the mine and the EPCM to identify any potential pinch points early on, and address them. For example, the long lead refrigeration machine equipment, that was sourced from the USA, was ordered early to give the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) enough time to manufacture it, given global material short ages and a fragile supply chain. “This is the largest single-build refrigeration plant project awarded in SA mining for a long time and BBE is delighted to have been given the opportu nity to play such an integral role in the No. 3 Shaft Project,” concludes Branch. 

the right solutions,” says Branch. The three-year project will see BBE install ten refrigeration machines into the surface refrigeration plant, which will ultimately have up to 70 MW of cool ing capacity. The company broke ground in October last year, starting with civil works for the major struc tures of the plant. This first phase of the project will be completed by November 2024, with work on the 12-month construction of the fan station set to start midyear this year. The second phase of the project will see additional work on the refrigeration plant, with final commissioning slated for mid-2026. “Ventilation and cooling form an integral part of the operational plan for Northam Platinum’s new block of ground. They would not be able to mine it without this new infrastructure,” Branch explains. Long association Branch further elaborates that BBE’s appointment to the project was based in part on the company’s long association with Northam Platinum, with BBE having provided extensive consulting service to the mining house for many years, as well as constructing sev eral cooling systems. “Northam Platinum and its EPCM (Engineering,

Northam Platinum’s Zondereinde Western Extension Project 3.

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