Ken Roberts

Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd recently completed the first stage of a two stage expansion project. The first stage of the project involved extending the existing furnace complex to install a third submerged arc furnace.

The second stage of the project involves construction of a fourth furnace, subject to market developments. This new furnace will produce an additional 16,000 tonnes of high grade silicon and 4,000 metric tonnes of silica fume each year.

Wylie & Skene’s contract for this project involves the construction of a high quality wet and dry mess buildings which will be built on site. This style of construction departs from the recent trend by many mining companies of installing pre-fabricated “transportable” style buildings on mine sites. BHP Billiton has chosen to construct a higher quality class of building on this premier project.The accommodation buildings involves the use of pre-fabricated concrete floor slabs and the… Show more

Wylie & Skene’s contract for this project involves the construction of a high quality wet and dry mess buildings which will be built on site. This style of construction departs from the recent trend by many mining companies of installing pre-fabricated “transportable” style buildings on mine sites. BHP Billiton has chosen to construct a higher quality class of building on this premier project.The accommodation buildings involves the use of pre-fabricated concrete floor slabs and the transportable are constructed off site. Wylie & Skene completed high quality permanent facilities for the company at Yandi - accommodation facilities, kitchen and dining facilities and ammonium nitrate storage and handling facilities. Show less

BHPB Iron Ore's Governance and Verification program was designed to identify and measure corporate governance and compliance within BHP Billiton's portfolio of Iron Ore operations. The program audited each mine site in it's West Australian operations and measured the company’s level of compliance to current safety requirments and its overall actions closed out from the Ritter Report (Royal Commission into West Australian Mine Deaths).

Based in Brisbane, the Project Development Group (PDG) is tasked with becoming the Centre of Excellence for the undertaking of studies and delivery of significant and sustaining capital projects within BMA. The Project Development Group provides project delivery services to BMA through the management of all phases of the investment life cycle.

BMA has an overriding commitment to health, safety, environmental responsibility and sustainable development. Within the Project Development… Show more

Based in Brisbane, the Project Development Group (PDG) is tasked with becoming the Centre of Excellence for the undertaking of studies and delivery of significant and sustaining capital projects within BMA. The Project Development Group provides project delivery services to BMA through the management of all phases of the investment life cycle.

BMA has an overriding commitment to health, safety, environmental responsibility and sustainable development. Within the Project Development Group, the HSEC aspects of the projects are critical to its success. Therefore, supporting Zero Harm philosophy, a demonstrable commitment to Health, Safety, Environment and Community was essential.

BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) is Australia’s largest coal producer, with nine mine sites and a coal loading port in Central Queensland. As the world’s largest seaborne coking coal supplier, and part of the BHP Billiton group, BMA is uniquely poised to offer experience and career development opportunities difficult to find elsewhere. Show less

When the mining industry looks back at May 2009 it won't bring many good memories as it was a time of concern in the midst of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) but there was one bright light shining 700 kilometres north west from Perth, among the mulga, in the semi arid environment of the Eastern Goldfields Region. On May 4 one of the worlds largest miners, BHP Billiton defied the doomsdayers and announced to the world that it was to fully acquire the Cliffs underground nickel… Show more

When the mining industry looks back at May 2009 it won't bring many good memories as it was a time of concern in the midst of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) but there was one bright light shining 700 kilometres north west from Perth, among the mulga, in the semi arid environment of the Eastern Goldfields Region. On May 4 one of the worlds largest miners, BHP Billiton defied the doomsdayers and announced to the world that it was to fully acquire the Cliffs underground nickel mine.


Cliffs was a Natural 'Fit' for BHP Billiton to acquire. Before this announcement not many people knew much about the Cliffs Nickel Mine. Many in the industry knew about BHP Billiton's nearby Mt Keith nickel operation but Cliffs had gone comparatively un-noticed despite it only being four kilometres away.

The Cliffs underground mine was natural fit for BHP Billiton as Cliffs underground operation mined nickel and cobalt from a narrow nickel vein and trucked it to the mine surface where road trains took the ore to BHP Billitons Leinster processing plant.


Cliff’s Nickel mine is an underground nickel mine close to the Mount Keith Mine some 400km north of Kalgoorlie Western Australia. It is owned and operated by BHP Billiton Nickel West. The civil infrastructure survey setout for the expansion facilities was conducted while the underground mine was being developed. The works consisted of all above ground offices, workshops and facilities, 7.0km of sealed and asphalted roads, drainage works, earthworks to the extension of camp facilities and HDPE lined ponds for waste materials and all as-con survey recordings and subsequent reports/plan generation. Show less

Calibre Engenium Joint Venture. Client – RIO TINTO, Appointed EPCM for accommodation camp (500 person), Appointed alternate Construction Manager, Developed the construction plan and implemention. Ensured the client achieved statutory compliance.

Calibre Engenium managed the construction of infrastructure for the new open cut iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. This included accommodation and messing buildings, roads, power, water systems, rail bridge (250mt) and… Show more

Calibre Engenium Joint Venture. Client – RIO TINTO, Appointed EPCM for accommodation camp (500 person), Appointed alternate Construction Manager, Developed the construction plan and implemention. Ensured the client achieved statutory compliance.

Calibre Engenium managed the construction of infrastructure for the new open cut iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. This included accommodation and messing buildings, roads, power, water systems, rail bridge (250mt) and track formation works. Show less

BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) expanded the existing Hay Point Coal Terminal (HPCT) coal loading facility to increase the throughput capacity from approximately 44 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 55 Mtpa.

The HPX3 Project involved the construction of a new berth (Berth 3), ship loader (Ship loader 3), out loading trestle and conveyors, and reclamation of approximately 10.2 ha of land to the north east of the existing stockyard area. The existing trestle structure was… Show more

BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) expanded the existing Hay Point Coal Terminal (HPCT) coal loading facility to increase the throughput capacity from approximately 44 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 55 Mtpa.

The HPX3 Project involved the construction of a new berth (Berth 3), ship loader (Ship loader 3), out loading trestle and conveyors, and reclamation of approximately 10.2 ha of land to the north east of the existing stockyard area. The existing trestle structure was demolished and removed from the site, once the new out loading trestle and conveyors were commissioned. Show less

Originally the KNS Furnace Rebuild project and the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter
Expansion project were both set to begin in FY2009 however, both of the projects began an emergency start almost a year ahead of schedule in FY2008.

The Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter Furnace Rebuild project and the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter Expansion project are run in parallel and are interrelated. The purpose of the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter (KNS) Furnace Rebuild project is to conduct an emergency rebuild of… Show more

Originally the KNS Furnace Rebuild project and the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter
Expansion project were both set to begin in FY2009 however, both of the projects began an emergency start almost a year ahead of schedule in FY2008.

The Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter Furnace Rebuild project and the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter Expansion project are run in parallel and are interrelated. The purpose of the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter (KNS) Furnace Rebuild project is to conduct an emergency rebuild of the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter flash furnace to replace the old Outokumpu flash furnace with a new ELT (Enhanced Low Temperature) furnace because it has come to the end of its service life. Show less

The Kalgoorlie Nickel smelter is located approximately 20km South of Kalgoorlie. It is owned by BHP Billiton, Nickel West. The site comprises of a large flash furnace, three large converters and a acid plant. Operations began in 1972 by WMC until sold off to BHP Billiton Nickel West operations.

During operation 400 employees and contractors work within the smelter operation with the majority living in the city of Kalgoorlie Boulder. The Hot Heat Exchanger Refurbishment was a follow-up… Show more

The Kalgoorlie Nickel smelter is located approximately 20km South of Kalgoorlie. It is owned by BHP Billiton, Nickel West. The site comprises of a large flash furnace, three large converters and a acid plant. Operations began in 1972 by WMC until sold off to BHP Billiton Nickel West operations.

During operation 400 employees and contractors work within the smelter operation with the majority living in the city of Kalgoorlie Boulder. The Hot Heat Exchanger Refurbishment was a follow-up project of the entire Furnace Refurbishment project. The facility underwent a complete overhaul and took 6 months to complete. There wer no Lost Time Injuries or significant incidents recorded against the project. Show less

ROLES IN HSE MANAGEMENT
2012/Current: Pioneering roadworks/Civil Construction/Plant Maint.
2010/2012: Simcoa Furnace Expansion Project ($150M)
2009/10: Project Dev. Group – Hay Point Expansion ($2.5B)
2009: KNS Hot Heat Exchanger Refurbishment Project
2009: RNO Care & Maintenance Optimisation Project
2009: BHPIO Corporate Governance & Verification Audits
2008: Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter Furnace Rebuild ($160m)
2008: Percy Deeps 11-14L Definition Phase Study… Show more

ROLES IN HSE MANAGEMENT
2012/Current: Pioneering roadworks/Civil Construction/Plant Maint.
2010/2012: Simcoa Furnace Expansion Project ($150M)
2009/10: Project Dev. Group – Hay Point Expansion ($2.5B)
2009: KNS Hot Heat Exchanger Refurbishment Project
2009: RNO Care & Maintenance Optimisation Project
2009: BHPIO Corporate Governance & Verification Audits
2008: Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter Furnace Rebuild ($160m)
2008: Percy Deeps 11-14L Definition Phase Study ($780M)

ROLES IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
2007: Cliffs Nickel Project Infrastructure ($170m)
2006: Ravensthorpe - Storage Tank Rubber Lining ($9m)
2006: Hope Downs Village/Lang Hancock Rail ($56m)
2005: MT Keith Mining Expansion Project ($9m)
2005: West Angelas 25 MT/A Expansion Project ($4.5m)
2005: Nifty Sulphide Plant Project (Civmec) ($9m)
2005: Woodie Woodie Manganese Plant Upgrade ($2.5m)
2005: VGEP Train 3 Natural Gas Plant Construction
2003/04: BHP Yandi Village Upgrade (Wylie & Skene)
2003: Franchisee Business Systems Developer
2002/03: Steel Frame residential construction
1998-02: Civil/Structural/Residential/Industrial
1997/98: Commercial construction projects
1997: 3 x Collie River Bridges Project (Incremental launch)
1997: Bennett Brook Bridge (Largest Single Span Bridge)
1996: Iowa Creek Bridge (Rail Bridge - Yandi Mine Site)
1995: Nelsons Point Locomotive Wash Bay Facility
1995: The Port Hedland Frail Aged Hospital (Rammed Earth)
1995: Nelsons Point Electrical Control Room Upgrades
1994: 112 Unit Retirement Village Development
1984/1993: Residential/Unit Development – Industrial/Commercial Show less

The MT Keith Mine Site Facilities Expansion Project consisted of mobile workshop expansion, fuel and lube bay expansion, new workshop facilities and a Jigsaw mine control system control room construction.

Birla Nifty - Nifty Sulphide Plant Expansion Project (Bateman Engineering)
Location: Western Australia
Type: Nickel Processing
Civmec Contract Included All Civil And Concrete Foundation Works.

PanAust Exploration Geology is currently working on a range of exciting and highly prospective greenfield and brownfield projects in Laos, with a budget of approximately USD28M. Exploration personnel play a key technical role responsible for the design, implementation and management of exploration programs to the advanced drilling stage.

Phu Bia Mining Limited (PBM) has a Mineral Exploration and Production Agreement (MEPA) with the Government of Lao PDR (GoL) to develop gold and copper… Show more

PanAust Exploration Geology is currently working on a range of exciting and highly prospective greenfield and brownfield projects in Laos, with a budget of approximately USD28M. Exploration personnel play a key technical role responsible for the design, implementation and management of exploration programs to the advanced drilling stage.

Phu Bia Mining Limited (PBM) has a Mineral Exploration and Production Agreement (MEPA) with the Government of Lao PDR (GoL) to develop gold and copper resources in Laos. PBM is a Lao PDR registered company. It is 90% owned by PanAust Resources through the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary Pan Mekong Exploration Pty Ltd and 10% owned by the GoL.

The Exploration Base is situated in close proximity to the Central Business District (CBD) of Phonsavan, which is the capital city of Xieng Khouang Province, and services the Northern Exploration Area (NEA). Phonsavan is 40 minutes by air (north - west) from the capital city of Vientiane and has a population of approximately 60,000 people. A number of exploration projects and targets have been identified, with programs currently focused on activities at KTL and TKK. Show less

The PanAust ‘Project Implementation’ division (Projects) oversees an in-house project management team and manages internal staffing and mining construction/engineering contractor strategies for PanAust Limited’s construction project activities.The division recognises that a risk-aware workforce is integral to achieving continual safety improvement. Behavioural safety programs are a fundamental element of creating a risk-aware culture, and these programs underpin the effectiveness of management… Show more

The PanAust ‘Project Implementation’ division (Projects) oversees an in-house project management team and manages internal staffing and mining construction/engineering contractor strategies for PanAust Limited’s construction project activities.The division recognises that a risk-aware workforce is integral to achieving continual safety improvement. Behavioural safety programs are a fundamental element of creating a risk-aware culture, and these programs underpin the effectiveness of management systems. A proactive safety culture based on lead indicators such as safety training, safety leadership and hazard identification continues to be a focus across the PanAust workforce.

The Company continually improves its safety performance through risk management processes that identify systems, processes and procedures that need strengthening. PanAust implemented safety leadership training in 2012 to ensure people in leadership roles throughout the Company give safety their highest priority and that they create a culture of Zero Harm within their teams. less

PanAust identifies contractors as the foremost safety risk to the Company. At the same time, the Company is committed to engaging local contractors to enable economic benefits to be shared with the broader Lao community. The Company has a Contractor Management Plan that focuses on heavy equipment services and approximately 1,400 contract employees. The Plan aims to lift the safety outcomes of contractors to the same high standard as PanAust's permanent employees. Show less

The mining town of Leinster, where the Perseverance mine is located, was formed in 1976 by the Agnew Gold Mining Company as a town to accommodate workers at its nickel mine. The concentration plant at the Perseverance Mine is able to process three million tonnes of ore annually. The nickel and copper concentrate is transported from the mine site by rail, to the smelter at Kalgoorlie, 375 kilometres to its south. The nickel ore deposit being mined at the Perseverance Mine is one of the largest… Show more

The mining town of Leinster, where the Perseverance mine is located, was formed in 1976 by the Agnew Gold Mining Company as a town to accommodate workers at its nickel mine. The concentration plant at the Perseverance Mine is able to process three million tonnes of ore annually. The nickel and copper concentrate is transported from the mine site by rail, to the smelter at Kalgoorlie, 375 kilometres to its south. The nickel ore deposit being mined at the Perseverance Mine is one of the largest komatite related copper nickel sulphide deposits in the world. It has reserves totalling 45 million tonnes with a nickel grading of 2.05 percent. To further boost this reserve it was recently announced that another large high grade nickel discovery has been located near the Perseverance Mine. This new find has been estimated to be worth another $3.89 billion to the company.

The Leinster nickel operation was sold to WMC Resources in 1988 by its then owner Western Selcast and Mt Isa Mines. WMC lost control of the mine to BHP Billiton when BHP Billiton Nickel West acquired WMC in 2005. Nickel West then became the worlds third largest nickel concentrate producer. Show less

The PanAust ‘Project Implementation’ division (Projects) oversees an in-house project management team and manages internal staffing and mining construction/engineering contractor strategies for PanAust Limited’s construction project activities in Laos, Thailand, Chile and Papua New Guinea.

The Projects team administers both Major Projects and Minor Capital Works for:
• PanAust Operations,
• PanAust Technical Services, and
• PanAust Maintenance departments.

It ensures… Show more

The PanAust ‘Project Implementation’ division (Projects) oversees an in-house project management team and manages internal staffing and mining construction/engineering contractor strategies for PanAust Limited’s construction project activities in Laos, Thailand, Chile and Papua New Guinea.

The Projects team administers both Major Projects and Minor Capital Works for:
• PanAust Operations,
• PanAust Technical Services, and
• PanAust Maintenance departments.

It ensures all construction and engineering activities for these divisions are completed safely, on schedule and within budget through developing a well-defined scope of work, detailed implementation plan, resource planning and progress scheduling. To ensure the highest health, safety, environment and social standards are achieved, Projects shall implement PanAust’s Sustainability Management Standards into it’s safety management system and therefore across all project construction activities.

PanAust's Phu Bia Mining operations include Phu Kham Copper/Gold Operation - a large open-pit mine feeding ore to a process plant with recovery of copper and precious metals into a saleable concentrate using conventional flotation technology. Concentrate is trucked in covered containers to either Sriracha Harbour south of Bangkok in Thailand or to the South China Sea port of Vung Ang in Vietnam. And Ban Houayxai Gold/Silver operation is located approximately 25 kilometres west of the Phu Kham Copper-Gold Operation and comprises an open-pit mine feeding ore to a conventional 4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) carbon in leach (CIL) process plant. Show less

The Ravensthorpe Nickel project was located 155 kms northwest of Esperance in Western Australia and included the development of a mine, a hydrometallurgical process plant and associated infrastructure. The nickel laterite treatment plant teats limonite and saprolite ores to produce up to 220 000 tpa of a mixed nickel and cobalt hydroxide intermediate product for transport and treatment at the expanded Yabulu refinery in Queensland.

BHP Billiton Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine tank rubber lining… Show more

The Ravensthorpe Nickel project was located 155 kms northwest of Esperance in Western Australia and included the development of a mine, a hydrometallurgical process plant and associated infrastructure. The nickel laterite treatment plant teats limonite and saprolite ores to produce up to 220 000 tpa of a mixed nickel and cobalt hydroxide intermediate product for transport and treatment at the expanded Yabulu refinery in Queensland.

BHP Billiton Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine tank rubber lining consisted of 26 tanks and mechanical rake arms receiving hot and cold applications, completed $25m. Show less

Ravensthorpe Nickel Operations is a nickel mine and hydrometallurgical processing plant located 550 km south east of Perth, in the Ravensthorpe district of Western Australia. In January 2009, BHP Billiton announced that it was suspending production at Ravensthorpe Nickel Operations indefinitely, due to the reduction in world nickel prices caused by the global economic crisis.

The Ravensthorpe Care and Maintenance program required a complete overhaul of the existing Health and Safety… Show more

Ravensthorpe Nickel Operations is a nickel mine and hydrometallurgical processing plant located 550 km south east of Perth, in the Ravensthorpe district of Western Australia. In January 2009, BHP Billiton announced that it was suspending production at Ravensthorpe Nickel Operations indefinitely, due to the reduction in world nickel prices caused by the global economic crisis.

The Ravensthorpe Care and Maintenance program required a complete overhaul of the existing Health and Safety documentation and procedures to include the maintenance of Bulk Acid Storage and a regular security and observation program that ensured a scaled down workcrew operated under a sound safety system. Show less

The VGEP Train 3 contract comprises the design, construction, installation and commissioning of a 120 terajoules per day (TJ/d) gas processing train on the Varanus Island facility off the north west coast of Western Australia. The project was committed to by Apache and its Harriet Joint Venture partners to increase gas processing capacity on Varanus Island to meet gas supply demands.

The gas plant was designed to boost liquids removal capabilities from the condensate rich Linda gas… Show more

The VGEP Train 3 contract comprises the design, construction, installation and commissioning of a 120 terajoules per day (TJ/d) gas processing train on the Varanus Island facility off the north west coast of Western Australia. The project was committed to by Apache and its Harriet Joint Venture partners to increase gas processing capacity on Varanus Island to meet gas supply demands.

The gas plant was designed to boost liquids removal capabilities from the condensate rich Linda gas field which was nearing completion in the Carnarvon Basin.The plant technically consists of three major processing facilities including Dehydration via the Molecular Sieve Process; Hydrocarbon Dew Point Control and Condensate Stabilisation.

To facilitate the fast-tracked nature of the project and to reduce onsite works to the lowest practical level, the entire plant was based around using modular skid type construction. Additional to the main processing units is the design and fabrication of a new hot oil skid that will supply the heating medium for the process by recovering waste heat from new and existing gas turbine engines.The VGEP Train 3 gas plant was commissioned in the first quarter of 2005. Show less

West Angelas Expansion – Stacking & Reclaiming foundations and earthworks. Location: Via Newman, WA Client: Rio Tinto Iron Ore/Calibre Project Value: $11M Lump Sum Contract to extend the West Angelas Mine Stockyard stacking and reclaiming capacity by 250m, bring the total length up to 750m.The mine produces high grade iron ore and this upgrade was part of an overall upgrade designed to bring capacity up to 25MT /annum. Works included the extension of the two stacker and one reclaimer… Show more

West Angelas Expansion – Stacking & Reclaiming foundations and earthworks. Location: Via Newman, WA Client: Rio Tinto Iron Ore/Calibre Project Value: $11M Lump Sum Contract to extend the West Angelas Mine Stockyard stacking and reclaiming capacity by 250m, bring the total length up to 750m.The mine produces high grade iron ore and this upgrade was part of an overall upgrade designed to bring capacity up to 25MT /annum. Works included the extension of the two stacker and one reclaimer conveyors which comprised the fabrication and installation of new drive frames and drives, conveyor modules, belt splicing, fire and dust suppression systems. Show less

Provision of management, supervision, plant, labour and other resources for various facilites upgrades and civil and concrete work within the Woodie Woodie operations.
Management of: Safety and health, Environment, community and Indigenous affairs, Mobile plant and procurement, Human resources and industrial relations Mining.
• Clearing and grubbing.
• Topsoil removal.
• Formwork and rebar.
• Concrete
•.Site services as required by the client.