Newmont’s Tanami mine is an underground gold mine in the remote Tanami Desert of Northern Territory, Australia. It is located on the Aboriginal freehold land of the Warlpiri people. Additionally, the mine is a significant economic contributor, paying $94 million in royalty-related taxes to the Northern Territory government in 2022.
The project involved enhancing structural integrity and operational longevity within the challenging weathered zones of the mine. This required precise geotechnical analysis and ground stability design to ensure safety and maintain production output.
Specifically, the mine faced a geotechnical issue with a weathered zone extending 50 metres from the surface. This compromised the structural integrity of future excavations. The challenge was to achieve a minimum unsupported diameter of 5.7 metres.
Consequently, this specification was critical for the safety and functionality of the shaft and fan. Furthermore, the project required constructing a concrete collar cap to support the shaft during excavation. This cap also ensured shaft tolerances met the strict specifications.
In response, Master Drilling Australia (MDA) conducted a comprehensive geotechnical analysis, enhancing the stability of the weathered zone.
Our approach included an innovative design and robust construction of secant piling and collar cap ensured durability against underground pressures.
Moreover, using advanced drilling rigs, we achieved a pilot hole with extraordinary precision, maintaining a 0.25% tolerance.
Additionally, ground consolidation and strategic shaft lining were implemented to significantly reinforce the mine’s structural stability, showcasing our commitment to technical excellence in challenging environments.
MDA’s execution of the project demonstrated our capability to deliver superior solutions to meet and overcome engineering challenges.
Through close collaboration with partners and principals, we successfully implemented the EPC model, completed the construction of secant piles and collar cap to stringent design and safety standards and achieved drilling accuracy of 0.25% or below.
Furthermore, this precision and quality in complex geotechnical environments showed our commitment to ensuring safety and structural integrity in one of Australia’s most isolated mining operations.
