WHEN a major gold mine in WA experienced problems with its conveyor belt system, which was in danger of becoming unstable due to weak ground, Uretek Ground Engineering’s senior engineer Tom Bailey was called by the mine’s engineers to deliver a solution to the problem.
With previous experience dealing with many similar problems at mines such as the Glennies Creek Hunter Valley coal mine, Mr Bailey knew how to achieve the best solution.
The Uretek team first logged the precise depths and dimensions of the underground footings of the affected construction elements.
The footings were massive: the slab holding the motor drive for the belt pulley system measured 25 metres by 12m and 1.5m deep, built onto 12m deep spoil from previous mining.
Five pedestal footings that supported sections of the 2km-long conveyor belt, which rose to more than 20m above the ground, were found to be affected.
The footings varied in size to as large as 6m by 4m by 1.5m, set 3.5m below the surface.
The Uretek mines operations team injected Uretek expanding structural resins into the foundation ground areas, at angles directly under the footings. In some places, injection tubes of 15m were required.
In just 19 days, Uretek had re-levelled and thoroughly re-supported all of the footings.
