Structural and Asset Services workshop providing in-house, custom asset services

Our Structural and Asset Services workshop at Mount Isa Mines has been expanded to meet the demands of the business in providing site-based maintenance, light to heavy fabrication, machining and engineering.

As part of the Queensland Metals restructure, it was identified that the workshop facility was under-utilised and could provide a valuable service to the wider business that was a cost effective and solutions-based service, internal to the business.

Over the course of 2021 the workshop grew, taking on an additional 30% of the floor space of the Site Services building. It also included the addition of approximately 12 employees, including two apprentices, to the workforce of about 70, which can range up to 80 employees during peak times.

These workers are made up of both Mount Isa Mines employees and contract labour sourced through local businesses.

Current roles in the team include boilermakers, fitters, machinists, sheet metal workers, electricians, vulcanisers, welders, trades assistants, painters and sandblasters, engineers, estimators, non-destructive testing technicians and trade apprentices.

The workshop team has stepped up focus on apprenticeships and has six working full-time, with additional secondments throughout the year, to assist with finer upskilling in trades for the asset apprentices.

In addition to the trade training, the workshop has been actively involved in the Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) and provides candidates with exposure to the fabrication and machine shop, and a potential pathway to a trade role.

Two IEP participants have remained working with the workshop following the completion of the program.

Acting Manager Copper Concentrator, Monica Joseph, says the Structural and Asset Services workshop has been providing a tailored service to our operations.

“The workshop team is experienced in designing, fabricating, engineering and installing mining solutions for our operations.”

“The workshop also provides a 24/7 breakdown response service which has greatly reduced downtime in our operations.”

“Previously, time was wasted making numerous phone calls, trying to find services outside the operations to help. But now it takes one phone call and the workshop can quickly mobilise as required.”

“They have the resources and equipment ready to go”, says Monica.

Recently the workshop has completed the following works for the wider business:

• WAN plant acid tank
• skip tanks for Mount Isa Copper Operations and George Fisher Mine
• Copper Smelter palletiser
• L44 rotor
• No. 2 concentrator pump boxes
• mines power station after-cooler plates
• underground ute trays.

Structural and Asset Services workshop

The workshop is a dedicated engineering workshop providing a site-based maintenance function, fabrication, fitting and machining and a 24/7 breakdown service that is tailored to our operations.

Services have been used by all assets across the Queensland Metals operations, including the Copper Refinery in Townsville, and has tendered for work at Glencore’s McArthur River Mine.

The expanded workshop specialises in:

• light to heavy fabrication and sheet-metal (mild, stainless, cast, alloys)
• kress/matte pot rebuilds, bucket rebuilds and earthmoving repairs and maintenance
• vulcanising and rubber lining
• machine shop, fitting, rotable repairs and balancing
• electrical maintenance, fabrication and rotable repairs (LCU’s, cables, boards)
• non-destructive testing and quality assurance
• blast and paint
• 24/7 breakdown response.

The in-house workshop is home to some state-of-the-art equipment having the latest in Computerised Numerical Control (CNC) technology. It also has a Mazak VCN-530C vertical machining centre, five-axis TECHNI Waterjet, CNC lathe, Pulse Mig Welders, NC sheet metal equipment and an overhead crane with lifting capacity of up to 40 tonnes to allow larger type works.

The workshop has the equipment capability to fabricate everything from light gauge ducting through to cold rolling 75-millimetre plate making, making the workshop the most versatile in Mount Isa.