Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separation - Christmas Creek

Melchor was awarded the concrete package for the Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separation (WHIMS) upgrade at Fortescue’s Christmas Creek mine.

The WHIMS project was identified as a key initiative for Fortescue, as the upgrade introduced new technology to extract high-grade iron ore more efficiently than existing magnetic separation methods. As a result, the civil works were delivered under a tight schedule and were required to be completed within a 12-week period, enabling Primero to commence mechanical works ahead of schedule.

The civil scope included bulk and detailed earthworks, steel fixing, formwork carpentry, and concrete works. The project incorporated a total of 300 tonnes of steel reinforcement and 2,500 cubic metres of concrete, poured across 10 major placements. The concrete works included over 200 pedestals, a number of which exceeded two metres in height, along with a similar number of concrete footings.