Assessments and planning

The next step is to examine the structures to be demolished and the land on which they stand. Performing in-depth risk assessments is crucial to flagging and mitigating all potential hazards before coal plant demolition takes place.

As well as protecting the community and informing the demolition plan, these reviews will help to ensure your project abides by environmental legislation and national safety standards.

Pre-demolition assessments typically include:

• A site survey to analyse environmental risks and confirm the scope of work required.
• An engineering assessment to determine structural integrity, design and relevant building codes. These insights will help to pinpoint the most appropriate method of coal plant demolition.
• An electrical assessment to clarify the power supply across the site, as well as any isolation needs.
• A fire assessment to check for flammable materials and confirm the fire prevention and control measures required throughout decontamination and demolition.
• A work health and safety assessment to identify potential dangers to personnel and develop suitable protective and emergency protocols.
• A hazardous material (HAZMAT) inspection to verify the nature and location of hazardous materials, such as asbestos.

Equipped with the above findings, your contractor will prepare a detailed demolition plan that covers all key project details, including the:

• Location of the target structure;
• Any structural support systems;
• Distances between this structure and nearby buildings, infrastructure and public spaces;
• Method of demolition and the series of tasks to be performed; and
• Project timeline and estimated completion date.

It is also important to implement other plans, such as a Health & Safety Management Plan, Waste Management Plan and Environmental Management Plan. These strategies should detail the procedures needed to carry out your project in line with relevant legislation and the demolition contractor’s integrated HSEQ management system.

Mach Energy Conveyor Demolition

Coal plant demolition

Each structure is demolished using explosive, mechanical, induced collapse and/or high-reach methods, depending on its construction, contents and clearance. Whatever techniques are used, the demolition will be completed in a controlled sequence of steps, between which another round of decontamination may be performed as required.

Throughout this process, your contractor will monitor and log every task, risk, protocol and outcome for your review. This includes all information that a plant owner, and any subsequent site owners, may need in the future, including what structures were demolished, where and how they were disposed of, which assets were scrapped and sold, what site remediation efforts took place and more.

A critical deliverable for every coal plant demolition, this meticulous documentation ensures that you have a complete record of the project after its completion.

Discover more about the general demolition process with Major Projects Group.

A word on stakeholder management

It’s important to understand that coal plant demolition will have a significant effect on a variety of key stakeholders, from workers, neighbours and business partners to environmental organisations, government authorities and industry bodies.

Transparent, sensible and considerate consultation with these groups from the outset can help to streamline the entire process moving forward. That’s because a shared vision and open dialogue reduce the risk of future objections and other obstacles, which could otherwise delay the demolition or waste resources.

With engaged and motivated team members helping to facilitate the closure from start to finish, you will ultimately achieve a more efficient outcome.

5 key dragline components

1. Machine body

The machine body is the core structure upon which other components are assembled. It houses the dragline’s engines and operator’s cabin. Depending on its design, this body can feature continuous tracks or be placed on pontoons.

2. Boom

The boom is a metal structure that extends from the machine body. The hoist rope that holds the bucket hangs from this truss-like structure.

3. Bucket

The bucket is a toothed shovel or scoop that excavates, loads, transports and unloads overburden at the intended location. Depending on the dragline’s size, the mine site conditions, and the overburden’s properties, different techniques can be used to operate the bucket. However, this component can generally move up and down via the lifting cable or forward and backward via the drag wire.

4. Hoist rope

Also known as the lifting cable, this motor-driven rope hangs from the top of the boom. It holds the bucket away from the boom and is used to raise or lower it – all while supporting the hoist-coupler assembly.

5. Drag rope

The drag rope connects the machine body to the bucket. It can extend or retract to bring the bucket forward or backward, respectively, as well as adjust its inclination as required, in line with the lifting cable’s movements.

Mine dragline maintenance and shutdowns

When it’s time to service a dragline, you will need to implement a scheduled mining shutdown. Dragline maintenance can take anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks depending on its scope, and may be required several times a year.

This procedure involves work inside the confined space of the machine, with support and other tasks provided by spotters outside. Therefore, effective communication and strict Work Health and Safety protocols are both essential to your team’s safety.

Additionally, in some cases, it may be more cost-effective to dismantle or demolish an outdated mining dragline and replace it with a newer model.

The way forward for mining draglines in Australia

Compared to other mining machinery, draglines have remained relatively similar in design and operation systems. But that’s about to change. With manual operators causing up to 15% variation in product results, mining companies like CSIRO, MineWare and CRCMining are collaborating with the University of Queensland to develop automated systems that enhance efficiency.

This revolutionary technology identifies the most optimal sequence of movements for a mining dragline to excavate overburden. The aim is to provide operators with real-time guidance on position, digging and dumping, helping them to make informed decisions on dragline sequencing.

The result? A significant boost in productivity.

Mine dragline demolition

A mining dragline can be demolished with mechanical, explosive or induced collapse techniques, the most appropriate of which depends on site conditions and project requirements. If you are ready to remove and replace your old mining dragline, Major Projects Group is here to help. Our experienced dragline demolition contractors can take care of everything from decommissioning and dismantling to asset recovery and site remediation.

For example, Idemitsu recently engaged Major Projects Group as the Principal Contractor to demolish a Bucyrus Erie 1,260W dragline at the Ensham Resources mine site in Comet, Queensland. We performed 12 induced collapse demolition drops in total, recording over 3,300 man-hours and processing at least 1,300 tonnes of scrap steel – all of that with 0 safety incidents.

Explore more of our mining demolition projects.

Enquire about mine dragline demolition with Major Projects Group

Demolishing a mine dragline involves a plethora of processes, regulations and technicalities, so it is essential to engage an experienced contractor with a proven track record. Dedicated to excellence in dragline demolition, Major Projects Group has been trusted by many of Australia’s largest mining companies, including Glencore, Mach Energy Australia, Idemitsu, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.

As a Social Enterprise advocating environmental stewardship, we utilise the latest equipment and certified HSEQ management systems to complete even the most complex mine site demolitions.

Discover a full range of capabilities, including decommissioning, dismantling, asset recovery and asbestos and hazardous material removal – all of which are actioned via safe, compliant and cost-effective solutions.

To start your dragline demolition with Major Projects Group, please enquire today at +61(0)2-4967-7900 or [email protected].