The Solomon Hub is part of Fortescue Metals’ major expansion in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia, with the strategy of multiple large iron-ore operations in close proximity, using centralized infrastructure. Currently the Solomon Hub comprises the Firetail mine and the Kings mine, each of which feeds an Ore Processing Facility, followed by overland conveying to Solomon’s train loadout facility.
TNT provided design-supply-erect services for seven overland belt conveyors, totaling 15 km in length, including all mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control, structural steel and concrete foundations. TNT’s scope included two 72”, 7,400 t/h conveyors, three 54”, 5,400 t/h conveyors and two 54”, 4,500 t/h conveyors. Two of these were downhill regenerative conveyors with multiple vertical curves.
The system has a total installed power of 17,900 kW and required 8,000 tonnes of structural steel.
Transfer towers and other large structures were modularized during design, then fabricated and completely preassembled offsite in Thailand before shipping to site. Modularization of these structures helped the client to reduce the man hours required (and therefore the workers’ accommodations and related facilities to be built) at site, with the added benefit of saving time.
