In Western Australia’s resource-rich Pilbara region, most things are huge. However, sometimes bigger is not necessarily better. At Citic Pacific Mining Sino Iron Ore project, this small container-mounted fabric structure is doing a mighty job.
Set-up to provide critical cover for cranes and access equipment, which would otherwise be subject to the brutal temperatures of the Pilbara region.
Citic Pacific’s Cape Preston operation is the largest magnetite mining and processing operation in Australia and has a mine life of over 25 years. With a workforce of 3,000 direct employees and contractors, staff safety and equipment protection are of paramount importance.
The fabric structures supplied to the site by DomeShelter Australia use highly UV-resistant fabric, capable of withstanding years of exposure to the harsh sun of Australia’s North West region and providing valuable sun protection to staff and contractors.
This neat-looking fabric structure is also engineered to withstand Region D Cyclonic winds for which the Pilbara region is well known. The Bureau of Meteorology suggests that although there is a tendency for fewer cyclones in Australia’s North West, there will be a greater proportion of the high-intensity storms (stronger wind speeds and heavier rainfall). The quality of built structures in this region and their ability to withstand cyclonic winds will be as important as ever.
Apart from the essential benefits of sun and cyclone protection, the key advantages to Citic Pacific of a DomeShelter™ Fabric Structure include;
- Faster; from design to installation is quick. Fabric Shelters are manufactured off-site, generally to standard sizes so the speed from order to installation for Citic Pacific to get their shelter fully functional would have been far quicker than a conventional steel structure
- Transportable; Can be transported to their remote Cape Preston site with ease. DomeShelter™ Fabric Structures are packed down into kit form for transport, with everything required for installation included in the kit
- Installation; easily and quickly installed by on-site teams. DomeShelter Australia Shelters are specifically designed to be installed by the client’s own teams with no previous experience. Instructions provided in both electronic and hard copy are easy to follow with feedback via surveys regularly sought to be sure they are up-to-date and accurate
- Relocatable; Can be dismantled just as easy to shift across the site or off-site. Dismantling, moving across or off-site and reassembling to adapt to changing work conditions or the end of a project is one of the attractions of these structures
- Lighter, Brighter, Quieter; Although the fabric covering is highly UV resistant it is also translucent and allows natural light throughout to provide a lit area that is easy for staff and contractors to work in. Artificial lighting is kept to a minimum
The use of fabric structures in the mining sector has accelerated in the past decade as the industry sees the proven benefits. DomeShelter Australia’s structures are now trusted by some of the worlds largest mining and industrial companies in Australia and across the world with exports to 30 countries, including those in Africa, Asia, Middle East and Europe.
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