Carajas S11D - Brazil

SNC-Lavalin was involved with the S11D project for Vale since concept stage followed by the conceptual and basic engineering phases of this project development in Brazil.
Subsequent to the study and earlier development stages, SNC-Lavalin in a consortium with another engineering company was awarded the contract for the implementation of the S11D project in Brazil by Vale.

Vale's multi-billion dollar S11D project is a world-class 90 Mtpa iron ore processing facility located approximately 1,940 km north of Sao Paulo in Para State, Brazil in one of the worlds' richest ore bodies.
SNC-Lavalin's services included engineering for the infrastructure and overland conveying facilities, civil works, electromechanical assembly, procurement support, construction management and providing key project management professionals and leadership to the Project Owner's Team. The other consortium company’s services related to the modular ore processing facilities, as well as collaboration on procurement, construction and project management support.

The processing route is dry (Direct Shipped Ore) and the development boasts a truckless mine operation using a complex conveyor belt system to convey ore and waste from the faces to the plant and waste dumps, saving on fuel and CO2 emissions. The ore and waste are loaded from the mining faces with shovels into mobile crushers prior to being conveyed to the process plant or waste areas.
The overall project also included duplication of the Carajas railway and expansion of the São Luis Port.
 

Guelb El Aouj - Mauritania

The proposed Guelb El Aouj iron ore project located in north east Mauritania consisted of a large scale open pit mining operation followed by magnetite ore concentration and pelletising with product destined for the North African and Middle Eastern markets. Capacity of the project was 7 Mtpa DR-grade pellets.

The project also required the upgrade and supply of significant infrastructure associated with the development. 
 

Guelb II - Mauritania

Located in the region of Zouerate in north east Mauritania, the Guelb II project increases concentrate production by 4 Mtpa  in parallel with the existing Guelb EL Rhein plant which runs 24/y on 300 days each year.

The project consisted of crude ore handling, ore crushing, blending & stockpiling, roller press crushing, dry magnetic separation, ball mill grinding, wet magnetic separation, filtration of concentrate & tailings, tailings stacking, dust extraction, concentrate handling & stockpiling, rail load out, and utilities & infrastructure.

SNC-Lavalin first validated the feasibility study done by others and then established the execution strategy for the delivery of the project.  This phase was then followed with the full delivery of the project on an EPCM contract basis.

Malaysia Iron Ore Blending - Malaysia

The blending facilities were designed for processing 90Mtpa with the pelletising plant producing 10Mtpa of saleable product. Port facilities included berths capable of loading vessels ranging from 10,000DWT to 400,000DWT.

Ridley Magnetite - Western Australia

This potential magnetite project, located 57km east of Port Hedland in Western Australia, is part of the Atlas Pardoo Hematite operation.  The project proposed a capacity of 15 Mtpa magnetite concentrate exported via a dedicated facility at Port Hedland.

The crushed magnetite ore undergoes successive size reduction in grinding mills to liberate the magnetite which is recovered by a combination of magnetic separation and reverse silica flotation.  The final concentrate is thickened and pumped to Port Hedland.  The process plant comprises some of the world's largest mills including six trains of 36’ diameter AG mills and 22’ diameter pebble mills. There are over 130 magnetic separators and 28 fine grinding vertimills.

SNC-Lavalin was appointed in joint venture by Atlas Iron to undertake the prefeasibility study for the process plant and port processing facility for this potential project.  SNC-Lavalin leveraged its global expertise to deliver this study in a very tight time schedule.

Valentine's Iron Ore Project - Uruguay

The Valentines Project will develop the following facilities:

• 50 Mtpa open pit mine.
• 18 Mtpa magnetite DR concentrate processing facility and associated infrastructure.
• 230 km concentrate slurry and return water pipelines.
• Deep water export/import terminal for the export of 18 Mtpa concentrate, and supply of consumables.
• Onshore infrastructure for project, power generation, materials handling of concentrate, coal and consumables, services and utilities.

SNC-Lavalin was appointed by Zamin Resources to undertake the discovery phase of this project and this was subsequently followed by a prefeasibility study and a definitive feasibility study.  SNC-Lavalin was responsible for the overall management of these studies including the management of other specialist consultants.