A mining client wanted an independent evaluation of alternatives for transporting ore from the mine to its processing facility more than 77 miles away (via highway) when its mine plan indicated an increase of nearly four times the current rate over an eight-year period.
Barr conducted a comprehensive study of transportation methods and route options based on the existing topography, infrastructure, environmental elements, and property boundaries. Our study considered current and future ore sources to compare viable alternatives for ore transport, assess risks, and estimate capital and operating costs. We reviewed a variety of transportation methods, such as on- and off-road trucking options, piping, conveying, rail, and combinations of those methods by transload. We identified several routing alternatives to assess their feasibility, and when viable alignments were multiplied by the various material-handling methods, we ultimately analyzed a substantial number of potential options for consideration.
Barr’s final deliverable included possible ore=transportation options that best satisfied a combination of technical, risk, and business requirements for the client’s use in decision-making for the next phase of assessment.