The proposed iron ore mining concession is located at Ban Boneng, a small village in the Hinboun District, Khammouan Province, some 200km south east of the capital, Vientiane. The plant is designed to process 200t of iron per day.
The major design components involve the processing plant, tailing dam, slope protection, water source study, water management and water transfer, road, drainage, pump house and M&E systems.
As Laos is a landlocked country. There are always restriction in logistics and transportation of materials. Hence the cost of construction can be more expensive as compared to Malaysia and it can be a surprise for anyone who has not done their homework on local construction industry. On top of that, the design will also have to be adjusted so that it suits the local construction practice.
It has taken nearly 3 years for the iron ore mining plant to start operation, starting from the study of the mineral reserve, engineering design, meeting all requirements of government authorities, obtaining licenses, dialogs with local community and land compensation, construction, testing and commissioning.
Some challenges and highlights of the design are as follows:
- Water management is one of the most important aspects for the iron ore mining operation. One has to recognise that water is a scarce and expensive resource especially during the dry season in Laos. Therefore conservation measures and water management shall be part of the mining operations. A practical plan of water management using recycled water has been proposed;
- There are many padi fields around the mining plant. Therefore the water supply to the padi fields shall not be affected. The overflow of water from the clarifying pond shall therefore feed into the drainage system of the padi field;
- The project site has a tropical monsoon climate with a rainy season from May to September. The rainfall can be extremely high, ranging from 200mm to 900mm. Therefore the stability of the slope where all the major plants are sitting shall be taken care of;
- As the life span of the mine is estimated to be around 6-7 years, cost effective design is compulsory yet safety shall not be compromised.
The construction of the whole plant has taken around 9 months and progress has been slow during rainy season but extra workforces were put into the construction to catch up the work programme. The construction was completed in early 2014.
Client
Jurutera TCS Sdn Bhd
Location of Project
Loba Baun, Tanjung Manis.
Implementing Agency
Sarawak Timber Industry and Development Corporation
Funded by
Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation
Year of Design/Study
2013
Year of Project Implementation
2013
Project Cost
RM 1,700,000.00