Waihi
Client: Waihi Gold Mining
Company
Value:$70 million
Start date: September 2003
The project
The Waihi gold mine is located
within the township of Waihi, 150 kilometres south east of
Auckland. The current contract was awarded in 2006, however
Macmahon has been operating on site since 1998, with the contract
extended a number of times.
The contract requires open pit mining, transfer of ore and waste across a main roadway to the mill, and the development of the tailings dam to an environmentally safe state.
Scope of work:
- Drill and blast
- Mining of ore and waste
- Operate and maintain crushing and conveying systems
- Placement of waste on tailings dam
Challenges and innovations
- Operating close to a town means that the team are met with challenges associated with dust and vibration issues.
- Macmahon works closely with the client to overcome these issues and stringent restrictions on drill and blast, mining, crushing and construction activities are in place, to ensure social impacts are minimised.