The mining company Consolidated Thompson has begun operations of an iron mine and a treatment facility in Lac Bloom, near Fermont, and expects to extract approximately eight million tonnes of ore annually, which will be transported by rail to a cargo handling terminal in Sept-Îles. This terminal will be used to empty railway cars, storage and loading ships to dispatch the ore by sea. Pomerleau participated in the construction of this terminal by undertaking the concrete foundations.
Pomerleau carried out the foundation work for the following:
- Wagon tippler and tunnel;
- Four (4) transfer towers;
- Several conveyor supports over approximately 750 metres;
- Wagon tippler building;
- Bucket-wheel excavator and reclaimer; and
- 25-kV station.
PROJECT FEATURES AND CHALLENGES
- Quick start-up (mobilization the day after the contract was signed)
- Execution in fast-track mode as the construction plans were issued as soon as engineering finalized them
- Significant coordination given that all disciplines were on site at the same time: excavation/backfill, concrete foundations, steel structures, mechanical, electrical, railroad tracks, etc.
- Tight schedule with day and night shifts, seven days per week